The Brother Joseph W. Stander Symposium recognizes and celebrates academic excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. This annual event provides an opportunity for students from all disciplines to showcase their intellectual and artistic accomplishments. The Stander Symposium represents the Marianist tradition of education through community and is the principal campus-wide event in which faculty and students actualize our mission to be a "community of learners."
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Research exercise: ETHOS Appropriate Solar Technology for Bihar, India
Matthew Worsham, Aaron Ramsey, Jose Panameno
An investigation of the potential for appropriate solar technology in Bihar, India, including solar thermal refrigeration systems. Both current applications and potential opportunities will be examined.
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Research exercise: ETHOS A Review on the Importance of Maintaining Standards in Appropriate Technology
Marcy Prendergast
A review of Appropriate Technology evolution as it applies to the practical implementation of ETHOS Immersion contributions. This is pre-work for an upcoming ETHOS immersion in Auroville, India.
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Research exercise: ETHOS A Translation of Bio-digestion of Human Waste Across Continents
Anirban Mandal
Taking an existing technology in one region and transplanting it successfully in another region. The is pre-work to an upcoming ETHOS immersion in Managua, Nicaragua.
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Research exercise: ETHOS Coconut Oil Extraction Optimization
Thomas Bennett
This will explore the optimization of the virgin coconut oil production. This process will extend to oil extraction of other plants and the methods by which this is happening in cottage industries. This is pre-work for an upcoming ETHOS summer immersion in Dominica, West Indies.
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Research exercise: ETHOS Earthen Stoves in Rural Africa
Juliana Lawniczak, Kyle Slone
This will explain the unique application of earthen stoves in varying rural communities. Presenting the challenges of available resources, balance of efficiency, and the trade offs in comparison to the traditional 3-stone fire. This poster is the pre-work for the upcoming ETHOS summer immersions in Malawi and Uganda.
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Research exercise: ETHOS Water Technologies in Underdeveloped Areas
Chris Baxter, Jose Canabal, Chinedum Ukandu
Exploring water as it applies to underdeveloped regions in Africa and Central America. This is a pre-work scope and literature review for 3 upcoming ETHOS Immersions to Uganda, Cameroon, and Guatemala. This poster will address the water needs such as delivery, collection, and purification, and the proposed approach for each area of impact.
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Research exercise: Fund Allocation Strategies for ETFs: A Contrarian Approach
Joe Nitting
In this study, I evaluate a portfolio weighting strategy called inverse relative price strength (IRPS). This weighting strategy gives higher weights to ETFs with lower prices relative to some benchmark price. The benchmark price is the Russell 3000 Index. IRPS is dynamic in that the weights change as relative prices change. The six ETFs evaluated in this study are large cap growth, mid cap growth, small cap growth, large cap value, mid cap value, and small cap value. As mentioned above, all of these ETFs trade on the market like individual stocks but are constructed in such a way that they closely resemble a comparable index. The primary objective of this study is to determine if the IRPS weighting model outperforms the Russell 3000 Index (i.e. it creates alpha). A second objective is to determine which ETFs generate the largest alpha. A third and final objective is to determine if alpha is created over different phases of a market cycle. The overall, period of evaluation is 2008-2012. This period includes several economic and market downswing periods plus a significant rebound period and an upswing period. To capture the market swings, I have divided the overall period into a (1) downswing period (2008), (2) rebound period (2009), (3) upswing period (2010), and (4) trading range period (2011-2012). Portfolio and ETF performance will be analyzed for the overall period as well as the sub periods relative to the Russell 3000 Index.
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Research exercise: Google/Multi-National Corporations, International Surveillance, and Human Rights
Ryan Krempley
The many news reports on cyber security, identity theft, Wikileaks, and NSA intelligence gathering programs over the past few years have shown the international community that the World Wide Web is anything but a safe place to store sensitive information, or any information for that matter. This study will examine how closely multi-national corporations in the information technology sector, such as Google, are involved with national governments on these issues. The study will analyze events in the U.S. and China and attempt to uncover whether or not these have directly infringed upon peoples’ basic human rights.
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Research exercise: Google/Multi-National Corporations, International Surveillance, and Human Rights
Ryan Krempley
The many news reports on cyber security, identity theft, Wikileaks, and NSA intelligence gathering programs over the past few years have shown the international community that the World Wide Web is anything but a safe place to store sensitive information, or any information for that matter. This study will examine how closely multi-national corporations in the information technology sector, such as Google, are involved with national governments on these issues. The study will analyze events in the U.S. and China and attempt to uncover whether or not these have directly infringed upon peoples’ basic human rights.
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Research exercise: Human Rights Violations, Genocide, and Other Current Issues in Africa: UN Involvement Then and Now
Ray Stallings
Throughout the last century, African nations have struggled to become fully independent and successful countries. Their development has been inhibited by the lack of democracy and governmental guidance within these nations. The United Nations has played an integral role in the development of these nations. This paper will take an in depth look at the actions of the UN in these situations and how they have changed or stayed the same over the past several decades. The paper will focus on two specific African nations that have struggled through human rights violations and genocide over the last twenty years. The focus of the paper will be to compare and contrast the UN’s actions in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the Cote d’Ivoire Crisis of 2010. In both instances, the UN intervened to help diffuse the tension and help develop plans for the futures of these two nations. This paper takes a comprehensive look at which UN strategies worked, which strategies did not work, and how the UN can learn from these instances to help develop more successful practices and protocols for intervention in such instances in the future.
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Research exercise: Human Trafficking within the International Community and Modern Society
Clare Potyrala
This research project will examine the issue of human trafficking, its impact on global society, and the international responses to the crime. It will provide an overview of the scope and scale of human trafficking and examine its impact on the world of international crime. Current national level and international preventative measures will be assessed. US State Department data on human trafficking in countries in various regions of the world will be used for this analysis.
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Research exercise: Identification of English Language Learners as Gifted Students
Riley Weber
The United States educational system has faced several challenges and reforms regarding assessment and identification in the past fifty years which continue to change as the nation develops new goals and needs (Giuliani & Pierangelo 2012). In recent years, schools have included a large population of immigrant students from families with native languages other than English (Carter 2005). The need for educating students in English as a second language has led to new policies and programs developed specifically for ELL or English Language Learners (Elizalde-Utnick 2008). Another current topic of educational policy concerns the emphasis on assessment and high-stakes testing. In 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, provided legal rights and expectations for special education students which includes students with learning disabilities; however, English Language Learners are not covered under IDEA unless they are identified with a learning disability. IDEA also does not cover the rights of students who qualify for gifted and talented programs, even though students who qualify for these programs require a form of specialized education. Due to these recent educational initiatives, this research study will focus on how the assessment of English Language Learners impacts their identification and placement in gifted and talented programs. This is a current topic to research because most studies have focused on the overrepresentation of English Language Learners as learning disabled or the misidentification of students of color in learning disabled programs. However, some case studies and other forms of research have considered the underrepresentation of ELL in gifted and talented programs and whether or not students learning English as a second language can be successful in gifted and talented programs.
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Research exercise: Increasing FAFSA Completion Rates: A Look at the Ohio 8 Coalition
Anna Syburg
Getting students ready to excel in higher education has been a topic dominated by conversations about raising academic rigor and standards. College readiness covers a scope of factors including content knowledge, academic skills, behavioral skills as well as “college knowledge”. College knowledge consists of the information that students need to navigate the complex processes of applying for college as well as financial aid. Many times, students have aspirations of enrolling in higher education but fail to complete essential tasks that make them eligible for college entrance. One of those key tasks is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which allows students to receive government aid for their college tuition. The application asks intensive questions about an individual and their family’s finances. Many students and their families do not complete the FAFSA because of time constraints, misconceptions about the aid received, or lack of knowledge in how to navigate the system. The focus of this study is to look at the Ohio 8 Coalition of Ohio’s largest urban school districts and to examine their FAFSA completion rates. Once the districts and their respective high schools have been examined, the study looks into which programs are implemented in order to foster high completion rates. Experts on FAFSA completion and the importance of “college knowledge” for the college readiness process have been interviewed as well as the superintendents of the highest performing districts to gather the specific details about the importance of FAFSA completion and what makes their district or high schools so successful in this area. The purpose of this research is to provide districts across the nation with resources on how to increase their FAFSA completion and, therefore, increase the likelihood of their students being able to receive aid for and enroll in higher education.
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Research exercise: Madison County Equestrian Facility Renovation
Andrew Spirk, Nathan DeCamp, Reid Fuente, Jesse Hester, Matthew Soto
The Madison County Fairgrounds Equine Center is in need of repair in order to provide a more safe and enjoyable experience for its patrons. The Equine Facility can gain aesthetic value and functionality by improving the conditions and characteristics of the show arena. The improvement of the Equine Facilities will not only increase the aesthetic value, but will also help to enrich the Equine experience of the youth and citizens of Madison County. To assist Madison County Fairgrounds with this endeavor, the team will provide technical information to Madison County Fairgrounds in order to improve the quality and functionality of the Equine Facility by focusing on the design, placement and costs associated with the Arena. The project officially begins with the submittal of this proposal and will be completed by the 26th of April 2014. In order to the complete this task, the team will first conduct research concerning equine facilities. After the analysis of Madison County. Equine Facility, the team will create dimensional schematics of the grounds. The team will then develop and determine costs associated with the designs. Upon completion of cost estimation the team will present the conceptual designs. Upon deciding a final design, the team will prepare final costs associated with the project and make a final presentation to the client. The team will be located at the University of Dayton. The majority of the tasks will be completed on campus, however, on site observation and analysis will be necessary. The team will strive to provide an in depth plan of action concerning the design, placement and cost analysis of the Arena in order to increase the functionality and appeal of the Madison County Fairgrounds Equine Center.
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Research exercise: Method for Obtaining Germ-Free Drosophila melanogaster: A Tool for Investigating the Role Gut Microbes Play in Human Disease
Ramyasri Matam, Joseph Ebersole, Kyle Murphy
Drosophila melanogaster, or the fruit fly, is commonly used in labs because approximately 75% of human disease-causing genes are believed to have a functional homolog in the fly (Pandey 2011). This close genetic makeup as well as minimal expense makes Drosophila an ideal model to investigate potential effects of gut microbiota in human disease. Gut microbes have been known to influence the host of diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease (Musso 2010). In this study, a protocol for generating GR (germ free) D. melanogaster flies was developed and verified. This technique is crucial to investigating the role of commensal microbes in the genesis and progression of disease. We are investigating the effects of microbes in Alzheimer ’s disease using a Drosophila melanogaster strain expressing of human amyloid-β peptide in a temperature dependent manner (Singh 2013). By generating GF flies of this constructed strain we will be able to determine whether commensal microbes play a role in the expression of the amyloid-β peptide. This same technique could be used to study the role of commensal microbes on any human disease homolog in the fly.
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Research exercise: of Object Saliency on Early Mathematics and Cognitive Skills
Alejandro Trujillo
The primary focus of our study is to explore the relationship between a child’s early mathematics skills and related cognitive skills and the representational status of the tools used to aid learning in these areas. By focusing on children’s ability to perform based on the nature of the tools given to them, the findings of this study will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the types of objects or learning aids that are most conducive to student learning in early childhood classrooms. Our work is guided heavily by the theory of graded representations, which offers that higher object saliency leads to a higher active representation of objects, and therefore takes away from a child’s executive function in keeping focus on a task (Munakata & Yerys, 2006). General mathematics skills will be tested both through the Approximate Number System—which looks at a child’s ability to distinguish larger numbers without counting—and the TEMA-3—which is a standardized test for purchase that assesses both formal and informal mathematics skills. Predictors of mathematics skills (i.e., executive functioning skills including working memory, inhibitory control, and attention shifting skills) will be assessed through two tasks. Children will be randomly assigned to different versions of these mathematics and executive functioning skills tasks that vary with respect to object saliency and object familiarity.
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Research exercise: Overfishing: Don't Get Reeled Into the Lies
Reine-Marie Hammonds
According to the United Nations website, one out of 5 people rely on getting their protein from fish. Based on this fact, the fate of aquaculture in terms of overfishing could be devastating. Unfortunately, the overview of the United Nations Oceans and Law of the Sea does not explicitly detail the need for sustaining biodiversity within each State’s respective boundaries. Rather, it focuses on the ability of each State to control the usage of their waters’ resources and marine life. The most recent meeting on the Law of the Sea was dedicated to the determining the means by which are to be taken to solve international issues over water border issues and extraction of resources from other waters. There will be more violent disputes in the future if the issue of sustaining biodiversity of marine life is not addressed on a more international scale. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, just under three fourths of the world’s species are either fully exploited or depleted by legal and illegal fisheries. The United States and Ireland both require fisheries to submit how their practices will be affecting the ecosystems and environments. Taking this self-evaluation to the next level of implementing better controlled fishing techniques and monitoring (ex: biodegradable gear; selective fishing; regulated quotas), will allow for biodiversity to balance itself once again. Fisheries may be receiving much gain in the short term, but they fail to recognize the possible long term failure of aquaculture. I would like to do a comparative study between different fisheries and how much of international law has been implemented within these different cases. I would like to focus on different types of waters (such as, closed off—like gulfs; shared waters; and high traffic straights; etc.) and what can be done to further implement protection laws and rebuild marine biodiversity.
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Research exercise: Press Access to Information Regarding National Security and Law Enforcement
Michael Roche, Kayleigh Fladung, Caroline Parks
Without access to information, the press cannot do its job serving the public. Although the First Amendment says that “no law” should abridge freedom of the press, government and institutions find ways to keep secret various matters of legitimate public concern. One paper explores how federal courts have interpreted the “national security” exception to the Freedom of Information Act. Another paper analyzes state open records laws and whether they apply to private universities’ police forces. Another paper looks at sealed documents, and how journalists can legally challenge those orders and get access.
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Research exercise: Reading Interventions in Relation to the Ohio Third Grade Guarantee
Kathryn Auletto
Reading is one of the most critical skills that students learn in their first few years of education. A strong foundation in reading at the early childhood level can promote success in the rest of schooling and beyond. This is especially true for children of poverty; reading abilities and the strong education that follows provide students with opportunities to break the poverty cycle. The importance of reading achievement is a political dimension, as demonstrated by Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee. This legislation, which has many implications in education, requires that all third grade students who do not pass the Reading section of the Ohio Achievement Assessment must be retained until they are on reading level. In order to prevent this retention, teachers may choose to implement a reading intervention program with students who are at-risk of retention in third grade. The Ohio Department of Education provides districts with research-based reading instructional programs that may be implemented with these students. The list includes Reading Recovery and Orton Gillingham, two reading programs that use different approaches to literacy instruction. The research conducted in this study will look into the factors affecting a low-income school’s decision to select one of these two programs. The research will follow a dual case study format, in which interviews will be conducted with principals and teachers in the selected high poverty schools. The interviews, along with collected data about these schools and the two programs, will provide an illustration of how the Third Grade Reading Guarantee is affecting curriculum, as well as how schools are choosing these reading programs in accordance with the new legislation. The research may provide valuable information for low-income schools in this selection process for choosing the appropriate intervention for their struggling readers.
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Research exercise: Research on Aspects of the Classroom Environment in P-12 Schools on Student Learning
Nikole S. Kamp, Renee K. Brown, Moira M. Bonadonna, Bridget J. Bielski
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110H1 class project was to explore different learning environments that affect student learning.
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Research exercise: Research on Learning and the Brain
Elizabeth Martin, Kira Ogburn
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110H1 class project was to present syntheses of related literature on pertinent topics to p -12 education. Our research focuses on the brain's role learning in the areas of gender differences and the arts.
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Research exercise: Research on Single Gender
Elizabeth A. LaVigne, Katie M. Anderson
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110H1 class project was to present syntheses of related literature on pertinent topics to p - 12 education, specifically the benefits of single gender environments on student achievement.
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Research exercise: Research on Single Gender Environments
Sarah E. McGrath, Miranda M. Melone
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110H1 class project was to present syntheses of related literature on pertinent topics to p - 12 education, specifically the benefits of single gender environments on student achievement.
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Research exercise: Research on Technology in P-12 Classrooms
Courtney Arand, Rebekah Schwall, Gabi Sanfilippo
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice and current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110-H1 poster is to discuss both the positives and the negatives associated with the evolving use of technology in the classroom
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Research exercise: Research on the Approaches to School Safety
Kelly Drayton, Jacob Criminski
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education.The purpose of this project is to discover different approaches to school safety.
