Mentor Match
Do you want to pursue an independent study project? Do you want to apply to be a Tolmas Scholar? Then it's time to find a mentor!
Mentors assist students with research and scholarly efforts or independent study courses. The Mentor Match program offers an avenue for you to find someone with whom you would like to collaborate.
The UNO researchers listed below have all volunteered themselves as potential mentors. Read about their research interests and student projects, and if something looks interesting to you, complete the below request form!
Interested in working with a mentor? APPLY for the Tolmas Scholars program in August 2025! Mentor match applications will open in February 2025.
If you have any questions about this program, contact Elizabeth Sigler, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research & Creativity, at curc@uno.edu.
Mentors by College, Department/School
- College of Business Administration (COBA)
- Department of Accounting
- Department of Economics & Finance
- Department of Management & Marketing
- School of Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism Administration
Department of Accounting Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Gina Rosa International financial reporting quality; Auditing-internal and external US financial reporting standards; International financial reporting standards; Audit quality Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Economics & Finance Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Mohammad Kabir Hassan Financial Institutions and Markets; Corporate Finance; Investments; Emerging Markets and Financial Development; International Finance; Applied Economics; Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance FinTech; Financial Inclusion; Community Banking and Economic Development; Stock Market Mechanics; Economic Development; Ethical Finance; Financial Literacy; Prison Reform and Incarceration Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Robert Penick Real Estate Finace and informaiton concerning all aspects of the Real Estate Industry. Public Adminsistration research and Urban Studies research Residential Real Estate how do I get started in the industry: Commercial real estate business and how does it work; Financing of a business or just the purchase of a house or building; City and small towns administration challenges; where have all the urban folks gone to now with the city costs and problems; why study urban cities now that some are shrinking? Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Luca Pezzo Asset pricing empirics and theory
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars Department of Management & Marketing Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Woohyun Cho (Service) Operations Management; Supply Chain Management; Air Transportation Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Hamed Ghahremani Leadership Studies, Organizational Behavior Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Randy Kearns Healthcare management; disaster operations; burn mass casualty care; surge capacity/capability; emergency medical services
Web Page: LinkHealthcare management and policy; disaster medicine; disaster preparedness Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Elyria Kemp Emotions and decision-making; consumer well-being; healthcare Social marketing initiatives which promote regulation strategies to help reduce anxiety and depression in young people Yaojie Li Organizational & behavioral information security; IT strategy; IT workforce; IT learning & education Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Dong-Jun Min Consumer information processing; Learning, memory and perception; Judgment and decision making under risk Selective processing of product features in advertising; the influence of sequential marketing communications on consumer behavior Scott Phillips Healthcare leadership and management, health information technology, health disparities and equity, healthcare patient-centered care, healthcare consumer behavior
Web Page: LinkThe Impact of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives on Culture Satisfaction and Outcomes in Healthcare Management Workplaces; Workplace Stigma and Mental Health Literacy in Job Performance: US military veteran perspectives; Role of Healthcare Management in Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Healthcare Costs; Transformational Leadership Style Impact on Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction in Healthcare Management Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match School of Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism Administration Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Bridget Bordelon Crises Management; Cultural Tourism, Food Allergies and Travel/Hospitality; Tourism Planning Tourism Planning case studies; exploring accommodations and disability within hospitality; diversity and inclusion in the hospitality and tourism workforce; sustainability and eco-tourism trends; open to other hospitality and tourism topics Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Han Chen Hospitality human resources management; organizational behavior; international hospitality management; hospitality consumer behavior; revenue management Generation Z restaurant/hotel consumers; green cruise and consumer behaviors Tolmas Scholars Yizhi "Ian" Li Service Management; Diversity Management; Consumer Behavior Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Mark Springfloat Culinary arts; restaurant operations; purchasing and cost control; menu design; wine Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match - Dr. Robert A. Savoie College of Engineering (COE)
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Department of Electrical Engineering
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Satish Bastola Terrestrial hydrological modeling, Ecohydraulic and ecohydrologic processes, climate and global change on natural hazard, shoreline dynamic modeling, beach nourishment Impact of climate change on flood and drought hazards; parameterization of soil hydraulic model, comparison of several evapotranspiration calculation methods; spatial downscaling of satellite soil moisture for hydrological and agricultural application; environmental remote sensing using unmanned aerial vehicle, Assess the future flood risk in road-stream intersection of Louisiana; Mapping of urban vegetation distribution using drone and satellite imagery Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Gianna Cothren Urban and rural environmental hydrology; Hydrologic modelling; Geographic Information System (GIS) applications in water resources; Stormwater management with low impact development practices; Physical, chemical, and biological wetland functions Surveying stormwater catch basins for position, elevation, and condition on the UNO campus; Collecting samples from City Park lakes for water quality lab analysis and reporting results in GIS; Collection of UNO campus hydrologic data, maintaining equipment and data in a database. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Madeline Foster-Martinez Coastal resilience; sustainability; coastal wetlands; deltas; engineering with nature; plants Student will work on a grant-funded project to investigate vegetation and land building along Louisiana's coast. Will involve outdoor fieldwork in marshes and boat time! Looking for someone interested in learning new things with a can-do attitude. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Anika Sarkar Structural dynamics; control; vibration mitigation; natural hazards engineering; structural health monitoring
Web Page: LinkThis project provides an undergraduate student with a unique opportunity to design, build, and analyze an interactive art piece that demonstrates key structural dynamics concepts. Through this process, they will develop skills in 3D modeling, numerical modeling, data acquisition and processing, and research communication. This project will also serve as a valuable teaching tool for Structural Dynamics course and in promoting STEM education outreach program for undergraduates and K-12 students. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Electrical Engineering Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Abdul Rahman Alsamman AI, Machine Learning, Robotics, Automation AI; Machine Learning; Robotics; Automation Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Dimitrios Charalampidis Image processing, signal processing, and pattern recognition (texture segmentation/classification, medical imaging, remote sensing applications, FPGA applications); machine learning (neural networks, clustering algorithms, applications in power systems)
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Huimin Chen Information Fusion; Target Detection and Tracking; Statistical Signal Processing; Prognostics and Health Management Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Kim Jovanovich Lasers; fiber optics; spectroscopy; illumination; communications (examples only) (1) Develop optical sensors to measure a variety of situations including temperature, presence of liquids, gases, etc. (2) design and build atmospheric optical communications systems for voice/music (3) design and build fiber optic communications systems supporting digital voice systems (4) Using interferometry measure quality of fiber optic connector endfaces. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Mechanical Engineering Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Uttam Kumar Chakravarty Advanced design and manufacturing; Computational and experimental mechanics of solids and structures; Multifunctional, smart/adaptive, and composite materials and structures; Fluid-structure interaction; Small-scaled unmanned aerial systems
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Paul Schilling Materials science and engineering Multiscale forming; mechanical alloying; Metallographic characterization Tolmas Scholars Damon Smith Advanced Materials for Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing); Additive Manufacturing Design; Sustainable Manufacturing Material development and/or product design for biomedical applications; Development of natural fiber-reinforced bioplastics for additive manufacturing Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Ting Wang Both in experiments and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations:
Gas Turbine Power Systems -- Gas Turbine Aerofoil Heat Transfer, Mist/Steam Cooling, Transitional and Turbulent Boundary Layer Convective Heat Transfer, Compressor Inlet Fogging and Wet Compression, Curved Flow, Reversed Combustor Flow Aerodynamics, Dump Diffuser Aerodynamics, Jet Impingement Cooling, film cooling.)
Power Plant and Clean Coal Technology -- Coal/Biomass Co-Gasification, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Power Plant, Integrated Mild/Partial Gasification Combined Cycle (IMPGC), Techno-Economic Analysis of Power Plants, NOx Emission Reduction.
Fundamental Thermo-Flow Science -- Multiphase Flow, Phase Changes in Flashing, Condensing, Evaporation, Heat Transfer Enhancement on Micro Structured Surfaces, Flow Instabilities, Separated Flow Transition, Phase-Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDPA) scheme, Six-Wire Hot/Cold Wire Anemometry Scheme, 3-D Transient Liquid Crystal Scheme.
Applied Thermo-Flow Engineering -- TurboPiston Pump, Calcination of Petroleum Cokes, Desalination Evaporators, Paper Drying.
Combined Cooling, Heating, and Powering (CCHP) -- Micro-CCHP, Absorption Chillers.(a) Application of using chemical looping to capture CO2 to reduce emissions from industrial plants such as power plants, chemical and petrochemical plants, cement plants, etc. (b) An innovative approach to compress natural gas (NG) and hydrogen for NG cars and fuel-cell cars. (c)Use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to design high-efficient and low-emissions boilers and gasifiers. (d) Cooling enhancement for paper industry. (e) Instrumentation for wind tunnel testing (f) Simulation of power plant designs
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Lothar Birk Ship and offshore hydrodynamics; computer aided design; computer graphics; optimization Advanced propeller lifting line code; hull shape generation with subdivision surfaces; form parameter driven hull design; hidden curve removal algorithm Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Brandon Taravella Hydrodynamics; biomimetic robots; hydroelasticity; ship stability Development and programming of eel-like robot; Participation in experiments of eel-like robot; Experiments to determine effects of high-speed vessel slamming; Computer simulations of high-speed vessels; Computer simulations of ships in waves Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Nikolaos Xiros Marine & Electromechanical Systems Engineering Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Vincent Xiaochuan Yu Ship/offshore platform motions and responses; numerical modeling and model tests of dropped objects; mooring system analysis and design; risk assessment and hazard mitigation in offshore engineering; cable dynamics (mooring, riser, pipeline, etc.); FEM analysis of ship and offshore structures, smart structures, etc. (1.) Experimental tests of dropped objects and numerical calculations, including CFD simulations; (2.) Analysis and design of offshore wind turbine; (3.) Addictive manufacturing (3D printing) of structural components of ships and offshore structures; (4.) Mooring/riser/pipeline analysis; (5.) Ocean platform design Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match - College of Liberal Arts, Education, & Human Development (COLAEHD)
- Center for Hazards Assessment, Response, & Technology (CHART)
- Department of Anthropology & Sociology
- Department of Curriculum, Instruction, & Special Education
- Department of Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Foundations
- Department of Language & Literature
- Department of Film & Theatre Arts
- Department of Fine Arts
- Department of History & Philosophy
- Department of Music
- Department of Planning & Urban Studies
- Department of Political Science
- UNO Transportation Institute
Center for Hazards Assessment, Response, & Technology (CHART) Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Monica Teets Farris Public Policy, Hazard Mitigation, Community Education and Outreach, Floodplain Management, Community Rating System (CRS)
Web Page: LinkParticipate in a repetitive flood loss area analysis for the City of New Orleans Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Anthropology & Sociology Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Francis Adeola Environmental sociology; Social research methods and statistics; Rural and International development; Environmental justice; Human rights; Social change There are a number of projects available for students’ assistance, including data entry and processing, tabulation of results of statistical analysis, exploration of the evolution of environmental justice movement, exploration of case studies of environmental problems in Louisiana; a comprehensive review of the literature and meta-analysis of the effects of social capital on disaster outcome; and mapping the paths of least resistance in Global e-waste movements. Tolmas Scholars Roberto Barrios Disasters, disaster recovery, sustainability, racial and economic justice, urban planning, resilience, disaster mitigation, environmental injustice assessment Community resilience assessment, environmental injustice assessment Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match David Beriss Food and Culture; Ethnicity and Race; Migration; France; United States; Caribbean
Web Page: Link1) Participate in collecting material for and analysis for project on restaurants and social movements. 2) Assist in data collection for project on food writing and New Orleans food culture. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Rachel Breunlin Public Anthropology, Collaborative Art, Musical Ethnography, Exhibits, Cities, Place-Making, African Diaspora, Australia, Indigenous Studies, Creole Studies
Web Page: LinkNeighborhood Story Project Collaborative Ethnography Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match D'Lane Compton Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Mary Ann Davis Demography; Gender; Child Adoption; Aging; Social Work Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match D. Ryan Gray Historical archaeology; urban archaeology in New Orleans; race and segregation; spirituality and religion; WWII MIA recoveries in Europe
Web Page: LinkI welcome student projects on any topic dealing with the archaeology of New Orleans and Louisiana. Students are welcome to use resources housed at the UNO archaeology lab or materials from archaeological projects around the city. Current projects include excavations at Storyville, at 810 Royal Street in the French Quarter, and at locations of Spiritual Churches in the city, a study of fish remains from sites around the city (with Dr. Martin O'Connell from the Pontchartrain Institute and Dr. Ryan Kennedy, zooarchaeologist), and ongoing efforts at cataloging and conserving collections from prehistoric and historic sites throughout the area. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Jeffrey Parker Cities, neighborhoods, gentrification, place reputation, urban politics
Web Page: LinkCities, neighborhoods, gentrification, place reputation, urban politics Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Curriculum, Instruction, & Special Education Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Ashleigh Pelafigue Education; teacher preparation; new teacher support and advisement; behavior and cognitive development of children; literacy & linguistic development; mentorship, any relevant topic to education of children in primary and secondary grades Literacy development; dyslexia diagnosis & intervention Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Educational Leadership, Counseling, & Foundations Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Christopher Belser STEM career development programming; career development in K-16 settings; environmental sustainability career programming in K-16 settings; school counseling Native gardening on campus with eco-wellness and eco-leadership components; literature reviews on eco-wellness applications in K-12 settings; literature reviews on ecology/environmental related careers for K-12 audiences. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Carlen McLin Public Health - Health Systems Management; Gerontology; Healthcare Diversity, Health Promotion, Disaster Preparedness Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Anabel Mifsud Historical and collective trauma; internationalization of counseling and counselor education; multicultural and social justice issues in counseling and counselor education; the role of counseling in community development and sustainable peace; behavioral health services for immigrants, refugees, and persons with HIV. A literature review on the internationalization of higher education and counselor education; a literature review on the impact of social class in higher education and counselor education; data preparation for a research project on the internationalization of counselor education (including reviewing of interview transcripts to ensure accuracy and consistency and standardizing formatting before data analysis); data preparation for a research project on a mental health intervention in schools. Tolmas Scholars Ann O'Hanlon Gerontology; Attitudes about Aging; Self-perceptions of aging Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Kerrie Slaton Lifetime Fitness I feel That I am quite competent in the promotion of Developmentally Appropriate Physical Education and cross curricular application to the psychomotor domain by elementary school teachers. Mentor Match Zarus E. P. Watson Social Systems Theory & Social Influence; Multiculturalism and Diversity-based consultative Issues within Organizations; Identity-Conditioned, Trans-generational Trauma among socially ascribed groups and communities; Multiculturalism in Psychotherapy, Consultation, Testing & Research Department of Language & Literature Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Cree Pettaway Short Stories; Historical Fiction; Southern Gothic; Civil Rights; Women’s Rights; Social Justice; Creative NonFiction
Web Page: LinkMentor Match Department of Film & Theatre Arts Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Diane Baas Design; Lighting Design and Technology; Technical Direction; Ensemble Practice
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Kevin Griffith Scenic Design; Contemporary Theatre Literature; Methods and Materials of Stagecraft; Scenic Painting and Sculpture
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Hamp Overton Film Production; Cinematography; Lighting Research current and past cinematographers work; Help create lighting scenarios as illustrations pieces; Research current/future technology in cameras, lighting equipment and post production manipulation software Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Fine Arts Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Anthony (Tony) Campbell Currently working toward a solo exhibition at the New Orleans Mint
Web Page: LinkStudents will work in the capacity of an Artist assistant. This will include working on numberous art projects in sculpture, printmaking, photography and digital. Tolmas Scholars Ariya Martin Analog photography; alternative processes- cyanotype, platinum palladium, lith printing, book making
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Anna Mecugni Tableau vivant and reenactment, particularly in modern and contemporary Italian art, theater, and film; the intersection of contemporary art and social justice, with particular interest in listening practices and community engagement; women’s and gender studies Tolmas Scholars Kathy Rodriguez Painting; Drawing; Design; Early Modern and Modern Art History
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Dan Rule Animation; Video; Film Students will assist in production of short form animations, and will receive credit line. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of History & Philosophy Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Max Krochmal History of civil rights and social movements, labor and working-class studies, Latinx Studies, African American Studies, oral history research, archival research, ethnography
Web Page: LinkI'm especially interested in working with McNair Scholars and students from underrepresented minorities. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Marc Landry Central European History; Environmental History; Modern European History; Energy History; World History
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Mary Niall (Molly) Mitchell Public History; Slavery & Emancipation; Digital Humanities; K-12 engagement
Web Page: LinkSupport public facing grant projects with Freedom on the Move (freedomonthemove.org) and collaborations with community partners such as Whitney Plantation Museum and the New Orleans African American Museum as well as K-12 engagement in the history of slavery; support other Midlo partnerships with Plessy Ferguson Foundation and New Orleans Historical (neworleanshistorical.org) Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Andrea Mosterman (Dutch) Atlantic History, Early America, Slavery, Transatlantic Slave Trade, Early New York Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Chris Surprenant Criminal/civil justice (theoretical issues and policy reform); free speech and open intellectual inquiry (theoretical issues and policy reform); education (theoretical issues and policy reform); applied ethics and the history of philosophy; philosophy of sports and games; entrepreneurship; strategy and strategic thinking
Web Pages: Link, LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Music Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Victor Atkins Jazz composition; jazz arranging; jazz solo transcriptions, music education technology, music notation Tolmas Scholars Megan Dearie Choral music, vocal music, vocal pedagogy Catalog choral music while learning about the historical development of choral music Tolmas Scholars Brent Rose Music Theory, Jazz History, Improvisation, Ear Training Working with professor in a specific area to gain a deeper understanding of music Tolmas Scholars Robin Holtz Williams Piano; Piano Pedagogy; Chamber Music Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Planning & Urban Studies Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Monica Teets Farris Public Policy, Hazard Mitigation, Community Education and Outreach, Floodplain Management, Community Rating System (CRS)
Web Page: LinkParticipate in a repetitive flood loss area analysis for the City of New Orleans Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Juana Ibanez Cultural Ecology; Geography; Archaeology; Latin America; Urban environments Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Michelle Thompson Community & economic development; Applied Geographic Information Systems; neighborhood / city / regional / international planning; housing; Service Learning
Web Page: LinkStudents can participate in parcel-based research focusing on community reinvestment or revitalization. Field & e-research may include participation in neighborhood surveys using historic property assessments and/or property condition surveys. With integrated public-private data, students may develop skills using applied public participation geographic information systems (computer mapping) crowd-sourced data in Citizen Science projects. Knowledge of GIS is not required but is desired. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Political Science Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Grace Reinke Political theory; public law; legal mobilization; labor movements; care labor; feminist theory and politics; qualitative social science methods Assisting with building relevant literature reviews on canonical theoretical topics; assisting with field work projects in US politics; documentation of primary and secondary source materials found through fieldwork Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match UNO Transportation Institute Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Bethany Stich Public policy and administration; Freight-based economic development; Intermodal Transportation; International Trade; Energy, the Environment and Navigation Policy Analysis; International Trade Pattern Identification; Global Energy Market Analysis; Port Development Projects; Rail Development Projects; Trucking Industry Issues Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Guang Tian GIS; Urban Planning; Transportation; Smart Growth; Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
Web Page: LinkHow the way a city is built affects people travel in it and how that affects the city's economy, public health, and environment; What make a city more walkable and bikeable; the cost-benefit analysis of transportation investment. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Tara Tolford
(with Bethany Stich, PLUS)Active transportation; public transit; urban planning; transit-oriented development; data collection and evaluation Evaluation of New Orleans bike infrastructure implementation; pedestrian and bicycle planning; public transit planning and policy; recreational trails development; complete streets policy; regional intercity rail; transit-oriented development; campus transportation planning; green infrastructure; public health impacts of transportation; adaptation urbanism Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match - College of Sciences (COS)
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Physics
- Department of Psychology
Department of Biological Sciences Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Nicola Anthony Molecular ecology of rainforest species in Central Africa; non-invasive genetics of wild tapirs; genetic variation in seagrass and their associated epibionts Molecular ecology of rainforest species in Central Africa; non-invasive genetics of wild tapirs; genetic variation in seagrass and their associated epibionts Tolmas Scholars Joel Atallah Comparative developmental biology; Drosophila genomics, bioinformatics, and the computational analysis of biological datasets
Web Page: LinkA comparison of the maternal-zygotic transition in embryos of closely related insect species; Deciphering gene regulation at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels; Analyzing the role of transposable elements in evolution. Charles Bell Plant systematics and evolution. Botany. Plant ecology.
Web Page: LinkPlant systematics and evolution. Botany. Plant ecology. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Kelly Boyle The role and influence of sound on the biology of marine and freshwater fishes; investigating variation in auditory morphology in fishes; testing hearing ability in fishes; and examining the behavior of fish species that communicate by producing sound; studying potential human impacts, such as noise from boats and ships, on the behavior of sound producing fishes Describing the diversity of sounds from wild fish choruses recorded in the Gulf of Mexico; examining auditory morphology variation in fishes using high resolution computerized tomographic data (microCT) of fish specimens in conjunction with dissection and histological analyses; working with and learning how to curate a natural history collection of fish specimens Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Mary Clancy eukaryotic mRNA modification; regulatory RNAs; microbial genetics Current work in the laboratory is focused on identifying and analyzing proteins necessary for RNA-mediated pathways governing meiotic cell differentiation in this organism. In one pathway, production of an RNA-modifying enzyme promotes entry into the meiotic cycle. The production of the modifying enzyme is itself regulated by an “antisense” RNA that inhibits production of the sense RNA. Together, these processes ensure that meiosis will occur only in the correct cells (diploids) and under the correct environmental conditions. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Rachel Clostio Conservation; population genetics; GIS; evolution
Web Page: LinkMonitoring of purple martin colony on the UNO campus - Student will assist with collecting data on a new established purple martin colony at UNO. Duties will include monitoring birds and nests, help the training of other undergraduate students, and assist with compiling collected information for a manuscript ; Investigation of predation on gopher tortoise nests in Louisiana - Student will assist with collecting data on predators of gopher tortoise nest. Duties may include visiting nest sites, installing predator nest barriers, fire-ant control, watching video surveillance footage to determine the major predators to nests, and helping to develop protocols for predator prevention and nest protection. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Erin Cox Marine benthic ecology; seagrass ecology; marine botany; aquatic and marine macrophyte physiology
Web Page: LinkStudent projects could include examining aspects of ocean acidification impacts on seagrass seedling development and seagrass ecology, composition of benthic organisms on artificial reefs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, contribution of epiphytic diatoms to seagrass bed production Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Simon Lailvaux Evolution; Ecology; Life-History
Web Page: LinkExercise response in lizards; predicting locomotor performance in extinct animals; neurochemistry, performance, and mate choice in crickets; mechanical trade-offs among locomotor performance traits; cricket sexual conflict; aging and longevity in animals Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Zhengchang Liu Genetics; cell and molecular biology; yeast research
Web Page: LinkTolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Bernard "Barney" Rees Animal physiology and biochemistry; Fish physiology; Animal, cellular, and molecular responses to low oxygen Students are involved with routine characterization of responses of fish to environmental stress, in particular decreased oxygen concentration. Former students have measured changes at the organismal level (behavior, oxygen consumption), tissue level (blood oxygen-carrying capacity, tissue enzyme activities), and molecular level (specific proteins and mRNAs). Live animal handling and husbandry might be involved depending upon the student and the project. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Wendy Schluchter Microbial physiology; cyanobacterial photosynthesis; biosynthesis of light-harvesting proteins and environmental influences on gene expression. Cyanobacteria alter the composition of their light-harvesting proteins for photosynthesis (phycobilisomes) in response to light intensity, light quality, and nutrient availability. Their phycobilisomes (PBS) are composed primarily of phycobiliproteins (PBP). Phycobiliproteins range in color from yellow to red to purple to blue, depending upon which of a combination of four possible chromophores called bilins are covalently attached to these proteins. Students would be involved in cloning and expressing cyanobacterial proteins inside E. coli to recreate the entire biosynthetic pathway for each phycobiliprotein Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Cheng Shi Genetics, Cell and Molecular Biology; Investigating the interconnections between lipid metabolism, reproduction, and longevity using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans Increased reproduction is associated with decreased fat storage and reduced lifespan in multiple organisms, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the Shi lab, we use the small model organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to understand the interconnections between lipid metabolism, reproduction, and longevity. C. elegans has an experimentally feasible lifespan (2-3 weeks) and shares many aging traits with humans. Current student projects include characterization of fat loss in worms with increased reproduction; identification of metabolic genes that influences reproduction and longevity in worms. Tolmas Scholars Steven Whitfield Conservation Biology; Wildlife Biology; Endangered Species Biology; Urban Ecology; Tropical Biology
Web Page: LinkCamera trapping with urban wildlife in and around New Orleans; wildlife biology with rare and endangered species in New Orleans and the surrounding area; behavioral studies of rare and endangered animals in captive breeding programs Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Chemistry Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs David Podgorski Environmental Chemistry; Analytical Chemistry; Transport & Fate of Organic Contaminants; Vertebrate Toxicology
Web Page: LinkEnvironmental Chemistry; Analytical Chemistry; Transport & Fate of Organic Contaminants; Vertebrate Toxicology Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Steven "Steve" Rick Computational studies of aqueous, ionic, biological and polymeric systems Recent advances in algorithm development and computer architecture have greatly increased the ability of computational methods to play a major role in chemistry, enabling computer simulations to provide valuable insight into the structure and dynamics of materials. Our lab is interested in a range of systems, from both aqueous and non-aqueous liquids to biological systems. These studies include biological ion channels, stimuli responsive polymers, and ionic liquids Matthew Tarr Environmental chemistry (photochemistry, nanomaterials); education tools Current environmental chemistry research focuses on photochemical transformations of pollutants in aquatic systems; Petroleum, microplastics, and nanoplastics are studied under exposure to simulated sunlight to determine how they change under exposure; Current education research develops virtual and augmented reality tools to enhance learning outcomes; Virtual chemistry labs are being created to mimic actual lab experiences Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Mark Trudell The focus of our current research is to gain a greater understanding of the chemistry of transition metal encapsulated halloysite (M@Hal) nanocomposite materials. The information learned in this study will aid in the design of new heterogeneous catalytic systems that can be tailored to meet specific sustainable green chemical applications. Currently, the primary objective of our research is to investigate the synthesis and structural characterization of new M@Hal nanocomposites. The following systems will be the focus of the investigation: Pd@Hal, Ir@Hal, and Rh@Hal. These noble metal systems have been selected as targets for development based upon the broad and often complimentary range of reactivity observed in organic transformations by the corresponding homogenous metal-ligand systems. The secondary objective will be to evaluate the M@Hal nanocomposites as catalysts for organic reactions. The focus of this part of our studies will be aimed at the conversion of biomass-derived organic compounds into fine chemical building blocks. In addition, part of this investigation will focus on the development of green applications using these new materials as heterogenous catalyst in aqueous solvent systems. Development of new green organic reactions catalyzed by M@Hal Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match John Wiley Solid State Chemistry; Nanomaterials The student will utilize low temperature reaction strategies to modify various layered compounds so as to create nanoscrolled materials. High temperature synthesis, followed by exfoliation, will be used in the formation of the nanoscrolls. Various oxide and non-oxide compounds will be investigated, and in some cases, nanoparticles will be captured so as to make nanopeapod structures. The student will learn about the methods used in synthesis, simple crystallography, and electron microscopy. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Phoebe Zito Cosmetic Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; nanomaterials; analytical chemistry Determine the presence and size of nanoparticles in cosmetics and foods; petroleum photolysis; photochemistry of petroleum; analyzing heavy metals in animal tissue; Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Computer Science Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Mahdi Abdelguerfi Environmental Informatics, Machine Learning, Big Data
Web Page: LinkSee link in Research Interests Tolmas Scholars Shreya Banerjee Deep Learning/ Machine Learning; Mathematical Logic & Automated Reasoning; Commonsense Reasoning; Natural Language Processing (NLP); Question Answering; Problem-Solving; Knowledge Representation and Reasoning; Human-Machine Teaming; Cognitive Modeling; Artificial General Intelligence (AGI); Computational Social Science Potential projects: Using a combination of reasoning and connectionist methods in AI to analyze the effects of group belief; Use of AI for mental health; Qualitative question answering using hybrid AI. Other than that, the mentor is open to any project idea related to AI if the student has a clear notion of what they want to do. The student must be willing to work with the mentor to publish the research results. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Adlai DePano Computer Science Education; Computational Geometry; Algorithm Analysis; Theory of Computation; Applied Mathematics Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Md Tamjidul Hoque Machine Learning; Artificial Intelligence; Bioinformatics; Computer Vision; Data Science and Optimization
Web Page: LinkMachine-Learning Algorithm Optimization; Object Detection, Recognition, and Tracking; Drone Image Processing; Natural Language Processing; Risk Prediction; Neural Network Optimized by Genetic Algorithms; Effective Gene-Protein-Regulatory-Network (GPRN) development; Functional Morphology and Performance Prediction; Sampling Algorithm development; Protein Folding and RNA/DNA Binding Prediction; Anomaly Detection in Drug usage; Recommender Systems Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Abdullah Yasin Nur Network Measurement and Analysis; Network Topology Discovering and Modeling; Network Security; and Graph Theory Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Abdullah Al Redwan Newaz Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Cyber-Physical Systems. Research balances both theory and practical implementations, with an emphasis on developing elegant, scalable, theoretically sound algorithms for solving real-world robotics applications. Multi-robot localization; path planning; motion planning; developing mobile robots Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Ben Samuel Interactive Narrative; AI-Driven Game Design; Social Simulation; Computationally Assisted Performance
Web Page: LinkPotential student projects include using an existing, novel artificial intelligence system to produce believable, empathetic virtual characters (for video games and other contexts), assisting in the development of a mixed-initiative game that encourages players to craft their own stories, and helping to increase the accessibility and distribution of an award-winning game that combines social simulation, world generation, and live improvised performance. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Christopher Summa Protein structure refinement; simulation of macromolecules; statistical analysis of protein structures; computational design of water-soluble membrane proteins; and optimization and analysis of molecular energy functions; problems that involve the use of computers to model molecular structures, design molecules such as proteins, and study their function and dynamic behavior using simulations Students would work on a problem involving refinement of protein structure, simulating macromolecules, performing statistical analysis of protein structures, computational design of water-soluble membrane proteins, or optimization and analysis of molecular energy functions Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match James Wagner Database systems; cyber security; digital forensics; data privacy Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Madeline Foster-Martinez Coastal resilience; sustainability; coastal wetlands; deltas; engineering with nature; plants Student will work on a grant-funded project to investigate vegetation and land building along Louisiana's coast. Will involve outdoor fieldwork in marshes and boat time! Looking for someone interested in learning new things with a can-do attitude. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Mark Kulp Stratigraphy; Coastal Geomorphology; Sedimentology Mapping of geomorphologic change across the northern Gulf of Mexico through the use of historical and recently acquired imagery; Correlation of stratigraphic units to better understand the framework of the Louisiana shelf; Documentation of the shallow stratigraphy below modern barrier islands; Investigations of the relative sea level change across the northern Gulf of Mexico Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Robert Mahon Sedimentology; stratigraphy; sediment transport; geomorphology; precambrian geology
Web Page: Link3-dimensional evolution of river and tidal dunes and their stratigraphic deposits; Wave dynamics and sediment transport in coastal Louisiana; Experiments on the threshold of motion for non-typical carbonate grains; Grain size fining along river delta fronts; Dynamics of sediment transport and construction of subaqueous delta levees Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Martin T. O'Connell Aquatic ecology; fisheries management; fish biology; ichthyology; conservation biology Processing and identification of larval fishes and invertebrates as related to measuring their responses to possible settlement cues; Assessing the interaction of non-native Rio Grande Cichlids and native fishes in Bayou St. John and City Park; Determining if Louisiana populations of Sheepshead Minnows practice inter- and intra-species cleaning behavior or lepidophagy; A survey for populations of Southern Redbelly Dace in stream of Louisiana’s Florida parishes; Surveying for non-native island apple snails in southeastern Louisiana; Surveying City Park for possible species' refugia; Tracking non-native water hyacinth; Examining fish specimens for the presence of microplastics; and Preliminary survey for limpkin in City Park. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Department of Mathematics Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Peter Bierhorst Statistics; Quantum Information Theory; I focus on the statistical analysis of experimental demonstrations of quantum nonlocality; I also study potential applications of these experiments to real-world problems in communication and cryptography Understand Bell's Theorem, which shows that "local hidden variable" explanations of quantum mechanics are impossible; Re-examine various analyses of quantum nonlocality experiments that claim to have found exotic, unanticipated effects, to (probably) find the flaw in reasoning; Study the limits on the type of correlations that can be established between two and/or three people if they exploit the resource of shared quantum-entangled particles. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Linxiong Li Statistics; biostatistics; survival analysis; reliability Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Xueyan "Sherry" Liu Spatial statistics; I will focus on developing new statistical methods for analyzing spatial data in terms of clustering of a single species and co-localization of multiple species; Applications can be used in geography, biology, social sciences, etc. To study stochastic processes and spatial statistic theory; to develop R algorithms and packages for calculating clustering degrees and co-localization degrees; to work on simulations and real data applications of the indices. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Tumulesh Solanky Statistics. In particular, deriving sampling strategies where the sampling cost is high, such as in clinical trials where the subjects are human beings. The overall goal is to achieve precise estimation of key parameters based on a smallest possible sample. I am looking at the data for some clinical trials for selected antipsychotic drugs, which have been approved by FDA and have gone through independent clinical trials. The goal would be to see if using the current research methodologies, one could achieve the same precision as in the published studies, based on a smaller sample. Department of Physics Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Juliette Ioup Signal processing and deconvolution; underwater acoustics; acoustics of musical instruments; underwater noise from hurricanes; acoustical oceanography Signal processing; acoustic signal analysis of whale and dolphin clicks; acoustic signal analysis of musical instruments; data clustering techniques; acoustic analysis of underwater noise from hurricanes; acoustical oceanography Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Kendal Leftwich Signal Processing in acoustics and images. With a focus on machine learning, denoising and enhancing acoustical signals and images using deconvolution methods. Using machine learning algorithms to determine the best wavelet for the data. Denoising and or enhancing images to make them more readable or highlight certain aspects. Cataloging sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico by acoustic signal using machine learning. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Leszek Malkinski Thin film technology, micro-origami techniques, magnetic materials for information technology and wireless communications, spring-magnets, magnetoelasticity, magnetoelectric and multiferroic composites for biomedical applications, spin electronics, micro-electro-mechanical systems, new generation of solar cells, liquid crystals, triboelectric effect Triboelectric effect- converting surface charges into volume charges Ashok Puri Optics of Condensed matter; Surface Optics; Magneto-Optics; Electronic properties of Semiconductors; and Continuum Mechanics Investigating characteristics of fluid flow through a porous medium using both analytical and numerical techniques; Numerical investigation of Non-Fickian diffusion with generalized source; Investigation of dynamics of biological films using numerical methods. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Weilie Zhou Semiconductor nanomaterials synthesis; Renewable energy; Nanodevices; Electron microscopy Growth II-VI Nanowire Arrays; Fabrication of Photovoltaics, Sensors, and Photo-detectors Tolmas Scholars Department of Psychology Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Elliott Beaton At the Stress, Cognition, and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN) Laboratory, we study how the physiological effects of stress shape development in children at high risk for mental illness in adulthood. To this end, we use a variety of methods to study children including interviews and questionnaires, computer-based cognitive games, brain imaging, hormone and immunological analyses, and reactive physiological measures such as heart rate and blood pressure. Spatial sound detection study; MRI diffusion tensor image processing and analyses; Portable EEG system and mindfulness training validation study Tolmas Scholars Jennifer Gumpert Music and other interventions as a public policy tool for treating neurological impairments and trauma as well as serving as modulators for reducing substance use and high risk choices in young adults; the role of music and similar interventions in facilitating communications in children diagnosed with atypical brain development; The utilization of music to strengthen neural pathways; The use of music to increase language skills in children with brain development related conditions or trauma; Music and other interventions as a tool to increase emotional regulation; The ability of music to preserve or strengthen neural pathways in brain damaged children and adults; Music as a positive influencer in treating depression, substance abuse, PTSD and other mental health diagnoses with the overall objective as using music as a tool to help lessen the stigma often associated with mental health therapies; providing supportive resources for underserved lower SES communities
Web Page: LinkMusic as an intervening treatment in children with ASD for language and quality of life Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Christopher Harshaw Development of social behavior; rodent models of Autism Spectrum Disorder; neurodevelopmental effects of early-life xenobiotic and inflammatory exposures; thermal effects of the 'social hormone' oxytocin;
Web Page: LinkCurrent projects in our lab focus on (1) the neurodevelopmental effects of inflammation and xenobiotic exposures early in life, with a focus on phenotypes of relevance to modeling neurodevelopmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder; (2) understanding the contribution of thermoregulatory mechanisms to the social effects of the hormone oxytocin; and (3) examining the utility of infrared thermography as a noninvasive measure of social anxiety, as well as its relation to aspects of temperament and personality; Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Tracey A. Knaus Web Page: Link Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Roberto Refinetti Biological psychology; biological rhythms; behavioral neuroscience; body temperature regulation; thermal sensation
Web Page: LinkProjects vary over the years, but they all involve either human or animal subjects and they investigate behavioral or physiological mechanisms (including neural mechanisms) related to biological rhythms (particularly circadian rhythms) and thermal biology. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match - Earl K. Long Library
Earl K. Long Library Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Abram Himelstein Publishing; Academic publishing; Fiction publishing; Self-publishing; Art publishing Editing; copy editing; graphic design; promotion and marketing…. Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match James Hodges Archival Science, Digital Libraries, New Orleans History digitization projects involving photographs, maps, documents, sheet muisc, video, or audio recordings; creation of in-person and digital public exhibits based on archival collections; archival collection processing and preservation; OCR/digitizing of card indexes Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match Jeanne Pavy Open access publishing; open educational resources; author rights & copyright; digital scholarship Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match - Alumni Affairs
Alumni Affairs (Multi-Disciplinary) Mentor Research Interests Student Projects Mentor Programs Savannah Bilbo Social Media; Content Creation; Graphic Design; Marketing; Design; Video Content; Email Marketing; Event planning; event coordination; event management Exploring Viral Trends; Organic Social Media Growth Tolmas Scholars; Mentor Match