Beckman Scholars INBRE Undergraduate Scholars
 

Beckman Scholars Program

Julianna Morley

Missoula, Montana

Cell Biology and Nueroscience
Mentor: Mary Cloninger, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project: The role of galectin-3/glycodendrimer interactions in cancer cell aggregation
 

Luke Oltrogge

Absarokee, Montana

Chemistry
Mentor: Trevor Douglas, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project: Mechanistic analysis of an antioxidant protein cage from a hyperthermophilic archaeon
 

INBRE Scholars

Rehab Abdallah

Cairo, Egypt

Biotechnology
Mentor: Michael Franklin, Microbiology
Project:

Development of biosensor to detect heavy metal contamination

 

Ruhani Amin

Bozeman, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Barry Pyle, Microbiology
Project:

Detection of pathogens in hot water bypass distribution system

 

Jason Anderson

Idaho Falls, Idaho

Biochemistry
Mentor: Rachel Neal, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project:

Chronic lead exposure induced alterations in rat kidney proteome

 

Tyler Arbour

Sheridan, Montana

Chemistry
Mentor: Trevor Douglas , Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project:

Experimental and computational approaches to elucidation of an archaeal antioxidant mechanism in Dps-like protein from Sulfolobus solfataricus

 

Elliott Barnhart

Broadus, Montana

Environmental Microbiology
Mentor: Tim Ford, Microbiology
Project:

Community analysis of methanogenic archaea within underground coal beds

 

Holly Basta

Great Falls, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Marcella McClure, Microbiology
Project: Global analysis of insect genome retroid content and drosophila retroid comparison
 

Teresa Blaskovich

Butte, Montana

Biochemistry

Mentor: Jean Starkey, Microbiology
Project:

Expression profiling canine tumors for pre-clinical studies of photodynamic therapy

 

Nicholas Dotson

Bozeman, Montana

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: John Miller, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Integration of magnetoception in humans via continuous tactile stimulation

 

Sarah Eby

Eagle River, Alaska

Health and Human Development,

Psychology

Mentor: Michael Hahn, Health and Human Development
Project:

Evaluation of neuromuscular activation in the wrist following injury

 

Aleisha Elliott

Seattle, Washington

Biochemistry
Mentor: Jean Starkey, Microbiology
Project:

Gene expression and host response analysis using NCI-H69 and Lewis lung cancer tumors undergoing photodynamic therapy

 

Rob Fell

Bozeman, Montana

Chemical Engineering
Mentor: Sarah Codd , Mechanical Engineering
Project:

Determination of the different transport mechanisms of various controlled-release tablets using magnetic resonance

 

Robert Frost

Rapid City, South Dakota

Microbiology
Mentor: Marcella McClure, Microbiology
Project:

Analysis and comparison of retroid agents in marsupial and monotreme genomes

 

Drago Guggiana

Copiapo, Chile

Chemical Engineering and

Biochemistry

Mentor: Thomas Hughes, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Devising a fluorescent protein-based biosensor for cAMP in-vivo measurements

 

Kyle Halliwill

Anchorage, Alaska

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Roger Bradley, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Identifying the promoter of chicken protocathein-1

 

Laura Johnson

Fairbanks, Alaska

Biochemistry and French
Mentor: John Peters, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project: Probing protein-protein interactions in nitrogenase
 

Benjamin Krajacich

Great Falls, Montana

Biochemistry
Mentor: Edward Dratz, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project:

Fluorescence monitoring of plasma protein denaturation:  Following an unexpected, novel lead for disease detection

 

Dana Kreitel

Ekalaka, MT

Biotechnology
Mentor: Michele Hardy, Veterinary and Molecular Biology
Project:

Investigating interactions between rotavirus NSP1 and RACK1

 

Joshua Martin

Billings, Montana

Cell Biology and Neuroscience,

Biomedicine

Mentor: Christa Merzdorf, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Effects of the Zic1 transcription factor on gene expression during neural development

 

Hunter Mattocks

Billings, Montana

Mechanical Engineering Technology
Mentor: John Miller, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Integration of magnetoception in humans via continuous tactile stimulation

 

Bridgett McNulty

Great Falls, Montana

Biochemistry and

Cell Biology and Neuroscience

Mentor: Roger Bradley, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Determination of chick protocadherin-1 binding partners

 

Lena Petersen

Polson, Montana

Biochemistry and Dietetics
Mentor: Brian Bothner, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project: Proteomic analysis of the effects of the MNV-1 on murine cells
 

Lily Peterson

Helena, Montana

Biochemistry
Mentor: Martin Teintze, Chemistry
Project:

Detection of CXCR4 fragments using mass spectrometry

 

Tim Potter

Potomac, Maryland

Biochemistry
Mentor: Brian Bothner, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project:

Identifying dynamic regions of Adeno-associated virus

 

Abbey Potterf

Helena, Montana

Cell Biology and Neuroscience,

Biomedical Option

Mentor: John Miller, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Integration of magnetoception in humans via continuous tactile stimulation

 

Lim Kien Seng

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Biotechnology
Mentor: Barry Pyle, Microbiology
Project:

Plasmid stability of Streptomyces lividans in response to spaceflight

 

Alfred Swanson

League City, Texas

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: John Miller, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Integration of magnetoception in humans via continuous tactile stimulation

 

Alfred Swanson

League City, Texas

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Christa Merzdorf, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Project:

Investigation of Zic1 effects on Xl. 3005 transcription in Xenopus embryos

 

Trevor Zuroff

Glendive, Montana

Chemical Engineering
Mentor: Ross Carlson, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Project:

The effect of quorum-sensing knockout on Escherichia coli K-12 biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and architecture

 

Undergraduate Scholars Program

Monther Abusultan

Gaza Strip, Palestine

Computer Engineering
Mentor: Brock LaMeres , Electrical and Computer Engineering
Project: FEA modeling of a novel off-chip coaxial nano-launch for SMOS SoP integration
 

McKenna Alvarez

San Antonio, Texas

Earth Sciences, Paleontology
Mentor: Colin Shaw, Earth Sciences
Project:

Crystallographic layering in dinosaur and bird eggshells:  An electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) study

 

Raima Amin

Bozeman, Montana

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Gary Strobel, Plant Sciences
Project: Promising endophytes in foreign plants
 

Alonzo Antonucci

Bozeman, Montana

Liberal Studies, Global and Multicultural

Option, and French

Mentor: Ada Giusti, Modern Languages
Project: Art to fight malaria
 

Mir Anwar

Bozeman, Montana

Biotechnology,

Animal Science

Mentor: Mark Jutila, Veterinary Molecular Biology
Project: Studying the effect of yd T cells agonist 8126 in-vivo on TLR4 deficient mice infected with Salmonella typhimurium
 

Brendan Beachman

Bozeman, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts
Mentor: James Joyce, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Stasis

 

Matthew Beamer

Casper, Wyoming

Mathematics and French
Mentor: Christopher Pinet, Modern Languages
Project: The connection between French rap and the actions of French youth
 

Erik Beil

Missoula, Montana

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Marcella McClure, Microbiology
Project: Retroid analysis of the canine genome
 

Corinne Block

Boise, Idaho

Environmental Sciences,

Soil and Water Science

Mentor: Richard Engel, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
Project: Active soil organic carbon levels as impacted by dryland cropping systems in Montana
 

Michael Brown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Media and Theatre Arts,

Film and Photography

Mentor: Bill Neff, Media and Theatre Arts
Project: The bullet and the boot
 

Tim Brox

Fresno, California

Earth Sciences, Geology
Mentor: Mark Skidmore, Earth Sciences
Project:

SEM analysis of liquid vein structure in labratory ices using frozen microbial growth media

 

Gretchen Bundy

Bigfork, Montana

Graphic Design

Mentor: Nelleke Beltjens, Art
Project:

Medium of change:  Exploration of sculpture through non-traditional materials

 

Patrick Carroll

Bozeman, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts

and French

Mentor: Theo Lipfert, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Exploring the use of non-traditional equipment and techniques in narrative fiction film

 

Mystera Clark

Belgrade, Montana

Psychology and

Ecology and Evolution

Mentor: Jack Fisher, Sociology and Anthropology
Project: Post traumatic stress disorder in apes
 

Kevin Connolly

Helena, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts
Mentor: Walter Metz, Media and Theatre Arts
Project: The people are curious
 

Rebecca Cooper

Corvallis, Oregon

French

Mentor: Ada Giusti, Modern Languages
Project: An evaluation of medical relief organizations in Francophone countries
 

Daniel Cornish

Butte, Montana

Math and Photography

Mentor: Kyle Bajakian, Media and Theatre Arts
Project: A series of portraits:  Transition and demographics in present day Turkey
 

Danny Cox

Kevin, Montana

Biotechnology
Mentor: Tim McDermott, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
Project:

Functional importance of individual subunits (A-G) of the Mnh-type NA:H antiporter in support of microbial arsenite oxidation

 

Chelsea Crandell

Scobey, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Barry Pyle, Microbiology
Project: Effect of modeled microgravity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa 01 as determined by proteomics
 

Micah Crowley

Helena, Montana

Biochemistry
Mentor: Mary Cloninger, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project: Attaching spin labels to dendrimers
 

Jayme Day

Greenville, South Carolina

Nursing
Mentor: Karen Zulkowski, Nursing
Project: The use of honey for chronic wound healing
 

Megan Duffy

Dillon, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Wade Hill, Nursing
Project: The relationship among isolation, socioeconomic status, and environmental health among a sample of rural families
 

Lindsay Elmore

Eagle, Colorado

Plant Biotechnology
Mentor: William Hoch, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
Project: Development of a linkage map for floral frangrance in Viburnum
 

Matt Enrooth

Butte, Montana

Biomedicine

Mentor: John Peters, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project:

Hydrogen production from green algae

 

Cristin Forbes

Bozeman, Montana

Health and Human Development
Mentor: Christina Campbell, Health and Human Development
Project: Glycemic pattern documentation during long-distance endurance activities
 

Carol Froseth

Corvallis, Montana

Agroecology
Mentor: Alice Pilgeram, Plant Sciences
Project: An analysis using Camelina sativa meal as mulch for biocontrol of weeds
 

Alaina Garcia

Bozeman, Montana

Mechanical Engineering

and Math

Mentor: John Davis, Industrial and Mechanical Engineering
Project:

Journalism of the SAE car

 

Karen Gaulke

Bozeman, Montana

Religious Studies
Mentor: Lynda Sexson, History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies
Project: Corona project humanities journal
 

Christopher Gilstrap

Billings, Montana

Statistics
Mentor: Mark Greenwood, Mathematical Sciences
Project: Spatial data analysis of the orientations of drumlin
 

Hannah Grotbo

Helena, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts
Mentor: Simon Dixon, Media and Theatre Arts
Project: Bollywood from the outside in
 

Lee Hall

Vermillion, South Dakota

Paleontology
Mentor: Jack Horner, Museum of the Rockies and David Varricchio, Earth Sciences
Project: Dinosaur teeth from the Upper Jurassic Mugher Mudstone of Ethiopia
 

Kamron Hansen

Ashton, Idaho

Physics
Mentor: Galina Malovichko, Physics
Project: Magnetic resonance and optical study of lithium niobate doped with rhodium
 

Adam Hellman

Bozeman, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts
Mentor: Theo Lipfert, Media and Theatre Arts
Project: Watching a film grow:  The organic nature of the documentary process
 

Malcolm Herstand

Orwell, Vermont

Environmental Science, Soil

and Water Emphasis

Mentor: Lucy Marshall and Brian McGlynn, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
Project:

Combining ALSM-derived forest canopy density, terrain, and SNOTEL data to model spatial distribution of snow water equivalent accumulation

 

Ashley Hildred

Davis, California

Psychology
Mentor: Ian Handley, Psychology
Project: The impact of violent sexual media depictions on female aggression
 

Sydney Hoffner

Minot, North Dakota

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Paul Monaco, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Volition

 

Mark Huff

Kalispell, Montana

Psychology
Mentor: Michelle Meade, Psychology
Project: Predicting left handedness through involvement with music
 

Brett Jensen

Noxon, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Paul Monaco, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Volition

 

Jonathan Jorgensen

Bozeman, Montana

Physics
Mentor: Galina Malovichko, Physics
Project: Pressure study of EPR of LiNbo3:Cr 1% atom
 

James Jurczak

Bozeman, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Paul Monaco, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Volition

 

Sabindra Katila

Bozeman, Montana

Biotechnology, Microbial System
Mentor: Marcella McClure, Microbiology
Project: Ostreococcus:  A retroid agent perspective
 

Ben Kecskes

Helena, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Paul Monaco, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Volition

 

Tina LeMarr

Denver, Colorado

Anthropology, History, and

Religious Studies

Mentor: Carla Nappi, History and Philosophy
Project: Religion in the Taiping Rebellion
 

Kasey Lund

Miles City, Montana

Physics
Mentor: Stephen Sofie
Project:

Investigation of coal gas as a fuel source for solid oxide fuel cells

 

Meekyung MacMurdie

Bozeman, Montana

History and Religious Studies
Mentor: Lynda Sexson, History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies
Project: My book and heart will never part
 

Megan Matzick

Bozeman, Montana

French and Commerce
Mentor: Ada Giusti, Modern Languages
Project: A step further:  Research into the economic world of Sanambele
 

Ian McEwen

Helena, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts,

Photography

Mentor: Ian van Coller, Media and Theatre Arts
Project: Portraits of immigration:  Comparison and critique between the European Union and the United States
 

Zachary Melms

Anchorage, Alaska

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Paul Monaco, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Volition

 

Eva Mends

Helena, Montana

Biomedical Science and French
Mentor: Ada Giusti, Modern Languages
Project: Exploration of traditional Malian anti-malarial medicinal plants and the participatory process
 

Kelsey Meyer

Fargo, North Dakota

French and International Business
Mentor: Ada Giusti, Modern Languages
Project: Business opportunities in Sanambele
 

Greg Miles

Bozeman, Montana

Biotechnology
Mentor: William Dyer, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
Project:

Investigation of herbicide resistance to pinoxaden in Avena fatua

 

Angela Mitchell

Butte, Montana

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Gary Strobel, Plant Sciences
Project: The identification, characterization, and antibiotic properties of a novel endophytic fungus
 

Philip Newman

Ludlow, Vermont

Film and Television
Mentor: Theo Lipfert, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Aspects of jazz guitar in Montana: A living history

 

Ben Novak

Williston, North Dakota

Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Mentor: Steven Kalinowski, Ecology
Project: Asserting the genetic distinctiveness of the Blue Lake Ambystoma tigrinum melanosictum paedomorphic population
 

Samantha O'Neil

Bozeman, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Sandra Halonen, Microbiology
Project: Toxoplasma gondii cystogenesis in murine astrocytes
 

Chelsey Padilla

Bozeman, Montana

Music
Mentor: Greg Young, Music and Academic Affairs
Project:

A national study of undergraduate research in the fine arts

 

Nathaniel Park

Bozeman, Montana

Environmental Science and

Chemistry

Mentor: Brian McGlynn, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
Project: Mineral weathering of select Big Sky lithologies
 

Corri Pfeiffenberger

Bozeman, Montana

Plant Science
Mentor: Tracy Dougher, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
Project:

Evaluation of four native Montana perennials for rain garden suitability

 

Katie Phillips

Stevensville, Montana

Animal Science
Mentor: James Berardinelli, Animal and Range Sciences
Project:

Effect of the biostimulatory effect of bulls on non-esterified fatty acids, leptin, and ghrelin concentrations in primiparous, anestrous, suckled beef cows

 

Christopher Pohl

Seattle, Washington

Pre-Nursing
Mentor: Clarann Weinert and Elizabeth Kinion, Nursing
Project: Women to women project:  Enhancing self care
 

Katherine Proietti

Merced, California

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Joel Jahnke, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Five women wearing the same dress

 

Daniel Quinn

Helena, Montana

Graphic Design
Mentor: Jamie Sherman, Plant Sciences
Project: Cereal quality testing animation
 

MaryClare Rollins

Bozeman, Montana

Ecology
Mentor: Ed Schmidt, Veterinary and Molecular Biology
Project:

Characterization of defects in mice lacking cytoplasmic thioredoxin reductase only in their mycloid lineage

 

Leif Routman

Northbrook, Illinois

Guitar Performance
Mentor: Eric Funk, Music
Project:

Aspects of jazz guitar in Montana

 

Leif Routman

Northbrook, Illinois

Guitar Performance
Mentor: Terry Beaubois, CAA/Creative Research Lab
Project: Designing music:  Analysis of setting and composition
 

Luke Runnion

Big Sandy , Montana

Biotechnology, Animal Systems
Mentor: James Berardinelli, Animal and Range Sciences
Project:

Immunohistochemical evaluation of ghrelin and leptin receptors in small and large ovarian follicles and corpora lutea of bovids

 

Jay Rutherford

Missoula, Montana

Chemical and Biological

Engineering

Mentor: Joseph Seymour, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Project: Characterization of liquids in porous media using earth's field NMR
 

Derrick Samuelson

Belgrade, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Garth James, Center for Biofilm Engineering
Project: Comparison of protein expression in wound biofilm models
 

Clinton Schaaf

Mandan, North Dakota

Earth Science
Mentor: David Varricchio, Earth Sciences
Project:

Dental analysis of Troodon formosus: Dinosauria, Theropoda

 

Melissa Schroeder

Dorris, California

Land Rehabilitation
Mentor: Otto Stein, Civil Engineering
Project: Plant influences on wastewater treatment and microbial communities
 

Ryan Scott

Clyde Park, Montana

Psychology
Mentor: Wesley Lynch, Psychology
Project:

Gender roles and self esteem

 

Aaron Smith

Havre, Montana

Microbiology
Mentor: Barry Pyle, Microbiology
Project: Determining genetic changes in microorganisms in response to space flight
 

Benjamin Staal

Manhattan, Montana

Mechanical Engineering
Mentor: Joseph Shaw, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Project: Design of subsystems for an arctic-deployable, wide-angle, infrared cloud imager
 

Kevin Swanson

Butte, Montana

Biomedicine
Mentor: John Peters, Biochemistry
Project: Using mass spectrometry to probe hydrogenase interactions
 

Aimee Tallian

Chicago, Illinois

Biological Sciences
Mentor: Scott Creel, Ecology
Project:

Degradation rates of adrenal glucocorticoid (GC) in Yellowstone National Park Lake District bear scat

 

Robert Toombs

Butte, Montana

Media and Theatre Arts

Mentor: Paul Monaco, Media and Theatre Arts
Project:

Volition

 

Sadie Tynes

Simms, Montana

English Literature, History,

and Religious Studies

Mentor: Lynda Sexson, History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies
Project: The Carona Project
 

Kelsey Van Nice

Helena, Montana

Sociology

Mentor: Jenny Haubenreiser, Student Health and Health Promotion
Project: VIBE - Vital intelligence beyond experience
 

Kevin Volkening

Pullman, Washington

Chemical Engineering

Mentor: William Locke, Earth Sciences
Project: Investigation of mass balance trends and their drivers on the Juneau icefield, Canada/ Alaska
 

Ian Vrable

Boise, Idaho

Physics
Mentor: Galina Malovichko, Physics
Project: EPR study of erbium doped stoichiometric lithium niobate crystals
 

Jeri Lynn Williamson

Billings, Montana

Biochemistry and Cell Biology

and Neuroscience

Mentor: Brent Peyton, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Project: Biodegradation of TNT using thermo-alkaliphilic microorganisms
 

Hannah Wilson

Helena, Montana

Community Health
Mentor: Jenny Haubenreiser, Student Health and Health Promotion
Project: VIBE - Vital intelligence beyond experience
 

Brendan Zanitsch

Longview, Texas

Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Alice Pilgeram, Plant Science
Project: Study to find an accurate novel glucosinolate assay