Spring 2023 LSAMP Undergraduate Scholars

A current list of our Spring 2023 Undergraduate LSAMP Scholars, corresponding majors, research topics and faculty mentors:

Laura Button

Environmental Science

Seasonal Cycles Effect on Water Nutrients in Baffin Bay

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dorina Murgulet

Angelina Garcia

Chemistry

The focus of Angelina's study is to characterize certain behaviors of surfactants to be used as a drug separation tool and a drug delivery system.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eugene Billiot

Emily Brennan

Mathematics

Emily's research focuses on developing an artificial neural network framework for the solution of differential equations arising in science and engineering. Her goal is to develop a Python platform to simulate and compare with the available analytical solution.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mallikarjunaiah Muddallappa

Xitlali Gallegos Cruz

Chemistry

Decarboxylated amino acid surfactants are being studied with various diamine alkane counterions. Six different surfactants with two different amino acid head groups are being examined.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Fereshteh Billiot

Ignacio Rudea

Biology

Ignacio's project will investigate the diversity of seagrass epiphyte biofilms from several sites with anthropogenic impacts that include high nutrient levels and high levels of suspended sediments.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Keisha Bahr

Emily Cano

Biology

Emily's study will elucidate the cellular cascade that occurs when corals experience environmental instability and will therefore provide better support for reef resiliency and restoration in the face of climate change.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dara Orbach

Samantha Maupin

Biology

Samantha's research project will test the novel application of a land-based tool to measure the body sizes of free-swimming dolphins off Port Aransas, Texas, and compare data with measurements simultaneously collected by a UAV flown over the same dolphins.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kirk Cammarata

Quincy Walker

Atmospheric Science

Comparing seasonal changes in community biodiversity of epiphytes on sea grasses in sites with differing nutrient conditions.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Chuntao Liu

Allison Wilkins

Biology

Allison's study aims to understand the tornadic convective systems and their properties from radar observations over the United States.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Chuntao Liu

Daunte Gaiter

Marine Biology

Daunte's study will monitor the local population of bottlenose dolphins and quantify how they are impacted by the heavy anthropogenic disturbances in the Texas Coastal Bend.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gregory Stunz

Fabian Castro

Molecular Biology

Fabian's study will research the health of fish in Corpus Christi Bay by running tests on the top three diseases that are the most common in the region.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kirk Cammarata