College of Science and Mathematics

Research projects completed for the 2023-2024 academic year showcase the innovative work done by faculty and first-year scholars, focusing on areas like peptide therapeutics, proteomics, and novel chemical compounds. Each project addresses significant society challenges, aiming to develop advanced treatments for various diseases and solutions for ecological concerns. Explore project descriptions, student outcomes, and weekly duties, and see how these research efforts contribute to advancements in health and science.

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Chemistry and Biochemistry (Marina Koether)

Extracting and Counting Microplastic in Lake Allatoona Sand: Is There a Geographic or Temporal Trend? 

  • Microplastics are discharged unintentionally into Lake Allatoona from a wastewater plant upstream from the lake. Other sources would be litter and clothing worn in the water. Sand samples are collected at the start of each year (2022 and 2023 have been evaluated) at six beach sites.  The student will learn to follow an extraction method and then a detection method using a microscope. Sand samples from 2024 need to be extracted for microplastics and counted.  This needs to be completed in triplicate. The student will continue with the 2025 samples once obtained to add to the data for 2022 and 2023, thus providing a four-year study of microplastics in Lake Allatoona. The goal would be to see if any trends in the data appear as in year over year data or by location. The student will present at the upcoming Southeast Undergraduate Research Conference held at KSU. 

  • The skills the student will learn will be how to sieve samples, make solutions, oxidize organic pollutants, weigh samples, transfer quantitatively, filter solutions, use a microscope and to organize the workflow such that triplicate samples will be in various stages of extraction and oxidation prior to filtration and microscope use. The student will ensure consistent and reliable processing of multiple samples to ensure accuracy and reproducibility. The student will also attend safety classes and be trained in safety protocol.  The first set of samples will take eight - ten weeks to process, and the second set of samples will take eight to ten weeks to process. This involves the skill of scheduling and tracking the progress of samples over extended periods. In addition, statistical analysis will be completed on the sample data. Finally, the experience in creating a poster for presentation will be a valuable skill. 

  • The student will work approximately 5 to 10 hours a week spread out over 4 or 5 days.  Each step in the extraction process requires overnight settling and thus some days the step may take 2 hours, on other days the step may only take 1 hour.  Each week will be similar once the system is set up with the daily process.  There is a two-day delay in starting a new sample to run through the system as the extraction process is a double extraction with two overnight settlings and I only have 3 Separators.  Thus, once we have started the third sample in triplicate, each day will have three different processes to perform for the different samples in the different steps. The student will keep track of the steps each day in their notebook. The student will record the final results of the number of microplastics in their notebook and determine the standard deviation. 

  • Face-to Face
  • Dr. Marina Koether, mkoether@kennesaw.edu

Chemistry and Biochemistry (Daniela Tapu)

Sustainable Catalysts - An Integrated Research and Education Project in Organic Chemistry at KSU 

  • The project is in an area of urgent industrial interest – catalysis. The development of improved catalysts and improved energy-storage materials was identified as a key challenge in the Department of Energy’s Vision 2020 report. A catalyst is a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected.  Catalysts are a driver of green and sustainable chemistry and find application in the synthesis of many valuable products such as pharmaceuticals plastics, fertilizers, fuels, fertilizers and other materials. This project will focus on the preparation of new catalysts based on transition metals that will have a host of new applications. The student(s) will prepare organic molecules derived from N-heterocyclic carbenes en route to new silver, gold, palladium, and copper catalysts and explore their function.

    The specific goals of the project are three-fold:

    1) Synthesis and characterization of novel carbene ligands
    2) Synthesis and characterization of the corresponding transition metal complexes 
    3) Investigation of the catalytic activity of these new complexes in several model reactions

  • By participating in this project, the students will get an intensive immersion in the practice of science, including the foundation of scientific knowledge, experimental design, data handling and collaboration. They will learn to critically read manuscripts, to prepare reports and poster presentations, to keep records and to plan strategy. They could become coauthors on publications. Upon graduation, the students will be equipped with the fundamental knowledge and problem-solving skills needed for a successful career in chemistry. This research experience will significantly enhance their competitiveness for admission in graduate schools or potential employment, as most graduate school and companies place great value on such experience.

  • The students will receive in the beginning training with our standard techniques and instrumentation (NMR, UV-Vis, IR, glovebox/Schlenk-line operation, chromatography etc.). Each student will be actively involved in the preparation and characterization of the proposed targets. They will attempt improvements in product yields and product purification. Each student will initiate his/her own exploratory experiments and will keep an accurate and complete experimental record of laboratory data. The students will participate in group meetings (online or in person, as the situation allows) where discussions about experimental design, problems, concepts and interpretations will take place. The students will be involved in writing and editing the manuscripts and preparation of their poster/oral presentations.

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Daniela Tapu, dtapu@kennesaw.edu

Chemistry and Biochemistry (Michael Stollenz)

Synthesis and Characterization of New Bis(amidines) 

  • This research project involves the synthesis and characterization of new bis(amidines). Amidines resemble carboxylic acids and esters – the difference is that the two oxygen atoms are formally replaced by nitrogen atoms attached to an organic group. Similar to carboxylic acids, amidines carry a hydrogen atom that is acidic. The combination of the two nitrogen atoms and the acidic hydrogen atom (proton) with the additional organic groups make amidines quite versatile molecules.

    One important aspect is their ability to form hydrogen bonds to neighboring amidines: Each neighboring amidine can accept the acidic hydrogen atom by the lone pair of the other nitrogen atom that does not have an H atom yet. The proton is not completely transferred but instead forms a new bonding interaction to that nitrogen atom – an N−H···N hydrogen bond. Such hydrogen bonds are of fundamental importance in biological systems and in all aqueous solutions (in which water molecules serve as so-called hydrogen-bond acceptors or donors). The amidine protons can also be removed by a strong base. In this case, a negative charge is created on one nitrogen atom, which is in fact delocalized at the two nitrogen atoms and the bridging carbon. The neutral amidine then converts into a negatively charged amidinate. Amidinates form strong covalent bonds to metal ions, which are then called coordination compounds (and specifically “clusters” if these metal ions interact with each other or even form bonds to each other). Because certain metal clusters are photoluminescent, they are valuable components of LEDs (light-emitting diodes).

    LEDs are extremely important as energy-saving light sources and are applied in light bulbs, or in computer and smartphone flatscreens. The Stollenz group is interested in connecting two amidines together, using a flexible bridge consisting of CH2 linkers. These bis(amidines) form various hydrogen bonding networks with themselves or other hydrogen bond acceptor molecules. They also form coordination compounds with metal ions of Group 11 of the Periodic Table, the coinage metals copper, silver, and gold. In these coordination compounds, unusual hydrogen bonding interactions to chlorides (N−H···Cl) and even carbon (N−H···C) are observed. Once bis(amidines) are converted into negatively charged bis(amidinates), they form clusters with multiple copper ions (in the oxidation state +I) and become strongly emissive. These clusters adopt linear or bundled shapes, and some of them are molecular strings that have the potential to be applied in nano-sized electronic devices.

  • By participating in this project, the students will get an intensive immersion in the practice of science, The students will be exposed to a broad range of synthetic and analytical techniques of one of the best equipped laboratories in the department, operated by the PI and currently two Postdoctoral Researchers. They will learn basic organic reactions and, at an advanced stage, to manipulate air-sensitive intermediates in the synthetic sequence of the bis(amidines) using Schlenk techniques, and also to characterize the products by X-ray crystallography, NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), IR (Infrared), UV-Vis (Ultraviolet-Visible light), and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. This training includes continuous efforts to sharpen oral presentation skills, scientific writing, laboratory safety, and data management.

  • The students will be trained for a long-term commitment, and it is anticipated that this commitment will last as long as possible.

    New students will first shadow the Postdoctoral Researchers for a couple of weeks and will be assigned to specific tasks, beginning with the synthesis of air-stable organic compounds and their basic characterization by NMR spectroscopy. They will be working with the PI’s trained undergraduate as a team, targeting previously synthesized and new bis(amidines) with various organic substituents. At an advanced stage, the students will learn how to manipulate air-sensitive compounds under an atmosphere of an inert gas (argon).

    A basic training of this technique requires approximately one semester if the undergraduate student commits at least 10 hours to the lab in a week. Lab activities also include cleaning glassware and maintaining laboratory equipment. The undergraduates will attend our weekly group meetings, which include continuous progress discussions as well as literature and research presentations. Each undergraduate is required to submit a detailed end-of-the semester research report.

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Michael Stollenz, mstollen@kennesaw.edu

Chemistry and Biochemistry (Madalynn Marshall)

Designing Functional Magnetic Material for Sustainable Energy 

  • The demand for clean renewable energy technology continues to rise with the increasing severity of climate change from greenhouse-gas emissions. In this research project we will design geometrically frustrated magnetic material for sustainable technologies including magnetic refrigeration and electrocatalysis. Geometrically frustrated magnetic materials are a fascinating type of material where the arrangement of magnetic moments (or spins) on a lattice prevents them from aligning in a simple, orderly fashion due to competing interactions. Imagine a situation where the spins are like tiny magnets that want to align with their neighbors, but the shape of the lattice, such as a triangular or tetrahedral arrangement, creates conflicts. These conflicts prevent the system from reaching a single, uniform magnetic state, leading to a highly complex and often disordered arrangement of spins. This frustration can lead to exotic magnetic behavior promoting the advancement of a wide range of sustainable energy technology, where the control of magnetic properties is crucial.

    Here we will explore geometrically frustrated lattices such as the extraordinary kagome lattice, named after a traditional Japanese basket-weaving pattern, and the three-dimensional pyrochlore lattice made up of a network of interconnected tetrahedra. To investigate how the magnetic behavior of these materials can be controlled, we will employ various internal and external stimuli such as temperature and chemical pressure by elemental doping. High temperature solid state crystal growth techniques will be used to grow single crystalline or powder samples. Structural characterization will be performed using both powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction instrumentation and the magnetic and electrical properties will be analyzed using a Physical Property Measurement System. 

  • This research training will teach students solid-state chemistry techniques from synthesis methods to various characterization methods as well as help students develop their critical thinking and scientific mindset. Students will gain experience with characterization techniques for phase identification and structural analysis using powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and for analyzing physical properties including magnetic, electrical and thermal.

    Through this research training students will take part in interdisciplinary research, collect and analyze experimental and computational data, and gain experience writing and presenting results and publishing manuscripts. This research experience will help students pursue a PhD or MS in areas such as solid-state chemistry, condensed matter physics and materials science and provide students with the opportunity to explore a broad range of career paths including positions at national laboratories, in advanced materials industry and in academia. 

  • Depending on at what stage the students are in the research process, the weekly duties will range from:

    1) reading scientific literature and completing assignments
    2) synthesis and crystal growth
    3) characterizing and interpreting chemical structures and physical properties
    4) theoretical assessments
    5) drafting manuscripts, posters and presentations. 

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Madalynn Marshall, mmarsh83@kennesaw.edu

Chemistry and Biochemistry (Carl Saint-Louis)

New Red- and Near-Infrared Emitting Dyes Containing a Boron and Nitrogen Bond for Biological Imaging and Multifunctional Fluorescent Materials

  • Dyes that both absorb in the visible region and fluoresce in the red- and near-infrared (NIR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are gaining popularity in materials science. They have been found to be useful in photodynamic and photothermal therapy, all of which use heat to kill tumor cells. Due to the indisputable biological advantages of red- and NIR light, such as deep tissue penetration, these dyes are widely used for high contrast bioimaging and detection in living systems. However, majority of these dyes exhibit poor solubility and/or exhibit low fluorescence which prevent their use in many biological applications. To address the low fluorescence issues, we will investigate new fluorescent dyes containing a boron-nitrogen bond, known as polycyclic 1,2-BN-heteroarenes. Incorporating the boron-nitrogen bond in heteroarenes have been proven to result in aromatic compound with a more rigid and planar core and possess valuable properties such as photochemical stability, have high molar absorption coefficient and high fluorescent quantum yields, as well as large Stokes shifts and tunable absorption/emission spectra. To help with the solubility issue, we will incorporate a propeller shape group to the left hemisphere of the core to help alleviate close interactions among same molecules and increase solubility. The propeller shape group is also a strong electron-donating group and will result in absorption in the visible region and emission in the red/NIR region due to intramolecular charge transfer throughout the system. We will also create multifunctional fluorescent materials capable of changing color based on temperature, changing color based on pressure, changing color based on pH, and environmental sensitive probes that can change colors based on polarity.

    This project's long-term goal is to help make fluorescent materials more efficient and economical. These discoveries will help to design future electron-rich heteroarene dyes containing a boron-nitrogen bond for bioimaging and detection in living organisms with low interference from background autofluorescence

    This research project satisfies the Council on Undergraduate Research's (CUR) definition of undergraduate research. The students will be mentored by a well-trained PI, who will aid the students in learning a specific topic in a field while also expanding their grasp of research and research procedures. In our case, the PI will assist the students in designing and synthesizing of the novel multifunctional fluorescent materials. The students will also comprehend the importance of red- and NIR light in biological systems. This comprehension will enable the students in making a scientific or artistic contribution to knowledge.

  • This research training will help students get experience in synthetic organic chemistry and characterize the product utilizing TLC, 1H, 13C, and 11B NMR studies, and mass spectrometry. Students will also learn how to collect experimental and spectroscopic data, assess and present their findings, give presentations at conferences, and write and publish articles. These diverse research experiences in organic synthesis and spectroscopic characterization will help students pursue graduate degrees in chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and medicinal science. Students will learn how to carry out all of the key experiments on his/her own, monitor the progression of her reaction, collect experimental data, and present her findings in group sessions.

  • Students will perform a variety of tasks, including:

    i) conducting research and data collection using various techniques and procedures
    ii) assisting in an organic chemistry laboratory on the synthesis of unnatural amino acids
    iii) carry out characterization experiments using 1H and 13C NMR, as well as mass spectrometry, to interpret and analyze data
    iv) Plan and modify research techniques, procedures, tests, and equipment
    v) Write and edit materials for publication and presentation
    vi) Meet on a frequent basis with the faculty supervisor to continue ongoing communication about the quality of the assistant's performance
    vii) Present preliminary results at a regional symposium
    viii) Perform other related duties as required.

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Carl Saint-Louis, csaintlo@kennesaw.edu

Chemistry & Biochemistry (Lu Kang)

A Mechanical Design of a High Vacuum Chamber with Mounting Racks for the Wide-Band Microwave Fabry-Pérot Resonator

  • A high vacuum system is necessary to study the rotational spectroscopy in microwave frequency bands in that the supersonic expansion of a pulsed molecular beam in high vacuum can quench the collision broadening of spectral lines to achieve the resolution limit for a well resolved spectrum. Because the wavelength of microwave is 1 – 10 cm, a pair of large mirrors resided in an even larger vacuum chamber must be used to form a semi-confocal Fabry-Pérot resonator, which achieves 1,000 – 10,000 reflections of microwave pulses before the free-induction-decay (FID) signals dying off completely. Our preliminary research in FYI 22 – 23 demonstrated that a mirror with 18.75” diameter and 40” focus length is needed to build a resonator spanning the S, C, X, Ku, K, and Ka bands between 3 GHz and 40 GHz.  Thus, a vacuum chamber with a minimum of 20” diameter is needed to mount the large reflection mirror inside.

    The renovation of Crawford LAB (Building-E) in Marietta campus is coming to an end. I will take my share of the lab space this fall. Typically, a large vacuum chamber is placed in a double-open door lab room with a three-phase, 208-V power supply (to launch the powerful diffusion pumps). However, the Building-E rooms only have single-open doors and single-phase, 120-V power supplies. A vacuum system adapted to these conditions has to be built. The design will use the JIS (B2290) 500-mm I.D. VG/VF flanges as a door of the chamber and a tori-spherical tank head to seal the other end. A mounting rack in support of the slightly moveable Fabry-Pérot resonator mirrors will be installed inside the chamber. An ASA 11” O.D. flange with 8” bore will be welded to the middle-bottom of the chamber as a port to the Varian VHS-6 oil diffusion pump. An ISO-160 half nipple with blank flange will be welded to the top of vacuum chamber as a major port for the feedthroughs. Various small QF nipples and flanges will be welded to the chamber as vacuum feedthroughs for electrical and/or microwave signals. 

    This interdisciplinary research project supports the study of microwave spectroscopy in natural science. However, the knowledge and skills to build a high vacuum system are heavily dependent on mechanical and/or electrical engineering technology. Freshman year students with experience in Auto CAD and SolidWorks can deal with it and create a 3D design of the vacuum system.

  • At the end of this proposed research, students should be able to:

    1. Explain how their research activities contribute to the research project.
    2. Learn and understand the terminology associated with the research topics.
    3. Develop the capability to construct a simple model to explain the experimental results.
    4. Develop necessary data analysis skills.
    5. Use quantitative method to evaluate data collections and/or experimental results.
    6. Search and track useful information from journal articles and their citations.
    7. Develop necessary work ethics as a team member in a small research group.
    8. Acquire knowledge and polish skills that are necessary to support STEM research, e.g., MATLAB, SolidWorks, etc.
    9. Improve time-management, self-control, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
    • Group meeting with faculty member and/or senior research students for guidance/direction
    • Teamwork with peer students to create new ideas for the machinery design of the high vacuum system and linear motion system. 
    • Literature search and information analysis
    • Vacuum system design – read the specifications of the commercial vacuum parts and integrate various mechanical components into a whole vacuum system
    • Accurate linear motion control with linear actuator or linear station
    • Use SolidWorks as the mechanical graphic design tools to create the 3D design graphs for the high vacuum chamber, reflection mirrors, and the mounting racks for the Fabry-Pérot resonator 
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Lu Kang, lkang1@kennesaw.edu

Chemistry & Biochemistry (Mohammad Halim)

Developing Peptide Drugs for Alzheimer and Covid-19 Diseases 

  • Peptide therapeutics are very attractive over small-molecule medications, as they are highly selective, well-tolerated, and have less adverse effects. Generally, the poor oral bioavailability of peptides requires subcutaneous administration. A short half-life poses additional challenges for their formulation and clinical utility. Despite these obstacles, the current rate of approval by the FDA for peptide drugs is twice as fast as for small molecules. Worldwide, 88 peptide drugs are approved, and 170 peptides are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Peptide stapling, a cyclization technique, is a widely used approach to develop staple peptides. However, the traditional hydrocarbon and triazole/disulfide stapling methods produced low yield and required catalyst separation. Hence, a novel high yielding stapling method is required.

    Our long-term goal is to design, synthesize and evaluate the efficacy of novel pi-pi staple and potentially orally active peptide targeting the various proteins related to Alzheimer and Covid-19 diseases. This project has following two specific aims:

    Aim 1.  To develop potent staple peptide mimetics: A pool of novel pi-pi staple analogues will be designed and optimized targeting Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and main protease (3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2) which are major drug targets in Alzheimer’s and Covid-19, respectively. Computer aided design and solid phase peptide synthesis protocol will be employed. Secondary structure of these peptides will be elucidated by circular dichroism (CD) and NMR spectroscopy. Structural insights of the peptide binding and interaction with viral proteins will be investigated by hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). 

    Aim 2. To evaluate toxicity, inhibition efficiency, metabolism and stability. Only peptides with no/minimal toxicity will be considered. To assess the inhibition efficiency, various assays will be conducted. In-vitro metabolic and stability assays will be performed. The best analogues will be improved by installing fatty-acid tag, sugar-complex, and cyclodextrin improving half-life, and oral bioavailability.

    The expected outcome of this project is to develop peptide-based drugs to treat dementia and infectious diseases and advance our knowledge of how these peptides can be further improved.

  • This research training will help students to learn basic biochemistry, peptide synthesis, molecular modeling, mass spectrometry-based assay and gain experiences on performing interdisciplinary research, collecting, and analyzing experimental and computational data, interpreting, and presenting results, presenting in conference, writing, and publishing manuscripts. These diverse research experiences in peptide synthesis, molecular modeling and peptide characterization by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and biological assays will help students to pursue their PhD on biomedical science, obtain their degree in MD/PhD or secure position in CDC, FDA, and pharmaceutical/biochemical industry

  • Student will do various tasks in the different phase of the projects including:

    i) assignments
    ii) reading and reviewing scientific articles
    iii) performing computer aided peptide design
    iv) synthesizing and characterizing peptides
    v) acquiring and interpreting mass spectrometry-based inhibition and metabolic assays
    vi) drafting poster, presentation, and manuscript.

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Mohammad Abdul Halim, mhalim1@kennesaw.edu

Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (Nicholas Green)

Wildlife Population Genetics in the Atlanta Landscape 

  • The primary objective of this project is to investigate how the population genetics, morphology, and coloration of small mammals are impacted by urbanization. Urbanization affects wildlife populations in various ways due to factors such as habitat fragmentation, light pollution, sound pollution, and the increased spread of diseases. This project specifically focuses on animal populations in metro Atlanta, suburban patches of forest, and rural areas that are relatively natural. The findings of this project will help us better understand and predict how wildlife populations are responding to the increase in urbanization and human population, which helps inform future conservation efforts for these animals and ecosystems.

    The specific study species of this project is the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) due to their abundance and importance in terrestrial ecosystems. Tissue samples were collected from animals in the field in Summer 2024. The next step in this project is to extract the DNA from these samples and then send off the DNA out for genetic sequencing. Concurrently, we will be measuring skull shape, body morphology, and fur color in relation to each population's location and genetic diversity to determine what selective pressures might be created by urbanization and land use change. 

  • Students will gain familiarity with standard wet lab procedures including micro-pipetting and DNA extractions. Students will also learn to collect morphological data using vernier calipers and photo analysis software, how to manage data in spreadsheets, keep an organized lab notebook, analyze data using R and other open-source tools, and interpret data from biological investigations. In addition, students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in cultivating a scientific mindset. Oftentimes science can be frustrating and repetitive which requires discipline and flexibility.

    This project will involve a range of tasks from lab work to data management/analysis all of which have their own roadblocks that will need to be navigated through. Performing these tasks will allow students to grow and develop into early career scientists.

  • Work on this project will come in 3 stages: DNA extractions/lab work, skull morphology, and coloration.

    1. DNA extractions will be the first step of the process and will entail the student coming to the lab at least once a week on a set schedule to perform extractions and any other lab work (PCR and Gel Electrophoresis) that may be required.
    2. The skull morphology aspect of this project will be done over multiple days. This will use landmark-based morphometrics which involves photographing skulls, managing photo files, and taking various measurements of the skulls using image analysis software.
    3. The coloration portion of this project will involve setting up a small staging area to take photos of the pelts that has consistent lighting and surrounding background color. Once all the photos are taken, image analysis software will be used to determine coloration.
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Nicholas Green, ngreen62@kennesaw.edu

Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (Joel McNeal)

Population Structure of an Uncommon Parasitic Plant Threatened by Climate Change 

  • My lab works on dodders, a group of parasitic "vampire" plants that don't have any leaves or roots. The entire plant is a tangle of orange vines that wrap around other plants and make connections to extract nutrients like a vampire before flowering and making seeds.  Some species are weeds that can do considerable agricultural damage to a number of crops, but others are very specific to habitats that contain the host species they prefer. 

    This project will focus on a species found at elevations above 4000 feet in the Appalachian mountains from West Virginia south to a few scattered high points in the north Georgia mountains. The few Georgia populations are often small and only located in the coldest spots on the mountains where they are found.  We aim to determine how these populations are related to each other, reconstruct how the populations became localized at their current locations since the ice age, and determine whether low genetic diversity is a threat to the remaining populations in Georgia by comparing them to larger, healthier populations at higher elevations further north.  Populations of these parasites at the southern end of their range are likely to be good indicators of how future climate change may affect other high elevation species as well.

  • Skills that students will learn include:

    • identification of plants and habitats in the field
    • collection techniques for preservation of DNA
    • specific techniques for germinating and growing the parasites and their hosts in greenhouse experiments
    • molecular lab techniques involving pipetting such as DNA isolation, PCR, and running gels
    • preparation of DNA libraries for high-throughput DNA sequencing
    • analysis of DNA sequence data.

  • Field work will occur primarily in October.

    Students will likely do DNA isolations and PCR weekly throughout the project.  

    DNA library preparation will become more important later in the semester.  

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Joel McNeal, jmcneal7@kennesaw.edu

Mathematics (Eric Stachura)

Mathematics (Eric Stachura): Differential Equations and Fractals: Determining Properties of Solutions of Fractal Equations  

  • Fractals are geometric shapes that have a certain detailed structure at small scales, and many fractals appear similar at each scale. Many familiar objects have fractal features, such as frost crystals, DNA, neurons, and trees. The mathematics of fractals can be tricky because these objects are “non-smooth”, so classical mathematical techniques and ideas do not immediately apply. 

    This project involves a detailed look at solving differential equations on fractal objects. Students will learn about different kinds of fractals and the different notions of dimension (there can be “fractal” dimensions that are not integers!).  Students will determine qualitative properties of the fractal Laplace equation. They will determine approximations for the eigenvalues of the fractal Laplacian (classically, for example, these eigenvalues have been used to determine the area of a drum by determining how quickly they grow). Besides determining these approximations, which are very useful for numerical implementation, students will also determine the asymptotic behavior of the eigenvalues—the fractal analog of the “hearing the shape of a drum” problem stated above. 

    No calculus background is required, only a desire to learn! Both theory and numerical implementation will be involved throughout the project. 

    1. Students will learn basic Mathematica programming language and how to simulate and visualize solutions to differential equations
    2. Students will visualize their simulations in the Immersive Visualization Environment (IVE) research cluster—a dome shape display with a 5-meter diameter, 210-degree horizontal field of view which is housed within the Coles College of Business. 
    3. Students will have a deeper understanding of the mathematics of fractals and determine properties of solutions to differential equations in this framework. 

    The tools that students will learn during the project will be useful beyond the research itself and will help prepare them for scientific careers beyond KSU. Students will also be encouraged to continue their research with the PI in the 2025-2026 academic year. They will be coauthors on any resulting manuscripts. 

    1. Students will devote 5-10 hours per week to this project. 
    2. Students will read assigned literature and complete all the assignments from the supervisor.
    3. Students will also learn basic Mathematica programming and complete all related assignments.
    4. Students will meet the supervisor once a week and make a 15-minute presentation with a weekly progress report. 
  • Hybrid
  • Dr. Eric Stachura, estachur@kennesaw.edu

Mathematics (Irina Pashchenko)

From Benford’s Phenomenon to Scientific Explanation 

  • In this project, the student will first do online research about Benford's phenomenon, and then about any group of functions related to the student's area of expertise. Any natural processes can be chosen for the research. Then the data will be compared to those of basic algebraic functions, and the closest one will be chosen for a further comparison. All the data related to the previously mentioned functions can be found in the article First Digit Probability and Benford's Law written by Irina Pashchenko. As the result, a conclusion about the nature of a particular process will be made in terms of the probability of its first digits.

  • Upon completing this project, students will be able to:

    1. Use online resources for collecting data.
    2. Organize collected data using an Excel file.
    3. Perform data analysis using graphing software.
    1. The student will do online research and prepare a report to the advisor every week or every other week.
    2. The student will meet with the advisor every week or every other week to discuss what was done and future plans.
  • Hybrid
  • Dr. Irina Pashchenko, ipashche@kennesaw.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology (Joanna Wardwell-Ozgo)

Exploring the Role of Hormones in Cancerous Growth 

  • Using the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, students will gain experience in genetics, fly husbandry, microscopy, and bioinformatics while they explore the role of hormones in cancerous growth. Students will be performing a targeted genetic screen to measure adult organ size that will be experimentally manipulated to disrupt hormonal signaling. 

  • Students will gain fly husbandry skills. They will also develop a strong understanding of genetics through this project. Specific technical skills include microscopy and bioinformatics.
  • Students will be expected to attend lab meetings, tend to their fly stocks and crosses and collect, image and analyze their data. Students will need to spend around 10 hours in lab to do so. 
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Joanna Wardwell-Ozgo, jwardwel@kennesaw.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology (Chris Cornelison)

Making Pigments with Fungi 

  • Eumelanin, the most widely recognized class of melanins, exhibits a characteristic brown-black hue and an abundance of documented properties such as UV resistance and antioxidant activity. As such, this pigment has seen a surge of interest in different industries, mainly medicine, cosmetics, and electronics. While eumelanin is traditionally sourced from the common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, this process suffers from a limited supply of cuttlefish and raises ethical concerns. Alternatively, the submerged fermentation of microorganisms is commonly used in industry for the production of various goods including antibiotics, enzymes, and organic acids. These processes are incredibly effective and, in many cases, render other methods of production obsolete. Numerous studies have reported successful biosynthesis of eumelanin from microorganisms, highlighting the potential for environmentally friendly and scalable production in this manner.

    This project intends to employ submerged fermentation techniques using the white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus for the production of eumelanin. This project aims to address common problems associated with upscaling by investigating and comparing eumelanin production in small working volumes (<1 L) and larger volumes (>1 L), as well as improve eumelanin yields by utilizing bioengineering techniques and optimization of P. ostreatus growth conditions.

  • Skills and techniques that will be introduced:

    • Sterile work including plate pouring and fungal culturing of agar plates and liquid broth
    • Introduction to whole-cell encapsulation with different biopolymers
    • Pipetting (micro- and serological pipettes)
    • Media formulation
    • Use of various laboratory equipment including centrifuges, autoclaves, spectrophotometers, shaker tables, incubators, biosafety cabinets, pH meters, and dissecting microscopes
    • Extraction, purification, and characterization techniques for microbial pigments
    • Bioreactor set-up and operation for fungal culturing
    • Attend weekly lab meeting (1 hour).
    • Work with graduate student on learning basic skills.
    • Conduct supervised and/or independent experiments based on the instruction of the PI and graduate student mentor.
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Chris Cornelison, ccornel5@kennesaw.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology (Martin Hudson)

How to Build a Brain and What Happens When it Goes Wrong 

  • The Hudson lab at Kennesaw State University is broadly interested in: (1) understanding how cells in the body become neurons; (2) how neurons connect to one another to make neural circuits, and; (3) how those circuits control an animal's behavior. To do this, we primarily use a nematode model (Caenorhabditis elegans) to help us answer these questions.

    Nematode worms have many advantages for studying the nervous system. First, they have an invariant cell lineage, which means that whenever a cell divides, we know exactly what its daughter cells are going to be. Second, they're see-through, which means that we can actually see neuronal cell bodies and axon bundles without having to dissect the animals. Third, we can use fluorescent reporter genes to label individual cells in the worm's brain. Finally, we can use genetics to change the underlying genes required for nervous system development and function. By creating mutations that change the fate of a neuron or the shape of an axon, we can figure out which genes are required for making the nervous system and how that affects behavior.

    Is this relevant to humans and human neurological disorders? Oh yes! The genes required for shaping the worm's nervous system are the same genes required to shape the human nervous system. As such, we can look at the worm version of a human disease gene and understand what the consequences are for mutating that particular gene and how it affects nervous system development and function. We have two main projects on-going in the lab. The first one is to examine a class of proteins called transcription factors to figure out how they affect whether a cell becomes a neuron or something else. Second, we are examining how sensory neural circuits connect together, and whether defects in nervous system connectivity lead to behavioral defects. 

  • A first-year student joining the lab would work with a master's student and contribute to one or more of the projects described above. Having learned how to handle worms, they'd use those worm-picking skills and basic genetics to build worm strains, examining those strains using a fluorescence microscope, then imaging those strains and looking for nervous system defects. As an adjunct to this, they would learn additional transferrable skills including polymerase chain reaction assays, automated image analysis coding and strain freezing.

    Students will maintain a lab notebook and be trained in how to archive data on cloud-based servers and other back-up devices. They will present their data in weekly lab meetings, and also at the end of the academic year at the KSU Student Research Symposium. If schedules permit, they will also be invited to attend weekly research seminars in the College of Science and Mathematics, and monthly Worm Club (12 noon, third Monday of the month at Emory University), where they can see research presentations from other worm-based labs in the Atlanta metro area including labs at Emory University, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State. Students making exceptional progress will be encouraged to present their data at the regional Society for Developmental Biology meeting. 

  • In addition to the research approach described above, a first-year student would be expected to contribute to lab maintenance by making growth media, cleaning lab glassware and maintaining instruments. 

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Martin Hudson, mhudso28@kennesaw.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology (Soon Goo Lee)

Sweet and Bitter! Structure-Guided Protein Engineering to Generate New Versions of Natural Sweeteners

  • Problem: The growing diabetes epidemic affected more than 30 million Americans in 2017; with a staggering economic cost of $327 billion in the United States alone. Among the many risk factors, studies have shown that excessive consumption of sugars is the main cause of type 2 diabetes and is implicated in many medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and even some cancers. 

    Rationale: Sweeteners derived from plant natural products have significant potential as dietary supplements because they are stable and non-caloric. More importantly, natural sweeteners could help patients who are diabetic, phenylketonuric (inability to break down an amino acid called phenylalanine), and/or obese reduce their sugar intake. Stevia is a natural high-intensity sweetener isolated from leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a tender perennial herb native to semitropical regions of South America (e.g., Paraguay and Brazil). The leaves of this plant contain more than ten ent-kaurene diterpenoid glycosides composed of a steviol aglycone decorated with different numbers and types of sugars. Commercially available steviol glucosides have the characteristic bitter aftertaste of specific types of steviol glucosides, thus preventing widespread commercial use. The identification of new, natural, and low/non-calorie sweeteners and research of their biosynthetic pathways are essential to addressing numerous health issues.

    Goals & Activities: The research objective is to manipulate the pattern of glycosylation and to improve the yield of desirable stevia compounds using 3D structure-guided protein engineering and mutagenesis techniques. The First-Year Scholars Program will support our biochemical experiments to understand how Stevia plants form various natural products and to alter essential enzymes in Stevia to generate new versions of noncaloric sweeteners by employing structure-guided protein engineering techniques. Additionally, this project aims to encourage students' learning motivations and achievement in STEM through the technology-based STEAM (i.e., STEM+Art) curriculum. 

    The full research description can be found at https://www.soongoolee.com

  • The First-Year Scholars Program will offer the potential for re-engineered pathways in Stevia to produce tailored variants of commercially viable noncaloric sweeteners. Once the First-Year Scholars Program research team obtains the 3D structural information, we can look ahead to expanding our atomic-level insights to possible applications. If the research project is successful, the the First-Year Scholars Program-sponsored students will learn how to produce new versions of the noncaloric sweetener by altering the branched-chain glycosylation patterns and how to construct the Stevia biosynthesis pathway with improved yields of desirable steviol compounds.

    The First-Year Scholars Program students’ experimental results will be measured and analyzed, and their work will be published in peer-reviewed biological and biochemical research journals. In addition, students will understand 3D molecular structures of proteins and cells through our VR-based education platforms. We envision VR & AR molecular modeling will help students understand STEM knowledge more intuitively. During this process, undergraduates will learn how to apply scientific ideas to real-life situations by creating VR & AR content and how to operate VR & AR hardware/software. Through this student-centered learning approach, undergraduates will actively engage in STEM for creative discovery research. 

  • Students in the First-Year Scholars Program will carry out their own research project, Biochemical and Structural Characterization of UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) in the Stevia Biosynthetic Pathway.

    As an independent researcher, each student will be responsible for performing the proposed molecular biology and biochemical experiments.

    Undergraduate students will also team up with a graduate student to conduct protein expression, purification, and crystallography experiments. 

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Soon Goo Lee, slee295@kennesaw.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology (Masafumi Yoshinaga)

Search for Novel Arsenic-Containing Antibiotics 

  • Arsenic is one of the most persistent and ubiquitous environmental toxins. To overcome this problematic element, life has evolved and acquired a number of arsenic detoxifying mechanisms. Bacteria, due to the immense environmental adaptability and biochemical versatility, have even flexibly devised various ways to utilize arsenic for biological functions such as energy production, osmotic adjustment, phosphate sparing, etc. Our recent studies indicate a new way of bacterial arsenic utilization – offensive weapons. Notably, bacteria wage “arsenic wars”, where some members weaponize environmental arsenic, synthesizing arsenic-containing antibiotics to kill neighboring competitors, while others develop countermeasures against the arsenic weapons. This new emerging “bacterial arsenic wars” concept provides a new dimension to understanding the arsenic biogeochemical cycle and brings new perspective to environmental arsenic biochemistry, as well as leads to discovery and development of new and potent antimicrobials.

    In this project, students will explore novel arsenic-containing antibiotics using 1) prospective bacterial strains that possess novel gene(s) involved in arsenic metabolism/transformation, 2) a genetically manipulatable bacterial strain (Escherichia coli) engineered with the novel gene(s), and/or 3) purified protein(s) encoded by the novel gene(s). The expected outcomes are identification and characterization of 1) novel arsenic-containing antibiotics, and/or 2) novel genes/proteins that carry out novel arsenic biotransformation.

    The dramatic increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a grave threat to global health. A dearth of new antibiotics has fostered the emergence and spread of drug-resistant bacteria, resulting in an increase of serious infections with high mortality rates. To overcome this serious health concern, discovery and development of new antibiotics are urgently needed. The future and long-term goal of this project is to demonstrate the potentials of arsenic-containing antibiotics to establish a new pipeline for our shrinking antibiotic arsenal.

  • Students will learn various lab techniques in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry and analytical chemistry from basics, such as pipetting skills and buffer/media preparation, to advanced, including transformation, protein purification and the state-of-the-art research instrumentation such as inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, arsenic detection), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-coupled with ICP-MS (HPLC-ICP-MS, arsenic speciation), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), etc.

    During the program, each student will be assigned to work with a senior student who completed the First-Year Scholar Program last year. This way, senior students can share the new students with tips and advice based on their hands-on research experiences. 

  • Students' weekly duties include, but not limited to, learning and complying with laboratory rules and work ethics, mastering basic lab skills, performing experiments, reading scientific papers/books related to their projects, collaboratively working with other students and researchers in the lab, maintaining a laboratory notebook as a record of their research, maintaining lab space and equipment, participating in weekly laboratory meetings (where students will present their results).
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Masafumi Yoshinaga, myoshina@kennesaw.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology (Andrew Haddow)

Investigating the Role Environmental Stressors have on Mosquito Development

  • Anthropogenic changes to the environment and globalization continue to drive arbovirus emergence and reemergence, resulting in spillover events. These events often initiate new zoonotic transboundary transmission cycles between vector species and amplification hosts. However, the mechanisms underlying arbovirus maintenance, emergence, and spillover into human populations are poorly understood.

    My laboratory uses a multi-pronged approach that includes a combination of field and laboratory-based methods to identify and characterize emerging arboviruses (e.g., Zika, West Nile, and La Crosse viruses), determine the prevalence of virus infection in arthropods, vertebrate hosts and humans; investigate arbovirus vector infection and pathogenesis; investigate select aspects of vector biology in the context of mosquito development and fitness; and identify risk factors for acquiring arbovirus infection. The results of our investigations are used to inform mitigation strategies to help prevent the spillover of arboviruses into human populations and protect vulnerable populations from disease.

  • 1) Define the terminology associated with research and theory in their field
    2) Describe past research studies in their field of study
    3) Articulate how their research study makes a contribution to their academic field
    4) Locate primary and secondary sources related to their field of study
    5) Develop a hypothesis
    6) Collect data for a research study
    7) Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study
    8) Work effectively as part of a team
    9) Present their research/creative activity to an audience (e.g., poster, oral presentation, performance, display)
    10) Develop time management
    11) Develop self-confidence/self-esteem
    12) Develop independent thinking
    13) Develop problem-solving
    14) Develop organizational skills
    15) Develop leadership skills
  • 1) Complete KSU safety training needed to conduct laboratory activities, including but not limited to General Lab Safety, Compressed Cylinder Safety, and Biological Hazards and Autoclave Safety.
    2) Aid graduate students in areas of their research projects, including literature searches, experimental design, data collection, and data analysis.
    3) Conduct individual research projects to present at KSU symposiums.
    4) Maintain colonies of mosquitoes by providing sucrose to adult mosquitoes, blood-feeding female mosquitoes, collecting and storing mosquito eggs, hatching eggs, and rearing larvae to adults.
    5) Conduct occasional field work to collect wild adult and larval mosquitoes.
    6) Identify wild-caught mosquitoes to genus and species.
    7) Pin wild-caught mosquitoes for future use.
    8) Assistance with the maintenance and cleaning of laboratory facilities.
    9) Attend laboratory meetings.
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Andrew Haddow, ahaddow@kennesaw.edu

Physics (Andreas Papaefstathiou)

Building a Mini Computer Cluster for the Simulation of Particle Collisions 

  • In this "hands-on" project, the goal would be to build a small computer cluster, using several Raspberry Pi computers. You will put together the hardware, as well as software, including the management frameworks necessary to distribute the "jobs" on the nodes of the cluster. You will then use the cluster to perform simulations of particle collisions using programs known as "Monte Carlo Event Generators", and obtain visualizations of the results. 
     
  • The students will learn how to:
    • Set up computer hardware to function as a computer cluster, an example of distributed.
    • Install and manage software on a UNIX computer.
    • Compile and use advanced simulation software that is being actively used in particle physics research.
  • The students will:
    • Build a computer cluster from off-the-shelf components.
    • Install software on the cluster, ensuring that the various components communicate appropriately with each other.
    • Compile simulation software.
    • Run the simulation software obtaining basic particle physics results.
    • Visualize and interpret the results, comparing them to experimental data from colliders, such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, or the Relativistic Ion Collider at Brookhaven lab. 
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Andreas Papaefstathiou, apapaefs@kennesaw.edu

Physics (Chetan Dhital)

Synthesis and Electrical Characterization of Single Crystalline and Polycrystalline Materials

  • This project is primarily related to two thrusts of research.

    Thrust 1: Synthesis and electrical characterization of single crystalline magnetic materials.

    We know the magnetism can arise primarily due to two reasons (a) Electrical current such as in solenoid (b) Intrinsic electron spin such as iron, neodymium. Our research is focused toward the intrinsic magnetism due to electron spin. Therefore, we plan to synthesize single crystalline materials consisting of transition metals or rare earth metals that can have intrinsic magnetism due to unpaired electron spin. Single crystals are necessary to understand the intrinsic properties of materials. These intermetallic magnetic materials are often metals or semiconductors and can exhibit exciting electrical properties as well. The electrical properties relate to charge of electrons whereas magnetic properties relate to spin of electrons. Therefore, in some materials, the charge and spin properties are coupled together. Such coupling can give birth to new types of technologically useful phenomena. In summary, in thrust 1 we aim to synthesize single crystalline magnetic materials using transition metals or rare earth metals and study their electrical properties. The students will be connected to senior level undergraduate student.

    Thrust 2: Synthesis and piezoelectric/ferroelectric characterization of insulating materials.

    Piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials are used frequently in everyday life. Their uses ranges from BBQ lighters, medical devices to underwater sensors. These properties are intrinsically related to crystal structure of materials. In other words these properties are dictated by the arrangement of ions/atoms within the unit cell of material. Due to the requirement of formation of electrical dipole moment, these materials are highly insulating. Currently known best piezoelectric/ferroelectric materials contain health risking element, Lead (Pb). Therefore, there is a greater need for the lead free piezoelectric/ferroelectric materials. In this thrust, we will prepare lead free insulating materials that have good piezoelectric and ferroelectric performance at room temperature. We will use high temperature solid state synthesis method to prepare materials and study their performance using piezoelectric and ferroelectric tester. The students will be connected to senior level undergraduate student.

    • The students will learn about physical/chemical properties of different types of metals, alloys, and oxides.
    • The students will learn high temperature methods to prepare single crystalline and polycrystalline materials.
    • The students will learn to test the phase purity and crystallinity of materials using powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction.
    • The students will learn about creating low temperature and observe how the electrical properties of materials change when they are subjected to extremely cold temperature.
    • The students will learn about low noise electronics.
    • The students will learn about data acquisition, analysis, and presentation.
    • At the beginning, with the help from mentor and senior undergraduates, the students will mix stoichiometric amount of materials using their molar ratio, mix them and put them in high temperature furnaces.
    • After the reaction, the students will perform phase and crystallinity check with X-ray diffraction.
    • They will prepare sample for electrical measurements (electrical wiring under microscope, sanding samples, soldering etc).
    • They will collect the electrical data using low noise electronics and software.
    • They will extract the data, make necessary plots, and discuss with mentor about the meaning of those data.
  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Chetan Dhital, cdhital@kennesaw.edu

Physics (Kisa Ranasinghe)

Bio Active Glass to Combat Neurodegenerative Disease 

  • Introduction: Cerium oxide nanoparticles, known as nanoceria, show great promise for treating medical conditions caused by harmful free radicals. This potential stems from their unique properties, which are due to their ability to switch between two chemical states, Ce3+ and Ce4+, during reactions. This ability allows them to act as antioxidants, as well as antibacterial and anti-cancerous. Meanwhile, bio-glass is an exciting material in healthcare, used in everything from bone implants to wound healing.

    By combining the beneficial properties of bio-glass with the antioxidant capabilities of nanoceria, we've developed a new type of bio-glass that contains controlled amounts of these nanoparticles. When this bio-glass is melted, it forms a special type of glass that includes a mix of Ce3+ and Ce4+, nanoparticles embedded within it. When the glass dissolves in water, it releases very small nanoceria particles (2-5 nm in size). We have already created a method to extract these nanoceria, and we are currently studying physicochemical properties to better understand the biological applications. We are seeking a physics major to engage in our research and support us in our quest to gain a better understanding of how these nanoceria particles form and their structures. 

    Goal 1. Fabricate and study glasses with varied concentrations of nanoceria through parametric changes. 
    Goal 2. Understand the effect of dissolution parameters on the release kinetics of nanoceria from glasses.

    Using established protocols will be synthesized nanoceria containing glass samples with known Ce3+/Ce4+ ratios using high-temperature furnaces in the glass laboratory. The glass will then be processed to the required particle size using Mixer Mill MM 500-Nano at the glass laboratory for characterization experiments. This will involve several techniques, including Differential Thermal Analysis, Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction. The Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis will be conducted at Georgia Tech, in collaboration with KSU.

    Our project will provide the students with valuable research experience and prepare them for future careers in science and technology. The results of this study will help us explore new medical applications for our nanoceria-embedded bio-glass and support future research.

  • This research gives students the opportunity to work on new and unexplored areas of glass science, motivates them, builds their educational knowledge and, at the same time, allows them to apply their existing knowledge as they use techniques involved in condensed matter physics. Students will work in the laboratories on instrumentation and will work independently with my constant guidance while they make new discoveries and gain new knowledge. This research provides students with valuable, hands-on experience, including experience at other research laboratories where I collaborate and gives them the opportunity to network and expand their future research horizons. Engaging in research enhances students' career development by allowing them to develop their communication/presentation skills and provides them with opportunities for networking in the scientific community.  Students will be trained on techniques such as melting and processing glass and instrumentation such as Thermal Analyzer, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, furnaces as well as methods in cell and tissue culture. In the past students under my guidance have obtained numerous student-awards on regional and national platforms like Gold water scholar. The students will present their work at local, regional and international conferences, strengthening their inter personnel skills as well as presentation and public speaking skills. These skills and training they acquire through this research would make our undergraduate students highly competitive as they seek admission to graduate programs and/or careers in STEM. Every mentee under my guidance has seamlessly transitioned into the dynamic landscape of the STEM workforce, with the vast majority earning advanced degrees and I expect the same from my freshman scholars.

  • Students will receive training and experience on glass melting and processing using high-temperature furnace with appropriate training such as fire, Chemical spill, and Chemical hazards/storage/deposition.

    All students will be trained in data acquisition and instrumentation such as Thermal Analyzer, Raman, UV, FTIR spectroscopies, XRD, and TEM.

    Students will be trained in data analysis and relevant analytical software.
    Students will be trained in nanoceria extraction and storage.
    Students will measure chemical that are needed to process glass and will asset with melting glass.
    Students will be conducting necessary experiments using equipment such as Raman spectroscopy, XR.
    Students will use centrifuges to extract nano particles by dissolving the glass.

    They will use equipment such as Raman spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, and TEM to study the nanoparticles.
    They will be intensively involved in every aspect of this research, practicing science while collaborating with peers.
    They will keep logbooks and at the end they will be working on presentations and poster to disseminate their work.

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Kisa Ranasinghe, kranasin@kennesaw.edu

Physics (Kiran Prasai)

Modeling the Structure of High-Performance Optical Coatings 

  • The United States currently operates two ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors: LIGO Hanford, WA and LIGO Livingston, LA. These detectors made history in 2015 with the first direct detection of gravitational waves, marking the beginning of a new era in gravitational wave astronomy. Future detectors are planned which will extend the reach of the gravitational wave astronomy to even farther out into the universe. Such detectors must have even higher sensitivity than current LIGO detectors. To achieve this, along with the improvement in other detector technologies, the optical coatings used in these detectors must meet an exceptionally stringent set of requirements. These coatings require extremely low optical absorption, scattering, and thermal noise to ensure the detectors’ high sensitivity.

    The current generation of optical coatings relies on amorphous materials, which are also under investigation for future detectors. Unlike crystalline materials, the atomic structure of amorphous coatings is significantly more complex, presenting unique challenges and opportunities for improving their performance.

    In this project, first-year undergraduate students will utilize the supercomputing facilities at KSU to develop computer models of amorphous computing optical coatings and study their atomic structure. Through these models, students will explore the intricacies of amorphous materials, enabling them to predict and analyze the potential effectiveness of these coatings in future gravitational wave detectors. Through understanding the atomic structure of these amorphous coatings, we can assess their suitability and optimize their performance as a critical component in the next generation of gravitational wave detection technology.

  • 1. Students will learn coding in python.
    2. Students will develop skills to use supercomputing facility
    3. Students will understand the atomic modeling -- a widely used tool in scientific research
    4. Students will (potentially) make contribution to a scientific publication and will add to their scientific writing skill.
    5. Students will learn data analysis, statistical inference making, and visualization.

  • Students will use their laptops to log in to KSU supercomputer. Under faculty guidance, students will use various modeling to generate computer models of amorphous materials. They will write custom codes to analyze the results and draw statistical inference from the results.

    Students will hold regular meetings (one-on-one and group meetings) with faculty PI. And, depending on the outcome of the analysis, students will write reports and make presentations to appropriate forums.

  • Face-to-Face
  • Dr. Kiran Prasai, kprasai@kennesaw.edu