Stander Symposium: College of Arts and Sciences

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20th Annual Integration Bee, Mathematics

Arthur H. Busch

The students compete in teams of 2-3 people. This is organized in a similar way to the traditional spelling bee. Teams will be evaluating integrals that are projected on a screen. If a team incorrectly evaluates an integral, the team is eliminated from the competition. After the elimination rounds, we will hold the lightning rounds. The first 'y' many teams to correctly evaluate the given integrals will proceed to the next round. We do this until there is a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place team. First, second, and third place teams will receive math t-shirts. The Department of Mathematics will host a pizza lunch in the Science Center Atrium from 12:00-1:00 PM prior to the Integration Bee.
Africa in Our Century

Salem F. S. M. Alluwfan, Aboubacar Aribot, Joseph S. Boise, Patrick James Burns, Ava Elizabeth Catrabone, Charles Richard Ciolek, Daniel Joseph Cornish, Rodrigo Tomás Del Rincón Martínez, Drew Anthony Deshetler, Jack R. Dewine, Kate Adele Dillon, Oumoulkhairy Diop, Jarrett Charles Dixon, Aubrey Ann Evers, Niall Joseph Gallagher, Patrick Mills Garvey, Nicholas Ronald Geelan, Olivia Grace Gulesano, Brooke Renee Higgins, Colin Timothy Kane, Aimable Kazintwari, Kathryn Ann Kloska, Madeleine Grace Lacouture, Hayden Catherine Lingel, Griffin A. Miller, OBIORA Bunie Onochie, Dyamond R. Packer, Marissa Marie Perkins, Cameron Jordan Phillips, Elizabeth Mary Raster, Alexander Christopher Reminder, Natalie Renee Tippmann, Charles Morley Valentincic, Olivia Ann Voelker, Henry Garrett Wentworth

At a time when of the growing significance of Africa, the papers in this session provide a socio-historical context for the understanding of contemporary Africa. The presentations engage in several important ways, and in the end provide a better understanding of what the Economist referred to as the “New Scramble for Africa.” Topics range from the idea of Africa to human rights, genocide, and gender to Africa’s contribution to the global community. We promise to have an exciting session.
Alienation in Wise Blood

Zahra Kamdideh

This research paper explores the theme of alienation in Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood through an analysis of the main characters Hazel Motes and Enoch Emery. The theoretical framework draws upon Herbert Marcuse's concepts of alienation in industrial society. The study aims to analyze how the characters in Wise Blood exemplify varying dimensions of alienation from society as well as the self. The paper provides background on the novel's post-World War II southern United States setting and how societal changes contributed to feelings of disconnection. It then delves into Marcuse's definition of alienation as estrangement from one's true self due to societal oppression and repression. Through close analysis of the two main characters, the paper explores how Hazel and Enoch each experience forms of religious, social, and existential alienation. Examples are provided of Enoch's social rejection, identity crisis, and escape into fantasy. Overall, this literary analysis aims to contribute additional perspective to scholarship on alienation in literature. It demonstrates O'Connor's skillful blending of psychological, philosophical, and religious themes to create enduring portraits of isolation and the search for meaning.
A Little Ridiculous | From Pen to Performance

John Owen Imhof, Cedric Mwanga Mwizerwa

Owen Imhof and Cedric Mwizerwa are passionate musicians who will present a unique session on their journey of creating original pieces of music. In this presentation, they will take the audience through the process of writing their original compositions and will contain some first-ever live performances of their newly created pieces, as well as reflections on pieces they’ve previously performed, showcasing their musical talent and creativity. Attendees will have the chance to learn about the creative process behind writing original music and gain insights into vocal and instrumental styles. This session is a must-attend for anyone interested in music composition, performance, and creativity.
Analysis of Mineral Resources and their Economic Viability in their Direct Community in the Appalachia Region

Camilla M. Fowler

The Appalachian Mountain Range, also known as Appalachia, consists of over 400 counties across 13 states, spanning 206,00 square miles from southern New York to northern Mississippi and encompasses a population of 26 million people. While the Region has made recent improvements in economic factors, Appalachia still lags behind much of the country, particularly in bachelor’s degree earnings, poverty rates, and per capita income (ARC). The coal and natural gas resources already provide much of the income and economy in Appalachia, particularly in West Virginia, due to the bountiful caches of resources present along the Region. However, this region of the United States is full of additional mineral resources, particularly non-fuel and infrastructure mineral resources, that could be exploited by the residents of the Region in order to facilitate further improvements and development in the region. A comprehensive map and dataset of the mineral resources and their locations in the Appalachian Region may provide insight into potential new economic sources – particularly those beyond fossil fuel resources – and a basis for governmental action to take advantage of raw materials and resources for economic improvement and community development.
Analysis of Student Learning of Hooke's Law

Makenna R. Korzan

Physics educators use assessments to better understand students’ understanding of concepts inan introductory physics course. The Force Concepts Inventory was used as a model to develop anassessment to measure student learning of Hooke’s Law in an introductory physics lab. Three learningtargets were written, which the assessment questions were based on. The assessment was given duringthe summer term, and revisions to the assessment increased the effectiveness of the questions to assessthe learning targets. Data was collected from six sections of the PHY 201L during the fall term. Data wasanalyzed to determine student understanding of Hooke’s Law and effectiveness of teaching instructionin the PHY 201L. The assessment was given to sixty-eight students in the PHY 201L as a pretest beforethe Hooke’s Law lab and as a posttest afterwards. The results of the assessment showed that labinstruction was somewhat effective in increasing students’ understanding of Hooke’s Law with anaverage increase of 16% points per question on the assessment. The assessment found that studentscould explain how to find the spring constant from a graph by taking the slope. The assessment showedsmaller increases in scores for questions that included higher level questions. For example, studentscould not complete the calculation to determine the spring constant from a graph, incorrectly dividing yby x for a single point rather than taking the slope. To improve the Hooke’s Law lab, possible changescould include more opportunities for students to apply their knowledge of how to find spring constantfrom a graph and post lab questions where students have to explain Hooke’s Law and the relationshipbetween force and spring constant.
Analyzing land use of a recovering North American carnivore

Kara Beth Gregory

Large mammalian carnivores play important roles within healthy ecosystems, but they have a history of population decline and local extinctions due to human influences. As conservation efforts to protect threatened species have encouraged population growth and expansion, some of these large carnivores have begun to make their way back to their historic species ranges. While vital to ecosystem health, recovering carnivores—like bears, wolves, and cougars—are bound to have some conflict with humans, such as wildlife-vehicle collisions, damage to livestock, and threats to human safety. Therefore, it is important to understand where recovering carnivores are likely to settle. One such recovering North American carnivore, the cougar (Puma concolor), exists mainly in the western United States. However, there have been recent sightings of these large cats in areas further east, suggesting that they may be expanding back into their previous species range. I aim to understand potential cougar expansion in Missouri, a state that research suggests may have available habitat, and also with an active conservation department that records all reported cougar sightings. Through this research, I aim to map potential cougar distribution in Missouri by developing a species distribution model using cougar presence data and relevant environmental variables. The Missouri Department of Conservation maintains a database of confirmed cougar sighting locations from 1994 to present. This location data will be used in the model along with environmental variables that are typically associated with cougar presence (i.e. land cover, vegetation quality, prey density, landscape ruggedness). I will use the distribution model to create a potential distribution map of cougars in Missouri and identify core habitat patches.
Analyzing Propaganda in the 2024 Presidential Election

Mollie Margaret Bigner, Nicholas R. Bridgett, Nicholas S. Cochran, Keira Aileen Cotter, Serafino R. Delzotti, Sophia M. Divagno, Liam Michael Dwyer, Bill E. Farmer, Daniel R. Greive, Ian Michael Kirtley, Mara Elizabeth Mackinnon, Lauren Louise Mann, Luis Alexies Martin, McKenna E. Meyer, Benjamin Arthur Mitchell, Tyler R. Mordarski, Rebekah I. Murray, Clay E. Nevers, Olivia Grace Newmark, Kayla Nicole Nickel, Catherine F. O'Brien, Robin S. Park, Maria Alejandra Pereira-Rodriguez, Catherine Ann Rafter, Tina Kaur Sandhu, MaryRose N. Schertler, Alyssa Marie Sparto, Mark A. Spaulding, Hanna M. Stanifer, Hailey McKenna Stephen, Brad S. Talsania, Madeleine Kennedy Vandegrift

As the 2024 Presidential Election approaches, various individuals, groups, and organizations are striving to influence the American people, especially voters. While much of the discourse surrounding the election works through civil presentation of positions and arguments in an open, evidence-based, and even dialogic manner, some sources have sought to shape the perceptions and manipulate the beliefs of Americans through more subtle, less transparent ways, ones often difficult to recognize and scrutinize. Such efforts to bend public opinion in support of one’s interests can be examined through the lens of propaganda analysis. In this group presentation, the students of CMM 350 History and Analysis of Propaganda will share what they have learned through their respective efforts to identify a specific campaign of propaganda associated with the election and to analyze that campaign in light of the methods, strategies, and approaches often used by propagandists. Each team will give a brief presentation about its project and their core argument. At the end, audience members will have a chance to ask questions to the class and/or specific teams.
An Autoethnographic Analysis of Naked Attraction: Reality Dating Television’s Impact and Relationship to Modern Dating and Hookup Culture

McKenna E. Meyer

Naked Attraction, a British reality dating show, has sparked curiosity and controversy with its unique approach to matchmaking. Contestants select dates based solely on physical appearance, all while being showcased as fully nude on television. This paper presents a feminist autoethnographic analysis of Naked Attraction and its impact on modern dating culture through the integration of critical media analysis, peer-reviewed research, and reflection on personal experiences. Naked Attraction promotes the objectification of individuals' bodies, reinforces mainstream beauty standards and gender norms, and influences interpersonal communication in relationships–particularly the act and expectation of sending nudes. This gender and sexuality-focused analysis provides deep and relatable insight into the complex interplay between media, culture, and personal experiences in the realm of intimate relationships.
An Investigation into Volleyball Rally Length

MaryRose N. Schertler

In 2016, the “Fédération Internationale De Volleyball” found that the average length of a professional women’s volleyball rally was 7.25 seconds. A similar investigation will be conducted with collegiate women’s volleyball games. Data was collected from the NCAA division 1 championship matches. The rally length will also be studied in relation to teams and players. The hypothesis will be tested using some t-tests, as well as the non-parametric Wilcoxon’s Signed-Rank test and the Bootstrap Method. Confidence intervals will be provided using these methods.
Annual Department of Music Honors Recital Competition

Skylar Raine Archer, Kaleigh Sierra Armstrong, Brendan James Ash, Joseph Robert Barnett, Katherine E. Bishop, Marie Elena Bliss, Judy Calo, Makayla E. Cripe, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Crowell, Emily Rae Debevec, Anna Valerie Delaney, Dominic Michael Delligatti, Penelope Margaux Fisher, Rachel Gleberman, Annika Hall, Katarina Lucyna Lagodzinski, Patrick Andrew Linegang, Gabriel John Lusk, Aaron M. Moen, Ashleigh Rose Muir, Chloe E. Parrish, Dylan Wayne Reynolds, Trinity Le'shae Rice, Kyleigh Lynn Ryan, Charlotte Cettina Silvidi, Anna Smith, Karsyn Nicole Williams, Amber Louise Zanders, Luke David de Villiers

Twelve music students selected by the Department of Music faculty perform for a panel of outside judges, who will choose six finalists to perform on the Honors Recital at the end of the semester. Performances will include a variety of vocal and instrumental music.
Annual Horvath Student Juried Exhibition

Nicholaus C. Arnold

Student work is exhibited each spring in the Annual Horvath Juried Student Exhibition. Submission is open to all University of Dayton students taking classes in the Department of Art and Design during the academic year of the exhibition. Since 1975, this event has displayed award-winning works that include dramatic sculpture, exuberantly colored paintings and an array of experimental drawings, ceramics, prints, photographs and designs. Support for the awards comes from the Bela Horvath Award Fund established by Mrs. Horvath in honor of her husband, a Hungarian artist who found refuge in Dayton during and after World War II. Bela Horvath taught painting at the University of Dayton in the 1950s. Juror Emily Everhart is the Liberal Arts Chair and Assistant Professor of Art History at The Art Academy of Cincinnati. Emily specializes in 18th and 19th Century European art. She has presented in national conferences and received grants and fellowships for research in the U.S. and abroad. A portion of her doctoral thesis will appear in a forthcoming publication by the Georgia Museum of Art. Her current research interest is in manifestations of eighteenth-century sociability in landscape architecture. The awards winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 17.
Antagonistic interactions between Dpp signaling and defective proventriculus determines eye versus head fate

Anjali Sangeeth

Axial patterning, a crucial process during development, involves the delineation of three axes, such as Antero-Posterior (AP), Dorso-Ventral (DV), and Proximo-Distal (PD), is required for the transition of a monolayer organ primordium to a three-dimensional organ.Axial patterning involves the participation of morphogens, transcription factors, and regulatory genes. Any deviations in this process result in birth defects. We have identified a K-50 homeodomain-containing transcription factor, defective proventriculus (dve, an ortholog of SATB1), as a dorsal fate selector gene during eye development. Using genetic approaches, we found that Dve interacts with various signaling pathways during eye development to determine eye versus head fate. Among these, a highly conserved Decapentaplegic (Dpp)/Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathway, which forms a morphogen gradient in the developing Drosophila eye, acts antagonistically to dve to regulate retinal differentiation and thereby determines eye versus head fate. Here we present our studies on molecular genetic interactions between the members of Dpp signaling pathway and dve during eye development. Interestingly, SATB1, a mammalian homolog of dve, exhibits similar interaction with Dpp signaling pathway members suggesting that these interactions may be conserved.
Anti-predator Behavior in Response to Conspecific Visual, Olfactory, and Damage Cues in the Three-spined Stickleback

Claire Elizabeth Van Meter

Predation is a major source of mortality for prey, which creates a selective pressure to avoid predators whenever possible. By using alarm cues produced by conspecifics, individuals can be alerted of nearby predators without coming into direct contact with them. However, we do not know whether individuals can distinguish between different kinds of conspecific cues and if some types of cues may indicate a more severe predation threat compared to others. I studied the ability of the three-spined stickleback to distinguish between environmental cues by exposing conspecifics to 4 different treatments in a randomized order: 1) Control (control olfactory cues with an unexposed demonstrator), 2) Visual Only (control olfactory cues with an exposed demonstrator), 3)Visual and Stress (stress cues with an exposed demonstrator), and 4) Visual, Stress, and Damage (stress and damage cues with an exposed demonstrator). For 5 minutes before and after exposure to the cues, I watched for four key defensive behaviors: hiding in plants, hiding in the gravel at the bottom of the tank, thigmotaxis, and shoaling. Directly after each assay, I placed the focal subject in 200ml of RO water in a 600ml beaker for 1 hour to collect waterborne cortisol. It was found that observer hiding behavior increased when observers were exposed to visual cues of stressed conspecifics paired with either olfactory cues of stressed conspecifics or conspecific stress and damage cues. Observers also shoaled less when exposed to visual cues paired with olfactory stress cues, but not with visual cues alone, or visual cues paired with stress and damage cues. Males shoaled more than females, but hid less than females. There was no observed change in behavior for demonstrators, regardless of what cues were added. There were also no differences in waterborne cortisol levels for each of the treatments.
Application of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity

Weston Ward Brundage, Ethan Andrew Selkirk, Johnathan Robert Traudt

This project delves into the profound realm of special relativity, a groundbreaking theory developed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. The research begins by providing background on the historical and conceptual foundations of special relativity, unraveling the fundamental principles that revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and the nature of the universe. The theoretical framework of special relativity, characterized by the postulates of constancy of the speed of light and the relativity of simultaneity is initially introduced. The project then navigates through the Lorentz transformations, and some of the mathematics behind it. Beyond its theoretical foundations, this project explores the diverse applications of special relativity across various fields. The impact of special relativity on astrophysics, cosmology, and high-energy particle physics is investigated, showcasing its role in explaining phenomena such as time dilation, length contraction, and relativistic mass increase. Additionally, practical applications in modern technologies, such as global positioning systems (GPS) and particle accelerators, underscore the indispensability of special relativity in shaping the technological landscape.
Applying Linear Regression Models to Assess Spatial and Environmental Risk Factors of Chronic Wasting Disease Amongst Deer Populations in Montana

Aidan Burns Mornhinweg

By applying both GIS and statistical analysis formulas, such as ordinary least squares (OLR) and geographic weighted regression (GWR), to multiple variables, I have been determining risk factors and their % of influence on spreading chronic wasting disease (CWD) amongst various deer populations throughout Montana. Upon analyzing each risk factor (primarily land use data, soil, pH levels, habitat types, carcasses, etc.), I am able to apply my linear regression model to hot spots throughout Montana to determine which areas are most at risk of spreading CWD (both how and why). GIS software, ArcGIS Pro, is my main tool and support for computing my linear regression model and takes into consideration the spatially temporal data and dimensions of this disease. As of now, all of my gathered data is open source. Thank you.
Are measures to decrease or prevent pollution just

Brett Timothy Brne

My poster presentation is about if measures to decrease or prevent pollution is just. In my case I will be using the theories of justice by Rawls and Nozick. Rawls and Nozick while both using theories of justice have conflicting views, and I will be covering some similarities and differences in their theories and in this case. My goal is to determine what these two would believe to be morally correct in the given situation. Rawls theory supports that it would be unjust, while Nozick believes that it would be a morally correct action. To reach this conclusion I have read both of their works and will provide evidence in my poster presentation.
Argumentation & Advocacy - Policy Panel

Hannah Shay Bordeau, Robert John Bremyer, Estrella Cuellar, Isabela Maria Fernandez

Students will present competing policy proposal arguments, cross-examine each other, then convince the audience/jury of the relative superiority of their case. Afterwards, audience ballots will choose the winning policy.
Assaults with an assist: Gender violence in the National Hockey League and league reputation based on crisis communication

Yana Crossland

In October of 2022, an anonymous Twitter user under the pseudonym Emily Smith published a Tweet that contained a screenshot of a very long statement which alleged that Ian Cole, a defensemen for the Tampa Bay Lightning, had groomed and sexually assaulted her. The last paragraph of the statement says that “the NHL [National Hockey League] fosters a culture of misogyny”, and because of this, players feel “emboldened” to commit these acts of violence towards their victims (Smith, 2022). The NHL conducted an investigation in which they determined Cole was innocent (Associated Press, 2022). There are multitudes of instances in which players commit acts of gender violence (rishcast, 2021). When such incidents occur, the NHL may find it necessary to formally release a statement regarding the incident. This study examined how such a response impacts league reputation, word-of-mouth, behavior intention, and attitude, using the lens of situational crisis communication theory (SCCT).
Assessing the Behavioral Effects of Conditional SERCA2 Deletion in central GABAergic Neurons

Hayden Nathaniel Ott

The regulation of calcium (Ca2+), a critical ionic messenger, has been implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes including gene transcription, muscle contraction, and neurotransmitter release. The sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA), an intracellular regulator of Ca2+ homeostasis that functions by sequestering Ca2+ into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is a particular molecule of interest. Previous research has implicated dysfunction of SERCA regulation as a contributor to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and neurodevelopmental disorders including Autism-spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we sought to further understand the role of SERCA2 in behavior through the creation of a novel transgenic mouse line that is characterized by conditional deletion of SERCA2 in the brain’s γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic inhibitory neurons. Male and female mice of this line then underwent a behavioral battery assessing motor function, anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of SERCA's role in behavior and the mechanisms contributing to complex neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Assessing the effectiveness of soil amendments and prairie seed mixes in remediating degraded soil during ecological restoration following industrial agriculture.

Madelaine Claire Gregory, Anna R. Pallone, Valerie Nicole Thurston

The abandonment of fields once used for industrial agriculture is an increasing phenomenon within the Midwest as well as on a global scale.Management practices used in agriculture such as tilling, intensive herbicide and pesticide use, and establishing monocultures of crops results in disturbance and poor soil quality which creates obstacles for native establishment. This study began in the summer of 2019 with the establishment of 20 (50 × 50 m) square plots in a former agricultural field, each of which received one of four native prairie seed treatments that varied by number of species present (diversity) and weight of legume (5% or 20%). These plots were then sub-divided into 4 subplots, each of which received one of four soil amendments. Soil samples were collected for the assessment of (a) nutrient levels and (b) activity of carbon cycling enzymes Phenol Oxidase, Peroxidase and β-glucosidase. Our data suggests that in response to time soil nutrients are shifting in a direction that is more reflective of restored conditions. Additionally, there is a significant decrease in activity of carbon cycling enzymes Phenol Oxidase and β-glucosidase in response to time and treatments applied. Developing techniques to transition post-agricultural lands to biodiverse and functioning ecosystems is a foundational scientific challenge locally, regionally, and globally. Our project has the potential to influence many restoration projects given that our results may inform management practices.
Assessment of Generative AI Images

Kriti Sharma, Thomas William Sherk

With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, text- image generation models such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and the Contrastive Language-Image Pretraining (CLIP ) models have gained significant attention for their ability to create realistic and visually appealing images from textual descriptions. Evaluating the quality of these generated images, however, remains a challenging task, as these models are complex and some proprietary and the datasets large. To advance the study of artificially generated images, we are introducing a novel dataset, Generative Artificial Image Assessment (GAIA), comprised of images from eight popular text-to-image AI models as well as user rankings from a crowd-sourced annotation. Furthermore, the inclusion of neural net- works/transformer architecture can also obfuscate the underlying decision process that is used to generate the image.
A Traditional Marian Devotion: The Litany of Loreto

Molly Catherine O'Brien, Selena Rose Waldron

The Litany of Loreto is a traditional Catholic prayer devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the many titles gifted to her by the Church. Our research consists of the history of the devotion, Biblical bases for the names of Mary, how the names in the Litany relate to Church teaching, specifically the four Marian dogmas, and how this devotion is practiced today. The Litany brings Tradition and Scripture to life, and characterizes Mary with many traits and attributes that help us to come to know her better, and in knowing her, grow in relation with her Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
Attitudes Towards Service Dogs In-Training

Lindsey Person

This study looked at people’s attitudes towards having service dogs in-training in a classroom setting. Specifically, this study looked at attitudes of students, handlers (primary caretakers of the service dog in-training), and professors at the University of Dayton towards having the 4 Paws for Ability Service Dogs in-training in the classroom. People in general are hypothesized to have positive attitudes towards in-training service dogs in the classroom, but any negative attitudes could be due to the dogs being distracting, causing allergic reactions, or for religious reasons. Students and handlers are hypothesized to have positive attitudes towards in-training service dogs. Instructors are hypothesized to have attitudes towards in-training service dogs that will be mostly positive, but perhaps a little less due to the possibility of dogs being distracting in class. The sample included 123 students, 3 handlers, and 12 instructors. Attitudes were measured using the Coleman Dog Attitude Scale and 12 additional questions about attitudes towards service dogs in training in the classroom. The results showed that overall attitudes towards having the service dogs in the classroom were positive from the perspective of the students, handlers, and instructors.
Authentic Materials in Language Learning

Nills Alesandro Rojas Mora

While the benefits of authentic materials in language instruction are well known, some teachers do not feel confident in implementing them into their classrooms. A group of spanish-speaking English learners were exposed to a series of lesson plans that include authentic materials to exemplify the importance of using realia in the classroom. This project aims to offer language teachers an insight on the benefits of exposing students to authentic materials and strategies to effectively incorporate them into regular lesson plans. The study shows aspects that teachers need to consider when using authentic materials in their classrooms and the researcher’s reflections for more appropriate uses of these resources in language instruction.