Stander Symposium Projects

Follow

• 

  Finding Your Tribe: Cultivating Meaningful Connections at a Marianist Online Doctoral Program

  Maha Azzazi

  A positive college experience is characterized by proving a holistic development of the student beyond the classroom where students thrive to engage and grow. As a student at the EdD in Leadership for Organizations online program, I experienced development not only in academic aspects but also through cultivating meaningful social connections and engaging in extracellular and cultural activities provided by the program. Leading to personal growth through supportive faculty and mentors’ guidance, this program fostered students a sense of belonging and confidence. Nurturing the whole student development experience in this program provided the tools to build a virtual cohort community connected globally for a lifelong friendship and learning experiences. This experience impacted in empowering me as part of this program to reach my potential goals so I can contribute positively to my community in the future.

• 

  Flexible Learning environments: The role of furnishings and technology

  Camerine Rowe

  In this literature review, I investigate the impact of furnishings and technology on pedagogical agility and student engagement within flexible spaces. Using various research methods, including focus groups, interviews, and surveys, the research reveals that elements like writable surfaces and digital displays promote collaborative learning. The findings highlight the necessity of dynamic classroom designs that accommodate diverse learning needs, ultimately enhancing student commitment and fostering a sense of ownership in the learning process.

• 

  Flight Test Validation of Tandem Propeller Performance with Vertical Offset

  Michael Foster

  Positioning the aft rotors of a multirotor above the plane of the fore rotors, relative to the freestream, can improve power consumption efficiency in edgewise flight. To validate the results of a previous wind tunnel study at the University of Dayton Low Speed Wind Tunnel (UD-LSWT) with flight tests, a custom-built multirotor was developed. The multirotor accommodated multiple vertical offset configurations of the aft rotors and utilized GPS to sustain altitude and velocity in edgewise flight, thereby ensuring repeatable flight paths. The mass of the multirotor was held constant throughout the tests to isolate the effects of vertical offset on performance. Flight tests were performed for multiple flight speed and vertical offset configurations under calm ambient conditions, as recorded by a custom-built anemometer and wind-direction sensor. Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to further investigate certain trends identified in flight testing and to validate their underlying causes.Flight test data confirmed the findings of the previous wind tunnel data, demonstrating a clear correlation between vertical offset of the rear rotors and improved power consumption efficiency. Specifically, at advance ratios between 0.15 and 0.45, a vertical offset of 20% of the propeller diameter led to more than a 15% reduction in power consumption as compared to a baseline configuration without offset. Additional increases in the vertical offset above 20% of the propeller diameter yielded only minimal further efficiency gains. These findings affirm the practicality of using vertical rotor offset to improve multirotor efficiency while maintaining a compact design.

• 

  Fluctuating Asymmetry in Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris Blanchardi): Indicators of Habitat Health and Water Quality

  Elliot Chinnock

  Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the deviation from perfect bilateral symmetry, serves as a measure of developmental instability influenced by environmental stressors. Amphibians, particularly Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi), are effective bioindicators due to their sensitivity to habitat changes. This study aimed to assess FA in A. blanchardi populations across three sites in the Dayton, Ohio, area to evaluate its potential as a bioindicator of habitat quality. Fieldwork conducted from May to August 2024 yielded 70 frogs, with habitat and water quality data recorded at each site. Hindlimb asymmetry was measured using ImageJ software, and statistical analyses included ANOVA and a one-tailed t-test. Results showed no significant variation in FA across the sites (p = 0.357), but a significant difference between sexes (p = 0.035), with males exhibiting higher asymmetry than females. These findings suggest that biological factors, such as sexual dimorphism, may play a greater role in FA than anticipated. The lack of significant environmental effects highlights the need for further research into how different factors interact to affect FA. Potential future research will expand sample sizes to look into these other factors and strengthen FA’s utility as a conservation tool for amphibians.

• 

  Flyer PR 2024-25 Client Cases

  Stacy Allen, Gabrielle Davis, Maeve Kelly, Haley Reid

  Flyer PR, UD’s student-run public relations agency, account executives will present results from its major client cases from this year.

• 

  Formalizing some Historical Partition Theory Identities in Lean

  Gabriel Gray

  Lean is a functional programming language that serves as a proof-checking language to assist mathematicians in the process of writing and confirming mathematical theorems. Particularly, the project taken on by the Lean community is to formalize theorems and definitions from all different areas of math, in pursuit of perhaps a new paradigm and era of mathematical theorem proving. As of right now, much of the work of the Lean community is focused on formalizing all undergraduate and intro-level graduate mathematical content to set the stage for future and more advanced work within the language. Euler's classic partition identity states that the number of partitions of a natural number n into odd parts equals the number of partitions of n into distinct parts. Since then, there have been many extensions, analogs, and generalizations of this famous identity. For example, Glashier in 1883 generalized odd to non-divisible by k, and distinct to appearing less than k times. Currently, the only partition identity formalized within the Lean language is Euler's original identity, leaving a large gap in the area including many historical theorems. This project seeks to do just that; formalizing results such as Glashier's and further extensions, reaching out to newly proven research by the presenter.

• 

  Fostering Creativity in Young Minds

  Rachel Shawgo

  Significant research proves that creativity has a critical role in education. By promoting creative thinking, it allows for better development of students' problem-solving skills, engagement in class, and their learning as a whole. Being able to develop a classroom that focuses on the importance of creativity in all lessons will ultimately promote success for students going forward.

• 

  From Beak to Prairie: Bird Influence on Seed Dispersal and Invasive Plant Establishment

  Kiyah Burroughs

  Invasive plant species pose serious threats to biodiversity within many ecosystems, including in the American Midwest, by outcompeting native plants. Extended phenology of invasive plants is a useful adaptation of invasive plant species that allow better success at outcompeting native plant species. This research focuses on identifying bird species found within two study sites, Spring Run Conservation Area and Fouke Forest Preserve, and the identification of seeds found within bird feces collected at those sites, throughout the year, to gain a better understanding of the influence birds have on seed dispersal into prairie habitats. It is hypothesized that seed species within bird droppings will vary throughout the year as well as vary among the different bird species. Bird feces were collected in baskets from the study sites from July 2024-January 2025 and sorted to species. Seed viability was accessed through the use of a TZ test and germination trails. Many seed species were identified based on seed morphology. Those that were difficult to identify through seed morphology alone underwent a cold stratification before being germinated so that they may be identified using sprout morphology. After collection, it was observed that native seedlings were collected more in the summer while invasives were present in bird feces in the late fall and winter. The visible shift in seed species from native seeds to heavily invasive shows the effectiveness invasive plant species have on open field establishment through bird dispersal techniques. This research aids in providing a wider understanding of the impact birds have on open field plant establishment, specifically their impact on invasive species success, and brings us one step closer to finding solutions

• 

  From Classroom to Community: Enhancing Civic Engagement through Ethics and Leadership Development

  Jaylyn M Murray, Alexis Taylor

  The Fitz Center for Leadership in Community at the University of Dayton is dedicated to cultivating servant leaders and fostering just communities through reciprocal partnerships and engaged learning. Central to this mission are the Ethics and Leadership Initiative and the Dayton Civic Scholars programs, both designed to equip students with the necessary skills and ethical frameworks for effective civic engagement. This poster delves into the integration of ethics and leadership training in preparing students for civic engagement. By examining the structure, content, and outcomes of these programs, we aim to highlight best practices and underscore the importance of embedding ethical and leadership development in higher education to cultivate effective civic professionals.

• 

  From Persecution to Protection: Interdisciplinary Approach to Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust in the Classroom

  Katherine Desmet, Jarrett Dixon, Clare Murrin

  This interdisciplinary unit lesson examines the history of anti-Semitism and its role in the Holocaust. Through a social studies lens, students will analyze primary and secondary sources to understand the systemic discrimination and policies that led to the Holocaust while drawing parallels to contemporary issues of religious and ethnic persecution. In English/Language Arts, students will read survivor testimonies, literature, and historical documents to develop critical thinking and empathetic writing skills.Using math and science, students will explore data on Jewish displacement, refugee migration patterns, and the environmental challenges faced by displaced populations. Through this hands-on experience, students will not only develop STEM skills but also deepen their understanding of human rights, resilience, and global responsibility. The unit fosters civic engagement, encouraging students to connect history to present-day advocacy and solutions for displaced communities worldwide.

• 

  From Ripples to Waves: Temporal Effects of Stormwater on Fish and Macroinvertebrate Community Diversity

  James Brown, Adele Hinker, Elizabeth Miles-Flynn

  The City of Dayton is a confluence of five major rivers and is responsible for ensuring these bodies of water remain safe for human and biological activities. Throughout the city, municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) empty stormwater runoff that drains into the surrounding rivers. Regular assessments of stormwater outfalls for pollutants are essential to ensure these bodies of water meet the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requirements for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). This project focuses on how stormwater dry weather flows alter water quality and bioindicators at five MS4s sites throughout the City of Dayton. We surveyed each aquatic habitat using the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We measured water quality, quantified fish diversity, and collected macroinvertebrates monthly between May and September 2024 at each site. We also collected environmental DNA to estimate fish diversity, which was sent for analysis at the beginning and end of the summer. We preserved, sorted, and identified macroinvertebrates at the family level in the Reihart Lab to measure the biological integrity of each site. Overall, we found that most sites had water quality variables that fell within the normal range for streams; however, one site had high values for pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and high levels of E. coli. Because of the size of most of the streams we sampled, we only found more than one fish species at one site. eDNA results demonstrated that most streams did have a diverse assemblage of fish species and may be a better method to estimate the richness and relative abundance of fish. Furthermore, macroinvertebrate diversity was typically highest at sites with high QHEI scores and better water quality. Conclusions from this study will be reported to the EPA and the state office responsible for issuing NPDES permits.

• 

  From the Yard to the World: The Impact of HBCU Education and Black Greek Letter Organization Membership on Personal and Professional Development

  Meiyah Hill

  Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) have played a pivotal role in shaping the academic, social, and professional trajectories of African American students. This study explores how HBCU education and BGLO membership contribute to personal identity formation, leadership development, and long-term career success. Through qualitative interviews with HBCU students and alumni who are members of BGLOs, this research examines the unique collegiate experiences within these institutions and the ways in which they foster cultural pride, mentorship, and professional networking. Findings highlight the impact of these institutions in cultivating resilience, civic engagement, and career preparedness among African American students. By providing an updated understanding of their relevance in the 21st century, this study underscores the enduring significance of HBCUs and BGLOs in empowering Black professionals and leaders.

• 

  Functional morphology of the lower jaw in frogs

  Sudipta Kalita

  The lower jaw is toothless in all frogs, with the notable exception of Gastrotheca guentheri (Guenther’s marsupial frog), a species that re-evolved true mandibular teeth. Frogs evolved a spectrum of dietary preferences, with some species specializing in hunting small insects like ants and termites to larger species that are opportunistic predators of small mammals. Such vast dietary variation could possibly drive the morphology of lower jaws. Frogs also occupy diverse ecological niches. For example, tree frogs from South America spend their entire lives in the upper canopy of trees, species of African aquatic frogs spend the majority of their life underwater, and some desert frogs live entirely underground, only coming to the surface to breed. Microhabitat differences may also influence jaw shapes due to variability in the types of prey available. A few frogs have tooth-like bony projections on the lower jaw called odontoid fangs. Some of these fanged frogs are among the largest anuran species and known to prey on other vertebrates. Additionally, some fanged frogs take part in male-male combat during the mating season, using their odontoids to bite one another. Currently, it is unknown if the lower jaw morphology of frogs is influenced by diet, microhabitat variation, or presence of odontoid fangs. Our study uses micro-computed tomography data and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to quantify shape diversity of the lower jaw from 150 frog species. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we are testing if jaw shape is correlated with diet, microhabitat, fang presence, and body size to understand the factors driving lower jaw morphology across living frog diversity.

• 

  Fungi Fighting Back: How a Native Fungus Could Limit the Spread of Invasive Trees

  Elizabeth Bornhorst

  Invasive species are able to outcompete and steal resources away from native plants, altering the natural ratios in an ecosystem. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is an invasive tree species introduced to Ohio as an ornamental plant which is now outcompeting native trees especially in areas undergoing early succession. While there is no known way to mitigate this invasive effectively, a common and native tree pathogen, rust fungus (Gymnosporangium clavipes), has been observed infecting Callery pear tree leaves and fruits in Montgomery county Ohio. Rust fungus is a heteroecious pathogen so it requires two hosts, a juniper host and then it is able to spread to the berries and leaves of a rosacea host. Being a native pathogen, rust fungus doesn’t severely impact other native trees meaning it could be used as a mitigation technique to limit the spread of Callery pear. This study examined the effect of rust fungus on Callery pear germination as well as the effects of how proximity to juniper hosts influences the severity of rust fungus infection. Germination rates were tested by collecting berries with and without rust fungus from four field sites. The seeds were then stratified and planted to test seed viability between groups with and without rust fungus. Effect of proximity was studied using GIS to map location of Callery pear and Juniper trees and shrubs on campus. Severity of the rust fungus infection was recorded and using a buffer and a T.test statistical significance was found between severity of rust fungus infection number of junipers within 500 ft. These projects are preliminary work that proves that rust fungus could be an option for mitigating Callery pear spread.

• 

  Future Changes of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for Extreme Precipitation in Ohio Based on CMIP6 Climate Models

  Joseph Baker

  The purpose of this study is to generate future Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves for extreme precipitation events in Ohio under three climate change scenarios using output of CMIP6 climate models. IDF curves define the amount of precipitation produced by storms of various durations with specific return intervals. They are used widely by many groups including engineers and urban planners for infrastructure design and other projects. Current IDF curves are generated based on past climate data and the assumption that the climate of a region does not change over time. However, climate change is expected to significantly increase extreme precipitation in the future. Therefore, it is important to update IDF curves to account for such changes. For this study, we used two main datasets: historical precipitation data of 1970-2014 from rain gauges in Ohio and precipitation data from 28 CMIP6 models including the historical run (1970-2014) and future runs (2015-2100) under ssp245, ssp370, and ssp585 scenarios. We extracted model data covering Ohio (38.125-41.875N and 84.875-80.125W). We first compared the model historical runs with observational data to evaluate the models and correct model biases. After that, we used the frequency analysis method to establish the magnitude of precipitation events of different durations with different return intervals. With these results, we developed future IDF curves under three climate change scenarios. In general, extreme precipitation will increase more than average precipitation, and the rate of change is generally higher for shorter-duration and more extreme (i.e., longer return intervals) events. Our results could provide practical guidance for designing long-lasting infrastructure projects.

• 

  Gender in Math: The Short and Long Term Effects of Bias in the Math Classroom

  Kailey Peppard

  There are many different narratives that are thrown around regarding math with little ill intent but with little regard to the serious impacts that the phrases can have. The one that will be focused on in this project is the idea that ‘math is a male subject’ or that men are inherently better at math than women. This project will attempt to draw a connection between the narratives and the fact that there is a significant lack of women in STEM fields or pursuing higher level math. By reaching out to both students and teachers, the goal is to learn about the ways that people have experienced the effect of these narratives in the classroom. In addition, it is to see the difference in the ways that people of different genders understand math and its purpose in the world. The other purpose of this project is to take the findings from the survey and pair that with research on creating an equal and ethical classroom environment in order to propose solutions to these issues. By giving teachers a way to get ahead of these narratives, they can help make sure that all genders are given a equal chance to learn and understand and later pursue math. This way the connection between the narratives and the classroom environment can be exploited to help equal out the gender representation in higher education math classes.

• 

  German Mainstream Political Response to the Rise of Far-Right Nationalism

  Mitchell O'Brien

  Right-wing nationalism has been on the rise in Germany in the last twenty years. A range of factors have contributed to this, similar to factors in Europe and around the globe. While the mainstream parties have traditionally had a firewall policy, the “Brandmauer,” recent events have seen that weaken. The far right has polled well among older and younger Germans, as well as in the states that made up the former East Germany. Germany’s economic stagnation and immigration policies have led to distrust and disillusion with the government and other mainstream parties. Because of this rise it is important to explore how the mainstream German political parties have responded. As one of Europe’s largest and wealthiest democracies, it is important to see how the mainstream shifts policy positions and talking points. If Germany normalizes far right parties, then there is no telling how both large democracies and smaller states will interact with more fringe elements of their societies. By using academic research, economic data, opinion polling and recent election results, I will explore how rightwing nationalism has shaped the current German political discourse. It is important to examine the rise of right-wing nationalism, as it will help understand the current global political undercurrents.

• 

  Ginkgo Biloba and Canis Latrans: Ancient Seed Meets Modern Predator

  Rose Combs

  Ginkgo biloba (thereafter gingko), known for its decorative leaves and notorious smell, is regarded as one of the most primitive seed-bearing tree species living today (Rothwell and Holt, 1997). Ginkgo is believed to have originated nearly 100 million years ago, with its main dispersers possibly being Mesozoic marsupial-like rodents (Del Tredici, 2000; Crane, 2019). Dinosaurs have also been suggested dispersal agents, although which ones specifically are not mentioned (Del Tredici, 2000). The seeds are dispersed through endozoochory or the process of consumption, digestion, and defecation by vertebrate species such as mammals or birds. Fossil records show that past the Cretacious period, ginkgo frequency has decreased over time (Wang et al., 2023). Few wild populations of ginkgo exist today, confounding botanists and researchers as to why (Del Tredici, 2000). This experiment aims to explore how ginkgo has been impacted by the extinction of its original dispersers and the procuring of modern ones, such as birds, squirrels, raccoons, and coyotes (Del Tredici, 2000). This research examines the distinct relationship between ginkgo and Canis Latrans, the coyote, a modern day carnivore mammal, focusing on seed viability after being processed through digestion. Our hypothesis states that digestion will have a positive effect on the viability of ginkgo seeds. We predict that the seeds processed through the gut of a coyote will have a higher germination rate than whole seeds with the sarcotesta (i.e. outer flesh) manually removed.

• 

  Globalization and the Interdisciplinary Impact of Climate Change: Understanding the Global Crisis

  Allison Bertke, Melanie Hendrick, Matthew Welch, Kaylee Woolman

  This interdisciplinary lesson plan explores the complex topic of globalization through the lens of maquiladoras in Mexico, with a focus on their impact on workers, pollution, and human rights. Designed for a ninth-grade classroom, the lesson integrates history, Spanish, science, and English to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the global supply chain and its local consequences. This topic will explore the complex issues of both globalization and marginalization and its impact on immigration through a modern-day, student-centered, lens. Further, this will be applied to classrooms in the United States with diverse student populations, such as students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

• 

  Glory: Dean Summer Fellowship Project

  Jayonna Johnson

  A photographic project in fulfillment of a Dean’s Summer Fellowship mentored by Associate Professor Glenna Jennings (Photography and Social Practice). The work explores the insider and outsider perspectives within the context of worship gatherings and offers a reflective presentation on how the studio was transformed into a space for fine art and spiritual encounters to combine.

• 

  Gravitational Waves - LIGO Project

  Aidan Augustus, Emma Tams, Ethan Tedder

  The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) project is an experiment designed to observe gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are a phenomenon that was first predicted by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity in 1916, and physicists have been attempting to detect and measure their existence since. Gravitational waves can be described as ripples in spacetime that are produced by large astronomical events such as collisions between black holes, neutron stars, and more. These waves travel through the fabric of spacetime at the speed of light and are able to “pass” through matter itself, including whole planets, such as Earth. These waves have a minuscule effect on spacetime itself. Thus, making them elusive and extremely hard to detect. LIGO utilizes two highly sensitive laser interferometers located 3000 kilometers apart that are capable of detecting small changes in the distance traveled by the lasers due to the presence of gravitational waves. The first successful detection occurred in 2015, and since then LIGO has continued to improve its technology and expand its collaborations to further our understanding of gravitational waves and events happening distances beyond our solar system. This foundational accomplishment in physics has confirmed this phenomenon predicted by Einstein and has made progress in both theoretical and experimental physics in very important ways.

• 

  Group Action in Major Scale Intervals

  Ava Franke

  This project explores the application of group theory to musical intervals within a major scale. By representing intervals as a subgroup of the integers modulo 12, we examine properties such as transitivity, faithfulness, isomorphism, homomorphism, rotations, and reflections. Our analysis reveals that musical intervals exhibit both cyclic and dihedral group structures. This establishes the integers modulo 12 as a symmetry group, allowing for understanding of note transformations in 12-tone equal temperament.

• 

  Hamiltonian Cycles and Cartesian Products

  Connor Seng

  This is a project for MTH 466, Graph Theory and Combinatorics. A graph is a mathematical object that allows us to describe the relationship between two vertices by placing an edge between them, and vertices without an edge between them are not related. A Hamiltonian cycle in a graph is a closed walk in the graph which visits each vertex exactly once. Given two graphs, G and H, a new graph, called the Cartesian product, can be created. This project will investigate what conditions on G and H are required for their Cartesian product graph to have a Hamilton cycle. Conversely, this project will investigate what conditions on G and H prevent their cartesian product graph from having a H-cycle.

• 

  Harnessing crowdsourced images to investigate the relationship between color polymorphism and climate in woodland salamanders

  Brendan Enochs

  Color polymorphic species, where multiple color phenotypes (i.e., morphs) coexist within the same population, are extremely common in nature. In the salamander genus Plethodon, at least ten species exhibit a striped/unstriped color polymorphism, while closely related species are fixed for either morph. In a single species, the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus), previous work has indicated that morphs diverge in climatic niche use. However, the magnitude and direction of color morph-climate associations has varied across studies. Further, little research has examined the relationship between climate and color morph in the nine other color polymorphic Plethodon. Here, I scored color phenotypes from >65,000 web-based georeferenced community science images of color polymorphic Plethodon. With this extensive color morph dataset, I quantified the climatic niche of each species and their color morphs when applicable and utilized a comparative approach to examine patterns of climatic niche overlap, niche breadth, and potential responses to future climate change.

• 

  Health Disparities in Spanish Speaking Communities Increasing the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

  Liam Byrne

  The purpose of this project is to investigate the various social, financial, and civil disparities in healthcare that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases in Spanish-speaking populations. The research question is “what aspects support the disparity in cardiovascular care that Spanish speakers suffer from?”. Disparity in cardiovascular care is only one of the many health disparities Spanish speakers face, but it is one of their largest disparities in healthcare. 43% of Hispanic women and 53% of Hispanic men have a cardiovascular disease. This project aims to acknowledge some of the factors that lead to this issue, including their causes, effects, and possible solutions.