By Victoria Lotz
Over the summer, eight MNU students contributed their time and academic knowledge to multiple prestigious research programs all over the country. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) is a program funded by the National Science Foundation designed to give students at smaller universities the opportunity to experience top-tier research. The programs are located at incredibly competitive and renowned research institutions and provide graduate-level lab experience. Each student is assigned a specific research project, a group and more experienced researchers.
Noah Beal
- Major: Physics and Chemistry
- Hometown: Topeka, Kansas
- R.E.U. Placement: University of Central Florida, Research for Materials in Energy Applications REU Program
Research Topic: “I worked on recreating results from previously ran DFT calculations on wurtzite ZnO (zinc oxide) and using those [results] along with other DFT calculations on defected ZnO systems to lay the groundwork for fitting a tight-binding model to be used in approximating the effect of sizable defects on ZnO’s conductivity.”
Impact: “This experience has made it somewhat evident that I probably don’t want to pursue research as a career, but I am still open to the idea of graduate school for either a master’s degree or a PhD. In the instance that I decide to pursue graduate school, having participated in an REU should aid tremendously in the application process, especially for PhD programs.”
Alex Cummins
- Major: Biology and Chemistry, minor in Mathematics
- Hometown: Olathe, Kansas
- R.E.U. Placement: University of Kansas, Department of Molecular Biosciences REU Program
Research Topic: “I used fluorine NMR (Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance) to study the membrane interactions of the Shigella major translocase, IpaB. This translocase is one protein in the Type III Secretion System, which is a structure used by many gram-negative bacteria to aid in infection. It functions as a syringe to inject things that contribute to infection into the cells that bacteria target. If we can learn more about the structure and function of one piece of the system, we are one step closer to developing ways to inhibit it!”
Impact: “I learned so much science this summer, which was incredibly enriching for my education. I also gained valuable lab experience and skills that will serve me well in the future. This REU truly solidified my plans to attend graduate school!”
Hayley Loewen
- Major: Biology
- Hometown: Newton, Kansas
- R.E.U. Placement: University of Kansas, Department of Molecular Biosciences REU Program
Research Topic: “I studied the role of a particular gene that encodes a protein of unknown function, which is present in all Chlamydia bacteria. My research investigated how disrupting this gene, TC0075, in Chlamydia muridarum would affect the bacteria’s growth in cell culture. The disruption of this gene led to the production of fewer infectious units of C. muridarum, suggesting this gene is critical for the basic growth and infectivity of C. Muridarum.”
Impact: “This experience improved my lab skills and scientific writing, introduced me to new lab techniques and technology we don’t have at MNU, and gave me valuable insight into grad school, helping to clarify my career goals.”
James K. Mwihaki
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Olathe, Kansas
- R.E.U. Placement: University of Maryland, Bioinformatics and Genomics Data Science REU Program
Research Topic: “Plasmids are small DNA molecules that can exist inside bacteria, separate from the bacterial chromosome. They often carry genes that help bacteria survive in harsh conditions, like in the presence of antibiotics. Our project aimed to study the DNA of both bacteria and plasmids to develop a method for predicting which types of bacteria can host specific plasmids. This knowledge could help us understand how antibiotic resistance spreads and potentially develop new strategies to combat it.”
Impact: “The experience helped me answer a wide array of questions that I had concerning life after college. Before the internship, I had decided to go into industry after my undergrad. This has changed a bit, and although I still want to end up in industry, I would like to at least pursue a master’s. And a PhD is not completely out of the picture.”
Samuel Powell
- Major: Chemistry/Biology
- Hometown: Lenexa, Kansas
- Placement: University of Utah, Department of Chemistry REU Program
Research Topic: “I utilized cyclic voltammetry (a technique which measures the current that develops in an electrochemical cell) to study the kinetics of a critical step in the catalytic cycle for nickel-catalyzed sp2-sp3 cross-coupling through peak-ratio analysis. By collecting rate data for this step with different substrate/ligand combinations, I was able to assemble a training set to enable my mentors to build a computational model to predict rates for any combination of substrates and ligands.”
Impact: “This experience has solidified my field of interest within chemistry and helped me narrow down potential schools and labs to work in during my PhD studies. I also gained extremely valuable connections through this REU.”
Yair Saucedo
- Major: Biology and Chemistry
- Hometown: Topeka, Kansas
- Placement: The Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, California)
Research Topic: The effect of chemical modifications (specifically of S-Nitrosylation on a DNA repair protein) on the manifestation of autism spectrum disorder.
Impact: “My summer program encouraged me to apply to medical school. Through this, I want to pursue a career as a physician where I integrate “bench to bedside” research into my medical practice.”
Aidan Thomas
- Major: Chemistry
- Hometown: Lee’s Summit, Missouri
- R.E.U. Placement: University of Kansas, Department of Chemistry REU Program
Research Topic: “I worked to synthesize and characterize multiple uranyl complexes (water-soluble uranium compounds) for the purpose of electrochemical interrogation. Essentially, I constructed chemicals that act as a house for uranium waste to better study its properties and develop strategies for its recycling.”
Impact: “This experience further confirmed my love for research and strengthened my determination to pursue a PhD in chemistry. It provided me with valuable research experience with real world application.”
Saragrace Felvus
- Major: Physics and Math
- Hometown: Olathe, Kansas
- REU Placement: Physics and Astronomy REU Program at Brigham Young University
Research Topic: Saragrace made a groundbreaking discovery during her REU experience while studying Delta Scuti Pulsating Variable Stars.
Impact: “It is believed that I have found a new class of star that has been misclassified or undetected as of yet. This discovery has the potential to uproot or, at minimum, disturb the variable star research field because a large portion of classified stars would need to be reexamined.” Read all about her pioneering discovery here.
Learn more about MNU STEM areas of study at mnu.edu/undergraduate-stem-studies.
