Title
Program for the 2023 RICE Symposium
Text
OVERVIEW
April 20, 2023
Dear RICE participants:
Welcome to the 16th annual Centre College RICE Symposium! This event is the culmination of
Undergraduate Research Week, which features a different research-focused event each day.
The RICE (Research, Internships, and Creative Endeavors) Symposium is a forum for showcasing
the outstanding research achievements, creative endeavors, and independent projects
completed by Centre students. An integral part of experiential learning is moving beyond the
consumption of existing knowledge to becoming an active contributor of new knowledge. RICE
represents a unique opportunity for students to share their contributions in a professional,
scholarly setting that is made rich by the active participation of many members of our
community. This event is part of a week-long celebration of research that includes
opportunities for students to talk informally with faculty members about research
opportunities, a convocation delivered by a panel of Centre Alum: Victoria DiMartile ‘15, Emilie
Ducourneau, ‘18 and Shruti Ram, ‘17 who will share their experiences as researchers while at
Centre and their current research projects.
This year, 75 presentations from across the academic disciplines by students are featured,
including 47 oral presentations and 28 poster presentations. In addition, for the first time, the
J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars Program for Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Social Justice Research
will feature the work of six students at 4:30 PM. On Friday, April 21, students who participated
in studio art classes this academic year will host an exhibit of their work in the AEGON Gallery in
the Jones Visual Arts Center. We invite attendees to attend the various oral and poster
presentations, the art exhibition, and see the diversity of what Centre students offer.
Panels typically take two forms. First, to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature and breath of
the scholarly endeavor at Centre College, many presentations are grouped by topic rather than
discipline. Second, when it is important to emphasize the depth of a particular issue or
collaborative research, such as the study that occurred in an advanced seminar class, a panel
may include presentations from only one discipline.
Each oral presentation is scheduled for 15 minutes, including 12 minutes for presenting and
three for discussion. As a courtesy to presenters, please wait until the end of a presentation to
leave a session. Thank you for your consideration and enjoy the Symposium!
Sincerely,
Karin Gill and Karoline Manny
2023 RICE Symposium Co-chairs
Oral Presentations
2
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
OVERVIEW
APRIL 20, 2023
Oral Presentations
Session 1, Young Hall
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Oral Presentations
Session 2, Young Hall
2:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Oral Presentations
Session 3, Young Hall
3:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.
Atkins Scholars, Young 113
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Poster Presentations
Lobby, Young Hall
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
APRIL 21, 2023
Art Exhibition Opening
AEGON Gallery, Jones Visual Arts Center
3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Oral Presentations, at a glance
3
Poster Presentations, at a glance
7
Art Exhibition
10
Oral Presentation Abstracts
11
Poster Presentation Abstracts
36
Committee
39
Name Index
40
Oral Presentations
3
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 1-a
Young 111
Moderator
Jamie
Shenton
1:30 p.m.
to
2:30 p.m.
1
Models for Successful Aging in a Central Kentucky Assisted Living
Facility
Madi Barron, Conley Combs, Embry Curtis, Joseph Falcon, Eleanor
Grubbs, Karen Hernandez Fraire, Joey Johnson, Monika Jusufovic,
David Kinsbrunner, Sarah Koch, Chas Nystrom, Elsa Nystrom,
Nediva Quaye, Asher Rafkin, Leslie Stewart, Jennifer Vong & Cindy
Zamarripa
SESSION 1-b
Young 112
Moderator
Allison
Connolly
1:30 p.m.
2
1:50 p.m.
3
2:10 p.m.
4
How the French Fueled Feminism
Cameryn Lovett
Comparative Pedagogies: France, US, Quebec
Eleanor Savors
Politesse: The Rules of Etiquette, Self-Conduct, and Cohabitation
in France
Elena Wiltgen
SESSION 1-c
Young 110
Moderator
Karin Gill
1:30 p.m.
5
1:50 p.m.
6
2:10 p.m.
7
1:30 p.m.
8
1:50 p.m.
9
2:10 p.m.
10
1:30 p.m.
11
1:50 p.m.
12
2:10 p.m.
13
SESSION 1-d
Young 138
Moderator
Mary Girard
SESSION 1-e
Young 101
Moderator
Mykol
Hamilton
Oral Presentations
Effect of pinene odor on the stress response of Long-Evans rats
Matthew Kowalski
Examining the Role of Estrogen and Cocaine in Locomotor Activity
in Japanese Quail
Claire Melvin, Emma Ridener & Molly Samonds
Endogenous Opiates and Incubation in Ringneck Doves
Mason Boone, Erin Bozdech & Abby Jamison
On the Knife’s Edge: Race, Womanhood, and Radicalism in the
Lives of Mother Jones and Lucy Parsons
Natalie Warren
Queer Identity in the Weimar Republic
Lauren Longmeyer
The History of Lesbianism in the United States Interwar Period
Natalie Lester
Torture
Gretchen Casper & Theresa Devarieux
The Death Penalty: Attitudes & Effectiveness
Nathaniel Steiner & Joseline Viera Canas
Solitary Confinement
Everett Hauser & Austen Reid
4
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 1-f
Young 113
Moderator
Iulia
Sprinceana
1:30 p.m.
to
2:30 p.m.
14
Love, Fantasy and Horror in the Spanish-Speaking World
Audrey Becker, Alexandra Boardman, Saira Carreto Romero, Faraz
Ghamgosar, Gabby Hibbs, Katie Hollingsworth, Abby Ligons,
Madeleine Longmeyer, Ben Scott & Mamie Sevier
10 minute break
SESSION 2-a
Young 111
Moderator
Philip
Limerick
SESSION 2-b
Young 112
Moderator
Allison
Connolly
SESSION 2-c
Young 110
Moderator
Michael
Bradshaw
Oral Presentations
2:40 p.m.
15
2:55 p.m.
16
3:10 p.m.
17
3:25 p.m.
18
2:40 p.m.
19
3:00 p.m.
20
3:20 p.m.
21
2:40 p.m.
22
3:00 p.m.
23
3:20 p.m.
24
The Social Media World of Spanglish: Building Community
Saira Carreto Romero
Desafiando la normativa: El cuerpo y el poder en el trabajo de
Krudxs Cubensi
Lorena Bonet Velazquez
Yanga: una narrativa trans-localizada de la mexicanidad y la
diáspora // Yanga: A Trans-localized Narrative of Mexicanidad
and Diaspora
Emmy Greene
Understanding The Importance of Carnaval Tlaxcalteca in New
Haven, CT, USA
Saira Carreto Romero
Poetry as a Way of Escape: Russian Immigrant’s Experience of the
1920’s in France as illustrated by the Life of Georgy Ivanov
Uliana Bazavluk
The reciprocal influence of gastronomy between France,
Morocco, and Vietnam
Madeleine Ohm
The Untold Stories of the Vietnamese People Living in the
Francophone World
Una Mijatovic
Arcane Architect: The Art of AI Navigation in Video Games
Preston Dickerson & Hung Lee
A Game Engine from Scratch: Research and Challenges
Noah Scott
Making a Minimap: The Problem of Perspective
Jonah Stephens
5
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 2-d
Young 138
Moderator
Mary Girard
2:40 p.m.
25
2:55 p.m.
26
3:10 p.m.
27
3:25 p.m.
28
SESSION 2-e
Young 101
Moderator
Melissa
BurnsCusato
2:40 p.m.
29
3:00 p.m.
30
3:20 p.m.
31
SESSION 2-f
Young 113
Moderator
Sarah
Murray
2:40 p.m.
32
3:00 p.m.
33
3:20 p.m.
34
ASL interpreted
Women Soldiers in the Bloody Harlan Labor War
Nellie Ellis
Liquor as a Lost Cause? Anti-Prohibition Arguments in Kentucky
Samuel Smith
History of Education Policy and Deaf Children's Voices
Ben Justice
Language Use to Suppress Japanese Americans in WWII
Antonio Ogaldez
Get Your Plant On: Effect of Engagement on Mental Wellbeing
Conley Combs & Niki Maleki
Playing with Plants: The Effects of Indoor Live Plant Presence on
Physiological and Psychological Markers of Stress and Mood
John Beebe & Cynthia Nieto
Measuring the Testing Effect through ERPs
Lauren Dodson, Grace Dutcher, Simon Forsting & Sarah Kirtland
Chasing the Sun Across the Gold Coast: Poetry and Prose
Anna Impellitteri
Writing a One-Woman Show
Michelle Chan
The Evolution of Japanese Poetry as a Result of Japanese
Internment Camps
Emma Peterson
10 Minute Break
SESSION 3-a
Young 111
Moderator
Bruce
Rodenborn
Oral Presentations
3:50 p.m.
35
4:10 p.m.
36
4:30 p.m.
37
Energy Dissipation in Reflecting Internal Waves
Christian Fronk & Luke Payne
Exploring new materials for environmentally friendly magnetic
refrigeration
Bryan Birch
Calibrating Numerical Simulations with Macroscopic Bacterial
Models
Brianna Tilley & Kate Brown
6
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 3-b
Young 112
Moderator
Allison
Connolly
3:50 p.m.
38
4:10 p.m.
39
4:30 p.m.
40
SESSION 3-c
Young 110
Moderator
Michael
Bradshaw
3:50 p.m.
41
4:10 p.m.
42
4:30 p.m.
43
SESSION 3-d
Young 138
Moderator
Kelly O’Quin
3:50 p.m.
44
4:10 p.m.
45
SESSION 3-f
Young 113
Moderator
Brett
Werner
3:50 p.m.
to
4:20 p.m.
46
Gang activity in Haiti
Kirsci Vincent
Processing Violence: an analysis of Rwanda 94
Caili Harris
Master Conductor: Examining Ticket to Ride Using Mathematical
Concepts
Drew Perkins
Running the virtual race: A systematic review to understand
virtual reality and gaming research
Kelsey Jenks
History Bots
Muchiri Kahwai
Health of Belizean Coral Reefs
Anahit Grigoryan & Brenna Hammond
Adventures in Ophthalmology: Eye Diseases in Tanzania
Luke Pellegrino
Isotope Analysis at Centre College: How We Can Use It and Where
It Can Take Us
Anna Impellitteri
J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars
47
Young 113
Moderator
Andrea
Abrams
Oral Presentations
4:30 p.m.
to
5:30 p.m.
Caroline Dahl, Uliana Bazavluk, Anahit Grigoryan, AJ Howell, Vati
Pham & Lorena Bonet Velazquez
The Atkins Scholars Program supports research or art focused on
diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice. An Atkins Scholar
contributes to a more just world through intellectual inquiry and
practice. The six scholars will present their research on access to
eating disorder treatment, Centre College's commitment to
student health and wellness, military conflict and women's health,
Buddhism's relationship with queerness, decolonial feminisms in
the Spanish-speaking world, and photographic analysis of BIPOC
(Black, Indigenous, and people of color) Identity.
7
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Atrium of Young Hall
48. Dendrimer and Organic Semiconductor Synthesis
Griffin Baston
49. You: Mental Illness or just a Thrilling TV show?
Lindsay Bohn
50. Synthesis of Advanced Lignin Model Polymers
Samuel Brunner
51. Computational Analysis of Possible SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics
Akenpaul Chani
52. Throwing Queerness into the Ring
Samuel Cotthoff
53. Laid back like a sloth: Do they have measurable levels of the stress hormone-cortisol?
Cameron Coulter & Kelsey Jenks
54. Functional Semiconducting Molecule Derivatives
Catherine Cox, Christina Kousseff*, Christian Nielsen* & Rikin Shah*
*Queen Mary University of London
55. Exploiting the Warburg effect using transition metal complexes
Roma Desai
56. Does hair cortisol correspond to fecal cortisol in an injured grizzly bear?
Lauren Dome & Zachary Gregory
57. Inheritance of Scleral Width in Mexican Tetra
Mary Gonzalez
58. Language, Gender, and Sport: How do they relate?
Piper Hensley
59. The Effects of Social Media on the Physiological Markers of Stress
Erin Bozdech, Ali-Grace Fleeman, Abby Jamison & Melissa Perello
Oral Presentations
8
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Atrium of Young Hall
60. The Capitalistic Approach to Nazi Germany Propaganda
Kam Kiesel
61. Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with attached NSAIDs (Non steroidal anti
inflammatory drugs) as potential dual mechanism of action therapeutics
William Leach & Nate Vela
62. The Impact of Support Systems on Gender Diverse Individuals
Emy Lovell & Meredith Walker
63. Social Norms in Ghanaian University Students
Sarah Marks
64. Afro-Latine Identity
Ashley Guerrero
65. The Effects of Mating on Female Drosophila Bitter Taste Detection
Dillon Di Iorio & Kyla Miller
66. Preliminary Research: Inter-Racial/-Ethnic Community Interaction to Improve
Relations across Diverse Groups
Jacqueline Mullins
67. Athletes’ Political Voices Within the Media
Tyler Neltner-Devine
68. Synthesis and Studies of Organic Semiconductors
Jack Rodes
69. Tasmanite Preservation after Black Shale Digestion
Kevli Sheth
70. The Effects of Estrogen and Cocaine on the Locomotor Activity of Male Japanese
Quail
Emma Silvert & Skylan Thompson
71. SAA Football EP and EPA Analysis
Cloe Spracklen & Jane Zhang
Oral Presentations
9
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Atrium of Young Hall
72. Inequality in Sports: Discrimination of LGBTQIA+ Athletes
Leslie Stewart
73. The Scales of Middle Devonian Fishes from the Appalachian Basin of Eastern
Kentucky
Sherice Sutherland
74. Disparity in Media Coverage in Men’s and Women’s Sports
Anna Thomas
Oral Presentations
10
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
Oral Presentations
11
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
1. Models for Successful Aging in a Central Kentucky Assisted Living Facility
Madi Barron, Conley Combs, Embry Curtis, Joseph Falcon, Eleanor Grubbs, Karen
Hernandez Fraire, Joey Johnson, Monika Jusufovic, David Kinsbrunner, Sarah Koch,
Chas Nystrom, Elsa Nystrom, Nediva Quaye, Asher Rafkin, Leslie Stewart, Jennifer Vong
& Cindy Zamarripa
Mentor: Dr. Jamie Shenton, Anthropology
This session will present the ongoing research of students in ANT 301: Qualitative Field
Methods. Students partner with an assisted living facility in Danville, KY. Their
research aims to understand various dimensions of successful aging within the context
of this assisted living facility. What are the models for aging our society has developed,
and in what ways do they represent or fail to represent the lived experiences of the
elderly in this assisted living facility? Students will explore these questions in a variety
of ways: gendered experiences of aging; social versus medical models for aging;
dependence, independence, and interdependence; home; care and love; loneliness;
activities; among others.
2. How the French Fueled Feminism
Cameryn Lovett
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
French feminist activists, such as Simone de Beauvoir, Gisèle Halimi, and Simone Veil
led the way for women and women's rights starting in the mid 1900s and continuing
into the 21st century. These women advocated for social and political change by
writing books and participating in law or the government with positions in the French
National Assembly or even as President of the European Parliament. Their actions
changed the world with their feminist ideologies and affected more than just France.
They did amazing things for women, including legalizing abortion and sharing their
thoughts with the world via books about feminist theory. These women worked to
make institutional changes in France by using their power and taking a legal approach
rather than using things like vandalism that are key to modern day France’s protests.
3. Comparative Pedagogies: France, US, Quebec
Eleanor Savors
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
Building on my prior research “Comparative Pedagogies: France and US,”
“Comparative Pedagogies: France, US, Québec” adds the perspective of Québécois
foreign language education. Employing a variety of sources, including articles on the
topic of foreign language education in Québec and also instruction manuals from
Québec for language teachers, this extension will add the perspective of Québec. The
project will begin with a discussion of the educational systems of each of the three
countries, particularly with regards to foreign languages (at what age does foreign
language instruction begin, how many languages and hours are necessary to graduate,
etc.). Next the project will continue with a discussion of the pedagogy of teaching
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ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
foreign language, particularly the activities that are used in the classroom in order to
engage students with the language that they are learning.
4. Politesse: The Rules of Etiquette, Self-Conduct, and Cohabitation in France
Elena Wiltgen
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
One is not born without a sense of etiquette. It is a tool, a skill, and sometimes it is
even a class. Manners is something used by the whole world, but exactly how it is
presented, that depends on several particular factors. In France, polite social conduct
demands certain rituals during interactions. Correspondence, purchases, dining all
have their own rules. The little nuances of dress, utensil choice, everything is
important when one wants to correctly conduct oneself in a new situation. Etiquette is
a framework of how to live, and good manners are a way to properly conduct oneself.
The rules of cohabitation, particularly in special citations or among the upper classes,
“politesse” contains more than your choice of utensil: it is a method to demonstrate
your social comprehension. Beginning with the history of dining etiquette and tracing
the roots of etiquette, I will uncover the specifics of French rituals and how “politesse”
functions nowadays. This presentation is in French.
5. Effect of pinene odor on the stress response of Long-Evans rats
Matthew Kowalski
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
Chronic stress is correlated with numerous negative health outcomes. Recent studies
suggest that exposure to natural environments can reduce stress. One proposed
pathway for this effect is via inhalation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released
by plants. In this study rodents will be exposed to VOCs in the presence of a mildly
stressful stimulus. Stress response will be measured via respirometry. It is
hypothesized that the experimental group will demonstrate a more rapid return to
baseline as measured by CO2 output and O2 consumption. Results could guide future
research, which may focus on humans and their response to natural odors.
6. Examining the Role of Estrogen and Cocaine in Locomotor Activity in Japanese Quail
Claire Melvin, Emma Ridener & Molly Samonds
Mentor: Dr. Karin Gill, Behavioral Neuroscience
Prior research has suggested that a sex difference is present in patterns of drug use
and abuse. Based upon prior research in rodents, estrogen has been implicated as the
hormone responsible for increased cocaine-induced responses. This suggests that
female and male quail administered exogenous estrogen may experience similar
behavior alterations. Recent studies have also shown that disruption of the light-dark
cycles of hormone release in Japanese quail alter cocaine-induced behavioral
sensitization in both sexes. For the most recent study, sixteen male Japanese quail and
sixteen female Japanese quail were subjected to cocaine and saline conditions with
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eight of the male Japanese quail receiving an exogenous estradiol injection. The data
from the present study were consistent with previous studies, as these results suggest
that male Japanese quail that received estradiol injections exhibited increased
cocaine-induced locomotor activity.
7. Endogenous Opiates and Incubation in Ringneck Doves
Mason Boone, Erin Bozdech & Abby Jamison
Mentor: Dr. Melissa Burns-Cusato, Behavioral Neuroscience
Previous research has found a connection between the endogenous opiate system
and parental incubation and behavior in the ringneck dove species. The current study
investigated the effects of an opiate agonist (morphine) on the incubation behavior of
both male and female ringneck doves. Different doses of morphine and saline were
used in a 2x3 mixed factorial design. Following injections, latency to return to the nest
was recorded on a ratio scale. Morphine disrupted incubation behavior in both sexes
but effects were greatest in females. Additionally, there was a dose effect in females
but not in males. The results suggest females’ opiate system may be more sensitive to
the rewarding effects of incubation behavior. Future research includes running more
subjects and investigating the effects of an opiate antagonist (naloxone).
8. On the Knife’s Edge: Race, Womanhood, and Radicalism in the Lives of Mother Jones
and Lucy Parsons
Natalie Warren
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
This research analyzes the lives and work of Lucy Parsons and Mother (Mary Harris)
Jones, both of whom were radical labor activists circa 1870-1930. Parsons was born an
enslaved woman in Virginia, but in her adult life, she married a white Anarchist,
worked mostly with other white Anarchists, and publicly identified herself as
Indigenous-Mexican. Jones was an Irish American Socialist who organized coal miners,
notably also organizing the wives and children. This project examines how these
activists attempted to either transcend or embrace their gender and racial identities in
relation to their radical beliefs. My argument is first, that Lucy Parsons attempted to
transcend her race to access the protected status of womanhood that was not
afforded to her by her Blackness; and second, that both women utilized perceptions of
womanhood to their advantage in their activism, translating the idea of motherly
authority and responsibility into their revolutionary agenda.
9. Queer Identity in the Weimar Republic
Lauren Longmeyer
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
This essay studies the f ways in which queer people during the Weimar Republic tried
to define their identities and argue for the removal of laws criminalizing
homosexuality, in 1920s Germany. I studied this in order to understand how the
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earliest Gay Rights movement operated, why specific arguments were made, and why
it ultimately failed. In order to research this, I looked into magazines, the work of
Magnus Hirschfeld, the head of the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, the papers of
Johanna Elberkirchen, a lesbian feminist, and a memoir by Ernst Röhm who was both a
Nazi and a gay man. Queer people in the Weimar Republic used the science of
sexology and eugenics, the new democratic state of Germany, and burgeoning
political movements like feminism and fascism to both build their identities and
legitimize themselves in the eyes of the broader public. The movement ultimately
failed to unify behind a single identity, or adapt to the changing political climate, but
left a lasting legacy
10. The History of Lesbianism in the United States Interwar Period
Natalie Lester
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
For my history seminar last fall, I researched the growth of lesbianism and lesbian
visibility during the United States interwar period. Common history classes teach the
technological, economic, and popular social changes that occurred in the years
between the World Wars, but they always neglect the queer side of history. Between
1920 and 1938, the lesbian community grew exponentially in urban areas despite the
illegality of homosexuality. During my studies, I kept hitting walls with a drastic lack of
evidence or research dedicated to the growth of lesbianism in the United States. So, I
decided to create a concise history of the most formidable time in the American
lesbian community. At a time where queer rights are at risk, my presentation will
highlight how queer people have always been vital to our country. Queer history is
American history.
11. Torture
Gretchen Casper & Theresa Devarieux
Mentor: Dr. Mykol Hamilton, Psychology
Is torture effective enough to be worth the horrendous psychological effects it inflicts
on its victims? And even if it is effective, is it morally ethical? Research often supports
the notion that torture does more harm than good and should be outlawed. After all,
torture can have debilitating psychological effects on both the victims and the
torturers. On the other hand, some people see torture as justifiable, if it prevents
greater harm to society. This further begs the question of whether or not torture is
worth it and which we hope you can decide based on our presentation.
12. The Death Penalty: Attitudes & Effectiveness
Nathaniel Steiner & Joseline Viera Canas
Mentor: Mykol Hamilton, Psychology
The death penalty sentence has a long history in the United States’ judicial system.
Since early civilization, dying as punishment was implemented through various means
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of execution. Today, Americans are generally divided in half on their acceptance of the
death penalty. It is legal in 27 states, and citizens in favor are typically less educated.
Infamous criminals have had overwhelming and public support for their executions,
but previous research shows it is not effective in deterring crime. Centre College
students residing in various states were interviewed on certain opinionated
statements on the death penalty, its effectiveness, and its morality. The results did not
provide a significant conclusion, but specific answers give insight to contrasting
opinions. The means have also evolved over the last few decades, but all of them can
and often do cause suffering, a violation of the Eighth Amendment. Wrongful
convictions resulting in death were explored through case studies.
13. Solitary Confinement
Everett Hauser & Austen Reid
Mentor: Dr. Mykol Hamilton, Psychology
Solitary Confinement is a common form of punishment defined as the isolated
containment of an inmate for 22-23 hours per day with limited human contact. The
United Nations has issued a set of guidelines stressing that solitary confinement
should be a last resort, only used for the shortest possible duration, and the
importance of the inmate’s health. Using research both historical and recent, we will
analyze interviews from confined inmates describing their experiences and the
prognosis of their psychology and physiological symptoms. As well as address the
numerous psychological and physiological symptoms that are elicited. Our research
has led us to further question the effectiveness and legality of solitary confinement.
All of this questions both the legality and use of solitary confinement based on the
guidelines set by the United Nations.
14. Love, Fantasy and Horror in the Spanish-Speaking World
Audrey Becker, Alexandra Boardman, Saira Carreto Romero, Faraz Ghamgosar, Gabby
Hibbs, Katie Hollingsworth, Abby Ligons, Madeleine Longmeyer, Ben Scott & Mamie
Sevier
Mentor: Dr. Iulia Sprinceana, Spanish
Have you heard of a woman lurking and hollering at night, looking for children
wandering alone? She is the notorious La Llorona, cursed for eternity for having
drowned her own children in a moment of jealousy and insanity. Such legends, or
myths about cursed homes as well as large-scale, brutal historical events have sparked
the creation of horror films. The horror, trauma and pain experienced in reality are
sometimes archived in stories and anecdotes under the cover of love and fantasy. We
propose a roundtable discussion with the students in SPA 500 “Love, Fantasy and
Horror.” They will present their research in the course, exploring themes of love,
fantasy, and horror in cultural artifacts (fiction, feature films, TV shows) from the
Spanish-speaking world. These presentations will provide an understanding of how
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topics such as the body and its transformations, motherhood, and children, are critical
in the configuration of gender ideology and sexuality, and national identity.
15. The Social Media World of Spanglish: Building Community
Saira Carreto Romero
Mentor: Dr. Philip Limerick, Spanish
The current project is focused on the use of Spanglish (the mixing of Spanish and
English when speaking) by Mexican/Mexican American individuals on social media as a
way to foster solidarity and build community. This independent study analyzes how
social media posts in Spanglish have become a prevalent mode of expression,
represent cultural significance, and are a direct result of immigration. The data was
collected from TikTok and YouTube videos, two understudied platforms in
sociolinguistic scholarship in comparison to other sites (e.g. Twitter, Facebook). For
the presentation, various social media clips will be shown along with a qualitative
analysis of the data.
16. Desafiando la normativa: El cuerpo y el poder en el trabajo de Krudxs Cubensi
Lorena Bonet Velazquez
Mentor: Dr. Satty Flaherty-Echeverría, Spanish & Latin American Studies
En esta presentación, examinamos el trabajo de Krudxs Cubensi, un duo de hip-hop de
Cuba viviendo en los Estados Unidos que utiliza su arte para desafiar los feminismos
hegemónicos y heteronormativos. A través de un análisis de sus canciones y videos del
2014: “Poderosxs”, “Mi cuerpo es mío”, “Mi Barba” demostramos el peligro de
subscribirnos a la normativa. No es coincidencia que su resistencia ya es decolonial en
práctica, y sus formas innovadoras de centrar a las personas en los márgenes nos
empuja a evaluar nuestra posición social y traicionar nuestros privilegios.
17. Yanga: una narrativa trans-localizada de la mexicanidad y la diaspora
Yanga: A Trans-localized Narrative of Mexicanidad and Diaspora
Emmy Greene
Mentor: Dr. Satty Flaherty-Echeverría, Spanish
Emmy nos trae a través de una examinación de la figura de Yanga en el mundo
contemporáneo. Yanga, el “primer liberador de América,” era una persona esclavizada
que vivió en Veracruz, México durante el siglo dieciséis. Estableció una comunidad de
otros fugitivos en las montañas de Veracruz. Permanecieron allá por 30 años, y
finalmente después de una triunfo sobre el ejército del gobierno colonial. El gobierno
firmó un tratado que reconocía oficialmente esta comunidad de Yanga como una
comunidad libre. Emmy examina como la imagen de Yanga como una figura geohistórica es interpretada en diferentes contextos locales, incluyendo en la literatura, la
música, y el carnaval en Yanga, México. Emmy explicará como estos niveles muestran
que aunque Yanga es una figura histórica, también funciona como un mito cultural
para crear un entendimiento inclusivo y trans-localizado de la diáspora
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afrodescendiente en contraste con la narrativa nacional de la mexicanidad.
18. Understanding The Importance of Carnaval Tlaxcalteca in New Haven, CT, USA
Saira Carreto Romero
Mentor: Dr. Jamie Shenton, Anthropology
My research focuses on the celebration of Tlaxcala’s Carnaval in the state of
Connecticut. My goal was to understand why people from Tlaxcala who had
immigrated to Connecticut felt the need to celebrate Carnaval if they were no longer
in their home country. More specifically, I wanted to know what was so significant
about Carnaval that it needed to be celebrated and preserved. I conducted interviews
with people who participated in Connecticut’s Carnaval but were born in Tlaxcala to
better understand why it was so important to them. I concluded that Carnaval is a way
to connect to Tlaxcala despite not being able to be there physically, resist assimilation,
and teach younger generations (who were born in the United States) about Carnaval
and their cultural roots to Tlaxcala, Mexico.
19. Poetry as a Way of Escape: Russian Immigrant’s Experience of the 1920’s in France as
illustrated by the Life of Georgy Ivanov
Uliana Bazavluk
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
This presentation (in French) will shed light on the lives of White Russian immigrants
in France during the 1920’s, as many fled the former Russian empire in the wake of
the Russian Revolution (1917) and Russian Civil War (1917 - 1923), and who were in
opposition to the revolutionary Bolshevik communist Russian political climate. Georgy
Ivanov, a prominent Russian poet, was one of the first of these emigres. His life in
Paris reveals the experience of Russian emigres in France during the time, and his
poetry offers complex sentiments of longing and loss. In the course of the
presentation, we will learn more about Ivanov’s life in Paris, and take in his poetry translated to French by the presenter.
20. The reciprocal influence of gastronomy between France, Morocco, and Vietnam
Madeleine Ohm
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
France’s identity as a colonial power resulted in strong influence on the languages,
laws, and architecture of its colonies. Two examples of this are Vietnam and Morocco.
The decision to invade Vietnam was the result of both missionary propaganda and a
larger French influence of Asian territories. In 1912, France imposed a protectorate
over Morocco and spent the next two decades controlling the legislation, military
defense, and overall jurisdiction of the nation. When these nations gained
independence from France, the formal influence of France was gone, but what
remained was a prominent cultural influence. Today, we can look at the ways in which
France has influenced the cuisine of Vietnam and Morocco, and vice versa. Because
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gastronomy is a cornerstone feature of French identity, this study aims to compare
and contrast the reciprocal impact of cuisine in Vietnamese, Moroccan, and French
cultures.
21. The Untold Stories of the Vietnamese People Living in the Francophone World
Una Mijatovic
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
There are approximately 660,000 French speakers in Asia and the Middle East.
Likewise, there are around 400,000 people who form the Vietnamese diaspora in
France. This relationship exists between these two parts of the world due to lingering
French colonial influence. As a daughter of immigrants, the subject of the Vietnamesefrancophone identity appeals to me because of the way we can use it as a lens to
approach universal messages, such as the struggles of immigration, cross-cultural
identity, and assimilation into a new country. While there is much history to uncover
about the connection between France and Vietnam, the Vietnam-francophone
population remains the least-talked about group in the francophone world. I will
explore the Vietnamese-francophone identity through the eyes of various Vietnamese
authors. My research aims to contextualize France’s colonial presence in Vietnam, the
impact that the French culture maintains in the region today, and to highlight
underrepresented Vietnamese voices.
22. Arcane Architect: The Art of AI Navigation in Video Games
Preston Dickerson & Hung Lee
Mentor: Dr. Michael Bradshaw, Computer Science
Arcane Architect is a game that allows you to create your own school of magic. While
the player sets policies, the AI moves the characters in the world. Before the AI can
move characters, the game engine must build a navigation mesh to show the AI where
characters can travel. Unreal Engine provides a default navigation mesh, but it is very
inefficient during startup. We created the navigation mesh manually to perform the
same actions and improved the startup time by 28307%. This presentation will discuss
the process of implementation and effectiveness of our designs.
23. A Game Engine from Scratch: Research and Challenges
Noah Scott
Mentor: Dr. Michael Bradshaw, Computer
Science Most game developers use prebuilt game engines, like Unreal and Unity.
Game engines are a foundation on which developers can quickly and easily build their
envisioned games. I decided to build a game engine myself. This presentation will
cover the challenges in research, organization, planning, optimization, and design
when building such a large project starting at such a low level; focusing on the
challenges of implementing a “physics engine,” a core part of the game engine.
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24. Making a Minimap: The Problem of Perspective
Jonah Stephens
Mentor: Dr. Michael Bradshaw, Computer Science
How do video games make a minimap? Do they just plop a camera in the sky, show
the feed, and call it a day? Place a camera an infinite distance away? Show an
abstraction of the world? This presentation explores the linear and not-so-linear
algebra behind perspective projections, explaining the math behind the distortion we
see in pictures. This, among other things, is all in an attempt to make a minimap that is
correct, looks nice, and has one glaring function: transporting the player from where
they are to where in the world they clicked on the minimap.
25. Women Soldiers in the Bloody Harlan Labor War
Nellie Ellis
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
This presentation investigates the roles of women fighters in the 1930s labor war
"Bloody Harlan" in Harlan County, Kentucky. Many Harlan Countians claimed that
women played a passive role in the war. However, research shows that women had a
strong presence on the battlefield. Incorporating evidence from newspapers, oral
histories, reports, and scholarly secondary sources, this presentation shows that
women were organizers, strategists, and soldiers in "Bloody Harlan." Still, men and
women alike have downplayed the role of women due to existing gendered divisions
in Harlan County and a dislike of the communist-affiliated National Miners Union that
played a significant role in the initial organization of women in the labor war.
26. Liquor as a Lost Cause? Anti-Prohibition Arguments in Kentucky
Samuel Smith
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, banning the manufacture and
sale of alcohol, came from a century long push by dry activists, and frequently
involved racist, anti-immigrant, and anti-Catholic appeals to white American
protestants. The Eighteenth Amendment, known informally as the Volstead Act, faced
immediate criticism across the United States. Unlike broader national arguments
against prohibition that focused on individual rights or the unenforceable nature of
the Volstead Act, the tactics adopted by anti-prohibition advocates in Kentucky took
on racist, anti-immigrant, and patriarchal overtones incredibly rapidly. White male
Kentuckians across the state used anti-prohibition rhetoric to argue that they
dominated Kentucky society, using the image of the Kentucky colonel, to reaffirm their
political and social control over the Commonwealth against the changes of the
Volstead Act and the progressive movement more broadly.
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27. History of Education Policy and Deaf Children's Voices
Ben Justice
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Prusinski, Education
Modern education policy that impacts deaf education has largely been without the
inclusion of Deaf thought and philosophy, so then it is even more crucial to reframe
modern policies using Deaf voices. The perception of Deaf people in Kentucky from
the early 1800s to 2000s shifted although remained persistently negative. These
perceptions of deafness influenced policy, which impacted Deaf experiences. Deaf
voices have been historically silenced and continue to be disregarded today in the
space of deaf education. So, many of these experiences have continued to this day.
This presentation explains the history of these education policies that impact deaf
education and reframes modern-day policy using memoirs in the Kentucky Standard
and memoirs of deaf students in the modern day. By doing this, this presentation
raises concerns about our current education laws and explores how, by listening to
deaf voices, we can improve our education system to be more effective for deaf
students.
28. Language Use to Suppress Japanese Americans in WWII
Antonio Ogaldez
Mentor: Dr. Jonathon Earle, History
Language is a powerful tool that has been used to suppress groups in the past and in
the present. The internment camps of the Japanese Americans during WWII are no
different. Using newspapers that feature English and Japanese translations, as well as
accounts of those in the camps, the use of language was utilized as a method to
enforce American ideals and suppress others under the guise of nationalism and the
shock of the Pearl Harbor attack. I would like to examine these newspapers, such as
the Topaz Times, in their Japanese and English counterparts, since there was much
editing by the US government for the English version, would the Japanese version be
heavily altered as well and in what ways would it be and also observe other ways the
Japanese language was suppressed.
29. Get Your Plant On: Effect of Engagement on Mental Wellbeing
Conley Combs & Niki Maleki
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
The literature on Horticulture Therapy (HT) indicates that interacting with plants has a
positive impact on mental health outcomes. Increased engagement with plants
improves the effectiveness of HT indicating a dose-response relationship. Further
study of how engagement with plants stands to improve mental health outcomes is
warranted. In this study we will manipulate engagement, one group will arrange their
own miniature plant biome and another that will be given a plant. Both will care for
their plants accordingly for three weeks, at which time we will assess any beneficial
effects on their mood and connection to nature compared to baseline levels. We
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hypothesize both groups will improve from their baseline mood assessment, but that
the individuals in the group who engage more with the plants initially, by creating an
arrangement themselves, will score better on the mood scale corresponding to
positive effects on mood and mental wellbeing.
30. Playing with Plants: The Effects of Indoor Live Plant Presence on Physiological and
Psychological Markers of Stress and Mood
John Beebe & Cynthia Nieto
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
A growing body of research demonstrates benefits of viewing natural landscapes,
including reduced physiological stress and improved mood. Our study aims to analyze
differences between physiological and subjective mood responses between repotting
a plant and a computer based math task when compared to baseline measurements.
Participant’s physiological responses were captured by electrocardiograph and
impedance cardiography, and subjective mood was determined by using the Brief
Mood Introspection Scale. Their physiological responses to either the computer based
task or plant repotting task were compared to their baseline physiological responses
to assess the effects on cardiac physiology. The mood scale assessed self-reported
relaxation and mood directly after completing either task. We hypothesize that when
participants are actively engaging with plants, we will see positive effects on stress
physiology, mood and relaxation compared to participants engaging in computer
based tasks.
31. Measuring the Testing Effect through ERPs
Lauren Dodson, Grace Dutcher, Simon Forsting & Sarah Kirtland
Mentor: Dr. KatieAnn Skogsberg, Cognitive Neuroscience
Each academic year, students take many tests and use a variety of studying methods
in an attempt to retain information related to their classes. Research suggests that
students who engage in recall practices such as quizzes and practice questions,
typically retain information better and longer than those who do not, a phenomenon
known as the testing effect (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006; Batsell et al. 2017; Shobe
2021). While there is extensive research that demonstrates the efficacy of the testing
effect, there are no studies that have used event-related potentials, or ERPs, to
investigate this effect. This study will analyze the P3 waveform, a specific part of the
ERP brain wave associated with rare and meaningful events, such as when an
individual recognizes a correct answer. We expect that participants that quiz
themselves over the material will produce larger P3 waves than those who simply reread the material.
32. Chasing the Sun Across the Gold Coast: Poetry and Prose
Anna Impellitteri
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Murray, Education
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Chasing the Sun Across the Gold Coast is a series of fictionalized poems and prose of
my making sense and finding my way during my semester abroad in Accra, Ghana. As
a whole, the work navigates the various moving pieces of my identity and how it
relates to my new environment, as well as encapsulating some of the moments,
stories, and people I’ve met along the way. It connects my lived experiences in my
daily life and on excursions and my other coursework in the transatlantic slave trade
and globalization to what I have learned in the classroom about intercultural
communication. The coursework is referenced mostly implicitly, but my experiences
are governed by both nonverbal and verbal communication, all of which is
intercultural.
33. Writing a One-Woman Show
Michelle Chan
Mentor: Dr. Amy Frederick, Art History
"One Filipino Woman" is a one-woman show currently being written by Michelle
Devera Chan in her independent study with Dr. Amy Frederick. This play is about her
own life experiences both on and offstage that lead her to become who she is today.
This presentation will highlight her process of being a first-time playwright and how
she has used the creative writing process as a form of catharsis in her healing journey.
She will also be reading several scenes from "One Filipino Woman" and be open to
feedback as she prepares to perform her play for her theatre seminar at the end of the
semester.
34. The Evolution of Japanese Poetry as a Result of Japanese Internment Camps
Emma Peterson
Mentor: Dr. Jonathon Earle, History
This project explores the history of Japanese Internment Poetry during the period
surrounding the Second World War. Senryu is a form of Japanese poetry that does not
rhyme and consists of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables. Senryu groups were
formed in the early 1800s to preserve Japanese culture and to tell mundane tales of
everyday life such as children and homesickness. However, Senryu groups also told
the stories of persevering through discrimination and in turn, created a community in
a completely new environment. Then Executive Order 9066 was released, an order
demanding 120 thousand people of Japanese ancestry were to be forced to relocate.
The poetry then became more than just a way to journal; they became a historical
memoir of life within the camps and a unifying tool to save a community and a
culture.
35. Energy Dissipation in Reflecting Internal Waves
Christian Fronk, Luke Payne, Michael Allshouse-Northeastern University & Yichen GuoUniversity of Texas at Austin
Mentor: Dr. Bruce Rodenborn, Physics
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Determining the energy flux of an internal wave from the experimentally measured
velocity field was made possible by the work of Lee et al. (Lee et al., Phys. Fluids, 26,
2014). This method is used in our work to measure the amount of energy dissipated
when internal waves reflect from sloping boundaries by computing the ratio of the
outgoing energy flux to the incoming energy flux through a surface near the reflection
region. We compare our experimental results to numerical simulations where the
energy flux is known from the pressure and velocity fields. There is good agreement
between our experimental and numerical simulation data, and we find that there are
high rates of energy dissipation during reflection process. We also find that there is a
wave reflected back from the boundary towards the generation site when either the
boundary is rough or the angle of the boundary is close to the angle of the internal
wave beam.
36. Exploring new materials for environmentally friendly magnetic refrigeration
Bryan Birch, Mahmud Khan, Kyra Stillwell, Brandon Reese & Arjun Pathak
Mentor: Dr. Emily Crabb
50% of home and 57% of commercial energy usage comes from refrigeration
technology1. A conventional compression system has a Carnot efficiency of ~40%, the
system retains less than half of its initial energy due to thermal processes. Owing to
the advent of a more energy conscious society, a significant growth in studies2,3
examining the Magnetocaloric Effect (MCE) in magnetic refrigeration systems has
been experienced. The MCE makes possible near room temperature magnetic
refrigeration: an environmentally friendly, highly efficient, vibration-free, and low-cost
alternative to vapor compression refrigeration technologies.4 This study examines the
magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Al0.85+xSi0.15Fe2B2 (x = 0.2, 0.4)
prepared via drop-casting followed by annealing and acid treatment. The secondorder ferromagnetic phase transitions were observed near room temperature (~298–
305 K), and peak magnetic entropy changes (–ΔSM) of more than –6 J kg-1 K-1 were
observed for a field change of 5 T.
37. Calibrating Numerical Simulations with Macroscopic Bacterial Models
Brianna Tilley & Kate Brown
Mentor: Dr. Bruce Rodenborn, Physics
The swimming of microorganisms is typically studied using biological experiments
and/or numerical simulations. However, numerical simulations of microorganisms are
often not compared to precise measurements because of the difficulty of making
microscopic measurements of forces and torques in biological experiments, which are
typically ∼ 10 μm. Instead, our research group uses models of bacteria that are about
35 cm in size and matches the Reynolds number of swimming microorganisms by
using highly viscous silicone oil that is 100,000 times more viscous than water. We can
then measure the forces and torques more easily and scale the results from our
dynamically similar experiments to biologically relevant sizes. We have used our
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experiments to calibrate the method images for regularized Stokeslets and have found
excellent agreement between our data for helices, cylinders, and spheres. Our results
also have confirmed the theory of Jeffrey and Onishi (1981) for the torque on a
cylinder near a plane wall, as reported in Shindell et al., Fluids (2021).
38. Gang activity in Haiti
Kirsci Vincent
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
Gang activity in Haiti is a rising concern as gangs have multiplied in number over the
past five years. (Gangs of Haiti: Expansion, power and an escalating crisis 2022) This is
due to the years of political dysfunction, deteriorating economic conditions, natural
disasters, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, which has all contributed to
creating a weakened state of power. There are approximately 200 gangs across the
country and 95 of the gangs reside in the capital Port au Prince. Many of said gangs
being in cohorts with corrupt politicians which has led many of them to profit directly
from the private sector and deem themselves mercenary partners of the state. This
presentation will highlight the history of gangs and their relationships that date to
1958 under the reign of Francois Duvalier AKA Papa Doc, Haiti’s last dictator. Key
points in my expo will be; the Tonton Macoute (Papa Doc’s Gang), the assassination of
Jouvenel Moise (The last elected president of Haiti), and the current state of the
country (The gang territories in Port au Prince). This presentation will be French and
the goal is to bring awareness to the current state of Haiti.
39. Processing Violence: an analysis of Rwanda 94 and its role in helping victims to
comprehend the thought process of the Hutu nationalists in the Rwandan Genocide
Caili Harris
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
Over 100 days in April of 1994, more than 800,000 people were brutally murdered in
the Rwandan genocide. Betrayed by their own neighbors, the Tutsi were attacked by
Hutu militias, leaving the country’s population to mourn those killed. As a mode of
healing, survivors and those who witnessed the tragic events began to write, leading
to a genre of theatre known as the theatre of genocide or in French “le théâtre du
genocide.” Where the written word was not necessarily received, theatre, as one of
the most viewed art forms in Rwanda, provided a physical representation of mourning
and grief, but also recovery and hope. While some narratives focused on themes such
as loss, grief, and memory, playwrights such as Jacques Delcuvellerie and others in
their play Rwanda 94 seek to delve into the motivations of the perpetrators. This
paper aims to focus on the different modes in which the theatre of genocide, but
more specifically Rwanda 94 analyzes the impulses of the murderers.
40. Empty
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41. Master Conductor: Examining Ticket to Ride Using Mathematical Concepts
Drew Perkins
Mentor: Dr. Prayat Pudel, Mathematics
The board game, Ticket to Ride, requires two to five players to put themselves in the
role of a 19th century railroad baron whose sole goal is to control the pathways
between 36 North American cities. Players must accumulate points by building train
lines that connect certain cities. In this talk, we will begin with a brief description of
the game, followed by a discussion of how we can use techniques from graph theory
to make strategic decisions about the game. We will start with an explanation of the
mathematical concepts we utilized before transitioning into how we applied these
ideas to Ticket to Ride. We will conclude by mentioning potential extensions of our
research that we hope to explore in the future.
42. Running the virtual race: A systematic review to understand virtual reality and
gaming research
Kelsey Jenks
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Glueck, Neuroscience, University of Kentucky
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
Previous research demonstrated that action video game play improves cognitive
performance on traditional gaming platforms. Action game training with complex and
dynamic settings and time-based responses demonstrated significant increases in
cognitive performance. With the recent commercialization of more advanced and
immersive technologies, more research is needed to investigate the effects these
technologies have on cognitive performance. This systematic review sought to
summarize the recent research involving immersive virtual reality and cognition.
Literature searches were conducted through several scholarly databases and included
key terms such as “immersive virtual reality,” “attention,” “cognition,” “learning,”
“processing speed,” and “working memory.” The goal of this systematic review was to
better understand different immersive virtual reality interventions and their potential
cognitive benefits. This information can and will be used to further improve cognitive
interventions.
43. History Bots
Muchiri Kahwai
Mentor: Dr. John Harney, History
The History Bots project is an educational platform that explores the limitations of
current AI technology and the potential for collaboration between human expertise
and machine learning. The project involves creating an AI chatbot that allows students
to explore different time periods and learn about important historical events and
individuals. By connecting the chatbots to three different internet sources - Wikipedia,
IBM Watson, and ChatGPT - the project aims to demonstrate the strengths and
limitations of these sources, as well as the ways in which human expertise can
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complement and enhance AI technology. The project seeks to highlight the value of
human judgment and interpretation in historical research and learning. The bot is
designed to be accessible and user-friendly, making it a valuable tool for educators
looking to incorporate technology into their teaching methods. This project represents
a unique and innovative approach to teaching and learning history.
44. Health of Belizean Coral Reefs
Anahit Grigoryan & Brenna Hammond
Mentor: Dr. Kelly O’Quin
Coral reefs have suffered serious stress and bleaching events due to climate change
and human activities. The Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the
world, has had a recent statistical loss in coral health, putting the diversity of fish,
flora, and story coral species at high risk, along with the human communities that rely
on them for food and other resources. Our study assesses the health of five reef sites
within protected and unprotected zones throughout the South Water Caye Marine
Reserve in Belize. We assess ecosystem health using several measures, including
herbivory rates, coral bleaching and color, and hard coral coverage and species
diversity. Our results indicate a gradual decline in coral coverage, bleaching, and
diversity across sites based on the level of protection in the South Water Caye area.
45. Adventures in Ophthalmology: Eye Diseases in Tanzania
Luke Pellegrino
Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Dew, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cataracts, both congenital and acquired, are a leading cause of visual impairment and
blindness worldwide. We will explore the two different types of cataracts and their
impact on visual function, as well as the risk factors associated with their
development. I will also discuss my firsthand experience in Tanzania, Africa, where I
witnessed and assisted in the treatment of various patients with cataracts. The
experience called my attention to the urgent need for accessible and affordable
cataract treatment, particularly in developing countries. Overall, this presentation will
cover of the anatomy and physiology of the eye, with a specific focus on cataracts, and
will underscore the importance of accessible and affordable treatment options for
those affected by this condition.
46. Isotope Analysis at Centre College: How We Can Use It and Where It Can Take Us
Anna Impellitteri
Mentor: Dr. Brett Werner, Environmental Studies
The Centre College department of Environmental Studies is in the process of installing
new laboratory equipment that will open the door to professors and students seeking
to do research. Two machines, the Delta Q Isotope Ratio MS, and the Flash IMS, work
in conjunction to provide isotope analysis (C, O, H, N, and more) of solid and liquid
samples. This will allow for new research opportunities in soil, water, and organic
matter analysis across the biology, chemistry, and ENS departments. As one of the
only students participating in the initial installation training for the new equipment,
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part of my senior seminar for the self-designed Environmental Science major is to
comprise an easy-to-use, Centre College-specific laboratory manual for this new
equipment.
47. J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars Program
Caroline Dahl, Uliana Bazavluk, Anahit Grigoryan, AJ Howell, Vati Pham &
Lorena Bonet Velazquez
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Abrams, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion &
Associate Professor of Anthropology
The J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars Program supports research or art focused on diversity,
inclusion, equity, and social justice. An Atkins Scholar contributes to a more just world
through intellectual inquiry and practice. The six scholars will present their research
on access to eating disorder treatment, Centre College's commitment to student
health and wellness, military conflict and women's health, Buddhism's relationship
with queerness, decolonial feminisms in the Spanish-speaking world, and
photographic analysis of BIPOC Identity.
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48. Dendrimer and Organic Semiconductor Synthesis
Griffin Baston
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Dendrimers are spherical and typically symmetric macromolecules that can hold a
smaller molecule in their center, or core. Dendrimers are incredibly useful molecules
that can be used for biological tracking or drug delivery systems. During Summer 2022,
organic synthesis research on dendrimers through internship with the Jørn B.
Christensen Group at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark was conducted. After
completing a year of organic synthesis at Centre, this internship was a great way to
further synthesis knowledge and skills. Working in the lab each day, undergraduate
skills obtained at Centre College were further reinforced in facilitating reactions and
NMR analysis; proficiency in new techniques such as column chromatography was also
acquired. These skills were further refined through organic semiconductor synthesis
research conducted with Dr. Vanessa Song at Centre College.
49. You: Mental Illness or just a Thrilling TV show?
Lindsay Bohn
Mentor: Dr. Drew Morris, Psychology
This project breaks down what narcissistic personality disorder is and how the show
depicts its symptoms and consequences. It will also show how narcissistic personality
disorder can coexist with borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and depression.
These different mental disorders create the popular, psychological thriller TV show
You, but it may not present the disorders as it should. You, produced by Jason
Sokoloff, Jennifer Lence, and Wayne Carmona exhibits how dangerous Narcissistic
Personality Disorder can be as well as other disorders coexisting with narcissistic
personality disorder. The show focuses on Joe Goldberg’s, the main character, drive to
controlling Guinevere Beck’s life and who she is with to ensure he is the only thing she
can focus on that feeds into his need to be the utmost important thing in her life.
50. Synthesis of Advanced Lignin Model Polymers
Samuel Brunner
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Lignin has been and continues to be a significant by-product of the pulp and paper
industry. With consideration of renewable energy for the chemical industry, lignin
holds immense potential as a renewable aromatic chemical as the world is
transitioning away from fossil fuels. In plants, cellulose and hemicellulose have a chair
conformation structure, while lignin is aromatic and carbon abundant, making the
molecules ideal for energy research. Different linkages in lignin help represent how
the compound can be broken down into smaller molecules. While significant
advancements have been made, the depolymerization of lignin has been challenging
as most of the research has used the β-O-4 linkage, which lacks complexity. In this
research, the β-β linkage is targeted with its higher complexity since it is more feasible
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and creates the most pieces when broken. The goal of this research is to synthesize
complex model polymers for lignin depolymerization and valorisation.
51. Computational Analysis of Possible SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics
Akenpaul Chani
Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Muzyka, Chemistry
SARS-CoV-2 is the positive-sense RNA virus that causes COVID-19, a severe respiratory
infection that has had a catastrophic impact on the daily lives of billions. SARS-CoV-2's
non-structural protein 5 (NSP 5), otherwise known as the main protease or 3C-like
protease, is essential for its pathogenesis. Processing 12 of the 15 non-structural
proteins in SARS-CoV-2's genomic sequence, inhibiting MPro will likely induce an
antiviral effect in humans. Known inhibitors were docked with MPro in its dimeric
form and analyzed to qualitatively assess MPro's active site using computer software
(PyMol for preparation and AutoDock Vina for docking calculations). After a qualitative
determination of MPro's active site in AutoDock Vina's coordinate system, MPro was
docked to several million small molecules in the ZINC database, as well as a set of
newly discovered chalcones. Small molecules with binding affinities similar to those of
potential inhibitors within the active site were discovered.
52. Throwing Queerness into the Ring
Samuel Cotthoff
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Androcentric language has been used throughout sports to perpetuate an idea of the
“perfect, real man.” This is evident in sports like professional football, baseball, and
basketball, as male players are told to “man up” and not be a “sissy,” “diva,” or
“primadonna.” This rhetoric has not only affected the men who play these sports but
the women who play the same sport. Furthermore, this language promotes
heteronormativity that is harmful to men who identify as non-heterosexual because it
disrupts their personal journey of self-discovery. In this poster, I hope to show analysis
of both my personal experiences as an gay thrower as well as media research of the
social media and interviews of Olympian Raven Saunders to see how language,
gender, sexuality, and race all combine together to affect queer experiences in a
traditionally heterosexual, masculine sport.
53. Laid back like a sloth: Do they have measurable levels of the stress hormone-cortisol?
Cameron Coulter & Kelsey Jenks
Mentor: Dr. Brent White, Behavioral Neuroscience
The well-being of zoo-housed animals is frequently determined by measuring cortisol
concentration in various body fluids. Cortisol is often called the stress hormone
because it is elevated during flight or fight situations. The Louisville Zoo recently
added two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus) to their collection and asked us to
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monitor their cortisol levels. This poster summarizes the process of assessing cortisol
in a species that has received little attention. In this study, we selected a physiological
medium (saliva) to measure cortisol. We then determined a sampling method and
tested several assays for their sensitivity in measuring cortisol. This work is ongoing as
our lab is experimenting with different assays and implementing standard additions to
increase their sensitivities. These modifications have the potential to improve our
measures of cortisol in sloth saliva.
54. Functional Semiconducting Molecule Derivatives
Catherine Cox, Christina Kousseff*, Christian Nielsen* & Rikin Shah*
*Queen Mary University of London
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Semiconducting molecules are of increasing interest, however, there are many factors
that allow molecules to efficiently conduct charges. Fullerene, a molecule used in
organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) is a useful semiconductor because of its
molecular stability and polarizability. Development of fullerene derivatives, such as
the 5-crown-5-ether derivative, is essential to the improvement of solubility in the
active layer of OECTs and selectivity for ions. Tetracene is also a useful semiconductor
to research, but instead of analyzing the impact of solubility on semiconductor
efficiency, tetracene derivatives are useful in comparing molecular packing patterns.
As different substituents are added to tetracene different pi stackings are produced
and therefore different charge carrier mobilities within the pi system. Working
towards optimizing semiconductor capabilities is crucial to improving ways to power
modern technology.
55. Exploiting the Warburg Effect using transition metal complexes
Roma Desai
Mentor: Dr. Erin Wachter, Chemistry
Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl and other coordination complexes have shown lightactivated anticancer activity but also toxicity in the absence of light. The Warburg
Effect highlights that cancer cells consume more glucose due to the overexpression of
glucose receptors. Ruthenium(II) complexes with 5-thioglucose-1,10-phenanthroline
(phenTG) and 2,2-bipyridine ligands were synthesized with the intent of increasing
uptake into cancer cells over healthy cells to reduce off-target toxicity. The structure
and properties of these complexes were examined using Ultraviolet-visible
spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To test for off-target side
effects, an acetylcholinesterase assay was conducted. Current results show increased
toxicity for the free ligand. Previous results suggested that off-target toxicity
decreases when the ligand is bound to ruthenium(II). The phenTG complexes present
a promising reduction in off-target effects but require further purification and
analysis.
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56. Does hair cortisol correspond to fecal cortisol in an injured grizzly bear?
Lauren Dome & Zachary Gregory
Mentor: Dr. Brent White, Psychology
Cortisol in hair is used to measure stress in wild populations of animals, including
grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilus). Hair collection is noninvasive and provides a
cortisol record covering weeks in contrast to feces and body fluids which provide very
short-term information. However, only a few studies have demonstrated a correlation
between hair cortisol and systemic physiological measures of the hormone. Injuries to
a grizzly at the Louisville Zoo gave us the opportunity to test this relationship. Daily
fecal samples show spikes in cortisol at the time of the two injuries. The proximal half
of hair fibers were estimated to be growing during the second injury when fecal
cortisol spiked. An ELISA cortisol assay did not detect elevated cortisol in the proximal
samples compared to the distal half of the fibers. Our results do not confirm the
expected relationship between hair cortisol and fecal glucocorticoids.
57. Inheritance of Scleral Width in Mexican Tetra
Mary Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Claire O’Quin, Biology
The Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus) is a small fish that has two morphs, cave and
surface. Like reptiles and birds, fish can have a ring of bone or cartilage in the sclera
(outer wall) of the eye. In Mexican tetras, the surface morph typically has a narrower
scleral ring of bone, while the cave morph has a wider ring of cartilage. We were
interested in determining the number of genes that control scleral width and where
those genes are located in the genome. To determine this, we crossed surface fish and
cave fish morphs for two generations, measured scleral width in the 2nd generation
offspring, and then performed a genetic analysis to determine the genomic locations
that contribute to trait differences. We found that approximately 2.89 genes
contribute to the width of the scleral ring in Astyanax and at least one of these genes
is located on Chromosome 15.
58. Language, Gender, and Sport: How do they relate?
Piper Hensley
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Language, gender, and sport are all intertwined. The proof is all over campus and can
be found all over the Internet, whether it’s a news website or a scholarly article. By
studying any one of these three elements, we can find information that connects each
element to the next. In turn, this can tell us more about ourselves as humans, as well
as the culture we are a part of. Due to research on these topics, we are able to
understand how and why humans are programmed to think a certain way when it
comes to how gender and sport are represented by language. This research could
bring light to the ways that men and women are represented in sports, and how it
may be problematic. Using my own research, I will apply my findings to news stories
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and academic articles, along with examples from our own campus.
59. The Effects of Social Media on the Physiological Markers of Stress
Erin Bozdech, Ali-Grace Fleeman, Abby Jamison & Melissa Perello
Mentor: Dr. Karin Gill, Behavioral Neuroscience
Social media usage has become highly prevalent in society. Previous research has
shown a correlation between social media usage and stress through multiple
physiological and psychological measurements and questionnaires. The current
experimental study investigated a potential causal relationship between social media
and physiological markers of stress. A 2x2 mixed factorial design was utilized to
examine differences in the blood pressure and heart rate of each participant before
and after scrolling either Instagram or National Geographic for a set amount of time.
Data is currently being collected to statistically analyze results of the current
experiment.
60. The Capitalistic Approach to Nazi Germany Propaganda
Kam Kiesel
Mentor: Dr. Jonathon Earle, History
The National Socialist Party of the German state created propaganda to demonize
Jewish communities throughout Europe during the Second World War. To reimagine
Nazi propaganda and to educate viewers on the role of German corporations during
the War, the following exhibition will showcase German company advertisements
modeled after 1940s-American-styled poster advertisements. The six companies
presented in the exhibition are Fanta, Hugo Boss, the Volkswagen Group, the
Mercedes-Benz Group, Bayerische Motoren Werke, and Bayer. Each of these
companies was either founded due to the rise of the Nazi regime; or grew their brand
with the exploitation of Jewish prisoners in the life of the concentration camps.
61. Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with attached NSAIDs as potential dual
mechanism of action therapeutics
William Leach & Nate Vela
Mentor: Dr. Erin Wachter, Chemistry
Phototherapy is a medical treatment that utilizes light to activate the therapeutic
effects of drug molecules. The use of phototherapy as a treatment option for cancer is
becoming more widespread as many chemotherapeutics have harsh side effects. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have the possibility of reducing the
symptoms of current chemotherapeutics. Additionally, NSAIDs should have an
increased uptake into cancer cells as they bind to cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and
COX-2), which are highly expressed in cancer cells and aid in the progression and
growth of tumors. Three sets of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with NSAIDs
attached at different distances from the metal center were synthesized. The
antioxidant properties, DNA binding, and the inhibition of the lipoxygenase and
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acetylcholinesterase enzymes were tested. The data shows promising results for these
complexes to potentially be used as dual mechanism light-activated
chemotherapeutics.
62. The Impact of Support Systems on Gender Diverse Individuals
Emy Lovell & Meredith Walker
Mentor: Dr. Jan Wertz, Psychology
The transgender/gender diverse (TGD) population is currently at the forefront of our
social climate involving civil rights. The non-acceptance of TGD individuals in our
society sometimes leads to violence, discrimination, mental health challenges, and
lack of social support. This research is investigating social support of individuals in the
TGD community. Specifically, this study examines how TGD individuals have received
support throughout their lives in social, familial, and clinical settings. Past research
states that family acceptance is among the most important factors in TGD individuals
leading a higher quality life, experiencing lower depressive symptoms, and reducing
psychological distress.
63. Social Norms in Ghanaian University Students
Sarah Marks
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Murray, Education & Mathematics
Interviews with 24 Ghanaian university students from both public and private
institutions were conducted in the fall of 2022. The interviews sought to gain
understanding of social norms within this demographic in the subtopics of participant
childhoods, social norms that are appreciated and not appreciated, typical topics of
conversation, college in relation to participant growth in individuality, and how
participants view party culture. Public and private university responses were also
compared to traditional social norms in Ghana.
64. Afro-Latine Identity
Ashley Guerrero
Mentor: Dr. Genny Ballard, Spanish
The intersectionality of the Afro-Latine population is that which someone holds when
they are of colored skin, but they speak Spanish; this identity can be very challenging,
especially for someone that lives in the United States. During Centre Term I returned
to my old high school in Boston at the Margarita Muiz Academy to conduct a threeweek workshop, allowing students to have a free space to explore their Afro-Latine
identity. In these workshops we spoke about four specific places in Latin America
where Afro-Latine history had the biggest social influence. Students who came from
families that spoke Spanish and areas where their skin was darker than the rest of
their peers were allowed to have these deep conversations and a safe space to talk
about some of the concerns they had while identifying as Afro-Latine; in addition, the
way history molds the way we see ourselves and others in our population.
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POSTER PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
65. The Effects of Mating on Female Drosophila Bitter Taste Detection
Dillon Di Iorio & Kyla Miller
Mentor: Dr. Genevieve Bell, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mating plays a crucial role in altering the behavior of Drosophila melanogaster, the
common fruit fly. Virgin females prefer sweet and/or salty foods however, after
mating, preference shifts to yeasty foods due to the presence of sperm which
activates this behavioral change. Similarly, mated females detect bitter substances at
lower quantities in comparison to virgins. However, the impact of sperm being present
has been overlooked. We will be investigating if the presence of sperm influences
bitter taste detection. Virgin, mated (sperm present), and post-mated (sperm not
present) females will be tested using proboscis extension response (PER) in detection
of a bitter tastant (quinine). We hypothesize that both mated groups will detect
quinine at low concentrations in comparison virgins. This data will aid in better
understanding mating-induced gustatory changes in female Drosophila.
66. Preliminary Research: Inter-Racial/-Ethnic Community Interaction to Improve
Relations across Diverse Groups
Jacqueline Mullins
Mentor: Dr. Jan Wertz, Psychology
The goal of this study is to increase positive feelings and decrease fear and
misunderstanding between inter-racial/-ethnic groups. A meta-analysis found that
increasing interracial conflict decreases prejudice. Realistic conflict theory suggests
contact between opposing groups working towards a common goal reduces
intergroup conflict. This study hypothesizes that increasing inter-racial/-ethnic group
contact in a small Kentucky town will increase positive feelings while decreasing fear
and misunderstanding between inter-racial/-ethnic individuals. Participants will be
recruited from the community to host families or individuals of differing racial/ethnic
backgrounds for a cooking and/or activity session. To increase comfort, families or
individuals will be matched based on indicated interests and preferences. Methods
will include having participants complete pre-and post-surveys indicating their
feelings, attitudes, and comfort level with members of different racial and ethnic
groups.
67. Athletes’ Political Voices Within the Media
Tyler Neltner-Devine
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Within each culture sport bridges the gap between free time/leisure and societal
issues along with different traditions and religious practices. This intersectionality
varies between each society and community ranging from sport in lieu of war to sport
simply for entertainment. One major aspect of sport is media coverage. Recently
athletes have been using their platform to bring political issues to the public scope and
raise awareness. Some consider this controversial while others believe they have an
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obligation to speak out against political issues. This research will help to highlight the
important role that athletes play in the media and the sway they carry in the public
eye.
68. Synthesis and Studies of Organic Semiconductors
Jack Rodes
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Organic semiconductors play a significant role in modern electronic devices such as
solar panels and smartphone displays. Organic semiconductors are becoming
increasingly popular to commercialize because the synthesis process is affordable,
light in weight, and abundant. Many organic semiconductors consist of compounds
with conjugated π-bonds that achieve aromaticity. Extended aromatic molecular
systems allow electrons to delocalize within the molecule and its ordered crystalline
structure, which gives the material its semiconducting properties. A common building
block for organic semiconductor synthesis is pentacene. The stacking of pentacene
molecules is often referred to as “herringbone” packing and adding different
substituents in the peri-positions allows the molecule to become fully conjugated. In
this research, the synthesis of organic semiconductor triisopropylsilyl ethynyl (TIPS)
pentacene and anthradithiophene were conducted.
69. Tasmanite Preservation after Black Shale Digestion
Kevli Sheth
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Falk, Biology
Changes in biodiversity during the late Givetian and early Frasnian periods (392-383
mya) may foreshadow the Late Devonian mass extinction (375 mya). Black shales in
the Appalachian basin house fluorescent tasmanites (paleoalgal spores) that provide
insight into the paleoclimate of the Middle-Late Devonian periods. Before analyzing
tasmanites, they must be liberated from black shales. We will perform the following
three methods of black shale digestion and determine the safest and most effective:
freeze-thaw cycles with deionized water, freeze-thaw cycles with saturated sodium
sulfate solution, and quaternary ammonium surfactant digestion, which Meehan et al.
(2020) suggests will be the most successful. The rate and thoroughness of each
digestion method will be determined by comparing the number of tasmanites and the
average area of fluorescence in each experimental group, revealing each black shale
digestion method’s efficacy.
70. The Effects of Estrogen and Cocaine on the Locomotor Activity of Male Japanese
Quail
Emma Silvert & Skylan Thompson
Mentor: Dr. Karin Gill, Behavioral Neuroscience
Previous research in mammals suggests that females may be more vulnerable to drug
addiction compared to males, an effect that has largely been attributed to estrogen.
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POSTER PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
Recent work in female quail suggests that estrogen may not impact drug addiction in
the same way as it does in female rodents, but this effect has not been studied in male
quail. The present study investigated whether estrogen would increase the
development of cocaine-induced locomotor activity in male Japanese quail. The study
showed that males given both estrogen and cocaine had an increase in locomotor
activity compared to the females and control males. The results of the current study
suggest that male quail may be more vulnerable to the effects of estrogen when
combined with cocaine compared to female quail, a finding that is opposite from
mammalian research.
71. SAA Football EP and EPA Analysis
Cloe Spracklen & Jane Zhang
Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Heath, Mathematics & Data Science
The purpose of this research project was to provide meaningful insights about
Expected Points (EP) in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) to the Centre College
Football coaching staff to improve game day play. EP are the amount of points a
football team is expected to gain during their drive given their yardage and other
game parameters.
72. Inequality in Sports: Discrimination of LGBTQIA+ Athletes
Leslie Stewart
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Starting as early as the 1920s and continuing into the current day, athletes from the
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Agender
Plus (LGBTQIA+) communities have faced various dimensions of discrimination and
stigma associated with their sexual orientation and participation in various athletic
competitions. As we see an increase in the number of LGBTQIA+ athletes that
participate in competitive and professional sport as well as an increase in the number
of rules and regulations that limit their participation in sport, we have seen both
positive and negative impacts on the athletes in the community through news
reporting, media coverage, individual testimonies from the athletes themselves, and
from arguments regarding the policies that focus on LGBTQIA+ athletes. The research
has shown the active discriminations that are placed on the LGBTQIA+ athletic
communities, and how the community is fighting for acceptance, a voice, and a place
in the community.
73. The Scales of Middle Devonian Fishes from the Appalachian Basin of Eastern
Kentucky
Sherice Sutherland
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Falk, Biology
The Devonian Period is a part of the Paleozoic Era and is sometimes referred to as
“The Age of Fishes” because it had an explosive adaptive radiation of several different
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POSTER PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
fish groups. Paradoxically, a mass extinction occurred during the Late Devonian, after
the adaptive radiation, that significantly reduced biodiversity. The Middle Devonian is
still a largely unexplored time period for understanding the events that led to such
rapid decrease in biodiversity. In Kentucky, the Middle Devonian is represented by the
Boyle Formation which includes dolomitic limestone and dark shales. Rock samples
from the Boyle Formation along KY-89 were collected and processed using acetic acid
digestion to make microfossils accessible. Fossil scales were grouped into categories
based on their different characteristics. The sample contained mostly placoderms
indicating that the results of this study are consistent with work done on the Middle
Devonian in other parts of the world.
74. Disparity in Media Coverage in Men’s and Women’s Sports
Anna Thomas
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
When looking at the statistics of media coverage for sports, it is no fair comparison,
with male sports having 95% of the coverage and women’s sports a meager 5%,
according to Purdue University. These statistics have not shifted within the last 30
years, almost since the introduction of the Title IX Act. With this being said, the
inequality of media coverage has a huge impact on the amount of revenue brought in
by the teams, allowing for an even larger gap to form between male and female
athletics. Although it will be a lengthy process to achieve equality in this realm, many
steps have already been taken in the right direction, especially with the widespread
use of social media and the passing of the Equal Pay for Team USA Act in late 2022.
This research will bring attention to these inequalities in sports and bring light to
possible solutions.
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Abstracts
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2023 RICE SYMPOSIUM COMMITTEE
Karin Gill
Karoline Manny
Amy Frederick
Genevieve Bell
Eva Cadavid
Satty Flaherty-Echeverría
Mary Girard
Mei Li Inouye
Alicia Juncos
Drew Morris
Gina Robidoux
Bruce Rodenborn
RICE Symposium Co-chair
RICE Symposium Co-chair
AEGON Gallery Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
Paul L. Cantrell Associate Professor of Philosophy &
Chair of Gender Studies Program
Associate Professor of Spanish
Digital Scholarship Librarian
Assistant Professor of Chinese
Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Welcome Centre Coordinator
Associate Professor of Physics &
Physics Program Chair
**The Undergraduate Research Committee is thankful to all faculty mentors working with
students to make this symposium possible. **
Oral Presentations
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Abstracts
INDEX
Abrams, Andrea
Allshouse, Michael
Ballard, Genny
Barron, Madi
Baston, Griffin
Bazavluk, Uliana
Becker, Audrey
Beebe, John
Bell, Genevieve
Birch, Bryan
Boardman, Alexandra
Bohn, Lindsay
Bonet Velazquez, Lorena
Boone, Mason
Bozdech, Erin
Bradshaw, Michael
Brown, Kate
Brunner, Samuel
Burns-Cusato, Melissa
Carreto Romero, Saira
Casper, Gretchen
Chan, Michelle
Chani, Akenpaul
Christensen, Jørn B.
Combs, Conley
Connolly, Allison
Cotthoff, Samuel
Coulter, Cameron
Cox, Catherine
Crabb, Emily
Curtis, Embry
Cutright, Chelsea
Dahl, Caroline
Desai, Roma
Devarieux, Theresa
Dew, Stephanie
Dickerson, Preston
Di lorio, Dillon
Dodson, Lauren
Dome, Lauren
Oral Presentations
Dutcher, Grace
31
Earle, Jonathon
Egge, Sara
Ellis, Nellie
Falcon, Joseph
Falk, Amanda
Flaherty- Echeverría, Satty
Fleeman, Ali-Grace
Forsting, Simon
Frederick, Amy
Fronk, Christian
Ghamgosar, Faraz
Gill, Karin
Glueck, Amanda
Godlaski, Aaron
Gonzalez, Mary
Greene, Emmy
Gregory, Zachary
Grigoryan, Anahit
Grubbs, Eleanor
Guerrero, Ashley
Guo, Yichen
Hamilton, Mykol
Hammond, Brenna
Harney, John
Harris, Caili
Hauser, Everett
Heath, Jeffrey
Hensley, Piper
Hernandez Fraire, Karen
Hibbs, Gabby
Hollingsworth, Katie
Howell, AJ
Impellitteri, Anna
Jamison, Abby
Jenks, Kelsey
Johnson, Joey
Justice, Ben
Jusufovic, Monika
Kahwai, Muchiri
Khan, Mahmud
Kiesel, Kam
47
35
64
1
48
19, 47
14
30
65
36
14
49
16, 47
7
7, 59
22, 23, 24
37
50
7
14, 15, 18
11
33
51
48
1, 29
2, 3, 4, 19, 20,
21, 38, 39
52
53
54
36
1
52, 58, 67, 72,
74
47
55
11
45
22
65
31
56
40
Poster Presentations
38, 34, 60
8, 9, 10, 25, 26
25
1
69, 73
15, 18
59
31
33
35
14
6, 59, 70
42
5, 29, 30, 42
57
17
56
44, 47
1
64
35
11, 12, 13, 40
44
43
39
13
71
58
1
14
14
47
32, 46
7, 59
42, 53
1
27
1
43
36
60
Abstracts
INDEX
Kinsbrunner, David
Kirtland, Sarah
Koch, Sarah
Kousseff, Christina
Kowalski, Matthew
Leach, William
Lee, Hung
Lester, Natalie
Ligons, Abby
Limerick, Philip
Longmeyer, Laurne
Longmeyer, Madeleine
Lovell, Emy
Lovett, Cameryn
Maleki, Niki
Marks, Sarah
Melvin, Claire
Mijatovic, Una
Miller, Kyla
Morris, Drew
Mullins, Jacqueline
Murry, Sarah
Muzyka, Jennifer
Neltner-Devine, Tyler
Nielsen, Christian
Nieto, Cynthia
Nystrom, Chas
Nystrom, Elsa
Ogaldez, Antonio
Ohm, Madeleine
O’Quin, Claire
O’Quin, Kelly
Pathak, Arjun
Payne, Luke
Pellegrino, Luke
Perello, Melissa
Perkins, Drew
Peterson, Emma
Pham, Vati
Poudel, Prayat
Prusinski, Ellen
Quaye, Nediva
Oral Presentations
Rafkn, Asher
Reese, Brandon
Reid, Austen
Ridener, Emma
Rodenborn, Bruce
Rodes, Jack
Samonds, Molly
Savors, Eleanor
Scott, Ben
Scott, Noah
Sevier, Mamie
Shah, Rikin
Shenton, Jamie
Sheth, Kevli
Silvert, Emma
Skogsberg, KatieAnn
Smith, Samuel
Song, Vanessa
Sprinceana, Iulia
Spracklen, Cloe
Steiner, Nathaniel
Stephens, Jonah
Stewart, Leslie
Stillwell, Kyra
Sutherland, Sherice
Thomas, Anna
Thompson, Skylan
Tilley, Brianna
Vela, Nate
Vincent, Kirsci
Viera Canas, Joseline
Vong, Jennifer
Wachter, Erin
Walker, Meredith
Warren, Natalie
Werner, Brett
Wertz, Jan
White, Brent
Wiltgen, Elena
Zamarripa, Cindy
Zhang, Jane
1
31
1
54
5
61
22
10
14
16
9
14
62
2
29
63
6
21
65
49
66
32, 63
51
67
54
30
1
1
28
20
57
44
36
35
45
59
41
34
47
41
27
1
41
Poster Presentations
1
36
13
6
35, 37
68
6
3
14
23
14
54
1, 17
69
70
31
26
48, 50, 54, 68
14
71
12
24
1, 72
36
73
74
70
37
61
38
12
1
55, 61
62
8
46
62, 66
53, 56
4
1
71
Abstracts
600 West Walnut Street Danville, Kentucky 40422
859-238-5200
April 20, 2023
Dear RICE participants:
Welcome to the 16th annual Centre College RICE Symposium! This event is the culmination of
Undergraduate Research Week, which features a different research-focused event each day.
The RICE (Research, Internships, and Creative Endeavors) Symposium is a forum for showcasing
the outstanding research achievements, creative endeavors, and independent projects
completed by Centre students. An integral part of experiential learning is moving beyond the
consumption of existing knowledge to becoming an active contributor of new knowledge. RICE
represents a unique opportunity for students to share their contributions in a professional,
scholarly setting that is made rich by the active participation of many members of our
community. This event is part of a week-long celebration of research that includes
opportunities for students to talk informally with faculty members about research
opportunities, a convocation delivered by a panel of Centre Alum: Victoria DiMartile ‘15, Emilie
Ducourneau, ‘18 and Shruti Ram, ‘17 who will share their experiences as researchers while at
Centre and their current research projects.
This year, 75 presentations from across the academic disciplines by students are featured,
including 47 oral presentations and 28 poster presentations. In addition, for the first time, the
J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars Program for Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Social Justice Research
will feature the work of six students at 4:30 PM. On Friday, April 21, students who participated
in studio art classes this academic year will host an exhibit of their work in the AEGON Gallery in
the Jones Visual Arts Center. We invite attendees to attend the various oral and poster
presentations, the art exhibition, and see the diversity of what Centre students offer.
Panels typically take two forms. First, to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature and breath of
the scholarly endeavor at Centre College, many presentations are grouped by topic rather than
discipline. Second, when it is important to emphasize the depth of a particular issue or
collaborative research, such as the study that occurred in an advanced seminar class, a panel
may include presentations from only one discipline.
Each oral presentation is scheduled for 15 minutes, including 12 minutes for presenting and
three for discussion. As a courtesy to presenters, please wait until the end of a presentation to
leave a session. Thank you for your consideration and enjoy the Symposium!
Sincerely,
Karin Gill and Karoline Manny
2023 RICE Symposium Co-chairs
Oral Presentations
2
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
OVERVIEW
APRIL 20, 2023
Oral Presentations
Session 1, Young Hall
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Oral Presentations
Session 2, Young Hall
2:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Oral Presentations
Session 3, Young Hall
3:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.
Atkins Scholars, Young 113
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Poster Presentations
Lobby, Young Hall
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
APRIL 21, 2023
Art Exhibition Opening
AEGON Gallery, Jones Visual Arts Center
3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Oral Presentations, at a glance
3
Poster Presentations, at a glance
7
Art Exhibition
10
Oral Presentation Abstracts
11
Poster Presentation Abstracts
36
Committee
39
Name Index
40
Oral Presentations
3
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 1-a
Young 111
Moderator
Jamie
Shenton
1:30 p.m.
to
2:30 p.m.
1
Models for Successful Aging in a Central Kentucky Assisted Living
Facility
Madi Barron, Conley Combs, Embry Curtis, Joseph Falcon, Eleanor
Grubbs, Karen Hernandez Fraire, Joey Johnson, Monika Jusufovic,
David Kinsbrunner, Sarah Koch, Chas Nystrom, Elsa Nystrom,
Nediva Quaye, Asher Rafkin, Leslie Stewart, Jennifer Vong & Cindy
Zamarripa
SESSION 1-b
Young 112
Moderator
Allison
Connolly
1:30 p.m.
2
1:50 p.m.
3
2:10 p.m.
4
How the French Fueled Feminism
Cameryn Lovett
Comparative Pedagogies: France, US, Quebec
Eleanor Savors
Politesse: The Rules of Etiquette, Self-Conduct, and Cohabitation
in France
Elena Wiltgen
SESSION 1-c
Young 110
Moderator
Karin Gill
1:30 p.m.
5
1:50 p.m.
6
2:10 p.m.
7
1:30 p.m.
8
1:50 p.m.
9
2:10 p.m.
10
1:30 p.m.
11
1:50 p.m.
12
2:10 p.m.
13
SESSION 1-d
Young 138
Moderator
Mary Girard
SESSION 1-e
Young 101
Moderator
Mykol
Hamilton
Oral Presentations
Effect of pinene odor on the stress response of Long-Evans rats
Matthew Kowalski
Examining the Role of Estrogen and Cocaine in Locomotor Activity
in Japanese Quail
Claire Melvin, Emma Ridener & Molly Samonds
Endogenous Opiates and Incubation in Ringneck Doves
Mason Boone, Erin Bozdech & Abby Jamison
On the Knife’s Edge: Race, Womanhood, and Radicalism in the
Lives of Mother Jones and Lucy Parsons
Natalie Warren
Queer Identity in the Weimar Republic
Lauren Longmeyer
The History of Lesbianism in the United States Interwar Period
Natalie Lester
Torture
Gretchen Casper & Theresa Devarieux
The Death Penalty: Attitudes & Effectiveness
Nathaniel Steiner & Joseline Viera Canas
Solitary Confinement
Everett Hauser & Austen Reid
4
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 1-f
Young 113
Moderator
Iulia
Sprinceana
1:30 p.m.
to
2:30 p.m.
14
Love, Fantasy and Horror in the Spanish-Speaking World
Audrey Becker, Alexandra Boardman, Saira Carreto Romero, Faraz
Ghamgosar, Gabby Hibbs, Katie Hollingsworth, Abby Ligons,
Madeleine Longmeyer, Ben Scott & Mamie Sevier
10 minute break
SESSION 2-a
Young 111
Moderator
Philip
Limerick
SESSION 2-b
Young 112
Moderator
Allison
Connolly
SESSION 2-c
Young 110
Moderator
Michael
Bradshaw
Oral Presentations
2:40 p.m.
15
2:55 p.m.
16
3:10 p.m.
17
3:25 p.m.
18
2:40 p.m.
19
3:00 p.m.
20
3:20 p.m.
21
2:40 p.m.
22
3:00 p.m.
23
3:20 p.m.
24
The Social Media World of Spanglish: Building Community
Saira Carreto Romero
Desafiando la normativa: El cuerpo y el poder en el trabajo de
Krudxs Cubensi
Lorena Bonet Velazquez
Yanga: una narrativa trans-localizada de la mexicanidad y la
diáspora // Yanga: A Trans-localized Narrative of Mexicanidad
and Diaspora
Emmy Greene
Understanding The Importance of Carnaval Tlaxcalteca in New
Haven, CT, USA
Saira Carreto Romero
Poetry as a Way of Escape: Russian Immigrant’s Experience of the
1920’s in France as illustrated by the Life of Georgy Ivanov
Uliana Bazavluk
The reciprocal influence of gastronomy between France,
Morocco, and Vietnam
Madeleine Ohm
The Untold Stories of the Vietnamese People Living in the
Francophone World
Una Mijatovic
Arcane Architect: The Art of AI Navigation in Video Games
Preston Dickerson & Hung Lee
A Game Engine from Scratch: Research and Challenges
Noah Scott
Making a Minimap: The Problem of Perspective
Jonah Stephens
5
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 2-d
Young 138
Moderator
Mary Girard
2:40 p.m.
25
2:55 p.m.
26
3:10 p.m.
27
3:25 p.m.
28
SESSION 2-e
Young 101
Moderator
Melissa
BurnsCusato
2:40 p.m.
29
3:00 p.m.
30
3:20 p.m.
31
SESSION 2-f
Young 113
Moderator
Sarah
Murray
2:40 p.m.
32
3:00 p.m.
33
3:20 p.m.
34
ASL interpreted
Women Soldiers in the Bloody Harlan Labor War
Nellie Ellis
Liquor as a Lost Cause? Anti-Prohibition Arguments in Kentucky
Samuel Smith
History of Education Policy and Deaf Children's Voices
Ben Justice
Language Use to Suppress Japanese Americans in WWII
Antonio Ogaldez
Get Your Plant On: Effect of Engagement on Mental Wellbeing
Conley Combs & Niki Maleki
Playing with Plants: The Effects of Indoor Live Plant Presence on
Physiological and Psychological Markers of Stress and Mood
John Beebe & Cynthia Nieto
Measuring the Testing Effect through ERPs
Lauren Dodson, Grace Dutcher, Simon Forsting & Sarah Kirtland
Chasing the Sun Across the Gold Coast: Poetry and Prose
Anna Impellitteri
Writing a One-Woman Show
Michelle Chan
The Evolution of Japanese Poetry as a Result of Japanese
Internment Camps
Emma Peterson
10 Minute Break
SESSION 3-a
Young 111
Moderator
Bruce
Rodenborn
Oral Presentations
3:50 p.m.
35
4:10 p.m.
36
4:30 p.m.
37
Energy Dissipation in Reflecting Internal Waves
Christian Fronk & Luke Payne
Exploring new materials for environmentally friendly magnetic
refrigeration
Bryan Birch
Calibrating Numerical Simulations with Macroscopic Bacterial
Models
Brianna Tilley & Kate Brown
6
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
SESSION 3-b
Young 112
Moderator
Allison
Connolly
3:50 p.m.
38
4:10 p.m.
39
4:30 p.m.
40
SESSION 3-c
Young 110
Moderator
Michael
Bradshaw
3:50 p.m.
41
4:10 p.m.
42
4:30 p.m.
43
SESSION 3-d
Young 138
Moderator
Kelly O’Quin
3:50 p.m.
44
4:10 p.m.
45
SESSION 3-f
Young 113
Moderator
Brett
Werner
3:50 p.m.
to
4:20 p.m.
46
Gang activity in Haiti
Kirsci Vincent
Processing Violence: an analysis of Rwanda 94
Caili Harris
Master Conductor: Examining Ticket to Ride Using Mathematical
Concepts
Drew Perkins
Running the virtual race: A systematic review to understand
virtual reality and gaming research
Kelsey Jenks
History Bots
Muchiri Kahwai
Health of Belizean Coral Reefs
Anahit Grigoryan & Brenna Hammond
Adventures in Ophthalmology: Eye Diseases in Tanzania
Luke Pellegrino
Isotope Analysis at Centre College: How We Can Use It and Where
It Can Take Us
Anna Impellitteri
J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars
47
Young 113
Moderator
Andrea
Abrams
Oral Presentations
4:30 p.m.
to
5:30 p.m.
Caroline Dahl, Uliana Bazavluk, Anahit Grigoryan, AJ Howell, Vati
Pham & Lorena Bonet Velazquez
The Atkins Scholars Program supports research or art focused on
diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice. An Atkins Scholar
contributes to a more just world through intellectual inquiry and
practice. The six scholars will present their research on access to
eating disorder treatment, Centre College's commitment to
student health and wellness, military conflict and women's health,
Buddhism's relationship with queerness, decolonial feminisms in
the Spanish-speaking world, and photographic analysis of BIPOC
(Black, Indigenous, and people of color) Identity.
7
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Atrium of Young Hall
48. Dendrimer and Organic Semiconductor Synthesis
Griffin Baston
49. You: Mental Illness or just a Thrilling TV show?
Lindsay Bohn
50. Synthesis of Advanced Lignin Model Polymers
Samuel Brunner
51. Computational Analysis of Possible SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics
Akenpaul Chani
52. Throwing Queerness into the Ring
Samuel Cotthoff
53. Laid back like a sloth: Do they have measurable levels of the stress hormone-cortisol?
Cameron Coulter & Kelsey Jenks
54. Functional Semiconducting Molecule Derivatives
Catherine Cox, Christina Kousseff*, Christian Nielsen* & Rikin Shah*
*Queen Mary University of London
55. Exploiting the Warburg effect using transition metal complexes
Roma Desai
56. Does hair cortisol correspond to fecal cortisol in an injured grizzly bear?
Lauren Dome & Zachary Gregory
57. Inheritance of Scleral Width in Mexican Tetra
Mary Gonzalez
58. Language, Gender, and Sport: How do they relate?
Piper Hensley
59. The Effects of Social Media on the Physiological Markers of Stress
Erin Bozdech, Ali-Grace Fleeman, Abby Jamison & Melissa Perello
Oral Presentations
8
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Atrium of Young Hall
60. The Capitalistic Approach to Nazi Germany Propaganda
Kam Kiesel
61. Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with attached NSAIDs (Non steroidal anti
inflammatory drugs) as potential dual mechanism of action therapeutics
William Leach & Nate Vela
62. The Impact of Support Systems on Gender Diverse Individuals
Emy Lovell & Meredith Walker
63. Social Norms in Ghanaian University Students
Sarah Marks
64. Afro-Latine Identity
Ashley Guerrero
65. The Effects of Mating on Female Drosophila Bitter Taste Detection
Dillon Di Iorio & Kyla Miller
66. Preliminary Research: Inter-Racial/-Ethnic Community Interaction to Improve
Relations across Diverse Groups
Jacqueline Mullins
67. Athletes’ Political Voices Within the Media
Tyler Neltner-Devine
68. Synthesis and Studies of Organic Semiconductors
Jack Rodes
69. Tasmanite Preservation after Black Shale Digestion
Kevli Sheth
70. The Effects of Estrogen and Cocaine on the Locomotor Activity of Male Japanese
Quail
Emma Silvert & Skylan Thompson
71. SAA Football EP and EPA Analysis
Cloe Spracklen & Jane Zhang
Oral Presentations
9
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT A GLANCE
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Atrium of Young Hall
72. Inequality in Sports: Discrimination of LGBTQIA+ Athletes
Leslie Stewart
73. The Scales of Middle Devonian Fishes from the Appalachian Basin of Eastern
Kentucky
Sherice Sutherland
74. Disparity in Media Coverage in Men’s and Women’s Sports
Anna Thomas
Oral Presentations
10
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
Oral Presentations
11
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
1. Models for Successful Aging in a Central Kentucky Assisted Living Facility
Madi Barron, Conley Combs, Embry Curtis, Joseph Falcon, Eleanor Grubbs, Karen
Hernandez Fraire, Joey Johnson, Monika Jusufovic, David Kinsbrunner, Sarah Koch,
Chas Nystrom, Elsa Nystrom, Nediva Quaye, Asher Rafkin, Leslie Stewart, Jennifer Vong
& Cindy Zamarripa
Mentor: Dr. Jamie Shenton, Anthropology
This session will present the ongoing research of students in ANT 301: Qualitative Field
Methods. Students partner with an assisted living facility in Danville, KY. Their
research aims to understand various dimensions of successful aging within the context
of this assisted living facility. What are the models for aging our society has developed,
and in what ways do they represent or fail to represent the lived experiences of the
elderly in this assisted living facility? Students will explore these questions in a variety
of ways: gendered experiences of aging; social versus medical models for aging;
dependence, independence, and interdependence; home; care and love; loneliness;
activities; among others.
2. How the French Fueled Feminism
Cameryn Lovett
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
French feminist activists, such as Simone de Beauvoir, Gisèle Halimi, and Simone Veil
led the way for women and women's rights starting in the mid 1900s and continuing
into the 21st century. These women advocated for social and political change by
writing books and participating in law or the government with positions in the French
National Assembly or even as President of the European Parliament. Their actions
changed the world with their feminist ideologies and affected more than just France.
They did amazing things for women, including legalizing abortion and sharing their
thoughts with the world via books about feminist theory. These women worked to
make institutional changes in France by using their power and taking a legal approach
rather than using things like vandalism that are key to modern day France’s protests.
3. Comparative Pedagogies: France, US, Quebec
Eleanor Savors
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
Building on my prior research “Comparative Pedagogies: France and US,”
“Comparative Pedagogies: France, US, Québec” adds the perspective of Québécois
foreign language education. Employing a variety of sources, including articles on the
topic of foreign language education in Québec and also instruction manuals from
Québec for language teachers, this extension will add the perspective of Québec. The
project will begin with a discussion of the educational systems of each of the three
countries, particularly with regards to foreign languages (at what age does foreign
language instruction begin, how many languages and hours are necessary to graduate,
etc.). Next the project will continue with a discussion of the pedagogy of teaching
Oral Presentations
12
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
foreign language, particularly the activities that are used in the classroom in order to
engage students with the language that they are learning.
4. Politesse: The Rules of Etiquette, Self-Conduct, and Cohabitation in France
Elena Wiltgen
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
One is not born without a sense of etiquette. It is a tool, a skill, and sometimes it is
even a class. Manners is something used by the whole world, but exactly how it is
presented, that depends on several particular factors. In France, polite social conduct
demands certain rituals during interactions. Correspondence, purchases, dining all
have their own rules. The little nuances of dress, utensil choice, everything is
important when one wants to correctly conduct oneself in a new situation. Etiquette is
a framework of how to live, and good manners are a way to properly conduct oneself.
The rules of cohabitation, particularly in special citations or among the upper classes,
“politesse” contains more than your choice of utensil: it is a method to demonstrate
your social comprehension. Beginning with the history of dining etiquette and tracing
the roots of etiquette, I will uncover the specifics of French rituals and how “politesse”
functions nowadays. This presentation is in French.
5. Effect of pinene odor on the stress response of Long-Evans rats
Matthew Kowalski
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
Chronic stress is correlated with numerous negative health outcomes. Recent studies
suggest that exposure to natural environments can reduce stress. One proposed
pathway for this effect is via inhalation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released
by plants. In this study rodents will be exposed to VOCs in the presence of a mildly
stressful stimulus. Stress response will be measured via respirometry. It is
hypothesized that the experimental group will demonstrate a more rapid return to
baseline as measured by CO2 output and O2 consumption. Results could guide future
research, which may focus on humans and their response to natural odors.
6. Examining the Role of Estrogen and Cocaine in Locomotor Activity in Japanese Quail
Claire Melvin, Emma Ridener & Molly Samonds
Mentor: Dr. Karin Gill, Behavioral Neuroscience
Prior research has suggested that a sex difference is present in patterns of drug use
and abuse. Based upon prior research in rodents, estrogen has been implicated as the
hormone responsible for increased cocaine-induced responses. This suggests that
female and male quail administered exogenous estrogen may experience similar
behavior alterations. Recent studies have also shown that disruption of the light-dark
cycles of hormone release in Japanese quail alter cocaine-induced behavioral
sensitization in both sexes. For the most recent study, sixteen male Japanese quail and
sixteen female Japanese quail were subjected to cocaine and saline conditions with
Oral Presentations
13
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Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
eight of the male Japanese quail receiving an exogenous estradiol injection. The data
from the present study were consistent with previous studies, as these results suggest
that male Japanese quail that received estradiol injections exhibited increased
cocaine-induced locomotor activity.
7. Endogenous Opiates and Incubation in Ringneck Doves
Mason Boone, Erin Bozdech & Abby Jamison
Mentor: Dr. Melissa Burns-Cusato, Behavioral Neuroscience
Previous research has found a connection between the endogenous opiate system
and parental incubation and behavior in the ringneck dove species. The current study
investigated the effects of an opiate agonist (morphine) on the incubation behavior of
both male and female ringneck doves. Different doses of morphine and saline were
used in a 2x3 mixed factorial design. Following injections, latency to return to the nest
was recorded on a ratio scale. Morphine disrupted incubation behavior in both sexes
but effects were greatest in females. Additionally, there was a dose effect in females
but not in males. The results suggest females’ opiate system may be more sensitive to
the rewarding effects of incubation behavior. Future research includes running more
subjects and investigating the effects of an opiate antagonist (naloxone).
8. On the Knife’s Edge: Race, Womanhood, and Radicalism in the Lives of Mother Jones
and Lucy Parsons
Natalie Warren
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
This research analyzes the lives and work of Lucy Parsons and Mother (Mary Harris)
Jones, both of whom were radical labor activists circa 1870-1930. Parsons was born an
enslaved woman in Virginia, but in her adult life, she married a white Anarchist,
worked mostly with other white Anarchists, and publicly identified herself as
Indigenous-Mexican. Jones was an Irish American Socialist who organized coal miners,
notably also organizing the wives and children. This project examines how these
activists attempted to either transcend or embrace their gender and racial identities in
relation to their radical beliefs. My argument is first, that Lucy Parsons attempted to
transcend her race to access the protected status of womanhood that was not
afforded to her by her Blackness; and second, that both women utilized perceptions of
womanhood to their advantage in their activism, translating the idea of motherly
authority and responsibility into their revolutionary agenda.
9. Queer Identity in the Weimar Republic
Lauren Longmeyer
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
This essay studies the f ways in which queer people during the Weimar Republic tried
to define their identities and argue for the removal of laws criminalizing
homosexuality, in 1920s Germany. I studied this in order to understand how the
Oral Presentations
14
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
earliest Gay Rights movement operated, why specific arguments were made, and why
it ultimately failed. In order to research this, I looked into magazines, the work of
Magnus Hirschfeld, the head of the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, the papers of
Johanna Elberkirchen, a lesbian feminist, and a memoir by Ernst Röhm who was both a
Nazi and a gay man. Queer people in the Weimar Republic used the science of
sexology and eugenics, the new democratic state of Germany, and burgeoning
political movements like feminism and fascism to both build their identities and
legitimize themselves in the eyes of the broader public. The movement ultimately
failed to unify behind a single identity, or adapt to the changing political climate, but
left a lasting legacy
10. The History of Lesbianism in the United States Interwar Period
Natalie Lester
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
For my history seminar last fall, I researched the growth of lesbianism and lesbian
visibility during the United States interwar period. Common history classes teach the
technological, economic, and popular social changes that occurred in the years
between the World Wars, but they always neglect the queer side of history. Between
1920 and 1938, the lesbian community grew exponentially in urban areas despite the
illegality of homosexuality. During my studies, I kept hitting walls with a drastic lack of
evidence or research dedicated to the growth of lesbianism in the United States. So, I
decided to create a concise history of the most formidable time in the American
lesbian community. At a time where queer rights are at risk, my presentation will
highlight how queer people have always been vital to our country. Queer history is
American history.
11. Torture
Gretchen Casper & Theresa Devarieux
Mentor: Dr. Mykol Hamilton, Psychology
Is torture effective enough to be worth the horrendous psychological effects it inflicts
on its victims? And even if it is effective, is it morally ethical? Research often supports
the notion that torture does more harm than good and should be outlawed. After all,
torture can have debilitating psychological effects on both the victims and the
torturers. On the other hand, some people see torture as justifiable, if it prevents
greater harm to society. This further begs the question of whether or not torture is
worth it and which we hope you can decide based on our presentation.
12. The Death Penalty: Attitudes & Effectiveness
Nathaniel Steiner & Joseline Viera Canas
Mentor: Mykol Hamilton, Psychology
The death penalty sentence has a long history in the United States’ judicial system.
Since early civilization, dying as punishment was implemented through various means
Oral Presentations
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Abstracts
ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
of execution. Today, Americans are generally divided in half on their acceptance of the
death penalty. It is legal in 27 states, and citizens in favor are typically less educated.
Infamous criminals have had overwhelming and public support for their executions,
but previous research shows it is not effective in deterring crime. Centre College
students residing in various states were interviewed on certain opinionated
statements on the death penalty, its effectiveness, and its morality. The results did not
provide a significant conclusion, but specific answers give insight to contrasting
opinions. The means have also evolved over the last few decades, but all of them can
and often do cause suffering, a violation of the Eighth Amendment. Wrongful
convictions resulting in death were explored through case studies.
13. Solitary Confinement
Everett Hauser & Austen Reid
Mentor: Dr. Mykol Hamilton, Psychology
Solitary Confinement is a common form of punishment defined as the isolated
containment of an inmate for 22-23 hours per day with limited human contact. The
United Nations has issued a set of guidelines stressing that solitary confinement
should be a last resort, only used for the shortest possible duration, and the
importance of the inmate’s health. Using research both historical and recent, we will
analyze interviews from confined inmates describing their experiences and the
prognosis of their psychology and physiological symptoms. As well as address the
numerous psychological and physiological symptoms that are elicited. Our research
has led us to further question the effectiveness and legality of solitary confinement.
All of this questions both the legality and use of solitary confinement based on the
guidelines set by the United Nations.
14. Love, Fantasy and Horror in the Spanish-Speaking World
Audrey Becker, Alexandra Boardman, Saira Carreto Romero, Faraz Ghamgosar, Gabby
Hibbs, Katie Hollingsworth, Abby Ligons, Madeleine Longmeyer, Ben Scott & Mamie
Sevier
Mentor: Dr. Iulia Sprinceana, Spanish
Have you heard of a woman lurking and hollering at night, looking for children
wandering alone? She is the notorious La Llorona, cursed for eternity for having
drowned her own children in a moment of jealousy and insanity. Such legends, or
myths about cursed homes as well as large-scale, brutal historical events have sparked
the creation of horror films. The horror, trauma and pain experienced in reality are
sometimes archived in stories and anecdotes under the cover of love and fantasy. We
propose a roundtable discussion with the students in SPA 500 “Love, Fantasy and
Horror.” They will present their research in the course, exploring themes of love,
fantasy, and horror in cultural artifacts (fiction, feature films, TV shows) from the
Spanish-speaking world. These presentations will provide an understanding of how
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ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS
topics such as the body and its transformations, motherhood, and children, are critical
in the configuration of gender ideology and sexuality, and national identity.
15. The Social Media World of Spanglish: Building Community
Saira Carreto Romero
Mentor: Dr. Philip Limerick, Spanish
The current project is focused on the use of Spanglish (the mixing of Spanish and
English when speaking) by Mexican/Mexican American individuals on social media as a
way to foster solidarity and build community. This independent study analyzes how
social media posts in Spanglish have become a prevalent mode of expression,
represent cultural significance, and are a direct result of immigration. The data was
collected from TikTok and YouTube videos, two understudied platforms in
sociolinguistic scholarship in comparison to other sites (e.g. Twitter, Facebook). For
the presentation, various social media clips will be shown along with a qualitative
analysis of the data.
16. Desafiando la normativa: El cuerpo y el poder en el trabajo de Krudxs Cubensi
Lorena Bonet Velazquez
Mentor: Dr. Satty Flaherty-Echeverría, Spanish & Latin American Studies
En esta presentación, examinamos el trabajo de Krudxs Cubensi, un duo de hip-hop de
Cuba viviendo en los Estados Unidos que utiliza su arte para desafiar los feminismos
hegemónicos y heteronormativos. A través de un análisis de sus canciones y videos del
2014: “Poderosxs”, “Mi cuerpo es mío”, “Mi Barba” demostramos el peligro de
subscribirnos a la normativa. No es coincidencia que su resistencia ya es decolonial en
práctica, y sus formas innovadoras de centrar a las personas en los márgenes nos
empuja a evaluar nuestra posición social y traicionar nuestros privilegios.
17. Yanga: una narrativa trans-localizada de la mexicanidad y la diaspora
Yanga: A Trans-localized Narrative of Mexicanidad and Diaspora
Emmy Greene
Mentor: Dr. Satty Flaherty-Echeverría, Spanish
Emmy nos trae a través de una examinación de la figura de Yanga en el mundo
contemporáneo. Yanga, el “primer liberador de América,” era una persona esclavizada
que vivió en Veracruz, México durante el siglo dieciséis. Estableció una comunidad de
otros fugitivos en las montañas de Veracruz. Permanecieron allá por 30 años, y
finalmente después de una triunfo sobre el ejército del gobierno colonial. El gobierno
firmó un tratado que reconocía oficialmente esta comunidad de Yanga como una
comunidad libre. Emmy examina como la imagen de Yanga como una figura geohistórica es interpretada en diferentes contextos locales, incluyendo en la literatura, la
música, y el carnaval en Yanga, México. Emmy explicará como estos niveles muestran
que aunque Yanga es una figura histórica, también funciona como un mito cultural
para crear un entendimiento inclusivo y trans-localizado de la diáspora
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afrodescendiente en contraste con la narrativa nacional de la mexicanidad.
18. Understanding The Importance of Carnaval Tlaxcalteca in New Haven, CT, USA
Saira Carreto Romero
Mentor: Dr. Jamie Shenton, Anthropology
My research focuses on the celebration of Tlaxcala’s Carnaval in the state of
Connecticut. My goal was to understand why people from Tlaxcala who had
immigrated to Connecticut felt the need to celebrate Carnaval if they were no longer
in their home country. More specifically, I wanted to know what was so significant
about Carnaval that it needed to be celebrated and preserved. I conducted interviews
with people who participated in Connecticut’s Carnaval but were born in Tlaxcala to
better understand why it was so important to them. I concluded that Carnaval is a way
to connect to Tlaxcala despite not being able to be there physically, resist assimilation,
and teach younger generations (who were born in the United States) about Carnaval
and their cultural roots to Tlaxcala, Mexico.
19. Poetry as a Way of Escape: Russian Immigrant’s Experience of the 1920’s in France as
illustrated by the Life of Georgy Ivanov
Uliana Bazavluk
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
This presentation (in French) will shed light on the lives of White Russian immigrants
in France during the 1920’s, as many fled the former Russian empire in the wake of
the Russian Revolution (1917) and Russian Civil War (1917 - 1923), and who were in
opposition to the revolutionary Bolshevik communist Russian political climate. Georgy
Ivanov, a prominent Russian poet, was one of the first of these emigres. His life in
Paris reveals the experience of Russian emigres in France during the time, and his
poetry offers complex sentiments of longing and loss. In the course of the
presentation, we will learn more about Ivanov’s life in Paris, and take in his poetry translated to French by the presenter.
20. The reciprocal influence of gastronomy between France, Morocco, and Vietnam
Madeleine Ohm
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
France’s identity as a colonial power resulted in strong influence on the languages,
laws, and architecture of its colonies. Two examples of this are Vietnam and Morocco.
The decision to invade Vietnam was the result of both missionary propaganda and a
larger French influence of Asian territories. In 1912, France imposed a protectorate
over Morocco and spent the next two decades controlling the legislation, military
defense, and overall jurisdiction of the nation. When these nations gained
independence from France, the formal influence of France was gone, but what
remained was a prominent cultural influence. Today, we can look at the ways in which
France has influenced the cuisine of Vietnam and Morocco, and vice versa. Because
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gastronomy is a cornerstone feature of French identity, this study aims to compare
and contrast the reciprocal impact of cuisine in Vietnamese, Moroccan, and French
cultures.
21. The Untold Stories of the Vietnamese People Living in the Francophone World
Una Mijatovic
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
There are approximately 660,000 French speakers in Asia and the Middle East.
Likewise, there are around 400,000 people who form the Vietnamese diaspora in
France. This relationship exists between these two parts of the world due to lingering
French colonial influence. As a daughter of immigrants, the subject of the Vietnamesefrancophone identity appeals to me because of the way we can use it as a lens to
approach universal messages, such as the struggles of immigration, cross-cultural
identity, and assimilation into a new country. While there is much history to uncover
about the connection between France and Vietnam, the Vietnam-francophone
population remains the least-talked about group in the francophone world. I will
explore the Vietnamese-francophone identity through the eyes of various Vietnamese
authors. My research aims to contextualize France’s colonial presence in Vietnam, the
impact that the French culture maintains in the region today, and to highlight
underrepresented Vietnamese voices.
22. Arcane Architect: The Art of AI Navigation in Video Games
Preston Dickerson & Hung Lee
Mentor: Dr. Michael Bradshaw, Computer Science
Arcane Architect is a game that allows you to create your own school of magic. While
the player sets policies, the AI moves the characters in the world. Before the AI can
move characters, the game engine must build a navigation mesh to show the AI where
characters can travel. Unreal Engine provides a default navigation mesh, but it is very
inefficient during startup. We created the navigation mesh manually to perform the
same actions and improved the startup time by 28307%. This presentation will discuss
the process of implementation and effectiveness of our designs.
23. A Game Engine from Scratch: Research and Challenges
Noah Scott
Mentor: Dr. Michael Bradshaw, Computer
Science Most game developers use prebuilt game engines, like Unreal and Unity.
Game engines are a foundation on which developers can quickly and easily build their
envisioned games. I decided to build a game engine myself. This presentation will
cover the challenges in research, organization, planning, optimization, and design
when building such a large project starting at such a low level; focusing on the
challenges of implementing a “physics engine,” a core part of the game engine.
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24. Making a Minimap: The Problem of Perspective
Jonah Stephens
Mentor: Dr. Michael Bradshaw, Computer Science
How do video games make a minimap? Do they just plop a camera in the sky, show
the feed, and call it a day? Place a camera an infinite distance away? Show an
abstraction of the world? This presentation explores the linear and not-so-linear
algebra behind perspective projections, explaining the math behind the distortion we
see in pictures. This, among other things, is all in an attempt to make a minimap that is
correct, looks nice, and has one glaring function: transporting the player from where
they are to where in the world they clicked on the minimap.
25. Women Soldiers in the Bloody Harlan Labor War
Nellie Ellis
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
This presentation investigates the roles of women fighters in the 1930s labor war
"Bloody Harlan" in Harlan County, Kentucky. Many Harlan Countians claimed that
women played a passive role in the war. However, research shows that women had a
strong presence on the battlefield. Incorporating evidence from newspapers, oral
histories, reports, and scholarly secondary sources, this presentation shows that
women were organizers, strategists, and soldiers in "Bloody Harlan." Still, men and
women alike have downplayed the role of women due to existing gendered divisions
in Harlan County and a dislike of the communist-affiliated National Miners Union that
played a significant role in the initial organization of women in the labor war.
26. Liquor as a Lost Cause? Anti-Prohibition Arguments in Kentucky
Samuel Smith
Mentor: Dr. Sara Egge, History
The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, banning the manufacture and
sale of alcohol, came from a century long push by dry activists, and frequently
involved racist, anti-immigrant, and anti-Catholic appeals to white American
protestants. The Eighteenth Amendment, known informally as the Volstead Act, faced
immediate criticism across the United States. Unlike broader national arguments
against prohibition that focused on individual rights or the unenforceable nature of
the Volstead Act, the tactics adopted by anti-prohibition advocates in Kentucky took
on racist, anti-immigrant, and patriarchal overtones incredibly rapidly. White male
Kentuckians across the state used anti-prohibition rhetoric to argue that they
dominated Kentucky society, using the image of the Kentucky colonel, to reaffirm their
political and social control over the Commonwealth against the changes of the
Volstead Act and the progressive movement more broadly.
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27. History of Education Policy and Deaf Children's Voices
Ben Justice
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Prusinski, Education
Modern education policy that impacts deaf education has largely been without the
inclusion of Deaf thought and philosophy, so then it is even more crucial to reframe
modern policies using Deaf voices. The perception of Deaf people in Kentucky from
the early 1800s to 2000s shifted although remained persistently negative. These
perceptions of deafness influenced policy, which impacted Deaf experiences. Deaf
voices have been historically silenced and continue to be disregarded today in the
space of deaf education. So, many of these experiences have continued to this day.
This presentation explains the history of these education policies that impact deaf
education and reframes modern-day policy using memoirs in the Kentucky Standard
and memoirs of deaf students in the modern day. By doing this, this presentation
raises concerns about our current education laws and explores how, by listening to
deaf voices, we can improve our education system to be more effective for deaf
students.
28. Language Use to Suppress Japanese Americans in WWII
Antonio Ogaldez
Mentor: Dr. Jonathon Earle, History
Language is a powerful tool that has been used to suppress groups in the past and in
the present. The internment camps of the Japanese Americans during WWII are no
different. Using newspapers that feature English and Japanese translations, as well as
accounts of those in the camps, the use of language was utilized as a method to
enforce American ideals and suppress others under the guise of nationalism and the
shock of the Pearl Harbor attack. I would like to examine these newspapers, such as
the Topaz Times, in their Japanese and English counterparts, since there was much
editing by the US government for the English version, would the Japanese version be
heavily altered as well and in what ways would it be and also observe other ways the
Japanese language was suppressed.
29. Get Your Plant On: Effect of Engagement on Mental Wellbeing
Conley Combs & Niki Maleki
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
The literature on Horticulture Therapy (HT) indicates that interacting with plants has a
positive impact on mental health outcomes. Increased engagement with plants
improves the effectiveness of HT indicating a dose-response relationship. Further
study of how engagement with plants stands to improve mental health outcomes is
warranted. In this study we will manipulate engagement, one group will arrange their
own miniature plant biome and another that will be given a plant. Both will care for
their plants accordingly for three weeks, at which time we will assess any beneficial
effects on their mood and connection to nature compared to baseline levels. We
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hypothesize both groups will improve from their baseline mood assessment, but that
the individuals in the group who engage more with the plants initially, by creating an
arrangement themselves, will score better on the mood scale corresponding to
positive effects on mood and mental wellbeing.
30. Playing with Plants: The Effects of Indoor Live Plant Presence on Physiological and
Psychological Markers of Stress and Mood
John Beebe & Cynthia Nieto
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
A growing body of research demonstrates benefits of viewing natural landscapes,
including reduced physiological stress and improved mood. Our study aims to analyze
differences between physiological and subjective mood responses between repotting
a plant and a computer based math task when compared to baseline measurements.
Participant’s physiological responses were captured by electrocardiograph and
impedance cardiography, and subjective mood was determined by using the Brief
Mood Introspection Scale. Their physiological responses to either the computer based
task or plant repotting task were compared to their baseline physiological responses
to assess the effects on cardiac physiology. The mood scale assessed self-reported
relaxation and mood directly after completing either task. We hypothesize that when
participants are actively engaging with plants, we will see positive effects on stress
physiology, mood and relaxation compared to participants engaging in computer
based tasks.
31. Measuring the Testing Effect through ERPs
Lauren Dodson, Grace Dutcher, Simon Forsting & Sarah Kirtland
Mentor: Dr. KatieAnn Skogsberg, Cognitive Neuroscience
Each academic year, students take many tests and use a variety of studying methods
in an attempt to retain information related to their classes. Research suggests that
students who engage in recall practices such as quizzes and practice questions,
typically retain information better and longer than those who do not, a phenomenon
known as the testing effect (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006; Batsell et al. 2017; Shobe
2021). While there is extensive research that demonstrates the efficacy of the testing
effect, there are no studies that have used event-related potentials, or ERPs, to
investigate this effect. This study will analyze the P3 waveform, a specific part of the
ERP brain wave associated with rare and meaningful events, such as when an
individual recognizes a correct answer. We expect that participants that quiz
themselves over the material will produce larger P3 waves than those who simply reread the material.
32. Chasing the Sun Across the Gold Coast: Poetry and Prose
Anna Impellitteri
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Murray, Education
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Chasing the Sun Across the Gold Coast is a series of fictionalized poems and prose of
my making sense and finding my way during my semester abroad in Accra, Ghana. As
a whole, the work navigates the various moving pieces of my identity and how it
relates to my new environment, as well as encapsulating some of the moments,
stories, and people I’ve met along the way. It connects my lived experiences in my
daily life and on excursions and my other coursework in the transatlantic slave trade
and globalization to what I have learned in the classroom about intercultural
communication. The coursework is referenced mostly implicitly, but my experiences
are governed by both nonverbal and verbal communication, all of which is
intercultural.
33. Writing a One-Woman Show
Michelle Chan
Mentor: Dr. Amy Frederick, Art History
"One Filipino Woman" is a one-woman show currently being written by Michelle
Devera Chan in her independent study with Dr. Amy Frederick. This play is about her
own life experiences both on and offstage that lead her to become who she is today.
This presentation will highlight her process of being a first-time playwright and how
she has used the creative writing process as a form of catharsis in her healing journey.
She will also be reading several scenes from "One Filipino Woman" and be open to
feedback as she prepares to perform her play for her theatre seminar at the end of the
semester.
34. The Evolution of Japanese Poetry as a Result of Japanese Internment Camps
Emma Peterson
Mentor: Dr. Jonathon Earle, History
This project explores the history of Japanese Internment Poetry during the period
surrounding the Second World War. Senryu is a form of Japanese poetry that does not
rhyme and consists of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables. Senryu groups were
formed in the early 1800s to preserve Japanese culture and to tell mundane tales of
everyday life such as children and homesickness. However, Senryu groups also told
the stories of persevering through discrimination and in turn, created a community in
a completely new environment. Then Executive Order 9066 was released, an order
demanding 120 thousand people of Japanese ancestry were to be forced to relocate.
The poetry then became more than just a way to journal; they became a historical
memoir of life within the camps and a unifying tool to save a community and a
culture.
35. Energy Dissipation in Reflecting Internal Waves
Christian Fronk, Luke Payne, Michael Allshouse-Northeastern University & Yichen GuoUniversity of Texas at Austin
Mentor: Dr. Bruce Rodenborn, Physics
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Determining the energy flux of an internal wave from the experimentally measured
velocity field was made possible by the work of Lee et al. (Lee et al., Phys. Fluids, 26,
2014). This method is used in our work to measure the amount of energy dissipated
when internal waves reflect from sloping boundaries by computing the ratio of the
outgoing energy flux to the incoming energy flux through a surface near the reflection
region. We compare our experimental results to numerical simulations where the
energy flux is known from the pressure and velocity fields. There is good agreement
between our experimental and numerical simulation data, and we find that there are
high rates of energy dissipation during reflection process. We also find that there is a
wave reflected back from the boundary towards the generation site when either the
boundary is rough or the angle of the boundary is close to the angle of the internal
wave beam.
36. Exploring new materials for environmentally friendly magnetic refrigeration
Bryan Birch, Mahmud Khan, Kyra Stillwell, Brandon Reese & Arjun Pathak
Mentor: Dr. Emily Crabb
50% of home and 57% of commercial energy usage comes from refrigeration
technology1. A conventional compression system has a Carnot efficiency of ~40%, the
system retains less than half of its initial energy due to thermal processes. Owing to
the advent of a more energy conscious society, a significant growth in studies2,3
examining the Magnetocaloric Effect (MCE) in magnetic refrigeration systems has
been experienced. The MCE makes possible near room temperature magnetic
refrigeration: an environmentally friendly, highly efficient, vibration-free, and low-cost
alternative to vapor compression refrigeration technologies.4 This study examines the
magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Al0.85+xSi0.15Fe2B2 (x = 0.2, 0.4)
prepared via drop-casting followed by annealing and acid treatment. The secondorder ferromagnetic phase transitions were observed near room temperature (~298–
305 K), and peak magnetic entropy changes (–ΔSM) of more than –6 J kg-1 K-1 were
observed for a field change of 5 T.
37. Calibrating Numerical Simulations with Macroscopic Bacterial Models
Brianna Tilley & Kate Brown
Mentor: Dr. Bruce Rodenborn, Physics
The swimming of microorganisms is typically studied using biological experiments
and/or numerical simulations. However, numerical simulations of microorganisms are
often not compared to precise measurements because of the difficulty of making
microscopic measurements of forces and torques in biological experiments, which are
typically ∼ 10 μm. Instead, our research group uses models of bacteria that are about
35 cm in size and matches the Reynolds number of swimming microorganisms by
using highly viscous silicone oil that is 100,000 times more viscous than water. We can
then measure the forces and torques more easily and scale the results from our
dynamically similar experiments to biologically relevant sizes. We have used our
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experiments to calibrate the method images for regularized Stokeslets and have found
excellent agreement between our data for helices, cylinders, and spheres. Our results
also have confirmed the theory of Jeffrey and Onishi (1981) for the torque on a
cylinder near a plane wall, as reported in Shindell et al., Fluids (2021).
38. Gang activity in Haiti
Kirsci Vincent
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
Gang activity in Haiti is a rising concern as gangs have multiplied in number over the
past five years. (Gangs of Haiti: Expansion, power and an escalating crisis 2022) This is
due to the years of political dysfunction, deteriorating economic conditions, natural
disasters, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, which has all contributed to
creating a weakened state of power. There are approximately 200 gangs across the
country and 95 of the gangs reside in the capital Port au Prince. Many of said gangs
being in cohorts with corrupt politicians which has led many of them to profit directly
from the private sector and deem themselves mercenary partners of the state. This
presentation will highlight the history of gangs and their relationships that date to
1958 under the reign of Francois Duvalier AKA Papa Doc, Haiti’s last dictator. Key
points in my expo will be; the Tonton Macoute (Papa Doc’s Gang), the assassination of
Jouvenel Moise (The last elected president of Haiti), and the current state of the
country (The gang territories in Port au Prince). This presentation will be French and
the goal is to bring awareness to the current state of Haiti.
39. Processing Violence: an analysis of Rwanda 94 and its role in helping victims to
comprehend the thought process of the Hutu nationalists in the Rwandan Genocide
Caili Harris
Mentor: Dr. Allison Connolly, French
Over 100 days in April of 1994, more than 800,000 people were brutally murdered in
the Rwandan genocide. Betrayed by their own neighbors, the Tutsi were attacked by
Hutu militias, leaving the country’s population to mourn those killed. As a mode of
healing, survivors and those who witnessed the tragic events began to write, leading
to a genre of theatre known as the theatre of genocide or in French “le théâtre du
genocide.” Where the written word was not necessarily received, theatre, as one of
the most viewed art forms in Rwanda, provided a physical representation of mourning
and grief, but also recovery and hope. While some narratives focused on themes such
as loss, grief, and memory, playwrights such as Jacques Delcuvellerie and others in
their play Rwanda 94 seek to delve into the motivations of the perpetrators. This
paper aims to focus on the different modes in which the theatre of genocide, but
more specifically Rwanda 94 analyzes the impulses of the murderers.
40. Empty
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41. Master Conductor: Examining Ticket to Ride Using Mathematical Concepts
Drew Perkins
Mentor: Dr. Prayat Pudel, Mathematics
The board game, Ticket to Ride, requires two to five players to put themselves in the
role of a 19th century railroad baron whose sole goal is to control the pathways
between 36 North American cities. Players must accumulate points by building train
lines that connect certain cities. In this talk, we will begin with a brief description of
the game, followed by a discussion of how we can use techniques from graph theory
to make strategic decisions about the game. We will start with an explanation of the
mathematical concepts we utilized before transitioning into how we applied these
ideas to Ticket to Ride. We will conclude by mentioning potential extensions of our
research that we hope to explore in the future.
42. Running the virtual race: A systematic review to understand virtual reality and
gaming research
Kelsey Jenks
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Glueck, Neuroscience, University of Kentucky
Mentor: Dr. Aaron Godlaski, Behavioral Neuroscience
Previous research demonstrated that action video game play improves cognitive
performance on traditional gaming platforms. Action game training with complex and
dynamic settings and time-based responses demonstrated significant increases in
cognitive performance. With the recent commercialization of more advanced and
immersive technologies, more research is needed to investigate the effects these
technologies have on cognitive performance. This systematic review sought to
summarize the recent research involving immersive virtual reality and cognition.
Literature searches were conducted through several scholarly databases and included
key terms such as “immersive virtual reality,” “attention,” “cognition,” “learning,”
“processing speed,” and “working memory.” The goal of this systematic review was to
better understand different immersive virtual reality interventions and their potential
cognitive benefits. This information can and will be used to further improve cognitive
interventions.
43. History Bots
Muchiri Kahwai
Mentor: Dr. John Harney, History
The History Bots project is an educational platform that explores the limitations of
current AI technology and the potential for collaboration between human expertise
and machine learning. The project involves creating an AI chatbot that allows students
to explore different time periods and learn about important historical events and
individuals. By connecting the chatbots to three different internet sources - Wikipedia,
IBM Watson, and ChatGPT - the project aims to demonstrate the strengths and
limitations of these sources, as well as the ways in which human expertise can
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complement and enhance AI technology. The project seeks to highlight the value of
human judgment and interpretation in historical research and learning. The bot is
designed to be accessible and user-friendly, making it a valuable tool for educators
looking to incorporate technology into their teaching methods. This project represents
a unique and innovative approach to teaching and learning history.
44. Health of Belizean Coral Reefs
Anahit Grigoryan & Brenna Hammond
Mentor: Dr. Kelly O’Quin
Coral reefs have suffered serious stress and bleaching events due to climate change
and human activities. The Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the
world, has had a recent statistical loss in coral health, putting the diversity of fish,
flora, and story coral species at high risk, along with the human communities that rely
on them for food and other resources. Our study assesses the health of five reef sites
within protected and unprotected zones throughout the South Water Caye Marine
Reserve in Belize. We assess ecosystem health using several measures, including
herbivory rates, coral bleaching and color, and hard coral coverage and species
diversity. Our results indicate a gradual decline in coral coverage, bleaching, and
diversity across sites based on the level of protection in the South Water Caye area.
45. Adventures in Ophthalmology: Eye Diseases in Tanzania
Luke Pellegrino
Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Dew, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cataracts, both congenital and acquired, are a leading cause of visual impairment and
blindness worldwide. We will explore the two different types of cataracts and their
impact on visual function, as well as the risk factors associated with their
development. I will also discuss my firsthand experience in Tanzania, Africa, where I
witnessed and assisted in the treatment of various patients with cataracts. The
experience called my attention to the urgent need for accessible and affordable
cataract treatment, particularly in developing countries. Overall, this presentation will
cover of the anatomy and physiology of the eye, with a specific focus on cataracts, and
will underscore the importance of accessible and affordable treatment options for
those affected by this condition.
46. Isotope Analysis at Centre College: How We Can Use It and Where It Can Take Us
Anna Impellitteri
Mentor: Dr. Brett Werner, Environmental Studies
The Centre College department of Environmental Studies is in the process of installing
new laboratory equipment that will open the door to professors and students seeking
to do research. Two machines, the Delta Q Isotope Ratio MS, and the Flash IMS, work
in conjunction to provide isotope analysis (C, O, H, N, and more) of solid and liquid
samples. This will allow for new research opportunities in soil, water, and organic
matter analysis across the biology, chemistry, and ENS departments. As one of the
only students participating in the initial installation training for the new equipment,
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part of my senior seminar for the self-designed Environmental Science major is to
comprise an easy-to-use, Centre College-specific laboratory manual for this new
equipment.
47. J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars Program
Caroline Dahl, Uliana Bazavluk, Anahit Grigoryan, AJ Howell, Vati Pham &
Lorena Bonet Velazquez
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Abrams, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion &
Associate Professor of Anthropology
The J.H. & Artie Atkins Scholars Program supports research or art focused on diversity,
inclusion, equity, and social justice. An Atkins Scholar contributes to a more just world
through intellectual inquiry and practice. The six scholars will present their research
on access to eating disorder treatment, Centre College's commitment to student
health and wellness, military conflict and women's health, Buddhism's relationship
with queerness, decolonial feminisms in the Spanish-speaking world, and
photographic analysis of BIPOC Identity.
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48. Dendrimer and Organic Semiconductor Synthesis
Griffin Baston
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Dendrimers are spherical and typically symmetric macromolecules that can hold a
smaller molecule in their center, or core. Dendrimers are incredibly useful molecules
that can be used for biological tracking or drug delivery systems. During Summer 2022,
organic synthesis research on dendrimers through internship with the Jørn B.
Christensen Group at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark was conducted. After
completing a year of organic synthesis at Centre, this internship was a great way to
further synthesis knowledge and skills. Working in the lab each day, undergraduate
skills obtained at Centre College were further reinforced in facilitating reactions and
NMR analysis; proficiency in new techniques such as column chromatography was also
acquired. These skills were further refined through organic semiconductor synthesis
research conducted with Dr. Vanessa Song at Centre College.
49. You: Mental Illness or just a Thrilling TV show?
Lindsay Bohn
Mentor: Dr. Drew Morris, Psychology
This project breaks down what narcissistic personality disorder is and how the show
depicts its symptoms and consequences. It will also show how narcissistic personality
disorder can coexist with borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and depression.
These different mental disorders create the popular, psychological thriller TV show
You, but it may not present the disorders as it should. You, produced by Jason
Sokoloff, Jennifer Lence, and Wayne Carmona exhibits how dangerous Narcissistic
Personality Disorder can be as well as other disorders coexisting with narcissistic
personality disorder. The show focuses on Joe Goldberg’s, the main character, drive to
controlling Guinevere Beck’s life and who she is with to ensure he is the only thing she
can focus on that feeds into his need to be the utmost important thing in her life.
50. Synthesis of Advanced Lignin Model Polymers
Samuel Brunner
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Lignin has been and continues to be a significant by-product of the pulp and paper
industry. With consideration of renewable energy for the chemical industry, lignin
holds immense potential as a renewable aromatic chemical as the world is
transitioning away from fossil fuels. In plants, cellulose and hemicellulose have a chair
conformation structure, while lignin is aromatic and carbon abundant, making the
molecules ideal for energy research. Different linkages in lignin help represent how
the compound can be broken down into smaller molecules. While significant
advancements have been made, the depolymerization of lignin has been challenging
as most of the research has used the β-O-4 linkage, which lacks complexity. In this
research, the β-β linkage is targeted with its higher complexity since it is more feasible
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and creates the most pieces when broken. The goal of this research is to synthesize
complex model polymers for lignin depolymerization and valorisation.
51. Computational Analysis of Possible SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics
Akenpaul Chani
Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Muzyka, Chemistry
SARS-CoV-2 is the positive-sense RNA virus that causes COVID-19, a severe respiratory
infection that has had a catastrophic impact on the daily lives of billions. SARS-CoV-2's
non-structural protein 5 (NSP 5), otherwise known as the main protease or 3C-like
protease, is essential for its pathogenesis. Processing 12 of the 15 non-structural
proteins in SARS-CoV-2's genomic sequence, inhibiting MPro will likely induce an
antiviral effect in humans. Known inhibitors were docked with MPro in its dimeric
form and analyzed to qualitatively assess MPro's active site using computer software
(PyMol for preparation and AutoDock Vina for docking calculations). After a qualitative
determination of MPro's active site in AutoDock Vina's coordinate system, MPro was
docked to several million small molecules in the ZINC database, as well as a set of
newly discovered chalcones. Small molecules with binding affinities similar to those of
potential inhibitors within the active site were discovered.
52. Throwing Queerness into the Ring
Samuel Cotthoff
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Androcentric language has been used throughout sports to perpetuate an idea of the
“perfect, real man.” This is evident in sports like professional football, baseball, and
basketball, as male players are told to “man up” and not be a “sissy,” “diva,” or
“primadonna.” This rhetoric has not only affected the men who play these sports but
the women who play the same sport. Furthermore, this language promotes
heteronormativity that is harmful to men who identify as non-heterosexual because it
disrupts their personal journey of self-discovery. In this poster, I hope to show analysis
of both my personal experiences as an gay thrower as well as media research of the
social media and interviews of Olympian Raven Saunders to see how language,
gender, sexuality, and race all combine together to affect queer experiences in a
traditionally heterosexual, masculine sport.
53. Laid back like a sloth: Do they have measurable levels of the stress hormone-cortisol?
Cameron Coulter & Kelsey Jenks
Mentor: Dr. Brent White, Behavioral Neuroscience
The well-being of zoo-housed animals is frequently determined by measuring cortisol
concentration in various body fluids. Cortisol is often called the stress hormone
because it is elevated during flight or fight situations. The Louisville Zoo recently
added two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus) to their collection and asked us to
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monitor their cortisol levels. This poster summarizes the process of assessing cortisol
in a species that has received little attention. In this study, we selected a physiological
medium (saliva) to measure cortisol. We then determined a sampling method and
tested several assays for their sensitivity in measuring cortisol. This work is ongoing as
our lab is experimenting with different assays and implementing standard additions to
increase their sensitivities. These modifications have the potential to improve our
measures of cortisol in sloth saliva.
54. Functional Semiconducting Molecule Derivatives
Catherine Cox, Christina Kousseff*, Christian Nielsen* & Rikin Shah*
*Queen Mary University of London
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Semiconducting molecules are of increasing interest, however, there are many factors
that allow molecules to efficiently conduct charges. Fullerene, a molecule used in
organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) is a useful semiconductor because of its
molecular stability and polarizability. Development of fullerene derivatives, such as
the 5-crown-5-ether derivative, is essential to the improvement of solubility in the
active layer of OECTs and selectivity for ions. Tetracene is also a useful semiconductor
to research, but instead of analyzing the impact of solubility on semiconductor
efficiency, tetracene derivatives are useful in comparing molecular packing patterns.
As different substituents are added to tetracene different pi stackings are produced
and therefore different charge carrier mobilities within the pi system. Working
towards optimizing semiconductor capabilities is crucial to improving ways to power
modern technology.
55. Exploiting the Warburg Effect using transition metal complexes
Roma Desai
Mentor: Dr. Erin Wachter, Chemistry
Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl and other coordination complexes have shown lightactivated anticancer activity but also toxicity in the absence of light. The Warburg
Effect highlights that cancer cells consume more glucose due to the overexpression of
glucose receptors. Ruthenium(II) complexes with 5-thioglucose-1,10-phenanthroline
(phenTG) and 2,2-bipyridine ligands were synthesized with the intent of increasing
uptake into cancer cells over healthy cells to reduce off-target toxicity. The structure
and properties of these complexes were examined using Ultraviolet-visible
spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To test for off-target side
effects, an acetylcholinesterase assay was conducted. Current results show increased
toxicity for the free ligand. Previous results suggested that off-target toxicity
decreases when the ligand is bound to ruthenium(II). The phenTG complexes present
a promising reduction in off-target effects but require further purification and
analysis.
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56. Does hair cortisol correspond to fecal cortisol in an injured grizzly bear?
Lauren Dome & Zachary Gregory
Mentor: Dr. Brent White, Psychology
Cortisol in hair is used to measure stress in wild populations of animals, including
grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilus). Hair collection is noninvasive and provides a
cortisol record covering weeks in contrast to feces and body fluids which provide very
short-term information. However, only a few studies have demonstrated a correlation
between hair cortisol and systemic physiological measures of the hormone. Injuries to
a grizzly at the Louisville Zoo gave us the opportunity to test this relationship. Daily
fecal samples show spikes in cortisol at the time of the two injuries. The proximal half
of hair fibers were estimated to be growing during the second injury when fecal
cortisol spiked. An ELISA cortisol assay did not detect elevated cortisol in the proximal
samples compared to the distal half of the fibers. Our results do not confirm the
expected relationship between hair cortisol and fecal glucocorticoids.
57. Inheritance of Scleral Width in Mexican Tetra
Mary Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Claire O’Quin, Biology
The Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus) is a small fish that has two morphs, cave and
surface. Like reptiles and birds, fish can have a ring of bone or cartilage in the sclera
(outer wall) of the eye. In Mexican tetras, the surface morph typically has a narrower
scleral ring of bone, while the cave morph has a wider ring of cartilage. We were
interested in determining the number of genes that control scleral width and where
those genes are located in the genome. To determine this, we crossed surface fish and
cave fish morphs for two generations, measured scleral width in the 2nd generation
offspring, and then performed a genetic analysis to determine the genomic locations
that contribute to trait differences. We found that approximately 2.89 genes
contribute to the width of the scleral ring in Astyanax and at least one of these genes
is located on Chromosome 15.
58. Language, Gender, and Sport: How do they relate?
Piper Hensley
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Language, gender, and sport are all intertwined. The proof is all over campus and can
be found all over the Internet, whether it’s a news website or a scholarly article. By
studying any one of these three elements, we can find information that connects each
element to the next. In turn, this can tell us more about ourselves as humans, as well
as the culture we are a part of. Due to research on these topics, we are able to
understand how and why humans are programmed to think a certain way when it
comes to how gender and sport are represented by language. This research could
bring light to the ways that men and women are represented in sports, and how it
may be problematic. Using my own research, I will apply my findings to news stories
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and academic articles, along with examples from our own campus.
59. The Effects of Social Media on the Physiological Markers of Stress
Erin Bozdech, Ali-Grace Fleeman, Abby Jamison & Melissa Perello
Mentor: Dr. Karin Gill, Behavioral Neuroscience
Social media usage has become highly prevalent in society. Previous research has
shown a correlation between social media usage and stress through multiple
physiological and psychological measurements and questionnaires. The current
experimental study investigated a potential causal relationship between social media
and physiological markers of stress. A 2x2 mixed factorial design was utilized to
examine differences in the blood pressure and heart rate of each participant before
and after scrolling either Instagram or National Geographic for a set amount of time.
Data is currently being collected to statistically analyze results of the current
experiment.
60. The Capitalistic Approach to Nazi Germany Propaganda
Kam Kiesel
Mentor: Dr. Jonathon Earle, History
The National Socialist Party of the German state created propaganda to demonize
Jewish communities throughout Europe during the Second World War. To reimagine
Nazi propaganda and to educate viewers on the role of German corporations during
the War, the following exhibition will showcase German company advertisements
modeled after 1940s-American-styled poster advertisements. The six companies
presented in the exhibition are Fanta, Hugo Boss, the Volkswagen Group, the
Mercedes-Benz Group, Bayerische Motoren Werke, and Bayer. Each of these
companies was either founded due to the rise of the Nazi regime; or grew their brand
with the exploitation of Jewish prisoners in the life of the concentration camps.
61. Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with attached NSAIDs as potential dual
mechanism of action therapeutics
William Leach & Nate Vela
Mentor: Dr. Erin Wachter, Chemistry
Phototherapy is a medical treatment that utilizes light to activate the therapeutic
effects of drug molecules. The use of phototherapy as a treatment option for cancer is
becoming more widespread as many chemotherapeutics have harsh side effects. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have the possibility of reducing the
symptoms of current chemotherapeutics. Additionally, NSAIDs should have an
increased uptake into cancer cells as they bind to cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and
COX-2), which are highly expressed in cancer cells and aid in the progression and
growth of tumors. Three sets of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with NSAIDs
attached at different distances from the metal center were synthesized. The
antioxidant properties, DNA binding, and the inhibition of the lipoxygenase and
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acetylcholinesterase enzymes were tested. The data shows promising results for these
complexes to potentially be used as dual mechanism light-activated
chemotherapeutics.
62. The Impact of Support Systems on Gender Diverse Individuals
Emy Lovell & Meredith Walker
Mentor: Dr. Jan Wertz, Psychology
The transgender/gender diverse (TGD) population is currently at the forefront of our
social climate involving civil rights. The non-acceptance of TGD individuals in our
society sometimes leads to violence, discrimination, mental health challenges, and
lack of social support. This research is investigating social support of individuals in the
TGD community. Specifically, this study examines how TGD individuals have received
support throughout their lives in social, familial, and clinical settings. Past research
states that family acceptance is among the most important factors in TGD individuals
leading a higher quality life, experiencing lower depressive symptoms, and reducing
psychological distress.
63. Social Norms in Ghanaian University Students
Sarah Marks
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Murray, Education & Mathematics
Interviews with 24 Ghanaian university students from both public and private
institutions were conducted in the fall of 2022. The interviews sought to gain
understanding of social norms within this demographic in the subtopics of participant
childhoods, social norms that are appreciated and not appreciated, typical topics of
conversation, college in relation to participant growth in individuality, and how
participants view party culture. Public and private university responses were also
compared to traditional social norms in Ghana.
64. Afro-Latine Identity
Ashley Guerrero
Mentor: Dr. Genny Ballard, Spanish
The intersectionality of the Afro-Latine population is that which someone holds when
they are of colored skin, but they speak Spanish; this identity can be very challenging,
especially for someone that lives in the United States. During Centre Term I returned
to my old high school in Boston at the Margarita Muiz Academy to conduct a threeweek workshop, allowing students to have a free space to explore their Afro-Latine
identity. In these workshops we spoke about four specific places in Latin America
where Afro-Latine history had the biggest social influence. Students who came from
families that spoke Spanish and areas where their skin was darker than the rest of
their peers were allowed to have these deep conversations and a safe space to talk
about some of the concerns they had while identifying as Afro-Latine; in addition, the
way history molds the way we see ourselves and others in our population.
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65. The Effects of Mating on Female Drosophila Bitter Taste Detection
Dillon Di Iorio & Kyla Miller
Mentor: Dr. Genevieve Bell, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mating plays a crucial role in altering the behavior of Drosophila melanogaster, the
common fruit fly. Virgin females prefer sweet and/or salty foods however, after
mating, preference shifts to yeasty foods due to the presence of sperm which
activates this behavioral change. Similarly, mated females detect bitter substances at
lower quantities in comparison to virgins. However, the impact of sperm being present
has been overlooked. We will be investigating if the presence of sperm influences
bitter taste detection. Virgin, mated (sperm present), and post-mated (sperm not
present) females will be tested using proboscis extension response (PER) in detection
of a bitter tastant (quinine). We hypothesize that both mated groups will detect
quinine at low concentrations in comparison virgins. This data will aid in better
understanding mating-induced gustatory changes in female Drosophila.
66. Preliminary Research: Inter-Racial/-Ethnic Community Interaction to Improve
Relations across Diverse Groups
Jacqueline Mullins
Mentor: Dr. Jan Wertz, Psychology
The goal of this study is to increase positive feelings and decrease fear and
misunderstanding between inter-racial/-ethnic groups. A meta-analysis found that
increasing interracial conflict decreases prejudice. Realistic conflict theory suggests
contact between opposing groups working towards a common goal reduces
intergroup conflict. This study hypothesizes that increasing inter-racial/-ethnic group
contact in a small Kentucky town will increase positive feelings while decreasing fear
and misunderstanding between inter-racial/-ethnic individuals. Participants will be
recruited from the community to host families or individuals of differing racial/ethnic
backgrounds for a cooking and/or activity session. To increase comfort, families or
individuals will be matched based on indicated interests and preferences. Methods
will include having participants complete pre-and post-surveys indicating their
feelings, attitudes, and comfort level with members of different racial and ethnic
groups.
67. Athletes’ Political Voices Within the Media
Tyler Neltner-Devine
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Within each culture sport bridges the gap between free time/leisure and societal
issues along with different traditions and religious practices. This intersectionality
varies between each society and community ranging from sport in lieu of war to sport
simply for entertainment. One major aspect of sport is media coverage. Recently
athletes have been using their platform to bring political issues to the public scope and
raise awareness. Some consider this controversial while others believe they have an
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obligation to speak out against political issues. This research will help to highlight the
important role that athletes play in the media and the sway they carry in the public
eye.
68. Synthesis and Studies of Organic Semiconductors
Jack Rodes
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Song, Chemistry
Organic semiconductors play a significant role in modern electronic devices such as
solar panels and smartphone displays. Organic semiconductors are becoming
increasingly popular to commercialize because the synthesis process is affordable,
light in weight, and abundant. Many organic semiconductors consist of compounds
with conjugated π-bonds that achieve aromaticity. Extended aromatic molecular
systems allow electrons to delocalize within the molecule and its ordered crystalline
structure, which gives the material its semiconducting properties. A common building
block for organic semiconductor synthesis is pentacene. The stacking of pentacene
molecules is often referred to as “herringbone” packing and adding different
substituents in the peri-positions allows the molecule to become fully conjugated. In
this research, the synthesis of organic semiconductor triisopropylsilyl ethynyl (TIPS)
pentacene and anthradithiophene were conducted.
69. Tasmanite Preservation after Black Shale Digestion
Kevli Sheth
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Falk, Biology
Changes in biodiversity during the late Givetian and early Frasnian periods (392-383
mya) may foreshadow the Late Devonian mass extinction (375 mya). Black shales in
the Appalachian basin house fluorescent tasmanites (paleoalgal spores) that provide
insight into the paleoclimate of the Middle-Late Devonian periods. Before analyzing
tasmanites, they must be liberated from black shales. We will perform the following
three methods of black shale digestion and determine the safest and most effective:
freeze-thaw cycles with deionized water, freeze-thaw cycles with saturated sodium
sulfate solution, and quaternary ammonium surfactant digestion, which Meehan et al.
(2020) suggests will be the most successful. The rate and thoroughness of each
digestion method will be determined by comparing the number of tasmanites and the
average area of fluorescence in each experimental group, revealing each black shale
digestion method’s efficacy.
70. The Effects of Estrogen and Cocaine on the Locomotor Activity of Male Japanese
Quail
Emma Silvert & Skylan Thompson
Mentor: Dr. Karin Gill, Behavioral Neuroscience
Previous research in mammals suggests that females may be more vulnerable to drug
addiction compared to males, an effect that has largely been attributed to estrogen.
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Recent work in female quail suggests that estrogen may not impact drug addiction in
the same way as it does in female rodents, but this effect has not been studied in male
quail. The present study investigated whether estrogen would increase the
development of cocaine-induced locomotor activity in male Japanese quail. The study
showed that males given both estrogen and cocaine had an increase in locomotor
activity compared to the females and control males. The results of the current study
suggest that male quail may be more vulnerable to the effects of estrogen when
combined with cocaine compared to female quail, a finding that is opposite from
mammalian research.
71. SAA Football EP and EPA Analysis
Cloe Spracklen & Jane Zhang
Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Heath, Mathematics & Data Science
The purpose of this research project was to provide meaningful insights about
Expected Points (EP) in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) to the Centre College
Football coaching staff to improve game day play. EP are the amount of points a
football team is expected to gain during their drive given their yardage and other
game parameters.
72. Inequality in Sports: Discrimination of LGBTQIA+ Athletes
Leslie Stewart
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
Starting as early as the 1920s and continuing into the current day, athletes from the
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Agender
Plus (LGBTQIA+) communities have faced various dimensions of discrimination and
stigma associated with their sexual orientation and participation in various athletic
competitions. As we see an increase in the number of LGBTQIA+ athletes that
participate in competitive and professional sport as well as an increase in the number
of rules and regulations that limit their participation in sport, we have seen both
positive and negative impacts on the athletes in the community through news
reporting, media coverage, individual testimonies from the athletes themselves, and
from arguments regarding the policies that focus on LGBTQIA+ athletes. The research
has shown the active discriminations that are placed on the LGBTQIA+ athletic
communities, and how the community is fighting for acceptance, a voice, and a place
in the community.
73. The Scales of Middle Devonian Fishes from the Appalachian Basin of Eastern
Kentucky
Sherice Sutherland
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Falk, Biology
The Devonian Period is a part of the Paleozoic Era and is sometimes referred to as
“The Age of Fishes” because it had an explosive adaptive radiation of several different
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fish groups. Paradoxically, a mass extinction occurred during the Late Devonian, after
the adaptive radiation, that significantly reduced biodiversity. The Middle Devonian is
still a largely unexplored time period for understanding the events that led to such
rapid decrease in biodiversity. In Kentucky, the Middle Devonian is represented by the
Boyle Formation which includes dolomitic limestone and dark shales. Rock samples
from the Boyle Formation along KY-89 were collected and processed using acetic acid
digestion to make microfossils accessible. Fossil scales were grouped into categories
based on their different characteristics. The sample contained mostly placoderms
indicating that the results of this study are consistent with work done on the Middle
Devonian in other parts of the world.
74. Disparity in Media Coverage in Men’s and Women’s Sports
Anna Thomas
Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Cutright, International Studies & Anthropology
When looking at the statistics of media coverage for sports, it is no fair comparison,
with male sports having 95% of the coverage and women’s sports a meager 5%,
according to Purdue University. These statistics have not shifted within the last 30
years, almost since the introduction of the Title IX Act. With this being said, the
inequality of media coverage has a huge impact on the amount of revenue brought in
by the teams, allowing for an even larger gap to form between male and female
athletics. Although it will be a lengthy process to achieve equality in this realm, many
steps have already been taken in the right direction, especially with the widespread
use of social media and the passing of the Equal Pay for Team USA Act in late 2022.
This research will bring attention to these inequalities in sports and bring light to
possible solutions.
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2023 RICE SYMPOSIUM COMMITTEE
Karin Gill
Karoline Manny
Amy Frederick
Genevieve Bell
Eva Cadavid
Satty Flaherty-Echeverría
Mary Girard
Mei Li Inouye
Alicia Juncos
Drew Morris
Gina Robidoux
Bruce Rodenborn
RICE Symposium Co-chair
RICE Symposium Co-chair
AEGON Gallery Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
Paul L. Cantrell Associate Professor of Philosophy &
Chair of Gender Studies Program
Associate Professor of Spanish
Digital Scholarship Librarian
Assistant Professor of Chinese
Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Welcome Centre Coordinator
Associate Professor of Physics &
Physics Program Chair
**The Undergraduate Research Committee is thankful to all faculty mentors working with
students to make this symposium possible. **
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INDEX
Abrams, Andrea
Allshouse, Michael
Ballard, Genny
Barron, Madi
Baston, Griffin
Bazavluk, Uliana
Becker, Audrey
Beebe, John
Bell, Genevieve
Birch, Bryan
Boardman, Alexandra
Bohn, Lindsay
Bonet Velazquez, Lorena
Boone, Mason
Bozdech, Erin
Bradshaw, Michael
Brown, Kate
Brunner, Samuel
Burns-Cusato, Melissa
Carreto Romero, Saira
Casper, Gretchen
Chan, Michelle
Chani, Akenpaul
Christensen, Jørn B.
Combs, Conley
Connolly, Allison
Cotthoff, Samuel
Coulter, Cameron
Cox, Catherine
Crabb, Emily
Curtis, Embry
Cutright, Chelsea
Dahl, Caroline
Desai, Roma
Devarieux, Theresa
Dew, Stephanie
Dickerson, Preston
Di lorio, Dillon
Dodson, Lauren
Dome, Lauren
Oral Presentations
Dutcher, Grace
31
Earle, Jonathon
Egge, Sara
Ellis, Nellie
Falcon, Joseph
Falk, Amanda
Flaherty- Echeverría, Satty
Fleeman, Ali-Grace
Forsting, Simon
Frederick, Amy
Fronk, Christian
Ghamgosar, Faraz
Gill, Karin
Glueck, Amanda
Godlaski, Aaron
Gonzalez, Mary
Greene, Emmy
Gregory, Zachary
Grigoryan, Anahit
Grubbs, Eleanor
Guerrero, Ashley
Guo, Yichen
Hamilton, Mykol
Hammond, Brenna
Harney, John
Harris, Caili
Hauser, Everett
Heath, Jeffrey
Hensley, Piper
Hernandez Fraire, Karen
Hibbs, Gabby
Hollingsworth, Katie
Howell, AJ
Impellitteri, Anna
Jamison, Abby
Jenks, Kelsey
Johnson, Joey
Justice, Ben
Jusufovic, Monika
Kahwai, Muchiri
Khan, Mahmud
Kiesel, Kam
47
35
64
1
48
19, 47
14
30
65
36
14
49
16, 47
7
7, 59
22, 23, 24
37
50
7
14, 15, 18
11
33
51
48
1, 29
2, 3, 4, 19, 20,
21, 38, 39
52
53
54
36
1
52, 58, 67, 72,
74
47
55
11
45
22
65
31
56
40
Poster Presentations
38, 34, 60
8, 9, 10, 25, 26
25
1
69, 73
15, 18
59
31
33
35
14
6, 59, 70
42
5, 29, 30, 42
57
17
56
44, 47
1
64
35
11, 12, 13, 40
44
43
39
13
71
58
1
14
14
47
32, 46
7, 59
42, 53
1
27
1
43
36
60
Abstracts
INDEX
Kinsbrunner, David
Kirtland, Sarah
Koch, Sarah
Kousseff, Christina
Kowalski, Matthew
Leach, William
Lee, Hung
Lester, Natalie
Ligons, Abby
Limerick, Philip
Longmeyer, Laurne
Longmeyer, Madeleine
Lovell, Emy
Lovett, Cameryn
Maleki, Niki
Marks, Sarah
Melvin, Claire
Mijatovic, Una
Miller, Kyla
Morris, Drew
Mullins, Jacqueline
Murry, Sarah
Muzyka, Jennifer
Neltner-Devine, Tyler
Nielsen, Christian
Nieto, Cynthia
Nystrom, Chas
Nystrom, Elsa
Ogaldez, Antonio
Ohm, Madeleine
O’Quin, Claire
O’Quin, Kelly
Pathak, Arjun
Payne, Luke
Pellegrino, Luke
Perello, Melissa
Perkins, Drew
Peterson, Emma
Pham, Vati
Poudel, Prayat
Prusinski, Ellen
Quaye, Nediva
Oral Presentations
Rafkn, Asher
Reese, Brandon
Reid, Austen
Ridener, Emma
Rodenborn, Bruce
Rodes, Jack
Samonds, Molly
Savors, Eleanor
Scott, Ben
Scott, Noah
Sevier, Mamie
Shah, Rikin
Shenton, Jamie
Sheth, Kevli
Silvert, Emma
Skogsberg, KatieAnn
Smith, Samuel
Song, Vanessa
Sprinceana, Iulia
Spracklen, Cloe
Steiner, Nathaniel
Stephens, Jonah
Stewart, Leslie
Stillwell, Kyra
Sutherland, Sherice
Thomas, Anna
Thompson, Skylan
Tilley, Brianna
Vela, Nate
Vincent, Kirsci
Viera Canas, Joseline
Vong, Jennifer
Wachter, Erin
Walker, Meredith
Warren, Natalie
Werner, Brett
Wertz, Jan
White, Brent
Wiltgen, Elena
Zamarripa, Cindy
Zhang, Jane
1
31
1
54
5
61
22
10
14
16
9
14
62
2
29
63
6
21
65
49
66
32, 63
51
67
54
30
1
1
28
20
57
44
36
35
45
59
41
34
47
41
27
1
41
Poster Presentations
1
36
13
6
35, 37
68
6
3
14
23
14
54
1, 17
69
70
31
26
48, 50, 54, 68
14
71
12
24
1, 72
36
73
74
70
37
61
38
12
1
55, 61
62
8
46
62, 66
53, 56
4
1
71
Abstracts
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