I understand that many students aren't familiar with research, so I would try to think back to my first few days of research to connect with them. The main advice that I would give them would be to stick with their project for at least a semester. Many times students start out research and feel very lost. This is very common because we have not been exposed to these topics as undergraduate students. When you persevere with research and climb the learning curve, the satisfaction of designing your own experiments and getting results is one of the most fulfilling feelings. I believe this feeling is what motivates researchers the most.
Shubhan Nagarkar
Chemical Engineering | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research Topic: Optimizing Extraction and Characterizing Adhesion Properties of Seed Mucilage for Insights into Plant Evolution
Graduation Year: 2026
Undergraduate Research Ambassador
Research Poster Located in the Neighborhood Engagement Centers
Research Experience
Current:
- Optimization of extraction and characterization of adhesive properties of plant mucilage
Past:
- Characterizing mechanical and biological properties of alloplastic grafts to assist with osteogenesis
- Investigating the effect of multivalent properties between Apolipoprotein E, heparin, and Tau on Tau aggregation
- Catalytic replacement efforts for scaled-down industrial silicone resin processes
Experience With:
- Tensile and Compressive Testing
- Chemical Extraction and Material Preparation
- Chemical Processes and Silicone Chemistry
- Additive Manufacturing
- Western Blot and Protein Quantification
- Protocol and Report Writing
- Analytical Chemical Characterization
Campus Involvement:
- MSU American Institute of Chemical Engineers (Secretary)
- MSU Biomedical Engineering Society (Vice President)
- Spartans Sharing Meals (Co-President)
- HC IMPACT Mentor
Post Graduation Plans:
Unsure, graduate school in engineering discipline
