Students honored at Trine’s STEM Symposium

Trine University students have been honored for projects presented at the university’s ninth annual STEM Research and Design Symposium, held Thursday, Dec. 4, on the concourse of the MTI Center.

The symposium featured 61 student projects representing multiple academic departments. Projects included departmental freshman and research projects as well as Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).

Awards were presented in the following categories:

Best Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering: Anna Peyton of Franklin, Indiana, Camden Prather of Noblesville, Indiana, and Hunter Jacobs of Spencerville, Indiana, all biomedical engineering majors, “Characterization of HL-60 Leukemia Cell Viability in Bone Marrow Mimicking Microenvironmental Conditions.”

Honorable Mention, Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering: Gretchen Culler of Delta, Ohio, Kaden Curtis of Swanton, Ohio, and Reganne Koskela of South Lyon, Michigan, all biomedical engineering majors, “Thrill or Tension: Physiological Response to VR Rollercoasters in Enjoyers and Non-Enjoyers.”

Best Undergraduate Research in Chemical Engineering: Abigail Hansen, a chemical engineering major from Frankfort, Illinois, “Colorful Kinetics: Engineering a Rainbow.”

Honorable Mention, Undergraduate Research in Chemical Engineering: Sudeep Iyer, a chemical engineering major from India, “Protein Production and Purification: Applications for Monoclonal Antibodies and CAR-T Cell signaling.”

Best Undergraduate Research in Mechanical Engineering: Nicholas Ewing of Wabash, Indiana, and Nathan Stefanski of Almont, Michigan, both mechanical engineering majors, “Zero-dispersion parametric pumping in encapsulated micromechanical resonators.”

Best Undergraduate Design Project: Ben Pamachena of Mishawaka, Indiana, Brayden Prince of Kokomo, Indiana, Brett Schwartz of Berne, Indiana, Dane Chapman of Morden, Manitoba, Canada, Kyle Smith of Dundee, Michigan, Mataya Redinger of St. Joe, Indiana, Mitch Machall of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Ronald Simpson of Crestwood, Kentucky, and Sofia Delgado of El Paso, Texas, all design engineering technology majors, “NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge Competition.”

Best Undergraduate Research in Exercise Science: Bailey Puckett, an exercise science major from Cambridge City, Indiana, “Potential gender bias in carbon plated shoe research and how further research could help optimize CFP shoes for women.”

Honorable Mention, Undergraduate Research in Exercise Science: Hunter Overholser, an exercise science major from Mooresville, Indiana, “Virtual reality vs. real-world dart throwing: which has more significant improvement on fine motor control and cognitive function in Parkinson’s patients”; Mariah Hurst, an exercise science major from Syracuse, Indiana, “Mechanical analysis of American football helmet outer shell and their role concussion prevention”; Fiona Olsen, an exercise science major from Crystal Lake, Illinois, “The effect of contralateral training during ACL recovery”; and Ashlyn Shaffer, an exercise science major from Wolcottville, Illinois, “Effect of lower body neuromuscular joint stabilization training has on preventing non-contact ACL injuries in female soccer players 14-18.”

Best Freshman Project in Biomedical Engineering: Alison Griffin of Brookville, Indiana, and Olivia Harley of Fort Wayne, Indiana, both biomedical engineering majors, “Robots Rewriting the OR.”

Honorable Mention, Freshman Project in Biomedical Engineering: Erin Fariello of Clifton Park, New York, Hailey Dunn of Stilesville, Indiana, and Zane Galliers of Swanton, Ohio, all biomedical engineering majors, “Biologically Integrated Interfaces: Osseointegration”; and Isabel Fischer of Liberty Township, Ohio, and Zachary Mikrut of Chicago, Illinois, both biomedical engineering majors, “Hip and Shoulder Joint Replacement.”

People’s Choice Award: Culler, Curtis and Koskela, “Thrill or Tension: Physiological Response to VR Rollercoasters in Enjoyers and Non-Enjoyers.”

People’s Choice, Honorable Mention: Griffin and Harley, “Robots Rewriting the OR.”