First-Year Fralin Undergraduate Research Fellowship Project List by College

Project Number: 24-12
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: Architecture
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: Surveys and Data Analysis
Research Project Title: How to enhance research culture and success- article writing
Research Project Brief Description: The College of Architecture, Arts and Design wants to promote its research culture and success. A survey has been sent out to the 200+ faculty to assess the current state and identify challenges and opportunities. The aim of the project is to write a peer-reviewed research journal article that will explain the results of the survey and the strategies that could be implemented.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: There are 5 main goals for the students:

1. learn how to ethically deal with human data;
2. develop survey analysis skills;
3. learn how to visualize data,
4. develop skills to translate data into strategies,
5. develop writing skills.

The students will mainly work with the data survey and learn how data and their representation can be used to write a journal article.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I view mentorship as a form of knowledge transfer and empowerment. The plan for mentoring student is the following:

1. agreement on timetable and location, as well as on mentorship principles;
2. 1st meeting: project explanation, goals and expected outcomes;
3. Following sessions: meeting at the start and end of the session, setting learning tasks and working tasks, discussing the results together;
4. Last session: presentation of the results via a PowerPoint; reflection on the mentorship and hopefully article submission.

Project Number: 24-16
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: Industrial Design
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: Diversity and Inclusion
Research Project Title: Flourish: Uncovering the global reach of diverse design perspectives
Research Project Brief Description: The School of Design recently launched an online platform to showcase diverse design work not always represented in mainstream sources: vtflourish.webflow.io. Our laboratory has been working with student designers and researchers on this project since January 2024. Higher education course content in design can lack diverse viewpoints, and this project addresses this gap and helps bring together more diverse content. Fralin Undergraduate Research Fellows will work directly with the faculty member to identify and research diverse design perspectives through literature reviews and, potentially, interviews. The work will be showcased on the Flourish website for university community members and beyond.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Students will conduct secondary and potentially primary research to analyze and evaluate information about design work outside the canon and create original short texts to share their findings with other field members. This project aligns with the highest levels of Bloom’s Cognitive Taxonomy (analyze, evaluate, and create). Students will learn how to conduct primary and/or secondary research, develop their writing skills, and expand their knowledge about design perspectives and design history.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I consider mentorship effective when students are successful and comfortable, by individual standards, and feel confident and inspired in their education journey. I strive to help students meet milestones in their development as design researchers. The fellows will work directly with me and other student members of the project team. We will follow the mentorship framework guided by the Virginia Tech iGROW Program, which includes, for example, meetings where I ask students to reflect on their learning and how this can be applied elsewhere in future research, their coursework, or professional careers.

Project Number: 24-17
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: School of Performing Arts
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: Surveys and Data Analysis
Research Project Title: Using Film Clips to Build a Better Online Presences
Research Project Brief Description: Working directly with the faculty mentor, student will use film clips to improve existing SoPA (School of Performing Arts affiliated) websites.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Specific research goals: qualitative survey of existing web presences of Cinema industry and academic professionals, leading to an overhaul of SoPA websites. Students will learn how to present themselves in an industry that does not have hiring fairs, etc., as well as the skills to do so.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: After establishing project goals and initial due dates, mentor would meet with student once or twice a week to co-analyze results of the survey and collaborate on the work needing done.

Project Number: 24-18
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: School of Visual Arts, Graphic Design
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: Diversity and Inclusion
Research Project Title: Speculative Schemas: Reimagining Designed Systems in User Experiences
Research Project Brief Description: This project aims to reimagine user experiences by exploring the “What if…” and “I wonder…” areas of speculative design to deconstruct preconceived schemas and create artifacts for alternative futures and narratives. Viewing designed systems through a speculative lens, students will interrogate schemas and design artifacts that exaggerate circumstances, question alternative futures, and reimagine narratives related to user experiences. Through mind maps, visual renderings, and low-fidelity prototypes, students will investigate a subject or topic by mapping schemas and reimagining its context, functionality, interface, and overall experience. Students should bring curiosity, enthusiasm, and imagination to this project.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The research goals for this project are to develop methods for deconstructing schemas, identifying touchpoints to reimagine through a speculative lens, and creating a collection of narratives and prototypes in response to these methods. Each student can expect to explore schemas or ways we understand the world around us as they relate to everyday objects and experiences. Through this, they will learn how to examine and question the intentions of current design systems/narratives and speculate the potential of alternative experiences.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: Mentorship is a collaborative opportunity where the mentee can gain support from the mentor regarding advice and guidance on personal, academic, and professional goals. The mentor also gains a new perspective on ideas and their trajectories. As this project is related to my academic research, I plan to collaborate with the students by guiding them through this project, describing its significance, and drawing connections to many other interests and disciplines.

Project Number: 24-11
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: Architecture
Topic Area: The Built Environment
Secondary Topic Area: Surveys and Data Analysis
Research Project Title: Enhancing Architectural and Design Education through VR and AR Technologies
Research Project Brief Description: The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) into architectural education offers transformative opportunities for teaching and learning. This project aims to explore the use of VR and AR to enhance the visualization, interaction, and comprehension of complex spatial concepts in design and architecture schools. Given the limitations of traditional 2D drawings and physical models, VR and AR technologies provide a dynamic and immersive approach to understanding and interacting with 3D environments. This research seeks to bridge the gap between conventional teaching methods and cutting-edge technology, fostering a deeper understanding of architectural spaces.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Participation in this project will equip the student with valuable skills and experiences:  Technical Proficiency: Gain hands-on experience with advanced VR and AR technologies. Research Skills: Develop competencies in conducting academic research, including data collection, analysis, and reporting. Innovative Thinking: Enhance ability to think creatively in applying new technologies to solve educational challenges. Collaborative Experience: Work as part of a dynamic research team, improving communication and teamwork skills.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The mentorship plan for the VR/AR architectural education project emphasizes structured guidance, skill enhancement, and nurturing independent critical thinking. Regular meetings will facilitate ongoing dialogue, ensuring the student remains aligned with the project goals and feels supported in their challenges. Training will focus on the practical application of VR and AR technologies, equipping the student with advanced tools that extend beyond traditional architectural practices.  The mentorship will also encourage creative independence, urging the student to propose innovative solutions and engage deeply with the cutting-edge technology at hand. This approach aims to foster confidence and self-sufficiency. Career development discussions and networking opportunities will also be integral, helping the student to navigate future professional pathways in architecture and technology.  Overall, the mentorship philosophy is built on a foundation of mutual learning, aiming to inspire and challenge the mentee while supporting their personal and professional growth. This comprehensive approach ensures the student not only acquires new technical skills but also applies them effectively to push the boundaries of architectural education, preparing them for a successful career in a rapidly evolving field.

Project Number: 24-15
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: Architecture
Topic Area: The Built Environment
Secondary Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Research Project Title: Developing an AI-Based Design Process for using AI as a Design Tool
Research Project Brief Description: In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into architecture has offered new avenues for creativity and efficiency in the design process. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way architects approach complex problems, offering tools that can analyze large datasets, optimize design parameters, and even generate novel design processes. This project seeks to explore the incorporation of AI into the architectural design process, aiming to develop a systematic approach that leverages AI's capabilities to enhance creativity and innovation by using AI as a design tool and not just as a tool for representation.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: he undergraduate student will gain valuable experience and skills, including:

1. Exposure to AI in Design: Learn about cutting-edge AI technologies and their applications in architecture. Through the use of Stable Diffusion and Control Net.
2. Research Methodology: Develop skills in conducting academic research, including literature reviews, data analysis, and documentation.
3. Technical Skills: Gain hands-on experience with AI tools, programming, and data management.
4. Collaborative Experience: Work in a research team environment, contributing to a significant project that bridges technology and design.
5. Problem-Solving Abilities: Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by addressing real-world design challenges with AI.

Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: Mentorship, to me, is about fostering a supportive and collaborative environment where the mentee feels empowered to learn, grow, and take risks. It is a two-way relationship where both mentor and mentee can learn from each other. I view mentorship as an opportunity to guide someone not just in their academic or professional pursuits but also in their personal development. It is about helping them build confidence, resilience, and the skills necessary to navigate their career paths.

Project Number: 24-13
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: Architecture
Topic Area: US and International Policy and Decisions
Secondary Topic Area: Natural Environments
Research Project Title: The Parallels Project
Research Project Brief Description: The Parallels Project is focused on establishing global partnerships among six architecture schools located at different geographic latitudes. These partnerships, known as Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) communities, will enable faculty and students to collaborate on a technology-centered design assignment that emphasizes the impact of solar geometry on architectural design. The project aims to create a platform where participants can share their insights and compare their approaches based on their unique solar geometry and climate conditions.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: We are seeking a first-year undergraduate research assistant to support the coordination and administrative aspects of this project. Your role will involve assisting with the organization and communication between the participating schools, helping to manage project timelines, and facilitating the sharing of resources and information among the COIL communities. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in international collaboration, project management, and architectural research.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I see mentorship as a mutually beneficial commitment. We'll work together to build your skills in project management while having fun and exploring topics like teaching, international collaboration, and architectural design. I plan to schedule regular work sessions, set clear goals, and provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions!

Project Number: 24-14
Academic College: Architecture, Arts and Design
Department: Architecture
Topic Area: US and International Policy and Decisions
Secondary Topic Area: Surveys and Data Analysis
Research Project Title: Investigating the Increasing Presence of Women in Architecture Schools and Its Impact on the Profession and Pedagogy
Research Project Brief Description: This research aims to explore the growing trend of more women entering architecture schools and its potential implications for the architecture profession and educational pedagogy. By examining the dynamics of this shift, the study seeks to understand how the increasing presence of women might reshape classroom interactions, studio culture, and professional practices within the field of architecture.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The undergraduate student will gain valuable experience and skills, including:

1. Understanding Gender Dynamics: Learn about the role of gender diversity in shaping educational and professional practices.
2. Research Skills: Develop expertise in conducting academic research, including survey design, data collection, and analysis.
3. AI Application in Research: Gain hands-on experience with AI tools for data analysis, enhancing technical skills and understanding of contemporary research methodologies.
4. Collaborative Experience: Engage in teamwork, contributing to a research project with significant academic and professional implications.
5. Critical Thinking: Enhance problem-solving abilities by analyzing real-world issues related to gender diversity and architectural education.

Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: Mentorship, to me, is about fostering a supportive and collaborative environment where the mentee feels empowered to learn, grow, and take risks. It is a two-way relationship where both mentor and mentee can learn from each other. I view mentorship as an opportunity to guide someone not just in their academic or professional pursuits but also in their personal development. It is about helping them build confidence, resilience, and the skills necessary to navigate their career paths. The student will have access to:

• AI Software and Tools: Use of Stable Diffusion and Control Net and the online app Prome.AI
• Guidance and Mentorship: Regular meetings with the principal investigator and collaboration with other team members.
• Research Materials: Access to academic journals, databases, and other resources through the university library.
• Workstation: A dedicated computer with necessary software for research tasks.

Project Number: 24-20
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Biological Systems Engineering
Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Secondary Topic Area: Food and Nutrition
Research Project Title: Hyperspectral imaging and machine learning for rapid quantification of fish quality and safety
Research Project Brief Description: This project aims to develop machine learning algorithms for non-destruction quantification of histamine (toxic compound) and Vitamin D (nutrients) in fish.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Data Collection and Preprocessing: Gather a comprehensive dataset of fish samples with known histamine and Vitamin D concentrations. Develop protocols for non-destructive data acquisition (e.g., spectroscopy, imaging techniques). Preprocess and clean the collected data to ensure quality and consistency.  Feature Extraction and Selection: Identify relevant features from the non-destructive measurements that correlate with histamine and Vitamin D levels. Implement feature selection techniques to determine the most informative attributes for prediction.   Model Development: Design and implement machine learning algorithms suitable for quantifying histamine and Vitamin D levels. Explore various model architectures (e.g., neural networks, random forests, support vector machines) to find the most effective approach. Develop separate models for histamine and Vitamin D prediction, if necessary. Model Training and Optimization: Train the developed models using the prepared dataset. Optimize model hyperparameters to improve prediction accuracy and generalization. Implement cross-validation techniques to ensure robustness of the models.   Performance Evaluation:  Establish appropriate metrics for assessing the accuracy and reliability of the predictions. Evaluate the models' performance on a separate test dataset. Compare the non-destructive method's results with traditional destructive testing methods.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: My overall approach to mentorship is rooted in the belief that effective mentoring requires a balance of guidance and autonomy. I aim to provide a supportive environment where the student feels comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and taking calculated risks. At the same time, I believe in challenging students to push beyond their comfort zones and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Specifically for this project, I plan to begin by assessing the student's current knowledge and skills related to machine learning, food science, and analytical techniques. This will help me tailor my mentorship approach to their individual needs. I will then work with the student to develop a clear project timeline and set of milestones, ensuring they understand the overall objectives and their role in achieving them. Regular meetings will be a key component of my mentorship plan. I envision weekly one-on-one sessions to discuss progress, address challenges, and plan next steps. These meetings will also serve as an opportunity for the student to practice presenting their work and receiving constructive feedback. Throughout the project, I will encourage the student to take ownership of specific tasks and make decisions, while being available to provide guidance and support when needed. I believe this approach will help develop their confidence and independence as a researcher. I also plan to introduce the student to relevant literature and encourage them to stay current with the latest developments in the field. This will involve guiding them in critical reading of scientific papers and discussing how to apply new knowledge to our project.

Project Number: 24-21
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Secondary Topic Area: Infection and Disease
Research Project Title: Enabling Technology Critical for Ramen Spectroscopy in Malawi
Research Project Brief Description: Raman Spectroscopy (RS) can be used to identify a number of health conditions in Malawi. Critical to RS is use of high quality glass vials costing $2 each, a barrier to use in a low resource environment. The robotic elements of 3D printers have been shown to be repurposed for the process of staining microscope slides. Arduino or Raspberry Pi microprocessors can be programmed to control 3D printers, and can include cameras needed to examine vials to ensure that they are clean. Parts needed to hold the vials in place while being cleaned can be 3D printed.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Integrate existing technologies to rinse, clean, dry and verify that vials are ready for use. The goal is a fully functional device that includes documentation that will enable students to build devices for use in Malawi.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The student will be provided with all materials and space to explore this challenge. We have a team of faculty who possess the skills to provide guidance for successful completion of this challenge. I will meet with the student on a weekly basis as we discuss progress and set goals for the following week. I view mentorship as a partnership where I provide guidance and open doors for student success. My goal for each student is completion of a project worthy of successful presentations and publications.

Project Number: 24-22
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Secondary Topic Area: Natural Environments
Research Project Title: Biomechanics of animals
Research Project Brief Description: Our lab studies how animals work from a biomechanical perspective. That means that we use fundamental tools of engineering, physics, and math to understand how an animal’s form relates to its function. Our main focus is on snakes and insects, but we also study other animals: for instance, we are currently trying to understand how flying squid jump out of the water and fly the air. We do lots of research on snakes, centered on flying snakes and their relatives: how do they fly through the air? How do they jump? What limits other snakes from gliding?
Specific Research Goals for the Student: We understand that most freshman don’t have a lot of research experience, if any. Our goal is to expose the student to the types of things that are involved in research, including experimental data collection, data analysis, problem solving, and presenting. In working on animal biomechanics, typically a student will learn to handle animals as well as technical equipment like high-speed cameras and motion capture systems.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: It takes experience in the lab to be able to lead a project, so we don’t expect a new lab member to start out with their own project. Instead, we partner students with more experienced researchers, having them help with ongoing lab projects. Typically that means that on a day-to-day basis, the new lab member will be working with a Ph.D. student or postdoctoral researcher. (‘Postdoc’ means they’ve recently earned their Ph.D.) That said, as the head of the lab I am involved in all mentoring, so new lab members will also be interacting with me.

Project Number: 24-26
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Engineering Education
Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Secondary Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Research Project Title: Using Generative Artificial Intelligence to Understand Causal Reasoning and Decision-Making
Research Project Brief Description: This project will use generative artificial intelligence to detect and understand how individuals reason about causality and make decisions. In this work, we will design, test, and implement novel generative AI workflows to analyze causal reasoning and decision-making expressed in writing and speech from human subjects across a range of domains and subjects.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The research goals for the student are to determine which models, algorithms, and workflows are most effective for analyzing causal reasoning and decision-making in human subjects. The student will learn about generative AI, causal reasoning, and decision-making. The student will also gain experience in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: My plans for mentoring the student are to provide guidance and support throughout the research process. This will include regular (weekly or bi-weekly) meetings to discuss progress, troubleshoot issues, and provide feedback. I view mentorship as a collaborative process, where the student and I work together to achieve the research goals. The student will also interact with other members of the research team, including graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, although I will be the primary mentor for this project.

Project Number: 24-19
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
Topic Area: Material Science
Secondary Topic Area: Natural Environments
Research Project Title: Satellite microcontrollers and circuit boards: build, test, operate
Research Project Brief Description: Learn to solder (through-hole and surface-mount) circuit boards designed to fly in space onboard nanosatellites. Command and control assembled circuit boards using a serial protocol interface. Gain familiarity with Python and C programming languages to extend and modify microcontroller capabilities. Opportunities to modify circuit board design using KiCAD tools. Design and execute test deployments to evaluate circuit board readiness before flight.
Specific Research Goals for the Student:

1. Surface-mount solder microcontrollers and passive components to unpopulated PCBs and demonstrate functionality using unit tests
2. Learn and understand the serial command protocol for operating the satellite circuit boards
3. Broaden satellite capabilities by extending and modifying the operating protocol
4. Design and execute real-world tests to evaluate satellite capabilities

Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The goal of mentorship is to help foster new skills with the mentee. Successful mentorship requires regular meetings and communication. Project goals should be flexible in order to support maximum success.

Project Number: 24-27
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Topic Area: Material Science
Secondary Topic Area: The Built Environment
Research Project Title: Development of Low Cost, Austenitic, Ductile Irons
Research Project Brief Description: Ductile irons can be easily cast into complex shapes. Austenitic ductile irons have numerous desirable properties, such as excellent fatigue life and high energy absorbing capability. Nickel is typically used to produce austenitic ductile iron but is expensive. This projects aims to replace nickel with manganese and aluminum.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Ductile irons can be easily cast into complex shapes. Austenitic ductile irons have numerous desirable properties, such as excellent fatigue life and high energy absorbing capability. Nickel is typically used to produce austenitic ductile iron but is expensive.  This projects aims to  replace nickel with manganese and aluminum.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The students will work with me and other undergraduate students on this project. The foundry is inherently dangerous so extensive safety training (online and in-person) is required. I will personally supervise/mentor the students at the foundry and my undergraduate team will primarily support the students when doing materials characterization. The students will be invited to participate in professional society conferences and foundry plant visits.

Project Number: 24-28
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Topic Area: Material Science
Secondary Topic Area: The Built Environment
Research Project Title: Advanced High Strength Steel
Research Project Brief Description: Advanced high steel steels are being developed for automotive applications. These steels must have high yield strength, high ductility, and low cost since they are primarily used in applications that require high energy absorption, such as vehicle crush zones.

Project Number: 24-24
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Topic Area: Natural Environments
Secondary Topic Area: Infection and Disease
Research Project Title: Rapid detection of pathogenic Escherichia coli in the soil
Research Project Brief Description: The goal of this project is to develop a rapid detection method for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in soil samples using digital PCR. This method allows for qualification of pathogens with low abundance in environmental samples. This project is important to detect, predict, prevent, and respond to global health threats caused by bacterial pathogens of an environmental origin.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The participating student will learn basic molecular biology skills, such as DNA extraction and digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and data analysis and visualization skills using programming languages, such as R and Python.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I view mentorship as a collaborative process where both the mentor and mentee learn and grow together. Within this project, my goal is to empower the student to achieve their full potential, contribute meaningfully to the microbiological research, and prepare for future academic and professional success. Specifically, the student will work closely with me and/or a graduate student. Regular meetings will be implemented to ensure the optimal learning outcomes of the student applicant.

Project Number: 24-23
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Building Construction
Topic Area: The Built Environment
Secondary Topic Area: Material Science
Research Project Title: Circularization of Construction Product Manufacturing Waste
Research Project Brief Description: Manufacturing modular construction products such as structural insulated panels generates volumes of multi-material waste that is difficult to recycle cost-effectively. Existing practice requires cutting apart scraps to recover valuable components while paying to dispose of the remains. This study will review panelized building designs to model waste generation from panel fabrication. The aim is to find alternatives to in-house waste processing via identifying complementary uses for panel waste in various forms as valuable input to other industrial or construction processes. If successful, the outcome would convert production waste from a liability into a value stream for panel manufacturers.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Upon successfully completing this research, student will be able to:

1. Identify dimensions of panel cutoffs based on building design documents;
2. Create inventory of panel cutoffs by building type and descriptive parameters;
3. Quantify costs and benefits of current scrap recycling process;
4. Use pattern recognition algorithms to identify project types with high-value waste; and
5. Communicate progress, challenges, and results both orally and in writing to project team members.

Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I believe effective research mentoring requires not only demonstrating and modeling useful task-specific skills, but also anchoring research experiences within a more general context where students may later be able to adapt those skills to other situations. In this project, critical context includes learning to interact safely and appropriately with stakeholders in a manufacturing environment and understanding the business drivers underlying the research goals. Depending on the level of skill already possessed by the student, mentoring will include direct interaction with me or manufacturing staff to develop outlines of written documents or spreadsheet tools, demonstrations of unfamiliar processes (e.g., how to review design documents, how to document operational processes and estimate costs, etc.). Weekly meetings would involve review of progress from previous week, addressing any problems or challenges, and setting goals for the next week. Student would be expected to participate in and give brief progress updates to the research team at periodic team meetings as well.

Project Number: 24-25
Academic College: Engineering
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Topic Area: The Built Environment
Secondary Topic Area: Natural Environments
Research Project Title: From Science Fiction to Reality: How Will Flying Cars Change Future Transportation?
Research Project Brief Description: This research aims to understand the impact of urban air mobility (UAM) or flying cars in urban and rural areas in the USA. Urban air mobility or air taxi services will start transporting passengers as soon as January 2026. Therefore, it is evident how this emerging mobility service will impact the existing mode choice behavior and who the potential customers will be. and possible vertiport (heliport) locations. We will use AI and Machine learning to understand this demand. This new mobility option will change the landscape of future transportation.
Specific Research Goals for the Student:

1. Literature review
2. Data Analysis
3. Report Writing

Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I will meet with the student once every week for one hour. I will teach the student the skill set necessary to be successful in this project.

Project Number: 24-29
Academic College: Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Department: English
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: Diversity and Inclusion
Research Project Title: Language Variation and Change in SWVA
Research Project Brief Description: Be part of the first project systematically investigating language variation and change in SWVA! We're making recordings of current speakers, looking at historical archives, and running experiments to better understand language patterns in an area at the center of lots of physical and political borders.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Students will choose a specific linguistic feature to investigate in our new and historical datasets, to document whether there is evidence of change and/or subregional, gendered or ethnicity-based difference. Students will learn about corpus management, data processing, and sociolinguistic variation.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: Students will join a group of students working with me in the Speech Lab, where they will be mentored directly by me but also by senior student members of the lab. Ideally lab-members become my coauthors, contributing intellectually and taking ownership of projects.

Project Number: 24-30
Academic College: Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Department: English
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: Diversity and Inclusion
Research Project Title: Southwest Virginia Language (SWVAL) Project
Research Project Brief Description: Even though it's at the point between a lot of interesting physical, political and dialectal borders, language patterns in Southwest Virginia are largely unstudied! We're fixing through a number of different data collection types, getting locals' opinions about language in the area, and also getting recordings of their speech, which we then process and analyze for features of interest!
Specific Research Goals for the Student: They will primarily be processing speech recordings, preparing them so that we can pull out measurements and analyze linguistic variation. There may also be opportunities to conduct interviews, run experiments and/or participate in outreach activities.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: Students will join the Speech Lab, working with faculty and other students. Mentoring then is not just done by faculty, but also by peers. My favorite outcome for research assistants is when students find aspects of projects that they can take ownership on, moving from being an assistant to being a collaborator.

Project Number: 24-31
Academic College: Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Department: English
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: US and International Policy and Decisions
Research Project Title: The Life Cycle of a Postcolonial Essay Review
Research Project Brief Description: As a book reviews editor of a postcolonial journal, my job is to survey work in the field and put together topics for authors to compose an essay-length review of 3-5 titles.  An excellent job for an undergraduate student interested in publishing or humanities research would be assisting me in surveying the field for suitable texts and topics and then taking an essay review through its “life cycle”: creation, assignment, editing, publishing.  This student would be listed in the journal as “Assistance Book Reviews Editor” for the issue on which they worked and would gain excellent research and writing experience.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: research and writing skills, knowledge of publishing trends and insight into academic journal publishing
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I will have to work closely with the student on every stage of the process

Project Number: 24-32
Academic College: Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Department: School of Education
Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Secondary Topic Area: US and International Policy and Decisions
Research Project Title: Implicit Bias and Hidden Messages: A Critical Content Analysis of Children's Picture Books
Research Project Brief Description: The books that we read to and with students, in and out of the classroom, send explicit messages to them about the world we live in. As part of this project, students will engage in a critical content analysis of children's picture books and uncover the meaning that lies within.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: As part of this project, students will learn to conduct a specific type of qualitative research, critical content analysis. Though during the project we will learn this skill using children's picture books, the skills learned will be transferrable to any text content.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I hope to meet weekly with the student and walk them through the steps of research, specifically this methodology. Ideally, we will spend time together learning the skills, then the student will have time to work on their own, conducting their own content analysis, then bringing it back to compare with the rest of the team. I view mentorship as a partnership with a teaching element.

Project Number: 24-33
Academic College: Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Department: Sociology
Topic Area: US and International Policy and Decisions
Secondary Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Research Project Title: Virginians’ perceptions and experiences with medical bills and debts
Research Project Brief Description:  This project examines “medical bankruptcies.” Medical bankruptcy is a description of eliminating debts, including medical debts, through chapters 7 and 13 personal bankruptcy. However, there is substantial debate among economists, pundits, politicians, and medical researchers about what counts as a bankruptcy caused by medical debt. These scholarly disagreements hinge on how analysts operationalize financial stability prior to receiving substantial medical bills, and who is assumed to be deserving of forgiveness for medical and other debts.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: There are two planned components of this semester long research project that the student will participate in:

1. Development and pilot testing of protocol to interview individuals in Virginia who have experienced medical debt or have
2. Compiling a database and conducting preliminary qualitative analysis of newspaper coverage of the proposed Virginia bill HB573, a bill limiting the statute of limitations for medical bills and was vetoed by Gov. Youngkin in 2022.

Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I think the best learning is learning by doing, so we will jump right into the research project. I view mentorship as a collaboration, where the student will have weekly tasks, and we will meet regularly to discuss the challenges the student faces and insights that the student has while working. By the end of the semester, the student will have a working knowledge of social science research design and the basics of qualitative analysis.

Project Number: 24-34
Academic College: Pamplin College of Business
Department: Business Information Technology
Topic Area: US and International Policy and Decisions
Secondary Topic Area: Communicating Concepts
Research Project Title: Adoption of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs)
Research Project Brief Description: This project is funded by CCI. PETs, such as secure mail and secure browsers, are available but their adoption rate is low, thus leading to many breaches of consumer data. This project seeks to understand why the adoption rate is low that can then help in designing ways to get consumers to use such PETs.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The student will participate in collecting data via surveys and conducting interviews. The student will gain rich experience in this phase. The student will also get an opportunity to see how data are analyzed.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: I believe in learning research by understanding both the theory and the practice. Simone Biles didn't become the GOAT by sitting in the classroom!

Project Number: 24-37
Academic College: Science
Department: Department of Geosciences
Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Secondary Topic Area: Natural Environments
Research Project Title: Utilizing Predictive Powers of Machine Learning to Improve Life-Detection Efforts in Mars-Analog Environments
Research Project Brief Description: This project seeks to leverage predictive capabilities of machine learning to make minor improvements to current life-detection strategies in Mars-Analog environments. To do so, the student will create a classification and a regression model to predict organic carbon abundance from Mars-analog hypersaline lake mineralogy data using the python programming language.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: My specific research goal for the student is to equip them with transferrable skills in data science techniques applied to earth and planetary science problems. The students can expect to learn the fundamentals of supervised machine learning and computer programming in the python language. Additionally, the student will be introduced to earth science, specifically astrobiology, concepts.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: My mentorship philosophy is based around student-oriented mentoring. Student-oriented mentoring allows the student to engage in their own curiosities and passions, ultimately, building knowledge pillars for them. This approach promotes a purposeful learning experience for the student and me. Using this approach, I apply methods associated with learner-oriented teaching such as active learning, cooperative learning, and inductive teaching and learning. I believe it is my responsibility to understand who my students are and identify their individual knowledge gaps so that I can both challenge students who are passionate and have a clear grasp on concepts while simultaneously helping struggling students succeed.

Project Number: 24-39
Academic College: Science
Department: Statistics
Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Secondary Topic Area: Natural Environments
Research Project Title: Transfer Learning on Graph Neural Networks for Wildfire Prediction
Research Project Brief Description: This interdisciplinary project aims to investigate the utility of topological methods for improving transfer learning on graph neural networks for detection and prediction of wildfires, using NASA remote sensing data, as well as quantification of the associated uncertainties.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The tasks will include literature review, software development, conducting numerical experiments. assessment of pros/cons of the developed algorithms, and, depending on the progress, participation in preparation of a research manuscript and/or presentation of the research findings at a conference.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The project will include weekly meetings with the primary faculty mentor, in addition to the group meetings with other team members.

Project Number: 24-36
Academic College: Science
Department: Biological Sciences
Topic Area: Lab Skills
Secondary Topic Area: Infection and Disease
Research Project Title: How to work with recombinant proteins in a lab setting
Research Project Brief Description: Students will be trained in expression, purification and handling of recombinant proteins. The function of purified proteins will be evaluated using biophysical and biochemical methods. Students will be exposed at high-resolution techniques and a real-world research lab, exposing their work in local and national conferences.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: Students will be trained in biochemistry and biophysics of proteins, specifically those involved in intracellular trafficking.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: Students are mentored by me and by the graduate students from my research team. Students are expected to participate in research discussions and present their work at lab meetings.

Project Number: 24-38
Academic College: Science
Department: Physics
Topic Area: Lab Skills
Secondary Topic Area: Computer-Biology Interface
Research Project Title: Use Physics Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) to Solve the Young-Laplace Equation
Research Project Brief Description: The Young-Laplace equation relates the pressure difference across a fluid-fluid interface to the shape of the interface and has wide applications in capillary phenomena, including those occurring biological systems. In this project, students will learn how to use physics informed neural networks (PINNs) to solve the Young-Laplace equation in several processes of capillary action and then apply the solutions to quantify the capillary force on nano-sized objects and in nano-channels exerted by a liquid-vapor interface. Students will be trained on the physics of capillary action, the basic ideas of machine learning algorithms and neural networks, and programming with Python.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The student will learn, under the guidance of my graduate students and me, how to write a Python code to implement physics-informed neural networks to solve the Young-Laplace equation under various boundary conditions that are relevant to capillary action encountered in many realistic situations.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: We will train the student on the basic physics of capillary action and programming skills in Python. The student will also learn the basic ideas underlying machine learning and neural networks. The student will participate in active research in soft matter and biological physics that can potentially lead to publications. The student will be treated as an intern that may one day grow into a STEM researcher.

Project Number: 24-35
Academic College: Science
Department: Biological Sciences
Topic Area: Natural Environments
Secondary Topic Area: Food and Nutrition
Research Project Title: Bacteriophages of the soybean symbiont Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens
Research Project Brief Description: Soybean is an important crop and the most common source for vegetable oil. The symbiotic bacterium Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens is found in leguminous root nodules, where it fixes atmospheric nitrogen and ultimately stimulates soybean growth. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are the most abundant biological entity on earth and important factors in shaping ecosystems including during bacteria-host interactions. However, very little is known about bacteriophages infecting symbiotic rhizobia. This is particularly true for the soybean symbiont and only a few Bradyrhizobium phages have been described. We will isolate B. diazoefficiens phages from soybean nodules and characterize their interaction with their host.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The student will isolate lytic phages from soybean nodules that have been collected in August 2023. The student will use published protocols to extract phages from crushed nodule material and propagate them on the B. diazoefficiens host. The student will then characterize the phage host range and also analyze the host’s requirements by performing infectivity assays with different host mutant strains. The student will also be able to analyze the phage microscopically in collaboration with the Egelman lab at UVA. Overall, the student will be learning basic and advanced microbiological techniques.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The student will be mentored primarily by a graduate student in the Scharf lab. However, I will be intimately involved with the mentoring of the undergraduate researcher. I will develop the research plan together with the graduate mentor, specifically taking into account the freshman status of the student. We will ensure that the student learns the required techniques efficiently. I will have meetings with the undergraduate and the graduate student to ensure everything is moving smoothly. The student will be required to attend weekly lab meetings to familiarize themselves with projects undertaken by other laboratory members. To develop communication and presentation skills, students will present at our lab meetings and also at on-campus symposia and conferences. Presentations will be practiced with my research group, which will also mediate peer-mentoring. 
 

Project Number: 24-35
Academic College: Science
Department: Biological Sciences
Topic Area: Natural Environments
Secondary Topic Area: Food and Nutrition
Research Project Title: Bacteriophages of the soybean symbiont Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens
Research Project Brief Description: Soybean is an important crop and the most common source for vegetable oil. The symbiotic bacterium Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens is found in leguminous root nodules, where it fixes atmospheric nitrogen and ultimately stimulates soybean growth. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are the most abundant biological entity on earth and important factors in shaping ecosystems including during bacteria-host interactions. However, very little is known about bacteriophages infecting symbiotic rhizobia. This is particularly true for the soybean symbiont and only a few Bradyrhizobium phages have been described. We will isolate B. diazoefficiens phages from soybean nodules and characterize their interaction with their host.
Specific Research Goals for the Student: The student will isolate lytic phages from soybean nodules that have been collected in August 2023. The student will use published protocols to extract phages from crushed nodule material and propagate them on the B. diazoefficiens host. The student will then characterize the phage host range and also analyze the host’s requirements by performing infectivity assays with different host mutant strains. The student will also be able to analyze the phage microscopically in collaboration with the Egelman lab at UVA. Overall, the student will be learning basic and advanced microbiological techniques.
Plans for Mentoring the Student and How the Faculty Views Mentoring: The student will be mentored primarily by a graduate student in the Scharf lab. However, I will be intimately involved with the mentoring of the undergraduate researcher. I will develop the research plan together with the graduate mentor, specifically taking into account the freshman status of the student. We will ensure that the student learns the required techniques efficiently. I will have meetings with the undergraduate and the graduate student to ensure everything is moving smoothly. The student will be required to attend weekly lab meetings to familiarize themselves with projects undertaken by other laboratory members. To develop communication and presentation skills, students will present at our lab meetings and also at on-campus symposia and conferences. Presentations will be practiced with my research group, which will also mediate peer-mentoring.