Stander Symposium Projects

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  Food and Festivals of Greece and Japan

  Christian Valenzano and Clayton Lovin

  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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  Food Connections to Judaism and Islam

  Grace Kennedy, Caroline Sullivan, Ella Blair

  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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  Forecasting Categorical Time Series Using Logistic Regression and ARIMA model

  Sharmina Yasmin

  In this research, we explore a categorical time series data that changes with time and other input variables using a combination of Logistic Regression, and ARIMA model. We use an Electroencephalogram (EEG) dataset with two states of the response variable (closed or open state of the eye). Using EEG sensor values as input, we use Logistic Regression to obtain the predictive probability to classify the eye state. Due to the autocorrelation among the residuals and to time dependence, the Logistic Regression model can be improved using ARIMA to produce better results. This will help making the residuals a white noise. This work is developed further using a Transfer Function model that produce an even more better result.

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  Foreign Detainee Operations Post 9/11: An Example of the United States’ Ethical Compromise

  Seth Longstreth

  After 9/11, the United States government issued a series of policies that allowed tortuous interrogations in order to extract actionable information, or least attempt to. After being a member of the Geneva Convention and the Convention Against Torture, the U.S. directly defied these international treaties purely because it suited their interests during the retaliation against al-Qaeda. This paper seeks to answer how government accountability plummets when directing officials overlook the law, how the subjectivity of torture laws was capitalize on, and what further implications this has on us as a nation. This research takes a multi-case study approach which allows for an in-depth analysis of interrogative techniques, living conditions, and how it was all made legal.Keywords: Detainee, Ethics, Torture, Interrogation

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  Frantz Fanon and the Search for True African Philosophy

  Emma Mason

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  From Inspiration to Creation: A Live Performance and Discussion of Original Music

  Cedric Mwizerwa, John Imhof

  Owen Imhof and Cedric Mwizerwa are passionate musicians who will present a unique and inspiring session on their journey of creating original pieces of music. In this presentation, they will take the audience through the process of writing their first original compositions and the challenges they faced along the way. The event's highlight will be the first-ever live performances of their newly created pieces, showcasing their musical talent and creativity. Attendees will learn about the creative process behind writing original music and gain insights into the challenges and triumphs of musicianship. This session is a must-attend for anyone interested in music composition, performance, and creativity.

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  Fundamentals of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

  Abdul Moid Khan

  A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy of a fuel oxidation reaction directly into electricity. A solid oxide fuel cell can be considered an electro-chemical reactor which converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. Hydrogen or a hydrocarbon (e.g., methane) is supplied on the anode and air or oxygen on the cathode side of the fuel cell. Hydrogen and carbon monoxide (if hydrogen is not pure) diffuse through the porous anode to the three-phase boundary formed by the anode, the electrolyte, and the gaseous hydrogen. Similarly, oxygen diffuses through cathode to three phase-boundary on the cathode side where oxygen accepts electrons. These oxygen ions (oxide ions) travel through the porous electrolyte and react with hydrogen to produce electrons and water at the anode and thus an electro motive force is generated between two electrodes. The two electrodes can be connected via an external circuit and an electrical current can be generated. The change in Gibbs free energy of the overall cell reaction is equal to the maximum electrochemical work. The electrical potential difference between the cell electrodes produced due to half-cell reactions drives the electrons to move from the anode to the cathode in the cell external electric circuit. In this presentation, some fundamentals behind the operation of high temperature solid oxide fuel cells as well as information from past industrial scale SOFC systems will be reviewed.

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  Funeral Rituals in Ghana and India

  Quinn Gilroy and Sarah Harper

  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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  Gaps between Affection and Text Messaging in Relation to the Uses and Gratifications Theory: Examining Texting and The Need to Belong

  Daniel Peters, Shania Weigandt

  For our literature review, we have been identifying gaps between affection and text messaging in relation to the uses and gratifications theory. Our interest within this topic lies with our curiosity to discover why people feel a need to belong, and how those needs affect communication in relation to texting. With the help of our research, we will be able to compare how texting can possibly contribute to the fear of missing out as well as the drive to be a part of something. We will utilize the information about adolescence using text messaging to narrow down the uses and gratifications of younger generations who use texting. The scholarly literature that we have studied can be separated into four categories; the needing to belong, text messaging, correlation of texting and the needing to belong, and uses and gratification theory. These topics lead us to our research question which asks how the need for affection affects an individual's personal use of text messaging.

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  Garnering Stakeholder Perceptions of Urban Community Garden Features Through the Utilization of Photovoice Research

  Abigayle Smith

  The presentation discusses the study currently being conducted on stakeholder perceptions and attitudes towards greenspaces. This is completed through the identification of different uses and features that could be included in the community garden to maximize use of the space and stakeholder engagement. To best understand community opinions, we utilized a creative qualitative research method combining photovoice and interviews/focus groups. The photovoice will be the primary discussion of the presentation as the interviews and focus groups are ongoing. Preliminary findings indicate the importance of designing a garden for multigenerational and diverse stakeholder uses, and highlight the memories, experiences, and expectations that attract stakeholders to community gardens. The findings also outline the importance of co-creating the design of a community garden to ensure long-term sustainability. Previous research shows that community gardens are a popular tool to address neighborhood revitalization, local food, and social cohesion; critical gaps exist in the body of literature. This long-term project aims to address three such gaps in research. First, very few studies have focused on community gardens in minority and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. Our research is located in the Dayton View Triangle neighborhood, which is 67% African American with a median household income of 35k. Second, previous research largely explores stakeholder perceptions toward established community gardens rather than their perceptions during the planning and design of a community garden. Third, very few studies have examined community-based governance/organizational structures that can ensure long-term sustainability. The research currently being conducted is aimed to help to understand the desired features and necessary mechanisms that need to be established to build a sense of community, social cohesion, and attachment around a community garden.

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  Gender, Race, and Social Media

  Julia Bunch, Kaitlin Hall, Madeleine Carrane, Jenna Borrelli

  In the twenty-first century, social media is a key site where meanings about personal experiences and intergroup relations are navigated and reproduced. In this panel, presenters explore how gendered and racialized identities are constructed on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. The first paper investigates how women invoke medicalized discourse and authority through the issue of infant sleep to assert their status as good mothers. The second paper explores how masculinity is constructed on the University of Dayton Barstool Flyers account. The third paper reveals how young women narrate experiences of sexual assault in short video clips. Finally, the fourth paper discusses the topic of race-swapping in fictional film through a case study of "The Little Mermaid" and the recent casting of an African-American actress in the lead role. Each of these papers is based on original social science research undertaken by presenters for the sociology senior capstone. Taken together, the papers reveal the myriad ways that social media functions as a space to (re)produce gendered and racialized identities. This panel should be of interest to folks who are interested in thinking through the power, value, and pitfalls of social media in modern life.

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  Generating Low Order Weight Models for Mechanical Design of an Aircraft with a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage

  Kyle Naumann

  In development of an aircraft with a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage (BIRE), it is important to optimize the weight of the mechanical system while meeting performance requirements for flight dynamics. Mechanical elements requiring optimization include the bearings, gears, and actuators. Through use of stress equations with verification against finite element simulations and manufacturer data, low order models are generated to rapidly estimate system component weights for a series of design configurations. For bearings, the bore diameter and applied load serves as primary design variables. The weight-estimating model then determines the lightest possible bearing by varying the diameter and number of balls within the bearing while attempting to stay within a defined ball contact stress limit. The gear model operates similarly, with design variables of bore diameter, required output torque, number of pinions, and ring gear OD used with varying tooth pitch, tooth count, and face width. However, additional material was removed from the pinions by adding cutouts, and the stresses in these cutouts was matched to the bending stress on the gear tooth. The cuts were then geometrically parameterized as relationships to other gear features and applied to all gear possibilities for further weight reduction in suitable gears. Actuators are segmented into individual sub-components to estimate mass based on power and speed. All models will be combined to optimize the total system weight for the BIRE and provide the best arrangement of components.

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  Genome-wide screening of miRNA’s in dve cells identifies evolutionary conserved miR-190 regulates eye size by targeting Eyeless/PAX-6

  Mani Manivannan Subramanian; other author: Amit Singh

  Congenital aniridia is caused by mutation(s) in paired-box gene 6 (PAX-6), and is characterized by eye defects manifested in childhood leading to visual impairment. A highly conserved PAX-6 (Drosophila homolog, eyeless, ey), encodes a DNA-binding transcription factor, whose loss-of-function exhibits loss-of-entire-eye or part-of-eye. Surprisingly, molecular genetic basis of Aniridia remains poorly understood. The retinal loss may arise due to dysregulation of miRNAs which plays a pivotal role in regulating genes post transcriptionally. miRNAs are the short hairpin like structure with 20-25bp which modulates the gene expressions post-transcriptionally by binding to 3’UTR of mRNAs. Studies on miRNAs have shown that miRNAs are involved in fine tuning of genes which regulates cell differentiation and proliferation of retinal cells in vertebrates. miRNA serves a vital role in the retina throughout development and in eye diseases. In our study using Drosophila as a model system, importance of miRNAs involved in the development of eye was investigated and in our genome wide screening of miRNAs in dve cells, we have identified miR-190 as our novel candidate in modulating the eye phenotype. Further Eyeless, a target gene of miR-190, was identified by secondary screening through RNAi lines and analyzed for eye phenotypes. Eye fate markers involved in eye development were analyzed in flies expressing miR-190 target gene Eyeless-RNAi. Here, we provide a mechanism of how miR-190 modulates eye phenotype through Eyeless gene, and results from these studies will be discussed in the symposium.

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  Globalization of Music

  Ethan Schum, Dorian Mays, Kevin Doldehide

  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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  Globalization of Music: Fan Culture — K-pop vs. British Pop

  Emma Bueti and Kaitlin Hall

  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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  Going Global in Grade School: Benefits of Foreign Language Learning for Elementary-Aged Youth

  Savannah Smith

  In this linguistically rich society, the average person’s knowledge of other languages is no longer a merely helpful skill, but a necessity for interpersonal interaction. Foreign language programs are common in U.S. high schools, but their benefits can be reaped at a much earlier age. As a result, this project highlights the advantages of learning foreign languages in elementary school, investigating bilingualism in the context of a culturally and communicatively diverse world.

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  Group One Now Boarding: The Layered Impact Study Abroad Has On Students

  Mia Rosa Cappuccitti Gutierrez

  International travel and learning in contexts abroad, have benefits that have been captured in research across time. The positive effects are identified by researchers as (1) increase in ability to speak a foreign language (2) increased overall confidence and (3) a broadened worldview and personal growth. This literature review focuses on these many impacts provided by travel experience in the lives of students.

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  Half a Pocketful of Sunshine: Partially Shaded Sites Provide a Sanctuary for Species Diversity

  Palmer Lambert, David Speth, Abigail Carter

  In order for an aquatic ecosystem to function properly, primary production must occur through the growth of algae, which can modify the abundance of macroinvertebrates found in the substrate, thus altering the overall productivity of the ecosystem. The amount of algal growth can indicate the comprehensive health of aquatic ecosystems due to their high variability with nutrient levels. An excess in nutrients can cause algal blooms (unrestricted algal growth) which block light from passing through the photic (light permeable) layer of the water, while lack of nutrients can prevent algal growth altogether. Other aquatic life can be greatly affected by algal production levels, as algal blooms can deplete the water of oxygen and cause decreased survival rates for macroinvertebrates, but a lack of algal growth can also cause macroinvertebrate death due to a lack of food sources and habitat. We will begin by creating leaf litter bags using CPOM (Coarse Particulate Organic Matter) collected from a specific location at Old River Park. These leaf litter bags along with ceramic tiles will be placed in five separate locations in the oxbow lake at Old River Park. Locations varied in the amount of sunlight they received. After 14 and 21 days submerged in the water, we will remove the leaf litter bags and taxonomically identify the captured macroinvertebrates to the genus level; the ceramic tiles will be retrieved and any algae growth will be collected, dried, and weighed in aluminum pans. We found that algal biomass and macroinvertebrate abundance both had a positive relationship with the amount of light they were receiving, suggesting that optimal lighting conditions for both algae and macroinvertebrate habitat coincided with our full sun test sites. The overall diversity of macroinvertebrates, on the genus level, was also found to be significantly higher at our treatment sites with more sunlight. This suggests that environments that receive more sunlight have greater capabilities to support a larger variety of macroinvertebrate species, which could be correlated to high sun environments typically being able to produce a more abundant algae community. The correlation between algal biomass, macroinvertebrates and sunlight suggest that it should be of relative importance to maintain and protect areas that receive high levels of sunlight in aquatic ecosystems.

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  Hand gesture recognition system using sensor and Arduino

  Subrahmanyam Gangadharabhatla

  This project presents the design and implementation of a Hand gesture recognition system using a Hand gesture recognition sensor on an Arduino platform. The sensor can read the hand signs loaded into the system previously and recognize the gestures when placed in front of the sensor. Further, we can process the information to control a robot or machine to perform actions. This system can provide situations such as contactless controls and interactions. This system is dependable and straightforward to use. This project provides the system's design and execution too. Recommendations for the improvement of the system also are concluded in the report.

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  Hands In Harmony

  Kabelo Muhammad, Molly Obergefell, Olivia Redwine, Sydney Zupnick, Rosalie Doyle, Arianna Ranallo, Valeria Alvarado Berrios, Kayleah Shiland, Anna Delaney, Jaylee Sowders, Mattabesett Smith

  Led by director Heidi Reynolds and interpreter Mary Ann Fraley, the University of Dayton performing ensemble Hands in Harmony presents choreographed signs from American Sign Language (ASL) to popular songs. It allows the audience members to experience and appreciate both the auditory and visual aspects of the music. Seeing the signs gives a different perspective of the music. For more information about Hands in Harmony or details to become involved, please visit the University of Dayton Ensembles and Performance Opportunities page under "Choral Ensembles."

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  Hazard Alert Prototype for Road Construction

  Qingyu Ren

  Injuries caused by the operator's negligence or lack of attention by laborers to the surrounding environment during the road construction process are one of the main reasons for accidents in road construction sites. The use of sound cues in construction vehicles is a widely used method to alert people in the vicinity. However, in real-world applications, the voice alert of the vehicle may not be efficient in letting people notice it due to the noise of the construction site and people wearing sound insulation equipment to protect their hearing. Vibration might be a better way to apply in construction sites that are less affected by surrounding noise, and it can indicate the potential hazard direction to people. On the other hand, ultrasonic sensors are a well-developed technology used for distance and size measurement in homogeneous materials. With recent advancements in microprocessor ability, detection and distance estimation using ultrasonic sensors are possible. The aim of this project is to build an alert device that combines ultrasonic sensors with vibration sensors to notify people of the direction in which an object is approaching and to be aware of the potential hazard.

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  Here comes the sun: A study of insect ecology during Ohio’s solar power boom

  Raef Khamis Ali Saif Al Hamedi, Grace Litavsky, Abbey Raison, Sarah Metz, Rianna Soltis, Stephanie Murray

  As the world’s population and demand for energy continues to increase, we are also experiencing a rapid increase in renewable energy, such as solar power. Ohio is in the midst of a large solar boom, in which many solar fields are converted to something called “solar prairies.” The native, flowering vegetation in a solar prairie is meant to attract pollinators to boost the ecological value of the land. As solar prairies continue to surface in Ohio, we are still facing a large knowledge gap regarding (1) the effects of solar arrays on insects and (2) the best management practices for solar prairie vegetation. To help bridge this first knowledge gap, we are surveying insect communities at newly proposed solar sites before and after solar installation. Many of these proposed sites will be seeded as solar prairies during or following the installation process. Thus far, we have collected preliminary data at three proposed solar sites: two city managed lawns (WT and SW) and one field of goldenrod (MEEC). We collected insects using pitfall traps (n= 4 per site at WT and SW; 9 at MEEC), pan traps (n= 1 per site at WT and SW; 9 at MEEC), and sweepnets (n= 4 per site at WT and SW; 10 at MEEC). Insects were sorted to order level identification (e.g., bees are of the order Hymenoptera) and we used analyses of variance (ANOVA) and generalized linear models (GLM) to test for differences in insect communities between and within sites. We found insect abundance and diversity to be highest at MEEC, as expected due to flowering goldenrod. We expect a decrease immediately following construction and solar installation at all sites, but a rebound over time as plant diversity increases.

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  Historical Nostalgia Scale

  Jacob Salzman, Jonah Farrar

  When thinking of the concept of nostalgia, people often find themselves thinking of what is called "personal nostalgia." This is a longing for a time in their own past, and wanting to experience these times again. Little do people know about the other, lesser researched form called "historical nostalgia."Historical nostalgia is when an individual has a longing for a time that they never got to experience. This has become a more prevalent area with the rise of social media platforms like TikTok where users are popularizing past technologies, clothes, and other technologies. All of this has led us to run pilot studies and preliminary studies based around a still image of an old mall with Africa by ToTo to gauge reactions and nostalgic feelings from viewers. We have also evaluated secondary sources, and we are currently working towards developing more studies, all with the goal of being able to contribute a more solidified scale of how to gauge how "historically nostalgic" an individual is. We hope to accomplish this for the sake of advertisers and managers as this area is under researched and under utilized in a world where it continues to become more relevant.

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  History Capstone Presentations

  Camryn Mcnutt, Brant Bolton, Sean Zegarski, Jack Willerton, Noah Jackson, John Perkins-Stafford

  Capstone presentations by History Department Seniors showcasing scholarly historical projects based on primary source analysis and historiographical context. Topics range from Perceptions of Economic Transition in Russia and Eastern Europe, to anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism in Extreme Movements in Ohio, Chinese Propaganda, and the Professionalization of Army Cadre in Nineteenth Century America.

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  Home security using Arduino

  Dharma Teja Rao Gandra

  The objective of this project is to create a security system that automatically takes photos when a door is opened using sonar sensors. The system is built using an Arduino kit and a sonar sensor, and it is designed to be simple, reliable, and easy to use.The project involves several steps. The first step is to choose a sonar sensor that is compatible with the Arduino board. Once the sonar sensor is selected, it is connected to the Arduino board and programmed to detect changes in distance when the door is opened. The sensor will send out a sound wave that will bounce off the door and return to the sensor. By measuring the time it takes for the sound wave to travel to the door and back, the distance between the sensor and the door can be calculated.When the door is opened and the distance measured by the sonar sensor changes, the Arduino board will trigger the camera module to take a photo. The camera module is connected to the Arduino board and programmed to take photos when activated.The system can be customized to include additional features such as an alarm or notifications when the door is opened. For example, a piezoelectric buzzer can be added to the circuit to create an audible alarm, or an Ethernet or Wi-Fi module can be used to send notifications to a phone or email.Overall, this project demonstrates the use of an Arduino kit and sonar sensor to create a simple and effective security system that can be used to monitor doors and windows. The system is designed to be expandable and customizable, allowing users to add additional features and functionality as needed.