Stander Symposium: All projects - 2024

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  20th Annual Integration Bee, Mathematics

  Arthur H. Busch

  The students compete in teams of 2-3 people. This is organized in a similar way to the traditional spelling bee. Teams will be evaluating integrals that are projected on a screen. If a team incorrectly evaluates an integral, the team is eliminated from the competition. After the elimination rounds, we will hold the lightning rounds. The first 'y' many teams to correctly evaluate the given integrals will proceed to the next round. We do this until there is a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place team. First, second, and third place teams will receive math t-shirts. The Department of Mathematics will host a pizza lunch in the Science Center Atrium from 12:00-1:00 PM prior to the Integration Bee.

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  3.6 MVA Electric Aircraft Powertrain Development

  Xiaoyan Liu, Vafa Marzang, Haoran Meng

  An electric aircraft powertrain includes four parts: fuel cell power sources, DC-DC converters, DC-AC inverters, and loads. In this poster, the fuel cell provides 3.6 MVA (2.5MW) electricity energy, which is converted to the required electric energy form of the load using DC-DC and DC-AC converters. The fuel cell offers 600-900 volt DC voltage, which converts to a fixed 1000VDC, and subsequently, the DC form converts to the AC electricity form using the DC-AC inverter. The DC-AC inverter's design, including power module selection, is described based on power loss and thermal analysis. The power losses, including conduction and switching losses, are derived to find the inverter efficiency and the junction temperature. The junction temperature of the power module is analyzed based on the derived power losses and thermal resistance among the ambient temperature at the junction of the power module. Furthermore, thermal analysis is performed to assess the power module's temperature distribution and thermal management requirements under different operating conditions. The simulation results, obtained using MATLAB and PLECS software, validate the mathematical analysis and provide a comprehensive understanding of the system's behavior.

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  3rd Party Carrier Optimization

  Brendan L. Ficht, Meigan G. Karolak, Conner M. Macioce, Maximus J. Tucker

  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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  Academic Achievement Gap of ELL Students after the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Megan K. Buzzanca

  As ELLs continue to be the fastest-growing population of K-12 public school students, itis critical to examine how ELLs were impacted by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.ELL students struggled to transition from in-class to remote learning because many educationalmaterials were not appropriate for their learning style, both before and because of COVID. (Long,2022). Now, some of these ELL students are approximately 2-3 years behind their English nativepeers in terms of academic progress. The following research will have a foundation through aliterature review as well as a focus qualitative study on ELL students and teachers. The study willgive personal accounts of how COVID-19 has impacted the ELL student’s life in 2020 andhow it continues to impact their lives today. In addition, this study will analyze effective resourcesto further support the learning of ELL students.

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  A Comparative Study of Current Socioeconomic Status to Past Socioeconomic Status in Students and How it Affects their Success in College.

  McKenzie M. Craft

  An individual's level of education and income plays a role in socioeconomic background. Research shows that the amount of education an individual receives can be linked to their income level. The higher the level of education completed, there is a greater likelihood of achieving a higher paying job. Having a higher income can give more access to needed resources like healthier foods and safe shelter. Studies have shown that not having access to basic needs can negatively affect both physical and mental wellbeing. This study will look at how the past and current socioeconomic status of students affects their success in college.

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  Advancing Sickle Cell Disease Management: Introducing a High-Throughput Test for Irreversibly Sickled Cells

  John-Paul Stefano Bugada

  Sickle cell disease is an inherited red blood cell disorder caused by abnormal hemoglobin in the cells. This hemoglobin causes the cells to temporarily become rigid and shaped like a “C” or sickle. Sickle cells can get stuck and block blood flow leading to pain, infections, and other serious complications. The percentage of irreversibly sickled cells (ISCs) is an indication of how patients are managing their sickle cell disease. Currently, the best way to quantify ISCs is to use a microscope to count the normal red blood cells and ISCs and then manually calculate a percentage. This method is both time-consuming and subjective, and as a result, it is not being used even though it can help doctors better understand how patients are managing their disease. Through my research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, we developed a high-throughput ISC test that is faster, more efficient, and more consistent than the current method. This new method uses machine learning analysis software to sort through tens of thousands of pictures of cells from a patient and determine the percentage of ISCs. The new test correlates with the current method without having to train people to recognize sickle cells or manually count them. We believe that this test will provide more accessible, accurate, and consistent monitoring of sickle cell disease while reducing subjectivity, costs, and time.

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  Africa in Our Century

  Salem F. S. M. Alluwfan, Aboubacar Aribot, Joseph S. Boise, Patrick James Burns, Ava Elizabeth Catrabone, Charles Richard Ciolek, Daniel Joseph Cornish, Rodrigo Tomás Del Rincón Martínez, Drew Anthony Deshetler, Jack R. Dewine, Kate Adele Dillon, Oumoulkhairy Diop, Jarrett Charles Dixon, Aubrey Ann Evers, Niall Joseph Gallagher, Patrick Mills Garvey, Nicholas Ronald Geelan, Olivia Grace Gulesano, Brooke Renee Higgins, Colin Timothy Kane, Aimable Kazintwari, Kathryn Ann Kloska, Madeleine Grace Lacouture, Hayden Catherine Lingel, Griffin A. Miller, OBIORA Bunie Onochie, Dyamond R. Packer, Marissa Marie Perkins, Cameron Jordan Phillips, Elizabeth Mary Raster, Alexander Christopher Reminder, Natalie Renee Tippmann, Charles Morley Valentincic, Olivia Ann Voelker, Henry Garrett Wentworth

  At a time when of the growing significance of Africa, the papers in this session provide a socio-historical context for the understanding of contemporary Africa. The presentations engage in several important ways, and in the end provide a better understanding of what the Economist referred to as the “New Scramble for Africa.” Topics range from the idea of Africa to human rights, genocide, and gender to Africa’s contribution to the global community. We promise to have an exciting session.

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  Alienation in Wise Blood

  Zahra Kamdideh

  This research paper explores the theme of alienation in Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood through an analysis of the main characters Hazel Motes and Enoch Emery. The theoretical framework draws upon Herbert Marcuse's concepts of alienation in industrial society. The study aims to analyze how the characters in Wise Blood exemplify varying dimensions of alienation from society as well as the self. The paper provides background on the novel's post-World War II southern United States setting and how societal changes contributed to feelings of disconnection. It then delves into Marcuse's definition of alienation as estrangement from one's true self due to societal oppression and repression. Through close analysis of the two main characters, the paper explores how Hazel and Enoch each experience forms of religious, social, and existential alienation. Examples are provided of Enoch's social rejection, identity crisis, and escape into fantasy. Overall, this literary analysis aims to contribute additional perspective to scholarship on alienation in literature. It demonstrates O'Connor's skillful blending of psychological, philosophical, and religious themes to create enduring portraits of isolation and the search for meaning.

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  A Little Ridiculous | From Pen to Performance

  John Owen Imhof, Cedric Mwanga Mwizerwa

  Owen Imhof and Cedric Mwizerwa are passionate musicians who will present a unique session on their journey of creating original pieces of music. In this presentation, they will take the audience through the process of writing their original compositions and will contain some first-ever live performances of their newly created pieces, as well as reflections on pieces they’ve previously performed, showcasing their musical talent and creativity. Attendees will have the chance to learn about the creative process behind writing original music and gain insights into vocal and instrumental styles. This session is a must-attend for anyone interested in music composition, performance, and creativity.

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  A Long Term Analysis of Industrial Sector Stock Returns in Rising Fed Funds Rate Periods, 1999-2023

  Christopher Fredrick Casey, David Francis McColl

  Financial analysts consider industrial sector stocks to be cyclical in nature with strong sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In this study I look at four periods within the overall 1999-2023 period where the Fed Funds rate was rising to see if the strong sensitivity assumption holds up. I use the top 20 stocks measured by market cap in the industrial sector to examine the relationship between rising Fed Funds rate and sector stock returns.

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  A long-term study of the impact of rising federal funds rates on communication sector stock returns: An empirical analysis, 1999-2023

  Thomas Charles Letke, Jordan Christopher Nelson

  In the overall period 1999-2023, there have been four distinct sub-periods of rising federal fund rates. In this study we test the hypothesis that Communcation sector stocks are interest rate sensitive (I.e. Their prices and returns decline when federal funds rates are rising. However, because the four periods differ in terms of length of time, rate of increase in Fed Fund rates and macroeconomic conditions like economic growth and inflation, I expect the degree of interest rate sensitivity for communication sector stocks, period wise, to vary considerably. In this regard, a particular interest is the 2008-2016 period where the federal funds rate was quite low and rising slowly. We use the returns for the top 20 stocks by market cap in the communication sector to measure the sensitivity to rising fed fund rates.

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  Analysis and Design of High-Efficiency Modular Multilevel Resonant DC-DC Converter

  Haoran Meng

  This paper demonstrates a high-efficiency modular multilevel resonant DC-DC converter(MMRC) with zero-voltage switching (ZVS) capability. In order to minimize the conduction loss in theconverter, optimizing the root-mean-square (RMS) current flowing through switching devices is consideredan effective approach. The analysis of circuit configuration and operating principle show that the RMSvalue of the current flowing through switching devices is closely related to the factors such as the resonanttank parameters, switching frequency, converter output voltage and current, etc. A quantitative analysis thatconsiders all these factors has been performed to evaluate the RMS current of all the components in thecircuit. When the circuit parameters are carefully designed, the switch current waveform can be close tothe square waveform, which has a low RMS value and results in low conduction loss. And a design examplebased on the theoretical analysis is presented to show the design procedures of the presented converter. A 600W48 V-to-12 V prototype is built with the parameters obtained from the design example section. Simulationand experiments have been performed to verify the high-efficiency feature of the designed converter. Themeasured converter peak efficiency reaches 99.55% when it operates at 200 kHz. And its power density canbe as high as 795 W/in3.

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  Analysis of benefits in consolidation for vehicle routing problems with time windows

  Nikesh Chithambaram

  Vehicle routing is a complex optimization problem with different variations. In this study, we focus on evaluating the advantages of consolidation for vehicle routing problems with time windows. With the help of Google OR tools and deep reinforcement learning solutions, we aim to analyze and compare the benefits of consolidation under different parameters and evaluate the performance of both for increasing number of orders and customers. Our approach involves consolidating orders within specified windows as customers place multiple orders if they fall within a consolidation window based on next day delivery plan. Through this research, we seek to provide insights into the optimal methods for managing vehicle routing logistics in scenarios where consolidation plays a pivotal role.

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  Analysis of Mineral Resources and their Economic Viability in their Direct Community in the Appalachia Region

  Camilla M. Fowler

  The Appalachian Mountain Range, also known as Appalachia, consists of over 400 counties across 13 states, spanning 206,00 square miles from southern New York to northern Mississippi and encompasses a population of 26 million people. While the Region has made recent improvements in economic factors, Appalachia still lags behind much of the country, particularly in bachelor’s degree earnings, poverty rates, and per capita income (ARC). The coal and natural gas resources already provide much of the income and economy in Appalachia, particularly in West Virginia, due to the bountiful caches of resources present along the Region. However, this region of the United States is full of additional mineral resources, particularly non-fuel and infrastructure mineral resources, that could be exploited by the residents of the Region in order to facilitate further improvements and development in the region. A comprehensive map and dataset of the mineral resources and their locations in the Appalachian Region may provide insight into potential new economic sources – particularly those beyond fossil fuel resources – and a basis for governmental action to take advantage of raw materials and resources for economic improvement and community development.

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  Analysis of Power System Resilience Subject to Extreme Events

  Adedayo Joshua Aruwajoye

  This study aims to increase the understanding of power system resilience through pattern recognition of disaster induced system disruption. This study consists of analyzing power system failure and recovery patterns in a post extreme event environment to determine relevant pattern characteristics relating to power system resilience in statistical terms. Specifically, the methodology of this progressive study consists of (1) collecting and processing data from power system failures induced by natural disasters categorized by power companies, states, counties, and natural disaster occurrence, (2) developing failure and recovery curves for the collected data, (3) investigating and establishing a distribution model that correlates to the goodness of fit for plotted curves best characterizing the system behavior for each extreme external occurrence, and (4) creating an algorithm for specifying the resilience of such engineered systems. This study will then explore the resultant algorithm in modelling and answering questions about the resiliency of power systems subjected to some extreme events first, opening extensions to other kinds of natural disasters in the future. Since modern society relies extensively on power systems to survive, this increased insight into power system resilience will provide better situational awareness for stakeholders during future decision-making discussions regarding power system construction.

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  Analysis of Student Learning of Hooke's Law

  Makenna R. Korzan

  Physics educators use assessments to better understand students’ understanding of concepts inan introductory physics course. The Force Concepts Inventory was used as a model to develop anassessment to measure student learning of Hooke’s Law in an introductory physics lab. Three learningtargets were written, which the assessment questions were based on. The assessment was given duringthe summer term, and revisions to the assessment increased the effectiveness of the questions to assessthe learning targets. Data was collected from six sections of the PHY 201L during the fall term. Data wasanalyzed to determine student understanding of Hooke’s Law and effectiveness of teaching instructionin the PHY 201L. The assessment was given to sixty-eight students in the PHY 201L as a pretest beforethe Hooke’s Law lab and as a posttest afterwards. The results of the assessment showed that labinstruction was somewhat effective in increasing students’ understanding of Hooke’s Law with anaverage increase of 16% points per question on the assessment. The assessment found that studentscould explain how to find the spring constant from a graph by taking the slope. The assessment showedsmaller increases in scores for questions that included higher level questions. For example, studentscould not complete the calculation to determine the spring constant from a graph, incorrectly dividing yby x for a single point rather than taking the slope. To improve the Hooke’s Law lab, possible changescould include more opportunities for students to apply their knowledge of how to find spring constantfrom a graph and post lab questions where students have to explain Hooke’s Law and the relationshipbetween force and spring constant.

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  Analyzing land use of a recovering North American carnivore

  Kara Beth Gregory

  Large mammalian carnivores play important roles within healthy ecosystems, but they have a history of population decline and local extinctions due to human influences. As conservation efforts to protect threatened species have encouraged population growth and expansion, some of these large carnivores have begun to make their way back to their historic species ranges. While vital to ecosystem health, recovering carnivores—like bears, wolves, and cougars—are bound to have some conflict with humans, such as wildlife-vehicle collisions, damage to livestock, and threats to human safety. Therefore, it is important to understand where recovering carnivores are likely to settle. One such recovering North American carnivore, the cougar (Puma concolor), exists mainly in the western United States. However, there have been recent sightings of these large cats in areas further east, suggesting that they may be expanding back into their previous species range. I aim to understand potential cougar expansion in Missouri, a state that research suggests may have available habitat, and also with an active conservation department that records all reported cougar sightings. Through this research, I aim to map potential cougar distribution in Missouri by developing a species distribution model using cougar presence data and relevant environmental variables. The Missouri Department of Conservation maintains a database of confirmed cougar sighting locations from 1994 to present. This location data will be used in the model along with environmental variables that are typically associated with cougar presence (i.e. land cover, vegetation quality, prey density, landscape ruggedness). I will use the distribution model to create a potential distribution map of cougars in Missouri and identify core habitat patches.

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  Analyzing Propaganda in the 2024 Presidential Election

  Mollie Margaret Bigner, Nicholas R. Bridgett, Nicholas S. Cochran, Keira Aileen Cotter, Serafino R. Delzotti, Sophia M. Divagno, Liam Michael Dwyer, Bill E. Farmer, Daniel R. Greive, Ian Michael Kirtley, Mara Elizabeth Mackinnon, Lauren Louise Mann, Luis Alexies Martin, McKenna E. Meyer, Benjamin Arthur Mitchell, Tyler R. Mordarski, Rebekah I. Murray, Clay E. Nevers, Olivia Grace Newmark, Kayla Nicole Nickel, Catherine F. O'Brien, Robin S. Park, Maria Alejandra Pereira-Rodriguez, Catherine Ann Rafter, Tina Kaur Sandhu, MaryRose N. Schertler, Alyssa Marie Sparto, Mark A. Spaulding, Hanna M. Stanifer, Hailey McKenna Stephen, Brad S. Talsania, Madeleine Kennedy Vandegrift

  As the 2024 Presidential Election approaches, various individuals, groups, and organizations are striving to influence the American people, especially voters. While much of the discourse surrounding the election works through civil presentation of positions and arguments in an open, evidence-based, and even dialogic manner, some sources have sought to shape the perceptions and manipulate the beliefs of Americans through more subtle, less transparent ways, ones often difficult to recognize and scrutinize. Such efforts to bend public opinion in support of one’s interests can be examined through the lens of propaganda analysis. In this group presentation, the students of CMM 350 History and Analysis of Propaganda will share what they have learned through their respective efforts to identify a specific campaign of propaganda associated with the election and to analyze that campaign in light of the methods, strategies, and approaches often used by propagandists. Each team will give a brief presentation about its project and their core argument. At the end, audience members will have a chance to ask questions to the class and/or specific teams.

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  An Analysis of Returns to a Portfolio of Health Care Stocks with Firm Revenue and Gross Operating Profits as the principal weighting factors: An Empirical Analysis 2009-2023

  Nicholas John Mulvihill

  In this study, I want to determine the long-term effect on returns to a portfolio of Health Care stocks when firm revenue and operating profits growth are the principal weighting factors. I use the top 20 stocks by market cap in the Health Care Sector as my portfolio. Rather than following the standard approach of using an equal weight strategy for the base model and then adjusting the weights based on yearly revenue and operating profits growth, I use the 10-year compound annual growth rate in revenue and operating profits for the top 20 stocks as my base model weighting factors. Yearly growth rates in revenue and operating profits are used to adjust the stock weights year over year. I backtest the model for the period 2009-2023 and then use the out-of-sample period 2020-2023 to determine if both momentum and persistence in performance for the Health Care Sector portfolio occur in this highly volatile market period. My benchmark for performance is the S&P 500 ETF SPY. Returns above this broad market benchmark indicate that revenue and operating profits are priced in risk factors.

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  An Analysis of Risk-Return Parameters for 9 S&P 500 Sectors, 2000-2019

  Michael A. Dahill

  In this study I look at the relationship between sector returns and sector return risk over two long run time periods: 2000-2019 and 2009-2019. The sub period 2009-2019 is particularly important because it is considered a bull market period after the 2008 economic and market recession. Given the efficient market hypothesis, I test to see if higher long term sector returns are associated with higher sector risk parameters. I use average annual returns and compound annual growth grates (CAGR) to measure sector returns and the variance and standard deviation of the returns to measure risks. I also test to determine if the long run sector risk measures show persistence by using the highly volatile out of sample period, 2020-2023, to determine if the sector returns fall within (1) Plus or minus one standard deviation and (2) Plus or minus two standard deviations of the long term sector return means

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  An Analysis of Stock Returns in the Consumer Staples Sector during Periods of Rising Fed Funds Rates: An Empirical Analysis 1999-2023

  Kevin Brian Cullen, Dominik Vittorio Daly

  The steady demand for consumer staples products in periods of economic stress suggests that stocks in the consumer staples sector will do well, relatively speaking, in periods where interest rates are rising. I test that assumption for four periods of rising fed funds rates over the long-term period 1999-2023. My study focuses on the distribution of returns for the Top 20 stocks in the consumer staples over each rising interest rate period. My assumption holds if the skewness to the distribution of returns is positive.

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  An Autoethnographic Analysis of Naked Attraction: Reality Dating Television’s Impact and Relationship to Modern Dating and Hookup Culture

  McKenna E. Meyer

  Naked Attraction, a British reality dating show, has sparked curiosity and controversy with its unique approach to matchmaking. Contestants select dates based solely on physical appearance, all while being showcased as fully nude on television. This paper presents a feminist autoethnographic analysis of Naked Attraction and its impact on modern dating culture through the integration of critical media analysis, peer-reviewed research, and reflection on personal experiences. Naked Attraction promotes the objectification of individuals' bodies, reinforces mainstream beauty standards and gender norms, and influences interpersonal communication in relationships–particularly the act and expectation of sending nudes. This gender and sexuality-focused analysis provides deep and relatable insight into the complex interplay between media, culture, and personal experiences in the realm of intimate relationships.

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  An Investigation into Mental Health Impacts of Young Adults Who Experienced Childhood Obesity

  Alexis G. Beaschler

  Certain habits and behaviors one engages in as a child can carry into adulthood. An example of this is childhood obesity. There is much research that covers physical impacts of childhood obesity such as poor cardiovascular system, gross motor skills and skeletal abnormalities. That being said, there is limited research on how experiencing childhood obesity can affect an individual's mental health as they mature. The goal of this research project is to better understand how young adult's mental health has been impacted by these experiences including bridging the gap between physical and emotional consequences of childhood obesity.

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  An Investigation into Volleyball Rally Length

  MaryRose N. Schertler

  In 2016, the “Fédération Internationale De Volleyball” found that the average length of a professional women’s volleyball rally was 7.25 seconds. A similar investigation will be conducted with collegiate women’s volleyball games. Data was collected from the NCAA division 1 championship matches. The rally length will also be studied in relation to teams and players. The hypothesis will be tested using some t-tests, as well as the non-parametric Wilcoxon’s Signed-Rank test and the Bootstrap Method. Confidence intervals will be provided using these methods.

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  Annual Department of Music Honors Recital Competition

  Skylar Raine Archer, Kaleigh Sierra Armstrong, Brendan James Ash, Joseph Robert Barnett, Katherine E. Bishop, Marie Elena Bliss, Judy Calo, Makayla E. Cripe, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Crowell, Emily Rae Debevec, Anna Valerie Delaney, Dominic Michael Delligatti, Penelope Margaux Fisher, Rachel Gleberman, Annika Hall, Katarina Lucyna Lagodzinski, Patrick Andrew Linegang, Gabriel John Lusk, Aaron M. Moen, Ashleigh Rose Muir, Chloe E. Parrish, Dylan Wayne Reynolds, Trinity Le'shae Rice, Kyleigh Lynn Ryan, Charlotte Cettina Silvidi, Anna Smith, Karsyn Nicole Williams, Amber Louise Zanders, Luke David de Villiers

  Twelve music students selected by the Department of Music faculty perform for a panel of outside judges, who will choose six finalists to perform on the Honors Recital at the end of the semester. Performances will include a variety of vocal and instrumental music.