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Fall 2022 Student Scholar Symposium

Poster Session 3 - 3:00-4:30PM

Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide

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Art

Desert X, Tourism, and Ecology of Joshua Tree
Presenter(s): Kai Karafotis
Advisor(s): Micol Hebron

The Joshua Tree area has been a community full of artists for decades, inviting free spirits to take up residence in nearby towns, and to create beautiful public art. In the last ten years, however, tourism has increased by nearly 220%, from 1,396,237 visitors in 2011 to ~3,064,400 in 2021 (Park Statistics 2022). This stands in comparison to other popular towns like Los Angeles, whose tourism between 2009 and 2018 grew by 137% (Los Angeles 2018). Its reputation as both a beautiful landscape and a flourishing environment for art has made it widely known across the United States. But as visitors impact towns of less than 10,000 people and preserved landscapes, both the environment and community have been largely impacted. As AirBnBs displace lower income residents while visitors traipse over hidden ecological systems, the damage has been irreversible to people and nature alike. Exhibitions like Desert X contribute to tourism in the Coachella Valley, naturally bringing support and damage with it: while it brings in large amounts of revenue for the area and provokes discussions of local environmental and social issues, it simultaneously contributes to the housing issues, brings tourists to remote areas, and occasionally makes misguided environmental decisions with its artworks. This paper seeks to identify the key impacts of Desert X and to investigate the steps taken to ensure the preservation of the desert, as well as realms of insufficient policy. By determining the actions taken by Desert X, examining the ways in which tourism affects the Joshua Tree and Coachella Valley region, and establishing the impact of residents, we will gain a better understanding of how site-specific art changes the sites it’s built upon.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Mapping Arginine Methylation within BAG3 via Mass Spectrometry
Presenter(s): Arisbeth Mancilla-Burgos
Advisor(s): Dr. Cecilia Lopez

Like phosphorylation, protein arginine methylation is a post-translational modification that regulates proteins. In this project, we set out to identify the arginine residues that accept methyl groups in a protein called BAG3. BAG3 or B-cell lymphoma 2-associated athanogene, is a chaperone that helps other proteins fold properly. BAG3 consists of 575 amino acids and contains a lysine-phenylalanine-glutamic acid-arginine-glutamine (KFERQ)-like motif. This motif allows recognition of BAG3 by the chaperone mediated autophagy pathway (CMA pathway), a cellular process responsible for degrading proteins with this domain. We determined computationally that arginine methylation occurs within the KFERQ-like motif, potentially blocking recognition of BAG3 and preventing its proper degradation. To validate these results, we have performed in vitro methylation reactions with the enzyme protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1). The methylated BAG3 product was then treated with performic acid, digested with trypsin and analyzed using Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (QTOF) Mass Spectrometry. Preliminary results show that we can detect peptide fragments corresponding to BAG3, however, methylation is yet to be determined. In vitro methylation reactions are currently being optimized to ensure that methylation is above the limit of detection for MS instruments. Once arginine methylation within the KFERQ-like motif is confirmed, we will next determine if methylation interferes with the CMA pathway. Build up and improper function of BAG3 has been associated with cardiomyopathy. Thus, identifying where BAG3 is methylated will allow for a greater understanding of its function and will be useful for disease prevention.

siRNA Delivery using Fatty Acylated Cell-Penetrating Peptides
Presenter(s): Jonathan Vergonio
Advisor(s): Dr. Rakesh Tiwari

Small interference RNA (siRNA) has gained much attention from the scientific community due to its ability to specifically target the overly expressed proteins presumed to be linked to cancer proliferation and metastasis. Small interference RNA is ~20-24 nucleotides long and found in the non-coding regions of genetic material, as 98% of RNAs formed in human cells are non-coding; siRNA is highly specific so that it can bind and cleave mRNA that codes for faulty proteins within the cytoplasm. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) containing histidine, arginine, lysine have been found suitable for siRNA delivery. However, they also suffer from toxicity and low efficiency. Based on available data and reports, there is a critical need to develop non-toxic and efficient siRNA delivery tools. Furthermore, Oleyl conjugates were also found efficient in siRNA delivery and silencing the gene of interest. According to the above rationale, we hypothesized that the cationic amino acids in CPPs will interact with the negatively charged siRNA and phospholipid of the cell membrane, and the fatty acyl chain will assist in the protection of siRNA from degradation and enhance cellular delivery of CPP-siRNA complexes. Throughout the research timeline, peptide (WHK)4 was synthesized and characterized through MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, analytical HPLC, and cytotoxicity assays. Research that aids in yielding these unique therapeutic agents have a significant application in the biological and pharmaceutical industries for cancer treatment.

Biological Sciences

Hagfish Respiration and Metabolic Rates
Presenter(s): Sydney Carlson
Advisor(s): Dr. Douglas Fudge

Hagfish are burrowing fish that present many mysteries to those who study them. There are many aspects about Hagfish which may be better understood, one of these being Hagfish respiration. The goal of my research project is to determine the metabolic rate for Hagfish and to better understand Hagfish respiration. I am doing this by placing a Hagfish into a respirometer and monitoring the change in oxygen over time. From this data I am able to calculate a metabolic rate for the Hagfish. Additionally, I film the Hagfish for the duration of the data collection so that the data may be viewed in light of the Hagfish behavior. This provides the framework for a baseline metabolic rate, which can then be studied in light of changing environmental factors a hagfish might encounter. This will provide insight into how Hagfish might cope with certain known behaviors, or provide insight into their metabolic needs. There are numerous ways to go past my initial research point and to further explore, hence the importance of my project. Once the baseline metabolic rate is gathered, it can then be compared amongst species, between different behaviors (for example burrowing vs at rest) or in different conditions (for example: warmer vs cooler water).

Implications of Trace Amounts of CO on Alfalfa Plant Growth, Mutualistic Interactions, and Transcriptome
Presenter(s): Kevin Nguyen
Advisor(s): Dr. Hagop Atamian, Dr. Cedric Owens

Nitrogen is a key element in living organisms as it is a building block for DNA and protein, but its most abundant form is atmospheric nitrogen (N2), which is unusable by most organisms. To make use of N2, plants known as legumes partake in a mutualistic interaction with bacteria known as rhizobia that convert N2 into usable forms of nitrogen such as nitrate and ammonia in exchange for food and shelter from the plants within root nodules. This interaction is a possible sustainable alternative to the Haber-Bosch process, which utilizes immense amounts of energy to convert N2. Rhizobia’s viability as a sustainable alternative is limited by the presence of carbon monoxide (CO). Within free-living soil bacteria, CO has been shown to inhibit the nitrogenase enzyme responsible for rhizobia’s ability to convert N2. However, CO has also been shown to induce secondary roots, which are rhizobia’s point of entry into the plant to start the mutualistic interaction. With both positive and negative effects for rhizobia, the implications of increasing CO in a legume’s environment were studied, particularly if secondary root growth is induced and whether increased CO would affect rhizobia’s ability to convert N2. For this project, two sets of legumes known as alfalfa were grown for one week before being placed in two separate airtight glass containers in which one received low concentrations of CO gas whereas the other received none as a control. After three days of exposure, plants were removed and observed for noticeable differences. The root length, height of each plant, and number of secondary roots was also recorded. The results showed that plants in 5 mL of CO performed better than the control as they had more secondary roots and more height. Future experiments will have plants in CO be inoculated with the rhizobia bacteria. Since the plants are expected to have increased secondary root growth, they are expected to have increased rhizobia productivity via increased root nodules. Additionally, transcriptome analysis of the plants will be conducted to find responsible genes.

Chemistry

Ester Hydroboration using a Carbodiphosphorane Catalyst
Presenter(s): An Dang
Advisor(s): Dr. Allegra Liberman Martin

Carbodiphosphoranes are very electron rich because the central carbon contains two lone pairs. This project explores carbodiphosphoranes as catalysts for ester reduction reactions. Experiments were performed to identify catalysts for ester hydroboration, and a cyclic carbodiphosphorane was the most active. Ongoing work is being done to study the hydroboration of a range of ester substrates by this cyclic carbodiphosphorane catalyst.

Effect of Sulfate Concentrations on the Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions onto Goethite Surfaces
Presenter(s): Sarah Connolly
Advisor(s): Dr. Christopher Kim

Due to increases in different industrial processes, heavy metal concentrations continue to grow throughout contaminated wastewater with the potential to affect human health and surrounding environments. A potential remediation to clean effected wastewater is to use nano materials for heavy metal ions to adsorb onto the particles’ surfaces and then be removed from the water. In the following experiment, copper ions were tested for their adsorption onto the surface of goethite nanoparticles under different sulfate conditions. Sulfate enhanced copper adsorption to the nanoparticle surfaces, while the desorption of copper from goethite surfaces differed under different sulfate concentrations without an obvious trend. Further research is required to determine the optimal remediation technique to remove these harmful heavy metals from surrounding wastewater. Specifically, further data will be collected to obtain more reliable data and to test the potential of using sulfate and goethite to remove zinc ions from wastewater.

Communication Studies

Effects of Favorite Characters on Feelings of Loneliness
Presenter(s): Alyssa Castanon, Lexi Ferlisi, Katherine Hanna, Natalie Hartman, Savahna Marks
Advisor(s): Dr. Rebecca Forster

This study investigates how identification of shared beliefs and traits with favorite characters can affect emotions and loneliness. We primed individuals with feelings of loneliness by having them reflect on a time when they felt lonely and isolated, to see how their feelings of loneliness are affected by levels of reflection on favorite characters. We hypothesize that college students who recall shared beliefs, behaviors, and traits with their favorite characters will show lower levels of social loneliness and higher levels of positive emotions. Conversely, those who are not asked to reflect on their favorite characters will exhibit higher levels of social loneliness and lower levels of positive emotions. We also hypothesize that college students who reflect on negative experiences without an additional reflection of their favorite character, and students who after reflecting on a negative experience reflect on a neutral topic (describe a classroom they have been in recently) will have higher levels of social loneliness and lower levels of positive emotions than those who reflect on favorite characters respectively. This research is significant in determining how parasocial relationships can influence everyday experiences and how individuals identify their sense of self, emotions, and state of being.

Fanatic Fervor: How Idealized Depictions of Celebrity Couples in the Media Influence Romantic Expectations and Satisfaction.
Presenter(s): Nicholas Richmond, Jimena Lara, Tiffany Chen, Nelson Kim, Samuel Edgar
Advisor(s): Dr. Rebecca Forster

The aim of this study is to examine how media depictions of celebrity couples can affect the satisfaction of individuals in their own romantic relationships. Celebrity couples are often sensationalized in news/gossip media, and if they are idealized, may inadvertently create unrealistic relationship expectations for those who consume such media. This study is building on social exchange theory, parasocial relationships, and a recent elaboration on the latter, paracouple relationships. Our hypotheses examine the effects on individuals who are exposed to media that we predict sets the romantic expectations of its consumers unrealistically high, so that their real romantic relationships are not as satisfying by comparison. Due to the consumption of such media, one may alter their own expectations of how much effort and expense their partner should devote to them. As a result, the amount of effort one’s romantic partner dedicates may seem inadequate. To test these hypotheses, an online experiment is carried out in which participants are exposed to either a series of articles painting celebrity couples in a positive light, a series of articles painting the same celebrity couples in a negative light, or no articles at all. After this, participants are asked about their relationship satisfaction and their expected effort from a
significant other.

Data Analytics

Length of Stay
Presenter(s): Shree Murthy
Advisor(s): Dr. Yuxin Wen

Due to COVID-19, there have been countless reports of hospitals not having enough beds and incapable of providing care to all new inpatients (Landi). Most hospitals face the challenges of providing timely patient care while maintaining optimal resource utilization, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey conducted by the American Hospital Association, admitted patients spent more than $1.16 trillion across all registered U.S. hospitals in 2019. In the U.S., every 1-hour transfer delay is associated with a 3% increase in the odds of inpatient mortality (Churpek et al.). Moreover, from the medical perspective, prolonged LOS increases the risk of adverse events, such as poor nutritional levels, hospital-acquired infections, adverse drug events and other complications (Siddique et al.). As a result, we could leverage machine learning (ML) methods to create a predictive model to help hospitals decide a patient’s length of stay based on their medical data.

Works Cited: Churpek, Matthew M., et al. “Association Between ICU Transfer Delay and Hospital Mortality: A Multicenter Investigation.” Journal of Hospital Medicine, vol. 11, no. 11, Nov. 2016, pp. 757–62. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.2630. Landi, Heather. Hospitals across the Country Running out of Beds, Reducing Surgeries amid Latest COVID Surge | Fierce Healthcare. https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals/hospitals-across-country-running-out-beds-reducing-surgeries-amid-latest-covid-surge. Accessed 22 Feb. 2022. Siddique, Shazia Mehmood, et al. “Interventions to Reduce Hospital Length of Stay in High-Risk Populations: A Systematic Review.” JAMA
Network Open, vol. 4, no. 9, Sept. 2021, p. e2125846. Silverchair, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.25846.

Environmental Science and Policy

Impacts of Wetting/Drying Cycles on Arsenic Bioaccessibility in Mine Wastes
Presenter(s): Daniel Choi
Advisor(s): Dr. Christopher Kim

Heavy metal(loid) contamination remains a global concern as it continues to pollute the environment and impose negative consequences on a myriad of ecosystems and human residents. For example, arsenic (As) is a prevalent metalloid naturally found in Southern California mine wastes with toxic, carcinogenic qualities that pose a potential human health risk. While As concentrations and bioaccessibility can be readily measured from samples, the long-term effect of weathering in these materials is not well understood. Thus, it is equally important to understand natural factors that impact As bioaccessibility, which include rainfall, temperature, humidity, and aging. Samples were obtained from the Red Hill Mercury Mine in Tustin and sieved to ≤250 µm particle diameter. Selected samples underwent a simulated rain event to rinse off external soluble As from the particle surfaces. Using an environmental chamber, samples were then exposed to simulated diurnal temperature and humidity cycles based on real weather data at a 12x accelerated rate, such that 2 hours of real-time equated to 1 day of simulated time. After sample exposure, samples underwent SGF extraction followed by ICP-OES analysis to determine final As bioaccessibility levels. Arsenic bioaccessibility was observed to decline in the early stages of exposure, but eventually increase back up to and beyond its initial levels after a few simulated months. This initial decline could be explained by the interactions between the samples and the humidity and temperature fluctuations in the chamber, causing the secondary formation of more stable As phases followed by the drawing of internally-bound As towards particle surfaces. While several samples did show this behavior, other samples with lower initial As bioaccessibility and concentration displayed a more consistent trend over time. These results suggest that initial As bioaccessibility and concentration levels can be utilized to predict changes in bioaccessibility over time, with lower levels inducing less change and higher levels producing more exaggerated trends.

Health Sciences and Kinesiology

A Community-Based Approach to Advance Access to Healthy Food in South Los Angeles
Presenter(s): Leilani Brown
Advisor(s): Dr. Jason Douglas

Black communities are affected by health disparities at disproportionately high rates in comparison to white communities. Diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are all examples of comorbidities that have a more drastic impact on Black and Brown communities living in low-income neighborhoods (Lincoln et al., 2014). The location in which a person resides may negatively impact their long-term health based on the concentration of fast-food restaurants or lack of healthy food options (Ghosh-Dastidar et al., 2014; Kelli et al., 2017). Residents make decisions on where to get food based on numerous factors; therefore, understanding why people select certain locations is imperative to get a well-rounded idea of food access in the community. As of July 2022, 24.3% of L.A. County households were food insecure in the past year (USC, 2022). In 2015, according to the USDA, an estimated 12.7 percent of U.S. census tracts fit the category of low-income, low-access (USDA, 2022). Low access refers to a significant percentage of the population having limited access to a grocery store, meaning that they reside 1 or more miles from a grocery store in urban areas or more than 10 miles in rural areas (Rhone et al., n.d.). Low-income neighborhoods in South Los Angeles, California, had a greater proportion of fast-food restaurants than neighborhoods in wealthier areas such as West Los Angeles (Hilmers et al., 2012). Latinx and African-Americans had the highest rates of obesity at 29.4% and 29.2%, respectively, in Los Angeles, whereas Whites have an obesity rate of 17.6% (County of Los Angeles Public Health, 2011). Obesity increases the likelihood of other health problems, such as diabetes and hypertension, which can decrease lifespan. If race and ethnicity, as well as the presence of food deserts, can be determined as predictors of obesity, actions can be taken in order to provide aid for these communities.

Accelerometers as an Effective Measure of Drop-Stick Reaction Time in Concussed Athletes
Presenter(s): Jacob Hepp, Jordan Walton, Warner Rhodes, Michael Shiraishi
Advisor(s): Dr. Rahul Soangra, Dr. Brent Harper

Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that affect the function of the brain. One of the primary symptoms of a concussion is a lack of reaction time. The people that are most susceptible to concussions are athletes; Laker’s (2011) study found that 135,000 patients that suffer concussions from playing sports are expected to be hospitalized each year, with football making up 75% of concussions at high school and college levels. Honda et al. (2018) suggested reaction time as an important biomarker of concussion. Laboratory camera-based motion capture data, while reliable, is not a realistic tool to use outside of a laboratory and requires hardware that makes it impractical in non-laboratory settings. Accelerometers measure linear triaxial accelerations are wireless miniature MEMS devices and can be easily affixed on the hand. If accelerometers were proven to be as accurate as motion capture systems in obtaining reaction time, accelerometer-dependent devices, such as a drop stick, could serve as a reliable and portable tool to diagnose a concussion quickly and easily. Our study, which aims to compare the accuracy of laboratory motion capture to accelerometer data, uses a drop stick test, in which participants had an accelerometer strapped to their wrist and infrared markers placed on three bony landmarks of the hand, as well as on an accelerometer situated on the base of the drop stick. In multiple series of tests, participants stood on both solid ground and a foam pad to measure differences in reaction time. Analysis of data will compare the accuracy of accelerometers to motion capture. If proven accurate, this method of measuring reaction time should yield data that is just as reliable as laboratory camera-based motion capture, while simultaneously being more convenient to use as sideline assessment during play.

History

A Look Into San Jose's Japantown: Collective and Cultural Memories Within a Diminishing Community
Presenter(s): Alissa Sakamoto
Advisor(s): Dr. Jamie Larkin

How will the memory community of Japantown, San Jose continue to display and respect Japanese heritage within a diminishing first generation population? I would like to explore the area of Japantown (Nihonmachi), which is a small historic neighborhood in the city of San Jose. It is also known as one of the last three authentic Japantown's in the United States. Though the population of Japanese inhabitants and the multitude of Japanese culture is not as prominent anymore, the community uses collective memory within bloodlines and communicative memory within historic temples and memorials to celebrate Japanese heritage. Japantown has been an extremely important neighborhood for my family. It is one of the only places in Northern California that commemorates my grandparents’ experience in Japanese internment camps during World War 2. The Japanese American Museum of San Jose has reached out to my grandmother numerous times to recall her experience as a Japanese-American child around the time and connected her with a community of other Japanese-Americans who have been affected by the same oppressive events. My research fits into the broad idea of cultural memory studies. This field explores how and why communities and societies use memory to shape their future and commemorate the past. I will conduct this research about Japantown by having significant conversations with first-generation Japanese-Americans, consulting relevant and reliable books and articles, and examining memorabilia in the neighborhood. I can conduct this research online and in-person. By conducting this research, I hope to highlight the importance of retaining cultural memory in Japantown in order to sustain a diminishing culture. I also hope to gain a better understanding of my own culture as a 3rd generation Japanese-American.

Music

Classes, Lessons, and Mentorship: The Ingredients of Successful Music Training
Presenter(s): Sophie Qu
Advisor(s): Dr. Jessica Sternfeld

Effective training in music is a difficult goal to define, even for professional musicians. The key to have a successful training journey in music is to acknowledge the core elements and understand why they are essential. Besides the basic musical training that every music student has to go through, there are far more off-stage activities a musician has to experience before pursuing a professional career. The significance of starting to play young isn’t a myth in classical musical training, but it isn’t just the fact that musicianship takes time to develop, it is the result of the instructions received from private lessons. However, not every music student grows up with the opportunities to take private lessons. Music teachers from your local schools are probably the best chance students have for receiving any form of musical training, which in turn leads to another vital but rarely discussed point in music training – mentorship. A great mentor can guide their student’s path to bigger and better platforms. However, finding the right person to work and study with is already tough enough, so understanding how to find the appropriate mentor plus recognizing the skill sets those mentors could offer should be included in every student’s musical training. This paper describes the more well-known paths to successful musicianship, then explores the role of mentorship in multiple training stages including high school and college. I argue that effective mentorship can offer students the clarity on applying schools, understand industry standards and future career options.

Music Therapy’s Representation in Media
Presenter(s): Audrey Fish
Advisor(s): Dr. Jessica Sternfeld

Music Therapy’s Representation in Media Music therapy (MT) is a fairly recent area of psychological study when compared to most others. Despite having a modest amount of research in the field so far, the benefits are becoming extremely clear. What is out there looks promising for the most part: existing studies show that music therapy is correlated with positive emotional and cognitive reactions from dementia patients; music can both help them feel more comfortable in therapeutic settings and trigger lost memories. Music therapy is represented as a beneficial practice in the media as well, which exposes the public to it and therefore gives good press to the field itself. This article will argue both that music therapy can serve as medicine for memory loss and that its rendering in media can help the field move forward by raising awareness about its existence. But what happens when the media presents inaccurate or incomplete perspectives on music therapy? Insights offered include the repercussions of 2014 documentary Alive Inside and its negative impact on the field of music therapy, the 2017 animated film Coco and the way in which it highlights the differences between music medicine and music therapy, and how the 2011 fictional film The Music Never Stopped emphasizes the need for more research on the field’s impact on families. These three examples demonstrate that music therapy, while it can alter lives for the better, can have confusing or even dangerous impacts when misrepresented in the media.

Peace Studies

The Affects of Conflict on Gender Norms
Presenter(s): Jordan Stinnett
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz

In doing research about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, I came across news that social norms for women were changing in the country. The traditional views that women belong in the home with their children were changing to include women in predominantly male jobs and in the military force. In seeing this news, I remembered other times in history when conflict lead to social changes for women to better their positions in society. I began to wonder if changing gender norms for women was correlated directly to conflict and why conflict was necessary for changing gender norms. To investigate these questions further, I conducted a literature review in which I examine the research question: How does conflict change gender norms for women in the Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and Nepal conflicts? I chose these conflicts because they have been resolved and there is data and research to study them further. I will be using data from the Human Development Reports’ Gender Inequality Index (GII) to investigate the ties between conflict and changing gender norms. Based on the information collected from the literature, I expect that the Gender Inequality Index will show less inequality in Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and Nepal five years after conflict. But, knowing that each conflict was motivated by different issues, the different aspects that make up the GII should be carefully examined in relation to the overall GII number in order to fully understand how conflict affects gender norms.

Sexual Violence Against Women in Conflict Areas by Peacekeepers
Presenter(s): Sophia Smith
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz

The United Nations established peacekeeping operations in order to prevent conflict, reduce violence, protect civilians, and restore peace in war-torn countries. However, over the years, it has been revealed that peacekeepers can be the perpetrators of violence. Many peacekeepers have been accused of sexually abusing and exploiting women during peacekeeping operations. Women living in poor communities with significant power differences between peacekeepers and civilians are the most vulnerable to sexual abuse. Peacekeepers use non-lethal violence to influence peace and security, but some are not providing security for women in conflict and post-conflict areas. Peacekeepers raping and sexually exploiting women is a form of violence that intensifies conflict. A critical problem of peacekeeping missions is the continuous cycle of sexual abuse and exploitation of women in the areas where peacekeepers are deployed. In this article, I will examine the high sexual assault rates against women in areas lacking economic resources, political rights, and authority. I will specifically examine the cases that have accused peacekeepers of raping and sexually exploiting women during a peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Peacekeepers continue to be perpetrators of sexual violence against women during operations despite the United Nations' efforts to stop the abuse.

Military Sexual Trauma (MST): The Effects on Female Service Members & Veterans
Presenter(s): Kamryn Batiste
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz

What is the root cause for scarce reported cases of Military Sexual Trauma among female service-members and veterans? Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is sexual assault or harassment that occurs within the military. From personal accounts to the U.S. Air Force Basic Training Scandal, it is evident that MST stands as a deep-rooted issue. Often qualifying as a form of PTSD that affects both men and women. However, one may argue that women experience varying risks related to the trauma. More so, women are exposed to the imposing threat of underlying factors through reporting sexual trauma. These factors include ostracism from their command, peers, and even perpetrators. Especially being immersed in male dominated spaces that aid in cultures of hyper masculinity and dominant identities. Although there are systems in place to report such trauma, perpetrators are often protected by military officials and peers. Particularly if the perpetrator remains of a high rank within the organization.
In this project, I plan to explore these issues through three objectives. First, I will evaluate the societal factors of gendered behaviors and how this permeates into military communities. Therefore, creating environments that promote assault, harassment, and trauma among women. Second, I will examine the sexual misconduct associated with basic training and the vast differences that male and female soldiers experience. Lastly, I will study the reporting options and preventative resources offered to assist women. Ultimately, hoping to conclude that under-reported MST cases are a result of gender biased treatment within the military.

Why Women? How the Exploitation of German and Japanese Women During World War Two Illustrates the Role of Women in War
Presenter(s): Natalie Oliva
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz

When individuals think of war, they tend to associate it with men, as it pertains to violence. This preconceived notion holds true to a certain extent, as there is a correlation between men and war. However, people often forget that women have a prominent role in times of war. In order to establish the roles of women during the war, a close examination of a specific war is necessary to help assist the essential yet complex question: Why women? Utilizing women's experiences during one of the most influential wars in history shows the severity of the conflict, which sheds light on the disenfranchisement of women. This paper will examine World War Two as a way to classify the different experiences of women based on their environment. The paper will use the cases of Germany and Japan, as they were notorious during the period due to their part in the Axis Powers. Exploring books and interviews from each country’s perspective that tell the stories of sexual violence women faced during the war will outline actions and behaviors based on gender. This research aims to enhance understanding of how institutionalization enabled gender roles to allow a woman’s body and livelihood to be exploited by a man, showing the significance of analyzing the role of women in war.

Evolving or Devolving? Romanian Women and their Journey from Communism to Democracy
Presenter(s): Brianna Schatt
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz

Romania endured an oppressive communist regime from when it was formally constituted in 1948 to its downfall in 1989. During this time, the regime laid down the rules and norms that women had to follow – providing an expectation about gender roles in the home, workforce, government, and other settings. This research paper investigates the following question: how did gender roles and the way women were viewed in society (work-life balance, motherhood, other private aspects) manifest in Communist Romania and compared to democratic life after the 1989 Revolution? Employment expectations, political involvement, familial/domestic expectations and reproductive rights are some of the largest aspects explored. Data from the Library of Congress and academic sources were examined, shedding light on the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s ideologies, statistics from the time, and eyewitness accounts. In comparing women’s roles between communist Romania and post-communist Romania, this paper will attempt to uncover if the revolution did in fact change women's norms and rights. Expected findings may show that while certain aspects of gender roles changed, much remained the same.

Physical Therapy

A Novel Approach to Understanding Functional Gait and Variable Walking Strategies in an Asymptomatic Low Back Pain Population
Presenter(s): Rachel Berns, Thomas Fountain
Advisor(s): Dr. Jo Armour Smith

Meaningful gait assessment in individuals with low back pain (LBP) should involve prolonged, dynamic walking conditions with directional changes that resemble functional gait. However, previous studies have investigated less ecologically valid, short, steady-state walking paradigms. The purpose of this study was to compare spatiotemporal variables during figure eight walking between asymptomatic young adults with a history of LBP and back-healthy (BH) individuals. Fifty-nine young adults participated (age 22.4 ± 0.5 years, 36 with a history of LBP, asymptomatic at the time of data collection but reporting at least a one-year history of functionally limiting episodes of pain). Participants were instrumented with inertial sensors on the sternum, wrists, lumbar spine, and ankles. Participants walked at self-selected speed for five minutes in a ten-meter figure eight pattern. Spatiotemporal gait characteristics across stride cycles were calculated using Mobility Lab software (APDM Inc). Group comparisons were conducted with independent samples t-tests/Mann-Whitney U tests. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. Groups did not differ based on age, height, body mass index (BMI), and typical physical activity (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Walking speed for the LBP group was less than the BH group (LBP=1.13 m/s, BH=1.24 m/s, p<0.001, d=1.01). LBP individuals exhibited reduced cadence (LBP=110.15, BH=113.94, p=0.026, d=0.61) and longer duration of gait cycle (LBP=1.10 s, BH=1.06 s, p=0.027, d=0.62) than BH individuals. Additionally, LBP participants spent a greater percentage of their gait cycle in stance phase (LBP=59.93%, BH=58.72%, p=0.003, d=0.84) and in double support (LBP=19.90%, BH=17.50%, p=0.002, d=0.86). Despite being asymptomatic at the time of data collection, young adults with a history of LBP displayed conservative spatiotemporal gait characteristics during prolonged figure-eight walking in comparison to BH individuals. Ongoing research will determine if this gait strategy is more favorable for limiting the progression of LBP over time.

Utilizing Teslasuit to Analyze Changes in Joint Angles and Heart Rate During Slips (A Stress-Inducing Task)
Presenter(s): Caitlin Ha, Olivia Johnson, Audrey Arenal, Michael Shiraishi
Advisor(s): Dr. Rahul Soangra

When experiencing dangerous situations, humans have two different responses: fight or flight. During these moments, the sympathetic nervous system takes over and causes the body to work overtime to give the person the best chance at survival. Although the average person doesn’t face a life-or-death experience every day, slips are fairly common and can trigger this fight-or-flight response. Exploring what happens during a slip and quantifying a body’s response can be difficult. Still, with the help of motion capture suits and biometric sensors, there is a unique opportunity to learn more about the kinematics and physiological responses of the human body. In this study, the Teslasuit, which consists of 14 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) Sensors, and 34 reflective markers were placed on the bony processes to collect motion capture data. Participants also wore the Empatica E4 watch to record stress levels and heart rate. The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) was used to record stress levels by measuring the skin conductance as it differs before and after the slip activity. Data was collected from 7 females and 5 males. Subjects were asked to complete a 5-minute walking trial followed by a 10-minute blind slip trial, where they were expecting to slip in both trials. The slip occurred unexpectedly (at randomized time frames) during the ten-minute trial. This experiment analyzes GSR and joint angle measurements when the participant undergoes an unexpected slip. Along with studying the stress response, the accuracy of the Teslasuit in capturing motion data will also be tested for future experiments. We hypothesize that joint angles and stress levels will decrease during repeated slips because the participant will begin adapting (learning
effect) to the test with each additional slip.

Understanding Parkinson's Disease Through Gait Initiation and Centers of Pressure
Presenter(s): Mira Ananthanarayanan, Kiara Salceda
Advisor(s): Dr. Rahul Soangra, Michael Shiraishi

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that causes tremors and freezing of gait in diagnosed patients. Freezing of gait can be difficult to identify and intervene without laboratory based instruments data collection. Force plates have been proven to show viable results in identifying gait events such as heel contact and toe off. The complete gait cycle consists of a right-heel strike, right heel-to-toe shift, simultaneous right-toe off/left heel strike, left heel-to-toe shift, and a simultaneous left-toe off/right heel strike. This study will investigate center of pressure trajectories when initiating gait between healthy and Parkinson's participants. It is predicted that the strategy of shifting the center of pressure when taking the first step from a static position will vary from a healthy participant to a Parkinson's patient. Participants were prompted to initiate gait under single and dual-task conditions. Dual-task trials consisted of a STROOP task using a virtual reality environment that asked participants to identify the color of the words displayed on the screen while also initiating gait. Motion capture technology and a treadmill with measurable force plates were utilized to measure the first steps of a subject's gait cycle. Data from this study will help understand gait initiation strategies followed by Parkinson's disease participants and healthy individuals. We will collect data from 30 more participants to understand how the center of pressure varies between Parkinson's and healthy individuals.

Political Science

The Implications of Public Health Crises on Attitudes Towards Economic Well-Being
Presenter(s): Alexis Reekie
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon

Attitudes towards potential economic disasters that may occur as a result of unprecedented events are well worth investigating. Through direct disruption of the economic and social structures of the United States, individuals directly affected by the COVID-19 virus have experienced an overall shift in perspective and lifestyle, indicating a need to understand the effects of the COVID-19 virus on one’s outlook regarding economic anxiety and fear of financial collapse. Throughout this research paper I worked to determine the correlation between fear of economic and financial crises and individuals who have been affected by the COVID-19 virus. Utilizing the Chapman Survey of American Fears questions pertaining to the economy and the existing implications of the virus, and the General Social Survey Panel Data 2020 questions to observe religiosity as a possible reaction to the pandemic and fear of financial implications, I have observed an increasing trend of fear surrounding financial downfall in those who have contracted COVID-19. Social and cultural norms prior to the virus have exacerbated existing disparity in employment, health, and ability to maintain lifestyles, all factors that directly pertain to finances and ability to maintain financial stability. Following global crises and attitude changes towards personal and national finances, one can see that the attitudes of individuals are greatly affected by health crises and their potential impacts on the economy. Gaining insight into the relationship between fear of financial collapse and health crises are crucial in order to understand what is truly valued in American society.

Public Opinion on Illegal Immigration in the United States
Presenter(s): Alexandra Martinez
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon

Over the past 10 years, the topic of illegal immigration has divided Americans with the past three presidencies. This paper investigates the relationship between party ID,media exposure, education and religion with the views a person has on illegal immigration. Using the Chapman Survey of American Fears, I found a moderately strong relationship between an individual's party-identification and how much fear they show towards the topic of illegal immigration throughout the United States. I found that media exposure and a person’s political identification correlates with their views on illegal immigration.Among the interesting findings, I can conclude that individuals with more media exposure will be more likely to fear immigration as well as individuals who identify as conservative. I also found that certain polticial parties are more afraid of illegal immigration, data has reveled that republicans have higher rates of fearing the topic of immigration. Although the United States has been built on the contributions of immigrants, there continues to be a sense of hostility towards them. The hostility built around the topic of immigration has called into question the integrity of the democratic character seen throughout the United States.Interestingly, the hostility in the United States has diminished depending on the president and their stance on immigration.

Education as a Predictor of Voter Turnout in America
Presenter(s): Jack Bunzel-Hardie
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon

National democratic elections, in any country and at any level, often struggle to garner participation from its citizens. This is nowhere more true than in American presidential elections. One of the most pertinent, influential, and effective democratic voting systems in the world often finds itself with a voter turnout problem. One item often cited in this research is America’s failing education rates and the resulting effect it has on said voter turnout. This study will test several hypotheses about the relationship of these two variables. While considering these main two dependent and independent variables, this study will also consider other factors such as location, age, background, and other demographics. Although previous research has shown a strong association between a college education and the likelihood of turning out to vote, recent elections have seen a surge in non-college-educated voters, particularly among whites. For example, In 2020 voter turnout rose to 66.8%. It is extremely important to find the reason behind this surge in order to continue creating momentum in future elections. It is important to look at each presidential election within recent decades and compare one another and the general trend of American voting participation. It is important to consider fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected not only general elections but also education rates and stability of the education system greatly. Voting participation is incredibly important to the success of this country. Despite recent increases in voter turnout, the United States still lags behind other democracies, closing that gap begins with examining the variables behind voters.

The Fear of Economic Failure
Presenter(s): Talar Kazanjian
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon

In the past, access to information on the national economy was limited to printed sources. This minimized the amount of people that were fearful, as only those within the field or interested in such topics would be informed of the current state of the economy. Nowadays, there is unlimited access to online outlets on the finances and economies of most states, resulting in a shift of perspectives. In my research, I will explore the reasons as to why the younger population of today has had a growing fear of economic and financial failure, compared to the generations of before. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, which is a representative national survey, I expect to find that an increase of exposure, through social media, news outlets, and higher education rates, has caused the people of the younger generations to be more fearful of the consequences of a potential collapse. Also, the 2008 recession, which has greatly impacted the economy of today, is dreaded to occur again in the following years. This potential collapse or recession will directly affect the younger populous to much greater levels, than it would those who have come to a place of financial stability by accumulated wealth throughout the years. Economic failure brings immense changes to the national and international worlds, often resulting in wars or famine. Such failure affects all individuals, however younger people are the ones required to deal with the consequences for the remainder of their lives.

Singling Out the Contributing Factors of Extremism
Presenter(s): Kerry Rimmer
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon

The presence of extremism on both sides of the political spectrum has become overwhelmingly popular and has contributed to mass divisiveness and instability in our political realm. It has clouded political discourse and muddled news media to the point that many drown it out and consider it a standard component of daily life. I intend to investigate the leading factors that contribute to fear, and alternatively, lack of fear, of right- and left-wing extremism. Utilizing the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national survey of American adults conducted in January 2021, I will compare the relationships between the level of fear of both right- and left-wing extremism and various independent factors including religious denomination, type of media consumption, and education status. I expect to find that those of stronger belief in Christian denominations have a lower fear of right-wing extremism than those of non-Christian or lower Christian beliefs; conversely, I expect them to have a higher fear of left-wing extremism than the others. I also predict that there will be direct correlations between the kinds of news media consumed and the two sides of extremism, i.e., those that watch Fox News more frequently will fear left-wing extremism more than right-wing extremism, and those that watch CNN more frequently will fear right-wing more than left-wing. I expect to find that those who have received higher levels of education will fear right-wing extremism more than those with lower educations. Generally, I predict that there will be a greater overall fear of right-wing extremism than left-wing extremism. Hoping to eliminate all groups who don’t fear extremism is naive and ignorant; however, being more able to decipher the factors that may lead to the lack of fear may help to combat the dangers of extremism being exacerbated in the future.

Psychology

The Mediating Role of Social Support In the Association Between Optimism and Physical Health Symptoms
Presenter(s): Victoria Tang
Advisor(s): Dr. Brooke Jenkins, Dr. Julia Boehm

Intro: Multiple studies have found strong evidence that optimism is associated with fewer physical symptoms. However, what is less well understood are the mediating mechanisms between this association. This association may exist through the mediating mechanism of social support as social support has been shown to mediate the relation between optimism and mental health outcomes. Thus, the current study seeks to test whether social support may serve as a mediating mechanism between optimism and physical health symptoms.
Methods: A longitudinal survey was conducted from May through December 2020 (n = 292). To test whether social support mediates the link between optimism and physical symptoms, social support in September 2020 was tested as a mediator between optimism, assessed in May 2020, and physical symptoms, assessed in December 2020.
Results: There was a direct effect between optimism and physical symptoms, b = -5.79, p = .005. However, there was no indirect effect of optimism on physical symptoms through the mediator of social support, b = -0.71, 95% CI(-2.07, 0.25).
Conclusion: While greater levels of optimism were associated with fewer physical symptoms, mediation analysis found no evidence that social support serves as a mediator between optimism and physical symptoms. This study may further contribute to understanding which mediating factors are involved in the association between optimism and physical health.

Decoding Action Selection from Preceding Neural Activity
Presenter(s): Amy Whitmarsh, Lucas Jeay-Bizot
Advisor(s): Dr. Aaron Schurger, Dr. Uri Maoz

The readiness potential (RP) is a slow negative deflection in the electroencephalographic (EEG) brain activity prior to a voluntary motor movement. Previous research interpreted the RP as an indication that decisions are made without the participant's conscious awareness. This research project uses machine learning algorithms and EEG to investigate whether we can predict the outcome of a spontaneous decision from underlying brain activity. More specifically, we are examining whether the RP can give insight into the outcome of the decision, prior to the participant's awareness of the decision. During this experiment, participants perform a computer task where they watch a rotating clock on the screen and input their responses (left or right-hand) into a button box after each rotation. This task involves three conditions: an instructed condition, an early decision condition, and a spontaneous decision condition. These conditions allow us to create a proxy for the participant's awareness of the decision. Machine learning and EEG is then used to predict how early and how accurately we can decode the outcome of the decision. If cortical activity preceding awareness encodes the decision’s outcome, then this would support the hypothesis that the brain is making decisions unconsciously. If the decision’s outcome on late-decision trials cannot be predicted using preceding cortical activity, then this would not support the hypothesis that spontaneous decisions-to-move are made unconsciously in advance. Our current results suggest that decoding accuracy increases only after the participant is aware of their decision and has decided which button they will press.

Gendered Psychological Outcomes of War
Presenter(s): Amarah Nehme
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz

I will examine the gendered psychological outcomes of war among combatants in the United States. Veterans will be the main focus of providing statistical and analytical data to demonstrate the differences. “Affective Technologies of War: US Female Counterinsurgents and the Performance of Gendered Labor” by Elizabeth Mesok analyzes the gendered performances of American military women during the US-led occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The book The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities Chapter 17, titled The Mental Health of Veterans by Kristi Mueller and Jeffrey S. Yarvis, explores the stressors and threatening situations experienced by military personnel, which will lead to mental health disparities among this demographic. The film Invisible War, directed by Kirby Dick, is an investigative examination of sexual assault within branches of the US military that dives into its topics with various levels of emotional involvement. This documentary also involves the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military, along with the resulting personal and social effects on the victims. One of the cases in the studies reviewed involved data from 7251 active duty soldiers (6697 men and 554 women) from their pre- and post-deployment screening from March 2006 to July 2009. I believe each of these resources will uncover the drastic differences in gendered outcomes due to social hierarchy and the patriarchal influence in today’s world.

Motivational Properties of Music in Exercise
Presenter(s): Micah Gonchar
Advisor(s): Dr. Julia Boehm

According to the CDC, only one in four US adults meet the recommended amount of physical activity (CDC, 2019). Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of a plethora of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Physical inactivity may come from a lack of motivation to exercise (Thomas et al., 2008). Motivation towards physical activity could be improved by introducing music to exercise. Our study tested how music can change the overall experience of physical activity. Participants were asked to exercise for at least one hour two times per week during the 4 weeks of the study. To examine the effects of music, participants were randomly assigned to either the control group that exercised with no direct use of music or the experimental group where direct use of music was present in their workout. Their experience was measured through the Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory (EIFI) questionnaire. The EIFI is a 12-item questionnaire that assesses feelings of revitalization, tranquility, positive engagement, and physical exhaustion. Our goal was to see if music could be used as a universal motivator for exercise. We expected that the presence of music would make the experience of physical activity more positive. The results showed increased feelings of tranquility and positive engagement and decreased feelings of physical exhaustion for the participants that listened to music. There was no difference in feelings of revitalization between the two groups.

Sociology

A History of the Changing Terrain of Post-Secondary Education in Prisons and How It Can Inform Programs Serving Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
Presenter(s): Sam Shlafstein
Advisor(s): Dr. Jan Osborn, Greg Barraza

The history of post-secondary carceral education reform in the United States, like criminal justice reform at large, has been non-linear. Beginning in 1965 and up to the early nineties, great strides were made in expanding prison education programs until it was almost completely reversed during the tough-on-crime era. Since 2007, legislation has been introduced to improve the quality and accessibility of education for those currently and formerly incarcerated. A panoramic view of the history of carceral education allows for a deeper understanding of its achievements and, more importantly, its shortcomings—and how to improve upon them as we continue to develop the prison-to-university pipeline. This research uses descriptive and critical analyses to assess gaps in carceral education and how Underground Panthers serves to fill them upon release.

World Languages and Cultures

The Subjective Variation Among Mexican American Identity: A Comparative Analysis Between the Autobiographical Works of Richard Rodriguez and Reyna Grande
Presenter(s): Victor Leon
Advisor(s): Dr. Laura Loustau

The population of people who identify as Mexican American has steadily grown parallel to the increase of Mexican immigration to the United States. Ever since the creation of the racial-social group known as Mexican Americans and their subsequent growth, a vast amount and variety of scholarship has been written on what it means to identify as Mexican American. This essay aims to focus on how childhood experiences and development directly impact one's subjective view of Mexican American identity. Understanding Mexican American identity as a clash of two different cultures, Mexican culture and conventional American culture, this essay will perform an analysis and comparison between the autobiographical works of two Mexican American authors, Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory (1982) and Reyna Grande’s The Distance Between Us (2012), using a specified array of theories that help define the blending of two different cultures, such as acculturation and transculturation. There will be a specified focus on two aspects of childhood development, education and personal family experiences. The objective of this essay is to demonstrate that Mexican American identity should not be viewed as a singular phenomenon or a type of “common struggle”, but as a subjective personal belief that creates unique points of view of what it means to be Mexican American. One example of this phenomenon that this essay will cover is the differences in political and social opinions among the Mexican American community. A comparison of these two authors will demonstrate how their personal views of Mexican American identity caused them to develop contrasting political and social opinions.

Creative and Cultural Industries

The Dream Machine* as Confluence: Hallucination, Neuro-Diversity, and the Creative Industries
Presenter(s): Marissa Thompson, Pamela Coelho, Rebecca Day, Cooper Scott, Daniella Benabou
Advisor(s): Dr. Patrick Fuery

Our research project focuses on how a social media campaign was designed and implemented to explore the ways in which people engaged with the ideas of dreams and hallucinations. Specifically, the class project involved working collectively, and in four dedicated groups, to build a dream machine. The four groups were: designers and creators, who constructed the dream machine; social media recorders, who developed a multi-platform media campaign for the project from inception to implementation, including documenting how the other groups worked and researched their areas; music composers who designed a soundtrack to accompany the machine; and multi-media poster designers, who researched the history and culture of the original dream machine to create a series of poster images. Each group required a specific research focus as well as an interdisciplinary exchange across all the groups. Thus our project researched breaking down disciplinary barriers to explore new ways of thinking about complex issues and ideas. Our presentation will articulate three key aspects of the project: how by working across multiple disciplines (notably creativity studies, arts, and humanities, cognitive sciences, and communications) we came to understand better the confluence of ideas in practice; how various elements of social media can be utilized to explore wider philosophical and aesthetic issues; and how our program in Creative and Cultural Industries provided ways to connect across a wide and diverse audience to engage in the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge. In addition to the presentation, we would like to bring the dream machine to the conference so others might experience its hallucinatory effects and better appreciate the relationship between research and practice.*The dream machine was originally designed by the artist Brion Gysin and has been used in research to explore the idea of neuro-diversity and perception diversity.

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