EUREKA!

2016 Research Project List

Mentor:


Dr. Frank Alexis



Department:
Bioengineering
Project Title:

Polymeric Nanoparticles for Environmental Remediation
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/departments/bioe/
Project Description:

The project consists of synthesizing and analyzing materials that will be used for capturing gaseous contaminants from air. It involves the
synthesis of nano and micro scale particles as well as the modification of some natural materials.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Mark Blenner


Department:
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Project Title:

Making Renewable Chemicals and Biofuels using Yeast - Synthetic Biology
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/proteinengineering
Project Description:

Our society uses chemicals in the production of essential products such as fuels, materials, food, and medicine. Producing these chemicals
in a more sustainable manner will be important for preserving the environment and our natural resources. Our lab is pioneering the
effort to establish a new yeast platform for production of lipids for sustainable fuels and specialty chemicals. We are investigating the
fundamental genetics and metabolism of these microorganisms, and developing novel tools that allow us to manipulate its genetics and
metabolism. This project is ideal for chemical engineers, bioengineers, biochemists, or microbiologists.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Michelle Boettcher



Department:
Educational and Organizational
Leadership Development
Project Title:

White Mentors for Faculty, Staff, and Students of Color at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs)
Project URL:

NA
Project Description:

This study seeks to explore the experiences of people of color at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Specifically, it will focus on
ways in which students, faculty, and staff of color identify and work with (or fail to work with) white mentors in their educational and
work experiences at PWIs.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 1

Mentor:


Dr. Julia Brumaghim


Department:
Chemistry
Project Title:

How Antioxidants Prevent DNA Damage: The Role of Metal Ions
Project URL:

file:///S:/web/ces/chemistry/brumaghimgroup/index.html
Project Description:

Antioxidants can prevent DNA damage and cell death caused by oxygen radical species. Because this cellular damage causes cancer,
neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and aging, dietary antioxidant supplements may prevent these conditions. Despite
the clinical evidence of beneficial antioxidant properties, the biological mechanisms for antioxidant activity are poorly understood.
Research in the Brumaghim group focuses on studying the ability of sulfur, selenium, and polyphenol antioxidants to prevent DNA
damage by oxygen radicals. We have found that these compounds significantly inhibit DNA damage by metal-generated radicals, and
that this antioxidant behavior requires metal-antioxidant binding. We are continuing to study a wide variety of antioxidants for their
ability to bind biological metal ions such as iron, copper, and zinc and to prevent DNA damage and cell death.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Leah Casabianca


Department:
Chemistry
Project Title:

Improving HYPR-beads for Studying Nanoparticle Surface Structure and Interactions
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/departments/chemistry/people/faculty/casabianca.html
Project Description:

With the increasing use of nanomaterials in our everyday lives, it is important to understand the potential toxicity of nanoparticles, as
well as their environmental consequences. One important theme in the area of nanoparticle toxicity is surface interactions, since the
surface of the nanoparticle presumably dictates how it interacts with proteins, cell membranes, and other biological molecules in the
body.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is one of the most versatile tools for the structural characterization of chemical compounds, ranging
from drugs to proteins. However, NMR is not ideally suited for surface studies due to its low sensitivity. One way to increase the
sensitivity of NMR is through a technique known as Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP). In our lab, we have developed organic
nanoparticles doped with a polarizing agent used in DNP. These HighlY-effective Polymer/Radical Beads (HYPR-beads) were used to
improve the signal-to-noise of 13C and 7L NMR of nearby molecules. In the proposed EUREKA! project, we will optimize HYPR-beads by
tuning properties such as bead size, surface groups, and polarizing agent concentration. We will also attempt to understand how
polarization is being transferred from the beads to the nearby molecules, in order to use HYPR-beads to selectively increase the signalto-noise of proteins that are in close proximity to the surface of the beads. This will enable future NMR studies of proteins bound to
nanoparticle surfaces.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 2

Mentor:


Dr. Susan Chapman


Department:
Biological Sciences
Project Title:

Creatine Deficiency Syndrome
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/biosci/faculty_staff/chapman_s.html
Project Description:

Creatine transporter deficiency syndrome, affecting approximately 1 million people globally, results in autism spectrum disorders and Xlinked intellectual disabilities. The SLC6A8 gene codes for the creatine transporter that is needed for creatine in food to pass through the
blood-brain barrier and enter neuronal cells. Creatine is essential for ATP production and normal metabolic activity in the brain. To
correct this defect we propose that N-modified creatine analogs can passively cross cell membranes and enter the brain and thus, have
the potential to treat creatine deficiency syndrome.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Qiushi Chen



Department:
Civil Engineering
Project Title:

Visualization and modeling of soil data for earthquake hazards analysis
Project URL:

www.clemson.edu/ces/geomechanics
Project Description:

Earthquake hazards such as earthquake-induced liquefaction of soils often cause significant damage to infrastructures and pose
tremendous adverse social and economical impacts. Evaluation of earthquake hazards requires extensive amount of soil data over large
regions. In this project, soil profile for a selected seismic active region at Christchurch, New Zealand will be visualized and modeled
through extensive field test database and novel computer models. The obtained information will assist engineers to evaluate the
earthquake hazards in the studied region.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 3

Mentor:


Dr. Eric Davis


Department:
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Project Title:

Elucidating Water Transport Mechanisms in 3D Printed Polymers
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/departments/chbe/people/davis_e.html
Project Description:

Transport of water in polymers is important for a number of applications including energy storage and delivery technologies, drug
delivery, and desalination. Polymer membranes that were utilized in these technologies are produced using more traditional methods
such as extrusion and solvent-based casting techniques. Recently, 3 dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as promising technology for
the rapid production of polymer-based products. However, there is little known on how the 3D printing process affects the transport
properties of these polymers. Since processing of a polymer can drastically affect its properties, it is vital to understand how mass
transport is altered in 3D printed polymers so that they can be more accurately tailored to their end functions. In this project, we will
take 3D printed polymers from a collaborator at Virginia Tech and investigate water transport of the polymers via infared (IR)
spectroscopy. IR transport experiments will allow us to capture both water diffusivity and water-polymer interactions in real-time. It
also provides a means of understanding how the polymer responds (relaxes) to the ingress of water over time. The fundamental
knowledge gained from these transport investigations can then be fed back into the processing parameters of the 3D printed materials to
tailor their final properties.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 4

Mentor:


Dr. Carlos Garcia



Department:
Chemistry
Project Title:

Development of metallic nanoparticles by pyrolysis
Project URL:

www.clemson.edu/chemistry/garcia/
Project Description:

One of the most active areas in current analytical chemistry is the synthesis and application of metallic nanoparticles (NPs). This interest
is driven by the unique structure, high surface area, good mechanical and thermal stability, and unusual optical, chemical, magnetic, and
catalytic properties of these nanostructures. The great diversity of composition, shape, and size of metallic NPs have also allowed
researchers exploring their applications in related fields, such as catalysis [5], optical devices, and electronic components. Following
these developments, the modification of surfaces with metallic nanomaterials is one of the most important strategies to improve the
performance of electrochemical sensors. In this way, a variety of electrodes modified with metallic nanomaterials (with different
compositions and morphologies) such as platinum , palladium, silver, gold, or nickel have been recently reported. Although improved
performance is commonly reported, the high cost and the limited availability of some of these materials can impose restrictions to the
development of sensors for low-income communities. Aiming to address these limitations, other metallic nanomaterials such as copper
nanoparticles (CuNPs) have emerged as alternative materials with potential applications in catalysis, electronics, optics, and medicine.
Obtaining CuNPs is relatively straightforward and a number of methods have been reported for their synthesis. Among these methods,
the chemical reduction of copper ions in aqueous solution is probably the most popular route. One common limitation affecting all these
synthetic routes is the tendency of CuNPs to form larger aggregates with different (typically much lower) activity. To address this need
and develop more efficient catalytic surfaces, we have recently reported a one-step method for the synthesis of paper-based carbon
electrodes modified with CuNPs. The methodology is based on the pyrolysis (under reductive conditions) of paper strips pretreated with
a CuSO4 solution. This process, one of the simplest reported to date, yields abundant CuNPs distributed on the surface of the carbonized
cellulose fibers.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2015.12.093

Interns participating in our program will extend this work and fabricate electrodes modified with other metallic cations and have the
opportunity to characterize them by scanning electron microscopy, EDX, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical/electrochemical techniques.
Interns will be also involved in the development of sensors for biomedical applications.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 5

Mentor:


Dr. Rachel Getman


Department:
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Project Title:

Aqueous Phase Catalysis
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/computationalcatalysis/index.html
Project Description:

The ultimate objective of this project is to elucidate the catalytic mechanisms involved in H2 production from sugar alcohol molecules,
which are useful models of chemicals that have been derived from cellulosic biomass, such as cellulose and glucose. The results will be
useful for designing new industrial catalysts for production of fuels and platform chemicals from biomass. Catalysts presently exist for
these applications, but they are comprised of Pt and other expensive materials. Our goal is to design Pt-free catalysts for these and other
industrial processes. To do this, we are simulating chemical reactions occurring over catalyst surfaces, and we are using experiments to
validate our models. For example, considering a reasonably small sugar alcohol molecule like glycerol, there are several potential side
products that could be produced along with the primary products (CO2 and H2). We can develop a molecular level model of the reaction
mechanism that predicts the product distributions of CO2, H2, CO, CH3OH, etc. We can then perform an experiment, measure the product
distributions, and compare. If our answers match, then we likely modeled the correct mechanism. If they don't match, then we need to
modify our mechanism and try again. The immediate goal of this project is to elucidate how Pt converts sugar alcohol molecules into H2.
Once we know that, then we can begin to design better, less expensive catalysts.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Yunyi Jia


Department:
Department of Automotive Engineering
Project Title:

Teach robots assembly tasks like teaching students by natural language
Project URL:

www.yunyi-jia.com
Project Description:

Traditionally, robots are usually programmed by humans using computer-based coding. After programmed, robots can only accomplish
the predefined tasks in relatively structured environments. The modern market demands increasingly require the robotic systems to
have more intelligent to learn new knowledge and accomplish new tasks by themselves. Therefore, the goal of this research is to develop
a natural language based robot programming method to teach robots assembly tasks by natural language. The method contains two
sequential steps: human teaching and robot learning. In human teaching, human will control robots to accomplish new tasks step by step
using natural language instructions. In robot learning, robot will learn the environment changes and then correlate them to the new tasks
through first-order logic representations. After the teaching and learning, robots will be able to execute new tasks under various
environmental setups. The designed method will be implemented on both a simulation environment and a real robotic system. This
research work can make the robot-based assembly process more efficient and intelligent.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 6

Mentor:


Dr. Yunyi Jia


Department:
Department of Automotive Engineering
Project Title:

Development of a Human Balance Ability Evaluation Device
Project URL:

www.yunyi-jia.com
Project Description:

The human balance capacity evaluation is an important factor in many applications such as medical diagnosis, professional training and
law-enforcement. This research to develop an efficient and low-cost human balance evaluation device to quantitatively assess the
balance ability of humans. The method is mainly based on the treading force changes on the human feet while they are balancing
themselves. We have developed a treading force detection device using the vision-based haptic sensing principle. The major research
work for this project is to collect test data from various humans and design and implement evaluation algorithms to quantitatively assess
the human balance ability. This research work will have a big potential to lead to a product on human balance evaluation.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Yunyi Jia


Department:
Department of Automotive Engineering
Project Title:

Development of a Car Searching System in Parking Ramps
Project URL:

www.yunyi-jia.com
Project Description:

Searching a car in a multi-level parking ramp has bothered many people, especially when they are unfamiliar with the ramp or they are
in a large one. This research is to develop a simple and low-cost system to help people easily find their cars in a parking ramp. The
system is based on multiple microphones and cameras mounted at different location of the ramp. Such devices can sense the sound and
lights of the vehicles when their owners press the car remotes. A car localization algorithm will be developed to compute the car's
position in the ramp based on these sensing information. An interface will also be developed to pass the car's position to the owner. This
research work will have a big potential to lead to a product for advanced ramps.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 7

Mentor:


Dr. Christopher Kitchens


Department:
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Project Title:

Green Building Materials: Magnesium Oxide Based Cements as a Sustainable Alternative
Project URL:


Project Description:

Have you ever wondered what goes into the building products that go into your house? In many cases, these materials can contain toxic
components, have inferior structural properties, or be detrimental to the environment. The goal of this creative inquiry is to explore the
use of magnesium oxide-based (MgO) cements as a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials that consist of Portland
cement, gypsum and oriented strand board (OSB). The current materials that dominate the $15 Billion residential building products
market have many drawbacks. For example, Portland cement has a huge carbon footprint, releasing one ton of CO2 per ton of cement.
One way to offset this is to incorporate large volumes of fly ash, which is laden with toxic and carcinogenic heavy metals. OSB contains
toxic phenol-formaldehyde resins and are highly flammable. We have recently paired up with Jet Products to investigate the nearly
limitless potential for MgO cement boards in a diversity of markets, primarily focusing on residential building products. The societal
benefits of this work have the potential to impact every individual that lives in the built environment. Example products include wall
board, tile backer, siding, structural insulated panels, fire-proof panels, and ballistic panels.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Christopher Kitchens


Department:
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Project Title:

Investigation of carbon nanotube/cellulose nanocrystal composites for potential used in microelectromecanical
systems (MEMS)
Project URL:


Project Description:

The outstanding strength and biocompatibility of cellulose nanocrystals, combined with the stiffness, strength and electrical properties
of carbon nanotubes make composites of these nanomaterials potentially well-suitable as substitutes for doped-silicone widely used in
many electronics and microelectro-mechanical applications. In this study, the REU student will be mixing aqueous dispersions of
cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) to achieve high-strength, light-weight, conductive films. By
adding sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) into the suspension (only 20 %wt with respect to the weight of the MWCNT), a highly
improved aqueous dispersion of MWCNT can be obtained, as observed by optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Aqueous
mixtures of CNC and MWCNT with varying mixing ratios will be used to cast composite films, applying blade coating methods. Cross
polarized microscopy, mechanical and electrical techniques will be used to assess the performance of the films, comparing with pure
CNCs films. Polarized microscopic image and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXD) can be used to measure the degree of orientational
order in the composite film. Dynamic mechanical analysis will be used to measure the composite film's elastic modulus. In-plane volume
and surface conductivity of the films will be measured to determine if the composites display a resistivity low enough for static charge
dissipation and existence in the semi-conductive regime, which will be evidence for the films potential for conductive sensor and device
applications.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 8

Mentor:


Dr. Ethan Kung



Department:
Mechanical Engineering
Project Title:

Experimental Cardiovascular System
Project URL:

www.cmerl.com
Project Description:

In this project students will be involved in the design and prototyping of a benchtop flow system which mimics realistic human
cardiovascular physiology and anatomy. Such a system can be used for direct medical device testing and clinical training. The specific
part of the project students will directly work on is to design, construct, and test a creative apparatus to produce realistic blood pressure
and flow waveforms in a flow system.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Janice Lanham


Department:
School of Nursing
Project Title:

Study Replication: Does Robotic Telerounding Enhance Nurse-Physician Collaboration Satisfaction About Care
Decisions?
Project URL:

N/A
Project Description:

Delivering healthcare using remote robotic telepresence is an evolving practice in healthcare. This study will assess nurse-physician
perceptions regarding collaboration satisfaction about care decisions using Double Robotics in comparison to conventional
communication methods.(Reference: Telemed J E Health. 2015 Aug;21(8):637-43. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2014.0162. Epub 2015 May 4.
Does Robotic Telerounding Enhance Nurse-Physician Collaboration Satisfaction About Care Decisions?
Bettinelli M1, Lei Y2, Beane M3, Mackey C4, Liesching TN2.)
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
Y

Field Work Required:
Y


Mentor:


Dr. Hong Luo


Department:
Genetics and Biochemistry
Project Title:

Functional characterization of an Arabidopsis A4 protein involved in plant development
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/genbiochem/
Project Description:

The objective of this project is to functionally characterize A4, a candidate Arabidopsis gene encoding a putative MYB-like transcription
factor involved in plant development, providing information to develop strategies to genetically improve crop plants for higher yield,
contributing to agricultural production.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 9

Mentor:


Dr. Joan Marler



Department:
Physics and Astronomy
Project Title:

Charge Exchange with Highly Charged Ions
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/iontrapping/
Project Description:

A detailed study of the physics of highly charged ions (HCIs) is critical for a deep understanding of observed phenomena resulting from
interactions of HCIs with neutral atoms in astrophysical and fusion environments. Specifically the charge transfer rates
and spectroscopy of the subsequent decay fluorescence are of great interest to
these communities. Our experiment measures these rates directly in a controlled laboratory setting by observing the interactions of an
energy and charge state
selected beam of HCIs from Clemson University EBIT (CUEBIT) and neutral target gases.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte



Department:
Mechanical Engineering
Project Title:

3D Printing the Food of the Future
Project URL:

www.multiscalemanufacturing.net
Project Description:

This project aims at determining the printing parameters that will lead to different textures when printing food-grade pastes. These
pastes could be homogeneous or a composite, for example a gel with crunchy particles. Should you print it fast or slow to get a creamy
texture? What will you do to have a crusty feeling? How can you tailor the porosity of the food and what will be the impact on the eating
experience? You will explore how the combination of the paste composition and the printing parameters enables specific textures. The
long term goal of the project is to implement a 3D printer capable of producing exciting and nutritious foods. Imagine the possibilities of
having a robot that receives raw ingredients and prints a one-of-a-kind food experience, everyday.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte



Department:
Mechanical Engineering
Project Title:

Writing with bugs
Project URL:

www.multiscalemanufacturing.net
Project Description:

This project focuses on biofabrication and explores the use of electric fields to shape a cell population in a microfluidics device. For
example the non-pathogenic bacteria G. xylinus can fabricate cellulose, and by patterning the cell colony one can create cellulose
scaffolds for a number of applications including soft implants. The project will enable you to use a DLP-based light projector to pattern
these non-pathogenic bacterial populations. What is the light intensity needed to pattern the cells? How will you keep the cells happy
such that they efficiently manufacture the product you want? How fast will they move in response to your light field? Can you spell "GO
TIGERS!" using bacteria? Can you make a nanometer-scaled tiger paw in pure and crystalline cellulose? The long term goal of this project
is to be able to use microorganisms and cells to manufacture a designed product from the bottom-up.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 10



Mentor:


Dr. Olin Mefford



Department:
Materials Science and Engineering
Project Title:

Magnetic Hyperthermia Materials
Project URL:

meffordresearch.com
Project Description:

We are currently developing a therapeutic technique for the treatment of cancer. This technique is based upon the introduction of
magnetic nanoparticles to diseased tissue. These particles are then irradiated with an alternating magnetic field causing the particles to
heat. This applied heat will damage the surrounding tissue and promote cell death. The student involved in this project will be
synthesizing magnetic nanoparticles and polymers for use in this application.
Student Vehicle Required:
Y

Off-Campus Research Site:
Y

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Stephen Moysey


Department:
Environmental Engineering & Earth Science
Project Title:

Understanding the fate and characteristics of dispersed oil remnants from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill
and persisting impacts to Gulf Coast beaches
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/departments/eees/index.html
Project Description:

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, triggered by an explosion and drill platform collapse, devastated coastal communities by releasing
more than 150 million gallons of oil directly into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). One of the largest questions still remains years after the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill- what happened to the oil that 'disappeared' after official remediation was completed? It has been estimated
that as little as 25% of the oil released in 2010 was recovered, suggesting 115 million gallons likely remain in the GOM. Nearly six years
after Deepwater Horizon, tar balls and oil patches still find their way onto beaches from Louisiana to Florida. These reminders of the oil
spill are common after storm events, and suggest that large volumes of dispersed oil likely remain on the seafloor just offshore and can
be propelled onto the beaches by high-energy storm events. This project aims to collect these petroleum remnants from affected beaches,
separate and catalog the sand and biologic material from the tar, and use inherent characteristics of biologic species to determine the
water depth and depositional environment. The successful locating of remnant oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill could then be used
as a predictive tool for water depths and environments for future spills, and could help remediation teams more effectively target
dispersed oil on the seafloor. Similarly, beach nourishment projects commonly utilize offshore sand to fill in their beaches. Mapping the
locations of oil remnants offshore is critical to ensuring the sand pumped to community beaches is not contaminated, thereby preventing
negative human health effects.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 11

Mentor:


Dr. Simona Onori


Department:
AuE
Project Title:

Lithium-ion battery aging in Electric Vehicles
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/departments/automotive-engineering/index.html
Project Description:

The project will focus in understanding degradation mechanisms in lithic-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. Degradation models will
be developed and validated against experimental data collected in the Battery Aging and Characterization Lab at AuE in CU-ICAR
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
Y


Mentor:


Dr. Srikanth Pilla



Department:
Automotive Engineering
Project Title:

Design and Manufacturing of Automotive Composites
Project URL:

www.clemson.edu/ces/spilla
Project Description:

The research intern will investigate the curing kinetics and manufacturing of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset composites for use in
structural automotive applications. The students will make geometrically scaled down versions of selected automotive components such
as bumper, door panel, etc.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
Y

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Meihua Qian



Department:
Education and Human Development
Project Title:

Creativity and Entrepreneurship: who is the next young billionaire?
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/education/departments/education-human-development/facultystaff/profile.html?userid=mqian
Project Description:

In this project, we aim to examine the relationship between creativity and entrepreneurship as well as the characteristics of potential
young billionaires. The amazing success of Airbnb and Uber not only produces a number of young billionaires, but also proves that we
are living in a digital age, and "the industrial economy based on manufacturing has shifted to a service economy driven by information,
knowledge, innovation, and creativity, and this has reshaped the workforce and nature of work" (Soule & Warrick, 2015, p. 179).
Specifically, technology gives birth to these new peer-to-peer (P2P) business models, but creativity is the key.
To examine the important role of creativity in building fast-growing, innovative business models, we will employ the consensual
assessment technique (CAT), in which a group of experts and novices judge a number of truly creative projects and new business models,
and their responses will then be analyzed and compared in terms of creative personality, expertise, and perceptions of creativity and
entrepreneurship. With the assistance of current doctoral students, the student will not only develop skills in creativity assessment, but
also gain critical knowledge of entrepreneurship.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 12

Mentor:


Dr. Hugo Sanabria


Department:
Physics and Astronomy
Project Title:

Nonsequential protein folding in complex environments
Project URL:

www.clemson.edu/hsanabr
Project Description:

The project consists of studying the conformational dynamics of a model protein, Flavodoxin, as it folds or unfolds in the presence of a
high density of crowders. Proteins need to find their proper fold in order to function properly. This particular system, requires a non
local interaction to reach its proper folding pathway. We have designed a set of mutants that can modulate the way this process occurs.
Our next step is to study how the protein behaves in the presence of a crowded environment, just like the one they face inside cells.
Understanding the way proteins fold have significant implication in human health. There are many molecules whose misfolding
pathways lead to serious diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson diseases and many other. We hope to bring insight into some of the
major principles that lead long range interaction in proteins in complex environments.
Interns will learn multiple wet lab (biochemistry and molecular biology) and biophysical characterization tools (fluorescence
spectroscopy) to understand how biomolecules move. Because many of the major issues have been solved, interns will spend less time
troubleshooting and more time producing good quality data.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Kristin Scott



Department:
Management
Project Title:

MIndwell for the Workplace: An Intervention Study
Project URL:


Project Description:

Management scholars and practitioners have long been interested in improving employee relationships, performance and regulating
workplace stress. As this field evolves, there is growing interest in integrating "self-care" techniques into the workplace to further
improve these outcomes. Recently, mindfulness training has started to become recognized as a potentially effective means for improving
employee wellness outcomes and, subsequently, performance-related outcomes. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an expansion of
mindfulness such that it also addresses relationship management techniques as well as distress and emotional control. As a more
comprehensive intervention, DBT holds promise in being able to positively affect a range of workplace issues that are notoriously stress
and anxiety provoking such as interpersonal conflict, management problems, or work load control to name a few. However, research that
substantively explores this type of intervention in work settings is scarce. Thus, rigorous empirical studies that explore these questions
are likely to be published in high quality management research journals.

The goal of this research project is to conduct two 10 week training sessions (they will run concurrently but slightly staggered to allow
participants attendance flexibility). The sessions are two hours per week and will focus on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional
control and interpersonal effectiveness. We will pay the training participants to complete surveys before, during and after the training
program to assess the program's impact on worker stress, well being and performance outcomes.
Student Vehicle Required:
Y

Off-Campus Research Site:
Y

Field Work Required:
N

Page 13

Mentor:


Dr. Chad Sosolik



Department:
Physics and Astronomy
Project Title:

Ion Transmission Through Graphene
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/physics-astro/
Project Description:

The research project will be focused on investigating the exchange of charge and energy experienced by singly- and multiply-charged
ions as they pass through a graphene sample. This will require prepaing well-defined beams of ions, focusing those ions onto a graphene
target, and collecting and analyzing the ions after they pass through the target.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Jeremy Tzeng


Department:
Biological Sciences
Project Title:

Alternatives to Antibiotics for Prevention/Treatment of Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infections
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/biosci/
Project Description:

Project A: Iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with receptors recognized by bacterial adhesins (K99) will be evaluated for their
specificity to target bacterial cells and their efficacy in killing target bacteria in the presence and absence of magnetic field.

Project B: Titanium and stainless steel implants with different surface modifications will be evaluated for their abilities to prevent biofilm
formation.

Project B: mRNA of MazF, a bacterial ribonuclease, will be delivered to specific cancer cells and its ability to induce programed cell death
in cancer cells will be evaluated.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

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Mentor:


Dr. Yongqiang Wang


Department:
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Project Title:

When networks meet mobility: swarm robotics and intelligent cars in a video game framework
Project URL:

https://www.ces.clemson.edu/ndcl/
Project Description:

Students can choose between two different directions in the projects:

Direction 1: Video game development for fun learning of distributed control, robotics, and auto engineering. The project will be built
upon existing work which already realized a sophisticated vehicle simulator, a game framework, and graphics engine. The students will
focus on implementing a cooperative control algorithm for multiple driver-less cars such that the cars can talk to and cooperate with
each other to achieve and maintain a platoon with high accuracy and robustness to disturbances. Such cooperative control techniques
can prevent collision, improve road capacity and fuel efficiency, and are crucial for the next generation intelligent transportation systems.

Direction 2: Biologically-inspired swarm robotics communication/control strategy. Neurons can achieve synchronized firing with
amazing robustness and scalability via exchanging simple identical pulses. Using a similar mechanism fireflies can achieve synchronized
flashing. Our group have systematically studied the cooperation mechanism of interacting neurons and designed a bio-inspired
cooperation mechanism for swarm robotics. Based on the developed mechanism, students will use six ground robots in the lab to achieve
various cooperative tasks. Such multi-robot based cooperative tasks have broad applications in flight formation, industrial automation,
surveillance, intelligent transportation, to name only a few.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Patrick Warren


Department:
Economics
Project Title:

Mental Health Treatment and Violence
Project URL:


Project Description:

In the wake of violent incidents such as the shooting in Newtown, there are often public calls for improved access to mental health
treatment facilities, but the empirical relationship between the availability of (publicly provided) mental health treatment and (criminal)
violence is not well understood. We will explore this question by looking for policy changes in public coverage of mental health treatment
and statistically analyzing the relationship between those changes and rates of violence.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 15

Mentor:


Dr. Danny Weathers


Department:
Marketing
Project Title:

Using Eye-Tracking to Better Understand Latent Construct Measurement
Project URL:


Project Description:

Latent constructs, such as satisfaction, mood, and intentions, are typically measured with scaled-response items (e.g., "Rate your
satisfaction on a 1-10 scale."). While researchers have studied how people use these scales, recent technologies now allow for greater
insight. Specifically, eye-tracking devices can provide unique insight into how people ultimately select a response. Thus, the project I'm
proposing will combine latent construct measurement with eye-tracking.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Yanzhang Wei


Department:
Biological Sciences
Project Title:

Anti-Inflammation Activity of Natural Products
Project URL:


Project Description:

It is claimed that ginger tea has anti-inflammatory benefits but lack scientific evidence. In this project, the activity will be measured with
cultured mouse macrophage cell line as the decreased production of nitrate oxide (NO). Cytokine production may also be evaluated.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. David Woodard


Department:
Political Science
Project Title:

Biography of Pres. George W. Bush
Project URL:

NA
Project Description:

It's a 978 page biography of the president, and I need help in the production of the manuscript this summer.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
Y

Field Work Required:
N


Mentor:


Dr. Xiangchun Xuan


Department:
Mechanical Engineering
Project Title:

Microfluidic Mixing via Electrokinetic Flow Instabilities for Lab-on-a-chip Applications
Project URL:

http://www.clemson.edu/ces/departments/me/people/faculty/xuan.html
Project Description:

Lab-on-a-chip devices can potentially revolutionize the point-of-care diagnostics that will benefit the society, especially significant to
developing countries. Mixing two (or more) samples for enhanced biochemical reaction and analysis is often encountered and necessary
in these devices, which, however, becomes very difficult in small scale due to the typically very slow molecular diffusion process. This
research intern is planned to recruit 1-2 Eureka students to experimentally investigate the electric field-induced flow instabilities at the
interface of two aqueous electrolytes for enhanced microfluidic mixing.
Student Vehicle Required:
N

Off-Campus Research Site:
N

Field Work Required:
N

Page 16