More than 700 students submitted over 300 individual and team research projects to present at the annual Stander Symposium on April 22, 2021. Students chose to share their research in a variety of ways: downloadable posters and papers; live presentations on Zoom; recorded presentations; and safe-distance live presentations from front porches and other locations on campus. Browse the gallery below or search for specific research projects using the search function at the top left of the screen.
This gallery contains projects from the 2021 Stander Symposium that address issues raised in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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The Effect of Micronutrients on the Immune Response and COVID-19
Rosa E. Brown, Caroline Rose Grannan, Katherine Marie Ochs
In December 2019, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China and spread globally. SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. This disease is a respiratory disease that is thought to spread from person-to-person via respiratory droplets from an infected individual. The World Health Organization announced that the COVID-19 outbreak could be characterized as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since then, the United States has continued to see an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and the rates of infection. Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, cold, shortness of breath, sore throat, and headache. Research has shown many possible connections between micronutrients and assisting building of the immune system. Studies show that certain micronutrients, such as vitamin A, C, and D, and minerals, such as zinc, iron, copper, and selenium, may be effective in regulating the immune response that occurs with infection of the COVID-19 virus. A concept map technique will be used to present and explain the interactions between micronutrients and their effect on COVID-19.
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The Effect of Music on Stress Level in College Students
Caitlin M. Lavilla, Madison K. Miller, Kristin L. Murray, Caitlyn G. Unruh
BackgroundCurrent research has explored the effect of music therapy on various populations including premature infants, generalized hospital patients, those with mental health issues, and older adults. Less is known about how the stress level of college students is influenced by music therapy.Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify a possible correlation between listening to music and a decrease in stress level in college students. MethodologyThe study will include juniors and seniors who are currently enrolled in classes at the University of Dayton. Each student will participate in the cross-sectional study by completing an adapted fourteen item questionnaire, sent via email, containing items regarding their stress levels, stress coping mechanisms, various symptoms of stress, causes of stress, and use of music while studying. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe the symptoms and causes of stress. An independent t-test will be performed to examine the difference between college students who listen to music compared to college students who do not listen to music in terms of stress level. Results The results of this study will be provided at the time of the presentation.
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The Effect of Religion on Healthcare Provider - Patient Relationships
Allison Elizabeth Herceg, Matthew David Hilts, Avery Lyn Lewis, Jillian K. Tore
The objective of this research project was to determine religion’s effect on social justice and the common good in the healthcare realm. Our research has shown that more accessible, effective, and holistic care is given when healthcare providers incorporate and accommodate diverse religious traditions into their practice. After an intensive review of the available literature on the connection and interaction between religion and healthcare, we observed a positive correlation between the presence of religion and clinical encounters. Clinical encounters can be defined as any direct interaction between healthcare providers and patients. More specifically, we addressed the presence religion from the perspective of healthcare providers, patients, healthcare institutions and government entities. In each of these groups, religion had an overall positive impact. When a religious presence is involved, we found that physicians are better equipped to care for their patients and their traditions. Additionally, a religious presence encourages patients to make well-informed, positive decisions related to healthcare and wellbeing. When taking religion into consideration, healthcare institutions and policies allow for greater outreach and support for a wider array of patients. Ultimately, collective action to include religion in healthcare promotes the pursuit of the common good.
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The Effect of Smartphones on the Mental Health and General Well-Being of College Students
William P. White
In the last decade or so smart phones have undoubtedly assumed a prominent role in the lives of average Americans. Whether or not smartphone users are aware of the potential for lasting negative side effects on their mental health on account of their addictive habits is unknown and largely unstudied. It is time that as a society we begin to self-examine and identify systemic issues, especially the glaringly obvious ones like the ones screened media present. An angle that consistently presents the most profound statistics is from the victims themselves. Gathering data from the people and for the people and promptly presenting an effective solution is the job and duty of a researcher. This research does exactly this. Through a comprehensive survey dispersed across the University of Dayton’s undergraduate population, personal phone usage data was gathered. The results were staggering to some extent, yet not totally out of the realm of believability. 58 percent of respondents self-reported an addiction to their smartphones. A figure like this for a substance like alcohol or tobacco would raise serious concern across the nation. The consequences of long-term exposure to screens include but are not limited to anxiety, depression, poor sleep quality, hypertension, attention deficit disorder, and vision disorders. Public exposure to these serious and lasting symptoms of an abusive relationship with smartphones is the next step. Another idea that deserves consideration is that these symptoms are only the physiological consequences of smartphone addiction, leaving out the entire realm of social consequences that coincide with an addictive screen relationship.
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The Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Student-Athletes' Mental Health
Kevin P. Bickett, Conor Flaherty, Reilly Alexzandra Madsen, Sara Delaney McCloud, Marin Reis, Natalie Marie Thielen
Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, many student athletes' daily routines were interrupted and placed into isolation. This research studies the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of student-athletes at the University of Dayton. Through a survey sent out to student-athletes on campus, several effects of the pandemic will be identified and analyzed.
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The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Intentional Exercise Routines of University of Dayton Students
Anthony J. Aiello, Hailey H. Briggeman, Jake W. Hane, Bridget Delia McDermott, Hannah L. Michl
The aim of this research is to survey college students about their exercise routines both before and during the pandemic. The comparison of frequency, duration, and intensity of the exercise both before and during the pandemic will serve to investigate whether or not and to what degree the pandemic has had an effect on college students exercising. Results may be an indicator of future health conditions amongst the population surveyed.
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The effect of walking speed and ankle load on joint kinematics and arm swing in children with and without Down syndrome
Kaylee Marie Larsen
Challenging children with Down Syndrome (DS) to walk faster than preferred and with an ankle load has demonstrated improvements to their gait pattern. These improvements include increasing step length, decreasing step width, decreasing cadence, and general muscle activation. However, the joint kinematic and arm swing control strategies used to make these adaptations remain unknown. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of walking speed and ankle load on joint kinematics and arm swing in children with and without DS. We analyzed data from 12 children with DS (10M/2F, 8.80 (1.23) years) and 12 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) children. Data was collected using a Vicon motion capture system as the subjects walked 10 meters at their preferred speed and a fast walking speed with either no ankle load or an ankle load of 2% of body mass. The peak flexion and extension joint angles of the ankle, knee, hip, and shoulder joints were evaluated. The anterior/posterior and mediolateral arm displacements were calculated as the differences between the wrist and shoulder markers. Children with DS had reduced peak ankle extension before toe-off. Adding ankle load reduced the peak ankle extension in both groups. When adjusting to speed, children with DS had less peak knee extension around mid-stance but greater peak knee and hip flexion during swing. Furthermore, the TD children displayed greater peak hip extension during stance at the faster speed and with ankle load. Similarities in arm swing displacements between both groups indicated a controlled upper body movement among the DS children. Overall, our results suggest that challenging children with DS to walk at a faster speed might lead to beneficial kinematic adjustments at the knee and hip joints. However, other interventions may be needed to target ankle extension before toe-off.
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The Effects of Propionate on the Activation of Macrophages Against the Intracellular Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes
Leah O'Malley Allen
L. monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can infect and cause death to immunocompromised, pregnant, or elderly individuals. The purpose of this research is to determine whether propionate, a common metabolite in our gut with known effects on our immune system, can signal our immune responses to prevent L. monocytogenes infections. Therefore, in this project, propionate was added to white blood cells where nitrite and reactive oxygen species were quantified to determine the effect of propionate on the activation of the immune system. Furthermore, RT-PCR was used to measure the effect of propionate on iNOS gene expression. Lastly, gentamicin protection assays were performed on naive and activated white blood cells to determine the effect of propionate on L. monocytogenes infection. Overall, these results will provide a greater understanding of the effects of propionate on immune cell activation and L. monocytogenes infections.
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The Evolving Relationship Between Religion and Civil Rights in America
Shea Maureen Donovan, Emma K. Mason, Henry Joseph Perry, Nickolas S. Shroyer
This study looks at the various roles different religious groups play in the ongoing civil rights movement in America. The purpose of this study was to explore whether religious groups in the United States have been supporting the civil rights movement or have instead further sustained racial discrimination in America. In particular, this study examines discrimination against Muslims after 9/11, antisemitism, and the ways in which political leaders have used religion in a good or a bad way for their title. A literature review of relevant articles in psychology, sociology, and anthropology was conducted to examine the relationship between religion and civil rights in America.
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The Impact of COVID-19 on Fan Engagement in Sport
Olivia Grace Carpenter, Shane Thomas Ferrick, Nathan Passarelli, Hannah Marie Paxton, Mason Andrew Smith, Timothy K. Tieman, Aaron Bennett Weiss
For our research topic, the main question that we want to answer is how has COVID-19 changed the way of fan engagement on social media. Ever since COVID-19 started, we have seen tournament cancellations, fan attendance becoming nonexistent, and overall less fan participation in sporting events. From our research we hope to find how professional teams are staying in touch with their fans via social media and other content consumption. We are especially looking to see how each sport differed in their own ways to involve fans more.
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The Impact of COVID on Domestic Violence Impact and Services in Dayton and Beyond
Lauren Marie Higgins
This presentation will focus on how people experiencing domestic violence and the services that serve those people are impacted by COVID-19. I will be explaining the results of my project which were reached through the analysis of reports and articles, interviews with local service providers, and a literature review on the problems that already exist for people experiencing domestic violence. I will give background of domestic violence as an issue, and then provide insight into how COVID could be exasperating these issues. I will discuss how social distancing may be contributing to an increase in domestic violence, and how COVID may be impacting services as well as creating additional barriers to accessing services and impacting services financially. I will also discuss how COVID and racial injustice could be impacting people experiencing domestic violence by preventing them from reporting to police. Throughout the presentation I will be highlight the experiences of people experiencing domestic violence in Dayton and also how services in Dayton are responding to COVID-19. Finally, I will discuss my own conclusions and limitations, and make recommendations for how institutions can protect those experiencing domestic violence during the pandemic.
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The Impact of Mental Health Spending on Recidivism and Prison Violence Within Ohio
Sarah Presley, Emily I. Rau
Since deinstitutionalization, the number of individuals incarcerated that have mental health challenges has dramatically increased. The correctional system has sought to reduce recidivism in multiple ways for individuals who have mental illnesses through court programs, diversion, and other community programs. The literature that focuses on a mental health services while incarcerated however, is not as extensive. There are services available to an individual once they are released from prison, however providing these services within the prison environment has not been evaluated as a potential solution for reducing recidivism for mentally ill individuals. Additionally, violence in prisons, specifically focused on those with mental illnesses is of concern. This research seeks to determine the relationship between mental health spending in prisons and its effect on recidivism rates, specifically within the state of Ohio. The research also aims to determine the relationship between violence within prison and mental health spending. This study will be conducted through expenditure analysis of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. With a large percentage of individuals currently incarcerated in the state of Ohio diagnosed with a mental illness, there is a need to know if increasing mental health services within prisons would have an impact on recidivism rates as well as prison violence.
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The Impact of Metaperception on College Men's Students Development
Justin Wilhite
Chickering and Reisser (1993) developed seven vectors to student development to explain a student’s progression from their first year in college to their final year. Studies show that women often enter college already having developed through all seven vectors of student development: developing competence, managing emotions, moving from autonomy toward interdependence, establishing mature interpersonal relationships, establishing identity, developing purpose and establishing integrity. Meanwhile men frequently do not develop through the first vector of student development in their final year of college. This study seeks to investigate why this problem with men exists in higher education by examining how much metaperception influences their development across the seven vectors. Metaperception is a person’s view of other people’s view of them. To investigate this phenomenon, five male undergraduate students from the University of Dayton were interviewed. The results pointed to common themes between the five men: they cannot open up to and/or be themselves around other men outside of their immediate circle, feel inadequate for not meeting the ideal masculine standards, and receive insults from others for not “correctly” performing masculinity. The participants also cited that familial influences contributed to the ways in which they perform masculinity. Results can give student affairs practitioners insight into how to mitigate the negative effects of metaperception on men.
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The Impact of Nitric Oxide on the Growth and Proliferation of Listeria monocytogenes
Mackenzie Taylor Martin
Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a foodborne, pathogenic bacterium that causes the illness listeriosis. The pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes can be impacted through the alteration of many different substances, pathways, and conditions. Varying nitric oxide levels have a well-documented impact on the spread of L. monocytogenes. Nitric oxide molecules are present in many cells and participate in diverse cellular functions, notably playing a significant role in the body’s immune response. Through the support of the Dean’s Summer Fellowship, students in Dr. Sun’s research lab investigated, summarized, and discussed current scientific literature related to the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes. This presentation will detail the discussions related to the impact of nitric oxide on L. monocytogenes pathogenesis. Upon review of the literature, it is evident that the presence of nitric oxide results in enhanced L. monocytogenes infection. Nitric oxide production has been shown to be associated with enhanced bacterial infection of macrophages, protection against bactericidal mechanisms, and increased bacterial escape of L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, studies suggest that activation of the Nf-kB pathway, which is closely related to nitric oxide production, also enhances L. monocytogenes infection. An understanding of the impact of nitric oxide on L. monocytogenes infection has important clinical implications in developing therapies to mitigate infection as well as relevant research significance in the understanding of other complex pathways, such as the Nf-kB pathway.
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The International and Intercultural Leadership Certificate: Becoming a Global Leader
Julia Ann Ziemelis
There are many articles, networks, summits and even foundations all based around the concept of becoming a global leader, but what does this mean? How does one become a global leader? Upon my first year at the University of Dayton, I knew I hoped to add an aspect to my degree to show my passion, care and appreciation for other cultures. I wanted to understand injustices occurring in our world today and broaden my ways of thought. I strived to learn more about what it means to be an intercultural leader. In this presentation, I will discuss the experiences that made adding the International and Intercultural Leadership Certificate to my degree so impactful and help shape me into a global leader.
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The Multi-Sensory Design of a Synesthete's Everyday Experience
Madeline Murphy Spicer
Perception, which can be defined as becoming aware of occurrences in the world through the senses, is different for every person (Merriam-Webster). My thesis deals with perception in the form of a condition called synesthesia and the communication of this condition using graphic design. Synesthesia is a condition that involves the involuntary crossing of the senses, resulting in multi-sensory experiences every time a synesthete absorbs the world and visible language. Utilizing the field of graphic design, I created several projects to communicate my three goals of conducting research on synesthesia, sharing what I experience every day, and educating others about synesthesia. I used the inspiration of many important sources about synesthesia to create a graphic design-centered action plan that included: a book I created, entitled Storybook of Synesthetic Discovery; research posters; and a visual song that utilize my visual perception of the world as a synesthete.
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The Perception of Being Stalked and its Emotional Impact
Samantha L. Lonsinger
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, each year an estimated 14 in every 1,000 persons age 18 or older fell victim to stalking (Stalking). The impact that stalking can have on an individual has the potential to lead to a variety of mental health issues (Kilpatrick & Acierno, 2003). Victims of crimes such as stalking can experience extreme trauma which is one of the causes of depression. The mental health of victims needs to be studied so that effective counseling programs can be implemented across the globe. This project looks into the question, how does one’s perception of being a stalking victim impact their emotions? The hypothesis is that those who perceive the actions of others to be stalking will have a negative emotional response. The secondary data analyzed was pulled from the National Crime Victimization Survey: Stalking Victimization Supplement, 2006. The sample was a stratified multistage cluster sample that included 78,741participants. The correlation tests showed that whites are more emotionally impacted by the perception of stalking than non-whites and women were more emotionally impacted when they perceived that they had been stalked than men. More research is needed to develop a better understanding of the relationship between stalking and emotions.
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The Potential Benefits of Sustainable Aviation Fuels with High Thermal Stability
Lily Carolyn Behnke
Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF’s) have proven to be a near term solution to minimizing net anthropogenic gas emissions produced by the aviation sector. While SAFs have the potential to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, their adoption is currently limited in part by the approval process (ASTM D4054) of developing fuels. Total energy content and thermal stability metrics of a potential SAF can add value and performance benefits. The metric of thermal-oxidative stability within the approval process measures the ability of a fuel to absorb heat without producing undesirable deposits. These coke deposits cause increased spread in exhaust gas temperature around the circumference of the combustor which in turn causes increased combustor emissions that negatively impacts turbine efficiency, and drives up CO2 emissions and fuel cost. Therefore, understanding the thermal stability metrics for SAF candidates is essential to reducing coking related airline maintenance costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and illuminating the full benefit of SAFs.
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The Rise of Online Protesting Following The Killing of George Floyd: A Content Analysis of Tweets Relating to George Floyd and Police Brutality
Caroline Rose Nevius
The overall purpose of this study is to explore the emergence of online protesting relating to police brutality and the themes that develop through it. I am concentrating on the death of George Floyd and how that event of police brutality has affected social media users. The research is designed to analyze the content of various tweets taken from Twitter with the hashtag #GeorgeFloyd and examine different issues and trends that appear in these tweets. Tweets were gathered from the month of June 2020, a month after the killing of Floyd, and more tweets were gathered in the month of October 2020. Systematic sampling was used to collect the tweets and inductive coding was used to determine the themes that emerged. Results indicate that social media is an important platform for sharing news, online protesting, and using social media to pay tribute to victims of police violence. The study gives evidence on how influential hashtags can be for protesting as well as forming collective identities.
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Thermal Energy Production and Heat Exchange between an Electrochemical Cell and Its Surroundings
Shane Kosir
Thermal energy production in an electrochemical cell must be controlled to avoid its excessive heating and rupture due to the cell internal pressure rise; especially if the cell electrolyte is a solution of a salt in a liquid solvent. The scheme, used to develop the theoretical formulation presented in this work to predict cell temperature during its discharge, incorporates both the reversible production of thermal energy due to changes in enthalpy of the reactive system and the irreversible production of thermal energy due to cell voltage losses associated with the species transport in the cell electrolyte, electrode components, current collectors, and the electrochemical reactions involving charge transfer at the electrolyte-electrode interfaces. The developed theoretical formulation predicts the cell temperature as a function of time during the cell discharge period under adiabatic and nonadiabatic conditions for a given cell discharge current and its initial temperature. The computed cell temperature versus time data for an ideal (i.e., model) button cell are presented in the form of plots for some discharge currents and are discussed in the light of cell component thermal stability and its safe discharge operation.
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The Role of Micronutrients in Parkinson’s Disease
Madalynn J. Eads, Rachael Harmon, Hannah G. Waters
Parkinson’s Disease is defined as the progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Micronutrients, such as Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, and Zinc, have been found to help delay the onset of Parkinson’s-related symptoms. Therefore, the purpose of this presentation is to explore the relationship between various micronutrients and the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease. A concept map technique will be utilized to demonstrate the specific mechanism of action for each micronutrient and the interaction across micronutrients in Parkinson’s Disease.
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Those Who Make it Possible: Professional Office Personnel's Role On Campus
Ann Donnelly Johnson, Tiernan Cottrell Lindy, John Edward Tachin
The topic for this HRS200 course project is how human rights are displayed in workers associations. We are researching how administrative assistants, secretaries, and other University officials worked and spoke for certain implications they felt were valued and needed. Specifically, the University of Dayton formed an organization called Professional Office Personnel, or POP, to comply with the advocacy work. The oral presentation will display our findings through resources in HRS200 and the University Archive files. The content will involve Human Rights issues found in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which set the foundation for workers’ rights. Number Four of the United Nations Secondary Global Goals, Quality Education, is also connected because the benefits requested by the POP positively impact the community. The research is important to the team, course, and community because we will achieve a better understanding of the role various staff members have in making the University of Dayton the place we love.
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Those Who Make it Possible: Professional Office Personnel's Role On Campus
Ann Donnelly Johnson, Tiernan Cottrell Lindy, John Edward Tachin
The topic for this HRS200 course project is how human rights are displayed in workers associations. We are researching how administrative assistants, secretaries, and other University officials worked and spoke for certain implications they felt were valued and needed. Specifically, the University of Dayton formed an organization called Professional Office Personnel, or POP, to comply with the advocacy work. The oral presentation will display our findings through resources in HRS200 and the University Archive files. The content will involve Human Rights issues found in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which set the foundation for workers’ rights. Number Four of the United Nations Secondary Global Goals, Quality Education, is also connected because the benefits requested by the POP positively impact the community. The research is important to the team, course, and community because we will achieve a better understanding of the role various staff members have in making the University of Dayton the place we love.
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Three Conceptions of Dharma: Twentieth Century Buddhism through a Two Millennia Lens
John Carter Herzog
In the 20th Century West, counterculture movements across the United States embraced their Kantian duty to Enlightenment. They explored heterodox philosophies that represented rebellion and exploration, and they searched for meaning on the other side of the abyss between "East" and "West". This project examines the history of the Indian philosophy of dharma in three of its "schools": the Brahman scholars of Orthodox Hinduism, the philosophers of Buddhism, and the Western Practitioners of Buddhism in the 20th Century. Through comparative historiography and examination of primary texts, the project will attempt to illustrate the problematic adoption of Buddhism without full comprehension of its historical legacy.
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Topology Optimization Frame Interpreter
Braeden Jay Windham
Frames used in aircraft and automotive structures must be rigid and lightweight. With modern software, frame designs that are optimized for stiffness with respect to weight can be readily generated. Manufacturing these frames, however, can be costly and difficult. The purpose of this research is to accept the optimized frame results from the design software and pass them through an interpreter to create a frame that is akin the optimized result, but manufacturable with off-the-shelf components. Along with being more manufacturable, this process also eliminates variation in the final design associated with the frame being interpreted differently by different engineers. This optimization process, called topology optimization, begins with a specified design space, applied loads, and constraints. Within the design space, material is strategically removed in order to maintain the optimal stiffness with respect to weight. From there, the generalized shape is interpreted as an arrangement of members and nodes, which are places that two or more members meet. This information is then passed to a second optimization process that changes the size and geometry of the member and node locations to maintain an optimal shape. With the frame now optimized for stiffness as well as being manufacturable, an automated process generates a design model within SolidWorks with structural tubing and welds so that the physical frame can be created.