Saints represent St. Scholastica at annual Scholars at the Capitol event

While more than 400 students participated in a day of service for Community Day on Wednesday, Feb. 25, a focused group of researchers traveled to Saint Paul, MN, to represent The College of St. Scholastica at Scholars at the Capitol.

This annual event, organized by the Minnesota Private College Council, brings undergraduate research to the forefront for lawmakers and the public. With subjects ranging from anthropology to physics, the public poster session at the Minnesota State Capitol highlighted the academic rigor found across the state’s private colleges and universities.

This year, St. Scholastica was represented by Jianna Tlaseca Avila and Connor O’Hara, whose projects address critical issues in neuroscience and biology.

Mapping the pathways of addiction

Jianna Tlaseca Avila, a Biochemistry major from Rosemount, MN, presented a study on the neurological mechanisms behind opioid addiction. This research used advanced imaging to track how specific neurons in the brain respond to fentanyl cues.

In-vivo Imaging of PV Neuron Activity During Fentanyl Self-administration in Mice

Opioid addiction, a growing epidemic, with fentanyl overdose deaths is rapidly increasing in the United States. Addiction is a chronic brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug use and relapse vulnerability. The Nucleus Accumbens (NAc), a key reward center, drives addictive behaviors. Within the NAc, parvalbumin (PV) interneurons inhibit medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and may regulate local circuits during reward seeking. Using fiber photometry, we examined PV neuron responses to fentanyl cues during intravenous self-administration (IVSA). PV-2A-Cre mice expressing GCaMP were implanted with fiber optic cannulas and trained for IVSA. Neural activity was recorded across acquisition, intermittent access, progressive ratio and reinstatement phases. PV activity increased after active lever presses (p < 0.01) and during drug-unavailable periods (p < 0.001). In the progressive ratio phase, activity rose during rewarded presses (p < 0.001), and both cues and lever pressing elevated PV activity during reinstatement. Findings suggest PV interneurons contribute to fentanyl-seeking behavior. Future studies will assess PV–MSN circuit interactions using dual-color photometry.

Quantifying confidence in the classroom

Connor O’Hara, a Biology major from Duluth, MN, presented research focused on the development of measurable confidence in the classroom. The study analyzed verbal and nonverbal signals in student video assignments to track growth over the course of a semester.

Investigating Confidence Gains via External Cues Observed in BIO 1115 Video Assignments Across a Semester

Imagine assessing student gains not just by their grades and papers but also by observing body language and word choice. Our study investigated whether paired pre- and post-semester video assignments could reveal measurable shifts in confidence. In one-minute videos, students were prompted to define climate change and cite their sources. We hypothesized that students’ confidence cues in these videos would increase, and non-confidence cues would decrease from the beginning to the end of the course. We developed a coding rubric to quantify nonverbal cues (i.e., posture or eye contact) along with verbal cues (i.e., filler words or tone). Coders were trained using pilot trials, and interrater reliability was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa. After coders applied this rubric to each video pair, changes were analyzed using a paired statistical test (Wilcoxon Signed-Rank), and we found our hypothesis was supported. This method could provide STEM instructors with a scalable and insightful tool for measuring student confidence throughout a course.

Addressing real-world challenges

By engaging directly with lawmakers and the public, Avila and O’Hara demonstrated that undergraduate research at St. Scholastica is more than a fulfilled requirement – it’s about addressing real-world challenges and shaping the future of their respective fields.