Research Scholars – Page 3 – UROP Spring Symposium 2021

Research Scholars

Gene Editing for Combating Disease: Biology

The use of non-viral vectors to deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 complex to target cells is beneficial as they can potentially negate the immunological response that a host may have to the viral vector used in the present. In order to validate this, one must first identify the optimal guide RNA for the Cas9 complex to the target DNA sequence, which is done through PCR amplification and gel electrophoresis. The next phase is to image the cells by immunofluorescence. The transfected cells were then compared to the baseline cells to visualize the effects that the CRISPR/Cas9 complex on the cells.

Culturally-Situated Design Tools: Exploring Spirals and Adinkra Digital Carving as Methods of Ethnocomputing Education

Representing different proverbs and aphorisms, Adinkra symbols are common in Ghanaian art and are drawn from deep observance and understanding of nature, where logarithmic spiral appears frequently. In the previous works, researchers have found that the Culturally Situated Design Tools (CSDTs), which are coding blocks that teach programming principles while representing math principles in Adinkra symbols, enable more inclusive educational practices while inspiring students to actively engage the connections between computational thinking and cultural knowledges. This research project further explores ethnomathematics and ethnocomputing teaching. Through creating new coding blocks that simulate art creation, we incorporate more abstraction concepts in the log spiral pattern and fractals that appear in indigenous art. We explore the perception of learners who are engaged in the process and compare alternative designs of the teaching materials while evaluating previous designs. We expect these results to assist in facilitating the content-aware design process with interfaces that promote hands-on learning, creativity, and continued interest while teaching mathematical concepts, ultimately contributing to more profound connections and respect to indigenous culture. Further work includes continuing to evaluate and update the designs that performed well when translating the abstract principles, technologies, and skills with the combination of indigenous art.

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