Stander Symposium Projects

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  Creation of new Precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for the Dayton Region

  Joseph Walter Baker

  Rainfall Intensity Duration and Frequency (IDF) relationships, often expressed in IDF curves, are an essential tool in civil engineering. The IDF curves provide information on the expected intensity of a storm of a certain duration (e.g. three hours, one day) with a certain return interval (e.g. once every 10, 25, or 50 years) at a single location. They are used extensively in the design and development of drainage systems of all modern infrastructure. NOAA’s Atlas 14 provides the IDF relationship for the entire United States, based on precipitation data collected at thousands of weather stations across the country with the last version that covered Ohio being released in 2006. The underlying assumption is that the precipitation pattern is stationary and not expected to change over time. However this assumption is not valid as we face rapid climate change, which is likely to cause changes in the global and local precipitation patterns. We have already seen significant increases in extreme precipitation events, which is likely to continue over this century. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine how climate change will affect the IDF relationship at Dayton, Ohio. This study relies on two major datasets. The first is historical precipitation data from NOAA weather stations covering the time periods of 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 1 day. The maximum range of this data is from 1971 to 2014. The second dataset is the global climate model (GCM) output for future precipitation. 10-20 GCMs are selected based on their performance in the Dayton region. The historical runs are used for bias correction, and the future runs of 2070-2100 are used to project future change. The results of this study will provide crucial information on building climate adaptation and resilience in infrastructure design and implementation for the Greater Dayton region.

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  Cross-Campus Collaboration: Advancing Behavioral Health Education

  Cara M. Daley, Blade Reed Mills

  In pursuit of advancing behavioral health education, the University of Dayton’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program set-forth the goal of developing diverse leaders through Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPEP). BHWET is a cross-disciplinary collaboration of faculty and graduate students from UD’s three graduate-level mental health programs. We empower diverse professionals to become leaders through training, research, and community outreach. Students collaborate with community partners to tackle systemic barriers hindering access to mental health services for youth across our 30-county region... Engaging with a spectrum of stakeholders including schools, mental health agencies, law enforcement, hospitals, public health boards, faith-based organizations, and public service organizations, BHWET participants work to: 1. Increase accessibility to healthcare services for children, adolescents, transition-aged youth, families, athletes, and first responders; 2. Address mental health workforce shortages in critical areas of need across various disciplines; and3. Cultivate diverse leaders adept at navigating the complex behavioral health landscape. As Graduate Research Assistants for BHWET, we have the unique perspective of working on both the development and implementation of research and community outreach projects. We've gained lessons and skills that may be beneficial to other graduate students, faculty, staff, program managers, and community partners. Those lessons/skills include: •Enhancing productivity across diverse fields through effective communication skills.•Managing a 30+ participant team using a project management platform.•Facilitating a curriculum on IPEP training.•Collaborating with community partners to tackle the shortage of behavioral health personnel in crucial regions.•Developing partner-centric programming through tailored strategies, collaboration, and continuous refinement.•Recognizing the importance of flexibility in driving successful project outcomes.•And, understanding how public health and education services intersect to promote societal well-being.At Stander, we aim to share our insights and gather feedback from students, faculty, and community members on the BHWET program.

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  Cult & Culture: An Analysis of Falun Gong

  Holly Conklin, Ben Francis, Tucker Hoffmann

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

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  Cultural Significance of Folk Dances from Kenya, India, and Mongolia

  Katherine J. Moreira

  This THR/VAR 250 Diversity in the Creative and Performing Arts poster presentation project requires each student to research and present on a topic relevant to the interdisciplinary fields of visual and performing arts through a critical multicultural and social justice lens that foregrounds the appreciation of diversity and enables the expansion of personal cultural competencies.

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  Curation in Art Education

  Allison M. Trangenstein

  This paper delves into the role of curatorial practices in art education, illuminating its significance and relevance. Employing a qualitative approach, interviews and surveys were conducted with art educators and a list of questions was sent out to gauge educators' utilization and comprehension of curation in art education. Through a synthesis of scholarly insights and empirical evidence, the study showcases how curatorial engagement enhances critical thinking, fosters creativity, and nurtures diverse interpretations of art. Ultimately, it advocates for the integration of curatorial skills into educational curricula to enrich the pedagogical landscape and cultivate aesthetic sensibilities.

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  Data Efficiency and Reporting Tool

  Alyssa Marie Hampton, William J. Spear, Lauren M. Zadalis

  MIS and OPS Senior Capstone Projects include small teams of 3 or 4 senior students working weekly with a company/organization to solve a real business problem. These projects extend for the complete undergrad senior year including both Fall and Spring semesters. Students act as Project Consultants and Managers to guide the project from inception until conclusion by delivering solutions and deliverables to the client. Students produce project documentation and formal presentations at multiple stages of the project and conclude with presentations to the supporting Client's Leadership Team.

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  Dayton's Human Rights Heroes: A Moral Courage Project

  Lila Acott, Aila Carr-Chellman, Saija A’lan Cleveland, Sebastian Andres De Leon Osorio, Precious H. Henderson, Kristine Hillstrom, Kathryn Horning, Jet Lex, Mary Mull, Kurtis Neiman, Bridget Sexton, Katherine Shryock, Ximena Silva-Aguirre, Anastacia Zartman-Robb

  The Moral Courage Project is a storytelling initiative of the UD Human Rights Center. This term, students selected to participate in the program examined conceptual frameworks intersecting the studies of human rights, media, and social movements, and learned documentary skills, including interviewing, audio production, and photography. To apply the MCP method, the students were paired with members of Dayton United for Human Rights - a local grassroots effort to establish Dayton as a "human rights city" - and charged to develop audio and visual stories to feature the motivations and actions of human rights heroes in our own community.

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  Decolonizing the American History Museum: A Case Study of the Henry Ford

  Victoria Lynne Brey

  In this paper, I consider the origins and practice of decolonization in American museums, using the Henry Ford, an American history museum in Dearborn, MI, as a case study and situating it within the broader narrative of museum decolonization. I analyze the ways in which museums have historically presented very limited subjectivities to the public that assume a white male (often European, often colonizing) subjectivity as neutral and normative. I then consider the formation of the Henry Ford and the ways in which it broke with as well as fit into the dominant structure of museums as perpetuators of colonialism at its inception. I briefly discuss the history of the museum from its beginning until today, considering the ways in which it has or has not changed to incorporate more diverse subjectivities. I conclude by considering the contemporary efforts of the museum to engage with decolonization, offering insight into the operations of a world-renowned museum.

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  Democracy and Development in Central America: Models and Strategies for Strengthening Civil Society and Fostering Sustainable Economic Growth

  Diana Paola Bencomo Miralles, Morgan N. Ciolek, Mercy M. John, Mariana Marquez, Olivia M. Palumbo, Flavio Pinho De Almeida Reis, Kathryn E. Riddle, Alexia Siakwan-Adusei

  This panel presents the collaborative work of the International Studies capstone seminar with two international, non-profit organizations focused on democracy and development in Central America. In partnership with Cristosal, students have researched models and strategies that could serve to counter growing authoritarianism and strengthen civil society in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Focusing on a broad array of comparative cases from Latin America and Africa, they have examined popular and civic engagement and education models; youth and social media’s role in political activism; strategies for empowering women and reducing gender-based violence; and how the breakdown of democracy affects the business community and erodes economic well-being. Students also are partnering with Counterpart International to support small farmer coffee cooperatives in Guatemala through researching alternatives to multinational, corporate models. In addition to examining models such as the Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance, they are investigating trade flows between Guatemala and the United States to better understand how to support these market alternatives. Finally, students are conducting market research on the feasibility of selling ethically sourced coffee on campus, in the city of Dayton, and throughout Ohio, as well as raising awareness of the importance of socially responsible purchasing decisions. In their presentations, students will discuss their main conclusions from their research, the impact of their advocacy work, and future steps that other students at the University of Dayton can take to build upon their initial efforts to support the work of Cristosal and Counterpart International. They also will highlight the economic exploitation, social injustice, political repression, and racism that is the legacy of colonialism, neo-colonialism, and US intervention in Central America and the historical context for the work they are doing.

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  Designing and Testing Phononic Crystals for the Purpose of Controlling Lattice Vibrations

  Riley J. Barrett

  The study of phononics is focused on engineering lattice vibrations and heat transport in solid-state materials through nanofabrication and material strain. The quantum states that are fundamental to quantum technologies face the issue of decoherence due to phononic interactions which exist at finite temperatures causing quantum devices to typically need to be cooled down to low temperatures (<1K) for operation. In order to make quantum technologies available at higher temperatures, it is required to develop a better understanding and ability to engineer the phononic environment. With this in mind, we are attempting to create devices with a phononic bandgap at low frequencies (10s of MHz) in order to begin showing how phononic crystals can suppress or amplify signals as a function of frequency. By changing the shape, size, and relative distance of the holes on our phononic crystal membrane, we are able to manipulate the phononic bandgaps of these devices. As we move further into this project, we want to use these types of devices to create phononic cavities and shields, which are crucial to optomechanical systems.

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  Designing Spherical Mechanisms, from Wrist Orthotics to Mechanical Novelties

  John Gordon Hoover, Franklin Alexander McClimans

  This research explores a spherical mechanism designed as a component in a wrist orthotic. A spherical mechanism, a little used class of mechanical device, allows the limitations commonly associated with conventional wrist orthoses to be effectively addressed. With a theoretical model of the wrist orthotic and its component spherical mechanism developed in previous work, several questions remain. These questions include addressing the mechanical design issues to realize a working orthotic prototype, and exploring the spherical mechanism fundamental to the orthotic to explore its unique properties. The spherical mechanism is classified as a drag-link device, meaning it is capable of large motions of many of its component links. To take advantage of these large motions, several design considerations need to be addressed by this work.

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  Design of Smart Magnetic Beads for Water Purification

  Adam J. Jones, Levente Istvan Karetka

  New technologies are needed to advance current state-of-the-art water purification processes. Sodium alginate, a bio-based polymer made from brown seaweed, is a promising material for this application. Current studies using this biopolymer include applications in water treatment, drug delivery, and food engineering. Over the last two semesters, undergraduate students have explored this polymer along with magnetic nanomaterials in the Nanoscale Engineered Materials Laboratory (NEMLab) at UD as part of their Ethos R&D course. The students not only performed technical research but also participated in outreach activities, including in-person and video demonstrations with the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. In the NEMLab, students are actively participating in research involving the preparation of magnetic sodium alginate gels and beads, performing viscosity and rheological studies of various concentrations and dispersions.

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  Design Space Exploration for a Novel Self-Healing Elastomer, Informed by Bayesian Optimization

  Robert M. Drexler

  Self-healing elastomers are an emerging class of materials capable of mitigating vulnerability to externally-induced damage. Recent advancements in polymer chemistry have led to self-healing elastomers that are 3D-printable, exhibit real-time self-healing in the absence of external stimuli (e.g., heat, light), and use commercially available (COTS) precursors to enable production at scale. However, at present, the trade-offs between virgin mechanical properties and self-healing efficiency are not well known. To address this research opportunity, this talk presents an experimental program – informed by a Bayesian optimization platform – to (a) facilitate design space exploration and (b) investigate the interplay between virgin mechanical properties (i.e., hardness and toughness) and self-healing efficiency (e.g., ratio of healed toughness to virgin toughness) as chemical composition is varied. The material of interest is BeckOHflex, a new acrylate/thiol-ene elastomer that exhibits real-time, autonomous self-healing and is exclusively prepared from COTS precursors. The experimental design was conducted by varying the crosslinker and thiol components from 0-10% by volume while holding the molar ratio of acrylate and photoinitiator constant. Test samples were cast in custom silicone molds and cured using an external UV lamp. Hardness data was obtained using an analog Shore OO durometer, and mechanical property data was collected through uniaxial tension testing. Informed by previous-iteration experimental inputs (chemical composition) and the resulting outputs from mechanical testing (virgin hardness, virgin toughness, and self-healing efficiency), a Bayesian optimization platform (EBDO+) was used to suggest next-iteration experimental inputs. Through this iterative process of synthesizing, testing, and analyzing different compositions throughout the experimental campaign, a well-defined Pareto frontier will be determined to bound the design space, allowing for a fundamental, quantitative understanding of tradeoffs between virgin mechanical properties and self-healing efficiency. It is expected that the Pareto frontier will be determined after tens of experiments out of a possible 2,000+ discrete input parameter combinations.

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  Determining connectivity deficits between the cerebellum and the thalamus in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down Syndrome.

  FNU Mir Abbas Raza

  Introduction: The cerebellum - a key brain region that regulates gait, motor coordination, and adaptive learning - has an altered developmental trajectory in Down Syndrome, with preclinical mouse models mirroring these phenotypes. During development, the cerebellum not only forms its internal circuitry but also forms an extensive connectome with other major regions of the brain including the thalamus. However, potential connectivity deficits within the cerebellum and its connections with other regions of the brain in DS remain unknown.

  Methods: In this study, we stereotactically injected promoter-specific Cre-expressing retrograde Adeno Associated Viruses (AAVs) and Cre-dependent anterograde AAVs tagged with GFP to specifically label neural projections from the Cerebellar cortex to the Ventromedial thalamic nucleus (VM) via the Fastigial Cerebellar Nucleus (FN) in both Euploid and Trisomic Ts65Dn mice at postnatal day 45. Using confocal images of brain sections after signal enhancement with Immunohistochemistry we analyzed the morphology of the labeled cells, including their dendritic and axonal arborizations, as well as their connectivity patterns using Fiji. We performed descriptive statistical analysis to validate the AAV expression using MATLAB.

  Results: We have successfully labeled Purkinje cells through injections into the cerebellar cortex. Our injections into the simplex lobule of the cerebellar cortex of the Euploid Ts65Dn mice have yielded an 82.5% co-localization of 5.4 ± 0.3 Purkinje cells/(100µm)2 labeled with the Cre-dependent GFP expressing AAV out of the 6.6 ± 0.6 Purkinje cells/(100µm)2 immuno-positive for Calbindin (n=2).

  Conclusion: Our initial injections show good labeling and high colocalization of the Purkinje cells labeled with GFP in the cerebellar cortex. We are currently working on more injections into the cerebellar cortex and have also begun injections into the cerebellar and thalamic nuclei.

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  Developing Translanguaging Exercises: Utilizing Arabic Grammar Knowledge to Facilitate English Grammar Comprehension

  Abeer Abdullah M. AlMuafa

  Research on utilizing students' existing linguistic skills in their first language (L1) to learn a second language (L2) through translanguaging has received considerable attention. However, there is hesitancy in Arabic schools to integrate Arabic into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Arabic-speaking teachers and students have mixed attitudes toward the presence of Arabic in English grammar classes, fearing potential interference with English proficiency. Although Arabic is used in these classes, it often happens informally or spontaneously due to a lack of planning. This issue is compounded by the absence of instructions on incorporating Arabic in English grammar textbooks and teachers' limited understanding of how to utilize students' prior knowledge of Arabic grammar through pedagogical translanguaging to understand English grammar concepts. Consequently, students' full linguistic potential remains overlooked. To address this gap, five translanguaging grammar exercises have been developed, aligning Arabic and English grammar concepts. These exercises aim to enhance metalinguistic awareness among Arabic-speaking students, moving beyond traditional grammar translation methods to incorporate culture and facilitate comprehensive language learning.

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  Development of a Machine Learning-Based Program to Measure Cell Proliferation

  Adam J. Jones

  Many tools have emerged to investigate the functioning of biological systems, especially when in contact with foreign substances. In vitro procedures are often used due to their cost effectiveness and suitability for high-throughput experiments. These procedures collect basic measurements, such as toxicity and biocompatibility, that provide insight into the compatibility and safety of a substance.In vitro toxicity tests are favored for their expediency, affordability, and consistent outcomes. Quantitative methodologies, like colorimetric and fluorometric assays, offer objectivity and high-throughput analysis. However, they require lengthy incubation times and only provide a single metric. Microscopy-based methods provide more information in terms of cell morphology and localization, and can be captured quickly without the need for reagents and incubation. Yet, this method requires specialized expertise and is prone to subjective biases and variations based on the region-of-interest.Given the limitations of microscopy-based approaches, there is a growing interest in leveraging machine learning (ML) to streamline and enhance cell analysis. This study aims to develop an ML-based approach to evaluate cell count and confluency from microscope images and compare its performance to the colorimetric assay, CCK8. The CCK8 assay, which releases a dye when metabolized by live cells, served as the benchmark for comparison. The ML-based method, developed using Ilastik, CellProfiler, and Python, segments microscopy images into cell and background regions, followed by erosion for cell boundary enhancement. CellProfiler subsequently quantifies the cell count and confluency from the processed images.This novel ML-based approach offers expedited analysis, while mitigating the inherent subjectivity and error associated with conventional techniques. This approach also eliminates the need for excess reagents and waste associated with quantitative assays. In conclusion, this technique presents an alternative in scenarios where traditional assays are impractical, such as with low cell counts or when cells must be reused.

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  Development of an optical technique for microplastic detection in water

  Geoffrey Scott Campman

  In the last ten years, microplastic pollution has become a very salient problem in large bodies of water such as lakes or oceans. Therefore, study of pollution of that sort has become an area of interest for oceanographers and physicists alike. Present-day collection, detection, quantification, and analysis techniques are time-intensive, complex, and lack standardized procedures. One of the main drawbacks is that the water sample is collected and taken back to the lab for further processing and analysis, often using a form of microscopy. This all makes it difficult to observe the temporal behavior of the amount of microplastics present at a certain location. The use of laser beam propagation in the ocean for detection purposes has been studied in recent years. A novel pollution detection method for microplastics has been developed, which records laser-light scattering induced by said microplastics at multiple angles. A camera is added to the setup, which will be able to give an estimate of the size and shape of the microplastics. Measurements were performed in a laboratory setting using two types of microplastics; PET and PLA. The results showed that correlations between outlier scattering readings and average power of scattering can be used to determine the composition of plastic in a body of water. Furthermore, we believe that this method of detection has the added advantage of providing temporal measurements, as it can be performed in-situ and over a long(er) period of time. This could provide a more accurate understanding of the temporal behavior of the concentration of microplastics in a body of water.

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  Did the Blessed Virgin Mary Die or Not? Opinions of the Early Church as Well as the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches in the 20th Century

  Vincent Alexander LoBiondo

  Pope Pius XII's 1950 definition of the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary did not say whether or not Mary died. Therefore, Catholics are still free to believe either possibility. The Immortalists say that Mary did not die, while the Mortalists hold that Mary did die. Most of the Church Fathers, Apocrypha, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox theologians take the Mortalist position for various reasons. The Mortalists of the Eastern Orthodox Church say that Mary was subject to death from Original Sin. Meanwhile, a minority of Roman Catholic theologians argue from the Catholic dogma of Mary's Immaculate Conception, i.e. that Mary did not have Original Sin, to say that Mary would not have had to die since that was a punishment for the Original Sin that she did not have. The two Churches also disagree on how the body is united to the soul. Despite these theological differences, theological similarities exist.

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  Digging up the dirt on soil: The link between heavy metals in soil, agricultural practices, and pollinators on urban farms in the Midwest.

  Lauren E. Carr, Penelope Margaux Fisher

  As city populations grow, the need for fresh produce in cities to feed people also grows. One such growing urban environment is Dayton, Ohio, which has begun to implement measures aiming to limit the hunger experienced by underserved individuals in the city. According to The Dayton Food Bank, in Montgomery County alone 14.2% of individuals living in the county experience food insecurity, a majority of whom are children. Urban farming has proven to be a lucrative solution to some of these issues. However, these farms are often established in areas where the soil is degraded due to previous land use, which could pose challenges in growing crops in cities, and it is unknown what practices are most effective in restoring soil in urban agriculture. I hypothesized that farms which were closer to urban areas would contain a higher presence of heavy metals than those of peri-urban farms, farms who were run by individuals knowledgeable in soil ecology would have a healthier overall nutritional and moisture content, and farms with healthier soil composition would experience a higher abundance of pollinator diversity.We surveyed 18 local urban and peri-urban farmers about their understanding of the health of their soil, the practices they use to rejuvenate the soil, and what they were doing to promote pollinators. At each site, we took three soil cores from inside agricultural plots while three were taken outside of the agricultural plots. These soil samples were then analyzed for soil bulk density, moisture concentration, pH, and conductivity. The samples were then analyzed for various heavy metals including zinc, arsenic, and lead. Understanding the ecology of soil in urban farms and how to rejuvenate this soil can provide essential steps to creating sustainable farming habitats, and help create healthier methods for producing large-scale, nutritious food for many communities.

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  Dimensional Vision Synthesis: An Aesthetic Transformation of 2D Views into Dynamic 3D Realities for In-Car experience

  Sankarshan Dasgupta

  In recent years, 3D reconstruction has garnered significant attention, driven by the ever-growing demand for immersive experiences and realistic digital environments. With the development of advanced algorithms and substantial processing resources, it is now possible to convert static 2D images into dynamic, navigable 3D spaces. Using an emphasis on tackling the difficulties involved in precisely converting the subtleties of a 2D car front view image into an extensive multi-view 3D representation. This study explores the nexus between computer vision and spatial cognition. The proposed approach identifies the way we perceive and interact in a car with digital imagery, especially in contexts where depth perspective and spatial awareness. By advancing the synthesis of 3D representations from 2D images, we aim to elevate the capabilities of computer vision systems, enabling them to provide more immersive, realistic, and contextually accurate virtual environments.The goal of this project is to completely transform how we view and engage with 3D environments. Our research goes beyond basic understanding of computer vision and artificial intelligence; By establishing a seamless communication between the in-car driver and the virtual world, where we try to blend in the experience to replicate an real-world scenario. This aims to transform street view into an interactive 3D experience and mimic conventional in-car experiences. This approach is defined in game engine as specific sub tasks: (i) Extract the shape and texture of the scene objects. (ii) Implement advanced computer vision algorithms to extract depth information from 2D images. Thus, utilizing depth sensing mechanism for accurate depth measurement. (iii) Develop a real-time rendering engine to create a 3D representation of the scene. In this process, ensure the algorithm is computationally efficient for on-the-fly processing, considering the real-time computational ability required for in-car experience. In order to ensure resilience in identifying and reacting to a variety of driving circumstances, it is important to handle real-time processing constraints for immediate responsiveness and variations in surrounding factors that may effect the accuracy of depth sensing and scene reconstruction.

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  Discovery of Novel Mechanisms During the Biodegradation of Polymer Coatings by an Environmental Strain of Aureobasidium

  Paige Aileen King

  In order to create novel sustainable and biodegradation resistant coating formulations that do not include toxic additives to humans and/or the environment, the mechanistic complexity of the biodegradation process has to be simplified into general categories and knowledge gaps. This approach will truly identify where active biodegradation stops by microorganisms and where purely chemical hydrolysis and degradation begins. The specific research focus of my project is on the essential role of water and secreted hydrolytic proteins play in the movement and activity of polymer degrading fungi. The result of this focus could ultimately identify if degradation may be attributed to thermodynamic potentials of the organism, polymer coating, or both the microorganisms and polymer coating. My project will focus on a strain of yeast (Aureobasidium sp. W12) isolated and identified from degraded polymer coatings inside of Air Force cargo aircraft. I will determine the culture conditions that stimulate the release of hydrolytic proteins from A. sp. W12 and then use defined polymer coatings and techniques to understand how these proteins are affecting the degradation of polyester polyurethane coating over time as biofilms or facilitate the condensation of water on the surface below the relative dew point during the degradation of the coating. The result of my summer project should be the first identification and key hydrolytic enzymes and mechanisms used by A. sp. W12 in the degradation of polyester polyurethane coatings.

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  Diversity in the American Ballet World

  Haleigh Melina Gross

  This THR/VAR 250 Diversity in the Creative and Performing Arts poster presentation project requires each student to research and present on a topic relevant to the interdisciplinary fields of visual and performing arts through a critical multicultural and social justice lens that foregrounds the appreciation of diversity and enables the expansion of personal cultural competencies.

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  Documenting Inequities

  Ellana Rose Davis

  This THR/VAR 250 Diversity in the Creative and Performing Arts poster presentation project requires each student to research and present on a topic relevant to the interdisciplinary fields of visual and performing arts through a critical multicultural and social justice lens that foregrounds the appreciation of diversity and enables the expansion of personal cultural competencies.

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  Does Cycle Syncing Help Females Balance Hormones?

  Aubrey M. Swart

  Some of the most important hormones that influence women throughout a cycle are cortisol, leptin, estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Examining the relationship between small variations in these hormones and emotional and cognitive functioning has been made easier with the use of the menstrual cycle (Le, Thomas, 2020). Throughout the menstruation cycle, hormones can drop or rise through specific phases of the cycle. It is important to learn how hormones fluctuate throughout a cycle so that women can learn how to balance them. Having balanced hormones can lead to a better lifestyle, less PMS symptoms, regulate cravings, and help regulate weight. Cycle syncing is one way that women are able to balance hormones. Cycle syncing is somewhat of a new concept where women exercise and eat specific foods around the different phases of a menstrual cycle. The goal of this research project is to see if cycle syncing helps female college students to balance hormones.

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  Does Engaging in Mindfulness Activities Improve Mental Well-Being in College Students?

  Madelyn Grace LoPresti

  Research has shown that mental health is a common struggle among college students, which can lead to disruptions in daily routines. According to Pevekar et al., (2023), college students struggling with anxiety were more likely to have impaired academic performance, decreased quality of life, and increased utilization of healthcare services. The purpose of this research study is to determine if engaging in mindful activities can help to improve mental well-being in college-aged students.