Minds in Motion

URECA – Undergrads & faculty mentors collaborate on summer research projects

By Wake Forest University

September 25^th, 2025

Measuring the ecological health of local wetlands

Engineering major Owais Kamran and economics and environmental studies major Virginia Crooks partnered with engineering professor Courtney Di Vittorio to gain hands-on experience in local engineering research. A unique blend of computational study, statistics, environmental engineering, hands-on electronics and data analysis, the project involved installing physical sensing stations around Lake Katharine. This man-made lake on the Reynolda estate is a valuable wetland area near Wake Forest University. The stations provide continuous data on various water quality parameters, and are accessible on a public website. The broader goal of this research is to integrate water quality monitoring and statistical analysis into different University departments and strengthen community engagement in watershed management.

Protecting brains from oxygen deprivation

Undergraduate researcher Alice Weir joined biology professor Lara do Amaral Silva's lab to help determine what route to follow in her passion for neuroscience. She quickly discovered that her interests extended to the psychology of behavior and the chemistry of the brain. The team's research focuses on the resilience of bird neurons, which, unlike those in most animals, can survive for extended periods in low-oxygen environments. This work aims to uncover the biological process that protects these brains, with the hope that the findings could one day be applied to develop treatments for humans, such as combating stroke.

Dementia and family economics

A family member's experience with dementia inspired statistics and economics major Gary Guo to work with economics professor Leah Lakdawala to consider how family economics might relate to a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, such as memory, thinking, reasoning and language. The two looked at possible connections between dementia and economics, education, homeownership and household composition. Results showed a clear social gradient: higher income and more schooling are linked to lower dementia probability.

Honeybees: Navigation and memory

Naoki Nikora explored how experience physically changes the brain with biology professor Susan Fahrbach. Focusing on honey bees, their project examined the mushroom bodies—a part of the brain essential for navigation and memory. The team investigated whether a chemical messenger called GABA, which acts like a "brake" on brain activity, differed between experienced and inexperienced foragers. Using advanced imaging, they found a surprising preliminary result: a trend of less GABA in the experienced bees' brains. This unexpected finding challenges previous assumptions and opens up new questions about how learning and experience physically alter the brain's chemistry.

The language of love in African American households

Psychology major Genesis Mark and her mentor Christy Buchanan explored how intergenerational experiences shape expressions of love and parenting within African American families. Their study looks at how parents' lived histories influence their approach to raising children, while also highlighting powerful, positive qualities like intergenerational pride and solidarity. Using a survey with both ratings and open-ended questions, the researchers gathered valuable insights with the goal of informing culturally sensitive parenting. This study seeks to give a voice to often-overlooked cultural experiences and underscore the resilience and adaptability of African American families.

The dynamics of erosion

Applied mathematics major Amy Sepucha, mentored by professor Claudia Falcon, is studying erosion dynamics to help protect ecosystems from landslides and pollution. In the lab, they model this process by releasing a thick fluid over a bed of sand on a sloped surface. Using images, Sepucha measures how fast and how much sand is eroded. Her research also identified the critical angle at which the slope becomes unstable and causes a landslide. This data helps test and improve mathematical models, which can eventually be used to predict erosion and landslide events in real-world landscapes based on factors like terrain and soil composition.

Math that saves money and the planet

Imagine a popular new restaurant that needs to serve more customers without building a massive kitchen. The owner must find the "sweet spot" between expanding and risking long wait times. This is the challenge that applied mathematics major Chris Cha and professor John Gemmer solved for the tech industry. The two developed a mathematical model to help companies manage the explosive growth of AI and cloud services. Their research identified strategies that balance the cost of building more server capacity against the risk of losing customers due to slow service. By connecting detailed simulations with simpler mathematical models, Cha and Gemmer's study lays the groundwork for strategies that reduce costs, save energy, and reduce the environmental footprint.

Creativity in the age of AI

As AI-generated content becomes increasingly common, the line between human-created and machine-produced art is blurring. Accountancy major Ashley Li, mentored by philosophy professor Tobias Flattery, explored the central question: Can AI-generated works be considered art? To directly engage the public with this debate, Li created an online interactive gallery that showcases AI artworks. The gallery encourages visitors to reflect on important ethical issues, such as authorship and ownership, by presenting the AI art alongside explanations of the philosophical reasoning. The team's research raises broader questions about how society defines creativity and value in the age of intelligent machines.

Racism and law enforcement as a public health issue

Economics major Mekdes Agezew, mentored by anthropology professor Sherri Lawson Clark, is exploring racism as a public health issue. While this crisis has been formally recognized, a significant gap remains between acknowledgment and effective action. This research aims to bridge that gap by focusing on the solution. The study investigates initiatives and programs developed by local public health and law enforcement agencies in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County with a goal to find ways to improve racial equity and the relationship with the Black community.

Detecting illegal gold mining and palm trees

Computer science majors Mallory Pitts and Mario Auqui, mentored by professor Paúl Pauca, are exploring how to better detect illegal gold mining and palm trees in the Peruvian Amazon using satellite images. Their research compares two different approaches: a traditional, rules-based method and a powerful, new AI-based approach. The traditional method uses a set of rules to analyze satellite data and identify areas of mining, while the new approach uses an advanced AI model to try to spot the mining and palm trees on its own. The traditional method proved to be more reliable. It was better at telling the difference between mining and other features, like muddy water, which often confused the AI. The research shows that while new AI models have great potential, established techniques may still be the best tool for specific and detailed tasks.