- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Moore Named Director of Undergraduate Research and Mentoring

John Hill — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:19:38 +0000

Dr. Michael Moore has been named the director of undergraduate research and mentoring at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Moore has an extensive background in science education, peer mentoring, and inclusion. He already runs two important student success programs – Learning Assistants Program and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation – at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In his new expanded role, Moore will continue to oversee these programs as well as take on oversight of undergraduate research. As part of these new responsibilities, he will continue building upon the success of the Signature Experience Program, which is designed to provide undergraduate students access to the high-impact learning experiences afforded by research and creative endeavors. “I am excited to take on this role and build on Dr. Jeremy Ecke’s work. I would also like to thank Deans Brian Berry and Larry Whitman for all their work in creating this position,” Moore said. “A unifying theme for the programs I will oversee is skill development and mentoring, both of which I am passionate about developing in students.” Moore joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2021 to coordinate the Learning Assistants Program in the STEM Education Center. The program is designed to train and equip undergraduate students to teach and guide other undergraduates through difficult courses. In February 2022, Moore was appointed as the director of the Arkansas Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation, which aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in STEM disciplines. “This campus has a long and vibrant history of research and mentoring, and I look forward to partnering with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty, staff, and students to get involved in and develop more opportunities for research and mentoring across our campus,” he said. “I encourage anyone to reach out if they are interested or want more information.”

Spotlight on Nanotechnology Researchers: Ruby Trotter

John Hill — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 14:00:12 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock is highlighting some of our student researchers in celebration of National Nanotechnology Day on Oct. 9. Ruby Trotter is an undergraduate student researcher at the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She is a recipient of a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Signature Experience program, which awards students up to $1,000 to support a research project, creative activity, or community service project that is influential to their academic development. What is your Signature Experience project? We’ve been working with graphene, a nanomaterial that’s promising for bone tissue regeneration technologies. Graphene is a single layer of carbon that is shaped in a flat sheet with a honeycomb-like structure and has several good biomedical properties. Graphene is tiny, so we mix it into a solution of water and ethanol to get it evenly dispersed. We have made scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration and want to see how graphene would interact with the human body. Right now, we’re studying different pathways by which it would degrade the body, and are continuing to study how useful it would be for bone tissue regeneration in the future. Specifically, we’re using microscopic images and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy to study how graphene interacts with cells in the immune system and how it degrades over time in the cells. The UV-vis technique allows us to see how light is absorbed as it passes through the sample. Based on that, we can tell the concentration of the graphene mixture in the cells. That way, we can see how much the concentration of the mixture dropped degraded over time. What do you find most interesting about this project? I really enjoy the fact that this project incorporates a lot of chemistry and biology. After I graduate, I want to become a physician, and what I’m learning right now contributes to that goal. I love chemistry, and I appreciate that I get to explore biology along with it. I also think nanotechnology is fascinating, because you can take small materials and do big things. What is it like to work with your mentor, Dr. Shawn Bourdo? It’s really awesome to work with Dr. Bourdo. I started working with him in July 2019, the summer before my sophomore year. He’s always been very supportive and outgoing. No matter his schedule, he always accommodates me when I have questions. Even though some of my classes aren’t directly related to the work I do at the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, I have found a lot of topics that overlap with the work I do, and he has always been there to help me understand these concepts better. I always say I hit the mentor jackpot with Dr. Bourdo. How did you hear about the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences? I didn’t know much about nanotechnology when I first started here. Before my sophomore year, I was looking for research opportunities, and the previous student researcher under Dr. Bourdo reached out to me and told me about this position. What are your plans after graduation? I want to be a pediatrician and also enter the Master of Public Health program, because I am interested in addressing health disparities in different communities. After graduation, I plan to take a gap year to work as either an emergency medical technician or a medical scribe to gain experience in the field. After that, I plan to enter medical school in 2023.

Applications for Signature Experience Grants Open Until Oct. 15

John Hill — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:47:05 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is accepting applications for the university’s Signature Experience Program until Oct. 15. The program encourages and supports students in developing strong research or creative projects mentored by faculty members during the 2021-22 academic year. The Signature Experience Program was established in 2017 to provide students with up to $1,000 in funding to complete a research project, creative activity, service work, or professional application project that will deepen their ��Vlog��ý Little Rock experience. In the fall of 2021, faculty mentors will assist students in applying for this grant. Students will present their finished project in the spring semester at the Student Research and Creative Works Expo. To receive a Signature Experience grant, students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and have a faculty member to mentor the project. “In the fall, you will articulate your research project and methodologies; hopefully getting supplies, and beginning to carry out your research in the spring semester,” said Dr. Jeremy Ecke, director of undergraduate research. “Think about it as a year-long opportunity to link yourself with mentors and gain experience in your major. We are interested in providing opportunities for students in creative work and disciplines that support service work and professional development.” A portion of awards is reserved for freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students of the 2021-22 academic year. Another subset of awards is reserved for graduate students who do not have access to adequate funding. Prior awards and projects, incomplete prior projects, and equity in colleges, departments, and mentors will all be taken into account by Student Research and Creative Works Committee members in their review and awarding of grants to encourage new research projects and broad participation in the Signature Experience Program. Applications can be filled out at this link. Examples of abstracts, budgets, biographies, and past Research Expo programs are also available on the Signature Experience website. For more information, please email or call Dr. Jeremy Ecke at 501-297-3925 or jsecke@ualr.edu.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock engineering student using 3D printer to make masks for healthcare workers

John Hill — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 13:52:56 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student is putting his engineering skills to good use by printing face masks to protect healthcare workers who are battling COVID-19. “The goal is to be able to supply these masks to hospital and healthcare workers,” said Trigun Maroo, a doctoral student majoring in systems engineering from Surat, India. “They are facing a shortage in masks and other personal protective equipment. This is one way that we get more masks ready for the healthcare workers.” Maroo started the project after being contacted by a friend, Dr. Supriya Jambhekar, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who asked if Maroo had 3D printing capabilities to speed up the manufacturing of face masks. “These masks are much better for personal safety than a cloth mask,” she said. “This mask will be more effective to protect the wearer from catching an infection from others. Ideally, if all healthcare workers wear these or similar masks, they will be more protective to them.” Maroo is printing face masks that are being tested at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and in Tennessee to see if they can be produced on a large scale.

Trigun Maroo

“Trigun helped a lot by printing out these masks to check the viability and do-ability of the project,” Jambhekar said. “If we need a large number of masks, it will be very helpful if people like Trigun can help to print out these masks.” For Maroo, the beauty of this project is that it provides a way for non-medical personnel to help in the fight against COVID-19. “Projects that impact the community positively and directly have been my interest,” he said. “This special opportunity was no different, and I contacted Dr. Wright immediately. Dr. Wright has been very kind and has supported me a lot in this endeavor. I am very grateful to him.” Dr. Andrew Wright, an associate professor of systems engineering, also serves as Maroo’s mentor on his Signature Experience project and doctoral research. These projects are designed to inspire ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students to conduct research and creative projects to enrich their academic experience. Although Maroo’s initial research project was nearly completed, Wright encouraged his student to switch to the face mask project and offered a 3D printer from the Department of Systems Engineering that Maroo could use to work from his home. Maroo’s project earned first place in the Engineering/Engineering Technology/Construction Management category at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s 2020 Student Research and Creative Works Expo.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Moore Named Director of Undergraduate Research and Mentoring

Spotlight on Nanotechnology Researchers: Ruby Trotter

Applications for Signature Experience Grants Open Until Oct. 15

����Vlog��ý Little Rock engineering student using 3D printer to make masks for healthcare workers

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock engineering student using 3D printer to make masks for healthcare workers