Category: College of Arts & Sciences
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Tridacna spp. clams as Potential Paleoclimate Indicators on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island
By Kate Green Faculty Mentor: Pamela Grothe Abstract Tridacna spp. clams, also known as giant clams, are the largest living marine bivalves and have been theorized to be reliable indicators of paleoclimate (Yan et. al., 2020). The Tridacna gigas is commonly found throughout the tropical Pacific, and has potential to supplement high-resolution paleoclimate archives from…
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Studies in Projectile Motion
By Jason Walker Faculty Mentor: Emmanuel Skamangas Abstract Projectile motion is usually defined as the motion of an object fired or projected through the air without additional propulsive force. In the ideal case of projectile motion, gravity is the only force acting upon the propelled object and air resistance is considered to be negligible. More…
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Mary Washington’s Lost Grave: Utilizing Ground Penetrating Radar in an Archaeological Context
By Blake Bauer Faculty Mentor: Dr. Katherine Parker Abstract For over two centuries, the final resting place of Mary Ball Washington has remained a mystery due to the lack of historical documentation following her death in 1789. However, the circumstantial evidence and accounts of her grandchildren, among other reputable sources point to the conclusion that…
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The generational effect of temperature differences on sex differentiation in Danio rerio
By Willa Clore Faculty Mentor: Dianne Baker Abstract This research investigated whether temperature related sex differentiation causes generational differences in the sex ratios in the TU strain of a model organism, Danio rerio. To test this hypothesis, the F1 offspring were collected from adults reared at differing temperatures from 15 days post fertilization (dpf) until…
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Solar Farms and the Heat Island Effect: A study of Local Temperature Changes at Virginia’s Largest Solar Farms
By Rhane Elder Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Grothe Abstract With the growing urgency to move away from fossil fuels, renewable energy has started to rapidly expand. Large-scale solar farms are increasingly being proposed, and often they face backlash from community members on the potential impacts it could have. Spotsylvania County, Virginia is home to the…
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Quercetin Produces Anti-inflammatory Response in Raw 264.7 Macrophages
By Ciara Donnangelo, James Solis, Chris Anderson Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sipe Abstract Chronic inflammation plays a key role in the development and proliferation of several metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as increasing the risk of several types of cancers. It is directly linked to being the cause of cardiovascular disease, which is one of…
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Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitors on the Growth of Jurkat T Lymphocytes
By Emma Jones, Caroline Sampson Faculty Mentor: Randall Reif Abstract Proton pump inhibitors, or PPI’s, have been shown to be toxic to Jurkat T lymphocytes, but it is unknown whether this is due to apoptosis, programmed cell death, or simply ceasing of growth. PPI’s kill cancer cells by inhibiting the movement of H+ (protons) out…
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Investigating the Effect of Exercise on Hippocampal BDNF Expression in Mice
By John Conrad Tan Faculty Mentor: Dr. Parrish Waters, Dr. Ginny Morriss Abstract The effect of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in mice is a topic of interest due to its potential implications for cognitive function. This study aimed to investigate how exercise influences BDNF expression in the hippocampus, a brain region crucial…
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Examination of the Potential Health and Ecological Impacts of the Total and Bioavailable Concentrations of Harmful Metals in Some Kingston, Jamaica, Surface Soils
By Audrey Turner, Faith Jones, and Anna Velardi Faculty Mentor: Dr. Melanie Szulczewski Abstract This study investigated background levels of concerning metals in a variety of soils in and near Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. Minimal soil sample collection and analysis had occurred since a 1988 island-wide geochemical survey revealed very high concentrations of total…
