We have the following projects entered into the system. It is a good idea to read up on the project and talk to the faculty member supervising it to ensure that it's the right project for you.

1. (ASTR) McLeod, Kim Building an exoplanet observing program at Whitin Observatory (may mentor high school students: N)
   
   Two Wellesley students and one Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium student will work together with Kim McLeod to develop a program to observe transits of extrasolar planets. Students will help to interface our new CCD camera and its software with the existing telescope. They will observe known transiting exoplanets to refine the techniques and will help to design an observing program to look for more. The procedures developed here will be used for research with the 24" as well as for ASTR206 and ASTR107 classes.
2. (BISC) Buchholtz, Emily Developmental constraints of Vertebrate Morphology (may mentor high school students: N)
   
   This summer we will continue and extend an ongoing project examining the morphological innovations of the vertebral column that occurred during the synapsid reptile / mammal transition. Mammalian innovations in locomotion (sprawling vs erect limb posture), thermal regime (ectothermy vs endothermy) and respiratory mechanics (muscularization of a postpulmonary / prehepatal diaphragm) are all reflected in vertebral column anatomy. Focus this summer will be on the digital reconstruction of diaphragm morphology in "unusual" living mammals (Choloepus, Bradypus) using previously collected CT data and both expansion and analysis of an osteological data set of vertebral anatomy in the Florida manatee, Trichechus.
3. (BISC) Cameron, John Cardiovascular Physiology of Ectothermic animals (may mentor high school students: N)
   
   I am interested in the ionic mechanisms that promote tolerance of depleted oxygen and low temperature conditions in vertebrates. Read more here
4. (BISC) Ellerby, David Habitat specific specializations in sunfish feeding behavior and mechanics (may mentor high school students: Y)
   
   The divergence of populations into alternate forms is a potential starting point for speciation. Bluegill sunfish in Lake Waban have divergent, habitat-specific morphological specializations that relate to their diet. This project will explore the behavioral and mechanical consequences of that morphological divergence.
5. (BISC) Ellerby, David Partitioning the costs of swimming (may mentor high school students: Y)
   
   Locomotion is energetically expensive, forming a significant part of the energy budget of many animals. Most of this energy is consumed by skeletal muscle in performing a number of tasks: producing power to accelerate the body; providing stabilizing forces; and driving respiratory movements. The relative costs of these components are unknown. This project will use the rate of blood flow to skeletal muscles in swimming trout as an index of energy expenditure, allowing the relative costs of these activities to be determined.
6. (BISC) Mattila, Heather Behavioral Ecology of Honey Bees (may mentor high school students: Y)
   
   Social insects form spectacular societies that are characterized by incredible levels of cooperation and striking division of labor. Each colony has a queen who spends most of her life laying hundreds of thousands of eggs that give rise to sterile daughters—the workers—who perform all of the tasks that keep the colony healthy and productive. Without a leader or specific instructions, workers seem to “know” what to do to contribute to the collective organization of their colony. How is this organization generated? My research focuses on the mechanisms that produce efficient, cohesive social insect colonies, using honey bees as a model. During the Summer of 2011, students in my lab will work on a variety of projects that are related to the mysteries that surround the organization of the honey bee collective. Most projects focus on two important means of communication for honey bees: waggle-dance behavior related to foraging for food and the use of pheromones during reproductive colony fission (also known as “swarming”). Projects will be done in collaboration with students and faculty from Williams College and Penn State University. Each student will work with her lab mates as part of a team of researchers whose goal it will be to collect data and samples in the field and to begin to examine these raw materials in the lab. All projects involve hands-on work with live honey bees, so students will learn the craft of hive management and gentle beekeeping, as well as classical methods for the behavioral manipulation of colonies. In addition to these field-based skills, students will get experience working in the lab with sample analysis techniques such as gas chromatography, DNA extraction and PCR, and behavioral analysis software. Interested students should enjoy the outdoors and working in a team setting.
7. (BISC) Moore, Marianne Impacts of UV-radiation on plankton (may mentor high school students: N)
   
   UV-radiation (UVR) extends deep into clear lakes and blue-water regions of the ocean containing low concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). For example, UV-B radiation (290-320 nm) can reach depths greater than 10 meters and UV-A (320-400 nm) can extend to twice these depths in lakes with low DOC concentrations. During summer, species moving upwards to warmer surface waters where growth is normally promoted may be especially vulnerable to ambient UV levels. For example, exposure to UVR can adversely affect growth, reproduction, and survival of zooplankton and young-of-the-year fish. My research students and I will test effects of UVR exposure on survivorship and reproduction of zooplankton taxa in two lakes in New England and in Lake Baikal, Siberia. All three lakes contain low DOC concentrations and the maximum depth to which 1% UV-B radiation penetrates could range up to 30 m based on empirical relationships between DOC and UVR levels. Using in situ enclosures, constructed from special plastic that blocks UV-wavelengths but allows entry of photosynthetically active radiation, we will determine which zooplankton taxa are most vulnerable to this physical stressor. Our experimental results will be used to predict and interpret spatial distributions of zooplankton in these lakes. For example, we expect UV-intolerant species to be confined to near shore areas near river mouths where UVR is attenuated by high concentrations of DOC (due to terrestrial runoff). In contrast, UV-tolerant species should occur in offshore waters where UVR is higher due to low DOC concentrations. This work promises to be of great interest to aquatic ecologists because it may help explain the horizontal spatial distribution of cosmopolitan, endemic, and invasive species in lakes.
8. (BISC) Newton, Irene Bee Microbiome (may mentor high school students: N)
   
   Students involved in this project will be focusing their efforts on characterizing bacteria found in our bee microbiome sequencing effort. In short, a diverse bacterial community was found to be associated with bees. This summer we will be isolating organisms from the bees and performing some classic microbiological tests on them to determine functionality in the environment.
9. (BISC) Newton, Irene Wolbachia pipientis pathogenicity factors (may mentor high school students: N)
   
   Students working on this project will identify and characterize proteins secreted by the obligately intracellular bacterium, Wolbachia pipientis, into its host. The project involves microscopy, genetics, and molecular techniques such as PCR.
10. (BISC) Peterman, T. Kaye Plant patellin proteins (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    OPEN ONLY TO STUDENTS WITH PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN THE PETERMAN LAB. The focus of our work this summer will be on the patellin (PATL) proteins of the higher plant model organism, Arabidopsis thaliana. PATL1, a protein first described in our laboratory, localizes to the expanding and maturing cell plate. PATL1 binds specific phosphoinositides (PtdIns(5)P, PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3)P), modified phospholipids that are important regulators of membrane trafficking and cytoskeletal dynamics. Based on its localization, biochemical properties, and sequence similarity to Sec14p (a Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein that is essential for secretion) and GOLD domain membrane trafficking proteins, we hypothesize that PATL1 plays a critical role in membrane trafficking events during plant cytokinesis. Students in my laboratory this summer will use RNAi to to explore the role of PATL1 and other members of the PATL family in cytokinesis and other related processes.
11. (BISC) Rodenhouse, Nicholas Ecology of migratory songbirds in a north temperate forest (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    My research focuses on the effects of climate change on migratory songbirds. To do this, we are intensively monitoring a population of Black-throated Blue Warblers (Dendroica caerulescens) and of Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapillus) that breed across a 600-m elevation gradient within the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest of north central New Hampshire (see http://www.hubbardbrook.org/research/current/discipline/animals/bird/holmes-intro03.htm). At high, middle and low elevations, representing different climatic conditions, we are quantify the breeding activities of pairs, which includes netting and banding birds, finding nests, monitoring activity at the nest, and weighing and banding nestlings. Habitat quality is also being measured, including food abundance, weather, predator abundance, and vegetation composition and structure. Summer research students will develop individual projects associated with one of the various aspects of the overall research program. Results of this research are contributing to basic ecological theory and will have direct management applications for migratory songbirds, some of which are of conservation concern. Colleagues and students at Dartmouth College, the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Vermont, University of Montana, Cornell University are collaborating on various aspects of this study. Students working on the project will be living and working in New Hampshire with the research team, totaling between 15 and 20 research assistants and graduate students. Our studies are a part of the broader Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Studies (see http://www.hubbardbrook.org/research/current/new_current.htm); hence, students will have many opportunities to learn about the ecological research of others at this Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site.
12. (BISC) Suzuki, Yui Insect metamorphosis and limb regeneration (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    Organisms continue to develop even after they hatch out of an egg. Two spectacular postembryonic developmental events are metamorphosis and regeneration. In both of these processes, organisms repattern their tissues and create new structures. We use insects as a model to understand how these developmental processes are regulated. Below are some specific questions we are asking: - How do the legs regenerate legs with appropriate size and dimensions? - How do larval legs regenerate to reform a larval leg instead of an adult leg? - What makes a larval leg distinct from an adult leg? - How does insect limb regeneration differ from vertebrate limb regeneration? We use genomic and candidate gene approaches to examine how beetle larvae regenerate their legs and how the larval legs transforms into an adult leg during metamorphosis. Students will learn how to use a variety of molecular techniques, including PCR, gel electrophoresis, cloning, RNA interference and microinjections.
13. (BISC) Webb, Andrew Development of a utility nanovehicle for the imaging and treatment of pancreatic cancer (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    The use of nanoparticles as vehicles for the directed delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents when conjugated with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) has been recognized in recent years as an attractive treatment option in oncology. In collaboration with the labs of Drs Nolan Flynn and Nancy Kolodny in the Chemistry Department, our group is developing a iron oxide-gold composite nanoparticle (NP) decorated with components that collectively constitute an anti-tumour “clinic.” Click here for more info.
14. (CHEM) Arumainayagam, Christopher R. Ultrahigh Vacuum Studies of Electron-Induced Reactions of Methanol (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    Radiation chemistry, the study of the interactions of high-energy radiation with matter, has extensive applications and implications in areas such as cancer treatment, waste management, astrochemistry, nuclear chemistry and the material sciences. The interaction of high-energy radiation with matter results in copious quantities of secondary low-energy electrons, which form distinct energetic species that are thought to promote a variety of radiation-induced chemical reactions. The majority of these secondary electrons have energies below 10 eV and react with matter through three mechanisms: (1) dissociative electron attachment (DEA), (2) electron impact excitation, and (3) electron impact ionization. Our goal is to examine the hypothesis that DEA is the primary dissociation mechanism for high-energy radiolysis in the condensed phase. We are studying the dynamics of low-energy electron-induced reactions in multilayer nanoscale thin films of methanol under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Investigation of two new possible radiolysis products, methyl formate and glycolaldehyde are also underway.
15. (CHEM) Arumainayagam, Christopher R. Electron-Induced Reactions Relevant to the Semiconductor Industry (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    We propose to study the low-energy (0100 eV) electron-induced decomposition of the organometallic precursor molecules Mo(CO)6 and MoF6 under ultrahigh vacuum conditions (p ~ 1  1010 Torr) using post-irradiation temperature programmed desorption (TPD), a well-established surface science technique, and isothermal electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) experiments. Among the objectives of the research are: (1) to identify all of the electron-induced reaction products of each organometallic precursor molecule; (2) to study the dependence of the reaction yields on electron fluence (total number of incident electrons); (3) to probe the dependence of the reaction cross-sections on initial electron energy; (4) to explore the dependence of reaction yield on film thickness; (5) to measure the effective cross-section for electron-induced reaction and desorption; (6) to investigate the influence of environmental gases such as water in changing radiolysis reactions. These studies will allow us to examine the hypothesis that dissociative electron attachment is the primary mechanism leading to radiation-induced damage in organometallic precursor molecules relevant to electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID).
16. (CHEM) Carrico-Moniz, Dora Design and Synthesis of the Natural Product Angelmarin and Structural Analogues as Anticancer Agents. (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of any human cancer and current treatment options for patients are very limited. The discovery of novel molecules possessing antitumor activity provides an avenue towards the development of new therapeutics for pancreatic cancer. Natural products are privileged structures often possessing important biological activity. As such, they provide scientists with promising lead structures from which analogues with improved biological activities (e.g., potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics) can be prepared. Recently, a novel anticancer agent, angelmarin, was isolated from extracts of the medicinal plant Angelica Pubescens and found to exhibit toxicity specifically against the pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1. Based on its promising biological activity, we have selected this natural product to serve as a scaffold to develop novel anticancer agents. Research in my laboratory is currently focused on two major goals: a) the asymmetric total synthesis of angelmarin, and b) lead compound optimization guided by structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies to develop a superior therapeutic agent.
17. (CHEM) Carrico-Moniz, Dora Design of Hepatitis C Virus Therapeutic Agents and Efficient Fluorescent Probes to Evaluate their Efficacy. (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Hepatitis C affects more than 170 million people worldwide and this chronic disease often leads to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Among several important drug targets, the NS3/4A protease of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has emerged as a critical target for HCV therapy. The NS3/4A serine protease of HCV is responsible for the cleavage of viral nonstructural polyprotein and its activity has been shown to be essential for the maturation of the viral proteins. These research projects focus on two major goals: a) design and synthesis of two families of HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors as antiviral agents, and b) development of efficient fluorescent protease probes to evaluate the antiviral efficacy of the HCV inhibitors designed in our laboratory.
18. (CHEM) Elmore, Don Design and characterization of antimicrobial peptides (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    1) Antimicrobial peptides are produced by an incredibly vast array of organisms—including plants, insects, humans, and even bacteria themselves—and are a potentially valuable alternative to address the increasing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Some of these peptides act by entering cells and disrupting an essential intracellular process. Since these peptides effectively cross cell membranes, they could also be used for drug delivery or cellular transfection applications. Currently, research in my lab is focused on histone-derived antimicrobial peptides that readily cross membranes. For example, many of our initial studies have involved buforin, a peptide that enters bacteria and binds to DNA. These studies utilize a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo experiments to characterize peptides. As well, we use computer simulations to help us interpret our experiments in terms of intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding between peptides and the lipid membrane or DNA. Overall, these studies help us understand how histone-derived peptides function and aid in the design of novel antimicrobial peptides.
19. (CHEM) Elmore, Don Studies of patellin lipid-binding (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    2) Patellin is a lipid-binding protein believed to be important in plant cell division. Recently, my group began a collaboration with Kaye Peterman's group in the Biological Sciences department to consider the lipid binding of Patellin proteins on the molecular-level. To this end, we are developing computer models of Patellin proteins to determine which amino acids are involved in lipid binding. These models can be used to design mutations that alter lipid binding. The effect of these mutations will then be tested using spectroscopic measurements and by observing their physiological effects on growing plants, allowing us to connect molecular-level changes to effects on the cellular and organismal level. Learning about the function of Patellin proteins will improve not only our understanding of important aspects plant physiology but will also provide insight into the roles of similar proteins in the cell signaling of other eukaryotes, including humans.
20. (CHEM) Flynn, Nolan Creation and Study of Nanoparticle Assemblies (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    We are working to develop new methods of nanoparticle assembly. Specifically, we are interested in using electrochemical triggering to assemble nanoparticles.
21. (CHEM) Flynn, Nolan Development of Nanomaterials for Cancer Therapies (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    The goal of the work, which is a collaborative project among three Wellesley College labs, is to construct a nanoplatform that has broad utility for targeting therapeutics and diagnostics to different malignancies without the need to synthesize all elements afresh for each application.
22. (CHEM) Haines, David Synthesis of a potential Chlamydial Protease inhibitor (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    Inhibition of the targeted chlamydial protease could result in allowing a patient to develop a long term immunity to chlamydial infection. The project is predominately organic synthesis at this time.
23. (CHEM) Haines, David Development of a structure activity relationship of Glucagon like protein 1 (GLP-1) activity (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    GLP-1 is the natural signal malecule that initiates the transcription and release of insulin in the pancreas. We are trying to understand how this particular molecule produces this biological effect, so that we can design other molecules to do the same.
24. (CHEM) Haines, David Mapping the binding of an inhibitor to its receptor, using photolabile substituents (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    We have an inhibitor to the production of insulin, which acts by binding near to agonist binding site of the GLP-1 receptor. We are developing ways to study specifically where this binding occurs, with the hope of using this knowledge to design similar molecules that will activate the inhibitor.
25. (CHEM) Hearn, Michael Drug Design and Discovery in Tuberculosis (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Research in our lab centers on the synthetic organic chemistry involved in the development of new drugs against tuberculosis. We use the traditional methods of experimental organic chemistry to prepare novel compounds and characterize them. Efforts in synthesis are guided by results from iterative biological assays done by our physician collaborators as we seek the compounds with best antimycobacterial activities. Students carry out reactions and use a variety of spectrometric techniques to affirm the structures of the products and correlate the structures with biological activities.
26. (CHEM) Kolodny, Nancy MRI-detectable nanoparticle for cancer treatment (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In collaboration with two other Wellesley faculty members, we are synthesizing and characterizing nanoparticles detectable by MRI and targeted to particular tumor types. They carry with them treatment moieties. The design of these nanoparticles makes them amenable to detection and treatment of a variety of tumors. OPEN ONLY TO CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE KOLODNY LAB
27. (CHEM) Radhakrishnan, Mala Computational Design of Promiscuous HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    This project, in its early stages, aims to use new computational physics-based design techniques to design novel potential drug molecules that can recognize both wild-type and mutant, currently drug resistant, variants of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.
28. (CHEM) Radhakrishnan, Mala Affinity and Specificity in Biological Interactions: A Case Study in Molecular Recognition Using Multiple Electrostatic Models and Trypsin-BPTI as a Model System (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In this project, we are applying multiple approximations for treating electrostatic interactions between biological molecules to study the contributions of various amino acid residues toward affinity and specificity in the trypsin-bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) system. By using this well-studied system as a case study, we are further understanding the structural determinants of affinity and specificity in biomolecular interactions in general.
29. (CHEM) Radhakrishnan, Mala A Computational Study of the Electrostatic Role of Protein Backbone and Side Chain Interactions in Mediating Promiscuous or Specific Protein--Protein Interactions (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Protein--Protein recognition is crucial to living systems, with a protein's function determining the number and nature of its potential binding partners. We are carrying out a systematic study of protein--protein interactions to understand the physical and structural characteristics of specific and promiscuous interactions. Such insights can help us design proteins with tailored functions and binding characteristics in the future.
30. (CHEM) Radhakrishnan, Mala Using Design as a Tool to Understand Promiscuity in Protein--Protein Interactions (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    This project, currently in its initial stages, will "re-design" naturally promiscuous proteins such that they are more optimized to bind toward each individual target in turn, as well as promiscuously toward the entire ensemble. Through systematically comparing the designed proteins with the natural one, we will gain insights about structural determinants of promiscuous protein--protein interactions.
31. (CHEM) Vardar Ulu, Didem Unraveling Notch Regulation One Amino Acid at a Time (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    There are two lines of ongoing projects in our lab that ultimately aim to determine the extent of structural reorganization within the Notch Regulatory Region that would be necessary and sufficient to activate the Notch receptor. Our current focus is to determine the contributions of a specific subset of “conserved” residues from the LNR and HD domains to the structure and stability of the respective domains through several integrated experimental steps using a combination of experimental biochemistry and computational bioinformatics. The two specific questions we are working on answering are: 1. How does the extremely selective Ca2+ coordination and the unique disulfide bonding pattern of the LNRs bestow these protein modules the ability to protect the highly protease sensitive HD Domain prior to ligand binding and to what extent are these features preserved in LNRs found in other multi-domain proteins? 2. Does the HD domain need to have a major alteration in its highly compact extensive secondary structural network to expose the cleavage site or could some very subtle yet specific conformational changes be sufficient to destabilize the domain to render its activation ligand independent? If you’d like more information on how you can help out or have questions visit our website: http://www.wellesley.edu/Chemistry/dvu/documents/research.html or Contact: Office: SC 276; phone: 781-283-3255, email: dvardar@wellesley.edu
32. (CHEM) Virgo, Wilton Catching Molecules in the Act of Fragmentation (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Chemical reactions in the atmosphere are initiated and driven by photochemistry. In order to understand how pollutants are produced and removed from the global atmosphere, fundamental questions in chemistry must be addressed. How does a photon of light exchange energy with a molecule? How can a photon break a chemical bond? When resonance occurs, energy flow is rapid. Can we observe this energy flow in an experiment? In a typical introductory chemistry course, one learns about the periodic table and the quantum atomic structure that provide the framework for understanding the diverse properties of matter. In the Virgo Research Group, students will extend these simple ideas and apply them to cutting-edge science using molecular theory, lasers, molecular beams, ion optics and sophisticated camera technology. Lasers can be used to transfer specific amounts of energy to molecules and cause fragmentation. Quite surprisingly, the molecular fragments can be observed in the laboratory using a high tech camera! Does this sound too good to be true? YOU can be a member of the team operating this experimental apparatus.
33. (CHEM) Wolfson, Adele Regulation and localization of TOP and other neuropeptidases in female reproduction: (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    The focus of research in my lab is enzyme mechanism and regulation. We study the enzyme thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) as a model of a metalloenzyme with a wide range of distribution and function. Because it breaks down the pituitary hormone GnRH, TOP is implicated in regulation of reproductive cycles and behavior. We study where TOP is found mouse brain, and how the levels and localization change in response to steroid hormones. These experiments involve fluorimetric enzyme assays, western blots, and immunohistochemistry. This work is done in collaboration with Prof. Marc Tetel of the Neuroscience program. Together with Prof. Don Elmore of the Chemistry Department we are also using spectroscopic methods to examine the enzyme.
34. (CHEM) Wolfson, Adele Regulation of the metalloenzyme thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) in prostate cancer (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    The focus of research in my lab is enzyme mechanism and regulation. We study the enzyme thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) as a model of a metalloenzyme with a wide range of distribution and function.TOP activity is increased by androgens in prostate cells in culture. We are studying localization of the enzyme in response to steroid treatment and the local effects of neuropeptides on these cells. This work is done in collaboration with Prof. Marc Tetel of Neuroscience and Prof. Drew Webb of the Biological Sciences department.
35. (CS) Hildreth, Ellen Integrating Visual Motion and Stereo Cues in the Analysis of Object Boundaries (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    As we move through a complex, dynamic scene, we quickly perceive distinct objects that we can recognize, track or intercept. A critical step in this process is to locate object boundaries in the rapidly changing visual image, and to determine the relative depths between surfaces meeting at these boundaries. In this project, we conduct perceptual experiments that examine how stereo and motion cues are used by the human visual system to detect and analyze object boundaries. Through the implementation and testing of computer models, we explore the mechanisms by which both computer and biological vision systems can perform this analysis. More information about this work can be found at http://cs.wellesley.edu/~vision/research.html
36. (CS) Metaxas, Takis Visualization of the Web Graph (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    What does the Web look like? It is a huge graph, but can we make more sense of it, grouping together related pieces? In this project we will develop graph algorithms that will identify related components of smaller graphs that have similar characteristics with the Web, and we will create a visualization program that will make it easy for the viewer to understand what the Web looks like, and why.
37. (CS) Metaxas, Takis Brain-computer interfaces for medical use: Brain-training games (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    In this project we will study the effectiveness of computer games that are controlled by EEG signals. The hope is that such games can help train the brain of the user and increase his/her cognitive abilities. This is a TENTATIVE project, depending on the funding to acquire the necessary equipment.
38. (CS) Moore, Tyler Detecting and measuring the prevalence of search-engine manipulation and bias (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Search engines are essential gateways to the Internet for many people. Appearing at the top of search results is highly valuable, and some website operators have resorted to unauthorized methods to push their own sites to the top. For instance, searches for certain brands of shoes place unauthorized resellers based in China in the top spot ahead of authorized resellers such as Zappos. Yet no systematic accounting of the prevalence of such manipulation exists. In this project, we will develop software to automatically identify search-engine manipulation for popular search terms, by collecting results along with information about the websites themselves in order to link dubious sites together. For additional insights on search-engine manipulation, see this recent exposé of JCPenney from the New York Times, which raises questions about conflicts of interest between search-engine operators and their corresponding advertising platforms.
39. (CS) Moore, Tyler Tracking the dynamics of grey-market streaming (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Websites such as Sidereel aggregate links to a mixture of authorized and unauthorized video-streaming websites. Very little is understood about the websites linked to from Sidereel. How do they make money? Which shows experience more unauthorized streaming, and why? What is the turnover in the websites hosting unauthorized streams? How often are they taken down, and can connections be made between previously removed websites and new versions? In this project, we will collect and analyze data on the third-party websites linked to from Sidereel in order to better understand the supply of grey-market streaming. We will also link this with data on price and popularity from Amazon to investigate the relationship between unauthorized streaming and these demand-side factors. Finally, we will explore connections between websites linked to from Sidereel and the Chilling Effects database of notice and take-down requests.
40. (CS) Moore, Tyler Analyzing the dynamics of “high-yield investment program” online Ponzi schemes (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    High-yield investment programs (HYIPs) promise unrealistically high returns on investments to online investors. HYIPs are a form of Ponzi scheme, where existing investors are paid by the investments of newcomers. Scores of HYIPs fail each month, only to be replaced by new programs with slightly different names. In this project, we will study the dynamics of HYIPs using a collection of over six months’ worth of HYIP websites. We will develop techniques for linking the HYIPs together by analyzing the collected HTML and associated whois data for the websites. Furthermore, we will analyze the rankings from several reputation websites that track whether the HYIPs are still paying. We can use this information to identify deception in user ratings by looking for conflicts in different reports on the same websites, for example.
41. (CS) Mustafaraj, Eni Politics and the Social Web (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    As the Web becomes the place where all traditional media is absorbed, politicians and interest groups who want to spread their political message to the public cannot ignore its appeal and power. However, differently from the tradional media (TV, Radio, newspapesr) which are one-way broadcasters, on the Web the public can speak back. Everyone can express the own opinions and try to influence others by spreading true or false information. How does information spread in such occasions? Can it be trusted? Is the engagement of public in political conversation genuine or machine-generated? Can we quantify and qualify the nature of such conversations? In my research, I try to answer such questions with computational methods. I collect large amounts of data from the social web (Twitter, Facebook, Google, etc) and use machine learning and graph algorithms to search for patterns, trends, and insights.
42. (CS) Shaer, Orit Supporting Scientific Discovery through Next-Generation Human-Computer Interaction (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    In this interdisciplinary project, we will design, develop and evaluate a tabletop user interface for collaborative exploration of genomic information. We will collaborate with biological engineers from Boston University to design and implement a software tool for the iGEM'11 (International Genetically Engineered Machine competition) undergraduate competition. Students will work with cutting edge technologies including tabletop and tablet computers at the Wellesley HCI Lab, and will gain experience in multi-touch programming, ubiquitous computing, and user-centered design. No background in biology is required. Students with background in Computer Science, MAS, Neuroscience, Cognitive Sciences, or Biological Sciences are invited to submit their applications. For more information about the Wellesley HCI lab visit our website: http://cs.wellesley.edu/~hcilab/index.html
43. (CS) Turbak, Franklyn Accessible Programming Environments for Making Physical Artifacts (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In this project, we will design, implement, and experiment with new programming languages that make it easy for novices to create beautiful physical artifacts out of plastic, wood, vinyl, and paper using rapid prototyping tools in Wellesley's Engineering Studio (laser cutter, vinyl cutter, and 3D printer).
44. (CS) Turbak, Franklyn TinkerBlocks: New Directions In Block-Based Programming Environments (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In this project, we will design and implement a meta-programming system for creating blocks-based programming environments like those used in Scratch, AppInventor, and StarLogo TNG. We will also explore ways to make such environments more flexible and expressive.
45. (CS) Turbak, Franklyn Programming PicoBees (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In this project we will design and implement an easy-to-use and expressive programming environment for PicoBees, small wireless computers being developed by Alex Olivier '11 and Robbie Berg (Physics). A collection of PicoBees can be used to connect sensors and actuators to create large interactive spaces.
46. (GEO) Brabander, Daniel Epigenetics and urban lead exposure (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In this project we will explore the linkages between emerging population specific lead exposure pathways in the urban environment and evaluate how social networks can impact the expression and severity of lead exposure and access to treatment interventions.
47. (MATH) Diesl, Alexander Algebraic Coding Theory (may mentor high school students: N)
    
48. (NEUR) Conway, Bevil Mechanisms of color (3 students) (may mentor high school students: Y)
    
    The Conway Lab is conducting experiments aimed at uncovering the neural mechanisms of color. We use a range of techniques including psychophysics, electrophysiology, functional brain imaging and computer modeling. Students are actively engaged in all aspects of the lab's work. The lab provides a supportive environment to develop critical thinking skills and fosters active and committed participation from everyone. Currently the lab team consists of a post-doctoral fellow, a full-time lab manager (a Wellesley alum!), two independent study students and a thesis student. We are hoping to secure summer funding for three summer students for this project for the Summer of 2011.
49. (NEUR) Tetel, Marc Hormone Action in Brain (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    Steroid hormones act throughout the body to regulate development, growth and reproduction. Our lab is interested in how the ovarian steroid hormones, estradiol and progesterone, act in brain to regulate gene expression and female reproductive behavior in rodents. Estradiol and progesterone elicit many of their biological effects by binding to their intracellular receptors, ER and PR respectively, located in specific brain regions. These receptors are members of a nuclear receptor superfamily of transcriptional activators. The transcriptional activity of ER and PR is dramatically enhanced by nuclear receptor coactivators. Our lab is exploring how these coactivators function with steroid receptors in brain to activate behaviorally-relevant genes. We have found that nuclear receptor coactivator action in reproductively-relevant brain regions is critical for the expression of estrogen-responsive genes and the display of hormone-dependent female reproductive behaviors. More recently, we have been using protein-protein interaction assays to explore if coactivators from brain physically interact with steroid receptors isoforms. Taken together, our findings provide mechanisms by which steroid receptor action can be modulated in specific brain regions to influence a variety of hormone-dependent behaviors and functions. One goal of our future research is to use a proteomics-based approach to identify novel coactivators and other proteins that function in the hormone-receptor complex in brain. In addition, we are looking at the protective effect of estrogens in prostate cancer. By enhancing our knowledge of steroid action, we may better understand how steroids influence brain disorders, such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease, and hormone-dependent cancers.
50. (NEUR) Wiest, Mike Neural correlates of sensory perception (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    I am interested in the physical basis of consciousness. What is it about the matter in a living brain that makes it experience perceptions, feelings, and thoughts? A first step in the neuroscientific approach to this perplexing question is to relate the activities of neurons to different mental states. Because we can only infer mental states in rats from their behavior, I use arrays of micro-wire electrodes to record neural activities while they perform behavioral tasks that depend on correctly sensing various stimuli. My past research has focused on sensory integration in the brain area that represents the rat’s facial whiskers. Our current goal is to compare how neurons in frontal and sensory cortices respond when the rat does or does not perceive a near-threshold stimulus. These experiments will also test whether conscious perception is associated with the synchronization of action potentials from distant neurons, as some have suggested. Understanding these dynamics could lead to insights into human disorders that disrupt normal perceptual integration, such as Alzheimer’s disease, dyslexia, or attention deficit disorder.
51. (PHYS) Lannert, Courtney Simulating Bose-Einstein Condensates (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    My lab uses numerical methods to simulate the properties of Bose-Einstein condensates in realistic experimental situations and to determine their time-evolution under various conditions. Students working in the lab must have completed a course in quantum mechanics and have some previous experience writing computer code (e.g. Matlab).
52. (PSYC) Akert, Robin Personality correlates of nonverbal decoding ability (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    As part of my program of research on nonverbal communication, this summer research project will focus on personality and individual difference variables that predict skill at decoding nonverbal cues. The student researcher should be proficient at analyzing data using SPSS; preference will be given to a student who has background in the area of nonverbal communication literature/research (e.g., took Psych 349).
53. (PSYC) Gleason, Tracy Imagination and Theory of Mind in Visually-Impaired Children (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    This project is an investigation of the ways in which imagination and children's understanding of other people's thoughts and feelings are affected by visual impairments. Visual impairments have enormous effects on social interaction and cognition, and fundamentally alter the way imagination is used (i.e., no visual imagery). Attention is focused on children's use of imagination and creation of imaginary companions as a way of understanding how sight and social cognition, particularly about relationships, are intertwined.
54. (PSYC) Norem, Julie K. Self/Other Recognition and Personality (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    We will be exploring individual differences in the ability to recognize one's own face and others' faces and emotions. Using an experimental manipulation of awareness, we will measure reaction times and recognition accuracy in relation to impostor feelings, self-consciousness and narcissim, among other variables. Students will run experimental sessions, read related research, analyze data and work on writing up our results.
55. (PSYC) Pyers, Jennie The cognitive underpinnings of acquiring a sign language (may mentor high school students: N)
    
    In contrast to spoken languages, signed languages are articulated using the hands and perceived using the eyes. This modality difference may mean that the acquisition and use of sign language requires slightly different cognitive resources than spoken languages do. The current study examines the acquisition of sign languages by hearing and deaf children and by hearing adults learning sign language as a second language. In particular we will examine the different cognitive resources that children and adults use in the acquisition of a sign language. Because this research involves work with both deaf and hearing children, knowledge of sign language is helpful but not necessary. The student will learn to administer, videotape, and code language tasks, as well as conduct basic statistical analyses. She will also help find reference materials. The development of our tests will require some computer programming, thus programming skills are a plus. The ideal student should feel at ease interacting with children, and be willing to learn new computer (Mac) and video skills.
56. (PSYC) Wilmer, Jeremy Keep your eye on the ball (may mentor high school students: N)