#  2021 REU Participants, Mentors and Projects 

 



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##  2021 REU Participants, Mentors and Projects 

Sort   ![Woman wearing large earrings smiling](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/ana_betancourt_2021.png?itok=G5L-hgnU) 

 

### **Ana Betancourt**  
**University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras**

**Faculty mentor:** Robin Hopkins (OEB)  
**Project:** Does pollination mode predict floral traits in North American *Silene* species?



   ![Woman with long dark hair wearing a white top](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/nicole_s._lopez_vega_2021.png?itok=S8ebZlNK) 

 

### **Nicole S. López Vega**  
**University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras**

**Faculty mentor:** Robin Hopkins (OEB)  
**Project:** Evolution of floral traits within the Phlox genus in relation to pollinator identity.



   ![Woman outside wearing a ponytail, glasses and blue top](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/alison_mangano_2021.png?itok=0sNtHKyw) 

 

### **Alison Mangano**  
**De Anza College**

**Faculty mentors:** Daniel J. Jacob and Loretta J. Mickley (SEAS)  
**Project:** The potential sources and sinks sesponsible for the 2020 increase in methane concentration.



   ![Woman outdoors wearing a pink blazer and white turtleneck](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/frances_marie_s._panday_2021.png?itok=tmaLkCeZ) 

 

### **Frances Marie S. Panday**  
**University of Maryland, College Park**

**Faculty mentor:** Daniel J. Jacob and Loretta J. Mickley (SEAS)  
**Project:** U.S. trends in wildfire smoke derived from satellite and airport data from 2010-2020.



   ![Woman with dark hair standing in front of a white wall](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/desiree_pante_2021.png?itok=kIkv2h_d) 

 

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**Desiree Pante**  
**Hunter College**

**Faculty mentor:** Scott Edwards (OEB)  
**Project:** Comparative mass spectrometry-based proteomics reveals proteins in blood plasma associated with age-related phenotypes and social reproductive behavior in Jays.



   ![Woman with long dark hair wearing glasses](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/marilena_papavassiliou_2021.png?itok=u0tyKkb7) 

 

### **Marilena Papavassiliou**  
**University at Buffalo, The State University of New York**

**Faculty mentor:** Cassandra Extavour (OEB)  
**Project:** Using bioinformatics analyses to reveal association between piRNAs and long-term memory in adult crickets.



   ![Woman with long blonde hair standing in front of a white wall](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-01/makaleh_smith_2021.png?itok=BXEtHeXh) 

 

### **Makaleh Smith**   
**The New School**

**Faculty mentor:** Ned Friedman (OEB)  
**Project:** The evolution of hygroscopic movement in a clade of dimorphic ferns