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32nd Annual UMBC McNair Research Conference
Attending this event?
Wednesday, September 18
 

10:00am EDT

Registration Opens
Wednesday September 18, 2024 10:00am - 11:30am EDT
Wednesday September 18, 2024 10:00am - 11:30am EDT
Sheraton Hotel Lobby

12:00pm EDT

Meet for Pre-Conference Event
Wednesday September 18, 2024 12:00pm - 12:15pm EDT
Attendees participating in therCultural Visit should meet In the Shearon Lobby unless other arrangements have been mad

Wednesday September 18, 2024 12:00pm - 12:15pm EDT
Sheraton Hotel Lobby

4:00pm EDT

Registration Open
Wednesday September 18, 2024 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Wednesday September 18, 2024 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Sheraton Hotel Lobby
 
Thursday, September 19
 

7:00am EDT

7:30am EDT

Shuttles to Campus
Thursday September 19, 2024 7:30am - 7:30pm EDT
Shuttles will travel between the Sheraton Hotel and the UMBC Campus every 20 minutes until 8:00 p.m. They will stop on campus at Commons Circle (where many breakfast options are located) and Admin Drive (where the Cafe is located in the Administration Building) until 10:00 a.m. After 10:00 a.m., drop-off will be at Admin Circle only.

The last shuttle back to the hotel will leave the UMBC campus at 8 pm.
Thursday September 19, 2024 7:30am - 7:30pm EDT
Hotel First Floor to UMBC Admin Circle & Common Circle

8:30am EDT

Registration Open
Thursday September 19, 2024 8:30am - 11:00am EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 8:30am - 11:00am EDT
University Center (UC) Ballroom Foyer

10:00am EDT

Poster Set Up
Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Poster Presenter visit the Engineering Atrium to set up their posters
Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Engineering Atrium

11:00am EDT

Opening Session
Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

11:30am EDT

Parade of Presenters
Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 11:40am EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 11:40am EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

11:45am EDT

Poster Session
Thursday September 19, 2024 11:45am - 12:45pm EDT
Speakers
JM

Jaleicia Miller

Southern University and A&M College
DP

D'Ross Prince

Southern University and A&M College
AE

Andrea Edwards

University of Wyoming McNair Scholars Program
avatar for Raegan Anderson

Raegan Anderson

Southern University and A&M College
I am a Senior Computer Science Major from Memphis, Tn! I graduate December 2024, and I would love to talk about the progression of AI.
TM

Taras Mykhaylyshyn

Rider University
avatar for Destiny Pierre

Destiny Pierre

Student, Rider University
AR

Alejandra Rodriguez

Wellesley College
avatar for Jaden Martin

Jaden Martin

Southern University and A&M College
As a first-generation college student and Ronald E. McNair Scholar pursuing a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at Southern University and A&M College, I am driven by a passion for innovation and research. My experience has prepared me to tackle complex challenges. I am open... Read More →
CS

Charlie Schneider

Wellesley College
DC

Devon Cherniss

University of Wyoming McNair Scholars Program
RC

Rachel Cleveland

University of Connecticut
avatar for Diana Pinta

Diana Pinta

University of Connecticut
GD

Grace Dodd

Wellesley College
AS

Alexcia Smith

Southern University and A&M College
SM

Selena Melendez

University of Wyoming McNair Scholars Program
avatar for Camila Lopez

Camila Lopez

Wellesley College
Biochemistry Major
CS

Colm Slevin

University of Pittsburgh
NG

Nicole Garcia

North Carolina State University - Ronald E. McNair Scholars
KC

Kloee Connelly

University of Pittsburgh
SS

Shainoor Showrin

Wellesley College
avatar for Diariou Barry

Diariou Barry

Wellesley College
AK

Adamsay Koroma

Rider University
AB

Ashawnti Buckner

University of Pittsburgh
KJ

Kya Joseph

Iona University
TR

Titus Reese

Rider University
JR

Jomarys Reyes

Rider University
SR

Stephone Riviere

Rider University
MR

Michelle Ruiz Mendoza

Iona University
ST

Sebatian Tejada

Iona University
KX

Kynies Xiao

University of Pittsburgh
JZ

Jessica Zhinin

Iona University
AL

Amanda Lucas

University of Pittsburgh
CN

Cheyenne Newkirk

North Carolina State University - Ronald E. McNair Scholars
AL

Adriano Lomonaco

University of Wyoming McNair Scholars Program
FS

Fernando Sisniega Serrano

North Carolina State University - Ronald E. McNair Scholars
Thursday September 19, 2024 11:45am - 12:45pm EDT
Engineering Atrium

1:00pm EDT

Lunch (Boxed)
Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
UC Ballroom Lounge

1:00pm EDT

Registration Open
Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
University Center (UC) Ballroom Foyer

2:15pm EDT

UMBC Center for Art Design and Visual Culture Tour (CADVC)
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
The CADVC starting point will be at the University Center Ballroom space.

Report to UC Ballroom to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Mary Rose Khamfong
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 2:15pm.
At 2:20pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the Center for Art Design and Visual Culture (CADVC) tour. Our conference ambassador, Mary Rose, will lead the group to UMBC's Fine Arts building 105 and CADVC will take two groups of 25 attendees through its exhibition.
"Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture presents first early-career survey of artist Levester Williams, all matters aside"


* This was made possible by a special partnership with the CADVC, which is hosting this special early showing for our conference attendees.​​​
Speakers
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

2:30pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour (I)
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Maya Hunn
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 2:30pm.
At 2:35pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the GENERAL UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important resources for students while on campus.
Speakers
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

2:30pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour - College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS I)
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Suliyat Adewuyi
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 2:30pm.
At 2:35pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the CAHSS UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important academic buildings that humanities, performing arts, and social science students will likely frequent for classes. This includes the Performing Arts and Humanities building (PAHB), Fine Arts building, and Public Policy building.
**This tour will not include a visit to the Center for Art Design and Visual Culture

Humanities and Arts
Historical Studies (M.A.)
Intercultural Communication (M.A.)
Intermedia & Digital Arts (M.F.A.)
Language, Literacy & Culture (Ph.D.)
Music (P.B.C.)
Texts, Technologies & Literature (M.A.)

Social Sciences and Education
Applied Sociology (M.A., P.B.C.)
College Teaching & Learning Science Post-Master’s Certificate (P.M.C.)
Community Leadership (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Economic Policy Analysis (M.A.)
Education (M.A.T., M.A.E., P.B.C.)
Emergency Health Services (M.S., P.B.C.)
Gender & Women’s Studies (P.B.C.)
Geography & Environmental Systems (Ph.D., M.S.)
Geographic Information Systems (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Gerontology (Ph.D.)
Learning and Performance Technology (M.A., P.B.C.)
Organizational Consulting (P.B.C.)
Psychology, Applied Developmental (Ph.D.)
Psychology, Human Services (Ph.D., M.A.)
Psychology, Industrial & Organizational (M.P.S.)
Public Policy (Ph.D., M.P.P.)
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (M.A., P.B.C.)
Training and Talent Development (P.B.C.)















































Speakers
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

2:30pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour - College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT I)
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Nardos Araya
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 2:30pm.
At 2:35pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the COEIT UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important academic buildings that technological sciences students often frequent. This includes the Informational Technology/Engineering building and Engineering building.

Programs housed in COEIT include:
Chemical & Biochemical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S., P.B.C.)
Computer Engineering (Ph.D., M.S.)
Computer Science (Ph.D., M.S.)
Cybersecurity (M.S., P.B.C.)
Data Science (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Electrical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S.)
Engineering Management (M.S., P.B.C.)
Environmental Engineering (Ph.D., M.S.)
Health Information Technology (M.P.S.)
Human-Centered Computing (Ph.D., M.S.)
Information Systems (Ph.D., M.S., P.B.C.)
Integrated Product Development & Manufacturing (P.B.C.)
Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S., P.B.C.)
Project Management (P.B.C.)
Software Engineering (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Systems Engineering (M.S., P.B.C.)
Technical Management (M.P.S.)


















Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

2:30pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour - College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS I)
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Isabella Dressler
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 2:30pm.
At 2:35pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the CNMS UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important academic buildings that natural scientists on campus may frequent, including the Biological Sciences building, Meyerhoff Chemistry building, and Interdisciplinary Sciences building.

Programs Include:
Applied Mathematics (Ph.D., M.S.)
Applied Molecular Biology (M.S.)
Atmospheric Physics (Ph.D., M.S.)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Ph.D.)
Biological Sciences (Ph.D., M.S.)
Biotechnology (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Chemistry (Ph.D., M.S.)
Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Leadership (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Marine-Estuarine Environmental Sciences (Ph.D., M.S.)
Molecular & Cell Biology (Ph.D.)
Neurosciences & Cognitive Sciences (Ph.D.)
Physics (Ph.D., M.S.)
Statistics (Ph.D., M.S.)














Speakers
ID

Isabella Dressler

Conference Ambassador, UMBC
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

2:30pm EDT

UMBC Grad School Info Session: Graduate Admissions- Your Questions Answered
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
The Graduate School at UMBC is pleased to provide a session on getting into graduate school, finding mentorship, and accessing services. A brief presentation will be followed by a discussion where attendees can ask and have answered their questions about graduate school and the admissions process.
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
UC 312

2:30pm EDT

UMBC Self Guided Campus Tour
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
Self guided tour - explore UMBC on your own. Feel free to ask for our students' recommendations or pick up a campus map from our conference staff at the UC Ballroom Lobby before heading off!

* The accessible campus maps are provided to our conference attendees in courtesy of UMBC's Student Disability Services (SDS) department.
Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

3:45pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour (II)
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Maya Hunn
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 3:45pm.
At 3:50pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the GENERAL UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important resources for students while on campus.
Speakers
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
UC 310

3:45pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour - College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS II)
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Suliyat Adewuyi
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 3:45pm.
At 3:50pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the CAHSS UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important academic buildings that humanities, performing arts, and social science students will likely frequent for classes. This includes the Performing Arts and Humanities building (PAHB), Fine Arts building, and Public Policy building.
**This tour will not include a visit to the Center for Art Design and Visual Culture

Programs Include:
Humanities and Arts
Historical Studies (M.A.)
Intercultural Communication (M.A.)
Intermedia & Digital Arts (M.F.A.)
Language, Literacy & Culture (Ph.D.)
Music (P.B.C.)
Texts, Technologies & Literature (M.A.)

Social Sciences and Education
Applied Sociology (M.A., P.B.C.)
College Teaching & Learning Science Post-Master’s Certificate (P.M.C.)
Community Leadership (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Economic Policy Analysis (M.A.)
Education (M.A.T., M.A.E., P.B.C.)
Emergency Health Services (M.S., P.B.C.)
Gender & Women’s Studies (P.B.C.)
Geography & Environmental Systems (Ph.D., M.S.)
Geographic Information Systems (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Gerontology (Ph.D.)
Learning and Performance Technology (M.A., P.B.C.)
Organizational Consulting (P.B.C.)
Psychology, Applied Developmental (Ph.D.)
Psychology, Human Services (Ph.D., M.A.)





















Speakers
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
UC 310

3:45pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour - College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT II)
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Nardos Araya
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 3:45pm.
At 3:50pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the COEIT UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important academic buildings that technological sciences students often frequent. This includes the Informational Technology/Engineering building and Engineering building.

Programs housed in COEIT include:
Chemical & Biochemical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S., P.B.C.)
Computer Engineering (Ph.D., M.S.)
Computer Science (Ph.D., M.S.)
Cybersecurity (M.S., P.B.C.)
Data Science (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Electrical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S.)
Engineering Management (M.S., P.B.C.)
Environmental Engineering (Ph.D., M.S.)
Health Information Technology (M.P.S.)
Human-Centered Computing (Ph.D., M.S.)
Information Systems (Ph.D., M.S., P.B.C.)
Integrated Product Development & Manufacturing (P.B.C.)
Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S., P.B.C.)
Project Management (P.B.C.)
Software Engineering (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Systems Engineering (M.S., P.B.C.)
Technical Management (M.P.S.)


















Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
UC 310

3:45pm EDT

UMBC Campus Tour - College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS II)
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
*LIMITED SPACE*
All Campus Tour starting point will be at the University Center 310 space.

Report to UC 310 to meet with the guiding conference ambassador - Isabella Dressler
Those who reserve spots on Sched should meet their guide promptly at 3:45pm.
At 3:50pm, remaining available spots will be open to any other interested attendee.

This is the CNMS UMBC Campus Tour, mapped to look at important academic buildings that natural scientists on campus may frequent, including the Biological Sciences building, Meyerhoff Chemistry building, and Interdisciplinary Sciences building.

Programs Include:
Applied Mathematics (Ph.D., M.S.)
Applied Molecular Biology (M.S.)
Atmospheric Physics (Ph.D., M.S.)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Ph.D.)
Biological Sciences (Ph.D., M.S.)
Biotechnology (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Chemistry (Ph.D., M.S.)
Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Leadership (M.P.S., P.B.C.)
Marine-Estuarine Environmental Sciences (Ph.D., M.S.)
Molecular & Cell Biology (Ph.D.)
Neurosciences & Cognitive Sciences (Ph.D.)
Physics (Ph.D., M.S.)
Statistics (Ph.D., M.S.)








































Speakers
ID

Isabella Dressler

Conference Ambassador, UMBC
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
UC 310

3:45pm EDT

UMBC Grad School Info Session: Graduate Admissions- Your Questions Answered
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
The Graduate School at UMBC is pleased to provide a session on getting into graduate school, finding mentorship, and accessing services. A brief presentation will be followed by a discussion where attendees can ask and have answered their questions about graduate school and the admissions process.
Thursday September 19, 2024 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
UC 312

5:00pm EDT

Hill-Robinson McNair Lecture
Thursday September 19, 2024 5:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
One's life experiences can be a roadmap to one's lifelong purpose! Dr.
Newsome's lecture discusses how her personal and career-based experiences shaped
her purpose and passion to create systemic, equitable change in higher education. She
will share her journey of leveraging equity-centered research in higher education that
centers equity-mindedness and Shared Equity Leadership frameworks. Dr. Newsome
will demonstrate how her research served as a springboard for driving transformative
equity-based change at colleges and universities across the country. Drawing from
experiences navigating the complexity of the ivory tower, the lecture will highlight the
pivotal role of staying connected to community, advocating for self, and encouraging
courageous conversations to advance equity in higher education. Attendees will learn
practical strategies to help them foster inclusive communities, empower diverse voices,
and drive systemic change for our systemically oppressed populations
Thursday September 19, 2024 5:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Unversity Center (UC) Ballroom

6:45pm EDT

Reception
Thursday September 19, 2024 6:45pm - 7:30pm EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 6:45pm - 7:30pm EDT
UC 312/310/UC Ballroom Lounge

7:15pm EDT

Return to Hotel
Thursday September 19, 2024 7:15pm - 8:00pm EDT
The last shuttle will depart from UMBC at 8 pm.
Thursday September 19, 2024 7:15pm - 8:00pm EDT
Admin Circle Departure

8:00pm EDT

Dinner- On Your Own
Thursday September 19, 2024 8:00pm - 11:30pm EDT
Thursday September 19, 2024 8:00pm - 11:30pm EDT
Various
 
Friday, September 20
 

8:30am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 8:30am - 11:30am EDT
Speakers
avatar for Kayvona Brown

Kayvona Brown

McNair Scholar, University of Connecticut
Fourth-year psychology student on B.A research track minoring in sociology and women's, gender, and sexuality studies. Aspiring to obtain my Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, I am primarily interested in the response of the brain and body to sexual traumatic experiences within women and... Read More →
avatar for Dayna Buitron

Dayna Buitron

I am a Senior majoring in microbiology with minors in biochemistry and philosophy. I have been researching killer toxins found in yeast for characterization of novel killer toxins and investigation into utilizing killer toxins in the anti-fungal world. I aim to secure my PhD in a... Read More →
ID

Isabella Dressler

Conference Ambassador, UMBC
avatar for Nolan Gerdes

Nolan Gerdes

University of Wyoming McNair Scholars Program
avatar for Jaden Martin

Jaden Martin

Southern University and A&M College
As a first-generation college student and Ronald E. McNair Scholar pursuing a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at Southern University and A&M College, I am driven by a passion for innovation and research. My experience has prepared me to tackle complex challenges. I am open... Read More →
AM

Akriti Mishra

University of Pittsburgh
Friday September 20, 2024 8:30am - 11:30am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

8:45am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 8:45am - 9:00am EDT
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 8:45am - 9:00am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

9:00am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 9:15am EDT
Speakers
avatar for Dayna Buitron

Dayna Buitron

I am a Senior majoring in microbiology with minors in biochemistry and philosophy. I have been researching killer toxins found in yeast for characterization of novel killer toxins and investigation into utilizing killer toxins in the anti-fungal world. I aim to secure my PhD in a... Read More →
Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 9:15am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

9:15am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 9:15am - 9:30am EDT
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 9:15am - 9:30am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

9:30am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 9:30am - 9:45am EDT
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 9:30am - 9:45am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

9:50am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 9:50am - 10:10am EDT
Speakers
avatar for Jaden Martin

Jaden Martin

Southern University and A&M College
As a first-generation college student and Ronald E. McNair Scholar pursuing a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at Southern University and A&M College, I am driven by a passion for innovation and research. My experience has prepared me to tackle complex challenges. I am open... Read More →
ID

Isabella Dressler

Conference Ambassador, UMBC
Friday September 20, 2024 9:50am - 10:10am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

10:10am EDT

UMBC McNair Research Symposium
Friday September 20, 2024 10:10am - 10:40am EDT
Speakers
avatar for Nolan Gerdes

Nolan Gerdes

University of Wyoming McNair Scholars Program
avatar for Kayvona Brown

Kayvona Brown

McNair Scholar, University of Connecticut
Fourth-year psychology student on B.A research track minoring in sociology and women's, gender, and sexuality studies. Aspiring to obtain my Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, I am primarily interested in the response of the brain and body to sexual traumatic experiences within women and... Read More →
AM

Akriti Mishra

University of Pittsburgh
Friday September 20, 2024 10:10am - 10:40am EDT
Virtual w/ one hotel viewing room

11:00am EDT

Registration Open
Friday September 20, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

11:30am EDT

Sponsors Setup
Friday September 20, 2024 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

12:30pm EDT

Lunch & Keynote Fireside Chat
Friday September 20, 2024 12:30pm - 1:45pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 12:30pm - 1:45pm EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

2:00pm EDT

Oral Presentation Session I begins
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Various Breakout Rooms

2:00pm EDT

Investigating the Effects of Atorvastatin (ATST) on Lipid Metabolism in HeLa Cells Using SRS Imaging
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Cancer cells exhibit profound alterations in lipid metabolism to support their rapid growth, proliferation, and survival. Among these alterations, the increased synthesis and storage of lipids in the form of lipid droplets are particularly significant. Lipid droplets are lipid-rich cytosolic organelles that play roles in cell signaling, membrane trafficking, and many other cellular activities. Recent studies revealed that lipid droplets in cancer cells have various biological functions, such as energy production, membrane synthesis, and chemoresistance, thereby fostering cancer progression. Statins, widely known for their cholesterol-lowering effects, inhibit the mevalonate pathway, a crucial pathway for cholesterol biosynthesis. Emerging evidence suggests that statins may have anti-cancer properties by disrupting lipid metabolism, reducing cell proliferation, and inducing apoptosis in various cancer cell types. This study focuses on Atorvastatin (ATST), a specific type of statin, and its potential effects on cancer cell lipid metabolism. This study aims to investigate the impact of ATST statin on lipid metabolism in HeLa cells, to provide insight on potential therapeutic window for cancer treatment or the potential use in combination cancer therapies. Images of lipid and protein distributions across three experimental groups were obtained using Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) imaging.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Potomac

2:00pm EDT

Effects of Ethanol on Nicotine Preference in C. Elegans
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Nicotine and ethanol are two most-commonly abused substances in the U.S., yet effective treatments remain elusive. This study investigates how ethanol exposure influences nicotine preference in C. elegans using a chemotaxis preference assay. We hypothesized that ethanol exposure would increase nicotine preference. One group of C. elegans was exposed to ethanol for 30 minutes at the L1 stage, while another group experienced ethanol exposure from birth until the L1 stage. These groups helped determine if nicotine preference was dependent on the duration of ethanol exposure. Post-ethanol treatment, C. elegans were placed in a preference assay with nicotine (4 µL) in one zone and water (4 µL) in another. Imaging occurred after 30 minutes to calculate the preference index: (# of C. elegans in the nicotine zone)/(# in both zones). A two-way ANOVA assessed the effect of ethanol on nicotine preference. A 30-minute ethanol exposure showed no significant difference in nicotine preference, whereas lifelong exposure resulted in an increasing trend of nicotine preference at low dosages (~30 mM). These results suggest further experiments are needed to refine the data. This study aims to expand the body of knowledge between ethanol and nicotine addiction, and contribute to better treatment strategies.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Loch Raven II

2:00pm EDT

Effects of YAP and TAZ in the Intestinal Mesenchyme after Irradiation 1
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
The intestinal mesenchyme is essential for the repair and regeneration of the intestinal epithelium, supporting growth, repair, and structure while interacting with immune cells to maintain intestinal health. Understanding the regenerative processes in the mesenchyme can significantly enhance knowledge of intestinal healing post-injury and inflammation. YAP and TAZ are co-transcriptional factors crucial for cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, wound healing, and regeneration. While previous research has examined YAP and TAZ deletion in the intestinal epithelium, their role in the mesenchyme remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the impact of YAP and TAZ deletion in the intestinal mesenchyme of mice, particularly after damage induced by ionizing radiation (IR). We hypothesize that the deletion of YAP and TAZ will impair tissue regeneration post-IR exposure. Utilizing targeted gene deletion in PDGFRα Cre-ETR2 positive mice, our methodologies include genotyping, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative measurements of how we can understand what is going on. These findings could lead to improved treatments and preventive strategies for intestinal injuries and diseases, contributing to a broader understanding of regenerative processes and their applications in other tissues and organs where YAP and TAZ are critical.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Camden II

2:00pm EDT

Investigating the role of Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase 2 (GOT2) during kidney development
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Proliferation of nephron progenitor cells (NPC) is essential to maintain and expand the progenitor pool during kidney development. Proliferation depends on mitochondrial aspartate biosynthesis to fuel nucleotide synthesis. Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase 2 (GOT2) is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the transamination of glutamate and oxaloacetate to form aspartate and α-ketoglutarate. While GOT2 is essential for nucleotide synthesis and proliferation in cancer cells, the role of GOT2 during kidney development is unknown. Using publicly available scRNAseq datasets and immunofluorescence (IF) staining, we show Got2 is broadly expressed during kidney development. To determine the necessity of GOT2 we took a genetic approach to knockout a conditional (floxed – fl) Got2 allele in NPC using Six2Cre. Western blot and qPCR analyses of newborn mice confirmed efficient ablation of Got2 using this approach. Histology and gross analyses found that Six2Cre;Got2fl/fl mice have smaller kidneys at birth. IF staining using both anti-Six2 and anti-Pax2 found a reduction in the size of the NPC population in Six2Cre;Got2fl/fl mice compared to Six2Cre;Got2fl/+ littermate controls. Our findings suggest that GOT2 is essential to maintain and/or expand the NPC population. In light of these findings, future studies evaluating the effects of Got2 ablation on proliferation and apoptosis are warranted.
Speakers
JR

Jimena Ramirez

Major: Molecular Biology, East Central University
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Camden I

2:00pm EDT

Does Maltreatment Predict Insecure Attachment Styles?
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
The study examined the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and insecure attachment styles in adulthood. It specifically focused on how childhood neglect may predict avoidant attachment and how childhood abuse may contribute to anxious attachment. ACEs significantly impact mental, behavioral, and physical health, shaping adult relationships. Anxious attachment involves a need for constant affirmation and fear of rejection, while avoidant attachment involves emotional withdrawal, making it hard to form meaningful relationships. The research recruited 200 participants aged 18 to 76 through an online survey website called Prolific, utilizing data from the CSU Stanislaus library database and other sources. The results indicated that anxious attachment is more associated with childhood abuse, while avoidant attachment is more associated with childhood neglect. The study also emphasized the role of psychopathology, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and emotional dysregulation, in connecting ACEs to adult relationship quality. Additionally, it highlighted the importance of supportive childhood relationships in lessening the harmful effects of ACEs. The findings aim to contribute to the development of targeted interventions for healthier attachment patterns and psychological resilience in individuals with childhood trauma histories. Data analysis is ongoing to further explore these relationships and refine the findings.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Loch Raven I

2:00pm EDT

Drivers Accuracy in Left Turn Estimations and Judgements Toward Oncoming Vehicles
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
In 2020, 844,310 vehicles were involved in crashes while turning left, highlighting the need to research and prevent these collisions. Drivers assess left turns based on time-to-collision (TTC) with an oncoming vehicle and the time required to turn (TRT). However, studies have not assessed whether these turn estimations are accurate. We hypothesized that judgments of the last safe moment to turn would have shorter TTCs for motorcycles due to the size arrival effect. No prior research compares estimated and actual turning times, but walking time studies display accurate estimations, suggesting drivers might also be accurate. We analyzed the minimum TTC when participants indicated the last safe moment to turn left in front of an oncoming vehicle. ANOVA showed that drivers responded sooner (higher TTC) to larger vehicles (trucks) and slower vehicles (30mph) compared to smaller vehicles (motorcycles) and faster (vehicles). The interaction between vehicle size and speed was not significant. For perceived safety margins, drivers had larger margins for trucks and slower vehicles compared to motorcycles and faster vehicles, with no significant interaction. We are continuing to analyze actual turning time data to compare it with imagined turns and assess the accuracy of drivers' judgments and their safety margins.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Severn III

2:00pm EDT

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Adult Attachment in a Romantic Relationship
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that an individual may experience before their 18th birthday. Experiencing four or more ACEs affects multiple aspects of an individual’s social development. ACEs can disrupt a child’s interpersonal relationships and their ability to form connections and secure attachments with others. Later, romantic relationships are one of the closest relationships that adults form, but they can be influenced by early experiences. The present study's purpose is to examine the relationship between ACEs and adult attachment styles in romantic relationships. Based on past research, it is hypothesized that 1) fewer ACEs will be negatively correlated with secure attachment (close subscale); 2) more ACEs will be positively correlated with anxious attachment (anxiety subscale); and 3) more ACEs will be positively correlated with avoidant attachment (depend on subscale). One hundred participants currently in a romantic relationship for six months or longer will be recruited. They will take the Adverse Childhood Experience scale and the Adult Attachment Scale. Once all the data is collected, a Pearson correlation will be used to test the hypotheses. These findings may address the gap in literature regarding ACEs and attachment, or be used to provide support to couples.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Severn I

2:00pm EDT

The Role of Stress on Student Success; Is Race an Important Factor?
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Stress has been shown to have an impact on student’s academic success. Racial minorities experience more stress compared to their white counterparts due to systemic oppression. This study's purpose is to investigate the role of stress on academic achievement between black and white students. To better understand how stress impacts academic success, the Minority Student Stress Scale (MSSS), self-reported GPA, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were collected from 91 undergraduate students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) from 2022-2024. Analyses using t-tests will highlight the effects of PSS scores and GPAs of black and white students. A Pearson Correlation will be conducted for MSSS and GPA for minority students. It is hypothesized that stress will negatively impact student’s academic outcomes. Students experiencing racial-related stress will impact MSSS scores and academic achievement. Our data shows that black students have higher levels of minority-related stress, while black and white students experience similar levels of perceived stress. Black students have a direct relationship between perceived stress and GPA, while white students have an inverse relationship between perceived stress and GPA. This data suggests that black and white students respond to stress differently. Further research into resilience between black and white students is needed.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Severn II

2:00pm EDT

Registration Open (Final Attendee Registration)
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

2:20pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Potomac

2:20pm EDT

Optimizing nanoparticles concentration on stem cell for pulmonary fibrosis treatment
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Sassafras

2:20pm EDT

Batrachoseps Boundaries: A Response to Climate Change?
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Climate change has driven ecological change, but the long-term effects on different species and environments are still open to question. There is high variability in biological responses to climate change, especially in animal range shifts, which are directional movements in species ranges influencing ecological communities. Animals like mammals and birds may shift to altered latitudes or elevations in response to climate change. In particular, little is known about the effect on species like salamanders, which might not move in expected directions. I used slender salamanders –Batrachoseps– to determine if their geographical ranges have shifted. Previous research by Dr. Kay Yanev found how genetically diverse the species within the Batrachoseps genus is. For this project, I collected four Batrachoseps species in Coastal California from sites where the species overlapped their geographical regions, which Dr. Kay Yanev discovered. I have examined how diverse these four species are through genetic techniques like Sanger sequencing, and I suggest populations are spreading across a wider geographical range. I intend to continue investigating how Batrachoseps species’ range shifts are being impacted by climate change, which will provide new insights into the impact of climate change on biodiversity.  
Speakers
LR

Lesley Rendon-Hernandez

First gen Mexican American Senior at the University of Connecticut. Interested in Evolutionary Biology/Evolutionary Cell Biology.
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Camden II

2:20pm EDT

Clinical Research in Vascular Anomalies
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Vascular anomalies are abnormalities or disorders of veins, arteries, and lymphatic channels, and it encompasses a spectrum of rare diseases that can be classified into vascular tumors or vascular malformations. Vascular anomalies can be treated with a combination of procedures, surgeries, and medical therapies. However, many of the current medical therapies used for vascular anomalies were not originally made for these rare diseases, so the mechanistic understanding of what drives the clinical benefit in vascular anomalies is limited. This presentation aims to inform attendees on clinical research being conducted for the benefit of pediatric patients with vascular anomalies, with an emphasis on the clinical research I’ve conducted in lymphatic anomalies and infantile hemangioma at the Vascular Anomalies Center and Bischoff Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Speakers
avatar for Trisha Lopez

Trisha Lopez

Biological Sciences at Wellesley College
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Camden I

2:20pm EDT

Laban movement analysis: dance movement therapy for people with disabilities in North America
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Awaiting final approval from PI/Mentor
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Loch Raven II

2:20pm EDT

Emotional Regulation and the Intergenerational Transmission of Depression
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Previous research has shown that children of mothers with a history of major depressive
disorder (MDD), compared to children of never depressed mothers, are at a higher risk of
developing depression themselves. However, not all children of depressed parents
develop MDD, highlighting the need to understand potential moderators of risk. This study
examined how child emotional regulation strategies, specifically cognitive reappraisal and
suppression, may moderate the link between mother MDD and children’s depressive symptoms.
Additionally, child age and gender were examined as potential moderators. We recruited
95 mother-child dyads from the community. Of the mothers, 62% had a history of MDD during
their child’s life and the others had no lifetime history of any depressive disorder. The children
were 7-15 years old, the majority were Caucasian (77.9%) and female (55.3%). Children
completed self-report questionnaires assessing emotion regulation strategies (cognitive
reappraisal and suppression) and depressive symptoms. Analyses revealed that higher levels of
suppression, but not lower levels of cognitive reappraisal, were associated with high levels of
depression in children. This relation was strongest in older boys of mothers with a history of
MDD. These findings suggest that children’s use of suppression may increase risk for
depression, particularly in at-risk older boys
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Loch Raven I

2:20pm EDT

Racial Allyship Perceptions Among People of Color: Impacts on Identity Safety, Support, and Emotional Well-Being
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
This study investigates the relationship between perceptions of racial allyship messages among Black and Latine individuals and impacts on emotional well-being, identity safety, and perceived support. Racial allies (i.e., White individuals who support disadvantaged groups) sometimes engage in performative allyship—actions motivated by personal gain rather than genuine support for equality. Witnessing performative allyship can have negative consequences for minoritized individuals by cueing identity threat, negative emotions, and damaging perceptions of support. However, it is unknown which specific allyship behaviors are perceived as performative or genuine and their positive or negative implications. To address this gap, we ask: What allyship messages do people of color (i.e., Black and Latine individuals) perceive as genuine or performative, and how does this relate to their emotions, identity safety, and support? We hypothesize that (1) participants will differentiate genuine and performative allyship messages, (2) performative messages will result in negative emotions, lower perceptions of support, and reduced identity safety, whereas (3) genuine messages will result in positive emotions, stronger perceived support, and identity safety. Our findings will help White allies better support minoritized groups by knowing which allyship messages help fight for social justice and promote a supportive environment where minoritized groups can thrive.
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Severn II

2:20pm EDT

Systemic Inequalities in Housing and the Perpetuation of Housing Insecurities
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
In the U.S., housing is often treated as a luxury rather than a fundamental human right,
evident from the 653,104 people identified as unhoused in HUD’s one-day census in
January of 2023. Despite existing shelters and support programs, chronic
homelessness remains unsolved. The Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v.
Johnson could worsen the marginalization of the unhoused by increasing criminalization
and displacement. Although much research exists on homelessness, little progress has
been made toward a universal housing program. This study aims to explore the
prevalence of automatic housing rejections based on factors like credit score, criminal
history, and evictions. It will investigate whether eliminating these barriers, combined
with wrap-around services, can create long-term, stable housing. The study seeks to
understand rejection rates and the potential for collaboration with housing organizations
by interviewing property managers, local politicians, and other key stakeholders. The
findings will support advocacy for individual-centered solutions and community
partnerships, contributing evidence to shape policies that address homelessness across
diverse communities.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Severn I

2:20pm EDT

Transformative effects of incarceration on maternal identity
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Currently, 58% of women in prison are mothers, many of whom struggle to maintain their maternal identity in a restrictive environment (Bertram, 2023). Motherhood involves various practices that reinforce maternal identity, such as daily caregiving, emotional support, and involvement in children's education and routines. However, incarceration limits these opportunities, disrupting the mother-child bond and challenging the mothers' sense of maternal identity. This study explores the experiences of incarcerated mothers, focusing on how their maternal identities are affected and reformed during incarceration. Through a survey conducted with women across multiple penal institutions, this research aims to fill a gap in the literature that predominantly centers on the impact of maternal incarceration on children, rather than on the mothers themselves. By giving voice to these women and examining their self-reported data, this research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of maternal identity in the context of incarceration and to inform better practices and policies that support incarcerated mothers. Findings in this study found that incarcerated mothers vary in cognitive operations as based on race/ethnicity.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:20pm - 2:35pm EDT
Severn III

2:40pm EDT

Can Halophiles Be Present in Ice Nucleating Particles (INPs) in the Atmosphere?
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
This project centers on the possibility of salt-thriving halophiles to serve as ice-nucleating particles (INPs) in the atmosphere. This task presents a challenge due to the diversity of the bacteria and archaea domain and the limited data available in bioaerosols to become cloud ice formations. Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and pollen contain biologically derived materials that can act as INPs, initiating the freezing of water droplets in clouds even at relatively warm temperatures. Ideally, I would predict that different strains of haloarchaea will react differently based on their optimal salt concentrations: those from a less saline environment may be better microorganisms for INPs since they are able to interface with more water molecules in the moderately saline brine. This project consists of testing three different isolated strains of haloarchaea for optimal salinity and temperature profiles. These data would be coupled with measurements of their ability to induce freezing. Understanding the behavior of halophiles under specific environmental conditions is crucial to expanding our understanding of biological impacts on clouds, especially over saline lakes such as Great Salt Lake. What’s more, forming INPs may have positive impacts on the water crisis of the west.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Loch Raven II

2:40pm EDT

Effects of High Fat Diet on the Progression of AD in TgF344-AD Female Rats
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes a progressive
decline in memory, thought, language, and behavior in patients. AD is hallmarked by the aggregation of B-amyloid proteins and neurofibrillary tangles. Age and obesity are some of the risk factors associated with AD, both of which alter glucose metabolism. On the other hand, the rate of adults with obesity reached 41.9% from 2017-2020 which raises questions about the impacts of a high fat diet and obesity on the development of AD. Our lab explores the effects of High Fat Diet (HFD) on transgenic (Tg) rats that were co-injected with two human genes known to cause early-onset AD when mutated: amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1). Preliminary results from our glucose monitoring data showed no significance between Tg and Wild-type (WT) rats. However, body composition data and western blot quantification displayed female Tg rats developing more neuropathologies than their WT counterparts. The results demonstrate how HFD may have an independent role in AD progression from the transgenes and that the presence of both can aggregate neuropathologies that induce AD.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Camden I

2:40pm EDT

From the Peruvian Andes to Galápagos: Ecological Opportunities in Snail Adaptations
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Oceanic islands are often considered natural test tubes for evolution due to their isolation and limited number of colonizing species, leading to remarkable evolutionary radiations. Understanding how biodiversity differs between island systems and nearby mainland environments has intrigued researchers for decades. The goal of the present study is to examine the influence of evolutionary constraints and ecological drivers of ecomorphology among land snail species forming assemblages found on an island system (the Galápagos Islands) and on a nearby mainland system (the Peruvian Andes). Land snails of the Family Bulimulidae were sampled across the two landscapes. Ecological and shell morphological data will be assembled and curated for all species encountered at each site. Evolutionary relationships among species will be inferred from genomic markers, and a phylogenetic framework will be used to estimate diversification rates and assess evolutionary constraints for each group. We will then use a multivariate analysis approach to examine the relationships and differences between shell morphology, using geometric morphometrics and ecological data at the species and community levels.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Camden II

2:40pm EDT

Examining Perspectives of Police Assertiveness in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Cases
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
This study investigates examining law enforcement’s approach and statements regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) cases from the perspectives of tribal communities, law enforcement agencies, and public media. The purpose of this study focuses on defining ‘police assertive’ and examining how MMIWG cases are framed and portrayed in media. By utilizing content analysis and grounded theory, this study specifically analyzes the cases of Mary Johnson, an Indigenous woman from the Tulalip tribe, and Aubrey Dameron, an Indigenous woman from the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. These cases were selected for their significance in highlighting the urgency of addressing MMIWG issues and the racial disparities experienced by women of color in media coverage, as well as advocating for legislative reforms. The research will explore media coverage from various outlets including local and national digital newspapers and podcasts, identifying prevalent themes and narratives. It will investigate the framing of these cases, law enforcement actions, the extent of media attention, and case outcomes. Through this analysis, the study aims to illuminate the systemic challenges faced by Indigenous women in accessing adequate support post-victimization.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Severn II

2:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Severn III

2:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Loch Raven I

2:40pm EDT

Understanding Social Relationships
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Using Kipp Williams ostracism work this study focuses on experiences of inclusion/exclusion and the need to belong on social relationships. Recalling a time that one was excluded should increase one’s need to belong, and the converse should be true for recalling a memory of being included. In addition, those who enjoy thinking about relationships (high in a relationship need for cognition) should provide more robust responses to vignettes regardless of condition. Using vignettes, we explore how the need to belong can influence responses to excluded others. To manipulate the need to belong, we asked participants to recall a time they were excluded (included) and then have them respond to a series of vignettes where someone in their social group is feeling excluded. Qualitative analysis of participants' open-ended responses will explore themes and determine whether individuals use different approaches based on their conditions. We expect open-ended responses and resulting themes to demonstrate individuals use different approaches based on condition. Quantitative analysis will examine participants’ scores on the Friendship Habits Questionnaire, Relationship Need for Cognition Scale, and the Need to Belong scale. We predict that the need to belong will shape how participants respond to excluded others within their social group.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 2:40pm - 2:55pm EDT
Severn I

3:00pm EDT

Improving Detection of Suicideal Ideation in Teens with Neural Networks
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Suicide is an increasingly dire issue in the United States, especially among youth. The youth suicide rate has been steadily increasing for at least 20 years. The current mental healthcare system in the US has been shown to be ineffective at predicting or preventing suicide with any reliability. In fact, human mental health professionals are only able to identify suicide risk at a rate that is slightly higher than chance.
To remedy this, some have begun exploring machine learning solutions to predicting suicide, which has shown initial promise. Furthermore, some have applied a subset of machine learning algorithms known as neural networks to the task, which have proven even more powerful. There is very sparse literature on this subject, however.
This research intends to contribute to the literature gap. Additionally, this research intends to improve upon prior results seen in neural network suicide prediction. Researchers are generally able to consistently get results ranging from 0.9-0.95 AUROC. This research will compare several neural network models at the task of predicting suicidal ideation, with a focus on maximizing AUROC.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Potomac

3:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Sassafras

3:00pm EDT

Determining the Effects of Ectomycorrhizal Competitors in Current and Potential Truffle Orchards in Southern Idaho
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Truffles are culinary delicacy which are produced from the fungal genus, Tuber. However, factors influencing their production in truffle orchards are not well understood. It is suspected that competitive fungal species that form symbiotic ectomycorrhizal (ECM) relationships with plant roots may lower truffle yields. This research aims to investigate how ECM host plant abundance and soil depth affect the distribution of competitive ECM fungi, and ultimately truffle production in southern Idaho. This study will sample seven sites, including three truffle orchards and four experimental stations. Soil samples will be collected from plots with varying ECM host plant densities at multiple depths. Subsequently, soil pH and organic matter content will be measured. Lastly, molecular and bioinformatic techniques will be used to identify and quantify the different ECM fungal species observed. It is hypothesized that a high abundance of ECM hosts will be correlated to a high abundance of competitive ECM fungi. Furthermore, it is expected that the abundance of ECM competitors will decrease with increasing soil depth. These changes in ECM distribution may negatively impact truffle production. The results may contribute to the development of effective agronomic practices which can maximize truffle yields and mitigate competitive ECM fungal abundance.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Loch Raven II

3:00pm EDT

Hypothalamic gene expression of female rats exposed to bisphenol A during puberty
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are synthetic chemicals notorious for interfering with the body’s normal hormone signaling causing adverse health effects in humans. One such EDC called bisphenol A (BPA), found in countless consumer products, is argued on its impact in prepubertal reproductive hormone signaling, leading to early puberty. This project looks to evaluate the extent prepubertal exposure of BPA has on hypothalamic brain pathways responsible for proper reproductive development and behavior from adolescence into adulthood. Female rats were exposed to BPA during adolescence, prior to puberty, through drinking water in 3 treatment groups. Rats were then scarified for hypothalamic brain regions to assess gene expression for specific genes and neurons vital for the onset of puberty. It is expected to find a dose-dependent effect with the highest dosed treatment group to experience the greatest effect from prepubertal BPA exposure. Such research will provide important knowledge to the detrimental health effects BPA exposure during adolescence can have later in life and risks of increased mental illness and behavioral disorders associated with early puberty.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Camden II

3:00pm EDT

Using WebMO to Introduce Computational Chemistry at USM
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Computational chemistry is a rapidly evolving specialty within the field of chemistry. Computational chemistry is a subfield of chemistry that utilizes theoretical calculations to simulate properties of chemical reactions. Computation is vital to many different industries like medicine, engineering, and environmental. Despite its significance, there are currently no computational chemistry courses offered at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). This study investigates the integration of computational chemistry into the undergraduate laboratory curriculum using WebMO. A computational laboratory exercise was developed for an organic chemistry course to help students visualize building molecules and administered to students in conjunction with their regular laboratory content using a traditional model kit to understand structure. Preliminary results indicate that, despite certain limitations, such as unfamiliarity with software and problems with the visualization of certain topics, the exercise effectively facilitated the incorporation of computational chemistry concepts into the undergraduate laboratory experience.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Camden I

3:00pm EDT

It Starts at Home: An Exploration of Family Ethnic-Racial Socialization & Depressive Symptoms among Biracial Black-White Young People
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
A growing body of literature has suggested that ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) is a protective factor for biracial youth as it provides youth with skills to face different adversities like racial discrimination, ultimately improving their psychological well-being. Various types of ERS exist (e.g., verbal, non-verbal, etc) across different levels (e.g., parent-child, household/family) but some have been overlooked in research. This study sought to bridge this gap by exploring ERS at the family level and determining whether it relates to depressive symptoms among biracial black-white adolescents and emerging adults. The study examined if (a) family ERS around multiracial and monoracial black topics related to depressive symptoms differently and (b) any developmental differences were present in the association between family ERS and depressive symptoms. We predicted a negative relationship between both forms of Family ERS and depressive symptoms. The methods included a secondary analysis with three multiple linear regression models conducted in SPSS Version 28. Findings indicated significant negative associations between both forms of Family ERS and depressive symptoms in biracial black-white young people. Developmental differences also emerged in these associations. The results explore the potential role that Family ERS may have regarding depressive symptoms in biracial black-white young people.
Speakers
avatar for Ashley Dominguez

Ashley Dominguez

Ronald E. McNair Scholar, VCU
Hello Everyone! My name is Ashley (Ash) Dominguez and I’m a Junior majoring in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Spanish. I’m honored to be a TRIO SSS student and Ronald E. McNair scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University. I aspire to obtain a doctorate degree in Clinical... Read More →
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Loch Raven I

3:00pm EDT

Perceptions of Black Female Sexuality and Reproductive Health among Street-Identified Black Men and Women: A Mixed-Methods and Comparative Analysis
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
This secondary analysis examines how street-identified Black men and women perceive the sexual behavior and reproductive health of low-income Black women and girls. Data was drawn from 800 community-based surveys and a subset (20) of in-depth interviews from street-identified Black men and women ages 16 to 54 from two high-crime neighborhoods in Wilmington, Delaware. Study participants comprise a distinctive, hard-to-reach subset of the broader low-income Black population that is often in closer proximity to criminal justice contact, violence, and other forms of illegal activity. This mixed-methods analysis examines survey questions on attitudes toward abortion and contraception and racialized perceptions of sexuality. Investigating a subset of in-depth interviews and focusing on these themes related to Black women and girls, I compare this data across gender to understand the gender differences in their perceptions.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Severn I

3:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Severn II

3:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Boardroom

3:00pm EDT

The Influence of Exercise on Perceived Internal Body Sensations Within Social Anxiety
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Attentional biases of social anxiety including self-focus and attention to perceived negative evaluation from others are a key role in maintaining anxiety symptoms. Self-focus on somatic symptoms prompts fear of rejection if others notice these symptoms. Exercise is a powerful interoceptive exposure strategy because it has been seen to reduce anxiety sensitivity. The current investigation will examine the effects of exercise on the perception of heart rate among socially anxious individuals. Participants filled out an online questionnaire to determine social anxiety group eligibility. Participants were attached to ECG sensors that monitored their heart rate. A self-manipulation task was completed before and after an exercise or rest task to provoke attentional focus toward the heartbeat. Results indicate that high and low socially anxious individuals did not differ in heartbeat detection accuracy when completing an exercise or rest task, F(1,8)= 1.09, p= .33. These findings provide a basic understanding of how exercise may benefit perception of heart rate among socially anxious individuals.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Severn III

3:20pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Potomac

3:20pm EDT

Exploring the Physiological Impact of Mental Health Stigma Encounters
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
The experience of stigmatizing events related to mental health can trigger chronic stress responses in individuals with mental health conditions. Although the psychological and social effects of stigma are well-documented, the direct physiological impact of mental health stigma, particularly its effect on cortisol secretion in response to acute stressors, has remained underexplored. This study aims to clarify how exposure to mental health stigma affects cortisol levels, thereby enriching our understanding of the full spectrum of stigma's impact on health and well-being. We hypothesized that exposure to mental health stigma would alter cortisol responses, potentially leading to either heightened or suppressed cortisol levels, indicative of a dysregulated stress response, especially among those with prior mental health diagnoses. However, our findings did not reveal statistically significant differences in cortisol reactivity, although trends suggest that stigmatizing conditions might decrease cortisol responses relative to supportive conditions. In this study, we measured cortisol levels before and after participants were exposed to controlled supportive or stigmatizing social interactions to examine these effects. These preliminary results underscore the complexity of the physiological pathways involved and highlight the need for further research to definitively map the relationship between mental health stigma and stress physiology.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Sassafras

3:20pm EDT

Characterizing Biofilm Dispersion in the Gut Bacterium Enterococcus faecalis
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Biofilm dispersion is a survival mechanism where bacteria transition to a planktonic lifestyle. Dispersion is not characterized in Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), a human intestinal tract bacterium. In semi-batch culture experiments, we determined steady state biofilms formed after 48 hours when E. faecalis was grown in 10% Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) at 37oC without shaking. Next, we challenged biofilm cultures with a 10-fold step increase in nutrients after 4 days of growth to avoid interference from self-induced dispersion and found a statistically significant dispersion response. To evaluate the effect of bile acids on nutrient-induced dispersion, we exposed dispersed cells to the primary bile acid cholic acid or the secondary bile acid lithocholic acid. Lithocholic acid retained biofilm growth during nutrient-induced dispersion and thus may cause increased biofilm formation and preservation in the gut. To evaluate E. faecalis antibiotic tolerance, we conducted dose finding assays with the oxazolidinone linezolid and glycopeptide vancomycin. Mid-log cultures were grown for 18 hours in 100% TSB and shaken prior to treatment. E. faecalis displayed antibiotic tolerance when treated with 50 µg/ml of linezolid, resulting in a 0.5 log reduction. Our study has revealed novel findings on the growth and dispersion response of E. faecalis biofilms.
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Camden I

3:20pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
JL

Joaquin Lugo

Undergrad, Baylor
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Camden II

3:20pm EDT

Using Rock Compositions as a Time Machine to the Early Earth
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
The μ-composition, measured in parts per million (ppm), of 182W (μ182W) shows significant positive and negative variations from a standard composition within mantle-derived rocks. A combination of three scenarios—late accretion, core-mantle interaction, and early planetary differentiation—have been proposed to explain these variations. To test this hypothesis, a multiphase thermal chemical fluid dynamics (MTCFD) numerical model was used to simulate mantle physics and chemistry of these three different scenarios. This work aimed to replicate the μ182W composition of bulk silicate Earth (BSE; crust+mantle) over 4.5 billion years, which previous research constrains to initial and final values of +25 ppm and 0 ppm, respectively. Preliminary simulations using low-resolution were run on laptops. These results provided quantitative and qualitative data on the evolution of μ182W in the BSE. Preliminary results indicate final values of +15 ppm (late accretion), -20 ppm (core-mantle interaction), +25 ppm (early planetary differentiation), and -5 ppm (combined). The combined scenario more closely replicates the BSE record compared to individual scenarios, suggesting that a combination may account for the variability of 182W in Earth’s mantle. Based on these results, further simulations with different initial conditions will be run on the Graham supercomputer for a high-resolution and more comprehensive data set.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Loch Raven II

3:20pm EDT

Locus of Control and its Relationship with Prosocial Behavior
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
How we perceive the factors that control our lives impacts our behavior and influences our participation in prosocial behavior. Studies have examined how internal and external locus of control impact many facets of our lives, such as well-being, life satisfaction, and how we treat others (Stevick et al., 1980). Little to no research has been conducted on the connection between locus of control and prosocial behavior. The present study will examine the relationship between the two.
Previous research has demonstrated that an external locus of control can have detrimental effects on individuals, leading to anxiety, depression, and risky behaviors (Guo et al., 2021). Conversely, engaging in prosocial behavior has been shown to elicit positive emotions and reduce stress (Baumsteiger, 2019). This line of research is crucial for understanding the individual differences in how people navigate life, respond to challenges, and plan for the future. By predicting behaviors and outcomes, such as prosocial behavior, we can foster community participation, promote psychological well-being, and enhance positive social interactions.
Past research has examined the links between third variables that affect prosocial behavior, such as self-control, life satisfaction, and moral disengagement. The present study investigates the link between locus of control and prosocial behavior.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Loch Raven I

3:20pm EDT

Restorative & Transformative Justice Hubs Evaluation: Analysis of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Youth involved in juvenile legal systems and those who are at risk for delinquency often report high levels of trauma. The Restorative and Transformative Justice (RTJ) for Youths and Communities Pilot Program, located in four counties of New Jersey, is an initiative to provide educational, employment, mental health, substance abuse, life skills, mentoring, and social services to system-involved and at-risk youth. Examining the effectiveness of the RTJ Hubs may improve the quality of services, especially for youth who have had high levels of trauma. Our mixed method approach includes surveys completed via Qualtrics and in-person Photovoice groups in which data will be collected at baseline and 3, 6, and 9-month benchmark follow-ups that assess behavior and attitudes. The expected findings are that RTJ Hubs will positively impact domains of social support, civic engagement, trauma responses, and restorative justice attitudes, especially for system-involved youth with high adverse childhood experience scores. This study is presumed to benefit youth participants re-entering society after detention, prevent at-risk youth from initial justice system contact, improve connections with local law enforcement, and positively impact the larger community. Overall, we foresee positive impacts on youth behavioral health concerning violence, delinquency, and criminality improving safety, security, and health.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Severn III

3:20pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Severn I

3:20pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Boardroom

3:20pm EDT

The Impact of TikTok Videos on Comprehension
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Online classes have existed for many years and consist of asynchronous and synchronous classes. Synchronous classes include live lectures while asynchronous classes tend to include pre-recorded lectures that can be a few minutes to over an hour long. As online classes have risen in popularity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, TikTok has also. Therefore, it can be advantageous to see if TikTok can be incorporated into online classes to help with comprehension. The study will be conducted on Qualtrics and will be both experimental and quantitative. Participants in the control group will watch a twenty-minute long pre-recorded lecture video while the experimental group will watch five 2-3 minute long TikTok videos that contain the same lecture content. After, both groups will take a 20-question multiple choice test to measure their comprehension of the lecture material. It is expected that those in the TikTok condition will perform better on the comprehension test than those in the control condition. Data is in the process of being collected. If significance is found, then more instructors can try using TikTok videos to help their students learn. Additionally, researchers can measure the role of cognitive load on online lecture comprehension.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:20pm - 3:35pm EDT
Severn II

3:40pm EDT

Correlates of HPV Vaccine Uptake Among Latinx/a/o Adults in the Greater Richmond Area
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Latinx/a/o people in the United States (U.S.) are disproportionately burdened by human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers. Despite the widespread availability of the HPV vaccine, uptake among Latinx/a/o adults remains low. Efforts to enhance HPV vaccine uptake in this population group requires identifying the factors driving such disparities. To address this gap in the literature, the proposed study examined correlates of HPV vaccination uptake among a sample of Latinx/a/o adults in the Greater Richmond Area. Latinx/a/o adults (N=90) that receive dental care at the VCU Dental Clinics were recruited to participate in a survey to assess correlates related to HPV vaccination. Chi-squared tests were used to compare differences in nativity status, sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, marital status), socioeconomic factors (educational attainment and household income), and health-related variables (insurance status) by HPV vaccine uptake (yes/no). Over a quarter (25.5)% of participants reported they have received the HPV vaccination. Nativity, marital status, and educational attainment were significantly associated with HPV vaccination (p=0.02, p=0.02, and p=0.03, respectively). Findings suggest the need to implement community grounded efforts to promote HPV vaccination among Latinx/a/o adults.
Speakers
avatar for Mariah Cropp

Mariah Cropp

Hello!! I am a 3rd year health science major at VCU, who wants to pursue careers in public health as well as dentistry.
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Sassafras

3:40pm EDT

Exploring Clostridioides difficile Antibiotic Susceptibility in Co-culture Systems
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Clostridioides difficile is a virulent pathogen known to be susceptible to vancomycin, although less is known about how microbial interactions might influence the effectiveness of antibiotics. Here we test how the susceptibility of C. difficile to vancomycin is affected when in co-culture with Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE). We show that the in vitro co-culture of C. difficile with VRE reduces C. difficile’s susceptibility to vancomycin. In Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) media, susceptibility is reduced compared to Sporulation Media (SM), suggesting different environments affect antibiotic effectiveness. These findings contribute to our understanding of how microbial interactions and the environment affects antibiotic effectiveness.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Camden I

3:40pm EDT

Optimization and Derivatization of a Cyclohexane 1,3-Dione Analog For The Treatment Of ALS
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons. Developing effective ALS therapeutics is challenging due to the difficulty in delivering medications to the affected motor neurons in the brain, primarily because of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB, composed mainly of lipids and proteins, restricts the entry of potentially harmful substances into the central nervous system. For a molecule to permeate this barrier, it must exhibit high solubility in lipids. The Silverman laboratory has synthesized a 1,3-dione compound with potential therapeutic benefits for ALS. However, this compound faces issues of low yield and poor BBB permeability. My goal this summer is to discover an efficient synthesis strategy for the 1,3-dione and enhance its lipophilicity to improve BBB permeability. This will involve derivatizing the hydroxyl group, a relatively non-lipophilic group, with non-polar groups such as alkyls to reduce overall polarity and increase lipophilicity. The outcomes of this study will provide insights into potential structures and synthesis pathways that could lead to an effective therapeutic agent for ALS.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Camden II

3:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Loch Raven II

3:40pm EDT

Examining the Impact of Rutgers Future Scholars on Youth Academic Achievement
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
College access programs are necessary tools to prepare disadvantaged students for college and give them insight into what they must accomplish before that time comes. Most students from low socioeconomic communities can succeed with the right type of support to break the barrier. Through a quantitative study, we will be able to analyze how the length of time the students have been participating in the program has a direct effect on the improvement of their grades and their confidence in their academic abilities. This study will use a survey to gauge how the students perceive themselves in their scholarly journey to college.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Severn I

3:40pm EDT

Gender, Marriage, and Sector Impacts on Professional Salaries in the United States
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
This study investigates the persistent gender pay gap in the United States,
focusing on how marital status affects within-job wage disparities in various
professional occupations. Utilizing the 2022 microdata sample from the Census
Bureau’s American Community Survey, this analysis controls for educational
attainment, age, class of worker, region, and specific occupation to understand the
nuanced impact of gender, sector, and marital status on annual incomes.
Results indicate that while women have made significant strides in educational
attainment, their earnings still lag behind men with similar qualifications. The analysis
also reveals that men benefit from a "marriage premium," earning more than their
unmarried counterparts, a phenomenon not as prevalent among women. Additionally,
occupations with discretionary compensation schemes and wider pay ranges exacerbate
these disparities. Regression analyses alongside interaction effects highlight significant
wage differences influenced by marital status, sector, and occupational choices. The
findings underscore the need for policies addressing both explained and unexplained
factors contributing to the gender pay gap. By shedding light on these complexities, this
research aims to inform strategies for creating more equitable workplaces, ultimately
stimulating economic activity, reducing poverty, and enhancing job satisfaction among
professional women.
Speakers
MW

Mary Welch

MIS Student | Department of Management Science and Information Systems, Oklahoma State University
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Potomac

3:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Loch Raven I

3:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Boardroom

3:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Severn III

3:40pm EDT

Understanding Social media use and Mindfulness
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Losing track of time has been studied in two distinct ways in psychology. Perhaps the most well-known is the experience of flow that was popularized by Csikszentmihalyi in 1990. In the case of flow states, people are so immersed and engaged in what they are doing during a peak performance that they lose awareness of time. From positive psychology, we also have a robust literature on the importance of being present in the moment through mindfulness practice which in turn can improve our performance. Social media use is often viewed as a waste of time. However, under conditions of mindfulness, this activity might be considered information gathering. In this study, mindfulness is expected to increase time awareness and recall during social media viewing. We manipulate mindfulness by having participants listen to a guided mindfulness audio clip (or not), then ask them to provide a time estimate while scrolling through social media. Recall measures will be used to determine what they remember from their social media session and accuracy of time estimates will also be recorded. Participants in the mindfulness condition are expected to recall more information from the social media stream and to provide more accurate time estimates.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 3:40pm - 3:55pm EDT
Severn II

4:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Sassafras

4:00pm EDT

Characterizing The Calcium-Regulated Protein (CarP) and Its Interacting Partners in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is an opportunistic pathogen that causes severe infections in immunocompromised individuals, including those with cystic fibrosis (CF). Pa forms antibiotic-resistant biofilms, making infections difficult to treat and often lethal. In the CF lung, elevated Ca2+ concentrations are encountered by Pa, which our group has shown to induce virulence factor production. To understand the molecular mechanisms behind this regulation, we identified the novel inner membrane protein CarP, which plays a crucial role in Ca2+-induced pyocyanin production, oxidative stress tolerance, Ca2+ homeostasis, and host immune interactions. Although CarP’s molecular function remains unknown, we hypothesize it interacts with other proteins. To test this, we utilized a FLAG tag co-immunoprecipitation approach, generating two expression constructs: membrane-bound and periplasmic CarP, each with a 3xFLAG tag fused to the C-terminus. Pull-down assays will be performed with each construct, and periplasmic and cytoplasmic samples will be analyzed by mass spectrometry to identify CarP’s protein-binding partners. This research will provide important insights into CarP’s molecular function and the mechanisms of Ca2+-induced virulence in Pa.
Speakers
GB

Galilea Baca

Major: Biology Pre-Med, Oklahoma State University
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Camden I

4:00pm EDT

Hyperaccumulator Salicornia and the Current State of Mercury at Utah's Great Salt Lake
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Plants instinctive accumulation of compounds present in soil could help us understand possible solutions to mercury, its effects on the native plant life, and ways to identify heavy metal sediments at Utah’s Great Salt Lake (GSL). This project's main goal is to find whether or not Salicornia, otherwise known as Pickleweed, is absorbing mercury from soil at GSL. Sampling of pickleweed at Great Salt Lake and the consecutive use of a Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA-80) to quantify the present mercury. It is hypothesized that trace amounts of mercury will be found, but not a significant amount as mercury is more common in deeper substrates than the shoreline soil. If there's mercury in the shoreline soil it tells us that it will be present in dust storms that would affect the populations across Utah.
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Loch Raven II

4:00pm EDT

Melting Glaciers! Glacier Retreat in the Canadian Rockies, New Zealand, and Iceland
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Monitoring ice margin retreat and glacier area changes is crucial for assessing climate change impacts in mountainous regions. Google Earth™ offers a powerful toolset for analyzing these changes over several decades using its History, Polygon, and Path functions. For instance, glaciers in Iceland's Vatnajökull ice cap have experienced significant area loss, with two major glaciers shedding over 25 km² from 1985 to 2018 or 2020 and retreating at rates of 75-150 meters per year. In contrast, some glaciers terminating on land have lost less than 5 km² and exhibited fluctuations in the last two decades. In Canada, the Athabasca Glacier has decreased by 0.67 km² and retreated 0.48 km from 1985 to 2022, while the Columbia Glacier has lost 0.42 km² and retreated 0.62 km. In New Zealand, the Tasman Glacier shows a retreat rate exceeding 130 meters per year due to calving into Lake Tasman, whereas the Dall Glacier has retreated at approximately 80 meters per year. These observations highlight the diverse patterns of glacier change and demonstrate the utility of Google Earth™ in tracking glacier dynamics. The main limitations in this study are inconsistent georectification among different images, lower resolution of early images, and consistency in our measurements.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Potomac

4:00pm EDT

The Expression of Aerolysin-like Toxins by Human Pathogenic Candida and Non-Pathogenic Saccharomyces Yeast Species
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Invasive candidiasis, a yeast infection of the bloodstream, poses a devastating mortality and morbidity rate caused by a pan-drug-resistant pathogen yeast species, Candida, capable of outbreaks. This study investigates novel aerolysin-like toxins identified in the genome of Candida and Saccharomyces. We have found a family of proteins in Candida and Saccharomyces with structural similarities to bacterial aerolysin known for its cytotoxic effects in vertebrates. Bacterial aerolysin are well studied, whereas fungal aerolysin toxins and their effects on humans remain unexplored. Utilizing Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and genomic analysis, this project aimed and confirmed after the extraction of total RNA the expression, of aerolysin-like toxins in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Further endeavors involve investigating the opportunistic human pathogenic yeast C. auris, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis along with other Saccharomyces species. Future cloning of the killer toxin genes (K62L) into plasmids to assess the potential of these toxins in inhibiting the growth of yeasts and as potential virulence factors. Overall, this research aims to address critical gaps in the understanding the potential of fungal aerolysin toxins as novel virulence factors and their importance in mitigating human disease. These findings may contribute to therapeutic approaches against drug-resistant Candida infections.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Camden II

4:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Boardroom

4:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Severn I

4:00pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Severn II

4:00pm EDT

The Impact of Mental Health on Academic Achievement in African American Adolescents
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
The topic of mental health and academic achievement has increased drastically over the years. Mental health substantially influences dropout rates among high school and college students, particularly in minority groups. However, research on the relationship between mental health and academic achievement in African American male adolescents, especially when incorporating other outside cultural factors, remains limited. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the impact of mental health (measured through depression and anxiety symptoms) on academic achievement (measured through GPA). This study uses secondary data from the first wave of Add Health.

Data was gained from over 6,000 U.S adolescents in grades 7 through 12 and analyzed using an Ordinary Least Squares regression. The dataset contains responses on factors like household structure, friendships, neighborhood, mental health, and education. Additionally, mediating variables like social connections, residential parent support, school belongingness, neighborhood support, and family support were incorporated into the analysis. The results revealed a significant relationship between depression, anxiety, and GPA across the entire sample. However, when it comes to African American male adolescents, only the relationship between anxiety and GPA was found to be significant.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Loch Raven I

4:00pm EDT

The likelihood of Collectivist Cultures exhibiting protective factors over male perpetrators of sexual violence
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
After the rise of the #MeToo movement, support for survivors has entered mainstream media setting the tone that Sexual Violence (SV) will not be tolerated. Even so, the ways in which SV is handled in individualistic versus collectivist cultures vary greatly. This study will investigate the likelihood that collectivist cultures will express protectiveness over male perpetrators of SV. Participants composed of St. Edwards University students and the general public will complete a survey which will measure protective factors towards male perpetrators in four hypothetical scenarios. This study is following a mixed methods research methodology. Qualitative measurements are utilized in order to explore whether protectiveness over perpetrators is being exhibited by participants. Then, quantitative measurements of demographics will be collected in order to examine whether or not there is a correlation between collectivist cultures and exhibiting protectiveness over male perpetrators. The duration for this study is an eight-week period and we collected a total of 86 participants. While the results suggest that there was not a significant difference when measuring for race/ethnicity, there was a significant difference when measuring for gender in that non-binary/third gendered individuals were more likely to be protective towards male perpetrators of SV than males or females.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Severn III

4:20pm EDT

The Emergence of Spatial Language in an Emerging Sign Language in Nicaragua
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
In sign languages, spatial relationships such as in, on, and under can be communicated with two main types of signs: analogical and lexical. Studying an emerging sign language, such as Lengua de Señas Nicaragüense (LSN), allows us to see the development of spatial language across time by comparing language produced by different cohorts. First cohort signers are the earliest users of LSN and their language reflects the early forms of LSN while later cohorts’ language reflects more recent changes to LSN. This study compared the spatial language of first (n=13), second (n=13), and third (n=12) cohort users of LSN to determine what linguistic forms used to communicate spatial relations emerged first. We hypothesized that analogical signs would appear more often in first-cohort signers as they are more specific and languages tend to conventionalize to general forms over time. We elicited spatial language from participants using a shielded communication task. The relationship between the type of spatial relation, in, on, or under, and the type of sign used (lexical, analogical) was also explored. Our study was able to capture the emergence of spatial language and a pattern that reflects language change from more specific to more categorical forms.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Sassafras

4:20pm EDT

The Gracefulness of the K_4P_2 Snake Graph
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
(Project is more recent, so please contact mentor for a detailed abstract.)
Speakers
MM

Mason Moran

Major: Mathematics, Michigan Technological University
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Potomac

4:20pm EDT

Examining the neuroanatomical effects of Insomniac C-terminal mutants
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
As Drosophila shares a significant number of genes with humans, studying Drosophila can provide insights into sleep regulation, a process that is not well understood. In Drosophila, the insomniac (inc) gene encodes a putative adaptor protein for the Cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase complex. A nonfunctional Inc protein results in fragmented sleep and excess neurons in the mushroom body, a brain region important for sleep. This study intends to determine whether C-terminal Inc mutants can successfully rescue the mushroom body defects caused by a null inc mutation. A prior rescue experiment indicated that full-length Inc protein rescued sleep in inc mutants to wild-type levels; however, C-terminal Inc mutants could not rescue sleep. To evaluate if C-terminal Inc mutants could rescue the mushroom body defects of inc mutants, a fly cross was conducted between inc mutants and C-terminal mutants via the GAL4/UAS system. From the resulting progeny, the brains of adult male Drosophila were dissected and visualized through immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Our results suggest that transgenic expression of full-length Inc protein results in a normal mushroom body, but further experimentation is needed to confirm this result. The effects of C-terminal Inc mutants on mushroom body anatomy also require further investigation.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Loch Raven II

4:20pm EDT

Investigating the role of mnb in the Hippo signaling pathway in Drosophila
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
The Hippo signaling pathway controls the regulation of organ growth and development. Dysfunctions of this pathway are related to various types of cancers, making it a critical area of study for cancer research and the development of regenerative medicines. This study investigates the manipulation of gene Minibrain (mnb). Mnb is a kinase that phosphorylates other proteins. Understanding the function of Mnb will ultimately allow us to understand its role within the Hippo pathway. Mnb is thought to affect the function and localization of the kinase Warts (Wts), which determines Yorkie (Yki) activation and consequently the outcomes of the Hippo pathway. (Fig. 3) We hypothesize that high levels of mnb will cause overgrowth and affect Wts localization, and vice versa. We employed gene manipulation techniques using the UAS/Gal 4 system (Fig. 1). Using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, we analyzed the effects of different levels of mnb on Yki. Additionally, we assessed the phenotypic consequences of the varying levels of mnb on wing growth. These findings will guide further exploration of the Hippo signaling pathway and its broader implications.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Camden I

4:20pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Camden II

4:20pm EDT

Attachment, Emotional Invalidation, Cognition, and CPTSD.
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Background: Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent among 3.4% to 7.7% of the general population (Cloitre et al., 2018). Interpersonal trauma perpetrated by a close other, also termed relational trauma, is a significant predictor of CPTSD (Fowler et al., 2013). Victims of relational trauma experience greater severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms compared to victims of non-interpersonal, such as a natural disaster or car accident (Seah & Berle, 2023; Fowler et al., 2013). The aim of this proposed study is to explore how cognitive flexibility, and posttraumatic cognitions mediate the relationship between one’s attachment style and perceived emotional invalidation and one’s symptoms of complex posttraumatic stress disorder. By examining this complex relationship, results may inform therapeutic treatment for individuals with relational trauma. Proposed Methods: Participants will be at least 18 years-old, reside in the United States, have had at least one romantic relationship for 6 months or longer, and have experienced difficulties or distress with at least one romantic partner. The survey will consist of five survey measures and demographic items. The data will be collected using Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Severn III

4:20pm EDT

Farmers & Farmland, Policy Proposal
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
This policy proposal seeks to secure a sustainable future for Tennessee farmers by preserving farmland, promoting sustainable practices, and supporting local food systems. By addressing key challenges like land degradation, market instability, and climate change, the proposal aims to enhance rural economies, provide greater access to resources, and ensure long-term agricultural viability. Collaboration between policymakers, farmers, and stakeholders is crucial to achieving these goals and safeguarding Tennessee's agricultural heritage for future generations.
Speakers
avatar for Juan Dills

Juan Dills

Major: Social Work, University of Oklahoma
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Severn I

4:20pm EDT

Housing Insecurity in Higher Education: Where We Fall Short
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Housing insecurity has been endemic to the university student populations all over the country and efforts are being put into place to assist students in these situations. Despite these efforts, many students experiencing housing insecurity are not getting to the resources for various reasons. Stigma and other generalized bad ideas about the unhoused community keep students from asking for help when they need it. I will research the effects of stigma on housing-insecure students' choice to access resources or ask for help.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Loch Raven I

4:20pm EDT

Unmasking Stigma: How Intersecting Identities Influence Unique Neurodivergent Experiences in Black vs White Autistic Individuals
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Black autistic individuals face dual burdens: racial prejudices and biases surrounding autism. Literature often overlooks their unique experiences, creating a gap in understanding how they display autistic traits differently from peers of other races. This study compares Black and White autistic individuals and examines the cultural role in their social and psychological barriers. Participants included 16 Black and 16 White autistic adults from a previous study. A semi-structured interview was conducted asking questions about discrimination, social interactions, and self-identity related to race and neurodivergence. Analysis produced four thematic codes: Belongingness, Interpersonal Dynamics, Negative Psychological Effects, and Identity Formation. Sub-thematic codes were created for each. A Fisher’s exact test revealed significant differences in three areas: cross-group connections (p = .023), lack of cultural community support (p = .001), and restrictive social identity (p = .012). Findings indicate that Black autistic adults are often ostracized from both the Black and autistic communities, leading to invalidated identities. They form better connections outside their social identities but feel confined by cultural expectations that they are pressured to live up to. Further research on other social identities, such as gender and sexual orientation, is needed to expand understanding of autism in diverse cultures.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Severn II

4:20pm EDT

Untangling the Stigma of Invisible Diverse Abilities
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
First Generation Students who
Identify as Black and Having a Diverse Ability in Community College Spaces
Friday September 20, 2024 4:20pm - 4:35pm EDT
Boardroom

4:40pm EDT

TBA
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Sassafras

4:40pm EDT

Using DFT to Determine the Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction Mechanism
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Potomac

4:40pm EDT

The Effect of Step Rate on Metabolic Measures During Walking
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Speakers
avatar for Joseph Talaoc

Joseph Talaoc

I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Residential Advisor! I work in a research lab under Dr. Yair Pincu at the University of Oklahoma, where I work in the exercise physiology lab under the Health and Exercise Science department! I am a senior looking to go onto PT-School.
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Camden I

4:40pm EDT

Black Partners-Turned-Caregivers of Retired NFL Players Navigating Relationships, Identity, and Resources
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Drawing from a Black feminist framework and a life story approach, this study utilizes in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N=3) of Black women partnered with, and caring for, retired National Football League (NFL) players who suffered concussions to examine how Black partners-turned-caregivers (1) discuss their relationships with their partners, (2) understand their identities within their relationships with their partners, (3) describe the type of resources they need to feel supported, and (4) to what extent age factors into the discussion. The findings reveal four (4) main themes among Black partners-turned-caregivers. Relationship with Partner explores the changes in their marriages. Identity examines how they reconcile the caregiver role with their self-perceptions. Resources details the practices, institutions, and policies that can support them. Age reveals that, in earlier eras, the NFL concealed football’s potential to cause premature cognitive decline. The implications of this study include empowering other caregivers and informing inclusive healthcare- and disability-related policy that provides for NFL players, and those who care for them. This study offers recommendations for future research on how masculinity influences relationship dynamics in Black couples, why partners-turned-caregivers choose to remain in relationships with their partners, and the distinction between caregiving and mothering.
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Severn I

4:40pm EDT

Optimizing the Detection of Anosognosia in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to impairment in multiple cognitive domains. AD is the most prevalent form of dementia. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal state where memory is the only cognitive deficit. Anosognosia is a symptom that is often observed in patients with dementia due to AD. This condition may also be seen in MCI. Anosognosia is an impairment in self-awareness, or more specifically, failure to recognize or appreciate a neurological deficit. While anosognosia is a well-recognized syndrome in the clinical care environment, there is no widely recognized metric that measures its degree. There is ambiguity around what exactly the neurological defect is that the patient fails to appreciate (e.g., executive dysfunction, problems in activities of daily living, personality changes). The present study is a retrospective cross-sectional design that includes a clinical sample of AD and MCI patients. The primary aim is to evaluate the construct validity of three measures that evaluate patient-caregiver discrepancies: Anosognosia Questionnaire Dementia (AQD), Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (LIADLs), and the Conscientiousness personality domain as indexed by the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). The secondary aim will determine which test has best predicts caregiver burden.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Severn II

4:40pm EDT

The Association of Acculturation with Emotional Belief and Regulation among Mexican Americans
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Through acculturation individuals find themselves adopting the traits of the culture they are exposed to. Mexican-Americans often find themselves navigating through the process of acculturation due to the exposure of new cultural and societal norms that are dominant in America. Culture plays a role in the way we perceive and express our emotions which influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation and emotional belief and regulation among Mexican-Americans. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation. As Mexican Americans acculturate more to American culture, their emotional belief and regulation systems would become more aligned with American norms, which would result in an increased acceptance of emotions and different beliefs about emotional expression. Participants (n=225) completed self report measures on the survey platform PROLIFIC which assessed acculturation levels as well as emotional belief and regulation techniques. The ages ranged from 18 and 75 years with a mean of 33 years. The findings from my research did not support my hypothesis, but there was a positive correlation between acculturation and the usefulness of positive and negative emotions among participants. Further research may examine this relationship through different surveying techniques.
Speakers
Friday September 20, 2024 4:40pm - 4:55pm EDT
Severn III

5:30pm EDT

Walking Groups
Friday September 20, 2024 5:30pm - 5:45pm EDT
Attendees joining us for the Dinner Cruise will meet to travel to the Cruise port.
Friday September 20, 2024 5:30pm - 5:45pm EDT
Chesapeake Ballroom

5:45pm EDT

Check-in, Group Photo & Board Dinner Cruise
Friday September 20, 2024 5:45pm - 6:45pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 5:45pm - 6:45pm EDT
Spirit of Baltimore Inner Harbor

10:00pm EDT

Dinner Cruise Disembarks
Friday September 20, 2024 10:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Friday September 20, 2024 10:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
City Cruises Baltimore
 
Saturday, September 21
 

7:30am EDT

Sponsors Setup & Registration (Continued)
Saturday September 21, 2024 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

8:00am EDT

Networking Breakfast
Saturday September 21, 2024 8:00am - 10:00am EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 8:00am - 10:00am EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

10:30am EDT

Colonization Awareness of the Cuetlaxochitl Poinsettia Through Quinceanera Fashion
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
This undergraduate research project addresses the problem of colonization of the Cuetlaxochitl,
commonly known as the poinsettia flower. We hypothesis that creating and showcasing a
Quinceanera dress and accessories will highlight the decolonization of the Cuetlaxochitl and will
increase awareness and understanding of the flower's cultural significance and colonization
history. This research seeks to revive and honor the indigenous heritage of the Cuetlaxochitl and
foster cultural appreciation. The research methods involve designing, patterning, and
constructing a Quinceanera dress and accessories that visually represent the poinsettia's origin
story. Additionally, a survey will be distributed to peers to assess their awareness of the
colonization of the Cuetlaxochitl. The survey results, along with insights from various sources
such as academic journals, stories of the Cuetlaxochitl, and cultural heritage websites, will
inform the design process. The expected outcome is an increased awareness and appreciation of
the Cuetlaxochitl's cultural history among the audience, demonstrating the effectiveness of
fashion as a medium for cultural education and decolonization.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Potomac

10:30am EDT

Addressing Campus Food Insecurity at Maryland’s Public 2- and 4-year Colleges
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
The increasing demographic diversity of college students, including more low-income and non-
traditional students have heightened the prevalence of food insecurity on campuses. Currently,
three in five college students experience food insecurity. This study aimed to understand the
steps that public 2- and 4-year colleges in Maryland are taking to assess and address food
insecurity among students. Using a qualitative approach, public health students developed an
interview guide and identified key informants through college websites and the Maryland Hunger
Solutions hunger-free campus network. Interviews were conducted between 2022 and 2024, and
data were analyzed to identify common themes. We determined that nearly all campuses have
implemented programs to combat food insecurity. We identify the broad array of programming, ranging from small food closets to comprehensive support systems, including free
grocery stores, save-a-swipe programs, food recovery initiatives, farmer’s markets, grocery
store gift cards, campus emergency funds, SNAP application support, and community referrals.
This research aims to highlight and share best practices for addressing food insecurity and
inform collective action, such as advocacy at the state level.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Camden II

10:30am EDT

Little Learners, Big Cultures: An Analysis of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices in LAUSD Elementary Schools
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is a student-based teaching practice that uses the students' customs, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives as tools to create a supportive classroom environment. This study will create a comprehensive database of the various approaches to CRT practice implementation throughout LAUSD elementary school curriculums. There are two questions that this study hopes to answer, the first: What can the findings of a detailed analysis of LAUSD elementary school websites uncover about their respective implementations of Culturally Responsive Teaching practices? The second: Can a significant correlation be found between the inclusion of CRT practices in elementary school classrooms and higher rates of academic success of the students in those classrooms? The data collection process, completed for each of the 400+ LAUSD elementary schools, examines student population racial composition, the percentage of students on free/reduced fee lunch programs, school size, whether the school claims to implement CRT practices into their curriculum, the methods for CRT practice implementation, the accessibility of CRT information on their school website, and academic achievement trends of the students both before and following the proposed CRT practice implementation. This study aims to bridge the gaps between the theory of CRT practices and its application.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Sassafras

10:30am EDT

Slavery In New Jersey: The Lives Who Endured
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Slavery in New Jersey occurred from the 1600s as a Dutch colony, until 1866, when the 13th Amendment was ratified, something that New Jersey voted twice on before passing. In recent decades historians have done more research on slavery in the north. This work often focuses on slavery as a whole instead of the individual experiences of enslaved persons during this time. Limited documentary evidence leaves historians with a lot of statistics over being able to make a complete history of an individual. The goal of this research is to share the experiences of Black Americans in Lawrence Township from the time of the American Revolution to the Civil War. By examining history from this perspective, case studies of several individuals will add to the literature the untold stories of Black Americans who are not identified as historical figures in textbooks. Implementing an analysis of the historical accounts personifies broad themes and puts faces onto statistics. This study uses qualitative methodology to review primary documents and secondary sources to support the research findings.
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Camden I

10:30am EDT

Titania-Silica Hybrid Aerogel-Like Materials for Catalysis Applications
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
The widespread use and development of aerogels for catalysis applications is due to their characteristically high surface area. However, the synthesis of typical aerogels is costly and time-consuming, and the need for supercritical drying to preserve surface area compounds both of these issues. This study serves to further modify our novel synthesis to chemically control binding sites to increase surface area. Our original synthesis involved doping fumed silica with titanyl sulfate hydrate followed by drying and calcining at high temperatures to remove any water and organic molecules. The proposed modification of this procedure involved doping fumed silica with a second, smaller compound prior to adding titanyl sulfate to chemically promote binding at sites away from naturally occurring pores in the fumed silica. Characterization through scanning electron microscopy, BET surface area analysis, and BJH pore size distribution showed that doping the fumed silica prior to adding the titanyl sulfate did result in a substantially larger surface area and an increase in nanopores. As surface area is intrinsically tied to catalysis, further developments in high surface area materials result in more efficient catalysts.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Boardroom

10:30am EDT

Central American Queer Experience with the Trajectory Journey and Pre & Post Mental Health
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Severn III

10:30am EDT

Crossing Continents: A Review of African Extra-Continental Migrants’ Journey through Latin America
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Migration will always be a pivotal aspect of humankind. Throughout history, people have moved from one place to another, crossing borders, oceans, and continents, settling into new lands, and contributing to the human experience. This study examines the emerging trend of Sub-Saharan African migrants utilizing Latin American routes to reach the United States. Through a systematic review of current literature, we analyze the motivations behind this hazardous journey, the experiences of migrants en route, and the potential impact on their integration in destination countries. Our research reveals a shift in global migration patterns, with Sub-Saharan African migrants increasingly using Latin American routes to reach the United States, driven by stricter policies in traditional destinations like Europe. Migrants typically enter Latin America legally before undertaking perilous overland journeys northward, facing crime, discrimination, and natural hazards. This study highlights the complex interplay between border policies, geopolitical factors, and migrant strategies. It underscores the need for further research into this trend, focusing on migrants' experiences and policy implications for transit and destination countries. Our findings contribute to understanding evolving migration patterns and their sociopolitical consequences, emphasizing the need for adaptive policies to address these changing dynamics.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Severn I

10:30am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Severn II

10:30am EDT

The Lived Experiences of Unhoused Students in Higher Education
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
This study investigates how institutional policies at Westminster University and Salt Lake Community College impact the experiences of unhoused college students in Utah. By understanding these policies, I aim to identify necessary changes to better support this underrepresented population. The research employs a mixed-methods approach. Ethnographic methods will provide insights through direct observation of student interactions and institutional environments. Autoethnographic research will draw on my own experiences as an unhoused student. Additionally, I conduct 6-10 semi-structured interviews with current or recent students who have experienced homelessness while enrolled in higher education. The interview process will begin in the Fall 2024 semester. Through this comprehensive approach, the study seeks to shed light on the lived experiences of unhoused college students and suggest policy changes to improve their educational journey and overall well-being.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Loch Raven I

10:30am EDT

Oral Presentations II
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Breakout Rooms

10:50am EDT

Loving Union Jack: Anti-Blackness and the Hypocrisy of Jamaican Nationalism
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, it grappled with the question of how to define Jamaican national identity. With the absence of Indigenous culture, Jamaican nationalism sought to develop an identity that would unify its diverse population that comprised the descendants of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and European-descended peoples. Despite this approach towards racial inclusion, I argue that 20th-century Jamaican nationalism is a reflection of colonialism. While in theory, Jamaican nationalism was inclusive of its multiracial population, in practice, it maintained European beauty standards. Consequently, there is a societal preference for beauty attributes aligned with Europe’s standards. The physical appearance of the Jamaican identity also spews over to other sectors of Jamaican society, such as economic wealth and political power. This undesirableness of being Black, which is seen in Creole Nationalism, is further defined through the oppression of Afro-Jamaicans and enacted violence against the Afrocentric expressions of Rastafarians. The government’s narrative of racial harmony creates a colour-blind society; rather than addressing the racial tensions and problems in society, the government masks it under the motto, “Out of Many, One People,” and race is no longer a problem. This further perpetuates Jamaica’s racial issues, and race becomes more ingrained in society.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Sassafras

10:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Camden II

10:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Camden I

10:50am EDT

Complexities of Claiming Indigeneity as Chican*s and US-Born Mexicans
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Does being Chican* or a US-born Mexican mean you are inherently indigenous? These communities' unique histories are one of the reasons behind an assertive answer to this question. This literature review examines the different arguments surrounding the complexity of claiming indigeneity as Chican*s and US-born Mexicans. The argument is that claiming indigeneity as Chican*s and US-born Mexicans can, unintentionally, contribute to the neglect of Indigenous struggles and experiences. US-born Mexicans (commonly called Mexican Americans) were included due to their similarities with Chican*s. To critically analyze this issue, the literary focus was placed on the historical junctions of the analyzed literature and the general arguments relating to Chican* Indigeneity and Indigenism. The historical junctures chosen were the Spanish conquest, Modern Nation-State Mexico, the Anglo conquest, and the Chicano movement. Then, both supporting and critiquing stances were examined for two questions: are Chican*s Indigenous? And is a potential claim beneficial? The gap found was that the content surrounding this discussion, primarily written in English, restricts perspectives critical to this conversation. As the final point, the stance taken is that counterarguments about policing or validating identity fail to include Indigenous frameworks, where then claimed indigeneity could perpetuate settler colonialism.
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Potomac

10:50am EDT

IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NUCLEOCAPSID BINDING SITES WITHIN THE MAL HIV-1 RNA PACKAGING SIGNAL
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) targets CD4+ cells, weakening the immune system and potentially leading to AIDS. Understanding the virus's structure and focusing on its more stable regions is essential to create more effective treatments. Genomic recognition, a highly conserved process, represents a promising drug target. Mutagenesis studies have identified the Core Encapsidation Signal (CES) as the minimal packaging unit for HIV-1, which shows nucleocapsid (NC) binding. Ding et al. determined the highest affinity binding sites of NC on the 5’ Leader of HIV are in the CES region. The central finding was that the binding of NC causes unwinding within the PSI hairpin of the viral RNA, which is important for genome packaging and viral replication. Our project focuses on the MAL over Ding's NL4-3 strain of HIV-1 to determine the binding characteristics of NC on the RNA packing signal. To quantify the number of binding sites in the MAL packaging signal and the affinity of NC on those sites, we utilized Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Isothermal Calorimetry. Our next goal will be to characterize the RNA and Gag interactions important for nucleocapsid binding, genome selection, and selective packaging. Overall, understanding the conserved region advances HIV antiviral therapies.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Boardroom

10:50am EDT

Access to Long COVID care
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Long COVID, a chronic condition persisting for at least three months after SARS-CoV-2
infection, affects millions of people in the United States. This study examines disparities in
access and barriers to Long COVID care among adults in Michigan who have ever experienced
Long COVID, using data from the Michigan COVID-19 Recovery Surveillance Study (MI
CReSS). We calculated weighted prevalence estimates on access and barriers to Long COVID
care overall and by sex (male, female), age (18-34, 35-54, 55-64, 65+ years), and race and
ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic White (White), non-Hispanic Black (Black), Another race or
ethnicity). Among adults who ever experienced Long COVID, only 34.5% sought medical care
for their symptoms. Many adults faced barriers such as cost, transportation, work obligations,
caregiving responsibilities, and uncertainty about where to seek care. Generally, these barriers
disproportionately affected females, young adults aged 18 to 34, and adults identifying as
Hispanic, Black, or Another race or ethnicity. For example, females had higher percentages of
delaying care due to transportation, inability to get off work, and caregiving responsibilities,
compared to males. Policies aimed at improving accessibility, affordability and awareness of
Long COVID care can alleviate these disparities, thus promoting health equity.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Severn I

10:50am EDT

Me Canso De Ser Hombre: Latino men and machismo on social media
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
This study explored the ways in which young Latino men construct their masculinity and create conversations on social media regarding the way they were raised and socialized to be men. Machismo can be harmful to men who endorse it and for the people around them as well. Because machismo is prevalent in the Latino culture, a strengths based lens was used to identify the negative aspects as well as the positive (caballerismo). Five videos found on TikTok were analyzed in their entirety for data collection. The videos ranged from 47 seconds to 44 minutes that included young Mexican and Central American men identifying their struggles with machismo. Six themes were found throughout the 5 videos which were the topic for discussion in this paper. Findings suggest that young Latino men are leaving behind machismo and leaning towards caballerismo in their everyday lives. These men are choosing to ask hard questions about their masculinity and creating community on social media while also starting conversations around machismo and the harmful effects of it.
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Loch Raven I

10:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Severn III

10:50am EDT

The Psychedelic Connection: Exploring Psychedelic’s Effects on Social Relationships
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
The revival of research on the effects of psychedelics in psychology has opened new methods for
understanding human consciousness, creativity, and connections. This study focuses on
connection, specifically interpersonal relationships. Prior research has discovered extreme
changes in the mental states of individuals who have had psychedelic experiences.
However, the social aspects of psychedelic experiences are relatively unresearched. This
investigation aims to examine psychedelic-linked relationships in an exploratory manner. Forty-eight participants were recruited who had a psychedelic experience within the past 12 months, had an interpersonal partner alongside them during the experience, and had used either
psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA) for their psychedelic experience. Our participants' relationships with their partners who accompanied them in their most recent psychedelic session were evaluated. Relationship quality was assessed via an anonymous online survey that addressed the quality of
their relationship before their most recent psychedelic experience and the current quality of their
relationship. Relationship quality data was assessed with the Interpersonal
Relationship Quality Scale (IRQS). A Wilcox Signed-Rank Test indicated that participants'
relationship quality following a psychedelic experience were significantly higher than
before the psychedelic experience.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 10:50am - 11:05am EDT
Severn II

11:00am EDT

Grad Rep Registration
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Sheraton 3rd Floor

11:00am EDT

Grad Reps Setup
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Harborview Ballroom

11:10am EDT

A Life Shattered: Wrongful Convictions in the U.S.
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Camden I

11:10am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Camden II

11:10am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Gallardo

Jessica Gallardo

Jessica Gallardo is a distinguished McNair Scholar at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, where she is triple majoring in International Business, Marketing, and Global Languages and Cultural Studies with a concentration in German and Spanish. Her latest research project compares... Read More →
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Potomac

11:10am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Sassafras

11:10am EDT

11:10am EDT

11:10am EDT

11:10am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Severn III

11:10am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Severn I

11:30am EDT

Generational Views on the Climate Crisis and its Effects on Mental Health and Family Planning
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
There is no denying the physical impacts the climate crisis has on populations especially older generations and those living with frailty, being more susceptible to heatwaves, flooding, and even infectious diseases. However, a growing concern seems to be the mental health impacts the climate crisis has on younger generations and how they plan their families. With terms such as eco-anxiety, climate stress, and ecological grief on the rise younger generations seem to be more impacted when it comes to fighting for environmental change. Existing research indicates a split between generations when it comes to their views on the climate crisis with younger generations being more aware of the severity of the global problem and older generations not being aware or simply not caring. The purpose of this research is to explore the impacts the climate crisis has on students at Stanislaus State and how it impacts their future. This research can be used to implement policies to support students at Stanislaus State, educate its community, and gain insight on the mental health impacts the climate crisis has on younger generations.
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Camden II

11:30am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Camden I

11:30am EDT

How Does War Impact Individuals and Businesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
This project investigates the multifaceted challenges faced by businesses and individuals in the conflict-ridden environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In a country where ongoing conflict disrupts lives and creates an atmosphere of insecurity, this study seeks to understand why many businesses fail and how these failures impact Congolese people. The research will explore the lived experiences of business owners whose enterprises collapsed or were harmed due to the war. The study aims to highlight issues such as infrastructure damage, supply chain disruptions, and the struggle for stability in a post-conflict setting marked by limited access to essential services like clean water, food, healthcare, and education. Additionally, the research will explore gender-specific challenges, including sexual harassment and early marriage, to understand how these issues intersect with business and personal resilience. Through semi-structured interviews, ethnography, and autoethnography, the project will shed light on the nuanced experiences of those affected by conflict. By tackling these interconnected challenges, the study aspires to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of post-conflict recovery and inform policies that support sustainable development and gender equity in the region.
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Potomac

11:30am EDT

Necessary but Insufficient: Student Perceptions of the Ethnic Studies Requirement at a Historically White Institution
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Discourse on the purpose of learning and DEI in U.S. higher education is an increasingly contentious topic. Existing DEI initiatives are under attack, undermining the political and ethical dimensions of learning. Students are also demanding more from higher education, with diversity course requirements being common mechanisms for change. This paper interrogates students’ perceptions of an ethnic studies requirement as a change process through articles from flagship student newspapers at UW-Madison. Using Critical Policy Analysis and Interest Convergence, we found that students perceive diversity requirements to lack criticality and their visions for higher education include transformative and challenging courses. Centering students’ assertions of curricular reform will facilitate future social justice initiatives and elucidate conditions affecting implementation of change work.
Speakers
avatar for Milo Dufresne-MacDonald

Milo Dufresne-MacDonald

St. Edward's University
Currently a senior at St. Edward's University with a major in Psychology, minor in Sociology, and completeing a certificate in Data Analysis. Aspiring to obtain a Ph.D in education policy with a focus on inequality and lack of diversity in higher education curriculums.
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Sassafras

11:30am EDT

C. elegans as applicable models for antihelminthic drug studies
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Treatment for parasitic worms in animals is a common practice in veterinary medicine. Additionally, anthelmintics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that paralyze or kill the given parasite without causing any significant damage or harm to the host. This study focuses on three specific parasite preventatives commonly administered to animals which includes, Ivermectin, Albendazole, and Pyrantel. Furthermore, an N2 stain of C. elegans (microscopic worms) were utilized as models for various parasitic worms in order to gain a better understanding of how gene expression is altered when treated and exposed to varying concentrations of antihelminthic drugs. This study incorporated mixed investigations consisting of qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction), behavioral assays, western blots, and imaging through confocal microscopy. The scientific findings and variation in data from the results of these studies ultimately led to inconclusive results and conclusions. However, the primary purpose of these observations are to potentially elucidate resistance factors of these nematodes, which can possibly improve the effectiveness of antihelminthic drugs in actual parasitic worms.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Boardroom

11:30am EDT

Equal Sign Representation and Mathematical Agency in Adolescents
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
The equal sign is a primary representation of equivalence, particularly in primary and secondary level mathematics. Consequently, the equal sign can represent equivalence in many ways: as a general relation, as an equivalence relation, and as a signal for substitution. Engaging in diverse usage of the equal sign can have a crucial impact as a precursor to algebra knowledge (Donovan et al., 2018; Matthews & Fuchs, 2018). Likewise, students with higher usage of substitutive equivalence have been shown to exhibit easier transitions into early algebraic topics (Donovan et al., 2022). As such, understanding the underlying mechanisms that allow for such an interpretation of the sign should be examined. In this study, we seek to develop more insight on substitutive equivalence and the factors which affect students’ abilities to adapt such a view of the equal sign.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Severn II

11:30am EDT

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in United States Collegiate Athletics
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
The U.S. Supreme Court case of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) v. Alston ruled that the NCAA violates federal antitrust laws by prohibiting compensation for collegiate athletes. This decision gave collegiate student-athletes the opportunity for rightful compensation through the implementation of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies on a national level. The purpose of this study is to explore the outcomes surrounding the previous court ruling through a review of the literature. A gap within this context are the arguments, perceptions, and effect of NIL on the quality of collegiate sports experienced by collegiate fans and spectators alike. The significance of this literature review is to explore, analyze, and expand the understanding of NIL in reference to collegiate fans.
Speakers
TM

Taras Mykhaylyshyn

Rider University
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Severn III

11:30am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
TBA
Speakers
avatar for Twayna Williams

Twayna Williams

Major: Public Health- Health Promotion Disease Prevention, Dillard University
Twayna Williams is a senior public health major from Reserve, LA. She/Her research interests include exploring HIV transmission and developing new medicines using CRISPR to create a vaccine or cure for HIV. In addition to participating in the McNair Scholars Program, Twayna is an... Read More →
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Severn I

11:30am EDT

The Rural Man Paradox: A Comparative Analysis of the Early 20th and 21st Century Rural American Worker
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
The backbone of the United States since its inception has been its workers. This became especially clear with the Industrial Revolution in the United States in the years following the American Civil War. All of this build-up would lead to the first thirty years of the 20th century where the nation would see expansive growth in not only the diversity and complexity of its labor movement, but also passed some of the most influential and long-lasting laws concerning labor. And so the question must be asked in an era of landmark labor laws being repealed nationwide, what happened to labor and laborers? How did we go from rural laborers voting for anti-corporate and pro-government subsidization to pro-corporate tax cuts and anti-government interference?
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Loch Raven I

11:50am EDT

Sense of Belonging & Academic Success of Underrepresented Minority Men at a Minority Serving Institution (MSI)
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Nationwide, underrepresented minority men historically exhibit the lowest retention and graduation rates in higher education. Additionally, their representation in high-paying fields, such as healthcare, is disproportionately low compared to their presence in society. This study examines how integrating resources without barriers or pressures can create a foundation of success for underrepresented minority men at a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). Involvement in mentoring, specialized classes, and organizations that reflect their backgrounds fosters essential skills and motivation. Our data indicates that engagement in community activities with peers of similar backgrounds enhances both academic performance and a sense of belonging. By introducing underrepresented minority men into supportive environments, such as mentoring programs, community service, and professional experiences tailored for underrepresented communities, their drive to succeed is amplified. Education on internships expose these men to their fields of interest and allow them to visit different schools, providing hands-on experience and helping them envision their future. Consequently, these young men are better equipped to enter their desired fields, overcoming societal stigmas and false expectations.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Camden I

11:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Potomac

11:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Sassafras

11:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Boardroom

11:50am EDT

CONSUMER ACTIVISM: AN IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF THE PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES AMONG USM STUDENTS
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
This research investigates the motivations and practices of consumer activism among college students at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), focusing on their engagement with boycotts related to the Israel and Palestine conflict. Employing a grounded theory approach with qualitative semi-structured interviews, the study identifies key themes such as the central role of social media in informing activism, the constraints students face in supporting boycotts, and their perceptions of activism’s effectiveness. The findings suggest that while students are motivated by ethical concerns and social pressure, practical limitations and differing views on activism’s success influence their participation. The study contributes to the literature on ethical consumerism and offers insights for brands and policymakers on better engaging with this demographic.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Loch Raven I

11:50am EDT

Search Engine Bias and Its Impact on Consumers Purchase Decisions
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Prior research has examined the lack of racial representation within algorithms and search engines. Basic searches like “beautiful women” or “professional hairstyles” frequently fail to produce images representing anything other than white Eurocentric features. This disparity between race and algorithms can occur within search engine platforms, especially those that claim to prioritize diversity. However, the extent to which these platforms are addressing these diversity issues remains unclear. There is a gap in research exploring bias search engines effects on consumers. As a result, this exploratory research aims to study how search engine results reflected in digital media applications lack sufficient representation and its impact on consumer behavior such as purchase decisions and spending habits. In this study, 39 participants completed a survey that presented algorithm audits of various search engine results like “gym outfits” and “makeup looks.” Participants then evaluated whether these results would influence their purchase decisions. The findings indicated that African Americans were less likely to feel represented and consequently, less likely to use that information to make a purchase. These results suggest that racially biased algorithmic results may negatively impact persons of color during the consumer decision process while simultaneously decreasing brand visibility.
Speakers
avatar for Destiny Pierre

Destiny Pierre

Student, Rider University
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Severn III

11:50am EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Severn I

11:50am EDT

Understanding through a Holistic Critical Mentoring Lens the Manifestation of Stress Produced by Standardized Testing in College Students
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Students transitioning into higher education experience severe stress, especially when taking exams. Standardized Testing increases test anxiety, which consists of physiological over-arousal with impaired thinking of failure. While universities responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by temporarily dismissing standardized admission tests, some institutions are reconsidering the tests as admissions requirements. In addition, stress is highly detrimental to a student’s well-being, and standardized testing induces stress for students. Furthermore, the social attribution model helps explain how we engage with stress within external or internal environments. Empathizing and seeing all students’ humanity, hearts, spirits, and bodies is crucial. Therefore, institutions and their leaders who use a holistic critical mentoring framework empathize with their students and consider their culture and lived experiences when making decisions that impact the students. In this study, I explore symptom somatic disorders, which are body pains or fatigue symptoms that don’t go away, thus manifesting stress transmitted in the body and evident when college students stress over taking standardized tests. The literature review demonstrates the importance of advocating for the college student’s experience by integrating a holistic critical mentoring framework to reduce stress, provide resources for dealing with stress, and empathize with suppressed stress in individuals educational journey.
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 11:50am - 12:05pm EDT
Severn II

12:10pm EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Camden I

12:10pm EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Sassafras

12:10pm EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
TBA
Speakers
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Potomac

12:10pm EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Camden II

12:10pm EDT

Evaluating the relationships between anxiety symptoms on cognitive control using a lifespan sample
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Anxiety is a common mental disorder that affects a large percentage of Americans. The 2024 results of the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll show that 43% of US adults report feeling more anxious than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022 (American adults express increasing anxiousness in annual poll; stress and Sleep Are Key Factors Imp, 2024) Given this increase in reported symptoms, the present study aims to gain a better understanding of the relationship between anxiety and cognitive abilities to provide valuable insights for educators, counselors, and policymakers. This study is positioned to offer a comprehensive understanding of how anxiety, stress, and depression, may be related to attentional control and episodic memory using several tasks including the Stroop color naming task, the antisaccade task, the Operation-SPAN task, the n-back task, and episodic recall of information from an interfering context.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Wince

Rachel Wince

University of Southern Mississippi
Biochemistry major with a love of neuroscience
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Loch Raven I

12:10pm EDT

Students’ Voices: Concerns, Challenges, & Success Strategies
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
This study examines concerns, challenges, and success strategies of students in a large introductory psychology course from Fall 2021 to Spring 2023. Out of 2,493 contacted students, 386 consented to data use. Two surveys were administered at semester start and midterm, focusing on four key areas: biggest concerns, other personal challenges, challenges faced, and improvement strategies.
The study analyzed 221 responses for biggest concerns (7 categories), 199 for other concerns (6 categories), and 364 each for challenges faced (9 categories) and improvement strategies (8 categories).
The research aims to understand the lasting impact of COVID-19 on higher education and student experiences. Findings partially overlap with common stressors identified in previous research, suggesting broader applicability.
Implications of this study could inform course instruction and construction at both college and K-12 levels. As education continues to evolve post-pandemic, these insights may help educators better understand and address student needs across various educational levels.
The study's focus on student experiences in the context of post-pandemic education highlights the importance of adapting teaching methods and support systems to meet changing student needs and challenges.
Speakers
AD

Alan Drake

Major: Psychology, University of Oklahoma
Hi! My name is Alan (they/them) & I am a senior psychology major attending the University of Oklahoma! I am interested in obtaining a doctorate and pursuing a career as a professor and researcher at an R1 Research Institution. I look forward to presenting my research & meeting you... Read More →
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Severn II

12:10pm EDT

TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
TBA
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:10pm - 12:25pm EDT
Severn I

12:45pm EDT

Networking Lunch
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 12:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
Chesapeake Ballroom

1:00pm EDT

Grad Rep Lunch
Saturday September 21, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Loch Raven II

2:45pm EDT

Grad School Fair
Saturday September 21, 2024 2:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 2:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
Harborview Ballroom

5:00pm EDT

Time to Celebrate!
Saturday September 21, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Saturday September 21, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Chesapeake Ballroom
 


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