Student summer research fellows at Calvin participate in the annual summer research poster fair, held in October. Students who did research off campus in other universities or programs are also invited to participate.

They also prepare a synopsis (a one page summary) of their research experience, providing relevant background as well as a statement of the problem, describing the research methods, giving any results to date and indicating how the research benefitted them personally.

To see students' posters and synopses (pdfs), click on the links below.

Biology
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Computer Science
Engineering
Geology, Geography and Environmental Studies
Mathematics and Statistics
Nursing
Physics and Astronomy
Psychology
Off-campus researchers

Biology

  • Lydia Abma (Professor Dave Warners and Dr. Garrett Crow)
    -115 Years Later: Reassessing Grand Rapids' Flora
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Leah Baas (Professor David Koetje)
    -Developing Investigative Labs for Biology 230
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Joseph Choi (Professor Randy VanDragt) -Relationship between prairie fire and insect communities at Flat Iron Lake for the years 2013-2106
    (synopsis)
  • Max DeYoung (Professor Dave Warners) -Ecological Restoration of the Plaster Creek Watershed
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Harry Ervin (Professor Randall DeJong)
    -Geographic and Taxonomic Sources of Fecal Microbes in the Plaster Creek Watershed
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Mackenzie Geels (Professor Anding Shen)
    - Higher IL-6 Concentration Correlates with Higher HIV-1 Infection Rate in Resting CD4+ T Cells
     (poster / synopsis)
  • Sarah Hughes (Professor Keith Grasman)
    -Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Reassessment of Wildlife Reproduction and Health Impairments in the Saginaw Bay and River Raisin Areas of Concern and Grand Traverse Bay
     (synopsis)
  • Nathan Jansen (Professor Dave Warners)
    -Phenology and Floral Inventory of Flat Iron Lake Preserve
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Patrick Jonker (Professor Dave Warners)
    - Curb-Cut Rain Garden Research
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Derrick Kamp (Professor Anding Shen)
    - IL6 secreted by EC increases HIV infection in resting CD4+ T cells without activation
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Bo Ram Kim (Professor Anding Shen)
    -Lymphatic Endothelial Cells promote HIV infection of resting and memory CD4+ T cells.
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Alexandra Kuipers (Professor Ryan Bebej)
    -    Hind Limb Form and Function in Terrestrial and Semi-aquatic Mammals: Insights into Locomotor Evolution in Early Cetaceans
    (poster / synopsis)
  • John Leerar (Professor John Ubels)
    -The Effect of K+ on Caspase Activity of Corneal Epithelial Cells Exposed to UVB
     (poster)
  • Leira Lew (Professors Dave Warners, Biology and Gail Heffner, Director of Community Engagement)
    -The Green Team and the Restoration of Plaster Creek
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Ben Naghtin (Professor Dave Warners) -Ecological Restoration of the Plaster Creek Watershed
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Matthew Schepers (Professor John Wertz)
    -Metabolic Congruence or Divergence in Ant Gut Bacteria?
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Philip Simonton (Professor David Dornbos)
    -Physiological Function of Two Invasive Buckthorn Species Site Various Habitats
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Abigail Stearns (Professor Amy Wilstermann)
    -CancerEd: Tools for Teaching About Cancer
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Alan Stockdale (Professor Dave Warners and Dr. Garrett Crow)
    -115 Years Later: Reassessing Grand Rapids' Flora
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Luke Tilma (Professor Randall DeJong)
    -Geographic and Taxonomic Sources of Fecal Microbes in the Plaster Creek Watershed
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Ryan Toering (Professor Amy Wilstermann)
    -CancerEd: Tools for Teaching About Cancer
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Jenna Van Donselaar (Professor Dave Warners)
    -Ecological Restoration of the Plaster Creek Watershed
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Micah Warners (Professors Dave Warners, Biology and Gail Heffner, Director of Community Engagement)
    -The Green Team and the Restoration of Plaster Creek
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Rachel Warners (Professor Keith Grasman)
    -Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Reassessment of Wildlife Reproduction and Health Impairments in the Saginaw Bay and River Raisin Areas of Concern and Grand Traverse Bay
     (synopsis)

Chemistry and Biochemistry

  • Megan Aardema (Professor Douglas Vander Griend)
    -Assembly Process of the Supramolecular Nanojar
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Camille Barnes (Professor Brendan Looyenga)
    - The Roles of E-Cadherin and MET in Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Alexandra Bogner (Professor Rachael Baker)
    -The Role of Ubiquitination in Ras Signaling
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Jacob Bruinius (Professor Michael Barbachyn)
    - Synthesis of Novel Antibacterial Agents Targeting Bacterial Topoisomerases: 8-Methoxy & 8-Chloro Fluoroquinolones
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Brianna Busscher (Professor Larry Louters)
    -Exploring the inhibition of GLUT1 by caffeine and determining the mechanism of GLUT1 activation by glucose deprivation
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Abigail Frndak (Professor Carolyn Anderson)
    -Synthesis of N-Alkenylated 2-Pyridone Containing Isoquinoline Alkaloids
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Adam Hilbrands (Professor David Benson)
    -Quantitative Detection of Cysteine-Tyrosine Crosslinks
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Robert Hohlman (Professor Michael Barbachyn)
    -Synthesis of Novel Antibacterial Agents Targeting Bacterial Topoisomerases: 6,8-Difluoro Fluoroquinolones
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Nathanael Kazmierczak (Professor Douglas Vander Griend)
    -Modeling Error in Equilibrium Restricted Factor Analysis
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Jooyoung Kong (Professor Herb Fynewever)
    -Research-based teaching at Kathmandu University
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Terryce Nederhood (Professor David Benson)
    -X-Ray Diffraction Evidence for Cysteine-Tyrosine Crosslinks
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Heidi Nykamp (Professor Herb Fynewever)
    -Research-based teaching at Kathmandu University
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Cambrynne Rietberg (Professor Rachael Baker)
    -Isoform-Specific Regulation of Ras by Monoubiquitination
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Emily Roloff (Professors Brendan Looyenga and Larry Louters)
    -The Effects of Kifunensine on Renal Cell Lines
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Evan Romero (Professor Carolyn Anderson)
    -Synthesis of N-Alkenyl 2-Pyridonyl Ethers via a Au(I)-Catalyzed Rearrangement of 2-Propargyloxypyridines
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Andrew Rylaarsdam (Professor Douglas Vander Griend)
    -Aromatic Interactions and Metal Binding in β-hairpin Peptides
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Lauren Strohbehn (Professors Larry Louters and Brendan Looyenga)
    -Exploring the Membrane Lipid Environment for Glucose Transporter 1
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Mason Swartz (Professor Chad Tatko)
    -Metal Ion Chelation and Oxidation Kinetics involving Synthetic Peptides
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Philip Tubergen (Professor Chad Tatko)
    -Metal Ion Chelation and Oxidation Kinetics involving Synthetic Peptides
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Lucas VanLaar (Professor Roger DeKock)
    -Atomic Screening Constants and Effective Nuclear Charge
    (synopsis)
  • Lea Wassink (Professor Michael Barbachyn)
    -Synthesis of Novel Antibacterial Agents Targeting Bacterial Topoisomerases: 8-Methyl & 8-Desmethyl Fluoroquinolones
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Jeremy Wodarek (Professor Rachael Baker)
    -Developing a New Biosensor for Ras Activation
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Joy Yoo (Professor Mark Muyskens)
    -Fluorescence of Scopoletin and Other Related Coumarins
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Emily Zerull (Professor Carolyn Anderson)
    -Synthesis of Substituted Indolizine Structures via Au(I) and Pt(II) Catalysis
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Sherrice Zhang (Professor Michael Barbachyn)
    -Efforts Aimed at Potentiating the Gram-negative Activity of Fluoroquinolone Antibacterial Agents: 1,8-Naphthyridones
    (poster / synopsis)

Computer Science

  • Chris Dilley (Professor Joel Adams)
    -TSGL: A Thread-Safe Graphics Library for teaching students about parallel computing
    (poster / synopsis)

Engineering

  • Matthew Boelens (Professor Aubrey Sykes)
    -Pressure Drop Through Tube Bundles
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Timothy Bosch (Professor Aubrey Sykes)
    -Design of a water supply for Calvin Gardens
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Chinelo Ezenwelu (Professor Aubrey Sykes)
    -Applications of Piezoelectric Technology for Renewable Energy
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Shurjo Maitra (Professor Yoon Kim)
    -Design of Solar Power System Demonstration Unit
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Temitope Ogunnoiki (Professor Aubrey Sykes)
    -Applications of Piezoelectric Technology for Renewable Energy
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Jonathan Sager (Professor Richard De Jong)
    -Window Efficiency Research Project
    (poster)
  • Daniel Wharton (Professor Richard DeJong)
    -Window Efficiency Research Project
    (poster)
  • Nate Zylstra (Professor Richard DeJong)
    -Vehicle Wind Noise Reduction
    (poster)

Geology, Geography and Environmental Studies

  • Daniel Blakemore (Professor Renee Sparks)
    -Concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Ag Associated with Native Copper Deposition, Keweenaw MI
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Nathaniel Bos (Professor Renee Sparks)
    -Concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Ag Associated with Native Copper Deposition, Keweenaw MI
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Janaya Crevier (Professor Mark Bjelland)
    Recycling Industrial Land in Michigan Cities
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Alicia De Jong (Professor Mark Bjelland)
    Recycling Industrial Land in Michigan Cities
    (poster)
  • Matt Raybaud (Professor Henk Aay)
    -The Development of CRC Schools in North America
    (poster / synopsis)

Mathematics and Statistics

  • Shamuel Auyeung (Professor Chris Moseley)
    -Homogeneous Sub-Finsler 3-Manifolds and their Geodesics
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Kimberly Oesman (Professor James Turner)
    -Moreno-Socías Conjecture in Three Variables
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Joyce Park (Professor Hyunyi Jung)
    -Pre-service Teachers’ Perspectives on Their Opportunities to Learn about Algebra
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Sarah Strikwerda (Professor Hyunyi Jung)
    -Pre-service Teachers’ Perspectives on Their Opportunities to Learn about Algebra
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Isaac Zylstra (Professor James Turner)
    -Moreno-Socías Conjecture in Three Variables
    (poster / synopsis)

Nursing

  • Josie Granner (Professor Adejoke Ayoola)
    -A review of reasons for women’s contraceptive switching and discontinuation
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Mariana Perez (Professor Adejoke Ayoola)
    -A Review of Factors Contributing to High Attrition Rates in Home Visit Interventions
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Elise Veurink (Professor Adejoke Ayoola)
    -Pregnancy suspicion and women's perceptions of being at risk of pregnancy
    (poster / synopsis)

Physics and Astronomy

  • Aaron Abma (Professor Paul Harper)
    -Methylene Volume and Phase Transition Kinetics in Medium Chain Monoglycerides and Alkanes
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Zachary Bruce (Professor Jason Smolinski)
    -Distinguishing Multiple Stellar Populations of Star Clusters M56 and M13
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Evan Cook (Professor Larry Molnar)
    -Recent Developments on the Mergeburst Prediction
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Andrew Folkerts (Professor Paul Harper)
    -Structural and kinetic studies of the cubic and hexagonal phases of MNd
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Kenton Greene (Professor Larry Molnar)
    -Dynamics of the Algol Triple Star System
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Jacob Hartman (Professor Ryan Balili)
    -Optical measurements of polariton strong coupling in semiconductor microcavities
    (poster / synopsis)
  • Chris Jang (Professor Larry Molnar)
    -Recent Developments on the Mergeburst Prediction
    (poster / synopsis)

Off-campus researchers

  • Tom Greidanus (Dr. Daniel Armstrong)
    - Saving Avulsed Teeth for Reimplantation: Storage Solution Analysis
    -Health Intervention Services, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Rachel House (Ning Wu, Ph.D.)
    -Chemical and mechanical isolation of mouse RPE
    -Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Jonathan Ismond (Arul J. Duraisamy and
    Dr. Renu A. Kowluru)
    -Damaging Effects of Oxidative Stress, and Hyperlipidemia on Retinal Structure in Animal Models of Diabetic Retinopathy
    -    Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
  • Kelly McCormick (Dr. Daniel Michele)
    -Developing Bulk Wounding Methods to Study Plasma Membrane Repair in Skeletal Muscle Fibers
    -University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Elizabeth McKay (Dr. Grace Wilkinson, Cal Buelo, Jason Kurtzweil, Dr. Michael Cramer, and Dr. Gary Belovsky)
    -Origin of organic carbon as a driver of variability of carbon decomposition and storage in lakes
    -University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center, South Bend, Indiana
  • Anna Michmerhuizen (Dr. H. Robert Bergen III and Dr. Nancy L. Wengenack)
    -Characterization of the Histoplasma Capsulatum Glycans
    -Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
  • Rebecca Voogt (J. Brian Byrd, MD, MS)
    -Unlocking the secrets of urine: assaying urinary extracellular mRNA in healthy volunteers
    -Byrd Lab, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Elianna Walters (Professor Dianne M. Walters, PhD.)
    -Effect of calcineurin inhibition on V2O5-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in C57BL/6J mice
    -Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina