Abstracts

Download the program as a pdf or Excel file.

Oral Paper Presentations are denoted by an ID of the session (A – 10:00-11:00, B – 1:30-2:30, and room (1: 245 Gaige, 2: 246 Gaige, 3: 247 Gaige, 4: 248 Gaige, 5: 244 Gaige). The presentation order in a room will be alphabetically by the presenter’s last name.

Posters are denoted by an ID of the session (C – 10:00-12:00, D – 12:00-2:00) and the position of the poster (1-54). Presenters assigned odd numbers should be at their poster during the first hour of the session and presenters with even numbers should be there during the second hour. Posters will be in the Beaver Athletic and Wellness Center (BAWC) gymnasium.

Presentations and performances are denoted by an ID of the P and will take place in the Perkins Auditorium (Perkins 021). These sessions will take place from 10:00:11:00.

Art displays are denoted by an ID of S and will be displayed in the Atrium of the Beaver Athletic and Wellness Center (BAWC). These sessions will take place from 12:00:1:00.

Please note that names, titles, and abstracts were uploaded as submitted by presenters without edits, corrections, or revisions.


Lane Adams – D15

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
The moderating effects of arousal on visual perceptual processing of fear-generating stimuli
Adams, Lane;
The view of a scene is often remembered as containing more background information that was present when the scene was viewed, a phenomenon referred to as boundary extension. This bias in memory can be moderated by altering characteristics of the scene such as angle, size, view duration, and emotional evocation. Biases manipulating perception beyond a view is an artifact of feature selection in a scene. The present study assessed the moderating effects of fear-generating stimuli on visual perceptual processing. College students were surveyed and given two groups of neutral and negative emotional scenes and asked to recall the images later. The relative averages of boundary extension severity were compared between subjects. Results indicated that negative images showed less boundary extension than positive.

Autumn Albert – D11

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Academic Regulation and Motivation Within College Students; Post-Pandemic
Albert, Autumn
This study investigated college students who experienced the quarantine and social distancing mandates associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. These mandates were problematic for students who moved to remote learning. Academic regulation & motivation were the most prominent issues. According to a previous study, to google search “online exam help” the results changed drastically from 2020 to 2021 during remote learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic by 21,000,000. In 2020 there were 538,000,000 results and in 2021 there were 559,000,000 (Hill et al., 2021). Understanding the potential impact that this has had on students’ academic readiness is vitally important to institutions if they are to ensure adequate support for students. This study was conducted by having participants fill out a survey that started with demographics, and then shifted to the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Sources of Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. Results showed that students who did remote learning scored low on the survey. Specifically, students who marked low scores on their academic readiness questionnaire completed a form of remote learning.

Logan Albrecht – D08

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Perceptions of Police Aggression
Albrecht, Logan; Greenauer, Nathan
Issues related to police brutality and racial profiling are areas of national concern (Carney, 2016), with increasing attention focused on systemic racism and violent practices. In two experiments, we assess factors that influence the perceived appropriateness of use of force by a police officer. Results indicated that crime type may influence the perceived appropriateness of police officers’ conduct. The influence of individual differences and prior experience with law enforcement are also discussed.

Brigette Amendano – C36

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ian Cost
A Comparative Analysis of the Trigeminal Nerve in the Orbits of Predatory Birds
Brigette Amendano, Suzanne Spriggs, and Ian Cost
For many animals, touch is one of the most crucial senses as it allows an animal to assess its surroundings. Remote touch is an essential part of avian survival as it allows them to identify prey and changes in pressure. Due to their dependence on remote touch for prey detection, birds are assumed to have a high number of mechanoreceptors, implying a complex trigeminal nerve system. The trigeminal nerve has three branches that supply somatosensory information from the face and head. Probing birds are known to have a sensitive bill tip organ supplied by the trigeminal nerve. In this study, we compare the trigeminal nerve of predatory birds and corvids to one another as well as to probing birds mentioned above. We found nerve branches in the orbits using manual dissection and measured branch length and qualitatively evaluated complexity through the orbital region. Due to differences in somatosensory structures associated with this nerve we expected the nerve to be less complex in predatory birds. It was found that birds from the raptorial families and the corvids, demonstrated less complexity of the trigeminal nerve due to differences in foraging.

Victoria Aquino – A1

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
Zazous in France- How Zazous used fashion as Protest
Aquino, Victoria
The authoritarian Vichy regime during WWII in France was collaborating with the Nazi party in France to enforce strict laws and restrictions. In the eyes of the Vichy leaders, France had to be homogenous and show loyalty and contribution to the French government and culture. Vichy has similar philosophies to the Nazi party when it comes to the purity of race and culture. Therefore, playing music of Black artists from the United States was considered to be extremely rebellious. The Zazou youth got their names from the song Zah Zuh Zah by Black jazz musician Cab Calloway (1933-1934), and the Zazous in France found inspiration in the zoot suits and swing music in the United States and used fashion as a way to protest the Vichy regime. However, the Zazous’ rebellion did come with repercussions; they faced violent backlash and social isolation.
Advisor: Joycelyn Burdett

Brittany Arentz – A3

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: John Walker
2022 Community Bank Case Study Competition
Arentz, Brittany C
My senior capstone project is to participate in the 2022 Community Bank Case Study Competition and then reflect and assess the knowledge gained from this experiential learning experience. Our team is working with New Tripoli Bank (NTB) for this year’s competition. NTB is in the Lehigh Valley and was established in 1909 by thirteen town residents who wanted to serve residents and local businesses. We analyze their earnings performance, loan portfolio composition, asset growth, capital levels, and liquidity to gauge their sustainability in the upcoming years. In addition, our report contains our predictions for significant changes to the industry in the next ten years. As the team leader, I am learning how to manage a team optimally. Also, this project gives me the opportunity to network and seek guidance from Kutztown University alumni who have participated in past competitions. By completing of my thesis, I will gain first-hand experience in the banking industry and sharpen my research, quantitative, and qualitative skills.

Mason Augustino – C40

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Soma Ghosh
The Impact of Overfishing on our Environment: The Role of Amendment 7 in restoring the Striped Bass Population
Augustino, Mason
More than 820 million people depend on fisheries and aquaculture for food, nutrition, and income (FAO, n.d.). Overfishing negatively impacts local biodiversity, sustainable fisheries, livelihood, and fish stocks. Striped bass fish inhabit Maine to North Carolina. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission declared the stock overfished and subject to overfishing in 2019 (Rebuild the Bass, 2021). The Striped Bass Board approved Draft Amendment 7 in January 2022, addressing four primary issues (management triggers, recreational release mortality, rebuilding plan, and conservation equivalency) to restore the striped bass population and improve conservation. Amendment 7 would help the environment by sustaining a striped bass fishery and minimizing the negative impacts of overfishing. The goal of this research is to educate the public about striped bass fishery management, and how it protects both the productivity and sustainability of marine ecosystems. Increasing public awareness of this issue can have a significant impact on the recovery of the striped bass population and on our ecosystems.

Keywords: Overfishing, Amendment 7, Environmental sustainability, Marine Ecosystems

Shianne Ayala Lind – P06

Reading Area Community College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
Brandy to Whine – Short Play
Shianne Ayala-Lind, Mariela Caceres, Aidan Bonner, Zach Stein, Bianka Louissaint
This two-page play was the outcome of a playwriting assignment to help actors understand the historic dramatic movements of Dadaism, Surrealism, and Symbolism. In short, it’s a two-page play about a woman named Brandy who is changed into wine (or “washed”) by a select group of strange folks in a bar. My goal in writing this was not only to offer the crowd a comedic metaphoric scene featuring offset dialogue, but I also wanted to try my hand at applying an underlying theme featuring societal views of women. I depict the desire to change “brandy” to the “whining” desires of others, and the toddler working at the establishment symbolizes child neglect. The chance to also direct this piece allowed me another whole level of interpreting dramatic language and bringing the symbolism to life. As an aspiring film writer, I believe that the correlation between dialogue and visual representation can be miraculously toyed with for the bettering of higher entertainment.

Shianne Ayala Lind – P01

Reading Area Community College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
The Introduction of V
Shianne Ayala-Lind
The monologue extract introduces the character of V from the ten-book DC Comic series. The popular series has been adapted into multiple stage plays and a feature film. V, in this case presented as a non-binary character, is one victim of an unjust city existing under a government with cruel intentions. They were personally affected by the conduct of the government when cruelly experimented upon and separated from their skin, leaving them with an undeniable desire for vengeance: a vendetta. I chose this monologue not only because it is one of my favorite pieces of well-considered and organized literature, but also because the need for justice, equality, and freedom are high-held on my moral compass. As an actor, I wanted to explore how to find the fine human line between sanity and insanity. I personally resonate with V’s powerful drive for moral justice.

Jessica Babich – D09

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Does Stress Make or Break Memory? The Effects of Different Levels of Stress on Working Memory
Babich, Jessica
Current research that explores stress and memory has yielded conflicting data about the impact of stress on working memory. This research typically focuses on older male participants. However, stress is not exclusive to men and older populations, which makes excluding females problematic. The present study sought to examine the effects of different levels of stress on working memory for young adult males and females. Participants in this study completed a stressful task of varying intensity, following which anxiety levels as well as working memory capacity were measured. It was hypothesized that greater levels of stress would produce greater impairment in working memory. Results showed that performance on working memory tests improved after experiencing acute stress with no significant differences between genders. This knowledge can be useful in assisting to create environments that are the best suited for learning and memory retention.

Stephanie Barefoot – D23

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Julia Heberle
Parent speech to young children and the biophilia hypothesis
Julia Heberle, Stephanie Barefoot, Julie Harbonic
Our study utilized parent and child interaction speech transcripts from the CHILDES data base to examine Berko’s hypothesis that parent speech to children includes a high type/token ratio for animal names, in comparison to color terms, due to humans’ love of nature (Wilson’s biophilia idea). We compared parent use of animal terms and food terms, thereby testing another evolution-based hypothesis, that food would be talked about in a similar fashion to animals due to its survival value. Each interaction (home or lab) was analyzed for the type/token (TT) ratio of food and animal words uttered, as well as the overall number of utterances of animal/food words. In the lab, parents uttered more food words, and did not utter many animal words. Each animal word uttered was mentioned many times, resulting in a low type/token ratio. In the home setting, animal words were not mentioned often (sometimes, not at all) while food words were mentioned more often and were more diverse. The food TT ratio was higher than the animal TT ratio in both the lab and home settings. Our hypothesis that food words would be emphasized by parents to their children, both in number and in diversity, was supported

Brett Berger – C11

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Smith
Creation of Colorimetric Assay for the Carcinoembryonic antigen Optimized for Wide-spread and Easy use
Berger, Brett; Smith, Joshua
Early and accurate detection can greatly increase the chance of surviving many serious ailments. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is present in the bloodstream of healthy adults at low levels. High concentrations of CEA indicate that cancer is present in the body.  This hypothesized test can be done without the need for laboratory testing or highly trained staff. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) allow for an easy and cost-effective colorimetric detection of CEA. AuNPs are combined with DNA aptamers which have a high affinity and selectivity.  When the target is present in the solution, the AuNPs in positive tests remain a red color while negative tests turn blue in a difference that is clear to the naked eye. The full integration of these two platforms would allow for accurate cancer detection to be accessible over the counter or in areas that lack laboratory testing.  This research has developed the first-ever colorimetric test for CEA utilizing AuNPs. Further optimization is needed to improve the detection limit to a more clinically useable level. This project has also demonstrated foundational work in the process of transitioning AuNPs assays to paper-based applications.

Louis Betz – C06

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin DiAngelo
Tissue-specific inhibition of Glut1 in Drosophila Fat and Muscle Tissue
Betz, Louis S.; DiAngelo, Justin R.
Obesity reflects imbalances in energy output and storage. The molecules that tissues use to regulate this storage is not understood. To identify novel genes important for nutrient storage, a screen was performed to detect mutations that affect nutrient storage using the Drosophila system. One gene that was identified was the glucose transporter Glut1. To study the metabolic functions of this gene, experiments were performed on muscle and fat tissue-specific inhibitions of Glut1 using RNA interference where triglycerides, free glucose, and glycogen were measured. By inhibiting Glut1 in fat tissue an increase in triglycerides was observed in the whole organism. This suggests the lack of glucose uptake into fat tissue is compensated for by increasing the storage of fats. When Glut1 was inhibited in muscle tissue there was an overall decrease in triglycerides and glycogen levels in the body. This result suggests that by having less glucose enter the muscle tissue, there is less glycogen able to be formed. Due to this lack of glycogen, the muscles are getting their energy primarily from fats which is correlated to the decrease in triglycerides.

Olivia Biancone – S02

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christina Pinkerton
Goddess of Painting
Olivia Biancone
Artwork from Duel Enrollment classes.

Olivia Biancone – S05

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christina Pinkerton
Milo
Olivia Biancone
Artwork made during Duel Enrollment.

Olivia Biancone – S03

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christina Pinkerton
She Lays Down
Olivia Biancone
Artwork made during Duel Enrollment.

Olivia Biancone – S04

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christina Pinkerton Pinkerton
Aux Champignon
Olivia Biancone
Artwork made during Duel Enrollment.

Ishika Birhade – C14

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Jill Felker
Emergence of Superbugs: Identifying Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolated from the Blue Marsh Watershed
Birhade, Ishika M; Horack, Erin M; Felker, Jill M; Mysliwiec, Tami H
Agricultural, industrial, and recreational activities have contributed to the changing chemical and microbiological composition of the Blue Marsh Watershed. This watershed drains into the Delaware River basin, which provides water to roughly 15 million people (USGS, 2019). In this study, monthly water and sediment samples from three locations within the Blue Marsh Watershed were collected in 2021. Genetic analysis of Escherichia coli extracted from the sediment samples was conducted to find the presence of genes that contribute to antibiotic resistance. E.coli from the water and sediment samples were isolated via membrane filtration, and resistance to six antibiotics was determined via Kirby-Bauer tests. These tests provided evidence of antibiotic resistance, most significantly ampicillin, in the E. coli isolated from our samples. There was also evidence of multiple antibiotic resistance in E. coli isolated from certain months, suggesting the presence of superbugs in the Blue Marsh Watershed. The discovery of antibiotic resistance in E. coli strains and superbugs within the watershed suggests a significant negative impact on public health.

Aidan Bonner – P04

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
Honey I’m a Leprechaun – Dramatic Monologue
Bonner, Aidan
Most people think of leprechauns as little fairies that are supposed to give you gold or a wish when you find their enchanted pot at the end of a rainbow. Their existence seems kind of implausible, doesn’t it? Now, imagine if you woke up one morning and you had become one. You would be short, magic, and growing a beard every hour, but you would also be lucky to an unnatural degree. That is the predicament the protagonist in this play faces. He is one hundred percent sure he has turned into a leprechaun, but the world doesn’t want to admit that is what happened. The man just wants his wife to believe him, but she won’t, causing him to go into a long speech to convince her that he is not crazy. He’s angry that no one will believe him, and only wants his wife to stand by him and continue to love him for the man he is inside. In approaching this monologue, I hope to portray the same frustration and agony faced by many who are “othered” for being different. This monologue shows how a man is broken by the expectations and “norms” of the world around him, but also shows how one person can bring him back from the brink just by being supportive.

Eric Bradley – S09

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Dannell MacIlwraith
People, Posters, and Progress: An Analysis on Movie Posters and How they Communicate Societal Trends Visually
Bradley, Eric N
This project studies the evolving design trends of movie posters over the years and analyzes how those trends might reflect the socio-political issues of their time frame, specifically as it relates to gender, race, celebrity culture, and the general attitudes of Hollywood during their respective time periods, and then synthesize the information gained to create a series of posters satirizing the current state of society, as well as an additional booklet, breaking down some of the data and trends analyzed. I plan to first analyze posters from some of the top-grossing films of multiple decades and learn a little bit more about their layout, their styles, and how they depict their main actors and characters. During this part of the process, additional research into the design process of movie posters, how much influence directors and studios have over the design of posters, and how much knowledge the poster designers have of the actual details of the movie beyond a baseline summary will be analyzed.

Allison Branca – C10

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Smith
The Effect of Cadmium Concentration on the Shade of Red Paint
Branca, Allison R
Cadmium is a transition metal derived from the greenockite ore. It is a soft, silvery-white metal, yet when in complex with sulfur or selenium, it can produce strong yellow, orange, and red pigments. The use of cadmium in red, yellow, and brown paints dates back to the 1820s and revolutionized art. To create red pigments, yellow cadmium sulfide is heated with selenide to produce calcium selenide. This produces a vibrant red color that some say revolutionized art when it was first created. This process can result in many different shades of cadmium red, but it is questioned what causes this distinction. Samples of four different shades of cadmium red oil paint were obtained. The samples were photographed, dried, and digested using nitric and hydrochloric acids. The digestion products were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy to determine the concentration of cadmium metal in each. The cadmium levels in each shade were compared to draw conclusions about the effect of cadmium concentration on the hue of red paint.

Malachi Brought – C31

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: James Karlinsey
Microwave Irradiation Synthesis: Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid)
Malachi Brought; James Karlinsey
This work represents an investigation into the use of microwave irradiation in the synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Conventional synthetic approaches involve refluxing a reaction mixture for a set amount of time, where the product yield is dependent upon the duration of the reflux. It is expected that the use of microwave irradiation to efficiently heat the reaction mixture can reduce the reaction time while producing similar yields. Product yields resulting from different power levels using a 1000 W conventional microwave, ranging from 40 to 100 % power are presented, and variables such as irradiation time and reactant amounts are evaluated with the goal of optimizing the reaction conditions for yield, purity, and time efficiency. Analysis is performed using infrared spectroscopy and melting point determination for purity.

Dyshanae Brown – S10

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Kristen Woodward
Time Overflows
Brown, Dyshanae
I was given an assignment to depict time in art and a whole bunch of ideas later came this. I used water as a metaphor for time. It makes sense to me (because I did it) but I’m curious on how other viewers will interpret this.

Emily Bruce – B3

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Thomas Betts
Analysis of Cannabinoids in Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Products by LC-MS/MS
Bruce, Emily R; Betts, Thomas A
According to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, marijuana is considered to have no accepted medical use along with heroin, ecstasy, and LSD. In 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act removed hemp from the definition of marijuana as long as the concentration of the active ingredient in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), is less than 0.3 percent by dry weight. As a result, cannabidiol (CBD), a component of hemp, started hitting store shelves as a popular alternative remedy for certain ailments. To increase the profitability of this hemp product market, delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC) was synthetically produced from CBD. The only structural difference between delta-9-THC and delta-8-THC is the position of a double bond in a hydrocarbon ring. Currently, delta-8-THC is being sold at local smoke shops and gas stations with no oversight on the purity or hazards of these products. In this project, liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determine the concentrations of select cannabinoids in several over-the-counter delta-8-THC products obtained from local gas stations and smoke shops.

Dalton Butz – D48

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
The Performance and Capabilities of the Loon Bot!
Dalton Butz; Mickhia Biddlecome; Aidan Mohrman
The project Loon Bot is created from the inspiration of the Loon Bird as it can fly, swim, and walk in different environments. This project is specifically designed to operate in the water and in the air as it has flying and swimming capabilities. The goal of the Loon Bot is to have metrics where it can perform at flying and swimming speeds above 10 miles per hour, be exceptionally durable in any impact in extreme environments. Overall, the team has finalized their experimental analysis and design of the Loon Bot using different experimental testing. All the designs and plans for prototype building have been approved by the Penn State University Engineering Team. The Loon Bot has been manufactured using additive 3D printing and manual assembling. Many experimental tests are performed such as buoyancy test, leakage test, drone motor efficiency testing, flying test, and swimming test. Each test is collected and is all seen as an enormous success in the project.

Lydia Cacciola – D49

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
Treadmill Retrofit for Heel Strike and Center of Pressure Detection
Nathan Bonslaver, Lydia Cacciola, Joe Gramignano, Serenah Pauliuc
Treadmills have been utilized by medical professionals, athletes, and product designers for decades to analyze gait, center of pressure, and patterns in how humans run. In this project a treadmill system instrumented with four load cells allows for the observation of the human gait at different running speeds with a high number of step repetitions. The system will identify the occurrence of initial foot contact and toe-off for each stride with 100 ms of accuracy while walking and running; track the user’s center of pressure in real time within 10 mm; and, measure the belt speed of the treadmill within 0.1 m/s. Data from the treadmill is captured using an external system.

Mariela Caceras – P03

Reading Area Community College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
The Melville Boys – Dramatic Monologue
Mariela Caceres
According to the Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, The Melville Boys by Norm Foster begins when “two working class brothers, one a big goof, the other a slightly more cerebral fellow (who is terminally ill with cancer) come to a lakeside cabin for a weekend. While there, they encounter two sisters, one a silly wannabe actor, the other a more serious, intelligent lady.” The four have just left a dance when the monologue occurs. Mary is a girl who after years of being alone at home not having fun decides to give it a chance and go out with a boy. Things don’t go has planned, however, and she gets angry with the way the night came down. In this scene the couple is having a heated discussion in front of his brother and her sister. I feel a connection with Mary because if I was in a situation like that with someone that I just met, I would say every single word she uses in this monologue. I feel so connected with the character that it’s going to be easy for me to give this character life. Mary is being sassy, glamorous, and slightly mean at the same time, but she never sacrifices her dignity.

Debbie Cebular – C09

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Maureen Dunbar
The Effect of Obesity on Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster
Cebular, Debbie; DiAngelo, Justin; Dunbar, Maureen
Aging is a complex process that is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Metabolism has been shown to play a significant role in determining lifespan of many animal species. However, the contribution of obesity to lifespan is not fully understood. In this study we measured the mortality rate of a naturally occurring mutant of Drosophila which results in increased storage of triglycerides. Adp60 mutant flies exhibit an obese phenotype, decreased energy level, and decreased flight endurance when compared to WT. Age-matched adult male and female WT (adp+/+) and adp60 (adp-/-) flies were grown on a cornmeal-sugar-yeast medium, housed on a 12hr:12hr light-dark cycle at 25℃. The number of flies surviving was counted every four days over a span of 77 days. WT females reached 50% mortality at 63-66 days as compared to 49-56 days for adp60 females. Wildtype males reached 50% mortality at 52-63 days compared to 45-52 days for adp60 males. These results suggest that in a controlled, non-starvation environment, a mutation in the adp60 gene decreases the lifespan in D. melanogaster.

Taisha Charles – D52

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Brittany Shelton
Counting Variations of Knights and Knaves Puzzles
Charles, Taisha N; Shelton, Brittany
This project focuses on the enumeration of Knights and Knaves Puzzles, which are logic-based puzzles where knights only tell the truth and knaves only lie. We determined how many classic puzzles have no solution and how many have a unique solution when the number of trolls is less than seven. We considered two variations on the classic version of the puzzle; a disjunction variation in which trolls can make “or” statements and a Neutral variation in which a troll is either a Knight, Knave, or Neutral. We determined the number of puzzles and the number of solutions for each variation.

Phuong Chau – C34

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ian Cost
Comparing Dental Measurement in North American Bats with Corresponding Diets
Chau, Phuong M; Cost, Ian
Bats possess canines, incisors, premolars and molars, which are specialized to enable chewing and crushing of food items. These teeth are found on both the upper and the lower jaws despite their differences in sizes. Previous studies indicates that diet influences the shape and number of teeth.This project aims to explore the comparative anatomy of bat teeth with distinct aspects to determine the impact of dental morphology and its contributors toward the variation in mammals with different diets. We hypothesize that there is a correlation between tooth measurements of bat species specimen and their corresponding diets. Using digital calipers and microscope, the study measured 46 skulls from 28 bat species. Diets, common names, living locations, sexes, and dental formulas for each species were collected from the literature. The analysis of recorded data was done using Excel (organization of data and graphics) and RStudio (statistical analysis). The results support our hypothesis as there are significant differences among teeth measurement and their correspond diets. These important points of the research will help in further study of the influence of gravitational force on teeth al

Elyssa Cheesman – B1

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: MeeAe Oh-Ranck
The LGBTQ+ Community; Oppression to Expression
Cheesman, Elyssa
Within today’s day and age there is a greater number of individuals that are in support of the LGBTQ+ community. As of 2015 same sex marriage was legalized within all 50 states, making this one for the history books. Using social media, the LGBTQ+ community has been able to gain support as well as encourage a wide array of individuals within similar situations. Same sex marriage as well as the LGBTQ+ has also recently been viewed on tv shows and movies, children’s books, gay pride attire, and throughout social media in support of the movement. Throughout my research I have determined that to be true to one’s self they must be unsuppressed by the ideals of others and free to express creative individuality. Within this presentation I aim to bring awareness to the LGBTQ+ community and the struggles they have gone through in order to gain equal rights, acceptance and authenticity within their creative work.

Llana Clauss – C26

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Julie Palkendo
Analysis of Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Morphine, and 6-Acetylmorphine in Wastewater Influent and Effluent
Clauss, Llana; Langley, Zach
As analytical techniques become more selective and sensitive, trace contaminants can be studied in complex environments. Current wastewater treatment plant designs are very capable of removing pathogens, inorganics, and solid materials. In this study, a method of detecting drugs and metabolites was developed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) paired with solid phase extraction. The compounds investigated were amphetamine, methamphetamine, morphine and 6-acetylmorphine. A raw 24-hr composite wastewater sample from the Kutztown Wastewater Treatment plant was analyzed. Preliminary results showed an average of 43 ± 2 µg/L amphetamine and 103 ± 4 µg/L methamphetamine in replicates (n=4) of the extracted raw sample obtained from March 3, 2022. Morphine and 6-acetylmorphine were not detected in this sample. Now that detection seems possible at the head of the wastewater plant, future work will look at effluent samples as well. Matrix effects of the wastewater on the mass spectrometric signals of each drug as well as determining any sample loss during the extraction phase will also be tested.

Billy Coleman – C22

Alvernia University, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Michelle Serapiglia
Establishment of Shrub Willow Riparian buffer Trials in Berks County and the Monitoring of Riparian Zone Health
Billy Coleman:Michelle Serapiglia
Contamination of waterways by surface runoff from both agricultural fields and urban communities is a global concern. Surface runoff transports herbicides, pesticides, agricultural sewage and fertilizer, garbage and more into local streams and rivers, eventually polluting many of our coastal aquatic ecosystems. Riparian buffer strips can help mitigate many of the problems associated with agricultural and urban runoff. Shrub willow (Salix spp.) is a bioenergy crop that can also be used as a riparian buffer. They perform well as natural filters reducing runoff into our streams and waterways. Selected shrub willow genotypes grown in a buffer trial planted along the Tulpehocken Creek in 2020 were evaluated for growth potential during the 2021 growing season. Lysimeters within the trial were used to monitor ground water at the root zone of the willow. Ground water quality was evaluated weekly, along with photosynthetic capacity using a SPAD meter. In addition, remote sensing data was used to track the health of the vegetation along the Tulpehocken Creek. Ground water analysis, remote sensing data and willow plot observations will be presented.

Farrand Collins – C32

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: James Karlinsey
Evaluation of a Portable Gas Chromatography (GC) Instrument for Ester Separation and Analysis
Juan Perez; Brandon Seltzer; Farrand Collins
This work represents an evaluation of a portable gas chromatography (GC) instrument for separations involving a variety of short chain esters. Using ambient air as the mobile phase in a Vernier GC instrument with a maximum temperature and pressure of 120 degrees Celsius and 21.0 kPa, respectively, data from a mixture including (Methyl-2-Pentanone, Acetone, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Pentanone, and Hexanone) is presented. Variables including injection volume, pressure, and temperature are evaluated, with the goal of developing a dedicated GC lab to be offered to undergraduate students as an experiment in an introductory general chemistry lab.

Brian Conklin – B3

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Tami Mysliwiec
Tiny Plastics Making a Large Impact
Conklin, Brian; Gibbs, Eve
Microplastic contamination has become so ubiquitous across the planet that plastic particles have been found on top of Mount Everest and in the ocean’s deepest trenches. Currently, the average person consumes the equivalent of one credit card’s worth of plastic each week. However, microplastic pollution is poorly documented in Pennsylvania. A study into the types and quantity of microplastics contaminating the Blue Marsh Watershed is underway; to determine a baseline level of contamination. Samples over three months were obtained from three different sampling sites within the watershed. Microplastics were extracted via vacuum filtration and mounted on glass slides. Microscopic examination was used to identify and quantify the various microplastic contaminants of each sample. Analysis of the watershed has shown overall contamination of 30 microplastics per 100mL of water, with nearly 75% of the contamination coming from microfibers. Fragments and filaments make up the remaining contamination. Microbeads were only found in the lake and constituted 0.24% of the total pollutants.

Destinee Cook – D19

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
The Impact of Handedness on Cognitive Functioning
Destinee Cook
Historically, children have been forced to be right-hand dominant due to the misconception and negative association society has placed on left-handedness (Capizzi et al., 2017). The question of whether it is beneficial can be answered through research and understanding the impact of handedness on cognition. Roger Sperry’s work with split-brain patients revealed important information about the brain hemisphere communication and functional differences. The proposed study will assess differences in cognitive functioning between individuals based on their handedness (left vs. right-handedness). Specifically, we are interested in differences in language and facial recognition ability. We hypothesize left-handed individuals will demonstrate worse performance on language tasks and perform better on face recognition tasks relative to right-handed individuals. Language processing and facial recognition ability were tested by measuring the speed and accuracy of responses. Handedness was measured using a questionnaire. Our results support our hypothesis and demonstrate left-handers perform worse on language tasks and perform better on facial recognition tasks compared to right-handers.

MaryKate Cotter – D10

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Potential Juror Bias: Attitudes Toward the Insanity Defense
Cotter, MaryKate
The insanity defense is rarely used and rarely successful. Expert testimony in insanity defense cases is incredibly important – experts are seen as credible in the courtroom. It remains an open question, however, to what extent a juror’s perception on an insanity plea can be altered by experts in the courtroom. Verbiage has been found to change juror perception. This study investigated the public attitude toward those who are deemed criminally insane, and whether this influences decisions about treatment and sentencing. This study was particularly interested in how language used by experts in the courtroom affects juror verdicts. Participants, playing the role of jurors, reviewed one hypothetical trial scenario. Technical versus colloquial language used by experts were systematically manipulated across scenarios. Following this, participants were asked to report how they believe the hypothetical person should be sentenced. Technical word choice was predicted to lead to a guilty verdict, and a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict was predicted to be chosen when laymen’s terms were used. Results indicated that the language of experts creates a significant difference in verdict.

Chelsey Culbert – A4

Reading Area Community College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Alayne Fessler
Sjögren’s Syndrome: Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Treatment
Culbert, Chelsey M
When we think of autoimmune diseases, what comes to mind first? Multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease – these are just a few “big names” in clinical discourse. One disease still often overlooked in the medical community is known as Sjögren’s Syndrome. Symptoms vary and can mimic other disorders, and those with the disease often suffer for many years before receiving a formal diagnosis. For decades, it was considered a rare occurrence with unknown etiology. However, it is now estimated that over four million people in America alone suffer from it. Research is limited, but innovations in medical science and technology are promising. In this presentation, you will learn about the challenges of proper diagnosis, pathophysiology, and existing therapies for this debilitating disease.

Alyssa D’Achille – D07

Reading Area Community College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Carol Bean-Ritter
Can Pop Music Manipulate Emotions and Improve Mood?
Alyssa D’Achille
This paper examines the possibility of music to manipulate emotions and survey’s pop music’s ability to improve mood. Subjects of this study included ten volunteer students and faculty of Reading Area Community College. The procedure entailed participants answering three Likert questions on Survey Monkey, listening to 30 seconds of upbeat pop music, and then answering the same three Likert questions to evaluate pop music’s ability to enhance mood. Results of experimentation regarding pop music’s ability to manipulate emotion and improve mood suggest that there is not a significant change or improvement of mood after listening to thirty seconds of pop music.

Faith Dalavai – B1

Penn State Berks, Other
Faculty Sponsor: Kesha Williams
Moving to India: An Autoethnography
Dalavai, Faith P
We all experience a specific moment or a series of moments during our lives wherein we begin the journey to becoming who we will be for the rest of our lives, a defining moment. Defining moments are often used in autoethnographic research. This autoethnographic work emerges from my family’s move to Hyderabad, India. In this study, I use interviews and written transcripts of my own recollection to tell a retrospective narrative that explores the phenomena. More specifically, I examine how the sociocultural impact of this experience impacted my personality, behaviors/mannerisms and ultimately served as a catalyst for how I present in the world.

Nicholas Davis – D53

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Laub
28 Iterations Later: A Mathematical Model of a Zombie Apocalypse
Davis, Nicholas
A computer model is developed to describe the propagation of a Romero-esque zombie virus within a population. Parameters such as transmissibility, survival rate, natural immunity, virus mitigation strategies (fight, flight, etc) along with individuals’ mobility within the population are factored into the model. By adjusting the parameters of the model, we will describe how the propagation of the virus within the population evolves over time and which parameters have a dominant effect.

Salvatore DeFeo – B2

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Cheryl Nicholas
Medical Care for Transgender Men is Lacking: An Autoethnography
DeFeo, Salvatore A
Gender is a complicated social construct, and while one’s physical characteristics do not need to align with their gender identity in order to be valid, there are physical health implications to being transgender in today’s world. When it comes to general medical treatment or gender-affirming treatment, transgender people often face barriers when they seek medical care. This research takes an autoethnographic approach to the treatment of transgender patients, with a focus on transgender men and their medical needs. This paper combines events from my life with existing literature regarding the barriers faced by transgender patients seeking medical care to further contextualize my experiences as a patient in the American healthcare system. The three themes that are explored are a lack of specialized knowledge, sensitivity trainings, and adequate policies when it comes to the treatment of transgender patients. Previous research and my experiences allow me to reflect on the intentionality (or unintentionality) of the discrimination that I have faced and also makes clear that I am not the only transgender patient who has had to overcome these barriers to receive medical care.

Jordan Derr – A1

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Josh Miller
Alternate Reality Games, Their History, and Their Use in Marketing
Jordan Derr
This project explores the History of Alternate Reality Games, Also known as ARGs, The fundamental principles of the genre, Their History, and instances of their use in marketing both successful and unsuccessful. An ARG is a non traditional form of digital story telling that usually occurs across multiple platforms such as social media, dedicated websites, and real life events. Said story is advanced through player/viewer interaction with codes, puzzles, and other mediums such as comment sections and polls. Accompanying the written research is website presenting the writing and providing interactive examples of the various puzzles common to ARGs. The main focus will be on the marketing end and on recreating puzzles.

Aleksandr Dopko – P08

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Miller
Franch & Friends: A Salute to Traditional Animation (WIP)
Dopko, Aleksandr C
The entertainment industry’s monumental shift from traditional, hand-drawn cels to computer animation has been overwhelmingly successful. Animated programs now take less time to produce, they use up fewer resources, and they cost a mere fraction of what they used to cost. As computer technology continues to simplify the animating process, old-fashioned cel animation is widely considered a dead art form. Although there is no shortage of passion in modern productions, animating by hand took an enormous amount of effort and care, each frame telling its own story. My fascination and curiosity regarding the production of a traditional animation has led me to begin the production of an animated short. After studying classic animation principles and techniques, and creating countless pencil tests, the final form of the project is underway, as shown by this preview. Although the focus of my project is the animation itself, I carried out other aspects of the production, including the script, storyboard, and sound. The project is expected to be completed later this spring.

Jason Eidle – D06

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin Couchman
Colors and Lines: The Emotional Effect
Eidle, Jason C; Couchman, Justin J
The idea that images produce emotional responses in people has been theorized for a while. Quite a bit of research has been done on how specific aspects of images mimic features that people respond to. These previous experiments often looked at full geometrical shapes, and how changing the color of the shapes captures the attention of participants. However, this experiment will be focusing on how color and line type influence how participants feel about an image. Different images will be presented consisting of various colors and different line types. The current experiment produced multiple significant results. Mainly the results showed that different colors when measuring the amount of much anger, calmness, naturality, negativity, pleasantness, positivity, and completion had significant differences. Also changing line type for movement produced significant results, and it should be noted that the positivity measure had an interaction effect.

Alexandra Emile – D18

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Loneliness, Isolation, and the Brain
Emile, Alexandra; Greenauer, Nathan
The idea that feelings of loneliness over prolonged periods of time can be detrimental for one’s mental health is especially relevant considering current events. Specifically, national, and international responses to the COVID-19  pandemic have resulted in millions of people being locked down, quarantined, or socially distanced from one another for two years. To date, there is little to no research to examine how young adults’ level of loneliness, resulting in social isolation, produces cognitive changes. The present study examined differences between participants who were isolated and those who were not. The degree of loneliness was assessed for each group and differences in cognitive process was evaluated. Results indicate negatively affected some aspects of mental health. These results are discussed in relation to social isolation and cognitive decline.

Madison Fredericksen – A4

Penn State Berks, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Lindsey
The Consequences of Covid-19 on Mental Health
Fredericksen, Madison B
Mental health issues have been prominent in our society for the past few decades, receiving more attention and discussion since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020. The stress, worry, and other negative emotions that accompanied the Covid-19 pandemic amplified existing mental health issues, as well as caused the onset of problems on some. Through analyzing surveys conducted by various organizations prior to, during, and after the pandemic regarding mental health of the general population, it was evident that Covid-19 would have a significant negative impact on the overall mental health and well-being of the United States. Through this research, groups who were at high-risk of acquiring or intensifying mental health issues were identified. Some of these groups include young adults, students, parents with young children, people with disabilities, and households experiencing job or income loss. Overall, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to worsening mental health issues in the past two years, and is expected to continue to have a long-lasting, negative effect on society’s mental health.

Erin Gavin – C23

Penn State Berks, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ruth Daly
Analysis of energy emission, period, and magnetic field strength in magnetars
Gavin, Erin M
Magnetars are a category of neutron star (NS) with stronger magnetic fields than other NS and emit high levels of radiation as the magnetic field decays. Magnetic field evolution in magnetars also leads to a spin down, slowing the period of the star as it burns through its energy resources. In an analysis of short gamma ray bursts (sGRBs) and long gamma ray bursts (lGRBs) in magnetars, there was a correlation between initial period (P0) and energy wind emissions (Ewind). The analysis included 10 sGRBs and 67 lGRBs. The sGRBs in newborn magnetars demonstrate a logarithmic relationship between P0 and Ewind, indicating that higher Ewind during sGRB events decreased P0. The lGRBs demonstrated a negative linear relationship between log(P0) and log(Ewind), also indicating that a higher Ewind influences a lower P0. However, there was no significant indication of a relationship between magnetic field strength and either Ewind or jet energy emission in either sGRBs and lGRBs. Energy from jet and wind emissions in sGRBs and lGRBs does not directly influence the strength of the magnetic field, despite magnetic field decay powering magnetars.

Erica Giannotti – C17

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Diane Kraft
Chocolate – A Natural Source of Vitamin D?
Giannotti, Erica; Kraft, Diane
Vitamin D, among many other nutrients, is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies in the United States, as it is hard to obtain in adequate amounts. Despite vitamin D being added to foods such as milk and yogurt, there are few natural dietary sources of vitamin D. We agree with the findings of Kühn et. al, where their research clearly shows that chocolate contains distinguishable amounts of vitamin D. As an extension of their findings, we sent three chocolate samples to Heartland Assays to be analyzed for vitamin D through high-performance liquid chromatography. Our research shows appreciable amounts of vitamin D in each sample, yet vitamin D is still not widely declared on chocolate Nutrition Facts labels nor in national nutrient databases, such as USDA Food Data Central. In addition to analyzing current chocolate products, it is important to understand the process in which vitamin D is formed in chocolate. This occurs when the mold, ergot, found on the cocoa shell, is converted into ergosterol, vitamin D2, when exposed to sunlight during fermentation. The results of this research will be discussed in call to action to more accurately display foods which contain vitamin D.

Fernanda Gomez – D27

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
Root Attack
Gomez, Fernanda; Beam, Andrew; Stein, Daniel; Kromer, Jacob
During Lockdown, many people have found new difficulties in their haircare routines. These issues resulted from the inability to go to salons to have their roots redyed. This created a necessity for at home root dying techniques. Unfortunately, many of the current market options are difficult or even impossible to use on oneself. Root Attack is an attempt at solving these problems, by allowing users to dye their own roots at home. It allows users to mix dye, apply it to the roots of their hair, and mix it thoroughly to ensure even application. It also ensures ease of cleaning for a long lifetime of use. Root Attack is an all-in-one product that allows for solo root redying in the home.

Jeremiah Gonzalez – D24

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Catherine Mello
Loss Aversion, Blackjack, and the Mindset While Gambling.
Gonzalez, Jeremiah; Greenauer, Nathan
According to Kahneman and Taversky (1979), Loss Aversion is the tendency to experience losses more severely than equivalent gains. More recent studies have demonstrated that factors like cortisol levels, dopamine levels, and learning experiences may underlie people’s tendency to actively avoid losing by betting less money after suffering a loss. The present study aimed to use a game of Blackjack to examine the relationship between experiencing a loss after the first wager in a series and the amount of subsequent bets. The study employed a between participant design by manipulating the outcome of the first wager and recorded the amount of money bet each subsequent round. Overall, we found that participants who lost during their first wager bet less in subsequent rounds than participants who won their first wager. This information can help further the research into gambling addictions as well as inform people of gambling habits.

Cassidy Grebe – D17

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
The Influence of Social Media on Perception of Police
Grebe, Cassidy C; Greenauer, Nathan
During the last few years, topics related of law enforcement interactions and public involvement has been heavily discussed. In particular, the public has been using social media as a way to share their opinions and stories about their own interactions with the police. However, according to confirmation bias, people will often ignore information such as social media posts if they go against their own beliefs and only look at the information that aligns with their existing beliefs. In this study, we examined the role of confirmation bias baseline attitudes about law enforcement were obtained from participants using the Perception of Police Scale (Nadal & Kristoff, 2015). Subsequently, positive and negative social media posts about the police were shown to participants. Participants’ attitudes were evaluated again following this exposure. Results showed that the social media posts impacted participants’ perception of police.

Kate Griffin – D25

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Keith Feigenson
Xenophobic Attitudes, Political Ideology, and Physiologic Response to Refugee Imagery
Griffin, Kate; Feigenson, Keith
This research explored the relationship between xenophobic attitude, political ideology, and biological response. Spurred from the current Afghanistan refugee crisis, five different physiological responses were examined to see if different political ideologies influenced politically charged stimuli responses. Skin conductance levels (via Galvanic Skin Response) were measured, and statistical analyses were conducted taking into account political ideology and xenophobic attitudes. Albright College psychology students completed this experiment for extra credit in their participating courses. There was no significant main effect of xenophobic attitude on any of the physiological variables measured. Similarly, political ideology did not alter biological response. These findings could be due to research complications. Regardless, the lack of significant differences suggests that this area of research still needs additional focus to review if immigration attitudes are changing, or still being upheld by groups within society. Faculty Sponsor: Keith Feigenson

Jennifer Guzman – D02

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
The Process of Grief for Someone Who Anticipates the Loss of a Loved One vs. Someone Who Has Lost a Loved One.
Jennifer Guzman ; Nathan Greenauer
Grief is a major component for those who experienced a tragic loss. It is crucial that we properly grieve to cope effectively when we lose a loved one. Improper grieving can result in substandard performance in the job or school setting. In the school setting, it can result in low grades, acting out, and fights (Harris, 1991). The purpose of this study is to identify how the experience of losing a loved one impacts our lives, and how the actual experience compares to the anticipation of losing a loved one. The present study separated participants into two groups: those who reported having lost a loved one and those who anticipated the loss of a loved one. Participants reported how the experienced/anticipated loss affected several aspects of their life such as guilt and blame. Measures of anxiety, stress, and anxiety were also collected. The results indicated that a significant portion of participants have lost a loved one, and the effects of this loss are discussed.

Truc Phuong Ha – D26

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
How the Women’s Movement of the 1960s and 70s Changed Sartorial Choices
Ha, Truc Phuong and Burdett, Joycelyn
During the 1960s and 1970s, the women’s movement had a major impact on clothing choices. The women’s movement was an issue of women fighting for their rights and opportunities in the workforce. New clothing designs were introduced because of protests and demands for freedom of equality in genders. In the era of the 60s and 70s, clothing evolved from feminine dresses and miniskirts to masculine features. Gender-neutral trends also attracted attention in modern times. The evolution of clothing styles was used as a form of communication for women who to sought out equality.

Jenna Hunter – A1

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
Ditch the Sweats and Wear a Dress: The Shift in Style Choices After the Pandemic
Hunter, Jenna
The fashion industry has changed since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020. Now that the world is opening back up due to vaccine rollout and loosening restrictions, consumers are itching to get back to what was once considered normal. With the research done, it was found that customers of fashion are wanting to dress up and go out into the world to interact with other people again after almost two years of being stuck at home. This research went back into history to learn more about how people reacted after tragic world events, such as the Spanish Flu and both World Wars. It was taken into account the experiences of working over the Winter at the King of Prussia Nordstrom since before the pandemic and during it and how the coronavirus pandemic has effected the wardrobes of customers and how their wardrobes are changing with easing restrictions and high national vaccine percentage. There were many statements of professionals in the fashion industry through articles to support the observations were on the sales floor and information provided in these articles brought about knowledge of a new mindset that consumers will begin to have once the pandemic is truly over.

Jenna Hunter – A2

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
“Make Love, Not War”: The Hippie Counterculture and Their Sartorial Protest Against the Vietnam War
Hunter, Jenna; Burdett, Joycelyn
The Hippie countercultural group from the 1960s identified with and participated in anti-Vietnam War protests, which was also reflected in their clothing choice. The 1960s and late 1970s was a time of strong political divide in the United States of America. The hippies, or flower children, were primarily a white, middle-class group of people aging from teenagers to twenty-somethings who belong to the generation known as the Baby Boomers. The hippie identity stems from a notion of freedom from society, which aligns with the “Make Love, Not War” motto of the protests against the Vietnam War. This motto reflected in the sartorial choices they made. In terms of Hippie fashion, the saying was “anything goes” as long as it wasn’t the norm, and this even meant occasionally wearing no clothes at all. Hippie style was loose-fit for the mentality of liberation, psychedelically-printed inspired by the drugs they took, and whatever they wanted. The culture was rooted in the rejection of societal norms, and brought forth Western forms of East Asian spirituality, sexual liberation and the recreational use of drugs.

Claire Huynh – C02

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Smith
Determination of Iron Concentration in Different Animal Blood Using Flame Atomic Absorption
Huynh, Claire M.; Rock, Noah T.
Mammals require iron to produce hemoglobin, which is required to transport oxygen throughout the body. If the body does not have enough hemoglobin, the tissues and muscles are unable to work efficiently. However, at what concentration of iron does it take before someone develops iron deficiency and would it be the same for other mammals? This experiment utilizes flame atomic absorption which is used in the detection of heavy metals and biological fluids. The iron concentration of different mammal blood will be compared to a known concentration of iron to determine if it does vary from one mammal to another. The different mammal blood used are bovine, horse, porcine, rabbit, and sheep. The results show that the iron concentration should be different from one mammal to another depending on the size. It is expected that bigger mammals, such as cows and horses, require more iron for the muscles and tissues compared to smaller mammals, such as rabbits and bovines.

Amber Hymes Vargas – D35

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
The future of fashion: Digitalized
Amber Hymes-Vargas
HV. Amber Albright College

Digital Fashion houses and virtual marketing are the newest way for brands to communicate with their consumers and have impacted the future of the fashion industry. Fashion is evolving into the digital and virtual market as covid has impacted everyday fashion shows, businesses are realizing how to capitalize on this marketing tactic. Digital fashion houses allow brands to create digital-only garments instead of physical products. Virtual marketing allows for consumers to have more access to products and allows them to get a better idea of what they are looking to buy. It also gives businesses more chances to connect with their consumers on a closer level and gives them unique tactics to connect with new consumers. With digital fashion houses, can display their designs more cost efficiently, reach consumers and become more sustainable. Virtual marketing through social media and video games have also become successful as many brands have used this to reach gen-z and millennials. This new marketing tactic can lead the fashion industry into a variety of creative designs, as businesses try to adapt to this digital and virtual marketing.

Eden Jahn – C46

Alvernia University, Other
Faculty Sponsor: Thomas Franek
Preventative Strategies to Reduce the Incident Rate of Exertional Heat Illness
Jahn, Eden; Reinert, Sarah
E Jahn, & S Reinert, Alvernia University

In high school athletics alone, there are around 9,000 cases of exertional heat illness (EHI) annually. EHI is a term used to describe heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat edema, heat hyponatremia, and exertional heat stroke (EHS). The factors that influence each of these conditions must be understood so that athletic trainers can appropriately lessen the risk, and take appropriate action with athletes who develop EHI. Preventative strategies aim to reduce the incident rate of EHI among athletes. These preventative strategies include heat acclimatization, on-site wet bulb globe temperature assessment, use of weight charts to assess hydration level, preparticipation physical exams to screen for underlying risk factors, and precooling. This research provides clinicians, patients, and students with different preventative strategies that can aid in the reduction of the incident rate of EHI among athletes. Due to the high incident rate of athlete exposures to EHI and the rise of global temperatures, awareness of the need to utilize intervention to reduce EHI is essential.

Carmen Johnson – B2

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Teresa Gilliams
The Deconstruction of Family: How it Can Ruin a Child
Johnson,Carmen
Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” analyzes the idea of the perfect family within America being aligned with whiteness. She uses different families within a community to answer the question of how different African American families, who experienced varying levels of privilege due to colorism, attempt to find their place within a society that favors whiteness. Through the stories of the families, we get insight into the different ways that society has failed to protect Pecola, which eventually leads to her psychological demise. This essay will analyze the relationships between the parents and children within the novel, and how those relationships formed the way that the children view themselves as they navigate white society. I focus mainly on the two young female protagonists, Claudia and Pecola, their relationships with their families, and the different behaviors modeled to them. In doing this, I analyze how these different interactions and relationships inform their views of themselves as they mature and find their own place in a white centric society.

Alex Kabrich – C33

Alvernia University, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Alicia Sprow
Hemp as a Sustainable Building Material
Kabrich, Alexander; LaVerdure, Ethan
Alvernia’s Sustainability Office has been creating relationships with local organizations. A more recent one involves Coexist Build, an architecture company focused on environmentally friendly building practices. The carbon output of traditional building styles is one of the major issues that Coexist Build has set out to research and develop. The Coexist partnership has allowed Alvernia students to help contribute to the development of a more environmentally mindful building process and research the materials involved, including hempcrete. All materials for the structure are being researched to gather their environmental impact. This information alongside infield testing of the structure will give an overall reading of the carbon emissions involved in the building process. The student researchers are also gathering data on hemp crops located at Rodale Institute to compare traditional farming techniques with a more non-traditional technique known as no-till farming that leads to healthier soil. Overall, Coexist Build and the Alvernia students’ research contributes to the goal of building a structure that has a reduced carbon emission than one that is more traditionally built.

Lillian Kamman – C18

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: James Karlinsey
Column Chromatography Analysis of Dye Mixtures
Kristin Brintzenhoff; Lillian Kamman; and Kendra Sommers
Column chromatography is a separation mode that features a liquid mobile phase containing a mixture of the components that travels through a stationary phase packed in a column. Components travel through the column at different rates due to the intermolecular forces that exist between them and the different phases, making it an ideal experiment to be introduced in a general chemistry lab when intermolecular forces are addressed in the corresponding lecture. The goal of this work is to evaluate a variety of stationary phases and sample mixtures to develop the framework of an experiment that can be varied by individuals or groups in an introductory general chemistry lab.

Jessica Kantrowitz – B5

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: David Webb
The Abuse of Darwinism (and Social Darwinism) for the Purposes of Discrimination
Kantrowitz, Jessica
Throughout most of history, people have tried to justify their discrimination against other groups of people in any way they can, especially using biology and evolutionary theories as reason. When Charles Darwin published his book “On the Origin of Species”, introducing his theory of evolution and the work and experiments he did to prove this theory, it caused many to question their previous bigoted beliefs. For some, however, Darwin’s theory of evolution, which would come to be referred to simply as Darwinism, only further proved their biases, or they could, at least, make it sound like they did. Later on, Herbert Spencer took the concept of Darwinism and applied it to society, thus creating the concept of Social Darwinism. Due to its nature of explaining why certain people “survive” and thrive better in society, Social Darwinism is entirely a justification of bigotry. In my presentation, I will examine the many ways that Darwinism and Social Darwinism have been used to justify discrimination. I will be pointing out specific language used in these justifications, with the hopes of examining the current state of America’s problem with bigotry.

Matt Kauffman – B3

Penn State Berks, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Lindsey
Food for Thought: Does Limiting Your Caloric Intake Reduce the Aging Process?
Kauffman, Matt
The field of biogerontology is a newly evolving field of research, focusing on the biological basis of aging. One area of biogerontology seeks to discover if there is a link between what—or how much—we eat and the aging process at a cellular level. One of many observed diets is caloric restriction (CR), which has been shown to decrease the aging process in a variety of species. The mechanism by which this occurs is still being identified and agreed on, but several processes have been proposed; sirtuin activity and/or reduced ability of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are both proposed mechanisms for which this anti-aging diet works. Moreover, the range of species that have been identified stretches from as simple as C. elegans to as human-like as the rhesus monkey. As such, CR appears to be a beneficial diet for us to integrate into our daily lives. However, the lack and impossibility of human studies make it so the research that was done should be considered with some skepticism. Through researching the current studies done on a wide range of species, a determination of how worthwhile CR in humans can be made.

Sarah Kim – B4

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
Women’s Costume: The Effect of World War II on Women’s Clothing
Kim, Sarah and Burdett, Joycelyn
World War II created major changes in women’s lifestyle and daily costume. The dramatic changes in the cut of garments from the 1930s to the 1940s was due to war time rationing caused by L-85 orders. Women were encouraged to get jobs and support the troops while still remaining feminine, women were constantly reminded that they needed to be feminine and so they wore makeup to work and incorporated womanly touches into work clothing such as pants, overalls and coveralls. Women worked hard jobs and tough hours, many going home and performing domestic duties on top of their jobs. At the end of the war women returned home and men filled back into jobs, got married and helped create the baby boom. Women’s fashions changed at the end of the war to more feminine silhouettes such as the “New Look” designed by Christian Dior.

Kaiya Kizuka – D42

Penn State Berks, Other
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
Dual Axis Steering Model
Kizuka, Kaiya H; Kenny, Kevin F; Fitser, Cody R
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team developed a system call Dual Axis Steering (DAS) that allows the driver of the car to change the front toe angle with simple inputs from the steering column. The mission of this project was to design such a system using hydraulics in order to prove that such a system is possible and feasible. Vehicle alignment is an important part of how a vehicle drives, handles, rides, etc. The focus of this project is on the adjustment of the toe angle in the front wheels of a vehicle. Most all production vehicles have fixed toe angles that need to be adjusted with the proper tools in a shop. This means the toe angle is set while the vehicle is stationary and needs to be done prior to driving. The driver would be able to adapt the vehicle to the road conditions and driving style at any given time by having the toe angle more adjustable.

Meaghan Klaburner – D03

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ana Ruiz
Pilot Study: Sense of Community in Groups
Klaburner, Meaghan
The sense of community in a group allows for more effective completion of group tasks, and the overall relationships among the group. Can the number of hours and the type of activities in those hours determine the sense of community in a group? By using two groups of participants, each varying in overall time spent together within their groups as well as having different workday tasks, we were able to analyze their sense of community. A t-test showed no significant differences in pretest/posttest levels of sense of community between groups. The data shows that there is no significant difference in the levels of sense of communities between the groups. There was no difference between the first and second data collection. Limitations include misunderstanding of scale directions by one group (possibly leading to difference in the first data collection), and the smaller number of participants. Faculty Advisor:

Dani Kline – D33

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Paula Trimpey
Blowing Up Period Patterns
Kline, Dani
Ready-made sewing patterns for just about anything can be easily found and purchased today. However, when looking to make period clothing, it is not so simple. Historical sewing patterns are easily accessible in many costuming books, yet they are scaled down to fit the page. Costumers can take the pattern pieces directly from the page and blow them up to make a proper pattern. Often the pattern pieces in the book are illustrated over a grid and the scaling measurement is provided to clarify their true sizes. The position of the pattern piece on the given grid and the scaling measurement allow the costumer to reproduce the pattern on dot pattern paper using a ruler and French curve. In this poster, I will demonstrate how to scale up a pattern for the bodice of a women’s ball gown from the Victorian Crinoline period circa 1860.

Connor Knowlan – B1

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Michele Ramsey
Selling Products using established characters: A Rhetorical Analysis on Comic Book Hostess Cupcake Advertisements
Knowlan, Connor M.
Media often contain characters that can be used outside of the genre that made them popular, such as using characters in advertisements to sell a product. Characters have been used in product advertisements for decades, and comic book character Spider-Man is one of the most famous fictional characters used to sell different products. One of the most well-known companies that used Spider-Man in their advertising materials was Hostess Cupcakes. During the early 1970s, numerous Hostess Cupcakes advertisements were published in comics using Spider-Man and his supporting cast. The advertisements were modeled after comic books to make it harder for the reader to differentiate between the comic book and the actual advertisement itself. A rhetorical analysis was performed on a selection of these advertisements to study the effectiveness of using Spider-Man and other characters to sell products.

Marcela Kraft – D16

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Laura Gelety
Life after Trauma – A Shift from Childhood Trauma to Mental and Physical Well-Being in Adulthood
Kraft, Marcela M; Gelety, Laura
Childhood trauma has the power to change several structures of the human brain and body, affecting many systems, including the nervous, endocrine, immune, and digestive systems. Unaddressed childhood trauma is so detrimental that the adult individual can become hyper-vigilant and live in constant fear. In recent years, research has yielded new findings on the impact of adverse childhood trauma in adulthood, showing that adults of childhood trauma are more susceptible to mental health problems and chronic physical health conditions. For this project, my objective is to assess the collateral effects of childhood trauma in adults based on how these adults experience the world after trauma. Specifically, I will assess how experiences with adverse childhood trauma are related to a person’s overall physical and mental well-being in adulthood. An anonymous survey will be sent approximately 200 adults ages 25 years and older. I will then conduct a series of correlational analyses on the collected data to determine if there are any significant relationships between participants’ reported experiences with childhood trauma, their current mental and physical well-being, and daily life habits.

Ethan Kuhn – D45

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Dale Litwhiler
Door Motion Energy Harvesting and Storage Investigation
Kuhn, Ethan; Litwhiler, Dale;
The harvesting of energy from small, unconventional sources is becoming more practical. The act of a human opening a door can be employed as a means of producing energy which can be captured and stored for use by electronic devices. In the investigation presented here, the energy required to operate a card-swipe electronic door lock would be obtained from the motion of the door itself using unconventional techniques for this small-scale application. The technique of storing energy in the form of an elevated fluid reservoir is investigated. The fluid, is pumped up to the reservoir during the door opening operation. When enough fluid is stored, it would be released to fall through a turbine-driven generator to produce electricity to charge a battery. Each cycle would produce a predictable packet of stored energy. The investigation shows that net energy harvested is greater than that required by the lock to perform the unlock procedure thus the system is sustainable. Tests and calculations for the imposed burden on the door user are shown. Results from proof-of-concept pump testing is presented. Proposed designs for pump installation are also introduced.

Aislinn Kujawski – D14

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
College-Aged Students’ Beliefs of Diets Claiming to Improve Mental Health
Kujawski, Aislinn

Whole-Food-based diets have been shown to improve mental health, decreasing depression, anxiety, and stress. The purpose of this study is to examine college students’ beliefs about whole-food diets. Mental health was assessed using numerous generalized psychological tests for anxiety, depression, and stress. Additionally, the role of socioeconomic status was considered. After answering these questionnaires, participants rated prompts on generalized beliefs about several diet characteristics (e.g., would they engage in a diet claiming to produce healthier skin and hair). Multiple diet plans were examined, differing in what foods the diets incorporated and the generalized improvements they claimed. Participants were also asked to rank how likely they were to try each diet. The results of this study will potentially encourage participants to take a second look at whole-food studies claiming to improve mental health, potentially aiding them in better mental and physical health.

Tshedup Lama – C42

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Dooren Burdalski
Circularity on the Rise: The Denim Industry Build for a Cleaner Future
Tshedup Lama
This research is focused on the rise of circularity in the denim industry and the steps that are being taken to build toward a cleaner future. The denim industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, but that also comes with bigger sustainable problems. Textile waste is continuously on the rise and so is the use of natural resources. The lifecycle of one pair of jeans uses approximately 1,800 gallons of water, many chemicals, and energy. Consumers are now more conscious of their buying habits and the harmful effects of the industry. The Denim Industry is planning a circular future, circularity is the goal to reduce the number of resources used to produce denim and it sees the entire lifestyle of a garment so it can be recycled and reused. Foundations like the Ellen MacArthur have been focused on creating a circular economy for fashion with a vision to design products to be used more, made to be made again, and made from safe and recycled or renewable inputs

Tshedup Lama – S11

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: MeeAe Oh-Ranck
Sustainable Wear Inspired by Abstract Art
Tshedup Lama
This collection is based on a well-known painter Wassily Kandinsky and his abstract paintings. Primary and secondary research was done to gain inspiration for new ideas and designs. The research had a specific focus on shapes, structure, texture, prints, details, color, and cultural and historical influence. I explored and experimented with color combinations and different textile pairings. Secondly, multiples sketches were created with fabric swatches and combined into one look, and samples were produced before it was applied to the final garment. The importance of sustainability was highlighted for this project where the goal was to achieve zero waste. This concept of zero waste was applied to the collection where I utilized fabrics and scraps donated to Albright fashion students. This final wearable garment consists of an oversized shawl and pants crafted with an intricately detailed patchwork of sustainably sourced scrap fabrics to create wearable art.

Emily Leggiero – C35

Kutztown University, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christopher Sacchi
Physical Responses to Environmental Conditions: An Analysis of Secondary Growth Based on Altitude and Azimuth
Leggiero, Emily C; Sacchi, Christopher
The Ronald R. Rhein Environmental Area is a plot of land that Kutztown University bought in the 1970s in the name of conservation. Students and faculty visit for research since it is commonly used as a ‘natural laboratory’. The once-abandoned cornfield has since undergone ecological succession but has been plagued with invasives in the understory. The primary native tree at this location is the Black Walnut (Juglan nigra). Invasive species like Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium vimineum) and Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) outcompete native offspring and choke out seedlings trying to establish. This GIS analysis helps the university further understand the health of the current mature Black Walnut trees by examining the relationship between the environmental pressures these organisms are growing in and their physical indication of fitness. This analysis also locates potential areas that hold ideal conditions for the Black Walnut species for future invasive control and native restoration efforts.

Brea Lesher – D30

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
Working out & Fitting in: Is Athleisure Wear Here to Stay?
Lesher, B
During the pandemic, the health and wellness industry grew as consumers became health-conscious from being locked inside for many months. The initial increase came from the rise of consumers’ shift in health-conscious mindset. With this shift, companies had to make adjustments to meet the demand of consumers’ at-home needs. At-home and digital fitness sectors saw growth meeting consumers’ needs for both equipment and other subscription services. The digital platform played a large role in the growth of fitness, as it allowed consumers to stay connected with their yoga instructions via zoom, along with streaming classes from devices like Peloton. Not only were consumers taking control of how they were working out, but also what they were working out in. While seeing an increase before the pandemic, athleisure wear began to see a larger increase during this time and is continuing to see growth. Nearly two years into the pandemic, health, and wellness are still important as some businesses and jobs have not returned to their offices or moved to a hybrid schedule. Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski

Jocelyn LewisJohnson – A3

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Lisa Wilder
The Delivery of Social Protection Programs in Reducing Inequalities for Citizens’ Well-being
Lewis-Johnson, Jocelyn S.
The research aims to study the effects of social protection expenditures on income inequality in relation to income distribution preferences. One of the key components of the social protection floor is to decrease the discrepancies of inequalities among citizens to increase overall welfare. However, previous studies concluded different results regarding social protection effect on income inequality. This study aims to investigate the effects of social protection programs in political regimes have on income distribution in regard to citizens’ preferences. To understand governments’ effectiveness in decreasing inequalities, the study uses citizens’ perceptions and country level indicators to investigate the relationship between social protection, political systems, and income distribution. The paper measures citizens’ life satisfaction and national pride in democratic countries and non-democratic countries by income level. Based on empirical analysis, the findings suggest that low- and high-income individuals are satisfied in more democratic countries but decreased national pride. Also, the paper analyzes the preferences of income distribution.

Alyssa Lingenfelter – D40

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Marietta Scanlon
JARS
Lingenfelter, Alyssa; Francisco, James; Hole, Everett; Kovar-Lietz, Cooper; Hill, Michael
The JARS robot is a snake like robot that extends and contracts while rotating on a spool inside its housing unit. The purpose of the robot is to replace the need of first responders during disaster search missions. The robot will enter the collapsed or burnt building and provide live video feedback to first responders as it navigates through debris, fire, and liquid spills.

Gabrielle List – D20

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Bridget Hearon
Effect of Media Messaging on Acceptance of COVID-19 Public Health Precautions
List, Gabrielle; Hearon, Bridget
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals have differed in their level of compliance with public health recommendations. Although political ideology has been linked with compliance, further research is needed to determine the perceptions of COVID-19 public health recommendations and the impact of media messaging. 215 participants were asked to answer questionnaires regarding empathy, ambivalent sexism, political ideology, religiosity, fear of COVID-19, and acceptance of COVID-19 precautions. They were then randomly assigned to one of four conditions: a CNN news article, the CNN article labeled Fox News, a Fox News article, or the Fox article labeled CNN to determine the impact of media messaging and news source on acceptance of COVID-19 public health recommendations. Results revealed participants with more conservative political ideology, greater religiosity and ambivalent sexism reported lower baseline acceptance of and compliance with public health recommendations such as vaccination, masking, and social distancing. There were no main effects of condition on belief and intentions of mask wearing, social distancing, and vaccine importance over time.

Ryan Long – C16

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Recktenwald
Visual Recognition of Landing Substrates in Northern Leopard Frogs
Long, Ryan M
There has been previous research of a frog’s (Rana pipiens) visual system and how they perceive color. They have been shown to collide with low relative reflectance objects, as well as recognizing them as places to hide such as being a hole to jump in, but it has not been studied if this changes when there is a reason not to. With this background and information we set out to test the theory if the frog recognizes something as a hiding place whether it will avoid going onto a substrate that is shown they are drawn to for refuge. This was tested by setting up an enclosure for the frog It was discovered that Frogs had a tendency to avoid substrates more as relative reflectance dropped. This seemed to back up the theory that frogs recognize these areas as places to hide. This was done by having the frogs in an enclosure with a substrate between them and a cricket. Substrate colors being white, gray, and black. With their relative reflective being 60.3lx, 28.0lx, and 12.4lx respectively.

Matthew Lonzinski – C44

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Erin Kraal
Emphasizing Student Relevance and Skill Building Through Science
Lonzinski, Matthew T.
Education is not just about teaching students content, but about helping students to grow to be productive and successful members of their community. To foster a meaningful and engaging learning experience for all students, a large emphasis must be placed on skill building and establishing relevance in (and out) of the classroom. In this project, I have looked at many different sources to find the best methods of employing these strategies when teaching science to students. Implementing the results found by these researchers, I developed two different science projects for a voluntary afterschool program. Students were provided with various household items to create model rockets (launched using air pressure) and Mars rovers. Students dealt with various stipulations (weight, material cost, etc.), and used skills of critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, and time management. These projects were based on topics of student interest, and allowed prior knowledge (of aerodynamics, friction forces, etc.) to be applied. These projects highlighted two common themes: incorporating wonder and student-centered learning into teaching.

Bianka Louissaint – P02

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
A Raisin In The Sun
Louissaint, Bianka S
My character is Beneatha from A Raisin in The Sun, a 1959 award-winning play by Lorraine Hansberry. The play centers around a Black family in Chicago who are facing racism and housing discrimination as they try to move to a new neighborhood. Beneatha, a young bright woman with career aspirations, is talking to Joseph Asagai, a Yoruba student from Nigeria. While Beneatha is having a flashback to when she was a child, she recounts a situation that shocked her and reminds her why she has a passion for becoming a doctor. In this scene, I will focus on motivated movement and stage business to enhance my character’s emotions. By using the fourth wall as the window to the memory, I will pull the audience into her world. This monologue resonates with me personally because I remember I had a dream of becoming an air traffic controller and working in the tower to help guide the pilots while they are on land and in the air.

Mikaela Luksic – C24

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: James Karlinsey
Extraction of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons via Soxhlet Apparatus
Luksic, Mikaela
This work represents an investigation into the use of a Soxhlet extractor to isolate polyaromatic hydrocarbons from soil samples. A Soxhlet apparatus allows for solvent recycling in a solid-liquid extraction where a determined volume of solvent containing extracted material is returned to a reservoir of solvent that is continually heated. Condensate is collected, and the solid sample is repeatedly bathed in fresh solvent to increase the extraction efficiency. This approach is useful when employing volatile solvents or large samples of solid material containing small quantities of solute to be extracted. Extraction yields from samples containing various levels of a known polyaromatic hydrocarbon are presented for comparison with data corresponding to extracted samples of Berks County soil. Such variables as choice of solvent, solvent volume, and number of extraction cycles are addressed. The broader goal of this experimentation is to develop an approach by which to investigate potentially harmful insecticides from a variety of sources (e.g., agricultural runoff, mosquito control) that may be transported in water and deposited in the sediment along streams and rivers.

Beau Ma – C30

Penn State Berks, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: James Karlinsey
Towards a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Degradation Scheme
Ma, Beau Y; Grim, Evan L
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a common thermoplastic polymer, and it is widely used in plastic bottles and food packaging. This usage has resulted in a need to efficiently dispose of or recycle the polymer. This work represents a preliminary investigation into the possibility of breaking down the polymer chemically. A summary of recent approaches to dealing with PET is provided, with a focus on a published report using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and hydrotalcite as a catalyst. This investigation plans to emulate the methods used in the report, using PET sheets and pre-prepared hydrotalcite, with the goal of degrading the PET sheets into oligomers. While other processes like the pyrolysis of PET have shown promise in other experiments, this methodーwhen fully optimizedーprovides an efficient method for both recycling and providing precursor chemicals to industry.

Joseph Maamari – D41

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Terry Speicher
Bomb Disposal Robot
Gardner, Nathan; Olson, Gavin
The given proposal for the bomb disposal project was to create a fully autonomous that would be able to locate and navigate to a “bomb” to then retrieve and take it to an intended location a total of three times in under five minutes. With the assumption that the project will be a success, this could be a game changer for the military, police force, and even common citizens to use against terroristic attacks. With the help of Vex Robotic parts, a power supply, motor, piezo buzzer, ultrasonic sensor, and the brains of the operations, which are the Arduino and Raspberry Pi micro controllers, our team was able to construct a solid design to successfully carry out the mission. The idea consists of fabricating a Vex Robot model of our own taste to carry all the working parts of the build, as well as programming the brains of the operation to be able to sense the signal the bomb emits, successfully navigate to the bomb, hoist the bomb, and return it to a specified location. A special bomb housing has been made in this case to carry the “bomb” along with the piezo buzzer circuit setup. Essentially the bomb releases a signal waiting to be sensed by the robot, to carry on its mission.

Alexis Mahon – A2

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
The Baby Doll Dress Emancipates Women Throughout the Decades
Clifford, Marie; Curcio, Jenna; Icon-Icon; Mahon, Alexis; Marcketti, Sara B.; Poland, Brenda; Rhode, Deborah L.; Singer, Olivia; Tortora, Phyllis G.; Tredre, Roger
In this report, we will explore how the iconic babydoll dress has evolved throughout the years and aided in the emancipation of women from social constrictions. Entering the early 1900’s, women were still being confined in corsets and hemlines that went to their ankles in order to portray the ideal image of a proper woman. Paul Poiret was the precursor to make an impact and liberate women from the confines of corsetry. His designs followed a woman’s fluid and natural lines of her body. Following in Poiret’s footsteps, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy reconfigured the original babydoll dress. This garment was a form of lingerie to only be worn at nighttime, but they redesigned it into a classical and refined garment that women could wear in public. With a more natural waistline and shorter hemline, a step forward had finally been made towards the liberation of women in social and gender constrictions of society.

Caleb Maier – D38

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
M-Commerce and E-Commerce Emergence and the Fashion Industry
Maier, Caleb
M-Commerce and E-Commerce have been around for a while, but a couple of years ago both really started gaining popularity among people who love shopping. The main difference between the two is mainly the device that is being used to shop. M-Commerce is normally done through a phone or tablet, whereas E-Commerce is mainly done through a laptop or desktop computer. M-Commerce is more likely to be used due to the fact that our phone is portable, and people can pull it out and just go to any app that you can make any kind of monetary transaction on. There have also been many luxury brands that have chosen to introduce mobile apps because a lot of people prefer shopping online rather than go in person because of COVID. M-Commerce also has some benefits to it such as better customer experience, it has a lot of growth potential, and there are more payment options. M-Commerce has also assisted in new industries emerge as well as helped existing ones grow. Even social medias such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have added features to their apps that let consumers buy directly on the app without them even leaving it, which is a pretty useful feature.

Sarah Mangan – C51

Reading Area Community College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Jodi Greene
Philadelphia’s First Gay Pride
Mangan, Sarah C
This poster examines the first pride parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first Philadelphia Pride parade was conducted by activist groups such as the Homophile Action League, the Gay Activists Alliance, and the Gay Pride Committee. The local newspapers showed a light on both “pro-pride” and “con-pride” voices. Notably, Bryna Aronson explained the reasoning and importance of the event. The pride parade was for gathering the community, educating the city, and changing local & state laws. On June 11th, 1972, over 2,500 people gathered for the parade. Marchers in the parade work masks or chains to place in a coffin at Independence Hall; this represents the shedding of the shame and guilt around being gay and lesbian. After the parade, Dr. Rubini noted that a professor at Temple University says that Philadelphia is becoming the “national center of gay liberation.”

Ryan Marsden – D50

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
Microfluidic Bandages
Ryan Marsden, Greg Ammon, Elias Brower, Maxime Boudeau
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Micro-fluidic Bandages Greg Ammon, Ryan Marsden, Elias Brower, Maxime Boudeau

The team has been designing and developing micro-fluidic bandages. These are medical-grade bandages that are designed with small channels that are used to deliver a saline solution directly to the wound and help it heal properly. By delivering saline to the wound in wetting and drying cycles we can control the moisture around the wound to create the ideal environment for healing. We are targeting mild to moderate wounds in severity and size to heal. The prototype has been developed using TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) 3D printing filament which is designed to be flexible and strong. The delivery system is a mechanical and electrical combination system that features a vacuum pump controlled by an Arduino microcontroller which is used with a hose and syringe to pump the fluid through. We hope that we can solve many of the problems that occur with wound treatment.

Emily Martin – D28

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Video Games Influence on Anxiety in College Students
Martin, Emily G
Contemporary studies show that there are advantages and disadvantages to playing video games to help relieve anxiety symptoms. Some studies have demonstrated that playing video games can be used as a distraction for some people. Video game playing can also induce
socialization and creativity, thus creating an outlet for some. Research has demonstrated that video games can reduce stress, with some indicating a possibility that video games can be used to reduce anxiety symptoms without the use of medication. However, other studies have shown disadvantages such as lack of motivation, and changes in sleeping, eating habits, and grades. It has also been shown that video game playing negatively affects behavior and mood. The present study aimed to address the question of whether video game playing increases or decreases anxiety levels in college students based on the type of game being played.   Anxiety levels were measured before and after two play sessions (participants played both a violent and a nonviolent game). These results are discussed in the context of contemporary research and theory.

Heather Mastrangelo – A3

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: John Walker
Conducting Equity Market Research for A.I.M. Portfolio
Mastrangelo, Heather
The Applied Investment Management (A.I.M.) class at Kutztown University gives its students the opportunity to learn about security analysis. The students (referred to as the “A.I.M Committee”) serve as fiduciaries on behalf of the Kutztown University Foundation. The students manage an equity portfolio with the goal of exceeding the performance of the S&P 500.
Since the inception of A.I.M., students have taken turns orally presenting “stock pitches”. These stock pitches consist of analyzing a company’s fundamentals, with the goal to make a buy, sell, or hold recommendation. The A.I.M. Committee is transitioning to writing equity reports, similar to equity market research prepared by professionals on Wall Street. This transition to written reports is to prepare students for careers on Wall Street.
I have made a study into Wall Street equity reports to gain an understanding of best practices for equity research. This knowledge will be shared with the A.I.M. Committee to help develop an equity report template and rubric. In addition, this research will provide guidance for future finance students who participate in the CFA Research Challenge, sponsored by CFA Institute.

Alyssa Matteoli – B3

Penn State Berks, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Lindsey
Purification of Dihydrofolate Reductase in E-Coli Cells
Matteoli, Alyssa
Protein purification is used to isolate a specific protein from a solution, and proteins can be purified to various extents. The purified proteins are then used for several purposes, including research, pharmacology, and commercial products. In these studies, GST-DHFR-His was purified from BL21 E-Coli cells and the enzymatic activity of the protein was measured. This was done by centrifugation to solubility fractions, affinity chromatography of DHFR, and de-salting of the sample. The DHFR protein was tagged with GST on its N-terminus in order to increase the solubility of the protein. A polyhistidine tag was also added on DHFR’s C-terminus in order to increase the affinity of the column for the protein. Once GST-DHFR-His was purified, the enzyme was tested for enzymatic activity to ensure the protein was active. The purpose of the experiment was to study different purification and tagging techniques and their effectiveness in terms of DHFR.

Stephen Maurer – D47

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
Mobile Sanke Keg Washer
Catechis, Daniel; Carter, Jason; Maurer, Stephen; Sterner, Tyler
This project develops a design concept for a compact keg washer for use in breweries with limited space. The solution developed utilizes a pump, heater, electrical control system, and a plumbing system composed of multiple ball valves and a diaphragm valve to direct and regulate fluid flow to accomplish a sanitary wash cycle. The solution has similar cleaning capabilities of larger commercial keg washers, but at a much smaller size and cost. The primary goal of the project was to develop a product that would fill a gap in the current market between hand washing and commercial keg washers. This project also addressed the specific design needs of the project sponsor, Willow Creek Brewing.

Douglas McCaskey – A2

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Francis Kumor
The Forgotten Music of Clair Omar Musser
McCaskey, Douglas A
The work of Clair Omar Musser is widely regarded in the percussive arts for establishing the identity of the marimba as a classically accepted instrument. Much of Musser’s work in creating this view of the marimba comes from his application of the formerly folk-style instrument to a more modernized Western Music setting. As the marimba did not have its own repertoire at the time, Musser and other marimba pioneers wrote and arranged music for the instrument and commissioned well-established composers to write new works to feature the marimba. Many of the earliest works for the marimba are written or arranged by Musser himself, though much of this material has been left unpublished and without performance. My presentation will focus on one of these unsung pieces, currently housed by Kutztown University’s Center for Mallet Percussion Research, providing both a brief overview of the piece and a pre-recorded video performance so that attendees may hear how this music may have sounded, had Musser published the arrangement some 70 years ago.

Daniel Melin – B2

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Jeffrey Voccola
“There’s Something Off About Her”: The Trope of Woman Villains Mad with Power in Fantasy Storytelling
Melin, Daniel M.
Over the course of the past fifty years, a recent and consistent literary trope has appeared in popular fantasy stories across several different mediums. This trope involves woman villains in said fantasy stories that essentially “go mad” with power and become what many call “insane” and “hysterical,” often suffering “psychotic breakdowns.” My paper makes the argument that the representation of female characters in this fashion is harmful in the representation of women in general. My thesis is supported through an analysis of five major examples of this trope in modern popular fiction, including Carrie White from Stephen King’s Carrie, Jean Grey from Marvel Comics’s The Dark Phoenix Saga and its many film adaptations, Wanda Maximoff from Marvel Studios’s television series WandaVision, along with its comic source material, Azula from the hit Nickelodeon television show Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Bellatrix Lestrange from J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book and film series. The majority of the analysis stems from my own knowledge and observation of storytelling, but also the perspectives of the authors on their own works.

Adriell Mercado – C28

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Smith
Cocaine Detection using Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical device for Gold Nanoparticle Colorimetric Assay
Mercado, Adriell H; Smith, Joshua E
My research involved using Gold Nanoparticles to detect cocaine in liquid substances. Using Gold Nanoparticles can be used as a detection method when analyzing and detecting cocaine due to the color change that happens when Gold Nanoparticles get added to a substance that contains Cocaine. This will be shown using a colorimetric Assay that shows the difference when Gold Nanoparticles is added to a substance that contains Cocaine. A Gold Nanoparticle solution is naturally a red color but when added to a solution that contains Cocaine then the color change would show and the solution will turn blue. For this procedure, some methods involved using the UV-VIS, pipetting techniques and mixing of solutions. This procedure can be a helpful technique used in the Forensic Field to detect Cocaine.

Claire Milus – B5

Penn State Berks,
Faculty Sponsor: Cheryl Nicholas
Interpersonal Communication within the Medical Context
Milus, Claire; Nicholas , Cheryl; Morant Williams, Kesha
Today, the medical field is one of the most vigorous and competitive work fields. We have seen technological advancements, patient-centeredness increase throughout history, and the relationship quality between doctors and their patients evolve. Research conducted on interpersonal communication displays the effects and changes in relationships between medical professionals and patients, and the impact soft skills training has had on the overall experiences of those in medical situations. Through the use and analysis of communication theories, Social Penetration and Symbolic Interactionalism, and my autoethnographic experiences, the research and topic provide the context for the importance, benefits, and improvements of interpersonal communication use and training future providers are vital for everyday human beings.

Megan Misurelli – C25

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Pamela Artz
A Model System of Anesthetic Binding Sites in the Blood Investigated By NMR Spectroscopy and Spectrofluorometry
Misurelli, M.; Artz, P.
In biochemistry, macromolecular binding sites are regions of specificity in interaction with other molecules. The aim of our current research is to investigate anesthetic binding to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The preliminary thought process of our research extends upon the work of Dubois et al. (1992,1993) in their 19F-NMR study and Xu et al. 19F-NMR Investigation (1996). In adapting from our previous literature studies, we have constructed an overarching goal of our model study and initiated an applicable setup for our respective studies using an anesthetic, isoflurane, and the protein, BSA. We aim to create a model system for anesthetic binding in the blood investigated through Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and spectrofluorometry. Based on our compiled literature sources, we aim to create a study of the binding properties explored through NMR and spectrofluorometry (Johansson, 1997). T2 measurements in NMR and intrinsic fluorescence are the selected targeted methods. The work will result in an outline for relevant biophysical and biochemical experiments where NMR and fluorometry methods are emphasized.

Rana Moawad – C13

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Tami Mysliwiec
An Inside Look on Eutrophication in Blue Marsh Reservoir by Identifying Cyanobacteria and Their Associated Toxin Genes
Moawad, Rana; Mellina, Kevin
The accumulation of harmful algal blooms (HABs) results in depletion of water quality due to overgrowth and toxin production by cyanobacteria. The purpose of this research project is to isolate, grow, and characterize cyanobacteria from the Blue Marsh watershed. Water samples were collected from the lake within the Blue Marsh watershed, an area commonly closed due to algal blooms. Cyanobacteria collected from our samples were grown in the laboratory. The cells were exposed to fluorescent light under the conditions of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark. The cyanobacteria cell line was expanded, and the cells were visualized by staining. DNA was extracted and analyzed using PCR. Specific primers were used to determine the species of cyanobacteria growing in the cell culture coming from our lake samples. Protein analysis was conducted to determine if there were microcystin proteins in the cyanobacteria culture. Additional PCR analysis was performed in an attempt to identify a phage in our samples as a means to inhibit the growth of cyanobacteria thus preventing HABs and improving water quality.

Dennis Morales – D12

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Religion’s influence on personal, educational, and professional choices
Morales, Dennis G
Religion can has a profound effect on an individual’s life and a society as a whole. According to previous research, religion has been shown to be a positive contributing factor on employment, career development, motivation, decision-making, depression, and anxiety. The present study investigated the relationship between an individual’s religious background and the influence it has in making personal choices and educational choices, in addition to professional choices. Participants completed surveys with questions asking about their devotion to a religion and how much of an influence it has on their experiences. In addition to professional choices emphasized in previous research, we also explored the impact on participants’ personal life and educational experiences. Our findings indicate that religion had much less of an effect on participants’ choices than hypothesized.

Trent Morris – D43

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Rungun Nathan
Modularity Retrofit of Ornithopter Robot for Quick-Change Wings
Hashish, Ahmed; Morris, Trent; Schrantz, Stephen; Young, Carter
A bird’s ability to fly by flapping its wings allows enhanced control which man made machines do not possess. Therefore, ornithopters (a robot which mimics flapping flight) were designed to capitalize on these benefits. The purpose of this project was to redesign one such ornithopter with increased modularity to be used in future development of wing designs. These changes include a quick-disconnect adapter and frame modifications to support various wing designs. Two new sets of wings were constructed as a proof of concept, one of which includes a hinge while the other is scaled down. A testing platform was developed to measure the difference in lift force generated by each wing design. The changes were tested based on speed of wing mounting and lift generated.

Emily Neff – A4

Kutztown University, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christopher Bloh
Behavior Intervention
Neff, Emily
The purpose of the study was to increase a participant’s recycling through positive reinforcement. Prior to the intervention, a Functional Behavior Assessment determined the function of the behavior. Data were collected for one month on the participant’s recycling, recording the number of times the target behavior was engaged in each day out of the number of opportunities to engage in the target behavior each day. Baseline data was collected for five consecutive days, and then the intervention was implemented for 26 days. Along with the consequences of positive reinforcement, antecedent interventions of prompting and direct instruction were utilized in order to increase the target behavior. Baseline data reported 0% recycling frequency for all 5 days and the last 9 consecutive days of the intervention reported 100% recycling frequency. While the data suggests that the intervention was successful, it is likely that variables outside of the study could have influenced the target behavior.

Jessica Newton – S01

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: John Gurney
Clarity’s World of the Magically Mundane
Newton, Jessica
Clarity McCreery has a problem— a crush, to be specific, on the new girl in town. Sabrina comes to her aunt’s candy shop every other day, but Clarity doesn’t have the nerve to ask her out. That is, until her aunt sets the date up for her. When getting ready, she comes across a mysterious cookbook with recipes that go beyond delicious and into fantastic. But will she be able to save the date when the recipe she tries ends up making her float out of control when she’s nervous? Find out in Clarity’s World of the Magically Mundane, a queer fantasy romance graphic novel written and drawn by myself, featuring characters and a setting I conceptualized in my high school years. With 32 pages in full color, Clarity’s is a tale of crushes, the anxiety they inspire, and that little spark of magic that can change them into something more.

Van Anh Nguyen – B5

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Emily Cripe
Language Barriers in Healthcare among Asian American Immigrants
Nguyen, Van Anh T
Language barriers have been known to be one of the factors that deter the effectiveness in communicating between patients and health providers. Immigrants tend to encounter language barriers regularly. Not being able to communicate and express what they mean can tremendously influence their daily social life. Miscommunication between patients and healthcare providers can lead to serious consequences, including death, overdoses, and medical errors. There are terminologies specified for the healthcare sector that only an elite few native speakers can understand. Mix-method with both quantitative and qualitative were used in this study by conducting interviews and an online survey. Participants (N = 105) across the U.S with diverse educational backgrounds and geographic locations are surveyed regarding their language barriers experience in healthcare. Also, thirteen participants are interviewed to see some factors that have an impact on the barriers and their suggestions on improving the healthcare quality for the immigrants in the United States. Results have shown a drastic number of participants who have experienced some sort of language barrier in health communication.

Nathanael Nimo – C29

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ondra Kielbasa
Protein Extraction and Concentration
Nimo, Nathanael; Kielbasa Ondra
My research involved utilizing the Bradford assay to quantify the amount of protein and a given sample as well as subtracting out any background interfering substances. The data will determine the amount of a specific protein or an array of different proteins in a sample. In succession, a Western Blot was used to detect a specific protein in a solution through the process of gel electrophoresis. This technique also helps to identify specific protein molecules among a mixture of proteins. Proteins are transferred to a safe membrane service. That sample is then probed with target-specific antibodies that could be detected allowing for quantification of the size and abundance of the bound proteins. Each sample is evaluated and put into comparison with a known control solution.

Olivia Oatman – A2

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: MeeAe Oh-Ranck
Appropriation vs. Appreciation: How the Fashion Industry is Plagiarizing Others Work
Olivia Oatman
As a society we forget that appreciation and appropriation surround our daily lives. Appreciation is a term regarding recognition of good qualities of either something or someone, whereas appropriation is the action of taking something for one’s use. This is related to fashion due to the ever growing fast fashion industry and pop culture buzz, artists are no longer giving recognition to designers or inspirational views that led to the creation of a garment. Within the fashion industry plagiarism is considered to be a “copy and paste” of someone else’s work while taking credit for the originality. The issue stands when a designer sees another artist’s work and chooses to not change anything or even very little in order to profit. Despite these accusations the trends continue on a clear path of plagiarizing another’s work for their own in order to make a profit, stomping on whoever gets in their way. Throughout my research I have found several A-list celebrities as well as corporations acting on plagiarism in order to gain profits and publicity. I plan on bringing awareness in hopes that there can be an end to plagiarism within the fashion industry while holding those accountable.

Charlotte Owens – B4

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: James Jackson
The DSM and Media: 1980-2021
Owens, Charlotte
Introduce the two ideas of “mental illness,” one defined by society and one being defined by the APA. Society might define a certain mental illness based on the media and news, such as movies, television shows, and more recently, social media. While these portrayals might be based on a real mental illness, the behaviors and feelings of those seen with these disorders can differ greatly from what everyday people with the disorder think and feel. This stigma created by the media effects how those in society interact with those with mental illnesses, even if these images are not accurate. The APA, however, is the one putting out the diagnostic criteria for those with these mental illnesses in the DSM. One important consideration about the DSM to make is that psychology is a relatively young field. In the DSM I, very little was truly known in comparison of what we know today. The DSM III was the first time the US broke away from the International Classification of Diseases by publishing explicit diagnostic criteria, an assessment system, and validation of these criteria among experts. There will be five mental disorders covered in the paper.

Samantha Oxenreider – D13

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Lateral Eye Movement and Acceptance of Misinformation
Oxenreider, Samantha
Previous research has been inconsistent in demonstrating that lateral eye movement following learning can increase the susceptibility to misinformation. These inconsistent findings may be due to methodological differences. The present study addressed these differences and examined whether eye movement causes individuals to accept misinformation as their own as part of their memory. Using a between-participant design, participants watch a video of a car accident immediately followed by an eye movement (or no movement) phase, before moving on to a misinformation task. Before and after eye movement participants were asked to rate the vividness and emotionality of the video. All participants completed a recognition test for the original video. Our results indicate that lateral eye movement does not significantly impact the accuracy of responses, the acceptance of misinformation or source attribution when recalling a memory.

Alexandra Pancu – A3

Albright College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
Female Liberation Through Fashion
Alexandra Pancu
Female Liberation Through Fashion
Alexandra Pancu
Paper Presentation:Abstract
1 April 2022

From inevitable political occurrences influencing female lifestyle in the 1940s, to irrevocable feminists fighting for freedom against the white man’s patriarchal world in the 1960s, sartorial patterns dictated the progressive standings of the feminist movement in history and how fashion changes helped get the western world where it is today when it comes to gender equality. The second wave of feminism was accompanied by several sociopolitical events and influential fashion contributions that ultimately promoted and demonstrated the movement’s fight for female liberation. Liberation from gender roles, sexist stereotypes, indefensible laws, and objectifying uncomfortable styles of dress were all things that the world of fashion aided in moving away from. Through major designer achievements, liberating inventions, and sociopolitical fashion events taking place between 1930 to 1980, history of fashion through a number of influential affairs, designers, and protests forever changed and accelerated feminism and freedom in womens dress.

Alexandra Pancu – A2

Albright College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: MeeAe Oh-Ranck
Issey Miyake: The Iconic Designer
Alexandra Pancu
Issey Miyake The Iconic Designer
Alexandra Pancu
Paper Presentation:Abstract
1 April 2022
Contemporary, unconventional, innovative, industrial, and inspirational, are all words to describe the fashion inventions of one very influential designer whose name is Miyake Issey Miyake; A man that forever changed the construct and views of fashion forever. This research is investigating Issey Miyake and his immense contributions to fashion including his East Meets West themes, A-POC design, Pleats Please line, and his japanese textile techniques. Miyake came out to play in the fashion industry and ended up leaving his mark and changing the world of fashion forever. With his unique backstory surviving the bombing of Hiroshima, his goal to join an optimistic field resulted in him making extremely optimistic impacts. From his creative ideologies, innovative designs, and textile expertise, using his japanese background and skills-ship, he became the most versatile avant-garde designer in the entire world. Through his expansion of the boundaries of clothing, his help in aiding in new modern technology methods of clothing production, and creativity through a culmination of fashion that involves

Krystal Perez – D32

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
Meta-Millions: Fashion Steps Out Reality & Goes Virtual
Perez, Krystal M.
The metaverse is a fairly new digital creation, and the stakes to enter are high and the pressure is rising. Upcoming brands want to be first in line to put something new and creative out into this virtual realm. The challenge brands are facing is understanding where they fit in the metaverse and how they can stand out in digital fashion, virtual stores, video games, and NFTs. If the brand doesn’t show authenticity, it could be a colossal failure, or it can be a gold mine for brands that can create unique digital designs successfully.
Video shopping and digital-only collections are trending in the virtual world of luxury brands as it showcases new digital technologies- like digital showrooms. While NFTs are being used to build brand-client relationships through their creations, and customers can ensure their authenticity through the Ethereum blockchain- where you can trade and sell NFTs with cryptocurrencies. On the gaming front, well-known, popular brands are teaming up with different game developers to create designs you can only access in virtual realities through gaming. The metaverse also gives back to fashion in reducing its environmental impact and giving small businesses e

Gillian Pierce – C01

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ian Rhile
Using nuclear Overhauser effect experiments to assign HNMR spectra in the undergraduate laboratory
Pierce, Gillian H; Rhile, Ian J
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing compounds, most of which contain hydrogen. One technique to identify organic compounds is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Each hydrogen in a compound produces a signal in an NMR spectrum, and each signal has a specific location, called a chemical shift. The chemical shift indicates structural information about hydrogen atoms relative to other groups of atoms. Despite having unique signals, some hydrogens cannot be assigned since they are similar and therefore, close in chemical shift. We have used an advanced technique, nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE), to perform these assignments. In a NOE experiment, a hydrogen atom is irradiated, and those close in space have an intense signal, while others further away are diminished or absent. Hence, the technique indicates hydrogen atoms that are close to each other in space and can allow for the assignment of hydrogen atoms. The results for ten compounds from organic chemistry 1, organic chemistry 2, and advanced organic chemistry laboratories will be presented. In addition, included will be proposals for incorporating them into these laboratories to enhance student understanding.

Susanna Pirollo – C45

Alvernia University, Other
Faculty Sponsor: Kimberly Stoudt
Biomechanical Factors Predicting Shoulder Injury in Overhead Throwing Athletes
Pirollo, Susanna J; Smith, Griffin T
Athletic trainers traditionally use general screening tools for athletes as part of a pre-partition exam. These general exams often exclude functional screening of the entire body to assess shoulder injuries in overhead throwing athletes. This approach fails to identify biomechanical faults along the kinetic chain that lead to compensatory movements during the overhead throwing motion which can increase the risk of injury. Can the identification of biomechanical faults in a comprehensive pre-screening protocol effectively identify overhead throwing athletes who are at a greater risk for shoulder injury? Athletic trainers need to reach a consensus when it comes to having a standardized pre-season screening protocol that looks at the whole body comprehensively to identify athletes at risk for injury and effectively prevent shoulder injuries in overhead throwing athletes. Any deficits in flexibility, strength, and ROM should be corrected and monitored with a targeted program of therapeutic exercise to be initiated prior to the start of the season and continued throughout.

Abigail Platero – D04

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin Couchman
Spirituality and its Role in Everyday Decision Making
Platero, Abigail; Couchman, Justin
Spirituality has been a driving force behind many actions of individuals in high-stress and stake situations. This study aims to explore the relationship of spirituality and everyday decision-making, more specifically, whether or not one’s spiritual affiliation has any bearing on the emotional intensity of which they react to everyday scenarios. This will be done by having participants self-identify as spiritual, non-spiritual, or neither, priming them with a video that corresponds to their affiliation. They are then asked to engage in various situational simulations, meant to mimic scenarios they may find in their everyday lives, and records their emotional responses in pre, and post-emotional tests, placed after each scenario. The data revealed that the spiritual affiliation, the outcome of each scenario, and the two effects combined, had no bearing on the intensity in which the emotions were felt. With more in-depth analysis and testing, a possible connection could be made as to whether or not spirituality affects one’s ability to emotionally cope with various situations.

Katie Raudenbush – S08

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Leigh Kane
Female Self Portraiture in Photography
Raudenbush, Katherine A.
The artistic contributions that women have made are innumerable and are evident in photographic self portraiture specifically. I consider different influential female photographers, both historical and contemporary, that have utilized self-portraiture. I examine their technical approaches to photography as well as their thematic, conceptual perspectives. The research focuses on a few aspects of photography, including physical processes, such as photogram, cyanotype, and film, as well as digital processes. My work strives to understand the nuances of female self portraiture while exhibiting both the relevancy of physical photography and the way it coexists with digital photography. Many of the photographs are in black and white or limited color, as I explore the relationship between the body, light, and shadow. Photography has a unique ability to depict the subtleties of light, shadow, and form, and thus I begin to understand how each affects the interpretation of the human body. I enlist my body to question the bounds of self portraiture and to discover if a suggestion or shadow of the body can be as much a representation of self as one’s immediately recognizable physical form.

Brian Rea – D51

Alvernia University, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: David Shoup
Predicting Volleyball Behavior Through Markov Chains
Rea, Brian
As sports owners and managers turn to analytics to aid in their decision making, the need for more accurate in-game models arises. Volleyball lends itself to discrete time modeling, as there are only finitely many states that exist during a match. Markov Chains use matrices to model events in which the probability of transitioning to the next state only depends on the previous state. Higher powers of the matrix yield the probability of transitioning to various states over time, and ultimately provides a limiting behavior for the system. This project attempts to use real world volleyball data to create an accurate simulation of a match, which could subsequently be used by managers to make better in-game decisions.

Erik Reyes – D46

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Terry Speicher
Outdoor Solar Powered Wheelchair Charger Station
Jared Eves, Luke Ruffner, Zachary Schell, Erik Reyes, Andrew Nelson
The SCC started working with the small, rural community of Williamsburg, PA in Blair County/central Pennsylvania in 2020, aiding in advancing the community’s goal towards the development of its existing trail as a broader asset. The idea of making the trail ‘hyper’ handicapped accessible resonated with the community and is receiving increased attention from other entities, including possible collaboration with the VA. The idea of increased trail accessibility is based on understanding the handicapped experience: to access locations especially wheelchair-bound individuals must consider more than curb cuts. From path surface to viewsheds, this project aims to tailor the Lower Trail section in Williamsburg (about 2 miles) to this audience. A team of students from Penn State Berks created a contraption that takes in energy from the sun and converts it to electrical energy that can power a wheelchair station that is renewable as it is accessible.

Alina Rodriguez – C38

Penn State Berks, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Abdullah Konak
AquaSafeAI: Securing waterways the safe way
Rodriguez, Alina M.; Naugle, Jonah; Gonzalez-Allie, Jahson; Kononenko, Valentina
For irrigation, livestock, and drinking water, farmers and rural communities in third world countries rely on various “off-grid” water points. When these water points dry up, or become unusable, people are unable to function without their source of water. AquaSafeAI is the concept of an application which will collect inputs from users, effectively crowdsourcing the water point data, and then will process it with an unsupervised AI algorithm in order to predict abnormalities. These abnormalities could be a warning for a drought, or problem in a certain region’s water sources. Then the output will be utilized by local organizations to provide aid to those affected by the drought, or unusable water source. It can also be utilized by locals, as they can view that a water point is not usable, and will avoid that point in favor of another one. I will talk about the details of this application, and its potential for helping those reliant on such water sources.

Adamary Rodriguez – B2

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Allan Bäck
Are the Mind and Body Separate?
Rodriguez, Adamary
One of the longstanding mysteries in philosophy and science is the interaction of mind and brain, given that they are separate. An even more pressing question is what the mind and body are. People have long tried to understand further the relationship is between physical states and mental states. One of these theories is known as dualism, which asserts that the body and the soul are separate substances, that can exist independently of each other. I will discuss such issues and theories from various philosophers in relation to the mind-body problem and their solutions. I shall argue for the separation of the mind and body as separate substances and aim to explain their relationship.

Erika Sales – C21

Alvernia University, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Stephen R. Campion
Molecular Modeling for Taking Different Perspectives of Prion Disease
Sales, Erika; Campion, Stephen.R
Prion disease is a degenerative neurological illness that affects the neuronal health and brain activity in humans and animals. Revisions of the typical protein structure leads to infectious proliferation of abnormal PrPc. This research explores the purpose of the protein’s distortion and its evolution. This study examined defined regions of repetitive amino acid sequence occurring in both mammalian and avian prion proteins, employing the molecular modeling software DSViewerPro. 3-D chemical structures, exhibiting potential repetitiveness in their spatial distribution of critical amino acid sidechains were developed, focusing on the construction of both right and left-hand helical forms having uniform dihedral angles and repetitive link of backbone H-bond donors and acceptors. Models showing a variety of helicity patterns, expressing the range of available spacing between successive hydrogen-bond partners are presented. Analyzing these hypothetical prion protein shapes may supply insight into the physicochemical properties of these molecules. I present material that could help define the evolution of prion disease and aide in development of pharmaceutical therapeutics.

Grace Santos – C47

Alvernia University, Other
Faculty Sponsor: Kimberly Stoudt
What is the Efficacy of Prophylactic Knee Bracing in Adolescent American Football Players?
Campbell, Sara; Santos, Grace
CLINICAL SCENARIO: Even though the first knee brace patent was submitted in 1946, debates continue over the advantages of wearing them during a contact sport to prevent knee injury. When reviewing the research on high school and collegiate level American football players, most articles were published before the turn of the century. Furthermore, these sources were not able to reach definitive conclusions on whether the braces were successful in preventing injuries. This has led to conflict between expert opinions on knee bracing to prevent injury.

BOTTOM LINE: Insufficient evidence and no consensus in sports medicine research have led to expert opinions determining the efficacy of prophylactic bracing. However, athletic trainers have continually used injury history as a tool to determine those who have had previous knee injuries which puts them at the highest risk for reinjury. If bracing is proven to be an effective injury prevention method, then the combination of patient history and prophylactic bracing can greatly decrease injury rates. This would decrease athletes’ loss of participation and the provider to patient ratio, both of which indicate high quality of patient care.

Sylvia Sarceno – C41

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
How the Fashion Industry is Staying Profitable After COVID-19
Sarceno, Sylvia E
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic began, fashion companies, along with luxury good companies, have seen serious impacts on their revenues. Many people have been in their homes for a year, so why would they have the need to purchase new clothes during a time in which they were not going anywhere? Despite this, the U.S market for the luxury industry has recovered faster than expected. It saw a 5 per cent growth in 2021 since 2019. This is due to the ability of the industry to adapt their “offerings” to this post-pandemic world. Many brands and retailers are investing in strategies that were working well during the pandemic, meaning they are focused on how inventory, small orders and social media are being managed. In addition, many retailers are being hyper mindful of their buying for the coming seasons. As retailers are putting in place steps to protect their finances and employees, they also must encompass the customers as a part of their plans. As with employees, communication is vital in engaging consumers. Merchandisers have to find ways to promoted a sense of consolation and cheer in the products that they are selling.

Zoe Satterthwaite – B1

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
Fashion and the Punk Movement
Satterthwaite, Zoe
The punk movement began in the 1970s and was extremely popular in New York City and the United Kingdom. Punk rockers used their music and their clothing to share their ideas of anarchy and postmodernism with the world. They stood against conformity, fascism, and the establishment, and wanted to rebel against their parents’ generation. (Revolting, 2016) By dressing completely different from society’s standards, the punks created their own fashion trends that eventually became globally popular and spread to the world of luxury fashion, therefore going against the true ideals of the punk rockers.

Olivia Scheipe – D37

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
Confidence & Comfortability: Creating a New Wardrobe for Cancer Patients
Scheipe, Olivia
Every year, over 900 thousand women will be diagnosed with cancer. These women deal with drastic lifestyle changes– from new eating habits, changes in routine, and specifically, new clothing. Cancer treatments cause side effects, which require many wardrobe alterations. Doctors recommend appropriate clothing for skin protection. Limited clothing options constrain a woman’s confidence. It ultimately makes them feel less empowered. There needs to be more done to help these women.
Brands such as Anaono, Wrapped in Love, and Savvi are identifying these problems. They are creating fashionable and appropriate clothing to build a cancer patient’s new wardrobe. In return, this provides comfort to these brave women, and helps distract them from their harsh reality. Finding fashionable and comfortable pieces is the one thing women can take control of. Fashion reflects one’s personality, and it is vital for these women to find those special pieces. The fashion industry can play a large role in developing a better community for women with cancer. Ultimately, this will provide new opportunities to build a better wardrobe without the expense of losing their personality and pride.

Alexis Schwenk – C12

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Smith
Animal hair spectral analysis with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy
Schwenk, Alexis; Levan, Carly
The instrument being used is Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. The
method behind how FTIR spectroscopy works by being an analytical technique that can be used to identify organic materials through the use of infrared scanning of the sample. The FTIR sends some radiation through the sample which is absorbed and some passes through the sample. The sample’s molecules transform the received light into rotational or vibrational energy. The signal at
the detector is represented as a spectrum, which displays the sample’s unique molecular fingerprint. Because each molecule or chemical structure has its own unique spectral fingerprint, FTIR is useful for molecular and chemical identification. The major finding that are expected in this experiment is that the animal hair samples will have easily observable differences in the spectral data when compared to each other. These findings fit into a larger context specifically in forensic science if there were hair fibers found at a crime scene the FTIR spectroscopy instrument could be used because all hair samples have a specific spectrum that can be observed and help in differentiating between animal hair and human hair

Brandon Seltzer – C08

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin DiAngelo
Effects of eIF4EHP Deficiency on Carbohydrate and Triglyceride Storage in Drosophila
Seltzer, Brandon D.; DiAngelo, Justin R.
Obesity is associated with many comorbidities and may be genetically linked. Most of these genetic links have yet to be studied. Drosophila melanogaster is an ideal model system to study obesity-related genes due to the similarities in metabolism and genetics with humans. Previous studies have identified eIF4EHP, a gene involved in protein synthesis, that may regulate triglyceride storage. Here, carbohydrate and triglyceride levels along with feeding behavior were measured in eIF4EHP mutants. eIF4EHP mutants stored less triglycerides, free glucose, and glycogen when compared to wildtype. eIF4EHP deficient flies ate less, which may account for decreased nutrient storage. To determine why eIF4EHP mutants stored less triglycerides and carbohydrates, expression of glycogen and triglyceride synthesis and breakdown genes were measured. Decreased expression in GLUT1, a glucose transporter, may account for the lower glycogen levels observed in the eIF4EHP mutants. Decreased expression in mdy, a lipid synthesis gene, may account for the deficit in triglyceride storage. These data suggest that eIF4EHP regulates the expression of metabolic enzymes to maintain homeostasis.

Sarah Shook – A3

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Armato
Why American Farmland Needs to be Preserved
Sarah Shook
Americans survived for years on agriculture and farmland to provide for each other and for others around the country. Our nation is losing that America culture and dream, which is detrimental. If agriculture and farming is not prioritized, we lose our nutritional resources, we lose networking between farms, and we potentially cause permanent loss of land. In Pennsylvania, especially, we are losing a large culture to the building of warehousing and developer, which is contributing to all detrimental potential loses. We can preserve our farmland and our American culture by doing the following; Keep farm networking within the local communities and local grocers and put jobs back into farming and agriculture with incentives and benefits from our state government, potentially aiding economic movement, and increasing GDP. Or preserve farmland with programs. In Northampton County Pennsylvania, a program called Northampton City Preserved Farmland was created for this purpose. We need to bring back our rural roots and preserving that American lifestyle. If we do not act now, we could be losing our pride in the American dream and a large part of American culture.

Cary Shurtz – S07

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Susan Duby
Contemporary Redefining of the Female Nude
Shurtz, Cary
The female nude is a motif that has transpired throughout art history. It has been used to represent a spectrum of women ranging from Goddesses and biblical figures to prostitutes, however, the commonality these paintings share is that they were painted for men, by men. Until the 1960s where the first Feminist Art movements began to take place, male painters decided how the female nude would look and what ideas of beauty would be expressed. Today, female artists, like Joan Semmel, Jenny Saville, Hayv Kahraman, and Gina Beavers, are reclaiming the female nude by combining it with ideas of body diversity that break away from traditional Western ideas of beauty. My painting has been inspired by the works of these women, where my goal was to portray the strength of the female body. The woman in the painting stands confidently in a traditionally male stance of power as she feels strong in her own skin. She represents the powerful presence of not only her body, but every woman’s body in a way that is independent of male or societal approval.

Safitaj Sindhar – C15

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Tami Mysliwiec
Extracting Superbugs: Detecting Antibiotic-Resistant Genes in the Sediment of the Blue Marsh Watershed
Sindhar, Safitaj; Dierker, Jaxon P.
Healthy waterways are essential for maintaining a safe water supply; however, pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms are cause for growing concern. Anthropogenic activities like agricultural use of pesticides and industrial discharge may contribute to this problem. Blue Marsh Watershed flows into the Delaware River and is an important water source for millions of people. This study monitored changes in microbial concentration and prevalence of antibiotic-resistance genes in sediment samples over time in the watershed. Each month, water and sediment samples were collected for chemical and microbial testing at three variant locations; a recreational site, an upstream agricultural site, and a downstream industrial site relative to Blue Marsh Lake. Genomic DNA (gDNA) was isolated from sediment samples and was analyzed for antibiotic-resistant genes using PCR analysis. Tetracycline- and ampicillin- resistance was found—55.3% of tet(A), 42.7% of tet(R), and 91.7% of ctx resistance was found in all samples analyzed. The results suggest that human activities may influence the frequency and genetic profile of pathogenic microbial communities within the Delaware River Watershed.

Tiffany Smith – D31

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
SIZE FOR ALL- Add inclusive sizing, A Size 2 can wear the Same Way as a size 32.
Tiffany Smith
While inclusive sizing has developed into more sizes among fashion brands, that does not mean customers are delighted. Plus, size clothing needs to be more accepted. A person who wears a size two should be able to wear the same garment as a size thirty-two. The fashion industry has plus sizes, petite and tall, but always endeavor to manufacture sizes to fulfill people’s needs to feel comfortable and beautiful in what they wear. Another problem is that some fashion brands do not carry plus sizes, petite or tall, instinctively feel excluded, and a person cannot shop at that type of store. Having dimensions for all will bring customers to shop at their stores and make customers feel self-assured by having clothes that fit them properly. Body Positive is a feminist movement representing women of all shapes and sizes and feeling confident in their bodies. Everyone should feel beautiful in their bodies and embrace self-love, self-acceptance, personal growth, and development.

Madelyne Snader – C49

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Maryann Brennan
Empowerment Education Intervention
Madelyne Snader
Entering adulthood is scary for any adolescent, adding being homeless on top of that even more so. While completing my Level II Occupational Therapy Fieldwork at a women’s shelter I came across a unique need from one of the teenage residents. Over the course of her treatment my peers and I realized that her, and many other teenagers experiencing homelessness did not have access to education on use of feminine products and had little awareness of both menstrual and sexual health. Over the remaining course of her treatment, I developed an online quick-reference pamphlet for her to utilize. By avoiding long and confusing clinical terminology and formatting in approachable language I was able to provide her with some more clear answers. In the ever-growing age of online, any question can be answered within a fingertip’s length. When it comes to health however, the internet is not always a dependable source. Given the sensitivity of the matter, teenagers more often than not turn to the internet to get some clarity on these subjects. I created this intervention to be discrete and clear, discerning the level of severity of the health concern and what the next steps should be.

Bria Stapleton – C50

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
Catch Up or Fall Behind: Fashion Industry Adopting 3D Design
Bria Stapleton
In today’s world, technology is increasingly being integrated into the lives of the general public. 3D digital design is growing extreme popularity as it plays a role in the growth of sales, marketing, and product creation within the retail industry. 3D design is created through the use of 3D modeling software; this software exists through programs that allow designers to create complex three-dimensional digital objects, and worlds for both them and consumers to inhabit. 3D design allows designers to see things that they may not always be able to view when using 2D design. Designers can visualize space requirements and improve the accuracy and efficiency of their drawings; with 3D design, designers can also test and validate their design, evaluate the fit, form, and functionality of the design, verify the tolerances, loads, and stresses of the design, and optimize manufacturability. My research focuses on the use of 3D digital design from fashion brands, the various design software used, and how 3D design assists the product development process by reducing the cost, reducing waste produced, and increasing production speed and accuracy.

Zachary Stein – P07

Reading Area Community College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
What Are You, a Bunch of Animals? – Short Play
Ellen “Dash” Walter, Shianne Ayala-Lind, Zachary Stein, Adain Bonner, Sarah Yeager, Bianka Louissaint, Mariela Caceras
This play was written as a light-hearted exemplar for our short playwriting assignment by our professor, but we loved performing it so much, we decided to bring it to life as an acting class ensemble. It embodies elements of all three movements we studied for this unit: Dadaism, surrealism, and symbolism. It embraces the randomness, gibberish, and political overtness of Dadaism, the unlocking of codes and metaphorical implications of surrealism, and the underlying meanings of objects and ideas found in symbolism. It spoke to us as a young generation wrestling with a world filled with a wall of hierarchical and institutional establishment. Above all, it asks us, “Do we really need to take sides?”

Taylor Sweigart – C03

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ondra Kielbasa
Bloodstain Analysis on Samples that Underwent Different Environmental Factors Over a Period of Six Weeks
Sweigart, Taylor R
The detection and identification of bloodstains at a forensic crime scene commonly occur. The usage of experimental biological human blood to perform both presumptive and confirmatory assays after undergoing different conditions and environments allows for an understanding of challenges encountered at a forensic scene. For six weeks, seven bloodstain samples are placed in controlled conditions and then analyzed to observe any changes in the contents of blood and the DNA in the blood. Using one presumptive and two confirmatory assays, the observations can be made. The presumptive assay performed is the phenolphthalein assay, which is one of many commonly used in the forensic field. The two confirmatory assays performed are Seratec HemDirect and DNA extraction with the usage of agarose gel electrophoresis and PCR.

Destiny Taylor – D01

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Nathan Greenauer
Psychological Motivators to Binge-Watching In The Midst Of Covid-19
Taylor, Destiny M; Greenauer, Nathan M
Binge-watching has become a common practice following the rise in viewer engagement with streaming services in recent years (Flayelle, et al., 2019). However, limited research has assessed how issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as social distancing and quarantine mandates, may have influenced binge-watching behavior. In two studies, we examine changes in media consumption, and the potential influence on feelings of depression, engagement, isolation, and loneliness these changes may have engendered.

Leslie Tolentino – D39

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Joycelyn Burdett
The Influential Fashion of The Black Panther Party
Leslie Tolentino
The Black Panther Party was a revolutionary political organization in the United States. They presented their political identity and activism through embracing their natural hair, the wearing of accessories, and incorporating symbolism into their clothing both in color scheme and images used. The Black Panther party had very specific goals that they wanted to achieve. What was once a Black Power Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr., A nonviolent protest tactic of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, became a practice of armed self-defense party that practiced against anti-black aggression by the Klu Klux Klan and other organizations like it. I present the many symbols in clothing and how the group used the appearance to help portray the message that change was being demanded.

Etsub Tolossa – C19

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Matthew Sonntag
Structure and stability of alkali borate glasses
Etsub Tolossa; Matthew Sonntag
The structure of glass is unique as it contains numerous short-range structures. The frequency of where the structural units appear depends on the composition of the glass, in terms of the amount of modifiers and former users. Modifying the ratio of modifier to former, the glasses also have different physical and chemical properties due to more abundant structures. To analyze the glass, Raman spectroscopy was used to look at the structural units in borosilicate glasses. The modifiers used were the alkali metals (lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium) in varying mol fractions; compared to the former boric acid. The heaviest modifiers used reacted readily with air to form the hydroxyl base of the cation while lithium and sodium did not. As a result, heavy modifiers slowed the vibrations in the glass, thus decreasing the frequency. The borate glasses were further analyzed by dissolution in an acidic and basic environment for 1hr and 10minutes leading to an hour. Through the exposure, the structural component, and the mass loss of the glasses over time were monitored. The borate glasses in the basic environment were different from the data collected in the acidic environment.

Huy Truong – C07

Penn State Berks, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin DiAngelo
Regulation of CPT1 splicing by protein kinase A under starvation in Drosophila fat tissue
Truong, Huy G.; DiAngelo, Justin R.
The storage of nutrients after a meal is an essential for the survival of individuals; specifically, fat metabolism is highly regulated under feasting or fasting. Previous studies have identified splicing proteins in regulating fat metabolism in Drosophila; however, the signaling molecules that activate these splicing proteins are not yet understood. A gene that is alternatively spliced in fly fat tissue is CPT1, a lipid breakdown enzyme. Observed that under starvation conditions, CPT1 splicing preferentially results in the production of the more active form of the enzyme, leading to increased triglyceride breakdown. One enzyme that is known to be involved in lipid breakdown is protein kinase A (PKA); however, it is unknown whether PKA plays a role in the splicing of CPT1. To determine if PKA is involved in CPT1 splicing we first identified Drosophila constructs to inhibit and activate PKA and observed expected changes in triglyceride and glucose concentrations. In control flies, there was more of the active form of CPT, but this was not the case when PKA was inhibited. The results suggest that PKA may play a part in regulating metabolic homeostasis under starvation conditions.

Micah Ulicny – C43

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Mark Wolfmeyer
Combatting White Supremacy in the Secondary Level Mathematics Classroom
Ulicny, Micah
In this project, I have examined the role that systems of white supremacy play in the secondary level mathematics classroom. To do this, I have examined broad aspects of white supremacy, such as the history white supremacy in America and its affect on society, education, and math. I have also examined the role mathematics plays in America; whether it primarily serves to advance economic interests and promote the white power structure, or whether it is democratic, impartial, and accessible to all regardless of background, the latter being the common conception and the former almost unheard of. Methods in which the mathematics classroom can be transformed into an inclusive and culturally relevant space are researched and implemented. I have applied this research to a unit plan which allows students to learn about proportional relationships with the real-world application of disproportionality among race in the U.S. prison system. In this project, I have sought to help assist the reader to become an active proponent of equity, who lessens the negative impacts of white supremacy for their students and their community.

Gigi Umstead – C39

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Soma Ghosh
The Advancement of the SDGs through Green Practices in the Hotel Industry: An Analysis of Commitments and Challenges
Umstead, G
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), launched in 2015, are in the final stretch of achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. The hotel industry is a major player in the United States, and around the globe in helping achieve the goals, by incorporating sustainable and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices into their business plans. The purpose of this paper is to examine the sustainability practices and challenges faced by three of the world’s largest hotel groups; Hilton, Accor, and Marriott, and, how they play a leading role in contributing to the SDGs. Social media shareable graphics and a website were developed to communicate major findings with a broader audience.
Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals, Major Hotel Groups, Green Practices, Corporate Social Responsibility

Zyaire Valentine – D34

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: MeeAe Oh-Ranck
Fashion Imitates Art
Zyaire Valentine
This presentation exhibits a CAD (Computer-Aid Design) mini fashion collection project. The collection was inspired by two impressionist paintings by Edouard Manet in order to produce a color story that would inspire the collection and its season. The final production of the collection demonstrates my ability with computer softwares such as Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop as well as the tools each platform possesses. The final production also displays design elements such as 2D & 3D elements while infusing personal aesthetics and design processes to create 4 cohesive looks using fabrics within the development of color story options. The project was used to show demonstration of software manipulation in order to add to a design portfolio to meet the industry standard.

Stephanie Vargas Hemmings – S06

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: MeeAe Oh-Ranck
Versailles XIV Collection
Stephanie Vargas Hemmings
Life at the Palace of Versailles was a highly ritualized experience. King Louis XIV, also known as the “Sun King” gave life to all things he touched. He and his Queen made sure to create a spectacle when it came to dressing. Though King Louis XIV would never attend sleeping in his bedroom he would host dressing ceremonies for all the hundreds of citizens to witness. This event is known as the official awakening. The room was aligned with the sun’s rays when it would rise and set to ensure the Sun King’s godly power. The beautiful interior design of the palace of Versailles, specifically the King’s bedroom, along with the history of the Sun King concept inspired the collection entitled Versailles XIV. Utilizing the color palettes of the bedroom and researching secondary sources of designer’s collections Versailles XIV Collection was created.

Stephanie Vargas Hemmings – A1

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Jocelyn Burdett
The Origin and Culture of the Zoot Suit
Stephanie Vargas Hemmings
The zoot suit is a popularized garment that revolutionized the 1940s in terms of culture and political statements. The suit originated from the African-American community, in the streets of Harlem, during the jazz music era that evolved into a subcultural identity for minorities, specifically Mexican-Americans and African-Americans. The garment is constructed with “enlarged shoulder pads, wide lapels, high-waisted, tight cuffed, pegged trousers” (Torfort and Marchketti, 2021). The oversized look of the garment was to allow the garment wearer movement in order to dance to jazz music. However, due to the L-85 law regulations that garment was prohibited to wear because of conserving fabric for the soldiers at war. This did not stop the Mexican-Americans from rejoicing in the garment as it was a part of their subcultural identity. Many Pachucos, the Mexican-American subculture identity, were abused and imprisoned for sporting the attire. Due to their persistence in embracing the zoot suit, it became a historical garment of culture that is still talked about and worn today.

Jennifer Vasquez Merino – B5

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth Kiester
The Intersectionality of Vulnerability: How Status, Detention, and Deportation Shape Immigrant Precarity  
Kiester, Elizabeth; Vasquez Merino, Jennifer
In order to better understand this issue, we conducted 39 semi-structured zoom interviews with immigrant service providers including lawyers, doctors, educators, caseworkers, and advocates in four states. Our findings suggest that while each of these mechanisms has its own effect on precarity, the combination of all three amplifies the fear, criminal narrative, and financial insecurity that immigrant communities face. First, the complexity and precariousness of immigrant status often leads to negative ramifications for immigrants and their families. Mixed-status families are equally impacted by negative assumptions, agitation within the community, and the chronic possibility of family disunion. Second, the use of detention or the threat of detention as a deterrent for future immigrants has a detrimental effect on immigrants, their families, and communities. When detention does occur, the negative impact is amplified throughout a community with emotional and financial ramifications. Finally, the chronic fear and stress caused by precarious status and the threat of detention is magnified when the worst possible outcome ensues for a community member: deportation.

Roman Voskoboynikov – C05

Penn State Berks, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin DiAngelo
The Role of SR Proteins in Drosophila Intestines to Regulate Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism
Voskoboynikov, Roman M.; DiAngelo, Justin R.
For the last several decades, the rate of human metabolic diseases has been increasing. These diseases arise from defects in the taking in and storing nutrients such as sugars and fats. To better understand the pathways used to absorb and store nutrients, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, was used as a model system. Previous studies have shown splicing factors, proteins used to generate a mature mRNA, affect lipid storage. While decreasing some SR proteins in fat tissue revealed an increase in triglyceride storage, whether they function in other tissues is unknown. This project focused on studying SR proteins in fly intestines by decreasing their levels in the fly gut using RNA interference and measuring triglycerides and carbohydrates. Knockdown of the SR protein 9G8 resulted in an increase in glycogen storage and a decrease in free glucose in females, while decreasing levels of SC35 demonstrated an increase in triglycerides in female flies. RSF-1 knockdown yielded an increase in triglycerides and glycogen in both sexes. Decreasing B52 had no effect on either macromolecule. These data suggest that SR proteins play diverse roles in nutrient storage in Drosophila intestines.

Tram Vuong – C04

Alvernia University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Jamie Becker
The impact of environmental factors on the consumption of an amphibian chytrid fungus by freshwater zooplankton
Vuong, Tram
Currently, the decline of amphibian species in the wild is a symbol of a global biodiversity crisis, mainly caused by outbreaks of infectious diseases. In particular, diseases caused by fungal infections are assessed to be more dangerous than other pathogens. In recent times, the fungus that causes chytridiomycosis, scientifically known as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a major cause of serious threats to diversity and is pushing amphibian populations to the brink of extinction. This emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is known to infect amphibians in their motile stage, which is called a zoospore. The free-living stage makes these zoospores more vulnerable to predation; therefore, the predation of fungi by crustaceans has the potential to regulate fungal densities and reduce the risk of infection in amphibian populations. For that reason, in this research, we will look at the preying of crustaceans, including Copepods, Ostracods, and Daphnia upon zoospores of Batrachochytrium, and the impact of environmental factors on their preying behavior.

Matthew Wacker – C48

Alvernia University, Other
Faculty Sponsor: Thomas Franek
Identification and Recognition of CTE Using Clinical Screening Tools
Wacker, Matthew; Walter, Noah
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a clinical diagnosis of neurological dysfunction following head trauma, typically presenting with acute symptoms of some degree of cognitive impairment. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is defined as a neurodegenerative disorder associated with repetitive TBIs.

Does the application of neurological, physical, cognitive, and emotional screening tools make identifying the onset, signs and symptoms, and progression of CTE more accurate and reliable for athletes in high-contact sports?

To accurately assess, quantify, and diagnose CTE the use of comprehensive screening tools needs to be used. Tools like Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Tool (ACE-R), SF-36 QoL, Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) etc.

The use of tools like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Addenbrook’s Cognitive Examination will accurately identify signs and symptoms of CTE.

Finding evidence of different age ranges can be difficult as most of the studies are done on retired athletes. These screening tools can be used to educate the public about the different effects concussions have on people.

Sidney Walker – C27

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christian Hamann
Converting Laboratory Waste into Cell Phone Battery Life
Walker, Sidney D; Hamann, Christian S; Piro, Nicholas A
Do you have your phone with you right now, or at least nearby? Are you counting on your battery to last until your next recharge? If your phone and its rechargeable battery are important to you, thank a chemist! Chemists make the additives that allow your battery to function when you need it to and to keep its charge through multiple charging cycles. This undergraduate research project, based on a common undergraduate chemistry laboratory, was designed to expand the number of compounds available for use in rechargeable batteries and to learn more about how they function. At this poster, you will learn about the class of chemicals (called dialkylated dimethoxybenzenes) commonly used in rechargeable batteries – how they are made, how they are characterized, and how they work in a battery. Better still, you will see how organic laboratory waste can be repurposed for rechargeable battery life. You are invited to bring your camera – er, phone to take a selfie with the presenter after reviewing the project. Be sure your battery is charged!

Amina Watson – D36

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski
Leaving the Formality of Reality: The Influence of Fashion Within the Metaverse on Consumers
Watson, Amina
The entrance of major fashion brands and designers in the Metaverse formed a sound relationship between fashion and the internet to create cyber garments for virtual platforms. But what exactly is the metaverse? The term was first coined in 1992 by sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson to describe a 3-D virtual space. Today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reimagines this space as a way of socializing through the platform, Meta. This augmented reality is labeled as “the future of the internet”, as Zuckerberg’s view is for users to play games, work, and connect with other users for platform-friendly activities. As designers and digital creators have more freedom in making digital clothing to be sold on virtual world programs, consumers have more freedom in what they wear, or what their avatars wear alongside continuous advancements in technology. The Metaverse itself will allow for virtual purchases, virtual styling, and virtual forums, a plus for those who work in the fashion industry. This presentation will discuss how the presence of fashion in the Metaverse will serve as a positive influence for consumer individuality, identity, and fashion sense. Faculty Sponsor: Doreen Burdalski

Nichole Wiley – B4

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Christopher Bloh
Teaching Fido Better Manners
Wiley, Nichole
This intervention targeted biting and chewing on non-food items for a family dog. A replacement behavior for the target behavior was chewing on toys. During baseline, the dog engaged in the target behaviors 2-3 times per hour. Positive reinforcement was implemented to reinforce the replacement behavior, while the target behaviors were negatively punished. The intervention appeared successful as the target behavior ranged from 2-5 occurrences an hour to approximately once every two hours at the conclusion of the study.

William Willoretta – D22

Reading Area Community College, First Year
Faculty Sponsor: Carol Bean-Ritter
How Different Font Sizes Affect Comprehension
Willoretta, William J
The poster presents the student’s study on how font size relates to student comprehension. There were 30 subjects from Reading Area Community College who participated in the survey by completing an online questionnaire based on a paragraph they had read prior to the questions. However, each survey’s paragraph was randomized between 3 previously selected font sizes in order to test for the participant’s comprehension of the paragraph. The study found that there was no statistically significant differences between the differing font sizes; showing that comprehension stayed about the same between the students irregardless of the font size. Additionally, regardless of the current limitations of the current study, it provides a good foundation for further studies into font size.

Nathan Wilson Rew – C37

Kutztown University, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Daniel Spiegel
Visualization of C++ Software Systems Using Makefiles
Wilson Rew, Nathan
Software systems usually consist of multiple source code files, and those files often depend upon each other. Tools like GNU Make, using makefiles, can simplify updating these dependencies after editing source code. Makefiles are automatically generated in some editing environments, but they can also be written by hand.

The difficulty of keeping track of a system’s structure can greatly increase as it becomes more complex. This can make it more difficult to write a makefile by hand or comprehend the actual state of the system. While neither the contents of the makefile nor the list of files included in source code make the structure of the system readily apparent, they do contain information required to infer and assemble that structure.

I am developing a web application that creates an interactive graphical representation of the dependencies within a system and highlights potential errors based on a C++ project organization scheme. The system is a visual depiction of a graph, where source code files and their dependencies are displayed as vertices and edges respectively, color-coded based on how well they fit the scheme. It will also indicate which files may require attention.

Austin Witinski – A4

Penn State Berks, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Lindsey
Carbon Emissions and Electric Cars
Witinski, Austin J
The current environmental damage due to carbon emissions only increases day by day, while the price at the pump has been on an uptick. This presentation is intended to explore the benefits of the expanding industry of electric cars and how it would change our daily lives. The research is intended to fixate on what can be done to make electric car usage mainstream, and the benefits associated with this change. Benefit research will focus on the potential of renewable energy means domestically and decreasing the transportation industry’s carbon footprint environmentally. The intent of the research is to inform and garner support for these improvements. Public awareness and knowledge is the first step in the direction of positive change and government policy.

Shelby Woodard – C52

Albright College, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Julia Heberle
Children’s Pretend Play: Existence vs Ontology, Object Modification, and Discussions of the Fantastical
Woodard, Shelby L.
How might children demonstrate an understanding of the difference between real as it refers to ontology (a real flower rather than fake) and real as it refers to existence (Santa Claus is not real)? Prior research suggested that this distinction represents a more advanced state of knowledge of real. The current study examines 3 –7-year-old children’s language use during joint pretend play as we hypothesize that pretend play with others offers the opportunity to freely discuss fantasy, possibilities of all sorts, to engage in imaginative play characteristic of this age, unconstrained by adult direction, knowledge and play structures. Transcripts of speech were selected from the CHILDES database archive for settings where children were engaged in joint unstructured play and utterances selected for containing ‘pretend’. Utterances were coded as referring to role/events/objects, and then for possibility/existence, as well as transformations across the animate/inanimate category boundary. We found little evidence of discussion on impossible or fantastical events and objects, and few transformations that crossed the animate/inanimate boundary, even in the oldest children’s speech.

Sarah Yeager – P05

Reading Area Community College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Walter
Haunted House – Short Play
Yeager, Sarah Bianka, Louissaint, Aidan Bonner, Ayala-Lind, Shianne
Learning about Dadaism, surrealism, and symbolism helped inspire me to write this play because I could write random thoughts and ideas without the constricts of normal narrative structure and potentially create a good story while calling upon the avant-garde elements of dramatic history. The play is about three friends moving into a new house and trying to start a new life. What the friends don’t realize is that the house has its own secrets. I played with the element of surprise. The script has three unlikely roommates, Mark, Shelly and Ana, who don’t actually know each other very well. While I did call upon some characteristics of my own friends, I also let my imagination run wild. I wanted to allude to the underlying things we don’t actually know about the people and circumstances around us. I am also the director of the play. This allowed me to truly experience the page-to-stage process for the first time. Once I saw my script brought to life on stage, it gave me encouragement. This endeavor has allowed me to believe in myself as not only an actor, but also as an overall artist. The process has been personally inspiring.

Xavier Zavala – D44

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Terry Speicher
Filament Extruder Shaper
Zavala, Xavier; Campbell, Michael
3D printing has become a popular method for creating small projects and prototypes for personal use and it continues to grow in popularity. With 3D printing becoming more common, recycling old plastic to create spools for printing is necessary for sustainability. The issue is that filament coming from recycled material needs to be as consistent as non-recycled material filament. The goal of the project is to create a kit that would aid in shaping the recycled plastic filament extruded from the extruder to the desired measurement of 1.75 ± 0.03mm with a round cross-section. The problem with the current extrusion method being used is that the filament is inconsistent in both shape and size which can result in printing errors when used in a 3D printer. The kit will correct inconsistencies to create smooth filament and be within the desired tolerance. To accomplish this, the approach was to have multiple modules to take the filament through a shaping process to create a spool of filament to be used in 3D printing.

Alyssa Zerbe – D05

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin Couchman
Piercings and Tattoos: Do They Leave Marks On Perception
Zerbe, Alyssa; Couchman, Justin
Previous studies have shown that there are numerous evaluations and preconceived notions from others when they see people with tattoos and piercings. Studies also show that first impressions are made within seconds of seeing someone’s face. We tested to see if tattoos and piercings had an effect on participants’ perception of age and maturity. The sample included nineteen college students. The participants viewed pictures of each photo provided and filled out a questionnaire. The eight photos contained male with tattoos, piercings, tattoos and piercings, neither and female with tattoos, piercings, tattoos and piercings and neither. Those that were involved participated for Psychology extra credit. We found that many variables were significant such as aggressiveness, estimated grades, friendship, happiness, age, and responsibility.

Binya Zhang – C20

Albright College, Third Year
Faculty Sponsor: Amy Greene
Osmotic Regulation in the Contractile Vacuole of Crithidia
Santos,Maris Leisy; Thakur, Shivangi; Zhang, Binya; Greene, Amy
Crithidia fasciculata are a useful model parasite in studying pathogenic parasitic diseases such as Chagas disease caused by T. cruzi. Both organisms rely on the contractile vacuole (CV), an organelle, for osmoregulation. We examined the osmoregulation of Crithidia cells by subjecting them to different ranges of osmotic and heat stress. Regulatory volume decrease (RVD) is a common response to hypoosmotic stress in these cells. Hypoosmotic stress causes initial swelling, but the CV will expel excess liquid and allow cells to return to normal volume; however, if cells are subjected to excessive amount of stress, the CV will fail to expel liquid. Data obtained from UV vis spectrophotometer show cells not recovering after being in 30% isotonic solution. Live-dead counts also show most cells regulating themselves efficiently when subjected to under 85% hypotonic solution at 27 °C and 37 °C for 10 minutes, but when incubation time was prolonged to 90 minutes, only cells under 75% hypotonic stress at 27 °C were efficient in osmoregulation as most were alive when examining under microscope. We do see an increase in death count for samples that were subjected to greater hypotonic stress.

Ashton Zillhardt – B1

Penn State Berks, Fourth Year
Faculty Sponsor: Jeanne Rose
When We Fall: A Young Adult Novel
Zillhardt, Ashton M
Over the past three years, I have been writing a Young Adult novel as my Penn State Schreyer Honors Thesis. The novel is called “When We Fall” and is about two former childhood friends, their complicated relationship, and what happens when one of them feels compelled to run away from their problems. The characters in my story, Alison and Connor, experience the same hardships with self-worth and identity that many young adults face. In my work with this powerful platform, I feel compelled to tell stories that will engage readers in conversations about their choices, values, and identities just as Young Adult authors such as Angie Thomas, John Green, and A.S. King have done for me.

In this presentation, I will read a five-minute sample from the novel’s first chapter to highlight exposition and craft. I will then discuss my revision process. I will share how, in my efforts to build suspense and mystery, I paid special attention to issues with pacing and puzzling out when to share and conceal information from readers. At the close of my presentation (or of the larger panel), I hope to engage in conversation among my fellow panelists and audience members about the craft of writing.

Stephanie Zolynski – D29

Albright College, Second Year
Faculty Sponsor: Justin Couchman
Societal Decisions Based on Personal Body Modifications
Zolynski, Stephanie L; Couchman, Justin J
Body modifications such as piercings, hair coloring, and tattoos, visible or not visible have become a part of society in recent years and are more accepted than 20 or so years ago. While employers are not supposed to make decisions based off of appearance or physical characteristics the stigma behind body modifications still holds true in the workplace and in everyday interactions in society. When an employer sees someone with different hair color or visible tattoos, they are less likely to select that person for the job even if that applicant is more qualified. This experiment explores how participants may view a subject with varying degrees of body modification and how likely they would be to form a relationship or hire them in the workforce.

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