Interdisciplinary – Page 32 – UROP Spring Symposium 2021

Interdisciplinary

The Application of Genomic Tools for Monitoring Aquatic Endangered, Invasive, and Economically Important Species

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material from urine, waste, mucus, or sloughed cells collected from aquatic habitats that can be analyzed for species detection without ever seeing the actual organism. It is an emerging management tool that is useful for monitoring invasive, native, and endangered species. Traditional methods of data collection tend to harm or kill species so that they can be preserved for laboratory identification. Sampling done using eDNA methods, on the other hand, is a low-cost alternative that does not harm any species. It can be done in harsher conditions and is able to detect species that tend to be missed using traditional methods. While this technology has been shown to be extremely beneficial, there have been issues concerning a communication and knowledge gap between researchers and conservationists. Our research project aims to bridge this gap by creating a database that is publicly accessible, and user-friendly for both conservationists and other scientific researchers. We have compiled important information from approximately 300 research articles and organized it in a uniform format, within a centralized database. This database focuses on allowing the end-user to search through pre-designed assays for a variety of target species, with generalized information about quantitative real-time PCR (e.g. chemistry (SYBR green, Probe) and primer efficiency). We believe this database will greatly benefit conservationists and other potential non-geneticist eDNA end-users as an efficient tool to search through pre-designed assays, and to understand key concepts for implementing qPCR based eDNA monitoring.

The Application of Genomic Tools for Monitoring Aquatic Endangered, Invasive, and Economically Important Species Read More »

The application of genomic tools for monitoring aquatic economically important, invasive and endangered species

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material from urine, waste, mucus, or sloughed cells collected from aquatic habitats that can be analyzed for species detection without ever seeing the actual organism. It is an emerging management tool that is useful for monitoring invasive, native, and endangered species. Traditional methods of data collection tend to harm or kill species so that they can be preserved for laboratory identification. Sampling done using eDNA methods, on the other hand, is a low-cost alternative that does not harm any species. It can be done in harsher conditions and is able to detect species that tend to be missed using traditional methods. While this technology has been shown to be extremely beneficial, there have been issues concerning a communication and knowledge gap between researchers and conservationists. Our research project aims to bridge this gap by creating a database that is publicly accessible, and user-friendly for both conservationists and other scientific researchers. We have compiled important information from approximately 300 research articles and organized it in a uniform format, within a centralized database. This database focuses on allowing the end-user to search through pre-designed assays for a variety of target species, with generalized information about quantitative real-time PCR (e.g. chemistry (SYBR green, Probe) and primer efficiency). We believe this database will greatly benefit conservationists and other potential non-geneticist eDNA end-users as an efficient tool to search through pre-designed assays, and to understand key concepts for implementing qPCR based eDNA monitoring.

The application of genomic tools for monitoring aquatic economically important, invasive and endangered species Read More »

The Application of Genomic Tools for Monitoring Aquatic Endangered, Invasive, and Economically Important Species

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material from urine, waste, mucus, or sloughed cells collected from aquatic habitats that can be analyzed for species detection without ever seeing the actual organism. It is an emerging management tool that is useful for monitoring invasive, native, and endangered species. Traditional methods of data collection tend to harm or kill species so that they can be preserved for laboratory identification. Sampling done using eDNA methods, on the other hand, is a low-cost alternative that does not harm any species. It can be done in harsher conditions and is able to detect species that tend to be missed using traditional methods. While this technology has been shown to be extremely beneficial, there have been issues concerning a communication and knowledge gap between researchers and conservationists. Our research project aims to bridge this gap by creating a database that is publicly accessible, and user-friendly for both conservationists and other scientific researchers. We have compiled important information from approximately 300 research articles and organized it in a uniform format, within a centralized database. This database focuses on allowing the end-user to search through pre-designed assays for a variety of target species, with generalized information about quantitative real-time PCR (e.g. chemistry (SYBR green, Probe) and primer efficiency). We believe this database will greatly benefit conservationists and other potential non-geneticist eDNA end-users as an efficient tool to search through pre-designed assays, and to understand key concepts for implementing qPCR based eDNA monitoring.

The Application of Genomic Tools for Monitoring Aquatic Endangered, Invasive, and Economically Important Species Read More »

Innovating Innovation: Unpacking URM Engagement in NSF I-CORPS

NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) is a 7-week entrepreneurship education program that brings academics and industry experts together for an opportunity recognition project and business model creation. While the program has met with success since its inception, it has had challenges attracting and engaging racially minoritized populations (i.e., people who identify as Black, Latinx, or Native American). Diversity is not only critical in entrepreneurship, but beneficial in problem solving and innovation. This study aims to better understand how I-Corps can better attract and engage racially minoritized populations and unpack how to help foster an inclusive environment for racially minoritized participants in I-Corps. To address this challenge a series of interviews were conducted with I-Corps participants who identified as racially minoritized and a subset of those interviews were analyzed. Two themes emerged: 1) I-Corps must improve on recruiting racially minoritized populations and 2) racially minoritized participants experienced additional barriers while participating in the program. To combat these issues several implementable policies and guidelines are proposed.

Innovating Innovation: Unpacking URM Engagement in NSF I-CORPS Read More »

Interactive ebooks

Past research by Dr. Barbara Ericson has indicated that interactive elements are preferred to static textbooks in classes. An interdisciplinary study was undertaken in order to investigate better educational methods for introductory computing classes like Engineering 101. In order to understand what problems and sort of questions best foster learning, static books were converted into interactive electronic books and developed to integrate lower cognitive level practice – multiple choice questions, mix-up code, and parsons problems among others. Prior research has shown that students learn better when they get immediate feedback. Peer instruction allows for greater depth in learning and aids the process of understanding difficulty areas. The books are to be used to gather data regarding difficulty and develop adaptable elements to foster better teaching methods catered to students. The books are coded, and structured to foster maximum success in introductory courses

Interactive ebooks Read More »

Using Interactive Ebooks to Mentor Underrepresented High School Students

With the rise of technology in the world, the way we go about our everyday life is morphing to incorporate this change. Even the way we learn is now being adapted into the technological movement. The use of interactive ebooks is likely to increase greatly in the next few years as a result. Research has shown that using interactive ebooks leads to an increase in use, motivation, and learning gains versus static ebooks. Interactive ebooks are engaging students in a way that static ebooks are not able to do. This click-stream data can be used to improve instruction by determining how students use the instructional materials, probe students’ understanding of crucial concepts, and gather students’ questions. My team and I worked on an introductory python ebook making the book more interactive for the students using the book. This project analyses the data from students who have used the book or are currently using the book. Interviews were conducted to gauge the feelings of the students about the interactive ebooks. In addition, a survey was sent out to the students as well to gather their thoughts on the ebook in a more anonymous setting. From the interview and the survey, students tend to better understand the topic when they can get immediate feedback on their answers. Students also engage in the reading more when interactive activities are incorporated into the readings. Ultimately, interactive ebooks generate a more engaging and comprehensive experience for students. These interactive ebooks will change the way students learn and will lead to a higher success rate in education to come.

Using Interactive Ebooks to Mentor Underrepresented High School Students Read More »

Using Interactive Ebooks to Mentor Underrepresented High School Students

The Advanced Placement Computer Science A (AP CSA) course is a college-level class that high school students can take, and by passing the AP exam, students can receive college credit and/or placement. Rise Up is a project that helps underrepresented students in Michigan pass the AP exam. It studies the effect on both student and mentor attitudes, knowledge, and interest in computing careers. Rise Up prepares mentors to be role models, to understand in depth the AP Computer Science A material through the use of interactive ebooks, and to guide the students to have a clear understanding of AP Computer Science A and Java in general. In the first cohort of Rise Up in Georgia (2013), 9 out of 13, 69%, students passed the exam compared to 22 out of 137 Black students passed in 2012, 22%, in Georgia . This shows that students in Rise Up did better than all students in Georgia, but that could also be due to self-selection. However, students do show statistically significant gains from pretest to post-test and several students have credited Rise Up with helping them pass the exam. Rise Up also conducted an alumni survey which indicated that 63% of the alumni in college reported majoring in computer science, 62% of high school students reported intending to major in Computer Science, 24% percent of the alumni indicated that “they changed their career plans to computing”. This data shows that mentoring can increase student interest in a career in computing.

Using Interactive Ebooks to Mentor Underrepresented High School Students Read More »

Design of an engaging fully-immersive virtual reality game to teach radiation protection principles

Virtual reality (VR) is a rapidly developing field with many applications as it progresses in accessibility. One such possibility is the idea of using VR as an immersive simulation for career exploration and training. This team aimed to create such an experience with the technology of a virtual reality headset, creating a game to teach radiation protection principles in a safe and controlled environment. Dealing first hand with radioactive materials requires many layers of paperwork and protection to show a live demonstration, while this technology gives a gateway to the next-best opportunity: an experience where one is able to move in a three-dimensional space and interact with objects on a semi-realistic scale. The game was developed in the Unity game engine, and produced for the Oculus Quest. Using the tenants of iterative game design, the team worked to produce a game that felt engaging, yet realistic to play. While the game is still in development, the project has still revealed many facets about the efficiency of modelling a game with these tools. While the Unity engine does have dedicated assets for VR game production, development with the quest can be arduous at times, requiring long wait times to build new iterations of the game. Along with this, the Quest is still an expensive technology that may not be accessible to all interested parties. Due to this, the team expects the game to be a valuable training asset, but still one that could be improved with different technology or implementation on a different platform.

Design of an engaging fully-immersive virtual reality game to teach radiation protection principles Read More »

Cultural Cybernetics: Merging Artisanal Tradition with Digital Fabrication

Despite outlawing segregation in 1964, America is still a country that continues to struggle with equality. Minority groups are given unjustified stereotypes, putting them at a significant disadvantage in our society. This study attempts to spread awareness to Charles Darwin’s impact on the abolitionist movement through an adventure map game targeted at current students. The high school students would divide into two groups, with one group obtaining the information through a lecture format and a second group learning through the interactive game. Afterward, both groups are provided with the same assessment, determining whether technology is an effective learning technique. Through our findings, students would absorb more of the content when they are engaged in an interactive activity rather than being lectured. From such evidence, technological programs can be applied in future educational settings, ensuring a less divided society for upcoming generations. With a thorough understanding of various minority cultures, they can carry this idea onto their children, creating a snowball effect.

Cultural Cybernetics: Merging Artisanal Tradition with Digital Fabrication Read More »

Adding problems to interactive ebooks.

As many classes are moving away from paper textbooks and toward online ebooks, it is important to use principles from educational psychology to ensure that ebook readers are learning as efficiently as possible. Our research seeks to provide additional data about what types of interactive ebook questions are most effective for learning. We will then apply our findings and findings from prior educational psychology research to create a bank of questions that are proven to be effective. We will accomplish our research goals by writing a free, open-source computer science ebook that is used by tens of thousands of educators and students. We will then collect metadata on the users of the ebook, such as how many attempts it takes to solve a problem or how long they spend on each page. Because our research team is still authoring and revising the ebook, there are currently no results. However, we are expecting and hoping to find that practice with immediate feedback is the most effective for learning. We also hope and expect to find that low cognitive load questions, such as worked examples + practice and adaptive practice questions, will be most effective. Principles of educational psychology tell us that these types of questions will be best. If our findings are contradictory, further study will be needed on alternative, nontraditional educational methods for use in ebooks. The findings of our research will provide guidance to current and future ebook authors and increase the effectiveness of future ebooks in aiding student learning. Our research will also establish a bank of high quality questions that can be used in the classroom for lessons or examinations.

Adding problems to interactive ebooks. Read More »

lsa logoum logo