STEM Research Projects

Science, Engineering, and Mathematics provide the educational backbone that enables students to explore new technologies that can benefit society. STEM is inherently interdisciplinary and at Grove City College our students explore problems that lie at the intersection of science and engineering. Please see below for a summary of just some of the exciting research projects that students are involved in at Grove City College.

 Check out some of our recent projects!

Applied Science & Engineering

• Organ on a Chip. Dr. Savage and Dr. Pazehoski are teaming up to design and fabricate microfluidic chips that replicate human organ functions. These chips take on a structure and function that replicates organ-level physiology more closely than conventional in vitro cell cultures, making disease modeling and drug testing instantly more relevant to the true in vivo environment. Since 2010, there have been successful emulations of the human lung, intestine, liver, kidney, stomach, heart, uterus, eye, and even brain tissue.

Biology

• Epigenetic Control of Cell Proliferation. Dr. Antoszewski is interested in understanding how cell proliferation is controlled by epigenetic (“above the genome”) modifications and uses the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as her model system. In collaboration with Dr. Robert Duronio at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her students are performing a forward genetic screen to identify genes that interact with a specific modification made to histone H4, one of the proteins that helps compact DNA in the nucleus of the cell. Developing a better appreciation for how this modification affects cell proliferation will inform our understanding of both development and disease.
• Plant Growth Chambers. Dr. Dudt has an interdisciplinary team of students from the Departments of Computer Science, Biology, and Electrical Engineering modifying a mobile plant growth chamber capable of remotely controlling light levels, water, humidity, and temperature.
• Honeybee Health. Dr. Farone’s GCC Bee Project involves an apicultural training and research program that enables students to maintain our Penn State University (PSU) Master Gardener Certified, Pollinator Friendly Garden and Apiary. The GCC Apiary houses approximately 10 honeybee colonies which support student research focused on improving honeybee health and community education. The Project also produces about 400 pounds of honey a year, which is donated to the community. Learn more at www.gccbeeproject.com.
• Characterizing a Plant Pathogen. Dr. Luong is interested in studying what makes the white mold pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a generalist. The main question to address is whether an isolate from a soybean plant would show the same level of disease and undergo the same virulence pathways if infected in other host crops. She also wants to know whether isolates can shift host preferences over time. Additionally, she plans to investigate whether observed phenotypic changes correlate with genotypic modifications.
• Exploring the Lifestyle of a Plant Pathogen. Dr. Luong aims to improve the understanding of how the cosmopolitan plant fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum establishes endophytic relationships with non-host plants, where they live inside a plant and do not cause disease. Farmers utilize crop rotations with non-host grasses like corn, wheat, and ryegrass to break the disease cycle. However, if S. sclerotiorum can endophytically colonize non-hosts, these plants can be a source of the pathogen. Therefore, Dr. Luong will investigate the mechanisms of colonization S. sclerotiorum utilizes with non-hosts and quantify the frequency of finding them as endophytes in the field.
• Analysis of Large-Scale Biomedical Datasets. Dr. MacFawn’s lab uses a special form of immunohistochemistry to stain human cancer slides, enabling identification of up to seven markers on an individual slide. Using high resolution digital scans, the presence and interactions of cells of the immune system (B cells, T cells, dendritic cells, macrophages) can be illustrated across a vast dataset comprised of millions of cells from scores of patients. Much of this work is mediated through computational image analysis programs that employ machine-learning based algorithms. These findings can be correlated with patient features such as age, stage, and molecular profile to better understand trends in the tumor microenvironment with the ultimate goal of promoting patient response to immunotherapies. Dr. MacFawn is currently working in the field of ovarian cancer but plans to expand and synergize his lab’s findings with other solid tumor types. A major aspiration of the lab is to produce a publicly available, high quality multispectral imaging dataset (>100 patients) of ovarian cancer which he and his students will organize and mine for biologically significant insights.
• Integrity of the Intestinal Barrier. Dr. Pazehoski’s students are using a human colon cell culture model to study the integrity of the intestinal barrier tissue. Diseases like Ulcerative Colitis and Chron’s disease involve the breakdown of connections between the cells that form the inner lining of the intestine resulting in compromised function. Dr. Pazehoski’s students are interested in exploring different models of the intestine including a three-dimensional model known as an “organ-on-a-chip.” Additionally, they plan to investigate the influence that various bacteria within the gut microbiome have on the integrity of the intestinal barrier tissue.  
• Human Pathogens. Dr. Stauff’s students focus on deciphering ways that disease-causing bacteria sense and respond to their environment using systems known as two-component systems (TCS). They have used tools of genetics combined with chemistry to figure out how these sensor systems work. These studies have the potential to expand our understanding of how organisms respond to their environment and may lead to the development of drugs that interfere with the strategies that bacteria use to cause disease.
• Detecting Endangered Species. Dr. Wood’s students are detecting cryptic or endangered species using eDNA. They are trying to detect populations of the eastern sand darter (Ammocrypta pellucida), an endangered species in Pennsylvania. The team is also working with the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association to map historical strip mines across Scrubgrass Creek Watershed. This information will be utilized to plan future projects and management within the watershed.
• Anti-Cancer Compounds. Dr. Yowler and his research team are evaluating the anti-cancer properties of various organic compounds by determining their toxicity on human cancer (HeLa) cells. These compounds are being synthesized by Dr. Charles Kriley and his students in the Department of Chemistry.
• Bioinformatics. Dr. Yowler is also involved in a large collaborative project with the Genomics Education Partnership. Students are working to annotate various Drosophila (fruit fly) genes to explore the evolution of the insulin-signaling pathway.
• Microbiome. Dr. Pazehoski’s students are using a colon cell culture model to investigate the influence that various bacteria within the gut microbiome have on diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. 

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Chemistry

• Anti-Cancer Drugs. Dr. Kriley’s students are pursuing new anti-cancer drugs, starting with compounds that are already known to have anti-cancer activity, like resveratrol and quercetin. In collaboration with the Department of Biology, the compounds are tested on breast cancer cells from a cell line patented by two former faculty members.
• Atmospheric Chemistry. Dr. Falcetta and Dr. Fair work with students to utilize quantum chemistry and computational methods to characterize temporary anions. This work is relevant to the study of the atmospheric chemistry of the earth, as well as the atmospheres of other planets.
• Computational Modeling of Protein Systems. Dr. Fair’s and Dr. Falcetta’s students use molecular dynamics simulations and docking studies to understand the interaction of small biomolecules with proteins, with the possible application of developing methods to fight bacterial infection.
• BPA in Dental Sealants. Dr. Wong’s students are investigating bisphenol A (BPA) leakage from dental sealants when using mouth wash via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. BPA is utilized in polycarbonates throughout the food and medical industries (e.g., in dental sealants and cement), and studies have found that over 90% of the US population have detectable levels of BPA in their urine. Exposure to BPA is a concern because of the possible health effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children.
• Lithium-ion Batteries. Dr. Wong’s research group is investigating a novel all-solid lithium-ion battery system. By utilizing UV light, a solid and cured electrolyte is sandwiched between the anode and cathode to produce voltages. The goal is to characterize, design, and increase the voltage produced for flexible and small electronic systems.
• Polyethyleneimine and its Antibacterial Properties. Another research group of Dr. Wong studies the efficacy of a positively charged nanopolymer in killing bacterial and viral systems. A convenient and effective tool is utilizing the Particle Charge Detector (PCD) to quantify charges of various concentration, molecular weight, and modified polyethyleneimine solutions.
• Protein Engineering. The holy grail of intrinsic biological fluorescence is the single tryptophan protein. However, tryptophan is the least frequently appearing amino acid in natural protein sequences. As the largest volume side chain, it is challenging to engineer a tryptophan into a buried position within a structure without large-scale disruption. Dr. Shaw is using computational methods to describe natural tryptophan environments and predict locations (and other changes) for the thermodynamically stable incorporation of novel tryptophan residues.
• Conical Nodes in the Eigenfunctions of Nonadiabatic Surfaces Through Vibronic Resonance. Dr. Foster’s research group focuses on discovering novel topographic features in potential energy surfaces when nuclear and electronic motion are coupled that can cause unusual energy transfer dynamics.
• Vibronic Resonance as an Explanation for Ultrafast Energy Transfer in Photosynthetic Molecules. Dr. Foster and his team are looking at the high quantum efficiency of energy transfer between light absorbers in the natural photosynthetic process as a model for efficient energy transfer in other contexts.

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Computer Science

• Apps for iPhone & Android. Senior project teams in the Department of Computer Science are developing a range of apps for mobile devices:
  • Gex is a cross-platform desktop app that allows engineers at Gecko Robotics to create synthetic data to help automate internal testing. The user can create a virtual surface with various features and run virtual sensors over the surface to gather synthetic data.
  • YADA (Yet Another Data Aggregator) is an open-source data aggregation system designed for use with HVAC systems. Utilizing inexpensive hardware sensors and an intuitive web front-end, technicians and researchers can employ custom python scripts to calculate data values and detect HVAC unit faults in real time.
  • GameScore is a mobile web app that makes it easier to score complex board games. Players can use premade, game-specific templates to generate digital scorecards for the entire table. By listing the scoring conditions, validating user input, and tallying the results, GameScore facilitates a faster and more accurate scoring process. Players can also invite the other players to help score the game in real time on their phones.
  • HydroPot is an iPhone application and smart plant pot that allows users to easily monitor and water their plants from anywhere. HydroPot users can track the soil moisture, temperature, and sunlight level of their plants. They can automatically water the plant when dry. Users receive notifications when the pot detects a problem with the plant, such as being too cold or overwatered.
  • VoteNote is an iPhone application that allows users to collaborate in creating a music playlist for parties, restaurants, or other events. Everyone can add their own songs and vote on their favorites. Popular songs move to the front of the line, so they play earlier. Hosts can choose which genres are allowed, veto songs, and ban users as needed.
  • Child Connect is a web application that helps daycare staff easily track information about their students and forecast future classroom availability. Teachers can access information about their students, such as profile pictures, allergies, adults authorized to pick them up, and emergency notes. Administrators can manage classroom information and enroll new students based on classroom availability.
  • Course Pilot is a web application designed to help new and returning students navigate their semester schedules. Users can create, change, compare, and auto-generate class schedules. Additionally, users can edit an interactive degree report that tracks degree progress, so they can plan for future courses.
  • QwikHR is a Human Resources (HR) web application that allows a manager to post jobs, see all applicants, message applicants, and ultimately hire for their listed jobs. Applicants can see all the active jobs that the manager has created; they can easily apply without a login and will receive a confirmation email upon submitting their application.
• AI in Computer Games. Dr. Dellinger’s students are developing algorithms for waypoint generation in computer games. Video game characters must be able to travel from point A to point B. This can be accomplished by grid maps, mesh navigation, or waypoint algorithms.
• Computer Vision Algorithms. Dr. Wolfe’s research group is working on computer vision algorithms for identifying and tracking ants in their natural habitats. The project is a collaboration between the Departments of Biology, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science.
• Bible Translation Tools. Dr. Dickinson and Dr. Wolfe are working with SIL International on a project to improve the efficiency of translating the Bible into other languages. Automated tools help human translators by suggesting possible translations, but those tools can require substantial computational power to get working for new languages. This project is focused on incorporating more efficient algorithms into SIL’s toolkit, so Bible translators can use the translation tools on common hardware while working in the field. Students Allison Harnly and Jonathan Allarassem have contributed to this ongoing work, learning about statistical machine translation algorithms and working to encode those for use by SIL.
• Visual-Inertial Odometry. Dr. Zhang’s students are working on a new visual-inertial odometry method to utilize the stereo camera input for quadrotor state estimation. With stereo input, the visual scale can be accurately computed, so the initialization process is simplified and yet improved – estimating fewer state variables with an accurate prior scale. In addition, the team investigates the capabilities of deep learning (DL) to identify more distinct and stable visual features for motion tracking.
• Robotic Arm System Design. Dr. Zhang's research team presents a duo of streamlined robotic system concepts: one harnessing the power of a 3D camera and the other leveraging an iPhone. The 3D camera setup brings together computer vision, a robot operating system (ROS), robotic arm movement, and machine learning; it was designed especially for folks delving into AI and robotics, like researchers, teachers, and students. On the flip side, the iPhone-based system involves an app that spots a target object and tells a Raspberry Pi where it is through Bluetooth. The Raspberry Pi then uses a special part to figure out how the robotic arm should move using GCode and a serial cable.

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Engineering

• Fish Hydrodynamics. Dr. Anderson’s students study the hydrodynamics of remora fish (suckerfish). The project is a comparative study of resonance in swimming over various fish species and body lengths. Fish swim in a large water treadmill, or “flume,” and their body curvature and the three-dimensional position of their tail tip and snout are determined in real time. Real time means each tail position is accomplished in less than 1/50th of a second, which is a breakthrough in this field of study. The work has application to novel propulsion systems, marine vehicles, and fish biology.
• Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle. Dr. Rumbaugh’s students are designing a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to collect data for fisheries’ research in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.
• Autonomous Delivery Robot. Dr. Brooks and Dr. Mohr are leading a team of students to design an autonomous delivery robot that can travel across campus. They have developed a prototype consisting of a Bluetooth-controllable mechanical chassis, a Velodyne Lidar sensing system with basic proximity-checking capabilities, a GPS-RTK system for navigation, a Robot Operating System (ROS) software architecture, and the shell of a basic web-based user interface.
• Happy Feet. Dr. Richards and Dr. Buxton have a team of students investigating the acoustic signature of foot strikes during walking and running. The sound signature is correlated to kinematic and kinetic parameters such as average and peak pressure/force, center of pressure/force velocity, and contact time. Sound signatures are analyzed by Dr. Hutchins (Computer Science) through various software platforms and machine learning algorithms. The team plans to capture additional data using a SmartSuit (Rokoko) and analyze it using a biomechanics software package to correlate acoustic signals and kinematic/kinetic phenomena during walking and running.

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Exercise Science

• Quadrupedal Movement Training. Dr. Buxton is studying Quadrupedal Movement Training (QMT), a novel form of exercise in which the hands and feet are in contact with the ground while the performer moves across it using various dynamic transitions and postures. His team has identified several benefits of this type of training (including increased flexibility, movement control, and muscular endurance). Future studies include identifying peak muscular force and joint torque outputs by employing a SmartSuit fitted with inertial motion sensors to perform motion capture of the various QMT movements.
• External Ketone Supplements. Dr. Prins and Dr. Buxton are investigating the impact of exogenous ketone supplements (salts and esters) on an athlete’s health and performance. Ketone supplementation results in acute buffering of the rise in CO2 during exercise performed in simulated altitude. Their research seeks to further investigate the mechanisms by which ketone supplements influence one’s physiology while at rest and examine their chronic effects on markers of health and performance.
• Low Carbohydrate, High Fat (LCHF) Diets. Dr. Prins’ research group is evaluating the safety and efficacy of LCHF diets in athletic populations. Results from this research challenge whether higher carbohydrate intake is superior for athletic performance, even during shorter-duration, higher-intensity exercise. Lower carbohydrate intake may be a therapeutic strategy to improve blood glucose control particularly in those with or at risk for diabetes.
• Nutrition for Health & Performance. Drs. Prins, Buxton, Ault, and Gerhart collaborate on projects seeking to investigate (1) multisystem response to exercise with and without ergogenic aids across parameters of health and human performance, (2) practical impact of lifestyle on metabolism and how metabolism impacts health, disease, and performance outcomes, and (3) implementation of nutritional ketosis and metabolic health modulators across populations.
• Strength & Conditioning for Athletes. Dr. Gerhart’s students are conducting research projects with athlete populations to investigate performance and physiological variables. They are investigating the effects of resistance training on endurance athletes, along with competitive performance in cyclists. Their work supports tactical athletes such as firefighters, military personnel, law enforcement, paramedics/EMTs, and other first responders to improve job task performance in extreme environmental and occupational conditions.
• Exercise & Cognitive Function. Dr. Ault’s team is assessing the effects of exercise and dietary supplementation on cognitive function and activity. They study the effects of exercise intensities and modalities on working memory, reaction time, executive function, and spatial processing. Additionally, they are investigating the effects of a multi-strain probiotic supplement on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in college-aged individuals.

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Mathematics

• Consensus Theory for Networked Systems. Dr. Drai leads a team of students to investigate applications of Networked Control Systems. These applications include social influence networks, wireless sensor networks, and non-centralized coordination of motion in animals and robotics.
• The Thinking Classroom. Dr. Flanders has been working with the Westinghouse Academy of Pittsburgh Public Schools on implementing The Thinking Classroom and has assisted in the writing of the school improvement plan for the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
• Topological Data Analysis. Dr. Jackson leads a team of students who apply topological data analysis to find hidden information in data. By using this technique that finds shape in data, the team is analyzing the motion of swimming fish and to create a new classification for musical pieces.

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Physics

• Nanotechnology. Dr. Wolinski’s students synthesize and characterize nanowires composed of gallium oxide. This wide bandgap semiconductor is the focus of enormous global interest as a material which may be used for the development of high voltage electronic devices. Efforts are also underway to develop experiments to study the Casimir force, a consequence of quantum mechanical fluctuations in the vacuum.
• Pulsating Variable Stars. Dr. Clem leads a team of students to utilize the GCC observatory at Edinboro, PA for imaging and spectroscopic analysis of pulsating variable stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The observatory houses a remotely controlled 20-inch Cassegrain telescope which is used to monitor light fluctuations from variable stars, track and follow near-Earth asteroids, conduct extrasolar planet characterization via transit observations, and determine star cluster ages and distances via multi-band photometric observations.
• Physics Education Research. Dr. Wagner conducts research into how students learn physics and how to better facilitate that learning. She is currently part of a multi-institution collaboration developing a standardized evaluation of student understanding of topics in fluids statics and fluids dynamics. She is also developing a taxonomy of the numerous alternate conceptions about buoyancy identified both in her own research and in other published studies. Results of her work can help instructors identify and understand the difficulties faced by their students, and to test the efficacy of pedagogical interventions.

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