ASUReS – College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium 2024: Abstracts
A Celebration of Research and Creativity by College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduates
When: April 23, 2024
Time: 8 a.m. – 2:10 p.m.
Where: Third/Fourth Floor, Ayres Hall
Contextualizing Shakespeare’s King Lear depiction of aging, cognitive decline, and child-parent caregiving in a medical humanities framework
Presenter: Christiane Alvarez (Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology); Faculty Mentor: Anthony Welch
Shakespeare is known for his mastery of language, profound insight into human nature, and timeless exploration of universal themes such as power, identity, and loyalty. Shakespeare’s King Lear portrays these themes through the story of a dementing king and his three daughters. Using a medical humanities lens, an interpretation of the play uniquely parallels the experiences of aging adults suffering from neurodegenerative diseases and the burdens of caregiving on family members, especially adult children. Without diagnosing Lear, this research seeks to unravel what Shakespeare’s work reveals about these experiences and how this insight may be used to better recognize and empathize with the complexities of caregiving for both the carer and the cared-for. By synthesizing testimonies from clinicians, direct interactions with dementia patients and families, literary analyses, and a critical reading of the play, the motifs identified and explored were the loss of individualism in patients and caregivers, the immaterial and material costs of caregiving, and the desperate effort to compartmentalize complex diseases. This work demonstrates the unique possibilities and perspectives that emerge from the collaboration between the humanities and medicine, and the power of literature to foster empathy and enable a holistic understanding of complex lived experiences.
Appalachian Women, WWII, & Changes in Mountain Medicine
Presenter: Gracie Amburn (History); Faculty Mentor: Christopher Magra
This research project explores the roles of women and WWII in the development and progression of Appalachian healthcare. Using case examples of Elizabeth Rogers, Appalachian and WWII veteran, and the Frontier Nursing Service of Hyden, Kentucky, this project explores the connections between women, war, and healthcare. The project showcases the impact of WWII on Appalachia and how it forced the area into medical advancement as shown by the Frontier Nursing Service. Furthermore, the project explores the relationship between women and medicine in the Appalachian region and highlights the major role that women have historically played in the territory’s development. Above all, the project demonstrates and exhibits Appalachian women’s stories, particularly that of veteran Elizabeth Rogers, through secondary and primary research.
Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Academic Competency
Co-Presenters: Tahra Attar (Psychology), Sophie Maple (Psychology), and Andrew Ohsiek (Biology); Faculty Mentor: Jenn Bolden
While exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g., substance abuse, divorce, mental illnesses, and abuse) is often associated with negative health outcomes (cf. Petruccelli, Davis, & Berman, 2019, the relation between ACEs and future scholastic success is less understood. This study examines the associations between ACE’s and academic competence in a sample of college students (N=300) recruited from a general psychology course through SONA systems. Participants completed self-reported measures of ACE’s and academic competence (i.e., Reading and Writing Skills, Mathematics and Science, and Critical Thinking) Utilizing a correlational framework, we predict a direct relation between ACEs and academic concerns (i.e., a higher number of ACEs will be associated with greater academic competency concerns). Results and study implications will be discussed. We aim to understand the lived academic experiences of college students with exposure to ACEs and identify promising intervention targets to address educational disparities.”
The Gender Gap in Study Abroad: Potential Causes and What That Means for Larger Social and Political Systems
Presenter: Heidi Avery (Philosophy); Faculty Mentor: Kristina Gehrman
“Study abroad programs have gained popularity in recent years, especially in the United States, Australia, and Europe. There is a staggering imbalance of women who choose to participate in these programs compared to men. Many scholars have theorized possible reasons for this gendered disparity including degree or major focus, social stereotypes, and even the fulfillment of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. These reasons fail to address the larger social-political schema that continues to devalue women’s work and place men in positions of power, including leadership and managerial roles. Women’s desire and initiative for experiential-based learning illuminates the autonomy and agency required for strong globally educated thinkers which should be respected in our increasingly globalized society. Through an examination of statistical reports on gendered participation in study-abroad programs, interviews on behalf of male college students, and the varying proposals describing the intersection of this gendered gap in intercultural education I will illuminate the harms that this binary has caused. I also propose a new way of viewing this issue that highlights women’s ability to self-actualize through the ongoing process of ‘romanticism’ in our daily lives and discuss the moral imperative to move past harmful normative gender roles and word associations in our society. This research is conducted with the understanding that traditional gender binaries are exclusionary and potentially harmful to LGBTQ+ members while acknowledging the participation on behalf of these community members in study-abroad programs.
Johnathan Swift: Dehumanization Defined Through Animals
Presenter: Jessica Baker (English); Faculty Mentor: Nancy Henry
The following essay analyzes Jonathan Swift’s use of animals in book four of Gulliver’s Travels (1726) to demonstrate the modes in which humans create unethical categories of sub-humanity that result in the denigration of racialized groups of people through objectification. During his journey in Book 4, Gulliver observes an inversion of the human-animal relationship through the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms in which humans are treated like animals, and animals take on the superior role of humans. The Yahoos are described as beastly creatures resembling humans with fur, and the Houyhnhnms are horses with human-like sentience. The Yahoo’s inferiority within the social structure results from “othering” their existence through labels placed by the higher class, such as “savage” and “beast”, leading to their dehumanization. The normalization of their sub-humanity results in acts of brutality and cruelty against the inferior class becoming morally acceptable. The socially inferior groups become subjects which can be exploited, without questioning ethics, for labor, resources, and advancement of the superior class. The consequences of abiding by ideologies which implement and promote oppression of groups based upon superficial aspects, as shown by Swift, historically result in social distinctions that lead to justified cruelty against socially inferior populations. Swift’s satire reflects upon the centuries-long discrimination that continues to be perpetuated by Western Culture, rationalized through nothing more than a difference in skin tone or, as Gulliver explains, “whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh”. My research demonstrates the relevance that literature holds when thinking about the human condition in relation to the human-animal relationship.
Ceramic Analysis at Coan Hall
Presenter: Zoe Bear (Anthropology); Faculty Mentor: Barbara Heath
Capstone Project
Ceramics at colonial archaeological sites can reveal key information about the site’s chronology, trade networks, and residents’ food preparation, storage and serving practices. Archaeologists working at Coan Hall, a 17th-century domestic site in Northumberland County, Virginia, have found European and locally-made ceramics associated with trash pits (Locus 1), and a 1650s house (Locus 2). There is a gap in the current knowledge of ceramics associated with the fill of a shallow cellar (Locus 3).
The purpose of this research is to date the ceramics present at Locus 3, and to determine what this assemblage reveals about ceramic usage when compared with other loci at the site. My methods include identifying ceramics using standard typologies, recording key diagnostic attributes of each sherd in a relational database, and assessing the possibility of mending sherds. Future methods that will be employed include crossmending sherds, determining a Minimum Vessel Count, and analyzing assemblage variations between the loci at the site.
Preliminary findings from the single context that I have cataloged indicate a large number of English coarse earthenwares and a smaller number of English and continental European refined earthenwares and stonewares, If the cellar was filled gradually, I expect to find similar ceramic types and forms in Locus 3 in upper layers of feature fill and different ware types and forms in deeper layers. If it was filled quickly, the ceramics should be similar in each layer. It may be possible to identify specialized activities, or change over time, through ceramic variation between loci. This analysis will lead to a deeper understanding of the use of Locus 3 and of ceramic use and variability more generally at Coan Hall in the 1600s.
Examining first- and second-generation Latino immigrants’ perceptions of mainstream news narratives
Presenter: Ryan Beatty (Political Science and Sociology); Faculty Mentor: Jana Morgan
This research combines qualitative methodologies across disciplines of Political Science, Sociology, and Media Studies. It relies on literature that reports findings on the content of American video and print news media to identify the most prominent narratives surrounding immigration, immigrants, and the US-Mexico border. These typologies are then used to identify one or two minute news clips tagged with “border” or “immigration” from the two most-viewed television news stations: Fox and MSNBC. These clips will be shown in qualitative interviews with first- and second-generation Latino immigrants in Knoxville who will respond to what they see in the video clips to more deeply understand how immigrants perceive, understand, and respond to mainstream narratives of flood and invasion at the southern border. This research provides insight into the motivations behind narrative framing and the response of the populations that narratives refer to.
Performing model comparisons to study Quark Gluon Plasma
Presenter: Joseph Beller (Physics and Astronomy); Faculty Mentor: Christine Nattrass,
Joseph Beller, Christal Martin, Christine Nattrass
At the beginning of our universe, a high energy collision occurred that we believe created a hot and dense form of matter called the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). The QGP is a soup of interacting particles called quarks and gluons, which are fundamental particles that make up the heavier and more familiar particles known as protons and neutrons. Studying QGP will help us understand the physics of the early universe and the forces that hold atomic nuclei together. The QGP has been recreated in experiments in the PHENIX experiment by colliding heavy atoms near the speed of light. However, studying the QGP is difficult because the plasma lives for an extremely short time period, so the most efficient way to study QGP is through systematic comparison between data and models. The Rivet (Robust Independent Validation of Experiment and Theory) toolkit simplifies the process of comparison between different models and the experimental data. Rivet only requires one code to be written in order to be used for multiple models whereas other approaches usually require code which is only used once. We propose to implement several Rivet analyses that correspond to research from the PHENIX experiment. We use high performance computing resources to perform Monte Carlo simulations that implement different theories regarding QGP, and we use Rivet to perform data analysis and model comparisons. We will also discuss the significance of this work to the newer and upgraded sPHENIX experiment that is currently collecting data to study the microscopic properties of QGP.”
Identification of marine bacteria able to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Presenter: Ellen Bobo (Microbiology); Faculty Mentor: Alison Buchan
Ellen Bobo, Jillian Walton, Alison Buchan
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic pollutants prevalent in marine ecosystems. The ability of some microbes to degrade PAHs provides a potential biological solution to pollution of this compound class. Several native marine microbes have characterized PAH-degradation abilities, but the full landscape of marine microbial PAH degraders is unknown. This study aims to expand the current knowledge of described bacterial PAH degraders within marine environments. To that end, PAH-containing enrichment cultures were established using seawater from the Florida Gulf coast, and bacterial strains were isolated throughout a 4-week period. The isolated strains were screened on plates with pyrene and phenanthrene to test for degradation potential. Of the pyrene-enrichment organisms, 27 out of 34 isolated strains were confirmed to degrade PAHs; of the phenanthrene-enrichment organisms, 25 out of 28 isolated strains were confirmed to degrade PAHs. A larger percentage of phenanthrene degraders was expected due to the lower molecular weight of phenanthrene. PAH degrading strains were identified by sequence analysis of the 16S rDNA gene with the majority identified as members of the Alphaproteobacteria or Gammaproteobacteria. While we expected several isolated strains to degrade PAHs as a sole carbon source, only one isolate (Alteromonas oceani strain MMSF00404) demonstrated this ability. The remainder of the strains showed degradation only in the presence of an external carbon source (co-metabolism). The characterization of marine PAH-degrading bacteria, as well as the diversity among these species, provides useful insight into the fate of these pollutants in marine ecosystems. “
The Kingdom of Rayfall
Presenter: Andrew Bragorgos (English); Faculty Mentor: Michael Knight
“My research topic is a creative fiction piece about a teenage boy who unexpectedly comes to inhabit a world separate of his own. In writing this project, I explored themes of generational trauma and the impact it has on families with matriarchal characters at the center of these conflicts. I’ve worked with my faculty advisor to present these themes in a digestible way. My intended audience is young adult readers in a middle school setting. The research conducted came from reading childhood novels and some recommendations from Dr. Knight that are similar to the end goal I’ve visualized. I made this piece to provide a realm of relatability and escape for the reader that may echo troubles they faced in their own lives. The work I’ve produced tells the reader about the underlying tensions and conflicts that the protagonist’s family has which created the desire to flee somewhere else. It ends with an introduction into the Rayfall Kingdom with a general explanation of what has happened so far in the story.
Proximity and Personal Experiences: Measuring Policy Change
Presenter: Gavin Buehring (Political Science); Faculty Mentor: Kirsten Widner
Does personal experience and proximity to life-changing events impact a person’s policy preferences? This question is explored through an analysis of three policy areas that center on individual experience and proximity effects to understand how a person’s experiences shift policy preferences. Examinations of abortion, mass shootings, and substance abuse through collected survey data shed light on how geographic, temporal, and social identity proximity intersect with personal experience. This project builds on existing research in multiple fields but makes a novel argument for understanding the role of proximity and personal experience in public policy and political behavior. The anticipated results are that the three proximity effects and personal experience will change policy preferences, but the direction of that change is unknown at this current time. It is also anticipated changes in specific policy areas will be tied to specific proximity effects, specifically changes in abortion policy positions will occur from social identity proximity, changes in firearm policy positions will stem from either temporal or geographic proximity the most, and lastly, changes in drug policy positions will be tied to social identity or geographic proximity.
Complicity, Carcerality, and COVID-19: Searching for a Theory of Mass Harm in the United States
Presenter: Jacqueline Capron-Allcott (Sociology); Faculty Mentor: Meghan Conley
This project takes a sociological approach to the following question: how do we — as individuals and as a larger American society — justify our support for and participation in a harmful status quo? Specifically, the project seeks to understand the structural and narrative contexts that contribute to widespread acceptance of two mass-scale harms: the erosion of preventative measures against SARS-CoV-2 spread and the United States’ carceral system. Disability and racial justice advocates have pointed to the intertwined systems of neoliberalism, racial capitalism, and eugenics as explanations for the American push to “return to normal” and forgo government enforcement of protections against COVID spread. While many researchers and advocates for social justice condemn these systems in other contexts, such as the study of mass incarceration as a large-scale injustice, there is frequently a lack of acknowledgement of the way that the exclusion and exploitation of marginalized people throughout the pandemic exemplifies these same systems at play. Thus, this project analyzes the American response to the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the harms of the United States carceral system, using each case study as a window into the function of mass harm in America. Analysis pulls on theories of understanding harm such as racial capitalism, neoliberalism, compartmentalization, manufactured consent, othering, reduction, and sacrifice. Ultimately, the neglect of COVID-19 prevention and the widespread support for incarceration present in the United States reveal themselves as inevitable when situated within the context of a status quo predicated on exclusion and exploitation in the name of profit.
Stancetaking in postfeminist media
Presenter: Stella Clymer (World Languages and Cultures); Faculty Mentor: Aris Clemons
In spaces where overt sexism has become taboo, covert sexism runs rampant. This is especially true in postfeminist media, which prioritizes neoliberal values of individualism and self-optimization, failing to acknowledge systemic gendered inequalities. In this study, I investigate the linguistic and discursive features of postfeminist media, focusing especially on stance. The question central to this investigation is: How do postfeminist ideologies manifest linguistically and discursively in media? To explore this question, I start by providing an overview of postfeminism and analyzing, using positioning theory, an exemplar of the genre: the sex and relationships podcast Call Her Daddy. Then, I dive deeper into individualism and self-optimization, two key ideologies of postfeminist media. By examining stancetaking, I investigate how the hosts of two different podcasts identify themselves relative to these postfeminist ideologies. Then, I look at how listeners of the podcast Call Her Daddy interpret and interact with this postfeminist media, using stance to analyze comments on TikTok videos that endorse and critique the podcast. Ultimately, I argue that these media allow podcasters and their audiences to position themselves linguistically and discursively along a continuum of postfeminist ideologies.”
Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods of Rib Seriation
Presenter: Caleb Conatser (Anthropology); Faculty Mentor: Joanne Devlin
Correctly ordering the ribs of the skeleton is critical for additional assessment in forensic anthropology such as age estimation and trauma analysis. There have been several methods of rib seriation in the past, and this project seeks to compare the consistency of qualitative methods and quantitative methods on a more modern population of individuals than used in previous works. This comparison is needed as there could be potential differences in the outcomes and interpretations of these different methods. The two qualitative methods are the ones that were developed by Mann (1993) and Dudar (1993). The quantitative traits employed were initially developed by Hoppa and Saunders (1998), but the improved version of the method developed by Owers and Pastor (2005) is being used for comparison. The quantitative method relies on ranking the measurements in ascending order. The method done by Owers and Pastor utilizes two metric traits: superior costo-transverse crest height (SCTCH), articular facet of the tubercle to angle length (AFTAL). The sample consisted of 20 individuals, 10 of which were over the age of 55 and 10 of which were under. After performing the analyses, it was found that the four different methods of seriation agreed on rib order varying amounts of times for each rib. Ribs 3-6 were more agreed upon and ribs 7-10 were harder to agree on. It was found that age and what side of the body the ribs come from do not play a statistically significant role in the rate of agreement between methods.
Gallo-Roman Culture and the Creation of Old French
Presenter: Sandra Cooper (World Language and Culture); Faculty Mentor: Maria Gallmeier
“Many similarities can be found between the Romance languages such as Spanish, Italian, and French, with similar lexicon and morphological rulesets. This is due to how these languages stem from originally being Latin dialects in the Roman Empire. However, despite these similarities, in modern-day these languages are not mutually-intelligible to one another which begs the question as to how a Romance language can evolve to be so different when compared to its sister languages. The answer to this lies in the different dialects and linguistic groups prevalent in the Roman Empire during its reign. With a specific focus on the evolution between Latin and French, this project focuses on how roman influence on the Gaul region, now modern-day France, resulted in the native Gaul people, a group with Celtic backgrounds, to adopt Latin and vernacularly use it in tandem with their own language. The assimilation of the Gaul people into Roman society would result in a new dialect within the region called Gallo-Roman Latin. With the fall of the Roman Empire, its vast amount of territories would split apart, resulting in new countries whose vernacular language would soon evolve and grow into their own unique language, also called the Romance languages.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, other groups such as the Franks would invade and take over the Gaul region, naming the region after themselves which would eventually evolve into the name “France.” In the 9th century Frankish King Charlemagne would recognize that there was declining mutual-intelligibility between formal Latin and the vernacular dialect of Gallo-Roman and it would later be recognized as the starting point of the French language in the 8th century with the Oaths of Strasbourg. French would continue to evolve and have numerous dialects across the region under the country of France, with the King’s Dialect becoming standardized during the 14th century with the invention of the printing press.
Remnants of the transitional dialect of Gallo-Roman are still evident in modern-day French but are found almost exclusively lexically. Most words with traces to Gallo-Roman and the Gaulish language are related to agriculture and everyday life while remnants of Latin are found heavily throughout the languages. This showcases the prestige system between Latin and Gaulish and how Latin was viewed as the more prestigious language. Overall, uncovering these topics regarding the evolution of French showcases how factors such as social prestige, linguistic groups/ regions, and political events can morph a language from being just a dialect into branching off into its own unique language.
I Sing the Heart Electric: Gender and a Japanese Robotic Goddess
Presenter: August Deluke (Religious Studies); Faculty Mentor: Megan Bryson
This research paper examines how the gendered nature of robotic design has influenced their use in Japanese religious contexts. I specifically looked at MINDAR, a robotic incarnation of the goddess/bodhisattva Kannon (Guanyin) that gives a Buddhist sermon at Kōdaiji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. I argue that MINDAR’s appearance is gendered in specific ways that create emotionally significant connections between it and the audience, building on cultural phenomena unique to Japan. I used a variety of sources to study this, including primary sources such as the MINDAR manga that was commissioned by Kōdaiji temple along with secondary sources from various disciplines such as religious studies, gender studies, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology. Additionally I used recordings and descriptions of MINDAR’s sermon to understand the full scope of the ritual and its emotional impact. I found that MINDAR’s androgynous figure combined with a feminine voice and face are not incidental, as they are key to understanding why this robot is so successful at creating affective bonds for its audience. The role of gender in MINDAR’s design has been understudied, as it is deeply connected with other issues of gender, religion, and popular culture in Japan.
The Mound, The Archives, and Ethically Sensitive Research
Presenter: Maggie Diedrich (English); Faculty Mentor: Lisa King
The project’s purpose is to build a foundation for an archive about the Indigenous mound at UTK’s relationship with the University of Tennessee by developing a protocol for how to handle sensitive information alongside Tribal Nations partners. This will be accomplished through critical methodological research and the construction, to the best of our ability, a comprehensive archive of sources about the mound in relation to the University of Tennessee’s campus to share with Tribal partners. I aim to use the Global Indigenous Data Alliance’s CARE principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) to frame the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) for my methodology. Metadata for the existing list of sources will then be generated to share with Tribal nations. A necessary consideration in this process is the protection of Indigenous data sovereignty: how to protect sensitive data and work with the Tribal Nations’ partners on a course of action in alignment with their needs once the data is gathered. Development of an initial protocol with these principles to begin a conversation with Tribal Nations partners is a first step toward a decolonized archive of sources about the mound. Thus we hope to begin the process of data decolonization by putting the Tribal Nations’ priorities and wishes first and then develop a protocol for sharing it with the public if that is their goal. The larger contribution to academic research and research archives is the development of an ethically sensitive methodology through which research can be conducted and shared.
Technical Communication Tactics in the Evolution of Prescription Drug Advertisements
Presenter: Madaline Dople (English); Faculty Mentor: Ryan McCormack
Prescription drug advertisements serve as a quick way for potential consumers to learn about treatment options for a disease or illness. Over the years, they have evolved from unchanging written descriptions in a doctor’s office to acting and musical productions on radio and television. The three types of advertisements utilize different ways of processing information—visual, auditory, and a combination of the two—to reach their target audiences. Technical communication tactics are applied to advertisements to help prescription drug companies communicate a drug’s purpose and encourage people to buy it, all while being transparent about potential side effects and drawbacks. The following research details the evolution of prescription drug advertisements and how they use different tactics of technical communication, such as translation or choice of medium, to convey accurate drug information, reach their target audience, and adhere to drug regulations in the United States. By better understanding the tactics used in advertisements, potential consumers can learn how to comprehend them and make informed decisions; these tactics can also help drug companies advertise their products more ethically.
Measuring the Effects of Mental Health Parity Laws
Presenter: Jackson Duncan (Economics and Mathematics); Faculty Mentor: Matthew Harris
In the past, healthcare plans didn’t cover mental health care the same way they covered physical health care. The “Mental Health Parity” concept aims to provide equal coverage for both types of care. Two important Federal laws, The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 and the Affordable Care Act of 2009, expanded Mental Health Parity to all states. This study investigates if these laws affected the labor supply of therapists. The study uses county-level data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the County Business Patterns dataset. A two-way fixed effects model is employed to determine if states that experienced a Mental Health party increase after the passage of these federal laws also observed a causal increase in the number of therapists within a state.
Photochemical Magnetic Switch of Group 13 aza-dipyrromethene (B, Al, Ga and In).
Presenter: Bailey Dvorak (Chemistry); Faculty Mentor: Viktor Nemykin
A series of Group 13 aza-dipyrromethene (DIPY) complexes (B, Al, Ga and In), which have possible applications for data storage and quantum computing, were prepared by oxidizing their respective diphenol derivatives. The diradicaloid nature of these compounds was investigated using a wide range of spectroscopic methods, including NMR, mass spectrometry, EPR, UV-Vis, fluorescence, IR spectroscopy, transient absorption spectroscopy as well as variable-temperature X-ray crystallography. DFT and TDDFT calculations, variable-temperature NMR and EPR data suggest a singlet ground state for the aza-dipyrromethene (DIPY) complexes (B, Al, Ga and In) based diradicaloids. Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical data indicate several processes in these systems. Transient absorption spectroscopy shows a dramatic decrease in the excited state lifetime of the diradicaloids compared to that of the phenols. DFT and TDDFT calculations were used to explain the unusual spectroscopy observed in the target compounds.
The Makers of Music: Harpsichord Builders and Performers in Renaissance Europe
Presenter: Joseph Espinal (History); Faculty Mentor: Robert Bast
The history of musical instruments has long examined the physical properties of instruments to tell their story through time. Comparatively little work has been done to investigate how an instrument and the people associated with it attain value. This thesis explores how the harpsichord, and its related instruments, became objects of significance in a manner unique to the era, the Renaissance. Occurring at the intersection of developments in instrument design, humanist thought, political scheming, and social conventions, these instruments became heavily symbolic objects both for their makers and their performers. Just as other artists in this period began to assert themselves as such, so too did the builders of these instruments, as evidenced by parallels in their practice and conceptions about their work. At the same time, given its capability to produce polyphonic music from a single performer, the harpsichord compacted the many ideas and implications of music into a single instrument. Both points reveal much about the symbolic history of the harpsichord and, more broadly, the reasons why humans, then as they do now, ascribe value to objects.
The Role of East Tennessee Pastors in Facilitating Unionist Resistance to Confederate Occupation
Presenter: Cole Fritts (History); Faculty Mentor: Jacob Latham
East Tennessee throughout the Secession Crisis of 1860-1861 and the ensuing military occupation that followed once the state joined the Confederate States of America was the site of sharp political divisions and divided loyalties. As a predominantly Unionist stronghold within a Confederate state, East Tennesseans resorted to all manner of resistance to demonstrate their loyalty to the Lincoln Administration. Religious leaders such as reverends William Gannaway Brownlow, Thomas Humes, and William Blount Carter each consolidated their authority within their respective churches and the community to establish methods by which to resist Confederate home rule. These men not only played vital roles in the overall resistance movement but in many ways directly led and organized opposition in the form of printing pro-Unionist publications, conducting Unionist sermons, and even the organization of a mass bridge-burning attack. Their efforts in helping to lead the Unionist effort in East Tennessee contributed to one of the largest Unionist insurrections within the Confederacy rivaling that only of West Virginia. Without the leadership of these key figures, such an opposition movement would have failed as it did elsewhere in the Confederacy such as in Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina.
The Effects of Androgen Receptor Knockdown in the Medial Amygdala on Anxiety-Like Behavior in Syrian Hamsters
Presenter: Alex Gillespie (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Matthew Cooper
Exposure to social stress can result in increased levels of fear and anxiety. Environmental factors, such as dominance status, can influence the way that an individual responds to stressful situations. Dominance status is important for Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), as it allows for access to larger territories, mates, and resources. We have demonstrated that dominant male hamsters exhibit less defeat-induced social avoidance and increased androgen receptor (AR) expression in the posterior dorsal (MePD) and ventral (MePV) medial amygdala compared to subordinates. These findings suggest that AR may modulate neural activity in the medial amygdala and influence status-dependent changes in stress-related behaviors. To investigate this possibility, animals received stereotaxic surgery with bilateral MePD/MePV infusion of a short hairpin adeno-associated virus (AAV-AR-shRNA) to knockdown AR or a non-functional scrambled virus (SCRM). Animals were euthanized at two, three-, or six-weeks later to measure AR knockdown efficiency. A separate group of animals received AR-shRNA or SCRM infusion prior to social defeat stress and testing for anxiety-like behavior. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue samples to examine AR knockdown. We found that AR-shRNA infusion leads to greater AR knockdown in MePD/MePV after two- and three-weeks compared to SCRM infusion, although AR expression increases after six weeks. Although AR knockdown in the MePD/MePV did not alter aggression, it did increase anxiety-like behavior following social defeat stress. These findings indicate that AR expression in MePD/MePV neurons helps to reduce stress-related anxiety. This work provides insight into how expression of gonadal steroid hormone receptors in limbic brain regions promote stress resilience, which may be an important target for treatment of stress-related psychopathologies.
Relation between Adult Monitoring and Adolescents’ Suicide Risk
Presenter: Madison Gilliland (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Jasmine Coleman
By: Madison Gilliland, Kaley Bobbitt, Carole DeShano, and Dr. Jasmine Coleman
Introduction: Suicide is a major health problem. Prior studies focused on suicide prevention have examined age, gender, and mental health. This study focuses on the relation between monitoring from parents and other adults and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents. This focus addresses a gap in the current literature surrounding suicide and its predictors for adolescents.
Methods: The data utilized in this study came from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a national survey conducted by the CDC that includes a nationally representative sample of high school students from both private and public schools within the U.S. Fifty-one percent of participants identified as male. The predictor variable was adult monitoring. The outcome variables included suicidal ideation, plans for suicide, and previous suicide attempts.
Results: After controlling for gender and age, adult monitoring uniquely and negatively predicted adolescents’ suicide risk. Specifically, high levels of adult monitoring were associated with lower levels of adolescents’ suicidal ideation, plans for suicide, and previous suicide attempts.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that adult monitoring, including monitoring from parents and other adults, may serve as a prevention strategy for adolescents’ risk for suicide. Further research is needed to separately examine monitoring from parents and monitoring from other supportive adults. In addition, longitudinal research is needed to confirm the directionality of these relations. Such work could inform suicide prevention efforts.
Neutrino Fast Flavor Instability at Different Mass Densities for a Neutron Star Merger
Presenter: Javier Gomez (Physics and Astronomy); Faculty Mentor: Sherwood Richers
Nucleosynthesis is a process that occurs in dense environments, and the creation of atoms heavier than iron is greatly dependent on neutrinos ejected in supernovas or neutron star mergers. The flavor transformation of neutrinos affects the nucleosynthesis process, so it is crucial to understand and model the neutrino fast flavor instability. Most simulations are done in a vacuum, without accounting for the interaction between matter and neutrinos. It is a reasonable approximation, but neutrinos propagate through a very dense medium, so simulating the flavor change with a mass background density may be necessary. For this purpose, I am using Emu, a particle-in-cell code that solves the neutrino quantum kinetic equations, to compute the result of neutrino flavor instabilities with various background densities based on a simulation of a neutron star merger, where there are three chosen points of interest where flavor instability occurs. The density of the environment around the first point needs to be significantly higher than the actual density to have a substantial difference compared to the case in a vacuum, so the density does not affect the instability in this case, and the vacuum treatment is approximately correct. I have yet to study the other points, and the conclusions will be limited to the three points.
Uncovering Maria Edgeworth’s Strategic Political Influence Through Her Unpublished Letters
Presenter: Autumn Hall (English); Faculty Mentor: Hilary Havens
Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849) was one of the most prolific Anglo-Irish novelists of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. While Edgeworth’s novels are regularly discussed among Regency-era scholars, researchers have rarely considered her letters and correspondence, especially in relation to her role in contemporary politics. During my time on the Maria Edgeworth Letters Project team, I researched Edgeworth’s previously unpublished letters, which provided a unique view of her strategic political correspondence network. Through her writing, Edgeworth was able to voice her thoughts while also remaining publicly complacent with restrictive societal norms imposed on women. In my presentation, I argue that through her careful use of reason in her letters, Edgeworth was also able to persuade her male correspondents to consider her political ideas, especially in the case of her interactions with British Whig politician Thomas Spring-Rice, who in turn connected her to figures such as Prime Minister Henry John Temple.
Paleopathological study of Bengal Tiger from the Knoxville Zoo
Presenter: Kimberly Hargrave (Anthropology ); Faculty Mentor: Anneke Janzen
Kimberly Hargrave The Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is one of the most recognizable animals in the world. They have profound cultural and ecological importance and are a source of national pride in India. As they are an endangered species, questions of conservation and the lived experiences of these animals in zoos are of great importance. The Knoxville Zoo’s Bengal Tiger housed in the UTK Anthropological Vertebrate Osteology Collection is one such example. This specimen has several pathological conditions, which are the focus of this case study. The pathological conditions will be examined through differential diagnosis and clinical data reports. Osteological comparisons are conducted with other felid specimens, such as mountain lions (Felis concolor) in the Vertebrate Osteology Collection, to better understand how other felid skeletal morphologies compare to this specimen. Through these methods, questions such as whether the pathological conditions present on his remains are routine in captive or wild tigers and whether the pathological conditions present on his remains are common in other field species; how the University of Tennessee Veterinary’s medical records compares to my assessment of his remains will be answered. An understanding of the relationship between skeletal pathology and lived experiences will be clearer.
Differences in Dental Pathology and Treatment Between Biological Males and Females in the UTK Donated Skeletal Collection
Presenter: Sophia Henn (Anthropology); Faculty Mentor: Amy Mundorff
(Capstone Project)
Access to dental care is connected to factors such as an individual’s socioeconomic level and proximity to dental offices. These disparities can be seen in dental pathologies and treatments visible in an individual’s dentition. However other factors, such as an individual’s biological sex may also influence their decision to access dental care. Research suggests that in our modern society, there is unequal access to dental care between biological sexes with females facing greater social pressure linked with looks, and are therefore more likely to visit a dentist (Lipsky et al. 2021). This research aims to examine the variation in dental care between biological males and females based on the presence, absence, and extent of dental pathology and treatment in dentition. This study assesses the maxillary and mandibular molars of 20 individuals, 10 male and 10 female, ranging in age from 25 to 60 years old from the Donated Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Using a visual data collection method, the presence, type, number, and location of dental pathologies, as well as treatments (i.e., fillings) for each individual’s 12 molars are charted. The data will be analyzed to determine whether there is variation in dental treatment between biological males and females. Based on current literature, I anticipate that females will exhibit a higher presence of dental treatment compared to males, while males will exhibit more untreated dental pathologies.
Project PACE: Development of a Career Intervention for Women in a Transitional Housing Program
Presenter: Bella King (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Erin Hardin
This research project focuses on developing a career intervention for women in a transitional housing program, increasing self-efficacy, developing goals, and exploring both facilitator and participant experiences in group sessions. The foundation of the intervention integrates the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994) and the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT; Duffy et al., 2016) to address participants’s work-related needs. This research utilized a mixed methods approach by developing an exploratory case study (Yin, 1984), incorporating pre and post-test data collection, focus group sessions with participants, and facilitator interviews to comprehensively explore their experiences throughout the program. This innovative approach aims to fill a gap in existing interventions by combining SCCT and PWT constructs to support marginalized populations in their career development. Preliminary results from the pre and post-test measures suggest increased self-efficacy and outcome expectations related to the job search process. Results from analyzing the qualitative focus groups and interviews indicate the following themes: relational connections, barriers and strengths, and self-awareness. These themes highlight the importance of relationships built between facilitators and participants as well as the unique strengths that women hold to decrease barriers they face and empower them to succeed.
Crusaders and Conquerors: Southern Soldiers’ Perceptions of Others Abroad During World War II
Presenter: Samantha Konsavage (History); Faculty Mentor: Tore Olsson
Crusaders and Conquerors: Southern Soldiers’ Perceptions of Others Abroad During World War II analyzes letters sent by Tennessean soldiers across the European and Pacific Theatres of operation. In the correspondence, most wrote about the conditions, their opinions on the War, or thoughts about a movie they saw. Books have been dedicated to analyzing certain aspects of America in the War. Still, little research has been dedicated to how Americans perceived others outside the United States and the large-scale context of their systemic racism and antisemitism while, at the same time, championing themselves at the “Arsenal of Democracy.” This thesis argues that the letters directly reflect the larger goals and hypocrisies of the U.S. military through the men’s descriptions of non-Americans while deployed. Finally, this paper argues that each theatre had contrasting goals overall. In the European Theatre, the moral crusade to end Nazism and Fascism took the forefront as the purpose of fighting. Conversely, American imperialism and reconquering the Pacific shaped the Allied strategy. In addition to the overarching goal of defeating Japan, the central strategy remained to reassert American and Western influence on the Japanese-occupied islands. In other words, the goal in Europe was to end an ideology; the Pacific goal was to further Western imperialist ideology.
Analyzing and Addressing Food Insecurity in Knox County
Co-Presenters: Avery Lockhart (Geography and Sustainability), Owen Bales (Geographic Info Science & Technology), Amy Gonzalez (Sustainability), and Will Savage (Geography); Faculty Mentor: Mayra Roman-Rivera
Co-Authors: Owen Bales, Amy Gonzalez, Avery Lockhart, and Will Savage
Our Geography 420: GIS in the Community project is a collaboration with United Way, Knox Pride, Rooted East, and 3Cubed to create a geospatial analysis of community food insecurity in Knox County. The goal of the project is to allow for identification of areas in need of additional services to reduce food insecurity. We used results from combined community surveys to assess different food insecurity factors and created a map of the area using these. We plan to add in the locations of food pantries, grocery stores, and other places to access food. The survey data required some examining and modification to work within the ArcGIS program. We are also creating a Hub website to house the map and to compile the information and data surrounding the initiative. The Hub will allow community members to access the information collected by the organizations, see upcoming events, learn more about food insecurity, and get involved with the efforts to increase food security in the Knox County area.
Designing Rigorous Stochastic Models of Within-Host Dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Presenter: Jacob Looney (Computer Science/Mathematics); Faculty Mentor: Vitaly Ganusov
Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death by infectious disease, although the exact mechanisms of within-host dynamics are not well known. In particular, it is unclear how stochasticity affects in-host dynamics and how stochasticity differs between acute and chronic infections. Previous models of Mtb dynamics we have studied include both deterministic ODE models and stochastic Gillespie simulations, but these models either fail to account for stochasticity entirely or approximate the changes in probability for cell dynamics. We have developed a master equation approach that is able to exactly account for the effects of probability of cell dynamics by solving the initial value problem of a continuous time Markov process. We have further used hardware acceleration to make solving the master equation faster, and have developed a combination model to allow for later time predictions. By comparing the results from the master equation approach, we can quantify how accurately other models predict stochastic results.
Anthropogenic disturbance does not alter tree defenses but does limit demographic traits
Presenter: Kate Loveday (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); Faculty Mentor: Orou Gaoue
Kate L Loveday, Jacob K Moutouama, Anita Korogone, Susanna Diamond, Orou G Gaoue
Plants have evolved biological, physical, and chemical defense mechanisms to protect themselves against pests and pathogens. However, anthropogenic impacts on plant defenses, trade-offs or covariation in defense investments remain largely unexplored. We investigate how recurrent defoliation by Fulani pastoralists alters tree demography and is mediated by chemical and biological defense mechanisms using African mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) in West Africa. We hypothesized that investment in defense will be size dependent, and ontogeny will shape plant ant-herbivore defense investments. We also hypothesized that Khaya senegalensis’ defenses will converge on suites of covarying traits, supporting the plant defense syndrome hypothesis, and investment in defense and the strength of convergences will increase with recurrent disturbance. Finally, we hypothesized that tree growth will be negatively correlated with investment in defenses, consistent with the growth-defense hypothesis. As a corollary to the growth defense trade off, we hypothesized subsequent increase in plant survival probability and reduced fecundity. We found size-dependent defense investment and covarying defense syndromes, both unaltered by anthropogenic disturbance. Growth-defense tradeoffs were absent with no strong influence of defoliation, except total phenolic content increases with relative growth rate in disturbed environments. Increases in the strength of defensive traits positively impacted survival and reproduction, but defoliation negatively impacted these relationships. Altogether, anthropogenic disturbance did not shape defense tradeoffs, and the impact of this variation in defense investments on plant demography was limited. This weak demographic response to defense investment may be due to the slow life history strategy of trees.
Identifying potential barriers to mental health of students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Presenter: Anna Lynn (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Katie Rowinski
The mental health of college students is a growing area of research, especially following the drastic impacts and experiences that came with the COVID-19 pandemic. This research seeks to identify potential barriers to the mental health of students, specifically at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. An online qualitative survey was offered to students at this institution and allowed students to self-report on their experience at the university and how it has affected their mental health. The survey included questions on academic experience, knowledge of campus resources, personal identity, and other factors to assess student mental health and hear about the participants’ unique student experiences. The researcher will analyze the data via descriptive analyses and will identify any trends that arise regarding barriers to mental health in students at this university. Based on the findings of the literature, it is likely that there will be identifiable barriers that are negatively impacting the mental health of students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Seen and Not Heard: Celebrating Black Women Political Leaders and Activists
Presenter: Desta Maron (Africana Studies); Faculty Mentor: Danielle Procope Bell
The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (1960s-1980s) are known as some of the most prominent movements in U.S. history. They heavily emphasized justice and freedom for human and equity rights. These movements addressed issues such as voting rights and prison reform. The Civil Rights Movement focused on equal rights for African Americans through non-violent methods such as sit-ins, marches, and the freedom rides.
These movements led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and reduced de jure racial discrimination. The revolutionary Black Power Movement strengthened the Black community’s racial pride and expression and demonstrated the importance of self-defense to protect the Black communities.
There are many distinguished leaders who took initiative and were leaders of these movements. However, Black women were often unforgotten and unmentioned. They have multiple contributions such as the creation of protest organizations and programs while also holding leadership positions (Black Panther Party). Sexism impacts how we remember who were involved in the struggle. This presentation highlights important African American women such as Daisy Bates, Ella Baker, Angela Davis and Elaine Brown. These women held the movement together even as they were pushed towards the back as the men within the movements took the lead. It is essential to give proper credit to those who deserve it since without them, the African American community would never have gone as far as it has. These women deserve to be both seen and heard.”
Phase Equilibria Constraints on Mercury’s Cumulate Mantle After Magma Ocean Solidification
Presenter: Jordan Marshall (Earth and Planetary Sciences); Faculty Mentor: Nick Dygert
This research endeavors to experimentally unravel the complexities of Mercury’s geology by constraining the phases that would precipitate from a Mercurian magma ocean after 80% solidification. The mineralogy and compositional stratification of Mercury’s juvenile mantle would determine its long-term dynamic evolution. The results of this work may ultimately be used to relate the compositions of volcanic provinces on Mercury’s surface to its interior evolution.
The assumption of an initial Mercury magma ocean composition serves as a springboard for a series of experiments designed to elucidate the minerals that crystallize as the magma body cools. The first ~80% of magma ocean solidification would comprise precipitation of olivine, and then olivine and Opx. Our initial results sug-gest that with further crystallization, the magma ocean would then precipitate pyroxenes, specifically augite and enstatite, with pigeonitic pyroxene emerging under higher pressures (MMO3), which may affect trace element partitioning behavior. The current experimental results validate the inferred petrologic model presented in (see the pyroxenite layer in their Figure 9b). In Mercury’s juvenile mantle, a pyroxenite layer would be denser than underlying layers in the cumulate pile, which sets up the potential for gravitational redistribution by cumulate overturn. Further experimentation is required to pro-vide additional insights into Mercurian magma ocean phase equilibria, and the distribution of heat producing and other elements in Mercury’s mantle, and their broader implications for the evolution of the planet.
Multiregional Histological and Behavioral Consequences of Perineuronal Net Manipulation in Female Mice
Presenter: Joseph Martin (Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology); Faculty Mentor: Keerthi Krishnan
Joseph Martin (1), Billy You Bun Lau (1,2), Keerthi Krishnan (1)
1. Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology
2. Department of Psychology
Brains change, learn, and respond to different environmental, behavioral, and physiological conditions. Therefore, there are molecular and cellular structures in place to moderate the level of change and maintain stability at the neural level. One such structure is perineuronal nets. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are specialized extracellular matrix structures thought to restrict plasticity in the mature brain. However, in adult wild-type mice, we found increased PNN expression in somatosensory brain regions after they performed an ethologically relevant social behavior, suggesting that increases in PNN expression could be important for consolidating new experiences. Thus, we hypothesized that removing PNNs will cause adult wild-type mice to perform poorly on social behavior. To examine the impact of changes in PNN expression on behavior, we injected Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) into the somatosensory cortex to chemically degrade PNNs. Then, we analyzed the mice for efficient experience-dependent pup retrieval and brain tissues for PNN degradation. On average across all 6 days of trials, we found efficient retrieval in ChABC-injected animals. However, we noticed more variation in efficient retrieval in the first two days, suggesting that PNNs in primary somatosensory cortex subregions could function to maintain consistent, reproducible behavior with tactile sensory perception. After carrying out whole-brain histology and brain registration using ABBA, we quantified PNN degradation through area-based analysis, revealing variable degradation in multiple somatosensory areas.
Heme Acquisition, Catalase, and Immune Evasion: Unraveling the Intricacies of Campylobacter jejuni Survival
Presenter: Ryan Mesler (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology); Faculty Mentor: Jeremiah Johnson
Campylobacter jejuni, a gram-negative spirochete, is the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, affecting over 400 million individuals annually. C. jejuni likely relies on utilizing its host’s heme, an iron-containing molecule, as a means of acquiring iron throughout infection in a nutrient limited environment. To access heme, C. jejuni possesses the Campylobacter Heme Uptake system (Chu), a heme ABC transporter, which is crucial in facilitating heme acquisition. ChuA, an outer membrane heme receptor collaborates with the inner membrane proteins ChuB, ChuC, and ChuD to facilitate heme transportation across the cellular membrane. By creating genetic knockout strains of the Chu proteins, this study investigates C. jejuni’s ability to colonize the host, synthesize necessary enzymes for survival, and survive host immune response with an altered heme uptake system. Using a murine model, specifically B6-IL10 knockout mice, C. jejuni colonization dynamics were examined through bacterial enumeration and histopathology. Additionally, focusing on the role of catalase, a heme-derived enzyme, provides insight into oxidative stress resistance within C. jejuni. Furthermore, neutrophil intracellular survival was compared between wild-type and chu knockout mutants. Findings of this study shed light on the intricate interplay between heme acquisition, catalase activity, and immune evasion in C. jejuni.
Lighting Design of Cato: A Tragedy
Presenter: Kayla Moore (Theatre); Faculty Mentor: Kenton Yeager
“CATO: A Tragedy is a play that not many people have heard of outside of academic circles. It was written by Joseph Addison in 1713 during the time of the British civil war. It tells the story of the final day of Roman senator Cato’s rebellion against Caesar. During those final hours, the people surrounding Cato are entangled in plots of love and betrayal. They are forced to grapple with the concepts of freedom and duty to your country. CATO is also known as “George Washington’s favorite play.” The American general and his soldiers staged a production of the play in Valley Forge in 1778. This script is also the source of quotes such as “give me liberty or give me death” and “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” CATO is a part of the very foundation of the United States.
My role as lighting designer evolved dramatically over the course of the production. In early production meetings, it was thought that we would be doing a staged reading with minimal design needs. I prepared to use mostly worklight, with a few cues to help with composition. Over the following months, the scale of the show grew until it required full technical support. We did not realize just how complex our staged reading had become until just before we entered our ten day rehearsal period. This meant I had the challenge of discovering and addressing the lighting needs of this show in just a few weeks. I used neutral colors in a 45 degree front light system to attempt to preserve the original worklight feel, while also allowing me to achieve a more dynamic look. The archetypes and symbolism found in this script were important for me to showcase, so I decided to do some research on colors that were important to the societies related to the play. I used an LED top and side light system to reflect this in varying levels of subtlety on stage.“Inactive” characters remained mostly upstage of the proscenium and watched the story unfold. I used a system of sidelight and LED front light to ensure that they were visible, but not the focus of the scene. By using all these systems together, I was able to be flexible in my design throughout the evolution of this production. I am very pleased with the result of this collaborative and meaningful design, and am happy to share this piece of history with you.
How bacterial enzymes impact host neurotransmitters: using Xenorhabdus for insight into neurochemical animal-microbe interactions
Presenter: Tyler Myers (Microbiology); Faculty Mentor: Heidi Goodrich-Blair
Tyler G. Myers, Dr. Jennifer K. Heppert, and Dr. Heidi Goodrich-Blair
Nematodes are effective models for understanding molecular bases of animal-microbe interactions, including how bacterial products impact animal development and behavior. Steinernema nematodes engage in specific symbioses with bacteria of the genus Xenorhabdus. The bacteria provide a food source and virulence factors when infecting insects. In turn, the nematodes transport bacteria between hosts. Previous preliminary data implicated the Xenorhabdus nematophila enzyme HpaBC in modulating Steinernema carpocapsae nematode egg-laying behavior. HpaBC’s role in organizing development and behavior was investigated using another nematode-bacterial pair, X. griffiniae and S. hermaphroditum, where an X. griffiniae strain was engineered with hpaBC under an inducible system. Modifying hpaBC expression significantly altered host growth and also influenced egg-laying behavior in a similar manner to S. carpocapsae. Alongside HpaBC, numerous bacterial proteins likely mediate host developmental and behavioral impacts by interacting with neurotransmitter metabolic pathways. Two such enzymes, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase (MOAA), are critical in metabolizing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Computational analysis revealed homologs of both enzymes encoded within select Xenorhabdus strains, with the distribution of COMT and MOAA loci forming distinct clusters within the genus. Given the similarity of these enzymes to human homologs targeted by antidepressants, understanding how bacteria modulate host development and behavior could provide insights into numerous microbiota-related disorders.”
Beauford Delaney’s New York Period: The Harlem Renaissance, Black Masculinity, and the Great Migration
Presenter: Avery Noe (Music); Faculty Mentor: Mary Campbell
The work of Knoxville-born painter Beauford Delaney is analyzed within four major periods divided by his time in Knoxville (1901-1923), Boston (1923-1929), New York (1929-1953), and Paris (1953-1979). Various primary sources (i.e., correspondence, interviews, written accounts, journal entries, newspapers, etc.) and the fact that Delaney moved between Harlem and Greenwich Village throughout his New York period suggest that Delaney did not feel entirely comfortable in either neighborhood. While a definite reason for this hesitancy is never given explicitly in available sources, his uneasiness was most likely linked to his feeling of estrangement based on his race, gender, and sexuality, all of which were ghosts (metaphorical and literal) that haunted him his entire life along with the presence of the men that he loved in New York. This paper seeks to support this reading as the primary reason for Delaney’s alienation from the two neighborhoods and to understand him within the framework of Black masculinity during the First Great Migration using an assortment of Black newspapers and other primary sources. Moreover, this paper seeks to understand some of his work from the New York period with the cultural-historical background of Knoxville and New York during the years that he would have lived in each city respectively.
Fending Off Predators in a Warming World: The Defense Behaviors of Tree Swallows Under High Temperatures
Presenter: Lillian Para (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Derryberry
With global temperatures rising, a pressing concern is understanding how exposure to high temperatures alters fitness-related behaviors in free-living animals. Like many other organisms, most songbird species are shifting their ranges north in response to climate change. However, with the notable exception of tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) ranges shifting south, we ask how temperature affects a key fitness-related behavior in these birds: nest defense from predators. We hypothesize that higher ambient temperatures will result in differences in defensive activity (including calls and behaviors) in response to a simulated nest predator due to thermoregulation costs. We used a repeated measures approach, running predator defense trials twice per nesting pair and opportunistically sampling on hotter and cooler days within the last week of incubation. Measures were taken both in the early and late breeding season, the latter having higher temperatures overall. We found no significant difference when assaying across the same week (nest pairs). However, when looking at all birds across the season, we see a significant trend for fewer approaches on warmer days, hence there may be a population-level effect. It’s possible this change in behavior is due to thermoregulation costs. We anticipate this study provides a basis for future songbird defensive behavior studies in a rapidly warming world.
Tail Docking and the Thoroughbred: Human Identity and the Mutilation of Animals
Presenter: Ryah Parkhurst (English); Faculty Mentor: Nancy Henry
” This research centered around the examination of the history of the Thoroughbred and identity in the nineteenth century. The main focus of the research was on the cosmetic practice of tail docking, which was an unnecessary veterinary procedure practiced in eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain and United States. This research was conducted through analyzing both fictional and non-fictional accounts of the practice, which were accessed through databases, such as the Nineteenth Century Index and University of Tennessee libraries. The findings of this study reveal the human tendency to both objectify and identify with animals, especially Thoroughbreds, and highlights the cruelty that people were willing to inflict upon their animals in order to adhere to ever-changing fashion trends, which in turn reflected the social status of the owner. While the practice of tail docking horses no longer exists, similar forms of cruelty and mutilation in the name of fashion still persist. This research is ongoing and will be continued by searching through visual images and contemporary articles. The objective is to learn more about the emergence of tail docking in the eighteenth century and its eventual elimination in the early twentieth century.
Gangs of New Rome: The Political Violence of the Circus Factions from the Late 5th Century to the Early 7th Century
Presenter: Aiden Ponder (History); Faculty Mentor: Jacob Latham
This research utilizes literary and epigraphic evidence to investigate the purposes and characteristics of the increased violence of the circus factions in the eastern Roman Empire from the late 5th century through the early 7th century CE. The politicization of entertainment in the hippodrome, enacted by emperors to better connect their images with the victory and spectacle of the chariot races, gave the factions a political element that came to contextualize the violence they were known for. Changes made to the organization of racing and the factions during the 5th century additionally increased the size of the factions, gave them a greater part in imperial ceremony, and altered emperors’ methods for dealing with the factions. These factors allowed the factions to grow into massively influential organizations, connected to chapters in cities across the eastern Mediterranean. This increased the regularity and veracity with which the factions committed violence, allowing them to better conflict with more influential political adversaries like prefects and emperors by utilizing rioting as a bargaining tool, and allying themselves with others that shared short-term goals. This ultimately gave the factions’ members power and prestige throughout this period that they would otherwise have not possessed.
From Farm to Table: How do federal budget fluctuations in the SNAP program affect SNAP-eligible grocery retailer’s revenue and profits?
Presenter: Riley Poole (Political Science); Faculty Mentor: Stephanie Casey Pierce
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded food program for low-income individuals to alleviate food insecurity and provide assistance when purchasing groceries. According to the USDA, there are significant food accessibility and nutritious consumption benefits to SNAP recipients. Every five years, the programs are subject to debate when the U.S. Congress crafts a new Farm Bill. The proposed Farm Bill includes drastic cuts of $8.2 billion to SNAP. While political debate often focuses on deservingness of SNAP recipients, less attention is paid to the impacts of SNAP on retailers such as grocery stores. The broader economic consequences of fluctuations in funding for national food security programs are not only practically significant but understanding such consequences may allow for broader, more nuanced political debate. My research examines the relationship between SNAP funding and grocery store profits, revenue, and closures. Using 20 years of historical funding data on the SNAP program, I investigate how funding changes affect grocery store outcomes in the southern United States. Using a regression analysis framework, I analyze SNAP participating store’s financial data on grocery store sales, profits, and closures, taking into account geographic differences in SNAP enrollment and SNAP allocations. Through this research, I expect to discover an association between a decrease in the SNAP program funding and a decrease in profits, sales, and revenue with an associated increase in closures. This research will add to academic discourse surrounding social and economic policy while providing insights for policy dialogues concerning economic significance of federal food programs.
The Gender Variant Bodhisattva Kannon in Early Modern Japanese Art
Presenter: MJ Posani (Asian and Religious Studies); Faculty Mentor: Megan Bryson
This paper examines gendered representations of Kannon, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, in visual art from the Edo period (ca. 1600–1868) to the Reiwa Period(2019–present). These works include media such as sculpture, painting, and illustrations of Buddhist scriptures, which depict Kannon as masculine, feminine, and/or as variant gender categories such as chigo and wakashū, both young androgynous youth, with the chigo training to be a monk. One such work is Kano Hogai’s Merciful Mother Kannon which depicts the figure with masculine features such as facial hair, as well as feminine qualities such as soft features and clothing. These depictions of the bodhisattva resulted from the transformation of the figure from the traditionally masculine Avalokiteshvara in India into the feminine Guanyin in 10th century China. This transformation is reflected in the varied identity of the figure in Japan. I will also address later Christian influences on the bodhisattva’s feminine image, specifically how Kannon comes to be visually identified with the Virgin Mary. My goal is not to conclusively identify Kannon’s gender, but to trace the artistic history that led to contemporary visual representations of the bodhisattva’s gender, and show how this has impacted the LGBTQ+ community in Japan. This poster addresses the origins and significance of Kannon’s many gendered forms, and how they have been represented visually. Though Buddhist teachings describe Kannon as transcending form, including gender, the bodhisattva can still represent those who have faced prejudice because of their gender identities and sexual orientations. Kannon has been able to reach LGBTQ+ audiences through depictions of their own gender fluidity, as well as through their core message: in the bodhisattva’s eyes, all are equal.
Exploring the impact of bacterial arginine biosynthesis on host colonization
Presenter: Grace Pullen (Biology); Faculty Mentor: Heidi Goodrich-Blair
Genome-wide mutagenesis screens can reveal the biosynthetic pathways necessary for the symbiotic bacterium Xenorhabdus griffiniae to successfully colonize its animal host, the nematode, Steinernema hermaphroditum. I arrayed over 960 individual transposon mutants to create a library and observed their ability to grow on glucose minimal media (GMM) looking for mutants that failed to grow, indicating they are auxotrophs lacking a biosynthetic pathway required for growth on this medium. I then identified which, if any, amino acids could, when supplemented, allow GMM growth of these mutants. One mutant, which harbors a transposon insertion in the non-coding region between argC and argE and was rescued by the addition of arginine, failed to colonize in the nematodes as well as wild type and produced a strong brown pigment. We hypothesize that the transposon insertion causes the overexpression of argE, so we are currently inserting an inducible promoter upstream of the locus to test this hypothesis. This summer I will identify the genetic cause of the increase in pigmentation and what effects this outcome has on colonization, but add to the body of knowledge about how bacteria in a eukaryotic microbiome exchange nutrients with the host and how access to nutrients controls the microbiome.
The Slaughter’s Daughter: National Velvet, Death, and The Brown’s Slaughterhouse
Presenter: Renee Robinson (English); Faculty Mentor: Nancy Henry
“The purpose of this study was to view and verify the changes that were made from the novel (1935) to the movie adaptation (1945) of Enid Bagnold’s National Velvet. The film was directed by Clarence Brown, whose papers are held at the University of Tennessee, and I was able to consult Brown’s copy of the screenplay with his working notes. I was also able to obtain a digital copy of an earlier screenplay from the Ransom Center at the University of Texas. I focused on the diminishing importance of the family slaughterhouse from novel to film. The transition of the placement of the slaughterhouse from connected to the house had many implications on the underlying themes of National Velvet.
The implications of this research are in its connections between animals, literature, and brutality. When are animals pets and when are they meat sources? These findings allow us to understand the relationship of animals to Hollywood. I found that the role of slaughterhouses in the novel and the movie scripts – and their possible absence – was to create divisions of “classes” of animals and to address some of the looming themes of animal mortality that appear to still be in effect today. These relationships display the sentiments of the time, though they still echo today in our current society. I am currently looking further into the relationship of animals and violence in literature through these archival materials as there is a plethora of information and evidence to still be found.
Human Thoroughbreds in America: Racism and Eugenics as Expressed Through Geraldine Brooks’ Novel Horse
Presenter: Casey Roddy (English); Faculty Mentor: Nancy Henry
The purpose of this research was to explore the connection between the ideas behind racehorse breeding and human eugenics in the 19th and early 20th centuries as implied in Geraldine Brooks’ novel Horse (2022). Through several studies of the history of racehorse breeding and its social implications, a connection is drawn between the historical mindset regarding both horse and human genetics.
Beginning with the racehorse industry, descendancy gained a heavy importance in the English mindset, and this idea of inherited superiority found its way to America and the eugenics movement. Ideas of physiognomy influenced eugenicists, who associated white physiological traits with high intelligence and moral character. Through a perversion of Darwinists theories, eugenicists theorized that they could create a perfect race of human by breeding out minorities, leaving only a white, “superior” race.
With a focus on Brooks’ depictions in Horse of the commercialization and dehumanization of slaves through genetic pseudoscience and cultural misconceptions, this paper seeks to demonstrate the impact racehorse theory has had on racial dynamics in society, as well as the impact these theories still hold today.
Novel Neutron Focusing Device for Dark Matter Searches at ESS
Presenter: James Rogers (Physics and Astronomy); Faculty Mentor: Yury Kamyshkov
The European Spallation Source, a state-of-the-art spallation neutron facility under construction in Lund, Sweden, is poised to become an invaluable tool for scientific inquiry in the coming decades. Although its primary objective is neutron scattering for materials science, chemistry, biology, and industrial research, our European-US collaboration project, known as HIBEAM, is set to embark on research advancing our understanding of fundamental neutron physics. HIBEAM will investigate the hypothetical processes responsible for neutron-antineutron (nbar) conversion—a phenomenon which would have implications for understanding the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. Additionally, HIBEAM will investigate the existence of sterile neutrons (n’), hypothesized to contribute to Dark Matter. To maximize the potential yield of the n-nbar and n-n’ search at HIBEAM, focusing devices are required to maximize the nT2 and nT4 sensitivity effect on a 40cm-diameter target. Several instrument configurations have been proposed, including a new “Venetian Blinds” component designed to focus neutrons with minimal TOF reduction. This work focused on optimizing the placement and configuration parameters of the Venetian Blinds component in order to maximize the nT2 and nT4 dependent discovery for n-nbar and n-n’ searches at HIBEAM. It was found that, although offering a comparable improvement to the figure of merit, Venetian Blinds was a more attractive focusing device than other options due to extenuating factors such as cost and development for its application to the future “large-scale NNBAR” search at ESS.
Barring Extenuating Circumstances
Presenter: Grace Russell (Art); Faculty Mentor: Koichi Yamamoto
My presentation is an overview of my visual art practice, My work is grounded simultaneously in material and intellectual research to create a repeatable matrix. My material research lies within the process of an original matrix, whether it be etched into limestone for lithography or copperplate for intaglio, or carved into birch for a relief print, can be deconstructed and reformed into abstract forms and patterns. The idea of the repeatable matrix is also heavily prevalent within the intellectual research surrounding my work. Using pattern, shape, and color to create new or break apart existing images, at both a micro and macro scale, from the public domain and personal records into abstracted symbols or forms that I can more easily translate from imagery into the repeatable matrix that serves as the baseline for printmaking. These constantly changing provisional forms and abstractions are a way for me to process the world around me as well as to attempt to preserve snapshots of my own constantly changing perception.
Adverse Childhood Experiences’ Impact on Perceptions of Discrimination
Co-Presenters: Madison Schletzer (Psychology), Kendall Harvey (Child & Family Studies), and Brendan LeStrange (Physics); Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Bolden
Co-authors: Kendall Harvey and Brendan LeStrange
During childhood, individuals are much more vulnerable to traumatic and adverse events. We are particularly interested in understanding whether exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is correlated with the chronicity of discrimination experiences in adulthood. In this study, approximately 300+ undergraduate students completed the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-Events Screener (PEARL) and the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS), a measure of the chronicity of discrimination experiences (e.g., racial, ethnic, age, and gender-based discrimination). We hypothesize that college students exposed to adverse childhood experiences will report greater perception of everyday discrimination (i.e., a direct relation between ACEs and perception of discrimination experiences). Results and study implications will be discussed. “
Antarctic Diorama and Clay-Fired Infographic: Educational Outreach for the Geosciences and Planetary Sciences
Presenter: Katerina Scott (Earth and Planetary Sciences); Faculty Mentor: Anna Szynkiewicz
K-12 science education in U.S. schools has seen significant reform within the last decade regarding state standards, cross-curricular content, quality trade books and activities, and offered hands-on experiences. Particularly, Earth and geoscience education have gained traction with implications for evolving societal applications, environmental concerns, and space exploration. As geoscience education expands beyond the classroom, students can engage in scientific practices in the context of their everyday lives. Especially for younger grades, 3-D models and manipulatives such as dioramas, sandboxes, and stream tables promote student engagement, enjoyment, and a deepened understanding of geophysical principles.
This project includes a to-scale diorama of the McMurdo Dry Valley area of Antarctica studied for an adjacent geochemical project focused on understanding sulfate sources in the dry polar deserts of Earth. This study is an ideal example for illustrating the far-reaching applications of geoscience as its findings inform planetary implications for similar environments on Mars. In the diorama, markers showing sediment sampling locations around Don Juan Pond will provide insight into how the researchers traversed the terrain and selected significant collection points for geochemical analysis and relevant Earth-Mars comparisons. As visual representations and infographics are highly effective instructional tools, this project also includes a clay-fired infographic displaying geoscience in action such as scientists conducting sample collection, fieldwork, or space exploration research. This project aims to demonstrate how children in grades K-12 can engage in geosciences to better appreciate the physical world from their backyards to distant planets.
Uyghur Political and Social Advocacy: Group Leader Perspectives
Presenter: Lucas Simmons (Anthropology); Faculty Mentor: De Ann Pendry
This study aims to analyze, contextualize, and bring attention to the work of Uyghur political and cultural/social advocacy groups within the United States. Uyghurs are a Muslim minority ethnic group living primarily within the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of northwestern China, and have faced increased, state-sanctioned oppression and violence. The study includes an analysis of the cultural, political, and historical contexts surrounding Uyghurs within China as well as the work of Uyghurs and group focused on Uyghur issues within the diaspora and within the United States in particular. Along with this background, the study includes data collected from interviews with leaders of United States-based Uyghur advocacy groups. These interviews address group leaders’ feelings about issues such as the responses of international organizations like the United Nations, Western governments, and non-governmental institutions to Uyghur groups, the leaders’ feelings regarding their groups’ responsibilities or roles within such political organizations as well as within cultural/social settings, and group leaders’ feelings about whether their groups have a responsibility to address or position their work around the conditions being faced by Uyghurs within Xinjiang.
Green is for Girls: Interactions between Masculine Gender Norms and Pro-Environmental Attitudes
Presenter: Hayley Simpson (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Sarah Lamer
Men are less likely than women to engage in pro-environmental behaviors (PEB) such as recycling and generally report lower levels of concern for the environment (Hunter et al., 2004). Consistent with past work, we hypothesized that this gender difference owes to a stereotype associating pro-environmental behaviors with femininity. For example, men who strongly endorse this “green-feminine” stereotype are less likely to engage in environmentally sustainable behaviors (Brough et al., 2016). In this project, we examined the relationship between what men think an environmentalist looks like with their pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. We used the reverse correlation method (Dotsch and Todorov, 2012) to capture how men think a typical environmentalist looks, specifically examining the facial gender of their environmentalist images. The task entails asking subjects to choose between pairs of facial stimuli with random noise patterns imposed, ultimately synthesizing their choices to create a classification image or “picture of an environmentalist” for each subject that can then be coded for how feminine it appears.
We hypothesized that men who think environmentalists look more feminine would be less likely to hold pro-environmental attitudes. We found that men’s pro-environmental attitudes are significantly correlated with their mental image of an environmentalist, specifically that the more feminine their environmentalist classification image (CI), the less likely they are to hold pro-environmental attitudes. Further, men with feminine CIs were especially less likely to endorse anti-anthropocentric environmental attitudes (i.e. “Plants and animals have as much right as humans to exist.”)
False Dichotomy
Presenter: Kylie Sliger (Art); Faculty Mentor: Koichi Yamamoto
This presentation will demonstrate the technical processes and conceptual research I use in my printmaking practice. The technical processes involved in this artwork include copper etching, stone lithography, woodcut, and monotype. I will give a brief introduction to how each process works and how I use it to push concepts in my prints. I will focus on a body of work in which I look at various organic imagery on a magnified scale and combine visual elements to create abstract hybrid creatures. I use the print matrix to distort the original imagery and recreate it in different ways. The intention of these pieces is to be both disturbing and attractive at the same time, something that draws you in and pushes you away simultaneously. The ambiguous images invite people to question their tolerance for discomfort and complexity. The goal is to challenge the false dichotomy that two conflicting feelings are mutually exclusive. This perspective is important when thinking about our relationships with people and places.
Investigation into the production, genetic regulation, and function of an uncharacterized pigment produced by the marine bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3
Presenter: Taylor Smith (Microbiology); Faculty Mentor: Alison Buchan
Taylor Smith, Jillian Walton & Alison Buchan
Marine bacterial pigments are commonly investigated for their diverse clinical and industrial applications. A model member of the environmentally relevant Roseobacteraceae family of marine bacteria, Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, produces an uncharacterized brown pigment. As pigment production is most pronounced in cultures under extended incubation or when grown on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, we hypothesize the pigment is involved in cell stress response. To investigate this, a 6,036-member random transposon (Tn5) mutant library was generated and 25 mutants with elevated or depressed pigment production were selected for further analysis. The Tn5 insertion sites were identified in each mutant using an arbitrary PCR approach. UV survival assays were also conducted to test the pigment’s protective properties. Additionally, to ascertain the identity of the pigment, solubility, bleaching, and kojic acid tests, along with an FT-IR scan were conducted. From the transposon library, genes predicted to facilitate a stress response and secondary metabolite production have been identified, supporting the hypothesis that pigment production is related to stress response in R. pomeroyi. Mutants with disrupted luxRI-like genes were unpigmented, thus quorum sensing is hypothesized to play a regulatory role in pigment production. The stress tests revealed that the pigment was protective against UV. The pigment identity assays suggest the pigment is chemically related to melanin. Preliminary results suggest kojic acid may inhibit pigment synthesis and an unpigmented mutant with a disrupted tyrosinase protein gene was identified, providing further evidence that the pigment is structurally related to melanin, as kojic acid is known to inhibit tyrosinase activity and, as a result, disrupt melanin synthesis. HPLC-MS will be used to further characterize the structure of the pigment. Identification of this pigment and its function in R. pomeroyi DSS-3 could lead to a better understanding of the survival of this organism and potential applications of its pigment.”
Religious Utilization and Humanism in the Poetry of Percy Shelley
Presenter: Laura Snyder (English); Faculty Mentor: Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud
The Romantic period is known for the rise of individualism and focus on the emotional variety of humanity, with nature and the past shaping the relationship between poetry and the human experience. While Christianity underpins many of the poems during this period, Percy Shelley famously and loudly diverged from the religious aspects of the period. Shelley’s poetry largely substitutes divine power and religious authority with the human mind and nature. I am interested in understanding how Shelley’s religious views and experiences contributed to the overall perception of and the relationship between nature, faith, and religion during the Romantic period. My research on this topic primarily focuses on the close reading of Shelley’s poetry and prose, as well as engagement with scholarly criticism of Shelley and his body of work. The poetry I focused on includes a wide range of poetry types, including a lyrical drama, several odes, and a narrative poem. Much of the criticism I explored tackled Shelley’s place within the Romantic period at large and how his relationships, religious views, political activism, and radical beliefs shaped his poetry.
Characterizing inhibition of neutrophil extracellular trap pathway components and understanding their necessity for Campylobacter jejuni- induced NETosis.
Presenter: Nicole Vaccaro (Biology); Faculty Mentor: Jeremiah Johnson
Co-authors: Madison Bunch, Dr. Jeremiah Johnson
Campylobacter jejuni is a global cause of bacterial-derived gastroenteritis. Inflammatory sequelae are increasing in occurrence, and these disorders overlap with several that arise in response to neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), web-like structures of cytotoxic DNA that entrap and inhibit pathogens. This overlap suggests C. jejuni infection is not just the cause of acute gastroenteritis and the host immune system may be exacerbating this inflammation. During campylobacteriosis, neutrophils are recruited to the colon and release NETs, which appears to be facilitated by a Campylobacter protein called SliP. SliP was identified as a protein that is translocated into neutrophils and is necessary for NETosis. This project aims to identify the parts of the NET pathway that are necessary for SliP-induced NETosis, such as PAD4, myeloperoxidase, TLR4, and NADPH oxidase. This was achieved by performing SYTOX assays of neutrophil infections with either wild-type or SliP deletion C. jejuni to measure the extrusion of extracellular DNA while being treated with various pathway inhibitors. NETosis was confirmed with flow cytometry to view specific NET markers. Future directions include using chemical inhibition of the same NET pathway targets in our murine model of campylobacteriosis to further examine the role SliP plays in infection and inflammation.”
Associations between Mindfulness and Subjective Well-being in Youth
Presenter: Noah Wade (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Chris Elledge
Evidence consistently supports that mindfulness is beneficial for maintaining and treating mental health in child and adult populations. With a recent increase of public interest in positive psychology, some researchers interested in mindfulness have begun shifting their attention to discovering the impacts mindfulness has on positive human characteristics. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the associations between mindfulness and subjective well-being in a youth population in southeastern United States. In the study, we operationalize subjective well-being through measures of optimism, life satisfaction, and self-concept, and further analyze how gender influences these relationships.
The impact of a Childs need for developmental, emotional, or behavioral problems based on the amount of time the parent or guardian has spent in jail.
Co-Presenters: Jalen Webb (Psychology), Grace Woodside (Psychology), Sadan Al Jabri (Psychology), and Kenan Assay (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Jasmine Coleman
Co-authors: Grace Woodside, Sadan Al Jabri, and Kenan Assay
This study aims to examine the impact of a child’s need for treatment for emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems based on the amount of time the parent or guardian has spent in jail. Previous studies have pointed to associations between parental incarceration and the outcomes of young adults. However, there is a gap in the literature surrounding the perceived need of treatment based on the parent/guardian’s time spent in incarceration. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), a survey of the US Census Bureau, is a nationally representative sample, and for purposes of this study, the 2022 survey data was analyzed. 54,103 children were included in this sample size. Of the 54,103 children sampled, 41,137 children were white, 3,710 children were black, and 9,056 children had reported a different race. Furthermore, 94.80%(49,133) of children had claimed to have had a parent/guardian serve time in jail, and of these children, 86.5%(46,741) claimed to need treatment for emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems. Due to the positive correlation, these findings point toward parental incarceration being a possible predictor of needing treatment. Examining potential risk factors for needing treatment is already a prominent direction of research within the clinical psychological field, so future directions of research may point towards looking at protective factors, the impact of community-based programming, as well as parental contact while incarcerated. Understanding how parental incarceration affects children’s need for emotional, behavioral, and developmental treatment allows for the field to provide better programming and intervention possibly before the need for treatment, leading to happier, healthier, and more well-adjusted children.”
Visualization of 3D Genome Interactions During Nematode programmed DNA Elimination
Co-Presenters: Abigail West (Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology) and Hannah Lam (Biology); Faculty Mentor: Jianbin Wang
Other Co-Authors: Prabal Maharjan, Dr. Ryan Simmons, Dr. Jianbin Wang
Programmed DNA Elimination (PDE) eliminates a large portion of DNA during development. PDE violates the genome constancy rule, but it occurs naturally in organisms. In nematodes, PDE requires chromosomal breakage and DNA break repair. Currently, the mechanisms for the selection of chromosomal breakage sites and the generation of breaks are unknown. Our recent Hi-C data in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suggests that 3D genome interactions may play a role in recognizing the break sites. We show Hi-C interactions between many break sites. However, the kinetics, timing, and locations of these interactions are unclear. DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a technique to detect and visualize specific DNA sequences at single-cell resolution. In this project, we aim to use DNA FISH to visualize 3D genome interactions for specific break sites. Several genomic regions observed to interact through Hi-C were amplified through PCR and fluorescently labeled to generate FISH probes. These probes were validated using early embryos and are being used to visualize interactions between break regions. Studying the interactions between chromosome ends could demonstrate 3D genome interactions at single-cell resolution and how these interactions may be related to the mechanism of PDE.
SI-PET-RAFT polymerization by electrodeposition of aniline, carbazole, and GO: Toward anti-corrosion applications
Presenter: Evelyn Winn (Chemical Engineering); Faculty Mentor: Rigoberto Advincula
Polyaniline (PANI) plays an important role in multiple scientific fields, including the anti-corrosion discipline; this is mostly because its conductivity can easily be tuned by adjusting its oxidation state. PANI can be produced in many ways such as electrochemical, photo-induced, and enzymatic. Many studies on the electropolymerization of heteroaromatic monomers such as aniline, pyrrole, and carbazole appear in the literature. Nowadays, surface-initiated photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-PET-RAFT) polymerization is used and preferred to form thin films owing to its simple procedure under ambient conditions and visible light. Besides, the uses of graphene oxide (GO) as an additive have increased due to its properties like chemically inertness, barrier properties, and conductivity. Thereby, this study aims to create a superior anti-corrosion and tune wettability polymer brush coating, synthesized following the SI-PET-RAFT polymerization. Thus, the monomers (i.e., aniline and carbazole), as well as GO will be electrodeposited onto the substrate (e.g., ITO, Si Wafer) forming a conductive crosslinked film. Then a polymeric solution will be added, and light irradiated to form the polymer brushes (e.g., PS, PMMA). The anti- corrosion properties will be tested by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Potentiodynamic polarization, and the wettability will be tested by measuring the water contact angle in different environments (e.g., varying pH). Moreover, surface and chemical characterization will be done, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and Fourier- Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR).
Associations between Adult Support and Bullying in Black High School Students.
Co-Presenters: Hasiah Wolfe (Psychology), Trinity Reed (Psychology), and Caitlyn Stephan (Psychology); Faculty Mentor: Jasmine Coleman
Authors: Hasiah Wolfe, Trinity Reed, Caitlyn Stephan
Introduction: Previous research has established that the presence of a caring adult in an adolescent’s life may reduce their risk of being bullied. However, a notable gap persists in the existing literature regarding the association between the presence of a trusted adult in a school setting and Black youth’s encounters with bullying, particularly as it relates to gender differences. This article seeks to explore gender differences in the relationship between the presence of a trusted adult and Black youth’s experiences with bullying.
Methods: Data were collected from the School Crime Supplement (SCS) that assessed for different forms of school victimization. There were 1351 participants whose ages ranged from 12 to 18. Fifty-three percent of the sample identified as male. Participants had to have been actively enrolled in school for at least 6 months before being eligible to complete the SCS interview.
Results: We found that after controlling for age, the presence of a caring adult was negatively associated with the number of days bullied for Black male adolescents. However, for Black female adolescents, the presence of a caring adult was positively associated with the number of days they were bullied. As for physical aggression, a significant association was not found with the presence of a caring adult.
Conclusions: These results indicate that the presence of a caring adult is a significant predictor variable for the number of days bullied for Black youth, but findings vary across genders. The presence of a caring adult for Black male adolescents led to fewer days of being bullied. As for Black female adolescents, the results produced a different effect. Future research should focus on determining if different forms of bullying produce similar or contrasting gender differences for Black youth.
Women Marines and their Early Struggles and Perseverance: The Progression and Struggles of Women Marines during the Korean Conflict in the Early Stages of Integrating Women in the Marine Corps
Presenter: Caroline Workman (History); Faculty Mentor: Chris Magra
The research presentation discusses the early history of integration of women into the Marine Corps with the main focus on the Korean Conflict era (1950-1953). The presentation explores some of the similarities and differences between men and women Marines during basic training, the progression of job and base expansion for women, and the negative view about women in the Marines. One veteran in particular, Captain Dorothy L. Vollmer, tells her story about her service from a year prior to the Korean Conflict to the early Vietnam Conflict.