Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

D Y S O N Y E A R I N R E V I E W • 2 0 1 8 – 2 0 1 9 8 Inside Dyson Rewarding Research Undergraduate student-faculty research opportunities are a hallmark of a Pace University education. Annually, the Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences supports exciting new work through the Undergraduate Student-Faculty Research Initiative Award, a 10-week summer immersion experience for students and their faculty mentors. This year, the following eight projects—on topics ranging from Alzheimer's disease to Hurricane Otto—were awarded funding: Showstoppers Dyson College research teams won the top prize at the annual Student-Faculty Research Showcases celebrating collaborative research and sponsored by the University's Office for Student Success. In New York City, Madison Ames '21 (above), Chemistry, and Professor JaimeLee Rizzo won for their work investigating coconuts and combating bacteria. In Pleasantville, Bryan Volpe '22, Biology, and Assistant Professor Aaron Steiner were awarded for their research on cell regeneration in zebrafish. Each team was selected to receive $2,000 to present their research at a future conference by a panel of faculty and staff judges. Evaluating the Role of C. Elegans Orthologs of Human Genes Hypothesized to Drive Brain Tumor Formation STUDENT: Iqra Ahmed '22, Biology FACULTY MENTOR: Assistant Professor Matthew R. Marcello, Biology Ain't Nothing Here for Free STUDENT: Dahveed Wilkins '21, Art FACULTY MENTOR: Lecturer Derek Stroup, Art Manuka Honey Surface as a Novel Wound Dressing STUDENT: Julia Fatum '21, Chemistry FACULTY MENTOR: Professor JaimeLee Rizzo, Chemistry Differences in Motility and the Number of Reactive Microglia Following Hypoxia Between Wild Type and Fish with Reduced Ptepu STUDENT: Claudia Maxi '21, Biology FACULTY MENTOR: Assistant Professor Sally A. Marik, Biology Trpc5 Channels are Inhibited by Wild Type Presenilin1, but not the Familial Alzheimer's Disease Presenilin 1 Mutant M146v STUDENT: Matthew Orzillo '22, Biology FACULTY MENTOR: Associate Professor Zafir Buraei, Biology The Effects of Hurricane Otto and of Logging On the Groups of Soil Plant Pathogenic Fungi, General Saprobe Fungi, Ectomycorrhizal Fungi, and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Costa Rican Tropical Forest STUDENT: Brenda Hernandez '21, Biology FACULTY MENTOR: Professor William D. Eaton, Biology The effects of Hurricane Otto and of logging On the Groups of Soil Microbes Associated with Carbon-use Efficiency in a Costa Rican Tropical Forest STUDENT: Natalie Wayland '21, Biology FACULTY MENTOR: Professor William D. Eaton, Biology The Living and the Dead: the Secularization of Chinese Religions in the Forms of Commercialization STUDENT: Shen Yang '21, Sociology/Anthropology FACULTY MENTOR: Associate Professor Judith Pajo, Sociology and Anthropology Determination of the Dielectric Constant of an Exotic African Shea Butter Formulation STUDENT: Madison Ames '21, Chemistry FACULTY MENTOR: Professor JaimeLee Rizzo, Chemistry Madison Ames '21, chemistry, is one of several outstanding Dyson students to receive recognition and support for her research.

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