Fall 2025 Exhibition: Book of Abstracts
The Undergraduate Research Exhibition, presented by the Office of Undergraduate Research, is a biannual, in-person event in which students showcase original research, scholarly projects, and creative works. Following the event, the EFSC community and the general public can view projects via this online archive.
Scroll to view all projects or use the alphabetical list of links by student researcher last name to view their project topic, abstract, poster, and/or creative work. Click on an image to display the larger version.
Exploring the Neurological Impact of Sound Therapy Through EEG-Based Brainwave Analysis
Student Researcher: Anna Barnhart
Mentor: Dr. Ashley Spring
Abstract: Anxiety is one of the most common mental conditions experienced by adults in the United States and can lead to poor quality of life, physical health issues, social isolation, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts. The hypothesis of this research is beta waves will be reduced significantly faster after anxiety induction when exposed to brown noise compared to white noise, rain sounds, bird sounds, and no sound. The brain waves of 20 participants were measured using an EEG for one minute of silence with their eyes closed, during one minute of solving of a difficult math problem with disrupting music, and a series of one minute of listening to a hypothesized relaxing sound (brown noise, white noise, rain sounds, bird sounds, and no sound) with one minute interruptions of anxiety inducing sounds. The beta waves of participants decreased significantly fastest when listening to rain and birds than other sounds or no sound. These findings provide insight into non-medicinal treatment methods for anxiety.
Bovasso Extraction and Quantification for Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effects
of Salvia Rosmarinus and Melissa Officinalis
Student Researcher: Angela Bovasso
Mentor: Dr. Amel Garbou
Abstract: Pain is a widespread debilitating issue, affecting populations worldwide. The purpose of this research is to explore the pharmaceutical anti-nociceptive potential of compounds, Rosmarinic Acid (RA) and Citral through research-based evidence and to demonstrate how high concentrations of these potentially beneficial compounds can be found in abundance in common plants species in nature through the extraction of these two compounds, from home-grown plants, Salvia Rosmarinus and Melissa Officinalis.
“El Cuco and The Boogeyman”: Culture Impacts on Childhood Stories and Tales
Student Researcher: Naylees Cruz-Vazquez
Mentor: Dr. Warren Jones
Abstract: Rise of the Guardians explores how different cultures have similar stories, with different representations of the cultures, especially in regard to creatures from fairy tales that scare children. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development shows how moral understanding changes throughout a person’s different stages of life. It is divided into three levels, and each occurs in a different stage in a person’s life. The first one is preconventional, which occurs during childhood. In the preconventional stage moral decisions are based on avoiding punishment and personal benefit. Tales are used to encourage children to obey, with parents warning that if they disobey the monster in the tale will come and get them. Stories such as “The Boogeyman” and “El Cuco” are present throughout many cultures and societies, and while they are meant to teach similar lessons to children, the stories and characters often differ. For example, someone born in South America is more likely to hear about “La Llorona,” whereas someone born in North America would hear the story of “Bloody Mary,” women who are seeking revenge who can be summoned with a ritual involving mirrors and candles. The movie Rise of the Guardians explores these differences in cultural childhood tales and how different they can be in each culture, while the premise of the tales remains similar. The antagonist, Pitch Black, is also referred to as “The Boogeyman”, the creature that hides under one’s bed, and in the Spanish translation “El Cuco”. Similar legends of disembodied monsters eat disobedient children, and Rise of the Guardians combines them both into one antagonist. In another instance, the “Tooth Fairy”, one of the protagonists in the movie, interacts with “El Raton Perez”, the Spanish and Hispanic version of the Tooth Fairy. Both figures come at night and trade the child’s lost teeth with money.
Is Color Personality a Pseudoscience?
Student Researcher: Andrea DeLucia
Mentor: Dr. Ashley Spring
Abstract: Color personality is the idea that dominant personality traits and emotions can be predicted by specific color preferences of the individual. The hypothesis of this study is there is a significant relationship between color preference and personality traits. A 24-question survey was created with answer choices that correlate to personality traits of twelve colors derived from psychology literature. The results of the survey with 70 participants between the ages of 18 to 65+ found no significant relationship between color preference and personality traits. Almost a third of surveyed participants were spread evenly across the twelve color/personality types suggesting most people are diverse in their personality traits and not limited to a specific personality type. This research reinforces that color personality is likely a pseudoscience and not a valid psychological test.
Dual Enrollment Equivalency Lookup Tool: Making Educational Data Accessible Through
Python Programming
Student Researcher: Aiden Dugan
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hrezo
Abstract: The Florida Department of Education publishes a lengthy PDF each year, which makes it difficult for students, parents, and educators to determine how college courses count on the high school transcript. This prototype code creates an interactive Python program to make the process quick, searchable, and user-friendly.
Quantitative Analysis of Aloe-Emodin-Induced Cytotoxicity in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Spheroids Using Microinjection Delivery and Metabolic Activity Assessment via XTT Assay and ImageJ Morphometric Evaluation
Student Researcher: Ava Gallo
Mentor: Kia Adams
Abstract: Breast cancer remains one of the most deadly cancer types worldwide, creating an urgent need for less invasive and more targeted treatment strategies. Aloe-emodin, a bioactive compound found in Aloe vera, has demonstrated pro-apoptotic effects in previous studies, but little research has explored how localized delivery of this compound affects cancer cells in 3D tumor-like structures. This planned study will investigate the targeted cytotoxic effects of aloe-emodin on MCF-7 breast cancer spheroids by delivering the compound directly into the spheroid core through microinjection. MCF-7 cells will be cultured and formed into 3D spheroids, then microinjected with aloe-emodin solutions at varying concentrations. Two control groups—vehicle injections using DMSO and untreated spheroids—will be included to compare metabolic activity and structural responses. After a 24-hour incubation period, metabolic activity will be measured using the XTT assay to assess cell viability. Morphological changes will be analyzed using ImageJ to determine whether localized delivery leads to structural disruption, apoptosis-like features, or other cytotoxic effects. The microinjection method will allow observation of whether aloe-emodin produces spatially concentrated changes within the spheroid environment. This research aims to provide initial data on aloe-emodin’s potential as a complementary, more targeted therapeutic approach for breast cancer. By using microinjection to localize treatment, this study may contribute to a deeper understanding of how natural compounds interact with cancer cells in 3D models. Further research will be needed to evaluate mechanism, optimal dosing, and therapeutic viability.
Linking Archetype to Modern Disability in Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Student Researchers: Shaundra Hathaway
Mentor: Dr. Warren Jones
Abstract: From Greek myths of Hephaestus to Mr. Glass in Unbreakable and from Professor X in X-Men to Geordi La Forge in Star Trek, and from Barret in Final Fantasy to Ragen in Quiet Place, these characters disabilities are archetypal representations, in the sense of archetypal psychological. These archetypal characters are not direct representations of real-world discussions and concerns of disabilities, but they do alter the real-world discourse of disabilities, as William Ebenstein suggests: “A common mistake is equating images of disability with actual people with disabilities. . .. Instead, in archetypal psychology, images of disability are compared with other images in fields such as myth, literature, art, poetry, film and media.” Such a comparison reveals the mythic aura of “disability” in fictional disabled characters by using the idea of archetypal psychology. So, when watching a film or playing a video game or reading Greek mythology where a character has a disability, are we perceiving the actual disability of the character or are we perceiving them as an archetype when referring to the character. While watching Unbreakable particularly the character Mr. Glass and the fact that he is a villain but also has a disability may leave the audience with the subconscious association that the disability makes him a threat or a monster.
How do peer groups, society, and the media contribute to the radicalization of individuals
who commit political assassinations?
Student Researchers: Abigail Hayes
Mentor: Luke Leonard
Abstract: Political assassination's are a type of violence that is not only shaped by the assassin's own psychology, but also the sociological environment. With the recent political violence displayed in America, it has become increasingly important that society works to understand the causes and factors that drive people to commit these acts of violence. This project scrapes the surface of psychological theories and explores how the media amplifies radical ideologies.
Examining the Absorption Claim About Cosmetic Hyaluronic Acid
Student Researchers: AnnaRose Heinly
Mentor: Slav Peytchev
Abstract: Hyaluronic acid, with its unique structure composed of glycosidic bonds, provides viscoelasticity and moisture retention, often used for how it benefits skin and hair. Hyaluronic acid also makes up many brands of dermal filler, as it draws water molecules into tissue and expands the area of injection. Certain mammals, including humans, naturally produce hyaluronic acid, such as for the lubrication of joints. Cosmetic companies continue to use hyaluronic acid as a marketing buzzword, claiming the compound can absorb 1000x its molecular weight in water, further indicating that their products have the same ability if hyaluronic acid appears on the ingredient list. Despite the statement’s ubiquity, no scientific data currently exists surrounding the absorption rate of hyaluronic acid without the addition of cross-linked compounds such as sodium ascorbate. Even scientific studies reference the claim of 1000x its weight in water within their abstracts, which illustrates how widely accepted the idea has become, regardless of having no evidence. The importance of finding an exact value for the molecular weight of cosmetic-grade hyaluronic acid in isolation lies in the public understanding of the scope of the molecule’s abilities when untampered with. Finding the truth uncovers a scientific secret which will provide much needed insight into what celebrities, influencers, and South Florida aunties, and regular people will have injected into their dermis. No matter how these companies formulate their hyaluronic acid molecule, they all can still rely on this arbitrary claim, even when misrepresenting their product. Since the conceived hype is around the molecule itself, audiences have no understanding of the molecule’s range of capabilities; thus, some brands will use the most inexpensive, unreliable formulations and still end up selling out due to a narrative made inescapable by the cosmetic genre in the media.
Effect of Rhizobacteria on hydroponic jalapeno pepper plants
Student Researchers: Yaman Khalfa
Mentor: Dr. William Stewart
Abstract: Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants in the absence of soil, but plants grown hydroponically do not have access to the beneficial bacteria that soil normally provides. To address this, bacteria such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria can be added to hydroponic systems to improve plant health. However, it remains unclear what type of bacteria, and how much of it should be added to optimize the growth of Jalapenos. Growing plants hydroponically allows for precise control of light exposure, temperature, water pH, and humidity while reducing water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage. Combining hydroponics with PGPR can be effective method of growing plants without soil in the most efficient manner possible. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the benefits of three species of rhizobacteria on Jalapeno (Capsicum annuum) pepper plants. The Jalapeno is an excellent candidate for this research because it is fast-growing, affordable, and used worldwide in various cuisines. Jalapeno pepper plants can grow two to three feet tall within 80 days of germination, making them ideal for laboratory studies. Although some research has been conducted on other pepper plants in hydroponic systems, none of them have looked at the Jalapeno specifically or at the effects of PGPR on jalapenos in hydroponics. This study will grow Jalapeno pepper plants in hydroponic systems containing varying PGPR concentrations and compare the outcomes across treatments. These results will be of great interest to the agricultural industry considering the economic importance of Jalapenos.
Faculty and Parental Opinions on Protocols Surrounding Active Shooters at Educational
Institutions
Student Researchers: Ashley Kon
Mentor: Dr. Chelsie Kuhlman
Abstract: School shootings have become an ever increasing concern in the United States, causing high schools and colleges to develop and implement safety protocols such as active shooter drills, lockdown procedures, and emergency response plans. While the effectiveness of these measures has been regularly debated over the years, less attention has been given to the perspectives of two local demographics: educators and parents. Their attitudes not only shape policy implementation but also influence student well-being and compliance with safety measures.
Waking Up to Consciousness: An analysis of affected consciousness in media
Student Researchers: Christian Loftis
Mentor: Dr. Warren Jones
Abstract: From the fairy tale Galoshes of Fortune (1838) to the video game Detroit: Become Human (2018) science fiction has tried to grapple with the concept of “what is consciousness” despite the unattainability of truly understanding consciousness (there are ten discrete, sometimes competing, concepts of consciousness). Many science fiction and fantasy narratives explored the different ways in which consciousness can be altered, transferred, created, or gained which raises questions as to why we as audiences are desirous to watch them. As Yuval Harari suggests, fiction allows us to create new realities to cope with dissonances and contradictions of reality, which suggests narratives of consciousness help us reduce dissonance and resolve contradictions concerning actual consciousness. The main forms of alteration include copied consciousness, such as clones, and simulated consciousness, in which consciousness exist within a simulation or simulated setting. SOMA, a game published by Frictional Games, provides a stellar example of copied consciousness. Generally, transferred consciousness exists when one consciousness is moved to somewhere else, whether it is relocated to a machine or another person. Hans Christian Andersen likely pioneered the concept of transferred consciousness in fictitious media with his work The Galoshes of Fortune (1838), in which a watchman wishing to have the life of his lieutenant suddenly finds himself in the body of said lieutenant. Created consciousness exists when a creature or machine is created to house a consciousness. Gained consciousness exists when a creature or machine without the initial ability to experience consciousness becomes able to. One of the most prominent examples of gained consciousness can be found in Detroit: Become Human.
Space Garden App
Student Researchers: Isabel Martinez
Mentor: Dr. Aleksandar Tomovic
Abstract: The space Garden app is an app that takes data from an excel file (which took the data from the tools) and uses that data to control parts of the garden. For example, if the garden is too cold heat will be turned on. The data is then saved and outputs in the home fragment. This is where you can see all the data that was taken from the excel file and where you see how the garden was changed.
Mixing Efficiency in Rocket Engine Injector Elements with Gas-Fluidized Metal Powder
Propellants
Student Researchers: Lance Obst
Mentor: Dr. Mevlut Guvendik
Abstract: The quantity of propellant mass needed for operations in cislunar and translunar space presents a significant hurdle in space exploration. The majority of an Earth based orbital rocket's propellant must be expended in order to place a relatively miniscule amount of orbital maneuvering propellant into low earth orbit. Lunar in situ propellant production would greatly reduce this issue, with vastly less energy needed to bring a kilogram of propellant into cislunar Earth orbit from the lunar surface, compared to from Earth's surface. Aluminum and oxygen propellant combinations are an attractive option for lunar in situ production, due to the abundance of aluminum oxide minerals on the lunar surface. Research into this propellant combination typically focuses on gas-fluidized aluminum powder as the fuel source, with gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer, and this combination has been tested in sub scale combustion experiments. These experiments revealed significant performance limitations owing to poor injector mixing performance, which could be corrected through future injector design. This proposed future research project would seek to characterize the deviation in mixing efficiency between gaseous fuels and gas-fluidized fuels in conventionally designed gaseous injectors of varying types. The aim of this experimentation would be to identify rocket engine injector types which are resistant to performance limitations due to deviation from idea gas behavior in gas-fluidized fuels. This testing would also help to categorize the differences in mixing performance, allowing for modification of existing gaseous injector design guidelines to improve mixing efficiency for this hybrid propellant combination.
Evaluating the Association between Migraine Disease and the Development of Neurodegenerative
Conditions in Women: A Literature Review
Student Researchers: Emily Ramon
Mentor: Ron Vanderveer
Abstract: It is a well-established fact that both migraine disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) disproportionately affect women, which has led to numerous studies examining the relationship between estrogens and the pathology of those diseases. More recently, scientists have begun to question whether or not there may be an association between a patient’s history of migraine disease and the development of neurodegenerative conditions like AD later in life. Utilizing data from cohort and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), this review aimed to examine the estrogen receptor alpha and aromatase genes (ESR1 and CYP19A1, respectively) and their accompanying single nucleotide polymorphisms (five for ESR1 and five for CYP19A1) involved in both migraine and AD pathology. Furthermore, these findings will be used to demonstrate whether or not women with these variants are at a higher risk for developing migraine disease and/or AD. The results of this analysis indicated three different single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2234693, rs9340799, and rs10046) may increase the risk of both migraine disease and AD. Of those three SNPs, rs10046 demonstrated an increased risk in women as opposed to men for the development of both migraine disease and AD. Subsequent research and in-depth statistical analyses are needed to verify the significance of these results on a broader scale.
Roaches Be Gone! Safe Solutions for People, Pets, and the Planet
Student Researchers: Caitlin Scheer
Mentor: Dr. Ashley Spring
Abstract: Cockroach infestations in indoor spaces are a problem throughout the world. Roaches can carry a variety of pathogens, including Salmonella and E. coli, which are spread through their saliva, droppings, and shed exoskeletons. Roach allergens can cause allergic reactions, including asthma attacks, skin rashes, and eye irritation. There are many ways to exterminate and deter roaches, but few are safe for people, pets, or the environment. This study examines the specific habitats roaches prefer indoors (phase 1) and safe deterrents to rid roaches indoors (phase 2). The hypothesis is roaches will be most attracted to the dark, cluttered habitat of blankets, and spearmint extract and light will be most effective in deterring the roaches. Significantly more roaches preferred the toilet paper habitat over no habitat, carpet, blanket, newspaper, and natural habitat (phase 1); and significantly more roaches were deterred by spearmint and vinegar than baking soda, garlic, cayenne pepper, and light. This research provides alternatives to chemical pesticides to deter roaches from indoor spaces.
From castles to spaceships: How Gothic architecture and terror survive in Science
Fiction
Student Researchers: Stephanie Schultz
Mentor: Dr. Warren Jones
Abstract: The haunted spaceship narratives, including Alien, Event Horizon, Ghost Station, and Warhammer 40,000’s Space Hulks, can be analyzed through the combined lens of architectural psychoanalysis and hauntology, which considers how built or technological spaces externalize human fears, anxieties, and traces of the past. Architectural psychoanalysis, drawing on theorists such as Bachelard and Freud, examines how spatial designed corridors, enclosed chambers, and labyrinthine layouts reflect psychological states, while hauntology, as articulated by Mark Fisher, emphasizes the persistence of past traumas, lost futures, and cultural residues within material structures. Applying these frameworks allows us to re-envision these narratives in several ways: first, by interpreting claustrophobic corridors and twisting decks as extensions of character isolation, paranoia, and mental deterioration (Alder, Luckhurst, Barnes); second, by analyzing how sentient or technologically-mediated environments externalize existential and cultural fears, including AI autonomy and scientific hubris (Edwards, Haraway, Perazzini); third, by exploring the pursuit of forbidden knowledge within these spaces as a Gothic mechanism of illumination, transgression, and psychic danger (Alder, Warhammer 40,000’s Black Library); fourth, by examining how the structural and atmospheric design of ships shapes narrative tension, pacing, and reader/viewer engagement (Scott, Neveldine, Luckhurst); and fifth, by situating contemporary technological Gothic within a lineage of literary and cinematic traditions, demonstrating continuity between early Gothic maritime spaces, castles, and futuristic spacecraft (Alsulami, Wester & Aldana Reyes). These perspectives reveal that haunted spaceships not only inherit the Gothic castle’s structural and affective functions but also extend them into posthuman and technological futures, bridging past anxieties with emergent fears in modern science fiction horror.
Culturing on the Rocks: Assessing Glass-Matrix Supported Media
Student Researchers: Devin Wright
Mentor: Dr. Ashley Spring
Abstract: Agar, the standard gelling agent used in plant tissue culture, is a product from red algae that is over-harvested in the wild leading to increasing prices and reduced availability. This study postulates that plant tissue culture on glass bead media will have equal or increased root and shoot growth and survival rate compared to plant tissue culture on solid agar substrate. Ten 5 cm Philodendron minarum plantlets were grown for 18 days in standard plant culture vessels in either 2 mm glass beads or on solid agar rooting substrate, then deflasked and hardened in a humidity-controlled dome. All plantlets survived to the planting stage, and there was no statistically significant difference in total growth between plantlets grown in agar or glass beads. The results of this study support the hypothesis and indicate that glass bead media is a strong candidate for a cost-effective alternative to agar-based tissue culture.