Undergraduate Student Research

Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) Program

The Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) program supports undergraduate students as they conduct summer research projects and is generously funded by the A&S Advisory Board.  Applications are no longer being accepted for the 2023 Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) program. 

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Lauren Abraham

Class of 2024
Major: Biology & Biotechnology
Advisor: Professor Natalie Farny - Biology & Biotechnology

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Abigail Boafo

Class of 2024
Major: Society, Technology & Policy
Advisors: Professor Crystal Brown & Professor Hermine Vedogbeton -  Social Science & Policy Studies

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Sydney Gardner

Class of 2023
Major: Interactive Media & Game Development
Advisors: Professor Farley Chery - Interactive Media & Game Development

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Thomas Kneeland

Class of 2024
Major: Computer Science/Music
Advisors: Professor Ben Young - Director of Jazz History Database

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Daniel Larabee

Class of 2023
Major: Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Advisors: Professor Scarlet Shell - Biology & Biotechnology

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Cole Parks

Class of 2024
Major: Robotics Engineering/Computer Science
Advisors: Professor Carlo Pinciroli - Robotics Engineering 

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Allison Rozear

Class of 2024
Major:  Human and Machine Communication 
Advisor: Professor Yunus Doğan Telliel - Humanities and Arts

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Rachel Swanson

Class of 2023
Major: Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 
Advisor: Professor Patricia Zhang Musacchio - Chemistry and Biochemistry

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Camille Williams

Class of 2025
Major: Mathematics / Physics
Advisor: Professor Vadim Yakovlev - Mathematics

Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholars

WPI is committed to encouraging and supporting women in fields in which they are traditionally underrepresented. As part of that effort, the School of Arts & Sciences provided research awards to support undergraduate women in math, computer science, physics, and robotics engineering from 2017-2022 through a Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholar grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. WPI’s Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholars were selected based on academic excellence and the perceived quality of their proposed research projects, and were mentored by women WPI faculty throughout their research experience.  The list of recent and past scholars is below. WPI has since received another grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support women PhD students in computer science and physics by providing WPI Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellowships.

Recent Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholars

Alexandra Auteri
Class of 2020
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor & Research Advisor: Sarah Olson​

Alexis Buzzell
Class of 2020
Physics
Mentor & Research Advisor: Lyubov Titova

Olivia Gulezian
Class of 2020
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor & Research Advisor: Suzanne Weekes​​

Fareya Ikram
Class of 2020
Computer Science
Mentor: Suzanne Weekes
Research Advisor: Gillian Smith

Leah Mitchell
Class of 2020
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor: Suzanne Weekes
Research Advisor: Andrea Arnold

Erin Morissette
Class of 2019
Physics
Mentor: Lyubov Titova
Research Advisors: Ron Grimm & Lyubov Titova

MaryAnn VanValkenburg
Class of 2019
Computer Science
Mentor: Suzanne Weekes
Research Advisor: Dan Dougherty

Bryannah Voydatch
Class of 2019
Physics
Mentor & Research Advisor: Lyubov Titova

Karitta (Kit) Christina Grand Zellerbach
Class of 2019
Computer Science
Mentor & Research Advisor: Carolina Ruiz

2017-2018 Scholars

Hannah Kraus
Class of 2018
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor & Research Advisor: Sarah Olson
 
Caroline Johnston

Class of 2019
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor: Suzanne Weekes
Research Advisor: Andrew Trapp
 
Toni Joy

Class of 2019
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor and Research Advisor: Suzanne Weekes

Erin Morissette
Class of 2019
Physics
Mentor: Lyubov Titova
Research Advisors: Lyubov Titova and Ron Grimm
 
Sierra Palmer

Class of 2019
Robotics Engineering
Mentor: Carolina Ruiz
Research Advisor: Carlo Pinciroli
 
Aline Tomasian

Class of 2018
Physics
Mentor: Lyubov Titova
Research Advisor: Izabela Stroe
 
MaryAnn VanValkenburg

Class of 2019
Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science
Mentor & Research Advisor: Carolina Ruiz
 
Sarah Ma

Class of 2018
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor & Research Advisor: Sarah Olson

2016-2017 Scholars

Shannon Feeley
Class of 2017
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor: Suzanne Weekes, Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Research Project: Search and Rescue Planning: When a search and rescue incident occurs, it is imperative to find survivors as quickly as possible.  The uncertainty in the survivors' location usually increases with time, and their likelihood of survival decreases with time.  This project will research the methods that are used to identify the most efficient way to maximize the likelihood of locating survivors.  

Katie Gandomi
Class of 2017
Robotics Engineering
Mentor: Carolina Ruiz, Associate Professor of Computer Science

Research Project: Autonomous Delivery with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: As e-commerce companies like Amazon and Ebay grow, there is a demand to have products delivered from factories into the hands of customers faster than ever. With the help of autonomous quadrotor transport, packages could be at your doorstep within hours as small drones are deployed and organized into a complex network of delivery-robots.

In this research project, the mechanical, electrical and software aspects of this problem are explored as well as the artificial intelligence and machine learning behind the master control unit that organizes and deploys the robots.     

Amanda Leahy
Class of 2018
Physics
Mentor: Lyubov Titova, Assistant Professor of Physics

Research Project: Use of Gafchromic Film for Brachytherapy Source Characterization: This project will investigate the use of Yb-169 in High Dose Rate brachytherapy using Gafchromic film. The Gafchromic film will be used to measure the radiation output of Yb-169. The results will be compared to Ir-192, currently the most common isotope used in brachytherapy. 

Holly Nguyen
Class of 2018
Computer Science
Mentor: Carolina Ruiz, Associate Professor of Computer Science

Research Project: Personalized Computational Tools to Foster Better Sleep Habits in College: This research project involves the design, implementation and use of algorithms and computational tools in a mobile app to improve sleep behavior in college students. The app enables users to track their sleep schedule (as well as caffeine intake and exercise), receive graphical feedback and tailored advice based on personality and chronotype, and adopt healthier sleep behaviors.

The project covers a wide range of computational aspects (including the design and implementation of mobile apps, data mining and predictive analytics), as well as medical and psychology aspects (including healthy behaviors, personality types, behavioral change, feedback and interventions).

Aline Tomasian
Class of 2018
Physics
Mentor: Lyubov Titova, Assistant Professor of Physics

Research Project: Structural changes and the movement of proteins in the aqueous cellular environment play an essential role in biological processes. This research project will use spectroscopic techniques to uncover a complete picture of protein dynamics, focusing specifically on amyloidogenic proteins related to Alzheimer's Disease and Type II Diabetes.  

Hope Wallace
Class of 2018
Computer Science
Mentor: Kathi Fisler, Professor of Computer Science

Research Project: Predicting Exergame Enjoyment: This project aims to create a recommendation system for mobile exercise games (exergames) in order to encourage people to continue playing them and therefore lead healthier lifestyles. The first phase of this project will create a taxonomy for mobile exergames and create a questionnaire to measure exergame enjoyment.  

Natalie Wellen
Class of 2017
Mathematical Sciences
Mentor: Suzanne Weekes, Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Research Project: Systemic Risk Analysis of the OTC Market: Some of the major questions in the financial industry today are what are the next regulations going to be and how will they affect the markets? The goal of this research is to create a model of the Over the Counter Derivatives Market, and specifically to apply Central Clearing Parties to this model, a form of regulation imposed in the Dodd-Frank Act.  

2019 - 2020 Scholars

Olivia Hunker
Class of 2020
Chemistry
Advisor: Arne Gericke, Professor and Department Head of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Nicole Jutras
Class of 2021
Psychology and Computer Science
Advisor: Jeanine Skorinko, Professor of Psychology

Daniel McDonough
Class of 2020
Computer Science and Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Advisor: Amity Manning, assistant professor of biology & biotechnology

Julia Noel
Class of 2021
Chemistry & Society, Technology & Policy
Advisor: Anita Mattson, Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Dung Pham
Class of 2020
Physics and Electrical & Computer Engineering
Advisor: L. Ramdas Ram-Mohan, professor of physics

Annalise Robidoux
Class of 2020
Biology & Biotechnology and Chemistry & Biochemistry
Advisor: Jagan Srinivasan, Associate Professor of Biology & Biotechnology

Megan Varney
Class of 2021
Mathematical Sciences
Advisor: Kun-Ta Wu, Assistant Professor of Physics

2020 - 2021 Scholars

Sarah Tarantino
Class of 2021
Biology & Biotechnology
Advisor: Jagan Srinivasan, Associate Professor of Biology & Biotechnology

Nicholas Tourtillott
Class of 2022
Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Advisor: Liz Ryder, Professor of Biology & Biotechnology

Jocelyn Mendes
Class of 2021
Chemistry
Advisor: Ronald Grimm, Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Zhifei Ma
Class of 2022
Mathematical Science & Computer Science
Advisor: Min Wu, Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Brady Jeong
Class of 2022
Physics
Advisor: Doug Petkie, Professor & Department Head of Physics

Benjamin Lunden
Class of 2022
Physics
Advisor: Izabela Stroe, Associate Professor of Teaching

Jialin Song
Class of 2021
Robotics Engineering & Computer Science
Advisor: Loris Fichera, Associate Professor of Robotics Engineering

Alisionna Iannacchione
Class of 2021
Psychology
Advisor: Erin Ottmar, Associate Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies

Constantina Gatsonis
Class of 2021
Psychology
Advisor: Angela Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies

Mariko Endo
Class of 2022
IMGD
Advisor: Jennifer DeWinter, Professor of Arts, Communications, & Humanities

Tyler Marcus
Class of 2022
IMGD
Advisor: Jennifer DeWinter, Professor of Arts, Communications, & Humanities

2021 - 2022 Scholars

Olivia Atkins
Class of 2023
Biology & Biotechnology
Advisor: Scarlett Shell, Assistant Professor of Biology & Biotechnology

Eugena Choi
Class of 2023
Environmental and Sustainability Studies & Environmental Engineering
Advisor: William San Martin, Assistant Teaching Professor of Humanities & Arts

Elizabeth Koptsev
Class of 2022
Psychological Science
Advisor: Angela Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies 

Brock Jolicoeur
Class of 2022
Physics
Advisor: David Medich, Associate Professor of Physics

Michelle Pan
Class of 2022
Biology & Biotechnology
Advisor: Inna Nechipurenko, Assistant Professor of Biology & Biotechnology

Mohammed Mohammed 
Class of 2022
Chemistry & International Studies
Advisor: Crystal Brown, Assistant Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies

Victoria Mirecki
Class of 2022
Advisor: Gillian Smith, Associate Professor of Computer Science

Katie Housekeeper
Class of 2023
Advisor: Elke Rundensteiner, Professor of Computer Science