2023 Summer Research Areas
Search for opportunities by disciplines offered: ASTRONOMY; BIOLOGY; CHEMISTRY; COMPUTER SCIENCE; ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES; GEOLOGY; MATH & STATISTICS; NEUROSCIENCE; PHYSICS; and PSYCHOLOGY
Opportunities in Astronomy:
Professor Daniella Bardalez Gagliuffi. Come join DBG lab! We're interested in understanding how exoplanets, brown dwarfs, and low-mass stars form. We study their orbital dynamics and model their atmospheres to search for signatures of diverging formation pathways. We both look for trends in population data as well as characterize individual systems in detail that can be crucial targets for the James Webb Space Telescope. Course requirements: PHYS 123. If you think space is cool, then this is the place for you!
Professor Kate Follette. In the Follette Exoplanet research lab, we de-twinkle stars in order to take very high resolution images of regions around young stars where planet formation is actively occurring. Our goal is to identify direct and indirect signatures of planets and use them to inform where, when, and how planets form. We also study the physics of planet formation by collecting images and spectra of still-forming stars, brown dwarfs and planets. We aim to understand how formation and growth processes vary among these classes of object and how their formation may be different from what occurred in our own solar system.
In the Follette education research lab, we study the development of real world numerical skills in non-major introductory college science courses. Our goal is to understand how these courses can best help students improve their numerical skills and affect, reducing barriers to entry to STEM careers.
Projects in both labs involve a range of computational and statistical skills, which we apply in order to collect, clean, and analyze data. To work in the exoplanet lab, students should have taken ASTR 200 or have significant python computing experience. To work in the education lab, students should have a strong background in computer science, statistics, and/or psychology. Come be a part of our collaborative, interdisciplinary team!
Opportunities in Biology:
*Professor Sally Kim. Check out Prof. Kim's auto-complete video here. What do Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), neuronal synaptic proteins and a penny have in common? If you are curious, come join the Kim Lab. We are interested in understanding molecular mechanisms underlying how neurons communicate and what happens when these processes break down in disorders, such as ASD. Using an interdisciplinary approach of molecular, cellular, biochemical, and optical methods, we study how the connections between neurons (synapses) develop and mature in culture. This summer for the SURF program, you will learn some basic techniques in molecular neuroscience, read and discuss the relevant literature and help us address our ongoing questions about spine motility and structural plasticity, cellular correlates of learning and memory. All are welcome! No prior research experience or course requirements necessary - only excitement to learn, enthusiasm to work hard, and commitment to working collaboratively with others. Learn more about Professor Kim's research here.
Professor Alix Purdy. Our lab is fascinated by the incredible world of the microbes. We want to understand how these tiny creatures can have such a huge impact on the organisms that they colonize (like us!). Our questions are key to understanding how bacteria may make people sick, or, instead, how they initiate beneficial symbiotic interactions. How do these microbes sense their environments and then make decisions about what to do? What impact do their decisions have on the health and/or physiology of the host? We study the amazing world of the Vibrios – marine bacteria that can cause disease (Vibrio cholerae, although we focus on strains that do not cause cholera) and others (Vibrio fischeri) that instead form an intricate beneficial interaction with a small squid species (for more info check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ivMSCi-Y2Q). We want to untangle the structure and function of a particular signaling system and its capacity to control metabolites that have far-reaching effects in animals. For this, we perform experiments that look at impacts of genomic modifications on gene expression as well as infection in our fruit fly model system. Projects can include a variety of microbial genetics and molecular approaches, as we are primarily interested in the functions of specific genes and proteins, but we also think broadly across many scales of biology – from biochemistry and genetics to marine microbial ecology and evolution. We welcome all curious and enthusiastic biologists to explore with us! Bio191 is certainly helpful, but not a requirement at all. Looking forwards to hearing from you!
Professor Katerina Ragkousi Project: the study of sea anemone embryonic development. We use genetics, imaging and cell biology approaches to investigate how sea anemone embryos develop a single polarized cell layer. Required courses: Bio 191. More information here!
Professor John Roche. My lab is interested in the development and plasticity of neuronal synapses. We use Drosophila as a model organism and most frequently utilize the larval neuromuscular junction as a model for a developing synapse. This synapse uses glutamate as a neurotransmitter and thus it is structurally similar to the synapses in the human CNS. We utilize many genetic and molecular tools that are available with the Drosophila model system to make transgenic flies with altered expression of synaptic proteins. We then study how these alterations affect the development and function of the synapse using immunohistochemistry and electrophysiology. Students should have completed Bio 191.
* Please note that Professors Kim and Roche's research are also within the field of Neuroscience.
Opportunities in Chemistry:
Professor Anthony Bishop (Watch SURF video here)* studies the interface between organic chemistry and molecular biology. His research team uses a combination of chemical and biochemical approaches to examine two central biological processes: cellular signal transduction and protein synthesis. Learn more about Bishop's research here.
Professor Chris Durr. Research in the Durr group is centered around developing and understanding next-generation polymeric materials. This includes discovering new inorganic catalysts, as well as new techniques. One of the advantages of this research is that there is something to be found in it for every type of chemist. Whether you are interested in inorganic, organic, physical, analytical, and biological chemistry you will be able to contribute to these projects and learn something new along the way. Learn more here. Organic Chemistry is recommended but not required.
Professor David Hansen (Watch SURF video here) The goal of the research ongoing in the lab is the preparation of self-assembling nanostructures of discrete size, a current challenge in the field of supramolecular chemistry. In particular, we are looking to exploit the hydrophobic effect--as nature does--to drive self-assembly in aqueous solution. The work involved in these efforts will entail organic synthesis of the derivatives under investigation and their analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. For more information, please visit the Hansen lab website, which includes a link to a video in which Professor Hansen provides an overview of the research ongoing in his group, here: https://www.amherst.edu/people/facstaff/dehansen/research_interests
Helen Leung (Watch SURF video here) studies intermolecular interactions due to van der Waals forces between nonchemically bonded molecules. Her research team employs a high resolution, pulsed molecular beam, Fourier transform microwave spectrometer to obtain the rotational spectrum of a complex that can then be analyzed to yield molecular information. Leung's researchers may collaborate with researchers in Mark Marshall's lab. Learn more about Professor Leung's research here.
Professor Mark Marshall (Watch SURF video here) studies the nature of intermolecular forces, and students conducting research in his lab seek to apply the detailed molecular information obtained from high-resolution spectroscopy to address questions concerning these forces. Recently he has been working towards the development of a new method of chiral analysis, called chiral tagging, that utilizes microwave spectroscopy to determine the structures of non-covalently bound complexes formed between an analyte and a molecular tag of known absolute stereochemistry. Marshall's researchers may collaborate with researchers in Helen Leung's lab. Learn more about Professor Marshall's research here.
Professor Jacob Olshansky. (Watch SURF video here) The Olshansky Lab is interested in understanding and harnessing photo-initiated charge and energy transfer in nanoscale systems, with a focus on nanoscale assemblies such as nanocrystal – organic molecule conjugates. This research has broad implications for technologies as diverse as artificial photosynthesis, bio-imaging, and quantum computation. Researchers in the lab will gain experience in an interdisciplinary set of techniques. They will split their time between synthesizing materials, performing photophysical measurements (e.g. fluorescence spectroscopy), and engaging in data analysis and computational modeling. Please visit the Olshanksy Lab Page for more information. CHEM 161 or 165 required.
Professor Ren Wiscons. The Wiscons lab explores the roles of defects and symmetry in tuning the properties of organic electronic materials by studying the crystal structures of small molecules with extended pi-systems and the flow of charges afforded by specific structural motifs. Current research in the Wiscons group aims to develop more efficient ferroelectric materials and chiral semiconductors with applications in high-density data storage and photovoltaics. Students performing research in this group will practice a diversity of techniques, including air-free organic synthesis, collection and interpretation of data from a variety of spectroscopies, and will receive formal X-ray crystallography training. Please visit Wiscons Lab Page for more information. Although not required, preference will be given to students who have taken CHEM 221.
Opportunities in Computer Science:
Professor Scott Alfeld. My primary research is focused on adversarial methods. I investigate the security ramifications of using AI and data analysis methods in domains consisting of a diverse set of (potentially adversarial) agents and work to harden systems against manipulation attacks. Coding ability required. No specific courses required although AI, ML, and/or Security are helpful.
Professor Kristy Gardner's research focuses on queueing theory, the study of waiting in line. She asks questions such as: why do lines form? How can we predict how long users will need to wait in line? How can we redesign systems to reduce waiting time? Her current work addresses heterogeneous systems, in which different servers may work at different speeds. Policies that were designed for homogeneous systems can perform quite poorly in the presence of heterogeneity, so there is a pressing need to design and evaluate new polices. Students in Prof. Gardner's research group will write simulation code and design and run experiments to evaluate different system designs.
Professor Scott Kaplan. I work towards evaluating memory management performance -- virtual memory, file system caching, memory allocators, and garbage collectors -- in real systems. We record what real programs do with their memory while they run, and then try new predictive algorithms for managing their memory space. We analyze whether our ideas significantly improve system performance.
Professor Lillian Pentecost. I'm looking for a team of enthusiastic students to take on projects at the intersections of alternative memory technologies (i.e. new and different ways to store bits of information) computer systems, and data-intensive software applications (like AI and graph processing). Together, we can make future computers of different sizes faster and more energy-efficient by changing how data is organized, stored, and retrieved. Often, this work will require us to analyze the behavior of real software that uses lots of data, then customize particular memory policies and design choices to the properties and requirements of those programs, for example by changing the data format or the algorithm itself, or by changing an operating system or hardware choice, or all of t the above. There is lots of room for exploration and lots of room to grow and learn if you are interested in jumping in! COSC 111 or equivalent programming experience is required; COSC 171 (Computer Systems) is a bonus.
Professor Matteo Riondato. The Amherst College Data Mammoths are a research and learning group led by Prof. Matteo Riondato at Amherst College, mostly in the Computer Science department. We create and learn about algorithms for "everything data": 1 data mining, network science, machine learning, data science, knowledge discovery, databases, and much more. Course requirements: COSC 211 preferred.
Opportunities in Environmental Studies:
Professor Rebecca Hewitt. (Watch SURF video here) The Hewitt lab studies community and ecosystem ecology of the boreal forest and tundra biomes as they respond to climate change. We are particularly focused on processes and dynamics belowground – plant roots, mycorrhizal fungi, and soil biogeochemistry – and how these affect ecosystem function across Arctic landscapes. We use field, greenhouse, and lab experiments and utilize techniques from molecular genetics, to plant ecophysiology, to biogeochemistry. For the 2023 SURF program, students will work with samples and data from a multi-year decomposition study in Alaska that was part of a global experiment (see https://www.teacomposition.org/)
Opportunities in Geology:
Opportunities in Math & Statistics:
Professor Chris Elliot. My research lies on the intersection between mathematics and theoretical physics. I'm particularly interested in the mathematics behind the theory of supersymmetry and the role it plays in classical and quantum physics. The mathematical approach to this field uses a mixture of tools from geometry, linear algebra and group theory. Summer research with me would involve learning some theoretical techniques from algebra and topology and applying them to investigate the structure of supersymmetric field theory in a low-dimensional space. Knowledge of linear algebra (MATH 271/272) is required, and further algebra experience (MATH 350) would be useful, but is not necessary.
Professors Danie van Wyck & Ivan Contreras. Algebras of directed graphs: A directed graph consists of a set of vertices and a set of edges connecting the vertices, with each edge assigned a direction. They have many applications; for example, your followers on social media can be represented with a directed graph! Directed graphs are often studied in the area of combinatorics, and they are relevant in computer science, physics and other STEM fields. Conveniently, directed graphs have an algebraic structure too. An algebra is a set with addition, multiplication and scalar multiplication. There is a way to build an algebra from a directed graph, such that the combinatorial structure of the graph (paths, cycles, etc.) is encoded in the algebraic structure of the algebra. Consequently, abstract algebraic properties of the algebra can be described with combinatorial properties of the underlying graph. This is a powerful tool for studying abstract algebraic properties and enables us to easily give concrete examples of algebras with such properties. Join us this Summer in unraveling the surprising connections between a directed graph and the ideal structure of its associated algebra! Prerequisites: MATH 271/272 (Linear algebra) is necessary; MATH 350 and prior experience with coding is a plus, but not required.
Opportunities in Neuroscience:
Professor Sally Kim. Check out Prof. Kim's autocomplete video here. What do Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), neuronal synaptic proteins and a penny have in common? If you are curious, come join the Kim Lab. We are interested in understanding molecular mechanisms underlying how neurons communicate and what happens when these processes break down in disorders, such as ASD. Using an interdisciplinary approach of molecular, cellular, biochemical, and optical methods, we study how the connections between neurons (synapses) develop and mature in culture. This summer for the SURF program, you will learn some basic techniques in molecular neuroscience, read and discuss the relevant literature and help us address our ongoing questions about spine motility and structural plasticity, cellular correlates of learning and memory. All are welcome! No prior research experience or course requirements necessary - only excitement to learn, enthusiasm to work hard, and commitment to working collaboratively with others. Learn more about Professor Kim's research here.
Professor John Roche. My lab is interested in the development and plasticity of neuronal synapses. We use Drosophila as a model organism and most frequently utilize the larval neuromuscular junction as a model for a developing synapse. This synapse uses glutamate as a neurotransmitter and thus it is structurally similar to the synapses in the human CNS. We utilize many genetic and molecular tools that are available with the Drosophila model system to make transgenic flies with altered expression of synaptic proteins. We then study how these alterations affect the development and function of the synapse using immunohistochemistry and electrophysiology. Students should have completed Bio 191.
Opportunities in Physics:
Professor Ashley Carter: (Watch Carter Lab Video Here) Are you interested in bio-nano-tech? fertility? epigenetics? biophysics? Then, come work in the collaborative and dynamic Carter lab. You'll first complete a training program in the lab where you will learn programming, molecular biology techniques, optics/microscopy, and data analysis. You'll also rotate through all the projects in the lab. Then, once you complete the training you will choose one of the projects. If you want to work with a fun group of people and do some amazing science then sign up! You should also contact Professor Carter by email for a lab tour. No experience necessary. We love first years. Learn more about Professor Carter's research here.
Professor Jonathan Friedman. The Friedman lab studies chemically synthesized magnetic molecules to learn how their magnetic moments reverse direction and to explore their potential use as processing elements in quantum computers. Using magnetic resonance techniques, we are exploring "clock transitions" to increase the time these molecules can retain quantum information and to learn about the underlying physics of decoherence, the process by which quantum information is lost. Professor Friedman's research here.
Professor David Hall. (Watch SURF video here) Come visit and work in the fascinating world of ultracold matter! Students will work on projects supporting the creation and manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates at temperatures billionths of a degree above absolute zero. We will make use of and develop the experimental physicist's experimental toolbox, from electro-optical design and construction to data-taking and analysis. Learn more about Professor Hall's research here. Physics 117 or 124 is recommended.
Professor David Hanneke (Watch SURF video here) studies individual atoms, molecules, and sub-atomic particles to test fundamental physics principles and to develop detailed control techniques for quantum systems. His students use low-energy atomic-, molecular-, and optical-physics techniques for precision measurements and detailed control of quantum systems. Students have developed an atom trap, lasers, electronics, and computer control and data-acquisition systems. Learn more about Professor Hanneke's research here. Course requirements: PHYS-116/117 or 123/124 would be a good start on coursework.
Professor Larry Hunter. In the first project, they hope to make high-precision measurements of long-range spin-spin interactions (LRSSI) by using the Earth as a source of electron spin. This experiment is an outgrowth of an earlier search for a violation of Local Lorentz Invariance (LLI). In the new experiment, they will compare the relative precession frequencies of Hg and Cs magnetometers as a function of the orientation of an applied magnetic field with respect to fixed directions on the Earth’s surface. Using this approach and their old LLI apparatus they established bounds on LRSSI that were as much as a million times more sensitive than previous searches. In addition, they applied this method to extract bounds on velocity-dependent LRSSI that were largely inaccessible to earlier experiments. They have now realized a new “pump-then-probe” co-magnetometer using Cs and Hg that improves their sensitivity to LRSSI by more than an order of magnitude and reduces AC light shifts. At this level, the experiment should provide the most stringent test of several possible suggestions for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics.
They are presently completing the last of a series of measurements in thallium fluoride (TlF) that establish the viability of a cryogenic-beam experiment to measure the electric-dipole moment (EDM) of the Tl nucleus. Their favorable results have encouraged the launching of the new CeNTREX collaboration to realize this EDM experiment. They hope to achieve improved optical cycling in TlF and to use their cryogenic-beam apparatus to demonstrate optical forces and transverse cooling in TlF. The realization of transverse cooling could substantially improve the sensitivity of a second-generation TlF EDM measurement. Recent publications can be found here.
Professor Will Loinaz’s (Watch SURF video here) research is in theoretical elementary particle physics and related topics. He compares theoretical models of new physics beyond the Standard Model to data obtained from many types of experiments to see what sorts of new physics are favored or ruled out by experiments. In addition, he performs Monte Carlo simulations of simple quantum field theories and equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanical systems, and he looks at subtle and interesting mathematical features of very simple quantum mechanical systems. Learn more on Professor Loinaz's webpage.
Opportunities in Psychology:
Professor Liz Kneeland. My lab is interested in what psychological factors influence how individuals manage their unwanted emotions. I am also interested in how differences in how individuals regulate their emotions relate to levels of psychological distress. In particular, my research has used experimental, longitudinal, and daily diary designs to investigate how the beliefs that people have about their emotions then relate to emotion regulation and, ultimately, their mental health. This summer, we will be focusing on collecting daily diary data from adults, including college students, who are experiencing elevated levels of psychological distress. Another study will also focus on stigma related to substance use disorders. In coordination with me, SURF students will help with participant recruitment, study preparation, data collection and analysis, and literature reviews. Course Requirements: Students need to have taken Introduction to Psychology (or AP Psychology in high school); those who have taken Abnormal Psychology (now called Clinical Psychology) are preferred.
Professor Carrie Palmquist. (Watch SURF video below) My lab explores questions of how children learn from other people. We are particularly interested in how preschoolers determine who is a good source of information, and who should be avoided. Research assistants in my lab are involved in all aspects of data collection and processing: contacting families, running children through studies, and coding and analyzing data. This summer, we will be focused on two different projects (details can be found here). In coordination with me, SURF students will determine which project is best suited to their goals and interests. Course requirements: Students need to have taken Introduction to Psychology (or AP Psychology in high school); those who have taken Developmental Psychology are preferred.