Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon B3-C3)
Jamie Cattell, Rowan University
This study, part of a program evaluation, assessed required community involvement in an honors program. Student-led focused groups were used to evaluate student reflection. Responses were analyzed using discourse analysis and a numeric scale. Preliminary results indicate that focus groups elicit higher levels of thinking than either essays or surveys.
Cristiana Wilcoxon, Chapman University
Edward Troncoso, Joliet Junior College
This poster addresses the question, "What economic factors, independent of supply and demand, influence the price of gasoline?" The complexity of pricing gasoline, and the implications of public policy and consumer behavior is illustrated using an analysis of the five most and least expensive places to buy gasoline in 2012.
Erin Hostetler, University of Texas Tyler;
Hayden VanHoose, University of Texas Tyler
Determining the amount of stress a concrete canoe undergoes is of utmost importance in preventing failure along the hull of the canoe. By testing a true-to-size composite section of the concrete, one can determine a more accurate measurement of the stress the actual canoe undergoes.
Ellis Hicks, University of South Alabama;
Patrick Poirson, University of South Alabama
Undergraduate student research STEM robotics Artificial Intelligence
Heinze Caira, Texas Woman's University
Genetically engineered agriculture, when used in undeveloped areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and the Pacific, will negatively impact the country's economic sustainability and cause a crippling dependence on patented genetically altered seeds. Therefore, the use of genetically engineered seeds must be terminated and alternative methods should be introduced.
Rebekah Herrman, Christian Brothers University
Computers have advanced significantly in recent years; however, they are still limited by modern technology. Recent advancements in quantum computing seek to rectify this fact.
Through summer research at ORNL, I was involved in developing theoretical models and numerical simulations of quantum computing systems, which I discuss in this poster.
Jonathan Diamond, Curry College
The business of Major League Baseball has boomed in recent decades, enriching both owners and, especially, players, in ways no one imagined forty years ago. This presentation will explore how the economics of baseball has changed the meaning of heroism as it relates to the national pastime.
Alexandra Arriaga, Tennessee Technological University
This investigation presents four new compounds that show anti-proliferative ability against bacteria. It is believed that the mechanism for their anti-bacterial activity is the inhibition of two enzymes that are important in cell replication. One of these enzymes, Topoisomerase IIa, is currently being targeted for anti-cancer work. If successful, the new compounds could be used in chemotherapy, which would present an alternative treatment for breast cancer that would not involve surgery, yet targets the key enzyme that makes the cancer cells so malignant.
Michael Deaton, Eastern Kentucky University
While many diseases affect thousands of individuals in eastern Kentucky, the impact of none of them can match that of cardiovascular disease (CVD). According to the CDC, approximately 40% of the population in eastern Kentucky has or is at risk for CVD. Through education comes preparation and then prevention.
Kayla Trautman, Walsh University
Studying the differences between health care systems is essential to determine what kind of system a societal group needs. This poster presentation will display a comparative study of the Italian health care system and the American health care system based on secondary research and firsthand experiences that are witnessed in Italy.
Shelbi McGraw, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
This session will describe how neonatal intensive care unit nursing is different for infants of multiple births compared to infants of a single birth. This research can help enhance nursing care for both groups of infants.
Tabitha McCool, University of Central Arkansas
In comparing and contrasting pediatric physical therapy in Thailand and Arkansas, I explore the idea of healthcare syncretism, intertwining techniques from around the world that better suit the needs of patients.
Rachel Trumpy, Elmhurst College
During the early morning hours, longer response times are more common than at any other time of the day. Through data analysis of patient care reports and personnel surveys of an emergency medical service, possible explanations for these delays and their correlation to patient care are explored.
Hunter Scarborough, Texas Christian University
As a means of developing ferrocene based biosensors, we have produced a library of ferrocene-biotin bio-conjugates which we have systematically evaluated electrochemically for their change in redox activity in the absence and presence of avidin. These proposed biosensors are to be employed as a compliment to common imaging modalities in the detection of cancer.
Sarah Smith, Greensboro College
This study worked to determine how the structure of acids consumed by dietary means break down human tooth enamel. Six acids were tested. Through an experiment consisting of emersion-cycles, microhardness testing, and x-rays, data was extracted to see if certain acids had more of an effect on erosion than others.
Dana Liu, Marist College
This presentation examines the toxic effects of the indigo and disperse blue 106 dyes frequently used to treat textiles and fabrics in the fashion industry. This interdisciplinary, original research evaluates the dangerous effects that our clothing has on our livelihoods through the Ames Mutagenicity test on bacterium Salmonella typhimurium cultures.
Will Pickard, Lamar University
A phylogenetic analysis of the afuni gene from ophiuroids reveals moderate genetic variation while conserving the protein sequence. This protein belongs to the bone morphogenic protein (BMP) family of signal molecules and plays a vital role in cell de-differentiation and migration during arm regeneration.
Joseph Hughes, Walla Walla University
Fractals have stirred the imagination since their discovery and have been used in both art and science. This project incorporates both to present not only a fractal-based piece of performance art but also a new antenna design.
Kristin Butler, Notre Dame of Maryland University
Presence of MT1 melatonin receptors in Type I cells of the medial habenula indicates that melatonin may play a role in the tonic firing of cells in the medial habenula.
Kate Kondratuk, South Dakota State University
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus causes immunosuppression in infected animals. The specific mechanisms in which the virus suppresses neutrophil function is being researched. Current findings indicate that neutrophils may be stimulated to undergo apoptosis by BVDV as neutrophils showed signs of cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation 1 hour after infection.
Eliot Gagne, University of Maine
The research presented in this poster is the compilation of two years of undergraduate research conducted on mycobacteriophage at the University of Maine in Orono. Through extensive experimentation, we have been able to contribute insight into what is known about mycobacteriophage and their microbial hosts.
Erik Rahner, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
A poster presentation on the effects of mono-unsaturated fatty acids on malignant melanoma.
Rozemary Howard, Northern Michigan University
The purpose of my study is to figure out a new method to perform in-situ hybridization to visualize mRNA in dendrites by using a mixture of protocols from different sources and combining them in an unique way. The specific procedure I am performing is fluorescent in-situ hybridization.
Adrienna Bingham, Angelo State University
In order to reduce a pest population, we introduce a sterilizing pathogen with complete vertical transmission. We found that under various conditions of the parameters and different forms of the infection transmission, the infection rate can increase to infinity without reaching susceptible extinction.
Ferris Ellis, Emory & Henry College
A talk on the exploration of methods to estimate the total egyptian fractions of number k which is otherwise unknown due to the currently unrealistic nature of trying to brute force compute them.
Meghan Nichol, Lewis University
Nickel-Phosphorous (NiP) substrates have been used as computer hard disk drive (HDD) media. This research will investigate the effect of organic complexing agents on the material removal rate (MRR) and surface quality of NiP substrates. This work will provide mechanistic information for CMP slurry suppliers as they develop planarization technologies.
Meredith Eckstein, Morehead State University;
Marina Kirtland, Morehead State University
Biomarkers allow researchers to assess the biological and physiological significance of pollution and contamination. We are sequencing some of the biomarker genes examined in longear and green sunfish and conducting gene expression analysis in the native sunfish of the effluent receiving stream water emerging from the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Joshua McGuire, Angelo State University
Structural properties of Green Fluorescent Protein, GFP, are investigated by using salts in the Hofmeister series. Circular dichroism spectropolarimetry is used to detect structural changes induced by Hofmeister salts and compared to changes in fluorescence and fluorescence quenching.
Maria Castro-Munoz, Emporia State University
This poster outlines the results to date of an ongoing research project on the behavior of antibodies, as noted in the abstract.
Katherine McCarthy, University of West Florida
This project seeks to establish a baseline for future research to track changes in the sub-Antarctic ecosystem by developing an identification key for the sea stars that currently live in the waters surrounding South Georgia. The mitochondrial COI gene will be sequenced for each sample and uploaded to GenBank.
Roxanne Lockhart, University of Alabama Birmingham
Modification of proteins by the O-linked attachment of -N-acetyl-glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) causes reduction of cellular damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI). To test the hypothesis that increasing cellular O-GlcNAc will increase neuronal survival after TBI, the effect of thiamet-G, an inhibitor of O-GlcNAcase was assessed.
Alexander Steeno, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Our study investigates the potential therapeutic effects of Cobalt(III) Schiff Base complexes. The specific reaction mechanism we are studying is the exchange of one axial ligand of [Co(III)(acacen)(NH3)2]Cl with an active-site histidine residue found in zinc finger transcriptional factors, which bind to cancerous DNA, thus inhibiting the protein's enzymatic function.
Charlotte Cialek, Northern Michigan University
My research focuses on developing single-chain hemoglobin as a potential blood substitute for use in critical care. Three amino acids were substituted via single nucleotide polymorphisms in the permuted α1-β1 dimer globin with the intent to stabilize the T-state and create a more biologically compatible hemoglobin mutant.
Louisa Andrew, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
A poster presentation on the inhibition of blood clot formation.
Molly Lockart, Berry College
The poster presentation will outline the research on the method development for the extraction, derivatization, and separation of 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol, a general metabolite of pyrethroid pesticides. Furthermore, the presentation will cover future research opportunities and applications.
Matt Geyer, Elmhurst College
Uncover the histological assessment of Apatosaurus--one of the largest terrestrial animals to have ever existed--to understand the organism's maturation process.
Geno Urbano, St. Mary's College of California
Parity in solving the Rubik's Cube occurs when the method of solving the puzzle is correct but the outcome is not solvable by traditional means. This occurs in certain cube puzzle variations but not in others. This phenomenon will be explored and explained using math to understand how parity works.
Nicholas Cercone, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania;
Kelly Smith, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania;
Matthew Wozniak, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
This poster presentation will demonstrate a statistical optimization approach to heat distribution and object packing by baking brownies. By choosing the perfect pan shape, it is possible to maximize the heating efficiency of the baking process and maximize the number of pans that can be placed in an oven.
Joel Ogan, Cameron University
This is a molecular genetics experiment that involves purifying and analyzing a nematode worm called Caenorhabditis elegans. It was the first multicellular organism that had its genome completely sequenced. We are most certainly concerned with the DNA sequence, control of gene expression and the genome organization. The objective of the experiment is to determine the genotype of a particular strain out of four possible types of mutation this worm could have.
Elizabeth Langer, Queens College
This poster discusses the effects of Hurricane Sandy's storm surge on NYC's electrical grid and suggests measures to be taken to prevent such electrical disasters from recurring.
Jazmin Humphreys, Angelo State University
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a lethal infection agent in cystic fibrosis that is known to affect girls more severely than boys. This study analyzes the effects of the primarily female associated hormone estrogen on P. aeruginosa. Specifically, effects on mucoidy and fluorescent pigment production are examined when grown in estrogen-supplemented medium.
Nathan Tehrani, West Virginia University
Pulsars are the hot, extremely massive and compact remnants of long-dead stars. They can be detected at radio frequencies using large radio telescopes. This poster details the processing of a decade-long pulsar survey using the Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico, including the discovery of two new pulsars.
Amber Gaspard, Berry College
The goal of this project is to synthesize a universal fluorescent DNA base. Our work has focused on the synthesis of dimethylaminonaphthylimide (DANI) and 1-α-Chloro-1,2-dideoxy-3,5-di-O-toluoyl ribose. DANI will be attached to the sugar, then used for kinetic analysis of Bovine Leukemia Virus. The synthesis of the sugar-base complex will be reported.
Wai Lam, LaGuardia Community College
This poster presentation illustrates the physiology effects of alcohol on sexual behaviors and behavioral plasticity through a study on the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which offers vast genetic resources, tools and databases, and thus serves as an excellent model to investigate physiological mechanisms underlying behavior.
Ashley Parker, Arcadia University
Looking at the effects of the plasticizer Bisphenol A, more popularly known as BPA, on Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, with a focus on development and growth.
Elisabeth Andrews, Emory & Henry College;
Hannah Lynch, Emory & Henry College
Plants have hormones that regulate developmental traits. In this research, the hormone gibberellin was observed to track a potential relationship between it and wox9, a mutant potential hormone regulator. If there is a relationship between this hormone and potential regulator, the evidence could support agriculture research to increase crop yields.
Harsh Shah, University of Alabama Birmingham
In 2012, approximately 266,380 American women were affected by breast cancer. The current treatments are detrimental to the human body. The study investigates the effects of biological compounds, resveratrol and pterostilbene, on breast cancer. The data indicates the compounds have a synergistic effect towards fighting breast cancer.
Kilian Regan, University of Texas at Tyler
Diet restriction early in life is known to have long lasting effects, even when later rapid growth allows an animal to catch up to normal adult size. Understanding the consequences of poor natal nutrition on reproduction can give important insight into this phenomenon.
Kayla Murphy, Hartwick College
Everyone has injured his or herself and received a scar at some point in their life, but what happens when you have progressive scarring in vital organs such as your lungs? Data gathered in this research focuses on conditions under which over-scarring occurs, as well as ways to induce resolution.
Slesha Thapa, Saint Mary's College of California
The Role of MicroRNA in Dendritic Signaling.
Cheyenne Owens, Towson University
A survey of the bee population, diversity, and prevalence in Baltimore County, MD. An array of nine fluorescently dyed plastic cups were arranged at five different grassy areas on the Towson University campus, with specimens collected throughout the peak of prevalence.
Isaac Short, Emory & Henry College
The research will focus on determining the truth sets of a^x=b^y=c^z. By using principles of calculus and graphical renderings and analyses from advanced mathematical software, the hope is to determine general rules regarding the sets that make the equation true across n dimensions.
Geoffrey Adams, Austin Peay State University
Through cyclic potentiodynamic testing of Nitinol stents, standardized acceptance criteria can be defined and published for the manufacturing community. This is of importance because of the potentially toxic amount of nickel that is released when pitting occurs on the surface of the Nitinol stents.
Claire Quade, University of Wisconsin-Stout
What do you do differently in your honors mathematics classes than you do in your regular classes? This roundtable will discuss this topic with the hope that sharing ideas from students and teachers will improve all of our classes. Please come prepared to share your failures as well as successes.
Mark Ellebracht, Ramapo College of New Jersey
National debt has grown to unsustainable and deadly levels. Since it rivals our nation's economy, the urge for reducing spending is emerging across the national media. One large component of the federal budget is defense spending. This project presents realistic reductions of the defense budget.
