Undergraduate students from Missouri University of Science and Technology traveled to Jefferson City, Missouri, on April 4 to participate in the annual Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol.

The event, which is designed to inform Missouri’s lawmakers about research at Missouri universities, welcomes undergraduate students from all four University of Missouri System campuses. Student participants work on research projects under the direction of faculty advisors and present their research.

Missouri S&T places an emphasis on providing research opportunities to undergraduate students. The following students represented S&T and shared their research at the Missouri State Capitol:

• Ezekiel Allen, a senior in electrical engineering from Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and Michael Davis, a junior in electrical engineering from Louisiana, Missouri, presented “MOF-SCENT: Metal-organic Frameworks for Screening COVID-19 by Electronic-Nose Technology to Improve Selectivity and Time Response.” The work is directed by Dr. Jie Huang, the Roy A. Wilkens Endowed Associate Professor of electrical engineering.
• Joshua Gary, a senior in aerospace engineering from Lake St. Louis, Missouri, presented “New Testing Capabilities of the Missouri University of Science and Technology Supersonic Wind Tunnel.” The work is directed by Dr. Davide Vigano, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
• Charles Green, a sophomore in biological sciences from Kansas City, Missouri, and Elena Zobel, a sophomore in biological sciences from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri, presented “Two Nematode Species, C. Elegans and P. Pacificus, Compete in a Laboratory Ecosystem.” The work is directed by Dr. Andrea Scharf, assistant professor of biological sciences.
• Gracie May James, a junior in nuclear engineering and radiation science from House Springs, Missouri, presented “TNT Equivalence: Measuring, Validating, and Appending Binary Energetics to the Literature.” The work is directed by Dr. Catherine Johnson, the Robert H. Quenon Associate Professor of Mining and Explosives Engineering.
• Amelia Markwell, a sophomore in biological sciences from Chesterfield, Missouri, presented “Eavesdropping on the Microbial World: Bacterial Communication in Agriculture.” The work is directed by Dr. David Westenberg, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of biological sciences.
• Mikaela Ritchie, a senior in chemical engineering from Union, Missouri, presented “Polycaprolactone Uptake of Lipopolysaccharides.” The work is directed by Dr. Hu Yang, the Doshi Endowed Department Chair of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering.
• Guy Timbrook, a senior in civil engineering from Lentner, Missouri, presented “Modeling Climate Resilience of Rural Populations in Missouri.” The work is directed by Dr. Daniel Oerther, professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering.