Alcohol-Related Sexual Risks among University Students and Community-Dwelling Adults in Rural Limpopo, South Africa Angela Caldwell Faculty mentors: Karen Ingersoll and Margie Tucker The University of Virginia's College at Wise A mixed methods study was conducted to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption and associated sexual risks. The focus of this presentation is the results of an individually-administered structured epidemiological (EPI) survey assessing participant demographics, alcohol use, sexual history and behaviors. Adults aged 18-44 enrolled at the University of Venda and/or residing in local communities within 45 minutes of Thohoyandou, Limpopo were recruited through convenience sampling. 210 women and 196 men were surveyed. Chi-square tests comparing alcohol consumption between men and women showed that men reported drinking more frequently than women (X2df=2 = 72.99, p < .00001) and reported drinking more alcohol (X2df=2 = 89.65, p < .00001). Male binge drinkers had a higher rate of having 3+ sexual partners in the past six months than non-binge drinkers. Binge drinkers had higher rates of STI infection than non-binge drinkers, only among men. Angela Caldwell is a senior biochemistry major and public health minor from Wise, Virginia. Her future plans are to pursue a career in the medical and public health fields.
Beta Cepheid and Mira Variable Stars: A Spectral Analysis Jesse Harris Faculty mentor: Lucian Undreiu The University of Virginia's College at Wise The purpose of this project is to investigate and compare the spectra of several variable stars, belonging to two classes, Beta Cephei and Mira, while correlating our observations with the photometric survey maintained by American Association of Variable Star Observers. We used a camera in conjunction with a spectrograph that was attached to a telescope to achieve a resolution of 0.49 Å/pixel. The short pulsation periods (0.1 – 0.3 days), and bright magnitude of the hot Beta Cephei variables enabled us to follow their evolution through the entire cycle of pulsation. In contrast, Mira variables are cool, red giants pulsating slow (>100 days) while having large fluctuations in brightness. We have observed molecular bands throughout multiple phases of a variety of Mira Variables. Jesse Harris is from Big Stone Gap, Virginia and is a math major at UVa Wise. Harris will be going to UT Knoxville in the fall for graduate school in physics.
How Contextual Factors Influence Learning in Two Rural Southern Title I Schools Carrie Brazell, Jahnina Lovette Smith-Azango, Darius Ross, and Kayla Sigwald Faculty mentor: Judith Collazo University of South Carolina Aiken
Through school-based research of community/district, school, classroom and student contextual factors, four student researchers determined that contextual factors influence instruction and learning in two Title I (low socioeconomic status) elementary schools in the Southeastern United States. A variety of factors impact students’ achievement depending on the learning culture established within the school and community. Each student presenter will focus on one aspect of contextual factors and how schools have positively impacted students’ opportunities to thrive in seemingly deficit environments. The following factors will be discussed: parental/community involvement in two rural SC Title I schools (high poverty) that have found means to continuously thrive with limited resources, cultural competence and culturally responsive instruction for ESL students (creating a diverse learning environment for immigrant students), differentiating and accommodating instruction for students with exceptionalities (GT and identified SPED students), and capitalizing on the potentiality of students from low income backgrounds.
This is a group of four elementary education majors in the professional program at USC-Aiken School of Education. The students all plan to teach in high poverty (Title I) schools upon completion of their degree program and licensure and their contextual factors research will serve them well in those future contexts.
Influence of Varying Sand Albedo on Sea Turtle Nest Depth Temperatures Mackenna Jensen Faculty mentor: Sandra Gilchrist New College of Florida
Sea turtles are sexually determined by temperature and see higher ratios of females produced with warmer temperatures. Albedo—the reflection of radiation by a surface—plays an important role in sand temperatures of nesting beaches, however, the specific variation necessary to alter nest temperatures has not been well investigated. By setting up individual samples, when the first 20 cm of sand largely varies in albedo, the surfaces, heated by solar radiation and convection, were significantly different (p < 0.05), but sand depths heated through diffusion, left depths of 20 cm and 50 cm statistically similar in temperature. It was also determined that surface temperatures predicted sand depth temperatures stronger than air temperature did. These data support the notion that minor changes to surface sand albedo through nourishments or weather events would not likely alter sea turtle nest temperatures significantly.
Mackenna Jensen is from Norwalk, Ohio and is finishing up an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology. Jensen will be pursuing marine conservation and community education after graduation.
Mobile Application Design Research to Improve Quality of Work for Taxi Drivers Claire Crowe Faculty mentor: Abraham Abebe Georgia College & State University The steadily growing popularity of instant ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft have suffocated the transportation industry’s marketplace, creating declining working conditions for drivers. After six driver suicides in one year, New York and others have started to take steps towards equalizing the market, but legislation can be slow acting. Through research of application design, user interface, and an examination of the transportation ecosystem, the application “Xi” provides a quicker solution for drivers who are suffering right now by giving them a platform through which they can easily be connected with consumers seeking rides. Riders will be incentivized to choose taxis for their added safety, lack of surcharges for busy hours, and the value of years of experience. Simultaneously, riders will also have all the great features of other ride hailing apps like an automatic price estimate, quick requests, and an estimate of when your driver will arrive. Claire Crowe is from Cartersville, Georgia and is studying Graphic Design. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in Design after graduation.
On the Enumeration of Certain Classes of Hamiltonian Paths and Cycles in the Complete Graph Defined on the Vertices of a Regular Polygon Samuel Herman Faculty mentor: Eirini Poimenidou New College of Florida We use Burnside’s lemma to enumerate geometric classes of Hamiltonian paths and cycles in the complete graph defined on the vertices of a regular n-gon. Samuel Herman is an undergraduate mathematics student at New College of Florida. His primary interests are in discrete math and algebra.
Parental Gender Beliefs and Attitudes Involving Child’s Toy Play Amelia DuBose Faculty mentor: Tsu-Ming Chiang Georgia College & State University
Parental gender beliefs play a major role in forming gender identities. A study found that children raised by single mothers had less gender-typed knowledge and had more of an androgynous view during play time. This study aims to explore parental beliefs and attitudes in endorsing gender related behaviors and toys in relation to the sex of their child. The data was collected from preschool programs in the Southeastern US. Over 50 parents with children aged 3-5 years old filled out a parental survey to endorse a list of activities they are comfortable for their child to engage in. Parental explicit attitudes about what toys they would purchase for their children were compared with their attitude about what toys they were comfortable having their child play with. Results showed parents were more likely to reinforce male children with masculine toys. Implications will be discussed at conference. Amelia DuBose is from Thomasville, Georgia. She is a junior psychology major planning to pursue a master’s degree in either clinical psychology or school psychology.
Synthesis and Characterization of the Zinc and Manganese Complexes of 5,10,15,20-Tetra[3,4-dibenzyloxyphenyl]Porphyrin Erin Hutchens Faculty mentors: Cynthia P. Tidwell and Prakash Bharara University of Montevallo The objective of this research was to synthesize and characterize the zinc and manganese complexes of 5,10,15,20-tetra[3,4-dibenzyloxyphenyl]porphyrin. They were synthesized and purified using conventional methods. Upon metallation, the UV-Vis spectra exhibited a shift in the Soret band and disappearance of some of the Q bands as was expected. The zinc complex exhibited a Soret band at 426 nm and Q bands at 552 and 594 nm. The zinc complex gave an emission at 606 nm upon excitation at 426 nm and the quantum yield was determined to be 0.08 upon excitation at 515 nm. The manganese complex exhibited a Soret band at 482 nm and Q bands at 587 and 625 nm but did not fluoresce upon excitation. Additional characterizations are currently underway. Erin Hutchens is a chemistry major from McCalla, Alabama. She will be attending pharmacy school at Samford University in the fall of 2019.
The Effects of Sleep Efficiency and Duration on College Students’ Performance on the Stroop Test Kayla M. Mullins Faculty mentor: Alexandria M. Reynolds The University of Virginia’s College at Wise
The current study examines the relationship between sleep and cognition in college-aged students. Ten undergraduate students (4 males), average age M = 19.30 years, wore actigraph sleep monitors for one week to measure their normal sleep habits. After one week, the participants performed cognitive tasks on the computer, including the color-word Stroop test. The Pearson correlation indicated that there was a significant positive, moderate association between sleep efficiency and Stroop incongruent errors, r(8) = .714, p = .020; sleep duration and incongruent errors were not related. Surprisingly, preliminary results suggest that as sleep became more efficient, the cognitive errors increased. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation indicated that there was a significant negative, moderate association between sleep duration and Stroop congruent errors, r(8) = -.621, p = .055; sleep efficiency and congruent errors were not related. These preliminary results confirm previous studies, suggesting that as sleep duration decreased, participants made more errors.
Kayla McKenzie Mullins is a third-year psychology major from Clintwood, Virginia. After she graduates from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, she aspires to earn her doctorate in experimental cognitive psychology with a concentration in psycholinguistics and eventually become a college professor.
The Relationship between Personality and Social Media Communications Yi-Shan Chen Faculty mentor: Tsu-Ming Chiang Georgia College & State University Social media has become an indispensable source for communication. However, public debates about the benefits and potential issues of the social network are polarized. Social media is suggested to be correlated with increased negative emotions, such as depression. These results reflect that the functions of social media are multifaceted. Forms of social media include electronic communication to share information in public or send personal messages in private. The popularity and frequent usage of social media have emerged to become an interesting topic. The present study is designed to explore the relationship between a person’s personality and communication styles through online social media. The study examined three types of personalities: introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts. Data (N=529, Female = 442) were collected from college students through an online survey. The results showed statistically significant differences between the Face to Face Communication and Interact Virtual scores. Implications will be shared. Yi-Shan Chen was born in Taiwan and studies at Georgia College & State University as an exchange student from the University of Taipei. She is a Counseling Psychology major and bilingual. After graduating from college, she would like to pursue graduate studies in cultures and international relations, potentially as an interpreter and translator between Chinese and English languages.
Raptorial Strikes Investigated Using Original Software Dustin Smith Faculty mentor: James Vance University of Virginia’s College at Wise
The focus of this project is to model the predatory strikes of the Chinese mantis Tenodera sinensis, and to observe any measurable competitive advantages that this invasive species may have over the native Carolina praying mantis Stagmomantis carolina. In addition, dissections of the raptorial forelegs of observed mantises were performed to obtain the accelerating forces of the predatory strikes. The praying mantises were observed using a highspeed camera. The videos were analyzed using personal image processing software written in MATLAB using the Computer Vision toolbox that obtains two-dimensional projections of the kinematics of the foreleg segments to produce complete models of the strikes. This research is ongoing, and measurable differences have been observed in the Chinese mantises Tenodera sinensis with the males exhibiting accelerations up to four times that of the females.
Dusting Smith is from Big Stone Gap and recently earned a bachelor's degree in Biology. Smith is currently pursuing a teaching certification and plans to become a biology teacher.
Relationship between Salinity and Algal Biomass on Coastal Waters of Georgia Julia Steele Faculty mentors: Samuel Mutiti, Kalina Manoylov, and Christine Mutiti Georgia College & State University
An increase in frequency and intensity of storms coupled with sea level rise will result in saltwater intrusion on the freshwater bodies on coastal and barrier islands. This change can cause significant stress and reduction in biodiversity of unique aquatic systems on islands. The goal of this project is to map the spatial distribution and correlations of salinity, nutrients, and chlorophyll-a on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Parameters were measured using probes while lab samples were analyzed using benchtop equipment. Phosphate concentration was as high as 1.18 mg/L. Green algae, diatoms, and cyanobacteria biomass ranged from 0 µg/L to 70 µg/L. While Spatial regression analysis showed that there was a 40% positive correlation among phosphate and diatom biomass. ArcGIS analysis showed geospatial correlations among salinity, phosphate and diatoms. Algal diversity decreased as the water became more saline. These preliminary results imply that climate change has the potential to adversely impact aquatic systems. Julia Steele is from Lawrenceville, Georgia and is currently studying environmental science and public health. She is awaiting job responses from federal agencies like the CDC and the EPA along with international nonprofit organizations.
The Graceful Tree Algorithm Fiona Bogart Faculty mentor: Eirini Poimenidou New College of Florida
A well-known open problem in graph theory is the Graceful Tree Conjecture, which states that any tree with n vertices may be labeled gracefully. In other words, each vertex of the tree may be labeled with the integers 1 through n so that the absolute difference of the labels of each edge’s endpoints is distinct. We develop an algorithm capable of constructing a tree with n vertices and a graceful labeling. The algorithm works backwards by labeling the vertices of Kn by the integers 1 through n and then the edges by the absolute difference of their endpoints' labels. The algorithm then proceeds to have us choose and delete appropriate edges from the labeled complete graph until we obtain a gracefully labeled tree. We then explore the class of trees the algorithm is capable of producing, which we call algorithmic trees. We demonstrate that stars, paths, and caterpillars are algorithmic.
Fiona Bogart is a third-year mathematics student at New College of Florida. They enjoy thinking about and visualizing abstract mathematics, and their primary interests lie in graph theory, abstract algebra, and Riemann surfaces.
Selves-As-Citizens: Redressing the Private-Public Distinction Hannah Sine Faculty mentor: Aron Edidin New College of Florida
Utilizing Hegelian thought and dialectic methods, I consider the implications of compartmentalizing public and private life in our notions of the citizen. Inspired by relational concepts of personhood in feminist philosophy, I reconstruct Hegel's understanding of personhood as presented in the Elements of the Philosophy of Right. This view of personhood is used in the syllogism of the Ethical Life, thereby influencing the subsequent development of his concept of the citizen. I make use of Hegel's framework to call attention to the arbitrary division between citizenship and personhood, demonstrating the shortcomings of this modularized notion of persons; notably, in its failure to maintain a continuous conception of the self. Through further implementation of his syllogistic structure, I argue that the self and citizen are similar structures which can be successfully integrated into a coherent concept of self, thereby developing a contemporary, relational view of selves-as-citizens.
Hannah Sine is a philosophy student at New College of Florida, not far away from her hometown of Naples, Florida. After graduation she plans to pursue a doctoral program in Philosophy and eventually become a professor.
Persuading a Temple: The Rhetoric of Jim Jones Katherine Dotten Faculty mentor: Amy Clark University of Virginia’s College at Wise
This research project examines classical rhetorical strategies of logos, ethos, and pathos within the spoken rhetoric of Jim Jones in the formation of People’s Temple in the 1950s to late 1970s. Additionally, the research includes the contextual factors that influenced Jones’ efficiency as a persuasive speaker. A rhetorical analysis of People’s Temple footage and survivor testimony gathered by PBS, along with a database on Jonestown, reveals rhetorical patterns that Jones used to gain, maintain, and manipulate a following of hundreds of people. Understanding the ways in which cult leaders like Jones use rhetoric to persuade followers can contribute to similar studies and an ongoing discussion about ethics and influence.
Katherine Dotten is a Wise, Virginia native attending University of Virginia's College at Wise to obtain a degree in Communication Studies. After graduating in spring of 2020, she will be attending East Tennessee State University to obtain a master’s degree in Speech Pathology.
Perceptions of Student Service Participation in a Liberal Arts Education Lily Johnson Faculty mentor: Amanda Reinke Georgia College & State University
Community service is consistently listed as a cornerstone of liberal arts. Most research on service participation in college gathered quantitative data to analyze volunteering motivations at universities with a service-learning component. Georgia College claims community service is an integral part of their mission that helps students become engaged citizens. This is reflected by the large proportion of GC students who volunteer. There is little data examining student perceptions of service as part of their GC experience. This research project addresses gaps using two methods: participant observation and semi-structured interviewing with students and employees. Preliminary findings display a wide array of motivations for student service participation relating to both intrinsic and extrinsic motives. Interview data relates service to the liberal arts mission as a method of expanding perspectives of students through participation service. These results appear to support current literature on this topic and explore deep-seated motivators for voluntary service participation.
Lily Johnson is a junior Psychology major and Anthropology minor and will graduate as a Certified Nonprofit Professional. She intends to pursue a career in the nonprofit field, and is from Dalton, Georgia.
His Kind: A Study of Male Sexual Being and Homosociality Donovan Cleckley Faculty mentor: Deborah Lowry University of Montevallo
“To imagine a sexual act that doesn't conform to law or nature is not what disturbs people,” Michel Foucault once said. “But that individuals are beginning to love one another—there's the problem.” Friendship and love, then, allow for the re-vision of human relations between men and between women. But, the imperatives of gender and (hetero)sexuality complicate the ideal communion among humans in society. The project then addresses the development of male homosocial relationships, whether they be gaily straight or queerly fraught with panic and peril. It considers the peculiar social and cultural construction of male sexuality, which has been subject to changes rooted in sexual and economic causes. Works used in this analysis include, among others, Phyllis Chesler’s About Men, bell hooks’ The Will to Change, and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s Between Men.
Donovan Cleckley is a senior double major in English and Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Montevallo. He grew up in Clanton, Alabama and intends to pursue graduate studies in literary and social studies.
The Construction of Perceived Authenticity in Ethnic Tourism Olivia Lowrey Faculty mentor: Catherine Cottrell New College of Florida
Ethnic tourism instigates a reflexive relationship between tourists and host groups which blurs the lines between hospitality and economic exchange. Perceived authenticity, satisfaction, and amount paid for an experience positively correlate, contributing to host groups advertising images which cater to touristic perceptions of authenticity. This study expands understanding of consumer decision making by exploring the cognitive underpinnings of perceived authenticity in ethnic tourism using representativeness heuristics and prototype theory. 271 respondents from Amazon Mechanical Turk completed both a survey containing a description of an ethnic tourism experience which varied across four levels of prototypicality, and measures of perceived authenticity, satisfaction, and price. Analysis indicated that as hosts are presented closer to a cognitive prototype of an ethnic group, perceived authenticity increased. These results indicate that specific characteristics of host group representation influence tourist perceptions in ways that could have implications for host group autonomy over group image.
Olivia Lowrey is an economics and psychology student in her last semester at New College of Florida. Her research interests include behavioral economics and decision making from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The Limits of Knowledge: Responses to Darwinism among German Scientists Robert Powers Faculty mentor: Mark Clark University of Virginia’s College at Wise
This presentation focuses on responses to Darwinism among German scientists and religious thinkers. The scientists foregrounded in this study are the Jesuit entomologist Erich Wasmann and the botanists Johannes Reinke and Eberhard Dennert, who critically examined Darwin's theory of natural selection. In doing so, they did not resort to what we would now label “fundamentalist tropes.” Rather, they were willing to accept empirical evidence and thought in broad religious and philosophical terms about evolution’s mechanisms and the associated implications. This research also represents an attempt to contextualize Darwinism. In Germany, his ideas were quickly appropriated by materialists and largely popularized by the monist Ernst Haeckel, who put his own philosophical “spin” on Darwin’s conclusions. German scientists’ arguments against materialists’ employment of Darwin’s ideas fit with other comments on the limits of knowledge, so I attempt to situate them within the broader intellectual history of the nineteenth century.
Robert Powers is a history and German major from Dungannon, Virginia. He plans to pursue graduate study in history this coming fall.
Worker Cooperatives as Wealth-Building Institutions in Low-Income Communities in the US Adam Johnson Faculty mentor: Mark Paul New College of Florida
Worker cooperatives are enterprises structured to be democratically owned and managed by their workers. The co-op's unique equity structure fundamentally shifts the incentives of a business towards its workers' needs and wants, supplanting the profit motive. This labor-oriented structure eliminates a primary root cause of poverty and wealth inequality: the role of the capitalist as an extractor of wealth within the workplace. The ability of cooperatives to reduce poverty and build wealth is well documented within the current literature, but this research is scattered throughout different areas of community development and worker experiences. This paper concentrates the economic theory behind the cooperative’s wealth-building capabilities with a lens from the low-income communities that need those benefits the most. After discussing theory, some public policy strategies for how to best encourage the growth of the cooperative economy are explored.
Adam Johnson is a sophomore from New College of Florida who is concentrating in Sociology and Political Science. He has a specific interest in growing the worker cooperative movement as he hopes to work within the labor movement in some way after graduation.
Addressing Economic Issues in Milledgeville Montana Phalan Faculty mentor: Amanda Reinke Georgia College & State University
43% of the population within Milledgeville lives below the poverty line, higher than the national average of 13%. A decade ago, Milledgeville was surging with employment. In a few years, more than 1,800 jobs were dissolved. Because of this, economic infrastructures, such as money lending offices and other businesses have become visible. These businesses provide a much-needed financial infrastructure by offering monetary resources to those with limited options. Despite their widespread use, little data has been collected to understand the impacts of these loans on business owners who operate them, their clients, or the community’s economic wellbeing. Using interviews, mapping techniques, and archival data, the goal of this research is to determine the ways lending businesses provide economic opportunities to individuals who have few options but may capture their clients in a cycle of debt. This project will illuminate a pervasive economic issue by examining business owners’ and clients’ perceptions and experiences with money lending.
Montana Phalan is from Loganville, Georgia and is a Philosophy major and an Anthropology minor. After graduation, Phalan plans on working for an NGO and travelling doing field work.
Economic Success Story, the South Korean Way Levi Springer Faculty mentor: Alexander Mechitov University of Montevallo
This presentation covers how South Korea rapidly transitioned its economy from one that survived by agricultural means, to one that thrives from exporting some of the most sophisticated hardware on the planet today. Being very land poor South Korea knew that they would need to focus on quality rather than quantity and produce a few specialized products. We will analyze how this was done by investing heavily in human capital, and putting a great deal of emphasis on the importance of education. Today this country has some of the highest student test scores in math and science in the world. Secondly, South Korea began investing heavily in research and development, becoming a world leader in high tech industries. Third, South Korea has developed a business environment that makes it very easy to do business. Lastly we will discuss specifics of the Korean culture that accomplishes tasks as effectively as possible.
Levi Springer is a marketing major at the University of Montevallo from Maylene, Alabama, which is about 30 minutes south of Birmingham. He is considering furthering his academic studies through a graduate program.
The Power Suit: A Rhetorical Examination of Gendered Professional Attire Erica Lewis Faculty mentor: Cynthia Mwenja University of Montevallo
Textual Google inquiries can result in images and in longer textual resources, presenting a means of analyzing a population's collective ideas about certain images and the ideas that they are associated with. Upon searching various arrangements of words and synonyms, professional clothing images presented a plethora of gender rules for how to "look professional." From clothing color and cuts to the diction used to describe them, these Google images reflect what a majority of our society and the media that informs it agrees to be professional based on gender stereotypes.
Graduating in May 2019, Erica Lewis is pursuing her BFA in Studio Arts and her BA in English. Officially concentrating in printmaking and in drawing, Lewis is primarily focused on composition and rhetoric within her language studies and wishes to further her research into visual and textual rhetoric after graduation, possibly in an MFA Studio or PhD-track English program.
Living to Survive: Causes of and Solutions to Poverty among Single Mothers Sabrina Mikes Faculty mentor: Sarah Hernandez New College of Florida
This purpose of this research was to explore the causes of and potential solutions to poverty among low-income, white, single mothers in Sarasota, Florida. In order to complete this, I conducted in-depth interviews with 5 mothers. I found that bad partners and divorce, the role of single motherhood, low quality work, and inaccessible resources were all major contributors to poverty among the women. Solutions ranged from individual development to community support and structural change. I ultimately argue that ideological and economic transformation are necessary for alleviation of poverty among these women which can shed light onto solutions for the larger population. Sabrina Mikes is a 4th year thesis student at New College of Florida. She studies Sociology and takes special interest in the intersections of class, race, and gender as well as the potential solutions to these inequalities.
Welcome to Gendered Dada Morgan Drawdy Faculty mentor: Katherine Anania Georgia College & State University
This paper explores the works of art throughout the Dada art period from three specific artists: Marcel Duchamp, Francis Picabia, and Baroness Else Von Freytag-Loringhoven. It delves deep into the making of the pieces and the influences behind them. The pieces are analyzed through the lens of gender and gender bias that is caused by the changing of societal roles during World War One, touching on topics such as women entering the work force and the evolution and devolution of the typical masculine role throughout history. The paper is brought together to explore how these societal changes influenced works of art through this specific artistic period.
Morgan Drawdy is from Cumming, Georgia and is a Fine Arts Major with minors in Mathematics and Business Administration. Drawdy’s post-graduation plans are to attend graduate school for an aspect of industrial design.
Altering Femininity through Analysis of Female Stereotypes and Aristotle's Four Levels of Characterization Bailee Adams Faculty mentor: Amy Pinney Georgia College & State University
An actor’s ability to transform into a character is a crucial element of theatrical magic. To do so, an actor must rely on clues left by the playwright. When taking on the role of Jeanine in the play The Marriage Counselor, I sought to evaluate the most effective way to portray this character. To do so, I evaluated Jeanine’s and my female stereotype based on the work of the Guerrilla Girls (2003). The character of Jeanine was then created through analysis of her four levels of characterization based on Aristotle’s Poetics (335 B.C.). The evaluation of the levels of characterization were ultimately presented as imperative to the research process, as it informed Jeanine’s physicality, speech inflection, and interaction with other characters. The results indicated the most effective way to portray a female character is to assess the dialogue, evaluate her stereotype, and use that to drive the analysis of Aristotle’s four levels of characterization.
Bailee Adams is from Greensboro, Georgia and is a Theatre major. She plans to pursue an MFA in Acting after graduating from Georgia College & State University.
The Great Moon Hoax of 1835: How Scientific Prints Prompted Social Criticism in the Romantic Era Tia N. Kuhns Faculty mentor: Leisa Rundquist University of North Carolina at Asheville
The lithographs that accompanied the Great Astronomical Discoveries Lately Made By Sir John Herschel, L.L.D, F.R.S, &c. At The Cape of Good Hope, which appeared via The New York Sun newspaper between August 26th and 31st of 1835, captivated public attention, resulting in a mass journalistic sensation. The intentional artistic style, densely layered composition, and inclusion of tropical vegetation in the illustrations added to the prestige and believability of the depicted hoax. Further, the prints serve as an allegory for social and political issues of the time, such as the movement to abolish slavery in the United States, and the relationships between European colonial powers and indigenous peoples. Through comparison of The Sun’s original lithographs with past landscapes, like the satirical garden paintings of Watteau, and contemporary scientific exploration imagery of Latin America, the paper establishes the role of these images as a social lens.
Tia Kuhns was born in Burlington, North Carolina. She is currently a candidate for a BFA in printmaking at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, with plans to pursue an MFA after graduating in Fall of 2019.
Projection as Cultivation: An Ecogothic Examination of Romance of the Forest Conrad Schaffer Vignati Faculty mentor: Miriam Wallace New College of Florida
Gothic literature often uses spaces as abstractions, a projected “psychic landscape” in which the intentions of the characters resonate with a setting that responds to their intimate desires and fears. In doing so, the Gothic created cultural touchstones that are still effective today. One such sign is the forest, a space included in a narrative to serve the needed function. This paper examines how Ann Radcliffe’s The Romance of the Forest frames that titular nonhuman realm, and how it relates to gendered perceptions of power. Her forest shifts between an anthropomorphized entity and a static space — it is both an artistic representation of nature that elevates the characters into sublime terror, or a game park, something to be cultivated through human control. In either case, Radcliffe identifies the dangers of the forest as an extension of male failure, and strains to locate a reconciliation of nature through property lines.
Conrad Schaffer Vignati is an English major at New College of Florida, currently working on his undergraduate thesis, an ecocritical examination of Gothic forests. His research interests include 18th and 19th century British literature and culture, environmental and ecological theory, storytelling, and intersectional approaches in critical theory.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Genetic Screen: “A Tale of SEC6” Billie Mills and Kaitlyn Burke Faculty mentor: Ellen France Georgia College & State University
Polarized protein secretion is a fundamental process for all eukaryotic cells mediated by hundreds of proteins. Our interest lies on yeast Sec6 protein, a component of the exocyst complex, which is required for the proper delivery of secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. Sec6 surface patch mutants have severe growth and secretion defects at 37°C. We currently hypothesize that Sec6 anchors the complex, and the Sec6-49 temperature sensitive phenotype stems from disruption of Sec6’s surface interaction with unknown factor(s) on the plasma membrane. We employed a genetic screen using a genomic library to identify genes that rescue the growth defect of sec6-49 cells at 37°C, allowing mutant cells to grow. We have isolated approximately 30 potential suppressor plasmids and have identified a few potential candidate genes. Validation of these individual candidate genes leading to discovery of new interacting proteins will allow us to explore Sec6 function within the exocyst further. Billie Mills is a senior biology major from Moultrie, Georgia currently planning to attend medical school or a graduate program in cellular and molecular biology after graduation. Kaitlyn Burke is a third year biology major from Dacula, Georgia. After graduation, she’s thinking about being a high school teacher.
Polynuclear Ruthenium Organometallic Complexes Induce DNA Damage in Cells Repaired by the Nucleotide Excision Repair Pathways Olivia Fast Faculty mentor: Steven Shell University of Virginia’s College at Wise
Ruthenium organometallic compounds represent an attractive avenue in developing alternatives to platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents. While evidence has been presented indicating ruthenium-based compounds interact with isolated DNA in vitro, it is unclear what effect these compounds exert in cells. Moreover, the antibiotic efficacy of ruthenium organometallic compounds remains uncertain. In this study we report that exposure to polynuclear ruthenium organometallic compounds induces recruitment of damaged DNA sensing protein Xeroderma pigmentosum Group C (XPC) into chromatin-immobilized foci. Additionally, we observed one of the tested polynuclear ruthenium organometallic complexes displayed increased cytotoxicity against human cells deficient in nucleotide excision repair (NER). Taken together, these results suggest that polynuclear ruthenium organometallic compounds induce DNA damage in cells, and that cellular resistance to these compounds may be influenced by the NER DNA repair phenotype of the cells. Olivia Fast is a third year biochemistry major from Pound, Virginia. She plans to attend dental school after graduation.
Verification of Chromosome Numbers in Utricularia floridana, an Aquatic, Carnivorous Plant Native to the Southeastern United States Zachary Izen Faculty mentor: Gretchen Ionta Georgia College & State University
Previously, we conducted a cytological study of Utricularia floridana, an aquatic, carnivorous flowering plant of the Lentibulariaceae family, establishing a preliminary chromosome number of n=16 based on mitotic root tip counts. We aim to verify these results with meiotic counts from an additional population of this species. Lentibulariaceae are known for their extreme interspecific cytological variability, and the accelerated molecular evolution in this clade of carnivorous plants is of particular interest to plant geneticists. However, minute chromosome size coupled with an absence of roots and a tendency to inhabit inconvenient habitats renders determination of chromosome numbers in this group difficult, such that fewer than 20% of the ca. 233 species of Utricularia have been counted. In June 2018 we collected samples from a population of U. floridana, and after identifying and processing viable meiotic samples, utilized staining techniques to gain a chromosome number of n=16.
Zachary Izen was raised in Buford, Georgia, and currently majors in biology with a research focus in plant science. Post-graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in bioethics.
Divine Artistry: The Power of Materiality and Craft in Statuette and Arm Reliquaries of the Holy Roman Empire Jake L. Swartz Faculty mentors: Leisa Rundquist, Laurel Taylor, and Rodger Payne University of North Carolina at Asheville
Statuette and arm reliquaries held unique significance within the Holy Roman Empire. Reliquaries existed as symbols of economic, religious, and political power. Containing the remains of saints, these ornate boxes were beautifully decorated to reflect the power of their associated saint. Often these decorations required complex expensive materials and techniques to create potent images that portrayed biblical figures or events. These gilded feretories sat atop altars in palaces and cathedrals as they were often used in pilgrimage and other devotional practices, along with being traded and collected by elites. In many cases leaders often kept reliquaries close at hand as power from reliquaries came from their proximity. Building upon existing research, this paper seeks to address an unrecognized power in reliquaries that focuses on the political and cosmological resonance in the elaborately adorned container rather than the relic inside.
Jake Swartz is a dual major of art history and anthropology from Cary, North Carolina. He hopes to work in an art museum for a year before moving onto graduate school to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in archaeology.
Bad Faith and The Big Lebowski Leah Bender Faculty mentor: Aron Edidin New College of Florida
Here I explore Sartre's concepts of freedom and responsibility (from his 1943 book Being and Nothingness) as they are evident in the Coen brother’s 1998 classic film The Big Lebowski. I examine the actions and interactions of the two Lebowskis (the 'big' Lebowski and The Dude) in order to demonstrate that--although they share the same surname--the two men approach freedom and responsibility in markedly different ways. Despite their apparent differences (viz., that the Dude prefers to ‘abide’ by life’s misfortunes while the big Lebowski considers himself a self-made man), I also explain the ways in which both of the Lebowskis--along with many of the other characters encountered in the film--ultimately find themselves in what Sartre calls 'bad faith'; i.e., the state of individuals who deny the reality of being essentially free, and, consequently, deny any of the responsibility that this entails.
Leah Bender is a 3rd year philosophy student at New College of Florida, originally hailing from Washington DC. She is particularly interested in philosophy of mind and intends to write her senior thesis on consciousness and artificial intelligence.
Through the Veil of Christianity: the (Almost) Evangelization of the Nahuas in Colonial Mexico Sarah Burke Faculty mentor: Veronica Rodriguez The University of Virginia's College at Wise
When Spain colonized Mexico, they attempted to convert the native Nahuas to Christianity. The church kept records in which they provide examples of the methods used to teach Christian concepts to the Nahuas. The Spaniards’ limited understanding of the Nahuatl language hybridized the Christian religion and the Nahuatl religion. I will begin with the Spaniards’ failure to translate Christian ideas into the Nahuatl language accurately. They either created a new Nahuatl word, supplied a Spanish word, or reshaped a pre-existing concept in the Nahuatl mentality. I will analyze how the Spaniards failed to accurately and effectively translate the ideas they carried even though they developed a functional system for translating the words themselves. I will discuss how the Spaniards did not establish an orthodox Christianity, but instead created a hybrid that was born from learning Christian concepts through a lens of Nahuatl understanding, thus creating a different religious practice.
Sarah Burke is from Pound, Virginia and will graduate this May with a Bachelor's degree, majoring in French and Spanish, with a minor in German. After graduation she is taking a gap year and then applying to law school.
