2026
Kea Anderson
Home Institution: McGill University
Project: Public Perceptions of Microplastic Pollution in Narragansett Bay: Everyday Relevance, Information Sources, and Consumer Behavior
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emily Diamond
Isabelle Burns
Home Institution: University of Texas at Arlington
Project: Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Spectral Fingerprinting for Detecting Microplastics in Solution
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daniel Roxbury
Yala Feikin
Home Institution: Yale University
Project: The Role of Particle-Particle Collisions in the Generation of Secondary Microplastics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Irene Andreu
Paige Georgeou
Home Institution: Virginia Tech
Project: Developing an Optical Microscopy Method to Detect Microplastics in Environmental Samples
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ryan Poling-Skutvik
Grace Heller
Home Institution: University of Florida
Project: Standardizing Small-Scale Bioplastic Composting
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vinka Craver
Sienna Hepworth
Home Institution: University of Redlands
Project: Assessing Microplastic Ingestion in Arctic Zooplankton
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Alessandra D’Angelo and Dr. Brice Loose
Korryn Narvaez
Home Institution: Utah Valley University
Project: Characterizing Particles Emitted During a Plastic Paver Recycling Process
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vinka Craver
Whitley Olson
Home Institution: Texas Tech University
Project: Role of Secondary Microplastics in S. epidermidis Viability and Growth
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Irene Andreu
Sandra Perez
Home Institution: Arizona State University
Project: AI-Driven Spectroscopy of Microplastic Aging
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yang Lin
Corinne Ruddy
Home Institution: University of Rhode Island
Project: Microplastics in Narragansett Bay Food Webs: From Mussels to Bufflehead Ducks
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Coleen Suckling
2025
Rowan Bixler
Home Institution: Amherst College
Project: Developing an Optical Microscopy Method for Identifying Microplastics in Environmental Samples
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ryan Poling-Skutvik
Chloe DelSignore
Home Institution: Frostburg State University
Project: Degradation of Bioplastic Using Bacteria Isolated from Wastewater
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vinka Craver
Elle DesMarteau
Home Institution: Scripps College
Project: The Role of Particle-Particle Collisions and Photoweathering in the Fragmentation of Glitter Microplastics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Irene Andreu
Helen Ly
Home Institution: University of Rhode Island
Project: Unraveling the Degradation of Plastics: Towards Accurate Identification of Microplastics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yang Lin
Ella Niemeyer
Home Institution: University of Vermont
Project: Application of Manganese Oxide-Coated Media for BPA Removal
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Joe Goodwill
Joalys Rivera Castro
Home Institution: Inter-American University Aguadilla
Project: Reviewing Recycled Marine Fishing Gear Plastic-Sand Construction Blocks with Fused Sea Calcification
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vinka Craver
Carlynn Rychener
Home Institution: University of South Carolina
Project: Investigating the Inflammatory Effects of Microplastics Using 3D Liver Models
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jyothi Menon
Alexandra Shore
Home Institution: University of New Hampshire
Project: Retention Time of Microplastics in the Purple Sea Urchin Arbacia punctulata
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Coleen Suckling
Annalise Wabler
Home Institution: Ohio State University
Project: Information Nudges and Consumer Willingness to Invest in Microplastic-Free Water
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emi Uchida
Jacob Waugh
Home Institution: Indiana University Bloomington
Project: The Impact of Nudging on Consumer Willingness-to-Pay for Laundry Microfiber Filters
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emi Uchida