The Passionate Leaders Project is a $3,000 award that enables undergraduate students to pursue an independent research project, creative endeavor, community enterprise, or internship project of their own design and development.
Six Simmons undergraduate scholars from different disciplines have been selected to join the 2024-2025 Passionate Leaders Project cohort.
Meet the Fall 2024 Cohort
Shannon Bittner ‘25
Major: Environmental Science
Project: Investigating pollinator dynamics in developed farmland through eDNA sampling and visual surveys
“Ecosystem services provided by insect pollinators are critical to maintaining crop yields, and understanding their ecological interactions is more important than ever. Keystone host plants such as goldenrod (Solidago spp.) have co-evolved with pollinators and provide crucial habitats for arthropod interaction.
The loss of keystone plants is one of many current threats to native pollinator species. Samples of environmental DNA – the genetic material left by organisms in the environment – can be collected from hotspots of faunal activity and analyzed to provide a deeper understanding of ecosystem biodiversity and the prevalence and patterns of a species in question.
As this method is relatively new, the effectiveness of eDNA in answering broader research questions needs further investigation and comparison with techniques such as visual surveying. Integrating eDNA and visual survey methods, my research focuses on the importance of keystone host flora in maintaining healthy pollinator populations while comparing urban and rural agricultural ecosystems.”
Mariana I. Rodríguez Rivera ’25
Major: Accounting
Project: Promoting financial empowerment and youth development in collaboration with Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción
“Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) is a non-profit organization in the South End neighborhood of Boston. This organization was founded by the Puerto Rican community of Parcel 19 as a response to the displacement they were experiencing. Since then, their focus has been on providing affordable housing for individuals and families, as well as working to support their residents in achieving social and economic mobility through their education programs in arts, youth development, financial empowerment, and other services.
My project is divided into two independent parts, in which I collaborate with the IBA Financial Empowerment team and the Youth Development team. Firstly, IBA’s current Financial Empowerment program offers one-on-one coaching and financial literacy workshops for their residents. However, differing schedules may make this service inaccessible for some residents.
With the Financial Empowerment team, I’m working to develop an easily accessible bilingual FAQ page where residents can obtain basic financial literacy information and resources associated with common financial concerns in their community. Secondly, IBA’s Youth Development program focuses on the development and growth of young people between the ages of 14 and 18. With the Youth Development team, I’ll work to create a workshop that focuses on the financial implications of applying for and attending college. My goal is to provide resources that make the often overwhelming process of applying for college clearer for the young community of Villa Victoria.”
Sarah Samad ’25
Major: Neuroscience and Behavior
Project: Investigating the role of protein palmitoylation in an animal model of Parkinson's disease
“Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions. It is characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons and aggregation of the protein alpha-synuclein (α-syn). PD is also associated with altered protein palmitoylation, a lipid modification process. In this project we investigate whether inhibiting PAT13 and PAT17, two enzymes that attach the lipid palmitate to proteins, can preserve the survival and function of vulnerable neurons.
Using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, we genetically reduce PAT13 and PAT17 activity in worms that express α-syn in dopamine neurons. This approach allows us to observe how changes in palmitoylation impact neuron survival and function in a living system. Preliminary results indicate that disrupting PAT17 may enhance dopamine neuron survival, and further behavioral assays will assess whether this protection preserves neuronal functionality.
Our research aims to uncover whether inhibiting palmitoylation can mitigate α-syn-induced neurodegeneration, potentially revealing new therapeutic targets for PD. By enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms in PD, this project aspires to contribute to the development of interventions that preserve neuron function, addressing a critical need for disease-modifying therapies in PD.”
Kusumita Savaram ’26
Major: International Relations, Economics
Project: The Balancing Act: Evaluating how paid family leave policies in Massachusetts companies alleviate the gendered burden of unpaid care work in relation to women’s labor force participation
“Massachusetts (MA) companies have some of the most supportive policies for women and families, however there are still shortcomings in the comprehensiveness and implementation of these programs. Paid family leave is just one program that can help alleviate the mental, physical, and temporal pressures of unpaid caregiving work that can force many caregivers to leave their jobs. While workers in MA are entitled to taking paid family leave, these existing programs still have some gaps that leave many without a proper safety net.
Through this project, I plan to evaluate the effectiveness of paid family leave policies in MA and identify what can be done to expand and strengthen existing programs.For the quantitative aspect of my study, I will investigate the different paid leave policies of the top 40 employers (by quantity of individuals employed) in MA. I will compare the length of time and salary/additional benefits of each program and measure the retention of women in the industry over time.
For the qualitative aspect of my study, I will interview 10 women with children in the upper levels of their respective industries to gain a deeper understanding of how they have/may have been supported by paid family leave policies. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, I will explore the impacts and importance of paid family and medical leave policies on women, companies, and public health/society.”
Claire Tuquero ’26
Major: Nursing
Project: Colon Cancer Awareness Saves Lives: Spreading Knowledge, Resources, and Free At-Home Fecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT) to Low-Income Communities
“According to the National Cancer Institute, colon cancer, one of the top five most prevalent cancers in the United States, has a five-year survival rate as high as 90% if diagnosed and treated during its early stages. Individuals with lower socioeconomic status have a higher likelihood of developing cancer as well as a lower likelihood of seeking routine preventative screenings (Song, E. Y., 2021). T
This project aims to raise colon cancer awareness by partnering with medical providers in sharing research-proven information regarding routine screenings, hallmark symptoms, risk factors, preventative measures, and free at-home fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) to individuals residing in low-income communities. Through this project, we can significantly improve survival rates of this devastating yet highly curable disease.”
Nadia Turovskiy ’27
Major: Health and Exercise Science 3+3 DPT Track
Project: The Effect of Motor Imagery and Physical Training on Hamstring Flexibility
“Flexibility is a crucial component of functional independence, daily living mobility, and sports performance. While physical training is the traditional method for improving flexibility, recent studies suggest that motor imagery (MI) can also be an effective tool. Few studies have investigated the effect of MI alone on muscle flexibility.
Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of MI and physical training on muscle flexibility by comparing the hamstring flexibility changes in four groups: no physical or MI training (CON), MI training only (MI), physical training only (PT), and MI and physical training (MI + PT). Sixty healthy subjects will be randomly assigned to the four above-mentioned groups and participate in a 6-week experimental session with hamstring flexibility assessed pre- and post-training.
We hypothesize that both MI and PT will improve hamstring flexibility, and that the combination of MI and PT will result in the greatest improvements. The results of this study will provide insight into the contributions of different training methods in improving flexibility, with potential applications in rehabilitation, training, and injury prevention.
This research has the potential to inform the development of more effective protocols that strategically combine mental and physical practice, allowing for more flexible and adaptable approaches to skill development and recovery.”