Summer Research Program

Department:
Astronomy

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Stellar and Planetary Astronomy

About the lab:
The student will conduct theoretical modeling of the orbits of extrasolar planets, and how their size and shape may be changed over time due to tides. This project is appropriate for students interested in physics and/or astronomy.
While the planets in our own Solar System have nearly circular orbits, it is quite common for planets orbiting other stars (extrasolar planets) to have highly "eccentric", or squashed-looking, orbits. However, for planets orbiting very near their parent star, the orbits tend to be much more circular than the population as a whole. This is thought to be due to "tidal friction", a process in which the planet and star raise tides on each other, and if there is some friction the kinetic energy in the tidal motions can be converted to heat. The effect of tidal friction is that the non-circular part of the orbit can be damped away, with the heat dumped in the star or planet, and the orbit becomes more circular over time.

Prerequisites:
Any level (year in college) is appropriate for this project, as the goals can be adjusted for the level of the student. The student should have taken some calculus-based physics. While prior experience with computer programming is not necessary, the student should be interested in learning scientific programming, most likely in python.

Specific project(s) available:
The goal of this summer project is to study the dynamics of the fluid motion in the star and planet as well as the orbital dynamics. The primary tool will be computer simulations, and hence the first part of the summer will be spent learning the needed computer skills. Simulations will then be carried out and visualized to understand the different physical processes at work.

Web site:
https://uva.theopenscholar.com/phil-arras

Department:
Astronomy

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Physics, astronomy, stars.

About the lab:
Many stars, including our Sun, are observed to be ringing in their internal modes of oscillation. The field of stellar oscillations has recently been revolutionized by observations of thousands of oscillating stars by NASA's Kepler mission.
The project is to understand the oscillations of "red giant stars", which are near the end of their nuclear burning lifetimes. The goal of the project is to understand the observed wave amplitudes and frequencies through theoretical modeling of the fluid dynamics. Turbulence excites the sound and gravity waves and nonlinear wave-wave interactions may allow waves to share energy. The goal is to understand the "heights" of the waves which are observed by Kepler through modeling the nonlinear interactions among the waves. This project is appropriate for students interested in physics and/or astronomy.

Prerequisites:
Any level (year in college) is appropriate for this project, as the goals can be adjusted for the level of the student. The student should have taken some calculus-based physics. While prior experience with computer programming is not necessary, the student should be interested in learning scientific programming, most likely in python.

Specific project(s) available:
This project will involve computer modeling of the oscillation amplitudes found in red giant stars. Specifically, the role of nonlinear wave interactions in sharing energy between oscillation modes will be investigated. The goal is to asses the importance of nonlinear fluid interactions for waves in stars of different evolutionary stages, as the ascend the red giant branch, with the radius and luminosity of the star slowly increasing in time. These calculations for the size of the nonlinear wave interactions will be applied to understand data from the Kepler and TESS Space Telescopes.

Website:
https://uva.theopenscholar.com/phil-arras

Department:
Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Virology

About the lab:
My lab works on herpes simplex virus latent infection and reactivation. We are specifically interested in how the viral gene expression is repressed in neurons to establish a latent infection and how this repression is overcome for reactivation to occur. The student can expect to perform tissue culture, virological techniques, quantification of gene expression and imaging techniques.

Prerequisites:
Molecular biology or genetics

Specific project(s) available:
TBD

Website:
https://mic.med.virginia.edu/cliffe/

Department:
Biology

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Plant Evolution and Ecology

About the lab:
The Galloway lab looks to increase our understanding of plant speciation. For this purpose, we use genetic and chemical analyses. The student may be involved in germination of seeds, as well as conducting genetic and chemical analyses.

Prerequisites:
It is desirable to have attended to an Evolutionary Biology course.

Specific project(s) available:
Currently there are two possible research projects:
1. The first project will explore the chemical variation between populations of the American bellflower (Campanula americana). The student will obtain plant extracts using organic solvents. The extracts will be analyzed through standard chromatographic procedures. Finally, the student will correlate the chemical differences with environmental variables.
2. Another possible project will focus on hybrids between C. americana populations with genetic differentiation. The student will: a) germinate seeds, b) record survival, mortality and phenotype, c) conduct genetic analysis using standard molecular biology procedures (DNA extraction, PCR and gel electrophoresis).

Website:
https://gallowaylab.weebly.com/

Department:
Biology

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Synthetic Biology and Biochemistry

About the lab:
Reagent development. Student will learn basic methods of molecular biology and protein biochemistry and immunological assays.

Prerequisites:
CHEM1410 and 1420 (Introductory Chemistry); BIOL2100 (Introductory Biology); or similar

Specific project(s) available:
Development and refinement of single chain antibodies/nanobodies.

Website:
https://bio.as.virginia.edu/people/kgk8d https://engineering.virginia.edu/virginia-igem

Department:
Chemistry

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Catalysis, energy processes, organometallic chemistry, synthesis

About the lab:
The Gunnoe group is focused on the development of new homogeneous catalysts for reactions of relevance to clean energy as well as large-scale petrochemical processes. Research efforts include the development and study of catalysts for water oxidation (relevant to the conversion of sunlight to fuel), alkane oxidation (relevant to the conversion of natural gas to liquid fuel and high value chemicals) and arene functionalization (relevant to petrochemical processes). Students in the Gunnoe group receive training on synthesis and characterization of transition metal and organometallic complexes and application of these new complexes toward new catalytic reactions. Substantial experience with NMR spectroscopy is obtained. Many of our projects are highly collaborative and involve collaborations with other chemistry groups, materials science groups and chemical engineering groups.

Prerequisites:
N/A

Specific project(s) available:
Development of new catalysts for: 1) water oxidation (solar energy to fuels), 2) alkane oxidation (natural gas to liquid fuels and high value chemicals) and 3) arene functionalization (relevant to petrochemical processes).

Website:
http://gunnoelab.virginia.edu

Department:
Chemistry

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Microbiology

About the lab:
The student will be expected to learn some basic techniques in peptide synthesis, HPLC, mass spectrometry from the chemical side. The student will also be expected to learn microbiology concepts related to the culture of bacteria (transformation, protein expression) and biological assays. The goal will be to build chemical tools to study the biology of bacteria.

Prerequisites:
Organic Chemistry and some biochemistry

Specific project(s) available:
TBD

Website:
https://www.pires-lab.com/

Department:
Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Bioanalytical Chemistry/ Chemical Biology/ Tissue engineering/ Immunology

About the lab:
Our lab is a chemistry and engineering lab that studies the immune system. Our body’s immune system is very complex. Many different types of cells must work together in unison to produce the immune responses that protect us from harmful bacteria, viruses, cancer, and other diseases, while avoiding inflammatory diseases from overactivation. Our lab is interested in how cells of the immune system communicate with each other. To study this topic, we invent new tools using chemistry and materials science, which allow us to measure communication between immune cells in new ways.
One of the techniques that our lab uses is 3D print small devices and tools, and use them to stimulate immune tissue or analyze immune function. We use cutting edge 3D printers to generate tiny devices with features smaller than a millimeter, and also standard 3D printers like those sold on Amazon to make larger handheld tools. We continue to develop new methods to 3D print specific devices for handling the immune cells, and to test out new materials for 3D printing in order to achieve new functionality.

Students who join our lab to work on this project could learn topics that span several areas of science, including:

Our body’s immune system is very complex. Many different types of cells must work together in unison to produce the immune responses that protect us from harmful bacteria, viruses, and other diseases. If they are in the wrong place or miscommunicate, the consequences can be severe, causing inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or cancer. Our lab is interested in how cells of the immune system are arranged, and how they communicate with each other, especially during inflammatory disease. We combine chemistry, biomedical engineering, and immunology, to create new ways to study the immune system.
Students will join a project to invent new tools that allow us to measure communication between immune cells in new ways. For example, students could help create tiny tools called microfluidic devices to stimulate immune tissue, using techniques such as 3D printing, models of fluidic physics, and microelectronics. Alternatively, they could help create new biochemical methods to detect immune cell function in live tissues, using techniques such as protein biochemistry, cell culture, and multi-color fluorescence microscopy.

Prerequisites:
General chemistry. Some organic chemistry or biochemistry would be helpful but not required. Ability to pay attention to details.

Specific project(s) available:
Many are available, and can be tailored either to building small devices, or biochemistry and biological experiments.

Website:
http://www.pompanolab.com/

Department:
Chemistry

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Chemical Biology

About the lab:
Our seeks to improve human health by developing new probes for disease processes as well as targeted therapeutics. Students gain experience in small molecule synthesis, protein engineering, molecular and cell biology, and imaging.

Prerequisites:
None provided

Specific project(s) available:
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of a targeted treatment for acute myeloid leukemia.

Website:
https://uva.theopenscholar.com/cliff-stains

Department:
Chemistry

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Materials Chemistry, Nanoscience, Clean Energy, Sustainability, Catalysis

About the lab:
The project will be focused on the development of nanoparticle catalysts for the clean hydrogen production from water electrolysis or the transformation of CO2 to valuable chemicals. The student will be trained in the synthesis and characterization of well-defined nanoparticles and their integration and use in catalysis and electrochemical devices.

Prerequisites:
General chemistry and organic chemistry and lab

Specific project(s) available:
The project will be focused on the development of nanoparticle catalysts for the clean hydrogen production from water electrolysis or the transformation of CO2 to valuable chemicals.

Website:
https://zhanglab.as.virginia.edu/

Department:
Systems and Information Engineering

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Mobile Computing, machine learning, health informatics

About the lab:
The Sensing Systems for Health Lab fuses computational methods with technology such as smartphones and wearables to design intelligent systems for understanding the dynamics and personalization of health and well-being. Students can expect to analyze data from prior studies or help kick-off new studies. They will learning the basics of data analysis in python and how to conduct human subjects research.

Prerequisites:
Programming, Probability and Statistics

Specific project(s) available:
Mobile Interventions for Social Anxiety Monitoring

Website:
https://s2helab.com/

Department:
Chemical Engineering

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering

About the lab:
The Caliari Lab designs instructive biomaterials to study cell behavior in the context of disease and tissue regeneration. Summer students will learn the basics of research in a supportive and collaborative lab environment. Common techniques used in our projects include cell culture, microscopy, polymer synthesis/modification, biomaterial fabrication, and mechanical testing/characterization.

Prerequisites:
None provided

Specific project(s) available:
TBD

Website:
https://caliarilab.com/

Department:
Chemical Engineering

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Batteries and Energy Storage

About the lab:
We are working on new materials and electrode designs for batteries and other energy storage devices. We are focused on synthesis, fabrication, characterization, modelling, and/or evaluation of battery materials. Depending on the project, typically students are involved in one or more of the following: synthesis of new materials, fabrication of electrodes and/or cells, characterization of materials and/or cells, simulation of electrochemical systems, and evaluation of battery properties/performance.
Students need to be comfortable in a chemical lab environment. Some computer skills and computational analysis would be helpful – especially if a simulation project is pursued. Completion of introductory engineering coursework would also be helpful. Students will learn to understand, analyze, and present experimental results, and will gain knowledge on the function and evaluation of electrochemical systems, in particular batteries.

Prerequisites:
Most of our research is experimental, so familiarity and comfort with skills from a general and/or organic chemistry lab would be beneficial. If contributing to one of the computational projects, experience with using programming and/or numerical methods to solve engineering problems would make the experience better.

Specific project(s) available:
We have two main research themes in our group. The first is flow batteries, which are relevant grid scale energy storage. This project includes fabrication and characterization of new membrane materials, building and analyzing the integrated energy storage system/cell, and technoeconomic modeling for insights into relevant material and operating conditions optimization. The second theme is extremely thick electrodes for small form factor batteries (e.g., for wearable health applications).
This project includes new battery materials synthesis and characterization, electrode fabrication and characterization, and full cell testing and in some cases integration into applications. We also have done extensive modelling of the thick electrode electrochemical system. Students would have a summer project which explores one aspect of the larger themes in the group.

Website:
https://engineering.virginia.edu/koenig-research-group

Department:
Environmental Sciences

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Atmospheric science/meteorology, climate and climate change

About the lab:
My research group focuses on understanding how and why atmospheric wind and weather patterns change and vary over time. Over the 21st century, computer models project that dry regions in Earth’s subtropics (near 20˚–30˚ latitude) will expand in area, shifting the spatial distribution of rainfall patterns worldwide.
Current research goals focus on 1) understanding the role that clouds play in these climate changes and 2) isolating the regional impacts of these changes across the globe, with a particular focus on North America. A student working on this project should expect to gain experience with scientific computing and statistics. Specifically, a student will learn how to read in and manipulate large climate data sets, apply statistical techniques to isolate patterns of climate variability and change, and plot maps of the resulting patterns to interpret and display.

Prerequisites:
Some prior experience with computer programming (MATLAB, Python, or similar languages) is helpful but not required.

Specific project(s) available:
TBD

Website:
https://uva.theopenscholar.com/kevin-grise/research

Department:
Psychology

Area of research and sub-discipline:
Neuroscience

About the lab:
We are studying how the auditory system develops and how it learns to respond to noise in the environment. Summer undergraduate researchers will employ immunohistochemistry to visualize how different molecules involved in learning are expressed in response to noise and over the course of development.

Prerequisites:
General chemistry, introductory biology. Students should know how to prepare solutions and to follow basic protocols.

Specific project(s) available:
TBD

Website:
https://meliza.org