Lucas Scholars

Major: Physics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nina Miolane
We research how to democratize the use of topological and geometric machine learning through our open source Python module Geomstats. Namely, we are writing a python module that will allow computation and learning over complex objects called manifolds that will catalyze research in many different fields ranging from faster development of medicines to quicker detection of Alzheimer's disease and much more. 

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elliot Hawkes
I am actively working on improving the fabrication process of a vine robot at Hawkes Lab, focusing on enhancing reliability and addressing adhesive bond limitations. My efforts include prototyping designs and implementing traditional techniques to meet set parameters for reduced diameter and tight curvatures.

Major: Electrical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jon Schuller
Luminescence, the processes by which light is generated, is understood as a combination of electric and magnetic multipoles. This research aims to determine a way to enhance the magnetic-dipole-like emission of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites, thereby providing an advancement in our fundamental understanding of magnetic type emission.

Major: Zoology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Katja Seltmann
My research aims to utilize geometric morphometrics in order to demonstrate evolutionary relationships and track morphological change across bee phylogenies. I hope to prove how the application of these methods can be used to determine the phylogenetic position of indeterminate species. 

Major: Biological Sciences and English
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Meghan Morrissey
Conducting a genome-wide CRISPRi screen to observe how alterations in cancer cell gene expression can render them more susceptible to death through trogocytosis, or macrophage "nibbling," thereby reducing tumor burden.

Major: Aquatic Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lisa Stratton
I aim to research algal growth at the Devereux Slough through photography and field sampling to analyze the algal growth relationship with abiotic factors. Through the photographs, I will analyze the RGB values to quantify the pixel area that the algae covers in each photo and graph the changes over a year.

Major: CCS Chemistry and Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Angela Pitenis
My research involves examining the role and effect of stimuli such as light or pH on the tribological properties of hydrogels. I focus on the chemical and mechanical interactions at polymer-polymer interfaces, as well as manipulating certain properties of hydrogels to produce desired lubrication behaviors.

Major: Zoology BS
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hillary Young
Exploration of noninvasive survey methods for diet analysis for mammals along the Gaviota Coast with a particular focus in scat surveys and stable isotope ratio analysis from collected hair samples.

Major: Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Novert O. Reich
The research direction that I participated in focused on the mechanisms of a bacterial DNA methyltransferase called cell cycle-regulated methyltransferase (CCrM), and my current project is finding potential collaborators and using cryogenic electron microscopy to elucidate the dynamic structure of CCrM and DNA during the methylation process. So far I have found several cryo-em scanning conditions where CCrM can restore its activity.

Major: Physics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sebastian Streichan
My research explores how the early embryonic development undergoes symmetry breaking to implement spatial coordination and the future body plan. This project utilizes novel culturing conditions to investigate the wetting dynamics of zebrafish embryonic explants separated from their extra-embryonic tissues.

Major: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nadia Léonard
My research focuses on increasing the photostability of earth-abundant transition metal complexes by embedding charges at the ends of the complexing ligands. We will also investigate the impact of electrostatic interactions on their photolytic properties.

Major: Ecology and Evolution
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hillary Young
My research aims to understand the link between coastal environmental conditions and the utilization of beaches by terrestrial animals. Our focus will be on examining whether there is a connection between tide levels and the presence of large mammals along the Gaviota Coast in Southern California, specifically in Santa Barbara. The study will emphasize the behavior of significant species such as coyotes and wild hogs in relation to varying tide levels.