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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Seeds of Equity: A Garden Starter Pack
Maren Freudenschuss, Grace M. Regenor, Jacqueline A. Sherick, Meghan A. Zakelj
Our first step in solving world hunger is to create starter packs. As educators we will lead our students through how to create portable gardens. These students will target the social justice issue of food inequality. With the use of these portable gardens, seeds and food resources can be shipped to communities that do not have access to these food resources. Using their STEM skills students will create a flat portable plant pot. They will work to find a design that can withstand shipping, soil, water and plants. In their creation they will use system inequalities to calculate the most cost effective design.
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Selective Evolution of Lithium Ions by Shewanella loihica
Gabrielle A. Kozurek
The prevalent use of lithium ion batteries in consumer electronics poses a significant sustainability challenge to both manufacturing and source availability over the next 50 years. There are several methods to extract lithium from salt water that are commercially available but require caustic reagents and environmental hazards. However, there are several lithium-resistant bacteria that have the ability to precipitate or mineralize lithium ions into a reduced form of lithium that can be processed readily into a lithium source material for batteries. The goal of this project was to culture, characterize, and selectively evolve Shewanlla loihica using lithium ion concentration changes both aerobically and anaerobically. This strain has published metal-reducing capabilities and by selectively pressuring the organisms with higher and higher concentration of Li we will understand the fundamental lithium tolerance of the organism. The project includes an understanding of the changes in growth rate due to subsequent culturing of organisms with increasing concentrations of Li ion. The hope for the final outcome of the project was to find a potential biological approach to the precipitation of Li ions from salt water.
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Sexual Assault on the University of Dayton's Campus in Relation to Social Sororities and Fraternities
Nina Buchan, Cally E. Robinson
This study focuses on the rates of sexual assault based on interaction with Greek life and the habits of the the interviewee and their peers. We asked participants questions based on drug and alcohol habits, knowledge of sexual assault, and knowledge of someone they know who has been sexually assaulted. We used a binary logistic regression to run gender, alcohol and drug habits, and Greek life interaction in comparison to knowing someone who has been sexually assaulted by a Greek member. Our results found no significance between these independent and dependent variables.
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Shaping Gandhi: The Teachers Who Molded a Leader
Aidan R. Wanke
What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
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Sharpeville: The Limits of Nonviolence
Carson M. McCorkle
What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
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Silver Corrosion: Substitution Reactions within the Corrosion Product
Hannah Jane Buchanan
Corrosion is a form of material degradation that causes billions of dollars of damage per year. Silver is often used as an indicator in atmospheric corrosion studies to better understand the effect of environmental chemistry on corrosion severity. The chemical composition of silver corrosion product films is commonly analyzed in atmospheric corrosion studies; however, changes in these films after initial formation are currently unaccounted for and poorly understood. This study utilized electrochemical coulometric techniques and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to characterize the composition of lab-grown silver corrosion product films. Silver corrosion product films were grown by electrochemical deposition in either NaOH, KCl, KBr, KI, and Na₂S solutions, resulting in Ag₂O, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, and Ag₂S, respectively. Multicomponent films were grown by depositing successive layers after changing the electrolyte. It was observed that when multicomponent films were grown in decreasing order by corrosion product stability, separate layers were observed for each corrosion product upon later characterization; however, when deposited in reverse order only a single corrosion product film was observed corresponding to the last electrolyte used. Further, it was observed that less stable silver corrosion products rapidly converted to a more stable corrosion product when immersed in the corresponding electrolyte. This rapid change indicates that initially formed silver corrosion products may be replaced during atmospheric corrosion by other more stable products. Applications of this phenomenon could include an improved technique for atmospheric chloride deposition rate characterization and improved Ag/AgCl reference electrode utilization.
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Social Advocacy and Celebration of Latin Music in The Performing Arts
Nadine Olivia Ayers
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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Social Media Affects on Mental Health
William K. Parreaguirre
The aim of this research project is to offer insights into the usage of social media among young adults, and the effects it can have on mental well-being. Participants completed a brief questionnaire answering questions regarding their demographics, social media habits, and their current state of mental well-being. The results were analyzed to better ascertain whether an individual's social media usage directly influences their mental health.
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Sociology Senior Capstone Research Presentations: Exploring Food Access and Food Insecurity on Campus I
Kevin M. Gonzalez-Brito, Emily K. Graham, Nyah Howard
This session features presentations on original research undertaken by senior sociology students in fulfillment of their capstone requirements. Over the course of the 2023-24 academic year, students in SOC 409 designed and implemented research projects that explored food access and food insecurity on the University of Dayton campus. The papers in this session include an investigation into the factors that impact how undergraduate students access food on campus, a survey exploring how students define food insecurity, and an analysis of how socioeconomic status impacts students' perceptions of food access and insecurity on campus. Collectively, these papers contribute an exploration into factors that impact food access and an analysis of the complex ways in which undergraduate students at UD think about food access.
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Sociology Senior Capstone Research Presentations: Exploring Food Access and Food Insecurity on Campus II
Caroline Anne Cochran, Julia R. Lindenschmidt, Allison M. Peterjohn
This session features presentations on original research undertaken by senior sociology students in fulfillment of their capstone requirements. Over the course of the 2023-24 academic year, students in SOC 409 designed and implemented research projects that explored food access and food insecurity on the University of Dayton campus. The papers in this session include an investigation into how faculty and staff understand the problem of food insecurity on campus, an exploration of how peer networks impact students' access to food and understanding of food insecurity, and an analysis of how cultural norms, stigma, and context impact the acceptance of free food on campus. Collectively, these papers contribute an examination into how the social and cultural context of our campus shapes understandings of food access and insecurity.
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Sociology Senior Capstone Research Presentations: Exploring Food Access and Food Insecurity on Campus III
Kiya L. Gibson-Cornist, Candice Julia Kenard, Lucy K. Schuermann
Over the course of the 2023-24 academic year, students in SOC 409 designed and implemented research projects that explored food access and food insecurity on the University of Dayton campus. The papers in this session include an investigation into how student athletes access food on campus, an exploration of how commuter students access food, and an analysis of the food access challenges faced by students who have dietary restrictions. Collectively, these papers reveal the food access challenges faced by students in specialized and sometimes hidden populations, and the presenters offer insights into practices that could improve food access for these groups.
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Soft Robotic End-Effector Design: A Potential for Cost-Effective Maintenance in Aerospace Inspection and Pipe Investigation
Ian J. Dargai, Antoine Gagne, John Gordon Hoover, Hayden Catherine Lingel
This research presents investigations into the cost-effective design of a soft robotic end-effector, engineered to perform tasks with dexterity and precision. The end-effector is being considered for performing manipulations either at the end of a continuum robot or as a stand-alone mechanism. The combination of continuum robot and end-effector is expected to provide a high degree of flexibility and safety. Such a soft robotic manipulator exhibits potential across applications in the realm of aerospace maintenance, particularly for jet engines during repairs. A similar concept could be considered for a soft-robot designed to navigate a pipe. Additionally, the soft aspect of the end-effector makes it suitable for recreational purposes, including a backyard "splash zone" or a larger water park installation. Several end-effector prototypes have been printed and tested.
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Solar Thermal Adsorption Refrigerator
Clayton Douglas Rosso, Quinn T. Whisler
The Solar Thermal Absorption Refrigerator (STAR) uses no electricity to cool refrigerated items including vaccines and perishable food to be used in remote areas with unreliable electricity. This process exploits adsorptive refrigeration using ethanol and activated carbon. Evaporative cooling of ethanol under vacuum takes heat away from the refrigerated objects turning the liquid ethanol into vapor. The ethanol gas absorbs onto activated carbon. During the desorption process, heating the activated carbon evaporates the ethanol which condenses to start the cycle over again. The system runs adsorption and desorption to create a refrigeration cycle. After sitting dormant for multiple years, the STAR apparatus was repaired and tested to determine whether or not the working pair of ethanol and activated carbon is viable. The first part of the cycle, adsorption, was evaluated for the amount of ethanol evaporated and the lowest working temperature. Tests running desorption were conducted to determine the amount of ethanol returned. The group tested multiple treatment procedures to remove possible contaminants on the activated carbon. SEM imaging and SDT testing were performed on the activated carbon to determine the concentrations of contaminants and how they affect heating and cooling of the carbon.
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Solving the complexity problems of large-scale Kubernetes systems
Justen M. Stall
Autonomous Capability Team 3 (ACT3) at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) produces an artificial intelligence research platform called the Air and Space Force Cognitive Engine (ASCE). ASCE is distributed as a Kubernetes system with all of its necessary components included. The system’s deployment is a complicated process, and is currently done using the Helm and Helmfile tools. The design decisions made by Helm and Helmfile have raised concerns, so there is interest in finding a better approach.This project explores the complexity problems of large-scale Kubernetes systems. Existing approaches were researched, analyzed, and evaluated. The research concluded with a comprehensive comparison of various approaches, the identification of a few guiding principles, and a prescribed solution prioritizing those principles.
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Sounding the Call for Change: The Role of Music in the March on Washington and Nonviolent Resistance
Nathan Raymond Glessman
What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.
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Sound on the Spectrum
Sarah Katherine Theewis
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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Spatial Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in Dayton's Aquifers
Isabelle J. Blackwell
Title on poster: The Relationship Between Volatile Organic Compounds and Census Data in Montgomery County, Ohio.
Abstract: Groundwater, a vital natural resource, faces increasing threats from anthropogenic pollution. This capstone project employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) for analyzing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and creating hotspot maps. VOCs, such as tetrachloroethylene, emanate from human activities and industrial processes, and undergo complex degradation pathways. This study, centered in Dayton, OH, aims to understand the relationships between VOC concentrations and environmental parameters (elevation, slope, depth to the water table, bedrock geology, and zoning). These linear regression methods will reveal contamination patterns, contributing to targeted remediation and management strategies.
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Spectral Control in Bandpass Filters Using Dispersion Relations in Metallo-dielectric Structures
Guo Chen
In previous work, we introduced an analytical approach that utilizes the dispersion relation within an infinite periodic multilayer structure to predict the performance of finite multilayer structures. We validated the accuracy of our predictions by demonstrating numerical agreement with other established simulation methods, such as the transfer matrix method, and through experimental confirmation using fabricated multilayer metallo-dielectric structures. In this work, we employ dispersion relations to illustrate that metallo-dielectric (MD) structures, as opposed to a multilayer dielectric-dielectric (DD) structures, efficiently yields a sharp-edge transmittance spectrum profiles, and provides convenient control over both sides of the bandpass cut-off edges. Our approach also enables the calculation of effective permittivity without relying on traditional homogenization techniques. Furthermore, based on the predicted frequency response from dispersion relations and through the introduction of dielectric gaps between two identical 3-layer MDM structures, we demonstrate, using the transfer matrix method, the potential for further engineering the transmittance spectrum of bandpass filters in the visible and near-IR. The capability to achieve a sharp-edge filter with a limited number of layers further underscores the cost-effectiveness of such bandpass filters.
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Stakeholder Perceptions of Community Garden Features
Samantha S. Trajcevski
The presentation discusses the study on stakeholder perceptions and attitudes towards greenspaces. This is completed through the identification of different uses and features to maximize use of the space and stakeholder engagement in the community garden. 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 aimed to address three such gaps in research. First, very few studies have focused on community gardens in minority and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. Our research was 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. To better understand stakeholder opinions, we utilized a creative qualitative research method combining photovoice and interviews/focus groups. We conducted eight in-depth semi-structured interviews and four focus groups. Multiple interviewees agreed that the Dayton View Triangle lacks access to a green space. Most believed that a garden would offer social cohesion. Understandably, most participants were concerned about who would manage the garden after it is constructed, however, they believed that a garden club run by a number of passionate residents could offer a solution. Photovoice was an integral method to this project; picture-boards were posted in areas where stakeholder groups would interact with them. They were prompted to place stickers on features they wanted to prioritize. This method emphasized multigenerational design that accounts for diverse stakeholder uses, and highlights the memories, experiences, and expectations that attract stakeholders to community gardens. The findings also outlined the importance of co-creating the design of a community garden to ensure long-term sustainability. The research conducted aimed to help 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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Stander Inside: Presentations from the 2024 Warren Correctional Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program Course
Carina M. Albrecht, Peyton A. Allen, Tamara Tatyana Carter, Kimberly Alyson Cleveland, Camille Joy Villapena Delgado, Elizabeth Farrington Lehman, Katerina Grace Metheney, Abiageal Rai Newell, Brooklynn Lyndsay Nusbaum, Grace E. Okruhlica, Riley R. Patterson, Lucy K. Schuermann, Riley Kathryn Zaleski, Kailey M. Zarlinski
Students in the Warren Correctional Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program course have developed program and policy proposals to address a selected social problem. Student groups, composed of both students experiencing incarceration and those who are not, will present their ideas to intervene in problems such as poverty, educational inequality, residential segregation, and mass incarceration.
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Student Affairs and The Great Resignation: Why Employees Choose to Remain in or Leave the Field
Amanda L. Allgood
In the months following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Resignation, a mass exodus of employees, swept through higher education and student affairs units. This study investigates the factors influencing whether student affairs practitioners opted to remain in or exit the field post-pandemic. Employing a qualitative approach grounded in a constructivist worldview, structured interviews were conducted with eight participants currently employed in student affairs or who exited the field during the Great Resignation. Though participants cited having passion for their work and for helping students succeed, dissatisfaction stemmed largely from limited resources and minimal avenues for salary advancement within student affairs. This study highlights the need for institutions to tackle systemic issues that lead to employee turnover, drawing on insights from both current and former staff to pinpoint areas for improvement.
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Students as faculty gender equity allies: Mitigating students' gender biases through short-term awareness-intervention and long-term research literacy training
Hannah P. Kling, Isabella Grace Thomeier, Veronica Anne Vasko
This project aims to investigate two interrelated questions as part of the 2023-2024 Gender Equity Research Fellowship (GERF): 1) Do gender biases influence the University of Dayton (UD) undergraduate students' evaluations of the credibility of gender related research? 2) If such biases exist, can SSC 200 (social science education) effectively reduce them? To answer these questions, surveys were distributed at the start and end of the Fall 2023 semester to SSC 200 students. The GERF research assistants will present the project outcomes as well as individual research they conducted throughout the year in relation to the larger project.
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Students Developing a More Specific Emotional Vocabulary through Picture Books
Mary E. Horvath
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a relatively new set of standards in Ohio’s curriculum. They teach students to take care of themselves mentally, emotionally, and socially. SEL standards are essential for achievement not only in the classroom but in life as well because it teaches students how to manage relationships, be better decision-makers, and have a better sense of self, just to name a few. Because of its novelty, it is essential to find the best practices for teaching SEL to meet the needs of the students. Research has shown that the standard videos, activities, and take-home worksheets referenced in the curriculum are not engaging the students (Pysarenko, 2021, p. 639). Another avenue must be taken for students to truly learn from SEL, which prompted the idea of picture books. Teachers already use picture books throughout the school day to teach academic content, so why can’t it be done to teach Social-Emotional Learning as well? This study seeks to further understand the connection between children’s literature and emotional vocabulary, which is part of the Ohio Department of Education SEL standard, “Demonstrate an awareness of personal emotions” (ODE, p. 8, 2019). With 32 participants, the researcher interviewed students before and after an intervention with picture books to see if participants could apply the emotional vocabulary used during the read-alouds. After all the interviews, thematic coding was done with all the responses to see if children were able to apply deeper emotional vocabulary to hypothetical situations. The data shows growth in application which suggests that picture books can be used to teach emotional vocabulary. This is significant because helping students grow their emotional vocabulary will help them connect better to themselves, the people in their lives, and their experiences so they can live an overall better life.
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Student Songwriter Concert: Guitar Students of Jim McCutcheon
Cole Ryan Buschmeyer, Grace M. Caffoe, Anna Valerie Delaney, Megan Elizabeth Knapke, Reagan Marie Lloyd, Aaron M. Moen, Jack R. Prager, Allison Claire Shelly
Students of Jim McCutcheon perform a juried program of original songs and instrumental pieces.
