2013-14 IINSPIRE LSAMP Research Interns
Avril Carter
Senior, Environmental Science
Alliance Institution: Iowa State University
Research: Influence of Biochar Amendments on Soil Water Infiltration
Mentor: Dr. David Laird, Agronomy
Future Aspirations: Continue her education in northeastern United States where she can study the impact of Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling on water quality.
Edgardo Diaz Junior, Aerospace Engineering and Pre-Athletic Training
Alliance Institution: Iowa State University
Research: Experiencing LabVIEW
Mentor: Dr. Richard Wlezien, Aerospace Engineering
“It was really satisfying being able to complete three different programs during the summer and see them work. Lucas Clemons and Karina Williams were also important people in my summer experience. Both of them gave me valuable advice and help. My mentors motivated me to my goal and spent all summer trying to keep me busy and entertained. Thanks to all of them I had a great summer and they saw they could trust me.”
Norma Granados Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Alliance Institution: Marshalltown Community College
Research: Electrical to Mechanical-Actuation of a Cantilever by Electric Field
Mentor: Dr. Pranav Shrotriya, Mechanical Engineering
Future Aspirations: Attend Iowa State University for her master’s degree and then her PhD.
Crystal Jones Junior, Genetics
Alliance Institution: Iowa State University
Research: Targeted Deletion of Zebrafish IncRNAis18 with TALENs
Mentor: Dr. Maura McGrail, Genetics/Development & Cell Biology Future Aspirations: Attend Iowa State University for her master’s degree and then her PhD.
“Professor McGrail has been a role model to me and I am so thankful for the opportunity that she has provided me by entrusting me with my own project to work on in her lab. It has been truly an amazing experience and I hope to continue to work for her for the remainder of my time at Iowa State University.”
Chukwuebuka Kemdirim Junior, Aerospace Engineering
Alliance Institution: Iowa State University
Research: Laboratory studies of wind turbine aerodynamics to understand wind flow around an airfoil and an wind turbine’s ability to produce energy. Mentor: Dr. James Buchholz (University of Iowa), Mechancial Engineering
Future Aspirations: Continue his education in engineering with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and have a career in aerodynamics.
Esdras Murillo Junior, Electrical Engineering
Alliance Institutions: Des Moines Area Community College and Iowa State University
Research: Annual Energy Consumption in a Community Lab and Analysis of the Electricity Flow
Mentor: Dr. Ulrike Passe, Architecture
“IINSPIRE has come to give me the strengths and experience necessary to be successful in my educational goal. It’s an excellent program with excellent people.”
Queenster Nartey Sophomore, Biological Chemistry
Alliance Institution: Grinnell College
Research: Improved Nitrogen Retention through Plant-Microbe Interactions
Mentor: Dr. Kristen Hofmockel, Ecology Evolution and Microbial Ecology
“I really enjoyed working both in the lab and also going out into the field to collect some soil samples. I could not have done all of this without my amazing lab group with was composed of Alison King, Elizabeth Bach, Sarah Hargreaves, Ryan Williams, Fan Yang, Sandra Greenwood, Jessica Maciel-Hernandez and Giselle Narvaez. My mentors were very encouraging and helpful in the lab in many aspects. Each and everyone of them made me feel very welcomed.”
