RISE 2021 Awardees Announced!
Congratulations and thanks to all for making the RISE:2021 Virtual Expo such a remarkable event. RISE Day was, as always, filled with exciting discussions about big ideas and bold solutions—and more of them this year than ever before.
Building on the event’s history of innovation, there were a number of important changes to RISE this year. Responding to the COVID-19 crisis, RISE was planned from its inception to be an entirely virtual event — and designed to take full advantage of the possibilities our technologies present. With this in mind, the RISE team (led by Undergraduate Research and Fellowships with representatives from all the colleges and campuses) revised the presentation format, moving from a poster presentation to a voiced-over and recorded four slide PowerPoint video presentation. This increased the visibility of materials on the small screen and better met the needs of learners from across the disciplines who will be charged with presenting work via the small screen throughout their lives and careers. The video format also allowed presenters to share their work more fully with attendees and judges in a wide variety of time zones, as the projects were viewable asynchronously. Two live Question and Answer sessions were then scheduled according to presenter and judge availability. All projects were viewable in a single gallery, but the gallery was searchable by presenter availability for the Live Q&A, RISE subject area cateogory, and keyword.
This year’s also RISE featured a new judging rubric suitable for projects from across the disciplines that more closely aligned with best practices for assessment gleaned from work in the administration of undergraduate research and creative endeavor programs. To prepare learners for these changes and the challenges of RISE, the URF team hosted seven workshops over the spring, on creating an abstract, producing a strong video presentation, and sharing your work “live” on RISE day. These workshops were recorded — and supplemented with separate instructional materials, including videos, for learners in different time zones. To highlight the expertise of Northeastern students, staff, and faculty experts, the event also featured three panels (see below for more information), that put community members in conversation with one another in new and exciting ways.
RISE:2021 featured 460 research and creative presentations by undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty and staff members from 11 Northeastern campuses around the globe. A dedicated team of 155 judges reviewed student presentations, and over 750 additional attendees perused the expo. RISE Day saw more than 2,000 live conversations between presenters, judges, and audience members!
In addition to the great day of presentations, there were fabulous panels from our students and faculty members.
Kicking off the day, we heard from a number of outstanding undergraduates about Thriving in Northeastern’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor Ecosystem. Student speakers were Amanda Dee, Maya De Los Santos, Caroline Ghio, and Carrie Tam. The panel was moderate by Richard Harris Assistant Dean, Academic Scholarship, Mentoring and Outreach, College of Engineering; Director of NU Program in Multicultural Engineering (NUPRIME).
The first was Restoration, Remediation, Reckoning: A Faculty Conversation on the Afterlife of Disaster. Moderated by Rebecca Riccio, the Khaled and Olfat Juffali Director of the Social Impact Lab and Lecturer of Human Services, this panel featured Daniel Aldrich, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Urban Affairs and Director of the Security and Resilience Studies Program; Jay Cephas, Assistant Professor of Architecture and Urbanism; and Auroop Ganguly, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Sustainability and Data Sciences (SDS) Lab.
The second panel was Promises and Pitfalls of Experiential AI: A Faculty Conversation. Moderated by Erin Cram, Professor of Biology and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Science, this panel featured John Basl, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion; Jennifer Dy, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of Experiential AI Postdoc Education at the Roux Institute; Tina Eliassi-Rad, Professor of Computer Science; and Mike Pollastri, Senior Vice Provost for the Roux Institute and Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
At the conclusion of RISE Day, we announced winners of the People’s Choice Awards in each RISE presentation category. Congratulations to all who were selected by our audience for the People’s Choice Awards! While it took us a bit longer to tabulate the other results, we are very excited to announce the winners of the 2021 RISE and FOCUS Awards.
This year’s awardees were determined through a rigorous and fair process that allowed them to stand out from a distinguished, accomplished, and expansive group. Congratulations!
RISE AWARDS
RESEARCH
Understanding Rod Rotation in Fiber Reinforced Hydrogels: A Potential Toughening Mechanism
Presenter(s): Morgan Pfaff, COS’21, Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Randall Erb, COE, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
SCHOLARSHIP
It Takes a Village: Building a Cherokee Language Learning Tool
Presenter(s): Naomi Trevino, COS’22, Linguistics
Faculty Mentor: Ellen Cushman, CSSH, English
INNOVATION
Bacterial Nano-Biofactories: Harnessing the Power of Nature to Arm Nanometric Trojan Horses
Presenter(s): Linh Truong, BS/MS’21, Chemical Engineering; Ada Vernet-Crua, PhD’22, Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Thomas Webster, COE, Chemical Engineering
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Low-Cost ECG Electrodes for Local Manufacture in Ethiopia
Presenter(s): Andrew Lopreiato, COE’23, Mechanical Engineering; Caitlyn Tov, COE’22, Bioengineering
Faculty Mentor: Joshua Hertz, COE, Bioengineering
RISE CATEGORY AWARDS
Computer and Information Science, Undergraduate
Inclusion in Beauty: A Data-Driven Approach to Measuring Diversity in Foundation Shades
Presenter(s): Christina Pathrose, Khoury’22, Computer Science; Gaea Leemon, CSSH’22, Economics
Faculty Mentor: Independently-Produced Project
Engineering and Technology, Undergraduate
The Solvent-Free Solution to Redox Flow Batteries
Presenter(s): Christopher Owen, COE’22, Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Joshua Gallaway, COE, Chemical Engineering
Health Sciences, Undergraduate
Retrospective Analysis of Children With ATRT Cancer Treated According to ACNS0333
Presenter(s): Clara Wu, COS’23, Behavioral Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Alyssa Reddy, UCSF, Pediatric Neurologist and Director, Program on Neurofibromatosis
Humanities and Arts, Undergraduate
Chaos Creators: Designing Clothing About the Environmental Crisis
Presenter(s): Meryl Prendergast, CAMD’22, Theatre
Faculty Mentor: Frances McSherry, CAMD, Theatre
Interdisciplinary Topics, Centers, and Institutes; Undergraduate
The Debt Calculator: A Gratitude-Based Approach to Environmental Justice
Presenter(s): Kira Mok, CSSH’23, Sociology/Environmental Studies; Sophie Kelly, COS’21, Environmental Studies/International Affairs
Faculty Mentor: Sara Wylie, CSSH, Sociology and Anthropology
Physical and Life Sciences, Undergraduate (TIE)
Aromatase Inhibitor Sensitizes Prostatic Cells for 5- Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Treatment
Presenter(s): Andrew Chang, COS’23, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Aria F. Olumi, Janet & William DeWolf Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Chief, Urologic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Monte Carlo Simulation of Phase Equilibria in Pentadecanoic Acid Monolayers
Presenter(s): Jake Duffy, Khoury’23, Computer Science/Physics
Faculty Mentor: Mona Minkara, COE, Bioengineering
Social Sciences, Business, and Law; Undergraduate
Understanding the Prison Pipeline: Evaluating Data in the Child Welfare System
Presenter(s): Matthew Canary, CSSH’23, Sociology
Faculty Mentor: Gordana Rabrenovic, CSSH, Sociology and Anthropology
Computer and Information Science, Graduate
Husky Sort
Presenter(s): Sai Vineeth Kandappa Reddi Gari, MS’21, Information Systems
Faculty Mentor: Robin Hillyard, COE, Computer Science; Alumni Co-Presenter, Yunlu Liaozheng, MS’20, Computer System Engineering
Engineering and Technology, Graduate
Antibacterial and Cytotoxicity Analysis of Tellurium-Based Nanocomposites
Presenter(s): Ada Vernet-Crua, PhD’22, Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Willits, COE, Chemical Engineering
Humanities and Arts, Graduate
TONE
Presenter(s): Ghalia Ammar, MArch’21, Architecture; Sophia Sabaten, MArch’21, Architecture; Allan Cohen, MArch’21, Architecture
Faculty Mentor: Jeremy Munn, CAMD, Architecture
Health Sciences, Graduate
WEDJ Lab Lead Study
Presenter(s): Kaleem Ahmid, BS in Health Science and Philosophy/MPH’21, Health Science/Public Health; Larissa Morikawa, BS/MS’21, Health Science/Security and Resilience Studies, Bouve & CSSH
Faculty Mentor: Sara Wylie, CSSH, Sociology and Anthropology
Interdisciplinary Topics, Centers, and Institutes; Graduate
Chrysalis: Adaptive Physical Rehabilitation in Extended Reality (XR)
Presenter(s): Haleigh Whitlock, MS’21, Bioengineering; Nathan Miner, MS’21, Game Design; Jason Miller, MS’21, Computer Science; Semaa Amin, MS’21, Computer Science; Ningyu Ding, MS’21, Data Analytics Engineering; Tanmay Alsi, MS’21, Data Analytics Engineering; Rachelle Angeli Marañon, MS’21, Computer Science; Wen Gu, MS’21, Computer Science
Faculty Mentor: Casper Harteveld, CAMD, Art and Design
Physical and Life Sciences, Graduate
GIRK Channels and PKCε in Atrial Fibrillation
Presenter(s): Kirin Gada, PhD’21, Pharmacology
Faculty Mentor: Diomedes Logothetis, Bouvé, Pharmaceutical Science; Takeharu Kawano, Bouvé, Senior Research Scientist
Social Sciences, Business, and Law; Graduate
Reforming the Referral Process: Increasing Diversity for Tech Startups
Presenter(s): Kelsey Kaul, EdD’22, Education
Faculty Mentor: Shannon Alpert, CPS, Education
FOCUS AWARDS
COE Solutions, Undergraduate
The Effect of Input Device on a Novel Digital Version of the Trail Making Test
Presenter(s): Garrit Strenge, COE’24, Computer Engineering/Computer Science; Ethan Wong, COS’24, Biology; Tyler Greffrath, DPT’22, Physical Therapy; Nathaniel Pinkes Bouvé’21/MPH’21, Health Science/Public Health; Caitlyn Celestino, DPT’22, Physical Therapy
Faculty Mentor: Eugene Tunik, Bouvé, Physical Therapy/Movement/Rehabilitation Sciences; Misha Pavel, Khoury/Bouvé, Computer Science/Health Sciences; Holly Jimison, Khoury/Bouvé, Computer Science/Health Sciences; Mathew Yarossi, Bouvé, Physical Therapy/Movement/Rehabilitation Sciences
COE Solutions, Undergraduate
Alleviating Nighttime Symptoms Associated with Nasal Cannula Use
Presenter(s): Antony Fuleihan, COE’21, Mechanical Engineering; Geoffrey Lin, COE’21, Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Carol Livermore, COE, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
COE Solutions, Undergraduate
Modelling Particle Accumulation in the Endothelial Glycocalyx of the Blood-Brain Barrier
Presenter(s): Daniel Tento, COE’22, Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Andrew Jones, COE, Chemical Engineering
COE Solutions, Graduate
Reinventing the Total Hip Implant for an Aging Population
Presenter(s): Aditya Morey, MS’21, Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Sumner Barenberg, COE, Bioengineering
COE Solutions, Graduate
Detecting Labor Violation Among Employers of Migrant Workers: Analyses of H2A Applications
Presenter(s): Arezoo Jafari, PhD’23, Industrial Engineering; Maggie Clark, COE’24, Industrial Engineering; Elaine Klatt, COE’22, Industrial Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Kayse Maass, COE, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering; Shawn Bhimani, DMSB, Supply Chain Management; Amy Farrell, CSSH, Criminology & Criminal Justice
CPS Sustainability and Resiliency
Mental Health Literacy in Student Affairs Graduate Preparation Programs
Presenter(s): Emily Bauer, EdD’21, Higher Education Administration
Faculty Mentor: Joan Giblin, CPS, Education
CPS Sustainability and Resiliency
Exploring the Challenges of Employing Women as Porters in Cusco, Peru
Presenter(s): Shreshthi Mehta, MS’21, Leadership
Faculty Mentor: Patty Goodman, CPS, Corporate and Organizational Communication
Creating Value with Data, Undergraduate
Prediction of Antibiotic Producers by CART and RF Modelling
Presenter(s): Jacob Egelberg, COS’24, Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Kim Lewis, COS, Biology
Creating Value with Data, Graduate
Predicting Memory Utilization on High Performance Computing Cluster
Presenter(s): Rhea Dcosta, MPS’21, Analytics
Faculty Mentor: Manasvita Joshi, CPS, Data Science
Data and Digital Storytelling, Graduate
Mathematical Methods and Dance
Presenter(s): Nicole Zizzi, CAMD MArch ’21
Faculty Mentor: John Straub, Boston University, Professor of Chemistry
Data and Digital Storytelling, Undergraduate
Filmify — a Platform to Promote Diversity in the Film Industry
Presenter(s): Natalie Duerr, CAMD ’21, Art and Design; Celine Yan, Khoury’21, Computer Science/Design; Josh Pensky, Khoury’21, Computer Science/Design; Karisa Tzeng, Khoury’21, Computer Science/Design; Srilekha Nuli, Khoury’21, Computer Science/Design;
Faculty Mentor: Mark Sivak, CAMD, Art and Design
Data and Digital Storytelling, Undergraduate
Building a Digital Archive of Historical Cherokee Manuscripts
Presenter(s): Taylor Snead, Khoury ’21, Computer Science
Faculty Mentor: Ellen Cushman, CSSH, English
Data and Digital Storytelling, Undergraduate
Bridging the Divide: A Toolkit for Urban Development
Presenter(s): Jake Okrent, CAMD’26, Architecture
Faculty Mentor: Taskina Tareen, CAMD, Architecture
Design, Graduate
Sustainable Multipurpose Outdoor Gear
Presenter(s): Zoe Judd, MS’21, Experience Design; Charya Peou, MS’21, Experience Design; Jeff Burrell, MS’21, Experience Design
Faculty Mentor: Mark Sivak, CAMD, Art and Design
Design, Undergraduate
First Circle: A Perfectly Harmless Card Game
Presenter(s): Kieran Sheldon, CAMD’21, Game Design; Kathryn Minor, CAMD’22, Design; Beatrice Tolan, CAMD’21, Game Art and Animation
Faculty Mentor: Brandon Sichling, CAMD, Art and Design
Design, Undergraduate
Urban Resilience through Activating Architectural Ecologies
Presenter(s): Anastasia Leopold, CAMD ’21, Architecture
Faculty Mentor: David Fannon, CAMD/COE, Architecture & Civil Engineering
Design, Undergraduate
Biodegradable Architecture
Presenter(s): Isabella Greco, CAMD’23, Architecture
Faculty Mentor: Mary Hale, CAMD, Architecture
Ethically Informed Research Focus Award, Undergraduate
ConsciousCart
Presenter(s): Yasmeen Masri, CAMD’21, Interactive Design; Michelle Pine, Khoury’21, Computer Science/Design; Katherine DeAndre, CAMD’22, Design; Wei-Chi Chen CAMD’21, Design; Jianglei Zhu, CAMD’21, Design
Faculty Mentor: Mark Sivak, CAMD, Art and Design
Ethically Informed Research Focus Award, Graduate
The Trust Project
Presenter(s): Kaleem Ahmid, BS in Health Science and Philosophy/MPH’21, Health Science/Public Health; Tyreke Gaston, COS’22, Health Science/Psychology; Samhita Koduri, Bouvé’25, Health Science
Faculty Mentor: Alisa Lincoln, Bouvé/CSSH, Health Sciences/Sociology
Graduate Innovator
Restorative Justice Challenges and Culturally Responsive Classrooms to Improve Engagement
Presenter(s): Joel Livingston, EdD’21, Education
Faculty Mentor: Corliss Thompson-Brown, CPS, Education
Graduate Innovator
What MRI Can Tell You About Your Kidneys: Morphometric Analysis of Novel Vascular Images
Presenter(s): Tianyi Zhou, PhD’23, Physics; Liam Timms PhD’21, Physics; Benjamin Dottinger Bouvé’23, Health Science
Faculty Mentor: Srinivas Sridhar, COS, Physics; Valur Olafsson, Biomedical Imaging Center; Fred Bidmead, Lead MRI Technologist
Health Communication, Graduate
Impact of Communication Breakdowns on Social Participation in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Presenter(s): Kayla Doherty, Bouvé MS’21, Speech-Language Pathology
Faculty Mentor: Kristen Allison, Bouvé, Communication Sciences & Disorders
Health Communication, Undergraduate
Disclose and Discuss: A COVID-19 ‘Quaranteam’ Checklist
Presenter(s): Jaime Si, CAMD’21, Communication Studies; Allegra D’Virgilio, CAMD’22, Communication Studies/Theater; Michaela Mudrick, CAMD’21, Communication Studies
Faculty Mentor: Susan Mello, CAMD, Communication Studies
Health Communication, Undergraduate
Northeastern Greek Life, E-Cigarettes, & COVID-19
Presenter(s): Morgan Miovski, COS’22, Cell and Molecular Biology
Faculty Mentor: Susan Mello, CAMD, Communication Studies
Health Communication, Undergraduate
Pills, Teas, and Songs: Stories of Medicine around the World
Presenter(s): Debby Nguyen, Bouvé ’24, Pharmacy
Faculty Mentor: Alisa Lincoln, Bouvé/CSSH
Illuminating Complex Problems, Graduate
Expanding Pharmacists’ Social and Clinical Expertise to Empower Transgender Patients
Presenter(s): Sarah Samel, PharmD’21, Pharmacy; Amanda Maffa, PharmD’22, Pharmacy; Izzy Schnake, PharmD’22, Pharmacy
Faculty Mentor: Michael Gonyeau, Bouvé, Pharmacy & Health Systems Sciences
Illuminating Complex Problems, Undergraduate
Centering Community Voice in the Massachusetts Green Recovery Conversation
Presenter(s): Ava Gallo, CSSH’21, Environmental Studies/International Affairs
Faculty Mentor: Becca Berkey, CSSH, Human Services
Illuminating Complex Problems, Undergraduate
Think Like a Scientist: An Innovative Approach to Early STEM Education
Presenter(s): Nuria Romero, COS’21, Cell and Molecular Biology; Alexandra Silverman, COE’21, Bioengineering; Hannah Wisner, COS’23, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Lieb, Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
Lux, Veritas, Virtus; Undergraduate
How to Survive a Pandemic: Celebrating Resilience and Community Through Digital Theatre
Presenter(s): Shira Weiss, CAMD’22, Theatre; Kaitlyn Fiery, CAMD’22, Theatre
Faculty Mentor: Melinda Lopez, CAMD, Theatre
Lux, Veritas, Virtus; Undergraduate
Reggaetonero Feminista: A Look at Sexism and Feminism in Popular Spanish-Language Music
Presenter(s): Emily Burke, CAMD’21, Music and Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Kirsten Rodine-Hardy, CSSH, Political Science
Platform Economy, Undergraduate
Abstract: Facilitate the Matching of Faculty and Students for Research Projects
Presenter(s): Daniel Koerner, COS’21, Environmental Studies/Economics; Katharine McGuire, CSSH’23, Economics; Kaitlyn Cavallaro, CSSH’23, International Affairs/Economics; Julia Geller, Khoury’23, Data Science
Faculty Mentor: Yakov Bart, DMSB, Business and Social Sciences
Platform Economy, Graduate
Cultural Challenges of International Websites
Presenter(s): Victor Aimi, MS’21, Corporate & Organizational Communication
Faculty Mentor: Patty Goodman, CPS, Corporate and Organizational Communication
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Computer and Information Science
Ok Google, Help People Trust You
Presenter(s): Shrreya Aagarwal, COS’21, Psychology
Faculty Mentor: John Coley, COS, Psychology; Emily Thor, PhD’20, Psychology
Health Sciences
Proton-Pump Inhibitor Deprescribing Eligibility Among Osteoporosis/Osteopenia Patients
Presenter(s): Janki Patel, Bouvé’21, Pharmacy; Lucy Yu, Bouvé’21, Pharmacy; Eric Chang, Bouvé’21, Pharmacy
Faculty Mentor: Macayla Bartucca, Bouvé, Pharmacy & Health Systems Sciences
Interdisciplinary Topics, Centers, and Institutes
Ancient Stoic Techniques and Mental Health Today
Presenter(s): Kristie Chan, Office of the Provost’24, Undeclared; Sheridan Lasher, CSSH’22, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; Emma Andrews, CSSH’22, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; Benjamin Gould CSSH’21/MPP’22, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics/Public Policy; Jack Hoover, COE’23, Bioengineering; Edith Olmsted, CSSH’21, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; Alisha Karuvannur-Sandhu, CSSH’23, Philosophy
Faculty Mentor: Jacob Stump, CSSH, Philosophy and Religion
Social Sciences, Business, and Law (TIE)
What Happened to the Perpetrator? The Role of Perpetrator’s Outcome in Victim Blaming
Presenter(s): Rasvitha Nandru, COS’21, Behavioral Neuroscience; Yueting Lu, COS’24, Behavioral Neuroscience; Alessia Iancarelli PhD’24, Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Ajay Satpute, COS, Psychology
Engineering and Technology
Athelas: Autonomous Vital-Measuring Using Biological Sensors and Vision Based Robotics
Presenter(s): Unnas Hussain, COE’21, Computer Engineering/Computer Science; John Allen, COE’21, Electrical Engineering; Akhil Bagul, COE’21, Computer Engineering/Computer Science; Kaylin Devchand, COE’21, Computer Engineering/Computer Science; Christian Hardy, COE’21, Electrical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Waleed Meleis, COE, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Humanities and Arts
Patterns of Inclusive Design: An Accessible and Multisensory Approach
Presenter(s): Kathryn Platt, MArch’21, Architecture
Faculty Mentor: David Fannon, CAMD/COE, Architecture & Civil and Environmental Engineering
Physical and Life Sciences
Novel Approach in Modeling Wound Healing and Aging Skin Defects In Vitro
Presenter(s): Hui Zhang, COS’21, Behavioral Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Justin Crane, COS, Biology; Elizabeth Crane, COS, Biology; Wesley Wong PhD’20, Biology
Social Sciences, Business, and Law (TIE)
Translations of School Reopening Documents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presenter(s): Jonathan Hammons, PhD’23, School Psychology; Isabella Leiwant, PhD’22, School Psychology; Arabiye Artola, PhD’24, School Psychology; Kayla Sippin, MS’22, Applied Educational Psychology; Lauren Hamel, MS’22, Applied Educational Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Amy Briesch, Bouvé, Applied Psychology
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