HOSTED BY THE USNA RESEARCH OFFICE
Spring
Midshipman Research
Poster Session
U.S. Naval Academy
Dahlgren Hall
1 May 2015
0830-0845
Open poster viewing
Mids should walk around and view the posters. Talk to classmates about
research. View the research topics in other departments.
Guests can view posters.
0845-1000
All mids must stand by their posters and discuss their research with faculty
and guests.
These midshipmen are enrolled in independent research courses (XX495 or the equivalent, or Trident)
or honors courses, and have been working with USNA faculty on projects in many areas, including
those of interest to the Navy. This unique learning experience allows midshipmen to apply their
classroom knowledge to new areas and important problems as well as develop their critical thinking
skills. Today, we celebrate their accomplishments and contributions.
POSTER
#
MIDN Presenter(s)
Major
1
Andrew Blank
Chemistry
2
Changyoung Lee
Chemistry
3
John Chamberlain
Chemistry
4
Evelyn Rios
Chemistry
5
Diana Jacinto
Chemistry
6
M. Hope Jones
Chemistry
7
Michael Brusoski
Chemistry
8
Elizabeth Shields
Chemistry
9
Tyler Price
Chemistry
Poster Title
Analysis of Human Cytoplasmic Aconitase by Electron
Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Corrosion Testing Using Scanning Electrochemical
Microscopy
Investigating the Effects of Temperature on the Impact
Resistance of Polymers
Isolation and Identification of the Photolysis Products of
2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in Seawater
An Investigation of Student Understanding in
Spectroscopy Labs
Development of 2-Component Surrogate Mixtures for
Alcohol-to-Jet Fuel
Characterization of Natural Fiber Welded ChitinCellulose Composites
Microwave-Assisted Copper-Catalyzed Amidation of
Aryl Halides via Concurrent Tandem Catalysis
Spatially Specified Natural Fiber Welding via Inkjet
Printing
Smart Hydrogels for Organophosphorous Nerve Agent
Detection
Comparison of MEKC-UV, MEKC-MS, and GC-MS in
the Analysis of Explosives in Environmental Samples
Identification of Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 (CYP)
1B1
Synthesis Towards Historic Dyes: Work in Conservation
Chemistry
In Vitro Selection of a Hypoxanthine Riboswitch
Copper-Catalyzed Halogen Replacement Reactions of
Aryl Bromides in Air
Effects of Nanoparticles on Liposome Membranes
Synthesis and Characterization of Heteroleptic,
Monocationic (alpha)-Diimine Pt(II) Complexes
The Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on S.
Typhimurium
Thermal adaptation studies in Staphylococcal nuclease
protein variants
Construction of a Home-Made Differential Scanning
Calorimeter and Its Analysis of Benzophenone
The Analysis of Chocolates by Differential Scanning
Calorimetry
Measuring amyloidogenic protein interaction with lipid
membranes via colorimetric assay
Improving Macromolecular Crystallography Data
Collection
Data Redundancy and the Crystallographic Models Bruker APEX AXS DUO Diffractometer
An Exploration of Structures in the Transitional OddOdd Nucleus Lu-160
Adviser(s)
V. Smith
R. Calhoun
M. Schroeder
D. Luning Prak
M. Teichert
D. Luning Prak
P. Trulove, E. Fox
A. MacArthur,
S. Lin
P. Trulove, E. Fox
16
Noelle Kaufmann,
Jordan Sndyer
Jacqueline Rine,
Ashton Genzman
Abby Noonan,
Mike Hayes
Angelique Sawick,
Charles Bowen
Rick Bravo
Abigail Nagel,
Colton Oviatt
Ryan Gall
17
Nate McLauchlan
Chemistry
18
Vikram K. Mukherjee
Chemistry
19
Logan Oliver
Chemistry
20
Georgiy Zotkin,
Michelle Morneault
Chemistry
21
Azure Augustus
Chemistry
22
Emily LaManna
Chemistry
23
Bryan C. Kaps
Chemistry
24
Hannah Kidd
Chemistry
25
Steven Hallgren T
Physics
26
Eric Swanson T
Physics
Black Hole Entropy: Quantum Mechanics in Relativistic
Spacetime
E. Ita, C. Mungan,
R. Downey
27
Britney Thornton
English
A New Human Experience: Living In A World
Amalgamated With AI
H. Gilliland
28
Cyrus Wilson
English
Assessing the Roots of Personality
K. Mullaney
29
Anthony Marchilena
English
Plenty of Sea-Room: The Calvinist Context of Melville's
Epistemology in Moby-Dick
T.J. Shaffer
30
Melissa Boughton
English
The Whale Tale: Defining World Order through
Language
T.J. Shaffer
10
11
12
13
14
15
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
C. Whitaker
C. Copper
L. Kennedy
J. Lomax
D. Morse
R. Ferrante
V. Smith
W. Heuer
V. Smith
J. Schlessman
R. Ferrante
R. Ferrante
E. Yates
W. Pearson,
J. Schlessman
W. Pearson
D. Hartley
POSTER
#
MIDN Presenter(s)
Major
Poster Title
Adviser(s)
31
Ward Scott III
English
Race and the White Whale: Subliminal Messages for
Racial Equality in Moby Dick
T.J. Shaffer
32
Jeramy Triplett
English
(Honors)
Ahab, PTSD and The American War Movie
T.J. Shaffer
33
Hannah Bobell
English
(Honors)
Talking With the Whale, Not To It: The Cyborg Nature
of Ahab and Barry
T.J. Shaffer
34
Hannah Bobell
Victim Blaming By Situation and Gender
D. Smith,
J. Rosenstein
35
Jett Utah Watson
Ship, Shipmate, Self-Conceptualization
T.J. Shaffer
36
Heather Bui
Is Moby Dick "Just a F**king Fish"?
T.J. Shaffer
37
Alisa Batcher
38
Angela Nordstrom
39
Angela Nordstrom
40
Teresa D. Kennedy
41
Emelie Gidley
42
Kyle Cregge
43
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
English
(Honors)
AHAB’S AFFLICTION: Is there a diagnosis for the
Great Sea Captain?
"Everything is Awesome": The Role of Music in Defining
the Individual Experience and Establishing Social
Norms
"A Step Removed From the Ridiculous: Recovering
From Sublime Encounters with Moby Dick"
The Cultural Cold War: Liberating Russian Literature
from the West
Melville and Milton: Linking Truth and Transcendence in
Moby Dick
Facing Leviathan:
Political Theory through the Pequod
Kyle Cregge,
Jack Mellgard
English (Honors),
Political Science
(Honors)
Past Answers to Future Questions: The Ethics of
Emerging Military Technologies
44
Leonard M. Dunovant
IV
Economics
45
Ryan Kolden
Economics
(Honors)
46
Victoria Overton
Economics
(Honors)
The Effects of Industry Mix on Housing Demand
R. Brady
47
Jack Mellgard
Political
Science
(Honors)
Influences on Net Neutrality Legislation
S. Wrage
Measuring Oman's Food Security Outlook for Crisis
Aversion
D. Wheeler,
F. Crabbe,
M. Kellermann,
P. Caton,
G. Henderson
Can paramilitaries solve the peacekeeping gap?
T. Davenport
Effects of Police Violence on Racism in America
T. Davenport
Assessing the Domestic Impact of Pakistan's Nuclear
Weapons Program
L. Murray,
S. Wrage,
D. Martinez
The Effect of Treaty Characteristics on State Behavior
and Compliance
P. Ling
48
Andrea Howard T
49
Ryan McGee
50
Gavin Jernigan
51
Dallas Redden
52
John McAuliffe
53
Sarah Blake
54
Adagray Anderson
English
(Honors)
Political
Science
Political
Science
(Honors)
Political
Science
(Honors)
Political
Science
(Honors)
Political
Science
(Honors)
Political
Science
(Honors)
Political
Science
(Honors)
An Experimental Study of the Dynamics of Collective
Action and Social Insurance
Measuring the Response of the Equity Risk Premium to
Unconventional Monetary Policy
Hidden Hand Leadership of Kennedy and Johnson:
Public and Private Conversations of the Presidency
Leadership or Likership? The American Public's Desire
for a Charismatic President During the Wars in Korea
and Vietnam
T.J. Shaffer
T.J. Shaffer
T.J. Shaffer
J. Salinas
T.J. Shaffer
T.J. Shaffer
E. Barrett
K. Swope
B. Cunningham
B. Doherty,
S. Frantzich,
T. Davenport
B. Doherty,
S. Wrage,
S. Frantzich
POSTER
#
MIDN Presenter(s)
Major
Poster Title
Adviser(s)
55
Lauren Hickey
Political Science
(Honors)
BRAC and Civil Military Relations: The Effects of Base
Realignment and Closure Commissions on Military
Recruitment, 1990-2006
T. Davenport
56
Ryan Eilerman
Political Science
(Honors)
Achieving Democracy Utilizing the Post-Cold War
Conceptualization of Hybrid Regimes
S. Wrage
57
John Jensen
Political Science
(Honors)
The NATO Alliance and Collective Security
M. Testerman
58
Chris Dunlap
Political Science
(Honors)
Political Activism: A Comparison Between Violent and
Non-Violent Political Group Members
J. Lewis
59
Sean Gallagher
Political Science
(Honors)
The Humanitarian Intervention Non-State Actor Nexus
J. Lewis
60
Emma Ferris
Naval
Architecture
(Honors)
Design and Development of a Two-Element Wing Sail
for USNA's SailBot
P. Miller
61
Chris Hein
Naval
Architecture
Harnessing the Kinetic Energy of Oscillatory Ship
Motion for Power Generation on a Small Trans-Atlantic
Autonomous Vessel
P. Miller
62
John Tortorici
Naval
Architecture
Conceptual and Preliminary Design of the SmithsonianNavy Autonomous Oceanographic Research Trimaran
P. Miller
63
Duncan Mamer
64
Colton Van't Hof
Designing, Building and Testing an Ultra-Lightweight
Canoe Using Finite-Element Analysis and Aerospace
Construction Techniques
Exploratory Model Tests to Investigate the Effect of
Strakes on Hydrodynamic Turning Stability
65
Lily Van Steenberg
Naval
Architecture
(Honors)
Naval
Architecture
Naval
Architecture
(Honors)
Hydrofoil Rowing Shell
G. White
66
Timothy Howarth
Ocean
Engineering
Investigation into Simplified Wave Energy Converter
System
S. Mouring
67
Christofer Burgett
68
Robert Beydler
Investigation into Simplified Wave Energy Converter
System
An Evaluation of Pedaling Modalities and Sustainable
Power Output While Submerged
69
JB Loomis B
70
Nick Doeller B
71
Ryan Tran B
Ocean
Engineering
Ocean
Engineering
Ocean
Engineering
(Honors)
Ocean
Engineering
(Honors)
Ocean
Engineering
(Honors)
72
Kevin M. Lois
73
P. Miller
M. Morabito
S. Mouring
D. Robillard
A Characterization of the Hydrodynamic Forces on an
AN/AQS-20A Towed Sonar Array
J. Falls,
S. Mouring
Frictional Drag Reduction of Superhydrophobic
Surfaces
M. Schultz
Evaluation of FEMA Guidance for Wave Loads on
Vertical Walls
D. Kriebel
Oceanography
Validation and Verification of Model Predictions for I131 Transport in the Tidal Fresh Potomac River
J. Smith
Hank Leslie
Oceanography
The Madden-Julian Oscillation and Severe Convective
Storm Hazards in the United States
B. Barrett
74
Julie Stapleton
Oceanography
Satellite and Aircraft Observations of Upper-Level
Outflow in Hurricane Julio (2014)
E. Sanabia,
B. Barrett
75
Annie Foky
Oceanography
An Experiment in Biogeochemical remediation of
Polluted Tidal Waters
C. Muller
76
Sarah Bernhardt
Oceanography
(Honors)
Vegetation Growth in Southern Greenland Observed
with Landsat Images from the Past 20 Years
P. Guth
77
Louis A. Panek
Oceanography
(Honors)
Mineralogy, Bacterial Diversity, and Bioavailable Trace
element Loading in the Silt/Clay Fraction of Surficial
Soils from Iraq and Kuwait
J. Smith
78
Joshua Werling
Oceanography
(Honors)
Intraseasonal Influences on Terrestrial Snow Cover in
the Northern Hemisphere
B. Barrett,
G. Henderson
POSTER
#
MIDN Presenter(s)
Major
Poster Title
Adviser(s)
79
Kaitlyn South
Oceanography
(Honors)
Relationships between Snow Depth and the MaddenJulian Oscillation using Self-Organizing Maps
B. Barrett,
G. Henderson
80
Sierra Parks
Oceanography
(Honors)
Twilight's dark segment: Hyperspectral imaging and
radiative transfer modeling
R. Lee
81
Anthony Prochilo
Oceanography
(Honors)
Lidar Analysis of the Battle of Guam with Applications to
the Present
P. Guth
82
Christine Wilson
Oceanography
(Honors)
Long and Short Term Trends of Chlorophyll-a in the
Chesapeake Bay
W. Swick
83
Erik Boudart
Oceanography
(Honors)
84
Anthony Borrego
Oceanography
(Honors)
Movement of Blue Catfish Relative to Streamflow and
Salinity in the Patuxent River
Satellite and Aircraft Observations of Upper-Level
Outflow in Hurricane Iselle (2014)
E. Sanabia,
B. Barrett
85
Alexander Brecht
Oceanography
(Honors)
Atmospheric Efficiencies for Severe Weather
B. Barrett
86
Michael S. Fuller Jr.
Oceanography
(Honors)
Optical Characterization of the South River Estuary, MD
Through EEMS/PARAFAC Analysis
J. Smith
87
Michael Johnson T
Probe-Independent EEG Assessment of Mental
Workload in Pilots
J. Blanco
88
Chris DiOrio B
Rapid Topic Identification for Spoken Documents Using
Point Process Model Based Keyword Search
K. Kintzley
89
Kevin Chen
Free-Space Optical Communications for Wireless
Networking
P. Walker,
C. Nelson
90
Matthew Carothers
Real-Time Feature Extraction in an Embedded System
H. Ngo,
R. Rakvic,
R. Broussard
91
Tim Bihl B
92
Devon Budzitowski
93
Zane Markel T
94
Electrical and
Computer
Engineering
Electrical and
Computer
Engineering
Electrical and
Computer
Engineering
Electrical and
Computer
Engineering
Electrical and
Computer
Engineering
Computer
Science
C. Steppe
R. Rakvic
Energy Efficiency with GPGPUs
Analysis of Variable-Size Grid Pattern Passwords
A. Aviv
Computer
Science
Machine Learning Based Malware Detection
M. Bilzor
Joshua King
Computer
Science
Improving Link-Based Classification Via Class
Imbalance Correction
L. McDowell
95
Mohamed Khochtali,
Xisen Tian
Computer
Science
Parallel Sparse Interpolation using Small Primes
D. Roche
96
Zac Dannelly
Cyber
Operations
97
Thomas Wester
Applied
Mathematics
(Honors)
Analysis and Simulation of a Mathematical Model of
Ebola Virus Dynamics in vivo
S. Garcia,
D. Isaac
98
Nicolas Towers
Mathematics
Prime Number Spirals
A. Ksir
99
Lewis Correale
Mathematics
Game Theory and Math Application
A. Ksir
100
Jordan Saunders
Mathematics
The Power of Minimax in Game Theory
A. Ksir
101
Kaitlyn Fitzgerald
Applied
Mathematics
The Butterfly Effect: Systems with a Sensitive
Dependence on Initial Conditions
A. Ksir
Xbee Series 2 Mesh Network Usage With Collision
Mitigation Through Randomizing Time Delays
B. Connett
POSTER
#
MIDN Presenter(s)
Major
Poster Title
Adviser(s)
102
Anthony Goliver
Applied
Mathematics
Sabermetrics in Football
A. Ksir
103
Robinson
Pure
Mathematics
Can You Make a Time Machine?
A. Ksir
104
Zachary Kerscher
Pure
Mathematics
Modeling Muscle through the Time - Tension
Relationship
A. Ksir
105
Caitlyn Jensen
Pure
Mathematics
Arrow's Theorem and Voting Methods
A. Ksir
106
Casey Browne
Pure
Mathematics
Banach-Tarski Paradox
A. Ksir
107
Joe Worth
Pure
Mathematics
Iris Detection
A. Ksir
108
Kyle Poolman
Pure
Mathematics
Dominating Sets on the Chess Board
A. Ksir
109
Andrew Delo
Pure
Mathematics
110
Virginia Brodie
Operations
Research
111
Jim Catina
Aerospace
Engineering
The Path of Zero: The Discovery, Acceptance, and
Influence of Zero
Multivariate Statistical Methods for Assessing
Aggregate Contaminant Effects on Amphipod Species
Survival
Use of Additive Manufacturing to Develop Advanced
Propulsion Designs
112
David Stevens T
Aerospace
Engineering
Computational Sensitivity Analysis for the Aerodynamic
Design of Supersonic and Hypersonic Air Vehicles
C. Pettit
113
Austen Suqi
Aerospace
Engineering
Application of LIDAR for Pose Estimation and Tracking
T. Lim
114
Daniel Kuerbitz T
Aerospace
Engineering
An Examination of a Pumping Rotor Blade Design for
Brownout Mitigation
J. Milluzzo,
D. Miklosovic
115
Michael Segalla
Aerospace
Engineering
Missile Identification Through Emissions Plume
Analysis
P. Caton
116
Samuel Lacinski T
Aerospace
Engineering
117
Caitlin Petrofes
Multiple Sensor Discrimination of Closely-Spaced
Objects on a Ballistic Trajectory
Quadrotor Stabilization through Implementation of a
Control Algorithm
118
Hampson Skinker
119
Edward Hanlon,
Benjamin Keegan
120
Hardy Davis
121
Gabriel Tang T
Systems
Engineering
122
A. Eileen Dilks T
Systems
Engineering
123
Jennifer Pendleton
Systems
Engineering
124
Christopher Ormsbee
125
James Forrest Cooke
126
Emma Carlson,
Sara Peeleman,
Tyler Vasconez
Aerospace
Engineering
Aerospace
Engineering
(Astro)
Aerospace
Engineering,
Systems
Engineering
Systems
Engineering
Systems
Engineering
Systems
Engineering
(Honors)
various
A. Ksir
M. Nikolov
K. Castonguay
T. Lim, T.
Severson
M. Feemster
Effects of On-Orbit Eddy Currents in Naturally
Detumbling
J. Kang
RSat–Sustaining Human Activities in Space
J. Kang
Gesture Control of a Quad Copter
J. Dawkins
Cooperative Control of Autonomous Surface Vehicles
and Autonomous Underwater Vessels for Asset
Protection
Towards a Personalized Prescription Tool for Diabetic
Treatment
B. Bishop
R. O'Brien
Vehicle Parameter Estimation
R. O'Brien
Hands on AR
J. Piepmeier
Three Dimensional Microrobot Control and Tracking
Submarine Laser Propagation
J. Piepmeier,
S. Firebaugh,
H. ElBidweihy
R. Malek-Madani,
S. AvramovZamurovic
POSTER
#
MIDN Presenter(s)
Major
Poster Title
Adviser(s)
127
Benjamin Etringer B, T
Mathematics
A Modeling an Data Analysis of Laser Beam
Propagation in the Maritime Domain
R. Malek-Madani
128
Benjamin Carpenter,
Tyler Vasconez
various
Laser Propagation Through a Round Aperture
various
Modeling Laser Propagation Through a Double Slit
various
Laser Light Propagation in Fog
129
130
Emma Carlson,
Sean O'Bryant,
Sara Peeleman
Sean O'Bryant,
Benjamin Carpenter
R. Malek-Madani,
S. AvramovZamurovic
R. Malek-Madani,
S. AvramovZamurovic
S. AvramovZamurovic
131
Phil Ellsworth B
Mechanical
Engineering
Energy Harvesting with Bistable Smart Material
Mechanisms
132
Jorge Garcia B
Mechanical
Engineering
133
Clayton Petty B
Mechanical
Engineering
Heat Transfer to Components Behind HEL Irradiated
CFRPs
High Energy Laser Integration on Submarines –
Material Characterization of Maritime Effects on
Aperture Element
134
Kevin Hawxhurst B
Mechanical
Engineering
Submarine Propulsor Material Selection
J. Woertz
135
Tim Waterman B
Mechanical
Engineering
Characterization of Fatigue Crack Growth Rates in
Sensitized and Heat Treated 5456 Aluminum
R. Link
136
Jared Sadtler
Mechanical
Engineering
Tool Life Testing
R. Link
137
Maxwell Wiechec
Mechanical
Engineering
Effects of Laser Heating on HY80 Steel
B. Baker
138
Jeremiah Fulton B
Mechanical
Engineering
L. Luznik,
K. Flack, E. Lust
139
Brian He T
Mechanical
Engineering
140
Stephen Arceneaux B
Mechanical
Engineering
Effects of waves on BEM Theory in a marine tidal
turbine environment
A Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of PostCompression Water Injection in a Rolls-Royce M250
Gas Turbine Engine
Lamb Wave Detection in Advanced Materials for
Structural Health Monitoring
141
Eric Bermudez B
Mechanical
Engineering
J. Cowart
142
Josh Schmidt
Mechanical
Engineering
Analysis of Various Cetane Numbered Fuels During
Engine Start-up and Stabilized Operation
Design and Testing of a Thermal Interface Material
Characterization Apparatus
A. Smith,
R. Warzoha
143
Andrew Jones
Mechanical
Engineering
Influence of Notch Preparation on Hydrogen Assisted
Cracking using the Rising Step Load Test
S. Graham, M.
Koul
144
Fletcher Rydalch B, T
Mechanical
Engineering
A Characterization of the Ship Effect in the Maritime
Environment and Special Nuclear Detection
M. Millett, M.
Nelson, C. Leidig
145
Brent Aldridge B
Mechanical
Engineering
A Heat Transfer Analysis of Advanced Submarine
Masts
M. Cerza
146
Ethan Scully
Mechanical
Engineering
AVT-226 Validation of Thermodynamic Modeling
M. Cerza
147
Jim Daughtrey
Mechanical
Engineering
J. Cowart,
L. Hamilton
148
Cody Colyer B
Mechanical
Engineering
A Comparison of Start of Injection Measurements in the
HMMWV Diesel Fuel Injector
An Experimental Study on the Operating Range of
Stratified Charge Compression Ignition (SCCI)
Combustion with Low Cetane Fuel
149
Late posters
J. Radice
P. Joyce,
C. Brownell
P. Joyce,
C. Brownell
M. Cerza
C. Ratcliffe
J. Cowart
T = Trident Scholar
B = Bowman Scholar
Note:
Many of these projects are products of one or two semesters of work. Some projects are still on-going.
A few posters will not have midshipman presenters (due to conflicts with exams).
More information about midshipman research can be found at:
http://intranet.usna.edu/AcResearch/MidResearch/index.php
Generous support for midshipman research has been provided by
the Office of Naval Research (ONR).
Special Thanks to all supporters of Midshipman Research:
USNA Faculty and Staff
USNA STEM Office
USNA MSC and Nimitz Library
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Class of ’79 Gift Fund