URAC•2016
PROGRAM OF ABSTRACTS
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Sponsored by the Drinko Center for Experiential Learning
WELCOME FROM THE
DRINKO CENTER FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
WELCOME TITANS!
Westminster College is proud to host the 2015-2016 Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration. This
year’s celebration features presentations and performances from more than 300 students representing every
department on campus.
Westminster is home to a vibrant, dynamic, and creative community of learners. Our Undergraduate Research
and Arts Celebration showcases the outstanding work of many of Mother Fair’s brightest stars in the areas of
science, mathematics, humanities, classics, and creative expression. We are enormously proud of their work.
Approximately one out of every three students on campus is engaged in today’s event. Students ranging from
seniors to first years will present their research, read their poetry, perform their compositions, display their
artwork, and share their productions with faculty, staff, fellow students, alumni, and parents. For many, their
work represents the culmination of years of study in the lab, library, studio, auditorium, and dorm room. For
some, this will be their last formal presentation before walking across the Senior Terrace. These students had
the audacity to ask a difficult question and the tenacity and skills to pursue the answer.
Behind every project is a dedicated student scholar, committed faculty, and a support system consisting
of Greek Life, AV Services, Development Office, Admissions, Student Affairs, Office of Communications
Services, department secretaries, SGA, and others. Additionally, there is a College administration who
have made undergraduate research, creative endeavors, and faculty/student relationships a priority at our
institution. Also, let us not forget the parents and roommates who have endured countless conversations
about topics and projects of which they do not understand — with titles they often cannot pronounce.
The most important thing that Westminster College does is to prepare her students as critical thinkers,
reflective learners, effective leaders, and good citizens. The Undergraduate Research Advisory Council and
The Drinko Center for Experiential Learning sincerely thank our campus community for their efforts in
supporting our students.
I also want to acknowledge and offer a very special thanks to Pete Smith, Bill Quigley, Doreen Matune and
all of Westminster’s academic administrative assistants, Karen Resendes, Tim Winfield, Angela Lahr, Jonathan
Smith, Tracey Sinopoli, Pamela Richardson, Andrew Henley, Sandra Webster, and Terri Lenox. Their
individual efforts made this day’s event possible.
I wish you all an enjoyable experience and wonderful Celebration.
Patrick D. Krantz
Director, Drinko Center
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URAC•2016
SCHEDULE
8:30 AM
Coffee & pastry ­(Carlson Atrium)
9 - 11 AM:
Concurrent Student Speakers Session I (Patterson Hall)
9 - 11 AM: Live Musical Performances (McKelvey and Wallace Memorial Chapel)
9:30 - 10:30 AM:
Poster Session A (Witherspoon Room)
11 - Noon:
Remarks and Keynote Speaker (Will W. Orr Auditorium)
Opening Remarks: President Richard H. Dorman
Keynote Speaker Introduction: Dr. Russell E. Martin, professor of history
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Nathan Carlin ’01, associate professor, McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at The University of Texas Health Science Center
Noon - 1 PM:
Travel Mug (3rd floor McKelvey)
Noon - 3:30 PM:
Chapel Performances (Wallace Memorial Chapel)
12:30 - 1:30 PM:
Poster Session B (Witherspoon Room)
1:30 - 2:30 PM:
Concurrent Student Speakers Session II (Patterson Hall)
2 - 3 PM:
Poster Session C (Witherspoon Room)
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History
read CritiCally
Work Collaboratively
analyze SyStematiCally
Preparing Students for the Future
while Learning from the Past
CommuniCate effeCtively
Write ConvinCingly
think globally
westminster.edu/history
westminster.edu/history
Samantha Adams
Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Robertson
The
Articulate Alligator
The primary goal of this project is to assemble (articulate) a complete alligator skeleton from a full set of
individual bones. This endeavor will contribute to personal understanding of vertebrate/reptilian bones and
joints (articulations) – for example, enhancing appreciating of how bones interact with each other to support
the animal’s body and permit movement. The project will culminate as a specimen that can be used by other
students and classes to help understand skeletal anatomy. The articulated skeleton will be presented – as will
disarticulated bones, to provide the audience with an opportunity for hands-on experience with the articulation
process. The creative process of articulating the skeleton will be illustrated and explained step-by-step in poster
format. A few distinctive aspects of alligator skeletal anatomy will also be highlighted to convey how bone and
joint structure contribute to animal function, performance, and survival in its environment.
Savanna Adams
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
The
Groupon Effect: Using Groupon as a
Marketing Tool for Small Business
“Groupon’s Effect on Small Business” focuses on how small businesses use this e-commerce website as a
marketing tool to increase revenue streams and clientele. There are many hidden caveats to using this website,
such as 40-50% required discount on the product or service being promoted, 50% promotional fee given to
Groupon, and a poor customer service team. Many small business owners who are looking into ways to reach
other segments of the market are looking towards Groupon. Businesses are finding that they are unable to
break even when they create a promotion, and that many of their customers only come for the discount. Putting
a product or service on this website is known to give your audience a sense that your product isn’t worth as
much as you mark it up to. It is important that small business owners realize what really happens if a Groupon
promotion does well, and what to expect when it does.
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Cody Alward
Sociology/Criminal Justice Studies
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristenne M. Robison
The Factors behind Why Police Officers Use
Conducted Energy Devices and How They Affect the
Public’s Perception on the Police
The use of force is a highly debated topic in policing, especially against racial minorities. Along with public
perceptions on use of force, Steven Chermak (2009) focused on how the implementation of conducted energy
devices (CED) by law enforcement agencies shaped public perception of use of force, and found that CEDs have
only a few drawbacks. This study analyzed secondary data from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data
on Evaluation of Less-Lethal Technologies on Police Use-of-Force Outcomes in 13 Sites in the United States,
1992-2007 to understand the factors behind why officers would use CEDs, and how the use of CEDs affected the
public’s perception on the police in general. This study will offer law enforcement agencies improved guidelines
on the use of CEDs. It is predicted that the race, gender, and age of the officers and suspects will play a major
predictor on why an officers would use CEDs, and affecting the public’s perception.
Rachel Ancell
Biology
Co-author(s): Lauren Gezo
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Katherine Robertson
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
The Axons of the Mushroom Body Terminate in the Antennal Lobe,
Lateral Horn, and 1st Thoracic Ganglion in the Black Carpenter Ant,
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Carpenter ants, Camponotus Pennsylvanicus, are a good model for learning and memory research because they
form robust memories. The medial and lateral mushroom bodies (MB) are regions of the insect brain essential
for memory formation; when the MB are removed, ants are unable to produce appropriate responses to learned
stimuli. The goal of this study was to address the question of how MB elicit appropriate responses to learned
stimuli by determining which regions of the brain they innervate. We injected Texas Red Dextran® axon tracer
into the medial and lateral MB of live ants and used fluorescence microscopy to determine where the MB axons
terminated. Our results show that MB axons terminate in the antennal lobe (suggesting a sensory feedback loop),
lateral horn (which may coordinate information before it turns into a response), and the first thoracic ganglion
(which elicits motor responses). This is first evidence that the mushroom bodies stimulate these regions in the
ant brain.
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Joseph Bandi
Music Education
Patterson Hall 105, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nancy Zipay DeSalvo
The Art of the Carillon
Westminster College has housed a unique and rare instrument in the bell tower of Old Main since the earl
1930s: the Carillon. Every couple of years, a student is selected as the student carillonneur and is taught in the
art of playing the Carillon. Through personal research and lessons with Mrs. Kathryn Davison Miller and Dr.
Nancy Zipay DeSalvo, the carillonneur learns extensively about the instrument. The research is a compilation
of information from personal research projects that coincide with lessons, as well as information from the two
professors, and talks about subjects such as technique, making of the instrument, and several other topics.
Kierstin Barker
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sherri Pataki
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Relationships between Father’s Masculinity, Emotion Socialization Strategies,
and Children’s Future Emotional Expression
This study examined how sons’ perceptions of fathers’ adherence to gender roles relates to fathers’ emotion
socialization strategies and how this relates to sons’ own emotional expression. Parents’ gender roles and
emotion socialization strategies as well as participants’ (100 undergraduate students) emotional expression was
measured via surveys. Predictions were that fathers perceived as more masculine will promote more masculine
emotion socialization norms and their sons will be less emotionally expressive than sons with fathers perceived
as more androgynous. As predicted, masculine fathers were more likely to teach sons to express anger and
repress sadness than androgynous fathers. This shows that masculine fathers socialized more masculine norms
(encouraged anger, discouraged sadness). This research implies that fathers’ gender roles can relate to the way in
which they teach their sons to express emotion.
Kathryn Becherer
PreK-4 Early Childhood Education/PreK-8 Special Education
Co-author(s): Katie Becherer, Nicole Cross and Anna Vournous
Patterson Hall 106, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sararose Lynch
Local Elementary STEM Enrichment Program
The term STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, is becoming increasingly popular in
today’s society. It is widely acknowledged that there is a need to improve access to STEM in education – and the
younger the better. Knowing this, Westminster College Early Childhood Education Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs)
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partnered with a local school district to provide afterschool enrichment in the STEM fields. The program is held
weekly for any second grade student from the partnering school. It is facilitated by the PSTs and is supervised
by a professor of education and an elementary teacher. Goals include exposing students to STEM experiences,
building their interest in mathematics, and better preparing PSTs to teach STEM topics. A pre- and post- survey
completed by students and PSTs will be assessed upon the completion of the program to see if these goals were
met. The findings will give better insight into elementary student interest regarding STEM and PST preparation.
Melissa Bischak
Molecular Biology
Patterson Hall 107, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Resendes
5-Fluorouracil Decreases Topoisomerase I Nuclear Export in HeLa Cells
Treated with Irinotecan and Topotecan
Chemotherapy drugs induce cancer cell apoptosis, or cell death, for tumor treatment. The chemotherapy drugs
Topotecan and Irinotecan inhibit Topoisomerase I (Topo I), a crucial DNA replication and repair protein, to
cause apoptosis. These drugs work best with high nuclear Topo I concentrations. Treatment of HeLa cells with
Topotecan or Irinotecan leads to the nuclear export of Topo I and drug resistance. Previous work indicates that
5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) inhibits nuclear transport before inducing apoptosis. We determined if 5-FU decreased
Topo I nuclear export to make cells more susceptible to the Topo I inhibitors. Immunofluorescence was used to
locate Topoisomerase I, Ran, and Crm1 in HeLa cells, and fluorescence was quantified using Image J. We found
that HeLa cells treated with 5-FU & Topotecan and 5-FU & Irinotecan retained more nuclear Topo I than the Topo
I inhibitors alone. Our results contribute to understanding the mechanisms of cell death induced by chemotherapy
drugs.
Rebecca Bradnam
Biochemistry
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Boylan
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
The Efficacy of Duckweed in Reducing the Concentration of Manganese in
Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) through Phytoremediation
Coal mines from the late 1800s and early 1900s have left stream water contaminated because of mine drainage,
which is often characterized by low pH and high metal content. Duckweed, a common, small aquatic plant that
floats on the surface of slow-moving water, has been previously demonstrated to remove metal contamination,
including manganese, from water through the process of phytoremediation. In this research, a particular species
of duckweed, Lemna minor, is being investigated. A preliminary study was performed to determine viable
manganese concentrations and timeline for manganese exposure. The results from this preliminary study have
been used to establish the conditions for a more complete experiment with replication, in which duckweed is
exposed to real-world AMD. The goals of the study are to investigate the efficacy of duckweed in decreasing
manganese concentration in contaminated water and to determine at what concentration this phytoremediation
process would be viable.
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Emily Broderick
Neuroscience
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra K. Webster
The Effect of Attempting Retrieval on Learning
Prior research showed that retrieval-based practice with feedback improved recall more than restudying. In this
study 18 students studied 17 word pairs and were asked to either restudy them or complete practice tests with
complete (complete words) or fragmented (partial words) feedback. Then they completed a distraction task
before taking a final test on the pairs. Participants in the retrieval groups produced better recall scores than the
restudy group. All participants in retrieval-based practice conditions improved from practice to final, but the
amount of improvement between conditions did not differ. This study provides evidence for the benefit of using
practice tests in education. Future research should look into how this applies to a diverse population, as well as
investigate new questions such as the effects of timed vs. untimed practice on performance and recall.
Ashlyn Brown
Neuroscience
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bethany Hicok
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Adventure and Academics in the Amazon Regions of Iquitos, Peru
In January of this year, I spent three weeks conducting research on childhood malnutrition and the effects on
cognitive development, as well as general healthcare systems, in the Peruvian Amazon as part of a research
and health winterim in Peru that was made possible through the National Collegiate Honors Council and the
Westminster College Honors Program. This poster presentation will focus on the results of the nutritional status
of children in various regions of Iquitos, Peru and the self-reports of their cognitive development. Children do
not receive a well-rounded or age appropriate diet and present to clinics with malnutrition. The results showed
that many children who receive a breakfast twice perform better in school than children who are only receiving
non-nutritional school lunch. This research permits a starting point from which further, more specified and more
detailed, research questions can be developed to improve the nutritional state of children in Iquitos, Peru.
Ashlyn Brown
Neuroscience
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Deanne Buffalari
The Effects of Nicotine on Reinstatement Behavior in a Rat Model
Nicotine is known to be a weak reinforcer alone and has been shown to enhance the reinforcing activity of nonnicotine stimuli. This study seeks to discover if nicotine has an enhancing role in aversive stimuli. Eight male
Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a mild foot shock in a CPP box. After extinction, a comparison of nicotine
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and saline injections were administered after rats received a mild foot shock to trigger and reinstate the aversive
behavior. Subjects were then given 15 minutes in the CPP box. It is expected that subjects will show more aversion
to the side of the box paired with the aversive stimulus after receiving a nicotine injection in comparison to the
saline injection. This research provides some clinical relevance, such as when a person experiences an aversive
stimulus and it just so happens to be paired with nicotine use at nearly the same time, the aversive stimulus can
have a stronger negative effect than if it had not been paired with the nicotine.
Emily Brune
Psychology
Patterson Hall 108, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sherri Pataki
Why Do People Help: Self-Monitoring and Self-Sacrificing
This study examined self-monitoring in 50 undergraduates to explore the relationships among self-monitoring
styles, empathy, and self-sacrificing behavior. Participants completed measures of their self-monitoring style,
social desirability, and emotional empathy. The predictions were that high self-monitors produced more selfsacrificing behaviors in public than low self-monitors, but not in private. The participants were told to complete
and packet of self-report measures and then asked to complete two behavioral measures to assess their helping
behavior. The results show that self-monitoring had no relation to self-sacrificing behavior. Another conclusion is
that high self-monitoring individuals have higher empathy scores overall.
Brenna Butler
Political Science
Patterson Hall 105, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Goldberg
Electronic Cigarettes: A Safer Alternative to
Traditional Combustible Cigarettes
An important, yet lesser-known issue currently being debated across the United States is that of policy initiatives
toward electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems, and/or vape pens.
While many focus on the negative repercussions of e-cigarettes, there is a strong case toward advocating the
use of e-cigarettes when used instead of traditional cigarettes. This position flows from an underlying egalitarian
philosophy that states harm is a continuum in which free individuals have an inherent right to choose what they
put into their bodies. I argue that government’s initiative to eliminate the use of nicotine in any form does more
harm than good and is counterintuitive to the goals they hope to achieve.
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Taylor Casteel
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Stephanie Richman
What Leads to Sexism? The Implications of Traditional Masculinity
and Self-Concept Clarity
The current study examined sexism after gender role and self-concept clarity were measured and perceptions of
masculinity were manipulated. Undergraduate students completed questionnaires to measure their masculinity,
self-concept clarity, and sexism. Masculinity was manipulated by having them wear a “feminine” or “masculine”
apron. I hypothesized that wearing a “masculine” apron and adhering to traditional masculinity would lead to
higher levels of sexism in men and women, mediated by higher self-concept clarity. One-way ANOVAs and
regression were used to analyze the data. Results showed that there was no difference between wearing the
masculine and feminine aprons on levels of sexism. However, adhering to traditional masculinity predicted higher
levels of hostile, benevolent, and neo-sexism. Traditional masculinity was found to be a strong indicator of high
sexism. Ideas for future research include finding successful ways to temporarily manipulate perception of gender
role.
Neil Christopher
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Webster
Effects of Negative Mood Induction on Creativity
Creativity can be affected by different moods. Negative mood was hypothesized to have the greatest effect upon
creativity compared to positive and neutral. Twenty-one participants from Westminster College (11 men, 10
women) were randomly assigned to either a positive, negative, or neutral mood induction. Creativity was then
measured using the Alternate Uses Test. Results did not support the hypothesis though. Those induced with
neutral mood showed the highest level of creativity. It can be concluded that actually having either a positive or
negative mood induced will allow for lower creativity. However, by having no mood (e.g. neutral), it will allow for
the greatest amount of creativity.
Emily Clark
International Studies
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristin Park
Muslim-American Identity Construction in a Small North-Eastern City
My research studied the development of identities within a Muslim American population in a small northeastern
city. More specifically, my research focused on the question of what it means to identify as Muslim American
in this community. This question led me to discover that these Muslim Americans had high levels of religiosity,
and this religious identity was altered by 9/11. By conducting 9 in-depth interviews and 8 hours of participant
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observation at a mosque, I was able to find themes within the data. As previously stated, these themes that
emerged were high levels of religiosity, the effect of 9/11, and the integration into the larger diverse religious
community. These themes make up what I feel to be an accurate descriptor of a Muslim American identity in this
small community.
Ariel Clifford
History
Patterson Hall 106, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Angela Lahr
Frances Perkins: FDR’s Conscience
Frances Perkins, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor, was the first female cabinet member. She worked
closely with Roosevelt not only on labor policies, but she also advised him on immigration and Jewish refugees
prior to and during World War II. What influence did she have on FDR’s decisions regarding immigrants? This
research examines Perkins’s autobiography and other primary sources to demonstrate that she acted as a
conscience for FDR. It analyzes Perkins’s life prior to becoming Secretary of Labor and her influence on immigrant
working conditions. Understanding Perkins’s relationship and influence over FDR regarding Jewish refugees adds
a significant chapter to our understanding of immigration history in the United States and shows that Perkins’s
empathy made a difference in a significant period in American history.
Charles Cratty
Mathematics
Patterson Hall 107, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natacha Merz
Harmonious Coloring of Clique Trees and
the Harmonious Chromatic Polynomial
Graph theory is a field of mathematics which studies interactions and conflicts as represented by vertices and
edges. Graph coloring is one method used to understand and resolve these conflicts. This presentation will
introduce the audience to the topic of graph coloring and harmonious coloring. It will then enter into a brief
overview of research completed on the harmonious coloring of specific families of graphs and the extension of the
chromatic polynomial to the topic of harmonious coloring of graphs.
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Charles Cratty
Mathematics
Patterson Hall 107, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natacha Merz
Momentum Term for the MSPS Algorithm
In application to very large or complex problems, traditional math techniques are sometimes incapable of
finding a solution in a reasonable amount of time. This is particularly true in cases when a model contains
nondifferentiable functions. In response, mathematicians use algorithms, which approximate these solutions in
a much shorter time scale. This presentation will discuss one such optimization algorithm, the Modified Spectral
Projected Subgradient (MSPS) Algorithm, created by Dr. Milagros Loreto and the work completed by her 2015
undergraduate research team.
Samantha Croteau
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Webster
An Exploratory Study: First Year Women’s Social Identity Development as
Related to Use of Social Networking Sites
This study looks at emerging adults’ social identity development through the use of social networking sites
during the first month of college. A pretest survey was emailed out to about 170 first year women, 24 students
responded to the pretest, which was taken online. After a month the post-test survey was emailed out to the
same 24 women, only 14 responded, and 7 participants then met with the researcher to assess their use of social
networking sites. The surveys measured identity development based on the level of exploration or commitment.
There was a non-significant interaction between Wave 1 and Wave 2. Also, participants can be both exploring and
committing to an identity at the same time, but participants are less likely to recommit to something new. The
last thing looked at was the use of social networking sites as an aid of development. There was no relationship
between the use of social networking sites and social identity.
Kyle Daly
Criminal Justice Studies
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristenne Robison
Deviance on a College Campus: Do Athletic Status and Involvement
Make a Difference
This study will further previous research on deviance rates among college students and student athletes in
college. Topics that are covered and discussed are the social learning theory and masculinity theory. This study
tests the relationship between the dependent variable of deviance and the independent variables of free time,
gender, and athletic status. A total of 145 quantitative surveys were collected from athletes and non-athletes on
campus. Deviance scores were assessed to the participants through the survey by adding the scores of six sub
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groups; the lowest possible score attainable is 24 and the highest is 120. The groups are alcohol, theft, school
misconduct, violent acts, drug abuse, and alcohol/drug abuse. The responses were then analyzed quantitatively
through a series of tests to determine which group of students has a higher rate of deviant behavior: male and
female, athlete and non-athlete. The findings determined that males and male athletes have higher scores.
Selena Dasari
Neuroscience
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Deanne Buffalari
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Strength of Social Buffering on Behavioral Depression in Rats Pair-Housed
with Familiar or Non-Familiar Cage-Mates
For many mammals, social interaction with members of the same species can reduce stress after exposure to
stressful stimuli. This study assesses whether the familiarity of socialization partners can affect the degree of
stress reduction after social interaction using a rat model of depression. It is hypothesized that after exposure
to an inescapable foot-shock stressor, rats housed with a familiar rat will show less behavioral depression, as
measured by sucrose preference, than rats housed with an unfamiliar rat. Twenty-four rats were used; four-teen
received inescapable shock exposure in this 3x2 between groups design. Results show no significant difference
in sucrose preference based on the presence or familiarity of the rat. However, the socialization periods were
unexpectedly stressful as rats consumed significantly less sucrose after social interaction than before social
interaction. Keywords: social buffering, depression, sucrose preference, stress
Zachary Dernar
Computer Science
Patterson Hall 106, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. C. David Shaffer
Learning to Learn: Using Artificial Neural Networks to Assist in the ShortTerm Learning of Brain-Computer Interfaces
This study analyzes the effects of using an artificial neural network (ANN) to process commands issued through
a brain computer interface (BCI). One of the greatest issues regarding the use of BCIs is the length of time that it
takes to train the user to issue commands accurately. There is little research towards the assistance of new users
as to prevent improper commands, and rather the results of said research would suggest that it will always take
a long time to allow for high accuracy rates in the use of BCIs. The Emotiv EPOC is a lightweight, wireless BCI
headset that provides a variety of ways to interact with devices and applications alike. This study challenges the
participants use the headset to control a laser pointer mounted on a pan-and-tilt motor system to point to a set of
locations on a grid. It is suggested that the application of ANN processing of commands can lead to significantly
better short term learning speeds.
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Zachary Dernar
Computer Science
Co-author(s): Joshua Stevens
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
Big Data Defined: Getting More out of Your Information
Big Data is the examination of large amounts of information through theorized computation, which allows for
the discovery of subtle patterns, trends, and associations found therein. This acquiring of information from
vast amounts of data can lead to faster and more efficient decisions in various fields of study; this is why future
analysis should include the practices and knowledge of big data. This presentation describes the concept of big
data analysis and the advantages that it provides when applied to problems of the modern world. The discovery
and interpretation of patterns in large amounts of unorganized data will be our focus. Interactive graphic
examples will be available for the duration of the presentation.
Zachary Dernar
Computer Science
Patterson Hall 106, 2:20-2:35 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. C. David Shaffer
Data Structures for Object Oriented Database
While there are data structures for Object Oriented Databases, there are few data structure in the Smalltalk
libraries that are tailored for object oriented database use. In this project, I implemented (or in some cases sub
classed existing) open source data structures, which should be useful for object oriented database users. Then
I preformed performance analysis using the GOODS object oriented database system and the results will be
reported.
Addison Dieterich
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Webster
Teachers’ Attitudes When Grading School Assignments of Children in
Two-Parent vs. One-Parent Households
In this study, teachers’ attitudes on how knowing the family structure of the student influenced the way
teachers graded assignments was looked at. Twenty undergraduate Westminster College students read one of
two scenarios that contained background information of a student, the participants then graded an essay, and
answered questions about the student’s family structure. There was no main effect or interactions of the gender
of the teacher or scenario for the grade of the assignment. There were only two questions that resulted in main
effects and interactions. Question 3, “How many jobs do you think Josh’s mom works?”, had two main effects.
Question 5, “Josh’s mom has time to help him with his homework.”, had one main effect and an interaction.
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Stephanie Dorsch
Fine Art
Co-author(s): Erin Hassett, Bri Landis, Rachael Letscher, Jamie Linderman, Emily Maholic, Danny Owoc, Cam
Worthing, and Lexi Yoho
Patterson Hall 107, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Boylan
Tiny Living - Big Learning: Westminster’s Tiny House Project
Tiny house living is a social movement that is quickly sweeping across the nation. People are choosing to
downsize from the typical American home of 2,600 square feet to 400 square feet or less in order to utilize space
more efficiently, reduce financial concerns, and lessen negative effects on the environment. Westminster College
is taking the initiative to integrate tiny living in a meaningful way into the liberal arts curriculum and provide
students with the opportunity to live in a tiny house and gain first-hand experience with tiny-house living. A
group of students and faculty are working together with outside contacts and professionals to create a tiny house
that is sustainable and off the grid. The tiny house will create awareness of our impact on the environment and
educate students and community members about sustainable living. Students in any major, as well as community
members, can get involved with planning, fundraising, social media, and building aspects of the project.
Blake Dulick
Computer Information Systems
Patterson Hall 105, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Terri Lenox
Implementation of a NAS System
In this project, we discuss the research and implementation of a NAS (Network Attached Storage) system. The
primary goal of the research is to determine what sort of software and hardware is required in a high capacity
audio/video archive environment. The secondary goal of the research is to define the basic requirements of the
software and hardware utilized. Once this is done, the NAS system will be built and implemented.
Ryan Dunn
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Stephanie Richman
Gun Familiarity and its Impact on the Weapon Focus Effect and
Eyewitness Testimony
The weapon focus effect distracts eyewitnesses from crucial details of crimes, distorting their memories and
contributing to eyewitness testimony’s unreliability. The present study examined the impact that gun familiarity
has on the weapon focus effect and eyewitness memory. Gun novices were placed into one of six different
conditions, where gun-familiarization and various mock crimes differed. Participants’ eyewitness credibility was
based on the accuracy of free recall details, selection of perpetrators, and confidence ratings. I predicted that
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increasing gun familiarity would reduce a weapon focus effect. Unusual presentations of the perpetrator’s weapon
was also expected to influence a weapon focus effect. A main effect on the mock crimes and the participants’ free
recall confidence ratings was found. Additionally, participants witnessing a crime with a gun were less likely to
select the correct male perpetrator compared to a crime with no gun.
Kallen Eckert
Business Administration
Patterson Hall 108, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Terry Jachimiak II
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Technology and the Creation of Props
In theatre, props are a rarely thought about but essential portion of any performance. When the desired props
cannot be found, they have to be created by the props master. The props master may use any techniques
necessary to achieve the required effect. I am looking at the relationship between technology and the creation
of props, and whether advances in technology have changed the way props are created or if it is easier, better, or
more efficient to keep doing things the old-fashioned way. I will be looking more in depth at the creation of certain
kinds of props and whether advances in technology has changed how those are created in any way.
Krista Edwards
English
Patterson Hall 107, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bethany Hicok
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Ginsberg and Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox: The Apocalypse Battles Buddhism for
Control of the 21st Century Playlist
I examined Allen Ginsberg’s poetry through his music collaboration with Philip Glass. Ginsberg and Glass
collaborated on an opera entitled Hydrogen Jukebox, which addresses multiple themes and spans four decades
of Ginsberg’s work. Hydrogen Jukebox, which debuted in 1990, is a 15-song work based on Ginsberg’s poetry.
The piece incorporates various poems of Ginsberg’s, which address multiple themes and time periods, yet the
staged production uses opera conventions such as scenes and costumes. For the collaboration, Ginsberg wrote
the libretto while Glass composed the music. The opera consists of six vocalists who sing individually as well as
in unison and Ginsberg’s own voice as he accompanies the story with excerpts from his various poems. Glass’s
music comments on the content and form of the poems as he uses electronic keyboards, flute, percussion, and
tenor saxophone to convey the musical dialogue.
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Krista Edwards
English
Patterson Hall 107, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Bethany Hicok and Dr. Kristianne Kalata Vaccaro
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Iron Horse Apocalypse
My essay entitled “Iron Horse Apocalypse” comes from my larger honors capstone piece, which analyzes
Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass’s opera collaboration, Hydrogen Jukebox. Hydrogen Jukebox, which debuted in
1990, is a 15-song work based on Ginsberg’s poetry. The work incorporates various poems of Ginsberg’s that
address multiple themes and time periods, and “Iron Horse Apocalypse” incorporates Glass’s post-minimalist
music with Ginsberg’s poem, “Iron Horse.” Glass’s music reinforces the content and form of “Iron Horse” as he
uses electronic keyboards, flute, percussion, and tenor saxophone to convey the musical dialogue. Throughout
my essay, I explore the connections between the music and the poetry, which both foreshadow apocalypse
through their combined content. I presented my research at the 2016 Sigma Tau Delta National Convention in
Minneapolis, Minnesota from March 3-6.
Melissa Egan
PreK-4 Early Childhood Education/PreK-8 Special Education
Co-author(s): Ashlyn Brown
Patterson Hall 105, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Deanne Buffalari and Dr. Sararose Lynch
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Your Brain Did That! Teaching Preschoolers About the Brain
Through this study, we observed the effects that teaching neuroscience concepts to preschool-aged children
has on their understanding of the brain. Existing research identifies a wide range of mastery levels in this subject
for children ranging from kindergarten to high school, but little is known about the pre-K population. Following
a pre-assessment interview, 4- and 5-year-old students from the Westminster College Pre-School Lab were
randomly assigned to an experimental (neuroscience enrichment) or control (non-enrichment) group. Five
sessions of brain-related activities were conducted with the experimental group over four weeks, after which a
post-assessment interview occurred to evaluate whether this program led to significant gains in brain-related
knowledge compared to the non-enrichment group. In this work, we seek to evaluate the effectiveness of an ageappropriate approach to teaching neuroscience concepts to pre-K children and to initiate further research in this
subject.
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Alec Fisanick
History
Patterson Hall 105, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Russell Martin
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
United for Change: How Russian Nationalism Influenced the Attempted
Soviet Coup of August 1991
Change was well underway in the Soviet Union by 1991. Countries in the Communist Bloc went through a process
of staging revolutions to remove Communist Party leaders and replace them with democratically elected ones.
In June 1991, the people of Russia took part in the first free election in the country’s history. Boris Yeltsin, a man
who had been cast aside by the Communist Party years before, used a wave of Russian nationalism to ride to
victory. Not everyone in the CCCP was happy with the direction the Soviet Union was going in. In August, a group
of Communist Party hardliners staged a coup to remove Mikhail Gorbachev, the General-Secretary of the USSR, in
order to return to a stricter version of Communism. Boris Yeltsin and others called on the people to defy the coup
for the sake of their Russian nationalism, and the people listened. This often overlooked aspect would end up
playing a major role in the coup’s failure and Boris Yeltsin’s subsequent rise to power.
James Foltz
Criminal Justice Studies
Patterson Hall 106, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristenne Robison
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Current Perspectives of the Criminal Justice System
This study examined current perspectives of the United States Criminal Justice System. Many studies have
examined perspectives of the criminal justice system over the last several decades through the use of surveys;
however, this study researched them using Q Methodology. A Q-set was distributed to a college campus, and
the total population for the study consisted of 26 participants. Variables apart of the analysis that may predict
perceptions included race, gender, class, and political ideology. Participants were given a set of statements that
they placed in order of how much they agreed or disagreed with the statement. Upon completion of the tests, a
factor analysis was used to reveal patterns with the data set. The test discovered three current perspectives of the
criminal justice system within the sample population. Perceptions of the criminal justice system were identified
through this factor analysis and qualitative interpretations of the data set.
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Catherine Foltz
English
Patterson Hall 205, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristianne Kalata Vaccaro
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
A Close Reading of Anne Sexton’s “Snow White”
A close reading and analysis of Anne Sexton’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which is a poem that reworks
the familiar fairy tale of Snow White.
Catherine Foltz
English
Patterson Hall 205, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Offner
Chomp: A Game
A discussion of the mathematical modeling of the game Chomp.
Lauren Gezo
Molecular Biology
Co-author(s): Rachel Ancell
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Katherine Robertson
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
The Axons of the Mushroom Body Terminate in the Antennal Lobe, Lateral
Horn, and 1st Thoracic Ganglion in the Black Carpenter Ant,
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Carpenter ants, Camponotus Pennsylvanicus, are a good model for learning and memory research because they
form robust memories. The medial and lateral mushroom bodies (MB) are regions of the insect brain essential
for memory formation; when the MB are removed, ants are unable to produce appropriate responses to learned
stimuli. The goal of this study was to address the question of how MB elicit appropriate responses to learned
stimuli by determining which regions of the brain they innervate. We injected Texas Red Dextran® axon tracer
into the medial and lateral MB of live ants and used fluorescence microscopy to determine where the MB axons
terminated. Our results show that MB axons terminate in the antennal lobe (suggesting a sensory feedback loop),
lateral horn (which may coordinate information before it turns into a response), and the first thoracic ganglion
(which elicits motor responses). This is first evidence that the mushroom bodies stimulate these regions in the
ant brain.
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Bradley Gibbons
Chemistry
Patterson Hall 207, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Peter Smith
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Morphological Control of Samarium Oxide Particles Pproduced via
Precipitation Stripping
Samarium oxide, produced by precipitation stripping, usually results in high surface area, plate-like particle
morphology, as opposed to the lower surface area, rod morphology of traditionally produced samarium oxide. In
this study, Sm2Co17 magnets were dissolved in nitric acid, and samarium ions were preferentially extracted from
transition metals with mono-2-ethylhexyl-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (MEHEHP) in a hydrocarbon diluent.
Samarium oxalate was directly precipitated from the loaded organic phase with a saturated aqueous solution of
oxalic acid. The samarium oxalate was then roasted to produce samarium oxide, and the particle morphology was
observed using SEM. This study attempts to control the particle morphology of samarium oxide by altering the
oxalic acid stripping solution and changing the oxalate roasting times and temperatures.
Brenna Guard
Neuroscience
Patterson Hall 108, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Deanne Buffalari
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
The Role of Acetylcholine During Expression in a Rat Model
of Amphetamine Addiction
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between ACh and the expression of addictive
behavior using rats as an animal model. It has been shown previously that cholinergic receptors may be
responsible for the learned behaviors associated with addiction. The rats were conditioned using amphetamine
(AMP, 1.5mg/kg/mL) in a conditioned place preference paradigm, then tested for successful conditioning.
The subjects were retested after being given an injection of atropine either systemically (10 mg/kg/mL) or
intracranially (10 µg/kg/µL). It was hypothesized that subjects would be successfully conditioned using AMP, but
expression of conditioning would be blocked through atropine administration. The first hypothesis was supported
(p<0.01), but the atropine was found to have no effect on the expression of the conditioning (p=0.520). There
was found not to be a role of acetylcholine in addictive behavior, but there is a possibility it has a role on a
receptor level.
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Kellen Gursky
Broadcast & Digital Communications
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Bradley Weaver
The Gift of Motherhood
Kailen Fiedler is a mother of two living in Western Pennsylvania. She is pregnant with a third, but this time it’s not
hers. Kailen is a surrogate for a couple in Oklahoma. This documentary will focus on not only her experiences but
the couple’s point of view as well. This documentary hopes to show the public that Kailen and other surrogate
mothers are people, they aren’t just human incubators. In all of this, this documentary hopes to give the audience
a new found perspective on surrogacy.
Connor Hamilton
Broadcast & Digital Communications
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Bradley Weaver
A Journey down Academy Aveune
This is a documentary of the history of a country club in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. The Edgeworth Club has been
around this small Pittsburgh suburb for over 100 years. It has been through many changes. There are now houses
that were built over the country club’s nine-hole golf course. The manager and other staff have given their input
on how the club has changed over the years. The video featured was to give the audience a look into the past,
present, and future of the country club. This documentary is a Journey Down Academy Avenue.
Erin Hassett
Environmental Science
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann Throckmorton
Food Insecurity and the Environmental Costs of Food Waste
in the United States
Food insecurity affects one in six individuals in the United States. Very high food insecurity may lead people to
cut back on food to save money. They may reduce meal size, run out of food before having enough money to buy
more, become hungry, or skip meals. While food insecurity is prevalent in the United States, food waste is also
a problem. Approximately 40% of the food in the United States is thrown away. This wasted food has a severe
impact on the environment due to the energy and resource costs associated with the production of the food. I
used ArcGIS to map and analyze the relationship between food insecurity, food waste, and the environment in
America. I expected to see a rise in food waste with an increase in social class and a rise in food insecurity with a
decline in social class. My analysis revealed interesting relationships between food insecurity, the amount of food
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wasted, and energy costs, carbon emissions, and water usage in the United States.
Jared Heck
Mathematics
Patterson Hall 105, 2:20-2:35 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Offner
Should Teams in the NFL Kick It or Go for 2?
We will analyze whether teams in the NFL should kick the extra-point or go for two depending on time remaining
and score in the game. After a rule change put in place in 2015, the option of going for two has gotten a lot of
attention. Teams are attempting the two-point conversion at an all-time high. I will provide a chart to make clear
whether teams are attempting the two-point conversions at the right time of the game. Also I will be outlining our
model and chart versus others charts being used today.
Tyler Heintz
Physics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Influences of a Brown Dwarf on Objects in the Outer Solar System
This work presents a computer simulation to model the effect of a small companion star to the Sun in an eccentric
orbit would have on the comets in the outer solar system. We used Newton’s universal law of gravitation to
update the position of the bodies in the solar system over time. Close passes by a companion star can disrupt
the orbits of comets in the outer solar system. In our simulation, we measured the number of comets in the inner
solar system as a function of time. This number can affect the frequency of cometary collisions with planets in the
inner solar system.
Andrew Henley
History
Patterson Hall 108, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Brian Petrus
Western Pennsylvania Revitalization Conference
Identifying the problems associated within New Castle, Pennsylvania in regards to socioeconomic, social, and
criminal problems. This proposal is to counter the future outlook of the area by adding an academic conference.
The topics of this conference will host a diversity of backgrounds from musical performances to scientific
presentations by reaching out to the local colleges and graduate programs. The conference will also host a
number of social services for the community, such as mock interviews, resume building workshops, and diversity
workshops. The goal of this project is to help identify a possible turnaround for the area, specifically the county’s
seat, New Castle, Pennsylvania and to create a proposal and identity for an academic conference that might one
day be used within the city.
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Kelly Higby
Molecular Biology
Patterson Hall 106, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Resendes
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
5- Fluorouracil, but not Camptothecin Derivatives, Permeate the Nuclear Pore
in a Two-Step Manner During Cell Death
Nuclear transport is the process by which proteins, including apoptosis initiating factors, and other necessary
molecules are transported in and out of the nucleus. Many chemotherapeutic treatments alter nuclear transport
in order to initiate cellular apoptosis in cancer cells. We sought to determine how various chemotherapy drugs
alter the process of nuclear transport in cell culture by performing a functional nuclear transport assay on RGG2.2
cells, a HeLa cell derivative with a GFP-tagged nuclear transport cargo. We discovered that 5-Flourouracil initiates
a two-step permeation process, in which the nuclear pore becomes more permeable with each step, while
irinotecan and topotecan appear to initiate a one-step permeation process in which the nuclear pore goes directly
from impermeable to fully-permeable. We seek to determine if the effects of combinations of these drugs varies
from single drug treatment in order to characterize the mechanisms behind various chemotherapy drugs.
Ava Hoag
Physics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Motion of a Golf Ball
A simulation of the motion of a golf ball, including not only gravity, but also the effects of air on the golf ball in
the calculation. We used the language Python to perform these computations. We also collected data at a driving
range in order to compare the simulation with real-life golf balls.
Lindsay Homan
Biochemistry
Patterson Hall 107, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Boylan
Analysis of Trace Metals in Hair and Nails Using ICP-OES
Trace metal concentrations in hair and nails are biomarkers for human health, nutrition, and environmental
exposure. Deficiency or excess of certain metals can cause many common chronic diseases. Hair and nail
concentrations are a non-invasive and accurate way to test biological samples. A survey of the literature showed
there are many different ways to analyze trace metal concentrations in hair and nails. A pilot study was conducted
in order to optimize the procedure and methodology of using inductively coupled plasma optical emission
spectrometry (ICP-OES) to determine the concentrations of the trace metals. Advanced statistical techniques
were then used to explore patterns in the data.
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Stephanie Homitz
Chemistry
Co-author(s): Christopher Caroff
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Boylan
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research in Chemometrics:
The Students’ Perspective
At Westminster College we have established an ongoing undergraduate research project in the field of
chemometrics. Chemometrics is the process by which information is extracted from complex chemical systems
through data driven analysis. This research is a collaboration involving an analytical chemist, a statistician,
undergraduate chemistry students, and undergraduate mathematics students. The language barrier between
the fields of chemistry and math presents a significant challenge for cross-communication between the two
disciplines, but regular interdisciplinary meetings allow us to overcome this difficulty. The statistical analysis of
data sets that both disciplines can make sense of have been key to our ability to progress to complex chemical
data sets. This presentation will focus on the elemental analysis of a wide range of pet food samples by LIBS and
ICP-OES and the subsequent chemometric analysis of the data by using, and comparing, commercial software
and RStudio.
Shawna Howard
Mathematics
Patterson Hall 108, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Offner
Unraveling Celtic Knots
Celtic knots have fascinated both artists and mathematicians for centuries. A Celtic knot may be thought of as a
laser which bounces off the edges of a boundary until it returns to its point of origin. In this presentation, we will
examine what is previously known about how to calculate the number of components in Celtic knots in various
boundaries. We will use these facts to explore the mathematical properties of other Celtic knot boundaries as
well. We will also examine what is already known about mirrors in rectangular boundaries and explore these
properties further.
Rachael Huff
Computer Science
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Angle
The formation of primordia, or structure in the earliest formation of development, in plants, specifically flowers,
can be studied in relation to mathematics through the Fibonacci sequence. A hypothesis on the formation of
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primordia was first introduced by Wilhelm Hofmeister in 1868 and was later verified by Stéphane Douady and
Yves Couder in 1992–1996. This experiment observes the Fibonacci sequence and the convergence towards the
golden angle. Changes, minute and large scale, to the results of Douady and Couder’s experiment are produced
by a computer program and the results are compared to the original. A computer demonstration will be included
along with the poster.
Zachary Hynus
Broadcast & Digital Communications
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Bradley Weaver
Land of the Living Dead
An invasion has occurred that swept over the world like a wild fire and THEY WANT YOUR BRAINS! Ever since
George Romero’s 1968 film “Night of the Living Dead,” the undead craze exploded onto the scene and have even
been the inspiration for many of our favorite movies and TV shows such as “World War Z,” and AMC’s “The
Walking Dead.” However, the biggest impact can only be found in a small town in western Pennsylvania. Evans
City, the location of “Night of the Living Dead,” has forever been changed into an unlikely epicenter for the new
Zombie sub-culture.
Keilah Ireland
Mathematics
Patterson Hall 207, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
MLR vs PLS an Extension of Chemometrics
One of the biggest questions when creating a predictive model, is what method to use. In this presentation we will
be comparing a Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model with a Partial Least Squares (PLS) Model. Both of these
models are a specific kind of Inverse Lease Square (ILS) model. Based on the data set and what the desired result
is, one model is generally better than the other. By looking at the process, relevant output, and the amount of
variance explained by each model, one can decide on the best method for creating a model.
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Zachary Johns
Biology
Patterson Hall 108, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Diana Ortiz
Change in Mosquito Behavior in Response to an Experimental Compound
Using a High-Throughput Screening System
As mosquitoes become resistant to heavily used repellents and side effects of currently used repellents become
more obvious, there is a need to develop and test new promising compounds quickly and efficiently. This
experiment looked at the behavioral changes in the Aedes aegypti when exposed to a commercial repellent,
N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), and an experimental repellent, (S,R)-1[3-cyclohexen-1-ylcarbonyl]-2methylpiperidine (S220), using a high-throughput screening system (HITSS). The contact irritancy effect of these
compounds was measured by exposing mosquitoes directly to these repellents. Change in mosquito behavior was
determined when a significant amount of mosquitoes escaped from the compounds to the observation chamber
of the HITTS. The results showed DEET concentrations of 25 nmol/cm2 and higher were able to significantly
change the mosquitoes’ behavior. However, S220 was able to change the behavior of mosquitoes significantly at a
concentration of 2.5 nmol/cm2.
Eve Kammerdiener
Molecular Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Resendes
Quantifying the Effect of Increased Cystolic Calcium
on Nuclear Transport in HeLa Cells
Nuclear transport, the ability of proteins and molecules to move in and out of the nucleus, is a critical part of
cellular function. Cellular stresses such as excess calcium can alter this process, eventually leading to cell death.
The protein Ran is a key regulator of the nuclear transport process and its mislocalization is an indicator of
disrupted transport. The purpose of our experiment was to quantify the mislocalization of the Ran protein in HeLa
cells after treatment with drugs that alter cellular calcium levels. The quantification of the mislocalization was
performed by comparing fluorescent Ran images with Image J. we predict that an increase in cystolic calcium
will greatly mislocate nuclear Ran, indicating that calcium concentration is a key component of nuclear transport
regulation.
Erin Kennedy
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Social Media’s Effects on Artist Promotion
The world will forever be altered by social media. How has social media impacted the music industry thus far?
Is there a severance between label and artist on social media? I chose to research Columbia Records as the
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music label. From there I selected four artists of different genres: Adele, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen and Train.
For the label and their artists, I conducted research on two prominent social media sites: Twitter and Instagram.
There were distinct differences between label and artist on social media sites. The individual artists have a larger
audience on media platforms, making it simple to self-promote their music/tours/personal details. Columbia
Records hasn’t received the same berth of attention from social media users and they fail to post enough
information or post frequently about their artists. I intend to show you how Columbia Records uses social media
in comparison to their four individual artists and, in turn, how social media can make or break a company.
Sebastian Kerr
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Penn State’s Public Relation Crisis During the Sandusky Scandal
According to experts, Penn State’s crisis management during the Sandusky scandal was one of the biggest public
relations failures in NCAA history. This project is designed to analyze the public relations effort put forth by
Penn State University during the Sandusky crisis and ultimately devise a public relations plan that might have
better suited the situation. The goal of this project is to discover just how badly Penn State mishandled this crisis
and also reveal things they should have done much differently. For this study, research will be conducted on the
various media outlets used to distribute information during this crisis. Penn State’s social media outlets, as well
as official university press conferences and statements will be included in the investigation. Interviews will also
be held with faculty, staff, and administrators here at Westminster to reveal what they would have done during a
crisis like this.
Kelsey Kilbane
Biochemistry
Co-author(s): Jamie Linderman and Christina Mauri
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Boylan
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Analysis of Water Quality in Western Pennsylvania
near Hydraulic Fracturing Sites
Lawrence and Mercer counties have recently been the target of expanded development of unconventional oil and
gas wells. Although the risk of surface water contamination from fracking is low, our community is committed to
being vigilant of our stream quality. Six stream locations were chosen to be monitored based on their proximity
to an existing or planned unconventional well and accessibility. These streams are being monitored routinely
during the academic year, and for a six-week duration, samples were collected on a weekly basis at upstream and
downstream locations of each site. The tests conducted in the field on these streams were pH, total dissolved
solids, conductivity, chloride, alkalinity, iron, hardness, total, calcium and turbidity, and a visual assessment was
performed. The water samples were also analyzed for metal content, including barium, strontium, calcium, and
iron, by ICP-OES. One site that was monitored established baseline data near a planned well location.
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Amanda Kowalczyk
Biology
Patterson Hall 106, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann Throckmorton
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
A model of network formation and foraging strategies
exhibited by Physarum polycephalum
Physarum polycephalum is a slime mold that exhibits intelligent behavior such as solving a maze by growing a
network between food sources at the beginning and end of the maze. Physarum also exhibits optimal foraging
strategies that allow it to forage intelligently. We investigated Physarum’s foraging strategies by exposing the
organism to two food sources that were of different quality and quantifying the organism’s network by measuring
its length, width, and complexity. Using our data, we formulated a mathematical model to represent Physarum’s
growth and network formation. We then compared experimental measurements and observations to our model’s
predictions to evaluate the accuracy of our model. Models such as this one are extremely powerful because
they can be used to predict an organism’s behavior. They are also the first step toward formulating bio-inspired
algorithms, which can often be used to solve problems more efficiently than traditional methods.
Amanda Kowalczyk
Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
Identifying Genes Associated with Longevity in Mammals by Comparing Rates
of Evolution of Orthologous Genes
The molecular mechanisms behind aging are of considerable interest due to the prevalence of age-related
ailments such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases in human populations. Although research has revealed
techniques to delay aging and increase lifespan that provide clues to how aging occurs, our general knowledge
of genetic pathways that affect aging and age-related diseases is still incomplete. We used a novel method to
scan the genomes of 61 mammal species to find genes whose rates of evolution are associated with longevity to
identify potential aging pathways. We discovered that in long-lived species, genes associated with reproduction
and the insulin receptor signaling cascade evolve more rapidly, and, in the opposite case, pathways associated
with immune responses and DNA repair evolve more slowly. These insights into genetic influences on longevity
could eventually be used to develop personalized therapies to mitigate the effects of aging or potentially extend
lifespan.
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Brianna Landis
Biochemistry
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Matthew Baker
Synthesis of Novel Organic Mechanophore for Use in
a Targeted-Drug Delivery System
The study and control of mechanochemical drug release has become a focus regarding “smart” polymers that
mimic the function and dynamic properties of a biological system. These macromolecular systems could resolve
problems for challenges such as controlled drug delivery systems, sensory materials, self-healing systems, and
a deeper, more constructive knowledge of how biological systems harness physical stimuli to allow a chemical
response. This study focuses on organic synthesis of a mechanophore, responsive to ultraviolet or mechanical
stimulation, for use in a controlled drug release system. A step-wise reaction scheme was derived and applied to
yield the novel organic compound. While successful synthesis has been achieved, optimization of reactions as
well as the attachment of the drug functional group has yet to be accomplished.
Tyler Lucas
Physics
Patterson Hall 208, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Finding Planets through Asteroids
Gravitational interactions of small bodies with larger ones in the solar system can create some fantastic
structures, such as Saturn’s rings. The gaps within the rings are caused by a mechanism that is referred to as
orbital resonance. This process is moderated by a larger body gently changing the path of the smaller bodies from
their original orbits, over a period of millions of years. Using the AMUSE astronomical software environment for
python a simulation was created to explore small body structures resulting form orbital resonances. Examining
such properties as resonance gap longevity, formation time, and other physical attributes of the gaps. From the
data it is proposed how such features may play a role into identifying properties about other orbiters including
possible past orbits of planets.
Kayla Magusiak
PreK-4 Early Childhood Education/PreK-8 Spec Education
Co-author(s): Kelsey Rogers
Patterson Hall 107, 2:20-2:35 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Charlene Klassen Endrizzi
Acquiring Appreciation: Preservice Teachers Explore Multicultural Books
The paucity of multicultural children’s books being published today is alarming (CCBC, 2013). This research
aims to survey Early Childhood Education students’ attitudes toward the worth and usefulness of multicultural
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books. Preservice teachers’ attitudes will be examined twice through the use of a survey given before and
after the African American Read In, held each February at Farrell Elementary School. The survey will depict
preservice teachers’ thoughts and attitudes towards 10 nonfiction and biographical African and African American
multicultural books. Using the Johnson Higgins Multicultural Evaluation (2002), these 10 children’s books were
analyzed for loaded words, stereotyping, illustrations, author’s background, and copyright date. Changes in
preservice teachers’ attitudes will be outlined in an effort to shed light on the importance and impact of using, not
just African American books but, diverse global children’s books in their work with children.
Alyssa Malachin
Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Joseph Balczon
RING-FISH Technique using Polynucleotide Probes to Detect Ampicillin
Resistance Plasmids in Escherichia Coli
Recognition of individual genes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (RING-FISH) allows polynucleotide probes to
visualize low copy number targets, such as single genes on chromosomal DNA or plasmids by producing a haloshaped hybridization signal. We used RING-FISH to generate and hybridize labeled probes to plasmids encoding
the ampicillin resistance gene beta lactamase. A fluorescein-UTP probe was generated using in vitro transcription
and was visualized to verify the length and integrity of the product. The probe was hybridized by immobilizing
a suspension of pAMP Escherichia coli on slides and dehydrated with an ethanol series. The cells were covered
with hybridization buffer and probe, permeabilized, and then hybridized. Fluorescence microscopy showed that
hybridization was successful allowing for plasmid visualization. Once the probe is optimized the goal is to use this
method to detect maintenance of ampicillin resistance in bacteria subjected to carbon limiting conditions.
Andrea Marsh
Molecular Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Diana Ortiz
Survey of Tick-Borne Pathogens from Wildlife Harvested
in Western Pennsylvania
This study investigated tick-borne pathogens from bears harvested in western Pennsylvania as part of a pathogen
discovery project in collaboration with the University of Texas Medical Branch. This study is part of a nationwide
initiative to screen for new viral pathogens. A survey was completed compiling the sex, harvest location, and
amount of ticks, blood, and tissue collected from a wildlife check station in Tidioute, Pennsylvania throughout
the month of November 2015. Blood samples were extracted for RNA and processed for PCR and viral detection.
Both tick and tissue samples were stored for future use to screen for viral activity. Tick-borne diseases have been
rapidly spreading across the US in the past few years with increases in the number of Lyme disease cases and the
discovery of novel viruses such as Heartland virus (HRTV). Therefore it is increasingly important to screen for
new pathogens which is the main concern of this study.
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Olivia Martin
English
Patterson Hall 108, 2:20-2:35 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Deborah Mitchell
Through the Wardrobe and into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe
Literature professor C. S. Lewis published the first of seven fantasy novels for young people in England in 1950,
not knowing that the Chronicles of Narnia series—which would introduce many to the Christian narrative—would
someday sell millions of copies and inspire countless dramatic adaptations. Eighteen years later, a quiet man
named Fred Rogers launched “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ignorant of the
fact that he would forever change the face of children’s television programming. But what do these men have in
common? Without training as child psychologists, both Lewis and Rogers managed to entrance generations of
children with their subtle approaches and genuine respect for young audiences, but the impact of their work ran
even deeper. The men’s Christian backgrounds and worldviews shine through their work; they both presented
subtle and graceful gospel messages without standing at pulpits.
Ian Matson
Business Administration
Patterson Hall 208, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Brian Petrus
An Overview of the Business Strategy Game
The Business Strategy Game parallels actual footwear companies in business aspects such as: plant operations,
distribution, warehouse operations, workforce compensation, marketing, brand image, sales analysis, EPS, ROE,
credit rating, and much more. This presentation is a quick understanding of the BSG, and how American Heritage
became the differentiated industry leader of the Fall 2015 Capstone Business Administration class.
Michael McClain
Biochemistry
Patterson Hall 208, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Peter Smith
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Atlantis Project (Spain)
I went on a 17-day internship to Cuenca, Spain and shadowed six specialties in a hospital. The specialties involved
Gynecology, nuclear medicine, pediatrics, ER, general surgery, ICU. Through each of these specialties I was able to
see very interesting procedures and obtain experiences that would be very difficult to obtain in the US. I was also
able to travel to two different cities and learn the history that formed them to what they are today.
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Marissa Miller
English
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristianne Kalata Vaccaro
Social Trends in Banned Literature
Banning literature has been a controversial issue in the United States since the first book was banned in the 17th
century. Since then, thousands of books have been challenged by parents, schools, and other organizations in
attempts to have them reviewed by the Office for Intellectual Freedom. The American Library Association tracks
the reasons books are challenged, and the trends point to an increase in banned books during times of social
unrest, especially on the premise of racial discrepancies. The relationships between economic and social events
and the challenging of novels has many correlations. Some of these correlations point to misunderstandings of
cultures by challengers, the OIF, and the ALA. Generally, these results show that educating people on cultural
differences might have prevented books from being banned.
Meredith Mishler
Biology
Patterson Hall 106, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Resendes
Characterizing the Fole of TREX2 Complex Member, PCID2,
in Nuclear Protein Export
Nuclear export is the process of transferring molecules from inside the nucleus to the cytoplasm. While all
molecules travel out of the nucleus via the nuclear pore complex, the regulation of protein versus mRNA export
occurs via two relatively distinct processes. PCID2 is an important component of the transcription and export 2
complex, which functions in mRNA nuclear export. However, PCID2 also exhibits a role in nuclear protein export,
which is significantly slowed in the absence of PCID2. This information led us to question how PCID2 is involved
in protein export. We have begun to characterize its role and found that PCID2 interacts with Crm1, an important
export factor. Our ongoing studies involve determining if the absence of PCID2 disrupts export complexes or
decreases the expression of export factors. Our goal is to identify more specific roles and interactions for PCID2 in
the process of nuclear protein export, in order to broaden our understanding of basic cellular function.
Joanna Moreno
Psychology
Patterson Hall 210, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Webster
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Hope Contagion: Can you Catch Hope from Friends?
The purpose of this study is to examine hope contagion in the context of emotion contagion, perceived similarity,
and friendship. A state hope scale was developed to test contagion. It was hypothesized that hope would be
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transferred more effectively between trusting, similar individuals. An impossible task called “The Seven Bridges
of Konigsberg was used among 20 dyads of women to determine the amount of hope that transferred from the
person with instructions to her partner. They all had five minutes to attempt to complete the task. After the task,
the participants completed five scales. The results of this study showed that women who were senders of hope
had less hope contagion than the receivers, and friends had less hope contagioin than acquaintances. This study
is important because hope as a trait has not been studied and the results of this study contribute to broadening
the field of emotion contagion.
Isaiah Morgenstern
Physics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Numerical Solutions to the Schrödinger Equation
The Schrödinger equation describes the stochastic behavior of particles in Quantum Mechanics. This work
presents numerical solutions of the time-dependent and time-independent one-dimensional Schrödinger
equations. The time-dependent Schrödinger solution presents an ongoing visual evolution of the quantum system.
The software includes various user-configurable potentials. A second package uses matrix methods to find the
bound states of a potential in the time-independent Schrödinger equation. This package, written in the Python
language, uses Numpy libraries for arrays, and the matplotlib libraries for visualization.
Isaiah Morgenstern
Physics
Co-author(s): Keilah Ireland
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
Data Analytics vs. Statistics
It may not seem obvious, but there is a significant difference between statistics and data analytics. Statistics
begins with a hypothesis. Attempting to support the hypothesis requires an in-depth analysis of numerical data
and application of quantitative principles. The analysis involves the screening of variables beforehand and from
there the data is used to create a model, or graphed to analyze variance among the variables. Statistics utilizes
most, if not all, of the data to come to a conclusion about the question of interest. Data analytics on the other
hand, involves the examination and manipulation of a data set in order to retrieve the relevant data from the
whole. This data is then combined to produce a graph. Based on interesting observations that can be extracted
from the graph, a hypothesis can be constructed. There is an interactive example on the computer.
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Robby Moss
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Domestic Violence and NFL Brand Management
If baseball is America’s past time, football must be its religion. If football is religion, then The National Football
League (NFL) is the church. However, there have been numerous cases of scandal and domestic violence within
the past five years. The goal of this research is to measure the effects of the NFL’s domestic violence incidents
on its viewership and reputation. I am looking to prove if the NFL, as an organization, is just too big to fail. To
elaborate, part of me feels that no matter what an NFL player does, it will not affect the NFL as a brand and its
prominence in American society. The two main cases I will be focusing on are: Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) and
the Atlantic City Incident, and Greg Hardy (Dallas Cowboys) ­and the Charlotte, North Carolina Incident.
William Newman
Political Science
Patterson Hall 205, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James Rhoads
The Impact of al-Qaeda on the Evolution of the Islamic State:
The Struggle for Jihadist Supremacy
The Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), poses a new and unique threat
to international security and the stability of the Middle East. One of the influential actors in the development of
the Islamic State is the al-Qaeda terrorist network. This article investigates the evolution of ISIS in relation to
its interactions with al-Qaeda by employing historical analysis of the major events in the ISIS’ development and
qualitative analysis of the similarities and differences between the Salafist ideologies and strategies of al-Qaeda
and the Islamic State. Al-Qaeda catalyzed the evolution of ISIS in two ways. First, the two organizations’ leaders
disagreed over various aspects of Salafism, including the scope and priority of jihad. Second, ISIS had formal
organizational ties to the al-Qaeda franchise in which al-Qaeda attempted to influence the actions of ISIS while
ISIS wished to employ its own strategies.
Paul Nicol
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Stephanie Richman
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Physiological Differences between Social and Romantic Rejection
The primary purpose of this experiment is to determine the differences in recovery time following social or
romantic rejection. Recovery time was analyzed after monitoring the physiological measurements of heart rate,
blood pressure, and skin conductance at baseline and after the rejection task. Heart rate and skin conductance
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were continuously measured for 15 minutes with blood pressure being measured every five minutes. We
manipulated rejection by requiring the participant to write about a time they were rejected by a romantic partner
(romantic group) or friend/acquaintance (social group), with the control group writing about their daily routine.
We expected that the romantic group would have a longer recovery time and a higher negative emotional impact
when compared to the social and control groups. We found a significant main effect of condition on systolic blood
pressure, with negative emotion partially mediating this effect.
Olivia Orth
PreK-4 Early Childhood Education/PreK-8 Spec Education
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Terry Jachimiak II
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Projectors are Transforming Theatrical Productions: Is It for theBest?
A projector is a device that projects images or video onto a surface by using light and lenses hooked up to a
computer to display digital images. With the introduction of projectors into the technical theatre world, some
think the new technology is distracting and making the audience have to use their imagination less. Others
argue that new technology can bring a whole new aspect to theatre than ever before. With the use of projectors,
it has become easier to put images into a theatrical performances. It has become possible to add videos and
prerecorded sound and special effects to enhance the work that is happening on stage. While looking into using
projectors in a theatre setting, it is important to concentrate on a few questions. What type of equipment would
be needed for the size and use of the space the project would be used in? Will the use of digital images fit the
production or will they be a distraction? What are the benefits to using digital imagery in the production?
Sarah Pace
Biology
Co-author(s): Ashlyn Brown
Patterson Hall 105, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Joel Postema
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Opinions on Healthcare
Ashlyn and I will examine the care provided to patients in medical clinics in smaller communities in the
Dominican Republic. We will be studying a broad spectrum of care within the medical clinics that include
anything from maternal care to simple checkups. To do so, we will be composing a questionnaire (in Spanish) to
be answered by doctors we will encounter during our stay. The questionnaire will aim to cover a range of topics
that help clarify how healthcare functions in the Dominican Republic. For example, we may ask a doctor how
many patients he or she sees in an average workday. We may also probe deeper and ask doctors the likelihood
that patients pay for and retrieve a prescription recommended by a doctor of the clinic. Overall, we will be looking
at quality, availability, and progression of healthcare in the Sabaneta de Yásica area of the Dominican Republic. 36
Mark Patton
Computer Science
Patterson Hall 208, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Bonomo
Analyzing Various Intelligent Agent Designs in a New Game Environment
In this project, we will create various intelligent agents to compete in simulations of the recently released board
game Ticket to Ride. The game’s environment is competitive, partially observable, and nondeterministic, with
strategies being heavily influenced by graph theory, specifically path finding. We will create five agents to
compete in this environment. Three of the agent designs are simple: one agent is a reflex agent; the other two are
goal-based agents with goals based on two different game strategies. The fourth agent design utilizes a Monte
Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) algorithm to determine its actions. The fifth agent introduces a learning element
into the MCTS agent. These agents will play multiple games against each other, with results being recorded and
commented on. The purpose of this project is exploratory, as very little research has been conducted on Ticket to
Ride’s environment in terms of game theory or artificial intelligence design.
Christopher Phillips
Computer Science
Patterson Hall 108, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Bonomo
OpenGL MIPS Processor Simulator
The MIPS architecture and instruction set is studied academically in a variety of Computer Science courses.
Teaching and understanding the MIPS assembly language and how it interacts with the architecture of a
processor can be a difficult task, however. Using C++ combined with OpenGL, an application is proposed that
would simulate a MIPS processor as assembly language instructions are decoded and executed along the typical
MIPS datapath. Such an application would be useful in the teaching and understanding of the MIPS instruction set
and architecture in an academic setting. One useful feature of the application will be the ability to add and remove
different components of the CPU. By doing so, the user has the ability to observe how a processor behaves
differently or to create an entirely different datapath. This project will incorporate both single cycle and pipeline
implementations of the MIPS CPU.
Christopher Phillips
Computer Science
Co-author(s): Mark Patton
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
The Importance of Reproducible Research in Modern Scientific Study
One of the main principles of the scientific method is reproducibility, or, the ability of an experiment or study to
be duplicated with the same data or with similar data to reach a similar conclusion. In a modern context, this
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approach applies predominantly to academic research, with the goal being full access to the experimental or
research environment. Reproducibility emphasizes the accuracy of the research taking place, and discourages
hasty or biased conclusions, one of the most pervasive issues with modern academic research. Other issues exist
that reproducible research aims to alleviate, such as incomplete data analysis and lack of transparency in research
methods. The definition of big data and its applications are presented, explaining the purpose of analyzing large
data sets. The goal of this presentation is to illustrate the importance of reproducible research and how it can
currently be implemented. An interactive example of a reproducible analysis supplements the poster.
Danielle Poling
Mathematics
Co-author(s): Ethan McCarthy
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Cuff
Real-World Examples of Big Data
Often in today’s society, it is difficult for the average American to keep up with and understand advances in
technology. One of the most efficient ways of explaining how modern data analysis, in this case big data, works
is by showing real-world examples. Big data, otherwise known as the computational analysis of large data sets,
is commonly a part of an individual’s everyday life, whether they know it or not. The simplest of tasks, such as
Google searches, are stored away as data and used by researchers to find patterns that allow us to learn more
about our world. This project aims to provide real-world examples that allow viewers to better understand the
concept of big data and its role in everyday life. There will be a user interface incorporated in the presentation to
supplement our examples.
Cody Postupac
Physics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Tom Oberst and Dr. Sararose Lynch
Inquiry Instruction vs. Inquiry and Lecture Instruction for College Physics
An inquiry-based style of teaching can be more beneficial instructional strategy for students than compared
to lecture. However, the time that it takes to cover the material using inquiry-based style is often the greatest
concern for teachers. Consequently, a teacher using inquiry may feel pressure to move to some lecture mixed
with inquiry-based instruction. This study, which is currently in the data analysis stage, was conducted using
introductory physics and astronomy classes at Westminster College, under the NSF Noyce IQ Stem scholarship
program. As a teacher’s assistant, I employed two different teaching styles, inquiry and a mix of lecture with
inquiry, in different sections of the courses to compare the two styles. The results of the data, obtained using a
pretest/posttest design will show if there are any differences in student achievement between groups.
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Raechel Pusateri
English
Patterson Hall 207, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bethany Hicok
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Songs of Democracy: The Radicalism of Robert Burns
Widely recognized as Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns was not only a prolific, talented writer, but an
advocate for Democracy and the freedom of his fellow Scottish countrymen. As such, his poems often acted as
vehicles for his political views. This study, in particular, looks at the democratic elements of some of Burns’s most
popular poems. The poet’s use of common dialect, folk song-like structure, and the content of works like “Song:
For a’ that and a’ that” demonstrate his concern for the state of his country and desire for equality and justice.
By utilizing these methods and pursuing these themes, Burns claims the previously “elite” art form of poetry for
commoners and acts as a voice for those typically unheard.
Raechel Pusateri
English
Patterson Hall 207, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Russell Martin, Dr. Bethany Hicok and Dr. Deborah Mitchell
The Queen’s Part: Lady Macbeth, Sixteenth-Century Female Political Power,
and the Elizabethan Succession Crisis in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Perhaps one of the strongest female characters in any of Shakespeare’s plays, Lady Macbeth demonstrates
an unyielding will and cold ambition that sets her apart from other women in 16th century literature. She is
remarkable in for her “masculine” desire to gain political power at a time when women were expected to embody
meekness and passivity. However, although Lady Macbeth’s all-consuming drive might at first seem surprising
or unbefitting given the time period, a closer look into the political events of Shakespeare’s lifetime suggests
otherwise. This study examines the political culture and ideas circulating during Shakespeare’s lifetime and
applies them to an analysis of Lady Macbeth. Of particular interest are the role of female political figures, the
Elizabethan succession crisis, and 16th century discourse on monarchical legitimacy and inheritance.
Sarah Rea
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mandy Medvin
Sharing: A Factor in the Relationship between Theory of
Mind and Social Preference?
This study examined the connection between childrens’ theory of mind, sharing behavior, and social preference.
Fifty participants between 3 and 6 years old completed friendship nominations, theory of mind tasks, and a
sharing task. It was hypothesized that children with high theory of mind and high sharing behavior scores would
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have high social preference scores. Sharing behavior was expected to mediate the relationship between theory
of mind and likeability. Contrary to hypotheses, findings indicate that sharing behavior was not related to social
preference (B = -.025, t(49) = -.184, p = .855), but was negatively related to theory of mind (B = -.422, t(49) =
-2.728, p = .009). Sharing was not a mediator. Previous research found that theory of mind and social preference
at school relate to engagement in prosocial behaviors such as sharing. The sharing task used is an important
behavior to examine because it requires children to evaluate their own needs against someone else’s.
Sean Reed
Chemistry
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Matthew Baker
Progress Towards Poly (4-vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one) and its
Corresponding Ladder Polymer
The formation of the ladder polymer formed by the polymer poly(4-vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one) was worked
on in the research. Both radical polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) were
attempted in the polymerization of the monomer 4-vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one. Synthesis of a peroxide derived
from 2-benzoylbenzoic acid for use as an initiator in radical polymerization for the monomer was initialized.
Polymerization was attempted with the synthesized peroxide, but it is unknown whether the synthesis or
polymerization was successful.
Kedric Reiser
History
Patterson Hall 210, 1:55-2:10 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Russell Martin
Art and Identity in New Deal America: The Murals of Lorin Thompson Jr.
My research is on the four murals painted by Lorin Thompson Junior during the Great Depression and how
his murals indicate the development of a new American cultural identity. I use these four murals as a focused
example to indicate a larger nationwide trend. During my research I found that Thompson’s murals fit within
the Regionalist branch of the American scene which focused on an idealized America and emphasized the
positive elements of American culture. Through analyzing these murals I noticed similar themes, this led to
the development of my final thesis. “The paintings of the New Deal Era are part of the construction of a new
American cultural identity as evidenced by the paintings of artists such as Lorin Thompson Jr. This identity
coming out of the Depression was a populist identity, embracing all classes who were brought together by the
image of prosperity, progress, and unity within a common homeland.”
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Christina Robb
Chemistry
Co-author(s): Jennifer Bickel
Patterson Hall 210, 9:25-9:40 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Wilson
The Kiss of Death: Heavy Metals in Lipstick
Recently, there has been a rise in concern over lipsticks containing heavy metals, which are toxic over time.
Cosmetics in the United States are primarily regulated by individual companies without a general consensus
among federal agencies. In several studies the levels of heavy metals in lipsticks were examined. This experiment
replicates and expands that work by looking at the ingestion of lipstick as well. Our research looks at the
amount of lead, cadmium, and chromium in a variety of brands of lipstick using LIBS and ICP-OES analysis and
determining if that exposure through ingestion is dangerous over time. LIBS was used to screen the lipstick
samples for these metals. Then, samples were digested to release the metals and investigated using ICP-OES.
Results of this analysis will be discussed in the context of developing national standards for heavy metals in
cosmetics.
Ethan Rodemoyer
Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Robertson
Quantifying Electrosensory Ampullae of the Paddlefish Rostrum (Polyodon
Spathula)
The paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, features a dramatic rostrum that develops rapidly after hatching and supports
the paddlefish’s ability to sense electric fields. We quantified the electrosensory structures (ampullae) on the
rostrum of developing paddlefish to better appreciate sensory capacity, development, and plasticity in this
species. We used fluorescence microscopy to image ampullary pores on the dorsal rostrum of fish from five size
classes between 55 mm and 80 mm in body length; an image analysis program was used to count the number
of pores on each rostrum. Results indicate that ampullae in the dorsal rostrum exhibit bilateral symmetry, and
the numbers of ampullae increase remarkably as the juvenile fish grows. As the rostrum develops, the newly
generated ampullae must be neurally integrated to accommodate functional electrosensation; this study thus
contributes to the appeal of paddlefish as a model of vertebrate sensory development and neural plasticity.
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Matthew Romeo
Political Science
Patterson Hall 207, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James Rhoads
The Effect of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions on
Democracy and Human Rights Violations
This study focuses on the effect of truth commissions on democracy and the improvement of human rights.
Post-conflict societies have increasingly turned to the use of truth commissions as a tool for transitional justice,
yet we still know little about the effects and implications of them. This study first focuses on if truth commissions
actually do improve democratic values and human rights protections and second how the granting of amnesty
and the domesticity of the commissioners effects that improvement. It recognizes that truth commissions
are only a part of the greater process of reconciliation and that further research is required in order to truly
understand the independent implications of truth commissions in post-conflict societies.
Krystina Rothhaar
History
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Angela Lahr
How Union Civil War Nurses Changed the Field of Medicine
In histories of the American Civil War, nursing is sometimes overshadowed by battles and the destruction of the
war. The women who became nurses certainly helped to develop nursing as a profession. Did they also use their
roles as an opportunity to gain a foothold in women’s rights? This paper will use medical journals to understand
the diseases nurses were treating and show the progress in the field of medicine. Most importantly, primary
sources such as diaries and letters of Union nurses, doctors, and soldiers will provide personal accounts of the
war. Women who became nurses during the American Civil War, though they may not have known it at the time
were able to help their nation, expand the understanding of medicine through sanitation, and magnify the role of
women in the United States at the end of the 19th century. Women have worked hard for equality and as a result of
the work done by women in the Civil War, barriers began to fall apart, benefitting the cause of women’s rights.
Lindsay Schich
Communication Studies
Patterson Hall 205, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Colleen Merrick
Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Effect on the Perception of College-Aged Women
Associated with a Social Greek Organization
I will be investigating how magazine editions and website articles portray women ages 18-30 are portrayed,
especially those associated with a social Greek organization. I hope to validate the hypothesis that Cosmopolitan
attempts to portray women in a balanced viewpoint, but the negative/sexual undertones are primarily noticed
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by their readers and the general public. On-campus surveys and previous work research will be the basis for my
primary research on Cosmopolitan magazine in print and online. I plan to gather a body of information that will
benefit other scholars working in this previously un-researched area. The paper will also address the history of
Cosmopolitan magazine, various marketing and advertising methods and how the relationship between women
and the magazine affect society as a whole. This information may also be useful to the general public, who is
looking to learn more about the topic, or to raise awareness about Cosmopolitan magazine truly portrays women.
Jessica Schweitzer
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
The Correlation between ACM Lifting Lives Social Media Campaigns
Promotions and its Impact on the Country Music Industry
Using data collected from the Academy of Country Music’s social networking sites and press releases, this study
examines how effective the ACM Lifting Lives’ campaigns and events have been on the country music industry.
The study displays how effective the campaigns are based on feedback from fans on social networking sites
and the number of retweets, shares and hashtags on posts and responses from third-party bloggers. Evaluating
ACM Lifting Lives’ social media strategies and gauging public feedback, my study will show how engagement in
community outreach and philanthropic involvement is advantageous to the country music industry.
Shelby Seyler
Psychology
Co-author(s): Madison Ordonez
Patterson Hall 207, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Joel Postema
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Doctor-Patient Trust in the Dominican Republic
This study will be conducted in order to determine if Dominican citizens prefer the medical care of doctors
brought by the United States or their own native doctors. The study will provide U.S. medical teams with
information about what they are doing well and how to improve medical treatment in developing nations.
The study will consist of a 13-item survey regarding doctor-patient trust. It will be given to 50-75 Dominican
participants via pen and paper. Questions will pertain to the domains of doctor’s education, wealth, language,
and benevolence to determine what they look for in a medical provider. Questions will all be answered on a Likert
scale of one to five, and results will be analyzed with descriptive statistics. Based on experience of other team
members, we hypothesize that the Dominicans will prefer our medical teams over their own doctors. We expect
that the most influential factors on their choice of doctor will be doctor’s education and wealth.
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Jeremiah Shepherd
Economics
Co-author(s): Danielle Poling, Daniel Lee, Ethan McCarthy, Joseph Glennon, Matthew Getsy, Garrett Ashbaugh,
Jacob Dennis
Patterson Hall 210, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Daniel Fischmar
Screening for Undervalued Stocks
Screening for Undervalued Stocks With a universe of thousands of mid and large cap stocks from which to choose,
investors have the difficult task of screening stocks for profitable investment opportunities. The objective of this
research is to provide a methodology that would provide such a screen. The screen will be based on a model that
predicts the price to earnings ratio while controlling for projected growth of earnings and risk. Discrepancies
between predicted and actual price earnings ratios can be used to identify potential investment opportunities.
Aaron Shifflett
Computer Information Systems
Patterson Hall 210, 10:40-10:55 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Terri Lenox
Aquatic Adventure: Helping Preschoolers Learn Mathematics
The purpose of this study is to investigate if video games can help in the education of preschool children. It
has been shown that incorporating video games into the curriculum has helped students better understand
the material with which they are being presented. A game was designed to help preschool students learn two
mathematic concepts: Numbers and Operations and Geometry. The game helps the students by adding an
entertainment factor to the repetitive task of learning the order and quantity of numbers, and the identifying
factors of shapes. The game was designed in GameMaker Studio. The students will be given a pre-game
knowledge test, and after the testing period is over, a post-game knowledge test will be administered. The data
between the tests will be compared and analyzed based on improvement overall and improvement ranges from
previous years.
Zachary Shively
English
Patterson Hall 208, 9:50-10:05 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristianne Kalata Vaccaro
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Ending of Choice
While the love story has become clichéd, the introspective “Ending of Choice” uses an experimental form of
storytelling to examine the possibilities of a future relationship. The piece combines funny and out-there elements
and insightful passages to create the story of this unnamed protagonist. With non sequiturs and references to
Kafka, the story looks to have some fun.
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Rachel Shussett
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
The Effect of #NotInMyName on the Perception of Islam
in a Small Liberal Arts College
I am looking at the effects of social media on Westminster student/faculty perception of the Muslim community
through intentional immersion into social media that distinguishes between ISIS and the Islamic faith, specifically
with the “Not in My Name” campaign. My study will have 50 participants, split into two groups. The control group
will meet with me at the start and end of two weeks to take surveys, but do nothing related to my study between
the meetings. The independent group will meet with me at the beginning of two weeks for a survey and then will
be given a set of specific instructions to spend time each day either looking at the “Not in My Name” website
or following the hashtag on Facebook and Twitter while journaling their reactions. They will meet with me after
two weeks for a second survey and debrief. My hypothesis is that exposure to the social media campaign will
positively affect participant’s views of the Muslim community. Final results have not been concluded yet.
Rachel Simko
Engineering Physics
Patterson Hall 210, 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Craig Caylor and Dr. Mark Wilson
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Engineering Applications in Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical
Emission Spectroscopy
Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) is one type of analysis that can determine
trace elements in samples. The goal of this project is to learn more about the engineering applications with this
method and to perform this analysis to obtain information that would be useful to an engineer. The ICP can be
used to analyze used oil from machines by identifying metals that are in the used oil. Certain metals can provide
information about overall service condition of the engine and the wear rate. The ICP can also help keep polishing
solutions in electropolishing baths pure and free of contaminants. We will be performing these two types of
analyses and examining other uses of the ICP that are applicable to an engineer.
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Danielle Smith
Music Performance
Patterson Hall 205, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Anne Hagan Bentz
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
European Summer
During the summer of 2015 I traveled Europe for 13 weeks learning about culture, language, and music ­— in
particular, opera. After going to Greece for two weeks with my Westminster cluster class, I attended an intensive
German language institute, The Goethe Institute in Mannheim, Germany, for six weeks. Then I finished my
summer in Maurach, Austria at a top-notch opera program. Besides making many new friends, learning a new
language, eating fabulous food, and performing constantly, I grew as a person. It was a truly unique experience.
Doltyn Snedden
Communication Studies
Co-author(s): Brooke Novotny
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Bradley Weaver
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
What’s Behind the Trees?
You are lying on your back with the sun on your face. You can hear the waves crashing at your feet; but you also
hear a bulldozer running and a tree falling in the distance. A visit to a rain forest rehabilitation and reforestation
center that houses some of the most exotic animals known to man, now injured and orphaned, will unveil one of
the world’s greatest secrets. “Kids Saving the Rainforest” located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica is an organization
that has provided daily efforts to heal and release endangered animals, restore the vegetation of the rainforest,
and preserve all that this magical place has to offer. Through the perspectives of an eager volunteer, the brain
behind the organization, and through the sleepy eyes of a sloth named Oatmeal, the secrets of the rainforest will
be unveiled right before your eyes.
Olivia Sniezek
Molecular Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James Anthony
Epidemic Modeling
Epidemic modeling uses disease parameters in order to track the spread of pathogens from one host to another.
There are multiple methods of modeling which consider the interaction between individuals in the current state
of the world. There are many variables that have a dramatic effect on the contraction rate of the disease. In this
project, we will explore some of the variables that contribute to the impact of an epidemic.
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Rochelle Snyder
Political Science
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James Rhoads
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
The “Digital Silent Majority”: Citizens’ Perceptions of
Government Use of Social Media
The recent growth of social media has allowed both the public and elected officials to experience American
politics in surprising new ways. Contentious debate over the role of social media in the political sphere abounds,
with politicians and governments often claiming that social media allow for more democratic political practices by
opening up a dialogue between citizens and their elected representatives. Media coverage of political use of social
media has been comparatively negative, suggesting a disconnect between the public and politicians on this issue.
I use Q methodology to investigate citizens’ perceptions of government use of social media in order to determine
whether political use of social media can have a positive, democratizing effect. Three factors, characterized by
passive support, cynical attitudes, and a forward-thinking skepticism, respectively, emerged from my analysis.
Sarah Springer
Biochemistry
Patterson Hall 210, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Peter Smith
The Hydroxylation of Phenodioxin using Fenton Chemistry in an Ionic Liquid
Alpha glucosidase is a major enzyme in the regulation of glucose. If this enzyme is not controlled, a person
can become diabetic. Dieckol, a naturally occurring molecule present in brown algae, has been found to have
inhibitory properties for alpha glucosidase. However, the extraction process for dieckol is very inefficient. The
focus of this research was to begin replicating dieckol synthetically through a process that eliminates the use
of large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study used fenton-like chemistry to hydroxylate
phenodioxin through an oxidative reflux, using the ionic liquid triethylammonium acetate as a solvent. The
final product was analyzed using thin layer chromatography, vanillin staining, column chromatography and gas
chromatography with mass spectrometry.
Maria Synan
History
Patterson Hall 205, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Angela Lahr
The Plight of the Jewish Refugee during the Roosevelt Administration
During the 1930s, European Jews faced increasing prejudice and discrimination. At that same time the
immigration quotas in the United States were decreasing. These aforementioned trends thus created obstacles
for the European Jewish refugees seeking relief in the United States. This presentation will examine changes
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in immigration policies during President Herbert Hoover’s administration up through Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
presidency. It explores the degree to which anti-Semitism in the United States influenced foreign and/or
immigration policy. Using immigration statistics and public opinion polls, the public claims of prominent World
War II era anti-Semitic groups or individuals, and the foreign/immigration policies of the time, I conclude
that anti-Semitism was a predominant factor in shaping the policies in question. I argue that while significant
economic concerns, the threat of war, and isolationism contributed to immigration restriction, anti-Semitism also
played a major role.
Jeralyn Tatano
English
Patterson Hall 208, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Deborah Mitchell and Dr. Bethany Hicok
Straying From the Path: A Discussion of Modern Revisions and
Interpretations of Little Red
This will be a presentation of Jeralyn Tatano’s senior capstone project. The project discusses the fairy tale, “Little
Red Riding Hood” and traces its progression through several revisions of the tale over several hundred years.
The discussion will touch on interpretations of revisions by Perrault, the Grimm Brothers, Angela Carter, Disney
Studios, James Thurber and Roald Dahl. Although the characters and many of their actions do not change from
story to story, each different revision betrays the attitudes and ideas of the author and the time period in which
they lived. The presentation will end with a reading of several poems from the creative portion of the project.
Each poem is a different angle or perspective on several different versions of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Each poem
closely examines a different aspect or interpretation of the tales.
Samantha Thomas
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sherri Pataki
A Vote of Confidence: Effects of Confidence on Conformity in
Eyewitness Testimony
Conformity in recall has been found to prevent accurate eyewitness testimony. This study attempts to identify
factors that enable eyewitnesses to resist conformity. Sixty participants, 16 male and 44 female, were informed
that their gender was either better or no different at spatial performance and memory. Participants completed
a questionnaire, observed two pictures, and recalled items from the pictures while previous participant answers
were available. Conformity was measured against the similarity in recall answers to those provided by previous
participants. Participants who experienced a heightened sense of confidence were hypothesized to demonstrate a
decrease in conformity. Results were non-significant and the hypothesis was not supported. Future studies should
look to creating a more effective confidence boost and should implement a more realistic eyewitness scenario.
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Dylan Thomas
Physics
Patterson Hall 105, 1:55-2:10 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Predicting the Unpredictable: Simulating a Knuckleball
The knuckleball is a pitch in baseball that is considered unpredictable. Through wind tunnel experiments,
scientists have seen how the stitches effect the ball’s trajectory. They were able to understand why the ball
moves in different directions. In order to fully understand a knuckleball’s trajectory, the scientists need to resort
to computer simulation to make the tedious calculations. The hardest part of the computer simulation is creating
a model that matches the stitches of a baseball. Once a model is created, computer software can run through
calculations and create a visual simulation or an interactive 3-D model. By changing the initial orientation of the
ball, along with other variables, we will make the unpredictable, somewhat predictable.
Dylan Thomas
Physics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Predicting the Unpredictable: Simulating a Knuckleball
The knuckleball is a pitch in baseball that is considered unpredictable. Through wind tunnel experiments,
scientists have seen how the stitches effect the ball’s trajectory. They were able to understand why the ball
moves in different directions. In order to fully understand a knuckleball’s trajectory, the scientists need to resort
to computer simulation to make the tedious calculations. The hardest part of the computer simulation is creating
a model that matches the stitches of a baseball. Once a model is created, computer software can run through
calculations and create a visual simulation or an interactive 3-D model. By changing the initial orientation of the
ball, along with other variables, we will make the unpredictable, somewhat predictable.
Jamie Thompson
Mathematics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Jim Anthony
Fractal Meiosis
During the meiosis process there are three types of genetic variation: random fertilization, independent
assortment, and crossing-over. The end result is a cell with a new genetic structure called a zygote. There can be
many similarities, as well as many differences, between the genetic code of the parent cells and that of the newly
created zygote. In this project, we will show how mathematical fractals can be used to illustrate the variations
that occur in the process of meiosis.
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Marisa Toensing
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Athletes and the #RoadtoRio
Is social media truly an effective tool for athletes? Athletes use social media most to engage with their fans and
to show what they are doing in their everyday lives, whether it be promotional shoots, going to award shows or
preparing for a major athletic event like the Olympics. In my study, I am looking at four Olympic athletes from
different sports and genders. These athletes include LeBron James and Steph Curry from the U.S. basketball team;
Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross from the U.S. Track and Field team. I am completing a content analysis on
their social media posts on Twitter and Instagram to determine which sport is more popular. Do the more wellknown athletes like those who play basketball get more fan interactions than track and field? And why do they get
more interactions? From these posts, I have categorized their posts into different themes to easily compare and
contrast the posts.
Samantha Tower
Chemistry
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sarah Kennedy
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Classification of NIDE0866 as a Transport Protein
Proteins have functions based off their amino acid sequences. Similarities in sequences lead to similar functions
and classifications of proteins. A specific classification of proteins involved in transporting substrates out of cell
membranes are transport proteins. A type of transport protein involved in toluene removal is a toluene efflux
pump proteins, such as ABC transporters. A known ABC transporter was compared to a protein of unknown
function and also a protein believed to be involved in transport. Both were able to be classified as likely being
toluene transport proteins using bioinformatic software that ran based off structural similarities of the three
proteins.
Antonio Troese
Physics
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Robert Knop
Computer Simulations of Wobbling Footballs
We present a computer model of the interactions between the air and a football. The goal is to explore how much
the wobble of the football is affected by its spiral. We performed these explorations using professional fluid
dynamics package. The results were further processed and analyzed in Python.
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Elizabeth Venanzi
English
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Marketing to Millennials: Paint Yourself Green
Millennials, the generation born between 1982 and 2004, are not easily reached by traditional advertising. This
issue opens a gap in advertising to millennials that needs to be filled. To fill this gap, we must first find out what
catches the eyes of millennials. Millennials are the most “green” consumers and I would like to find out if green
marketing is a successful way to reach their generation. I am surveying 100 millennials and researching the green
marketing tactics of Starbucks and Tom’s. Starbucks’ and Tom’s both actively use green marketing. With my
research, I will be making recommendations on how to best reach millennials and what mediums to use. This
research indicates a shift in advertising. Not only is advertising to millennials an issue, but the environment is a
huge topic. If I can prove that green marketing is a successful way to target millennials, then companies may make
a stronger, more conscious effort to go green and save the environment.
Nicole Viviano
Psychology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Stephanie Richman
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
The Stigma of Drug Addiction: Influences on Likeableness and
Facial Attractiveness
This study examined the effects of the stigma of drug addiction and perceived stigma responsibility on
likeableness, facial attractiveness, and job and marriage discrimination. Seventy-eight students were randomly
assigned to a responsibility and drug condition. The responsibility condition had participants read an article
about drug addiction as a disease or a choice. The drug/no drug condition had vignettes accompany each
facial stimulus that explained a person’s addiction to an illicit drug or explained the person’s neutral hobby.
Then, participants rated each pairing of facial stimulus and vignette. A significant main effect of drug condition
was found. Participants in the drug condition provided less favorable ratings for all of our dependent variables
than participants in the no drug condition. This study found that stigmas have an effect on perceptions of
attractiveness. Future directions should include looking at perceived attractiveness of people with mental illness.
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Benjamin Weagraff
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Public Relations in the United States Military
This project studies how the United States Military works as a business in the areas of hiring, advertising, and
public relations. The military is one of the most successful organizations in history. This “company” hires several
thousand men and women per year, has one of the largest advertising budgets in the nation, and constantly
battles media scrutiny. The military must deal with crisis management and must show transparency, similar to
any other big businesses. This study focuses on the advertising and public relations techniques of the military
and how civilian businesses can create effective campaigns by using some of the military’s techniques. Through
content analysis of numerous sources and distribution of surveys, my research has compared business models
of the U.S. Military with that of civilian media and businesses. Research proves that because of the methodology,
spending, and news coverage, the military is a successful business model.
Adam Weaver
Public Relations
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Suzanne Prestien
Examination of the Effectiveness of YouTube in Public Relations
This research project will examine Red Bull’s and PlayStation’s YouTube presence. The first part of the project
will be spent analyzing these two companies YouTube channels and more specifically, their videos to see how
effective they are as public relations marketing tools. The videos will be evaluated based on content analysis.
Additionally, secondary research will be collected and provide a base for the project findings and hopefully
answer the research question of whether or not YouTube is an effective means through which to conduct a public
relations marketing campaign. Another facet of the project is to discover why companies have chosen to include
YouTube as part of their public relations marketing strategy and why other companies do not. Secondary research
will aid in finding if YouTube is viewed negatively and if that deters certain companies from using the platform.
The research with provide insight as to why certain companies’ YouTube channels fair better than competitors.
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Kendall Williams
Communication Studies
Patterson Hall 208, 9:00-9:15 a.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Colleen Merrick
Killing Everyone in Your Favorite Video Game is Wrong, but
You Did it Anyway: The Ethics of Violence in Video Games
In my opinion, this subject is massively important due to how often the media, as well as the general populous,
slander video games and their players. It has been said that video games make the players violent, however, my
research question assumes just the opposite. In addition to this, I feel this is important due to video games’ ability
to be a form of art, as well as a means of communication from developer to player. Games have become more
than a means to relax at the end of the day, or to escape from one’s real world problems. Video games have even
come so far as to encompass social media as well, as there are multiple console based phone applications. And,
as I will reiterate ad nauseum, video games can be an immersive experience into the world of ethics.
Mathilda Willoughby
Biochemistry
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sarah Kennedy
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Analysis of Toluene Efflux Pumps in Microorganisms
Some bacteria exhibit tolerance to organic solvents such as toluene because of the presence of a toluene efflux
pump that removes toluene from the cell. Efflux pumps are classified by five different categories and act as
transporters located in the cytoplasmic membrane. Identifying and analyzing the genes responsible for these
pumps can contribute to future work in environmental and biotechnology industries. In this work, the gene
sequence for ATP-binding cassette (ABC) toluene efflux pump from Geobacter uraniireducens (strain Rf4)
was compared to other ABC transport gene sequences of other microorganisms using an online bioinformatics
program called GENI-Act through the Microbial Genome Annotation Network (MGAN).
John Winger
History
Patterson Hall 207, 1:30-1:45 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Angela Lahr
Victor Emmanuel II and the Unification of Italy
In 1861, a long dream of thousands of Italians, the foundation of the Kingdom of Italy, was realized. How was
it that a nation as diverse as Italy was able to remain stable with all of the cultural, political, and economic
differences within the peninsula? That is what this paper seeks to answer. More specifically, how did Victor
Emmanuel and his parliament use his position as king to unify the country under one ruler? The government of
Italy used Victor Emmanuel II as a father figure for the country in order to unite it. This research has examined
53
various sources from first-hand accounts of his rule to the monument of Victor Emmanuel II in Rome. This
research intends to incorporate the cultural and political aspects of how Victor Emmanuel was presented.
Research on this topic has been largely neglected for decades and this research works to shed new light on it.
With the political turmoil of Italy today, it is clear that many of the issues of 1861 are still unresolved.
Anthony Yasko
Biology
McKelvey Campus Center Witherspoon, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Marosh Furimsky
Effects of the Antihypertensive Drug Atenolol and the Antidepressant
Fluoxetine on Zebrafish Development
This study tests the effects of two pharmaceutical drugs (atenolol and fluoxetine) on the development of
zebrafish when exposed to an environmentally toxic condition. The goal of this experiment is to show the
negative effects that pharmaceuticals have on organisms that are exposed to such toxicities. Upon breeding
and fertilization, the embryos were placed into 0, 0.05, and 1 mg/L of both pharmaceutical drugs of interest.
Images were then taken to track development over a seven day period. We discovered significant results on
morphology such as body length when embryos were exposed to 0.05mg/L of atenolol. When exposed to both
0.05 and 1 mg/L of fluoxetine, a significant difference was also observed in the surface area of the eye, pointing
to a disruption in the central nervous system pathways. These results suggest that pharmaceuticals entering the
environment can alter the overall well-being of living organisms.
Melissa Zhang
English
Patterson Hall 205, 2:20-2:35 p.m.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristianne Kalata Vaccaro
Funding Received from the Drinko Center
Communication in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway
My paper analyzes the issues with communication that the characters in Mrs. Dalloway endure and the reasons
behind these deficiencies. The work compares and contrasts the various characters in order to obtain a clearer
depiction of the novel’s post-war society. Using a combination of psychoanalytic and Marxist lenses, I investigate
how the pressure and stigma of post-traumatic stress disorder affects one of the character’s ability to connect
to his wife, doctors, and those around him. My paper also examines the stifling nature of a society repressed by
social decorums and conventions and how this affects the characters’ ability to communicate.
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