2016 Research Symposium
Afternoon Session - Individual Abstracts
TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIATION OF THE WATER TABLE WITHIN A RIPARIAN
BUFFER IN RESPONSE TO TILE DIVERSION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Akara, Mahawa-Essa Mabossani
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Eric Peterson
Mahawa-Essa Mabossani Akara; Eric W. Peterson
Tile drainage, despite being agriculturally beneficial, has adverse effects on surface water quality and hydrology.
Nitrate has been identified as a major nonpoint pollutant associated with tile drainage. Due to the risk of excess
nitrates on human health and aquatic ecosystems, different drainage management approaches are developed to
regulate nitrogen export from agricultural drainage. One potential method is to redirect a portion of drainage
effluents into riparian buffer before it enters surface water channels. While this approach has proven effective, the
subsequent alteration of the water table in the vicinity of tile drains is not completely understood. This study aims
at looking into the spatial and temporal variation of the water table in response to tile diversion. A two
dimensional seismic refraction survey will be used to acquire subsurface data and a 3-D model of the water table
will be generated using a modeling software. Head values from wells at the site will serve to calibrate the model.
This study will help to better understand the extent and intensity of the water table rise in response to tile
diversion.
COLLATERAL IMPACT OF MATERNAL INCARCERATION: BURDENS PLACED ON CHILD
CAREGIVERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Anderson, Daniel
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Dawn Beichner
Daniel Anderson
Parental incarceration produces considerable consequences for the family. The incarceration of a parent is
certainly detrimental regardless of whether it is the incarceration of a father or a mother; however, it can be
particularly disruptive when the mother is incarcerated. Maternal incarceration typically results in the
displacement of children from the home and poses more problems for children due to the detachment from the
mother (Bloom, 1993). With only 1 in 4 children of incarcerated mothers moving in with their fathers, it is clear
that the incarcerated mother must often find a suitable caregiver for her children during her incarceration
(Mackintosh, Myers, & Kennon, 2006). While research has resulted in a burgeoning of relevant literature
concerning the impact of incarceration on the family, this literature is most commonly focused on the parent and
child, not the caregivers who play a very significant role in these situations.
With an exploratory intent, this study aims to specifically assess the experiences of these caregivers. Surveys are
currently being sent to caregivers of children with mothers incarcerated at either of the two female correctional
centers in Illinois. The utilization of these separate facilities will provide a comparative respondent pool, with one
facility hosting a family reunification program which allows for more frequent and intimate mother-child visits for
a select group of incarcerated mothers, while the other is more standard general population with normal, or more
limited visitation rights. These surveys utilize a mixed-methods approach through a more quantitative section
designed to assess the caregivers’ demographics and other information related to their status as a caregiver. The
qualitative section consists of eleven open-ended questions pertaining to the caregiver’s experience, the
challenges they face in parenting and maintaining contact between the child and their incarcerated mother. Upon
collection of the data, surveys will be analyzed to present a picture of the caregivers’ through descriptive statistics,
and a qualitative presentation of their experiences through the development of themes that will be highlighted in
the findings. These findings will surely contribute to the rather scant amount of literature focusing specifically on
caregivers, and inform correctional policies and programs that have an impact on caregivers of the children of
incarcerated mothers.
A SPECIAL BUZZ: A COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND BUMBLEBEE
IMMUNITY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Ashford, Marc
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Ben Sadd
Marc Ashford; Ben Sadd
Every type of organism has some way of defending itself against external or internal pathogens. Some immune
pathways are shared, even between insects and humans. Most knowledge of insect immunity is based on the fly,
Drosophila, but it isn’t representative of all insects. Social bees, wasps and ants (Hymenoptera), for instance, may
have different advantages due to their physiology and social environments. To defend against pathogens, insects
commonly utilize innate immune strategies by releasing antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), activating melanization
cascades, and engulfing invaders with cells, with hundreds of genes underlying these responses. Our work is part
of a collaborative cross-University project to understand Hymenoptera immune responses. Using full genome
transcriptomics, the project compares gene expression six hours following two standard immune challenges in ant,
bee and wasp species with different levels of social living. Working with the bumblebee Bombus impatiens, we
raised five colonies and subjected individuals to two distinct immune challenges of bacteria. These bees were
frozen and are being analyzed for gene expression differences between groups. In addition, to validate the
procedure, we looked at the effect of different immune challenge doses on responses. Hemolymph (blood) was
collected and to measure phenol-oxidase, an important enzyme in melanization, and AMP activity. The data from
this latter work is currently being analyzed. We predict a positive correlation between the dose administered and
the immune response, but a threshold above which a full response is mounted. With the gene expression analysis,
we predict, some identification of common insect immune genes, but also exclusively Hymenopteran genes. These
genes could yield useful information in uncovering the specific immune mechanisms for pathogen defense and
how this relates to social living. More specifically, it will help us understand how bumblebees fight off pathogens,
which are a proposed factor in population declines of these important pollinators.
EVALUATION OF THE FITBIT ZIP
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Atiyeh, Tom
Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. David Thomas
Tom Atiyeh
The monitoring of physical activity through new technology is becoming highly popular. PURPOSE: To assess the
Fitbit Zip physical activity monitor by investigating the different features presented by the manufacturers.
METHODS: The investigation of this device was done through research on the manufacturer’s website and my own
personal use. The Fitbit Zip activity monitor was assigned by random order and I had no prior experience with this
device. Through personal use I found that this device measures steps, distance traveled, and calories burned daily.
The mobile app that also links to a laptop or computer tracks these measurements. RESULTS: The Fitbit Zip, it
monitors physical activity by tracking steps, distance traveled, and calories expended. DISCUSSION: Given that
each person has a unique stride length, walking a distance of at least 20 steps and dividing the distance traveled by
steps taken can more accurately predict this feature. Once that is complete you can manually enter the new stride
length, which will then more accurately track your steps. This device comes with a free fitbit.com membership
which gives you the ability to track and log: activity, food intake, sleep, water intake, body mass, height, and
weight. Though this device does not automatically track your sleep you may enter it manually and track it that
way. Once you complete a simple set-up wizard, the membership can be synced wirelessly with your computer or
smartphone as long as the device is within 20 feet. In addition, the membership allows you to compare your
progress with friends, complete personal challenges, and earn reward badges along the way. The Fitbit zip is easy
to carry around and can be put in your pocket, worn on your belt, or worn on your bra (for women). Another great
feature of this device is its extended battery life, which lasts about 4-6 months and is replaceable. CONCLUSION:
Upon completion of this investigation, the Fitbit Zip targets those who are beginning to exercise and want to track
their progress without emptying their pockets, as this device is highly affordable and easy to use. It may not
automatically track such things as heart rate, active minutes, and sleep; but it provides encouragement to begin
and adhere to exercise.
INVESTIGATING NEUROMOLECULAR AND BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES FOR MAGNETIC
ORIENTATION IN C. ELEGANS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Bainbridge, Chance
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Andres Vidal-Gadea; Prof. Wolfgang Stein
Chance Bainbridge; Blake Bracht; Lucas Barrickman; Andres
Vidal-Gadea
The magnetic field of the earth provides many organisms with sufficient information to successfully navigate
through their environments. While evidence suggests the widespread use of this sensory modality across many
taxa, it remains an understudied sensory modality. Two current models seek to explain magnetic transduction. The
light-dependent mechanism involves light-induced polarization of molecules (e.g. cryptochromes) in the retinas of
birds, while the magnetic particle mechanism relies on magnetic nanoparticles acting as intracellular compasses in
the cells of magnetosensitive organisms spanning from bacteria through vertebrates. Previously work in our lab
demonstrated that the nematode C. elegans orients to magnetic fields light independently through a set of
sensory neurons (AFDs). We are now using complementary approaches combining behavioral and molecular
techniques to determine how worms transduce magnetic fields, and how this information affects their behavior.
The genetic and behavioral tractability of C. elegans makes it a promising model for uncovering potentially
conserved molecular mechanisms by which animals across taxa detect and orient to magnetic fields.
CALCULATION OF DISTORTED WAVES FOR HEAVY ION PROJECTILES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Becker, Evan
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Allison Harris
Distorted waves have long been used as a model for free electrons moving in the field of an atom or
ion. However, computational constraints have prevented the application of this model to heavy particle
projectiles such as protons, alpha particles, or other heavy ions. Traditionally, heavy-ion projectiles have been
modeled in two ways: quantum mechanically as a plane wave or semi-classically with the Eikonal
approximation. With improved experimental results for heavy-ion collisions with atoms and molecules, it has
become increasingly clear that a more accurate theoretical treatment of the projectile-target interactions is
needed. A distorted wave treatment can provide this improved theoretical model. Here, we present preliminary
results of our computational method to calculate heavy-ion distorted waves. This work was supported by the
NSF.
EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT RESISTANCE TRAINING PROTOCOLS ON REGIONAL
MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY IN ADVANCED WEIGHT LIFTERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Bendotti, Vincent
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Kelly Laurson
Vincent Bendotti; Cory Worthey; Eddie Smith; Tyler Langosch;
Daniel Dodd; Noelle Selkow; Kelly Laurson
Gaining muscular size through resistance training can be achieved through many different strategies, but recent
research indicates that skeletal muscle may not hypertrophy in a uniform fashion. The concept of non-uniform
muscle growth is novel and the variables influencing muscle hypertrophy are not fully understood. Such variables
as compound versus single joint movements, fiber type recruitment, and levels of training intensity are theorized
to impact regional muscle growth. In addition, the rate and magnitude of any gains are diminished with increasing
and consistent resistance training experience. Few studies have observed these effects in men with advanced
training experience. The purpose of this study is to observe site specific differences in muscle thickness in response
to two different volume-equated resistance training programs in well-trained men. Sixteen young men (20.8 ±
1.2 years) were randomly assigned to either a muscular hypertrophy training (HT) protocol performing 3 sets of 10
repetition maximum (RM) with 90 seconds rest between sets or a muscular strength training (ST) protocol
performing 7 sets of 3 RM with 3 minutes rest. Thickness of five muscle groups were measured using diagnostic
ultrasound imaging at 33 and 66 percent of the selected body segment. In addition, maximal strength was
measured by testing 1 RM back squat and bench press and fat-free mass was assessed using air displacement
plethysmography to identify a response to the training program.
Based on recent literature examining non-uniformity in muscle growth, it is hypothesized that a difference will be
observed between the two sites on the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and biceps
femoris muscle locations.
THE BRITISH RAJ IN INDIA: MANUFACTURING CONTROL THROUGH IMPERIAL
MASCULINITY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Berg, Alexander
Undergraduate, History
Prof. Sudipa Topdar
Alexander Berg
This project examines the ways in which the British Raj encouraged a culture of difference in its colony in India,
which was a crucial device to maintain colonial autonomy over a largely unwilling and politically stifled imperial
constituency. Through an examination of the implementation of an imperial hierarchy, socially constructed
critiques of gendered masculine bodies, and imperial violence, I will demonstrate the depths of imperial control
and the significance of such methods of control in modern society. I argue that the British Raj restricted the
colonized Indians as a form of control that was achieved by diminishing their social and political agency through
psychological impositions of racialized and gendered “difference” and acts of state-mandated physical violence.
This project will describe two phenomena related to British imperialism in India. First, I analyze the establishment
of imperial control through Eurocentric models of gender and race and the use of imperial (both psychological and
physical) violence. Second, I study the methods used by colonized Indians to reject imperial control -- both
symbolically and physically. The goal of my research is to highlight the voices of those marginalized peoples who
are erased from the historical records by observing their contestations in the context of British imperial control in
India. Moreover, by examining the interconnectedness of authority and consent, I highlight the connections
between the historical record and our modern world. These connections help us to understand the deeper factors
at play in society, in a concerted effort to move forward in our treatment of our fellow men and women.
In this project, I draw from the influential scholarship of historians such as Mary Procida, Patricia Hayes, John
Rosselli, Londa Schiebinger, and others. In addition to these secondary sources, I examine George Orwell’s short
story, “Shooting an Elephant” (1950), which deconstructs the myth of colonial autonomy. I also analyze visual
sources such as commercial advertisements to study how British imperialism manufactured popular conceptions of
race, beauty, and marginalization. Using these sources, I address historiographical questions, such as: how was
imperial masculinity manufactured as a means of control? How did this masculinity manifest in colonial relations?
How were descriptions of individual bodies generalized to describe all Indian bodies? How did colonized peoples
contradict and undermine these stereotypes? And, who is allowed to use violence (and weapons) and how was
this decided?
EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL BREAKFAST ON EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Blake, Joshua
Undergraduate, Economics
Prof. Dimitrios Nikolaou
Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day. Children are probed to eat breakfast to get
that head start before the long school day. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of state level policies concerning
the School Breakfast Program on educational outcomes using difference in differences and fixed effects methods.
It also looks into the effects of consumption of breakfast on standardized test scores in children using the ECLS-K
1998. Policies by the states have a positive effect on average daily attendance and negatively impact dropout
rates. Also consumption of school breakfast leads to better standardized testing in math and science. Nutritional
effects leading to enhanced educational outcomes lead to a more productive workforce. The more productive
workforce has externalities that increase social welfare for society as a whole. Policies run by the state that have
an influential impact on consumption of breakfast, lead to a healthier, smarter, and more productive future.
ORGANIZING AGENCY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Blatzheim, John
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology
Prof. Liv Stone
John Blatzheim
On Monday, November 2nd roughly 40 activists and I engaged in an act of symbolic resistance to neoliberalism
and austerity. We stood in front of the doors of Chicago Board of Trade, blocking all traffic from coming in or out.
One by one we were approached by police officers and told leave. One by one we were arrested, some of us going
willingly while others went limp, forcing the police officers to carry us away. Many people who consider
themselves politically involved and who would sympathize with the protest – demanding the implementation of a
Financial Transaction Tax locally dubbed the LaSalle Street Tax – would not engage in such actions. How, then, did
these 40 individuals find themselves engaging in civil disobedience? How did hundreds of others end up on the
streets with them, chanting and marching?
How does neoliberalism, instead of producing neoliberal subjects, instead produce oppositional subjects? In this
paper I address these questions. I argue that contradictions both internal to and between social structures render
processes of subjectivation unstable. It is through this instability that oppositional subjects are produced, subjects
who seek to change the very structures implicated in processes of subjectivation to begin with.
THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CYTIDYLYLTRANSFERASE ENZYME ACTIVITY THROUGH
HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Brault, James
Graduate, Chemistry
Prof. Jon Friesen
James Brault
The cytidylyltransferases are a family of enzymes that utilize cytidine 5’ triphosphate (CTP) to synthesize molecules
that are precursors to membrane phospholipids. There are four well known enzymes: CTP: phosphoethanolamine
cytidylyltransferase (ECT), CTP: glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), 2-c-methyl-D-erythritol-4phosphate cytidylyltransferase (CMS), and CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) (Park et al. 1997).
Previously, a radioisotope tagging method was employed to study cytidylyltransferase catalysis (Borkenhagen et al.
1957). Using CCT as a model, a method utilizing high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed to
replace the radioisotope scintillation technique. The development of this new HPLC method is cheaper, more
efficient, and more accurate than the previously established method.
The targets of separation are the substrate CTP and the product cytidine diphosphate-choline (CDP-Choline) of the
reaction catalyzed by CCT. A solvent system based on previous literature which separated nucleotides and
nucleosides was successfully developed using standard solutions of CTP and CDP-choline (Ip et al. 1985). Once
successful separation was achieved, it was applied to CCT.
The cytidylyltransferase used to test the HPLC enzyme assay was a truncated version of CCT denoted CCT236. The
full length CCT has 3 domains, an N-terminal catalytic domain, a membrane lipid activation domain, and a Cterminal phosphorylated domain (Friesen et al. 1999). The full length enzyme is regulated by membrane
association, specifically with lipids (Kent 1997). The truncated version only has the N-terminal catalytic domain so
does not need lipid association. An enzymatic assay was performed using the CCT236 isoform that was subjected
to the newly developed HPLC method that successfully separated the reactant (CTP) from the product (CDPcholine). This method was then applied to GCT and CMS for separation as well. Herein the results of the
application of this new HPLC separation method to members of the cytidylyltransferase family are presented.
MODELING ELECTRON-ELECTRON INTERACTION THROUGH EXCHANGE OF BOSONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Athor(s):
Brennan, Ryan
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Rainer Grobe, Prof. Q. Charles Su
Ryan Brennan; Rainer Grobe; Q. Charles Su
The interaction between charged particles can usually be described by one of the following ways: classical particle
action at a distance, through a force field that permits retardation, or through the exchange of bosons. In this
research we study a model of electron-electron interaction where the exchange of bosons among the charged
particles is described by creation and annihilation operators. The interaction conserves the total number of
fermions and preserves the total momentum of particles. The Yukawa Hamiltonian is converted into a matrix
whose time evolution could be studied in a Fock basis set that involves vacuum, single and double fermionic states
with zero or one boson. We tested the convergence of the energy of these states with respect to parameters
such as the maximum spatial and momentum required in our simulations. This work was supported by the NSF.
NUTRIENT REDUCTION THROUGH WATERSHED-SCALE COVER CROPPING: A HIGH
RESOLUTION ANALYSIS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Bruening, Ben
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Catherine O'Reilly
Benjamin Bruening; Catherine O'Reilly; Victoria Heath; Bill
Perry; Shalamar Armstrong
Nutrient pollution originating from agricultural regions in the Midwest is a serious issue, leading to pollution of
drinking water sources as well as large hypoxic zones in the Gulf of Mexico. One method that has been shown to
reduce this pollution is the planting of winter cover crops. Winter cover crops such as rye and tillage radish have
been shown to significantly reduce nitrate and phosphorous exported from agricultural fields, even in tile drained
watersheds, which are resistant to nitrate management methods such as riparian zones. However, most studies
take place in small agricultural study fields, sometimes with low resolution water sampling (weekly or bi-weekly).
In this study, we are looking into the effectiveness of winter cover crops in reducing nutrient loading from tile
drained agricultural watersheds in Central Illinois. We compare nitrate loading from two large agricultural
watersheds (1000 acres and 700 acres), one of which is treated with cover crops, a combination of rye and tillage
radish, while the other is not. To obtain high-resolution discharge and nitrate concentration, we use automated
discharge measurements and automated water samplers at both of these watersheds. These samples are analyzed
chemically using flow injection analysis (FIA). By comparing nutrient content and discharge between the treated
and untreated watersheds, we will determine whether cover cropping reduces nutrient loading from tile-drained
systems on a watershed basis, with the secondary goal of comparing measurements obtained with auto sampling
equipment to those obtained via bi-weekly sampling.
Preliminary results indicate that cover cropping is significantly reducing nutrient loading and that our automated
sampling systems are collecting more detailed, accurate data than traditional bi-weekly sampling.
USE OF MILITARY FORCE BY U.S. PRESIDENTS: A POPULARITY CONTEST?
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Butler, Taryn
Graduate, Politics and Government
Prof. T. Y. Wang
For many years, Presidents of the United States have been making calls for unilateral uses of military force across
the world. The reasons behind these uses of force are varied, but what effects to these acts cause? The 'rally round
the flag' effect shows that citizens will show increased support for a President during a time of crisis. It is believed
that this effect is powerful, but recent Presidents have been accused of using force for the sole purpose of
boosting their public opinion. Previous research conducted by Bradley Lian and John R. Oneal in their article,
Presidents, the Use of Military Force, and Public Opinion (1993) examined what effect the Presidential use of
military force had on Presidential approval ratings between 1950-1984. They found a slight increase in approval
following a use of force, but not highly significant results. For that reason, this study will be used as the basis for a
new study in order to retest the methods used by Lian and Oneal on more recent Presidents from 1984-2015. The
main question behind this study is whether or not a President authorizing the military use of force gains a boost in
Presidential approval.
It is hypothesized that Presidential approval will increase following a use of military force. This will be tested
through the same methods used by Lian and Oneal. Criteria for selecting uses of force will be defined, and cases
will then be selected from a list of instances of U.S. armed forces abroad, provided by the Congressional Research
Service.
Approval ratings will be gathered using Gallup poll data. A formula for calculating differences in approval following
a use of force will be applied, which will be followed by a regression using multiple control variables to account for
other possible causes of change. Results of such a study could have many influential implications, showing the
need for it to be tested and examined.
INHIBITORY CHEMICAL COUPLING IN MODEL NEURONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Butts, Nick
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Epaminondas Rosa
In this presentation we discuss the effects of inhibitory chemical coupling between two different neurons. Our
computational simulations start with two neurons initially in different dynamical states, one in a tonic regime and
the other in a bursting regime. We observe that as the inhibitory coupling goes stronger the two neurons try to
knock each other's down. For strong enough coupling the neuron with the higher firing rate survives while the
other goes to its resting potential. Additionally, we compare the effects of two types of inhibitory coupling, the
ionotropic and the metabotropic. This study is important to help develop a better understanding of how neurons
process and transmit information between one another.
TALKING OVER THE WALL: AN ANALYSIS OF MEXICANS' OPINIONS OF THE U.S.A.
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Canfield, Nicholas
Graduate, Politics and Government
Prof. T. Y. Wang
Nicholas Canfield
Public opinion of foreign countries is a tricky phenomenon to predict. Among other explanations, many believe
that personal contact with foreign countries and populations has a direct influence on domestic perceptions. In
our ever-globalizing world, there one critical question remains: can increased interaction with another country
change one’s opinions of it? Social Contact Theory predicts that people who have more contact with a foreign
country should hold higher positive opinions of said country. This theory can be used to analyze the complex
mechanism of how Mexicans formulate their opinions of the USA.
The main research question of this paper is “will Mexicans who have increased contact with the USA and its people
hold more favorable opinions about the USA?” Increased contact is hypothesized to have a significant and
positive effect on Mexican’s favorable opinions of the USA. Although former research has found that quantity of
contact is not significant, this research will attempt to strengthen the argument that quantity of contact is a
significant factor of Mexican’s opinions of the USA. This research can strengthen support and opposition to
American and Mexican international policies (Peace Corps, study abroad scholarships, work visas, etc…) depending
upon politicians’ goals to increase or decrease public favorability towards the United States. In light of Donald
Trump’s inflammatory comments about Mexico and the damage done to opinions of the USA, this area of research
is highly relevant and needed in today's world.
IS $15 PER HOUR REALLY TOO MUCH? HOW PERCEPTIONS OF MINIMUM WAGE
CALCULATION KEEP THE WAGE LOW
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Caquelin, Keith
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Carl Palmer
This study investigates whether or not the opposition to increasing the minimum wage is based on the lack of
information on how the minimum wage is calculated. Those who do not support the increase claim that low-wage
workers have inferior characteristics and deserve the low pay they receive as well as the consequential hardships
they endure. However, a large portion of minimum wage workers are skilled in areas that are currently not
employing, or often times they have been laid off due to cut backs. Many earning minimum wage are working
more than one minimum wage job to support their families or are receiving some kind of government assistance
to get by. I will argue that many people lack the information on how the minimum wage amount is calculated and
that with this information they may change their minds on what the minimum wage amount should be. To test this
hypothesis, I will use a survey in which half the participants are given information on how the federal minimum
wage is calculated and the other half is not given any information. I will ask the participants of the experimental
group about their attitudes before and after the information is given to see whether or not their attitudes have
changed.
GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OF TURTLE SEX RATIOS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Carter, Amanda
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Rachel Bowden
Amanda Carter; Rachel Bowden
Many reptiles possess an unusual form of sex determination, which may put them at a greater risk of climatic
changes. Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), where incubation temperatures determine whether
the embryo develops as a male or female, is present in all crocodilians, most turtles and lizards, and the tuatara.
Climatic changes where air temperatures increase just 1°C threaten reptile populations with TSD as these
conditions could completely sex bias populations, ultimately leading to their demise. This project sought to
describe historic nest temperatures and predicted nest temperatures by 2100 of a population of turtles within the
state of Illinois. Soil temperatures from the Illinois State Water Survey database were used, along with ESRI ArcGIS,
to produce spatial thermal models. Constant Temperature Equivalents (CTE) were calculated from soil
temperatures, which account for the non-linearity between development rate and temperature to enable better
sex ratio predictions. CTE temperature data were imported into ArcGIS as x,y coordinates in NAD_83. Using
Krigging Interpolation in Spatial Analyst, the point thermal data were converted into a continuous raster surface of
interpolated nest temperatures, masking to the state boundary. These continuous thermal maps were also
converted into categorical data to better visualize estimated sex ratios using the following categories: male biased
(<28°C), mixed sexes (28.1-29.2°C), and female biased (>29.2°C) based on previous incubation studies. Predicted
nest temperatures and sex ratios as a result of climate change were calculated in Illinois using IPCC climate change
scenarios A1b, A2, and B2 projected into the year 2100 and a model developed relating air temperature to nest
CTEs within Illinois. The predicted CTEs were mapped according to previous methods to develop both continuous
temperature and categorical sex ratio maps. These models reveal significantly male biased incubation
temperatures historically, suggesting additional physiological mechanisms important to sex determination exist.
Predicted nest temperatures demonstrate increasingly female biased conditions, underscoring the importance of
understanding sex determining mechanisms in the field presently, to better inform conservation and management
decisions.
ROMA CLASS STRUGGLE: DOMESTIC VS. INTERNATIONAL LAW
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Cassata, Frank
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
The purpose of this research project is to provide insight into socio-political treatment of Roma migrants under
domestic and international law. The research question is, “Are Roma still second-class citizens?” This project
compares domestic civil rights law between France, Romania and the United States, and examines relevant
political rights in international law regarding the Roma. These three states are essential to understand as they
have a large Roma migration. This research project draws upon careful reading and analysis of primary and
secondary data such as: migration logs, voter registration, citizenship applications, and journals from human rights
groups. My preliminary results indicate that Roma are still treated as second-class citizens and given a different set
of standards upon which to live under in all three states to a different degree of severity.
CREATING AN ENTERPRISE-GRADE WIRELESS NETWORK PROTECTION DEVICE FOR
CONSUMER GRADE PRICES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Cassel, Justice
Undergraduate, Information Technology
Prof. Douglas Twitchell
Rogue AP attacks are networking based attacks localized to a wireless broadcast area. A rogue AP attack happens
when a malicious entity (non-white-hat hacker etc.) broadcasts one or more fake wireless access points in an
attempt to get users to connect through them rather than their legitimate access points. If the attack succeeds,
the victim’s traffic is routed through the malicious entity’s access point (AP) giving them control over all network
traffic that the victim computer initiates or receives. In order to increase the overall efficacy of this attack, it is
usually paired with a dissociation or de-authentication packet-flood that disables the target AP. This barrage of
disassociation packets results in a Denial of Service or DoS attack. A DoS attack is an attack which focuses entirely
on denying the availability of a particular resource. Due to the inherent limitations in the 802.11 wireless standard
there are certain attacks that are, by nature, easy to create inlayer 1 and layer 2. By spoofing the source and
destination MAC address to that of the AP and any detected wireless client(s) (the wireless clients are the victim
machines), an attacker can successfully disconnect these clients, through the injection of deauthentication/disassociation packets. Enterprise-level Cisco routers and/or access points both provide built-in
offensive protection abilities with regard to Rogue APs. They constantly monitor their providing region(s) for APs
broadcasting SSID’s matching theirs. If these APs do not have corresponding valid hardware and other determining
factors, the real AP will respond by flooding these fake, or rogue, APs with de-authentication packets, rendering
the access point unusable, which will subsequently prevent any possible victims from connecting to the rogue AP.
This protective functionality is built into Cisco and other enterprise level routers/access points via additional
modules that companies can purchase. The fact that this requires enterprise level hardware generally invalidates
its usage for smaller corporations that tend to have a subsequently smaller IT department budget. Although there
are many other methods of protecting against rogue AP attacks any additional layer(s) of security is always
beneficial. The goal of the project is to automate and emulate this and other protective technologies, effectively
and affordably. The functionality and data-collection process that the Cisco devices use in their application relies
on the fact that the company in question (the consumer), is utilizing yet another Cisco product, the Cisco Wireless
Control System (WCS) which has recently been merged into another Cisco product known as the Cisco Prime
Infrastructure. This management software enables the network, via the product-unity and database of active Cisco
APs throughout the infrastructure, to leverage a hardware address whitelist. This whitelist combined with the
following simple ruleset: “Any AP not broadcasting the same RF group name or part of the same mobility group is
considered a rogue; enables the Cisco devices to identify; possible rogue APs, and target them accordingly.
PERCEIVED OSTRACISM AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS AMONG
VETERANS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Caudle, Natasha
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Eric Wesselmann; Prof. Mark Swerdlik
Natasha Caudle; Eric Wesselmann; Mark Swerdlik; Mark Olson;
Dan Ispas
Military veterans face multiple problems reintegrating into society after their deployment has ended (Faber,
Willerton, Clymer, MacDermid, & Weiss, 2008; Harvey et al., 2011). One common problem is posttraumatic stress
– negative psychological experiences as a result of the stress they encountered during combat (Kaylor, King, &
King, 1987). The quality of social relationships (with fellow soldiers, civilian contacts, and family members) can
influence reintegration and recovery of veterans from posttraumatic stress and related mental health problems
(Harvey et al., 2011; Mangelsdorff & Moses, 1993; Smith et al., 2013), but because of stigma they often experience
discrimination or interpersonal rejection which can prolong distress and discourage them from seeking help
(Dreazen, 2014; Edlund, Fortney, Reaves, Pyne, & Mittal, 2008). A specific type of interpersonal rejection –
ostracism (i.e., being ignored and excluded; Williams, 2009) – is painful and psychologically distressing to the
person experiencing it, even when it is innocuous and brief. Ostracism causes emotional distress and threatens
basic psychological needs (i.e., belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence; Williams, 2009).
Perceived ostracism may be one factor that prolongs posttraumatic stress in veterans (McGraw, 2016). Our
research examines this question empirically using two samples of veterans.
We collected a pilot sample using Amazon.com’s Mechanical TURK service (15 veterans paid 5.00 USD each). We
asked participants to complete various relevant measures, such as posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression,
anxiety, perceived ostracism, and basic psychological need satisfaction. Results suggest correlations between each
relevant variable in expected directions. Veterans who recalled experiencing greater negative emotions (e.g.,
helplessness, fear) or who perceived greater danger during their last deployment reported experiencing more
posttraumatic stress symptoms (rs > .58, ps < .03) and general anxiety (rs > .64, p < .01). Veterans who reported
more posttraumatic stress symptoms also reported experiencing more ostracism in their daily lives (r = .59, p =
.02). Veterans who reported experiencing more ostracism also reported less basic need satisfaction (r = -.80, p <
.001). Most hypothesized correlations that were not statistically significant were still in the expected directions.
We are collecting a second sample of Illinois National Guard veterans (current N = 174, compensated with 20.00
USD Amazon.com gift cards) and will examine these correlations in the final sample, as well as potential
interactions between variables.
MODELING CHLORIDE TRANSPORT THROUGH SURFACE WATER AND
GROUNDWATER EXCHANGE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Chabela, Lucas P.
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Eric Peterson
Lucas P. Chabela
Chlorides are not toxic to humans, but several studies document that chloride concentrations are approaching
above natural levels in our water resources. The United States has placed a secondary-standard for chloride
concentrations at 250 mg/L due to the salty taste. In the northern United States and Canada, several studies
indicate chloride concentrations surpassing or close to the 250 mg/L level. The majority of the chloride increases in
the groundwater and surface waters are attributed to the application of road salts. Road salts (NaCl) are great in
minimizing vehicle injuries and accidents related to ice and snow, however, the increase in use of de-icing
chemicals are beginning to have an impact on our water resources.
Once the ions are separated, sodium ions are typically absorbed by soils, while the chloride ions act conservatively
and easily transport through water. To better understand effects of chlorides, it is important to study the
transportation and fate of chlorides in surface and groundwater. This study focuses on the movement of chloride
through surface and groundwater exchange. In central Illinois, most streams are fed by the groundwater leaving
the streams with a high concentration of chlorides. We hypothesize that during an increase in stage, streams can
act as losing streams and reintroduce increased chloride to the groundwater. To test this hypothesis, a transientstate model will be constructed using MODFLOW, a USGS program that simulates groundwater flow, and
MT3DMS, a program that simulates changes in solute transport using advection and dispersion. The study site is
located south of Bloomington, IL in the Illinois State Randolph Well Field. The subsurface geology is comprised of 2
m of clayey silts and sand mantling 5-20 m of glacial outwash with confining unit at the base. A third-order
perennial stream, Little Kickapoo Creek, runs through the study site and this small area will serve as the domain of
the model. Measured hydraulic head values will assist in calibration of the model to ensure accurate results. Once
constructed and calibrated, areas with increased hydraulic head will be analyzed for an expected increase in
chloride concentrations.
SCALABLE THERMOELECTRIC ENHANCEMENT OF ACYCLIC CROSS-CONJUGATED
MOLECULAR MATERIALS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Chaves, Jonas
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Justin Bergfield
Jonas Chaves; Grant Mabrey; Colin Sellers; Justin Bergfield
We investigate the thermoelectric properties of metal-molecule-metal materials based on acyclic cross-conjugated
polymers using several quantum transport methods and find that these materials possess an unusually large
thermopower. Technologically, such a large enhancement means that for a given temperature difference a very
large voltage may be generated. From a fundamental science perspective, the enhancement constitutes a
breakdown in the established rules for quantum interference and hints at the importance of many-body
interactions.
RAPE MYTH ACCEPTANCE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE INFLUENCE OF COLLEGE
SUBCULTURES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Cole, Genoa
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Philip Mulvey
Women between ages 18 and 24 are reported to have the highest rates of sexual assaults (DOJ, 2014). Many
schools have attempted to combat the rates by teaching prevention tips. The problem is that many of these tips
taught to young women reference rape myths (Bedera & Nordmeyer, 2015). Rape myths are seen in everyday life,
where it is judging women for how they are dressed or reducing the blame on men for their actions. This paper
examines the effects of demographic and college subcultures on an individual’s level of rape myth acceptance. For
the purpose of this paper, rape myths are defined as: culturally and socially generated attitudes and beliefs that
are prejudicial, stereotyped, or completely false but persistently held and used to justify or diminish the acts of
male sexual violence and aggression against women (Brownmiller, 1974; Burt, 1980; Lonsway & Fitzgerald, 1994;
Suzuki, 2013). Self-administered surveys were given to 300 undergraduate students at Illinois State University
which looked at how gender and group affiliation influenced levels of rape myth acceptance. The Illinois Rape
Myth Acceptance Scale (Payne, Lonsway, & Fitzgerald, 1999) was utilized in the survey, as it has already been
tested to be reliable and valid.
TERRORISM PREPAREDNESS: A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Comens, Cayla
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Cara Rabe-Hemp
Cayla Comens
Since September 11, 2001, the environments in which law enforcement agencies operate have been changing.
Contingency theory hypothesizes that an organization adapts to their environment through organizational
structure and contingencies in order to accomplish a state of fit or higher performance. The purpose of this study
was to measure individual police agencies' terrorism preparedness in terms of training, technology, funding, and
agency perceptions in order to assess the state of fit. A sample of 902 county and municipal law enforcement
agencies from the East Central region of the United States was surveyed. The study looked to extend past research
by looking at county and municipal agencies, while determining whether the contingency theory framework
(agency size, organizational structure, and creation of a specialized unit) played a vital role in determining if law
enforcement agencies are prepared for the next terrorist attack.
CHILD SOLDIERS: WHO IS HELPING? WHO IS NOT?
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Conroy, Joseph
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
This research proposal is an extension of my fall 2015 research paper for POL 351, covering the broad topic of child
soldiers. This project will focus on the aspect of treatment/aid provided to these child soldiers, and will tentatively
be titled: “Child Soldiers: Who is Helping? Who is Not?” Research for this project was performed using a network
analysis method, which traced and analyzed all sources of aid that are directed at the child soldier problem. Initial
conclusions from the research paper indicate that while the world is attempting to eliminate the use of child
soldiers, the international community does not seem fully ready to adapt to adult-only combat. Specifics of this aid
(and lack thereof) will be detailed within the project.
THE KILLINGS OF CITIZENS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN 2015
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Cottle, Clayton
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Ralph Weisheit
To this date no national database exists that records the number of individuals killed by law enforcement officers
in the United States. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report program does attempt to collect “justifiable homicides”
which is the killing of a felon by a peace officer in the line of duty. However, these killings are self-reported and
agencies are not required to report such statistics. Consequently only about 750 agencies report justifiable
homicides out of the 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States.
Beginning in January of 2015 the British newspaper The Guardian began collecting data on police involved killings
in the U.S. For 2015 they identified 1063 cases in which a civilian was killed by a police officer. They also reported
details about each case, including characteristics of the victim and circumstances of the event. Their data are the
most thorough public accounting for deadly use of force in the US by police and other law enforcement agencies.
The results of this research will provide a better understanding of the demographics of police killings within the
United States. The findings of this analysis could have important implications for the development and revision of
police use of force polices.
LATIN AMERICA'S TRADE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHINA: WHAT IS BEING
TRADED?
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Crain, Brent
Undergraduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Matthew Himley
The purpose of this research is to investigate the recent evolution of economic relations between China and the
countries of Latin America. In particular, this research focuses on how trade relations between China and Latin
American have changed in recent decades, and what implications these changing trade relations hold for the
economies and societies of Latin American countries. Research into the first of these questions revealed a
significant overall increase in trade between China and Latin America, a shift in the types of commodities being
traded, and significant variations among Latin American countries in terms of their trade relations with China.
Moreover, research revealed an overall increase in Chinese direct investment in Latin America, in particular in
natural resource and agricultural sectors. Regarding the second main research question, while trade between
China and Latin America may on the surface appear to constitute a symmetrical relationship, research findings
suggested that these trade relations are in fact asymmetrical. While China exports a huge diversity of
manufactured goods to Latin America, many Latin American countries are exporting a very small variety of raw
materials to China. This asymmetry can potentially become very problematic, especially in the context of China’s
recent economic downturn.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A BRIEF SENSORY STIMULI ON MOTOR PATTERN
GENERATION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Cruz, Marissa
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Wolfgang Stein
Marissa Cruz; Wolfgang Stein
Central pattern generators (CPGs) are networks of neurons that control vital rhythmic behaviors such as breathing,
chewing and walking. CPGs are activated by descending neural pathways that have similar anatomical, molecular,
pharmacological and neuroinformatic characteristics1. In many systems, a short stimulation of descending
modulatory pathways can lead to long-lasting activation of CPGs. A topic less understood is how the elicited motor
patterns depend on the properties of the initial stimulus. We are studying the effects of stimulating the
mechanosensitive ventral cardiac neurons (VCN) on the crustacean pyloric and gastric mill CPGs. These wellcharacterized motor networks control the rhythmic chewing and filtering of food and are under modulatory
control from descending projection neurons2.
Projection neurons are activated by several sensory pathways, including the VCN, which starts long-lasting gastric
mill activity. While it seems intuitive that the CPG response would be dependent on the properties of the stimulus,
there is little evidence to support this. We thus hypothesize that the elicited motor pattern is independent of
stimulus properties. To test this hypothesis we extracellularly stimulated VCN axons at various voltages and
frequencies and then determined the responses of the pyloric and gastric mill rhythms up to thirty minutes after
the end of the stimulation. We extracellularly recorded the activities of the three main pyloric CPG neurons (LP,
PDs, PYs) as well as the two gastric mill CPG neurons (LG, DG). We compared motor pattern speed, the relative
timing ('phase') of the motor neurons as well as their firing frequency across stimulation parameters. Our data
(N=7) indicates no change in phase relationships at different VCN frequencies (15, 20, 25, 30Hz). However, 20Hz
consistently elicited longer-lasting gastric mill rhythms than any other frequency tested. Similarly, stimulations
with constant frequency but varying voltages show no significant changes in phase relationships (N=4). The VCN
exert their actions on pyloric and gastric mill CPG via a set of identified descending modulatory neurons, including
the modulatory commissural neuron 1 (MCN1). Similar to the motor patterns, MCN1 activity remained unaffected
by changes in stimulus voltage. Conversely, MCN1 burst duration increased significantly with increasing
stimulation frequency. Thus, even though the frequency of the initial stimulus can have an effect on projection
neurons, these effects are not reflected in the motor patterns they control.
IMMUNE CHALLENGES, PESTICIDES AND THE HEALTH OF A KEY POLLINATOR
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Czerwinski, Mitchell
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Ben Sadd
Mitchell Czerwinski; Ben Sadd
Bumble bees are a vital pollinator for both natural and agricultural plants. Recently, there has been a decline in
bumble bee populations across North America. One leading hypothesis for this decline is that it results from an
increased use of neonicotinoid pesticides, such as imidacloprid, in agricultural fields. Bumble bees are exposed to
imidacloprid by foraging on treated plants. In addition, it is proposed that bee diseases are also involved in bumble
bee population declines, implicating bee immunity as an important factor. It is plausible that there could be an
interaction between imidacloprid exposure and immunity, exacerbating the individual impacts. Since both
responding to an immune challenge and detoxifying xenobiotics, such as imidacloprid, will be energetically
expensive a combination of the two could impact the bee’s ability to effectively perform detoxification and/or
initiate an efficient immune response. To better understand the interaction between imidacloprid exposure and
immunity in bumble bees, we are testing the effects of a pulsed 5 day exposure to low (0.7 ppb) and high (7ppb)
realistic doses of imidacloprid on Bombus impatiens workers. We are measuring survival and the ability to mount
an immune response following these exposures, and in combination with a bacterially-based immune challenge.
We are currently still collecting and analyzing data, but predict that those individuals exposed to imidacloprid and
immune challenged will have lower survival than control individuals and those either only exposed to imidacloprid
or immune challenged. Additionally, we predict lower immune responses in imidacloprid exposed bees. This work
will increase our understanding of the interactions between multiple proposed threats to bumble bee health and
conservation.
SYNTHESIS OF KEY INTERMEDIATES FOR THE GENERATION OF BENZIPORPHYRINS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Darrow, William
Undergraduate, Chemistry
Prof. Timothy Lash
Benziporphyrins (e.g. 1), in which one pyrrole unit of the porphyrin framework has been replaced by a metadisubstituted benzene ring, have been widely investigated. This system shows a wide range of properties and may
exist in aromatic or nonaromatic forms. It is of interest to synthesize, characterize, and further investigate the
metalation and electronic, magnetic, and spectrophotometric properties of benziporphyrins and related
compounds. Benzitripyrrane 2 was generated in two steps from isophthaloyl chloride. Reaction with pyrrole ester
3 in the presence of AlCl3 afforded diketone 4 that was reduced with diborane to form the benzitripyrrane. This
key intermediate will be used to prepare new examples of benziporphyrins and related hetero-analogues.
PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED MOTHERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Davellis, Diana
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology
Prof. Susan Sprecher
Diana Davellis
As a growing number of people entering the prison population are women, it is important to study the effects this
might have on their children as well as how people perceive those possible effects. Past research has found that
children of incarcerated mothers experience internalizing problems such as fear, withdrawal, depression, and
emotional disturbances as well as externalizing problems including anger, fighting, stealing, and substance abuse.
It has also been found in many studies that children of incarcerated mothers experience heightened rates of
school failure and eventual criminal activity and incarceration. This study is designed to explore how people
perceive a child as a function of whether they have a mother who has been recently incarcerated and also whether
the gender of the child matters. This study will use an experimental vignette to look at peoples’ perception of a
child as a function of whether the mother is incarcerated. Participants, who will primarily be college students, will
read a vignette and answer questions regarding their views of the child’s future success. Each participant will be
randomly assigned to a different vignette. There will be four different vignettes: a girl with a non-incarcerated
mother, a girl with an incarcerated mother, a boy with a non-incarcerated mother, and a boy with an incarcerated
mother. The dependent variables will include how likely the participant believes the child’s behaviors at school,
home, and during free time will continue, how successful in school, at home, and during free time the child will be,
and how likely it is that the child will use their surrounding support systems. This study will be conducted in the
next month, and as part of my Sociology 300 class: results will be ready by the date of the University Symposium. If
there is a difference in how a child is perceived as a function of maternal incarceration and gender, children may
be even further affected by the way people treat them. Future studies might look at the ways in which teachers’
behaviors towards a student changes once they learn that a student’s mother has been recently incarcerates.
VOLATILITY IN ASSET PRICING - FORECASTABILITY OF RETURNS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Dee, Ethan
Undergraduate, Economics
Prof. George Waters
Ethan Dee
The efficient market hypothesis assumes that all information relevant to asset price is available and used in a
systematic way. Such an approach to market interaction is hereto forth recognized as a fundamentalist approach
to asset pricing. Other asset pricing strategies include trend-chasing, where agents systematically exaggerate the
effect of fluctuations in dividends on asset price, anti-trend-following, and an antithetic stratagem. Campbell and
Shiller (1988) aggregate U.S. stock market data from 1871-1986; Boswijk, et al. (2006) aggregate U.S. stock market
data from 1871-2003 (of course, both papers being constrained by data available). If aggregate data suggest excess
volatility in asset price, then it suggests the existence and persistence of trend-chasing as an applied strategy,
allowing for asset pricing in future periods to be somewhat forecastable, provided one knows the share of the
population that adheres to trend-chasing, henceforth, allowing returns to be forecastable. We fit U.S. stock market
data, aggregated over the longer horizon that the progression of time allows, to simulated data where agents
switch between forecasting strategies based on those strategies' past performance. Monte Carlo simulation allows
us to explain excess volatility in asset price, especially in recent years and around the 2008 financial crisis.
DIFFERENTIAL REGULATION OF AXONAL SPIKE INITIATION BY MODULATORY
PROJECTION NEURONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
DeMaegd, Margaret
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Wolfgang Stein
Margaret DeMaegd; Carola Städele; Wolfgang Stein
Variations in action potential initiation location are important for neuronal communication and the overall activity
of neural networks. Neurons communicate via electrical discharges, called action potentials or spikes which are
typically initiated close to the soma and travel unidirectionally along the axon towards postsynaptic partners.
Axons are not mere cables propagating action potentials, but instead they are actively involved in signal processing
and neuronal functionality. For instance, action potentials can be initiated spontaneously on the axon, far from the
soma. Such ectopic action potentials bypass dendritic signal integration and have been shown to be functionally
relevant.
However, it is not well understood why ectopic spikes are initiated where they are and what controls their
frequency. This is mostly due to experimental restrictions, since axons are difficult to access in both vertebrates
and invertebrate, and therefore rarely available for experimental manipulation. Here we used the anterior gastric
receptor neuron (AGR), a single-cell muscle tendon organ, of the experimentally advantageous crustacean
stomatogastric nervous system as a model to address these questions. AGR is far more accessible for study
because it spontaneously generates ectopic action potentials in its axon trunk and its activity can be recorded at
multiple locations along the axon. We found that the frequency of AGR’s ectopic action potentials are directly
modulated by a pair of chemosensory projection neurons via the release of neuromodulators. When applied
directly to the axon, the biogenic amine, histamine, decreased spontaneous ectopic spike frequency while
conversely the peptide co-transmitter, FLRFamide, increased spike frequency. To determine the mechanisms of
these two modulators, we first describe the effective concentrations by which the two modulators altered AGR
firing frequency. Ultimately, the effective concentrations will be used to characterize the underlying channels and
currents by which axonal neuromodulation can differentially affect ectopic spike initiation. This will ultimately
facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms leading to spontaneous ectopic spike initiation in neural
networks.
DOES ALL THE EXCITEMENT REALLY END AT MARRIAGE? THE IMPACT OF SAME SEX
MARRIAGE LEGALIZATION ON LGBT POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Diaz, Kelsie
Graduate, Politics and Government
Prof. T. Y. Wang
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between same-sex marriage legalization in the USA and
LGBT political participation and voting. Given the federal legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, LGBT groups
no longer have the pro-marriage debate to work toward. The same-sex marriage fight has always been the number
one issue at the top of many LGBT interests. Several states individually began to legalize same-sex marriage before
2015. The legalization could have made LGBT couples respond in a few ways. The legalization of marriage in states
could have either made LGBT individuals more likely to participate more in politics or may have made them less
likely to participate since the same-sex marriage battle is over. Does the passage of same sex marriage in states
have an effect on LGBT political participation? Results could potentially yield useful information on what kind of
issues LGBT communities tend to focus on, and if legalization may cause them to participate less since they are
now given the same legal rights as heterosexual couples. This study will use Democratic Participatory theory as the
basis for prediction and interpretation of results. Political participation is measured by participation in political
events, participation in cultural events, and donations to LGBT organizations. Voting behavior will be measured by
presidential voting. Data will come from ICPSR: The Social Justice Sexuality Project” in 2010. We predict that the
legalization of same-sex marriage will increase political participation. Although LGBT groups no longer have
marriage debates to fight for, the optimism for equal rights from same sex marriage legalization may make them
more likely to participate in the political sphere.
EMBRYONIC EXPOSURE TO BPA AND RESULTING EFFECTS ON LEARNING IN
HATCHLING RED-EARED SLIDER TURTLES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Dillard, Justin
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Rachel Bowden
Justin Dillard; Ryan Paitz; Rachel Bowden
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC) introduced into the environment from production of
various plastic products. Specifically, BPA is an estrogenic EDC and recent work in our laboratory has shown that
BPA inhibits the metabolism of maternally derived estradiol (E2) in ovo in the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys
scripta). Exposure to BPA and other estrogenic EDCs during embryonic development has been implicated in deficits
of learning and cognition later in life in other systems, but has not yet been investigated in reptiles. In the present
study, we tested learning in 29 hatchling T. scripta, which were exposed to one of three treatments during
embryonic development: BPA only, BPA and E2, or vehicle control. For BPA treatments, we used concentrations
identical to those we discovered to inhibit E2 metabolism in previous work, in order to better understand the
implications later in life following this altered embryonic endocrine state. We video recorded hatchlings as they
were presented with a simple two-choice arena similar to a T-maze. For all observational days, hatchling turtles
were assessed over ten 30 minute trials. For the first 5 days of assessment (training period), both arms of the maze
contained a shelter. For the remaining 9 days of assessment (learning period) one of the shelters was removed. Of
the 29 animals tested, 8 met our criterion of 8/10 reward (shelter) choices for 2 consecutive days. We found no
differences in learning between any of the treatments tested. We are currently scoring trials for measures of
general activity, to determine if there are more subtle cognitive effects from embryonic exposure to BPA in T.
scripta. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the capacity for hatchling T. scripta to learn a repeated
behavior.
THE ROLE OF THE INSTITUTION ON THE ADOPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
TECHNOLOGY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Dodge, Cassandra
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Cara Rabe-Hemp
Cassandra Dodge
While law enforcement agencies perceive that technology increases their ability to complete their mission in the
most efficient manner possible, this may not be the case in reality. Considering the potential expenses, potential
danger, and lack of proven efficiency, it is surprising that these technologies are continuing to be adopted.
Observing law enforcement agencies through the lens of institutional theory provides an explanation for the
discrepancy between what would be expected and what has actually occurred. The purpose of this exploratory
study is to examine the use of five technologies (records management systems, broadband networking with
vehicle computers, long range acoustic devices, patrol vehicle cameras, and body-worn cameras) by county and
municipal law enforcement agencies. The data was derived from a survey that was completed by 106 county and
municipal law enforcement agencies located in five states within the United States. Statistical analysis was
completed to measure the influences of organizational complexity, jurisdictional complexity, and funding on the
decision to adopt these technologies.
REDUCING NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS IN DRINKING WATER
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Dwyer, Stephanie
Undergraduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Catherine O'Reilly
Stephanie Dwyer; Catherine O'Reilly; Tamru Taye; Rick Twaitt
A high concentration of nitrate in drinking water (> 10 mg/L) is a problem and can be hazardous to the health of
people consuming it. In areas with a large farming community nitrate gets into drinking water from runoff through
the farms drainage systems. By redirecting this drainage water through a riparian buffer zone, the excess nitrate
should be absorbed by the biological activity occurring in the buffer zone and the nitrate should not drain into the
stream nearby. To test this theory I will take samples of the water from wells in the buffer zone, the stream, and
the tile water, then analyze these samples in an ion chromatograph to determine the amount nitrate in the water
at those various places along the drainage system.
EXTRACTS OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOR EFFECTS ON LEISHMANIA TARENTOLAE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Eichenberg, Kirk
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Marjorie Jones
Kirk Eichenberg; Ben Dorsey; Jessica Wickline; Alexis Broedlow;
Marjorie Jones
Dimethytryptamine (DMT) and tryptamine derivatives are found in a spiritual medicinal drink, ayahuasca, used in
Amazonian Peru. We are extracting DMT from acacia bark and Beta carbolines (harmine, harmaline, and vasicine)
from Syrian rue seeds to evaluate in vitro effects on Leishmania tarentolae. These are parasitic protozoans that
cause human diseases in at least 100 countries worldwide. We are studying the potential use of these compounds
to induce toxicity in Leishmania. These experiment were done by growing Leishmania in liquid brain heart infusion
(BHI) medium and adding the compounds stated above to the cultures at different concentrations. To check cell
viability, MTT assays were carried out every 24 hours; in addition, microscopy was performed to evaluate cell
motility and change in shape. Cells will be tested for secreted acid phosphatase (SAP) enzyme activity to assess SAP
secretion from L.tarentola cells. If some or all test compounds affect Leishmania tarentolae in vitro then we can
evaluate their toxic mechanisms.
DYNAMIC VARIATION IN THE MOMENT OF INERTIA OF A CHAOTIC WATERWHEEL
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Fayfar, Sean
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. George Rutherford
Sean Fayfar; George Rutherford
The Malkus waterwheel is a simple mechanical system that can exhibit chaotic behavior. The equations describing
its motion are a special case of the Lorenz equations, which marked the modern study of chaos. Briefly, the wheel
consists of cylindrical cells arranged around the periphery of a tilted wheel. Water enter the cylinders at the
highest point and is distributed to the cells as they move under the water stream. The water exits the cylinders
through a long thin tube at the bottom of each cell. The wheel has velocity dependent friction provided by
induction as a metal ring at the edge of the wheel moves between the pole faces of a fixed magnet. The ideal
model equations predict that the amount of water in the wheel remains constant after initial transient behavior
has ended. To test this assumption, we have placed a load cell at the bottom of the wheel's shaft to measure the
axial force generated by the weight of the water in the wheel and the wheel itself. Preliminary data indicates that
the measured weight is constant for oscillatory motion, but varies significantly for chaotic motion, in direct
contradiction to the model equations. We will present a simple physical model to explain this behavior as well as
clear correlation in the measured data to support this model. This new model points out an additional faulty
assumption typically made in the ideal model equations.
ANALYZING CARBONATE AND SILICICLASTIC STREAM PROFILES IN A FLUVIOKARST
SYSTEM LOCATED IN NORTHEASTERN KENTUCKY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Francis, Andrew
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Eric Peterson
Andrew Francis
Fluviokarst is a system that is characterized by both surface and subsurface drainage. Fluvial processes form
surface streams, and the dissolution of limestone forms caves and conduits, or karst. These systems are likely to
form where there is contact between carbonate and siliciclastic rocks at the surface. As a result, there is likely to
be surface streams that transition from siliciclastic to carbonate bedrock within a given system. Scientists do not
completely understand how karst and fluviokarst systems evolve, but one way to interpret landscape history is to
analyze the longitudinal stream profiles. This is possible in fluviokarst due to the presence of surface streams. For
this study, I will be looking at longitudinal stream profiles in Carter Caves State Resort Park (CCSRP), in
northeastern Kentucky. To better understand the development of fluviokarst in CCSRP, longitudinal stream profiles
will be created for both carbonate and siliciclastic stream profiles. The relationship between stream profiles will be
quantified with best-fit equations. To insure the accuracy of the GIS profiles, streams will be survey in CCSRP.
Streams will also be analyzed by stream power values. Both longitudinal profiles and stream power values are
proxies for erosive forces. I expect to see a consistency between streams of the same lithology, and a greater
amount of erosion occurring in the siliciclastic bedrock streams.
This is due to the inconsistent nature of drainage area in carbonate bedrock streams. Under normal fluvial
processes, drainage area increases downstream. The dissolution of carbonate rock can divert surface flow into the
subsurface, which decreases drainage area downstream and available stream power. Siliciclastic bedrock streams
will not lose a significant amount of water to the subsurface, thus will have greater erosive forces. I also expect to
see greater erosion in the siliciclastic streams because they are more susceptible to physical weathering. If my
hypothesis proves true, that streams of the same lithology will exhibit similar stream profiles, and that there is
greater erosive forces in the siliciclastics, the development of this fluviokarst system is controlled by lithology. If
the streams of different lithology exhibit similar profiles, the development of this area is less a function of material
and is regionally controlled. This study will allow for a better understanding of how lithology controls stream
genesis in a fluviokarst system from an erosional perspective.
THE PARTHENOGENETIC MARBLED CRAYFISH: A NEW MODEL SYSTEM FOR
STUDYING MOLECULAR UNDERPINNINGS OF NEUROMODULATION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Gahrs, Casey
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Wolfgang Stein; Prof. Andres Vidal-Gadea
Casey Gahrs; Andres Vidal-Gadea; Wolfgang Stein; Carola
Städele
Animal behavior is immensely complex and arises from the coordinated activity of the nervous system and its
many interconnected neurons. The flexibility observed in nervous systems is in large part the product of
modulatory influences of transmitter systems. Modulator actions allow neurons and circuits to carry out complex
behaviors and adapt to changes in external and internal conditions.
In order to understand the mechanisms that underlie modulator actions and their influence on network dynamics,
we need to characterize their origins, targets and molecular pathways. This has been challenging using existing
animal model systems due to lack of identified neurons and circuits, weak access to cellular and circuit dynamics,
or the availability of genetic tools. Our group is working to overcome these limitations by using the marbled
crayfish, Procambarus fallax forma virginalis. Previous studies on crayfish have yielded important discoveries
including neuromodulator actions and functional principles that are also hallmarks of the vertebrate brain. While
the nervous system of crayfish is well-characterized and easily accessible, molecular and genetic tools are not
available at this time. Our goal is to make these tools available and to establish the marbled crayfish as a new
model system that combines direct access to neuronal networks with modern genetic and molecular tools.
The marbled crayfish is amenable to genetic manipulations due to its parthenogenetic reproductive strategy and
its short life cycle. As a first step to generate transgenic marbled crayfish, we extracted genomic DNA forde novo
whole-genome sequencing. Our draft assembly revealed that marbled crayfish have a triploid genome with many
conserved genes. A BLAST analysis was conducted to find orthologous sequences of dopamine receptor genes.
Identification of the promoter regions of these genes, as well as the intronic regions, are necessary prerequisites
to establish a transformation methodology to effectively deliver genetic constructs into the germline of marbled
crayfish. We are presently generating a library of plasmids which will be used to manipulate the nervous system of
this animal in the hopes to establish it as a useful genetic and physiological model system.
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLES OF HEALTH EDUCATORS IN MCLEAN COUNTY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Gesell, Renae
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. Jacqueline Lanier
The purpose of the study was to understand the individual roles that health educators in our community have and
how they and the companies they work for integrate their knowledge and services into the community based on
its needs. In addition, the study sought to understand what were the essential traits and skills needed for an
effective health educator and wellness professional. Key health educators in McLean County were interviewed to
gather information on how they collaborate to build a healthier community and create awareness and messages
on the importance of health and wellness. The results of the study have provided increased awareness of the role
each of these health educators and their organizations plays in addressing the most current health issues in our
community.
SCHOOL CLIMATE, STIGMA, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Gieschen, Danielle
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Renée Tobin; Prof. Adena Meyers
Kathryn Ferdon; Rachel Stein; Heather Lacey; Lauren Schultz;
Danielle Gieschen; Brenda Huber; Kristal Shelvin; Renée Tobin
Previous research has consistently linked positive perceptions of school climate to important student outcomes
including reduced levels of emotional and behavioral problems and enhanced overall psychological well-being
(Kuperminc, Leadbeater, & Blatt, 2001; McEvoy & Welker, 2000). In addition to the influence of school climate,
stigma by association (SBA) has been related to greater psychological distress in those connected with stigmatized
individuals (van der Sanden, Remko, Bos, Stutterheim, Pryor, & Kok, 2013). The purpose of the present study was
to investigate associations of school climate and stigma by association with psychological distress in adolescents
from a rural setting.
The present study included 89 high school students from 5 schools who completed the Pediatric Symptom
Checklist- Youth Report (Y-PSC; Jellinenk et al., 1988), school climate scales (DSC, 2005), and the Public Stigma and
Stigma-by-Association Scales (Pryor, et al., 2012). Preliminary analyses suggest that student self-reports on the YPSC are related to student-to-student relationships—a dimension of school climate (r = -.22, p < .001) and the
cognitive (r = .24, p = .022) and behavioral (r = .24, p = .005) stigma-by-association subscales. Specifically higher
scores on the Y-PSC were correlated with more negative perceptions of school climate and higher levels of stigmaby-association. These findings suggest that school climate and stigma-by-association are related to students’
psychological distress. When thinking about school-based intervention, these results indicate that simply thinking
about students’ own circumstances may not be sufficient. Rather, students’ relationships with others, particularly
those with stigmatizing conditions, seem to influence their own perceptions and functioning. Therefore, it is
important to take this into consideration when trying to reduce students’ psychological distress and promote
positive student outcomes.
TECHNIQUES OF NEUTRALIZATION AND SONS OF ANARCHY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Gilliam, Mia
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Shelly Clevenger
The FX television series Sons of Anarchy portrays a violently brutal world inhabited by drug cartels, gangsters, a
variety of law enforcement agencies, and numerous rival motorcycle clubs. Many of the characters are morally
complex making the show one of the most watched dramas on basic cable (Bibel, 2013).
The series encompasses years of gunrunning and numerous other illegal exploits conducted by the Sons of
Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO). The shows main protagonist, Jax Teller, struggles the most,
with his loyalty to the club when having to overcome the moral issues associated with the increasing about of
violence and instability associated with the club’s activities.
This project applies the concepts put forth in Syke’s and Matza’s Techniques of Neutralization theory to a handful
of characters from Sons of Anarchy. The goal was to determine which techniques were most frequently used for
these characters.
PATIENTS ABILITY TO SELF-SCHEDULE AND ITS IMPACT ON PATIENT SATISFACTION
RATINGS IN AMBULATORY CARE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Goetze Bradley, Robyn
Graduate, Nursing
Prof. MyoungJin Kim; Prof. James Wolf
Robyn Goetze Bradley; MyoungJin Kim; James Wolf
Problem: Today's patients desire the ability to schedule medical appointments online in the same manner as they
make restaurant reservations, book a flight, or book a hotel. However, it is not clear how responsive the current
healthcare system is to the patient's desire to do so. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of
online scheduling on patient satisfaction in the selected states of U.S. and Canada.
Methods: This study used secondary data (n = 3,338) obtained from a leading online physician rating site,
RateMDs.com, in which patients rate their physicians on four subscales of staff, punctuality, helpfulness and
knowledge. For our investigation, we limited data on general practitioners and family physicians from California,
Massachusetts, and Ontario, Canada as they are the most common specialty among physicians. All data was
analyzed in IBM SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY) and a two-way factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used
to examine whether online scheduling makes a difference in the level of patient satisfaction. All statistical
significance was reported at p< .05.
Results: The results of a 2x3 factorial ANOVA revealed the patients rated their level of satisfaction higher for
providers who offer online scheduling than those who do not and patients in Canada rated a higher level of
satisfaction than those in U.S. A significant interaction between online scheduling and states indicated that
providing online scheduling makes a greater difference for American patients than Canadian patients.
Discussion: While this work is very preliminary, our findings have a number of implications relevant to patient care.
First, the findings support the proposition that providing online scheduling can improve patient satisfaction.
Second, our results suggest that there are not many providers who provide online scheduling despite its potential
benefits. While online scheduling was a significant factor of patient satisfaction, much work remains to explore
other factors that could jointly influence patient satisfaction such as medical specialty, (e.g. does providing online
scheduling affect patients' satisfaction for pediatricians more than it does for general practitioners and family
physicians?). In addition, further work of a retrospective patient survey eliciting feedback on the ease of use from
those patients that use online self-scheduling would be beneficial.
THE EFFECT OF IMMEDIATE TESTING ON MEMORY ERRORS IN EYEWITNESSES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Green, Emilee
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Dawn McBride
Emilee Green
Previous studies in the area of human memory have established that eyewitness testimony is notoriously
unreliable. Despite growing public knowledge of this finding, eyewitnesses still play an influential role in
convictions. In the past, testing directly after an event has been shown to guard against misinformation that may
lead to poor eyewitness accounts. Recently however, a retrieval-enhanced suggestibility (RES) effect has been
discovered which claims that, in certain situations, testing can amplify misinformation effects (Chan, Thomas, &
Bulevich, 2009). Current research in this area aims to pinpoint what factors lead to this RES effect. This finding
contrasts with the well-supported testing effect, which concludes that testing aids memory retention and guards
against misinformation.
The current study looks to expand the literature in this area. Participants will be asked to view a clip of a bank
robbery from the movie Inside Man and complete a subsequent cued recall or recognition test. They will then be
presented with misinformation in the form of a narrative or questions. Both sources of misinformation will contain
an equal amount of misleading details (e.g., referring to the bank as Mutual Trust when it was Manhattan Trust)
and neutral details (e.g., saying that the robbers took personal belongings, instead of wallets and phones). To
prevent information rehearsal, participants will then be asked to complete a Sudoku puzzle for five minutes as a
distractor task. Afterwards, participants will retake the exact same test they completed initially. We expect to
replicate the results found in Chan et al. (2009), while hopefully narrowing down the potential causes of RES. Most
research in this area focuses on a test versus no-test condition, whereas we are more interested in comparing
across different types of tests. Data collection is almost complete, and coding has already begun. The data will be
analyzed before presentation at the symposium, and appropriate conclusions will be discussed.
RECOMMENDED COOLING TIMES BASED ON SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE THICKNESS
DECREASE INTRAMUSCULAR TEMPERATURE SIMILARLY IN LOWER EXTREMITY
MUSCLES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Green, Rebecca
Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Noelle Selkow
Devin Shannon; Noel Selkow; Rebecca Green
Ice bag application over lower extremity muscles is common practice when these muscles are injured. Previous
research has identified specific cooling times for ice bag application based on subcutaneous tissue thickness,
however these recommendations were made following cooling the thigh. It is unknown if these timing
recommendations hold true to other lower extremity muscles. Objective: To examine cooling of the thigh,
hamstring, and calf based on subcutaneous thickness timing recommendations. Participants: Fourteen healthy
participants volunteered to be in the study (Age: 21.1±2.2 yrs; Height: 174.2±4.5 cm; Mass: 74.0±7.5 Kg).
Interventions: Diagnostic ultrasound was used to measure subcutaneous tissue thickness over the hamstring
(8.4±4.4 mm), calf (5.8±3.2 mm), and thigh (11.0±4.9 mm). Participants were randomly assigned to which leg
would be tested and which muscle(s) would be iced first. Using sterile techniques, a thermocouple was inserted
1cm into the muscle of interest using a catheter method. The participant rested for 10 minutes while temperature
stabilized and baseline measurements were obtained. Ice was applied for 10, 25, 40, or 60 minutes depending on
subcutaneous thickness of 0-5mm, 6-10mm, 11-15mm, or 16-20mm respectively. Once the ice was removed,
temperature readings were recorded immediately and 10, 20 and 30 minutes post-intervention. Main Outcome
Measures: Intramuscular temperature of the thigh, hamstring, and calf at baseline, post-intervention, 10, 20, and
30 minutes post-intervention. Results: There were 3 significant main effects for cooling across all subcutaneous
tissue thicknesses when using the timing recommendations for the hamstring, calf, and thigh (p≤.001).For the
hamstring, all temperature time points (baseline (37.1±0.5°), post-intervention (28.2±0.8°), 10min (29.4±0.6°),
20min (30.6±0.5°) and 30min post-intervention (31.5±0.4°)) we significantly different from one another (p≤.033).
For the calf, temperature time points (post-intervention (27.8±2.0°), 10min (28.0±1.1°), 20min (29.2±0.8°) and
30min post-intervention (30.1±2.1°)) were significantly different from baseline (36.2±0.5°, p≤.001). While 10min,
20min, and 30min post-intervention were significantly different from each other (p≤.014), post-intervention
temperature was not different from them (p≤.787). For the thigh, temperature time points (post-intervention
(29.5±1.2°), 10min (30.2±1.1°), 20min (31.0±1.0°), and 30min post-intervention (31.7±0.9°)) were significantly
different from each other (p≤.02), except post-intervention temperature was not different from 10min postintervention (p=.058). Conclusion: Cooling recommendation times based on subcutaneous tissue thickness are
effective at cooling various lower extremity muscles similarly. These timing recommendations should be
incorporated for ice bag application of the thigh, calf, and hamstring.
BLOWING THE LANGUAGE WHISTLE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Griffin, Caleb
Graduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Carl Palmer
Social psychologists have found extensive evidence of individuals favoring ingroups over outgroups. People tend to
categorize themselves into groups based on a variety of salient factors including nationality, race, and gender. In
this paper, I explore the ingroup categorization that occurs from sharing a language. I use a novel testing method
to examine the impact of language on ingroup formation. I use international rugby matches to see whether the
language spoken by the different teams has any impact upon the number of penalties a referee calls on those
teams. Theoretically, referees should penalize teams more that do not share their native language because of
ingroup favorability. I also provide a further step by testing whether languages outside of the referees’ own
language branch have an even larger impact. For example, will a French referee punish the Tongan rugby team
more extensively than the Italian rugby team, because French and Italian are both Romance languages and Tongan
is not? I control for team skill level, home ground advantage, race, reputation, and referee experience to ensure
that I capture only the effect of shared language. I use a negative binomial regression model to analyze the effect
of shared language. My dependent variable is the predicted number of penalties and my primary independent
variable is the presence of a shared language. The model can be summarized as follows: Predicted number of
penalties = (b)shared language + (b)home ground advantage + (b)skill level + (b)race + (b)reputation +(b)referee
experience. In addition to providing another empirical test on the role of language as a source of ingroup identity,
my paper adds to the literature by further extending the test to language branches.
RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN COURTROOM OATHS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Griffith, Shannon
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Eric Wesselmann
Shannon Griffith; Eric Wesselmann
Recent research has shown that Atheists are one of the most distrusted minority groups worldwide (Edgell, Gerteis
& Hartmann, 2006). This perspective not only invokes feelings of distrust but also moral disgust, prejudice, and
suspicion (Gervais & Norenzayan, 2012; Jacoby, 2004). These feelings have a profound effect on treatment of
Atheists in a variety of contexts. The current research is interested in investigating anti-Atheist prejudice in the
forensic context. Specifically, we will investigate whether jury members view witnesses as less trustworthy if they
simply affirm during the courtroom oath instead of using the standard religious oath. Standard oaths (i.e., “Do you
solemnly swear or affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you
God/Allah”), which typically involve the use of a religious text as well, invoke gods as a way to promote prosocial
behavior (Shariff & Norenzayan, 2007). The affirmation (i.e., “Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will tell the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under pains and penalties of perjury.”) is the non-religious
alternative for individuals who are a part of the ‘religious nones’ or for those uncomfortable with swearing on a
deity. We first pilot-tested three vignettes about a courtroom proceeding, each using a different type of oath
(swearing on the Bible, on the Quran, or a secular affirmation). We asked religious participants on Amazon MTurk
(N = 99) to indicate the perceived religion affiliation of the witness. Further, we asked participants are also asked
to complete an Atheist distrust scale, disgust scale, and an Islamophobia scale for comparison. We found that antiAtheist prejudice was correlated with various types of disgust (i.e., moral, sexual, and pathogen), which
conceptually replicates previous research demonstrating links between anti-Atheist prejudice and disgust (Gervais,
Shariff, Norenzayan, 2011). We are currently collecting laboratory data that randomly assigns religious participants
to read a courtroom vignette (based on the pilot test) that involves a witness who is either an Atheist, a Christian,
or a Muslim. We then ask participants to indicate their perceptions of the witness' honesty, reliability, and
deception. We expect that participants will rate the Atheist witness least positively and the Christian witness most
positively, with the Muslim witness midway between them.
THE DARK SIDE OF BARTENDING: A DISCLOSURE MANAGEMENT MODEL
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Hall, Robert
Graduate, Communication
Prof. William Cupach
Robert Hall
Bartenders have an important role in society with an immense about of responsibility. The profession is bound by
dram shop legislation and societal pressures to care for patrons in a way that commits them into a role of a
caretaker. However, the profession's training and practice does not provide individuals with the ability to handle
various situations. This paper outlines a model of communication in which patrons disclose either over-intoxication
(D1) or psychological distress (D2). Without proper educational resources and training (E), the bartenders are not
able to provide proper management of the disclosed information (M). In order to provide patrons with the best
service possible, the bartending profession is in need of radical change in training and practice.
BUILDING COMMUNITY IN PBIS WORLDS: VOICES OF ECE TEACHER CANDIDATES AS
THEY TRANSITION INTO 1ST YEAR TEACHERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Hamann, Kira
Graduate, Teaching and Learning
Prof. Amanda Quesenberry; Prof. Nancy Latham
Kira Hamann
For both beginning and veteran teachers, classroom management (CM) ranks as one of their primary areas of
concern (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1990; Martin, Yin, & Mayall, 2006), and in the early childhood years, these teachers are
often the first service providers to interact with children exhibiting challenging behaviors (Tillery, Varjas, Meyers, &
Collins, 2010). Mixed messages in early childhood teacher preparation regarding the role of democracy and
community in the classroom and the more behavioristic settings of actual clinical and first-year settings can
contribute to this concern. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and actions of early childhood
teachers regarding their classroom management as they graduated from a teacher preparation program and
became first year teachers. Findings from this year and a half study include a lack of preparation, feelings of being
pushed and pulled in regards to classroom management, and a lack of concrete plans as they began their first year.
Findings also include yearlong impacts of school wide attitudes and practices, administrative support, mentorship
and teacher self-efficacy. This study creates insights for teacher preparation, new teacher mentorship, and schools
as communities.
JACQUES DERRIDA: WHAT A DIFFERANCE AN 'A' MAKES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Hawkins, Meghan
Graduate, History
Prof. Andrew Hartman
This historiography analyzes philosopher Jacques Derrida’s impact on the field of history. A brief biographical
sketch highlights experiences that would shape Derrida’s later work. Unlike a traditional historiography, in order to
understand Derrida’s contributions to history, it was first necessary to comprehend the lexicon Derrida developed.
Derrida contends that signs do not convey meaning in the way intended by the original author, shattering the
foundations of entire fields of study such as anthropology, literature and history which rely on the study of signs.
Derrida proposes a new approach to textual analysis which allows a reader to move beyond, and in a sense
transcend, traditional interpretations of texts. This process of deconstruction, one of many terms invented by
Derrida, established Derrida as a central originator of post-structuralism.
Only after gaining a foundational knowledge of terms like deconstruction, difference, and trace it is possible to
understand the depth of Derrida’s impact on the humanities. Despite criticism from both the left and the right,
Derrida’s theories have permeated the field of history. Derrida’s insistence on giving voice to the other directly
influenced post-colonial studies, legitimizing the study of colonialism from the perspective of the colonized and
not just the colonizer. While post-colonial authors like Edward Said and Franz Fanon targeted specific colonial
regimes in an attempt to influence change, Derrida’s critique is leveled at the metaphysics which places European
colonizers at the center of discourse, in a preferred position of singularity and therefore power. Derrida’s work
allowed for both a breaking of traditional binary oppositions and a reworking of group politics. For the entire field
of feminist and gender studies, including the works of Joan Wallach Scott and Judith Butler, deconstruction offers a
theoretical starting point for an analysis of gender in discourse. At the same time, since deconstruction targets
existing hierarchies of power, deconstruction is inherently political. While Derrida’s work is often associated with
the death of the author, his philosophy has left an indelible mark on the field of history.
DO VOCABULARY SKILLS AND INSTRUCTOR INFLUENCE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL
LEARNING?
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Howe, Adrianne
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Renée Tobin
Adrianne Howe; Allison Curnock; Sarah Koppenhoefer; Joel
Schneider; Renée Tobin
Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs promote healthy development and decrease negative behaviors through
increasing emotional competence and positive relationships with others (CASEL, 2011; Durlak, Weissberg,
Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011; Greenberg et al., 2003). Given SEL’s connection to desirable outcomes,
these curricula are increasingly provided in schools; however, less is known about the influence of SEL instructor
and children’s vocabulary skills on social-emotional outcomes. For example, the Durlak et al. (2011) results suggest
that better outcomes are attained when classroom teachers provide SEL instruction themselves relative to having
others (e.g., researchers) provide the curriculum; however, their meta-analysis did not include any studies in which
these two groups were randomly assigned and compared directly. In the present study, we examined the influence
of program implementer on the effectiveness of the Second Step program for preschoolers. Based on previous
studies indicating a positive relation between vocabulary skills and emotional intelligence (Asadollahfam, Salimi,
Pashazadeh, 2012), we also assessed vocabulary skills as a predictor of children’s social-emotional functioning. A
total of 42 children (22 boys) in 6 preschool classrooms participated in the study. Classrooms were randomly
assigned to receive the curriculum from either their teacher or researchers. Child participants were administered
the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition (PPVT-4; Dunn & Dunn, 2012), a measure of receptive
vocabulary. Teachers completed the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment Preschool Program, Second Edition
(DECA-P2; Devereux Center for Resilient Children, 2012) to assess each child’s social-emotional functioning before
and after the intervention. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that children who received the
curriculum from their classroom teachers will demonstrate stronger social-emotional skills relative to those who
received the curriculum from researchers. We also hypothesized that vocabulary skills will predict stronger socialemotional functioning. Finally, we will examine the interaction between vocabulary and implementer as a
predictor of children’s social-emotional functioning.
INCREMENTAL VALIDITY OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND GRIT FOR
PREDICTING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Hume, Haley
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Dan Ispas
Haley Hume; Alexandra Ilie; Dan Ispas; Dragos Iliescu
The current study examined the incremental validity of emotional intelligence and grit over cognitive ability and
personality (big five) in the prediction of academic performance. We used a cross-lagged design with the individual
difference measures administered at the beginning of the semester and academic performance collected from
school records at the end of the semester. The participants were 191 Romanian high-school students. Results
show that neither emotional intelligence nor grit explain additional variance in the prediction of academic
performance. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
PHOSPHATE RECOVERY FROM WASTEWATER USING GYPSUM AND CALCIUM
CARBONATE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Iozzo, Raymond
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. Guang Jin; Prof. Thomas Bierma
It is known that wastewater treatment plants discharge excess amount of phosphorus (P) that contributes to
algae bloom. One current pollution control technology uses calcium to precipitate P from wastewater. However,
costs for calcium - typically as lime or calcium chloride are high. My research examines the use of gypsum
(calcium sulfate) as a substitute for other calcium sources. Waste gypsum is generally available at little or no cost.
A series of bench-scale reactions were performed using solutions spiked with potassium phosphate to produce P
concentrations typical of wastewaters. Calcium was then supplied either in the form of calcium chloride or
gypsum. Solutions were evaluated for P removal efficiency based on P concentrations before and after
precipitation reaction. Several seeds including different types of sand, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) are also tested
to examine their effectiveness in improving calcium phosphate crystallization and P removal efficiency.
Overall, the combination of gypsum and CaCO3 (as seed) performed the best in P removal, at an average of 96%
removal while using gypsum alone resulted an average of 27% removal. Concentrations of CaCO3 did not affect P
removal significantly. When using play sand as seed an average of 55% P removal was achieved. Pool sand did not
appear to improve P removal.
FITNESS LEVELS OF SECONDARY STUDENTS IN MCLEAN COUNTY SCHOOLS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Jennings, Michael
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Dale Brown
Michael Jennings; Dale Brown
With the obesity epidemic continuing to plague Americans, early education and prevention is crucial to curb its
progression. The following data is representative of the efforts made by middle and high school physical education
teachers for this cause. The data show fitness levels of students in grade 6-12 from schools throughout McLean
County. To determine the fitness levels of the students, each school administered the FitnessGram series of
assessments that covered four components of health related fitness; cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength
& endurance, and flexibility. Height and weight were also taken to calculate each student’s body mass index, to
further assess overall fitness.
Data was then compiled and analyzed for each assessment and students were classified into different fitness zones
based off of FitnessGram standards. These zones are labeled Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ), Needs Improvement (NI),
Needs Improvement – Health Risk (NI-HR), and Very Lean (VL) for body mass index scores. The purpose of this data
analysis is to bring to light the fitness levels of students in McLean County and further stress the importance of
daily physical activity.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT: AN EVALUATION OF 21ST
CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Johnston-Gross, Melissa
Graduate, Economics
Prof. Dimitrios Nikolaou
The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between student achievement and participation in
before- and after- school academic enrichment programs as funded by the national 21st Century Community
Learning Center grant. The 21st Century Community Learning Center program is federally funded, administered by
each state and aimed at low-income students in high-poverty, low-performing schools. The research will be split
into two parts. The first section of the research focuses on a state-wide program evaluation within Illinois by
following a funded cohort before and after program implementation in order to measure the effects of program
participation on school-level outcomes. The second section focuses on a program evaluation of a single funded cite
to observe the impact of the program on individual students. Econometric analysis will attempt to identify
relationships that exist between program participation and student achievement outcomes like test score
performance, attendance and probability of dropout.
THE MEDIATING ROLE OF TRAIT ANGER IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
WORKPLACE STRESSORS AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WORK BEHAVIORS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Joyce, Connor
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Alexandra Ilie
In recent years, the topic of counterproductive work behaviors received widespread attention from both
researchers and practitioners. Counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) are defined as volitional acts that harm or
are intended to harm the organization and its stakeholders (Spector & Fox, 2005). CWB can be targeted at the
organization (stealing resources, sabotage, property destruction etc.) or the individuals in the organization (verbal
and physical abuse, theft etc.). The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship between
workplace stressors and counterproductive work behaviors as well as the mediating role of negative emotions in
this relationship. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
LOSS OF FUNCTION IN THE NEMATODE Ube3a ORTHOLOG LEADS TO
NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS IN A C. elegans MODEL OF ANGELMAN SYNDROME
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Khalil, Moe
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Andres Vidal-Gadea
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the maternally inherited allele
of the Ube3a gene. AS is characterized by cognitive and behavioral impairments. Ube3a codes for an E3 ubiquitin
ligase and this protein is primarily responsible for tagging proteins for degradation. Work on mice and Drosophila
models afforded some valuable insights but have generally struggled to recapitulate the severe cognitive and motor
phenotypes observed in the disease. A genetic model capable of recreating the motor and cognitive characteristics
seen in AS patients would accelerate progress in this field. We investigated the feasibility of the nematode C. elegans
as a model system for AS and uncovered through a BLAST analysis that herc-1 was the worm ortholog of the human
Ube3a gene. We performed several behavioral tests on animals with loss of function (lf) mutations on herc-1 and
found that herc-1(lf) mutants display motor deficits. Similarly, these animals showed cognitive impairments in both
associative learning and short-term habituation. Presently, we are interested in investigating the expression pattern
of herc-1. Thus we conclude that C. elegans appears to be a viable system for the study of the molecular and neuronal
basis of AS.
PRESCHOOLERS' BEHAVIORAL ENGAGEMENT DURING SECOND STEP INTERVENTION
LESSONS AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL OUTCOMES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Kinnear, Kayle
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Renée Tobin
Allison Curnock; Klaudia Pajor; Kayle Kinnear; Renée Tobin
Previous research has examined the relation between engagement in preschool and the development of selfregulation. Williford, Whittaker, Vitiello, and Downer (2013) found that preschoolers’ active school engagement is
linked to greater emotional regulation. Emotional engagement influences a child’s level of motivation and overall
willingness to complete tasks in school. Past research has also demonstrated a significant relation between early
behavioral regulation and later behavioral competence as well as increased knowledge and social skills (Williford,
Whittaker, Vitiello, & Downer, 2013). Links between higher levels of behavioral engagement and long-term
positive academic outcomes for children have also been found (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). In this
study, we examine preschoolers’ behavioral engagement during a social-emotional learning curriculum and its
links to their social-emotional knowledge. Specifically, we assessed individual levels of engagement of preschool
children from 6 preschool classrooms during 25 weeks of daily lessons from Second Step: A Violence Prevention
Program (The Committee for Children, 2011). Preschool children’s social-emotional knowledge was assessed
individually both before and after implementation of the Second Step curriculum using an interview format. For
this presentation, I will examine the relation between behavioral engagement during Second Step intervention
lessons and participants’ level of social-emotional knowledge before and after intervention lessons were
completed.
PERCEIVED SATISFACTION OF ESPORTS PARTICIPANTS IN CAMPUS RECREATION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Kirk, David
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Brent Beggs; Prof. Dan Elkins
David Kirk
Esports, or Electronic Sports, is a growing phenomenon in media and participation. Few campus recreation
programs offer many ways to connect students to esports, whether through intramurals, open recreation, or other
venues. The purpose of this study was to better understand the satisfactions derived from esport participation in
campus recreation. This study used the Leisure Satisfaction Scale to examine levels of satisfaction in campus
recreation esport participation at a Midwestern university. The data was analyzed descriptively and revealed that
the pleasures derived from participation in esports may be different than those that participate in other campus
recreation activities. The implications of these findings could extend approaches to programming in campus
recreation.
DYNAMICS OF NITRATE, PHOSPHORUS, AND SUSPENDED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN
TWO AGRICULTURAL STREAMS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Lampo, Luke
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Catherine O'Reilly
Luke Lampo; Catherine O'Reilly; Victoria Heath; Bill Perry;
Richard Twait; Ben Bruening; Allyson Hanlin
Nutrients such as nitrate and phosphorus are necessary for plant life, but excessive amounts can be detrimental.
Large amounts of nutrients entering bodies of water can lead to hypoxic zones such as the one in the Gulf of
Mexico. Nutrients are also problematic in drinking water reservoirs, as high concentrations of nitrate in drinking
water can cause health conditions such as blue baby syndrome. High nutrient concentrations are a reoccurring
problem in the drinking water reservoirs for the City of Bloomington, Illinois where water is drawn from two
reservoirs – Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington. The primary source for these nutrients is from agriculture,
which dominates the land use in the area. To better understand the dynamics of nitrate, phosphorus, and
suspended sediment being transported into these reservoirs, water samples are being collected bi-weekly at the
major tributary for each reservoir. Six Mile Creek is the major tributary for Evergreen Lake and Money Creek for
Lake Bloomington. Water samples are analyzed for nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations using flow
injection analysis (FIA). Suspended sediment concentrations are also being examined, as it can be an indicator of
pollutants and a means of nutrient transport. Initial results show high nutrient and suspended sediment
concentrations in both creeks during or just after rain events, when discharge is high. Total phosphorus
concentrations generally follow rain patterns closely, while nitrate is high year round and does not increase as
much during rain events. Nitrate concentrations have sometimes been found in concentrations above the EPA
drinking water limit of 10mg/L. This study will provide the City of Bloomington with information about how much,
and when the most nutrients are entering their drinking water reservoirs and allow them to take the appropriate
steps to improve their water management.
SEXUAL ASSAULT RESEARCH: A STUDENT RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Langheim, Kelsie
Graduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Shelly Clevenger
This presentation will provide an overview of the important benefits to be gained from having graduate students
assist in conducting original quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews) research from both the student and
faculty perspective. This will include a summary describing the student’s experiences working alongside a faculty
mentor, specifically what was gained from the project of researching sexual assault victimization.
Recommendations for ways in which faculty can include students in original research both inside and outside of
the classroom will be offered based on this student’s recommendations.
CORRELATION BETWEEN PECTORALIS MINOR TIGHTNESS AND FORWARD SCAPULAR
POSITION AMONG BASEBALL PITCHERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Latal, Jim
Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Kevin Laudner
Jim Latal; Kevin Laudner; Keith Meister
Correlation between Pectoralis Minor Tightness and Forward Scapular Position among Baseball Pitchers Jim Latal1;
Kevin Laudner, PhD, ATC1; Keith Meister, MD2,3 1School of Kinesiology & Recreation, Illinois State University,
Normal, IL; 2Texas Metroplex Institute for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, Arlington, TX 3Texas Rangers Baseball
Club, Arlington, TX
The repetitive nature of baseball has been shown to cause various adaptations in shoulder flexibility and posture.
One physical characteristic commonly present among pitchers is increased forward scapular position of the
throwing shoulder. Unfortunately, clinicians are still not clear as to what contributes to this alteration in scapular
position. One clinical hypothesis is that tightness of the pectoralis minor may pull the scapula into a more forward
position. As such, the purpose of this study was to determine the strength of the relationship between pectoralis
minor length and forward scapular position among baseball pitchers. Fifty-five professional baseball pitchers
volunteered to participate in this study. All participants had no recent history of upper extremity injury or any
upper extremity surgery. All participants provided informed consent prior to testing as mandated by the
university’s institutional review board.
Pectoralis minor length index was determined by measuring the distance between coracoid and fourth rib in the
throwing arm (index = distance / participant’s height x 100). With participants resting their backs against a wall,
forward scapular position was measured as the bilateral difference in distance between the wall and their
acromion. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was conducted to determine the strength of the
relationships between the pectoralis minor length index (independent variable) and forward scapular posture
(dependent variable) (p<0.05). There was a moderate-to-good negative relationship between decreased pectoralis
minor length and increased forward scapular position (r=-.66, P=.001). Identification of potential causes of
increased forward scapular position are critical in the prevention of decreased pitching performance and risk of
shoulder injury. Due to the attachment of the pectoralis minor to the scapular coracoid process we hypothesized
that active or passive tension would cause alterations in scapular kinematics. Our results supported this hypothesis
indicating that increased forward scapular position can be partially explained by a shortened pectoralis minor.
Clinicians and coaches may find it advantageous to examine and address these characteristics when working with
pitchers and the various shoulder injuries associated with such athletes.
PREPARATION OF TRIPYRRANE INTERMEDIATES FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF NMETHYLBENZOCARBAPORPHYRINS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Latham, Alissa
Undergraduate, Chemistry
Prof. Timothy Lash
Alkylation of a benzocarbaporphyrin 1 afforded N-alkyl derivatives 2 that underwent a metalation reaction with
palladium(II) acetate to give organometallic derivatives 3 where the alkyl substituent had migrated onto the
internal carbon atom (Lash, T. D. Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 4632–4635 ). In order to obtain insights into this unusual
chemistry, the synthesis of alternative alkylated benzocarbaporphyrins such as 4 has been targeted. N-Methyl
acetoxymethylpyrrole 5 was prepared in three steps from readily available ethyl 4-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrrole-2carboxylate. Subsequent reaction of 5 with 3,4-diethylpyrrole in the presence of Montmorillonite clay afforded
tripyrrane 6 in 30% yield. The conversion of this key tripyrrolic intermediate into the targeted
benzocarbaporphyrin is currently in progress. In addition, syntheses of N-methyl benzocarbaporphyrins with
alternative substitution patterns are being investigated. The reaction of these carbaporphyrins with palladium(II)
acetate will also be studied.
ASYMMETRIC GLYCOLATE ADOL ADDITION REACTION MEDIATED BY CHIRAL
AUXILLARIES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Leong, Victor
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Shawn Hitchcock
The asymmetric glycolate aldol addition reaction mediated by chiral auxiliaries such as the Evans’ auxiliary and the
Crimmins’ auxiliary has proven to be a very versatile reaction in organic synthesis. It has been used by Crimmins
and coworkers to successfully prepare the anti-tumor agent mucocin. (Crimmins et al., Org. Lett., 2006, 8 (11), pp
2369–2372). The side chain used in the glycolate aldol reaction can have a significant impact on the level of
stereoselectivity, the isolated chemical yield, and the ease of manipulation later in the synthesis. In this context,
our initial work involved the synthesis of the L-phenylalanine based oxazolidine-2-thione chiral auxiliary inspired by
the Evans’ auxiliary and developed by Crimmins and coworkers. The synthesis of the auxiliary and its acylation
were carried out without trouble; however, the N3-benzoyloxyacetyl side chain group, proved to be problematic.
The asymmetric aldol reactions failed to yield clean product distribution and also resulted in unreacted starting
material. This difficulty was coupled with the fact that (-)-sparteine, a key additive for the Crimmins' glycolate aldol
reaction, was no longer commercially available. To resolve these matters, the reaction conditions of the aldol
reaction were modified and the oxazolidine-2-thione side chain was converted to a 4-methoxyphenoxyacetyl side
chain. The methoxyphenoxyacetyl side chain represents a unique side chain that has only received little attention
in the glycolate aldol reaction. This under-utilized side chain has much potential in terms of addressing the issues
of stereoselectivity, yield isolation, and the manipulation. The poster will present our work on the large scale
synthesis of N3-(4-methoxyphenoxyacety)-oxazolidine-2-thione and the characterization of this material.
PRO-POOR TOURISM: POVERTY ALLEVIATION TECHNIQUES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Linder, Jessica
Graduate, Politics and Government
Prof. T. Y. Wang
Poverty reduction has been a topic of discussion in the global spotlight for decades and has been looked at
through many lenses. The Millennium Development Goals placed special emphasis on poverty reduction with the
goal of eliminating extreme poverty by the year 2020, and the newly passed UN Sustainable Development Goals
include poverty alongside of environmental and economic concerns. The topic of extreme poverty is of special
relevance in community development. Many poverty reduction techniques exist, including the widely researched
and practiced efforts of microfinance. One highly understudied perspective for reducing poverty, however, has
been tourism. Tourism has gained popularity around the world as a way of boosting a country’s economy. There
has been a significant amount of research on the economics of tourism, and more recently, the sustainability of it
as an industry, but little has been studied in the realm of its uses as a tool for development.
This study will analyze tourism as a tool for development by posing the question, is tourism development an
effective tool for poverty alleviation in destination communities? This will be done by examining the role of
tourism in development and by examining a new strategy called pro-poor tourism. This will be followed by a
quantitative analysis of poverty reduction using OLS regression. The analysis will look at tourism as a percent of
GDP to measure of the importance or share of tourism in the country’s economy, the independent variable of the
study. This will be compared to the poverty headcount ratio of the country’s population, the dependent variable of
the study. The sample will include the 214 countries with available data from the World Bank database. This paper
hypothesizes that as tourism becomes a greater share of a country’s economy, the poverty headcount of the
nation will decrease. In other words, it is hypothesized that sustainable and responsible tourism development will
decrease poverty in the destination country.
AVOIDED CROSSINGS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Athor(s):
Lisowski, Creighton
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Rainer Grobe; Prof. Q. Charles Su
Creighton Lisowski; Rainer Grobe; Q. Charles Su
Avoided crossings occur in almost any system in physics, chemistry and biology. They occur when two nearby
eigenvalues approach each other as an external control parameter of the system is varied. As only the two
neighboring levels are relevant, the behavior can often by modeled rather efficiently by the eigenvalues of a two
by two matrix. We use this system to examine if the two eigenvalues can be described by perturbation theory.
This theory turns out to converge perfectly before the avoided crossing in a region where interaction is weak. As
soon as the interaction strength is increased beyond the crossing point, perturbation series starts to
diverge. Many perturbative analysis would have to become inapplicable as the resulting series
diverges. However it turns out that the diverging series can be summed up leading to a finite value. We present
three different approaches that consistently show that a diverging series is equal to a finite value. With this Borel
summation technique one can demonstrate that the radius of convergence can be extended beyond the avoided
crossing point [1]. This work was supported by the NSF.
[1] S. Norris, R. Pelphrey, C. Lisowski, E. Stefanovich, Q. Su, R. Grobe, J. Phys. A (submitted).
THE BIG FIVE FACTOR PERSONALITY THEORY AND THE OCCUPATIONAL CARD SORT
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Long, Michal
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Margaret Nauta
This past semester I conducted research for Dr. Nauta in the Psychology Department at ISU. She is doing research
in career counselling, specifically on the Missouri Occupational Card Sort (MOCS), which is a tool used nationally in
career counseling. It is an activity that relies upon participants sorting through occupations and organizing them
into themes, rather than scoring information into categories. The hope is that the activity will allow the participant
to associate patterns freely about themselves and see connections about different occupations and that this will
permit them to find direction. (Gysber, Heppner, and Johnston, 2003) However, its efficacy has never been either
disproven or proven conclusively, particularly when contrasted with other career counselling tools such as the SelfDirected Search activity. I am curious as to whether or not there is a correlation between participants’
personalities and the activity, specifically if the activity is more or less helpful for people possessing different
personality traits. The Big Five Personality Theory is based on the theory that there are five different traits that
together comprise a person’s personality. These traits are Openness (to experience), Conscientiousness,
Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Dr. Nauta was very gracious and allowed me add a measure to her
study to test whether or not personality was at all a factor affecting the MOCS’ efficacy. In this experiment, I
hypothesize that people who demonstrate high levels of Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Openness would
demonstrate the most gains, while those who demonstrate high levels of Agreeableness and Neuroticism would
have low gains.
A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO MEASURING THE PHENOMENON OF
HELICOPTER PARENTING
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Love, Hayley
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Rocio Rivadeneyra; Prof. Joel Schneider
Hayley Love; Rocio Rivadeneyra
Purpose: Helicopter parenting is often defined as parenting behaviors implemented to protect offspring whenever
a problem arises (Cline & Fay, 1990). The purpose of this study is to find a way to measure helicopter parenting
that directly reflects its conceptual definition that has been established by Cline and Fay (1990). Literature has
pointed to several parenting dimensions that constitute helicopter parenting (Kins & Soenens, 2013; Klein &
Pierce, 2009). Rather than looking at helicopter parenting as a qualitatively distinct approach to parenting, this
study will attempt to show that parenting dimensions established in existing literature are what constitutes
helicopter parenting. Helicopter parenting should be looked at as falling on an extreme end of the spectrum of
different parenting dimensions. This study will attempt to show that a combination of higher levels of parental
overprotection, care, psychological control, behavioral control, involvement, moderate levels of responsiveness,
and lower levels autonomy support will provide a comprehensive picture of what helicopter parenting truly
consists of (Kins & Soenens, 2013; Klein & Pierce, 2009; Padilla-Walker & Nelson, 2012).
Procedure: Participants were directed to the link of the survey via the original recruitment email through the SONA
Systems available to use through ISU. A total of 500 participants were recruited for this study, 353 of which were
retained. Specifically, measures of parental overprotection, care, psychological control, behavioral control,
involvement, responsiveness, autonomy support, and a separate measure that has been created to look at
helicopter parenting were used to evaluate participants’ reported experience of parenting behaviors. Measures of
coping efficacy, interpersonal dependency, and psychological well-being were used to evaluate outcomes
associated with helicopter parenting. Participants were also asked about various demographic information
including, age, race/ethnicity, gender, year in college, and living situation. Exploratory factor analysis, bivariate
correlations, and multivariate regression analyses will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed
method of measuring helicopter parenting.
Results: Results will provide information regarding the proposed method of measuring helicopter parenting.
Conclusions and Implications: Conclusions will be made on whether the proposed method of measuring helicopter
parenting has incremental validity over other measures aiming to look at this phenomenon. Implications will be
made regarding the use of this method of measurement (if valid) for institutions and other facilities who evaluate
parent-child relationships.
TRANSPORT AND FATE OF CHLORIDE WITHIN THE GROUNDWATER OF A MIXED
URBAN AND AGRICULTURAL WATERSHED
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Ludwikowski, Jessica
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Eric Peterson
Jessica Ludwikowski; Eric Peterson
Urbanized settings contain impervious surfaces that are highly prone to pollutant run off such as road salt. Road
salt runoff can affect the quality of surface and groundwater resources in addition to having severe impacts on
ecosystems and all its components. The major chemicals that compose road salt are chloride salts such as
potassium, magnesium, calcium, or sodium chloride. Subsequently, surface waters and groundwater within Illinois
have shown elevated concentrations of chloride. In a typical winter season in Illinois, about 471,000 tons of road
salt are deposited. About 45% of the deposited road salt will infiltrate through the soils and into shallow aquifers.
A small percentage of chloride remains in the subsurface feeding shallow aquifers during the non-salting season.
Chloride has the potential to reside within groundwater for years based on the pathway, the geologic material,
and the recharge rate of the aquifer system. However, the relationship between road salt application rates,
residence times and volume of chloride have not been studied. The goal of this study was to model the transport
and fate of chloride in Little Kickapoo Creek watershed (LKCW using MODFLOW, MODPATH and MT3D. The model
revealed that as the application rate of road salt increased so did the residence time of chloride. Along these lines,
an increase in application rate showed increases in the volume of chloride within LKCW. In brief, a linear
relationship exists between residence time, volume, and road salt application rate.
IDENTIFYING QUANTUM INTERFERENCE EFFECTS FROM JOINT CONDUCTANCE THERMOPOWER STATISTICS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Mabrey, Grant
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Justin Bergfield
Grant Mabrey; Colin Sellers; Jonas Chaves; Justin Bergfield
The flow of charge and heat through molecule-based materials is dominated by quantum mechanics but
complicated by the uncertainties of chemical bonding and noise. In our research, we develop the theory and
computational tools necessary to predict the probability distributions of the conductance and the thermos power
of molecule-based materials which are measured experimentally. Rather than assuming any specific molecular
geometry we treat the ensemble of measurements and their statistics as the basis of our theory. We find that
quantum effects which may be hard to identify from the raw data can be clearly identified from the correlations in
our theory.
MALE PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN PERFORMING STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Makela, Sydney
Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. David Thomas
Sydney Makela; David Thomas; Brianna Ackerman
One of the many obstacles that prevents women from participating in strength training in fitness facilities is the
fear that male participants have negative perceptions of women doing strength training. Women have reported
that they feel objectified and patronized by men when attempting to perform strength training in fitness facilities.
PURPOSE: To determine if male participants in a fitness facility had negative perceptions of women performing
strength training. METHODS: This study examined male responses to selected questions given in a university-wide
electronic survey which identified the practices, preferences, knowledge, attitudes and barriers to strength
training participation of young college aged students. This study mainly focused on the questions that pertained
directly to women performing strength training and the male responses to those questions. A total of 179 males,
between the ages of 18 and 32, responded to the survey. Twelve questions were examined. Statistics were
analyzed based on the men’s responses for each of those twelve questions. RESULTS: Men (n=179) Age (18years32years). Approximately 62% marked “False” when asked if strength training causes women to “bulk up”. 81%
responded that they disagreed or strongly disagreed when asked if strength training takes away from a woman’s
femininity. 67% either agreed or strongly disagreed when asked if strength training is primarily a macho male
activity. 75% either agreed or strongly disagreed when asked if strength training negatively impacts a woman’s
physique. 63% marked “False” when asked if women should perform different exercises while strength training
than men. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the men’s outlooks on females participating in resistance
training are not as negative as the typical female would assume. There are many benefits that could potentially be
gained in order to optimize the health of college aged female women by strength training. This research claims
that those benefits are to be encouraged and not missed out on due to false assumptions
AGREEABLENESS AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN PRESCHOOLERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Martin, Holly
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Renée Tobin
Holly Martin; Allison Curnock; Sarah Koppenhoefer;
Renée Tobin
Agreeableness is one of the Big Five dimensions of personality and is defined as the drive to accommodate to the
feelings of others in order to maintain quality interpersonal relationships (Graziano & Eisenberg, 1997; Graziano &
Habashi, 2010). Agreeableness has been related to social problem solving in previous research. For example,
Jensen-Campbell and Graziano (2001) found links between agreeableness and the positive conflict resolution
strategies of middle school students. Similarly, Gadke, Tobin, and Schneider (in press) found that agreeableness
was related to conflict resolution strategies endorsed by second graders. The goal of this study is to examine the
relation between agreeableness and social-emotional knowledge following exposure to a social-emotional learning
curriculum with a sample of preschoolers. Participants received the social emotional curriculum, Second Step: A
Violence Prevention Curriculum (Committee for Children, 2011), over the course of an academic year. This
curriculum is an evidence-based prevention program that teaches skills such as emotion regulation, empathy, and
social problem solving skills. Researchers administered daily Second Step lessons over the course of the school
year. Parents completed ratings of preschoolers’ personality, including agreeableness, before the intervention
began. Participants were administered tests of their social-emotional knowledge before and after the intervention.
In this study, we will examine the relation between agreeableness and this outcome, preschoolers’ change in
knowledge over time, and the interaction between agreeableness and time. I hypothesize that higher levels of
agreeableness will be related to higher levels of social-emotional knowledge, particularly at the conclusion of the
intervention.
THE POWER OF MONEY IN POLITICS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Mathes, Hannah
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Kerri Milita
Hannah Mathes
As an average voter, how much power do you have in politics besides your one vote? You can be involved in the
process of creating legislation, but you have limitations. Superpacs and corporations do not have the same
limitations as a citizens. In the areas of politics, corporations have a great influence. Corporations have all this
power, but how did they get it and how are they able to keep it?
INSIGHTS INTO STUDENT GAINS FROM UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH USING
PRE/POST ASSESSMENTS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
McDevitt, Andrew
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Rebekka Gougis
Aaron Ellison; Manisha Patel
Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) in STEM fields expose students to scientific research and, in recent
years, have been promoted as a way of increasing student retention within these disciplines. Since its inception in
1985, the Harvard Forest Summer Program in Ecology (HF-SRPE) has grown to support 20-30 undergraduate
students annually through an 11-week collaborative research experience. The overarching program objectives of
HF-SRPE are to: enhance the ability of students to undertake interdisciplinary research; build teams of researchers
in which students bring their unique strengths to the table, collaborate on cutting-edge projects, and develop their
own intellectual “voice”; link fundamental and applied issues into student research; and cultivate the next
generation of ecological scientists that reflects the diversity of backgrounds and experiences of students in the
United States. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of program level goals, a pre/post survey was developed and
administered to participants. Between 2005 and 2015, the questionnaire was sent to all 263 HF-SRPE participants
with a 71% response rate to both portions of the survey. Several repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted
using prior experiences as predictors to various skillsets aligned with programmatic goals. Results of these analyses
show significant improvements across all learning goals. However, prior experiences such as laboratory research,
contribution to a scientific publication, and the perception of being a respected member of a research team led to
varying levels and rates of change for many of these skillsets. Although we did not see a change in the desire for
students to pursue ecological and STEM careers, the positive learning gains suggest that students with prior
interest are able to take advantage of this learning opportunity in order to further solidify their aspirations in
science.
STUCK, A GENE PROMOTING CELLULOSE DEPOSITION AND CELL ELONGATION IN
ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Moore, Christy
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Viktor Kirik
Christy Moore; Bangxia Suo; Mais Zahde; Viktor Kirik
Arabidopsis hypocotyls contain long, narrow cells that elongate along the axis of plant growth, pushing the
developing shoot through the soil. Certain cell wall mutants are deficient in the process of elongation, causing
their hypocotyls to be swollen and shorter than those of wild type plants. This phenotype is most noticeable when
these mutants are grown in darkness because hypocotyl cells will elongate more in an effort to break through the
darkness and find sunlight.
My research focuses on the stuck (stu) mutant, which, when grown in darkness, exhibits a smaller and slightly
swollen hypocotyl than those of wild type plants. Mature plants also exhibit reductions in leaf width and length, as
well as petiole length. The gene responsible for the mutant phenotype was rough mapped to a 584kb region on
chromosome 5.
We tested known mutants within our mapping region that have stu-like phenotypes (cobra and procuste1/cesa6)
to verify that stu is novel. A conditional radial expansion test revealed that stu does not exhibit a cobra phenotype.
A confocal microscopy analysis of progeny from a stu x YFP-tagged CESA6cross indicated that STU is not CESA6 and
that CESA6 appears to be sequestered in Golgis of stu plants. In addition, we measured birefringence, an optical
property of crystalline cellulose, in mutant and wild type trichomes, revealing a possible cellulose deficiency. We
performed a biochemical cellulose assay to quantify the amount of cellulose in dark-grown mutant and wild type
plants to test this possibility. Through the identification and preliminary characterization of the STU gene, we hope
to learn new information regarding the molecular processes important for cell wall building and cell elongation.
INFLUENCE OF DIETETIC INTERNSHIP DIRECTORS' INVOLVEMENT WITH RESEARCH
ON THE RESEARCH CURRICULUM IN DIETETIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Newell, Amanda
Graduate, Educational Administration and Foundations
Prof. Wendy Troxel
Research is considered to be at the foundation of the profession of dietetics. It is a required component of the
dietetic curriculum and is especially important as a part of the dietetic internship (DI) process. However, there are
increasing concerns that dietitians and dietetic educators are not actively involved with research. This disconnect is
concerning, and was therefore, the catalyst for the present study. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to
examine the relationship of the research involvement of DI Directors and their interpretation and implementation
of a required research competency (CRD 1.5) for DI programs.
This study utilized a cross-sectional, survey design, which consisted of DI Directors who manage ACEND-accredited
DI programs (n = 244). The present study was the first to exclusively survey this target population and topic. The
findings demonstrated that participants lack research involvement, as evidenced by the majority of participants
being classified into the lowest level of research involvement based upon the research continuum. Research
involvement was most related to education/training, professional experience, and research experience. These
findings are consistent with previous studies of other dietetic educators. Additionally, the data indicated that the
research involvement of DI Directors influences both their interpretation and implementation of competency CRD
1.5. The results of this study could be used by DI Directors and other dietetic educators to inform curricular
decisions that bridge the research-competency gap between curriculum and practice within dietetics.
USING A SPLIT-SHIFT POTENTIAL TO COMPUTE THE SPECTRUM OF A RADIALLYSYMMETRIC HAMILTONIAN
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Athor(s):
Norris, Sam
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Qingzheng Lyu; Prof. Rainer Grobe, Prof. Q. Charles Su
Sam Norris; Qingzheng Lyu; Rainer Grobe; Q. Charles Su
We show how the spectrum of a radially symmetric Dirac Hamiltonian can be computed rather accurately on a
spatial grid using a split-shift potential method. This method is sufficiently accurate such that the fine structure
splittings of hydrogen-like relativistic ions with nuclear charge Z can be reproduced for a relatively small number of
spatial radial grid points. We use this analytically known spectrum to examine the error scaling of this
method. The method is then applied to examine the impact of a spatial confinement on the fine structure
splittings and the bound states for hydrogen [1]. This work was supported by the NSF.
[1] Q.Z. Lv, S. Norris, Q. Su and R. Grobe, J. Phys. B 49, 065003 (2016).
DOES BLOOD LOSS EXPLAIN ECTOPARASITE-INDUCED CHANGES IN NESTLING
DEVELOPMENT?
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Odetunde, Aderinsola
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Joseph Casto
Aderinsola Odetunde; Joseph Casto
In developing nestlings, hematophagous ectoparasites can have lasting effects on adult phenotypes, such as
growth and immune function. Nestlings are able to mitigate these costs through shifts in resource allocation
during development. However, there is limited information on what aspects of ectoparasite infestations drive
these trade-offs, whether it is mostly due to blood loss, or if other ectoparasite-induced costs play a more
prominent role.
We examined how blood loss and other outcomes of hematophagous mite infestations contributed to previously
reported developmental trade-offs in European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings. We applied a heat treatment
to the nests and then assigned them to one of three treatments: control, blood loss and mite infestation. To
simulate mite infestation, we inoculated mite infestation nests with ≈ 40 Northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus
sylviarum). To assess treatment effectiveness on mite levels, blood spots on the eggs from nests in all treatments
were assessed 10 days later. Nestling growth and survival were assessed on brood days (BD) 5, 10 and 15. On BD 5
and 10, ≈10% of the blood from nestlings in the blood loss treatment was collected and much smaller blood
samples from nestlings in the other treatments. Nestlings in all treatments were bled similarly on BD 15.
Blood glucose, hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations were assessed with the samples. We found a 3-7%
decrease in growth parameters in the mite treatment nests compared to control nests. For hematocrit and
hemoglobin, mite treatment nests displayed a 5% and 15% decrease respectively. Blood loss nests did not show
any deficiencies in growth and blood parameters. Our results show that mite infestations cause a small shift of
resources away from growth, and blood loss alone did not result in any growth trade-offs.
DUAL-TASK ESTIMATES OF LISTENING EFFORT
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Paisley, Jaclyn
Graduate, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Prof. Scott Seeman
This study examines the use of the dual-task paradigm for quantifying listening effort. The dual-task paradigm
typically consists of a primary listening task and a secondary visual task. Here we used a sentences-in-noise task for
the primary task and a letter identification task for the secondary. Reaction time for the secondary visual task was
compared in isolation versus when combined with a sentences-in-noise task presented at two signal-to-noise
ratios of +15 and +5 dB. The change in reaction time for the combined condition defines listening effort. In
addition, a series of cognitive tasks were also included to estimate working memory and selective attention.
Results showed that reaction time was prolonged for the visual task when combined with the more difficult +5 dB
SNR speech task, while similar to the visual alone condition when combined with the easier +15 dB SNR speech
task. Reaction time for the visual task showed a significant negative correlation with estimates of working memory
capacity, while it was not associated with measures of selective attention. The dual task paradigm appears to be a
sensitive measure of listening effort and lower effort is associated with having higher working memory.
PERTURBATION THEORY FOR QUANTUM BOUND STATES AND AVOIDED LEVEL
CROSSINGS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Pelphrey, Richard
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Rainer Grobe, Dr. Q. Charles Su
Richard Pelphrey, Rainer Grobe, Q. Charles Su
We compare the predictions of perturbation theory of arbitrary order for the ground state energy of very weakly
bound states with the data obtained from the numerical diagonalization of the Schrödinger Hamiltonian for
attractive short-range one-dimensional potential confined to a spatial box of length L. We find that in the weakbinding region where the ground state's spatial extension is larger than L the perturbation theory converges
rapidly and is perfectly accurate. However, once the binding is so strong that the ground state's extension is less
than L, the perturbative expansion becomes divergent, consistent with the expectation that bound states are
intrinsically non-perturbative. However, for a zero-range potential a truncated Borel summation technique can
recover the correct bound state energy from the diverging sum [1]. This work was supported by the NSF.
[1] S. Norris, R. Pelphrey, C. Lisowski, E. Stefanovich, Q. Su, R. Grobe, J. Phys. A (submitted).
THE STANDARD MODEL OF PARTICLES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Pinto, Santiago
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Neil Christensen
Santiago Pinto; Neil Christensen
The Standard Model gives us a very good description of the behavior of the elementary particles. It specifies all
17 known particles and their interactions with each other. It is divided loosely into three categories: the leptons,
quarks and bosons, each with its own properties. In order to study these particles, we build very high energy
accelerators that collide protons and electrons together and analyze the resulting debris.
LONG-TERM IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENTAL CARE ON CHILDREN BORN
PREMATURELY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Pivek, Elena
Undergraduate, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Prof. Jamie Smith
In 2014, preterm birth affected about 1 of every 10 infants born in the United States, with nearly two-thirds of
these infants spending time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Preterm birth is a leading cause of longterm neurological disabilities in children (CDC). While great advances have been made in NICU care, this
environmental change can affect the infant’s neurodevelopment in ways that are still poorly understood.
Developmental care involves interventions to help support the growth and development of the infant, while
reducing future long-term cognitive and behavioral problems. The purpose of this study is to describe different
aspects of developmental care and determine whether these interventions can help to reduce
neurodevelopmental delay in children born prematurely.
USING A NEW METHOD TO IDENTIFY KEY ZONES OF HIGH TILE DRAIN INPUT INTO
SMALL AGRICULTURAL STREAMS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Plath, Ryan
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Catherine O'Reilly
Agricultural in the Midwest relies on tile drains to properly drain the soil for crop growth, but these tile drains
have the negative effect of increasing nitrate concentrations in streams [1-2]. Despite the critically important role
that tile drains play in introducing nitrate to surface waters, little is known about their location. In Illinois, tile
drains are located on private property and cannot be publically accessed or accounted for; many farmers also do
not know specifically where tile drains are located on their property. Currently, aerial photography is used for
broad surveys, but this method is often unsuccessful because high resolution images during proper tile viewing
conditions are commonly unavailable [3]. The objective of this study is to test the first in-situ method for locating
tile drain inputs using peak stream discharge scaling relationships. I hypothesis that outliers to the scaling
relationship will represent tile drainage, and therefore nitrate input.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND ETHNICITY: ACHIEVEMENT FACTORS ACROSS
DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATIONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Porter, Kenneth
Graduate, Communication
Prof. Kevin Meyer
Non-immigrant ethnic minority populations’ collegiate achievement level is far behind the non-minority
population. Approaches to level the playing field often target traditional success factors without being receptive to
how students’ socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds affect how they communicate within these factors and the
effect it may have on academic performance. Different ethnic minority populations may benefit more or less from
certain success factors based on communicative pressures of their cultural values. This study examined the
communicative success factors of students across different ethnicities to determine whether some success factors
are more or less effective for different minority populations. The results indicate that mentoring and belonging are
predictors for academic success that is experienced differently by different ethnicities
RECOVERY OF PHOSPHOROUS FROM SURFACE WATER: ADSORPTION AND
DESORPTION ON CALCITE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Raasch, Caitlin
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. Thomas Bierma; Prof. Guang Jin
This research found that calcite is a promising ion exchange substrate for recovery of phosphate from surface
waters, but is complicated by precipitation reactions at elevated pH. Phosphorus is essential for life. However,
most ecosystems are naturally limited in phosphorus and have evolved life-forms that tolerate a phosphoruslimited environment. Increases in phosphorus - from fertilizer run-off, soil erosion, wastewater discharge, or other
pollution source – can upset the natural flora of an ecosystem, with resulting impacts on the fauna as well. Most
commonly, increased phosphorus in aquatic environments results in algae blooms, with subsequent potential for
production of toxins, depletion of dissolved oxygen, and reduced survival of native species.
There is growing interest in methods to remove and recover phosphate from surface waters. Ion exchange is a
promising technology to remove phosphate from surface water and later release it to subsequent phosphate
recovery technology. However, commonly-used ion exchange substrates are expensive and the slow erosion of
the substrates may pose concerns for downstream ecosystems.
This research explores the use of calcite (beta-CaCO3) as an inexpensive and low-risk natural ion exchange
substrate for phosphate recovery. A series of adsorption and desorption experiments were performed using water
with a phosphate concentration of approximately 1 mg/L. While calcite was found to perform well in phosphate
adsorption, desorption at elevated pH is complicated by side reactions that form calcium phosphate precipitates.
Implications and possible next-steps are discussed.
INVESTIGATING THE RNA MOLECULES OF MEIOTIC SILENCING BY UNPAIRED DNA
(MSUD)
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Ralalage, Dilini
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Thomas Hammond
Dilini Samarajeewa; Nicholas Rhoades; Hua Xiao; Kevin
Edwards; Patrick Shiu; Thomas Hammond
In Neurospora crassa, meiotic silencing by unpaired DNA (MSUD) is a process that detects and silences unpaired
DNA between homologous chromosomes during sexual development. It is believed that MSUD works through an
RNA interference-related pathway that begins with the production of aberrant RNAs (aRNAs). However, these
aRNAs have yet to be identified. Here, we present results from experiments designed to identify these theoretical
molecules. Additionally, we present results from our analysis of a novel MSUD protein. This protein has RNA
binding domains and it could be involved in transporting MSUD-related RNA molecules, such as aRNAs, to their
proper destination in the meiotic cell.
SCALING LAW FOR HEAVY-ION IMPACT EXCITATION-IONIZATION OF HELIUM
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Ralph, Greg
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Allison Harris
Atomic collisions provide key insights into one of the most fundamental forces of nature - the Coulomb force. The
study of atomic collisions is primarily used to understand the dynamics of charged particle interactions, but is vital
to other areas of physics, such as plasma physics, astrophysics, and biophysics. The study of heavy-ion collisions
with atoms is an increasingly important area of collision physics. In this work, we study the excitation-ionization
of helium by heavy-ion impact. Using our fully quantum mechanical model, we identify a scaling law for the
magnitude of the fully differential cross sections (FDCS), and show how the scaling law can be used to predict FDCS
for numerous different projectiles. This work was supported by the NSF.
LOCALIZATION OF THE CAS9 ENZYME
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Reid, Turner
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Thomas Hammond
Turner Reid; Amy Boyd; Thomas Hammond
The Cas9 enzyme is a RNA guided DNA nuclease, an enzyme that cuts the DNA at a particular sequence, which is a
crucial component in the CRISPR system. CRISPR evolved in archaea as well as certain bacteria to protect against
foreign DNA. Cas9 functions by cleaving foreign DNA, scanning base pairs for places of integration, and placing
the foreign DNA into the organism’s genome. We aim to use fluorescent tags to determine location of an
engineered Cas9 in Neurospora crassa in the nucleus. Our approach is to mate a strain of N. crassa that expresses a
mCherry tag with a strain that expresses the engineered Cas9 tagged with GFP. We will then view progeny
expressing both mCherry and GFP under a confocal microscope. Because Cas9 has a nuclear localization signal
(NLS), we expect to see GFP expression inside a ring of mCherry indicating the engineered Cas9 is in the nucleus.
PREDICTING PARENT ENDORSEMENT OF EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR
CHILDREN WITH ASD
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Reiher, Jillian
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Steve Croker; Prof. Corinne Zimmerman
Jillian Reiher; Steve Croker; Corinne Zimmerman
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects approximately one in 68 children (Centers for Disease Control, 2014).
Parents of children with ASD have a wide array of interventions to choose from (Green et al., 2006). Previous
research has found a connection between parents’ perceptions of ASD and its causes, and their use of different
intervention options (Al Anbar, Dardennes, Prado-Netto, Kaye, & Contejean, 2010). Cultural worldview, or cultural
cognition, has also been found to affect attitudes toward some scientific and political issues (e.g., Kahan, Braman,
& Jenkins-Smith, 2011). Cultural cognition refers to the way people’s perceptions of facts and events are shaped by
their values. In the current study, we examined how parents’ perceptions of the efficacy of various interventions
for ASD are affected by their perceptions of ASD and their cultural cognition, comparing the perceptions of parents
whose children have ASD and those whose children do not have ASD. A version of the Illness Perception
Questionnaire - Revised (IPQ-R; Moss-Morris et al., 2002) was administered to both groups of parents to measure
their perceptions of ASD in general and its causes. Parents of children with ASD also completed another version of
the IPQ-R to measure perceptions of their child’s ASD and its causes. All participants were given the Cultural
Worldview Scales (Kahan, 2010). Two subscales measure the extent to which people endorse personal autonomy
and responsibility (individualistic vs. communitarian) and the extent to which people should adhere to strictly
defined roles (hierarchical vs. egalitarian). Finally, participants were asked to rate the general effectiveness of 10
ASD interventions (two with empirical support and eight without empirical support). Additionally, parents of
children with ASD were asked whether they had ever used each intervention and, if they had, to rate the
effectiveness of it for their child. We hypothesize that the correlations between perceptions of ASD as a disorder
and its causes and endorsement of certain treatment types will replicate the findings of Al Anbar et al. (2010).
Additionally, we hypothesize that cultural cognition and parental perception of ASD will predict intervention
endorsements for parents of children with ASD. Finally, we predict that there will be differences between parent
groups (i.e., representing experience with ASD) with regard to how cultural cognition and general illness
perceptions predict the endorsement of evidence-based and non-evidence-based interventions.
IMPACT OF VISUAL FEEDBACK ON EXERCISE INTENSITY AND MOTIVATION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Reynolds, Kelsey
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Dale Brown
Dale Brown; Daniel Dodd; Kelly Laurson
There is a great deal of research on motivation and biofeedback in exercise when studied individually. However,
there is limited research when biofeedback and motivation are combined. The objective of the current study is to
determine if visual heart-rate monitor biofeedback motivates college-age students to maintain a higher overall
exercise intensity during a stationary cycling class.
To conduct the study, a within-group design was utilized. Illinois State students enrolled in the School of
Kinesiology and Recreation’s (KNR) cycling course were recruited to voluntarily participate in the study. There were
three phases to this study. During the first phase, the participants wore heart-rate monitors while completing a
cycling class without receiving visual biofeedback from their heart rate monitors. During the second part of the
study, the participants completed the same workout on a different day. They again wore heart-rate monitors, but
during this condition, they received continuous group biofeedback on from their heart rates being projected on a
television screen at the front of the class. During the third part of the study, the participants completed the same
workout again, but this time received their visual biofeedback individually through the computers mounted on the
bikes. The overall average heart rate, average heart rate intensity, and minutes within the heart rate training zones
will be analyzed. In addition, the participants completed a general anxiety questionnaire at the start of the study.
They then completed a state anxiety questionnaire at the start of each workout session and a motivation survey
after each cycling class to determine if the visual biofeedback influenced participants’ motivation to exercise at a
higher intensity level.
CONSTRUCTING LEGITIMACY? A LARGE-N STUDY OF HOW GOVERNMENT
STRUCTURE IMPACTS ETHNOPOLITICAL VIOLENCE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Richardson, Kirk
Graduate, Politics and Government
Prof. T. Y. Wang
Kirk Richardson
A noted decline in violent protest among ethnic minority groups beginning in the early 1990s is often attributed to
the corresponding global trend toward pluralist, power-sharing democracies. However, in contrast to the
aggregate-psychological and political process theorists who argue this interpretation, resource mobilization and
ethnic competition theorists suggest the process of democratization increases political violence through
heightened ethnic competition. In considering why certain groups engage in contentious politics, the present study
seeks to examine the impact of government policies upon ethnopolitical protest and rebellion. Using the
Minorities at Risk dataset, the present study will employ a cross-sectional analysis consisting of a series of ordered
logit tests to examine whether politically exclusionary policies and ethnicity-based repression increase the
likelihood protest and rebellion among 282 ethnic minority groups. Controlling for measures of social and
economic exclusion, as well as a number of group-specific traits, it is expected that political exclusion and
repression will increase the likelihood of both rebellion and anti-government protests. Such findings would
support a political process theory of dissent, and provide insight into the relationship between democracy, human
rights, and ethnopolitical conflict.
USE OF A NONSTANDARD UNIT TO FIND AREA IN SEVENTH GRADE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Russ, Sarah
Undergraduate, Mathematics
Prof. Jeffrey Barrett; Prof. Craig Cullen
Sarah Russ; Jeff Barrett; Craig Cullen; Ted Rupnow; Pam Beck
The main focus of this analysis was to look at how the students reacted to area measurement tasks and how they
used a nonstandard unit to find the area. Six out of eight students were directly asked in a teaching interview
about a nonstandard unit, all of whom were able to use such a nonstandard unit to find and/or check the area of a
rectangle. The other two students were asked questions during another interview session to follow up on
questions generated by our analysis. They transitioned from not being able to find area using a nonstandard unit
to successful manipulation of the nonstandard unit.
ALGEBRA AS A FOUNDATION FOR SPIN
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Russ, Sarah
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Neil Christensen
Sarah Russ; Neil Christensen
Start with a rotation matrix around the z axis in 3D and show that it can be generated by a matrix. Then the
generators form an algebra. The operation of this algebra, when used on other matrices forms the same algebra.
One such set is 2´2 matrices, which can operate on 2D objects known as spinners. These objects correspond to an
electron spinning, or in terms of quantum, spin.
COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR NUMERICALLY DIAGONALIZING THE QUANTUM
MECHANICAL HAMILTONIAN
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Russ, Sarah
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Neil Christensen
Sarah Russ; Joshua R. Henderson; Neil Christensen
We discuss some basic computational methods involved in the creation and diagonalization of the radial part of
the quantum mechanical Hamiltonian for the Hydrogen atom in order to obtain its lowest energy eigenstates and
wavefunctions.
SYNTHESIS OF KEY INTERMEDIATES FOR THE GENERATION OF BENZIPORPHYRINS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Sahota, Navneet
Graduate, Chemistry
Prof. Timothy Lash
Chlorins 1 are important moieties present in biological systems that provide the parent structure for many
important biological pigments such as chlorophylls. Carbachlorins 2 have previously been prepared using acidcatalyzed condensation reactions of 3-ethoxymethylenecyclopentene-1-carbaldehyde with a tripyrrane,
followed by oxidation with aqueous ferric chloride solutions. In order to obtain better yields, the synthesis of
carbachlorins such as 3 has been targeted. 3,4-Diethylpyrrole (4) was prepared from 3-acetoxy-4-nitrohexane
and ethyl isocyanoacetate. Subsequent reaction of 4 with benzyl-5-acetoxymethyl-4-ethylpyrrole-2-carboxylate
yielded dibenzyl tripyrrane 5, which underwent hydrogenolysis to form tripyrrane dicarboxylic acid 6. The
condensation of this tripyrrane unit with dialdehyde 7 to form the targeted carbachlorin 3 is currently in
progress. The dialdehyde 7 is prepared by reacting cyclopentadiene with maleic anhydride to give, following
Fischer esterification with methanol, the norbornene derivative 8. Subsequent oxidation affords the required
dialdehyde. It is anticipated that these studies will lead to the development of a general route to carbachlorins.
INVESTIGATING RECENTLY ACTIVE FAULTS USING GEOMORPHIC
ANALYSES OF EPHEMERAL CHANNELS IN THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS,
WEST TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Salinas, Christine
Undergraduate, Geography-Geology
Prof. Lisa Tranel
Christine Salinas; Lisa Tranel
Earthquakes can strike at any given time without warning; understanding fault activity is important when it comes
to potential geohazards. The Guadalupe Mountains, located in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico,
consist of several normal faults that run throughout the entire range. Our goal is to find how active these faults are
by analyzing the geomorphology of stream channels that intersect these faults lines. This methodology can be
useful to detect activity without having to use expensive seismic equipment when studying large-scale terrains
such as the Guadalupe Mountains. The geomorphologic analysis of the landscape also sheds light on the recent
extensional processes, additional uplift, and mantle upwelling that might be occurring in the area. Using Google
Earth and ArcGIS, we focused on 5 groups of faults positioned from east to west in the Guadalupe Mountain
Range. We classified and graphed the stream segments in those groups that had crossed faults using the Shreve
stream order classification method. We then uploaded the data into ArcGIS and quantified the lengths using Excel.
We identified areas that were the most recently active through correlation between fault locations and stream
features in the range. We also performed a physical experiment to better understand the interactions between
active and inactive faults. The results of our research suggest that the stream patterns are directly influenced by
the faults that lie underneath them and can impact erosional and sedimentation processes in the Guadalupe
Mountains. Furthermore, the seismic activity from active faults and extensional stresses can fracture nearby rock
units that are near other inactive faults. Overall, this will affect the geomorphology and behavior of the stream
channels in the surrounding areas. In conclusion, stream channel geomorphology can tell us much about the
ongoing processes and make us aware of the most tectonically active areas within the Guadalupe Mountain Range.
EXAMINING THE APPLICATION OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES ACROSS
SPORT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Sattler, Elizabeth
Graduate, Teaching and Learning
Prof. Clint Warren
Experiential learning practices are increasingly encouraged across institutions of higher education as millennial
students have come to expect an engaging and interactive learning environment (Mangold, 2007). Additionally,
scholars have found that exposure to experiential education positively impacts student learning outcomes, as well
as persistence and retention rates (Eyler, 2009; Pierson & Troppe, 2010; The National Center for Public Policy and
Higher Education, 2008). The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) has identified experiential
learning projects as an integral element to be included in sport management curriculum (COSMA, 2015). However,
often the experiential learning opportunities offered by sport management programs are limited to a required
internship experience (Foster & Dollar, 2010). While internship programs have been widely accepted and
implemented by sport management programs (Eagleman & McNary, 2010), there is little evidence of the
implementation of other experiential learning practices within sport management programs. According to the
Five-Step Experiential Learning Process Model (Foster & Dollar, 2010), sport management students should acquire
experience beyond the culminating internship, through avenues of volunteer exploration, apprenticeship,
classroom-based activities, and practicum experience. While a handful of sport management scholars have
examined classroom-based experiential learning outcomes within individual classroom environments (Irwin,
Sutton, & McCarty, 2007; Pauline, 2013; Southall, Nagel, LeGrande, and Han, 2003), an in-depth analysis of the
widespread application of experiential learning practices across the field of sport management has yet to be
conducted. Consequently, the purpose of this study is three-fold. This study investigates the widespread
application of experiential learning practices across sport management programs. Additionally, this study seeks to
examine faculty attitudes as they relate to the application of experiential learning practices and their impact on
student learning. Finally, this study seeks to determine the impact of academic and professional experiences on
faculty attitudes towards the implementation of experiential learning techniques.
INHIBITORY CONTROL AND CHILDREN'S SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Schneider, Otto
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Renée Tobin
Allison Curnock; Sarah Koppenhoefer
In past studies, researchers have examined the relation between inhibitory control tasks and the child’s behavior
and academic level. For example, Blair and Peters (2003) found positive associations between teacher reports of
children’s on-task behavior in a classroom and their levels of inhibitory control. The present study builds on this
research by examining this relation in the context of a primary prevention program. In the current study, preschool
children received 25 weeks of daily lessons from the fourth edition of a social-emotional learning curriculum,
Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum (Committee for Children, 2011). In this study, we are
investigating whether children’s inhibitory control influences their acquisition of social-emotional information. To
examine inhibitory control’s influence, we assessed both children’s inhibitory control and their social-emotional
knowledge. Specifically, children were individually administered a knowledge test before and after receipt of the
social-emotional learning curriculum. We expect that children with greater inhibitory control will demonstrate
greater gains in social-emotional knowledge relative to their peers. Analyses will focus on improvement from
pre-knowledge testing to post-knowledge testing.
AMPHETAMINE AFFECTS REWARD-RELATED BEHAVIOR BUT NOT REWARD-EVOKED
DOPAMINE SIGNALS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Schuweiler, Douglas
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Paul Garris
Douglas Schuweiler; Jeana Athens; Jacob Thompson; Sherry
Vazhayil; Paul Garris
Dopamine (DA) transients in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are brief increases in DA that are critical for rewardrelated learning. They are elicited by unpredicted rewards and learned cues that predict rewards but not predicted
rewards. Thus, learning correlates with a “transfer” of NAc DA transients from rewards to their predictive cues.
The DA transfer deficit theory of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) proposes that symptoms are
caused by insufficient “transfer” and that psychostimulant medications compensate for this by enhancing cue-
evoked DA transients. At therapeutic doses, amphetamine (AMPH) is the most efficacious treatment for ADHD;
however, at larger doses AMPH is rewarding and can cause addiction. Rewarding doses of AMPH enhance DA
transients, an effect thought to contribute to addiction via over-learning of drug-predictive cues. The effect of
therapeutic doses of AMPH on DA transients has not been investigated; therefore, it is unclear if AMPH-induced
enhancement of DA transients is specifically a mechanism of reward learning or also a therapeutic mechanism.
We employed a Pavlovian autoshaping paradigm to examine AMPH dose effects in rats. This paradigm uses
insertion of a lever and illumination of a light on one side of the chamber as a CS+; insertion of a lever and
illumination of a light on the opposite side is used as a CS-. Some rats, goal-trackers, approach the food-trough
when the cue is present while other rats, sign-trackers, approach the lever. Prior to the second of ten conditioning
sessions, rats received an i.p. injection of saline or AMPH (0.25 or 1.36mg/kg d-amphetamine hemi-sulfate). Rats
treated with the high dose increased sign-tracking and tended to require more sessions to learn to respond to the
CS+ and not the CS-.
We also combined fast-scan cyclic voltammetry with an unpredicted food reward paradigm to determine if
alterations in reward-evoked DA transients might contribute to these behavioral outcomes. A carbon-fiber
microelectrode was lowered into the NAc until reward-evoked DA transients could be reliably recorded. 30 food
pellets were delivered on a variable schedule both before and after administration of 0.25 or 1.36mg/kg AMPH.
Additionally, electrically evoked phasic-like DA signals were recorded before and after the behavioral task. Only
rats treated with the high dose exhibited increased electrically evoked signals. Surprisingly, the high dose had no
significant effect on reward-evoked transients yet it tended to cause the rats to cease consuming the rewards.
Taken together, these experiments suggest rewarding doses of AMPH alter learning by a mechanism that does not
alter reward-evoked DA transients.
THERMOELECTRIC SIGNATURE OF DNA NUCLEOTIDES VIA TRANSVERSE TRANSPORT
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Sellers, Colin
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Justin Bergfield
Colin Sellers; Jonas Chaves; Grant Mabrey; Justin Bergfield
We theoretically investigate the flow of charge and heat across single-stranded DNA in the direction perpendicular
to the backbone axis. We find that each nucleotide carries a unique thermoelectric signature due to the different
electronic and chemical structure of the four bases. Our results suggest that it may be possible to sequence
single-stranded DNA by scanning its length through metallic probes (e.g. a nanopore) and measuring the
thermopower.
IS VERBAL ABUSE NORMAL? PERCEPTIONS OF VERBAL VS. PHYSICAL ABUSE IN
INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Shafer, Jessie
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Susan Sprecher
Jessie Shafer
Verbal abuse is a somewhat normal experience, happening to as many as 48% of men and women (CDC, 2010). Yet
even with such a high prevalence, victims of verbal abuse are severely understudied. This study sought to extend
the literature about verbal abuse by focusing on perceptions of how typical, threatening, dangerous, and severe
verbal abuse is compared to physical abuse through the use of vignettes. The study also sought to gain some
insight into enacted stigma through assessing perceptions of victim blame. Data were collected through an online
survey system.
The link was given to undergraduate students at a Midwestern university as well as posted on a Facebook group.
The final sample consisted of 181 participants (60.2% female and 31.8% male). Factorial ANOVAs revealed
differences between verbal and physical abuse; verbal abuse was perceived as significantly less dangerous and less
severe than physical abuse. It was also found that verbal abuse was perceived as significantly more typical and
more satisfying than physical abuse. Male perpetrators were perceived as being more threatening, dangerous, and
severe in both forms of abuse than female perpetrators. Female perpetrators were perceived as being significantly
more justified in their actions while male victims were perceived as being more to blame for being abused.
Normalization and societal minimization are discussed in light of the findings of this study.
ELECTRICAL COUPLING AND NEURON SYNCHRONIZATION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Shaffer, Annabelle
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Allison Harris, Prof. Epaminondas Rosa
In this presentation we discuss synchronization processes taking place between two different neurons coupled
electrically. Our computational simulations indicate that (a) the two neurons can synchronize for strong enough
coupling and (b) the firing regime in which they synchronize depends both on their original dynamical state (with
no coupling) and on the strength of the coupling. For a specific set of parameter values dictating the original
dynamical state of the two neurons, we found an interesting sequence of transitions as the two neurons go from
not synchronized to in synchrony, first through a period doubling bifurcation, then into chaos and finally in a
bursting regime. Neuronal synchronization is important in many neurological systems associated with, for
example, locomotion, and brain rhythms during sleep, Parkinson's disease, depression, and others.
THE ATTRACTION OF HORROR AND CREEPYPASTA AS URBAN LEGEND
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Slater, Jesse
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology
Prof. Liv Stone
Jesse Slater
Why do many people seek out media which is designed to give them an experience of fear, revulsion, or anxiety?
What is the draw of horror media, which is judged by its ability to produce these responses? The subjective nature
of emotional experiences will likely show a variety of responses from collaborators. However, I anticipate common
themes in these responses. Is the appeal of modern horror media tied to longstanding mythic/archetypal
storytelling tropes, such as those seen in folklore?
EXAMINING SEXUAL HARASSMENT EXPERIENCED IN ONLINE DATING
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Smith, Cielle
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Eric Wesselmann
Cielle Smith; Eric Wesselmann; Corinne Zimmerman; Marla
Reese Weber
Online dating has become increasingly frequent over the past two decades, with upwards of 11% of Internet users
participating in online dating and 7% of cell phone users having a dating application on their mobile devices (Pew
Research Center, 2015). Many people find online dating to be a great way to meet potential partners, but not all
online dating experiences are positive. Twenty-eight percent of online daters reported that they had been
harassed via an online dating site or application, with women reporting more experiences than men (Pew Research
Center, 2015). Sexual harassment is a common experience for women in daily life, both off-line and online. In
online dating, most communication is done between strangers, and just like in-person communications, stranger
harassment is common.
Research has shown that stranger harassment has negative implications for victims’ wellbeing, leading to selfobjectification, fear of rape, and restriction of movement (Fairchild & Rudman, 2008). Self-objectification
correlates with poor psychological outcomes in women, such as disordered eating, depression, and body shame
(Moffitt & Szymanski, 2010), as well as predicting lower levels of relationship satisfaction (Zurbriggen, Ramsey, &
Jaworski, 2011). Harassment coping strategies may play a role in the negative effects harassment can have; passive
coping strategies (e.g., ignoring, self-blame, benign attributions) instead of active coping strategies (e.g.,
confronting perpetrator), result in more self-objectification (Fairchild & Rudman, 2008). Our research examines if
online harassment experiences and outcomes mirror those of in-person harassment experiences, as well as their
impact on relationship satisfaction. We collected a pilot sample using Amazon.com’s Mechanical TURK services
(100 participants paid $0.20 each). We asked participants to respond to five open-ended questions about their
online dating experiences with overall, verbal, graphic, and unwanted sexual attention harassment, as well as a 14item version of the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ). Qualitative results suggest that there was a spectrum
of experiences not captured by the original questions in the SEQ; five more categories were generated from the
qualitative data, which will be included in the final survey. We hypothesize that greater online harassment
experiences will predict greater self-objectification, fear of rape, and restriction of movement. We also expect that
the type and frequency of harassment experiences will predict lower expectations of relationship satisfaction.
BODY COMPOSITION OF MALE RUGBY UNION PLAYERS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Smith, Edward
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. David Thomas
Edward Smith
The purpose of this study was to analyze the body composition of male rugby union players. Thirteen peerreviewed articles were critically analyzed. Data were representative of the years 1905-2012 and included subjects
mainly from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, Ireland, and Wales. In general, rugby union athletes are
getting taller, heavier, leaner, and more mesomorphic. As the level of play increases, the likelihood of these body
composition attributes increases. Changes among the different positional groups were also found. Of the forwards,
props were found to be the heaviest players on the pitch while locks were found to be the tallest and showed the
largest increase in mass of all forwards in time. Locks were reported to have a 2.7kg increase in mass per decade.
Hookers were found to be the shortest forwards while flankers and the 8-man position were found to be in the
middle of all forwards for height and mass. Of the backs, scrumhalves were found to be the shortest and lightest
while the fly-halves saw the greatest change in height and mass. Fly-halves were reported to have a 4.6cm and
2.9kg increase per decade. The centers were found to be the heaviest and tallest of the backs and the fullback and
wings were found to be in the middle for height and mass.
Between ethnicities, Polynesian players were found to have a different fat distribution compared to Caucasian
players. Throughout adolescence, forwards and backs had similar anthropometric profiles and body compositions
around the age of sixteen. As with adults, higher levels of competition will find leaner, heavier, and taller players.
The evolution of rugby union itself can be part of the reason behind the changes in player body composition. Mass
and height have both been found to be advantageous in contact situations. Height has been found to give players
an advantage when positioning themselves for catching kicks or lineouts. Rule modifications are another reported
change that has caused rugby union to become a faster sport with a decrease in the number of scrums by 20%
since 2000 and a four-fold increase in the number of tackles and rucks in the past thirty years. From 1988-2002,
the number of rucks has increased from 62.3-134.3 in the five or now six-nation tournament. Each position has a
different role; with ten different positions working together to achieve one goal, there will be a variety of body
profiles to get the job done. Different ethnic variations may also give certain advantages to players, especially in
contact situations. A variety of reasons such as increases in contact situations, more team funding, personalized
training and diet planning, ethnic advantages, and rule modifications are likely a big factor in why rugby union
athletes are getting heavier and taller.
PREPARATION OF CARBATRIPYRRIN INTERMEDIATES FOR THE SYNTHESIS
OF CARBAPORPHYRINOID SYSTEMS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Smolczyk, Tyler
Undergraduate, Chemistry
Prof. Timothy Lash
A carbatripyrrin intermediate 1 was prepared in three steps from technical grade indene and 2pyrrolecarbaldehyde. Reaction of 1 with multiple dialdehydes gave corresponding carbaporphyrinoid systems
(Lash, T. D.; Stateman, L. M. Org. Lett. 2015, 18, 4522-4525). To study this synthesis pathway for
carbaporphyrinoid systems further, the preparation of different carbatripyrrin intermediates was targeted.
Specifically, carbatripyrrin intermediates with oxygen and sulfur atoms were of interest. A carbatripyrrin
intermediate 2 was prepared in 3 steps from technical grade indene and 2-furaldehyde. Using this successful
method, a carbatripyrrin 3 was obtained using 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde. Reactions of carbatripyrrin
intermediates 2 and 3 with dialdehydes to form different carbaporphyrinoid systems will be investigated.
DETERMINATION OF MESO-SCALE MAGNETOTAIL STRUCTURE USING NONLINEAR
DYNAMICS MODELING AND CLUSTER DATA
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Starzyk, Michael
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Daniel Holland
Michael Starzyk; Daniel Holland
A frequently used approximation for the quiet-time magnetotail magnetic field is the modified Harris model, B
=B0[tanh(z/d)ex +bzez] where B0 is the magnetic field strength far from the sheet, d is the scale length of the
current sheet thickness and bz is the ratio of the magnitude of the field at the mid-plane to the asymptotic field.
Simulations of nonlinear charged particle dynamics in the modified Harris field have predicted the existence of a
series of peak in the ion distribution function whose separation scales as the fourth root of the normalized ion
energy which in turn depends on the combination of parameter. Measurements of the peaks in the ion
distribution function or differential particle flux yields a value for s, however, an independent measurement of
either bz or d is still needed to determine the meso-scale current sheet structure. In previous studies we have used
Geotail single space craft data to obtain a rough estimate of bz and used the resonance signature to determine the
current sheet thickness. Numerous observational studies have used various methods and multipoint Cluster data
to determine d, but not bz. Since both parameters are important in understanding the particle dynamics, in this
study we have used the higher multipoint measurements in conjunction with nonlinear dynamics to significantly
reduce the uncertainties in the measurements. In particular, we use two different methods to determine each of
the parameters B0, bz and d, and use the locations of the resonance peaks as a consistency check on the results.
To find B0, we use a direct measurement of the field as the satellites enter into the sheet as well as pressure
balance using local field and moment data as they pass through the field reversal. Ford, we use both a numerical fit
to the simple Harris field without the normal component, and a time of flight estimate using the relative velocity
between the current sheet and the satellites at the field reversal. The normal component of the field is found by
directly measuring the minima in the field as each satellite passes through the mid-plane and a minimum variance
analysis near the mid-plane. The measurements are in good agreement with previous studies, but with a
significantly lower uncertainty, particularly in the determination of bz.
SHARING FANDOM WITH OTHERS SATISFIES PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Taylor, Jaide
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Eric Wesselmann; Prof. Matthew Hesson-McInnis
Jaide Taylor; Eric Wesselmann; Matthew Hesson-McInnis
Most fandom research suggests fandom is inherently social and can satisfy of belonging needs for individuals. We
investigated how belonging and other basic psychological needs (i.e., control, meaningful existence, and selfesteem) may be satisfied discussing one’s fandom with another person. We hypothesized that discussing fandom
with a fellow fan would satisfy psychological needs more than discussing with a non-fan. Individuals’ need
satisfaction will be least satisfied if their interaction with a non-fan is negative (i.e., person is disinterested).In two
studies (N=237 college students and N=148 Amazon MTurk workers), we asked participants to identify the most
important thing they considered themselves a “fan” of. We then asked people to recall one of three different
events. In Study 1, the event was either a time when they had a conversation about their fan object with another
fan, with a non-fan, or a time they ate breakfast by themselves (control condition). In Study 2, participants recalled
an interaction in which they discussed their fandom with a fellow fan, a non-fan who seemed interested, or a non-
fan who did not seem interested. In both studies, we adapted measures of psychological need satisfaction and
asked participants to answer them based on how they recalled feeling during the event. In Study 1, participants
who recalled a discussion with a fellow fan indicated higher need satisfaction than either the non-fan or control
conditions (ps<.001, ds>.80). There was no difference between the latter two conditions (p=.88, d=.15). We coded
narratives and found that 71% of unshared discussions were negative (e.g., the other person did not seem
interested), whereas only 3% of shared events were negative. In Study 2, we manipulated positivity and negativity,
finding that discussing fandom with fellow fan and an interested non-fan were similarly satisfying (p=1.00, d=.03),
and both events were more satisfying than expressing fandom to a disinterested non-fan (ps<.001, ds>.1.30).We
provide preliminary experimental evidence that discussing one’s fandom with others can satisfy basic
psychological needs. Psychological needs are satisfied most when sharing with a fellow fan, but sharing with an
interested non-fan can also satisfy needs. We close with suggestions for future research using in-vivo paradigms.
INVESTIGATION OF INULINASE ACTIVITY BY KLUYVEROMYCES MARXIANUS NRRL Y50798
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Theobald, Joshua
Graduate, Chemistry
Prof. Marjorie Jones
Joshua Theobald; Joshua Jarodsky; Marjorie Jones
Inulin is a common carbohydrate polymer in the waste products of many high volume agricultural operations such
as cocoa, coffee, and agave. Wastes from these operations can cause major environmental and ecological issues.
Fermentation of these byproducts can reduce these problems as well as provide “value-added” products like
ethanol for sale or use by farmers. Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y-50798 (Km-7) have been shown to
metabolize inulin. Km-7 yeast were grown in 1% (w/v) inulin medium or in buffered (pH 5) 1% inulin medium.
Samples were analyzed at fixed time intervals for cell viability as well as inulin degradation byproducts. Cells
remained viable in 1% inulin medium, however cell division was limited. These studies indicate that Km-7 yeast
have the inulinase enzyme necessary to degrade the carbohydrate polymer. Future work on this topic will focus on
characterizing this enzyme.
WORKER COOPERATIVES AS AN INNOVATIVE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS INCOME
INEQUALITY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Titzler, Bryan
Graduate, Economics
Prof. Rati Ram
Bryan Titzler
This project studies the relation between the prevalence of member-owned cooperatives and income inequality.
The exploration is done at the country level. Inequality is measured through the well-known Gini index for which
reasonable country-level data is available. The prevalence of cooperatives is based on the United Nations data on
cooperatives, and can be measured in terms of (a) cooperatives output as percent of the country’s gross domestic
product (GDP), and (b) percent of population which has cooperative membership. While the starting point is a
simple measure of covariation between the Gini index and the prevalence of cooperatives, a richer analysis will
study the impact of the prevalence of cooperatives on income inequality. The initial hypothesis is that a higher
prevalence of cooperatives should lower income inequality. Depending on the data availability, the analysis can be
through a cross-section model or a panel-data format.
THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN COPING WITH BULLYING AND BYSTANDER REACTIONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Troisi, Brooke
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Leandra Parris
Brooke Troisi; Leandra Parris
Bystander reactions play an important role in bullying. This presentation focuses on results from a study that
examined the effect of bystander reactions (e.g., passive, helping, and enabling) on elementary to middle school
aged participants’ coping choices for responding to bullying. Moderating effects of student demographics were
also examined. Implications for intervention and prevention efforts for bullying, future research, and practice are
discussed.
SATISFACTION WITH VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS AND LINKS TO STRESS AND
TURNOVER INTENTIONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Trotto, Dylan
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Kimberly Schneider
Dylan Trotto
This study will report results of recent surveys conducted as part of the Volunteer Program Assessment (VPA)
research group within the Psychology Department. We have recently collected data from multiple organizations
and social service agencies that use large numbers of volunteers. The survey focuses on a multitude of factors such
as Satisfaction with the Volunteer Coordinator, Work Satisfaction, Stress, and Intentions to Quit Volunteering. We
also asked volunteers to indicate both strengths and weaknesses of their volunteer program. Previous research
focused on satisfaction with leadership, stress, and turnover intentions focused almost entirely on examining the
experiences of paid employees. Given the possibility that volunteers are motivated to volunteer for very different
reasons than paid employees are motivated to work, we were interested in examining how their satisfaction and
stress experiences may differ from paid employees. The current study will focus on three samples of volunteers –
from a police department, a hospital, and an animal shelter. Most of the volunteers in all three samples (63%
altogether) volunteered weekly. We plan to examine relationships between perceived satisfaction with the
volunteer coordinator (leadership), stress, and intentions to quit volunteering. Next, using the coded open-ended
comments, we will examine linkages between respondents who indicate negative or positive comments about
their volunteer coordinators and their levels of satisfaction, stress, and intentions to quit. We hypothesize that
these constructs will be significantly related such that volunteers who report higher levels of satisfaction with the
leadership will report lower stress and weaker intentions to quit. We also propose that those respondents who
took time to make optional comments about their volunteer coordinator will report less satisfaction, greater
stress, and higher intentions to quit. These are important variables to examine given that non-profit organizations
and agencies may spend large amount of time and resources recruiting volunteers and they would prefer to keep a
strong and committed volunteer base.
PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF PARA-ATHLETICS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Troxtel, Lauren
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Rachel Smith
Lauren Troxtel; Rachel Smith
In 2016, both the Olympics and Paralympics will be held in Rio, Brazil. However, many people are still unaware of
the Paralympics, and often confuse it with the Special Olympics. The purpose of this presentation is to bring about
awareness for the Paralympics by analyzing data from a national, collegiate, and local level Illinois. The researcher
collected data from previous studies to consolidate a general understanding on the perceptions from viewers,
college athletics and recreational facilities. Through this study four hypotheses have been formed:
1. There will be a lack of awareness about the Paralympics as a whole.
2. There will be a need to increase collegiate level Para-sports and competitions.
3. There will be a need for more Para-athletic recreational facilities within Illinois.4. Female para-athletes are
portrayed differently than male para-athletes.
REMOVAL OF SELF-INTERACTIONS IN THE DIRAC-MAXWELL EQUATIONS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Athor(s):
Unger, Jonathan
Undergraduate, Physics
Prof. Qingzheng Lyu; Prof. Rainer Grobe, Prof. Q. Charles Su
Jonathan Unger; Qingzheng Lyu; Rainer Grobe; Q. Charles Su
We propose a theoretical framework that permits us to eliminate the unphysical self-repulsion that occurs if a
spatially localized charged particle interacts with its own electric field. As an example of this framework, we study
the time-resolved interaction between an electronic and positronic wave packet by solving the coupled set of twoparticle Dirac-Maxwell equations. The restriction of the dynamics to only one spatial dimension permits us to
neglect the magnetic field and therefore any effects due to retardation are absent. Here the unwanted selfrepulsion can be removed by separating the total electric field into two portions, each of which is generated by
only one particle and is evolved independently of the other. For example, the Maxwell equation for the electronic
field has only the electronic charge density as a source term and only this field is coupled to the positron in the
two-particle Dirac equation [1]. This work was supported by the NSF.
[1] J. Unger, Q.Z. Lv, Q. Su and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A (in press).
THE EFFECTS OF SURVIVAL PROCESSING ON LOCATION MEMORY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
VonderHaar, Rachel
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Dawn McBride
Rachel VonderHaar
In the survival processing effect, individuals remember items better after processing them in a survival scenario
than in other scenarios. Location memory (i.e., remembering the location of items) was tested in the current study
to investigate if location memory is enhanced through survival processing. Location memory was tested by having
subjects decide whether each item was presented on the left or on the right side of the screen during the study
task. We manipulated type of item as either a picture or word during both study and test. We hypothesized that
there would be a survival processing effect in location memory and that there would be a larger survival effect for
pictures than there would be for words. Contrary to previous studies, our results indicated a reversed survival
processing effect. To investigate the mixed results, we are conducting a follow-up study with a revised study
methodology.
AN UNCARING AMERICA: TURKEY IN THE ORIENT
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Weier, Jacklyn
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology
Prof. Liv Stone; Prof. Reecia Orzeck
It has been argued in several articles across different disciplines that the definition of the Orient is changing (Said
1978, Tuastad 2003, Samiei 2010, Behada 2012, Altwaiji 2014). According to a few, this means that Turkey is no
longer considered a part of the Orient and therefore not subject to the harmful stereotypes associated with
Orientalism and modern neo-Orientalism. While recent research articles have shown that Western European
periodicals still use Orientalist thinking when writing about Turkey, it has yet to be discussed how America
perceives the country. To find out if Turkey lies within America’s Orient, or the Middle East, there are some
questions that need to be answered: In what ways do popular American news outlets describe Turkey? What does
the average American know about Turkey? And how do Turkish people believe they are viewed by Americans? If
they are in the Orient, then Classic Orientalism and neo-Orientalism determines their status as an unchanging
Eastern country. If not, then more research will be needed to determine if Turkey has successfully joined the West.
I hope to explore these questions in an argument as to the location of Turkey and will discuss how the results place
or do not place Turkey within America’s Orient.
SUPPORT STRATEGIES AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Weigt, Kiley
Undergraduate, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Prof. Jamie Smith
There are particular difficulties and stressors associated with having a child with a disability. The purpose of this
project was to investigate support strategies available to children with disabilities and their families, specifically,
their parents. The current findings indicate that even though parents experience significant stress once they have a
child with a disability, they may be happier than families without a child with a disability. This unexpected finding
could be attributed to the support systems that are available to these families. Being aware of the forms of
support available for children with disabilities and their families may equip the children to succeed, and improve
the quality of life of the parents and family unit as a whole.
MEASURING PERCEPTIONS OF CANVASSING COMMUNICATION AND POLITICAL
PERSUASION
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Williamson, Dylan
Graduate, Communication
Prof. Kevin Meyer
Canvassing is a strategy of grassroots mobilization that is being utilized by political organizers across the United
States to both persuade new voters to vote as well as increase voter turnout for those already registered.
Canvassing consists of walking the precincts and neighborhoods in a community and targeting selected voters and
homes with a persuasive message. This paper seeks to understand canvasser communication by measuring the
perceptions that young voters have of canvassers and canvassing communication. Participants were asked to recall
an interaction with a canvasser and rate their perceptions of the interaction. Participants were also asked how
they would perceive a canvasser’s persuasiveness based on hypothetical communication behaviors. Quantitative
survey data was then collected and analyzed from more than 300 student participants. The results and
implications are discussed.
A GIS ANALYSIS OF LAND COVER EFFECTS ON WATER SYSTEMS: NUTRIENTS AND
ALGAE IN STORMWATER PONDS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Wilson, Nicole
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Bill Perry; Prof. Martha Cook
Nicole Wilson; Martha Cook; Catherine O'Reilly; Bill Perry; Rex
Rowley
This study aims to explore the effect of land cover on lake chemistry and algae found within stormwater ponds in
suburban sewersheds. It is well understood that anthropogenic changes to watershed features have effects on
patterns of surface runoff as well as water quality within natural and agricultural areas. It is less understood what
influence suburbanization has on water quality within detention basins that not only capture surface runoff, but
also release it downstream. This study utilizes GIS (Geographical Informational Systems) as a tool in order to
determine land cover (such as impervious surfaces) within sewersheds of wet bottom detention basins within
Bloomington, Illinois. Water samples were taken at each pond to determine concentration of ammonia, nitrate,
dissolved reactive phosphorous, and total phosphorous. Quadrats were used to determine algae percent cover
and algal samples were taken to be identified to genus. Preliminary findings indicate what appears to be variation
among ponds in terms of concentration of nutrients and diversity of algal genera. There also appear to be trends
within ponds with respect to response of nutrient concentration to storm events and to seasonal changes.
Results of this study may be helpful in identifying watershed land cover characteristics that may be influencing
high levels of nutrients and algae blooms. These data will hopefully inform efforts toward mitigation of nutrient
loading due to anthropogenic development and land conversion.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SLEEP EFFICIENCY AND HEART
RATE VARIABILITY
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Wolfe, Alex
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Karen Dennis; Prof. Daniel Dodd
Alex Wolfe; Maria Canino; Nathan Fillers; Daniel Dodd; Karen
Dennis
Previous research has established a relationship between physical activity (PA), sleep efficiency and heart rate
variability (HRV). Many studies have stated that as PA increases heart rate (HR) decreases while HRV increases,
which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to
investigate the relationship between PA, sleep efficiency and HRV. Methods: Fifteen subjects (21+ 1 yr.) from a
Division I University were fitted with a BodyMedia SenseWear Armband to assess PA and sleep efficiency for the
duration of one week (7days). Upon returning this device, each subject was connected to a 12-lead EKG and HRV
was assessed utilizing standard deviation of the mean R-R intervals (SDANN). Pearson Correlation Coefficients
were completed using Excel statistical software between PA and HRV, sleep efficiency and HRV, and PA and sleep
efficiency. Results: The correlation coefficient between PA and HRV was r = 0.32, sleep efficiency and HRV was r
= -0.40 and PA and sleep efficiency was r = 0.01. None of the correlations in this study results in statistical
significance. Conclusion: This study produced similar results to those of pervious research, in that a moderate
correlation was established between PA and HRV, although this correlation was not statistically significant. More
research is needed to assess the relationship between these two variables. Based on the results found in this
study and the results of previous studies, the relationship between sleep efficiency and HRV, as well as PA and
sleep efficiency still remains unclear. Studying the relationship between these variables requires additional
controlled and longitudinal studies.
EFFECTS OF TWO VOLUME-EQUATED RESISTANCE TRAINING PROGRAMS ON
MUSCLE THICKNESS, MUSCULAR STRENGTH, AND FAT-FREE MASS
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Worthey, Cory
Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Daniel Dodd
Cory Worthey; Vincent Bendotti; Daniel Dodd; Tyler Langosch;
Edward Smith; Brad Schoenfeld; Noel Selkow; Kelly Laurson
Gaining muscular size and strength through resistance training can be achieved through many different loading
strategies as evident in those observed in bodybuilding- vs. powerlifting-style training protocols. As such, the
intensity and order of the resistance training exercises can impact mechanical tension and metabolic stress
responses. In addition, the rate and magnitude of any gains are diminished with increasing and consistent
resistance training experience. Research is minimal on these effects in men with advanced training experience. The
purpose of this study is to observe the effects of two different volume-equated resistance training programs on
muscle thickness, muscular strength, and fat-free mass in well-trained men. Sixteen young men (20.8 ± 1.2 years)
were randomly assigned to either a muscular hypertrophy training (HT) protocol performing 3 sets of 10 repetition
maximum (RM) with 90 seconds rest between sets or a muscular strength training (ST) protocol performing 7 sets
of 3 RM with 3 minutes rest. Thickness of five muscle groups were measured using diagnostic ultrasound imaging.
Maximal strength was measured by testing 1 RM back squat and bench press. Fat-free mass was assessed using air
displacement plethysmography. It was hypothesized that gains in muscle thickness and fat-free mass will be similar
across both groups due to the equal-volume nature of the loading protocols, but the strength-training group will
experience greater gains in maximal strength due to the neuromuscular effects of the higher-intensity workloads.
ASSESSING COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN A TRILINGUAL EDUCATIONAL
SETTING IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY: BUILDING LINGUISTIC BRIDGES AMONG
BASQUE, ENGLISH AND SPANISH
Presenter:
Student Class, Department:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Zaballa-Clares, Unai
Graduate, Languages Literatures and Cultures
Prof. Patxi Laskurain Ibarluzea
Unai Zaballa-Clares
This study aims to explore the interface between explicit language instruction and communicative competence in a
given language. The chosen educational setting is the bilingual Basque-Spanish community of the Basque Country
were the trilingual language acquisition approach with English as a third language has recently being implemented.
After almost forty years of bilingual immersive education system with an unstoppable increase of new speakers,
the trilingual framework appeared to be polemical in the educational setting, due to this the objective of the
present paper is to analyze and interpret the results of five years of implementation. The assessment of the
communicative competence based on the formal instruction of the students will be based on the results obtained
by the students in the variety of subjects taken in different languages as compared to the results of other students
in the bilingual Basque-Spanish immersion system. Furthermore, the study will examine the power struggles
among Basque and Spanish languages specifically and their place in the diglossic society of the Basque Country, in
order to find solutions that may empower the students during their language learning process and result into more
developed language instruction approaches.
2016 Research Symposium
Afternoon Session - Group Abstracts
PROXIMATE CAUSES OF BIOLOGICAL MAGNETIC ORIENTATION INVESTIGATED IN C.
ELEGANS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Barickman, Lucas
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Blake Bracht, Undergraduate, Biological Sciences; Chance
Bainbridge, Graduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Andres Vidal-Gadea; Prof. Kevin Edwards
Blake Bracht; Chance Bainbridge; Andres Vidal-Gadea
Previous research by our lab demonstrated that C. elegans uses the earth’s magnetic field to engage in vertical soil
migrations. Magnetosensation in C. elegans takes place through the AFD neurons, the first magnetosensory
neurons described in any animal. How these cells integrate magnetic information about their environment is not
known, nor are the proteins necessary and sufficient for magnetic field detection and orientation. Here we show
that orientation to magnetic fields relies on the number and integrity of the sensory villi at the tip of the AFD
neurons. Present work in our lab focuses on identifying the molecular transduction machinery responsible for this
sensory modality in C. elegans and will potentially shed light on how magnetic transduction takes place in other
taxa.
COMPLEXITIES OF GENDER: CREATING AND MAINTAINING GENDERQUEER
IDENTITIES WITHIN A GENDER DICHOTOMOUS SOCIETY
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Bartov, Omi
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology
Danielle Finucane, Undergraduate, Sociology and
Anthropology
Prof. Thomas Gerschick
Omi Bartov; Danielle Finucane
In Western society, gender is generally viewed as a binary social structure which only contains the two mutually
exclusive categories of man and woman. In reality, gender is not fixed nor limited strictly to two categories gender is fluid and individuals may lie anywhere on the spectrum, and/or outside of it. The life experiences of
those who lie beyond this binary and identify as gender non-conforming are typically not understood within the
heteronormative society of the United States. This study investigates the creation and maintenance of the selfidentities of gender non-conforming individuals. We collected and analyzed data through semi-structured
interviews from ten individuals, above the age of 18, who reside within the United States who identified as gender
non-conforming. A better understanding of gender variant people and their life experiences can contribute to
creating a safer environment for other gender variant individuals in other places.
GETTING ACQUAINTED: A COMPARISON OF CONTINUOUS FACE-TO-FACE
INTERACTION VERSUS INTERACTION THAT PROGRESSES FROM TEXT MESSAGES TO
FACE-TO-FACE
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Bartov, Omi
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology
Alicia Ramos, Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology;
Adam Hampton, Graduate, Psychology; Becky Cottrell,
Undergraduate, Sociology and Anthropology; Lisa Lodesky,
Undergraduate, Psychology; Katie Ruehle, Undergraduate,
Psychology; Cristian Lucas, Undergraduate, Psychology; Seth
Thomas, Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Susan Sprecher
Omi Bartov; Alicia Ramos; Adam Hampton; Becky Cottrell;
Lisa Lodesky; Katie Ruehle; Cristian Lucas; Seth Thomas
The majority of friendships and romantic relationships begin through face-to-face interaction. Increasingly,
however, people are making initial connections through social networking and online dating sites, which means
that interaction begins through text messages or other forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC) before
it progresses to face-to-face (FtF) interaction. However, we know little about how getting-acquainted individuals
might react to their interaction as a function of whether it begins through CMC or FtF. The purpose of the current
study was to compare the scores on liking and other affiliative outcomes of members of getting-acquainted dyads
who first communicated through CMC and then progressed to FtF contact with the scores of participants who
interacted entirely FtF. This research is being done by a research team working with Dr. Susan Sprecher in the
Schroeder Social Interaction Research Lab. A sample of stranger-stranger dyads engaged in a three-segment,
structured self-disclosure task to become acquainted. Some of the dyads were randomly assigned to begin their
interaction through instant messaging, then progress to Skype video interaction, and then finally to FtF discussion
(CMC-text to FtF condition); all other dyads interacted solely FtF in each of the three segments (continuous FtF
condition). Participants’ reactions to the interaction and each other were assessed after each segment of
interaction. Preliminary results suggest that after the first segment, those who interacted over instant messaging
reported less liking of, closeness with, and perceived similarity to their discussion partner than those who
interacted FtF. Additional analyses will be conducted to examine whether the CMC text to FtF participants are able
to increase in their positive reactions once they meet FtF. We also will report on other analyses, including looking
at gender differences in the participants’ reactions to the interaction.
RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT AS A MODERATOR OF RESPONSES TO DIVINE OSTRACISM
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Brennan, Jessica
Undergraduate, Psychology
Hannah Jones Heinzel, Graduate, Psychology; Jordan Thomas,
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Eric Wesselmann
Jessica Brennan; Hannah Jones Heinzel; Jordan Thomas; Eric
Wesselmann
Ostracism - being excluded and ignored in interpersonal relationships - occurs across various contexts and cultures
(Williams, 2009) and can be painful and psychologically distressing, even when it is innocuous and brief. Research
over the past decade has shown that people can feel ostracized in a variety of contexts, even when the ostracism
is imagined or ambiguous (Williams, 2009). Religious and spiritual practices can often mirror dynamics in
interpersonal relationships, such as studying prayer as a form of communication to one’s deity. Recent data
suggest that religious participants can feel ostracized when they reflect upon a biblical passage that suggests an
exclusionary deity (i.e., “God, why hath thou forsaken me?; van Beest & Williams, 2011). The current study aims to
examine if religious participants feel ostracized when they believe their deity has not answered their prayers (i.e.,
their communication was ignored or unanswered).
After completing a brief demographics questionnaire that includes religious affiliation, religious participants were
randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) recalling a time that they had prayed to their god/deity and felt
their prayers had been answered; (2) recalling a time they had prayed to their god/deity and felt that their prayers
had not been answered; or (3) recalling a time in their past when they ate breakfast by themselves (non-social
control condition). If assigned to condition 1 or 2, participants answered a follow-up question about their religious
commitment. Participants completed several measures, such as feelings of psychological need satisfaction (e.g.,
belonging, self-esteem) and perceived ostracism. Responses were collected from 266 participants; data analyses
are currently in progress. We hypothesize that participants who are asked to think of a time when their prayers
were not answered will display higher levels of ostracism and lower levels of basic need satisfaction and spiritual
satisfaction than participants who reflected on answered prayers or participants in the control condition. In
previous data collection, we have also found that participants who reflect on unanswered prayers will often
reinterpret the event, likely so that it reduces recalled feelings of ostracism (e.g., “everything happens for a
reason”, “God is looking out for me”). We hypothesize that religious commitment will moderate participants'
reinterpretation of the recalled unanswered prayer, with individuals higher in religious commitment more likely to
reinterpret their memory of the event than those who are lower in religious commitment. Similar to previous
research, reinterpretation should not occur in the other two conditions.
THE INFLUENCE OF EDUCATION AND MEDIA IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Burdick, Amanda
Undergraduate, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Victoria Berto, Undergraduate, Communications Sciences and
Disorders; Alexandra Mineau, Undergraduate,
Communications Sciences and Disorders; Paige Nitz,
Undergraduate, Communications Sciences and Disorders
Prof. Jamie Smith
Victoria Berto; Amanda Burdick; Alexandra Mineau; Paige Nitz
The research examined the influence education and media have on both professionals and patients in healthcare
settings. This qualitative research study focused on how education influences the attitudes of providers in the
healthcare setting. An additional focus examined the impact media has on patients seeking support and their
families. A final area of research connected providers’ attitudes with patients’ satisfaction in the given healthcare
setting. A specific focus on breastfeeding issues and supports took place.
PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES FOR ADOLESCENTS USING THE DIMENSIONS OF
WELLNESS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Carter, Elizabeth
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Cory Anderson, Undergraduate, Health Sciences; Jessica
Lowczyk, Undergraduate, Health Sciences; Bobby Alexander,
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. Jacqueline Lanier
The purpose of this study is to understand how to incorporate the seven dimensions of wellness in a relatable way
to adolescents in order to reduce substance abuse. In order to achieve the study aim, interviews with professionals
in the field such as school health professionals, high school teachers, school counselors, parents and students
themselves will be completed. The results will lend insight into the reasons behind adolescent substance abuse
and help understand how to address them using the seven dimensions of wellness.
THE IMPACT AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN SPORT TICKET SALES
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Crabtree, Jordan
Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Andrew Bond, Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation; Pat
Marino, Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation; Maria
Sorrentino, Graduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Clint Warren
Clint Warren; Andrew Bond; Pat Marino; Maria Sorrentino;
Jordan Crabtree
This paper examines current implementation of social media strategies by ticket salespeople. A sample of 126
ticket sales professionals across professional, collegiate, and minor league sport responded to a survey measuring
social media usage rates across a variety of platforms, social media use throughout the sales process, and sales
performance.
Results indicate that overall ticket salespeople are not incorporating social media into their regular sales initiatives.
However, top performing sales professionals do tend to use social media more regularly than baseline ticket sales
representatives when approaching and discovering the needs of their customers. Given the rise of social media as
a business-to-business communication medium, ticket sales managers should consider incorporating more training
and empowering their salesforces to leverage social media to facilitate greater sales success.
EFFECTS OF MOOD ON FACIAL RECOGNITION
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Daniels, Sydney
Undergraduate, Psychology
Danielle Lucio, Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Dawn McBride
This study was designed to examine the effects of mood on memory, specifically memory for faces. A mood
manipulation was used to examine differences in processing style (global versus local) that accompany positive
and negative moods. In addition, a delay manipulation was included to examine whether processing style interacts
with length of delay. Recall of faces has been shown to be affected by the length of delay between the encoding
and recall task (e.g., Jackson et al., 2009). We predict that a local processing style (prompted by the negative mood
manipulation) will enhance face recognition at short delays, but that a global processing style (prompted by a
positive mood manipulation) will enhance face recognition at longer (i.e., more than 3 min) delays.
MORTALITY CRISIS IN TRANSITIONAL ECONOMIES: A CASE STUDY OF POST-SOVIET
RUSSIA
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Farrell, Bret
Undergraduate, Economics
Alex Brewer, Undergraduate, Economics
Prof. George Waters
Alex Brewer; Bret Farrell
This essay is an examination of the mortality crisis in post-Soviet Russia, and the possible effect of transitional
economies deteriorating the healthcare infrastructure of a country. We will examine several healthcare variables
that could have possibly effected the spike in mortality rates in post-Soviet Russia. We will also examine other
transitional economics and attempt to find similar cases of health care crises, and identify trends that cause them.
ENERGY POTENTIAL FOR WIND FARMS IN ILLINOIS WITH DIFFERENT TURBINE
TECHNOLOGIES
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Fornaris, Colin
Undergraduate, Technology
Ryan Snowberger, Undergraduate, Technology; Antonio
Franco, Undergraduate, Technology; Anthony McDermott,
Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
Colin Fornaris; Antonio Franco; Anthony McDermott; Ryan
Snowberger
The Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard requires that electrical utilities provide 18.75% of energy from wind by
2025. However, there has been little growth in the past few years, putting in question whether this goal is
attainable. Wind turbine technology with higher hub heights and power capacity can help make up the gap.
Analyzing data from different Illinois wind towers and using wind resource assessment software supplied the
projected wind power information for the area of study. Contacting wind farm developers in Illinois provided
important details surrounding current turbine models. Studying the payback period of multiple wind turbine
designs lead to findings in the most cost effective model. Results indicate the implementation of turbines with
higher hub heights are more efficient and cost effective as opposed to current models and have a greater potential
of achieving the 18.75% goal by 2025.
ANALYSIS OF CURRENTLY TRENDING PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES AMONGST THE
IT PROFESSIONALS ON STACK OVERFLOW USING R AND TABLEAU
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Garg, Juhi
Graduate, Information Technology
Rohit Jachak, Graduate, Information Technology
Prof. James Wolf
Job seekers have the option to like or dislike the specific programming languages and technologies while creating
their profile on Stack Overflow Careers. Examining this data allows us unique insight into the programming
languages and technologies that IT professionals like and dislike. The dataset used in this analysis was provided by
Dave Robinson from Stack Overflow and contains around 20,000 records with variables like tag for the language,
number of likes and dislikes, name of state. The data is analyzed using R (Statistical open source programming
language) to calculate which programming languages are most liked and disliked for each state in United States.
The analysis made use of both the raw scores as well as the percentages. In cases where the percentages were
tied, we used total number of likes or dislikes to determine the most liked or most disliked programming language.
For the data visualization part of the project, Tableau, an interactive Business intelligence tool, is used.
THE ROLE OF ACTION AND TASK CONFLICTS IN THE JOINT SIMON EFFECT
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Hesse, Bria
Undergraduate, Psychology
Daphne Smith, Undergraduate, Psychology; Lauren Gonyier,
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Steve Croker
Steve Croker; Bria Hesse; Daphne Smith; Lauren Gonyier
How two individuals work together on joint tasks has been widely investigated? Sebanz et al. (2005) found
evidence that when working with a co-actor, individuals create shared representations of actions and tasks. The
aim of the current study is to replicate the results of Sebanz et al. We predicted that we would find evidence for
both task conflicts and action conflicts. The presence of a task conflict indicates that participants represent both
their own task and the co-actor’s task simultaneously. An action conflict indicates that participants are
representing the potential action of the co-actor. We recruited 98 student participants from Illinois State
University. Participants responded to a series of images using a button-box with two response keys. Each image
showed a left or right pointing hand wearing a red or green ring. Participants completed a block of individual trials,
in which they were directed to press a button if the ring was green, regardless of the direction the hand was
pointing. In addition, participants completed a joint-color block and a joint-direction block, in which they were
paired with another participant. In the joint-color block, each participant responded to a different ring color. In the
joint-direction block, one participant responded to ring color, while to other concurrently responded to hand
direction, leading to some trials on which both participants responded (double response). Stimuli for which the
direction of the hand does not spatially correspond to the location of a participant are considered spatially
incompatible for that participant. In contrast, stimuli for which the hand direction does correspond to the location
of the participant are compatible. Thus, if the participant on the left was tasked with responding to left-pointing
hands, all trials are spatially compatible, whereas a participant on the left, responding to right-pointing hands,
would experience spatially incompatible trials. For double response trials in the joint-direction block, we found
larger response times (RTs) in the compatible condition than the incompatible condition, but only for the
participants responding to the color dimension of the stimuli. It is uncertain whether one of the conflicts alone, or
both conflicts together, are the cause of the increased RTs. The lack of difference between single and double
responses for the participant responding to the direction of the stimulus indicates that they did not experience a
task conflict. These data suggest that increased RTs were caused by action conflicts but not by task conflicts.
THE ROLE OF GOAL SPECIFICITY AND BELIEF CONSISTENCY IN PROBLEM SOLVING
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Hodge, Brandon
Undergraduate, Psychology
Morgan VanCleave, Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Steve Croker
Steve Croker; Brandon Hodge; Morgan VanCleave
This study sought to investigate differences between explicit and implicit inductive rule discovery in a social
domain. Past research on goal specificity has shown that non-specific goals elicit better learning and understanding
of a task than specific goals (Burns & Vollmeyer, 2002). Several studies in the past have utilized scientific
environments where participants reasoned using math or scientific ideas to discover rules (Kunsting, Wirth, &
Paas, 2011; Kistner, Burns, Volmeyer, & Koretnkamp, 2015). We aimed to see whether reasoning in a social
environment would yield the same effects found in previous research. Furthermore, we sought to test whether
belief consistency plays a role in inductive reasoning. Participants were presented with a computer-based task in
which the aim was to discover a set of rules. Those in the non-specific goal condition were instructed to try and
discover the rule whereas participants in the specific goal condition were told to get the answer right. Additionally,
each participant was instructed to read a document as a form of priming that was either consistent or inconsistent
with their rule. We hypothesized that participants in the belief-consistent condition would learn the rules faster
than those in the belief-inconsistent condition. Also, we anticipated that participants in the non-specific goal
condition would demonstrate better learning and understanding compared to those given the specific goal. In
each trial, a pair of images representing students was displayed and participants were asked to make judgments
regarding which student would receive better grades in a sociology program. Each student differed on five
variables: gender, race, dress, hair color, and presence of glasses. After each trial, participants were given feedback
on the accuracy of their judgments. The experiment consisted of four blocks of 40 trials, and a final block of 15
trials on which participants received no feedback. Participants given the non-specific goal wrote down their ideas
after each block. After all 175 trials had been completed, participants were asked to verbalize their knowledge in
a post-task questionnaire. Accuracy of prediction and response time were also measured in each trial. Results from
this study are consistent with previous research in that the non-specific goal condition led to more accurate
predictions. However, we did find that the non-specific goal actually helped people in the belief-inconsistent
condition, which is counter to findings from previous research.
RISK, BENEFITS, AND THE LAW: WHAT IS US PUBLIC OPINION ON THE SYRIAN
REFUGEE CRISIS?
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Horton, Deanna
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Maida Ljuscic, Undergraduate, Politics and Government; James
Neiweem, Undergraduate, Politics and Government; Daniel
Giron, Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
This research proposal is a team project that is part of a series of research posters examining the broad topic of
Syrian refugees. Our team poster will focus on the aspect of risk and benefits to the host country of allowing Syrian
Refugees to resettle and the International Humanitarian Law that must be followed by both the host and origin
countries. We will tentatively title our poster, "Risk, Benefits, and Law: the least publicized opinion about resettled
Syrian Refugees in the United States." We will research our topic through content analysis of international legal
documents, media, reports, and scholarly documents. We will also analyze results of an opinion poll of ISU
undergraduate students on our topic and discuss those findings in light of the literature. Since the project is
currently underway, we do not have preliminary findings to report now, but am confident that the project will be
completed before the date of the Symposium.
THE ROLE OF WORKING MEMORY IN EFFECTIVE DIRECTION GIVING AND
WAYFINDING
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Hume, Haley
Undergraduate, Psychology
Kayla Johnson, Undergraduate, Psychology; Taaliah Maxey,
Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Alycia Hund
Haley Hume; Kayla Johnson; Taaliah Maxey
The ability to successfully find your way and communicate directions to others is a very important, multifaceted
aspect of everyday life. We are constantly making decisions about which direction to go and which is the fastest
route to get us to our desired destination. Working memory is important for bringing together details and making
decisions in the moment. These processes are especially important when dealing with direction giving and
wayfinding because, the majority of the time, we need to make decisions rapidly. Working memory can be
subdivided into three parts: the central executive, the visuospatial sketchpad, and the phonological loop. The
central executive is the main control center of working memory. The visuospatial sketchpad stores visual and
spatial details, whereas the phonological loop stores verbal information (Baddeley, 1992). Past research has found
that wayfinding directions are less accurate when visuospatial working memory is being taxed, compared to verbal
working memory and a control condition. Furthermore, wayfinding times were slower when visuospatial memory
was being taxed compared to the control condition (Hund, 2016). Hölscher (2011) found that visual cues are
important in effective route planning and direction giving. These findings suggest that visuospatial memory may be
especially useful in wayfinding and direction giving. The present study investigated the role of working memory in
direction giving and wayfinding using a within-subjects design. The sample consisted of 88 participants recruited
from a local university. To test the role of working memory in direction giving and wayfinding, a dual-task
methodology was used. The dual-tasks included making decisions about times on a clock (taxing visuospatial
working memory) or distinguishing between actual or fictitious English words (taxing verbal working memory)
while giving directions or finding the best route to a destination in the basement of a complex university building
versus only giving directions or wayfinding. Data on gender, wayfinding attitudes and preferences, and working
memory capacity also were collected. We predicted that the efficiency of direction giving and wayfinding would
increase with working memory capacity. In addition, we expected that direction giving and wayfinding would be
less efficient on the dual task trials relative to the single task control trials, given that dual tasks tax working
memory. We expected that this effect would be especially strong for the visuospatial dual task. These findings
would provide valuable information about wayfinding and direction giving.
BELIEF VS. REALITY: HOW ARE SYRIAN REFUGEES PERCEIVED COMPARED TO HOW
THEY ACTUALLY LIVE?
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Ibishi, Vlora
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Bethan Owen, Graduate, Politics and Government; Ramona
Khachi, Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
This research proposal is a team project that is part of a series of research posters examining public opinion
regarding acceptance of Syrian refugees into the US. Our team poster will focus on the aspect of how respondent
demographics affect their views of Syrian refugees. We will research our topic through content analysis of
international legal documents, media reports, and scholarly documents. We will also analyze results of an opinion
poll of ISU undergraduate students on out topic and discuss those findings in light of the literature. Since the
project is currently underway, we do not have preliminary findings to report now, but am confident that the
project will be completed before the date of the symposium.
TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A COMBINED ONE MEGAWATT
PV SYSTEM AT ISU
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Ilves, Kadi
Undergraduate, Technology
Ellen Leszczynski, Undergraduate, Technology; Tyler Barth,
Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
Solar energy has several environmental, economic, and educational benefits for college campuses, but it is difficult
for state schools to find funding for these projects. This study shows that a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on
Illinois State University’s (ISU) campus is technically and financially feasible. While there have been several solar
feasibility studies of ISU, there has been a lack of in depth financial analysis. We conducted solar site assessments
on five potential locations on campus, used a solar energy performance model to analyze the technical feasibility
of each location, and contacted a developer for professional system design and cost estimates. We also used an
Excel based PV financial modeling tool to compare different system financing scenarios. Our results show that
three sites on campus can be used to develop a combined solar PV system of one megawatt. Both direct and thirdparty ownership models are financially feasible for this combined system. Our findings can be utilized as a case
study for future PV development on college campuses.
REFUND PROCESS IMPROVEMENT USING PROCESS MINING ANALYTICS AND LEAN
SIX SIGMA
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Jain, Pooja
Graduate, Technology
Harshita Pathak, Graduate, Technology; Bastian Hauk-Jegen,
Graduate, Technology; Arkadius Tearney, Graduate,
Technology; Abdullah Coskun, Graduate, Technology
Prof. Borinara Park
Pooja Jain; Harshita Pathak; Bastian Hauk-Jegen; Arkadius
Tearney; Abdullah Coskun
Problem Statement: In this project, a Lean Six Sigma student consulting group looks at potential contributions the
process mining methodology can make to complement the conventional Six Sigma Practices. A refund process and
data of a fictional electronics manufacturing company are used to illustrate such contributions in a typical
operations improve project. In the scenario, the company is concerned about the level of customer satisfaction in
their refund process and in fact they have received multiple complaints from customers due to their operational
inefficiencies and mediocre level of customer service quality. Using the process mining analytics, the Lean Six
Sigma consulting team analyzes and recommends solutions to improve the process and customer satisfaction.
Objective: The objective is to investigate, analyze and improve the refund process by applying the six sigma
methodology in conjunction with the process mining analytics.
Methods:
1. Lean Six Sigma techniques are applied to define and measure the process and analyze data provided by
the manufacturer to the consulting team;
2.
Process-mining techniques are utilized for investigating the key performance indicators of the
process; and
3. Recommendations to resolve these issues are suggested and compared for more efficiency, lesser waiting
time, easier processes, and lower cost.
COLORFASTNESS OF NATURALLY DYED FABRICS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Jenner, Nichole
Undergraduate, Family and Consumer Sciences
Alexis Lofgren, Undergraduate, Family and Consumer Sciences;
Kaitlyn Schlitter, Undergraduate, Family and Consumer
Sciences; La'Nita Brooks, Undergraduate, Family and Consumer
Sciences
Prof. Ui-Jeen Yu
In the textile and apparel industry the use of synthetic dyes is more common than natural dye methods. However,
the industry has been making movements to become more sustainable and eco-friendly, due to consumer trends
and demands. Synthetic dyes can be harmful to the environment and workers who produce or use them.
Alternative methods of dyeing, such as natural, are able to produce similar results as synthetic dyes. However,
natural dyeing does so in an eco-friendly manner. The purpose of this research was to examine colorfastness of
naturally dyed fabrics with coffee to determine if alternative natural dyes can meet colorfastness requirements
like synthetic dyes. Three natural fabrics—cotton, linen, and silk—were separately dyed using concentrated coffee
for twenty-four hours. Four AATCC test methods of colorfastness were conducted— AATCC 61 Colorfastness to
Laundering, AATCC 8 Colorfastness of Crocking, AATCC 15 Colorfastness to Perspiration, and AATCC 119 Color
Change Due to Flat Abrasion (Frosting). Test results show extreme color loss after repeated laundering as well as
when exposed to perspiration and flat abrasion, resulting from a weak binding between the natural coffee dye and
the fabrics. The natural coffee dye lacks the ability to hold color without using a binding chemical. For natural dyes
to be used more often in the industry, more extensive research of colorfastness for natural dyes is suggested.
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AMONG SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Karas, Katie
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Lisa Difatta, Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. Christy Bazan
Christy Bazan; Lisa Difatta; Katie Karas; Newby Ryan; Alexa
Resch
Research regarding alcohol consumption among the Illinois State University Greek Community. The research for
this study was conducted through literature review, interviews, and surveys. Criteria being researched varies from
gender, being housed or unhoused, type of alcohol being consumed, amount of alcohol being consumed, and
identifying any alcohol related consequences within the Greek community. This research is being conducted in
hopes of determining the needs of the Greek community and creating possible solutions to any problems. As well
as providing a basis for further research among other special populations on Illinois State University's campus.
MODIFYING RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR TRANSITION OF EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT VISITS TO URGENT CARE VISITS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Korir, Mercy
Graduate, Technology
Logan Frederick, Graduate, Technology; Michael Hysell,
Graduate, Technology; Nicholas Johnson, Graduate,
Technology
Prof. Borinara Park
Mercy Korir; Logan Frederick; Michael Hysell; Nicholas Johnson
Problem: Many people believe most of the visits to a hospital emergency department(ED) are truly emergent,
however only around half of the patients seen in an ED have an emergent need to be cared for in an emergency
setting. An ED visit is very expensive due to the cost of providing care and therefore has a high charge to the
patient and their insurer. Medicaid plans have noticed this trend of non-emergent patients utilizing the high cost
emergency services and have decided to make some changes to their payment structure. Medicaid plans will be
reducing payments for non-emergent diagnoses by 82%. Due to this change in reimbursement, hospitals need to
ensure patients are utilizing the appropriate level of care.
Many of the non-emergent ED visits could be handled by a lower cost physician office or immediate care type
facility. The hospital will begin a targeted public awareness campaign to reduce the number of non-emergent
patients coming to the ED and redirecting them to a physician office or immediate care. The anticipated change is
a reduction of 20% of visits in the ED during immediate care hours, and an increase of 12 to 15 patients per day for
the immediate care. By redirecting these non-emergent patients the ED volume will decrease and the immediate
care volume will increase therefore staffing for each site will need to change.
Objective: Review the change in volumes for each service to determine how to staff each location to meet
appropriate levels of service and financial stewardship.
Methods: Perform a Discrete Event Simulation with potential Agent Based Modeling to review the change in
volumes of each location. Then evaluate the modification of physicians and nurses staffing at multiple hours of the
day to determine staffing based on historical arrival information.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPTIMIZATION AND NET ZERO DESIGNS FOR MULTI-FAMILY,
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN THE ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Kraus, John
Undergraduate, Technology
Gustavo Sandoval, Undergraduate, Technology; Matthew
White, Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
In the United States buildings consume 41% of the total primary energy produced nationally. Of this consumption
over half can be attributed to housing. There is large room for improved building efficiency through sustainable
practices and the complementary use of renewable energy. This is achieved by implementing energy efficient
building materials, energy star appliances, and on site renewable energy generation. The synergy created using
these technologies creates what is known as a net zero building; which generates as much energy as it consumes.
Apartment complexes housing Illinois State University students benefit from implementing sustainable and
renewable technologies. The proposed method includes plans for redeveloping existing properties and newly built
complexes. Existing structures are retrofitted to increase sustainability in an economically viable way. This study
includes conducting energy audits from multiple multifamily properties around campus. New projects are designed
to be net zero using a combination of new building materials and onsite renewable power generation. The goal of
this project is to further the knowledge of sustainable and net zero building practices and prove the economic
benefits of implementing this technology.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE VICTIM AND OFFENDER OVERLAP IN THE LIVES OF
WOMEN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Laporta, Alexis
Undergraduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Brice Terpstra, Undergraduate, Criminal Justice Sciences
Prof. Philip Mulvey
Alexis Laporta; Brice Terpstra
Despite the vast amount of academic information that exists about violence in the lives of women, scholars have
only recently started to investigate in what ways women are both the victims and perpetrators of violence in their
lives. This project seeks to expand upon previous work by exploring the concept of violence within a particular
group of women – those who are both in the criminal justice system and have been diagnosed with a major mental
illness. The authors of this project analyze a purposive sample of 65 semi-structured life history interviews
completed with women on the Significantly Mentally Ill (SMI) probation caseload in Maricopa County Arizona
(Phoenix Metro Region) between 2012 and 2013. The results examine the prevalence and types of violence these
women experience, as well as the narratives that develop around the violence present in these women’s lives on a
daily basis.
STEP AVERAGES BY JOB CLASSIFICATION FOR INACTIVE UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Larson, Abby
Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Hayley Marlier, Undergraduate, Kinesiology and Recreation
Prof. Anna Rinaldi-Miles
Abby Larson; Hayley Marlier; Anna Rinaldi-Miles
University employees have varying structures regarding their work schedule and daily responsibilities. Thus, job
classification may have an impact on daily step counts before, during, and after the workday. PURPOSE: To
compare baseline step data of university employees based on job classification to aide in worksite wellness
intervention tailoring. METHODS: Employees were recruited via email to participate in an 8-week worksite walking
intervention. Only participants not currently meeting minimum physical activity recommendations (<150 minutes
of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week) could enroll. Baseline data were collected prior to the
start of the intervention. Participants wore a blinded accelerometer (New Lifestyles -1000) with a 7-day memory
recall during waking hours for one week. Faculty (n=17), staff (n=31), and civil service (n=18) data were analyzed
and compared. RESULTS: A one-way between subjects ANOVA was conducted to compare the effect of job
category on baseline daily step averages in university faculty, staff, and civil service workers. There was a
significant effect of job category on baseline step averages for the three conditions [F(2, 63) = 4.54, p = .014]. Post
hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test indicated that the mean score for staff was significantly different than
faculty (p = .046) and civil service workers (p = .037). However, faculty did not significantly differ from civil service
workers in baseline step averages (p = .999). CONCLUSION: Staff had greater daily step count averages compared
to faculty and civil service workers. Therefore, traditional job descriptions regarding overall activity may not be
accurate and should be considered when tailoring worksite interventions. Future studies should incorporate
minutes of MVPA to better assess physical activity levels.
PILL SWALLOWING AND FOOD EXPOSURE: AUTISM AND HEALTH-RELATED SKILLS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
LeFever, Christine
Graduate, Psychology
Kristin Gallaway, Graduate, Psychology; Alexandria
Fladhammer, Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Karla Doepke
Christine LeFever; Kristin Gallaway; Alexandria Fladhammer;
Karla Doepke
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face challenges related to healthcare, especially self-care regarding
their own medical needs. Due to difficulties in communication, it is more challenging for these children to acquire
skills needed to safely and regularly take medications. Additionally, children with autism are often food-selective
and do not eat enough variety to meet the needs of their daily nutritional requirements. This project sought to
address these needs in a proactive intervention by teaching children with ASD how to swallow pills and consume
new foods.
PRAGMATICS STRATEGIES FOR THE SPEECH ACTS OF APOLOGIES AND
COMPLIMENTS BY L1 ENGLISH L2 SPANISH LEARNERS: A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Leoni, Alessia
Graduate, Languages Literatures and Cultures
Claudia Sanchez, Graduate, Languages Literature and Cultures
Prof. Rachel Shively
Alessia Leoni; Claudia Sanchez
Pragmatics is the appropriate use of language in context, such as being polite when making a request or an
apology. It has been researched that pragmatics is difficult to apply in real-life situations by second language (L2)
learners. Pragmatics not only requires a high level of proficiency but also certain strategies associated with the
ability to use language in a contextually appropriate way. There are different speech acts in pragmatics being
apologies and compliments two of them. Having to apologize or complimenting someone may have social
consequences and, at the same time, it is difficult to learn how to do so in the L2. There have been several studies
concerned with this matter in other languages, but there is limited previous research on apologies and
compliments in Spanish. With regards to this matter, we intend to analyze the speech acts of apologies and
compliments in Spanish by students of Spanish as an L2 and by speakers of Spanish as a first language (L1) and
contrast the results to show to what extent the L2 learners use similar pragmatic strategies (such as indirectness,
politeness, positive face needs, negative face needs, etc.) to Spanish native speakers and if they have the same
effectiveness. The study will be conducted with approximately 20 participants with some having an intermediate
level of Spanish and others being native speakers of the language. The subjects will be interviewed and video
recorded by the researchers. It will consist in one or the researchers asking general questions to the subject
including apologies and compliments to cause authentic reactions from the hearer. The interviews will take about
5 minutes each and the results will be transcribed in order to use them in the study. The results of this study will
contribute to the field of pragmatics in an innovative way; the data will be collected in video recordings that will be
used to analyze the subjects’ verbal and non-verbal reactions. The facial expressions and gestures accompanying
apologies and compliments have not been researched previously and we intend to investigate if when vocabulary
or expressions in the L2 are not available to the subjects, they intensify their apology or compliment with nonverbal expressions.
USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE ELEMENTARY STUDENT
SOCIAL STUDIES KNOWLEDGE AND HIGHER-LEVEL THINKING
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Lindstrom, Chloe
Undergraduate, Psychology
Zack Roman, Graduate, Psychology; Daniel Schloesser,
Graduate, Psychology; Kavya Gupta, Graduate, Information
Technology; Megan Flaherty, Undergraduate, Psychology;
Nicole Landa, Undergraduate, Psychology
Prof. Alycia Hund; Prof. May Jadallah
Alycia Hund; May Jadallah; Jonathan Thayn; Joel Studebaker;
Zack Roman; Daniel Schloesser; Kayva Gupta; Chloe Lindstrom
Improving overall success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become a large
national focus, and has led to the consideration of new ways of teaching that would increase student motivation
and learning (DeJarnette, 2012). The hope is that students will be able not only to solve problems that are
presented, but also to explain why more accurately. Research indicates that Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
can be helpful for student learning and can play an important role in elementary classrooms (Keiper, 2007);
however, more research is needed to understand program effects for elementary students. In our study, we
focused on Quantum Geographic Information Systems (QGIS) and its effects on social studies learning and higherlevel thinking. Seven fifth grade classrooms were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Students
in the experimental classes used GIS, and completed six modules that each contained a GIS project using both
computers and packets. Students in this group were taught how to manipulate maps (layers) through the use of
geo-processing tools, which allowed them to use quantitative and relational thinking. Students in the control
classes completed standard social studies curriculum. Both groups of students completed pre- and post-tests using
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to measure social studies knowledge. By using NAEP we
can compare data between groups to see which group shows more growth in social studies knowledge (Stoltman,
2002). We also used cognitive interviews to test higher-level thinking, specifically to see whether the students
could transfer their knowledge of geography into areas other than those used in the GIS program. The previous
two years of GIS implementation have provided preliminary evidence of growth in social studies knowledge and
higher-level thinking skills related to GIS implementation. We predict that our findings this year will replicate this
pattern, showing that students who completed the GIS curriculum show larger gains in social studies knowledge
and more advanced higher-level thinking than those in the control group. These findings would add to a growing
body of research supporting the implementation of GIS curriculum in elementary schools and thereby improving
STEM outcomes.
PET INSURANCE
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Link, Elyse
Undergraduate, Marketing
Kayla Jenkins, Undergraduate, Marketing; Jarvis Sokolowich,
Undergraduate, Marketing
Prof. Steven Taylor; Prof. Leigh Anne Donovan
Elyse Link; Kayla Jenkins; Jarvis Sokolowich; Steven Taylor
The issue of pet insurance is incredibly important because it is one of only a few avenues of growth for insurers
today. Our research question is based on how “perceived value” judgments are derived psychologically by
consumers. The nature of our research will be qualitative study using focus groups that explore the following vis-àvis pet insurance: (1) the level of product category consumer awareness; (2) initial impressions of pet insurance as
an employer-provided ancillary insurance benefit; (3) the important attributes, consequences, and values involved
in both value-in-exchange and value-in-use forms of perceived value; and (4) a few general questions about prior
ownership experiences. The results will help us to better understand the consumer decision-making process
associated with the pet insurance category of service products. The managerial and research implications of the
qualitative study will be presented and discussed.
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE REFUGEE CRISIS?
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Martinez, Darby
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Tyler Carter, Undergraduate, Politics and Government;
Stephen DeMay, Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
This research proposal is a team project that is part of a series of research posters examining (broadly) the topic of
the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Out Team poster will focus on the aspect of knowledge of the issue, and will tentatively
title our poster “Knowledge of the Syrian refugee crisis.” We will research our topic through content analysis of
international legal documents, media reports, and scholarly documents. We will also analyze results of an opinion
poll of ISU undergraduate students on our topic and discuss those findings in light of the literature. Since the
project is currently underway, we do not have preliminary finding to report now, but am confident thot the project
will be completed before the date of the symposium.
SYRIAN REFUGEES: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Matus, Kyle
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Patrick Jennrich, Undergraduate, Politics and Government;
Brendon Hennessy, Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
This research proposal is a team project that is part of a series of research posters examining (broadly) the topic of
Syrian Refugees. Our team poster will focus on the aspect of individual’s attitude towards acceptance of Syrian
refugees and will tentatively title our poster “How do you feel about Syrian Refugees”. We will research our topic
through content analysis of international legal documents, media reports, and scholarly documents. We will also
analyze results of an opinion poll of ISU undergraduate students on our topic and discuss those findings in light of
the literature. Since the project is currently underway, we do not have preliminary findings to report now, but am
confident that the project will be completed be the date of the symposium.
BREAKING THROUGH DETERMINANTS IN ORDER TO BUILD SELF-EFFICACY BY
IMPLEMENTATION OF A FOOD CO-OPERATIVE AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAM
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Maxwell, Barbara
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Brandee Barroso, Undergraduate, Health Sciences; Sarah
Bermingham, Undergraduate, Health Sciences; Tamara Royer,
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. Jacqueline Lanier
Brandee Barroso; Sarah Bermingham; Barbara Maxwell;
Tamara Royer
The purpose of our study is to assess the needs of area residents in determining better access to quality foods
through offering a Food Co-Op and Job Training program. This needs assessment will be conducted on the west
side of Bloomington and information will be assessed through personal interviews and a survey. Our goal is to
connect with key agencies that assist individuals and families in an effort to build a stronger community. In order
to better understand the determinants of the resident’s food access, we will examine the barriers between lowincome families and reaching food security.
FEASIBILITY STUDY ON RETROFITTING TRAFFIC LIGHTS/SIGNS AROUND ISU CAMPUS
INTO SOLAR POWERED LEDS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Nelson, Joe
Undergraduate, Technology
Andy Oja, Undergraduate, Technology; Alec Baran,
Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
Illinois State University’s (ISU) local traffic signals/signs are utilizing traditional incandescent bulbs making the
signage inefficient. Money and lives can be saved through solar powered light emitting diode (LED) signals/signs.
This study focuses on addressing the effect of solar powered LED traffic signs and lights in terms of safety and
visibility on ISU campus. We created a stable economic feasibility plan on how to retrofit existing traffic lights into
the solar powered LED lights for intersections close to and on ISU campus. Commuter safety was addressed in all
high traffic crosswalks, through the means of visible LED lighting and photovoltaic (PV) powered crosswalks. Past
studies have shown that retrofitting signs into solar powered LED ones are a sustainable solution for improving
safety. Based on our field study the crosswalks on and near Kingsley and Main Street are prime locations for
retrofitting. Conducting interviews with the town of Normal, Normal Police Department and Normal engineering
department helped establish a base plan for retrofitting. By retrofitting the signals/signs to solar energy and
switching to LED the city will see major cost savings, as well as a significant decrease in maintenance cost and time
due to the longer lifespan of the LEDs and solar panels. Outcomes of our study include projected costs, a payback
period, and viable locations for photovoltaic powered LEDs.
BIPOLAR DISORDER, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND/OR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS
AUDITORY TEMPERATURE AND FEELINGS OF OSTRACISM: AN EMOTIONAL
RELATIONSHIP
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Richardson, Zachary
Graduate, Psychology
Garett Hawkinson, Undergraduate, Psychology; Julia Kedzior,
Undergraduate, Psychology; Sage Schneider, Undergraduate,
Psychology
Prof. Eric Wesselmann; Prof. Matthew Hesson-McInnis
Zachary Richardson; Garett Hawkinson; Julia Kedzior; Sage
Schneiderr; Eric Wesselmann; Matthew Hesson-McInnis
Social exclusion occurs when individuals are socially rejected, ignored, or removed from a group. Previous research
demonstrates that being excluded leads threatens individuals' basic needs (i.e., belongingness, control, selfesteem, and meaningful existence), increases negative affect, decreases positive affect, and perceived loneliness
(Williams, 2009). Recent research demonstrates a link between social exclusion and feelings of physical
temperature. Zhong and Leonardelli (2008) found that participants who recalled a social exclusion experience gave
lower estimates of room temperature than did participants who recalled an inclusion experience. Additionally, in a
follow-up experiment, when social exclusion was directly induced on participants they reported greater desire for
warm foods and drinks than participants who were socially included. IJzerman et. al (2012) proposes that people
may perceive things to be colder when they are excluded because they are literally colder; they found that when
people were excluded their skin temperature literally dropped. They conducted a follow-up study where
participants were asked to hold a warm cup of tea for 30 seconds. Remarkably, after being excluded and holding
the tea, the side-effects of being excluded were alleviated.
The purpose of this study is to address two primary research questions. First, are the haptic temperature
manipulations used to alleviate the threats of exclusion multi-modal? What other sensory modalities may be able
to reproduce this same effect? Secondly, can an auditory temperature manipulation affect emotions related to
exclusion? That is, could a sound that produces the sensation of warmth or cold alter feelings of ostracism,
relevant emotions, and alleviate the threat to basic needs?
We conducted a pilot study to identify sounds that gave the sensations of hot and cold. Participants (N = 30)
listened to 10 different sounds and were asked to evaluate the sensations of heat and cold from each sound.
Participants were also asked to rate how pleasant they perceived each sound. Results suggest that the sound of
walking through the snow (cold sensation) and the sound of water sizzling in a hot pan (warm sensation) had
similar ratings of pleasantness t (29) = 1.85, p = 0.074, a = .05. These sounds also yielded high sensations of cold (M
= 3.47, SD = 1.31) and warmth (M = 3.63, SD =1.38), respectively. We are currently collecting data on the primary
study and will present preliminary results. We expect that cold sounds will make people feel more ostracized (and
other related outcomes) than warm sounds.
GLH2 AND GLH3 GENES INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING FOCUSED DEPOSITIONS ON
PLANT CELL WALLS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Rickerd, Trevor
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Christy Moore, Graduate, Biological Sciences; Chaz Im,
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Viktor Kirik
Trevor Rickerd; Christy Moore; Chaz Im; Viktor Kirik
Plants utilize their cell wall for a variety of functions, including mechanical support, cell shape, transport of solutes,
and defense. Cell walls of specialized cell types can display a wide variety of organization and function. Trichomes,
or plant hairs, develop relatively thick cell walls with small, opaque, round structures called papillae on their
surface. While the evolutionary function of these specific trichomes are not well understood, it is thought that
these papillae may play a role in defending the young leaves from excessive light and UV irradiation by dissipating
light waves.
The research performed in our lab focuses on the glassy hair 2 (glh2) and glassy hair 3 (glh3) mutations that results
in a “glassy” trichome phenotype, in which the papillae are underdeveloped, causing the trichome to appear more
transparent. The glh2 gene lies within a centromeric region on chromosome 4, making mapping difficult due to
suppressed recombination frequencies. We are designing new molecular markers to narrow down the mapping
interval of the GLH2 and GLH3 genes. Based on the GLH3 mapping interval, candidate genes for the mutant
phenotype will be selected and analyzed. Through the identification of the genes involved in our mutant
phenotypes, we hope to be able to further describe the molecular mechanism of papillae development in plant
cells.
RESCUE OF MUSCULAR DEGENERATION IN AN ANIMAL MODELING DUCHENNE
MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Rodriguez, Anjelica
Graduate, Biological Sciences
Lucas Barickman, Undergraduate, Biological Sciences;
Srishti Goel, Undergraduate, Biological Sciences; Andrew
Schuler, Undergraduate, Biological Sciences; Peter DeVries,
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences; Michael Cisneros,
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Andres Vidal-Gadea; Prof. Kevin Edwards
Anjelica Rodriquez; Lucas Barickman; Srishti Goel; Andrew
Schuler; Peter DeVries; Michael Cisneros; G. Alvarado; A.
Anastitia; B. Barsanti; J. DePerez; S. Dickens; Andres VidalGadea
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative disease afflicting up to one in 3,500 males. It results from a
mutation in the gene encoding the dystrophin protein which is responsible for anchoring the contractile machinery
of muscles to cell membranes. Lack of functional dystrophin results in progressive muscle cell damage and
eventually leads to death. To date, there is no cure for DMD. The nematode C. elegans is a useful model system
because it is easy to culture and study in the lab while at the same time sharing nearly two thirds of its genes with
humans. We previously showed that worms lacking functional copies of the dystrophin gene (dys-1) parallel many
of the motor and muscular deficiencies observed in DMD patient. We conducted the first suppressor screen on
DMD animals and isolated several mutants where the damages associated with DMD were spared (suppressed).
Students in the Vidal-Gadea lab and in Biotech I used a combination of approaches including behavioral analysis,
immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, RNA interference, and CRISPR/Cas9 to study how DMD worms
become dystrophic and how suppressor mutants avoid this fate. C. elegans is in a unique position to facilitate the
study of neurogenetic diseases allowing its use in laboratory as well as classroom settings to make meaningful
contributions to the study of disease.
EXPLORING THE ROLE OF SEMANTIC INFORMATION IN VISUAL SEARCH
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Romager, Jordan
Undergraduate, Psychology
Zachery Stillman, Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Amrita Puri
Jordan Romager; Zachery Stillman; Kenith Sobel; Amrita Puri
Previous studies have shown that semantic information plays a role in efficiency during visual search tasks, but it is
still unclear whether this role is in earlier stages during perceptual processing of low level characteristics such as
shape and size or whether it takes place later in processing when being compared with a kind of mental template.
A study in which participants searched for a target number (a “2” or “3” or an “8” or “9”) within a display
containing four, six, or eight distractor digits revealed that reaction times (RTs) were greater when the physical size
of the number was incongruent with the numerical size of the number (e.g., a physically large 2 in a display of
physically smaller but numerically larger 8s and 9s) compared to congruent trials (e.g.,a physically small 2 in a
display of physically and numerically larger 8s and 9s). However, the minimal RT change with increasing display size
suggested that the semantic information plays a role later in processing when the participant was making the final
response decision after having located the target; if semantic information interfered at an earlier perceptual stage,
the effect of the incongruent information would be expected to increase with additional items and lead to longer
RTs for larger displays. The present study repeats the same measures used in the previous experiment but with the
addition of eye tracking measures in order to ascertain initial target fixation time (when the participant’s gaze first
lands on the target) as well as the number of fixations of the target that each participant makes before making a
final decision. We predicted that RTs would once again be longer for incongruent rather than congruent trials, but
that time to initial target fixation would be the same. Participants viewed displays of 5, 7 or 9 total numbers and
indicated whether the target number appeared on the right or left side of the screen while an eye tracking device
recorded the location of their gaze. Preliminary eye tracking data supported our prediction by revealing similar
initial target fixation times for congruent and incongruent trials. These data support the notion that semantic
information influences visual search at a later decision phase of processing rather than earlier perceptual stages.
INDIVIDUAL AND DYADIC PERFORMANCE: CONTEXTUAL COORDINATION DYNAMICS
IN A COMPUTER CONTROL TASK
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Schloesser, Daniel
Graduate, Psychology
Ryan Fleming, Undergraduate, Psychology; Jiuyang Bai,
Graduate, Psychology
Prof. J. Scott Jordan
Ryan Fleming; Daniel S. Schloesser; Jiuyang Bai; J. Scott Jordan
Joint action generally comprises day to day life, in that, we often interact and cooperate with those around us. The
point of cooperation is to tap into the dynamics of others. In doing so, people cooperatively adjust their own
dynamics in order to perform cooperative tasks successfully. The primary purpose of this experiment is to
investigate the usefulness of additional information at differing task difficulties during a joint action dot control
task. Prior research indicates that emergent performance strategies differ by way of the available information,
environmental constraints (i.e., the task space), and circumstantial constraints (e.g., cooperative task goals and
difficulty). Research by Knoblich and Jordan (2003) demonstrated that visually and auditorily separated
participants exhibited different behaviors than participant swho were provided additional information (i.e., event
tones). When partners are provided additional information about their partner’s action, it influenced the
anticipatory and predictive performance strategies that emerged during the task. In the present study, individual
participants will have access to two control-keys (i.e., A-key and L-key) while trying to keep a dot stimulus in a
rectangular box. However, group participants will each only have control over one control-key (i.e., A-key or L-key).
Pressing the A-key or the L-key causes the dot to move to the right or left, respectively, for as long as the key is
pressed. Switching between the A and L keys (i.e., turning) may prove challenging: concurrently pressing both keys
moves the stimulus upward, while pressing neither key moves it downward. Additionally, this experiment includes
a reaction time task: containing primed stimuli (i.e., movement or auditory) as well as cued response choices (i.e.,
A or L). The stimuli are either compatible (e.g., A-key movement or tone and an A response choice) or
incompatible (e.g., A-key movement or tone and an L response choice) with a cued response choice. We predict
that Individuals will have the highest performance during the dot control task, followed by Group (+) then Group () participants. Although, we expect Group (+) participants will begin performing at similar rates to Group (-)
participants, but we predict Group (+) will end performing like Individual’s. However, for the reaction time task, it
is not yet clear what effect compatible and incompatible trials will have on response times. This experiment may
provide particular insight into action-effect pairings between the control-key a participant used and the one they
did not (i.e., their partner control-key) during this cooperative task.
TECTONIC AND CLIMATIC INFLUENCES ON THE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF
LONGITUDINAL STREAM PROFILES IN GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK,
TEXAS; AN EXPOSED PERMIAN CARBONATE-REEF COMPLEX
Group Leader:
Schoenmann, Samuel
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Graduate, Geography-Geology
Kirsten Schaefer, Undergraduate, Geography/Geology
Prof. Lisa Tranel
Samuel Schoenmann; Lisa Tranel; Kirsten Schaefer
Orogenic processes are comprised of complex geologic forces that produce dynamic landscapes dominated by
tectonic uplift and erosional denudation. While pulses of tectonism uplifts blocks of crust randomly through time
and space, erosional processes persist throughout and ultimately shape the landscape. Erosional processes are
highly sensitive to their environment and are directly affected by tectonics, climate and landform. The Guadalupe
Mountains of western Texas and southern New Mexico mark a geologic transition in the American Southwest of
basin and range extensional tectonics to a more tectonically stable intercratonic regime. This mountain range
consists of high angle normal faulting with exhumed footwalls forming most of the topography. While these
mountains are well studied for their Permian aged oil-bearing lithostratigraphic units, there exists a gap in
potentially significant research explaining more recent Cenozoic aged geomorphology and tectonics. Our research
aims to explore the geomorphology of major catchments within these mountains for evidence of faulting, tectonic
uplift, mantle upwelling or climatic forces. New topographic analyses and geomorphic approaches will be used to
decipher which mechanisms are shaping the landscape. Data collection will occur in two phases: through 1)
computer modeling and 2) field work. We will use 10m DEMs constructed in ArcGIS to model major mountain
catchments. Longitudinal stream profiles will be extracted from our DEMs to identify areas of steepened terrain
and anomalous convexities in river channels called knickpoints. Topographic analyses will help guide field efforts to
collect data in key locations necessary to decipher which erosional processes are driving geomorphic evolution.
We will conduct basic field mapping to identify potential faults or lithologic contacts and gather rock strength data
with a type-N Schmidt hammer for various erosion estimates. We believe there are several forces shaping these
mountains. Climate and differential rock strength may play a major role in channel development here, however
other factors such as base level drop from faulting or uplift might also be recorded in longitudinal stream profiles.
If the latter are represented significantly, we might infer the possibility of recent, previously unidentified, tectonic
activity. Over geologic time, these processes have been responsible for the formation of freshwater aquifers and
economic reservoirs containing resources such as oil and gas. In more recent geologic history, these processes
have formed popular tourist destinations like Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Understanding mechanisms
that shape these environments can aid in the exploration of economic resources and help preserve and protect
tourist hotspots.
RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENT RETROFITTING OF EXISTING HOMES IN NORMAL,
ILLINOIS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Simon, Drew
Undergraduate, Technology
Keith Rohman, Undergraduate, Technology; Lacey Daebel,
Undergraduate, Technology; Eric Enguita, Undergraduate,
Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
Drew Simon; Keith Rohman; Lacey Daebel; Eric Enguita
With increased political pressure and International Energy Conservation Codes being implemented nationwide,
along with a Town of Normal Sustainability Plan, the community finds itself in need of enforced energy
conservation practices. The research presented in this report assesses electric consumption rates in the residential
sector throughout Illinois, with a retrofit model to gauge these rates in Normal. Through multiple case studies we
analyze current consumption rates among different residential sites in Normal. With energy audits provided by the
Ecology Action Center, located just off Illinois State University’s Campus in Normal, IL, we show the discrepancies
between current Energy Conservation Codes and consumption and spending data in our sites. This report contains
financial analyses that will encompass energy escalation rates, economic inflation rates, and a rate of price
elasticity of demand for Normal. While it is understood that enforcement of energy efficient codes in the
residential sector is at the helm of the homeowner, we find clear energy cost savings with our provided retrofit
plan of the proposed sites, as well as clear energy consumption reduction associated with implementation of said
codes on the municipality. Additionally, we will suggest a tier system for residential buildings in Normal, with a
focus on different ratings of energy efficiency.
DECREASING R ETAIL PHARMACY WAIT TIMES USING A DISCRETE EVENT
SIMULATION MODEL
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Spieldenner, Nicholas
Graduate, Technology
Alisha Cockroft, Graduate, Technology; Elizabeth Giller,
Graduate, Technology; Omar Alzabad, Graduate, Technology;
Ruchi Shivhare, Graduate, Technology
Prof. Borinara Park
Nicholas Spieldenner; Alisha Cockroft; Elizabeth Giller; Ruchi
Shivhare; Omar Alzabad
Problem
Many people travel to pharmacies around the country to pick-up and fill prescriptions to treat various problems
ranging from the common cold to regulating their blood pressure. With the health decline of our nation,
pharmacies are now handling more customers than previous years.
Retail pharmacies employ up to three methods for customers pharmacy transactions. The first is indoor counter
service requiring customers to enter the store and proceed to the pharmacy counter. The second method is drivethru service allowing customers the convenience of remaining in their vehicles while completing their
transaction. A third, lesser used method, is an indoor, walk-up kiosk designed to allow customers to complete a
self-service transaction. During busy periods the drive-thru pharmacy service can become so delayed that some
customers will park and attempt to retrieve their prescriptions through indoor service or simply leave out of
frustration forcing them to return and try again at another time. Due to the delayed service, this may result in
customer migration to a more timely pharmacy provider.
Typical drive thru pharmacy transaction takes a number of minutes as customer information must be confirmed,
prescriptions retrieved, insurance applied, additional dialogue regarding medication use and finally payment.
When a number of vehicles are queued in the drive thru this can result in an overall lead time that is unrealistic for
a typical drive thru experience.
Objective
The objective of this study is to demonstrate the inefficiency of the current system as well as to optimize existing
service by reducing the drive-thru transaction process time by half. To achieve this improvement modifications
such as improving internal processes and altering the drive-thru model will be considered. These modifications as
well as the current process will then be demonstrated via two discrete event simulation models to indicate
pharmacy service improvement can be a reality.
Method
To demonstrate the inefficiency the researchers will construct a discrete event simulation (DES) model of the
current drive through system. Then demonstrate what changes could be made to the systems to improve
efficiency and reduce wait time. Some possible changes include adding additional staff personnel, implementing a
self-serve pharmacy kiosk, optimizing the pharmacy call center, and minimizing the insurance coverage process.
EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF DISINFECTION ON
SURFACES
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Steiner, Garrett
Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Daniel Petras, Undergraduate, Health Sciences
Prof. George Byrns
Michele Scannell; Garrett Steiner; Daniel Petras; George Byrns;
Beverly Barham; Liangcheng Yang; George Rutherford
The increased risk for healthcare associated infections has stimulated research in better disinfection and
sterilization processes to take a proactive approach to combat antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Due to the
expansion of resistant microbial populations, there has been controversy around the most adequate measures of
disinfection and mechanical cleaning processes. This study investigates a germicidal irradiation method to
determine if a hand-held germicidal wand can effectively disinfect surfaces treated with a 10^5 concentration of S.
epidermidis and to evaluate the effect of changing environmental conditions such as high or low relative humidity
and varying sources to target distances. The results of this study, based on limited observations, confirmed that
UV-C will irradiate S. epidermidis at target distances of 12.7 cm, 27.9 cm, and 50.0 cm. Direct beam positions had
the highest kill rate at the predicted upper range of the optimum relative humidity (65%). UV-C exposures at
indirect beam positions had an overall reduction in kill rate at a high RH (>75%) and at a low RH (21% or less).
ANALYZING POSTMODERN STYLES PRESENTED IN FASHION MAGAZINES
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Stern, Ali
Undergraduate, Family and Consumer Sciences
Elly Goth, Undergraduate, Family and Consumer Sciences;
Carson Moline, Undergraduate, Family and Consumer
Sciences; Miranda Jones, Undergraduate, Family and Sciences;
Evelyn Hansen, Undergraduate, Family and Consumer Sciences
Prof. Ui-Jeen Yu
The purpose of this study was to examine the existence of postmodern ads in fashion magazines and to determine
how postmodernism influences styles in fashion ads. Two research questions were developed: (1) are ads in
fashion magazines more postmodern or not? and (2) which fashion styles of postmodernism are represented
most? A content analysis was conducted using Vogue Magazine between March and July 2015. A total of 166 fullpage fashion ads were collected. Findings show 75 fashion ads, accounting for 45% of the total ads, represent
postmodern styles with an emphasis on the postmodern styles of being nostalgic across times. Postmodern styles
through mix and match are also strongly presented, followed by postmodern styles questioning gender roles or
sexuality, breaking tradition, and being nostalgic across cultures.
HOW STRESSFUL IS CYBERSTRESS? THE IMPACT OF WORK-RELATED
TECHNOLOGICAL INTERRUPTIONS DURING NON-WORK HOURS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
VanCleave, Morgan
Undergraduate, Psychology
Kathleen Dill, Graduate, Psychology
Prof. Kimberly Schneider
Morgan VanCleave; Kathleen Dill
Although recent technological advances make working from home much easier and more efficient than in previous
years, employees may be experiencing new types of stress due to perceived pressure to be accessible to
coworkers. Recent research indicates that 45% of ‘networked workers’ with access to technology at home report
working outside of standard daytime work hours and at home during the evenings and on weekends (Madden &
Jones, 2008). Stress researchers have focused for years on the boundary between work and non-work (or workfamily conflict and family-work conflict). Access to technology and mobile devices to access work from home may
provide opportunity for more frequent work-related interruptions that may be unwelcome – either to the
employee him or herself and/or the employee’s family. This may create a type of either perceived or actual
‘cyberstress’. In the current study, we plan to gather both qualitative and quantitative data related to faculty
members’ reports of cyberstress experienced at home during evening and weekend hours. We are interested in
experienced stress due to actual work interruptions (e.g., urgent emails from students, texts or calls from
colleagues related to work projects) and a perceived ‘tether’ to work (e.g., a self-imposed pressure or perceived
need to check email during time at home; Ferguson et al., 2015). We will describe initial data from interviews with
faculty members asking them about their perceived and actual sources of cyberstress during evening and weekend
hours and the impact on work-family conflict.
DO DEMOGRAPHICS AFFECT ATTITUDES TOWARDS SYRIAN REFUGEES?
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Vilasanta, Emil
Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Brandon Swiderski, Undergraduate, Politics and Government;
Ryann Hemphill, Undergraduate, Politics and Government
Prof. Michaelene Cox
This research proposal is a team project that is part of a series of research posters examining (broadly) the topic of
undergraduate ISU students’ feelings towards Syrian refugees. Our team poster will focus on the aspect of the
demographic findings of our research and will tentatively title our poster Demographic Discovery of Attitudes
Towards Syrian Refugees. We will research our topic through content analysis of international legal documents,
media reports, and scholarly documents. We will also analyze results of an opinion poll of ISU undergraduate
students on our topic and discuss those findings in light of the literature. Since the project is currently underway,
we do not have preliminary findings to report now, but am confident that the project will be completed before the
date of the symposium.
DEVELOPING AN IMMUNIZATION MODEL FOR B CELL MUCOSAL IMMUNITY
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Wagner, Nicole
Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Pravleen Bains, Undergraduate, Biological Sciences
Prof. Laura Vogel
Nicole Wagner; Pravleen Bains; Autumn Joerger; Laura Vogel
The digestive system is frequently exposed to microbes that can cause disease. White blood cells in the gut, called
B cells, produce an immune response in order to protect against such pathogens. Our lab is interested in how
mucosal B cells in the gut migrate and produce antibodies during an infection. To help us track B cell immune
responses in the intestine, we are developing a mouse model. Based on previous studies, we tested a time course
of immunization schedules with weekly oral administration. Two strains were tested; a wildtype mouse strain,
which should have a very low number of specific B cells, and a genetically engineered strain of mice where all of
the B cells should react to the immunization. Using ELISA to test for IgA antibodies secreted in the fecal matter and
flow cytometry to look for specific B cells in intestinal Peyer’s Patches, we found three immunizations a week apart
produced a significant antibody response in the wildtype mice. However, it is difficult to identify the specific B cells
in these mice due to their low number. We did not observe any increase in B cell function after the immunization
in the genetically engineered mice. Because the engineered strain already has a high antibody level prior to
immunization, the cells may not need to be activated in these mice. Thus, we are developing a hybrid mouse
model using blood transfusions. The hybrid mice will have an intermediate number of specific B cells so that we
can track the B cells and induce them to make antibodies. We can then further use this hybrid model to study
the difference between mucosal immunity in young and aged mice.
PROOF OF CONCEPT: HOW EFFICIENT IS A SERVERLESS RESTAURANT?
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Warren, Kara
Graduate, Technology
Seth Brockmeyer, Graduate, Technology; Pooja Jain,
Graduate, Technology; Nick Reichman, Graduate,
Technology; Arkadius Tearney, Graduate, Technology
Prof. Borinara Park
Seth Brockmeyer; Pooja Jain; Nick Reichman; Arkadius
Tearney; Kara Warren
Business Case
As technology in the service industry advances, customers are demanding more efficient, high quality experience.
A serverless restaurant experience can provide customers with less mistakes, shorter wait times and increased
consistent service. Restaurant owners aim to increase their profits and customer satisfaction by reducing labor
costs and increasing table turnover. A serverless restaurant potentially reduces labor costs, increases customer
satisfaction and decreases customer wait times. Many restaurants have started implementing technical solutions
for ordering food to eliminate human interaction. This has not been fully implemented within a sit down
restaurant to completely replace a wait staff with a technical solution.
Objective
The objective of this project is to determine whether it would be more efficient to run a restaurant with computers
instead of manually taking customer orders and payments. The goal is to identify efficiencies by taking the human
element out of the equation for the ordering and payment process.
Methods
A small team of graduate students will (1) analyze the day to day process of a pizza restaurant; (2) use Discrete
Event Simulation cross analyzed with real-world data to expedite the restaurant experience; (3) develop a
simulation to improve the process by using less servers and via online apps and services; and (4) decrease the
customer wait times, increase customer satisfaction and maximize profit.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL SOLAR PV IN NORMAL
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
White, Ross
Undergraduate, Technology
Matt Johnson, Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
Implementation of solar PV in Illinois, especially here in Mclean County is far behind many other counties.
Commercial solar is a substantial way for a business owner to become energy independent and decrease their use
of fossil fuel generated electricity. In this study we modeled rooftop solar PV systems with a technical and
economic feasibility study for commercial buildings in Normal, IL. This was achieved by using Solmetric SunEye,
solar energy performance models and geographic information. Models produced utilize high efficiency solar arrays
and inverters for each installation. The results of this study provides commercial buildings in Mclean county and in
Illinois, a clear cut model to demonstrate how to become energy independent.
EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF CLEANUP COST FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR
PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS ON BROWNFIELD SITES IN ILLINOIS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Worth, Daniel
Undergraduate, Technology
Lauren Blayney, Undergraduate, Technology; Zishan
Zunnurain, Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
The Environmental Protection Agency defines brownfields as “a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse
of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or
contaminant (EPA).” There is an ever increasing number of brownfield sites across the country, but an
undetermined number in Illinois due to lack of tracking. Throughout this study, we have conducted extensive
research of previous published works that established solar photovoltaic arrays on unused brownfield sites in
Illinois, investigated cleanup procedures and funding for brownfield sites, and additionally conducted interviews
with experts in the field from the Bureau of Land from the Illinois EPA, United States EPA, Assistant Commissioner
for the City Solar Project in Chicago, and the Chief Clean Energy Development Coordinator for MassDEP. Our
research also investigated the most cost efficient methodology of cleanup through the use of the Tiered Approach
for Corrective Action (TACO) and examined the extent of cleanup needed for a solar installation project by the use
of “No Further Remediation” letters. Funding for brownfield redevelopment projects is always a concern due to
the large capital expenses, therefore we compared the availability of private and public financial aid, as well as
grants and loans available in Illinois. The outcome of this study provided guidance on the extent of cleanup
necessary for site redevelopment and its economic feasibility. Also, this study examined the large financial impact
that site cleanup costs have on the practicality of solar photovoltaic installations for the site end use. Finally, we
made policy recommendations to improve Illinois’ brownfield redevelopment program through the examination of
other states’ cleanup procedures and application of available of state funding.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY'S FLEET OF THE FUTURE
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Wozniak, Nathan
Undergraduate, Technology
Robert Hopman, Undergraduate, Technology; Justin Stephens,
Undergraduate, Technology
Prof. Jin Jo
Illinois State University and its vehicle fleet service hold sustainability as one of their core values. Through
economic and environmental examinations, we provide an illustration of how ISU would be affected if its vehicle
fleet were to be gradually replaced with electric vehicles (E.V.’s). The environmental impacts of such a shift have
been laid out in our emissions analysis, which looks at the benefits of E.V. technology as compared to gasoline
fueled vehicles in terms of emissions and air quality. We have also performed a cost-benefit analysis of such a
replacement program that includes multiple facets such as payback period, fuel cost savings, and initial cost.
Included in our analyses was comparing power sources for the E.V.’s including conventional and solar energy
generation on the ISU campus.
RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION IN THE POWDER COATING PROCESS
Group Leader:
Student Class, Department:
Group Members:
Mentor(s):
Author(s):
Zeimetz, Christopher
Graduate, Technology
Jim Snook, Graduate, Technology; Ashley Howe, Graduate,
Technology; James Akisanmi, Graduate, Technology
Prof. Borinara Park
James Akisanmi; Ashley Howe; Jim Snook; Chris Zeimetz
Problem:
Powder coating is a technology that lasts much longer than traditional wet paint but requires efficiency to run
profitably. In particular, due to the manual operations involved, it is challenging to balance on-site resource
utilization. Presently a local coating provider in a mid-west region experiences internal and external complaints
around increased pricing, consistent quality and delivery times. Specifically, the number of powder coating cycles
are not meeting the production standard for maximum profit and efficiency. This is causing a loss of profitability
and decrease in customer satisfaction. This project intends to identify crucial bottleneck points in the powder
coating system where providing additional manpower in loading, unloading and powder coater areas will decrease
delay time. These efforts could provide improved performance and allow efficient allocation of manual labor and
system resources.
Objective:
The overall goal is to improve key performance indicators of the powder coating system by focusing on the
number of carrier cycles and manual labor needed to maximize profits while being aware of the weight limit for
the system and avoid delay time due to lack of manual labor in key areas.
Method:
Discrete Event Simulation tool will be used to identify and compare (1) previous system before involvement, (2)
after provided system improvements, (3) before and after conditions will be measured to show potential
improvements. Furthermore, the group will utilize field research for data gathering during the project process.