The Synapse
Updates from the Sciences at Loyola University Maryland
Marion Davidson, Assistant Teaching Professor, Forensic Science
Marion is planning to infuse Diversity-Justice and Untold Truths content into the existing course Forensic Anthropology course by not only discussing the history and legacy of slavery within Loyola but also adding a new module on disaster victim identification (DVI). Although slavery in the US and Loyola’s connection to enslaved peoples may feel like an event that occurred long ago, there remains contemporary efforts within the country and abroad to locate, exhume, and identify enslaved and formerly enslaved individuals at both known archaeological sites such as cemeteries as well as unknown, unmarked, mass graves connected to other histories of racialized violence. Marion would like students to learn about some of this local and global history as well as the most current forensic methods being used to find and repatriate these individuals and repair the relationships with their descendent communities.
Lisa Scheifele, Professor, Biology
Lisa is planning to revamp her existing BL438 course: Exploring the Human Genome. While the course already includes substantial Diversity-Justice material, Lisa intends to further build on this work by adding additional Diversity-Justice and Untold Truths content. For example, Lisa already uses Dorothy Roberts Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century to talk about the origins of race as a social and political construct. However, in the following weeks when the class examines the Human Genome Project, Lisa believes students should be digging deeper into the historical use of a European-ancestry genome as the reference standard for all people and the recent push to move towards a more inclusive reference that better reflects the fullness of human genetic diversity.
Brianna Tate, Assistant Professor, Biology
Brianna is planning to design a new upper-level biology Diversity-Justice course to encourage students to examine the ethical and social dimensions of biomedical research and scientific discovery through the lens of race, equity, exploitation, and to explore the lasting impacts of historical injustice. Using readings from "Untold Truths" as a central framework, students will be invited to critically explore how scientific progress has often depended upon the labor, bodies, knowledge, and experiences of marginalized communities while simultaneously excluding those same communities from recognition, representation, and benefit. Geared toward students that seek to pursue careers in biology and medicine, this course encourages students not only to examine historical injustices, but also to consider their own responsibilities as future scientists, healthcare professionals, researchers, and citizens.
"I am eager to become a Hauber Fellow as it represents an amazing opportunity for me to engage in and gain experience with hands-on research while being able to contribute directly to the Loyola community. Over the past few years, I have seen several of my peers participate in Hauber Fellowships and go on to complete successful, impactful projects. Seeing them, along with the wide range of innovative and impressive sports-related projects, has motivated me to pursue this opportunity for myself." -LUC ALLIAUME, BS Data Science and Statistics, 2027
"I wish to be a Hauber Fellow because it provides me with the unique opportunity of carrying out valuable research that ties together with my academic interests in environmental physics and public health. I am driven to understand the causes of health disparities, such as the disproportionate asthma rates in Puerto Rico, which is why I aim to investigate the environmental causes of this crisis." - ESTEFANIA BERIO, BS Biology and Psychology, 2027
"As someone interested in neurodegenerative diseases and different biochemical reasons supporting their pathogenesis, being a Hauber fellow would support my professional development and my path to higher education. To gain hands-on experience, improve my communication skills, connect with professors/other Hauber fellows, and develop my experimental findings into a publication down the line. Being a Hauber fellow would allow me to be a part of the program's welcoming community of individuals who are passionate about research whom I can learn from." - MADALEN BOAS, BS Biochemistry, 2028
"I want to join this fellowship because the specific research I will be completing is a combination of physics and electrical engineering. I look forward to applying the concepts from my classes into rigorous hands-on research. The collaboration with Hauber mentors will allow me to develop skills required for a career in industry or academia. I hope to develop my understanding of important modern technology and physics theory which will make me a more competitive candidate for the Columbia program and develop my skills for the demand of the Electrical Engineering and Physics fields" - PETER BOHACEK, BS Physics, 2028
"I want to be a Hauber Fellow because it represents a critical step toward my goal of pursuing a doctorate in physics and a career as a research scientist. While my coursework has provided a strong foundation, the Hauber program provides the opportunity to apply these concepts to original research." - THOMAS FENNER, BS Physics, 2028
"I am passionate about research and fascinated in microbiology and cellular biology. Becoming a Hauber Fellow will help me succeed in my future career by providing me with research experience. Being a Hauber fellow will provide me with the opportunity to both further hone the lab techniques I’ve learned in my classes and put those techniques into practice in real world research. I am excited by the prospect of aiding in research which will be used to create real world good." - NATHAN GODWIN, BS Biology, 2027
"Being a Hauber Fellow this summer will provide me the foundation to better reach my goals of getting into the doctoral programs I'm pursuing after Loyola. The Hauber Fellowship will also benefit other grant and fellowship opportunities such as the Goldwater Scholarship. Both application processes highly value prior research experience, and the Hauber Fellowship would be the perfect way to continue my research."- HENRY GOOD, BS Biology, 2028
"I want to apply science in the classroom to meaningful, hands-on research. My long-term goal is to become a neurologist who integrates clinical work with research on neural repair and memory, and I know that developing into that kind of physician-scientist requires early, hands-on experience with real experimental questions. The Hauber Fellowship offers an environment where I can build these skills through close mentorship, high expectations, and formal opportunities while contributing to research with genuine scientific value."-GREGORY HRICA, BS Biochemistry and Psychology, 2028
Discover Science: Applications Open for Spring 2027 Undergraduate Internships
An amazing opportunity -- students and recent grads may apply to conduct research and technical projects at the Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories.
The DOE starts to accept applications for the Spring 2027 term to the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program and the Community College Internships (CCI) program. Applications are due September 30, 2026 at 5:00pm ET.
Two workshops are planned to introduce the programs, explain the application process, and provide strategies for submitting a compliant application.
Hoyeon Kim, Ph.D., Engineering Department
Professor Hoyeon Kim, Assistant Professor in the Engineering Department co-authored a research titled "Dynamic Obstacle Avoidance of Metamorphic Microrobots Using Concentric Sector Navigator" and published in the Advanced Artificial Systems Journal. Below is the abstract of the research.
Autonomous navigation remains a critical challenge for microrobots operating in dynamic and unstructured biological environments, particularly when their motion modality changes during medical procedures. To address this problem, we develop a reliable autonomous navigation strategy that accounts for the metamorphic transition of a microrobot from an individual microroller state to a swarm state. The proposed approach combines a concentric sector navigator (CSN) for local path planning and dynamic obstacle avoidance with a state-recognition model that identifies the microroller and swarm states for state-dependent navigation control. To validate its effectiveness, experiments were conducted in obstacle-rich environments and micromaze settings, demonstrating that the CSN method enables robust collision-free navigation in both the microroller and swarm states under dynamic obstacles. The results verify that the proposed strategy provides an effective solution for autonomous navigation of metamorphic microrobots in complex environments.
For more information about the research, please visit Advanced Artificial Systems Journal .
Engineering faculty members present papers at the ASEE Annual Conference!
The engineering department was well represented at this year's American Society for Engineering Education annual meeting held at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina from June 21 to 24, 2026.
The following faculty members of Loyola Engineering department presented papers during the conference:
Dr. Robert Bailey: "Application of Two CFD Packages to Savonius Wind Turbine Simulation: Perspectives on Suitability for Undergraduate Research and Instruction"
Dr. David Hoe: "Foundations for a Minor in Quantum Computing at a Primarily Undergraduate
Institution" (Dr. Mary Lowe is a co-author on this paper)
Dr. Suzanne Keilson: "The Curious Case of Thomas Midgley Jr.'s Innovations"
Dr. Yanko Kranov: “Works-in-Progress: A Replicable Model for Integrating Entrepreneurial Mindset Learning into a Junior-Level Engineering Design Course"
Douglas A. Gray, BS Mathematical Sciences (Statistics), 1986
Douglas A. Gray is a practitioner, leader, educator, author, and advisor with 30+ years of experience in data and analytics, IT/software, e-commerce, and consulting. His teams have won multiple industry awards and to date, have delivered over $4B in business value and economic impact using analytics, data science, and AI. Doug has been a member of two INFORMS Prize-winning organizations: Walmart (2023) and American Airlines (1990). Doug is currently a Director-Data Science at Walmart Global Tech Applied AI, where he leads programs that increase operational efficiency and cost effectiveness delivering 9-figures of business value and economic impact annually.
Through his company, Blueprint Technology Advisors, LLC, d.b.a., Optima Analytics, he advises companies on best practices of applying technology and analytics to corporate strategy and digital transformation. He has taught business analytics and AI at SMU’s Cox School of Business EMBA program, SMU’s Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE) program, and SMU’s MS in Data Science program as an adjunct professor since 2016.
Doug has published over a dozen articles and academic papers on analytics applications, and been an invited keynote & guest speaker and panel discussion participant at industry conferences and universities world-wide. Doug is the author of Why Data Science Projects Fail: The Harsh Realities of Implementing AI and Analytics, without the Hype (2024) and The Art of Data Science: A Practitioner’s Guide (2025).
He holds an MBA from SMU’s Cox School of Business (Beta Gamma Sigma), MS in Operations Research from the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, and a BS cum laude in Mathematical Sciences (Statistics) from Loyola University Maryland (Pi Mu Epsilon).
Get both of his new books at the links below:
Why Data Science Projects Fail: The Harsh Realities of Implementing AI and Analytics, without the Hype
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Data-Science-Projects-Fail/dp/1032660309
The Art of Data Science: A Practitioner's Guide
Register for the MS Data Science Virtual Info Session on Wednesday, July 22, 2026!
Join us for an upcoming information session to learn more about Loyola University Maryland's Online Graduate Data Science program. The academic program director and the director of program operations will be present to answer your questions regarding program formats, application requirements, and the admission process.
By attending any of our information sessions, you can save yourself from paying the $60 graduate application fee.
Join us and explore the opportunities that await you! Please register here.
Donnelly Science Center Addition & Construction Livestream
The Donnelly Science Center has been the hub for Loyola’s science programs since 1978. As part of the University’s strategic plan Together We Rise: Loyola University Maryland's Strategic Plan for 2030, we aim at enhancing our STEM offerings, thus, university is making significant investments to strengthen STEM and health programs including extensive renovation and expansion of Donnelly Science Center.
More info and to view the Donnelly Science Center Addition & Construction Livestream.
Interested to support our Growth: To learn about making a gift to the Donnelly Science Center project, contact Mary Lineburger, '99, assistant vice president for major gifts, at mlmazzuca@loyola.edu or 410-617-2797.