Poster Session II- 9:00-10:30AM
Posters 1-33
Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide
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Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Synthesis of Fatty Acyl Conjugated Cell Penetrating Peptides for siRNA Delivery
Advisor(s): Dr. Rakesh Tiwari
siRNA can efficiently silence the specific targeted gene by interacting with RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to degrade mRNA. siRNA has a potential to treat cancers without causing the side effects observed in the traditional chemotherapeutic agents. The biggest obstacle for siRNA to reach the bedside is impermeability to cell membranes. Cell penetrating peptides have shown promise in successfully delivering siRNA intracellularly to cause gene silencing. In our lab, we proposed to synthesize the library of peptides and their fatty acyl conjugates with the sequence of C18-(R)n-(HR)4; C18 is oleic acid and n= 0,1,2,3,4 & 5. We synthesized the peptides and their conjugates using Fmoc SPSS. The preloaded protected amino acid on Wang resin was used to synthesize peptides with the sequences mentioned above, the portion of which were acylated using HBTU/DIPEA. The peptides were cleaved using the cleavage cocktail reagent R. After 4 hours of cleavage, the peptide was precipitated using cold diethyl ether, followed by centrifugation and purification using RP-HPLC. We used the gradient system of water and acetonitrile in 0.1%TFA (v/v) from 0 to 100% in one hour. After purifications, the fraction was collected and analyzed by MALDI. The fractions were pooled and lyophilized to obtain the solid powder of peptides and their conjugates. The expected and obtained masses of purified peptides and their conjugates are as follows: (HR)4 [1191.6436 amu; 1191.6211 amu], R1-(HR)4 [1347.4948 amu; Not obtained], R2-(HR)4 [1503.6836 amu; Not obtained], R3-(HR)4 [1658.9514 amu; 1660.622 amu], R4-(HR)4 [1815.0535 amu; 1816.513 amu], R5-(HR)4 [1971.1536 amu; 1972.483 amu], C181-(HR)4 [1455.8391amu; 1456.039 amu], C18-R1-(HR)4 [1611.4398 amu; Not obtained], C18-R2-(HR)4 [1767.6586 amu; Not obtained], C18-R3-(HR)4 [1923.1939 amu; 1924.404 amu], C18-R4-(HR)4 [2079.3004 amu; 2080.557 amu], C18-R5-(HR)4 [2235.4302 amu; 2237.599 amu]. The synthesized and purified peptides will be used for determining their ability to deliver siRNA in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells.
- Synthetic Platelets Derived from Designed Microgels
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Lyon, Dr. Molla Islam
The body’s ability to manage thrombosis by forming clots is an essential function crucial in wound healing. In order to help control blood clotting when the body is unable to, microgels have been designed and finely tuned in order to carry out specific functions. In order to address the need for platelets in trauma applications, our group has collaborated with several other groups to create platelet substitutes that we call Platelet-Like-Particles (PLP). Ultra-low crosslinked (ULC) particles were synthesized as a base and then conjugated with Fibrin Fragment E to make PLPs. To visualize how the PLP’s interact with a fibrin network, the PLPs were labeled with a dye and then visualized on a confocal microscope. Confocal microscopy allows for imaging of microgels in real-time to better understand how simple polymer particles can recapitulate complex biological functions, such as clot formations. By visualizing the microgel particles and applying the airy scan technique in the super resolution mode of the confocal microscope, we were able to characterize the particles and get more qualitative and quantitative understanding of how the particles interact with nascent fibrin clots.
Biological Sciences
- Review of Salmonella Risk in Raw, Ready-to-Eat Seafood
Advisor(s): Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Worldwide, foodborne illness is estimated to cause 600 million cases and 420 thousand deaths annually. Around thirty-one pathogens are usually implicated in foodborne illness. Amongst them, Salmonella is the second leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. Although the main reservoirs for this bacterium are animals such as chickens, turkeys, pigs, and cows, unsanitary practices can lead to other foods becoming contaminated. Cross-contamination can be especially dangerous if the food is eaten without further cooking. Raw, ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood (e.g., sushi, ceviche) is not cooked and thus carries this heightened risk. Since seafood is not a major reservoir for Salmonella, the seafood industry's food safety practices do not focus on Salmonella. Moreover, consumer preferences for the sensory qualities of raw seafood make it challenging to reduce Salmonella growth. To anticipate and apprehend the risk of Salmonella outbreaks related to seafood, it is necessary to understand: (1) how prevalent Salmonella contamination of raw, RTE seafood is; (2) where Salmonella contamination occurs in the seafood production chain; (3) what seafood safety regulation are currently in place; and (4) what Salmonella-specific controls could be incorporated. This research project responds to these four statements by reviewing existing literature and government reports.
Chemistry
- Synthesis and Characterization of Core-shell-shell Microgels
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Lyon, Dr. Molla Islam
The body’s ability to properly control thrombosis is a vital function in maintaining human life; over or under-clotting of blood can lead to serious health problems and in many cases can be fatal. To address this unmet need, a number of bioengineering approaches have been developed to control bleeding. One class of materials that has demonstrated excellent utility in hemostasis is based on colloidal hydrogels, or microgels. This project specifically focuses on designing a core-shell-shell microgel for releasing tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to break down clots. This drug release system will be specifically applicable to clotting experienced in the capillaries of COVID patients that eventually leads to organ failure. The synthesis of core-shell-shell pNIPAm-co-AAC (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylic acid) microgels was developed and finely tuned in order to create microgels specific to this application. The core-shell-shell particles were synthesized through seed and feed precipitation polymerization to have a 10% BIS crosslinked core, 2% BIS crosslinked shell, and a ULC (ultra-low crosslinked) outer shell. The inner shell is designed with a dense clickable core to be fluorescently labeled, the 2% outer shell is designed to contain the tPA, and the ULC outer shell is meant to contain a fibrin specific antibody. High resolution laser scanning confocal microscopy, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering were used to characterize the never before synthesized particles.
- Ketone Substrate Scope in Hydrosilylation Studies by a Carbodiphosphorane Catalyst
Advisor(s): Dr. Allegra Liberman-Martin
This research project aims to determine the effectiveness of a novel carbodiphosphorane catalyst in the hydrosilylation of ketones. The hydrosilylation involves the addition of a silicon-hydrogen bond across the C=O double bond of a ketone. In the carbodiphosphorane catalyst structure, two resonance forms either have two C=P double bonds or a structure in which the central carbon between the two phosphorus centers has two lone pairs (double ylide form). This second resonance structure suggests that the carbon of the carbodiphosphorane may be strongly nucleophilic and may serve as a catalyst. We hypothesize that the carbodiphosphorane will be an efficient and sustainable catalyst for ketone hydrosilylation. These experiments are conducted in a nitrogen-atmosphere glovebox and are analyzed using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The study of a new metal-free catalyst is useful in organic synthesis because current catalysts are often toxic or expensive. Finding new efficient and low-cost catalysts benefits the organic synthesis industry, as carbonyl hydrosilylation is useful industrially for the synthesis of alcohol products. Carbodiphosphorane catalysts could potentially be an effective substitute for toxic and expensive metal catalysts and reduce the waste and emissions that are harmful to the environment.
- Mechanisms and Chemoselectivity for Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) Oxidation At A 2-Histidine/2-Cysteine Zinc-Sulfur Complex Implicated In Biological Redox-Signaling
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Bacteria harness zinc-cysteine complexes to sense and respond to strong biological oxidants, such as hypochlorous acid (HOCl), generated by animal host systems during inflammation. A recent report from our lab shows that in the 3 histidine/1 cysteine family of zinc complexes found in chemoreceptor zinc-binding domains, HOCl oxidation at the zinc-bound cysteine proceeds through the direct transfer of the OH group to the bound cysteine (i.e., without the formation of sulfenyl chloride), contrary to the mechanism reported for unbound cysteines. Furthermore, this mechanistic preference and chemoselectivity for HOCl are governed primarily by minimizing the geometric strain around the zinc center during the redox reaction. The purpose of my project is to use computational chemistry techniques to examine the mechanism of HOCl oxidation at another family of zinc complexes with a 2 histidine/2 cysteine architecture. The overall goal is to determine whether the reported zinc geometric strain model more broadly explains HOCl-sensing across a broader scope of biological zinc-bound cysteines. First, the ground and transition states for the plausible HOCl oxidation mechanisms will be computed in order to determine whether the mechanistic preference for direct OH transfer is still operable. Then, the degree to which the zinc-complex is geometrically strained during the redox process will be revealed through a technique called distortion-interaction analysis. In this poster, the literature precedent for this project, the research methodology, preliminary data, and hypotheses for redox reactivity differences at both zinc-cysteine complexes will be presented.
English
- The "S" Word: Socialism
Advisor(s): Dr. Jan Osborn
During the 2019 State of the Union Address, President Donald J. Trump announced that his administration was alarmed "by the new calls to adopt socialism in [the United States]." Pointing to Venezuela as an example of a socialist-state failure, Trump affirmed that "America will never be a socialist country." Republicans roared in applause, subsequently filling the United States Capitol with a thunderous chant of "U-S-A." Yet, Democrat Socialists, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, sat in silence with disapproving brows. With political polarization intensifying in the United States, Republicans continue to paint "socialism" as an extremist political ideology. But why is "socialism" a dirty word in the U.S.? Why are self-proclaimed socialists identified as anti-American? And how is socialism a threat to democracy? By applying Michael Calvin McGee's rhetorical theory of the Ideograph, this project will examine the rhetoric of socialism in the United States and how the term has been conditioned to become synonymous with "communism" or "totalitarianism." As I trace the history of anti-socialism ideology in the United States into a 7-minute video, I will highlight the skewed rhetoric from domestic propaganda (e.g., Dictators or Democracy?, McCarthyism, and Trump Campaign ads) that has constructed the knowledge of "socialism" among Americans today, for the purpose of reclaiming the term as a political and economic approach for equity.
Environmental Science and Policy
- Relationships Between Arsenic Encapsulation, Speciation, and Bioaccessibility in Mine Tailings From the Empire Gold Mine, CA
Advisor(s): Dr. Christopher Kim
Waste material left over from the processing and extraction of metals in mining areas can contain associated and elevated levels of toxic metal(loid)s including arsenic (As), which can be mobilized into surrounding communities and incidentally ingested or inhaled by residents or recreational visitors to these sites. Additionally, physical and chemical weathering processes can affect contaminant bioaccessibility in ways that may influence risk estimates for surrounding residents. Mine-impacted waste materials from the Empire Gold Mine in Grass Valley, California were collected as bulk grab samples from twenty sites including mine tailings and waste rock, then separated via mechanical sieving into eleven distinct size fractions ranging from ≥2830 µm to ≤20 µm. Portions of select size fractions were then crushed with a ring mill to ≤10 µm. Nitrogen absorption surface area analysis and initial elemental concentrations (including arsenic) were measured for unground and ground samples. In vitro simulated gastric fluid extraction tests were performed on both unground and ground size fractions to determine the bioaccessibility and relative change in bioaccessibility of As. Arsenic speciation on select unground and ground size fractions was also conducted through linear combination fitting of EXAFS spectra collected from beamline 11-2 at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL). Arsenic bioaccessibility was highly variable and correlated with both particle size and the presence of soluble As species. Controlled crushing experiments and As speciation analysis demonstrate that this correlation primarily arises through the removal of soluble As phases from within larger particle sizes. These findings demonstrate extended and possibly increasing As bioaccessibility in mine wastes over time, corresponding to subsequent increases in long-term exposure risk through incidental ingestion following physical weathering of As-bearing mine wastes.
FFC
- Gods and Goblins: The Trickster Motif in Greek and Korean Mythology
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
The trickster motif is prevalent among most, if not all, forms of mythology across cultural and ethnic groups. It usually entails a god or a mischievous creature manipulating specific gods either for their own benefit, entertainment, or to punish the victim for a past wrongdoing. This motif is present in both the Greek mythological system as well as in Korean mythology and folklore. The Greek gods are transcendent, divine beings from above who clash more with themselves than with the humans. Hermes is the classic example of godly trickery. As a child, he stole his brother Apollo’s sacred cattle and managed to avoid punishment by gifting Apollo the first lyre. In Korean mythology, there are less “divine” gods and more “household” gods, supernatural creatures who live in close proximity to humans and often trick those humans with riddles and games. The dokkaebi, or goblin, is most often credited with these mischievous actions, however, they also reward those who do good. The Greeks’s divine gods resulted in the interpretation that the gods clashed with themselves rather than with lowly humans, while the Korean’s localized household gods resulted in close interaction with the supernatural and humans. A close comparison of the two mythological systems, through the motif of the trickster, would reveal the cultural, ethnic, or religious differences that influenced the tales we hear today.
- The Story of Creation: Vietnamese vs. Greek Mythology
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Honored by many, the bravery of a young man named Lạc Long Quân has served as a distinct tale of depicting the origins of the Vietnamese people. Conquering horrific mythological beasts, saving villagers from the enemy’s wrath, Lạc Long Quân has carved his identity as a hero. In the country of Lạc Việt, Lạc Long Quân was the son of a successful king while his mother was a water dragon, allowing him to possess magical powers, resulting in extraordinary strength and supreme intelligence. An agreement with a neighboring kingdom to form a unity, Lạc Long Quân fell in love with the northern king’s daughter, Âu Cơ, an immortal mountain fairy. She gave birth to one hundred eggs, hatching into beautiful children. As time passed, both became unsatisfied as they missed their homeland and agreed to divide their children into two groups. Fifty following their father into the underwater palace, while the other fifty following their mother into the mountains. The children of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ are said to be the original ancestors of Vietnam. In modern times, the Vietnamese people refer to themselves as “the children of the Dragon and the Fairy”, hinting at the country’s origin of creation. This recollection continues to illustrate the importance of love, honor, protection, and the sacred bond of unity found in the Vietnamese culture.
- Aphrodite and Qetesh: Greek System vs. Egyptian System
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Why doesn’t Qetesh, like Aphrodite, have a male counterpart? Though the Egyptian mythological system was older than the Greeks, both were polytheistic—the well-known Greek goddess Aphrodite the goddess of beauty, love, fertility, and sexual love. The Egyptian goddess Qetesh was likely a fusion of the Semitic goddesses Anat, Astarte, or Asherah. Qetesh is the goddess of beauty, fertility, sexual love, nature, and sacred ecstasy. Unlike Qetesh, Aphrodite has a male counterpart who is the Greek god Eros, the god of love, lust, and homosexuality. Like Aphrodite, Qetesh is depicted nude as a representation of the ideal beauty standard for women. Qetesh is portrayed to be holding snakes in her right hand. Snakes are a phallic symbol, which represents male generative power. This may be why Qetesh doesn’t have a male counterpart because she represents female power and male power. Snakes also represent fertility, a power both Aphrodite and Qetesh rule over. Both goddesses have relationships with sky deities. Hathor, the Egyptian sky goddess of love, joy, and fertility, is often associated with Qetesh. Aphrodite also has a relation with a sky god, the all-mighty Zeus, her father.
- The Effect of Christianity on Ancient Armenia
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
The Armenian people were the first Christian nation in the world, under the Armenian Apostolic Church. But before the Armenian state religion was officially Christianity in 301, their faith was consumed by pagan gods like the rest of the ancient world. The Armenian pagan gods share quite a lot of similarities with the Greek gods, because the early Armenian gods were a fusion of ancient Greek, Roman, and Mesopotamian ideas. But there are distinct differences between the Greek gods and the Armenian pagan gods. My research examines the shift in Armenian faith and religion from pagan polytheism to monotheism. Also, I would like to compare the differences between the Armenian pagan gods and the Greek gods, to see what overlaps and what contrasts different cultures, nationalities, and groups portray their gods with. What virtues or characteristics they align with their gods. I think I will find a lot of similarities between the pagan gods and what each one represents, though I am extremely curious to see the differences. Regarding why the Armenian people shifted their religious orientation, I am curious to see what occurred, who played a pivotal role in the shift, and why other pagan countries did not change their faith. I think my research will display a lot of reasons why some ancient countries did not shift their religious orientation and why other ancient countries shifted their orientation from polytheism to monotheism.
- Ancient Stubbornness
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Very present in both Greek and Mesopotamian mythology is one specific trope, stubbornness. Apparent by a myriad of gods in both realms, but the gods which accentuate their stubbornness the most are the gods of war. Through the comparison of these two ancient mythologies, their myths, and gods, I intend to uncover the deeper meaning of this common theme. With such similarities, it brings a multitude of questions. Why is this the case? What does this mean from an analytical approach? Do these connections and traits continue to exist in today’s society? What does this tell us about the ancient societies that these gods inhibit? By looking at both Ares (Greek god of war), and Nergal's (Mesopotamian god of death and war) myths and actions in their respective realms, I intend to answer these questions and provide insight applicable to modern-day themes and conflicts.
- Greek and Norse Mythology: The Hero Archetype
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Norse mythology and Greek mythology have many similar themes such as the hero archetype. The Norse god of the sky, Thor, and the Greek god of strength, Hercules, are examples of this archetype. Both have similar powers such as enhanced strength, speed, and endurance. They also have similar themes within their respective myths; such as how they both have symbols of their strength, Thor with his hammer, and Hercules with his club. Along with this, both gods are challenged in various ways, Hercules with his 12 labors and Thor with the trickery of Utgarda-Loki. Through these challenges, both gods have to display their strength and cunning, and this builds their representation in today's media. As major heroes of their respective universes, today they are used to represent an ideal being that is both strong and charismatic. This is shown through in many forms of modern art, such as movies like Thor: Ragnarok, or Hercules.
- Inspiring Love Stories
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Being Chinese, we tend to celebrate many different holidays throughout the year. One of my more favorite traditions we celebrate is the double seventh festival. The double seventh festival is considered to be the Chinese Valentine’s day. On this day we celebrate the Chinese folktale called the “Cowherd and the Weaver girl”. The folktale is a tragic love story between a mortal and goddess. They fall in love but are separated due to the goddesses mother. The couple did many things to convince the goddesses mother to approve of their relationship, but she continued to refuse. One night, a flock of birds called magpies, formed a bridge allowing the couple to see each other for one night. That night was July 7th, and it continued to happen on the 7th day of the 7th Lunisolar Month. I compared this Mythic system to the greek love story of Hero and Leander. Hero and Lander share a very similar story as the two lovers are separated from each other. However, the story doesn’t have much of a happy ending, as one night Hero is killed during his journey to see Leander. Leander then takes her own life to be with Hero. I picked these two myths because I felt they were very similar, despite their endings. Growing up, my Pau Pau (Chinese Grandma) would tell me the Chinese folktale story every Chinese Valentine's Day. The myth meant a lot to me and it stuck with me till this day. Both involve two couples who are separated due to certain aspects. Despite this, they still are madly in love and will do anything to be with each other, even if it’s just for a night. My goal with comparing the two myths is to show how inspiring love myths can be in ancient culture society. However, not many people have heard of it. The Greek Myth of Hero and Leander I feel like is a fairly popular myth. I’m hoping to share the importance of the two, and show that the Chinese myth should be as popular as the Greek myth is.
- Zeus and Odin, Kings of the Gods
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
If you are awarded the title, King of the Gods, you can be assured of your prominence in the pantheon. Whether that's in Norse mythology or Greek mythology it is extremely impressive. Zeus and Odin are two gods from separate mythical beliefs but they display many different similarities across mythological beliefs. Odin is the Norse god of war and death. He is the ruler of Valhalla which is where all the Viking warriors believed they went after death. Zeus on the other hand is the Greek god of the Sky and ruler of all other gods like Odin. Both Zeus and Odin were born from Titans and eventually witnessed the creation of mankind. In order for humans to be born, both gods had to rid the world of their father titans. Zeus and Odin both went on to have multiple children. Odin's son became Thor, the god of thunder and the sky, much like Zeus. Zeus' numerous children include Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes and Dionysus. These children of Zeus became some of them most renowned gods in Greek mythology. My research explores the parallels as well as unique characteristics of each of these "King of the Gods."
- “Monstrous” Women Of Mythology
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
In the story of Medusa, she was depicted as a monster. She could turn anyone into stone by looking into her eyes. This curse was caused by her being punished since Poesiden raped her in Athena's pure temple. Similar to the Romans story of Lucretia. She was raped by Titan, Tarquin which caused the downfall of Rome's Monarchy to turn into a Republic. Both womens bloody dead bodies hang on display. They serve as a reminder of dishonorable commitment to each kingdom. These two women have been depicted as unloyal, monstrous and other horrendous accusations since they were victims of rape. Shortly after being raped they both were dead. Their forsaken bodies being held on showcase for something they could not control. I will be further investigating the distratment of these two 'monstrous” women and how it has impacted their kingdom. Along, with the treatment it has affected women in today’s state of being victims of rape.
- Ares vs Athena
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
In the Greek society Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, was an intelligent and powerful god and Ares, the god of war, was the embodiment of power and skilled in combat. Athena was ultimately liked more by the gods and humans due to her quick thinking and kind nature, where Ares was extremely brutal and cruel. The main reason why Athena was favored over Ares was because of Athena’s kindness towards both gods and humans. When the gods were in trouble Athena would offer her support and even taught humans how to tame horses for riding. Ares was often depicted as having his throne covered in human flesh, and seen by the gods and humans as a savage and cruel character. He was a cruel god, but humans did need him every now and then. Ares was essential to win many wars since his brute strength alone was something to fear; however, his second ability was his intelligence just like Athena. In the battle against Kratos, a powerful spartan leader, Ares uses his cunning abilities to lead Kratos to destroying a village with his family inside. Athena is not one to lack in this department either when she uses her trickery to deceive Achilles into killing Hector of Troy since the gods didn’t like Hector Athena decided to step in and take charge over the dispute. In almost every myth made about Athena or Ares, their intelligence and strength are used to prove their godlike abilities. Both Athena and Ares can now be seen having similarities, but at the same time are extremely different in character. This goes to lead the question, who would win in a fight, Athena or Ares? Athena’s ability to lead armies is undeniably powerful and strategically she is more powerful. However Ares is cunning and is the symbol of power and destruction. In a one on one fight it is believed that Ares would overpower Athena, however Athena may be able to use her intelligence to gain an advantage over Ares.
- The Gods Of War and Their Parallels to Greek and Irish Society
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Throughout history, the landscape of the world has been an ever-changing beast. In the days of developing civilizations, people everywhere fought to claim land. As a result, war was an important part of many cultures and was reflected in most pantheons. Greek mythology’s Ares is recognizable due to his short temper and love for warfare. His bloodlust spreads across multiple tales, and although he is the most unpopular god, his actions explain some Greek behavior when myths regarding his involvement were applicable. Countless battles were fought in Ancient Greece due to their advanced reputation and access to natural resources like silver and gold. Greeks also fought to colonize other lands to expand their global influence, so although it was disfavored, they were accustomed to fighting, as emulated in their mythology. However, another set of legends in another country outlined a more peaceful god of war. Camulus, as the ancient Celts called him, was a Celtic god that was much less quick to anger. Unlike Ares, he fought defensive of his people instead of leaping at the chance to kill. He was heavily associated with iron, as that was what allowed the old Irish to fight at the time. The Irish are and always have been a rather peaceful nation. Since fighting for their independence from Britain and in their own civil war, they have mostly fought only when necessary for the United Nations peacekeeping force. Recalling Camulus’s role in mythology, it is evident that their defensive beliefs were reproduced in this deity as they personified their principles regarding conflict. Ultimately, these contrasting gods of war prove that ancient gods offer a relevant glimpse into the collective personalities of the civilizations which revered them, and applying this principle to other gods gifts historians more knowledge regarding those who lived long ago.
- Odin Vs. Zeus: Comparing the Two God-Kings
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
When we read Nordic and Greek mythology, there is a never-ending list of characters that represent a multitude of different aspects of human and natural life. From death to romance, gods are often created as symbols for us to rally behind, characters that attempt to explain confusing or profound aspects of our existence. However, what is the purpose of creating a leader for these figures? And why do these leaders have such contrasting qualities? On one hand, we have Zeus, a philandering god of lightning with unparalleled strength who smites all enemies. On the other hand, we have Odin, a respected king famous for his infinite wisdom, yet also his ability as a god of war and battle. Both figures command respect from gods and mortals alike, but also have traits that are undeniably treacherous and sometimes immoral. Although these figures have similar roles in their respective cultures, their actions and character are extremely different. How do the personalities of these gods reflect what both Nordic and Greek cultures value? What does it say about human behavior that we create such imperfect figures to worship? To determine the purpose of these figures, we have to look at their stories of creation and the many relationships they carry. Do these characters exist to reassure us that human life is flawed and nobody is perfect? Or do Zeus and Odin represent the corrupting nature of power and the often blinding quest to seek it? An analysis of these characters is an attempt to shed light on both the Greek and Norse view of leadership, I want to look at how the “kings” that we choose to worship reflect on our own views of people in power.
- Where Have All the Gays Gone?
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Within Ancient Greek culture, homosexual relationships were not only present, but more widely normalized than we are led to believe. History has been tainted by a condemnation of homosexuality, as well as an erasure of any preexisting homosexual cultures. Even with the degradation of the institutions which caused this erasure of history, modern education still fails to strive for an accurate historical depiction of sexual orientation. Such a large plot hole within the history of the western world begs several questions. When and Where was homosexuality present in Ancient Greece and other archaic cultures? When and How did the de-normalization of non hetero-normative sexual orientation begin? Lastly, how do archaic homosexual cultures differ from modern homosexual culture and where can the erasure of history still be found in education and modern media?
Physics
- Quantum Trajectories for Qutrit Processors
Advisor(s): Dr. Justin Dressel
Modern superconducting processors for quantum computation heavily use transmons, which are quantized nonlinear oscillators. Typically only the lowest two energy levels of a transmon are addressed, to produce a quantum bit. However, there has been recent interest in adding a third level to produce a quantum trit, which more compactly encodes information into the limited available hardware. The measurement setup is identical for both, but efficient descriptions have only been derived for quantum bits. This research project aims to generalize descriptions of continuous measurement to the case of quantum trits.
Political Science
- COVID-19 and Political Affiliation in America
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The growing atmospheric political division in America has contributed to the varied response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the newness of the global pandemic, current research does not properly address why certain people deny the validity of COVID-19. During the course of 2020, people found themselves divided on the subject of COVID-19, including how the government should respond and what type of safety precautions should be taken. It became easily observable that people had varied opinions on COVID-19 depending on their political affiliation. This was heightened due to the election that occurred during the year, and COVID-19 was featured as a campaign platform. Individuals found themselves voting for a particular candidate due to their promised response to COVID-19. This research paper will provide data to address why certain individuals believe in COVID-19 while others do not, as well as how it is related to political affiliation. Previous research connects personal beliefs with the current political climate, but does not extend to the current concerns surrounding COVID-19. Data will be utilized from the 2020 American Fears Study, which contains data that will isolate how individuals voted, how concerned people are with the pandemic, and other related variables.
Psychology
- The Coronavirus Pandemic: Associations of College Students’ Financial Situations and Optimism with Mental and Physical Health
Advisor(s): Dr. Brooke Jenkins, Dr. Daniel Tomaszewski, Dr. Julia Boehm
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a turbulent environment, putting college students and their families in unprecedented situations. The rise in unemployment and concerns about the overall economy may be impacting student finances. Increased depression and anxiety are common responses to such stressful situations. However, certain psychosocial factors, such as optimism, may be a valuable resource for coping with stress. Individuals who are more optimistic tend to show less distress and have better physical functioning. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine how college students’ financial situation during the coronavirus pandemic is related to mental and physical health, as well as how optimism moderates this relationship. We hypothesized that worse financial situations would be associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms, but that optimism would buffer against worse outcomes. To investigate these hypotheses, students at a private university in Southern California were recruited and asked to complete an online questionnaire in the spring of 2020. Nearly 300 students self-reported their financial situation, depression, anxiety, physical symptoms, and optimism. Linear regression models tested associations. Results indicated that, as expected, a worsening financial situation and an increase in worry about paying for school were significantly associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms (ps < 0.05). Greater optimism was associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms (ps < 0.05). However, the effect of financial situation on students’ mental and physical health did not depend on optimism (ps > 0.05). This may be because students in this study had lower optimism scores relative to pre-pandemic cohorts, suggesting they struggled to be optimistic during the pandemic. Further investigation is crucial to improve the quality of life for college students and to help in creating and implementing effective mental and physical health interventions.
- Perceptions of Homelessness and Mental Illness
Advisor(s): Dr. Vincent Berardi
Homelessness is a growing issue in California, with residents consistently expressing concern and voting to dedicate funds to address the problem. Despite the abundance of public support for addressing this issue, California has more than half of all unsheltered people in the country, indicating a potential disconnect between the public’s desire to help and their knowledge of how to do so. To address this possibility, we employed a survey designed to quantify the public’s understanding of the homeless population, the stigma of homelessness and mental illness, and how misperceptions may lead to suboptimal homeless policy. This approach will determine if certain misperceptions are associated with resistance to effective policy solutions. This will serve as a roadmap for the public outreach required in order to generate support for more effective solutions to the homelessness problem. With a sample of undergraduate students (n=77), this presentation will compare the results of the public’s perceptions of the homeless to known ground-truth values. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the accuracy of perceptions about homeless demographics and the levels of support for various treatment solutions. We compared the means of our undergraduate participants to the means of a national sample from a recent study to investigate differences in views of homeless and support for certain policies. Our findings indicate a more liberal attitude towards homeless from undergraduate students as opposed to the general population, but a misunderstanding of the causes of homelessness as well as a stigma associated with both homeless and mental illness. Our results also reflect a need for interventions to correct misperceptions and encourage support for beneficial policies.
- Parenting Style and the Coping Flexibility in College Students
Advisor(s): Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail
Many college students experience high levels of stress due to academics and being in a new environment. At times, students find themselves homesick or having trouble meeting new people, further heightening the stress they feel. Some students call their parents when they are homesick or seeking advice. Anxiety and depression are prominent amongst college students, causing a decline in mental health. A number of studies have shown that coping flexibility helps with stress management and depression. The research also shows that different parenting styles and relationships affect which coping strategies their children may use and the level of their social skills. This study looks at the coping flexibility, stress levels, parenting style, parent-child relationship, and social competence of college students to see how these different aspects interact with each other through different correlation tests. The results of this study are being collected, but we hypothesize that (1) better coping flexibility will help college students deal with stressors in school, (2) parent-child relationships filled with conflict will predict poor coping flexibility in college students, (3) college students with authoritarian parents will not be academically successful in college, and (4) parent-child relationships filled with conflict will predict poor social skills in college students.
- Implications of Yoga on Depression and Anxiety Symptoms
Advisor(s): Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail
The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between yoga and symptoms of depression and anxiety. As conventional antidepressant medications are not helpful for everyone coping with these issues and can cause harmful side effects, the examination of natural remedies, like yoga, may be useful in the advancement of treatment approaches. To recruit participants, 15 undergraduate students from Chapman University were selected from the “Yoga for Dancers” and “Yogalates” spring semester courses. To measure symptoms of depression and anxiety, this study used the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire. In a pretest/posttest design, the survey including these scales was given at the beginning of the spring semester, and again after about 2 months of instruction. Results are expected to indicate a decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms, from the pretest to the posttest. From these results, it can be concluded that yoga may play a therapeutic role in the alleviation of depression and anxiety symptoms.
- Inward and Outward Anger Experience, Anger Control, and Psychological Well-Being
Advisor(s): Dr. Tara Gruenewald
Anger is a universal human emotion. Anger theorists have identified multiple components of anger experience that may be linked to health and well-being, including the outward expression of anger (anger-out (AO)), the inward but unexpressed experience of anger (anger-in (AI)), and the ability to modulate the expression of anger (anger control (AC)). Although previous research supports links between various anger components and physiological/physical health, there is a relative paucity of research examining psychological well-being correlates of these anger components. The goal of the current study was to examine how AC, AO, and AI are linked to multiple indicators of mental well-being, including depression, anxiety, positive affect, and life satisfaction, and to understand how these associations might vary as a function of levels of current life stress. We examined these associations in a sample of 1,255 U.S. adults in the Biomarker Substudy of wave 2 of the Study of Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS). Measures included the Spielberger Anger Expression Inventory, the Mood and Symptoms Questionnaire, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression, Satisfaction with Life, and Perceived Stress scales. Initial analyses adjusted for age and sex indicate that greater AC is linked to better mental well-being (lower depression (β = -0.22***), lower anxiety (β = -0.13***), higher positive affect (β = 0.23***) and greater life satisfaction (β = 0.19***). Conversely, greater AO and AI are linked to poorer mental well-being (greater depression (β = 0.19***, 0.45***), greater anxiety (β = 0.24***, 0.40***), lower positive affect (β = -0.09***, -0.30***) and lower life satisfaction (β = -0.14***, -0.30***), respectively. Interaction analyses indicated that observed associations between anger components and depression and anxiety were stronger in those with higher levels of current life stress. Future analyses will focus on additional mental and physical well-being correlates of different forms of anger and expression experience.
- Probing for Intention: Latent Awareness or Metacognitive Reflection?
Advisor(s): Dr. Aaron Schurger, Dr. Uri Maoz
When making spontaneous movements, people report becoming consciously aware of movement intentions roughly 200 milliseconds before movement itself. However, when intention timing is measured by interrupting people and asking if they intended to move, estimates place intention onset much earlier, at up to 800-1000 milliseconds before movement. It is unclear whether the early timing demonstrates a latent awareness of intention long before movement, or if people simply make a metacognitive judgment in response to the interruption. We will test this by measuring pupil size, which is related to awareness, and taking note of any differences between when people report having an intention versus when they report not having one. Differences before the interruption would suggest that participants were already latently aware of an intention when they were interrupted. No difference before, and only a difference after interruption, would suggest that participants only made a metacognitive judgment after being interrupted, and were not latently aware of intention beforehand.
- Mental Health: a Gendered Issue?
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Gender influences many of the issues existing in society but often receives little to no attention for the significant role it plays in shaping preconceived notions. Specifically, the issue of mental health has become an increasingly gendered issue, with many preconceived notions forming around the mental health illnesses that women and men experience. Through this article, I examine the relationship between mental illness and gender, and the differing experiences of men and women, and whether specific experiences are normalized or seen as acceptable depending on gender. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, individuals were asked whether they felt sad, blue, depressed, and or whether they felt their mental health was not good and all during the past 30 days. Among the findings of the Chapman Survey of American Fears, I expect to find more women reporting that they felt sad, blue, depressed, and or feeling that their mental health is not good in the past 30 days because it is more normalized and acceptable for women to internalize their feelings and express their emotions of sadness and depression. Whereas it is expected for men to ignore or deal with their mental health problems in silence, with experiences such as alcoholism being a more acceptable problem for men when compared to depression. Overall, through my findings, I hope to start the conversation surrounding gender and mental health in hopes that the future of this issue begins to change.
- Social Support and COVID-19: Changes in Support Over Time and Its Association with Depressive Symptoms
Advisor(s): Dr. Brooke Jenkins, Dr. Julia Boehm
Research on emotional and instrumental support suggests they are effective coping strategies. However, little research examines how they change over time and whether or not they are associated with depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that (1) both emotional and instrumental support will decrease over the pandemic and (2) these decreases will be related to more depressive symptoms at the end of the year. An online survey was administered to both undergraduate and graduate students assessing their health, psychosocial characteristics, academics, housing, and finances (N = 170). Both instrumental and emotional support were assessed with the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE) scale, which was assessed in May and December 2020 (Carver, 1997). The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was used to assess depressive symptomology in December 2020 (Radloff, 1977). A paired samples t-test was conducted to compare the amount of instrumental support and emotional support across the two assessments. Participants reported lower emotional support in May (M = 2.41, SD = 0.88) and higher support in December (M = 2.53, SD = 0.78, t(170) = 3.03, p = 0.003). Instrumental support was also lower in May (M = 2.20, SD = 0.90) and higher in December (M = 2.36, SD = 0.79, t(172) = 3.20 p = 0.002). Linear regression models then assessed whether changes in emotional and instrumental support predicted depressive symptoms. A significant relationship was found between changes in emotional support and lower levels of depressive symptoms (β = -0.21, p = 0.007). A significant relationship was also found for changes in instrumental support and depressive symptoms (β = -0.15, p = 0.048). Results demonstrate that increases in emotional and instrumental support over time predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms. This research expands understanding of social support by suggesting that both emotional and instrumental support are relevant for depressive symptoms in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Personality Rigidity and Psychopathology Pre and Post COVID19 Pandemic
Advisor(s): Dr. David Pincus
Expanding on the results of Pincus et al 2019 and McDaniel 2020, the current study tests the hypothesis that personality rigidity is adaptive in a low stress environment. However, when stress is higher, a more flexible personality structure may be more adaptive. Personality rigidity will be measured using the shape of inverse power law distributions of response times to two items on the M5-50 (Big 5 Personality) for each participant. The correlations between this measure of rigidity and psychopathology will be compared to a sample of pre pandemic and post pandemic college students. The pre and post pandemic samples will act as pre-stress and post-stress conditions. The significance of this study is to see if stress has a defining impact on those with simpler personality structures, and in turn if those personality structures combined with stress can lead to psychopathology.
- The Effects Of Working Memory Load on Decision Making
Advisor(s): Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail
The decision that we make on an everyday basis are constantly run through our complicated mental processes, which in turn can be heavily influenced by the context of our environment. The context of a given situation might force a person to focus their attention on one thing and cause their working memory to overlook another aspect of the situation. The idea is best exemplified by the Dynamic Decision Making theory that has been researched by many different researchers and fields for over half a century. Researchers on this topic have spent much time researchers how internal processing can actually have an effect on subsequent mental processes but they also focus heavily on how external stimuli affect mental processes. Our methodology was based the Sternberg Memory Scanning task, designed to test subjects working memories, but was altered for the purposes of our study to add price evaluation questions during the task. We expect to see an increase in how often people overestimate the price of an object and by how much they overestimate it while their working memory is occupied with a retrieval task. These finding could have massive impacts on how people market products to general consumers. With external environmental factors playing such a key role in decision it would only make sense that marketers create environments that distract and occupy people’s working memories in spending situations.
