Twelve undergraduate students from Missouri University of Science and Technology traveled to Jefferson City, Missouri, on March 13 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 conduct research 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:

• Carson Arnold, a junior in biological sciences from Grandin, Missouri, presented “Hybrid Introgression has Resulted in Bleeding Shiners Exhibiting Striped Shiner Mitogenomes in Certain Missouri Ozark Streams.” The work is directed by Dr. David Duvernell, professor and chair of biological sciences.
• Preston Carroll, a senior in electrical engineering from Nixa, Missouri, Benjamin Cuebas, a senior in electrical engineering from Springfield, Missouri, and Justin Fausto, a senior in electrical engineering from Pleasant Hope, Missouri, presented “The Deconstructed 555 Timer and Application Circuits for Interactive Educational Experiences.” The work is directed by Dr. Rohit Dua, associate teaching professor of electrical and computer engineering.
• Blake Coffman, a junior in aerospace engineering from Ballwin, Missouri, presented “Lunar Surface Technology Research.” The work is directed by Dr. Daoru Han, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
• Kaylee Denbo, a senior in environmental engineering from Rolla, Missouri, presented “Assessment of 1,4-Dioxane Phytoremediation by Determining In-planta Concentrations.” The work is directed by Dr. Joel Burken, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering.
• Aidan Dollar, a senior in aerospace engineering from Hillsboro, Missouri, presented “Design of a Storage Heater for the Missouri S&T Wind Supersonic Wind Tunnel.” The work is directed by Dr. Davide Viganò, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
• Sophie Firle, a junior in biological sciences from Festus, Missouri, presented “Effects of Ally Confrontation on Target Outcomes.” The work is directed by Dr. Jessica Cundiff, associate professor of psychological science.
• Emma Kettler, a junior in environmental engineering from Festus, Missouri, presented “Enhanced Soil Properties of Mine Tailings Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Combined with Biosolids and Biochar Sustained Phytostabilization.” The work is directed by Dr. Joel Burken, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering.
• Hossein Libre, a sophomore in ceramic engineering from Rolla, Missouri, presented “Development of Perfusable Vascular Networks in 3D Printed Tissues Using Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly (PISA) Printing.” The work is directed by Dr. Anthony Convertine, the Roberta and G. Robert Couch Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering.
• Andrew Schraut, a junior in history from St. Louis, presented “Where Do Video Games Get Their History?” by Dr. Andrew Behrendt, associate teaching professor of history and political science.
• Noah Sparks, a senior in chemical engineering from Jackson, Missouri, presented “ALC Lipid Nanoparticle Lung Cancer Drug Carrier Analysis.” The work is directed by Dr. Hu Yang, the Linda and Bipin Doshi Department Chair and professor of chemical and biochemical engineering.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.