Archives: Portfolios

This research project concentrates on the design, development, and evaluation of a bio-ionic platform that facilitates physiological studies through continuous and real-time monitoring of cellular ionic activities. This platform functions at the interface of biological cells and interacts with the cells’ bioenvironment, enabling the monitoring of various biological attributes such as metabolism, growth, stress response, damage repair, physiology, and development, as these attributes are reflected in the cells’ ionic activities. The outcome of the research will serve as the foundation for a larger project, wherein we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of how space environment and gravity impact cellular functions.

As the aviation industry continues to push forward with greener and more efficient travel, new design concepts are needed to reach the next level of aircraft aerodynamic efficiency. This research aims to conduct external flow analyses for conceptual aircraft over the complete flight envelope of modeled aircraft through CFD methods and wind tunnel testing. The first phase of the research will focus on the applicability of the turbulence models for benchmarked cases of airfoils for which experimental results are already available. Following data validation, the second phase will involve applying the same computational models to a scaled conceptual aircraft configuration to explore improved aerodynamic efficiency, drag reduction, and opportunities for greener propulsion. A scaled version of the aircraft configuration will be 3D printed and subsequently tested using a wind tunnel. The experimental results will be compared to current aircraft to validate advances in the aerodynamic efficiency of the conceptual models.

In summer 2023, I participated in an IINSPIRE-LSAMP collaborative program between DMACC and Iowa State University called RISEUP. This was an opportunity for minority students, like myself, to be introduced to the fundamentals of STEM related research. I worked with Dr. Alina Kirillova’s research team at Iowa State University to study the Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Porous Polymer Structures. In biomedical applications, there have been a multitude of applications such as drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and patient-specific devices. Due to the porous nature of the human body, we studied the gyroid, which is an inner-connected porous structure. Gyroids were printed of varying unit cell sizes in four different resins. Once printed and cured, the gyroids underwent compression testing using an Instron. These results demonstrate how cell unit size affects the strength of the gyroid. Due to the research I was involved in last summer, and my interest in Astronomy, I am excited into a continuation of that research. This fall, due to the limited research facilities of DMACC, I am completing a literature review surrounding the benefits, challenges, and frontiers of research through incorporation of using 3D printed polymers in space.

Homologous recombination is a DNA repair technique in which nucleoprotein RAD51 facilitates strand exchange between the broken double-stranded DNA and a homologous strand. RAD51, with assistance from mediators, forms nucleoprotein filaments on single-stranded DNA overhangs produced after a double-stranded break. Mutations in the RAD51 interface can have negative effects on the stability of the nucleoprotein filament. Using FRET and mass photometry this study examines the effect of a mutation in the F86E residue on essential RAD51 functions.

Greater interest in long term space travel is creating demand to develop artificial gravity systems that minimize the negative effects of long-term microgravity. However, due to practical constraints of understanding the physiological effects, we purpose a cardiovascular simulation to overcome this limitation. The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of artificial gravity during space travel. We hypothesized that the centrifugal force of a rotating spacecraft will not have significant effects on the cardiovascular system if it is the same as gravity on earth. For this reason, a 10-meter radius and 1 rad/s velocity were chosen for the centrifuge to mimic the effects of the gravity gradient on earth. The study used a modified version of the “CVSIM” simulation created by Dr. Thomas Heldt, a 21-compartment, lumped parameter model with control systems for the cardiopulmonary and arterial baroreflex. The data produced from the simulation suggests that a spacecraft creating a centrifugal force produces viable physiological conditions for the cardiovascular system.

My group will test a hypothesis regarding the evolutionary origins of lithium(Li)-rich post-main sequence (post-MS) stars using a rare star, TYC-2597-735-1 (TYC-2597). TYC-2597 was selected for observation because there is ample evidence that it underwent substantial companion interactions not long ago. Unlike most stellar merger candidates, TYC-2597’s probable merger event occurred long enough ago for clear viewing of the star yet sufficiently recent to be confident it experienced companion interactions. These attributes make TYC-2597 a “stepping stone” in post-merger timelines that we can use to verify evolutionary hypotheses. The hypothesis we are using TYC-2597 to test attributes Li-rich post-MS stars’ origins to companion interactions. More specifically, either companion engulfment or tidal interactions. This hypothesis is our team’s key to pinpointing exactly what type of stellar companion TYC-2597 interacted with, allowing for more accurate modeling of its evolutionary origins and outcomes. Using the Keck Observatory, we captured high signal-to-noise, high-resolution optical spectra of TYC-2597. Analyzing these spectra, we’ll measure Li abundance within TYC-2597, forming a bridge between recent stellar mergers and Li-rich stars suspected to be remnants of companion interactions.

My research is centered on the domain of X-ray astronomy, where we explore the extreme phenomena of the universe. X-ray telescopes necessitate precision to capture faint signals, given their operation at grazing incidence angles. However, during launch and gravitational release, vibrations induce low-frequency errors, which degrade image quality. To tackle this challenge, my focus lies in the development of correctable X-ray optics. These optics harness the inverse piezoelectric effect to rectify errors. Although they are not designed to address large low-frequency errors, they can effectively correct disturbances incurred during launch and deployment. My primary objective is to fabricate gold-plated, miniaturized X-ray optics with a particular emphasis on optimizing the slumping process of the glass substrates. This procedure entails thermal slumping of the glass, followed by gold coating. Using an interferometer, I investigate how variations in slumping parameters impact optic precision. Through the fine-tuning of these parameters, my research endeavors to consistently attain precise curvature, thereby maximizing the potential correction range offered by piezoelectric actuators. Ultimately, this work has the potential to enhance the imaging performance of X-ray telescopes, making contributions to the field of X-ray astronomy.

Life in space has been a question plaguing science for many decades. While onsite research is difficult to conduct, due to both the necessary expense and preparation behind it, there are places on Earth which can be used as models to study space’s unique conditions and even its potential for life. In particular, my research advisor, Dr.Joshua Sebree, and I, as well as a group of other researchers at the University of Northern Iowa, have been using Wind Cave National Park as an analog for space, especially in studying the Icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. With its moderate temperatures (constant 55℉) and high humidity (99%), the environment of the cave, especially around its subterranean lakes, highly resemble the atmospheres of these aforementioned moons.

However, one caveat of studying this cave is that its levels of human contamination are relatively low and many of its crystalline features cannot be removed without permanently altering the cave’s makeup. Because of this, my research specifically focuses on using spectroscopic studies, mainly UV-VIS and XRF spectroscopy, to study and trace the organic and mineral makeup of this cave, allowing us better understand the certain conditions and possible extreme life present. Also, within the lab setting, replicative studies and new methods are constantly being developed, allowing us to further our work even on the surface. From there, along with the rest of the team, we hope to build a comprehensive understanding of this cave’s conditions and life forms which can then be applied to extraterrestrial atmospheres.

In the scope of astrobiology, the exploration for life within the Solar System is ongoing. Planetary caves are a possible environment that may be habitable for life on other planets and moons. Planetary features may also provide evidence of the presence of life-sustaining materials within the Solar System. The icy moons of Europa and Enceladus have interstitial lakes which harbor organics. Titan’s methane cycle may carve out karstic features in organically rich dunes. Calcite found on Mars is evidence of ancient water once existing in the area. In order to understand how life may be sustained on other planets, extreme environments on Earth must first be explored. In 2023, the University of Northern Iowa astrobiological underground team and I spent more than 80 hours underground doing cave research at Wind Cave National Park. Wind Cave offers a unique opportunity to examine planetary analogs in an isolated environment with limited contaminants. Zebra calcites are evidence of ancient water that helped to form the cave and are used as an analog to Mars. Currently forming flowstone preserves a record of organics from the surface and is analogous to Titan, Europa, and Enceladus. Using UV spectroscopy, further examination of cave formations can be analyzed to determine composition and formation of speleothems. The overall objective of my project is to study analog areas in the cave to which resemble our Solar System to determine the minimal conditions to sustain life. Comparing Wind Cave analogs to features throughout the Solar System, expands our understanding of where life might exist outside of Earth.

The Pollinator Habitat Enhancement Conservation Reserve Program (CP-42) allows farmers to turn their land, once used for agriculture, into restored prairie to provide floral sources and habitat for wild pollinators. In order for these sites to be fully effective, they must be accessible to native bees and other pollinator species. Previous research was conducted in 16 CP-42 sites in Northeast Iowa to examine the wild bee community composition and genetic diversity. Through this NASA research project, we will examine 16 CP-42 sites and understand the habitat connectivity between these restored habitats and other natural habitats in the landscape, and determine how native bee species travel between habitats to colonize the restored CP-42 sites. These 16 sites were surveyed between 2018 and 2023 to monitor the vegetation and the native bee communities within the area. Aerial images and roadside planting data will be georeferenced using ArcGIS software in order to delineate and quantify potential pollinator habitats surrounding these CP-42 sites. Paired with the collected bee data, we will associate the habitat connectivity among CRP sites and natural habitats to the bee diversity and density data, in order to understand the movement of these native bee species, and how these pathways are being used to establish new bee communities in these restored sites. This data will also help us to examine the degree of habitat fragmentation in the landscape and the effect that it may have on the native bee communities.