More than 30 Clemson students are spending the summer tackling research through the Summer Creative Inquiry (CI) program. Students from a variety of majors are working full-time in the lab or in the field, collecting samples, analyzing data, and more as part of the intensive 10-week program.
“Summer research experiences immerse students in their research and allow them to make significant gains without the distraction of classes and juggling part-time employment,” said Cora Allard-Keese, associate director of Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research. “I can’t wait to see what they are able to accomplish this summer.”
In addition to research, Summer CI students can participate in professional development seminars and workshops.
Here are just a few projects students are working on this summer:
Nanoparticle-Based Immunotherapy for Cancer
Biochemistry major Aiden Pena is exploring the use of genetic and nanoparticle engineering to modify T cells — specialized white blood cells that are an important part of the immune system — to improve immunotherapy treatments for cancer. By modifying T cells, Pena hopes to create a more targeted and controlled delivery method of cancer treatments. This project is led by Apoorvi Chaudri, post-doctoral fellow in chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Jessica Larsen, associate professor of chemical engineering.
Backyard Box Turtles: Wildlife Habitat Use in Developed Areas
Hannah Friend, an environmental and natural resources major, is studying the interactions between humans and eastern box turtles in urban or suburban residential areas. Small QR codes have been attached to wild box turtles, and people are encouraged to scan the code when they spot a turtle and report location and behavioral data. Friend will spend the summer analyzing the data collected so far, conducting surveys to evaluate public attitudes and behaviors towards turtles, and doing public outreach to educate people about wildlife conservation. The project mentors are Kyle Barrett, department chair and professor of wildlife ecology, and Hannah Meredith, a graduate student in wildlife and fisheries biology.
Understanding the Genetic Basis of Fungal-Bacterial Interactions During Infection
Biological sciences major Lauren Kling is studying the molecular mechanisms between fungi and bacteria during respiratory infections, particularly focusing on the fungal genes that help them adapt to competition with bacteria. By examining these microbial interactions, it may help develop new antifungal interventions and a better understanding of fungal pathogens in chronic respiratory infections. Stephen Dolan, assistant professor of genetics and biochemistry, is the faculty mentor for the project.
Substance Abuse and Cognition
Psychology major Mia Dias is working to assess patients struggling with alcohol addiction to look at the rates of other mental health conditions — such as depression and anxiety — and how those conditions predict the severity of alcohol addiction symptoms. Her work is part of a study conducted by Kaileigh Byrne, the Wallace R. Roy Distinguished Associate Professor of Psychology, on the effectiveness of peer recovery coaching interventions for alcohol use disorder. Bryne’s study is being done in conjunction with Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital.
Privacy Compliance in Software Development
Sai Ganesh, a computer science major, is developing a tool to detect discrepancies between privacy labels on mobile applications and privacy policies for those apps. There are often differences in the ways app developers describe data privacy in an app’s privacy labels and the actual privacy policy for the app. This mismatch can mislead users about how their data is being collected and used when they download and use an app. Ganesh will study a sample of apps along with their privacy labels and privacy policies and will works towards developing a tool that will help detect when there are differences between labels and policy. He is working under the mentorship of Long Cheng, associate professor in the School of Computing, and Jingwen Yan, doctoral student in computer science.
Understanding the Experiences of Neurodivergent Learners in Higher Education
Biological sciences major Vanessa Waters is working with Clemson Healthy Campus to better understand the mental health and well-being of neurodivergent students in higher education. This summer she will conduct a literature review and design a survey and interview questions to help assess the experiences of these students. The goal of this research is to provide better support systems and resources for neurodivergent students. The project is led by Matthew Boyer, research associate professor of engineering and science education.
Students will present their work at the Summer CI + UR Showcase on Tuesday, August 18, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Watt Family Innovation Center.
