{"id":32991,"date":"2017-10-17T09:12:54","date_gmt":"2017-10-17T13:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/?p=32991"},"modified":"2017-10-17T11:46:35","modified_gmt":"2017-10-17T15:46:35","slug":"2017-capstone-award-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/2017\/10\/17\/2017-capstone-award-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"2017 Capstone Award Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winning Capstone Projects Investigate GMOs, Gene Editing, Making Boston Green<\/h3>\n

On October 13, Boston University College of General Studies celebrated the outstanding students who received awards for the Capstone projects they completed last May. The Capstone project is a 50-page research term paper that CGS students complete in their sophomore year. Students draw on two years of interdisciplinary studies, working together as a team to synthesize data into a meaningful whole. The Capstone award is given annually to the team of students who present the best overall Capstone paper and defense. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a College of General Studies student for an academic project.<\/span><\/p>\n

Team R: OMG GMOs<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Team<\/strong>Team R’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span>Bryce Ashton, Katherine Fuller, Ixchel Lemus-Bromley, Surina Mehta, Kiera Stolecki, and Carleen Wenner\u2014<\/span>addressed a global issue:\u00a0 Genetically Modified Organisms and their use in food products. The team took a unique approach by focusing on the food offered in Boston University’s own dining halls. Team R faculty wrote, “Using creativity and innovation, they conducted student surveys, interviewed GMO scientists from Monsanto Corporation, interviewed Boston University dining hall administrators and conducted their own laboratory analyses of dining hall foods. The final paper was solidly founded on the most current scientific understanding … and connected the ethical, social and political issues involved.”<\/p>\n

Team S: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee: Subcommittee on Human Gene Editing<\/h4>\n

\"TeamTeam S’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span> Samantha Calaguas, Daniel Flesch, Rebecca Hering, Taymi Herrera-Pujols, Yemi Osayame, Justin Santinelli, and Elizabeth Wimberly\u2014explored the CRISPR-Cas technology as a way to edit harmful genes from the human genome, eradicate genetically inherited diseases, and fight diseases like cancer. Although the National Institutes of Health has a strong stance on human editing, the United States currently lacks legislation that regulates how this technology can be used. The team proposed legislation to codify the NIH guidelines into law. Team S faculty wrote, “Faculty were impressed with their thoroughness in covering a wide range of arguments.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Team T: Re-Seeing Recidivism\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"TeamTeam T’s winning Capstone group\u2014 Morgan Ashurian, Eli Elman, Ann Fu, Surya Katamoto-Vazirani, Claire Linden, and Angel Wu\u2014 designed a nine-point plan to reduce the number of repeat offenders re-entering prison. The students thoroughly reviewed the current state of the problem and the literature of prison reform. Team S faculty wrote: “Their plan was measured, reasonable, comprehensive, and even optimistic for the future of our prison systems, both nationally and locally.\u00a0 … A crucial piece for the success of their plan was their economic argument for their implementation, which convinced us that their plan was both a great idea and also an example of cost-effective government.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Team T: A Proposal to Address Sexual Violence on College Campuses: The Boston Intercollegiate Sexual Violence Alliance\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"TeamTeam T’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span> Spencer Bloomer, Isabel Donohoe, Brooke Hayman, William Jacob, James Krolewski, Justin Shapiro, and Danielle Wasserman\u2014<\/span> advocated for an alliance of five Boston and Cambridge universities to combat the problem of sexual violence on campuses.\u00a0The students summarized\u00a0how the federal government has addressed this problem, showed the current state of sexual violence on campus, and provided comprehensive background information that made their case convincing. Team T faculty wrote, “To go with their all-encompassing introduction to the problem, the students proposed a thoughtful, well-reasoned, and extensive solution.”<\/p>\n

Team U: The Boston Green Concourse<\/h4>\n

\"TeamTeam U’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span> Sabrina Charania, Mercedes Cisneros, Cole Kerrigan, Christopher Ramey, Isabella Siskin, Skylar Ungerman, and Nicholas Yaitanes\u2014<\/span> proposed the establishment of the Boston Green Concourse, which they describe as \u201ca centralized semi-self-sustainable green space.” It would have three main features: an outdoor park partly resembling London\u2019s Hyde Park, a botanical bubble \u201cfilled with plants and gardens\u201d and intended to be \u201cawe-inspiring,\u201d and a very productive and visually appealing vertical farm. Team U faculty wrote: “Two aspects of this Capstone paper in particular stand out: its unusual degree of literary elegance and its comprehensiveness. … Their beautiful creation could indeed serve as ‘a catalyst’ for the development of similar projects elsewhere.”<\/p>\n

<\/strong>Team V: Human Genetic Engineering and the Recommendations for its Regulation<\/h4>\n

\"TeamTeam V’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span> Hannah Giffune, Carolina Gomez, Paulina Goossens, Sydney Maes, Justin Montes, Paula Uribe, and Joseph Yeb\u2014<\/span> submitted a policy recommendation about the complex issue of human gene editing. The group carefully distinguished between editing of specific sequences of DNA in somatic cells and editing of a germline. The group also delved into the science, technology and ethics of using CRISPR\/Cas9 as a tool for the genetic engineering. Team V faculty wrote, “Their recommendation skillfully combined the continuation of effective current policies with some well-considered changes…. Their professors commend them for this fine piece of work.”<\/p>\n

Team W: Overflow Yield from Storm-Water: Tactics for Reduction (OYS:TR)<\/h4>\n

\"Team<\/h4>\n

Team W’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span> Yanira DePina, Salam Hasaba, Gloria Ihenetu, Alexis Kenney, Colleen Kim, Lesa Nan, and Paulina Stanczak\u2014<\/span> examined the issue of sewage overflow and contaminated runoff that threatens the Charles River and Boston Harbor. The team conducted their own lab experiments– even traveling out to the Charles River to collect water samples during a rainstorm.\u00a0 Their solution was to establish\u00a0oyster populations that would act as a natural filter. Their solution looked not only at the practical and environmental impacts of establishing oyster populations, but also focused on getting the local community involved. Team W faculty wrote that by looking at many different angles, the team came up with a unique, thoroughly thought out solution to a clearly defined problem.”<\/p>\n

Team Y: College Students Accepting Mental Illness<\/h4>\n

\"TeamTeam Y’s winning Capstone group\u2014<\/span> Edgar Gonzalez, Sean Kargman, Chandler Lane, Jillian Lattimore, David Lu, Amy Rivera, and Belecia Villafan\u2014<\/span> created a project that “expanded the boundaries of classroom education,” according to their faculty members. The group\u00a0created, choreographed, and performed an dance performance based on the story of one young woman\u2019s struggles with mental illness. Team Y faculty wrote, “Their Capstone project was artistically sophisticated and intellectually rigorous. Everything from the choice of performance venue to choreography to narrative structure was carefully chosen and brilliantly executed.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Winning Capstone Projects Investigate GMOs, Gene Editing, Making Boston Green On October 13, Boston University College of General Studies celebrated the outstanding students who received awards for the Capstone projects they completed last May. The Capstone project is a 50-page research term paper that CGS students complete in their sophomore year. Students draw on two […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9762,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[334,4200,4205],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32991"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9762"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32991"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32991\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33030,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32991\/revisions\/33030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}