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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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Karim is learning about new and ongoing advancements in the treatment of type1 Diabetes. He hopes to put together an article that details the state of current research in diabetes. This will compare traditional treatments for the symptoms of diabetes to new medications and potentially surgeries that are aimed at helping these patients. 

Microbiology and Infectious disease, the social determinants of health for infectious diseases, sustainable healthcare interventions, engineering bacterial to be beneficial to humans

New advancements in the treatment of Type1 Diabetes

In recent years, genetic research has been developing rapidly and taking on a larger role in research and medicine. The synthesis of any particle that can be used in this research can pave the way for new developments in this field.  This research aims to develop a chemical method to produce nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots - economical and bio-sourced substances that bind to genomic DNA.  Carbon quantum dots are produced by the green synthesis hydrothermal method from radish, which is abundant in nature, and economically affordable. Nitrogen is added to increase the fluorescence properties of the produced carbon quantum dots and to improve their binding to DNA.  The synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were tested through chromosome imaging subsequently. It was shown that N-CQDs can bind to the chromosomes, and N-CQDs reflected green light better than DAPI under the FITC filter, a potential advantage of using N-CQDs over DAPI in chromosome imaging.

cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering, biology

N-Carbon Quantum Dots for Chromosome Imaging

For my literature review research I am focusing on bipolar disorder and how childhood trauma can take effect later on getting diagnosed with the mental disorder. I have gathered around 20 research articles and am still gathering more to write a research review paper on the topic. I found common themes when reading each article and have sectioned my paper into the following: the clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of bipolar disorder, features and definitions of childhood trauma, how childhood trauma and development of bipolar disorder relate, how childhood trauma and bipolar disorder affect adults, risks of developing bipolar disorder if one’s parents had diagnosed bipolar disorder, and finally therapies and treatment options that can mitigate the clinical features of bipolar disorder. Finally it will conclude with a discussion of next research steps to better understand the nuances and intersectionality of trauma and bipolar disorder.

Neuroscience, neural engineering, bioengineering, medicine, coding

Trauma and associated risk factors of bipolar disorder.

The glymphatic system is a complex network of paravascular channels that delivers nutrients and clears cellular waste products through circulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF). Some cellular waste products include proteins that may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases when they aggregate abnormally. An example of this is alpha-synucleinopathies, which involves accumulation of alpha synuclein protein in the brain, often causing clinical syndromes such as Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. REM sleep behavior disorder is a hallmark symptom of alpha-synucleinopathies and a frequent treatment target. However, there is evidence that disruptions in non-REM sleep may hinder glymphatic system function and contribute to alpha-synuclein build-up and disease progression. This review will detail non-REM sleep and glymphatic system clearance, including how studies in this area may help future patients be treated for alpha-synucleinopathy symptoms.


Neuropsychology, aging, dementia, neurodegeneration, neuroanatomy, transgenic animal models, histopathology, applying to graduate school

How can sleep disturbances progress alpha-synuclein aggregation?

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness whose onset occurs
due to interacting aspects of both nature and nurture. While the etiology of
schizophrenia is not well understood, there have been multiple models and
hypotheses, including the stress-vulnerability-inflammation model and the NMDA
receptor hypofunction model, that have inspired a new direction for research in
schizophrenia. One area of research that has emerged in the hunt for
understanding the cause of schizophrenia is neuroimmunology. My paper
focuses on recent breakthroughs in this field by finding stress as the main
agent of immune dysfunction, inflammation, and inflammatory gut alterations in
the path to schizophrenia. With these studies, the specific mechanisms of
inflammation are highlighted, as well as the role of the gut-brain axis in
stress-induced schizophrenia. Furthermore, gaps in available research are
addressed and the next areas of research required to one day prevent/delay the
onset of schizophrenia are identified.  

Neuroscience, Microbiome, Gut-Brain Axis, Neurodegeneration, Neuroimmunology, Autism, Parkinson's Disease, Neurotransmitters, Probiotics, Prebiotics, Addiction, Multiple Sclerosis

The Role of Stress-Induced Inflammation in Schizophrenia 

General anesthesia is used while performing surgery as it brings the patient into a sleep-like state where their body becomes unresponsive to outside stimuli. Anesthesia works by inhibiting parts of a person’s nervous system so signals of pain cannot reach the brain. Since the nervous system of young children and infants is still very much developing, general anesthesia may cause permanent damage in this region and impair human functions. In this review, we will look at current and future studies looking at long term effects on patients, as well as novel insights on how to potentially mediate or reduce long-term effects.

Synapse biology, neuroanatomy, neurodegeneration

How does general anesthesia affect the development of the brain of juvenile patients?

My article is going to focus on an overview of what CRISPR screening is, and its various uses. It will primarily cover its uses in regards to colon cancers, but will still cover other concepts. It will encompass procedures, data analysis, explanations, and further inquiry.

Cancer Biology and Genetics

Exploring the Use of CRISPR Screens to Identify Therapeutic Vulnerabilities

**NFTs are unique assets in our digital world and have the potential to affect and change our future in many ways. NFTs have the ability to increase efficiency in different industries. In this paper, I explain how industries could work better using NFT technology, in addition to discussing the important aspects of blockchain technology affecting NFTs. Continued, I discuss the history of this technology, especially in the past year’s exponential growth in space. I created this paper using research done of my own accord and from my own interest. I have included research done on 6 different sectors by looking at NFT projects done in those spaces, the possibility for growth, the technological future in the space, how these sectors are currently working, and the areas for improvement.**

**I wrote this paper because of my interest in web 3 and especially NFTs. In 2021 and early 2022 I bought and sold a couple of NFTs myself. That really sparked a curiosity to learn and research NFTs and the possibilities they truly have.**

**In the future, I hope to see NFTs really flourish in a couple of different spaces (gaming, music, art, virtual world, and event ticketing). With continued research and technological advances, I believe that NFTs can really change the way we build and interact online.**

**This paper taught me many things when it comes to writing and publishing a proper paper. From learning to google better to learn how to structure a paper. I put a lot of time and energy into making it its best. I hope you enjoy and benefit from reading it!**

Business, Finance, Investing, Cryptocurrency

NFTs: What are they, why do they matter, and how they will disrupt our future?

Outcomes from Today
Disease will be measured: Om has to look up which disease he thinks impacts Ethiopia the most.
What other variables does Om want to include?
Is there a new dataset that hasn’t been used with the Ermon model that Om can use?
Poverty will be the variable predicted on.

For the next week I plan to:
•	Brainstorm new types of datasets/types of data that can be used to measure poverty
•	Read all the resources that Krti has shared with me
•	Read through Ermon Lab paper and their github to get a sense of the code/work that they are doing
•	Find the main variable that I am trying to research. “So and so to predict poverty”

Climate sciences, marine ecology, environmental disease ecology, career mentorship, college mentorship, animal behavior, creative writing, financial success, Python, Java, R Studio, Google Earth Engine, Java, Start-ups for social good, and public speaking & leadership.

Tracking poverty in Ethiopia using satellite and climate data

This project aims to use AI to improve the marketing space. We would use AI to analyze which emotions people would feel when watching an advertisement, their pleasantness level, and how that affects if the person actually buys said product. To specify, the algorithm should be able to pinpoint the intensity of multiple emotions and the pleasantness felt from a dataset of videos. Once the algorithm succeeds in accurately predicting emotion, we can apply it to a dataset of advertisements and how successful they were. Success could mean buying a product, sharing the site, etc. The algorithm will then be able to tell how a user feels after an advertisement, and what their probable reaction would be when/after watching it.

Machine learning/AI in computer vision and NLP or Computational Biology.

Predicting Successful Advertisements with AI

In order to ‘gamify’ the often boring process of learning and understanding software algorithms, this website takes the user through a series of interactive software challenges, each designed to teach users a specific concept. These concepts range from recursion to dynamic programming to optimization. Each challenge either comes with a story or comes with a simple animation to immerse the user. Users must write and execute code on the website to solve the challenge and are graded on execution time. The website makes use of various front-end and back-end technologies, such as React, NodeJS, Docker, Flask, and PostgreSQL. It also heavily uses JavaScript and Python.

Computer Science, Software Engineering

Algorithm Learning Game

Following highly publicized recent events such as the controversial 2020 presidential campaign, and the ensuing January 6th attacks on the Capitol, the condition of U.S. politics has undoubtedly been called into question. A major underlying cause behind this political instability is the phenomena known as political polarization. This paper examines political polarization through three facets; its causes, consequences, and finally, potential solutions. Firstly, in terms of the reasons behind the spread of polarization, we examine key areas which include the flaws within our current political system, the media relation to politics, and inherent psychological factors. It is important to acknowledge these causes as a means to comprehend how and why the problem has reached its current point. Subsequently, we look at various impacts that occur as a result of each cause, namely the effects it has on the productivity of government institutions, the spread of misinformation, and our social relationships. In turn, this allows us to put the aforementioned events, as well as numerous other instances into perspective in order to shed light on the extent of the problem. Lastly, we look at both existing and proposed solutions to address the respective causes, considering innovations in the political system, highlighting ways to oppose misinformation, and exploring the practice of deliberative democracy. In considering the importance of a strong political backbone on everyday life, it is imperative to look at what can be done to combat political polarization, and in the process, attempt to restore the state of American politics. 

Racial and ethnic relations, Culture, Business, Organizational science, social science

The Causes, Consequences, and Solutions for Political Polarization in the United States

This website aims to aid immigrants in applying for temporary or permanent residency in the United States. The United States immigration system is complex and has several pathways for immigrants, depending on their eligibility and the duration of their residency. Many potential applicants have limited access to resources and legal information about the immigration system, leading to the risk of deportation, legal repercussions, and application denial. This website will explain the rights afforded to immigrants, deportation, visa options, legal documents, and general immigration help. In order to provide this information, I researched several Supreme Court cases to provide examples within topics, as well as referencing government websites to make the information easily accessible. In addition to incorporating information from external websites, I conferred with people who have been through the US immigration system. This research aims to provide a simple and accessible guide to the United States immigration system.

Law, Civil Litigation, Legal Research, Trial Advocacy, Storytelling and Communication, Creative Writing (fiction, comics), Narrative through comics, History of comics as a medium

What are the most critical information and resources immigrants need to navigate naturalization successfully, and how can an online website guide effectively provide support to address their challenges?

Student is still figuring this out!

Americans across demographic groups tend to have low financial literacy, with low-income people and minorities at highest risk. This opens the door to the exploitation of unbanked low-income families through high-interest alternative financial services. This paper studies the causes and effects of financial illiteracy and exclusion in the most at-risk demographic groups and solutions proven to bring them into the financial mainstream. This paper finds that immigrants, ethnic minorities, and low-income families are most likely to be unbanked. Furthermore, the causes for being unbanked include high fees to have a bank account, the inability of Americans to maintain bank accounts due to low financial assets or time, banking needs being met by Alternative Financial Services, and being provided minimal help while transitioning from welfare to the workforce. The most effective solutions to financial illiteracy and exclusion include partnerships between nonprofits, banks, and businesses that provide alternative financial services to transition the unbanked into using products that meet their needs, educating the unbanked in the use of mobile banking, and providing profitable consumer credit products targeting unbanked families with features that support their needs in addition to targeted and properly implemented financial literacy programs.

Economics, Macroeconomics, Finance, Business, Economic Policy, Applied Math, Statistics, Econometrics, Data Analysis, Algorithms, Optimization

Exploring Causes, Effects, and Solutions to Financial Illiteracy and Exclusion among the Unbanked

Social media sites offer platforms for its users to share their concerns about current events, including

environmental issues. This study analyzes how Twitter users from different regions of the United States talk

about environmental issues, and how discussion about seven specific environmental issues varies across

regions. To investigate how factors like geographic proximity play a role in similarity in environment-related

concerns between regions, we looked at hashtag similarity between regions and the frequency of discussion

about the seven different environmental topics per region. Additionally, we used natural language processing

techniques to see how much environmental issues–such as air pollution and oil spills–played a role in Twitter

discussion. Our data suggests that users are more likely to tweet about issues that are local to the region they

live in, and that environmental issues do not play a huge role in Twitter discussion.

AI/ML/NLP; statistics; computational social science; data science

How the Interest of US Twitter Users in Environmental Issues Varies Per Region

The presence of eating disorders has currently been on a rise worldwide accounting for about 3.3 million deaths worldwide. It is important to understand not only the risk factors of eating disorders such as genetics and chemical imbalances in the brain, but also historical events and cultural exchanges that have changed countries forever. Specifically, the colonization and spread of western influence on smaller countries such as Fiji by growing powers like the British crown did not only bring over people, but also the cultural ideals such as beauty standards. The Fijian original beauty standard listed those with fuller, more athletic bodies. Being told “you have gained weight” was taken as a compliment showing that one is well cared for.  However, after British colonization occurred, that standard shifted towards being thinner. The British were portrayed as superior to the native people, and because the native people were powerless to the growing nation, they believed it. From generation to generation, these ideals have been passed down. Using other literature resources, we have found other specific factors of western influence that have accounted for this rise in eating disorders. Colonization was only the beginning of the major spread and glorification of western influence. We can see western influence spread in sources such as television, magazines, social media, and etc. The recent introduction of Western media through television shows in Fiji has only led to an increase of eating disorders. This increase is not only prevalent in smaller islands such as Fiji or the Pacific Islands, but also bigger countries such as India that have been taken over by the British crown and other western powers.

Backend, web development, software development, data engineering, machine learning, biology, psychology,pre-health

How has westernization influenced eating disorders in Fiji?

Janae wishes to build up her programming and statistical skills and then wishes to apply these to map crime across a region in the US.
Part of the project will look at various crime hotspots in the region along with time trends for the same. Beyond this, she also wishes to understand if there are predictors of crime in specific regions. This will likely come from a binary logistic regression and census data.
The project will involve PD data and then focusing on a specific region/ subset of precincts within a state depending on the size of the data that her computer can handle.

Natural Language Processing, Financial research, Statistical Modelling

Visualizing Crime in Urban America

With the rise in popularity of the recent hit show “The Last of Us,” more people than ever are interested in learning about fungal infections, specifically those that affect host behavior. Some fungal and parasitic infections are known to have an effect on hosts, exploiting them to transmit further infection amongst the host population. Toxoplasma gondii influences the rodent's behavior, making it more susceptible to contact with its predator, a cat. Toxoplasma gondii needs a feline host to reproduce. In a similar way, ophiocordyceps modifies ant host behavior to facilitate its contact with additional ant hosts. Through the use of various articles and research, this paper provides a summary of explanations for evolutionary infections that manipulate host behavior.

Meet Polygence Scholars and explore their projects