LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering recently hosted the 2025 Summer Research Community Poster Session, showcasing more than 30 student research projects developed under faculty mentorship. Students shared their summer work with the LMU community, including peers, faculty, deans, families, and industry guests.
The poster session gave students a platform to share discoveries, discuss challenges, and engage with the broader LMU community, highlighting the depth and diversity of undergraduate research.
Kate Murphy, a physics senior, worked on an analog convection experiment to model ocean circulation on icy moons. Murphy explained the broader relevance: “If they behave as we expect, then they could be a potential proof for life on other planets.” The exciting implications are not lost on her, as the research overseen by professor Emily Hawkins goes well beyond the LMU lab. “We’re able to apply these convection data to the NASA missions, which is really cool.”
Computer science seniors Raihana Zahra and Lauren Campbell studied emerging technologies and digital trends. Zahra’s research examined misinformation on popular social media platforms. “Everyone loves TikTok, YouTube and Reddit, so we’re looking into that and seeing what videos that are popular within the last year are misinformed,” she said. Campbell, who is continuing work from the semester on a student-made app highlighted the opportunity to apply classroom learning to new challenges: “Just having the room to explore and do new things and test out new technologies is really fun for me.”
Mechanical engineering students Logan Carter, a senior, and Thomas Dean, a junior, worked in a lab that conducted experiments on aluminum alloy fatigue properties. As can be common in the scientific process, Carter described the project’s lifespan as surprising. “We’re getting a higher fatigue life for samples with a lower yield strength, which is interesting. It’s the kind of thing that we didn’t expect.”
Biology senior Zander Provenzano was mentored by professor Christina Vasquez, studying marine mussels native to the Los Angeles area. Mathematics senior Jensen Molebash explored “parking functions,” a mathematical object, gaining insight into math research beyond coursework. “We’ve gone down a few rabbit holes that are kind of fun,” he said of the exploratory nature of the summer’s work. Statistics and data science senior Cameron Hajaliloo researched youth wellness trends on social media, analyzing unhealthy behaviors through data patterns.
Civil engineering sophomore Paige Teevans and her team developed 3D and virtual reality models of the Hannon Apartments on campus using SketchUp, Trimble Connect, and AI tools. “It’s been really rewarding to see something we built come to life and to actually show people how it all came together. Especially just finishing our first year, having the chance to do research and work closely with our professor over the summer made it a really fun and meaningful experience.”
VIDEO: Watch a short clip recapping the poster presentation here.
