USC Aiken Scholars Tapped for Magellan Program
Aiken, SC (04/18/2018) — Several University of South Carolina Aiken undergraduate students have been chosen for the Magellan Scholars program.
The Summer-Fall 2018 cohort was just announced by USC Columbia.
With this group of students, USC Aiken has surpassed the 100th threshold, boasting a total of 113 Magellan Scholars throughout the history of the program. This exceeds the number for any other institution in the USC System outside of USC Columbia.
"I am so proud of these students who have been named Magellan Scholars," said Dr. Chad Leverette, director of sponsored research at USC Aiken. "This award is the highest undergraduate research award in the USC system."
"We are very proud that we have eclipsed this threshold as an institution.
"That is quite an accomplishment and is a testament to the dedicated faculty that serve as research mentors for these students."
Students chosen for the Summer-Fall 2018 cohort include:
Brandon Eberl, Senior, Mathematics/Computer Science Major
Mentor: Dr. Titan Paul, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Effect of Nanoparticle Shape on Thermal Conductivity of Ionic Liquid Based Nanofluids
Gabrielle Gray, Senior, Psychology Major
Sarah Przywara, Senior, Psychology, Anthropology Major
Mentor: Dr. Adam Pazda, Department of Psychology
Perspective Taking and Stigma Reduction toward Convicted Felons
Hector Lopez, Junior, Psychology Major
Mentor: Dr. Adam Pazda, Department of Psychology
Perception and Political Attitudes: Does Perceived Bias of News Networks Affect Attitudes Toward News Content?
Sara McCommon, Junior, Psychology, Literature Major
Mentors: Dr. Laura Swain and Dr. Alexandra Roach, Department of Psychology
The Effect of Acetaminophen on Mu Suppression During a Pain Empathy Task: an EEG Study
Rachel Saxon, Junior, Biology/Geology Major
Mentor: Dr. Kristina Ramstad, Department of Biology and Geology
Mitochondrial DNA analysis of nest parasitism in American wood storks
Rhianna Smith, Sophomore, Fine Arts, Art History Major
Mentor: Dr. Jeremy Culler, Department of Visual and Performing Arts
Dadaism in the Twenty-first Century: The Rise of Millennial Nihilist Humor and its Use as Social Critique
Students participating in the Spring 2018 cohort include:
Christian Adams, Junior, Psychology Major
Mentor: Dr. Keri Weed, Department of Psychology
The Effects of Anxiety Reappraisal and Mindfulness on Perceived Anxiety and EDA, During Arithmetic Verification
Catherine Haley Cave, Senior, Chemistry Major
Mentor: Dr. Ken Roberts, Department of Chemistry and Physics
An LC/MS Assay for the Quantification of Analytes in the DAD-Catalyzed Reaction
Michaela Day, Senior, Biology Major
Mentor: Dr. Kristina Ramstad, Department of Biology and Geology
Nest Monitoring and Behavior Analysis of American Wood Storks via Trail Cameras
Heather Nall, Senior, Psychology Major
Mentors: Dr. Derek Zelmer and Dr. Michelle Vieyra, Department of Biology and Geology
Comparison of a prototype remote rat monitoring system with conventional video observations for drinking behavior in rats.
Kristin Anna Kay Norris, Senior, English Major
Mentors: Dr. Todd Hagstette and Dr. Bill Claxon, Department of English
Female Soldiers in the American Civil War: A Novel Approach
Elizabeth Platt, Junior, Music Education Major
Mentor: Dr. Richard Maltz, Department of Visual and Performing Arts
Create a Just Intonation Tuning System and Employ it in an Original Musical Composition
McHale Rich, Senior, Biology Major
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Shervette, Department of Biology and Geology
Determination of invasive lionfish species composition in the Western Atlantic waters of Florida
The University of South Carolina created the Magellan Scholar program "to enrich the academic experience of our undergraduates through research opportunities in all disciplines from science, technology, and medicine, to theatre, music, and art," according to its website.
"By providing access to faculty mentoring relationships and a professional research experience, USC enables students to creatively explore their interests at a more in-depth level than can be attained in the classroom."
As Magellan Scholars, these students receive up to $3,000 to fund his or her research project.