Stander Symposium Projects

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  Propeller and Propeller-in-Wing Thrust Vectoring

  Grace Gabrielle Culpepper

  In this study, we investigate the efficiency of a thrust vectoring system utilizing a set of vanes designed to create forward force at a minimum loss in net thrust, the system itself placed in both a stand-alone propeller configuration and a propeller-in-wing configuration. Both static and wind-on force-based experiments were conducted at the University of Dayton Low Speed Wind Tunnel (UDLSWT) with off-the-shelf R/C propellers. A square propeller sheath was incorporated for static testing and a propeller-wing integrated setup was the focus of wind-on experiments. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effect on thrust vectoring of vane tilt angle and propeller placement with respect to the upper surface of the integrated wing. Static test results indicated notable improvement in vane performance when placing the vane system in a wing as compared to the stand-alone sheathed design. Thrust vectoring was achieved, along with subsequent changes in pitching moment, by increasing vane deflection angle. Wind tunnel test results of the integrated propeller-in-wing system for the standard 90° pitch orientation indicated successful thrust vectoring below the advance ratio of 0.3, which is practical for most relevant applications. The 75° pitch orientation of the propeller-vane system observed increased thrust vectoring capabilities extending to an advance ratio of 0.7. Sensitivity analysis results revealed that the case of the propeller exposed to the flow freestream outperformed that of the propeller embedded in the test wing in overall efficiency, though the embedded featured a better thrust vectoring capability.

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  Public Health Worker Perceptions of Black Infant Mortality in Dayton

  Shyanne Smith

  Constructing a study around the perceptions of black infant mortality from the very public health workers of Dayton allows a look at what rates currently exist and why it should matter. I sat down with several employees of the Public Health Department of Montgomery County for a 25-30 minute interview to get their perceptions of why black infant mortality is so high. Looking at black infant mortality rates from other states and cities gives a wider scope of the factors that contribute to them. Dayton Public health workers see preterm birth, high blood pressure, and racism, to name a few, as the major issue(s) here and express a hope that providing adequate resources and education can help stabilize and lower black infant mortality rates. If the rates are so high and worrisome that similar issues from research studies all over the country, and from earlier years, are being repeated in Dayton and are well known by the health workers here, it sheds a light on those causes and ultimately points people towards the main issues.

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  Public Relations Theory: COM 555 Class Presentations

  LNU Arshi Ara Khan, Christian Jesus Cabrera, Ziyi Chen, Kaellyn Joy Duerr, Pat M. Enright, Ian A. Evans, Claire B. Mahoney, Nicholas D. Orrill, Alyssa L. Reed, Colin P. Riordan, Sara K. Sweeterman, Rebecca Westphal, Erin Whalen

  Students in the graduate course COM 555: Public Relations Theory will present their final research projects that examine and analyze emerging theories, principles, concepts, and research methods in the field of public relations. Research focusing on social media integration, nonprofit-public relationship building, integration of dialogic communication in community policing, and more will be presented.

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  Reconstruction and Solvability

  Sarah Josephine Herr

  A graph is a mathematical object that consists of two sets: a set of vertices and a set of edges. An edge joins two vertices and depicts a relationship between those vertices. The following is a project for MTH 466 - Graph Theory and Combinatorics. The Reconstruction Conjecture states that any unknown graph that has at least five vertices can be reconstructed from knowing the “deck” of all its induced subgraphs that have one vertex removed. We will explore the validity of this conjecture. We will also consider ways of determining that a given deck of graphs is either an incorrect set or not the full set of induced subgraphs of a fixed graph and therefore unusable in reconstruction.

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  Recurrence Interval of Hurricane Level Flooding in the Florida Panhandle

  Ripken James Pacovsky

  Hurricane Sally’s landfall in the Gulf Coast marked the fourth consecutive year of a slow-moving tropical system devastating the region with insurmountable rainfall, flooding and storm surge. With an estimated cost of over $7 billion in total damage and being the direct cause of 8 fatalities, Hurricane Sally broke storm records along the southern coasts of Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. Using daily water discharge data from the USGS 02375500 station in the Escambia River near Century, FL, the river recorded nine consecutive days above its flood stage. The majority of the inundation and flood damage occurred between the 16th and 20th of September 2020 as the hurricane passed over Escambia County, FL. Peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) of the river occurred on the 17th and slowly declined after. Using historical data from the United States Geological Survey and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it is possible to estimate how often comparable levels of flooding will occur in the area. Knowing the recurrence of severe flooding is beneficial for homeowners, businesses and municipalities to make preparations and be insured. Compiling all daily discharge and gage height measurements of the Escambia River from 1934-2021, the recurrence interval of Hurricane Sally-level flooding was found to be ~6.8 years. In a given year, the probability of Hurricane Sally level flooding is about 15 in 100. Flood levels just below Hurricane Sally were found to have a much greater probability. With a predicted rise in sea level, this recurrence interval can be expected to shorten in the future. The outdated flood control systems from the 1900s will need to be updated this century to keep on pace with frequent and more extreme flood events.

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  Religion and Food Justice

  Emillie Anna Boyd, Josie K. Forsthoff, Abby Danae Hentz, Sebastián Edniel Serrano Préstamo

  This collaborative study asks about the intersection of religious belief and food insecurity. The purpose was to explore the connections between food practices, religious belief, religious identity, food insecurity, and food justice. A literature review of relevant scholarly articles in sociology, psychology, anthropology, and interdisciplinary social sciences revealed that religious identity can be expressed and affirmed by food practices. Food justice advocates and volunteers often attribute their service with their religious beliefs, and providing adequate food can be an opportunity for religious or spiritual dialogue. Religious minorities in the United States, like Islam, especially rely on access to specific food for religious dietary rules that express their faith in a sometimes harsh environment. This harsh environment makes food practices more psychologically and religiously significant but also more difficult to follow when access to the specific foods is considered niche. In secular and religious organizations alike we found that religious beliefs motivated workers in food justice and food banks who worked in service of their community. Another study showed evidence that being more religious did not necessarily make a society more likely to share, but the presence of need and food supply stress predicted increased sharing of labor and food. While the service is attributed to religious belief, the need is the main catalyst. Lastly, religious dialogue has been seen to thrive in areas of community service, and food banks and justice movements are not an exception. All of these points and sources suggest that food insecurity is much more closely related to religious belief and identity than expected.

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  Religion and Technology: Working for the Common Good

  Tyler J. Delahanty, Emily Melissa Foppe, Benjamin M. Grawe, Emily Eileen Nugent

  Many individuals believe that religion and science oppose each other, one working for morality and the other supporting the rejection of God and practice of actions that are immoral. This study investigates specifically how religious groups interact with technology. The literature review explored whether religious groups utilize technology as a tool that can help them achieve their goal, or if they view technology as the enemy that they are opposing. Seeing how different religious groups interact with technology is an extremely interesting subject. Our article analysis explored the interactions of various religious groups with technology and found that specific religious groups interact with specific technological advancements differently. Groups utilize and oppose specific technological advancements based on their own beliefs and contexts.

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  Religion's Influence on Political Behavior in the U.S.

  Matthew Michael Austin, Rosalie Ann Hopkins, Jacob M. Mantle, Matthew S. Ostermueller

  The topic of study is to examine the relationship between religion and politics in the United States from a sociological, anthropological, and psychological perspective. More specifically, the three major groups studied were Christianity, Islam, and unaffiliated to see what their positions were on the different political ideas in the United States. Previous research has indicated that there is a strong relationship between religion and politics, and, in most cases, most peoples’ religious beliefs influence the ways in which they vote and the political ideologies they possess. This literature review examined the ways in which this relationship has changed in today’s volatile political climate. Several studies used methods including surveys, implicit association tests, and immersion to collect solid data to inform our research. The findings were as expected--religion is a major determining factor in the way people vote. However, the differences come when different religions are contrasted with each other (e.g., Catholicism and Islam) and we are able to see how their different beliefs lead them to take on different political beliefs.

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  Resolving the gene regulatory network for a fruit fly pigmentation trait whose modification underlies climate-driven phenotypic variation

  Jenna Rose Rock

  Species are in the midst of surviving changing climates that require ancestral trait phenotypes to convert to derived states better adapted to the present conditions. Adaptations can occur through genetic differences, raising questions how such differences translate into phenotypic change. A prerequisite to answering these evolutionary questions is to understand the genetic basis for trait development. In animals, traits are made by developmental programs known as gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that are hardwired in genomic DNA sequence. Each GRN includes a fraction of the genes within an organism’s genome, notably some that encode transcription factors that regulate the expression of the trait-making differentiation genes. This regulation occurs by certain transcription factors interacting with short DNA sequences, called binding sites, in gene regions known as cis-regulatory elements (CREs). For any CRE, its ability to activate gene expression in specific cell types and developmental times is due to the binding sites it possesses for a particular combination of transcription factors. To date, a GRN for a climate adapted trait has not been resolved. Thus, understanding how GRNs and their genes and CRE constituents facilitate or stymie adaptation remains speculative. For the Berry Summer Thesis Institute research, I propose to resolve the GRN responsible for a pigmentation pattern on the abdomen of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. Preliminary work has revealed many of the genes for this GRN, though the connections between transcription factors and CRE binding sites remain largely unknown. By using genetic, bioinformatic, and microscopy approaches, I will resolve the important connections that orchestrate this GRN’s operation. Success here will enable future efforts to reveal how this GRN has been reformulated to deal with differing climates, findings that bear upon the genetic underpinnings of animal adaptations more broadly.

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  Revitalization of the Hero's Journey

  Mary Kathryn Caserta

  My practicum Capstone will provide an analysis of Joseph Campbell’s work to understand why Campbell’s model has been commonly employed in the classroom and involve a unit plan that modernizes the hero’s journey. The overarching goal of my proposed research will allow young, secondary school readers to more deeply connect with the hero’s journey and, through their narrative work and literary analyses, more deeply consider the importance of literature in their personal lives when the protagonists are more diverse. An updated model that accounts for these discriminatory practices that heroes face allows for contemporary discourse about the various steps of the hero’s journey; therefore, allowing the heroes in question to be critiqued and analyzed through a modern lens. In secondary education, the hero’s journey can allow for deeper engagement with texts when students are able to broaden their view as to who a hero truly is- is the hero always the muscled Hercules, or can it also be a scrawny girl from a novel who rises above the expectations set before her? Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey is missing elements that should be included to update his seventeen-step model for contemporary audiences; in this practicum, I combine Campbell’s framework with some missing elements and stages that modern readers face on their personal hero’s journeys. An updated model of the hero’s journey will include a variety of heroic protagonists, specifically protagonists that further align with contemporary views regarding intersectional texts which explore gender, race, age, and preconceived abilities.

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  Riemann Sum Construction to Obtain the Power Rule for Integral Calculus

  Siobhan R. Chawk, Alison L. Hardie

  The power rule for integration is highly studied and applied in calculus. Integral calculus is widely used in various fields outside of mathematics including science and engineering. There are multiple methods of solving integrals and this poster will demonstrate a proof of the power rule for integration through the construction of a Riemann sum. The integral that this poster will focus on is the integral of x to the power of k, in which k is assumed to be positive and rational. The sum constructed in this poster utilizes a geometric partition. Following the construction of the lower Riemann sum the limit as n approaches infinity is taken to eliminate the dependence on n. An upper Riemann sum is constructed, and the sandwich theorem is applied to the two sums to complete the proof of the original statement.

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  Rittal

  Emily M. Anteau, Jared Michael Beach, Benjamin McKiernan Blincoe, Maya Elizabeth Gerker, Laura J. Harris

  Internal Material Logistics Optimization

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  Rittal

  Nathan R. Kravchuk, Benjamin David Michaud, Edward Flint Warda, Nolan Patrick Yager

  Dir (Special Order) Process Optimization

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  River Stewards Cohort of 2021: Storm Drain Mural Wayfinding Project

  Samantha Jean Berkley, Jonathan M. Colwell, Madeline E. Filiatraut, Maleia Mae Hartman, Kayte Lynn Jackson, Victoria Marie Jason, Emily I. Johnson, Gretchen M. Lozowski, Michael Josef Mueller, Melissa M. Padera, Cailyn A. Spedding, Shannon Marie Stanforth, Claire C. Sullivan

  The aim of the River Stewards Cohort of 2021 Senior Capstone project is to develop a storm drain mural wayfinding path that will create awareness surrounding the storm drains and their drainage to the river. In addition, the project serves to connect the University of Dayton campus and Dayton community to the Great Miami River. The path begins in the University of Dayton Student Neighborhood, continuing across Main Street on Old River Drive, and concluding at the Great Miami River. The collaborative efforts of the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community, City of Dayton Engineering and Water Department, Dayton community members, and University of Dayton faculty, staff, and students were instrumental in the success of this project.

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  Role of Motif 1 Binding Protein (M1BP), a transcriptional pausing transcription factor in JNK-mediated cell death during eye development

  Anuradha Chimata Venkatakrishnan, Hannah Paige Darnell

  In all multicellular organisms, transcriptional regulation is crucial to regulate differential gene expression, which is important during development and growth. Transcriptional pausing is one such mechanism used to control gene expression. Recently, we have shown that M1BP, a transcriptional pausing transcription factor, promotes eye development by suppressing wingless (wg) expression. We also showed that M1BP regulates caspase-mediated cell death that is triggered by wg induction. M1BP is a functional homolog of ZKSCAN3, an autophagy repressor in humans. Jun-amino-terminal-(NH2)-Kinase (JNK) signaling is a pro-death pathway that is known to activate caspase-mediated cell death. We hypothesize that M1BP could have a role in mediating cell death via JNK signaling during eye development. In our studies, we explore the modulation of JNK signaling and its effect on M1BP mediated cell death by using the GAL4-UAS system. We present preliminary data that shows that the absence of M1BP function results in activation of autophagic cell death markers and JNK signaling.

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  Running Through My Life: An Autoethnographic Look at the Role of Sport and Media in the Development of Body Image in Female Athletes

  Katie Lynn Cantlin

  The main purpose of this autoethnographic study is to examine the influence of women’s beauty ideals on athletes’ body image and self-concept, with particular consideration of adolescent development. By using autoethnography to connect my personal experiences growing up as a distance runner with the current literature surrounding social judgment theory, the thin-ideal, and the feelings of overall dissatisfaction women in sports have about their bodies, this study calls for the reconsideration of what is considered beautiful in sports and society. Utilizing the reflexivity, vulnerability, and personal documentation involved in autoethnography, this paper breaks down various struggles young girls and adult women face from both societal ideals and the world of athletics. This piece emerged from a gender and communication course and notes the central role communication plays in establishing the norms surrounding women and athletes in society.

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  Searching for Antimicrobial Activities in Soil Bacteria: The Biochemical Test Results For My Isolates

  Ibrahim Khaleel Alsulaimani

  In the BIO 411L course, I participated in a research project to look for bacteria from soil that have antimicrobial activities. To characterize the bacterial isolates, I performed identification experiments based on their biochemical abilities. These experiments include Gram staining to distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additional experiments include differentiation on the basis of (1) their metabolic activities through protein, carbohydrate and enzyme production and utilization; (2) erythrocyte lysis analysis; and (3) catalase test. In addition to learning about these biochemical assays, I also learned about how common contamination was in microbiology lab and how contamination could interfere with our experimental results.

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  Silver Beachfront Exposure: Chloride Film Growth as Corrosion Indicator

  David Rubino

  Atmospheric silver corrosion was examined by galvanostatic reduction, as part of a larger study attempting to model corrosion damage on various metals based on exposure location, time, and conditions. Silver coupons were exposed for a specific amount of time (3-18 months) in different beachfront locations in Florida. These coupons were brought back and the resulting corrosion films were characterized with regards to their chemical composition. The presence of a specific chemical compound (e.g. silver chloride) on the silver coupon is determined through an electrochemical reduction of the coupon. The reduction is the result of the application of a constant current applied to the silver coupon, resulting in a measured voltage that is specific for each chemical compound on the coupon surface. A three-electrode cell was used for the reduction process, with the silver coupon as the working electrode, a platinum mesh as the counter electrode, and a mercurous sulfate electrode (MSE) as the reference, all immersed in a sodium sulfate electrolyte. Using a computer controlled potentiostat, a graphical plot of voltage vs. time was generated. The amount of time that the potential remains at a constant value indicates the reduction of a single chemical species on the surface. This time is then converted to film thickness and is analyzed across the different exposure times and locations. Increasing exposure times of the coupons in the field locations showed increasing chloride film thickness, and exposure at different field sites showed different silver chloride film growth rates. Additionally, seasonal exposure condition changes at each site were observed to result in changes in the chloride film growth rate. These findings will assist in the development of accelerated exposure testing and corrosion modeling for other metals.

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  Simulating Deflection of a Compliant Bistable Mechanism

  Jared L. Dunn

  This research involves the simulation and physical testing of a novel compliant bistable mechanism. Bistable mechanisms are commonly used in switches and other devices that operate in two distinct modes. The mechanism being developed is a single monolithic structure with simple geometry and does not require external components or post-manufacturing at large, or micro, scales. The goal of this research is to develop and refine a simulation process for this mechanism that accurately reflects the internal friction and large displacement caused by this compliant style of actuation. A prototype is presented to facilitate force and displacement measurements to compare against simulation results. The simulation and experimentation will be used to refine a set of scalable design equations for the compliant bistable mechanism.

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  Simulation of the Resin Infusion Process for a Composite T-Joint

  Khalid Saleh Aldhahri

  Resin transfer modeling (RTM) is increasingly used to produce composite materials for several applications. One of the challenges with the manufacturing process is how to fully impregnate the fiber preform in the mold with resin. Limited research has been conducted to investigate the resin flow behavior in critical regions of complex geometry such as the junction between the flange and web in T-joints, referred to as a deltoid (based on shape) or the noodle region (based on the approach used to fill the region with rolled-up fabric). Various approaches taken with respect to manufacturing T-joints include filling such critical regions which insert metal or use rolled-up fabric. However, by using tightly rolled-up fabric a new issue is introduced which relates to fabric permeability differences between the noodle region and main composite structure. This can lead to resin short-circuiting the noodle region prior to its filling, leaving voids in this area. One of the solutions to this problem before designing the mold and selecting process conditions is using computer simulation. This allows for initial viewing of the expected flow patterns and cure profiles before the actual resin injection. In this research, numerical modeling was conducted using PAM-RTM software included a carbon fiber fabric preform, a carbon fabric noodle with various permeability values, and Hexcel RTM6 epoxy resin. The software was used to simulate the isothermal infusion process, as well as the temperature distribution of the mold during infusion and subsequent curing process. Finally, the PAM-Distortion module was used to predict the distortion of the T-Joint after cure due to cure shrinkage and thermal contraction. This is important because in the processing of composite materials, the final geometry is often slightly different than the mold shape after removal due to process induced distortions, which is referred to as either spring-in or spring-back.

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  Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) Robotic Additive Manufacturing

  Ajith Kumar Veeraboina

  Additive manufacturing (AM), popularly known as 3D printing, is a technology used to produce a physical part directly from its corresponding digital 3D model design. Existing 3D printing techniques are based on the gantry system and are limited to only three degrees of freedom. The printing is possible only in uni-directional and is anisotropic when force is applied to the printed part. Complex 3D models with overhanging features need support structures in uni-directional printing. In this work, we develop a novel process that addresses the limitations of conventional 3D printing by using two 6DOF manipulators. A simulation model of the manipulators is designed in the Motosim software and build an experimental setup. By replacing the gantry system with one or two 6DOF industrial robotic arms, it will have additional degrees of freedom for multidirectional printing. Furthermore, the support structures can be avoided, and the printed part mechanical properties can be improved.

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  Spectral dependence of the Verdet coefficients of Terbium Gallium Garnet and Potassium Terbium Fluoride

  Michael Mueller

  High power laser systems require the use of optical isolators to prevent coupling of reflected light into the pump laser. Terbium Gallium Garnet (TGG) and Potassium Terbium Fluoride (KTF) are materials used as optical isolators and while they have been grown for many years, advances in crystal growth and processing make a new set of measurements of the Verdet coefficients of these materials desirable. We present new measurements of the Verdet coefficients of TGG and KTF from 0.405 μ to 1.55 μ and derive expressions for the spectral behavior of the Verdet coefficients.

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  Spectrum of Inclusion: How attitudes towards women’s leadership in Christian religious communities affect their autonomy and approach in ministry

  Emma K. Merryman, Kevin O'Gorman, Olivia Brooke Parson, Natalie Marie Yersavich

  The roles and levels of autonomy given to women in religious leadership cannot be seen solely as a theological or even denominational split. Rather, the different levels of inclusion fall along a spectrum that is truly unique to each religious community. The spectrum ranges from a strictly traditional attitude that places women in more limited roles with less organizational autonomy to a liberal interpretation which understands the inclusion of women as a broader ideological mission. Traditional communities, especially within certain Catholic parishes, heavily identify organizational direction and leadership with male priests or pastors, with women working in service-oriented roles. Women have a particularly maternal focus in their ministries and are actively discouraged when taking on approaches outside of expectations. Conversely, liberal communities do not confine female leadership roles to specific ministries, but instead, promote inclusion in all aspects of church culture. Female involvement is supported and promoted both structurally and theologically by all faith communities researched in this project. However, the specific ways in which they identify along the spectrum fundamentally alters the amount of autonomy given to women and how they approach their ministries. Discussion ranges from Catholic religious sisters to Evangelical pastors and volunteers, respecting their individual faith traditions while critically analyzing their placement along our spectrum. By comparing these examples from a variety of sociological, anthropological, and psychological perspectives, this presentation aims to provide insight into how the broader Christian faith communities affect the work of women in ministry.

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  Sports, Law, & Gender Inequality

  Elizabeth Jean House

  This research project discusses gender inequality in sports. It identifies the intersection between law and sports and investigates how the law fosters unequal treatment of women. The research question is addressed through a compilation of case studies and supporting legal research. The findings of this research support the conclusion that women experience gross dissimilarities in both treatment and pay in sports. This study raises relevant questions about discrimination in the legal system on a broader scale.

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  Springing Leaves, Changing Greens

  Niani Brown, Grace Elizabeth Roberts Huff, Taylor Mackenzie Tomco

  Leaf phenology, the study of patterns in leaf emergence, serves as crucial evidence for changes in climate and habitats. Invasive plant species tend to leaf out first in the spring and often out compete native species, changing the landscape. Thus the importance of understanding what conditions drive leaf out in invasive species. We determined how the timing of leaf out in the spring was predicted by abiotic characteristics like temperature, photoperiodic changes, and moisture. The buds of two invasive species were examined in this experiment in order to determine the average leaf out time for each species, as well as the soil composition to better understand what conditions affect their leaf out rates. We predicted that bush honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) and Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) growing in more moist soils with more open canopy will leaf out earlier than those in drier soils with more canopy cover and that leaf out rates will increase with an increase in temperature. For each species, five individuals at Old River Park were randomly selected as the focus of the study. The length of ten buds per individual were measured a total of six times over the course of three weeks for a total of 600 leaf measurements. Canopy cover, daily temperature, day length, and humidity were also recorded. A soil sample was collected once for each individual plant and analyzed for pH, conductivity, and amount of moisture present. From our findings, we hope to gain a better understanding of when invasive species like honeysuckle and Callery pear at Old River Park’s Ecological Research Area in Dayton, Ohio come out of dormancy and whether soil characteristics have an influence on this process.