Chemistry Professor Robin Kinnel has recently discovered the chemical compound dichlorobouillonamide, which is released by a cyanobacteria in the Lyngbya family. The chemical has never been studied in depth, and it is possible that dichlorobouillonamide has potential applications in pain treatment. This summer Aaron Danilack ’13 and Jeffrey Blackburn ’13 are working with Kinnel to carry out a laboratory synthesis of dichlorobouillonamide.

Societal pressures shape the way in which many young people develop into adulthood. In fact, cultural norms are so ubiquitous that there are few examples of people who truly break the mold. Kadahj Bennett ’12, an Emerson Summer Grant recipient, is working with Associate Professor of Theater Mark Cryer to create an interdisciplinary, innovative street theater performance piece, Letters to the Shadows in the Sky, on the male black identity in modern society.

When working with human afflictions such as hypothyroidism and diabetes, researchers find it beneficial to study model organisms that can exhibit the same conditions. Animals such as mice and turtles, for example, can provide insight about the biological traits and medical conditions they share with humans. This summer Melanie Hundt ’13, Nicole Nietlisbach ’13 and Max Vaickus ’12 examined hypothyroidism and diabetes in mice and tested for the hormone ghrelin in turtles. The students worked with Professor of Biology David Gapp.

Over the weekend of July 29,  Dan Mermelstein’14, Carmen Montagnon ’13 and Alvin Wu ’13 presented their research at the 10th Molecular Educational Research Consortium in Undergraduate Computational chemistRY (MERCURY) conference at Bucknell University. The three students have been working this summer in the laboratory of Assistant Professor of Chemistry Adam Van Wynsberghe.

Enzymes serve as catalysts to many biological processes, and so they are not used up in reactions and they may be recovered and reused. However, in a laboratory setting, reactions involving enzymes can leave the enzyme unrecoverable. Kevin Boettger ’13 and Christopher Richardson ’14 are spending the summer working under Professor of Chemistry Tim Elgren to trap enzymes in Sol gels, making them more stable and recyclable. Their project is titled “Encapsulation of Enzymes.”

Ichthyopthirius (Ich), a unicellular parasite that attacks freshwater fish and causes “White Spot Disease,” often has deadly consequences for its host, yet there is no effective treatment for the disease. An Ich outbreak could claim as many as 18 million fish, harming aquacultures and economies around the world. Despite the disease’s prevalence, researchers have no definitive mechanism for Ich’s reproductive cycle, making it difficult to find effective vaccination and treatment. This summer, Chun Yee Lau ’12 and Ravi Jariwala ’13 are working under Assistant Professor of Biology Wei-Jen Chang to discover more about the Ich reproduction cycle.

Assistant Professor of Anthropology Nathan Goodale and his archaeology field school students in the Slocan Valley of British Columbia, Canada, were featured in an article in The Nelson Star (British Columbia) on July 28.

Many computer users are unaware of the varied and serious threats that their computers are exposed to. To help raise awareness of computer security, Leah Wolf ’14 is working this summer with Associate Professor of Computer Science Mark Bailey on curricular work for the introductory class Secrets, Lies and Digital Threats. She is preparing all the materials for this course to be available online for other educators.

While archaeology may seem to deal exclusively with the past, this study of artifacts can have a significant impact on the present. Archaeology can help provide proof of historical events and influence political and social claims. Susannah Wales ’13 is spending the summer working with Assistant Professor of Anthropology Nathan Goodale in British Columbia, Canada.

Archaeological sites offer a firsthand glimpse into the past. Specifically, working intimately with ancient artifacts allows researchers to piece together historical periods that could otherwise be lost.  Emerson Grant recipient Caroline Morgan ’13 is spending the summer working on- and off-site in Crete with Professor John McEnroe, the John and Anne Fischer Professor in Fine Arts, to uncover a Minoan ruin’s chronological past. Their project is titled “Excavating Minoan Crete: Uncovering Gournia’s Architectural Past.”