Oral Session 2 - 2:30 - 3:30 PM PST
Enter Here
Rooms A-E
Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide_____________________________________________________________________
Room A
Moderator: Dr. Ahmed Sebbar
Software Engineering
2:30-2:50 pm
Fabricating Nanophotonic Devices using Nanofabrication Techniques
Presenter(s): Scott Cummings
Advisor(s): Dr. Mark Harrison
Nanofabrication processes are widely used to make the integrated circuits and computer chips that are ubiquitous in today’s technology. These fabrication processes can also be applied to the creation of nanophotonic devices. The ways in which we apply these fabrication techniques in the field of photonics is often constrained by the technologies used for electronics manufacturing which presents an interesting engineering challenge. These limitations include availability and cost of certain fabrication equipment and techniques required to create state-of-the-art nanophotonic devices. Through work with the University of California Irvine nano-fabrication cleanroom, we designed and fabricated various integrated photonic components including grating couplers, waveguides, and inversely designed photonics logic gates. We then adapted the designs to the fabrication techniques available at UCI and the techniques most applicable to achieving the original design goals. I explore the fundamental design process and then discusses nano-fabrication in more detail. Finally, I describe the creation of these devices and their utility for various information-processing applications. Results are preliminary, but we were able to fabricate a suite of nanophotonic devices. Additionally, we characterized the performance of these devices experimentally and compare them to simulations. These devices represent the first step toward designing and experimentally verifying a suite of other devices; and lays the foundation for future work in this area.
Communication Studies
2:50 – 3:10 pm
Development of a Chatbot for Influenza Vaccine Persuasion
Presenter(s): Nicole Yoo, Audrey Shin
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
Anti-vaccination ideology has been increasingly observed in recent years, especially in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a lot of misinformation regarding vaccinations, especially the influenza vaccine. Many people believe that they do not have to receive the influenza vaccine in addition to the COVID-19 vaccine or are unaware that they have to get the vaccination yearly. An artificial intelligence chatbot was developed to inform and persuade users to receive the influenza vaccine. The chatbot is designed to enhance the user experience and is able to communicate with human users through natural language to assist them with specific tasks. Current communication problems were identified and a proposed application of the chatbot was developed and evaluated. An open-source chatbot scripting language AIML (artificial intelligence markup language) will be used to create the chatbot which will be displayed through the Pandorabot platform. The study will help determine the potential role of chatbots in persuasion contexts and other potential applications.
3:10 – 3:30 pm
Developing Chatbots for Various Educational Contexts
Presenter(s): Nicole Yoo, Izzy Alfonso, Denise Alonso-Pecora, Bella Briskorn, Noah Christensen, Gabriela Jimenez, Jillian Morris, Priscilla Ocampo, Nick Richmond, Celine Tran, Lauryn Yost
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
School of Communication students enrolled in Dr. Austin Lee's COM329 Human-Machine Communication developed artificial intelligence chatbots that are applicable in various educational contexts (e.g., a cybersafety education chatbot, an ocean safety information chatbot, a nature education chatbot). The chatbots can communicate with human users using natural language, possesses domain knowledge, and assist them with specific tasks. Our chatbots are designed to streamline interactions between a primarily younger userbase and services and enhance user experience. In this project, we identify current communication problems, discuss how chatbots can address the problem, introduce the proposed application, and examine its technical feasibilities and difficulties. We will use an open-source chatbot scripting language, AIML (artificial intelligence markup language) to build a rule database, and the Pandorabot platform to deploy the chatbot.
Room B
Moderator: Dr. Sougata Poddar
Chemistry
2:30 – 2:50 pm
Mechanism and Chemoselectivity Models for Hypohalous Acid Sensing at a Zinc-Sulfur Complex Implicated in Bacterial Redox Signaling
Presenter(s): Morgan Grimes
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Bacteria that colonize animal host systems utilize tetrahedral zinc-sulfur complexes in their cellular defense system against neutrophilic bursts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at sites of inflammation. Of the several ROS characterized in this oxidative burst, hypohalous (HOCl and HOBr) and hypothiocyanous (HOSCN) acids are among the most potent for killing the invading pathogens. It is known that HOX-sensing occurs through oxidation at the zinc-bound cysteine(s) and consequent geometric disruptions at the metalloprotein. However, experimental reports suggest that HOCl/HOBr oxidation reactivity may be fundamentally different from that of HOSCN. In this work, density functional theory methods is used to investigate the likely mechanism for HOX-sensing at zinc-sulfur complex. The preferred oxidation pathways using HOCl, HOBr, and HOSCN have been computed and compared to illuminate reactivity differences that explain experimental observations. The computational data reveal (1) the role of minimizing geometric strain at the zinc center in controlling the mechanistic preference and chemoselectivity for cysteine oxidation when comparing HOCl, HOBr, and HOSCN, and (2) the role of the counterion produced in the reaction in facilitating the localized geometric disruption that launches the signaling cascade within the bacteria.
Political Science
2:50 – 3:10 pm
COVID-19 and its Disproportionate Affects on Certain Segments of the Population
Presenter(s): Max Zucker
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us, whether it be through the virus itself and the illness that comes alongside it or the pandemic as a whole and the economic turmoil that’s been a result. That being said, the pandemic in its entirety has certainly had disproportionate effects on certain demographics more so than others, and those consequences are having overwhelmingly negative impacts. If you find yourself falling into certain minority demographics, such as but not limited to a lower socioeconomic class or persons of color you may fear not only contracting the illness but the pandemic on a larger scale due to its implications on your specific demographic. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I am attempting to describe the nexus between a fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus and the pandemic as a whole with what socioeconomic, gender, age, or racial demographic any given person identifies with. Among my findings were some particularly interesting perspectives that I find myself often missing given my white, male, upper/middle-class privilege that gave me unique insight into what is generally worrying to the communities being hit by this pandemic the hardest. What I was able to conclude from a portion of my research was that if you do identify with any of these lower-income or minority groups, your fear of COVID-19 at large is going to be greater than that of someone on the opposite end of the demographic spectrum due to the simple fact that you will either get much sicker than the average person and/or suffer the economic and healthcare related consequences.
3:10 – 3:30 pm
Effects of Media Consumption on Public Health Behaviors Within the Context of the Coronavirus Pandemic
Presenter(s): Steele Viverette
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The media, particularly television, is widely accessible and highly influential in shaping our worldview and our attitudes, particularly during a time of rapid information development, such as the coronavirus pandemic. Using the Chapman University American Fears Survey, a national survey conducted in 2020, the goal of this research is to provide insight into the relationship between news sources (i.e., major television news outlets like Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN) and individuals’ attitudes towards the coronavirus pandemic as well as the public health practices that accompany it, such as vaccination. This research aims to shed light on how harmful behaviors such as vaccine hesitancy and conspiratorial beliefs are disseminated through media. Prior research and content analysis of these news networks has revealed that biases and messages differ greatly between these networks as sources of information. The coronavirus pandemic has created many topics of contention in our nation- from the effectiveness of vaccines and masks to whether the pandemic has been a conspiracy to begin with. Television, while very accessible, can also be a dangerous source of misinformation and can perpetuate conspiracy theories and biased viewpoints, which with reinforcement and without exposure to counter-information can permeate into dangerous worldviews, beliefs, and behaviors, such as those that undermine the best practices for public safety that have been advised by experts during this pandemic. Misinformation and the continued entertainment of conspiracy theories has extremely dangerous effects on our public health and has greatly harmed our ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic, thus it is crucial to understand the sources of that information and address them.
Room C
Moderator: Dr. Jan Osborn
Political Science
2:30 – 2:50 pm
How Minority Groups Pass Legislation: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Presenter(s): Sara Fujii
Advisor(s): Dr. John Compton
When the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (INA) passed it was regarded as non-impactful, and no one thought it would have a significant influence within the United States. Yet, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 changed the demographic makeup of the United States to what we know it as today through striking down the quota system and discriminatory practices towards Asian immigration. The bill’s success is often attributed to President Lyndon B. Johnson and the aftermath of the civil rights movement. Despite this, I argue that there are more overlooked factors, such as movement within the Asian community, that caused the shift in immigration policy and the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. This paper will explore the historical trends and factors, using congressional hearings, historical periodicals, and other evidence, to give a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of the major shift in immigration policy towards Asian countries in the 1960s. In addition, this paper will explore how minority groups or groups with little political clout manage to get legislation passed.
2:50 – 3:10 pm
A Checkerboard of Interests: Investigating the Driving Motivations in the Debate of Land Tenure Reforms for Native American Tribes
Presenter(s): Anika Manuel
Advisor(s): Dr. John Compton
People have long disputed over the financial system constructed for indigenous communities and their resulting economic rights within U.S. native reservations. Indigenous tribes themselves remain split concerning the state of their tribal economies. Although scholars have extensively researched the historical component regarding the construction of the financial system we see in place today, very few have focused on the politics and rationale behind certain policy positions of relevant actors in modern-day society. In an attempt to fill this gap, this research paper will focus on answering two key questions: How has public policy shaped the economic and property rights of indigenous nations in the U.S.? And what are the different interests driving the various policy stances of relevant political actors in this issue, including the federal government and indigenous tribes? This will explore more of the driving interests influencing political actors and the dynamic between them in regards to U.S. public policy. Looking at data gathered from interest groups, tribal newspapers, public policies, congressional reports, and more, I will outline the various stances on proposed solutions to the economic hardship among native communities and how they affect policies proposed in congress. This research aims to shine a light on the nuances embedded in the contemporary debate of economic self-determination within the Native American reservation system and offer a new framework of understanding through which to look at this issue.
3:10 - 3:30 pm
The Affects of Race and the Fear Employment in the U.S
Presenter(s): Gaurav Chintamneedi
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
As a nation that runs on the idea of capitalism, the importance of having a job has high societal value. On an individual level, jobs provide financial security and ultimately help others live a sustainable life. Traditionally, people engage in the education system in place to gain adequate skills that will help them find sustainable employment in the job market. Yet, despite the educational process and a constant emphasis to get a well-paying job, Americans still struggle to find sustainable jobs and ultimately face the huge, daunting problem of unemployment. Unfortunately, many Americans fear unemployment due to various factors such as race, level of education, annual income, social status and many more. In recent times, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has also become a huge factor in affecting the employment levels of Americans. In my research, I examine the reasons on why Americans fear unemployment but specifically the relation between race and employment. Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, I examine the correlation between the fear of unemployment to race. How does one's race affect their employment status ultimately? Statistics have indicated that African Americans face a higher level of difficulty to get employed and in this paper I further explore this correlation and provide reasonings for such causes. This paper will focus on the different factors that affect unemployment status of Americans but specifically the effect race has on employment and how that relates to the fear of being unemployed.
Room D
Moderator: Dr. Julye Bidmead
Peace Studies
2:30 – 2:50 pm
Global Approaches to AI Ethics and Governance
Presenter(s): Haley Lilla
Advisor(s): Dr. Hilmi Ulas
This research project is an examination of international initiatives for the development and implementation of AI with a focus on ethics, automation, and the nature of work. While the AI race fosters innovation and competition between global powers, a shortcoming of ethical considerations and lack of legal structure has been an increasing concern. Consideration of trends and priorities of international AI initiatives demonstrates a pattern of global powers pushing acceleration in innovation that presumes benefits over risks while less technologically mature countries focus on establishing an ethical governance. In this project, I will conduct documentary research that investigates the priorities in current international AI initiatives. I will then raise questions of ethical shortcomings in these plans, focusing especially on the impacts of automation and the future of work. This paper is a call for social sciences and humanities to assert themselves in the present age of the Intelligent Machine to fill the ethical gaps in AI development.
Religious Studies
2:50 – 3:10 pm
Artificial Consciousness: Door to Empirical Investigations of Free Will and Souls
Presenter(s): Evan Johnson
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Based in the possibility of artificial, non-biological consciousness, I propose a means to empirically examine the existence of free will as well as an immaterial soul. Free will has important theological implications regarding the problem of evil, which is if God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good, how can evil exist in the world? One seminal response is that human free will is the source of evil (Plantinga, 1977). Utilizing an artificial consciousness, I detail a way of testing if humans have free will, which would contribute to this discussion of evil. Next, I outline a manner in which the existence of an immaterial soul could be empirically verified. This would be done by testing whether both an artificial, computer-based consciousness (that is functionally equivalent to that of a human) and an actual human have free will. If the human has free will and the artificial consciousness does not, I contend that provides evidence for the existence of an immaterial soul. Then, by repeating the same experiment with an animal, one can attempt to determine whether humans are unique in having an immaterial soul. All of this points to the possibility of a closer relationship between science and religion, two subjects often considered entirely distinct or in conflict with each other (e.g., Haught, 2012).
Dance
3:10 – 3:30 pm
Moderator: Dr. Ahmed Sebbar
Software Engineering
2:30-2:50 pm
Fabricating Nanophotonic Devices using Nanofabrication Techniques
Presenter(s): Scott Cummings
Advisor(s): Dr. Mark Harrison
Nanofabrication processes are widely used to make the integrated circuits and computer chips that are ubiquitous in today’s technology. These fabrication processes can also be applied to the creation of nanophotonic devices. The ways in which we apply these fabrication techniques in the field of photonics is often constrained by the technologies used for electronics manufacturing which presents an interesting engineering challenge. These limitations include availability and cost of certain fabrication equipment and techniques required to create state-of-the-art nanophotonic devices. Through work with the University of California Irvine nano-fabrication cleanroom, we designed and fabricated various integrated photonic components including grating couplers, waveguides, and inversely designed photonics logic gates. We then adapted the designs to the fabrication techniques available at UCI and the techniques most applicable to achieving the original design goals. I explore the fundamental design process and then discusses nano-fabrication in more detail. Finally, I describe the creation of these devices and their utility for various information-processing applications. Results are preliminary, but we were able to fabricate a suite of nanophotonic devices. Additionally, we characterized the performance of these devices experimentally and compare them to simulations. These devices represent the first step toward designing and experimentally verifying a suite of other devices; and lays the foundation for future work in this area.
Communication Studies
2:50 – 3:10 pm
Development of a Chatbot for Influenza Vaccine Persuasion
Presenter(s): Nicole Yoo, Audrey Shin
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
Anti-vaccination ideology has been increasingly observed in recent years, especially in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a lot of misinformation regarding vaccinations, especially the influenza vaccine. Many people believe that they do not have to receive the influenza vaccine in addition to the COVID-19 vaccine or are unaware that they have to get the vaccination yearly. An artificial intelligence chatbot was developed to inform and persuade users to receive the influenza vaccine. The chatbot is designed to enhance the user experience and is able to communicate with human users through natural language to assist them with specific tasks. Current communication problems were identified and a proposed application of the chatbot was developed and evaluated. An open-source chatbot scripting language AIML (artificial intelligence markup language) will be used to create the chatbot which will be displayed through the Pandorabot platform. The study will help determine the potential role of chatbots in persuasion contexts and other potential applications.
3:10 – 3:30 pm
Developing Chatbots for Various Educational Contexts
Presenter(s): Nicole Yoo, Izzy Alfonso, Denise Alonso-Pecora, Bella Briskorn, Noah Christensen, Gabriela Jimenez, Jillian Morris, Priscilla Ocampo, Nick Richmond, Celine Tran, Lauryn Yost
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
School of Communication students enrolled in Dr. Austin Lee's COM329 Human-Machine Communication developed artificial intelligence chatbots that are applicable in various educational contexts (e.g., a cybersafety education chatbot, an ocean safety information chatbot, a nature education chatbot). The chatbots can communicate with human users using natural language, possesses domain knowledge, and assist them with specific tasks. Our chatbots are designed to streamline interactions between a primarily younger userbase and services and enhance user experience. In this project, we identify current communication problems, discuss how chatbots can address the problem, introduce the proposed application, and examine its technical feasibilities and difficulties. We will use an open-source chatbot scripting language, AIML (artificial intelligence markup language) to build a rule database, and the Pandorabot platform to deploy the chatbot.
Room B
Moderator: Dr. Sougata Poddar
Chemistry
2:30 – 2:50 pm
Mechanism and Chemoselectivity Models for Hypohalous Acid Sensing at a Zinc-Sulfur Complex Implicated in Bacterial Redox Signaling
Presenter(s): Morgan Grimes
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Bacteria that colonize animal host systems utilize tetrahedral zinc-sulfur complexes in their cellular defense system against neutrophilic bursts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at sites of inflammation. Of the several ROS characterized in this oxidative burst, hypohalous (HOCl and HOBr) and hypothiocyanous (HOSCN) acids are among the most potent for killing the invading pathogens. It is known that HOX-sensing occurs through oxidation at the zinc-bound cysteine(s) and consequent geometric disruptions at the metalloprotein. However, experimental reports suggest that HOCl/HOBr oxidation reactivity may be fundamentally different from that of HOSCN. In this work, density functional theory methods is used to investigate the likely mechanism for HOX-sensing at zinc-sulfur complex. The preferred oxidation pathways using HOCl, HOBr, and HOSCN have been computed and compared to illuminate reactivity differences that explain experimental observations. The computational data reveal (1) the role of minimizing geometric strain at the zinc center in controlling the mechanistic preference and chemoselectivity for cysteine oxidation when comparing HOCl, HOBr, and HOSCN, and (2) the role of the counterion produced in the reaction in facilitating the localized geometric disruption that launches the signaling cascade within the bacteria.
Political Science
2:50 – 3:10 pm
COVID-19 and its Disproportionate Affects on Certain Segments of the Population
Presenter(s): Max Zucker
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us, whether it be through the virus itself and the illness that comes alongside it or the pandemic as a whole and the economic turmoil that’s been a result. That being said, the pandemic in its entirety has certainly had disproportionate effects on certain demographics more so than others, and those consequences are having overwhelmingly negative impacts. If you find yourself falling into certain minority demographics, such as but not limited to a lower socioeconomic class or persons of color you may fear not only contracting the illness but the pandemic on a larger scale due to its implications on your specific demographic. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I am attempting to describe the nexus between a fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus and the pandemic as a whole with what socioeconomic, gender, age, or racial demographic any given person identifies with. Among my findings were some particularly interesting perspectives that I find myself often missing given my white, male, upper/middle-class privilege that gave me unique insight into what is generally worrying to the communities being hit by this pandemic the hardest. What I was able to conclude from a portion of my research was that if you do identify with any of these lower-income or minority groups, your fear of COVID-19 at large is going to be greater than that of someone on the opposite end of the demographic spectrum due to the simple fact that you will either get much sicker than the average person and/or suffer the economic and healthcare related consequences.
3:10 – 3:30 pm
Effects of Media Consumption on Public Health Behaviors Within the Context of the Coronavirus Pandemic
Presenter(s): Steele Viverette
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The media, particularly television, is widely accessible and highly influential in shaping our worldview and our attitudes, particularly during a time of rapid information development, such as the coronavirus pandemic. Using the Chapman University American Fears Survey, a national survey conducted in 2020, the goal of this research is to provide insight into the relationship between news sources (i.e., major television news outlets like Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN) and individuals’ attitudes towards the coronavirus pandemic as well as the public health practices that accompany it, such as vaccination. This research aims to shed light on how harmful behaviors such as vaccine hesitancy and conspiratorial beliefs are disseminated through media. Prior research and content analysis of these news networks has revealed that biases and messages differ greatly between these networks as sources of information. The coronavirus pandemic has created many topics of contention in our nation- from the effectiveness of vaccines and masks to whether the pandemic has been a conspiracy to begin with. Television, while very accessible, can also be a dangerous source of misinformation and can perpetuate conspiracy theories and biased viewpoints, which with reinforcement and without exposure to counter-information can permeate into dangerous worldviews, beliefs, and behaviors, such as those that undermine the best practices for public safety that have been advised by experts during this pandemic. Misinformation and the continued entertainment of conspiracy theories has extremely dangerous effects on our public health and has greatly harmed our ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic, thus it is crucial to understand the sources of that information and address them.
Room C
Moderator: Dr. Jan Osborn
Political Science
2:30 – 2:50 pm
How Minority Groups Pass Legislation: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Presenter(s): Sara Fujii
Advisor(s): Dr. John Compton
When the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (INA) passed it was regarded as non-impactful, and no one thought it would have a significant influence within the United States. Yet, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 changed the demographic makeup of the United States to what we know it as today through striking down the quota system and discriminatory practices towards Asian immigration. The bill’s success is often attributed to President Lyndon B. Johnson and the aftermath of the civil rights movement. Despite this, I argue that there are more overlooked factors, such as movement within the Asian community, that caused the shift in immigration policy and the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. This paper will explore the historical trends and factors, using congressional hearings, historical periodicals, and other evidence, to give a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of the major shift in immigration policy towards Asian countries in the 1960s. In addition, this paper will explore how minority groups or groups with little political clout manage to get legislation passed.
2:50 – 3:10 pm
A Checkerboard of Interests: Investigating the Driving Motivations in the Debate of Land Tenure Reforms for Native American Tribes
Presenter(s): Anika Manuel
Advisor(s): Dr. John Compton
People have long disputed over the financial system constructed for indigenous communities and their resulting economic rights within U.S. native reservations. Indigenous tribes themselves remain split concerning the state of their tribal economies. Although scholars have extensively researched the historical component regarding the construction of the financial system we see in place today, very few have focused on the politics and rationale behind certain policy positions of relevant actors in modern-day society. In an attempt to fill this gap, this research paper will focus on answering two key questions: How has public policy shaped the economic and property rights of indigenous nations in the U.S.? And what are the different interests driving the various policy stances of relevant political actors in this issue, including the federal government and indigenous tribes? This will explore more of the driving interests influencing political actors and the dynamic between them in regards to U.S. public policy. Looking at data gathered from interest groups, tribal newspapers, public policies, congressional reports, and more, I will outline the various stances on proposed solutions to the economic hardship among native communities and how they affect policies proposed in congress. This research aims to shine a light on the nuances embedded in the contemporary debate of economic self-determination within the Native American reservation system and offer a new framework of understanding through which to look at this issue.
3:10 - 3:30 pm
The Affects of Race and the Fear Employment in the U.S
Presenter(s): Gaurav Chintamneedi
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
As a nation that runs on the idea of capitalism, the importance of having a job has high societal value. On an individual level, jobs provide financial security and ultimately help others live a sustainable life. Traditionally, people engage in the education system in place to gain adequate skills that will help them find sustainable employment in the job market. Yet, despite the educational process and a constant emphasis to get a well-paying job, Americans still struggle to find sustainable jobs and ultimately face the huge, daunting problem of unemployment. Unfortunately, many Americans fear unemployment due to various factors such as race, level of education, annual income, social status and many more. In recent times, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has also become a huge factor in affecting the employment levels of Americans. In my research, I examine the reasons on why Americans fear unemployment but specifically the relation between race and employment. Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, I examine the correlation between the fear of unemployment to race. How does one's race affect their employment status ultimately? Statistics have indicated that African Americans face a higher level of difficulty to get employed and in this paper I further explore this correlation and provide reasonings for such causes. This paper will focus on the different factors that affect unemployment status of Americans but specifically the effect race has on employment and how that relates to the fear of being unemployed.
Room D
Moderator: Dr. Julye Bidmead
Peace Studies
2:30 – 2:50 pm
Global Approaches to AI Ethics and Governance
Presenter(s): Haley Lilla
Advisor(s): Dr. Hilmi Ulas
This research project is an examination of international initiatives for the development and implementation of AI with a focus on ethics, automation, and the nature of work. While the AI race fosters innovation and competition between global powers, a shortcoming of ethical considerations and lack of legal structure has been an increasing concern. Consideration of trends and priorities of international AI initiatives demonstrates a pattern of global powers pushing acceleration in innovation that presumes benefits over risks while less technologically mature countries focus on establishing an ethical governance. In this project, I will conduct documentary research that investigates the priorities in current international AI initiatives. I will then raise questions of ethical shortcomings in these plans, focusing especially on the impacts of automation and the future of work. This paper is a call for social sciences and humanities to assert themselves in the present age of the Intelligent Machine to fill the ethical gaps in AI development.
Religious Studies
2:50 – 3:10 pm
Artificial Consciousness: Door to Empirical Investigations of Free Will and Souls
Presenter(s): Evan Johnson
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Based in the possibility of artificial, non-biological consciousness, I propose a means to empirically examine the existence of free will as well as an immaterial soul. Free will has important theological implications regarding the problem of evil, which is if God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good, how can evil exist in the world? One seminal response is that human free will is the source of evil (Plantinga, 1977). Utilizing an artificial consciousness, I detail a way of testing if humans have free will, which would contribute to this discussion of evil. Next, I outline a manner in which the existence of an immaterial soul could be empirically verified. This would be done by testing whether both an artificial, computer-based consciousness (that is functionally equivalent to that of a human) and an actual human have free will. If the human has free will and the artificial consciousness does not, I contend that provides evidence for the existence of an immaterial soul. Then, by repeating the same experiment with an animal, one can attempt to determine whether humans are unique in having an immaterial soul. All of this points to the possibility of a closer relationship between science and religion, two subjects often considered entirely distinct or in conflict with each other (e.g., Haught, 2012).
Dance
3:10 – 3:30 pm
Embodied Rhetoric: Meaning-Making in Dance Protest Art
Presenter(s): Lauren Bramlett
Advisor(s): Julianne Pedersen
This project observes examples of protest art in concert dance choreography during the latter half of the 20th century. The study seeks to understand choreographers’ usage of bodily movement as a form of activism, observing how and why bodies act as rhetorical agents. Using Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism in conjunction with the theory of new materialism–specifically as it is situated by Laurie Gries and Rosi Braidotti–the project takes a joint methodological approach to rhetorically analyze dance pieces with a focus on dialogic relationships, affect, spatiality, and temporality. Through both analysis of dance artifacts and embodied practice of movement, the project questions where rhetorical power exists within the dance and the dancer’s body. Movement research Further, the project asks how the dancer’s body interacts with its surroundings and how such interaction produces meaning, observing the dialogic relationship between all material present in the situation. The movement of dancers functions to contribute to the movement of social change, revealing the human body as an accessible and effective vehicle of rhetorical power.
Room E
Moderator: Christine Fugate
Theatre
2:30 – 2:50 pm
Auditioning as a Nonbinary Actor in a Binary World
Presenter(s): Chloé Boulard
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Chappell, Michael Nehring
Auditions have remained the same for decades - an actor chooses two contrasting monologues that fit their type and the role they want to play, showing off for directors and producers to be cast in shows. For cis actors, searching for monologues and navigating an audition is fairly straightforward. For nonbinary actors, auditions become a nightmare. How can a nonbinary actor present an authentic audition and still be cast? Do nonbinary actors find themselves exaggerating gendered aspects of themselves in order to be cast? The focus of this creative project will be on creating an authentic audition as a nonbinary, gender fluid actor in order to demonstrate that presentation does not equal identity, and an actor’s pronouns should matter more than their presentation. By the end of this project, I will present a series of audition monologues that are authentic and truthful to who I am and how I identify. I will also interview fellow nonbinary actors to provide insight into the struggles of presentation in a field that revolves around looks. I hope this project can serve to begin a series of research into the gender of theatre, and will serve to include nonbinary actors into conversations surrounding educations and careers within the theatre.
2:50 – 3:10 pm
Drama Therapy
Presenter(s): Maryanne Cozzetto
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Chappell
Theatre has continuously provided a space of healing for many artists in many different capacities, and drama therapy is purely an extension of this. Drama therapy uses psychodramatic practices to examine the relationship between self and others while combining performance techniques with traditional psychotherapy methods. Traditional one-on-one talk therapy may not appeal to all. Individuals may find expressing their emotions artistically while in the presence of an ensemble as a more digestible form of therapy. It is crucial for drama therapy to be recognized as the true form of therapy it is in order to gain the resources needed to make it accessible to all. Once becoming easily accessible, drama therapy will help encourage a new demographic of individuals to be open to therapy. In proving the importance of drama therapy, I will research the different forms and practices that are utilized as well as researching the leading theories of these psychodramatic practices. I will then create my idea for a typical five-week drama therapy program, based on my research. I believe the future implications of this research will be popularizing this form of therapy and erasing the stigma attached to nonconventional forms of therapy. In doing so, a wider class of people will then have access to the form of therapy best suited for them.
3:10 – 3:30 pm
BYE-naries; An Ethnodramatic and Devised Exploration of the Fluid Nature of Identity
Presenter(s): Fiona Burrows
Advisor(s): Andrew Chappell
This thesis will examine the construction and deconstruction of binary identities in gender, sexuality, and race through the creation of an ethnodrama focused on college students’ transformations during their time at school. I will be conducting interviews to gauge general themes, similarities, and differences across peoples’ experiences. I will then develop a cast to conduct theatre of the oppressed workshops with and devise a one-act script. This script will be the culmination of my project this semester and my cast and I will stage the production next semester. Our world boxes people in binary identities and looks down upon those who do not fit into these rigid roles. I will investigate how people play into and break these binaries, how gender, sexuality, and race are performed, and how identity is a fluid and ever-changing aspect of people’s lives. I will seek to understand how individual experiences and social norms shape identity through the lens of queer theory and performance studies. I will also be implementing theatre of the oppressed techniques such as, but not limited to, forum theatre and identity maps in workshops with the cast. This piece seeks to queer and disrupt traditional theatrical practices and will give the opportunity for a marginalized group to dictate how they want to be represented in theatre. Ideally, this production will have audiences question their relationship to binary identity and the role they play in upholding systems of power.