Inventorying and Cataloguing the Hess Archives Artifacts Collection

Abigal Sholes is inventorying, researching, and making accessible artifacts in the Hess Archives, with items that date back as far as the 1920s from the Church of the Brethren, as well as artifacts from countries around the world. Sholes has been hard at work in the High Library and the Young Center this summer alongside staff mentor and Etown Archivist Rachel Grove Rohrbaugh, analyzing a variety of different artifacts, ranging from paper documents to 3D artifacts such as clothing and regalia from past students and faculty dating back as far as the 1920s.

Injury Recovery in Athletes

Joey Wagner is creating an app that aims to help runners improve form and prevent injury. Wagner has been working diligently alongside his Etown faculty mentor, Professor of Engineering Kurt DeGoede to develop the app that utilizes sensors worn on user’s arms, feet, and around their waist to track movement and improve running form, with the ultimate goal of reducing wasted motion. Currently in the early stages of this project, Wagner analyzed different codes that can be used to help support the app during its development.

Coprocessor-Agonistic, Zero-Code, Vision Processing System for the First Robotics Competition

Nathaniel Brightup and Steven Klinefelter are designing an open source, zero-code artificial intelligence program that will help high school students with limited resources to be able to compete in the international FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).

Brightup and Klinefelter have been working closely with their Etown faculty mentor, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Peilong Li on designing the artificial intelligence program that the robots can use in the FRC competition, where teams of high school students are challenged to design, build, and program robots. The program that the two Etown students are designing uses a visual detection system that automatically identifies marked game objects on the competition field such as cones, cubes, or balls. Once they are identified, the robot will automatically proceed to hit a set target.

Synthesis of Novel Peptide Nucleic Acid Nucleobases for Sequence Selective Recognition of RNA

Hallie Bleam and Jennah Hoke are working on campus this summer with faculty mentor and A.C. Baugher Professor of Chemistry, Dr. James MacKay, studying ribonucleic acid (RNA) and gaining a detailed comprehension regarding its primary functions. They are creating molecules that are meant to recognize specific sequences of RNA, allowing scientists to better understand strands of the key biomolecule that is relevant to the understanding of genetics and disease.

Their study is a continuation of research that dates back to the fall of 2015. The project has been researched as a part of the Summer Creative Arts and Research Program (SCARP) for the previous five years.

Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church – Building Survey and Floor Plans

Juan Parra Castro and Chris Reilly are working off-campus this summer at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Lewisberry, Pa., surveying the space, and taking detailed measurements to design updated blueprints that reflect the building’s renovations.

The work is crucial for the safety of the building’s occupants as the new flooring plan will provide the local Fire Department with a birds-eye view for an evacuation plan.

Examining the Impact of Environmental Education and Time Spent Outdoors on Students’ Stress and Environmental Attitudes

Emma Halteman and Catherine McMahan are conducting a study this summer to determine if the stress levels of college students, as well as their attitudes toward the environment, can be impacted by how they engage with nature. In addition to pre- and post-surveys that assess students’ stress, mood, and environmental attitudes and behaviors, participants either engage in an indoor or outdoor environmental educational activity or spend time meditating in nature.

Self as Anchor in Judgments of Height and Weight

Ryan Ramler is coordinating a study this summer to determine the psychology behind why individuals have predetermined judgments about others based on their physical features.

Ramler has been working with Etown faculty mentor and Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael Roy, creating and conducting a survey that was sent to the campus community to collect data on what participants believe the height and weight are of 10 different individuals from a database based on first impression. Ramler and Roy will then conduct a follow-up study in an effort to remove personal bias, as physical features have been shown to factor into people’s judgments of each other.

Using EMG to Quantify Fatigue with Ergonomic Handled Tools

Casumpang is spending her summer on campus researching levels of fatigue when using ergonomic handled tools. Casumpang has been working alongside faculty mentor and Assistant Professor of Engineering & Physics Mark Brinton, testing different hammers to determine which type of handle creates the least amount of fatigue. To test fatigue, Casumpang applies electrode sensors to skin and runs a swing test, followed by attaching a weight to the hammer and holding it upright.

Covalent Incorporation of Transition Metal Complexes into Metal-Organic Frameworks for Sensing and Delivery Applications

Lawrence and Kraenbring are working on campus this summer, researching metal-organic frameworks (MOF) to determine if they can release platinum compounds into human cancer cells.

Their study consists of testing metal complexes using multiple substances to evaluate sensitivity levels within the complexes. If the MOF can release the compounds into the human cancer cells, they will research the potential use of the MOF as a drug delivery system that could be utilized in cancer treatment.

eTherapy App (phase IIIa)

Computer Science and Data Science major A.J. Botticelli is working on campus this summer on the third generation of eTherapy, a mobile application previously designed by Elizabethtown College students and faculty to provide biofeedback in occupational therapy and physical therapy sessions. The objective for improving the app this summer is to fix bugs within the app to allow a full release of the application.

Botticelli is working on this project for the second consecutive summer, which is a continuation of over 10 years of collaboration between various Etown Engineering and Occupational Therapy students and faculty.

Effects of Political-Economy and Land Use on Population Health

Gabriel Karl is working alongside faculty mentors Dr. Robert Aronson and Dr. Sakar Sigdel this summer in an interdisciplinary research project to determine how a variety of factors within large population cities influence public health. As part of his interdisciplinary research, Karl is viewing public data and using the City Health Dashboard to analyze the metrics of over 200 cities with a population of over 70,000 to gain a statistical background on public health. Karl attended the Policy Action Institute in Washington D.C. this past June to learn more about advocacy for how to make a positive change.

The goal of Karl’s research is to write and publish a paper to present at the American Public Health Conference, where the Political Science and Economics major furthered his advocacy efforts by learning effective methods of telling the story behind the data.

Donor-Conceived People: Identity and Family Relationships

Although the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to conceive children using donor sperm or eggs has been available for decades, minimal research has examined how this sizable population of donor-conceived people experience their families and construct their own identities.

Elizabethtown College Psychology major Kyla Carpenter is collaborating with Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. T. Evan Smith this summer to conduct research in an effort to understand the family relationships of donor-conceived people and how their sense of self impacts their overall well-being.

Chemical Formulation and Utilization of Crystalline Glazes on Original Ceramic Art

Fine Art major Ashley Van Dunk is combining art and chemistry this summer by developing new recipes for crystalline ceramic glazes at lower, more-economical firing temperatures. With faculty mentor, Etown Professor of Art, Milt Friedly lending his expertise and experience, the pair of Blue Jays have performed over 50 tests to establish limits for the base and color chemistry of glazes at multiple temperatures. Van Dunk has the ultimate goal of creating a glaze recipe that will be entirely her own and eventually publishing her work in Ceramics Monthly.

Making Campus Trees Visible: Creating Resources to Enable Students and the Surrounding Communities to Benefit from Trees of the Elizabethtown Campus

Environmental Science major Juriel Diaz and Biology major Kira Koutsouftikis are working on campus this summer with faculty mentors, Professor of Biology Dr. Diane Bridge, and Director of Prestigious Scholarships and Public Heritage Studies Jean-Paul Benowitz on a set of resources to make it easier for members of the campus community and surrounding communities to learn about the biology, ecological roles, and cultural significance of selected trees on the Elizabethtown College campus.

In this project, Diaz and Koutsouftikis have created virtual tours, unique activities, and text for proposed signs. The end results from this project will be used in future classes, SEEDS Ecology Club activities, and tours available for local community members as part of the Earth 2 E-town Earth Day festival. Their work also has the potential to serve as the basis for the College’s application for the Arboretum Accreditation Program through ArbNet.

Issuing Recommendations for Diverse Student and Employee Retention at PWIs

Public Health major Samhar Almomani is working alongside staff mentor, Associate Director of Diversity, Equity & Belonging Darcey V. Mills to increase equity and inclusivity on campus by translating research findings into long-term changes. Their research identifies insights that will drive the formulation of suggestions to improve DEB programs and initiatives

Effect of Biomimicry on Perceived Intensity in Electrocutaneous Sensory Feedback

Robert Midura is conducting research on campus this summer to help create a natural feeling for prosthetics by using electric stimulation.Midura has been working alongside faculty mentor and Assistant Professor of Engineering & Physics Mark Brinton, researching different variations of electrical stimulation in hopes of finding a cost-effective and minimally invasive solution for prosthetics users to regain natural feeling. The ultimate goal of Midura’s research is to find the parameters that make artificial stimulation feel the same as human touch.

Sharing the Benefits of Music Therapy with Local Veterans

Music Therapy major Nicole Pinnella is working alongside faculty mentor Emily Frantz to spread the benefits of music therapy and to positively impact the lives of local veterans. Pinnella and Frantz have worked closely with veterans at the nearby Masonic Village Elizabethtown, listening to their stories and helping to uplift their day through music therapy. Music therapy goes beyond just music, as Pinnella also specializes in psychology and neuroscience. The ultimate goal of this project is to educate veterans on what music therapy is, showing the benefits it can provide and how they can access it.

Analysis of Compression on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome Symptoms

Biology, Pre-Physical Therapy major Sarah Marston is spending her summer on campus researching Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and the use of water-based compression therapy as a potential treatment. Marston has a personal interest in this research as she has been living with POTS for the past three years and suffered from symptoms prior to the diagnosis. POTS is a condition that causes your heart to beat faster than normal when you transition from sitting or lying down to standing up.

Marston has been actively working alongside her Etown faculty mentor, Kurt DeGoede to test treatments by having individuals wear compression leggings, as compression is known to mitigate the effect, and undergoing different testing conditions with the goal of raising awareness of POTS as only one in 5,000 people suffer from the syndrome.

What Kind of Language Incites Violence? An Analysis of the January 6 Riots

Elizabethtown College Political Science major Nicholas Wiley is taking a deep dive on campus this summer, researching the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. by analyzing the root cause of the incident. Wiley is working alongside Etown faculty mentor and Dean of the School of Public Service and Professor of Political Science April Kelly, analyzing video testimonies of participants, as well as the official January 6 committee’s final report. Wiley’s end goal with this research is to bring awareness to prevent future incidents from occurring and to carve out his niche within this research.

A College Chatbot System Leveraging Large Language Models and Customized Data

Computer Science major Alexander Fox and Computer Engineering major Joshua Stoner worked on campus this summer to develop a cutting-edge resource that integrates the Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Chat GPT, and virtual reality to potentially be used in guiding prospective students through the admissions process by helping them learn more about Etown.

Fox and Stone are working closely with Etown faculty mentor Jingwen Wang, developing two variations of the chatbot program, a web, and virtual reality version. The web version is being designed to serve as a way for users to ask any question about the College, providing convenient access to information. The virtual reality version is an innovative way for prospective students to experience campus from the comfort of their home.

Canned Contributions: A Qualitative Study of the Donation Patterns and Needs of Lancaster County Area Charitable Food Systems

Sociology major Olivia Morrison has been meeting with nearly 25 local food banks, charities, and church-based organizations this summer to determine donation needs with the goal of publishing her findings and organizing an Elizabethtown College-based donation drive this fall.

In the process of her research, Morrison has found opportunities to engage in applied sociology by participating in her own volunteer work and creating connections between the local community and Etown’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE).