Stander Symposium: All projects - 2024

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  Beyond Skin Deep: new photographic works by Elena Bellisario

  Elena Aniella Bellisario

  Elena Bellisario’s senior Captstone photography project, Beyond Skin Deep, explores her relationship with the body as it relates to her own experiences and perceptions of womanhood from a young age. Utilizing friends and found objects as symbols and co-conspirators, she works through her struggles with gender identity, using the camera to gain an outsider’s perspective. In the process, she asks questions that trouble many who are female-identifying, such as “Is it alright if I want to show off my body or should I cover it up? Do I dress up nice for male validation or for myself? Is it ok if I still want to be skinny or is that not body positive?” Her photographs and related research from this cathartic journey ultimately question societal norms surrounding femininity, body image, and self-worth, revealing both unique complexities and shared struggles within womanhood.Beyond Skin Deep will be on view in Fitz Hall's Radial Gallery through the end of April.

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  Beyond Technology: Social Predictors of Energy Efficiency in Industrial Facilities

  Garret B. Cowdery

  Energy is the lifeblood of the industrialized world with electrical energy expected by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to increase 25% between 2016 to 2050 in the United States. Combined with the ever-present climate crisis, energy-efficient buildings are becoming increasingly important to conserve resources and alleviate strain on aging energy systems. The Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program through the US Department of Energy aims to reduce the consumption of large, single-site energy users, industrial and commercial buildings, through comprehensive energy audits. Such investigations find that energy-efficient structures are a technological challenge as much as social. The mentality of building occupants towards energy use strongly impacts the efficiency of the building with the energy conscientiousness of the inhabitants being a key factor in maximizing theoretical performance. Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) is a social phenomenon where communities rise in opposition to controversial facilities that serve to upset community wellbeing. These are generally energy-intensive projects that may detract from the natural beauty or environmental health of an area. The negative reaction originates from difficult-to-measure factors such as personal attitudes and trust between involved parties but can be loosely predicted by specific demographic quantities. This investigation aimed to primarily analyze the quantity, scale, and quality of community energy systems at the county level of Ohio in conjunction with collected IAC data and NIMBY demographics to identify potential external predictors for industrial energy intensity based on NIMBY sensitivity. Ultimately, only a weak correlation is found between industrial facility energy usage and the listed attributes, but the investigation paints a vivid demography of people, energy resources, and industrial agglomeration while emphasizing and supporting the need for continual research into the social functions that drive technical success.

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  Bias Analysis with ChatGPT

  Shravanth Reddy Reddy, Harish Pavan Rolla

  This research investigates the efficacy of bias protection in ChatGPT, a leading AI conversational model. In particular, we systematically examine ChatGPT's responses and measure biases using the Bias Protection Rate (BPR), considering a hierarchical structure that includes Identity Biases, such as Gender and Religion, among others. We employed a methodical approach, incorporating specific prompts and questions designed to elicit unfiltered responses from ChatGPT. The results, presented through visualizations, illustrate the varying degrees of bias protection across domains. While the model exhibits effective protection against sexual orientation bias, with a BPR of 73.2%, both confirmation bias and income bias score 0%, indicating a complete lack of protection. These findings prompt discussions on the continuous refinement of these models and ethical considerations.

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  Black Hollywood

  Achille Kpeya

  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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  Black Male Queerness and the Poetic Performance of Survival

  Ophelia Danielle Knight

  The poetry produced by queer black men tells of the intersecting ideals of racism, cultural norms and expectations of masculinity, and the homophobia that directly impacts the ways in which Black queer men exist in any space. I believe this poetry allows for insight and cultural nuance of safety and agency. Throughout my research of the poetry chosen it became obvious to me that forcing gendered ideals onto these people requires assimilation and controlled conformity, emphasizing that intersectional bonds can not be ignored. I argue that if queer Black men are to exist, they must be stereotypically “queer” in the way that tropes have depicted, within the poetry I have analyzed they must feed into stereotypes, hide their queerness, or they must escape the bonds of heteronormative expectations. The poetry depicts their sexuality and gender as a performance, a dance of survival Black queer men must practice and execute regularly in order to be visible in both racial and queer society. The performance of stereotypical queerness expressed within the poetry of Black queer male poets exemplifies the way in which queerness enables modes of survival.

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  Breaking Barriers: Judith Hernandez and the Evolving Narrative of Women Artists in the Art World

  Giselle Franco

  In this presentation, we dive into the captivating world of Judithe Hernandez, a trailblazing Latina artist whose work transcends boundaries and challenges conventional perceptions. Through an exploration of Hernandez's life and artistry, we examine the intricate intersectionality of gender, ethnicity, and artistic expression within the broader context of the art world. We navigate the complexities of how women artists, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, are historically perceived and positioned within art institutions. Drawing upon Hernandez's impactful contributions and experiences, we critically analyze the prevailing narratives and advocate for a more inclusive and equitable future for women artists in the evolving landscape of contemporary art. Join us as we celebrate Hernandez's indelible legacy and ignite conversations about representation, empowerment, and the transformative potential of art.

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  Breaking the Chains of Birth: Gandhi and the Untouchables

  Lorena G. Idris

  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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  Bridging the Divide: Unraveling Achievement Gaps Among Multilingual Students

  Elizabeth Grace Krahe

  With an ever increasing number of students learning English as a second language in the United States, it’s important to be aware of the achievement gap between multilingual and monolingual students, and work to find solutions. Existing literature from the past five years highlights that (1) the achievement gap exists as a result of labeling and grouping students based on English language capability, (2) the importance of literacy proficiency in closing the achievement gap, and (3) the importance of self-efficacy in closing the achievement gap.

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  Bridging The Gap: Preparing Students with Disabilities for College

  Oliver Frederic Shroyer

  The College transition can be difficult for any student- whether that is preparing academically or just preparing for the day to day life as a college student. By going through these articles and highlighting the effective strategies such as individualized learning plans, the evolution of educational online institutions, and the development of self advocacy skills, it will help students prepare for college and life beyond schooling.

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  Buffer Areas Are Critical Reservoirs for Mycorrhizal Fungi Colonization in Solar Prairies

  Jacquelyn K. Amaya, Abigail G. Carter, Madelaine Claire Gregory, Alexander W. Owens

  Mycorrhizal fungi are a naturally occurring beneficial root fungus. Over ninety percent of all vascular land plants live in association with this fungus (www.sciweb.nybg.org). This mutualistic relationship is vital for both the plant and the fungus, due to the exchange of sugars and fixed carbons in return for water and nutrients. An important new use of land for both native plant expansion and clean energy production is solar prairies. Solar prairies are protected zones of native prairie plants that also collect energy through the use of rows of solar panels. While a source of clean energy and a haven for these natural species, the solar panels erected on these prairies create shadowed areas. Our research team aims to study the potential effects of this shading on mycorrhizal fungi colonization in the University of Dayton’s Solar Prairie. A total of 10 soil samples with 3 replicates at each sample were collected to test for colonization of mycorrhizal fungi for each area of the prairie with possible varying light availability. These three areas include a buffer which is an important area of a solar prairie due to the absence of panel shading and full light exposure, an area between panels with partial shading, and an area under panels with almost full shading of the understory. We evaluated colonization in plant roots by extracting roots from the soil in petri dishes with ethanol and recording total roots and amount of roots with mycorrhizal fungi. Data was analyzed to find the variance and percentage of mycorrhizal establishment for each measurement location. Our research group found that colonization of Mycorrhizal Fungi decreased with the distance from the buffer, with the buffer indicating the highest colonization. These results are important for future solar prairie planning, with an emphasis on larger buffer zones.

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  Building a Strong Foundation: Sense of Belonging and Engagement at the Community College in Preparation for Transfer

  Maria Katlyn Ryan

  The purpose of this study was to explore transfer students’ experiences at the community college in preparation of transferring to a four-year institution. The participants consisted of students currently enrolled in the University of Dayton/Sinclair Academy, including pre- and post-transfer students. I used qualitative, semi-structured interviews to collect data on transfer students’ individual experiences at the community college level around sense of belonging and engagement in preparation for transfer. Participants focused heavily on academic engagement, rather than social engagement, and found belonging with peers in the academic settings. The UDSA program provided a sense of belonging before transferring to UD. These findings can help community colleges strengthen their practices to increase the number of transfer students successfully transferring to four-year institutions and graduating with a bachelor’s degree.

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  Building Bridges, Removing Barriers: Academic Advising and Articulation Experiences of Community College Transfer Students

  Amanda J. Alexander

  Community college students make up 38% of the U.S. college student population. However, only 13% of those students transfer to a four-year institution and complete a bachelor’s degree in six years. Although research has documented the many challenges community college students experience, it has been less successful in exploring specific challenges and their impact on the transfer student experience for students without the aid of a transfer pathway program. The purpose of this study is to examine experiences in academic advising and transfer credit articulation and how these areas have helped or hindered community college students without pathway program assistance. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, interviews were conducted with nine community college transfer students at a four-year private university in the Midwest. Analysis of the interview data indicated credit loss, unclear transfer credit policies, and inconsistent advising practices across academic units were significant factors in the students’ timeline to bachelor’s degree completion. Higher education institutions may use these findings to improve the community college transfer student experience by fostering a transfer-friendly academic environment that includes consistency across academic units in the implementation of transfer credit policy and high-quality academic advising.

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  Butterfly in the Sky: Methods to Reintroduce the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

  Lucy L. Reed, Joseph W. Reichel

  Insect populations are declining across the globe. The goal of this project is to aid in the reintroduction of the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly species, that is one of the declining species, to Montgomery County by creating a sustaining population at the Spring Run Conservation Area in collaboration with the Five Rivers MetroParks. This species is experiencing population decline throughout the Eastern United States due to habitat loss from agriculture, land development, and invasive species. The Baltimore Checkerspot can only utilize a few plant species, and it feeds on the White Turtlehead plant. To reintroduce this species, we first monitored for Checkerspot caterpillars in early May. Adult Checkerspots were then collected in early June from the already existing wetland at Siebenthaler Fen, where a population of this species is known. Males and females were then placed in an enclosure with White Turtlehead plants to encourage mating and egg-laying. Once eggs were laid, the adults were re-released into Siebenthaler Fen, and the egg clusters were kept in rearing enclosures at the Cox Arboretum MetroPark greenhouse. During the fall semester, we visited the greenhouse twice weekly to monitor their development and have been trying different methods to further encourage their growth. Once a week, I took measurements of caterpillar head capsule sizes to not only monitor growth, but to hopefully create a definitive way to determine what instar a caterpillar is currently in, as this has not been documented before for this particular species. At the end of the fall semester, the 232 caterpillars that survived were placed underground in clay pots while they overwinter. When temperatures become warm enough, we will begin the rearing process again at Cox Arboretum. When the caterpillars reach a large enough size, they will be released into Spring Run where they can hopefully begin a self-sustaining population.

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  Can Creativity be Assessed?

  Mae E. Wilhite

  This research paper dives into the multifaceted realm of assessing creativity in art education. By unpacking types of non-creative ideas proposed by scholars, this paper provides insights into the negations of creativity, facilitating a deeper understanding of its essence. By synthesizing insights this paper offers a roadmap for art educators to nurture creativity as a cornerstone of modern education, empower students to thrive in an increasingly complex and dynamic world, and the challenges of assessing student artwork.

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  Candle Glass Inventory and Ordering Optimization

  Alla Ali Moosa Al Balushi, Ryan Edward Dowling, Joseph P. Melillo

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

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  Can Endurance Training Help Reduce the Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression?

  Kaitlyn Ann Miller

  According to recent studies, mental health disorders are an increasing issue among individuals and society as a whole. It is found that over half of the college aged students have met the criteria for anxiety and depression. Research shows that engagement in physical acticity can improve symptoms around anxiety and depression. The purpose of this research project is to better understand specifically how endurance training can help to improve symptoms of mental health disorders.

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  Can Ruminating About Trauma Foster Growth? Emotion Regulation's Role in the Link Between Intrusive and Deliberate Rumination

  Molly Julianna Campbell, Elizabeth A. Chevalier, Karoline Elizabeth Harshbarger

  Posttraumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive psychological changes resulting from cognitive struggle after stressful situations or traumatic events (Tedeschi et al., 2018). The theoretical framework of PTG says that traumatic or disruptive life events challenge a person’s core beliefs. As a result of this challenge, one can experience intrusive rumination, or automatic, uncontrollable thoughts about the event, which is sometimes associated with lower PTG (Cann et al., 2010) and sometimes uncorrelated (Bakaityte et al., 2022). Instead, if a person can manage their distress, and reassess their goals and beliefs, there is some evidence that this may be able to turn into deliberate rumination (Bakaityte et al., 2022), which consists of reflective, constructive thoughts about the event, and is linked with more growth (Tedeschi et al., 2018). Though the transition from intrusive to deliberate rumination may be crucial in fostering PTG, it is not well understood. Among the few studies that have looked at this association, some have found self-blame to mediate the intrusive - deliberate link (Bakaityte et al., 2022), while others have tested multiple cognitive mediators and not found significance (Rider Mundey et al., 2019). To better understand the mixed findings regarding the pathway from intrusive rumination to deliberate rumination to PTG, it is important to consider variables that moderate these links, such as emotion regulation, which is linked with both deliberate rumination and PTG (Zhou & Zhen, 2024). This study will use self-report data from undergraduate students who have experienced one or more traumatic events to test the relation between intrusive and deliberate rumination (assessed using the Event-Related Rumination Inventory), to test emotion regulation domains (assessed using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale) as moderators of this link, and test these associations with PTG (assessed using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory). Moderation will be tested using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.

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  Can Self-care Activities Help Combat the Effects of Academic Burnout?

  Anna Jane Caldwell, Mia G. Fiordelisi, Chloe Gwendoline Fletcher, Adam J. Jones, Sage Alisen Roberts

  Academic burnout is a rising problem in college students as college can determine the trajectory of a students’ professional life. College is also very important for personal development along with the need to acquire and obtain knowledge and skills. As a result, academic burnout is prevalent in this population. There are many factors that can prevent academic burnout, such as physical activity and many others that can add to it, like increased levels of stress. This study investigated the intricate relationship between daily stressors and academic burnout while identifying effective coping mechanisms among college students at the University of Dayton (UD). We sought to assess the amount of academic burnout on the UD campus, look at coping mechanisms utilized by students and compared it to the proven strategy of physical exercise. We also aimed to analyze students’ daily stressors that impact the prevalence of academic burnout. Employing a cross-sectional design, a single survey was distributed to participants to gauge burnout levels, daily activities, and coping strategies. Participants, recruited from Health Science Research classes and through researcher networks, included UD undergraduate students living on campus. This offered a sample of high-achieving college students that may be at risk for burnout due to a high level of involvement.nThe importance of understanding and addressing academic burnout is underscored by its potential impact on students' well-being and academic performance. By investigating daily stressors and coping mechanisms, this research contributes valuable insights that can inform psychologists, teachers, and advisors in providing support and interventions for students struggling with burnout.

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  Can't Believe It's Not Bottled!

  Molly Kennedy Delude, Ethan W. Shade, Sarah W. Stuckert

  This lesson plan unit incorporates interdisciplinary courses to actively engage students in the social justice issue related to access to water and preservation of clean water. Students will critically examine and develop a way to preserve a sustainable amount of clean water in rural and urban communities. Through this unit, students will explore the scientific and mathematical principles behind water access and sustainability, while also learning about cultural and social aspects that influence water usage and management. The unit plan emphasizes experiential learning and collaborative problem-solving, empowering students to understand and tackle real-world challenges.

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  Case Analysis: Forced Abortion of Disabled Woman's Fetus

  Audrey Olivia Pohlod

  I examine a case that involves a disabled pregnant woman from the United Kingdom whom a judge ruled must have an abortion, against the wishes of the woman and her mother. The woman suffers from a disability which gives her the mental capacity of between a six and nine-year-old, despite being in her twenties, but the fetus itself bore no evidence of impairment. The woman’s mother had stated her willingness to care for the fetus once born, but the judge determined the woman’s life would be worse if the pregnancy was continued. Personal autonomy and social expectations are issues relevant in this case. The pregnant woman and her mother as persons have a measure of autonomy, a capacity which forms the basis of freedoms. This capacity thus begs the question of whether a judge has the right to overrule the women’s decisions in regards to the abortion. The judge within this case also hints that the United Kingdom’s society frowns upon abortion, but that the social expectations should not hold weight when deciding the best action to promote the well-being of the pregnant woman.The Categorical Imperative of Kantian ethics holds that one should act only on that maxim that could hold as a universal law, and in this case, forcing abortions against the will of the mother would not hold universally. Utilizing justice and virtue ethics, I claim that it would be most just to support the will of the pregnant woman and her mother. Finally, natural law theory would consider the act of forced abortion a negative action to bring about a good effect, and thus the judge’s ruling would fail the principle of double effect. Therefore, I argue that the judge’s decision to force the abortion of the woman’s fetus was immoral.

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  Case Analysis of Mentally Disabled Pregnant Woman

  Mary Lucille Mislansky

  In the UK, a 20-year-old pregnant woman with the mental capacity of a 6-9 year old is ordered by the court to have an abortion. The cause of her pregnancy is unknown and currently under police investigation. She and her mother do not wish for her to receive an abortion. In this case analysis, I will use the moral theories and moral norms of respect for patient autonomy, the natural law theory, and the ethics of care, to argue that the mother and her daughter should be permitted to keep the fetus and give birth to the child. In addition, the mother and the pregnant woman have the right to continue the pregnancy as there is no evidence the fetus will be mentally disabled and the mother has offered to care for the child with her daughter. The last line of reasoning against abortion is based on the idea of fetal personhood. Mary Anne Warren argues that a fetus is not a person because it does not have consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, capacity to communicate, and presence of self-concepts. However, this does not mean an abortion needs to be performed. In this case, the mother and the pregnant woman want to have this baby. I will conclude that it is not morally right for the judge to court order that this woman receive an abortion.

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  Characterizing the Broadband Frequency Response of Pressure-Sensitive Paint

  Charles Jerome Strunc

  Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP) is an exceptional tool used to gather the pressure distribution on a model during a wind tunnel test (or other similar methods of testing) in the form of a high-resolution image. In order to use the PSP effectively, however, an intimate understanding of the paint being employed must first be established and the reaction time of the paint being developed must be pushed to the limit. These goals in my work are accomplished by sending various novel PSP creations through a resonance tube that was designed, constructed, and applied here on campus. The resonant qualities of an air column in the tube are exploited to increase the magnitude of the rapid pressure fluctuations coming from a speaker system. The pressure readings from the paint inside the tube will be compared to the more exact results from a pressure transducer to determine the frequency response time of the paint, thus allowing the testing of novel PSP at any desired frequency range between 0 and 60 kHz.

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  Christianity and Judaism: Perspectives and Solutions to Poverty

  Grooznyi Nicole Armstrong, Gabriel Christian Jones, Ricky Steven Miller

  This literature review of sociology, anthropology, and psychology asks about how material and monetary poverty is addressed by Christianity and Judaism. The purpose was to explore how religious groups alleviate poverty and what their perspective is in regard to impoverished communities. We compared articles in various social disciplines about the prevalence of poverty in different religions. From our research, we found that these religions cope and view poverty in different ways. This is relevant because poverty is a real and growing issue around the world and individuals look to religion as a way to cope with their hardships.

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  Civil Religion: Presidential Inauguration and The Star-Spangled Banner

  Andrew Bray, Kennedy Byrd, Meredith Grigsby

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

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  Civil Religion & The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

  Erin Callahan, Grace Kovesdy, Laynie Gerhardt

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