Stander Symposium: College of Arts and Sciences

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  Examining the Correlation of Parent-Child Questionnaire Responses on Trauma Exposure and PTSD Symptomatology

  Julia Fabian, Julia Johnson

  The Dayton Kids Study is a five-year longitudinal study examining psychosocial markers of risk vs resilience following traumatic events among 122 families in the Dayton area. Through established measures, the study asks both children and parents to report on their exposure to stress and trauma, symptoms of psychopathology, coping strategies, and family factors. In addition, families provide saliva samples at each checkpoint for further epigenetic analysis. Understanding how children and their caregivers may similarly or differently perceive adverse childhood events is critical to research examining biological and psychological predictors of outcomes. Concordance with respect to trauma exposure and trauma-related symptoms is limited. By examining the rates of concordance from baseline data in the Dayton Kids Study, researchers aim to gain insight on the effect of adverse childhood experiences on their wellbeing. This study aims to examine rates of concordance in two measures of trauma exposure: the Community Violence Exposure (CVE) and the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index (UCLA). Based on prior literature, we believe there will be low levels of caregiver-child concordance on these measures, with caregivers overreporting children’s exposure to trauma and their symptomatology.

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  Examining the Effects of Parental Warmth and Hostility on Juvenile Gang Involvement

  Anamarie Pohlmann, Kailey Zarlinski

  In a longitudinal study, we are looking at the correlation between parent/child relationships and gang involvement: How does parental warmth and hostility contribute to an increase in gang involvement among juveniles? The study involves 1,354 cases focusing on an age group of above 14 and under 18 that have been deemed guilty of a serious offense, including felonies, sexual assault, weapons offense, and some property offenses. From research there may be a correlation between the warmth and hostility of parents to the likelihood of their children joining a gang. If there is a lack of warmth and an abundance of hostility it may make the subject more at risk of becoming involved with the gang. The study also looks at other factors in the home and subjects' life that may have involvement with this decision. There are the factors of the home life such as what the subject is exposed to as well as the subjects own behavior in response to their socioeconomic status. Overall analyzing the factors and what kind of correlation they have to the result of the subject joining a gang.

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  Examining the Influence of Social Media on Political Polarization and the Ideological Gap of Young People in the United States

  Emily Antognoli

  In the 2024 election, roughly 50% of white men under the age of thirty supported the conservative presidential nominee, Donald Trump (Brown, 2024). In contrast, young women under the age of thirty have begun shifting more liberal beginning in 1999 (Saad, 2024). Certain media outlets, such as Fox News, may exacerbate the perceived differences between political groups and may contribute to the increasing feelings of status threat, political polarization, and out-group biases leading to alt-right extremism (Isom et al., 2021).The present study will examine the relationships between ambivalent sexism, political collective narcissism, social dominance orientation, zero-sum thinking, with trust in conservative media, status threat, interests in guns and civic engagement. The online survey will launch in mid-March 2025. We aim to recruit 200 undergraduate participants enrolled in Introduction to Psychology courses at the University of Dayton. First, participants will answer questions on the political collective narcissism scale (Golec de Zavala et al., 2009), Ambivalent Sexism Scale (Rollero et al., 1999), the zero-sum thinking scale (Chinoy et al., 2023), and the social dominance orientation scale (Ho et al., 2015). Then, participants will answer questions about the study’s outcomes such as their trust in conservative media, status threat, gun interest, and civic engagement interest. We expect to find that white men will score higher on the political collective narcissism, ambivalent sexism, zero-sum thinking, and social dominances orientation scales, more likely to trust conservative media, will be more interested in guns, and less interested in civic engagement. These results will provide insight on how media consumption, gender attitudes, status threat, and societal perceptions contribute to the growing political polarization and turn to alt-right extremism observed in young men and women in past two decades.

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  Excavating the Real Sister Act: Black Catholic Nuns and the Challenges and Possibilities of the Archive

  Ikeyaira Metcalf

  Black Catholic nuns are the forgotten prophets of United States Catholicism and democracy. Although Black nuns have been present in the United States for nearly 200 years, their lives, labors, and struggles remain grossly understudied and under-researched. One reason for this invisibility is the absence of a centralized and accessible archive documenting Black sisters' long and complex history in the nation and wider Catholic Church. The presentation will outline the key challenges and possibilities of building a digital archive and bibliography of America's real sister act for scholars and students of history.

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  Exploring ChatGPT’s Impact on Academic Writing: A Study on Time, Motivation, and Disciplinary Differences among University of Dayton First-Year Students

  Eva Lonneman, Alexander Nguyen, Nathan Parker, Mia Prisby, Danielle Walusis

  The widespread adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies for teaching and learning has significant impacts for how students learn across disciplines. This is especially true for students’ use of GenAI as part of their writing processes and writing assignments, long understood as direct evidence of students’ thinking and learning (Emig 1978; Flower, 1981; Flower & Hayes, 1984). GenAI technologies change how students engage in various aspects of their writing - including planning, writing, and revising - as well as how students represent their learning through human-AI collaboration (Dobrin, 2023). But how do students decide whether and how to use GenAI technologies to complete writing assignments? This project examines the correlation between three primary factors that contribute to GenAI use: time, which characterizes the temporally bound constraints in which students must demonstrate their learning through various kinds of assigned writing tasks; motivation, which characterizes students’ interest and investment in their learning; and disciplinary knowledge, which describes students’ understanding of course content. To investigate these questions, we report on a survey of first-year students regarding their use of the GenAI tool ChatGPT in completing writing and research tasks for course assignments. This survey investigates the relationships between time, motivation, and disciplinary knowledge as their pertain to students’ use of ChatGPT in course assignments. We elaborate upon the survey findings through textual analysis of ChatGPT output as it appears within students’ final written products submitted for course assignments, tracing the ways that students incorporate ChatGPT’s responses to their prompts into assignments, and the role that ChatGPT output plays in students’ writing processes. Taken together, these data provide a clearer understanding of both the factors contributing to student use of ChatGPT and a description how students take ChatGPT output into account when completing writing assignments.

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  Exploring Fandoms through the Lens of Propaganda Analysis

  Irasen Borders, Derek Boykin, Audrey Castle, Noah Corbin, Lauren T. Crum, Colin Dempsey, Spencer Dileo, Sean Dodd, Michael Duvic, Bridget Mary Flood, Dyan Garner, Kristofer Geier, Leah Heil, Austin Holguin, Maria Manzella, Katharine McCabe, Camryn McKenzie, Kurtis Neiman, Paul Nemeth, Lindsay Norton, Tyler Peterson, Natalie Rach, Patrick Schwartz, Emma Sparling, Evie Stuczynski, Michael Tomes, Olivia Turturro, Madeleine Vandegrift, Sophia Vonkaenel, Connor Weisensel, Sofia Zunt

  In CMM 350 History and Analysis of Propaganda, we as a class explored the phenomenon of fandoms through the lens of propaganda analysis. Working in small groups, we selected four fandoms, each of which we approached as a distinct campaign of propaganda, combining features of conventional top-down direct propaganda and horizontal decentralized sub-propaganda. These fandoms included the messaging surrounding Luigi Mangioni, the alleged assassin of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare; convicted serial killer Ted Bundy; the reality TV show Survivor; and Mickey Mouse, the legendary icon of Walt Disney Studios. Using five steps of a method developed by Jowett & O’Donnell, we studied primary and secondary sources relating to these campaigns; mapped the structure of the campaign as a communication system; and analyzed these sources to draw conclusions about the identity of the propagandist, the target audience, techniques for the utilization of media in the campaign, special techniques employed in the campaign for influencing the audience, and the reaction of the audience. The goal of this analysis is to provide an accurate understanding of the workings of these campaigns, often invisible to the public, so that we and others as consumers of media can make more informed decisions about our interactions with these and similar campaigns. We also hope to identify patterns that stretch across these different campaigns, despite their different foci, which can help us to understand the general phenomenon of fandoms, including the active and creative ways audiences participate in the campaign and contribute to it.

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  Exploring Large Language Models in Interviews

  Kanishka Kolakaluri

  In this project, we explore the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) in simulating the interviews. In particular, we target the most popular jobs on LinkedIn. Also, we collect the data from the user and the targeted job position. From the collected data, we simulate the interviews in the form of Q&A by using LLMs. By using our self-developed user interface, we tried our system with real users. The feedback is generally positive and it paves way to the future usage of LLMs in interviews.

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  Exploring the Environmental Justice Implications by Assessing Flood Vulnerability in Southwestern Ohio

  Caroline Deerwester

  Flooding is one of the most destructive natural disasters, with widespread implications for public safety, infrastructure, and environmental health. Southwestern Ohio, specifically the city of Dayton, has historically experienced flood events. The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 in Dayton, Ohio, was one of the most catastrophic flooding events, causing the Great Miami River(GMR) to overflow its banks. This tragic event led to the loss of over 360 lives and widespread property damage. In recent years, climate change models have projected increasing flood events. In addition, flood risks are not distributed equally across communities. In Dayton, historical redlining policies have shaped the demographic distribution, leaving underserved minority communities, particularly in the Northwestern parts of the city near the Great Miami River, disproportionately vulnerable to environmental hazards. These areas are not only at risk of flooding, but also suffer from historical and systemic disadvantages related to economic, racial, and social factors. This creates an urgent need to assess flood vulnerability within the context of environmental justice. This study investigates the social impacts of the 1913 flood, focusing on how minority populations were affected. To achieve this, we construct a historical Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) using 1910 census data, comparing it to a contemporary SVI developed through principal component analysis (PCA) applied to current vulnerability-related demographic variables at the census-block level. Our comparative analysis of historical and contemporary SVIs aims to evaluate whether infrastructure improvements, particularly the levee system, have effectively mitigated flood vulnerability and addressed disparities in flood risk exposure over time.

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  Exploring the Link Between Coping with Uncertainty and Personal Values

  David Comer

  Uncertainty is a key challenge in engineering, where incomplete knowledge and unpredictability often arise. Ronald E. van den Hoek’s work on coping with uncertainty provides strategies for managing these challenges. This research explores how personal values influence responses to uncertainty, using insights from A Tapestry of Values by Kevin Elliott. Elliott’s framework highlights how values shape scientific decision-making, particularly in uncertain situations. By integrating these perspectives, the study aims to show how a better understanding of values can improve decision-making and promote socially responsible outcomes in engineering projects.

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  Exploring the Role of miRNAs in Craniofacial Syndromes: A Genome-Wide Approach Using Drosophila Models

  Mani Subramanian

  A dorsal selector gene defective proventriculus (dve), ortholog of human SATB1, is involved in a conserved mechanism of placement spacing of eyes on the heads. During organogenesis, GATA-1 transcription factor pannier (pnr) regulates dve to determine dorsal eye fate. Among various gene regulation mechanisms for dve expression, there is no information on transcriptional regulation mediated gene silencing by microRNA (miRNAs). miRNAs are the short hairpin like structure with 20-25bp which modulates the gene expressions post-transcriptionally by binding to 3’UTR of mRNAs. To discern genetic mechanism(s) regulating dve expression, we performed a forward genetic screen using a miRNA library in Drosophila eye and identified the miR-190 family as a genetic modifier. Gain-of-function (GOF) of miR-190 results in increased eye size accompanied with increased expression domain of retinal determination genes, morphogenetic furrow marker, and reduced expression of negative regulator of eye fate markers like Wg, Hth. The increased eye size in miR-190 GOF is due to increased cell proliferation with reduced cell death. Using bioinformatic analysis, we developed a miR-190-sensor which has miR-190 binding sequence from Dve 3’UTR tagged to GFP. Targeted GOF of miR-190 in domain specific manner eliminates GFP expression, which confirms dve as a target of miR-190. Regulation of dve by miR-190 is conserved as SATB1 also showed similar mode of regulation by miR-190a in humans and GOF of both dve and SATB1, rescues eye phenotypes of miR-190 in Drosophila models. We present a new mechanism of post-transcriptional regulation of dve/SATB1 expression by miR-190/miR-190a. This study demonstrates that dysregulation of the miR-190/SATB1 pathway leads to developmental defects in humans, including hypertelorism, which is characterized by an increased interocular distance and associated facial anomalies.

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  Exploring the role of SERCA2 in the mouse brain using novel transgenic and pharmacological mouse models.

  Hayden Ott

  Ca2+ homeostasis is critical for various neural processes such as neurotransmission and development. A key regulator of intracellular Ca2+-handling is the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum (SR/ER) Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA), which operates by sequestering cytosolic Ca2+ into the ER. Dysfunction of SERCA and Ca2+ homeostasis have been implicated in several debilitating neuropsychiatric conditions including schizophrenia, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Our lab has recently reported that chronic pharmacological allosteric activation of SERCA via CDN1163, impact mouse behavior and the brain's neurochemistry in a sex-specific manner. Interestingly, we’ve additionally observed that phospholamban (PLN), a critical regulator of SERCA2 that has been well-studied with regard to its role in the heart, is also selectively expressed in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) of the mouse brain. Using a novel transgenic mouse model, we have found that genetic ablation of PLN in this brain region induces an ADHD-like phenotype characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and sleep-deficits. Currently, we are continuing to investigate the roles of the PLN and SERCA in the brain using genetic and pharmacological approaches in conjunction with neurochemical analyses, as well as behavioral and RNA/protein expression assessments. The results of these experiments have high potential to give us deep insights into the role of the PLN/SERCA2 pathway in the neurobiology of debilitating brain disorders.

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  Fabrication and validation of low-cost, biologically relevant, easy-to-prepare tissue-mimicking materials

  Ethan Selkirk

  Using affordable, readily available materials, we have developed multiple tissue- and blood-mimicking materials (known as "tissue phantoms"), for calibrating and testing optical spectroscopy and imaging technologies. By incorporating everyday products such as coffee, coffee creamer, paint pigments, food coloring, and gelatin, we create tissue phantoms that closely replicate the optical properties of biological tissues while remaining low-cost and easy to produce. Our goal is to minimize costs without compromising accuracy, and through collaborations with researchers at other institutions, we have successfully developed, measured, and assessed the reproducibility of different tissue phantoms. Our current focus is on replicating the absorption spectra of melanin and hemoglobin, as well as changes that occur in the scattering spectrum during the development of skin cancer. The accessibility and reproducibility of these tissue phantoms make them potentially valuable tools both for teaching tissue-optics principles to students and for validating the accuracy of oximetry and cancer detection technologies.

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  "Faculty Value Perceptions: The Influence of Gender and Rank"

  Samantha Bowman, Maria Gillotti, Jack Koertje

  This research investigates how women, transgender, and gender nonconforming non-tenure track (NTT) faculty perceive their value in the university as compared to men in similar roles. The academy is in a moment of pivotal change, in which changing demographic trends and competition for tuition-paying undergraduates has forced institutions of higher learning, especially regional private universities, to restructure faculty appointments. This has led to an increasing proportion of faculty hiring into non tenure-track roles vis-à-vis traditional tenure eligible ones as a method of cost savings. Moreover, the proportion of women and gender nonconforming individuals (as a group) serving in these contingent roles is notably higher than that of their male counterparts. To uncover the gendered dynamics of value perception amongst professional faculty at a university, we employ a brief survey followed by more in-depth interviewing through the use of focus groups and, potentially, one-on-one interviews. We acknowledge different instruments are needed to answer different and complex questions of how gender identity intersects with the experience and perception of value of NTT faculty.

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  Faith and Fertility: The Intersection of Reproductive Rights and Religion

  Grady Baumgartner, Mya Hurst, Katherine Marzec

  A literature review over the complicated relationship between religion and reproductive rights. Seeking to promote understanding and respectful dialogue, emphasizing the need for policies that balance religious convictions with the protection of individual rights.

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  Fast and Flourishing: How Callery Pear Outpaces Native Species

  Megan Stoneburner

  Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is an invasive woody species that threatens ecosystems in the eastern United States. This species was originally introduced to the United States as fire-blight resistant ornamental trees, and became popular due to the attractive flowers that are present from April to May that develop into fruits that stay on the trees for some of the winter. In the Miami Valley region, Callery pear is prevalent and aggressive in taking over niche space. Phenology is the study of the life cycle of a plant. In this study, we are focused on the phenology of Callery pear’s vegetative, fruiting, and flowering features. Callery pear is thought to have an extended phenology that allows it to outcompete native species in the area. The goal of this study is to give us a better understanding of Callery pear’s phenology in a changing climate. To obtain this goal, we established three study sites located in Montgomery County, Ohio, USA. These study sites were categorized as rural, urban, or suburban. Each of these study sites had five tagged Callery pear tree branches where vegetative, fruit, and flowering features were recorded on a weekly basis.We found that Callery pear begins to leaf out and buds earlier than similar native species. There was also evidence that some Callery pear trees flowered twice in a single growing season. These findings support our idea that Callery pear’s phenology is giving it an advantage over native species.

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  Fate in Focus: Investigating Dve and Chb Roles in Drosophila eye development

  Sunanda Yogi

  Chromosome bows (Chb)/Mast/Orbit is essential for organizing the bipolar mitotic spindle at the kinetochore. This microtubule plus-end tracking protein maintains the microtubule dynamics and is evolutionarily conserved, with its human ortholog being a cytoplasmic linker-associated protein (CLASP). CLASP is vital for microtubule distribution and stability during the cell cycle and has been implicated in neurofibrillary tangle formation in tauopathies. From the preliminary studies, we have found certain pathogenic variants in the CLASP, which leads to a spectrum of opathy disorders, including Roifman Syndrome. The phenotypic features were seen as skeletal and organ anomalies, developmental delay in vision, and facial dysmorphism. We use Drosophila as a genetically tractable model system encompassing various developmental stages to mechanistically understand how pathogenic variants in CLASP/Chb contribute to developmental delays. Our investigation of the genetic interactome revealed that Chb is suppressed by defective proventriculus (Dve), a K50 homeodomain transcription factor, which is essential for cell type specification and expressed in the dorsal head vertex region of the eye-antennal imaginal disc. We hypothesize that if Dve regulates Chb expression, it may lead to altered microtubule assembly. By employing the UAS-Gal4 system to knock down and overexpress Chb in the eye, we observed a reduction in eye size and a shift from eye to cuticular fate in the proper ommatidial arrangement. We are examining Chb expression in the eye, focusing on its loss-of-function and gain-of-function effects on Dve. Additionally, we aim to investigate the impact on Dve expression and its downstream regulators of eye development. This research will provide insights into the key partners involved in the cellular assembly of microtubules during birth eye defects.

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  Feathered Friends and Solar Trends: A Study of Bird Nest Architecture in Solar Prairies

  Andrew Heinisch, Aidan Minnick, Megan Stoneburner, Nicolina Valore

  Solar prairies are becoming increasingly more popular as a sustainable energy source, but there is a current gap in research regarding animal interactions with solar panels. Birds often use solar panels as nesting sites because it provides protection from aerial predators. However, higher nest temperatures can affect bird development with the ideal nest temperature ranging from 36 to 40 degrees Celsius. In our study, we observed bird nests at two different solar prairie locations and both locations had different solar panel types from one another. The first was at Curran Place which has tilting solar panels which adjust their position to maximize sun exposure. The other location was at the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) which contained fixed solar panels that did not move at all. At both locations we measured the diameter, height, depth and angle of attachment of each bird nest found. Along with these measurements we also noted the species of bird for each bird nest, and we recorded the temperature of several House Finch nests at both locations over several weeks to compare how the temperatures of the nests varied between the two different solar panel types. We found that bird nest architecture is affected by the movement of solar panels: most bird nests had increased height, diameter, and depth on the fixed array. Findings from this study will help fill the gap of knowledge regarding animal and solar prairie interactions and ultimately provide insight into building and structuring solar prairies in eco-friendly ways.

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  Fluctuating Asymmetry in Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris Blanchardi): Indicators of Habitat Health and Water Quality

  Elliot Chinnock

  Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the deviation from perfect bilateral symmetry, serves as a measure of developmental instability influenced by environmental stressors. Amphibians, particularly Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi), are effective bioindicators due to their sensitivity to habitat changes. This study aimed to assess FA in A. blanchardi populations across three sites in the Dayton, Ohio, area to evaluate its potential as a bioindicator of habitat quality. Fieldwork conducted from May to August 2024 yielded 70 frogs, with habitat and water quality data recorded at each site. Hindlimb asymmetry was measured using ImageJ software, and statistical analyses included ANOVA and a one-tailed t-test. Results showed no significant variation in FA across the sites (p = 0.357), but a significant difference between sexes (p = 0.035), with males exhibiting higher asymmetry than females. These findings suggest that biological factors, such as sexual dimorphism, may play a greater role in FA than anticipated. The lack of significant environmental effects highlights the need for further research into how different factors interact to affect FA. Potential future research will expand sample sizes to look into these other factors and strengthen FA’s utility as a conservation tool for amphibians.

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  Flyer PR 2024-25 Client Cases

  Stacy Allen, Gabrielle Davis, Maeve Kelly, Haley Reid

  Flyer PR, UD’s student-run public relations agency, account executives will present results from its major client cases from this year.

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  Formalizing some Historical Partition Theory Identities in Lean

  Gabriel Gray

  Lean is a functional programming language that serves as a proof-checking language to assist mathematicians in the process of writing and confirming mathematical theorems. Particularly, the project taken on by the Lean community is to formalize theorems and definitions from all different areas of math, in pursuit of perhaps a new paradigm and era of mathematical theorem proving. As of right now, much of the work of the Lean community is focused on formalizing all undergraduate and intro-level graduate mathematical content to set the stage for future and more advanced work within the language. Euler's classic partition identity states that the number of partitions of a natural number n into odd parts equals the number of partitions of n into distinct parts. Since then, there have been many extensions, analogs, and generalizations of this famous identity. For example, Glashier in 1883 generalized odd to non-divisible by k, and distinct to appearing less than k times. Currently, the only partition identity formalized within the Lean language is Euler's original identity, leaving a large gap in the area including many historical theorems. This project seeks to do just that; formalizing results such as Glashier's and further extensions, reaching out to newly proven research by the presenter.

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  From Beak to Prairie: Bird Influence on Seed Dispersal and Invasive Plant Establishment

  Kiyah Burroughs

  Invasive plant species pose serious threats to biodiversity within many ecosystems, including in the American Midwest, by outcompeting native plants. Extended phenology of invasive plants is a useful adaptation of invasive plant species that allow better success at outcompeting native plant species. This research focuses on identifying bird species found within two study sites, Spring Run Conservation Area and Fouke Forest Preserve, and the identification of seeds found within bird feces collected at those sites, throughout the year, to gain a better understanding of the influence birds have on seed dispersal into prairie habitats. It is hypothesized that seed species within bird droppings will vary throughout the year as well as vary among the different bird species. Bird feces were collected in baskets from the study sites from July 2024-January 2025 and sorted to species. Seed viability was accessed through the use of a TZ test and germination trails. Many seed species were identified based on seed morphology. Those that were difficult to identify through seed morphology alone underwent a cold stratification before being germinated so that they may be identified using sprout morphology. After collection, it was observed that native seedlings were collected more in the summer while invasives were present in bird feces in the late fall and winter. The visible shift in seed species from native seeds to heavily invasive shows the effectiveness invasive plant species have on open field establishment through bird dispersal techniques. This research aids in providing a wider understanding of the impact birds have on open field plant establishment, specifically their impact on invasive species success, and brings us one step closer to finding solutions

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  From Classroom to Community: Enhancing Civic Engagement through Ethics and Leadership Development

  Jaylyn M Murray, Alexis Taylor

  The Fitz Center for Leadership in Community at the University of Dayton is dedicated to cultivating servant leaders and fostering just communities through reciprocal partnerships and engaged learning. Central to this mission are the Ethics and Leadership Initiative and the Dayton Civic Scholars programs, both designed to equip students with the necessary skills and ethical frameworks for effective civic engagement. This poster delves into the integration of ethics and leadership training in preparing students for civic engagement. By examining the structure, content, and outcomes of these programs, we aim to highlight best practices and underscore the importance of embedding ethical and leadership development in higher education to cultivate effective civic professionals.

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  From Ripples to Waves: Temporal Effects of Stormwater on Fish and Macroinvertebrate Community Diversity

  James Brown, Adele Hinker, Elizabeth Miles-Flynn

  The City of Dayton is a confluence of five major rivers and is responsible for ensuring these bodies of water remain safe for human and biological activities. Throughout the city, municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) empty stormwater runoff that drains into the surrounding rivers. Regular assessments of stormwater outfalls for pollutants are essential to ensure these bodies of water meet the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requirements for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). This project focuses on how stormwater dry weather flows alter water quality and bioindicators at five MS4s sites throughout the City of Dayton. We surveyed each aquatic habitat using the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We measured water quality, quantified fish diversity, and collected macroinvertebrates monthly between May and September 2024 at each site. We also collected environmental DNA to estimate fish diversity, which was sent for analysis at the beginning and end of the summer. We preserved, sorted, and identified macroinvertebrates at the family level in the Reihart Lab to measure the biological integrity of each site. Overall, we found that most sites had water quality variables that fell within the normal range for streams; however, one site had high values for pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and high levels of E. coli. Because of the size of most of the streams we sampled, we only found more than one fish species at one site. eDNA results demonstrated that most streams did have a diverse assemblage of fish species and may be a better method to estimate the richness and relative abundance of fish. Furthermore, macroinvertebrate diversity was typically highest at sites with high QHEI scores and better water quality. Conclusions from this study will be reported to the EPA and the state office responsible for issuing NPDES permits.

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  Functional morphology of the lower jaw in frogs

  Sudipta Kalita

  The lower jaw is toothless in all frogs, with the notable exception of Gastrotheca guentheri (Guenther’s marsupial frog), a species that re-evolved true mandibular teeth. Frogs evolved a spectrum of dietary preferences, with some species specializing in hunting small insects like ants and termites to larger species that are opportunistic predators of small mammals. Such vast dietary variation could possibly drive the morphology of lower jaws. Frogs also occupy diverse ecological niches. For example, tree frogs from South America spend their entire lives in the upper canopy of trees, species of African aquatic frogs spend the majority of their life underwater, and some desert frogs live entirely underground, only coming to the surface to breed. Microhabitat differences may also influence jaw shapes due to variability in the types of prey available. A few frogs have tooth-like bony projections on the lower jaw called odontoid fangs. Some of these fanged frogs are among the largest anuran species and known to prey on other vertebrates. Additionally, some fanged frogs take part in male-male combat during the mating season, using their odontoids to bite one another. Currently, it is unknown if the lower jaw morphology of frogs is influenced by diet, microhabitat variation, or presence of odontoid fangs. Our study uses micro-computed tomography data and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to quantify shape diversity of the lower jaw from 150 frog species. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we are testing if jaw shape is correlated with diet, microhabitat, fang presence, and body size to understand the factors driving lower jaw morphology across living frog diversity.

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  Fungi Fighting Back: How a Native Fungus Could Limit the Spread of Invasive Trees

  Elizabeth Bornhorst

  Invasive species are able to outcompete and steal resources away from native plants, altering the natural ratios in an ecosystem. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is an invasive tree species introduced to Ohio as an ornamental plant which is now outcompeting native trees especially in areas undergoing early succession. While there is no known way to mitigate this invasive effectively, a common and native tree pathogen, rust fungus (Gymnosporangium clavipes), has been observed infecting Callery pear tree leaves and fruits in Montgomery county Ohio. Rust fungus is a heteroecious pathogen so it requires two hosts, a juniper host and then it is able to spread to the berries and leaves of a rosacea host. Being a native pathogen, rust fungus doesn’t severely impact other native trees meaning it could be used as a mitigation technique to limit the spread of Callery pear. This study examined the effect of rust fungus on Callery pear germination as well as the effects of how proximity to juniper hosts influences the severity of rust fungus infection. Germination rates were tested by collecting berries with and without rust fungus from four field sites. The seeds were then stratified and planted to test seed viability between groups with and without rust fungus. Effect of proximity was studied using GIS to map location of Callery pear and Juniper trees and shrubs on campus. Severity of the rust fungus infection was recorded and using a buffer and a T.test statistical significance was found between severity of rust fungus infection number of junipers within 500 ft. These projects are preliminary work that proves that rust fungus could be an option for mitigating Callery pear spread.