The Colorado Springs Undergraduate Research Forum (CSURF) is a collaborative venture designed to
highlight the accomplishments of undergraduates from Colorado College, the United States Air Force Academy,
and University of Colorado Colorado Springs. In its thirteenth year, the conference has over 300 participants
and continues to reflect the commitment and dedication of our faculty and staff to our students from all
disciplines-the Arts, Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences. The event gives undergraduate students from
all three institutions the opportunity to present their research and creative work in a formal academic setting
and receive feedback from scholars and peers. The CSURF also helps students to polish the skills involved in
formal presentation, job interviews, or continuing education through graduate/professional study.
The 2016 CSURF Committee Members
would like to thank you for your interest and participation in the CSURF
Colorado College
Amanda Bowman,
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Eric Popkin,
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Hong Jiang
Professor, Department of German, Russian and East Asian Languages
United States Air Force Academy
Chair, Lt Col Pipes, Department of English
Ms. Jennifer Green-Lanchoney, Research Programs Publicist
Maj Kasey Lowery, Department of English
Capt Christopher Hare, Department of Chemistry
Capt Alex Hollenbeck, Department of Aeronautical Engineering
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Dr. Thomas Wolkow
Professor of Biology
Margie Oldham
Director of Community Relations
Table of Contents
Schedule of Events
Research at Colorado College..........................................................................................................3
Research Innovations at UCCS........................................................................................................5
USAFA Research................................................................................................................................... 7
Keynote Speaker................................................................................................................................. 8
Oral Session 1....................................................................................................................................... 9
Poster Session 1..................................................................................................................................18
Oral Session 2.....................................................................................................................................46
Poster Session 2................................................................................................................................56
Oral Session 3....................................................................................................................................84
1
Research at Colorado College
Many of the approximately 2,000 students
at Colorado College are engaged in our
active and vibrant research community.
Colorado College has a unique academic
calendar divided into eight three-and-a-half
week “blocks”. During each block, students
experience a semester’s worth of material
in an intensive and engaging learning
environment.
The flexibility of the Block Plan
allows faculty to incorporate
independent research projects into many of the courses offered at CC. Moreover,
the small class sizes ensure
that students gain hands-on
experience with cutting-edge
research
instrumentation.
Students at CC also have the opportunity
to participate in independent research
during the summer, often as part of
faculty-student collaborative research
activities. These experiences take
place both on campus and abroad,
and are supported by institutional
funding such as the Faculty Student
Collaborative Grants and the Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation Grant.
2
Examples of these projects include
investigating the cultural history and
sustainability of oyster farming on the
Chesapeake Bay, developing fluorinated
antimalarial compounds, and developing
computational techniques to predict the
ability of drugs to cross the blood-brain
barrier.
Collaborative
research
activities
at Colorado College often result in
publication in high-quality journals,
with undergraduate researchers as coauthors. Participating in independent
research also helps our students to
build confidence, develop critical
thinking and problem solving skills,
and gain an understanding of research
design and methodology.
Integrating undergraduate research
into the curriculum is an important
part of the liberal arts education
available CC, as we strive to develop
and nurture creative and innovative
thinking in our students. The research
community at Colorado College greatly
values the opportunity to participate
in the CSURF conference and to share
and showcase the hard work of our
undergraduate researchers.
3
Research Innovations at UCCS
Some of our students are Civic Scholars who devote time to community
service projects that promote the well being of Colorado Springs and
beyond.
Independent Scholars are engaged in academic
scholarship that may have developed in
consultation with a faculty member, but who
have taken sole responsibility for identifying and
performing the project activities.
Renaissance Scholars have a
breadth of interest and expertise
in many academic disciplines.
These students address novel
questions in the world.
UCCS students engage in extracurricular research and creative
activities that are significant in so many distinct ways. They
may collect quantitative data, carry out detailed searches of the
literature of antiquity, investigate architectural blueprints, create
geographic simulations, collaborate with a variety of diverse
community agencies, or develop creative means of expression.
4
Many UCCS students are Collaborative
Scholars, engaged
in
extracurricular
academic scholarship in conjunction with
a faculty mentor of their major study. Their
work is generally one piece of a larger project
that addresses various theories or practices.
Others are International
Scholars who travel abroad to
perform research and creative
activities.
UCCS supports
these students with funds for
travel, supplies and tuition
because it recognizes the
importance of international
activities that support our
academic endeavors.
Office of Research – University of Colorado Colorado Springs
2015 Research Innovations Magazine
5
United States Air Force Academy
The mission of the Air Force
Academy is to educate, train,
and inspire men and women to
become officers of character,
motivated to lead the United
States Air Force in service to our
nation. The essence of research is
opportunity—the opportunity to
discover, to achieve, and to better
one’s world through knowledge,
innovation and invention.
Research at USAFA …
… Cadet fueled
… Inspired by innovation
… Powered by the world’s
Research is an essential
component of the cadet
experience. With more than
20 research centers and
institutes, the United States
Air Force Academy aims to
enhance cadet education and
inspire students as problem
solvers and future Air Force
leaders.
To find out more, please contact the Office of Research at the Academy at 333-4195.
6
Research and development
at the United States Air Force
Academy is changing the way
we all live – making the military
more effective, and also helping
the local community through
advancements in health care,
manufacturing, aerospace and
the environment.
greatest air force!
The Academy needs community
leaders and the captains of industry to
partner with and help move potential
technology from the research lab to
the commercial sector. Businesses
benefit from licensing the technology,
while Academy cadets gain invaluable
life lessons. When businesses partner
with the Academy, everyone wins!
See our 2015 Research Report at http://tinyurl.com/zzkcgst
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KEYNOTE SPEAKER
12:00 – 1:00
Centennial Hall Auditorium
Jon Khoury
Executive Director
Cottonwood Center for the Arts
The State of Art and its Relationship
to the Pursuit of Living One’s Life Artistically
There is a direct correlation between the success and support of art and culture and the idea that what we
do, study and pursue individually can help us identify the artist in each of us and ultimately impact the other’s
success. This speech will focus on the challenge of encouraging art but additionally making distinctions in
order to up the ante on the quality of art in our city and the quality of life for each of us. Finding the artist in
ourselves is the key to elevating the quality of the work that we see here and throughout the world. Additionally,
the speech will focus on the four key elements of developing your personal brand of who you are and ideas on
how to present your brand as you move forward in life. Finally, the speech will entertain the idea that looking
at art is actually a journey inward and that inward, we find universal truths, shared by all of us. Knowledge is
powerful but finite; it is the decision to allow creativity and direct knowledge to work together that makes the
opportunity to soar, artistically, no matter what you do in life.
8
UC 116A
ORAL SESSION 1
Explorations of Life en Español
The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and His Fortunes and Adversities
Terryn Mills
United States Air Force Academy
NOTE: THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH
The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes is known as the first picaresque novel of this millennium. A picaresc novel is a
work of fiction, but demonstrates the reality of the era in the society in which it is written. It is a narration in
which “the protagonist is a picaro, or antihero, who narrates the story of his life…paints a realistic and detailed
picture of the atmosphere and of the people in that era.” In the 16th century, when Lazarillo was written, Spain
was enveloped in theatrical works about knights and of great, glorious battles. Such works were very different
from the reality of the Spanish people. The knights lived with honor and patriotism. They were combatants
in glorious battles and won against their enemies. They always had the attention of women. And, perhaps
most important, they always had enough to eat and clothed themselves in colorful clothing. Therefore, they
were a fantastic dream for the poor in that era. While reading such works, the people could escape from their
daily problems and dream as if they were the protagonists in a knight’s tale. In contrast, the author of The
Life of Lazarillo de Tormes wanted to write a work of fiction that wasn’t fantasy but that demonstrated the
reality that normal people of the era lived. The protagonist, Lazaro, is a normal young man, and perhaps the
complete contrast of a knight. He is from the lowest class. He is poor, begging day after day for his survival.
Honor and virtue have different definitions for Lazaro than for a knight. In this way, Lazaro demonstrates better
the common man of the 16th century. The book is a fictional story that contains much truth; therefore, it follows
the theme called “realism.” The purpose of this essay is to compare the reality of the historical and political
events of Spain in that era with the story of Lazaro. It will show how the social situation, the politics of King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, and the corruption of the Catholic Church influenced the story of the protagonist
in the fictional book The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and His Fortunes and Adversities. It will prove that the work,
also it is fictional, truly demonstrates the reality in Spain during that period in history.
9
Botero’s Telling Representation of Colombia’s Notorious Escobar and the Colombian Nation
Susan Hurtado
United States Air Force Academy
NOTE: THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH
This research reports on the analysis of four artworks of the Colombian-born, internationally recognized artist
Fernando Botero (b. 1932). By analyzing paintings that focus on drug lord Pablo Escobar (1949-93) and his
impact on the Colombian people, they reveal myriad difficulties that began during Escobar’s reign. Throughout
Colombia’s instability and violence, beginning in the 1940’s, there was widespread poverty and corruption that
continues today. Most of the current drug trafficking and violence, like that of the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) and other guerillas, can be traced back to the influence of Escobar, the most famous drug
trafficker in modern history. Botero painted four, now infamous, paintings about Escobar and his influence
on Colombia titled, La muerte de Pablo Escobar (The Death of Pablo Escobar, 2000), Pablo Escobar Muerto
(Pablo Escobar Dead, 2000), La masacre de Pablo Escobar (The Slaughter of Pablo Escobar, 2004) and El
Ataúd (The Coffin, 2001). Becoming the first billionaire criminal, Escobar had a profound impact on Colombian
society and history, from his own private film to donations that led to control of the national soccer teams,
which gave him much more than just a criminal image while he was alive. He became a charismatic business
man and created an economy for his people. However, he is no longer remembered for his worthy deeds but
they are overshadowed by his terrorist entanglements. Escobar’s representation in Botero’s paintings helps
illustrate the almost mythical stature that he achieved in contemporary Colombia.
Fe Como un Granito de Mostaza en la obra Marcelino Pan y Vino
Nestor Hernandez
United States Air Force Academy
NOTE: THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH
Marcelino Pan y Vino es una película con raíces e influencias españolas. Hay muchos trabajos literarios sobre
esa película. Sin embargo, nos hace falta un análisis sobre la luz y la oscuridad en Marcelino Pan y Vino, un
recurso muy buscado por los escritores y cineastas. Por esa razón, en este trabajo se hará un análisis sobre
la luz y la oscuridad; la fe en relación la incredulidad; el cielo en comparación al infierno. Se analizará la lucha
entre el bueno y el malo. José María Sánchez Silva, el autor de la novela que eventualmente se hace en una
película, no es el primer que abarca el recurso de la luz y de la oscuridad para lograr sus metas literarias. En ese
estudio se mostrará la meta del autor de enseñar sobre los atributos de la vida humana y espiritual. A través
de Marcelino, el protagonista principal en la película, se puede ver la representación de la luz, de la fe, de la
humildad y de la esperanza. Él es una de las pocas representaciones de la luz en España en los años 50. Por
otro lado, algunos políticos representan la oscuridad: la maldad, la persecución y el engaño. Además, como
señalamos al principio, se mostrará el concepto de la oscuridad y la luz en relación el hambre espiritual y moral
en España.
10
UC 116 B
UC 116B
Innovations in Behavioral Science
From Black & White To All Colors
Kelsey Gregg
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Many times in history, television has been criticized as a mass medium that has negative impacts on societal
behaviour, but it is not often that television is recognised for its positive contributions to society. This short
presentation will explore how television as a popular mass medium helped pave the pathway for the civil rights
movement in the 1960s and onwards by using the power of storytelling to help accomplish one of the largest
and most significant cultural changes in this nation’s short history.
Complementary and Integrative Health Analysis
Matt Burzenski, Dalton Hayes, Bakytzhan Kalybekov and Abbey Wolters
United States Air Force Academy
The Healing Warriors Program (HWP) is a nonprofit organization that helps veterans by offering alternative
healing treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. HWP in interested in assessing how well their program
improves their clients’ quality of life. This analysis uses data collected by HWP on pre- and post-treatment
anxiety, pain, and emotion as measures to determine the treatment’s effect on quality of life. Hypothesis testing
shows that the treatment yields a statistically significant short-term improvement in quality of life across all
measures and all treatment types. Meanwhile, the treatment’s effect on long-term quality of life varies.
Experts, Novices, Innovation, and the Future
Nicholas R. Moorehead
United States Air Force Academy
Psychologists acknowledge the drawbacks of inhibitory information and mental sets, but generally expect only
experts to be capable of achieving advancements. The distinction of expert versus novice has come to be the
equivalent of adult versus child wherein the child is never taken seriously and the adult is all knowing. Therein
lays the true problem. The problem is not the absence of a solution but the rejection of it because it is deemed
inadequate simply because of the experience level of the source.
This project explores the research involving connections between experts, novices, and their respective problem
solving abilities as well the potential implications in military life. The utilization of studies that compared the
problem solving abilities of children to adults will be used demonstrate the potential downfalls and benefits
of using novices in finding innovative solutions. The evidence suggests that novices may be better at creative
11
problem solving in certain situations where preconceived notions and prior knowledge can serve as a hindrance
for experts. The implications for this in military life include being more accepting of ideas from novices in certain
situations.
This paper highlights areas where scientists who were experts in their fields were not open to any ideas that
seemed controversial (Ottati et al., 2015); and because research on ways in which to teach critical thinking
abilities seems insufficiently explored (Mehta & Al-Mahrooqi, 2015); research findings utilize another source
of critical thinking and innovative problem solving which suggests that children could be used as they are
either more flexible learners or simply free form the preconceptions of adults, allowing them to utilize creative
problem solving more efficiently and effortlessly (Lucas et al. 2014).
UC 122
UC 122
Artistic Explorations
Overwhelming Majority
Joseph Irvin
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
I have been making a film for the last few months dealing with the topics of alienation, loneliness, social anxiety.
This presentation will include a work-in-progress screening of the film, my thoughts on making it, the meaning
behind the film, and my thoughts on human interaction.
JEALOUS GODS: THE PRODUCTION OF A FEATURE FILM
Ari Bach
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Jealous Gods, a feature film satire project by Ari Bach about power that corrupts, and those that that survive the
force, received a Student/Faculty Creative Works Grant in 2015. Serving as the film’s screenwriter and director,
Bach aimed to anchor its production in the VAPA department. Currently in production with a completion date
of May 2016, the project utilizes UCCS Theater and Film Studies students, local actors, and a crew composed of
talent from across the campus. The presentation will detail the process of this mode of student/independent
filmmaking, its crowd funding, and plans for the future.
12
Visual Art
JD Sell
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Currently my work focuses on the architecture and meaning of urban living spaces. More specifically I am
working with homes. When I choose a home as a subject I am looking not only at aesthetic properties but also
my feeling of connection with the space. I begin by photographing these places with a Polaroid camera and
then turn these images into layered paintings. This process is a cross disciplinary act of photography, screen
printing and painterly elements. I use these methods as commentary upon my theme of experiencing a place.
In doing so, I explore questions about the concept of a home, and the many ways this idea is expressed through
the physical structures. My goal is for these paintings to radiate the same energies as the homes they reference
while also commenting on the importance of place.
UC 303
UC 303
Green and Medicinal Chemistry
Green Metal Binding for a Brighter Future
Anna Russell
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Due to the supply and demand of our evolving, growing, and rising population, the modern world suffers from a
shortage of materials critical to our survival such as metals. As years pass, mining metals is becoming more and
more difficult. Heavy metal waste is caustic and toxic to both the environment and the communities situated
around landfills and waste processing plants. More efficient and environmentally friendly methods of recycling
metals are needed to alleviate these issues. The goal of this project is to, in the spirit of green chemistry, use
ligands to bind metals in a series of complexes and then to unbind them and recycle both the metals and the
ligands. First, a three-step synthesis was performed to form dimethyl 2-[1-{2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethyl}-1H-[1,2,3]
triazol-4-ylmethyl]-malonic acid (TyMMa). Using tert-Butyl alcohol and water solvents, sodium azide was
reacted with 2-bromoacetophenone to form 2-azidoacetophenone. This was reacted with methyl propargyl
malonate, sodium ascorbate, and copper sulfate pentahydrate to synthesize 2-[1-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethyl)1H-[1,2,3] triazol-4-ylmethyl]-malonic ester (TyMMa Ester). This compound was hydrolized to form TyMMa.
This ligand was then reacted with various transition metal ions in an attempt to form and characterize metal
complexes.
13
UC 303
Synthesis of Drugs to Treat Human African Sleeping
Madeline Walden
Colorado College
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), commonly called African sleeping sickness, is a parasitic disease
transmitted by the tsetse fly whose bite infects the blood of victims with the Trypanosmia brucei parasite. This
parasite moves into the brain to cause sleep disruption, fatigue, and eventually death. This disease primarily
afflicts remote communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, infecting at least 10,000 people annually. The disease
also affects foreign travelers, and experts have been observing a steady increase in the range of the tsetse fly
as global climate change progresses. As temperatures rise, similar tropical diseases will become increasingly
prevalent in the United States. Several drugs have been developed to treat HAT, but they are costly, difficult
to transport, cannot kill parasites that have already moved into the brain, require extensive hospitalization,
and are accompanied by a plethora of negative slide effects. A safe, orally active drug that effectively kills
parasite in the blood and brain is desperately needed. Our research focused on synthesizing and optimizing a
set of chemical compounds based on a molecule that was already shown to be moderately effective against
HAT. In the summer of 2015, we prepared over 20 compounds that are currently being evaluated in multiple
chemical and biological tests to assess suitability. We are also investigating the compounds’ effectiveness
against similar diseases, such as American trypanosomiasis, malaria, and cancer, which impact millions of
people across the world annually.
Classification of Gram-Negative Eubacteria in an Engineering and Mechanics Laboratory
Zachary H. Hodges
United States Air Force Academy
To assess the presence of bacterial communities within specific ecological subsets of human environments,
we cataloged the Gram-negative microbial diversity within the Engineering and Mechanics Applied Materials
Laboratory at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Specifically, we sampled locations within the laboratory, and incubated
the samples on Tryptic Soy Agar. Gram- negative bacteria were run through a VITEK® MS Automated Microbial
Identification System, allowing species-specific identification in most cases. Of the 534 samples collected in
the laboratory, 21.5% tested Gram-negative. Many of the Gram-negative samples identified with the VITEK unit
belong to the genera Sphingomonas or Rhizobium, which are both soil bacteria capable of living on a limited
substrate. This research provided insight into the microbial diversity of this specific human environment and
helps to further understanding of microbe distribution as a potential health risk.
14
UC 307
UC 307
Sensors and Security
Effect of Corrosion Pits and Machining Marks on the Fatigue Crack Initiation and Propagation in
AA7075-T73 Alloy Used In Legacy Aircraft Structures
Jaspreet Singh
United States Air Force Academy
Aircraft structures made with legacy 7XXX series aluminum alloys are susceptible to fatigue and corrosion
failure. In case of fatigue failures the nucleating feature plays a vital part in ascertaining the life of the structure.
This nucleating feature can be any kind of surface defect, such as mechanical damage or machining marks,
or it could even be corrosion damage. Typically in 7XXX series alloys, corrosion pitting is a very common
phenomenon. In this study we are attempting to compare the fatigue life of test coupons with as-received
machining marks and coupons which have been artificially pitted to similar depths as the machining marks.
Our study shows that the corrosion pits reduces the life of the component by factor of 2-5 depending on the
cyclic stress level. While this is anticipated from field observations, the exact cause of the reduction in life is
not clear. A few hypotheses include, a) higher stress intensity at the base of pit as compared to the mechanical
damage or machining marks, b) change in the material chemistry and properties at the base of pit due to
electrochemical reactions during corrosion, c) a change in initial propagation rates due to residual stresses
from mechanical damage or machining marks as compared to corrosion pits. All of these hypotheses can be
tested by performing detailed SEM microscopy/fractography (with chemical analysis) of the failure surfaces.
In the present study we have tested and analyzed more than 50 specimens to identify the difference in the
fatigue failures nucleating from the machining marks and corrosion pits and attempted to identify the cause for
reduced fatigue life in legacy AA7XXX series aluminum alloy due to corrosion pits as nucleating sites.
Integrated Air and Missile Defense Capability Advocacy Model
Summer Getty, Benjamin Goirigolzarri, Joseph Haug and Savanna Whitaker
United States Air Force Academy
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is a Department of Defense command tasked to provide
homeland defense efforts and to coordinate defense support of civil authorities. In order to keep radar systems,
anti-ballistic missiles and aerial defense systems technically advanced, Combatant Commanders must balance
the need for increased capability against using their limited influence. We present a set covering optimization
model that allows Combatant Commanders to quickly determine defensive capabilities needed to protect the
United States against attack by a foreign enemy given a fixed influence budget.
15
Broadcasting Telemetry and Video Data from A UAS Over 4G Signals
Austin Gadient
United States Air Force Academy
Unmanned Aerial Systems or “drones” are a technology that has just recently become available to the public.
Today, any person can fly a UAS near American towns, cities, and military bases while taking video of the
flight. Fortunately, a conventional UAS is restricted to a certain radius around its controller. If someone were
to communicate with their UAS using 4G signals, however, their range could be unlimited. This poses a threat
to U.S. security interests because the user of the UAS cannot be easily tracked. Terrorists and other malicious
persons could surveille U.S. instillations from miles away. Also, the unlimited range could give such a user the
capability to fly a chemical or biological weapon against U.S. interests without being caught or stopped. In
order to mitigate such a threat, it must be thoroughly understood. Implementing such a system provides that
understanding and opens pathways for future research on combatting the threat.
UC 309
UC 309
Accurate Algorithms and Designs
Pointing Accuracy and Attitude Determination with Reference to Ground Stations
for Small Satellite Operations
Ryan Grimes
United States Air Force Academy
In the era of “better, faster, cheaper,” contemporary small satellites are constantly designed to handle
increasingly critical functions in smaller packages. One such function is pointing control, where both regulation
and tracking modes require agility (rapid slewing). Over the last several years, rules of thumb have developed
to address attitude determination and control error for different actuator and sensor categories (e.g. thrusters,
reaction wheels, magnetometers, star cameras). Although critical, it’s often difficult/rarely mentioned how
designers should exonerate such performance improvements on as-built systems in ground laboratories and
on orbit. Validating as-built performance achieves intended design goals and not only affects conventional
communication antenna, thrust-vector, or camera lens boresight pointing, but it also impacts ground-tospacecraft line-of-sight error critical to such activities as power-beaming, solar shadowing, or mechanism
operation confirmation. Against this backdrop, the authors present a novel algorithm to calculate a satellite’s
pointing accuracy with respect to a surface ground point generated from archived telemetry. The algorithm’s
utility rests not only in calculating the boresight error for the intended ground point during a maneuver, but
also in the pointing error between an additional ground point and a different point on the satellite expressed
in body coordinates. This new work permits operators to record key satellite component state-of-health for
post-pass analysis while optimizing other tasks while the satellite is overhead. This work paves the way for
new technology demonstration experiment validation and anomaly resolution techniques in the future.
16
No Wheelbarrows: Requiring Innovation in Resilience Education
Dan Gaynes, G.J. Howland and Tony Lee
United States Air Force Academy
Ten United States Air Force Academy cadet Civil Engineering majors and one cadet Operations Research
major are currently taking a two-semester independent study course focusing on design and construction of
a U.S. Forest Service pedestrian bridge in the pristine Maroon Bells Wilderness of Colorado. Due to the federal
wilderness statutes, use of mechanized tools and equipment is prohibited at the proposed construction
site. Cadets must develop an innovative approach to designing and constructing the bridge, which will span
approximately 35 feet across a mountain stream, recognizing that all construction materials must be packed in
using human effort and/or Forest Service pack animals only. Additionally, the design snow load for the bridge is
250 pounds per square foot, which is over six times as large as the design snow load at the Air Force Academy.
They must also solve the challenges of constructing the bridge using essentially primitive tools and procedures,
since power tools and all vehicles, including wheelbarrows, are prohibited.
Cadets are working closely with U.S. Forest Service personnel to accomplish this project. The interagency
coordination required provides the cadets with a real-world experience that will be invaluable when they
experience the joint environment as Air Force officers. The unusual constraints discussed above may very
well portend challenging deployed or contingency situations associated with military operations in remote
environments. This project requires the cadets to develop their creative thinking and problems solving skills
and apply those skills to an actual open-ended engineering challenge. In an austere budget environment, the
Department of Defense is emphasizing the importance of applying sustainability and resilience principles to
increase operational efficiencies and preserve scarce resources. The U.S. Forest Service requires the use of
sustainability principles throughout the design and construction phases of this project, so cadets will gain
valuable experience in sustainable design and resilient construction prior to joining operational squadrons as
Second Lieutenants.
This paper will address the technical challenges encountered and conquered during the design and construction
planning phases of the project, and will harvest the underlying principles gleaned from this endeavor that apply
to effective resilience education.
Optimization of Autonomic Logistics Information System Action Request Process
Staci Colbacchini, Allison Gahafer, Lindsey McEvoy and Bryan Park
United States Air Force Academy
Lockheed Martin produces the F-35 Lightning II as a multi-role stealth fighter aircraft that is expected to
replace the aging “legacy fighters”. In order to facilitate fleet readiness via proper maintenance, the F-35 has
been equipped with an Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS). Maintenance personnel have voiced
concerns that the new electronic system is often slower than the original process. We have worked with the
Luke Air Force Base (AFB) Maintenance Group to create a discrete event simulation that exposes different
choke points in ALIS. This simulation identifies which stages in ALIS will benefit most from a reallocation of
resources.
17
POSTER SESSION 1
Berger Hall
STEM Retention: Who graduates with a degree
in STEM at Colorado College?
Amairani Alamillo
Colorado College
Although colleges and universities in the United States have made progress during the last twenty years to
increase the number of underrepresented minorities (URMs) majoring in STEM fields, nationwide, we still see
significant disparities, or “gaps,” in STEM degree attainment at all levels of education. Our research tested
factors that affect the retention of Colorado College (CC) students in STEM discipline with a specific focus on
underrepresented minority students (URMs).
Our sample included 1,641 CC graduates from 2012, 2013, and 2014. Eighty-six percent were white and 13% were
URM students. (For the purposes of this study, we did not include Asians under the category URM.) Students
at CC do not declare a major upon admission to the college. To ascertain early interest in STEM, we examined
students’ responses regarding intentions to major in a STEM discipline on the Common Application and their
CC Advising Questionnaire (when available). Key goals of this study work were to 1) measure how many of
those students who expressed and early interest in STEM actually attained a degree in a STEM major, and 2)
test which of several factors were the best predictors for attaining a degree in a STEM discipline. Our initial
models tested factors including URM status, gender, SAT/ACT math scores, and early intent to major in a STEM
field. Our next group of analyses for this group will include the factors of PELL eligibility, the number of AP/IB
STEM courses taken, the student academic rating, the number of STEM courses taken during the first year, the
G.P.A. in STEM courses completed in the first year, and completion of a STEM degree.
Human-Machine Teaming
Evan Allman, Jarvis Brown and Gavin McDonald
United States Air Force Academy
The purpose of this study was to better understand the process and effectiveness of team decision making
during a cooperative and competitive board game known as “Game of Amazons”. “Game of Amazons” is a
chess-like game, where two teams of four queen playing pieces are given the objective to box their opponent in
a location on the board with thrown spears that are able to obstruct tiles. Participants teamed up and played
against another team in a tournament bracket. These two competing teams were isolated from one another,
allowing for the teammates to freely discuss strategy. In another room, a human mediator or computer carried
out the desired moves of each team. Deliberate errors were made when moving the teams’ game pieces. Using
a Microsoft Kinect, audio and video of each team was recorded for the duration of the game, allowing our
team to monitor participants’ performance and communication during the experiment. This data was then
used to code each interaction of the participating teams for the study examination. The participating teams
were then given a usability questionnaire to determine their usability with the system while trying to play the
game. The study showed the difference in interaction levels and mediums between human-machine teams
18
and human-human teams. More importantly, the study showed the overall effectiveness of human-machine
teams and the different advantages and disadvantages the team provided compared to human-human teams.
This study is important as it shows how humans can effectively communicate with machines in teams. This
study is important to the United States Air Force along with other like-minded organizations, as the Air Force
wants to become more integrated with technology as technology evolves.
Effects of Literature on Writing
Hope Armstrong
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The purpose of this research study is to identify how and if literature has an effect on writing style and ability.
The results from this study could go towards assisting writers of all levels of their academic career in writing
more efficiently and confidently, resulting in higher grades and an increase in the literature scores in America.
This has been done through examining results from a survey as well as looking at academic papers from
up to three collegiate volunteer participants. These papers will be reviewed and the volunteers interviewed
about their writing process and the effect they personally believe reading has had on their writing process
and performance. This research will bridge a gap in the connection of reading and writing, currently the most
prominent research being conducted with reading and writing connections is with ESL students who are
prominently in elementary school. This study will look at the effects of reading on writing at the collegiate level
for English as a first language individuals.
Evaluation of Distributed Multi-Modal Collaboration Tools
Denis Aurelius, Lauren Brooks and Marlene Hagen
United States Air Force Academy
In the Air Force, special operations teams are given tasks in the field which require more specific expertise and
direction. These tasks are time critical and require the operators to master a wide range of tasks and procedures
in order to be equipped to tackle the multitude of conditions they may face. Using a multimodal collaborative
device in the field would allow these teams to receive guidance from distributed subject matter experts while
completing these tasks in real-time. Air Force Research Laboratories have previously conducted similar studies
but instead have focused on how to improve information availability to the worker. Our study has taken a new
approach and we have focused on how to increase the amount of information available to the helper (subject
matter expert) which then improves task performance and decreases completion time for the worker. In our
study, a pair of participants, a worker and helper, were given a collaboration task of searching for items in which
the amount of information provided to the helper consisted of three different levels. The first level was audio
only; the second level was audio and real-time video; and the third level was audio, real-time video, and markup.
Our data showed that the varying levels of information provided to the helper affected the time to complete
the task. As more information was provided, the completion time decreased. This means that in the future, if
operators in the field had distributed multimodal collaborative tools at their disposal, which also increased the
amount of information provided to the subject matter experts, performance and task completion times would
be positively affected and ultimately complete missions and save lives.
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Good Stranger Behavior: Assessing Factors Influencing Social Interaction
Thaddeus Baxley, Issac Eilts, Mikaela Lockwood,
Angelia Villarreal, Asia Williams, and Rachel Zigler
United States Air Force Academy
The objective of this study is to measure the usability of a social simulator prototype currently under
development by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of their Strategic Social
Interaction Modules program. The simulator’s purpose is to create a realistic, effective training tool that
prepares service members for interactions in high stakes, cross-cultural contexts. As part of the simulator’s
development, DARPA asked the research team to conduct several basic experiments that address subject
engagement with the simulator and ways to structure the subjective, post-experience reactions of subjects
involved. We will investigate working memory for shapes (an enhanced visuospatial sketchpad) and the Big
Five personality traits, relating them to cognitive load and interaction during the Good Stranger simulation.
Data will be collected using the IPIP personality inventory, computer-based spatial span test and forced-choice
self-administered questionnaire. Under faculty leadership, Behavioral Science cadets enrolled in the senior
Capstone class will execute the study and present their findings to DARPA, informing their ongoing design of
the social simulator.
The Effect of Varying Amounts of Non-Coding DNA on the Evolutionary Success of Digital
Organisms
Christopher J. Beck
United States Air Force Academy
In genomics, non-coding DNA is that which does not directly code for a protein, but rather codes for RNA products
and merely exists as the remnants of genes which once coded. Due to mutation events, this DNA has been left
without purpose, or has no known function. The genomes of all organisms contain varying amounts of noncoding DNA; prokaryotic organisms generally contain 20% or less non-coding DNA, while in eukaryotes it often
exceeds 90% of the genome. The objective of this computer-based study was to determine whether there was
an optimal proportion of non-coding DNA in digital organisms, and whether these organisms demonstrate the
same deletion bias found in actual prokaryotes. To determine this, an evolutionary model program (Avida) was
used to simulate multiple generations of organisms with varying amounts of non-coding DNA. This study found
that there was a clear advantage to minimizing non-coding DNA in the digital organisms, and that bias toward
deletion did exist. The causal link to why this deletion occurs remains to be determined.
20
Plan Trifinio: Is Transnational Boundary Conservation Effective?
Dylan Becker and Rachel Shaffer
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Plan Trifinio is a transboundary national park that intersects the three countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and
Honduras. It is the only transboundary national park in Central America and hosts a wide variety of endangered
flora and fauna. Since the park lies across three countries, the conservation efforts may be impacted by different
national policies. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of the transnational boundary
conservation effort that aims to protect the forest quality and cover. We used MODIS satellite imagery that has
NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index) for each year during the
time period 2000-2015. This imagery was used to analyze the health of the vegetative cover. We quantified
any forest degradation across a large spatial extent. The spatial information was evaluated to determine how
efficient the conservation plans have been in each country within the Trifinio region. The plan accounts for
an area that covers 221 square kilometers. Our study seeks to improve our understanding of the efficiency of
conservation policies in transboundary national parks. This understanding could improve our knowledge of
how effective transboundary conservation methods could be for other regions outside of Central America.
The potential is that more cooperation among countries will preserve a larger quantity of land and less
fragmentation of conservation efforts would occur.
Genetically Engineering Synechococcus Sp Pcc 7002 With Shewanella Oneidensis Genes To
Increase Electron Transport In Photosynthetic Microbial Fuel Cells
Victoria L. Bittleston
United States Air Force Academy
Photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (MFCs) attempt to harness the free and abundant power of solar energy
without the use of potentially expensive and toxic materials in solar panels. Our goal is to genetically engineer
Synechococcus with Shewanella oneidensis electron transfer chain genes to increase photosynthetic MFC
power production. We have optimized MFC conditions and obtained baseline measurements of voltage and
current for wild-type Synechococcus sp PCC 7002. Current experiments have yielded an average of 44.3 mV
which is a fraction of the maximum theoretical potential. The advantage of using this particular microorganism
is that cyanobacteria are photosynthetic, allowing them the ability to harness energy from the sun. Eventually
this technique may be used to power electronic devices, ultimately reducing the dependency on fossil fuels.
21
An Electromagnetic Railgun Design and Realization for an Electrical Engineering Capstone
Project
Taylor Bodin, Jacob Lawson, Gytenis Borusas and Santos Bonilla
United States Air Force Academy
This work reports on how a team of four undergraduate students at the United States Air Force Academy
designed, built, and tested a desk-top railgun for a year-long senior design project. The objective of the design
was to safely launch a small projectile at a muzzle velocity of 100-300 meters/second from an approximately
1-meter long barrel using capacitor-based energy storage limited to a maximum of 400 VDC. The projectile
needed to be fired into a catch to facilitate demonstrations inside a laboratory environment. The project was
also constrained by a $3,000 operating budget and access to parts available in the laboratory. The three
electrical engineering students and one systems engineering student self-selected the project and decided
how to divide tasks, structure and managed a schedule, planned budget use, and leveraged in-house machine
shop capabilities. The paper describes how the cadets decomposed the project into a set of subsystems
including: (1) the rail system and supporting barrel, (2) the armature or projectile, (3) an injection system to
provide the projectile with an initial velocity along the rails, (4) a mechanical catch system to facilitate safe
and convenient firing, (5) an electrical energy storage system, (6) a high-voltage circuit for charging the storage
system, (7) a pulse-forming network (PFN) that interfaces the storage system to the rails, (8) timing electronics
needed to actuate the PFN, (9) a measurement system to monitor muzzle velocity, rail current, capacitor
voltage, and rail temperatures, and (10) safety elements and protocol to minimize the probability of shock,
misfire, or accident. The paper then describes how the project evolved from a System Requirements Review to
the Preliminary, Critical, and Final Design Reviews. This senior design project was especially notable for three
factors: (a) the emphasis on an early implementation which facilitated multiple passes along the design spiral,
(b) the close synergy between the evolution of the hardware and the simulation models, and (c) the interdisciplinary nature of the design which provided opportunities for electrical engineers to consider items such
as material properties, forces on the barrel, temperature effects, aerodynamic drag, rail ablation, and velocity
measurements. In the process of the design, students were able to leverage their circuit analysis skills and build
on their simulation experience in both Multisim and Simulink. The paper concludes with a section on lessons
learned and recommendations on strategies for mentoring such a project.
Green metal extraction cycle using mono and dicarboxylic acid ligands
Cynthia Brandon, Cary Herrmann and Nick Shores
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
A monocarboxylic acid ligand and a dicarboxylic acid ligand each containing a triazole ring were synthesized
in a three-step process. These ligands were then used in metal binding to an array of transition metals. After
analysis, experiments in unbinding the complex were successfully conducted reforming both the original ligand
and a metal salt.
22
Development and Validation of a Silver Nanoparticle (SNaP) Antioxidant Assay for the
Determination of Total Antioxidant Capacity in Whiskeys
William Brandon and Samantha Coyne
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Previous studies have demonstrated the use of gold nanoparticles to determine total antioxidant capacity
in fruit extracts whereas the use of silver nanoparticles in an antioxidant capacity assay has not been well
explored. Here, we demonstrate the development and validation of a silver nanoparticle (SNaP) antioxidant
assay using microwave-assisted synthesis for the determination of antioxidant measurements in whiskeys.
Silver nanoparticles were prepared using 1% starch and ultrapure silver nitrate with measurement of surface
plasmon resonance at 420 nm. In this new assay, prepared silver nanoparticles (500µL) were treated with
antioxidants potentially found in whiskey (vanillin, vanillic acid, syringic acid, syringaldehyde, among others)
to determine antioxidant capacity of individual antioxidants versus gallic acid equivalents. Then, antioxidant
status of individual whiskey samples was demonstrated with the same assay. The method will be validated
by quantitatively determining the levels of antioxidants by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.
This work has the potential for serving as a rapid, sustainable method for determining total antioxidant capacity
in beverages and foods.
Modeling Multitasking
Dillon Bush, David Ortiz and Drew Rosenthal
United States Air Force Academy
The aim of this experiment was to utilize a human information processing modeling to provide qualitative and
quantitative characterization of the cognitive mechanisms engaged in multitasking. We aimed to examine the
relationships among differing workload indicators such as multitasking capacity, and subjective workload. We
also attempted to find relationship between workload indicators and personality traits.
In this experiment, we planned to seek a better mathematical characterization of cognitive performance during
multitasking. Specifically, we focused on changes in workload capacity. This will help provide stronger insight
into the cognitive mechanisms supporting multitasking behaviors and the mechanistic reasons for changes
in performance under changing workload demands. The data was collected on a standard Windows desktop
computer with a 24” LCD monitor. This system used a standard keyboard and mouse for responses. We utilized
Air Force Research Laboratory experimental software, built in open source languages for generation of the
display images and data collection procedures. The multitasking environment was based on the NASA MultiAttribute Task Battery (MAT-B). This task battery involves a generic multiple attribute task control station
display. The MAT-B has been validated as a reliable and sensitive basis for testing and evaluation.
This project is projected to enhance the Air Force mission by providing a qualitative and quantitative
characterization of cognitive mechanisms involved in multitasking performance. This data will be used to create
a cognitive model for workload performance. Due to the nature of Air Force jobs, this data on multitasking can
be used to better select people for duties, as well as provide more effective training for complicated multitasking
situations.
The advantage of this study is its unprecedented goal of linking personality traits to workload indicators. This
gives us the unique ability to predict a person’s ability to handle multiple tasks based on their personality traits.
23
Behavioral Activation for Adults with Depression and Diabetes
Karly Bzalel
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Diabetes and depression are two of the most common diseases in adulthood in the U.S. and these conditions
often co-occur. The management of diabetes frequently involves managing both medications and life-style
changes. However, the presence of depression can lead to difficulties with disease management; interfering
with self-care behaviors and contributing to morbidity and worsening symptoms. While there are effective
treatments that address each condition separately, psychosocial interventions aimed at treating both diabetes
and depression simultaneously may be more efficacious. The aim of the current study was to examine the
effectiveness of Behavioral Activation (BA) as a treatment for the comorbidity using single-case design
methodology in eight adults (Mage = 43.13, SD = 6.07) diagnosed with diabetes and depression. In general,
participant results indicate that behavioral activation is promising as a treatment for adults with depression
and diabetes; however, depression seemed to improve more often than diabetes self-care. Implications of
these findings will be discussed.
Using Geospatial Technology to Analyze Geography Education in Colorado School Districts
Joshua Camacho
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This research project uses GIS tools to understand geographic patterns in relation to geography education in
Colorado school districts. In an era where major population shifts and globalization trends affect many aspects
of life, the study of geography is an important aspect of student’s educational development. Multiple maps
will be created using data available from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), Colorado Measures
of Academic Success assessments (CMAS), Advanced Placement Geography tests (APGeo), and other
statewide indicators that project student’s geographic knowledge. This data is compared to publicly available
demographic and fiscal data for visual analysis to identify any overlap. If overlap between data is visually
apparent, further investigation will be necessary. This study will develop analytic models and visualizations to
reveal areas of strengths and weakness across Colorado School Districts.
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Disneynature: More Than Princesses
Stephanie Cantu
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The purpose of this research is to explore the works and efforts Disney has put toward nature. While Disney
is highly recognized for their fairy tales, magic kingdoms, and princesses, the conglomerate corporation also
focuses on conservation, wilderness preservation, zoology, and environmental education. While some of their
collaborations are effective as described by The Idea of Nature in Disney Animation, there are arguments against
their efforts such as those in Wild Things that believe Disney is corrupting rather than conserving. This research
will discover Disney’s impact and influence on natural environments and raise the question as to whether their
corporate influence on nature is beneficial or harmful. Based on the research, it is found that despite criticism
for some of their actions, Disney puts great efforts into conserving natural environments, raising awareness on
environmental issues, and encouraging audiences to explore. To fully understand the extent that Disney puts
into their nature departments, further research is need from within the corporation.
Development of a Solar Concentrator Test Platform
Jonathan Cheek
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This research project developed an apparatus for testing the effects of a solar concentrators, made from a
single sheet of material, on the efficiency of photovoltaic cells or modules. The test platform developed was a
solar tracker; which is a device that solar cells or modules are placed on to keep them positioned in a direction
normal to the sun in order for the photovoltaic cells to receive the maximum amount of sunlight. An Arduino
was utilized to capture data from the photovoltaic cells and for keeping the cells normal to the sun. The design
criteria for the test apparatus was: the solar tracker had to be able to track the sun through a minimum of 120
̊ of motion, capture data throughout the day on the output of both concentrated and non-concentrated cells,
and have an azimuthal angle that can be manipulated to account for the change in the axial tilt of the spin axis
of the earth throughout the year. All design criteria were met in the building of the test apparatus.
Thinking to the Beat of the Music
Jacqueline Child
Colorado College
Dementia (and all dementia related diseases) attacks the brain and causes a decline in autobiographical
memory. The study investigated the effect of music on dementia patients’ recall of autobiographical
memories. Eight Alzheimer’s disease patients were studied in order to understand the effects music has on
people with neurodegenerative diseases. Music can trigger the recall of personal memories, though research
suggests individualized music leads to the most memory enhancement. Results demonstrate that listening to
music, specifically individualized music enhances autobiographical memory. However, there was a significant
difference between the memory enhancement of the participants in the silent condition and the individualized
condition.
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Joint Strike Fighter: Parallax Experiment with Head Mounted Display
Alexander Crandell, Matthew Waldman and Matthew Valenzuela
United States Air Force Academy
Our project was to evaluate the effect of parallax caused by the Distributed Aperture System (DAS) present
in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The JSF uses multiple infrared cameras in order to provide the pilot
with a heightened level of situational awareness. While in use, the infrared cameras create a perception that
one object of interest is in two locations. One of the images represents the pilot’s physical view, the other
represents the infrared view from the DAS that is over-laid onto the pilot’s helmet-mounted display (HMD).
This aforementioned situation presents an issue in activities such as air-to-air refueling and landing at night.
In an attempt to replicate these issues, thirty participants were asked to accomplish a series of motor tasks
while experiencing various Augmented Reality views (parallax). The participant wore a low-fidelity HMD with
a screen approximately 6 inches in front of them, at eye level. The equipment took 10 minutes to set up, with
30 seconds of adjustment in between camera angles, for a total of 30 minutes. Subjects did not have a visual
input outside of the Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality screen. The subject then was asked to sit 8 feet away
from a Smart Board projection screen. The collected data showed a specific distance from an object of interest
at which there was a decrement in pilot performance. This was calculated utilizing the parallax and visual
angle measurements that were collected throughout the study. Parallax is a very important human factors
issue for the United States Air Force because increased parallax increases the probability of pilot error. This
error causes confusion when presented with visual stimuli coupled with the intense workload of flying a fifth
generation fighter.
Combined Spiral Photon Sieve Design and Characterization
Adam Cumming
United States Air Force Academy
Photon sieves are diffractive optical elements based on a traditional Fresnel zone plate. They consist of a series
of microscopic holes usually centered on the bright zones. Using apodization there are several types of photon
sieves created and analyzed, including a spiral hole pattern. Spiral photon sieves introduce helical phase fronts
in the diffracted beam, where each photon carries an orbital angular momentum (OAM). Also, we combined
patterns for various types of the photon sieves into a single optical element using Babinet’s principle, wherever
two holes overlap, they were treated as if there was no hole. Ideally the combined the properties of the spiral
sieve (with OAM), and the regular sieve (no OAM), create a mixed state. Further research will include using
these sieves for measuring and sorting of OAM states of light that leads to possible applications in the medical
and communication fields.
26
Stability and conformations of the kink-turn motif
Danielle Davis
Colorado College
Kink-turns (k-turns) are widespread elements in RNA that mediate tertiary contacts by kinking the helical axis
(Figure 1). K-turns aid in the folding of large assemblies, such as: the ribosome, the spliceosome and seven
distinct riboswitch species1. In free solution the k-turn exists in a dynamic equilibrium between a tightly kinked
conformation and a relatively extended structure, similar to a simple DNA/ RNA bulge2. In these experiments,
native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis along with thermal denaturation was used, to determine the
necessary solution conditions to favor the tightly kinked conformation in DNA constructs with similar sequences
to well known k-turns.
Qualifying the Use of Supersonic Particle Deposition for Structural Repair
Using Electrical Conductivity
Tyler Despard, Charlie Chimento
United States Air Force Academy
The Supersonic Particle Deposition (SPD) process has been developed substantially over the past decade and
is currently used in a wide variety of applications, particularly geometric restoration. The possibility of using
SPD, also known as Cold Spraying, for structural repairs is an attractive and cost-effective option. However,
the integrity of such repairs on critical components is difficult to guarantee and makes certifying structural
SPD repairs a lengthy process. To this effect, this project attempts to model a range of conductivity values
which corresponds to a structurally sound repair. This was accomplished using ballistic testing to model the
high strain rate deformation characteristics typical of SPD. During testing, the specimens were subjected to a
temperature range of 300-500°C and impacted with substrates at 300-500 m/s. Microstructure analysis was
then conducted on the resulting specimens to evaluate the bond between aluminum specimen and aluminum
substrate. This project will discuss the results of our conductivity and microstructure analysis as they provide
an expedited process for guaranteeing the integrity of Cold Spraying repairs.
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Development of A DNA Barcoding Protocol for Lichens
Matthew L. Duenes and Marcus A. Hoof
United States Air Force Academy
The objective of this experiment is to create a DNA barcoding protocol to easily identify the numerous lichen
species that inhabit the United States Air Force Academy. Because lichens are composed of two separate,
but symbiotic, species their identification is challenging and requires significant expertise. Identification is
a required first step in using them as a bio-indicator. Genomic DNA has been extracted from three lichens
collected at various localities. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of genomic DNA and sequencing of
the amplification products will allow a standardized DNA region across a taxonomic group to be investigated.
The DNA barcoding protocol will allow for accurate observation of the effects of pollution, due to increased
infrastructure, on the Air Force Academy’s atmosphere through the use of lichens as bio-indicators.
Comparison of synthetic methods for copper(I)-catalyzed fluorinated triazoles
Allison Duensing, Laura George and Breanna Tracey
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Several variations of Cu(I) catalysts have been reported for use in the preparation of 1,4-disubstituted 1H-1,2,3triazoles. Some of these have been adopted to prepare triazoles containing fluorinated groups at the 1 and 4
positions. The method reported most often used sodium ascorbate and copper (II) sulfate to generate the
copper(I) catalyst along with heating of the reaction mixture. Conventional heating and microwave heating
methods were used. Another catalytic method used 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-imidazolium copper(I)
chloride as the catalyst and required no heating. These methods will be compared by product yields and
product purity of various fluorinated triazoles synthesized.
21st Century Flute
Cynthia Dwelis
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The poster for CSURF will represent the creative processes of musical works using flute and electronics. The
Contemporary Flutist of the 21st Century uses combined and collected knowledge, expands and stretches
traditional techniques created for the flute, and explores new ways of utilizing or modifying the instrument to
create limitless sounds and compositional tools. Musical ideas push outward beyond the extended techniques
of making new sounds, by the enrichment of sounds through electronic manipulation or computers, and then
arranging them into a space that makes sense. The creation process of artistic works is a journey that artists
take to achieve a satisfying result. Combining artistic disciplines creates a unique journey in which blended
mediums allow for full emersion of the senses. Music today is enjoyed as a listening experience separate
from performance. A sonic experience creates an environment where the audience can become immersed in
an auditory space that is enhanced with a visual component as well as a message that helps form a more
comprehensive meaning. The flute, known for its melodic lead, is recognized for its sweet angelic sounds. It has
received center-stage performances from the Greats, including Mozart and Bach, where speed and precision
are crisp and exciting. How beautiful its voice encapsulates emotion while pushing the audience’s senses to the
limits of timbre and pitch. Recorded audio of creations will be available for listening.
28
Ant community underlies differences in aphid herbivory with light environment
Christopher Epps
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Understanding the factors that determine herbivore abundance is a key goal of community ecology. Abiotic
factors such as light environment can be direct determinants of herbivore abundance, but species interactions
also play a significant role. In this study, we report findings from a five-year study of herbivore abundance
on the sub-alpine plant, Ligusticum porteri. Ant-tended aphid colonies are more common on plants in the
open meadows than in the shaded aspen understory. Using ants collected from pitfall traps, we found
distinct differences in ant community with light environment. Both the community-level diversity of ants and
their abundance differs between open meadows and the shaded aspen understory. This suggests that the
availability of appropriate mutualist partners may be a significant factor driving differences in aphid herbivory
with light environment.
Variation in brine shrimp toxicity of Ligusticum porteri
Blake Faucett
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Ecological defense theory predicts that plants in the shade will be better defended than plants in higher light
environments. Since plant defense compounds are frequently responsible for medicinal activity, this suggests
that plants in the shade will be a richer source of the bioactive compounds important for herbal medicine and
drug discovery. Previous work has shown that extracts of Ligusticum porteri from the shaded aspen understory
have greater antibacterial activity than extracts from plants in open meadows. We followed up these findings by
examining toxicity to brine shrimp (Artemia sp). The assay is considered a useful method for rapid assessment
of toxicity, and it has been used for the detection of toxicity in plant extract, heavy metals, pesticides and other
substances. We assessed lethality to brine shrimp naupilii of variable concentrations of 20 standardized extracts
(2, 10, 20,0 80 and 160 ug/ml). We found variation in brine shrimp lethality among plant extracts, suggesting
plant-to-plant variation.
Fluorescently Labeled Quantum Dots as Nanosensors
Alexander Flugel and Hannah Quick
Colorado College
Dictyostelium discoideum is common slime mold used to study eukaryotic cell processes. Their aggregation
process can be easily triggered and this social behavior allows study of ion channels and specific chemical effects
that aid motility and communication. Using fluorescently labeled carbon quantum dots as pH (fluorescein) and
Mg2+ (coumarin/rhodamine) sensors allows for real-time tracking of changes in hydrogen and magnesium ion
channel activity during aggregation. When axenic cells are subjected to a sufficient quantity of cyclic AMP, their
pH drops roughly 0.02 units for a short period before returning to pre-aggregation levels. The coumarin and
rhodamine dyes for Mg2+ tracking proved to be less stable throughout PEBBLE synthesis and time trials and
therefore yielded few conclusive results. The pH data confirm published research by other methods in the field
and can be used to work towards reproducible and reliable methods of real-time pH measurement. Further
study is required for stabilization of coumarin/rhodamine labeled carbon quantum dots before Mg2+ can be
tracked accurately during aggregation.
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Antigen Loading Exosomes for Therapeutic Purposes
Maria Font
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Exosomes are small, heterogeneous 30-100 nm extracellular vesicles that play prominent roles in intercellular
regulation and communication. Studies suggest that exosomes provide promising advances for immunotherapy
treatment of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. The goal of this project is to design and produce exosomes
that stimulate specific immune responses for use in cancer immunotherapy. This will be accomplished using
a SpyTag/SpyCatcher linker system to covalently attach proteins of interest onto the surface of exosomes.
Exosomes from mature dendritic cells contain peptide-loaded MHC class-I and –II molecules for T-cell
stimulation, as well as proteins CD63, CD81 and CD9. Incorporation of Spy Tag into these proteins may allow
an antigen to be covalently attached to exosomes through the SpyTag-Spy Catcher isopeptide bond. Spy Tag
constructs will be expressed in HELA and HEK cells while Spy Catcher will be produced from bacteria and
purified in vitro. These will then be tested in vitro to ascertain the effectiveness of binding and loading into
exosomes and later, in vivo in mice to judge effectiveness as an immunotherapy.
Functional Vocalizations of a Monk Parrot
Kayla Fratt
Colorado College
When a parrot uses human words, does it understand their meaning? Over the last two years, I have worked
with a male Myiopsitta monachus to answer that question. My aim was to determine whether my subject has
the capacity to imitate, or copy an action with the understanding of its purpose, rather than simply mimic the
sounds around him. Using the model-rival training method perfected by Dr. Irene Pepperberg in her studies with
grey parrots, I trained my subject to use four different vocalizations to refer to objects. I demonstrated that he
uses these vocalizations to refer to objects at a rate far better than chance, suggesting that he understands the
link between the sound and the object. This finding suggests that animals beyond primates, cetaceans, and
grey parrots are worthwhile subjects for interspecific communication studies. My subject’s success hints at
unexplored intelligence in an understudied species of captive parrot.
30
Thermodynamic Stability of the Magnesium Riboswitc
Ellen Gilbertson
Colorado College
The riboswitch is a cis-acting regulatory unit found in the 5’ UTR of mRNA. Comprised of an aptamer domain
and an expression platform, riboswitches are highly specific and selective in their metabolite binding. They act
independently of proteins in response to environmental cell events in order to either initiate or terminate gene
expression. The fundamental aim of this research study was to more thoroughly understand the contributions
to thermodynamic stability of Core 2 of the M-box Magnesium Riboswitch. This RNA binds magnesium ions at
high concentration, inducing a conformational shift that leads to rho-independent termination of transcription
of a magnesium transport protein. How parameters of stability are influenced by base pairs surrounding
magnesium-binding sites, stems on either side of internal bulge, as well as pH and metal-ion effects were
investigated.
Data suggest that millimolar concentrations of divalent ions substantially stabilize the negatively charged RNA
backbone, while monovalent ions are less capable of this energetic task. Wildtype M-box RNA as well as two
altered M-box RNA constructs were examined in four distinct experimental buffers (1M KCl and 10 mM MgCl2
at both pH 5.5 and 7.0 each) for determination of pH and metal ion effects on thermodynamic stability. It was
determined that the wildtype M-box construct is marginally more stable at higher pH in both metal ion buffers,
by about 0.2 kJ/mol. It was also determined that the wildtype M-box construct is more stable in magnesium
ion buffer at both pH levels, by on average roughy 2 kJ/mol. This data is logical, given the known structure of
the M-box and that its tertiary conformation is dependent upon magnesium ions. Altered RNA constructs with
targeted nucleotide mutagenesis showed an overall increase in stability from wildtype and followed parallel
trends as compared to wildtype in all buffer conditions.
Investigation of the thermodynamics and nucleotide specificity requirements of the M-box riboswitch will
increase scientific knowledge surrounding stability and general behavior of all classes of riboswitches. Because
of their relatively recent discovery, much about the riboswitch – especially its potential as a therapeutic agent
– remains untested. However, given the abundance of this regulatory RNA in prokaryotes and known existence
in eukaryotes, it holds immense potential for pharmacotherapy.
Alkylation of 1,2,3-Triazole Compounds
Christopher Jones
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
The alkylation of acidic alpha hydrogens present in 1-phenyl-2-(4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-ethanone was
accomplished through the use of an alkyl halide and a base. The triazole was first prepared via Sharpless
reaction between phenacyl azide and phenylacetylene in the presence of a copper(I)-catalyst to direct
regioselectivity. The recrystallized triazole was then placed in tetrahydrofuran as solvent, reacted with three
molar equivalents of triethylamine, and iodomethane as the excess reagent in comparison to the triazole.
Product characterizations were done via NMR, FT-IR, melting point, and GC analyses. It was determined that
the reaction method is possible, however further experimentation is being done to optimize yields.
31
Affiliative Behavior Between Red Ruffed Lemurs
Emily Kautz and Stephanie Klockenbrink
Colorado College
Scientists and conservationists are increasingly investigating behavioral variation in captive versus wild species.
When behavioral traits change in endangered species in captivity and survival skills are lost, it potentially risks
the species health in captivity and compromises reintroduction programs. This paper presents a method
for determining whether affiliative behavior between individuals of a species changes in semi-free ranging
environments versus in captivity and in the wild. I compared the affiliative behavior of semi-free ranging
red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra) at the Lemur Conservation Foundation in Myakka City, Florida, to data on
affiliative behavior between black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) in a Malagasy rain
forest and zoos in the United Kingdom. I took 42 continuous focal samples of red-ruffed lemurs at LCF, and
compared the mean durations of grooming, huddling, playing, and sniffing with data collected on wild and
captive ruffed lemurs. I found that semi-free ranging ruffed lemurs display more affiliative behavior than their
wild counterparts, and less than those in captivity. The implications of this research are important to better
understand how captivity affects social behavior, and to help improve animal welfare in captive environments.
Conserving species-typical behavior and survival is critical to ensuring the successful release of captive and
semi-free ranging endangered species back into the wild.
Microbial Fingerprinting In the Office Environment
Ryan W. Kissinger
United States Air Force Academy
The purpose of this study was to analyze the microbiome of commonly used surfaces in the office environment
as well as the dominant hand of the office occupant in order to determine if a statistical model could be
developed to link the occupant to their office. Samples were collected weekly for three consecutive weeks for
22 individuals through swabbing and transferred to trypticase soy agar plates in triplicate for a culture based
analysis. A statistical link was attempted to be made between the number of colony forming units (CFUs)
which formed on the hand of the occupant and their office surfaces. Preliminary results do not indicate this
to be a valid method for identifying the office occupant. Additionally, morphologically dissimilar CFUs and
CFUs of different colors for each sample were analyzed down to the species level to further characterize the
microbial population of the office environment. Results are inconclusive to this point if this method could be
utilized to identify the office occupant based on the microbiome of their office. Future work will include 16S
rRNA sequencing of the bacterial microbiome to determine if a molecular biological method would be feasible
for biofingerprinting.
32
How Undergraduates Manage Heavy Reading Loads
Virgilia Laux, Julianne Baumgardner and Jacob Billot
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This project is looking at reading loads of college students in a variety of degree plans. Through interviews and
surveys of college students, a compilation of data will show how much reading is required of students and
how they manage their required reading load. We will look at whether students use outside resources such as
Sparknotes or Shmoop to supplement their primary source material. We will also be looking at how students
complete their reading (i.e. skimming and/or time management). This research will enlighten teachers of
consequences of large assigned reading loads, and help students prepare and find ways to complete their
assigned reading.
Shifting Forces and Shifty Trade: The British East India Company’s Opium Trade in China and
India as origin of the Opium Wars
Patrick Lee
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Too often secondary scholarship has implicitly categorized two distinct periods in the British-Chinese opium
trade. The first taking place from the early mid-Eighteenth century until the last decades of the Eighteenth
century. In this period the British interest in opium, as well as the trade of it with China, was established. The
second period, taking place from the beginning of the Nineteenth century up to the Opium Wars, is noted by
the massive increase in opium sales and in turn the growing concern in China about the repercussions of heavy
opium use. What this interpretation fails to recognize are the shifts that happened from 1770-1820 that allowed
the first period to mutate into the second. The marked increase in opium sales in the early 1800’s could not have
happened under the model and conditions of the mid-Eighteenth century trade. The goal of this research is to
offer a more complex and nuanced understanding of the British-Chinese opium trade in the late eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries, and in doing so enrich the amount of historical writing relating to the topic.
Investigation of biomarkers indicative of laser-induced retinal damage by using mass
spectrometric
Evan Locke
United States Air Force Academy
Laser-induced retinal damage causes death and/or injury of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium
(RPE) cells. This damage releases proteins into systemic circulation, which permits the identification of
candidate biomarkers through Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF).
This project proposes the identification of candidate biomarkers for laser-induced retinal damage using Mass
Spectrometric Imaging. Protein and lipid profiles in healthy and damaged ocular tissue will be characterized
for the identification of potential biomarkers. The specific identification of panel biomarkers for laser-induced
retinal damage could provide basis for development of a minimally invasive diagnostic test to detect acute
retinal damage in affected humans.
33
Classical Guitar and Electronic Music
Drew Martin
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The world of electronic musical technology offers new opportunities for acoustic instruments of all kinds.
While many instruments have utilized this technology – winds, brass, violins, even the sitar from Indian classical
music and most of all electric guitar – classical guitar, strangely enough, seems entirely untapped by this music
technology. In order to explore the potential of acoustic guitar and electronic interface, my research intends
to integrate classical guitar and the professional music software Max/MSP/Jitter along with Ableton Live 9.
Drawing upon the techniques of other instrumentalists including sitarist Curtis Bahn, my research explores
gestural triggering mechanisms, pressure sensing devices and software programming for use in live classical
guitar performance.
Multimodal Communication – Individual
Wil Maschmeyer, Hunter Kessler and Landon Morrison
United States Air Force Academy
The purpose of this experiment was to study communication and decision making effectiveness for individuals
in a complex operational environment who are using a multimodal communication system. The key question
of our study was to determine what the accuracy tolerance of a typical user is when using the speech-totext functionality. We hypothesized that the participants monitoring radio messages that are transcribed with
errors will still outperform participants who are listening to traditional radio messages without transcriptions.
Additionally, we hypothesized that participants using flawed transcribed messages will report a lower workload
score than participants monitoring traditional radio messages. To test the hypothesis we had subjects
participate in critical phase detection tasks while listening to radio calls. In one condition, participants listened
to a radio call and read a transcription with varying levels of accuracy (100% and 60%) while trying to detect
key words. In another condition the participants listened to the radio call and performed the detection task
with no transcription. In the final condition there was only a text transcription which varied in accuracy (100%
and 60%). We then measured their speed and accuracy as well as their subjective workload. The results of the
experiment showed that our hypothesis was correct and people are more adept at detection when messages
are transcribed, regardless of accuracy. Further, participants using multimodal communication tools reported
lower workloads. These findings are significant to the Air Force because they show that a more effective form
of communication than the traditional radio has been identified. For AFSC’s where communication is vital, such
as ATC and pilot, using multimodal communication could increase effectiveness and ease, potentially saving
lives and decreasing mistakes.
34
College Students’ Brainstorming Methods and Preparation for In-Class Essay Exams
Gina McBroom
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This study aims to find patterns, similarities, and/or differences among brainstorming techniques used by
college students in an upper-level English course prior to taking an in-class essay exam. Teaching brainstorming
methods has remained an important topic of instruction and the importance of brainstorming in general is
often not controversial. Students from all disciplines learn the importance of both prewriting and preparation
methods before writing a longer piece of writing, often early in their college career or even sooner. However, this
study wants to find out which methods of prewriting college students choose to use when brainstorming is
merely optional, and the longer piece of writing they are preparing for is a timed essay with a question/prompt
that they have not been given ahead of time. Overall, by collecting and analyzing scratch paper from students
in an upper-level English course prior to an in-class essay exam, along with conducting an interview both from
this class’s professor and interviews of two former students of this class, this research will provide students
and college faculty a larger understanding of which brainstorming methods and techniques students prefer to
use when under a time constraint, and brief insight into faculty versus student opinion and perception of this
exam format.
Sol-Gel Synthesis and Characterization Of Lithium Nickel Cobalt Oxides
John J. McCune
United States Air Force Academy
Mixed metal oxides are of particular interest for their electron mobility. Lithium has also proven to be of
importance in energy storage systems. The limitation with most systems is inserting stoichiometric amounts
of Li into the structure while maintaining phase purity and controlling particle size. This study focuses on the
synthesis and characterization of LiNixCoyO2 using sol-gel techniques.
Extraction and Analysis of Opiates in Post Mortem Blood using DLLME-LC-MS/MS
Lorne Muir
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office (EPCOO) Toxicology Laboratory has a need for determining concentration
of opiates (morphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone) in post-mortem
blood at trace levels (< 1 ppm). In this collaborative study, we have developed a rapid analytical method for
the determination of opiates in whole blood using a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction protocol with
liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analyses with chromatographic run times
under 7 min. The method was developed and validated using synthetic blood where a two-step extraction
with acetonitrile (step 1) and ammonium hydroxide for pH adjustment (step 2) resulted in absolute recoveries
ranging from 94.9 ± 10.2% (mean ± standard deviation) for codeine to 138.9 ± 5.4% for oxymorphone. This
method was applied to whole blood samples at the EPCOO Toxicology Laboratory. Absolute recovery of opiate
spikes was approximately 81.5 ± 6.80% (hydrocodone) to 97.5 ± 13.3% (oxycodone) from whole blood with
relative recovery (versus deuterated internal standards) ranging 93.4 ± 10.7% (hydrocodone) to 139 ± 55.0%
(codeine). Future goals include determining ways to limit matrix effects and to improve precision at these ng/
mL or part-per-billion levels.
35
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Cerium Doped Cobalt Oxide
Erin R. Oetting
United States Air Force Academy
Metal oxide nanoparticles are an industrially significant class of materials. Specifically spinel cobalt oxide
(Co3O4) nanoparticles have applications as solid state sensors, electrochromic sensors, and energy storage
devices. Particle size, morphology, crystallinity, and secondary metal dopings play important roles in the
applications and tunability of these nanoparticles. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of
cerium doped Co3O4 using hydrothermal techniques.
Monitoring Air Quality in Outdoor and Indoor Shelters
Stephanie A. Ohms
United States Air Force Academy
The purpose of this study was to analyze the microbiome of common expeditionary shelter units with
Environmental Control Units, to determine if operation in deployed locations places personnel at higher risk for
disease. Additionally, offices at the U.S. Air Force Academy were sampled to model potential risk for deployed
personnel working in hard shelters compared to soft expeditionary shelters. A cascade impactor was used to
collect bioaerosols. The cascade impactor separates CFU’s by diameter, so that the size and concentration of
CFU’s per volume inside the shelters can be determined. The indoor and outdoor air of expeditionary shelters
did not vary significantly in concentration for CFU/m3. For outdoor and indoor air of expeditionary shelters, the
peak concentration was approximately 250 CFU/m3, at the particle size of 2.1µm. The isolated fungal samples
(Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Penicillium rubrum) are threats to
immunocompromised patients only.
Pike’s Peak Treeline Microclimatology
Meredith Parish
Colorado College
Our study site in Pike’s Peak is one of the few abrupt treelines that is advancing with recent regional warming.
We established that there is most likely an eddy in the lee of timberline during askew flow as evidenced by the
increasing size (both length and height) of a slow air bubble from parallel to askew flow. This increased size
of the slowed air bubble creates sheltered conditions downwind of the shelterbelt. Shelterbelts are known
to ameliorate agricultural health because eddies can create beneficial climatic conditions through decreased
wind speeds. However, the eddy created in our study site may not create a better environment for tree growth.
Tree establishment above 2H must be inhibited by too high of wind speeds creating high shear and near nonexistent snow cover during the winter. The area between timberline and 2H has been slowly filling in with
seedlings since the mid/late 1800’s. The trees in this section do not grow into krummholz form. If a seedling
can be established it grows into a fully-grown symmetrical tree. It is difficult, but not impossible for seedlings
to become established in this zone. Tree establishment is most likely dependent on very specific microsites
within this area that have some wind flow, moderate snow cover in the winter, and 40-80% open sky exposure.
36
The Effects of Varying Soil Composition and Plant Selection
on Green Roofs in a Semi-Arid Environment
Christil Pasion
United States Air Force Academy
A plethora of research has focused on the financial and environmental benefits of green roofs relative to
conventional roofs. These studies have determined green roofs reduce the total energy consumption of a
building up to15%, thereby reducing overall energy costs for a facility. In addition, green roofs have been shown
to decrease average daily maximum surface temperatures by up to 40 degrees, resulting in an increased lifespan
of the roof. There are many factors which affect the energy savings and cost of green roofs. Previous studies
determined a thicker soil layer provides more insulation for the building, leading to energy savings through
decreased use of internal building temperature control measures. Environmental benefits of green roofs
include decreasing storm water runoff by an average of 60-70% as well as increased air quality. There have not
been many studies in semi-arid environments, such as Colorado, and the Department of Defense (DoD) has
little data on the possible energy savings associated with green roof installation at the United States Air Force
Academy and other Colorado bases. In this study, test plots containing varying plants and soil compositions
will be constructed and analyzed. Temperature variation and relationships will be quantified in the test plots
and compared to a conventional roof. These data will be used to determine the feasibility and cost savings of
retrofitting buildings at USAFA with green roofs.
Failed casual recommendations and their hidden social costs
Leah Payne, Kathleen Tomlin
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
People frequently recommend products and experiences to their friends or acquaintances to create and
maintain relationships, yet little research has examined this form of casual recommendation. Recommendation
giving is form of word-of-mouth advertising which targets a specific person’s interests. The studies conducted
compared casual recommendations to gift giving. Both situations serve similar a function: attempting to convey
understanding of likes or interests of a specific person. In a pilot, study we found that people give and receive
casual recommendations three times more often than gifts. We also found people are less anxious, spend less
time thinking about, and find it less important to give a good recommendation compared to a gift. However,
when we examined the social costs in receiving and giving casual recommendations we found the social costs
to be equal to those of gift giving. In study 1, participants felt their friends knew them less well when they
received a recommendation they disliked compared to one they liked. In study 2, participants felt they knew
their friend less well when they gave a recommendation their friend disliked compared to one they liked. Giftgivers are aware of the social costs of giving a disliked gift while recommendation-givers do not appear to take
them into consideration. Yet the same level of social cost is present in each situation. This research suggests
there is a disconnect between how people think about gifts and recommendations in terms of their social costs.
37
The Effect of Typhoons in Southeast Asia and the Philippines
Briana Perez-Jara, Matthew Lamastus and Alanna Wedum
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This article explores the relationship between size, speed, and intensity of tropical cyclones and the monetary
damage accrued in affected areas of Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Specifically, this article addresses
only damage done by those storms officially ranked as typhoons according to the Japanese Meteorological
Agency (JMA). The data collected and analyzed are from several storms during the peak of the Western Pacific
typhoon season. Main satellite inputs used include MODIS-Aqua and Cloudsat imagery, due to their ability to
measure moisture and clouds. The objective of this analysis is to use algorithms and indices for moisture, wind
direction, speed and size in order to show a positive correlation between these factors and assessed damage.
These data are of value for anticipating costs and damage in future typhoon seasons, both in Southeast Asia
and other areas frequently afflicted by typhoons and tropical storms. Although the main focus of this article
will be on typhoons, it still has relevance to other severe storms. This is of both economic and social benefit to
interested parties, such as insurance companies, governmental agencies, and the average citizen.
Designer Exosomes for Induced Immunological Response
Clairelise Post
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Exosomes are small, heterogeneous 30-100 nm extracellular vesicles that play prominent roles in intercellular
regulation and communication. The goal of this project is to design and produce exosomes that stimulate
specific immune responses for use in cancer immunotherapy. This will be accomplished using a SpyTag/
SpyCatcher linker system to covalently attach proteins of interest onto the surface of exosomes. Exosomes
from mature dendritic cells contain protein mLamp-1, mLamp-2a, and mLamp-3, and are able to be cloned in
order to stimulate antigen-specific immune responses. mLamp protein also allow for increased specificity in
b-cell targeting, as different variants appear to signal for different trafficking pathways. Incorporation of Spy
Tag into these proteins may allow an antigen to be covalently attached to exosomes through the SpyTag-Spy
Catcher isopeptide bond. Atypical cloning techniques are used to insert SpyTag into specific internal protein
locations. After successfully cloning SpyTag into specific protein sites, these Chimeras will be transfected into
human cell lines, and tested in vitro and in vivo in mice to judge effectiveness as an immunotherapy.
38
Post-Deployment Growth Among Deployed Military Mental Health Personnel
Kassandra Prusko and Danielle Kaufman
United States Air Force Academy
Although minimal research has been done regarding post-deployment growth among deployed Military Mental
Health Personnel (MMHP), there is a small but growing body of research focused on investigating the positive
outcomes of exposure to stressful occupational demands such as deployment. One factor researchers found
to be associated with post-deployment growth among military personnel is their perception of engagement
in meaningful work while deployed. The current cross-sectional, retrospective study utilized a convenience
sample of 133 Active Duty Military Mental Health Personnel (MMHP) in the Air Force, recruited via e-mail from
a list of personnel who had deployed on or after 1 January 2004 and were still on active duty in August 2010.
This study contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating that MMHP’s engagement in meaningful
work is positively associated with perceived benefits of deployment and positive personal growth in response
to being deployed. Additionally, engagement in meaningful work and positive personal growth had a negative
relationship with undesirable deployment outcomes and perceptions of deployment difficulties. These results
suggest that finding meaning in work may serve as a buffer for negative outcomes associated with deployment
as well as promote personal growth.
A Conductive Filament for 3D Printed Sensors
Emma Reznick
Colorado College
Fused deposition modeling (FDM), the most readily available 3D printing platform, uses filaments with various
properties to additively build objects from a printing platform. The increase in popularity of 3D printing has lead
to rapid development of filaments with a wide array of physical properties. Here we present the development of
a conductive, flexible thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) printing filament and its use as a position
sensor. The elasticity of polyester-based polyurethane allows for carbon black aggregates to elongate, changing
resistance as the filament stretches and distorts. Decrease in resistance during flexion is measured by two
methods: by multimeter, to measure resistance, and an oscilloscope, to measure transmittance. The sensor
determines position along a path by closely monitoring resistance and comparing it to a known model. This
optimized filament shows appropriate ranges in resistivity along a path to be used as a sensor and adequate
conductivity to be printed into flexible logic boards.
39
Student Language about Writing Center Sessions
Megan Robinder and Katherine Johansson
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The language we use to describe writing and Writing Center work reflects the attitudes and understanding of
both clients and consultants. Often students tell us that they want to work on “grammar” or “editing” or “flow”
and this isn’t very helpful for the consultants who are preparing for their sessions.
In this research we examine the language students use to describe sessions in the Writing Center. We will look
at the differences between what students say before and after a sessions through various research instruments
used in the UCCS Writing Center. Then, these results are compared to the client report form that consultants
fill out at the end of the session.
Our expectation is that after having a session with a consultant the student leaves with more sophisticated
vocabulary that accurately reflects what the session achieved but this work is ongoing.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Hydrogel Beads for Selective Interactions
with Carbonaceous Nanomaterials
Jackson Rowland
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Recent innovations in the purification of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using commercially
available hydrogel beads (Sephacryl S200) intended for size-selective protein purification has spurred interest
in the quantitative description and optimization of this process. Areas of focus have primarily been on the
nature of SWNT separation surfactant, system pH, and system temperature. Interestingly, an alternative
route to process optimization lies in studying the nature of the separation medium (hydrogel bead) itself. This
project aims to synthesize high-quality separation media tailored specifically for the isolation of preparative
scale single-chirality aliquots of SWNT. Potential applications for achievement of this goal lie in the areas of
nanoscale electronics, biological imaging schemes, and near-infrared active photovoltaics.
40
Native American Water Quality Rights
Jonah Seifer
Colorado College
The prior appropriation system of water rights that is used in the western United States does not properly
account for the diminishing quality of water as it flows towards the ocean. Native American tribes are often
disadvantaged by this dynamic, and until recently, were relatively unable to protect themselves from the
potentially hazardous discharges of upstream appropriators. Today, the Treatment as a State program
administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency is allowing tribes to seek approval of authority
to regulate the quality of water that enters their reservation. This new state of primacy over environmental
regulations can help increase water security for all users, develop critical water infrastructure for tribal
members currently without it, and promote an environmental ethic more consistent with a particular tribe’s
traditional values and practices. All of these results amount to strengthened tribal sovereignty. The Treatment
as a State program is imperfect, however, and the EPA’s implementation must be fundamentally modified to
fully recognize the congressional intent behind the Clean Water Act.
Music and the Christian Tradition
Linda Small
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The earliest accounts of music in religious practices date back to pre-historic times. I think it is quite likely that
as soon as humans could sing, they wanted to use their voice to express spiritual ity. This, of course holds true in
the Christian tradition – music has always been a part of the Christian church in many different ways throughout
its elaborate history. In my poster session I will explore rapidly shifting music traditions in the Christian Church
and compare and contrast between ancient traditions still in place and, in some cases, complete departure
into popular music forms. Beginning as a cult of Judaism, the musical traditions of Israel were the beginnings
of what would eventually become Catholic mass and then, modern contemporary worship. Music and the
Christian church, in the Western Tradition, have always been connected. They have cumulatively impacted the
cultures of history and of today and also been impacted by its broader culture. Some branches of Christianity
hold fast to traditional music in their services while others have broken with tradition almost entirely in favor of
popular sounding music—and even from church to church, the variation can be extreme.
In the early Christian church until the founding and developing of the Catholic Church, the music in the churches
were minimal hymns usually from Jewish culture. But after the founding of the Catholic Church and the institution
of orthodoxy and dogmatic practices, the mass came about. Beginning with practice of chant—most popularly
Gregorian chant—by the monks during liturgical practices. Eventually it become a broader sphere of influence
and practices including the invention and use of the organ and commissioning or employing composers with
the purpose of writing liturgical music. From then on, music in the Christian church has developed. Today, it is
made up in either traditional practices or contemporary musical practices.
Contemporary musical practices can be ascribed in two ways. Either, church leaders are seeking to reach
their congregations in a greater way by using more relatable music. Or, they are seeking to grow their church
by luring them with modern music. Whichever is truer, congregation to congregation, the reality is churches
are using popular music. Is this a new concept in the Christian church? Is this in the greater tradition of the
Christian church? The music that churches used two hundred years ago, were those popular traditions and
styles or was liturgical music separate from popular traditions? Seeking a deeper understanding of historical
and contemporary church music, this research will seek to determine the use of music in liturgical settings
historically versus the contemporary church music situation.
41
Mycorrhizal colonization in Ligusticum porteri (Apiaceae)
Brittany Smith
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The implications of worldwide wild plant harvest have reached the majority of the world’s population in that
(70-80%) are dependent on wild plants as the primary source of medicine. However, the rate of overharvesting
has threatened as many as 8% of all plant species that now face looming extinction due to the misconceptions
of biotic and abiotic conditions needed for successful cultivation of medicinal species. Throughout the study
of mycorrhizal colonization in Ligusticum porteri from multiple plots in Colorado, the evaluation of mycorrhizal
colonization and soil properties may help explain some of the difficulty in cultivation of L. porteri. Historically
used to treat respiratory ailments, Ligusticum porteri roots are in popular demand, but the tricky ability to
successfully cultivate them is another story due to the potential complications of soil components and
mycorrhizal fungi relationships. In addition to observing extensive colonization by mycorrhizal fungi among
four populations of L. porteri sampled in Colorado, we report the first observation and quantification of darkseptate endophyte fungi in L. porteri roots. Analysis of edaphic factors shows wide variation among sites in
factors important to plant growth. We conclude that establishing L. porteri in cultivation is likely not limited by
soil factors, but growing L. porteri may require inclusion of appropriate fungal symbionts.
Silk-GFP Fusion Proteins as Biosensors using Quenching of Fluorescent Resonance Energy
Transfer: Toward Fabrics for Detection of Nitroaromatic Explosives
Julian R. Thornton
United States Air Force Academy
Previous work has shown that green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) can be integrated into silk and spun into fibers
by silkworms (“Gene Targeting in the Silkworm by use of a Baculovirus”) and that GFPs can be used to detect
nitroaromatic explosives (“Fluorescent Proteins as Biosensors by Quenching Resonance Energy Transfer from
Endogenous Tryptophan; Detection of Nitroaromatic Explosives”). In this work we are examining whether or
not a solid-state fabric sensor for nitroaromatic explosives such as TNT can be make from transgenic silks.
Additionally while previous work emphasized aqueous phase detection, transgenic silks are being examined
for fluorescence quenching from vapor emitted from explosive agents. The long term goal of this research
is to produce fabrics that could be used for rapid, sensitive, visual, in situ detection of vapors emitted from
explosives for homeland and military protection.
The Difference in Elite-Athlete and Non-Elite Athlete Concussion Recovery Times
D’Angelo Turner, Jesse Chasteen, Taylor Parker, Andrew Parks and Thomas Hardison
United States Air Force Academy
Current data demonstrate that the return-to-play (RTP) timelines for non-elite athletes is substantially longer
than elite athletes. Important factors that the study considered were the expertise of the athletic training
staffs on concussions and their immediate presence when the traumatic brain injury takes place. This study for
the intercollegiate athletes (elite athletes) and intramural/club sport athletes (non-elite athletes) shows the
prevalence of concussions in both aspects of athletics
42
Contemporary daily practice of nationalism among Chinese:
Interactions between Africans and local Chinese in Guangzhou China
Rebecca Twinney, Jiumei Gao and Chandler Jacobson
Colorado College
The 19th century, China encountered the first group of European colonialists and other foreigners, therefore,
nationalism, including views on different races, started to form. In the 20th century, ideas of racial categories
and how Chinese people belong to the more superior “Yellow race” continued to develop and triggered national
pride and rebellion against colonialists. During the Mao-era, nationalism was temporarily replaced with
communism but soon came back after Mao died in 1976. In the 1980s when China opened its market, people of
the world, especially of the developing countries, were driven to China for its massive economic opportunities.
As a result, Chinese people started to practice ideas of nationalism in their daily interactions with foreigners.
This study took an ethnographic approach in order to examine the practice of nationalism in daily life among
Chinese residents in Guangzhou, which has the largest African population throughout the country. The study
included an explicit review of the historical development of China’s nationalism, along with a one-month
ethnographic field research project that utilized interviews with 22 Chinese and 14 Africans in area with higher
concentration in Guangzhou . The result shows that racism against Africans is commonly expressed among the
Chinese participants. I found that their rationale of anti-African racism mostly originates from the structure of
China’s nationalism that has been building since the 19th century.
Second Language Acquisition’s Effect on Native English Learner’s Prescriptive Writing
Benjamin Vargas
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This project involves discovering if and how second language acquisition has an effect on the native English
speaker’s perception of their control over their own language’s prescriptive grammar. Data was gathered by
interviewing the tutors of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ Language and Social Sciences Center’s
language tutors. The goal of this investigation is to open a dialogue into the further benefits of second language
acquisition in college students. By demonstrating the relationship between a strong command of a foreign
language and one’s command over their own native language, this study aims to influence college curriculum
and funding.
43
Identifying and determining the roles of functionally redundant E3 ubiquitin ligases
in C. elegans embryogenesis
Kirstin Vogel and Nancy Huang
Colorado College
The ubiquitin mediated proteolytic pathway degrades proteins in eukaryotic cells, such as regulatory proteins
that may need to be degraded in embryogenesis. There are three types of proteins involved in this pathway. In
C. elegans, there exist one ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), twenty-two ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2),
and hundreds of ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3). The E3 ubiquitin ligases are of particular interest because of
their role in substrate specificity. E3 ubiquitin ligases are also the least fully understood of these groups of
proteins. This study examines the role of 10 pairs of homologous E3 ubiquitin ligases in embryogenesis in C.
elegans. At least one gene from each pair has been shown to be expressed in the maternal germ line. Using
RNAi, the homologous gene pairs were knocked out to determine if they are functionally redundant. Embryo
development was subsequently observed in the offspring of injected worms. Nine of the homologous pairs
examined showed no significant embryonic lethality compared to control groups. This suggests that these gene
pairs aren’t essential for embryonic viability. One homologous pair of the ten examined in this study did show
embryonic lethality. This indicates that this gene pair is essential for embryonic viability. The pair was further
characterized in various GFP strains of C. elegans in order to examine at what stage of embryonic development
the embryo halted.
Slitless Spectroscopy of Geosynchronous Satellites
Dan Weisz and Anita Dunsmore
United States Air Force Academy
The technique of slitless spectroscopy is being used to analyze the spectra from geostationary satellites. The
equinox periods of the year are particularly favorable for a condition to occur called a glint, or specular reflection
off a satellite, which has been observed in the past using broadband photometry techniques. In this paper,
three seasons of glints were observed and analyzed for multiple satellites, as measured across the visible
spectrum using slitless spectroscopy techniques. It is clear from the results that the glint maximum wavelength
decreases relative to the time periods before and after the glint, and that the spectral reflectance during the
glint is less like a blackbody. This is consistent with the presumption that solar panels are the predominant
source of specular reflection. We believe that spectral measurements can be used to discern satellite features
and characteristics such as solar panel orientation and power capacity. Knowing the material composition and
the shape of a satellite would be helpful in determining what it is used for, and would thus lead to advanced
identification capabilities.
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Potential Mechanisms of Avian Influenza A Virus Persistence As A Contributing
Factor To Human Adaptation
John M. White
United States Air Force Academy
Proteolytic cleavage activation of influenza virus hemagglutinin is required for cell entry via receptor-mediated
endocytosis. Despite numerous studies describing bacterial protease-mediated influenza A viral activation
in humans, very little is known about the role of intestinal bacterial flora of birds in hemagglutinin cleavage/
activation. This study seeks to isolate, identify, and characterize the bacterial proteases responsible for viral
activation/inactivation through proper cleavage of hemagglutinin, which is necessary in causing influenza
infection. These activities may reflect ecological and host environments in which influenza A viruses persist
and may be a contributing factor in the ability of new viruses to transmit or to adapt to new species, including
humans. A thorough understanding of protease found in natural sites of infection is necessary to derive insight
into mechanisms of pathogenicity, mechanisms of perpetuation, and ease of cross-species transmissibility.
45
UC 116A
ORAL SESSION 2
La Vida de . . . en Expañol
La Vida de Lazarillo de Tormes, sus Fortunas y Adversidades
Kimberly Soltero
United States Air Force Academy
NOTE: THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH
The objective of this essay is to analyze Lazarillo as an anti-hero in the didactic “Tratado primero” in La Vida
de Lazarillo de Tormes. In this picaresque novel, Lazarillo de Tormes is a hero that is represented as a person
of low social status in a corrupted society—an anti-hero. The difference between a hero and an anti-hero is
that a hero is brave, prudent, and strong; in comparison, an antihero is underdeveloped. Through his various
experiences with his evil blind master, Lazarillo acquires many lessons learned. In evaluating his experiences,
the characteristics of an anti-hero are illustrated. Through the scope of Lazarillo’s actions, consequences and
clever tactics employed, the essay reveals the moral weakness of an anti-hearo and simultaneously discovers
how Lazarillo de Tormes develops during the first chapter of the novel.
Mariano José de Larra and Romanticism in Spain
Alexis Toro
United States Air Force Academy
NOTE: THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH
Romanticism is one of the most recognized movements in Spanish literature of the 19th century. The writings
of Mariano José de Larra contribute to romanticism, and the development of this movement in Spain. His
life and works enabled him to be one of the most famous writers of his time. The themes of suffering and
unreciprocated love are prevalent in much of Larra’s work as he experienced these feelings in his own life.
Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to do an analysis of the writer’s life and literary works.
El romanticismo es uno de los movimientos más conocidos en la literatura española en el siglo XIX. Las
obras de Mariano José de Larra han contribuido al romanticismo y el desarrollo del movimiento en España. La
vida trágica de Mariano José de Larra, y sus obras contribuyen al éxito del escritor en el mundo de la literatura
española. Los temas de sufrimiento y de amor no correspondido son prevalentes en las obras de Larra; él sintió
los mismos sentimientos en su vida. La vida y algunas de las obras literarias de Mariano José de Larra van a ser
examinadas en este ensayo.
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Corrupção em Brasil: Problema Político ou Problema de Cultura?
Corruption in Brazil: A problem of Politics or Culture?
Alejandro Rodriguez
Department of Political Science and Department of Foreign Languages
NOTE: THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH
Presently, a corruption investigation that started in Brazil’s state-run oil company Petrobras is threatening
the Presidency of Dilma Rousseff, at the same time an abrupt reverse in the country’s economic boom
jeopardizes Brazil’s plan for long-term economic development. The rise and electoral success of the Workers’
Party (Portuguese: Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT), a center-left political party that governs at the federal
level, has greatly affected the corruption scandals in Brazil. In 2005 important members of the government
of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were prosecuted for buying votes of parliamentarians in the National
Congress of Brazil. These major corruption scandals created hardships for PT as Dilma Rousseff is now facing
an impeachment process. Our work aimed to understand whether corruption that flourished during fifteen
years of PT’s government is rooted in centuries-old Brazilian culture or is it a trait developed by a party that
fought hard against incumbents before finally ascending to power in the country? Corruption in South America
can be dated back to trading among European powers and possessions in the New World, which created a
cultural norm, which fosters corruption even in present day Brazil. Our work locates the origins of Brazilian
corruption in political problems but also in cultural norms, which have exacerbated Brazil’s current political and
economic failures.
UC 116 B
UC 116B
Considerations of Strategy and Cost
Government Whistleblowers and Their First Amendment Protection
From The Espionage Act
Joseph Esswein
United States Air Force Academy
A fundamental value of American democracy has always encapsulated the idea that more speech is better
especially in regards to political speech. This political speech that is so vigorously protected in the United States
allows the American populace to chart their political, social and economic trajectory to where they see fit.
Despite the value of speech in society, government employees are not able to contribute their full knowledge
to the marketplace of ideas due to statutory constraints enacted to ensure the national security of the United
States. In essence, government employees who possess knowledge that would be beneficial to the robust
debate on matters of public concern are unable to contribute classified information due to legislative acts.
By examining constitutional jurisprudence, many of these acts, such as the Espionage Act, are shown to be
burdensome. However, when synthesizing First Amendment case law, a test emerges allowing government
employees to disclose classified information to the public under limited circumstances.
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The Shared Economy
Trinity Parker
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Why would anyone, take on any job, for less than a living wage? With housing costs rising dramatically faster
than anyone’s pay is increasing, this question is one that many in my generation are asking themselves. When
attempting to figure out how to make ends meet, many are forced to take on student loans (which even with
a degree, there is no promise of a career that will allow for enough room in anyone’s budget to effectively pay
back), and credit card debt.
Some, such as myself, refuse to pay for anything, they cannot pay cash for. Which poses the question, how does
anyone make a living wage these days? Especially in the city of Colorado Springs, where if you are not in the
military, chances are the only entry level options you have are a call center or the service industry.
In trying to answer this question, many people have found creative ways to skip over major corporations to offer
services on a more personal level. The Shared Economy is the result of these critical problem solving skills.
The premise is that people can share human and physical resources, without such a large percentage of their
efforts going to a middle man.
From industrious housekeepers managing all of their own clients. To Uber drivers and Air B and B hosts, there
are ample examples of how this is effectively being accomplished. Of course there are inherent risks that come
with being your own boss, and interacting with strangers outside of a professional setting.
This presentation will dive into how it is possible to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, without any student
loans. A prospect that will interest in engage any audience.
Retail Loyalty Program Email Frequency Optimization
Jacob Lindell, Luke Brantley, Alexander Hansen and Patrick Mackintosh
United States Air Force Academy
Sports Authority is the 6th largest sporting goods retailer in the US and receives nearly $350 million in email
driven revenue. In order to gain market share, their email marketing campaign must be optimized. The purpose
of this analysis is to define the relationship between the rate of emails sent and the amount of emails accessed.
This analysis is accomplished by fitting a regression to emails sent and finding the optimal value to maximize
emails viewed while accounting for the number of members who unsubscribe. The findings show that Sports
Authority can use these methods to improve sales.
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A Fight For Influence: A Comparison of the United States’
and China’s Strategies to Obtain Influence
Nicholas Liu
United States Air Force Academy
In 2011, the United States (U.S.) “declared a rebalance to the Asia-Pacific” with the intent to withdraw from the
Middle East and reestablish a presence in the Asia-Pacific. However, this rebalance occurred at a time in which
the newly appointed president of China, Xi Jinping, called for the “national revival” of the Chinese nation. The
“China Dream” espoused by President Xi had nationalistic overtones, aiming to assert China’s rightful place
on the world stage. These two strategic visions by the U.S. and China have led scholars to believe that conflict
between the U.S. and China is inevitable and zero-sum. The idea of inevitable military conflict has manifested
itself through both existing and new flashpoints: the question of Taiwan, the status of the Senkaku/Diaoyu
Islands, and island building in the South China Sea.
However, because the cost of outright conflict between the U.S. and China is high and difficult to control for both
sides, both nations are taking actions to increase their power and influence vis-à-vis the other. These actions
include both military and non-military actions designed to increase their nation’s standing in the international
sphere, while simultaneously discrediting the efforts of the other side to gain influence.
The current lack of “hard” conflict between these two countries raises an interesting question: what is each
country doing in order to enhance their influence vis-à-vis the other? How does each country’s strategy to
obtain greater influence in the world work against each other? The question necessarily follows: How do the
United States’ and China’s respective strategies to obtain influence interact with each other, and how can the
United States improve its capability to obtain greater influence vis-à-vis China?
In my research, I seek to analyze each’s influence strategy using the “ends, ways, means” framework, and provide
policy implications for both sides. I am using an interdisciplinary approach that includes history, culture, and
government structure.
UC 122
UC 122
Considerations of Violence and Equality
Using Social Entrepreneurship
to Counter the Recruiting Efforts of Terrorist Organizations
Nick Bode and George Frank
United States Air Force Academy
Terrorist organizations have become quite savvy in their recruitment of members to carry out their endeavors.
Statistics suggest that thousands of children and young adults pledge their allegiance to these organizations
each month as a result of recruitment tactics. This study reviewed the existing literature on terrorists’ tactics to
exploit impoverished communities, the use of social media to lure members into their ranks, and the financing
of recruitment through organized crime. We explore social entrepreneurship as a possible solution to counter
terrorists’ recruitment while identifying potential challenges and risks facing entrepreneurs in the effort to
overcome such violence.
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Violence & Elegance: Conquered Women of Antiquity
Heather Poll
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This paper seeks to explain the difference at Aphrodisias, Turkey, between sculpture in relief and in the
round inside the 1st century C.E. temple to the ancient Roman Emperors. Sexual violence toward female
personifications of Roman provinces characterizes the reliefs, while the sculpture in the round depicts peaceful
and unmolested personifications. Perhaps the provinces in relief are treated harshly simply because they were
more recently conquered than those in the round. However, I propose a nuanced view in which the former are
abused because they represent “barbarians,” while the latter are not because they depict “civilized” peoples of
Greek descent.
Sense of Belonging Among Culturally Diverse Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy
Javaughn Baltrip, Stephanie Bossert and Lucas Brown
United States Air Force Academy
Sense of belonging is a crucial component to students’ persistence and success in college. However, at the
United States Air Force Academy this can be hard to foster due to unique stressors and a challenging experience,
despite efforts from staff to enhance commitment for cadets. Furthermore, culturally diverse cadets feel
more isolated due to a loss of cultural identity in a predominantly white institution. In addition, low sense of
belonging can be compounded by bias, discrimination and exclusion. This study found that the majority of
culturally diverse cadet participants disagreed to feeling like a real part of the Air Force Academy. Culturally
diverse participants also experienced written and verbal discrimination more than majority, Caucasian cadets.
Regardless of racial identity, the majority of participants agreed that they sympathize with others who are
discriminated against due to their race. However, the study yielded differences regarding cadets’ satisfaction
with the racial climate at USAFA, contingent on one’s racial/ethnic identity. This study not only analyzes sense
of belonging among cadets, but also the perception of equality and belongingness from the majority and
minority perspectives.
UC 303
UC 303
Applied Mathematics Technology
Field Programmable Gate Array Bootloader
Daniel Eichman
United States Air Force Academy
The limiting factor for high resolution satellite pictures has always been the size of the lens. Falcon Sat 7 is a
small imagery cube satellite with a folding deployable membrane optic; this allows a 20 cm diameter lens to
be launched in a 10 cm satellite. The satellite has two cameras; operation of these cameras requires different
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configuration files to be loaded onto a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) camera controller. A FPGA
bootloader was designed to write configuration files from memory onto the Internal System Flash. This allows
the FPGA to be reconfigured on orbit and operate different programs.
A Radical Excursion
Benjamin Griffith
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
A real number r is said to be rational if r=a/b for some integers a and b with b not equal to zero. Real numbers
which cannot be so expressed are called irrational. Many irrational numbers have been known for decades,
even millennia. For example, the irrationality of the square root of two was known to the Pythagoreans
thousands of years ago. Assuming basic algebraic properties of the integers, we prove that a great many roots
of positive whole numbers are irrational. We then, time-permitting, explain how one might translate the notion
of irrationality to a more abstract algebraic realm.
Radio Frequency Search Path
Soren Christensen, Mitchell Melville, Sarah Neumann and Quinn Stank
United States Air Force Academy
The United States strives to develop cutting edge technology and minimize deficiencies. Because of GPS’s
limitations, the Department of Defense is working with the Department of Energy to develop independent
geolocation assets. To meet this need, two search path algorithms were developed to locate a source signal
in a simulated environment. The algorithms were based off two separate methods: a gradient search and an
interdisciplinary application based on glider thermalling techniques. This study examines the efficacy of these
routing algorithms based on live flight testing.
UC 307
UC 307
Contradictions & Improvisation
Re-Constructing the Canon:
Improvisation and the Identifying the Idiomatic Features of the Jazz French Horn
Abram Mamet
Colorado College
Since there has never been any This paper offers original insights into the extensive research on the musical
idioms of improvising under-considered genre of the jazz French horn, analyzing the players, I transcribed
various improvised jazz solos on the French horn to determine the features of certain musicians’ playing. I focus
on three horn of players: Willie Ruff, David Amram, and Julius Watkins. I , and discuss their history with the horn
as well as analyze their individual playingperformance by looking at eighteen . I transcriptions of improvised
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all solos— that appear in the paper, of which there are 18, 6 six per player. From these transcriptions I derive
general idiomatic features for each musician, uncovering the unique approach to jazz that each musician takes.
I used accepted jazz analysis, sOver the course of the paper, I also summarize a history of the French horn in jazz
as well as the existing literature on the subjectwork that has been done on the jazz French horn in my review of
literature. The rest of my research includes a background of modern theories of musicology, based on the work
of Joseph Kerman, and extending to jazz through the work of Scott Deveaux.
Contradicting the Ideal American Life: Social Woes in Modernist Literature
Travis Foote
United States Air Force Academy
There is no shortage of war, hardship, and emotional pain in literature, and we find that society has responded
favorably to novels that deal in terms of addressing the sometimes-cruel nature of humanity. Whether it is in
the form truth seeking in Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg Ohio, or a youthful recognition of death in Ernest
Hemingway’s In Our Time, a sense of awareness of the dark societal challenges modernist authors’ characters
experienced offered a connection to audiences that revolutionized the way American fiction was received. These
works by early Modernist authors changed the way readers engaged texts, desensitizing them to accepting and
internalizing tragedy. By normalizing an alienated and tragic social environment, these authors paved the way
for writers to address the social evils they hope to expose in their fiction. Modernists wrote using a new style
and form that exposed some of the worst humankind had to offer. Their efforts unleashed a new era in literary
production.
Geoffrey’s King Arthur
Rose Kutsch
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
King Arthur is one of the worlds cultural icons. It all began with an academic in the early twelfth century.
Geoffrey of Monmouth kick started the Arthurian saga with his book Historia Regum Britanniae. Every version
of the King Arthur story stems from Geoffrey’s creation. How did Geoffrey of Monmouth create Arthur? Was he
pulling from real sources? Did he make up the whole thing? Or is it somewhere in between? Looking at all the
pre-Galfridian I am searching for Geoffrey’s Arthur.
52
A Simulation Approach for Medical Manufacturing Process Improvement
Jazmin Furtado, Taiylar Mastey and Sara Menke
United States Air Force Academy
CEA Medical Manufacturing has an error-prone paperwork system to track jobs through their assembly
process, causing lost time and money. The project team analyzed the company’s production process to find
areas of improvement. Through statistical analyses of data provided by CEA, the team established baseline
averages of 91.4 jobs/month and 1.3 discrepancies/job. By simulating the manufacturing process, the team
analyzed error locations and determined which changes decreased total discrepancies. Using insights from
the simulation, the team coordinated with CEA management to implement a quality assurance monitor and
increase the amount of initial training employees receive, saving CEA time and money.
UC 309
UC 309
Engineering Solutions
Process Thinking in Small Technical Systems: Application of Process Development and
Improvement Tools to the Engineering of a Personal Cooling System for Quadriplegics.
Andrew LeValley
United States Air Force Academy
Value-based software engineering practices are commonly associated with the optimization of processes
in software engineering. These techniques can be applied to the engineering of a personal cooling system’s
(PCS) creation, tailoring, and integration. This is conducted through the analysis of the various aspects of
system creation, tailoring, and integration, how it relates to process improvement, and the application of these
common process improvement tools. The creation of a PCS for quadriplegics is used to highlight and evaluate
the effectiveness of this process mind-set and the applicability of the domain’s related tools on this and other
small technical systems’ development. This leads to the development of a process that aids in the efficient
development of small technical systems and a model for measuring this process’s effects. The motivation
for this research is driven by three observations. First, there is little current research that addresses this idea
of thinking of small technical systems development as a process that can be optimized and aided by process
improvement tools. Second, there appears to be a gap in well-defined value based engineering literature that is
tailored to aid in the process of creating, tailoring, and integrating small technical systems. Finally, there is little
research on the practical effect of these models with regard to small technical system creation, integration
and tailoring. This research will introduce a new way of thinking about small technical systems and test the
feasibility of optimization and improvement tools on their development process.
53
Heat Treatment Optimization and Fabrication Of 440C Knife
Jacob Gill
United States Air Force Academy
This research focused on optimizing the austenitization temperature for the heat treatment of a 440C
stainless steel knife blade. The work done also examined the effect of a liquid nitrogen soak on the properties
and microstructure of 440C, in addition to tracking the associated microstructural changes that accompany
the heat treatment process. The results from this research will be presented along with methods utilized to
fabricate the knife.
Two Line Element Set Generation from Small Satellite GPS Telemetry
Caroline Bates
United States Air Force Academy
For many space research experiments, it is important principal investigators and ground analysts know the
satellite’s position and trajectory. In fact, more aggressive experiments require more accurate knowledge,
especially those reliant on frequently required translational maneuvers from thruster firings, often needing
this data after every firing. This is challenging and time consuming in the current context as publicly available
knowledge parameters (e.g. NORAD Two Line Element Sets (TLEs)) are only updated weekly and with limited
precision. With the advent of accurate satellite GPS receivers, on-board position and velocity measurements
are increasingly more accurate. As is often the case for low-cost small satellites, this on-board knowledge
accuracy far exceeds that of the aforementioned publicly available TLEs. However, since several ground
systems still rely on the TLE format for mission planning, analysis, and other automated functions, it is critical
operators have precise TLEs.
To this end, this work presents, implements, and evaluates an algorithm for converting archived onboard
GPS telemetry to TLE format. More specifically, TLEs were generated by reading archived satellite ephemeris
(position and velocity vector components plus time) data and then converting these quantities into TLEs via
the proposed algorithm. The resulting TLEs were then propagated in time, converted back to position and
velocity vector components, and compared to equivalent GPS-based ephemeris at the new times. A Batch
Least Squares process was used to quantify the resulting error. This error then was assessed to determine the
proposed algorithm’s utility, potential error sources, and future mitigation strategies for further refinement.
This work then enables future low-cost small satellite missions to optimize position and trajectory knowledge
into the next millennium.
54
Development of a MicroMouse Robotics Platform
Kevin Cabusora, Casen Askew, Dominic Celiano, Lance Torres
United States Air Force Academy
MicroMouse is a competitive robotics event that began in the 1970s. The event requires that an autonomous
robot, called a MicroMouse, finds its way from a predetermined starting location to the center of a maze made
up of a 16 by 16 grid of cells. Competitions are held multiple times a year both nationally and internationally, as
teams strive to have the fastest MicroMouse possible. Participants from the US Air Force Academy Electrical
and Computer Engineering Robotics Club developed a custom robotics solution to solve this task. The robot
incorporates an array of sensors, stepper motors, and a custom-designed, 3d-printed chassis. They also
implemented an efficient search algorithm for navigating through the maze.
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Poster Session 2
Berger Hall
Assessing the Efficacy of Group-Oriented Learning in Collegiate-Level Work
Colby Albrandt and Sloan Bousselaire
Colorado College
The purpose of this study is to examine the benefits and drawbacks of group-oriented learning in various
academic disciplines within undergraduate study. Of particular interest are the aspects of successful and
unsuccessful group learning in a multidisciplinary context. Self-assessments of group work, academic standing,
and the benefits and drawbacks of group work will be acquired from students via an anonymous survey posted
on social media. Interviews with professors and consultation with current academic research will supplement
our findings about group work from the educators’ perspective. This research has implications for education
in general and for the social cohesion of society. Finding ways to maximize learning and facilitate new skills in
students represent critical goals for educators in preparing future leaders and members of our society.
Composing Music in the Age of Information
Joshua Aldrich
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This project examines the process of composing music with music technology across three separate fields
in the arts: film, theater, and dance. Music technologies that can be utilized in the home studio not only have
a global reach but are also applied across almost all arts, media and mediums. The first area of research
will look at localized fieldwork and the impact that consumer music technologies have had on local artists,
while the second area of research provides examples of large media groups utilizing the same technologies
to create worldwide networks of creative-class workers. By examining these areas, it is revealed that the arts
are not only viable career choices in the still blossoming Information Age, but they are also thriving in an era of
recession and uncertainty.
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JSF Physiological Monitoring
Thomas Allen, Isaac Eilts and Frank Montes De Oca
United States Air Force Academy
In the current Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), there are countless sensors that collect data about the aircraft and
aircraft performance. There is currently a lack of physiological monitoring systems on the pilots who are flying
these aircraft. In fact, many aircraft mishaps can be avoided with the right implementation of said monitoring
systems. Our research has given us a way to implement a Dynasense cerebral oximeter sensor on the pilot
and display that information to him or her. This sensor collects data on the pilot’s regional oxygen saturation
in the prefrontal cortex. This information is relevant because it allows doctors to collect the data to see where
pilots are under the highest workload or in danger of gravity induced loss of conscientiousness (GLOC) and
then engineers will know which phases of flight to integrate different levels of adaptive automation for the
pilot. After we collected baseline measures to determine if we integrated the sensor properly in the Gentex
HGU 55 P, we had participants hold their breath for 20 seconds to detect a change in the regional oxygen
saturation. The significant decline in the level of oxygen in the prefrontal cortex allowed us to further confirm
that we integrated the sensor properly. This research is important because while modern aircraft have dozens
of sensors and information regarding aircraft performance and capabilities, we are still limited in providing real
time feedback on pilot physiology during flight. Through our helmet design we hope to accomplish two of the
three human factors goals which are to increase pilot performance and increase safety.
Drosophila Reproductive Tract Incompatibilities
Holly Anderson
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Speciation is a phenomenon that occurs when two populations can no longer interbreed as a result of the
accumulation of reproductive isolating barriers. The molecular basis behind post-mating prezygotic (PMPZ)
reproductive isolating barriers is not well known but appears to be a major contributing factor in the divergence
process. My project focuses on two species of recently diverged fruit flies, Drosophila mojavensis and D.
arizonae, which exhibit strong PMPZ isolation. Previous research has identified four male genes that are strong
candidates for involvement in PMPZ reproductive incompatibilities, including the gene GI11629. The primary
goal of my experiment is to test the functional role of GI11629 in fertility and incompatibilities between species
using the Crispr/Cas9 genome editing system to create knockout lines and transgenic flies.
57
Correlates of Post-Deployment Problems
Among Deployed Military Mental Health Personnel
Ryann Anderson and Cara Renaud
United States Air Force Academy
For deployed military personnel exposure to traumatic events may occur either directly or indirectly and
increases the likelihood of post-deployment problems. Therefore, consistent with other studies, we expected
combat exposure to be positively related to poor post-deployment outcomes and perceptions of difficulties
during deployment for Military Mental Health Personnel (MMHP). Additionally, we expected that perceptions
of traumatic experiences will be more predictive than combat exposure alone in relation to poor postdeployment outcomes. The present study assessed the relationship between combat exposure, perceptions
of trauma and post-deployment problems for 133 MMHP. The current cross-sectional, retrospective study
utilized a convenience sample of Air Force (AF) MMHP recruited via e-mail from a list of personnel who had
deployed on or after 1 January 2004 and were still on active duty in August 2010. Four types of deployment
outcomes were specified from the set of items focused on levels of functioning after return from deployment
(i.e., sleep difficulties, interpersonal difficulties, work difficulties, and depressive symptoms). A statistically
significant positive relation was found between combat exposure and sleep difficulties as well as interpersonal
difficulties. However, perception of traumatic experience independently predicts sleep difficulties, interpersonal
difficulties, work difficulties, and depressive symptoms better than combat exposure alone. These findings are
consistent with the existing literature and suggest that perceptions of trauma exposure may better predict
poor post-deployment outcomes for MMHP.
The Chemistry and Culture of Food in Thailand
Toren Andrewson
Colorado College
Food is an integral outlet to understand culture, and yet also a product of the physical and chemical realities of
our world. With the help of Venture Grant funding, I travelled Thailand during the summer of 2015 to examine
the link between these two ideas. The dishes of Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, and Bangkok all express unique aspects
related to their locale, while their chemical properties reveal the similarities between national dishes. Khao Soi,
Sukhothai Noodles, and Pad Thai are thus examined through the lens of alkalinity, spice, and fermentation.
58
Introvert versus Extrovert Writers
Kellie Arroyo
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The purpose of this research is to identify different environments that college students find successful when
writing academic papers. This research will focus primarily on introverts and extroverts writings specifically.
At the end of this study students will be well informed on the different types of environments that introverts
find successful to write in, and what type of environments extroverts find successful. Most students know
where they write best, but it’s not always easy for introverts and extroverts, and this research will address
the limitations that they have. The research will reflect what writing environment introverts prefer, and what
environment extroverts prefer. In the end this research will help students in the future successfully decide on
what type of environment to write in based on whether they are an introvert or extrovert.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Stock Returns
Matthew Beamer and Sam Pearce
United States Air Force Academy
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been and continues to be a hot topic in today’s business and investment
world. In the past, the general consensus has been that aligning corporate socially responsible principles has led
to decreased profits. Because CSR has survived, become a more mainstream business practice, and become
more well-defined in the past decade, we analyze the returns to shareholders in CSR firms. Specifically, in this
study, we take a quantitative approach to assess whether a firm’s CSR tendencies promote increased stock
return and shareholder value in addition to the social value this management philosophy generates.
Modeling Stimulated Thermal Rayleigh scattering in Fiber Amplifiers
Jackson Bell
United States Air Force Academy
Currently, the effectiveness of high powered fiber lasers is inhibited by several factors, one of which is
stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering (STRS). STRS occurs when the laser heats up the material through
which it is traveling, changing its refractive index. The difficulty of this problem is compounded by the fact
that the changing refractive index again changes the temperature of the fiber, creating a feedback loop of
changing properties which makes the output of the laser unpredictable. First we created a new model for the
approximation of stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering. Using this new method we calculate the propagation
of the entire field down the fiber. By propagating the entire field, we significantly increase the accuracy of the
STRS model by reducing the number of assumptions required. The second step of our research tests new fiber
designs to see if they help reduce the effect of STRS. This report summarizes the methods used to develop this
new modelling technique, the theory behind it, and its effectiveness.
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Imaging receptor clustering and membrane curvature using polarized TIRF microscopy
Justin Bendesky,
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
We studied cell membrane curvature using polarized-excitation total internal fluorescence microscopy (P-TIRF).
This method allows us to noninvasively evaluate vertically oriented membrane curvature, a phenomenon
which may be related to receptor signaling. To do this we labeled rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells
labeled with fluorescent Immunoglobulin E (IgE-488) and an oriented fluorescent membrane stain (diI). We
imaged cells grown on coverslips, and also those that settled onto supported lipid bilayers, which mimic cellcell contacts. IgE receptor (FceRI) clustering was observed with P-TIRF microscopy using laser excitation at
488 nm and 561 nm for IgE-488 and diI, respectively. Data was collected in the form of images using two
different excitation polarizations and analyzed using ImageJ. The data illustrated that within receptor patches
the relative membrane curvature was very high. We are currently investigating the relationship between areas
of the membrane with high curvature and cellular activity such as IgE receptor-mediated degranulation.
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Sucralose
Jexenia M. Bennett
United States Air Force Academy
Artificial sweeteners such as Equal and Splenda contain sucralose, a tri-chlorinated derivative of
sucrose that is not metabolized in the human gut. Like other non-metabolized xenobiotics, this
has led to accumulation of sucralose in sewage effluents. Current research suggests that more than 90%
of sucralose is undigested and that it has no toxic effects when studied in standard eco-toxicity tests, even
when tested at concentrations exponentially higher than are currently present in the environment. However, in
nonstandard testing it has shown to have behavioural and neurological effects on non-target species and some
have suggested a link to neurodegenerative defects. Despite numerous publications discussing the stability of
sucralose, some portion of it is apparently hydrolysed. In preliminary work using common probiotic enzymes
up to 40% of sucralose was hydrolysed. In this work we are investigating the relative ability of the individual
enzymes to catalyse sucralose hydrolysis as well as the properties and toxicity of the chlorogalactose and
dichlorofructose products of metabolism.
Snowpack as predictor to vegetation in Colorado
Robert Bishop and Courtney Deckenback
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The state of Colorado is classified as a semi-arid climate meaning that it is an area where potential
evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation. Snowpack in high elevations is primarily responsible for supplying
moisture to the lower elevation regions of the state. Vegetation cover in Colorado’s river basins is essential
to retaining as much moisture from winter snowpack as possible. This work uses Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index (NDVI) images from the MODIS TERRA satellite sensor to measure spring vegetation cover
for the years of 2002 and 2014, across the state of Colorado. These years were selected as the represent years
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with unusually high and low (respectively) precipitation. Snowpack data has been gathered and compiled for
the 2002 and 2014 winter seasons. The purpose of this research is to look at the relationship between winter
snowpack and spring vegetation cover in Colorado’s river basins.
The Difference in Male and Female Concussion Recovery Times
Alyssa Bollig, Kristen Chapman, and Chloe Forlini
United States Air Force Academy
In this study the difference in the return-to-play (RTP) time between males and females were examined through
baseline neurocognitive and post-concussion performance tests. Females were found to display a significantly
longer RTP time than males. The mean female RTP time was 41.28 days (SE = 3.15) while the mean male RTP
time was 27.09 days (SE = 1.52).
Influence of pulse wave reflection upon cerebral pulsatility during acute sympathetic
activation: preliminary findings
Anastasia Borner
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Aortic pulse wave reflection indicates left ventricular afterload, predicts cardiovascular events and increases
with activation of the sympathetic nervous system. In contrast to this deleterious impact upon the heart,
aortic pulse wave reflection has also been hypothesized to dampen pulsatile force transmitted into the end
organ. The aim of this this study is to simultaneously examine cerebral pulsatility and aortic pulse wave
reflection during sympathetic activation and test the hypothesis that increased aortic pulse wave reflection is
accompanied by reduced end organ pulsatility. Nine participants (32±12yrs; 174±10cm; 78±15kg) completed
a cold pressor test (CPT) wherein the left hand was immersed in 2-4°C water for 3 minutes. Blood pressure
(mean arterial pressure; MAP) and pulse wave reflection (radial tonometry) were measured throughout. Pulse
wave reflection was referenced to a heart rate of 75 bpm (augmentation index; AIx75). Middle cerebral artery
blood velocity (MCAv) was measured using transcranial Doppler and pulsatility index (MCAPI) calculated
using Goslings pulsatility index (systolic MCAv – Diastolic MCAv/ mean MCAv). Prior to CPT the baseline MAP
(87±11mmHg), AIx75 (-3±19%) and MCAPI (0.76±0.09) were measured. At the end of the CPT both MAP
(103±7mmHg) and AIx75 (15±14%) increased while MCAPI was reduced (0.63±0.05) relative to baseline
(all P < 0.01). Elevations in sympathetic activation caused acute increases in blood pressure and aortic pulse
wave reflection which were associated with decreased cerebral pulsatility. These preliminary data suggest that
an increased reflection of the aortic pressure wave may dampen excessive pulsatile force being transmitted
into the end organ.
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Hydrothermal Corrosion of Uranium Nitride Fuels
Thomas Braine
Colorado College
Uranium mononitride (UN) has been identified as a possible accident tolerant fuel in nuclear reactors based
on its high uranium density, thermal conductivity and low fission-gas release. Pure UN samples have been
shown in studies to react with water at the operating temperatures of light water reactors, which make up the
majority of reactors in the United States. Composite UN-UO2 fuels might be optimized for corrosion resistance
in these conditions. An autoclave was re-engineered for work with radioactive materials by creating safeguards
to prevent radioactive material release. UN was prepared from elemental uranium using a hydride-dehydridenitride thermal synthesis prior to mixing with up to 10 wt% UO2. The synthesis was showed to produce phase
pure UN, with minimal carbon impurities that could possibly compromise its corrosion resistance. UN-UO2
composites will be tested by placing samples in the water-filled autoclave at 320°C and approximately 9 MPa.
Pellets will be characterized for weight change, surface hydration, and grain boundary deterioration using a
sensitive digital balance, optical microscopy and electron microscopy. Corrosion products will be identified
using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The amount of leached uranium in solution is
measured using inductive coupled plasma mass spectroscopy.
Vibrotactile Cues
Miranda Bray, JP Read and Corey Stader
United States Air Force Academy
This study was performed in order to find how vibrotactile feedback could help Special Forces and Air Liaison
Officers with identifying aircraft type, aircraft position, and rate of approach. These advanced military operators
are bombarded with information when in the field from audio and visual cues, therefore this project sought
to capitalize on Multiple Resource Theory and present important information via haptic senses. A simple
vibrotactile belt provides operators with an extra channel of information reception, allowing them to focus
more on each of the other forms of stimuli they are receiving. A vibrotactile belt was used to identify the type
of approaching aircraft by devising a simple code that distinguished between the four potential approaching
aircraft. The belt then aided the participant in locating the aircraft. The location was indicated by vibrating
the tactors around the belt in the cardinal directions N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, and SW. The rate of approach was
signaled with different frequencies of vibration and the minimum detectable difference in vibration rates was
analyzed. The response time, accuracy of signal detection, and responses from a SAGAT questionnaire were
gathered from the participants in order to measure the efficiency of the vibrotactile belt. The participants were
subjected to high workloads and stress to simulate the operational environment. They not only responded
to the vibrotactile cues, but were also responsible for internalizing visual and audio information as well. We
believe that this study will lead the way to future research in exploiting extra resources in order to increase
performance in the field. The work done in this study with the vibrotactile belt will allow future research to
be done with this equipment and refinement of the concept of haptic cues to identify aircraft type, aircraft
position, and rate of approach.
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Writing Across Disciplines:
A Study of the Differences Between the Prose of English, Business, and Health Sciences Majors
Estelle Brock and Zoe Martinez
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
As third and fourth year English majors, we’ve noticed differences in the writing styles, methods, and levels
amongst undergraduate college students studying various disciplines. This study seeks to explain why these
differences exist and whether or not a gap is prevalent between English majors and Business and Health Sciences
majors in regards to writing. Through a series of interviews with undergraduate students and professors from
these three disciplines as well as further research, we explain what differences in writing within these majors
exist. Once these differences are noted, we work to understand why these differences exist, if there is a gap
between the levels of writing in each major, and, if a gap exists, what steps students and professors can take
in order to narrow it.
Optimizing Running using Biofeedback
Danny Brown, Mitchell Boh and Mary Clare Curtin
United States Air Force Academy
Being aware of one’s body is more of a guessing game than an exact science. One can “feel” tired or dehydrated,
but not know the limits of their body, or their exact heart rate or respiration rate. The group is changing this
status quo by incorporating biofeedback into physical exercise for special operations Airman. The goal of the
study was to determine the optimal run intensity that will lead to the most efficient oxygen consumption and
the fastest 1.5 mile run time. In order to do this, a biofeedback system is required to give output to the user.
Since humans are unaware of their exact biometrics whilst running, this biofeedback system helped the user
get in sync with his or her body. If the user was overexerting or under exerting, the Zephyr biofeedback system
rendered adjustments to allow the user to maximize their 1.5 mile time. Participants were selected from the
population of cadets at the United States Air Force Academy in order to reflect approximately a 70/30 male to
female ratio. A VO2max run test was conducted at the Human Performance Lab in order to establish a baseline
for subjects. Following the baseline subjects underwent a 1.5 mile run test using the Zephyr biofeedback system
that was relayed to a Polaris watch. After at least 72 hours of rest subjects were tested again on the 1.5 mile
run test without biofeedback as a control. The data showed that biofeedback significantly decreased overall
run times versus a control group regardless of initial VO2max. Ultimately, the research will be a catalyst to
implement new biofeedback systems in order to train the deadliest generation of special operations Airman.
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The Role of GI23009 in the fertility/PMPZ of D arizonae and D mojavensis
Shane Carrion
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Reproductive isolating barriers result in biological speciation, where a species is defined as a population whose
members can successfully interbreed but are unable to do so with another species. PMPZ (post-mating
prezygotic isolation) barriers occur when fertilization success is reduced following copulation. This may result,
for example, from the inability of sperm to navigate the female reproductive system or failed sperm storage
amongst other causes. The fruit flies D mojavensis and D arizonae are an example of recently diverged species
and as such could allow us insight into the process of how the isolating genetic traits accumulate. Recent
research has identified a set of male candidate genes that may be involved in PMPZ isolation including the
gene GI23009. We intend to use CRISPR-Cas9, a genetic manipulation technique, to test the role of GI23009
in fertility.
S.T.E.A.M. Powered Scholars
Alim Sabrina Craig
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Studies have shown that students, particularly those from disadvantaged populations, who are actively
engaged in art will perform better in science and writing and are more likely to aspire to attend college. This is
no surprise given the strong connection between creativity and innovation. There are now efforts to make this
connection more transparent, as demonstrated with the STEM to STEAM initiative that promotes the addition
of art to the curriculum of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Our project will use an artistic approach
to promote a deeper appreciation and understanding of science among students from disparate academic
disciplines. Specifically, faculty and students from a variety of disciplines will participate in a project using
microscopic imagery to create a two or three-dimensional art piece. Students can employ various media to
manipulate, alter, or represent their inspiration. Art students will be exposed to the laboratory and the unique
world view the microscope offers, while biology students will have an opportunity to employ the creative
process. This project represents an interdisciplinary approach that merges the artistic and scientific processes
in order to enhance the educational experience of students from disparate academic disciplines.
Theory of Gravitational Time Dilation
Armand Dominguez and Emiliano Morales
Colorado College
Our presentation will focus on the theory of gravitational time dilation and a discussion of our predictions
for our experiment. We will begin by briefly discussing the development of general relativity and derive the
gravitational redshift factor from the Schwartzschild Metric. We will then use these equations to make our
predictions for the gravitational time dilation in various locations in Colorado as compared to GPS clocks that
give time at the Earth’s geoid. We will also present computations of the gravitational time dilation difference
between Colorado College, the Airforce Academy, and the summit of Pike’s Peak. These predictions will be be
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compared to the time-drift of atomic clocks and GPS system to be used in our experiment.. Our future plan is
to set up our atomic clocks in a mobile lab and drive to locations with different altitudes. We will also present
computations of the special relativistic effects of moving the clocks to different locations.
GPS Fingerprinting
Hamza El-Saawy, Sean Gavan and Tyler Spence
United States Air Force Academy
The Global Positioning System (GPS) plays a major role in how our technology-centric world operates. Transmitting false GPS signals, or “spoofing”, in areas that rely heavily on GPS (e.g., airports) could cause major
problems and damages. Due to GPS technology’s low cost and ease of access, this possibility could very easily
become a reality. To mitigate this threat, we are investigating the use of a relatively low-cost, portable GPS
fingerprinting system in order to discriminate between authentic and inauthentic GPS signals. The system
concept is to collect GPS transmissions from both authentic GPS satellites and an inauthentic “spoofer”
transmitter using a Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP). After collection, we process the data and
use statistical differences between the signals to classify them as authentic or inauthentic. The result is then
output to the user with a given confidence level.
Analysis of the Brominated Flalme Retardant Tetrabromobisphenol-A in Dust
from Consumer Electronics by LC/MS/MS
Eric P. Gaulke, Zachary A. Pitcher, Luis E. Lowe, and Janel E. Owens
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Flame retardants have become prevalent chemicals incorporated into everyday objects, such as furniture
and electronics. Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), specifically, has become a ubiquitous environmental
contaminant found in a variety of samples ranging from food to consumer electronics. Despite widespread
contamination, there are few studies that quantify TBBPA concentrations found in the environment in the
United States. This study examines the concentrations of TBBPA in samples of dust taken from the interiors
of computers and televisions, and printed circuit boards all acquired from a local electronics recycling facility.
A low density solvent-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (LDS-DLLME) method is carried out on the dust
samples and then analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). TBBPA has
been found in all samples of dust analyzed. This study is important for demonstrating: 1) applicability of the
LDS-DLLME method for samples analyzed by LC/MS/MS and 2) reporting levels of TBBPA in electronics at a
U.S.-based electronics recycling facility.
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MQ-9 GCS Data Entry Abstract
Derrin Gelston, Samuel Drake and Randall Cason
United States Air Force Academy
The purpose of our study was to improve the performance of data entry for UAV operators in the modern
Ground Control Station. We researched the differences between information input while flying a personal flight
simulator program using a keyboard, number pad and touch screen. The information input into the device was
a series of numbers resembling coordinates that were seven characters long. We used the X-Plane 10 program
to simulate an MQ-9 Predator and Ground Control Station. We asked participants to control the aircraft while
inputting data using the three different types of devices listed above. The test subject who was flying the flight
simulator was asked to maintain an altitude and airspeed. Before data collection began, the test subject was
allowed ample time to familiarize their self with the operation of the aircraft, as the focus of the study was on
data input. We discovered that touch screens are more distracting because the participants had to divert their
attention from flying the aircraft to looking at the touchscreen in order to accurately input the data. During the
study, it was found that the number pad was the best device for data input because the participants did not have
to divert their attention away from the aircraft, while the keyboard was also in comparison. This information
is vital to the Air Force because the mission of the RPAs within the Air Force continues to grow, and with the
information gathered during this study, it would help optimize the performance of the RPA operators through
their missions. If properly integrated into a Ground Control Station, the number pad would provide adequate
feedback to the operators so that they could easily input the necessary number data without a detriment to
flight performance.
Human-Machine Communication Research
Cody Haggin, Ashley Olson, Jeremy Shimanek and Christopher Towns
United States Air Force Academy
The objective of this project is to test the effectiveness of different communication models to facilitate better
decision making and awareness. Computer-Human communication was the platform being tested, which
is especially important in an ever increasingly automated and digital world. This research is pertinent to Air
Force Command and Control centers. The operators of these centers must manage several channels of
information simultaneously. They must then use this information to direct operations and communicate with
other members of the system. This project focused on how variation in audio tone affects the ability of users
to retain the information being presented. Several different conditions were tested to confirm the hypothesis
that differentiating information through different voices would improve memory retention. The control for this
experiment was a trial that gave only visual information to the user. The accuracy and breadth of information
that the user was able to recall was recorded and compared to trials that tested visual and audio with one
voice, visual and audio with multiple voices and visual and audio with gender variant audio. Memory retention
and accuracy was measured by recording the responses to a series of questions that followed each information
block. The accuracy, percentage of message detection, time required to complete the task, accuracy of decision
outcomes and number of communication channels monitored were recorded from the subjects responses.
Perceived mental workload, stress states, and interface usability were measured in subjective questionnaires
administered before and after the experimental task. The trial that resulted in the most accurate information,
least time for completion, highest message detection and highest number of channels is the method of
communication that should be used for USAF personnel.
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Investigating Wind Shear Effects on Tornadic Supercell Precipitation
Sarah A. Hill
United States Air Force Academy
On 31 May 2013, a particularly severe supercell thunderstorm developed over central Oklahoma near the town
of El Reno, producing the widest tornado ever recorded (2.6 miles) with EF5 winds of up to 295 mph. While the
tornado killed eight people, this storm also produced flash flooding in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area,
killing an additional 13 people. Other studies have shown that certain tornadic supercells go on to produce
damaging flash floods due to excessive precipitation, but not all do. We hypothesize that the wind shear profile
has an impact on whether the storm can sustain a high precipitation rate given the same available moisture.
Idealized simulations were run using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model version 3.6 to test the
impact of wind shear on storm total precipitation. Shear profiles followed the default profile available in WRF
and profiles more representative of the El Reno pre-storm environment. Storm total precipitation values were
compared as were general characteristics of the storm(s) produced in each case.
Online Vs. In-Person College Courses
Madison Hutchins and Shelby Hunt
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
It is no secret that in recent years technological advancement has had far reaching effects. But what happens
when the digital revolution reaches into the field of academia? In recent years colleges have begun to offer,
and in some cases require, students to participate in courses conducted entirely online. Our research study
will explore the real life experiences of colleges students enrolled in online college courses through interview
and survey. This study aims to not only understand the experiences of students who have participated in such
courses, but also to better understand how those experiences compare with courses conducted in a traditional
classroom setting.
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How Do Writing Standards and Conventions Vary by Discipline?
Kianna Huwe
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
When considering the process of writing papers in college, the initial thought for many is to relate writing to the
subject of English. Whether in relation to grammar, rhetoric, or literature, writing papers is viewed as solely being
part of the discipline of English. While this may be somewhat true, there are other majors to consider as well
in relation to writing papers. English majors often have set discourse conventions and expectations for writing
papers, but do other majors such as Spanish or Biology have similar standards? In Michael Carter’s “Ways
of Knowing, Doing, and Writing in the Discipline”, he addresses specific points of the relationship writing has
within different disciplines, as well as how writing standards can be improved upon in the varying departments.
English majors are often given a rubric and set topics to cover in their essays; but when considering another
language or discipline, writing conventions may vary in many ways. This project reports on the results of a study
conducted on the ways that writing standards and conventions vary from English Majors, Spanish Majors, or
Biology Majors.
Determining Test-Retest Reliability of the CYRM-12 Resiliency Measure
Rebecca Ingram
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Measuring resiliency in youth allows us to identify and promote factors that help them cope throughout their
development. The CYRM-28 measures resilience while taking into account the diverse backgrounds of the
youth, and has demonstrated strong psychometric properties, including validity and reliability. Authors of the
28-item scale recently revised and shortened the measure, called the CYRM-12. The purpose of this study was
to assess whether the shorter version demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability. Youth (aged 5-18) enrolled
in a local after-school program completed the measure three months apart and scores from Time 1 and Time 2
were compared. Results have implications in using the CYRM-12 for assessing treatment effectiveness.
Rhythm and Rhyme
Brandon Jaramillo
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The origins of some popular forms of music stem from the oppression of particular group(s). In the 16th century,
African slave owners in Peru banned drums and slaves were prohibited from performing their traditional music.
In response to this, many slaves began using box-like instruments made from reused shipping crates, drawers,
and wooden boxes. This is believed to be part of the origins of the Cajon drum, which was popularized by its
use in Flamenco music. Another, more modern, instance of oppression contributing to the conception of a
popular music style can be seen in 1970’s New York. In a time of economic hardships, minorities needed a
way to express their suffering in a meaningful and creative way. With the advent of the turntable, DJ’s (disk
jockeys) now had the ability to loop parts of R&B and Rock and Roll records and play these “new” ideas at
local parties. As popularity ensued, individuals’ began to write rhythm applied poetry or raps to accompany
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a DJ’s set, giving way to an explosive musical style, now known as hip hop. The subject matter ranged from
racism and spirituality to education and gentrification. In my poster session for CSURF I will display, explain
and demonstrate the idea of heritage informing music and connect the gaps between older rhythmic traditions
and a newer one by interweaving the rhythmic vocal qualities of the hip hop emcee with varying percussive
traditions.
Investigating the Use of Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste
as a Supplemental Energy Source at USAFA
Ryan W. Kissinger
United States Air Force Academy
Energy demands continue to rise in all sectors especially within the Department of Defense (DoD). Several
energy sources have been investigated to supplement energy needs with some success. Waste-to-Energy
(WTE) technologies have been considered by the DoD as a way to minimize waste and produce energy to
supplement energy needs. WTE technologies which utilize combustion, pyrolysis, and gasification are most
efficient when run continuously. Unlike these processes, anaerobic digestion requires little energy input to
maintain temperature and mix contents making it ideal for the DoD under various conditions. Specifically at
the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), an anaerobic digester is used to produce energy from sludge, to
meet the needs of the WWTP. A feasible option to broaden energy production would be utilizing food waste from
Mitchell Hall to produce energy to supplement USAFA’s energy needs at multiple facilities. However, due to the
fluctuating output of food waste from Mitchell Hall, it is not economically viable to have a WTE technology in
operation at all times, making anaerobic digestion appealing as a supplemental source. This study will consider
how USAFA can utilize a stand-alone anaerobic digester run off of food waste to produce supplemental energy
for multiple facilities. The Naval Academy is also pursuing the implementation of an anaerobic digester at their
dining facility. In terms of student body size and waste stream composition, the Naval Academy is perhaps the
most similar institution to that of USAFA allowing for a good comparison between the facilities and discussion
of applications specifically at service academies.
Demand Forecasting and Staff Scheduling For Hotel Food & Beverage Operations
John Kornahrens, William Hatton, Augustus Jensen and Jake Johnson
United States Air Force Academy
Inaccurate forecasting of hotel food and beverage demand causes food waste and excess labor cost, and leads
to reduced profit. Using historical food and beverage department data, we create a linear forecasting model that
can accurately predict demand for Hotel Eleganté in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Our model greatly improves
the hotel’s forecast accuracy relative to their current manual process. We show that the hotel can reduce waste
and schedule food and beverage department employees more accurately with this new capability.
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Sticks and Stones: The Emotional Impact of Words
Jon Latham
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
We’ve all heard the old adage, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, but how
accurate is that? Consider the saddest book you’ve ever read. You fell in love with a character. Then, without
warning, they died. You stop reading. You stare at the page. You are in total denial, they can’t be dead. They can’t
be! You try to rationalize a way in which the character could be brought back to life, but you know deep down
that the words have already been written. They’re gone. Whoever came up with the sticks and stones proverb
clearly never read Bridge to Terabithia, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, or The Fault in our Stars. This is a
study about how much the written word can mess with our emotions and how some of us would consider stick
and stones to be less hurtful than some of the books we’ve read. Using data gathered from surveying adults
who identify as “lovers of books,” I aim to show which books have the most effect on our emotions, and what it
is about these books that give them that power.
“Rappers’ Creative Writing Process”
Tiarra Lee
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Creativity is fluid and not easily forced with the possibility of being stiffened by any change in the environment.
My research investigates the creative writing process of local Colorado Springs rappers when the ultimate goal
is popularity or monetary success. To achieve my results I first interviewed local rappers to get an indication
of their creative writing process and how they think they achieve a successful song. Then I observed them
writing and made note on the differences of the writing process they described verses what I observed. As a
result of the current procedure I learned that the creative writing process is not completely unique as it does
have some expository writing elements within the process. With knowledge of the expository writing elements
within the creative writing process a creative writer, like a rapper, can enhance their writing process to avoid
stifled creativity.
Design Considerations: Falcon M Dwarf Habitable Exoplanet Survey
Alia Lemm, Matthew Miller, Patrick O’Shea and Jacob Tate
United States Air Force Academy
The Falcon Telescope Network (FTN) is a network of twelve automated 20-inch telescopes positioned around
the globe, controlled from the Cadet Space Operations Center (CSOC) at the US Air Force Academy (USAFA).
Five of the 12 sites are currently installed, with full operational capability expected by the end of 2017. Though
optimized for studying near-earth objects to accomplish its primary mission of Space Situational Awareness
(SSA), the Falcon telescopes are in many ways similar to those used by ongoing and planned exoplanet
transit surveys targeting individual M dwarf stars (e.g., MEarth, APACHE, SPECULOOS). We have performed
theoretical and empirical studies exploring the viability of employing the FTN for a future survey of nearby
late-type M dwarfs tailored to detect transits of 1.5-2REarth exoplanets in habitable-zone orbits. We present
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empirical results on photometric precision derived from data collected with Falcon telescopes on nearby (< 25
pc) M dwarfs using infrared filters. An investigation of survey design parameters is also described, including
anticipated telescope time allocation required to achieve the requisite photometric precision for 3σ transit
detection. The results of these analyses predict the likelihood of detecting one (or more) new habitablezone exoplanets given current occurrence rate estimates, and will dictate specific survey design features in
preparation for initiating project execution when the FTN begins full-scale automated operations.
ORGANIC MATTER AND GRAIN SIZE COMPARISONS
IN SEDIMENTS OF TIDALLY-INFLUENCED FRESHWATER RIVERS
Sierra Melton
Colorado College
Long water residence times in tidal freshwater zones (TFZs) of rivers may allow for enhanced nitrogen (N)
transformations and losses during transport from watersheds to estuaries. Sediments were collected from
TFZs in the Mission and Aransas rivers (TX) to characterize grain size, porosity, and organic matter (OM) content
along upstream-downstream gradients. These data are being used in combination with other measurements
to quantify nitrogen cycling within the TFZs. Mission sediments are finer, more porous, more organic-rich, and
have higher C:N ratios than sediments from the Aransas. Average sediment organic carbon content is 0.995%
and 0.350% in the Mission and Aransas, respectively. Both display a downstream decrease in grain size and
increase in OM, suggesting a significant depocenter as the TFZ widens and deepens. Water and OM contents
generally decrease with sediment depth but vary due to differences in grain size. Aransas sediments are less
variable with depth, which may indicate recent deposition or resuspension. Increased understanding of TFZs
will help predict future effects of anthropogenic influences, sea level rise, and climate change on watershedestuary coupling.
Reflux Synthesis of Cerium Doped Cobalt Oxide
Shawn S. Millar
United States Air Force Academy
The control of morphology and particle size of nanoparticle metal oxides is of particular interest for the tunability
of physical and chemical properties. Spinel cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles are a functional material with
magnetic and catalytic applications as well as uses in supercapacitors, CO oxidation, and methane combustion.
This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of cerium doped Co3O4 using reflux techniques.
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Distribution, health, and fire correlation in the Cañon La Lagartera mangrove forest
and Bay of Jiquilisco, El Salvador
Jesse Miller
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Coastal mangrove forests serve as connections between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and are currently
threatened by environmental changes occurring both on land and in the ocean. The presence and functioning
of mangroves are threatened by the expansion of farmlands, graze land, aquaculture, and urbanization. The 28
km2 Cañon La Lagartera Mangrove forest and the Bay of Jiquilisco are located on the south central coast of El
Salvador east of the Rio Lempa. Bordered by the towns of La Canoa, San Juan del Gozo, and Isla de Mendez,
the mangrove forest is surrounded by cultivated agricultural areas. This research examines the distribution
and societal uses of this mangrove system. Additionally, MODIS fire data will be incorporated to determine
fire patterns that may correlate with land cover change within this region of El Salvador. The research will
employ statistical analysis of a time series of satellite images (2002 and 2014) and 15 years of MODIS data to
quantify the spatial distribution of the mangrove and measure the significant changes in its distribution and
land cover change over time. Field collected measurements of health indicators (e.g. canopy cover, vegetation
composition, turbidity, elevation, and salinity) will be used to assess the ecological health of the forest. The
final component of the research will explore how the local communities are using (or not using) the mangrove
forest. This allows for the exploration of how local use relates to the measured changes in mangrove distribution
and health.
Effects of 3D Displays on Vigilance Performance
Judith Nainggolan, Gianna Khoudary and Angela Ross
United States Air Force Academy
This study explored the effectiveness of three dimensional (3D) visual and auditory stimuli in comparison to
traditional two dimensional (2D) techniques in sustained attention tasks. The study acted as a continuation
of Greenlee and his colleagues work completed in 2014 researching the initial benefits of 3D to 2D modalities.
We hypothesized that with the increased use of spatial modalities of 3D display, participants would show a
higher performance in 3D displays compared to their 2D counterparts over a 40 minute vigilance task. We also
predicted that the levels of stress and mental workload of the 3D participants would be slightly lower than
those without an additional spatial dimension (2D). A between-group design was used for this experiment
that required at least fifteen random participants for each of the four different conditions (2D visual, 3D visual,
2D audio, 3D audio). Each participant was only tested once among the combination of the two modalities
(visual/audio) and two dimensions (2D/3D). The pilot study participants included members of the group as
well as associated instructors. Conducting the actual experiment for data collection included a total number of
70 cadets participants from the USAFA classes of 2016 to 2019. Two different, connecting computer monitors
were used. One was for operating the experiment and collecting data. The other was for the experiment trials
where the participant would sit and perform the task. The computer software program tested how many
critical signals could be detected during a sustained attention task. Within these trials, random participants
performed different tasks and at a combinations of inputs. After the data collection, our group was able to
analyze which modality and dimension was the optimum use during a sustained attention task. The results
from this study benefit different jobs in the U.S. Air Force. Learning about what types of tasks or displays greatly
affect vigilance detection which is crucially important for pilots and air traffic controllers who are required to
remain vigilant for long periods of time.
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Development and Dissolution of Long Term Memory
Vanessa Obetz
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Cognitive psychologists have shown that long term memory is not a single cognitive entity, but instead is a
highly complex set of theoretical structures with varying operating principles. Long term memory is typically
theorized into two categories; declarative and nondeclarative. Specifically focusing on the differences between
these two types of memory, we have investigated the development and dissolution of long term memory
in participants ranging in age from 5 to 89 years. Differences in performance across ages on memory tasks
involving verbal and visuospatial subtypes was also examined. Using a series of factorial ANOVAs with z-scores
from the various tests as the dependent measures, we have examined how age, type of stimulus, and sex affect
different operations of long term memory.
Virtually all forms of memory, regardless of stimulus type and sex, demonstrated a quadratic function with a
rapid development through the teenage years, peak performance in the 20s and 30s, and a gradual decline
starting in the 40s or 50s. Many cognitive psychologists have previously thought that nondeclarative memory
was not affected by age, however our findings indicate decreased performance.
Many studies have investigated different aspects of memory from childhood to adulthood and from young
adulthood to old age, but no study that we are aware of has compared the development, peak, and decline of
two different memory types, two subtypes (verbal and visuospatial), sex differences, and age effects across
the lifespan. Thus, this project provides a unique lifespan prospective on the development and dissolution of
long term memory.
Test of Gravitational Time Dilation
Robert Olesen, Patrick O’Shea, Jonathan Schiller and David Emanuel
United States Air Force Academy
Colorado College and USAFA have collaborated on a demonstration of gravitational time warping…the same
effect highlighted in the movie Interstellar. Time flows more slowly in a region of stronger gravity. In the movie,
one hour on the surface of an alien planet near a black hole equated to seven years of time on earth. We
have demonstrated this effect (on a much smaller scale!) by comparing the difference between the time at
sea-level versus 7000 feet. Because GPS reports sea-level time, we compare an atomic clock to GPS time to
measure the time difference. We observed that, at 7000 feet, our days are 20 nanoseconds longer than at sea
level, consistent with the predictions of general relativity. Both USAF Academy and Colorado College have
demonstrated the extra 20 nanoseconds per day. We also report recent measurements taken at the summit of
Pikes Peak, at an altitude of 14,115 feet above sea level.
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The Science of Learning: Measuring and Sharing Practices To Improve Student Learning
Leslie Perez
United States Air Force Academy
Students and teachers often struggle to bridge the learning gap because there are many different learning
styles and teaching techniques. Dunlosky and Rawson (2013) identify low, moderate, and high efficacy
techniques through a meta-analytic research review of general learning techniques. For example, rereading
and highlighting were found to be low efficacy learning techniques, whereas spaced practice testing is high
efficacy. Using Dunlosky et al.’s research, we examined the impact of various intervention measures on students’
understanding and use of learning strategies. These included a mass email (sent to all students), squadron
briefings (to 20 squadrons), and Science of Learning seminars. During the fall semester, four seminars were
held. The first was attended by student squadron academic officers and non-commissioned officers. The
remaining three were primarily attended by students on academic probation. As part of the Science of Learning
seminars, students responded to two baseline questions that asked which learning strategies and practices
they currently implement, and which learning strategies and practices they no longer use and why. For example,
we observed three key influential reasons why students discontinue specific learning techniques: when they
cease to perceive that strategy’s effectiveness, when they are driven by efficiency and time constraints, or
when they have lost motivation. These findings will be used to modify future seminars and interventions so
that we can best serve the needs of the student population. We are also conducting a parallel faculty effort
to investigate instructors’ baseline awareness and implementation of various learning strategies, and the
relative effectiveness of interventions at the faculty level (mass emails, departmental briefings, workshops).
Ultimately, we hope to equip both students and faculty with an understanding of how to utilize high-efficacy
learning techniques to facilitate teach-learn relationships both within and beyond the classroom.
Design and Synthesis of Novel Compounds for the Treatment of Human African
Trypanosomiasis
Thanh Truc Pham
Colorado College
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is caused by parasitic protozoa, Trypanosoma brucei, which are
transmitted to humans by the bite of the tsetse fly. Current treatments for HAT include highly toxic drugs with
complex and lengthy dosing regimens. A well-tolerated, orally administered drug that is effective against both
early- and advanced-stage HAT is urgently needed. A recently published high-throughput screen of a kinasetargeted library from the GlaxoSmithKline screening collection identified numerous sub-micromolar T. brucei
growth inhibitors. Among these hits, NEU-0001101, bearing a 1,2-dihydroquinazolin-2-one core structure, was
selected for hit optimization studies. A two-step synthesis has been developed to enable rapid diversification
and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Preliminary synthesis and SAR data toward optimization of
NEU-0001101 will be reported.
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The Role of Antimicrobial Secretions by the Ant Pogonomyrmex Occidentalis (Formicidae:
Myrmicinae) In Determining Germination Success of Discarded Seeds
Tirzah W. Prince
United States Air Force Academy
We tested the hypothesis that handling by ants benefits seeds by coating seeds with antimicrobial glandular
secretions. Squash (Cucurbita pepo) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) seeds were placed in formicaria nest of
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis ants for 14 days. Ants handled and walked over seeds, which became coated with
glandular secretions. The ant-handled seeds and control seeds were then tested for viability and germination
on Petri plates inoculated with bacteria and fungi from ant refuse piles. We found that when grown in the
presence of soil microbes, seeds handled by ants had significantly higher viability and germination rates than
seeds not handled by ants. Thus, specialized co-evolutionary ant-seed dispersal mutualisms may benefit
seeds not only with seed movement, but with protection from pathogens.
The Socio-Ecological Paradox of Shrinking Cities
Mae Rohrbach and Jared Bollinger
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Shrinking cities are currently one of the most under-researched realities of the twenty-first century. It is predicted
that wide swaths of the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan will face double-digit declines in their urban
population in the coming decades. Despite the fact that shrinking cities are not a new phenomenon, (one in
six cities have declined between 1990 and 2010) the quickness and magnitude of urban decline is concerning
as the consequences of population loss, abandonment, physical deterioration and landscape changes have
unknown effects on quality of life. The study area for this project is St. Louis, MO as it has been ‘shrinking’
since the 1950’s having lost over 60% of its population. The objective of the study is to assess the correlation
between the changes in the urban biophysical fabric from 1975 and 2014 and the current socio-economic status
(SES) of individual census tracts in St. Louis, having created an SES index for this project. Using LANDSAT
imagery of St. Louis, land cover and land use changes (LUCC) of the biophysical fabric from 1975 and 2014 of
the city sample are analyzed and compared to the census tract SES index. Using the SES index in tandem with
Remotely-Senses (RS) imagery, our goal is to further explore and hypothesize how the biophysical changes of
a shrinking city impacts quality of life for residents.
Commanders’ Ability to Determine The Physiological Health Of Troops With And Without
Decision Aid
Austin Rohrer, Reed Allen and Jonny Graham
United States Air Force Academy
In the study, 30 participants watched several 30 second video clips displaying individuals marching on
treadmills. Each clip shows an individual marching a different speeds, inclines and overall difficulty levels. In
addition some of the video clips are overlaid with the marcher’s heart rates in order to assist the observers
(participants) decision making abilities. The participants recorded the perceived amount of exertion of each
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marcher using the Borg Perceived Exertion Scale Survey, which is a scale of rating from 6-20. They also recorded
how long they thought the marcher could continue at that pace. Overall, we found that participants were more
accurately able to assess the marcher’s exertion when the videos were overlaid with the heart rate monitoring
data, than the videos that had no monitoring aid. Also, we found that they were better able to predict the
marcher’s ability to maintain the pace for duration of time. This is important to the Air Force because there is
no current system in place to aid commanders in determining his troop’s current exertion and ability to continue
in the mission when traveling to their objective(s).
Removing Linguistic Agency Enhances Forgiveness
Alison Rowe
Colorado College
Participants were asked to read six vignettes, discussing personal transgressions, and the answer a series of
questions regarding perceived levels of blame of the transgressor, harm to self, desire to retaliate, desire to avoid
the transgressor, and willingness to forgive the transgressor. When transgressors’ agency was emphasized by
the vignette’s linguistic structure, participants were more likely to blame and less likely to forgive than when
transgressions were described in a non-agentive manner. These effects of linguistic framing held regardless of
general tendencies to blame or forgive.
Cloning of the Ter Y-P triad of Acinetobacter baylyi
Madhura Roy, Esra Siddeek, Sam Zuke and Margaret A. Daugherty,
Colorado College
Acinetobacter baylyi is a ubiquitous soil bacteria that has been used as a model system to study metabolic
changes in bacteria. Although typically thought of as being non-pathogenic, it has recently been linked to a
number of nosocomial infections, suggesting its use as a model system for more pathogenic species. Recently,
an operon has been identified in A. baylyi that is hypothesized to allow it to survive under oxidative stresses. A
gene triad, the Ter Y-P triad, is found in this operon. This gene triad, which occurs in multiple bacteria, appears to
play a role in helping bacteria to survive environmental stresses. The genes in this triad are always in the same
order, and via bioinformatics approaches are hypothesized to encode a kinase, phosphatase and metal binding
protein, respectively. In A. baylyi, these genes are defined as conserved hypothetical proteins, as they have
not been previously cloned or expressed. The goal of the research in the Daugherty lab is to clone the TerY-P
triad (genes ACIAD 1964, ACIAD 1965 and ACIAD 1966; i.e., the kinase, phosphatase and metal binding protein,
respectively) in order to confirm their assigned functions, and to determine whether they function together
as a multimeric complex or independently. DNA sequencing results have shown that we have successfully
cloned ACIAD 1965 (putative phosphatase) into a pMAL expression vector to facilitate purification. We will
present results that we can express a fusion protein of the correct length, and will provide information on our
initial protein purification attempts. We will additionally provide information on our cloning attempts of the
kinase gene (ACIAD1964). Although we have optimized PCR conditions for ACIAD 1966 (which encodes the
metal-binding protein), it remains to be cloned.
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Identification of Biomarkers Indicative of Neurological Effects Due To Jet Fuel Exposure
in Rats Using Mass Spectrometric Imaging
Forrest J. Schaffer
United States Air Force Academy
Exposure to either JP-5 or JP-8 jet fuel can result in significant alterations in neurological and immunological
systems, potentially disrupting neuroimmune signaling which has been implicated in brain function. Changes
in gene expression are also evident following jet fuel exposure. This work will search for biomarkers of jet fuel
mediated neurological deficits in rat brain tissue using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-ofFlight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Imaging. Protein and lipid profiles in the brain before and after fuel
dosing will be measured to see if the changes found in the brain are accurately and quantitatively reflected
in the blood. Successful identification of changes in blood levels of biomarkers that correlate with jet fuel
induced neurological deficits can be used to monitor and predict fuel-induced neurological impairments.
Music as a Universal:
Agent for Human Survival and Evolution
Gian Signorelli
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The idea that music has been present since the dawning of humanity is hardly debated. However, the human
relation with music is not merely external or based on aesthetical-cultural aspects of the human experience,
it is also fundamentally internal and physiological. Music has been an essential agent for human survival and
evolution since humans first walked upon the Earth. The following research attempts to shed light onto this
new perception by referencing not only historical accounts and cultural studies, but also drawing from other
disciplines, which share a more scientific perspective concerned with the biological processes necessary in order
for humans to become social-intelligent beings, which music is intrinsically responsible for. These processes,
which continue to shape an individual’s experience, physiology and cultural identity associations, reflect the role
of music as a primordial necessity within human experience. Under this light, music becomes as fundamental
as the air we breathe, expressing a human relationship with music not only as an art form to be experienced,
appreciated, developed and performed, but also a relation we depend on for survival and physiological
development. Based on this concept, the idea of music being a universal language can be redefined, since our
relation to music is not about a specific dialect, or linguistic structure any human can understand, but rather
about a fundamental and necessary expression, which supports our physiological development and shapes
the overall human experience, regardless of language or culture.
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Investigation of Biomarkers Indicative of Laser-Induced Retinal Damage
by Using Mass Spectrometric Imaging
Matthew J. Swanson
United States Air Force Academy
Laser-induced retinal damage causes death and/or injury of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium
(RPE) cells. This damage releases proteins into systemic circulation, which permits the identification of
candidate biomarkers through Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF).
This project proposes the identification of candidate biomarkers for laser-induced retinal damage using Mass
Spectrometric Imaging. Protein and lipid profiles in healthy and damaged ocular tissue will be characterized
for the identification of potential biomarkers. The specific identification of panel biomarkers for laser-induced
retinal damage could provide basis for development of a minimally invasive diagnostic test to detect acute
retinal damage in affected humans.
Neuromorphology of gigantopyramidal neurons
Mackenzie Tennison and Karen Chui
Colorado College
Although the basic morphological characteristics of gigantopyramidal neurons in the motor cortex have been
documented in several species, very little is known about the quantitative characteristics of these neurons
across different taxa. To this end, the present study supplements ongoing comparative neuromorphological
research on a variety of mammals by quantitatively exploring gigantopyramidal neurons in the motor cortices
of thirteen different species comprising a broad phylogenetic range: felines (caracal, lion, clouded leopard,
mongoose, Siberian tiger), primates (baboon, human, golden lion tamarin, ring-tailed lemur), ungulates
(giraffe, zebra) and other species (rat, wallaby). For comparative purposes, three pyramidal neuron types (e.g.
superficial pyramidal, deep pyramidal, and gigantopyramidal; N = 298) were stained with a modified rapid
Golgi technique and quantified on a computer-assisted microscopy system. Quantitatively, gigantopyramidal
neurons were substantially larger than typical pyramidal neurons, and exhibited much more numerous basilar
dendrites that exited the soma at almost any point. In the felines, gigantopyramidal neurons exhibited distinctly
larger somata than all other taxa (e.g. primates, ungulates, and others) which confirms the preliminary
observations of Brodmann (1909). Qualitatively, there was a great deal of interspecific variation, particularly
for the ungulate species (zebra and giraffe), whose neurons exhibited widely bifurcating V-shaped apical
dendrites. Tentatively, it appears that gigantopyramidal neurons may function to increase the speed of quick,
coordinated movements such as pouncing behavior, although comparison of neuronal morphology in a more
numerous and diverse collection of species may help elucidate their function.
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The Bird Can Sing, but a Human Cannot Chirp
Ashley Timmermeyer
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
This project involves the ideas of how the voice is intertwined with nature, and how the voice is directly linked
to nature all around us. I am a vocalist at UCCS and I have been exploring the ideas of nature and the voice for
my two years at UCCS; I will be graduating this Spring 2016. I am writing a song that will involve me singing
with a recorded bird song and imitate the bird song as I create a harmony to it, this in return will create a new
soundscape of music no one has exactly touched in this sort of way. I will bring clips of this piece to listen to
and to present my ideas with my poster. I want to show how important our natural surroundings are to music.
Nature is my main focus for my music, that is where my best ideas come from. Through this project I will prove
how bird songs are directly linked to the human voice. These questions in my research will be answered; Did
birds always sing? Do birds get the same sensation of singing such as a thrill or love in their heart, or is their bird
songs natural instinct and just a way to communicate not something special. Is there a correlation to how we
sing certain things to get our point across or write certain music or is it just instinct? Overall, in this poster I will
exhibit the ideas of how bird songs and human voices are unique to each other but also similar. We are alike.
Vocal expression all use the same syllables and same face shapes for the sounds each word makes. We do not
have extravagant ways to say words, in almost all languages, the same vowel shapes are used to create the
same vowels just are located in different parts of the mouth to create them. The mechanics are all the same.
This relates back to Birds. Birds use all the same ways to create song, but all sound unique to their own type of
bird, this can be said about humans as well with different genres we have made over the centuries.
Influence of Bifidobacterium infantis on the Devel
Tia Tummino, Spencer Cooke and Willy Harris
Colorado College
The importance of commensal gut bacteria in shaping nervous system structure and function is becoming
increasingly evident. However, the extent to which effects of gut bacteria on the brain are mediated through
immune, hormonal, and/or neural (i.e., through the vagus nerve) communication is poorly understood. The
purpose of the current study was to elucidate the effects of oral supplementation of the probiotic Bifidobacterium
infantis on the development of anxiety and depression in healthy adolescent rats. Furthermore, we explored
the unique contribution of the vagus nerve to such effects. It was hypothesized that B. infantis would decrease
anxious and depressive behaviors in a vagally-dependent manner. As weanlings, rats were subjected to either
a lower transection of the vagus nerve or a sham surgery and were then supplemented daily with B. infantis or
vehicle for two weeks. Following this, they were assessed for anxious behavior using the elevated plus maze
(EPM) and for depressive behavior using the forced swim test (FST). B. infantis treatment decreased anxious
behavior in a vagally-dependent manner for male rats and in a vagally-independent manner for female rats.
These results suggest that the vagus nerve plays a necessary role in anxiolytic communication between gut B.
infantis and the CNS in male rats, but that other pathways, immune or otherwise, are sufficient to communicate
the beneficial effects of B. infantis in females. In contrast, neither B. infantis supplementation nor vagotomy
altered FST immobility time. Rats were also assessed for levels of serum corticosterone and for levels of 5-HT and
5-HIAA in various cortical and subcortical structures. There were no effects of sex, surgery, or supplementation
on levels of serum corticosterone, but there were effects of sex and surgery on brain concentrations of 5HIAA.
Males had more diencephalic, frontal cortex, and hippocampal 5HIAA than females, and vagotomized rats
had more diencephalic 5HIAA and thus a lower 5HT to 5HIAA ratio than sham rats. More research is warranted
to further disentangle the pathways utilized by commensal gut bacteria in shaping healthy neurobehavioral
function, as well as the therapeutic benefits that result from dietary probiotic supplementation early in life.
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Perception of Cognitive Problems:
The Moderating Roles of Personality and Appraisals
Racquel Valadez and Alisa Bartel
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with mild and subtle neurocognitive deficits, yet
patients often complain of memory and attention problems that exceed what their objective neurocognitive
performance demonstrates. PTSD is also associated with negative appraisals about the self and world, and
personality styles characterized by harm avoidance and behavioral inhibition. This study examined negative
appraisals and behavioral inhibition as moderators of the relationship between PTSD symptomology and selfreported cognitive complaints. A sample of 256 trauma-exposed adults were administered the PTSD Checklist,
the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI), the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Avoidance Scales (BIS/
BAS), the Cognitive Self-Report Questionnaire, and the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory. Both negative
appraisals about the self and world, as measured by the PTCI, and behavioral inhibition, measured by the
BIS/BAS, emerged as significant moderators in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and perception of
cognitive problems. Moderator analyses revealed that in participants with high levels of negative appraisals,
perception of cognitive problems was high regardless of PTSD symptom level. These results indicate that
personality and appraisals play a significant role in perception of cognitive problems, regardless of the influence
of actual PTSD symptomatology. The clinical implications of these results would suggest that there may be
benefit to intervening with trauma survivors who perceive that they have cognitive problems through the use of
cognitive restructuring techniques as opposed to cognitive remediation.
Lemuriformes Niche Construction: Varecia Rubra Spatial Habitat use in a Conservation Forest
Claire Vernon and Elisabeth Desmarais
Colorado College
Research on primate spatial segregation of habitat is important for theories of conservation and evolutionary
biology. My research, conducted at the Lemur Conservation Foundation in Myakka City, Florida, examined the
spatial habitat use of red ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra). Previous research showed that V. rubra construct their
spatial niche based on consistent ecological needs, choosing areas with fruit and tall trees, and therefore
show behavioral flexibility. I used transect lines and circular plots to map the habitat, and instantaneous focal
animal sampling to collect spatial location data. I hypothesized V. rubra would be found more frequently in the
upper strata and close to the trunks of trees with greater diameters and heights. I predicted this would show
preferences of forest microhabitats that have the largest and tallest trees based on the V. rubra ecological
profile and body size. Analysis of the habitat descriptions and location data support the hypothesis, with
an additional finding of patterns of behaviorally linked spatial locations. This would support the behavioral
flexibility, ecological consistency findings of previous research, however, due to the limited time frame of the
study, effects of seasonal changes, and augmented feeding, future research could tease apart the independent
variables.
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Creating the Cabanagem on the Lower Amazon
Timothy Vilgiate
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The Cabanagem was a social rebellion described by several historians as the first authentic peasant revolt in
Brazilian history. Beginning in the year 1835 with the overthrow of the governor of the city of Belém, it spread
throughout the interior of the vast province of Grão-Pará. In order to better understand the implications and
processes behind this movement in the interior of the state where the bulk of the conflict took place, the author
of this study spent three weeks in the city of Santarém and the state public archives of Pará conducting research
on the topic. With a focus on Santarém and its smaller neighbor Alter do Chão, both cities in the interior of
the state, this paper will use primary source documents and oral history to examine the ways in which labor
demands and interrural social networks played a formative role in the revolutionary process. Though indigenous
and mestizo residents of the town of Alter do Chão initially sought to advocate for their own interests through
official legal channels after independence, with time, lack of official response led them to increasingly seek
extralegal means of attaining economic advancement and social justice. This shift towards more overt forms
of resistance set the stage for the Cabanagem, one of the most important events in the history of the Brazilian
Amazon.
Atomistic growth modeling of CdSe quantum dots
Nathan Weeks
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Nanoparticle (NP) research is a fast growing area of science with a vast range of application that is constantly
expanding. The development of new NPs made of novel materials and of various shapes, has been fervently
pursued over that past twenty years, while an understanding of the mechanisms responsible for their
properties and formation has lagged behind. A widely studied class of NPs are semiconductor cadmium
selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs). CdSe QDs have generated remarkable interest in the past decade
because of their applications in biological fluorescence imaging, medical imaging, quantum dot solar cells,
quantum dot lasers, and even military tracking devices. Reaction schemes have been developed to synthesize
CdSe QDs of many different shapes such as rods, tetrapods, teardrops, arrows, and spheres. However, despite
all of these advances, the growth dynamics for CdSe QDs are still largely unknown. The aim of this project
is the development of a semi-empirical atomistic QD growth modeling program for CdSe QDs in which
reaction parameters can be adjusted (such as temperature, pressure, growth solution components, precursor
oxidation state, etc.) independently from one another. This computer program can be used to systematically
test synthetic schemes to provide growth statistics. These growth statistics can then be tested experimentally
using an in situ technique to provide insight into the accuracies of the modeling program. Once the modeling
program is consistent with experiment it can then be modified and applied to other systems, as well as being
used to formulate new reaction schemes.
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Production of Black Silicon Using >1atm SF6
Dan Weisz and John Testerman
United States Air Force Academy
We demonstrate the production of sulfur-hyperdoped silicon using a nanosecond-pulsed laser in the presence
of sulfur hexafluoride at pressures greater than one atmosphere. We will present our characterization studies
of the surface structures, crystalline structure, and enhanced infrared-wavelength absorption of this material.
These data will be compared to data obtained from hyperdoped silicon processed at atmospheric pressures.
The properties of sulfur-hyperdoped silicon are of interest for infrared detection and photovoltaic technologies.
The role of a DNA Damage Response Protein at Microtubule Organizing Centers
Gage Williamson, Rose Doss, Dorothy Klimczak and Ashley Morgan
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Human ATRIP is an essential regulatory subunit of the ATR kinase that occupies central positions within DNA
damage response (DDR) pathways. Interestingly, ATRIP also localizes to centrosomes, although why remains
a mystery. It is also not understood why patients with nonlethal mutations in ATRIP or ATR present with
microcephalic primordial dwarfism. Loss of the DDR function does not appear to influence this condition, since
CenpJ mutations that disrupt centriole biogenesis in mice phenocopy Seckel Syndrome without compromising
ATR-dependent DDR signaling. Here, we report that Rad26ATRIP in fission yeast localizes to spindle pole bodies
(SPB) by a mechanism that depends on interaction(s) within the 146 reside N-terminal region. Experiments to
further delineate the necessary sequence required for localization of Rad26ATRIP to the SPB are underway. The
purpose that Rad26ATRIP serves at the SPB may inform on the mechanism by which ATRIP and ATR mutations
cause microcephalic primordial dwarfism.
Using Sources in University Writing
Jennifer Wright and Micaela Scapin
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The study of source use has become an important aspect in college student writing throughout the years.
Rebecca Moore Howard, Tricia Serviss, and Tanya K. Rodrigue created an inquiry that showed that patchwriting, paraphrasing, and copying from sentences in sources indicated a lack of understanding. However,
students who tended to summarize showed more understanding (Howard, Serviss, and Rodrigue, 2010). This
research looks at the ability of students to comprehend sources used in their academic writing. Looking at the
instances of summary, paraphrasing, copying, and patch-writing, this study analyzes the use of each writing
technique. It is of interest to compare Howard, Serviss, and Rodrigue’s study with a study of the academic
writing from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, to examine the extent of source comprehension. The
purpose of this study is to identify how well five students from the UCCS understand scholarly sources when
incorporating it in their academic writing. Analyzing how often each technique appears determines whether or
not a student understood the source.
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Food Culture, Social Distinction, and Value System in Chinese Society:
A Ethnographic Research based on Fieldwork in Sichuan Province
Shanchuan Yin
Colorado College
Very little research has been done on food culture, economic development, and cultural capital as a whole
in China. Food culture is a reflection of Chinese culture and it has developed with China’s massive changes
in modern history. This ethnographic research focuses on discovering the relationships between food culture,
social distinction, economic growth, and value systems in Chinese society, and explores the development of
China from the dietary change. With the rise of urbanism, China’s middle class and leisure class have increased
significantly. People’s food choices have changed and eating behavior has been shaped. Based on my fieldwork
in Sichuan province, there seems to be a “gap” between people’s economic capital and sociocultural capital in
Chinese society. I suggest that when economic growth leads to the rise of cultural capital, the food market has
to follow the social change. There are invisible links between food culture and the development of the whole
country. What and how people eat reflects their cultural identity, their society’s development and national
confidence.
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UC 116A
ORAL SESSION 3
UC 116 A
Orgo, Techno and Pseudo Science
Social Media:
A Game Changer for Pseudoscience
Sarenna Ortiz
United States Air Force Academy
The demarcation of science from pseudoscience continues to evolve. Hansson, Thaggard, Mahner, and others
have characterized pseudoscience by providing necessary but not sufficient criteria that pseudoscience tends
to exhibit more frequently than regular science. These criteria include, but are not limited to, a reluctance to
test claims, reliance on unrepeatable experiments, and a dependence on anecdotal accounts. Pseudoscience,
however, has recently developed what may be a new tactic that is not adequately captured by these
previous frameworks.. Previous conceptualizations of pseudoscience generally rely on the assumption that
pseudoscientific communities do not engage in any ostensibly legitimate scientific debate. In contrast, we
argue that pseudoscience has recently developed a tactic of inappropriately using a subset of scientific studies
to suggest that there is legitimate scientific backing underlying a pseudoscientific claim. This new tactic might
be developing due primarily to the efficient sharing of information that occurs via the Internet. This strategy is
troubling because it is likely difficult for lay people to understand why one set of research studies is convincing
while another is not. To illustrate, supporters of the supposed link between immunization and autism circulate
a list of scientific studies that supposedly provide evidenct that immunizations lead to autism even while
legitimate scientific research shows no support for this claim.. Contrary to the common person, an expert who
reviews these “studies” will find that the studies only have tangential relationship to the scientific claims and
collectively provide no substantial support. The development of this new tactic attests to the evolution of
pseudoscience into modern times. It is also troubling because it suggests that lay persons might have to rely
on the authority provided by experts which, ironically, has been offered as a characteristic of pseudoscience.
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Demarcation and Problem Solving
Seif Jensen
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
In our technoscientific world, the distinctions between the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities
have become blurred. Likewise, the distinction between the sciences and pseudo-sciences remains problematic.
This presentation will offer a brief review of the problem of demarcation (Popper) and suggest not only under
what conditions it is a useful method of distinguishing between the sciences themselves and all other claims for
scientific status, but also why this is an important problem. It will also argue that the solutions to the problem
of demarcation should be understood practically—what problems are solved?—and as such be contextualized
within the framework of democratic exchanges.
Exploring Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems:
An Assessment Of Their Capabilities, Vulnerabilities, and Influences In Military Applications
Benjamin Kern
United States Air Force Academy
Large Unmanned Aircraft Systems offer a long time over targets, relative safety versus manned aircraft, and
tremendous accuracy in delivering precision strike capabilities. However, we know very little about the impact
of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (S-UAS’s) on modern warfare and how they will affect the future of U.S.
military operations. This study aims to help us understand answers to key questions including:
1) Will S-UAS’s dramatically change the way we fight wars?
2) How can the U.S. military effectively apply S-UAS’s to protect its assets and attack its enemies?
3) Should our military leaders invest more/less resources into S-UAS’s?
UC 116 B
UC 116B
Constructing Order
The Illusion of Control As Seen In the Creation of Societal Constructs
Ryan Raymond-James Nicholson
United States Air Force Academy
The illusion of control and its effects are a recurring theme throughout centuries of literature. The creation of this
illusion has taken the form of many societal constructs to include, race, sex, class, and more prevalent today,
gender and sexual orientation. Regarding this conception, Kate Chopin’s short story “Désirée’s Baby” highlights
the cyclical aftermath the creation of these social constructs incite. Although, this story may appear archaic,
the psychological nature of humanity and these artificial constructions reflect the detrimental similarities of
such thinking. While “Désirée’s Baby” depicts racial, sexual, and marital constructs, further exploration of the
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story reveals a connection between perceived control and communal power. By closer examining this short
story we can comprehend how society’s conceptions of social constructs, created to gain some form of power,
perpetuate a system of privileges and biases which shatter the basis of authority which patriarchal, legal, and
in some instances economic forms of control were invented to attain., leading to the problems of inequality
and unfairness seen today.
Burnt Norton: Making Sense of the Order in a Disordered Universe
Madison Aiman
United States Air Force Academy
Although T.S Eliot’s “Burnt Norton” contests many philosophical statements regarding the transience of
time and memory, Eliot’s primary preoccupation remains on the higher states of consciousness, typically
inexpressible by cognitive aspects of language. Although his poem initially perplexed linguists from his time,
Eliot attempts to extend the limitations of language in several ways. First, he uses prosody, the patterns of
stress or rhythm, in his syntax as well as helping verbs, verbs that add detail to the aspect of time in a sentence.
Lastly, he uses paradoxes, self-contradictory statements that when examined, convey a truth, which allow him
to recognize that we create and impose order in a disordered universe.
Creative & Expressive Writing for Healing:
Military Creative Healing Workshop
Felisha Port and Tom Darbe
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
We have integrated creative writing exercises into the Military Creative Healing workshop (facilitated by licensed
art therapist Kim Nguyen, MS-AT) for veterans, active duty, and wounded military personnel suffering from
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or Traumatic Brain Injury. We focus on how creative expression impacts
individuals’ relationships to other people, their construction of self-identity, and especially their experiences of
trauma. The goal is to facilitate self-expression and healing in a safe and supportive environment. This work is
in dialogue with social justice because it provides typically marginalized, underserved groups of people a space
where their voices and experiences are privileged.
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UC 122
UC 122
Truth & Expression
Queen Margaret of Anjou:
Reputation and Propaganda
Jennifer Morrison
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Queen Margaret of Anjou’s reputation has been abused for centuries. Propaganda produced by Henry VII,
continuing through patronage of Shakespeare, down to the modern day, the vast majority of depictions
portray her as a vicious tactician and insatiable adulteress. This paper will separate the fact from fiction by
examining surviving contemporary sources, but also examining the political differences in the expectation of
queenship between England and Europe. Her actions would have been expected in many kingdoms yet she
was condemned and vilified in England, both in her lifetime and centuries to come, initially for the political
convenience of civil war and then ultimately for the sake of popular media.
Literature and Legislation
Taylor Jane Damann
United States Air Force Academy
The unfettered expression of oneself persists as a necessity for mankind, a necessity manifested through
use of words. The widespread capability of populations to write unlocks pathways to a wider breadth of
dialogue between peoples of myriad upbringings. Presently, literati use this ontological outlet as a means of
communicating opinions about societal strongholds, prejudices, and vernacular which construct a juxtaposition
of conversation. The influence on the reader does not remain the limit for this intellectual exchange of ideals,
though. Writing as a means of expression acts also as a premonition of that which is to come for the society.
The challenging literature of defiance and critique uniquely anticipate social shifts approaching a region.
Desiree’s Baby by Katie Chopin and Trifles by Susan Glaspell demonstrate this, speak truth to the state of biases
and societal monopolies they experience. Thereafter, legislators enact a policy modifying the atmosphere
and rights of the oppressed in their stories. While tangible change is no consequence of the writing, literature
continually precedes policy by accentuating the existent alterity.
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Innocence and Guilt in America:
Coming of Age in Another Country
Jessica Venturi
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
James Baldwin’s novel Another Country was published in 1962, at the height of the civil rights movement. The
novel’s themes were controversial for the times; interracial couples, bisexuality, systematic racism, extramarital
affairs, domestic violence and suicide are just a few of the issues explored in its content. Through tragically
flawed characters and stark situations, Baldwin exposes the myths of the American dream. As the characters
in Another Country suffer, change, and cause pain they come of age into adulthood. Set in the 1950s, America
too, was coming of age -- defining American ideals internationally during the Cold War while the battle over
civil rights raged internally. This essay aims to examine the realizations of Another Country’s characters as they
affect, and are affected by, the coming of age of American culture during the civil rights movement. Furthermore,
this essay will attempt to untangle the ways in which innocence and guilt are explored in the novel as necessary
to the coming of age of America, and what that means for our contemporary, supposedly “post-race” twentyfirst century.
UC 303
UC 303
Ion- and Electron- Based Technology
Falcon Solid-state Energetic Electron Detector (FalconSEED)
Robert Olesen and Ryan Cress
United States Air Force Academy
The Falcon Solid-state Energetic Electron Detector (FalconSEED) is a prototype detector designed to monitor
beta radiation in geosynchronous orbit. FalconSEED will provide beta particle energy readings in order to
monitor spacecraft charging with the hopes of reducing adverse effects to the spacecraft. The design limits
indirect radiation incident on the detector using a series of tungsten baffles designed to reduce backscattering
events. Theoretical geometric factor calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP)
code. A maximum geometric factor of 12 cm2 was calculated under nominal conditions for radiation directly
incident on the detector. A more realistic geometric factor of 1.7 cm2 was calculated after allowing electrons
to interact with the optics of the detector. A comparison of readings from the prototype and the theoretical
calculations will be discussed.
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Electric Field’s Fringe Effect in a Parallel Plate Capacitor
Genavieve Godec
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
We aim to investigate the electric field generated between two parallel plates and determine the dimensions
necessary to minimize the fringe effects near the edges of the plates. Laplace’s equation is solved using the
over-relaxation method. A code is built in Mathematica to solve for electric potential, and then electric field.
Results show the plates must be twice the size of distance separating the plates for the resulting electric field
to match an infinite sheet approximation. The dimensions for capacitors are typically well within this limitation.
These methods will be extended to investigate electric fields in dielectric materials.
A More Powerful Space Weather Constellation
John Paul Terragnoli
United States Air Force Academy
iMESA, the Integrated Miniaturized ElectroStatic Analyzer, provides the United States Air Force with a space
weather constellation. It will be secured to STP-Sat5, the fourth of five satellites in the constellation which
measure ion energy spectra from 20 to 45 eV between 90 km to 30,000 km above the Earth. The data is used to
calculate ion density and temperature which can be fed into space weather models to forecast communication
outages. The new generation iMESA upgraded from an 8-bit to a 32-bit microprocessor, allowing for faster
communications and data recording at a higher spatial and temporal resolution.
iMESA Analog Low Noise Amplifier Circuit: The Next Generation of Space Weather Transducer
Sean Bapty
United States Air Force Academy
This paper discusses the purpose and development of the Integrated Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer
(iMESA). iMESA will be secured to STP-Sat5, the fourth of five satellites in a constellation to measure ion
energy spectra from 20 to 45 eV between 90 and 30,000 km above earth. Ion and temperature data from iMESA
improves space weather models and helps forecast communication outages. iMESA uses a swept voltage
across an entry sensor. The sensor is similar to a “retarding potential analyzer,” an energy filter for incoming ions.
Low ion densities lead to small sensor signals requiring an improved amplifier and higher resolution digitizer.
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UC 307
UC 307
Narrative and Location
Narratives of American Society
Akshat Ghiua
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
General American society is inundated with narratives of all sorts. Most last a short time and/or are context
specific, like vaccine denialism, but a closer look at such narratives reveals underlying currents that suggest
larger, longer-lasting narratives in society. Two narratives, too large in their scope to cover entirely in this
presentation, but very important to understanding popular and intellectual rhetoric and language in each
generation. The first is the optimistic narrative, a narrative that portrays a future fundamentally and eternally
better than our own present. The other is the pessimistic narrative, a narrative that promotes a worldview of
stagnancy, decay, degeneracy of all types, of a past better than the present, and a future fundamentally worse
off than the present. I explore the origin of both narratives and briefly look at the various aspects of both. I also
show how they have appeared in modern times, with focus on TED talk videos as an example of the optimistic
narrative, and two articles iconic of vaccine denialism and the proclamation of moral decay in America.
Early Colorado Springs Exceptionalism (1871-1900)
Eric Anderson
United States Air Force Academy
In the earlier half of the 20th century, scholars of Western American history focused primarily on exceptionalism
and how the West helped the United States grow into the superpower it is today. Later on in the century, historians
shifted more to debunking some of the exaggerated claims about the greatness of the American West. Despite
these two competing schools of thought, one point of interest is how Westerners viewed themselves during
this time of great expansion and growth. Colorado Springs, founded in 1871, provides an excellent case study
of just how much its people thought of their Western society at the time. The people of Colorado Springs were
especially proud of their city and its sophistication, as depicted in their many public articles. Historians often
dismiss newspaper and magazine articles as biased history, but they cannot be ignored when they provide
overwhelming evidence. Not only did the people of Colorado Springs see themselves as different from the rest
of the country, but they saw their city as a sort of Promised Land away from the bustle of the East. The book
Fortunes of a Decade, written for the Evening Telegraph newspaper in 1900, is a compilation of meticulously
documented articles about almost every aspect of Colorado Springs society. The compilation provides more
than just facts about the city, but describes in explicit detail the self-righteous ideals of its citizens. This firsthand account of a 19th century Western city which viewed itself as truly extraordinary provides context for the
idea of Western exceptionalism as a whole. From there, historians can further question how great the American
West truly was.
90
Winesburg, Ohio: An Exposition of Distance
Leah Young
United States Air Force Academy
My essay examines the lack of human connectivity and the emotional distance present among members of
American society during the early 20th century. In this paper, I use Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio to
examine an enigmatic collective disconnect which seems to have begun during the Modernist era and that
society anecdotally still experiences today. The characters of Winesburg, Ohio coexist and are accustomed to
one another, yet lack an essential emotional connection. The distance and awkward unfamiliarity is something
that everyone is aware of, yet fails to sufficiently identify or remedy. Instead of resolving this tension, Anderson
uses imagery and diction to expose an emotional disconnection which results in a state of disjointed reality
and separation. A century after Anderson captures the glaring shortcomings found within human interaction,
society still struggles to find a sense of connection and emotional gratification. Due to the wide gap in time
between the two similar examinations of human interaction, perhaps we can conclude that society has always
been disjointed and distant. Or, perhaps the rise in technology contributes to the emotional distance. This
research examines the cause and effect of the distances that human beings put between each other and in
some cases, between themselves.
An Examination of the Role of ISIS in the Advent of the Quasi-State
Graham Kennis
United States Air Force Academy
In recent years, The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has dominated news headlines as the premier
terrorist threat to the United States. This paper seeks to combat the growing sentiment which embraces the
more digestible paradigm that ISIS can be accounted for solely in terms of traditional non-state terrorism. By
carefully analyzing their current campaign and organizational direction framed through the lens of historically
analogous political movements, such as the Bolsheviks in Russia, I will extract a distinct pattern that places
ISIS at the vanguard of what I will call “Quasi-State” status. This designation refers to ISIS’ role as a geopolitical
chimera, with complementary aspects of statehood and guerilla insurgency. The redefinition of ISIS necessarily
implies that the US government alters its current foreign policy operating procedures to account for the group’s
asymmetric nature.
91
UC 309
UC 309
The Future of Flight
Undergraduate Pilot Training Schedule Optimization
Rachel Lo, Brian Reed, James Salem, Dylan Smith and Meagan Whitaker
United States Air Force Academy
Laughlin AFB has been struggling to meet its quota of successful T-6 flights as part of Undergraduate Pilot
Training. This project focused on prioritizing the flight scheduling based on student pilot status in order to
maximize the number of successful flights. We created separate models for both Flight and Squadron level
flight scheduling. The implementation of our model decreased total time necessary to schedule T-6 flights
from 2 hours to 15 minutes. The implications of this are weekly savings of 6 hours for the scheduler and $3,000
for each of the three T-6 Training Flights within the 84th FTS.
The Future in Transportation - The HyperFalcos
Daren Dickson
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The idea of traveling through evacuated tubes can be traced back as early as mid 20th century, but it has
found new life after Elon Musk and SpaceX have proposed a practical implementation in the famous Alpha
Model white paper dated June 2013. To see the idea move towards become reality, SpaceX announced in June
2015 a Hyperloop Pod Competition open to University Teams of students as well as other non-student team.
The first stage of this year long event was the Design Weekend, which took place Jan 29-30 at Texas A&M. A
collaborative team of students from UCCS and USAFA have been invited to participate in the SpaceX Hyperloop
Pod Challenge and already travelled to the Texas A&M Design Weekend, along with other 120 teams from all
over the world. This presentation will detail our design and experience during this Challenge.
92
Improving Performance in the “Wheel World:
Sizing Classroom CubeSat Demonstrator Reaction Wheels after Hardware Delivery
Talon Townley
United States Air Force Academy
Pure and simply put, today’s society is heavily reliant on space technology. From the GPS program to cell
phones and digital TV entertainment, satellites impact our world beyond our previous expectations. Against
this backdrop, the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) teaches undergraduate cadets to “learn space by
doing space” thereby building the DoD’s “space cadre.” One fundamental capability satellite designers must
understand is that of pointing knowledge and control. In the “doing more with less” era, requirements are
constantly evolving to more aggressive performance values, including complex attitude estimation techniques
and rapid slewing needs. Demonstrating this advanced behavior in a practical way in the classroom translates
to a need for educators to show three-axis motion physically in a small package. Coupled with improved
CubeSat technologies, USAFA is employing the ES3 3U CubeSat classroom demonstrator containing reaction
wheels and torque rods coupled with a spherical-air bearing interface to slew the satellite in three dimensions.
While an effective tool for demonstrating spacecraft kinematics and attitude sensing and estimation, the high
inertia of the air bearing interface has limited three-axis slewing as the actuators were inadequately designed
to meet this need. Clearly, there are two conceivable ways to fix this problem: reduce the spherical air bearing
inertia or improve the reaction wheel motor performance. This work focuses on the latter approach, building
on previous conference presentations to analyze existing performance, identify the root causes for such
limited performance, suggest mitigation strategies to solve this problem, and highlight promising bench test
results that help structure future tasks to ultimately achieve the desired performance. By increasing the ES3
tracking performance actuation, the satellite will more effectively demonstrate the nuances of different control
algorithms to students integrating them in the classroom and build tomorrow’s critical space cadre for the next
millennium.
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Notes:
94
Notes:
95
10:40-11:00
N. Moorehead
M. Burzenski (G)
1:40-2:00
2:00-2:20
2:20-2:40
1:30–3:00
3:20-3:40
3:40-4:00
B. Kern
S. Jensen
S. Ortiz
UC 116 A
Orgo, Techno and
Psuedo Science
J. Baltrip (G)
H. Poll
N. Bode (G)
UC 122
Considerations of
Violence & Equality
S. Christensen (G)
B. Griffith
D. Eichman
UC 303
Applied Mathematics
and Technology
F. Port (G)
M. Aiman
R. Nicholson
UC 116 B
Constructing
Order
J. Venturi
T. Damann
J. Morrison
UC 122
Truth and
Expression
S. Bapty
J. Terragnoli
G. Godec
R. Olesen
UC 303
Ion- / Electron-
Based Technology
N. Liu
J. Lindell (G)
POSTER SESSION 2 - Berger Hall
A. Rodriguez
T. Parker
J. Esswein
UC 116 B
Considerations of
Strategy and Cost
4:00-4:20
3:00-3:20
ORAL
SESSION 3
K. Soltero
1:20-1:40
A. Toro
UC 116A
La Viva de…
Español
ORAL
SESSION 2
Centennial Hall Auditorium
11:30 – 1:00KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND LUNCH
Z. Hodges
M. Walden
A. Russell
J. Sell
A. Bach
J. Irvin
UC 303
Green and Medicinal Chemistry
10:00–11:30
POSTER SESSION 1 - Berger Hall
N. Hernandez
S. Hurtado
K. Gregg
UC 122
Artistic
Explorations
11:00-11:20
10:20-10:40
T. Mills
10:00-10:20
UC 116A
Explorations of Life
en Español
ORAL
SESSION 1 UC 116 B
Innovations in Behavioral Science REGISTRATION - UC Center Berger Hall
9:00–9:45
Schedule of Events
G. Kennis
L. Young
E. Anderson
A. Ghiya
UC 307
Narrative and
Location
J. Furtado
R. Kutsch
T. Foote
A. Mamet
UC 307
Contradictions and Improvisation
A. Gadient
S. Getty (G)
J. Singh
UC 307
Sensors and
Security
T. Townley
D. Dickson
Rachel Lo (G)
UC 309
The Future
of Flight
K. Cabusora (G)
C. Bates
J. Gill
A. LeValley
UC 309
Engineering
Solutions
S. Colbacchini (G)
D. Gaynes
R. Grimes
UC 309
Accurate Algorithms
and Designs
Thirteenth Annual Colorado Springs Undergraduate Research Forum