Can a porous membrane reduce water loss without blocking essential gas exchange? That question sits at the center of research exploring how organisms regulate moisture across biological surfaces. This project examined spider egg sacs as a model system to better understand how water vapor moves across porous membranes and what truly controls evaporation. The research… continue reading
Forensic DNA analysis depends on reliable amplification, but degraded or trace samples often limit the effectiveness of traditional methods. This poster examined whether Catalytic Hairpin Assembly, an enzyme-free and isothermal DNA amplification technique, could provide a viable alternative to polymerase chain reaction for forensic applications, particularly when working with compromised DNA. Presented at the 2025… continue reading
Alaska supplies roughly 80 percent of North America’s wild-caught salmon, making the industry both an ecological cornerstone and a major economic driver for the state. This poster examined how climate change and economic pressures are reshaping that industry, asking whether rising ocean temperatures, sea level change, and ocean acidification are measurably affecting salmon populations and… continue reading
The payphone, once a fixture of public life, now sits at the edge of cultural memory. This poster examined what might happen if a fully functioning payphone were reintroduced into a contemporary public space and how people might reinterpret, repurpose, or ignore a once-essential communication technology. Presented at the 2025 SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art,… continue reading
Why do some neural signals increase our willingness to engage socially while others reinforce fear and avoidance? This project explores how a specific receptor, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3), may regulate the balance between social engagement and emotional inhibition by modulating communication between key brain regions involved in stress and behavior. The research was presented at… continue reading
Impairments in social behavior are a hallmark of many psychiatric disorders, yet the neural mechanisms that regulate sociability remain incompletely understood. What if activating a specific receptor in the brain could enhance social interaction by quieting fear-related circuits? This research was presented at the Graduate Poster Exhibition during the 2025 SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art,… continue reading
