Cellular and Molecular Biology
The purpose of this research is to determine if isolating exosomes in urine and saliva can increase constancies in the capillary tube precipitation test. This, in turn, could diagnosis IgE s…
Microbiology
While antibiotics have been used for decades to treat bacterial infections, the use of bacteriophages in the medical setting provides a potential for new treatments in an era of growing anti…
Embedded Systems
Smartphones are one of the most important tools in our global society. However, smartphones emit high levels of Radio Frequency Radiation which has the potential to be harmful to human healt…
Energy: Physical
A lot of people struggle with their air conditioning system with problems like hot and cold spots. Air conditioning systems need to be more effective in cooling and heating rooms properly an…
Physics and Astronomy
The objective of this project is to determine the most efficient and accurate method, among peak fitting analysis (PFA), linear combination fitting analysis (LCF), and principal components a…
Robotics and Intelligent Machines
Artificial intelligence is one of the fastest growing fields in the U.S. It can be used for anything from medicine to self-driving cars. An easy environment for an AI to learn in is a videog…
Environmental Engineering
Over 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced annually, and over 270 million tons of that waste is sent to landfills. This research hopes to better characterize plastic consumption in B…
Energy: Chemical
Bioreactors are landfills that aim to accelerate the process of waste decomposition through the recirculation of leachate in order to produce higher concentrations of methane. Methane can be…
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs), which are fatal to aquatic ecosystems, human health, and water-reliant industries, largely occur because of unnatural increases of Nitrate and Phosphate and are…
Plant Sciences
The purpose of this experiment is to determine ornamental landscape plants that uptake lead out of the soil using phytoremediation. To execute this experiment, the scientist planted 120 plan…
Embedded Systems
In the United States, an estimated 26.9 million adults live with some sort of visual impairment. Many VI individuals make use of a phenomenon called "facial vision," which is the ability of…
Chemistry
Purpose: The leading causes of death globally stems from cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart failure, which both involve atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis refers to the buildup o…
Robotics and Intelligent Machines
Overcoming the visual barrier and developing “see-through vision” has been one of mankind’s long-standing dreams. Unlike visible light, Radio Frequency (RF) signals penetrate opaque obstruct…
Biochemistry
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a common characteristic of many diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer. Normal mitochondrial function is regulated by post-translational mod…
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Fourth Award
Over the past few decades, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), or commonly known as red tide, have increased in their frequency and magnitude around the world. HABs can cause massive fish kills and…
Embedded Systems
With the increasing amount of cognitive benefits found to help musicians, it has become increasingly imperative to begin playing music. However, aspiring musicians often have trouble pinpoin…
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Third Award
The purpose of this project was to further test the principles of the “Windshield Wiper” Model and develop a comprehensive hot spot map of arsenic contaminants within Waiakea Pond and throug…
Biomedical and Health Sciences
A recent rise in the use of opioids during pregnancy in the United States has resulted in an increase in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The effects of opioid use during pregnancy on new…
Biomedical and Health Sciences
Purpose: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) affects > 1 million people, kills ~ 400,000/year and costs > 300 Billion dollars. Some patients with AMI die from various causes, one of which is E…
Environmental Engineering
Water scarcity affects upwards of a billion people worldwide. Big cities like Cape Town, Mexico City, Melbourne, and Jakarta are threatened by the water crisis today. Ironically, these very…
Biomedical and Health Sciences
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a lung disease that results in scarring (fibrosis) of the lungs with no known cause. Over time, the scarring becomes so severe that breathing becomes i…
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Craniosynostosis, a congenital disease that affects 1 in 2000-2500 people, shares genetic mutations implicated in cancer progression, yet has not been studied as a potential predictive marke…
Microbiology
Diabetes is a metabolic disease impacting more than 400 million adults worldwide. Most of the major complications associated with diabetes are caused by hyperglycemia. Under hyperglycemic co…
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Fourth Award
Downstream riverside communities in the Four Corners Region face a potential threat from metals and metalloids from abandoned mines located in southwestern Colorado. In 2015, the Gold King M…
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Annually, the environmental bacteria cause food-borne illnesses that affect over 50 million persons worldwide. Over half the pharmaceuticals utilize bacterial products. Less than 1% of the e…
Animal Sciences
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has become a prevalent issue and today, over 80 million people in the U.S. are affected. NAFLD starts with the accumulation of lipids droplets in the liver…
Chemistry
Carcinogenic acrylamide naturally forms in common foods and drinks containing asparagines and reducing sugars when processed at temperatures above 120°C. Recent worldwide concern for consume…
Energy: Physical
High-efficiency GaAs solar cells are good candidates for roof-top photovoltaics for automobiles but, they are very expensive and inflexible. If GaAs photovoltaics can be made as microcells a…
Embedded Systems
Wearable technology relies on the use of sensors to monitor bodily movement. Soft, flexible, and durable sensors are needed in devices for everyday use. Here, I present a novel method for cr…
Environmental Engineering
Mirror manufacturing costs less than solar panels, and when a mirror reflects light rays onto a panel, power increases, so utilizing mirrors can develop more efficient and affordable solar e…