Ƶ to celebrate Class of 2025 with two commencement ceremonies
Ƶ will hold two commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 9.
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Ƶundergraduate students to participate in summer research opportunities
Each summer, Ƶ holds undergraduate research opportunities on campus, allowing students to collaborate with faculty mentors and gain valuable experience as they explore in-depth topics in their respective fields.
Ƶ will host its annual summer undergraduate research program from Monday, June 2, 2025 through Friday, July 25, 2025. Sponsored by the Kielstra Center for Research and Grants, this annual initiative allows students to collaborate closely with faculty mentors, gaining valuable experience as they explore in-depth topics in their respective fields.
“Summer research is a way to explore a topic in a different way than a classroom experience offers,” says Dr. Angela Kroeze Visser, director of the Kielstra Center for Research & Grants. “Summer research students work closely with faculty mentors on projects where the outcome is not certain, which is different than structured lab experiences or many course assignments. This means that students will gain experience in problem solving, persistence, and critical thinking – all critical skills for academic success.”
Participating students will not only gain valuable mentorship and research opportunities, but they will also receive a stipend, free on-campus housing, and the opportunity to present or publish their findings.
The program is also designed to support faculty in their scholarly endeavors. “Mentoring a student researcher can provide support for ongoing projects or areas of interest,” explains Kroeze Visser. “Because our faculty members are great teachers, it can be rewarding to work with students who are highly motivated to learn.”
Additionally, the program engages faculty and students who are interested in pursuing original, meaningful inquiry across a wide range of academic fields. “One of the great things about our undergraduate research program is that it is not solely supported by external funding, which means that our projects can span the breadth of disciplines at Dordt,” says Kroeze Visser. “This gives our faculty and students the flexibility to explore aspects of contemporary life ranging from the impact of carpenter ants on tree structures to neo-Calvinism and society.”
Descriptions of the research projects scheduled for Summer 2025 are provided below.
Modeling the Structural Properties of Trees Colonized by Carpenter Ants
Mentors: Dr. Jeff Ploegstra, Biology & Dr. Justin Vander Werff, Engineering
Carpenter ants (Camponutus spp.) are largely understood to be a nuisance, damaging trees and homes as they create extensive networks of tunnels in wood. However, they almost always excavate galleries in wood that have been softened by moisture, fungal damage, or other insects. In the case of otherwise healthy trees, this may provide a net benefit by removing compromised material, decreasing the weight of branches and allowing new material to replace the damaged areas or grow over them. We propose to use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to model the structural characteristics of trees, limbs, and trunks with varying degrees of excavation, under different kinds of directional loading (wind, snow/ice, and additional weight of new limbs) to determine how much concern we should have about carpenter ants nesting in our trees. We will also compare the FEA results with basic mechanical approaches and investigate whether there are basic calculations or approaches that might be helpful in determining at-risk structural conditions for tree limbs.
Exploring Soft Robots in Radiation Therapy
Mentor: Dr. Joe Driewer, Engineering
Radiation therapy is a primary modality in cancer care using sophisticated treatment machines, complex feedback and control systems, advanced medical imaging, and robotic patient supports. Pursuing ways to hone accuracy and deliverability in radiation therapy is a way for Christian engineers to pursue a caring approach to technological development in this space. This project aims to do that by re-imaging a seemingly unimaginative piece of flexible polymer called bolus, turning it into a soft robot. If you have interests in clinical medicine, robotics, radiation physics, biomedical or mechanical engineering, computer science, or a related field, you’re encouraged to apply! Two students will work together on this project in a small engineering team, designing and building out both the internal structures of our bots and the systems that control actuation, all with the primary goal of maintaining or improving excellent radiation dose delivery features. Along the way, you'll learn much about radiation therapy and, time permitting, be able to deliver some dose to our bots in a clinical setting.
Molecular Simulations of Protein Interactions
Mentor: Dr. Manuela Ayee-Leong, Engineering & Chemistry
As part of a multi-institutional project aimed at positioning Iowa as a leader in advanced biomanufacturing, student researchers will assist the Engineering faculty with modeling proteins for diagnostics and therapeutics. Other tasks to support the Engineering department and faculty will be assigned as needed, including small projects and administrative tasks. A variety of computational techniques such as molecular dynamics simulations, protein docking, and statistical data analysis will be used. Training will be provided for each technique used.
Current Questions in Mathematics
Mentor: Dr. Mike Janssen, Dr. Marissa Chesser, Dr. Nathan Benjamin, Mathematics/Statistics
In this project, we'll explore questions in discrete mathematics. Possibilities include developing strategies for games on graphs, building connections between algebraic and discrete structures, and others as suggested by the students and/or faculty mentors. Students will have the opportunity to be the primary driver of progress on their chosen topics and will share their results in multiple venues throughout the summer and fall. At least one proof-based math course is preferred but not required.
Neo-Calvinism and Society Book Project
Mentor: Donald Roth, Business & Criminal Justice
You will be helping Professor Roth complete a book project that is due to the publisher at the end of August 2025. This will entail reviewing existing chapters, providing feedback and input on the book, and editorial work to help get the files into the format desired by the publisher. Research student may be able to attend a conference in either Fall or Spring to help share the work accomplished.
About Ƶ
As an institution of higher education committed to a Reformed Christian perspective, Ƶ equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Ƶis consistently recognized as a top university by The Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
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