Title: EchoPath: Real-Time Spatial Audio Navigation for the Visually Impaired Using Computer Vision

Abstract:

Approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide live with some form of visual impairment, yet the tools available to help them navigate the physical world remain either prohibitively expensive or fundamentally inadequate. Specialized navigation hardware can cost thousands of dollars, placing it far beyond reach for the majority of visually impaired individuals, particularly those in developing countries. Existing smartphone accessibility tools, such as Apple VoiceOver and Google TalkBack, function as screen readers that describe digital interfaces rather than the physical environment. EchoPath addresses this gap by transforming hardware that users already own into a real-time spatial navigation system that costs nothing to run.

EchoPath processes live video from an iPhone 14 Plus, streamed via Apple's Continuity Camera to a MacBook Pro, where all inference runs locally with no cloud dependency. Object detection is performed using YOLO11n accelerated by PyTorch's Metal Performance Shaders backend, identifying objects in the environment in approximately eight milliseconds per frame. Depth estimation is carried out using Depth Anything V2, a monocular depth model that infers the distance of each detected object from a single RGB camera frame, eliminating the need for specialized hardware such as LiDAR. Each detected object is mapped to a three-dimensional coordinate using the camera's field of view geometry, and a corresponding virtual sound source is placed at that position using the PyOpenAL spatial audio engine.

The result is a continuous, real-time soundscape in which objects to the left emit sound from the left ear, approaching obstacles grow louder and higher in pitch, and semantically significant objects such as doors, stairs, or people trigger a brief voice label delivered via macOS text-to-speech. The total end-to-end pipeline latency is approximately 65 milliseconds, well within the threshold at which humans begin to perceive audio spatial lag.

The research contribution of this project extends beyond system implementation. No prior work has formally studied which spatial audio encoding scheme produces the fastest and safest navigation outcomes for visually impaired users. EchoPath will be evaluated in a controlled user study conducted in partnership with Purdue Fort Wayne's Disability Resource Center, in which participants navigate an unfamiliar environment under different audio conditions. Metrics including time to destination, obstacle collision rate, and subjective comfort will be compared across conditions. The findings are intended for submission to an accessibility-focused venue such as ACM ASSETS or CHI. By requiring only a smartphone and earphones, EchoPath is designed to be globally deployable, a meaningful step toward accessible navigation technology for the 1.3 billion people who currently lack it.

Title: The 21st Century Meets the 17th Century – Building a Digital Continuo Pipe Organ

Abstract:

Early music, broadly defined as performing musical repertoire from hundreds or even thousands of years ago, focuses on bringing the music and styles of the past to the ears of the modern listener. Using a variety of historically informed performance practices and period-correct musical instruments, early music performers seek to bring the sonic world of the past to life. However, historically informed instruments can be prohibitively expensive. For example, the continuo organ, a type of small, portable pipe organ consisting of wooden and metal pipes and leather bellows can be as much as $40,000 for an entry-level instruments. Attempts to reduce the cost of continuo organs have been made, such as replacing physical pipes with speakers and computer software. These digitized pipe organs, called “digital continuo organs,” remain expensive, with current instruments retailing for as much as $35,000. 

Starting in 2024, I undertook an honors project under the guidance of Dr. John Romey to design and build a functional digital continuo organ suitable for use as a continuo instrument in public performances of early music. As a pipe organ student at PFW that has specialized in early music basso continuo realization, this project has allowed me to put my musical studies to practical use in creating a functional musical instrument. Built at a cost of $2,700, this digital continuo organ costs far less than any commercial digital continuo organ currently sold. Additionally, resources online providing guidance in the building of such an instrument are extremely rare, with only a handful of YouTube videos and very few if any articles/blog postings. Through my experiences of overcoming design and budgetary challenges, I will be able to help fill the void of knowledge about building and designing a low-cost digital continuo organ that currently exists in today’s musical world by writing articles and/or blog posts detailing my research and construction journey.

Title: The Illusion of Yugoslavia: National Identity and the Politics of Violence

Abstract:

Yugoslavia under Tito was a state-managed illusion. The illusion of Yugoslavia was maintained through narrative control, economic mystification, and political oppression. The “Yugoslav” identity under Tito operated as a component of this illusion. The Yugoslav illusion began to fracture following Tito’s death and ultimately was officially dismantled with the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars in the early to mid 1990s. The Yugoslav Wars presented a violent reconfiguration of national identity, and dismantled what it meant to be a Yugoslavian. 

This reconfiguration was mobilized through the mass politicization of national identity, supported by historical narratives and lived experience. Nationalist political leaders across the former Yugoslav republics strategically exploited national identity to mobilize aligned masses and legitimize violence. One nationalist figurehead who rose above all others was Slobodan Milošević. Milošević reconstructed Serbian national identity and mobilized it as a political instrument to enact and justify violence against Bosniak Muslims. This violence is manifested in the atrocities justified by nationalist narratives surrounding Srebrenica and Sarajevo in Bosnia - Herzegovina. Together, these cities bear witness to physical manifestation of the violent reconfiguration of identity under nationalist mobilization.

In an expanded view, the Yugoslav Wars illustrate how identity is socially and culturally constructed. A construction that is influenced by political, historical, and contemporary dynamics. These dynamics shape identity as not just an ideology but a lived experience. The Yugoslav Wars between Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina became an expression of lived identity, one enacted through violence. For Bosniak Muslims, identity itself became a marker of vulnerability to Serbian violence. Names, accents, religious markers, and personal histories became determinants of security, suspicion, and exposure to violence. As a result, identity transformed into a daily negotiation of survival.

Title: Impact of High Glycemic Load Diets on Acne Severity via Hormonal and Microbial Pathways

Abstract:

Acne Vulgaris is the most prevalent dermatological condition in the United States, affecting 90 percent of adolescents and many adults. Acne is typically a rather minor disease that, while unsightly, is mostly harmless. Despite this, in some cases, acne can have adverse impacts on mental health, cause permanent scars, and even cause deeper tissue damage. In recent years, substantial research and attention have been given to preventive treatment. Lifestyle factors like stress, hygiene, sleep, and particularly diet have been shown to impact acne severity. Acne vulgaris is influenced by several biological pathways, and recent research shows that diet, especially dietary glycemic load, plays a meaningful role in acne severity. High-glycemic-load (HGL) diets cause rapid increases in blood glucose and insulin, which raise IGF-1 levels and activate pathways that increase sebum production and follicular hyper keratinization. At the same time, HGL diets negatively affect the gut microbiome by lowering the diversity of beneficial bacteria and promoting inflammation through the gut–skin axis. These changes can worsen inflammation in existing acne lesions and disrupt the balance of bacteria on the skin. Reviewing studies that focused on diet, hormones, and the microbiome to allows evaluation of how these factors work together. The evidence supports a model in which hormonal changes and gut microbiota disturbances create positive feedback loops each worsening the severity of the other, resulting in higher acne lesion count and increased severity. High glycemic diets consist of simple carbs that cause rapid spikes blood glucose levels as opposed to a slower release. The typical American diet tends to have a high glycemic load when compared to many other nations making this issue particularly relevant here. Understanding these interactions can help individuals to avoid dietary patterns that may worsen their own acne. 

Title: Perception/Attitudes of Graduate SLP Students towards a Pseudostuttering Assignment

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions and attitudes of current speech-language pathology (SLP) graduate students towards voluntary stuttering (also called pseudostuttering) assignments commonly used in their stuttering coursework. This activity typically involves SLP students intentionally stuttering in various public settings—such as at restaurant drive-throughs, during phone calls, or while shopping—and then reflecting on their experiences. This is a commonly debated assignment, as research supports the benefits for developing clinical skills and empathy; however, concerns of ethics and disability simulation have been increasing. An online survey was sent out to directors and chairs of SLP graduate programs across the United States. Approximately 170 graduate SLP students from 34 states completed an online survey measuring their attitudes and perceptions toward voluntary stuttering assignments. The survey consisted of three subscales (Demographic information, Endorsement, and Ethics) which contained 43 quantitative questions and 5 open-ended questions. The subscales showed high internal consistency. Quantitative data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Qualitative data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis approach. Quantitative results showed that the overall perceptions towards voluntary stuttering assignments were mixed. Ethical perceptions were found to be particularly low, and pre-assignment attitudes were found to be lower than the post-assignment attitudes. Many students demonstrated ethical awareness and felt the assignment should either be made optional or an alternative assignment should be assigned instead that can build similar skill and values. Qualitative findings resulted in four themes: perspective-taking and empathy as partial but powerful, emotional and moral distress during participation, ethical tension - simulation versus appropriation, and desire for ethical redesign rather than simple removal. These findings contribute to the debate surrounding the ethics versus benefits of voluntary stuttering assignments in graduate SLP programs. This provides evidence-based insights allowing educators to best educate future clinicians to treat people who stutter, while also limiting disability simulation. 

Title: Building with Trash: Eco Erie

Abstract:

Lake Erie is the second-most contaminated lake in the country when it comes to microplastics. Microplastics are the result of plastic pollution breaking down into tiny pieces, which can then be absorbed by plants and animals and end up being digested by humans through their drinking water. As a proud native of Cleveland, Ohio, I created Eco Erie to address the issue of plastics in Lake Erie and to foster a community-wide call to action to clean plastic out of the lake and surrounding area. I titled my project Eco Erie to emphasize the environmental sustainability of my project.

I designed and built a website for consumers to use in their own pursuit of less plastic in the ecosystem. Eco Erie’s brand of the bottlefish was designed to portray how Lake Erie’s environment relies on the plastic choices of its inhabitants, as well as visually represent the process of converting plastic bottles into something greater, such as the eco bricks. Eco bricks are a sustainable building material made of plastic bottles and non-recyclable plastics and can be made from plastic donations. They both find a use for discarded single-use plastics and replace the production of new building materials.

The core mission of Eco Erie is to incentivize people to collect trash in environmentally compromised areas, such as roads at risk of runoff or Lake Erie’s beaches, and donate the trash to the organization. Collecting trash means stopping plastic pollution before it has a chance to break down into microplastics in Lake Erie.

This incentivization is upheld through the website features I created, as participants have the ability to return plastics for points on their profile. In exchange for these points, I designed merchandise for Eco Erie and partnered with Cleveland sports teams to tie in the Cleveland community and draw public attention to the cause. The website serves as a way to spread the message of reduced plastic pollution. It provides tutorials on how to make eco bricks and structures out of eco bricks, highlights clear steps on how to reduce plastic pollution in Cleveland as well as in your own household, lets customers shop for official and sustainable business merch, and most importantly, calls visitors to action. The people of Cleveland are being negatively impacted by the plastic pollution around them, so I want the new trend in Cleveland culture to be one of environmental reform through this project.

Title: Investigating the Privacy Concern in Automating Sensitive Locations Utilizing Strava Data

Abstract:

Strava is a popular website that allows users to upload and track a wide variety of activities like running, cycling, hiking, and more using GPS data. Within the site, users can view other activities uploaded by other users. Any activities tracked with GPS data that is uploaded shows a digital map of the activity and provides a deep analysis of the activity like heart rate, pace, and more. Allowing users to post activities utilizing GPS has its own inherit risk with privacy. If users upload activities that are around where they live, this could give potential criminals sensitive information about where they live, work, or frequent. Strava does have a built-in privacy feature where you can hide the start and end portions of your run to hide sensitive locations.

In my research, I plan to explore the potential privacy risks associated with activities uploaded to Strava utilizing GPS data. Utilizing the Strava API, I will access different Strava users and pull their geolocation data from their activities. To gather this data, I will develop a python code that will allow me to gather the data from their Strava activities and organize it into a .csv file. I plan to use Strava data from my peers to have a wide variety of data and map visibility features.

Using these data sets, I will train a machine learning model and have them identify locations that activities frequently start or end at. I also plan to use the built-in privacy feature to test the effectiveness of the machine learning model to identify sensitive locations with the start and end points hidden. Additionally, I plan to train a deep learning model on the data sets collected and try to identify locations frequented at certain times of the day from the GPS data collected while running.

Title: Hurricane Damage and Casualty Factors: A Statistical Analysis

Abstract:

The project seeks to provide an in-depth statistical analysis of damage and casualty factors among hurricanes located in the Atlantic Basin. This was accomplished using a dataset that was manually compiled using information and data from the NOAA Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool, available on the NOAA government website. Overall, the initial dataset consists of 107 observations—spanning from 1992 to 2024—and 14 variables, including Name, Year, Month, Category, Wmax (maximum wind speed in knots), Pmin (minimum pressure in millibars), Duration in days, StateH (states hit), Damage in US Dollars, Adjusted damages for inflation in US Dollars, Report source, Casualty, Wavg (Average wind speed in knots), and Landfall state. Using linear modeling and variable selection, a list of statistically significant variables will be obtained for Damage, Adjusted, and Casualty, with adjustments made to the set to adhere to assumptions and conventions associated with linear modeling, following exploratory data analysis. The assumptions of linear modeling expect that the dataset modeled possesses a normal deviation, linear trend, equal variance, and non-multicollinear predictors. Upon obtaining assumption-adhering linear models, the predictors observed will be assessed, with conclusions drawn concerning their relationship to each of the response variables listed above. Beyond this primary analysis, a secondary analysis, consisting of subsets divided into decades and months, will be performed. For this, numeric variables—both response and predictor—will be tested across subsets to dictate whether differences between months and decades exist, as well as what conclusions may be drawn from them. To fulfill this testing, ANOVA testing will be used, with normality and homoscedasticity assumptions met for each subset group, beyond the assumptions of standard linear model testing. In general, if a subset group is found to have differences in means that are statistically significant, a Tukey’s test will be used to identify which subsets differ from the proposed standard and one another. Limitations to datasets and models—and their impact—will be discussed, followed by conclusions. The first part of the analysis, linear modeling, resulted in a multitude of noteworthy relationships and findings, despite various limitations observed. Comparatively, subset analyses—potentially resulting from compounding flaws with the dataset and models created—proved mostly unresponsive, with additional limitations to discuss. Overall, the project provides great insight into data collection, cleaning, modeling, testing, and interpretation. 

Title: Transcriptional Regulation of the GmFAT Genes in Soybean Seed

Abstract:

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important oilseed crop utilized for its oil and protein content stored in the seed. Soybeans are globally cultivated with production increasing every year to accommodate animal feeding and human consumption. They are crucial in making consumable vegetable oil and feed meals, serving an important nutritional and economical role. The five major fatty acids produced from soybeans, linoleic, oleic, palmitic, linolenic, and stearic acid are an essential ingredient in many products.

The goal of this study is to identify transcriptional regulatory modules controlling fatty acid content in soybean seed, ultimately improving soybean oil composition. Transcriptional factors (TFs) regulate target genes by binding to specific binding sites called the cis-regulatory elements, mainly found in the promoter region of target genes. This interaction will promote or inhibit the expression of the targeted gene. Throughout the life cycle of plants, expression and suppression of genes are constantly changing. GmFAT genes are important to the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway because they terminate the chain which will determine the fatty acid composition. Here we examine how the interactions between TFs and cis-regulatory elements affect GmFAT genes that influence fatty acid biosynthesis during seed development. Utilizing public, transcriptome, transcriptional binding sites, cis regulator elements, and functional domain data, we identified six highly expressed GmFAT genes. Three transcriptional factor families, TGA, ERF, and PHR-1 have all been found to influence the fatty acid synthesis process. Two transcriptional factors, PHL7 and PHL12, part of the PHR-1family (Phosphate starvation response 1) were identified from in silico data, showing interactions with multiple GmFAT genes. PHL7 is our target because it shows a higher expression than PHL12 in soybean seed. The interactions of these transcriptional factors and GmFAT validated in vivo. Additionally, we are characterizing the PHR-1 gene family in soybeans. A deeper understanding of regulatory elements contributes to advancements in global soybean oil production. The findings obtained from this study give directions to manipulate soybean oil composition through genetic approaches.

Title: Examining Data Related to FOMC Monetary Policy Decisions

Abstract:

This project will do a focused look at the United States Federal Reserve and how they make their monetary policy decisions on interest rates. By looking at the wide variety of data that is available it is possible to display what it could possibly look like in an FOMC meeting where the Federal Reserve makes these monetary policy decisions. The Federal Reserve makes these decisions based on what is best for their dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment. This data will include variables such as unemployment, inflation, productivity, GDP, tariffs, and more. In this presentation I will collect this data and form my own recommendation for what the Federal Reserve should do when they make their next monetary policy decision. The options for this recommendation will be to either cut interest rates, raise interest rates, or keep them at their current levels. If I recommend that the Federal Reserve should cut interest rates then this decision would encourage spending in the economy which leads to an increase in inflation, but an improvement in employment levels. If I recommend that the Federal Reserve should raise their interest rates then it would lead to a decrease in spending. This would lead to a decrease in inflation, but it could negatively affect employment levels. It is important for the Federal Reserve to work towards keeping these two variables in balance in order to maintain their dual mandate. The challenge will be to make these decisions based on the most current and up to date data in order to try and predict what the state of the economy will be by the time that their monetary policy goes into effect. The end goal of this project will be to form my own conclusion for what the Federal Reserve should do based off of the data that I am able to collect.

Title: Azaindole-based PIM1 Kinase Inhibitors with Improved Potency and Selectivity

Abstract:

Kinases are enzymes that transfer a phosphate group from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to another protein in order to regulate cellular signaling. The PIM family is a group of signaling proteins involved in cell proliferation, and they have been shown to be overexpressed in cancers (e.g., lymphoma, leukemia, prostate cancer). Kinases contain an ATP-binding pocket where ATP binds, allowing it to transfer a phosphate group to another protein. Targeting this ATP-binding site to prevent ATP binding offers a promising therapeutic strategy to limit the overuse of these kinases. One selective small-molecule inhibitor, named 3-aminophenyl-7-azaindole, was recently identified and shown to be very active. A crystal structure showed that the core of the molecule, an azaindole, interacts with a region of the ATP-binding pocket called the hinge region. The region targeted by azaindoles is specific to the PIM family of kinases, suggesting that an azaindole-based inhibitor might offer particularly good selectivity and avoid inhibiting other unrelated kinases. The 3-substituent extends towards the activation loop, thereby preventing ATP binding. With this information, our lab synthesized various azaindoles with extended hydrazone linkers at the 3-position to further extend into the ATP pocket while maintaining the azaindole core and its potential for selectivity. Five candidates with promising potency have been determined. We used molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the candidates’ interactions with the binding pocket to rationally design a new azaindole-containing candidate for the PIM active site, specifically in PIM1 kinase. Furthermore, we used an ATP-Glo assay kit to experimentally confirm inhibition of PIM1 kinase activity by the azaindoles, demonstrating that the observed activity resulted from inhibition of PIM1 kinase. Several candidates show favorable binding profiles and stability within the PIM1 active site. These results identify azaindole scaffolds as promising starting points for selective inhibition of PIM1 kinase.

Title: Diverging Revolutionary Paths in Latin America: A Comparison of Fidel Castro and Daniel Ortega

Abstract:

This project examines why revolutionary leaders who emerge from similar political and historical contexts can develop very different approaches to governance over time. Focusing on Fidel Castro in Cuba and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, this study compares two leaders who both came to power through revolutions that promised social justice, national independence, and political transformation. Despite these similar beginnings, their leadership paths diverged significantly.

The central argument of this project is that while both Castro and Ortega relied on revolutionary legitimacy to justify their authority, they used it in fundamentally different ways. Castro maintained a consistent ideological commitment to socialism and used it as the foundation for long-term governance. His leadership reflected a belief that revolutionary ideals should guide political institutions, economic policy, and national identity, even during periods of crisis. In contrast, Ortega demonstrated a more flexible and pragmatic approach. While initially embracing elements of democratic participation, he gradually shifted toward authoritarian practices, using revolutionary identity as a tool to maintain power rather than as a guiding ideology.

Using a comparative historical methodology, this project draws on both primary sources, including Castro’s speeches, and secondary scholarly literature on political institutions, economic policy, and democratic change in Latin America. The analysis focuses on how each leader structured political institutions, managed opposition, and adapted economic policies over time.

This research contributes to a broader understanding of how revolutions evolve after leaders take power. It highlights that revolutionary legitimacy does not lead to a single political outcome, but can instead support different governing strategies depending on the leader and context. Ultimately, this project demonstrates that the true test of a revolution lies not in its initial success, but in how its leaders sustain and adapt power over time.

Title: Measuring Attitudes Toward Positive and Negative Peace

Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to develop a psychometric scale that accurately assesses attitudes toward the concepts of positive and negative peace. These constructs were first developed by Johan Galtung in 1969 and are central to approaching peace in the multidisciplinary field of peace and conflict studies. Negative peace refers to the absence of war and other forms of direct violence, while positive peace refers to the absence of structural violence such as poverty and inequality, and is indicative of the presence of sustainable structures that preserve negative peace. Prior research has explored attitudes toward specific aspects of peace and war, some of which overlap with positive and negative peace. For example, (Bizumic, 2013) explored the extent to which attitudes toward peace and war functioned as distinct constructs, which includes dimensions such as egalitarianism, equality, and empathy. This study concluded that attitudes toward peace and war are two separate, but not opposite attitudinal dimensions. Broccoli (2020) also developed a peace attitudes scale which looked at dimensions such as sociopolitical attitudes, ease with diversity, and caring behaviors. One gap in this research is that many articles do not specifically examine socioeconomic equality, which is central to Galtung’s positive peace concept. The dimensions of positive peace that will be explored in this study are attitudes toward socioeconomic equality initiatives, humanitarian initiatives, attitudes toward hierarchy, ease with diversity, institutional cooperation, and sustainability. The dimensions of negative peace that will be explored are anti-violence, attitudes toward military force, need for order, and threat sensitivity. Attitudes toward these dimensions are rooted in different psychological foundations. To evaluate scale validity, the scale will be examined in relation to theoretically relevant psychological variables. Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) reflects a preference for social order, authority, and security, and is expected to be associated with law-and-order and threat-based dimensions of negative peace (Altmeyer, 1991). Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) reflects preferences for group-based hierarchy and inequality. It is expected that favorable attitudes toward positive peace will negatively correlate with SDO. Finally, empathy reflects concern for others and is expected to be positively correlated with positive peace attitudes.

Title: Re-Tale! (A New Musical) – Developing a Musical from Scratch

Abstract:

Re-Tale! (A New Musical) is a creative project involving the development of a musical from scratch. It combines the creative aspects of writing and composition with academic research of other productions and concepts that reflect the era that show is aiming to portray. In particular, the musical itself is designed to comment on the poor treatment of retail workers in the early 21st century, and make an impact to those who may have been or are still being affected by those hardships. This musical was first created back in March of 2025, but has gone through a variety of changes throughout its lifetime when it comes to the creative vision that it aims to pursue.

This particular project is aimed at exploring the creative process behind every step of the creation of a musical, particularly when it comes to developing a story, genre, and voice among the thousands of plays and musicals already in the field. As well as this, the project allows the audience to gain a greater understanding to how the production develops from start to finish in the form of script and score revisions, table reads, vocal demos, and other additional materials that allow the playwright to better integrate their respective skills and ideas in their own unique way while still being able to make a greater impact on the world of Musical Theatre.

The intention behind Re-Tale! (A New Musical) is to not only to gain a better understanding the creation process of a musical from start to finish but to additionally serve as a gateway into developing other shows in the future. Whether in relation to publishing and producing works at a professional level or continue to improve them in an upper education such as graduate school, being able to present a working production is the gateway into being able to greater improve and flourish as a playwright and composer. 

Title: What Sells and What Sit; A Statistical Look at Fashion Retail

Abstract:

This project investigates how data-driven analytical methods can be applied to fashion retail data to extract meaningful and decision-relevant insights. While data science applications are widely demonstrated in domains such as finance and healthcare, their use in fashion remains less visible despite the industry’s reliance on measurable indicators such as pricing, product attributes, and sales performance. This study aims to bridge that gap by applying structured statistical analysis to a large fashion retail dataset, focusing on understanding patterns in product sales behavior. The analysis is centered on a dataset containing over 1,500 product observations and more than 40 variables, including pricing information, product characteristics, seller attributes, and performance metrics such as units sold. The primary objective is to identify consistent patterns in product sales performance. Rather than relying on informal or purely descriptive exploration, the project adopts a structured analytical pipeline that emphasizes data preparation, model-based analysis, and validation. The methodology begins with systematic data preprocessing, including cleaning, variable selection, and transformation to construct analysis-ready features. This is followed by exploratory data analysis to identify initial trends and relationships within the dataset. Two complementary modeling approaches are then employed: an interpretable baseline model to estimate the direction and relative importance of key factors, and a more flexible model to capture nonlinear relationships and interactions. Model performance and stability are evaluated using validation techniques such as train-test splits and sensitivity analysis under alternative preprocessing choices. The final stage involves interpreting results and translating them into coherent analytical findings. The anticipated outcome of this project is the identification of stable and reproducible patterns in fashion retail data, supported by both exploratory and model-based evidence. By comparing results across different modeling approaches and validation strategies, the study aims to demonstrate that reliable insights can be derived from observational retail datasets when appropriate analytical rigor is applied. Beyond its immediate findings, this project contributes to the field of data science by illustrating an end-to-end analytical workflow applied to a real-world dataset with mixed variable types and inherent limitations. It highlights the importance of preprocessing decisions, model selection, and validation in shaping analytical conclusions. Additionally, the project emphasizes how quantitative methods can generate actionable insights in domains often perceived as primarily creative, reinforcing the broader applicability of data science techniques across industries.

Title: Emphasizing the Differences Between Computing Majors

Abstract:

As the abundance of technology increases in our world, many people find themselves wanting a career focused on computers. However, when people look at college majors, some are overwhelmed by the amount of majors that deal with computing. These people can struggle to understand what separates one computing major from another and can end up choosing a major that is not fulfilling to them. This lack of understanding can lead to people switching from one computing major to another, which costs time and money. The goal for this project is to create an effective resource that aids people in understanding the differences between Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Information Technology.

I found that a website would be the most effective way to distribute this information. The website I created has five pages for the user to navigate between. To start, there is a home page which gives a brief description of each major and shows a small table which highlights the differences between each major. The next three pages each give more details about each of the three computing majors: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Information Technology. These pages include possible classes a person in the major would have to take, and possible careers a person could get with that degree. The last page of the site offers interactive learning activities, making the site more engaging.

To evaluate the website’s effectiveness, I created and distributed three surveys to students at PFW. The first survey participants completed was a pre-test to gauge their initial understanding of Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Information Technology. After the first survey is done, participants interacted with my website. Finally, after using my site, the participants completed two more surveys. The first survey is a user interface survey, and the second survey is a post-test, which asks the same questions as the pre-test. The results from the pre and post test results show that people found that the website was a helpful tool to understand the differences between Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Information Technology. 

Title: TRUST: Taking and Receiving Unseen Support Together

Abstract:

Food insecurity affects more than 950,000 Hoosiers, with a statewide rate of 14% (Eckert et al., 2024). Beyond the obvious lack of food, the consequences extend into mental and physical health. Research shows that food-insecure individuals are four times more likely to experience high stress and two and a half times more likely to face mood disorders (Bell et al., 2024). These statistics, however, only tell part of the story. It is easy to recognize need among those experiencing homelessness, but far harder to see it in the faces closest to us. The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم taught, "He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while his neighbor goes hungry" (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 112). This teaching centers my project, titled TRUST (Taking and Receiving Unseen Support Together), which seeks to address food insecurity within Fort Wayne's communities. My faculty mentor, Dr. Sherrie Steiner, has collaborated with students to open pantries across the city in partnership with the Fort Wayne Area Interfaith Cooperative. My project focuses on introducing the initiative to local mosques and inviting them to participate. When first hearing about this project, I was reminded of the Ottoman practice of Sadaka Taşları (charity stones). These were anonymous pillars where individuals could leave donations or take what they needed without anyone knowing the donor or the recipient, as this practice involved reaching in to both give and receive. This "no questions asked" approach aligns with studies showing that removing barriers like eligibility requirements significantly increases access and reduces stigma (Frazier et al., 2022). The pantry has been placed in an accessible location and is open to all. It serves to unite the community and increase the collective responsibility we hold as neighbors, ensuring that no one has to face hunger alone. This project is a reflective journey. My role involves documenting the entire process, including securing permission, navigating the logistics of building and installation, stocking the pantry, and observing what unfolds. What challenges arise? What does it mean to build something rooted in faith that serves everyone, no questions asked? The goal is not simply to complete a project, but to understand it deeply and share what I learn with others who might undertake similar work in their own communities.

Title: Origins of Judicial Discretion: Medieval English Sentencing to Modern American Courts

Abstract:

Judicial discretion is still one of the most influential and contested features of the modern American criminal justice system. Judges are tasked with determining sentences after a verdict, allowing them to weigh factors such as intent, circumstance, and proportionality. While contemporary debates often frame judicial discretion as a modern issue tied to sentencing disparities and reform efforts, this project shows that its roots extend much further into the historical development of English common law. This research examines how judicial discretion appeared within medieval English courts and how those institutional practices shaped sentencing authority in modern American legal systems. Prior to the consolidation of royal justice, early criminal punishment systems relied heavily on fixed and rigid penalties that allowed little room for interpretation. As centralized courts developed in twelfth and thirteenth-century England, judges began to assume greater authority in interpreting legal principles and determining appropriate punishment. This shift was not sudden but evolved in response to the limitations of inflexible punishment systems. Drawing on primary sources such as Henry de Bracton’s De Legibus et Consuetudinibus Angliae and the medieval Year Books, this project demonstrates that medieval judges actively considered intent, circumstance, and proportionality when administering justice. Primary sources reveal that discretionary reasoning was already embedded within legal practice centuries before modern sentencing debates appeared.

The project further engages with the works of legal historians such as John H. Baker, John Langbein, and Elizabeth Papp Kamali to contextualize the institutional and intellectual development of judicial authority. Their scholarship illustrates how the separation of jury and judicial roles, the rise of centralized courts, and the growing emphasis on mens rea collectively contributed to the expansion of judicial discretion. These developments were later transmitted to colonial America through English common law traditions, where discretionary sentencing became an established feature of the legal system. By situating modern sentencing practices within a broader historical framework, this research challenges the assumption that judicial discretion is a recent or inherently problematic development. Instead, presenting judicial discretion as a long-standing legal mechanism designed to balance the competing demands of consistency and fairness. Understanding its historical origins offers critical insight into contemporary debates over the future of sentencing reform and highlights the enduring tension between rigid legal rules and the need for equitable justice.

Title: Evaluating LLMs for Security Vulnerability Analysis

Abstract:

Software vulnerabilities are weaknesses in computer programs that malicious actors can exploit to steal data, disrupt services, or take control of systems. Despite decades of effort, these vulnerabilities remain a persistent and costly problem. Traditional detection methods fall into two main categories: automated scanning tools that match code against known patterns, and manual expert review. While each has value, both struggle with novel vulnerabilities or code whose danger depends on surrounding context, and neither scales well to the enormous size of modern software systems. 

Recent advances in artificial intelligence, specifically large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, have generated significant interest as potential aids in security analysis. These systems are trained on vast quantities of text and code, enabling them to discuss, explain, and reason about software in ways that rule-based tools cannot. However, LLMs occasionally produce hallucinations—confident but incorrect outputs—raising concerns about whether they can be trusted in high-stakes security contexts where a missed flaw can have severe consequences. 

To address these concerns, this study benchmarks the performance of popular LLMs against a widely used traditional scanning tool (Semgrep) across six common vulnerability categories drawn from the industry-recognized CWE Top 25 list, including memory errors, injection attacks, and insecure file handling. Using a dataset of 600 code samples split evenly between vulnerable and secure examples, we tested one open-source LLM and three leading commercial LLMs under two different prompts. This dual-prompt design minimizes the impact of prompt influence on model performance, thereby ensuring the results are not skewed by how the instructions are worded—a problem unique to LLMs. 

Performance is measured using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, standard metrics that capture both the rate of correctly identified vulnerabilities as well as the rate of false positives. The results then are used to directly compare all evaluated platforms. This research produces practical guidance for developers and security teams considering whether and when to incorporate LLM-based tools into their workflows, and whether human expertise and traditional methods remain essential safeguards.

Title: Computational Model of Demographic Archetypes and Electoral Outcomes in the United States

Abstract:

This research explores identity-informed voting behaviors in the United States using a computational framework that identifies mixtures of demographic archetype “descriptors” among subdivisions of the nation. Using public census and electoral data, county-equivalent areas are modeled as combinations of descriptors, each such descriptor identifying an arbitrary number of “effects” on the demographics of each member area; the sum of a county's descriptors' effects approximates the true demographics of that county. Methods for descriptor discovery include non-negative matrix factorization, principal component analysis, and Markov-chain simulated annealing. The most optimal model uses 59 fixed descriptors (national, regional, divisional, and state descriptors) and 26 dynamically-discovered descriptors identified during training. The discovered descriptors are evaluated and validated based on known archetypical trends from recent elections. This best model shows notable improvements over baselines: the descriptor model finds a solution resulting in mean absolute error over all counties of 3.84 percentage points, compared to preexisting methods using single demographics and pairs of demographics resulting in mean absolute error of 5.58 and 5.17 percentage points respectively. This research demonstrates that composite demographic archetypes can offer a more compact, robust, and interpretable basis for predictive electoral models compared to analysis using a set number of demographic identities. This approach is useful for political science researchers interested in identity-informed voting behaviors and interpretable electoral forecasts, and represents an extensible methodological contribution to computational political science.

Title: Modeling the Temporal Evolution of Exoplanet Habitability Using a Composite Index Framework

Abstract:

This project studies how the habitability of discovered exoplanets has changed over time using data from NASA exoplanet catalogs. The main goal is to understand whether planets that are more similar to Earth, and therefore more likely to support life, are being discovered more frequently over the years. Since exoplanet data is not naturally time-based, this project creates a time series by grouping planets based on their year of discovery and analyzing trends across time . To measure habitability, a single index 𝐻is created for each planet, with values between 0 and 1. This index combines four important factors: the planet’s size, the amount of energy it receives from its star, how stable its orbit is, and the properties of its host star. Each factor is scaled so that values closer to Earth-like conditions get higher scores. These scores are then combined into one overall value, where a low score in any one factor reduces the final habitability score.

After calculating this index, the data is analyzed year by year. For each year, the average and median habitability scores are calculated, along with the number and percentage of planets that exceed a chosen “high habitability” threshold. The data is also broken down by discovery methods and mission to see how different technologies affect which planets are found. The results of this study help explain whether changes in detected habitability are due to real patterns in space or simply improvements in technology and observation methods. For example, newer telescopes may detect smaller and more Earth-like planets that were missed before.

To sum up, this project shows how time-based analysis can be applied to exoplanet data to better understand how our knowledge of potentially habitable planets has developed over time.

Title: Estimating Gender Disparities in Access to Professional Advancement

Abstract:

Gender inequality in the labor market is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by a range of defining characteristics, including education, industry, tenure, and other structural characteristics that govern career advancement of women in the 21st century. It might seem intuitive to attribute women’s slower professional advancement to gendered differences in educational attainment. In the United States, women have surpassed men in bachelor’s degree completion since the 1990s with their cumulative educational attainment rate reaching 22% while that of men stays flattened at roughly 8%. However, this advancement has not translated proportionally into equal access to leadership positions or wage parity. This study investigates whether gender differences in access to managerial and leadership roles persist after accounting for key socio-demographic and labor market characteristics. This project will reference data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics and includes the records of approximately 110,000 individuals each month. The CPS provides nationally collected reliable information on labor market outcomes such as employment status, working hours, industry, occupation, and wages across a wide range of demographic groups in the United States. In this context, leadership roles can be defined as administrative positions that involve directing the work of others or exercising authority in workplace decision-making. As of 2024, there are approximately 12,000 managers recorded in the survey. The study is grounded in human capital theory, which predicts that individuals with greater investments in education and professional experience should have higher probabilities of advancement in the labor market. However, prior literature suggests that observable characteristics alone cannot fully explain gender disparities. Institutional factors such as implicit bias, workplace culture, lack of mentorship, and traditional gender roles may contribute to unequal outcomes. This research tests the null hypothesis that no gender disparity exists in leadership attainment after controlling for relevant characteristics against the alternative hypothesis that women remain less likely than men to hold managerial positions. As an extension of this quantitative analysis, this project will assess multiple industries within the economy to compare industry-wide disparities in access to advancement and wage. By evaluating the persistence of such disparities after controlling for observable factors, the findings would see potential evidence supporting the presence of structural or unobserved barriers, such as the “glass ceiling” for women. These findings have significant implications for labor market policy and organizational practice, particularly in the design of development initiatives aimed at expanding equitable access to leadership and encouraging women’s progression into leadership positions in the labor market.

Title: Two Misinformation Types and Encoding Specificity on Accurate Memory Recognition

Abstract:

The misinformation effect occurs when memory for an event is influenced by false information encountered after the memory is encoded, leading to incorrect information about the original event being recalled (Loftus & Klemfuss, 2024). Two types of misinformation have been identified in the literature: additive misinformation and contradictory misinformation (Huff & Umanath, 2018). Additive misinformation concerns incorrect misinformation that adds details that were not present before to a target event (e.g. a test item referring to “Indianapolis” when the original information only contained “a city”). Contradictory misinformation concerns misinformation that conflicts with the details in the target event (e.g. a test item asking about a red jacket when the jacket was originally blue). This is of great relevance to eyewitness memory. Eyewitnesses often discuss the event with law enforcement officers, lawyers, and other eyewitnesses in the months before testifying, and it is common for those conversations to introduce false details into the memory of the witness. Encoding specificity, the concept that recall is more accurate when context at the time of encoding and retrieving information is similar, has been hypothesized to be a possible explanation for why the misinformation effect is weaker for information presented in a pictorial format that was tested in a verbal format (Ulatowska et al., 2016).

The present study adds to current research in these topics by examining whether encoding specificity generalizes to multiple kinds of misinformation. Evidence has been found that encoding specificity can lessen the severity of the misinformation effect, and that additive and contradictory misinformation are not always affected equally by misinformation-reducing strategies, but there is little research exploring the impacts of encoding specificity on the misinformation effect that specifically tests whether it affects additive and contradictory misinformation to different degrees.

This study is a 2 (information format: written, picture) × 3 (misinformation type: neutral, additive, contradictory) × 2 (recognition test format: written, pictures) mixed design. Original information and recognition test formats are between-subjects factors. Misinformation type is a within-subjects factor. This study follows the standard procedure for researching misinformation in which participants experience an encoding phase (original exposure to memory items), a misinformation phase (exposure to misinformation items), and a testing phase (recognition test to assess effectiveness of misinformation), with filler tasks between each phase.

The current study predicts that results will support and replicate prior research in that there will be differences in accuracy for recognition of misinformation (both additive and contradictory) versus non-misinformation items. It is also predicted that participants who experience a match between original information format and final test format will have higher recognition scores than participants who are not given the original information and the final test in the same format, indicating the presence of encoding specificity. For the interaction, the present study predicts that the scores of participants who experience encoding specificity will show a weaker contradictory misinformation effect than those who do not, but that the additive information effect will not be affected, and that scores for both additive and contradictory misinformation items will continue to be lower than scores for neutral items across all conditions. 

Title: Insect Fragment Analysis of Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) Guano During Brood X 2021 Emergence

Abstract:

Periodic cicada emergences lead to large but temporary increases in prey availability that may influence the foraging behavior of insectivorous predators. During the 2021 Brood X cicada emergence, we investigated how this prey pulse event affected the dietary composition of the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus). We hypothesized that the increase in cicada availability would result in increased cicada fragment frequency in guano samples. To conduct this study, we collected guano samples from a barn in northern Indiana between May 28th to August 21st, 2021. We dried the samples for storage and later soaked them in 70% EtOH, in preparation for analysis. We used vacuum filtration to isolate insect fragments, then manually separated the resulting residue, and mounted the fragments on permanent slides. We used epoxy to position and secure fragments onto each slide, allowing for long-term preservation of the samples. Using reference collections, we identified the fragments to the lowest possible taxonomic level. So far, we have analyzed slides from the May 28, 2021 collection date and found no cicada fragments. This project establishes a replicable method for processing and permanently mounting insect fragments from bat guano for identification, enabling dietary analysis and contributing to our understanding of how temporary ecological events influence foraging behavior in insectivorous bats.

Title: Activity Patterns of Indiana Mustelids: Focus on Weasels

Abstract:

This study explored how the activity patterns of Mustela weasels change temporally in response to environmental variables and the activity variations of prey species across Indiana. 100 AHDriFT camera trap systems were deployed in managed natural areas across Indiana from 2024 to 2025 to obtain small rodent species counts and temporal data. Temperature and precipitation data was gathered from the National Centers for Environmental Information. Linear regression was used to determine whether abiotic and biotic variables predict weasel activity patterns across daily and monthly temporal cycles. Our results suggest that average monthly temperature, eastern chipmunk activity, and meadow jumping mouse activity predicted weasel activity. Seasonal effects were also very strong for weasels, with weasels becoming most active in the summer. Furthermore, weasels are more active at night. These patterns likely reflect the optimal conditions for weasel hunting and movement during the breeding season. This provides evidence that the movement of mustelids is influenced by their outside environment.

Title: Prosecutorial Power and Constitutionalism: How does an Unchecked Institution Shapes the Criminal Justice System

Abstract:

This topic is important since prosecutors exercise extraordinary influence over the criminal justice system while operating with minimal constitution oversight at times. Although the Constitution emphasizes limited government and check institution power, prosecutorial discretion in charging decisions, plea bargaining, and sentencing recommendations is largely insulated from the judicial and legislative reviews. As a result, prosecutors have commonly been seen to function as the most powerful actors in criminal cases, shaping the outcomes long before a judge or jury becomes involved in some cases. Examining prosecutorial power through the lens of constitutionalism would highlight a critical gap between constitutional principles and the institutional practice which would help explain how systemic issues such as unequal treatment, coercive plea bargaining, and mass incarceration continue to grow despite the protections and methods put into place by these higher powers to reduce these issues. As well, this is an open topic that is crucial and important to understand for a variety of reasons. One plausible reason this question is that prosecutorial power is constitutionally legitimate and necessary for the efficient function of the criminal justice system. From this perspective, broad discretion allows prosecutors to allocate limited resources, individualize justice, and respond flexibly to complex cases, and judicial deference is viewed as an appropriate respect for executive authority within the separation of powers. An answer that could compete with this is that, prosecutorial power represents a significant failure of constitutionalism, as unchecked discretion undermines due process, equal protection, and the Sixth Amendment (right to a trial), which are all factors of the system that are designed to be given equally to all continuing with their unalienable right as an American. Now, it has been mentioned that these could be institutional incentives, such as conviction rates and plea-bargaining efficiency, which in turn encourages coercive practices and can produce systemic inequalities, suggesting that existing constitutional frameworks inadequately constrain the prosecutorial authority. 

Title: Two Centuries of Wartime Trauma: Psychology’s Understanding of PTSD, 1775-1975

Abstract:

From 1775 to 1975, the United States of America went through multiple periods of warfare ranging from the American Revolution to the Vietnam War. Psychology as a discipline has also gone through many periods of change, evolving in knowledge and practices. This paper examines how warfare has impacted psychology’s views on what is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The paper acknowledges and argues that warfare has a direct impact on research into trauma and additionally considers how each war differs from each other, as the way war has been fought over two centuries evolved. This paper argues that the way warfare has and will continue to change as technology has improved will cause a need for further and constant research into PTSD and impacts on service members.

Current research into military related PTSD lacks insight into consistent PTSD treatment that isn’t impacted by changes in warfare. Each diagnosis and treatment for military related PTSD is very closely tied to the closest war to that timeframe and how that specific war impacted service members, however PTSD is currently treated as a more universal condition rather than one that will always change with the world and experiences. This research addresses this by looking at the specific wars in the 1775 to 1975 timeframe and how PTSD was labeled and addressed at each point in that timeline and then reflects on how psychology as a field can better adapt views on PTSD in the future.

Through this paper’s breakdown of the wars that occurred in those two centuries, the main analysis is on turning points in psychology regarding PTSD from the point it was first labeled as shell shock in World War I, to the emphasis put on individual service member weakness in World War II, to the Vietnam War as PTSD became the term and external events that happen in war rather than weakness became the diagnosed stressor.

This research demonstrates that psychological knowledge, especially regarding PTSD, is constantly adapting. As war changes, psychology changes as limitations and new ideas are shown through lived experiences of service members. PTSD is not a fixed, universal disorder; it is complex and will continue to evolve as war becomes increasingly advanced.

Title: Dimensions of Democratic Consolidation: Comparing the Consolidated Democracies of the United States and South Korea

Abstract:

Democracy is a system of government in which the people of a nation govern themselves by actively participating in the political process, entrusting leaders chosen through free and fair elections to govern with integrity and in the best interests of the people. While many countries have adopted democratic systems, they have developed their effectiveness in differing historical and political circumstances. This paper examines democratic consolidation through a comparative analysis of the United States and South Korea. Although both are considered consolidated democracies, they achieved this outcome through distinct processes shaped by civil and political society. This analysis asks how civil and political society contributed differently to the most recent democratic consolidation in each case. Democratic consolidation is understood not as a one-time event, but as a continual process that grows, maintains, or erodes over time. Using Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan’s definition of consolidated democracy as a system in which democracy becomes “the only game in town,” this paper analyzes consolidation through attitudinal, behavioral, and constitutional dimensions. These cases demonstrate that democratic consolidation is not dimensionally uniform, showing that while all three dimensions are necessary, their relative importance varies according to historical context and the role of civil and political society.

Title: Examining the Impact of Unregulated Financial Influencers on Fraud Susceptibility in Young Adults

Abstract:

The proliferation of unregulated financial advice on social media platforms – colloquially known as “FinTok” – has created a novel and escalating trajectory for tax fraud among young adults. While traditional fraud examination historically focused on complex corporate accounting manipulation, modern deceptive practices increasingly leverage algorithmic amplification to promote blatant tax non-compliance to inexperienced taxpayers. This study investigates the intersection of social media financial influencing and tax fraud susceptibility, addressing a critical gap in current undergraduate business curricula regarding digital-age financial literacy. A targeted, mixed-methods approach was employed to evaluate this digital threat landscape. First, a content analysis of prevalent social media tax advice was conducted, evaluating trending claims against stringent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines and the annual “Dirty Dozen” tax scams list. Second, qualitative interviews were conducted with professional tax practitioners to assess the real-world frequency of young adult clients attempting to claim fraudulent deductions, such as fictitious Schedule C business expenses or improper Fuel Tax Credits, based on internet advice. Finally, a pilot survey of undergraduate students was administered to measure baseline “fraud literacy.”

The findings indicate a significant vulnerability among young adults when navigating online financial advice. Survey results demonstrated a widespread inability to differentiate between legitimate tax mitigation strategies and predatory, illegal loopholes. Furthermore, practitioner interviews corroborated that digital misinformation directly translates into real-world tax evasion attempts, causing operational disruptions and placing young taxpayers at risk of severe IRS penalties. Ultimately, this research highlights the urgent need for modernized financial literacy frameworks and updated university curricula that equip students to recognize and defend against the sophisticated social-engineering tactics of modern tax evasion.

Title: Persistence vs. Extinction: Predicting Customer Churn With Statistical Learning

Abstract:

Customer churn, defined as when a customer decides to leave a service or cancel a subscription, is a major challenge for companies that rely on long-term relationships. This issue is a key concern in the insurance industry, where customer churn takes the form of policy lapse and directly impacts long-term risk and profitability. In this project, my goal is not only to predict which customers are likely to leave, but also to better understand the underlying psychological behaviors that drive those decisions. I approach this by combining statistical learning techniques with concepts from behavioral psychology, framing churn as a form of behavioral extinction, while continued subscription reflects persistence.

Using the IBM Telco Customer Churn dataset, which includes telecommunication customers and information on their accounts, services, and demographics, I developed several predictive models to identify patterns in customer behavior. These models include logistic regression and tree-based methods such as random forests and gradient boosting. Because, in this dataset, most customers do not churn, I also accounted for this imbalance using techniques designed to better detect at-risk individuals.

Across all models, three factors consistently stood out: tenure (how long a customer has stayed), contract type, and monthly charges. Customers with shorter tenure and higher monthly costs were much more likely to leave, while those on longer-term contracts were far more likely to stay. From a behavioral perspective, this suggests that customers are most vulnerable early in their experience and when costs outweigh perceived value.

While more complex models slightly improved overall accuracy, logistic regression performed best at identifying customers who were actually at risk of churning. This is especially important in real-world settings, where failing to identify a potential churner represents a missed opportunity for intervention.

Overall, this project aims to show that statistical models can do more than make predictions, as they can also help explain human behavior. By combining data analysis with behavioral theory, we can gain meaningful insights into why customers leave and how to better support long-term engagement across industries.

Title: Traffic Sign Recognition Application

Abstract:

The project is an android app which uses an AI model to recognize and identify traffic signs from a live video feed in real time. The primary goal being to assist drivers by enhancing their awareness. The biggest challenge, and contribution to the field of computer science, is the real time image analysis happening locally on the phone.

In order to achieve this we use YOLOv8, a computer-vision model. After training it to recognize signs we can send feedback to the end user. Ultimately, real time performance locally on a phone remains the key challenge of the project. Even on high end modern phones AI image analysis is a computationally challenging task. Alongside such a high performance requirement we also have an equally high bar for accuracy.

Besides the major roadblocks there are several more minor ones. Picture quality and environment details can pose major obstacles to accurate feedback. Examples being heavy fog, snow, rain, fogged glass, or signs obscured by shrubbery. While these are all problems, they’re only relevant once we achieve our overarching performance first. Thus, despite having a few ideas for solving these issues there hasn’t been any real attempts at implementation.

Speaking of implementation this project has been worked on by five graduating computer science students for their capstone project. This has come with its own challenges as inexperience impacted several aspects of the project at the start. As time went on issues became more scarce for team management. The team largely landed in three tasks: frontend, backend, and testing. This division efficiently split work across the team. Currently the project is in the final steps of system integration. Refinements continue on the model, more features are added to the app, and testing is becoming more important.

Title: Inflammatory Cytokine Overactivation and Its Contribution to Liver Damage in RHDV

Abstract:

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a highly pathogenic virus that causes acute liver failure in rabbits, often leading to death within a short period after infection. Although the virus directly targets hepatocytes, liver cells, previous studies suggests that the host immune responses play a significant role in causing liver damage. In particular, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been shown to be significantly elevated during infection and are associated with severe hepatic damage. These cytokines are essential for initiating immune defense but when excessively activated, they can contribute to chronic inflammation. TNF-a promotes hepatocyte apoptosis through activation of death receptor pathways and caspase signaling, while IL-6 enhances inflammatory responses by activating pathways such as JAK/STAT, leading to immune activation and recruitment of additional immune cells.

The goal of this project is to investigate how excessive signaling of TNF-a and IL-6 contributes to liver damage in rabbits infected with RHDV through a synthesis of primary research articles. By looking at how these cytokines interact and contribute to both inflammation and cell death, this study aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of immune-mediated pathology in RHDV infection. While this project synthesizes existing data, it also highlights gaps in understanding how cytokine signaling shifts from protective to harmful. This study hypothesizes that TNF-a and IL-6 signaling amplifies inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, leading to liver damage that goes beyond the effects of viral infection. Future directions include exploring targeted regulation of TNF-a and IL-6 pathways to reduce excessive inflammation and liver damage.

Title: From Animals to Prolonged Suffering: Grief and Living Through Death

Abstract:

Human life is an incredibly diverse experience, and death is one of the few universals. The death of an individual is often accompanied by grief. In this analysis, grief is defined by the emotions and behavior that occurs following the death of a loved one. The objective is to explore the evolution of grief, the mental health aspect of grief, and the establishment of the Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) diagnosis.

Grief is not an experience unique to humans. Animals, wild and domestic, exhibit signs and behaviors of what can only be described as mourning for the loss of close companions or offspring. For example, household pets can be seen struggling to eat, appearing restless, and lingering in spots of another deceased pet for an extended period of time after they have lost their companion. Though, humans are unique in their grief in that they have the capacity to mourn the death of a stranger.

The non-pathological grieving process begins with acute grief, that is, the intense emotions and altered behavior immediately following a death. During this period of grief, an individual typically experiences sadness, anger, longing for the decedent, and general distress. According to material concerning PGD, if acute grief does not begin to lessen after six months, then the patient is a likely candidate for a diagnosis of PGD and subsequent therapy. Though, manifestation of grief is incredibly diverse across cultures, and thus there have been several criticisms following the establishment of PGD in the DSM-5. This leaves areas open to suggestions for improvement in the diagnostic process of Prolonged Grief Disorder.

PGD is a recent addition to the DSM-5 and ICD-11, and is defined by a set of symptoms that involve the disruption of behavior and routine activities beyond what is expected or considered to be normal in that individual’s society. PGD is the lack of integrated grief. It is an ongoing battle that refutes an acceptance of death and continued disruption of daily functions. There are several risk factors that make one more predisposed to PGD than others such as socioeconomic status, gender, history of mental illness, lack of support, and the manner of the death that has occurred. Essentially, stress plays a major role in the precipitation of prolonged grief.

To diagnose PGD and other mental health disorders, a psychiatrist is given a companion manual that provides them with the ‘right’ questions when it comes to more diverse patients. This has faced a lot of controversy as it tends to send the message that one can infer all they can about a culture from a set of simple questions, but also that white patients do not have any culture. While the companion guide has been the subject of much criticism, it is possible to improve upon it in order to make it a useful tool for treating all patients. Rather than offering questions to psychiatrists, the companion book could include summaries of expressions, cultural norms, and societal factors observed within people of particular groups that exist within the demographics of a psychiatrist’s area of work.

Title: One fish, Dos Peces, 빨간 물고기, Visje Visje in De Zee!

Abstract:

Translations are one of many ways that the world can share their stories, knowledge and culture. In the modern world we have translations from all sorts of languages no matter how different they are. However, translations can be tricky if certain words do not translate or certain languages simply do not have a similar word that you are trying to translate. These are one of many problems when it comes to translations, words or concepts that simply do not exist in the other language. But more importantly how does one translate words if they rhyme in English and the translator is translating to Spanish? Would it still rhyme? Would the phonetics of the rhyme change to help better acquire the language it is being translated into? What about listed above, words that may exist in English but not in Spanish or vice versa? What does the translator do?

This project will be looking at a passage from Dr. Seuss’s One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, how does writing like Dr. Seuss, an author who is known for his rhymes and creating fake English words and onomatopoeia words; how does this translate to languages? Language forms Spanish, French and Dutch; languages that share similarities with English, how do these translations compare to languages like Korean, Chinese, Turkish and even languages like Yiddish? Languages where there are fewer similarities and sometimes completely different phonetics. Because of the differences in languages there will be limitations when I look at two passages from Dr. Seuss’s One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

The key goal of this project is not to critique or criticize how translators translate Dr. Seuss’s One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, the goal of this project is to look at simply what the translation looks like and compare it to the original English text. The two passages that I will be analyzing consist of rhyming, fake words and onomatopoeia words. The translator takes on a strenuous task of trying to be as accurate as possible compared to the English original but also to take into consideration the language they are translating into. Within this task is asking a lot for the translator because the translator needs to have a critical understanding of the English original and also the translation. An important fact I will remember when working on the translations is that not every single word in the original English has an exact translation in Spanish, French, Dutch, Chinese, Korea, Turkish and Yiddish; some words simply do not translate. Some languages just lack the words for certain concepts, this is key to understand but also why this project will not be a critique of the translations but rather an understanding of, why did the translator use this word instead of this word? What is the cultural understanding of using this word? Does this flow better in the translated language?

Title: Speaker-reported impact of speaking English with a foreign-language accent

Abstract:

The relationship between a foreign language accent “thickness” and its impact on a speaker, whether positive, negative, or neutral, is not always direct-language accents on individuals’ lives and found that it is context and situation-specific (Groves, M., 2023). This pilot study focused on the effects of sociolinguistic and sociocultural power disparities and included responses from speakers of several target languages (the languages in which they had foreign accents) and multiple influencing languages (the origins of the accents). Over the course of the past 2 years, I have been continuing a similar study.

The current study's goal is to adopt a speaker-centered approach to speaking English with a foreign accent. This study examines both quantitative (thickness and impact ratings) and qualitative (open-ended questions) data, adding participants and concentrating analysis only on speakers of English as a target language. Although the methodological consistency enables the overall analysis to be compared to the less homogeneous group from the pilot project, reducing the heterogeneity in the target language has enabled us to discover new patterns in the replies.

To conduct this study, we used a psychosocial tool called the “accent impact index” through an online survey format (Gurevich & Bugel, 2023). There were 69 total respondents, but only 50 with English as their target language. Among those 50 participants, there were a total of 25 different influencing languages. The accent impact index allowed us a speaker-centered approach to collecting data because it focused on self-reports from our participants, who responded to questions that provided insight into their accent thickness and the impact their speech, whether negative, positive, or neutral, has on their lives. There were two main categories of qualitative analysis, the first being questions related to accent thickness, which were coded from the least thick 0 to most thick (77). The impact questions (negative, positive, and neutral effects felt) were also coded to allow a quantitative analysis. Additionally, we had some open-ended questions that allowed participants to express additional sentiments qualitatively. Based on the collection of data, we observed numerous patterns. Some were consistent with the previous study and others were specific to the English as the Target Language group.

The present study centers on English as the target language, which is especially important, due to the proliferation of services promoting accent reduction or modification for English learners. Such services can contribute to feelings of self-consciousness or social isolation and may implicitly frame foreign-accented English as inherently undesirable, or even as a deficit requiring correction to prevent negative consequences. This growing industry surrounding accent reduction for users of English as a lingua franca (a shared language among speakers with different linguistic backgrounds) plays a significant role in shaping broader linguistic attitudes, which subsequently influence speakers’ lived experiences. By examining how individuals themselves report the impact of their accents, we adopt a speaker-centered perspective that foregrounds their experiences and highlights that speakers of English as a lingua franca are not alone; while still acknowledging the distinct ways they navigate their speech communities. Speakers of non-standard language varieties are frequently marginalized and may experience pressure to conform to avoid exclusion. Our hope is that this study contributes to empowering such individuals to cultivate more positive attitudes toward their own linguistic identities.

Title: Music Recording and Production Techniques, and Their Applications

Abstract:

For my Honors Project I chose to tie it in with my Senior Seminar Project for my Popular Music Degree. This consisted of writing, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering five songs, equaling over twenty-five minutes of music. Three of the songs were completely written by myself, and two were written in collaboration with fellow musicians I am in a band with. Through the project I experimented with various recording techniques to get sounds that achieved my artistic vision. I used the Purdue University Fort Wayne Sweetwater Music Center and its equipment, as well as my own equipment to record multiple musicians, including myself. I tested whether or not using professionally constructed environments and equipment yielded higher quality results than recording at home with more affordable instruments, audio interfaces, microphones, and software. I found that while both techniques had certain benefits and drawbacks, both yielded similar results. For each song I tried to channel major musical influences in my life, and express them through certain aspects in each song. Most of the songs are electric guitar driven and are rock/metal influenced, with an emphasis on post-hardcore and modern metalcore produced after the year 2000. However, a couple tracks on the project are inspired by acoustic works, and feature different instrumentation and production methods. Each piece varies in length, style, arrangement, and instrumentation. My project was supplemented with guidance from my faculty mentor Ryan Tilby, who is a former Capitol Records artist, and has spent decades working as both a gigging musician and an audio engineer. Each song was recorded, edited, mixed, and mastered within Avid Pro Tools, which is the industry standard Digital Audio Workstation that is used by many professional audio engineers. However, some audio clips were synthesized using tools in Logic Pro as well. Overall, the techniques and methods used demonstrated the skills learned in the process of getting my degree, and accomplished my artistic vision for the project.

Title: Supporting Social Capital in Neighborhoods: The Local Government’s Role in Fostering Community

Abstract:

The United States has experienced a steady decline in the participation of social and civic life from individuals and groups, according to Political Scientist Robert D. Putnam. The social fabric of community no longer exists at the rate it once did, and less people are involved in community building, networking, and participation in religious and civic duties. East Central is a unique neighborhood in downtown Fort Wayne with a rich complex history and environment. Historically, it has faced complications with the local government due to government negligence, redlining, and discrimination, producing distrust of the local government and damaging bridging capital. Within the neighborhood itself, the bonding capital of residents in East Central is rich with a tight knit and lively community.

This paper is a case study of the East Central Neighborhood Association in Fort Wayne, Indiana using Putnam’s theoretical concepts of bonding and bridging social capital to analyze the significance of it within the community and the local Fort Wayne city government. The paper will compare methods of building relationships used in the past and their recent replacements as well as new projects implemented by the City to foster relationships between neighbors and residents with the local government to determine the role and influence of the local government in a neighborhood’s quality of life. In recent years, the City of Fort Wayne has implemented numerous projects such as the East Central Forward Neighborhood Plan, Engagement and Pride Grants, and the Building Blocks initiative among others.

The reactions of the East Central Community remain complex; suspicious due to past grievances, supportive due to successful projects, and fluctuating perceptions of local government in the current political climate. This study shows that high social capital and trust occurs when there is active participation in both the social life of the neighborhood and interpersonal connections and involvement in civic duties in order to maintain a sense of belonging and high quality of life.

Title: Comparative Evaluation of Wav2Vec 2.0 and Canary-Qwen-2.5B for Automatic Speech Recognition in Unseen Air Traffic Control Communication Domains

Abstract:

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems have seen significant advancements with both hybrid and end-to-end architectures, particularly through the use of large-scale pre-training on diverse speech corpora. Despite these improvements, their performance in domain-shifted environments remains a critical challenge, especially in safety-critical applications. This work presents a comparative evaluation of the end-to-end model Wav2Vec 2.0 and the hybrid model Canary-Qwen-2.5B for ASR in the unseen domain of air traffic control (ATC) communications, where linguistic structure, vocabulary, and acoustic conditions differ substantially from general-purpose speech datasets.

The models are evaluated on the UWB-ATCC dataset, which consists of real-world pilot–controller communication characterized by background noise, overlapping transmissions, domain-specific phraseology, and variability in speaker accents and transmission quality. These characteristics differ significantly from the data distributions used during pre-training and fine-tuning, introducing a domain shift that rigorously tests model generalization and robustness. Such conditions make ATC communication a particularly challenging benchmark for evaluating ASR systems.

Performance is assessed using standard ASR evaluation metrics, including word error rate (WER), along with additional analysis of error types such as substitution, deletion, and insertion rates. Qualitative analysis is also conducted to evaluate transcription robustness under challenging acoustic conditions and the ability of each model to correctly capture critical aviation terminology and structured communication patterns. The comparison focuses on how architectural differences between self-supervised end-to-end learning and hybrid modeling approaches influence adaptability to unseen domains.

This study further examines the trade-offs between model complexity, data efficiency, and generalization capability. By comparing these two distinct ASR paradigms, the work provides insight into their relative strengths and limitations in low-resource, high-noise, and domain-specific environments. The results highlight the importance of model architecture and training strategy in achieving reliable ASR performance for specialized applications such as ATC, where transcription accuracy directly impacts operational safety and communication clarity. 

Title: Cross-Language Analysis of Prompt Injection in Large Language Models Using Behavioral Detection

Abstract:

Large Language Models (LLMs), such as chatbots and AI assistants, are becoming increasingly common in everyday applications. However, one important security concern is prompt injection, where hidden or malicious instructions are added to a user’s input to manipulate the model’s behavior. These attacks can cause the model to ignore its original task and produce unintended or unsafe responses, making their detection critical for building reliable AI systems.

While prompt injection has been widely studied in English, most LLMs are primarily trained and optimized using English data. As a result, their behavior in other languages remains less understood. This project investigates whether models are more vulnerable to prompt injection when operating in a different language, and whether such attacks can be detected using simple and computationally efficient methods.

To address this, a behavioral approach is adopted that evaluates how the model’s output changes in response to injected instructions. A lightweight scoring method is developed to measure how much a model’s response deviates from an expected answer. Clean prompts are compared with injected prompts, and each response is assigned a numerical deviation score. These scores are then used to evaluate detection performance using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC).

Experiments are conducted in both English and Hindi using the same model to enable a direct comparison. The results show that while the model performs more reliably in English, responses in Hindi exhibit larger deviations under prompt injection. This suggests that models may be more susceptible to such attacks in non-English settings, while also making these attacks easier to detect using behavioral metrics.

Overall, this project demonstrates that prompt injection can be effectively analyzed and detected using simple output-based methods, without requiring access to internal model signals. It also highlights the importance of evaluating AI security across multiple languages, as model vulnerability can vary significantly depending on linguistic context. 

Title: Low-Level Game Boy Emulator With Test-Driven Verification and Original Game Demonstration

Abstract:

Emulators are complex and challenging pieces of software to build and a great way to learn and demonstrate an understanding of computer architecture. I started this project in order to build a well documented and accurate Game Boy emulator. Doing so has given me opportunities to gain experience in building and documenting larger projects, solidify my understanding of computer architecture, and practice Test-Driven Development (TDD), a methodology where tests are written before the code so each component must prove it works correctly before development continues.

The Game Boy is a well-suited system for this type of work. It is complex enough to present a meaningful challenge, while still being manageable for a single developer. Its processor follows a defined instruction set, its memory layout is well documented, and its graphical output can be compared against known results. These characteristics allow for accurate verification rather than relying on programs simply appearing to function correctly.

To support this, the project uses test ROMs, which are diagnostic programs designed to expose inaccuracies in emulator behavior. Each failed test identifies a specific issue, making debugging more systematic and reducing reliance on guesswork.

The emulator is developed in stages, with core functionality implemented and tested before additional features are introduced. This approach helps manage complexity while ensuring that each component behaves correctly within the overall system.

As a final demonstration, a small original board-style game will be developed and run on the emulator. Successful execution of this game, including correct input handling and visual output, provides an end-to-end validation of the system.

Building something that already exists, but doing it yourself, turns out to be one of the better ways to understand it. The gap between knowing how something works and being able to build it accurately is wider than I expected, and closing that gap turned out to be the most valuable part of the project.

Title: Acoustic Levitation: A Contact-Free Phenomenon

Abstract:

Sound waves are thought of as vibrations that travel through a medium, such as air, and are perceived as an auditory sound to our ears. Within this experiment, we utilize a combination of multiple sound waves traveling at the same frequency to produce a standing wave pattern- achieved through facing two sets of 36 speakers/transducers towards each other that our powered by a function generator and a circuit consisting of two transistors- to test its strength to trap a small object: often a water droplet or a piece of Styrofoam, by suspended the object in the standing wave node. When using water, we utilized a needle point syringe to place a droplet in the system; for Styrofoam, use wire tweezers. This trap strength becomes one of the two critical aspects of this experiment. The other aspect comes from furthering our research by determining the forces acting on the object and discovering what frequency it could resonate at. To do this, we can measure the mass of the object through a superposition method where you weigh a piece of tissue paper by itself, weigh the suspended object with the tissue paper, and subtract the two weights. However, given the use of a needle nose syringe, we are not guaranteed the same mass or the same resonant frequency. To determine resonance, we attach a speaker to a function generator to apply a controlled frequency; this allows the speaker to produce a pulse force by the movement of the speaker creating a puff of air. If we funnel this puff into our system, the pulse force will allow us to vibrate the object at various frequencies to determine its resonance. With a known mass and controlled pulse force, we further analyze the systems by using a high-speed camera to record a slow-motion video of the system. This video is uploaded into the analysis software, Tracker, to track the oscillation pattern of the object to determine the angular frequency. We then use the angular frequency equation: 𝜔= √𝑘𝑚 and plug in the known angular frequency and known mass to find k, which will represent our trap strength in this case. By the end of the experiment, we seek to have a definite value for the trap strength and possible range or value for the resonant frequency to learn the strength of our standing wave and the effects pulse force can have on it. 

Title: How salt spray corrosion affects the proof stress of stainless-steel bolts

Abstract:

Corrosion is a critical factor affecting the long-term reliability of mechanical fasteners used in structural, marine, and industrial environments. Stainless steel bolts are commonly selected for their corrosion resistance; however, prolonged exposure to aggressive environments such as salt spray may still influence their mechanical performance. This report investigates the potential effect of salt spray corrosion on the proof stress of stainless-steel bolts using standardized testing procedures. The experimental methodology was designed in accordance with ASTM B117 and ASTM F606/F606M. ASTM B117 provides guidelines for producing a controlled corrosive environment using a salt spray chamber, while ASTM F606/F606M specifies procedures for determining the mechanical properties of threaded fasteners, including proof load and proof stress.

The proposed experimental procedure involves exposing stainless steel bolts to a continuous salt fog environment generated from a sodium chloride solution under controlled temperature and spray conditions defined by ASTM B117. This accelerated corrosion method is widely used to simulate long-term exposure to marine or deicing salt environments in a laboratory setting. Following a predetermined exposure period, the bolts would be removed, visually inspected for corrosion products or surface degradation, and then subjected to mechanical testing. Proof load testing would be performed in accordance with ASTM F606/F606M using a calibrated tensile testing machine to determine the proof stress of each bolt without causing permanent deformation. The measured proof stress values of corroded bolts would then be compared with those of unexposed control samples to evaluate the potential reduction in load-bearing capacity caused by corrosion.

Due to time constraints during the laboratory period, the salt spray exposure and subsequent mechanical testing were not conducted, and therefore no experimental data were collected. As a result, this report primarily focuses on experimental design, relevant testing standards, and the expected relationship between corrosion exposure and mechanical performance. The study outlines how corrosion processes such as pitting, surface roughening, and material loss could act as stress concentrators that reduce the effective cross-sectional area of the fastener and potentially lower its proof stress.

Although experimental results are not presented, the methodology described provides a framework for future testing to evaluate how salt spray corrosion may affect the mechanical reliability of stainless-steel fasteners. Implementing this testing procedure would allow for a better understanding of the durability of stainless-steel bolts in corrosive service environments and support improved material selection and design practices.

Title: When the Barricades Rose: Student Protest and the Making of a National Strike in May 1968 France

Abstract:

The year of 1968 was a prominent era for the collective culmination of youth movements and social unrest across the globe. One important case study involves the events of May 1968 in modern French history, where student demonstrations aligned with the “New Left” ideology quickly emerged into a national movement which challenged political authority, capitalism, and social norms in France. Primarily in the city of Paris, student protestors clashed with riot police in the Latin Quarter which rapidly disseminated the momentum of demonstrations across the greater nation. This energy soon encapsulated millions of workers, creating the largest general strike in French history which brought the economy to a halt.

This project analyzes how student activities from Nanterre University in Paris were capable of galvanizing such widespread support, especially regarding the French working class. Using primary source data including protest newspapers, journals, posters, and political cartoons, this study provides an in-depth content analysis on the rhetorics used by the revolutionaries. Three central themes emerge which highlight the strength of students and workers: outrage over police violence used against protestors, anti-Gaullist rhetoric directed towards President Charles de Gaulle’s government, and critiques of exploitation caused by the capitalistic system. Through the power of print and mass media, students lit a spark which framed the ongoing struggle as a part of a broader social conflict in modern French society.

Ultimately, this project situates the May 1968 demonstrations within France’s long tradition of protest culture. Public demonstrations have continually shaped French political and social identity, uniting the country in times of heightened dysfunction and unrest. Additionally, the protests of May 1968 in France can be placed within an international climate of youth activism of the year 1968, showing how youth across Europe and the United States shared similar goals and aspirations for their futures.

Title: Gender, Weapons, and Witnesses: Exploring How Object Presence and Perpetrator Gender Affect Eyewitness Recall

Abstract:

The weapons effect is commonly recognized in forensic psychology as a phenomenon related to eyewitness memory recall. An eyewitness is often distracted by the presence of a weapon due to attentional arousal and therefore may be unable to accurately identify key details about a perpetrator or the alleged crime. Attentional arousal—described as a psychological or emotional reaction resulting from distraction by an object or person—has been studied because it can cause a narrowing of attention among eyewitnesses (Fawcett et al., 2011).

Researchers have sought to determine whether the weapons effect could be replicated in laboratory settings to better understand its implications. Multiple studies have manipulated scenarios to test whether arousal impacts eyewitness identification. For instance, researchers have varied the duration of weapon visibility (Fawcett et al., 2011), used simulated forensic lineups (Maass & Köhnken, 1989), and shown mock-crime videos (Kramer et al., 1990), after which participants were asked to recall details using different questioning methods.

The purpose of the present research is to examine how the presence of a weapon and the gender of a perpetrator influence eyewitness memory, attention, and emotional response. Participants will be randomly assigned to view one of four versions of a staged photograph that vary by the object held (weapon vs. neutral item) and the gender of the individual depicted.

A 2 × 2 between-subjects ANOVA will be conducted, with alpha set at .05. The independent variables are object condition (weapon vs. neutral) and perpetrator gender (male vs. female). The dependent variables include memory recall, specifically object recognition accuracy, attentional focus, and arousal.

It is hypothesized that female participants will provide more accurate descriptions of female perpetrators, demonstrating the own-gender bias—the phenomenon in which individuals are better at recognizing, remembering, or identifying people of their own gender (Shaw & Skolnick, 1994, 1999). Additionally, the unusualness hypothesis suggests that when something in a given context is unusual, it attracts more attention and can therefore lead to poorer memory for other aspects of the scene (Pickel, 1999). Furthermore, it is expected that male participants will recall more accurate details about the weapon, as their attentional focus—and resulting arousal—may be directed toward the weapon itself.

If significant results are found, post-hoc tests will be conducted. This study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how situational and social factors affect perception and recall in legal contexts.

Title: Barriers to Unity: Congolese Efforts to Create a Revolutionary National Identity

Abstract:

Shortly after forming the first democratic government in their history, the Congolese government tragically fell resulting in the construction of a brutal dictatorship. The fall of this government began an era of political instability and utter terror for the vast majority of Congolese citizens. This democratic government led by political activists turned politicians Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba and President Joseph Kasavubu. At the fall of the government these individuals lost their power, and both suffered untimely deaths. These men were seen as the hope and heroes of their community and young country. Their extreme potential makes it even harder to understand why the coalition government they formed fell. Despite all their promise they came up against seemingly insurmountable obstacles. These obstacles to unity grew both from within and outside the country. The fissures that eventually tore the country apart existed long before countries revolution. These fault lines stem from the traumatic history of Democratic Republic of Congo. This troubling history began in 1885 when Belgian King Leopold II colonized the large Central African territory. The king took a land constituted of many disjointed kingdoms and tribes; he made it his own, he made them all his subjects. This united the people of Congo in grief but not in identity. The people of this land were subjugated to unimaginable torture, but many still held tight to the ethnic and regional identities of their ancestors. This torture went on in the Congo for generations. The tumultuous nature of early 20th century Europe saw the Congolese extraction colony undergo a lot of changes. The experiences of fighting in the world wars on behalf of their oppressors altered the minds of many Congolese people. They were given an opportunity to see the world that their ancestors had not. They saw how Belgians differed from other European powers in their brutality. And they were able to talk to other African subjects of colonialism. A revolutionary spirit was born out of this suffering, and the people of Congo began to organize against their colonial oppressors. But it was unclear from the beginning how Congolese identity should look. Some Congolese natives came out of this period better off than others; some regions were favored by the Belgians amassing political connections and economic capital. These organizations were faced with extreme barriers from ethnic identity, class structure, regional differences, and oppositions from the west. These conditions made it very difficult to build and maintain their newly founded coalition government and remain united in a national identity and mission.

Title: Faces of the Front: Stories from Fort Wayne’s Storefronts

Abstract:

Faces of the Front: Stories from Fort Wayne’s Storefronts is a documentary and photography-based honors project that celebrates the people and places that make up Fort Wayne and greatly represents its history. The project explores the deep-rooted connections between Fort Wayne and their businesses, from eateries, museums, radio stations, music stores, colleges, etc. that represent not only Fort Wayne’s history, but its connection and culture. 

Through a combination of portrait photography, storytelling, and research, Faces of the Front seeks to preserve the visual and narrative history of these spaces while capturing how they adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing city. Each participating business shares its story through interviews and portraits that reflect its legacy, challenges, and hopes for the future.

For example, one of the featured stories focuses on Poptique, a beloved Fort Wayne popcorn business that began with a simple idea, to make high-quality, handcrafted popcorn that brings joy to every occasion. The project delves into questions such as: What inspired Poptique’s start? How has it grown with the city? What lessons continue to shape it today? Through interviews, I explore Poptique’s evolution, from its first location to its role as a staple in the city’s small business and food scene. I also highlight the brand’s signature flavors such as; Dill Pickle, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel, Cheeto, and Cheeseburger Powder popcorn, that reflect both creativity and customer connection.

The broader goal of Faces of the Front is to showcase how local businesses like Poptique sustain Fort Wayne’s cultural identity through innovation, inclusivity, and community impact. The final project will culminate in an interactive online map featuring business portraits and interviews across Fort Wayne, an in-person map/brochure piece, along with a 3-d build of the overall project. By visually and narratively documenting these spaces, the project aims to honor the entrepreneurs who shape the city’s sense of place and to inspire future generations to recognize the value and history of local stories about Fort Wayne and its businesses.

Title: Methodology to the Biofortification of Vitamin E in Oryza sativa

Abstract:

Rice (Oryza sativa) remains to be one of the most widely eaten grains in the world. Meanwhile, nutrient deficiencies are still prevalent worldwide. One such nutrient is vitamin E, which is essential to human health through its function as an antioxidant. It is also estimated that a large portion of the population is not receiving a high enough vitamin E intake. Increasing the content of nutrients like vitamin E in foods is referred to as biofortification. Biofortification can be accomplished through the usage of gene editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9. The ability to increase the nutritional content of foods like O. sativa has been accomplished in the past, but increasing vitamin E content is something rarely done.

The significance of experiments with O. sativa lie in the reach has worldwide. While researchers have experimented with the nutritional quality of O. sativa in the past, such as the beta-carotene enriched golden rice, the results of many of these experiments do not become consumer products. This is despite the fact that many of these products, once refined, could solve issues of nutrient deficiencies around the world. Thus, I consider experimentation with the nutritional content of food items to be essential to solving these issues.

I present a detailed experimental proposal on the biofortification of vitamin E in O. sativa using CRISPR-Cas9. I aim to overexpress the HPT gene of O. sativa in order to increase the alpha-tocopherol content. This proposal includes all steps and reagents necessary to complete the process. Additionally, I include the steps on the processes to test for the new vitamin E content in the genetically modified O. sativa and several other aspects of the food like changes in digestibility. Finally, I include several possible outcomes for this proposed experiment, how these outcomes may occur, and what would need to be changed in the procedure if an undesired outcome does occur.

Title: Adaptive Sports Events

Abstract:

Sports events in today’s world have become social activities that take place all over the world. No matter what type of sport someone prefers, there is a major sports event that the fans can follow no matter where they are in the world. Even if the sport is taking place in Europe, people in the United States or elsewhere can follow along from the comfort of their own home. However, with the growth of sports event, there has also been a growth in recognizing that the world we live in needs to be inclusive for the people who might have been left out in the past. An example of a group of people that fall into this would be people with disabilities having access to be able to play sports in general let alone in major events such as the Olympics. With this growth, adaptive sports have seen an increase in inclusivity awareness as well as general interest in these types of events. There even has been an addition to some of the major sports events by including the Paralympics. In addition to understanding how sports events have gotten to where they are today whether it be adaptive or not, this project was also examining into how sports have had an impact on the athletes themselves. While typical sports events tend to be well known, adaptive sports still have a lot of research that could be done to improve the general interest as well as the event experience. While the research has been minimal, the information that is presented in this project is found based on research and expertise from people who have hosted adaptive events. Some of the things that have been discovered in the research is how locations are selected, the organization of the sports event, how adaptive sports have seen a growth and how the athletes experience of the event have impacted them. Adaptive sports offer competitions are just as competitive, fast pace, and just as intriguing to watch as other typical major sports events. 

Title: The Impact of Emotional Valence on the Directed Forgetting Effect

Abstract:

The directed forgetting effect refers to the ability to intentionally suppress information that is no longer relevant. This allows individuals to update working memory, regulate emotions, and avoid cognitive overload. This phenomenon has been explained through several theoretical frameworks, including selective rehearsal, retrieval inhibition, and context change theories, each emphasizing different stages of encoding and retrieval. Previous research utilizing the item-method directed forgetting (IMDF) paradigm has demonstrated that people can voluntarily forget words, images, and even emotional stimuli, though emotional valence appears to influence this ability. The directed forgetting effect is described as both a tool and phenomenon that can be used to cause intentional forgetting and can occur in both real-world and in lab settings. 

The present study seeks to examine whether emotional valence modulates the directed forgetting effect. A 2 (cue type: to-be-remembered vs. to-be-forgotten; within-subjects) × 3 (emotional valence: positive, negative, neutral; between-subjects) mixed design will be used.  Number of items recalled, and number of items recognized are measured. It is hypothesized that positively valenced words will increase the number of words recalled whereas negatively valenced words will decrease it.

Participants will study word lists drawn from Gilhooly and Logie (1980), which were further categorized by sentiment analysis. Participants will undergo learning, recall, and recognition phases using Qualtrics software. Participants will be presented with one of three stimuli lists, containing 15 words from each.  Cues. TBR or TBF, were randomly presented, following the presentation of each word. Following the learning phase, participants are instructed to recall all the words they were presented, regardless of the cue following the word. Additionally, participants will be shown 15 more words, randomly selected from all lists and examine whether they were previously told to remember or forget the word, or if the word was completely novel. 

Results of the experiment will be analyzed using a MANOVA to examine main and interaction effects between cue type and emotional valence. Understanding how emotion influences intentional forgetting can deepen insight into the mechanisms of cognitive control. Implications for emotion regulation and clinical applications in cognitive psychology can be addressed.

Title: The Effects of Attachment Style, Anger Regulation, and Attitudes on Violence on the Relationship between Family of Origin Violence and Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract:

In line with intergenerational transmission of violence, family of origin violence (FOV) has been shown to be a consistent risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV). However, not all who experience FOV will experience IPV, therefore eliciting an examination of variables that may reveal the mechanisms behind this variance. Based upon social psychological theories, the influence of attachment style, anger regulation abilities, and attitudes towards violence has been proposed to mediate the relationship between FOV and IPV.

According to attachment theory, the experience of FOV may create an insecure attachment style that generalizes to future relationships beyond the scope of the family. This insecure style can lead to IPV perpetration or victimization through anxious or avoidant tendencies. Stemming from attachment, emotion regulation can also be affected by FOV as the tendencies of an insecure attachment style create a greater negative emotional load to regulate. Another perspective on how emotion regulation can be affected by FOV is that witnessing or being the victim of violence, models, and therefore cultivates acceptance of emotion dysregulation. Anger dysregulation in particular has been consistently linked with IPV, as it is the emotion with the clearest association with violence. The modeling of behavior underlying this factor of anger dysregulation is explained by social learning theory which is also implicated in the contribution of attitudes towards violence to the FOV-IPV relationship. Like emotion regulation, the experiences of FOV can model underlying positive attitudes towards violence and therefore create acceptance of these behaviors in the context of close relationships.

Although much literature has been generated on the individual effects of these variables on FOV and IPV, a clear consensus on the extent of these effects has yet to be reached. Attachment style, anger regulation, and attitudes towards violence have each been shown to explain some of the FOV-IPV relationship but considering all of these factors together may provide a more comprehensive understanding of this relationship. Therefore, the aim of this project is to conduct analyses on data from measures of FOV, IPV, attachment, anger regulation, and attitudes towards violence to see how these constructs are related to one another, with a specific focus on whether attachment, anger regulation, or attitudes provide clarity on the relationship between FOV and IPV. 

Title: Populism and the Past: The Political Afterlife of Communism in Eastern Europe

Abstract:

This research explores how historical legacies of communist regimes shape the current appeal of populist leadership in post-communist societies, focusing primarily on Poland and Hungary while contrasting their trajectories with the Czech Republic, which has thus far followed a different path. By examining transitions from authoritarian rule to democracy—and later shifts toward populism—the study hypothesizes that unresolved historical grievances and perceived shortcomings of post-communist reforms create fertile ground for populist appeals. Populist leaders in these contexts often draw upon national sovereignty themes and critiques of past injustices, resonating with citizens who recall the social upheavals of communist rule.

In contrast, the Czech experience suggests that not all post-communist states undergo the same populist turn. Identifying what sets the Czech Republic apart—whether more robust democratic institutions, distinct cultural attitudes, or alternative avenues for political dissent—will be key to understanding how some countries resist the lure of populism. This inquiry also examines whether grievances spring primarily from grassroots communities or are cultivated by elites seeking “means, motive, and opportunity” to galvanize political support.

A comparative, empirical approach will guide the research, integrating historical analysis, rhetorical examinations of leaders’ speeches, and polling data to determine how these factors contribute to shifting voter preferences. By juxtaposing multiple post-communist nations, the project aims to clarify why certain populations gravitate toward populist politics, while others do not. These findings will add depth to ongoing debates about the roots of populism by highlighting the diverse outcomes of post-communist transitions, while also acknowledging the interplay of cultural and economic variables.

Ultimately, this study illustrates how the collective memory of communism, and the subsequent pursuit of national autonomy, can influence present-day political alignment in Poland and Hungary, in contrast with the comparatively different outcome in the Czech Republic. Offering a broader lens for analogous post-communist contexts, the project sheds light on the ways historical legacies, strategic elites, and socio-political conditions converge to shape a nation’s receptivity to populist appeals.

Title: The effects of generic product branding and handedness on consideration set formation

Abstract: 

The function of human decision-making is a largely overlooked cognitive process utilized by every individual every day. Decision-making is an essential cognitive process involving the selection of actions from multiple alternatives. This process is influenced by individual preferences, external stimuli, and unconscious biases. A key aspect is the role of unconscious judgments, shaped by experiences, cultural norms, and marketing strategies.

Additionally, handedness impacts decision-making; studies suggest that left-handed individuals may exhibit more cautious and exclusionary choices; the presented research seeks to either confirm or disprove this theory. Understanding these dynamics enhances our knowledge of human behavior and has practical applications in areas such as marketing, psychology, and cognitive science.

Extensive research has explored decision-making and the factors influencing unconscious choices. This study specifically examines the impact of marketing and unconscious internal judgments on consumer choices and preferences. The experiment investigated how subconscious marketing, familiarity, and handedness influence conscious decision-making. This was achieved experimentally through a behavioral observational study, asking participants to determine which products they would purchase from a combination of name-brand, similarly labeled generic brand, and uniquely labeled generic brand product picture cards. 

The hypothesis of this study is that participants would typically choose to buy generic products that looked more similar to name-brand products over generic products with a unique and unfamiliar label. The study was conducted with both an inclusion and exclusion condition, and asked demographic questions to account for handedness, education level, and age. 

This experiment's results offer a detailed view of how external factors affect human behavior and decisions. Future research could explore specific decision-making factors or examine how ambidexterity influences decisions. 

Title: Healthcare Student's Perceptions & Knowledge of Aphasia

Abstract: 

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder with one of the highest prevalence rates among other neurological disorders. Aphasia often occurs due to damage to the left hemisphere of the brain and typically results in difficulties with language production and comprehension. These communication impairments are likely to have a significant impact on the quality of life of people with aphasia (PWA). Current research suggests that PWA are more likely to experience longer hospital stays, an increased likelihood of complications, and poorer health outcomes overall. Additionally, aphasia is perceived as having a much larger negative impact on overall health status, even when compared to more well-known health conditions including cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Previous research has shown that the public does not have much knowledge of aphasia, despite reporting that they have heard of this disorder. In addition, research has shown that certain demographic characteristics, such as gender and occupation, impact one’s knowledge of aphasia. Based on previous findings, there seems to be a lack of knowledge, understanding, or training in the healthcare field regarding aphasia. To further explore this issue, we have decided to assess knowledge of aphasia in healthcare students as they are the next generation of healthcare providers and may play an essential role in caring for PWA. 

The overall goal of this project is to explore differences in knowledge and perceptions of aphasia among undergraduate students in various healthcare fields such as nursing, occupational therapy, and communication sciences and disorders via a web-based survey. Participants were asked questions about characteristics and quality of life of people with aphasia. Preliminary data collection began in Fall 2024 and is still ongoing. Based on the results, suggestions for how to plan public awareness campaigns about aphasia and how to increase media coverage will be discussed. 

Title: Leak detection and Environmental Prognostics Through a Battery-Powered Sensor Design

Abstract:

Franklin Electric (FE) is a local company which develops electric water pumps for commercial and residential applications. Water leaks are a reoccurring issue that can come with either pumps or the piping which distributes the water they draw. Franklin currently sells a wired leak detection sensor with a 10-foot range. This existing product is manufactured by another company, and its construction is widely unknown by the FE team. As FE continues to push more of their products onto an Internet of Things (IoT) network of smart devices, they have asked that their existing sensor be replaced and given increased functionality. In response, Charles Clem and Kyler Kellogg, along with a third partner, have developed a battery powered sensor that incorporates leak detection, temperature sensing, pump-knock sensing, and disconnect alerting with communication over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocols. This product will directly interface with Franklin Electric’s existing app, FE Connect.

The presentation on product development will be broken into a research and planning portion, as well as a physical execution portion, each of which will be covered primarily by Charles and Kyler respectively. The research and planning portion will focus on background research of the circuitry needed to develop the product, determining functional requirements based on conversations with the FE team, and the materials needed to create the device. It will also cover initial design stages and product verification planning, which eventually led to the execution timeline which was utilized starting in December of 2024. The physical execution portion will cover software interfacing, hardware layouts, and solid shell modeling of the product. This will move into a description of integrating each of these separate subsystems, along with the challenges that came with this. A demonstration based on current prototype capabilities will be given, and remarks on shortcomings and areas of focus for future project development will be covered to end the presentation.

Title: Immersion Tester for Passivation

Abstract:

The immersion tester for passivation (PIT) is a senior design project for the Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW) electrical and computer engineering (ECE) department and sponsored by the local Fort Wayne defense contractor, Bowmar LLC. The PIT project involves adapting the previous PIT senior design initiative by completely redesigning the prior build to meet industrial standards. The process of immersion testing is a means of testing and evaluating the effectiveness and quality of passivation for corrosion-resistant metals (such as stainless steel). It begins with subjecting corrosion-resistant metals to repeated cycles of distilled water submersion for one hour and air drying for another hour. After a twenty-four (24) hour period of repeated submersion and drying cycles, the immersion testing will reveal whether or not the passivation process successfully removed anodic surface contamination (such as rust) ensuring the material being tested is corrosion resistant.

The PIT project consists of five testing tanks that will house the passivated components during the immersion testing process. Each tank is flush mounted to the top level of a modified, two-level utility cart. The distilled water used to fill each testing tank is stored in a larger plastic cistern tank, located on the lower level of the utility cart. Five identical diaphragm pumps are utilized to move the distilled water from the cistern tank to the testing tanks. After each cycle of distilled water submersion, the used (gray) water will be drained into an identical large, plastic cistern tank located on the lower level of the utility cart. The force of gravity and a singular normally open (NO) solenoid valve are used with each test tank for the draining process. A solenoid valve is an electrically controlled valve used to close or open pipes. When the draining process begins for a testing tank, its respective fan will be powered on for fifteen minutes to dry the component inside the testing tank. The state of each testing tank will be made known with three different colored pilot lights: a green pilot light for indicating the testing tank is available, a red pilot light for indicating the testing tank is currently in use, and an orange pilot light for indicating an issue has occurred in the test tank.

The PIT process is facilitated by programmable logic controller (PLC) working in conjunction with a touchscreen human-machine interface (HMI). A PLC is a ruggedized computer designed to control machines and processes in factories, buildings, and other automated systems. It is essentially the brain of the PIT project. An HMI screen is a control panel for a machine or system. It allows the operator to see data, control equipment, and interact with the PIT. With the HMI and PLC, an operator from Bowmar LLC will interact with the HMI screen to control the immersion testing of passivated components in the five test tanks on the PIT machine. 

Title: The stigma of homelessness: The role of mental health status

Abstract: 

Homelessness is a growing and pervasive issue that affects millions of people around the world with widespread consequences for the individuals experiencing it. To better understand the nature of this social issue, some researchers have studied how homeless individuals tend to differ from the general population. One clear distinction that has been identified in multiple studies is the overlap between homelessness and poor mental health. As this vulnerable population experiences the challenges of homelessness as well as the effects of mental illness, societal perceptions of homeless individuals experiencing mental illness are critically important. The purpose of this study to fill this gap by exploring how the intersection of homelessness and mental illness influences public attitudes and stigma toward this group.

This study explores how mental health status influences public perceptions, focusing on dehumanization. The dual model of dehumanization (Haslam, 2006) suggests that stigma may manifest in two ways: the denial of an individual’s human uniqueness (animalistic dehumanization) or human nature (mechanistic dehumanization). Given that serious mental illnesses often involve cognitive impairment and behavioral dysregulation, homeless individuals with a mental illness may be more likely to experience animalistic dehumanization. I hypothesize that homeless individuals with a mental illness will be dehumanized to a greater extent compared to those without a mental illness. This degree of dehumanization will in turn predict higher levels of stigmatizing attitudes. 

Results of this study indicate that dehumanization predicted greater negativity toward individuals when they are described as both homeless and/or experiencing mental illness. There was a significant effect when the target person was homeless and mentally ill, homeless and physically ill, and mentally ill alone. This effect was not significant when the target person was described as neither homeless nor mentally ill. The overall analysis highlights the role of dehumanization in stigma, particularly at the intersection of homelessness and mental illness.

Understanding stigma is crucial as it serves as a significant barrier to employment, healthcare, and housing for this population. By examining the intersection of homelessness and mental illness, this research provides insight into public perceptions of homelessness that can inform advocates working to reduce stigma and improve support systems for homeless individuals with a mental illness.

Title: The Intersection of Music, Sound, and Computer Science in the Video Game Industry

Abstract:

Anthropologists and philosophers distinguish humans to be storytelling creatures—an attribute that seems to make them unique as an animal species. These stories are passed down through a variety of mediums: oral, artistic, musical, dramatic, ludic (pertaining to games), and combinations therein. Each medium carries with it different genres, conventions, expectations, possibilities, and strengths that become evident over time. Moreover, the existence of mixed media storytelling appears to expand the possibilities while combining strengths and creating new associations and expectations. Scholars analyze mixed media stories to attempt to isolate how the mediums work together to different effects, why they do, and to gleam something deeper about the mediums or humanity from it. The past fifty years have seen a new storytelling medium rise to the zeitgeist: video games. Video games are interdisciplinary mediums that are only possible with modern computational technology, combining elements of games with visual art, animation, design, music, sound effects, narrative writing/worldbuilding, and programming. This combination of many disparate crafts and fields of study makes video games challenging but rewarding to study. 

Ignoring their combination in the virtual world, music and games already have much in common. They both take the verb “to play” in English. They both require interfaces and predetermined methods or conventions for use: think about how the design of the piano keyboard or guitar fretboard conveys the intended ways of interaction in the same way that the design of a Rubik's cube or chess board does. 

These comparisons may seem superficial; however, the similarities between music performance and gameplay are important and become more so when considering audio and music in the digital landscape of video games. Video game sounds might be triggered by a player interacting with the game—after all without someone to play the video game, no music can exist let alone change or progress. This fact makes video games a unique medium where the audience does not simply interact with the story but takes an authorial role in how the story, music, and audio play out. The emerging field of ludomusicology has risen in the past twenty years to dissect this—combining the parent fields of ludology (the study of games/play) and musicology (the research-based study of music). My aim in this project is not just to compile the current academic consensus and findings of the ludomusicological field but also to put this into practice to deepen my understanding and skills as a composer of music for media. For this purpose, I will a) read the foundational texts and articles of ludomusicology and b) teach myself skills in coding and using industry-standard software to implement static, interactive, adaptive, and dynamic audio into a playable environment.

Title: Leak detection and Environmental Prognostics Through a Battery-Powered Sensor Design

Abstract:

Franklin Electric (FE) is a local company which develops electric water pumps for commercial and residential applications. Water leaks are a reoccurring issue that can come with either pumps or the piping which distributes the water they draw. Franklin currently sells a wired leak detection sensor with a 10-foot range. This existing product is manufactured by another company, and its construction is widely unknown by the FE team. As FE continues to push more of their products onto an Internet of Things (IoT) network of smart devices, they have asked that their existing sensor be replaced and given increased functionality. In response, Charles Clem and Kyler Kellogg, along with a third partner, have developed a battery powered sensor that incorporates leak detection, temperature sensing, pump-knock sensing, and disconnect alerting with communication over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocols. This product will directly interface with Franklin Electric’s existing app, FE Connect.

The presentation on product development will be broken into a research and planning portion, as well as a physical execution portion, each of which will be covered primarily by Charles and Kyler respectively. The research and planning portion will focus on background research of the circuitry needed to develop the product, determining functional requirements based on conversations with the FE team, and the materials needed to create the device. It will also cover initial design stages and product verification planning, which eventually led to the execution timeline which was utilized starting in December of 2024. The physical execution portion will cover software interfacing, hardware layouts, and solid shell modeling of the product. This will move into a description of integrating each of these separate subsystems, along with the challenges that came with this. A demonstration based on current prototype capabilities will be given, and remarks on shortcomings and areas of focus for future project development will be covered to end the presentation.

Title: The Arc of Joan: A Modern Reimagining of Joan of Arc

Abstract:

The story of Joan of Arc is famous across the world. She was a French heroine guided by God to take back France from England and crown King Charles VII. After a successful run as a military general, she was burnt at the stake for wearing men’s clothing. We do not know how Joan identified and terms such as “non-binary” were not coined until much later. Joan’s clothing expression was determined to be subversive and dangerous enough to kill her is what is known.  

In the play I, Joan by playwright Charlie Josephine, Joan is reimagined as an assigned female at birth (AFAB) non-binary character. The play has the attitude of “f*** historical accuracy,” which is a line from the text. History told in the Western world has been primarily written by cisgender, heterosexual white men. The nuances of queerness may have been lost to time. They may not have had the language, but queer audiences today connect with Joan's story.

Creating a costume for Joan in this piece creates a challenge to symbolize their queerness as both an identity and political statement. Their identity involves a non-binary gender and an attraction to women. Queerness does not only refer to identity, such as self-identifying as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+), but it can refer to openly displaying a difference in society. Many LGBTQ+ individuals do not do this, so they may identify as queer but are not socially or politically queer. Joan is politically queer. They openly push against gendered expectations for women/AFAB people by leading an army, not marrying, and preferring death over dressing in feminine clothing. 

The most impactful garment Joan has, both historically and within the play, is their armor. The armor I will create is inspired by Christian historical armor that incorporates elements interpreted as masculine and elements interpreted as feminine, along with artwork made by a transmasculine (people who are AFAB and identify as men or as masculine presenting) artist. This will allow the historical foundation of the character to shine through while giving a queer interpretation of the character that the play text demands. Building armor and costumes is important to create a more inclusive space within film, theatre, and musical performance. An increasing number of actors identify as non-binary, so farther representation and research promoting inclusivity in the field is important.

Title: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Experiences with Nursing Diet Modification Practices

Abstract:

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play a primary role in evaluating and treating dysphagia and may implement treatment approaches intended to improve function or reduce its impact on nutritional intake and quality of life. For some patients, a dysphagia diet that involves modified consistency of solids and viscosity of fluids can help sustain safe nutrition and hydration (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2019; Garcia et al., 2005). Optimal dysphagia management requires a multidisciplinary approach that involves nursing staff (Heritage, 2001; Lancaster, 2015). 

The purpose of texture-modified diets (TMDs) is to help compensate for swallowing dysfunction by providing a safer consistency for the individual with dysphagia (Cichero et al., 2017; Logemann et al., 2008). Solids range from regular consistency to pureed to compensate for a variety of dysfunctions related to oral preparatory and oral transfer stages of the swallow. Liquids range from thin (unmodified), to progressively thicker (nectar, honey, pudding), and can help slow down the pharyngeal transit to compensate for slowed structural protection of the airways (Kuhlemeier et al., 2001; Logemann et al., 2008). 

Downgrading a diet makes it more restrictive. In the case of liquids, a more restrictive thicker consistency can potentially pose a greater risk to some individuals, e.g. patients with reduced tongue strength. If thicker viscosity does not compensate for dysfunction and bolus is aspirated, the thicker bolus is more difficult to clear from the lungs. More “downgraded” honey thick liquids have also been associated with a higher incidence of pneumonia (Robbins et al., 2008), dehydration (Finestone et al., 2001; Steele, 2006), and additional adverse effects for people with dementia (Flynn et al., 2018). SLPs are trained to determine whether thickening liquid is appropriate compensation for individual patients on a case-by-case basis.

Patients in healthcare facilities typically receive around the clock nursing care. Nurses administer medications that require swallowing, and may help with feeding. They are often the first line of defense in recognizing swallowing difficulties and referring to SLPs (Lancaster, 2015). Although an extensive literature search of relevant databases (EBSCO, MEDLINE and PubMed) produced no documentation of formal recommendation to support this practice, nurses regularly cite permission to downgrade TMDs without SLP consult (Hirzel et al., 2020).

The quantitative branch of our research included surveying medical SLPs (N=503) in 2019 and 2023 to gain insight into their experiences with nurses’ diet modification practices pattern in a variety of healthcare settings (Osmelak, et al., 2023; Van De Weg et al., 2024). Overall, 78.9% of respondents had directly encountered the nursing initiated TMD practice, with an additional 10% having heard of it. Early career clinicians (n=104) had an even higher direct encounter rate at 87.5%. As a follow-up to our cross-sectional survey findings, we further explored medical SLPs’ experiences with TMDs and nurses’ TMD practices patterns via semi structured interviews (n=10). The purpose of the thematic analysis is to help enhance the discussion on how to support SLPs working alongside nurses in healthcare through clinical guidelines and improve their ability to provide safe and effective patient care.

Title: DOE Analysis of the Effect of Different Printing Parameters on FDM 3D Prints

Abstract:

3D printing is an intriguing technology that still has advancements every year. With all the different materials, print settings, and printer types it's hard to know exactly what you need to do to get the best result. The strength of a print is the most important factor in an industrial environment where reducing the risk of breakage is imperative. This study aims to demystify some of the options you can choose from when 3D printing. How do the material selection, fan speed, and wall thickness affect the tensile strength of 3D printed parts? These were the questions first posed in the early stages of the project. As the production of the samples began there were notable problems getting parts to print without failing. This caused some major shifts in the project. The amount of testing variables has been shrunk and the variables that are getting tested have been changed. Now cooling rate and printing temperature will be the variables looked at, each with a high and low challenge level. This will result in four combinations of print settings that will each have five replicates. This makes the total sample count 20. If time permits an additional material will be tested raising the count to 40.

This project is still ongoing, but validation activities surrounding the final testing machine show that print temperature could significantly affect final properties. The results produced at the end of this study will help engineers better understand how the factors they choose will affect the strength of their prints. Printing stronger prints early in the design process will lower the total amount of print you have to produce to get a final part. This saves time and money leading to positive downstream effects for companies. 

Title: Man’s (New) Best Friend?: How Character AI Impacts Human Sociality

Abstract:

Since the first ChatGPT model released in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have integrated into social media, search engines, phone operating systems, business software, and more. Now, the AI chatbot Character AI allows millions of users to engage in text or voice chats with a character based on a fictional story or historical figure. This service is free and essentially unlimited, allowing users to interact with the chatbots through the Character AI cell phone app or via their computer’s web browser. While these chatbots are a simple source of amusement for some users, other users experience a greater emotional investment in their AI companions. This study aims to better understand how people are interacting with, thinking about, and connecting with Character AI chatbots by analyzing the content of social media posts in the Character AI subreddit on the social media platform Reddit. 

The data for this content analysis was collected from freely available social media posts on Reddit. The Character AI subreddit is a lively community focused on Character AI and boasts more than 2.5 million members with a daily average of about 75 posts per day. Two hundred and eighty posts were collected from the subreddit between February 17th and March 17th. The posts selected for inclusion in the content analysis were those with the highest engagement during that timeframe. By focusing on posts with high engagement, we ensure that the content being analyzed resonates with other people in the Character AI community. 

The collected Reddit posts were analyzed using content analysis techniques and categorized based on level of engagement, revealing what topics and types of interaction were most important to users regarding Character AI. A content analysis codebook was created for the study that focused on fifteen common emotional themes found in posts on the Character AI subreddit. Each post was coded with up to three of these emotional themes. Preliminary findings show that while some users focus on the humor found in chatbot interaction, there is also significant emotional investment as shown in posts that feature anger, sadness, or shame. There are some gaps in this research protocol, such as “troll” posts that are not actually indicative of a user’s feelings. Future avenues of research could include social media posts from other platforms, a greater time range for content collection, a focus on different AI chatbots, and a larger data set. 

Title: John Proctor is the Villain: Stepping into the Past

Abstract: 

John Proctor is the Villain: Stepping into the Past Revisiting high school is a concept that many people would tremble at the thought of. This play is a reflection of reality that incorporates the intersection of feminism and misogyny, toxic gender norms, and silencing of women all through the voices of teenagers. John Proctor is the Villain, by Kimberly Belflower (2018), studies the complexity of high school relationships and small-town scandals. As a costume design and technology concentration in the Department of Theatre, it is a requirement to synthesize and apply course learning outcomes into a pre-professional design project. The costume design for John Proctor is the Villain is the culmination of all the classes I’ve taken, teaching me to navigate script analysis, research, communication and collaboration with a design team, costume sourcing, costume fitting, and finally rehearsal and show time. 

First step of the costume design process is script analysis. The designer must read through the show several times. Making characters recognizable to an audience is important. Research for the costumes consisted of selfies from my sophomore and junior year of high school, influencer outfits, and Pinterest trends that me and my friends saved while we were teenagers. The primary focus is on designing costumes that reflect the characters’ personalities, motivations, and relationships while emphasizing the contrast between social masks and true identities. Each character had a costume plot that reflected their emotional evolution over the course of the play. For example: the protagonist, Shelby’s costumes transition throughout the show to reflect her growing empowerment while other characters (such as Mr. Smith) maintain their statements through convention. It is crucial to collaborate with the production team to ensure each element from lighting to set design blends together in harmony and matches the director’s vision. Once each design is solidified, I am able to begin visualizing them through costume renderings that reflect the realism of the research I gather. Renderings inform the sourcing process i.e. pulling from our existing costume stockroom, purchasing from local vendors such as Plato’s Closet. Fittings are the next crucial phase of the process, where the costumes are altered based on the actor’s feedback, ensuring functionality all while maintaining visual storytelling. I engaged with the actors to coordinate costumes that matched the renderings and costume plot for their characters. Observing dress rehearsals helps communicate elements that cannot be foreseen before the costumes are put on stage. Some choices that were made weren’t right, based on new information from the director and actors. It is vital to remain flexible and pivot when needed, as telling the story is more important than personal preference. When a show opens for an audience, the costumes transform from concept to reality. Components like color palettes, and textures aid the story in its effect. 

Overall, through the elaborate process including collaboration, analysis, research, sourcing, fittings, and realization,, the costume design for John Proctor is the Villain serves as a fundamental visual component that enhances the play’s exploration of feminism, victimization, and redemption.

Title: The Effect of Cortisol Concentrations on Blood Parameters of Nile Tilapia

Abstract: 

Stress, which is a strained state triggered by external or internal factors and disrupts homeostasis, results in a variety of responses. In fish, stress can lead to decreased growth rate, increased enzymatic activity, weakened immune systems, and other issues. Studying stress is therefore important for improved fish aquaculture, as high stress can lead to a reduction in both quantity and quality of farmed fish. Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal gland in response to stress to maintain homeostasis. Higher stress conditions are directly correlated with higher cortisol concentrations. Due to this, cortisol is often used as a measurement of stress in research. Cortisol is only one aspect of stress response – investigating the effect of cortisol-induced stress alone would therefore be useful in seeing how it affects fish physiology.  

This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of cortisol on the blood parameters of Nile tilapia over a period of 72 hours. Nile tilapia were chosen as the experimental model due to their economic importance, use in research and nutritional value. Fish were sampled every 12 hours. Parameters measured were blood glucose concentration, packed cell volume (PCV), and plasma protein. These parameters are often used as stress and health indicators, and they play a role in immunological processes. Results indicated that blood glucose and plasma protein indicated increased stress at increase cortisol concentration. For plasma protein, stress also appeared to increase with time. PCV did not drastically change between experimental groups or with time. When measuring cortisol-induced stress, blood glucose and plasma protein would be more useful blood indicators than PCV.

Title: The Public History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and American Identity

Abstract:

This project examines the public history of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., focusing on its role in shaping American identity and addressing national denial. Designed by Maya Lin, the Memorial diverges from traditional war monuments by eschewing glorification of victory and instead compelling visitors to confront the profound loss and sacrifice of the Vietnam War. This study will analyze the Memorial’s impact on American collective memory, identity, and historical reckoning, exploring how it challenges conventional narratives of heroism and war remembrance while fostering national introspection.

Through historical analysis, public reactions, and scholarly discourse, this project will investigate how the Memorial negotiates themes of national guilt, denial, and commemoration. By serving as a site of contested memory, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial provides an opportunity to understand how public history shapes collective identity and facilitates reconciliation with difficult pasts. The research will contribute to public history scholarship by demonstrating the ways in which memorials function as spaces of both commemoration and contestation.

The methodology for this project includes four primary components: (1) a literature review of scholarly works on war memorials, public history, and collective memory, particularly those centered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; (2) archival research, utilizing sources such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund records and the National Archives to analyze original documents, debates, and public reactions surrounding the Memorial’s development and dedication; (3) interviews and public engagement, where feasible, to gather perspectives from veterans, visitors, and historians on the Memorial’s influence on American history and identity; and (4) a comparative analysis of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial alongside other war memorials, such as the World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial, to highlight its unique approach to remembrance.

Potential obstacles to this research include limited access to archival materials, necessitating reliance on digital sources or secondary analyses; logistical and ethical challenges in conducting interviews with veterans and visitors; and the inherent subjectivity involved in interpreting public reactions, requiring careful contextual analysis to mitigate bias.

The anticipated findings of this project suggest that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial functions as a powerful counter-narrative to traditional war memorials, compelling the nation to engage in historical reckoning rather than celebration. By redefining patriotism through acknowledgment of sacrifice rather than military triumph, the Memorial encourages a critical reassessment of the Vietnam War and its broader implications for American identity. Additionally, the research will contribute to wider discussions on how nations commemorate difficult histories and the role of public history in shaping collective memory.

The project’s significance lies in its exploration of how the Vietnam Veterans Memorial navigates themes of sacrifice, loss, and national identity, offering a model for understanding how memorials serve as dynamic sites of public history. By analyzing the Memorial’s lasting impact, this study will provide insights into the ways in which societies confront and memorialize complex historical legacies, deepening our understanding of the intersection between memory, identity, and historical consciousness.

Title: The Stigma of Mental Illness in Latino Communities

Abstract:

Stigma on mental illness is a term that does not have a clear-cut definition, however mental health stigma is defined as the beliefs and stereotypes that have a negative impact on how individuals with mental illnesses are viewed. These negative views can impact if an individual decides to seek treatment for their mental illness or not. For the Latino community, that stigma that surrounds mental illness has made the Latino community that least likely to seek mental health treatment compared to other communities. Latinos experience many challenges unique to their community such as discrimination, inequality, language barriers, poverty and mental and physical wellness. Their mental health is what is often ignored. Contributing factors such as insurance, language barriers, fear of deportation, inability to acculturate, or stigma can have a negative impact on mental health. This project focuses on the stigma on mental illnesses in the Latino community and what contributes to that stigma. 

The goal of this project is to look at the different circumstances that may lead to stigma in the Latino community as well as to understand why the Latino community may not look for treatment or avoid treatment. This project dives into the different areas that contribute to stigma such as limited knowledge, language barriers, religion, family, gender and perception of other and oneself. This project also looks at how each of these areas play a part that contributes to stigma towards mental illness. Although there is limited research that specifically focuses on what leads to the stigma in mental illness and how it is measured in the Latino community, highlighting the research that is available and what is lacking in that research can help spread awareness and educate both the Latino community and other minorities as well as mental health professional helping these communities. 

Title: The Effect of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders on N-Cadherins in the Hippocampus

Abstract: 

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is linked to changes in sensory processing, intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, cognitive impairments, and, in severe cases, facial dysmorphology in children (Khalifa et al., 2024). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) encompass a range of symptoms resulting from alcohol exposure in utero. There is speculation that this spectrum of disorders impacts the dopaminergic pathway, particularly within the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the brain region responsible for memory and learning in individuals without these disorders. It is located in the left and right hemispheres of the temporal lobe and plays a key role in converting short- term memories into long- term ones, as well as in storing and retrieving verbal, spatial, and declarative memories (the recall of facts and events). Studies indicate that the hippocampus is a crucial site for alcohol- related changes. N- Cadherin, a conserved transmembrane cell- cell adhesion molecule, is an essential protein found in the hippocampus, vital for maintaining homeostasis and tissue development. The formation of spines and synapses depends on the trisynaptic adhesion complex formed by N- cadherins and b-catenins. The hippocampus- dependent memory for spatial episodes in adult mice was found to be severely compromised in the absence of N- cadherins. Thus, the N- cadherin/- catenin complex is thought to be crucial for controlling the ionotropic receptor composition of excitatory synapses. The right ratio of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic proteins is required to maintain the cerebral circuitry necessary for producing adaptable yet durable cognitive and synaptic functions (Nikitczuk et al., 2016). Cadherins regulate both cell signaling and cell- to- cell adhesion. 

Furthermore, cells utilize cadherins to mediate signals that can control cell polarity, proliferation, and future specifications (Maître & Heisenberg, 2013). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) influence synaptic plasticity and gene expression in the hippocampus, with significant downregulation of N- cadherin observed. Nonetheless, this has minimal influence on impulsivity, as the rats did not experience difficulty with learning or memory retention. Overall, understanding the complexities of FASDs in relation to N- cadherin downregulation could clarify changes within the brain and their resulting behaviors. This insight may also illuminate the mechanisms underlying these changes and inform targeted therapies. This will be crucial for our comprehension of the FASD spectrum of illnesses as we continue to investigate the effects of N- cadherin downregulation. 

Title: Fort Wayne: A Polished Place in the Rust Belt

Abstract:

American cities, particularly in the Midwest and Great Lakes region, underwent deindustrialization in the latter half of the twentieth century as global trade opened up and manufacturing moved away from this area now known as the “Rust Belt.” This was a difficult transformation for many communities, and once-bustling metropolises such as Toledo, Buffalo, and Gary had their economies stall to a halt. The city of Fort Wayne, Indiana put forth many economic and community development plans in the 1970s and 1980s in order to reignite the city after deindustrialization, including plans for the central business district, for urban neighborhoods, and for the city’s manufacturing industry. While these plans did not instantaneously revive Fort Wayne’s economy, they proved to be successful over time, especially as northeast Indiana transitioned into the twenty-first century.

The purpose of this research is to determine the extent of success Fort Wayne had in its recovery from deindustrialization in the late twentieth century compared to other Rust Belt metropolitan areas. Fort Wayne’s various socioeconomic development plans are primary sources that are analyzed in order to both understand what the plans accomplished and how they affected the city’s rebound in the late twentieth century and into the twenty-first. Secondary sources established in the twenty-first century are additionally analyzed to provide an accurate look back on the results and impacts of these plans. Furthermore, data on Fort Wayne’s population is comprehended and compared to that of other Rust Belt communities in order to provide concrete evidence of the comparative success of Fort Wayne’s post-deindustrialization economic development projects.

This project adds to the field of history by providing a more acute understanding of Fort Wayne’s socioeconomic progress after deindustrialization swept the nation in the late twentieth century. Furthermore, by making connections between Fort Wayne’s relative success through its economic development plans compared to other deindustrialized Midwestern metropolises, this study may prove to be a beneficial “road map” for Rust Belt cities during future large-scale socioeconomic transitions.

Title: Effects of Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid and Shikonin on Antibiotic Tolerance, Biofilm Formation and Cell Surface Properties of Mycobacterium abscessus.

Abstract: 

Mycobacterium abscessus is a non-tuberculous mycobacterium and emerging pathogen, most often affecting immunosuppressed patients and children with cystic fibrosis. It is extremely antibiotic-resistant and forms biofilms causing the bacteria to be long-lasting and difficult to treat, which poses a serious health concern. It is necessary to target M. abscessus biofilms to treat infections. Biofilms form due to the involvement of bacterial efflux pumps. By targeting efflux pumps, it may be possible to decrease biofilm formation and thereby treat infections more effectively using antibiotics. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a compound from the plant Larrea tridentata, that may function as an efflux pump inhibitor. This plant is commonly used in Mexican traditional medicine and NDGA has previously been observed to inhibit E. coli biofilms. Shikonin is a compound from the plant Lithospermum erythrorhizion. It has been observed to inhibit C. acnes and S. aureus biofilms and may also function as an efflux pump inhibitor. 

We postulated that NDGA and shikonin might inhibit viability and biofilm formation of M. abscessus. Resazurin cell viability assays and crystal violet assays were performed to observe the effects on cell viability and biofilm formation. Checkerboard assays were performed to investigate potential synergistic effects between NDGA and the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, amikacin, and cefoxitin which are used to treat M. abscessus infections. We determined minimum inhibitory concentrations, minimum bactericidal concentrations, minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations for NDGA and shikonin against M. abscessus. We also investigated the effects of NDGA on the cell surface properties of M. abscessus. We observed that NDGA decreased the MICs of the antibiotics by 2.5 to 4-fold but did not show synergistic effects. We determined that NDGA and shikonin inhibit M. abscessus cell viability and biofilm formation and also disperse preformed biofilm in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings are significant and indicate that NDGA and shikonin may be potential therapeutic options for treating M. abscessus infections. 

Title: Machine Learning Models to Predict Mental Health Disorders

Abstract:

Clinical psychology is the field of psychology focused on the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders. In the practice of clinical psychology, it is important that psychologists properly diagnose their patients with an accurate mental health disorder diagnosis. The given diagnosis determines what type of treatment is appropriate for each patient, like the type of medication given and what type of therapy the patient will undergo. In order to try to enhance the validity of the diagnoses, clinical psychologists often incorporate a type of reliability, called inter-rater reliability, into their practice. Inter-rater reliability refers to when at least two psychologists interview a single patient at different times using a common set of questions (referred to as a structured interview). After the interviews, the psychologists compare their findings and evaluate if they all produced the same diagnosis for the individual. The use of data science can also be used to provide an accurate and instant form of inter-rater reliability through the use of predictive modeling. 

The goal of this project is to use a data set to create a machine learning model that accurately predicts people’s mental health disorders given their unique characteristics. The data set contains observations from 637 people with mental health disorders. The columns of the data set represent the people’s characteristics such as age, energy level, and mental health disorder diagnoses. The column that specified the type of disorder that each person had was used as the dependent variable which the machine learning models were programed to predict. There were twelve different disorders included in the data set. The observations from the data set were fitted to several machine learning models such as decision tree, random forest, Bayesian network, and k-nearest neighbors. The predictive accuracy of the different models was compared in order to determine the final and most accurate model. The findings from this project could have positive implications in the field of clinical psychology by facilitating a rapid way to assess inter-rater reliability. To implement this, the psychologist must ask the patient the specific questions that are incorporated into the model. For future studies, a data set with a broader range of mental health disorders can be considered. 

Title: Let Him Be a Heathen Man: An Early American Analysis of Quaker Discipline and Disownment

Abstract:

This project uses primary and secondary source research to examine Quaker practices of discipline and disownment in the context of early America. Specifically, the project seeks to question the purpose of disownment in this era, since disownment is no longer practiced among Quakers today. After Quakerism crossed the Atlantic in the mid-seventeenth century, Quakers suffered from persecution from Puritans and those who did not understand Quakers’ religious principles. Quakers differed from their contemporaneous counterparts in believing that each person contained an inner light that connects them to God without the need of a mediator. Pennsylvania, originally conceived as a Quaker colony in 1681, quickly grew to become one of the most diverse places in the world, exposing Quakers to differing values. In response, Pennsylvania Quakers published the Rules of Discipline, a rule book detailing Quaker beliefs and the proper behavior in various scenarios. Violation of these proper behaviors could lead one to face discipline or even disownment from their meeting in extreme cases. Quaker disownment, different from excommunication, involved a long disciplinary process that went through several channels before the ultimate verdict. Disownment was not taken lightly and was pursued only as a last resort for serious offenders. By far, the most common reasons for disownment involved marriage and sexual misconduct, including such violations as marrying outside of meeting, premarital pregnancy, fornication, and incest. The era also created a unique situation that led to the disownment of hundreds of Quakers. These were Quakers that participated in the American Revolution through direct fighting or the paying of wartime taxes. While sexual misconduct and the American Revolution produced the most disownments in the latter half of the eighteenth century, there were many other violations that led to disownment, such as drunkenness, profanity, improper dress or speech, heresy, and more. The project analyzes these cases of disownment for how they violated Quaker values as presented in the Rules of Discipline. Amid the evidence, the project concludes that disownment worked as a tool to promote a homogenous Quaker community in the face of unique surroundings that challenged central Quaker values.

Title: Navigating the Judicial System in Fort Wayne

Abstract:

Within the human services field, there will be opportunities to advocate for those who seek help, or for those who want to improve their lives in a new environment. In one organization, there has been many people who have shown confusion about the judicial system, or even about what courts are here in Fort Wayne. Not knowing what they are, what they do, or where they are located can be frustrating and makes it hard to navigate a court case or to file any type of report. It also creates a sense of fear to ask for help because not knowing what to do or how to communicate with law enforcement can create that barrier that many are afraid to cross. And there is also the language barrier that has prevented many to not start or continue a process that involves the law. To help reduce that frustration and fear, a guide was created that illustrates and explains the system, the different courts, other topics that have been brought up by clients in the organization, and the guide will be available in different languages.

To be able to provide proper information, research was done on each topic that has been brought up by clients. The main topic is about the courts, but there is information about other topics and where to get certain information, like police reports, or about constitutional rights. Pictures will be provided of each court to help clients see what they look like and where they can park. The organization will also help to provide the guide in other languages to clients in hopes to help as many of them as possible. The goal of this guide is to help clients be able to become comfortable in navigating the system with little to no help from their case workers and to help them have a sense of control of their lives and be able to feel at home here in Fort Wayne. 

Title: Managing Conflict in the HR Environment

Abstract:

Managing Conflict is a difficult task many managers, supervisors and administrators are faced with on common occasion.  The key to effective management of conflict is to collaborate with all parties involved to create the most effective and positive resolution possible.  My research specifically goes further to examine how organizational HR professionals regularly address conflict in their respective organizations.  Beyond the average everyday issues such as incorrect pay stubs or scheduling conflicts, how do HR professionals respond to different types of conflicts brought to them by personnel.

After beginning to examine the traditional HR environment for initiatives, successes and well-being during Fall 2024, we now, Spring 2025, specifically focus on conflict management in the modern HR environment in several industries. After contacting and recruiting HR professionals through snowball sampling in the NE Indiana region (100 miles), information on HR and more specifically, conflict management was received and manually coded, March 2025,by the researchers to identify common themes.

Healthcare, Higher Education, Trade and Manufacturing industries are commonly found in NE Indiana and represent much of the workforce.  Individuals in the above industries were asked to describe the types of conflicts/resolutions most prevalent in their respective industries.  The findings present current, relevant strategies to maintain employee engagement in conflict resolution as well as the tasks/activities of HR professionals.  

Title: An Analysis of How Morality Affects Judgments

Abstract: 

People make judgments of others every single day. A common question that can arise from humans’ common habit of judging is, “Why?” Why do people make the judgements that they do? This study specifically explores how perceived morality of an individual’s actions impact judgements of that person. Is an individual more likely to make excuses for negative outcomes from a behavior if that individual themself performs the behavior and does not perceive it as immoral? Does an individual chastise another more vehemently for negative consequences from a behavior that the individual deems to be immoral or morally repugnant? How does empathy play a role in judgement of negative actions that are considered to be immoral?

This study utilizes a vignette with various variables changed. One variable involves the type of action that has a negative consequence, whether the action is socially accepted or socially immoral. The other variable is whether the individual’s actions will impact their family or not. Judgements could be more negative for an individual who is considered “vital” to a society such as a caregiver. The vignette replicates the circumstances in which many people make judgements about others in modern times such as through social media or texting. Many people make judgments of others from small stories and snippets from their lives; therefore, a vignette with various details changed specifically to focus on factors that play into moral judgement is a natural way to analyze how variables connected to morality affect judgment today. 

This kind of research is important because it can shine light on the factors that play into the judgement of morality. While the specific factors analyzed in this study may not be verified, their analysis can lead to further exploration into other variables that affect the judgement of morality. This kind of study can also help point to hypocrisy in human judgement and decision making, leading to more research into these kinds of cognitive inconsistencies. Research into these factors or moral judgement can lead to research into how to increase empathy within moral judgement. 

Title: Effect of Aquaponic Formulated Feed on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Nutrient Composition Analysis of Thai Basil

Abstract: 

Aquaculture is one of the most rapidly growing fields in the world due to their significant economic, social, and scientific implications. In this billion-dollar industry, it is crucial to understand various mechanisms that work best to optimize production without compromising the quality of the fish. Additionally, utilizing fish within an aquaculture system will aid us in opting for non-drug alternatives for the betterment of the fish, as well as the individuals around the world who consume the fish grown in aquaculture setting. Aquaponics, the use of farming fish and plants simultaneously, has been successfully used to produce more agriculture and aquaculture when used separately. Aquaponics systems are strategically organized in a way to maximize production as well as reduce chemical treatments. Specific aquaponic formulated feed has been produced to increase various nutrients to supplement those that are not as dense in an aquaponics system. Some nutrients that are deficient within an aquaponic system include phosphorus, iron, and potassium. The fish waste circulating through the system and water column will aid in supplementing the nutrients. This study aims to investigate the potential of aquaponic formulated feed within an aquaponics system utilizing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as the model organism. Utilizing two different experimental periods, the health of the fish and nutrient composition and density of basil will be observed. Using two different experimental periods and feed types, this experiment will help us in understanding which feed had the greatest effects on growth parameters and overall health of the fish. The feed types that will be used are Optimal Fish Food’s Optimal Aquaponic feed and Purina Promax Fingerling Starter 300. Length, weight, blood glucose, packed cell volume, lysozyme, and plasma protein will be measured. Plants will be sent to A&L Great Lakes Laboratories for nutrient testing to evaluate nutrient density and composition. Total harvest wet and sample dry weight will be obtained as well.

Title: Establishing an Independent Music Industry Business

Abstract:

As a Music Industry major, I have been learning about business practices and legal issues. I have also taken classes focusing on recording, production, and performance for my second major, Popular Music. The goal of my project was to combine academic work with practical experience. The objective for this project was to effectively utilize my classwork and studio work to (1) explore the process of establishing an independent recording label/artist agency company and (2) record other music majors for a prospective compilation album. The methodology was two-pronged requiring preparation of a business plan and recording/producing artists.

I began by writing a mission statement, then considering five-year goals. I researched how to incorporate a business in Indiana, and the costs associated with starting a business. I also researched the costs of setting up and maintaining a website, recording, legal, marketing and publishing costs. I researched recording studios, artist agencies and independent music labels in Indiana to determine costs and explore business practices. There are also sample contracts available, with multiple complex issues to consider involving licensing of cover songs, royalties for songwriting and music performances. I also learned about the myriad ways to promote artists on the varied streaming services and through events. I spoke with other students about the recording project prior to proposing it. When I sent out the original request via snapchat, I got three immediate responses and scheduled recording sessions for those students. As the semester progressed, more messages about the project were sent out via Snapchat and Slack. I also spoke in person again with others who had originally shown an interest but had not yet responded to the scheduling request.

Obstacles encountered with recording students included difficulty in coordinating scheduling and follow-through on commitment to recording sessions. Work and class schedules had to be taken into consideration along with studio time availability. Going forward, asking people for their time availability via a short survey would be more efficient. Improvements to this process would include speaking with more members of the music faculty about the project initially and asking them to mention it in class. Having a document describing the project to distribute via e-mail would have made the scope of the project clearer. Promoting this as an opportunity for students to develop their own portfolio of performances might have produced more participation.

Through the process I gained practical experience in (1) the process of starting a business in general and an artist agency in particular by completing a business plan, and (2) the process of recruiting and recording artists. This project enabled me to use and expand my recording and production skills, and to build on information I had learned in the classroom and in my internship experience. 

Title: MastodonCTF: An Educational Cybersecurity Event

Abstract:

In the digital era, cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field that many students are curious about. This is especially true at PFW, where students have nationally ranked in the National Cyber League for the past three semesters. What this project proposes is a jeopardy style educational event designed to promote a safe and collaborative team environment for students to explore various cybersecurity concepts. This way students can work through challenges that build on each other. This project combines cybersecurity and game design as each challenge will introduce a base concept and then provide a more difficult ‘test’. This will emphasize why a concept is important and show how the concept would be encountered in a real-life scenario; the students will be able to better understand the concept and gain confidence in their skills. Additionally, these concepts and challenges can be adapted to better suit the understanding of various age groups, be it K-12 or higher education. To better suit the lifestyle of many people and schools, the event will be hosted on a cloud-based application, accessible anytime and anywhere the students are. 

At its core, this project aims to give students and faculty an opportunity to gain experience collaborating with individuals of different skill levels, skill sets, and backgrounds in cybersecurity. As the first event of many to come, this event will consist of 27 challenges created for higher education students exploring concepts that a cybersecurity professional would have experience with: be it gathering information about common tactics, techniques, and procedures of cybercriminals, to scan for vulnerabilities on a client’s website. By providing a safe learning environment to explore cybersecurity concepts in a collaborative way, people of all skillsets at PFW and the region at large will be better prepared to enter this high demand field.

Title: The Continuing Story of COVID-19

Abstract:

COVID-19 has revealed a stark mystery in the global distribution of its impact. COVID-19 made all cities full of life became ghost cities, and people voluntarily chose to stick to their homes for fear of infection. In this project, current socialistic problems and mystery has been analyzed. This project addresses the ongoing story of COVID-19, which is a significant social problem, and it impacts people globally. The purpose of this project is to explore whether COVID-19 will remain a permanent issue or eventually fade away as if nothing happened and discuss the continuing story of COVID-19. This mystery has been further complicated by questions surrounding early containment efforts, hidden data, and the global response. It is important to raise awareness to the community and address an important issue that needs attention. This project belongs to mystery genres, and the truth has not been explored yet. COVID-19 mystery is leavingboth scientists and the public grappling with unanswered questions. This is the 5-year anniversary of the pandemic quarantine going into effect. The analysis included personal interviews within the community and the Allen County Department of Health, academic articles, cases reports, and historical documents. We draw a comparison between COVID-19 pandemic and other pandemic, such as the Spanish flu.  Based on everything happened, we concluded that pandemic disease events were still largely uncontrolled and COVID-19 is expected to stay forever. COVID-19 still cause many negative consequences in these days, and the world changed significantly after COVID-19 appeared. Our understanding of the COVID-19 has rapidly improved and attention is shifting toward the finding long-term control strategies for people who are at risk. We need to defeat the virus and not let the virus defeat us, and we need to be prepared and educated to assume the worst case to not be locked down again.

Title: Drag & Drop Digital Logic Simulator

Abstract:

This project aims to develop an interactive Drag & Drop Digital Logic Simulator to enhance the learning experience of first-year engineering students at Purdue University Fort Wayne. The simulator serves as a virtual extension of the existing Portable Experimenter Engineering Board (PEEB) kit currently used in the Engineering Fundamentals course (ENGR 12800). Research has shown that hands-on activities significantly improve student performance through active learning. Building upon preliminary data and the PEEB technology, this project creates a virtual laboratory that seamlessly extends the physical engineering kit's capabilities into the digital domain.

The simulator will be integrated into the CREATE platform, which was originally developed as a user interface for the PEEB kit. This new addition will specifically replicate the electronics layer of the PEEB kit, focusing on digital logic gate circuits. First-year students enrolled in ENGR12800, which introduces Electrical and Computer Engineering concepts, will use this simulator in the studio component of their course. The virtual environment provides them with the opportunity to understand and experiment with boolean algebra and its application in digital logic before working with actual hardware components.

The python based simulator will allow students to drag input wires to various digital gates (such as AND, NOT, and OR) and connect them to desired outputs (like LEDs or buzzers) to create functional circuits. The interactive nature of the software enables immediate visual feedback on circuit functionality, reinforcing theoretical concepts through practical application.

The development process involves replicating components from the physical PEEB kit in software, defining their individual functions, and adding interactive elements like buttons for inputs and wires for connections. The code will be modular and parameterized to ensure ease of debugging and future enhancements. 

Upon completion, this simulator will provide a valuable tool for first-year engineering students to explore digital logic in a risk-free, experimental environment. It supports both in-person and remote learning scenarios, making engineering education more accessible and engaging. The project contributes to the broader goal of bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application in engineering education, while enhancing the developer's skills in programming interactive graphical user interfaces.

Title: Pumping Precision: The Role of NIBP Pumps in Regulating MAP

Abstract:

Non-invasive blood pressure pumps are recommended as the primary form of acquiring patient blood pressure [1]. In this study, the performance of six pumps were considered prior to calibration and after calibration to determine if calibration was directly correlated to the accuracy of each device. The aggregation of pumps includes the Philips IntelliVue Patient Monitor MP5, the Philips SureSigns VS4/VS3 Vital Signs Monitor, the Philips EarlyVue VS30 Vital Signs Monitor, the Philips IntelliVue Patent Monitor MP2/X2, the Philips IntelliVue Patent Monitor MMS, and the Philips IntelliVue Patent Monitor MP3/X3. As for the conditions of the experiment, it was important to establish a control condition. The control conditions that were tested include the expected blood pressure values found in patients who are considered to have hypotension, normal blood pressure, and hypertension. The control condition for hypotension was 95/55 (68) mmHg, normal blood pressure was 120/80 (93) mmHg, and hypertension was 155/85 (108) mmHg [2]. The order of values is arrayed according to diastolic, systolic, and mean arterial pressure [3]. No inferential difference between the calibrated and uncalibrated results are graphically apparent regarding the average blood pressure measurement detected by each device and its respective standard deviation. Furthermore, an uncertainty analysis was conducted to determine the relative uncertainty of each device for each condition.

To do this, the systolic uncertainty and the diastolic uncertainty were determined as a precursor to the relative uncertainty of the mean arterial pressure since the mean arterial pressure was dependent on these factors. The results demonstrated that the relative uncertainty between calibrated and uncalibrated devices was equivalent. These values included 0.32%, 0.38%, and 0.51% for hypotension, normal blood pressure, and hypertension respectively. The devices with the greatest deviation in variance were the Philips IntelliVue Patient Monitor MP5 and X2, while the smallest deviation in variance was the Philips IntelliVue Patient Monitor VS3/4. Also, the relative uncertainty with respect to the expected value was negligible. Further experimentation is encouraged to collect a larger sample size to complete hypothes is testing and compare results to the industrial quality control of Philips. 

Title: A Survey of Ojibwe Fiction

Abstract:

For many years, Native American literature has been looked over and seen as a historical or anthropological series of texts. However, since the Native American Renaissance in 1968, Native American literature has been gaining more recognition as an actual, contemporary literary genre, rather than solely a piece of the past. A new issue, however, arises with this literary genre. In the United States, there are 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes, and all of these tribes fit under the same genre, despite there being differences from tribe to tribe that can be seen throughout the different pieces of Native American literature. One of these tribes is the Ojibwe, sometimes spelled as Ojibwa, and also known sometimes as the Anishinaabe or Chippewa. The Ojibwe reside primarily in the Great Lakes region in the United States, and they are one of the largest tribes in America.

This paper/project consists of an annotated bibliography of 74 different titles from 22 different Ojibwe-enrolled authors. These novels are all fictional, and they are also all either young adult or adult fiction. This bibliography provides more of an insight on Native American literature, specifically the Ojibwe tribe. Along with a bibliography, there is an introductory paper discussing important observations found through the research in the process of this bibliography, such as the author who has published the most novels, that author being Louise Erdrich. The goal of this project is to discover and compile an organized list of fictional novels from the Ojibwe tribe. Another goal of this project is to bring more awareness to the Native American literary genre, because even though this genre has gained more popularity since the Native American Renaissance, it is still constantly looked over.

Title: Fort Wayne Connect: Walkable Graphic Design

Abstract:

While the city of Fort Wayne has been making recent strides in improving walking conditions in the city, my research into the matter showed that there is a lack of advertising/awareness of the topic on the city’s part. In that regard, this project, Fort Wayne Connect, is intended to make up for that shortcoming by making a mock marketing campaign. By designing a full set display comprised of engaging and interactive graphic design pieces, Fort Wayne Connect promotes walking, walkability, and the various walkable destinations in and around Fort Wayne. The display includes an intensive range of design collaterals meant to connect with viewers on several fronts. By doing so, the project will get viewers excited and interested in how walking can better help forge connections between people, businesses, and activities in Fort Wayne.

The Fort Wayne Connect project is on display in the Blue Jacket Inc. gallery space as part of the Spring 2025 Senior B.F.A. Exhibition. For the exhibition, there are several design pieces that come together to form the full display. This involved designing the full identity and branding for the campaign and then applying that to each design piece in the display. Each piece was designed with the physical layout of the gallery space in mind, ensuring that everything is visually clear and appealing to the gallery visitors.

Not only is the goal of this project to promote walkability and walkable destinations in Fort Wayne, but it is also showcases the skills I have developed as a graphic designer and student at Purdue Fort Wayne. As such, the focus of my project is how these two goals intersect, and how good design can help elevate a great cause. There is an insight to be gained into how people engage with city efforts, such as Fort Wayne’s efforts to improve walkability in the city. In conclusion, along with getting people to think about walkability in Fort Wayne, this project will get viewers thinking about how making a campaign more appealing to the public can make a campaign more successful as a whole. This project will be on display in the Blue Jacket Inc. gallery space from April 10th through May 4th.

Title: The Modulation of N-cadherin in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Abstract: 

Title: Examining the Impact of Isolate Type, Delayed Recall, and Working Memory on Memory Performance

Abstract: 

Title: Expanding Music Therapy’s Reach: A Community Partnership for Pre-Clinical Training at Ronald McDonald House

Abstract: 

Title: Light in August: Recontextualizing Poetry through Music

Abstract: 

Title: The Integration of Music Therapy in Correctional Settings for PTSD Rehabilitation

Abstract: 

Title: Latin American Deviations from the American Constitution

Abstract: 

Title: Anticipating Future Family Structures
 

Abstract: 

This research project, titled “Anticipating Future Family Structures“, will attempt to predict potential family structures in response to the ever-changing social norms and values in America. Social, economic, and technological changes will be looked at and used to predict how the family structure will look in the future based on the changes in the family structure in the past. Current social trends, norms, and values that are shaping the family structure will be analyzed. Key drivers and disruptive influences will be identified, and potential future family structures will be described through speculative predictions. Changing gender norms including roles and economic shifts brought about by these changes will be looked at in relation to how they change family relationships and structures. Newer family structures will also be looked at such as single parent families, LGBTQ families, childless families, and stepfamilies to identify potential challenges and opportunities as well as how they can alter social norms, cohesion, and a person’s overall well-being. By attempting to predict future potential family structures in America, this project helps provide a potential understanding of where family structures are headed and how they can alter society as we know it. By understanding the changes, we can anticipate the future familial structure and the impact that it will have on society, allowing us to take proactive measures to help shape the transformations that are inevitable as well as give a general insight on how society will shape family dynamics and the overall well-being of Americans. Scholarly literature will be reviewed to understand the changes to the family structure and what societal changes happened that resulted in those familial structure changes. There will be multiple family structure scenarios that will be predicted based on critical factors such as technological advancements and projected societal changes. Based upon the predicted family structures, potential advantages and disadvantages will be analyzed for not only the individuals, but also for families, communities, and society in America.

Title: Banking on Community: Does Community Bank Performance Spur Local Economic Growth?

Abstract: 

Community banks are supposed to play a vital role in the economy by providing financial services to localities, businesses, and people that are often overlooked by regional and national banks, giving these overlooked groups the opportunity for economic growth. This paper aims to further investigate this link by evaluating whether the financial performance of community banks plays a role in the economic expansion of the localities that they service. The format of this research is a longitudinal study of all community banks located within the United States over the course of the five years spanning from 2017 through 2021. The data analysis will be done at the county level, with the percentage change in real county gross regional product (GRP) regressed on the weighted average net income ratio of all community banks located within that county alongside other macroeconomic variables. The analysis will feature a one year lag between the bank performance and economic growth indicators since GRP is considered a lagging economic indicator. The goal of this research is to gauge whether community banks are incentivized to have mutually beneficial relationships with the areas that they service.

Title: Capturing the Sound: Challenges Live Sound Engineers Face in Live Music Venues

Abstract: 

Live sound engineers face a multitude of challenges on a daily basis, as they are responsible for ensuring the quality of sound during live performances, events, conferences, and other occasions where sound reinforcement is needed. These challenges can range from technical difficulties to environmental factors at outdoor venues to the acoustics of the venue itself. In this project, I will be exploring these challenges to determine what steps are necessary to combat these challenges. My hypothesis is that acoustics are the most challenging for live sound engineers to face in a venue. I will be explaining how acoustics and sound works in a venue, what equipment is used to measure sound in a venue, providing data and charts and graphs to visually communicate the information gathered, and concluding what methods work the best for most venues. The strengths of this project are that I will have multiple specimens for study, and be able to explore the way sound works in the venues we as students use every day, which with my findings will allow future uses to be tailored to the best ability of the acoustics of each venue. My project is limited in that all of these spaces are indoors, and outdoor venues require different approaches for acoustic calculations because you are dealing more with the environment than indoor spaces do. I will be taking measurements of rooms commonly used on campus for live music, such as Auer Hall and the Recital Hall, as well as the Rehearsal Room and Tracking Room at the Sweetwater Music Center in order to create a larger participant pool. This will require the use of acoustic measurement software and a microphone that can be used to collect the acoustic data. Some obstacles that I anticipate include getting access to all of these spaces and being able to collect the necessary data to explain the acoustic issues in each space and what methods would be employed to combat them. I expect that with my results I will find that each space has some acoustic errors and that they can be easily remedied by using equipment that will allow for those errors to be corrected, as I expect for certain frequencies to ring out (to reverberate in the space and take longer to die out than other frequencies) and need to be corrected so that the overall sound is more flat (no one frequency sticks out more than another.) From this research I want to learn what kinds of issues acoustics can create for live sound engineers and what can be done to correct them to create the best live sound experience possible for an audience.

Title: Philharmonic Philosophies: Standards of Orchestral Flute Performance Practice

Abstract: Beginning in the 18th century, distinct national styles of orchestral flute playing emerged in Europe. The German and French flute schools—the two most influential—diverged. The German style became known for a heavy sonic aesthetic and a strong, loud sound, not unlike a brass instrument. The French school, in contrast, valued timbral sensitivity and pushed the flute’s expressive capabilities akin to operatic vocal styles. National schools of pedagogy and performance developed from a variety of factors including national traditions, compositional taste, degree of isolation or connectedness to other countries, and the presence or absence of influential professional players. In the 20th century, developments such as instrument material and construction, recording technology, new concert spaces, and increased mobilization led to the convergence of previously differentiated styles into a single international standard. This international sound, I argue, grew in the neutral ground of the United States and spread around the world in the second half of the twentieth century. In this presentation, I argue that within the scope of Western orchestral performance practice, a current international standard of flute performance developed in the United States from the French style with some German influence. In this presentation, I dissect and perform excerpts from the standard orchestral flute repertoire by French and German composers. These curated examples condense a survey of differences in standards of orchestral flute playing based on their country of origin. I will also demonstrate the sonic and technical capabilities of a wooden flute made in the style of 18th-century models. All Western orchestras employed wooden flutes. In the 19th century, adoption of the 1847 metal Boehm model mechanism lagged in Germany but accelerated in France, a crucial distinction that impacted the standards of sound and projection for orchestral performers. In the performance of my selected excerpts, I will highlight differences in the philosophies of flute standards in French and German music. The aim of my research is to advocate for greater inclusion of historical performance practice education in tertiary institutions, including schools of music and conservatories. I conclude by summarizing why understanding this history is valuable to performers today.

Title: Ending Endometriosis

Abstract: 

Endometriosis is a chronic, incurable disease that affects 1 in 10 women. It is an extremely painful, fast-growing disease that can infiltrate the uterus, the appendix, ovaries and even go as far as to spread to the brain. The symptoms can range anywhere from bloating, fatigue, extreme cramping, back pain, painful intercourse and even go as far as to cause infertility. Each person with endometriosis can experience these symptoms differently, but it still majorly affects quality of life. Despite there being over 6.5 million women in the United States affected by endometriosis, there are still no cures, no solid, accurate medications and hardly any support from the medical world. Even being diagnosed with endometriosis is extremely difficult due to the fact that most medical professionals are quick to brush symptoms off as a “bad menstrual cycle.” So, how do you “get” endometriosis? Endometriosis typically occurs when the endometrial-like tissue from the uterus grows outside of the uterus in places like the ovaries, intestines, appendix, rectum and more. However, there is little research on how women “get” endometriosis and why certain women get certain stages. As stated previously, there are no cures, but there are ways to keep it at bay and even subside pain for an unknown amount of time. Typically, these “band-aids” are done by IUDs, birth control, progesterone, ablation, excision surgeries, and even a partial or full hysterectomy. Despite all of these expensive treatments, endometriosis can still return and grow back more aggressive than before. It is vital that a cure is found quickly, as more and more women become affected by and diagnosed with endometriosis. Through visual imagery and communication, I hope to express what living with endometriosis is like and to provide tangible, simple ways to advocate for those who suffer. My intention is to leave viewers with a burden for women who experience endometriosis and to feel, even for a moment, what the symptoms could be like. The most effective outcome of this project would be that the audience could walk away better equipped and informed to discuss endometriosis and to fight for a cure. Each image shown in the presentation will correlate with research, statistics and quotes from that specific symptom or event. I hope to use my own personal experience with endometriosis as a way to relate my audience to my subject and to develop a connection between the two. Endometriosis, although chronic and incurable, is fought bravely by 1 in 10 women and we should step up and push for better, more affordable treatment and diagnosis.

Title: West German Occupation Memory 1945-1949

Abstract: 

In the aftermath of World War II, the Western Allies of Great Britain, France, and the United States set up an occupation regime in western Germany. While the three occupation zones would eventually come together to form West Germany, before that point the occupation regime had control over the governmental decisions of the post-war state. This would include the formation of the collective memory of the war. Collective memory in history refers to how a culture retains and passes on memory of historical events from one generation to the next that allow for the formation of a cultural identity through these shared perceptions of historical events, it also includes discussion and analysis of how those cultural memories may be changed by internal cultural forces as well as external forces on the culture. The occupation regime in western Germany following the war used several tactics to achieve their goals of forming the post war collective memory of the West German people. This included in the beginning legal proceedings of putting high ranking Nazi officials on trial, such as was seen at Nuremberg. Films showcasing the horrors of the Holocaust were also shown to the public as part of a reeducation campaign. The reeducation campaign would continue, being incorporated into a large denazification program that would include the rehabilitation of former Nazis into West German society and propaganda campaigns to disparage the return of similar sentiments in the German public. Other major programs included political reform of the West German state, which meant a supervised democratic system, as well as economic reform and rebuilding of the country. The occupation regime however faced difficulties from the outset, and new ones would arise that would lead to contention on how to handle West Germany. In the beginning, the British and the French had their own occupation zones, but due to the damage they themselves suffered during the war, they had difficulty maintaining an occupation regime. Each also had their various approaches to handling the occupation and what they wished to gain from it and how they believed it was best to rebuild. Another major issue would be the beginning of the Cold War, and the rearmament of West Germany. This, largely an American effort, would also eventually be one of the reasons for the ending of the occupation regime and the formation of the full West German state. This too would impact collective memory and move West Germany into a new age. In all, this research paper hopes to discuss the nature of the western allies and their occupation regime in western Germany, and how their policies and actions shaped West German collective memory of the war.

Title: MIXtape EP

Abstract: 

I seek to create a 5 or 6 song EP that demonstrates not only the skills I’ve acquired throughout my time at Purdue Fort Wayne, but also my diverse taste in music. The reason I aim to complete this project is not only to demonstrate what I’ve learned, but also offer myself a challenge to put the skills to the test and create my first really big project as a Music Production major. My biggest goal for this project is for each song to be different in genre, ranging anywhere from Reggaeton/Latin, to Indie/Alternative, Hip-Hop/RnB, and Synth Pop. While my goal seems simple in scope, some obstacles I will be sure to face in this project will be on the mixing/mastering side of things (making each song sound good and up to proper listening quality). I feel confident in my ability to produce 5 to 6 complete songs, but mixing and mastering them to a high quality will be the most challenging part of the process for me as I will also aim to work on them solely on my personal laptop rather than spend too much time in our Sweetwater campus studio. I want to demonstrate the basic knowledge I’ve learned while also pushing myself to mix and master the songs to the best of my ability. Another challenge will be to not procrastinate and tell myself I have a lot of time and push things off until March or April. I have a pretty good groundwork so far; I have one song pretty much completely produced (arranged but still needed to be mixed) and at least 3 or 4 halfway. Timeline: ● End of February: Have 5 to 6 songs produced ● Beginning of March: Start mixing of songs ● Beginning of April: Start mastering of songs ● End of April: Project completed In terms of the research process, I will mostly be utilizing the textbook Audio Production Tips: Getting the Sound Right at the Source by Peter Dowsett as well as Youtube. I will be producing everything in the audio production software Studio One and mixing and mastering in ProTools. A majority of my songs will be based on samples I find in the audio sample software program Splice but I want to challenge myself to sing on at least 1 or 2 of the 6. I expect my results to be a decently-well composed EP (extended play) that showcases the several different genres I’m interested in. I hope to learn how well I can create 6 songs and what type of artists I can be creatively.

Title: The Irish Graveyard: The Men Behind the Paulding County Canals

Abstract: 

In the early 19th century, land throughout the Midwest was surveyed to plan the canals that connected the nation. After surveying the best paths for the canals, it was decided that the intersection of the Wabash-Erie Canal and the Miami-Erie Canal would be within Paulding County, Ohio. This construction project attracted laborers from throughout Ohio and beyond. The work within Paulding County began with the construction of the Miami-Erie Canal in 1837, followed by the Wabash-Erie Canal in 1841. The construction of two canals simultaneously meant that Paulding County was in dire need of workers, so local farmers and residents joined forces with incoming laborers to complete the canals. The canals were completed in 1847, and Paulding County’s residents were optimistic that these canals would allow the county to flourish. Junction, a canal town at the intersections of the two Paulding County canals, was projected to easily outgrow Fort Wayne. However, as maintenance costs soared and railroads swiftly became the nation’s preferred means of transportation, Junction and other Paulding County towns rapidly declined. Despite the overall failure of the canal endeavor, the county saw a dramatic population jump. The canal project also assisted in establishing county leadership and easing tensions between Irish immigrants and Paulding County's founding families. The unique situation of Paulding County canal construction created interesting dynamics between the involved parties, and men like Alexander Latty rose to the occasion to keep the project afloat. After previously overseeing a section of the Miami-Wabash Canal, Latty was tasked with overseeing the construction of both Paulding County canals. Latty and his associates made decisions that would have lasting consequences for Paulding County's infrastructure, labor conditions, and local politics. The histories and motivations of people like Latty emphasize the importance of individual actors and their contributions. Their actions and intentions provide powerful insight into the conditions of canal construction and their lasting impact on Paulding County residents.

Title: Neurodivergent Community Building Program

Abstract: 

This honor’s project pursued the possibility of creating space for those who identify as neurodivergent to connect and find community through a social program. The Neurodivergent Community Building Program was created intentionally, without goals of shaping behavior or having the expectation of normative behavior. Rather, an emphasis is placed on the importance of allowing teens to be together, with no pressure to behave in any way besides what makes them comfortable, which can be uncommon in other public spaces. The range of needs within the description for neurodivergent is wide. It includes individuals with autism spectrum disorder, sensory sensitivities, intellectual disabilities, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and more. Each individual is entering with unique needs; that in order to feel comfortable in the program, need to be met. The goal of the Neurodivergent Community Building Program is that it will allow for a wide variety of needs to be met, all while maintaining the freedom of allowing the teens to be themselves. The program considers the multifaceted challenges that arise for individuals with disabilities, such as an increase in the risk of homelessness and a higher rate of college dropout, and acts as a preventative measure against those challenges through community building practices. It is important to understand the behavior of individuals in the program through the lens of sociological and psychological approaches. These help the foundation of the program stand strong in the belief that behavior is communication, and provide a space for these individuals to be heard, even in non-normative ways. Providing opportunities for individuals to be involved in the greater community outside of the program is a crucial element that will serve to network and assist teens in finding avenues of passion that can lead to purpose later in their life, creating barriers to the statistics currently facing those identifying as neurodivergent. Through the three pillars of the program: specific space, cultivating community, and growing to go, the Neurodivergent Community Building Program aims to empower teens to make a difference and make it known that they are important members of today’s world.

Title: Correlation of the Gene CG45002 with Obesity in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract: 

Obesity is a chronic, serious disease with a global impact. While we may have a good understanding of environmental influences on obesity, the genetic influences are less known. In our research, we used Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Loss of the adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR) in fruit flies induces obesity. This receptor is the analogue for the human glucagon receptor, with inhibition leading to a lack of fat breakdown. Fruit flies were chosen as a model organism because they have fast reproduction rates, short lifespans, low cost up-keep, and they share many of the same genes with humans. This means our research could lead to advances in human medicine and gene therapies. In the lab, we cross flies lacking AKHR with flies of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP). The flies from the DGRP each have only one difference in their genome, allowing us to look at how that one specific difference influences the obesity of their offspring. We held environmental factors constant, as to only look at genetic influences on obesity. A preliminary Genome-Wide Analysis (GWA) was completed, and the next steps of our research will include a complete GWA on all the completed strains. Based on the preliminary GWA, ten top candidate modifier genes were identified. Of these genes, I will be conducting a literature review on the Intron; CG45002. This gene has many common human orthologs, including myotrophic lateral sclerosis, autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder 33, and spinal muscular atrophy. These are just a few of the conditions associated with this gene. A quick look at autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder 33 revealed that a common symptom is abnormal growth patterns, including decreased body weight. The goal of this review is to develop a better understanding of this gene’s characteristics and interaction with the AKHR pathway. The results of this study will allow us to identify therapeutic targets and prognostic indicators in humans.

Title: The Melancholic Joy of Heritage

Abstract: 

The Melancholic Joy of Heritage is a two-part literary project that explores the cultural impact Mexican and American society have on publishing and literature through an essay and a manuscript. The essay, titled “Publishing in the United States and Mexico,” explores how the publishing industry in the United States and Mexico reflects the values present within those societies. This essay analyzes the cultural differences between the two countries and how they affect distribution of authors’ works within a highly interconnected and globalized world. The United States and Mexico have their own national publishing standards, but globalization has had a large effect on how those standards were established and how they are currently changing. The significance of this change reveals the complex role American hegemony has in publishing, which consequently affects how authors are published within and across borders. These nuances are important to understand for anyone looking to publish internationally. “The Melancholic Joy of Heritage” is a collection of short stories and poems that explore the author’s identity as a Mexican American person living in the United States. In order, the entries in this collection are The Sugar Skull’s Smile, On the Road to Valladolid, En Camino a Valladolid, Hello Señor Tree, and How Do You Say, “I Love You?”. These texts focus on the traditions and rituals found in daily life and magnifies them to explore the role they have in the author’s life. This manuscript was created with the knowledge that there has been an increase in Latino representation in novels as publishing has expanded its markets. However, the current representation in the market has gaps in the stories it tells and the people it depicts, so this manuscript offers an additional voice. The combination of Spanish and English throughout the text shows the author’s bilingual upbringing is integral to how they perceive the world through a combination of their American and Mexican culture.

Title: The Potential Impact of a Deviated Septum on Singing

Abstract: 

Up to 80% of people have a deviated septum. This research project analyzes the impact that a deviated septum can have on the singing voice of an individual with this feature. Inspired by her own journey as a vocalist with a more severe deviated septum, Madison reflected on her experiences as a vocal student at Purdue University Fort Wayne and analyzed how she struggled to phonate particular sounds in the way her voice teacher had desired. She could not achieve the sensation in her resonators in the way that her voice teacher initially presented it to her. This research analyzes the human body, specifically the resonators, to determine how an obstruction in the nasal passage could affect the voice of an individual and how they are to produce desired sounds. This project contains a study with the Purdue University Fort Wayne voice faculty as its participants. The study was done through a survey containing questions over the faculty’s knowledge or assumptions on the deviated septum and the impact it may have on the singing voice. Voice teachers were also asked how they address the impact of a deviated septum in the singing voice of their students, if at all. The purpose of this project is to find out what is known by researchers and local collegiate voice teachers about the deviated septum and its relation to the voice. The goals of this project are to bring to light the effects that a deviated septum can have on the singing voice and determine what further research may need to be done on this topic as it affects up the vast majority of the population.

Title: Effects of Sampling Time in Stress Physiology of Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus
 

Abstract:

Fish welfare and performance in aquaculture systems has become an increasingly popular research topic. Several sampling protocols require the fish to be sampled within the first few minutes of being extracted from their environment to avoid their stress response altering results regarding their physiological or immunological parameters. However, this time limit is seemingly arbitrary. Stress is anything that alters the body away from homeostasis, which is controlled by hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline is pumped rapidly through the body to create a fight or flight response within seconds of a stressor. Cortisol takes some time to release from the adrenal glands after a stressful event but remains elevated for several hours following the stressor. Cortisol causes an increase in blood glucose to supply more energy and availability of substances to perform tissue repair. Red blood cell count also increases with stress as the fish manage to cope with higher oxidation levels. For these reasons, blood glucose and packed cell volume are good indicators of the level of stress an organism is experiencing. In this experiment, we compared the results between Nile tilapia that were anesthetized immediately after extraction from their environment versus Nile tilapia that were anesthetized after fifteen minutes of handling stress. The goal of the experiment was to reason why fish should be sampled in a short amount of time after extraction. A comparison in physiological and immunological parameters was conducted to analyze the difference between six fish with no stress and six fish with fifteen minutes of stress. The fish that experienced a longer sampling time exhibited signs of stress through their higher glucose levels. However, there were no significant differences between the control and stressed group, indicating that Nile tilapia may be hardy enough to resist stress in the first fifteen minutes before sampling. Further research with a larger sample size should be conducted to suggest if prolonged sampling times cause a stress response in tilapia.

Title: Enhancing Student Interest in Engineering through Scalable Outreach Activities

Abstract: 

The goal of this project is to increase STEM student interest in engineering through the development and implementation of a curriculum of engineering-based activities. Each activity has a modified version of it that can be implemented depending on the age group present (elementary through middle school students or high school students) with the modifications being created based on existing state standards and expectations of students within their respective age group. Activities that are adaptable for different age groups will reflect the general knowledge of the students and their ability to understand various engineering concepts while still allowing them to engage with the activities without being discouraged. Each event where the project was implemented was already STEM based, so the goal of these activities was to increase student interest in engineering fields and careers specifically. The activities developed include a PV solar panel and wind turbine activity, a robotics engineering activity, and mousetrap car activity. These activities were all chosen to showcase a wide variety of engineering fields. The activities were held at the Future Leaders of T.E.C. and Sci-Tech events on the Purdue Fort Wayne campus, along with the City Life extra-curricular group in Fort Wayne. Procedure documents for each activity were created, allowing for university staff or any student hosting an engineering outreach event to have access to activity resources and procedures for future use. Observational data and activity feedback from participating staff and program leaders was recorded to adjust the activities and heighten their effectiveness for future implementation.

Title: Analyzing the Gaza Crisis Through an International Law Perspective: The Crimes of the Powerful
 

Abstract:

With its complex political, social, and humanitarian elements, the Gaza situation continues to be an enormous barrier on the international stage. A complex web of legal problems regulated by international law is at the center of this problem, affecting both possible paths for settlement and the conversation around it. This abstract provides an overview of the Gaza crisis from the perspective of international law, with the goal of clarifying the legal frameworks backing the dispute and investigating the consequences for relevant parties. Being aware of Gaza as a seized territory under international law—a position confirmed by multiple legal officials and international bodies—is fundamental to the study. This classification involves an array of legal duties for the world's nations as well as the occupying power, including the law of occupation, human rights law, and humanitarian law. This abstract aims to clarify the liberties and obligations included in the legal structure controlling the Gaza issue by means of a thorough analysis of pertinent legal sources, including United Nations resolutions, and customary international law. The ongoing conflict in Gaza raises questions about adherence to international humanitarian law's core standards, particularly regarding moderation and distinguishing in military battles. The legal guidelines controlling both sides' behavior are examined to clarify the difficulty of upholding these laws in asymmetric warfare. It is crucial to consider the historical background, actions of the involved parties, and negotiation options to fully understand the legal consequences of the issue. To sum up, a careful examination of the Gaza issue from the perspective of international law stresses the legal aspects that shape and influence the conflict. Through a study of the rights, responsibilities, and transparency systems included throughout international regulations, the aim of this analysis is to improve our awareness of the complex issues that underlie the situation in Gaza.

Title: Scholarly Research to Build a Successful Blog to Promote Attractions in South Korea

Abstract:
Since COVID-19, the tourism industry has been negatively affected by fewer people traveling. Travel has decreased significantly for a couple of years and has recently picked up again. However, as the industry starts to pick up, the world has been introduced to a strong usage of technology for marketing. With the big Hallyu wave, South Korea has gained immense popularity internationally. This is shown through the increase in number of tourists visiting South Korea. This captured my attention back in the late 2000s while wanting to discover something new. In response to this, I became interested in South Korea and its culture. Through this project, I want to ultimately promote it to foreigners. Therefore, I did scholarly research about South Korea (destination image of South Korea, factors that contribute to destination image, motivation of travelers, behaviors of tourists, place identity, and destination loyalty) to get a better understanding. 

This project attempted to build credibility through 50+ scholarly articles, market research, and personal experience as a long-term tourist in South Korea. The objective of this research was to understand factors that impact the marketing of a destination. This project has helped me understand the marketing tools of South Korea and Korea itself. Through the information gathered, I plan on creating a platform to communicate with new tourists of South Korea. This platform intends to create a friendly environment for potential travelers and first-time visitors to make them feel confident and comfortable navigating around the country. Understanding the process of tourists’ initial travel plans to execution, information such as detailed guidance to get around will be posted to give clarity to the traveler.

The expected outcome of the project was a strong foundation of factors that are significant to promoting travel and crafting the start of making the blog. This blog intends to have a focus market of young travelers traveling to South Korea for the first time to help them navigate around the country. Our results provide meaningful insights into destination marketing and place identity.

Title: Sticks and Stones: The Changing Structure of Free Speech Protections and the Consequences of Hate

Abstract:
This paper, in examining multiple seminal free speech and hate speech court decisions, investigates the changing nature and structure of free speech, and ultimately, hate speech jurisprudence in the American judiciary. Approaching this investigation through a philosophical analytical framework, this paper seeks to ask to what extent the shifting philosophical conceptions between individualism and communitarianism in the American Constitutional narrative affect the hierarchical ordering of values within a polity as it pertains to and plays out in speech jurisprudence. The paper begins by analyzing early speech trials such as Abrams v. United States (1919) and Whitney v. California (1927), which set the foundation for hate speech jurisprudence, before moving into second generation speech trials that deal with hate speech more specifically, including Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (1942) and Beauharnais v. Illinois (1952). Next, the paper examines the golden age of free speech, the Civil Rights era, in which free speech and racial equality are tethered. However, later cases, such as Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), see this trajectory warp, where advancement of equality and the advancement of speech are de-linked, resulting in dangerous implications for the health of speech and the state of democracy. Finally, this paper looks at more recent movements to counteract unbridled free speech, deals with the implications of the current standard of jurisprudential practice and what should be done moving forward. 

Title: Experiments with Correlated Photons
 

Abstract:
Light can be thought of as a steam of massless particles called photons. From an ordinary household light, photons are produced per second. We are doing experiments in the single photon regime in which we count single photons. To this end, we have completed two single photon experiments. These experiments are performed using correlated photons produced through a process known as spontaneous parametric down conversion in a beta barium borate crystal that creates two photons from a one, generated by a 405nm pump laser. Those correlated photons are detected using single photon avalanche photodetectors (SPADs). A critical aspect of the experiment is detecting the pair of correlated photons at the same time, as we are interested in explorations with single photons. We do this by detecting one of the photons, called the herald, and looking for the other, called the mate. In this way, the existence of the herald photon guarantees the existence of the mate single photon in the experiment. To detect the arrival of two photons simultaneously (known as a coincidence) we use the signal from the SPADs which goes to a coincidence counting unit (CCU). The CCU counts the arrival of photons at each SPAD and also counts the number of coincidences. An important part of the CCU is the detection window, Our first experiment is to determine which we found to be The next experiment determines the quality of our correlated photon source. We look at the number of true coincidences vs number of accidental coincidences resulting in 11 times more true coincidences than accidental. The third experiment, known as Grangier’s experiment, provides evidence that light is a photon by demonstrating the indivisibility of photons. The measurements from this experiment resulted in a parameter that strongly suggested indivisibility as it was 23 standard deviations away from indicating the opposite. Currently an experiment is in progress that seeks to demonstrate single photon interference (a photon interfering with itself). 

Title: The Consequences of Emotions and Limited Working Memory on Gambling
 

Abstract:
When thinking about decision making there are a variety of factors that can influence one’s decisions. Emotions, in particular negative emotions, are known to impact one’s decision-making such that one makes less than optimal decisions (Huh, et al., 2016). Another factor that can impact decision-making is how much working memory one has available (Pecchinenda, et. al., 2006). However, these two factors (emotions and working memory) have only been studied independently from each other rather than in conjunction with each other. The present research was designed to (a) explore the influence of emotion by looking at neutral, positive, and negative conditions on decision-making, (b) examine the effects of high or low working memory capacity on decision-making, and (c) looking at the effects of both emotions and working memory on decision-making. The decision-making task for this study involves playing a game of chance in which one decides on each turn whether to play or not. At the start of the study, one begins with an initial amount of hypothetical money. For each turn a circle (“spinner”) which is divided into three parts is shown. Each part of the spinner shows how much money could be added or subtracted from the hypothetical total if the arrow lands on that part. After seeing a spinner, the participant has the choice to “play” or “pass” on that round. Results of the spinner are then displayed. If one decided to play, then the amount indicated on the spinner is used to adjust the hypothetical balance. Two other tasks are completed during the study. Participants complete a writing task on either a positive, negative, or neutral situation, and a test of working memory capacity. It was hypothesized that (a) participants in the positive emotional state group produce advantageous decisions compared to their negative emotional group counterparts, while a third neutral group will have average scores compared to both. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that (b) high working memory capacity participants will choose more advantageously on the decision-making task than low working memory participants. The third hypothesis (c) stated that participants in the positive emotional valence group and high working memory group as well as the neutral group would correctly choose the “intermediate” decision spinner, while the negative emotional group will choose the good spinner but not the intermediate spinner. For the interaction of the variables, (d) participants in the positive emotional state group with high working memory capacity would choose the most advantageously out of all groups. The present findings may have important implications for decision-making in high emotion situations. The results may also impact PTSD clients and how they manage high-stress decisions in their life. These findings can be useful for all populations, clinical and non-clinical for assessing and handling hard decisions in one’s life. 

Title: IoT Gateway 
 

Abstract:
The industrial internet of things (IIoT) is a rapidly growing industry that enables wireless communication and remote monitoring and control of devices. In response to the demand for IIoT solutions, Franklin Electric has tasked its senior design team with building an IoT gateway to accommodate a wide range of use cases for its electric and diesel motors, including electric motor drives, residential wells, farmland applications, wastewater pumps, etc. 

The objective of the senior design team's project was to build an IoT gateway with an enclosure rated NEMA 3R to protect electrical equipment in various applications, including industrial, building, and utility. The team planned to shield the IoT gateway from electromagnetic and radio frequency interference and incorporate external antennas for better wireless range. Additionally, the team included an EMI shield for the cellular module and CANBUS hardware to communicate with Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and other devices reliably. Furthermore, the IoT gateway had featured an external sensing interface for temperature cycle testing, electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing, and hardware testing, along with SD card storage and a USB port for direct communication with other monitoring devices. Finally, the team implemented PCB changes using Altium Designer. 

The expected outcome of the project was a fully functional IoT gateway capable of monitoring and controlling devices remotely using Wi-Fi, cellular network, or USB cable connections while protecting signals from disruption and interference. This solution allowed Franklin Electric to monitor and avoid electrical, mechanical, and environmental faults in its motors and provide greater visibility and control to its customers. 

Title: Blood, Plasma, and the 21st Century Immune System
 

Abstract:
Multiple myeloma is a rare type of blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow affecting plasma cells. Normal plasma cells are transformed into cancerous multiple myeloma cells which accumulate in the bone marrow crowding out the normal plasma cells that help fight infection. A nonbeneficial antibody called M protein is a byproduct of this transformation which can in turn leave the body susceptible to kidney damage, bone destruction, and a weakened immune system. As the cancerous cells multiply, there is less space in the bone marrow for normal blood cells, resulting in decreased numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Multiple myeloma accounts for 1% of all cancers and approximately 10% of all hematologic malignancies according to The American Cancer Society. Roughly 35,730 new cases will be diagnosed in 2023 resulting in approximately 12,590 deaths. 

I will conduct a literary review consisting of scholarly publications and peer-reviewed medical journals which will assist in analyzing the progression of treatment options for patients suffering from multiple myeloma. Over the past twenty years research and treatment options have increased exponentially. I will research multiple chemotherapy drug combinations, stem-cell therapy, and (CAR)T-cell therapy. I will also administer a research questionnaire to local oncology and hematology clinics in the Fort Wayne area for the sole purpose of gauging clinical responses on current treatment options. 

Title: Difficulties in Music Streaming Royalties: Examining Revenue from Licensing Agreements and Big Data Accounting

Abstract:
The development and rise in popularity of music streaming has changed the way people enjoy music around the world. It has also changed the structure of income sources, marketing, and operations in music industry. These changes have come with lots of critique from artists for the subsequent challenges of seeing revenues from these services at the end of the chain where streaming services pay labels, which then pay artists. This presentation will examine these concerns in the context of both licensing agreements for streaming services and the accounting methods that track and distribute revenues through the chain. The methods for investigating streaming revenue difficulties are first a synthesis of previous academic literature on the topic about the rise of streaming licensing, then an analysis of researcher experience with accounting for these revenues as a business manager for the university record label. There were a couple practical observations by the researcher and a synthesis of academic literature. When examining the accounting and licensing factors of the music streaming process, it can be observed that the landscape and outlook are improving in some way. However, the combination of difficulties observed in the research is not highly favorable to artists. The investigation found that there were difficulties with licensing agreements that minimized artist revenue, especially for smaller artists. Additionally, it found that accounting for these incomes from the many streaming services and splitting that to the different writers and performers was quite difficult given the abilities of current industry standard accounting software. 

Title: Designing a Dynamic Assessment Task to Identify Language Impairments in Children

Abstract:
In the field of speech-language pathology, there are multiple assessments used to diagnose children with either speech or language disorders. Most assessments are static assessments that measure current skills at one given time point. Dynamic assessments are a less common type of test given to children to assist in diagnosis. This serves the purpose of determining how quickly children benefit from intervention, and it shows valuable information about children’s language learning abilities. Nonword learning has been used in prior studies as a type of dynamic assessment task, although not for diagnostic purposes. This study aims to develop an engaging task that could be used clinically. Several research studies were analyzed to design a theoretically effective task titled “Zarble”, a new dynamic assessment procedure that uses implicit teaching of nonwords to children. Three nonword nouns and three nonword verbs were methodically chosen and assigned to specific game pieces and actions to perform during the game. This task is theoretically sound because it is heavily research-based. Because it fits the typical time constraints of other current static assessments, it would be clinically feasible. Therefore, it would also be plausible for speech-language pathologists to use this task in a clinical setting to diagnose children with vocabulary deficits. Future research steps to validate this task would be to collect data and determine if children with typical language perform with higher accuracy than those with language impairments. 

Title: Prestige vs. Stigma: How the Power Differential Among Languages Impacts the Life of Accented Speakers

Abstract:
Drawing parallels between the power differential among language varieties and that of world languages perceived as foreign accented speech in English, we examine the impact of such accents on individuals’ lives. Accentedness, as defined in language acquisition literature, is the extent of a foreign accent in one’s speech, which is thought of as depending on how much listeners perceive this speech to be different from their own variety. 

We surveyed multilingual adults regarding the various ways their foreign language accents might impact their lives, and examined the association between accent thickness, the extent of impact on one's life, and which languages or language varieties were involved. Results tell the story of very different experiences among speakers that do not depend on the "thickness" of the accent or how comprehensible it is (e.g., an Arabic speaker in the Midwest vs. a Russian speaker in NYC). We conclude that the impact of having a foreign accent relates to the power differential among languages as well as to the “thickness” of the actual foreign accent and that this relationship is context/situation-specific. Gaining understanding into the impact of sociolinguistic and sociocultural power differentials will empower clinicians and educators to provide ethical, culturally aware, services to individuals with wide backgrounds of cultural and linguistic diversity. This would impact much of our scope of practice as SLPs, from providing accent modification treatment, to assessing and treating developmental and acquired communication disorders, to advocating for refugee communities, to navigating client and family education and counseling for culturally diverse populations. 

Title: The Effect of L-theanine on the Immunological Stress Response in Nile Tilapia
 

Abstract:
Fishes are one of the top sources of animal proteins. However, their protein contents can be reduced in various ways, one of them being stressed which eventually leads them to be immune compromised. Fish farmers try to solve these problems with the use of antibiotics and other chemical drugs. These chemicals can be harmful to fish, further reducing their protein quality. A safer and more natural alternative is the use of nutraceuticals. 

This project investigates the effect of L-theanine on lysozyme and macrophage activity of acutely stressed Nile tilapia and determined the best concentration for modulating stress. L-theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid obtained from Camellia sinensis. It is believed to be responsible for the relaxing effect found in green tea. The fish for this project were divided into 4 groups: a stress control group, and 3 treatment groups administered with different concentrations of L-theanine (0.0002%, 0.0004%, and 0.001% L-Theanine). The fish were subjected to hormonal stress by the administration of hydrocortisone (0.01% of their body weight). The lysozyme and phagocytic capacity were analyzed using the lysozyme activity assay (LAA) and the proportions of positive macrophages. Treatment groups showed lower lysozyme and macrophage activities, however, no significant difference was observed when compared to the stress control. Due to the trend observed in the data, I concluded that a higher concentration of L-theanine might be needed to significantly modulate stress. 

Title: Characterizing Genetic Modifiers of Obesity through the AKHR Pathway
 

Abstract:
Obesity poses a global health issue, affecting over 2.1 billion people. This complex metabolic disease can be attributed to both environmental and inherited factors. As the latter is less well understood, the genetic contribution to obesity poses a topic of interest. It is known that processes such as lipid metabolism and hormone signaling are often disrupted in obese individuals. However, there is limited understanding on what genes affect these processes and the extent in which they do so. Given this, the glucagon signaling pathway will be suppressed to model obesity in the fruit fly. Glucagon is involved in the stimulation of lipases, which are key enzymes responsible for the breakdown of fat. Inhibiting this action prevents this process from occurring and leads to obesity. This can be observed in Drosophila melanogaster through the loss of the adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR), the analogue for the glucagon receptor. AKHR normally induces a response to starvation and helps maintain metabolic homeostasis. Reducing expression of AKHR inhibits these responses, particularly fat breakdown. To determine if genetic background influences this phenotype, we are crossing a model of reduced AKHR expression with the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), consisting of 200+ inbred, fully sequenced fly strains. This tool allows for the identification of variation associated with an obese or lean phenotype. To monitor variation in stored triglycerides and obesity, we use a larval density assay previously described in Reis et al. 2010 PloS Gen and other publications. As our quantitative readout we used the concentration of sucrose at which half the larvae for each strain float which is denoted as the FC50 value. Strains with lower FC50 values indicate higher fat content given that they float sooner because of lower density. The contrary can be observed for strains with higher FC50 values which are associated with a lean phenotype, floating later because of higher density. These values are used to run a genome-wide association analysis to identify candidate modifier genes. These modifier genes may increase or decrease one’s risk for obesity which can be targeted when designing treatment options. A preliminary GWA has already been completed allowing for a compilation of several candidate genes which are currently being investigated. Characterization of these modifiers will aid in determining which ones are most likely altering the disease model. The findings may be tested through density and biochemical assays in the near future. This will allow for further characterization of these genes, leading to advancement in therapeutics. 

Title: Stock Performance Prior and After Federal Holidays
 

Abstract:
This study investigates the relationship between federal holidays and stock performance in the United States. The aim is to explore how the market reacts to U.S. federal holidays and whether they have a significant impact on stock returns. A sample of 91 stocks from the NYSE Top 100 was selected with daily opening and closing prices from December 31st, 2015, to December 31st, 2018. 

The methodology used in this study is based on an abnormal returns (AR) framework, which is a common tool used to measure the performance of stocks during specific events or periods. In this case, the AR framework is applied to analyze the impact of federal holidays on stock performance. A market model of the S&P 500 is used to derive abnormal returns, which are then analyzed on a pre-holiday and post-holiday basis. 

To determine the significance of federal holidays on stock performance, the study calculates the cumulative abnormal return (CAR) for the event window. The cumulative average abnormal return (CAAR) for the sample of stocks over the event window is emphasized using generalized sign tests. The CAAR is a measure of the average abnormal return for a group of stocks over a particular period.

The study uses a test statistic with normal approximation to the binomial distribution to identify positive cumulative abnormal returns. This is important because it allows the researchers to identify whether the impact of federal holidays on stock performance is statistically significant. 

Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the relationship between federal holidays and stock performance in the United States. By analyzing a sample of 91 stocks from the NYSE Top 100, the study shows that federal holidays do have a significant impact on stock returns. The findings of this study can be useful for investors and traders who are looking to optimize their investment strategies based on the impact of federal holidays on stock performance. 

Title: Nativism and the New American “Demos”: Right-wing Populism and Immigration in the United States
 

Abstract:
Who makes up the American “demos”? Philosophers and political scientists alike have grappled with the concept of who rightfully makes up the nation by which a democracy may be birthed. Similarly, discussions surrounding the proliferation of democracy and democratic consolidation have become of paramount importance in the field of Political Science. These discussions, however, take place at a time when we are seeing a global decrease in democratic rule and an increase in authoritarianism. In a seemingly connected fashion, populist movements on both ends of the political spectrum have seen a stark increase in support in recent years. I discuss in this paper specifically, how right-wing populist movements in the United States may act as an anti-democratic agent that erodes democratic consolidation, particularly when we examine the treatment of undocumented immigrants. Through examining several forms of quantitative and qualitative research, I concluded that the denial of citizenship, or certain political rights granted to citizens, does not inherently erode the democratic consolidation of the state as it does not exclude a portion of the population who are generally accepted as legitimate members of the citizenry from participating in the political society. However, the alienation of immigrants who are eligible and able to participate in the political society is highly undemocratic, and it is a nativist characteristic of right-wing populism that is discussed thoroughly in this paper. 

Title: Equity, Burnout, and Challenges to American Literacy 
 

Abstract:
American reading proficiency has been on a steady decline as of recently. About 130 million American adults read below a 6th grade reading level according to the US Department of Education. Additionally, about 66% of children studied by the National Assessment of Educational Progress have a reading level at or below a basic level, the lowest level of reading achievement designated by the NAEP. This is problematic for a number of reasons, including reading important government- or work-related documents, interpreting meaning and purpose from news articles, and reading published works with a critical eye. Clearly, something about the US education system needs to change, however, change at the federal level regarding education is difficult given that education is typically handled by state governments. The focus will be placed on what Indiana should do to increase the reading proficiency of its students through a series of equity policies, teacher support, and system restructuring. In order to determine what actions need to be taken regarding equity, common practices from Finnish education will be evaluated and adapted for the Hoosier school system. These common practices include free lunch for all students, mandatory meetings with a counselor, and a more flexible curriculum that focuses more on projects as opposed to testing. This would allow for students to explore specific topics that interest them and help them increase their understanding through the more natural experience of exploration as opposed to wrought memorization. In order to determine what actions need to be taken regarding teacher support, studies conducted in the United States will be analyzed to see what teachers feel are the most pressing of issues in their field. This will be done in combination with news reports on a variety of recent teacher strikes across the United States that highlight some of the issues that teachers are currently facing. This will solve the “teacher shortage” as some people will know it. While there is no shortage of qualified teachers available across the US, many of these teachers choose not to teach anymore for the many reasons that will be discovered and discussed by the sources used for these sections. Bringing back qualified teachers will decrease the overall workload on other educators and allow them to pay more personalized attention to students who are having trouble with their studies. Through a combination of policies aimed at supporting teachers and practices that introduce more equity into the school system, a plan for helping raise the reading proficiency of students in Indiana’s public school system will be laid out. The equity plans will help in ensuring that children of disadvantaged families receive the same learning opportunities as children of rich families while the teacher support policies will make sure educators have enough breathing room and fair pay to consider staying in the education field. 

Title: Healthcare Industry Day

Abstract:
This project consists of two parts, a research paper and the organization of an event also titled Healthcare Industry Day. This event occurred on March 16th and brought together speakers from the wider healthcare industry and Purdue Fort Wayne and Indiana University Fort Wayne students so that the latter might learn about career paths within major anchor institutions in Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana. Speakers were chosen to give representation to non-medical fields in the healthcare industry that might otherwise be overlooked by students who are not coming from a medical academic background. These included an Administrative Specialist, a human resources specialist, a Public Safety Officer, a Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, and an Assistant Chief Executive Officer. These speakers came from Dupont Hospital and Lutheran Hospital, and were asked to share with students in interactive half hour segments over the course of the day. Each segment began with the speaker sharing about their own personal and professional backgrounds. They then described their current positions and the importance those roles had in allowing healthcare institutions to operate and medical professionals to perform their duties. This was followed by the speakers walking students through the education and professional paths that would lead to similar roles. After the speakers concluded, students were given time for questions and the opportunity to receive the speakers’ contact information. The attendees also heard from the Director of Purdue Fort Wayne’s MBA program about the process of earning an MBA and the experiences of MBA students with medical backgrounds who have sought to move into administrative roles in their institutions. Business students in attendance were also awarded points towards the Doermer School of Business’ Passport to Success program. 

The research paper portion is a study of market conditions that may have an impact on the employment prospects of Purdue Fort Wayne students and others who are seeking to enter professions in the broader healthcare industry. The paper consists of analysis of data drawn from publicly available sources including state agencies, NGOs, county and city chambers of commerce, and other institutions with a vested interest in Northeast Indiana’s healthcare and educational infrastructure. This paper also seeks to put these labor trends in the wider context of developments across Indiana and at the national level. 

Title: Analysis of the Needs and Preferences of Food Pantry Visitors
 

Abstract:
Dietary lifestyle changes are a major form of treatment for many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, celiac disease/gluten sensitivity, and lactose intolerance. Many people rely on restrictive diets to manage these diseases. The presence of these restrictive diets among food pantry visitors may pose barriers to food access, and their prevalence is understudied. Additionally, people with these diseases may not know what types of food choices they should make while selecting food. The goal of this study is to investigate health-based dietary restrictions among food pantry visitors. To accomplish this, self-complete surveys were administered at the Walb Student Union and Student Clubhouse locations of the PFW Pantry (n = 264). The survey collected self-reported health information, opinions on food selection, opinions on food preparation type, and some demographic information of the participants. The collected health information served to probe what preexisting health conditions and potential dietary consequences of these conditions exist in this community. The opinions on food selection and food preparation type served to question whether the food available at the respective pantries served the needs of the visitors adequately. Finally, the collected demographic information assisted in contextualizing the data collected. We report in this study, potential correlations between the health status of the pantry visitors, measured demographic information, and the perspective indicated by the pantry visitors. We note trends in demographic characteristics such as income and level of attained education with the prevalence of various diseases which influence the diet of the study participants. We also identified correlations between the presence of these diseases and the perspectives surrounding food the affected individual had. These observed correlations will be used to guide the policies of pantries to better cater to the population they serve. In general, the results of this study shed light on some of the potential challenges individuals face when trying to obtain food from a food pantry, and will hopefully guide decisions food pantries make in the future to foster inclusivity. 

Title: Democratic Retrogression of Hungary
 

Abstract:
This research seeks to evaluate the declining state of democracy seen in Hungary since 2010. As Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government has evolved during its second term in office, elements of Hungary’s well-established democracy have begun to wither. This research will analyze three alternative reasons as to why this decline has taken place: economics, political culture, and elite political self-interest. Each element will be compared to the operationalized definition of democracy as given by Juan Linz and Alfred Stepan. Methods of the following work are focused on a combination of secondary literature and opinion polls. While each of these three elements are significant to Hungary’s democratic retrogression, this research has found that the most influential force at work is Viktor Orbán and elite political self-interest. In preventing another political defeat, Orbán was able to manipulate the constitutionality of the well-established Hungarian constitution and was also able to mobilize support for the Fidesz regime in various ways. In addition to this, this research proves that there is a third reverse wave of democratization, as originally outlined by Samuel Huntington, and that Hungary is an example of this phenomena. This answer is significant as the Hungarian case represents one with potential for replication in other nations. More specifically, Hungary maintained a strong democracy for nearly twenty years. During those twenty years, multiple political parties competed in free and fair elections with a democratic constitution ruling over the government as a whole. Through careful thought and manipulation, this system was gradually torn apart by the Fidesz government while Hungary’s economic and cultural sectors aided in the backsliding. Understanding the Hungarian case is essential to preventing further democratic decline in Hungary and in other nations alike. For the interests of the United States specifically, it is favorable to ensure that fellow NATO members do not fall to authoritarian rule in similar ways. 

Title: Effects of Trap Position and Bait Age on Capture Success of Freshwater Turtles
 

Abstract:
When foreign stimuli, or novelties are placed into a natural environment. These stimuli can then become normal to species of the environment, and thus make it less likely for species to interact with said stimuli. This situation becomes problematic for population surveys using traps. This trend was seen to be true during the 5-year population survey at Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve as duration of survey affected capture success. Earlier days are seen with higher capture rates that then decrease during the remaining days. The purpose of this study is to test if habituation and novelty are linked to capture success, first by identifying the trend from the previous 5 years and applying changes to methodology. Changes consisted of trap movement and rebaiting of traps. The analysis of the five-year study shows that turtles caught per trap per night of the combined years shows that there is indeed a negative trend of capture success decreasing each day consistently across years. In order to see if this could be changed, two different methodology changes were tested over two weeks with one method being tested each week. Over this two-week time period 21 painted turtles and 8 common snapping turtles were captured. Some results of this study are inconclusive, this is due to the combined factors of raccoon interference with traps which resulted in half the traps being pulled. 8 of the 21 painted turtles were obtained from collapsible minnow traps. Results of this study provide evidence that possible methodology changes could play a key role in increasing capture success rates, as capture success minorly increased with rebating in week two.

Title: Biomarkers of Ischemic Stroke: Are Predictors of Stroke in the Near Future?
 

Abstract:
Stroke has been a rising concern globally due to its high and increasing occurrence, mortality rate, and disability associated with stroke patients. Ischemic stroke arises from blockage in the arteries leading to the brain, which disrupts the delicate systems which keep the brain and associated cells in homeostatic state, leading to temporary and permanent cell damage (infarctions), neuroapoptosis, neurotoxicity, necrosis, autophagy, brain cell death, and even disabilities. The current approved and effective treatment for ischemic stroke is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The treatment window for tPA to be effective and not risk hemorrhaging is within 4.5 hours of ischemic stroke symptom onset, so early diagnosis or predictive strategies are needed to quickly treat ischemic stroke patients. Brain imaging is an effective diagnostic method, but equipment can be limited in areas with low income. Research currently looks to identify biomarkers that can be obtained easily, such as through serum samples, to diagnose ischemic stroke and administer treatment within the effective time frame. Many potential biomarkers specific to brain tissues such as S100B, GFAP, MMP-9, and hs-CRP have been identified and tested, however, the specificity and sensitivity is not reliable and varies between tests. Biomarker panels consisting of combinations of identified markers have been constructed with those containing more markers (ex. S100B, B-type neutrotrophic growth factor, von Willebrand factor, MMP-9, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1) having higher specificity and sensitivity. Platelets are another potential venue to find biomarkers, as research in platelet receptor and platelet-volume-to-lymphocyte ratio have been tested with varying degrees of success, although more research is required. miRNAs have also been found to be differentially expressed in ischemic stroke patients, and there are many miRNAs that have been investigated for their potential as ischemic stroke identifiers. The research on ischemic stroke biomarkers is still very limited, as many proteins and molecules have been identified in ischemic stroke patients, but not many have high potential to be effective and cost-effective biomarkers that can be utilized in early ischemic stroke diagnosis. 

Title: Content-Based Instruction in the Common Classroom
 

Abstract:
In ELL (English Language Learner) classrooms, there is discussion about the benefits of CBI (Content-Based Instruction) for the purpose of language learning. The goal of this type of instruction is that students are learning the language through the content instead of using English as the lesson itself. Research has shown thus far that this method is significantly faster and more productive in teaching the new language to these learners. While grammar is important when learning another language, through CBI students experience and experiment with the language first, then when needed, the teacher with elaborate on grammatical concepts when questions arise. I believe that there is something that ELA classrooms can gain from this research as well. The inquiry is this: How can we implement CBI in an ordinary classroom where the students are already fluent in English? How could a lesson plan or curricula change by having native English speakers learn and grasp ELA content, standards, and grammar by exploring content and hands-on practice like CBI suggests? In an ELL classroom CBI could look like the following: Students are told that they will be learning about nature preservation. They are given sentence starters (i.e., “I think ___ is a good idea because…”) to scaffold the language that they already know and introduce new grammatical concepts. From there, students read articles, watch videos, take observations of the nature around them, and collaborate with other students. If students decide that they want to take “real world” action, the teacher can guide them in doing so (i.e., how to write a strong letter to a waste management company or an elected official, build a community/school garden based on the research that they have gained, etc…). CBI can offer a way for students to try, fail, and learn this concept in a safe space. In an ELA classroom, this can look similar. Students are told that they will be studying nature preservation. The class can brainstorm together some ideas that they already have but would like to explore further. The teacher can then help students identify different resources. For example, a teacher might pose questions like the following: Casual language in a resource could indicate that we need to use more caution, but why? How does the language in a source change or guide our thought process? Similarly to the ELL context, if students decide that they want to take “real world” action, the teacher can guide them on what steps to take to accomplish that. The purpose of CBI is to teach students that language mastery is not the goal. The goal is to teach students about language context and discovery, which will lead them to a deep understanding of the language they use in everyday life. This project is to showcase that CBI can and does fit within the context of an ELA classroom. 

Title: Poetry and Photography
 

Abstract:
During my second year at Purdue Fort Wayne, I took a class with Professor James Gabbard titled, “Photo III: Conceptual Imaging.” In this class, students were given a list of poetry and quotes to create photographs that reflected the writing. Students were also given the option to switch out one of the writings if they wanted to. I decided to switch out my last writing with a poem I wrote for my mother based on a story from her past. The poem reflected a story about my mother and her siblings running down into the woods and creating a land full of imagination. A few months passed and it was time to schedule classes for my final semester. This was when Professor James Gabbard proposed the idea for an independent study with him. The idea was to create a series of poems that I would write while also taking a series of photos to reflect the poem. In my entire life, I have only written two poems so this was going to be a challenge. As part of this project, five poems will be written about different topics, along with a collection of photographs to accompany each poem. I have also created original costumes to match the theme of the poems for each photoshoot. By the time the project is finished, I intend to design a book that combines the poems and photographs. Writing creates this freedom that is not bound by others’ words and allows me to create any world or theme I want. Adding creative writing to photos allows me to connect to them on a more personal level. The photographs will provide a visual interpretation of the poems. The combination of both poems and photographs into a book will allow them to be presented in a unique way. As a result, I will be able to grow my creative process from the beginning to the end of this project. 

Title: Autoethnographic Approach on Classroom Management

Abstract:
This project looks into Lydia’s lived experiences to see how they have shaped her. In this project, the author took an autoethnographic approach to highlight major moments within her education that stuck out to her as having an impact on her. Specifically, she will be looking at the way she was disciplined in the classroom while growing up and she will be aligning those to different classroom management systems. This project looks at key aspects of several classroom management styles with a brief description. Then they will be analyzed for which style of classroom management would work best for an individual based on their experiences and personality. 

Title: Theatre in Antiquity and its Relationship to Religion

Abstract:
The present study investigated theatre in antiquity and its relationship with religion; in addition, this study compared present-day theatre’s relationship with religion as a means to understand how theatre has changed over time. Ancient theatre serves as the foundation to theatre as it is known today, despite the seemingly strong differences between the two worlds. In addition, knowledge of ancient theatre in many aspects is lost and misunderstood as texts over time have become partially or completely lost to time. It was understood the intense relationship between theatre of antiquity and religion, but it was yet to be discovered the extent of this relationship as well as how deeply it affected the theatrical society around it. The focus of this study was to dive deeper into the knowledge of ancient theatre with a small glimpse into how theatrical society has been changed by the foundations of theatre. However, while there is much research defining and exampling theatre of antiquity and its relation to religion, there is little research examining how these factors have carried on into modern-day theatre. This study utilized information compiled by previous researchers as well as detailed through a few examples of primary resources from antiquity in order to portray a broad understanding of the theatre of antiquity accurately and effectively. Broad understandings of the culture and theatre of antiquity allowed for conclusions to be made about theatre that will help push research forward. Furthermore, discovered was how deeply theatrical antiquity has affected modern-day theatre—a point of research many do not take into consideration. Having a base knowledge of theatre in antiquity not only enriches the current research but provides a stepping stool for future studies. Overall, this study aims to provide a deeper understanding of theatre of antiquity in areas that are sparser in information as well as detail how this tradition of theatre has carried on into today’s world. 

Title: Supporting the Female Caregiver in the 21st Century Workforce

Abstract:
The amount of women in the workforce has significantly increased throughout the years. However, many women feel as if they are not properly supported in their professional careers in regard to women’s health issues, maternity leave, and family life. Thus, businesses are struggling to retain talent, specifically the female caregiver, due to this lack of support. This research study focuses on creating a cultural comparison of other countries' support systems for women across the world in relation to the United States’ policies. The study will explore the three areas mentioned above and provide a handbook for organizations to implement to increase retention. 

When discussing the “female caregiver”, it is important to note that this includes female-identifying individuals who are the sole caregiver for their family (whether that is spousal support, being a mother, or taking primary care of another family member) and who experience a menstrual cycle/related biological female health issues. Through a comprehensive analysis of the minimal amount of existing research in this field, a new policy will be proposed for those in leadership positions at any given organization that promotes gender equality and a more supportive work environment for the female caregiver according to those three categories. With the adaptation of these new policies, organizations can expect to build a more loyal staff and decrease the turnover rate for their business. 

Title: Predicting Regional Weather Patterns in the United States

Abstract:
The increasing frequency and severity of severe weather events have become a significant concern due to the potential impacts on human life, property damage, and economic losses. Climate change is believed to be one of the contributing factors to these changes in weather patterns, with rising temperatures and atmospheric changes altering the conditions that give rise to severe weather events. 

Predictive models are being developed to forecast weather patterns, specifically tornadoes. These models use a combination of historical weather data, satellite imagery, and real-time data to make predictions about the likelihood of tornado formation in a particular region. Machine learning techniques, such as neural networks, decision trees, and support vector machines, have been used to develop accurate and efficient models. 

One of the key challenges in developing predictive models for tornadoes is the complexity of the phenomenon itself. Tornado formation is influenced by a range of factors, including temperature, humidity, wind shear, and atmospheric pressure, making it difficult to accurately predict tornado occurrence. Additionally, the limited availability of data and the need for real-time data for accurate predictions pose significant challenges. 

Despite these challenges, predictive models for tornadoes have shown promise in improving the accuracy of tornado forecasts. By using advanced techniques such as machine learning, these models can analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns that can help forecast tornadoes more accurately. With further development and refinement, these models could provide significant benefits in terms of improving public safety and minimizing the impact of severe weather events. The machine learning model seen in this study analyzes the weather events recorded from 2010-2020 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s (NOAA) Storm Weather Database. This database is comprised of multiple variables that are studied and used to analyze weather event frequencies, size, deaths, and economic costs. The predictive model found in this study looks specifically at tornadoes to determine if we can accurately predict the EF Scale using only the size of the storm without knowing the wind speeds. This model uses classification and regression methods to study the size and costs of these severe weather events. Furthering this analysis, the model is then used to investigate if storms are becoming more severe as time goes on. 

Title: ENTRE-U: Measuring the Entrepreneurial Orientation of Fort Wayne Universities (Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Tech, Saint Francis 
 

Abstract:
The concept of entrepreneurship has long fascinated researchers and has been the driving force behind America’s growth since its birth. Universities have always been one of the biggest cultivators of the entrepreneurial spirit due to their committed professors and state-of-the-art technology. Nevertheless, over the past few years funding for collegiate research has taken a staggering hit. Furthermore, researchers no longer have the incentive to turn a concept into a physical product. Whether this is due to state budget cuts, enrollment declines, the federal portion of funding steadily decreasing, or faculty being awarded tenure and promotion based on measures such as how much research money they bring in and how many papers they get published versus the number of patents, startups, or licensing revenue they earn from commercialization, there is an apparent concern for universities turning away from being an entrepreneurial beacon of America. Therefore, it is critical for universities to have the ability to measure how entrepreneurially oriented they are to invoke change and encourage patents or spinouts. The way entrepreneurial orientation can be measured is with the utilization of the ENTRE-U scale. This scale is a set of 23 questions that focus on four different factors: research mobilization, unconventionality, industry collaboration, and university policies. These four factors that comprise the ENTRE-U scale accurately measure the entrepreneurial orientation of a university with regards to their likelihood to promote entrepreneurial commercialization through patents or spinouts. 

For the purpose of this study, the universities that will be researched are the University of Purdue Fort Wayne, the University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne), and the University of Indiana Tech. The ENTRE-U survey was sent out to every department chair, department head, and program director of each of the stated universities. The heads of the departments received the survey because they are the most knowledgeable about what goes on in their department and have the most experience with what resources are available. This academic thesis will present the findings stemming from the ENTRE-U survey to help enhance the emphasis on entrepreneurship in Fort Wayne universities. Keywords: ENTRE-U, entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurial commercialization, universities, patents, spinouts 

Title: The Queering of Horror: The Analysis of Representation in Horror and Queerness
 

Abstract:
The representation of LGBTQ+ identities in horror films, and its effects of this representation, like increased homophobic attitudes and obfuscation of the truth about these communities, on the general population were examined in this study. The study draws from theories about the power culture has on the general populace, which reveals the link between representations of these identities on screen and the feelings of the general populace on these issues. Next, the methodology of encoding and decoding media is introduced, which will be the main way that these films are analyzed. Encoding involves the analysis of the screen text, while decoding focuses on the reception of these messages to the viewer. The next section of the paper analyzes three classic horror films: Frankenstein, Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs. To encode the messages that the makers of the films encoded within these films, articles about the films were consulted to see the messages that were placed within the films that involved LGBTQ+ identities (mainly homosexual and transgender identities). Scenes and dialogue from the movies themselves will also be examined to analyze the text without the influence of other writers. The last section of the project focuses on the decoding of these films by the audience. Sources like newspaper reviews are utilized to illuminate how these representations on screen have influenced the way that people view homosexuals and transgender people (which are the groups that are explicitly referenced in these films, but this reaction can apply to the whole community). This demonstrates how these representations are able to manifest real feelings about real people through their representation in film.

This project shows that even subtle representations are able to have major impacts on the reception of these groups to the public. These films, often hindered by the Hays Code which banned any explicit mention of homosexuality or other perceived abnormalities from the screen, had to include subtle references to these identities. However, these identities often manifest within the villains of these stories. These portrayals help perpetuate these negative traits to the communities, even if the films try to orient the viewer away from these connections. Audiences were still able to pick up on these messages being sent, which made many people further associate these identities as abnormal, subversive, and evil behaviors because of the way they were represented on film. 

Title: The Evolution of Labor Union Stratification and Its Impact on Political Power and Public Perception 
 

Abstract:
The research paper for the honors project showcase, inspired by the literature review, focuses on "The Evolution of Labor Union Stratification and Its Impact on Political Power and Public Perception." The study aims to understand the changes in labor union structure and how these transformations have affected their influence in politics and their perception among the general public. 

A key concept in the research is the "theory of scarcity," which posits that union membership is influenced by the scarcity of resources and jobs. This theory, as discussed in the literature review, is supported by Selig Perlman's work and has been further refined by later economists. Another central element in the research is labor union stratification, which is analyzed using Nelson Lichtenstein's "State of the Union" and Joseph McCartin's "Collision Course." These sources provide a comprehensive historical account of significant developments in the American labor movement, highlighting the decentralization and fragmentation of the postwar bargaining system. 

The research paper will explore the evolution of labor union stratification and its impact on political power and public perception by examining the historical context and the role of scarcity in shaping the labor movement. Through the analysis of key events, such as the PATCO strike and the rise of alternative bargaining practices, the study will seek to determine the underlying factors that have contributed to the decline in support for collective bargaining. 

By investigating the various elements that have shaped the labor movement and union stratification, the research aims to provide valuable insights into the reasons behind the waning influence of unions in politics and public perception. Ultimately, the study will contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of labor union stratification and its implications on political power and public perception, offering potential avenues for revitalizing the labor movement and addressing the challenges faced by unions today. 

Title: Eleemosynary: Flying with Costume Design
 

Abstract:
“Charitable; the giving of alms.” This is Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing. The play follows the lives of the Westbrook women, Dorothea, Artie and Echo. The audience members are transported through the memories of these women and learn what makes them so different from each other and the ways that they are the same. Eleemosynary was a realized production from the Department of Theatre in the Fall Semester of 2022 and was directed by Professor Jeffrey Casazza. The main challenge of designing costumes for the production was creating distinct looks for each character while finding ways to connect them together. A particularly poignant element to consider is the construction of the wings from 1958, crafted by Dorothea herself. It had to maintain resilience and ease of movement while also appearing homemade. These problems were resolved through the design process. The design process begins with the play. It must be read through several times then analyzed by developing a research bible. The costume research was conducted during the time of the play, the Eighties, although the wings were inspired by contemporary sources. Several sketches were presented at the production meetings, which are a series of meetings that occur with the director, production coordinator, and the scenic, costume, and lighting designers. These positions are primarily held by the professors of the Department of Theatre. All departments collaborate together in order to resolve any potential issues before they occur. Once the director approves of the designs, final renderings are created with the casted performers. A budget sheet for all costume pieces required is made. Anything costume-related is relayed to the costume shop, run by Clinical Assistant Professor Jeanne Pendleton. Most costume pieces were either pulled from stock or bought online, then altered to fit the actress. Dorothea’s costume was entirely built in the shop by the students and the costume shop supervisor because it was too specific to find online or in stock. This was the same for the wings. The last step is observing the costumes and wings in rehearsals to solve any last-minute problems. Finally, the costumes and wings are ready for the production. The costume designs were well researched and constructed in a thoughtful manner. The costumes contrasted the scenic design but did not pull focus from it. The performers felt confident in their costumes and performed without any issues. Color and silhouettes became a major asset in defining each character. The idea of color interaction and color mixing drove the designs. Dorothea’s flowing clothes shows off her playful side. In comparison, Artie’s suit reveals her distant nature. Echo is somewhere in the middle because of the influences of both women in her life. The wings themselves are constructed like a quilt. Doing so made them lightweight and simple to wear. Costume design is a great communication tool to provide insight on a characters’ personality. Echo says that words gives her the ability to fly. The same happens with costumes. Costumes gives designers the opportunity to fly and reveal their voice. 

Title: A Small Business Analysis: Hop River Brewing Company
 

Abstract:
The paper focuses on building a business plan to help small businesses connect to their primary source of revenue which is the local community. The bond between the local community and the small business depends on a variety of factors such as the type of business and its current presence in the community. 

Hop River Brewery Company was the model used in this project as a small business and the style of the writing was formed to target the business owners as a consulting report for their business. Hop River Brewing Company is a microbrewery business located in Fort Wayne who has been operating for five years. Consulting was done for them to determine what their biggest difficulties have been and provide solutions that could be applied to their business. 

Through in-depth research into their company, their local and national competitors, and their customer reviews on three different platforms a survey was then supplied to their consumers on site which was constructed on the findings of initial research. After the survey was conducted, the data was then analyzed to inform possible solutions. The more vital solutions provided were divided into three areas, beer, food, and service/environment as these were the areas which were found to need more attention. Solutions ranged from collaboration with local food trucks to productivity on social media, to collaboration with local artists. 

Title: The Effects of Corruption on the Economy of Vietnam
 

Abstract:
The effects of corruption on the economy of Vietnam at the provincial level are analyzed in this study. Between 2002 and 2021, the developing country’s GDP per capita increased 3.6 times, reaching almost US$3,700. However, it ranks 87th out of 180 countries in the Transparency International's 2021 Corruption Perception Index. The international literature provides ample evidence that corruption has a negative impact on the growth of the economy. Nevertheless, there has been only a limited number of studies done on the same topic for Vietnam.

A panel dataset for all 63 Vietnamese provinces and cities was built using data from the national General Statistics Office of Vietnam and the provincial competitiveness index (PCI). Nevertheless, since the country has only publicized economic data relatively recently, getting accurate and consistent data was a problem and the dataset could only include 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The dependent variable is Monthly Income per Capita and control variables are Population, Area, Retail of goods and services, Non-farm individual Businesses, Index of Industrial Production, Fixed asset and long-term investment by Province. Measures of Corruption are answers from the PCI’s surveys based on Transparency, Unofficial Charges, and Legal Institutions criteria. Running GLS regressions on the panel dataset show that there are random effects for the 8 different models. However, they also show the necessity of complete data to test for unit roots within the variables. 

Title: Design Optimization of Heat Sinks in Central Processing Units (CPUs) by Numerical Simulation
 

Abstract:
Heats sinks are frequently used to increase the rate of heat loss in various devices and machines. A field where heat sinks are the most common are computer components. This investigation models two different heat sink designs with different fin shapes utilized for cooling a desktop CPU in a 3-D transient heat transfer analysis using the FEA method, a linear discrete mathematical model in the time domain. The heat sinks were constructed in SolidWorks while ensuring their overall mass and material remained constant. The thermal loads, boundary and initial conditions were applied to each design using the Simulation feature in SoildWorks. It was ensured that both heat sinks were analyzed under the same environmental condition of constant heat flux and natural convection on exposed surfaces. Following this, a 3-D transient thermal analysis was conducted over a period of 1000 seconds with a 10 second time interval. The CPU temperature at the base of the heat sinks were compared between the models as well as the amount of time taken to reach steady-state conditions. The results highlighted key differences in effectiveness of the different heat sink designs with one specific design reaching steady-state conditions much quicker than the other designs. Next, the model was verified by comparing to another computational model utilizing the finite element method created using Ansys, a multi-physics engineering simulation software package for product design. The results from the two models matched closely with a few discrepancies caused by how each software package meshes geometries. The difference in steady state CPU temperature between the two models was only approximately 0.294 %. To ensure that the obtained results were representative of real-world occurrences, a prototype of one of the heat sinks was constructed and validation tests were conducted. These tests showcased that the results obtained through numerical simulation was indeed valid. Overall, the investigation was conducted successfully. The different heat sink designs were compared, and their performance evaluated accurately. The mathematical and computational model was also verified using Ansys and a prototype was eventually used to conduct validation tests; consequently, proving that the results obtained were accurate and reliable.

Title: Mental Illness Attitudes Among Africans

Abstract:
In this study, I will be exploring the mental illness attitudes in African communities in Fort Wayne, IN, USA. Much of the existing literature on mental health perceptions amongst immigrants focuses on Asian or Hispanic population groups. However, not much study has been conducted to examine the mental illness attitudes of African Immigrants. This new study will provide an insight into the attitudes of African immigrants towards mental illnesses and pave a way for future mental health strategies in this community. Mental Illness Attitudes (MIA) is defined as the general attitudes and knowledge participants have towards mental illness and people with symptoms of mental illness. In addition, MIA is defined as the participants’ perceived causes of mental illness and how receptive they are of people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. My hypothesis is younger Africans born in USA or born in Africa but have spent most of their years living in USA (came to US before the age of 8) will have less stigmatized attitudes about mental illnesses compared to immigrants born and raised in Africa. Research will be conducted through online questionnaires given to 40 younger Africans born in USA or born in Africa but have spent most of their years living in USA (came to US before the age of 8) and 40 immigrants born and raised in Africa. Participants will be recruited from local churches and organizations in Fort Wayne. Using social media platforms such as WhatsApp groups and emails, I will send questionnaires containing demographic information like age, gender, birthplace, when they arrived in USA, language, and education to each participant. Furthermore, the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), the Community Attitudes Towards Mental Illness (CAMI), the Reported and Intended Behavior Scales (RIBS) will be used to assess participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards mental illness. After data has been collected, I will compare responses from the two groups stated in the hypothesis. I expect younger Africans born here/ born in Africa but have spent most of their years in USA (came to US before the age of 8) to have less stigmatized attitudes about mental illnesses compared to immigrants born and raised in Africa.

Title: Movement Based Therapy to Stimulate Language Recovery in Post Stroke Aphasia

Abstract:
Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that affects an individual’s ability to communicate in terms of language production and comprehension. The use of Motion Based Therapy (MBT) in aphasia has been talked about for years, but very little work has been published on the topic. In an attempt to weigh the benefits and impact of MBT in aphasia, I conducted a literature review on this topic. My hypothesis is that MBT will show significant improvement compared to conventional Speech-Language Therapy in patients with aphasia. After looking at the connection between the language and motor systems, I found that although there is little research on this topic, there is significant evidence supporting its benefits and effectiveness. The idea behind MBT is that the motor and language systems are intertwined and could provide a mutual benefit when targeted simultaneously via one treatment. Significant evidence shows that when language therapy is combined with movements, such as having a patient mimic a therapist as they point, patients with aphasia are able to better understand and retain the language skills being targeted.

Title: Large Sample Asymptotics for Correlated Random Variables

Abstract:
Data Science is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, and engineering whose goal is to extract meaningful information from data. Data Science methods emerged as prominent in the study of very large and complex data sets often referred to as Big Data. Asymptotic theorems, such as the Central Limit Theorem, provide theoretical guarantees for the statistical analysis of data with large independent (or almost independent) samples. Data collected in many fields, especially those from the biomedical sciences, do not satisfy traditional assumptions of asymptotic theorems. A common paradigm is that of Supervised Learning whose goal is to produce accurate predictive models for labelled data. To measure the accuracy of such models, researchers use cross-validation which is a model evaluation method which assumes that the sample available is representative of the population under study, Cross-validation trains multiple models on exhaustive and mutually exclusive subsets and test them on the complementary set of each of those subsets. The accuracies of those models are then averaged to produce a final estimate. It is hard to produce asymptotic theorems for cross-validation accuracy, because the basic assumptions of the Central Limit Theorem do not apply. This honors’ project aims at the development of asymptotic theorems for cross-validation accuracy in the case of complex, dependent data. During this presentation, we hint at important examples from the biological sciences.

Title: The Impact of Mnemonics and EOL Judgments on Recall of Psychology Terms

Abstract:
Mnemonics are a widely known tool and seem to be effective in learning a variety of information including foreign-language words, definitions, and medical terminology (Dunlosky et al., 2013). However, some researchers (Dunlosky et al., 2013) review situations in which mnemonics appear to be ineffective or not practical (e.g., coming up with a mnemonic is difficult, amount of time to study the mnemonic takes up a lot of class time). The current study will encourage the learning of fourteen commonly known psychological terms and their definitions. In order to do this, participants will be assigned to one of the following learning conditions: (1) definition (rote rehearsal of information), (2) verbal keyword (study the definition with a keyword used in a sentence), and (3) imagery/keyword (participants are to image the keyword used in a sentence). Prior to participating in the learning phase, participants are asked provide Ease of Learning judgments for each item. The purpose of this study is to see: (1) if type of learning influences performance on a test of the learned material; (2) if Ease of Learning judgments predict later use of various mnemonic techniques, and (3) if there is an interaction between these two variables. Successful use of a mnemonic might depend on the type of mnemonic being used and the level of difficult of the item.

Title: Patterns in Forest Structure in a Second-Growth Hardwood Forest 
 

Abstract:
This study examined the relationships between dominant understory species and overall forest structure in a northeast Indiana second-growth hardwood forest. A forest survey consisting of 50 tenth hectare plots was conducted at the PFW Plex Forest in summer 2022 to obtain tree and shrub species identification, species counts, and canopy cover. Soil type data was obtained using the U.S.D.A Web Soil Survey. Linear regression, non-metric multi-dimensional scaling, and a maximum entropy species distribution model were used to identify how dominant understory species are related to species diversity and ecological parameters. Our results suggest that the survey area is a maple-basswood forest type, and that sugar maple (Acer saccharum), Eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), black cherry (Prunus serotina), and Northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin) are dominant understory species. The proportion of conspecifics in higher forest layers had a significant correlation to understory abundance for only one species studied, suggesting that the occurrence of these species is not purely influenced by recruitment patterns. The understory distributions of these species were strongly associated with species diversity in higher forest layers.

Title: Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2: Protection of Fetus and Newborn

Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many problems for the nation as a whole. The focus of this study is to analyze the impact pregnant women contracting COVID-19 has on the safety of the fetus growing in the placenta and the protection that may be provided to them post-delivery. There is an increased risk of pregnant women becoming ill due to a weakened immune system during pregnancy. The risk of preterm delivery for women rises if they are hospitalized with COVID-19. Recent studies are addressed to look at IgG and IgM antibody levels that are spread from mother to child when infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Very few studies have shown vertical transmission of infection from mother to fetus even though placental infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been identified. The level of protection the mother provides the fetus during pregnancy varies depending on when infection occurs. This also appears to carry over into the length of time anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are present after delivery for both mother and newborn.

Title: Barriers to Recruitment of Racial Minorities into STEM  
 

Abstract:
Diverse populations are underserved by healthcare and underrepresented in STEM professions overall, specifically in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). The lack of recruitment and retention of racial minorities into CSD has resulted in an imbalance of representation. In the U.S. racial minorities constitute over 30% of the U.S. population, while minorities who are members and affiliates of the American-Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) represent only 8.3% of the over 200,000 members. The aim of the current study is to identify and compare possible patterns related to recruiting minority students into healthcare fields/CSD with students already in CSD. This study looks specifically at CSD undergraduate students at Purdue University Fort Wayne and Ball State University and is a continuation of research conducted by a former student. This research will help inform future practices in promoting STEM and healthcare professions to diverse populations in the U.S., which can lead to an enhanced representation in the field to better serve the diverse populations in the country.

Title: The Psychology and Methods Behind Memorizing Music for Performance
 

Abstract:
Memorizing music is a multi-faceted process that involves encoding visual, auditory, spatial, sensory, and analytical information in the brain. Performing music from memory involves recalling all this information seamlessly. With the added stress of performance anxiety, this process can be challenging. Yet memorizing is a normal, even fundamental part of every musician’s career, especially for the pianist. This project will explore the methods and psychology behind music memorization in depth. How does the brain memorize music? What practice techniques lead to the most effective memory? Why does memory ultimately fail or succeed in a performance? Although many factors determine memory security, research suggests that intentionally reinforcing all aspects of the music– its visual, aural, and kinesthetic components– may be one of the most crucial.

Abstract:
Cummins corporation has been a stalwart in the heavy machinery and equipment industry. For over a century Cummins has continued to drastically innovate the sources of power that we use every day not just in our vehicles, but in the equipment that helps make the world work. Through the modernization and continuous improvement of the diesel engine, Cummins has allowed its customers access to a powerful, reliable and dependable power source that gets the job done, safely and on time. As time has gone on, so have the needs of the planet and those who live on it. Cummins has worked relentlessly to improve and innovate not only their products but their company and operations as a whole. PLANET 2050 is an initiative that Cummins enacted by which they plan to have nearly zero local environmental footprint within the communities that they operate and serve. They plan to continue their history of transformative innovation by creating a line of carbon neutral products, that protect air quality. For over one hundred years Cummins has been able to innovate and recreate the landscape of the industry they work in, nearly eliminating any true direct competitors. This innovation mixed with bold endeavors has led to Cummins being truly one of a kind in the face of an oversaturated industry. As the needs of the world changes and adapts to fit the current perils we face, Cummins is at the ready to power the future we are all trying to achieve.

Title: Impact of genetic variation on obesity in an AKHR loss-of-function model

Abstract:
The ways the body manages nutritional content has been a topic of global interest for centuries, particularly when these are disrupted in metabolic disease, such as obesity. There is a large genetic component to the onset, severity, and progression of these diseases, but the identities and functions of those genes remains largely unknown. Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as the fruit fly, provides a simpler model to help us better understand the synergistic contributions that genetic differences have on obesity in humans. We have employed the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), a compilation of over 200 inbred Drosophila strains, as a tool to observe how genetic variation can impact complex phenotypes such as obesity and metabolic disease. We are using AKHR loss-of function as a model of obesity. AKHR is the Drosophila version of a human receptor that binds to the hormone glucagon, which activates the breakdown of stored nutrients under fasting conditions. In its absence, fat is not broken down and the flies therefore become obese. We are reducing AKHR expression in the fat to induce obesity. In this experiment, Drosophila larvae are generated by crossing the DGRP to our AKHR loss-of-function model. We monitor larval fat content using a previously developed density assay as a proxy for obesity. After determining the concentration at which 50% of the larvae float for the different DGRP strains, we assessed our data through a preliminary genome-wide association analysis and identified several modifier genes to be further studied.

Title: The Effects of Nutrition on Human Fertility

Abstract:
Infertility is problem that is faced by many people today. With factors such as increasing obesity rates, a higher average age at childbearing, and environmental toxins, people are at a higher risk of facing fertility problems than in the past. There are various assisted reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization that serve as treatment options for people who face fertility problems; however, these treatments can be very expensive and are not often covered by insurance or easily accessed by lower income populations. Nutrition and various nutritional elements have been proven to have a significant impact on many different health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or stroke. It is possible that nutrition also has a significant effect on reproductive health. Since nutrition is something that can be altered by the individual, it could be an easy and inexpensive treatment option for infertility. The aim of this study is to determine whether nutrition has an impact on fertility. A literature review was performed on existing data surrounding the topic of various nutritional elements in relation to fertility rates in both males and females. Several observational studies were done on men and women who presented for in-vitro fertilization. A food frequency questionnaire was completed and the success of the fertility treatment was measured. The results were analyzed to determine if any of the individual food groups on the questionnaire had a significant correlation with fertility outcomes. Based on the data, nutrition does have an impact on fertility. High processed sugar, red meat, dairy products and excessive alcohol consumption were found to have a negative impact on fertility. Whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats such as chicken and fish were found to have a positive impact on fertility.

Title: Towards Robustly Scalable RAN Slicing Adaptive Algorithms and Machine Learning Models

Abstract:
With the rapid growth of new services and Internet applications, traditional cellular networks are now faced with a major challenge of supporting diverse applications to expand the wireless market. Going beyond the one-type-fits-all design philosophy, the future 5G radio access network (RAN) with network slicing methodology is employed to support widely diverse applications over the same physical network. ‘RAN slicing aims to logically split an infrastructure into a set of self-contained programmable RAN slices, where each slice built on top of the underlying physical RAN (substrate) is a separate logical mobile network, which delivers a set of services with similar characteristics. Each RAN slice is constituted by various virtual network functions (VNFs) distributed geographically in numerous substrate nodes. Failures may occasionally arise from substrate nodes due to reasons such as software fault occurrences, servers being powered down for maintenance, or misconfigurations of servers. This leads to malfunction and invalidation of the RAN slices that have VNFs embedded at the failed substrate nodes. To recover RAN slice functions, a RAN configuration scheme for the network is imperative to relieve VNFs from substrate node failures (remapping/re-embedding VNFs onto live substrate nodes). In this proposed research, the PI will explore a novel scheme of optimization models, adaptive algorithms, and machine learning models to enhance the robustness and scalability of RAN slicing by addressing the RAN configuration issue for slice recovery in a unified framework, referred to as RS-configuration. Specifically, the PI will perform the following research tasks: i) establishing the theoretical foundation for using RS-configuration to construct a VNF plan for RAN slice-recovery and configuration optimization; ii) developing highly scalable and adaptive algorithms, and machine learning models to enable autonomous slice recovery and self-configuration, and finally iii) applying our theoretical and algorithmic development to investigate the robustness and scalability of the RS-configuration paradigm for large-scale complex RAN. These research tasks will be carried out in a spiral fashion where practical issues and applications will further inform the development of theory and algorithms. Hence, this research on a new scheme and algorithms for RAN slicing will provide a computational basis towards building robustly scalable RAN slicing and contribute to the development of new networking technologies.

Title: A Border Apart: Media Portrayal of Mexican Immigration in the United States 
 

Abstract:
The border is a hot topic in the news, and it is an issue that has been highly politicized. Documented or undocumented, those who cross the border go through a convoluted process to reach the United States. The media has a powerful role in society, especially when covering individuals who come to the U.S. daily to start a new life. This project analyzes how the media portrays immigrants arriving to the United States from Mexico. The study uses a quantitative content analysis of news stories published and broadcast between 2016 and 2021 from the New York Times, the Associated Press, CNN and FOX to examine how specific sources, frames, and tone of coverage help shape the narrative on immigration and the border crisis. News coverage has the power to tell the truth, and the power to distort it. The goal of this study is to, first, address a trend in the way news impacts narratives of immigration from Mexico to the U.S., and second, propose ways the media can improve narratives surrounding Mexican immigrants.

Title: Consolidating South African Democracy

Abstract:
Democratic regimes around the world have struggled to stabilize and deepen democracy internally. Using South Africa as a case study, this honors project focuses on the contemporary state of South African democracy in an attempt to outline its progress to date. The question motivating this study is how well South Africa’s democracy has consolidated attitudinally, behaviorally, and constitutionally from the early 2000s until now. As such, this research study adopts the framework of democratic consolidation set forth by Juan Linz and Alfred Stepan wherein consolidation is defined as the extent to which democracy is considered “the only game in town”. Attitudinally, South Africa appears to be struggling at consolidation as evidenced by a growing support for non-democratic alternatives. At the same time, South Africa succeeds in deepening democracy constitutionally through independent oversight bodies like the Constitutional Court that uphold the rule of law. Behaviorally, an increase in violent protest reflects poorly on the country’s democratic prospects. This analysis highlights poverty and corruption as the two major obstacles to consolidation in the case of South Africa.

Title: Antibiotic Properties Identified from a Soil-Derived Bacteria
 

Abstract:
Antibiotic resistance is an advancing medical threat as increased usage results in decreased efficiency over time. Individual research projects of soil sampling and testing for antibiotic properties create a database of bacteria from diverse locations. Small World Initiative™ seeks to utilize an international program for crowdsourcing by creating a database of these individual experiments to seek new antibiotics. By diluting the sample, colonies can be collected on a masterplate. Testing against ESKAPE pathogens to see if inhibition of growth shows antibiotic properties. Proof plates done using wagon wheel methods allow these to be more directly tested for antibiotic properties. Colony PCR is done to amplify the DNA and test for purification by Nanodrop. PCR allows DNA sequencing to be looked up in BLAST and RD databases. Biochemical and organic extraction is done to distinguish between species within the genus identified by DNA sequencing. Once identification is done, additional information may be looked up to fully understand the capabilities of the bacteria.

Title: Bioactive Effects of Marine Life Invertebrates: Focusing on Echinoderms
 

Abstract:
Bioactive compounds are defined as modifiers of metabolic processes which in turn encourages healthiness though interacting at the cellular level. These chemicals go by many different names, but can all be categorized as active metabolites capable of a plethora of pharmacological and nutraceutical effects. There are multiple sources of bioactive compounds where they can be secreted such as from plants, animals, and even bacteria as an antibiotic. Most functional foods only contain bioactive compounds in small amounts. Yet, extraordinarily animal echinoderms are a special interest for studies because they naturally contain very high amounts of these bioactive compounds: especially found in their blood called coelomic fluid. The Echinodermata phylum represents a specific group that houses several marine invertebrates. In Latin, “echinos” meaning “spiny” and “dermos” meaning “skin”. Primary creatures of this review’s discussion include sea cucumbers (class Holothuroidea), sea stars (class Asteroidea), and sea urchins (class Echinoidea). Sea cucumbers, sea stars, and sea urchins are all ecologically valuable creatures that are very important in regulating the cleanliness of our seas though nutrient cycling and/or the overgrowth of algae, kelp, or rocky minerals dependent on the organism. Overall, with their amazing biodiversity, these sea creatures are able to accomplish numerous vital marine and even terrestrial functions. In this framework, the present study is aimed at investigating the therapeutic, beneficial, and/or preventive activities of bioactive compounds found within these three echinoderms. Their bioactive compounds are found to have major antimicrobial, anti-neurodegenerative, anti-viral, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing effects. Overall, these findings are significant to justify how seriously bioactive compounds should be incorporated into contemporary and holistic/functional medicine, thus perhaps solving many minor and life-threating diseases much more efficiently. Possible future uses though biotechnology and/or possible synergistic effects can further showcase and ameliorate the importance of these bioactive compounds. Keywords: Bioactive compounds, Nutraceuticals, Echinoderms, Sea Cucumbers, Sea Stars, Sea Urchins.

Title: The effects of variable biofertilizer concentrations on soybean and microbial growth

Abstract:
The effects of various concentrations of Biodyne USA, LLC's biofertilizer product, Environoc 401, on soybean and microbial growth were analyzed in this study. Biofertilizers contain a variety of live microorganisms, each of which uniquely benefit crops by simply completing their normal, daily tasks. As such, biofertilizers have been found to increase crop yields, help plants fight drought stress, improve crop thermotolerance, aid in bioremediation efforts, and protect against pathogens. Currently, Biodyne recommends that their customers use a 1:1 ratio of Environoc 401 to water in their field treatments. The purpose of this experiment was to determine which dilution—1:1.0, 1:1.2, 1:1.3, or 1:1.4—of Environoc 401 to water leads to the best plant growth, as indicated by biomass. Total aerobic counts (TACs), or bacterial counts, were obtained at four sampling points approximately 10 days apart: post-inoculation on planting day, when the radical emerged, when the first triplicate (3 leaf structure) appeared (V1), and when the 3rd triplicate appeared (V3) to look at culture viability over time to see if there is a correlation between TACs and plant health. Root, shoot, and leaf dry weights were obtained upon termination of the experiment. Throughout the study, all treatment groups followed the same general trend for average soil TACs and the 1:1.4 treatment yielded the greatest stem and total dry weights. A statistically significant relationship between soil TACs and plant health cannot be drawn based on the results.

Title: An Analysis of Gender Pay Gap in Purdue University Campuses

Abstract:
This honors project attempts to analyze the gender pay gap in Purdue University campuses. My hypothesis is that female compensation is lower than male compensation. The data is obtained from Indiana Gateway website where the employee compensation reports for Purdue University are public data. The data is divided by three Purdue University campuses: Fort Wayne, Northwest, and West Lafayette. The total number of observations in the raw data were 33,820 for all Purdue campuses. From the 33,820 observations, 3,467 observations were filtered out by job title. After running two different regressions, one controlling for variation in departments and one not controlling for them, I find the results support my hypothesis for the West Lafayette and Fort Wayne campuses but not for Northwest campus.

Title: Modern Antisemitism

Abstract:
Antisemitism is one of the several terrible strains of bigotry and hatred which have been afflicting the United States and the world for centuries and today threatens many of the founding principles of this democratic society. For too long now, public figures in the United States have been repeating old conspiracy theories or hateful tropes about Jewish peoples or encouraging supporters who have already displayed overt Antisemitism in the public sphere. To find an era in U.S. history which would be comparable to the contemporary levels of Antisemitic violence, an examination of the interwar period leading up to the U.S. entrance into World War II has been conducted, with a focus on powerful public figures of the time who used their prestige to defame Jewish people, even after Hitler and the Nazis began their reign of terror. Additional analysis includes an examination of recent statistical data taken from both the Anti-Defamation League’s annual reports on Antisemitic violence in the U.S. and the 2016 & 2020 American National Election Studies surveys, both of which suggest that the problem of Antisemitism in the U.S. is likely not improving but may be getting worse. This study wishes to help contribute to a clearer picture of the status of Antisemitsm in this country, in order to advocate for more resources and attention to be concentrated on one of the most serious threats to both democracy and civil society today.