DSU Research Day Program 2025

EIGHTH DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

RESEARCH DAY

Connecting Horizons: Innovation, Collaboration and Discovery for a Sustainable Future

APRIL 9, 2025

Greetings!

It is with great pride and purpose that I welcome you to our University for one of our richest traditions: Research Day.

The questions we ask today in our University’s learning laboratories—within and beyond our walls—provide answers to tomorrow’s toughest challenges.

The mission of thoughtful inquiry, research and scholarship is thriving here at Delaware State University! Our research portfolio is the largest in University history and we have once again been classified as an R2 "High Research Activity and Doctoral Production" institution by the 2025 Carnegie classifications. Of the 101 HBCU sister institutions, 14 hold the R2 status. The beauty of R2 and R1 institutions, particularly in the HBCU landscape, is the increased level of research opportunities for our undergraduate students. And I am proud to say that this was on full display a few weeks ago when United States Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester visited our Neuroscience and Water Quality Labs and interacted with many undergraduate researchers.

Ours is a proud HBCU tradition built on cooperation—mutual curiosity, community belonging, and individual self-esteem—up to the pinnacle: presentation of work proudly and boldly accomplished. Let us stand together on that peak today and enjoy the panorama of time, toil, risk, ambition, curiosity, confidence, and knowledge. What a wonderful view!

I congratulate each of you as well as those with whom you’ve partnered and collaborated on your outstanding achievements. Your contribution to Delaware State University’s research community is significant–a lasting legacy.

Today is a remarkable celebration of science and human inquiry here at Delaware State University.

It all matters,

Tony Allen, Ph.D. President

Welcome to Delaware State University’s Annual Research Day.

On behalf of the Division of Academic Affairs, I welcome you to this annual day of collaborative research between the Office of Undergraduate Studies, Office of Experiential Learning and Honors, Faculty Senate, and School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies. Today marks another enriching opportunity to showcase the scholarly research endeavors of University students, faculty, and staff from all disciplines across the University and to underscore the scholarly research activities which have historically been a part of the rich legacy of our University.

Recently, the American Council on Education (ACE) announced that Delaware State University has once again been conferred a Research Two (R2) Carnegie Classification, indicating the centrality of “high research activity” to our mission and strategic priorities, and to fostering a conducive environment for inquiry and discovery. Our Annual Research Day plays a pivotal role in promoting innovative ideas and practices, meaningful engagement, and academic achievement for everyone in attendance.

A wholehearted thank you goes to Dr. Gwendolyn Scott-Jones and the School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies for their ongoing commitment to coordinating this annual scholarly activity. I also want to thank all of today’s participants for the unwavering support that has always made Research Day such a tremendous success. Most importantly, I want to thank the students who boldly presented their research today. Spotlighting their growth and learning is another example of the importance of Research Day toward assisting our students in becoming the next generation of leaders and contributors in a global society.

Please review the itinerary and abstract submissions in the research booklet for today’s event and plan to attend the presentations. Your attendance in the sessions and interactions with the presenters will punctuate useful engagement and successful program outcomes.

I fully expect that you will find today’s activities thought-provoking and inspiring.

Best,

Patrice Gilliam, Ph.D. Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer

MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE, ADULT AND EXTENDED STUDIES

Greetings,

I am pleased to welcome you to Delaware State University’s Annual Research Day, hosted by the School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies. The Research Day Taskforce, which is comprised of DSU faculty, staff and students, has created a well-thought-out program for you that is centered around innovation, collaboration, and discovery for a sustainable future. You will be able to see diverse research interests and areas of scholarship produced by our students and faculty. Showcasing the talents of our students and faculty is a positive affirmation and demonstrates how proud we are of their work here at DSU.

Creating an environment for bringing together undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, staff, administration and the community has long been one of the most important hallmarks of the DSU experience. Today’s event will afford you an opportunity to introduce, collaborate, network and discuss topics relative to advancing research, promoting professional development and creating gainful employment opportunities.

I would like to thank everyone for participating today and a special thanks to the Research Day Taskforce, faculty, staff, and administrators who worked tirelessly and collaboratively to ensure that this day would be filled with engaging activities and cutting-edge scholarship. Your attendance and support are noteworthy and highly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Dr. Gwendolyn Scott-Jones Dean

On behalf of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors (URELAH) under the Office of Student Success and the Office of Academic Affairs at Delaware State University, the URELAH Team expresses sincere congratulations to all participants of the DSU Annual Research Day 2025.

To our scholars of the Delaware State University Honors Program, we are very proud of each of you as you uphold the goals of the Honors Program, academic excellence, professional and leadership development, including global and moral citizenship, as you continue to strive for greatness. Your achievements create a heartwarming masterpiece as your passion for learning continues to illuminate your path. Your dedication shines through!

To all Delaware State University undergraduate and graduate students, and to the Class of 2025, congratulations on your latest achievements! As you move forward with your academic goals, may you continue to succeed, grow, and obtain the best opportunities in your field of study. A well-deserved congratulations on your success!

To our faculty of Delaware State University, we thank you for your time and effort in teaching our scholars in addition to providing research opportunities to allow students to participate in such an important event. We thank you for the unwavering support to DSU students which has enriched their knowledge and made a profound impact on educational experiences. Your dedication to teaching and loyal commitment to our students is truly admirable.

We are confident that your research will make a significant contribution to your field. Congratulations to all as you fulfill the level of high excellence at Delaware State University. The DSU Hornet Nation is truly proud of each of you. Your achievements are a testament to your resilience and perseverance. We are pleased to have you participate in this outstanding and groundbreaking Research Day.

Sincerely,

Shonda L. Poe, Ed.D.

Executive Director, Office of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors Office of Student Success Office of Academic Affairs

MESSAGE FROM THE FACULTY RESEARCH COMMITTEE

On behalf of the Faculty Research Committee, welcome to DSU Research Day 2025!

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the diverse and impactful research of our students, trainees, and the faculty members across Delaware State University. At DSU, we are dedicated to building on our recent successes and expanding our influence across higher education as a premier teaching and research institution. Research Day showcases the confluence of these academic pillars. As scholars, our research informs our teaching and our teaching informs our students. This connection is vital and Research Day serves to reinforce the importance of this connection by celebrating the excellent work that is produced by both faculty and students.

The student presentations featured today are the culmination of both their scholarship and the mentorship of our dedicated faculty. Thanks to our students’ hard work and faculty support, we have a fantastic group of students presenting research from their classes, group projects, and graduate theses. These presentations highlight the importance of the expert guidance provided by faculty. I am very grateful to everyone who encouraged students to participate in this event.

Research Day is also an opportunity for faculty to engage with the research enterprise and with one another. Our faculty continue to raise the bar in terms of research output. Put simply, we are writing more, publishing more work in high quality outlets, and obtaining a record number of grants and external funding. Today’s faculty forum will highlight strategies and best practices for research excellence in a changing funding environment. Notwithstanding any challenges, we are making an impact by contributing to the scholarly and intellectual conversations within our respective fields and today we gather to advance those goals.

It is important to recognize that Research Day is made possible by the hard work on the part of the Research Day organizers, faculty, and student presenters. Many people have contributed to this effort and collectively we have put together an impressive program that we are excited to share with all of you.

I hope you enjoy it!

Sincerely,

Faculty Research Committee

Dr. Hakeem Lawal (Chair)

Dr. Janeese Brownlow

Dr. Zi (Nancy) Ning

Dr. Robert Marstellar

Dr. Karl Miletti

Dr. Melissa Harrington

Ms. Renee Jones

Ms. Katarzyna Rosikon

2025 RESEARCH PRESENTATION MODERATORS

Dr. Jason Bourke

Dr. Jan Christopher

Dr. Phyllis Collins

Dr. Joseph Fees

Dr. Myna German

Dr. Cara Gomez

Dr. Margaret Gulledge

Dr. Shahidul Islam

Dr. Kousar Jahan

Dr. Hakeem Lawal

Dr. Qi Lu

Dr. Yuriy Markushin

Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee

Dr. Erin Perchiniak

Dr. Rachel Pulverman-Silverman

Dr. Kevin Ralston

Dr. Chase Stratton

Dr. Antonette Todd

Dr. Amaranatha R. Vennapusa

Welcome to Research Day, celebrating curiosity, innovation, and the pursuit of knowledge. Today showcases not only your research but also your intellectual growth and limitless possibilities.

To our students, this day belongs to you. Your dedication to discovery is evident. You’ve labored in the lab, analyzed data, and refined your understanding. Research transforms questions into innovation, representing the future of science, technology, and the humanities. Witnessing your progress is an honor. Research Day is crucial for sharing your hard work and nurturing collaboration. It allows young scholars to present findings, engage with peers, and receive feedback, fostering an environment where ideas and innovations flourish. Beyond data presentations, Research Day signifies growth—learning from both setbacks and successes. Failure is a steppingstone to achievement. Your work builds resilience, critical thinking, and the skills to articulate complex ideas, which are essential in every facet of life.

As we listen to the presentations today, let’s honor not just the results but the journeys behind them. Recognize the dedication, late nights, and commitment to truth and innovation. Let’s support one another as research's true power unites minds for a shared purpose.

Thank you, faculty and mentors, for guiding these scholars and fostering their curiosity. Your belief in them matters greatly.

To our students, continue questioning, exploring, and pushing your limits. Your research today can change the world tomorrow.

Welcome to Research Day, the relentless pursuit of deep questions!

Tobenna Amanfo GSA President

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH

MISSION:

The Office of Graduate Studies and Research supports the mission of the University by providing infrastructural support for the development and implementation of transformative, high quality, graduate and professional degree programs that prepare leaders for the complexities of the 21st century.

VISION:

The Office of Graduate Studies and Research will promote the vision of the University by offering graduate and professional degree programs that conform to the highest standards required by respective accrediting and funding agencies in Delaware State University’s pursuit of excellence.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

The Office of Graduate Studies and Research will establish a structure along with processes and procedures to provide support in four key areas that it deems necessary for the successful matriculation of graduate students at Delaware State University.

 Admissions Processes — Establish an efficient and effective admissions process resulting in timely responses to graduate applicants.

 Academic Quality — Review and implement policies and procedures to ensure the quality of our academic programs.

 Student Services and Records Management — Implement and maintain a records management system for all currently enrolled graduate students consisting of admissions data, student progress to degree, admission to candidacy, defense of thesis or dissertation, time to degree, and graduation.

 Co-curricular and Professional Development Activities — In collaboration with the Graduate Student Association and academic programs, the Office of Graduate Studies and Research will provide services and implement activities for graduate students that provide professional development and networking opportunities.

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION

MISSION:

The Graduate Student Association supports the mission of the University by representing and advocating the interests of graduate students at Delaware State University, by providing a forum for free and open discussion of matters affecting this community, and by providing financial and organizational support for professional development and networking events within this community. Our desire is to create an environment for graduate students that provide co-curricular opportunities that advance student learning, foster respect from the University community, provide services for the University graduate community, and enhance the quality of life of the graduate student community.

GOALS:

• To provide a central agency by which the members may promote the interest and welfare of the University community.

• To further the development of a wholesome relationship among the administration and the graduate student community.

• To encourage the participation of graduate students in the identification of problems that relate to the graduate student community and to assist in the solutions to those problems.

OBJECTIVES THAT MEET GOALS:

• Establish a mechanism for timely information and programming exchange that addresses the needs of graduate students.

• Publish an annual report of summarizing graduate student accomplishments, activities, and needs for the next fiscal year.

• Collaborate with departments in the development and/or implementation of professional development and networking activities for graduate students.

• Establish a graduate student council with a representative from each program who can advocate the needs of their respective colleagues.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCIES:

Participants will display proficiencies in the following areas:

• Verbal and Written Communication — Participants in the graduate symposium will submit an abstract of their research or scholarly activity that will meet a content and formatting standard for acceptance. Symposium participants discuss their findings via a formal or poster presentation.

• Critical Thinking — Participants will be expected to develop strategies to address issues that impact their community of scholars and provide feedback in a timely fashion.

• Teambuilding/Interpersonal — Participants will be expected plan networking activities that will provide a positive impact for their community of scholars

• Scholarship — Participants will be expected to plan co-curricular activities that positively impact the intellectual climate at Delaware State University and surrounding community.

DELAWARE

HONORS PROGRAM MISSION:

The mission of the Honors Program at Delaware State University is to provide students with exceptional intellectual ability, motivation and commitment with superior learning opportunities that challenge them to reach new levels of academic excellence in scholarship and creativity.

HONORS PROGRAM VISION:

As graduates of the Delaware State University Honors Program, our students will become the first choice of employers and graduate and professional schools because of their recognized achievements and potential for success.

2024-2025 HONORS PROGRAM COUNCIL:

Dr. Danielle Archambault Associate Vice President, Office of Student Success

Dr. Shonda L. Poe

Executive Director, Office of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors (URELAH)

Dr. Rachel Pulverman-Silverman Chair, Honors Council Board, Department of Psychology

Dr. Jesse Zuba

Assistant Professor, Department of English & Foreign Languages

Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee Associate Professor, Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources

Dr. Chase Stratton Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

Dr. Padmini Banerjee Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Ms. Dianne Bogle

Associate Director, Office of URELAH

Mrs. Terry Pauls-Smith Program Assistant, Office of URELAH

Mr. Bryant Adams Student Representative, Honors Council

Ms. Blanca Teodoro

Mr. Sheldon Thompson

Student Representative, Honors Council

Student Representative, Honors Council

HONORS PROGRAM ASSOCIATION VISION:

The Honors Students Association (HSA) is dedicated to the cultivation, maturation, and outstanding academic achievement of the Delaware State University Honors students whose first priority is individual academic achievement while representing the University as a whole with honor and integrity. The HSA members provide social and scholastic support to the body and inspiration to all the Delaware State University students to achieve academic excellence.

HONORS PROGRAM GOALS:

The main objective of the HSA is for its members to be activity engaged in and support the Delaware State University Honors program. The goals of the HSA are:

1. For each member to earn a minimum of 3.25 GPA for each semester.

2. To motivate, support, and encourage each member in the successful completion of the Delaware State University Honors Curriculum.

3. For each member to earn membership in the National Honor Society of his/her discipline.

4. To provide social and scholastic activities for its members.

5. To function as a unit body of academic leaders who seek to motivate the Delaware State University student body to achieve academic success.

The Honors Program is designed to create and nurture a community of academically bright and talented students who value, and are committed to, excellence and intellectual pursuit. The Honors Program provides its students opportunities to engage in classroom processes that de-emphasize formal, impersonal lecturing methods and passive note taking, and instead utilize methods of colloquia and symposia that encourage active intellectual participation, discussion and involvement in the search for knowledge.

The Honors Curriculum is a four-year program that begins with honors courses being offered in the fall semester of the freshman year. The curriculum consists of: 12 credits of departmental-based honors courses; 6 credits of honors colloquia; and an honors senior research thesis in the students’ major. Honors level courses do not entail more assignments than a regular course; however, honors courses incorporate classroom discussion and peer assessment, and require students to engage in a deeper level of thinking and analysis. Honors students should exhibit improved:

a) analytical/critical thinking and logical reasoning skills;

b) problem solving and decision making skills;

c) coherent and persuasive oral and written communications skills; and d) skills necessary to perform research at a professional level.

The Honors Living-Learning Community is designed to integrate curricular and co-curricular experiences that supplement classroom learning and academic curricula. Within the honors community, honors students interact with faculty, residential staff, and student and adult leaders in the Delaware State University community. Honors students participate in service to Delaware State University and the local Dover community. Honors students are given the privilege of honors residential housing. Additionally, honors students have membership in the Honors Students Association, where they are given the opportunity to participate in social and extracurricular events.

The Honors Curriculum consists of the following category of courses:

• Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary Colloquia/Seminars

• Departmental Honors Courses including sections of general education courses

• Independent Honors Research/Study Project

• Honors Senior Research Thesis

Honors students may be eligible for the following activities:

• Merit Scholarships

• Honors Student Housing

• Internship Opportunities

• Study Abroad Programs

• Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates

A prospective honors student must have:

• A GPA of 3.25 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)

• A minimum combined SAT score of 1050 (Mathematics and Critical Reading) with at least 450 in each section

• Recommendations by two (2) high school or college instructors

• A 400-600 word, typed essay explaining why one wishes to be admitted to the Honors Program

• A list of academic and extracurricular achievements/awards.

In April each year, the Honors Council co-sponsors Delaware State University Research Day, at which time, all students are given the opportunity to present their research papers and creative works prepared under the guidance of faculty members, before audiences of students, faculty and staff. An Honors Recognition Ceremony follows that evening which recognizes motivated students who strive for excellence in their academic pursuits.

RESEARCH DAY

EIGHTH ANNUAL DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH DAY

AGENDA

April 9, 2025

9 A.M. – 9:30 A.M. WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS Bank of America Building, Room 113

9:30 A.M. – 12 P.M. UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE ORAL PRESENTATIONS Bank of America Building

12 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. GRAB AND GO LUNCH Bank of America Building, Room 309

STUDENT SHOWCASE

Bank of America Building, Room 101/111

GALLERY WALK: POSTER SHOWCASE Bank of America Building, 2nd Floor Open Space

1 P.M. – 2 P.M. APPLE KEYNOTE PRESENTATION Bank of America Building, Room 113

2 P.M. – 3 P.M. HONORS RECITAL Dr. William B. DeLauder Theater, Education & Humanities Building

2:30 P.M. – 3:15 P.M. FACULTY FORUM Bank of America Building

3:15 P.M. – 4 P.M. SESSION I (APPLE SESSION)

4 P.M. – 4:45 P.M. SESSION II (APPLE SESSION)

5 P.M. – 8 P.M. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center BANQUET APPLE PRESENTATION JPMORGAN CHASE PRESENTATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PRESENTERS DINNER

APPLE STUDENT Bank of America Building, 1st Floor/ Stock Market Glass Lounge SHOWCASE

ARTS & HUMANITIES

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

The Evolving Dynamics of Relationships Between Black Men and Women Amid Shifting Gender Roles

Xamara Coleman

Honors

Office

Thesis

of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors, Delaware State University

This study examines the evolving dynamics of relationships between Black men and women in the context of shifting gender roles, historical trauma, and societal advancements. Rooted in the concept of "Black Love"—a celebration of resilience and connection within the Black community—the research explores how historical disparities, such as unequal access to voting rights and economic opportunities, have shaped contemporary relationship dynamics.

Drawing on mixed-methods research, including surveys and qualitative analysis, this study highlights the impact of negative stereotypes, traditional gender role expectations, and the influence of social media on Black relationships. Findings reveal that while many Black individuals aspire to equal partnerships, societal pressures and internalized stereotypes often create tension, particularly as Black women's independence grows. Participants emphasize the importance of open communication, flexibility in gender roles, and rejecting toxic narratives to foster healthier relationships. The study concludes with recommendations for fostering stronger Black relationships, including candid conversations about gender expectations, challenging harmful stereotypes, and supporting Black women's achievements without intimidation.

Presentation Mode: Oral

The Power and Benefits of Learning a Second Language

Bryanna Dawson Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ali Department of Languages and Literatures, Delaware State University

In an increasingly globalized world, the ability to speak a second language is a valuable skill that offers numerous cognitive, academic, and social benefits. However, despite these advantages, language learning is often overlooked in the U.S., where foreign language education is not prioritized beyond primary education. This study explores the power of bilingualism and how learning a second language enhances brain function, academic performance, and cross-cultural understanding.

By reviewing neurological studies, educational research, and linguistic analyses, this study examines how bilingualism strengthens cognitive abilities such as memory, problem-solving, and adaptability. Research indicates that individuals who speak more than one language have denser gray matter, stronger neural connections, and a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Additionally, bilingualism has been linked to higher academic achievement, improved critical thinking skills, and better standardized test performance. Beyond cognitive and academic advantages, speaking a second language fosters cultural empathy, enhances communication skills, and provides better career opportunities in an interconnected world.

Despite these benefits, barriers to language acquisition persist, including socioeconomic disparities, lack of access to quality language programs, and individual differences in learning abilities. Future research should focus on increasing language learning opportunities in schools, expanding study abroad programs, and understanding how globalization continues to shape multilingual education. In conclusion, learning a second language is a powerful tool that strengthens the brain, improves academic performance, and deepens cultural awareness. To prepare students for the demands of a globalized society, the U.S. must place greater emphasis on language education and ensure that all learners, regardless of background, have access to quality language programs.

Presentation Mode: Oral

STUDENT

ARTS & HUMANITIES

Education Reform in Paraguay: A Hydra of a Problem

Faith King Department of Political Science, Delaware State University

This research seeks to examine the state of Paraguayan education. Paraguay is identified as having the worst education system in all of Latin America. This is due to the growing inequality present in the education system specifically in the disparities between urban and rural areas, gender and racial inequalities and disparity in quality of education across the country. The aim of the research is to provide practical, researchbased solutions for improving equity in education. This is done by analyzing the relevant literature into Paraguay’s educational disparities, countries with similar problems and solutions to similar problems through a comprehensive literature review. This study found that the ruralurban divide is the most significant barrier to establishing equitable education, gender inequality is shown though high dropout rates for girls especially in rural and indigenous communities, government funding is insufficient leadings to overcrowded classrooms and underpaid teachers, and education quality is low due to outdated curricula and teaching methods that fail to equip students with necessary life skills. The five proposed policies—investing in rural infrastructure, gender-inclusive education, bilingual education for Indigenous students, subsidizing education for low-income families, and modernizing teacher training—address the primary inequalities in Paraguay’s education system. Implementing these solutions will help reduce inequality along with ongoing and continuous government investment and support to improve educational outcomes in Paraguay.

Presentation Mode: Oral

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

CREP Contributions: Cultivating Awareness of Learning Style Misbeliefs at DSU

David Adam, Cianna Gibbs-Martin Research Advisor: Albee Mendoza

The learning styles theory suggests that students learn best when instruction matches their preferred modality—visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (e.g., Shah et al., 2013). However, extensive research has debunked this claim, identifying it as a neuromyth (Nancekivell, Shah, & Gelman, 2020; Newton & Miah, 2017). Specifically, Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) found that there are two groups of learning style believers: those who have a non-essentialist essentialist interpretation and those who hold an essentialist interpretation. They also found that there are no differences in beliefs of learning styles between educators and non-educators. The only significant predictor of beliefs of learning styles was the age of the population with whom the educators work. Despite this, belief in learning styles persists in higher education, with students more likely to endorse it than faculty (Dandy & Bendersky, 2014). Educators' beliefs about learning styles influence their instructional practices, further reinforcing these misconceptions among students (Bresnahan, Peterson, & Hattan, 2024). Prior research suggests that exposure to neuroscience and education training reduces, but does not eliminate, belief in neuromyths (Macdonald et al., 2017). As such, the present study investigates whether belief in learning styles declines with increasing education levels as part of the Collaborative Replication and Education Project (CREP) while replicating and expanding the Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) investigation. To examine this relationship, we conducted a 36-item survey at Delaware State University (DSU), asking participants to specify their academic or professional status (undergraduate student, graduate student, staff, or faculty) and respond to Likert-scale questions measuring their belief in learning styles. Data collection is underway from a diverse sample of the DSU community and will be analyzed to determine whether individuals with higher education levels are less likely to endorse learning styles. We propose that the results will reveal that undergraduate students are more likely to believe in learning styles compared to faculty and graduate students. Understanding how education level influences belief in learning styles can inform efforts to reduce reliance on debunked theories and promote more effective teaching practices.

Presentation format: Oral

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL

SCIENCES

From Culture to Career: Unraveling the Impact of Ethnic and Occupational Identity on Learning Style Beliefs

Tatiana Bowling, Si'Niya Stroble, Albee Mendoza

Student researchers in a Psychology Senior Research Seminar class at Delaware State University are conducting a replication of the Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) study as part of the Collaborative Replication and Education Project (CREP). Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) conducted two studies and described the myth of learning styles, which proposes that students learn better when the mode of instruction is tailored to a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning style. Study 1 revealed that there are two groups of learning style believers: those who have an essentialist interpretation and those who hold a non-essentialist interpretation. Study 2 revealed that there are no differences in beliefs of learning styles between educators and non-educators. The only significant predictor of beliefs of learning styles was the age of the population with whom the educators work. It appears that a factor that might influence beliefs about learning styles is age. Similarly, Cambiano, Devore, and Harvey (2001) found that generational differences impacted learning style preference. Another factor that might influence beliefs of learning styles is gender. For instance, Sarabi-Asiabar (2014) found that male students preferred to use the kinesthetic learning style more than females, while female students preferred the auditory learning style. Thus, in the replication of the Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) study, we hypothesize that (a) older individuals are less likely to believe in the concept of having distinct learning styles compared to younger individuals and (2) that gender may be a factor that determines learning styles. Like in the original study, an online survey will be administered to the participants to gain data on their beliefs. Unlike the original study, the survey will be disseminated in an HBCU community. The results of this replication study will help to understand the community of people here at DSU including staff, faculty, and students, and will give us insight into their beliefs about learning styles.

Presentation format: Oral

Misinformation in the Media

Grace Ezell

Misinformation has been around for thousands of years, and some of its first notes can be seen carved into stone or painted throughout the world as a means of influence. Now, with modern technology, false information can be spread at a neck-breaking speed to influence the masses of society. Whether people want to admit it or not, misinformation can influence individuals of all ages on a large or small scale. The study's objective is to try to understand how misinformation can impact people and whether people can distinguish truth from lies on their own. The two main methods of research are looking for patterns throughout survey results and conducting interviews from the age groups of young adults, adults, and senior citizens. While some of the results have been trickling in over the past few weeks, a few patterns have emerged. Firstly, misinformation clearly has varying effects on people of different age groups, as different falsehoods target distinct age groups. Additionally, the results have proved that society and individuals are swayed by misinformation in major and/or minor ways. By conducting this research and gathering the assorted results, I hope to find ways to potentially ease the misinformation crisis that is happening in this technological era.

Presentation format: Oral

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

From Culture to

Career:

Unraveling the Impact of Ethnic and Occupational Identity on Learning Style Beliefs

Zahra Flowers, Alisah Johnson, Nyasia Bradley, Albee Mendoza

The concept of learning styles (LS) has long been debated in educational psychology, with many believing that individuals have fixed and biologically determined LS. Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) examined this myth through the lens of psychological essentialism, which is the belief that certain traits, such as LS, are innate and unchangeable.

Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) examined the myth of learning styles (LS) through the lens of psychological essentialism, which is the belief that certain traits such as LS are innate and biologically fixed. Results revealed that essentialist believers view LS as unchangeable and hardwired while non-essentialist believers acknowledge LS but do not see them as biologically determined. Results also indicated that there was no significant difference between educators and non-educators in their beliefs about LS. Still, educators students found a strong preference for the visual learning style for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction.

For those with Asian ethnic backgrounds, Churngchow et al. (2020) found that students in working with younger children were more likely to believe that LS are fixed traits rather than flexible skills. These findings suggest that misconceptions about LS persist even among educators, highlighting the need for better dissemination of research on how learning occurs. Another factor that might influence beliefs of learning styles is ethnic background. For those with Middle Eastern ethnic backgrounds, Gilakjani (2012) found that Iranian university hailand schools fit into four learning styles: activists, reflectors, theorists, and pragmatists, with reflectors being the most common group.

This study seeks to replicate and expand upon the findings of Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) as part of the Collaborative Replication and Education Project (CREP). Specifically, it explores two key questions: (1) whether faculty or staff status influences beliefs about LS and (2) whether ethnic background plays a role in shaping these beliefs.

To investigate these questions, researchers created a flyer containing a QR code linked to an online survey. The survey was designed to assess participants' beliefs about LS and collect demographic information, including employment status and ethnic background.

Presentation format: Oral

Exploring the Learning Style Myth: Replicating a Study on Beliefs Across Diverse Populations at an HBCU

Jeremiah Lofland, Ciani Mitchell Research Advisor: Albee Mendoza

Introduction: The concept of learning styles visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and read/write has long been a prominent theory in educational psychology. Despite its widespread acceptance, recent studies have questioned the validity of the learning styles myth (e.g., Clinton-Lisell & Litzinger, 2024). In addition, it has been shown that education-related professionals are more likely to endorse learning style beliefs than those in STEM or business fields (Newton & Miah, 2017). Furthermore, bilingual individuals or those whose first language is not English may be more inclined to believe in learning styles due to their reliance on personalized strategies for second-language acquisition (Pasher et al., 2018). In 2020, a notable study by Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman explored beliefs about learning styles and found that there are two groups of learning style believers: those who have an essential interpretation and those who hold a non-essentialist interpretation.

Purpose or Problem Statement: The present study aims to replicate and extend the Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) study, which has been included in the Collaborative Replication and Education Project (CREP). However, there will be a specific focus on the beliefs about learning styles in bilingual individuals and people working in various occupations.

Methodology, Procedure, or Approach: Like the original study, online survey methodology will be used. Unlike the original study, participants will be from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Data will be collected anonymously, ensuring no participant-identifying

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

information is linked to the results. The study will also include specific questions regarding participants' first language and professional background.

Proposed Results: We anticipate that this study will replicate the findings of Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020), with a significant portion of the participants endorsing the concept of learning styles, particularly among those in education-related professions. We expect bilingual individuals, especially those who speak African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or other non-mainstream languages, may be more likely to endorse learning style beliefs. This research seeks to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of the learning styles myth by including participants from underrepresented groups, specifically those from bilingual and culturally diverse backgrounds.

Presentation: Oral

Work Hard, play hard: comparing food and non-food reward on a foraging task for rats

Raegan S. Logue, Riley K. Kendall, Ana K. Garcia, Brissa A. Bejarano, Andrew M. Wikenheiser

University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology

Laboratory tests of decision making in rats are typically motivated by food or water deprivation, and experimenters implicitly assume that rats seek to rationally maximize their earnings of these reinforcers. However, a rat’s home cage environment is also lacking in opportunities to interact with novel objects, explore new spaces, and engage in other forms of play. Performing a decision making task thus affords opportunities to engage in behaviors that are not normally available. Apparent departures from rational decision making might, therefore, reflect subjects balancing pursuit of standard reinforcers alongside less well-defined behavioral objectives. Here, we systematically investigated how rats allocated their time between food and non-food reinforcement in the context of a patch foraging task. Food-restricted Long-Evans rats (n = 10; 5 female) distributed their time between two open-field foraging patches. While rats occupied a food-reward patch, sucrose pellets were scattered into the enclosure following a schedule in which reward rate decreased over time, encouraging rats to transition between patches to optimize their overall reward gain. In non-food patches, sucrose pellets were never delivered but rats had access to a play structure that included chew toys, climbing structures, and tunnels. To switch patches, the rats entered a travel corridor, which imposed a wait time of 10 seconds or 60 seconds to imitate travel time in natural foraging conditions. The reward rate was reset to its maximum value every time the rat switched between patches. Each 30-minute session involved one of eight randomized combinations of patch type and travel time. There was no significant difference in the amount of time rats spent in food and non-food patches, and rats visited both patch types with equal frequency. Rats were therefore willing to incur a considerable cost in terms of food earnings by engaging with toys, earning around half as much food as they could have by only visiting food patches. Rats were sensitive to travel time when foraging for both food and non-food reward, spending significantly longer on each patch visit in sessions where the travel time was long and switching between patches was costly. These data provide evidence that rats rationally pursue exploratory activities even when food is available, indicating a complex decision-making process influenced by environmental enrichment and travel time. This behavioral task suggests a novel means of inferring rats’ utility functions for arbitrary reinforcers, enabling a comparison of the neural mechanisms that support decisions motivated by a wide range of possible outcomes.

Presentation format: Oral

It’s Loud in Here! LENA, Can You Hear Me?

Fiyinfoluwa Omifare, Alfredlyn G. Major, Vyasha Mclean, Ciani U. Mitchell, Brianna M. Owens, Asia M. Watson, Imani Mathurin, Rachel Pulverman, Department of Psychology, Delaware State University

Hearing ample language is crucial for language development, but before kindergarten, children from low-SES families hear about 30 million fewer words than their peers. This has a negative impact on their language growth and school readiness. “LENA” audio recorders help researchers working to close this word gap. LENA, an all-day recorder, produces reliable, automated quantitative data on the language spoken to and by children. This study examines whether LENA is also reliable for short recordings in noisy environments like supermarkets.

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

If so, researchers could use LENA to test new interventions to increase parent-child talk while out in the community. Low-SES parents and their children (ages 2-5) are using LENAs while grocery shopping. The recordings are being transcribed, coded, checked and analyzed to determine three measures: number of adult words spoken to the child; number of child vocalizations; and number of conversational turns. LENA also automatically estimates these measures. We are statistically testing the reliability of each measure between coding of word-forword transcripts and LENA’s estimates. When LENA detects two sound categories simultaneously (like adult talk and background noise), it gets categorized as “overlap” – not in either individual category. Preliminary results suggest that due to overlap, LENA severely undercounts on all three measures in the noisy environment. However, LENA’s data strongly correlate with the manual counts and are therefore statistically reliable for evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention. A noisy environment creates a lot of overlap, thus LENA is not reliable for quantifying the actual amount of talk in places like supermarkets. However, LENA does appear to be an appropriate tool to rely upon while comparing parent-child talk between short recordings. The current study is an important step toward developing effective interventions to promote parent-child conversation while out in the community.

Funder Acknowledgment: This work was supported by an RCMI Pilot Grant to the last author under Grant U54MD015959 “Interdisciplinary Health Equity Research (IHER) Center” from NIMHD at NIH.

Presentation format: Poster

Beyond the Game: An Examination of Student-Athletes' Learning Style Beliefs

Chloey Prichard, Aaliyah Torres, Albee Mendoza

The challenges faced by college student-athletes extend beyond the playing field and into the classroom, requiring them to balance rigorous academic responsibilities with demanding athletic commitments (McCormick & McCormick, 2006). Increasingly, student-athletes are taking the initiative in managing their mental health and recognizing their potential for success beyond sports. Many of these athletes receive scholarships contingent upon maintaining strong academic performance, underscoring the importance of excelling both athletically and academically.

The present study examines the learning style beliefs held by student-athletes, with particular attention to the persistence of prevalent myths regarding learning styles. This study is a replication of Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman (2020) and seeks to expand upon its findings by exploring the extent to which student-athletes subscribe to these differing conceptualizations of learning styles. We hypothesize that student-athletes are more likely to adopt non-essentialist beliefs, viewing learning styles as flexible, context-dependent, and subject to change over time. In contrast, non-athlete students are expected to be more inclined toward essentialist beliefs, which conceptualize learning styles as innate, fixed, and biologically predetermined. Essentialist perspectives suggest that learning styles are inborn and immutable, whereas non-essentialist views allow for adaptability and overlap between styles.

This study employs a quantitative research design using a structured online survey to collect data on student-athletes from Delaware State University's beliefs concerning learning styles. A convenience sampling method was used, with participants recruited through email, social media, and flyers. The anonymous Google Form survey consisted of approximately 36 multiple-choice, Likert-scale, and short-answer questions designed to measure what each individual believes learning styles encompass. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and anonymity, were ensured throughout the study.

Presentation format: Oral

The Role of Cannabis Abuse Risk and Depressive Symptom Severity on Insomnia Symptoms

April Roeper, BS1; Karin Gladney, PhD, CAADC2,3; Janeese A. Brownlow, PhD, FAASM1

Affiliations: 1Sleep Stress and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Delaware State University; 2Department of Psychology, Delaware State University; 3Department of Psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

STUDENT

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Purpose: Cannabis use among college students continues to increase. Further, rates of cannabis use disorder (CUD) occur in about 25% of college students who endorse use in the prior year. One of the most cited reasons for using cannabis is to increase sleep duration and quality and to improve depressive symptoms. Increased cannabis use has been found to decrease sleep episodes and contribute to increased insomnia symptoms. With insomnia being highly prevalent in depression, this study aimed to examine the relationship between cannabis abuse risk on insomnia severity, taking into account the impact of depressive symptom severity. We also explored cannabis use risk for the development of cannabis use disorder and its impact on insomnia severity.

Methods: One-hundred and seven college students (Mean age=20.28±1.85, Female =79.4%) completed self-report measures to assess for insomnia symptom severity via the Insomnia Severity Index, depressive symptoms via the Beck Depression Inventory II, and cannabis abuse risk using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Task. Three levels of risk have been identified using this scale: no risk (scores 0-2), moderate risk (scores 3-6), and severe risk (scores 7+) for cannabis use disorder.

Results: To explore the differences in insomnia symptom severity across multiple levels of risk, an ANOVA was used. Insomnia severity was found to differ based on risk level for cannabis use disorder (F=3.97, p=.022). Post hoc Tukey tests confirmed there were significant differences between no risk and moderate risk (p=.036) of cannabis abuse, but not between no risk and severe risk of cannabis abuse (p=.210) on insomnia severity. Findings suggest that insomnia symptom severity was correlated with depressive symptom severity (r=.530, p<.001). Also, insomnia symptom severity was correlated with cannabis abuse risk (r=.211, p=.029), and depressive symptom severity was correlated with cannabis abuse risk (r=317, p<.001). When controlling for depressive symptom severity, cannabis abuse risk was not found to influence insomnia symptom severity (R2=.168, p=.198).

Conclusion: Results indicate that insomnia severity differs in those at moderate risk for cannabis use disorder, but depressive symptoms influence the severity of insomnia above and beyond cannabis abuse risk.

Grant Support: This study was funded by a Center Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (Grant #P20GM103653). JAB’s time was supported by a Center Grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (Grant # U54MD015959).

Presentation format: Oral

Understanding the Effect of School Settings on Learning Styles: A Replication Study at DSU

Raven Sudler And Ami’n Franklin Research Advisor: Albee Mendoza

When we look at one's preferred learning style, it is usually heavily influenced by one's educational upbringing. School environment plays a major role in shaping learning styles based on the range of physical, social, and emotional interactions that more likely hinder one's overall educational experience (Fauziah & Cahyono, 2022). Settings and cultural backgrounds affect college students' learning preferences are not recognized despite the research on learning styles. Student’s preferred learning styles may not always be accommodated in traditional educational environments which can have an impact on engagement and academic success (The Network Team, 2019). For example, students who were homeschooled will likely prefer a slow-paced rate and kinesthetic learning approach while public and private school learners will likely take best to both kinesthetic and auditory approach of learning (Alamer & Lee, 2019). Although there is an absence of scientific evidence to support the notion that learning styles are fundamental and unalterable, Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman’s (2020) study found that many people share this belief. As part of the Collaborative Replication and Education Project (CREP), the current investigation is a replication and extension of the 2020 study by Nancekivell, Shah, and Gelman. The current investigation explores whether different school environments (i.e., public school, private school, home school, online school, etc.) influences beliefs about learning styles at the collegiate level specifically at an Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Delaware State University. The methodology behind this study will involve an anonymous 36 multiple choice question survey that will be accessible to the Delaware State University (DSU) community. By examining the degree to which school learning environments influence preferred learning styles, this study aims to close this gap and offer insights that help improve instructional strategies to better serve a diverse student body.

Presentation format: Oral

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Analysis of Past Global Banking Crises

Bobbi Asse

Throughout the last two decades, the economic conditions in several financial markets worldwide faced adversities that resulted in long term effects on these markets. Some of these crises include what is now known as the Global Financial Crisis of 2007 and the Chinese Stock Market Crash in 2015. The Global Financial Crisis, in short, was a series of risky investments and securities that led to the stock market crashing and global economic issues. Similarly, the Chinese Stock Market Crash had a series of stock market sell offs that not only slowed global economic growth but hindered emerging markets. There were several solutions introduced such as financial restrictions and regulations enforced by the government to maneuver through these problems. This research presentation will highlight the current status of the global economy, and the lessons learned from previous financial disruptions such as the examples provided.

Presentation format: Oral

The Impact of Name, Image, and Likeness Collectives on Student Athletes

Muneer Newton

The Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) intellectual property rights allow student-athletes to earn compensation for their personal brand through endorsements, sponsorships, and other business opportunities. NIL differs however from NIL Collectives, which are organized groups—it’s sometimes funded by donors, businesses, or fans—that facilitate financial opportunities for athletes. This presentation examines how NIL collectives operate, focusing on the process of receiving and distributing funds. While some collectives function as for-profit businesses, others seek tax-exempt status as nonprofit organizations, claiming to support charitable purposes through athlete-led initiatives. These nonprofit collectives must comply with IRS regulations and often use student-athletes to provide community services in exchange for compensation. This presentation also explores the financial structure of NIL Collectives, their role in college athletics, and their impact on NCAA policies and athlete compensation.

Presentation format: Oral

The Effectiveness of Financial Literacy Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Measuring Changes in Savings, Credit Use, and Investment Behavior Among Black College Students

Nyjah Rose Smarr

Faculty Advisor: Ali Parsaeimehr

Department of Finance and Banking, Delaware State University

Financial literacy is crucial for closing the racial wealth gap, but Black college students often face barriers in acquiring financial knowledge. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have introduced financial literacy programs to address this gap. This research examines the effectiveness of these programs at Delaware State University (DSU) and other HBCUs, focusing on students’ behaviors in savings, credit use, and investments.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of financial literacy programs on students' financial behaviors. It compares students who participated in these programs with those who did not, examining changes in saving habits, credit usage, and investment involvement. This research aims to provide insights into how financial education can help improve financial decision-making at HBCUs.

An online survey was administered to undergraduate students across five HBCUs, including DSU. The survey compared students who

BUSINESS

participated in financial literacy programs to those who did not. Data on financial behaviors such as savings, credit use, and investments were collected and analyzed.

Initial findings show that students who participated in financial literacy programs reported higher savings rates, more responsible credit usage, and increased financial confidence compared to non-participants. However, investment participation remained low for all students. Students in non-business fields expressed a need for more tailored financial education, especially in investments.

These results suggest that financial literacy programs at HBCUs effectively promote positive financial behaviors, especially in savings and credit use. Expanding program content to include investments and providing more personalized education could further enhance the impact of these initiatives.

Presentation format: Oral

The Power of Money and How it Shapes The World

David Smith

Money is an essential tool that allows people to buy goods and services, save for the future, and measure the value of different things. It serves as a medium of exchange, making trade easier by eliminating the need for direct barter. Over time, money has evolved from basic trade systems to more complex forms, including metal coins, paper currency, and now digital assets like cryptocurrencies. Each form of money has been influenced by technological advancements and evolving economic needs. Central banks, such as the Federal Reserve, play a crucial role in managing the money supply through policies that control interest rates, influence lending, and stabilize financial markets. These policies help regulate economic growth and prevent financial crises. Banks also play a major role in how money moves within an economy. They provide essential services allowing individuals and businesses to access and use money efficiently. In recent years, financial technology has drastically changed the way money is used and stored. Digital payment systems, mobile banking, and cryptocurrencies have made transactions faster and more accessible, reducing the need for physical cash. These innovations continue to shape the financial landscape, offering new opportunities and challenges for individuals, businesses, and governments. Understanding how money works is essential for making informed financial decisions, managing personal finances wisely, and adapting to an ever-changing economic environment.

Presentation format: Oral

Banking While Black: A History of Marginalization.

Imani Thomas, Professor Jan E. Christopher, AEF Department, Delaware State University

Of all the banks you see on a daily basis, you most likely have never seen one that was minority owned, much less black owned. There are 148 minority owned financial institutions in the United States and 23 of them are black-owned banks. White-owned banks have been able to succeed without hindrance but have not offered the same courtesy to black-owned banks. This presentation will delve into the inner workings of the role white-owned banks have played in limiting the success of minority owned banking. The most important finding of this research is that white-owned banks have denied black people the opportunity to become business owners by sinking them in debt as soon as possible without the necessary capital to keep their businesses viable. Other important findings include solely opening banks in majority white areas, imposing higher interest rates on people of color, and various laws that make small business banking difficult. The effects of these policies have kept minorities from venturing too far into the financing world as their own boss, most times resulting in more debt or tarnished reputations (an impossible feat to come back from as a minority in the business world). Thus, white-owned banks have disproportionately mitigated the success of minority owned banks in the United States and have ultimately dominated the banking world by ensuring it is monopolized by one race.

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Development and Validation of Functional CAPS Markers for Enhancing Heat Stress Tolerance in Blueberry.

R. K Appiah*, K. P. Kulkarni, S. Elavarthi, and K. Melmaiee

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum Section Cyanococcus) are valued for their sensory appeal and rich nutritional profile, including high antioxidant content, vitamins, and dietary fiber, which contribute to cardiovascular health and cognitive function. However, climate change, particularly rising temperatures, poses significant challenges to blueberry production, affecting yield, fruit quality, and plant resilience. To address these challenges, molecular marker-assisted breeding offers a precise and efficient approach for developing heat-resilient cultivars. This study focuses on developing and validating Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences (CAPS) markers for heat stress tolerance in blueberries. Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with heat stress tolerance were identified through high-throughput sequencing and association analysis. CAPS assays were designed and tested across two blueberry cultivars, followed by a screening of 42 diverse genotypes to validate marker efficiency. The accuracy and reliability of the developed markers were assessed through phenotypic characterization of selected breeding lines. Integrating validated CAPS markers into blueberry breeding programs will enhance markerassisted selection, enabling the targeted development of cultivars with superior heat stress resilience. This approach is expected to accelerate breeding efforts, ensuring the sustainability and adaptability of blueberry production in the face of climate change.

Funder Acknowledgment: We thank the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NIFA award 2022-38821-37298) for funding.

Presentation format: Poster

Impacts of Climate Change on Scaled Body Mass in Avian Species

Dorian A. Baker

Climate change has significantly altered ecological systems and populations, affecting avian species in various ways, including changes in body mass. This literature review integrates recent research on the relationship between rising global temperatures, habitat shifts, and variations in avian body size, with a particular focus on songbirds. Studies indicate a general trend of body mass reduction in birds, consistent with Bergmann’s Rule, which suggests that warmer climates favor smaller body sizes for more efficient heat dissipation. Songbirds, many of which are highly sensitive to environmental changes, have exhibited notable reductions in body mass, potentially impacting their migration patterns, reproductive success, and survival rates. Factors such as food availability, metabolic rates, and seasonal shifts further influence these changes. However, inconsistencies in findings across species and geographic regions highlight the need for more comprehensive, long-term studies. Understanding these shifts is critical for predicting future biodiversity changes and informing conservation efforts for vulnerable songbird populations.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Short-Term Evaluation

of

Duddingtonia flagrans for Biological Control of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Goat Kids

Kiera Bourne-Bey

and Kwame

Matthews, Ph.D. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Haemonchus contortus presents a major parasitic challenge in sheep and goat production systems. The occurrence of this parasite leads to reduced productivity, increased mortality, and economic losses. Chemical dewormers or anthelmintics have been the primary method of controlling Haemonchus contortus in small ruminant production. Despite the initial high effectiveness of these anthelmintics, their overuse has led to the widespread emergence of anthelmintic resistance, rendering many treatments less effective. Livamol® with BioWorma®, which includes the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans, offers a potential alternative for reducing nematode populations. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Livamol® with BioWorma® in limiting larval development in meat goat kids.

Eighteen meat-goat kids (n=18) were divided into two groups of nine (n=9), with three replicates per group, and placed on six paddocks based on initial fecal egg count (FEC) and body weight (BW). Animals were fed Livamol® with BioWorma® daily (BIO), or no treatment (CON) for seven days (n=7). To assess treatment effects on larval development, pooled fecal samples from each treatment group were collected on days 0, 3, 4, 5, and 7 to quantify total gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN).

Results indicated that the BIO group had higher initial larval counts (40,906) compared to the control group (22,276). However, on day 3, both BIO and CON showed a reduction in counts (23,192 and 4671 respectively). Larval counts significantly dropped in the CON groups (5433) by Day 5 with BIO having the highest (7782). By day 7, larval counts increased, with the BIO group reaching 33,466 while the control group recorded a marginal rise to 16,952.

The findings from this study suggest that daily supplementation with Livamol® with BioWorma® did not effectively suppress larval development under the conditions of this short-term trial.

Funder Acknowledgment: This research trial was supported by Northeast SARE Award# LNE21-418-35383

Presentation format: Oral

Pricing and Availability of Sustainable Fashion

Shawna Brown, A’vyn Williams, Ramon Henry- Taylor, and Jihye Lim, Ph.D. Department of Human Ecology - Textiles and Apparel Studies, Delaware State University

The study explores how customers' decisions to buy sustainable fashion items are influenced by availability and price. The study aims to examine consumer behavior patterns in the fashion business, specifically regarding sustainability, with a focus on green consumerism. The goal of the study is to find important insights into the spread of sustainable fashion by comparing various consumer groups and analyzing aspects including societal influences, ethical behavior, and environmental awareness. Understanding how availability and price affect customers' decisions to buy sustainable apparel is the main question. By addressing obstacles like cost, availability, and misunderstandings, the goal is to close the gap between consumer behavior and sustainable purchase patterns. In order to collect data from a variety of consumer groups categorized by age, income, and shopping patterns, the study uses multiple research methods that includes surveys, interviews, and observational research. Consumer knowledge of sustainable fashion, reasons for buying eco-friendly products, and obstacles like high costs and a lack of options are all examined in surveys

Presentation format: Oral

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST

– AGRO-SCIENCES

Molecular Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis on Goat Farm

Logan J. Covin*, Emmanuel Otchere, and Kwame K. Matthews, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Johne's disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a highly contagious gastrointestinal disease that poses a significant health concern to goats and other ruminant species, leading to substantial economic losses. This disease is characterized by severe weight loss, diarrhea, decreased milk production, and unavoidable death. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis has also been detected in humans diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD), a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestines. As a result, some researchers propose that CD may be the human counterpart of paratuberculosis and that the bacterium could be zoonotic. Given that MAP is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, its spread among animals on farms is highly contagious. Therefore, early detection is crucial for effective disease management and containment. The most reliable method for detecting MAP is through the analysis of fecal matter, as this is the primary route of transmission. Hence, the aim of this study is to utilize a molecular technique to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis on a goat farm. To conduct this project, fecal samples will be collected individually from 40 goats and DNA extracted using the QIAamp DNA stool mini kit. The DNA will then be amplified using gene-specific primers targeting the IS900 gene through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified product will be fractionated using agarose gel electrophoresis with ethidium bromide (EtBr) staining and visualized with a Gel Doc Imager. It is expected that PCR will successfully amplify MAP DNA in samples from infected goats, producing a visible band on the gel, while samples from non-infected animals will show no amplification. The study expects PCR to demonstrate superior sensitivity and specificity compared to traditional culture methods, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, enabling early intervention, and improving disease control strategies in livestock management.

Funder Acknowledgment: Delaware State University Small Ruminant Research Lab

Presentation format: Oral

Hemp as a Dual-Purpose Solution: Evaluating Its Role in Soil Remediation and the Feasibility of Hempcrete from Contaminated Biomass

Jamila Davis

Delaware State University

Phytoremediation, the use of plants to remove contaminants from soil and water, is a promising strategy for mitigating environmental pollution. Cannabis sativa (hemp), known for its rapid growth, deep root system, and high biomass production, has gained attention as an effective phytoremediator due to its ability to absorb heavy metals and other pollutants. However, a critical challenge remains: managing the hemp biomass after phytoremediation. If not properly handled, the accumulated contaminants could be reintroduced into the environment, undermining the benefits of the remediation process.

This research explores a two-part approach: first, utilizing hemp for soil remediation, and second, repurposing the phytoremediated biomass into sustainable construction materials, such as hempcrete or bio-composites. These materials have the potential to immobilize contaminants while offering structural and environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration and energy efficiency. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining agriculture, materials science, and environmental engineering, this study aims to identify scalable, safe, and economically viable methods for repurposing phytoremediated hemp.

By addressing both soil remediation and waste management, this research contributes to broader sustainability goals and circular economy principles. The findings have the potential to provide practical solutions for communities facing soil contamination while demonstrating the multifaceted value of hemp in environmental and industrial applications.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST

– AGRO-SCIENCES

Effects of Two Novel Mineral Supplements on Growth Performance in Meat Goat Kids

Amber Fitch, Emmanuel Otchere and Kwame Matthews, Ph.D. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

The small ruminant industry plays an integral role in livestock production worldwide and is a growing enterprise in the United States (U.S.). This enterprise is of great economically importance for limited resource and beginning farmers as the current demand for lamb and goat meat is far greater than the supply. These animals are deemed profitable because they are great at converting low quality forages into meat, graze in native environments, and have high reproductive rates with low input cost. However, there is a need to identify the best methods of feeding these animals and providing the minerals necessary for them to grow in an efficient manner. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two mineral supplements (X and Y) on the growth performance of meat goat kids. Fifty-two (n=52) kids were randomly assigned into two treatment groups, after accounting for initial body weight (BW): Group 1 (n=30) received novel mineral X while Group 2 (n=22) received novel mineral Y weekly over a 70-day period. Both experimental groups were kept on separate pastures with ad libitum access to forage and water, supplemented with grain-based diet composed of corn and soybean meal at 1.98% of their initial body weights, and received experimental mineral as needed to measure consumption. Body weights were recorded biweekly throughout the study. Data indicated that novel mineral supplementation did not impact BW and BW averaged 20.5 kg (Group 1) and 20.1 kg (Group 2). However, BW for both groups increase throughout the study period. These findings suggest that minerals X and Y contributed to improved weight gain and can be used as an effective mineral supplement for meat goat production.

Effect of Pumpkin Seeds and Flesh Extract on Haemonchus contortus from Meat Goats

Sherrai Harmer and Kwame Matthews, Ph.D. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Haemonchus contortus is a gastrointestinal parasite that poses significant health issues in small ruminants, particularly goats and sheep. Known for its prolific egg-laying and blood-sucking nature in the host’s abomasum, H. contortus has led to severe anemia, weight loss, and, in some cases, sudden death. The parasite’s impact results in reduced productivity and increased economic losses. The primary control for H. contortus infestation in small ruminants has relied on anthelmintics. However, the indiscriminate use of the available anthelmintics have contributed to increased drug resistance in parasites, creating a need for alternative parasite control strategies. Pumpkin seeds and flesh are known to contain bioactive compounds with potential to inhibit and reduce parasitic activities. This natural compound offers a promising natural approach for controlling parasites in small ruminant production. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the anthelmintic potential of pumpkin seed and flesh extracts on Haemonchus contortus larvae. To conduct this study, whole field pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) were peeled, cut up, and separated into individual parts. Pumpkin seed/flesh was dried at 27ºC for 12 hours, ground to powder, and plant compound extracted using 100% ethanol. Parasites were allocated evenly (~41 ul/well) in 24 well plates in the presence of no chemical (control), commercial anthelmintics levamisole and moxidectin (positive control), or varying concentrations of pumpkin seed/flesh extract (500ml, 300ml, 100ml) in triplicate wells. Larval mobility was assessed microscopically at 24- and 48-hours post-treatment to categorize them as motile, non-motile, or sluggish. At 24 hours, 74% of larvae remained motile, 16% were sluggish and 11% were non-motile. After 48 hours, the motile larvae remained at 74% while sluggish and non-motile larvae accounted for 12% and 14%, respectively. These findings suggest that pumpkin extracts exhibit some inhibitory effects on H. contortus larvae and could be used in conjunction with other treatment methods to reduce gastrointestinal parasite infestation in small ruminants.

Funder Acknowledgment: This work was supported by the small ruminant lab at Delaware State University.

Presentation format: Oral

STUDENT

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Biomaterials Research: Cellulose-based Biosoil for Indoor Farming

Melanie Jimmerson

The increasing demand for efficient and environmentally friendly farming methods has led to innovative approaches in indoor agriculture. This project aims to develop a cellulose-based biosoil—a sustainable and biodegradable growth medium specifically designed to enhance indoor farming systems. By harnessing the natural qualities of cellulose, a renewable, non-toxic, and eco-friendly polymer, this research seeks to create a soil substitute that minimizes dependence on traditional soil and synthetic growth media. The primary goal is to design and optimize cellulose-based biosoil with desirable characteristics such as improved water retention, effective nutrient delivery, structural stability, and compatibility with beneficial microorganisms.

Additionally, the project will evaluate the environmental impact and scalability of this cellulose-derived biosoil for use in controlled indoor farming environments. The findings could offer a promising alternative to conventional methods, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.

Presentation format: Oral

Mining Heat Stress Tolerance Genes in Blueberry

Zuhra A. Khan, Krishnanand P. Kulkarni, Kalpalatha Melmaiee Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), a perennial woody plant from Vaccinium, is one of the five healthiest fruits recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing stress tolerance in blueberries is crucial for improving their resilience to environmental stressors. Heat shock factors (Hsfs) and heat shock proteins (Hsps) are important molecular regulators vital for cellular homeostasis during normal and stress conditions. Additionally, one of the most prominent plantspecific transcription factor (TF) families, the NAC gene family, participates in a wide range of biological processes related to plant growth, development, and stress response. While many of these gene families have been studied in model plants, there are few reports of their role in blueberry. Our research aims to identify the Hsf, NAC and Hsp genes family in a genome-wide scan in blueberry and analyze their characteristics and phylogenetic evolution. To accomplish the objective, we first obtained the protein sequences of these gene families from three model crops: Arabidopsis thaliana, rice (Oryza sativa L.), and grape (Vitis vinifera). Using the protein sequences as ‘query’, we performed a BLASTp analysis of the Hsf, NAC, and Hsp genes against the V. corymbosum Draper genome. This way, we identified 57 Hsf, 90 NAC, and 61 Hsp genes in tetraploid blueberry. Phylogenetic and PCA analyses divided these genes into various groups. Currently, we are characterizing these genes for their expression profile in selected blueberry cultivars in heat-stress conditions. This comprehensive study will improve our understanding of the structural and functional mechanism of Hsfs, Hsps, and NAC genes in blueberries. Additional comparative analyses of the phylogenetic relationships in the related species will provide a deeper understanding of the role of selected heat-responsive genes in stress regulation in blueberry. Furthermore, the results will serve as a valuable resource for functional validation in breeding heat-tolerant blueberry plants.

Funder Acknowledgment: We thank the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) for funding (awards 2022-38821-37298 and 2023-38821-39921) and USAID CRCIL Feed the Future Innovation lab.

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Food Safety Implications of Sudden Mortality Events in Eastern Oysters: Chemical, Environmental, Toxin, and Parasite-Related Factors

Kieara Martin, Gulnihal Ozbay, Ph.D

Delaware State University College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University

The Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) of the Delaware Inland Bay are an integral part of the coastal region’s biodiversity, functioning as a historically important natural resource product in the United States (Borsum et. Al 2024). This keystone organism is valued for its ability to provide ecological services, environmental enrichment, and commercial value (Ozbay et. Al 2017). Due to their stationary and filter-feeding nature, they can accumulate contaminants like pathogenic microorganisms, chemicals, toxins, and parasites, which are not always easily removed (Ozbay et. Al 2018). Since 2012, Sudden Unexpected Mortality Syndrome events, or SUMS, has emerged as a growing concern for oyster farmers all along the United States (U.S.) Atlantic and Gulf coasts (Virginia Institute of Marine Science 2024). Affected oysters are found during harvest, dead, shells empty, with gill tissue necrosed and eroded (Virginia Institute of Marine Science 2024).

These enigmatic mortalities still have no certain known cause and have exceeded 70% of stock at some farms (Virginia Institute of Marine Science 2024). Current research points to the potential involvement of environmental stressors, toxins, microbial pathogens, as well as the oysters’ genetics. There is growing concern for the safety and quality of domesticated oysters, planted oysters, and wild oysters who may be affected (World Aquaculture Society 2024). Because of this, efforts are being made to understand these events and provide solutions that restore the oysters’ habitat to healthier conditions and prevent further contamination, for the safety of both oysters and consumers. The goal of this study is to evaluate the correlation between sudden mortality events in oysters and contamination with environmental chemicals, toxins, bacteria, and parasites. We also aim to evaluate the implications of these mass mortality events in the food industry, as surviving oysters may be immunocompromised, have an increased pathogen load, bioaccumulation of toxins, or other stressors from the environment.

Acknowledgments: We acknowledge the Historically Black Graduate Institution Fellowship Title III grant and the Principal Investigator, Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay for supporting the continued development of this research project.

Presentation format: Poster

Optimizing Algal Turf Technology for Enhanced Nutrient Remediation and Biomass Production in Agricultural Systems

Kayla N. McKinley*, G. Blank, A. Parsaeimehr, and G. Ozbay, College of Agriculture, Science & Technology, Delaware State University

Algal Turf Technology represents an innovative biosystem that effectively removes excess carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from wastewater, thereby enhancing water quality and facilitating the recycling of water for agricultural irrigation and industrial use. This project focuses on the implementation of Algal Turf Technology in aquaculture settings to evaluate its efficacy in biomass production and nutrient remediation, with particular emphasis on the comparative analysis of algal growth over different study periods. Preliminary investigations suggest that systems operating at higher flow rates yield greater algal biomass and achieve increased nutrient removal, notably in phosphorus. This research will further delve into algae species composition, chlorophyll content, and the biochemical characterization of the algal biomass, particularly examining lipid and fatty acid profiles for potential applications in fish feed. We aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of biomass quality and its implications for biofertilizers, bioenergy, and aquaculture. Our goal is to equip Delaware farmers with the knowledge and tools necessary to adopt Algal Turf Technology, ultimately improving wastewater management practices and fostering sustainable agricultural systems.

Presentation format: Oral

Morpho-physiological Evaluation of Strawberry Germplasm for Resistance to Botrytis

Anthony

B. Mirto, Amaranatha

R.

Vennapusa,

Sathya Elavarthi,

Mekhai

E. Abrams, Lauren A. Waller

and

Kalpalatha Melmaiee Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Strawberries (Fragaria Å~ ananassa) are the highest-selling fruits and widely grown crop in the United States due to consumer demand and nutritional benefits. Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is one of the most devastating post-harvest pathogens affecting strawberries, which significantly reduces farmer profits and thousands of pounds of consumer food waste each year, resulting in financial losses from uneaten produce. So far, limited studies have been conducted on strawberries against gray mold disease to identify the morpho-physiological traits for crop improvement.

Hence, we hypothesized that extensive phenotyping on strawberry germplasm provides the potential phenotypic markers for diseaseresistant breeding programs. With this, our research was focused on screening and phenotyping the strawberry germplasm using an in-vitro leaf disc assay and characterized physiological traits. The leaf disc assay provided the tool to narrow down the screening of germplasm based on the percent injury caused by the gray mold fungal plugs.

Additionally, total chlorophyll content is used to measure the impact of fungal infection on leaf discs. Results from this study provided potential donor lines and physiological traits for botrytis resistance. Future research will focus on validating these findings and identifying genetic markers associated with resistance to facilitate their integration into strawberry breeding programs to improve fruit rot disease resistance.

Funder Acknowledgment: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) supported this research work through award number 2020-38821-31083 and Delaware State University’s McIntire Stennis award.

Presentation format: Poster

Evaluating the Impact of C-Lock Smart Feed Pro on Weight Gain in Beef Calves

Cayla Mrani-Alaoui, Emmanuel Otchere, and Kwame Matthews Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Supplemental grain is commonly provided to beef calves post-weaning to meet nutritional requirements and support production goals. Traditional feed delivery methods typically distribute nutrients to groups of animals, which can lead to unequal feed consumption, with dominant animals consuming more and increased feed wastage. Precision feeding technologies, such as the C-Lock Smart Feed Pro system (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD, USA), offer a more accurate, automated approach to monitoring individual feed intake. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of using C-Lock Smart Feed Pro in feeding beef calves. Eighteen calves (nine heifers, eight steers, and one bull) were divided into two treatment groups, each replicated: Group 1 (trough feed) and Group 2 (C-Lock Smart Feed Pro), with animals assigned after accounting for initial body weight. Each group received a daily grain allotment set at 2% of body weight, with hay and water provided ad libitum. Biweekly body weight measurements were recorded to adjust feed intake and track weight gain. It is expected that calves utilizing the C-Lock Smart Feed Pro system will exhibit greater weight gains compared to calves fed using traditional methods. This anticipated difference is attributed to the system’s ability to track exact feed intake per animal, reducing variations in amount that is being consumed and ensuring consistent nutrient availability. Additionally, the Smart Feed Pro allows continuous access to feed, which may lead to improved feed efficiency and overall growth performance. Data collected from this study will contribute to a better understanding of how automated feeding technologies impact cattle development and performance.

Funder Acknowledgment(s): Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Small Ruminant Lab

Presentation format: Oral Presentation

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Impact of Duddingtonia flagrans on Gastrointestinal Larval Development in Meat Goat Kids: A Two-Year Study

Emmanuel Otchere, T. Wright, S. N. Harmer, and K. Matthews, Ph.D.

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University

Haemonchus contortus is the primary parasitic challenge in small ruminant production. With the widespread emergence of resistance to all anthelmintic classes, Livamol® with BioWorma®, containing the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans, represents a viable biological control strategy to reduce pasture infectivity and interrupt the nematode life cycle. This study aims to assess the impact of Livamol® with BioWorma® in reducing larval development in meat goat kids in two consecutive years.

In years one and two, thirty-nine (n=39) meat goat kids were assigned to three treatment groups (n = 13/group), each split into two replicates, and placed on six paddocks based on initial fecal egg count (FEC) and body weight (BW). Animals were administered Livamol® with BioWorma® daily (BIO-A), every 14 days (BIO-B), or without (CON). To evaluate the effects of treatment on larval development, pooled treatment group feces were collected and cultured every 14 days to determine total GIN and GIN genera. In year one, the project was conducted for 42 days, and 70 days in year two. The predominant GIN found in both years of study were H. contortus and Trichostrongylus spp. Year one results indicated that treatment impacted the total larval count with BIO-A and BIO-B having less than CON group on days 14 and 28. However, on day 42, BIO-A had higher larval counts than BIO-B but similar levels to the CON. Year two results indicated that both BIO-A and BIO-B treatments showed initial effectiveness in reducing parasite counts compared to the control group, particularly by day 14 (1,426, 727, and 1,271, respectively). However, by day 28, parasite counts in both treatment groups began to increase, with this upward trend continuing to day 70 (CON=83,270; BIO-A=28,347; BIO-B=65,760).

In this two-year study, Livamol® with BioWorma® influenced larval development and resulted in a lower larval count than the control group.

Funder Acknowledgment: Work supported by Northeast SARE Award# LNE21-418-35383

Presentation type: Poster

Perception and Attitude of People in Different Cultures Toward Sustainable Fashion and the Environment

Naya Pierce, Julia Kneba, and Jihye Lim, Ph.D.

Department of Human Ecology, Textiles and Apparel Studies, Delaware State University

This study explores how the cultural difference shapes the perception and attitude toward sustainable fashion and its environmental impact. By combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, including surveys, articles and statistical analysis, the study aims to identify cultural factors influencing consumer behavior. The research examines levels of awareness, purchasing behaviors, and the role of cultural norms in sustainable fashion adoption.

Preliminary findings suggest that perceptions of sustainability vary significantly across cultures, impacting willingness to purchase and engage with eco-friendly fashion. The study highlights the need for localized approaches to sustainability education and market accessibility, paving the way for more culturally inclusive sustainable fashion initiatives.

Presentation Mode: Oral

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Enhancing Fruit Rot Resistance in Strawberry Using CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing

Surya Krishna Sakthivel, Amaranatha R. Vennapusa, Sathya Elavarthi, and Kalpalatha Melmaiee Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University, Dover, Delaware 19901

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) is an important small fruit crop widely grown and consumed in the United States and has seen increasing demand for its nutritional and organoleptic properties. However, fruit rot diseases caused by Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum acutatum pose significant challenges in crop production and incur post-harvest losses. Disease management predominantly relies on fungicides, which has led fungal species to evolve and develop resistance to existing chemical classes, necessitating increased fungicide applications and raising environmental and economic concerns. Modern genetic and genomic technologies enable the development of disease-resistant cultivars, which can reduce fungicide usage for fruit rot management and protect the environment. Therefore, our study focused on using the cutting-edge tool CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to develop resistant cultivars by making precise changes in the strawberry genome. In this study, we have identified the differential expression of putative candidate genes such as FaPE (Pectinesterase) and FaWRKY70 under control and fruit rot infections through quantitative real-time PCR. Tissue culture protocols were standardized for one of the strawberry cultivars, Tribute, using shoot tip explants. The visual marker gene FaPDS (Phytoene desaturase) is used to standardize genetic transformation and genome editing protocols. The identified candidate genes and standardized in vitro and gene transformation protocols provide valuable resources for crop improvement programs aimed at breeding fruit rot disease-resistant cultivars. This study further aims to leverage the precision of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to mutate the potential candidate genes, thereby enhancing disease resistance in strawberry.

Funder Acknowledgment: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) supported this research work through award number 2020-38821-31083

Presentation format: Oral

Microplastic Bioaccumulation Across Delmarva Marine Invertebrate Species: Bioindicators of Pollution, Ecosystem Health, and Seafood Quality

Jahlana A. Stennett1, Gulnihal Ozbay1, Ph.D

Delaware State University College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University

Delmarva marine invertebrates play a significant role in ecosystem health, directly contributing to water filtration, carbon cycling, and food web maintenance. However, the continued use of single-use plastics leaves these vital ecosystem services at the mercy of their ability to tolerate and adapt to an unknown and unpredictable level of plastic pollution. This study investigates the status of plastic pollution in Delmarva marine invertebrates, specifically focusing on microplastic prevalence in bivalves and crustaceans. The presence of plastic pollution in the region poses risk to both the environment and local seafood economy. While previous studies have documented the presence of plastics in marine environments, few experiments have examined the breadth within the organisms through Raman Spectroscopy techniques.

The methodology includes microplastic extraction from invertebrate tissues, and plastic polymer and morphological characterization using Raman spectroscopy. The study also seeks to provide insights into how plastic pollution affects both local ecosystems and the seafood industry, emphasizing the need for improved environmental monitoring and stronger legislative measures on single-use plastics. Ultimately, this multidimensional literature review and research proposal aims to support the development of more rigorous plastic waste policies and enhance public awareness of the ecological threats posed by microplastic pollution.

Acknowledgments: We acknowledge the Historically Black Graduate Institution Title III grant and the Principal Investigator, Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay for supporting the continued development of this research project.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

Exotic Vegetable Options for Delaware Small Famers and Gardeners

Lauren A. Waller, Anthony B. Mirto, Mekhai E. Abrams, Nefertiti S. Griffin, Sathaya Elavarthi, Amaranatha R. Vennapusa, and Kalpalatha Melmaiee Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Exotic vegetable crop plants, grown in relatively smaller quantities and not traditionally cultivated in a region or country, are a source of culinary and nutritional diversity for many people. The market size for global exotic vegetables was valued at $1.9 billion and is predicted to reach $6.08 billion by 2031. To establish a sample of diversity and to gain knowledge, the Plant Molecular Breeding Lab at Delaware State University (DSU) has been exploring the benefits of exotic vegetable farming to introduce to the local farmers and gardeners to utilize. We planted 12 different exotic vegetable plants in a field using in-ground beds during the late spring at the DSU outreach and research facility with planting space between 2-4 feet, the row space between the plots was 6 feet, and the beds were plastic mulched and set for the drip irrigation system. Plants within the gourd, hibiscus, solanaceae, legume, and ginger families of vegetables were planted. Among these, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, roselle, turmeric, and Asian hyacinth beans provided better yields in the Delmarva region. We standardized the cost effective and organic agronomic practices for the cultivation of these exotic vegetables for the local Mid-Atlantic region. The present research demonstrates the benefits for Delaware gardeners and small farmers that they can obtain through exotic crop cultivation, which are not only helpful for a continuous supply of vegetables from late spring to early fall but also have nutritional, culinary, well-being, and health benefits to consumers.

Funder Acknowledgment: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) supported this research work through award number 2020-38821-31083 and Delaware State University’s McIntire Stennis award.

Presentation format: Poster

Efficacy of Duddingtonia Flagrans in Reducing Gastrointestinal Parasite Loads in Meat Goat Kids

Amari West, Emmanuel Otchere, Sherrai Harmer, and Kwame Matthews Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Gastrointestinal parasites represent a major threat to the health and productivity of meat goat kids because it causes poor growth, anemia, and even death. While anthelmintics have been commonly used to control parasite infestations, decades of overuse and misuse have led to the emergence of multi-drug-resistant parasites. This increased resistance to these treatments have promoted the need for alternative strategies to control parasites on small ruminant farms. Duddingtonia flagrans is one such alternative as it is a fungus that sporulates, traps and kills the parasite in fecal matter. With the development of Livamol® with BioWorma® that contains D. flagrans and its recent introduction to the United States, this serves as a viable alternative that would be used on farms. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of Livamol® with BioWorma® in reducing gastrointestinal parasite loads in meat goat kids. Forty-eight meat goat kids were divided into three treatment groups of 16 animals per group, split into two replicates and placed on six paddocks after accounting for initial fecal egg count (FEC) and Body Weight (BW). Animals were treated Livamol® with BioWorma® daily (BIO-A), every 14 days (BIO-B), or without (CON). To evaluate the effects of treatment on parasite loads, fecal egg counts (FEC) were collected from individual animals every 14 days for 70 days. Initial FEC were low across all treatments on day 0. However, by day 70, BIO-B exhibited the highest FEC (1530.208 EPG), followed by CON (929.687 EPG), while BIO-A maintained the lowest FEC (578.794 EPG). These results suggest that daily administration of Livamol® with BioWorma® (BIO-A) is more effective in reducing parasite loads than bi-weekly dosing or no supplementation.

Funder Acknowledgment: This work was supported by Northeast SARE Award# LNE21-418-35383

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

The Impact of Climate Change on Beef Cattle Reproduction: Challenges and Adaptive Strategies

Courtney

Williams, Kwame

Matthews PhD, Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Climate change refers to long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. Such shift can be considered natural, due to changes in sun’s activity, or the shift can be human factor such burning fossil fuel, gas, and coal. Overall, climate change is significantly altering environmental conditions especially for livestock such as beef cattle production affecting reproductive efficiency. Rise in temperature, prolonged drought, and unpredictable weather patterns contribute to the heat stress, nutritional deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances leads to infertility and lower calving rates for farmers. Understanding these impacts is essential for creating successful strategies to reduce risks and ensure sustainability of cattle production. In this study, it explores the effects of climate change on beef cattle reproduction, focusing on physiological disruptions caused by heat stress and nutritional deficients. Additionally, it explores adaptive strategies that producers can apply to mitigate these negative impacts. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using peer-reviewed studies, industry reports, and case studies on climate change and cattle reproduction. Key focus was on the physiological effects of estrus expression, sperm quality, and embryo viability. The impact of drought and how that affects nutritional value in fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Management strategies such as genetic selection, reproductive technologies, and environmental modifications. Research indicates heat stress leads to decreased reproductive rates, hormonal level, irregular estrus cycle, and lower conception rates. Nutritional deficiencies caused by drought and perceptions results in reducing pregnancy success and calving intervals are to be extended. Adaptation strategies management have shown to maintain reproductive efficiency under climate stress. As climate change continues to impact beef cattle reproduction, adaptation strategies are necessary to sustain fertility and production. Extended research is conducted into climate-resilient cattle genetics and precision livestock technologies will be essential for long term industry sustainability.

Presentation format: Oral

Identification of Potential Target Genes from Smooth Cordgrass (Sporobolus alterniflorus) to Confer Salinity Stress Resistance in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Krystal Williams

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Antonette Todd and Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University

Salinity stress is an abiotic condition that, due to escalating climatic changes, causes increasing detriment to plants worldwide. Interventions have been put in place to help mitigate this stress. However, extremely salt-sensitive plants (known as glycophytes) are still widely susceptible to damage resulting from excessively saline soils. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a glycophyte that is of economic and cultural relevance to the world given its wide utility and nutritional value, but it suffers greatly from the onset of salinity stress conditions, which can lead to plant death and reduced yield. Smooth cordgrass (Sporobolus alterniflorus) is a marsh grass that helps to protect Delaware’s coast from erosion, which makes it an integral component in many coastal restoration projects. Smooth cordgrass is known to thrive under high salt conditions and is believed, like many halophytes, to possess a superior gene regulatory system with highly efficient alleles of salt-responsive genes. This study aims to identify genes with parallel functions in smooth cordgrass and common bean for use as molecular markers in genetic transformation experiments. Common bean and cordgrass plants were exposed to salinity stress through 35 parts per thousand (ppt) and 10 ppt NaCl treatments alongside control plants watered regularly. Molecular markers were selected for this study by comparing previous cordgrass RNA-sequencing results to the assembled bean genome and choosing salt-related genes with alleles in both species. Leaf RNA was extracted from each sample and converted to cDNA, which was used as templates in qPCR to measure gene expression of the selected targets. The statistical significance of these differences was determined via analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing with pairwise comparison to analyze the differences in expression abundance across the species and treatment groups. Results show differential gene expression between treatment levels across the two species with P-values of less than 0.05. By elucidating the functional differences between the identified targets in these vastly different species, this research opens the door for genetic transformation of bean with cordgrass’ more efficient salt-responsive alleles in order to facilitate a better salinity stress response in common bean.

Funder Acknowledgment: This study was supported in part by the Historically Black Graduate Institution (HBGI) Fellowship Program at DSU funded by Title III and by the DSU Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – AGRO-SCIENCES

A Comparative Analysis of Liquid Algae Fertilizers to Commercial Chemical and Organic Fertilizers

Victor Q. Wright , Gulnihal Ozba , Ph.D

Delaware State University College of Agriculture, Science, Technology, Delaware State University

This study explores the advantages and disadvantages of chemical and organic fertilizer in comparison to liquid algae fertilizers to determine a more sustainable alternatives for agricultural practices. While chemical fertilizers have historically enhanced crop yields, their overuse has led to soil degradation, water contamination, and environmental harm. Organic fertilizers improve soil health and microbial diversity but may introduce ecological risks. Liquid algae fertilizers, derived from species such as Laminaria, Gelidium, Chlorella vulgaris, and Spirulina platensis, present a promising alternative due to their rich nutrient content and ability to enhance soil structure and plant growth. To compare these fertilizers, this study will evaluate soil pH, nutrient content, electrical conductivity, compaction resistance, water retention, crop yield, and root length using standard methodologies, including pH meter protocol, spectrophotometry, EC meter protocol, Proctor compaction test, gravimetric moisture method, and manual measurement. By synthesizing prior research and conducting these analyses, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of liquid algae fertilizers and their potential as a sustainable replacement for conventional fertilizers.

Acknowledgments: We acknowledge the Historicaly Black Graduate Institution Fellowship Title III Grant and the Principal Investigator, Dr. Gulnihlal Ozbay for supporting the continued development of this research project.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Psilocybin as a treatment for repetitive mild head injuries

Muhammad I. Abeer1, Eric K. Brengel2, Bryce Axe2, Ashwath Maheswari2, Richard J. Ortiz2, Taylor J. Woodward2, Reagan Walhof2, Rachel Utama2, Courtney Sawada2, Shreyas Balaji2, Praveen P. Kulkarni2, Heather B. Bradshaw2, Craig F. Ferris2, Michael A. Gitcho1

1Dept of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University; 2Dept of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Every year around 2.87 million people suffers from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the United States and 70-90% of these are categorized as mild TBI (mTBI). There are behavioral and neurobiological consequences of mTBI that occurs during sports, accidents or in active military services. Single incident of mTBI is difficult to detect but long-lasting consequences arise from repetitive mTBI (rmTBI). Serotonergic hallucinogen psilocybin (PSI) has been suggested as a treatment to brain injury, anxiety and depression because of its role in inflammation and neuroplasticity. Currently, there are no reports of PSI being used as a treatment for head injury. We hypothesize that PSI would alleviate the pathological phenotypes of rmTBI.

Adult female (n=24) Wistar rats were divided into three experimental groups (n = 8) healthy sham controls injected with saline vehicle but given no head impact (SHAM-VEH), head-impacted and injected with saline vehicle (rmTBI-VEH), and 3) head-impacted and injected with psilocybin (rmTBI-PSI). Rat brain samples were isolated and solubilized with Dounce homogenizer followed by sonication in standard RIPA (50 mM Tris pH 8, 150 mM NaCl, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, 0.1% SDS and 1% NP40) with protease/phosphatase inhibitor. We used solubility fractionation and Western blot to analyze the frontal lobe, hippocampus and cerebellum of the rat brain samples.

Western blot analysis of RIPA soluble proteins from the frontal lobe shows an as expected an increase in phosphorylated tau, however in those treated with psilocybin there is a significant decrease in the level of phosphorylated tau to control levels. The aggregated (urea soluble)

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

phosphorylated tau shows a significant increase in rmTBI-VEH but no change in rmTBI-PSI as compared to SHAM-VEH. Phosphorylated TDP-43 in some rats show distinct changes in aggregation, but further evaluation of TDP-43, alpha-synuclein, amyloid, and other aggregated proteins will be investigated. Overall, these data suggest the role psilocybin as a potential therapeutic for repeated mild traumatic brain injury.

Funder Acknowledgment: This study was supported by the Paul H Boerger Fund of the Delaware Community Foundation and NSF2023004 in collaboration with Craig Ferris’ group at Northeastern University-Boston, MA USA.

Presentation format: Poster

Exploring the function of cortical astrocytes in the SMNdelta7 mouse model for SMA

Tiffany Bamfo

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease caused by the deletion or mutation of the Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, and has long been understood to be characterized by the loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord. However, more recent studies in mouse models expressing only SMN2 and SMN∆7 have identified pathological changes in the brain due to lack of SMN protein, and indicated that restoration of the protein in motor neurons alone has little effect on SMA-related symptoms. Such findings demonstrate that complete understanding of the pathological and molecular mechanisms of SMA must go beyond lower motor neurons to include non-neuronal cells and how these cells are impacted in the brain. In this study, we aim to characterize the physical and functional properties of cortical astrocytes derived from the SMN∆7 mouse model. In vitro experiments were performed on brain tissue samples and cortical astrocytes cultured from SMN∆7 mice.

Brain tissue samples from P12 SMA mice in western blots showed reduced SMN protein expression in various brain regions, with levels comparable to those detected in the spinal cords. Wild-type (WT) and SMA astrocytes were isolated and cultured from the cortex of neonatal mice of the SMN∆7 mouse model on post-natal days (P)1-2, and western blots were used to measure SMN protein expression in the cortical astrocytes. We found that, in comparison to WT astrocytes, relative SMN expression levels are significantly reduced in SMA astrocytes from SMN∆7 mice. We also compared various measurements for morphometric analysis of WT and SMA cortical astrocytes to assess the effect of SMN-deficiency on the structure of these cells. To determine whether lack of SMN protein alters regulation of intrinsic cellular properties, we also examined differences in calcium signaling in the comparison of WT and SMA cortical astrocytes from SMN∆7 mice. Results are compared to similar experiments done in spinal astrocytes where results suggested that the changes observed in intracellular calcium signaling of SMNdeficient cortical astrocytes may negatively impact interaction between astrocytes and motor neurons.

The goal of this study is to provide a better understanding of how cortical astrocytes are affected by the pathology of SMA, as well as their role in supporting other neuronal cells in this SMA disease model. Such studies may aid in targeting new areas for further development of efficient therapeutic solutions for those diagnosed with SMA.

The Effect of Childhood Adversities and Neighborhood Stress on Adult Verbal Knowledge and Perceptual Reasoning

Tamara Bobb-Duberry, April Roeper, BS, Janeese A. Brownlow, PhD, FAASM Sleep Stress and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Delaware State University

Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 18. These adverse experiences have been associated with disruptions in neurocognitive function. Neighborhood environments in adulthood may moderate the effects of childhood adversity on cognitive function. Limited research exists on how specific childhood adverse experiences and neighborhood stress contributes to adult cognitive outcomes. The study aims were twofold; (1) to examine the role that specific ACEs have on

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

verbal knowledge/concept formation and reasoning ability and (2) to investigate how exposure to neighborhood disorder and exposure to violence in adulthood relates to neurocognitive consequences.

Methods: Fifty-two community adults participated in this study (Mean age= 34.94±12.19; Female= 61.5%) from Delaware. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire assessed for potentially traumatic events that occurred before the age of 18. For this study we focused on emotional, sexual, and physical abuse, physical neglect, and parental separation. The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of IntelligenceII (WASI-II) 2nd Edition, assessed for verbal knowledge and concept formation using the Vocabulary and Matrix Reasoning scales. The City Stress Inventory assessed for neighborhood stress. The CSI consisted of two subscales to include Neighborhood Disorder and Exposure to Violence. Higher scores indicated greater neighborhood stress.

Results: Data also indicated an inverse association between sexual abuse and reasoning ability, indicating that as sexual abuse increased, perceptual reasoning decreased (r= -.346, p= .02). There were no significant findings between the physical and emotional abuse, physical neglect, and parental incarceration and neighborhood disorder (r’s= -.073 to -.346, p’s= .17 to .94). Data also found an inverse relationship between neighborhood disorder and verbal knowledge/concept formation (r=-278, p= .05), however those findings were not correlated with physical and emotional abuse, physical neglect, and parental incarceration and neighborhood disorder (r’s= -.024 to -.20, p’s= .06 to .88). We found that sexual abuse and neighborhood disorder significantly predicted perceptual reasoning (R2= .166, p= .03). Sexual abuse and neighborhood disorder accounted for 18.5% of the variance related to poor verbal knowledge and content formation.

Conclusion: Findings highlight the lasting effects of early life trauma and current neighborhood stress on cognition, emphasizing the need for interventions that address both individual and environmental factors.

Funder Acknowledgment: This study was funded by a Center Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (Grant # P20GM103653). JAB’s time was supported by a Center Grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (Grant # U54MD015959).

Presentation format: Poster

Optimizing RNA Expression Analysis: Trizol-Based Extraction and RT-PCR for Gene Regulation Studies

Brooklyn Bowen, Kaila Brown, Orianna Moore

RNA expression analysis is a fundamental tool in molecular biology, offering insights into gene function and regulation. This study presents a robust methodology for detecting and quantifying RNA expression through Trizol-based RNA extraction combined with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The objective is to establish a reliable and efficient method for analyzing RNA expression in plant tissues, addressing challenges such as RNA purity, reproducibility, and sensitivity. Understanding gene expression in response to environmental stress or developmental signals is crucial for gaining insights into plant adaptability and gene regulation. Trizol, a monophasic reagent containing phenol and guanidine isothiocyanate, was used for cell lysis and high-quality RNA isolation from plant samples. Complementary DNA synthesis was then performed via reverse transcriptase, converting RNA into a stable amplifiable form. The RNA quality was confirmed through agarose gel electrophoresis, showing clear ribosomal RNA bands with minimal contamination. RT-PCR was employed to measure gene expression levels, and the results demonstrated high sensitivity and reproducibility across various experimental conditions. This study highlights the effectiveness of combining Trizol extraction with RT-PCR for detecting differential RNA expression, even with small sample sizes. The method’s reliability in identifying stress-induced and developmental gene regulation suggests its potential for a wide range of biological applications. Future research should focus on applying this methodology to various biological systems and optimizing it for highthroughput gene expression analysis.

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Early

Neurological Improvement with Thrombectomy in Mild Stroke with Visible Intracranial Occlusion

Kamil Cameron

Background: Endovascular therapy (EVT) is a guideline-based, definitive method used to recanalize occluded intracranial vessels in select patients with acute ischemic stroke. While EVT is effective for those with moderate to severe strokes, it is not currently recommended for patients with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores <6. We sought to evaluate the safety and early neurologic improvement associated with EVT in this population, with the plan to consolidate our data with a larger, ongoing multicenter registry.

Methods: A retrospective observational cohort (2023-2024) of consecutively admitted patients with acute ischemic stroke due to LVO of the anterior circulation with NIHSS 0-5 was queried. The primary safety outcome was neurological deterioration (ND, defined by NIHSS worsening of 2 or more points at 24 hours). Early neurological improvement (ENI, defined by improvement in NIHSS at 24 hours by ≥1 points) was also assessed. Patients treated with EVT were compared against those treated with best medical management, using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age and NIHSS.

Results: Of the 62 patients who met the criteria, the median age was 65 years (interquartile range [IQR 58-75]), and 40 had available NIHSS captured at 24 hours for classification of ND or ENI. Eight patients experienced ND (20%), with no difference between EVT or medically managed groups (17% vs. 27%, p=0.48). Sixteen patients experienced ENI (40%) with a non-significantly greater proportion having been treated with EVT (55% vs. 34%, p=0.25). In multivariable regression, EVT was not associated with ND (odds ratio [OR] 1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.34-9.90) or ENI (OR 1.99, 95% CI 0.37-10.70). Among secondary outcomes, EVT was associated with a non-significantly lower 7-day modified Rankin Scale score in adjusted regression (n=52 patients; OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.06 – 1.67).

Discussion: In this small, single-center, retrospective analysis, EVT in low NIHSS intracranial occlusion was not associated with significant safety concerns or rapid neurological improvement in the NIHSS. These data warrant additional validation in randomized trials or larger data sets with detailed assessments of the occlusion location and early imaging findings (e.g., perfusion parameters). Individualized treatment decisions are likely to consider tissue at risk and proximity of intracranial occlusion rather than NIHSS alone.

Presentation format: Oral

Horizontal Gene Transfer Associated with Mobile Genetic Elements in Bacteria

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a critical mechanism in the evolution of bacteria, allowing for the rapid acquisition of new traits and promoting genetic diversity (Burmeister, 2015). MGEs, such as plasmids, transposons, integrons, and bacteriophages, serve as vectors for gene transfer between various bacterial species (Partridge et al, 2018). They enable the spread of resistance genes, virulence factors, and metabolic capabilities, significantly impacting public health and environmental microbiology (Tokuda & Shintani, 2024). The mechanisms of HGT via MGEs include transformation, transduction, and conjugation (Rogers, 2019). Transformation involves the uptake of free DNA from the environment, while transduction is mediated by bacteriophages that transfer DNA between bacteria (Rogers, 2019). Conjugation, the most efficient method, requires direct cell-to-cell contact and is predominantly facilitated by plasmids (Rogers, 2019). The overall goal of this research is to explore the mechanisms of the MGEs through long and short read sequencing to better understand horizontal gene transfer (HGT).

Presentation format: Poster

Carlton Cannon

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Exploring the Role of Hsp27-TDP43 Interaction in Mitigating Neurodegenerative Disorders

Ahleah Cole, Michael Gitcho

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons and cognitive decline. Both diseases are characterized by the pathological aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP43), a critical protein involved in RNA metabolism and regulation, cellular stress responses, and other mRNA stabilization. These aggregates disrupt cellular homeostasis, leading to neuronal dysfunction and cell death. Despite ongoing research, therapeutic strategies targeting TDP43 aggregation remain limited.

The protein of interest in this experiment, HSP27 (Heat Shock Protein 27), is a molecular chaperone that protects cells from various stresses, such as oxidative stress, heat shock, and protein misfolding. This study explores the interaction between TDP43 and HSP27 and analyzes the effects these interactions have on neurodegenerative disorders.

Using Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation analyses in astrocytes and SH-SY5Y cells, we demonstrate that HSP27 forms a complex with TDP43 and reduces its expression levels in SH-SY5Y cells. HSP27 overexpression, in combination with TDP43 overexpression, significantly decreased TDP43 levels, indicating its potential to mitigate TDP43 aggregation.

*Experiment results*

HSP27 plays a crucial role in protecting cells from environmental stress, maintaining homeostasis, and ensuring the proper folding of proteins to prevent aggregation. These molecular chaperones also identify damaged proteins, marking them for degradation before they can cause harm. Given that TDP43 aggregation is central to some of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, it is vital to explore therapeutics or strategies to mitigate the effects of these proteins and reduce the incidence of such disorders. HSP27 proteins offer a promising approach to counteracting TDP43, thereby enhancing the quality of life for individuals affected by these debilitating neurodegenerative conditions.

Presentation format: Poster

Differences in Autopsy Results in Fatal Overdose Cases in Chronic Drug Abusers and Non-Chronic Drug Abusers

Dyson Coley

Overdose deaths represent a growing public health crisis, with distinct differences observed between chronic drug abusers and non-chronic drug users. This study explores these differences by analyzing autopsy findings, focusing on the physiological effects of prolonged substance use versus acute exposure.

Chronic drug abusers exhibit signs of long-term physiological damage. High tolerance to opioids is reflected in elevated toxicological levels, while scarring, abscesses, and infections are common in intravenous users. Chronic respiratory suppression and systemic immune compromise further distinguish the effects of chronic drug abuse on the body.

Non-chronic users often exhibit acute overdose markers, such as high opioid concentrations and pulmonary edema, with limited evidence of long-term organ damage. These individuals are more likely to suffer fatal overdoses at lower drug concentrations due to a lack of tolerance and greater susceptibility to the toxic effects of opioids. Fewer injection sites and minimal signs of substance use-related complications are typical, reflecting infrequent or first-time drug use.

Despite these differences, both groups share common autopsy findings, including respiratory depression as the primary cause of death and the presence of opioids and metabolites in toxicology reports. By highlighting the physiological and toxicological distinctions between chronic and non-chronic drug users, this research enforces the importance of tailored approaches in forensic investigations and public health policies. Understanding these differences provides valuable insights for addressing the complexities of substance abuse and overdose prevention.

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

CD44 isoforms in triple negative breast cancer cell lines derived from African American and European American women

Esther H. Daniel, Lina Anvari, Victoria G Croston, Areli Martinez and Karl E Miletti-Gonzalez Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University

To identify the expression of CD44 isoforms in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, three derived from African American women (AA) and three derived from European American women (EA). We hypothesize that AA cell lines will have a higher CD44 isoforms expression compared to EA cell lines, in part because two out of three AA and EA cell lines are CD44 protein positive and negative, respectively. To test our hypothesis, we proposed to reverse transcribe and PCR amplify every alternatively spliced CD44 isoform mRNA transcript. A reverse transcription (RT)-PCR protocol was performed using total RNA extracted from every TNBC cell line (AA cells: HCC70, HTB132 and HCC1806; EA cells: HCC38, HCC1143 and HCC1937) using Trizol. RT was carried out using the SuperScript IV First-Strand Synthesis System. PCR amplification of the cDNA was conducted with 10 primer pairs to amplify every CD44 isoform. Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to identify each CD44 isoform PCR amplicon. A diverse repertoire of CD44 isoforms among the different cell lines was identified. From HTB132, HCC1806 and HCC1937 cells, very intense bands for almost every CD44 variant isoform were amplified. They also were CD44 protein positive. From HCC70, HCC1143 and HCC38 cells, weaker bands for the CD44 variant isoforms were amplified. They also were CD44 protein negative regardless of the number of CD44 isoform amplicons (few in HCC70 and HCC1143, many in HCC38). We validated our hypothesis since more CD44 isoforms were transcribed in AA cell lines compared to EA cell lines. However, the fact that some of these transcripts are not translated uncovered a posttranscriptional regulation mechanism of these CD44 transcripts, possibly via microRNAs. The differential expression of CD44 isoforms in AA vs EA cells might start explaining differences in cancer cell phenotypes such as their oxidative stress responses.

This study was in part supported by the DSU STAR U-RISE Program Grant (NIGMS 5T34GM136477, H.B. and K.M.), the DE INBRE program, with a grant from the NIH NIGMS (P20 GM103446), a DSU RCMI IHER Pilot Award (K.M.), DE INBRE Pilot Award (K.M.) and an NSF HBCU-UP RIA (Grant no. 1700228, K.M.)

Presentation format: Poster

The Consequences of Improper Movement Patterns in Athletes: Preventing Injury Through Assessment and Training

Grace Dunning,

Julia

Olsen, PhD MS CSCS*D

TSAC-F, Professor of Practice, Public and Allied Health Sciences, Delaware State University

Specializing in a single sport year-round and even multi-sport participation can take a toll on an athlete’s body, leading to muscle imbalances that hurt performance and increase the risk of injury. When certain muscles are overdeveloped while others are neglected, it disrupts overall movement mechanics. This imbalance can contribute to overuse injuries, growth plate stress in younger athletes, and even psychological burnout from intense specialization. To reduce these risks, athletes should incorporate a variety of physical activities to promote balanced muscle development, take enough rest to prevent overuse injuries and get regular movement assessments to catch imbalances early. Our ongoing research focuses on single-sport and multi-sport athletes to identify patterns of muscle imbalances and joint misalignment. We are conducting strict observational assessments using body composition analysis (fat mass, fat-free mass, and skeletal muscle mass), Functional Movement Screening (FMS), and vital sign measurements, including blood pressure and heart rate. Data is continuously collected through non-invasive testing and movement evaluations to track trends in movement deficiencies and physical imbalances over time. Although data collection is ongoing, initial observations suggest a prevalence of muscular imbalances and compensatory movement patterns among athletes specializing in a single sport. Many athletes exhibit asymmetries in movement mechanics that could increase the likelihood of overuse injuries. As our research progresses, we aim to analyze these patterns in greater detail to establish clear connections between movement deficiencies, joint misalignment, and long-term injury risks. Our findings will emphasize the importance of early intervention, regular movement assessments, and well-rounded training programs to promote long-term athletic health and injury prevention.

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Neuroimmunology‚ Äì the past, present and future

Sky Dunnington

Neuroimmunology as a separate discipline has its roots in the fields of neurology, neuroscience and immunology. In this review we highlight historical aspects and milestones in the field of neuroimmunology and discuss the paradigm shifts that have helped provide novel insights into disease mechanisms. We propose future perspectives including molecular biological studies and experimental models that may have the potential to advance many areas of neuroimmunology.

Presentation format: Oral

Generation of Viral Vector for Overexpression of Alpha-Secretase.

Apoorva Gidugu

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the memory and thinking ability leading to dementia. The diffuse extracellular aggregates of amyloid beta peptide(Aβ) referred to as senile plaques are the pathological hallmarks of AD and they are known to induce cortical neuronal cell death and loss of communication between neurons. Under normal physiological conditions the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is sequentially cleaved by α and γ-secretase. However, in AD subjects the expression of α-secretase was found to be drastically reduced with a concomitant increase in β-secretase levels. Hence, APP was found to be processed by sequential cleavage by β and γ secretase in AD leading to the generation of Aβ peptide. Few proteases namely ADAM 10 and ADAM 17(A Disintegrin And Metalloproteases) family were found to possess α-secretase activity. Hence in the present project we propose to develop adenoviral vector for overexpression of ADAM10/17 in primary cultures of cortical neurons to mitigate the generation of Aβ peptide. Methods include Amplification of ADAM10/17 by RTPCR, cloning the gene into shuttle vector, generation of adenoviral vector by homologous recombination, transfection in mammalian cells and selection of recombinant cells for the purification of adenovirus.

Presentation format: Oral

The Effects of Antibiotics on Serratia Marcescens on Pigment Production

Celina Hoskins, Dr. Kevin Shuman

Department of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University

Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative pathogen belonging to the Yersiniaceae family commonly found in human and animal feces, dust, soil, and surface waters. In 1819, it was identified by a pharmacist named Bartolomeo Bizio as the cause of bloody discoloration in cornmeal mush. It is known for its distinctive red pigment, prodigiosin, and opportunistic pathogenicity. It grows in ranging temperatures from 5 to 40 degrees Celsius and a pH ranging from 5 to 9. I hypothesized that a higher concentration of TSB media will influence the diameter of no pigment and no growth because of the higher concentration of nutrients within the media. To test the hypothesis, we studied the effects of TSB concentration on antibiotic susceptibility and pigment production. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) on growth and pigment production were determined using antibiotic MIC strips. The minimal inhibitory concentration is defined as the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that will inhibit visible growth of a microorganism after it has been incubated overnight. Antibiotic susceptibility is defined as the sensitivity or resistance of bacteria to various antibiotics. Lastly, pigment production is the process of forming a pigment through chemical reactions and pathways. Understanding the effects of antibiotics on the bacterium will help develop strategies to combat infections caused by S. marcescens and identify what happens during antibiotic interactions.

*Research funded by a pilot grant that is part of the NIH RCMI-IHER Grant at DSU.

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

The Role of Inflammation in Depression and Fatigue

Caitlyn Maloney

Depression and fatigue are conditions responsible for heavy global societal burden, especially in patients already suffering from chronic diseases. These symptoms have been identified by those affected as some of the most disabling symptoms which affect the quality of life and productivity of the individual. While many factors play a role in the development of depression and fatigue, both have been associated with increased inflammatory activation of the immune system affecting both the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS). This is further supported by the well-described association between diseases that involve immune activation and these symptoms in autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and immune system activation in response to infections, like sepsis. Treatments for depression also support this immunopsychiatric link. Antidepressants have been shown to decrease inflammation, while higher levels of baseline inflammation predict lower treatment efficacy for most treatments. Those patients with higher initial immune activation may on the other hand be more responsive to treatments targeting immune pathways, which have been found to be effective in treating depression and fatigue in some cases. These results show strong support for the hypothesis that depression and fatigue are associated with an increased activation of the immune system which may serve as a valid target for treatment. Further studies should focus on the pathways involved in these symptoms and the development of treatments that target those pathways will help us to better understand these conditions and devise more targeted treatments.

Presentation format: Oral

Investigation of increased sensitivity of African-centric p53 hypomorphic cell lines to MEK inhibitors.

Michelle Markland1,2 and Erin Perchiniak1

1 Delaware State University

2Alliance for Minority Participation Internship Recipient

The p53 tumor suppressor functions to suppress growth following activation by cellular stressors through the transcriptional regulation of a vast array of genes, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and other forms of cell death, as well as metabolic regulation. Point mutations identified in this gene are found in over 50% of human cancers, resulting in “gain of function” oncogenic properties including proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance. Interestingly there are also over 200 germline missense variants of p53 that remain to be characterized. Some of these variants are hypomorphs, with some impairment but not complete inactivation, and showing increased risk for cancer. Recent studies have reported that two different African-centric genetic p53 hypomorphs, Pro47Ser (P47S) and Tyr107His (Y107H), retain considerable p53 activity, but are defective for the transactivation of a small subset of p53 target genes and vary in spontaneous cancer formation and treatment to therapeutics. Experiments from our lab have found increased sensitivity of the P47S and Y107H hypomorphic cell lines in response to three MEK inhibitors in both cell survival and clonogenic colony forming assays. Currently, we are working to test 3 additional MEK inhibitors that are used clinically to determine if they also have increased sensitivity in the hypomorphic cell lines. We then plan to investigate if the increased death in these cells is specifically apoptotic. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which these African-specific p53 hypomorphs differ from the wild-type protein is critical to shedding light on African cancer disparities as well as personalized medicine approaches.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

The combined 410nm and 850nm infra-red light suppression of bacterial growth

Areli Martinez1,2, Matthew Stangl3, and Dr. Yong-Hwan Kim4

1Biological Sciences, Delaware State University

2U-RISE (Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement) Program

3University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware

4Neuroscience program, Allied Health Science Boise State University, Boise, Idaho

The Covid-19 introduced various initiatives including innovative ways to use UV or blue lights to effectively disinfect and eliminate pathogens. In previous experiments, we tested the combinations of violet light (V, 405nm) and infra-red (IR-850nm) at 24 watts or higher. The 3V-1IR combined lights proved to sufficiently suppress bacterial growth as effective as the 4V light (Martinez et al., 2023). Further research has brought us to test the 3V-1IR combination at a lower wattage of 20 watts with a safer wavelength of 410nm under the realistic conditions. For the mechanism of bacterial death by the light, we have demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) was elevated to induce bacterial death, in addition to the reduced thickness of the biofilm was triggered by the light exposure, which made potential pathogen more vulnerable. Our recent results demonstrated that the 20 watt light exposure was effective in suppressing the survival of pathogenic strains of E. coli and S. aureus at all tested distances (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 meters) and that light exposure significantly reduced the level of ROS and prevented biofilm formation.

Presentation format: Oral

Determining the mechanism for increased sensitivity of African-centric p53 hypomorphic cell lines to MEK inhibitors.

Emily Nagbe1,2 and Erin Perchiniak1

1 Delaware State University

2 Alliance for Minority Participation Internship Recipient

The p53 tumor suppressor responds to a variety of cellular stressors through its transcriptional regulation of a vast array of genes, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and other forms of cell death, as well as metabolic regulation. Point mutations identified in this gene are found in over 50% of human cancers. Mutant p53 variants often result in “gain of function” oncogenic properties. Interestingly there are over 200 germline missense variants of p53 that remain to be characterized. In some cases, these variants have been shown to be hypomorphic with some impairment but not complete inactivation, and some showing increased risk for cancer. Recent studies have reported that two different African-centric genetic p53 hypomorphs retain considerable p53 activity, but are defective for the transactivation of a small subset of p53 target genes and vary in spontaneous cancer formation and treatment to therapeutics. Recent data from our lab has found increased sensitivity in hypomorphic cell lines expressing these 2 variants to three MEK inhibitors in both cell survival and clonogenic colony forming assays. We are currently focused on increasing the dose of the MEK inhibitors to attain a more robust effect. Future studies will focus on understanding the mechanism that underlies this initial finding by trying to identify genes that are differentially regulated by the p53 hypomorphs. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which these African-specific p53 hypomorphs differ from the wild-type protein is critical to shedding light on African cancer disparities as well as personalized medicine approaches.

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Assessing the role of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) in the growth of Plasmodium falciparum in the mosquito

Yasmeen Olass

Program: DuBois Scholars, Advisor/PI: Flaminia Catteruccia, Supervisor/Mentor: Alexandra Probst

Host Institution/Department: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Malaria is the third leading cause of death among infectious diseases, with over 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths reported in 2022. The disease is caused by the eukaryotic parasite Plasmodium falciparum and is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. Preventative measures include vector control strategies, such as insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying, which target mosquitoes to prevent transmission. However, these measures are becoming less effective as mosquitoes develop resistance to insecticides, threatening vector control strategies. Previous research in the Catteruccia laboratory identified that mitochondrial Cytochrome B inhibitors effectively target P. falciparum during its development in mosquitoes. A related mitochondrial enzyme, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), catalyzes a crucial step for the parasite’s DNA and RNA synthesis. Without functional DHODH, the parasite cannot replicate its DNA. To determine the role of DHODH in parasite development in the mosquito portion of its life cycle, we tested the efficacy of DHODH inhibitor DSM267 on oocyst development over 21 days. In the experiment, female Anopheles mosquitoes were given an infectious blood meal containing P. falciparum parasites. Two days post-infection, the mosquitoes were provided with a sugar solution containing DSM267 or a control solution. Mosquito midguts were dissected and imaged on days 7, 14, and 21 to assess oocyst growth. We found that DSM267 slowed oocyst growth but did not halt it completely, suggesting DOODH has a crucial role in oocyst development. We also performed Immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) that further demonstrated that DHODH inhibition slowed down the growth of oocyst in the midgut. Our data suggest that DHODH is a promising drug target to reduce the amount of parasites in the mosquito and disrupt the spread of malaria.

Presentation format: Poster

CHANGES IN CENTRAL ACETYLCHOLINE RELEASE ALTERS SLEEP IN YOUNG ANIMALS AND DISRUPTS CHOLINERGIC-LINKED BEHAVIOR DURING AGING

DaShan Osborne, Pratap Meera and Hakeem O. Lawal Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University

Acetylcholine (ACh) is a ubiquitous neurotransmitter found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Following its synthesis in the cytoplasm of cholinergic neurons, ACh is transported and stored in synaptic vesicles for exocytotic release by the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). Despite the wealth of knowledge regarding the regulation of ACh synaptic transmission, including the fact that cholinergic decline is an important feature of aging, the precise manner in which ACh release alters behavioral performance during aging is not fully understood. Our lab has previously shown that an increase in VAChT function disrupts movement, learning, memory, and survival. We are interested in using Drosophila as a model system to understand how age-related alterations in ACh synapses change the expression and function of VAChT and vice versa. We are using immunohistochemistry to measure the effect of aging on the cholinergic synapse in both wildtype and VAChT overexpressors. We are also measuring the effects that changes in VAChT levels have on ACh-linked behaviors, like locomotion and sleep. Both behavioral circuits are known to contain strong cholinergic inputs, although the mechanism through which the neurotransmitter regulates both behaviors during the lifespan is not fully understood. We report that the overexpression of VAChT causes an increase in sleep in young female flies but has no effect on males. Moreover, flies overexpressing VAChT have elevated VAChT expression in synaptic vesicles at/around the plasma membrane of cholinergic neurons. Importantly, although these flies have normal locomotion when they are young, they progressively show locomotion decline as they age. Taken together, these findings support the idea of a central role for ACh release in mediating conserved neurological functions, including in the regulation of locomotion and sleep. Future studies will elucidate the synaptic physiological changes that accompany these observed changes.

Funding Acknowledgments: RISE Fellowship Grant, HGBI Title III Grant, K01 Career Development Grant to H.O. Lawal

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

CURE: Optimal Environmental & Chemical Conditions Across Three Strains of S. marcescens

Ja'Nayah Pickens

Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative bacterium commonly found in water, soil, and the human gastrointestinal tract. Known for its red pigmentation produced by the pigment, prodigiosin, and it belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae. Although frequently encountered in natural environments, S. marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen in humans, responsible for 1-2% of nosocomial infections. Its presence in healthcare settings poses a challenge, especially due to its intrinsic resistance to several antibiotics, contributing to its role in infections. Three strains were used during the experiments: Wild Type (WT), mutant with reduced pigment (MTSP), and mutant with no pigment (MTNP). S. marcescens growth measured as the optical density at 600 nm (OD600) to gauge optimal environmental growth conditions. All three strains of S. marcescens was found to be a neutrophilic, facultative aerobe that exhibited maximum growth at 30°C, classifying it as a mesophile. The strains were equally resistant to Kanamycin out of the five antibiotics tested. A decrease in prodigiosin was observed when exposed to certain antibiotics and increased temperature. We hypothesized that pigment production is taxing towards ATP, which is needed for bacterial survival. Our study revealed that pH, temperature, antibiotics, and other environmental conditions play critical roles in the biological functions and behaviors of S. marcescens. Understanding the environmental conditions that support or inhibit various strains of S. marcescens provides foundational insights into its growth and host colonization, potentially leading to strategies for managing this pathogenic bacterium in different environments.

Presentation format: Poster

Does Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1 modulate neuronal network activity?

Aaliyah Robinson, Venkata Ajay Narendra Talabattula

and Murali Temburni

Delaware Center for Neuroscience Research and Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University

Previous research in the lab has demonstrated that astrocytes influence the synchronization of network activity of neurons in the vertebrate brain. The aim of this project is to identify the molecular pathways that are responsible for astrocyte-neuron interactions. My project focuses on the metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) on neuronal cultures. For each experimental set, one optic tectum and forebrain from an embryonic day 7 (E7) chick embryo is dissected and dissociated with trypsin and the neuronal and astrocyte progenitors are plated in multielectrode array dishes (MEAs) and record network activity.

A841720, a drug that is an antagonist of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, is added to experimental plates and DMSO is added to the control cultures. Since astrocytes and neurons express mGluRs on their surface, we expect that A841720 will block the activity of the mGluR pathway within astrocytes as well as in neurons. We expect that mGlur1 antagonist results in the reduced neuronal synchronization. Overall, we expect that our research will unravel the mechanisms of synchronization of network activity in the brain which is the main feature of epileptic disorders.

Acknowledgments: This study is supported by NSF Research Initiation Award (HRD 1401026) and NSF IOS Neural Systems Awards (IOS 1755341 and 1755033) and by NINDS grant #R25NS095371.

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

In vitro Invasion and Migration of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells with Different CD44 Isoforms

Eunicsa Samuels

Cancer cell migration and invasion are essential processes for tumor progression and metastasis and the CD44 cell membrane receptor has been associated with both phenotypes in cancer cells. The objective of this study is to explore the migration and in vitro invasion capabilities of two triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, HTB-132 and HCC1806, and the potential role of CD44 in such cellular behavior. We hypothesize that the expression of different CD44 isoforms affects, in part the migration and in vitro invasion of the breast cancer cell lines under study. To test this hypothesis, we used cell culture inserts (uncoated for migration and Matrigel-coated for invasion), in which 10,000 cells were seeded in and incubated for 48 hours in 24 well plates. The cells that migrated from the upper membrane to the lower membrane were fixed, visualized by staining the lower chamber membrane with the Diff-Quik stains, and manually counted using an inverted microscope. The number of migrating cells was significantly higher for HCC1806 cells compared to HTB-132 cells. However, there was no significant difference in the in vitro invasion assay between these two cell lines. These results suggest that the difference in CD44 isoform expression might affect the ability of the cells to migrate but not in vitro invade.

Presentation format: Poster

Unraveling the Genetic Partners of Highwire in Synaptic Degeneration and Sleep

1Gabriel Thomas, 2Dr. Jeff Donlea, 2Prabhjit Singh

1Department of Chemistry, Delaware State University

2Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Institutional research site: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Sleep plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity by facilitating synaptic pruning and strengthening, essential for learning and memory. During sleep, the brain reorganizes neural connections, removing excess synapses and refining critical pathways. However, its specific mechanisms in neurodegeneration and neural repair remain poorly understood. Understanding these processes is vital, as they may offer insights into neurodegenerative disease progression and therapeutic opportunities. Previous research has demonstrated that neuronal injury in Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies induces a temporary increase in sleep, facilitating synaptic pruning. The E3 ubiquitin ligase highwire (Hiw) is a key mediator in this process; its mutation prevents both injury-induced sleep and synapse removal. This study aims to investigate the molecular partners of highwire—Wlds (Wallerian Degeneration Slow) and NAD-synthase—to assess their roles in sleep-regulated synaptic remodeling. An antennal injury model was utilized to induce neuronal damage in Drosophila. Using Trikinetics monitoring I analyzed sleep behaviour, and hereafter, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy were employed to assess synaptic integrity, enabling precise visualization of synapse status. Genetic manipulations of Wlds and NAD-synthase were conducted to evaluate their effects on neuronal recovery. Results indicate that Wlds weakens both sleep and synaptic debris clearance post-injury, suggesting an antagonistic relationship with wnd-C. In contrast, NAD-synthase did not exhibit a significant impact on sleep behavior or synaptic remodeling. These findings suggest that Wlds and wnd-C function in opposition in influencing sleep responses to neuronal injury, while NAD-synthase appears inconsequential. Future research will focus on elucidating the mechanisms by which injured neurons communicate with glial cells and investigating the specific effects of sleep modulation on synaptic recovery. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms may illuminate pathways for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases.

Funder Acknowledgment: Thanks to BRI (Brain Research Institute), the UC-HBCU Pathways to Neuroscience Program, and NIH Grant NS119905 for making this opportunity a possibility and funding student participation.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

HCT 116 Cells Expressing the p53 Hypomorphic Variants, P47S and Y107H, Show Increased Sensitivity to MEK Inhibitor, Binimetinib

Mikaela Taylor, Erin Perchiniak

In human cells, p53 is activated in response to cellular damage or stress and plays a vital role in tumorigenesis prevention. TP53 is frequently inactivated by mutation in over half of human cancers leading to a dysfunctional p53 product. Recent studies have identified two African-centric hypomorphic p53 variants, Pro47Ser (P47S) and Tyr107His (Y107H), that retain considerable p53 activity but are defective for the transactivation of a small subset of p53 target genes and vary in spontaneous cancer formation and response to therapeutics. Previous chemical library screens showed increased sensitivity of the P47S or Y107H hypomorphic variants to MEK inhibitors. This project focused on validating these initial studies by treating both wild-type and p53 hypomorphic cell lines with the MEK inhibitor Binimetinib. Cells were initially treated with varying concentrations of Binimetinib to determine the IC50, which was found to be 15μM after 72 hours of treatment. Next, parental HCT 116 cells and the two hypomorphic cells were treated with 15μM Binimetinib for 72h, harvested, and then analyzed using a Countess FL3 cell counter to determine percent cell survival. Results showed decreased survival following Binimetinib treatment in both P47S and Y107H cell lines compared to cells with wild type p53. Colony-forming assays were performed in parallel. Cells were treated with Binimetinib, harvested, and replated at equal density in triplicate with untreated HCT 116 cells used as a control. After 5 days of growth post-treatment, colonies were fixed and stained for visualization. Fewer colonies were formed in the hypomorphic cell lines, particularly P47S, compared to the parental HCT 116 cells following Binimetinib treatment. Current studies focus on using an apoptosis-specific stain, Cell Event Caspase 3/7, which fluorescently labels activated caspases specific to the apoptotic cascade. Western blots will also be done to detect apoptotic markers, cleaved caspase 3 and PARP, following drug treatment. Future studies aim to uncover the mechanism for this preferential MEK inhibitor sensitivity in cells with P47S or Y107H p53 variants. Understanding the mechanisms by which these Africanspecific p53 hypomorphs differ from the wild-type protein is critical to shedding light on African cancer disparities as well as personalized therapeutic approaches.

Research funded by: National Science Foundation REU Grant #: 2244195 (PI, H. Lawal, Co-PI, E. Perchiniak); NIH RCMI-IHER Pilot grant (PI, E. Perchiniak).

Presentation format: Poster

Serratia marcescens’ Metabolic Functions and its Effect on Prodigiosin Production

Aaron Woody Jr., Dr. Shuman

Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University

Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative bacterium commonly found in soil, water, and the human gut. It is known for its characteristic red pigment, prodigiosin, produced under certain environmental conditions. This bacterium exhibits versatile metabolic pathways, allowing it to thrive in diverse environments and utilize various nutrients. Metabolically, S. marcescens can perform aerobic and facultative anerobic respiration, displaying metabolic flexibility essential for survival in low-oxygen or nutrient-poor conditions. Specifically, Serratia marcescens is a facultative anaerobe that performs in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The metabolism of S. marcescens is highly adaptable which allows it to utilize carbon sources. It can ferment a variety of carbohydrates essential for energy production in anaerobic environments but does not ferment lactose. Serratia marcescens produces various enzymes that contribute to its pathogenicity by breaking down host tissues and aiding in colonization. Its metabolic versatility includes the ability to degrade complex compounds, like DNAse. Overall, the diverse metabolic and fermentative capabilities of this bacterium play a key role in its adaptability, ecological niche occupation, and occasional role as an opportunistic pathogen in humans. After a series of experiments, S. marcescens were found to be able to reduce nitrate to nitrite in the absence of oxygen and have a presence of catalase. It can metabolize ornithine and lysine. Lastly, glucose was fermented in a neutral pathway for the glucose fermentation pathway and fructose, sucrose, and trehalose were the carbohydrates that fermented after further testing. These findings highlight the metabolic adaptability of Serratia marcescens, emphasizing its ability to thrive in diverse environments and contribute to both ecological balance and opportunistic pathogenicity.

Presentation format: Poster

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Assessment of CD44 expression in HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells expressing wild-type or mutant p53 protein

Zaeleya K. Zaza and Karl E Miletti-Gonzalez

Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State

University

CD44 is an adhesion and signaling cell membrane receptor involved in tumor migration, invasion and metastasis. The CD44 intracellular domain (CD44ICD) can interact with transcription factors including p53, a tumor suppressor that governs cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. This work seeks to characterize the expression of CD44 and TP53 (which encodes p53) in wild type (wt) and mutant HCT116 colorectal cancer cell lines with the expectation of uncovering a potential impact of the CD44-ICD-p53 protein-protein interaction on p53’s DNA-binding ability to its response element on target genes. To carry out this project five cell lines will be cultured: HCT 116 wt, HCT116 P47S (two clones) and HCT116 Y107H (two clones). Cell lysates from these cultures will be prepared, quantified and analyzed for the expression of CD44 and p53 via Western blot analysis. Even though the expression of these two proteins has been reported in HCT116 cells, we expect gaining an insight into a potentially novel regulatory mechanisms of p53 transcription function based on the proteinprotein interaction of the CD44-ICD and wt or mutant p53.

This study was in part supported by the DSU STAR U-RISE Program Grant (NIGMS 5T34GM136477, H.B. and K.M.), the DE INBRE program, with a grant from the NIH NIGMS (P20 GM103446), a DSU RCMI IHER Pilot Award (K.M.), DE INBRE Pilot Award (K.M.) and an NSF HBCU-UP RIA (Grant no. 1700228, K.M.).

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – CHEMISTRY

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Techniques to Electrochemically Destroy Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Contaminated Water: Heptafluorobutyric Acid 

Jenna Blauser

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as forever chemicals and pose serious health risks to humans and wildlife. These man-made fluorinated hydrocarbons are notoriously difficult to destroy. These compounds have been used in many industrial applications since the 1940s as polymers, pharmaceuticals, surface coatings, surfactants, adhesives, and flame retardants. An approach of decomposing PFAS using oxidation and reduction methods could be a new treatment method. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) studies of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as heptafluorobutyric acid, show that these compounds are reducible. The studies were conducted in acetonitrile (CH3CN) with tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAHFP)-acetonitrile (CH3CN) as a supporting electrolyte. Using platinum working and Ag/ AgCl, KCl(satd.) reference electrodes, the CV studies of 5.00 mM solution of the PFAS showed the same number of major cathodic and anodic peaks, and the same overall appearances with shifts in the peak potentials and variation in the peak heights. The cyclic voltammogram of heptafluorobutyric acid showed a reduction. The information obtained in this study will be used to potentially develop a new method of electrochemical destruction of PFAS in wastewater.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – CHEMISTRY

High-Affinity Nanobody Design Targeting Tem8 for TNBC Therapeutics

Md. Mehedi Hasan, Shahidul M. Islam Department of Chemistry, Delaware State University

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with high prevalence and poor clinical outcomes, particularly among African American women. Tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8), a transmembrane protein, is overexpressed in TNBC compared to normal tissue, promoting tumor progression through enhanced vascularization. Nanobodies, derived from camelids, are exceptionally stable and retain strong antigen-binding specificity. This study focuses on designing high affinity nanobodies targeting TEM8 for adaptation into immunotherapy, offering a targeted treatment strategy for TNBC. In this study, TEM8 bound to a nanobody was modeled using AlphaFold2, and the stability was validated by triplicate molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Saturated mutagenesis was performed on the nanobody’s complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) using Rosetta Flex-ddG to identify binding-enhancing mutations which was repeated by combining 3–4 single mutations to maximize the binding. Structural stability of these nanobody designs were evaluated with MD, AlphaFold2, and MM/GBSA binding free energy calculations. Moreover, CL-FEP absolute binding free energy measurements were performed for selected nanobodies to validate their binding and compare with experimental dissociation constants (KD). Integration of AlphaFold2, FlexddG predictions, MD simulations and MM/GBSA binding free energy calculations identified several high-affinity TEM8 binders. Five designed nanobodies, HRW, HRF, MFRH, HFRW, and HFFR exhibited significantly increased binding affinity compared to the wild type nanobody. Key mutations, such as THR to HIS and ASN to ARG, improved hydrophilic interactions, while GLY to TRP and PHE enhanced hydrophobic packing with respective residues in TEM8. This study identified nanobody binders targeting TEM8, paving the way for novel TNBC therapies. With superior tumor penetration, nanobodies hold promise for advancing TNBC immunotherapy.

Funder and Acknowledgment: This work used Anvil at Purdue University through allocation [CHE210078 to SMI] from the Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support (ACCESS) program, supported by National Science Foundation grants #2138259, #2138286, #2138307, #2137603, #2138296. This research has been funded by 2431276 RCMI (U45MD015959) and NSF CREST (2431276).

Presenter Mode: Poster

Identification and Differentiation of Margarines Using Optical Techniques

Caleb A. Mertus1, Michael Moore2, and Alberta N.A. Aryee3

1Department of Chemistry, 2Optical Center for Applied Research, Department of Physics and Engineering, 3Department of Human Ecology College, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Delaware State University

Margarine is a standard food product used in various applications. However, margarine adulteration is a prevalent form of food and economic fraud that can adversely affect food safety and consumer health. Adulteration is a significant concern for regulatory authorities. Food traceability can be complex and costly, and current methods, such as chromatographic techniques, have several limitations. This study aimed to develop a fast, reliable, cost-effective method for detecting adulteration. Additionally, we seek to identify the type of adulterant using the developed method. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) was used to prepare margarine samples to examine crystal morphology. Images of the crystals were analyzed using FIJI based on the crystal area given the sample’s adulterant concentration. The PLM data and analysis revealed that margarines of different types and varying adulterant concentrations exhibit distinct crystal morphologies. The area of the crystals was analyzed, showing a slight negative correlation with the adulterant concentration in the margarine. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy (RS), combined with a different sample preparation methodology, was used to conduct a spectroscopic analysis comparing the signal peaks of adulterated and generic margarine and the oils used for adulteration. The RS data indicated that margarine and oil types possess unique spectroscopic peaks. Additionally, when margarine is adulterated with said oils, the spectroscopic peaks change distinctly based on the type of adulterant. Optimized sample preparation with PLM offers a cost-effective and time-efficient method for detecting adulteration in margarine. Raman confocal spectroscopy represents a promising avenue for quickly and accurately identifying adulterants. Future projections aim to combine and optimize the methodologies employed.

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCES

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Deep Variational Autoencoders for Brain wave activity patterns analysis

Daniel Boyce

Mental health issues are a growing concern in our society. Its impact on individual well-being and health cannot be understated. In response, scientists have designed tools to gauge mental stress in its early phases. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals can provide comprehensive insight into mental states and conditions. In this project, we propose to use Variational-Autoencoders that extract important features and reduce noise from EEG signals. Next, we will build and compare different machine learning and deep learning models for EEG sentiment analysis. The different Deep Learning models will be trained on EEG data to find patterns of brainwave activity associated with different emotions. After preprocessing, normalization and noise removal using Variational Autoencoders, we implemented and compared different models. To achieve the best results, we used different optimizers, loss functions and experimented with early stopping and regularization layers to prevent overfitting. SVM results show 88% accuracy, while the CNNs and RNNs results show 96% accuracy.

Presentation format: Poster

Autoencoder Models for Region-based Disaster Mapping on Multi-spectral Bitemporal Remote Sensing Images

Kun Cheng1, Jing Li1, Yufan Wang2, Huining Liang2, Dr. Chandra Kambhamettu2, and Dr. Sokratis Makrogiannis1

1: Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University

2: Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Delaware

Disaster mapping via remote sensing imagery plays a key role in understanding and managing environmental changes and natural disasters. When natural disasters occur, accurate and timely identification of the affected regions is important to assess damage and reduce loss of human life. As the availability of remote sensing data and satellite images continues to increase, more researchers are focusing on developing methods for the detection and monitoring of natural events. We introduce an unsupervised learning region-based disaster mapping method using multi-temporal and multi-spectral satellite images. First, we use two multi-temporal images (pre- and post-disaster images) to perform region delineation, matching, and fusion to construct data matrix. The data matrix is composed from regional features of the mean intensities computed on multiple bands and times. Then, we employ multilayer autoencoders to learn the subspace produced by the multi-band and bi-temporal features. The method recognizes the damaged regions by computing probabilistic subspace distances and rejects the non-disaster regions. During training, we train the multilayer autoencoder only using the unaffected regions, thereby regarding disaster mapping as an anomaly detection task. The Autoencoders learn only stable patterns not damaged by the disaster, that are expected to lie close to a principal manifold. In this framework, deviations from learned unchanged patterns become easily detectable during testing, clearly highlighting the change. Our Autoencoder models include single AutoEncoder, Sparse AutoEncoder and DeepAutoEncoder (DeepAE). We applied our method on multiple natural disaster datasets including DSU_DM_Data, S2-WCD wildfire datasets, and GVLM Landslides datasets. We used the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and accuracy of classification (ACC) as the measurements of our methods.

Funder Acknowledgment: This research was supported by the National Science Foundation award #2401835 with title “Excellence in Research: Mapping of Natural Disasters by Deep Subspace Learning in Multi-band and Multi-spectral Satellite Images”.

Presentation format: Oral

CAST – COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCES

My Book Vault: A Multi-User Database for Tracking and Analyzing Reading Habits

Brenda Tavera R., Sokratis Makrogiannis, Delaware State University

Avid readers lack accessible, subscription-free tools to track and analyze reading habits comprehensively. Existing applications often fail to provide meaningful insights, limiting users’ ability to understand their reading patterns and preventing database managers and researchers from identifying broader trends. This project addresses these gaps by developing My Book Vault, a centralized, multi-user database system that enables users to log reading data and export analytical insights for visualization in external software from queries.

The database was designed in Microsoft Access, with tables for users, books, authors, genres, and reading statuses. Key features include filtering books by genre, author, or format; calculating metrics like time and money spent; and comparing trends across users. While data is currently input manually, future CSV imports will be used for bulk entry. SQL queries analyze data, with results exported to tools like Excel for visualization.

Preliminary results demonstrated the system’s effectiveness. For example, a query revealed "Romance" as the top genre in North Carolina, while another showed user spent an average of $12.50 per book. Challenges included refining table relationships and optimizing queries, but iterative testing resolved these issues. Limitations, such as scalability and interface accessibility, will guide future improvements, including pre-existing database or API integrations and a mobile-friendly interface.

My Book Vault successfully bridges the gap between personal reading tracking and large-scale data analysis. By empowering users to visualize their habits and enabling researchers to identify regional trends, the project lays a foundation for future enhancements in literacy and data-driven book recommendations.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Explainability of Deep Learning and Sparse Approximation-based Diagnosis Predictions on Biomedical Imaging

Chelsea E. Harrisa, Lingling Liua, Luiz Almeidab, Carolina Kassick a, Predrag R. Bakicc, Sokratis Makrogiannisa,* aDivision of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science (PEMaCS), Delaware State University bDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC cDepartment of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden

Machine learning models have performed well in medical image analysis tasks, such as disease diagnosis. However, the lack of interpretability of machine learning model predictions has drawn considerable criticism. To address this gap, we applied explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques to increase the transparency and interpretability of deep learning and sparse representation-based classification frameworks. Our deep learning and sparse approximation methodologies have reached over 95% and 93% classification accuracy in osteopenia prediction and breast density classification, respectively. In addition to achieving accurate AI-based diagnostic decisions, the goal of this study is to bridge the interpretability gap in breast density classification and osteopenia prediction models by applying explainability techniques. Specifically, we aim to provide visual explanations for deep learning-based predictions using XAI tools, and to interpret the decisions of sparse representation classifiers through sparse coding analysis. This study demonstrates that explainability methods like GradCAM, LIME, and our sparse approximation-based explainability method (DSR), provide compelling visual representations of model decisions for density and osteopenia classification systems. Two medical experts (LA, CK) assessed the visual explanations of five fine-tuned convolutional neural networks to rate the clinical relevance of the deep learning predictions in the diagnosis of osteopenia. The medical expert ratings of explainability results produced by XAI methods reveal that the deep learning models detect important features that align with diagnostic assessments of radiologists. This work shows the potential to bridge the gap between high-performing AI systems and their clinical applicability through model interpretability techniques.

Funder Acknowledgment: This research was supported by the Interdisciplinary Health Equity Research Center (IHER) NIH award #U54MD015959 and the NIH award #SC3GM113754.

Presentation Mode: Oral

Evaluating A Multi-Planar Hybrid U-NET Transformer for Thigh Muscle Group Segmentation in MRI

L Liu; NV Annasamudram; MN Ibrahim; S. Makrogiannis

Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University

Segmentation is a fundamental task for tissue quantification in studies of aging and age-related diseases, and for development of intervention monitoring and diagnostic workflows. This work aims to develop automated segmentation of thigh muscle groups in threedimensional (3D) magnetic resonance images (MRI). Thigh muscle groups are anatomically adjacent to each other and are often separated by ambiguous boundaries in MRI, making manual delineation a tedious and challenging task. We introduce a segmentation model that employs a vision transformer-based encoder coupled with a convolutional neural network (CNN) based decoder following U-net architecture, embedded in a multi-planar fusion framework. The purpose of this hybrid approach is to extract global contextual features using the transformer encoder and combine them with local features extracted from the CNN in the decoder. The multi-planar framework samples multiple two-dimensional (2D) planes from a 3D volume, performs segmentation on 2D planes, and reconstructs 3D muscle segmentation by fusing the 2D planes. We evaluated our method on 3D MRI volumes of healthy volunteers obtained from the MyoSegmenTUM database. The dataset consists of 21 scans of 15 subjects aged between 20 and 48 years. In our experiments, we used the first MRI acquisition for each subject; we randomly selected 8 subjects for training, 2 for validation, and 5 for testing. We evaluated the accuracy of the automated muscle delineation results versus the corresponding reference segmentation maps by computing Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC). Our technique yields a mean DSC of 0.838 over all test subjects and muscle groups, indicating very good accuracy.

Funder Acknowledgment: This research was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under awards #SC3GM113754 and #1U54MD015959-01A1.

Presentation Mode: Oral

CAST

SS-TIDAQUNET: Semi-Supervised Learning of Tissue Identification and Quantification Network for Mid-Thigh CT Segmentation

Trey J. McVey, Lingling Liu, Mohammed Nasar Ibrahim, Sokratis Makrogiannis

Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University

Aging in humans accompanies changes in body composition from natural aging or diseases. These changes often increase adipose tissue and reduce muscle mass. Epidemiologists and gerontologists study adipose and muscle distribution to understand associations with health conditions, including type-2 diabetes, sarcopenia, and age-related diseases. However, manually identifying them is labor-intensive and requires expertise. Therefore, developing automated systems for segmentation and quantification of mid-thigh tissues is crucial for diagnosing and preventing chronic diseases. In this study, we developed a fully automated system for segmenting bone tissues, muscle, and adipose tissue from CT scans of the mid-thigh. Specifically, we adopted a deep learning (DL) architecture based on U-Net to segment muscle, intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), cortical bone, and trabecular bone. A major challenge in medical image segmentation using DL is the limited availability of labeled training data. To address this, we propose a model employing auto-labels along with manual annotations in a semi-supervised learning framework. Training is divided into two steps. First, the network is trained on the training samples with manual labels and tested on the rest. Next, the trained net segments unlabeled samples and generates auto-labels. In the second stage, we re-train the network with manual labels and auto-labels from step one. We also apply bootstrapping methods to bone tissues to reduce class imbalance. The trained net is evaluated on the same test samples from step one. Segmentation accuracy was assessed using cross-validation on CT scans from the BLSA and GESTALT datasets, achieving an average Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) score of 0.90 for mid-thigh regional tissue segmentation. This performance demonstrates that our method achieves competitive results compared to existing quantification approaches. Future work will focus on fine-tuning hyperparameters to enhance accuracy and exploring other deep learning architectures using the same dataset.

Funder Acknowledgment: This research was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences award #SC3GM113754, National Institute of General Medical Sciences award #U54MD015959-01A1.

Presentation Mode: Poster

Multi-Scale Spatio-Temporal Feature Detection and Neural Network-Based Framework for Automated Cell Segmentation and Tracking

Olaitan Oluwadare1, Nagasoujanya Annasamudram1, Jian Zhao1, Yanda Yang2, Subrahmanyam Cherukumilli2, Max Sokolich2, Ceren Kirmizitas2, Ioannis Faros2, Dr Rashmi Mohanty3, Dr Ron Weiss3, Dr Sambeeta Das2, Dr Sokratis Makrogiannis1

1: Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University1

2: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware

3: Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cell segmentation and tracking are crucial in understanding the concept of cell behavior ranging from cell migration, mitosis and proliferation. These processes are central to advancement in disease modeling, drug development, and personalized medicine. Current solutions face significant challenges due to heterogeneity in cell morphology, contrast, and noise across different microscopy modalities. In this study we introduce CSTQ (Cell Segmentation, Tracking and Quantification), a technique that combines multi-scale spatio-temporal feature detection and neural network-based classification. CSTQ applies anisotropic diffusion filtering in the spatio-temporal domain, followed by automated scale selection. Interest points in space and time (spatio-temporal interest points) are then extracted, which serve as a guide to the next stage of probabilistic edge detection and watershed segmentation stages. Next, a multi-layer perceptron neural network classifies the regions into cells and non-cells. Refinement of cell boundaries via a level-set model comes after region classification to enhance segmentation accuracy even in densely packed cell areas. For cell tracking, we utilize a graph-based optimization technique that incorporates local-global optical flow and probabilistic cell matching to construct lineage tress. Our method was evaluated on multiple datasets from the Cell Tracking Challenge (CTC) symposium, and datasets obtained from our partners (University of Delaware). Our method proved very effective, showcasing high SEG (0.738) and TRA (0.895) scores over six CTC datasets, confirming its ability to generalize well.

Funder Acknowledgment: This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under award #2234871, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards #SC3GM113754 and #1U54MD015959-01A1.

Presentation Mode: Oral

CAST – PHYSICS & ENGINEERING

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Seeking Analytic Models for the Interaction of Hydrogen and Water at Planetary Conditions

Malik Booker, Delaware State University

It is believed that the typical planet in our galaxy forms with a hydrogen atmosphere, resulting in conditions where hydrogen and the planet's molten or super-critical interior interact for millions to billions of years. Despite the importance of atmosphere-interior interactions in shaping the properties of exoplanets, relatively little is known about the complex chemistry governing these interactions due to the extreme pressure-temperature conditions. Recently, progress has been made towards understanding the interaction between hydrogen and water in planetary atmospheres using quantum mechanical molecular dynamics simulations. We explored using such simulations and symbolic regression, a machine learning method, to find analytic expressions that encapsulate the interaction between hydrogen and water across the relevant temperature, pressure, and compositional regimes. Such expressions may prove useful for parameterizing atmospheric interactions in planetary evolution codes and could lead to new insights into the interaction of planetary materials at extreme conditions.

Physics-Reinforced Analysis of Raman and FTIR Spectral Data of Amino Acids

Maria Carattini, Maxine Robinson, Shehu Elelu, Lianxin Xin & Hacene Boukari Physics and Engineering Program and REMB3 Bioengineering Center, Delaware State University

The characterization of amino acid vibrational spectra is essential for advancing spectroscopic identification in biochemical and biomedical research. This study employs Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to analyze ten amino acids - Alanine, Arginine, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Aspartic Acid, Asparagine, Lysine and Histidine in powder and aqueous samples. While the fingerprint region (< 2000 cm-1) shows distinct spectral peaks, the high-wavenumber region (~2500-3500 cm-1), associated with CH, NH, and OH vibrations, also provide unique spectral features. Expanding on this work, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy have been applied to proteins such as Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and Bovine Hemoglobin to identify amino acid contributions within their spectra. Correlating the spectral features of individual amino acids with those observed in protein spectra enables a more precise characterization of vibrational signatures in complex biological systems. Experimental analysis was complemented by theoretical calculations using the Gaussian 16 with Hartree-Fock (HF) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods to simulate Raman and FTIR spectra based on the known molecular structures of the amino-acids. These efforts contribute to building a comprehensive spectral database of biomolecules and advancing multispectral identification of these biomolecules. We expect that the large and diverse datasets will be integrated into a multimodal machine learning model to enhance spectral classification and to predict possible biomolecules in multicomponent samples.

Acknowledgment: We acknowledge partial supports from NNSA #DE-NA0003986, NIH/NIBIB# 1UG3EB036465, NSF # 2219731, and NSF # 1955664. We acknowledge the assistance from the staff of the OSCAR Imaging Facility at Delaware State University

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – PHYSICS & ENGINEERING

Ge-Si Alloy Microbolometer Fabrication Process

Daemar

Casey and Mukti

Rana, Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science, Delaware State University

Bolometers are devices used to measure the power of incident electromagnetic radiation by heating a material where electrical resistance changes depending on temperature. Infrared radiation between 7.5 μm-14 μm in wavelength targets the detector material, heating it to change its electrical resistance. Microbolometers have many applications in gas detectors, night vision, surveillance, autonomous driving, and more. The sensing layer of the microbolometer is suspended from the substrate to minimize heat loss, which is naturally done by using a sacrificial layer. The use of polyimide as the sacrificial layer utilized in the micromachining process is reported. The fabrication process begins with a clean four-inch diameter Si/Si3N2 substrate. During fabrication, only lift-off techniques are used, rather than etchants, to pattern various layers. To pattern and lift off the Al layer, used as the mirror for infrared radiation, the negative photoresist Futurrex NR9-1500PY was spin-coated, followed by soft-baked, exposed to UV light using SUSS MicroTec MA6 mask aligner, hard-baked, developed in resist developer, rinsed in deionized water, and finally blow-dried in nitrogen. Afterward, the aluminum layer (188 nm) was deposited using a Kurt J Lesker Proline PVD-75 sputtering system. Next, the lift-off was performed, leaving the substrate in the RR5 photoresist remover from Futurrex Corporation overnight to remove the photoresist altogether. For the sacrificial layer, we used PI-2610 polyimide (1.2 μm) from HD Microsystems. The polyimide was spin-coated onto the substrate and then cured in a rapid thermal annealing system. Next, the pads & contacts layer (NiCr) (443nm) was deposited through sputtering and processed through lift-off following the same steps as the Al layer. Then, the electrode arm layer (N-Cr) (210 nm) is deposited through sputtering and lifted off like the previous layer. Afterward, the sensing layer (Ge-Si Alloy) (~ 180nm) and absorbing layer (NiCr) (~200nm) are deposited and lifted off together like the Al layer. At the end of the fabrication process, we will use oxygen plasma to remove the polyimide and complete the surface micromachining process. Future work will focus on completing the fabrication process of Ge-Si alloy microbolometers and characterizing them.

Funder Acknowledgment: This study was supported in part by funding through the HBGI Title III Program and by the Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science at Delaware State University.

Presentation format: Poster

Z-Scan Study of the Nonlinear absorption of Metallic Nanoparticles

Mao Kaitai, Li Zhaoqi, Fan Jintian, Aristides Marcano

Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University

We measure the Z-scan signature of silver and gold nanoparticles in a pump-probe thermal lens experiment. The signal shows a characteristic single peak proportional to the absorption at low power. At higher power, the peak split into two symmetric peaks with a central dip, indicating the presence of nonlinear absorption. At low pumping frequencies, the splitting disappears. We propose that the effect is due to the reduction of concentration due to the heating of the solvent.

Acknowledgments: Air Force Office of Scientific Research grant W911NF-23-1-0245.

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

CAST – PHYSICS & ENGINEERING

Low Noise Microwave Generation for Rubidium Clock

Elijshah Ogburn, Gustavo Acosta, Renu Tripathi, and Gour Pati

We are developing a cold atom based atomic clock in which a local oscillator is periodically referenced to the rubidium transition frequency using a control loop. The local oscillator is a crystal oscillator of frequency 100 MHz which is appropriately converted to the microwave frequency resonant with the atomic transition frequency (i.e. 3.417 GHz or 6.834 GHz) using a microwave synthesizer. The frequency stability performance of the atomic clock is dictated by the phase noise of the local oscillator. In my presentation, I will describe a specific microwave synthesizer we are designing using a comb generator, to produce a stable, low noise microwave synthesizer. Our goal in this effort, is to design a microwave synthesizer with the lowest possible phase noise performance.

Power Supply Divider for a Particle Analyzer in a Magnetic Reconnection Experiment

Carlton Passley

99% of the visible universe is made up of plasma. Therefore, it's important to better our understanding of the behavior of plasma if we want a chance at comprehending the world around us. Princeton's Plasma Physics Laboratory is home to the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX), which allows us to study magnetic reconnection in a controlled environment. This summer, I assembled the Power Supply Divider (PSD) for the Electron Energy Analyzer (EEA) which is going into MRX. I worked with my advisor, who is building the EEA. The EEA’s purpose is to analyze the behavior of high energy electrons during magnetic reconnection in order to understand the mechanism behind nonthermal particle acceleration. It does this with 10 thin wire grids, 5 on each side, where each grid is set to a different voltage to measure a distribution of the energy levels during an MRX shot. With 5 selector grids, and an additional collector plate, the EEA requires 6 unique input voltages to run. The ability to adjust the range of input voltages from the control room is also necessary for getting reliable data with the EEA. The PSD splits 2 input voltage sources into 6 different and variable output voltages. As of now, the PSD has been used to power the EEA during experiments, and the ability to discharge the EEA has proven useful.

Presentation format: Oral

Monitoring the pH-Dependent Changes in BSA and Hemoglobin in Water Using UV-Vis Spectroscopy

Maxine

Robinson, Maria Carattini, Shehu Elelu, Lianxin Xin and Hacene Boukari Physics and Engineering Program, Delaware State University

Proteins are composed of amino acids linked by peptide bonds to maintain their structure and function through intricate folding patterns. However, changes in pH can alter protein charge distributions, affecting their molecular interactions and behavior. This study examines the pH-dependent changes in bovine serum albumin (BSA) and hemoglobin bovine dissolved in water using UV-Vis spectroscopy over a 48-hour period. Spectral absorption data were collected alongside pH measurements to assess their correlation. The results suggest that the observed shifts in UV-Vis spectra were likely attributed to changes in pH, which influenced protein behavior by altering charge distribution. Additionally, oxygenated conditions in bovine hemoglobin resulted in subtle spectral shifts. These findings highlight the role of pH in influencing protein interactions and provide insight into how environmental factors affect absorbance spectra.

Presentation format: Poster

CAST – PHYSICS & ENGINEERING

Measuring the thermal gradient of the refraction index in liquids

Sonia

Wabukoya and Aristides Marcano

Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University

We measure the thermal gradient of the refraction index of several liquids using an interferometric method. We place a 5-cm long cuvette containing the sample in one of the arms of a Michelson interferometer. A stable interferometric pattern is observed at the exit of the device. We use a thermocouple to monitor the temperature during the experiment. We heat the sample by 10 to 15 oC over room temperature. As the sample starts cooling, interferometric fringes pass over the pattern. We measure the temperature for each passing fringe. The number of fringes provides the phase induced by the heat. Plotting the number of fringes versus the temperature, we estimate the thermal gradient of the refraction index. We measured this parameter for water and heavy water.

Acknowledgments: Air Force Office of Scientific Research grant W911NF-23-1-0245.

Presentation format: Oral

Investigating Water Retention and Loss in Lunar Simulants under Controlled Heating Conditions

Onyekachi Williams, Ayana Buggs, Dr. Yuri Markushin, Dr. Mohammed Khan Division of Physics, Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science, Delaware State University

Understanding water retention and loss in lunar regolith is crucial for future lunar exploration and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). By developing predictive models of thermal water loss, mission planners can design efficient extraction and storage systems that minimize energy consumption and maximize yield. Moreover, a detailed understanding of water transport and retention in Moon dust underpins the engineering of life support habitats and ISRU infrastructures—not only for lunar bases but also for future Mars missions, where analogous regolith processes will govern resource availability and environmental control. This study examines the thermal-induced water loss characteristics of two lunar simulants, LHS and LMS, under controlled heating at 150°C. Over two separate experiments, samples were monitored at various time intervals, with weight measurements taken to track evaporation rates. Key analyses included linear and exponential regression to model water loss kinetics, ANOVA tests to assess statistical differences between simulants, and Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate measurement uncertainties. Results indicate that there is no significant difference between LHS and LMS simulants. The experiments do not align perfectly with the drying behavior of exponential decay model, while linear regression model aligned well with the experiment behavior. Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis further validated the findings, ensuring robustness in predictive modeling. These insights are critical for developing strategies to extract and utilize water on the Moon, enhancing the feasibility of long-term lunar missions. Future work will explore temperature-dependent loss using the Arrhenius equation, machine learning and diffusion-based modeling for more accurate estimations of subsurface water retention.

Funder Acknowledgment: This study was supported by the NASA Space Education Excellence for Delaware (SEED) (award # 80NSSC23K0608) and NASA M-STAR program (award # 80NSSC23M0203)

Presentation format: Poster

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Virtual Reality in Occupational Therapy

Olivia Boone, Mackenzie Collins, Madison Dean, Bria Foster Faculty Advisors: Marcella Legath and Max Zilberman

Master of Occupational Therapy, Delaware State University

The proposed study explores the potential of virtual reality (VR) as a therapeutic tool for enhancing spatial awareness and proprioception in individuals with neurological conditions such as stroke and traumatic brain injury. Spatial awareness, a critical aspect of daily functioning, often deteriorates in these populations, complicating navigation and interactions within physical environments. Utilizing the Virtual Reality Real System, this study will evaluate the impact of six weeks of VR-based interventions on participants' spatial awareness through pre- and post-assessments using the Bells Cancellation Test, the Brain Injury Vision Symptoms Survey (BIVSS) and a survey. The immersive and controlled environment provided by VR allows participants to engage in tailored activities without real-world risks, potentially enhancing their motivation and adherence to therapy. The research aims to uncover short-term outcomes of VR interventions, contributing to evidence-based practices in neurological rehabilitation and guiding the development of personalized therapeutic protocols. Our findings aim to enhance the understanding of virtual reality's effectiveness in occupational therapy and its impact on spatial awareness in patients with neurological impairments to improve overall quality of life.

Identifying Barriers to Fall Prevention Screening for Community Dwelling Older Adults

Gianna Clemente, Christina Lopez, Max Zilberman Master of Occupational Therapy, Delaware State University

Falls among older adults are a major healthcare concern. It is estimated that 684,000 falls occur annually costing $80 billion. In Delaware the economic cost of falls was $162 million marking 46,000 people falling in 2020. Many fall prevention programs including Matter of Balance, Tai Chi, Yoga being readily available to many older adults and the recommendation that older adults (65+) have annual fall risk assessments, falls still continue to increase. Several barriers have been established, fear, healthcare gaps, and financial restrictions. This mixed-methods research will aim to identify the barriers that specifically older adults in Kent County, Delaware are experiencing at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, DE. The results will help to provide valuable information pertaining to barriers in Kent County, DE to bring more awareness to falls. This study is in partnership with the National Institute of Health (NIH) for grant funded research.

Presentation format: Oral

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Enhancing Self-Efficacy

Samuel Dewar

& Productivity: A Study of A Structured Leisure Plan for Those With Anxiety and Depression

Background: Anxiety and depression have become widespread mental health conditions within the United States with 20% of adults experiencing anxiety and 21.4% depression (Terlizzi & Zablotsky, 2024). Within Delaware, 21.7% of adults have reported experiencing one or the other (National Center for Health Statistics, 2024). Poor physical health, decreased quality of life, and poor engagement in occupations can stem from these issues (Terlizzi & Zablotsky, 2024). Research shows participation in activity based interventions/leisure can support perceived loneliness and depression (Garabrant & Liu, 2021).

Objective: To study the impact of a structured leisure protocol on perceived self efficacy and productivity on individuals aged 18-30 with anxiety or depression.

Methods: We will use the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure pre and post intervention to gauge perceived performance in productivity and leisure before and after intervention to collect qualitative and quantitative data. We will also utilize an anxiety and depression survey to collect quantitative data pre and post intervention. Individuals will be divided into two groups, one that journals, and one that journals and follows a structured leisure plan. Both interventions will run for two weeks. Criteria to participate is the presence of anxiety and/ or depression and being between the ages of 18-30. Most participants will be from Delaware State University, with others being from other local mental health facilities. Pre and post data will then be analyzed.

Results: Our results are aiming to answer our research question: does a structured leisure plan increase self efficacy/ productivity within individuals with anxiety or depression?

Presentation format: Oral

Delaware State University’s Graduate Occupational Therapy Program and Undergraduate Education

Morgan Easton, Shayvon Johnson, Ahmad Taylor, Professors: Dr. Max Zilberman and Dr. Marcella Legath Master of Occupational Therapy, Delaware State University

The state of Delaware only has one university with a Masters of Occupational Therapy program. This study aims to assess whether undergraduate students at Delaware State University (DSU) feel prepared and have an awareness of the DSU Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program and curriculum, specifically looking at those who are participating in DSU's undergraduate Public Health and Allied Sciences curriculum. The research focuses on identifying differences in students’ perceptions of preparedness for entry into the MOT program and their awareness of its requirements and expectations. Using a qualitative survey design, undergraduate students enrolled in DSU's Public Health and Allied Sciences programs will be surveyed to investigate their knowledge and preparedness of the masters of occupational therapy program. The results of this study aim to provide insights into the effectiveness of DSU's undergraduate curriculum in preparing students for advanced studies in occupational therapy and could inform future program enhancements, recruitment strategies, and student advising.

Presentation format: Oral

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

PSYCHOLOGY

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Child Development

Amaya Harris

Psychology has many fields of study but this research focuses on developmental psychology. Within the field of developmental psychology, there are different hot topics which include the impact of divorced families on young adult’s mental health, the influence of family relations children’s self-identity, and how growing up in an urban community can influence the overall psychological well-being of children. In a study that focused on the impact of divorced families on young adult’s mental health, the researchers hypothesized that the adjustment of young adults from recently divorced families would be poorer than that of peers from intact families. Their data was collected through telephone interviews that utilized a depression scale and two questions about their parental marital environment. It was found that young adults, specifically females, with recently divorced parents reported higher levels of depression (Cooney & Kurz, 1996). In another study, the influence of family relations on children’s identity was studied. The researchers hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between identity formation and family characteristics. Their study was conducted using the “Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales” and the “Ego Process Questionnaire.” The study found that there were significant links between identity exploration/ commitment and family cohesion/adaptability. Researchers found a link between how race and gender influence how family characteristics affect identity formation in children (Mullis, Brailsford, & Mullis, 2003). Finally, research has taken a deeper look at the influence of mothers’ self- efficacy on promotive parenting strategies, children's academic success in adverse environments, and children's self-efficacy. Surveys were distributed to 376 participating white and black mothers. The hypothesis was that, in high-risk environments the parental efficacy of the mothers would directly impact the child’s self-efficacy and academic success. The study revealed that the self-efficacy of the child is determined by the efficacy of the mothers, not the promotive strategies (Ardelt & Eccles, 2001). This research collectively highlights the importance of family dynamics in child development, whether it be through parental efficacy, family relationships, or divorce.

Presentation format: Poster

Developmental Psychology Research

Eryn Moore

Psychology has many fields of study, but this research focuses on developmental psychology. Within the field of developmental psychology, there are different hot topics which include the effects of divorced families on young adult’s mental health, family relations effect on children’s self-identity, and how growing up in an urban community effect the overall psychological well-being of children. In a study that focuses on the effects of divorced families on young adult’s mental health, the researchers hypothesized that the adjustment of young adults from recently divorced families would be poorer than that of peers from intact families. Their data was collected through telephone interviews that utilized a depression scale and 2 questions about their parental martial environment, and it found that young adults specifically females with recently divorced parents reported higher levels of depression (Cooney & Kurz, 1996). A study focusing on family relations effect on children’s identity, the researchers hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between identity formation and family characteristics. Their study was conducted using the “Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales and the “Ego Process Questionnaire”. The study found that there are significant links between identity exploration/ commitment and family cohesion/adaptability. They also found a link between how race and gender influence how family characteristics affect identity formation (Mullis, Brailsford, & Mullis, 2003). In a research study that was conducted in 1991, researchers took a deeper look at the effects of the parent’s efficacy on promotive parenting strategies, children's academic success in adverse environments, as well as children's efficacy. The authors were able to collect their data through surveys, distributed to 376 participating mothers, both white and black.

Presentation format: Poster

PSYCHOLOGY

Current Psychological Topics in Adult Development

Brianna

Owens

There are many fields in Psychology, one being Developmental Psychology. Some think that development ends when you reach adulthood. However, that couldn’t be more wrong! Adult development is a complex area of development that covers physical, cognitive and social/ emotional changes throughout the lifespan. Some areas that have been touched on in adult development are fitness. To begin, fitness plays a big part in mental health. Exercises like aerobic and resistance training can help raise your heart rate and reduce general psychological distress and anxiety. Resistance training can help improve anxiety sensitivity. Aerobic and resistance training can benefit people with general anxiety disorders , obsessive-compulsive disorder , and post traumatic disorder . As far as cognitive development, research has looked at the way anticonvulsant drugs improve migraine prophylaxis in adults. In a study (Ibrahim et.al, 2023), patients using Topiramate for migraine prophylaxis experienced less headaches and had better experiences with their episodic migraines. One concern in this area is that medication may negatively affect patients’ memory. In the social/emotional aspect of adult development, Merluzzi and Damon (2022), focused on gender inequality faced by young single women professionals. Their purpose was to further the research on gender inequality in a professional setting. The authors found out that single young women without children were penalized for being analytically skilled, which is stereotyped as a masculine skill. Therefore, their perceived lack of communality and warmth put them at a disadvantage for leadership roles. Finally, when looking at the mental health and social aspect of adult development, it is important to note how reentry after incarceration, from a black man’s perspective, can impact their social development and mental health. Incarcerated black men tend to have a different developmental trajectory from others. Black men that have been incarcerated for ten or more years tend to have mental health problems that are three times higher than the general public. After release it’s harder for them to adapt to society and specific sociobehavioral factors that play a big part in navigating reentry. The significance of these results for adult development will be discussed in the presentation.

Crucial Topics in Clinical Psychology

Ayon Roberts

Clinical psychology is a broad field that covers areas such as mental health and trauma. Furthermore, it focuses on all age groups, including children, adolescents and adults. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss four different subgroups of clinical psychology such as gender differences in stress, suicidal behaviors in men, long term impact of child sexual assault, and factors associated with child on child sexual assault. To begin, this presentation will focus on gender differences in stress. For example, Madhyastha et al,. (2014) found that females who had more academic performance stress tend to shift towards problem-focused coping and negative emotion-focused coping more than men. Men appear to gravitate more towards humor which is a positive emotion focused coping mechanism. However, they also self -blame which is a maladaptive strategy for coping. As for gender and suicide, a study by Freeman et al., (2017) the differences in gender suicide intent were analyzed. Males were found to have higher rates of suicide in comparison to females. Men showed higher rates of attempts and used more lethal methods. When looking at the long term effects of child sexual abuse, Estevez et al., (2019) investigated the link between sexual abuse and impulsive behaviors in adulthood. Child sexual abuse was positively associated with behaviors such as alcohol abuse and eating disorders. Lastly, a recent study examined the predictors of sexual coercion against children among adolescent child molesters. Daversa and Knight (2007) hypothesized that the quality of attachments influenced why adolescents engage in sexual coercion of other children. The researchers investigated the role of emotional abuse and insufficient parental attachment in the development of psychopathy in adolescent child molesters. Based on the study’s findings, sexual abuse was found to lead directly to offending agasint a child victim, and sexual abuse through fantasy was found to lead to child fantasy and targeting of child victims.

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

PSYCHOLOGY

Inspecting the Unexpected: Toward a New Method for Testing Cognitive Development in Blind Infants

Asia M. Watson & Rachel Pulverman Department of Psychology, Delaware State University, Dover, Delaware.

The cognitive development of blind infants is delayed on many tasks, with a suggested time course of development being 8-12 months behind their sighted peers. In sighted infants, the Violation of Expectations (VoE) paradigm has shown an earlier emergence of a variety of cognitive abilities as compared to more classic tasks with higher task demands. However, the less sensitive, classic tasks are the ones that have been modified for use with blind infants (e.g., Piagetian search tasks). The problem is that the dependent variable in VoE is visual fixation time. To combat this problem, we are developing a modification of the VoE paradigm for use with blind infants so that their developmental timeline can be more accurately assessed. Our first step is to determine what dependent variable to measure instead of visual fixation time. Participants will be blind and sighted 7- to 13-month-olds split into two age groups (7-9 and 10-13 months) and divided into two separate studies. In both studies, infants will be sent home with a novel toy (e.g. a squeaky toy) to familiarize themselves with its physical and auditory attributes. After infants are familiar with their toy, an identical-feeling toy making a different sound (e.g., rattling) will be presented in the lab via a live puppet show. For the sighted infant trials, a traditional VoE paradigm will be used to validate the stimuli for its use with Blind infants. After the stimuli have been confirmed for use, blind infants will be tested on their reactions to the mismatched auditory and tactile stimuli to determine how they manifest a VoE response, identifying a viable dependent variable for studying cognitive development in this population. We will test several methodological variations to find one that can work as a VoE paradigm for testing a wide range of cognitive abilities. With these modifications, this new procedure would potentially be used to redefine the timeline of developmental milestones for blind infants.

Presentation format: Oral

SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

THE IMPACT OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN DEVELOPING A NUANCED SKILL SET AS AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

Adesola Akinwale, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Raymond Tutu Ph.D, Department of History, Political Science, Philosophy and Law Studies, Delaware State University

From the past three semesters till the present, I have been working on a research project titled “Excellence in Research: Scaling Social Capital and Health Across Space”. This combined my passion for social elevation with my desire to expand my research portfolio. During this time, I evolved in the manner of my interpersonal and technical skill sets, as well as in my knowledge and application of critical research techniques.

As a Criminal Justice major, I understood the importance of a foundational knowledge of data collection and interpretation, and an understanding of ethical and cultural approaches. This comprehension of the developmental benefits involved is what led me to seek out experiential learning.

I began my research experience with preparative training, such as alternative communication methods, and effective survey conduction. This empowered me for field work entailing visits to numerous religious establishments and recruitment of congregants with varying education and language fluency levels. Once the surveys were completed, I was tasked with organizing and cleaning the data, thereby making the data ready for analysis and dissemination. Furthermore, I conducted follow-up interviews with select congregants to extract a qualitative dimension to the quantitative data. Lastly, I compiled responses from the Final Dissemination Conference, to bridge the gap between the research findings and the community’s goals moving forward.

SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Through my involvement in experiential learning, I gained soft and specialized skills comparable to a traditional internship experience. From my firsthand practice of surveying skills, I learned how to communicate effectively and facilitate understanding of complex prompts in an unbiased manner. In addition, expanded my capabilities in leveraging Excel for data refinement, and analysis. The interview process taught me seamless redirection, and through the transcriptions, I learned to accurately represent the respondents’ ideas. One of the most memorable instances of my research experience was when I showcased the public speaking skills I honed, by delivering the final vote of thanks at the Research Dissemination Conference.

My experiential learning journey was transformative and is a certainly a venture I would recommend for undergraduate students and lifelong learners alike.

Presentation format: Oral

“Applying

Research Skills in the Criminal Justice Field: Enhancing Analysis, Investigation, and DecisionMaking”

Matthew Charles: Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Raymond Tutu Ph. D, Department of History, Political Science, Philosophy and Law Studies, Delaware State University

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to work in collaboration with my professor and other students on a research project focused on health literacy within church congregations. Through this research I have had the chance to interview subjects both here in Delaware and in Ghana.

By engaging in qualitative research, I have gained transferable skills that will enhance my professional capabilities in the criminal justice field. When I first joined this research, I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and put myself in a position to learn a completely different aspect of research and this presentation will highlight these key skills and their broader implications for career development.

Conducting qualitative research provides invaluable professional skills applicable to the field of criminal justice. These skills have broadened my marketability within my career field and allowed me to explore an entirely different aspect of criminal justice. This presentation reflects on my experience conducting and transcribing interviews as part of a research project.

Through in-person and phone interviews, I developed essential communication skills, including active listening, adaptability, and rapport building with participants. In addition, I was given professional training on the ethics and proper conduct while conducting interviews. I also learned proper probing technique and how to format questions to not only make them understandable to most but to get the most direct information from my subjects.

In cases where language barriers were present, I utilized physical objects such as visual aids to facilitate understanding, demonstrating the importance of nonverbal communication in qualitative research. The transcription process further enhanced my analytical abilities by allowing me to identify key themes and patterns in responses. Additionally, after conducting all interviews and organizing data I then had the opportunity to present our findings at a dissemination event organized by me and other research assistants.

Additionally, I strengthened my organizational skills by managing interview logistics, note-taking, and maintaining accurate records. These experiences have direct applications to criminal justice professions, where effective communication both verbal and nonverbal along with critical thinking and attention to detail, are crucial in roles such as law enforcement investigations, legal analysis, and intelligence gathering. By engaging in qualitative research, I have gained transferable skills that will enhance my professional capabilities in the criminal justice field. When I first joined this research I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and put myself in a position to learn a completely different aspect of research and this presentation will highlight these key skills and their broader implications for career development.

Presentation format: Oral

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Ethical Considerations in Research: An Experiential Research Opportunity

Janiah Maltbie, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Raymond Tutu Ph.D., Department of History, Political Science, Philosophy and Law Studies, Delaware State University

Health literacy empowers individuals to make informed decisions, seek care, and prevent illness. This essay explores my journey as a research assistant in a project aimed at enhancing health literacy in Delaware church communities. I gained insights into the importance of supportive learning environments.

The reason I took it upon myself to be part of this project was my passion for empowering others and improving my community. I wanted to be a part of a project to raise awareness about health literacy and create a space where people felt comfortable seeking guidance. Many individuals struggle alone with health issues due to misinformation or fear.

As part of this research, my responsibilities included interviews that provided insight into how churches were addressing health information and the challenges they faced. To officially be a part of this research, I completed a collaborative institutional training initiative course, which equipped me with the necessary ethical and methodological knowledge to engage with participants responsibly. Additionally, I played a key role in organizing a dissemination workshop, where I delegated tasks to volunteers and arranged seating to ensure an effective discussion. I also participated in data cleaning, reviewing surveys from different churches to determine their completeness. Traveling to different churches allowed me to observe services while collecting surveys, ensuring diverse community input.

Through this research, I gained valuable skills in teamwork, leadership, and communication. Conducting interviews strengthened my ability to ask meaningful questions and engage in diverse conversations. Organizing the dissemination workshop improved my leadership and delegation skills, while data cleaning and entry enhanced my attention to detail. I also learned the importance of research ethics, ensuring confidentiality, and informed consent during data collection. Completing the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative reinforced ethical research practices, emphasizing respect, honesty, and integrity when handling sensitive participant health information. This experience deepened my understanding of all aspects of research.

This project strengthened my leadership, teamwork, and research skills while highlighting the importance of accessing health information and supportive communities.

Presentation format: Oral

Disparities in the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Challenges Faced by Minority Groups

Rachael H. Williams, Francine Fennell Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Delaware State University

School-to prison pipelines a troubling cycle emerges when young people who endure harsh disciplinary measures in schools become increasingly trapped in the criminal justice system. Educational disparities remain an ongoing issue, negatively affecting minority groups. Systemic inequalities in resources, opportunities, and representation contribute to achievement gaps and long-term socio-economic challenges. This study examines the disparities faced by minorities groups within in the educational systems, that highlights the need for change in the school systems. In addition, the school-to -prison pipeline reflects systemic inequities in education by pushing students who are at risk out of schools and into juvenile and criminal justice systems. For example, the zero-tolerance policy and exclusionary discipline significantly impact minority children, creating barriers that hinder their educational experience and overall development. In the

SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

educational system, zero-tolerance policies are implemented to address issues such as violence, drug use, vandalism, and disruptive behavior. Exclusionary discipline is used in educational settings to remove students from their regular education environment due to certain behaviors. Racial profiling and insufficient behavioral support lead to increased suspensions, expulsions, and involvement of law enforcement in schools. The effects of these practices are profound, resulting in higher dropout rates and a greater likelihood of incarceration for minority youth. During my research, I conducted a survey that was used to determine the disparities minorities face in the education system, as well as case studies. Moreover, minority students, particularly Black and Latino students, often perform lower on standardized tests compared to their white peers, resulting in significant achievement gaps. A lack of funding, fewer resources, and inadequate facilities in comparison to predominately white areas. In conclusion, disparities in education arise through achievement gaps, unequal disciplinary actions, and limited access to advanced courses. These issues negatively impact minority students' academic success and future opportunities. To address these inequalities, we must implement reforms that ensure equitable funding, culturally relevant curricula, and supportive learning environments. By advocating for meaningful change, we can create an educational landscape that empowers all students to succeed, regardless of their background.

Presentation format: Oral

SOCIAL WORK

Alphabetized by presenter's last name

Integrating Self-Care Education in Schools: The Impact of Social Workers on Youth Mental Health and Well-Being

Amanda Nowoczynski Faculty Advisor: Tana Connell Department of Social Work, Delaware State University

Self-care education is essential in fostering youth mental well-being and resilience. As students face increasing academic and social pressures, integrating structured self-care programs in schools can provide them with the necessary skills to manage stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges. This study examines the role of school social workers in implementing self-care education and its impact on students' mental health and academic performance. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through pre- and post-surveys, interviews, focus groups, and school records analysis.

Findings indicate that students who participated in structured self-care programs experienced a 25% reduction in stress levels and a 30% improvement in coping skills. Qualitative data highlighted the program’s effectiveness in enhancing emotional regulation, promoting selfawareness, and providing students with practical strategies to manage anxiety and depression. Additionally, a correlation was observed between self-care education and improved academic performance, alongside a decrease in disciplinary incidents.

These results emphasize the necessity of incorporating self-care education into school curricula and the critical role of school social workers in facilitating these programs. By balancing traditional education with mental wellness initiatives, schools can foster healthier, more resilient students. Future research should explore long-term impacts and strategies for integrating self-care education more effectively across diverse school settings.

Presentation format: Poster

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Bryant Adams Jr. Junior

Olayimika Adeyemi Senior

Natural Resources: Wildlife Management

Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Cameron M. Allen Sophomore Food and Nutritional Sciences

Oluwafunmilola Allen-Taylor Junior

Lebene Ashinyo Junior

Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Biological Sciences: General Biology

Adesewa Benson Junior Computer Science

Jenna Blauser Senior Chemistry for Health Professions

Brooklyn Bowen Sophomore Biological Sciences

Elijah Brown Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Kaila Brown Sophomore Biology

David Brown Jr. Junior

Engineering Physics: Electrical Engineering

Saniyah Bullock Sophomore Computer Science

Kamil Cameron Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Juan Pablo Chavez Garcia Sophomore Computer Science

Yeda Couto-Erickson Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Haley Crawford Sophomore Computer Science

Eddise Daley Junior Applied Chemistry

Cierra Davis Sophomore Agriculture: Pre-Veterinary Science

Savannah Davis Freshman Pre-Veterinary Science

Ryann Ellerbe Sophomore Biological Sciences

Deontae Elliott Freshman Computer Science

Tia Epps Senior Biological Sciences

Lindsay Fomundam Sophomore Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Kezia Fosu Sophomore Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Khala Francois Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Derrick Galioto Sophomore Computer Science

Malcolm Garbutt Senior Computer Science

Matthew Gayle Sophomore Biological Sciences

Isata George Sophomore Computer Science

Miles Giddings Junior Computer Science

Jenesis Golden Sophomore Textiles and Apparel Studies: Fashion Design

Allura Harley Junior Textiles & Apparel Studies

Dora Jerome Junior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Melanie Jimmerson Junior Food and Nutritional Sciences

Tionah Johnson Junior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Kayla Jones Junior Engineering Physics: Bio engineering

Ari Jones Junior Computer Science

Mariana Kebaso

2024-2025 HONORS PROGRAM STUDENTS

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Senior Biological Sciences Health Professions

Christian King Sophomore Information Technology

Ayra Kumbampuzha

Vanessa Larilus

Areli Martinez

Asharia Matthews

Caleb Mertus

Junior

Junior

Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Junior Agriculture: Animal & Poultry Science

Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Isha Murphy Sophomore Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Favour Nwanali Sophomore Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Queenesther Nyah Freshman Biology

Yasmeen Olass

Junior Chemistry

Gabrielle Olibris Junior Biochemistry (Health Professions)

Ja'Nayah Pickens

Junior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Nina Rhames Junior Biochemistry (Health Professions)

Aaliyah Robinson Senior Biological Sciences: Research Professions

Zymir Robinson Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Shaunti D. Sanford

Lauren Smith

Ashley Stanley

Da'Raymar Stewart-Harold

Na'ja Stokes

Junior Agriculture: Pre-Veterinary Science

Senior Natural Resources

Senior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Senior Engineering Physics: Electrical Engineering

Junior Engineering Physics: Bioengineering

Naila Sudan Freshman Biology

Trinity Surowiec Freshman Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Mikaela Taylor Junior Biological Sciences: Health Professions

Kasani Thomas Junior Biological Sciences

Gabriel Thomas Sophomore Chemistry

Justin Tolbert Junior Computer Science

Brejon Turner Sophomore Computer Science

Stacie Vounu Freshman Biological Sciences

Ina Walker Junior Agriculture: Plant Science: Horticulture

Taylor Weston Sophomore Biological Sciences

Kristin White Sophomore Computer Science

Nyla Whitsett Freshman Biological Sciences

Aviana Wiggins

Courtney Williams

Senior Biology

Senior Agriculture: Pre-Veterinary Science

Donovan Williams Freshman Agriculture: Pre-Veterinary Science

Cosme Zachary Senior Biology

Lily Barrall

Kimberly Berduo-Velasquez

Jordyn Best

Sheridan Bock-Martinez

Leah Brown

Alana Maria Carter-Grimes

Nyeema Craighead

Ethan DuBose

Joseph Green

Ashley Harris

Jordan Hunter

Kierstyn Jackson

Tia Jarvis

Deena Johnson

Lily Kosal

Madison Martin

Elizabeth Ojuri

Moise Pringle

D'vontae Scott

Wyatt Simmons

Nyjah Smarr

Reese Smith

Cameron Smith

Destiny Stewart

Nya Stokes

Enora Tamdem

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Sophomore

Aviation: Professional Pilot

Sophomore Hospitality and Tourism Management

Junior

Junior

Business Adminstration

Business Administration: Business Analytics

Sophomore Sport Management

Sophomore Hospitality and Tourism Management

Freshman

Junior

Business Administration: Business Analytics

Aviation: Professional Pilot

Sophomore Finance and Banking

Junior Kinesiology

Sophomore Sport Management

Junior Finance: Financial Economics

Junior Management: Marketing

Senior Business Adminstration

Freshman Management: Human Resource Management

Junior

Junior

Business Economics

Business Analytics

Junior Accounting

Junior Accounting

Junior

Aviation: Professional Pilot

Senior General Management

Freshman

Junior

Senior

Management: Marketing

Finance : Finance and Banking

Finance: Financial Economics

Junior Accounting

Sophomore Management: Marketing

Sheldon Thompson Freshman

Jaden Weatherspoon

Junior

Business Adminstration

Business Adminstration

2024-2025 HONORS PROGRAM STUDENTS

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Aaliyah Agboola Sophomore Mass Communication: Digital Media Production

Adesola Akinwale Sophomore Law Studies

Kailee Louise Banks Sophomore Law Studies

Madison Braithwaite Sophomore Mass Communication: Convergence Journalism

Kennedy Bryant Junior Mathematics

Skylar Cole Senior Mid-Level Education

Xamara Coleman

Senior Mass Communication: Public Relations

Bryanna Dawson Senior Liberal Studies

Nia Dooley Sophomore Elementary Education (K-6)

N'Jaia Engram Junior Music Industry

Destiny Everett Sophomore Early Childhood Education (Birth-2)

Isabel Gautreaux Junior Political Science

Jalyn Gray Senior Elementary Education (K-6)

Adasia Hawkins Sophomore Criminal Justice

Jasmine Hemphill Junior Liberal Studies

Moshe' Heyward Senior Physical Education

Chara Hinds Senior Mathematics: Data Analytics

Sarah Hoffmeyer Junior English

Tyler Holmes Sophomore English

Jordan Johnson Senior Elementary Education (K-6)

Skylar Jones

Senior Mass Communication: Public Relations

Tyra Jones Junior Criminal Justice

Joyce Kasiama Junior Mass Communication: Convergence Journalism

Camara Kelly

Faith King

Senior Political Science

Senior Political Science

Tariq Lewis Senior Music Industry

Issa Lewis Freshman Law Studies

Dariana Mallett Sophomore Criminal Justice

Keir McClenton Junior Music Industry

Orlin Mejia Junior Criminal Justice

Jack Messmore Junior Political Science

Marlynnae Muhammad Senior Early Childhood Education (Birth-2)

Jemimah Ndi Freshman Political Science

Oluwanifemi Olumuyiwa Freshman Law Studies

Mariah E. Queen Junior Political Science

Eunicsa Samuels Senior Forensic Biology

Aniya Smack Senior Elementary Education (K-6)

Joaquin Spencer Jr. Sophomore Middle Level Education (6-8)

Zoe Sylvester Junior Education

Celine Trombi

Junior Hospitality and Tourism Management

Sumayah Wheatley Sophomore Law Studies

Rachael Williams

DeShawna Williams

Senior Criminal Justice

Junior Criminal Justice

Keani Williams Freshman English

2024-2025 HONORS PROGRAM STUDENTS

WESLEY COLLEGE OF HEALTH

AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Jillian Baker Senior Nursing

Giselle Baker Junior Nursing

Kahlice Bostick Junior Nursing

Jasmine Brown Freshman Psychology

Tiffany Butcher Junior Kinesiology

Sydney Cardwell Sophomore Kinesiology

Kendall Childs Sophomore Kinesiology

Shakora Crawford Senior Psychology

Kylie Ferry Senior Nursing

Danielle Fleuremia Senior Public Health

Jadah Forbes Senior Psychology

Erynne Ford Sophomore Nursing

Ishana Gravatt Junior Nursing

Paige Griffin Junior Nursing

Matthew Harris Sophomore Kinesiology

Cydney Harris-Stephens Junior Nursing

Keyony Hawkins-Hill Sophomore Psychology

Kennandi Haynesworth Senior Nursing

Ianna Hill Sophomore Nursing

Jayla Hill Senior Psychology

Ryan Hunter Junior Nursing

De'Amoni Jackson Senior Psychology

Zariah Jackson Senior Psychology

Simaya Jean Baptiste Junior Nursing

Brianna Johnson Senior Psychology

Aniah Johnson Junior Public Health

Kianna Kelly Junior Nursing

WESLEY COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Jirair Love-Stroman Senior Nursing

Adrieanna Lustin Junior Psychology

Michelle Markland Senior Nursing

Mariah Mata Freshman Psychology

Jaylah C. May Israel Freshman Nursing

Kaitlyn Miller Senior Psychology

Payton Murphy Junior Psychology

Stacy Myrie Senior Nursing

Aliyah Perry Junior Psychology

Kayla Posada Junior Social Work

Chloe Prichard Senior Psychology

Melissa Ramon Munoz Sophomore Kinesiology

Jadyn Scott-Comer Junior Psychology

Kihianna Scott-Roberts Senior Nursing

Savia Singh Sophomore Psychology

Savannah Smalley Sophomore Psychology

Madison Smith Junior Nursing

Jasmine Starling Senior Psychology

Samya Stevenson Junior Psychology

Blanca Teodoro Junior Nursing

Rashawn Velazquez Sophomore Psychology

Khaliyah White Senior Kinesiology

Jordan Williams Senior Kinesiology

Khalia Williams Junior Nursing

Chantai Williams Sophomore Nursing/Pre-Nursing

Chase Williams Junior Social Work

Hunter Winfrey Senior Kinesiology

2024-2025 NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES

ALPHA CHI HONOR SOCIETY/Delaware Alpha Chapter

Alpha Chi is a co-educational honors society whose purpose is to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and to honor those who achieve such distinction. Criteria: Top 1% of junior or senior class (minimum 3.9 GPA)

ALPHA DELTA MU NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK HONOR SOCIETY

SPONSOR: DR. ANTHONY HILL FOUNDER: DR. ERNESTINE BRITTINGHAM

The primary objective of Alpha Delta Mu is to encourage, stimulate, recognize and maintain superior scholarship in social work education and to advance excellence in social work practice. Criteria: A student must be a Social Work or Social Welfare major, have demonstrated leadership ability, a high standard of personal behavior and a dedication to social work practice.

Baccalaureate Students: 3.0 GPA Overall, 3.50 GPA in all Social Work classes, junior status and 20 hours of volunteer work that is NOT a part of field practicum.

Graduate Students: 15 semester hours or equivalent in Social Work, GPA of 3.5 or above, 20 hours of volunteer work that is NOT a part of field practicum.

The members of this organization hold an induction ceremony every spring semester, and current members are encouraged to make presentations at Honors Day.

ALPHA KAPPA MU NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY/Mu Alpha Chapter

Founded in the 1990s, this honor society promotes high scholarship and encourages sincere and zealous endeavors in all fields of knowledge and service. It cultivates a high order of personal living and develops an appreciation for scholarship and scholarly endeavors in others. Membership is open to students of junior or senior classification who rank in the upper 20 percent of their class with a cumulative gradepoint average of 3.25 or above.

ALPHA RHO XI ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY

SPONSORS: DR. MYRNA NURSE and DR. JESSE ZUBA

The Delaware State University chapter of Alpha Rho Xi was established in 2010. Criteria: A minimum GPA of 3.45 in courses focused on English language and literature; minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25; completion of at least three semesters or five quarters of college work; completion of at least two courses in English language and literature beyond English Composition I and II; and references from two English faculty members.

BETA GAMMA SIGMA BUSINESS HONORARY SOCIETY

SPONSOR: DR. CARLOS M. RODRIQUEZ

Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honorary Society was founded November 14, 2007, at DSU. Criteria: Upper 10% of the class (assessed through GPA). Inductees demonstrate character, integrity, highest standards of ethics, and professionalism. Open to qualified undergraduate and master’s students.

2024-2025 NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES

CHI ALPHA SIGMA NATIONAL ATHLETE HONOR SOCIETY/ Delaware Alpha Chapter

SPONSOR: DR. SAMUEL HOFF

Chi Alpha Sigma National Athlete Honor Society granted a charter to DSU in 1999. The criteria for induction include a 3.4 or higher overall grade point average, junior-senior status, and one or more letters earned in an intercollegiate varsity sport.

Elvira Agaton Women's Soccer & Volleyball

Claire Andrews Equestrian

Kit Yi Kaye Au-Yeung Women's Tennis

Alyx Beard Women's Soccer

Jordyn Best Cheerleader

Jenna Blauser Women's X-Country

Jenna Blauser Women's Indoor Track

Annalise Bond Women's Indoor Track

Brooklyn Bowen Women's Tennis

Emily Breidegam Bowling

Leah Brown Women's Lacrosse

Sanaa Brown Softball

Charles Brown Football

Colton Callueng Football

Ana Cambraia

Santanna De Oliveira Volleyball

Sydney Cardwell Women's Soccer

Lucia Casas Women's Tennis

Dyson Coley Mens X-Country

Jadyn Comer Womens X-Country

Aniela Cortina Equestrian

Mahogany

Cottingham Women's Basketball

Yeda Couto-Erickson Women's Lacrosse

Emma Crakow Volleyball

Haley Crawford Volleyball

Victoria Croston Equestrian

Emma Crowe Softball

Leilani Diggs Volleyball

London Downing Women's Lacrosse

Tia Epps Women's Lacrosse

Eva Golembiovski Women's Tennis

Zahra Gotz Women's Lacrosse

Laila Hasan Softball

Janiya Hill-Legere Cheerleader

Sarah Hoffmeyer Equestrian

Paityn Holm Equestrian

Christopher Johnson Men's Track

Merasia Johnson Women's Indoor Track

Skylar Jones Cheerleader

Frederika Kibassa

Maliba Ntumba Women's Soccer

Julia Kneba Volleyball

Evan Knox Men's Track

Najah Lane Women's Basketball

Ava Larkin Women's X-Country

Kyra Lawrence Women's Basketball

Alani Lawrence Women's Soccer

Kayla Lester Softball

Mianna Lopez Del Haro Softball

Coley Grace Mangrum Equestrian

Madison Martin Volleyball

Kayleina McGonigal Bowling

Emarie McNair Women's Lacrosse

Kimaari Mondy Women's Lacrosse

Eryn Moore Bowling

Orianna Moore Women's Indoor Track

Nimah NarinesinghSmith Women's Golf

Katia Nekic Women's Basketball

Chidubem Okwudibonye Women's Indoor Track

Angie Ordonez Softball

Jaiden Palmer Women's Tennis

Sebastian Paz Baseball

Corey Perkins Men's Basketball

Leah Powell Women's Indoor Track

Chloey Prichard Equestrian

Sydney Reardon Bowling

Ashley Richardson Women's Indoor Track

Anton Ricumstrict Football

Alec Rodriguez Baseball

Julia Saleur Women's X-Country

Hannah Sanders Volleyball

Dean Shepherd Men's Basketball

Madison Smith Women's Golf

Genesys Spann Women's Lacrosse

Ashley Stanley Women's X-Country

Ansolei Taliaferro Women's Indoor Track

Jonathan Tejada Football

Skylar Tenan Bowling

Nathan Vidmar Baseball

Elias Walker Men's Basketball

Kassidy Willey Women's Indoor Track

Megan Winborne Equestrian

Lison Ziegler Women's X-Country

ETA SIGMA DELTA

The purpose of this society is to recognize the scholastic and professional achievement of students in hospitality management, tourism, and culinary arts. Members of this society pledge to uphold excellence, leadership, creativity, service, and ethics in their personal lives. Membership is open to all Hospitality Management majors.

FMA NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

SPONSOR: DR. NANDITA DAS

FMA National Honor Society was established in January 2011 at DSU. Criteria: 3.25 GPA in finance and/or related subjects. Exceptions applicable.

KAPPA DELTA PI INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

SPONSOR: DR. ROB MARSTELLER

Kappa Delta Pi is an International Honor Society for Education majors. Requirements for induction: All students must be education majors; undergraduates must be second semester sophomores and have a 3.0 or better, and graduates must have a 3.25 or better.

KAPPA OMICRON NU HUMAN ECOLOGY HONOR SOCIETY/NU ALPHA BETA

SPONSORS: DR. CAROL GIESECKE AND DR. JUNGMI OH

Nu Alpha Beta Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu was chartered at DSU in April 2011. Criteria: Inductees must have completed 45 semester hours of coursework and be in the top 25% of the class.

LAMBDA PI ETA MASS COMMUNICATIONS

HONOR

SOCIETY/ Alpha Alpha Gamma Chapter

SPONSOR: MS. AVA PERRINE

Co-Sponsor: DR. FRANCINE EDWARDS

The Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Lamba Pi Eta was founded at DSU in 2008. Membership in Lambda Pi Eta comprises undergraduate students majoring in the field of communications, who have achieved a high level of academic excellence. To be eligible for membership, students must have completed 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) in undergraduate credit courses; have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and a 3.25 in the Mass Communications major; and be currently enrolled as a full-time student in good standing.

NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS/ Delaware State University Chapter

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is an honors organization that recognizes and elevates high achievers. The DSU Chapter was established in 2008. Criteria: Students must be of freshman or sophomore status and have a GPA of 3.4 or higher.

NURSING HONOR SOCIETY

SPONSOR: DR. YVONNE STRINGFIELD

The Delaware State University Department of Nursing Honor Society (founded in 1993) abides by the rules of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Its purpose is to strengthen commitment to the ideals and purposes of the profession. Criteria: Students are required to have completed one-half of the Nursing curriculum, and rank in the upper 35% of the graduating class and meet the expectation of academic integrity. An outstanding undergraduate student must have a GPA of at least a 3.0 with only 2 semesters of clinical course work and an outstanding graduate student must have a GPA of at least 3.5 and completed 2 semesters of the Master’s Program.

2024-2025 NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES

OMICRON DELTA EPSILON INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN ECONOMICS/ Beta of Delaware

SPONSOR: DR. JAN E. CHRISTOPHER

Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honor Society in Economics was founded at DSU in 1996. Criteria: Undergraduates: completion of 12 semester hours of economics courses, attainment of at least a “B” average in economics courses and an overall “B” average in all classes, and a class standing in the upper one-third. Students do not have to be economics majors but must have a genuine interest in economics in addition to meeting the other requirements. Graduate: completion of one semester of full-time work, with attainment of a “B” or better average.

PI ALPHA THETA HISTORY HONOR SOCIETY

SPONSOR: DR. NIKLAS ROBINSON

Phi Alpha Theta was originally chartered as a Sigma Tau chapter at DSU in 1970. It is open to History majors with an overall 3.0 GPA and 3.1 GPA in their major.

PI GAMMA MU INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE HONOR SOCIETY/ Delaware Alpha Chapter

Pi Gamma Mu International Social Science Honor Society granted a charter to DSU in Fall 2006. The Delaware Alpha Chapter held its first induction of members in Spring 2007. Requirements for induction include a 3.0 overall grade point average and junior-senior status in political science, history, sociology, psychology or philosophy.

PI SIGMA ALPHA POLITICAL SCIENCE HONOR SOCIETY/ Upsilon Pi Chapter

CO-SPONSORS: DR. AKWAI OSEI AND DR. IFEYINWA UDEZULU

Pi Sigma Alpha is open to political science majors who have junior or senior class status and who have maintained a minimum 3.0 grade point average in the major and overall. The Upsilon Pi Chapter was chartered at DSU in 1995.

PINNACLE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

DSU FOUNDER: MS. JANET JOHNSON “91”

Pinnacle is a national honor society that recognizes the achievements of adult and nontraditional students. PINNACLE was founded in January 1983 by Dr. Frank Julian of Murray State University in Kentucky. On November 1, 1989, Delaware State University received its charter as an institution member of PINNACLE. Selection for membership in PINNACLE represents the highest achievement of academic performance and out-of-class accomplishments. Criteria: Students must achieve a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average, junior or senior status, must have completed a minimum of 30 hours at DSU and be at least 25 years or older, and must have been involved in at least three oncampus or off-community service organizations.

PSI CHI INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN PSYCHOLOGY

Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology was established at DSU in 1981. Criteria: Students must have a cumulative GPA and a Psychology major GPA of 3.0 and a minimum of 9 credit hours of psychology courses completed at DSU.

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTS: THE MUSIC PROGRAM HONORS RECITAL

Founded by Dr. Mable Morrison

Dr. Tony Allen, President

Dr. Patrice Gilliam-Johnson, Interim Provost

Dr. Shonda Poe, Executive Director of Undergraduate Research Experiential Learning and Honors

Dr. Adenike Davidson, Interim Dean of CHESS

Lori Crawford, Interim Department Chair MCVPA

Wednesday, April 9 2 p.m.

Delaware State University

William B. DeLauder Theater-Humanities Building 1200 N. DuPont Highway Dover, DE 19901

PROGRAM

Myths and Legends.............................................................................

TROMBONE QUARTET

Justyn Hopkins, bass trombone

Paul Jones, trombone

Christan Mutong, trombone

Jesslyn Shane, trombone

Ewazen (b.1954)

Amor Em Paz "Once I loved"

Jamal Stevenson , guitar Aria

Tenise DeShields, alto saxophone

Pepron Pilibossian, piano

Dream Variations..............................................................................

Tyroneice Hampton-Jones, soprano

Pepron Pilibossian, piano

Rhapsody for Euphonium.................................................................................

Christan Mutong, trombone

Pepron Pilibossian, piano

Bozza (1905-1991)

Carlos Jobim (1927-1994)

Stacey Baffour-Danzo, soprano

Christy S. Taylor, piano

Margaret Bonds (1913-1972)

James Curnow (b.1943)

Jerome Kern (1885-1945)

Asad Williams, bass guitar

Dr. LeTriel M. White, piano

Nocturne et Allergro Scherzando....... Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941)

Shelby Wilson, flute

Pepron Pilibossian, piano

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION ARE EXTENDED TO:

From the Studio of Dr. Frank Gazda

Justyn Hopkins- Junior, Music Education, bass trombone

Paul Jones- Sophomore, Music Education, trombone

Christan Mutong- Sophomore, Music Education, baritone

Jesslyn Shane- Senior, B.A. Music Performance, trombone

From the Studio of Dr. LeTriel M. White

Asad Williams- Junior, Music Industry, bass guitar

Tenise DeShields- Sophomore, Pre Music Therapy, alto saxophone

Shelby Wilson- Junior, Music Education, flute

From the Studio of Professor Christy S. Taylor

Tyroneice Hampton-Jones- Sophomore, Music Education, soprano

Stacy Bafour-Danso- Senior, Liberal Studies, soprano

Jamal Stevenson- Sophomore, Music Industry, guitar

Collaborative Pianists- Professor Pepron Pilibossian, Professor Christy S. Taylor, Dr. LeTriel M. White

Honors Recital Coordinator- Dr. LeTriel M. White

Honors Recital Founder- Dr Mable Morrison

Research Day Coordinator-Dr. Shonda Poe

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Graduate Student Association gratefully acknowledges the support of the following individuals and organizations:

Dr. Tony Allen, President

Dr. Patrice Gilliam, Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Gwendolyn Scott-Jones, Dean, School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies

Faculty Senate

Faculty Research Committee

Graduate Council

Deans, Chairpersons, Program Directors and Advisors

Office of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors

Dr. Shonda Poe, Executive Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors

Mrs. Terry Pauls-Smith, Honors Student Program Assistant

Title III

Ms. Carlene Jackson

Ms. Jessica Wilson

Dr. Mable Morrison, Associate Professor of Music, Emeritus, Coordinator of the Honors Recital

Dr. Christy Taylor, Director of Choral Activities

Office of Graduate Studies and Research Staff

Dr. Cheryl Lolley, Assistant Dean, School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies

Mrs. Nikita Robins-Thompson, Director of Graduate Student Support Services

Ms. LeAndrea Johnson, Graduate Admission and Retention Specialist

Dr. Jamie Teeple, Graduate Writing Specialist

Mrs. Lolita London, Administrative Secretary

Honors Council

Honor Societies’ Sponsors

Faculty Research Mentors

Session Moderators

Graduate Student Association Officers

Mr. Tobenna Amanfo, President

DSU Research Day Planning Committee

Mrs. Nikita Robins-Thompson, Chair

Dr. Cheryl Lolley, Assistant Dean

Ms. LeAndrea Johnson, Graduate Admission and Retention Specialist

Dr. Shonda Poe, Office of Undergraduate Research, Experiential Learning and Honors

Mrs. Terry Pauls-Smith, Undergraduate and Honors Coordinator

Mrs. Lolita London, Committee Secretary

Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay, DSU Research Day Logistic, Scheduling, Moderators Coordinator

Ms. Dionne Williams, Student Representative

Ms. Jennifer Gunther, Director, Arts Center and Gallery

Marketing and Communications

Dr. Dawn Mosley

Ms. Jennifer Rickard

Mr. Stuart Grooby

Mr. Devin Bonner

Mass Communications and Visual Arts

Mr. Zachary Kimball

DSU Information Technology

Nestor Abreu

Kevin Dickerson

Kyle Spaulding

Audio and Visual

Darius Godwin

Sodexo

JPMorgan Chase

DJ Rye (Ryan Williams)

DJ Mikey Media

East Coast Band

Apple

EIGHTH DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

RESEARCH DAY

Connecting Horizons: Innovation, Collaboration and Discovery for a Sustainable Future