17th Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship and Creativity

Biology and Environmental Biology Projects

Comparing the Functional Diversity of Rocky Intertidal Environments of Southern Rhode Island
Hailey Arman ’26, Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Roxanne Banker, Biology

Advancing Early Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy at Clínica Esperanza
Rachel Burke ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maia Bailey, Biology

Investigating sleep and circadian rhythm disruption in flies modeling C9ORF72-FTD
Kendall Eby ’26, Biology
Braeden Shields ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Marla Tipping, Biology

How altered clock genes affect fly circadian rhythms and cell respiration rhythms in the brain
Connor Enestvedt ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass, Biology

Developing a Protocol to Study Ant-Caterpillar Interactions in a Rare Lycaenid
Elizabeth Glasspool ’26, Environmental Biology
Riley Quirk ’26, Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

Image Analysis of Pupal Sex Ratio in Honey Bee Hives
Grace O’Brien ’26, Biology Major
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

Tree Resin Effects on Environmental Microbial Growth in Tetramorium Ant Colonies
Abigail Peralta ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jane Waters and Dr. Ruby Ye, Biology

Chemistry and Biochemistry Projects

Specificity and Mechanism of Azoreductases from the Human Gut Microbiome
Annick Kenfack ’27, Biochemistry
Najoude Claude ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tyler Stack, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Education Projects

A Second Grade Unit on Community Helpers
Kathryn Creamer ’26, Elementary and Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lynne Ryan, Education

Pre-Service School Counselors’ Perceptions of the Counseling Needs of Gifted Students
Jillian Helmes ’26, Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Secondary Education

Reimagining Access at Slavin’s Dunkin
Moira Gardiner ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Lucia Pastore ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Comfort Ateh, Secondary Education

Bridging Access: Reimagining Inclusive Learning Spaces
Anna Gross ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Sydney Gallagher ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Kylie O’Neill ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Sydney Peifly ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Comfort Ateh, Secondary Education

The Study of Instructional Sequencing on Students’ Learning of Science Concepts
Mallory Hughes ’27, Elementary/Special Education and Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lin Zhang, Education

Access for All: Student Insights into CVS Accessibility
Gabriella Huizenga ’29, Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Comfort Ateh, Secondary Education

Redefining Teacher Recruitment: Early College as a Catalyst
Janet Trejo ’28, Elementary/Special Education and Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yune Tran, School of Education and Social Work

English Projects

On the Sunny Side of the Street: An Original Novel
Alyssa Caneira ’26, English: Creative Writing
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alison Espach, English

Global Studies Projects

Caste, Religion, and Inequality in India: Threat Narratives against Christians, the Marginalization of Urdu Language, Passing a Uniform Civil Code, the Psychological Impact of Caste, and Jesuits and Caste
Chloe Johnson ’26, Global Studies and Health Policy & Management
Diana Tarazi ’26, Psychology
Francesca Bambara ’26, Sociology and Global Studies
Claire Geis ’26, Political Science and Global Studies
Elyse O’Leary ’26, Political Science and Global Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Trina Vithayathil, Global Studies

Health Science Projects

Representation Of Active Girls, Women, And Female Athletes In Low Energy Availability Research: A Review
Ahnna Faust ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Ely, Health Sciences

The Impact Of Exercise In The Heat On Lactation Performance In Lactating Women
Elizabeth Helsley ’28, Health Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Margaret Morrissey, Health Sciences

Internships

02908 Merchant Collective Internship
Olivia Waite ’26, Sociology

RI Right to Life Internship
Ekaterina Rau ’26, Biology and Classics

Neuroscience Projects

Regulation of Competing Survival Needs by Hunger-Sensitive AgRP Neurons
Madison Rohr ’27, Neuroscience and Health Policy & Management
Alonie Ashley ’28, Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ryan Post, Neuroscience

Political Science Projects

The Globalization of Our Labor
Mariama Bandabaila ’26, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ruth Ben-Artzi, Political Science

Framing of Immigration in the News and its Effects on Social Media Discourse on the Southcoast of Massachusetts
Mariel Surprenant ’26, Political Science, Communications
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Guardino, Political Science

How Does Corruption Impact the Growth of Globalization and Poverty in Brazil?
Olivia Taveira ’26, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ruth Ben-Artzi, Political Science

Public and Community Service Projects

Community-Defined Principles and Practices For Neighborly Engagement
Chase Quigley ’26, Political Science & Public and Community Service Studies
Miranda Macaluso ’26, Biology
Daleth Rodriguez ’27, Public and Community Service Studies and Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carmine Perotti, Public and Community Service

Treatment Adherence and Aggressive Behaviors in Autistic Youth
Sara Welch ’28, Psychology and Public and Community Service Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Abigail Dym, Public and Community Service

Social Work Projects

Impact of Campus Involvement on Depression Levels of Undergraduate Students at Providence College
Margaret Fallon ’27, Social Work
Maggie Murphy ’27, Social Work
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Hasson, Social Work

The Relationship Between Student Culture and Experiences of Discrimination and Racism at Providence College
Bianca Rego ’28, Social Work, Global Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Hasson, Social Work

Food Insecurity on Providence College’s Campus
Emma Gilooly ’27, Social Work
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Hasson, Social Work

Theatre, Dance, and Film Projects

ACDA Dance Conference
Jade Bocciarelli ’27, Musical Theater and Music Education
Anna Gross ’29, Elementary/ Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Professor Nina Kossler, Theatre, Dance, and Film

Women’s and Gender Studies Projects

Trauma-Informed Approaches to Survivor Advocacy in Legal and Clinical Practice
Giana Napolitano ’26, Political Science and Women and Gender Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Abigail Brooks, Women’s and Gender Studies

Biology Projects

Equilibrium and Posture in Cichlid Fish
Anthony Aldana Mendez ’27, Biology and Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Fath, Biology

Evaluating the Effect of Temperature on Historical Landings of Mya arenaria
Olivia Macaluso ’26, Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Roxanne Banker, Biology

Structural Characterization of TDP- 43 CTD ALS Disease Variants and Fish Paralogs: Do Aggregation Resistant Variants Exist?
Madeline Bormes ’27, Biology and Studio Art- Concentration in Painting
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jane Waters, Biology

Profiles & Peroxide: Transcriptional Program of Super Shedder E. Coli O157:H7 Results in Increased Resistance to Hydrogen Peroxide
Elizabeth Dowling ’26, Biology
Madison Reilly ’26, Biology
Olivia Dalessandro ’26, Biology

Reestablishing Mya arenaria Populations with Seeding & Netting in the Great Salt Pond of Block Island, RI
Emma Thornton ’27, Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Roxanne Banker, Biology

Wild bee foraging and movement behavior in urban gardens
Claire Crowther ’27, Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

The Effect of Frontotemporal Dementia on Brain Structure and Metabolic Function
Kathryn Borden ’28, Biology and Psychology
Lea Thomas ’27, Biology
Patrick Morreale ’28, Biology and Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Marla Tipping, Biology

Fission yeast cells use distinct cell size control mechanisms for size adaptation to osmotic, oxidative, or low glucose conditions
Elena Cabral ’26, Biology
Pablo Andres ’27, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kristi Miller, Biology

Effects of voluntary exercise in PTEN deficient Purkinje cells and mouse motor coordination
Kathryn Ditrano ’26, Biology and Health Policy and Management
Siena Brazier ’26, Chemistry and Biology
Reagan Dennett ’26, Biology
Carly Immerman ’26, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ileana Soto Reyes, Biology and Neuroscience

How altered clock genes affect fly circadian rhythms and cell respiration rhythms in the brain
Jake Antosca ’26, Neuroscience
Brenda Rodrigues ’28, Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass, Biology

Wheel-Running as a Window into the PTEN KO Neurological Clock
Campbell Bridges ’26, Biology
Elizabeth Burke ’27, Neuroscience
Chris Sama ’2, Neuroscience
Jake Antosca ’26, Neuroscience  
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass, Biology

Chemistry and Biochemistry Projects

Synthesis and properties of 3Dtransition metal carbonyl complexes containing alpha-Diimine and iminopyridine ligands
Stephanie Farrell ’26, Chemistry
Sean Peloquin ’26, Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maria Carroll, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Historic trends and use changes in flame retardants and plasticizers at the Port of Providence
Annie Gathof ’26, Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Adelaide Clark, Chemistry and Biochemistry

A Phage Hunters Study of F1 Cluster Phages Discovered at Providence College
Jenna Greene ’26, Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Cornely, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Discovery and characterization of novel K4 cluster mycobacteriophage Kraw
Mason Krawczynski ’26, Biology, Psychology; Neuroscience Certificate
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Cornely, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Synthesis of atropisomeric β-carbolines: From natural products to new asymmetric ligands
Malaquias Loiza ’26, Biochemistry
Elizabeth Perda ’26, Biochemistry
Alma Martinez ’26, Biochemistry
John Stathoulopoulos ’26, Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Seann Mulcahy, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abundant and ubiquitous drug- and dye-modifying azoreductase activity in the human gut microbiome
Lily Raffauf ’26, Biochemistry
Sopulu Okam ’27, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tyler Stack, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Seasonal and temporal variability in organophosphate esters in atmospheric particulate matter in Rhode Island
Paige Rossicone ’26, Chemistry and Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Adelaide Clark, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Creative Writing Projects

Resilience Across Generations: Cambodian American Communities in Long Beach, CA
Thatiana So ’27, Management
Mentor: Kaleb Beavers, Writing Center

Economics Projects

Second-Hand Consequences: Who Bears The Cost of Fast Fashion?
Juliana Dominguez ’26, Economics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Fang Dong, Economics

The Effect of State-Level Antitakeover Laws on Entrepreneurial Activity
Trevor Knotwell ’26, Business-Economics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Bailey, Economics

Education Projects

Explicit Instruction First vs. Exploration First: Which order is more beneficial in science teaching?
Haley Gould ’27, Elementary & Special Education
Hanna Szyller ’29, Elementary and Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lin Zhang, Education

Digital Tools and Literacy Gains: Amplify’s Impact on ELLs’ Reading Growth
Priscilla Pouliot ’28, Elementary and Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yune Tran, Education

HQCM and Strengthened Physics Content Curriculum: Effects on Preservice Teachers and Partnership Schools
Elizabeth Hallock ’27, Physics
Veronica Stowe ’29, Elementary and Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lin Zhang, Education

English Projects

Exhibiting The Alembic at AWP
Sara MacKinnon ’26, English Literature
Finn Heller ’28, English
Sarah Debian ’27, English, Health Policy and Management
Kate Blackwell ’26, English/Creative Writing
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emily Pitinos, English

Health Science Projects

How COVID-19 Impacted the Quality of Care in Hospital Settings
Sophia Callahan ’26, Healthy Policy and Management and Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Todd Olszewski, Health Sciences

As A Component of Aseptic Technique, Bunsen Burners Do Not Decrease Deposition of Airborne Microbe-containing Particles
Kate DeVincent ’28, Health Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hannah Gavin, Health Sciences

Using Lean Body Mass to Calculate Resting Metabolic Rate Across Gender Identities
Kara Dixon ’26, Biology & Health Policy and Management
Liza Goetcheus
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Brett Ely, Health Sciences

History and Classics Projects

Irenic Self-PresentationL Japan’s Exhibits at 20th-century American World;’s Fairs
Mary Rose Comerford ’26, History
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Colin Jaundrill, History and Classics

Diplomatic Misjudgments: The Decision-Making Process Before and During the 1870 Franco-Prussian War
Nathan Daly ’26, History and Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Dowling, History and Classics

The Polish Research Institute Ravensbrück Archive and the Women Behind It
Alanna Gallo ’26, History
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Francesca Silano, History and Classics

Let the Goddess Guide
Bridget Goguen ’26, History
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jessica Blum-Sorensen, History and Classics

Queering Camaraderie: Women, Visual Culture, and Survival in the Black Liberation Movements of the 1970s
Hayley Lonergan ’26, History and Art History
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alyssa Lopez, History and Classics

“Do Not Take Sex Into the Practice”: Lelia Robinson and Her Struggle to Become the First Female Attorney of Massachusetts
Georgia Peters ’26, History and Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steven Carl Smith, History and Classics

The Last Boat: How American and Polish Domestic and Foreign Policies Shaped the Polish‑Jewish Emigration Experience, 1933–1939
Jesse Spadaccini ’26, History
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Francesca Silano, History and Classics

Remembering in the North: How the Civil Rights Movement is Told Through Monuments
Courtney Wight ’26, History and Finance
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alyssa Lopez, History and Classics

Walt Disney and the Imagination of Southern California
Maeve Buckley ’26, History
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rene Alexander Orquiza, History and Classics

Internships

Workers’ Compensation Court’s 2025 Summer Program Internship
Judy Akid ’27, Political Science

Pontifical Irish College Internship
Hannah DePuydt ’26, Computer Science

Senator Charles Schumer Internship
Shannon Kelly ’26, Sociology and Global Studies

GW&K Investment Management Internship
Jelissa Jonas ’27, Finance and Sociology

Tennessee Justice Center Internship
Clara L Johnson ’26, Social Work and English Literature

Southern Plymouth County Public Health Excellence Collaborative Internship
Ryan Hayden ’26, Health Policy & Management, Finance, Management

Trial of vaginal microbiome transplant to prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis
Grace Pierson ’26, Biology and mathematics

Mathematics and Computer Science Projects

Creating a Random Number Generator: Harnessing Lava Lamps as a Source of Randomness
Rachel Barter ’27, Mathematics and Women’s & Gender Studies
Nicolas Guerra ’27, Data Science, Mathematics
Sarah O’Connor ’26, Mathematics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Chou, Mathematics and Computer Science

Massively Parallel Kalman Filtering: Scaling State Estimation via CUDA Kernels
Joseph Campione ’28, Computer Science and Theology
Peter Chim ’27, Computer Science
Hannah DePuydt ’26, Computer Science
William Johnston ’27, Computer Science and Math
Jackson Phillips ’27, Computer Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Marwan Abdelatti, Mathematics and Computer Science

Neuroscience Projects

Individual differences in ERP responses to visual statistical learning
Ethan Moore ’26, Biology and Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Joanna Morris, Neuroscience

CLEC7A Deficiency affects Cerebellar Microglia development and Purkinje Cell Axon Myelination
Olivia Barbarini ’26, Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ileana Soto Reyes, Biology and Neuroscience

Medial prefrontal cortical ensembles direct behavior in response to competing needs
Francesca Schaub ’26, Biology, Psychology
Kaelin McCaffrey ’28, Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ryan Post, Neuroscience

Nursing Projects

Simulation-Enhanced Ethics Education: An Interdisciplinary Strategy to Strengthen Ethical Awareness and Communication
Sophia Calle ’27, Nursing
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Amy Delaney, Nursing

Restoring Moral Imagination: A Pilgrimage of Ethical Formation in Prelicensure Nursing Students
Hannah C Dube ’27, Nursing
Francesca Kearns ’27, Nursing
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Amy Delaney, Nursing

Philosophy Projects

Defending a Partial Inclusion Model in Special Education: An Ethics of Care Approach
Allison Bolanos ’27, Elementary/Special Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jie Chen, Philosophy

Political Science Projects

The influence of Arab-American children’s books in shaping social and political identity: exploring the effects of representation, banning, and cultural perception.
Judy Akid ’27, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gizem Zencirci, Political Science

Migrants In Media: A Tri-National Study of the United States, Trinidad & Tobago, and Mexico
Courtney Butts ’26, Political Science and American Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Adam Myers, Political Science

Globalization: Tensions Between National Sovereignty and Global Economy
Isabelle Camoin ’26, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ruth Ben-Artzi, Political Science

Diasporic Belonging of Palestinian American Women in New England
Elizabeth Muller ’26, Political Science and Global Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gizem Zencirci, Political Science

Leadership & Title IX: Does Political Ideology Shape University Supportive Measures?
Jillian Evans ’26, Political Science & Communication
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Andrea McDonnell, Political Science

Physics Projects

Developing Physics and Computing Identities in a Computationally Integrated Physics Course
Elizabeth Hallock ’27, Physics
Faculty Mentor: Sarah McHale, Engineering and Physics

Psychology Projects

Educational videos of typical infant and toddler development
Amanda Ayres ’26, Psychology
Braeden LeBeau ’26, Psychology
Bridget Lillis ’26, Psychology
Francis Regan ’26, Psychology and Health Policy Management
Elizabeth Vlattas ’26, Psychology and Health Policy & Management
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kelly A. Warmuth, Psychology

Association Between Social Media Use and Sleep Among Older Adults
Ava Santoro ’27, Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christopher O’Brien, Psychology

Creativity AI
Veronica Smith ’27, Psychology and English Literature
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Andra Geana, Psychology

Public and Community Service Projects

Community-Defined Principles and Practices For Neighborly Engagement
Jack Pawlowski ’27, Public and Community Service Studies and Finance Studies
Zak Henry ’26, Economics and Public and Community Service Studies
Katherine (Kat) LaDuke ’27, Public and Community Service Studies and Communications
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carmine Perotti, Public and Community Service

School of Business Projects

SmartSip
Neve Palmeri ’27, Management, Marketing
Faculty Mentor: Kelly Ramirez Stone, Ryan Incubator

Actionable Insights to Target a Gen Z Audience for Lincoln Financial
Ava Marini ’26, Marketing
Taylor Finamore ’26, Marketing & Management
Elizabeth Hart ’26, Marketing
Shannon Kelleher ’26, Marketing & Finance
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rae Caloura, Marketing

Benjamin Social Media Fellows
Isabella Berrocal ’26, Marketing and Management
Grace Child ’26, Marketing
Tessa Izzo ’26, Management and Marketing
Mackenzie Lagner ’26, Marketing,
Nico Maioriello ’26, Marketing and Management
Mentor: Liz Kay, Marketing and Communications

Social Work Projects

What the Land Knows: An Exploration of Land Based Cultural Trauma among Appalachian Americans
Clara L Johnson ’26, Social Work and English Literature
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Hasson, Social Work

Sociology Projects

Christian Nationalism as an Exclusionary Framework: The Boundaries of Empathy
Francesca Bambara ’26, Sociology, Global Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Brandon Martinez, Sociology

World Languages Projects

From Catastrophe to Renewal: Ecofuturities and Climate Change in Contemporary Spanish Theatre
Alexandra Saneff ’26, Neuroscience, Spanish
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anthony Passero O’Malley, World Languages