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  A Portfolio Weighting Model for the S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector with Firm Revenue Growth the Factor Weight: An Empirical Analysis of Portfolio Returns from 2009 to 2022

  Isabella Abreu

  In this study I pose two questions: (1) Can a revenue growth factor weighted portfolio of consumer staples stocks outperform an equal weight portfolio over the period of 2009 - 2022; (2) Firm revenue growth is a paired-in-risk factor. To answer the first question I can pair the long run cumulative returns for the revenue growth factor based portfolio weighing model to the returns for the equal weight portfolio weighing model, 2009 - 2022. For the second question, I can compare the returns for my portfolio weighing model to the returns for the S&P 500 ETF SPY to see if it generates excess returns over the long run period 2009 - 2022.

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  App for the Multi Ethnic Education and Engagement Center

  Amanda Bolden

  The University of Dayton has a diverse student body comprising students from different ethnic backgrounds. To cater to the needs of these students, we have developed an application that brings together all the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement (MEC) resources within one platform. The app allows students to access information and participate in MEC events and activities through a variety of features, including a general post section, calendar, and poll.Before implementing the application, we conducted extensive research and design studies to identify the key requirements of the students and the challenges they face in accessing MEC resources. We also analyzed the existing MEC programs and services and evaluated their effectiveness. Based on our findings, we developed a user-friendly app that streamlines the process of accessing MEC resources.The general post section of the app allows users to create and view posts related to MEC events, news, and announcements. This feature enables students to stay updated on the latest developments within the MEC community and share their opinions and feedback.The calendar feature provides users with a comprehensive view of upcoming MEC events and activities. This feature helps students plan their schedules and ensures they do not miss out on any important MEC events.Finally, the poll feature allows users to participate in surveys and polls related to MEC topics. This feature provides a platform for students to express their opinions and provides valuable insights to MEC program coordinators.In summary, the app we have developed offers a comprehensive solution to the challenges faced by students in accessing MEC resources. By providing a single platform to access information, engage in discussions, and participate in events and activities, we hope to foster a more inclusive and engaged MEC community on the University of Dayton campus.

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  Application of Digital Twins into Photography Lighting

  Kanishka Samrat Kolakaluri

  In this presentation, we discuss the use of digital twin technology in cinematic lighting design. Digital twin technology allows lighting designers to create virtual replicas of physical sets, which can be used to test and refine lighting designs before they are implemented in the real world. This technology not only saves time and resources but also allows for more creative freedom and flexibility. Overall, digital twin technology has the potential to revolutionize cinematic lighting design and is an exciting development to keep an eye on in the future.

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  Application of Pressure Sensitive Paint at the University of Dayton: Small Rotorcraft Applications

  Jacob Kulig

  Traditional measurement of pressure on wind tunnel models requires individual pressure transducers or other discreet sensors. When considering a large area or complex geometry, placing an adequate number of sensors can be cost prohibitive and physically challenging. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provides an alternate approach to such experiments, but often needs experimental verification. Pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) is a distinctive, appealing technique for providing pressure measurements in these cases. By measuring the intensity of a specialized paint’s luminescence, the pressure at almost all visible points on a test object can be found. In some unsteady aerodynamic cases, the paint mixture is altered to provide faster response times, thus allowing rapidly changing phenomena to be analyzed. This technique has been utilized for several decades; however, it is heretofore unused at the University of Dayton. This research provides the groundwork for the use of PSP in various applications at this university. The technique is then applied to analyze the ground effects of small rotorcraft blades. This will assist in revealing the underlying characteristics of the unsteady flow that occurs between a small propeller and the ground, as may occur in unmanned aerial vehicles.

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  Applications of Calculus of Variations: Finding Optimal Solutions to Boundary Value Problems in Navigation, Mechanics, and Nature

  Ethan Shade

  Calculus of variations is a branch of mathematics that deals with the optimization of functionals, which are functions that assign a scalar value to an input function. A functional could be a measurement of quantities such as time, cost, or energy, while also under boundary value constraints such as physical limitations. To find optimal functions of the functional, one uses the Euler-Lagrange equation to derive a solution function and verifies it satisfies the Legendre condition to prove the solution is the optimal one. To illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the technique, this project investigates multiple boundary value problems, such as the quickest path to cross a moving river, the maximum deflection of materials under stress, and deriving (naturally occurring) optimal curves. These examples demonstrate how calculus of variations can be used to both solve for optimal solutions and derive the equations that are already represented in physical systems.

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  Approximate Motion Synthesis of Four-Bar Linkages Using Poles: A Bi-Invariant Approach

  Tianze Xu

  This research presents a novel approach to the synthesis of planar four-bar mechanisms for rigid-body guidance by optimizing the location of the displacement poles. Traditional methods often rely on incompatible measures, leading to suboptimal solutions. In contrast, the proposed technique focuses solely on the displacement poles, which can be described by their location and can be used to define a bi-invariant metric, resulting in a robust optimization process. Moreover, the method reduces the optimization size by utilizing a technique that does not require the entire set of displacement poles. The effectiveness of the approach is illustrated through several examples and compared to established methods. The proposed method has the potential to reformulate and simplify approximate motion synthesis problems for low DOF machines, such as metamachines, by using the planar four-bar as an approximate solution.

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  A Preclinical Model to Study the Relationship Between Alcohol Intake and Voluntary Exercise in Females

  Corey Deel; other authors: Samuel Fisher (co-first author) and Tracy R. Griggs

  Alcohol-use disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent in females, highlighting a need to better understand the relationship between alcohol (ethanol) and other reinforcers, such as voluntary exercise. Preclinical research utilizing male rodents to explore ethanol use and behavior has been the standard, despite documented differences between males and females. Studies have indicated that females run and drink more than males when given access to voluntary wheel running and ethanol. Previous studies in our lab have used male rats to explore the concept of hedonic substitution, which is the replacement of one reinforcer with another, by giving access to voluntary exercise for some time before removing and replacing it with access to ethanol solution (Lynch et al., 2019). However, for this study, we expanded our experimental design to study the relationship between ethanol and voluntary exercise (running) in females. Our current experiment consisted of one group of runners (n=10) with concurrent access to voluntary wheel running and ethanol compared to a group of non-runners (n=10) with access to ethanol. We measured ethanol consumption and preference at 30min and 24hrs, running distance (m) and time spent (min) running. The experiment is ongoing, and to-date we have not observed differences in ethanol measures between our runners and non-runners. We will perform measures of anxiety-like behavior at the experiment’s conclusion.

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  A Review of the Detection of Gravitational Waves by Laser Interferometers

  Liam Horst

  The theory of general relativity published by Albert Einstein in 1915 predicts that accelerating massesemit gravitational waves. The effects of these passing gravitational waves are exceedingly weak and verydifficult to detect. The first detection of gravitational waves was made in 2015 by the LaserInterferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). The first detected gravitational waves, emittedfrom the merger of two black holes, changed the length of the arms of the interferometer by much lessthan the diameter of a proton. Gravitational waves provide a very different window into the universethan do electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic waves, unlike gravitational waves, are emitted only bycharged objects, are trapped by black holes, and may be distorted or blocked as they travel to the earth.Gravitational-wave detection provides unique information about the most energetic events in theuniverse such as colliding black holes and exploding stars. This information could significantly deepenunderstanding of the large-scale structure of the universe. This project reviews the theory behind thepropagation of gravitational waves and their detection by ultra-sensitive laser interferometers. Newinsights into the nature of the cosmos that might be provided by detection of gravitational waves will be summarized.

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  A Rhetorical Analysis of Miriam Hall

  Casey Fuller, Brendan Kadel, Ethan Schum

  Students in the CMM 357 Religious Rhetoric course were given the choice to choose a statue, building, space/place on campus that is marked as a religious text/artifact or propose a new object of visual rhetoric in order to analyze using the rhetorical theories from class. Thier analyses employ a variety of rhetorical theories and concepts discussed in class during the semester. Each group collaborated to answer the question: how does this artifact/text rhetorically communicate and construct religious identity at UD?

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  A Single Sector Portfolio Weighting Model with Firm Revenue Growth the Factor Weight: An Empirical Analysis of Portfolio Returns for Select Stocks in the Communications Sector, 2009-2022

  Michael Topp, Michael Kondritz

  Top line revenue growth is an important factor in determining stock price appreciation. Using a portfolio management approach, I developed a concentrated portfolio of 10 stocks from the communication sector and tests two hypotheses: (1) The revenue growth factor weighted portfolio will outperform an equal weight portfolio over the period from 2009-2022. (2) Firm revenue growth is a priced in risk factor i.e., the long run return from my portfolio weighting model exceeds the market return as measured by the S&P 500 index. Returns are based on two investment strategies: (1) Buy and Hold and (2) Adjustable Shares.

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  Assessing the Relationship between Treatment Programs and Prisoner Misconduct

  Savanna Buttelwerth, Hanna Pappas

  The criminal justice system has been utilizing prison systems to manage behaviors that are undesirable to society for centuries. More recently, the criminal justice system has implemented programs within prisons to assist in treating prisoners and their specific behavioral issues. In this project we look at rehabilitative prison programs that parallel to infraction rates among prisoners. Correctional programming, mental health programming and miscellaneous programs are all examined in the literature review to find the gap of how these programs effect inmate infractions. More specifically this research examines drug and alcohol treatment programs and it's relationship with drug and alcohol related write-ups.

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  Baby Showers in Hindu and Bulgarian Cultures: Food and Festivities

  Casey Tirado and Jayilin Barksdale

  Part of a course project on intercultural communication, which can be expressed and studied in myriad ways. The students of CMM 316.01 investigated various forms of cultural expression by comparing and contrasting the ways a particular form is used by multiple cultural groups. Specifically, each group researched and presented about the ways food, music, festivals, rituals, dance, clothing, and other artifacts communicate cultural identity in at least two different cultures.

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  Beaver Activity and Tree Preference at Glen Helen Nature Reserve

  Dustin Holmes

  Ecosystem engineers are vital for natural areas, having a large impact on species richness and ecosystem health. An example is the North American beaver (Castor canadensis). Beavers can radically alter their environment through the construction of dams, which creates new aquatic habitats, leads to greater water availability, and increases nutrient availability for plants and animals. Around two years ago a beaver family began to build a dam in Glen Helen Nature Reserve (Yellow Springs, OH), and since then have completed construction of a dam and a lodge. This has caused significant flooding of the stream that the dam was built on and an opening of the canopy due to the beavers removing many large trees within the area. Our aim was to study the effects that this new beaver colony has had on trees in the area and how the beavers are affected by the local fauna and human activity.For this objective, we set up three remote trail cameras to capture beaver presence and activity. Cameras were active for a month, from Nov 15 to Dec 15, 2022. We also monitored and documented the location of trees that showed any signs of beaver activity so that we could identify what tree species were preferred by the beavers. We collected the cameras and reviewed what was captured, following up with analysis of the data collected. We documented 141 photos and videos of beavers during our study. They were primarily active at dawn, and seemed to avoid other mammals and humans. It was also determined that the beavers mainly preferred medium sized sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis) over other slower growing tree species. This data will aid in the management of Glen Helen Nature Reserve and provide insight on what attracts beavers to locations for their dam.

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  Bedroom Temperature Sensor

  Oliver James Dunne

  I find that my bedroom often is a different temperature than the bottom floor, where the heating system is based. Sometimes the room is hotter than downstairs, sometimes it is cooler. The thermostat system works by being set to heating or cooling to a specific temperature. If that temperature is read, the heating or cooling is then turned off. For instance, if the temperature is set to cooling to 66 degrees, the cooling is on until a temperature of 66 degrees is reached. If the temperature drops below what is set when on cooling, the thermostat doesn’t react. For this project, I want to be able to see if I should set the thermostat to a higher or lower temperature before I go to bed, so I can have a desired temperature of 65 degrees when I go to bed. I will accomplish this by using a thermistor, as well as an LCD display and a RGB LED. The procedure will be to develop a schematic where the thermistor senses the temperature in the room, the LCD display shows the temperature and the RGB LED shows a different color depending on what action I should take. For a temperature 64 degrees and lower, the light will show red and that will tell me to set the thermostat to heating and a higher temperature. For a temperature 64-66 degrees, the light will show green, and I will know that no action is required. For a temperature above 66 degrees, the light will show blue, and I will know to set the temperature to cooling at a lower temperature. For the power source I will use some rechargeable batteries that I have. The necessary coding will be through Arduino, and I will connect my power source and schematic to my Arduino Uno.

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  Be There, Will Be Wild!: An Analysis of the Participation of Violent Militant Extremist Groups in the January 6 Attack on the Capitol Building

  Jacqueline Eckhart, Sarah Collins, Emma Blair

  In this presentation, we offer an analysis of the participation of violent extremist militia groups in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol building. Understanding the activities of violent extremist militia groups is a critical need in today's society. In an October 2022 report, the Department of Homeland Security and FBI identified "domestic violent extremists" as "one of the most persistent threats to the United States today." Using tools for the analysis of propaganda, we examine not only the groups themselves, their role in the attack, and the ideologies motivating their actions, but also the societal context surrounding the event and the role that media played. The participation of these groups in the attack is examined as part of a larger system of propaganda, through which institution(s) acting as the source of propagandistic messages, with the assistance of other agents, utilize media to manipulate the cognitions, shape the perceptions, and direct the behavior of a target audience to advance their own partisan interests, regardless of whether their actions promote the common good.

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  Biomedical Electro-Optics: Looking at the Eyes

  Simon Didat

  This is a summary of research and experimentation on the optical response of the human eye, with testing being performed using a GazePoint eye tracking system. Pupil dilation, gaze position, and blink rate were recorded for human subjects in response to various visual stimuli on a computer screen, including different wavelengths and directions of light in the optical spectrum. The purpose of this work was to develop a baseline data set across multiple, diverse participant demographics, which can be used in the development of an assessment tool for various clinical applications in neuroscience and human performance such as the diagnosis of concussion. This work was performed in conjunction with a collaborative telehealth/telemetry project with Premier Health/Miami Valley Hospital.

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  Bringing New Methods and Model Organisms into the Pursuit of the Genetic, Developmental, and Evolutionary Basis of a Morphological Trait

  Jada Brown, Logan Brubaker, Allison Pavlus, Victoria Fowler

  The development of animal form is directed by the operation of Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) that utilize transcription factor genes to control the spatial, temporal, and even sex-specific patterns of trait-building realizator genes. These patterns of gene expression result from the encoded GRN transcription factor proteins interacting with binding sites in the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of their directly-regulated target genes. Since many transcription factors and realizator genes are older than the traits they govern, trait evolution arises from genetic changes that altered the uses of these more ancient genes. A major goal for the field of evolutionary-developmental (or evo-devo) biology is to understand how traits originate, diversify, and become lost by changes to key regulatory genes and their connections made with CREs for the ultimate realizator genes of GRNs. We are investigating the evolution of a GRN for a rapidly evolving fruit fly pigmentation trait present in an experimentally convenient model species, and we propose to bring genetic investigations into closely-related emerging model species. Our studies will focus on how the male-specific pattern of abdominal pigmentation emerged in the fruit fly lineage of D. melanogaster and how this trait was modified and lost in related species. In order to reach our goals, experiments and methods will have to confront several challenges. These include identifying the critical CREs with massive genomes, reconciling how gene expression patterns can evolve when regulated by multiple redundant CREs, characterizing gene function in multiple species, and testing the necessity and sufficiency for cases of gene function and CRE evolution in species possessing the ancestral, derived, modified, and lost pigmentation trait. While these goals seem daunting, success will undoubtably push the field of evo-devo much closer to one of its most ambitious goals.

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  Building a Weather Station IoT Project

  Maneesh Pabolu

  In this project, we'll create a weather station that can detect temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure using an Arduino board and a variety of sensors. The sensors are connected to the Arduino board as part of the project, and the board is programmed to read the sensors' data and display it on an LCD screen. Real-time weather data will be available from the weather station, which may also be upgraded to include more sensors or connected to the internet for remote monitoring. Making a useful tool while learning about electronics, programming, and weather monitoring is possible with this project.

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  Calling Out, Calling In, Calling On: A Model for Challenging Injustice

  Emma Sawchuk, Nicholas Bridgett, Jarrett Dixon

  Dr. Loretta Ross of Smith College developed a course on "Calling In" as an alternative to calling people out for their roles in perpetuating injustice, and she argues that it is to the human rights movement was nonviolence was to the civil rights movement. This poster will explain what she means by "calling in" and "calling on" and will explain the significance of these approaches for UD's culture.

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  Can College Dining Halls meet Students Nutritional Needs Compared to Student Housing Cooking?

  Amelia Sivore, Allison Muntz, Molly Klimo, Jacqueline Roberts, Brett Heininger, Madeline Reyes

  Nutrition for college students is an extremely important topic and this particular population is notoriously known for their poor diet and high stress. During this time, many college students will develop poor eating habits as a result of poor time management and continue to utilize these poor habits throughout all of college and even after. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional level of students living on the University of Dayton campus. Researchers worked to see whether or not participants nutritional intake while eating food provided on campus or made in their home on campus met their nutritional needs. Using a cross-sectional research model, students from the University of Dayton were recruited via text and email. The participants were provided a survey to better understand their undergraduate grade level, what they ate the past 2 days, and how they got their food (home cooked, dining hall, eating out, etc.).

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  Capital Embodiment: White Beauty and Bodies in Sally Rooney’s Debut Novel

  Josie Forsthoff

  Beauty standards that have long been understood by feminist theorists as sexist also have a history of being rooted in racism. By reproducing the white, slender representations of beauty uncritically, authors potentially perpetuate the racist, classist, and sexist hierarchies in which our cultural norms are rooted. Popular, contemporary author Sally Rooney consciously writes about the privileges of wealth but fails to write in the same way about the capital of beauty and slender bodies. My literary analysis focuses on the political power and implications of the white beauty and embodiment of Frances in her debut novel from 2017. Rooney’s representation of white women is detrimental, I argue, only insofar as the power of whiteness and thinness that is written into their bodies is unclaimed and uncriticized. The thin beauty ideals which oppress and empower women within what bell hooks calls ‘capitalist white supremacist patriarchy’ make embodiment political especially for women at the top like Rooney and her characters. Frances experiences white beauty and embodiment as inhumane perfection and punishment that prevents connection despite exciting desire.

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  Cell-Membrane Hydrophobicity of L. monocytogenes is Modulated by Propionate and Oxygen Levels

  Angela Murrin, Matthew Austin

  Bacterial hydrophobicity is a key envelope property relevant to pathogenesis and adhesion to surfaces in various food processing and healthcare settings. How hydrophobicity is modulated by environmental conditions is often unclear. In this project, we investigated how two relevant environmental signals, propionate and oxygen, influence bacterial hydrophobicity. Our model organism is Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram-positive foodborne pathogen capable of causing infections with high mortality rates. Despite stringent sanitation procedures, L. monocytogenes persists in the food processing environment and often causes costly food recalls as well as outbreaks. It is unclear whether the cell-surface hydrophobicity of L. monocytogenes contributes to the persistence and how the hydrophobicity may be modulated by environmental signals. Therefore, using various non-polar, organic reagents and a modified procedure from Salas-Tovar et al., the cell-surface hydrophobicity of L. monocytogenes strain 10403s under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions was analyzed. Preliminary results suggest that the types of non-polar reagents used in the study can influence the hydrophobicity estimates. Furthermore, bacteria grown in aerobic conditions exhibited a higher level of hydrophobicity than those grown in anaerobic conditions. Bacterial cultures grown in the presence of a 25 mM concentration of propionate also exhibited a higher level of hydrophobicity than those grown without propionate. These results suggest that hydrophobicity of L. monocytogenes can be modulated by oxygen levels as well as propionate.

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  Centuries of Oppression: A Comprehensive Advocacy Campaign for the Hazara Genocide in Afganisthan

  Darla Hastings, Claire Kelly, Illiana Jones, Matthew Ostermueller, Jillian Tore, Emily McNamara, Katherine Bardine, Ashya Moore, Estela Casas, Lydia Artz

  Based on collaborative work with the World Hazara Council (WHC), this panel presents the work of the International Studies (INS) Senior Capstone project. The project focused on the centuries of persecution and genocide faced by the Hazaras, an ethnic group in north-central Afghanistan. As a class, we advocated for the recognition and increased awareness about the persecution and genocide against the Hazaras. The Hazaras practice Shi’a Islam and are recognizable through their Asiatic appearance. Considering that Afghanistan is a predominantly Sunni country and dominated by the Pashtun ethnic group, Hazaras have faced ongoing discrimination. The recent withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan, which enabled the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, has further compounded the atrocities faced by the Hazaras For instance, the Kaaj Education Center in Kabul was bombed on September 30th, 2022. This resulted in the death of 58 students, most of whom were young Hazara girls, and injured 110 others. By means of intentional conversations, our advocacy work included: the United Nations to recognize the crimes against the Hazaras as a genocide; raising scholarship funds for Hazara women; organizing petition signings and letter writing campaigns; disseminating information through social media, and lobbying government officials to increase visas for the Hazaras. This work has enabled us to closely engage with structural obstacles faced by marginalized communities, intersectional approaches to advocacy work, and understanding patterns of discrimination. Considering the limitations of the semester, as INS students we brought the situation of the Hazaras to light in various forms. Together we hope this work can continue beyond us and in other such areas of the globe.

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  Characteristics That Impact Use of Force in Suspect and Officer Interactions

  Hope Walsh, Nathan Haitz

  With the rise of Black Lives Matter and the urge for police reform, policing in society has become possibly the most controversial issue in modern American politics. While efforts have been made to reform, the varying sociological issues regarding this issue and its outcomes have not yet been fully understood. Given these circumstances, measuring and analyzing police-citizen interactions and outcomes are vital tools in discovering possible solutions to this issue. The study presented uses information on police-citizen interactions in Phoenix, Arizona and includes key factors that may result in a more or less aggressive response from police officers. The information used in this study from this dataset specifically analyzes the prominence of location in police-citizen interactions with other contributing factors. Prior research has concluded that the people most affected by police use of force are typically minorities, specifically black individuals. However, using the Phoenix Use of Force dataset, police response in this instance was measured against an ordinal outcome through a correlational study. Although the main factor being measured emphasized location, other factors such as age, race, sex, influence, criminal activity, hazards, weapons, and injuries were included as secondary factors. Certain variables within the dataset were re-coded to present themselves as dichotomous or to simplify their meaning into a more ordered structure. These secondary variables were integrated with the primary independent variable forming a regression model for further analysis.

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  Characterization of the Surface Chemistry at Corroded and Non-Corroded Sites on Aluminum Alloys 7075-T6 and 2024-T3 Samples Exposed at a Tropical, Coastal Location

  Michaela Kendig, Farrah Cole (off-campus contributor)

  Replicate samples of bare aluminum alloys AA7075-T6 and AA2024-T3 were exposed at a coastal atmospheric test site located at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Key West, FL (NRL-KW). The samples were installed on atmospheric exposure racks and retrieved at intervals of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months. Elemental composition of baseline (non-exposed) and exposed samples were measured using a Zeiss EVO-50XP Environmental Scanning Electron microscope equipped with a EDAX Genesis 2000 energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) system. Pitted and non-pitted sites on each sample were analyzed for compositional elements of the alloy as well as non-compositional elements (i.e., environmentally derived). It was determined that the deposition of environmental elements in pitted locations on the specimens occurred at elevated concentrations to that of major elements present in natural seawater. The deposition and concentration of these environmentally derived elements on the metal surface vary as a function of exposure site and length of exposure time.