“The posting of a paper is an age-old tradition in the sciences and advertises the student accomplishment and the work that goes on in the lab,” said Michael Leopold, the Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Professor of Chemistry. There are dozens of plastic sleeves on the wall outside the lab with published research findings from Leopold and his co-author students.

“I found that an effective teaching tool is to be in that hallway and point things out in the papers,” he said. “This is the reason that all the papers are in plastic sleeves: so that the manuscripts can be removed and referenced more easily.”

A team of Leopold’s students published two papers this semester on xylazine, an inexpensive veterinary tranquilizer that is often cut into fentanyl. In one article published in Micromachines, sophomore Arielle Vinnikov, juniors Charlie Sheppard and Joyce Stern, and senior Holly Wemple worked with Leopold to create an electrochemical sensor that could detect the presence of xylazine.

“Many of the students in Dr. Leopold's lab, including myself, work as EMTs in the city of Richmond, where we have witnessed the rising global drug crisis firsthand,” said Sheppard. “As EMTs, we commonly administer Narcan to reverse the effects of opioids. However, xylazine cannot be reversed with Narcan, making its impact even more concerning.”

The group sought to address the limitations of current interventions and develop innovative tools to better detect and respond to this emerging threat. They continue refining the sensor, which can already successfully detect the compound.

“In the field, I can only do so much for someone who overdoses, but this research has the potential to empower first responders with tools to provide physicians critical information upon the patient’s arrival at the emergency department,” said Sheppard. He credits Leopold with fostering an environment that pushes a student’s thinking while making the process enjoyable.

“I was absolutely thrilled when our research was accepted for publication,” Sheppard said. “Coming to the university, I never imagined I would have the privilege of publishing a paper.” 

Now, he’s had two.

Sixty-five students have co-authored published works in the past five years with various professors in the chemistry department.

While research is often the domain of graduate students, UR undergraduates are given the opportunity to develop their skills as researchers, and not just in the sciences.

Leadership Studies and Psychology professor Crystal Hoyt frequently publishes research with her students. A recent study published in Stigma and Health compares the impact of framing anorexia nervosa as a biological condition versus focusing on treatment options. Three of her former undergraduate students, 2022 alum Anna Marston and 2023 alums Samara Rosen and Ilana Lavine, are co-authors of the paper.

“Messages about treatment may reduce beliefs that anorexia is unchangeable and defines who a person is, which can help lessen stigma, but they can also increase blame,” Hoyt said, explaining the findings. “On the other hand, biological messages can reduce blame but may reinforce harmful beliefs that people with anorexia have a fixed and unchanging essence.”

Her work with her student co-authors may have real-world applications. The results highlight the complexity of designing effective health campaigns to reduce stigma and may help develop messaging strategies in the future, she said.

“Students who conduct research of this caliber — research that will be published in a peer-reviewed journal — are often motivated to continue contributing after graduation to see the work through,” said Hoyt. “This benefits both the students and the research. Students gain valuable experience and build their publication record, while their involvement helps carry the project to completion.”