Student Work
This collection contains works by students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Northern Iowa.
To go to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry page, click here.
Submissions from 2026
Applying Theoretical Models to Experiments of Curved DNA, Skylar Redford Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Photochemical Activation of Macrocyclic Alkynes, Taryn Rice Poster Presentation
Events from 2025
Affective Political Polarization Pre- and Post-Election: Beliefs about Positive and Negative Behaviors, Krishna Patel, Hallye Wade, Kalisa Weathersby, Lily Stevens, and Helen Harton
Beneath the Surface: 3D LiDAR Mapping Coldwater Cave, Jacqueline Heggen, Joshua Sebree, Mike Malaska, and Mike Paton Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Designing Strained Macrocycles: Tuning Click Reactivity Through Ring Size, Briauna L. Robinson and Daniel Lee Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Engineering New Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains to Investigate Gene Looping in Yeast, Jack Noehren and Justin Peters Open Access Poster Presentation
Expanding of the Method for Organic Compounds using GC/MS/MS, Madeline Apple and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Magnetotransport Properties of NiFe1+xMn1-xAl Heusler Alloys, Salimatou Diallo, Brandon Schmidt, Jax Wysong, Gavin Baker, Parashu Kharel, and Pavel V. Lukashev
Preparation of a Cave Crystal Inorganic Spectral Library, Jobie Smith and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Preparation of Cytogenetic Ice Spectral Library, Jessica Haines and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Sonication Production of Nanocellulose and Its Characterization, Aliciana E. Harvey-Greaves, Elizabeth E. Guevara, Bowen A. Downey, Casey J. Daughenbaugh, and Colin L. Weeks Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Spectroscopic Analysis of Caves: The Influence of Organic Overburden on Karst Speleothems, Jacqueline Heggen Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Straining Macrocyclic Alkynes with a Molecular Photoswitch Using Light to Undergo Cycloaddition Reactions, Taryn J. Rice and Daniel Lee Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Synthesis and Characterization of Strain-Responsive Macrocyclic Alkynes for Click Chemistry, Cassidy J. Hartman and Daniel Lee Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Tag Anything, Anywhere: Placing Chemical Taggants on Various Items, Alayna L. Schipper and Colin L. Weeks Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
The Art of Accessing Science, Kyle Mark Trunnell Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Water Quality Index of Coldwater Creek and Analysis of it's Subterranean Branch in Coldwater Cave, Zachary Harper, Mohammad Iqbal, and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2024
Characterization of Zebra Calcite to Better Understand Wind Cave National Park as an Extraterrestrial Analog, Jenna Heinen Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Developing a Cave Science Spectral Database for Fluorescence Inventory, Anna Van Der Weide, Evelyn Lopez, Jacqueline Heggen, Jordan Holloway, Celia Langemo, and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Development of Fluorescence Data Logger for Remote Exploration, Jordan Holloway and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Entrance to Entrance: A Hunt for Astrobiological Analogs at Wind Cave, Jacqueline Heggen, Evelyn Lopez, and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Fluorescence of Cryogenically Frozen Cave Water and Its Use as a Europa Analog, Jacqueline Heggen and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Gene Looping in Brewer’s Yeast: Exploring the Role of DNA Mechanics in 3D Genome Structure, Thalia Torres Guzman and Justin Peters Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Gene Looping in Brewer’s Yeast: Exploring the Role of DNA Mechanics in Three-dimensional Genome Structure, Thalia Torres Guzman Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Identifying Fungi and their Active Secondary Metabolites From Wind Cave National Park, Jack W. Noehren and Kirk P. Manfredi Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Nanocellulose Production from Microcrystalline Cellulose, Bowen A. Downey, Elizabeth E. Guevara, and Colin L. Weeks Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Tag You’re It: Producing Chemical Taggants and Identifying Objects with Them, Brianna A. Williams Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Use of Analytical Instruments in Caves to Assess Biometrics, Water, and Air Quality, Celia W. Langemo and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Water Quality Index of Coldwater Creek and Analysis of it's Subterranean Branch in Coldwater Cave, Zachary Harper, Mohammad Iqbal, and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Events from 2023
Analysis of Biologically Active Secondary Metabolites from Fungi, Elizabeth E. Guevara and Kirk Manfredi Open Access Poster Presentation
Analysis of Cytokinin Response Factors in Artemisia tridentata, Kelly Biscoglia, A. E. Melton, and S. Buerki Open Access Poster Presentation
Bioactive Secondary Metabolites in Cave Dwelling Fungi, Jade Nuehring Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Entrance to Entrance: A Hunt for Astrobiological Analogs at Wind Cave, Jacqueline Heggen, Evelyn Lopez, and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Identification of a DNA Polymerase Alpha Gene Sequence in Thermomyces lanuginosus Fungus, Nathan Williams Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Investigating Gene Looping in Yeast, Abbie Bangs and Justin Peters Open Access Poster Presentation
Investigation into a Potential DNA Polymerase of Thermomyces lanuginosus, Kameron J. Kruger Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Investigation of Unexpected Purple Substance Extracted from Newsprint Paper, Raquel Wilhelm Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Investigation of Unexpected Purple Substance Extracted from Newsprint Paper [Poster], Raquel Wilhelm, Shoshanna Coon, and Kirk Manfredi Open Access Poster Presentation
Spectroscopic Characterization of Crystals and Waters at Wind Cave, Jenna Heinen and Joshua Sebree Open Access Poster Presentation
Spectroscopic Characterization of Wind Cave National Park, Jenna Heinen
Synthesis and Reactivity of Dihydrogen Diruthenium Complexes., Ryder J. Downey and Robert Chin Open Access Poster Presentation
Using an Aminimide Functional Group to Selectively Uptake Lithium, Jacob Parker Poster Presentation
Wind Cave Zebras and Their Laboratory Analogs, Evelyn Lopez, Jacqueline Heggen, and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Events from 2022
Analog Studies of Organic Pathways in Wind Cave through Cave Water and Crystals, Wilson McNaughton Open Access Poster Presentation
Attitudes Toward the Chemistry Laboratory Learning Environment Using Different Pedagogies and Assessment Protocols, Lydia Richardson and Dawn Del Carlo Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Bioactive Secondary Metabolites from Cave Dwelling Fungi [Poster], Jade Nuehring and Kirk P. Manfredi Ph.D. Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Chemical Substitution Induced Half-Metallicity in Heusler Alloys, Lukas Stuelke Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy Analysis of Native American Pottery for Maple Syrup Residue [Poster], Alexis Wirtz, Joshua Sebree Ph.D., and Donald Gaff Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of Native American pottery for maple syrup residues, Alexis Wirtz Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Extracting Lithium Using the Steric Bulk of an Aminimide Functional Group, Jacob Parker and Martin Chin Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Identification of Microorganisms from the Depths of Wind Cave, Abbie Bangs, Justin Peters Ph.D., and Joshua Sebree Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Spectroscopic Characterization of Crystals and Waters at Wind Cave, Jenna Heinen and Joshua Sebree Ph.D. Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
The State of Safety Training, Facilities, and Resources for Chemistry Teachers: A National Survey, Lydia Richardson and Dawn Del Carlo Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Using an Aminimide Polymer to Extract Lithium from a Brine Solution, Austin Heidbreder and Martin Chin Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Using Atomic Force Microscopy to Study DNA and RAD51 Protein Interaction, Samrin Shahnaz and Justin Peters Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Well-Being & Money, Spenser Larson
Events from 2021
Analog Studies of Organic Pathways in Wind Cave through Cave Water and Crystals, Wilson McNaughton and Joshua Sebree Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Comparison of Chalk Types and Their Ghosting Effects, Felicienne Alexandre, Shoshanna Coon, and Kirk Manfredi Open Access Poster Presentation
Creating synthetic analogs of fluorescent speleothems in Wind Cave as an astrobiological model cave, Teresa Feldman Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Developing New Yeast Strains to Investigate Gene Looping, Caitlyn Nuehring and Justin P. Peters Ph.D. Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Examining the effects of netropsin on the mobility of DNA A-tracts using capillary electrophoresis, Jillian Miller Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Identification of fungi and their secondary metabolites from Wind Cave, Kyle Biscoglia Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Identification of Fungi and Their Secondary Metabolites from Wind Cave [Poster], Kyle J. Biscoglia and Kirk Manfredi Ph.D. Open Access Poster Presentation
Investigating the Unknown Purple Substance from Newsprint Paper, Briyana Carter, Shoshanna Coon, and Kirk Manfredi Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Optimizing DNA extraction from microorganisms living in Wind Cave, Allison Warming Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Quantitative analysis of DNA polymerase alpha gene expression during various stages in chicken embryonic development, Carter Howard Stochl Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Raman Spectroscopy: Investigation of Acidic Azure B on Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles, Cobey Heinen Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
The Phosphorescence of Wind Cave Cavern, and the Level of Organics Associated with it, Steven Gomez and Joshua Sebree Open Access Poster Presentation
Visualizing Human RAD51 Protein Binding to Single-Stranded DNA Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Rose Perksen and Justin P. Peters Ph.D. Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2020
Analysis of gene expression in early-stage pancreatic cancer and investigation of 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside as a therapeutic, Zachary R. Heinzman Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Fluorescent speleothem in Wind Cave and their synthetic analogues [Poster], Teresa Feldman and Joshua Sebree Undergraduate Student Work (UNI Access Only)
Fluorescent Speleothem in Wind Cave and their Synthetic Analogues [Slides], Teresa Feldman and Joshua Sebree Undergraduate Student Work (UNI Access Only)
Fluorescent Speleothem in Wind Cave and their Synthetic Analogues [Video], Teresa Feldman and Joshua Sebree Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Measuring meaningful learning in a chemistry laboratory, Kylie Engstrom Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The effects of intercalating molecules on the polymer properties of DNA, Joseph Tibbs Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Events from 2019
Derivatization of Core molecule for therapeutic purposes, Andrea Reutzel and Jeffrey Elbert Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Development and Evaluation of a Hybrid ADI/SWH Model Pre-Laboratory Curriculum, Tabitha Alitz and Dawn Del Carlo Open Access Poster Presentation
Exploring the Antimicrobial Activity of Endophytes Isolated From Native North American Prairie Plants, Bridget Shoemaker, Kirk Manfredi, and Michael Walter Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
How Blue was My Crystal: Synthesis of Copper(II) Oxalate Coordination Polymers, Paul White, Arkady Ellern, and Colin Weeks Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Infrared Analysis of Anaerobic Photochemical Aerosols, Mildrède Debello, Joshua Sebree, and Kailey Casper Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Lego Mindstorms as Alternative Scientific Instrumentation, Emma Yarrow and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Mobility determination of polyanions using Capillary Electrophoresis, Jill Miller and Justin Peters Poster Presentation
Revisited: Calculating the Polarity of an Extremely Polar Organic compound, Alyssa Bauer, Lane Ver Mulm, and John Bumpus Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Silyation of carbon-hydrogen bonds using diruthenium catalysts, Joshua Wesley Prybil Honors Program Thesis (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Silylation Using a Zinc Catalyst, Rodney Wallace, Victoria Williams, and Robert Martin Chin Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Supercoiled DNA Looping by Lac Repressor Protein Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Hannah Peterson, Taylor Harris, Timothy Kidd, and Justin Peters Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Synthesis and characterization of Cp2Ru2(dppm)2(CH3)2, Nina Jocic Honors Program Thesis (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Synthesis and coupling schemes of naphthalimide compounds with target drugs, Kaitlyn Parrott Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The Silylation of Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds Using Zn(OTf)2 Catalyst, Alexandra Warren and Robert Martin Chin Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
The Spectroscopy of Coffee Roasting, Kailey Casper and Joshua Sebree Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2018
Analysis of vibrational modes of chemically modified tone wood, Madison Flesch Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Detection and determination of food residues in Native American pottery, Katherine A. Plotzke Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Intercalating transition metals in tantalum disulfide nanostructures, Madeline Christine Roach Honors Program Thesis (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Investigating Reactive Diruthenium Intermediates for C-H Bond Silylation Reactions, Nina Jocic Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
New insights into the "manna from heaven" hypothesis, Clare Laubenthal Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Prebiotic potential of aerosols, Emma Rae Shipley Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Rates and patterns of evolution in a duplicated genome in the family Catostomidae, Megann Michelle Schmidt Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Silylation of Pyridine and Pyridine Derivatives using Diruthenium Catalysts [Poster], Josh Wesley Prybil Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Synthesis and Coupling Schemes of Naphthalimide Compounds with Target Drugs [Poster], Kaitlyn Parrott Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Submissions from 2017
Formation of Titan aerosol from CO and CH4, Tate Christensen Open Access Honors Program Thesis
New Insights into the “Manna from Heaven” Hypothesis [Poster], Clare Laubenthal, Joshua Sebree, and Marek Sliwinski Poster Presentation (UNI Access Only)
Stable Isotope Chemistry in Titan Haze Aerosol, Allison Wold, Thomas Gautier, Jennifer Stern, Joshua Sebree, and Melissa Trainer Open Access Poster Presentation
Submissions from 2016
Magnetic properties of polymeric framework materials with cobalt, Cassara Higgins Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2015
Impact of cost barrier on high school chemistry laboratory teaching practices, Robin Livermore Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Measuring the stability of iso-1-cytochrome c variants using heme spectra, Sarah Elizabeth Eikenberry Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The benefits of legalizing marijuana and products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, Pat Chizek Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2014
Comparison of life experiences of men and women in the sciences, Tori Nicole Quist Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Investigating the expression of AHNAK2 and CTHRC1 in pancreatic cancer cell lines, Logan Patrick Poole Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The investigation into the conditions of tantalum disulfide nanotube growth, Lauren Holmes Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2013
Expressed sequence tag for DNA polymerase alpha in embryonic chicken brain, Rebecca Krewer Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Generating new Type II protein models using cytochrome c, Lindsey M. Ludwig Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Liquid sorption properties and structural changes of metal-organic frameworks of cobalt nitrate and 4,4'-bipyridine, Kathryn Mauger-Sonnek Open Access Thesis
Sequencing a DNA polymerase alpha gene in Thermomyces lanuginosus, Sonia Tien-Yang Han Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The Search for catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase α in Thermomyces lanuginosus, Chelsea Elyse Meier Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Theses/Dissertations from 2012
A Novel Method of Studying Ion Formation and Fragmentation Using a Modified Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer, David S. Ames Open Access Thesis
Determining the Virulence of Corn Pathogen Fusarium verticillioides Utilizing Deletion Mutants Lacking Genes FV_00027 or FV_NPS6, Abigail Zieman Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2011
A Different Kind of Garden: Seeding the Growth of TaS2 Nanostructures with 3d Transition Metals, Kayla Rose Boyle Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Decolorization of Dyes and Distillery Waste Effluent: Comparison of the Effectiveness of Several Biological and Physico-Chemical Processes, Mylène Godin Open Access Thesis
Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of a DI-T-Butyl Dicyclopentadienyl Ligand, Regina Rose Reinig Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2010
Disclosure of At-Risk Status for Huntington's Disease: Is There a "Right Time?", Krysten Ann Shipley Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Identification of Virulence Genes in the Corn Pathogen Fusarium verticillioides, Divya Chouhan Open Access Thesis
Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) Regulation by mTOR: New Insights From TSC1 Knockout Cells, Alyssa Mae Cates Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Structure Elucidation of a Glycosylated Benzyl Ester of Salicylic Acid from the North American Prairie Plant Oligoneuron rigidum, Sarah Katherine Miesner Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Synthesis and characterization of a [Ru(bpy)2(NCS)2] derivative for use as a dye-sensitizer in nanocrystalline solar cells, Joel Thomas Kirner Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2009
Preliminary Development of Quantitative Immunoassays for Mitochondrial Proteins, Adriann Hovey Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2008
Formulation of an ultra-violet curable, soy-based, organic pigment screen printing ink, Jenna L. Cherry Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Research Mentors' Perspectives on Scientist-Teacher Partnerships, Andrea Van Waardhuizen Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Synthesis and Characterization of New Luminescent Late Transition Metal Complexes Containing the Tridentate 1,3-DI(N-Pyrazolyl)-4,6-Dimethyl Benzene Ligand, Brian Christopher Gruver Open Access Thesis
The Reflective Science Educator, Caroline Anne Scheidel Open Access Thesis
Submissions from 2005
Synthesis and Characterization of Membrane Anchored Peptides, Eugenia Christine Tsamis Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2003
The redox potential of DDT: An environmental perspective, Anne Lewis, Christopher Cramer, and John Bumpus Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Theses/Dissertations from 2000
Photodecomposition of crystal violet dye in water solution and suspensions of metal oxides, Tatiana Yurievna Zakharian Open Access Thesis 2001 Award
Theses/Dissertations from 1998
Inactivation of Soybean Peroxidase During Sodium Azide Oxidation: A Comparative Study, Mohamed Yehia Zakaria Aboul Eish Open Access Thesis
Submissions from 1997
Diary of a backpacker rockstar: A UNI student's guide to traveling Western Europe, Jason James Joseph Sloan Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Submissions from 1992
New reaction conditions for the synthesis of Wieland-Miescher ketone, Jonathan J. Bates Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis
Theses/Dissertations from 1971
The Role of the Science Supervisor as Perceived by Elementary and Secondary Science Teachers, Thomas Graika Open Access Thesis
