From Isotopic Tracing of Human Bones to Assessing Water Quality in Eastern Paraguay, 2026 Chlapaty Fellows Conducting Diverse Research Projects

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Twelve University of Dubuque students selected to participate in the Joseph and Linda Chlapaty Summer Research Fellowship are conducting a variety of summer research projects on topics like isotopic tracing of human bones, assessing water quality in Eastern Paraguay, analyzing the effects of crumb rubber consumption on avians of Dubuque, and more.

Established in 2012, the Chlapaty Summer Research Fellowship helps prepare talented undergraduate students across all disciplines for graduate or professional school. Fellows have committed to 400 hours of work over a 10-week period this summer. They each received a stipend of $5,500 with an additional $600 for research-associated supplies and/or travel costs. Fellows will present their research during the following academic year at a local, regional, or national conference.

"The Chalapty Fellowship program affords students an invaluable opportunity to engage in high-quality, impactful research during their undergraduate career. The experience that they gain from this program will prepare them well for graduate school studies and future careers involving research," said Samuel Hokamp, PhD, director of the Chlapaty Summer Research Fellowship and assistant professor of mathematics.

2026 Chlapaty Fellows:

Avery Engle, a senior chemistry major from Galena, Illinois

Project: Potential Inhibitors of Alpha-Glucosidase

Advisor: Mark Sinton, PhD, associate professor of chemistry

Quote: "I wanted to do this project because it was interesting learning about enzymes and their reactions in Biochemistry II. I also wanted to conduct research related to medicine. I'm hoping that through this project I will get a better understanding on my individual lab skills to take with me for my future."

Ashlyn Foster, a senior biology major from Savanna, Illinois

Project: Isotopic Tracing of Human Bones: Location of Geographic Origin

Advisor: Kelly Grussendorf, PhD, professor of biology and head of the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences

Quote: "I was drawn to this project because it sits at the intersection of biology, chemistry, and forensic science, the fields that have shaped both my academic interests and my long-term career goals. Working with isotopic signatures in human bone offers a rare opportunity to investigate how isotopic signatures in human bones can reveal a person's geographic origin that are essential for building accurate and ethical biological profiles in forensic science."

Ava Friedrichsen, a senior chemistry major from Clinton, Iowa

Project: Assessing Water Quality in Eastern Paraguay: Land-Use Change and River Filtration Patterns

Advisor: Gerald Zuercher, PhD, professor of biology and director of Wolter Woods and Prairies Environmental Stewardship and Retreat Center

Quote: "Water quality concerns due to agriculture and other land use change are very prevalent to me as well as to most Iowans. After doing water quality research closer to home in Dubuque County, I wanted to explore how other areas are impacted as well. Last summer, I went on a study abroad trip to the beautiful country of Paraguay and saw many amazing things, but also some very destructive patterns of development to the natural environments. However, the protected Atlantic Forest fragments in Paraguay represent an effort to change the trends of environmental destruction overtaking South America. Like most ecosystems, the nature reserves in eastern Paraguay rely on healthy, productive waterways to function. With this research project, I aim to explore the ecological changes to the water quality by studying its physical and chemical properties, and by focusing on the differences between the boundary and the inner areas of the reserves. This study will also explore longitudinal gradients in a river in order to assess the capacity of natural habitats to restore water quality through filtration. This research will inspire other studies that explore the relationships between water quality and environmental conservation - improving the ability to assess water quality and restore aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, this research will allow me to explore different areas of expertise that I may want to study within my master's program and provide research experience for future graduate theses."

Karla Garcia, a sophomore biomedical science major from the Dominican Republic

Project: Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Dairy Products

Advisors: Lalith Jayawickrama, MS, assistant professor of health sciences, and Rasika Mudalige-Jayawickrama, PhD, professor of plant biology

Quote: "I am interested in this research project because microplastics are an important environmental issue, and as a biomedical science major, I want to understand how they may be present in everyday foods like dairy products. Through this project, I hope to gain hands-on laboratory experience and learn how to detect and analyze microplastics. I am also interested in how this research connects biology, chemistry, and food safety, and what it could mean for human health."

Argelis Hernandez Perez, a junior human health science major from the Dominican Republic

Project: Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Infant Formula

Advisors: Lalith Jayawickrama, MS, assistant professor of health sciences, and James Romagna, EdD, professor of health, wellness, and sport

Quote: "My research aims to understand and highlight the presence of microplastics in infant formulas, as well as to raise awareness regarding how these substances can harm human health and the risks associated with early exposure during infancy. Furthermore, I aspire to share this knowledge with a view to generating an impact that inspires change and, in particular, improves the health and well-being of humans."

Lauren Jacobs, a senior chemistry major from Sterling, Illinois

Project: Competitive and Non-Competitive Inhibitors of Lactate Dehydrogenase

Advisor: Mark Sinton, PhD, associate professor of chemistry

Quote: "I wanted to choose a project that I was interested in and could also be beneficial to the medical world. I loved learning about enzymes and their reactions in Biochemistry II, so I'm excited to explore this topic more!"

Emily Johnson, a senior biology major from Goose Lake, Iowa

Project: Prevalence of West Nile in Culex Mosquitoes in Dubuque County

Advisor: Kelly Grussendorf, PhD, professor of biology and head of the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences

Quote: "I was drawn to this project for two reasons. First, in summer 2025 I completed an internship at a public health department where I tested mosquitoes for West Nile virus. Through that experience, I became interested in mosquito surveillance and public health prevention. Second, I realized that Dubuque did not currently have this type of surveillance, which inspired me to bring that research to our community. I hope to learn more about mosquito activity and West Nile prevalence in urban and rural communities."

Kyla LaRue, a senior biology major from Lanark, Illinois

Project: Seasonal Responses of Soil Microbial Communities to Algific Talus Microclimate

Advisor: Adam Kleinschmit, PhD, professor of biology

Quote: "With my project, I hope to better understand how spring and summer temperatures affect the soil microbial communities in the algific talus slopes. This area is unique due to its ability to maintain a cooler temperature than the surrounding environment."

Tatum Levendahl, a senior environmental science major from Saint Joseph, Missouri

Project: Songs of the Atlantic Forest: Assessing Impacts of Patch Size and Forest Edges on Neotropical Bird Species Diversity and Activity

Advisor: Gerald Zuercher, PhD, professor of biology and director of Wolter Woods and Prairies Environmental Stewardship and Retreat Center

Quote: "I was drawn to this project because in my previous trip to Paraguay, I spent a lot of time bird watching but also seeing the effects of land use changes and forest loss. I hope to learn what species may be living in those altered landscapes and which ones depend on the untouched forests."

Olivia Rosenberg, a senior environmental science major from Racine, Wisconsin

Project: From Predators to Prey: Mapping Microplastic Transfer Through Scat Analysis in the Neotropics

Advisor: Gerald Zuercher, PhD, professor of biology and director of Wolter Woods and Prairies Environmental Stewardship and Retreat Center

Quote: "What drew me into this research project was how we look at microplastics in water a lot but never in our terrestrial mammals who are just as susceptible to microplastic contamination. I wanted to study an understudied topic in an understudied country. I hope to learn more of how humans impact wildlife, especially more elusive species such as jaguars and pumas. It's important to know the entire scope of our impact on wildlife."

Peter Shanna Jr., a junior biology major from Chicago, Illinois

Project: The Effects of Crumb Rubber Consumption on Avians of Dubuque

Advisor: Kaycie Lawson, PhD, assistant professor of environmental science

Quote: "What drew me to my project was during fall semester a friend of mine and I would run around the track before classes, and due to me having a lab at 7:45 a.m. sometimes that meant running at dawn. When running at dawn, I would see birds on the football field picking through the turf. If you have ever been on an artificial turf field you know that the little black beads stick to everything, so I figured that the birds have to be consuming some of the black beads as they are foraging. When I tried to look up the effects of this, I could find no published research on the effects of artificial turf on the digestive health of birds which pushed me to do my own research in the form of the Chlapaty summer fellowship."

Kennedy Tilley, a sophomore environmental science major from Shawnee, Kansas

Project: Monitoring Stream Health and Restoration Effectiveness Using Macroinvertebrates

Advisor: Nolan Bielinski, PhD, assistant professor of biology

Quote: "I was drawn to this project by the chance to expand my knowledge and challenge myself in a real research environment, where I can actively apply what I've learned and continue to grow, while also identifying practices that better support and protect the environment. Through this experience, I hope to learn how to design and carry out field research and analyze data effectively, while also drawing meaningful conclusions from environmental data."