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All Subjects: Microparticles
All Subjects: Science
Creators: Ankeny, Casey
Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection

Implementing Kinetic Activities into a Children's Summer Program to Encourage STEM Engagement in Children Ages 5-11

Description

This creative project created and implemented a seven-day STEM curriculum that ultimately encouraged engagement in STEM subjects in students ages 5 through 11. The activities were incorporated into Arizona State University's Kids' Camp over the summer of 2017, every Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. with each activity running for roughly 40 minutes. The lesson plans were created to cover a myriad of scientific topics to account for varied student interest. The topics covered were plant biology, aerodynamics, zoology, geology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy. Each lesson was scaffolded to match the learning needs of the three age groups (5-6 year olds, 7-8 year olds, 9-11 year olds) and to encourage engagement. "Engagement" was measured by pre- and post-activity surveys approved by IRB. The surveys were in the form of statements where the children would totally agree, agree, be undecided, disagree, or totally disagree with it. To more accurately test engagement, the smiley face Likert scale was incorporated with the answer choices. After implementation of the intervention, two-tailed paired t-tests showed that student engagement significantly increased for the two lesson plans of Aerodynamics and Chemistry.

ContributorsHunt, Allison Rene (Co-author) / Belko, Sara (Co-author) / Merritt, Eileen (Thesis director) / Ankeny, Casey (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2017-12

Synthesis of Dual Layered Microparticles for Tunable Delayed Release Profile

Description

The primary objective of this research project is to develop dual layered polymeric microparticles with a tunable delayed release profile. Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) phase separate in a double emulsion process due to differences in hydrophobicity, which allows for the synthesis of double-walled microparticles with a PLA shell surrounding the PLGA core. The microparticles were loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and different volumes of ethanol were added to the PLA shell phase to alter the porosity and release characteristics of the BSA. Different amounts of ethanol varied the total loading percentage of the BSA, the release profile, surface morphology, size distribution, and the localization of the protein within the particles. Scanning electron microscopy images detailed the surface morphology of the different particles. Loading the particles with fluorescently tagged insulin and imaging the particles through confocal microscopy supported the localization of the protein inside the particle. The study suggest that ethanol alters the release characteristics of the loaded BSA encapsulated in the microparticles supporting the use of a polar, protic solvent as a tool for tuning the delayed release profile of biological proteins.

ContributorsFauer, Chase Alexander (Author) / Stabenfeldt, Sarah (Thesis director) / Ankeny, Casey (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)

Created2015-05

Statistical Modeling of Drug Release from Spherical Surface-Degrading Particle Batch

Description

The goal of this research project is to create a Mathcad template file capable of statistically modelling the effects of mean and standard deviation on a microparticle batch characterized by the log normal distribution model. Such a file can be applied during manufacturing to explore tolerances and increase cost and time effectiveness. Theoretical data for the time to 60% drug release and the slope and intercept of the log-log plot were collected and subjected to statistical analysis in JMP. Since the scope of this project focuses on microparticle surface degradation drug release with no drug diffusion, the characteristic variables relating to the slope (n = diffusional release exponent) and the intercept (k = kinetic constant) do not directly apply to the distribution model within the scope of the research. However, these variables are useful for analysis when the Mathcad template is applied to other types of drug release models.

ContributorsHan, Priscilla (Author) / Vernon, Brent (Thesis director) / Nickle, Jacob (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2021-05