2008 SUMMER PROJECTS
SURF fellows write about their research plans.
| SURF Fellows from past years: | Summer 2007, | Summer 2006, | Summer 2005, | Summer 2004, | Summer 2003, | Summer 2002 |
Rhae Lynn Barnes, History
“The Print Culture and Gender Relations of Amateur Minstrelsy”
Mentor: Thomas Laqueur, History
Blackface minstrel shows in the 19th century are well documented, but their parallel counter-part, amateur minstrelsy, is believed to be a peripheral phenomenon implemented by scattered radicals. Thousands of blackface plays were written and distributed in the 20th century with crucial contributions to both racial and gender construction that have not been cataloged or analyzed. I will track amateur minstrelsy’s print culture between 1890 and 1960, expanding its chronology, increase minstrel research’s geography to the American Midwest, further illuminate the cross-dressing gender conflict in minstrelsy, and provide a bibliographical analysis of amateur minstrelsy by tracking its print culture. This bibliographic database will fill the baffling 100-year gap between 19th century professional minstrelsy and contemporary coverage of its traces in film and television.
--The opportunity to do a concentrated, independent research project with the SURF program is meaningful to me as it culminates my historical studies in race relations and gender construction at UC Berkeley into a project I feel has important social and cultural implications. My deepest hope is that by tracking these sources and their archetypal development I can contribute to the understanding of how specific stereotypes about women and people of diverse ethnicities have been developed and maintained. Understanding from where racial and gender caricatures come is empowering contemporarily to activists trying to deconstruct them. Finally, working one-on-one with my faculty mentor who has both inspired and instructed me since I was a freshman is very significant to me.
“The Novel at Twenty-Four Frames per Second: Adapting Proustian Time to the Cinema”
Mentor: D.A. Miller, English
I am researching the relationship between Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu and cinema in light of how each produces images. The prose of Marcel Proust is often termed “cinematic,” yet it is executed in a medium that is vastly different from film. What is it then about the image at this point in its history that allows for a comparison between this major work of literature and the fundamental techniques of the cinema? To answer this question I am researching the underlying philosophy of Proust’s imagery of time and memory alongside the philosophy of cinematic representation. In doing so I hope to draw out a more general trend in the production and perception of images, as well as the psychological insights they allow for.
--The aspect of this project which is both the most exciting and most frightening is the opportunity to ask my own questions of my academic studies and hence bring those studies to a more personal level. It is exhilarating because I now have the time to explore questions about the cinema that have been persistently waiting on the periphery of my core literary studies. It is on the other hand frightening because there is the danger of becoming completely obsessed with the project and allowing my personal and academic worlds to become too entangled. What I am finding thus far to be the essential challenge for myself is to keep these two realms at a distance in which they illuminate one another without collapsing together.
“Developmental role of Gremlin2 in the Mouse Dorsal Spinal Cord”
Mentor: Richard Harland, Molecular and Cell Biology
Development of the nervous system depends on the migration, differentiation, and axonal projections of neurons to their appropriate targets. In the dorsal spinal cord where many sensory and interneurons are born, signaling cues specify the development of neuronal precursors into an array of cell types. However, the process by which these signals regulate neuronal growth is still unclear. This summer, I will examine the function of the Gremlin2 gene, which is expressed in a specific population of dorsal interneurons. Taking advantage of Gremlin2 knock-out mice, I will use immunocytochemistry to determine the precise anatomical location of Gremlin2 expression and analyze defects in specification, migration, and connectivity of these interneurons.
--This research project represents an opportunity for me not only to become familiar with new laboratory techniques, but to prove myself capable of handling the responsibilities that come with research. The more I invest in this field, the more I begin to appreciate the diligence and patience required to plan, execute, and complete a research project. I am excited to document the culmination of my work in a senior honors thesis, and I am grateful that the SURF scholarship allows me to use this summer to fully engross myself in my research. I am certain this experience will help train me to become a better scientist and to prepare me for graduate school.
“Physiological Costs for Cabbage Aphids Sequestering Glucosinolates”
Mentor: Claire Kremen, Environmental Sciences and Policy Management
Studies have shown that cabbage aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae) that eat black mustard (Brassica nigra) can sequester toxic compounds to ward off their predators. This summer, I am building on these studies by examining the eco-physiological costs to aphids of processing and sequestering these toxins. The concentrations of the toxins will be analyzed to determine the difference in chemical load for aphids that eat broccoli (Brassica oleracea) versus mustard. My main goal is to study the physiological costs of this chemical load by examining differences in development and reproduction of aphids on the two food sources. The results of these experiments will be important in discovering methods to study and control agricultural aphid populations in a sustainable manner.
--I am grateful to be a part of the SURF program because it allows me to focus solely on my research this summer without distractions. I hope that I will be able to obtain significant results while learning more about herbivore and host interactions in landscape ecology. Prior to working in the Kremen lab, I knew little about agricultural pests and their effects on the environment. However, after working in the lab for almost a year, I have learned so much and my interest for environmental science has truly deepened. Through SURF, I intend on taking my interests to the next level and learning more about the professional realm of research.
“Decision-making structures and participation in heterogeneous worker cooperatives”
Mentor: Kim Voss, Sociology
I am studying how decision-making structures affect participation in heterogeneous worker cooperatives. Worker cooperatives are businesses or organizations owned and democratically managed by their workers. Previous research on worker cooperatives indicates a tendency towards homogeneity, meaning that worker-owners in a given cooperative share very similar backgrounds. However, since these studies were conducted in the 1970's and 1980's, worker cooperatives have become more diverse. A recent case study on a large and diverse worker cooperative suggests that formalizing decision-making structures might facilitate widespread democratic participation. I will expand upon this research by using participant observation and interviews to study two heterogeneous Bay Area worker cooperatives. I hope that my project will make a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge about cooperatives, possibly helping to create more democratic workplaces.
--I see the research process as a very stimulating challenge, one that encourages me not only to collect data, but also to collaborate with others and use my analytical skills to their fullest potential. To be able to devote an entire summer to developing my research skills is very exciting. Even more exciting is the fact that I am researching worker cooperatives, organizations that I have long admired for their struggle to put ideologies of empowerment and mutual responsibility into action.
“Foundation Funding and the Effects of Donor-Driven Community Projects in the United States”
Mentor: Nathan Sayre, Geography
The U.S. government budget cuts of the 1980s and the international financial institutions’ economic policies of the late 1980s and 1990s crippled government-run social services in the U.S. and across the Third World. To fill the void left by the defunct government services there has been an unprecedented rise in the number of non-profit and community organizations in the U.S. and abroad. This begs numerous questions: To whom are these organizations accountable? From where does funding come? Who is deciding which projects get financial priority? My research attempts to understand how/if funding opportunities shape the missions and philosophies of secular civil society organizations, and how those relations, in turn, affect the ability of community organizations to address the needs of the communities they serve. I will be focusing on Seattle-based community organizations and foundations as a case study for how these relations play out in the U.S.
--While I was living in Mali (Spring 2007) I interacted with many NGOs and development organizations, most of which didn’t translate their work into local languages and often left the local people out of the organizing process. When I returned to the U.S., this question of the effects of donor-driven development resonated strongly with me as I reflected on my fundraising experiences and the various concessions I had made in order to please, appease, or lure potential funders. In combining these international and domestic experiences with my coursework at Cal, I came to wonder how these issues of donor-driven projects play out in the U.S. With SURF funding I have the opportunity to sate my intellectual curiosity while conducting original research—an opportunity that I am incredibly grateful for and excited about!
“Kudziletsa, Kukulupirika, Kudzipimba: Understanding the Link between Discourses on Sex and HIV transmission in Malawi”
Mentor: Ann Swidler, Sociology
HIV/AIDS remains a significant threat to many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to understand HIV transmission in this context, it is crucial to understand the practices and understandings that facilitate its spread. In Malawi, HIV is spread primarily through sex, and sex itself constitutes a deeply culturally embedded practice. With this in mind, I will be spending this summer in Malawi examining the way in which discourses on sex influence HIV/AIDS patterns. Drawing on a collection of conversational journals collected by the Malawi Diffusion and Ideational Change Project of the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to closely examining Chichewa terms and phrases, I will use language as a compass to navigate through Malawian perspectives on sex. In doing so, I am to reach an understanding of how local understandings of sex shape HIV transmission in Malawi.
--I have been intrigued by the question of HIV/AIDS for some time now, and have often theorized about its courses and implications. In spite of my interest, however, I have often found myself feeling daunted by the task of research, particularly in an international setting. SURF has empowered me to address the question of AIDS for myself instead of turning immediately to established sources for answers. This opportunity has not only provided me with invaluable support, but has reignited my intellectual drive. My previous research fears are now completely overshadowed by the excitement i feel to get started on my work!
“Let survive the Khmer People: Khmer Transnational Activism and Survial in the Diaspora”
Mentor: Penny Edwards, South and Southeast Asian Studies
The majority of studies on Khmer refugees in the United States focus on their status as victims of war and displacement. I am undertaking a research project highlighting the transnational political movement of Khmer refugee communities in opposing and removing the Vietnamese occupation in Cambodia (1979-1993). Through examining the Hann So Collection on Cambodia Archives at the UC Berkeley Southeast Asian Studies Library, I hope to show how Khmer refugees were active agents in mitigating the pains of displacement by acting in very concrete measures to recuperate and rebuild Cambodia even when overseas or in refugee camps. I believe that the refugees' activism to save the nation-state was simultaneously a mechanism for their own survival in diaspora, and it is the management of this survival on which I will shed light on through this project. This summer I am reviewing the Hann So Archives as well as conducting background reading on Cambodian colonial history and theories of nationalism.
--My area of research is very much an uncharted territory, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to utilize the Hann So Archives. So far only one person has used this collection for academic purposes and I am looking forward to contributing to the body of knowledge regarding nationalism in diaspora and Khmer refugee studies through the use of these archives. I would never have expected to have an opportunity to conduct thesis research on a topic that leans more towards the original/ground-breaking than not, and the SURF grant only makes it more possible for me to seriously engage my project.
Brandon Endo, Molecular and Cell Biology
“The origin and evolution of duplicated mitochondrial genes in the parthenogenic gecko, Heteronotia binoei”
Mentor: Craig Moritz, Integrative Biology
There are forms of the gecko species, Heteronotia binoei, that reproduce sexually that gave rise to forms that reproduce asexually through the process of parthenogenesis. Parthenogens have sections of duplicated genes in their mitochondrial genome while sexual forms do not. My project is to sequence and compare the mitochondrial genes of the sexual and parthenogenic forms to characterize their evolution since their divergence. I will also compare duplicated gene copies to one another within the parthenogenic individuals to characterize evolution of each gene since the duplication event. Gene duplication and subsequent mutation may lead to gene rearrangements within the parthenogenic gecko. Gene rearrangements are found in many other animal species but a mechanism remains unclear. Heteronotia may provide valuable insight into this phenomenon.
--This project is somewhat of a daunting task for me since I am working more independently than I ever have before. There are a number of tedious and finicky molecular lab techniques that are required for genomic sequencing. As I run into problems, I am forced to experiment on my own and learn through trial and error, rather than obtaining answers from my research advisors. Genomic comparisons also require computer programs that I am not familiar with. Although this is good preparation for my future education, it is difficult to get used to. This is a good time for this transition as I have more time over the summer than during the school year for lab problem solving.
“The origin and evolution of duplicated mitochondrial genes in the parthenogenic gecko, Heteronotia binoei”
Mentor: Craig Moritz, Integrative Biology
There are forms of the gecko species, Heteronotia binoei, that reproduce sexually that gave rise to forms that reproduce asexually through the process of parthenogenesis. Parthenogens have sections of duplicated genes in their mitochondrial genome while sexual forms do not. My project is to sequence and compare the mitochondrial genes of the sexual and parthenogenic forms to characterize their evolution since their divergence. I will also compare duplicated gene copies to one another within the parthenogenic individuals to characterize evolution of each gene since the duplication event. Gene duplication and subsequent mutation may lead to gene rearrangements within the parthenogenic gecko. Gene rearrangements are found in many other animal species but a mechanism remains unclear. Heteronotia may provide valuable insight into this phenomenon.
--This project is somewhat of a daunting task for me since I am working more independently than I ever have before. There are a number of tedious and finicky molecular lab techniques that are required for genomic sequencing. As I run into problems, I am forced to experiment on my own and learn through trial and error, rather than obtaining answers from my research advisors. Genomic comparisons also require computer programs that I am not familiar with. Although this is good preparation for my future education, it is difficult to get used to. This is a good time for this transition as I have more time over the summer than during the school year for lab problem solving.
“Aeolic Words in Hesiod's Ionic Theogony”
Mentor: Mark Griffith, Classics
Hesiod's Theogony belongs to the genre of Classical Greek “Epic Poetry”, a genre most popularly exemplified by Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Every known epic poem was written almost entirely in the Ionic dialect of Classical Greek. Despite this fact, both Homer's and Hesiod's poems contain words unique to the Aeolic dialect. I will study the use of these Aeolic words in Hesiod's poems, and I will compare his use with Homer's in an effort to explain the presence of these unexpected dialectal forms. This will have implications regarding the development of Epic Poetry as a genre, and regarding the place of Aeolic speakers within the Classical Greek world.
--Being a part of the SURF program provides me with the unique opportunity to combine all of my academic interests into one project. My primary interests are too linguistically oriented for most Classics courses, and too Classically oriented for most Linguistics courses, so this is the first time I can focus on joining the two. I hope to pursue topics like this one in graduate school, and SURF gives me the chance to see what full-time research in this area is like. Most of all, I am looking forward to working on a project that is wholly "mine", and I am both excited and intimidated by the opportunity to add something original to the fields that I have become so passionate about.
“The Habitus of the Protestant Work Ethic: How Social Distance Is Mediated via Social Class versus Economic Status”
Mentor: Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, Psychology
“Habitus” is the acquired expression of personal taste in art, dialect, comportment, zip code, literature, entertainment, etc. established by the wealthy (unconsciously) as a means to set themselves apart from the working class. Yet mere expression of habitus by the lower economic strata changes their social class (Bourdieu, 1976). The Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) is best captured by the colloquialism “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” and is the belief that anyone can achieve wealth and success if s/he is willing to do the hard work. Notwithstanding, the social cues indicating economic status are incongruent with those revealing social position. My research examines the correlation between “habitus”, PWE, and sensitivity to rejection among members of the same racial/ethnic group.
--I have always wondered why I am uncomfortable around African American females despite the fact that I am an African American female. Because of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, I have been able to conduct uninterrupted research on the topic of intra-group racism. This is a tremendous opportunity because this summer I will interview African American females from diverse socio-economic strata and geographical locations (Atlanta, Oakland, Washington, D.C.). Each participant will be given psychometric inventories (surveys that measure beliefs and attitudes) and a one-time twenty-dollar compensation. Although I am frightened because of the sensitive subject matter, I am excited because this research has implications for all ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations.
At the 2008 Pride Parade
See more of Itamar's photos
“The Activist Mystique: Personal-Political Transformation in Israel”
Mentor: Nancy Scheper-Hughes, Anthropology
I am interested in the personal and political transformations that occur at the beginning and throughout the process of mobilization for social change. In particular, I am interested in the activities of the Jerusalem Open House, a grassroots organization that is the politically active community center of the LGTBQ community in Jerusalem, a city deeply divided along various lines where even close daily contact does not translate into mutual understanding between different communities. By volunteering and interviewing individuals in the Open House, I hope to understand the personal-political transformations that are associated with processes of community-building while negotiating complex existing boundaries. I hope to contribute to the understanding of the transformative capabilities of grassroots organizations.
--SURF granted me an exciting opportunity to do research on an important area in anthropology, the anthropology of activism. I am here in Jerusalem on my own, making connections, getting interviews, and putting ideas and research approaches together with a freedom that at the same time requires great responsibility. I am scared at every turn that my questions will hit a brick wall or that I will lose access to the organization. The question is incessant: Am I on the right track? The most exciting thing about this research is that I am never finished, it is never enough, and the boundaries that exist are very real especially if broken, and negotiated with the people around me. This is what research with people is all about, and I can’t thank SURF enough for providing that opportunity to me.
“Communication of Power: Moral Education in Modern China”
Mentor: Lanchih Po, International and Area Studies
With the amazing economic transformations China has shown the world in the past several decades comes an expectation for the country to show signs of also transforming politically. What is the ideological glue that holds the country together after the obsolescence of Marxist-Leninism and Maoist thought? Nationalism seems to be the new official religion of China. Through participant observation in a few Shenzhen high schools, I want to see how nationalism is conceptualized and combined with morality specifically within the Chinese education system. I hope to observe the effect that moral education or deyu has on the students' views on morality and nationalism via interviewing students and teachers from normal and vocational schools.
--I have always wanted to do sociological research in China, and I'm incredibly excited that SURF gave me this opportunity. Growing up in the West but coming from a very Chinese cultural heritage, I've lived on the borderline of both cultures. Consequently, I've had to question many of my values, including Chinese nationalism. So this project is important in a quite personal way, but also in terms of hopefully allowing the West to gain a more mature understanding of modern day China. For many of my interview subjects, I will be asking them about some very emotional issues, so I'm most concerned about how to shape my own attitude as to be scholarly and not presumptuous.
At the Asparagus Eating Contest in
Stockton June 2008
Adrienne and the asparagus
San Manteo County Times article about competitive eating and a mention of Adrienne's research
“Corporealizing Identity: Competitive Eating and the Cultural Meaning of American Bodies”
Mentor: Kathleen Moran, American Studies
Competitive eating is a vernacular form of cultural criticism masquerading as mass entertainment. My research into the significance of competitive eating in American culture will unveil collective but inarticulated perspectives on consumerism, gender roles and our economic climate. Competitive eating is at once a glorification of American excess and an indictment of it; a direct challenge to idealized human form and a confirmation of its strength. Historically, I believe competitive eating served to homogenize immigrant diet in 19th century America. By tracking the foodstuffs of competition, I hope to prove that as American politics globalized, home-grown traditions like competitive eating grew more regional and divisive.
--My interest in competitive eating grew from my interest in eating disorders and body image disorders which I studied at UC Berkeley. When I first began reading into the wealth of literature on these topics, I was suprised by how scholars solely focused on the classicly-defined"disorders" of eating restrictions. I see competitive eating as a different symptom of the same underlying cultural anxieties that gave rise to these disorders -- anxieties about changing gender roles, consumerism, secularization, and immigration. I hope that my serious academic research on competitive eating will supplement the wealth of literature concerning anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and other eating disorders.
“The Effects of Labor Market Deregulation on Human Capital: Evidence from Costa Rica”
Mentor: Harley Shaiken, Latin American Studies
While economic consensus defined Development in terms of output growth, the Costa Rican state pursued human development both as an end in itself and as a means of achieving economic growth. Previous investments in human capital under a protective labor regime have ensured today’s Costa Rican employers a stable, high-skilled work force. Yet in the context of mounting pressure to create a flexible labor market, the Costa Rican labor force risks losing the protections which are in fact the source of its competitiveness. Using national census data, interviews with union officials, and sector reports for high and low skill export manufacturing I will empirically and qualitatively explicate changes in human capital accumulation over the period 1995-2007. My purpose in conducting this study then, is to clarify the role of labor market regulation in determining human capital and to assess the case for a more protective labor regime in Costa Rica.
--The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship affords students the opportunity to engage their studies with a depth and creativity that is difficult if not impossible to come by during our regular coursework. I’m genuinely excited for the opportunity to carry an idea further than I thought possible as an undergraduate, and am eager to test my mettle as a researcher.
“Characterizing the Formation and Phylogenetic History of an 81-Member Tandem Duplicated Pre-tRNA Gene Cluster in Arabidopsis thaliana”
Mentor: Michael Freeling, Plant and Microbial Biology
My research fuses the disciplines of genomics and phylogenetics in order to characterize the evolution of large gene arrays. My research focuses on an eighty-one member pre-tRNA gene array located on chromosome one of Arabidopsis thaliana. The array itself is subdivided into twenty-seven triplet gene units, each triplet consisting of a single pre-tRNASer gene and two pre-tRNATyr genes, respectively. Using genomic data, such as syntenic analysis with outgroup species, and phylogenetic reconstruction of the evolutionary history of the genes in the array, my research aims to elucidate the history of the array’s formation, and the mechanism that formed, or equally-possible mechanisms that would have formed, the array as it exists today.
--After viewing the TV series Dinosaur!, narrated by the great Walter Cronkite, at the age of four, science became the passion of my life. The ability of science to elucidate the truths of the universe we exist in is unsurpassed; it has been a longstanding goal of mine to actively contribute to the scientific endeavor. My independent research project studying gene arrays now enables me to fulfill that goal; my project is at a scale and level of complexity that allows me to contribute to novel research without “biting off more than I can chew,” so to speak. The grant awarded to me by SURF allows me to devote my entire summer to ensuring the completion of my research project.
“Psychiatric Misdiagnosis of Patients with Neurodegenerative Disease”
Mentor: Richard Ivry, Psychology
Frontotemporal Dementia patients suffer behavioral disturbances which mimic primary psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Unfortunately, awareness of this neurodegenerative disease is limited in the psychiatric world and often demented patients are misdiagnosed. The Memory and Aging Center (MAC) at the University of California San Francisco conducts one of the largest investigations into the frontal variant dementias in the nation. I plan to systematically review 450 patients’ research charts at the MAC in order to precisely quantify the rate of psychiatric misdiagnosis for each of the dementia subtypes. This quantification has the potential to reduce psychiatric misdiagnosis and promote better patient care.
--This study presents a unique and exciting opportunity for me to make a difference in the psychiatric and neurobiological world. From personal experience I know the difficulties a misdiagnosis of dementia can have on families and caregivers of patients. When a patient is misdiagnosed the family is forced to suffer and watch as treatment after treatment fails to make any difference. My investigation has the potential to reduce this problem and better help families cope with the changes afflicting the patient. This means a lot to me because even if I am able to help just one family, that is one less family who has to suffer the burden of uncertainty about their loved one’s illness.
“The role of IGF signaling in cell migration and axon guidance in the developing mouse cerebellum”
Mentor: John Ngai, Molecular and Cell Biology
Growth factors are not traditionally known to play a role in cell migration. However, preliminary data suggest that insulin-like growth factor (Igf) functions in the guidance of granule cells within the cerebellum. The cerebellum is an important structure, responsible for the fine control of balance and movement and also involved in motor learning and memory. The cerebellar granule cell is the most abundant neuron in the brain, and investigating its development and wiring could provide insights into the functioning of the cerebellum and into diseases that affect its function. Using modern genetic techniques, my research approach is to conditionally inactivate the Igf1 receptor in mice cerebella. I will then assay for aberrant granule cell localization and axon pathfinding in these mutant mice.
--My experience with SURF began when I had to write my research proposal. This was a great opportunity to do in depth background research into an exciting topic and to exercise creativity as well as rigor. This is a skill that I am glad to start learning now. As a pre-PhD student, research is also crucial to my academic development. Being able to spend a full uninterrupted summer on my project is an excellent preparation for future graduate work. I also see the SURF program as a great opportunity to present my research in a real scientific forum and to share my experience with peers. I really look forward to the summer!
Allegory of Good Government, Detail
Ambrogio Lorenzetti
Fresco
Siena, Palazzo Publico
“Power and Ideology through Language: The Formulation of the Vernacular in the Allegory of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti”
Mentor: Steven Botterill, Italian Studies
One of the earliest fresco cycles to be of secular imagery and subject matter solely, the Allegory of Good and Bad Government (c. 1337-40) frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti portray an idealized portrait of Sienese society under one of its most potent ruling bodies, the Nine. Within and around these frescoes are inscriptions in the italian vernacular, which have been given insufficient attention and analysis by scholars. The images and inscriptions operate in conjunction, forming a dialogue. This simultaneous operation was utilized by the Sienese government as a form of self-construction and propaganda to legitimize and promote their authority. Through the inscriptions, images, and constitution the Nine used the vernacular language as a form of communication that embodied specific ideals. I hope to demonstrate the importance of the vernacular as it was conceived within the frescoes and by the Nine, and to raise larger questions about the notion of literacy both within Siena and in medieval society.
--The most exciting part of the SURF Fellowship is gaining direct access to the Archive of State of Siena. The idea that I will be able to see literal pieces of history is amazing. Access to state seals, governmental tax records, and the constitution itself, will give me a much better historical and sociopolitical context when analyzing the frescoes than I had previously thought possible. I am so appreciative of this opportunity to dedicate my summer to researching this topic. Medieval art and literature are my two passions in life and this project allows me to pursue and combine both, so while challenging, this project is also actually really fun!
“Life Stories behind Chinese Restaurants in Mexico”
Mentor: Darren Zook, International and Area Studies
As a third generation ethnic Chinese in Mexico, my research interests focus on the Chinese communities in Mexico. The Chinese people have reached many corners of the world primarily to search for new job opportunities and to start new homes. Especially active during the 19th century, the Chinese mostly migrated as coolies or contract workers, attracted to developing areas like Mexico where emerging economic needs and activities offered them job opportunities. Like my great-grandfather, with time and hard work, Chinese migrants in Mexico eventually started their own businesses, like Chinese restaurants. Chinese restaurants were lucrative because Chinese food was and continues to be considered as an exotic cuisine. Many Chinese in Mexico today work in Chinese restaurants and eventually open their own Chinese cafe or restaurant. Although Chinese migration to Mexico can date back to the colonization of Spain and the current population is over 50,000, they still remain an obscure social group. As part of the Chinese community in Mexico myself, I feel the responsibility and need to give ourselves a voice, which drives me to research the Chinese life experiences in Mexico, primarily focusing on Chinese restaurant workers.
--My research project is exciting, because it is an obscure topic that only a few have researched upon, and much more of it remains untouched. I get to be one of the first to research on the Chinese communities in Mexico, which means the work I develop will become primary resources that others in the academia or the public can utilize. It is a wonderful experience, because through fieldwork I had the opportunity to interview many Chinese in Mexico helping to better understand my own background at a personal level. I not only gained academic knowledge and research experiences but also networked with different Chinese professionals and families in Mexico.
“DNA Damage Checkpoint Activation in Heterochromatin”
Mentor: Gary Karpen, Molecular and Cell Biology
It is essential that the cell preserves the integrity of its DNA by initiating a proper response when there is damage to its genome. As a fellow of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, I am utilizing this summer and the senior academic year to study the DNA repair pathway in heterochromatin. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, I propose to fluorescently tag different DNA repair proteins and conduct experiments to understand the kinetics of these proteins following DNA damage induced by X-ray treatment. This research is promising: knowledge of how cells repair DNA damage in heterochromatin can contribute to a better understanding, and therefore, potential treatments of diseases associated with damage to our genome (e.g., cancers).
--Being a fellow of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships has been an amazing experience thus far. SURF has provided me an unprecedented opportunity to share with other young scholars my research interests, as well as to learn and appreciate from their works in return. I genuinely enjoy the intellectual challenge and creativity in research. It’s a great feeling to be able to make a small contribution to scientific community.
“Differential response of wild-type and mutant small heat shock protein alpha-crystallin to chemical and thermal stresses”
Mentor: Xiaohua Gong, Vision Science/Optometry
Cataracts, caused by the aggregation of proteins inside lens cells, are the leading cause of blindness in the world. Alpha-crystallins, members of the small heat shock protein family, are essential for eye lens transparency in humans and mice. Using mouse models with different mutations in aA-crystallin, I am investigating the mechanisms for establishing and maintaining lifelong lens transparency. This summer I will be challenging these cells with a compound called Withaferin A, a chemical that causes changes in cell architecture. By observing the response of intracellular proteins to this compound, I will be able to explore some of the causes of protein aggregation and malfunction inside lens cells. If successful, my research may provide clues for preventing or treating cataract formation.
--This is an amazing opportunity for me because it gives me a chance to really concentrate on my research this summer, especially since I am going to be doing my own independent project as an honors thesis. Although I have been part of my lab for a long time, I have never had the opportunity to work full-time on a project. Coming into lab every day this summer makes a huge difference in allowing me to follow the progress of my project day by day and take control of every aspect of my research. I look forward to meeting other researchers and enjoying a summer full of learning.
Angela with two mock subjects
“The Effects of Depression on Interpersonal Emotional Responding”
Mentor: Dacher Keltner, Psychology
My research project focuses on depression to determine how it impacts interpersonal relationships and depressed individuals' emotional responses. I am studying depression through a couple's study involving 80 romantic couples. During the study, couples engage in a series of conversations about a sacrifice they made for each other, a time that they felt great love for their partner, and a time of suffering they experienced on their own. By analyzing the participant's physiological, behavioral, and emotional responses during and after these conversations, I aim to find answers to the following four questions: (1) Do depressive symptoms predict specific emotional responses in romantic relationships? (2) Are the emotional responses of depressed individuals context-specific? (3) How does depression influence relationship satisfaction? (4) Is there a change in depressive symptoms as a function of emotional responding? Through exploring these questions throughout this summer, I hope to gain insight into how depression affects interpersonal relationships and emotional experiences.
--SURF is an exciting opportunity for me to be able to spend my summer fully engaged in research, and get a taste of what it is like to work in the academic world. It is very nice for me to be able to provide for myself this summer without bringing any financial burden to my parents. Aside from financial support, it is also wonderful to have the support of the great people working to make the SURF program possible, as well as the support of fellow scholars who are so bright and have such interesting new ideas. I feel so grateful to be able to be a part of a community of people who are passionate about researching and learning. Finally, I am very excited about my research project, which will be the very first that I will be in charge of from start to finish!
“Systematically Detect Fine Scale Crossover Breakpoints with High Density SNP Markers in Three Generation Tri-Trio Pedigrees”
Mentor: Rainer Sachs, Mathematics
The importance of studying genetic variants in humans has given rise to the worldwide HapMap Project, which can potentially lead to techniques to diagnose, treat, or prevent illnesses according to each person’s different genetic makeup, thus enhancing efficacy. This project tests a method to identify crossover breakpoint regions at a higher resolution than previous studies have. Because single nucleotide polymorphisms are bi-allele, their limited number of states can be analyzed case by case in advance; studying families of three generations using tri-trio pedigree charts allows for the deduction of information about the child, thus enabling the detection of crossover breakpoints regions within chromosomes. An automation in R language is being developed, which can test larger data sets efficiently.
--I feel fortunate to be given the opportunity to participate in SURF. Aside from learning fundamental concepts specific to this project, especially as a mathematics major venturing into biology, I am going behind the scenes in the entire research process, honing invaluable techniques on the way. In addition, this program has allowed me to apply my background in statistics and R language, which I had originally acquired in class, into an exciting new area. Perhaps most important of all, I am thankful for my mentors, because their continuous patience and eagerness in teaching and guiding me throughout the whole experience has definitely made the summer worthwhile.
“Elucidating the structure and function of lens protein Lim2”
Mentor: Xiaohua Gong, Vision Science/Optometry
The human lens is made up of two types of cells: a monolayer of lens epithelial cells, and its differentiated progeny, lens fiber cells. The differentiation process is a complex sequence of events in which lens epithelial cells slowly lose all their organelles, and elongate into lens fiber cells. There is a lens membrane protein called Lim2 that appears to exist only in lens fiber cells, and not in lens epithelial cells. Lim2 is known to be critically important for maintaining the integrity of the lens, and its role will be the focus of my summer research project. I will be conducting various in vitro experiments to determine the structure and functional domain of this protein.
--The SURF fellowship has given me the opportunity to conduct an independent project, which is an exciting yet intimidating task. I am really looking forward to my research this summer because I hope that my work will help explain how a critical protein can play a role in maintaining lens transparency, thereby preventing cataract formation. Since lens cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world, I hope that my research on Lim2 may result in some useful and applicable knowledge about cataracts. Although the experimental work is often difficult and poses a daunting challenge, I am excited to learn more about both laboratory technique and the field of optometry research. I anticipate that this summer will be a fulfilling academic experience, and am so grateful to have been given this opportunity!
“Documenting Terror: DIY Aesthetics in Post-9/11 Horror Films”
Mentor: Marina Levina, Mass Communications
After the success of The Blair Witch Project (1999), the shaky camera disappeared from the horror genre. But on 9/11 Americans witnessed a new horror on their television screens from footage by professional news crews and amateur film recorders. Since then a recent trend of cheap, amateur filmmaking (DIY) aesthetics has resurfaced in mainstream horror films which unavoidably recall the events of 9/11. Simulating fact, these films act impregnable to interpretation, yet their intentionally degraded recordings suggest a disconnect between representation and material reality. To research this paradox, I will compare the stylistic and thematic uses of DIY aesthetics in Cloverfield (2008), Diary of the Dead (2007), and the Spanish film [Rec] (2007) within today's paranoiac cultural fear of terrorism. In doing so I hope to contribute a filmic understanding of human identity and memory in a post-9/11 technocratic society.
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“Neurogenesis from Neuroglia”
Mentor: Paola Timiras, Molecular and Cell Biology
Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form, was thought to be impossible in mature brains for most of the 20th century. However, recent studies have found that neurogenesis in intact adult brains does occur in specific regions. I will be studying neurogenesis in vitro using neuroglial cells, which are neuron supporting cells, by treating them with Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF). Following treatment, I will perform functional tests to evaluate the extent to which these factors were able to promote the transdifferentiation of these neuroglial cells into functional neurons. Learning the pathway to inducing neurogenesis could ultimately lead to important implications for the treatments of countless neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
--Having the opportunity to focus on my research full time this summer is an amazing opportunity. I have come to find the research I have done so far to be both extremely challenging and rewarding. Participating in research has given me the opportunity to explore many questions that go beyond what is taught in the classroom in an attempt to get closer to the answers. While I do not always get the results I desire, which at times can be extremely frustrating, I know that that is just a part of the research process and instead of letting it get me down I look for alternative explanations to provide insight, which makes the whole experience even more exciting.
“Thermal Ecology and Physiology of two Cryptic Skinks, Emoia cyanura and E. impar, on Mo'orea, French Polynesia”
Mentor: Craig Moritz, Integrative Biology, MVZ
I am interested in the thermal ecology of two tropical skinks, Emoia cyanura and E. impar, in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Since these skinks are so similar in morphology and ecology, they likely compete for essential resources, including sources of heat. So far, through field observations and lab experiments, I have found that E. cyanura prefers open canopy habitats and warmer body temperature relative to E. impar. To expand my study, I will test sprint speed of each species at different body temperatures to see if they are thermal "generalists" or "specialists". My investigation into thermal niche partitioning of these two lizards provides an important test case for how tropical lizards might change their behavior and habitat usage during climate change in the near future.
--Growing up, I was always fascinated by snakes and lizards, so returning to Tahiti to study them is only a bonus. I am very excited to get back to the forest to answer questions and tackle new challenges. Fieldwork is what makes the biologist 'tick', yet it can be the most frustrating and fulfilling thing in the world. It is funny that as a soon to be graduate, I am doing the same stuff (albeit on a slightly more advanced level) that I loved to do as a kid.
“Screening for Silence: Bypassing Sir2 deacetylation in yeast”
Mentor: Jasper Rine, QB3
Because any given cell carries an overwhelming excess of genetic information, they need a way to selectively pinpoint what they need, when they need it. Silencing entire regions of the genome via chromatin modifications is one method that eukaryotes have developed to great effect. The four SIR (Silent Information Regulator) genes are absolutely critical to silencing in yeast. Wild-type Sir3 typically requires Sir2’s deacetylation activity, and not just the deacetylation itself, in a mechanism that is still unclear. I will use sequencing and protein structural analysis to study PCR generated point mutations in the SIR3 gene that recover silencing in order to help me identify key functional regions in the Sir3 protein.
--To my mind for the last 16 years, the scientific method has been an almost mythical standard-bearer of progress. In classes, I learned about countless experiments and the brilliant minds behind them in an impressive parade of historical giants in the scientific community. And now, finally, I have the means to be a part of that in my own small way. Though I am often intimidated and sometimes overwhelmed by the breadth of knowledge that already exists in my field, I feel incredibly grateful that someone thought my research was worth supporting, and am honored to be a part of such a wonderful program.
“Development of Cryogenic Si-Ge Amplifier for L and X Bands”
Mentor: Irfan Siddiqi, Physics
My project is to design, test and construct an electronic amplifier customized for data-taking in low temperature experiments (liquid helium cooled) at the Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory. Electrical signals from experiment samples are too weak to be measured directly, so this amplifier will make the signals stronger. For the transistor, the essential part of the amplifier, I will use a commercial Silicon-Germanium transistor, which is known for its low cost. Using computer simulations and testing of the amplifier characteristics, amplifiers for various experiments in the lab demanding different frequency ranges can be made (for example 5-6GHz, 1-3GHz). I will optimize the amplifier to work at cryogenic temperatures with minimum power dissipation and noise for maximum gain.
--This is an exciting opportunity to be more focused on not only my senior thesis project but my major as well. A large part of experimental physics is spending time in the lab. Working full time in the summer lets me see what it’s like to work in this field. When I have a long term project to aim for, the experience becomes even closer to what I will later face in my career. I will learn the challenges of carrying out plans for a long term goal and the responsibilities to my own plans and other project members. This new challenge will reveal more of my strengths and weaknesses to me.
“Poverty and Maternal Health in Piura, Peru: A Community Study”
Mentor: Martin Sanchez-Jankowski, Sociology
Women in Peru have one of the highest chances of dying from childbirth in all Latin America. Maternal mortality is devastating at both the familial level and the national level, as it is an indicator of health and development. Research on maternal health in Peru focuses on either rural areas or the Lima metropolis. This binary does not provide a complete understanding of the complexities of maternal health within the nation. Therefore, this study will examine maternal health in Piura, a small city with considerable poverty. I will document how women utilize or do not utilize different maternal health resources during their pregnancy, and why. Participant observation of government, religious, and private maternal care services will be combined with interviews of community members in order to provide an understanding of maternal health in Piura.
--I am so incredibly greatful and excited for this special opportunity. I first went to Piura last year as a volunteer. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the poverty that I saw while visiting families in the large squatter area around the city. Here in Piura even basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter go unmet. What I saw truly changed the course of my life, as I feel compelled to use my skills towards addressing international poverty. This grant is giving me the chance to explore how I can apply what I have learned at Berkeley to the problems of the real world. Thank you to my family for their support, especially for encouraging me to face intimidating chalenges along the way.
“Single-molecule analysis of the AMPA receptor2 TARP interaction”
Mentor: Lu Chen, Molecular and Cell Biology
This summer I will be researching the interaction between Transmembrane AMPA-receptor regulatory proteins (TARPS) and AMPA glutamate receptors at the single molecule level. In order to do this I will have to make constructs containing fluorescent proteins paired with various members of the TARP family and AMPA glutamate receptor family. The interaction between TARPs and AMPA receptors particularly interesting because TARPs play a critical role in the regulation of synaptic AMPA receptor trafficing. While TARPs are not the only protein involved in this regulation it is believed that the regulation of these receptors underlies some forms of synaptic plasticity, a molecular correlate of learning and memory.
--Being a part of the SURF program has been a great experience for me. During the year I had done some research, but it was difficult to plan my day so that I could see my experiments through to the end. Now that I am working full time, I can see everything through from start to finish. I've also been able to get more involved with the planning behind the projects and that is something that I've found particularly interesting. This has already been a good learning experience for me and given be a better feel for what its like to do research.
A Frente Popular Revolucionario Poster
Heidy Mercedes Romero, Sociology
David Vincent, Latin American Studies
“Beyond the Media: Political and Social Research into the APPO”
Mentor: Alex Saragoza, Chicano Studies
Our primary source research was very successful. In Oaxaca we quickly made contacts through our acquaintances and on the second day of our field research we were invited to attend an organizational level meeting of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO): At the meeting it was obvious that the APPO was now divided into two camps, one conciliatory and the other radicals. From there we made contacts with and interviewed many people within the radical camp as well as a few people who seemed neutral. We had intended to interview the other side but they reneged on all of their scheduled interviews, probably because we were seen associating with the opposition camp.
--Prior to flying into Oaxaca City I was incredibly nervous about conducting research. I thought with absolute certainty that we would not be able to get into contact with anyone who had been involved in the APPO at the organizational level. I thought, at best we could get by canvassing the city and asking questions of random locals. My fears were soon allayed, however, as our contacts quickly led us to a series of incredibly useful interviews. More than anything, this experience has shown me that I am capable of researching, and that has served to cement my decision to pursue graduate level studies.
“Economic Preference Parameters for Ambiguous Decision-Making”
Mentor: Mark D'Eposito, Neuroscience and Psychology
Cognitive control is the mechanism of coordinating actions with internal goals. I am primarily interested in the role of cognitive control in decision-making, particularly how internal states such as economic preferences can influence decision-making under probabilistic outcomes. Individuals differ in their tolerance for the amount of uncertainty in decision-making, and behavioral economic models, such as expected utility functions can create parameters that capture preference or aversion for risk and ambiguity. Using the choice history of each subject between pairs of gambles, my project will investigate how economic preference parameters may change for ambiguous conditions if probabilities are fixed. Will people show the same aversion for ambiguity if they believe experience with ambiguous conditions can help them learn the probability of outcomes?
--I have been working in the D’Esposito neuroimaging lab since April 2007, and I have assisted various projects examining cognitive control and associative learning. For my senior honors thesis, I am very excited to extend my research on cognitive control to include considerations of reward and risk processing for decisions under uncertainty. Although correlating behavioral results with economic models is a new endeavor for me, I am embracing contributions from different fields in order to understand decision-making from different perspectives.
“Educational Attitudes across Borders: Mexican Mothers' Views on Education in Mexico and the United States”
Mentor: Margaret Chowning, History
Mexican students have lower levels of educational attainment when compared to other groups. Parental involvement is essential for the success of students, thus it is important to understand how Mexican mothers in Oakland, California perceive the educations system and the obstacles they face. In addition, analyzing how mothers in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico understand and navigate the educational system can illuminate the experiences Mexican mothers have in their home country. Through my comparative study, an understanding of how Mexican mothers view the educational system in the US can be gained.
--This summer I will be interviewing mothers and gathering bibliographic sources in Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco, Mexico. I am extremely happy that I have been given the opportunity to conduct research this summer without schoolwork-related stress. I am grateful to have received the SURF grant and to have the support from my faculty mentor. Lastly, I am excited about spending my summer doing research in my hometown in the company of my extended family, who I have not seen in almost 5 years.
“Technology Buy-In: Gaps between the Ability to Pay and the Willingness to Adopt Point-of-Use (POU) Water Treatment Technology”
Mentor: Isha Ray, Energy and Resources Group
Anecdotal evidence suggests an information gap isn't the sole propagator of preventable water-borne diseases in urban slums: behavior change is multivariate. Through household surveys, I wish to understand how financial decision-making structures and other socio-economic factors condition the likelihood that a particular household will or won't treat its water. To challenge the idea that with limited income, spending is allocated first to some universal standard of basic needs and then to "unessential" goods, I am also recording current technology investments (such as televisions, radios, etc.) within households to reconfigure "affordability" and more accurately estimate payment for point-of-use filters. By identifying the determinants of demand for water treatment technology, I hope to fuel more effective policy and sustainable technological interventions as we attempt to bring safe drinking water to 1.2 billion people across the world.
--SURF facilitated my first foray into the world of independent academic research: a rare opportunity I anticipated for years. Entering the slums of Mumbai - a microcosm previously foreign to me- challenged my comfort limits. My newfound ability to navigate the pitch-black, rat-infested passages that lead to people&Mac226;s homes, however, and more importantly, the personal relations that resulted from facilitating research created an empowering experience. It seems building mutually beneficial bridges across completely different worlds only requires an open mind and a good dose of gumption. Just sitting in a square, watching kids playing cricket and smiling to myself when realizing how much the 175,000 people in this square kilometer have to teach me just reinforces that conviction.
“Characterizing Drug-Resistance Determinants in Gram-negative Bacteria from Blood Stream Infection”
Mentor: Lee Riley, Public Health
The core goal is to identify the origin of antibiotic drug-resistance determinants, with the hypothesis that drug-resistance determinants, in particular integrons carrying gene cassettes coding for drug resistance, from bacteria that is ingested through uncooked food (spinach, animal meat) can horizontally transfer to commensal bacteria in the human intestine, and under selective pressure of antibiotics, and ultimately lead to complicated multi-drug resistant bloodstream or urinary tract infections. Integrons are mobile genetic elements, found on transposons, plasmids and chromosomes that capture and express gene cassettes by site-specific recombination. This summer I will analyze bacteria isolated from bacteremia samples for prevalence of integrons using PCR, sequence and identify gene cassettes using bioinformatics such as BLAST, and compare results with those from spinach and animal studies.
--The SURF fellowship has truly been a motivational experience! From the start—reading scientific literature, writing the proposal, meeting with my mentor, asking questions and advice from graduate students—the fellowship has provided a true learning experience, as it not only allowed me to further challenge and understand my research but also gave me an appreciation of the efforts involved in grant writing, troubleshooting, and researching that is not just bench work. I feel very motivated about this summer because the fellowship provides an opportunity to carry out what has been carefully planned, a framework to challenge my abilities as a scientist, present my work, and a chance to network with other students completing a broad range of projects in sciences and humanities. I am grateful to my mentor, graduate and undergraduate students in the Riley Lab for their advice, help, criticism and all the fun!
“Mathematical analysis of DNA unknotting by type II topiosomerases”
Mentor: Rainer Sachs, Mathematics
Type II topoisomerases are enzymes that can change the topology of circular DNA molecules. These enzymes are essential to every living organism, which makes them good targets for anti-cancer and anti-bacterial drugs. DNA topology assays are used to determine the efficiency of topoisomerase inhibitors in drug design. In my research, I focus on the unknotting probability of knots by type II topoisomerases. In our previous study, our group built a mathematical model in simple cubic lattice to simulate how random strand passages generate the knotting distribution. We intended to use a sophisticated theoretical framework and efficient computer simulations to test and compare some of the existing models and propose new ones. I aim to implement the random strand-passage model in the Dowker code level to discover how topo II simplifies knots under the thermal dynamic equilibrium level.
--As a transfer student, I came to Berkeley last fall and felt research was something impossible for me to do. One year later, with the help from the SURF award, I was able to explore a project myself and for the first time realize how useful my major mathematics is. As I was working on my project, I also realized how important everything I have learned in class was. For example, R language helped me a lot with data analysis. In fact, I learned it just for fun and I was never expecting to use it again. I am really glad I was given the opportunity to apply my knowledge to a project that I am interested in. I am also thankful for my mentors, who are knowledgeable and so patient to guide me throughout my research progress.
“Violence, Landscapes of Mourning, and the Technologies of Memory and Witnessing”
Mentor: Stefania Pandolfo, Anthropology
In my ethnography I explore the question of justice and memory in the aftermath of mass atrocities in Cambodia. For Cambodians, who have had to engage in a daily process of reckoning with the memory of (social) death, re-making a world has necessarily involved a delicate reweaving of kinships torn asunder by the violent alterations of life. I wish to look more carefully at these everyday practices of living as practices of bearing witness. With the anticipated commencement of the Khmer Rouge Tribunals, I seek to interrogate the role of transitional justice institutions in bringing justice and reconciliation for the memory of mass violence, torture, and social trauma, through an exploration of how justice is imagined and enacted in the everyday: how extant quotidian forms of witnessing-practices, existing alongside and despite a juridical anamnesis, form a disjuncture with its legal witnessing ethic, as well as its concomitant modern western notions of subjectivity, life, and traumatic memory. I propose that to take seriously other traditions of justice and/or healing is to undertake an analysis that does not simply account for "culture" in an otherwise stable epistemological referent of "justice", but rather to write from within the tradition itself, from within the disparate understandings of the self, (the limits of) life and reconciliation, that thus allow for a different understanding of what it means to build life from within the very space of terror and violence.
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“Probing the Necessity of Intestinal Stem Cells for Renewal of the Adult Drosophila Midgut”
Mentor: David Bilder, Molecular and Cell Biology
In adult animals, many tissues undergo continuous renewal, a process in which older cells die and are replaced by newly born cells. These new cells are generated by the proliferation of tissue stem cells, which divide continuously throughout the animal's lifetime. The process of tissue self-renewal has long been thought essential for the maintenance of tissue structure and function; however, this presumption has never been explicitly examined. In my SURF project, I will explore the necessity of tissue renewal using the Drosophila epithelial midgut as a model system. Specifically, my research entails the genetic elimination of Drosophila intestinal stem cells and determining the effects of stem cell loss on the structure and function of the midgut.
--These days, in our fast-paced society, it is quite a rare treat to have the opportunity to devote time purely to research. It is an experience meant to stimulate and facilitate my intellectual and personal growth as I aspire to be a prominent scientist. With that prospect in mind, I look forward to the excitement and thrill associated with uncovering new findings along with the possibility of maneuvering through potential obstacles I may encounter in doing my research this summer. I am fortunate that through SURF and the Bilder lab I can further continue my expedition in the realm of scientific research.
“The vascular organization of the cat inferior colliculus”
Mentor: Jeffery Winer, Molecular and Cell Biology
I am analyzing the vascular organization of the cat inferior colliculus (IC), a major auditory structure in the midtbrain, to determine whether its divisions share a common pattern. The IC consists of the central nucleus (CN), the dorsal cortex (DC), and the lateral cortex (LC), each with different roles in auditory behavior and perception. I am comparing the IC capillary distribution to quantify differences between subdivisions using plastic-embedded material from two adult cats in 1 µm-thick semithin sections stained with toluidine blue. Ten non-overlapping random 200 x 200 µm2 samples will be selected from each CN, DC, and LC for analysis. The purpose of this study is to demarcate the borders of these subdivisions based on the vasculature. Inconsistent anatomical definitions may be the basis for past contradictory findings on the IC.
--I am very grateful towards SURF for financially providing an opportunity to focus on research without the clutter of schoolwork and other burdensome distractions. So far, my experiences with research have been extremely positive, as it provides the arena in which I can blend my interests in science with my intellectual curiosity and creativity. Moreover, the hands-on aspect of research has given me a set of unique experiences, different from those in my science classes. Leading an independent project, I am often intimidated by the unpredictability of research and the many twists and turns looming ahead of my self-directed study. Despite such challenges, however, I look forward to pushing through my obstacles to ultimately sharpen my character and to contribute useful work to the scientific community.
“Mary Rich, Countess of Warwick: A Case Study of Gender Roles in Seventeenth Century England”
Mentor: Ethan Shagan, History
This summer I will be studying the life of Mary Rich, Countess of Warwick (1624-1678) as a case study for understanding the lives of aristocratic women in Early Modern England. Mary Rich is important and intriguing because aspects of her personality and lifestyle simultaneously conformed to and challenged the gender roles in her society. Both in the Countess’s semi-independent attitude toward her marriage prospects and in her important role in community affairs in her local community in Essex, she defied traditional gender roles. However, with her conversion to a Puritan lifestyle, she became a model of piety widely regarded throughout her community and throughout England as an “ideal woman.” These two components of her lifestyle and personality seem somewhat contradictory, and through the use of her extensive manuscripts available on microfilms from the British Library, I will study how Mary Rich herself dealt with these issues and her place in society. Remarkably, the scholarship about Mary Rich is limited, and therefore, it is my opinion that this project will significantly contribute to the wider historiography of the lives of aristocratic women in Early Modern Britain.
--I am excited to have the opportunity to spend my summer reading the microfilmed manuscripts of Mary Rich because the difficulty of the manuscripts would make it almost impossible to read them during the mere semester allotted to a Senior Thesis project in history. Further, this is my first chance to do extensive research with significant primary materials (one thousand pages of manuscripts!), which will make it challenging, and I’m sure, quite the learning experience. Spending the summer reading Mary Rich’s papers will also allow me to develop a greater understanding for the nature of the academic lifestyle, which is invaluable in my decision making process regarding post-graduation plans.
“Zooarchaeological Analysis of Upper Paleolithic Faunal Remains from Myshtulagty Lagat (Weasel Cave) Located in the Northern Caucasus Mountains, Russia”
Mentor: Meg Conkey, Anthropology
The Caucasus Mountains acted as a gateway for early hominids, who migrated into and through these regions, perhaps multiple times. Myshtulagty Lagat (Weasel Cave) is the first intact stratified cave studied in the Caucasus dating from 500,000 years BP to the Holocene. The cave lacks a well-stratified early upper Paleolithic sequence (c. 40.000-30.000 years ago, associated usually with our own species, Homo sapiens sapiens). Tracking Neanderthal climatic adaptations through faunal analysis allows for reconstruction of behavioral and dietary changes providing data imperative to interpreting site use and formation processes. Connections between these relative behavioral adaptations through time will help us to ultimately discover any regional causality of Neanderthal extinction and repopulation of the Eurasian gateway by anatomically modern humans. I’ll develop models of regional hominid behavioral processes by addressing the following questions and studying the faunal assemblage from Weasel Cave: What part of the faunal assemblage results from hominid activity? What were the hunting strategies in regards to prey age and size class and did these strategies change over time? What types of faunal evidentiary indicators are present to distinguish resource and paleoclimatic stressors? This primary research links me to two other prominent academic research teams already studying the Caucuses Mountains, with whom I can work with in the future to bring to light this Paleolithic mystery. Analysis of my data will be used for my senior thesis as well as a co-authored peer-reviewed scientific journal article.
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“Use of chemical olfactory cues in colonial tuco-tucos, Ctenomys sociabilis”
Mentor: Eileen Lacey, Integrative Biology
I work in Professor Eileen Lacey’s lab with a colony of tuco-tucos, which are subterranean rodents in the family Ctenomyidae. Although there are more than 50 species of tuco-tucos in South America, the species I am studying is unique in that they live in groups and related females share a single burrow system. As a result, social relationships between females are very important in this species. I am studying chemical communication between females. Specifically, I am testing the hypothesis that olfactory cues in urine may serve as indicators of individual identity. The results of my work may yield new insights into the role of olfactory communication in the social structure of this unusual species.
--As an undergraduate, attaining experience in a lab is crucial to prepare myself for graduate school. I am exposed to the realities of the scientific method in a nurturing, educational atmosphere. I am learning how to build academic relationships with professors while I profit from mentoring from my advisor. With the experience I gain from this research project, I can make better informed decisions about my future career in biology and become more intellectually competitive with my peers. The scientific community here at Berkeley is so large, it is often easy to get lost in the crowd. Being part of a lab group gives me a sense of belonging and my research is helping me to hone my interests to specific topics within biology.
“Mapping Curly in Xenopus tropicalis Using Gynogenesis and Natural Mating Techniques”
Mentor: Richard Harland, Molecular and Cell Biology
It has been discovered that Curly, the early developmental mutation in Xenopus tropicalis, a frog model for human biology, leads to an abnormal number of Mitotic cells during the cell cycle. The mutant phenotype is possibly due to the abnormal expression of cell cycle factors. Mapping the location allows us to study these factors, creating a greater understanding of cancer. My project focuses on using primers to map the Curly mutation by using a combination of two methods. One involves natural mating between hybrid Curly carriers, and the other generates diploid mutant embryos from only Curly mother DNA, a process called gynogenesis. Testing the fraction of mutants per embryos allows us to calculate the mutation's genetic location from the centromere.
--I am grateful for the SURF award as it allows me to explore a project individually, and with a full time focus. For the year and a half that I worked in my lab before starting this project, I learned the many protocols helpful for the study of molecular biology. While I had an individual project to pursue, I could not alot myself a full time study of my subject. At the same time I am utilizing self-directed motivation to complete my project, I am thankful to have a supportive community of peer researchers with whom I can discuss the questions, problems, and decisions made during my project.
“Food Origins of Multi-Drug Resistant Hospital-Acquired Infections”
Mentor: Lee Riley, Public Health
This summer, the aim of my project is to investigate the origin of drug resistance in hospital acquired, multi-drug resistant bacteria. This project challenges the idea that human overuse of antibiotics is dominant in selecting for drug resistance in bacteria, and instead investigates the role of food as the primary source of new drug resistance for bacteria in our body. This is a particularly dangerous and has wide public health implications because of the ability for pathogenic bacteria in hospitals to rapidly acquire new drug resistances. Bacteria can harbor drug resistance through mobile genetic elements such as integrons and plasmids. This summer I will work on identifying such drug-resistance determinants on saprophytic sources and compare those sequences with drug resistant bacteria found in human blood stream infections.
--Going into this summer undergraduate research program, I knew I'd be learning new techniques and learning how to manage my own research project. But what I didn't realize was how much the people in my lab would help me, and how much more difficult my project would be without their continued help and support...from simply showing me how to work the lab equipment to helping me through the inevitable and unenviable task of PCR troubleshooting. I am as grateful to have such support (even if that support is just voicing enthusiasm for my project!), as I am grateful to SURF for giving me the opportunity to focus the entire summer on my research project.
“Exploring the Difference between Thermophilic and Mesophilic Proteins Using Protein Engineering”
Mentor: Susan Marqusee, Molecular and Cell Biology
T. thermophilus RNase H (TthRNase H) is a protein that is stable at high temperatures. In my project, I will examine how the amino acid sequence of TthRNase H determines its folding properties that lead to its thermostability. To approach this question, I am going to construct two proteins, one containing the core of C. tepidum RNase H (a protein stable at moderate temperatures) and the periphery of TthRNase H and another containing the core of C. tepidum RNase H and the the periphery of E. coli RNase H (a protein stable only at low temperatures). Using CD spectroscopy to analyze these proteins, I hope I will be able to get more insights on folding mechanisms of proteins.
--I have been interested in biochemistry and molecular biology since my high school years. I have learned many theories and concepts but I haven’t had a chance to actually apply what I have learned. The SURF program provides me with a great opportunity to get hands-on experience of practical scientific research. With the grant provided in the SURF program, I do not need to worry about getting a job in the summer to cover my living expenses. Instead, I am able to focus on my full-time research project. Moreover, SURF program also gives me a taste of what the life of a graduate student looks like so that I can decide whether I am really interested in graduate school.
“The Effect of Birth Order on the Induction of Mixis in the Rotifer B. calyciflorus”
Mentor: Craig Moritz, Integrative Biology
The basis of sexual reproduction is a perennial topic of interest in evolutionary biology. The rotifer, Brachionus Calyciflorus, is an interesting system to compare sexual and asexual reproduction because it is cyclically parthenogenetic, meaning it alternates between generations produced sexually and asexually. By understanding the mechanisms controlling the timing of sexual reproduction in such organisms, we can better understand how natural selection determines the balance between asexual and sexual reproduction. In this study I look at the contributions of three related factors in determining the proportion of sexually reproducing daughters a female produces. This study aims to answer how birth order, days since mictic egg and generations since mictic egg and/or their interactions, best explains the patterns of mixis inducibility.
--Staying in Berkeley over the summer to pursue my interest in the evolution of sexual reproduction is a wonderful opportunity. I have great mentors from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology who are enthusiastic about me investigating my own question in the subject of evolution. I will not only use this research to complete my Senior Honors Thesis in Integrative Biology, I also hope to publish my research in a scientific journal at its completion. Conducting independent research is a major step for my future as a science researcher and will significantly help my chances of being accepted to a graduate school next year. Thank you SURF!
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6/30/08 |
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