The Summer Fellows program at Ursinus College allows sophomores or juniors to pursue an independent scholarly project under the close tutelage of a faculty mentor during an eight week period. Projects can be undertaken as independent research or a creative or artistic endeavor. All Fellows present their research during the last week of the program.
Submissions from 2026
Emergence, Shiloh E. Bloom
The Experiences of Black Student-Athletes Across Different Institutions, Raniya Burkett
The White Patriarchy in Action?: A Content Analysis of Theater Reviews, Kat R. Carey
Synthesis and Characterization of 7-Azocoumarins for Photoswitch Applications, Andreas Cruz
Can Machines Testify? LLMs and the Boundaries of Testimonial Epistemology, Michael J. Cummins
Development and Scope of Greener Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling on Indoles, Grace M. DiGiacomo
Culmination of the Arts and STEM to Enhance Creativity and Promote Learning, Kaleigh Evans
Simulations of Skyrmions and Merons, Ryan Friesen, Aidan Kirk, Tom Carroll, and Xuemei Cheng
Evaluation of High Saturated and Unsaturated Fat Diets in a Mouse Model of Diet-Induced Obesity, Kirsten A. Howard
Altered Expression of vGLUT1 in a Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Blake S. Jones
Exploring the Role of TDP-43’s Low-Complexity Domain in Modulating Protein Aggregates in Yeast, Mehdi M. Kbibech
Exploring the Role of TDP-43’s Low-complexity Domain in Modulating Protein Aggregates in Yeast (Presentation), Mehdi M. Kbibech
Investigating the Role of the Ribosome-Associated Complex (RAC) and Nascent Polypeptide-Associated Complex (NAC) in the Unfolded Protein Response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Samuel Charles Landherr IV
Digital Age: A Collection Inspired by Nostalgia, Memory, and a Late-2000’s Youth, Syd Libby
Characterization of Ionizable Amphiphilic Janus Dendrimer 97 (IAJD 97) Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid Delivery, Kathryn Lynyak
The Powder Room and Other Stories, Kelsey M. Lyons
Between The Folds: Letting Lived Lives Speak, Anthony L. Maio
Between the Folds, Anthony L. Maio and Benjamin B. Warner
Ask Me About My Scar (States), Isabel Martinez-Robles
Ink as a Weapon: How the Black Panther Party Used its Print Media for Revolutionary Action, Morgan T. McKinney
Developing and Testing Visualization Simulations for the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA), Blake McNulty
Interactions Between Alpha-synuclein with DNAJB6A and DNAJB1, Rayna E. Pfeiffer
Utilization of Thiol-ene Click Chemistry Involving Carbon Nanotubes to Inhibit E. coli Biofilm on Polydimethylsiloxane, Emerson A. Rabold
Synthesis and Characterization of a Fluorogenic Chlorite Probe, Emma N. Reinert
Scope Exploration and Verification of Green Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction, Emily Rychlak
Immunohistochemical Analysis of AU1 Parvalbumin Neurons in SHANK3 KO Mice, Londyn Scott
Going for Broke: The Impact of Gambling Legalization on Larceny, Jack Serxner
Observed Effects of Soil Depth and Cover Cropping on Soil Respiration Rates in Agricultural Corn Soils, Gianna Smith
Effects of Cover Cropping on Soil Health Indicators, Katherine R. Studzinski
Between the Folds: Medieval Time and Biblical Drama, Benjamin B. Warner
The Intersections of Race, Gender, and (Dis)ability in Sport, Amelia Yaworski
Greener Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling of Pinacol Boronic Esters, Ayan S. Zaman
Submissions from 2025
Ambiguity: Hope & Hopelessness, Ashley G. Adam
Investigating the Effects of Cover Cropping on Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen, Isabelle Barrett
Creating a Narrative About Human Choice and Experience Through Short Fiction, Sidney D. Belleroche
Cover Crops and Carbon: Evaluating Their Impact on Decomposition, Noah Berger
Measuring the Hydrolytic Activity of DFsc Proteins Using Bis(4-nitrophenyl) Phosphate, Rachel Brown
The Effects of Athletic Culture on Intersectional Identities in Higher Education, Raniya Burkett
Ocean Acidification and Increased Temperature Affect the Growth and Survival of Ilyanassa obsoleta, Kayla M. Carr
Cerium Bromide Detectors: Measuring Efficiencies for Gamma Ray Detection, Ewan Chattin
The Blurry Line: Examining the Balance Between Feminism and Nationalism for Women in Early 20th Century Ireland, Seamus M. Clune
Development of Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction of Unprotected Indoles, Lucy Cornett
Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Treatment Option for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Charles J. Cunningham V
Singing Our Story: Composing and Writing an Original Musical, Gianna C. Daiuto
The Silent Identity: Asexuality, Aromanticism, and Convention in Le Roman de Silence and The Story of Silence, Anita Farrell
Crazy - EP, Ben P. Focht
Moral and Epistemic Considerations of Political Engagement: A Step Toward Responsible Voting, Riley Frymoyer
Investigating the Capacity of TDP-43 Low Complexity Domain to Target Protein Aggregates in Yeast, Nicholas J. Grahame
The Photoisomerization Properties of 7-Azocoumarins and Their Ability to Function as a Photoswitch, Julia C. Hart
Evaluation of the Energy and Timing Resolution of Cerium Bromide Detectors for Nuclear Applications, Madyson C. Hickman
Utilizing the Combinatory Power of Chemotherapeutic Compounds in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Matthew I. Hyder
The Thermodynamic Fate of Isolated Quantum Systems, John Keim, Isabel Martinez-Robles, Nicolaus A. Chlanda, Sage M. Thomas, Maja Teofilovska, Sarah E. Spielman, Jordyn Strunk, Tina Zhao, Juniper J. Bauroth-Sherman, Hannah Conley, Philip Conte, Aidan Kirk, Thomas J. Carroll, and Michael W. Noel
Scared of the Stage: How Can We Study Music Performance Anxiety, Sophia Kumar
Site 1234: Looking at the Past to Better Plan for Our Future, Cadence R. Latsha
Quantum Memory, Isabel Martinez-Robles
Stoners, Walnuts, Stockings, and Guns: A Material History of Modern Firearms, Aiden Mashaal
Optimization of a Greener Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reaction on Unprotected Indoles, Tyler J. Moyer
Dual Action Dynamics: Assessing Hypopharyngeal Cancer Cell Survival Using Combination Chemotherapy, Luke Nieman
Anti-Blackness Bots in Artificial Intelligence, Orianna N. Oliver
Is Inequity in NBA Team Salaries Hurting Team Performance?, Alec R. Plante
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Rhodol Esters, Emma N. Reinert
Investigating DnaJB1-Mediated Rescue of α-Synuclein Toxicity in HEK293T Cells, Ella Roche
An Analysis of Difficult Discussions: Strategies that Encourage and Discourage Dialogue, Kylie Ruggiero
From Embarrassment to Prejudice: Online “Cringe Culture” as an Affective and Social Phenomenon, Maxwell Seebold
From Monsters to Mothers and Daughters of the Macabre: Evolving Depictions of Black Girlhood, Womanhood, and Motherhood in Horror, Cara L. Shockley
Shutdowns and Startups: How COVID-19 Policies Shaped Entrepreneurial Trends Across U.S. States, Mia Sideris
Accessible Art: Connecting Community Through Artistic Expression, Michaela M. Speers
Executive Dysfunction in College Aged Students With and Without Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Emily A. Veasey and Tyler Herring
Utilization of Hexadecylamine-SWCNT Functionalization and Thiol-Ene “Click Chemistry” to Inhibit Bacterial Biofilm on Polydimethylsiloxane, Nicole M. Wadlin
Out! Just Over the Line, Rach Wascoe
Effects of Prozac on Voluntary Wheel Running in Mice, Renee Washart
Sounds Good, Feels Good: Subjective and Physiological Measures of Music Perception, Nico Yanzaguano
Submissions from 2024
Exploring the Movement and Behavior Patterns of Megaptera novaeangliae and Balaenoptera edeni in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama, Makayla Baessler
The Environmental and Social Impacts of Disposable Diabetes Technology Waste, Lucy Bamford
Mitotic spindles in pam-1 mutant embryos of Caenorhabditis elegans, Jasmine Borie
Combatting Disengagement and Creating Humans Again: Fixing Our School System with Montessori Ideas in the Age of Technology, Meghan Carroll
How to Overcome Life's Biggest Challenges: A Humor Portfolio, Hailey Clark
An Ethnographic Study of Student Engagement in the College Classroom, Adreanna Cunningham
Evaluating Manager Perspectives of Urban Foraging in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Assessing Implications for Food Insecurity, Lauren Davis
Evaluating Spatial Clustering as a Lunar Crater Classification Method, Annalyse Dickinson
Mutations of the DFsc Protein Active Site, Seth Dunham-Snipes
Computer Scientists in the Media, Tre Dunlap
What Does It Mean to Do the Most Good?: Cases in Population Axiology and Their Implications for Effective Altruism, Trey Dykeman
One Island, Two Worlds: An Investigation of the Diverging Economies of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Daniel Espinal
Immunohistochemistry Staining for DCX and GFAP in Axolotl Spinal Cord Reveals Migration Pattern of New Neurons and Radial Glial Cells in Regenerating Tissue, Connor Evangelisto
Oocytes & Embryos: MBK-2 and CDK-1 Localization in C. elegans, Cristina Feathers
Bears & Bats: Effects of Environmental Factors on Ursinus Campus Bat Biodiversity, Slade Figard
Carbon Nanotubes Inhibit Biofilm Formation on Polydimethylsiloxane, Nicholas Fiore and Candace Hudson
Identity as a College Student Predicts Life Satisfaction and Personal Growth, Julia Gallo
Optimizing the Quantification of the Degradation of PET, Danielle Hanna
Distributing the Ursinus Food Forest Harvest: Considering the Lenape and Questions of Equity, Elwood Harney
Synthesis and Analysis of 7-Nitroso-4-Methylcoumarin as a Reactivity-Based Probe, Morgyn Henry
Inverse-Kinematics Proton Scattering From 42Si, Alyssa Himmelreich
Evaluating the Effects of Concussions and tDCS on Executive Functioning in College Students, Macey Hoffman and Erin Dychdala
Literature’s Representation of Mental Illness in Women: Recognition, Power, and Agency in a Restrictive Society, Kathryn Horan
Learning Styles: The Biggest Myth in Education, Aaliyah Johnson
Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the G4DFsc Protein, Maya Kyriakos
