Scientia, Volume 3 (2012)

From the Editors April 16, 2012 We are pleased to present the third edition of *Scientia*, the journal of undergraduate science research at the University of Notre Dame. This year’s edition carries on our proud legacy of presenting top research completed by undergraduates, reported by undergraduates, and reviewed by their undergraduate peers. The very name of this journal, *Scientia*, is derived from the work of St. Augustine who claims that *scientia*, knowledge of the natural world, is the true and proper partner of *sapientia*, or wisdom. Within the College of Science, we are committed to the pursuit and partagement of our most advanced knowledge of the natural world, not only in the upper echelons of academia, but within the lives of our undergraduates. Therefore, in the pages of this journal you will discover articles on earthworms and maple trees, on nanosheets and hadron colliders. Even so, these articles only touch on the vast variety of research done by undergraduates across campus. Beyond the publication of our print journal, we also celebrate this year the continued success of our monthly meetings of scholars and scientists. These public forums provide a rare opportunity for Notre Dame students from across the College of Science to come together to learn and listen, discuss and debate, with their peers and faculty mentors. Now in their second year, these meetings have been a great success with growing attendance and enthusiasm. Whether you are considering doctoral study, medicine, the professional world, or any other calling, we hope you will join us for our meetings and enjoy the lively community of thinkers who fill this University. As we prepare to graduate from Notre Dame, we look back on our involvement in *Scientia* with great fondness. Though we must say goodbye, we have made every effort to ensure *Scientia*’s continued success for years to come. In particular, we are excited to announce Rachel Cotton and Rebecca Marton as *Scientia*’s next editors-in-chief. Rachel and Rebecca both joined *Scientia* as freshmen, during which time they took on the daunting task of leading the layout of the journal. This year, as junior editors, they have done phenomenal work coordinating many aspects of the *Scientia*, including not only the journal itself but also our meetings. We are confident they will do a superb job as editors-in-chief. In closing, we thank all of the people whose generosity and support help make *Scientia* so successful. In particular, we would like to recognize Dr. Gregory Crawford, Dean of the College of Science; the staff of the Dean’s Office; and Dr. Dominic Chaloner, our faculty advisor. We gratefully acknowledge all the students who submitted papers for review, as well as their mentors. Finally, we thank our editors, reviewers, and layout team for all of their fantastic work throughout the year, without which none of this would be possible. In Notre Dame, Paul Baranay Nancy Paul *Scientia* Co-Editors-in-Chief