Stander Symposium: College of Arts and Sciences

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Feature Selection in Reinforcement Learning

Shruti Ajay Singh

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed today’s world with endless possibilities. We’ve reached a point where self-driving cars, and talking robots aren't science fiction anymore. Reinforcement learning (RL), a subset of AI, plays a crucial role in these advancements. However, as the lines between humans and machines blur, a question looms : “Can we trust AI to keep us safe and secure?”. RL unlocks the ability to learn on its own, but its learning can be manipulated making them vulnerable to adversarial attacks. Consider a self-driving car navigating a busy city street. Every lane change, signal interpretation, pedestrian interaction demands an instant decision in real-time. In an ideal world, the car receives noise-free sensory data, allowing the car to make safe decisions. However in a real-world scenario, the car is an easy target for malicious actors to manipulate the navigation system potentially leading to accidents. A threat that has severe consequences in other domains of RL applications : healthcare, transportation, finance. Therefore, achieving robustness against adversarial attacks requires a defensive framework tailored to the system’s characteristics. In this research, we address adversarial attacks on the observation state space in reinforcement learning. And we propose an entropy-based framework that detects and removes imposters by feature selection.
Floating Constructed Wetlands keep Cyanobacteria Levels at bay

Jacquelyn K. Amaya

This research addresses the issue of eutrophication at the University of Dayton’s Old River Park (ORP) and measures the efficacy of the current management method, compared to an alternative management method implementing Floating Constructed Wetlands (FCWs). Our primary objective was to measure water quality of the ORP oxbow under current bimonthly copper sulfate algaecide treatment and compare it to the water quality of the oxbow water under an alternative treatment method, the FCW. To do this we sampled water quality parameters which included pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, ammonium, phosphorus, specific conductivity, total dissolved solids, and temperature in the oxbow and the treatment tanks containing oxbow water during the months of June, July and August 2023. Our treatment tanks (n=5) included tanks with just oxbow water, tanks with oxbow water plus a FCW, tanks with oxbow water with added phosphorus, and tanks with oxbow water, added phosphorus, and a FCW. We also collected plant tissue samples from plants in the oxbow as well as in treatment tanks and determined individual nutrient contents of each plant. Finally, we took samples of algae from the oxbow and from each treatment tank to identify what species of algae were present in various treatment groups. We found that across all treatments the tanks with FCWs had the lowest levels of nitrogen, which were similar to the levels of nitrate in the oxbow being treated with copper sulfate. The plant tissue samples revealed plants in the oxbow are absorbing high amounts of copper, nitrogen, and phosphorus, presumably as a result from the copper sulfate treatments. Lastly, the oxbow and treatment tanks which lacked FCWs had more harmful kinds of algae present than treatment tanks with the FCWs. These results show that FCWs would be a sustainable alternative method for treating eutrophication at ORP.
Flyer PR Client Case Studies

Stacy Allen, Mary K. Kelty, Caterina A. McNamara, Haley Nicole Reid

The Flyer PR Agency is a student PR agency working with clients both on and off campus. Student account executives will present case studies from public relations campaigns completed in the past year.
Food Equity through Regenerative Urban Farming with Eden’s Harvest

Tamara Tatyana Carter, Aysha M. Choudhury, Caroline Anne Cochran, Grace Marie Hungerford, Mercy M. John, Julia R. Lindenschmidt, Madeline A. McEldowney, Landry M. McVicker, Erin H. Mcgraw, Allison C. O'Gorman, Kathryn E. Riddle, Skylar Barbara Sharkey, Anastasia B. Stowers, Katelyn Monet Woodruff

Dayton Civic Scholars (DCS) is a co-curricular program that is centered around engaging with the Greater-Dayton area and creating lasting community change. Organized through the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community, each cohort starts their sophomore year and spends time learning about the Dayton area, community activism, and civic engagement. During their senior year, the cohorts plan and execute a capstone project to work with a community partner and implement sustainable transformation in the area. The 2024 DCS cohort is working alongside Eden’s Harvest, a newly created urban farm in Dayton, to launch their organization and promote food justice around Miami Valley. Eden’s Harvest is a Black woman owned organization, started by Anita Armstead, to empower the community and focus on food sovereignty and regenerative farming in her local community. She works to grow a variety of culturally appropriate produce to distribute to minority communities. We have decided to focus on retaining volunteer support, raising money for the cause, and sustainably distributing produce. We hope to successfully support Eden’s Harvest in their newfound organization and advocate for food justice and food emancipation. Stop by our presentation to learn more about the details of our project and how you can support the mission of Eden’s Harvest!
Forced Abortions of the Mentally Disabled: A Case Analysis

Maeve Clare Chawk

Abortion is a highly contentious topic due to the mother’s health, her financial situation, and opinions from family and other loved ones. This becomes even more difficult when the fetus is diagnosed with birth defects due to social norms and hardships that are specific to taking care of a child with disabilities. However, others are committed to defending the lives of the unborn no matter the circumstances. In 2019, there was a case that arose in the United Kingdom where the mother was ruled unfit to have her child due to her child-like mental capacity and was forced to have an abortion. Yet, she was able to voice her opinion along with her family members. This case analysis will explore the perspectives of all parties involved and apply the moral principles and theories of virtue ethics, autonomy, and Natural Law Theory to argue what the correct ruling would be. Compassion and fairness should have been offered to the patient as she and her family members were willing to raise the child. This illustrates the moral principle of virtue ethics along with her own autonomy. In addition, the Natural Law Theory can be utilized to demonstrate how we have a natural inclination to support good and relieve suffering in human beings, therefore not causing a bad effect to achieve the good effect. This case poses the question whether a fetus is considered to be a person and how this impacts the ruling in this case and its future implications. In this particular case, my objection to the judge’s decision comes from the determination of who would be considered mentally unstable as this could vary tremendously. For this reason, I will argue that the wishes of the patient and her family should have been respected and the judge’s decision overruled.
From Pulpit to Podium: King's Leadership and Non-Violent Strategies at the March on Washington

Andrew Thomas Casey

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
From Tiny Tots to Wise Old Turtles: Sustaining Health and Happiness in Pet Turtles

Victoria Scachitti

Before bringing an aquatic turtle into one's home as a pet, it's crucial to understand the basics of proper care. There's a lot to consider, from managing expenses and setting up the right lighting to providing the correct diet, adequate space, ideal temperatures, enrichment activities, and maintaining water quality and humidity levels. All of these factors play a role in the turtle's health and how long it lives. One of the most popular pet turtle species in the USA is the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), an aquatic turtle native to the southern US known to live up to 40 years in captivity if properly cared for. However, without the right care, these turtles can face a range of health issues, such as deformed shells and bacterial and fungal infections. One common oversight among prospective turtle owners is underestimating the growth potential of their pet and failing to anticipate the need for larger living space as the turtle ages. Many start with a small tank or enclosure, not realizing that the turtle will outgrow it, leading to cramped and stressful living conditions. This oversight can have serious implications for the turtle's well-being, affecting its growth, mobility, and overall quality of life. Therefore, creating a habitat that meets all their needs and keeping up with maintenance is essential for ensuring a happy, healthy turtle that can enjoy a long life as part of the family.
Gandhi and MLK: A Look Into Assassinations and Legacy

Katherine Michele Desmet

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhian Economic Principles Alive In Modern Day Ice Cream

Denzil Ryan Turner

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhian Ideas About Health and Diet

Maya K. Klein

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhi, King and Mandela: Global Non-violence in the 20th Century

Justin K. Altmeyer, Robert T. Bordenkircher, Aidan Michael Burke, Joseph Riley Buten, Andrew Thomas Casey, Emma E. Clark, Lindsey Anne Cloos, Katherine Michele Desmet, Christopher Michael DiGeronimo, Beecher Charles Dunne, Sam J. Gepperth, Nathan Raymond Glessman, Kevin M. Gonzalez-Brito, Peter John Grant, David W. Haberkorn, Lorena G. Idris, Mary K. Kelty, Maya K. Klein, Elizabeth Grace Knieriemen, Jacob Allan Lann, Carson M. McCorkle, Colin E. Meehan, Jacob H. Murphy, Carla Joellen Pettiford, Alexa M. Rouse, Lucy K. Schuermann, Matthew Casaclang Szell, Casey M. Tirado, Denzil Ryan Turner, Andres Ignacio Umpierre, Peter Anthony Veith, Aidan R. Wanke, Brendan Michael Wiehe, Romeo Fabrice Yao, Laura Zamorano Garcia

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions toward representation.
Gandhi on Medicine: What was his Philosophy and how is it Important Today?

David W. Haberkorn

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhi, Religion, And Quakerism

Joseph Riley Buten

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhi’s Alignment Diet: A Non-Violent, Satyagraha Framework for Eating

Matthew Casaclang Szell

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhi’s Impact on Women’s Empowerment in Indian Society

Alexa M. Rouse

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gandhi’s Moral Philosophy of Diet

Elizabeth Grace Knieriemen

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Gendering Violent Extremism: Reflections on Experiential Learning from a Women’s and Gender Studies Internship Program (Panel A)

Sofia Catherine Likavec, Kathryn Terese McAuliffe, Abigail Marie Ulery

Violent extremism in the United States has increased in recent years. The January 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol is a paradigmatic example, but there are many other horrific cases. Think: the Pulse nightclub shooting (2018), which targeted LGBTQ+ folks, or the Buffalo grocery store (2022), which targeted African-Americans. Both of these attacks follow an alarming trend line where we are seeing “homegrown” terrorism increasing. Yet there is little understanding of how extremist violence is gendered – through the process of radicalization and through groups that are targeted. In this panel, students from an internship hosted by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program – Gendered Injustices and Violent Extremism (GIVE) Program – present learnings from their semester-long experience and engage in a dialogue about where they see the most productive violence prevention interventions moving forward. They focus on both research and practical action steps. They also reflect on what their Women's and Gender Studies education has meant to them over their undergraduate career. As youth on the frontlines, they offer a unique perspective for how to do better in the coming decades.
Gendering Violent Extremism: Reflections on Experiential Learning from a Women’s and Gender Studies Internship Program (Panel B)

Kinsleigh A. Jones, Eva Marie Lonneman, Eden E. Michelson, Megan Marie Sullivan

Violent extremism in the United States has increased in recent years. The January 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol is a paradigmatic example, but there are many other horrific cases. Think: the Pulse nightclub shooting (2018), which targeted LGBTQ+ folks, or the Buffalo grocery store (2022), which targeted African-Americans. Both of these attacks follow an alarming trend line where we are seeing “homegrown” terrorism increasing. Yet there is little understanding of how extremist violence is gendered – through the process of radicalization and through groups that are targeted. In this panel, students from an internship hosted by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program – Gendered Injustices and Violent Extremism (GIVE) Program – present learnings from their semester-long experience and engage in a dialogue about where they see the most productive violence prevention interventions moving forward. They focus on both research and practical action steps. They also reflect on what their Women's and Gender Studies education has meant to them over their undergraduate career. As youth on the frontlines, they offer a unique perspective for how to do better in the coming decades.
Genome-wide screening of miRNA’s involved in birth defects in eye

Mani Manivannan Subramanian

Aniridia, a birth defect in eye, is caused by mutation(s) in paired-box gene 6 (PAX-6), and is manifested as visual impairment. A highly conserved PAX-6, encodes a DNA-binding transcription factor, whose loss-of-function exhibits loss-of-entire-eye or part-of-eye. Surprisingly, the understanding of the molecular genetic basis of Aniridia is far from complete. Our hypothesis is that the retinal loss observed in aniridia can be due to post transcriptional regulation such dysregulation of miRNAs that plays a pivotal role in regulating genes post transcriptionally. miRNAs are the short hairpin like structure with 20-25bp which modulates the gene expressions post-transcriptionally by binding to 3’UTR of mRNAs. miRNA serves a vital role in the retina throughout development and in eye diseases. We employed Drosophila eye as a model system for genome-wide screening of miRNAs involved in eye defects. We have identified a miRNA which exhibits strong eye enlargement phenotype. Using bioinformatic approaches, followed by validation using molecular and genetic studies, we identified PAX-6 homolog eyeless (ey) as target of this mi-RNA. Here, we provide a mechanism of how this newly identified miRNA modulates eye phenotype, and results from these studies will be presented.
Gen Z Gen Free: The Rise of Young Christian Right Politics on College Campuses

Tucker J. Hoffmann

produced for the Dean's Summer Fellowship program in the summer of 2023, Gen Z Gen Free is a critical analysis of how Turning Point USA, a growing White Christian Nationalist organization, uses language to discriminate against gender, sexual, and racial minorities in educational institutions. Using scholarly work (insert authors and books here), this work analyzes the rhetorical tools used in speeches from CEO and Founder of TPUSA Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens. It also serves as a brief historical account of the evangelical Christian movement in education. The movement, starting as a response to the desegregation of schools, is still a factor in K-12 and higher education today. Turning Point USA has breached into the evangelical homeschooling market through the foundation of Turning Point Academy, a branch of TPUSA that seeks to "Reclaim, Revive, and Restore" Godliness to American educational institutions.
Growing Radicle: Growing native plant seedlings for changing landscapes

Madelyn Clare Moore

In the wake of great anthropogenic change in the landscape across eastern North America, there is a need for ecological restoration. The decline of the previously dominant oak forests and the need to protect the understory from persistent invasion are of particular interest. There is a current trend of maples overtaking oaks in overall dominance and regeneration with massive consequences for wildlife diversity and human economic activity. Acorns are a major food source in deciduous North American forests, and maple samaras are not an adequate replacement. Beyond the issue of oaks, forest understories are heavily overrun by invasive honeysuckle. Even after its removal, honeysuckle tends to return to its previously invaded sites. It is thought that removing honeysuckle and then filling its niche space with native species may prevent it from reestablishing itself. Ohio buckeye, paw paw, and spicebush are all native understory inhabitants that could protect understories from reinvasion. Paw paw and spicebush have the added benefit of being resistant to deer herbivory. With these issues in mind, the goal of this project is to start up a native sapling repository for key woody species for use in future restoration projects. This project is based in Ginny’s Garden Greenhouse at the University of Dayton and involves seed collection, germination, and sapling management. Native oak species include bur oak, red oak, chinkapin oak, and pin oak. Other species involved include Ohio buckeye, paw paw, and spicebush, with the potential to expand the number of species in the fall. In the future, we may work to collect, germinate, and grow saplings from ancient oaks to further their successful genetics. There is also the potential for experimentation involving sapling success in differing soil qualities and assessing the root systems of saplings grown in differing container sizes.
Harmony & Temperance: Gandhi’s Vision of Health and the Influence of Alcohol

Andres Ignacio Umpierre

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
Having a Father Figure in the Home and its Effects on Juvenile Delinquency

Michael W. Macdonald, Andrew J. Stevens

In this study we look at the effects of having a father figure in the home and how that can deter juvenile delinquency. We used the Pathways to Desistance data to look at a multitude of factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency which include frequency of offending, having a father figure in the home, domains of social support for the family, depression of the juvenile, anxiety of the juvenile, gender of the juvenile, ethnicity of the juvenile, the mother's current job, and the age at first offense of the juvenile. We recoded some of these variables and ran a negative binomial regression to see whether they had a significant effect on the frequency of offending amongst juveniles.
Healthcare Barriers in Honduras

Andie Marie Lang, Grace Marie Schneider, Oluwayemisi Omobonike Tayo-Ayorinde

In the United States, healthcare is provided through a combination of private insurance, public government programs (e.g. Medicaid and Medicare), and out-of-pocket payments (Commonwealth Fund 2020). However, the Honduran healthcare system is provided by the Ministry of Health and funded by the government through the NHS (National Healthcare System), which aims to provide equal access to medical services to its citizens (Global Financial Security 2023). While this may seem like an ideal institution, it is estimated that almost 20% of the country lacks access to healthcare services (International Health Partners 2023). In the NHS system, basic healthcare is free, but families are responsible for their loved one's advanced medical care (e.g., non-life saving procedures, medications, palliative and hospice care), meals, and other additional costs making healthcare unaffordable for most individuals (Etheridge 2023). Additionally, many rural Honduran communities encounter other barriers including long travel times/distances, availability of transportation, inability to take time off work, lack of alternative childcare, and even that they are too ill to travel at all. Almost half of the country lives below the poverty line, struggling to live on less than $5.50 a day, and more than 25% of the population is in extreme poverty (International Health Partners 2023). Furthermore, there is a limited presence of health personnel in the country, with only 0.3 physicians existing per 1,000 people, compared to the UK’s figure of 5.8 (International Health Partners 2023). Access to healthcare for rural Hondurans is commonly made possible through international relief efforts by organizations such as Americares and Global Brigades.This poster aims to evaluate the primary barriers to healthcare access, the effect lack of access to care has on Honduras’ population, and the international aid initiatives that attempt to enhance healthcare in Honduras.
Hegemony in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints: Discursive Formations in Cults

Sophia Hollins, Mary Kate Kelty, Mark Martino

Rhetoric drawing on religious stories, ideals, concepts, and experiences surround us in our daily lives. These posters represent a sampling of the rhetorical analyses conducted by students from CMM 357 Religious Rhetoric throughout the Spring 2024 semester. Groups presented several themed reports prior to Stander and picked one to showcase at the symposium.