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Our next winter deadline is December 15, 2023 11:59pm PT. Apply today to lock in your spot!

10-session deep dive into a research topic of your choice

6-week research project with an expert and peers who share your passion

A career discovery experience with 3 expert mentors in your chosen fields

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The pressing issue of petty theft and its increasing rates is a big concern in California even after legal efforts aimed to curb such issues . Addressing this main issue of petty theft helps maintain a sense of security within communities, creating a more stable environment. Tackling petty theft can serve as a prevention for more serious criminal activities, contributing to overall prevention efforts. This research will compare and contrast the effectiveness of community based programs and interventions in mitigating the act of petty theft and its consequences. The goal of this study is to see a change in crime rates and reduced recidivism after 6 months since the program has taken place exploring the factors that make the community actions successful, such as a certain percent decrease in crime rates, in combating the root causes of petty theft. This research will analyze studies to explore the impact of these programs on petty theft reduction and recidivism. Additionally, this study will conduct interviews with experts in criminology, psychology, etc to gain a better understanding of the petty theft subject and its impacts. This study will guide policymakers, law enforcements, and even social service providers in making decisions to fight against the issue of petty theft and its prime causes. For instance, if community-based programs are to be found effective in tackling the root causes of petty theft, it could increase the funding towards improving such initiatives.

Anything related to data science, machine learning and AI, social sciences, and the arts!

To what extent do laws such as Prop 47 and more local, action-based community interventions such as surveillance cameras aim at reducing petty theft effectively comparing and contrasting the crime rates 6 months after the intervention passed address the root causes and lead to lower recidivism rates among offenders?

As RA is considered an Autoimmune disease, my student has decided to conduct a lit review to examine the relationship of socioeconomic status factors on the severity of this disease; for now, we are focused on the adverse effects of climate change, especially extreme heat and cold.

Veterinary Medicine,Microbiology,Public Health, Epidemiology, Food Hygiene and Food Science,Infectious Disease,Genetics

Examining the effects of climate change (extreme heat) on patients diagnosed with RA (rheumatoid arthritis), ranging from symptoms to socioeconomic status that may affect diagnosis period

Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology, Neurological Disorders, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Cognition

Matthew is investigating how the incentives associated with pay-for-performance payment models affect healthcare outcomes relative to other payment models (specifically, we are focusing on fee-for-service as the comparison model). The literature review will reflect thorough research of the published peer-reviewed literature, of which we have examined over the past couple of weeks. Having a deep understanding of the methods, study designs, analytical approaches, and findings of these paper will allow us to derive an evidenced based answer to our research question. Next week we will begin to collate, organize, and synthesize the information from the papers to build a foundation on which our final literature review will be based. 

Economics of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Industries; Drug Pricing; Competition studies in Healthcare Markets; Determinants of Health; Theory of Healthcare and Health; Entrepreneurship/Business

Are performance based payment structures more strongly correlated with better health outcomes compared to fee-for-service payment (i.e., paid for doing procedure not on outcome) for surgeons?

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are highly energetic centers of galaxies, powered by accretion of galactic
matter onto a Supermassive Black Hole (SMBH). Due to the Conservation of Angular Momentum of
the accreted galactic matter, a relatively cold axis-symmetrical accretion disk or α − disk is formed
around the SMBH. Highly collimated relativistic jets are observed which are perpendicular to the
accretion disk. This study proposes that the magnetic fields generated by a system of counter-rotating
hemispherical shells separated by the accretion disk contributes to the formation of these jets.
 

cosmology astrophysics, computational physics (coding), physics, math

A Theoretical Study of the Magnetic Field Generated due to the Rotation of Coronae in Active Galactic Nuclei

With an increasing number of satellites being launched from Earth, the future of communication in space depends on quick algorithms that can estimate when and where it is best to communicate to a satellite around, for example, Mars.

Given a solar system, which consists of a number of stably orbiting planets, star(s), and satellites orbiting planets with some degree of control over their thrust, we want the satellites (around various planets) to rendezvous or communicate occasionally. 

First, we simulated the orbital mechanics of satellites and planets in the solar system using VPython, a simulation tool in Python. Using an optimization tool named GEKKO, we are currently transferring the simulation into a mathematical form. The new GEKKO model can be manipulated to handle as many satellites and planets as needed and is finally used to optimize parameters to find the optimum rendezvous point.

This complex system needs to consider the fuel constraints of satellites, trajectory of satellites required to cover areas of interest of different planets, planet positions, and other factors.

By converting the underlying math into a set of equations, we are attempting to develop a suitable algorithm for communication and the future of communication in space.

Machine Learning, Data Science, Aerospace Engineering

Optimizing Satellite Trajectories For Optimal Communication Across Planets

Mechanical Engineering Design, Computer science/programming, Robotics, Aviation, Rapid Prototyping, Machine Learning

While discussing my interests with my mentor, Shariq, it was clear that I wanted to focus on something related to international relations and real-world issues. My initial idea for this program was to write a simple research paper, however, after reviewing all the fun and exciting projects other Polygence students have done, I wanted to do something more creative. Having some written piece of work to go along with my project was something I wanted to have, so when brainstorming different ideas, I thought of making a children’s book. The book will focus on different immigrants’ stories illustrating their unique but also interconnected experiences while navigating their new lives in the US. The audience of this children’s book is children who feel different and want something to relate to. Since this book will be a children’s book, the topics covered and discussed on the surface should be simple, however, they will have deeper meanings. I have been in photography for the past 3 years and my absolute favorite pictures to take are basic images that have a much deeper meaning. I want this book to incorporate my photography, my writing, and immigrants’ personal stories.


Humanities, Social Sciences, Multiculturalism, Human Rights, Globalization, Sociology, Public Policy, Political Science, International Relations, Public Health, Ethnography, Religious Studies, Linguistics, Middle Eastern Studies, South Asian Studies, Human Migration

Breast Cancer is a fast spreading disease where cells in the breast grow into a dangerous tumor. 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, about 250,000 of those women are under the age of 40. Although the exact cause of breast cancer is unknown, possible causes could be genetics, lifestyle factors, diet, etc. Alcohol is the most common cause of cancer because ethanol and acetaldehyde cause DNA to replicate incorrectly. Additionally, if someone is overweight, they have a higher chance of getting breast cancer at an older age because their estrogen levels are higher than others. Oral contraceptives and other birth control can increase risk for breast cancer because of hormone levels as well. Lastly, stress can cause cancer due to the response humans have to stress. For example, stress makes people want to eat more or drink more alcohol which can increase risk of getting cancer.

As aforementioned, genetics can account for a proportion of breast cancer diagnosis. Specifically, a person who has inherited a mutated BRCA gene has a 70% chance of getting breast cancer before the age of 80. This chance is about 53% higher than non-carriers. Everybody is born with one BRCA gene per parent (BRCA1 and BRCA2) which help fight possible cancer genes in one’s DNA. However, if one of these genes are abnormal, they could actually cause cancer instead of fighting off possible cancer genes. These mutated genes are called tumor suppressor genes and cause people to develop breast cancer at a relatively young age. Since we are aware that lifestyle factors play a role in the initiation of breast cancer, the crux of my review paper is to determine if lifestyle interventions such as stress relief, diet, and exercise can reduce a BRCA1/2 mutation carrier’s risk of getting breast cancer.

biology, cancer biology

If you are a carrier of the BRCA mutation, can certain lifestyle factors reduce your risk of getting cancer? (Stress, diet, exercise)

In *A Theory of Justice*, Rawls presented a picture of what he envisioned as just society that runs under favorable conditions that presume principles of justice, which were adopted under the veil of ignorance. The true principles of justice will be established in this respect since the veil of ignorance ensures that no one is disadvantaged or benefited by any factor, including contingencies, natural chance, or social circumstances. Rawls’s ideal theory has been challenged, particularly by realists, for a lack of contact with reality and recognition of the true character of humanity. Thus, the realists argue, the ideal theory does not apply to real-world environment, people, and institutions. In this paper, I will define the ideal theory, following Rawls, as a just society that occurs in a realistic utopia after all non-ideal factors have vanished. I will argue for the necessity of ideal theory on the grounds that it allows us to identify both humankind's limitations and potential while also serving as a guide to establishing a just society for which we must strive. I will further argue that ideal theory depicts a realistic utopia by combining realist and utopian features and I will demonstrate these features establishes both imaginable and achievable in the form of an exemplary just society. Finally, I will address and response to realism criticisms and offer some points on ideal theory that needs improvement.

Ethics, Political Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Interdisciplinary Work with Philosophy and the social sciences, Writing for the Humanities and Social Sciences

In Search of the Just: Reflections on John Rawls’s Ideal Theory

Although around 90% of Americans have experienced a traumatic event in their life qualifying for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), only 7% end up being diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder thought to be caused by a traumatic event in a person’s life. However, very few people that experienced a traumatic event end up developing PTSD symptoms, and this is hypothesized to be due to pre-existing physiological and psychological conditions.Treating PTSD is often difficult because there are a wide variety of symptoms affecting patients. The main four categories of symptoms are intrusive thoughts, physical irritability, avoidance, and negative emotions. The pre-existing conditions that make certain people more susceptible to develop PTSD include physiological symptoms such as low cortisol, and psychological symptoms such as a history of poor coping and low social support to deal with trauma. A particular reason it is difficult to conduct experiments and treat patients for PTSD is that it is confusing for individuals to recognize and recollect their trauma and accurately explain their symptoms. Understanding what trauma is and the variety of variables affecting how symptoms are interpreted by patients presents some of the many difficulties for researchers to understand the underlying causes of PTSD. Here we will review the relevant literature regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for PTSD, including their limitations in efficacy and data collection.


Anything in Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, or Psychology (expertise in cognitive disorders)

Emotional Trauma and the Brain

Gokul will be working on a diabetes dataset where he will be using clinical patient features to predict if patients have diabetes or not. Gokul will be doing this using machine learning models. At the end of the project, he will have a biomarker and identify clinical features that are the most predictive of diabetes. From a technical perspective, Gokul will learn how to clean and model different types of data types. From a medical perspective, Gokul will learn more about the clinical features his models uses and how they relate to diabetes. 

Machine learning for clinical applications, Protein engineering, Immunoengineering, Cancer immunotherapy, Medicine, Biology, Computer Science

Predicting diabetes with clinical features

The students aim to answer the research question: How can we incorporate organisms into fashion and design to make it more sustainable? She will be making her own textile out of macroalgae harvested and dried from the intertidal, then designing a garment to go with this piece. She will also learn how to hypothetically bioengineer a microalga to perform in bioremediation. The student will use Adobe Illustrator to design each garment, and complete the project with a Powerpoint of her work. 

The modern fashion industry places more emphasis on affordability and efficiency over sustainability, making up about 10% of global carbon emissions. With cheap clothing costs and fast availability for customers, there has been growing support for fast-fashion. As a result, almost 3.8 billion pounds of clothes are thrown away every year. However, more and more people have begun to express environmental concerns with the rise of climate change, putting pressure on the fashion industry to adapt and find innovative ways to promote more sustainable practices. This, in part, can be enabled by the collaboration between designers and scientists to create textiles which are more sustainable and safe for the environment. Here we aim to create two textiles from micro- and macroalgae which can be used as a sustainable fabric alternative. We will theorize how microalgae can be used to create an eco-polyester by genetically modifying Nannochloropsis oceanica to produce more algaenan in its cell walls. Additionally, we will harvest macroalgae off the coast of Southern California, dry it, and combine it with agar and glycerol to create a  textile. We will then use our physical and theoretical textiles to design garments using Adobe Illustrator, offering possible alternatives to the harmful state of the current fashion industry.

Biology (molecular, environmental, fungal, plant, algal, etc), Fashion (design, marketing, etc), Music

Making and engineering sustainable textiles and fabric from macro- and microalgae.

This project is focused on exploring diseases driven by Down Syndrome and the causal evidence that support these hypotheses. This paper will collect and curate the various new papers that have been published over recent years to identify the different hypotheses in how Down Syndrome can lead to different diseases. Diseases that will be explored in this paper include Alzheimer's disease, leukemia, several metabolic diseases, etc. For each disease, the statistical connection, causal hypotheses and evidence will be investigated. The goal for this paper is to help scientists identify where current research is, the directions that are taken and the discoveries and patterns that have been identified over recent years.

A review on pathologies of diseases driven by Down Syndrome

Taste perception is a complex process and is influenced by many factors, including genetics, sex, age, and experience. Sensory perception and taste preferences can dramatically change throughout an individual’s lifetime. The growth of taste buds begins at the prenatal stage of birth and continues into infancy. Anatomy of the tongue plays an important role in perception. The dorsum, which is the upper part of the tongue, holds fungiform and filiform papillae, which essentially allow humans to taste. Within the tongue, different regions aid for different purposes. For example, the greatest sensitivity to sweet is at the tip of the tongue, whereas the greatest sensitivity to sour is at the upper sides of the tongue. Eventually, babies begin to develop certain taste preferences and as they age, different genetic changes, such as alleles, can cause individuals to be more sensitive to some flavors over others. This contributes to the differences observed in infant versus adult sensory perception. Similarly, the sex of a person can drastically vary their ability to detect certain basic traits. Aside from biological factors including age and sex, environment plays a large role in the development of taste preferences and perception. This may consist of race, ethnicity, culture, and location. The simple topic of taste buds is actually a much more complex one and is important for humans to become more knowledgeable about something they use in their everyday life.

Neural circuits, animal behavior, neuroscience of addiction, psychiatry and alternative medicine, sex differences in the brain & behavior

How do taste buds vary depending on age, sex, and environment and have an effect on sensory perception?

This literature review examines youth homelessness in the United States. Included literature ranges from the late twentieth century to present day. This paper identifies the categories of youth who are most susceptible to experiencing youth homelessness, such as those who identify with the LQBTQ+ and/or the BIPOC communities. This paper also looks at the causes of homelessness, including youth who have experienced/witnessed domestic violence, as well as how the foster care system can play a role in homelessness. Finally, current housing solutions such as Housing First and Rapid Re-Housing are identified and explained.

Youth Homelessness in the United States

Natural language processing, computational social sciences, data science, machine learning

The human immune system does a remarkable job protecting us against foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria and over the last decade we have learned that it can also be effective in killing cancer cells. Cancer immunology is the study of how immune cells interact with cancer cells. Research in the last decade has shown that cancer cells can “hide” from the immune system allowing them to grow unbothered by our natural defense system.  Immunosuppressive proteins expressed by cancer cells as “stop” signals for our immune system when recognized by immune cells. The last 10 years have seen an increase in immunotherapeutic drugs which block these “stop” signals from working effectively turning the immune system back “on” and allowing our bodies to fight the growing tumor. Chemotherapy has been a life-saving treatment for a lot of cancer patients, however chemotherapy kills healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Immunotherapy’s promise is to effectively kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched making it the preferred treatment for cancer patients. This review paper will describe the background in cancer immunology detailing how the immune system normally finds foreign invaders, how it kills them, how cancer cells “hide” and how immunotherapeutic drugs stop them from “hiding”.

Proteins, medicine, immunology, cancer

The Cancer Treatment We've Been Looking For: Our Own Body

Katherine will be completing a literature review focused research paper on the key issues facing the study and treatment of eating disorder's today. In her paper, she will focus on 2-3 main themes. Right now, we have isolated those themes as (1) racial and ethnic disparities in the recognition and treatment of ED's, (2) better understanding the burden of those who care for someone with an ED, and (3) examining the effect of COVID-19 on eating disorder development, prevalence and treatment. Katherine will review all of the latest developments in these topics in order to make evidence based recommendations to stakeholders in the field, and will eventually summarize her findings through accessible, engaging, shareable infographics. 

Meet Polygence Scholars and explore their projects