“Black Cat” by Katie Brunton, AACC Visual Arts student. Acrylic on bristol, 2026.
Volume 5, May 2026
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This literature review examines the scientific foundations, investigative value, and ethical and legal risks of using “trashed” or abandoned DNA, biological material left on discarded items such as tissues, cigarette butts, and food waste in criminal investigations. Drawing on forensic science research, case examples, and legal scholarship, the review explains… Read more →
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Extreme weather results from interactions between atmospheric instability, moisture, and dynamic forcing across vertical levels of the atmosphere. This study analyzes weather events affecting Maryland to assess how combining observational and thermodynamic data classify storm intensity. Available radar data and satellite imagery supported evaluation of storm organization, while Stüve Diagrams… Read more →
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Rain gardens are designed to filter stormwater and are typically planted with native species. However, invasive plants often establish and may disrupt the ecological balance. This study examines four rain gardens within the Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) campus, comparing native and invasive species in seed viability and germination rate.… Read more →
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global healthcare issue that threatens lives by enabling pathogens to evade currently available treatment options, making the discovery or development of new therapies critical. An alternative to traditional antimicrobial drug development is surveying environmental microorganisms that produce novel antimicrobial agents. In this study, an unknown… Read more →
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The purpose of this research was to investigate, analyze, and determine how methods of storing coffee affect the pH of the coffee once it is brewed. Three different methods of storing whole bean (WB) and pre-ground (PG) coffee were tested: Ziploc bag, mason jar, and vacuum-sealed; three different temperatures were… Read more →
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Urban heat islands (UHIs) occur when developed areas exhibit significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural or vegetated areas due to human-made surfaces that retain heat (Environmental Protection Agency, 2024). While most studies focus on large cities, our project investigates UHIs at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), on its suburban campus,… Read more →
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This project investigates how effectively an Excel-based mathematical model can reproduce and predict the outcome of the high road versus low road marble track race, a common physics demonstration. Two identical balls are released from rest at the same starting height and descend to the same ending height: one along… Read more →
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Because of their potential health benefits, the probiotic supplement market has grown exponentially into a global multi-billion-dollar industry. Consumers use probiotics to support gastrointestinal (GI) and immune health. However, their efficacy depends on their ability to survive the harsh conditions of the GI tract, colonize the intestines, and outcompete other… Read more →
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Enterococcus species are widely used indicators of fecal contamination in recreational waters. For nearly two decades, the Anne Arundel Community College Environmental Center has measured Enterococcus concentrations at dozens of sites along local rivers, providing critical information for assessing swimming safety and overall water quality. This study presents a 17-year… Read more →
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This project examines how traditional and Indigenous arts and crafts navigate the pressures of globalization and the legacies of colonialism through a cultural anthropological lens. It centers on questions of cultural exchange, identity, agency, and ownership, while expanding the idea of cultural safeguarding to include not only tangible objects but… Read more →
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For students in introductory physics labs, the modified Atwood Machine is a widely used setup for investigating Newtonian mechanics. However, several aspects of this machine can lead to significant deviations from expected results. This paper examines both optimal and suboptimal experimental techniques and identifies which components of the setup (such… Read more →
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Iron flocculant (floc) is a reddish-brown sediment found in some streambeds consisting of particulate iron that cannot dissolve in streamwater. Anecdotally, floc is more often present in restored stream ecosystems that have had their degraded streams raised to reconnect the water to former wetlands. These anecdotal observations raise several questions… Read more →
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With the rapid increase in microplastic (MP) documentation worldwide, techniques for detection have increased but are often costly. The focuses of this study were (1) to develop an accessible and cost-effective method to detect MP using Nile Red (NR) stain and a low-tech fluorescence microscope (FM) assembly, and (2) to… Read more →
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Self-confidence and belief in one’s abilities play a vital role in academic success. These factors may be particularly important for community college students, who often face higher barriers than their peers at 4-year institutions. Mentorship is thought to strongly influence self-confidence, but little is known about the relationship between mentorship… Read more →