The Posters & Presentations page collects academic posters, conference presentations, GIS projects, and research materials documenting environmental change, historical imagery analysis, landscape reconstruction, and geology-related research. Featured work includes poster presentations, environmental GIS analysis, and landscape change studies connected to current and past academic research.
Assessing the Environmental Impact of the Frank Borman Expressway in the Calumet Region
Abstract This research examines how construction of the Frank Borman Expressway transformed landscapes and communities throughout the Calumet Region of Northwest Indiana. Using georeferenced historical aerial imagery, GIS analysis, and landscape interpretation, the project reconstructs patterns of roadway expansion, interchange modification, and community displacement from the late 1940s through the modern era. Research Themes *…
The Unknown: STEM? It’s About Being There
I was invited to an IVY Tech Community College- Lake County STEM Club meeting, where I presented “The Unknown”. The objective was to do an outreach/ informational presentation focused on internships, research, and pathways into science through hands-on experience. This presentation explored the role of uncertainty, field experience, and learning through action in STEM. Rather…
Tracking Changes in Invasive Species
Abstract Tracking changes in invasive species through GIS-based environmental monitoring. The project examined changes in invasive wetland plant species within the Beverly Shores region between 2017 and 2019. Using ArcGIS spatial analysis and field survey data collected through the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, the study mapped concentrations of invasive species including Typha species, Phragmites australis,…
The Stability of Amino Acids within Mars Regolith Simulant
Abstract This undergraduate research project investigated the stability of amino acids within simulated Martian regolith environments using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). Samples containing amino acids and perchlorate salts were exposed to Mars regolith simulant MM2 under varying chemical conditions to evaluate molecular degradation over time. The study focused on understanding whether organic…
Graphene-Supported Ni₄ Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation
Abstract This computational research project examined graphene-supported nickel cluster catalysts for propane dehydrogenation using density functional theory (DFT) methods and VASP modeling. Conducted through collaboration between Valparaiso University and Ivy Tech Community College under the Indiana Space Grant Consortium, the study investigated reaction pathways, activation energies, and the effects of nitrogen doping on catalyst behavior.…
