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  Sustained Beat Perception Develops through Adolescence, and is Predictive of Phonology

  Christian Hunter, Karli Nave, and Joel Snyder

  Rhythm and beat perception are critical for synchronized musical movement and may also influence some aspects of speech perception. Previous studies show that adults and children can entrain their movements to a musical beat. However, few studies have disentangled surface information from the internal beat percept, and no studies have done so with young listeners. In this experiment, we presented listeners aged 4-23 years with a musical excerpt that induced one of two beat patterns, followed by an ambiguous phase during which they heard a rhythm that could match either beat pattern. In a final probe phase, listeners indicated whether a drummer did or did not match the beat of the music. Younger children (age 4-7 years) were not able to distinguish matching and mismatching drum patterns above chance. Older children (age 8-17 years) and adults accurately identified matching and mismatching drum patterns. Crucially, performance did not reach adult-like levels until about 13 years, suggesting that the ability to sustain a beat continues to develop through early adolescence. Since previous studies have suggested that rhythmic abilities are related to phonological awareness, we administered the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) to participants. A hierarchical regression indicated that performance on the beat perception task was a significant predictor of phonology. Overall, results suggest older children are capable of self-sustained and long-lasting beat perception, which is related to phonological language ability. However, self-sustained beat skills do not become adult-like until adolescence, suggesting that beat perception may have a more gradual developmental trajectory.

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  Literature Review: Review of Recent Developments of Bioremediation Applications to Ocean Oil Spills

  Raquel Jackson and Moses Karakouzian Ph.D.

  This paper explores recent developments in microbial remediation, specifically oil-degrading bacteria, and its potential use in ocean oil spills. Marine oil spills are a growing issue worldwide, due to its hazardous impact on both public and environmental welfare. Conventional oil spill management practices are inefficient, since significant amounts of oil remain in the water post-treatment. A possibly efficient and environmentally friendly solution is bioremediation, also known as microbial remediation. Bioremediation is a form of microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR), which is a biotechnological process that utilizes microorganisms to break down organic compounds, such as oil. By use of oil degrading bacteria, bioremediation applications may prove to be a feasible method in oil spill management. In this review, a systematic approach was used to find literature that could be analyzed to find which bacterial strains and supplementations would improve bioremediation as a method for mitigating ocean oil spills. It was concluded that certain bacterial strains are effective at degrading oil, given that certain metabolic and nutrient conditions are provided. Bacterial strains capable of decontaminating marine oil spills include Mycobacterium vanbaalenii, and Alcanivorax borkumensis, and Cycloclasticus, along with several others. Algae and dispersants used in conjunction with marine bacteria enhanced oil-degradation rates. However, more studies are needed to further investigate more potential bacterial strains capable of oil-degradation, and if other supplementations oil spill recovery in oil spills.

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  China's Important 2060 Carbon Neutrality Goal

  Jason Jasper and Kimberly Nehls Ph.D.

  Climate Change is a serious threat to global security and well-being. Many developed nations and some developing nations have made promises to become carbon-neutral (net zero emissions), or carbon-free by a specified time frame. China is a developing nation with high growth and has set a goal to be carbon-neutral by 2060. This study aims to determine how much China would need to reduce CO2 emissions to achieve this goal, and how it compares to other nations, using the most current data, and mathematical analysis. China produces the most CO2 in the world, almost twice as much as the United States, and accounts for 28 percent of world CO2 emissions. China would have to eliminate over 425 million tons of CO2 emissions year over year starting in 2030 to meet the 2060 goal. This represents an enormous challenge, especially considering China’s CO2 emissions are still growing, but will be crucial to ensuring keeping total global temperature rise to 1.5-2 Celsius.

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  Italian Mafia and the Impacts it has on Society Today

  Joshua Jordan and Kimberly Nehls Ph.D.

  Cosa Nostra, or the Italian Mafia, the roots of the American mob and that way of life lead to the inspiration to the Godfather and so many movies. This Digital research poster dives into the state of affairs of the Cosa Nostra in Italy. How many organizations there are, were, and will be. It also studies the immense effect the mafia has on crime in Italy from homicides to corruption. This poster looks into five different data sets over the years focusing on the relationship between what type of crime is being committed to the potency of the mob at that time. Although the amount of crime and the number of families have gone down significantly since the ’80s. The mafia in Italy is still alive and well compared to its counterpart in the states, with, crimes such as homicides, murder, extortion, gambling, and so on.

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  Gender Wage Gap within Identical Twins

  Kazim Julian

  The gender wage gap is defined as the average difference in pay between men and women who are in the workforce. Congress passed the Equal Pay Act of 1963 which aimed to abolish wage disparity based on sex, yet the differences in wages are still felt today. Using the Oaxaca decomposition, we can illustrate a portion of the gender wage gap can be due to differences in skills, however the remaining unexplained portion can be interpreted as discrimination. It is generally known that union contracted jobs have higher wages and better benefits than non-union jobs, which in contrast should lead to less discrimination with regards of wages to different genders. This paper will use old data from a survey of identical twins to study the economic effect of gender. A famous paper was written on this data by Orley Ashenfelter and Alan Krueger which captured differences in economic returns on schooling when controlling for the same genetic makeup. The first focus of the paper is to see if the differences in wages between male and females are due to discrimination with regards of identical twins, while the second focus is to see if union jobs have different wage gap than non-union jobs. Using identical twins as our sample data will eliminate outside factors that are difficult to control for, which will give us a better understanding of the gender wage gap.

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  The Determinants of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in the Asian Americans

  Raisa Kabir, Sayeda Tazim Zaidi, and Chia-Liang Dai

  Physical activity (PA) is crucial to a positive healthy lifestyle which helps prevent and minimize various chronic diseases and mental health illnesses. Although the Asian American (AA) community is one of the fastest-growing marginalized minority groups in the United States, there is little research on PA behavior within the community. This study aimed to investigate correlates and determinants of PA behavior among the Asian American population to bring about policy changes, design educational programs, and promote research on PA promotion among the AA community. Studies were identified from searches located in databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed Central, and EBSCO which included all peer-reviewed studies published within the last five years (2016 to 2021) about the possible determinants impacting PA behavior. The authors of these studies investigated the association between determinants of overall physical (in)activity and/or sedentary behavior in healthy AA. Data were abstracted for study designs, sample sizes, theoretical frameworks, associated conditions, subgroups focused, and physical activity outcomes. A total of ten intervention studies met the inclusion criteria based on age, ethnicity, year of publication, United States-based, and English-only publications. Among the identified determinants of AAs’ physical activity were self-motivation, social support, nativity, health literacy, gender, age, neighborhood incivilities, and immigration status. There is a growing need to address disparities facing AA regarding PA behavior through education, policies, and research. The results of this study could be utilized in the future to design interventions and create new policies to promote physical activity among AA populations.

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  Carnivore Use of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

  Willaine Mae Kahano and Sean A. Neiswenter Ph.D.

  Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) are one of the most well-known carnivorous species on the planet. Despite our familiarity with them, their effects on native fauna in protected areas is still unclear; however, many studies warn that dogs are a potential threat to wildlife. To understand the relationships between domestic dogs and native species, we conducted a preliminary carnivore survey at the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (TUSK) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Camera traps were placed in 14 different locations for an average of 28 trap nights. They were affixed to approximately 50 cm above the ground and were adjusted parallel to the ground. The cameras were programmed to run continuously for 24 hours/day and captured three photos every minute when triggered. 44,294 images were recorded across the cameras. The most dominant species recorded were humans (155 sightings), followed by domestic dogs (61 sightings), black-tailed jackrabbits (58 sightings), coyotes (46 sightings), and a few other desert species. Results reveal coyotes and jackrabbits were largely present in areas where both domestic dogs and/or humans were seen, and domestic dogs and coyotes were located at sites near residential areas. Our study indicates that coyotes do not respond negatively to the presence of domestic dogs. This is a preliminary survey, so more deployments are needed to form more definitive conclusions regarding the relationships between domestic dogs and native fauna.

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  Overcoming the Overgeneration of Renewables

  Joshua Kaze and Ryan Barnard

  Many states are addressing the issues of climate change, by changing how they produce their energy. The effects of these policies are causing many renewable sources to be underutilized. This paper analyzes how the diversification of energy generation is leading to inefficiencies in the California energy market and the western US market as a whole. The change in curtailment of non-dispatchable renewables is positively correlated with the growth of renewables. Summary statistics and regression analysis show that an increasing portion of renewables is being wasted as the quantity of renewables is increasing. The Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) that California introduced is bringing about these problems. The paper considers some of the solutions the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is utilizing, while applying these challenges to Nevada’s similar RPS.

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  Huntington's Disease: A Timeline

  Brian Kerlin, Brandon Polimeni, and Michaelangelo Ortega

  The purpose of this investigation is to examine the discovery, treatment, social impact, and current research for Huntington’s disease (HD) to provide a foundation to analyze future research towards a cure. Huntington’s disease was first comprehensively described in 1872 by George Huntington. HD is an autosomal-dominant, neurodegenerative disorder that affects approximately 2.7 per 100,000. Individuals with HD present with involuntary muscle movement, cognitive decline, and personality alterations arising at a mean age of 35 years. Symptoms are subtle at first, but as the disease progresses over 15-20 years, the individual’s ability to talk diminishes and their mental abilities decline into dementia. The combination of these symptoms, typical mid-life onset, and dominant inheritance pattern has devastating social and personal impacts on the lives of patients and their families. The cause of the disorder is the inheritance of a mutation in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. The mutation is a trinucleotide repeat expansion resulting in more than 36 CAG repeats, encoding a mutant polyglutamine domain that creates the mutant huntingtin (mHTT). The length of the polyglutamine mutation inversely correlates with the age of onset. Evidence suggests that pathogenesis at the cellular level is due to many toxic gain-of-function effects of mHTT, notably the disruption of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. There is no cure for HD currently, with treatment limited to the alleviation of chorea, palliative care, and counseling. Scientists are targeting many pathways in the development of a cure, including striatal cell replacement, prevention of mHTT aggregation, and reduction of mHTT production.

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  Synthesis of Novel Fluorescent Molecular Probes for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

  David King and Pradip Bhowmik Ph.D.

  Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a pervasive form of dementia that accounts for 60% to 70% of progressive cognitive impairment within the elderly population.1 This neurodegenerative disease manifests itself through a progressive decline in motor function, memory, and cognition.2 AD is closely associated with the accumulation of amyloid- β (Aβ) proteins that form insoluble plaques.2 The formation of Aβ is a hallmark of AD and can serve as a means for diagnosis. Our objective is to synthesize potential candidates for a practical and safe means to detecting AD in its early stages. We synthesized the target fluorescent probes by Knoevenagel condensation to yield p-styryl pyridinium salts of different carbon chain lengths by reacting terephthalaldehyde and γ-picolinium methyl salts. Additionally, counterion exchanges to tosylate and triflimide were subsequently carried out for each salt series. The products were characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescent properties found suggests that the synthesized probe are viable candidates to be tested in vivo for their binding to insoluble plaques. These findings will serve as a foundation for research into further carbon extensions, counter ion exchanges, and structural modifications of fluorescent probes.

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  Disability and Impairment of the Hand: Trauma Analysis of the Erie County Poorhouse Cemetery

  Sydney Layne, Katherine Gaddis, and Jennifer Byrnes Ph.D.

  Hands are one of the most frequently used parts of the body and, as such, are historically and intrinsically linked to daily functioning and the ability to work. Thus, the bioarchaeological analysis of hand bones can prove to be a useful resource in evaluating the lived experiences of past peoples. The current study analyzes antemortem hand trauma observed in individuals exhumed from the Erie County Poorhouse Cemetery (1851-1913), located in Buffalo, New York. In doing so we investigate patterns of trauma distribution and subsequent severity of impairment of the hand. These impairments are then used as a window into the occupational realities of the institutionalized poor in an Industrial Revolution era urban setting. Of the 271 individuals with observable hand bones, 42 (15.5%) displayed trauma in the form of a bone fracture, avulsion fracture, or joint dislocation. There were 55 females and 109 males, of which 5 (9%) and 24 (22%), respectively, displayed trauma. This was a statistically significant difference in trauma occurrences (X2 (1) = 4.197, p = .040). These findings likely reflect occupational differences between men and women. When comparing hand trauma by side (e.g., left and right hand), a significant difference was found with more trauma on the right (t = -1.972; p = 0.049). Impairment scoring of the injuries revealed that individuals suffered mild impairment and subsequent disability of their hand(s). These impairments may be indicative of the hazardous, often unregulated workplace conditions of the time as well as potential instances of interpersonal violence.

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  Synthesis of Novel Fluorescent Probes for the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

  Matthew Le and Haesook Han

  Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a detrimental, progressive neurodegenerative disease that is regarded as the most common and pervasive form of dementia, affecting an estimated 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 and 1 in every 6 people over the age of 80.1,2 Diagnosing AD at the proper time poses a great challenge in the current clinical setting. Traditional methods for the diagnosis of AD are expensive, provide poor resolution, and involve toxic radioactive materials. This study aims to synthesize a class of novel fluorescent molecular probes that can bind to the protein-plaques that are caused by the onset of AD to ultimately provide a safe and effective method to diagnose the early stages of AD through improved in vivo imaging, potentially becoming an indispensable tool for diagnosis. The final fluorescent molecular probe was synthesized from a simple Sn2 reaction involving a precursor and was characterized using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and solubility properties. The resultant fluorescent molecular probe was successfully synthesized and emits white-light fluorescence in the solution-state when dissolved in water, making it suitable for aqueous systems. Further studies can be expanded upon for in vivo imaging studies, toxicity, and suitability for the clinical setting.

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  India: COVID-19

  Kelvin Leon, Tavis Perna, Neha Shah, Qianwen Zhou, and Kimberly Nehls Ph.D.

  India is the second-most populated country in the world. Its imports and exports reach far across the globe and influence many countries. Last year, India was struck by COVID-19 and suffered greatly in several of the country's leading international aspects. We believe that in order to grasp the impact of COVID-19 on a large population, we need to take a deeper look into India as one of the most densely populated nations in the world. Specifically, we want to research India's population fluctuations, trade patterns, financial resources, and societal effects on the people. Our research came from peer-reviewed sources, credible media sources, and direct publications from the Indian government. With our research, we understood the impacts of COVID-19 on India and how the most heavily populated nation in the world changed after the global pandemic. This research significantly impacts recovering nations as we describe how a nation in the top 10% in the world suffered and how permanent changes can be drawn from this research to develop a strategy that minimizes further damages from COVID-19.

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  Evaluation of the Efficiency of Singapore's Waste Management Controls

  Jialu Li, Yitong Huang, and Kim Nehls

  With the constant population growth in such a limited land, Singapore is faced with multiple challenges in waste management. Over the last decades, Singapore aimed to strive for a zero-waste environment for its nation by reducing the significant amount of waste disposed of through recycling and maximizing landfills. The scope of this poster is to present whether Singapore has had an efficient control over its waste management in the last two decades. The poster took approaches to analyze statistics that concludes the recycle rates categorized into different classifications of waste disposals from 2003 to 2020 and average of total saved energy through the process of recycling. Overall, the findings suggest Singapore had an efficient waste management at the beginning with constant growth of recycle rate, but discrepancies are found starting from 2018 since the rate declined rapidly in three years. So coming to the conclusion that Singapore’s efficiency on waste management control still has the potential to develop sustainable improvement. Visualizing these data can help Singapore’s government to implement recycling policies that motivate people to improve their living environment.

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  Development of a Mobile App for Project Management and Presentation

  Jiaqi Li and Jorge Fonseca Cacho Ph.D.

  There is lots of project information in Economic Development, and managing different size projects with different departments is not easy. To solve this issue, we are creating a “showcase” app which has a functional database and user friendly interface. It is very efficient and convenient. People can check the project's information at any time based on any requirements. We are using Unity platform to create the “showcase” app and SQL to manage the database. The authorized user could edit, add and delete project information in the app. The database is safe and protected and information could be shared with all of the users immediately. The app also has a rating system to make the improvements.

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  The Experience of Postpartum Depression in African-American Fathers

  Darlyn Magaña, Brandon Eddy Ph.D., and Lawrence Jackson Ph.D.

  There have been more studies that have been conducted to learn about postpartum not only in mothers, but there have also been studies on postpartum in fathers. While little is known about PPD in men, even less is known about how African American fathers experience PPD and other mental health issues. Therefore this area of study is crucial especially as there haven’t been any studies focused on this population in PPD. In order for the stigma of postpartum depression in fathers to be normalized, there needs to be necessary education, prevention, screenings, and treatment for fathers especially those in racial groups that are underrepresented. Under the direction of Dr. Brandon Eddy and Dr. Jackson Lawrence, we seek to learn about the experience of postpartum depression in African American fathers. Using semi-structured virtual interviews, we are currently in the process of collecting data from the experiences of fathers by using purposive sampling and snowball sampling. After transcribing the interviews from the participants, coding will occur to find themes within the interviews.

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  The Effects of Resilience, Mindfulness, and Experiential Avoidance on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms: Exploring the Mechanism of Action of a Mindfulness App for College Student Military Veterans with PTSD

  Ehdzky-Ray Manzano and Andrew Thomas Reyes Ph.D., RN

  Mediation/moderation models provides an expanded understanding of the underlying mechanism of action of a mindfulness-based interventions, particularly how targeted constructs produce their intended benefits. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of resilience on the relationships mindfulness and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and the indirect effect of mindfulness on PTSD through experiential avoidance as a mediator. A cross-sectional study design was used. We employed a convenience sample of 133 college student military veterans through an online survey (Qualtrics) using measures of resilience, mindfulness, experiential avoidance, and PTSD symptoms. To examine the mediating effect of experiential avoidance and the moderating effect of resilience, we used the macro PROCESS (v. 3.5). We found a direct effect of mindfulness on PTSD and a significant mediating effect of experiential avoidance on the relationship between mindfulness and PTSD. Resilience was also found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between mindfulness and PTSD. The major implication of these findings is that higher levels of resilience would strengthen the positive relationship between mindfulness and PTSD and the negative relationship between experiential avoidance and PTSD. This study provides preliminary evidence on the usefulness of integrating resilience development of the mindfulness app we are refining for the next phase of our research study.

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  Coral Bleaching

  Anja Marcusiu, Noah Ly, and Kimberly Nehls Ph.D.

  Coral reefs are a fundamental part of the world's ecosystem; however, they are hidden in the ocean's depths, which makes it difficult to see how they are affected by climate change. When under certain pressures, such as warmer temperatures, coral undergoes a process called bleaching. This causes coral to expel their algae, resulting in the loss of their energy source and vibrant colors. As climate change continues to intensify, the frequency and severity of coral bleaching events threaten the recovery and adaptation of coral species. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system off the east coast of Australia, has undergone aerial surveys and underwater assessments to measure the corals' levels of heat stress and bleaching thresholds. Ultimately, the data reveals that increased heat stress leads to greater coral mortality. Similar to most species, some corals are more adaptive, while others are more vulnerable. Therefore, it is critical to understand the composition of each coral species and how they differ around regions of the world to determine what proactive measures should be taken to preserve the ocean's ecosystems.

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  “Our Languages Do Not Die, They are Being Killed”: Indigenismo and its Effects on Indigenous Language Revitalization

  Nathalie Martinez

  Language and identity are political acts that are inextricably linked to and rooted in socio-historical and socio-political events. Existing scholarship on identity-based social movements has yet to address language activism as a part of its theoretical framework. This paper seeks to consider the unique socio-historical context of indigenismo—an ideological wave coordinated by non-Indigenous groups seeking to define Indigenous identity—for the analysis of language activism within the field of social movement theory. Drawing from historical, ethnographic, and applied linguistic studies, this article examines indigenismo in Abiayala—the continental Western hemisphere commonly referred to as the Americas—to highlight the impact of the policies enacted by Indigenistas on existing linguistic ideologies. Given the significance of Mexico’s indigenismo in this transhemispheric region, having as a model for policies enacted in other regions, the Mexican nation-state is chosen as the thematic focus of the discussion presented here. The goals of this paper are to explore: 1) indigenismo in Mexico, 2) the link between language attitudes and indigenismo in Mexico, and 3) language activism in Mexico. The resulting analysis proposes a need for a new social movement theory that considers the impact of neoliberalism on Indigenous communities in Abiayala. Future research should also consider the impact of globalization on intergenerational linguistic ideologies and transnational language activism programs.

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  Increasing Analysis Efficiency through Automation of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) Data Reduction Process using Python

  Grace Abigail Martin

  The Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) provides elemental analysis through ionization of samples. Numerous geochemistry laboratories utilize the ICP-MS and has become a community standard. The ICP-MS data reduction process is time intensive and involves correction for blank contribution and sensitivity drift during measurement, as well as construction of standard calibration lines based on measurements of standard solutions. We look to decrease turnaround time and increase efficiency through automation of the data reduction process using Python. The ICP-MS data reduction process was 3 hours or more, in our observations. Python packages such as Openpyxl and Pandas, allow us to carry out data reduction functions. Inputting the file location of the original ICP-MS data, the code will extract data from the file, follow data reduction functions, create graphs of calibration curves for various elements, and save reduced data as a new excel file without making changes to the original file. Automated files will be checked for correct values using non-automated data reduction as reference. The code operated universally, using various unreduced ICP-MS excel data files from previous analyses, and followed data reduction functions correctly. When compared to non-automated data reduction, automated data reduction was able to output the same values and calibration curve graphs. The processing time using automated data reduction was less than 1 second. Using python to automate the data reduction process significantly decreased the duration from 3 hours to less than 1 second. Additionally, efficiency increased by factoring out potential human error in the process.

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  Surfactant Use in Boiling Heat Transfer Alludes to a Universal Concentration?

  Mario Mata, Brandon Ortiz, Vesper Evereux, Dhruv Luhar, and Jeremy Cho Ph.D.

  Surfactants—molecules that change the surface properties of liquids—can enhance the rate of heat transfer in boiling, which could improve power generation, heating/cooling/refrigeration, and other applications. Boiling involves cycles of bubble nucleation, growth, and departure. These behaviors are modified as surfactants adsorb to the bubble surface, lowering surface tension and changing the bubble contact angle. Unique to each type of surfactant, there is a critical micelle concentration (CMC) above which surfactant molecules aggregate into larger structures called micelles. From conventional wisdom, adding surfactants beyond the CMC increases liquid viscosity, resulting in an overall lowering of heat transfer. Thus, to optimize heat transfer, the optimal concentration should be near the CMC. This is because the Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers of the liquid decrease—reducing the ability of the liquid to convect heat. However, our testing has found that different surfactants experience a marked “bump” in heat transfer performance occurring at the 6–7 mM range. Our results suggest the existence of a universal optimized concentration for surfactants. We hypothesize that this concentration is due to the rate surfactants enter the bubbly region via liquid motion (advection) matching the rate at which surfactants exit the region via bubble surfaces. We are continuing experiments with nonionic (TWEEN families) and ionic (sodium sulfate families) surfactants with vastly different CMCs to see if they all experience a similar “bump” around 6–7 mM. The implications could have great practical impact as engineers could consult a universal concentration to achieve optimal heat transfer efficiency with any surfactant.

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  Waste in China

  Katie McCaslin, D'Nasia Thompson, Sofia Jimenez, and Kimberly Nehls Ph.D.

  With a world full of inescapable garbage, how much is the emerging country of China producing and should the globe be concerned? As the most populous country in the world, China accounted for over 15% of the earth’s waste volume in 2020. China has the biggest share of waste in the world, but is it enough for other countries to intervene? Higher levels of greenhouse gas in the earth’s atmosphere change its climate and some of these gases are linked to solid waste. These changes can result in more frequent, dangerous natural disasters (floods, hurricanes, mass species extinction, disease, etc.) and could damage communities all over.

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  It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No, It’s a Feminist! Analyzing the Representation of Women in Comic Book Media

  Angelica McGee and Lynn Comella Ph.D.

  Superhero media is a 27 billion dollar industry. Superhero media has played a significant role in contemporary pop culture and society. So, where does feminist thought - or the lack of feminist thought - belong in the conversation of comics? My research aims to pinpoint and define sexist tropes within comic book media, how they can be detrimental to the representation of women, and what viewers and creators alike can do to diminish this unsatisfactory treatment. My research uses textual analysis to examine the representations of female comic book characters across various mediums. The pathway to improvement is within the promise that audiences and comic book media creators continue to educate themselves on the inherent sexist themes of female comic book media characters; new media is created that shields itself from the typical misogynistic tropes that these characters have been subject to in the past, and comic book worlds fans do the work that it takes to show that these changes are not only appreciated but that they are in high enough demand to make them the new normal. The sexist injustices in comic book media need first to be acknowledged and then removed. Female comic book characters are free to be just as heroic and empowering or as daunting and frightening as their male counterparts.

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  Elastic Plastic Self-Consistency (EPSC) Modeling on Quartz Deformation Experiments

  Denali Medina and Pamela Burnley Ph.D.

  Our understanding of the rheology of Earth’s interior can be advanced by investigating the results of high-pressure deformation experiments on polycrystalline samples using elastic-plastic self-consistency (EPSC) modeling. Our experiment investigates quartz, which dominates Earth’s crustal composition and is least resistant to flow during deformation thus its bulk strength is thought to control the strength of the crust. During deformation experiments, a polycrystalline sample is enveloped in a cube-shaped sample assembly which is pressurized by a surrounding multi-anvil press known as a D-DIA apparatus. The D-DIA consists of six tungsten carbide anvils, driven by a hydraulic press that moves the top and bottom anvils independently. The sample is monitored by a high-powered x-ray beam at the Argonne National Lab. X-rays record changes in the distances between crystal lattice planes (d-spacing). Our results and those produced by other investigators show local stress is not homogeneous throughout a polycrystalline sample but varies greatly throughout grain populations. EPSC modeling simulates the anisotropic response of individual grains under load with respect to orientation, boundary conditions, and grain populations to best fit our diffraction data. Our samples reached temperatures ranging from 400 to 840 ℃ and pressures of 1.4 to 2.7 GPa. Lattice reflection spectra on the (101), (110), (200), (201), and (112) were gathered incrementally at sample stains nearing 7%. The lattice strain on these reflections is used along with the EPSC models to derive the bulk strength of the material and which slip systems are operating.

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  Comparison of Flights Climbed Between Garmin and Fitbit Devices

  Javen Miguel, Alan V. Garcia, Melissa G. Strehlow, Dustin W. Davis, Jeff Montes, and James Navalta Ph.D.

  With exercise device technology and consumer interest in the field growing, it is important for users to be confident that their wearable fitness devices accurately track their flights climbed. Two manufacturers of devices that track flights climbed are Garmin and Fitbit. Comparing the measurements of flights climbed between devices from these two manufacturers is important to inform consumers as they decide which device to purchase for flight-related activities. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the measurements of flights climbed between the Garmin fēnix 5 and Fitbit Versa 2. METHODS: Eight participants were tested individually, and the two devices were assigned randomly to be worn on separate wrists. The participants climbed one, two, and three flights of stairs at a pace of 50, 75, and 100 steps per minute. Each device’s display of flights climbed was recorded at the beginning and end of each trial. A 2x9 repeated-measures ANOVA determined whether measurements of flights climbed per trial were significantly different. The α-level was 0.05 for the ANOVA and 0.006 for the post-hoc t-tests. RESULTS: Before adjusting the α-level, flights significantly differed between the devices in 4/9 trials. In every significant comparison, the fēnix 5 reported a lower mean number of flights climbed. However, after adjusting the α-level, flights climbed did not significantly differ between the devices for any trials. CONCLUSION: Depending on the speed of ascent and number of flights climbed, the fēnix 5 and Versa 2 may not provide the same number of flights.