Summer Research 2025
Thanks to the Office of Academic Research, Grants, & Sponsored Programs, Saint Mary’s students and faculty conducted robust summer research projects across many disciplines. According to Morgan Carr-Markell, assistant professor of biology, “These projects provide students with skills and experience doing a variety of field work, building and testing research equipment, statistical analysis and data visualization, and communicating their findings to different audiences. These help students gain a deep understanding of scientific methodology and allow them to explore possible career paths.” Sushrut Ghonge, assistant professor of physics, agrees: “The students are learning a lot of new things to be able to contribute to cutting-edge research, drawing on knowledge from their coursework.” Below is a partial list of the projects, each made possible by the generous support of donors and other funding sources, indicated in parenthesis.
These projects provide students with skills and experience doing a variety of field work, building and testing research equipment, statistical analysis and data visualization, and communicating their findings to different audiences. These help students gain a deep understanding of scientific methodology and allow them to explore possible career paths.
- Morgan Carr-Markell
assistant professor of biology
“AI and Machine Learning-Image and Audio Classification,” Teresa Bean ’27 (Sister Miriam Cooney ’51, CSC Endowed Grant) and Isabelle Merrell ’28, Sophia Bracken ’28, and Aria Meyer ’27, (Frances Bardello Craig ’64 Leadership Program) with Kristin Kuter and Chris Wedrychowicz, associate professors of mathematics and computer science.
“Determining Parameters for Ordinary Differential Equation Models from Experimental Data,” Emma Lombardo ’26 (Sister Miriam Cooney ’51, CSC Endowed Grant) with Alexandra Jilkine, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science.
“Thermodynamics of Fluorescence Quantum Yields in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals,” Cadence Kozik ’27 and Ryleigh Alles ’26 (Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research Communities Award) with Sushrut Ghonge, assistant professor of physics, Saint Mary’s College, and Masaru Kuno, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, University of Notre Dame.
“Photoluminescent Cooling of Rare-Earth Doped Solids with Incoherent Light,” Alexandra Miller ’26 (Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research Communities Award) with Sushrut Ghonge, assistant professor of physics, Saint Mary’s College, and Masaru Kuno, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, University of Notre Dame.
“Glimpse Distant Galaxies with Machine Learning,” Aubrey Harper ’26, Rachel Hensley ’26, and Jules Hollis ’28, (Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research Communities Award) with Christina Peters, assistant professor of physics and chemistry
“Computational Exploration of an Exciton Condensate Candidate,” Audrey Fleming ’26 and “Computational Exploration of a Molecular Wire Candidate and Exciton Condensate Behavior,” Dora Cervera ’28 (Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research Communities Award) with Lee Ann Sager-Smith, assistant professor of physical chemistry.
“What Influences Bee Foraging Decisions?” Elizabeth Hoeksema ’26, Stacy Sierra ’27 (Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research Communities Grant), and Wiktoria Drapala ’26 (Ed Zevkovich Memorial Student Research Grant in the Sciences) with Morgan Carr-Markel, assistant professor
of biology.
“Analysis of Tetracycline and its Degradation Products in Soil,” Eden Friedman ’27 (Kerry J. Long, Class of 1970, Fund for Science) with Christopher Dunlap, professor of chemistry.
“Testing the Effects of Ovarian Steroid Hormones on Performance of ADHD Model and Control Female Rats in a Divided Attention Operant Task,” Cadence Groen ’27 (Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research Communities Award) with Teresa Aubele-Futch, associate professor of psychology.
“Africana Philosophy as a Model for Public Philosophy,” Joy Chinaza Ezechikamnayo ’26 (Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters Pretenure Faculty SISTAR Grant) with Andrew Pierce, associate professor of philosophy.
“Recent Immigrant Writers in Miami and New York: Imagined Connections Across Ethnic Divides,” Annasophia Martinez ’28 (Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters Pretenure Faculty SISTAR Grant) with Marelys Valencia, assistant professor of modern languages and cultures.
“Organizational and Applicant Perspectives of the Use of AI in Recruitment Selection Processes,” Michaela Hauer ’27 (Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters Pretenure Faculty SISTAR Grant) with Justin Feeney, associate professor of business and economics. ‖