2008 Conference Program

Transcription

14th Annual Massachusetts Statewide
Undergraduate Research Conference
Featuring Presentations on Thesis Research,
Independent Study, Community Service,
Creative Work and Study Abroad
Lincoln Campus Center
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA
Friday, May 2, 2008, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
8:00 AM: Registration, First Floor
9:00 AM: Welcome, Auditorium
9:30 AM: Keynote Speaker - Raymond Bradley, Auditorium
10:10 AM: Morning Poster and Oral Sessions (I)
11:50 PM: Keynote Speaker - Amilcar Shabazz, Auditorium
12:20 PM: Lunch
1:30 PM: Afternoon Poster and Oral Session (II)
3:10 PM: Afternoon Poster and Oral Session (III)
4:50 PM: Closing Remarks, Auditorium
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the Lincoln Campus Center and their conference facilities as the site of this year’s conference.
Thanks also go to the many faculty members who volunteered their time and expertise to review abstracts and give invaluable guidance to student
presenters. We would like to express great appreciation to the following campus contacts for their time and support of the conference:
Stacy Evan
Lee Torda
Tom Grady & Susan McCourt
Joan Brenner
Delores Bird
Sara Pollak Levine
Deborah Dalton
David Ram
Kim Hicks
Matt Silliman & Marc Goldstein
Derrick Manns
Janna Longacre
Brad Lima
Susan Martelli
David Kalivas
Sheila Murphy
Marcey Marold
Ginger Hurajt
Susan McPherson
Nancy Teel
Joanna Gonsalves & Michelle Pierce
David Winsper Joyce Morrissey William Nelles & Robert Darst
Doreen Arcus Ricki Kantrowitz
Josna Rege & Sharon Yang Berkshire Community College
Bridgewater State College
Bristol Community College
Bunker Hill Community College
Cape Cod Community College
Fitchburg State College
Framingham State College
Greenfield Community College
Holyoke Community College
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Massachusetts Bay Community College
Massachusetts College of Art
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massasoit Community College
Middlesex Community College
Mount Wachusett Community College
North Shore Community College
Northern Essex Community College
Quinsigamond Community College
Roxbury Community College
Salem State College
Springfield Technical College
UMass Boston
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Lowell
Westfield State College
Worcester State College
Special recognition must go to Daniel Fidalgo Tomé, Conference Coordinator, and the many people who contributed to the success of this year’s
conference including Jillian Mead, Vivek Varadrajan, Neetu Singh, Vance Chatel, and the staff, students and faculty at Commonwealth College.
2
Tables of Contents
Conference Schedule
Akcnowledgements
Facility Floor Plans
Keynote Speakers
Presentations Schedule
Oral Presentations
Poster Presentations
Abstracts
Oral Presentations
American Studies
19
Animal Sciences
19
Anthropology
20
Art
25
Art History
25
BDIC
26
Biochemistry
27
Biology
28
Chemistry
29
Civil Engineering
29
Classical Language & Literature 30
Communication
31
Community or Public Service
32
Comparative Literature
34
Computer Science 35
Criminology 36
Economics
37
Education
39
English
40
English Literature
45
Environmental Studies 40
Geography 47
History
48
Industrial Engineering 50
International Studies
51
Japanese
52
Journalism 53
Legal Studies 54
Literature 55
Management
56
Mathematics & Statistics
57
Music
58
Nursing
63
Nutrition & Food Science
64
Physics
65
1
2
4
6
7
11
19
Plant Pathology
Political Science Psychology
Public Health
Radio-Television-Film
Social Thought and
Political Economy
Sociology
Spanish
Visual Arts 65
65
67
71
72
72
73
73
74
Poster Presentations
Accounting 74
Advertising 75
Animal Sciences
76
Anthropology
77
Art
78
Astronomy
79
BDIC
79
Biochemistry
82
Botany
86
Chemical Engineering
93
Chemistry
93
Civil Engineering
96
Communication
97
Communication Disorders
99
102
Computer Science
103
Criminology
104
Decision Science
105
Economics
105
Education
108
Electrical Engineering
110
English
111
English Literature
113
Environmental Studies
113
Family Studies
117
Geography
118
Geological Science 118
History
119
Kinesiology
121
Landscape Architecture
122
Linguistics
124
Literature
124
Management
125
74
Marketing
Mechanical Engineering
Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Music
Nursing
Physics
Political Science Psychology
Public Health
Religious Studies
Social Thought and Political Economy
Social Work
Theatre
126
128
130
131
135
136
136
141
144
145
146
174
181
Index of Primary Presenter by Name
186
Index of Primary Presenter
by School
189
182
183
184
3
Floor Plan of Conference Facilities, Lincoln Campus Center, First Floor
Conference
Registration Desk
A
C
B
4
37
38
21
23 25 27 29 31 33 35
22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36
13 19
12 18
47
39 46
55 6248
40 45
49
50
65 68
51
64 67
14 20
55 62
56 61
11 17
41 44
10 16
56 61
57 6052
9 15
42 43
1
3
2
58 5953
5 7
6
8
4
57 60
63 66
58 59
54
Details of A - Auditorium Layout of Posters
Couch
Details of B - Room 101 Layout of Posters
71
80
82
83
81
78
79
76
77
75
73
Couch
63
65
Couch
Lockers
Couch
Couch
Couch
Couch
Couch
Couch
Couch
Table
Couch
Couch
Couch
ATM
ATM
AT
M
M
AT
67
74
Couch
Coke Coke
69
64
66
Couch
84
68
Couch
70
Table
72
Details of C - Concourse Layout of Posters
5
Keynote Speakers
Raymond Bradley
Raymond Bradley is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His interests
are in climate variability across a wide range of time scales. He is particularly interested in how present day climate differs from climates
in the past, and what may have caused climates to change. Professor Bradley has written or edited eleven books on climatic change
and paleoclimatology, including Paleoclimatology: Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary, and authored over 120 articles on
these topics. His research group is supported by grants from NSF, NOAA, and the Department of Energy. Professor Bradley has received
numerous awards and recently was named Doctor of Science honoris causa, at Lancaster University, U.K
Dr. Amilcar Shabazz
Dr. Amilcar Shabazz is professor and chair of the W. E. B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts
Amherst, and teaches in the area of historical studies with an emphasis on the political economy of social and cultural movements,
education, and public history. His book, Advancing Democracy: African Americans and the Struggle for Access and Equity in
Higher Education in Texas (University of North Carolina Press, 2004), received numerous honors including the T.R. Fehrenbach Book
Award and being ranked a top ten nonfiction book by Essence Magazine. His newest book, co-edited with Celia R. Daileader and Rhoda
E. Johnson, is Women & Others: Race, Gender, and Empire (Palgrave Macmillan Press, 2007). Shabazz has also published The Forty Acres
Documents, a sourcebook on reparations, along with journal articles, book chapters, reviews and writings in publications as diverse as The
Source Magazine of Hip-Hop Music, Culture & Politics. An international scholar, he is a Fulbright Senior Specialist and has done work in
Brazil, Ghana, Japan, Cuba, Mali, France, Nicaragua, and Jamaica. Presently, he is completing an historical biography entitled “Master of
the Blast: Carter Wesley and the Struggle for National Liberation.”
6
Schedule of Oral Presentations
ROOM 162
PANEL
PRESENTER
FIELD OF PRESENTATION
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
6
Javier Marquez
Daniel Goldthwaite
William Savola III
Elizabeth Patterson
Julianna Murphy
Katie Bylykbashi
Danielle Alderman
Eliza Pesuit
Leanne Nygaard
Alessandro Agnello
Jesse Mirenda
Amanda Woolley
Thomas Perrault
Michael Verney
Priscilla Herrington
Sarah Varnerin
Music
Music
Music
Visual Arts
Art
Education
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Computer Science
Computer Science
Music
Music
History
American Studies
History
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Lowell
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
90
89
92
122
14
46
94
97
96
37
38
93
91
71
1
70
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
Amy Kent
Erin Blatz
Katie Huston
James Ristuccia
Christie Jennings
Michael Connors
Laura Krauss
Joseph Modugno
Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology
English
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
9
3
7
13
8
5
10
55
ROOM 163
7
ROOM 165
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
Gregory Hoyt
Monica Trombetta
Michael Byrne
Caitlin Bogdan
Gregory Vernon
Christopher Jordan
Erin Flynn
Kathryn Danckert
Cilfford Ashbrook
Karen Miele
Philip Benevides
Keri-Ann Kreyssig
Joanna Woznikowski
Animal Sciences
BDIC
Industrial Engineering
Geography
History
History
Psychology
English
Nursing
Sociology
Criminology
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
2
98
16
72
66
65
69
68
109
54
95
120
40
ROOM 168
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
2
2
2
Alison Doherty
Lenz Bayas
Sharon Cole
Meghan Murphy
Jennifer McDonald
Eric Kosta
Communication
History
Anthropology
Journalism
Legal Studies
English
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
26
67
4
77
79
52
ROOM 169
8
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
Eric Jonas
Amanda Arce
Randy Daum
Ashley Steen
Charis Tarbett
Andrew Carroll
Adam Schoenfarber
Ethan Bresner
Political Science
Psychology
Anthropology
Art History
Psychology
Classical Language & Literature
English
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
105
108
6
15
115
24
36
48
4
4
Valery Glod
Lubov Kogan
Literature
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
35
82
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
6
Martyna Minkowska
Bronwyn McNulty
Jillian Meade
Nelson Canseco
Allison Reitz
Renaldo Qafzezi
Sam Dreyfus
Emily Bloch
Elizabeth Tricco
Julie Hill
Kim Rodrigues
Sami Korna
Sarah Lopez Maddox
Ashley Malouin
Martin Meccouri
Elizabeth Tebeau
Sandra Ward
Molly Johnson
Political Science
Literature
Anthropology
Music
Journalism
BDIC
English Literature
English Literature
Religious Studies
English Literature
English Literature
English Literature
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
107
83
12
88
78
17
30
29
34
31
33
32
60
61
118
62
63
59
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
Rachael Nealer
Davin Watson
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
23
19
2
Cloee Cooper
UMass Amherst
10:55-11:40
119
2
2
3
3
4
Eric Ragusa
Patrick Brand
Amelia Pezzimenti
Caitlin O’Donnell
Nicholas Glasser
Civil Engineering
Biochemistry
Social Thought and Political
Economy
Psychology
Spanish
Public Health
Public Health
Plant Pathology
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
2:15-3:00
113
121
117
116
103
ROOM 172
ROOM 174
9
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
6
Laura Manley
Stephen Lavery
Christopher Lewis
Alexander Lent
Erica Forish
Elizabeth Schneider
Thomas Gulino
Casey Roland
Management
Political Science
Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy
BDIC
Literature
English
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
85
106
101
100
99
18
81
56
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
6
Michael Amaral
Lauren Tucker
Kayleigh Merritt
Joanna Woznikowski
Kristin Gajda
Heather Chou
Jesse Hayston
Jessica Torone
Rachel Mandel
Robin Clapper
Yitzi Calm
William Rowley
Thomas Naughton
Vanessa Gentleman
Sarah Cacicio
Brandon Habib
Caroline Collins
Ana Carolina Gomez
English
English
English
Criminology
Economics
English
English
Anthropology
Physics
Chemistry
Psychology
Literature
English
English
Political Science
UMass Lowell
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
Mass College of Liberal Arts
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Boston
UMass Boston
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
47
58
53
39
73
42
51
57
11
87
102
22
64
111
80
50
49
104
PANEL
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
1
1
Jennifer Hug
Rebecca Cook
Monica Southwick
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
UMass Boston
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
10:05-10:50
112
110
114
ROOM 175
ROOM 176
10
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
Nowaf Al-Saidy
Thomas Lincoln
Ari Sliffman
Andrew Otsuka
Dustin Cooper
Jessica Wheeler
Krislyn Silberstein
Christopher Hescock
Manoj Jonna
Maura Mulvey
Scott Berkeley
Anna Tsui
Stephanie Wallace
Nicole Ramos
Economics
Management
Management
Japanese
Japanese
Japanese
Economics
Economics
Economics
Communication
Communication
Communication
Biology
Biology
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
10:55-11:40
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
1:25-2:10
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
2:15-3:00
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:05-3:50
3:55-4:40
3:55-4:40
41
84
86
75
74
76
45
43
44
27
25
28
21
20
Schedule of Poster Presentations
MORNING SESSION I - Auditorium (Boards 1 to 36), Room 101 (Boards 37 to 62) and Concourse (Boards 63 to 84)
BOARD #
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Ashley Carroll
Juliet Mugo
Simone Palmer
Ellen Ryan
Gerard Boucher
Jia Lin
Ashley Lansing
Cecilia Doddi
Kristine Bielecki
Mina Ghaly
Mario Nimali
Kushi-Nidhi Kumar
Shannon Demas
Staci Edelstein
Vitaliy Belyshev
Chun Kei Ho
Ryan James
Accounting
Accounting
Accounting
Advertising
Marketing
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering
Salem State College
Salem State College
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Lowell
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
123
124
125
126
238
146
145
141
140
142
156
154
150
151
149
172
173
11
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
46
47
48
49
50
50
51
52
52
53
54
12
Jason Beers
Laura Webster
Amy Friedman
Christopher Legacy
Aaron Kohl
Andrew Antonucci
Vanessa Roman
Brittany Gwinn
Virginia Crossman
Samantha Samoiel
Amal Mohamed
Alaena VanderMost
Emily Lewis
Scott Russell
Lindsay Luongo
Michele Karas
Mao Yang
Nikki Starr
Vicki Jones
Melissa Castro
Marissa Torres
Bartholomew Parkis
Keith McElroy
Melissa Spencer
Richard Stewart
Gregory Vladimer
Trang Tieu
Brian Sledd
Loan Nhan
Rebekah Bernard
Lauren Nickerson
Matthew Sloan
Stefanie Morgan
Jeremy Seibold
Andrea Bruce
Andrew Murrin
Alexandra Fanuele
Alicia Atkinson
Ashley-Ann Shirai
Communication
Communication
Communication Disorder
Decision Science
Economics
Economics
Economics
Economics
English
English Literature
Biology
Economics
Linguistics
Anthropology
Management
BDIC
Marketing
Microbiology
Microbiology
Communication
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Lowell
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
10:10-11:40
174
176
180
190
193
191
195
192
204
208
214
217
155
215
194
211
232
130
235
134
240
242
241
243
244
255
253
273
271
269
272
274
270
175
289
323
179
282
336
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
Cassandra Sullivan
Elizabeth Schwaiger
Tony Elliott
Haley Duncanson
Hilary Novak
Inna Babitskaya
Efi Kyriazdis
Lori Delaney
Lara Batti
Laurel Drane
Lauren Erickson
Melissa Weaver
Nicole Cristelli
Paula Edmonds
Sandy Pavao-Pinarreta
Ryan Lafferty
Brita Orwoll
Candice Reynolds
Helina Terefe
Joy Fahey
Jacquelyn Elwell
Sandra Vicente
Melanie Chatot
Muhammad Zubair
Sandra Jervey
Marcin Marszalek
Yongwoo Cho
Cassandra Holmes
Ashley Bedarf
Psychology
Psychology
English
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Religious Studies
Religious Studies
Religious Studies
Theatre
Music
Astronomy
Social Work
Animal Sciences
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Lowell
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
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AFTERNOON SESSION II - Auditorium (Boards 1 to 36), Room 101 (Boards 37 to 62) and Concourse (Boards 63 to 84)
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Allyson Mentlik
Jennifer Stencel
Margarette Poillucci
Rebecca Speert
Michael Noujaim
Matthew Janko
BDIC
Animal Sciences
Animal Sciences
BDIC
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
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Ngoc Ho
Andrea Bagas
Amy Rayla
Djade Soumana
Dawn Eriksen
Anastasia Sobolyeva
Carolyn Cook
Catharine Sauer
Amanda Griffin
Brooke Springer
Danielle Acerno
Kristina DeRoy
Shawna Shappy
Magdalena Schmidt
Nicholas Straggas
Amy Jones
Carolyn Gleason
Jessica Piedrafite
Jennifer Davaris
Adam Doyle
Aaron D’Amario
Ryan Mann
Ruth Kiros
Alexandra Lotto
Caitlin Brody
Marisa Theroux-Jones
Jonathan Koch
Peter Stephens
Todd Karalius
Benjamin Lawler
Marnie Lopez Rizo
Christopher Nelson
Elva Singal
Courtney Proctor
Katie Macdonald
Laura Mezynski
Megan Fink
Manka Nkimbeng
Jeffrey Amari
Biochemistry
Biology
Biology
Molecular Biology
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Economics
Economics
Education
Education
Education
Family Studies
Family Studies
Geography
Geological Science
History
Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Botany
Microbiology
Microbiology
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Lowell
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
1:30-3:00
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Mozammel Alam
Ujunwa Nsonwu-Dixon
Christopher Agostini
Ho Yin Au
Becky Ravenelle
Breann Plamowski
Breanne Budd
Bryan Lincks
Charlene Nastwold
Jacqueline Pica
Jessica Buchinski
Jessica Feeley
John Blanchette
Karyn Aiello
Lara Fernandes
Lauren Temple
Maeve Sullivan
Margaret Campbell
Amanda Walker
Sarah Lizio
Shannon Kerr
Sehily Jaimes
Shloka Shetty
Colleen Cantin
Katelyn Bienia
Kenisha Jackson
Kellianne George
Lauren Kaye
Mary Le
Britni Ketchen
Christopher Mazzola
Frank Guinan, Jr.
Heather Tello
80
Summer Gallagher
81
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83
Alexandra DenoskySmart
Deanna Gertonson
Joanita Nemayian
Physics
Physics
Physics
Physics
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Economy
Economy
Marketing
English
UMass Boston
Salem State College
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
1:30-3:00
1:30-3:00
1:30-3:00
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297
343
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357
212
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216
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367
UMass Amherst
1:30-3:00
366
UMass Amherst
1:30-3:00
1:30-3:00
239
207
15
84
Bryan Gervais
Political Science
UMass Amherst
1:30-3:00
279
AFTERNOON SESSION III - Auditorium (Boards 1 to 36), Room 101 (Boards 37 to 62) and Concourse (Boards 63 to 84)
16
BOARD #
PRESENTER
CAMPUS
TIME
ABST #
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34
Svetlana Babitskaya
Rhiannon Lombard
Anne Macon
Julie Loftus
Lindsay Ebert
Christopher Ferreira
Christina Vorvis
Elva Singal
Evelyn Santos
Hermann Simo
Erin Sutherland
Kerrie O’Brien
Samson Hailemichael
William Brideau
Yin Shan Wong
Sarah Williams
Elizabeth Phillips
Gerard Theriault
Jose Claro
Chad Donahue
Fesehaye Zewdie
Ahamed Saheed
Babafemi Adegbite
Daniel Harvey
Jacqueline Forman
Jill Hayes
Stephanie Pettigrew
Sonya Spongberg
Amylynn Medeiros
Katelin Shea
Melissa Gray
Eric Stephenson
Michael Lozeau
Art
Art
BDIC
BDIC
BDIC
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry
Computer Science
Computer Science
English
History
History
History
History
Psychology
Literature
Literature
Management
Management
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Dartmouth
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
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3:10-4:40
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71
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73
Cristina Curcio
Kahlil Rieber
Peter Trenh
Ray Qian
Stefanie Krug
Sarah Miano
Patrick Adcock
Peter Sohriakoff
Ruth Cook
Jessica Shi
Jenna Bristol
Bella Pindrus
Aaron Crug
Anthony Bean
Anna BuAbbud
Amanda Garlen
Corrine Howland
Denise Bolen
Deepti Putcha
Elissa Burdick
Emily Corless
Kathryn Sayles
Kaelyn Caldwell
Kimberly Iverson
Kaushal Jani
Kathryn Quigley
Marissa Manopoulos
Matthew Idzik
Molly Buchanan
Meagan Hilton
Michelle Giddens
Tina Rodriguez
Victoria Ameral
Vladislav Zeygerman
Ashley Massa
Alexandra Savell
Rene Chagnon
Regina Cheers
Samantha Frappied
Criminology
Microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Salem State College
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
Salem State College
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Lowell
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Lowell
UMass Boston
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Berkshire Community College
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
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3:10-4:40
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189
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74
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78
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80
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Tamara Glaser
Jacira Carvalho
Mihwa Jurkiewicz
Jeremy Hugh
Sahar Barfchin
Rodlande Cenafils
Andrea Caputo
Public Health
Public Health
Public Health
Biology
Psychology
Public Health
Public Health
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
3:10-4:40
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353
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284
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344
American Studies
1
Room 162
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Priscilla Herrington (J.D. Scrimgeour),
Department of English, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
Beyond the Tea Party
Beyond the Tea Party is an anthology of poetry highlighting aspects of Massachusetts’ rich and evolving history. While everyone has heard of the
midnight ride of Paul Revere - iconically memorialized in poetry - what of the leper colony in Boston Harbor? We celebrate the early English settlers,
but what of those already here, what of the non-English settlers and their difficulties and challenges, as well as their contributions to the rich fabric
that is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts? How does the poet’s perspective enhance our understanding of our history? The overall project includes
manuscript preparation, start to finish, including collection of biographical material about poets whose work is selected for inclusion, obtaining rights
and permissions as necessary. Material will be grouped in a logical sequence, subject matter will be researched and verified, and explanatory material
prepared. Letters of inquiry will be sent to publishers and agents; the manuscript may be modified to meet publisher requirements. The book will be
marketed to two primary audiences. Middle and high school teachers may use the work to enhance lessons, possibly encouraging students to try their
hand at examining historic events by writing their own poetic interpretations. Local historical societies and senior centers comprise another important
audience; their members may be encouraged to share more of Massachusetts’ as yet uncelebrated history. Contributors include Leo Connellan, James
Scrimgeour, Paul Marion, Mignon Ariel King, Stanley Kunitz, Hilary Holladay, Eva Rifkin and others. Contributions include both previously published and
unpublished material.
Animal Sciences
2 Room 165
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Gregory Hoyt (Stephen Purdy),
Department of Animal Sciences, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Development of a Vaccine Against Meningeal Worm in Alpacas
Meningeal Worm is the number one disease problem in alpacas and llamas east of the Mississippi River. We are studying and contributing to the
development of a vaccine against Meningeal Worm in alpacas. The overall scope of the study includes a challenge study using homogenate of the P.
tenuis L3 infective larva to test the efficacy of vaccination. Vaccinated and control animals were challenged with L3 orally, mimicking natural infection.
Results will be evaluated based upon the results of the challenge study, comparing statistics based upon the number of alpacas in each group that
show clinical signs of infection. The experimental control group contains 5 animals that were given alum injections and went through an empty capsule
implantation process. The experimental group contains 5 animals that were given vaccine injections and went through a capsule implantation process
that contained live larva. Additionally, a natural control group of animals was present to show that the disease is not normally present at the facility
where the animals were housed. Time between larva consumption to first clinical symptoms is believed to be sixty to eighty days. Results are currently
pending and we expect to see a difference in the number of infected animals between the experimental control group and experimental group,
showing an indication that the vaccination process is effective.
19
Anthropology
3 Room 163
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Pamela M Day
Erin Blatz (Art Keene),
Department of Anthropology, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
What is a Good Course? An Exploration of Student Perception and Practice
Students at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, judge their classes based on a number of criteria. Students judge whether a class is “good,”
whether it is engaging, or whether it is difficult or easy. Students pass on recommendations to peers about what courses are worth taking and which
classes to avoid. They judge professors, lectures, seminars, and discussions producing a discourse that not only reflects but also shapes the way that
they approach their education. This project aims to identify how students judge their classes at UMass. Participant observation, supplemented with
in depth open-ended interviews was used to collect rich narratives on the subject of “good courses” from current UMass students from a range of
academic disciplines. These narratives reveal not only what students regard to be the characteristics of good courses, but more importantly the way that
they make sense of the academic experience. Results show that students credit the professor as much as the content with making a course desirable.
Good professors are approachable to their students, knowledgeable, and make the course material meaningful and interesting. The narratives collected
disclose a good deal about what terms, such as interesting and learning, mean to UMass students. One factor that stands out is vocational or real world
relevance that allows students to see a direct connection to their own lives. Students expect good courses to not “waste their time,” and this means
providing them with information and skills that are not just interesting, but that can be readily applied or that will serve as direct preparation for a
job after graduation. Relevance is not sufficient,however, to gain high marks from students. Good professors appear to be engaging and entertaining
making use of stories, jokes or case studies to draw students in. Students have identified what learning personally means to them during their academic
experience, and they admit that they are indeed learning in the “good courses.” Understanding where learning really takes place at UMass can only
heighten the UMass undergraduate experience.
4
Room 168
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Sharon Cole (Kathleen Brown-Perez),
Department of Legal Studies, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
The Role of Religion: “Americanizing” The Sioux
This paper is the culmination of a year long research project on the subject of conscious religious suppression by the United States government towards
the indigenous people within its borders. Through the use of dozens of texts, including scholarly journals, first hand Christian missionary accounts,
ethnographies, court case studies and published journalistic articles, parallels between forced cultural assimilation and traditional religious suppression
become strikingly obvious. This study found that there is a significant documented history that strongly indicates, if not proves, the United States
government’s use of Christian religion and the smothering of traditional religion to be primary tactics to culturally assimilate the Sioux tribes of South
Dakota. The close relationship between law, government, religion, and culture culminates in a revealing study that illuminates both the tragic history
and the unjust present conditions of the Sioux American-Indians.
20
5
Room 163
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Michael Connors (Art Keene),
Making Sense of the Capstone Experience
Before graduation from The Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, one must complete either a culminating
experience consisting of an independent thesis or a six credit capstone course. According to the Commonwealth College, the culminating experience
(CE) is, “designed to provide all Commonwealth College students with the opportunity to integrate their undergraduate experiences and prepare for
their careers-professional or academic-and lives as informed citizens.” How well does the CE fulfill its stated goals according to ComCol students?
How do they make sense of this requirement and how do the value it in relation to their other experiences at UMass? How does the capstone course
experience differ from the thesis experience and what are the different motivations for electing one over the other? In order to answer this question
participant observation amongst students was/is being used and a capstone course is being taken. Also, another capstone class is currently being
observed, and formal and informal interviews with students in other courses and those who are engaged in senior thesis research will be conducted.
Administrators within Commonwealth College will also be spoken to in order to collect their perspective on how the CE ought to work and how they
assess its efficacy. Some analysis of the data has been done, and it should be able help all of the stakeholders in the CE process better understand
each other, and this in turn will hopefully help support a CE that meets the needs of the students as well as the administration who hope to create a
solid curriculum. Finally, I’ll bring all the data together and attempt to make sense of what I’ve observed and been told by the respective individuals I’ve
spoken to. Thus far multiple participants have said they prefer a capstone course to a thesis because they need the structure of a class rather than an
independent thesis where one has to rely on self discipline and meeting with advisors to finish their project. Also, none of the students seem to think
Commonwealth College is much different from other small classes, however, they do say that the small class sizes are beneficial. By the time the project
is completed, the results will help the administration realize what people think of capstones and theses but also how well they are doing in creating the
requirements and curriculum for Commonwealth College.
6
Room 169
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Randy Daum (Robert Paynter),
Discovery and Investigation of a Late Seventeenth-Century Village Site: The Hatfield Old Farms Settlement
Several local town histories mention a short-lived, fortified settlement that was established north of Hatfield, Massachusetts prior to 1689. Due to
the fear and danger caused by King William’s and Queen Anne’s Wars, the isolated village, known then as “the Farms” and later as “Old Farms”,
was abandoned by 1704 and soon forgotten. Recently discovered seventeenth-century cultural debris in the Bradstreet area of Hatfield raised the
possibility that this was the site of the long-forgotten village. This paper presents the results of a project aimed at determining whether this is the
location of the Old Farms settlement. Addressing this issue involved dating the remains, determining the total area of the site, and establishing whether
subsurface features exist. The project made use of documentary research, controlled surface collections, subsurface imagery techniques, and limited
excavation. The accumulated field data provide evidence that the site contained permanent pre-eighteenth-century structures, while documentary
sources offer proof that the site is indeed the location of the Old Farms settlement. Furthermore, a hand-dug well, discovered during the project’s lone
excavation, demonstrates that subsurface structural remains exist below the plow zone. As it has been used exclusively as an agricultural field since its
abandonment around 1703, Old Farms has had little disturbance and therefore offers an archaeological snapshot of late seventeenth-century colonial
21
life. The Old Farms site is a rare discovery since other known seventeenth-century settlements in the Connecticut River Valley have been disturbed by
more recent development.
7
Room 163
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Katie Huston (Art Keene),
“Put Your Hand Down And Shut Up”: Cultural Inhibitions to Undergraduate Achievement
Do students participate in a culture that inhibits academic achievement? Previous research on higher education has documented the existence of antiintellectualism, disengagement and apathy among undergraduate students. However, few studies have closely examined the impact of social norms and
“common sense” on students’ motivation and achievement. Through participant observation and semi-structured interviews with undergraduates, this
study examines the extent to which a “culture of mediocrity” is prevalent at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Within undergraduate culture,
students, including high achieving students, acknowledge and model social and cultural norms of “dumbing oneself down” in class, minimizing one’s
accomplishments, teasing of “overachievers,” and compartmentalization of academics and social life. Non-engaging large lecture classes with low
expectations and stagnant discussion sections discourage student effort and achievement. Students’ discourse about school often suggests a lack of
enthusiasm for learning, an attitude of consumerism towards education, and a disappointment that much of what is required in school feels like a waste
of valuable time. While a culture of mediocrity is apparent in student discourse and shapes classroom behavior, the meaning of such behavior is not
obvious. While many students identify and engage in a ritualized “discourse of mediocrity” that separates academic and social spheres and devalues
achievement and effort, this may not accurately reflect students’ individual motivations, goals, and attitudes toward education. The paper concludes
with recommendations for using an understanding of social norms and discourse to create more motivating and more effective learning environments.
8
Room 163
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Christie Jennings (Art Keene),
The Function of Faculty Mentoring in Undergraduate Education
22
This qualitative study seeks add to the existing scholarly literature on educational mentoring by providing insight on the dynamics involved in
undergraduate student-faculty mentoring relationships and on the meaning that students assign to such relationships at a large university, such as
the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Data were collected through direct observation in a large lecture class that uses undergraduate teaching
assistants and from in-depth, personal interviews with nine undergraduate students from a range of disciplines. Each of the nine students has (or had)
a faculty mentor and was able to articulate how this relationship influenced and enhanced their collegiate education. Perspectives of students who
lacked faculty mentors were also incorporated through micro-interviews and incidental conversations. Such sources revealed some determinants and
hindrances of student-faculty contact. Students reveal that faculty mentors serve diverse functions, academically and socially. The study suggests that
student involvement is positively correlated with faculty contact. Students are also constantly interpreting faculty behavior cues and base much of their
initiative on perception of faculty accessibility. Similarly, many students do not feel comfortable approaching “distanced” professors of large lectures.
Others do not feel the need for a faculty mentor at this point their undergraduate education for varying reasons (e.g. they may not plan to pursue an
advanced degree).
9
Room 163
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Amy Kent (Art Keene),
“Involved” -- Student Political Engagement at UMass, Amherst
This paper will address the topic of student political engagement at UMass Amherst. It draws upon interviews, focus groups and participant observation
conducted by the author among groups of both highly and minimally engaged students to answer the questions, “How do students understand
what it means to be political? How do students make sense of their own engagement? How do students feel about organizing and group action?”
Preliminary findings suggest that students have a number of mental, cultural and material blocks that dissuade or prevent them from more intense
political engagement. Besides the logistical obstacle of students’ busy schedules and need to work paid jobs, this paper finds that students are also
constrained by ideas-that they cannot affect change as students, that the “real” world where they will be able to affect society is outside the university,
that collective action is not to be trusted, that it is not feasible to live a comfortable middle class life and also be involved in meaningful political work at
the same time and others. Drawing on data about how UMass students think and talk about their own political engagement, the paper concludes by
suggesting more effective ways that a politically engaged campus climate can be achieved
10
Room 163
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Laura Krauss (Art Keene),
Teachers, Mentors. Allies Or Obstacles: Undergraduate Perceptions of the Role of Teaching Assistants
Student perceptions of a positive academic experience at UMass are dependent on multiple variables. Quality of classes, individual engagement
and the effectiveness of instructors are vital to undergraduate success. Teaching Assistants are commonly used in large classes at UMass but their
effectiveness is rarely discussed or analyzed. This research explores how students and professors make sense of a TAs presence and ultimately how
this unique relationship shapes their academic experience. Are these graduate instructors seen as teachers, mentors, allies or obstacles? In addition,
how do teaching assistants make sense of their own role within the university system? In order to better understand this relationship participant
observation and supplemental open ended interviews were used to provide narratives about TAs from students, teaching assistants and professors. An
anthropology discussion section facilitated by a TA throughout the semester was used as a case study to further explore this relationship. Preliminary
analyses suggest that while students tell of a wide range of experiences with TAs it is clear that most students believe TAs can and often do play a
significant role in shaping their undergraduate experience. The paper concludes with recommendations on how this role can become a consistently
more positive force in undergraduate education.
11
Room 175
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Rachel Mandel (Amanda Walker-Johnson),
23
Mobilizing for a Gay-Rights Movement within the Social Context and Political Economy of Kenya
This research focuses on a group of homosexual male sex-workers in Mombasa, Kenya. It was completed over the course of spring semester ‘07 and
during a winter break independent study ‘07-’08. The research was partially funded by Commonwealth College and received full IRB approval. The data
is qualitative in character and was collected through numerous informal and formal interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation.
The purpose of the research is to understand a marginalized, isolated, and oppressed population in a hostile environment and how that population can
or cannot be mobilized for a human rights campaign. Homosexuality in Kenya is illegal by both law and religion. These men live in largely in hiding,
unable to freely disclose their identity for fear of personal safety. In analyzing how to improve their daily life, provide them with resources, and spark
a social movement, it is important to take into account the political, economic, and social situations of the country. This is further complicated by the
fact that these men are using their sexuality as a form of capital in a country suffering from severe unemployment. They are willing to compromise their
identity and safety to ensure financial stability. The results of the study indicate that a gay-rights movement is hindered by the current socioeconomic
and political situations of Kenya. The present context is non-conducive to a social justice movement and in order to make progress and improve
conditions for this population, there needs to be continued rising of awareness through the provision of basic educational resources.
12
Room 172
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Jillian Meade (Art Keene),
“Ocupar, Resistir, Producir” - An Alternative Movement of Direct Democracy in Argentina
On December 19-20th of 2001, masses of argentine people poured out into the streets banging pots and pans in what would be one of the largest
and most inclusive demonstrations in Argentine history. This date is commemorated as the day the economy crashed as a direct result of corporate
globalization. In addition to people taking to the streets, workers took to their own factories in a movement of direct democracy. After the crash,
many were in jeopardy of losing their jobs as factories were quick to close and sell off machines and property to pay off debt. As a result, a movement
formed known as El Movimiento Nacional de Empresas Recuperadas (MNER), or The National Movement of Recuperated Enterprises. My study is based
on my 3 month internship at Chilavert, a cooperative printing press that was one of the first recuperated enterprises to form after the crash. My aim is
to assess how the movement works within the context of Argentina’s political and economic history, and to project its impact on globalized capitalism
as a whole. My research is based on the data I collected from the archive at Chilavert, in the form of published interviews, books, theses, and previous
studies done on the movement, both in English and Spanish. I will also use the reflections that I wrote about my own experience of working in the
factory on a daily basis.
13
Room 163
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
James Ristuccia (Art Keene),
Student Discourses on Pharmaceutical Study Aides at UMass-Amherst
24
Nationwide there has been a notable increase in the use of chemical ‘study-aides’ on college campuses. Prior research shows that the use of prescribed
stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin or Concerta is common in academic settings. This paper examines student discourses on the use of chemically-based
‘study aides’ ranging from coffee’s caffeine kick to Red Bull and other energy drinks to the use of prescription drugs. Student discourses about study
aides were collected through ethnographic observation and by conducting both in-depth, semi-structured interviews and focus groups at UMass during
the Spring 2008 semester. This study sheds light on the attitudes and feelings about this trend and explores how students make sense of it. A number
of attitudes emerged from the research. Collected narratives suggest that UMass student are quite familiar with study aids-whether they themselves use
them or not and that such usage does not seem to be regarded as either extreme or unfair. Student opinion is mixed about whether such aids offer any
distinctive advantage and I document a range of beliefs concerning the benefits and the risks believed to be associated with their use. Further, student
narratives offer a perspective on the nature of the competitive edge sought by students through performance enhancers and on the way that students
think about their educational experience at UMass.
Art
14
Room 162
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Julianna Murphy (James Eng),
Department of Art, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
“The Evolution of Art Education in America”
This thesis provides a brief history of art education in America from the pre-Civil war era to the post-World War II period and examines the impact of
this history on the current state of art education. The development of art programs in public schools in America from 1840 to 1945 will be examined in
the context of social, industrial and economic history in America during this period. Throughout, there will be a focus on art education movements in
Massachusetts, as it has been the center for much of the development of public school art programs both historically and currently. Professor Jim Eng
will supervise the thesis and Professor Kelly Kolodny will serve as a second reader. The thesis will address art education programs that developed during
this time, and will also examine the men and women that conceived and implemented them. Many of these notable individuals were also involved with
movements in general education, which undoubtedly impacted art education. Thus, this examination of the history of art education will also include
discussion of general education trends during this time, such as the Common School movement. This investigation of all these factors will provide a
clear picture of how art education in the public schools began. Additionally, it will identify the social, economic and political forces that shaped it into
a standard subject in the public schools of post-World War II America. Finally, it will discuss the implications of art education history, and its effect on
economic and political trends affecting current art educators and students.
Art History
15
Room 169
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Ashley Steen (Robert Darst),
Department of Political Science, UMass Dartmouth, N. Dartmouth, MA, 02747-2300
Louis H. Sullivan: A System of Modern American Architecture
25
In contrast to Nikolaus Pevsner’s conclusion in his Pioneers of Modern Design, I will be proving that the architect Louis H. Sullivan was an important
leader of the modern architectural movement. Through an exploration of Sullivan’s own writings and drawings I will present his theories and goals
for American architecture, rooted in his past and in his inherent affinity to nature. I will reference Sullivan’s influences and how they affected his
theories. Through the writings and analyses of architectural historians I will exemplify Sullivan’s use of his theories and their physical manifestations
within specific buildings through his use of color, ornamentation and structural components. Through this exploration of Sullivan’s dynamic theories,
nationalistic goals and innovative architectural forms I will prove that Sullivan was a “pioneer of modern design”, an important influence to the
development of modern architecture.
BDIC
16
Room 165
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Michael Byrne (Andrea Bergstrom),
Department of Communication, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Agriculture, Specialization, and Accountability
Ultimately a research project on the sustainability of agriculture and human culture, this project conveyed sustainable agriculture as an appropriate
means to heal the environment, increase social equality, and enliven local economy. The purpose of this study was to outline problems in industrial
agriculture, social structure, and modern American behavioral patterns. The connections between these problems by citing political activists,
philosophers, sociologists, farmers, environmental activists, and one’s own experiences with these problems were described. This included addressing
these problems by cultivating an awareness of that which enters and leaves a system (body, mind, society, environment) coupled with accountability for
both. It was clear that big changes in modern agriculture systems and human culture are called for on the path to sustainable living.
17
Room 172
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Renaldo Qafzezi (Andrea Bergstrom),
From Being Looked Down on to an Answer to the Rising Prices of Oil: A Look at the Discovery of Oil in Albania
26
According to the Albanian public opinion, Albania has been looked as less important than the rest of the countries in Eastern Europe. History shows
that the land has been attacked since 2000 B.C. because it acquired many valuable assets, such as gold, bronze, coal, steel, and today oil. It was
occupied by the Ottoman Empire for over 500 years until it declared independence in 1912, and closely after, it was involved in the First World War
(Stavrou, 2003). For a few years Albania was doing well financially; it had one of the strongest currencies in the world. This all changed when the king
abandoned the country during the Second World War in 1939. Albania quickly fell over to the communist rule until the end of communism in 1990
(Stavrou, 2003). During the rule of communism Albania had cut of all relations with the rest of the world. This prevented improvement to the economy.
Post communism the European Union looked at Albania as a threat to the European Union and as a poor country. Albania was known to export some
oil during the rule of communism, but they didn’t have the technology needed to dig deep into the ground, to see exactly how much oil the land had.
In 1995 the search for oil began in Albania by Manas Petroleum Corporation (Swiss company), but this all got disrupted by the revolt on the government
in 1997. The revolt continued until 1999, but the war of Kosovo also spilled to Albania as well (Elsie, 2008). In recent years the search for oil continued,
and not only by Manas Petroleum but as well as by Gustavson Associates LLC American one. The American company Gustavon has declared that Albania
has close to three billion barrels of oil, and over three trillion cubic feet of natural gas (New Kosova Report, January 2008). This sparks interest into
Albania’s wealth not only from the European Union, but by the rest of the world. Albania could be as the third largest distributor of oil in the world. By
examining sources from journals and the popular press, I hope to develop a greater understanding of Albania’s oil reserves, and their economic impact.
18
Room 174
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Elizabeth Schneider (Dan Gerber),
Department of Public Health, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Childhood Obesity
The rate of obesity in children ages 6-11 years old has doubled in the past two decades and has become an epidemic in the United States. This increase
is mainly due to poor family eating habits, cafeteria food, and lack of exercise. Providing free family nutrition classes at a local school will help to
educate parents on proper eating habits to teach their children. School cafeteria’s should offer healthier meals with smaller portion sizes and get rid of
all vending machines that sell junk food and soda. Also, gym classes should have a monthly fitness test, to ensure kids are being kept in proper shape.
These are just a few of the ideas in this paper that I will discuss to stop the growing rate of obese children.
Biochemistry
19
Room 174
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Davin Watson (Kimberly Stieglitz),
Department of Biochemistry, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Structure/Function Studies Of Three Metal Ion Assisted Catalysis
Inositol monophosphatases (IMPases) and fructose 1,6 bisphosphatases (FBPases) are members of a superfamily of enzymes that cleave the P-O bond. In
recent years the details of metal ion assisted catalysis for IMPase-superfamily were elucidated through structural studies and site directed mutagenesis.
We set out to rigorously test this hypothesis with mutational studies of conserved acidic residues located on or near the catalytic loop in MJ0109. The
results of isothermal calorimetry in combination with the detailed kinetic studies of crucial metal binding mutant enzyme confirms the postulated role
by crystallography for individual acidic residues in three metal ion assisted catalysis. The mutant D38A showed significant changes in kinetics. The role
of D38A as essential for catalysis is confirmed. A detailed kinetic study is underway to understand the effects of temperature on the mutant enzyme
compared to the wild type MJ0109. The energy of activation for the both the wild type enzyme and the D38A mutant are compared. As a corollary
to this study, R170, a residue in the active site of MJ0109, has been identified binding to oxygens of the C6 phosphate. This residue may act like a
molecular switch “pulling” the sugar out of position so that substrate is not properly positioned for metal ion assisted catalysis at C1 phosphate. Site
directed mutagenesis studies are underway to mutate the residue, over-express the residue and perform preliminary kinetic characterization. In addition
X-ray crystallographic studies are planned and crystallization experiments are already underway.
27
Biology
20
Room 176
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Nicole Ramos (William Barklow),
Department of Biology, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
The Difference Between Emotions and Feelings; Which Do Animals Display?
Emotions and feelings in the human species have been studied extensively by interested psychologists and scientists. Now, the question lies with other
animals. Scientists have done numerous research projects on elephants, chimps, and dolphins, to determine whether emotions or feelings are displayed
by animals. I will show that both emotions and feelings have different definitions. The consciousness also plays an important role in understanding the
perception of emotions and feelings. Some researchers argue that animal species show emotions, yet there is still some controversy as to whether or
not they experience feelings. Using scientific studies and research, I will explain how emotions are displayed in both human and animal species. Also,
scientific literature will be used to understand the role of consciousness in emotions and feelings. This research suggests there are no definitive studies
to show that animals, in fact, have feelings.
21
Room 176
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Stephanie Wallace (Daniela Maldini),
Department of Biology, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Potential Effects of Human Disturbances on the Daily Patterns of a Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis) Male
Area in a California Estuary
Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) groups of up to 80 animals, known as rafts, have been documented in Elkhorn Slough (Monterey Bay, CA)
since 1994. Visible from shore, the raft is ideal to monitor the mostly juvenile male population of sea otters and its dynamics. The number of animals
in the raft was documented for ten 24-hour periods during August-December 2007. From these observations, patterns of raft formation and dispersal
were realized throughout the daily cycle. Possible correlations exist between the number of otters in the slough and the time of sunrise and sunset
as well as wave height in the open bay. Because the slough is also home to commercial fishing boats and private docks, boat traffic can potentially
impact this daily cycle of the otter raft. Boat traffic patterns were observed both in the area of the otter raft and the nearby jetty which the otters use
both for foraging and traveling to and from open ocean. Boat interactions with otters that resulted in a change of behavior were documented during
observation hours. Disturbances including interrupted resting behavior, forced dives, and raft dispersal. Many factors appear to determine whether a
boat will cause a disturbance, such as the type of boat, the closest distance to the otter the boat travels, and the speed of the boat. If southern sea
otters (a federally threatened species) continue to use Elkhorn Slough in such numbers, better understanding boat patterns and potential sources of
disturbances will help protect the species in the future in an area where human use is unlikely to decrease.
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Chemistry
22
Room 175
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
William Rowley (William Griffin),
Department of Chemistry, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA, 02129
Fractional Distillation: A Demonstration of Technique
This project is an examination of the technique of fractional distillation. The efficiency of various fractionating columns and materials are examined
in terms of the efficiency of fractional distillation as a purification method. Organic solvents of differing boiling points were separated, and the
fractions analyzed by both refractive index (RI) and gas chromatography. This is followed by a comparison of the results of fractional distillation to
those of simple distillation. The results of the experiment are then presented and analyzed. Lastly, there is a discussion concerning the application of
this technique, as well as simple distillation, in the teaching of general chemistry and organic chemistry courses - to teach purification techniques and
colligative properties in solutions, respectively. This discussion is based on experience and the determination of possible benefits, and includes a critical
commentary on the potential benefits of the addition of gas chromatography and refractive index techniques to these courses.
Civil Engineering
23
Room 174
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Rachael Nealer (Paula Rees),
Department of Civil Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Identification of Total Coliform, E. Coli and Enterococci Source and Variability in the Asnebumskit Watershed
Through Data Collection and Modeling
This project aims to determine spatial and temporal trends in bacteria loading along the Asnebumskit Brook that are a concern due to previously
high fecal coliform counts in the area. Water quality testing was done on multiple sites along the Asnebumskit Brook for total coliform, E. coli, and
Enterococci. The watershed is comprised of primarily residential homes where high bacteria counts are not expected. A unique model was created
and implemented to assess the bacteria loading in the watershed, specifically to target what kind of influence rainfall and runoff have on the bacteria
loading of the Asnebumskit Brook. The model is based on a plug flow of the contaminants as they travel in runoff over land, through the storm-sewer
system, and in the brook itself with relation to temperature, distance, and time. When compared to the data collected, the model aids in evaluating the
possible sources of high bacteria counts within the Asnebumskit Brook, including sediments, domestic animals, wildlife, and storm-sewers. Additionally,
ribotyping, an in-depth analysis of the E. coli collected as compared to a known database of E. coli sources, was done to further determine the sources
of the E. coli within the Asnebumskit Brook. These findings can be used to implement rules and regulations on land use adjacent to important water
sources if it is determined that one or more of these non-point sources are significant contributors to poor water quality.
29
Classical Language & Literature
24
Room 169
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Andrew Carroll (Tony Tuck),
Department of Classical Language & Literature, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
The Search for a Hut: Evidence of a Possible Non-Elite Domestic Structure at Poggio Civitate (Murlo)
Poggio Civitate is an Etruscan site twenty-six kilometers south of Siena, Italy, in the Colline Metalifere region. Excavation at the site has revealed two
phases of occupation, one dateable to the Archaic Period (600-550 BCE), and the earlier phase of the Orientalizing period (675-600 BCE). Three
buildings of the Orientalizing phase have been excavated, a residence, a workshop and a tripartite building. This complex was controlled by a powerful
family; however evidence of non-elite residences at Poggio Civitate remains elusive. During the 2007 season, explorations in the Civitate C area, south
of the monumental complex, appears to have filled this lacuna. In this trench, a concentration of small rocks tightly packed in the rough form of an
oval spanning approximately nine meters was revealed. On top of this feature a high concentration of pottery shards, loom weights, and rocchetti were
found. Both the shape of the feature and the material found in and around it is similar to non-elite domestic spaces from other sites of the Orientalizing
period such as Veii and San Giovenale. Therefore the current state of evidence suggests that this could be the foundation of a domestic structure
possibly for the non-elite workers at the site. If the feature is indeed the foundation of a hut, then it will allow, for the first time, comparison of elite and
non-elite structures at a single Etruscan site. During the 2008 dig season we will further excavate in the vicinity of the feature.
Communication
25
Room 176
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Scott Berkeley (Andrea Bergstrom),
Reality TV Shows that Target Weight Loss in America
Within the past decade reality television has grabbed hold of the entertainment world. People cannot seem to get enough enjoyment out of watching
average people such as themselves get filmed doing a litany of different tasks. A major hit has been the weight loss reality TV shows. For example,
Celebrity Fit Club was one of the first to launch on the VH1 network which is owned by Viacom, a massive entertainment conglomerate. This is a great
concept because people in this country in particular tend to follow fads, which many of these shows are. This country over the years has become by
far the most obese nation in the entire world, so these shows may potentially have positive effects. Using a variety of scholarly and popular sources, I
intend to investigate the role these shows are having on society.
26
30
Alison Doherty (Kathleen Brown-Perez),
Room 168
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
A Communication Theory Approach to the Native Alaskan and Canadian Tlingit Assimilation
The world needs to stand together for prevention against violent, forced assimilation so that it can lessen violence and maintain diversity. This
honors thesis analyzes the Native Alaskan and Canadian Tlingit society’s assimilation through the different realms of direct, structural, cultural, and
symbolic violence. This paper argues that both the U.S. and Canada are guilty of implementing intentional and unintentional violence against the
Tlingit. Much violence that occurs today is invisible. By looking at invisible normalized violence, particularly as perpetuated through legislation, one
can better understand the implications of assimilation on present-day Tlingit society. As power is key in violence, this paper seeks to show the power
relations between the Tlingit and the U.S. and Canadian governments through the application of communication theories, such as Michel Foucault’s
“panopticism” and Kenneth Burke’s “terministic screens.” When the theory of panopticism is applied to the Tlingit’s assimilation, it reveals the
structure of force in the missionary assimilation schools, shows the power that the government has over the Tlingit through implementing laws, and
reflects the binaries of society. One such binary, sane/insane, displays the attitude that the United States and Canada have previously held of the Tlingit.
Burke’s “terministic screens” demonstrates that Western thought and Tribal thought are rooted differently, so that the Tlingit are communal and
Westerners are individualistic.
27
Room 176
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Maura Mulvey (Martha Yoder),
Commonwealth College, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
A History of Media Reporting and Public Perception of Infectious Disease
Infectious disease has been a part of American lives since the first colony. Early American media played a substantial role in the sanitation and
preventative public health efforts to combat communicable disease. With the medical and public acceptance of the Pasteur’s germ theory came a
change in the way disease was communicated and treated. Incorporating the disciplines of media studies (i.e. media criticism on health reporting, risk
communication, etc) history of medicine, sociology, and through a thorough examination of media reporting on several infectious disease epidemics,
from yellow fever to AIDS, this thesis will seek to determine to what extent the germ theory and modern praise of biomedicine has changed and
constructed print media reporting on disease.
28
Room 176
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Anna Tsui (Patrick Barron),
Department of English, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
The Impact of a Student Magazine on a Commuter Campus
When UMass Boston was first established, its mission was to create an accessible yet serious academic environment for students who previously had
no chance of achieving higher education. This was done at the expense of seemingly frivolous student activities. In fact, the university deliberately
separated itself from its sister Amherst campus which was scorned as a party institution (D’Arrigo, 18). Today, UMass Boston has evolved into a world-
31
class institution that still suffers from the residual impact of its early academic policy: the commuter campus lacks the dorms and school-wide events that
create cohesive community at more traditional 4 year colleges. Lux magazine has attempted to fill the need for community at UMass Boston, providing
in-depth articles that bridge the gaps between students and faculty and explore the dynamics of campus activity and student sentiment. However, in order
for Lux as an entity to thrive, its conceptual basis must be grounded in the pulse of the campus body. This paper explores how Lux can succeed in its goal
of uniting the UMass Boston community and the factors to its potential success or failure. It takes into account the history of print magazines and their role
in shaping popular culture and applies these concepts to the very specific UMass Boston environment. It will discuss how a student magazine differs from
other forms of student media and how it meets the needs of students in different ways. Also, examples of other student magazine in their prospective
elements will be examined. An analysis will be provided of the makeup of Lux, including its content, staff and mission statement. Student, faculty, and
administrator surveys will assess the quantity and nature of Lux’s readership and its contribution to the general feeling of UMass Boston’s unique campus,
perhaps helping resolve the quandaries baffling administrators about how to build a cohesive student community on campus.
29
Room 172
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Emily Bloch (Shuli Arieh Archer),
Office of Community Service Learning, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Nuestras Raices: Growing Roots In Holyoke
Nuestras Raices is a community organization in Holyoke dedicated to promoting community development though projects relating to food, agriculture,
health and the environment. Nuestras Raices was founded in 1991. In the short time it has been in existence Nuestras Raices has pioneered many different
programs. One of these programs is the Tierra de Oportunidades (Land of Opportunities) farm project. La Tierra de Oportunidades incorporates, among
other things, farming, youth programs, and environmental restoration. In this paper I explore the development of Nuestras Raices, including some of the
challenges it has faced as a non-profit organization working in a low-income community, and how Nuestras Raices has affected development in Holyoke.
In addition I explore the way the Tierra de Oportunidades project has affected different members of the Nuestras Raices community. The paper is written
from the perspective of a community service learning student volunteering at Nuestras Raices. In this way the paper also addresses the usefulness of service
learning in an organization such as Nuestras Raices.
30
Room 172
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Sam Dreyfus (Katja Hahn D’Errico),
Thrive: The Transformation and Potential of the Amherst Survival Center
32
The Amherst Survival Center is an innovative community center, food pantry, and lunch kitchen that has recently undergone a major transition. Its
reputation in the community was bruised by a year of allegations from volunteers and patrons, investigations by the town and board of directors, and staff
turnover. I volunteer at the Amherst Survival Center as part of my service learning class. In my paper I explore the changes that have been implemented and
the Survival Center as it is today, a reforming organization searching for a balance between professional oversight and community control.
31
Room 172
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Julie Hill (Joanna Gonsalves),
Department of Psychology, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
Reach for the Stars! Reviving and Utilizing Our Campus Observatory
Salem State College is a very privileged institution that has many extraordinary resources that are not being utilized. One of the most remarkable happens
to be the Collins Observatory. Many steps took place to help accomplish my goals. My goal for this service learning project This involve implementing
and putting together a program to: get the obseervatory running every monday night, educating the school, students, and public, and working on
administrative aspects of receiving help to obtain my goals.
32
Room 172
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Genevieve Callaghan
Jon Bress
Renee Soucy
Sami Korna (Carol Soules),
Service, Technology, and Society: Information Technology and the Community Education Project
The Community Education Project works towards social and economic justice by contributing to the development of a capable, informed, and selfdetermining Latino community in Holyoke. The organization’s work is carried out through adult literacy and language education programs, as well as
through grassroots organizing and action initiatives that encourage participants and others to respect human dignity with its rights and responsibilities;
live in solidarity with others, be aware of our interdependence; seek the well-being of all; value all forms of work and creativity; and bring awareness to
the needs of the poor. The organization has historically been a low-tech operation with plans to expand its use of technology over time as it provides
more educational services to the Holyoke community. After meeting with CEP’s management and staff, we set out to aid the organization through
the implementation and execution of a fundraising and information management program, as well as by training staff using knowledge management
resources created in support of this system. Dually, we developed and launched a public internet site for the organization, and again, trained staff and
created knowledge management resources around the maintenance and update of this site. Our approach was based on our understanding of CEP’s
needs and on our extensive experience with IT both as UMass students, and also through our various professional experiences. We made the project’s
scope and sustainability scalable with the resources available in the Holyoke community. Such an approach utilized our team’s diverse backgrounds from
a variety of undergraduate majors, creating a multidisciplinary unit capable of addressing real-world community needs through IT. Well versed in the
theory related to community service learning, team building, community awareness, organization culture, needs assessment, and project management,
we had a number of tools at our disposal that allowed us to satisfactorily research, assess CEP’s organizational needs, and identify specific project goals.
Our partnership with CEP has established a blueprint that will keep the organization’s technology current as plans for CEP’s future are developed, and has
brought the organization into the modern age with respect to the technology it utilizes. CEP will now be better able to serve its students and the Holyoke
community, as our deliverables streamlined much at CEP and increased the organization’s overall capacity for service.
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33
Room 172
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Kim Rodrigues (Dr. Mary Zahm),
Department of Psychology, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA, 02720
Public Awareness Plan Re: Drug Paraphernalia Sold as Novelty Items
Drug paraphernalia are being sold under the guise of novelty items. A review of the scholarly literature and communication theory was conducted and
a public awareness plan based on the research was developed and implemented for BOLD as a service-learning and honors project. Through coalition
building with community partners and private citizens this effort has seen success. This presentation will discuss the design and outcome of this
campaign as well as ongoing efforts to remove these items from many neighborhood stores.
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Room 172
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Alexander B Kahn
Hannah R Shrimpton
Elizabeth Tricco (Carol Soules),
Growing Stronger: Developing Information Technology at Nuestras Raãces
The following project was part of a year-long capstone course for which students orchestrate information technology projects with a community-based
organization. Nuestras RaÃces (Spanish for “Our Roots”), a nonprofit organization in Holyoke, MA, works with the city’s Puerto Rican population to
foster urban agriculture, entrepreneurship, and education on health and environmental issues. Team members worked with Nuestras RaÃces to assess
its information technology needs and develop a strategy for addressing those of top priority. They identified two areas in which to work: technology
within the office, and external communications. In the office, they outfitted the organization’s existing file server with high-capacity hard drives to
facilitate file sharing across the network and to create a convenient backup system. For the communications section of the project, they created a new
website for Nuestras RaÃces using Drupal, a free, open-source content-management system. This software enables the organization to easily maintain
a professional and cohesive website without specialized knowledge of web technology. The site communicates the organization’s work and message to
members and donors, while expressing its organic, grass-roots nature. It also provides key features such as news announcements, customized Google
Maps to display business and community garden locations, and a calendar of events, all of which are managed through a simple web interface. The
team wrote documentation for each part of the project and conducted a series of training sessions to ensure that the changes are sustainable by the
organization in the future. As a result of this project, Nuestras RaÃces is better able to use technology to bolster and spread its innovative work.
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Valery Glod (Nerissa Balce),
34
Room 169
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Department of Comparative Literature, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Transnational Post-Coloniality in Contemporary American Literature and Film
My study will focus on early 21st century U.S.-based authors and filmmakers who deal with representations of post-coloniality, colonial amnesia, class
and racial violence in what American sociologist and economist Saskia Sassen terms as “global cities.” Sassen defines “global cities” as “command
centers for the global economyâ€¦ with emphasis on the formation of cross border dynamics through which cities begin to form strategic transnational
networks.” The films and novels I will focus on are set in various global cities therefore opening up room for comparative analysis and criticism.
I will focus on four texts that share a common theme of “the post-colonial experience” and the influence of global capitalism as a new empire.
The interdisciplinary nature of this topic allows me to connect several academic areas about which I am most passionate. I am deeply interested in
contemporary literature and film that exposes the inherent violence in maintaining patriarchal and capitalistic societies. The overall scope of this thesis
will include literary and film analysis, social theory as well theories on popular culture, race, class, and representations of violence both visual and
indexical in nature. I will compare different mediums and in turn gather a deeper understanding of imperial amnesia as it is both perpetuated and
exposed in contemporary society. For this presentation I will focus on one text (Kiran Desai’s The_Inheritance_of_Loss) and one film (Paul Haggis’
_Crash_.)
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Room 169
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Adam Schoenfarber (Jim Hicks),
The Dissemination of Oral Narrative in Twentieth Century America
The transmission of mythology and story through oral narrative has a long and convoluted history within the borders of the United States. Ignoring the
native traditions, in favor of transcribed biblical stories, thousands of culture defining myths were lost. When immigrants began to flood the country,
they brought with them not only their dreams but oral traditions which created a cultural link to individual pasts. Through the pressure to assimilate,
and the constant threat of obsolescence due in part to the continuing technological booms of the twentieth century, much of the oral immigrant
narrative was lost. What survived has become acculturated, as much a part of the American tradition as the thanksgiving story, or Davey Crocket. My
research seeks to examine the ways in which immigrant narratives adapt, and become a part of the American canon of mythology, if there even is
such a thing. I focus on the impact of radio and pulp dramas that appeared at the inception of, during and following the depression. In the interest of
exploring stories, my research is accompanied by a creative project: A fiction piece dealing with an oral narrator. He, himself is displaced and alone in
America, searching for an audience; a means for prolonging and propagating his own cultural traditions in the American landscape.
Computer Science
37
Room 162
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Alessandro Agnello (Charles Stevenson),
Department of Computer Science, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
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A Component-Based Database Driven Tool Set for Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness
The main goal of this research project is to design and implement a component-based database-driven tool set to enhance teaching effectiveness.
In my academic experience, students occasionally find it necessary to catch up in a course because they missed a class day. This dilemma poses as a
problem for the students and as well as causing unneeded aggravation to their teachers. It is desirable that a student be able to access course-related
resources in order to create a way to deliver academic information outside the traditional classroom environment. The user will not be required to be
knowledgeable in web development. The user will be presented with choices and allowed to specify options that control the look and feel of different
components. The educator creates the content by uploading a library of information for each class. The application will construct all the necessary
files, supported by a database that stores all required information. The design of such an interface must provide for easy updating of information. The
interface will protect the user’s content from potential threats.
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Room 162
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Andrew Carretta
John Cosby
Sudheera W Rajapakse
Jesse Mirenda (Karen Druffel),
Department of Computer Science, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Business and Information Technology Handbook
This research project is to create a student handbook and related literature for the new Business and Information Technology Major (BITM) at
Framingham State College. The handbook will be a tool for prospective students to learn about all aspects of the new program offering. It will
also showcase to potential employers the skill set and value a graduate will bring to their business. The research portion of this project will involve
interviewing potential employers, faculty, and students to discover the skills that will be developed by BITM students. The handbook will describe how
the BITM will prepare a student for potential careers over 4 years. In the student handbook, we will use gathered information to describe the program
in detail, and in a format equally useful for students, faculty, and employers. In addition we will benchmark this program at Framingham State College
with similar programs at other institutions. We are hopeful that the outcome of our student handbook will be what Framingham State College uses as
its finished material for marketing the BITM program.
Criminology
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Room 175
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Jessica Williams (Elizabeth Stassinos),
Department of Criminology, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
Sectarianism and Hooliganism in Scottish Football
This study explores the possible application and development of theories of deviant behavior in criminal justice using the case of sectarianism and
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hooliganism of football in Glasgow, Scotland. By exploring the political and religious history of Scotland along with the history of the two top teams,
Rangers and Celtic, this study ties the history of a country to the current phenomena of football violence, aggressive intimidation, segregation of public
space and residences and property damage. The city council’s sectarianism reports as well as the actions taken by local businesses, the individual
football clubs, the Scottish and European Football Organizations, the Scottish government, and non-profit organizations are also described and
analyzed.
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Room 165
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Yakuza: The Japanese Mafia
Joanna Woznikowski (Elizabeth Stassinos),
Department of Criminology, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
The Yakuza are notorious not only in Japan but in the world for their involvement in various types of organized crime ranging from gambling to
narcotics. However, most of the money the Yakuza receives comes from pornography and prostitution. This case study will explore the organized crime
and deviance the Yakuza commit including pornography, the traffic in women and prostitution, and violent drug trade. The Yakuza have maintained
success throughout these years because of their strong structure and beliefs. This case study also explores the important Yakuza roles of: The Oyabun,
father; the ritual ceremony of joining the Yakuza where oyabun drink sake or rice wine, “blood’ that symbolizes that their life is dedicated to the Yakuza
over all other family and obligations; and the kinds of punishment or yubizume, the amputation of finger joints, when a Yakuza disobeys his superiors.
Finally, I will discuss the Yakuza tattoos called Irezumi or Horimono that Yakuza use to identify themselves and their specific groups. Unlike most
organized crime groups the Yakuza do not hide from the public; they view their actions as helping Japan flourish.
Economics
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Room 176
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Nowaf Al-Saidy (Randy Albelda),
Department of Economics, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Evaluating Discrimination in the Retail Industry
This project will examine workers in the retail industry, past and present, in order to understand whether or not gender discrimination is present in
the promotion process. There are several pieces of literature about gender discrimination, and specifically discrimination in promotions. However, very
few of these studies focus on the retail industry. A simple survey of those with experience in the retail industry will provide new information on this
topic. In order to obtain the necessary information, short surveys will be conducted. Participants will be men and women 18 and older, from various
racial and ethnic groups. The target number of participants sought is 100+, and the survey should take no longer than 3-5 minutes. The survey will be
voluntary and anonymous; no personal identifying information will be collected. No incentives will be given, due to the short and simple nature of the
survey. These surveys will be conducted at the UMass Boston campus, at auto parts retailer AutoZone, as well by means of social networking sites on
the internet. Prior to collecting information, permission will be requested from both UMass Boston and AutoZone. The surveys will ask several factual
questions (ex. highest wage/position attained), as well as some opinion-based questions (such as “Why do you think you were not promoted?”). Using
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these results, one can analyze the treatment of individual employees to examine the retail industry’s stance on discrimination. Statistics will paint a
clearer picture of whether or not discrimination is present in the promotional process within the retail industry.
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Room 175
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Heather Chou (William O’Brien),
Department of Economics, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA, 01602
Oil Shock: The Federal Reserve’s Evil Twin
The mechanism by which price shocks, in particular, oil shocks affect the macroeconomy has been an article of contention for many years. Economists
have proposed various relationships between the macroeconomy and oil prices. This paper suggests that the mechanism by which oil and other related
prices adversely affect the economy is via the money supply. Specifically, the oil prices drive up the amount of money needed to facilitate transactions
in the oil, energy, and food sectors. This has the effect of reducing the supply of money available to other sectors, thus placing much of the economy
in what is for all effects contractionary money policy, or a short money supply. In addition, though it is commonly believed that oil prices cause inflation
when they rise by causing price levels in oil, energy, and related products to rise, this paper will assert that it is, in fact, the periods of downward
moving oil price level that have true inflationary action. This is due to the random reinjection of money that had previously been tied up in transaction
prices of oil and related goods to other sectors. Therefore the hypotheses are: 1) Recessionary trends in sectors not directly affected by rising oil prices
consistent with contractionary monetary policy when oil prices rise and siphon money from these sectors; and 2) Inflation in consumer goods less oil
and food following significant drops in the price of oil due to the injection of previously employed money randomly into other goods markets.
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Room 176
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Christopher Hescock (William O’Brien),
Male Life Expectancy: A Global Perspective
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This study was designed to incorporate the most influential determinates and to produce robust results on the subject matter of male life expectancy.
79 countries have been sampled randomly without bias or order. Three variables have been found to be significant, infant mortality rates, AIDS rates
and GDP per capita with regard to their influence on male life expectancy variance. While there may be a variety of variables which could help to
explain male life expectancy from a heath and wellbeing standpoint, I have grouped the majority of these variables into the two health related variables
in the equation. Male life expectancy is also certainly directly related to income, justifying the GDP per capita variable. Through my research I have
been successful in finding the most critical determinates of male life expectancy cumulating in the AIDS rate, infant mortality rate and GDP per capita.
I have reviewed the literature concerning male life expectancy and have found numerous journal articles confirming the validity of the chosen variables.
An article written by a collection of doctors for the World Health Organization titled Healthy life expectancy in 191 countries, 1999, shows the
importance of studying a countries AIDS rate in comparison with life expectancy. Rising Life Expectancy, written by James Riley has also helped in verify
the importance of GDP per capita in relation to life expectancy rates. I have been successful in confirming my hypothesis that male life expectancy is
significantly determined by the previously mentioned variables. Infant mortality rates proved to be the most statistically significant variable with GDP per
capita least significant. No econometric errors or problems have been found present in the final equation. All statistics recorded in the regression have
been analyzed and confirmed as being robust as well as significant.
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Room 176
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Manoj Jonna (Bonnie Orcutt),
Worcester’s Unbanked: Trends and Characteristics
In the United States, it has been estimated that about 28 million people do not have bank accounts and 44.7 million individuals have limited access
to the formal financial sector. This study aims to identify banking trends and patterns amongst the ‘unbanked’ in the Worcester area. We define
‘unbanked’ for the purposes of this study as people who are not part of the mainstream banking industry and/or who do not fully utilize the services of
a bank. In order to meet the above mentioned objectives, a survey was created and administered to a sample of individuals drawn from the Worcester
area. Descriptive statistics and simple correlations are reported. Based upon the survey results, suggestions for further exploration and policy directives
are made.
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Room 176
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Krislyn Silberstein (Mary Rogers),
Department of Economics, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Role of Graduation Year on Career Track and Salary
One of the most important questions that lingers on the minds of college seniors is “What will I do after graduation?” This question has a worrisome
answer for some students. With the Bush administration nearing an end, and the “R” word on the minds of many economists, students are wondering
if the past four years they have spent in college were a waste. Research shows that the wait time between graduation and a person’s first job in his or
her field can have a huge influence on a person’s salary throughout a career. A longer wait time between graduation and first qualified job results in
the late start of a career, which in turn leads to lower salary and less experience than others with the same qualifications. People who graduate during
recession periods face tough job markets in most fields. These people are often forced to perform jobs for which they are overqualified, and some are
even forced to return to jobs that they held before graduation, that have nothing to do with the person’s area of expertise. Are those who graduate
during a boom guaranteed better salaries, and those who graduate during recession periods doomed? Some exceptions exist, but this result seems to
be the trend.
Education
46
Room 162
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Katie Bylykbashi (Andrea Bergstrom),
Special Education and Teaching Certification
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Special Education is field that is relatively new to the realm of scholarly research. Many reforms and laws have been made in recent years to make
education accessible and equal to those with disabilities and special needs. Some of the newest reforms include President Bush’s 2001, No Child Left
Behind Act, and IDEA’s 2004 Highly Qualified Teacher reform. Despite much research, there is still much to be done so that teachers can maintain full
inclusion and classroom management for students with special needs. I believe the issue lies in the lack of training in special education for traditional
teachers. In studying this topic I hope to be able to identify elements in the traditional program that address special needs learners. By examining
programs designed for the certification of special education teachers and certification for traditional teachers, I will be able to find areas of traditional
certification that can be improved or modified when dealing with special needs learners Through the examination of scholarly sources regarding
differences in teacher certification, as well as interviews or observations of special education teachers, I will be able to establish if the current standards
for traditional teachers are meeting the needs of special needs children and if not, whether the problem is a result from differences in training and
experience.
English
47
Room 175
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Michael Amaral (Leah Nielsen),
Department of English, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
Film, Human, Music
A film is more then thirty-five millimeter brown translucent paper wrapped around a giant reel spinning away, a film is what is contained within that
paper. A film is so much more than lighting techniques, camera angles, costumes, color choices, sound effects and set designs; it is an imprint of human
life. Scoring is the process through which musical ambiance is incorporated into a film. This process happens in post-production and lasts anywhere
from a week to just under a month. A composer looks at the raw film footage then determines where music should be placed and produces suitable
music, whether it be modern secular music, something in the baroque style, or somewhere in between. The movie American History X is the story of a
boy finding out his identity in the midst of his involvement with a Neo-Nazi clan. The dramatic work features a strong musical underscore that advances
themes presented to the audience. For example, the use of a white-tone, non-vibrato boys choir gives an eerie, Christ-like nature to one of the main
characters. In two parts, the paper addresses the basics of musical film scoring and then demonstrates them through an analysis of the movie American
History X.
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Room 169
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Ethan Bresner (Jim Hicks),
Counting the Living: Literature, Memorial, and The Siege of Sarajevo
It was the purpose of this study to explore the use of the narrative in creating memory within Sarajevo, Bosnia since the end of the siege of Sarajevo.
It becomes particularly important to explore the creation of memory within Bosnia, as much remembering is done with the purpose of propagating
nationalist ideals. This research was conducted in three former republics of Yugoslavia during fall semester, and is being continued from Amherst this
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semester. My sources are diverse in nature: including interviews with young people in Sarajevo several primary theory works and narratives, as well
as secondary scholarly sources. My conclusion is that while literature can be an effective means for the creation of non-nationalist memory, this isn’t
always the case. Further, I found that literature and material memorials (monuments, statues, etc) have different effects on viewers. While it is possible
to conclude that literature does influence collected memory, it became difficult to authoritatively describe how memorial creations are and are not
appropriated by nationalist political parties. this study is important because while these discussions have occurred frequently in discussions of the
Holocaust, little has been published contemporarily on the Bosnian authors I will discuss: Miljenko Jergovic, Alexander Hemon, and Ivo Andric. I will
include discussions of prominent theorists such as Hayden White, Susan Sontag, and James E. Young.
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Room 175
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Caroline Collins (Glen Brewster),
Lyrical Impressions
My poetry blends my enduring interests in words and visual arts throughout my life. Inspiration can come from many places, such as childhood, past
relationships or simply places I have once been that have had an impact on me. I am greatly inspired by artwork of the early impressionist painters of
France: mainly Claude Monet. I am heavily influenced by the lyric poetry of Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, Bob Dylan and Betty Smith. “The Highland”
captures the mood of a blue-collar restaurant near my rural town in New England. “Smarter than Me” is a reflection on feelings remaining from a lost
high school friendship. “Shane” is a dramatization of an assemblage of roommates in an apartment down the hall from where I live. “Tommy D’s: A
Reflection” is an evocation of the varied characters at a local town-gown bar. Thus these poems recapitulate the visual and linguistic in sketches that
convey my experiences of specific people and places in my life.
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Room 175
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Brandon Habib (Chrisanne Souza),
Department of English, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA, 02720
Studying and Writing Children’s Literature
This is a project in two parts: The first part, research, delves into the evolution of Children’s Literature over the past fifty years in order to acquire a basic
appreciation and understanding of the changes in Children’s literature such as genres, appropriate subjects and the recent breaking of taboo subjects.
The second part involves a portfolio of original writing and writing exercises emulating authors such as Chris Van Allsburg, Robert McCloskey, Kevin
Henkes, Susan Cooper and Katherine Paterson: all are winners of either the Caldecott Medal or Newbery Awards for excellence in Children’s literature.
The portfolio will also include a written reflection on the results of the project concerning influences and insights. The goal of the project is to gain
a better appreciation for the history and possible future of Children’s literature and to better understand and appreciate techniques and methods of
writing in order to inform and enhance my own original writing.
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51
Room 175
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Jesse Hayston (J. Thomas Grady),
The Lord of the Rings: Queering the Text
This Powerpoint presentation, supplemented by screencaptures from all three Lord of the Ring films as well as carefully chosen music, deconstructs
those films as blatantly contradictory to a supposed heteronormative ideal.
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Room 168
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Eric Kosta (Kathleen Brown-Perez),
Racist Opposition to Indian Casinos
This thesis will explore the financial effects of Indian Casinos on the local and state governments in which they operate. From colonial times until now,
the United States government and the indigenous people that inhabited what is now the United States of American have had a confusing legal and
territorial relationship. Because of this relationship, Indians have specific rights and unique disadvantages that other U.S. citizens do not have, including
the right for a tribe to operate a gambling facility. Although these rights stem from both the Indians’ inherent right to their original land, as well as
a history of bad faith from the United States federal government, many U.S. citizens do not approve of the fact that Indians are allowed to “greatly
profit” from businesses that they are not. Saying this, the purpose of this thesis is to trace the history and events that granted Indians these gaming
rights and illustrate the beneficial effects that Indian gaming has had in the northeastern U.S. More importantly, this thesis will explore the resistance
of local U.S. citizens to the idea of a casino in Middleboro, Massachusetts by the Wampanoag tribe. In analyzing their complaints in juxtaposition to
the financial and social benefits the casino will bring to Middleboro, this paper will prove that the root of this resistance is not about financial or safety
concerns, but about a modern prejudicial view towards Indians.
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Room 175
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Kayleigh Merritt (Regina Flynn),
My Name is Kayo and I am Under Construction: A Collection of Creative Nonfiction
In the first essay I turned in as a college student, I was asked to explain who I was. My response was that I had yet to figure that out for myself and thus
could only explain what I was, not who. The creative non-fiction, poetry and accompanying photography included in this collection serve as my method
of self-exploration. Borrowing from the original meaning of the word essais (attempts), these pieces are just that: final attempts at discovering who I am
before I enter a world larger than mine. They are memories of intimate experiences with the people and places that became ingredients in creating a
better sense of self, and that helped me to reach the understanding that the development of “who” is never really complete.
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54
Room 165
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Karen Miele (Glen Brewster),
“You Became Yourself:” A Study of the Search for an African American Identity in Gloria Naylor’s Mama Day and
Toni Morrison’s Beloved
This senior honors project explores the forces that construct the identities of the main women characters in Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Gloria Naylor’s
Mama Day. Unlike critics who argue that Sethe and Cocoa become strong, independent women without the help and guidance of others, this paper
shows that these women are able to find a more complete sense of their identities only when they are able to rely on others. This paper shows how
these novels focus on the search that characters make for an identity-as African Americans who will forever be linked to their heritage and culture,
as women, as wives and lovers, and as members of a community. A more fully defined sense of identity, these writers suggest, requires not only
knowledge about a culmination of past events as critic Angelyn Mitchell argues, but also connections to a community who cares about the individual
and the group as a whole, and relationships with others who serve as guiding figures in the search for a better understanding of one’s identity. These
writers suggest that although one’s identity may change over time, a woman can, with the help of others, gain the knowledge to find a sense of
identity by understanding her past and finding hope in the future.
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Room 163
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Brendon S Ellis
Danielle Warchol
Lily Cho
Francesco J Grisanzio
Jennifer Winter
Karyl A Michaud
Michelle Vigeant
Seth T Garrison
Samantha M Vick
John Baglione
Joseph Modugno (Alexander Phillips),
Department of English, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Lifelong Writing: Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction
A presentation and reading of the creative writing of the students of Commonwealth College’s Lifelong Writing Capstone Course. Readings will include
poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The genres and themes of the works to be read include fantasy, stream of consciousness, coming-of-age
personal narrative, post-modern realism, symbolic poetry, experimental verse, and memoir. Specifice stories are to range from the mythical journeys and
trials of a young wolf cub exiled from her home, to the gripping tale of an impassioned artist and recovering junkie, to a young college student troubled
to reconcile his religious upbringing with his darker passions and desires and the ways of the modern world around him. Students will present their
creative manuscripts and read from portions of them. The readings will ephaisze the stregth of the writing of the Lifelong writing students and will aim
to sythesize voice with text.
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56
Room 174
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Casey Roland (J.D. Scrimgeour),
Almost Found: An Exploration of Growing Up
With my project, a compilation of memoir, poetry and photography, I wanted to explore my life’s journey. My family, surroundings and relationships
have all had a hand in influences the choices I have made both in reaching my personal goals and the choices I have made in my personal life. As a
writer, it is important to get my stories down on paper because this act offers a certain validation and catharsis. I chose to convey my thoughts and
experiences through different meanings because I believe that writing and art go hand-in-hand and, when combined, make each other more powerful.
I will read excerpts from the four longer pieces included in my project (one long poem and three short essays), which are about my family and me, and
will project the corresponding images from each one of them.
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Room 175
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Jessica Torone (Glen Brewster),
Making the Musical
Through the Honors Program at Westfield State College, I wrote a full length musical titled “Guys Don’t Talk About Love.” The show explored the form
of a romantic comedy set in the 1950s with a cast of crazy couples and love gone wrong. I wrote the script, composed the music, and orchestrated the
score before the show was finally produced in November 2007 by the Musical Theater Guild at Westfield State College. It was Westfield State College’s
first original musical. In my presentation, I explain the beginnings of the project itself, the process of revision through production, and the things I
learned through the experience beyond theater.
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Room 175
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Lauren Tucker (Susan Kirtley),
Department of English, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
Becoming a Better Writer: An Identification and Assessment of the Needs of First-Year College Writing Students
Many faculty across the UMass Lowell campus state that our students “just can’t write,” but how is this happening? To answer this question, a
qualitative and quantitative survey was administered to a sample of students enrolled in English 101 or 102 to both explore the types of writing that
students do and highlight problematic areas that students encounter in their first-year courses. The survey also examines how teachers and tutors can
best assist students in the development of their writing skills. This project was designed as a collaboration between a faculty member and a student
to benefit the entire campus community-from our entering freshman to our tenured faculty. The survey results will illuminate for our dedicated writing
faculty and writing tutors what our first-year students are struggling with and how we can better serve them through both the Write Place tutoring
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center and in their first-year writing classes. This project ultimately seeks to increase student success by tailoring our composition pedagogy to the
students themselves.
English Literature
59
Room 172
3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Molly Johnson (Dr. Mark Sherf),
Department of English, North Shore Community College, Danvers, MA, 01923
Inclusion and Exclusion: Women in the Bible and the World
Many liturgies buttress a patriarchal hierarchy. For centuries the Bible has been used as an educational tool. I examine the removal of the Book of
Judith from the Old Testament as a strategy to protect patriarchal privilege. A strong-willed independent woman like Judith would not be viewed
by a male-dominated society as an acceptable role model. Later versions of the Bible include the Book of Judith, in both testaments, reflecting the
changing social structure. References are made to the Church’s ongoing prohibition of other works, illustrating the continued manipulation of liturgy
to teach conformity to patriarchal objectives. I have chosen to focus on the Book of Judith and other lliturgical examples to illustrate my conclusion that
patriarchy is taught by those who benefit most from its practice.
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Panel 5
Sarah Lopez Maddox (Elisabeth Duclos-Orsello),
Department of English Literature, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
World Peace Day Concert September 21st 2008
September 21st is the internationally recognized day of peace. Some cultures, including my native culture of the Canary Islands, celebrate this occasion,
while others remain unaware that the day holds any significance. I encountered such lack of awareness at Salem State College. For the last two years, I
have organized and hosted a small world peace day event with the Students of Salem for Peace Club. This year, I am taking on the challenge of a large
scale music festival hoping to attract not only Salem state College students, but people from the surrounding area. My hope is to inspire an annual
celebration of world peace day. The process will be documented through a video diary, including preparation and the event. Additionally, I will create a
written evaluation.
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Panel 5
Ashley Malouin (Aruna Krishnamurthy),
Department of English Literature, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
45
The Fairy Tale & Female Identity in A. S. Byatt’s Short Fiction
This thesis focuses on the work of A. S. Byatt’s short stories, their relationship to fairy tales, and readings of them in the context of fairy tales. The
stories examined include “Cold,” “A Stone Woman,” “The Thing in the Wood,” “Baglady,” “A Lamia in the Cevennes,” “The Glass Coffin,” and
“The Story of the Eldest Princess.” While Byatt’s work has often been explored, much of the attention has been given to her novel Possession; this
thesis furthers the discussion of her shorter works. As there are limited sources in the analysis of these works, the primary resource was the stories
themselves. In reading the texts, elements of the fairy tale, or wonder tale, could often be found. More specifically, Byatt’s work is an exploration of
female identity and the individual narratives are a reflection of that identity. In some cases, Byatt uses her writing to deconstruct the classic fairy tale, as
in “The Story of the Eldest Princess,” where the princess is aware of the fairy tale she is trapped in, and consciously decides to step away from it in order
to pursue her own identity. In others, such as “A Stone Woman” and “Cold,” the elements of wonder serve to show a woman’s mental and emotional
transformation and acceptance of identity in a physical manifestation.
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Panel 6
Elizabeth Tebeau (Glen Brewster),
David Copperfield: The Real Antagonists
In the novel David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens, the character of David shows development, but it is often stunted by the people around him.
Although many readers see the characters of Uriah Heep and James Steerforth as the villains of the novel, the true villains are in fact the women in
David’s life: his mother, Clara, and his first wife, Dora. Critics such as Barr, Carmichael, and Hager have responded to David’s development throughout
the novel: his road to becoming a man. My essay synthesizes these critical views with my own to argue that David’s maturation into a self-confident,
respectable young man is often retarded by the women around him, making these women the real antagonists in the novel David Copperfield.
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3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Sandra Ward (Lorretta Holloway),
Department of English Literature, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Charles Dickens and the Potential of Duty: Marriages in Bleak House, David Copperfield, Hard Times, and Our
Mutual Friend
In his novels, Charles Dickens portrays a wide range of marriages, with some succeeding and others failing. By exploring the marriages in four of
Dickens’s major novels, this paper studies how Dickens uses the Victorian ideals of marriage contemporary to his time to create a model for an ideal
marriage. While past literary criticism has discussed Dickens’s marriages in specific novels, these sources do not focus on a comprehensive image of
Dickens’s ideas concerning Victorian marriages. This paper uses these critics along with close reading to focus on solely Dickens’s suggested guidelines
for marriage. Through these two methods, this paper concludes that these novels depict the marital duties that Dickens argues against as well as the
duties he supports. Among these duties, Dickens uses the responsibility to save your spouse to illustrate the most powerful marital power, the ability to
give redemption.
46
64
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Panel 5
Thomas Naughton (Tim Parshall),
Department of Biology, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
Will Some Hemlock Stands Survive the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Massachusetts?
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is an invasive insect from Japan that threatens the health of hemlock stands in Massachusetts. In our
research we investigate the relationship between topography, temperature, and presence of the adelgid in the Westfield River Watershed. Research has
determined that high adelgid mortality may result from cold temperatures in winter. Although the predicted spread of the adelgid extends to all areas
of Massachusetts, it is unknown how abundant it will be on a local scale where cold temperatures in winter may be able to prevent it from infesting
particular hemlock stands. We addressed this by measuring temperatures at different elevations while documenting the distribution of the insect
throughout the watershed. We surveyed hemlock stands at eleven sites of differing elevation for presence of the adelgid. We also recorded hourly
temperature data over the 2007 and 2008 winter seasons in December through March using electronic loggers at different elevations, intentionally
selecting ridge and valley pairs to record temperature variation with respect to topography. These data were then compared with published research
on the effects of temperature on adelgid mortality to infer variation in adelgid survival on a local scale due to temperature differences created by
topography and elevation. Our findings indicate that topography and elevation may reduce temperatures enough to create local areas of higher adelgid
mortality. This data may be critical in management efforts as it helps predict where hemlock trees have a lesser chance of infestation in colder refuges,
and allow for targeted protection of stands in warmer, more susceptible locations.
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Panel 2
Christopher Jordan (Brenda McComb),
Department of Geography, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
A Participatory Mammalian Diversity Survey in the Patrocinio Reserve of Guatemala and Its Implications for
Management
This study is an attempt to encourage the continued growth of a privately owned, locally run reserve in Southern Guatemala, the Patrocinio Reserve,
through a participatory mammalian diversity survey. This will be done in the summer of 2008 through the use of basic tracking methods such as surveys
for scat and footprints, sooted-track plates and motion-sensor camera traps. These methods of tracking are widely accepted within the scientific
community, and when possible, will be employed in a manner that will reveal which areas of the reserve (agricultural, old-growth, reforested, etc.)
are preferred by the various mammal species (B.McComb pers. comm., Silveira, et. al. 2002, Sutherland 2006). The full participation of local farmers
and hunters will be encouraged throughout the survey process. The species list compiled, combined with the data from previous biodiversity studies
in Guatemalan agricultural lands (SEE: Greenberg et. al. 1997) as well as previous studies within the Patrocinio Reserve (SEE: Acevedo, et. al. 2002),
will help direct future management and suggest how to foster higher biological diversity and higher mammal visibility within the reserve. Experience
with locals and information gathered concerning cultural significance and local awareness and understanding of mammal species might modify and/or
reinforce management suggestions and options.
47
Geography
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Panel 2
Emily A Leveille
Gregory Vernon (Carsten Braun),
Department of Geography, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
Transfer of Development Rights: A Solution to Sprawl
Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) is a growth management tool used to combat sprawl. Massachusetts has developed a plan to extend the
commuter rail service in southeastern Massachusetts, from Boston to Fall River and New Bedford. Expanding the commuter rail service will encourage
residential development in southeastern Massachusetts but the state does not want to “fund sprawl” so it is looking at TDR as a way to direct growth
to suitable locations. Massachusetts is taking a regional approach to the situation. We are working alongside the Southeastern Regional Planning
Economic and Development District (SRPEDD) to research and understand the ins and outs of TDR. The methodology of our research is to examine
case studies of similar circumstances to determine what worked, what did not work, and how the TDR growth management tool was applied. Our
research is on-going and will be completed on May 1, 2008. Once finished, our research will produce the following: (a) what makes a TDR program
work, (b) explanation of four specific case studies and what made their applications of TDR successful, and (c) how TDR can be applied to two specific
southeastern Massachusetts communities. When the project is completed we will make our recommendations to SPREDD on how to design an effective
approach to create a successful TDR program for southeastern Massachusetts.
History
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10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Lenz Bayas (Kathleen Brown-Perez),
Pre-Colombian Hispaniola: The Taino Indian Culture in Haiti
Violence against Indigenous people has been rampant throughout civilization, from the invasion of the Americas to the overtaking of Hawaii and
Alaska. This thesis seeks to uncover the history of a quiet, peaceful people who were invaded by Spanish colonizers on the island now known as Haiti.
The influx of African slaves whom they eventually brought with them created a dynamic that would breed a revolution and the development of what
is now one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. The Arawak Indians of Haiti experienced a genocide that left them all but extinct,
now residing mostly in the area of South America. The Taino Indian culture and the interaction of the African slaves influenced a new national identity
of Haitian people. We will look into this Indian culture and extract what circumstances led to the invasion and conquest of the indigenous people of
the island. To fully realize the amount of damage that the arrival of Spanish invaders created, it is important to get a sense of what the Arawak Indian
culture was like prior to their arrival, how the interactions between the Spanish invaders, the indigenous peoples, and the African slaves were fostered,
and how the Arawak Indian culture influenced African slaves to the creation of a new national identity.
48
68
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1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Kathryn Danckert (Ruth Miller),
Department of History, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Vindicating the Wretched: The Theories of Mary Wollstonecraft and Frantz Fanon in Comparative Perspective
Mary Wollstonecraft and Frantz Fanon are theorists whose times of writing and subjects of discussion are markedly different: Wollstonecraft’s lateeighteenth-century writings focus on how to improve the place women in society, while Fanon’s mid-twentieth-century writings focus on how
to overthrow oppressive colonial structures and attitudes for black colonial subjects. Because of these differences, most people find no reason to
examine their works in light of each other. But upon comparing the works of the two, one finds that there are many themes they share and that
their works complement and reinforce each other in meaningful ways. Wollstonecraft and Fanon share similar definitions of humanity and utilize the
same rhetorical language in their texts, and as a result they similarly conceptualize violence and coercion. Notions of human existence and violence
are rooted in a common emphasis on mind/body relationships, with both authors recognizing the existence of property in the body and the tensions
between ideologies of individualism and universality. And since both are advocates for large-scale change, they both recognize the power of education
in effecting this change-education that supports a very constructed sense of morality. This paper examines the relationship between the theories
of Wollstonecraft and Fanon by closely analyzing the major writings of each, discussing contextual texts of authors dealing with similar ideas, and
interacting with contemporary analyses of both theorists. This comparison allows for Wollstonecraft and Fanon to be understood outside of the rigid
categories of gender-and race-based analyses that they are often placed within, and it illustrates the unique intersections of studies in feminism and
postcolonialism.
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Panel 3
Erin Flynn (Donna Seger),
Department of History, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
Queens in a Foreign Land: An investigation of the Reception and Use of French Queens of England
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, Anglo-French relations both increased and changed drastically. For the majority of this time, one monarch
controlled both England and Normandy. This intermingling of the two led to a long line of French Queens, ruling as the Queens of England. The image
and reception of these “foreign” queens, as well as the uses of these queens to create the image of the ideal Queen as a native-born Anglo woman,
will serve as the focus for my thesis. The queens at the center of my thesis are Eleanor of Provence, who ruled as Henry III’s Queen Consort from 12361272, Isabella of France who ruled as Edward II’s Queen Consort from 1308-1330, and Margaret of Anjou, who reigned as Henry VI’s Queen Consort
from 1445-1471. My argument uses these three queens as a microcosm for larger developments within England. My preliminary findings suggest that
one can trace the growing sense of a national “English” identity in the contemporary histories of the three queens.
70
Room 162
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Sarah Varnerin (Chad Montrie),
Department of History, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
49
Lowell Visiting Nurse’s Association: From the Beginning and Forward
The Visiting Nurse’s Association of Lowell, Massachusetts will be celebrating 100 years of public health service in the upcoming year. When it was
known as the Lowell Guild with a staff of just two nurses, the association faced many challenges, including questions of reliable funding, a call for
expansion, the necessity to incorporate offers of education for its nurses, divided support from the city’s hospitals, and struggles to find available
equipment. The Lowell VNA not only held the responsibility of serving the city of Lowell, but also its surrounding cities. Over time, the VNA has
contributed to public health in numerous ways such as providing Mothers’ Clinics, decreasing child mortality through family education, and, ultimately,
serving patients within the care of their own homes. The VNA proved itself by stepping up during crises in public health such as the milk sanitation
crisis, the 1936 Merrimack Flood, and the new reimbursement policy implemented by Medicare to all home-care programs in the 1980s. They have
consistently responded to terminal and chronic illnesses including, but not limited to, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. My presentation of the VNA’s
tenacity and endurance is based on original research from the Mogan Center in Lowell, MA, as well as several documents from the Lowell City Papers,
the Lowell Sun newspaper, Committee meeting minutes, Annual Reports documents, Board of Health Reports for the City of Lowell, and oral history
interviews with present and ex staff members.
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Panel 1
Michael Verney (Heather Richardson),
Department of History, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
David Porter and the Essex in the War of 1812
Faced with the nearly nine-hundred British warships in the War of 1812, the American Navy divided its twenty-three ships into squadrons of three,
raised privateers from peacetime vessels, and employed guerilla tactics to try to even the odds. But Commodore David Porter carried American strategy
even further: rounding Cape Horn in February of 1813, he would bring the war into the Pacific and nearly destroy its British whale fishery. Porter’s
exploits and the exploits of his crew aboard the frigate the Essex would serve as models of courage and service to one’s country for generations of
Americans; Porter would be one of the first United States representatives to open relations with the budding nation of Chile, would write one of the
earliest chapters of American Imperialism in the Pacific, and he would arguably inflict such a wound upon the British whale fishery in the Pacific at it
would bleed itself out of the great ocean altogether, setting the stage for America’s “Golden Age of Whaling” and famed “Moby Dick.” But in the end,
hunted and outgunned, Porter and his crew would experience the real meaning of sacrifice. Using primary and secondary sources, the paper revisits the
fascinating story of the “Hero of the Pacific” and the cruise of the Essex in the War of 1812, a story that both captured the spirit of the era and left a
deep impression upon the minds of 19th century Americans, only to be largely forgotten in the last.
Industrial Engineering
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Caitlin Bogdan (Jenna Marquard),
Department of Industrial Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Conflict Minimization in Disaster Relief IT Solutions
50
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
The Sahana database system is an IT solution to disaster relief coordination that resulted from the 2004 Tsunami. Prior to this, international relief efforts
were bogged down by a lack of communication and coordination between the many autonomous organizations. Sahana relies on a series of Webbased pluggable interfaces to collect information from the ground and relay it to relief organizations. Currently the database that matches requests with
organizations does not account for any more criteria than skills and resources. Often, in order to best fit organizations with a task, regional, religious
and ethnic conflicts would need to be taken into account. In order to improve the program in this area, occurrences of conflict will be identified through
research into problems that have risen from previous disasters. Once areas of conflict are identified, a survey will be prepared that will be given to
organizations as well as at the site of the relief request. An algorithm will be generated to rank both the conflict and its severity and give a match based
on the results. Tests will be done by creating a mock version in MATLAB and running several organizations and scenarios through it. This will test the
effectiveness of its ability to match organizations with low conflict tasks.
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10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Alycia R Barney
Kathleen J Lynch
Sarah B Clement
Kristin Gajda (Jacqueline Brennan),
Department of Occupational Therapy, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA, 01602
An Exploration of Healthcare Settings in Nicaragua to Assess the Need for Occupational Therapy Services
Background: This international service learning project required a trip to Nicaragua with an occupational therapy professor, a physical therapist, and
4 students. This was a pilot visit to determine the need for occupational therapy services in Nicaragua, specifically Managua and the capital region.
Another goal was to form connections and alliances that would lay the foundation for continuing international experiences, thus enhancing the quality
of our school’s occupational therapy program in relation to cultural competence. The majority (70%) of families in Nicaragua live below the poverty
line, which in itself provides a context lacking basic health care services. In addition, there are many pathologies caused by environmental hazards and
lack of proper nutrition such as: growth and developmental disorders in children, diabetes, burns, amputations, and respiratory disorders to name a
few. Results: We observed a variety of settings during our trip including a private ‘state of the art’ pediatric burn clinic, an adult rehabilitation hospital,
a school for children with physical and learning disabilities, an orphanage for developmentally delayed children, and the Managua city dump where
1,500 people live and work. Although the Nicaraguan government recently socialized health care and health care services are free in public facilities,
financial resources for these facilities are extremely limited and there is a dearth of accessible health care sites particularly in regions remote to the
urban environment. The ‘average’ citizen must travel for hours by bus, foot and/or horseback to obtain care. We were impressed that many of the
private facilities we visited provided food and housing services to the patients and their families who travel long distances to get to the sites. Although
there had been an occupational therapy program housed by the state university in the recent past, economic constraints forced its closure. A physical
therapy program does exist, but its curriculum is limited and does not address client needs for which occupational therapy is better suited. Conclusions:
The need for occupational therapy services is great and aligns with the established medical paradigm in Nicaragua which also espouses a holistic view
of patient care. Several sites were receptive to our visits and are interested in a continuing collaborative relationship to address unmet needs. There will
be several challenges to additional work in Nicaragua by the WSC occupational therapy program faculty and students. These include but are not limited
to: lack of established occupational therapy education within the country, lack of occupational therapists with delineated roles, economic and cultural
barriers, as well as infrastructure deficits.
51
Japanese
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1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Dustin Cooper (Doris Bargen),
Department of Japanese, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Children and Sacrifice in Japanese Literature and History
While the discussion of voluntary death in Japanese history is usually focused almost entirely on samurai, there are countless examples in literature and
history of non-samurai figures who knowingly put themselves in situations that lead to their deaths. What is particularly surprising is the amount of
children who sacrifice themselves in such a way. To explore the meanings of such cases, this paper will compare Noh plays, the historical fiction of Mori
Ogai, and reports of the historical figure Amakusa Shiro. In particular, this paper will try to find what exactly is so appealing about such young figures
sacrificing everything so early in there lives is to the Japanese people who transmitted and wrote their stories and what ideals were transmitted through
them. With the case of Amakusa Shiro, there will be additional discussion on his role as a propaganda figure versus what we know about the actual boy
behind the legend, trying to find out whether he was truly an embodiment of the ideal that is brought about by stories of the self sacrifice of children
or whether he was merely dragged along with a revolution he really had no control over as a figurehead who may not have really had any idea that this
would lead to his death. Through the exploration of such cases, I hope to clarify the ideals of the Japanese concerning death and sacrifice outside of
just those of the samurai that are usually studied.
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Panel 3
Andrew Otsuka (Doris Bargen),
The Right to Sacrifice: A Matter of Privilege?
Throughout the history of Japan, warriors and non-warriors have greatlyã€€influenced each other. The actions and sacrifices made by members of
these different segments of society at dramatic points in time and the reactions they receive reflect a difference in class culture that is occasionally
bridged. I intend to show that there exists such a relationship between warriors and non-warriors which maintains a reserved distance while accepting
influences collectively, and that this relationship is often illuminated in incidents of sacrifice. In the “honor culture” created by the warrior class,
sacrifices were often intended to maintain the warrior’s self through the ethic formulated by an honor culture. One would expect that the sacrifices
of non-warriors would not be dictated by the scripts of the dominant warrior class but by their own prescribed ethical values. Can this expectation be
proven to be true? Was sacrifice looked upon (or simply not looked upon) differently by non-warriors? The Hagakure (1716) encouraged the warrior to
choose death without fear. Commoners, however, did not have the privilege of settling conflict through self-sacrifice or dying for a principle. I expect
individual case studies to show that non-warrior actions often received a reaction which indicated that the warrior class regarded their actions as
rebellious and illegal, at any rate unnecessary, conduct. Mori Ogai’s historical fiction dramatizes the contrast between samurai choosing to end their
lives for one set of reasons and non-warriors offering themselves, to the surprise of others, as a great sacrifice.. Mizoguchi’s (1954) film, based on Ogai’s
story, “Sansho the Steward” (1915), suggests that people are not likely to feel sympathy for their fellow human beings unless they themselves are in
danger. Were the sacrifices of non-warriors less likely to receive the kind of sympathy and appreciation warriors could count on? What was the nature
of the relationship between these two segments of society?
52
76
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1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Jessica Wheeler (Doris Bargen),
Women Martyrs in Japanese Literature
Jessica Wheeler University of Massachusetts Amherst 3rd year student of Japanese Language and Literature Women Martyrs in Japanese Literature The
purpose of this study is to explore the reasons why women characters in Japanese literature, will sacrifice themselves as martyrs, and why their reasons
for doing so may be different from their male counterparts. As primary sources, I plan to examine the works of Mori Ogai, mainly Sansho the steward,
The vendetta at Gonjiingahara, The last phrase, and a Noh play titled Ikeniye. My purpose is to compare the reasons why men and women martyr
themselves, what incites the willingness to die for their ideologies, and how they differ for men and women. Firstly I will discuss how and why women
sacrifice themselves for religious purposes and how their reasons are similar and yet significantly different from men. Secondly I would like to explore
the hypothesis that women become martyrs themselves not only for their ideologies, but as a statement of rebellion against gender differences, as they
sometimes only have power over their life. That by giving the one thing that really is their own, their life, is one of the few acts of empowerment that
a woman could experience during Ogai’s time. Finally I will explore the theory that women martyrs accept their deaths more readily than their male
counterparts, and that their motivation lies not only in their beliefs but also in their desire to protect their families, for instance Anju and her brother
Zushio.
Journalism
77
Room 168
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Meghan Murphy (Kathleen Brown-Perez),
HIV/AIDS in American Indian Women
Only 1 percent of HIV cases citizens have reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are identified as American Indian or Alaska
Native. However, when the number of diagnoses is compared with the total population of American Indians in the country, it becomes clear that the
disease is rapidly becoming an epidemic - they have the third-highest number of cases per person of other minority ethnic groups in the country. Also,
underreporting may cause a flawed estimate of how widespread HIV is within American Indian communities. The way in which AIDS affects women
specifically is often ignored, as AIDS was primarily associated with gay men for a long time. Coverage and research of AIDS often focus the blame of
infection on individual behaviors, such as unprotected sex and drug use. This paper explores the risk factors associated with HIV contraction among
American Indian women not only on an individual level, but on community and societal levels as well. Community-level risk factors include tribal
beliefs and religion, community education, and alienating stigmas that may discourage reporting or safe practices about AIDS. Governmental-level
risk factors include intrinsic societal attitudes, mistrust stemming from structural violence, and healthcare policy. The paper also specifies the ways in
which American Indian women may be even more at risk of HIV contraction than their male counterparts because of factors such as domestic abuse,
biological susceptibility, and societal beliefs. The research was based on book and scholarly journal article sources on AIDS and American Indian
reservations.
53
78
Room 172
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Allison Reitz (Robert Darst),
The Visual Rhetoric of Photojournalism and the Editor’s Decision
In university journalism, photographs are often used as supplementary material to the newspaper’s copy. Student editors focus heavily on perfecting
the written content’s rhetoric (audience, tone and objectivity), while accompanying images become an afterthought: nothing more than a design
device to balance what would otherwise be a text-heavy page. However, without understanding the implied meaning in an image (intended or not),
an editor cannot have full control over the message they send or their audience’s understanding of that message. In short, an editorial staff must
understand not only the impact of words, but also an image’s visual rhetoric in order to maintain a consistent message. This paper explores the
language of photographs through an examination of rhetorical theory and visual rhetoric in an attempt to understand the implications surrounding
photograph choice: both positive and negative. It specifically analyzes the photographic decisions made at UMass Dartmouth’s student-run newspaper,
The Torch, in which the editors supply and choose many of the published photographs. Interpretations applied to an image stem not only from an
accompanying cutline or article (intended meaning), but also from visual preconceptions (implicit meaning). With this understanding, one finds that
university publications often err on the side of superficiality in photography or send conflicting visual and contextual messages. However, with a
thorough comprehension of both the written and visual content, an editor can choose an image that strikes a balance between the superficial and the
impenetrable.
Legal Studies
79
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10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Jennifer McDonald (Kathleen Brown-Perez),
Can They Suffer? An Evaluation of Anti-Animal Cruelty Laws in the United States
The United States federal government allows individual states to determine the majority of the laws regarding animals residing in their state. Given
that states do not hold authority over tribal law, it is necessary to evaluate tribal domestic animal law when assessing trends of animal law across the
country. The Animal Welfare Act is the primary federal law regarding animals that both states and Indian tribes are required to follow and is poorly
enforced by federal officials. Public Law 280 gives criminal jurisdiction over Indian tribes to six states, resulting in each of these states’ animal laws
being applicable on those Indian tribes within its external borders. Ten other states each have varying degrees of applicability of their animal laws over
varying tribes within their external boundaries. In the remaining states, tribes determine their own animal law; some have been found to be rather
progressive in comparison to their state counterparts. State domestic animal law is evaluated as well, to serve as a comparison to tribal animal law, as
well as to allow for an understanding of domestic animal law throughout the entire United States. The implications of these laws on animals and society
is discussed, involving topics such as animal cognition and the connection between committing animal cruelty and violent crimes against humans.
Research methodology included consulting both primary source journals and current law. In order for anti-animal cruelty laws to be fully effective, it is
necessary that there is more consistency among these laws throughout the country.
54
Literature
80
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3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Sarah Cacicio (Reyes Coll-Tellechea),
Department of Spanish, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
The Return of Republican Memory?
“Memories” of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the post-war dictatorship (1939-75) have recently manifested in several modern art forms, such as
the reappearance of thousands of photographs by Robert Capa, the international success of films like Pan’s Labyrinth, and most importantly, the demand
for historical fiction in Spain related to the civil war. But why Spain? Why memory? Why now? The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which
three contemporary Spanish novels present the “memory” of the Spanish Civil War and the post-war dictatorship: Soldados de Salamina 2004, La mitad
del alma 2004, and La voz dormida 2002. This work analyzes the use of literary tools such as narrative, plot, characterization, and the participation of
the reader in exploring how these novels deal with the immense task of creating a ‘historical’ or ‘collective’ memory. The thesis also aims to reveal some
of the more troubling aspects of constructing a ‘social memory’ through the following questions: How does one represent a memory that one didn’t
experience? How might reinterpretations of the past be manipulated? Moreover, is it possible to tell the history of a nation? The work also addresses
the current socio-political context of Spain, specifically the political impunity of those who participated in the “transition” to democracy, resulting in
restrictive access to archives among other historical sources and failure to acknowledge or grant reparations to the victims of Francoist repression.
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3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Thomas Gulino (Kim Wolfson),
“Our Humble Rebellion:” Human and Civil Rights in Pakistani Poetry
As the book titled PAKISTAN, by Mumtaz, Mitha and Tahira, claims: “Every Pakistani is a poet.” This bold statement gives insight into the fact that the
country of Pakistan has developed an intensely prolific poetic tradition. Furthermore, modern Pakistani poets are often considered leaders in the struggle
against social injustice. In this light, the research presented here seeks to explain the specifics of how three poets-Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Kishwar Naheed
and Hima Raza-approach such matters as government surveillance and privacy infringement, the abuse of power by a long-standing monarchy, and the
oppression of women. Supplementing the work of the poets themselves, such sources as Pakistani newspapers, the Journal of Commonwealth Literature
and the BBC international website confirm that the poets of Pakistan have made themselves indispensable in the realm of civil activism. They have done
this through the use of biting and often disturbing imagery, direct appeal to their readers’ identities and the echoing of broader, worldwide concerns.
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Panel 4
Lubov Kogan (Robert Dow),
Commonwealth College, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
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The Dehumanization of Bureaucracy and the Individual Necessity for Escape
This paper will focus on the dehumanizing consequences of the bureaucratic process, and the necessity to seek mental individual growth through
societal isolation. Focusing on sociologist, Max Weber’s definition that the more bureaucracy develops the more completely it succeeds in eliminating
from official business: love, hatred, and all purely personal, irrational, and emotional elements which escape calculation, this paper will show the
bureaucratic dehumanization of U.S society as evidenced through literature. Illustrating the independent necessity to escape the rigidity of bureaucracy,
this paper will draw on the textual works of: Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, Joseph Heller, Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and Christopher
McCandless. By studying the different means of escape presented by each author, along with the resulting benefits and consequences, this paper will explain both
the mental liberation achieved through isolation, as well as the current jaded pessimism surrounding social change. In an age discovering the consequences of
industrialization, globalization, and unsustainable living, promoting individual growth, and reflection may be the key to a more peaceful future.
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Panel 1
Bronwyn McNulty (Luke Salisbury),
Department of English, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA, 02129
Quelle heure est-il?
Memories have been summarized in literature for centuries. In Marcel Proust’s novel “Swann’s Way”, simple tasks ignite memories that appear to
extend the normal perceived boundaries of the fourth dimension, time. Proust’s writing has been analyzed by various scholars and authors since this
work was published in 1913. By delving into analyses by Julia Kristeva, Milton Hindus, Jonah Lehrer, Samuel Beckett and others, an understanding of
Proust and his portrayal of memory is revealed. Proust’s ability to write and illustrate what his narrator Marcel remembers, in elaborately descriptive
ways, shows the reader how Marcel’s sense of time and how he lives his life are altered. Proust influenced literature with his writing and allows his
readers to rethink how time and memory can lead to confabulation of self.
Management
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Panel 2
Thomas Lincoln (karen Druffel),
Department of Management, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Business and Information Technology Major (BITM) Student Handbook
The objective of this project is to create a Business and Information Technology major (BITM) Student Handbook that can be easily accessible on the
web, which will promote the Business and Information Technology major at Framingham State College. The handbook will be marketed to new and
current students who have an interest in IT but don’t want a programming track, as well as employers. The handbook will give students and employers
a detailed outline of the program, such as course descriptions, faculty listing, and job/career outlook. The research for this project will be accomplished
by contacting current and former student, employers, and similar programs from other colleges. After the initial research is conducted we will be able to
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produce a formal document that can be formatted for online use. The final document will give the end users a detailed description of the BITM program
and provide a way for one stop enrollment at Framingham State College.
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2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Laura Manley (William Diamond),
Department of Marketing, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
What Makes Non-Profit Organizations Successful?
What makes non-profit organizations successful? Over the course of the year, I have studied this topic by researching seven different organizations from
the Jimmy Fund to UNICEF. By interviewing the CEOs, directors, and presidents of these organizations, I gained an inside look at the official workings
of successful non-profits. Conclusively, I have realized that success is a term that can be analyzed both subjectively and objectively. As a management
major, I have been taught to use growth rates and profits as the predominant criterion for success. However, in review of non-profits it has become
apparent that success is a subjective term regarding factors of perception and approach as well as the bottom line. By conducting a detailed SWOT
analysis for each organization, I identified the techniques used for achieving success on multiple levels. Factors such as public appeal, reputation,
mission statement, and strategic planning are essential to developing or maintaining a successful non-profit organization.
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10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Ari Sliffman (Todd Crosset),
Department of Sport Management, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Major League Baseball Teams are Business Brands: Do Superstars make them Stronger?
This research is to provide an understanding of why professional baseball teams should be considered brands similar to business models outside of the
sports world and how superstar players create a stronger franchise brand along with a more successful business. Branding is a relatively new concept
for sports organizations. Many studies have been published on how superstars affect the success of a team, but not how they affect the business
side. Research was gathered through interviews of various baseball executives as well as published literary contexts online and in print. It can be
concluded that the acquisition of high-profile ballplayers does create a stronger brand, but does not directly affect the success of the business side.
Accomplishments of the team have direct consequences on the corporation. While superstars are part of the team, they make positive contributions
only when the entire team performs well, regardless of individual player performance. The research results are important to sport entities because
professional sport franchises need to know they must perform branding and strive for stronger brand recognition. The research also provides
benchmarks for how to best utilize high-profile players in the business sector.
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2:15-3:00
Panel 4
57
Robin Clapper (Alla Kucher),
Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Mass College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA, 01247
Finding a Unique “Non-Distorting” Transformation Between a Second-Order Linear Differential Equation and an
Equivalent System
When doing a mathematical problem, one can work backwards to check one’s work. While converting a system of two first-order linear differential
equations into a second-order differential equation and then doing it backward, it was found that the system was another expression in comparison to
the original one. This poses a question: is it an error, or is it the property of those transformations used for conversions? A couple of examples worked
both forwards and backwards showed that it depends upon the transformation used. In this paper a general transformation between second-order
linear differential equations and corresponding systems of first-order differential equations have been constructed. The coefficients of that unique
general transformation have been determined. That construction proves the uniqueness and the “restoring” property of the transformation. As a
future plan, we will see if similar methods could be applied to produce general transformations with the “restoring” property for higher order nonlinear
differential equations.
Music
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Nelson Canseco (Janet Polvino),
Room 172
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Department of Music, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA, 01040
Modal Counterpoint: A Practical Illustration
Modal Counterpoint: A Practical Demonstration Modal counterpoint is an extensive and very complex subject. Throughout history, theorists have
attempted to formulate a systematic way of teaching modal counterpoint. Many of these approaches have been successful, while many others have
failed. As a result, counterpoint is often taught as an abstract academic discipline, cursed by arbitrary rules and endless exercises that resemble anything
but music. Thus, in this paper, I have attempted to illustrate basic contrapuntal technique and its application, using a practical approach. In order to
do so, I have composed a short two-part motet and I have explained thoroughly each stage in the process. My research helped me understand why
many consider counterpoint to be a useless scholastic discipline. I believe this prejudice exists because, very often, counterpoint’s relevance to music is
not demonstrated convincingly. The so-called “rules” are to be understood as guidelines for stylistic writing. Thus, they should reflect actual musical
practice. My composition demonstrates how compositional skill and aesthetic beauty of music can rightly co-exist. In fact, this is true for most music
that is still performed and enjoyed, regardless of when it was composed.
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Daniel Goldthwaite (Janet Polvino),
Carlo Gesualdo: An Analysis of his Compositional Style
58
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Throughout music’s rich history, composers have reflected the era and the culture in which they lived. However, many of the composers who are
historically important in the development of music are often considered to be ahead of their time. These composers pushed common practices of music
into a new age and developed new styles along the way. Few composers were quite as progressive as Carlo Gesualdo of the late sixteenth century.
Gesualdo’s use of chromatic passages and abrupt modulations would not be used as extensively until the nineteenth century. I examined and analyzed
Carlo Gesualdo’s works to find techniques most often used throughout his incredible career. I have collected audio samples as well as examples from
his pieces that illustrate his unique style. Through these samples it became clear that Gesualdo was unlike any composers of his time. The compositional
methods he used in his madrigals would not be seen again for nearly three hundred years. Gesualdo has gained notoriety for his private life, but his
music deserves equal attention. He is an undervalued composer whose work deserves a second look.
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3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Javier Marquez (Elisabeth Duclos-Orsello),
Department of Music, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
Piano Recital / Original Composition
For my honors project, I will be presenting both a piano recital and the performance of an original composition. A well balanced piano recital should
contain works representing the diverse western European musical periods. The main focus is usually on music written after the invention of the piano
in the eighteenth century, but earlier keyboard music has also become standard piano literature. In this recital, I will perform works from the Baroque,
Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic and Modern periods, each piece demonstrating its particular tonal language and technical problems. The original
composition will be a cantata for tenor voice, piano, and brass quartet written using some compositional techniques from the 20th century. I have
selected the text from one of the earliest translations of the Bible into a western language, the Vulgata Latina. Latin is a convenient language to sing
in because of its pure vowels, and its words bring a certain solemnity to the music. The piece will be a theme and variations based on a French melody
from around the 13th or 14th century. The final product of the project will be a score of the composition and both a DVD and CD recording of the
event.
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Panel 5
Thomas Perrault (Janet Polvino),
Cryptography and Numerology in Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’
Cryptography and Numerology in Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’ To the layman, looking at a piece of sheet music is like looking at
hieroglyphics. What if there was more concealed behind those black notes? Messages hidden in “plain sight” yet concealed within the music itself.
Through this independent study I explore hidden communication in music by examining Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Using the
methods of cryptography and numerology, I was able to find more than just coincidental patterns and numbers repeatedly appearing throughout
these works. My research about hidden communication suggests Bach may have concealed things in the Goldberg Variations such as messages, the
names of friends and other composers, and even his own name just to puzzle fellow composers and musicologists, or perhaps purely to amuse himself.
Ultimately, the reasoning behind Bach’s methods of composing will remain a mystery, but studying what he has hidden in his music helps me as a
59
performer and a student, and increases my appreciation for the difficult work of composing.
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Panel 5
William Savola III (Janet Polvino),
Beneath The Surface: Giovanni Gabrieli’s “In Ecclesis” and Hidden Religious Symbolism
Beneath the Surface: Giovanni Gabrieli’s “In Ecclesis” and hidden religious symbolism Giovanni Gabrieli was a 15th century composer employed by
the church to compose and conduct. This project explored the possibility that Gabrieli may have used numerology to signify religious icons within his
work. Cleverly woven musical patterns and numbers may hide secrets that can be unlocked and explored. Using a basic knowledge of numbers which
are significant within the Christian church, my study explored the idea that this kind of embedding is indeed what Gabrieli may have intended to do.
Pictures of the Trinity, man’s redemption after the Garden of Eden, and Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary seem to be portrayed in what is considered to be
Gabrieli’s masterpiece “In Ecclesis.” These numeric “pictures” are almost invisible to the untrained eye. Even though it is speculation, there are striking
parallels that seem to point to the idea that it was Gabrieli’s intent to portray religion not only in his vocal text but also in his musical accompaniment
score.
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Panel 6
Amanda Woolley (Ben Smar),
Department of Music, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Recruiting in the Secondary Urban Music Instrumental Ensemble: Strategies and Intervening Factors
60
Effective recruiting practices are an integral part of sustaining instrumental programs in public schools. With declining student interest in band programs
throughout the nation, enrollment continues to be a concern for urban high school music educators. To combat this trend, it is essential for band directors
to be aware of recruiting strategies that will capture students’ interest. The scholarly literature contains a wealth of information addressing recruitment
strategies used by music educators at the elementary level and confirming the importance of recruiting in developing and maintaining a successful
band program. In addition, the literature discusses various factors that affect recruiting (socioeconomic status, location, administrative support, parental
support, existence of a feeder program, student attitudes, teacher influence, quality and type of program, time, costs of participation, and student age).
Unfortunately, there is currently no literature addressing recruiting methods that are effective for urban high school instrumental programs. The purpose
of this study was to determine recruiting techniques utilized by urban high school band directors and to examine the extent to which factors that are
related to recruiting affect those techniques. To achieve this purpose, data was collected through a case study model. Band directors from an urban
New England school district were asked to participate. The methods that were used to gather data were both quantitative and qualitative. An initial
questionnaire was distributed and was followed up by interviews to expand upon responses from the questionnaire and maximize the richness of the data.
Interview questions were determined following analysis of the questionnaire. The data collected from the questionnaire was examined to expose themes
and identify the extent to which key factors impact strategies used to recruit in urban settings. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative
data, which were reported in aggregate form, and qualitative data was examined for trends. Follow-up interviews were conducted in person and were
tape recorded with notes taken throughout. When reporting the data, the individuals’ identities were protected through the use of pseudonyms. Data
from the interviews was transcribed and analyzed for common themes and a framework with which to conduct further research. The data revealed the
participants’ perceptions of factors related to recruiting as well as the recruiting strategies they utilize within their instrumental programs. The presence
of common themes in the data led to the development of a new framework for examining instrumental recruiting in urban settings at the secondary
level. This framework consists of five core factors that affect recruiting: (a) students, (b) program, (c) teacher, (d) parents, (e) other factors (i.e. collegial &
administrative support, No Child Left Behind, community, and funding). The results indicate that the participants found students to be the primary factor
from the framework that affects recruiting, including variables such as student diversity, beliefs and values, perceptions of the teacher and program, as
well as strategies aimed at reaching out to students. The results also indicated that the participants utilized a wide variety of traditional recruiting strategies
presented in the current literature on recruiting, as well as non-traditional methods designed to meet the unique needs of their context and students.
Although generalizations cannot be made about the perceptions and experiences of all secondary urban band directors, the framework developed from
these findings may serve as a foundation for future research examining recruiting practices in urban instrumental ensembles.
Nursing
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Panel 3
Danielle Alderman (Cheryl Reilly ),
Department of Nursing, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Persons Experiencing Homelessness and the Nurses Who Care for Them
The homeless are more vulnerable to health problems and reduced access to health care services than the housed population. Acute illnesses commonly
afflicting homeless people are respiratory infections, trauma, and skin ailments. Chronic physical conditions include gastrointestinal problems,
neurological disorders, arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). Communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS
occur at much higher rates among the homeless. At the same time, there are many barriers to receiving health care such as a lack of health insurance,
lack of transportation, a focus on immediate survival priorities, difficulty keeping and storing medications, attitudes of health providers, as well as a
lack of trust of providers. Healthcare for the Homeless nurses are in a unique position to overcome many of these barriers to care by providing readily
accessible care by meeting patients where they are. This phenomenological study aims to capture the experiences of Healthcare for the Homeless
nurses as they provide care to the homeless population. The use of participant observations, nurse interviews, and questionnaires administered to
persons experiencing homelessness demonstrate the many ways in which nurses are meeting the healthcare needs of homeless individuals. The study
also gains insight into the perceived healthcare needs of the homeless by capturing ways they access healthcare as well as gauge their satisfaction with
the healthcare services they receive. Emergent themes extracted from qualitative data reveal the complexity of the nurses’ role in meeting the unique
needs of the homeless population.
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Panel 4
Andrea N Catalina
Arlene S Pimentel
Lauren L Doscher
Philip Benevides (Mary Anne Bright),
61
A Clinical Evaluation of Therapeutic Touch
Therapeutic Touch, an innovative healing method, is used alternatively to or in conjunction with conventional medical therapies to manage pain,
promote healing, and calm patients. As an emerging modality noted to promote the body’s ability to heal itself, Therapeutic Touch focuses on the
subtle energy in the electromagnetic field of the physical body. This technique relies on the centered state of the healer as well as a clear intention
to establish the patients’ wholeness and stability. To explore the validity of this healing method Commonwealth College offers Energy Healing and
Therapeutic Touch as a two semester Capstone Experience with the main objective of learning the clinical applications of the method. The first
semester involved intense practice, research, and a literature review of current information on the topic. The second semester involves a clinical project
wherein students are required to administer Therapeutic Touch to their designated volunteers and document their experiences. A combination of 24
volunteering senior citizens from Bangs Community Center and residents from Hospice of the Fischer Home will constitute the sample. Each volunteer
will undergo six, 15-30 minute sessions throughout the semester. Feedback will be collected through preliminary assessments of well-being described
by the volunteers, the practitioner’s evaluation of the energy field pre and post session, as well as volunteers’ experiences before and after receiving
Therapeutic Touch. The collection, evaluation and analysis of the data, which is currently in progress, will be made available during a panel presentation
at the 14th Annual Massachusetts Statewide Undergraduate Conference.
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Room 162
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Leanne Nygaard (Robert Darst),
Comparing symptom presentation and subsequent delay time between men and women diagnosed with acute
myocardial infarction
The most recent statistics from 2004 state that out of the 7.9 million Americans who suffered a myocardial infarction (MI), 17% of those males with
MI died, while nearly 25% of females who had a MI died. Recent studies suggest that there is a difference between male and female MI symptom
presentation and corresponding hospital delay time. Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive, pilot study is to compare male and
female MI symptom presentation and its resulting effect upon pre-hospital delay time. Methods: This study was guided by Leventhal’s Self Regulatory
Model. Data was collected during the student nurse’s senior year on a 40 bed, telemetry unit in an urban, Southeastern Massachusetts hospital. IRB
approval was obtained and informed consent signed. Information was gathered using three reliable and valid instruments. Data analysis involved
frequencies and descriptive statistics. The sample included 8 patients. Results/Interpretation: Males delayed significantly longer compared to females
(6.7 to 3.2 hours). Males’ symptoms generally consisted of chest pain and shortness of breath. Females experienced many symptoms from chest pain,
numbness in both arms, indigestion, shoulder pain, and diaphoresis. Only 25% of the total sample reported their first action was to tell someone else
of their symptoms. Conclusions and Implications: Males experienced the more classic symptoms of AMI compared to females; however overwhelmingly
delayed longer in seeking medical assistance. Nursing implications stress the need for nurses to continue to educate both sexes on the various
symptoms of AMI and not to hesitate in seeking medical assistance.
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Eliza Pesuit (Annemarie Heath),
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Panel 3
An Exploration of Beliefs of Pre-eclampsia and the Sources of these Beliefs in Pregnant Women in the Dominican
Republic.
Pre-eclampsia is the second most common cause of maternal death in the Dominican Republic. In this senior honors research project I will attempt to
understand pregnant women’s beliefs about specific pre-eclampsia symptoms and the origins of these beliefs. I will begin with a thorough literature
review to better understand the major factors affecting women’s perception of complications in pregnancy in the developing world. During a two
week period, I will undertake the research by going to a public hospital and prenatal health clinics in the Duarte Province, Dominican Republic, in
collaboration with Asociacion ADAMES and director Annemarie Heath. I will interview 10 prima parous pregnant women about their understanding
and responses to specific pre-eclampsia symptoms. I will also investigate the sources of these beliefs. This information will be gathered using an open
ended questionnaire format. Human subjects approval will be obtained and informed consent will also be obtained by all subjects. All interviews will
be tape recorded and transcribed. Two researchers knowledgeable in Dominican culture will review the data and analyze the information to identify
recurrent themes. This preliminary research will better equip me to understand potentially contrasting or confusing cultural beliefs towards health care.
The findings of this study will be shared with health care workers to increase the effectiveness of culturally sensitive care.
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Room 165
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Monica Trombetta (Kathy Frederickson),
Department of Nutrition & Food Science, Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester, MA, 01606
The Sincerity of Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup is a food that has a history as rich as its flavor. This sweet is rooted in the days before the settlement of our country and has struggled to
survive through our industrialization. Maple sugar has been a symbol of purity in food and has been a staple in the movement to once again live off
the land. The research looks closely at how maple syrup has played a role in maintaining and inspiring people in this country to use natural resources
and become more self sustaining. This project takes a look at the beginnings of maple syrup, its current day production, and its antithesis- the artificial
pancake syrup. In our modern day where time is money, this slow and gentle process is a reminder of how food use to be gathered, processed, and
enjoyed. A trip to a present day sugar house was documented and a vital part to understanding the rich springtime tradition of making maple syrup.
Maple syrup is revealed to be not just a lingering commodity but a foundation for wholesomeness in our nutrition position.
Philosophy
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3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Erica Forish (Glen Brewster),
Defining Truth in Mathematics
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Mathematics goes beyond factual truths and may encompass the spiritual, factual, cultural, and religious aspects of truth as well. This essay, “Defining
Truth in Mathematics,” discusses these various aspects of truth within the field of mathematics. Through the exploration of rituals in shamanism, faith
in religious dogma, adherence to the legal system, use of logical reasoning, and various examples of theorems and axioms from Euclid’s “Elements,” the
philosophical nature of truth is uncovered. This paper, thusly, challenges the belief that mathematics relies solely on fact to reach universal truths.
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3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Alexander Lent (Pete Graham),
Department of Philosophy, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Negative Consequentialism
The most important consequentialist ethical theory - utilitarianism - sometimes yields results that seem intuitively inappropriate. One objection
comes from a case where the agent is obligated to help someone who does not need assistance, while ignoring someone who does. Negative
Consequentialism attempts to address this problem. Originally proposed in the 1950s, this theory was dismissed as incoherent. This discussion will
address some of the problems with Negative Consequentialism, in the hopes of applying it more successfully to problems facing utilitarianism.
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3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Christopher Lewis (Ajume Wingo),
Department of Philosophy, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Citizenship and Race in America
The polemic that deals with the importance of race in contemporary American life is vibrant. The idea of “race as a social construct” is widely advanced
in the academy, but not as commonly well-explained. Race is at the center of arguments, conversations and theories in office buildings and on street
corners, as well as the hallways of academe, where some advance the irrelevance of race while others support the idea that “race matters.” Citizenship,
like race, is the focal point of sonorous deliberations both inside and outside of the academy in the United States. Political campaigns whose selling
points include positions on illegal immigration bring citizenship to the forefront of the political divisions and alliances that characterize American
life. Citizenship is not only an animated problem for non-citizens, but is also a dynamic concern for those who have all the rights of citizens, though
it is largely considered nihil ad rem by this demographic. It is at this critical juncture, with the imminent and realistic possibility of Barack Obama’s
democratic nomination and bid to be “America’s first Black president” that this paper seeks to enter the conversations of citizenship and race. As such,
this paper argues that neither conversation is mutually independent. In contemporary America, citizenship and race not only matter, but are largely
synonymous. The paper utilizes contemporary and historical sources, including Hobbes’ Leviathan, Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, Charles
Mills’ The Racial Contract, and the manuscript of Professor Ajume Wingo’s forthcoming book, The Citizen.
Physics
102
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2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Yitzi Calm (Mark Tuominen),
Department of Physics, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Alignment of the PolyStyrene-b-Polymethylmethacralate
The two copolymers Polystyrene (PS) and Poly[Methyl Methacralate] (PMMA) can be covalently bonded to form the Diblock Copolymer (DBCP). It is well
established that the DBCP will undergo self assembly by means of phase separation to form a nanostructured material, and that the resulting structure,
which has a length scale on the order of five to forty nm depending on the DBCP’s molecular weight, is dependent on the relative proportions of
each. Another feature of the DBCP is that one could bear control over its spatial orientation by means of aligning it with an external electric field. This
research focuses ultimately on the simultaneous in plane and out of plane alignment of the lamellar phase of the DBCP. Nanoscale IC’s could be made
by the use of Nanowire (NW) grids composed of two sets of wires-one made of Au and the other of a semiconducting material; to this effect we
attempt to use the aligned lamellar phase of the DBCP to create highly ordered, twenty nm NW grids.
Plant Pathology
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Room 174
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Nicholas Glasser (John Gerber),
Department of Plant Pathology, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Urban Renewal through Grassroots Community Gardens
Urbanism is the practice of human interaction and the creation of communities. Across the country, cities are seeing political, environmental, and
economic degradation. As a result, cities such as Holyoke, Massachusetts, have begun grassroots movements in the forms of community and urban
agriculture, allowing the poor entrepreneurial opportunities, a way of feeding their families, and a means to insure cultural heritage. In places such as
Holyoke, abandoned lots that were once filled with demolished buildings, garbage and needles are being cleaned up and transformed into community
gardens. According to Culture Shapes Community “The network of community gardens in Holyoke began in response to preserve the heritage and
create a sense of pride, place, while at the same time producing nutritious and healthy foods for the community” (Culture Shapes Community). With
in the context of the Holyoke Community Gardens called Nuestras Raices and other case studies, this paper will demonstrate the significance of the
creation of community and urban gardens as a mean of urban renewal and their ability to shape the social-economic status of community members.
Political Science
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3:55-4:40
Panel 6
Ana Carolina Gomez (Heike Schotten),
Department of Political Science, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Kidnapping: An Effective Political Tool or an Unchecked Violation of Human Rights?
65
Colombia presents a paradox: it is the longest surviving democracy in Latin America yet has the longest lasting guerrilla movement in the region, as well
as the worst violation of human rights. This paper looks to explore these violations, focusing especially on the use of kidnapping as a political tool by
guerrilla groups. As of February of 2008 new letters from kidnapped individuals in Colombia have been released to the public, the purpose of this paper
will be to analyze these letters and identify the experiences of hostages, both Colombian and foreign. What basic human rights are being violated?
Under what kind of conditions are they living? How do hostages seem to cope with them? Once these violations are identified, the paper will look at
how the Colombian government deals with kidnapping and how it responds to it. How has the practice of kidnapping been affected by the Colombian
civil conflict? What is the profile of people who are held hostage? Has there been any international intervention? Finally the paper will look at proposed
solutions to avoid the practice of kidnapping in Colombia and strategies for effectively bringing attention to this situation.
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10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Eric Jonas (Heike Schotten),
One Dimensional Woman: Towards a Marcusian Theory of Gender
This paper explains how the neo-Marxist criticism of contemporary capitalism developed in Herbert Marcuse’s book One-Dimensional Man can serve as
a useful tool for radical feminist theory by outlining a criticism of prevailing gender categories and norms which is parallel and analogous to Marcuse’s
criticism of capitalism. Â§1 explains Marcuse’s view that contemporary capitalist society is “one-dimensional,” meaning that the once-clashing material
interests of capitalists and laborers have become increasingly integrated, largely quelling class warfare, and creating widespread, uncritical acceptance
of capitalism which obscures the problematic lack of genuine freedom experienced by people in capitalist society. Â§2 explains how the current system
of gender norms is one-dimensional in a way similar to contemporary capitalism. Here it is argued that reforms to the gender system over the past
century have resulted in an increasing material and ideological integration between women and men. In Â§3, criticisms parallel to Marcuse’s criticisms
of one-dimensional capitalist society are used to diagnose the ills of the one-dimensional gender system. For instance, analogously to Marcuse’s charge
that the uncritical acceptance of capitalism obscures the possibility of a socialist revolution which would engender true freedom, it is argued here that
the widespread acceptance of the prevailing gender system obscures the revolutionary possibility of transcending gender categories altogether.
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2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Stephen Lavery (Ajume Wingo),
Department of Philosophy, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Cultivating Young Citizens: Civic Education in the Early Childhood Classroom
Civic Education aims to teach children the skills they need to function as citizens in their polity. In curricula, it is often presented as the study of
government and citizens’ legal responsibilities. Some political theorists, including Amy Gutmann and Ajume Wingo, approach the topic differently,
focusing instead on such civic virtues as equality, community, autonomy, and efficacy. This paper sides with the latter approach, as civic education in
a democracy aims at teaching children how to be democratic citizens. In a democracy, civic virtues are concomitant to the political apparatus. These
virtues reflect that citizens interact in a democracy; they are active participants in their polity. For this reason, an experiential approach is desirable.
Children should learn how to interact with peers, equally, tolerantly, autonomously, and efficaciously, to prepare them to interact as democratic citizens.
Of particular interest in this paper is the potential to extend civic education to the preschool. Experiential civic education, focusing on civic virtues, is
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possible and desirable. The preschool setting, more than classrooms for older children, put children constantly in interaction with each other, yielding
opportunities to learn how to interact with peers. Also, classroom conflicts, when properly approached, can serve as challenges for children to learn
to resolve themselves, with adults serving to scaffold them. Finally, children’s literature can be a useful medium when it presents diverse characters
exhibiting civic virtues, and serving as models for democratic interaction.
107
Room 172
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Martyna Minkowska (Hormoz Shahdadi),
Morality and American Foreign Policy: An Evaluation of the Foreign Policy of the George W. Bush Administration
within Kantian Ethics
Ethical concerns have always been a vital part of human affairs. They become especially controversial and disputable during wartimes. Slavoj Zizek
labeled the post-9/11 period “the time of death,” an epoch of history characterized by one formation of violence, i.e., terrorism, precipitating several
more such as long-term military actions, surveillance, and indefinite detention. How does one make sense of this new epoch? In the wake of “the
time of death,” the United States has bypassed the United Nations to wage two major wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and is currently engaged in what
can be best described as reshaping of the international system on the basis of American priorities. The thesis looks at the American foreign policy of
the George W. Bush Administration in “the time of death,” and analyzes its objectives within the context of the Imperial Presidency, the American
Grand Project and the Bush Doctrine. The objectives of the foreign policy are to be tested against Immanuel Kant’s argument in favor of the “league
of nations,” which would guarantee “the perpetuation of peace,” and Hedley Bull’s argument in favor of the existence of the international society
of sovereign nation-states. It is to be determined whether the basic tenets of the foreign policy can contribute to the achievement of peace and the
existence of the international society of sovereign nation-states. The discussion of morality and foreign policy is not intended to point at the U.S. as an
example of the immoral state. Rather, it is meant to reveal the wrongs of what “is” and, most importantly, the goods associated with how nation-states
“ought” to act within the international realm.
Psychology
108
Room 169
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Amanda Arce (Janet Gebelt),
Department of Psychology, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
The Effects of Domestic Violence on Issues of Identity
Research suggests that one third of adult American women will be physically abused by intimate partners in their lifetimes (Steinberg, Pineles & Mineka,
2003). A victim’s experience with these abusive behaviors leaves her vulnerable to an array of psychological problems including anxiety, depression,
alcohol and substance abuse, and PTSD (Panzer, Phillip, & Hayward, 2000). While there is a great deal of research that shows these negative effects
of domestic abuse, little research has looked at how such experiences impact her overall sense of identity and self-concept. Typically a core identity
is formed by young adulthood, but identity is a lifelong developmental process that can be weakened by extreme shifts in a person’s environment
67
(Marcia, 1966). It is safe to say that the experience of domestic violence qualifies as an example of such a shift. The purpose of the present study was to
explore how experiences of domestic violence affect a victim’s sense of identity and self-concept. Women utilizing services of domestic violence shelters
completed a survey measuring severity of abuse, past (pre-abuse) and present identity, ego-identity strengths and identity distress. Preliminary results
show that women’s strength of identity is lower after becoming involved in abusive relationships. This is contrary to the expected developmental trend
of strengthening identity with age. In addition, severity of abuse is related to identity. Women who have experienced greater levels of abuse report
weaker senses of identity, both currently (r=-.55) and in the past (r=-.72), and higher degrees of identity distress.
109
Room 165
2:15-3:00
Panel 4
Cilfford Ashbrook (eric bressler),
Humor Production and Appreciation
Recent research suggests that women pay more attention than men to potential relationship partners’ ability to produce humor, particularly early
in relationships. In contrast, men may pay more attention to potential partners’ appreciation of men’s own humor. To further examine these ideas,
we created a questionnaire assessing the extent to which participants use humor in the presence of the opposite sex and in romantic relationships.
Undergraduate students at Westfield State College will complete the questionnaire, enabling us to assess their self-reported use of humor in three
categories: humor in early relationships; humor as a means by which long-term relationships are maintained; and the use of humor around members
of the opposite sex, rather than the same sex. We predict that men will report producing humor more than women in early courtship, and that
participants will report that they produce humor more frequently in the presence of the opposite sex.
110
Room 176
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Rebecca Cook (Janet Gebelt),
Body Image Ideals of Self and Others: Influences of Self Esteem and Social Comparison
Body image problems have become prevalent in Western cultures (Posavac & Posavac, 2002), with an estimated two thirds of young women and
one third of young men experiencing significant body image disturbances (Willinge, Touyz, & Charles, 2006). Body dissatisfaction, rather than body
satisfaction, is becoming the norm. Research shows that the more people participate in social comparison with idealized media images or discuss
weight with peers, the less likely they are to feel satisfied with their own figures (Maddox, 2005; Vincent & McCabe, 2000). The purpose of the
present study is to examine the combined effects of self-esteem and media/peer social comparison on both males’ and females’ body image. It will
also investigate to what extent social comparisons influence what young adults consider attractive in potential romantic partners. Participants were
87 college students (n=39 male, n=48 female). Preliminary results suggest that young adults who engage in more body comparison with their peers
exhibit more body dysphoria and think members of the opposite sex find slimmer people more attractive. Participants with more body dysphoria also
have heavier current body images and slimmer ideal body images. The relationship of self-esteem and media comparison to body image will also be
examined, as will how these factors relate to what participants find attractive in others. It is hypothesized that the more dissatisfied people are with
their own bodies, and the more they engage in upward social comparison, the heavier their standards will be for the ideal figure in a romantic partner.
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111
Room 175
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Vanessa Gentleman (Joanna Gonsalves),
The Prescriptive and Nonprescription Use and Abuse of Stimulants in the College Population
In this paper, a literature review regarding the nonprescriptive use and abuse of stimulants such as Adderall and Riktalin within the college population is
examined. Probable causes of such drug-seeking and abuse is studied within the context of the college setting and the overall American societal trends
at large in the twenty-first century, including the sentiments of “instant gratification” and “quick fix” mentalities. Suggestions of how this problem
may be addressed on several levels and amongst various professions and disciplines are considered. The information here will be further utilized and
expanded upon in the future in the form of a research study specifically aimed at examining such trends and opinions of the student body at Salem
State College in Salem, Massachusetts.
112
Room 176
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Jennifer Hug (Maria Bartini),
Department of Psychology, Massachusetts College of Liberal Art, Boston, MA, 02115
Adults’ Perceptions Of Child And Adolescent Mental Disorders
Previous research has suggested that essentialism (the idea that characteristics of a group come from a natural source that are stable across time)
and labeling are correlated with the stigma assigned to social categories. However, despite recent research furthering our understanding of stigma,
little information has been provided about how adults view the category of children and adolescents with mental disorders. Based on these research
trends, I hypothesize the following: (a) children’s and adolescents’ mental disorders will be essentialized and correlated with lower perceived status;
(b) a child or adolescent with a diagnostic label will be more stigmatized than those who do not have one; (c) despite the fact that no research has
been done looking at stigma across these age groups, it is hypothesized that adolescents and children will be perceived differently. In order to evaluate
these hypotheses, six vignettes will be created describing children and adolescents displaying the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. All of these vignettes will provide the same information, but half of them will include a diagnostic label
and the other half will not. Participants will be asked to rate each individual on nine essentialist statements on a seven point likert scale (1=strongly
disagree, 7= strongly agree). They will also be asked to rate how well valued this individual would be according to society on a five point likert scale
(1=low, 5=high), and how likely it would be that they would allow their child to associate with one of those in the vignettes on a seven point likert scale
(1=very likely, 7=very unlikely). Data collection and analysis are ongoing.
113
Room 174
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Eric Ragusa (Hildur Schilling),
Department of Psychology, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
Does the use of a cell phone inhibit attention while driving?
69
A dual-task study examines how participation in a word generation task (WGT) affects participants’ performance on a change detection task (CDT).
On each trial, the participant viewed a set of image pairs which may or may not have included a minor change (e.g., a street light appearing or
disappearing). The participant pressed “c” as soon as he/she detected a change in the image, or “n” as soon as he/she decided he/she did not see
a change. Reaction time (RT) to complete each trial was recorded. In Experiment 1, while doing the CDT, half of the participants took turns with the
experimenter in saying a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word (e.g., dogïƒ goat). This vocal WGT simulated processes that are
involved with cell phone conversations. Results collected so far reveal that word generation increased RT during the CDT, and this interference was
greater when the task included a flicker (a flash of a blank screen to erase sensory memory) condition than with no flicker condition. In Experiment 2,
participants will complete the CDT while performing either a vocal or a text messaging WGT, and the RT and error rates will be recorded. Implications
for driving while distracted (using both cell phones and text messaging) will be discussed.
114
Room 176
10:05-10:50
Panel 1
Monica Southwick (David Lisak),
Department of Psychology, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Detecting the Co-Occurence of Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, and Maltreatment of Children
This study required a literature exploration of the shortcomings of child abuse detection, and the need for improved training of professionals working
with abused children. Journal articles and books were utilized that reported the co-occurrence of the differing forms of abuse (physical, sexual, and
maltreatment). Although formerly these issues have been seen as separate phenomena, it is becoming apparent that they can and frequently do occur
at the same time. Information was collected in relation to the differences between short and long-term effects of the above types of abuse. This
research opens up an extensive range of future exploration, proposing ways to improve training related to the detection of child abuse and emphasizing
the need to detect when multiple forms of abuse are occurring at the same time. Children experiencing multiple forms of abuse have been shown to
be at greater risk, a fact which indicates the need to better detect these occurrences in order to serve these individuals. This research study was unique
because it opened up an issue that is beginning to take hold in the literature, but needs increasing attention so that it can be explored to the necessary
extent.
115
Room 169
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Charis Tarbett (Anne M. Wiley),
Department of Psychology, Greenfield Community College, Greenfield , MA, 01301
Understanding Tattooed Women: Factors behind Self-Image, Identity Development and Gender Stereotyping
The presentation explores the historical significance of Western women receiving tattoos throughout the past century, with central focus on the
psychological effects of tattooing on women’s self-esteem, body image, and identity development. Each of the psychological issues are related to
current popular media influences. Further examination of sexual discrimination and social stereotyping is described. The presentation also explains the
links between the rise and fall of tattoo popularity amongst women that parallel the feminist movements in America. A brief summary of one interview
of a professional female tattoo artist as well as a brief overview selected email surveys of tattooed women, reveal if women today gain personal
strength from their tattoos, despite resistant attitudes from people around them.
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Public Health
116
Room 174
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Caitlin O’Donnell (Dan Gerber),
Implementation of a Comphrensive Community Action Plan to Strengthen Existing Resources and Create
Complimentary Institutions in Order to Reduce the Abuse of Illegal Substances in the Community of South Boston
Presenting a Health Program Design for the community of South Boston, Ma to address the public health issue of substance abuse in the area. By
combining resources on individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy levels, I will describe a comprehensive plan based upon the
needs, values, and abilities of the community. In order to bring about a change in behaviors, my plan will implement a change in mental models
and promote self efficacy. Through a study of the progression of drug use within the area, I have established a pattern of use and abuse, and have
also identified many resources that can be utilized for change. My resulting plan is based on the Ecological Model of Health Behavior and can be
implemented with little economic burden on the community.
117
Room 174
1:25-2:10
Panel 3
Amelia Pezzimenti (Dan Gerber),
The Need For Community-Based Programs To Treat Autistic Children At A Young Age To Deter The Affects Of Autism
Autism is defined as a developmental disability that generally involves delays and impairment in social skills, language, and behavior. The disease affects
individuals during the critical developmental stages of life. Research shows that autism tends to develop at some point during the fetal stages of life
and can continue to develop up to age three. It is referred to as a spectrum disease because it affects are so different in every individual (ARI, 2007).
In some cases the symptoms result in lack of social skills, yet in others they can be as severe as complete loss of speech. Before the 1990’s, Autism was
typically considered a rare disease, only affecting 5 in every 10,000 children (AutismSpeaks, 2008). Last year, in 2007, the Centers for Disease Control
reported that 1 in every 150 children is diagnosed with autism. The huge increase in prevalence cannot yet be explained but is being further studied.
What research does show is that there are a number of effective treatments. All of the treatments have shown to be more successful the earlier they are
initiated. As autism continues to increase at exponential rates programs must be established within communities to treat children at a young age and
hopefully reverse the affects of this horrific disease.
71
Radio, Television and Film
118
Room 172
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Martin Meccouri (Kim Wolfson),
Sex Gurus and Sitars: India as a Place of Spiritual Self- Discovery in American films 2002-2007
Recent American films The Guru (2002), The Namesake (2006), and The Darjeeling Limited (2007) have all posited India as a geographic place and/or
cultural space of spiritual self-discovery for the Western subject. In this paper, I aim to investigate the ways in which India is constructed and represented
as such in these films and what sorts of implications these representations may have for intercultural relations and understanding between the U.S. (the
West) and India (the East). My sources divide between the culturally theoretical, which frames representation in terms of political power, privilege, and
violence, and the popular criticism and publicity (reviews, interviews, etc.) immediately concerned with these three films. Edward Said’s contention that
the relationship between East and West “is a relationship of power, of domination, of varying degrees of complex hegemonyâ€¦” serves as my theoretical
lens in analyzing how and if this relationship evidences itself in the aforementioned films (Said 133). Although the films approach India differently, they all
posit India as a geographic place and/or cultural space of spiritual self-discovery and fulfillment for the Western subject. I say “self-discovery” to highlight
that the epiphanies and comforts obtained in the encounters of these Western characters with India do not reveal India as an independent element,
but rather as a mirror of the desires of the Western subject. My conclusions reveal that American films are still targeting India as a place of spiritual
rebirth for the Western subject. The editorial criticism of these films, whether inadvertently or with purpose, propagates the conception of India as a
tourist attraction as well. These ideas, along with their encounter with postcolonial theory (some of which was written over thirty years ago) leads me to
wonder how much we’ve changed in our cultural posture towards the East. It also compels to me scrutinize whether or not we mistake liberal advances in
American cinema (such as its incorporation of Indian actors) for cultural progress between the East and West.
119
Room 174
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Cloee Cooper (Don Levine),
Department of Social Thought and Political Economy, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
The UN in Kosova: Neocolonialism?
72
The UN in Kosova: Neocolonialism? is an attempt to excavate issues concerning the role of the UN in post-bellum Kosova. A number of Albanians
criticize the UN for instituting a colonial/settler dynamic under the umbrella of humanitarianism. The film will focus on the voices of Albanian Kosovars,
especially those who have raised their voices in opposition to what they are calling a neo-colonialism. In attempting to open a discussion on why the
Albanian Kosovars see the UN as a colonial force, the film will seek to shed light on certain questions that are often missed when looking at conflict and
development. Are Albanians in opposition to the UN because the UN has inhibited Independence? Is it because the UN represents the privilege that has
heretofore been denied to the Albanians living in Kosova? Does the UN reinforce a neo liberal trajectory of development? Are Kosovars actually a part
of the decision-making process? Why and why not? The film will be a short sample of people asking these questions and will be supplemented by a
written thesis exploring a post-colonial/colonial critique of the role of the UN in Kosova.
Sociology
120
Room 165
3:05-3:50
Panel 5
Keri-Ann Kreyssig (Dana Mayhew),
Department of Sociology, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA, 02720
How can we Help “Troubled” Kids in our Society?
An observance of troubled teenagers in a halfway house opened my eyes to society’s issue of helping the youth of our nation. Many believe that kids in
these shelters do not want to be helped or that they are beyond help. It is this exact attitude by our society and its leaders that will make the problem
greaten and never get resolved. I will share my observances from my service learning project study of a small portion of troubled youth in our society
and disclose not only the feelings and opinions of the youth I observed, but my own personal proposals for help and change for our future generations
Spanish
121
Room 174
10:55-11:40
Panel 2
Patrick Brand (Luis Alonso-Ovalle),
Department of Spanish, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Division of Labor in the Resolution of Spanish Anaphora
Unlike English, Spanish, Italian, and many other languages allow for pronouns to go unpronounced. Carminati (2002) suggests that this is due to
ayntactic constraint: unpronounced pronouns are special devices that link to the more syntactically prominent antecedent within a clause (usually
the subject). Frana (to appear), in contrast, suggests a pragmatic constraint: the unpronounced pronoun prefers antecedents that are more discourse
prominent, or “topical.” This study examines the predictions of these two theories for Spanish by looking at sentences like (1), in which an object
pronoun is “doubled” by a prepositional pronoun: (1) Juana estaba en la biblioteca. Cuando Carla la vio/la vio a ella, estaba perdida. Juana was in the
library. When Carla her saw / her saw [prep] her, (she) was lost. In (1), Carminati’s theory predicts that the subject of estaba should be “Carla” in either
case. Frana’s theory, however, predicts that it will be the most topical antecedent. Spanish object pronouns (like “la” in (1)) cannot be new information,
as illustrated in (2), unless they are “doubled”, suggesting that doubling affects discourse prominence. (2) Q: Â¿A quiÃ©n viste? A: *Lo vi. / Lo vi a Ã©l.
Who did you see? *Him I saw. / Him I saw [prep] him. If doubling affects discourse prominence, the unpronounced pronoun’s preference in the nondoubled version will trend towards Juana, while in the doubled version it will trend towards Carla. This study presents empirical results suggesting that
this is the case.
73
Visual Arts
122
Room 162
3:55-4:40 Panel 6
Elizabeth Patterson (Marc Mannheimer),
Department of Art, Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA, 01830
The Appeal of Toulouse-Lautrec
When Toulouse-Lautrec made his first lithographic poster, his style was new and innovative. Today his posters are highly collectible treasures. The secret
to his enduring appeal lies in his application of the principles of good design. By analyzing the principles of emphasis, balance, alignment, repetition,
flow, contrast, color, and line, the beauty and charm of Toulouse-Lautrec is revealed in six of his posters. The manner in which he determined hierarchy
and created a sense of balance with color and design are explained in this paper. The shift of alignment from the center to the edges is noted with
examples. Repetition of form rather than words, as well as sight pathways for flow reveals his painterly approach to the medium, indicating that he
was first a well-trained artist. His use of flat color and thick line show the influence of Japanese art. The posters of Toulouse-Lautrec provide excellent
models for quality poster design to this day.
Accounting
123
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 1
Sara Paunovic
Ashley Carroll (Joanna Gonsalves),
Developing a Business Plan
Two business plans for a local cafe are discussed in this presentation. The businesses differentiate themselves from other competitors by offering a
relaxed social environment with entertainment. To decide whether such a cafe could be successful, business plans were written to analyze the local
market, the competition and the industry. Plan A uses numerous resources directly from competing coffee shops, and includes survey results from local
students and residents and additional marketing research. The Small Business Plan Developing Center assisted in revising Business Plan A to ensure
its validity. Plan B includes information about the market’s economy, gathered from the Lynn Chamber of Commerce, among other sources. Product
pricing is analyzed according to data gathered about competitors’ prices. Also, a specific format if followed for Plan B, obtained from SCORE, to make it
professional in nature.
124
Auditorium
Juliet Mugo (John Purisky),
74
Department of Accounting, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
10:10-11:40
Board 2
The Turbulent Road to Global Accounting: Rule-Based versus Principle-Based Accounting.
The users of financial statements and accounting regulatory bodies all over the world have over the past decade raised an outcry that has been hard
for anyone in business to ignore-the need to standardize accounting practices. This cause has been accelerated by the increasing number of accounting
scandals in publicly traded companies all over the world. In a world with two main accounting standards, a question still lingers as to which one
between the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s (FASB) rule-based Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Accounting
Standard Board’s (IASB) principle-based International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) presents the most accurate set of standards. Although the
AISB and FASB have been working tirelessly over the years towards convergence of the standards, implementation of a universal set of standards
has proved to be one of the most challenging and controversial topics in the business world today. This research study analyzes the backgrounds and
responsibilities of different stakeholders in relations to financial reporting by evaluating the pros and cons of each of these standards to determine
which set of standards holds the most promise. In addition, the regulatory bodies’-the Security Exchange Commission (SEC), the FASB and AISBpositions on these standards present the most critical of the standpoints. This is because when it’s all said and done, these bodies’ agreement or
otherwise will determine which set, if any, will be made the universal standards. Only time will tell.
125
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 3
Simone Palmer (Joanna Gonsalves),
Enron’s Accounting Violations: The After Effect on Corporate Governance
Reflecting on the sudden collapse of Enron provides an opportunity to analyze the complexities of accounting schemes and their impact on the
accounting profession. Information from prior research, as well as court cases, is used as the basis for my analysis and conclusions. As one of the fastest
growing corporations in its era, Enron fraudulently misled investors and creditors with artificial stock prices. Enron’s demise created many negative
outcomes for those affiliated with them at the time. Businesses connected to Enron were publicly scrutinized, and many were punished for reporting
financial statements inaccurately. Enron left a negative impact on the credibility of the accounting profession and the people that invested time and
money in the growth of the company. The US government implemented the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) in 2002 to strengthen corporate governance and
to help restore the integrity of the accounting profession. My specific conclusions include: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is expensive and a burden on small
businesses; there is a significant need for the SOX law to be redefined; and the US Accounting standards need to be clearer and more principle-based
than rules-based so that some of the ambiguities can be clarified.
Advertising
126
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 4
Ellen Ryan (Andrea Bergstrom),
Gender Roles in Advertising
75
American culture, without a doubt, is heavily commercialized. Everyday American citizens are bombarded with hundreds of advertisements containing
various stereotypes. Gender roles become solidified through the poses of super models or the masculinity of the Marlboro Man. For example, the
concept of the “feminine touch”, as described by Erving Goffman, as a display of feminine hands or fingers caressing an object to convey the sense
of softness and femininity. There is also the highly popular cultural stigma of “boys don’t cry”, or real men are “tough” conveyed through the images
of Pro-Wrestling and even alcohol commercials. Yet, why does this system often remain unquestioned? Is there no alternative? Instead of defining
what “sexy” is, or seeking out new definitions of what it means to be “masculine and tough”, Americans are simply settling for the definition given
to us through the images projected by corporate advertisements. By using scholarly research, along with many examples from pop-culture, I intend to
examine the presence of various gender stereotypes present in today’s media in regard to the physical appearance of males and females, as well as,
the roles in which both genders are commonly cast. I intend to focus my analysis on the corporate media system which enables the production and
distribution of this narrow range of messages, as well as to examine the movement for media education which intends to provide the tools necessary to
reject this corporate embodiment of reality.
Animal Sciences
127
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 84
Ashley Bedarf (Cynthia Baldwin),
Correlation Between the Severities of Maternal Salmonella Infection and Offspring Health in the Ovine Livestock at
the University of Massachusetts
Salmonella infection of small domestic ruminants is the 4th leading cause of abortions in Asia and Europe and is a common livestock pathogen in the
United States. Five common serovars of Salmonella that cause abortions in infected sheep and goats are S. typhimurium, S. abortus ovis, S. dublin, and S.
gallinarum. Since there are abortions within the University of Massachusetts sheep flock every year that go undiagnosed despite efforst to do so. I proposed
that Salmonella infection may be the cause of these abortions and decreased vitality of offspring born to infected mothers because it has not been among
the diagnostic tests previously run at the University Livestock Facility and is a common pathogen. It has been suggested that serological ELISA assays are not
useful tools for diagnosing Salmonella infection due to high flagellar polymorphism. However, serological ELISA assays are the easiest tests to translate into
the field, so we propose that if the animals tested have been exposed to Salmonella then they can be identified using serological ELISA when we focus on
the presence of antibodies against the somatic antigens B and D associated with the abortion-causing strains. Samples of vaginal secretions post-parturition
will be collected and tested by PCR for the presence of the Salmonella virulence gene invA. If any of the sheep tested from the University of Massachusetts
are infected then we will also determine if there is a correlation between the birth weights and vitality of the offspring with the Salmonella infection in the
mothers.
128
Auditorium
Margarette Poillucci (Martha Yoder),
Animal Use in the Medical Field: Aiding Doctors or Zoonoses?
76
1:30-3:00
Board 3
This thesis seeks to determine if the use of animals in the current and future medical field will pose a significant zoonotic threat to the patient. It
will do this by examining the therapeutic uses of animals, pharmaceuticals including genetic engineering and xenotransplantation (transplantation
surgery crossing the species barrier). The study of animal-assisted therapy will focus generally on currently virulent zoonoses in both informal therapy
such as animal companionship and more formal therapy such as hospital-based animal visits and horseback riding. In contrast, the examination of
xenotransplantation will specifically examine Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) and their ability to become virulent as the main example. The
assessment of pharmaceuticals will naturally link both of these aspects by focusing on potential transmission of existing as well as impending zoonoses
resulting from the animal role in past and current production of medications. These subdivisions will be analyzed through clinical trials, secondary
sources and interviews with human resources in the field. It is presupposed that when joining the two fields of human medicine and animal science
there is a potential zoonotic threat, along with great benefits, that needs to be taken seriously. This thesis will attempt prove that zoonoses will
increase as animal use in medicine increases if more precautions are not taken. It will ideally provide a warning of this impending threat, which no other
literature has adequately done, and will offer various hints at possible solutions.
129
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 2
Jennifer Stencel (Barbara Osborne),
Does Notch Signaling Play a Role in Autoimmune Diabetes?
Notch proteins are conserved transmembrane proteins that impact cell fate, proliferation, and differentiation. The objective of this experiment was
to use autoimmune diabetes as a model to study the effects of Notch signaling on T regulatory cells. Notch is cleaved by Î³-secretase and intracellular
Notch translocates into the nucleus affecting the transcription of target genes including those for T cell development. The Î³ -Secretase inhibitor (GSI)
LY411,575 prevents the cleavage of Notch and the subsequent translocation into the nucleus, decreasing Notch signaling. Insulin Dependent Diabetes
Mellitus (IDDM) is an autoimmune disorder in which T cells invade the pancreas destroying beta cells. IDDM can be induced with a series of injections
of Streptozotocin (STZ). In this experiment half the mice were fed a chow containing LY 411,575, and the remaining mice received a standard diet. Half
of the mice in each food group received daily injections of STZ for five days; the remaining mice received control injections of sodium citrate. Blood
glucose levels were monitored. Pancreata were harvested, preserved in paraffin and stained via Hemoatoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. Diabetes was
induced in all STZ injected mice and in none of those receiving the control injection. Preliminary results show no significant difference in blood glucose
for mice within the same injection group. Histology results show no lymphocyte infiltration in the pancreas. 14d is too soon to see infiltration and the
experiment will be carried out for a longer time period and with mice that have a more specific knockdown of Notch.
Anthropology
130
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 34
Nikki Starr (Enoch Page),
The Silent and Invisible Violence of Anthropogenic Radiation
77
Few people advocate the view that EMR constitutes a form of environmental pollution. While certain industrial chemicals and substances are now
well recognized as being toxic, many forms of synthetic toxic waste are not yet identified as pollutants, particularly toxic waste that we cannot sense.
Toxic waste is the most pernicious environmental problem facing American society today. It is typically a sensed byproduct of industrial processes
that adversely affect humans, plants, animals, and the environment. Being misinformed about the different kinds of pollution can sometimes have
devastating effects. A silent violence is being perpetrated on populations when their subjection to adverse artificial electromagnetic radiation (EMR)
exposure is kept quiet by institutions that “benefit” from its production and utilization. Policy decision-makers, agency administrators and corporate
managers who often work far removed from the situations they are governing may find it both strategic and profitable to deny that humans can be
harmed by EMR, which we cannot see, smell, hear, taste, nor touch. Consequently, this project deciphers a master narrative about electromagnetism
that rationalizes our over-exposure to it. I aim to inform people towards greater precaution and to encourage sustainable practices and policies that
are more in tune with Earth’s resources and human limitations. Analytically assessing EMR discourse enables me to formulate ideas about what
interventions may be required in order to push this increasingly ubiquitous form of toxic waste to the forefront of human consciousness.
Art
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Svetlana Babitskaya (Joan Brenner),
Department of Physics, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA, 02129
The Intellect Of Dolphins: Physiological, Behavioral And Cognitive Characteristics
This study examines the level of dolphins’ intellect, as defined by their behavioral and cognitive characteristics. Conclusions about the intelligence of
the dolphins may be based on observations of dolphins in the wild and on the studies of their behavioral and cognitive characteristics in controlled,
laboratory-like environments. The study includes a literature review of research from 1970 to 2007, according to which, dolphins can understand
both the meaning of words and gestures, and of word order; perceive the referential character of the human manual gestures; and demonstrate their
understanding by carrying out the instructions correctly in the large majority of cases, including instructions new to their experience. Dolphins can
flexibly access memories of their recent actions, and experiments have shown that they do not simply learn to respond to verbal or gesture commands,
but are able to learn the grammatical rules involving indirect and direct objects, prepositions and verbs. Dolphins can also search for an object and
indicate its presence or absence. Dolphins’ cognitive abilities include conceptual thinking and memory, sensory skills, the use of mental representation,
repertoire diversity, use of referential vocal mimicry, dependency on social tradition, and many others. Dolphins also exhibit a very complex social
organization. According to the results of this study, dolphins have a high level of the intellect and can perform cognitive tasks better than chimpanzees
and other primates.
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Rhiannon Lombard (Marc Mannheimer),
Department of Art, Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA, 01830
Inspired By The Art of Eric Carle
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Inspired by the warm, inviting and carefree sense conveyed by the illustrated children’s books of Eric Carle, I strove to include those same ideals in my
quest to reach young children and excite them about learning. I did extensive research on Carle as a Graphic Designer, Typographer and as a German
boy growing up in the midst of World War II. I discovered many of the influences contributing to Carle’s style and incorporated those aspects into
my own work. I also experimented with new ways to create a collage using nurturing, whimsical and textured aspects to appeal to this stage of child
development. I was inspired by the story of Carle and his style to create a children’s book and accompanying alphabet poster made from bright colorful
collage style art.
Astronomy
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Yongwoo Cho (Joan Brenner),
Back to the Past
In the movie Terminator, the machines control the future world. They send a “terminator” into the past to eliminate the mother of the leader of
a human rebel group so they can end the war against humans. The humans also send someone to the past to protect her. In science fiction, time
travel is one of the more common story-telling devices. In our everyday experience, however, time travel happens only in fiction. What if we can time
travel for real? According to the Special Relativity of Albert Einstein, if we move close to the speed of the light, we can actually travel to the future.
Although there are many technological limitations for now, mathematically it is possible. Given that it is generally accepted, Special Relativity opens
a real possibility of travel to the future. If so, what about travel to the past? Although Special Relativity, as well as General Relativity, allows travel to
the future, neither specifically permits travel to the past. However, General Relativity allows for the bending of space, suggesting that there might be
shortcuts through space-time, more popularly known as “wormholes”. This, in turn, admits the possibility of “bending” time, as well as space. Thus
it becomes conceivable that travel to the past is theoretically possible, even though we do not know whether wormholes exist or can be created. This
paper is a speculation on the possibilities of time travel based on a reading of current scientific thought on the subject. It concentrates on the theory of
wormholes, as they currently provide the most respected theory for going into the past.
BDIC
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Board 36
Melissa Castro (Mari Castaneda),
The Future of Undocumented Immigrants
Melissa Castro Bachelor’s Degree with an Individual Concentration Abstract (conference) The federal government is concerned with the increase in
undocumented immigrants from Latin America and Caribbean countries into the United States. They want to find a strategy to eliminate delinquent and
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undocumented immigrants. The government intends on investing millions into this problematic issue. Statistics reveal that this venture will cost well over
200 billion dollars over a span of five plus years (Dubbs, 200, Pg. 1). There is a bigger problem at hand and it does not lie simply in the immigrants being
deported but also on the children that will be left behind. There are deeper complications with enforcing immigration laws because there are individuals
who have established foundations in the United States. These immigration laws have put the immigration population into panic. The researcher will
focus in particular on the positive and negative effects of both the psychological state of the immigrants and their children.
135
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3:10-4:40
Board 5
Lindsay Ebert (Andrea Bergstrom),
Effects of Recreational Activities on Adolescent Self-concepts and Autonomy
This study investigates the changes in self-perception, levels of autonomy, and development of cognitive and social skills as a result of participation
in summer camp and other recreational leisure activities. The correlation between camp involvement and a positive social self-concept is strong, and
results demonstrate that both males and females display an increase in social capital and learning, along with a sense of community and self-sufficiency.
These beneficial outcomes of development in adolescents involved in summer camp directed towards cooperation and effective communication are
accompanied by a large realm of other constructive recreational environments, like weight-loss camps, that enhance self-esteem and long-term lifestyle
choices. These camps are beneficial in physiological and psychological aspects, especially for adolescent participants, because this is a critical period of
development. Based on the research of Kishton and colleagues (April 1995), levels of self-concept was measured with Harter’s (1985) Self-Perception
Profile in the beginning of camp involvement and at the end. Methods of data collection included participant observation, along with focus and
intervention groups. Based on the findings of Yuen and colleagues (Fall 2005), inductive analysis of qualitative data was used to prove this positive
correlation. Portions of the research used also include survey analysis of Self-Description Questionnaires. This research confirms the positive relationship
between recreational summer camp participation and an enhanced self-concept and self-perception for adolescents.
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Julie Loftus (Andrea Bergstrom),
Environmental Installation Art
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This research project will focus on the environmental artists Christo and Jeanne Claude, focusing on their unique ways of advertising and funding each
individual project. Christo, the artist, and Jeanne Claude, who manages the business aspect, create preliminary paintings for sale to fund the massive
projects they create. These two artists, a married couple, create these massive projects to show new ways of seeing familiar landscapes. In 2005 Chisto
and Jeanne Claude installed near 8,000 gates in Central Park, New York City and were only on display for fifteen days. Therefore, the amounts of money
these preliminary paintings are worth once the gates, as well as similar projects, are dismantled are the primary focus in my research. Each project has to
be approved beforehand, and from my understanding is one of the most difficult parts. In the case with The Gates, the current New York mayor’s major
enthusiasm for the arts, allowed Christo and Jeanne Claude to proceed with the project. Many people look at these projects as a disruption to, in the
Gates scenario, nature, however others look at it as a unique art movement. My research goes into depth of how Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s art is not
merely a bunch of gates with cloth hanging from them but is comprised of years of planning, approvals, advertising and imagination.
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Anne Macon (Andrea Bergstrom),
A Recent History of Marriage and Romance in Western Culture
In this paper, I would like to research how marriage and romantic relationships have changed over time, primarily in the United States and Europe. It
is commonly thought that marriage is a stable institution and has been that way throughout history. However, societal forces such as the Industrial
Revolution have had a strong impact on family life and marriage, effectively changing marriage and romantic ideals. Love and romance have taken
on more significant roles within marriage, as opposed to the economic importance that it once had, as Stephanie Coontz has shown in some of her
writings on families and marriage; prior to the Industrial Revolution, marriage had been important for the partnership between the husband and wife,
in order to manage all of the household tasks effectively. Consequently, close relationships in general have also changed, as the marital relationship
has increased in importance and friendships have become less emphasized. It is common to hear discussions about the “decline” of marriage and
the changes that have occurred in courting behaviors. I believe that in light of these discussions, it is important to examine the history behind these
relationship structures in order to understand what is currently happening. Through the examination of scholarly sources, I hope to show the history
behind marriage, family life, and close relationships from approximately the 1700s to the present day to demonstrate that marriage and relationship
structures are not as stable or natural as many believe them to be and are constantly changing to this day.
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Allyson Mentlik (Andrea Bergstrom),
The History of the German Breeds: The Trakehner, Holsteiner, and Hanoverian
Horses in this country have originated from all parts of the world. Some are bred in the United Sates, while a large number are born in Europe. Many make
the trip from country to country for not only breeding purposes, but for riding and sales as well. Germany has been an integral part in creating strong,
successful breeds over the years that have developed and flourished into some of the top competing horses today. What is not always known to many
people dealing with these breeds is where exactly they came from. Also, how they evolved and what the overall history is behind them. The Trakehner,
Holsteiner, and the Hanoverian are three of the most popular German warmbloods today, but their history and stories are known in detail by very few. In any
top equestrian competition which includes English riding, these breeds will most likely be seen. They are often the winners of top international events. Their
evolution and history will fascinate any one who has come into contact with these spectacular breeds. This research was performed by conducting a review
of academic literature on this subject. The findings focus on the history and evolution of these breeds. OUR FINDINGS EXPAND ON the German breeds’
purpose, potential, and talent.
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Rebecca Speert (Andrea Bergstrom),
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Ayahuasca and How it Has Impacted Human Life
Ayahuasca is a psychotropic vine, native to the Amazon Rainforest. The vine is used to make herbal infusions, intended to be drunk during Shamanistic
ceremonies. The vine induces visions thought to help one self delve into one’s deepest consciousness. This process is seen as an opportunity for selfhealing both physically and emotionally. In order to present an overview of the culture, ceremony, and healing associated with Ayahuasca, I examined
personal testimonies, reviewed scholarly resources on the subject and conducted interviews with Shamans and local people in the San Martin Region
of Peru. The main focus of the paper is on the utilization of Ayahuasca within Peruvian Shamanism; the way it is used as a physical and emotional
purgative to facilitate self-discovery and healing, and finally, I evaluate early Ayahuasca usage and its implication on the modern world.
Biochemistry
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Kristine Bielecki (Peter Bradley),
Department of Biology, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA, 01602
Spider silk structures as seen with the scanning electron microscope.
There are seven documented types of spider silk, all composed of proteins. Each type is synthesized in a specific gland on a spider’s abdomen in a
liquid crystalline form and spun through a unique spinneret where it experiences oligomerization and becomes a solid. In this study, the structures
of spider silk were examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope. Spider silk was collected from a variety of species from both indoor and outdoor
environments in Massachusetts and Vermont, including the genera: Araneus, Xysticus and Achaearanea. The silk was sputter coated with gold and
visualized at magnifications up to 35,000X. Several types of silk structures were observed to be common regardless of the species. These structures
included large rounded bifurcated fibers about 50 Î¼m in diameter and smaller fibers laden with equidistant silk droplets of about 10 Î¼m. Based on
their consistency in appearance these structures may be associated with particular functions. The bifurcated fibers may be dragline or major ampullate
silk, which has been described as the strongest silk, providing the web’s structural support. The strands covered in droplets may be viscid or glue-like
silk that is involved in catching prey. Several other structures were observed as well, and included rectangular bifurcated, ridged, corkscrew, wound
bifurcated, semi-braided, single and multiple stranded fibers. Further research may provide insight in to spider silk structures and how each type is used
by the spider.
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Cecilia Doddi (Michael Maroney),
Department of Chemistry, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Nickel Superoxide Dismutase: Effects of Structural Change on Enzymatic Function
Superoxide dismutases (SODs) exist in nature to protect biological molecules from oxidative damage by catalyzing two reactions that convert superoxide
radicals to molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. There are three existing classes of SODs: 1) Cu/ZnSOD, 2) MnSOD and FeSOD, and 3) NiSOD. The
first two classes utilize only nitrogen and oxygen donors to bind metal, whereas NiSOD is unique in that it utilizes three different types of nitrogen
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donors and two sulfur donors. A construct of Streptomyces coelicolor NiSOD that adds an extra N-terminal Met residue (Met0) was made to investigate
the importance of the N-terminal amine ligand by adding an N-terminal extension. In addition to the ligands directly bound to nickel in the active site,
there is a hydrogen bonding network in the second coordination sphere between His1, Glu17, and Arg47 that has been proposed to influence the
interaction between nickel and the His1 imidazole ligand. To study the hydrogen bonding network, a series of mutants was created that alters the
nature of the Glu17 and Arg47 residues. The mutant NiSOD enzymes were produced by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), expressed in E. coli, and
subsequently isolated, purified, and reconstituted as previously described(1). The structural effects that result from the mutations were investigated
using various spectroscopic techniques. The functional ramifications were examined using kinetics, where superoxide was produced by pulse radiolysis.
The results will be discussed with the view to advance the understanding of the reaction mechanism in NiSOD. References (1) Bryngelson, et al. Journal
of the American Chemical Society. 2004, 126, 460-461.
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Board 10
Mina Ghaly (Alejandro Heuck),
Department of Biochemistry, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Dissociation of PopD and PcrH
Many bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. Coli, and Yersinia spp. use the Type III Secretion System (T3SS) to inject toxins into the host cell.
Proteins assemble a translocon that allows a needle like structure to extend across both membranes. Proteins found in the needle tip like PopD, and
PopB work to form a pore in the host cell so the toxins can enter the through the needle and to the host cell. To characterize these proteins, we must
first isolate and purify them in E. Coli, however, they tend to aggregate if they are isolated in solution, so we purify the proteins with their chaperone,
PcrH. Working with PopD , I have been trying to optimize a method to dissociate it from PcrH and to analyze their interaction together and study the
proteins separatly. From previous work, I wanted to see how much of the complex of Pop D-PcrH dissociate if incubated with a chaotropic agent such as
KI I wanted to compare the result of dissociating the wildtype against a mutation in the protein PopD where a cystein is added in the N-terminus of the
protein and also a mutation in the PcrH using gel filtration. It was shown that the wild type PopD-PcrH had the lowest dissociation yield, the mutants
NcysPopD-PcrH and PopD-PcrHL90R had a slightly higher dissociation yield and finally the mutant NcysPopD-PcrHL90R had a much higher dissociation
yield. Thus, we can see that mutations affect the interaction between PopD and PcrH. I want to further study this by running the same mutant proteins
and see their dissociation in a Urea gradient, by using a gradient, we will be able to better quantify the interaction between the proteins . I predict that
the dissociation result will be similar to that using KI. The studies I am conducting will facilitate the future structural analysis of the translocon complex
that is currently being investigated in my lab.
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1:30-3:00
Board 8
Amid Hamidi,
Ngoc Ho (Lynmarie Thompson),
Mechanism of Transmembrane Transport: ATP Binding and Hydrolysis by the E.Coli Methionine Transporter
While the full crystal structures of only four adenosine triphosphate binding cassette (ABC) transporters have been determined, a key question is still
not fully answered: How does the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis cause substrate transport? To address this fundamental question regarding
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the mechanism of ABC transporters, our aim is to compare ATP hydrolysis activity of a simpler system (ABC transporter of methionine, MetIN) in
detergent micelles versus membrane vesicles. Reconstitution of MetIN in membrane vesicles, mimics its native membrane environment; therefore,
ideally we would be able to conserve the transporter in its most native state, where it should be least perturbed hence most functional. The structure
of MetIN is currently being solved by our collaborators; however, this crystal structure is in a detergent-micelle solubilized environment. By comparing
ATP hydrolysis activity of MetIN in the reconstituted environment versus detergent micelle solubilized environment, we gain further insight in the
“alternating access and release” mechanism. It is also known that an over-threshold concentration of methionine (Met) can inhibit the transport
function, and hence lower ATP hydrolysis rate. On the other hand, a change in concentration of the binding protein (BP) MetQ, (by which methionine
is delivered to MetIN), can change the rate of ATP hydrolysis. In the future aims, after further experimentation on the effects of Met and BP on the
transfer system, we hope to develop strategies to differentiate the outward versus inward-facing conformation of the TMD in both detergent and
vesicles. This biochemical study, combined with the structural data about MetIN will also contribute or modify our understanding of the alternating
access and release model.
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1:30-3:00
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Matthew Janko (Dr. R. Thomas Zoeller),
Does a Combination of Thyroid Hormone and Hydroxylated PCB
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants routinely found in human and animal tissues. Developmental exposure to
PCBs is associated with neuropsychologic deficits. PCBs may exert their neurotoxic effects by interfering with thyroid hormone (TH) signaling. Some
PCBs can act as a weak but direct agonist on the TH receptor (TR) (You et al. 2006). However, because the TR is a repressor in the absence of TH, derepression may be confused with an agonist action. Moreover, Miyazaki et al. (2004) have proposed that specific PCBs can cause the TR to dissociate
from DNA. Previous work in the Zoeller lab (You et al., 2006) failed to support the Miyazaki hypothesis using chromatin immunoprecipitation. These
conflicting results are germane because an unpublished experiment appears to have shown the extent to which a single PCB congener (4-OH-PCB106)
can alter gene expression through TH signaling. In this experiment, a rat pituitary cell line was treated with T3, PCB, T3 + PCB, or remained untreated
(control). Surprisingly, the findings indicated in many cases that PCB could abrogate the effect of T3 on gene expression in this cell line. This work was
designed to identify the TH-response genes in GH3 cells for further study. In addition, we wanted to focus on Growth Hormone, a known target of TH.
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Lauren Crosby
Ashley Lansing (Kimberly Stieglitz),
Department of Biochemistry, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Investigating the Allosteric Mechanisms of AF2372
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The ancient bacteria Archeaoglobus fulgidis gene product AF2372 cleaves 2 sugars and is a non-cooperative or anticooperative dimeric enzyme
which evolved into allosterically regulated tetrameric E. Coli and human fructose 1,6 -bisphosphatases (FBPases). The sequence homology is relatively
high between the ancient bacterial dimeric species and human tetrameric species and the tertirary structures are similar. Site directed mutagenesis
experiments have been done to characterize non-cooperative binding of the substrate. Allosteric enzymes function cooperatively, in a much more
sophisticated system than an enzyme regulated by only substrate availability or direct inhibition in the active site. Through site directed mutagenesis
coupled to kinetic assays, we can systematically understand the stepwise evolution of allosteric enzymes. This is done by examining two similar
monomers from same super-family that have similar folds to understand what structural differences may have contributed to a more complex way of
regulating activity. A substitution of tryptophan in AF2372 for tryosine was engineered. Molecular modeling showed that the tryptophan residue in
AF2372 adds 5 hydrophobic interactions to the subunit interface. To investigate if tighter hydrophobic interactions contribute to increased cooperativity,
as in the human enzyme, the mutant plasmid has been purified and the protein overexpressed. Kinetic and intrinsic fluorescent binding studies area
being done to compare the mutant to the wild-type enzyme to search for evidence of sigmoidal substrate or metal cofactor binding.
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Jia Lin (Scott Garman),
Structural Characterization of Human CD4 Interacting With Tick Saliva Immunosuppressor Salp15
Our lab is interested in glycoproteins, particularly those that have an implication in human disease. We use the methods of structural biology to study
molecular interactions critical in human disease. My specific project involves structural characterization of human CD4, a cell surface glycoprotein that
is expressed on the surface of T Helper cells. CD4 contains four immunoglobulin domains (D1 to D4) and the extracellular domains D1D2 have been
recognized to interact with Salp15, a salivary protein that is expressed in Ixodes scapularis tick. Salp15 has been identified as an antigen responsible
for the immunosuppressive action and effect on the host. Recombinant soluble human CD4 (rsCD4) has been expressed in Escherichia coli in the form
of inclusion bodies. Generation of conformationally native rsCD4 from these inclusion bodies is a time-consuming and inefficient process, requiring
a refolding step. Here we describe a method which enables rsCD4 D1D2 to be secreted to the E. coli periplasm. The protein is produced in culture
medium without induction. Release of rsCD4 from E. coli requires lysing the cells by osmotic shock. Soluble lysate has been tested on SDS-PAGE/
western blot to analyze rsCD4 D1D2 expression level. Currently we are purifying rsCD4 D1D2 using the affinity of His-tag for nickel columns and testing
the binding affinity and specificity of rsCD4 with Salp15.
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Michael Noujaim (Jerrold Meyer),
Department of Psychology, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
MDMA Binge-Induced Breakdown of Cytoskeletal Proteins
R,S(Â±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or Ecstasy, has become increasingly popular among the illicit recreational family of drugs.
Among the various psychological and physiological effects of MDMA abuse, and increase in the proteolytic response of two functionally important
cytoskeletal proteins, Î±II-spectrin and tau, has been cited in various regions of the rat brain. The main focus of this study is investigating this
cytoskeletal proteolytic response possibly taking place after hydroxyl radical formation, due to acute MDMA exposure, using mainly western blot
analysis to quantify the breakdown products of the cytoskeletal protein tau. Furthermore, a major part of this study is aimed at exploring whether preexposure to MDMA in the adolescent years will establish a neuroprotective effect attenuating the binge effects of the drug on the proteolytic response
of tau.
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Biology
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Andrea Bagas (Rolf Karlstrom),
Genetic mapping of the zebrafish umleitung mutation
The molecule Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) is a small secreted protein that mediates cell-cell signaling events to establish the body plan during the embryonic
development of many species. The incorrect regulation of Shh signaling can cause birth defects such as holoprosencephaly (HPE) and the cancers
medullablastoma and basal cell carcinoma. A novel zebrafish mutation, umleitung (uml), is a hypothesized disruptor of the Shh pathway. uml mutant
fish, like other Shh pathway mutants, are defective in forebrain formation and axonal patterning, and die before reaching adulthood. uml mutants also
show an overall loss of Shh signaling by reduction in the expression of Shh target genes. However, uml’s exact role in the Shh pathway, as well as the
location of the uml gene, are currently unknown. By genetic linkage and synteny analysis, we have located the uml interval to chromosome 24, and
tightly linked genetic markers spanning the uml interval have been identified. By genotyping uml heterozygous adult fish with these close markers and
crossing these fish together, new mapping panels have been created. The interval has been significantly narrowed due to analysis of these markers
within the panels. Because such a small number of candidate genes remain, zebrafish BAC sequences of genes in the narrowed interval are now being
sequenced. This will enable us to more quickly narrow the interval and support mapping results. The identification and characterization of uml will
allow us to further understand the Shh signaling pathway, possibly shedding light on human diseases associated with the incorrect regulation of Shh
signaling.
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Board 15
Vitaliy Belyshev (Jennifer Ross),
Department of Physics, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Characterization of a Red Fluorescent Recombinant Kinesin Motor
Kinesin is a double-headed motor protein that transports organelles and other cargo along microtubules found inside the cell. Kinesin are formed
from a dimer of identical heavy chains and walk bipedially across the microtubules. In order to observe these kinesin, certain fluorescent tags must be
attached into the Protein. We used GFP, known as green fluorescent protein, as our tag in visualizing the kinesin. We transformed bacteria with our GFP
tagged kinesin and induced expression of it. The DNA plasmid was purified via a mini-prep. We purified the kinesin protein to obtain working quantities
of kinesin. Gliding assays of the protein were done and imaged in vitro. Our next step will be to recombine the DNA with an mCherry protein replacing
the GFP.
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Shannon Demas (Samuel Black),
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Effects of Typanosoma brucei on OP9 Stromal cell growth and gene expression in vitro
Background: Trypanosoma brucei is a flagellate, extracellular protozoan parasite that causes African Sleeping Sickness in humans and Nagana in cattle.
The World Health Organization estimates the disease incidence in humans to be 50,000 to 70,000, with a higher rate of mortality than HIV/AIDS in
a number of African countries. Current treatment is limited to the administration of highly toxic drugs. A primary goal of trypanosomiasis research is
to develop safer treatment options, and much research in this regard is aimed at attenuating subversion of the host immune system by the parasite.
Preliminary data in the lab show that specific populations of mature B cells are depleted during infection and that early B cell differentiation in the bone
marrow (BM) is also inhibited. Elucidation of this component of host immune system failure will inform treatment modalities aimed at the restoration of
a competent immune system. Methods: The OP9 BM stromal cell line was employed to investigate the impact of trypanosomes on cells that promote B
cell differentiation in vitro. Cells were cultured at physiological oxygen concentrations in various media preparations to determine the optimal medium
for co-culture of OP9 cells and trypanosomes. Results: Medium containing 50% ï ¡MEM growth medium and 50% trypanosome medium was found
to support OP9 growth and maintain trypanosome viability at acceptable levels. OP9 stromal cells were seeded at 5000 cells per well and maintained
on 50/50 medium until growth plateau. OP9 cells grow continuously and reach plateau at approximately day 9 post-seeding when cultured alone. OP9
cells cocultured with 1 x 105 trypanosomes remain at plateau from day 5 to 8. Trypanosomes cocultured with OP9 cells increase in numbers from their
seeding density on day 5 to day 7 but are sharply reduced on day 8 and are undetectable at day 9. Trypanosomes cultured without OP9 stromal cells as
a control, were similar to those cultured with OP9 at day 6, but immediately decline from day 6 to day 8 and undetectable on day 9. Conclusions and
Discussion: Trypanosome co-culture subdues OP9 growth, resulting in a premature OP9 growth plateau, while trypanosomes multiply for a brief period
in vitro. Successful short-term co-culturing trypanosomes with OP9 stromal cells, creates a new system for investigation of B cell development vis-Ã -vis
its attenuation during T. brucei infection. Future research will include adding T. brucei to co-cultures of B cell progenitors and immature B cells and OP9
stromal cells to determine i) their survival and growth, ii) their impact on stromal cell survival and growth, iii) their impact on the capacity of stromal
cells to support development of immature and mature B cells from bone marrow progenitor cells.
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Board 14
Staci Edelstein (Lawrence Schwartz),
Generation of Inclusion Body Myositis Model in Drosophila: Co-Expression of Human App and Human Tau Proteins
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a slow-onset muscle degenerative disease that afflicts the elderly. The patients display progressive muscle weakness,
muscle atrophy, muscle fiber necrosis, vacuolated muscle fibers, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Histological analysis of muscle biopsies reveal the
presence of abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation of the protein amyloid precursor protein (APP) and/or its proteolytic product, A-beta, and paired
helical filaments consisting of Tau, a microtubule binding protein. Interestingly, accumulation of two molecules, APP and Tau, has also been observed in
brains from patients with the well-known neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s disease. The Schwartz laboratory in the Department of Biology at the
University of Massachusetts Amherst has created a Drosophila model for the human disease by producing transgenic flies that express human amyloid
precursor protein (hAPP) in skeletal muscles. Drosophila expressing hAPP displayed significant declines in motor capability over time in behavioral assays,
specifically climbing and flying. Building on these results, I have analyzed flies that co-express hAPP and human Tau to determine if this exacerbates
the phenotype. As part of this analysis, I am using vital dye staining to examine the relation between mitochondrial dysfunction and hAPP-induced
pathogenesis. This will hopefully provide a physiological measure of mitochondrial function that will help expand our understanding of the molecular and
physiological mechanisms that underlie IBM.
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Board 6
Christopher Ferreira (John Nambu),
Defining the Molecular Lesions of Viable Dichaete Alleles in Drosophila
The Drosophila melanogaster gene Dichaete encodes a High Mobility Group (HMG) domain protein that belongs to the SOX family of transcription
regulators. The DNA-binding HMG domain of Dichaete is 88% identical to that of human SOX2, implying evolutionarily conserved activities. The
functions of Dichaete have been well characterized in developing embryos and Dichaete null mutations result in a completely lethal phenotype associated
with severe malformation of the central nervous system. However, little is known about Dichaete function in the adult nervous system, where the gene
is also strongly expressed. To address this issue, three additional Dichaete mutant lines (alleles) were generated that yield a semi-viable phenotype. Some
homozygous mutant flies make it through development to the adult stage, but they are not as healthy as wild-type flies. These new viable mutants,
Dichaete89, Dichaete107, and Dichaete175, were generated via excision of the P element P[PZ]rJ375 and appear to disrupt normal Dichaete expression in
the adult brain, with each allele showing a different expression pattern. The purpose of this work is to precisely determine the molecular nature of these
mutations. This will be pursued via PCR (polymerase chain reaction) approaches where specific DNA oligonucleotide primers are used to precisely map
the excision breakpoints in each viable Dichaete mutation. This data will help reveal how Dichaete transcription is regulated. Moreover, due to the strong
evolutionary conservation of Dichaete protein, this data may lead to new knowledge of development of the central nervous system in humans.
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Board 77
Jeremy Hugh (Sallie Smith-Schneider),
SFRP1 Antagonizes the Wnt Pathway- Implications in Breast Cancer
The Wnt-signaling pathway and its downstream effector, ß-catenin, are involved in embryonic development and are implicated in many cancers, including
breast cancer. Aberrant activation of this pathway as well as loss of SFRP1 (secreted frizzle related protein 1), a Wnt antagonist that competes with
frizzled receptors on the cell surface for wnt ligands, is associated with poor patient prognosis. In this study we show that loss of SFRP1 in non-malignant
mammary epithelial cells (76N TERT) causes an increase of nuclear ß-catenin and a decreased sensitivity to cell death in anchorage-independent
conditions, a hallmark of cancerous cells. Conversely, in malignant mammary epithelial cells we show that an over expression of SFRP1 causes decreased
nuclear ß-catenin levels and an increased sensitivity to cell death. All cell death assays were found to be independent of caspase activity. The effect
of SFRP1 on p53 sensitivity was examined in mammary gland explant cultures from SFRP1 knockout and wild type mice. The radiation-induced p53
accumulation was observed to be suppressed in the absence of SFRP1. These results suggest that loss of SFRP1 may lead to increased susceptibility to
tumorigenesis and increased SFRP1 expression may be able to prevent tumor progression both in vitro and in vivo. These preliminary results also hint that
SFRP1 may be able to be engineered as a viable treatment for prevention or therapy for breast cancer patients who display deregulated Wnt signaling.
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Auditorium
Kushi-Nidhi Kumar (Henry Young),
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Board 12
Primitive Stem Cells in the Adult Porcine Pancreas
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that are found amongst differentiated tissues, once in contact with particular damage signals attained from their
immediate environment. Previous reports have mentioned the presence of primitive pluripotent stem cells (i.e., adult [postnatal] stem cells with the
capability to form any somatic cell type in the body) within the skeletal musculature and peripheral vasculature of adult pigs. The current study was
undertaken to determine if similar populations of primitive endogenous stem cells were located in the pancreas of the adult pig. Adult pigs were
euthanized following the guidelines of Fort Valley State University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The pancreas tissues were harvested,
fixed, cryosectioned, and stained with an antibody to carcinoembryonic antigen-cell adhesion molecule-1 (CEA-CAM-1) for pluripotential stem cells.
CEA-CAM-1 positive cells were located throughout the adult porcine pancreas, i.e., within the connective tissues separating the pancreatic lobules,
within the wall of the pancreatic ducts, within the blood vessel walls, among pancreatic acinar cells and associated with pancreatic islet tissue. The
results demonstrate the presence of primitive pluripotential stem cells within adult porcine pancreatic tissues. Studies are ongoing to address their
functional significance in normal pancreatic maintenance and repair.
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Board 29
Emily Lewis (Andrea Bergstrom),
Phthalates
For this project, I intend to research “Phthalates and its health effect on women”. Phthalates are chemical compounds added to plastics to allow
flexibility. It is used in a variety of vinyl consumer goods, such as cosmetics and toys as well as hospital equipment and home construction. Studies have
shown that Phthalates can damage the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the reproductive system, especially the developing testes. An unusual effect
of this chemical which I will be focusing on, is that Phthalates mimics the female hormones, estrogen. Higher than average levels of this chemical in a
young girls body may cause her to menstruate and develop at an alarmingly early age. There is evidence of girls as young as three years old with early
stages of breast development. I will be researching, via scholarly reviewed journals and magazine articles, the health effects of Phthalates, where it is
found, and how we as consumers can be educated in avoiding overexposure.
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Board 11
Mario Nimali (Brian Bettencourt),
Department of Biology, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
Extreme Polymorphism; Polyglutamine Length Variability and Heterozygosity in Drosophila Transcription Factors
In the Drosophila melanogaster genome, Glutamine (Q) is the most frequent amino acid encoded by repeat regions, especially those longer than 20
codons. Despite their deleterious phenotypes, these polyglutamine repeats are highly conserved across multiple species. Conversely, polyglutamines
show high length variability within species. Other repeats with similarly high C-G content show low variability across the genome, suggesting selection
acts on polyglutamines. We analyzed polyglutamine-encoding genes and compared them to Poly A / T / N / S / D-encoding genes in three natural
D. melanogaster populations, examining length variability, heterozygosity, and sequence polymorphism. PolyQ genes showed higher variability and
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heterozygosity than PolyOther genes. Currently, we are analyzing sequence polymorphism of select PolyQ and PolyOther genes, to determine how
selection and mechanistic forces shape nucleotide variability in long vs. short and high-frequency vs. low-frequency alleles.
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Board 10
Amy Rayla (Abigail Jensen),
The overexpression of Wallerian Degeneration Slow (Wlds) in Zebrafish Rod Photoreceptors
Rod cells are photoreceptors in the vertebrate retina that detect low levels of light and are essential for night vision. The rod cell outer segment is a
modified cilium containing a stack of membranous discs with the photon-capturing protein Rhodopsin. My research explores the mechanisms of outer
segment maintenance and photoreceptor degeneration. The main objective of my research is to determine whether over-expression of the Wallerian
Degeneration Slow (Wlds) protein can protect rod photoreceptors from light-induced damage and degeneration in the retina of zebrafish. Wallerian
degeneration refers to the process by which neuronal axons degenerate distal to a site of damage. This degeneration normally occurs one to two days
after damage. In the mutant mouse, called Wallerian degeneration slow, degeneration is slowed by two weeks. The spontaneous mutation in the wlds
mouse caused a fusion between two genes that generates a chimeric protein (WldS). Since its discovery, over-expression of Wlds has been shown to
protect several types of neurons from dying in response to a many different insults. It is still unclear how the Wlds protein protects neurons from dying.
The Jensen laboratory generated transgenic zebrafish that over-express the Wlds protein in rod photoreceptors. My project uses this transgenic line to
test whether Wlds protects rods from dying in response to acute bright light or chronic moderate light exposure. The results of these experiments will
be presented at the time of the Symposium.
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Board 9
Evelyn Santos (Sandra Petersen),
Localization of Genes Regulated by Estradiol in the Anteroventral Periventricular Nucleus (AVPV) through in-Situ
Hybridization
The anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) is a sexually dimorphic nucleus in the preoptic area. In females the AVPV is greater in volume and neuron
number as opposed to males. The neurons in the AVPV project to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. GnRH triggers the pituitary to
release follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Both LH and FSH regulate ovulation in females and spermatogenesis in males.
Estradiol plays a key role in the sexual dimorphism of the AVPV, since it triggers apoptosis of neurons in males thereby decreasing the size of the nucleus.
Previous microaray studies done by SL Petersen et al. have shown that estradiol upregulates Camkk2 Î², and downregulates Pik3r1, and Slc5a7 in the
preoptic area of mice. Slc5a7 codes for the solute carrier family 5, member 7, Pi3kr1 codes for the phosphoinositide-3-kinase, regulatory subunit 1 Î±,
and Camkk2 Î² codes for the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2, Î². The Pik3r1 product is involved in glucose transport, the Camkk2
Î² product is involved in a lysosomal autophagic pathway, and the Slc5a7 product is a transmembrane choline transporter. Through in-situ hybridization of
35S labeled 48 base pair long oligonucleotides to post-natal day 2 female rat brain sections, we were able to localize all three genes in the AVPV.
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3:10-4:40
Board 10
Hermann Simo (Michael Shiaris),
Department of Biology, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Comparison of Archaea Community Fingerprints Based on Plant Species and Geographical Locations in
Massachusetts
Of the three phylogenetic domains, Archaea, Bacteria and Eucarya, the ecology of Archaea is the least understood. Few studies have looked at archaeal
distribution and diversity in soils. With the relatively new knowledge of Archaea being ubiquitous in soil, understanding archaeal diversity in soils is
crucial in identifying their role. Therefore, we conducted a study focusing on archaeal diversity based on soil geography and vegetation. Diversity was
determined using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of PCR-amplified archaeal 16S rDNA, a DNA region conserved in each
species. More than 20 soil samples were collected near the root system of vegetation in seven locations in Massachusetts. Samples represented soils
from oak, maple, birch, pine and grass habitats. Total soil DNA was extracted and purified for PCR. PCR-amplified archaeal DNA was digested with
restriction enzyme Rsa 1 and analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Bands were scored for size and archaeal community banding patterns were compared with
cluster analysis. The digestions yielded a total of 33 fragments, ranging in size from approximately 15 to 975 base pairs. Each archaeal community had a
unique RFLP band pattern. There were clusters of archaeal communities from the same location or from similar vegetation types. However, there were
some exceptions. Therefore, the association of species diversity in archaeal community based on geographic locations and vegetation was rather weak.
These preliminary results suggest a high level of diversity in archaeal soil communities and that such diversity is not solely associated with geography or
vegetation.
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Board 8
Elva Singal (Joan Brenner),
Is There a Clock Ticking Inside of Every Living Organism?
Lately people complain how, more than ever, they depend on time, and how they live their lives in a constant and monotonous cycle. Are these
monotonous cycles part of their customs, or is there a biological reason behind them? This study explains how many of these cycles or customs are
responsible for keeping people and other organisms alive. One objective of this study is to show how circadian clocks work in different organisms.
Using scientific literature, unicellular organisms such as cyanobacteria, plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, insects such as Drosophila, and humans are
compared to show how circadian clocks influence life. The importance of environmental and biological internal processes that control organisms’ life, and
that cause cyclical rhythms, are highlighted. It will be shown that not only do light and temperature affect different organisms’ cyclical behavior, but also
that customs can turn on and off the transcription-translation of genes, resulting in a modification of cyclic behavior in the production of proteins that
control organisms’ biological processes.
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Board 7
Christina Vorvis (Wei-Lih Lee),
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Engineering of a Monomeric Photoactivatable GFP for Analysis of Dynein Pathway Components in Budding Yeast
In budding yeast, the anchor protein Num1 has been shown to play an important role in nuclear migration. Localized at the cell cortex, Num1 is a
protein found in the bud cortex as well as the mother cortex, serving as a receptor and anchor for cytoplasmic dynein. Dynein is a multi-subunit motor
protein, which generates movement towards the minus ends of microtubules. Num1 contributes to spindle movement during anaphase in a dyneindependent manner. It is hypothesized that dynein at the plus end interacts with Num1 at the cell cortex. This interaction mediates anchoring of the
motor at Num1 sites. Once anchored, it is proposed that dynein becomes activated to pull on the cytoplasmic microtubules, thus contributing to nuclear
migration. Here, we set out to test this model with photoactivatable-GFP (PA-GFP) to examine the dynamic localization of dynein anchoring sites. We
created a yeast-tagging vector cassette containing a conventional photoactivatable GFP. We also used site-directed mutagenesis to generate a vector
containing a monomeric variant of codon-optimized GFP with photoactivatable properties. We tagged two yeast proteins, Erg6p and Num1p, with
PA-GFP and demonstrated specific photoactivation of the fusion proteins in live cells. Fluorescence intensity measurements showed that a short 0.5-5
s exposure to 413 nm light is sufficient to produce the maximum level of activated GFP fluorescence for the fusion proteins. Local photoactivation of
cortical Num1p-PA-GFP showed movements of the marked proteins, providing new insights into the behavior of Num1p at the cell cortex.
Botany
162
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 36
Todd Karalius (Peter Alpert),
The Effects of Historic Land Use on Present-Day Biological Invasion Patterns: A Case Study Using Native American
Middens in California
Past land uses by humans can have long-term effects on natural communities. To test whether past land use can affect patterns of biological invasion
for extended times, we hypothesized that middens abandoned by Native Americans at least 100 years ago and now covered with grassland would
have higher relative abundances of introduced plants than adjacent grassland. We tested if soil N availability was higher on than off middens and
could explain abundance of introduced plants, and if intensity of past use measured by abundance of fragments of mollusks used for food correlated
with abundance of introduced plants. We measured cover of each plant species and soil characteristics on and off each of the 8 remaining middens in
grasslands along a 20-km portion of the coast of California 100-120 km north of San Francisco. Relative cover of introduced plant species was about
20% higher on than off middens. This was entirely due to annual species of grasses and forbs, whose cover was about 110% higher on middens;
perennials, whether introduced or native, were more abundant off middens. Concentration of total inorganic N in the upper soil was twice as high on
middens and explained about 40% of the variation in cover of introduced annuals. Abundance of shells on middens correlated with cover of introduced
annuals and also with inorganic N. Results show that land use by Native Americans over a century ago is associated with present-day invasion by
introduced plants and suggest that persistent elevation of soil N is partly responsible.
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Board 12
Dawn Eriksen (Lianhong Sun),
Department of Chemical Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Directed Evolution of the RhlI Protein
In protein engineering, techniques are used to modify the functionalities of proteins, leading to insight into the design principles of the enzymes. A
specific protein of interest in this project is the RhlI protein found in the RhlI-RhlR quorum-sensing system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The quorumsensing system of the bacteria is prominent in chronic infections that afflict patients with Cystic Fibrosis. By identifying crucial residues in the RhlI
protein, it is possible to identify improved treatments for Cystic Fibrosis patients. The project’s objective was to alter the functionality of the RhlI protein
to produce the signaling molecule 3-oxo-hexanoyl-HSL (OHHL) which is novel to the system. Through directed evolution and rational design, structureactivity relationships can be established to identify the crucial amino acid residues for the protein’s function. Positive mutants that produced OHHL were
determined through a genetic selection method that coupled RhlI with the LuxR protein. Initial results are positive: two mutants with increased activity
compared to the wild-type have been identified. Authors: Pavan Kambam, Dawn Eriksen, Lianhong Sun
Chemistry
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Board 14
William Brideau (Eihab Jaber),
Department of Chemistry, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA, 01602
Hydrogen Bonding Formations via Cyanuric Acid/Melamine Complexes
The melamine and cyanuric acid are known to form hydrogen bonding agglomerates stable in water. The cyclic hexamer Figure 1 is one of the examples
of such a supramolecular system. These systems have played an important role in the design of self-assembling aggregates based upon molecular
recognition. Cooperative interactions are thought to play a key role in these and other self-assembling aggregates. In this work, we evaluate the
enthalpic contribution to the stabilization of these self-assembling aggregates. The calculations were performed using the molecular orbital methods
at the ab initio (Hartree-Fock and Density Functional Theory) levels using the GAUSSIAN W03 program. The interaction enthalpy for melamine/cyanuric
acid dimer Figure 2 was found to be 8.41 kcal/mol at HF/D95** level, while enthalpies for individual NHâ€¦O, and NHâ€¦N bonds are 2.16 and 2.036
kcal/mol respectively. Therefore, cooperative effects account for 26% of the interaction in the dimer. The stabilization enthalpy in the hexamer is 56.23
kcal/mol.
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Board 14
Carolyn Cook (Robert Harris),
Department of Chemistry, Mass College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA, 01247
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The design and synthesis of non-c2 symmetric ligands for metal-mediated asymmetric catalysis
Chiral molecules play a large role in both chemistry and biochemistry. One enantiomer of a drug can relieve the symptoms a person is suffering, while the
other can cause drastic side effects. Chemists have always looked for ways to design reactions that only give one enantiomer of a product. This research
looks to devise such a method by using metal-catalyzed transformations and a novel norbornane-based ligand. The research begins with the synthesis of
a new phosphorous(P)-nitrogen(N) containing norbornane ligand. The starting material, norbornene is converted into the desried product in a reaction
sequence consisting of 7 steps. The reactivity of the norbornane P, N ligand will be determined with allylic substitution reactions. This will allow for a
complete evaluation of the ligand’s potential in asymmetric catalysis. The overall goal of the research is to create a new class of C1 ligands that will not be
reaction specific. The modularity of the synthetic approach will facilitate the discovery of a catalyst with a broad range of applications in organometallic
transformations. Hydrogenations, hydroformylations and other C-C bond forming reactions could all be performed using the same ligand.
166
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Board 13
Samson Hailemichael (Michelle Foster),
Department of Chemistry, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
Atomic Force Microscopy Investigation of Amyloid Fibrillogenesis
There is increasing evidence that abnormal accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide (Aß) in cells and tissues is responsible for many age-related human
diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Aß is formed after sequential cleavage the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), a transmembrane glycoprotein of
undetermined function. In this research project, the formation of long, needle like fibrils from Aß peptides is monitored using Atomic Force Microscopy
(AFM). AFM has the ability to resolve images on a nanometer scale using the force interaction between a cantilever and the sample surface as it moves
the tip across the substrate. Operating the AFM in the tapping mode, where the cantilever vibrates at a known frequency as it scans the surface, is an
ideal method for imaging biological molecules; it minimizes the contact between cantilever and sample and prevents the tip from damaging these soft
molecules. The Aß solution is prepared under different conditions, and coated onto a mica surface. Once these samples have been rinsed and dried
they are introduced into the AFM and an image is collected. These images show numerous fibers intertwined together and their quantity increases as
the growth time increases. The growth or lack of growth of these fibrils in the presence of organofluorine inhibitors will also be monitored using AFM.
We believe that our investigation of fibril growth, or fibrillogenesis, under these conditions will contribute to the ongoing research to find a cure to the
pathogenic effect of amyloid fibers in different age-related diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
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Board 12
Kerrie O’Brien (Michael Maroney),
Nickel Trafficking in Helicobacter pylori: Nickel Recognition & Transport by HypA
The virulence of several human pathogens has been linked to a requirement for nickel by key enzymes. In Helicobacter pylori, two nickel enzymes,
urease and hydrogenase are required for acid viability. The metallochaperone HypA plays a critical role in supplying nickel for the active sites of these
enzymes in H. pylori. In order for HypA to acquire nickel successfully from metallotransporters, there is likely a mechanism for the protein to distinguish
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nickel from other transition metals with similar size and charge. It has been shown previously that nickel binding in HypA induces an allosteric change in
the structural zinc site of the protein (1). Mutant constructs of HypA were used to elucidate the amino acid residues involved with nickel binding and also
any involvement of these residues with the structural change observed in the zinc site. References (1) Kennedy, et al. Journal of the American Chemical
Society. 2007, 129, 16-17.
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Board 15
Catharine Sauer (Michelle Foster),
Surface Analysis of Carbon as Studied for Hydrogen Storage
Activated carbon is being studied as a storage device for atomic hydrogen which is an important alternative fuel prospect. As a first step for this type of
study, the sorption mechanisms of activated carbon must be understood at a molecular level. The focus of this series of experiments is the investigation
of activated carbon (ac), with regard to the chemisorption and behavior of functional groups on the surface. The functional groups are introduced in
the form of a surfactant (Zonyl FSN non-ionic) which is coated onto the samples. A surfactant is a surface acting agent, which allows substances that
do not normally absorb water (become wet), to absorb water. Two different samples of ac were exposed to varying concentrations of the surfactant. To
perform the analysis, two instruments were used, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). TGA monitors
the mass of the sample as a function of temperature. As the sample is heated a given functional group decomposes, allowing us to determine where
the surfactant was adsorbed. FTIR was used to determine the identity and concentrations of functional groups adsorbed to the surface. From this data,
the saturation point of the surfactant on the activated carbon will be determined. In other words, we will find out how many surfactant molecules it
takes to completely coat the surface of our ac samples.
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1:30-3:00
Board 13
Anastasia Sobolyeva (Michelle Foster),
Solubility of CaSO4: Revamping an Old Experiment Using a Ca2+ Selective Electrode
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory course at the University of Massachusetts Boston has included an experiment investigating the effects of ionic
strength of the aqueous solvent on the solubility of CaSO4 through EDTA titrations of saturated solutions. Due to its moderately high solubility product
constant (2.5â€¢10-5), as well as its simplistic behavior in terms of complex ion formation, calcium sulfate has been a common target for the solubility
experiments. This experiment was modified in several constructive ways. EDTA titrations techniques were replaced with the use of Vernier Calcium
Ion Selective electrodes. The component investigating the common ion effect was added to the experiment as well. Six standard solutions of CaNO3
were diluted with 0.50 M KNO3 at the following concentrations; 0.01 M, 0.005 M, 0.002 M, 0.001 M, 0.0005 M, and 0.0002 M. These standards
were measured via the Ca2+ selective electrode. A standard calibration curve based on the Nerstian response of the electrode was produced from this
data. Three saturated solutions of CaSO4 were prepared in de-ionized water, 0.10 M KNO3, and 0.10 M of Na2SO4 and allowed to reach equilibrium
for a month prior to the experiment. These diluted by a factor of 10 with 0.50 M KNO3 solutions were measured via the Ca2+ selective electrode to
determine their [Ca2+] concentration from the standard curve. The results clearly reveal the complex effects of ionic strength and the common ion
effect on the solubility.
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170
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3:10-4:40
Board 11
Erin Sutherland (Paul Dubin),
Polyelectrolyte Suppression Of Ph-Induced Aggregation Of ß-Lactoglobulin
The control of protein aggregation is important in dairy processing, in protein x-ray crystallography, and in formulation of protein drugs. There is
currently extreme interest in protein aggregation leading to fibril formation, which causes Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The initial reactant in
protein aggregation is always the protein monomer or dimer, often partially unfolded. The suppression of insulin aggregation by heparin1 suggests that
heparin, a biopolyelectrolyte, can bind the protein monomer or dimer in a soluble complex making it unavailable for aggregation. Following up on this
result, we used turbidimetric titrations to determine whether the aggregation of the milk protein ß-lactoglobulin could be inhibited by heparin, or by a
food biopolyelectrolyte, pectin. 1 K. Giger, R.P. Vanam, E. Seyrek and P L. Dubin, Biomacromolecules, submitted.
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Board 15
Yin Shan Wong (Alexander Kornienko),
Discovery of a Novel Indenoheterocycle With Potent Apoptosis Inducing Properties Through a Systematic Study
of a Multicomponent Reaction Involving Indane-1,3-Dione, Adehydes and Various Amine-Containing Heterocyclic
Compounds
A multicomponent reaction of indane-1,3-dione, an aldehyde and an amine-containing aromatic compound leading to the formation of indenopyridinebased heterocyclic medicinal scaffolds has been investigated. It was found that the yields significantly improve when oxygen gas is bubbled through
the reaction mixture, facilitating the oxidation of the intermediate dihydropyridine-containing compounds to their aromatic counterparts. Investigation
of the reaction scope revealed that formaldehyde as well as various aliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes work well as the aldehyde
component. In addition, substituted anilines and diverse aminoheterocycles can be utilized in this process as the amine-containing component.
Preliminary biological evaluation of the synthesized library identified a pyrimidine-based polycycle, which rivals the anticancer drug etoposide in its
toxicity and apoptosis inducing properties toward a human T-cell leukemia cell line.
Civil Engineering
172
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Chun Kei Ho (Joan Brenner),
A Shock to the Physicists: Does the “Constant” Vary Over Time?
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10:10-11:40
Board 16
In the past decades, scientists have considered some fundamental constants of nature (e.g. light speed, the charge of the electron and the gravitational
force constant) as truly invariant. However, in 2001, Australian researchers discovered that some of these constants might vary over time. For example,
the atomic “fine structure” constant, represented by the Greek letter alpha, seems to have changed slightly over the past 11 billion years, although
uncertainty in the measurements make it too early to say for sure. This discovery may contradict some of the fundamentals of physics, because many
physical laws are based on the assumption that certain constants remain unchanged. The purpose of this study is to examine how these constants
might vary over time and to find the relationship between a “constant” and time. This paper describes the Australian researchers’ ideas and compares
them with past definitions of physical laws, such as Newton’s laws and Einstein’s theory of relativity. The idea of an “inconstant constant” leaves a
room for physicists to discover the validity of their assumptions and to rethink many of their basic ideas about the laws of the universe.
173
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Board 17
Ryan James (Sergio Brena),
Department of Civil Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Behavior of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Sheet and Anchor System for Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete
Elements
Over the last two semesters I have conducted six tests involving the use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer sheets and anchors that are applied to
concrete blocks and stress tested until failure. The purpose of conducting these tests was to help determine the ideal setup of the anchor system so that
a set of uniform guidelines can be developed. This method is useful because it strengthens existing concrete structures without the need for complete
structural rehabilitation which is very costly.
Communication
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Board 18
Jason Beers (Carlton Pickron),
Department of Communication, Westfield State College, Westfield, MA, 01086
Cultural Experiences of the Disney Theme Parks and Resorts College Program
The purpose of this presentation is to focus on the cultural experiences gained from The Disney Theme Parks and Resorts College Program and the
broad benefits to the education of its participants. The Disney College program is an internship for college students of any major. It provides an
international learning experience that is unique. Walt Disney World resort, which attracts more tourists world-wide than any other location, provides
students the opportunity to learn how to work through cultural differences and language barriers. It also is an employer of workers and students
from all over the globe. Students meet peers from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, Latin America, the Middle East, Mexico and Canada.
Students on Disney’s College program get the opportunity to not only work with, but also take classes and learn with students from across the globe.
Learning in such a diverse population allows better understanding of a topic by being able to see so many different perspectives. It provides the
opportunity not only to better understand the traditions and customs of these many diverse cultures, but also to discover similarities among peers
world-wide, in tastes, opinions, mannerisms and habits. It teaches firsthand greater social understanding, for example, by exposure to slang expressions
and phrases. Most significantly, it offers students a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn more about America, by learning how others view this
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country. The poster will be presented by Jason Beers, a sophomore communication major and Stephanie Baker, a junior psychology major. Our poster
will provide pictures of our diverse group of co-workers, as well as examples of cultural similarities and differences we learned during our programs.
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10:10-11:40
Board 50
Jeremy Seibold (Catherine Etter),
Department of Environmental Studies, Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable, MA, 02668
The Facade
This case study compared the public’s general perception of others based strictly on their physical appearance to their actual character and behavior,
in an effort to determine if physical appearance, a nonverbal channel of communication, accurately presents oneself. The case study involved fifty
participants, twenty-five males and twenty-five females, who answered two pages of questions in regard to their character and behavior, all of whom
were photographed. Three different people answered questions pertaining to each one of the photographs, making a judgment on the character
and behavior of the participant based upon his or her physical appearance presented within the photograph, leading to a total of 200 participants.
The results were overwhelming; the faÃ§ade can be quite deceiving! With the incessant need to create order in the world, as we perceive it, striving
to understand the functional relationships that we are immersed in, we bare to all our weaknesses and insecurities, impeding our growth through
interaction and relationships, by making assumptions of the character and behavior of others, based solely on their outward appearances; In doing so,
we foster prejudice and bigotry, struggling as a society to retain the right to call ourselves civil and just. Along with the case study, a research paper
on nonverbal communication was written, accompanied by a short, thought provoking film and a poster board with over 100 recorded emotional
responses to the concept of stereotypes.
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Board 19
Laura Webster (Judi Puritz Cook),
Department of Communication, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
A Third Wave Feminist Critique of Vice Magazine
Vice magazine is one of the leading urban sub-culture magazines that present bold opinions on the current state of the world. Their sensational
photographs and neo-conservative content holds strong opinions of youth subculture that are under analyzed from a third wave feminist perspective.
My research examines Vice magazine’s editorial content and photo spreads from a third wave feminist perspective using applied research tools from
other feminist critiques to support my findings. This paper examines the juxtaposition of the seemingly feminist writing versus the overtly sexual photo
spreads.
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Communication Disorders
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Danielle Acerno (Mary Andrianopoulos ),
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 18
Department of Communication Disorder, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Socialization and Reminiscence Therapy in Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, neuro-degenerative disease of the brain that affects an individual’s intellectual functions by impairing memory,
cognition, and behavior (Alzheimer’s Association, 2007). I am conducting a research project with residents over at the arbors on Socialization and
Reminiscence therapy. Kelley (1997) emphasized social interaction among people with dementia and she stated, “The need for the ongoing involvement
in society does not stop because a person’s mental status has deteriorated” (Kelley, 1997, p.16). Hoffman, Platt, Barry and Hamill (1985) documented
that, “elderly people with dementia are able to respond to nonverbal communication as effectively as non-demented elderly people” (Kelley, 1997,
p. 17). Empirical research conducted by Arkin (2007) revealed that all twenty-four participants with Alzheimer’s positively improved on global and
cognitive functions following Language Enriched exercise and socialization irrespective of when participants entered the program during this four
year longitudinal study. The purpose is to see how individuals with Alzheimer’s disease interact with others and if they interact in the seminars. This
qualitative study will consist of three weeks of seminars with all of the residents involved, so there will be a mixture of individuals with and without
Alzheimer’s disease. These sessions will be taped and I will measure the participation of all the people who attend. This study will show how these
individuals participate and interact with me and each other. I hypothesize that residents will change in their interactions throughout the seminars. They
will be more apt to participate and add clear thoughtful opinions to each discussion.
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1:30-3:00
Board 19
Kristina DeRoy (Nathaniel Whitmal),
Intelligibility Rate Curves in Listeners with Normal Hearing: Finding Importance Functions Using An Adaptive
Filtering Method
Filtering different ranges of frequencies out of a speech signal affects listeners’ abilities to accurately recognize speech. This study obtained intelligibility
rate curves, also known as importance functions, for individual subjects. These importance functions graphically represent the relative contributions
of frequencies needed to understand a speech signal. Subjects listened to a series of 23 different vowel-consonant-vowel combinations filtered with
different bandwidths. Each set in the experiment targeted a different percent correct score through an adaptive method of filtering, which is much
faster than the constant bandwidth method traditionally used. These points were then used to chart intelligibility rate curves. Results were verified to be
consistent with correlational data. The results of this study show a more efficient method of finding importance functions for individual listeners, and
may have implications for the placement of electrodes in cochlear implant users.
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Alexandra Fanuele (Elena Zaretsky),
Room 101
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Board 52
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“Is There a Difference in Processing Phonological vs. Visual Information Between Children With Autism Spectrum
Disorders and Children Developing Language Normally?”
The literature concerning language acquisition of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) shows empirically that visual modality is stronger
than auditory in this population. However, acquisition of language depends on auditory modality and listening to language allows children to build the
phonological representations, which are building blocks for vocabulary acquisition. Studying the processes that underlie language acquisition in highfunctioning children with ASD is very important, because it may shed the light on the future remediation. The specific question posed by this study is
to see if there are difficulties or possible deficits in processing phonological information by children with ASD that may prevent them from acquiring
language. In order to investigate this topic, normal language developing children will be used as controls to allow the comparison of the phonological
processes employed by these two groups of children. This project is important to me because the field of autism is constantly being researched but
there are still many unanswered questions. The more knowledge we gain, the better we will be able at providing services to children with autism. The
study will be conducted using 5-10 high functioning subjects with ASD, ranging from 4 to 8- years of age. The first control group with have children
with the typical language development of the same mental age as children with ASD. The second control group will consist of typical language
developing children of the same chronological age as the children with ASD. To observe the possible differences between visual and auditory skills in
children with ASD, we propose to show children the video tape of a song “The Wheels on the Truck” performed by Barney and a group of children in
the regular version and in two experimental versions. One of the experimental versions will have nonsense words as substitutes for the content words
in the song (e.g. “truck” will be substituted with “bant”) and another experimental version will have nonsense words that rhyme with the original
words (e.g. “truck” will be substituted with “kruk”). We hypothesized that if children with ASD are able to process unwanted behaviors, i.e., tantrums,
crying, or simply turning away from the video then phonological processing has been achieved. The logic behind the use of nonsense words has been
sustained by the vast experimental literature that shows early sensitivity of typically developing children to phonological information that subsequently
promotes vocabulary acquisition. I plan to present my findings at the conference through poster presentation.
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Board 20
Amy Friedman (Shelley Velleman),
The Effectiveness of The Lindamood Phonemic Sequencing® (LiPS®) Program as a Treatment for Reading and
Speech Problems in Children with Spoken Language Impairments
This study will investigate the effectiveness of the Lindamood Phonemic Sequencing® (LiPS®) program as a treatment for reading and speech
problems in children with speech sound delays or disorders. The subject, an eight-year-old male with a spoken language impairment and reading
deficits was referred by a Speech Language Pathologist at the University of Massachusetts Center for Speech, Language and Hearing. Prior to
beginning intervention with the (LiPS®) program, the subject will be given the Verbal Motor Production Assessment for Children (VMPAC), the Hodson
Assessment of Phonological Processes-3, and a reading evaluation. The LiPS® Program will be implemented in the form of supplementary tutoring.
The subject will receive the thirty-minute sessions per week for eight weeks following the methods of LiPS®. The LiPS® program teaches phonemic
awareness and decoding skills through a series of auditory, oral, and tactile activities. The LiPS® program progresses through five different stages. It
begins by teaching English sounds, or phonemes based on manner of articulation, placing a particular focus on the “feeling” of each phoneme. As the
program continues, the subject will expand this skill to combine phonemes into phoneme blends and words. In the final stage, the previously learned
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methods will be incorporated into encoding phonemes for spelling and decoding phonemes for reading. Following the final tutoring session, the subject
will undergo a post-evaluation. He will again be given the Hodson Assessment of Phonological Processes-3, and a reading test. The pre-evaluation
scores and post-evaluation scores will be compared to determine the effectiveness of the LiPS® on the reading and articulation of each subject.
181
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1:30-3:00
Board 16
Amanda Griffin (Sarah Poissant),
The Role of Energetic and Informational Masking in Speech Perception in Cochlear Implant Processed Speech
Speech available to cochlear implant (CI) users lacks the fine temporal structure and pitch cues necessary for attending to one talker in a background of
many other talkers, a phenomenon known as informational masking. The limited literature in this area provides conflicting results regarding the effect
of competing talkers on CI speech perception as well as the differential effect of real speech and noise maskers. The current investigation aimed to
resolve such conflict by determining the effects of changing the type of masker (real speech vs. noise) and the number of masking talkers (1, 2, and 4)
on speech perception in a vocoder simulation of CI processed speech. Thirty-six normal hearing adults (divided into four groups of nine) each listened
to a combination of 360 natural or vocoded sentences in their right ear via a TDH-50P headphone in a double-walled sound-treated booth. Speech
perception was measured in three different processing conditions (6-channel vocoder, 12-channel vocoder and unprocessed) at six different targetto-masker intensity ratios. Each subject group was tested with only one masker type. Custom Matlab software was used to present stimuli and score
responses. Results revealed there is little difference in speech perception across all masker types. In addition, performance was best in the unprocessed
condition and worst using the 6-channel vocoder system, indicating the importance of the number of channels. The results are suggestive of significant
differences in the patterns of informational masking between natural and CI processed speech. [Support provided by NIH/NIDCD Grant R03 007969]
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1:30-3:00
Board 20
Shawna Shappy (Dan Gordon),
Alternative Therapies for Pervasive Developmental Disorders
The statistics show that currently 1 out of every 150 children is born on the Autism Spectrum, and the numbers are only growing. With every new
diagnosis, yet another approach is developed in the attempt to halt this supposed epidemic. What so many methods fail to recognize, however, is the
concept of the ‘spectrum’ in regard to PDD as a crucial entity to accurate diagnosis and advantageous treatment and progress in these children. The
goal of this research project was to compose a comprehensive portfolio that outlines alternative therapies within early intervention practices that can
be individualized into a custom program based on the child’s particular deficits as well as his/her apparent strengths. This individualized approach
is essential to the healthy development of a child’s skills in the areas of language and communication and social interaction and reciprocity. The
compilation of the project is based on my own work in the field as a Home-Based Therapist for children 3 and younger, as well as my own individual
research and knowledge gained in other courses. In addition, the educational video with the use of American Sign Language with young children will
prove to be very beneficial for children with an Autism Spectrum disorder. This type of alternative therapy along with others such as Sensory Integration
Therapy, are explored and included in this composite portfolio for professionals and caregivers alike, for the best possible implementation of an
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individualized service plan for children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
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Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 17
Brooke Springer (Shelley Velleman),
Transition Through Augmentative and Alternative Communication
This study was conducted to track one child’s progress with an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device. The child, nine years seven
months when the study began, was diagnosed with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder and Childhood Apraxia of Speech. The child’s progress using AAC
was observed and analyzed for seven months in speech-language pathology sessions as he transitioned from using an eight choice picture board device
to a 32 choice picture board. Each picture board consisted of square inch photos or diagrams that the client pressed on to hear a sentence describing
the picture. The goal was to see he would make progress in the use of the boards, including the transition to a more complex board, and also in if this
transition helped his communication with the board as well as his overall verbal and nonverbal communication. Through observations of the child’s
use with the board and other speech related activities, it was found that not only did the child make a smooth transition towards the 32 choice picture
board, but his verbal communication improved as well. The popular belief that using a communication board decreases other types of communication
for children with autism was disproved for this child.
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Board 17
Elizabeth Phillips (John Reiff),
UMass Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Because UMass Amherst is its own city, many students never become aware of the opportunities in the surrounding community. Additionally, the
students who are engaged in community service are often disconnected from their peers who are participating in similar work. This is certainly apparent
in the case of Big Brothers Big Sisters as there is a lack of awareness of the organization on campus, and a disconnect between the all of the UMass
students who are currently Big Brothers or Big Sisters. The development of the Registered Student Organization (RSO) “UMass Big Brothers and Big
Sisters” offered a better way to strengthen and maintain the alliance between UMass Amherst and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County while
also connecting the Bigs on campus who are now able to come together to share ideas, support one another and utilize university resources to enhance
the all around experience of all Bigs and Littles. To create a sustainable student organization, the already existing Bigs at UMass became united through
meetings and events, and leadership skills were strengthened in students who showed interest in becoming future leaders for the RSO. University
funding was applied for and received to support the financial needs of the new organization, and a large effort was made to promote Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Hampshire County on campus. The implications of the RSO have had positive effects on both the University and on Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Hampshire County, and the benefits will continue expanding as the RSO grows and thrives for years to come.
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185
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Board 16
Sarah Williams (Annaliese Bischoff),
Department of Landscape Architecture, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
A Hammer, Nails, and Hope: Working for the Court Appointed Special Advocates
In the summer of 2005, Sarah Williams, a member of the Pike’s Peak Chapter of the National Charity League (located in Colorado Springs, CO) decided
to take on a summer-long charity project to benefit the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) non-profit organization. Every year CASA raffles off
several playhouses to families in the Colorado Springs community. These playhouses are built by local volunteers. This particular summer, Sarah decided
to lead a group in the design and construction of one of these playhouses. She coordinated the fundraising efforts, sketching and designing, choosing
of paint colors, purchasing of materials, and constructing of the house. Ten girls participated in the project, meeting 3-4 times/week for 12 weeks.
The finished product appeared identical to what one might expect from a newly built New England-style home. The house was painted white with a
working red door, four working windows with corresponding black shutters, and a neatly shingled roof. The family who eventually won the house from
CASA’s raffle actually won two playhouses that year. They therefore decided to donate Sarah’s playhouse to the Ronald McDonald House organization,
where it is still being used by children being treated for cancer. The project not only helped her to develop leadership and team-building skills, but
also served as a lifelong lesson about humanity towards others: The long hours this volunteer invested into the project have in turn paid immeasurable
dividends in return.
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3:10-4:40
Board 22
Fesehaye Zewdie (Maria Puente),
Department of Psychology, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA, 02129
The Concept of Community Service
Community service is a vital part of our education, one which we must all experience before we graduate. Helping someone, while learning about the
world around you, is one of the most exciting experiences you can have. Not only is community service a fulfilling activity, it can also provide practical
education. This paper describes the organization in which I served, and gives a detailed description of the type of population I worked with. The
overall impact of the service learning experience is described in relation to my feelings during and after my stay in the organization. A brief explanation
regarding how this experience helped me re-examine my values, beliefs or behaviors is given in this paper. I have also incorporated how the service
learning experience helped me explore a possible lifetime career. Finally, I also discuss the benefits that my participation in the service learning provided
the community, and my thoughts on how I can continue the experience in order to affect the lives of others.
Computer Science
187
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Board 19
Robert M Di GIrolamo
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Jose Claro (karen Druffel),
Department of Computer Science, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Student Handbook
This research project is to produce a student handbook for the Business and Information Technology major. The student handbook will contain many
important elements that are required from the major. The handbook will also contain goals of the program as well as what skills the student will
develop while majoring in Business and Information Technology. The handbook must also have what is expected of students by way of projects and
presentations. The student handbook should also have a description of Framingham State College, a description of the faculty, industry advisory board,
and also potential careers. We will be able to produce a successful handbook through research. We will conduct our research by looking at other
student handbooks for other majors to see how they are structured and formatted. We will also talk to faculty members who are involved with the
Business and Information Technology major, current students in the major, and also talk to the members of the industry advisory board. By the end of
the project our group would like to see our student handbook implemented as the handbook used by the major, and also to encourage more students
to enroll in the exciting major of Business and Information Technology.
188
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3:10-4:40
Board 18
Gerard Theriault (Joan Brenner),
Time and Travel
Albert Einstein, in his work on relativity, quite convincingly proved that time is relative and that the motion (speed) of the observer and the observed
must be taken into account. Einstein maintained that it was not possible to travel faster than the speed of light (3X108 meters/sec) where prior theories
maintained that it was possible. This paper will examine the problems associated with deep space exploration by reviewing current theories in both the
on-line and in the scientific literature, including academic papers, and state of the art work at scientific research institutes around the world such as NASA,
Harvard, JPL and others. Science fiction writers like Frank Herbert, Arthur C. Clark and others also provide some provocative theories. This information
is applied to propose some hypothetical scenarios for extremely long space voyages, while describing the problems with navigation and mathematics
involved. Is it possible to travel to a distant star? The philosophical aspect will be to explore why we would want to travel to another star system, another
planet. What would be the effects on the travelers of such a journey? Other questions explored are: how long does it take to travel to a distant star, from
the point of view of the travelers, from the earth, and from the destination? What are the ramifications of these differing times? How does one ‘telephone’
to earth from a distant star? Problems in relativistic mechanics from the applicable frames of reference will be addressed and viable scenarios postulated.
Criminology
189
Auditorium
Cristina Curcio (Amanda Howerton),
Department of Criminology, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
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3:10-4:40
Board 35
Criticicsms of Inmate Rehabiliation Today
Over the last few decades the United States has incarcerated to the extent that today, there are over 2 million people behind bars. Inmate rehabilitation
is a crucial topic that is often ignored due to society’s apathetic or negative attitude toward prisoners. For this study, I used two methods: firstly,
I conducted a literature review to gain theoretical insight into problems that face rehabilitation and ways to improve it. Secondly, I drew from my
observations as an intern in the Classification and Reentry Department at a House of Correction in Massachusetts. Although many strides have been
made regarding the conditions of prisons and rehabilitation, there are hints of racism, sexism, classism, and politics that are still very much alive at
the institution I observed. Based upon my research and experiences, I will discuss various ways to improve our prison system. Some of the key areas
of concern include overcrowding, current classification methods, ineffective programs, counterproductive disciplinary methods, and injustice in our
criminal justice system.
Decision Science
190
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 21
Christopher Legacy (Kathy Frederickson),
The Feasibility of Organic Farming as the Primary Method of Food Production in the US
The debate as to whether organic farming can exclusively feed the US population has been underway for many years. There are two sides to the
argument. The first is that organic farming is insufficient to feed the US population. This argument is put forth mainly by advocates of biotechnology.
The other side of the debate asserts that it is feasible for organic farms to become the primary food suppliers in the US. Both sides have convincing
arguments as well as agendas, but ultimately it is science that will make the verdict. The purpose of this presentation is to challenge the arguments of
biotechnology advocates with the use of scientific evidence and to demonstrate to viewers the relevance of the debate, as its resolution could cause an
agricultural shift in the US.
Economics
191
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 23
Andrew Antonucci (Andrea Bergstrom),
Economic and Social Impacts of Globalization
The daunting possibility of an economic recession in the United States has created much skepticism and distrust of globalization throughout the world.
This project researched the successes and failures of globalization, and the economic and social impacts which eventually accompany a development
failure. By understanding past occurrences and negative impacts, the researcher was able to determine the causes of the current declining economy,
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predictions for future trends, guidelines for successful economic development, and methods to winning back faith in globalization. Understanding
when development is right or wrong for an economy, will be crucial for the future success of struggling economies. Current economic and social
impacts have already been seen in the residential real estate market. Through analysis done by the U.S. Department of Housing, statistics indicated
that the impacts of the current economic recession will continue to hurt the average market value of residential homes. Demand for homes has rapidly
declined as the average home for sale is listed for nearly 100 days (Altos Research, 2008). This decline can be attributed to sub par market lending.
Banks can no longer 100% finance a house upon buyer purchase because people cannot afford the high interest rate payments. This has caused
banks to foreclose on more than half of their homes. In turn they then try to sell foreclosed inventory at approximately 60% of its actual market value
(Department of Housing, 2008). New construction starts on homes continues to decline, and many people have lost their jobs. Economic and Social
impacts like these, will continue to become more widespread. This study proved that as long as this country has a struggling economy, globalization
will continued to be associated with widening inequalities and job insecurity. However, embracing the benefits of development requires the U.S. to
have a permanent reallocation of human and capital resources across all sectors of our economies (OECD observer, 2007). Current economic and social
impacts call for quick government reform. A renewed relationship between growth, innovation, and equity, will foster a better balance in our current
economic crisis.
192
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 25
Brittany Gwinn (Andrea Bergstrom),
Deepening the Impact of Fair Trade and Conscious Consumerism
Over the past decade the idea of Fair Trade has grown increasingly popular among economists as well as everyday consumers. Fair Trade includes
local, national, and global initiatives which seek to enhance social justice and environmental sustainability through fair and alternative production,
distribution, and consumption practices. The idea of fair trade promotes fair prices, self sufficiency, and human rights through the production process
of a particular good. Fair trade’s intention is to promote a better life for the local producers of tropical commodities. The most popular fair trade good
are handicrafts, coffee, fruit, and chocolate. These products most commonly come from Latin America and the Caribbean. In my research I would like
to examine the trends and challenges associated with Fair Trade’s rapid expansion into new commodities (such as manufactured goods) production
regions, and market venues. Advocates of fair trade boast the success of these products because they meet the needs of the “socially conscious”
consumer and therefore have created and entire new market in itself. I would like to research how fair trade ethics could be integrated into larger
production processes and developed on a larger scale to include other varieties of products in addition to tropical imports and exports. I will conduct
my research by examining scholarly works which discuss the benefits of fair trade and look at case studies where these trade policies have been
successful. Additionally, I would like to conduct interviews with advocates of free trade and business owners who are currently promoting fair trade
products in their establishments. I will then examine how fair trade ethics could be used on a larger scale.
193
Auditorium
Aaron Kohl (Bonnie Orcutt),
Prospects for Prosperity 2007/08
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10:10-11:40
Board 22
This presentation is designed to provide an overview of the Worcester State College microfinance project in Nicaragua. The presentation will focus on
three areas. First, it will explain why micro-finance was chosen as a viable method by which to assist the Nicaraguan community of Cedro Galan. Next it
will show what Worcester State students did during the trip to Nicaragua and in preparation for. Lastly, using lessons learned, the presentation will put
forth prospects for the future of the micro-finance project at Worcester State College.
194
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 31
Lindsay Luongo (Irene Foster),
Department of Independent Study Project, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Locations Analysis: Research for a Retail Site
Purpose: A location analysis was conducted for selecting a new franchise site for Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Many factors were taken into
consideration during the research: the company itself, the market place, and the location were all analyzed to see if the specific location would
be profitable. Methods: Investigation of the market place included the industry, customer profile, four Ps, the competition, and future markets.
Demographics, market size, and other challenges for the chocolate and confectionery industry were used. The four Ps were related to the Rocky
Mountain Chocolate Factory and what makes the company unique in the marketplace. The company was then compared to its competitors within the
industry and around the specific site. Results: Results included data regarding sales, retail trade area, and the specific site selection. The major factors
were geo-demographics/lifestyle characteristics and store/location characteristics. Conclusions and Recommendations: Comparison of findings and
literature concluded that the specific site has potential for the company to begin to develop the franchise. Recommendations include using geographic,
demographic, and competitive data analysis, essential for any new business in deciding a retail site location.
195
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10:10-11:40
Board 24
Jared Hopkins
Vanessa Roman (Joanna Gonsalves),
Contingent valuation: how much do we know? How much do we care?
How much does the average college student know about the Darfur conflict? If the awareness is low, how does this affect the willingness to pay to end
the current conflict and consequently, future conflicts? By use of a contingent valuation survey, we hope to show a positive correlation between the
level of awareness and the willingness to pay. Based on the economic theory of cost-benefit analysis, the costs of knowing and not acting (willingness
to pay) are higher than the benefits of knowing and not acting, thus prompting the person to act. A random sample of students at Salem State College
will be surveyed through which variables such as income, knowledge of the conflict, and willingness to pay will be evaluated. We will also look at the
student’s source of news and how often the student exploits that source. If a positive correlation between awareness level and willingness to pay does
exist, we aim to suggest that to raise awareness is to decrease the incidence of conflicts due to greater social demand for peace.
196
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 21
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Magdalena Schmidt (Susan McPherson),
Department of Economics, Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester, MA, 01606
US and EU: Food Laws compared
The US government as well as the US Food Administration created laws and regulations for farmers and food producers to guideline the standards
of food items. These agencies assure that all foods are pure, wholesome, safe to eat and produced under sanitary conditions. They also assure that
all imported foods meet the same requirements as those produced domestically. Still, the laws to prohibit cattle farmers to raise their animals with
health hazardous chemicals, hormones and substitutes are limited. Also the laws and regulations of how to contain and raise these animals are
creating unhealthy conditions for the animal as well as the animal consumers. Compared to the US, the EU has much stricter laws when it comes to
food processing as well as raising cattle. The EU and other European countries who are non EU-members have higher standards and regulations for
food producers and farmers. The prohibition of growth hormones and artificial food enhancers make European foods much healthier and natural. The
comparison between US food laws and EU food laws show many differences that are also related to the mainstream health condition of the people.
This research is based on laws and statistics that should compare two global leaders and their food laws.
197
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 22
Nicholas Straggas (Andrea Bergstrom),
Game, Set, Match. Leisure Class: An Analysis of Consumerism What Makes The World Really Go Round
The majority of wealth within the world can be linked to a very exclusive percentage of people. This is not simply a new capitalistic trend. This is
something that has ruled civilization since humans interacted with one another. It is the job of that of the super elite, the leisure class, to flaunt their
success to everyone in hopes of creating better drive to the masses. This seemingly topless social ladder acts as the main fuel for one’s work ethic, and
drive within society. For this project, Thorstein Veblen’s work The Theory of the Leisure Class will be analyzed, along with current events found in the
news and periodicals to exemplify this theory.
Education
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Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 24
Carolyn Gleason (Laurie DeRosa),
Department of Education, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
No Child Left Behind: Then, Now, and the Future of Academic Accountability.
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For seven years, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) signed by President George W. Bush, has been the target of monumental criticism and mixed
praise. It has been altered, revised, and debated by countless educated professionals. Currently, in 2008, NCLB is up for rewriting. This project will
present the history of NCLB, central arguments surrounding this piece of legislature, and how NCLB could evolve in the years to come. Some of the
research for this project includes personal experience from within public school settings as well as literature and online sources. Though the aspects of
NCLB are questionable to some, it is clear that NCLB directly impacts the teaching practices and objectives for all current teachers and future teachers in
Massachusetts public schools.
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1:30-3:00
Board 23
Amy Jones (Laurie DeRosa),
Special Olympics and Service Learning
The Special Olympics is an organization that began in 1962, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized a camp for children with intellectual disabilities.
The official start of the Special Olympics games was in Chicago in 1968. It began with only 1,000 athletes from 26 U.S. states and Canada competing
in athletics, floor hockey and aquatics. Today there are 2.5 million athletes in 165 countries competing in 26 individual and team sports. This project
begins by reviewing the origins and benefits of Special Olympics. I am also the student representative in charge of Fitchburg State’s involvement in the
Special Olympics. I have been recruiting since last semester and have a large base of volunteers. There is much planning that has to be done in order to
make the Special Olympics run smoothly, and as the student liaison with the Special Olympics Massachusetts staff most of this rests on my shoulders.
There are weekly or biweekly meetings to ensure that all roles are being fulfilled satisfactorily. Every detail must be planned, from food that will be
provided to the athletes to how the facilities must be set up and tents arranged. As the final component of this project, I have explored the costs and
benefits of integrating Service Learning into an academic curriculum.
200
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 25
Jessica Piedrafite (Felicia Farron-Davis),
Bilingual Education and a Thematic Integrated Unit
Today many teachers work in diverse classrooms that serve a variety of learners, which includes second language learners. In order to understand
how to better integrate these students into the inclusive classroom environment, this thesis examined the need for bilingual education programs in
the state of Massachusetts and the two bilingual education programs that exist in Massachusetts, Sheltered English Immersion Instruction, and Two
Way Bilingual Instruction. A thematic integrated unit for an inclusive classroom incorporating the National Standards, the Massachusetts Frameworks,
and the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes (ELPBO) was created. The ELPBO is the Massachusetts Department of Education
Framework that evaluates the progress of second language learners in acquiring the English language. This unit is designed for first grade, and the
topic of the unit is water. The essential questions that will be answered through the unit are: (1) What is that water cycle? (2) Why is water important to
human life? And (3)What can citizens do to protect and preserve the water in the environment that we live in?
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201
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 24
Babafemi Adegbite (Joan Brenner),
STERLING ENGINES: A CLEAN SOURCE OF ENERGY.
At a time of rising energy costs, and concerns about global warming and greenhouse-gases, the world is looking into various avenues of producing
energy that is efficient and environmentally friendly. Stirling engines are heat engines that are more efficient and more environmental friendly than
the more common internal-combustion engines. Stirling engines as yet are not very widely used but the potential of this form of energy generation is
fascinating, and this technology could be an important source of energy generation in the coming years. This project describes this source of energy:
how Stirling engines work, their pros and cons, and their potential for energy generation in the coming years. The Internet, journals and magazines are
they primary sources of information for this project, as is the current Stirling Engine Project in California.
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Auditorium
3:10-4:40
Board 21
Chad Donahue (Paul Siqueira),
Department of Electrical Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Designing an Instrument to Remotely Monitor Mass Change in Glaciers and Sea Ice
With recent increasing concerns surrounding climate change, research focusing on the polar regions has increased dramatically. As an example, the
International Polar Year (IPY 07- 08) is an internationally coordinated research effort focusing on the polar regions and their effects on the earth as a
whole. One aspect of the polar regions that is under scrutiny is the diminishing mass of glaciers and sea ice, as this is believed to correlate directly with
the earth’s fluctuating climate. This study proposes the technique of radar interferometry as a solution to this problem. Radar interferometry consists of
measuring the difference in phase of a signal scattered from a common surface and received by two antennas separated by an interferometric baseline.
It follows that the topography of glaciers above the ocean surface can be measured. Through knowledge of the ice density, and the measure of the ice
above the water, the net glacial volume can be estimated. A group of antennas was designed to operate at roughly 14GHz (Ku Band) using computeraided design (CAD) software such as Ansoft’s HFSS. A control system, consisting of a computer-operated rotating antenna mount, is being developed
using tools from National Instruments’ Labview suite. Once antenna fabrication and control system development is complete, the topographic
measurement system will be tested on campus prior to deployment on an aircraft.
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Auditorium
Ahamed Saheed (Joan Brenner),
Generating Electricity by Means of Solar Energy
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3:10-4:40
Board 23
Solar energy is one of the cheapest and most environmentally friendly forms of renewable energy available to mankind. Its use in the generation of
electricity is a hot topic today. This paper will focus on the generation of electricity by means of a solar updraft tower. In this mechanism, air is heated
in a very large circular greenhouse-like structure, in which the resulting convection causes the air to rise and escape through a tall tower. Turbines
installed in the air stream at the base of the tower produce the required electricity. The greater the height of the tower, the larger the pressure
difference created. This coupled with an increase in the collector area for heated air leads to a higher production of power. During their operation,
these solar towers do not produce carbon dioxide emissions, one of the main factors contributing to the global warming effect. Therefore, this method
of generating electricity is an option that should be given due consideration in order to fulfill the urgent energy requirements of today.
English
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Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 26
Virginia Crossman (Kirby Farrell),
Department of English, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Does Life have Meaning? Monster Stories and Cultural Paralysis in America
In Escape from Evil, author Ernest Becker declares that the underlying urge defining humanity is man’s need to deny his mortality and to gain more
life in an effort to achieve an immortal self-image. In the late 90s, cultural critic Mark Edmundson wrote in Nightmare on Elm Street that Nietzsche’s
claim that “God is dead” had finally reached mainstream America and that without faith in God’s presence in their everyday lives people not only
felt lost without meaning, but seemed incapable of creating meaning for themselves. What he terms a Gothic worldview seems to have permeated
contemporary American culture, and it would appear that it shows up most explicitly in horror stories. This study focuses on modern monster narratives
from authors such as Stephen King and Clive Barker to explore how these monster stories may or may not be as apocalyptic as they seem, and how they
are attempting to tackle deep needs for purpose and vitality while simultaneously providing surface thrills and scares. In order to begin to understand
what audiences today are responding to, the research is based only on very recent and very popular works, and also includes insight from critics
and theorists such as Edward Ingebretsen, Peter Homans, and Karen Horney. This study investigates how well these narratives address the quest for
meaning, or if they are only reflecting back at America its own paralysis in response to the need to create new and inspiring cultural stories in a time of
profound value loss.
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Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 57
Tony Elliott (Luke Salisbury),
Different Concepts of Time in One Hundred Years of Solitude
Time is an essential theme in the Marquez novel because it can be either abstract or surreal as the characters become almost eternal in nature.
Psychological interpretation becomes immune to the parallelism of the short-sighted impulses in the characters. The theme of time is almost
synchronized with the behavioral traits of each character. They look for solitude, or for the standstill of time, to stop mental breakdowns. They suffer
for their indulgence and alienate their souls from the corruption which they embody. One Hundred Years of Solitude becomes the subjective idea of
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visualization within the parallel realms of human experience. This project attempts to find different concepts of the time that distinguish the characters,
who seem to be helplessly living through an infinite dissolution of self. Magic realism, which is a style of writing used by Marquez, has to be looked at
in depth through the analysis of other authors such as Jorge Luis Borges. The project focuses on the human experience within the boundaries of reality
and illusion.
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Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 25
Daniel Harvey (Tim McLaughlin),
Orientation Through Fairy Tale: The Child’s Preparation for Myth
In this study it is proposed that the main function of fairy tales is to orient the child to his own inner processes (and his emerging environment) so as
to prepare him psychologically for the religious experience of myth. The implications for an adult who had limited exposure to fairy tales as a child
(especially through an oral tradition) are explored, along with the effect this has on one’s ability to integrate myth. Numerous theories are explored
pertaining to the symbolic, spiritual, and inter-personal meanings of fairy tale, how these meanings relate to myth, and how they demarcate it. Sources
drawn upon for this study include, but are not limited to, the works and insights of Bruno Bettelheim, Joseph Campbell, C.G. Jung, and Mircea Eliade.
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Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 83
Joanita Nemayian (Christie Lowrance),
Department of English, Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable, MA, 02668
All in the Name of Womanhood
This study tries to identify strategies to reduce/eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) which is still a common cultural practice in Africa. The research
revealed the practice of FGM existed for at least the past 2000 years as not just a religious ceremony but most significantly a cultural ritual. In order
to holistically investigate this issue a specific tribe, The Maasai, provided the focus group to help identify the pros and cons of this practice within the
entire community. Most of the attention focused on the immediate and long-term alterations of the lives of some of the young girls (8 to 9 years old)
who received FGM. However, the influences on the parents and community to perform this mutilation on these young girls needed to be investigated
in order to provide the possible solutions. The research included the researcher’s personal experiences from growing up as a Maasai tribe member,
information from the Maasai Education Discovery program, the internet and books. The extensive research and analysis into this practice concluded that
FGM can be eliminated through education, an alternative rite of passage, and the identification of this practice as an abuse of human rights. Hopefully,
the results of this research support the international efforts to eliminate FGM. Groups like Amnesty International and the Maasai Education Discovery
need this type of research to help determine the best way to eliminate this harmful practice.
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English Literature
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Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 27
Samantha Samoiel (Luke Salisbury),
How William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury” relates to the concept of time
The theme of time is deeply seeded into the novel The Sound and The Fury. In all four sections of the book the various coping mechanisms for dealing
with time are demonstrated through the four separate characters, Benjy, Quentin, Jason and Dilsey. The substance of the paper comes from a careful
analysis of the book combined with research into the religious and regional background of the author. Once this has been done, it is clear to see that
Dilsey, the black servant of the Compson family, best portrays Faulkner’s viewpoint on time.
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Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 46
Jeffrey Amari (Joan Brenner),
Tsunami and Current Detection/Warning Systems
The devastating 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia proved the current detection system inadequate. Tsunamis are one of the world’s most destructive
natural phenomena, and all the more frightening because they are so difficult to predict and prepare for. This paper looks at the threat of tsunamis
in terms of the current methods of detection, and the possibilities for better preparation. Through information from organizations that specialize in
oceanic research such as NOAA, a number of qualified scientific reports, and scientific books, this paper considers what is needed to deal with future
tsunami threats. Many cities around the world could be severely affected by a tsunami such as that in 2004, and better technology and information
infrastructure is needed to prepare for disasters of such magnitude.
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Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 78
Frank Guinan, Jr. (Chris Powicki),
Sustainable Energy For The Cape And Islands: Contributions of Solar Thermal Technology
This research paper illustrates the benefits and monetary costs of solar thermal energy systems available to people on Cape Cod in order to help achieve
long-term sustainability goals incorporated in a regional energy action plan, CIGoGreen: A Call to Action & Report to the Community, released in
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January 2008. This paper first examines several forms of solar technology, including solar power, solar thermal hot water, and solar thermal pool heat.
Based on extensive research and work with local energy consultants from Cape & Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative, this paper explains why solar
thermal in particular has such potential as a near-term renewable energy option. Although the paper is a work in progress, evidence shows that this
technology not only saves energy costs, but also reduces the region’s carbon footprint as well as fossil fuel consumption. Thus the key purpose and
motivation behind this project is to show residents and business owners on Cape Cod that they can make a big difference and lower their monthly bills
at the same time. With help from local organizations in getting these messages out to the public and decision-makers, this paper may unlock the true
power that such knowledge holds, to forever change our local region, so others may follow in the fight to save our fragile planet. At the very least, this
project will increase local adoption of a sustainable energy technology and help achieve its potential to contribute greatly to our growing energy needs
on the Cape and Islands.
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Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 32
Michele Karas (Theodora Welch),
Department of Management, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, 02125
A Solution to the Decision-making Process: GIS-based System for Winthrop’s First Responders and Decision Makers
During a Flood Evacuation
Since the tragic events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, there has been a call for heightened security and efficient infrastructures that can link agencies
in a time of emergency. Through technology, agencies are able to assist emergency management teams, first responders, and the public as well as
private entities to coordinate efforts. A strong communication infrastructure is essential to interoperability, “the ability for public safety officials to
share information in a secure, real-time, digital environment” (IACP Technology, 2007). Information sharing with the use of Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) can bridge the gap. GIS is a promising technology that can be utilized effectively and efficiently as a decision-making tool in the time
of hazards, specifically flood evacuations. This research uses Winthrop, Massachusetts’ need for a flood evacuation route as a test case. Winthrop is a
coastal community of 18,000+ residents, most of whom are elderly or children, and only two access routes into and out of town. Issues of public safety
arise especially in a time of a coastal flood, which happens whenever there are coastal storms. If these traffic routes are needed to evacuate residents,
flooding could endanger many. This research seeks to contribute not only to the practitioner’s world but also to the scholarly world. There is a need to
address the constraints that practitioners face: understandable user interfaces; data quantity, quality, and integration; real-time data and information;
and the importance of research areas based on the needs of disasters and emergency management. Scholarly and academic research must also address
interoperability, scale spatial analysis and uncertainty, and decision support systems.
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Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 76
Britni Ketchen (Catherine Etter),
Sustainable Ways of Producing Clothing Domestically
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This project investigates how manufacturing clothing impacts our nation’s ability to achieve sustainable global stability. From 2001 to 2006 clothing
production in the United States declined by 56 percent. In a response to decreasing domestic manufacturing and heightened consumer concern for
environmental issues, consumer safety, and premium quality, some companies have gone “green”. After an extensive investigation into many American
companies, American Apparel, Levi’s Capital E Jeans, and Green 3 stood out as embracing green practices. They use sustainable methods that include
organic and reused materials. The research includes a comparison and analysis of these clothing companies’ efforts to produce more eco-friendly
clothing. The study also included economic values in order to determine if the consumer cost would increase, decrease, or remain stable. Information
also obtained from a local store, Green Design Center on Cape Cod, helped in the comparison. This study attempts to identify strategies that could help
other companies while leaving resources for future generations.
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Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 77
Christopher Mazzola (Richard Lawrence),
Sustainable Growth: Planning & Developing the Right Size Community
This study aims to identify an optimal sustainable population size for the community of Plymouth, MA, currently at 80,000 residents. The specific
public policy question is: How big can this community grow while maintaining the current quality of life, the natural resources and the character of
the community. The ultimate goal is to determine the energy, water, waste management, and other services required to support different population
levels. By applying a number of different methods, this study attempts to define the community’s “right size” using residents’ perspectives, ‘Best Place
to Live’ methodology, a comparison of fiscal costs, an environmental footprint analysis, a natural resource assessment, and an energy needs audit. The
combining of these approaches helps to answer the policy question. Obviously, the conclusions derived from any calculation or combination of analysis
could be debated. Also, the “right size” varies as the community’s values change (e.g., preference towards various density levels), technology improves
(e.g., regarding energy sources, water recycling, and waste management), environmental conditions change (e.g., climatic warming), and better data
and analytical methods become available. Finally, this project’s estimates of a “right size” will be communicated to local officials with recommendations
that they be revisited periodically, possibly in conjunction with updates of local Comprehensive Plans.
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Board 28
Amal Mohamed (Luke Salisbury),
Global Warming: The Slayer
This paper looks at ways global warming is affecting the planet through; the emission of carbon dioxide, the constant rising of sea level, and the
increase in temperature. It will explore the damages by looking at several aspects of the problem, such as how the rise of water in the ocean can
dislodge millions of people especially those who live in the coastline region, or how the increase in temperature can cause deadly heat waves, which
can kill elderly or otherwise vulnerable people or can set forests on fire. Tracking a span of over 50 years of scientific literature, it will describe the rate
at which global warming is destroying our planet. The results show that we have a global issue that will threaten our lives, and that we must take the
initiative now to compensate for global warming in order to save ourselves. By analysing the findings, we can come up with ways that can remediate
the effects of global warming, such as creating only global friendly technologies, building walls to break down Tsunamis or constructing dams to
conserve our overflowing rivers and lakes. Hopefully, by developing better ways to control and reduce global warming we can surmount this problem.
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Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 30
Scott Russell (Carsten Braun),
Big-Box Discount Department Store vs Greenfield Wetlands
The City of Greenfield (MA) is attempting to attract the development of a Big-Box Discount Department Store. Though environmental concerns have
only played a minor role in the prevention of a Wal-Mart store development over past years, the most recent proposed development involves some
of Greenfield’s locally regulated wetlands. According to recent reports by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the proposed
development in Greenfield will cover a substantial portion of wetland resource areas. Through analysis using GIS, we have designed a study to delineate
the wetlands recorded on the parcel of land in question. Using three separate methods of delineation, we attempt to verify the aforementioned
conclusion of the Commonwealth. In addition to our original research, we will present data gathered from past case studies that relate to the current
development proposal in Greenfield and investigate the Wetlands Protection Act and its impact on our study.
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Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 79
Heather Tello (Richard Lawrence),
Sustainability and The Gateway Tavern: The Trials, Tribulations, and Impacts of Greening a Restaurant
This project studied the positive environmental impacts that can be achieved by integrating basic sustainable practices into the operations of a small
restaurant in Southeastern Massachusetts. The Gateway Tavern in Wareham, MA was used as a case study to document the challenges encountered
while beginning to implement green restaurant practices into the typical daily operations of a restaurant not accustomed to being green. The study
serves as an example of how businesses can create positive environmental impacts by making small changes, and it is hoped that the lessons learned
and impacts achieved will serve as a role model for others in the region. The first step of this study was to replace all polystyrene products with
biodegradable or recycled products and switch all lights to energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. The environmental and economic impacts of
these replacements were then calculated. Additional sustainable practices were then examined to determine which one would be feasible to implement
such as recycling of glass, plastic, and paper and composting of food waste. The impact of recycling glass, plastic bottles and paper was tested by
collecting these items for a period of two months and then compared to similar statistics; the impacts from recycling these products were then rated
to find which were most beneficial for recycling. The Gateway Tavern is interested in becoming a certified “green restaurant” by the Green Restaurant
Association. This study is the first step in that direction.
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Board 29
Alaena VanderMost (Kate Maiolatesi),
Department of Biology, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA, 01040
Greener Office, Cleaner Earth: An Affordable Plan for an Environmentally Conscious Workplace
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This project’s purpose was to devise a generic plan for reducing the carbon footprint in workplaces with limited financial resources. The model used
was a local low budget office called The New England Adolescent Research Institute. The plan focused on proper waste management, environmentally
friendly office and cleaning supplies, and keeping proper inventory. Research included communicating verbally with office staff and managers, assessing
its daily operation, comparing local waste management companies, taking inventory of current cleaning and office supplies, studying the differences
betwee current supplies and possible alternatives, comparing brand name prices, and compiling statistics from government websites. Research revealed
that an office with little or no budget room can reduce its carbon footprint extensively and would benefit from doing so. . A company that wishes to
reduce its carbon footprint can do so with minimal disruption to its daily operation. Most changes made for a green office require staff awareness.
There is an affordable environmentally friendly alternative to most supplies needed for an office. Ultimately it was determined that converting an office
into an environmentally friendly space is not only possible but economically favorable. Benefits of a green office include monetary savings, healthier
staff, boost in local economy, saving natural resources, and reducing carbon footprint.
Family Studies
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1:30-3:00
Board 26
Jennifer Davaris (Kathy Frederickson),
The Extinction of the Family Meal
When the average American thinks about dinner time, does a home cooked meal being eaten by a family gathered around the dinner table come to
mind? With the busy, on the go lifestyles of the current day and age I’m inclined to answer no. On the other hand, I’m sure if this question was asked
in the 1950’s, the response would be quite the opposite. Over the past fifty years or so countless societal changes have taken place in this country.
The structure of the family dinner is no exception. Looking back fifty years there has been a drastic change in the roles of family members, the amount
of fast food consumption, the quality of food eaten, the way food is prepared, and ultimately the idea of the family dinner has slowly faded in to the
background. I am researching each area and comparing the past to the present; it is amazing to see how society has adapted to the many life style
changes. The consequences and benefits associated with these changes will be addressed as well.
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Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 27
Adam Doyle (Elisabeth Duclos-Orsello),
Department of Family Studies, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
From Whence I Came: A Genealogy Project
To know one’s heritage is to know oneself. Coming from a family that is largely unaware of its lineage, I will be doing a paternal genealogy project
that will enlighten both my family and me. I have always been interested in how we, The Doyle family, came to settle in the small New England town of
Essex. Through the archival research methods approved by the National Genealogical Society, I have collected the birth, baptismal, marriage, and death
certificates of my immediate paternal relatives to draw a family tree. I have used additional primary sources such as tax bills, property deeds, and the
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like from local museums and town halls to shed light on the dominating factors that I believe led to my relatives’ North American emigration. The main
industry of Essex at that time was shipbuilding, a craft my ancestors took with them when they emigrated from Canada and the dominant force behind
their decision to do so. There is a central question driving my research: who is the father of my great grandfather? There are many speculative answers
to this question, but through my research I hope to either find a definitive answer, or to at least eliminate out some of the possible candidates. My
poster presentation will have a family tree, including photographs where possible. There will be a brief history on Essex, MA focusing on shipbuilding as
the main industry and the dominating influence the industry had on my emigrating relatives. I will also discuss the research methods used in developing
the project.
Geography
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Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 28
Aaron D’Amario (Carsten Braun),
Wind As An Alternative Energy Resource with Case Studies in Adams and Westfield, Massachusetts
Given the current concerns about human-induced climate change it is logical that so-called alternative (i.e. non-carbon emitting) energy sources are
becoming more popular and mainstream. This study focused on the potential of wind energy for two municipalities in Massachusetts: Adams, located in
the Berkshires, and Westfield, located in the Connecticut River Valley. I analyzed the wind speed and wind power density grids available from MassGIS
(http://www.mass.gov/mgis/laylist.htm) in the context of current land use, land ownership, local zoning, and wetland habitat to determine suitable sites
for wind turbine installation in these two municipalities. Results indicate that Adams is, overall, much more suitable for wind energy development than
Westfield because of higher wind speeds. In both cases, however, local land use patterns, zoning regulations, and environmentally-sensitive habitats
complicate the siting of wind turbines.
Geological Science
221
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 29
Ryan Mann (Julie Brigham-Grette),
Department of Geological Science, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Dendochronological Studies of Historical Weather and Extreme Storms, Cape Cod
The Waquiot Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) provides access to visitors and researchers to the Waquoit Bay estuary and its
contributing waterways in Falmouth, MA. The reserve is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve system administered by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA is partnered with the State of MA Dept Of Conservation & Recreation (formerly the Dept of
Environmental Management) in managing the reserve. Various coastal systems encompass the reserve including barrier islands, estuarine characteristics,
dune and inter-dunal environments as well as coastal pitch pine/scrub oak forest characteristic of Cape Cod. Due to the periodic but regular occurrence
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of storms, the area is known to be adapted to disturbances. Although the reserve presently keeps climate data records, the records of the past 50
to 100 years are spotty and have large gaps in observations. This project aims to correlate known weather occurrences with data collected through
dendrochronology from Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) and Juniper trees (Juniperus communis) in various locations on or near the barrier beaches of Vineyard
Sound. By comparing growth patterns in the trees with records of precipitation, temperature and storms, I have attempted to determine how if juniper
growth rings can be used as a proxy of climate and extreme weather events. Twenty trees were cored using an increment borer and most were doubled
cored at heights of one foot above the base and 4.5 feet above the ground also referred to as diameter breast height. Because the site was deforested
for coastal military maneuvers in 1941 as well as effects of the hurricane of 1938, the sampled trees are all known to be less than 70 yrs old. Tree ring
indices were produced using a magnified computer scanner at the Lamont Doherty’s Tree Ring Laboratory (Columbia University). The results show
several major events correlating across the rings in different trees. Further analysis is being conducted to determine what environmental signals are
being observed. Technical assistance was provided by Paul Krusic of Lamont Doherty tree ring diagnostics laboratory
History
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3:10-4:40
Board 26
Jacqueline Forman (Joye Bowman),
Ghana’s History of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and a Reflection on What Ghanaian Students Learn About it Today
The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade displaced millions of Africans throughout the New World; however, it is not a popularly discussed issue in some West
African societies. This study examines the history of the slave trade in Ghana, focusing on indigenous slavery, “African Agency” (the extent to which
Africans participated in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade), forts and castles, and African resistance to the slave trade. Personal accounts of slaves, slave
traders, and members the British colonial government were utilized to examine these topics. In addition to the historical section, this report also
includes a study of the present Social Studies curriculum for Junior Secondary School students in Ghana, addressing the issue of to what extent
contemporary Ghanaian students learn about this critical era in history. This section includes information gathered from interviews with members of
the Ministry of Education in Accra, Ghana and with students and teachers throughout Cape Coast, Ghana, as well as an analysis of the current student
textbook. Ghanaian students in fact learn a relatively adequate amount of information about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in school, and thus the
silence surrounding the issue of the slave trade has more cultural implications - involving issues of pain, shame, and politics - than educationally-related
ones.
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3:10-4:40
Board 27
Jill Hayes (Sean Goodlett),
Department of History, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
Once upon an Argument: Female Authors of Fairy Tales in the Intellectual Context of Late 17th Century France
The last decade of the 17th century saw the beginning of a literary vogue in France. Fairy tales, which had appeared in salon activities in the 1670s, had
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evolved into a movement of public literary works, and a new genre emerged. But why were fairy tales so popular? One explanation is seen through the
context of the Quarrel of Ancients and Moderns, an intellectual debate that swept through Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. France was
largely influenced by this debate between 1687 and 1694, when the fairy tale genre was picking up speed. Charles Perrault, a noted academician and
writer of fairy tales, emerged as one of the leading voices for modernism. Unlike the Ancients, who believed that art should imitate the classical styles
of Rome and Greece, Perrault believed that humans had the ability to surpass the greatness of classical artists by learning from their work and building
on their experiences. He compared folklore and fairytales to classical stories, stating that because fairy tales contained a message of moral value, they
were more useful than the Ancient classical texts. His niece, Marie-Jeanne L’Hertier, another author of fairy tales, agreed with him. Thus, the genre of
fairy tales became associated with modernism. Two thirds of the fairy tales published during this period were written by women, and because they had
been denied a classical education, their writings often sympathized with modern ideology. This project will seek to examine the authorship of women
through the context of this debate. It is argued that women used both the genre of fairy tales and the ideology of the moderns as a vehicle to advance
themselves in French intellectual society at a time when there was much opposition to the idea of women in the publishing industry.
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1:30-3:00
Board 30
Ruth Kiros (Joan Brenner),
Different Types of Calendars
The world has many diverse cultures and many different calendars. These vary from the widely used Gregorian calendar to the very different calendars
used in countries such as Ethiopia and China. The structure of these calendars will be described in terms of their development, using historical and
religious sources. The knowledge and role of Archeo-astronomy will also be emphasized. In conclusion, this research will help to explain how calendars
began, how they evolved differently, and how they depend on the nature of the underlying culture.
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3:10-4:40
Board 28
Stephanie Pettigrew (Christopher Mauriello),
Department of History, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
Education in Nazi Germany: Education to Capture the Youth
The purpose of this project is to examine how the state mandated curriculum of Nazi Germany helped capture the minds of their youth. In this project
I will show how Adolf Hitler made changes to the curriculum to promote the Nazi philosophy and their way of life. This project shows how schools play
a major role in promoting the era’s social values. Post-World War I, Germany fell from its national glory. Adolf Hitler helped raise his home land back
and beyond its pervious pride. He believed in the power of education to promote his values and his belief on how a county should be. This project sites
many different sources, among those is Adolf Hitler him self. Also, there are different 1930’s children’s books and pamphlets for school aged children
such as The Poisonous Mushroom by Ernst Hiemer. There are also sources for teachers on how to teach the Nazi way. Also included are scholarly articles
from sociologists and educators from the 1930’s who are examining the Nazi way of life and their educational curriculum.
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3:10-4:40
Board 29
Sonya Spongberg (Daniel Sarefield),
Department of History, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
Greek Colonization In Sicily during the Archaic Age
Through the millennia, the island of Sicily has been fought over by dozens of different peoples, each leaving their mark on its landscape and history.
One of the earliest peoples to settle in this land were the Greeks, who colonized the island during their Archaic Age. This thesis project investigates
this period of conquest and change in the Greek world and its impact on Sicily. It will examine the Greek homeland, drawing evidence to find why the
Greeks expanded from their established cities. It will also investigate the conditions on Sicily throughout the period when the Greeks arrived, showing
who was there to greet and, in many cases, fight these invaders. The cities that they established (Naxos, Syracuse, Megara Hyblaea) and those that
grew from them (Akrai, Leontini, Agrigentum) will be studied using archaeological records as well as accounts from Greek historians and contemporary
studies. The economic, military, and religious aspects of these colonies will be analyzed, from their humble beginnings to their decline and conquest by
the Romans. This thesis will hopefully show how the Greeks adopted Sicily as their own territory, transporting their culture and society across the ocean
in order to expand their sphere of influence. By doing so, the colonies of Sicily were able to match and later exceed the expectations of the original
settlers, sometimes rivaling the grandeur of even the largest of the Greek city-states. By colonizing the island, Greece would leave a permanent mark on
it and its culture throughout the ages.
Kinesiology
227
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 32
Caitlin Brody (Patty Freedson),
Department of Kinesiology, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Gender Differences in Oxygen Consumption during Stair Climbing
Research has shown that regular participation in activities of daily living (ADL’s) such as stair climbing is associated with beneficial health outcomes.
Using the stairs is one of many lifestyle activities that may contribute to a substantial amount of energy expenditure throughout the day. However, there
is insufficient data on differences in energy expenditure between genders while stair climbing. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of stair
climbing on energy expenditure, or oxygen consumption (VO2) between genders. The self-paced ADL included ascending (AS) and descending (DS)
stairs. Subjects’ baseline oxygen consumption (BVO2) was determined after a 15-minute rest following a 4-hr restriction of food, caffeine and exercise.
VO2 was measured with a portable indirect calorimeter. We hypothesize that women will have lower oxygen consumption per unit body mass during
stair ascent due to selection of a slower pace during this non-constrained (unregulated rate) activity. It is also hypothesized that no gender differences in
oxygen consumption will be observed in stair descent. These results will provide the first evidence of the energy cost of stair ascent and descent which
has been suggested as a reasonable lifestyle activity of sufficient intensity to be beneficial for health.
228
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 31
121
Alexandra Lotto (Priscilla Clarkson),
The Effects of CoQ9, CoQ10 and Both on Cell Viability with and without Oxidative Stress
Ubiquinones (CoQ) are quinone derivatives with isoprene chain homologues of 1-12 units. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), the most characterized of the
ubiquinone homologues, is available as a dietary supplement suggested to provide several health benefits related to its antioxidant properties. CoQ10,
as an antioxidant, may stimulate cell growth and inhibit cell death. However, CoQ9 is the major ubiquinone form in many animals. Though it has been
shown to function in many of the same capacities as CoQ10, little is known regarding the role of CoQ9 as an antioxidant in muscle cells. Therefore,
this study examined the effects CoQ9, CoQ10, and both together have on cell viability using C2C12 myoblasts and cell culture. To determine the
effectiveness of CoQ9 and CoQ10 to protect against oxidative stress, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used. To carry out the experiment, mouse C2C12
myoblasts were seeded equally in a 96 well tissue culture plate. After 24 hours, cells were treated with 20Ã¬M, 40Ã¬M, 60Ã¬M, 80Ã¬M or 100Ã¬M
of CoQ9, CoQ10, or both for 18 hours. After 18 hours, the cells were either put back into growth media, or treated with 1.1mM hydrogen peroxide.
Mitochondrial function (viability) was assessed after six hours of treatment using a 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)
assay. Cells cultured with MTT were measured using the FLUOstar OPTIMA plate reader and the absorbance reading provided a quantification of cell
viability. It is expected that CoQ9 and CoQ10 will enhance cell viability and that a combination of both will do so at a greater extent.
229
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 33
Marisa Theroux-Jones (Brian Umberger),
A Computer Simulation Model of Optimal Prosthesis Inertial Parameters
Amputees who use a below-knee prosthesis to walk face problems both with an asymmetrical gait and a higher energy cost during walking. An
asymmetrical gait may lead to deterioration of the knees and lumbar spine, and an elevated energy cost can lead to premature fatigue. Current design
philosophy is to make prosthetic limbs as lightweight as possible, which creates a significant difference in mass and moment of inertia between the intact
and prosthetic limbs. This factor by itself would lead to an asymmetrical gait. Increasing the mass of the prosthesis could improve gait symmetry, but might
also increase energy cost. The aim of this study was to utilize a computer simulation model and numerical optimization algorithm to test the feasibility of
determining an inertial setup of the prosthetic limb that would restore gait symmetry, without increasing the energy cost of walking. A simulated annealing
optimization algorithm was used to determine the amount of mass that should be added to the prosthetic limb, and at what location below the knee joint
this mass should be added. The optimal result was 0.91 kg added 0.28 m below the knee joint. In the simulation model, this placement fully restored gait
symmetry, while keeping energy demands low. This was achieved through a moment of inertia that was closer to the intact leg, but with a considerably
lower mass. The next step in this line of research will be to test the predictions made by the model in a group of subjects who use lightweight prostheses.
230
Jonathan Koch (Annaliese Bischoff),
122
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 34
Proposing Green Roofs as Healing Gardens at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA
Creating design proposals for the construction of new pediatric and adult roof gardens at the Baystate Medical Center, an important medical resource
in Springfield, Massachusetts has provided a Landscape Architecture student with the opportunity to present his ideas to the firm that is charged with
the contract. The student hypothesized that the appropriate selection of plants could add to the healing of patients and visitors in these two spaces. The
approach the student took started with research of existing rooftop gardens, healing gardens, and children’s gardens. The student selected case studies for
inspiration, analyzed the site with an emphasis on calculating the sun and shade throughout the year, and started to conceive preliminary design concepts
and spatial relations. The student began to consider activities that would be done in the respected spaces that were laid out and planting design became
one of the most important factors in the design of the gardens. The project will be presented to the design firm developing the construction drawings as
well as one Baystate administrator. Ideas from this project may influence the selection of plants for the project. The student emphasizes that the selection
of plants in the creation of comfortable spaces can help people successfully recover and feel better in their time at the hospital. The project is important in
the continuing development of a “green” culture. Green roofs have very important environmental value and will help society reduce the high demand on
harmful energy sources. There are serious implications of this project in both the field of sustainable design as well as the successful recovery of adults and
children recovering in the Baystate Medical Center.
231
Auditorium
1:30-3:00
Board 35
Daniel C Shaw
Peter Stephens (Annaliese Bischoff),
Rediscovering: The Forgotten Ruins of Holyoke
This project develops a plan for the revitalization of Holyoke’s fragmented industrial region. It examines this region and its relationship with surrounding
land uses. A close study revealed that the canals and industrial region south of the main commercial area have caused a division to occur within the
urban fabric. This division has formed an island to the south of the main downtown area consisting of two residential districts that are cut off from
the greater fabric of the city. The industrial structures forming the dissection of Holyoke’s downtown are the skeleton of Americas’ forgotten industrial
history. Like ancient ruins, the structures are hidden beneath successional forest and graffiti, yet they have the potential of being the backbone of a
revitalization effort. The Heart of Holyoke is a plan that combines education, art, and history, through the incorporation of the industrial structures that
dominate this historic landscape and the artist culture that call Holyoke home. This plan creates a rich vibrant center connected by a canal walk that will
become the beating heart of the city, where people of different cultures and ages from the surrounding areas, are pulled in by an arterial design for
optimum movement, and a variety of active multi-use spaces. Holyoke was once a prosperous industrial city, and this project provides a plan that could
repair the urban fabric and once again make Holyoke a vibrant healthy city.
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Linguistics
232
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 33
Mao Yang (Sara Levine),
Department of Behavioral Sciences, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
Second Language Learning
Over the years there have been a growing number of Asians and Hispanics living in the United States. As young Asian and Hispanic children are raised
in the United States they all have the opportunity to learn the American language as well as their first language whether it is at home, at school, from
family and/or friends. This project researches the English, Spanish and Hmong languages in order to discover the differences in language development
with regards to pronunciation, grammar, and syntax. Using research from different texts and personal knowledge, findings show that understanding as
well as visual interpretation of sound symbol relationship among the usage of letters within the three languages increases a child’s knowledge of the
separate languages along with assisting children in learning how to speak, read and write words and sentences whether in English, Spanish, or Hmong.
These findings will provide an understanding of the similarities and differences among the languages in relation to letters and letter orders to create
certain words.
Literature
233
Auditorium
3:10-4:40
Board 32
Melissa Gray (Judy Schaaf),
Department of English, UMass Dartmouth, N. Dartmouth, MA, 02747-2300
The Representation and Recreation of Truth: Creative Nonfiction as a Genre
Though writers have been telling true stories since long before Truman Capote traveled to the Midwest to complete his chilling account of a quadruple
murder, the study of “creative” nonfiction as distinct from other nonfiction (such as journalism) has only emerged relatively recently. The new ways
writers began to combine the elements of fiction with the telling of facts in and after the nineteen-sixties prompted some critics and scholars to
christen creative nonfiction “the fourth genre.” However, because works of creative nonfiction vary so greatly from one another, many debate whether
it is a genre at all. This paper argues that creative nonfiction is indeed a single genre and can be identified by a series of similar characteristics. A
comparison of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Maxine Hong Kingston’s Warrior Woman: Memoirs of a Girlhood
Among Ghosts, and Spalding Gray’s Gray’s Anatomy illustrates that, though these works of creative nonfiction differ in their subject matter and style,
they are all marked by similar characteristics: namely, a sense of personal voice, creative use of language, and a mission to elicit a specific response
from the reader. Each of these works represents, and recreates, the truth by employing literary techniques and devices in new and innovative ways.
This paper examines how these works “tell the truth,” and discusses the responsibility of every creative nonfiction writer to represent people, places
and events truthfully and accurately. A discussion of the unifying characteristics of creative nonfiction will facilitate the study and discussion of this
fascinating genre. In a society where the lines between fact and fiction are often blurred, the understanding and appreciation of creative nonfiction as
literature will positively impact the literary community and non-academic readers alike.
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234
Auditorium
3:10-4:40
Board 31
Katelin Shea (Ginger Hurajt),
Department of Literature, Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA, 01830
Goddesses of the Night
Throughout time, a variety of cultures have worshiped various gods and goddesses. “Goddesses of the Night” is an illustrated book which consists of
eight lunar goddesses that have affected or inspired different cultures. Each goddess covered has an original illustration as well as a description covering
the important aspects of the goddess. The objective behind making this book was to learn more about how goddesses played an important role in
inspiring different cultures and also to learn about the differences and similarities between the various goddesses when they all shared a same trait: the
moon. This project also focused on myths and legends concerning the eight researched lunar goddesses. Digital Art was used to give the illustrations
a more modern day appeal while still portraying the goddesses accurately. Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator were used to complete the digital
illustrations of the goddesses. The artwork contributed to the field of study by creatively expressing the ideas and beliefs of different cultures. The
research of different lunar goddesses helped give insight on the values of various cultures.
Management
235
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Board 35
Vicki Jones (Luke Salisbury),
The Cultural Clock: A Look At Bostonians And Ethiopians Immigrants
Bostonians continue to suffer from the “protestant work ethic”. The innate need to work and become financially successful continues to bring about a
way of life that allows little time for rest. This project compares the Bostonian concept of time to that of the people of Addis Ababa, who more evenly
balance their urban lifestyle between work and play. It will attempt to prove that Bostonians can learn something about balancing work and play from
the Ethiopian immigrants living in Boston. Interviews were conducted for this project, along with a review of scholarly journals.
236
Auditorium
3:10-4:40
Board 34
Ashley Gough
Clyde A Fayorsey
Derek Traffie
Elizabeth S Collins
Mark A Kruger
Regina M Dube
Sarah K Bauer
Michael Lozeau (John Reilly),
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Department of Management, Mount Wachusett Community College, Gardner, MA, 01440
Exploring Ethical Issues in the Community
How can academic ethical and moral issues be drawn from and applied to real life situations? That is the question and the challenge that the Journalism
and Business Ethics Colloquium class at Mount Wachusett Community College answered during the 2008 spring semester. The class project began
when it divided itself into two groups. Each group selected and investigated a local business and explored how each business identified, confronted and
dealt with ethical issues and dilemmas. The businesses researched were the Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and the Navy Recruiting
Station in Leominster, Massachusetts. Each group used investigative and reasoning skills which were acquired during the course. Deontological,
Teleological, and Virtue Theories, as well as other ethical standards were applied. Using these theories, the class entered the community to discover
the relevance of ethical standards in the workplace, such as dilemmas surrounding recruiting policies, employee/employer relations, and the conflicts
between the public and the organization. In pursuing this course of study, the class developed thoughtful analyses of the community and the nation.
Participants in the course will continue to grow as responsible business people and members of society through the heightened sense of ethical
responsibility they have gained.
237
Auditorium
3:10-4:40
Board 33
Eric Stephenson (karen Druffel),
Department of Management, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Student Handbook
Eric Stephenson, Marcilio Chaves, Corey Westermann, Charles Gorman, Nick Abbott Framingham State College Framingham, MA 01701 12.477
Management Issues in Information Technology. This project is to create a new student handbook for the Framingham State College Business and
Information Technology Major. We were put in groups of four to five to discuss our own ideas as students for the handbook. The group will be gathering
information through student interviews, professor interviews from Bridgette Perry, Professor Galvin and Professor Prehar. Interviews will also be given
to several of the Framingham State College board members and stakeholders. The handbook will contain a number of different sections ranging from
the skills and knowledge a student should have prior to entering the major, list of courses with descriptions and the overview of the major and potential
careers once the student has graduated. We will be evaluating the current structure of the major and how it could improve in the future. This handbook
is more for the prospective student to Framingham State. A list of emails of the contacts for the department will be needed so students can ask questions
to see if it is the right path for them. Once this information is gathered and organized in a structured way, we will create a sample handbook to turn in.
Marketing
238
Auditorium
10:10-11:40
Gerard Boucher (Kathy Frederickson),
Pick On Someone Your Own Size
126
Board 5
Food advertisements aimed at children under twelve should be banned; children are not cognitively or emotionally mature enough to make informed
decisions about nutrition. Marketers are taking advantage of the naivete of children in ways that are so subtle that the children are unaware they are
the targets of marketing. Examples include product placement and Structural Educational Materials (free curricula produced by major corporations and
directly distributed to the nation’s teachers). I will cite specific research that has been done in the fields of Behavioral Science, Medicine and the Marketing
Industry to prove that children are being used as a conduit for major corporations in order to get to their parents’ money, at the expense of the children’s
health.
239
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 82
Deanna Gertonson (Andrea Bergstrom),
The History/Evolution of Women’s Bathing Suits over Time through Sex Appeal, Media, and Society
The History/Evolution of the Woman’s Bathing Suit over Time through Sex Appeal, Media, and Society Over the course of hundreds of years, bathing
suits and swimwear have experienced dramatic changes. From the first bathing gowns in the late 1700’s to present day bikinis, the evolution of
swimwear had continuously become more focused on appearing sexy and provocative. In the past, bathing suits covered much of the body because it
was not normal for women to bare skin, but rather it was necessary to appear respectful and ladylike by donning non-revealing clothes. Considering
our present day society, it was quite clear that sex appeal had changed and now extremely “sexy” was showing more skin. As the years progressed,
the bathing suit was being made with less material, but more complex in design, shape, quantity and embellishments. For this project I used scholarly
sources as well the press to enforce this trend that has changed over the years. It was divided into different segments consisting of historical evidence
of the woman’s dress, current fashion styles, and the differences between the two. While abroad in Florence I gained a great deal of information in this
topic because I took a class in the subject of history of women’s fashion. Lastly, how the media incorporated its voice in the matter and made a drastic
change. In addition to scholarly sources, I used some non scholarly sources, the media, such as magazines and TV and expressed this theory. The focus
of this study was to closely evaluate the transformation of the women’s bathing suit over a period time. I researched the historical background of the
bathing suit and compared its changes from year to year. I centered the study around three specific elements that I felt definitely impacted this dramatic
change, sex, media, and society. For each element I examined how and why the bathing suit was affected. It became quite clear that sex was becoming
a more prominent issue in the world and that could have impacted the alterations. As we all know, society plays a major role in many aspects of life.
Cultural norms were changing and continue to, so that was a key factor considered. Lastly, the media world began to broaden with new technology,
which gave more insight to the transformation. It was interesting to observe and understand how society affected one concept, a bathing suit/
swimwear, and how it changed into a cultural phenomenon associated with sexiness. The media shaped our lives since its beginning because people
tended to resort to the media for standards, advice, trends and people develop para-social relationships. It purposely highlighted sex to sell products,
and hoped that women would continue with the transformations causing more hype and focus on the body form. The trends followed its existence to
conform our minds to the current situation at hand. http://www.victoriana.com/ --some information generated from this as well as information gained
while abroad, but I do have the website information.
240
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 37
Marissa Torres (Rob Carr),
Department of Communication, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
127
Intercultural Communication and Its Effects on Humor: The Disparity between Europe and America
There is a huge divide in acceptable marketing and promotion in America versus European countries, most notably France and Italy. This project
examines why this divide exists, focusing on American, French and Italian culture and how the interaction between these cultures in the past several
decades. As fashion and woman’s health and beauty products are two things that are universally marketed, samples of each country’s print ad
campaigns were collected, compared and contrasted against each other. Finally, the inter and intra cultural communication for America and France/Italy
were explored by applying theories common to the study of communication and marketing. Based on these analyses, it is concluded that the disparity
in marketing between the two cultures stems from the cultures themselves. The countries of Europe, including France and Italy, have a more sensual
sense of fashion and a difference in the way beauty is perceived as compared with America that can be seen in not only marketing, but also in fashion,
literature and daily life. The viewer will be able to discern the country of origin for a campaign so long as he or she has a familiarity with culture. The
divide between European and American advertising is birthed by the culture and way of life surrounding it. One culture would have to entirely change
its identity to bridge the gap, which neither culture should do, as it would hurt marketing as a whole, stripping it of its diversity.
241
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 39
Melissa Spencer
Keith McElroy (Victor Shubov),
Department of Mathematics & Statistics, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
Mathematical Model of Blood Flow in a Vessel: Analytical and Numerical
We consider two models of blood flow in a vessel: a 2-dimensional plane parallel flow between two rigid plates and a 3-dimensional axially symmetric
flow in a cylindrical tube. In both cases the flow is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations for viscous incompressible fluid (2-dimensional and
3-dimensional respectively). In the 3-dimensional case we use the cylindrical coordinate form of the equations. The pressure term is assumed to be
time periodic, which models the heartbeats. We derive formulas for solutions of both problems in the form of infinite series: Fourier expansion in 2-dim
case and Fourier-Bessel expansion in 3-dim case. These expansions are used for numerical analysis. We construct surface plots of blood flow velocity
versus position and time and plot blood flux through a vessel versus time. Our goal is to investigate whether this mathematical model can give a realistic
predictions of the parameters of a blood flow.
242
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 38
Bartholomew Parkis (Hans Johnston),
Department of Mathematics & Statistics, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Fourier Descriptors for Shape Recognition in Python
Fourier descriptors are characteristics extracted from closed plane curves, using the discrete Fourier transform, that reflect properties of the shape of
the curve as opposed to its position or size. Fourier descriptors can be used to classify hand-drawn shapes based on their outline--distinguishing a
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triangle from a square, for instance, or a letter A from a letter B. Fourier descriptors are widely used in the machine recognition of handwriting and
human faces. I will present an implementation of several techniques in Fourier descriptors using the programming language Python, with comparison
and applications. In particular, I have implemented the Fourier descriptor techniques of Zahn and Roskies and of Granlund, and as a next step I plan
to test them against each other for accuracy at recognizing hand-drawn shapes. If time permits, I may also implement edge detection to use Fourier
descriptors to categorize simple shapes from their photographs. This is a work in progress.
243
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 40
Keith R McElroy
Melissa Spencer (Victor Shubov),
Department of Mathematics & Statistics, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
Generalized Burgers-Rott Tornado Model: Sources and Sinks on the Axis
We revisit a classical Burgers-Rott model of tornado dynamics. It is assumed that the air flow is governed by the 3-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations
for incompressible viscous fluid. We use the cylindrical coordinate form of these equations and the equations for vorticity. By reexamining the derivation
of the Burgers-Rott solution we obtain two possible generalizations of the model. The first involves sources and sinks on the tornado vortex axis. The
second involves an additional vortex interacting with the Burgers- Rott vortex. Both generalizations are described by explicit formulas for components of
wind velocity. We investigate these solutions numerically. We construct the plots of angular wind velocity and vorticity versus the distance from the axis.
We also obtain 3- dimensional plots of the tornado streamlines. The models we consider cannot give realistic predictions for real tornadoes. Tornado
modeling is still an open problem. However, we expect that our solutions can be used to describe vortex flows obtained under laboratory conditions.
244
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 41
Richard Stewart (Hans Johnston),
Department of Mathematics & Statistics, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Financial Option Pricing With The Fast Fourier Transform
The trade of financial options has become extremely popular in today’s market. One of the reasons for this is that financial mathematicians have
developed reliable and efficient models for determining the value of an option. Recently, Fast Fourier Transforms, or FFTs have been applied to these
models to deliver real time option pricing. The purpose of this paper is to explain in a clear and comprehensive manner how FFTs are used to efficiently
evaluate options. I will first demonstrate this in a relatively simple way using the Binomial method for pricing options. Later, I will show how FFTs can
be applied to more complex models in option pricing that take into account certain factors that the Black-Scholes formulas and the Binomial method
leave out. Some of these factors include unexpected jumps in asset prices, stochastic volatility, and the negative correlation between returns and their
volatilities. Throughout the paper I will support the material with computational examples in MATLAB and empirical data that mimics the results of
these models. Finally, I will describe the implications of these results, including why efficient pricing of options is so important, and how investors can
benefit.
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245
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 37
Benjamin Lawler (David Schmidt),
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Thermodynamic Efficiency of the Miller Cycle and Its Application in Automobile Engines
A thermodynamic cycle with higher efficiency than the traditional Otto Cycle currently used in almost all automobiles was investigated. This cycle is
called the Miller Cycle. The Miller Cycle achieves its higher efficiency by allowing the air to be expanded further than the Otto Cycle. In the Otto Cycle,
the pressure when the exhaust valve opens is still much higher than atmospheric. This cause the sound that engines make, which, when unmuffled,
can be very loud. Additional work could be done if the air was further expanded. The Miller Cycle takes advantage of this extra pressure difference
to continue to push the piston. Therefore, the Miller Cycle is much more efficient. A Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine was highly modified to
employ this thermodynamic cycle. Most of the time spent on this project was machining custom components to transform this low efficiency Otto Cycle
lawn mower engine into a highly efficient Miller Cycle engine. We are waiting reliable dynometer results to prove its efficiency. The engine will be used
to power the UMass College of Engineering Super Mileage Vehicle in next year Society of Automotive Engineers Super Mileage Competition.
246
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 38
Marnie Lopez Rizo (Sundar Krishnamurty),
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Weighted Blanket Survey: Feedback from Caregivers
Listening to the voice of the customer is important to any engineering design. During the summer of 2007, a survey involving a certain type of deep
pressure touch simulation (DPTS) called a weighted blanket was conducted. DPTS is a form of therapy that is applied to individuals by firm touching,
holding, or stroking and is used for treatment of symptoms of autism, sensory integration disorders, and other mental illnesses. The two goals of the
survey were to identify the superior and inferior attributes of five weighted blankets currently on the market and to use the collected information to
create design specifications for a new modality. The survey was divided into several parts including participant background, visual blanket evaluation,
blanket interaction, and an exit survey. Different caregivers, nurses, and occupational therapists were administered the survey at three separate
locations. The received feedback showed that 60% of the participants best liked Blanket A, manufactured by Dreamcatcher Weighted Blanketsâ„¢. The
same blanket was given the highest average safety ranking at 7.92 out of ten versus Blanket C, a product of Velvasoftâ„¢, that was ranked 3.72 out of
ten in terms of safety of blanket use on a mental health ward. Currently, statistical analysis is being implemented on the data to help better understand
results like those mentioned. The results of this analysis will be used to develop and engineer a new generation weighted blanket that will address the
most important needs of its targeted patient population.
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Microbiology
247
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 39
Stefanie Krug (Michele Klingbeil),
Department of Microbiology, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Trypanosoma brucei Mitochondrial DNA Polymerase, POL IC: A Putative Membrane Protein
Since the first identification of a DNA polymerase by Arthur Kornberg in 1956, these enzymes have been studied extensively and yet no membraneassociated polymerase has been discovered. Intriguingly, the mitochondrial DNA polymerase Pol IC in Trypanosoma brucei has two predicted
transmembrane domains and is insoluble under conditions that solubilize even peripheral membrane proteins. Therefore, Pol IC could represent the
first characterized membrane-bound DNA polymerase. To test this hypothesis, a genetic approach was developed to delete the predicted membrane
domains via fusion PCR and to analyze the solubility of the modified protein product. A construct to C-terminally tag Pol IC with an HA epitope tag was
generated. The construct was amplified in E. coli and inserted into the T. brucei genome of several cell lines via homologous recombination. Detection
with anti-HA primary antibodies detected a protein product smaller than the full-length Pol IC protein. Northern blot analysis of the mRNA transcript
indicated that the transcript of Pol IC-HA is smaller than the transcript of full-length Pol IC. Because the putative membrane domains are located within
the region most likely missing from Pol IC-HA, a different approach to test my hypothesis has to be utilized, and additional experiments are in progress
to determine if Pol IC is a membrane-bound protein. *Corresponding author: [email protected]
248
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 40
Sarah Miano (Wilmore Webley),
Evaluation of Chlamydia specific IgE response in pediatric patients with chronic respiratory disease
According to the American Lung Association, asthma is one of the most chronic childhood diseases. Asthma is characterized by an inflammation of
the bronchial airways, which can be caused by allergens, respiratory infections and airborne irritants, such as smoke. Research suggests that members
of the obligate intracellular bacterial family Chlamydiaceae are involved with the disease. While Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis
strains have been isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) and blood of pediatric asthma patients, it remains unclear the role these species of
Chlamydia play in the disease. We hypothesize that chlamydial infections initiate asthma by causing chronic infections and the production of Chlamydiaspecific Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies leading to atopy. Seeing a Chlamydia-specific IgE response in this case would indicate that Chlamydia is
triggering an allergic reaction in asthmatic patients. This will further the understanding of the role of Chlamydia in initiating or exacerbating asthma or
other chronic respiratory infections. I will use indirect immunofluorescence to visualize the possible Chlamydia-specific IgE response. In one case, my
primary antibody will be BAL samples provided by Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. In a second assay, my primary antibody will be blood
sera samples, also provided by Baystate Medical Center. My secondary antibody, in both cases, will be anti-human IgE conjugated with fluorescein
isothyocyanate (FITC). Preliminary testing indicated Chlamydia inclusions in cells that had been exposed to the primary antibody, in this case a pooled
sample of BAL from multiple patients, whereas no inclusions were seen in the control that was not incubated with BAL. Further testing is required
before concluding Chlamydia is causing an allergic response.
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249
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 39
Christopher Nelson (Gregory Tew),
Antimicrobial And Hemolytic Properties Of Facially Amphiphilic Polymers
Drug resistant bacteria have emerged as a global healthcare crisis, and new methods of combating these microorganisms are needed. Synthetic
antimicrobial peptide (AMP) mimics are a novel class of antimicrobials that could reduce the development of drug resistance because they target the
cell membrane instead of specific cell features and decrease toxicity to the host. This research is focused on the development of non-toxic, facially
amphiphilic, and synthetic polymeric mimics of AMPs (SMAMPs) to facilitate the creation of self-sterilizing surfaces. These surfaces could play a critical
role in preventing the spread of drug-resistant infections in high risk areas such as hospitals. Multiple libraries of SMAMPs were synthesized to analyze
the effects of chemical structure on antimicrobial activity and toxicity through copolymerization, increasing hydrophobicity, and varying molecular
weight. All polymers were tested in solution against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration
(MIC90) test while the toxicity of compounds was determined by testing the Hemolytic Concentration (HC50) using human erythrocytes. It was shown
that while SMAMPs, having selectivity towards bacteria equal to or greater than natural AMP’s, can be synthesized, tuning activity using random
copolymers may not be the most effective system to increase selectivity. Fluorescence microscopy studies have shown that while many SMAMPs are
active on the membrane of the bacteria, guanidinium based polymers have a different mechanism of action. Other SMAMPs libraries have shown that
combining both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups on a single facially amphiphilic monomer can yield polymers with a selectivity value against S.
aureus greater than 50 times that of the natural frog AMP Magainin. Surprisingly, these same polymers tend to possess minimal activity against E. coli,
meaning they are doubly selective: first for bacterial cells over mammalian cells and second for S. aureus over E. coli. These novel antimicrobial polymers
show great potential for future use in non-toxic, self-sterilizing materials and surfaces.
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Ray Qian (Wilmore Webley),
Evaluating the Distribution of Chlamydia-infected Cells in the Bronchoalveolar Lavage Samples from Pediatric
Patients
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that currently affects approximately 16 million Americans each year. Airway inflammation is a hallmark of
asthma presentation and is believed to arise from various stimuli including bacterial infections, such as Chlamydia. The goal of this project was to
explore the hypothesis that Chlamydia infects a variety of leukocytes in the lungs of children with chronic respiratory disease, leading to increased
asthma severity. Patient samples were obtained from pediatric patients undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield,
Massachusetts. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the presence of Chlamydia in cell types commonly recovered from inflamed airways. Data analysis
will be conducted to reveal any possible relationship between chlamydial infection of certain cell types and the symptoms presented by the patients.
Flow cytometry analysis revealed CD8 T cells, macrophages and B cells were susceptible to chlamydial infection. There was a mean of 5.3% CD8 T cells,
17.11% macrophages, and 2.39% B cells in the asthma patient samples. In patients positive for the organism, Chlamydia was found in 77.8% of CD8
T cells, 21.6% of macrophages and 69.4% of B cells in bronchial lavage fluid (BAL) samples. Moreover, in BAL samples from patients diagnosed with
asthma, an average of 95.5% of the B cells present were shown to be infected with Chlamydia, compared to 100% in non-asthmatics. Our results
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confirm that Chlamydia infects a wide variety of white cells in the lungs of children with chronic respiratory disease and therefore may contribute to
disease severity.
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Kahlil Rieber (Klauss Nuslein),
Effect of Maple Leaf Leachate on Microbial Populations of Water Reservoirs
Effect of Maple Leaf Leachate on Microbial Populations of Water Reservoirs In New England vegetation surrounding water reservoirs includes
deciduous trees. Carbon from deciduous leaf leachate readily enters the water system becoming a food source for a wide range of microorganisms.
In this study the diversity of bacteria utilizing the leachate from one leaf type, Red Maple is examined. Fresh and year-old maple leaves were collected
from a local reservoir. The leaves were leached three times and leachates incubated for 11 weeks resulting in 16 sample points. DNA was extracted
from each sample. “Fingerprints” of the bacterial community composition were created using amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA).
Approximately 100 bacterial clones were generated for each sample and the 16S rRNA gene was PCR amplified from each clone. Amplification
products were digested with the restriction enzymes Msp I and Hae III, incubated at 37ºC for 2.5 h and DNA fragments separated on 2.0% agarose
gels. Gels were visualized and restriction patterns compared. Restriction patterns have been created for six samples, to date. The ARDRA results
for these samples indicate a trend where microbial populations utilize most of the bioavailable carbon in leachate at an early timepoint, resulting in
highly diverse populations, while, later, communities growing on more recalcitrant carbon show less diversity. This study mimics the seasonal effect of
organic matter addition into a water reservoir and indicates that bioavailable carbon leached from maple leaves can effect the microbial populations of
water reservoirs. This knowledge is important as it gives a greater understanding of bacterial interactions in water systems, including potential biofilm
formation and pathogen growth.
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Tony A Elliott
Elva Singal (Nicole Guilmette),
Department of Microbiology, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA, 02129
Presence of Salmonella spp. in Urban Beach Stormwater and Beach Sands
Poor recreational water quality can cause public health problems. Marine beaches are closed for swimming when: 1) the count of the fecal
contamination indicator, Enterococcus, in beach water is greater than 104 CFU/100 ml, 2) the monthly geometric mean of 5 samples is greater than 35
CFU/100ml, or 3) after a heavy rain. A previous study conducted by the UMass Boston labortory along Wollaston Beach, Quincy, MA found consistently
higher Enterococcus counts in the beach sand than in the water column. While previous studies showed that the presence of Enterococcus in water is
linked with major pathogens (e.g. Salmonella spp.), their link in beach sand is not yet clear. This project tests the hypothesis that there is a relationship
between the presence of the pathogen Salmonella and the fecal indicator Enterococcus in Wollaston Beach sand. In June, 2007, two sand samples were
collected during dry weather from stations known to have high Enterococcus counts. Also, one sand and one water sample were collected after a heavy
rain from a storm drain pipe outfall. Salmonella were present in water and sand where Enterococcus counts were high, as determined by both culturebased and PCR methods. The presence of Salmonella in marine beach sand suggests the importance of monitoring not only water but also beach sand
as a potential source of pathogenic bacteria.
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Trang Tieu (Klauss Nuslein),
Subsurface Methanogen Communities in Sedimentary Rock Rich in Organic Matter
With demand for natural gas, unconventional deposits such as those produced from sedimentary rocks rich in organic matter (shale) are receiving great
attention. The Antrim Shale, a Devonian black shale from the Michigan basin, provides an anaerobic subsurface environment for microbial methane
generation. Geochemical data indicates that CH4 produced is primarily biological in origin. The goal of this study was to identify the community of
subsurface microorganisms on water of four methane-producing wells from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The diversity of Archaea was examined
by analysis of the functional gene for methanogenesis (mcrA) and 16S rRNA gene sequences amplified from total DNA. Clone libraries indicated
the presence of the genus Methanocalculus, Methanocorpusculum, Methanohalophilus, Methanolobus, Methanoplanus, Methanosarcina, and
Methanosaeta producing methane from H2 and CO2, formate, acetate, alcohols, and methyl-groups as inferred from sequences identity. Comparative
community analyses showed differences in community composition and dominance between wells, which may indicate the response of populations
to the geochemical parameters at each site. Diversity did not correlate as function of salinity, but salinity is an important mechanism for maintaining
a diverse community at each well, since an increase in salinity was accompanied by an increase in halophilic diversity and a corresponding decrease in
other archaeal groups. This study confirmed the presence of methanogenic microorganisms from the Antrim Shale.
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Peter Trenh (Elizabeth Stuart),
Detecting the Prevelance of Chlamydia in Farm Animals By Immune Complexes
The traditional method for detecting the presence of chlamydia in the clinical setting usually involves measuring anti-Chlamydia antibody titer levels.
However, levels of anti-Chlamydia antibodies may continue to be produced after the pathogen is gone and therefore simple testing for antibody titer
cannot demonstrate that an infection is ongoing. The purpose of this project is to examine sera from animals having infection by Chlamydia, by isolating
circulating immune complexes (CIC) and testing these complexes for the presence of chlamydial antigens. Since circulating immune complexes can have
a negative effect on joints, and ultimately impact kidney function, tests for their presence can provide insight into overall animal health. Additionally, it
may demonstrate a non-invasive means to assess for Chlamydia prevalence in animals that may be exhibiting health issues that are not necessarily seen
as associated with infection by this pathogen. Animal samples from local farms available for testing includes 14 alpacas and 11 sheep; time permitting,
there also are samples from 8 cows, 5 horses, and 4 goats available. The findings from these samples analyzed for CIC will then be compared with PCR
and in vitro culture data. We suspect that samples with CIC containing Chlamydia antigens will also be positive by PCR using Chlamydia specific primers
and/or positive for infectious agent when tested in an in vitro culture routinely used for this purpose.
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Gregory Vladimer (Elizabeth Stuart),
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Re-arrangement of Host Cell Intermediate Filament Protein during Chlamydia Infection and Identification of
Vimentin-Positive Low Molecular Weight Species by Western Blot
Background: Earlier studies showed host-intermediate filaments (IF), a cytoskeleton structural protein, accumulate within inclusions of Chlamydia
serovar E and separately, that host caveolin distributions vary for different biovars. We thus examined infected cells for differing, strain specific IF
re-arrangements. Methods: McCoy cell monolayers, infected with C. trachomatis serovar B, K, or LGV were methanol fixed at 48hpi, immunostained
for vimentin, desmin, laminin, Î±-tubulin, plectin, and dynein and examined with epifluorescence and confocal microscopy. Other cultures were
lysed and used in Western blot studies. Results: By confocal microscopy, vimentin, plectin, and desmin localized to inclusions of serovar K infected
cells, and in contrast, monolayers similarly infected with serovar B and LGV displayed no such inclusion associated accumulation of vimentin, though
positive for co-locization of desmin, laminin, and plectin. This identifies the IF originally detected by immuno-EM within inclusions. Chlamydia can
also exhibit a persistent state, initiated by various treatments and correlated with notable changes in gene expression. However by epi-fluorescence
microscopy differences in specific cytoskeletal protein distribution for serovar K vs. serovar B, vs. LGV inclusions appeared unchanged by active vs.
persistent infection status. Thus the serovar dependence of IF entry into or exclusion from inclusions was maintained, and this raises questions about
intra-inclusion accumulation -or possibly differential degradation-of these host proteins. An upregulation of vimentin production during infection, and
also proteolytic cleavage of the IF protein keratin 8 by CPAF, are known. Our initial Western blots of cell lysates from active vs. persistent monolayers
infected with serovar K or B showed analogous protein bands, consistent with a CPAF derived degradation. Thus further study will analyze IF with
monoclonals to vimentin and also to the conserved IF core rod domain. Conclusion: Different biovar appear to differentially affect specific IF redistributions and may impact Chlamydia inclusion formation and/or structure maintenance during the course of infection.
Molecular Biology
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Djade Soumana (John Nambu),
Spatial and Temporal Regulation of Apoptotic Cell Death Activators: Reaper, Hid and Grim
Statement of the problem To understand programmed cell death in the Drosophila brain, we wish to examine the role of reaper (rpr), Head involution
Defective (hid) and Grim, which are all known to play key roles in the initiation of programmed cell death. The obstacle to study the effects these
activators’ expression in the adult brain of Drosophila resides in early lethality that they cause at basal expression. Thus to characterize the effects of rpr,
grim and hid expression in the adult apoptotic brain, it is necessary to control their expression both temporally and spatially. We accomplished this by
generating temperature sensitive conditional alleles. At 18 degrees C, Gal-80ts prevents the expression of the cell death activators rpr, grim and hid. At
29 degrees, Cell death is initiated allowing us to visualize it using Immunocytochemistry.
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Music
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Marcin Marszalek (Janet Polvino),
Palestrina and Catholic Church Polyphony
Palestrina and Catholic Church Polyphony Palestrina is often referred to as “the savior of Catholic Church polyphony.” Following the Council of Trent in
the late sixteenth century, church officials wanted to simplify music so that it followed homorhythmic structure. Some even suggested only plainsong or
Gregorian chant should be used to the words would be clear and easy to hear. This would have caused composers to limit their creativity and music to
return to a style used a few centuries earlier. How did Palestrina get church officials to accept his music, despite its polyphony? I examined some of the
masses and motets of Palestrina to see how the gap between composers and church officials was bridged. I found that Palestrina’s polyphony allowed
the words to be clear and intelligible. He achieved the ethereal quality of Gregorian chant in his complex compositions. The result of my research is
that while he might be “the savior of church polyphony,” there is one more thing that musicologists do not often consider; not only did Palestrina save
polyphony in church music, he influenced all of Western music. Thanks to Palestrina, the church officials sanctioned polyphony. Because of him, they
permitted the free-flowing creativity of composers. The church did not hinder the development of Western music as a whole, which could have, in
effect, because of the great influence of the church, changed the history of music completely.
Nursing
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Heather D Pinault
Jennifer L Hast
Patrick Adcock (Mary Anne Bright),
Developing a Conscious Therapeutic Touch Practice
In order to become a Therapeutic Touch (TT) practitioner, there are many steps one must complete. Twelve students began a cumulative journey
toward becoming healers in the Commonwealth College Culminating Experience: Energy Healing through Therapeutic Touch. To become a healer, it is
necessary to develop capacities not usually addressed in academic or health education settings. Among these capacities are: awareness of one’s inner
experience, the effects of thoughts and feelings on perception, awareness of the subtle human energy field and personal boundaries, and fully present
and compassionate attention to the needs of the healee. These capacities were strengthened through the Fall 2007 semester by daily meditation
practice, self-reflective journaling, centering, establishing healing intentionality, and learning how to understand and facilitate the balance of the human
energy field. In the Spring 2008 semester, the students then applied these capacities through the energy healing treatment of TT to both healthy elders
and hospice patients. There are several benefits expected to be experienced by the subjects. These benefits include the obtainment of an internal calm,
and the capacity for the body’s natural healing processes to take over. This poster presentation will illustrate aspects of the students’ self-reflective
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processes, personal growth, and development as healers. To date, students in the class have expressed a decrease in anxiety, and a more open and
present awareness of subtle energies around them in all forms.
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Jenna Bristol (Amy Bruno),
Department of Nursing, UMass Dartmouth, N. Dartmouth, MA, 02747-2300
Blood Pressure Screening Results at a College University
Background: Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States today. Nurses are charged with screening and other health promotion
activities related to reducing the incidence of heart disease. The Umass Dartmouth (UMD) Student Nurses Association (UMDsna) is a pre-professional
organization that prepares students for involvement in the healthcare field and is devoted to health promotion on the UMD campus. The American
Heart Association states hypertension begins at 140/90 mmHg or higher. Pre-hypertension is 120/80 to 139/89 mmHg. Purpose: This project describes
a health promotion blood pressure screening held every semester for students and faculty. . Method: Nursing students take and record blood pressures,
and distribute questionnaires under the guidance of faculty. Participants also complete an anonymous self-report questionnaire which assesses heart
disease risk factors. Blood pressure readings recorded on the surveys are used to calculate the percentage of participants who had pre-hypertension and
hypertension. Due to the high numbers of students found in these categories, the interventions were implemented by the UMDsna. Immediate actions
included, providing participants a brochure containing the definition of blood pressure, and what it indicates. The blood pressure is recorded on the
brochure and categorized as normal, pre-hypertension, or hypertension. Nursing Faculty are present to answer participants’ questions, or refer them for
further medical attention. Sample: A total of X persons were screened for HTN. The Results: Of the participants, 38% were pre-hypertensive and 22%
were hypertensive. Discussion: Screening allows for early detection and health promotion of participants while student nurses gain valuable experience
in planning and implementing health promotion activities on one campus.
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Ruth Cook (Maureen McRae),
Department of Nursing, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Lead Poisoning on Children Ages 1-5: A Review of the Literature
The purpose of this review was to explore the physiological and psychological effects of lead poisoning on children ages 1-5. Piaget’s theory of
Cognitive Development was utilized. Further, this study explored the treatment of lead poisoning in children, nursing implications for practice, and
proposals for future research studies. The literature reviewed was based on a search for the years 1997 to 2007 using the keywords lead poisoning in
children which included articles from books, magazines and health journals, and data from public health publications. Information was gathered on
the effects of lead poisoning, signs and symptoms, environmental issues, age of most vulnerability, treatment, and various other topics. In conclusion,
the primary prevention and recognition of exposure is a necessity to prevent lead toxicity in children. A home or environment should be checked for
lead levels before children are brought into that setting. If a parent is unsure about the history of the location, it is better to be safe than sorry. Further
research should be done to educate new mothers and mothers expecting children. Lead can be passed to the fetus from the mother but many offices
do not provide sufficient information for families.
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Megan Fink (Lisa Wolf),
What are the Barriers to Effective Use of The Rapid Response Team?
Background: Response Teams (RRT) or Medical Emergency Teams (MET) are small teams of healthcare professionals who respond to patients needing
additional clinical support. The patient may have an acute change in vital signs, mental status, complaints of chest pain or difficulty breathing, or the
nurse may feel that the patient “just doesn’t look right”. The majority of the literature supports the use of Rapid Response Teams (RRT) or Medical
Emergency Teams (MET) as effective in reducing out-of-ICU codes and improving patient mortality. However, there is accumulating information that this
is an underutilized resource, for reasons not yet fully understood. The literature on this aspect of the problem is scant, and the project was designed to
explore the existence and extent of RRT underutilization and to delineate reasons for this underutilization. Methodology: quantitative and descriptive
analysis, qualitative analysis. Data collection: Charts from patients for whom an RRT/MET was called at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, MA.
Chart review was conducted of all RRT charts from implementation of RRT at the hospital (N=30) and) to gain information concerning the circumstances
of nurse-initiated RRT calls. A series of patient vignettes were circulated to nurses on medical-surgical floors to explore what nurses interpreted as
clinical symptoms requiring additional assistance. In addition, individual interviews were conducted with medical/surgical nurses to elicit information
regarding barriers to use of an RRT Findings: Nurses were not requesting intervention early enough, nor did they find certain clinical findings alarming
enough to request additional clinical assistance even though they fit the criteria for RRT calls. Conclusions: Stating criteria for RRT calls does not seem
enough to provoke action. Further research with regard to educational, supportive, and logistical barriers need to be explored. The findings seem to
suggest a need for “real time” education by dedicated staff.
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Katie Macdonald (Maureen McRae),
Evaluating the effectiveness of Alzheimer’s medications: The perspective of the nurse in the long term care setting
This research reviewed current literature on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and medications used in treatment, as well as the effects that these drugs have on
patients, as perceived by the nurse. These medications include Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride), Razadyne (galantamine hydrobromide) and Namenda
(memantine hydrochloride). The end goal of this research is to determine if nurses who administer these medications think that they are useful and/
or effective in the treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Five nurse interviews were conducted at an extended care facility in Massachusetts
that has a unit dedicated to the care of residents afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease. Appropriate clearance to perform this research was obtained through
the Institutional Review Board at Salem State College and the Board of Trustees at the long term care facility. The method for completing this project
consisted of research on Alzheimer’s disease and the aforementioned medications. It also consisted of nurse interviews, which were audio-recorded.
Informed consent was obtained before audio-recording these interviews and the recordings were reviewed both by the principal investigator and by the
advisor. Several themes came about from this research including discussion of adverse drug effects, ethical issues and drug costs.
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Laura Mezynski (Nicole Champagne),
Department of Public Health, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
Sexually Transmitted Disease Education for Residential, First Year Students at University Of Massachusetts Lowell
This study examined knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs held by first year residential students at University of Massachusetts Lowell towards sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs). Students were asked to fill out a thirty-one question survey. Questions ranged from demographic information to questions
about participant’s use of hormonal contraceptives and/or condoms as protection from STDs, comfort levels with discussing sex and condom use with
partners, use of protection during oral sex, and knowledge of the human papilloma virus (HPV). Results found deficits in knowledge about HPV and the
use of barrier protection during oral sex, among other issues. As a result of these results, I will be working in conjunction with Health Services on an
educational session on HPV and the HPV vaccine, and will be launching a health communication campaign to address the importance of using barrier
protection during oral sex.
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Manka Nkimbeng (Eileen Hayes),
Comparison of Health Care Systems: The United States and the United Kingdom
Originating in 1929, the health insurance system in the United States has gradually evolved to the system of managed care today (Ayres, 1996). The
Department of Health and Human Services is the main governing body that appropriates finances and regulates health care. Funding for this health
care system is mostly private through health insurance, with a public fund component in the form of Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, the universal
health care system provided by the National Health Service was created in 1948, and is administered by the Department of Health and Minister of
Health in the United Kingdom. (Rintala, 2003). This system is funded by taxes alone, with little private funding (Doyle and Bull, 2000). The health care
policies in each system affect nursing care, which affects patient care. Despite the high cost of care in the United States, leading health indicators
portray the United Kingdom to be healthier nation, than America (WHO, 2008; US Census Bureau, 2008). The purpose of this study is to examine how
a country’s health care system and health policy affects the day-to-day nursing practices in a universal healthcare system (UK) and in a non- universal
health care system (US) and to discover if there are any similarities or differences. Understanding how health policy affects health care delivery systems
and nursing practice is a crucial aspect of the nursing role of health promotion. A questionnaire and focus group meeting will be used to understand
the nursing practices within the two health care systems. The seven participants are a group of nursing students and faculty who participated in the
Cross Cultural Experience program in Belfast, Northern Ireland offered by the University of Massachusetts school of Nursing. They now have had clinical
experiences in both the United States and the United Kingdom health care systems. It is expected that this study will show how the health care systems
affects nursing practice and that there will be differences in this practice between the two health care systems. The implications of the similarities and/
or differences on nursing practice will be explored in relation to patient care especially amongst vulnerable populations. References Aiken, L.H., Clarke,
S.P., Sloane, D.M., Sochalski, J., Silber, J.H. (2002). Hospital Nurse Staffing and Patient Mortality, Nurse Burnout, and Job Dissatisfaction. JAMA. 288,
1987-1993. Retrieved on Jan. 11th, 2008 at http://jama.ama-assn.org.silk.library.umass.edu:2048/cgi/reprint/288/16/1987 Ayres, S.M. (1996) Health
care in the United States: the facts and the choices. (pp. 117-166) Chicago, IL. American library Association editions. Center for Medicare and Medicaid
services. (2007). History of Medicare and Medicaid: Retrieved on Dec. 11th, 2007 at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/History/ Department of Health. (2008).
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Policy and guidance .Retrieved January 17th 2008 at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/index.htm Doyle, Y., Bull, A. (2000) Role of private
sector in United Kingdom healthcare system. British Medical journal. 321, 563-565. Retrieved January 17th 2008 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.silk.
library.umass.edu:2048/sites/entrez Harrington, C., & Estes, C.L., (2001) Health policy: Crisis and Reform in the US Health Care Delivery system. Sudbury,
MA. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Rintala, M., (2003). Creating the National health services: Aneurin Bevan And the medical Lords. (pp.1-6). Portland,
OR. Frank Cass Publishers. United Kingdom. (1999). Health care systems in transition. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Retrieved
on Dec. 11th, 2007 at http:// www.euro.who.int/document/e68283.pdf. US Census Bureau (2006). International statistics: Vital Statistics, by Country or
Area: 2006 and 2010. Retrieved January 10th, 2008 at http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/08s1305.pdf World Health organization: (2007)
World health statistics 2007. Retrieved January 10th, 2008 at http:// www.who.int/whosis/whoststat2007/en/index.
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Bella Pindrus (Maureen McRae),
Juvenile Onset Diabetes: A Review of the Literature on Teaching Tools and Methods Provided to Children Ages 7 To
12 To Help Them Learn About Their Disease
The purpose of this study was to explore the tools used to help children learn about and participate in the treatment of their Juvenile Diabetes. In order
to investigate this topic, a literature review was conducted of publications in the past 10 years on teaching tools for educating diabetic children ages
7-12 about their disease. Furthermore, various methods, such as group discussions, intensive treatment, age-appropriate written handouts, videotapes,
and simulated video games were evaluated with respect to their success as teaching tools. Recommendations are made for various combinations of
methods to be used for children of various ages, as well as recommendations for incorporating parents into the educational process.
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Courtney Proctor (Joan Roche),
The Relationship between Multidisciplinary Rounds and Nurse Satisfaction
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Although there is research dating back to the 1970s suggesting collaboration between nurses and physicians has improved patient outcomes, there is
a limited body of knowledge regarding methods to increase collaboration during inpatient hospital care. The rapidly changing environment of inpatient
care, coupled with the complexity of the patients makes communication between health care providers of the utmost importance. The purpose of this
study was to compare nurses’ perceptions of collaboration and satisfaction with collaboration, before and after the initiation of weekly multidisciplinary
rounds on the Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit at Baystate Hospital in Springfield, MA. Weekly meetings were implemented to provide a structured
opportunity for nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, unit case managers, social services, and
spiritual services to collaborate and discuss patient care. The Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions questionnaire (Baggs, 1994) was
distributed to the nurses on the unit, before and after the initiation of these weekly rounds to determine their perceptions of collaboration and
satisfaction. The data will be analyzed and results will be compared using the appropriate statistical tests. If collaboration and satisfaction is shown to
increase, it will be the recommendation of this study to implement structured multidisciplinary rounds in the inpatient hospital setting. Looking to the
future, as patient care becomes more complex, research pertaining to multidisciplinary interventions will become increasingly important.
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Jessica Shi (Annemarie Heath),
The Effects of Cultural Immersion on Cultural Competency among Students in Health Care
The study aims to investigate the effects of cultural immersion on cultural competency among a group of students interested in health care who
will be participating in the Cross Cultural Learning Experience program in the Dominican Republic. The purpose is to see if the students will gain
cultural competence from the experience. The significance of the study responds to society’s increased demand for high-quality, culturally competent
health care and the emphasis of such beneficial programs in nursing and other health care related educational programs in the future. Pre- and
post-experience tests through the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Revised (IAPCC-R)
are conducted to measure level of cultural competence. Pre- and post-experience focus group discussions center on key questions derived from the
review of literature to explore related areas not covered in the inventory tool and to gain more general and qualitative information of the experience.
The investigator accompanied the subjects on the trips and conducted informal observation of the participants as they interact in the trans-cultural
environment. The results from the pre- and post-evaluations and observational findings will be compared and analyzed.
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Peter Sohriakoff (Karen Plotkin),
Development of the Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Care Observational Tool (PUPCOT)
Pressure ulcers increase hospital lengths-of-stay and infection risks, and exist in approximately 15% of persons in acute care. They have been an
obstacle to health throughout human history, and will soon become an obstacle to hospitals’ bottom lines as well, when in October 2008 Medicare
and Medicaid will cease to pay for the treatment of nosocomial pressure ulcers. Other insurers are expected to follow suit. Unfortnuately, pressure
ulcer prevention and care is an activity that Registered Nurses (RNs) are rarely able to afford time to. As a result, nursing assistants (NAs) are delegated
these tasks, and there is concern that the education gap between RNs and NAs may be large enough to compromise patient care in this area. We have
reviewed recent literature on the subject and used it to develop a tool (the Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Care Observational Tool, or PUPCOT) to aid
in the accurate measurement of the quality of pressure ulcer prevention and care. This tool can, in future research, be used to assess which aspects of
pressure ulcer care are inadequate, on either the individual or group level, and thus better enable institutions to deal with these problems.
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Rebekah Bernard (Kathy Frederickson),
Food & Spirituality: the Ultimate Benefits of Vegetarianism
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This project explores the link between food and spirituality; it begins with a personal journey exploring the ramifications of my food choices and
how they connected to my health. My research led to a vegetarian lifestyle and in this project, I explore the benefits of vegetarianism and the sacred
connection experienced with “eating light.” The project also shares the simple, easy ways of making the transition to a meatless diet and examines the
food politics involved.
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Stefanie Morgan (Kathy Frederickson),
Italian Food Culture
Throughout the years, Italians have maintained a deeply-rooted cultural affinity for local and leisurely food. They believe that eating is a spiritual,
intimate undertaking that indulges body, soul, spirit, and mind. In more recent years, this affinity has spawned a food movement, known as the Slow
Food movement, begun after the opening of a McDonalds in Rome in 1986. The movement aims to bring back a global appreciation of these values,
highlighting the importance and benefits of buying food locally, and truly taking the time to enjoy the food to its fullest. This project attempts to
explore the cultural factors that make Italian food culture such a treasure to its people that they would begin a worldwide movement to preserve it.
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Loan Nhan (Susan McPherson),
The Delight of Western Fast Food in China
Six thousand years of Chinese culinary traditions have featured home meals of rice, meat and vegetables. However, this balanced Chinese diet,
particularly with citizens living in urban areas, has rapidly changed since the invasion of the fast-food industry. A significant portion of the Chinese diet
now comes from McDonalds and Yum! China Division, a part of the Yum Brands Company which controls KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and other brands.
Today, more Chinese people are feeding themselves with fried foods. According to Vice Minister of Health Wang Longde, as of 2004 an estimated
200 million of the 1.3 billion people in China are overweight. A 2002 survey shows hypertension rates reaching 18.8%, and high blood pressure has
increased by 31% since 1991; additionally, about 2.6% of the population suffer from diabetes. This project focuses on how Western fast food has
drastically modified the Chinese traditional meal.
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Lauren Nickerson (Elena Carbone),
Department of Nutrition & Food Science, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Nutrition Education Workshops for Girl Scouts: A Community Service Project
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Nutrition education in young children can help teach healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. This community service project was designed to
teach Girl Scouts in grades 1-3 and 4-6 about the basics of My-Pyramid and Food Safety. Hands-on workshops were designed using a foundation of
educational principles and practices to focus on these topics and were based upon unique ideas, as well as ideas presented in Girl Scout badge books.
The workshops took place in Salem, MA and the Amherst area with the help of 10-15 volunteers at each session. Each session lasted three hours, at
the end of which, all girls in attendance, (n= 40 and 65, respectively) earned a “Nutrition Fun” patch to wear on their uniform. At the conclusion of
each session, an informal group discussion was used to assess knowledge gained. These workshops appeared to be successful, since all of the girls
involved showed an interest in the activities, were enthusiastic about the topics presented, and shared knowledge that they had gained with workshop
facilitators, Girl Scout leaders and their parents. Girls said they had fun and learned about healthy snacks, the importance of physical activity, hand
washing and food safety. The high participation in these events suggests that young girls, especially those in Girl Scouting, have a need for nutrition
knowledge and can benefit from interactive educational intervention programs.
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Board 44
Brian Sledd (Kathy Frederickson),
The College Carbon Footprint
I am conducting research to determine what food choices both students and their college food service providers make that have an affect on the
carbon footprint left behind. I will look at one particular lunch day menu at a local college and follow the food sources as far back to their place
of origin as possible, prompting debate about when it is beneficial to look locally or to look globally for particular food items. Each menu item will
be broken down by percentage of how many students make healthy choices and how many make unhealthy choices. This study will look at the
effectiveness of eating locally, the consumption of unhealthy processed food choices, and other factors that can contribute to a college’s overall carbon
footprint, as well as making it more feasible for students to maintain a healthier menu choice at their college.
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Board 49
Matthew Sloan (Alayne Ronnenberg),
Department of Nutrition & Food Science, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Comparison of B12 Levels in Blood Between Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian College-Aged Females
Background: Vegetarian diets are followed by millions of people worldwide for various reasons, including religion and health. Although many types of
vegetarian diets exist, the strictly plant-based vegan diet has been associated with increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, since this micronutrient is
found only in foods of animal origin. In 1998, the U.S. mandated folic acid fortification of grain products, resulting in increased dietary folate intakes.
Recently, the potentially detrimental effects of poor B12 status coupled with elevated folate has emerged as a public health concern, and it seems likely
that vegans may be at increased risk for this imbalance. Objective: We aim to measure serum concentrations of vitamin B12 and folate in 160 collegeaged women at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. We will also determine the prevalence of vitamin deficiency and possible excess according
to vegetarian status. Methods: Women aged 18 to 30 years were recruited from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. To promote participation
of vegetarians, targeted recruitment flyers were distributed to vegetarian and health-food stores and forwarded to predominantly vegetarian cultural
groups. At the study visit, fasting blood samples and anthropometrics were obtained, and subjects completed food frequency, demographic, and health
questionnaires. Vegetarian status was determined from the dietary questionnaire and from questions that asked whether participants self-identified as
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“vegetarian” and to what extent. Serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 will be determined using a commercially available radioimmunoassay
kit (MP Biomedicals). Expected Findings: We expect that serum folate levels will be relatively high in all participants due to mandatory folic acid
fortification. If serum vitamin B12 levels are also lower in vegans, this imbalance between folate and vitamin B12 may be detrimental.
Physics
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1:30-3:00
Board 49
Christopher Agostini (Joan Brenner),
Is Life Predestined?
In their writings, Aristotle and Newton expressed different views about whether time exists independently of events, or if time exists only when there
are events that occur over time. Since there is no definitive answer to this question, relevant information was gathered from scholarly journals and other
texts, addressing these opposing views of time, as well as from studies that more directly relate to definition of time. After a strong definition and an
understanding of time is achieved, this process gives rise to the notion of space-time; that only with space is there time. Time exists only if space exists,
which is bounded by world lines from the beginning to the present.
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Mozammel Alam (Joan Brenner),
Its “Time” to “Travel”
Time Travelling has been on minds of almost every human being present and past, whether it involves going into the past or into the future. The
objective of this project is to shed some light onto time travel through the musings of scientists and others who made an impact in this world. For
example, Einstein and Minkowski spoke about the twin paradox, light cones and black holes. They have shown us formulas and theories where they
dreamt that it might be possible to travel freely through time, even though the reality so far denies the possibility. In reality, if we are not able to send
humans through time, could we at some point we could send signals? The current state of physics admits some possibility of time travel, and the thrust
of this paper is to explore this enticing possibility through a review of the current thinking of such scientists as Steven Hawking and Ronald Mallett.
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Ho Yin Au (JoDe Lavine),
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1:30-3:00
Board 50
The Physics of Vision
Human vision is a process that occurs at both a macroscopic and a microscopic level. For example, the optical properties of the macroscopic
components (lens and cornea) affect the signals sent to the microscopic cells of the retina. This project proposes to examine several aspects of human
vision in terms of the physical principles involved. The macroscopic aspects to be examined include the process of image formation by the human eye,
common defects of vision (myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism) due to macroscopic imperfections, and the correction of those defects. Examples
of corrections include eyeglass lenses or contact lenses - both commonly-used present day methods that generally do not affect the state of the
macroscopic components of the eye. However, other methods reshape the cornea or replace the eye’s lens altogether. The microscopic aspects of
vision to be considered include the resolution limits of human vision and defects in vision due to failures at the microscopic level. Finally, this project
will summarize the current state of technology aimed at modeling and replicating human vision. One topic that will be explored is computer-based
technologies for replicating vision that integrate some of the image-processing features of human vision.
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Ujunwa Nsonwu-Dixon (Joan Brenner),
Mechanism of Walking
Understanding the mechanism of walking can be a complex issue. By reviewing books, journal articles, and internet sources, this paper analyzes what
it takes for humans to walk, and also shows how walking can be viewed as a result of a set of muscles that act to perform work on the center of mass,
swing the legs relative to the center of mass, and support body weight. The paper also explains how humans walk using a robotic view as well as an
anatomical view. In addition, the mechanism robots use to walk is contrasted with walking in humans. It will be observed that what is required to walk,
or move the feet across the ground, are the hips, spine, arms, shoulder, and head; all moving in sync to maintain balance.
Political Science
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Bryan Gervais (Vin Moscardelli),
Department of Political Science, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Evidence of Communal Effects on Voter Participation: A Study on Turnout Disparities Between University Residential
Areas in Student Government Elections
This is a study on communal elements, independent of individual attributes, fostering and suppressing voter turnout in student government
elections throughout the six residential areas of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Most literature on voter participation identifies individual
circumstances as being the chief determinants in whether individuals vote. While this study does not set out to disprove the effect of individualistic
stimuli on voter turnout, the results may suggest that in this particular case there is a communal element to voter participation beyond that which is
personal. The personal elements generally considered having the greatest effect on voter participation (income, education, civic skills, and age) can all
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be controlled for within the university setting. Yet, great disparities in voter turnout have consistently existed between the dissimilar residential areas.
Currently, a test is being conducted as to whether or not lesser individual elements identified in participation literature (such as newspaper readership,
habitual voting, etc.) can explain the turnout disparities. Questionnaires, testing for trends in personal circumstances, will be disbursed to students who
vote in an upcoming student government election. In the event that they do not identify individual trends, further investigation as to what exactly these
communities do to enhance or curb participation will take place. It is expected that factors contributing to the turnout disparities includes the existence
of (or lack there of) various social groups (such as student-run businesses) and programs (such as Residential Area Programs), as well as the physical
layout of the area buildings.
Psychology
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1:30-3:00
Board 60
Karyn Aiello (Lizabeth Roemer),
The Effects of Parental Alcoholism on Emotion Regulation Development
This study will examine the effects parental alcoholism may have on the development of emotion regulation in their offspring. Previous studies on
children and adult children of alcoholics have shown a relationship between high levels of parental alcoholism and high levels of emotional distress.
One possible factor in this increased distress may be difficulties understanding and managing one’s emotional experience. Given the important
role that parents play in the development of regulatory skills, it may be that parental alcoholism has a negative effect on individuals by impairing
the development of adaptive emotion regulatory skills, which in turn results in increased distress. In order to examine this question, a series of online questionnaires will be given through PsychData to roughly 200 adult participants (ages 18 and older) assessing their experiences with parental
alcoholism and their emotion regulation strategies. We will also assess levels of family dysfunction in order to determine whether the effects of parental
alcoholism on the development of emotion regulation is evident in the absence of family dysfunction, or if parental alcoholism must be combined
with another negative effect, such as family dysfunction, in order to observe significant levels of emotion dysregulation. Major potential confounding
variables, in particular histories of trauma, physical and sexual abuse, will be measured as well, in order to control for these factors, which correlate with
high levels of emotion dysregulation. Results are expected to show that more severe cases of parental alcoholism will be associated with higher levels
of emotion dysregulation, and that emotion dysregulation will be uniquely related to parental alcoholism, even after controlling for other associated
factors.
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Victoria Ameral (Lisa Sanders),
Event-Related Potential Indicesof Segmentation: Linguistic Mechanism or Preferential Processing?
Event-related potential (ERP) studies have used the fact that responses to word onsets and word-medial syllable onsets differ by 100 ms to index the
special status of the initial portions of words during speech perception. This difference was also found in studies using pronounceable non-words (e.g.
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“dutaba”) devoid of acoustic (e.g. stress), lexical (word meaning), and syntactic (grammatical) cues. Independence from such linguistic cues suggests the
word-onset negativity is not specific to language processing. The current study investigated whether it is evident for any rapidly presented, continuous
auditory stream. Six sequences of three sounds were repeated until participants reached 89% accuracy on a recognition test. Sounds such as a train
whistle and a dog barking were sampled and edited to discourage verbal labeling. The six sequences were concatenated into thirteen-minute streams
devoid of segmentation cues. ERP responses to sequences within the streams before and after learning were compared. Inspection of waveforms shows
a larger negativity around 100 ms after sequence onset after compared to before the learning phase. ERPs elicited by the sounds at the middle or end
of sequences did not show this difference. Given the non-linguistic nature of the stimuli, these data suggest that the word-onset negativity indexes a
more general cognitive process. The results of this experiment contribute to a growing body of evidence that this general process is temporally selective
attention employed to preferentially process the most relevant information in rapidly changing stimuli, such as the beginning of a word or a familiar
sound sequence.
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Alicia Atkinson (Maureen Perry-Jenkins),
Difficult Child, Difficult Marriage? The Relationship between Difficult Infant Temperament and Marital Conflict
The transition to parenthood literature has focused a great deal of attention on the relationship between parents and children, specifically examining
the effects of poor marriages on child outcomes. However the opposite relationship, the ways in which children can affect their parents, has been
neglected in research. A goal of the current study is to explore the ways in which infant temperament can shape the quality of the marital relationship.
The study specifically focuses on temperament in the first year of the child’s life and its relationship with marital conflict when the child is one year old
and six years old. The study also investigates gender differences in temperament and the differential effects it might have on marital conflict when
the child is one year old and six years old. Building on past literature we hypothesize that higher reports of more difficult temperament at one-year
postpartum will be related to higher reports of mothers’ and fathers’ marital conflict at one-year postpartum and six-years postpartum. Data were
drawn from the Work and Family Transitions Project, a longitudinal study of the transition to parenthood for dual- earner families conducted in Western
New England. The sample consisted of 153 dual- earner married and cohabitating couples who were experiencing the transition to parenthood. The
participants ranged in age from 19 to 41 years old. Data will be analyzed using both correlations and regressions. Preliminary analyses show that there is
a positive correlation between difficult infant temperament and marital conflict. The current study aims to bridge the gap in the literature by examining
how difficult infant temperament is related to marital conflict.
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Inna Babitskaya (Ester Shapiro),
Impact of Realistic Life Stressors and Acculturative Stress on the Mental Health and Academic Success of Immigrant
and International Students
Recently, universities have become extremely concerned about the mental health status of college students, the stresses they experience, and the
potential protective factors that might promote positive mental health outcomes. However, most of these studies research have been conducted on
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residential campuses. The primary purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between specific types of stressors experienced by immigrant
and international students on an urban commuter campus, and risk and protective factors contributing to their mental health and academic success.
Study in college is predicted to be especially stressful for these students, who experience many of the stresses faced by native students along with some
specific stressors, such as: acculturative shock, language problems, separation from their families, and adjustment to the new culture, educational,
and social systems. This research used an anonymous online survey in a northeastern U.S. urban commuter university, which measured acculturative
stress, racial and ethnic discrimination, academic stress, realistic life stresses. The study examined the relationship between different types of stresses
and mental health outcomes. This study was based on findings of the Resources for Success survey, which considered the relationship between
realistic stressors, academic stress and GPA, moderating or mediating protective factors, and predictive role of stress for mental health outcomes. The
findings will be used to advocate for active involvement of university programs and services in the successful adjustment of international and immigrant
students to study in college and to solve problems of cultural adaptation, mental health and academic issues, and development of social support and
multicultural relationships.
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Board 78
Sahar Barfchin (Geert deVries),
Extrahypothalamic Vasopressin Expression in the Marmosetextrahypothalamic Vasopressin Expression in the
Marmoset
Vasopressin is peptide that acts throughout the body as a hormone, and in the brain as a neurotransmitter. The majority of vasopressin in the brain
is produced three hypothalamic nuclei the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), supraoptic nucleus (SON) and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). These
areas are important in the regulation of vasopressin physiologically. In almost all species studied, a strong network of vasopresssin cells and fibers
has also been identified extrahypothalamically. This extrahypothalamic system plays a role in social behaviors, including aggression, pair bonding,
and social recognition. Despite the abundance of information on the vasopressin expression in the brains of rodents and other mammals, not much
is known about vasopressin expression in primates. The aim of this study was to produce an atlas of vasopressin expression in the marmoset brain.
Immunocytochemical staining was used to stain for cells and fibers throughout the marmoset brain. The results of this study will provide information on
the presence of extrahypothalamic vasopressin in the primate brain and give some insight into a possible role for vasopressin in social behaviors.
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Andrea T Santos
Lara Batti (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
Department of Psychology, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA, 01702
Attitudes Towards Homosexuals
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Abstract In recent years, the debate over sexual orientation and the lifestyle choices of homosexuals have increased (Soloman, Rothblum, & Balsam,
2005). However, more gays and lesbians are choosing to live openly and to exercise the same rights and relationship privileges of heterosexuals.
We examined the impact of those choices on the attitudes of 120 undergraduates toward homosexuals who engage in public displays of affection.
Students were randomly assigned to view one of four picture collages (lesbians kissing, lesbians holding hands, gays kissing, or gays holding hands).
After viewing the picture collages students completed a survey with scales measuring the students’ attitudes towards homosexuals and the type of
public display of affection depicted in the collage. A between subjects ANOVA is expected to reveal more acceptance for lesbians engaged in any type
of display of affection than for gays. In addition, gay males are expected to be viewed more negatively regardless of the intensity of the display of
affection. Results will be discussed relative to the impact of these attitudes on the college environment.
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Michael N Freilich
Anthony Bean (Pam Ludemann),
Videogame Play and Changes in Aggression Levels Among Young Adults
This study was designed to investigate the levels of aggression of men and women following exposure to videogames, and to study the impact of
character identification. The 59 participants played their assigned game, Mortal Kombat on Nintendo Wii or Halo 2 on the Xbox, for 45 minutes
with a partner. The results showed that individuals maybe becoming more desensitized to graphic content and spend large periods of time exposed to
aggressive game environments. Results showed that since desensitization appears to be occurring, overall aggression is actually going down and it is not
becoming as shocking anymore the longer you play. Results also showed men had higher aggression levels post-game playing and identified with the
character more strongly than women. Videogame rating boards could use this information to help determine aggressive levels of future videogames.
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Board 59
John Blanchette (Robert Feldman),
Effect of Interview Method on Deception in the Interview
Since job interviews are a significant determinant of job placement, it is important that employers obtain accurate information from all applicants
during an interview. Research has shown that job applicants are fairly deceptive during job interviews in an attempt to appear qualified. In this study,
participants were led to believe that they were being interviewed for a tutoring job. Participants were read a job description with either high or low
desirability. It is hypothesized that applicants will lie more when read the desirable job description due to the job’s greater incentives. In addition,
participants were interviewed either face-to-face or in an online format. Our findings will determine whether applicants tell a greater number of lies
during an online interview due to deindividuation or tell more lies in the face-to-face condition, due to social desirability bias.
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3:10-4:40
Board 52
Denise Bolen (S. Tiffany Donaldson),
Locomotor Activity Response to Environmental Stimuli During Amphetamine Sensitization
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In order to assess the effects of amphetamine sensitization in response to environmental stimuli, rats were treated for four days with either 3.0 mg/kg
amphetamine or saline following a 30-minute habituation period. Locomotor activity (LMA) and stereotypic behaviors were observed during habituation
and post-injection, respectively. This treatment and evaluation cycle was repeated over a two-week period. The results of this experiment demonstrated
that 1) the rats began to show increased LMA on drug days 2-4 during the 30-minute habituation period, 2) the rats that had previously received
amphetamine injections responded positively by increasing LMA during an environmental challenge where mock injections were given, 3) the rats, on a
final day of testing using a low dose (0.75mg/kg) of amphetamine, showed even higher activity levels when compared to the previous 4 drug days, and
4) the videotaping analysis showed the stereotypy of head bobbing. These observations support the theory that environmental cues reinforce specific
behaviors. To examine the association of these behaviors with specific molecular alterations in brain physiology, this experiment was repeated; however,
in the second trial the rats were sacrificed post-habituation and post-injection over the course of the trial days and changes in immediate early gene
expression was assessed by detection of the Fos protein. The preliminary immunocytochemistry analysis of the brain tissues suggest that increased Fos
levels were evident in various brain regions in the rats receiving the amphetamine when compared to the control animals. Taken together, the data add
support to the notion that the environment contributes to the immediate and protracted neurobiological responses to amphetamine and thus, should be
considered in treatment for recovering addicts.
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Board 51
Andrea Bruce (Pam Ludemann),
Who You Gonna Call? Cell Phone Use and Autonomy Among Adolescents and Young Adults
This study was designed to examine young adults’ cell phone use as it relates to the processes of autonomy and dependence. Participants were 94
college students, 47% male, ranging in age from 18 to 25, all of whom owned cell phones. Participants were presented with one of two scenarios
in which they imagined themselves in either a severe or a mild decision-making situation. Questionnaires were completed assessing participants’
independence, perceived parental authority, and decision-making skills. Results indicated that students raised in authoritarian households were more
autonomous and sensitive towards others than those reared in authoritative or permissive homes. Additionally, results showed that women used
their cell phones more often than men for both social and business purposes. Lastly, findings indicated that severity of a situation had no impact on
decision-making by participants. These findings may indicate that having immediate access to others via cell phones may impede students’ independent
decision-making skills not only for important matters, but for minor issues as well.
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3:10-4:40
Board 49
Anna BuAbbud (UnJa Hayes),
Pup-love: is Oxytocin the Answer
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Female prairie voles are aggressive toward pups as virgins and throughout pregnancy. Upon giving birth, however, these animals show an abrupt
change in maternal responsivity, caring for pups. This abrupt change in behavior coincides with fluctuations in peripheral and central levels of the
hormone, oxytocin. Oxytocin is a peptide produced in the hypothalamus that is released peripherally at birth to facilitate uterine contractions and
lactation. Centrally, this neuropeptide also has been noted for its role in social bonding, and is therefore a good candidate for mediating the sudden
appearance of maternal care at birth in female prairie voles. In this study, central oxytocin level will be quantified in virgin, pregnant, and parous
prairie voles to correlate with changes in maternal behavior. In addition, the change in oxytocin level in the absence of a reproductive event will be
explored using the sensitization procedure (i.e., continuous exposure to pups). The brain tissue will be collected and oxytocin will be quantified using
immunocytochemistry (ICC), a procedure that visualizes protein in tissue. The predicted results include a higher level of oxytocin in neural areas involved
in maternal behaviors in animals that are maternal, regardless of reproductive status (e.g., virgin, pregnant, parous) and triggering event (i.e., delivery vs.
sensitization). These results will provide support for the hypothesis that a rise in oxytocin is correlated with a positive change in maternal behavior, with
and without reproductive experience.
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3:10-4:40
Board 63
Molly Buchanan (Pam Ludemann),
Effects of Parental Divorce on Offspring’s Future Relationships and Well-being
Despite showing a steady decrease in the rate of occurrence over the last 25 years, divorce is still a daily event and is not easy on couples or their
children. This study was designed to explore how divorce experiences may impact attitudes about offsprings’ well-being and future relationships.
A sample of 107 college students, mostly Caucasian women, was presented with surveys consisting of scenarios depicting characters with varying
parental-divorce experiences and evaluated perceived fear of intimacy, trust in relationships, parent-child relationship, and life satisfaction. Participants
also provided information about their own experiences with parental-divorce, intimate relationships, overall life satisfaction, and family closeness.
Results indicated that participants perceived the characters with direct divorce experience to show fear of intimacy and an inability to trust, as well as to
have poor parent-child relationships and be low on overall life satisfaction. Both participants with personal divorce experience and those with no divorce
experience responded similarly. Results may suggest a general understanding of the potential negative impact of parental divorce on offspring, which
may be related to the recent decline in the divorce rate.
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Board 57
Jessica Buchinski (Lisa Scott),
Narrow Minded Babies: How Early Visual Experience Shapes Categorization Abilities
Face perception is critical to everyday human interactions; however, how humans become so good at using facial information is relatively unknown. One
theory that accounts for the development of face perception is called Perceptual Narrowing (Scott, Pascalis & Nelson, 2007). This theory is a process of
perceptual tuning, where sensory information received is broad at first, and then narrows with experience. For example, 6- but not 9-month olds and
adults are able to discriminate between both human and monkey faces. Older infants and adults can only discriminate between human faces (Pascalis et
al. 2002). The present experiment was designed to further our understanding of the neural and behavioral mechanisms mediating perceptual narrowing
during the first year of life. Thirty-five infants participated in a two-session experiment (pre-test at 6-months and post-test at 9-months). During each
session, infants completed 2 tasks while looking time and electrophysiological measures of brain activity were recorded. Each participant was assigned
to 1 of 2 training groups and either received a monkey face training book at the individual level (each monkey face was named) or at the category
level (each monkey was named monkey). This study was designed to determine how learning faces at different levels influences perceptual narrowing.
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Results revealed both behavioral and electrophysiological differences from 6 to 9 months, and between training conditions such that infants trained at
the individual level exhibited a more specific and refined pattern of neural activity compared to those trained at the category level.
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1:30-3:00
Board 53
Stacie Magnani
Virginia E Washington
Breanne Budd (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
The Effect of an Informational Presentation on Perceptions of Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is an unfortunate event that occurs too often in society. Stereotypical beliefs about sexual assaults include the idea that typical victim
is female while the perpetrator is male. Female perpetrators of sexual assault on both men and women do exist but incidents are seldom reported to
authorities. We examined the effect of informational presentation of types on student perceptions of sexual assault about non-traditional sexual assault
cases portraying a female perpetrator. A sample of 120 undergraduates were randomly assigned to listen to either an informational presentation on
sexual assault or a non-sexual assault presentation and then read a sexual assault scenario in which the victim was either female or male. After reading
the scenarios, students completed scales measuring perceptions of victim blame and embarrassment, several scales assessing sexual attitudes and
a demographic questionnaire. Results from a 2 X 2 Between Subjects ANOVA are expected to indicate gaining knowledge about sexual assault will
impact the perceptions of blame for the victims. However, male victims are expected to be blamed at higher rates than female victims in all conditions.
Results will be discussed as they relate to potential programming of rape information on college campuses.
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Board 54
Cassandra Green
Glenn Erickson
Laila Charmchi
Vanessa Colomba
Elissa Burdick (Doreen Arcus),
Department of Psychology, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854
Developmental Psychopathology at the Movies: How Accurate a Portrayal?
Developmental problems of childhood and adolescence have been portrayed in several popular films, and these portrayals often become the basis for
people’s understanding of these conditions. We were interested in examining those portrayals and comparing them to the psychological literature to
identify ways in which Hollywood (mis)represented what is known. Four films depicting four different categories of developmental psychopathology
were selected and reviewed: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (developmental disability), House of Cards (autism), Girl Interrupted (depression and anxiety),
and Mommie Dearest (child abuse). We present a summary of the strengths and limitations of each.
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Kaelyn Caldwell (Agnes Lacreuse),
Effects of Testosterone on Emotional Reactivity in Male Rhesus Monkeys
Testosterone is known to have effects on emotion, but results to date have mainly yielded correlational data that is inconclusive. This study was
conducted to identify the precise effects of testosterone on emotional reactivity in male rhesus monkeys. Tests were administered to each monkey
during three hormonal treatment conditions: High endogenous testosterone levels (baseline), testosterone suppressant + placebo (chemical castration),
and testosterone suppressant + high testosterone supplement. Two separate tasks were conducted during each treatment level. The first task was an
approach-avoidance experiment that presented the monkeys with different types of objects (familiar, novel, or scary). The second task presented the
monkeys with videos of unfamiliar conspecifics engaged in neutral, agonistic, or positive behaviors. Responses were recorded and then scored for the
presence of stereotypical anxious behaviors, latencies to approach the objects, and attention to the videos. It is hypothesized that testosterone will have
a modulating effect on emotionally responsive behaviors. This effect is predicted to manifest itself in several ways. It is expected that monkeys will be
more likely to approach and engage threatening stimuli and perhaps novel objects when high testosterone levels are present. In addition, there should
be no difference between the behaviors seen with placebo and testosterone treatments in response to familiar objects or neutral videos. Finally, the
frequency and duration of stereotypical anxious behaviors are expected to be lower with high testosterone than with the placebo treatment. These
results would support present data that indicates that testosterone may have an anxiolytic effect that subsequently leads to increased aggression.
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Board 64
Margaret Campbell (Chitra Ranganathan),
Who Believes in the Fairy Tale? Attitudes about Love Based on Gender and Self-Esteem
This study was designed to investigate the relationships between gender, self-esteem, and love attitudes as well as other factors that might affect
a person’s views about love. Participants consisted of 120 undergraduate college students and recent college graduates, with an equal number of
men and women in the sample. They provided demographic information and were then asked to read a short scenario regarding possible romantic
relationships and respond to their beliefs about the couple in the scenario. Additionally, participants completed a self-esteem scale and a scale
measuring their love styles. Results indicated that men subscribe more to a game-playing attitude about love and focus more on physical aspects of
romance, while women identify more with the areas of love concerning intimacy, self-disclosure, and mania and focus more on emotional aspects
of romance. Gender differences were not found on the scales measuring friendship-based love or logical and realistic love, which differs from past
research. This suggests that men and women may be becoming more similar in certain aspects of what they are looking for in relationships. Results
also showed that participants who were in exclusive relationships scored higher than participants who were single on scales measuring beliefs involving
intimacy, self-disclosure, romantic love, and selfless love. Participants viewed possible relationship scenarios that involved a couple who was friends first
more optimistically than scenarios that involved a couple who engaged in a romantic relationship shortly after meeting.
297
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1:30-3:00
Board 70
Lindsey M Cramm
Colleen Cantin (Cynthia Prehar),
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The Effects of Gender and Mood on Risk-Taking Behavior
Several studies have found that: males tend to engage in more risk-taking behaviors than females, and people in a positive mood tend to engage
in more risk-taking behaviors than people in a negative mood. However, few studies have explored gender, mood states, and risk-taking behaviors
collectively. Therefore the goal of this study will be explore the interaction between gender and mood on risk-taking. Data collection has begun and
it is expected that approximately 160 college students (50 % male, 90% Caucasian) will participate in the study. Participants will view a series of color
photographs and will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: 15 positive-mood inducing pictures or 15 negative mood inducing pictures.
Afterwards, students will complete the PANAS (self-report of current mood) and the Choice Dilemma Questionnaire (a risk-taking behavior measure).
ANOVA will be used to explore the hypotheses and it is expected that males will engage in more risk-taking behavior than females. In addition, people
in positive mood will invoke more risk-taking behavior than negative mood. Finally it is expected that gender and mood will interact such that males
in a positive mood will report the highest level of risk-taking tendencies, while females in a negative mood will report the lowest level of risk-taking
tendencies. This study will add to the scant experimental literature on the interaction between both personal (e.g., gender) and situational (e.g., mood)
influences on risky decision-making.
298
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 55
Emily Corless (Cynthia Prehar),
The Effects of Cell Phone Use and Age on Perceptions of Risky Driving Behaviors
Research has shown that many accidents occur due to the driver being distracted. One major cause of distraction today is talking on a cell phone while
driving. However, a more recent distraction to drivers that has not received much attention in the literature is text messaging. The goal of this study is
to explore the combined effects of cell phone use (talking and texting) and age on perceptions of risky driving behavior. Data collection has begun and
it is anticipated that 200 college students (50% underclassmen, 50% upperclassmen) will be randomly assigned to one of six experimental conditions
depicting an automobile accident report. Type of cell phone use (none, conversation, or texting) and age of the driver (younger or older) will be varied
across each condition. Afterwards, students will complete measures of how responsible they feel the driver was for the accident as well as how risky
they perceive the driver to be in an accident scenario. They will then complete several self-report scales about their own driving and cell phone habits.
ANOVA will be used to explore the hypotheses and it is expected that younger drivers using a cell phone will be perceived to be the most to blame for
an accident, while older drivers not using a cell phone will be perceived as being least to blame for an accident. The results of this study will help us
expand our understanding of college student’s perceptions of risk when using cell phones while driving.
299
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Nicole Cristelli (Darlene Crone-Todd),
Improving Critical Thinking Skills Using The Model of Hierarchical Complexity
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Board 67
One major goal of post-secondary institutions is teaching critical or higher-order thinking (HOT) skills. Building on prior research in which levels of
higher-order thinking are assessed using a Model of Hierarchical Complexity (MHC), the present study investigates the effectiveness of masterybased pedagogical practices in promoting HOT skills. In this domain-free model, which is based on post-formal Piagetian-related stages, the greater
the order of MHC complexity the higher the order of thinking. Archival data are analyzed from a mastery-based undergraduate psychology course,
in which students were required to achieve 80% or higher (“pass”) on assignments and tests prior to moving on in the course. When mastery is not
met, a ‘restudy’ is given, and supportive physical or oral assignments are given to aid the student in mastering the material. Archived products of
student learning are assessed from the beginning, middle and end of the course to determine if changes in HOT occur. The relationship between the
number of restudies, supports, and transition into higher orders of complexity will also be examined. It is expected that students entering the course at
demonstrably lower levels of baseline complexity will receive more restudies and support materials, when compared with students entering at higher
order of complexity. It is expected that all students will transition between HOT levels during the course of the semester. These results may be helpful in
affirming the effectiveness of mastery-based pedagogy in undergraduate classrooms for the purposes of teaching both course material and increasing
higher-order thinking skills.
300
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 47
Aaron Crug (Zsuzsa Kaldy),
What is the “Same Amount of Change” for Infants at Different Ages?
The research community has produced a large body of work over the last few decades concerning infant’s perceptions of the physical world. This
study will explore the kinds of featural changes that can be detected and used in object identification in 6-month-old infants. The novel aspect of
our research is the implication of an Interdimensional Salience Mapping (ISM) phase, which allows us to generate a set of stimuli whose difference in
salience from a shared baseline stimulus is equal. It is essential that when comparing feature changes between perceptual dimensions or age groups
that these changes be equal to allow for an accurate comparison. Each subject is to participate in four visits spanning over 7-14 days. Each visit consists
of 2 runs, each run consisting of 60 trials with a total of 120 trials per visit. The purpose of which is to marshal evidence with individual subjects that
ISM can allow younger infants to succeed in working memory tasks where previous research showed they would fail. Subject’s age ranged from 6;00
to 6; 30, while 6 infants have participated. Data collection is ongoing. Over a series of trials infants are shown an off yellow baseline stimuli paired with
another stimulus that differs in color. The comparison object is randomly chosen from a set of 5 objects with increasing red saturation, relative to the
baseline. The direction of infant’s first gaze is coded. Data from the 6-month-olds (n=6) displayed a reliable, monotonically increasing psychometric
function of preference versus feature intensity (degree of redness). From this we choose a color value that yields a 66% preference. This color value is
utilized against a predetermined baseline in a violation-of-expectation working memory experiment. Our preliminary results suggest that infants can
succeed at using color as an object identifier, when salience is properly controlled.
301
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 62
Pamela J David
Lori Delaney (Chitra Ranganathan),
Religiosity and Gender and Their Effect on Music Piracy
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Religiosity and Gender and Their Effect on Music Piracy Lori A. Delaney and Pam J. David Framingham State College Music piracy, a recent
phenomenon, is a topic that has received little research. Recent statistics reveal that four out of five teenagers engage in music piracy within a six month
period, a statistic that warrants more empirical investigation into the correlates of music piracy. More specifically, the correlation between music piracy
and religion is often overlooked, even though an abundance of studies that look at the buffering effect of religion on crime exist. The purpose of this
study was to examine the perceptions of likelihood to engage in music piracy based on descriptions of scenario characters varied by gender and levels
of religiosity. A sample of 116 college students, 49.1% of whom were female, were randomly assigned to read one of four scenarios portraying a male
or female as being not-religious or religious. The participants completed scales that measured their perceptions of the scenario character, engagement
in deviant and delinquent acts, religious involvement, morality level, level of self-control, and basic demographic information such as gender, birthdate,
and religious denomination. Results indicated that college students who were religious were less likely to engage in future music piracy than those who
were non-religious, regardless of gender. It was also found that male participants were more likely to engage in deviant and delinquent acts, more
specifically victim-type crimes, than female participants . The present study reveals religiosity to be an important correlate to explaining deviant acts
such as music piracy, but much more research is needed to understand the causes (such as costs associated with music CDs) and implications of music
piracy (in areas such as personal morality).
302
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10:10-11:40 Board 64
Laurel Drane (S. Tiffany Donaldson),
On the Role of Forebrain Structures Underlying Associative Learning During Conditioned Reinforcement
This study involved a histological analysis of brain areas involved in three different stages of conditioned reinforcement (CR): conditioning, acquisition
and test phases. Male Long-Evans rats were trained in CR to associate a compound stimulus (red stimulus light and motor click), with a food reward.
On the last day of CR, animals were transcardially perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde and brain tissue was microsectioned and collected in a
cryoprotectant. Immunocytochemical analysis was performed on the tissue to determine where molecular changes (immediate early gene activation,
c-Fos) occurred. The dependant measures in the CR paradigm, number of premature nosepokes, and reward nosepokes, were analyzed. It was found
that the number of reward nosepokes greatly increased from a mean value of 71.7 to 138.2 from early training to late training indicating that the
rats had successfully associated the compound stimuli with the primary reward. Moreover, after completion of the final training schedule, histological
examination revealed Fos activity in the caudate putamen and motor cortex (motor areas), nucleus accumbens shell and core (reward areas), and some
activity in the hippocampus (learning structure). These results indicate that the animals learned the association between the compound stimulus and the
reward as shown by a decrease in premature nosepokes. Furthermore, the findings of increased molecular activity in the reward and motor areas of the
brain along with decreased activity in the hippocampus indicate that brain activity has shifted from early learning structures to reward and motor areas
of the brain.
303
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 58
Haley Duncanson (Brandi Scruggs),
Department of Psychology, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA, 01602
Comparison of reaction times for localization of a color stimulus following a mood induction procedure
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Color is such a dominant theme in the human experience that individuals have long associated their feelings with color. Most research has focused on
the effects of color on mood (Kaya & Epps, 2004 & Hemphill, 1996), while few studies have looked at how a person’s mood can affect their perception
of color (Zeims & Christman, 1998 & Kunzendorf, 2001). This study examined the effects of a musical mood induction procedure on reaction time
required to perceive the colors blue and yellow. Thirty undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of three groups in which they listened to five
minutes of happy music, sad music, or white noise. The participants then completed the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist-Revised (MAACL-R) to asses
their current mood. Upon completion of the checklist, the participants’ reaction times to blue and yellow stimuli of varying intensities were recorded.
Preliminary data shows the trend that the participants in the happy group react faster to yellow stimuli, participants in the sad group react faster to the
blue stimuli, and participants in the control group react equally fast to blue and yellow stimuli. These results concur with previous finding by Kunzendorf
(2001) that indicate that the neural threshold for color perception may be lowered during certain moods. Hemphill, Micheal. (1996). A note on adults’
color-emotion associations. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 157(3), 275-281. Kaya, N. & Epps, H. (2004). Relationship between color and emotion:
A study of college students. College Student Journal, 38, 396-405. Kunzendorf, R.G. (2001). Emotionally directing visual sensations: II. Lowering t
he threshold for tinted percepts. Cognition & Personality, 20(2), 179-187. Zeims, D. & Christman, S. (1998). Effects of mood on color perception as a
function of dimensions of valence and arousal. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 87(2), 531-535.
304
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10:10-11:40
Board 68
Paula Edmonds (Emily Soltano),
The Effect of Self-reference and Irrelevant Sound on Memory for Faces
This study examined whether self-reference and irrelevant sound affects face recognition ability for young adult females. Self-reference of age, race,
and/or gender have been found to improve the recognition of unfamiliar faces by individuals of the same group identity (e.g., Rehnman & Herlitz,
2006). Irrelevant sound has been shown to decrease performance on recall tasks (e.g., Jones, 1999). In this study, young female college students were
presented with photographs and later asked to indicate which photographs were seen earlier. Individuals were shown photographs which varied in
age, race, and gender. There were two groups, one group received the irrelevant sound condition (e.g., traffic noise), and the other group received a
no-noise condition. Results are expected to provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that while the self-reference effect may increase the accuracy of
recognition of faces, the irrelevant sound effect decreases accuracy of recognition of faces. Finding such evidence will help indicate why individuals may
remember one face yet not another.
305
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 65
Lauren Erickson (Maureen Perry-Jenkins),
Fights and Frights: Marital Conflict and Children’s Fearfulness
The current study examines marital conflict and its relation to children’s fear. Specifically, the study examines how first-time parents’ marital conflict,
measured during the third trimester of pregnancy, across the child’s first year of life, and when the child is six years old, is related to parents’ reports of
the child’s fear when he/she is entering the first grade. It is predicted that more martial conflict at both time points will be related to a higher likelihood
of fear in offspring. Change in marital conflict over time is also examined as are gender differences among children’s fear. To this end, 92 heterosexual
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couples were interviewed across the transition to parenthood in the Work and Family Transitions Project, a six-year longitudinal study that interviews
working-class couples. To assess marital quality, the four factor scores derived from Braiker and Kelley’s 25-item questionnaire assessing intimate
relations were used. The 5-item conflict and negativity scale assesses the extent to which partners experience conflict in their relationship by using
questions like “How often do you and your partner argue?” and “To what extent do you communicate negative feelings toward your partner?” To
evaluate child fearfulness, parents were asked to fill out the Child Behavior Questionnaire. The current study utilizes a 6-item subscale from the CBQ
that assesses fear. Fear is defined as the amount of negative affect, including unease, worry or nervousness related to anticipated pain or distress and/or
potentially threatening situations. Participants rated their child on characteristics such as, “Is afraid of the dark” and “Is rarely frightened by ‘monsters’
seen on TV or at the movies.” Preliminary analyses reveal that marital conflict increases from the prenatal time point through the child’s sixth birthday.
Further analyses are currently being finalized but reveal that marital conflict may increase the likelihood of children’s fearfulness and that child gender
may not make a difference in children’s level of fear.
306
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 58
Courtney L Olszewski
Laura C Chauvin
Jessica Feeley (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
The Impact of Distractions and Anxiety on Cognitive Tasks
The impact of anxiety in a classroom has been found to negatively influence student cognitive achievement. Factors such as timed tests have been
found to increase anxiety and decrease academic performance. In addition, distractions in and outside of the classroom may also play a role. We
examined how the presence or absence of distractions combined with time limits may affect cognitive task performance and levels of anxiety in a
sample of 120 undergraduates. The students were randomly assigned to complete a cognitive task with either a time limit or no time limit and in
the presence of distraction or no distraction. A 2x2 between subjects ANOVA variance will be computed to assess the impact of time pressure and
distraction on performance. We expect to find that students who are exposed to a distraction and/or a time limit will score lower on a cognitive task
than students with no exposure to distraction and/or time limits. Findings will be discussed relative to reducing student anxiety and distractions in the
college classroom.
307
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 61
Lara Fernandes (Janet Gebelt),
Stereotypes and Prejudice: A Mock Survey of Political Candidates
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Stereotypes and prejudice are considered an elemental part of human existence. Stereotypes are characteristic generalizations of a group of people,
whereas prejudice is a learned negative attitude directed towards those groups (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Prior research shows that both gender and
ethnicity influence people’s assessment of others. For example, people with identical resumes are assumed to be qualified for different jobs based
on their gender (Biernat & Kobrynowicz, 1995). Ethic stereotypes are also prevalent with Caucasian males holding especially strong negative views of
African American males (Fredrico, 2008). The purpose of the current study is to examine name-based gender and ethnic stereotypes. Participants read
descriptions of a political candidate and then rate the candidate on several dimensions. The same description is used for each candidate, except for the
name of the candidate, which indicates gender and ethnicity (African American or Caucasian American). Preliminary results show that male participants
favor female candidates over male candidates. They also strongly favor Caucasians over African Americans. Female participants do not show any
significant race or gender based preferences.
308
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 50
Amanda Garlen (David Scherer),
Emerging Adults and Parental Authority
There is a considerable amount of research on adolescents and their relationships with parents, but much less on how college students relate to
parents. Many researchers have shown that college students still have affectionate ties and good relationships with their parents. It even seems that
when students leave their homes and go to college they have better relationships with their parents. Yet college students are still quite financially and
emotionally dependent on parents. This creates the interesting question of how much autonomy college students believe they have from parents, how
much authority they believe their parents still have over their lives, and how these two perceptions relate to the emerging adult’s communication with
their parents. This study about college students is based off of Judith Smetana’s survey for adolescents to see how college students communicate with
their parents across various domains. This research could ultimately reveal what combinations of perceived autonomy, perceived parental authority, and
communication style lead to healthy adjustment and healthy parental attachment in this relatively newly studied transition in life.
309
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 65
Michelle Giddens (Brandi Scruggs),
Feature Contrast Effects on Salience as Measured by Reaction Time
Humans often depend on vision more so than any of the other senses. An important facet of visual experience relies on the ability to quickly and
accurately detect and process relevant information from a scene. In attempt to understand this mechanism, the effect of feature contrast on salience,
defined as an objects’ conspicuousness, was measured using a computerized reaction time task. Participants indicated the relative location (left or
right side of a computer screen) of a unique item among identical background items in a line target display. Items differed from the surround by either
color, motion, orientation, luminance or some combination of two features. Initial data indicate a trend toward a faster reaction time for items that are
different in the color feature from surrounding items, suggesting color rather than the predicted feature, motion, is most salient. Preliminary data also
support prior research (Nothdurft 2000a; Li & Zhaoping, 2007) suggesting a faster detection time for items with combined feature contrasts as opposed
to single feature contrast stimuli. These initial results suggest salient effects resulting from feature contrast may be processed serially.
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Meagan Hilton (Alice Carter),
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 64
159
Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have impairments manifested in their social relationships, language, emotional understanding
and restrictive, repetitive interests and behaviors. As knowledge about primary diagnostic criteria and the prevalence of ASD has grown, there is a
greater opportunity to investigate the comorbid conditions of ASD. The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between anxiety
and symptoms of ASD including social relatedness and language development among toddlers diagnosed with ASD. Participants are 170 toddlers,
between the ages of 18 to 33 months, with a diagnosis of autistic disorder or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS),
who are part of an ongoing longitudinal study. Diagnoses were determined based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R; Rutter et al.,
2003), the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G; Lord et al., 2002) and by clinical impression. The primary measure used to
assess social relatedness was the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS; Sparrow et al. 1984). The Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment
(ITSEA; Carter & Briggs-Gowan, 2005), was used to assess child anxiety. Language was measured through the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL;
Mullen, 1995), and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MCDI; Fenson et al., 1993). The Parent Stress Index (PSI; Abidin,
1995) was used to identify stressful areas in parent-child interactions. Predictions emphasize that gains in language will be associated with gains in
anxiety symptoms. In addition, a child’s social relatedness will be a moderator to the relationship between language and anxiety, as those children
with higher social relatedness are hypothesized to show a stronger relationship between language and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, high levels of
maternal efficacy and low levels of stress are expected to predict an increase in child’s language competencies and a decrease in anxiety level.
311
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 51
Nicole C Austermann
Corrine Howland (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
Dyspraxia and Hispanic Students: Perceptions of Peer Relationships
We examined college students’ perceptions of their peers as they relate to race and the specific learning disability, dyspraxia. There is a significant
increase of Hispanic students enrolled in college, as well as a rise of diagnosed learning disabilities. We hope to identify issues related to college student
perceptions of peer relations of students with learning disabilities. A total of 120 students were randomly assigned to view a photograph accompanying
a scenario depicting either a Caucasian or Hispanic prospective male student with or without dyspraxia. Students rated the scenario character’s quality
of relationships as well as the likelihood of associating with the character. A 2 x 2 Between Factors ANOVA will be used to assess the impact of race
and disability on relationship issues. In general, we expect to find that students will perceive their peers with dyspraxia as having more quality peer
relationships but fewer friends than peers without dyspraxia. We also expect an interaction between race and disability for quality and number of
friends. Results will be discussed relative to programs on college campuses that address both disabilities issues and peer relations of students.
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Room 101
Matthew Idzik (Alice Carter),
160
3:10-4:40
Board 62
The Contribution of Emotion Regulation To Developmental Models of Child Anxiety
Models seeking to conceptualize the developmental psychopathology of anxiety require the integration of a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors
within complex models capable of explaining transactional effects. While parenting (extrinsic) and temperament (intrinsic) have shown modest
associations with anxious symptomology in theoretical models, significant variance remains unexplained. The present study introduces components of
emotion regulation into existing models, and predicts that emotion regulation will mediate relationships between the parent-child dyad and anxious
symptomology. The study will take advantage of the extensive data set collected by the Connecticut Early Development Project (CEDP). The CEDP
participants, a socioeconomically diverse sample of preschoolers, will be studied using a multi-informant, longitudinal design. Parenting contributions
will be drawn from observer rated parent-child interactions and parent self-reports. Factors of child temperament will be determined by parental report.
Emotion regulation characteristics will be derived from parent report, child self-report, and observer-rated performance on cognitive, behavioral, and
social tasks. Levels of anxious symptomology will be assessed using child, parent and teacher reports. Regression analyses are predicted to confirm a
mediational role of emotion regulation in developmental models of child anxiety. While a multi-informant methodology provides unique insight into
transactional relationships within theoretical models, the challenges and implications associated with weighing the values of the child, parent, teacher,
and clinician voices in operationalizing research variables are considerable and will be discussed.
313
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 58
Callan E Powers
Kimberly Iverson (Icek Ajzen),
The Relationship Between Subjective Norms and Behavior in the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Meta-Analysis
A meta-analysis investigated the effects of perceived injunctive (IN) and descriptive (DN) norms on behavior. Injunctive norms are social pressures to
engage in a behavior based on the perception of what other people want you to do, while descriptive norms are social pressures based on the observed
or inferred behavior of others. A review of research conducted in the context of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) over the past 10 years yielded 186
data sets. The mean effect size for the DN - behavior relation (.45) was significantly greater than the mean effect size for the IN - behavior relation (.28),
supporting the distinction between IN and DN. For both subjective norm relations with behavior, larger effect sizes were associated with behaviors that
were not socially approved. All in all, this suggests that behavior is predicted more by other’s actions than their words, especially if the behavior is not
sanctioned by society.
314
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1:30-3:00
Board 68
Alfred E Knoll
Sehily Jaimes (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
Perceptions on the Effects of Sleep Quality and Exercise on Academic Performance
Research suggests that exercise and sleep quality impact cognition; however reality does not always match perception. We examined undergraduate
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perceptions of the impact of sleep quality and exercise on academic performance. A sample of 120 students were randomly assigned to complete a
survey in which they also read about a student who either suffered from sleep deprivation or not and who either exercised or not. Students then rated
the student on academic performance and overall health status. Students also reported on their own sleep quality, exercise habits, and overall health.
A 2 X 2 Between Subjects ANOVA is expected to reveal that students will not perceive the lack of sleep as having detrimental effects on academic
performance or overall health. In contrast to perceptions, additional analyses are expected to reveal that students who actually report higher sleep
quality will also report higher academic achievement. Overall, we expect to find a disconnection between actual behaviors and beliefs about the
relation of sleep and exercise to academic performance. Results will be discussed in light of other cognitive strategies that may be affecting accuracy of
perception for young adults.
315
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 59
Kaushal Jani (Melinda Novak),
Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Tonkean (Macaca tonkeana) & Rhesus (M. Mulatta) Macques, Two Species with
Different Levels of Social Tolerence
The genus Macaca includes 22 species of old world monkeys that vary in aggressiveness and the extent of dominance asymmetry. Rhesus macaques
show high levels of nepotism, asymmetrical aggressive interactions, and low rates of reconciliation whereas tonkean macaques exhibit little nepotism,
symmetrical aggressive interactions and high levels of reconciliation. In Thierry’s recent scaling of macaque social styles (Thierry, 2007), rhesus
macaques are placed in grade 1 (least socially tolerant) and tonkean macaques are placed in grade 4 (most socially tolerant). We examined the
relationship between social dynamics and chronic cortisol levels as measured in hair samples collected from tonkean (n=36) and rhesus macaques
(n=26) maintained in large social groups in outdoor corrals. Both groups were further divided into adults (>5 years) and juveniles/adolescents (1-5 years).
Overall, tonkean macaques had higher cortisol concentrations than rhesus macaques (ANOVA; F(1,54)=19.85; p<0.001), and for both species, cortisol
concentrations in juveniles/adolescents were higher than the levels in adults (F(1,54=7.24; p<0.009). Age was negatively correlated with cortisol level in
rhesus macaques (Pearson r(24)= -.588; p<0.002) and marginally correlated in tonkean macaques (Pearson r(34)= -.325; p<0.053). Our results provide
the first evidence that chronic cortisol levels vary in different macaque species. Such variation may, in part, be related to species differences in social
dynamics.
316
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1:30-3:00
Board 67
Courtney L Alongi
Sara E Dow
Shannon Kerr (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
Acceptance of Down Syndrome Students in Inclusive Higher Education Models
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The inclusion of students with developmental disabilities is now occurring at many institutions for higher education. We gathered information regarding
college students’ attitudes toward the inclusion of developmentally disabled students in their college environment. A sample of 180 college students
were randomly assigned to read one of six scenarios depicting a female with either mild or moderate levels of Down syndrome who is planning to
attend a college that implements one of three inclusive models; special education only, integrated special education, or mainstream education. After
reading the scenario, students rated the likelihood of associating and helping the individual as well as reporting on their emotional reactions and their
friends’ reactions toward an individual like the scenario character attending their own school. In addition, students completed a number of measures
assessing general perceptions of inclusion, and their past experiences with both inclusion and Down syndrome. A 2 X 3 Between Factors ANOVA will
used to assess differences in perceptions. Results should indicate that undergraduates will be more accepting of a student with mild disabilities than
they will be of a student with moderate disabilities. They will also be more accepting of special-education only placements and integrated special
education classrooms than they will be of mainstream education. Results will be discussed relative to creating positive college environments for
developmentally delayed individuals.
317
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 61
Angie Horeb
Jeff Fiermonte
Anne Klohn
Efi Kyriazdis (Mary Duell),
Factors Associated with Weight Change in College Students
The purpose of our research was to investigate relationships among three variables: weight change, body image, and college adjustment. Two
questionnaires were utilized: The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), which measures various aspects of body image, and the
Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), which measures several aspects of college adjustment. The questionnaires were administered to a
sample of male and female University of Massachusetts Lowell general psychology students. The results of the research are considered in the context of
previous research concerned with weight change as a potent psychological variable.
318
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Board 70
Christina L Conzo
Ryan Lafferty (Cynthia Prehar),
The Relationship between Sexually Explicit Movies, Risky Sexual Activity, and Gender in College Students
Previous research supports the idea that risky sexual behavior relates to sexually explicit media exposure. Most studies on this topic either measure
media exposure generally or focus on sexual messages in television. The goal of the current study is to investigate whether a correlation exists between
the number of sexually explicit movies seen and the participants’ own sexual experiences. Data collection has begun and it is expected that 150 college
students (90% Caucasian, 60% women) will complete measures of sexually explicit movie consumption, sexual attitudes (e.g. permissive feeling
towards pre-marital sex and birth control) and risky sexual behaviors (e.g. one night stands, multiple sexual partners). Correlational analyses and t-tests
will be used to investigate the hypotheses. It is hypothesized that the number of sexually explicit movies viewed will be positively correlated with the
prevalence of risky sexual behavior. It is also hypothesized that males will have seen more sexually explicit movies than females. Finally, it is hypothesized
that males will have more permissive sexual attitudes and will report more risky sexual behaviors than females. By including measures of sexually explicit
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movies, this study could help further expand our understanding of risky sexual behavior in late adolescence.
319
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 54
Alyssa J Abdallah
Ian A Burke
Bryan Lincks (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
Music and its Effects on Cognition
Abstract This study examined the interaction between the likeability level of music and the loudness of music as they impacted completing a cognitive
task. A sample of 60 undergraduates were randomly assigned to listen to either music rated as enjoyable or not enjoyable that was played at either an
uncomfortably loud level or an enjoyable level while completing a Sudoku puzzle. Students listened to the music and worked on the puzzle for a total
of 8 minutes. At the end of the time period, students completed a questionnaire assessing the perceived likeability of the music, their familiarity with
puzzles and music selection and a short demographics questionnaire. Results from a 2 X 2 Between Factors ANOVA should reveal that students who
listened to likable music at lower levels will complete the task more efficiently than students who listened to unlikable music at louder levels. Results
should also demonstrate that, in general, loud music serves as a distraction to completion of cognitive tasks. The implications of these findings for
eliminating noise producing distractions in study areas on college campuses will be highlighted.
320
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 66
Sarah Lizio (Justin Bailey),
Language Acquisition and the Critical Response Period Debate: An Examination through Examples of
Developmental Disabilities and Second Language Acquisition
This paper will analyze and discuss the research and implications of language acquisition for children with developmental disabilities, particularly autism
spectrum disorders, and how this information relates to our understanding of second-language acquisition. There will be an emphasis on applying
evidence from individual cases, such as the case of “Genie”, and drawing connections between these case studies and how it provides information
about second-language acquisition.
321
Room 101
Travis Wakefield
Marissa Manopoulos (Doreen Arcus),
164
Campus-Community Collaboration: UML Foster Care Awareness Day
3:10-4:40
Board 61
“Education: Challenges for Children, Challenges for the System” was the theme of the 2nd Annual UMass Lowell Foster Care Awareness Day featuring
panels of foster care alumni, parents, educators, and child welfare workers. As part of a community service learning experience, we coordinated this
event and assembled new pairs of shoes representing the more than 11,000 children in care for an awareness display and then donated the shoes
to agencies for distribution to children in care. Our poster will present the major tasks involved in hosting such an event, a summary of information
presented, and preliminary program evaluation information.
322
Auditorium
3:10-4:40
Board 30
Amylynn Medeiros (Dr. Mary Zahm),
Department of Psychology, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA, 02720
The Path to Genocide
A study of racism as a systematic process which escalates incrementally from simple discrimination to genocide. Based on similarities in historical events,
I hope to shed light on the path that connects the root of hatred to the political policy of genocide. Foundational works include “The Problem from
Hell” by Samantha Powers, and “Hitler’s Willing Executioners” by Daniel Goldenhagen.
323
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 52
Nelcelis Brito
Nicole Piliponis
Nicole M Piliponis
Vianela Cedano
Andrew Murrin (Mary Duell),
Music and Feelings: An Investigation
Music is an integral part of society today. As such, it is important to understand the effects it may have on mood and attitudes. The present research
compared the effects of 4 genres of music (Heavy Metal, Rap, Country and Contemporary Pop) on mood and attitudes toward a hypothetical episode
of sexual violence. Participants were 100 male and female students enrolled in General Psychology courses during the spring semester at the University
of Massachusetts Lowell. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the 4 music conditions. They completed a survey about their current mood and
then listened to 10 minutes of music from one of the genres. Afterward, they completed the mood survey to measure possible changes in their mood.
Finally, they read a story depicting a date rape and completed the Murrin Attitude Scale to assess attitudes about the rape scene. Results are considered
in the context of research on sexual violence.
324
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 55
Charlene Nastwold (Zsuzsa Kaldy),
165
The Effect of Tilt on the Visual Salience of Faces in 5-Month-Old Infants
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The human visual system processes regular, upright faces very differently from upside-down faces. (Upside-down faces,
even though they contain the same low-level visual information, are harder to recognize, and it takes longer to learn new ones, etc.). This difference is
called the face inversion effect and it has been demonstrated in human infants both behaviorally (Fagan, 1972; Turati, Sangrigoli, Ruel, & de Schonen,
2004) and neurophysiologically (de Haan, Pascalis & Johnson, 2002). Here we present evidence that the visual salience difference between upright and
inverted faces is quantitative, not qualitative. METHOD: Black-and-white photographs of Caucasian female faces with a circular outline were presented
in a preferential looking paradigm. In each trial, an inverted face (0 degrees) was presented next to a tilted version of the same face (the sides were
randomized). The rotation angle of the comparison face was randomly chosen from 5 levels: 36, 72, 108, 144 or 180 degrees (180 degrees = upright
orientation). Direction of infants’ first gaze (left/right) was coded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Data collection is still in progress, but preliminary data
from 5-month-olds (n=4, 121 test trials) yielded reliable, monotonically increasing psychometric function of preference versus face orientation. This
method allows not only for the quantification visual salience differences between face stimuli, but also between ‘face-ness’ and manipulations of other
featural dimensions (e.g. color, luminance, shape, etc.). The results will be presented in the context of other recent results from our ISM paradigm.
325
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 59
Colleen M Arico
Paul Sullivan
Hilary Novak (Bridgett Perry-Galvin),
A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Stress Reducers: Prayer, Meditation and Art
Stress has been found to be linked to a variety of physiological disorders. As a result, reactions to stress and ways of coping with stress have been the
subjects of much research. Findings suggest that stress may be reduced in a variety of ways. We compared the effectiveness of three specific stress
reducers; prayer, meditation and participation in an art activity in a college sample. We measured the effectiveness of prayer, meditation, and art on
reducing acutely induced stress in 120 undergraduate psychology students. A total of six classrooms of students were randomly assigned to complete
one of the three stress reduction activities while viewing either stress inducing or neutral images. Students completed measures of stress and anxiety
both before and after the activity. A 2 X 3 Between Subjects ANOVA is expected to reveal that meditation was more effective at reducing stress than
prayer or participation in an art activity. Additionally, art will be more effective at reducing stress than prayer. Students exposed to stress producing
stimuli should also report greater stress regardless of the specific stress reducer than students exposed to non-stress producing stimuli. Results will be
discussed relative to the ways in which college students typically reduce stress on college students.
326
Concourse
Sandy Pavao-Pinarreta (J. Thomas Grady),
The New Genre of Positive Psychology
166
10:10-11:40
Board 69
In 2006 the most popular course at Harvard was Positive Psychology (Boston.com, 2006; Kristal, 2007). Why is this so? I believe it is because the idea of
assessing life through a predominately negative psychoanalytic lens has cast a shadow not only on psychology but psychoanalytic criticism of literature
for far too long. Despite the fact psychoanalytic criticism has a well established history in literary circles; this can not be said for Positive Psychology.
Yet, we may find positive meaning from analyzing literature and its many colorful characters, and not just limiting the human experience into a few
pathological classifications. Therefore, this following literary analysis has been conducted to demonstrate the usefulness of Positive Psychology.
327
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 56
Christine Russo
Jacqueline Pica (Cynthia Prehar),
The Effects of Gender, Distance, and Infidelity on Perceptions of Jealousy in College Students’ Dating Relationships
Research has found that gender and infidelity influence jealousy in dating relationships. One factor that has received less attention, however, is the role
that physical distance plays in response to infidelity. Therefore, the current study will explore the combined effects of gender, infidelity, and distance
on jealousy. Data collection has begun and it is expected that two hundred and seventy-five undergraduate college students (60% female, 40% male)
will be randomly presented with one of eight scenarios. The gender of the scenario character (male or female), the type of infidelity committed (sexual
or emotional), and the distance between the couple (long distance or close proximity) will be varied across each condition. Afterwards, participants will
answer questions about the couple’s reactions to the infidelity as well as their own sexual attitudes and relationship history. T-tests and ANOVA will
be used to investigate the hypotheses. It is expected that more perceived jealousy will exist when a female committed emotional infidelity. In contrast,
more perceived jealousy will exist when a male committed sexual infidelity. For the self-report variables, it is expected that close proximity relationships
will report more jealousy than in long distance relationships, and participants with more liberal sexual attitudes will report lower levels of jealousy than
participants with more conservative sexual attitudes. By including distance, this study could help further expand our understanding of jealousy in dating
relationships.
328
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 52
Breann Plamowski (Darlene Crone-Todd),
Humanistic and Behavioral Analyses of the Reasons for Conducting Genealogical Research
Given the number of genealogy associations, it is surprising that little research has been conducted on the motivation for engaging in genealogy
research. Participants will be recruited through various genealogy associations, by email, and by phone. The participants will fill out an online genealogy
research survey related to past and current reasons for engaging in genealogy research. The questions from the survey are derived from, and will be
analyzed through two theoretical frameworks: (A) Humanism; Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (HON), and (B) Behaviorism; Motivating Operations (M.O.).
There are three main hypotheses: (A) Subjects will be at or above Safety Needs on the HON; (B) the time spent conducting research will be correlated
with movement up the HON; and (C) the types of positive reinforcers will shift from simple to generalized forms.
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329
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 53
Deepti Putcha (Maureen Perry-Jenkins),
The Effects of Interparental Love and Conflict on Child Socio-Emotional Well-Being
This study is an investigation of the associations between reports of interparental love and conflict and childrens’ socio-emotional well-being, reported
as externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Externalizing behaviors are characterized by acting out, aggression, and conduct problems. Internalizing
behaviors are characterized as anxiety and depression. It was hypothesized that children of parents who reported high levels of interparental conflict
and low levels of interparental love would exhibit more externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Ninety-one dual-earner, working-class couples and
their children were assessed over a period of six years. Interparental love and conflict were assessed at three times: prenatally, over the first year postpartum, and when the child was in the first grade. Parents completed Braiker and Kelley’s (1979) marital relationship questionnaire. Externalizing and
internalizing behaviors in children were evaluated by their first-grade teachers using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children. Analyses were
conducted using Pearson’s correlation analyses and Hierarchical Multiple Regressions. Consistent with the literature, higher conflict reported by both
wives’ and husbands’ concurrently linked with more externalizing problems in children. Furthering the literature, it was found that higher husbands’ love
postnatally, as well as when the child was in the first grade, correlated with less child internalizing behavior. These findings are explained through the
Family Systems Theory and the Spillover Hypothesis, suggesting that both positive and negative emotions from one relationship within the family system
“spill over” and have beneficial or adverse effects on other individuals’ well-being within the family system. These findings have important implications
for marital interventions and emotionally focused couple and family therapies.
330
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 60
Kathryn Quigley (Janet Gebelt),
Predicting Job Satisfaction in Women in Public Higher Education
There has been a fair amount of research looking at professional women, much of it focusing on how factors such as salary and work atmosphere
affect job satisfaction and performance. In addition, there has been research showing that women face a particular set of challenges that many men do
not. For example, gender based barriers (e.g. lower salaries, sexual harassment) and role conflicts (e.g. feeling torn between work and family roles) play
a significant role in the lives of a large number of professional women. The current study examines how these gender-based factors influence the job
and life satisfaction of women working in higher education. Participants will be approximately 75 women that work in Massachusetts higher education.
The survey includes measures of general life satisfaction, job specific satisfaction, perceived role conflict, on-the-job gender-based obstacles/difficulties,
and gender role orientation (masculine, feminine, androgynous). It is hypothesized that women who experience more role conflict and gender-based
obstacles will experience lower levels of both general life and job satisfaction. High androgyny scores are also expected to be associated with greater
satisfaction.
331
168
Becky Ravenelle (S. Tiffany Donaldson),
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 51
Effects of Age and Litter in Periadolescent Rats
Previous studies have shown differences in anxiety levels of rats with a higher level of anxiety observed at postnatal day (PND) 17 compared to 21 and
26 (Vataeva, 2001). This study examined the anxiety levels in seventy-two Long Evans rats from five litters at two postnatal days- PND 23 and PND
26 (periadolescence). Anxiety was measured using an Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) that consisted of two open arms (OA)and two closed arms (CA). Five
minute trials were conducted on each test day. Levels of anxiety were established using 1)latency to enter CA and OA, 2) time spent in OA and CA
and 3)the number of entires into the OA and CA. Previous research indicates that rats with higher anxiety will spend more time in the CA while rats
with lower levels of anxiety will spend more time in the OA (Cruz et al., 1994). A one-way ANOVA was performed illustrating that rats at PND 23 spent
significantly more time in the CA compared to PND 26 when they spent more time in the OA, F(1, 244)=7.71 p<0.01. A second ANOVA demonstrated
that the differences in time spent in the CA between litters was also significant, F(4, 241)=11.98 p<0.001, indicating anxiety in littermates was more
closely correlated than anxiety between rats of different litters. The study concluded that as periadolescent rats age their anxiety levels decrease. This
reduction in anxiety can be explained by a familiarity to the EPM apparatus as well as genetic and environmental influences.
332
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 66
Tina Rodriguez (Dan Gerber),
Diagnostic and Treatment Programs in High Schools for Male Adolescent Depression
Depression carries with it a harmful stigma. High School boys in particular may find it difficult to find acceptance if they are depressed. Lack of
acceptance and the resulting lack of treatment leaves adolescent boys with very few places to turn to when suffering from depression. As a result, their
depression runs rampant and manifests itself in very damaging ways, including but not limited to violence and drug and alcohol use, which can destroy
the bright futures of our youth. Furthermore, the lives of many males with untreated depression often end with suicide, a terrible and preventable
death. Zuckerbrot et al. propose a screening test to be used by primary care physicians in order to identify depression in adolescents. Further research,
including an interview of a High School staff member, will be conducted in order to a) identify similar proactive measures already being taken in High
Schools to deal with male depression and b) develop a new program for use in High Schools with the main objectives of diagnosing and treating
depression in adolescent males, as well as improving efforts made to teach students, staff and families about depression.
333
Room 101
3:10-4:40
Board 56
Kathryn Sayles (Lisa Sanders),
Listeners Preferentially Process Onsets in Continuous Streams of Sound: Event-Related Potential Evidence
To understand spoken language, listeners must determine where one word ends and the next begins early in perceptual processing. However, the
cues people use to segment speech are unclear because spoken language is expressed without reliable pauses between words. Recent event-related
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potential (ERP) research has demonstrated that word-onsets elicit a larger negativity at 100 ms (N100) than compared to word-medial syllables. In
addition to its presence in normal speech, this effect was also elicited when participants learned to recognize nonsense “words” from a continuous
synthesized stream, suggesting the N100 might index a more general cognitive process. Importantly, in the nonsense study, N100 amplitude was
modulated by how well participants were able to learn sequences. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that this N100 enhancement
reflects a general processing difference by teaching participants to segment continuous streams of nonlinguistic sounds. ERPs were measured in
response to the onset of initial, medial and final sounds within three-sound sequences presented in long streams, before and after participants learned
the sequences. Initial analysis suggests the differences in ERPs elicited by initial and medial or final sounds are similar to those found with linguistic
stimuli in that sequence onsets elicit a larger amplitude N100 after training. We hypothesize that the N100 differences observed across linguistic and
nonlinguistic stimuli reflects preferential processing of segment-initial information across domains. Individual differences in sequence learning will be
investigated using these data.
334
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 56
Elizabeth Schwaiger (Michael Constantino),
Patient Interpersonal Impacts and the Therapeutic Alliance in Interpersonal Therapy for Depression
The affiliative and collaborative relationship between the therapist and patient (i.e. the therapeutic alliance) consistently predicts positive outcomes
across diverse treatments and clinical conditions. Thus, it is important to uncover factors that foster or impede alliance development. The goal of the
current study was to examine the association between patient interpersonal characteristics and alliance quality in interpersonal therapy for acute major
depression. Data derive from a subsample (N = 74) of a larger naturalistic database of patients treated at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in
Toronto, Ontario (McBride et al., 2007). At week 3 of treatment, therapists completed the Impact Message Inventory (Kiesler & Schmidt, 1993) to assess
patients’ interpersonal impacts on the rating therapists. Also at week 3, patients completed the Working Alliance Inventory (Horvath & Greenberg,
1989) to assess alliance quality. As predicted, affiliative interpersonal impacts were positively associated with alliance quality, controlling for the severity
of baseline depression. Although not related to the initial hypotheses, patients concurrently taking medications reported better alliances than patients
receiving psychotherapy only. Findings are discussed with respect to their clinical and empirical implications.
335
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 69
Shloka Shetty (UnJa Hayes),
Is Parental Care During Pregnancy Associated with Emotional State in Prairie Voles (Microtus Ochrogaster)?
170
Upon arrival of their offspring, male and female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) display the same repertoire of parental behaviors (e.g., licking,
crouching, retrieving). Before their pups are born, however, their behavioral reaction to unrelated pups can be dramatically different, that is, aggressive.
Our previous study revealed that virgin male and female prairie voles differ in their level of emotionality depending on whether they cared for or
attacked pups. Aggressive (i.e., infanticidal) animals displayed more depression-like behavior than their parental counterparts. Moreover, infanticidal
males displayed more anxiety-like behavior. Although infanticidal females did not meet criterion to be considered anxious, they were, in fact,
hyperactive. The present study is designed to test the hypothesis that infanticidal behavior displayed during pregnancy of the pairs also is related to
emotional dysregulation. Animals were screened for behavioral reactions to unrelated pup at mid-pregnancy. During late pregnancy and after delivery,
various behavioral measures were taken to determine emotionality. Anxiety levels were determined by “risky” ambulation in the open field and elevated
plus maze, while depression was measured by time spent swimming and immobile during a forced swim test. Aggressive male and female prairie vole
pairs are expected to change their emotionality profile after delivery, while parental prairie vole pairs are expected to show steady levels.
336
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 54
Ashley-Ann Shirai (Agnes Lacreuse),
Effect of Testosterone on Face Recognition in Rhesus Monkeys
Sex hormones are known to have a large influence on a variety of social and cognitive and emotional behaviors. Both estradiol in women and
testosterone in men have been shown to modulate some aspects of learning and memory. Studying the effects of sex hormones on cognition in
humans has been limited a number of confounding factors and ethical issues. Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are ideal models to study the
effects of sex hormones on cognition. Previous studies have shown that estrogens influence cognition in female rhesus monkeys, yet no study, has
yet examined the effects of testosterone on cognition in male nonhuman primates. This study is part of a larger project examining the relationship
between testosterone and cognition in the rhesus monkey. The specific goal of the present study is to examine the effects of testosterone on one
aspect of cognition, face recognition. Six intact male rhesus monkeys (~ 5 years old) will be tested on an face/object recognition task using faces of
conspecifics, and faces of a familiar (humans) and unfamiliar (chimpanzees) species. Weekly blood samples will be collected for analysis of testosterone
levels. This study hypothesizes that circulating testosterone influences object recognition memory and face recognition memory, and that the effects
of testosterone on face recognition depend on the characteristics (sex and species) of the face stimuli. This study will provide new information on the
effects of testosterone on cognitive and emotional processes in non-human primates.
337
Room 101
10:10-11:40
Board 55
Tara L Tatarunis
Cassandra Sullivan (Cynthia Prehar),
The Effects of Gender Stereotyped Nonverbal Behavior on Perceptions of Power
It has been theorized that nonverbal behavior in social settings is a key determinant of how favorably an individual will be perceived by others.
Furthermore, research has found consistent gender differences in nonverbal behaviors such as posture and body position. However, less attention has
been given to individuals who act inconsistently with their nonverbal gender stereotype. The goal of this study is to explore the effects of congruent
and incongruent gender stereotypical whole-body posture on perceptions of power. Data collection has begun and it is anticipated that 240 college
students (90% Caucasian, 60% women) will be randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions. Each condition will contain a black and
white photograph in which either a man or a woman is standing in a gender congruent or gender incongruent standing position. After viewing the
photograph, participants will complete measures of how powerful and how masculine/feminine they perceive the person in the photograph. ANOVA
will be used to explore the hypotheses and it is expected that males portrayed in a stereotypically masculine standing position will be perceived as
highly powerful while females portrayed in a stereotypically feminine standing position will be perceived as less powerful. Furthermore an interaction
171
between gender and standing position congruency is expected. More specifically, it is expected that gender incongruent standing positions will result
in lower power ratings for men but higher power ratings for women. The results will further expand our awareness of factors impacting perceptions of
social power.
338
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 63
Adam Zwetchkenbaum
Maeve Sullivan (Cynthia Prehar),
The Impact of Gender and Type of Placement on Perceived Success of Displaced Adolescents.
By age 18, many displaced adolescents will make the transition from living in out-of-home placements to living on their own. There has been little
research, however, on how these individuals will be received by society after this transition. The goal of this study is to examine college student’s
perceptions of the success of displaced adolescents after they have gained independence. Data collection has begun and two hundred undergraduate
college students are expected to participate. They will be randomly assigned to one of six scenarios describing a young adult who has spent five years
in an out-of-home placement during adolescence. The type of placement (foster care, residential, or juvenile detention) and gender of the scenario
character (male or female) will vary across conditions. Participants will then complete measures of the perceived success of the scenario character (i.e.
substance use, self-esteem, personal relationships, occupation, intelligence and lawlessness), their opinions about lawful misconduct, and demographic
information. The hypotheses will be examined using ANOVA. It is expected that the female characters will be perceived as more successful than the
male characters. The impact of type-of-placement on perceived success will be examined as a non-directional research question since few studies
actually compare the efficacy of these types of placements to one another. This information may give insight into how displaced adolescents are
perceived in adulthood. Furthermore, it may help out-of-home placement programs better prepare those in their care for re-integration into society.
339
Room 101
1:30-3:00
Board 62
Christine M David
Lauren Temple (Cynthia Prehar),
An Archival Study of Gender Role Stereotypes of Parents in Children’s Picture Books
172
Previous research has found robust gender role stereotypes in various forms of media, including television, educational software, and picture books.
Though there has been an increase in the portrayal of gender equality in the media, gender role stereotypes continue to exist. The current study
contributes to the literature by focusing on the portrayal of parents in children’s picture books across several decades. Approximately 90 children’s
picture books are being obtained and each book will be coded independently by two researchers until an inter-coder reliability coefficient of .95
is reached. Anderson and Hamilton’s (2005) coding scheme will be used to record how often specific parental behaviors, such as physical contact,
emotionality, and nurturing occur. It is expected that mothers will interact more often with children in the books than fathers. It is also expected that
mothers will be depicted as more nurturing, happy, and sad than fathers. In contrast, fathers are expected to be shown expressing more anger and will
also be obeyed more often than mothers. Because parents play a primary role in children’s gender role socialization, it is important to understand what
types of gender role messages exist in the books that parents read to their children.
340
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 65
Shannon M Murray
Amanda Walker (Cynthia Prehar),
The Relationship between Anxiety, Homesickness, Academic Performance and Social Adjustment in College
Students
College undergraduates often suffer from feelings of anxiety due to various novel experiences. Furthermore, anxiety has been linked to students’
feelings of homesickness, social adjustment, and academic performance. However, most of this research has been conducted with first-year students.
The current study will contribute to the literature by comparing first-year students to upper-level students on anxiety and adjustment. Data collection
has begun and it is expected that two hundred college students (50% freshmen, 50% sophomores, juniors, and seniors) will complete self-report
measures of anxiety, homesickness, academic performance, social adjustment, and demographics. Correlational and regression analysis will be used to
test the hypotheses. It is hypothesized that anxiety will positively correlate with homesickness and negatively correlate with academic performance and
social adjustment. Also, the results of the study will explore the research question of whether freshmen and upper-level students differ in self-reported
anxiety and adjustment. Because anxiety can inhibit students’ abilities to adapt sufficiently to the college environment, this study holds important
implications for understanding the relationship between anxiety and adjustment to college.
341
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 66
Melissa Weaver (Cynthia Prehar),
Influences of Researcher and Character Race on College Students’ Attitudes Towards Interracial Dating
Several self-report studies have investigated how ethnicity and attitudes impact whether or not a person chooses to date interracially. However, a
smaller number of experimental studies suggest that race of the researcher can also impact expressed attitudes. The current study will contribute to
this literature by investigating the influence of researcher race, and a fictional character’s race, on attitudes towards interracial dating. Data collection
has begun and it is expected that 220 students (approximately 90% Caucasian, 60% women) will be randomly assigned to one of four experimental
conditions. In half the conditions, an African-American female researcher will explain the study and administer the survey materials, while a Caucasian
female researcher will fill this role in the remaining conditions. In addition, each survey packet will present either a fictional Caucasian or AfricanAmerican female who is considering an inter-racial dating opportunity. Afterwards, the students will answer questions about how open they feel the
character is to interracial dating, their own liking of the researcher who administered the survey, and several questions about their own dating history.
ANOVA will be used to explore the hypotheses. It is hypothesized that when the researcher is African-American, participants will perceive the female
character to be more likely to date interracially than when the researcher is Caucasian. In addition, it is hypothesized that the African-American female
character will be perceived as more likely to interracially date than the Caucasian character. This study could further our understanding of the impact of
race on attitudes towards interracial dating.
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342
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 68
Shea Gibbs
Charles Cochran
Vladislav Zeygerman (Wayne Klug),
Department of Psychology, Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA, 01201
Driven to distraction: Do young people know more about celebrities than politics?
Ninety high school and college students responded to a forced-choice “true-false” questionnaire designed to test comparative knowledge of celebrity
affairs and of political developments in Washington and Iraq. Offering support for the study’s hypothesis, participants were significantly more
knowledgeable about celebrities than about politics. Gender differences in celebrity knowledge approached significance, but differences in political
knowledge did not.
Public Health
343
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 71
Katelyn Bienia (Dan Gerber),
Childhood Obesity
The poster will contain information and statistics about childhood obesity. The purpose of my study is to reduce childhood obesity, which is an
important health issue that has become an increasing problem in recent years in the United States. Childhood obesity leads to many serious health
conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Helping children lose weight to prevent these conditions is very
important. Using a health based theory, called community organization, I will construct an afterschool program in the community to encourage children
to become physically active and teach them about healthy eating. I will also use the transtheoretical model at the individual level uses the stages of
change to help to children reach their loss weight goals. The results observed and the conclusions drawn from my study will be described based on an
evaluation process of the program.
344
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 80
Andrea Caputo (Dan Gerber),
Substance Abuse Treatment Options for Young Adults in the City of Boston
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Drug abuse and addiction is one of America’s most challenging public health issues. Substance abuse is a problem in the United States that millions
are struggling with, including a growing number of youths. This paper will explore strategies, treatment options, and intervention programs for drug
addicts in order to determine what types of substance abuse services will be the most successful when dealing with young adults in the inner city.
Several case studies about successful treatment programs for drug-addicted young people will also be examined in this presentation to ascertain what
options have the most promising results and what will help people to live a sober lifestyle. I will then take all of this information and design my own
health intervention program based on the knowledge I have gained from my research. In terms of methodology, the techniques and approaches used
in my study are interviews with people who work in the substance abuse treatment field, books, journals, newspaper articles, and internet sources. The
program I will design will be based after the ecological model of health behavior and will demonstrate a successful substance abuse treatment program
for young adults who live in the city of Boston.
345
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 75
Jacira Carvalho (Dan Gerber),
U.S. Health care system-a right or privilege?
How does the U.S. health care system informaly contribute to class inequalities which then cause health to become a matter of privilege intead of a right?
346
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 79
3:10-4:40
Board 71
Rodlande Cenafils (Dan Gerber),
Knee Injuries
What are the major risk factors and programs devised to solve this problem?
347
Concourse
Rene Chagnon (Dan Gerber),
Obesity in young children
The prevalence of overweight among children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 7% in 1980 to 18.8% in 2004
(National Center for Chronic Disease and Prevention, 2007). The increase of obesity among children and adolescents has become a major issue that
researchers have focused their attention on. The health of young children has been affected by the lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits.
The current purpose is to help find a solution that will improve the health of children ages six to thirteen and lower the obesity increase. The use of the
ecological model of health behavior theory will help design a program that involves the work with the individual, school, and community to influence
healthy eating habits and incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. Intervention will occur in the school curriculum by educating the students
in grades 1-7 about how to eat right and stay fit. This involvement will start children at an early age and help to prevent obesity and future health
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complications. Research on the causes of childhood obesity and prevention methods will lead to an improved public health.
348
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 72
Regina Cheers (Dan Gerber),
Firearm Control
This is a huge issue for the United States and also for Public Health. Preventing firearm misuse is an important goal. There is a large population of
African American children who have been unintentionally injured with firearms in urban geographic areas such as Boston, Massachusetts. Unintentional
firearm injuries to children can be fatal, non-fatal, or sometimes lead to hospitalization. In this paper my focus is on African American children being
unintentionally killed with firearms. Creating successful firearm control intervention programs is my goal in this paper, similar to the Aim for Peace
program. However my intervention programs will have long term success. These possible intervention or prevention programs will be beneficial
towards everyone; children, parents, Boston, MA, and the community. No single approach works for everyone. Changing the policies, regulations,
and laws to alter the community environment reduces unintended firearm problems. When children are at significant risk, individual counseling and
family intervention shows a promise in affecting long-term risks and protective factors. The unintentional firearm related injuries is a public health
crisis through our public education programs, coalition departments and resource support to policymakers. Working on reducing unintentional firearm
injuries and educating adults and children, as well as providing safety opportunities for the community.
349
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 75
Jacquelyn Elwell (Dan Gerber),
Understanding of Bulimia Nervosa and Recovery
Bulimia nervosa significantly impacts the health of those fitting the criteria. It is difficult to determine how many currently suffer with this sickness due
to failure to diagnose or discover. To determine why certain demographics may be at a higher risk, analyzing girls aged 18-24, along with their internal,
social, and environmental setting, can help determine the source of their bulimia nervosa. Focusing specifically on four individuals fulfilling diagnoses
criteria, the origin, causes, or persistence of the illness were determined. Bulimia nervosa originates and persists due to internal pressure or anxiety,
along with impulse and social stresses. Creation of this eating disorder program is multidimensional involving all aspect of the individual. Helping
individuals sustain from this destructive habit includes ones determination to help herself, an understanding of the sickness and how it damages ones
physical an mental health, changes in surroundings, and maintaining a binge and purge free lifestyle. Achieving full recovery from bulimia is a long
process and relapse is common as with any addiction.
350
Concourse
Joy Fahey (Dan Gerber),
176
10:10-11:40
Board 74
STDS among Teens and Pre-teens
My study is on Sexually Transmitted Diseases among teenagers and young adults (under 25). My study will show the reasons why teens and young adults
are the target population. The study will also what exactly STDs are, what are the Symptoms, and the treatments also long term consequences. My
program will be based on education and prevention. The program will consist of a mobile bus that travels around to high STD rate communities and offer
free testing, protection, counseling, and education seminars all confidential. Another aspect of my program will be peer on peer education because I feel
as though young people can relate better to people their age. I will also focus on the strategy of explaining how to protect yourself from STDs.
351
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 73
Samantha Frappied (Dan Gerber),
Depression in Female Teens in America
Female adolescents are put through many stresses be it school, family obligation,and social contexts. These stresses can put a heavy weight on girl’s
shoulders, submitting them to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that girls tend to become more adversely affected by these
variables throughout adolescence and therefore are more susceptible to showing signs of anxiety and depression. Targeting the causes of depression
and alleviating them as areas of stress as well as methods of dealing with symptoms of depression are the key goals of my presentation.
352
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 73
Kellianne George (Dan Gerber),
Promoting Wellness for Children
Help children learn to make wellness part of their daily choices for a healthy living. This would include eating habits and physical activity as well as what
schools can do to help children. These tips would be small changes that children could make to their day to day lives to improve their overall health and
still live normal lives.
353
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 74
Tamara Glaser (Dan Gerber),
Heart Disease in Rural Mississippi
This presentation will discuss the rate of cardiovascular (CVD) and related diseases in rural Mississippi. These diseases are often caused by behaviors-177
mainly diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices. In Mississippi, the most ‘overweight’ state in the country (according to the Center for Disease Control), there
seems to be a serious link between socioeconomic status, geographic location and risk of being overweight, inactive, and being a smoker; all of these
are factors for CVD. In this paper, there will be a proposal of how to “fix” the problem of heart disease by trying to reduce the factors that cause it.
By examining studies of the diet and lifestyle of those living in the target area, as well as interventions that have been tested in the target population,
this paper will try to develop a program that can be implemented for future use to alleviate the problem. This paper will use a combination of Health
Models to develop a program that can ultimately lower the risk of Cardiovascular Disease and related ailments in rural Mississippi.
354
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 72
Kenisha Jackson (Dan Gerber),
Iron Deficiency
The purpose of this research is make African American adolescents aware of iron deficiency within their culture.I am doing this research because when I
was in high school, my doctor told me I was anemic. I jsut want olther to know being anemic consists of. For my research methods I would use a blood
test to show the differences in the levels of being anemic,iron deficiency, and severe anemia. Level depends on blood counts and how low the iron is in
a persons blood. In results of the blood test individuals woudl realie how minor or major the iron deficiency is in their bodies. They will realize that they
need to change ther diets and lifestlyes to live healthy life included iron in their daily consumption of food. In conclusion, depending on the results of
the blood test individuals should increase their iron intake, to avoid unneccessary health risks later in life especially during pregnancy.
355
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 76
Mihwa Jurkiewicz (Dan Gerber),
Preventing Unintentional Adolescent Pregnancy
Unintended adolescent pregnancy is one of the major issues in public health. From the perspective of public health, every pregnancy should be an
intended pregnancy. Preventing adolescents from unplanned pregnancy is crucial and highly prioritized: It has many social and economic consequences
in the family, and causes health risks among adolescent mothers and the children both during and after birth. There needs to be effective prevention
program and intervention to reduce the number of unintentional adolescent pregnancy. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and
Unplanned Pregnancy, the United States has the highest rate of unintended adolescent pregnancy. Although adolescent pregnancy in the United States
has been declining for the last couple of decades, there is still a lot to be done to reduce the number of unintended adolescent pregnancies.
356
Concourse
Lauren Kaye (Dan Gerber),
178
1:30-3:00
Board 74
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in US Veterans in Iraq
Information on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder history, symptoms, diagnosis, current treatments and method for inventing a new treatment plan.
357
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 75
Mary Le (Paula Stamps),
Human Experimentation in Germany and Japan: An Awareness and Ethical Analysis
World War II brought about an unprecedented cost in terms of both capital and lives. Over 60 million people died around the world due to this
devastating war. Nazi Germany contributed to the loss of millions of lives as a direct result of genocide and human experimentation during the
Holocaust. However, Germany was not the only country to conduct inhumane medical experiments. Japan’s human testing matched the cruelty of
Germany’s experiments. Although both Germany and Japan essentially committed the same crime, Germany’s history is much more researched and
publicly discussed than Japan’s. Japan’s main experimental site, Unit 731, does not receive half as much attention. The purpose of this research project
is to understand why there is such a disparity. It also examines the role of physicians and the ethics of using the experimental data. Using a survey, the
project will analyze college students’ knowledge of human experiments performed during WWII and their current attitudes regarding such experiments.
It is hypothesized that college students will be more knowledgeable about Germany’s experiments versus Japan’s. They are also expected to agree with
current ethical standards regarding human experiments. This project will determine possible causes for the biased level of awareness about Germany’s
experiments versus Japan’s. Some causes include the United States’ cover up of Japanese war crimes and the Japanese textbook censorship. Because of
this disparity in awareness, it is highly recommended that students learn about both countries’ war crimes during WWII. By learning about the victims
of both countries, their deaths will not be forgotten.
358
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 69
Ashley Massa (Anne Meyer),
Department of Nursing, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
Automated External Defibrillators Shocking the Public
Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are life saving devices that provide a shock to the heart of a person in cardiac arrest. These devices are
effective in saving lives and simple to use. A detailed examination of literature exploring the effectiveness of AEDs and their current availability in public
arenas was conducted. Based on these findings, recommendations are made regarding expanding availability, increasing public awareness, and public
training in the use of AEDs to save more lives. Emphasis is placed on the availability of AEDs in locations where there is an increased risk of cardiac
arrest such as athletic and fitness training facilities. It is vital that the public have a better understanding of how AEDs work to eliminate fear of using
them in an emergency situation. Increased public awareness and training will increase usage of AEDs and increase survival rates of people who suffer
cardiac arrest in a non-medical setting.
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359
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 71
Brita Orwoll (Dan Gerber),
Perinatal HIV
Perinatal HIV transmission is a continuing health problem throughout the world, and although child HIV rates has decreased within the United States
over the past decade due to advances in antiretroviral drugs and prevention techniques, mother-to-child HIV transmission is still a great public health
concern and can be prevented further with appropriate prevention approaches. Perinatal HIV transmission is a primary focus in preventing the spread
of HIV, yet there are multiple aspects of prevention that need to be addressed in a successful prevention program. This paper will provide an overview
of perinatal HIV, including transmission, treatments and prevention techniques. It will outline various prevention programs already existing within the
United States and analyze strategies proposed for preventing perinatal HIV transmission. After conducting research and writing a literature review, I will
outline a public health intervention designed to prevent perinatal HIV transmission, which will focus on prevention of HIV and unintended pregnancies,
increasing access to antiretroviral therapy, HIV testing and prenatal care, and providing support and counseling for all HIV infected women, children,
and families. The ultimate goal of this project is to design and evaluate an effective public health program in preventing perinatal HIV transmission and
lowering the incidence of HIV in women and children.
360
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 72
Candice Reynolds (Dan Gerber),
Postpartum Depression
True clinical depression occurs when these feeling interfere with ones everyday life. Peripartum depression is classified as depression that occurs after
or within one year of pregnancy. Peripartum depression can also occur after a miscarriage or a stillbirth. Peripartum is more commonly known as
postpartum depression. It is believed that depression is one of the most common pregnancy complications, but since it is so hard to diagnosis, the
actual number of women who suffer from peripartum depression is unknown. Some have estimated that as many as 80% of new mothers experience
mood conflicts and that about 1 in 8 new mothers suffer from postpartum depression.
361
Concourse
3:10-4:40
Board 70
Alexandra Savell (Dan Gerber),
HIV and STD Prevalence in U.S. Prisons: Benefits of Mandatory Testing/Treatment and Peer Education in Prison
System
There are currently around 2.2 million Americans incarcerated in federal and state prisons today. Of the inmates that are sentenced to at least a year in
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prison or more, 547,200 were African American males, or around 40% of the total incarceration population. Whites comprised 35% of this population,
followed by Hispanics with 20%. Within the prison system, women represented 7% of the inmates sentenced for over a year, and African American
women were 3 times as likely as White women to be incarcerated. It is estimated by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, that this number is expected to
increase across the board, both ethnically, and among the sexes. It is clear that the prison population represents a significant portion of our population,
and should not be excluded when considering certain public health interventions. In a survey conducted in 1997, less than half of county jails offered
any sort of testing for STDs to arrestees, and only 20% offered routine testing for women and only 12% offered routine testing for men. Most facilities
only treat inmates based on symptoms rather than routine screening. Of the inmates who requested a STD screen, approximately half were released
before they received their test results. Of the institutions that conduct a significant amount of screening, only 43% of county jails collaborated with
public health departments to contact and notify sexual partners of an infected inmate, particularly HIV and syphilis. The percent of jails that follow
up with state departments of public health on notifying partners regarding chlamydia and gonorrhea is significantly smaller. High rates of untreated
sexually transmitted diseases among minority communities with high incarceration rates have been reported consistently throughout the United States,
which further supports the notion that an intervention is in order.
362
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 73
Helina Terefe (Dan Gerber),
STD and Teens in America
This research is focused on STD prevalence among teens in America. it identifies the ways of STD transitions and contributory environmental and sociocultural factors. By drawing from the findings, the research identifies possible steps that could be taken to reduce the spread of STD among teens.
Religious Studies
363
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 78
Melanie Chatot (Joan Brenner),
The Ends of Time
The different conceptions of an “end of time” have influenced many religions. This project will explore the idea of an end of time as seen in
eschatological religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism, religions that see the purpose of history as oriented towards some end point at which
both good and evil will assume their proper place. The concept of apocalypse will be studied in sacred books such as the Qur’an, the Torah and
the Book of Revelations in the Christian Bible. The project will analyze the differences and similarities of this concept in each religion, and will try to
explain how it affects their doctrines of personal salvation. The study concludes that no matter how the end of time is perceived, whether it be a mass
extinction of the human species or an apocalypse, it is mostly related to a personal transcendence beyond death.
181
364
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 77
Sandra Vicente (Luke Salisbury),
The Beginning of Time; Religion and Science
When does time begin? How does Christianity view the concept of the beginning of time versus the view of science, and how can we compare one
with the other? The main purpose of this study is to find a common path between the parables and scientific explanations. The method is to compare
readings about both religion’s and science’s thought of the beginning of time in order to uncover the varied points of view about the topic. The goal of
this research is to compare, contrast, and possibly reconcile the varied explanations for the “beginning of time”.
365
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 79
Muhammad Zubair (Joan Brenner),
Concept of Time and Qur’an
Time, it seems, is an integral part of our lives. Different cultures have different concepts of time. Some synchronize their clocks with the lunar pattern
and some with the earth revolving around the sun. Different cultures have different sources to explain their rituals. Islam, a religion of more than one
billion souls, provides its own social and political structure. The major source of Islamic rituals and ideology is the Qur’an. The Qur’an not only discusses
different social concepts and law, but also the concept of Time, or “WAQYA”, in very different manner. The basic source of this study is the text of the
Qur’an, enhanced by a study of the different philosophical and theological interpretations of the Qur’an. The project illustrates how the concept of time
is defined and interpreted through the Qur’an, and compares these views with modern concepts of time.
366
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 81
Alexandra Denosky-Smart (Melissa Gonzalez-Brenes),
Department of Social Thought and Political Economy, UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
Women and Grassroots Community Development:
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Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in Africa has long been a subject of contention in both Africa and the West. The intersection of personal rights (of
women, children, and human beings) and cultural rights have led to intense disagreement over the meaning of the practice, whether it should be
ended, and if so, the means by which it should be eradicated. This thesis argues that if FGC is to end, it must not be eradicated by outside forces
but rather abandoned, by choice, by communities themselves--and particularly by women in practicing communities. The thesis also argues for the
importance of a grassroots model in all aspects of development and social change, including (but not limited to) the eradication of FGC. This is an
interdisciplinary research project based on firsthand ethnographical research, published work of social scientists, including women and feminists of
color and African scholars, as well as documents and data from organizations and activists that have worked on FGC using both grassroots and nongrassroots methods. Through a theoretical examination of the issue as well as a study of past and present experiences with FGC eradication efforts,
which have generally not been successful, the thesis argues that people and communities are always the owners of their own traditions, and therefore
that only they can identify and solve problems within their community.
367
Concourse
1:30-3:00
Board 80
Summer Gallagher (Catherine Etter),
Impact on the Sustainability of the United States Based on the Crisis of Illegal Immigration
This research explores the impact of illegal immigration on this great and prosperous nation. As the United States shifts toward improving sustainability,
the issue of illegal immigration emerges as a major and controversial issue that challenges success. With the overall benefit of this nation and its
legal citizens in mind, it is important to examine all aspects of the issue before developing an opinion on what is to be done. This project examines
the impact of illegal immigration on Cape Cod and a few Mexican border communities’ economy and healthcare services. The investigation includes
many sources such as government statistics, local newspapers, academic journals, books, documentaries, and the voiced concerns of legal citizens of
America. The information obtained during this research strives to identify the impact whether positive, negative, or neutral. The conclusion attempts to
propose the most logical action plan to address this issue.
Social Work
368
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 83
Cassandra Holmes (Deon Brock),
Department of Social Work, Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA, 01420
Child Abuse and Neglect: A Guide for Mandated Reporters
The most recent data regarding child abuse and neglect has determined that in 2005, approximately 899,000 children were victims of child abuse or
neglect in the United States. In the state of Massachusetts, 35,789 children were victims of child abuse and neglect, with 69.6% of the victims between
the ages of 4-17. Considering more than half of the incidences of child abuse occur during the years a child is in school, it is important that educators
do their job as mandated reporters. Not only does failure to report child abuse and neglect result in civil liability for the educator, it also inhibits its
prevention. A guide was created to give educators a detailed description of the different types and signs of child abuse and neglect, causes of child
abuse and neglect and prevention. The intended outcome is educating teachers and other mandated reports to help identify and prevent further
incidence of child abuse and neglect.
183
Theatre
369
Concourse
10:10-11:40
Board 80
Sandra Jervey (Christopher Morris),
Department of Theatre, Salem State College, Salem , MA, 01970
Technical Directing of Mother Courage and Her Children
The project I have chosen for my senior thesis is to assume the role of co-technical director for the Salem State College production of Mother Courage
and Her Children opening April 17, 2008. This project puts the training I have received through supporting technical roles and courses into practical
application. It prepares me for graduate study as well as the professional world. To complete this project I will have numerous meeting with a design
team, prepare construction drawings, rig motors and pivot mechanics, oversee the building of all scenic pieces, manage personnel, and track the
budget of the production. When completed, the scenic structures will be assembled, installed, operated, and then removed and either stored or
destroyed following the completion of the show’s run. My honors presentation will be in the form of a poster including drawings, process photographs,
and photos of the completed set, as well as tracking sheets and a ½” scale model of the theatre and set.
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185
Name
Abstract #
Acerno, Danielle N.
Adcock, Patrick R.
Adegbite, Babafemi O.
Agnello, Alessandro S.
Agostini, Christopher J.
Aiello, Karyn M.
Alam, Mozammel
Alderman, Danielle L.
Al-Saidy, Nowaf
Amaral, Michael
Amari, Jeffrey P.
Ameral, Victoria E.
Antonucci, Andrew J.
Arce, Amanda M.
Ashbrook, Cilfford E.
Atkinson, Alicia
Au, Ho Yin
Babitskaya, Inna
Babitskaya, Svetlana B.
Bagas, Andrea
Barfchin, Sahar
Batti, Lara D.
Bayas, Lenz K.
Bean, Anthony M.
Bedarf, Ashley E.
Beers, Jason D.
Belyshev, Vitaliy
Benevides, Philip M.
Berkeley, Scott D.
Bernard, Rebekah R.
Bielecki, Kristine M.
Bienia, Katelyn E.
Blanchette, John S.
Blatz, Erin T.
Bloch, Emily G.
Bogdan, Caitlin C.
Bolen, Denise E.
Boucher, Gerard
Brand, Patrick D.
Bresner, Ethan
Brideau, William E.
Bristol, Jenna
186
177
258
201
37
275
280
276
94
41
47
209
281
191
108
109
282
277
283
131
148
284
285
67
286
127
174
149
95
25
269
140
343
287
3
29
72
288
238
121
48
164
259
Brody, Caitlin
Bruce, Andrea L.
BuAbbud, Anna M.
Buchanan, Molly E.
Buchinski, Jessica L.
Budd, Breanne
Burdick, Elissa
Bylykbashi, Katie L.
Byrne, Michael J.
Cacicio, Sarah J.
Caldwell, Kaelyn
Calm, Yitzi M.
Campbell, Margaret C.
Canseco, Nelson J.
Cantin, Colleen M.
Caputo, Andrea
Carroll, Andrew
Carroll, Ashley J.
Carvalho, Jacira T.
Castro, Melissa
Cenafils , Rodlande
Chagnon, Rene K.
Chatot, Melanie
Cheers, Regina R.
Cho, Yongwoo
Chou, Heather
Clapper, Robin M.
Claro, Jose
Cole, Sharon L.
Collins, Caroline
Connors, Michael J.
Cook, Rebecca L.
Cook, Carolyn J.
Cook, Ruth E.
Cooper, Cloee F.
Cooper, Dustin T.
Corless, Emily
Cristelli, Nicole M.
Crossman, Virginia
Crug, Aaron Y.
Curcio, Cristina L.
D’Amario, Aaron J.
Danckert, Kathryn E.
Daum, Randy C.
227
289
290
291
292
293
294
46
16
80
295
102
296
88
297
344
24
123
345
134
346
347
363
348
133
42
87
187
4
49
5
110
165
260
119
74
298
299
204
300
189
220
68
6
Davaris, Jennifer M.
Delaney, Lori A.
Demas, Shannon E.
Denosky-Smart, Alexandra
DeRoy, Kristina L.
Doddi, Cecilia L.
Doherty, Alison M.
Donahue, Chad J.
Doyle, Adam C.
Drane, Laurel W.
Dreyfus, Sam
Duncanson, Haley
Ebert, Lindsay R.
Edelstein, Staci
Edmonds, Paula L.
Elliott, Tony A.
Elwell, Jacquelyn J.
Erickson, Lauren E.
Eriksen, Dawn
Fahey, Joy M.
Fanuele, Alexandra
Feeley, Jessica D.
Fernandes, Lara
Ferreira, Christopher J.
Fink, Megan E.
Flynn, Erin M.
Forish, Erica J.
Forman, Jacqueline L.
Frappied, Samantha T.
Friedman, Amy M.
Gajda, Kristin
Gallagher, Summer K.
Garlen, Amanda
Gentleman, Vanessa R.
George, Kellianne M.
Gertonson, Deanna
Gervais, Bryan T.
Ghaly, Mina
Giddens, Michelle M.
Glaser, Tamara R.
Glasser, Nicholas C.
Gleason, Carolyn
Glod, Valery R.
Goldthwaite, Daniel S.
218
301
150
366
178
141
26
202
219
302
30
303
135
151
304
205
349
305
163
350
179
306
307
152
261
69
99
222
351
180
73
367
308
111
352
239
279
142
309
353
103
198
35
89
Gomez, Ana Carolina
Gray, Melissa A.
Griffin, Amanda M.
Guinan, Jr., Frank D.
Gulino, Thomas P.
Gwinn, Brittany
Habib, Brandon C.
Hailemichael, Samson
Harvey, Daniel J.
Hayes, Jill M.
Hayston, Jesse J.
Herrington, Priscilla A.
Hescock, Christopher R.
Hill, Julie A.
Hilton, Meagan E.
Ho, Ngoc K.
Ho, Chun Kei
Holmes, Cassandra M.
Howland, Corrine S.
Hoyt, Gregory R.
Hug, Jennifer M.
Hugh, Jeremy
Huston, Katie
Idzik, Matthew A.
Iverson, Kimberly L.
Jackson, Kenisha C.
Jaimes, Sehily Y.
James, Ryan Y.
Jani, Kaushal
Janko, Matthew R.
Jennings, Christie J.
Jervey, Sandra J.
Johnson, Molly K.
Jonas, Eric D.
Jones, Amy
Jones, Vicki R.
Jonna, Manoj
Jordan, Christopher A.
Jurkiewicz, Mihwa
Karalius, Todd S.
Karas, Michele N.
Kaye, Lauren
Kent, Amy J.
Kerr, Shannon M.
104
233
181
210
81
192
50
166
206
223
51
1
43
31
310
143
172
368
311
2
112
153
7
312
313
354
314
173
315
144
8
369
59
105
199
235
44
65
355
162
211
356
9
316
Ketchen, Britni D.
Kiros, Ruth K.
Koch, Jonathan A.
Kogan, Lubov
Kohl, Aaron A.
Korna, Sami
Kosta, Eric S.
Krauss, Laura
Kreyssig, Keri-Ann L.
Krug, Stefanie
Kumar, Kushi-Nidhi
Kyriazdis, Efi
Lafferty, Ryan P.
Lansing, Ashley F.
Lavery, Stephen
Lawler, Benjamin J.
Le, Mary
Legacy, Christopher J.
Lent, Alexander
Lewis, Emily P.
Lewis, Christopher K.
Lin, Jia
Lincks, Bryan M.
Lincoln, Thomas
Lizio, Sarah
Loftus, Julie A.
Lombard, Rhiannon F.
Lopez Maddox, Sarah
Lopez Rizo, Marnie A.
Lotto, Alexandra E.
Lozeau, Michael D.
Luongo, Lindsay M.
Macdonald, Katie M.
Macon, Anne E.
Malouin, Ashley D.
Mandel, Rachel A.
Manley, Laura S.
Mann, Ryan J.
Manopoulos, Marissa
Marquez, Javier F.
Marszalek, Marcin D.
Massa, Ashley J.
Mazzola, Christopher l.
McDonald, Jennifer A.
212
224
230
82
193
32
52
10
120
247
154
317
318
145
106
245
357
190
100
155
101
146
319
84
320
136
132
60
246
228
236
194
262
137
61
11
85
221
321
90
257
358
213
79
McElroy, Keith R.
McNulty, Bronwyn
Meade, Jillian M.
Meccouri, Martin
Medeiros, Amylynn
Mentlik, Allyson N.
Merritt, Kayleigh M.
Mezynski, Laura A.
Miano, Sarah J.
Miele, Karen E.
Minkowska, Martyna K.
Mirenda, Jesse
Modugno, Joseph R.
Mohamed, Amal A.
Morgan, Stefanie
Mugo, Juliet
Mulvey, Maura
Murphy, Meghan E.
Murphy, Julianna K.
Murrin, Andrew C.
Nastwold, Charlene A.
Naughton, Thomas J.
Nealer, Rachael
Nelson, Christopher F.
Nemayian, Joanita K.
Nhan, Loan
Nickerson, Lauren E.
Nimali, Mario
Nkimbeng, Manka J.
Noujaim, Michael G.
Novak, Hilary A.
Nsonwu-Dixon, Ujunwa V.
Nygaard, Leanne P.
O’Brien, Kerrie A.
O’Donnell, Caitlin F.
Orwoll, Brita
Otsuka, Andrew Y.
Palmer, Simone
Parkis, Bartholomew J.
Patterson, Elizabeth S.
Pavao-Pinarreta, Sandy m.
Perrault, Thomas A.
Pesuit, Eliza R.
Pettigrew, Stephanie K.
241
83
12
118
322
138
53
263
248
54
107
38
55
214
270
124
27
77
14
323
324
64
23
249
207
271
272
156
264
147
325
278
96
167
116
359
75
125
242
122
326
91
97
225
187
Pezzimenti, Amelia M.
Phillips, Elizabeth F.
Pica, Jacqueline M.
Piedrafite, Jessica
Pindrus, Bella A.
Plamowski, Breann E.
Poillucci, Margarette R.
Proctor, Courtney
Putcha, Deepti
Qafzezi, Renaldo
Qian, Ray
quigley, kathryn .
Ragusa, Eric M.
Ramos, Nicole R.
Ravenelle, Becky E.
Rayla, Amy L.
Reitz, Allison E.
Reynolds, Candice E.
Rieber, Kahlil J.
Ristuccia, James M.
Rodrigues, Kim M.
Rodriguez, Tina E.
Roland, Casey L.
Roman, Vanessa A.
Rowley, William F.
Russell, Scott K.
Ryan, Ellen T.
Saheed, Ahamed M.
Samoiel, Samantha
Santos, Evelyn V.
Sauer, Catharine P.
Savell, Alexandra E.
Savola III, William J.
Sayles, Kathryn E.
Schmidt, Magdalena
Schneider, Elizabeth B.
Schoenfarber, Adam J.
Schwaiger, Elizabeth M.
Seibold, Jeremy R.
Shappy, Shawna M.
Shea, Katelin R.
Shetty, Shloka J.
Shi, Jessica J.
Shirai, Ashley-Ann C.
188
117
184
327
200
265
328
128
266
329
17
250
330
113
20
331
157
78
360
251
13
33
332
56
195
22
215
126
203
208
158
168
361
92
333
196
18
36
334
175
182
234
335
267
336
Silberstein, Krislyn B.
Simo, Hermann T.
Singal, Elva E.
Singal, Elva E.
Sledd, Brian L.
Sliffman, Ari J.
Sloan, Matthew
Sobolyeva, Anastasia
Sohriakoff, Peter
Soumana, Djade I.
Southwick, Monica E.
Speert, Rebecca
Spencer, Melissa
Spongberg, Sonya R.
Springer, Brooke A.
Starr, Nikki
Steen, Ashley E.
Stencel, Jennifer E.
Stephens, Peter W.
Stephenson, Eric C.
Stewart, Richard
Straggas, Nicholas J.
Sullivan, Maeve K.
Sullivan, Cassandra L.
Sutherland, Erin L.
Tarbett, Charis M.
Tebeau, Elizabeth T.
Tello, Heather J.
Temple, Lauren M.
Terefe, Helina
Theriault, Gerard E.
Theroux-Jones, Marisa
Tieu, Trang
Torone, Jessica R.
Torres, Marissa
Trenh, Peter
Tricco, Elizabeth M.
Trombetta, Monica A.
Tsui, Anna
Tucker, Lauren
VanderMost, Alaena M.
Varnerin, Sarah E.
Verney, Michael A.
Vernon, Gregory P.
45
159
252
160
273
86
274
169
268
256
114
139
243
226
183
130
15
129
231
237
244
197
338
337
170
115
62
216
339
362
188
229
253
57
240
254
34
98
28
58
217
70
71
66
Vicente, Sandra
Vladimer, Gregory I.
Vorvis, Christina
Walker, Amanda K.
Wallace, Stephanie R.
Ward, Sandra L.
Watson, Davin U.
Weaver, Melissa L.
Webster, Laura A.
Wheeler, Jessica A.
Williams, Sarah A.
Wong, Yin Shan C.
Woolley, Amanda
Woznikowski, Joanna
Woznikowski, Joanna
Yang, Mao
Zewdie, Fesehaye H.
Zeygerman, Vladislav
Zubair, Muhammad
364
255
161
340
21
63
19
341
176
76
185
171
93
40
39
232
186
342
365
Zeygerman, Vladislav
342
Habib, Brandon C.
Hayston, Jesse J.
Kreyssig, Keri-Ann L.
Medeiros, Amylynn
Pavao-Pinarreta, Sandy m.
Rodrigues, Kim M.
50
51
120
322
326
33
Adegbite, Babafemi O.
Agostini, Christopher J.
Alam, Mozammel
Amari, Jeffrey P.
Au, Ho Yin
Babitskaya, Svetlana B.
Chatot, Melanie
Cho, Yongwoo
Elliott, Tony A.
Harvey, Daniel J.
Ho, Chun Kei
Jones, Vicki R.
Kiros, Ruth K.
McNulty, Bronwyn
Mohamed, Amal A.
Nsonwu-Dixon, Ujunwa V.
Rowley, William F.
Saheed, Ahamed M.
Samoiel, Samantha
Singal, Elva E.
Singal, Elva E.
Theriault, Gerard E.
Vicente, Sandra
Zewdie, Fesehaye H.
Zubair, Muhammad
201
275
276
209
277
131
363
133
205
206
172
235
224
83
214
278
22
203
208
160
252
188
364
186
365
Gallagher, Summer K.
Guinan, Jr., Frank D.
Ketchen, Britni D.
Mazzola, Christopher L.
367
210
212
213
Nemayian, Joanita K.
Seibold, Jeremy R.
Tello, Heather J.
207
175
216
Gleason, Carolyn
Hayes, Jill M.
Holmes, Cassandra M.
Jones, Amy
Malouin, Ashley D.
Massa, Ashley J.
Piedrafite, Jessica
Ragusa, Eric M.
Spongberg, Sonya R.
Torres, Marissa
Yang, Mao
198
223
368
199
61
358
200
113
226
240
232
Batti, Lara D.
Bean, Anthony M.
Bruce, Andrea L.
Buchanan, Molly E.
Budd, Breanne
Campbell, Margaret C.
Cantin, Colleen M.
Claro, Jose
Corless, Emily
Delaney, Lori A.
Feeley, Jessica D.
Howland, Corrine S.
Jaimes, Sehily Y.
Kerr, Shannon M.
Lafferty, Ryan P.
Lincks, Bryan M.
Lincoln, Thomas
Lizio, Sarah
Luongo, Lindsay M.
Mirenda, Jesse
Murphy, Julianna K.
Novak, Hilary A.
Pica, Jacqueline M.
Ramos, Nicole R.
Silberstein, Krislyn B.
285
286
289
291
293
296
297
187
298
301
306
311
314
316
318
319
84
320
194
38
14
325
327
20
45
Stephenson, Eric C.
Sullivan, Cassandra L.
Sullivan, Maeve K.
Temple, Lauren M.
Walker, Amanda K.
Ward, Sandra L.
Weaver, Melissa L.
237
337
338
339
340
63
341
Tarbett, Charis M.
115
Canseco, Nelson J.
Goldthwaite, Daniel S.
Marszalek, Marcin D.
Perrault, Thomas A.
Savola III, William J.
VanderMost, Alaena M.
88
89
257
91
92
217
Index of Primary Presenters by School
Berkshire Community College
Clapper, Robin M.
Cook, Carolyn J.
87
165
Hug, Jennifer M.
112
Lozeau, Michael D.
236
Johnson, Molly K.
59
Lombard, Rhiannon F.
Patterson, Elizabeth S.
Shea, Katelin R.
132
122
234
Bernard, Rebekah R.
Boucher, Gerard
Davaris, Jennifer M.
Legacy, Christopher J.
Morgan, Stefanie
Nhan, Loan
269
238
218
190
270
271
189
Schmidt, Magdalena
Sledd, Brian L.
Trombetta, Monica A.
196
273
98
Salem State College
Agnello, Alessandro S.
Carroll, Ashley J.
Cook, Ruth E.
Cristelli, Nicole M.
Curcio, Cristina L.
Doyle, Adam C.
Flynn, Erin M.
Gentleman, Vanessa R.
Herrington, Priscilla A.
Hill, Julie A.
Jervey, Sandra J.
Lopez Maddox, Sarah
Macdonald, Katie M.
Marquez, Javier F.
Merritt, Kayleigh M.
Mugo, Juliet
Palmer, Simone
Pettigrew, Stephanie K.
Pindrus, Bella A.
Plamowski, Breann E.
Roland, Casey L.
Roman, Vanessa A.
Webster, Laura A.
37
123
260
299
189
219
69
111
1
31
369
60
262
90
53
124
125
225
265
328
56
195
176
UMass Amherst
Acerno, Danielle N.
Adcock, Patrick R.
Alderman, Danielle L.
Ameral, Victoria E.
Antonucci, Andrew J.
Atkinson, Alicia
Bagas, Andrea
Barfchin, Sahar
Bayas, Lenz K.
Bedarf, Ashley E.
Belyshev, Vitaliy
Benevides, Philip M.
Berkeley, Scott D.
Bienia, Katelyn E.
190
177
258
94
281
191
282
148
284
67
127
149
95
25
343
Blanchette, John S.
Blatz, Erin T.
Bloch, Emily G.
Bogdan, Caitlin C.
Bresner, Ethan
Brody, Caitlin
BuAbbud, Anna M.
Buchinski, Jessica L.
Bylykbashi, Katie L.
Byrne, Michael J.
Caldwell, Kaelyn
Calm, Yitzi M.
Caputo, Andrea
Carroll, Andrew
Carvalho, Jacira T.
Castro, Melissa
Cenafils , Rodlande
Chagnon, Rene K.
Cheers, Regina R.
Cole, Sharon L.
Connors, Michael J.
Cooper, Cloee F.
Cooper, Dustin T.
Crossman, Virginia
Daum, Randy C.
Demas, Shannon E.
Denosky-Smart, Alexandra
DeRoy, Kristina L.
Doddi, Cecilia L.
Doherty, Alison M.
Donahue, Chad J.
Dreyfus, Sam
Ebert, Lindsay R.
Edelstein, Staci
Elwell, jacquelyn J.
Erickson, Lauren E.
Eriksen, Dawn
Fahey, Joy M.
Fanuele, Alexandra
Ferreira, Christopher J.
Fink, Megan E.
Forman, Jacqueline L.
Frappied, Samantha T.
Friedman, Amy M.
287
3
29
72
48
227
290
292
46
16
295
102
344
24
345
134
346
347
348
4
5
119
74
204
6
150
366
178
141
26
202
30
135
151
349
305
163
350
179
152
261
222
351
180
Garlen, Amanda
George, Kellianne M.
Gertonson, Deanna
Gervais, Bryan T.
Ghaly, Mina
Glaser, Tamara R.
Glasser, Nicholas C.
Glod, Valery R.
Griffin, Amanda M.
Gulino, Thomas P.
Gwinn, Brittany
Ho, Ngoc K.
Hoyt, Gregory R.
Hugh, Jeremy
Huston, Katie
Iverson, Kimberly L.
Jackson, Kenisha C.
James, Ryan Y.
Jani, Kaushal
Janko, Matthew R.
Jennings, Christie J.
Jordan, Christopher A.
Jurkiewicz, Mihwa
Karalius, Todd S.
Kaye, Lauren
Kent, Amy J.
Koch, Jonathan A.
Kogan, Lubov
Korna, Sami
Kosta, Eric S.
Krauss, Laura
Krug, Stefanie
Kumar, Kushi-Nidhi
Lawler, Benjamin J.
Le, Mary
Lent, Alexander
Lewis, Emily P.
Lin, Jia
Loftus, Julie A.
Lopez Rizo, Marnie A.
Lotto, Alexandra E.
Macon, Anne E.
Mandel, Rachel A.
Manley, Laura S.
308
352
239
279
142
353
103
35
181
81
192
143
2
153
7
313
354
173
315
144
8
65
355
162
356
9
230
82
32
52
10
247
154
245
357
100
155
146
136
246
228
137
11
85
221
79
12
118
138
248
55
27
77
23
249
272
264
147
167
116
359
75
242
97
117
184
128
266
329
17
250
157
360
251
13
332
126
158
361
333
18
36
334
182
335
267
336
86
Sloan, Matthew
Sohriakoff, Peter
Soumana, Djade I.
Speert, Rebecca
Springer, Brooke A.
Starr, Nikki
Stencel, Jennifer E.
Stephens, Peter W.
Stewart, Richard
Straggas, Nicholas J.
Sutherland, Erin L.
Terefe, Helina
Theroux-Jones, Marisa
Tieu, Trang
Trenh, Peter
Tricco, Elizabeth M.
Verney, Michael A.
Vladimer, Gregory I.
Vorvis, Christina
Wallace, Stephanie R.
Wheeler, Jessica A.
Williams, Sarah A.
Wong, Yin Shan C.
Woolley, Amanda
274
268
256
139
183
130
129
231
244
197
170
362
229
253
254
34
71
255
161
21
76
185
171
93
UMass Boston
Aiello, Karyn M.
Al-Saidy, Nowaf
Babitskaya, Inna
Bolen, Denise E.
Brand, Patrick D.
Cacicio, Sarah J.
Crug, Aaron Y.
Danckert, Kathryn E.
Drane, Laurel W.
Gomez, Ana Carolina
Hailemichael, Samson
Hilton, Meagan E.
Idzik, Matthew A.
Jonas, Eric D.
Karas, Michele N.
Lansing, Ashley F.
Lavery, Stephen
Lewis, Christopher K.
280
41
283
288
121
80
300
68
302
104
166
310
312
105
211
145
106
101
Minkowska, Martyna K.
Nastwold, Charlene A.
Ravenelle, Becky E.
Sauer, Catharine P.
Simo, Hermann T.
Sobolyeva, Anastasia
Southwick, Monica E.
Tsui, Anna
Watson, Davin U.
107
324
331
168
159
169
114
28
19
UMass Dartmouth
Bristol, Jenna
Gray, Melissa A.
Nygaard, Leanne P.
Reitz, Allison E.
Steen, Ashley E.
259
233
96
78
15
UMass Lowell
Burdick, Elissa
Kyriazdis, Efi
Manopoulos, Marissa
McElroy, Keith R.
Mezynski, Laura A.
Murrin, Andrew C.
Nimali, Mario
Spencer, Melissa
Tucker, Lauren
Varnerin, Sarah E.
294
317
321
241
263
323
156
243
58
70
Mann, Ryan J.
McDonald, Jennifer A.
Meade, Jillian M.
Meccouri, Martin
Mentlik, Allyson N.
Miano, Sarah J.
Modugno, Joseph R.
Mulvey, Maura
Murphy, Meghan E.
Nealer, Rachael
Nelson, Christopher F.
Nickerson, Lauren E.
Nkimbeng, Manka J.
Noujaim, Michael G.
O’Brien, Kerrie A.
O’Donnell, Caitlin F.
Orwoll, Brita
Otsuka, Andrew Y.
Parkis, Bartholomew J.
Pesuit, Eliza R.
Pezzimenti, Amelia M.
Phillips, Elizabeth F.
Poillucci, Margarette R.
Proctor, Courtney
Putcha, Deepti
Qafzezi, Renaldo
Qian, Ray
Rayla, Amy L.
Reynolds, Candice E.
Rieber, Kahlil J.
Ristuccia, James M.
Rodriguez, Tina E.
Ryan, Ellen T.
Santos, Evelyn V.
Savell, Alexandra E.
Sayles, Kathryn E.
Schneider, Elizabeth B.
Schoenfarber, Adam J.
Schwaiger, Elizabeth M.
Shappy, Shawna M.
Shetty, Shloka J.
Shi, Jessica J.
Shirai, Ashley-Ann C.
Sliffman, Ari J.
Amaral, Michael
Arce, Amanda M.
Ashbrook, Cilfford E.
Beers, Jason D.
Collins, Caroline
Cook, Rebecca L.
D’Amario, Aaron J.
Fernandes, Lara
Forish, Erica J.
Miele, Karen E.
Naughton, Thomas J.
Quigley, Kathryn .
Russell, Scott K.
47
108
109
174
49
110
220
307
99
54
64
330
215
191
192
Tebeau, Elizabeth T.
Torone, Jessica R.
Vernon, Gregory P.
Woznikowski, Joanna
Woznikowski, Joanna
Bielecki, Kristine M.
Brideau, William E.
Chou, Heather
Duncanson, Haley
Edmonds, Paula L.
Gajda, Kristin
Giddens, Michelle M.
Hescock, Christopher R.
Jonna, Manoj
Kohl, Aaron A.
62
57
66
40
39
140
164
42
303
304
73
309
43
44
193

2008 Conference Program

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