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  Optimum Microarchitectures for Neuromorphic Algorithms

  Shu Wang

  At present there is a strong interest in the research community to develop large scale implementations of neuromorphic algorithms. These systems consume significant amounts of power, area, and are very expensive to build. This thesis examines the design space of multicore processors for accelerating neuromorphic algorithms. A new multicore chip will enable more efficient design of large scale neuromorphic computing systems. The algorithms examined in this thesis are the HMAX and Izhikevich models. HMAX was developed recently at MIT to model the visual system of the human brain. The Izhikevich model was presented by Izhikevich as a biologically accurate spiking neuron model. This thesis also examines the parallelization of the HMAX model for studying multicore architectures. The results show the best single core architectures for HMAX and Izhikevich are almost same, though HMAX needs more cache. The multicore study shows that the off chip memory bus width and physical memory latency could improve the performance of the multicore system.

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  Parental Sensitivity to Child Anxiety Problems: An Examination of Child, Family, and Demographic Influences

  Jeannette M. Iskander

  The present study examined family, child, and demographic influences on parents' decisions to carry out efforts to reduce their child's anxiety problems. The current study analyzed data from 363 families who participated in the Child Development Project (Dodge, Bates, & Pettit, 1990), a longitudinal study of social development. When children were 11 years old, parents were asked whether they had become concerned enough about their child'Âs anxiety in the last two years to begin an active campaign to help their child. Unadaptable (inhibited) child temperament, socioeconomic status, family stress, child gender, ethnicity, and mother-rated anxiety/depression from the Child Behavior Checklist served as predictors of parents' decision to mount a campaign. Predictors were measured at least one year before parents reported on their concerns about their children'Âs anxiety. Results from logistic regression analyses revealed that high levels of stress and unadaptability in infancy, as well as low SES were all associated with an increased probability that a mother would start a campaign to reduce her child'Âs anxiety problems. However, once the effect of child anxiety/depression on mother'Âs concern was statistically controlled, none of these variables were significantly associated with mothers'Â campaign efforts. Moderating effects of the child and family variables on the association between child anxiety/depression levels and mothers'ÃÂÃÂ decision to mount a campaign were also examined. Child gender was the only variable found to increase parental sensitivity to child anxiety/depression. The association between child anxiety/depression and motherÂs' concerns/campaigns efforts was stronger for girls than for boys. The results of this study suggest that child and family influences (e.g., stress, SES) on parents'decisions to respond to child anxiety may be explained by differences in child anxiety levels. In addition, the findings indicate that parents are more sensitive to levels of anxiety and depression in their daughters than in their sons.

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  PCL Nanofibers Induce Lens Fiber Formation of Mouse Lens Epithelial Cells

  Joelle Baddour

  Current cataractous lens replacement therapies require frequent medical checkups due to the potential formation of secondary cataracts as a result of the transdifferentiation of residual lens epithelial cells to mesenchymal myofibroblast cells (EMT). To prevent EMT, current treatments include laser therapy or the administration of anti-fibrotic drugs. Recently, Poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL) has become a popular material for tissue replacement therapy due to its relative durability compared to other biomaterials. For instance, the use of PCL as a nanofibrous scaffold offers a novel tool to model the complex architecture of different tissue types including skin, bone, cartilage, muscle, and brain cells. This study examines the suitability of PCL nanofibers for lens tissue engineering and lens replacement therapies. In an attempt to create a more organized lens fiber alignment without the risk of EMT, this study tests the use of aligned PCL nanofibers as a potential artificial lens matrix for cellular ingrowth and lens epithelial cells differentiation into lens fiber cells.

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  Performance and Assessment of Accuracy in a Visual Sustained Attention Task

  Steven A. Bare, Adam Barnas, Brittany L. Bernard, Nnimnoabasi E. Essien, Christian L. Sutphin

  Vigilance, or sustained attention, typically requires observers to monitor for infrequent critical signals over extended periods of time (Warm, 2003). Critical signals are presented differently than the more frequent neutral signals that we experience in perception and are typically indications of impending danger that demand attention. Past research has proposed that the decline in vigilance as an attention task continues for some time and is caused by mindlessness, or withdrawal of attention from the monitoring task (Robertson et al., 1997). The present research investigates the ability to detect changes in visual stimuli. Participants will be presented with sets of stimuli containing four arrows facing the same clockwise or counter-clockwise direction in a circle. Participants will respond when a set has one arrow facing the opposite direction from the other three. In addition, participants will be queried about their confidence in the accuracy of their detections. Our expectation is consistent with the typical decline in attention over monitoring time; that is, confidence will also diminish as the vigilance task continues. The results of the present study can be applied to any situation requiring sustained monitoring of informational displays. For example, pilots and technicians are required to monitor streams of visual and auditory stimuli for prolonged periods of time where the consequence of not detecting a critical signal could be catastrophic. Understanding more about vigilance processes can help avoid disaster.

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  Phase Space Analysis to Detect and Remove Rain from Video

  Varun Santhaseelan

  Nowadays, the widespread use of computer vision algorithms in surveillance systems and autonomous robots has increased the demand for video enhancement algorithms. Bad weather conditions like rain affect the feature extraction process in videos and thus affect other post-processing operations. In this paper, we propose an algorithm based on phase congruency features to detect and remove rain and thus improve the quality of video. We make use of the following characteristics of rain streaks in video in order to detect them: (1) rain streaks do not occlude the scene at all instances, (2) all the rain streaks in a frame are oriented in a single direction, and (3) presence of rain streak at a particular pixel causes a positive change in intensity. Combining all these properties we are able to detect rain streaks in a particular frame using phase congruency features. The pixels in a frame which are identified as rain streaks are then replaced using the pixel information of its spatial and temporal neighbors which are not affected by rain. When this method is used in conjunction with phase correlation, we are able to remove rain of medium density from videos even when complex camera movement is involved. By making the selection of candidate rain pixels in an adaptive manner, we were able to remove rain when moving objects are present in the scene. However, the movement is causing some noise along the edges in the resultant videos. We are in the process of devising a method to remove that noise. By excluding the directional property of rain streaks and including some constraints related to intensity, we were able to adapt the algorithm to removing snow from videos as well. However, the results are noisy and research is in progress to make the algorithm more effective in such scenarios.

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  Predictors of Cell-phone Driving: A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach

  Ming Y. Chan

  Research has shown that motor vehicle crashes are one of the main factors for pediatric unintentional injuries, which is the leading cause of death for children beyond the age of one in the United States. It has been proposed that due to technological developments, wireless devices such as cellular phones have become a serious distraction for drivers. This is because engaging in a conversation on a cellular phone is a cognitive distraction that takes away resources needed to process visual and auditory information from the road. Research has also shown that a driver's field of vision narrows when using the cellular phone. Further, it has been shown that drivers experience the same degree of impairment whether using hand-held or hands-free devices. As such, prevention efforts to reduce the risks of motor vehicle collisions are greatly urged. This study aims to explore, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, which is the strongest predictor of cellular phone driving in a population of parents.

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  Privacy in Public: Personality and Eriksonian Theory as Applied to College Students' Facebook Disclosure

  Claudia E. Clark

  In recent years, Facebook has become an internet phenomenon. This has resulted in widespread use and various levels of disclosure. Previous research has found that personality affects the amount and types of disclosure on users' profiles, especially the traits of extroversion (a continuum of energy from others or energy from self) and neuroticism (a continuum of anxiety and control-orientation vs. calmness and less emphasis on control). Although research is fairly extensive on these traits and their effects on Facebook, it is conflicting. In addition, Erikson'Âs theory of psychosocial development states that a person reaches specific life crises at different stages and must solve these in order to live successfully. Studies have found that level of psychosocial development affects disclosure on one's Facebook profile, but this research is scarce. This study will focus on the crises of "Âidentity vs. role confusion," in which a person must understand himself, and "intimacy vs. isolation," in which a person connects with or retracts from others. This thesis aims to find how the factors of personality and development specifically affect disclosure on Facebook profiles of undergraduate college students. Participants were students enrolled in a psychology course. They took a questionnaire regarding Facebook use, and they also filled out four validated surveys, each measuring one of the four factors of focus in this study: extroversion, neuroticism, identity, and intimacy. The results of these surveys will be compared to the "Âinformation"Â section, last "Âstatus update,"Â and profile picture of each participant. I believe that this study is important in understanding this age group and by creating a better awareness of self in order to exercise greater caution when posting information on Facebook.

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  Project Glasswall: A Better University User Interface

  Elliott M. Mazur

  Universities nationwide are always in search of a better way to match current and prospective students with research opportunities. However, the typical user interface implemented in university advertisement is not as user-friendly as may have been intended. In creating a new interface, we are attempting to simplify all the wonderful ideas set in place by previous applications, without the bulky, time consuming, and confusing setups of these prior applications.Project Glasswall will reinvent the way students interact with university research resources. In order to see the project to its full potential, a proof-of-concept is the key aim, as most background programming necessary for the project is beyond common understanding, and misses the concept behind Glasswall. The project is designed in a way to allow the user to see into a building (the "research department") as if its walls were made of glass. By looking in on these labs, the user can explore the labs; this breaks down into information on the lab staff, useful literature on the research topic, a synopsis of the research conducted in the lab, projections of any animations related to the research, and certain types of equipment used in the course of the research.Project Glasswall has the capability to inform current and prospective students of the research opportunities available to them within the university. In addition, Project Glasswall will promote collaboration both within a given university and with affiliate universities. A user interface such as this could change how we understand university-student interaction, and could improve said communication.

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  Putting Faith Into Action: Fostering Education Through Relationships

  Toriana Cirino

  The Sophomore Social Justice Service Learning Community's (SSJSL) mission is to promote literacy. The SJSLC's community partner, the non-profit organization Project READ, trains volunteers to help tutor students in grades K-8 and young adults. After training, I was assigned an afterschool tutoring position assisting students at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Dayton. Under the supervision of Jim Henry, I have tutored students from E.J. Brown K-8 School. Many of the students who participate in the after school program need assistance in achieving higher results on their Ohio Achievement Test Scores. Through individual attention in this program students continue to progress towards that goal. The schools and the students in the City of Dayton benefit from the extra assistance provided through programs like the one at Westminster. My service learning experience has shown me that tutoring is one way serve our community. It is also an opportunity for me to apply the Marianist ideals of lead, learn, and serve. This tutoring experience was a new experience for me and one that I hope to be able to continue throughout my education at The University of Dayton.

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  Real Time Path Planning of Industrial Robots in an Unknown Environment Using Vision

  Hariharan Ananthanarayanan

  Industrial manipulators are machines that perform pre-programmed tasks with great accuracy and speed. The addition of intelligence through sensory perceptions would make them highly flexible in terms of performance and application. The objective of this research is to improve the performance of a six-degree of freedom industrial manipulator by introducing vision feedback and by using the data to generate its path in real time. This would enable the robot to generate its own path and alter it dynamically, based on the visual feedback. This technique will be finally used to catch a ball or pick a ball rolling on the floor. One of the industrial applications could be robotic recycling where a robot is required to pick up different objects from a moving conveyor.

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  Recovery from Mental Illness: Further Development of a Measure of Recovery Constructs

  Jonathan A. Hentz

  The primary objective of this study is to develop a theory-driven, empirically-based, brief psychometric instrument to assess recovery from mental illness. Participants will include approximately 100 adult clients from a local community mental health agency at various levels of recovery from mental illness. Clients will be asked to complete several self-report instruments which have been slightly revised to allow consistent formatting between instruments. Based on the results of a preliminary study (Hintze, 2009), twenty-one of the most representative items from instruments measuring the following constructs were selected to constitute the recovery psychometric battery: hope, purpose or meaning in life, coping self-efficacy, empowerment, and self-esteem. In addition, participants will complete the following psychosocial criterion measures that assess real-life functioning: A well-validated, brief measure of recovery will help mental health professionals to (a) quickly assess and understand the clientâs level of progress in recovery and (b) identify specific factors (i.e., hope, purpose in life, or agentic control) that need to be targeted in order to augment and promote recovery.

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  Regulating Proliferation and Differentiation of Notophthalmus viridescens' Immortal Cells in vivo

  Konstantinos Sousounis

  Notophthalmus viridescens, the red-spotted newt, shows astonishing regenerative capabilities. Part of the heart and brain, limbs, tail and eye tissues like the lens, are some of the organs that can be regenerated after removal. Studies show that newt tissues undergoing regeneration are resistant to cancer formation. This study was intended to investigate this linkage at the cellular level. Lens regeneration serves as a good model for this kind of study since lens is regenerated from the dorsal iris pigmented epithelial (IPE) cells and ventral iris can serve as a natural control. Primary goal was to create an immortalized IPE cell line. Iris pigmented epithelial cells (IPE) were isolated from the eye cup by surgery and enzymatic treatments. These cultured IPE cells were transfected with pSV3neo, a plasmid vector that expresses the simian virus 40 (SV40) Large T antigen. This protein is commonly used to immortalize cells that can create tumors. The transfected cells were selected with G418, a selective marker that pSV3neo has. Comparison between transfected and non-transfected cultured IPE cells revealed that these cells are resistant to the selective marker G418 in the concentrations that was tested even if they are not transfected. In addition, the IPE cells transdifferentiated to lens cells but they did not form lentoids as in cultured cells that G418 was not applied. The mechanism behind these initial observations is not known. Furthermore, using immunocytochemistry, it has been shown that SV40 Large T antigen positive cells are limited (<0.01%) and in combination to the fact that transfected cultured IPE cells with pSV3neo show to have more dead cells, it leads to a working hypothesis that the SV40 Large T antigen promotes apoptosis. In addition other vectors will be tried as well.

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  Rehabilitation Engineering: Design of a Shower Transfer Seat

  Rachael A. Johanek, Alexander P. Jules, Deborah M. Kinor, Kendra M. Rindler, Julia M. Schaeffer, Erin E. Sutton

  The Engineering Wellness and Safety Lab (EWSL), directed by Dr. Kimberly Bigelow, gives undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to perform biomechanical engineering research. This semester, the research team has partnered with the Kettering Health Network and NeuroRehab and Balance Center to design a handicapped-accessible shower transfer seat, a need identified by occupational therapists. After researching many current shower seats and collaborating with occupational therapists and shower seat users, the EWSL developed a list of design requirements. These requirements will be incorporated in each of our designs: an adjustable peri-care door, adjustable legs with a large range of heights, corrosion resistant materials, mildew and mold resistant materials, adjustable for right and left shower heads, proper drainage in the seat and legs, backrest, supports 350 pounds, weighs less than 10 pounds, does not allow water to leak out of the shower, and costs less than 150 dollars for the user. The lab also created a list of design criteria which will us to choose the best design. The design criteria for this project are: safe, adjustable, compatible with curtain, durable, low effort, easy to remove, comfortable, intuitive, space efficient, accessories within reach, and easy to clean. The design requirements and criteria will be used to develop an appropriate design to test. The final functional prototype will be presented to the Kettering Health Network and the NeuroRehab and Balance Center at the end of this semester.

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  Research exercise: An Ecological and Historical Perspective on the Glen Helen Region of Yellow Springs

  Frances D. Albanese

  Historical Ecology is a discipline that pieces together human land use, environmental factors, and forest dynamics over the course of a historical timeframe to better understand the current ecology of a region and point us in the direction of accurate restoration. This is the mindset in which the study of Glen Helen, a one thousand acre region in Yellow Springs, owned by Antioch College, has been approached. Frances Albanese and Graduate student Sean Goins, under the direction of Dr. McEwan, have pieced together the rich and complex forest dynamics and human history of this beautiful region. What may appear to be an old growth forest has functioned as a vacation and health resort, served as a stage coach road, provided land for agriculture and orchards, and even played host to a short-lived cult Commune as recently as the late 1800âs. In congruence with this knowledge is the intricate analysis of tree ring data from the property, with samples that are over 300 years old. This multidimensional approach allows one to appreciate the beauty of the region, and understand more fully how human history and the forest itself can direct restoration.

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  Research exercise: Business Communication at ArtStreet Cafe

  Lauren E. Hennessy, Bryan P. Misencik, Elizabeth A. Rose, Harry E. Sullivan IV

  In the present business world, communication can be difficult due to continuous changes of employees in the work place. This study explores the communication practices for the professional setting that occurs at ArtStreet. In particular, the focus is on the Rhetoric between employees and how it affects day-to-day operations. Research results should stress the importance of professional communication application throughout all levels of a business. Methods used within this study include observations, direct interviews, and analysis of documents. Observation will occur throughout a two-week period for a total of 32-hours. Those observed include four employees of ArtStreet Cafe along with two of the managers for the facility. Observation of the physical characteristic of the facility will be recorded as well, along with informal, face-to-face interaction with open-ended interview questions. Documents collected from the business include flyers, promotions, memos and financial information. This method results in more detailed feed-back and personal opinions to be applied for analysis. Our study uses qualitative data to support our argument. This data will be gathered from a blend of our research methods. Analyses of results hope to support the argument of the importance of effective communication in an organization. Professional rhetoric will help to aid in successful communication and improve financial stability. In particular, the results can aid in the immersion of new employees into the company. From this research we hope to conclude the importance of effective communication within ArtStreet. The results will be of significance to anyone currently in a professional setting or those planning to enter one in the future. Proposal of new rhetoric techniques should be applied to the hiring of new employees to the facility.

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  Research exercise: Communication and Students with Autism

  Meghan C. Henry

  One of the defining characteristics of the Autism Spectrum Disorders is deficits in the development of communication skills. Children with autism can be nonverbal, be verbal but struggle with speech, and also have deficits in auditory processing. These developmental deficits not only make communication difficult for children with autism, they also make communication stressful. This paper describes the most common communication problems children with autism must deal with in school and life in general, and describes actions that educators can take in classrooms to enhance the learning of students with autism and make them more able to learn. When educators are more aware of the communication abilities of the students with autism that spend time in their classroom they will be better able to instruct these students in academic content areas. More importantly, they will be better prepared to understand each individual student and help him or her learn how to communicate with others more effectively.

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  Research exercise: Communication Tactics in Information Technology

  Brandy M. Brown, Kyle D. Speicher

  Over the past thirty years, research on communication practices in professional organizations has significantly increased. This project will add to the discussion by focusing on the communication patterns in a technology driven organization. Communication procedures at the University of Dayton's Flyer Enterprise IT department have been observed. As communication practices stand now, the IT department employees rely heavily on verbal communication to express large sets of data and extensive projects. The research conducted provides evidence of alternative solutions that would increase communication and work flow. The project gathers and utilizes qualitative data, interviews, field notes, and other written documents to gain knowledge about the organization's communication practices. After reviewing the information, the project will give qualitative results about the efficiency and productivity of FEIT's communication practices. The project's conclusion provides feedback on ways to improve communication functionality. The results include specific examples on ways to improve language used, context, or other forms of rhetoric to increase FEIT's communication abilities.

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  Research exercise: Defining Giftedness: Explaining Criteria, Models and Impact of Teachers on Gifted Education

  Molly J. Becker

  Knowing how to identify gifted students is a challenge that all teachers will face and this identification can shape a childâs future. According to the OSTP Standards (2005), Standard 1 states that teachers need to be able to ârecognize characteristics of gifted students, students with disabilities and at-risk students in order to assist in appropriate identification, instruction and interventionâ (p. 15). This paper delves deeper into the topic of gifted education in order to better inform future educators of the definitions of giftedness, the criteria used to identify gifted students, the different models of gifted education, and the impact of teachers on gifted students. By providing a broad base of knowledge in gifted education, the hope is that future teachers will be able to effectively identify gifted students within their classroom and better serve them. This paper explains there are many different definitions of giftedness, encompassing not only academic ability, but also creativity, task commitment, and leadership potential. Identification processes are shifting and future educators need to be prepared to identify students not purely in an academic sense, but in a multifaceted way.

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  Research exercise: Developing Each Child Academically: Applying Marianist Ideals

  Michael M. Dogal, Seth D. Holdmeyer, Alyssa Pool, Emily C. Spirk, Chelsea M. Wisniewski

  The Building Communities through Social Justice Learning and Living Cohort (BCSJLLC) strives to help students understand the importance of social justice and its impact on communities while providing students with opportunities to grow as leaders. The cohort integrates classroom education with service learning opportunities. This fall we participated in the first annual Book Buddy Program with the Cleveland Elementary School. Each member of the LLC donated a new book for a student in grades 4,5, and special education. All BSCJLLC members were trained by its community partner Project READ to tutor students in K-8 and young adults. Project READ then placed us in tutoring positions at the Dayton Early College Academy (DECA). DECA is an alternative college prep school for students run by the University of Dayton. This school offers students a better opportunity to excel academically so that they are able to achieve their goal of graduating from high school and attending a college of their choice. We each worked with our students on various assignments, such as drafting and revising English papers, practicing vocabulary, developing fundamental math skills, and improving their literacy skills through reading. Not only were we helping the students, but we also learned patience, the importance of education, as well as the responsibility to assist other members of society. Through our work we were able to apply the Marianist values of learning, leading, and serving into our daily lives.

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  Research exercise: Discovering Peace in Dayton

  Nicola Cerilli, Samuel W. Orman, Christina J. Rose

  The Building Communities through Social Justice Learning and Living Cohort (BCSJLLC)is an opportunity for students to get involved with many aspects of social justice whether they are at the local, regional, national, or global level. The BCSJLLC has provided multiple opportunities for education, community service, and civic engagement. We participated in the Dayton Peace Plunge sponsored by the UD Center for Social Concern. The purpose of this Peace Plunge was to give participants an overall understanding of peace and how it can come from within and from out of the environment around us. We visited the Dayton Peace Museum, Missing Peace Art Space, and the Kin Killing Kin exhibit at the EbonNia gallery of art. At the exhibits we discussed and pondered the different meanings of peace. We viewed the history of peace and each of us reflected on what peace means to us, how we can apply it to our daily lives, and how it impacts the lives of others. We saw the violence and animosity that is present in our society depicted in many ways. The Peace Plunge has given us the opportunity to reflect on our personal growth, what it means to be human in the 21st century, and how we can have a positive impact on our society through education, reflection, and action.

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  Research exercise: Effective Instructional Strategies For Use with Upper-Grade Level Struggling Readers

  Claire M. Shaw

  This presentation will focus on struggling readers in upper level grades (9th through 12th). Most reading programs and research focus on literacy issues in elementary school. In many cases, reading instruction often ceases after eighth grade. After this point, teachers expect students to have a certain level of reading skill. Because of this, many students who struggle with reading will be mislabeled as having a learning disability.Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that a quarter of eighth-grade students perform below the "Basic" level of reading proficiency (Allington). Studies have also suggested that up to 70% of older readers are in need of remediation but do not receive it (Whithear). Because they lack reading skills, students cannot perform well in other classes, even in subjects like math and science where they may be capable of grasping the concept but cannot read the assignments or questions. Struggling readers cannot keep up with increasingly advanced language, and often drop out in high school and become adults without proficient reading skills.The focus for the Stander presentation will be on Chapter 2, the Review of the Literature for this research study. The review will focus on articles about struggling readers in urban and high-poverty schools. It will also focus on the most effective strategies teachers can employ to help students become proficient readers. Evidence based strategies that have been identified as effective will be examined. The impact of implementing these strategies in schools will be an outgrowth of the study. BibliograhyAllington, R.L. (2011). Reading intervention in the middle grades. Voices from the Middle, 19(2), 10-16.Whithear, J. (2011). A review of fluency research and practices for struggling readers in secondary school. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 19(1), 18-28.

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  Research exercise: English Language Learners

  Maria C. Roth

  Abstract:Current research shows that the number of English Language Learners in America is steadily increasing. This paper explains some approaches that are effective in teaching English Language Learners. These approaches include teachers using visual aids in their lesson plans, integrating their home cultures into their class, being patient with them, and work with them outside of class. This paper includes aspects from each approach in great detail. All of these approaches contribute to the success of English Language Learners in the classroom.What is the best approach for teaching English Language Learners?

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  Research exercise: Enhancing Adolescent Development through Service Learning

  Liam G. Buckley, Thomas M. Cipiti, Jacob R. Ewing, Travis R. Venanzi, Zachary R. Wisniewski

  As members of the Building Community through Social Justice Learning and Living Cohort (BCSJLLC) we are committed to improving literacy rates in the Miami Valley. We pursued this ideal in the fall by donating new books to children in the fourth, fifth, and special education classes at Cleveland Elementary School, a Dayton inner city school. The BCSJLLC community partner, Project READ, trained us to tutor students in grades K-8 and young adults as a part of our service learning commitment. After our training, we were placed in tutoring positions at Holy Angels Elementary School and the Dayton Early College Academy (DECA). We developed relationships with our students by helping them with their reading, vocabulary, and classroom assignment. We feel that our service learning filled a need at our volunteer sites and helped us to better understand the importance of service learning and its effects. As members of the BCSJLLC, we were able to learn and apply the Marianist ideals of lead, learn and serve for the benefit of our community.

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  Research exercise: Finding Inner and Outer Peace

  Erin M. Crotty, Kara L. Fry, Olivia C. Thobe

  Building Communities through Social Justice Learning and Living Cohort (BCSJLLC) is a freshman cohort experience whose mission is to promote service learning as a way of advancing social justice and the Marianist ideals of lead, learn, and serve. Members of our group performed service learning activities in two different ways and in two very different settings. Erin volunteered with Acclaim Hospice while Kara and Olivia participated in a one-day Peace Plunge sponsored by the Center of Social Concern. Acclaim Hospice is an organization that provides companionship and peace for terminally ill patients that have a prognosis of six months or less of life. The types of service activities that Erin performed included reading to the patients, talking to them about their life and watching television shows together. The Peace Plunge is a one-day experience that helps participants focus on inner and outer peace. The activities that Kara and Olivia participated in included visiting the Dayton International Peace Museum to learn how other countries around the world work to achieve peace. They also visited an art gallery that displays works of a local artist, James Pate. His work focuses on how African Americans have worked to reach peace in the past and how they are working to reach inner peace now. The gallery experience focused specifically on how African Americans are gaining peace through learning and embracing their history. This experience also addressed how important it is for young African Americans to embrace peace so that they see how they can turn away from involvement in gangs, for example. We saw that no matter how small an act of kindness is, it contributes to peace. Both service learning experiences offered the opportunity for inner and outer peace to us and to people in the Dayton Community.

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  Research exercise: Flyer Enterprises: The Blend,A Business Communications Study

  Sean T. Belanger, Matthew E. Crawford, Stephen F. Gilbert

  Researchers and communications specialists have written extensively on the subject of business communications and the linkage between communication and performance. By their example, this study will examine a business, describe their communications practice, and illuminate the effects of their communication on their business performance (Doheny-Farina, 1986; Spinuzzi, 2007; Winsor, 2001). The objective of this study is to examinhe and gain an understanding of the way Flyer Enterprises: The Blend as a business communicates internally and externally, and how it relates to their success as an organization. This study will be administered through quantitative and qualitative methods. For example: anonymous surveys, employee interviews, and collection of data through printed material like training manuals and electronic communications. Involves participation of 5-6 individuals associated with The Blend including employees, managers, and customers. One additional purpose of this study is to find and shed light on a communications issue within the business and provide a remedy.