Senior Independent Study Theses from 2026
Shots, Science and Skepticism: Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among College Students, Adeline O. Adjei
Department: Biology
Reconsidering the Herbs: Tracing Chinese Medicine’s Past and Exploring Its Present Application for Influenza, Nurain S. Amier
Department: Biology; Chinese Studies
Functional Characterization of Novel TRR1 Interactions Partners in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Erica Leigh Beaty
Department: Biology
Hidden in Plain Sight: Multi-Purpose Defensive Coloration in Papilio polyxenes, Neve Driscoll
Department: Biology
Assessing Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infections in Invasive and Native frog species in Jamaica and the Inhibitory Potential of Pseudomonas Bacteria, Gabby V. Hoo
Department: Biology
Antidepressant Pollution in Freshwater Organisms: Impacts of Fluoxetine on Betta Fish Feeding Behavior and Aggressive Behavior, Lane M. Kellogg
Department: Biology
Tracing Silent Contamination and Evident Injustices Through Chlordécone Toxicity Effects and CYP1A Enzyme Levels in Tropiques Toxiques and Redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus), Heather R. Knowlton
Department: Biology; French and Francophone Studies
Assessing the Impact of Urban Sediment Pollution in Canada on Gill Structure and CYP1A Expression in Redside Dace (Clinostomus elongatus), Emma L. Longenecker
Department: Biology
Linking Patterns of the Ocean to Coral Bleaching Events on The Great Barrier Reef: The Role of Flow and Temperature Variability in Shaping Benthic Communities on Bleached and Healthy Acropora Reefs, Katy Magyar
Department: Biology
Dietary Isoflavones Alter Stress Resistance in C. elegans, Coco M. Malnar
Department: Biology
Abiotic Niche Differentiation and Reproductive Interference Between Closely Related Spring Ephemerals Dicentra cucullaria and Dicentra canadensis, Lilian Martin
Department: Biology; Earth Sciences
Unequal Treatment, Uneven Outcomes: Examining Health Disparities and Athletic Performance in Collegiate Sports Medicine, Robert Mays
Department: Biology; Psychology
Plants & Ants: A Biological Study of Myrmecochory in Dicentra cucullaria and a Literary Study of the Rhizome & the Hive, Indigo Ly Nelson-Frey
Department: Biology; English
Pantaloon Propagation: examining the pollination ecology of a clonal spring ephemeral wildflower Dicentra cucullaria, Paul A. Palaski
Department: Biology
An Exploration of the Relationship Between Male Sexual Orientation & Ejaculate Parameters, Trent J. Patton
Department: Biology
Microbiome-Mediated Stress Resistance: Effects of JUb134 and JUb19 in Caenorhabditis elegans, Renee R. Peddapally
Department: Biology
The Effects of Chronic Exposure to NSAIDs on the Aggressive Behavior of Betta splendens, Luke B. Peter
Department: Biology
Dynamic Knee Valgus in Division III Athletes: Role of Injury History, Knee Pain, Biological Sex, Height and Weight, Chloe Pordash
Department: Biology
Quantifying the Impacts of Empirically-Grounded Environmental Changes in Simulated Ecosystems, Peter Rothstein
Department: Biology; Mathematics
An assessment of the elevational distribution of the golden treefrog (Phytotriades auratus) and its bromeliad host Glomeropitcairnia erectiflora on El Tucuche, Trinidad, Jack Schuller
Department: Biology
Sky-Blue Princess: An Analysis of Cerulean Warblers and Whole Songbird Communities through Passive Acoustic Monitoring at Fern Valley Field Station, Emma G. Smith
Department: Biology
Immune Dysregulation Linking Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Periodontal Disease: The Roles of Neutrophil Dysfunction and Cytokine Signaling in Pediatric Populations, Taeyoon Woo
Department: Biology
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2025
Bridging the Gap: An Investigation into the Genetic Diversity and Laboratory Colonization of Aedes japonicus japonicus in Northern Ohio, Treg W. Balding Jr.
Department: Biology
Boolean Modeling of Epithelial Cell Responses in Celiac Disease Pathogenesis, Andrew Beazley
Department: Biology
Rat Races: A Pilot Study Investigating the Effects of Ethinyl Estradiol and Levonorgestrel on Aerobic Endurance in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats, Kennedy R. Beursken
Department: Biology
Menopause and the Adaptive Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Vertebrates: A Review, Joe Carter
Department: Biology
Cross Sex Hormone Therapy in Sprague Dawley Rats: Impact on the Immune System and Possible Therapeutic Implications, Trystine Chellis
Department: Biology
Behavioral Differences and Survival Estimations in Melanistic and Gray Morph Squirrels, Lydia Crane
Department: Biology
Nutty by Nature: A Study of Relative Abundance Between Sciurus Niger and Sciurus Carolinensis in Wooster and Cuyahoga Valley, Alex Mina Daoud
Department: Biology
Overrun and Understory: A Study of Deer Herbivory and Its Impact on Young Forest Regeneration in Wooster Memorial Park, Ohio, John Daoud
Department: Biology
Exploring the Immunotherapeutic Effects of MYb11 in Modulating Inflammatory Responses, Carmen Angel Darbah
Department: Biology
Synthetic Hormones and the Female Brain: A Neurobiological Study of Oral Contraceptive Effects on Memory and Plasticity, Rishika Daruwala
Department: Biology; Computer Science; Mathematics; Neuroscience; Psychology; Statistical and Data Sciences
Game of Clones: Pollen Dispersal, Clonal Spread, and their Implications for Genetic Variation in Two Spring Ephemeral Dicentra Species, Aubrey E. Davis
Department: Biology
How similar are we to man's best friend? Investigating Genetic Predispositions to Symptomatic Lyme disease in Canis Familiaris, Grace Glasser
Department: Biology
Living on the Edge: the Influence of Edge Effects on Ohio Plethodontid Salamanders, Emma E. Glasson
Department: Biology
You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks: An Assessment of Canine Trainability Predictors, Elise Greenwald
Department: Biology
Diary of a Mermaid: An Exploratory Study of Coral Bleaching and Benthic Composition of Five Coral Reef Sites in Guna Yala, Panamá, Brydon Deanna Hollander
Department: Biology
The Influence of Instar on the Anti-Predator Freeze Response of Juvenile Carolina Grasshoppers (Dissosteira carolina), Molly Huggett
Department: Biology
Immunological Transcriptional Regulation Under Hypoxia: A Focus on the NF-κB family, Ari Inwood
Department: Biology
Comparison of the Efficacy of Graft Types Used in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery, Emma Jaros
Department: Biology
A Social Emotional Context for Learning: Educational Materials for Volunteers at the Wayne County Dog Shelter, Ivy R. Larrenaga
Department: Biology; Education
Diversity of Pollen Carried by Bees in Burned and Unburned Prairie Remnants, William Maximillian Likins
Department: Biology
Tiny Creatures of Great Importance: A Survey of Millipede Abundance and Occurance In Second-Growth Forests In Ohio, James Murphy
Department: Biology
S. cerevisiae Glutaredoxins Are Targets of the Protein Crosslinker Divinyl Sulfone, Lily G. Oliver
Department: Biology
Abundance and Ecotypes of the Culex pipiens Complex in Wooster, Ohio, Emilio Pac
Department: Biology
Modeling the Impact of Cellular Senescence on Wound Healing in Lung Alveolar Epithelial Tissue, Jiho Park
Department: Biology
Copper for Your Thoughts?: Examining the Role of Arginine Kinase in Effects of Copper Exposure on Myxococcus xanthus Growth and Sporulation, Brian W. Praul
Department: Biology
The Role of Bacteriophages in Modulating Trimethoprim Resistance in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Rithik Raj
Department: Biology
The Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Physical Activity in Students at The College of Wooster, Allyson E. Siewert
Department: Biology
Effects of Glyphosate Treatment on C. Elegans Health: Implications for Migrant Communities with Elevated Pesticide Exposure, J Payton Timken
Department: Biology; Spanish
Effects on Adult Nutritional Stress on Remating Behavior in Female Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes, Carolyn Velazquez
Department: Biology
Exploring the Relationship Between a Fungal Pathogen and the Skin Microbiome in Northern Two Lined Salamanders, Will Wasielewski
Department: Biology
The Plague (Yersinia Pestis) in China: From Historical Perspectives to Modern Day Genetics, Emily M. Winnicki
Department: Biology; Interdepartmental; Sociology and Anthropology
Transmission of Wolbachia in Culex Mosquitoes, Matthew Zuniga
Department: Biology
Canine Distemper Virus: A Review and Future Directions for Antiviral Treatment, Raven A. Zurbuchen
Department: Biology
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2024
Effects of Gap Junction Deletion on Seizure Severity and Sleep in Drosophila melanogaster: Implications for Epilepsy in Humans, Chamari Abercrombie
Department: Biology; Neuroscience
The Effect of Genes in the Survival of Motor Neurons Complex in Drosophila Melanogaster Larval Locomotion: Potential Implications in Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Andrew Armile
Department: Biology
Periodontitis in Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease, Annie Baeg
Department: Biology
The Influence of the Gut Microbiome on Physiological Function: A Focus on Microorganisms and Their Role in Human Metabolism, Madison Becker
Department: Biology
Genome Organization of Culicine-Associated Z Virus (CAZV) in Wild-Caught Aedes japonicus Mosquitoes from Wooster, Ohio, Orion M. Bress
Department: Biology
The Effects of Prenatal Androgenization on Estrous Cycle, Body Weight, and Voluntary Exercise in Sprague Dawley Rats, Saiyka S. Chowdhury
Department: Biology
Burning Questions: Exploring the Effects of Prescribed Burns on Plant-Pollinator Interactions in Fragmented North American Tallgrass Prairies, Jakarii Davis
Department: Biology
Investigating A Potential Mutualism Between The Poison Dart Frog Species O. Pumilio and the Bromeliad Species G. Lingulata, Vincent DiLeo
Department: Biology
A Study of Fungal Pathogen Frequency and Intensity of Northern Two-Lined Salamanders Eurycea Bislineata Within Wooster Memorial Park, Martin Elliot Edwards IV
Department: Biology
Genetic Interactions Between Disease Prone RNA Binding Proteins in Drosophila Melanogaster, Andrew Nicholas Esber
Department: Biology; Neuroscience
Camping With The Birds: The Use Of Automatic And Manual Bird Surveys In Cass County Michigan, Patrick Estell
Department: Biology
Growing The Buzz: Promoting Local Bee, Wasp, and Plant Knowledge Through Biodiversity Surveys and Environmental Education, Emily Greenland
Department: Biology
Effects of Lactational Exposure to Fluoxetine on Depression-Like Behavior in a Rodent Model of Early-Life Stress, Audrey Helmreich
Department: Biology
The Importance of Physical Activity for People with Down Syndrome: A Synthesis of Evidence Supporting the Creation of a Clinical Guideline, Ciara Herbert
Department: Biology
How Effective Does the Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira Carolina) Remain Undetected on Different Background Substrates?, Harley D. Holloway
Department: Biology
Benefits of AI in Dentistry for Improving Experiences and Reducing Patient Anxiety, Especially in Pediatric Patients, Jaehoon Lee
Department: Biology
Adaptive Responses to Unpredictable Feeding: Exploring Metabolic Adaptations, Glucocorticoid Dynamics, and Body Mass Modulations, Tudor Lungu
Department: Biology; Neuroscience
Grasshoppers on The College of Wooster Campus: Abundance and Environmental Conditions, Taylor Lynch
Department: Biology
"Frogtastic Moms": Analysis of Varaition within Maternal Care of Strawberry Poison Dart Frogs (Oophaga Pumilio) in Comparison to Ecological Variables and Female Reproductive Success, Koryn A. McNeil
Department: Biology
Hepatitis E Virus Replication in the Male Reproductive Tract of Swine, Lindsey K. Moore
Department: Biology
Exploring the Impact of Temperature and Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf Extract on Biofilm Formations and Bacterial Growth in Pseudomonas Strains: Insights Into Antibiotic-Resistant Infections, Amelia Morra
Department: Biology
Wriggling Through Toxins: An Investigation of the Protective Role Native Microbes May Play in the C. elegans Detoxification Response to Neonicotinoid Compounds, Garrett Morris
Department: Biology
Zoonotic Persistence and Evolution of the Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from Human to White-Tailed Deer and Other Vertebrates, Eric C. Mudd Jr
Department: Biology
Identifying Candidate Loci for Selection in the Antarctic Midge, Belgica antarctica, Jacob Schwartz
Department: Biology
Abundance and Ecotypes of the Culex pipiens Complex in Carrollton, Ohio, Haidyn O. Shuman
Department: Biology
Investigating the Role of the RNA-binding Protein Nab2 in Pre-mRNA Splicing in Drosophila melanogaster, Emma Smith
Department: Biology
Digital Stimuli in Visual Behavioral Research: Effects, Prevalence, and Development of Alternative Methods, Henry Louis Steinmetz
Department: Biology
Digital Stimuli in Visual Behavioral Research: Effects, Prevalence, and Development of Alternative Methods, Henry Louis Steinmetz
Department: Biology
Oral Health and Quality of Life in a Rural Older Adult Population, Claire Tobin
Department: Biology
Quantifying Pollen Carryover by Tracking Individual Pollen Grains: An Exploration Of The Quantum Dot Application, Ann Venditti
Department: Biology
Short- and Long-term Impacts of the Birthing Process on Infants and Mothers: an Investigation into Local and Global Trends, Eleanor Weiker
Department: Biology
Boolean Modeling and Microglial Matters: Replicating Microglial Behavior in Inflammation and Testing Model Validity, Nina Sahita Reddy Yeduguri Sandinti
Department: Biology; Neuroscience
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2023
Ecology and Genetic Variation of the Invasive Aedes japonicus Mosquito in Wooster, OH: An Addition to Existing Cultural, Literary, and Artistic Symbolism of Insects Around the World, Tomoka Shannon-Rose Adams
Department: Biology; Spanish
Coinfection of Culex Flavivirus and Wolbachia spp in Culex Mosquitoes and Implication for Arbovirus Control, Cristian Amesbury
Department: Biology
Investigating the Suggested Inhibition of Pho4 by P. sojae RxLR Effector PsAvh110 Utilizing SDL Assays, Nathaniel Andrews
Department: Biology
Melanism in Abert's Squirrel: Investigating the Genetic Cause and Frequency of Melanism in Northern Populations, Lake Barrett
Department: Biology
Push it to the Limit: Exploring the Activity Threshold of the Myxococcus xanthus Arginine Kinase and Its Effects on Socially-Motivated Phenotypes, Macey Bennett
Department: Biology
A Tale of Two Morphs: Understanding the Influence of Temperature on Eastern Red-Backed Salamander Color Morphs, Mary Blair
Department: Biology
Two's a Crowd: Creating a Double Plasmid Expression System in E. coli for Biotinylated KLK3 PSA Protein, Collin J. Boissoneault
Department: Biology
An Assessment of the Conservation Status and Morphology of the Golden Tree Frog, Phytotriades auratus, Daniel Borowsky
Department: Biology
Not Such a "Fun-Guy": Infection Patterns of the Fungal Pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), on Northern Two-Lined Salamander Populations at Wooster Memorial Park, Caileigh Alexandra Briggs
Department: Biology
It's the Little Things in (a Grasshopper's) Life: How the Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) Visually Signals to Conspecifics While Minimizing Predation Risk, Claire Campbell
Department: Biology; Neuroscience
Are Your Water Systems Safe? A Study on CYP1A Expression in Brown Bullhead and Channel Catfish in Response to Sediment Exposure from Killbuck Creek Wooster, Ohio, Madison Carter
Department: Biology
A Review of the Sexual Assault Kit Backlog and the Methods of Biological Analysis in Crime Laboratories, Chloe F. Clear
Department: Biology
On the Interaction Between Tau and Nab2 Proteins: Implication on AD, Mahmoud ElAchwah
Department: Biology; Neuroscience