You will earn 6 research credits over 6 weeks, conducting faculty-supervised, hands-on, directed study research projects with results that will culminate in the preparation of a research paper. You will complete a minimum of 240 hours on research in and out of the laboratory.
Faculty mentors will work closely with you to direct your continued growth and knowledge development in the chosen research topic discipline.
| Course ID | Title | Credits | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCOT RSLW 392S | International Independent Research in STEM Fields | 6 |
Requirements of entry to Life Science Projects:
Requirements of entry to Chemistry projects:
Requirements of entry to Psychology projects:
The project will use conventional microbiological techniques to sample from a range of urban environments that present thermal challenge and seek out mesophilic and thermophilic organisms able to survive and grow in these conditions. The properties of these bacteria will be analysed and identification will be attempted by sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene. Students on the project will develop skills in microbiology and molecular biology, in addition the project will offer substantial opportunity for independent investigation.
The aim of this project will be to characterize the bacteria of faecal origin in a local watercourse, to establish which indicator organisms are present, determine if any are pathogenic to humans, and then to attempt detection of bacteriophage. Students on the project will develop skills in environmental monitoring, microbiology and molecular biology.
The aim of this project will be to establish an experimental system with C. elegans using a forward genetic approach. Using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a mutagen that induces direct mutations in DNA, such as missense and nonsense mutations, you will screen populations of C. elegans looking for any phenotypic changes that may be biologically interesting and attempt to further characterize the mutants. In addition, C. elegans is an excellent model organism for the study of addiction to compounds such as alcohol and caffeine, areas that can also be investigated during the project. Students on the project will develop skills including: genetic crossing using a model organism, independent experimental design and execution, critical thinking, data analysis and interpretation, time management, scientific writing and communication.
One significant outcome of current climate change models is that agriculturally important species will become more susceptible to devastating diseases, leading to impacts on food supply. The aim of this project will be to investigate the regulation of plasmodesmata which are involved in the spread of disease from cell to cell in plants. The student will investigate how different environmental conditions (temperature, light, water levels etc) affect the expression of genes which control cell to cell movement via the plasmodesmata. Students on the project will develop skills in experimental design, molecular biology, cell biology and fluorescence microscopy.
This project focuses on developing supramolecular preconcentrators—devices designed to capture, concentrate, and release chemical vapors for later identification. Constructed from a supramolecular scaffold structure, these preconcentrators function like “sponges,” absorbing hazardous chemicals from the environment for subsequent release and detection. The project will involve evaluating various preconcentrator materials to assess their efficiency and suitability for concentrating 'real-world' hazardous chemicals.
The project will involve building and screening new sensor combinations for a variety of steroid targets, and the researcher will receive hands-on training and experience with state-of-the-art automated and high-throughput pipetting and measurement (fluorescence plate reading) systems. The researcher will then undertake the statistical analysis (as well as machine learning) on the output data (Excel, JMP, and related packages). There is also scope for undertaking a degree of modelling of the supramolecular system (in MATLAB) as well as some chemical synthesis to create new fluorophores to be included in the sensing system.
Watching Energy Flow in Single Chains: In this project you will work in our optical lab to measure the light emitted by single polymer chains on our microscope. By measuring the photons one by one, the quantum behaviour of the excited states can be observed and how they move along the chain and interact with each other.
Bicyclic peptides are commonplace in nature, often exhibiting unique therapeutic advantages over non- and mono-cyclic peptides. It is well known that the cyclization of peptides improves a broad range of pharmacokinetics, helping to improve the drug properties of peptide molecules. The focus of our work is to examine and compare linear and singular cyclized triazole containing peptides, with bicyclic cyclised triazole peptides. Specifically, we will be employing a completely novel bicyclic tethering methodology, promising to produce exciting and interesting results. Upon completion of peptide synthesis, we will be investigating the effect this added structural rigidity has on peptide activity, stability and secondary structure.
We are investigating the use of gels formed by the self-assembly of small peptides to trap and protect a range of active molecules. We can then release the active molecule mechanically by pressing through a syringe filter. This traps the gel network, but releases the trapped molecule. Here we will examine how effective this method is for encapsulating new types of species. The project will involve the preparation and characterization of gels using rheology, as well as monitoring the efficiency of release using spectroscopic methods such as UV-Vis.
We are working on color changing or chromic films made from small self-assembling dyes. These materials are aiming to replace metal-based alternatives in applications such as Smart Windows, sensors, privacy glass and displays. The project will look at synthesizing these materials in water, preparing thin films and testing their chromic behaviour in different temperatures and humidity conditions. This data is vital in the performance of the materials and is a key indicator of how they will work in the real world.
Learning to seek rewards and avoid punishments is crucial for making good decisions and surviving in dynamic environments. But how do these two systems — reward and punishment — interact with each other? For example, think about how a warm bath feels much more comforting immediately after being drenched by cold rain, or how a win feels more satisfying right after a defeat. These examples illustrate an intriguing, but understudied, interplay: rewards are often heightened right after punishments. Yet, research has mostly focused on rewards and punishments as separate brain systems, overlooking their rapid interplay. This gap is particularly relevant for addiction, where negative experiences, like stress or loss, seem to paradoxically increase reward-seeking behaviors and drive drug relapse.
In this project, we will design a behavioral paradigm to test how monetary punishments (losses) affect the way people learn to seek monetary rewards (wins). We will also examine whether this effect extends for primary punishments, like an aversive sound, and explore links to addictive behaviors and sensation-seeking traits. Healthy participants will perform a learning task with monetary rewards presented both in isolation and alongside punishments (monetary losses and aversive sounds). We predict that people learn better from rewards when punishments are present. Additionally, we will explore whether this effect is stronger in individuals with high sensation-seeking traits and addictive behaviours.
By investigating how punishments shape reward learning, this research will provide insights into the rapid interplay between these systems and inform future neuroimaging studies. Ultimately, this project will advance our understanding of reinforcement learning mechanisms and their relevance to maladaptive behaviours.
Misinformation refers to the false or inaccurate information that is spread, regardless of intent to deceive. On social media, where a significant percentage of us get our news, misinformation can take the form of fake news, doctored images, or misleading statistics. Discriminating between what is real and what is true is a difficult task at the best of times but with the rise in AI generated images, that task could be getting even more challenging.
To date, the effects of AI-generated images on perceptions of truthfulness (perceived truth in a statement) remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to understand how AI images, compared to real images, influence the likelihood of a given fact being rated as truthful. There is scope to develop this basic premise – for example, does labelling AI images as artificially generated reduce truthfulness, or can AI images increase truthfulness because they often closely represent what is being presented in the statement or fact?
This project is intended to form part of a wider range of studies with the aim of advancing our understanding of how decision making and memory are affected by the way information is presented on social media platforms.
Some papers connected to the project include:
Scotland is known for its heavy drinking culture, with alcohol-related deaths reaching a 15-year high in 2023 (National Records Scotland, 2024). Conversely, Scotland is home to four out of the fifty oldest and most respected universities in the world and has produced scientists, engineers and innovators who have changed modern life. This contrast leads to questions around what university life in Scotland will be like. For example, in the UK, there is an expectation that the only route to making friends at university is through alcohol (Gambles et al., 2021), and that the ‘student experience’ means partying and socializing. On the other hand, students enroll at prestigious Scottish universities with the expectation of a high-quality education, which seems at odds with the drinking culture.
What is currently unknown is the extent to which students visiting Scotland may, or may not, be influenced by this backdrop. It could be that growing up in Scotland shapes the relationship which domestic students have with alcohol-themed socializing and that, without life-long exposure to the culture, international students may be immune. Alternatively, perhaps the Scottish culture encourages visiting students to behave in a way which would otherwise be out of character. We do know that student attitudes and norms towards drinking between Scotland and the United States differ (Delk & Meilman, 2010), but this may have changed due to factors like minimum unit pricing impacting alcohol affordability for students.
This project is intended to gather perceptions of Scottish drinking culture from an international perspective and will focus on how visiting students’ behavior may be changed or influenced by the experience of studying in Scotland.
| Grade Range | Description | Suggested U.S. Equivalent |
| A1-A5 | First Class | A |
| B1-B3 | Second Class Upper | B+ |
| C1-C3 | Second Class Lower | B |
| D1-D3 | Third Class/Pass | C |
| E1 and below | Fail | F |