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Fall 2022 Student Scholar Symposium

Poster Session 1 - 10:00-11:30AM

Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide
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Art
  1. Desert X; The Ethics and Expectations of Audience Response
    Presenter(s):     Sloan Watson
    Advisor(s): Micol Hebron
Desert X is a site-specific art exhibition held in the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley region of California every other year. This paper will address audience response towards the exhibitions, as well as the ethics and expectations surrounding both the art and land. This topic is largely inspired by the vandalization of Richard Prince’s 2017 exhibition “Third Place”, which led to the exhibition being shut down to the public, as well as the disappearance of the “ShyBot” by Norma Jeane in 2017, which is believed to be the result of theft. Despite the fact that neither of these artists were overly concerned regarding these incidents, it raises questions in regards to how the audience is intended or not intended to react to the artworks involved in this large-scale exhibition, as well as how or why they should or should not act in a certain manner. This idea is central to Desert X, not only because it is an exhibition which is designed to be open to the public, but also because it is an exhibition held on Native land. This is also accompanied by the attraction of tourists and the overall impact on residents and the environment of the Coachella Valley region.


Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  1. Field Cancerization in Human Breast Tissue
    Presenter(s):     Cody Paresa
    Advisor(s): Dr. Marco Bisoffi
Breast field cancerization denotes the presence of molecular aberrations in structurally normal cells residing in histologically normal tissues adjacent to mammary tumors. While the list of factors that characterize field cancerization is growing, its molecular etiology remains largely unknown. We hypothesize that extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes released from cancerous cells in the tumor, mediate field cancerization by priming non-cancerous cells in the adjacent tissues by conveying enhanced pro-proliferative and pro-survival capabilities. We are adapting an antibody (EpCAM), by use of proteome profiler, to assess and treat a main biomarker involved in tumor development. Western blotting will be used for functional analysis of the EpCAM antibody and biomarker diminishment. Initial observations will be made by use exosomes, derived from human cancerous epithelial MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 cells, and EpCAM antibodies to treat non-cancerous MCF10A cells. Our studies help us understand the development of mammary field cancerization which has clinical implications for cancer recurrence after breast conservation therapy (lumpectomy).
Plain Speak Summary
Our studies address the role of exosomes released by breast cancer cells in inducing a pro-tumorigenic effect in cells adjacent to the cancer (field cancerization) using EpCAM antibodies and western blotting. The molecular understanding of field cancerization could be an important predictor of tumor recurrence after breast conservation therapy (lumpectomy).
 
  1. Analyzing Interactions of Calmodulin with Viral HIV-1 Matrix Protein
    Presenter(s):     Andrea Sandoval
    Advisor(s): Dr. Jerry LaRue
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the immune system and if left untreated, could cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The HIV matrix protein (HIV-MA) is involved in replication and regulation of the HIV virus. Calmodulin (CaM), a calcium-binding protein found in all eukaryotes, has a potential role in the viral replication of HIV-MA which plays a key role in the replication of HIV. In order to investigate the interactions between calmodulin and the HIV-MA, a series of titrations with CaM are performed using circular dichroism. Circular dichroism (CD) uses circularly polarized light to observe the secondary structure of a molecule. The circularly polarized light is broken up into left and right components. When the molecule contains a chiral center, the left and right components are absorbed to different extents, and the differential absorption is measured with CD. Through a series of titrations, the chemical environment is changed in small increments so the molecule will experience conformational changes. As the conformation changes, CD is used to measure the ellipticity which provides a better understanding of the secondary structure that is a result of these chemical interactions. ​​Since CaM plays a potential role in the viral replication of HIV-MA, CD is used to investigate the protein-protein interactions
and conformational changes.
 
  1. Predicting Steroid-Free Remission of Pediatric IBD from Whole Slide Imaging Using Computer Vision
    Presenter(s): Blake Calvo
    Advisor(s): Dr. John Miklavcic
Complex clinical presentations, uncertain etiologies, and triggers, coupled with substantial emotional and financial strains, make IBD-related illnesses a top priority for improved healthcare solutions. Targeted treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease requires a comprehensive diagnosis involving invasive biopsies and labor from multiple specialists practitioners, coupled with often dubious timelines for diagnosis and aid. Creating improved prognostic techniques that improve patient quality of care and remission is critical to establishing a renewed framework for the pediatric treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease; treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease burdens families financially. Current treatment models implement antibiotics, 5-aminosalicylate, biological agents, corticosteroids, and immunomodulators, all of which exact an extensive toll on pediatric patients. Despite drastic improvements in the collective understanding of disease typology, risk factors, and treatment, prevailing treatment tactics are reactionary. Computational techniques have been sparsely implemented in pediatrics; their implementation with direction and oversight, supervised by clinical specialists, would improve patient outcomes. Moreover, applying streamlined image analysis of tissue samples collected from sites of interest within the gastrointestinal system liberates prognostic congestion, decreasing the time between diagnosis and treatment. This study implemented patch-level CNNs and stacking trained with the assistance of a clinical pathologist and gastroenterologist through framework design and image annotation.
 
  1. Purification of K_Ca2.2 Channels in Complex with Calmodulin
    Presenter(s):     Grace Yang
    Advisor(s): Dr. Miao Zhang
Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are genetic neurodegenerative disorders without treatment options available. The SCAs are caused by inherited gene mutations, especially by polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat expansion in the affected genes. The cerebellar Purkinje cells are affected in many types of ataxias. Cerebellar KCa2.2 channels have been proposed as a drug target for SCAs. In order to facilitate structure-aided drug design, we would like to determine the structure of KCa2.2 in complex with small molecule modulators. My role in this project is to express and purify the K¬Ca2.2 channel protein. We expressed Kca2.2 channels in HEK293 cells and purified the K¬Ca2.2 channel protein in complex with it accessory protein calmodulin. Briefly, KCa2.2 was tagged with Strep-II and expressed as a complex with CaM in HEK293S GnTI− cells using a BacMam method. Crude membranes were prepared from the cells and were then subjected to solubilization. The solubilized protein complex was purified using Strep-Tactin XT resin, followed by size exclusion chromatography. The prepared protein sample has been mixed with small molecule modulators and is currently subject to structural studies.


Biological Sciences
  1. Biomechanics of Atlantic Hagfish Burrowing
    Presenter(s): Joshua Lee
    Advisor(s): Dr. Douglas Fudge
Atlantic Hagfish (Myxine Limosa) are eel-shaped benthic/epibenthic marine animals that are known to burrow but the mechanism by which they burrow is unknown. Martini (1998) observed and described hagfish burrowing into sediment by aggressively thrashing their tail. After one quarter of their body length is submerged, they suddenly stopping thrashing, yet still are able to burrow their whole body into the mud. To study Atlantic hagfish burrowing, we used a custom burrowing chamber that allowed us to observe burrowing movements as the hagfish moved through a transparent gelatin substrate that approximates the material properties of marine mud. We report detailed observations of hagfish burrowing as well as morphometric data from 25 different burrows. We had two objectives in our research. First, we wanted to observe and describe the mechanics of each phase of burrowing. Our second objective was to quantify the morphology and time measurements of the burrow. Overall, we found that the on average, Hagfish burrow in a U shape burrow, and take an average of about 7 min 22 seconds to burrow. Finally, we found that Hagfish consistently burrow in a two-phase process; where the first phase is dominated by tail thrash movements, and the second phase is dominated by anterior movement near the head.
  1. Biomechanics an Analysis of Hagfish Eggs
    Presenter(s): Caroline Gallagher
    Advisor(s): Dr.Douglas Fudge
Hagfish eggs use a unique structure to keep all of the eggs attached together. This structure, called the anchor filament, is an extension off of the main egg capsule. The anchor filaments extend from the two endpoints of the large oval egg, and attach to other anchor filaments of the surrounding eggs forming a clutch or grouping of eggs. In this project, a Micro-CT scan was analyzed to further study the biomechanical attributes of hagfish eggs. A 3D model was produced from these scans using the software 3D Slicer. During the 3D modeling each individual anchor filament was measured, and the structures and patterns of the anchor filaments were recorded. Future plans for this research include analyzing different species of hagfish eggs for comparative analysis. In the future we will also 3D print the 3D model of the hagfish egg for further investigation.
 
  1. Vesicle Hydration and Swelling
    Presenter(s): Jess Furman
    Advisor(s): Dr. Dakota Piorkowski, Andrew Lowe
Analyzing the speed at which hagfish vesicles undergo hydration. Aiming to comprehend the process of hydration and swelling, and the interaction between time and area of this process. Hagfish slime is integral as defensive and evolutional mechanism, which utilize vesicles to release this biomaterial. Vesicles play a crucial role in the slime release process and I aim to understand the relationship between hydration and swelling of these vesicles. Analyzing vesicles when in contact with ionized water, to better understand this process. Results aim to advance knowledge between the function of a vesicle and the production of slime.


Chemistry
  1. Effect of Anions on the Adsorptive Properties of Iron Oxyhydroxide Nanoparticles
    Presenter(s): Sebastian Vera
    Advisor(s): Dr. Christopher Kim
California’s history of mining has created hazards that can affect human health as well as ecological systems. For example, mine waste may contain heavy metal components which are known to be carcinogenic. As a result, new methods must be developed to remediate the environment surrounding these mines to prevent human exposure. Iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles and their aggregates are a potential solution to this problem as they are known to serve as effective sorbents of metals. The goal of this project is to build upon previous work done by former lab member Emma Kocik ’23 who studied how changes in geochemical conditions, such as salinity, can affect the sorptive properties of the iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles. Previous work primarily consisted of adding artificial seawater to the aggregated nanoparticles to study the effect of the changing salinity. In this current study, iron nanoparticles and their aggregates were exposed to different anions that are present in seawater, such as chloride and sulfate, at varying concentrations to determine which has the greatest effect on sorption. Based on previous experiments, it is suspected that the presence of these anions influences the sorbing interface between the metals present in the solution and the iron nanoparticles as well as possibly influencing the solution complexes that are formed.
 
  1. Methanol Decomposition and Oxidation on Platinum Surfaces: Investigating Properties of the Catalytic Process Using X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
    Presenter(s): Ethan Truong, Kevin Alvarado Jimenez, Quy Loi, Sarah Lelea
    Advisor(s): Dr. Jerry LaRue
From the enzymes in our body to the production of ammonia in the Haber process, catalysts are present in everyday life. These catalysts facilitate and speed up reactions through the lowering of activation energies. One highly essential catalyst is platinum as it is widely used in industrial and research settings. Despite its popularity and usefulness, questions remain as to the specific processes behind the catalytic mechanisms. This project aims to investigate these unknowns using the decomposition and oxidation of methanol on a variety of platinum surfaces. Specifically, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data obtained from experiments run at the SLAC National Laboratory will be analyzed. XPS utilizes the photoelectric effect by measuring the kinetic energy of electrons emitted from a material after irradiating it with electromagnetic radiation. XPS spectra contains characteristic peaks for certain chemical species making it a powerful tool in the study of surface chemistry. Once these XPS peaks are fitted, we will be able to identify the chemical species present in these experiments as they progress. Doing so will provide great insight into the fundamental properties of catalytic platinum surfaces such as site intermolecular interactions, site specificity, and selective bond breaking/formation. In conjunction with this project, the group is simultaneously running their own investigative study of methanol decomposition and oxidation under ultra-high vacuum conditions. By carrying out this research to better understand catalytic surfaces, the group hopes to aid in the development of more efficient catalysts.
 
  1. Metal Ion-Counterion Effects on Lewis-Acid Mediated Sulfur-Fluoride Exchange
    Presenter(s): Leah Zahn
    Advisor(s): Dr. O. Maduka Ogba
Lewis acidic salts of earth-abundant metals have recently gained attention as economically and environmentally advantageous alternatives to transition metal catalysts in chemical reactions. However, little is known about how altering the metal ion or the counterion of the Lewis acidic salt affects the nature of the salt-substrate binding and interaction modes during the activation process. We use a recent report on metal-mediated sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) as a case study. In this report, calcium salts with bistriflimide counterions outperformed those with triflate and fluoride, and calcium outperformed magnesium, lithium, sodium, and potassium, thus revealing a clear ion-pair effect on SuFEx reactivity. In this work, density functional theory methods were used to uncover differences in the structural, energetic, and electronic properties of the SuFEx transition states mediated by the calcium salts. The data gathered from our study provided key insights into the origins of the counterion effects and resulted in a new hypothesis for understanding reactivity differences across the Lewis acidic salts.


Communication Sciences and Disorders
  1. Symbolic Object Use and Language Development in Deaf and Hearing Infants
    Presenter(s): Katherine Nguyen, Matthew Kim
    Advisor(s): Dr. Maryam Fagan
Research evidence supports the idea that auditory information and communication are crucial for the typical development of language, cognition, and behavior early in life. Therefore, delays in the production of oral language are often observed in children with profound hearing loss. Children who are deaf can access auditory information through cochlear implants, which leads to gains in speech production and language development. For infants with profound hearing loss, hearing experience begins after they receive cochlear implants. Early use of cochlear implantations can prevent further delays in language development and vocabulary acquisition. The impact of cochlear implants on psychological factors such as symbolic object use, however, is not well understood. Symbolic use of objects is the demonstration of the purpose of an object prior to word use – for instance, putting a toy phone to their ear or pretending to drink out of a cup. It is recognized that symbolic object use is closely tied to vocabulary development and language acquisition. Vocabulary comprehension is the ability to understand the meaning of words. Vocabulary production is the naming of objects, people, and actions. Vocabulary development can be measured with the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI), which allow comparisons of vocabulary size for hearing infants and infants with cochlear implants using hearing age, or duration of hearing experience. Our research project evaluates vocabulary size and symbolic object use in hearing infants and infants with cochlear implants ages 8-30 months, based on hearing experience.


Communication Studies
  1. Perceptions of Transgender Representation in Visual Media
    Presenter(s): Bella Briskorn, Griffin Runnels, Brandon Habecker, Sean Longley
    Advisor(s): Dr. Rebecca Forster
Television and streaming shows often depict false and negative stereotypes of trans individuals. Transgender people’s lives are very different from what is portrayed in visual media. Thus, transgender people are more aware than cisgender people of the negative tropes and stereotypes within these representations in visual media. Cisgender people may find identifying with positive portrayals of trans individuals more difficult than trans people. This study will examine the perceived effects of both negative and positive transgender representations in visual media. It is hypothesized that transgender people will be more likely to report harmful representations in visual media than cisgender people, and that cisgender people will be less accurate in reporting positive transgender portrayals in visual media. This research is important because it examines how misrepresentations of the trans community may go unseen by cisgender individuals. Our first hypothesis is that cisgender people will be less accurate in perceiving negative transgender tropes in visual media than trans people will. Our second hypothesis is that cisgender people will be less accurate in perceiving positive portrayals as beneficial to the transgender community than trans people will. Participants will be asked to watch a 2-minute video clip from a film or show, depicting what could be seen as either a negative transgender stereotype tropes or positive representations. At the conclusion of the clip, they will be asked to complete a survey on their identification of these transgender portrayals and if they find them harmful or positive.


Computer Science
  1. Designing Haptic Interfaces to Uncover Gestural Patterns in Children
    Presenter(s):     Yuki Chen, Kayla Anderson, Audrey Bichelmeir
    Advisor(s): Dr. Franceli L. Cibrian
Children with sensory processing differences such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have different gestural patterns compared to their neurotypical peers. However, the evaluation of sensory differences is complicated and subjective, especially when it's related to the tactile sense. Haptic interfaces (i.e., tools that transmit information through touch) allow changing vibrotactile patterns to stimulate children's tactile senses, affecting how children interact with the interface. Therefore, haptic interfaces can be used to collect data on how users interact with them and uncover their gestural patterns. However, it is unclear how to design active haptic interfaces vibration using touch (e.g., mobile phone), wearables (e.g., smartwatch), or ultrasonic (e.g., Stratos) to support the data collection of gesture interaction. As the first step in this work, we proposed the design of Feel and Touch, a haptic game that could be developed for different haptic interfaces, such as mobile, wearable, and ultrasonic. In future work, we proposed to develop the game in the three interfaces and evaluate their usefulness and effectiveness in collecting gestural data, especially for children with ASD. We would like to thank: Ivonne Monarca and Monica Tentori from CICESE Research center.
 
  1. Radar Signal Analysis & Student Attentiveness
    Presenter(s):     Daniel Dinh, Robert Alexander III, Samuel Bernsen, Andrew Wells, Ethan Slade
    Advisor(s): Dr. Maryam Etezadbrojerdi
The proposed project is to use portable FMCW (Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave) Radar to detect and track student attentiveness in classrooms. Radar systems works by sending out repeating and rapid energy or waves to an object, and when these waves are reflected to a receiver, it outputs information about the object. The goal of the proposed project is to determine and propose a FMCW radar system that could be used in a classroom environment to record students’ attentiveness. The idea behind the project is to be able to record the overall percentage of students in a class who are actively paying attention to the instructor, however traditional CCTV cameras cannot be used due to privacy reasons. As a result, the radar system would be used not to record students but to track their face and head movement and compare it to the overall collective. The primary goal is to first deem if a similar system would be possible to instead track multiple targets, in this instance students, and how viable this system would be. Once we have determined whether this system is viable, our secondary goal is to make a classroom application by either using the FMCW system as is or by making some minor alterations to make it viable. The goal of the proposed project is to have a functioning FMCW radar system that could be implemented inside a classroom setting.
 
  1. Neuroimaging Image Classification and Forecasting Diagnosis for Alzheimer’s Disease using Statistical Modeling and Machine Learning
    Advisor(s): Dr. Cyril Rakovski
    Presenter(s): Liora Mayats Alpay, Ehsan Yaghmaei
Brain destruction of memory is an essential topic in medical research and neuroscience. This work investigates the predictive power of 300 gene variants concerning late-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Aggregating findings selected the genes from the dozens of the most comprehensive genome-wide association studies. The genetic data were obtained from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. We carried out a battery of machine learning and statistical methods such as Random Forest, LASSO, Ridge, Elastic Net, and logistic regression combined with hyperparameter and architecture tuning to find the optimal model that predicts late-onset Alzheimer's Disease. By combining Statistical modeling, we analyzed the clinical medical data of patients and estimated the relationship between variables. Our work promises future research to investigate the different Neuro - brain destructive functions of memory in the Neuroscience field.


Dance
  1. The Effects of Environment Change on Dance
    Presenter(s):     Adrienne Paulu
    Advisor(s): Wilson Mendieta
Dance is an extremely versatile artform with many different styles, rhythms, intricacies, sequences, patterns and pathways. Dance can be used as a way of social interaction, self expression, entertainment, or just personal fulfillment. As performers, it is sometimes easy to get complacent and comfortable within the environment and community we have built for ourselves. While this can be a good thing socially, how does this complacency affect our creativity as artists? Is it positive? Negative? Does it matter? These are questions answered from a personal perspective by completing this research project. In this project, dance was not only considered a form of entertainment and fun, but was also analyzed through a critical and research driven lens. I analyzed how a change in environment influences a dancer’s training, movement, and performance qualities as a student. For this project, I attended a month-long professional-level summer dance intensive in NYC called Steps on Broadway. This included taking numerous classes a day in all styles of dance including ballet, jazz, hip hop, and ballroom. I also received vocal coaching and acting lessons while experiencing living in the heart of Manhattan and absorbing all the cultural differences there. As a high school student, I decided to pursue dance at the collegiate level after I graduated and moved from my home environment and dance training that I was used to. This switch from the Pacific Northwest to dancing in LA was a huge shift not only physically and mentally, but also stylistically as well from a dance perspective. Now as a dance student studying dance from numerous different perspectives, it is important to understand how your training environment helps shape you as a performer. Through the course of this month spent living in NYC and experiencing dance and culture from all different angles, I analyzed the differences socially, culturally, and personally between the West coast styles of dance in LA to the East coast style of NYC.
 
  1. Character Development in Contemporary Dance: Exploring How Elements of Musical Theater Can Enhance the Performative Range of Contemporary Dance
    Presenter(s): Katie Cleek
    Advisor(s): Julianne O'Brien Pedersen
Musical theater dance is often depicted as the only genre of dance to investigate characterization at a deep level. However, through studying contemporary dance and musical theater simultaneously, it is evident there is more dancers can extract to craft this heightened performance experience within contemporary dance. This creative research project was crafted to explore the following question: How can elements of musical theater be used to enhance the authentic performance quality, emotionally and physically, of contemporary dance? The research included attending a musical theater intensive in New York City and then applying information gathered when attending a contemporary dance intensive in Los Angeles. The research was conducted through the use of personal reflection and collecting peers’ evaluations of their own relationship to characterization. The elements that were most prominent to enhance performance were answering the questions of “who, what, when and where.” Who is the dancer talking to? What is their objective? When is this story? Where is it taking place? etc. All of these questions that the dancers are considering offer room for clear choices within improvisation and how their tone of movement is unique to them within the realms of the choreography. The most successful moments when implementing these principles into contemporary dance were found when translating information from the imaginative level to the physical level. Some examples of this include imagining gum on the bottom of the foot as it is brushed onto the floor, to provide the resisted, stretchy quality of the movement. Another example was for the dancer to utilize this technique within eye focus. Are the eyes penetrating forward to a person right in front of them, or at a distance? Within this creative research of musical theater dance, the opportunity for experimentation to craft a heightened experience for contemporary dancers is infinite.


Environmental Science and Policy
  1. Preliminary Results: Effect of Fermentable Carbon Substrates of Various Sizes and Concentrations on Anaerobic Carbon Cycling in a Peatland Soil
    Presenter(s): Jocelyn Valdivia
    Advisor(s): Dr. Jason Keller, Dr. Cassandra Zalman
Peatlands are natural carbon sinks that cover less than 3% of the earth’s terrestrial land but store about one-third of the terrestrial soil carbon. Peatlands also contribute to climate change by emitting greenhouse gasses (GHGs) such as methane and carbon dioxide due to anaerobic microbial decomposition. It is therefore important to study the microbial decomposition that produces these GHGs. This project explores microbial fermentation through the addition of glucose and varying sizes of dextran (a glucose polymer) to peatland soils. In past studies, 1% solutions of these substrates were fermented by soil microbes; however, only about 3% of the added carbon was recovered as GHGs or acetate. The maximum recovery was unexpectedly from larger dextran molecules, which should decompose slower, emphasizing the need for further work exploring anaerobic carbon cycling in peatland soils. As a follow-up project, glucose and dextran concentrations of 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, 0.001% were added to peat from a Minnesota bog and anaerobically incubated for six weeks. GHG production, 13C-CO2 and 13C-CH4, as well as acetate and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations will be measured every two weeks. These measurements will allow us to quantify the recovery of fermentable carbon sources at a range of concentrations and across a range of dextran mass distributions. Taken together, this work will provide important mechanistic insights into anaerobic microbial carbon cycling and GHG production in globally important peatland ecosystems.


Food Science
  1. Labeling Compliance, Species Authentication, and Short-Weighting of Frozen Shrimp Sold in Grocery Stores in Southern California
    Presenter(s): Alexia Campbell, McKenna Rivers, Chris Lee, Pragati Kapoor
    Advisor(s): Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Seafood is susceptible to various types of fraud, including species substitution, mislabeling county of origin and production method, and short-weighting, typically for economic gain. Although shrimp is the most consumed seafood product in the United States, there is a lack of research into the extent of short-weighting and mislabeling of frozen shrimp in the marketplace. This project investigates the prevalence of species mislabeling, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) non-compliance, and short-weighting violations among frozen shrimp sold in grocery stores in Southern California. In the United States, COOL regulations require certain local retailers to label fresh and frozen shellfish with the country of origin and production method (wild or farm-raised). COOL compliance was determined based solely on observing the presence of the production method and country of origin on the packaging and labeling at the purchase site of the frozen shrimp products. Using official methods by the Association of Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) International, the frozen shellfish products were deglazed, and the net weight and percent glaze were calculated to quantify the prevalence of short-weighting. DNA barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial gene was performed on the deglazed shrimp, and the determined sequences were analyzed against the Barcode of Life Data (BOLD) system to identify the shrimp species. These results were compared to acceptable market names in the FDA Seafood List to determine species substitution. The results of this study will help determine if there is a need for greater scrutiny in labeling regulations for shrimp sold in the United States.


Music
  1. Cultural Appropriation and Popular Music
    Presenter(s): Caroline Ganos
    Advisor(s): Dr. Jessica Sternfeld
In the 100+ years of what could be considered modern popular music in the U.S., Black musicians have been both underrepresented and underappreciated for their contributions to the evolution of the style. The music industry continuously does not give credit to the deserving musicians: this can be attributed to a host of different problems including systemic racism and a profits-first focus. There have long been patterns of white musicians coming out on top, in that they are credited for and profit off of trends and ideas that were originally created in the Black community. While these problems can be traced back to people like Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, and their predecessors from decades before, they can still be found in music of the last ten to twenty years. But how do we identify cultural appropriation, and how can we prevent it from happening? This paper, while unable to give complete answers to such a grey topic, examines these questions by looking at both historical precedents that have set the stage and current examples that wrestle with issues of appropriation. By analyzing the voting patterns at the Grammy Awards, the musical elements of and social conversation surrounding Ariana Grande’s “7 rings,” and the style categorization of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” patterns of appropriation and brushing Black musicians to the side become more recognizable. We then become more equipped to consider who is or is not being credited with unique contributions to popular music.


Peace Studies
  1. Mental Health in the Military
    Presenter(s): Caroline Strauch
    Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
How does mental health affect veterans? Mental Health is extremely important, more Americans struggle with mental health than ever before. This paper predicts an intense relationship between post-traumatic stress in military and military women rather than military men. Post-traumatic stress is a mental health issue that has been commonly linked to veterans. Some veterans demonstrate a clear correlation between the traumatic war experiences they have been through and the way their brain responds later. Men and women show their mental struggle differently. For veterans this is no different, especially because men and women have different experiences in the military. This paper will examine academic work that compares post-traumatic stress in 1) veterans versus civilians and 2) men and women. Post-traumatic stress is brought on by traumatic events that can linger causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and negative thoughts that interfere with everyday life. Post-traumatic stress disorder is just one example of how people can struggle with mental health. Data surrounding mental health such as suicide and domestic violence will also be examined to better understand the relationship between post-traumatic stress in military men and women. A survey performed by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine
that compared traumatic events of military veterans by gender will be examined within this paper. This paper expects to find a higher correlation of post-traumatic stress disorder in female veterans, because of systematic bias against female military.
 
  1. Steering Away from Stereotypical Identity
    Presenter(s): Sophie Imondi
    Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
Over the recent decades, our society has begun to steer away from the stereotypical fashion of identity. In other words, men acting/presenting masculine, and women acting/presenting feminine. Individuals who have chosen to steer away from mainstream identification experience discrimination on many levels including physical harm. The research will be highlighting individuals who have served in the United States military and their experiences of gender discrimination as well as LGBTQ+ discrimination in order to fully understand societal repercussions when individuals decide to step away from what is considered normal. When analyzing many pieces of published literature we come to the conclusion that individuals that fall within this community tend to be restricted and undermined which causes societal harms such as mental health issues, physical harm, as well as sexual and domestic abuse. To reaffirm these conclusions, data from military forums as well as public statements made by officials show that the military environments do not create a safe space for these individuals nor apply effective prevention practices for all military personnel. This research exposes generational discrimination that continues to exist in the present day. Although the culture of our societies has begun and continues to shift; the military sphere continues to harm and deter individuals who steer away from stereotypical identities.


Political Science
  1. The Influence of Religion on Immigration Public Opinion
    Presenter(s): Olga Alvertos
    Advisor(s): Dr. John Compton
This study explores the ways in which the religious beliefs of individuals influence their opinion on immigration and immigration related policy. While seemingly separate topics, the two are interwoven through variables such as party affiliation, education level, and age. Previous studies show a clear correlation between frequent attendance of religious services and positive views on immigration and related policies. This topic has yet to be explored in depth and with reference to frequency of religious attendance. Using ANES data, my goal with this research is to determine if a strong attachment to religion affects public opinion of immigration policy and immigrants themselves. Understanding the connection between the two will provide more substantial understanding as to why some immigration policies receive negative public opinion while others thrive. Identifying the source of public immigration opinions is beneficial to the understanding and improvement of the immigration system in the United States.
 
  1. Political Party Preference Regarding Trust in the U.S. Election System
    Presenter(s): Cole Cooper
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
American citizens should have confidence and trust in the U.S. election system. The freedom to vote is essential to the democratic process, as citizens have the right to choose the leaders who represent them and support their interests. In this research, I evaluated voters' political party preferences to determine how likely voters are to agree with the statement that we need new voting laws because there is too much voter fraud. Additionally, I evaluated voters' political party preferences regarding how likely voters are to believe that Joseph Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Using the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a nationally representative sample, I have observed a strong correlation between an individual's political party preference and their beliefs about the legitimacy of the 2020 elections. While using the same survey, I also observed a strong correlation between an individual's political party preference and their belief that we need new voting laws because there is too much voter fraud. Furthermore, I have found that there is no strong correlation between independent voters when comparing their beliefs of the legitimacy of the 2020 election and their beliefs when asking if we need new voting laws. By analyzing the relationship between political party preference and the party's beliefs on voter fraud, the nation will be able to visualize the polarization amongst voters and how the polarization only further contributes to a sense of distrust and confidence in the U.S. election system.
 
  1. Social Media Effects on Fear of Terrorism
    Presenter(s): Cameron Pastore
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
In the past few decades, social media has constantly been upgraded to comply with users' needs. Social media has become a prevalent tool in today's society as many use it to share their thoughts and gain a glimpse into other people's lives, but a lot of people also use social media as a means to obtain news about what is going on in the world and in their communities. In this article, I examine the influence that social media has on people's fear of a potential terrorist attack on their homeland. The data for this research was obtained through The Chapman University Survey on American Fears (CSAF), conducted in 2020/2021. The information I use takes into consideration what news sources people pay attention to, what outlets people get their news from, and how often they obtain news from social media. The results showed that the more that people got their information from social media, the more likely they were more afraid of a terrorist attack happening. Although social media is a growing convenience for people with busy schedules, it does allow people to see more about what is happening around the world. This is both good and bad as people are less censored to events outside of their country but it does create this growing fear that these events and attacks may personally affect them.
 
  1. Us vs. Them: How Nationalism Creates Fear Within the United States
    Presenter(s): Emily Kinney
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Nationalism, or a heavy identification with one’s state resulting in pride, can be useful in bringing people together around shared ideas and creating a sense of community; this pride, however, can come from a place of naivety and as a result from limited understanding and tolerance of different cultures. Xenophobia often hides below the surface of nationalism, and this paper aims to explore what the fear of various groups indicates about levels of nationalism across respondents’ political backgrounds, media consumption, and other factors. Using the American National Election Survey and the Chapman Fear Survey, representative national samples of US adults, I expect to find that a fear of immigrants will indicate the highest sense of national pride, as the prevalence of the “Replacement Theory” has caused people to become more rooted in their American identity while working to exclude those who come from a different cultural background. I also expect to find that a fear of certain terrorist groups over others will reflect changes in media consumption and political party, along with how proud people feel to be an American. Many factors are causing nationalism to spike in the United States, and understanding these causes will allow the nation to promote openness to other nationalities in areas where this understanding is most needed and reduce the growing ignorance towards other cultures while improving acceptance.
 
  1. If It Bleeds, It Leads
    How Violent News Consumption Affects Your Fear of Crime
    Presenter(s): Kiana Favela
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
A famous phrase in newsrooms is “If it bleeds, it leads.” The term suggests that newsrooms are more likely to start their show with violent stories about death, crimes, accidents, or other dark stories because viewers are more likely to stay and watch. In this paper, I examine the extent to which news consumption affects a person’s fear of crime. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I examined questions relating to a person’s fear of crime (mugging, murder, shootings, gang violence, and kidnappings), and I compared them to how a person gets their news (e.g., local news, national news, social media, newspapers, etc.). Using multiple regression analyses, I found that social media was the most significant variable that affected a person’s fear of crime in five of the six hypotheses tested. Additionally, Fox News was a statistically significant variable for just ⅓ of the variables tested, while CNN was significant 100% of the time. Local News was not a statistically significant variable for any hypotheses tested in this paper. News and journalism are essential aspects of our society, and it is crucial for news producers to know how their show affects the people in their neighborhoods.
 
  1. Group Dynamics, Polarization, and Trumpism: What Led to January 6th
    Presenter(s): Avery Davidson
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
How did thousands of American citizens come to believe in conspiracies and lies about the 2020 election so fervently that they launched an attack on our nation’s capitol on January 6th, 2021? In this paper I examine the extent to which demographic and social factors contributed to the decision of certain Americans to condone the events that occurred on January 6th. Relying on both the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S adults, and the American National Election Study, I find a strong relationship between factors like media consumption, group dynamics and polarization, party identification and Trumpism, and approval of what occurred on January 6th. The attempted coup that occurred on January 6th was no spontaneous act. In this paper I examine what led so many people to buy into the lies of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election that led to a violent attack on our very nation’s capitol- and consider the far-reaching aftermath of this event and its implications for the very soul of our democracy.
 
  1. The Impact of Ideology on Attitudes Towards Federal Spending
    Presenter(s): Ariel Gries
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
In this paper, I will examine how partisanship and ideological factors impact the public's opinions about our nation's federal budget. I will analyze how one’s party identification, opinions on income inequality, equal opportunity, and trust in experts affects our opinions of our federal budget. Using the 2020 American National Election Survey, a representative national sample of over 15,700 U.S. eligible voters, I will examine how partisanship and one’s ideology impact one’s opinion on the allocation of the federal budget toward tightening border security, welfare programs, aiding the poor, and protecting the environment. Among the interesting findings, it is predicted that Republicans are more likely to want an increase in federal spending toward tightening border security and decrease federal expenditure on welfare programs, aid to the poor, and protecting the environment. Similarly, it is predicted that people who are in favor of the government trying to reduce the difference in incomes between the richest and poorest households are more likely to want a decrease in federal spending toward tightening border security and increase federal spending toward welfare programs, aid to the poor, and protecting the environment. It is also predicted that someone who agrees with doing whatever is necessary to ensure equal opportunities is more likely also to want a decrease in federal spending toward tightening border security and increase federal spending toward welfare programs, aid to the poor, and protecting the environment. Lastly, we predict similar results when people identify as trusting experts more than trusting ordinary people in terms of public policy. These findings will help understand the partisanship and ideological differences that divide our country's opinion of how we choose to allocate our resources. Being able to take into account public opinion would allow for more perspective in terms of government responsiveness and provide more insight into what drives public opinion and then crossover understanding when Congress votes to approve the legislation.
 
  1. QAnon Deconstructed: Faith & Lies
    Presenter(s): Samuel Andrus
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
All prior categorizations of conspiracy theories fall short when applied to the system of belief known as QAnon. This paper first examines the previous literature that laid down a basis for understanding the nature of conspiracies and isolates aspects of the QAnon canon to delineate and test the predictors of belief. The data for this research were obtained from the 2020 wave of the Chapman Survey of American Fears (CSAF) conducted by the Earl Babbie Research Center at Chapman University. Layered crosstabulation tests and multiple linear regression results find that conspiratorial thinking outweighs partisanship when predicting QAnon belief. Strikingly, despite QAnon being tied to former President Donald Trump and crosstabulation results revealing a greater likelihood for Trump voters to believe in QAnon, the divide between Republican and Democrat voters was not very large, and all variables relating strictly to political orientation were statistically insignificant. This implies that QAnon is not a partisan conspiracy theory but rather an entirely new breed of hybrid conspiracy based around Donald Trump. The second part of my paper uses open-source intelligence methods to code and analyze content selected from ten alternative media messaging hubs via the platform Telegram, each of which ranges from 80,000 to over 200,000 active users. These promulgations of the QAnon conspiracy are synthesized in order to isolate specific elements of the belief system so as to better understand precisely what makes up the conspiracy and how it may relate to other aspects of contemporary political polarization.
 
  1. Fears of Violent Crimes
    Presenter(s): Jasmine Lopez
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Roughly about 90% of adult rape victims are women and about one out of every six American women has been a victim of completed or attempted rape. This paper goes into depth about the correlation between the fear of sexual assault by a stranger and gender identity. While critically assessing the difference in percentages, we can infer a hypothesis that one gender may fear a sexual assault by a stranger more than the other gender. This analysis will operationalize the theory of gender fear caused by internal sources of experience or external sources, such as the media.  In this research, I will include the findings of the Survey of American Fears. I will be answering the following research questions: If there is a correlation between a certain gender and the fear of sexual assault by a stranger, what creates this fear? Not only will I be asserting the benefits of doing this research but I will further analyze who exactly this fear may be affecting most. I will be using data that is from the present time and dating back to a survey from 2016. This will help finalize the internal and external factors of the impact of fears of sexual assault by a stranger. From these interesting findings, one can note that fear could also derive from sexual assault by an intimate partner or someone they already know, not just strangers.

Keywords: fear, sexual assault, gender identity, survey, data
 
  1. The Origin of Why People Fear Such Unlikely Events
    Presenter(s): Maxwell Zucker
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The question my research has set out to answer is what specifically leads to one person fearing an event or occurrence while another person might consider that event outrageously unlikely and subsequently have no fear at all? First, it is important to define what an “unlikely” event might be: when I speak of fearing the unlikely, I am referring to events that could be categorized as paranormal, such as ghosts, as well as events rooted in conspiracy theory, such as Q’Anon. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults and their corresponding demographics and fears, I was able to outline my research to better understand what characteristics in any given respondent led to their fears of the unlikely, and why those specific characteristics play a role to begin with. What I discovered throughout the course of my preliminary research was that the combination of a respondent's cultural identity and background in tandem with any biases they might have play a very significant role in determining their susceptibility to fearing the unlikely. An example of this that comes up throughout my research is when looking at a respondent’s religion; given that religion is rooted in beliefs of supernatural concepts such as an afterlife or higher beings, it would be fair to hypothesize that a more religious person is going to fear unlikely events, especially paranormal ones, more so than someone who isn’t religious at all. The same can be said when looking at other cultural identifiers, like race or ethnic background, both of which contribute to a person's cultural identity and thus play a role in determining their fears. One might assume that another person's unrealistic fear might be rooted in a lack of intelligence, but I found that these fears were evenly distributed amongst all levels of education. Instead, I was able to conclude that a unique set of characteristics that come as a result of a person’s individual background have the most significant impact on their level of fears regarding unlikely events or occurrences.
 
  1. Climate Change Perceptions and Personal Experiences
    Presenter(s): Kimberly Gomez
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
In the United States, individuals have different perceptions of climate change and how urgent they feel climate change is. In this paper, I expect to find a relationship between how individuals feel about climate change, ethnicity, and having children. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, provides data on facts about Americans, the fears they have, and how strongly they feel about the fears. The data from the 2022 Fear survey will provide information as to how individuals feel about climate change and information about the individuals such as ethnicity and children. I expect to find that people with children and minorities care more about climate change and its importance. Although there are more factors that can contribute to the way a person feels about climate change, the paper will focus on the contributing factors of ethnicity and children. Climate change is increasing and the paper will argue that children can be the answer to getting older generations on board with helping to fight it.
 
  1. Biopolitics and Belief: The Impacts of Religious Attitudes on Reproductive Rights in the U.S.
    Presenter(s): Katlyn Barbaccia
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973)—a groundbreaking case that legalized the right to have an abortion—which signified a deep rift in the nation between the opinions of its lawmakers and citizens in the wake of a widening partisan gap. Biopower, according to Foucault, can be defined as the governing of bodies wherein citizens are stripped of bodily autonomy and are closely regulated by the nation-state. Manifested in political consequences, this can be defined as biopolitics, or when the nation-state’s ideas are made into a reality in the political realm. Religion in particular is often employed by the conservative right as justification of the U.S.’s use of biopolitics to mass control reproductive health. The research seeks to understand the implications of biopolitical warfare on women’s health through asking: (1) Why and how does religion seek to control reproductive health?, (2) How has religion influenced biopolitics and how does it continue to influence the political realm today?, and (3) In what ways has increased party polarization in addition to religious ideology contributed to the gap in public opinion on reproductive rights? Using data from the American National Election Studies 2020 Questionnaire, the research aims to establish how and why the religious right uses its political power for personal gain, and the ways in which both party identification and religious beliefs jointly influence abortion opinions. Overall findings suggest that increased party polarization has created an inaccurate representation of the right in positions of political power, which has further enabled the religious right to use anti-abortion legislation to control constituents. These findings contribute to present understandings of the biopolitical role that religion and party identification play in determining national reproductive health outcomes.
 
  1. Political Participation
    Presenter(s): Miriam Elfahdi
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Participation in political and social matters is a core part of democracy. The manner in which people participate varies vastly and can have different outcomes. In this essay I will examine the relationship between respondents' age, income, gender, race, and education level and the way they participate politically. Using reliable data from the American National Election Studies, I will examine the previously listed independent variables to various questions on political participation from the 2020 version of the survey. Among the findings, I find a mild relationship between age and attendance in protests/rallies. These findings point to the importance of analyzing non-conventional forms of participation that are less in the forefront of the conversation around political participation. Other activities outlined in the ANES 2020 survey include; attending meetings to talk about social concerns, persuading people to vote in one way or another, and posting a message online about a political concern. These forms, and others not listed, are all impactful and are what maintain a democracy. It is therefore important to understand who is able to participate and how. Looking at various demographics and patterns of political participation can allow us to further understand the accessibility of democracy and whose voices become the loudest. This will allow us to think more critically about the function of our democracy and its efficiency in representation.
 
  1. How Partisanship Can Affect Fears and Denials about Climate Change
    Presenter(s): Sophia Salstrom
    Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The conversion of climate change is popping up more frequently than ever before. It is being widely debated by international, state, and local governments but most significantly, it is being discussed in a domestic setting. Domestic discussion is where public opinion begins to take form. Public opinion about climate change in the United States can be divergent and extreme. The goal of this research is to highlight the differences in political opinions about climate change and derive the meaning for these disparities. Throughout this research, I plan to parse the relationship between an individual’s party identification and their level of concern regarding climate change. It will also examine the relationship between an individual’s party identification in correlation to their level of trust in the United States government. The findings may suggest that party identification is correlated to fear of climate change as well as overall trust in government. This research will also examine how fear of exacerbating weather developments is creating less doubt and more advocates for climate change action. The data for this research was collected from the Chapman Survey of American Fears as well as the American National Election survey, both representative samples of the United States. In my results, I hope to find significant correlations between party identification and individual level of fear regarding climate change. I also hope to find an interaction between mass media sources and the manipulation of public opinion. This influence may be a direct route to fears surrounding climate change. This research hopes to distinguish these differences and parse the overall relationship between public opinion and fear of climate change. 


World Languages and Cultures
  1. Long Live the Revolution: Magical Realism as Activism in the Art and Literature of Latin American Leftists.
    Presenter(s): Marie Shear
    Advisor(s): Dr. Laura Loustau
Political dissensions between hyper-capitalist and socialist states plagued the 20th century, with leftist revolutions occurring throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia, provoking intense nationalism and xenophobia in right-wing countries. In response, a wave of western political propaganda swept aggressor, conservative nations, instilling a deep fear of progressivism and leftist theology into the general population. This rhetoric created a dangerous social climate that put communist and socialist activists at the forefront of political persecution. To avoid prison, torture, or death, authors and artists adopted magical realism to criticize fascism and corruption in their countries and globally safely. Magical realism is characterized by reality interfused with elements of folklore, exaggeration, irony, hyperrealism, and representations of alienation. The genre is typically associated with Latin American literature and holds a lengthy history of anti-colonial resistance, focusing on the convergence of indigenous and modern cultures. To understand how magical realism was utilized as activism through literature and art, this work investigates three specific cases, a novel by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez and two paintings by Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, that support the genre’s engagement with leftist theology. These artists incorporate magical elements into their realist stories to retell cultural trauma but also redefine the boundaries of political activism.
 
  1. The Integration of Literary Elements in Modern Day Spanish Language Advertising: An Investigational Essay
    Presenter(s): Carter Kane
    Advisor(s): Dr. Laura Loustau
The primer authority in the advertising world in Spain is named Luis Bassat. He is the founder and president of the most profitable advertising agency in the history of the country, Ogilvy España. Bassat wrote the "Red Book of Advertising," a guide and summary of what he has learned in the industry in a career that has spanned more than 47 years. In addition to many ideas and theories, Bassar lists five pieces of principle advice to current-day advertisement makers, clearly stating the keys to achieving success in this discipline. This investigation will use those pieces of guidance as a rubric to analyze examples of Spanish language publicity released in the last five years. Bassat's five advertising laws will be explored with different Spanish-language publicity campaigns that integrate elements of literature from famous authors to the symbol of a book itself. The link between literature and success in the advertising world will become evident through comparative methods and insightful analysis. In addition, the author of the investigation, Carter Kane, is a student studying advertising at Chapman University and will offer his insight into why this topic is important and relevant.
  1. Proposal of a Universal Plan for Bilingual Services in Medicine
    Presenter(s):     Andrea Sandoval
    Advisor(s): Dr. Laura Loustau
Communication between a doctor and their patient is essential to ensuring that the patient remains informed about their health. Having that level of transparency creates more impactful interacciones during a doctor visit. If the patient is involved in conversations about their health, they will be able to better implement the recommendations of their doctor. By simply informing the patient, they will forget, but if they are involved, they will learn. In health care, language barriers can limit the level of understanding and prevent essential discussions from being fully understood. This project will provide one approach to breaking language barriers with the proposal of a universal system for bilingual services that identify and eradicate the disparities, provide the appropriate resources, and maintain patient satisfaction in order to create more accessible healthcare. This will be analyzed by looking at past trends in language barriers. Initially, the hospitales must identify the needs of their patients and determine which languages their patients primarily speak. Then, they need to hire employees that have the appropriate skills to fulfill the needs of the patients. The use of translators, pay incentives, and incorporating language courses in the medical school curriculum so doctors can directly communicate with patients, are necessary resources, as previous studies have suggested. With these requirements met, the hospitals need to utilize their resources and maintain a more efficient system. In this project, comparative initiatives from other countries will contribute to finding the most viable techniques to incorporate into the universal language plan for medicine that is being proposed.
 

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