Stander Symposium: All projects - 2024

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  Climate Change in the Classroom: How and Why We Teach It

  Eliot Archer Suttman

  Climate Change Education (CCE) is a topic being addressed in classrooms through curriculum and research studies. From this review, we see how teachers are building/organizing content, how it is implemented in different subjects, and how textbooks affect content knowledge. This curriculum also allows teachers to look at the social and cultural aspects of CCE.

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  Climbing assay to study behavioral deficits in Alzheimer’s disease

  Aydan Romeo Wilson

  Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that manifests as profound loss of neuronal tissue and high levels of stress and cell death. Patients with AD present with memory problems, motor dysfunction, and the eventual loss of the ability to perform everyday tasks. While there are some medicines that can alleviate the symptoms, there is no cure for AD. AD is characterized by high accumulation of amyloid-beta-42 (Aβ42) that forms layer on the brain as plaques and thus affecting cell function. In our lab, we utilize the Drosophila model to investigate how AD progression affects behavior. We have previously established and validated an AD model where misexpression of the human Aβ42 in the differentiating neurons (GMR>Aβ42) results in progressive neurodegeneration and cell death. We have performed climbing assay (a behavioral assay) as a functional readout of neurodegeneration. The climbing assay measures the ability of flies to climb up ten centimeters on the inside of a test tube within a predetermined duration. For the climbing assays, we have modelled AD in the brain using a mushroom-body specific Gal4 driver (Ok>Aβ42). In this poster, we have presented our results from climbing assays performed at different time points. We demonstrate that the AD flies (Ok>Aβ42) have significantly lesser climbing ability when compared to the wild-type controls (Ok-Gal4).

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  Combining bioinformatic and transgenic approaches to better understand the regulatory control of genes for a Drosophila pigmentation trait

  Logan A. Brubaker, Hayley Grace Long, Allison Elizabeth Pavlus

  Spatially- and temporally-regulated patterns of gene expression are an essential feature of animal development. Moreover, changes in expression patterns are known to underlie cases of evolution and disease. These expression patterns are sculpted by the activity of sequences often referred to as cis-regulatory elements or CREs. The collective number of CREs in a typical metazoan genome greatly exceed the number of genes. However, even in the most thoroughly studied animals, like Drosophila (D.) melanogaster, most CREs remain to be found and/or characterized. We previously used a small set of known CREs that function in a gene regulatory network (GRN) for the sexually dimorphic pigmentation of D. melanogaster to predict additional CREs genome-wide. Using the transcription factor motif-blind SCRM-shaw bioinformatic tool, more than 500 potential pigmentation GRN CREs were predicted. Here, we share our findings that are part of a follow-up study that focused on CRE predictions residing in or near to regulatory genes, including those populated by multiple predicted CREs. This includes the eight CRE predictions distributed across the Eip74EF locus. In addition to furthering an understanding of the evolution and development of a fruit fly trait, the results and future studies may shed light on the expression control of regulatory genes and its evolution.

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  Come on in, the water's fine! How solar panels may affect damselfly behavior.

  Stephanie Kaitlyn Murray, Chelse M. Prather, Chloe M. Reilly, Skylar M. Shannon

  Solar energy is a booming industry in the United States, especially in Ohio. Several areas within the state are urgently converting land into solar fields to normalize the more sustainable energy source. While the transition away from fossil fuels is essential for repairing Earth’s environment, it is important to ask the hard questions regarding potential environmental risks associated with solar panels. This study focuses on the effect solar panels may have on Odonata, specifically, damselflies. Odonates are ecologically significant in terms of their indication of water quality and their role as prey for many species of birds and fish. They also benefit humans as they rid our space of vectors such as mosquitos, which are known to carry fatal diseases. Previous observations have suggested that damselflies may be attracted to solar panels due to their resemblance to water, which could serve as a threat to damselfly larvae. We observed damselfly behavior over three types of solar panels that differed in color, thickness of gaps between solar cells, and panel flexibility. Six solar panels were laid flat on a plot of land close to water where there were high population densities of damselflies. Each panel had a matching control plot, in which vegetation was sheared to match the size of the panel. These were used to confirm whether the damselflies behaved differently over panels laid in grass than over bare land with grassy overhang. The panels were observed during the month of August, which is when Odonate activity is at its highest. Observations of specific interactions between damselflies and solar panels or control plots were logged in a data sheet and later analyzed using R statistical software. Through statistical analysis, it was found that there was no significant difference between Odonate activity among the solar panels and the control plots.

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  Comparing Maternal and Paternal Parenting Traits on Youth Resistance to Peer Influence

  Tamara Tatyana Carter

  Literature Review: Parenting styles are often targeted for interventions aimed at curbing antisocial behavior and promoting socially acceptable conduct among youth. The influence of parenting varies based on specific traits, such as warmth and support versus supervision and control. However, conflicting research exists regarding the direct impact of maternal versus paternal influence, with some suggesting that fathers may have a more significant role. Moreover, there is a lack of studies comparing maternal and paternal parenting regarding youths’ resistance to peer influence. Data: This study uses the Pathways to Desistance dataset comprising 1,354 adjudicated youth to compare paternal and maternal parenting traits on the effects of resistance to peer influence. Results: Bivariate correlation analysis suggested that maternal warmth positively affected resistance to peer influence, while paternal hostility negatively affected it. However, hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that once control variables were added, neither paternal nor maternal warmth and hostility significantly impacted resistance to peer influence. Only gender and antisocial influence emerged as significant predictors of resistance to peer influence. Discussion: The current study failed to find a significant relationship between maternal and paternal parenting traits on resistance to peer influence. Antisocial influence appears to have a stronger effect on weakening resistance to peer influence, whereas females are more likely to be resistant to peer influence. Future studies and recommendations are outlined.

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  Comprehensive and Inclusive Sex Education

  Paige Louise Kurtz-Carney

  A literature review about the health effects and behaviors of students based on their exposure to different types of sex education. Teen pregnancy statistics, LGBTQ mental health, and youth behavior risks surveys are included. And a review of public opinion on Sex education's current and future state is discussed.

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  Conflict and Exploitation in the Land of the Mapuche

  Diana Paola Bencomo Miralles, Allison Elizabeth Bertke, Javier Castillo, David M. Speth

  Our poster presentation is focused on the Mapuche People in Chile. This indigenous group has constantly clashed with the Chilean government over land sovereignty. Successive governments have taken land from the indigenous population to convert into pine plantations owned by forest and timber companies. In return, Mapuche activists have resorted to violent protests demanding the return of their ancestral land. They have occupied the plantations, torched forests and farmhouses, and destroyed forestry equipment and trucks. Clashes with police have left several Mapuches dead and dozens have been detained and imprisoned under an anti-terrorist law that dates from the military dictatorship of Pinochet. The loss of Mapuche territory is taking a heavy toll on the community as there is a detrimental effect on their health, while it threatens farming livelihoods and the Mapuche traditional way of life. This loss of territory also has an effect on the environment as deforestation, land degradation, and pollution all occur.

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  Connecting the trans-regulators of an evo-devo trait to their direct target genes through genetic, genomic, and biochemical approaches

  Emily Barbara Daniel, Joseph Becker Kash, Devon Matthew Seibert, Rachel M. Stanojev

  Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) control the orchestrated spatial and temporal gene expression patterns responsible for trait development. The gain, modification, and deconstruction of GRNs logically must be major causes of trait evolution. Despite this perceived importance, the evolution of few if any traits is thoroughly understood at the scale of a GRN. This shortcoming has several causes. One is the difficulty of finding the breadth of GRN transcription factors and mapping these to their binding sites in cis-regulatory sequences of their downstream realizator genes. Another is the need for GRN studies to occur in experimentally tractable species for closely related species that possess ancestral, modified, and secondarily lost phenotypes. One suitable model trait is the gain, modification, and loss of sexually dimorphic abdomen pigmentation in the lineage of Drosophila melanogaster and its close relatives. We will share updates from our genetic, genomic, and biochemical studies that are mapping the regulatory connections between the key transcription factors of a pigmentation GRN and their realizator genes that comprise a pigment metabolic pathway. Findings will also be shared from genome sequence comparisons teasing out how this GRN has evolved at the level of transcription factor binding sites.

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  Consumer Discretionary Sector Returns in a Rising Interest-Rate Environment: an Empirical Analysis, 1999-2023

  Hayden Lee Gray

  In this study I consider two arguments concerning consumer discretionary sector stock returns in a rising interest rate environment. First, and using fed fund rates as my interest rate, rising rates due to economic growth and not federal reserve monetary policy, will most likely result in positive returns for consumer discretionary stocks. Second, if the fed fund rate increase is due to aggressive monetary policy tightening actions by the fed, then the consumer discretionary sector stock returns will likely be negative. To test my assumptions, I use returns for the top 20 stocks in the consumer discretionary sector over four distinct periods of rising fed fund rates within the overall period 1999-2023. I use the measure of skewness to validate my assumptions.

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  Cooperative Economic Games

  Zackary Dodge Adda-Berkane, Rachel Elizabeth Adolf, William John Arzola, Gary Ryan Beggs, Madison Paige Benson, Nicholas Joseph Blincoe, Danielle Monica Bolt, Emily Terese Bruns, Christopher Fredrick Casey, Aidan Joseph Cseh, Andrew Francis Drecnik, Justin Alexander Eichholz, Abigail Marie Folkening, Catherine E. Frazer, Kristofer Mark Geier, Andrew C. Haab, Casey Patrick Hippel, Tyler Michael Juliano, Aidan David Kelly, Mortimer Arturo Lugo Morales, David Joseph Maurer, Alyssa Lily Miller, Devyn D'Elle Mundy, Frank John Pinn, Abby Marie Plsek, George W. Proesel, Mark Neil Roble, Devin Michael Scharf, Nicole Marie Shinsky, Quinton Louis Smole, Thomas Michael Steck, Nicholas Donnelly Stone, Alexander Steven Tomczak, Molly Peighton Wood

  New discoveries in archeology confirm what economists have understood for some time: that humanity’s ability to survive and thrive is as much a result of our ability to cooperate as to compete. Indirect reciprocity—which prompts people to help unrelated strangers—has emerged as the most effective mechanism yet innovated by ‘the most invasive species’: enabling humans to achieve more—collectively—than would have been attainable—individually. But mitigating climate change demands that we cooperate to an unprecedented degree. In these Stander sessions, students will combine forces and play cooperative games in which the game is either positive sum (everybody’s a winner) or negative sum (everybody’s a loser). Games with different degrees of difficulty are available, and—space permitting—students can play as many iterations as desired. Sessions officially begin at 10:00, noon and 2:00 PM, but since game lengths are fungible, patient people—those with low rates of time preference—can arrive anytime and wait for a new game to commence.

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  Coordinating the Revolution: Planning of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts (1955)

  Justin K. Altmeyer

  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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  Coyote Habitat Preferences in Human-modified Landscapes

  Trevor Wade Martin

  In partnership with Five Rivers MetroParks, the project seeks to understand the effects that recreational activities and land use have on wildlife occurrence within three properties in the Dayton, Ohio metropolitan area: Germantown MetroPark, Twin Creek MetroPark, and Upper Twin Creek. In the fall of 2023, up to ten weeks of data was collected at each of the three sites using camera trap technology as a remote, non-invasive method to capture wildlife activity patterns and behavior. Specifically, the project uses occupancy modeling techniques to determine habitat preference and relative abundance of coyotes (Canis latrans) based on camera sightings. The occupancy modeling results were tested against variables such as distance to human structures, forest edge, roads, and agricultural areas to provide insight into how land characteristics and anthropogenic activity determine coyote occurrence at each of the park areas. The research will serve as an informative resource for land managers when making decisions that may affect wildlife habitat and community structures in the future.

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  "Creating a Better Tomorrow: PFAS Contamination in the Greater Dayton Area" Presentation and Trailer

  Micah Kai-Wei Hung

  The objective is to make a documentary covering the topic of current issues of water contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large family of chemicals commonly known as PFAS, in the greater Dayton area and how this contaminated water is affecting residents and businesses. This will be accomplished by producing a ten to fifteen minute video documentary, which is comprised of writing a script and compiling interviews to tell this story with appropriate footage, audio, and graphics. Although one could expect clean water in a developed country, there is current evidence that some ground and drinking water in Dayton, Ohio, is contaminated with human made chemicals. These chemicals are causing community members to be at risk. This documentary about PFAS contamination will bring social awareness and could lead to environmental sustainability on the issue of PFAS, especially in drinking and ground water in the greater Dayton area.

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  Creating a More Meaningful AI Tournament: Statistical Insights from the Game of Catan

  Aidan P. Reichenberg

  As the 14th most popular board game of all time, Catan distinguishes itself through a unique combination of randomness, strategy, and player interaction. This study explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to the game of Catan, utilizing the Catanatron framework to compare seven unique agents through an AI tournament.Central to this analysis is the application of statistically significant methods for comparison. Establishing quantifiable differences in the relative strength between agents is paramount in creating meaningful, repeatable findings in AI research. By generating statistically significant results, this study aims to create a foundation for comparing future agents created to play the game of Catan. Furthermore, the methods used for comparing agents in this study can be applied to similar games.This study adopts a tournament format to compare the agents, creating groups based on the initial findings of Bryan Collazo, creator of Catanatron. I placed Collazo’s original agents in opposition to each other. The first tournament round employing these agents builds a foundation for larger simulations. This study identifies the strongest agents, analyzes the nuances of their strategy, and quantifies their relative strength by looking at the statistical significance of the results.The results of this analysis contribute to AI research by producing meaningful comparisons between agents and providing a framework for future comparison that can extend to similar multiplayer games.

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  Creating Inclusive Community: Strategies for Belonging and Inclusion at UD

  Sama Ahmed, Elizabeth Blum, Javier Castillo, Tiffany Hunsinger, Kennedy Madry, Kathryn Montgomery, Jaden J. Rhynehardt, Deja Richardson

  A brave group of students, staff, and faculty embarked on a journey of introspection, cross-cultural engagement, and dialogue with the goal of developing strategies to foster positive change on our campus and in our community. Participants engaged weekly in the mini-course UDI 380 “Understanding, Respecting, and Connecting: Examining Privilege and Taking Action” which is one of the few spaces on campus where students, staff, and faculty learn together as peers and collaborators. Together, they attended a diversity conference in Tulsa, OK where the focus was to examine the challenging concepts of privilege and oppression and to develop strategies to create a more equitable world. Come hear the participants reflect on their experiential learning and discuss the skills and knowledge they gained to enhance the campus climate for inclusivity and diversity at the University of Dayton. Please join us for a lively discussion!

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  Creation of new Precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for the Dayton Region

  Joseph Walter Baker

  Rainfall Intensity Duration and Frequency (IDF) relationships, often expressed in IDF curves, are an essential tool in civil engineering. The IDF curves provide information on the expected intensity of a storm of a certain duration (e.g. three hours, one day) with a certain return interval (e.g. once every 10, 25, or 50 years) at a single location. They are used extensively in the design and development of drainage systems of all modern infrastructure. NOAA’s Atlas 14 provides the IDF relationship for the entire United States, based on precipitation data collected at thousands of weather stations across the country with the last version that covered Ohio being released in 2006. The underlying assumption is that the precipitation pattern is stationary and not expected to change over time. However this assumption is not valid as we face rapid climate change, which is likely to cause changes in the global and local precipitation patterns. We have already seen significant increases in extreme precipitation events, which is likely to continue over this century. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine how climate change will affect the IDF relationship at Dayton, Ohio. This study relies on two major datasets. The first is historical precipitation data from NOAA weather stations covering the time periods of 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 1 day. The maximum range of this data is from 1971 to 2014. The second dataset is the global climate model (GCM) output for future precipitation. 10-20 GCMs are selected based on their performance in the Dayton region. The historical runs are used for bias correction, and the future runs of 2070-2100 are used to project future change. The results of this study will provide crucial information on building climate adaptation and resilience in infrastructure design and implementation for the Greater Dayton region.

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  Cross-Campus Collaboration: Advancing Behavioral Health Education

  Cara M. Daley, Blade Reed Mills

  In pursuit of advancing behavioral health education, the University of Dayton’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program set-forth the goal of developing diverse leaders through Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPEP). BHWET is a cross-disciplinary collaboration of faculty and graduate students from UD’s three graduate-level mental health programs. We empower diverse professionals to become leaders through training, research, and community outreach. Students collaborate with community partners to tackle systemic barriers hindering access to mental health services for youth across our 30-county region... Engaging with a spectrum of stakeholders including schools, mental health agencies, law enforcement, hospitals, public health boards, faith-based organizations, and public service organizations, BHWET participants work to: 1. Increase accessibility to healthcare services for children, adolescents, transition-aged youth, families, athletes, and first responders; 2. Address mental health workforce shortages in critical areas of need across various disciplines; and3. Cultivate diverse leaders adept at navigating the complex behavioral health landscape. As Graduate Research Assistants for BHWET, we have the unique perspective of working on both the development and implementation of research and community outreach projects. We've gained lessons and skills that may be beneficial to other graduate students, faculty, staff, program managers, and community partners. Those lessons/skills include: •Enhancing productivity across diverse fields through effective communication skills.•Managing a 30+ participant team using a project management platform.•Facilitating a curriculum on IPEP training.•Collaborating with community partners to tackle the shortage of behavioral health personnel in crucial regions.•Developing partner-centric programming through tailored strategies, collaboration, and continuous refinement.•Recognizing the importance of flexibility in driving successful project outcomes.•And, understanding how public health and education services intersect to promote societal well-being.At Stander, we aim to share our insights and gather feedback from students, faculty, and community members on the BHWET program.

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  Cult & Culture: An Analysis of Falun Gong

  Holly Conklin, Ben Francis, Tucker Hoffmann

  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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  Cultural Significance of Folk Dances from Kenya, India, and Mongolia

  Katherine J. Moreira

  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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  Curation in Art Education

  Allison M. Trangenstein

  This paper delves into the role of curatorial practices in art education, illuminating its significance and relevance. Employing a qualitative approach, interviews and surveys were conducted with art educators and a list of questions was sent out to gauge educators' utilization and comprehension of curation in art education. Through a synthesis of scholarly insights and empirical evidence, the study showcases how curatorial engagement enhances critical thinking, fosters creativity, and nurtures diverse interpretations of art. Ultimately, it advocates for the integration of curatorial skills into educational curricula to enrich the pedagogical landscape and cultivate aesthetic sensibilities.

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  Data Efficiency and Reporting Tool

  Alyssa Marie Hampton, William J. Spear, Lauren M. Zadalis

  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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  Dayton's Human Rights Heroes: A Moral Courage Project

  Lila Acott, Aila Carr-Chellman, Saija A’lan Cleveland, Sebastian Andres De Leon Osorio, Precious H. Henderson, Kristine Hillstrom, Kathryn Horning, Jet Lex, Mary Mull, Kurtis Neiman, Bridget Sexton, Katherine Shryock, Ximena Silva-Aguirre, Anastacia Zartman-Robb

  The Moral Courage Project is a storytelling initiative of the UD Human Rights Center. This term, students selected to participate in the program examined conceptual frameworks intersecting the studies of human rights, media, and social movements, and learned documentary skills, including interviewing, audio production, and photography. To apply the MCP method, the students were paired with members of Dayton United for Human Rights - a local grassroots effort to establish Dayton as a "human rights city" - and charged to develop audio and visual stories to feature the motivations and actions of human rights heroes in our own community.

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  Decolonizing the American History Museum: A Case Study of the Henry Ford

  Victoria Lynne Brey

  In this paper, I consider the origins and practice of decolonization in American museums, using the Henry Ford, an American history museum in Dearborn, MI, as a case study and situating it within the broader narrative of museum decolonization. I analyze the ways in which museums have historically presented very limited subjectivities to the public that assume a white male (often European, often colonizing) subjectivity as neutral and normative. I then consider the formation of the Henry Ford and the ways in which it broke with as well as fit into the dominant structure of museums as perpetuators of colonialism at its inception. I briefly discuss the history of the museum from its beginning until today, considering the ways in which it has or has not changed to incorporate more diverse subjectivities. I conclude by considering the contemporary efforts of the museum to engage with decolonization, offering insight into the operations of a world-renowned museum.

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  Democracy and Development in Central America: Models and Strategies for Strengthening Civil Society and Fostering Sustainable Economic Growth

  Diana Paola Bencomo Miralles, Morgan N. Ciolek, Mercy M. John, Mariana Marquez, Olivia M. Palumbo, Flavio Pinho De Almeida Reis, Kathryn E. Riddle, Alexia Siakwan-Adusei

  This panel presents the collaborative work of the International Studies capstone seminar with two international, non-profit organizations focused on democracy and development in Central America. In partnership with Cristosal, students have researched models and strategies that could serve to counter growing authoritarianism and strengthen civil society in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Focusing on a broad array of comparative cases from Latin America and Africa, they have examined popular and civic engagement and education models; youth and social media’s role in political activism; strategies for empowering women and reducing gender-based violence; and how the breakdown of democracy affects the business community and erodes economic well-being. Students also are partnering with Counterpart International to support small farmer coffee cooperatives in Guatemala through researching alternatives to multinational, corporate models. In addition to examining models such as the Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance, they are investigating trade flows between Guatemala and the United States to better understand how to support these market alternatives. Finally, students are conducting market research on the feasibility of selling ethically sourced coffee on campus, in the city of Dayton, and throughout Ohio, as well as raising awareness of the importance of socially responsible purchasing decisions. In their presentations, students will discuss their main conclusions from their research, the impact of their advocacy work, and future steps that other students at the University of Dayton can take to build upon their initial efforts to support the work of Cristosal and Counterpart International. They also will highlight the economic exploitation, social injustice, political repression, and racism that is the legacy of colonialism, neo-colonialism, and US intervention in Central America and the historical context for the work they are doing.

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  Designing and Testing Phononic Crystals for the Purpose of Controlling Lattice Vibrations

  Riley J. Barrett

  The study of phononics is focused on engineering lattice vibrations and heat transport in solid-state materials through nanofabrication and material strain. The quantum states that are fundamental to quantum technologies face the issue of decoherence due to phononic interactions which exist at finite temperatures causing quantum devices to typically need to be cooled down to low temperatures (<1K) for operation. In order to make quantum technologies available at higher temperatures, it is required to develop a better understanding and ability to engineer the phononic environment. With this in mind, we are attempting to create devices with a phononic bandgap at low frequencies (10s of MHz) in order to begin showing how phononic crystals can suppress or amplify signals as a function of frequency. By changing the shape, size, and relative distance of the holes on our phononic crystal membrane, we are able to manipulate the phononic bandgaps of these devices. As we move further into this project, we want to use these types of devices to create phononic cavities and shields, which are crucial to optomechanical systems.