2025 SSEP National Conference – Student Team Oral Presentations

Last update of this page: May 20, 2025, 9:15 am ET
Information still to be determined (if any) is in RED TEXT below.

This page provides descriptions of all oral presentations by student teams at the 2025 SSEP National Conference.

All teams needed to submit a description of their presentation via email to John Hamel by 5:00 pm ET, Monday, June 4, 2025, using the Oral Presentation Template that is downloadable below. Submission earlier than the deadline would be greatly appreciated. Note that your presentation Abstract has a strict 80 word limit.

Download: 2025 Oral Presentation Template

This page will provide descriptions of all 15 presentations by student teams at the 2025 SSEP National Conference.

 

Oral Presentations for the 2025 SSEP National Conference

Mission 18

Oral 1: Colorado Springs, Colorado
School and/or District: University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak State College
Grade levels of Team: 13-16

Title: Calcium Sulfate Crystal Growth in Microgravity

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 18 to ISS

Principal Investigator: Luke Davis
Investigators: Noah Grebe, Blake MacDonald

Teacher Facilitator: McKenna Lovejoy

Abstract:

 

Oral 2: Sandy, Utah
School and/or District: Hillcrest High School, Canyons School District
Grade level of Team: 10

Title: Nematodes to the Rescue! – Space Worms as an Integral Component of Space Agriculture

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 18 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Jasmine He, Rosemary Lu, Bella Nguyen
Collaborators: Samhita Chavakula, Vidushi Shelat

Teacher Facilitator: Clief Luis Castleton

Abstract:

 

Mission 19

Oral 3: São Paulo, Brazil / Lisbon and Porto, Portugal
School and/or District: Instituto Alpha Lumen, São José dos Campos, SP – Brazil
Grade level of Team: 10

Title: Adsorption of Bioactive Factors on Hydroxyapatite

Type of Experiment: Finalist Proposal, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Cauã Henrique de Souza Santos, Pedro Franklin Andrade de Toledo
Investigators: Camila Julia Cardoso Mendes de Campos, Pedro Daniel Zanin Cecilio
Collaborator: Anna Sophia Alves Fernandes

Teacher Facilitator: Juliana Alves Pires Biscuola

Abstract:

 

Oral 4: São Paulo, Brazil / Lisbon and Porto, Portugal
School and/or District: Escola Divina Providência
Grade levels of Team: 11-12

Title: How does Microgravity Interfere with the Antifibrotic Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Secretome when Treating Cells with Hepatic Fibrosis?

Type of Experiment: Finalist Proposal, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Clara Vintém Moleiro, Gabriela Fernandes Takakura, Isadora Souza Lima Zanni, Luísa Guimarães Moehlecke, Lorena Paoli Bispo, Miguel Guimarães de Almeida

Teacher Facilitator: Aline Mendes Geraldi

Abstract:

 

Oral 5: São Paulo, Brazil / Lisbon and Porto, Portugal
School and/or District: Escola Básica e Secundária Carolina Michaëlis, Porto, Portugal
Grade levels of Team: 11-12

Title: The Effect of Microgravity on the Osteogenic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Secretome

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Ana Beatriz Oliveira Gomes, João Paulo Machado Ribeiro, Laura Coimbra Cesário, Maria Rita Valongo Pinto, Mariana De Almeida Pinheiro, Rafael Silva

Teacher Facilitator: Elsa Alves

Abstract:

 

Oral 6: Ukraine
School and/or District: Skole Secondary Educational Service School
Grade levels of Team: 9-10

Title: Polyurethanes from Renewable Raw Materials for Insulation in Aerospace

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Principal Investigator: Maria Poyasnik
Investigator: Khrystyna Yareminets

Teacher Facilitator: Larysa Romanyshyn

Abstract:

 

Oral 7: Colusa, California
School and/or District: Colusa High School, Colusa Unified School District
Grade level of Team: 11

Title: Bioremediation in Microgravity: Harnessing Oil-Eating Bacteria for Environmental Restoration

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Alaina Torres, Caeden Agnew, Madison Burtleson, Sophia Thompson

Teacher Facilitator: Benjamin Haney

Abstract:

 

Oral 8: Hillsborough County, Florida
School and/or District: Randall Middle School, Hillsborough County Public Schools
Grade levels of Team: 6-7

Title: Production of Mung Beans i.e., Vigna radiata in Microgravity

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: APlaton Drozdov, Grayson Jones, Shravan Karthick

Teacher Facilitator: Dr. Lori Bradner

Abstract:

 

Oral 9: Athens, Ohio
School and/or District: Ohio University
Grade level of Team: Undergraduate

Title: Effect of Microgravity on Growth of Watercress: a Promising Space Food

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Lara Fogwell, Cat Gavin
Collaborator: Jake Magula

Teacher Facilitator: Remington Burwell

Abstract:

 

Oral 10: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – CCAC
School and/or District: Community College of Allegheny County
Grade level of Team: 13

Title: The Effects of Microgravity on the Quantitative Measurements of Calcite Crystals

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Arianna Swearman, Ashley Pfeffercorn

Teacher Facilitator: John Float

Abstract:

 

Oral 11: Plano, Texas
School and/or District: Plano ISD Academy High School, Plano Independent School District
Grade levels of Team: 10 and 12

Title: Capillary Action within Crassula ovata (jade plant) Leaf Cells in Microgravity

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Adeena Nasir, Camille Juliet Hatfield

Teacher Facilitator: Gwen Thomas

Abstract:

 

Oral 12: San Anotonio, Texas
School and/or District: Space and Engineering Technologies Academy, North East Independent School District
Grade level of Team: 8

Title: Microgravity Effect on the Corrosion Rates of Iron and Aluminum

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Principal Investigator: Hazelrose Fullylove
Investigators: Isabelle Mora, Kinley Mosley, Luna Yamaguchi

Teacher Facilitator: Austin Hardy

Abstract:

 

Oral 13: Waxahachie, Texas
School and/or District: Eddie Finley Junior High School, Waxahachie Independent School District
Grade level of Team: 6

Title: Growing Strawberries in Microgravity

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 19 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: Lucas Brooks, Kellan Johnston, Raegan Trice, Dakota Weir

Teacher Facilitator: Ashley Dawson

Abstract:

 

Mission 20

Oral 14: Fort Morgan, Colorado
School and/or District: Morgan Community College
Grade level of Team: 14

Title: Effects of Zero Gravity on The Germination of Radishes in Hydrogel

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 20 to ISS

Co-Principal Investigators: McKayla Cranford, Cierra Lebsock

Teacher Facilitators: Bill Miller, Steve Sjostedt

Abstract:

 

Oral 15: Melbourne, Florida
School and/or District: Florida Institute of Technology
Grade levels of Team: 14-16

Title: Hydrogel Radiation-Shielding Viability Under the Influence of Microgravity

Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 20 to ISS

Principal Investigator: Leighton Karpinia
Investigators: Leyla Avant, Sampada Koirala
Collaborators: Emily Matheson, Caroline Moore

Teacher Facilitator: Dr. Andrew Palmer

Abstract:

The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) is a program of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) in the U.S., and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education internationally. It is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC, which is working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory. SSEP is the first pre-college STEM education program that is both a U.S. national initiative and implemented as an on-orbit commercial space venture.