×
On Air Now
WCLU Radio
Now Playing
WCLU Radio

Gatton Academy students engage in cutting-edge research through Gatton Research Internship Grant (RIG) program

By Mark Buckles Jun 26, 2023 | 10:02 PM
(KARI LYNN SOMERS/WKU)

BOWLING GREEN – Gatton Academy students are participating in advanced research in a variety of academic fields this summer through the Gatton Research Internship Grant (RIG) Program. The RIG Program began in 2010 after receiving a gift from Mr. Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton to offer students a chance to pursue research internships across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the United States, and the world.

This year, 17 students from Gatton Academy received funding to work with researchers at Western Kentucky University, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Purdue University, and Boston University School of Medicine. Additionally, three students were awarded funding through the GM Community Impact Grant to collaborate with researchers at Indiana University and Brown University.

The 20 students participating this year are most looking forward to engaging with young scholars with similar interests, conducting research on a scale greater than they can during the school year, and the mentorship of their faculty members. One student, Amelie Fuentes who is working with WKU’s Center for Energy Systems, shared, “The part of my research I am most looking forward to is collaborating with other researchers, as well as getting the opportunity to work in the grant writing process. I am very excited to learn more about the software and hardware systems that go into the development of machines and robots.”

The RIG Program is a fast-paced experience that allows Gatton Academy students to immerse themselves in research for only a few months. During that time, students must design and conduct their own original research project.

For some, it’s an opportunity to pursue a skill or subject area they would not normally have access to. Braeden Patrick, who is spending the summer in Bloomington, Indiana, working with Gatton alumna Dr. Shelby Rader, shared, “As a young person in STEM, research means experience. I have a passion for science, but often feel scared about pursuing it or feel lacking in my abilities. Research allows me to gain that experience and confidence in the field.”

In its 14 years, this program has offered 216 students opportunities to study STEM problems in their areas of interest in a devoted, full-time research setting.

The following are this year’s recipients.

Tobi Akangbe (’24, South Warren High School) is examining the effects of glucocorticoids on responses to sleep loss with Dr. Noah Ashley of WKU’s Department of Biology.

Mykah Carden (’24, Russellville High School) is investigating the geological and hydrological aspects of the Hidden River Groundwater Basin with Dr. Pat Kambesis of WKU’s Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences.

Landon Carlton (’24, Rockcastle County High School) is exploring the role of V-Type ATPase in Drosophila wing development with Dr. Ajay Srivastava of WKU’s Department of Biology.

Tyler Clifton (’24, Corbin High School) is investigating how neuron-glia interaction is disrupted following a mild traumatic brain injury with Dr. Adam Bachstetter of the University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine.

Kal-El Cline (’24, Warren East High School) is developing novel, high-porosity polymer substrates to which photocatalyst compounds can be attached with Dr. Matthew Nee of WKU’s Department of Chemistry.

Amelie Fuentes (’24, Atherton High School) is developing a pressure sensor for autonomous robotic grip applications with Dr. Farhad Ashrafzadeh of WKU’s Center for Energy Systems.

Nikhil Kumar (’24, duPont Manual High School) is exploring the impact of BEM1 and BOI1 proteins on cellular morphology and polarity and their implications for human physiology with Dr. Joseph Marquardt of WKU’s Department of Biology.

Jacob Ladwig (’24, Owensboro High School) is synthesizing and analyzing 3metal-organic coordination polymers with Dr. Bangbo Yan of WKU’s Department of Chemistry.

Albert Presley-Mbanfu (’24, Greenwood High School) is using the sea lamprey as a model for studying molecular mechanisms of successful spinal cord regeneration in vertebrates with Dr. Hilary Katz of WKU’s Department of Biology.

Sara Nath (’24, Larry A. Ryle High School) is developing deep learning models to predict Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis accurately with Dr. Ritambhara Singh of Brown University’s Department of Computer Science. (Generally funded by GM Community Impact Grant)

Mara Neace (’24, Model Laboratory High School) is developing a water quality and quantity profile for Jennings Creek in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with Dr. Jason Polk of WKU’s Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences.

Amy Pan (’24, Bowling Green High School) is developing an AR project that pairs live performance with AR elements in a traditional theatre space with Dr. Kristina Arnold of WKU’s Department of Art.

Om Patel (’24, Breckinridge County High School) is creating a fully functional and immersive game-like learning tool for American Sign Language that has a virtual reality application with Dr. Kristina Arnold of WKU’s Department of Art & Design.

Braeden Patrick (’24, Southwestern High School) is processing and studying the metal concentration in plants harvested from the Bismark Mine in Montana with Dr. Shelby Rader (’09, Estill County HS) of Indiana University in Bloomington’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. (Generally funded by GM Community Impact Grant)

Laurel Patterson (’24, North Oldham High School) is performing a computational investigation of dendritic spines with Dr. TaeYoon Kim of Purdue University’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

Sofia Sileo (’24, iLEAD/Henry County High School) is identifying and characterizing bacteriophage proteins with Dr. Rodney King of WKU’s Department of Biology.

Hunter Smith (’24, West Jessamine High School) is studying the role of impaired myocardial energetics in development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with Dr. Ivan Luptak of Boston University’s School of Medicine.

Jacob Thomas (’24, Saint Xavier High School) is investigating the characterization of V-Type ATPase downregulation phenotype in the air sac primordium in Drosophila melanogaster with Dr. Ajay Srivastava of WKU’s Department of Biology.

Gracie Veith (’24, South Warren High School) is developing novel, high-porosity polymer substrates to which photocatalyst compounds can be attached with Dr. Matthew Nee of WKU’s Department of Chemistry.

Vivianna Weaver (’24, Garrard County High School) is using zebrafish to examine how exposure to per and polyfluoroalkyl substances affects brain development and seizure susceptibility with Dr. Jessica Plavicki of Brown University’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. (Generally funded by GM Community Impact Grant)