MOUNT VERNON — What began as questions in classrooms and laboratories became eight weeks of hands-on research for 12 Mount Vernon Nazarene University undergraduate students this summer.
As participants in MVNU’s Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR), the students worked alongside faculty mentors to explore questions ranging from the effects of caffeine on phospholipid membranes to the relationship between social support and recovery following total knee replacement.
Their work culminated Oct. 22 with a poster presentation in Thorne Library, where they shared their findings with faculty, staff and fellow students.
Launched in 2022, SPUR brings together students from a variety of disciplines and provides an experience that extends beyond traditional classroom learning. The 2026 participants represented disciplines including biology, chemistry, criminal justice, engineering and social work. Students came from across Ohio as well as Costa Rica, Venezuela, Kentucky and Maryland. The students explored a wide range of topics across the sciences and social sciences.
“SPUR provides undergraduate students with hands-on learning opportunities through faculty-mentored research projects. It is a comprehensive experience designed to build students’ confidence, refine their skills and strengthen their résumés for graduate school and future employment,” said Dr. Binyang Hou, Professor of Physics and Director of SPUR.
“The program has helped students gain admission to graduate programs and secure employment. In the four years since its inception, SPUR student researchers have also published two peer-reviewed journal articles, with a third article accepted for publication.”
In chemistry, Emily Howie (2026 graduate, Chillicothe, Ohio) examined the effects of caffeine on the structure of a phospholipid monolayer, while Jenna Reed (senior, chemistry, Street, Md.) and Liberty Pennington (senior, chemistry, Heath, Ohio) investigated the potential of graphyne nanopore membranes for separating hydrocarbons and water.
Other projects addressed environmental and biological questions. Zachary Gossom (junior, environmental biology and education and social policy studies, Mount Vernon, Ohio) explored the relationship between birds and the Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya cultures, while Hailey Waibel (College Credit Plus student, Mount Vernon, Ohio) and Madelyn Ruth (junior, biology, Marion, Ohio) studied giant stonefly distribution and habitat preferences in Central Ohio.
Research also extended into engineering, health care and social sciences. Red Madero (senior, electrical engineering, Caracas, Venezuela) and Yohelk Chanto (junior, electrical engineering, San José, Costa Rica) worked on optimizing photovoltaic systems using adaptive fuzzy logic control. Andrew Burke (junior, mechanical engineering, Mount Vernon, Ohio) studied the design and performance of athletic insoles for collegiate vertical-jump performance.
In health care and social work, Abigail Scholl (junior, biology, Mount Gilead, Ohio) examined the relationship between social support and recovery following total knee arthroplasty, while Kelsey Osborne (senior, social work, Flemingsburg, Ky.) investigated the needs of social work practitioners serving people with autism. Alanna Reyes (senior, criminal justice, Westerville, Ohio) researched the development of Ohio’s legal response to child sex trafficking.
For Scholl, the experience provided an opportunity to develop skills she expects to carry into her future career in medicine.
“I am extremely grateful for the SPUR program,” Scholl said. “I believe that the research that I conducted this summer has grown me both academically and professionally and that the experience has been incredibly valuable to me as I prepare to enter the medical field. Through the program, I learned how to design a quality research question and a feasible study design. Finally, my critical thinking and presentation skills were bettered as a result of this experience.”
Gossom’s research required him to work through a limited body of existing literature on a highly specialized topic. He said the experience challenged him to persevere while developing as a student and researcher.
“The opportunity I had to work with the Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) was incredible,” Gossom said. “Doing research has challenged me to persevere while finding and reading through the few papers there are on such a niche topic, and I believe that challenge has strengthened me as a student and as a researcher. I anticipate that working on this project will help me center ethnobiological research in a local setting to contribute to local solutions.”
Faculty mentors for SPUR 2026 included Dr. Jon Bossley, biology; Dr. Guoyu Chen, engineering; Dr. Marc Hedrick, criminal justice; Dr. Binyang Hou, physics; Dr. Luiz Oliveira, chemistry; Dr. Peter Sob, engineering; Dr. Stephen Samuel, exercise science; and Dr. Katie Terry, social work.
The students will have another opportunity to share their research during MVNU’s Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Prince Student Union. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided, and the public is welcome to attend.
More information about SPUR is available at mvnu.edu/SPUR.