ETSU - Illuminated - Spring 2022 by East Tennessee State University

ILLUMINATED Graduate Student Research Magazine ETSU School of Graduate Studies Spring 2022 Volume 11 Issue 2

FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL The East Tennessee State University Graduate School is proud to present Illuminated, a magazine that showcases the excellent work of our graduate students and their faculty advisors. There are over 2,400 students enrolled in graduate programs at ETSU. Illuminated presents some of our students’ research and creative works that make meaningful contributions to various disciplines, and contribute to our strong graduate programs. Illuminated features research and creative projects that are currently happening on campus, and provides updates on alumni of ETSU graduate programs.

Sharon James McGee, PhD

Karin Bartoszuk, PhD

Scott Kirkby, PhD

Dean

Associate Dean

EDITORIAL STAFF

DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Redd, MFA Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator, School of Graduate Studies

EDITOR

WRITER

Dr. Karin Bartoszuk Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies

Marten Baur MS Sport Science & Coach Education

East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone (404) 679-4500, or website: www.sacscoc.org with any question regarding the accreditation of East Tennessee State University. ETSU is an AA/EEO employer. ETSU-GRAD-221058-A

CONTENTS

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02 FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Musical Performance, Scholarship, and Writing in a Technical Description of Mash, Thomas Cassell, MA, Appalachian Studies

13 Where are they now? Featuring: Vandyck Adade-Yeboah Improving the Sentence Writing Skills of Students with IDD Using Time

14 Delay, Sentence Frames, and Story-Based Lessons, Thai Williams, Special Education, MEd

17 Where are they now? Featuring: Eric Magrum

18 Where are they now? Featuring: Danielle Pulliam

19 Where are they now? Featuring: Curtis Bradley

20 ETSU’s 2021 3MT® Competition

Assessing the Barriers to Developmental Advising in Higher Education Institutions, Alicia Abney, Educational Leadership, EdD

25 Where are they now? Featuring: Angela Duggins

Reconnecting to Appalachia: A Sculptural Perspective, Hanna Traynham, Studio Art, MFA

Parental Constrained Behavior Impacts Children’s Participation in

32 Unsupervised Outdoor Play and Informal Sport, David Hutson, Global Sport Leadership, EdD

35 Where are they now? Featuring: Jay Guillory

Determining the Molecular Structure of a Grapefruit Enzyme Using X-ray Crystallography, Aaron Birchfield, Biomedical Sciences, PhD

39 Where are they now? Featuring: Heather Eisenhart

40 Where are they now? Featuring: Michael Spence

41 Where are they now? Featuring: Cornell Sneed

GRADUATE STUDENTS & ADVISORS

Are you excited about your research and would like to share your hypothesis or findings?

YOU MIGHT BE A PERFECT FIT FOR ILLUMINATED. There is more than one way to get into the next issue of the magazine!

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For current graduate students and their advisors: Are you or one of your graduate students working on a culminating experience (e.g., thesis, dissertation, capstone)? Your research could receive additional exposure through Illuminated magazine and help educate the rest of the campus about your department and program. This is a unique opportunity to get your work recognized!

For current graduate students and their advisors: Did you or one of your students get into an excellent doctoral program or get an excellent position? We want to hear about it! Share your story in the “Where Are They Going?” section.

For former graduate students and their advisors: Do you know an outstanding student who graduated from ETSU more than a year ago? We want to hear from them! The “Where Are They Now?” section features former ETSU graduate students who are now professionals in positions across the country.

Click here for Nomination Form: https://etsu.jotform.com/212844078429058 For more information on nominating students or getting featured in Illuminated, please contact: Dr. Karin Bartoszuk, bartoszu@etsu.edu.

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Musical Performance, Scholarship, and Writing in a Technical Description of Mash Thomas Cassell

MA, Appalachian Studies

Dr. Lee Bidgood Faculty Advisor

Dr. Nate Olson Faculty Advisor

Written by Marten Baur

hrough the end of the past decade, Johnson City was considered a hotbed for the musical style called “mash”—a derivative of traditional bluegrass. Typically played in the key of B or Bb, and known for its emphasis on the downbeat (the first beat of a measure of music), Thomas Cassell describes mash as “a re-imagination of traditional bluegrass.” Thomas, an accomplished bluegrass musician himself, was curious about this unique musical style and wanted to identify its key elements. He was motivated to study mash because it is frequently referenced in the bluegrass industry, yet it lacks a clear definition. He dedicated his graduate studies at ETSU to analyzing and defining the musical style. This research

Thomas Cassell, photograph by Ben Bateson

“Mash is more grounded and laid back, and it hits each beat really hard, sitting very deep in what is called a ‘pocket’ of rhythm.” feature calls attention to Thomas’ work and the defining characteristics of mash.

perfect segue for Thomas to pursue these academic interests.

Thomas Cassell, from Norton, Virginia, began playing bluegrass music when he was 12 years old. Thomas knew he wanted to be a professional musician by the time he was 18, but he wanted to gain experience in a professional environment, make connections, and get a good grasp on the industry before starting his career. With one of the largest

Thomas’ experience as a bluegrass musician helped guide his research because he had already developed an ear for the differences between mash and traditional bluegrass. Thomas sought to define mash both quantitatively and qualitatively. He wanted to understand the musical qualities that constitute the sound of mash and how these qualities

and highly developed bluegrass and roots programs in the country, ETSU was the perfect place to prepare Thomas for his future profession. Thomas explained that “there are some other large programs that touch on traditional bluegrass and its historical side, but I think ETSU goes deeper than anywhere else.” This drew Thomas to Johnson City, where he began his postsecondary education with the desire to play traditional bluegrass music. Thomas graduated from ETSU with a B.A. in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies. Towards the end of his undergraduate studies, Thomas became more interested in the musical analysis and history of bluegrass. ETSU’s graduate degree in Appalachian Studies was the

differ from traditional bluegrass music. Despite the multiple references to mash in the bluegrass industry, “there has never been anything truly written about it,” stated Thomas. As this was the first paper to define mash, Thomas sought to describe its major musical components rather than focus on the minutiae. He explained that “there were some very obvious characteristics of the musical style that needed to be transcribed and represented in musical form, and then linked to a certain amount of recordings to show that they are characteristic of a larger style.” To analyze the differences between the two styles, Thomas transcribed and represented recordings using several different methods: standard musical notation, the Nashville

Number System, textural spreadsheets, and dynamic charts. Each type of representation visually portrays a different musical element. Thomas used these representations to describe the differences between mash and traditional bluegrass. Ingrid Monson, a contemporary jazz musician, historian, and writer, developed dynamic charts that show the differences in volume throughout a song. Thomas used Monson’s charts to “depict the

dynamic musical interplay within a group, and describe how musicians are approaching the dynamics of particular parts of a song.” This leads into the concept of musical texture, which is a description of what each instrument is playing (or not playing) at any point in the song. Thomas represented musical texture using textural spreadsheets developed by Dr. Nate Olson. These spreadsheets divide each instrument into rows on the Y axis with key parts of the song (intro, chorus, etc.) in columns on the X axis. In this way, textural spreadsheets help to identify the constituents of certain sounds or styles. Last, Thomas used the Nashville Number System—a system used since the 1950s— to analyze a song’s harmonic or melodic

Thomas Cassell

structure, chords, and rhythms. In some cases, Thomas would look at two different recordings of the same song: one performed by a traditional bluegrass group, and one performed by a mash group. He analyzed the two recordings using the methods mentioned above to visually represent the differences between the two styles. The following are recordings of traditional bluegrass and mash renditions of the song, “Devil in Disguise,” linked respectively: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=6wSvpGvSbhc, https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=LuXfNBnoFuI.

Dr. Nate Olson

charts. Monson’s charts illustrated higher volumes and dynamic qualities in the mash style compared to traditional bluegrass. Another difference between the two styles is found in the chord structure. Using the Nashville Number System, Thomas found that each style played different patterns of chords to elicit certain musical effects. Using Dr. Olson’s textural spreadsheets, Thomas noted differences in musical texture between the two styles. One of the textural differences was the activity of the banjo player during the chorus. In traditional bluegrass music, banjo players like Ralph Stanley, J.D. Crowe, or Sonny

Devil In Disguise · The Bluegrass Album Band

Galax 2015 Jam, Devil in Disguise

Through analyzing the visual representations and transcriptions of bluegrass and mash recordings, Thomas characterized mash as more aggressive and rhythmic. It also possesses a sense of attitude when compared to traditional bluegrass music. He found differences in dynamics, textures, chords, and rhythms to support these claims. In order to visually represent mash’s attitude and aggression, Thomas relied on Monson’s dynamic

Osborne, who were all harmony singers, would often stop playing over the chorus to focus on the vocals. In mash, however, the banjo player continues to play and “push the groove.” Lastly, through the use of a combination of standard musical notation and the Nashville Number System, Thomas compared the rhythmic qualities of mash and traditional bluegrass. The rhythmic qualities held the most pronounced differences between the

Dr. Lee Bidgood

two styles, with the mash style heavily emphasizing the down beat. Thomas explained that “Traditional bluegrass is very on top of the beat, meaning that it sounds like it is rushing and could fall apart at any moment. This gives the song propulsive energy.” He continued, “Mash is more grounded and laid back, and it hits each beat really hard, sitting very deep in what is called a ‘pocket’ of rhythm.” Thomas graduated in spring of 2021 with an MA in Appalachian Studies. He published a section of his thesis in a bluegrass scholarship book authored by Dr. Lee Bidgood and Dr. Greg Reish. His advisors, Dr. Olson and Dr. Bidgood, provided countless ideas as Thomas developed his thesis, and “certainly it wouldn’t be the same body of work without them,” said Thomas. Currently, Thomas is teaching mandolin lessons at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. He continues to play mash and bluegrass music in his band Circus No. 9, and he also records music under his own name. More of Thomas’s work, which will soon include his new album (release date TBD), can be found on his website, https:// thomascassell.com/. Thanks to Thomas’ work, mash—what used to be a “know it when you hear it” style—is now defined and represented in concrete musical terms.

Thomas Cassell cassellta@etsu.edu

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Where are they now?

Vandyck Adade-Yeboah MEd in Special Education, concentration in Early Childhood Special Education Department of Educational Foundations & Special Education • Year of Graduation: 2020 Why did you choose ETSU for your education? Upon discussing my career ambition with a friend who is an alumnus of ETSU, he recommended ETSU. He added that the school has the best special education (SPED) program and a great faculty that will enable me to progress in my career. I am excited I made the right decision.

What is your current position and/or research? I am currently in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) doctoral program at Tennessee Tech. University (TTU). I am a graduate research assistant, the president of the ABA Students’ Club, the middle region student officer of Tennessee Association for Behavior Analysis (TABA), and a registered behavior technician (RBT) at the Center of Development Pediatric Therapies.

What does this position/research entail? My responsibilities are to implement and provide empirical support for behavioral interventions for a range of populations as well as getting adequate preparation to pursue board certification as a behavior analyst.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? The pieces of advice and the support from my professors, as well as other faculty members, made a tremendous positive impact on my academic and social life. The opportunity to be part of field experiences and behavioral interventions enriched my knowledge and broadened my perception about special education.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Work hard, stay true to your passion, and never give up on your dreams!! GO BUCS!

Anything else you would like to add? I have become emotional even as I write this, BUT I want to say a very BIG “THANK YOU” to the whole ETSU community for making my dreams become a reality, and I have no option but to lift high the banner of this great institution wherever I find myself. I AM A PROUD ETSU ALUMNUS!!! GO BUCS! GO BUCS!! GO BUCS!!!

Improving the Sentence Writing Skills of Students with IDD Using Time Delay, Sentence Frames, and Story-Based Lessons Thai Williams

Special Education, MEd Advanced Studies in Special Education Concentration

Dr. Pamela Mims Faculty Advisor

Written by Marten Baur

eaching students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and/or autism is both rewarding and challenging. Thai Williams, who is pursuing an MEd in Special Education with a concentration in Advanced Studies in Special Education, is working to bridge the gap between students with extensive support needs and their same-age peers by providing access to the general education curriculum. Specifically, Thai is studying how to teach students with IDD how to write sentences. This research feature explores Thai’s work and how she is impacting the field of special education.

Thai is a special education instructor with 31 years of experience. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in special education from the College of Charleston. Thai is currently teaching in Missoula, Montana, where she incorporates evidence-based practices into her lessons. Thai came to ETSU after participating in an online support group that helped teachers and parents of children with extensive support needs transition to virtual learning at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The support group was hosted by ETSU faculty members Dr. Pamela Mims (professor of special education and associate dean of

research and grants) and Dr. Dawn Rowe (associate professor and interim chair). The support group proved invaluable to Thai, and after it ended, she decided to register for a single online class instructed by Dr. Mims. The opportunity to learn from Dr. Mims was a major reason why Thai decided to pursue further education at ETSU. “Dr. Mims is phenomenal, and she knows her stuff. I like the way she teaches and engages with students,” explained Thai. Dr. Mims and Dr. Rowe recognized Thai’s passion and extensive experience in special education. They assisted Thai in becoming a tuition scholar, which afforded her the opportunity to pursue an MEd. Now, almost two years later, Thai is finishing her research for her thesis. Thai’s study is a multiple probe across participants, single case design. She is investigating the effect of time-delay on correct word selection for sentences constructed using technologyaided instruction during and after a story-based lesson. She is also examining the social validity of the intervention via surveys conducted with participants, caregivers, and classroom staff. To understand Thai’s research, three concepts must first be introduced: constant time delay, sentence frames, and story-based lessons. Constant time delay is an evidence-based, response-prompting strategy often used by professionals in the field of disability to promote academic, communication, social, and functional skill acquisition. Beginning with a zero-second time delay, the instructor presents the lesson at the same time as the controlling prompt (any prompt that results in the student eliciting the correct response). For example, when instructing on the word “dog,” the student may be presented with a set of four words including the target word and three distractor

words. The instructor would tell the student, “Touch dog,” while simultaneously touching the word “dog.” Following several trials of zero-second time delay, the instructor moves to a time delay based on the student’s needs, e.g., a five-second time delay. During five-second time delay, the instructor gives the direction, “Touch

“The beauty of this research is that I am taking the work that was previously done, and I am putting it in a classroom with real students under real circumstances to see if it works.” dog,” and then silently waits five seconds for the student to respond. If the student responds correctly, positive reinforcement is given. If the student does not respond or responds incorrectly, the teacher gives the controlling prompt (touching the word “dog”). This continues until the word alone elicits the targeted response. Sentence frames are often used to teach beginning writers the concept and components of a sentence. Sentence frames use a structured fill-in-the-blank format that is scaffolded to help students respond to a question or prompt, and they can be found in many beginning writing programs. Students typically write multiple sentences using a sentence frame that gradually increases in difficulty. The ultimate goal is for students to write sentences

Thai Williams

Dr. Pamela Mims

“Dr. Mims is phenomenal, and she knows her stuff. I like the way she teaches and engages with students.” without the use of sentence frames. Thai uses sentence frames in conjunction with story-based lessons to teach emergent literacy skills including comprehension, vocabulary, engagement, and fluency in a natural learning context (i.e., the reading aloud of storybooks). During her research study, Thai read a storybook and used the illustrations to relate to the vocabulary in the text. Because the study participants lacked the handwriting skills needed to produce handwritten sentences, they used Clicker Writer, which is an app that offers an alternative to pen-and-paper writing. At three predetermined points during the story, she paused and instructed: “Write about what you saw.” Following the completion of the story, the student was instructed: “Write about what you read.” For example, when reading the book Llama Llama Red Pajama, the student wrote, “I see a mama,” and “I read about a llama.”

Each of Thai’s four subjects (ages six to eight) went through five baseline testing sessions before starting the intervention. This is necessary for a single-case research design because each student serves as their own control. All participants produced low and stable results, indicating that

they consistently did not know how to construct sentences during all five baseline sessions. Thai then conducted zero-second time delay trials for each student over the course of three days during story-based lessons. After the zero-second time delay trials, Thai continued to the five-second time delay trials. One participant jumped to 56% accuracy (from 0%) during her first day of five-second time delay. As the lessons continued, she jumped to 76% and then 86% accuracy. She showed maintenance and generalization of skills at 5 1/2 weeks post-intervention. The next participant, also scoring 0% accuracy at baseline, showed a rapidly accelerating trend and ended the intervention at 100% accuracy. He also maintained and generalized sentence construction postintervention at levels significantly above baseline. Thai will continue to conduct generalization and maintenance probes of the final two participants over the next two weeks. Given visual analysis of data thus far, results indicate a strong functional relation between the independent and dependent variables. Thai’s thesis adds to the body of literature in special education by building on Dr. Robert Pennington’s (Snyder Distinguished professor at UNC Charlotte) previous work, which examined sentence

construction in students with IDD using time-delay and sentence frames in a controlled setting. Thai’s study links Dr. Pennington’s methods to the natural classroom setting and academic content. Thai explained, “If I was not doing this research, my students would still be getting story-based lessons. That is part of their everyday academic instruction. The beauty of this research is that I am taking the work that was previously done, and I am putting it in a classroom with real students under real circumstances to see if it works.” In a natural classroom setting, students may have behavioral escalations or issues that can disrupt the normal flow of class. These disruptions may be seen as a limitation to Thai’s study; however, because these disruptions are unavoidable in the real-world setting, it highlights that Thai’s intervention is effective despite the disruptions found in a typical classroom. Thai plans to publish her research after concluding the study, and she has already presented her work at three conferences: the Montana Federation of Public Employees Educator’s conference, the Council for Exceptional Children Conference, and the Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities Conference. After graduation, Thai will pursue her PhD in special education at UNC Charlotte. Thai wants to continue her research by looking at the effects of time-delay, sentence frames, and storybased lessons using an informational text as opposed to a storybook. Dr. Mims was paramount to Thai’s return to academia and her success within the MEd program. Thai expressed her gratitude for Dr. Mims, stating “There are no words for what Dr. Mims has done for me. She gave me a different mindset and changed my future. She has lifted me up and helped me see that I can and need to get a PhD!” Researchers like Thai are making the general education curriculum more accessible to students with extensive support needs. Her findings validate the use of time-delay and sentence frames in the natural classroom setting. Because of Thai’s research and dedication to the field of special education, more students with IDD and/or autism will learn how to write sentences. Thai Williams williamstr1@etsu.edu

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Where are they now? Eric Magrum MA in Sport Science & Coach Education, concentration in Applied Sport Science Department of Sport, Exercise, Recreation, and Kinesiology • Year of Graduation: 2017 Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I was looking for a program that would give me the best opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue my passions. ETSU provided an unparalleled experience; not only was I studying the training process, but I was also intimately involved in the process. Dr. Michael Stone and Coach Meg Stone emphasized experiential learning, and it made all the difference. Lastly, I was able to secure a graduate assistantship, which made the decision to attend ETSU much more financially feasible.

What is your current position and/or research? I am an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Stockton University. I have two lines of inquiry: (1) emotional intelligence in sport (coaching), and (2) effective teaching practices in higher education.

What does this position/research entail? I teach courses within exercise science including Biomechanics & Motor Learning, Strength & Conditioning, and Exercise Nutrition & Weight Management. I also conduct research in the areas stated above and provide services to the university.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? My experience at ETSU helped me develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to be successful in my current role. The knowledge and experience I gained as a coach have proven invaluable to my teaching abilities.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Try to identify where you would like to be in five or ten years, then work backwards and make a plan that will help you achieve it. Pinpoint the credentials you need, the skillsets that make folks successful in that selected profession, and the experiences that will help you move toward your goal. Select a graduate program that will help you develop the identified characteristics, as opposed to one that is perhaps more convenient. Financials should also be on your mind; choose a program that will allow you to develop but also provide a good return on your investment.

Anything else you would like to add? Find mentors in your field and pick their brains.

Where are they now?

Danielle Pulliam EdD in Global Sport Leadership Year of Graduation: 2020 Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I chose to attend ETSU because of the unique style of the Global Sport Leadership (GSLD) program. The program offers opportunities for students to study abroad, engage with sport professionals, and create a visual capstone to go with their dissertation. When exploring graduate programs, what was essential for me was finding an EdD program that encouraged students to go beyond theory to practice. The curriculum of the ETSU program was exactly what I was looking for.

What is your current position and/or research? Currently, I serve as the Assistant Athletic Director for Academics and Student-Athlete Development at Loyola University Chicago. 18

What does this position/research entail? From a macro perspective, I have oversight of Academic Services for all 15 Loyola University of Chicago athletic programs. I serve as a member of the athletic department senior leadership team, and I am the department’s diversity and inclusion designee. As the liaison for athletic academics, I collaborate with university constituents such as the provost, admissions, and college of undergraduate and graduate studies to ensure our student-athletes have the resources and support needed to pursue their degrees.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? The ETSU GSLD program prepared me for my current career by challenging me to learn about the various components of sport (specifically college athletics) and helping me discover my passions. Not only did I have the opportunity to learn about sport internationally, but I also developed a different perspective of sports that I had no prior experience in. Through the GSLD program, I was introduced to topics such as fundraising, grant writing, strategic planning, departmental budgeting, and more. The lessons covering these topics were tangible, and they allowed me to immediately incorporate what I learned into my professional career.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? One piece of advice I would tell current or future graduate students is: there is power in saying “I don’t know.” I realized that each time I have been honest and self-aware enough to say “I don’t know,” it provided me an opportunity to gain wisdom. Learning should be constant. If you find yourself knowing everything, then it is probably time to reevaluate your environment.

Where are they now?

Curtis Bradley

PhD in Psychology, concentration in Experimental Psychology Department of Psychology Year of Graduation: 2018 Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I chose ETSU for my doctorate because of Dr. Matthew Palmatier, his research, and the Graduate Psychology’s mentorapprentice style program. Matt and I have a shared interest in how learning, both associative and operant, mediate the relationship between a drug’s effect and behavior.

What is your current position and/or research? I am currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bridgewater College. Bridgewater is a small liberal arts college where most of my work is focused on teaching, but I also contribute a considerable amount of work to my scholarship. My scholarship refers to my independent research I conduct with undergraduate research assistants. My research is currently focused on the motivation to obtain caffeine, alcohol, or both in a mouse model of drug self-administration. I call it my Four Loko study.

What does this position/research entail? As a tenure-track Assistant Professor at a small, liberal arts college, the majority of my work consists of teaching (roughly 7 to 8 courses per academic year). After teaching, most of my time is spent conducting research with six to 10 undergraduate students who share a common interest in my research. The final component of my position is service. My service contribution to the college includes being the chair of the New Faculty Development committee, serving as an advisor to the Pre-Health Club, and the BC Disc Golf Club (my favorite service).

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? My time at ETSU prepared me for my career on two fronts. First, my advisor Matthew Palmatier prepared me to function as an independent researcher. These research skills include: research design, animal welfare, data collection, data management, data analysis, research dissemination, and just enough engineering to make and fix my laboratory equipment. Second, the graduate program prepared me to teach small and large classes at the college level. In my time at ETSU, I taught three sections of PSY 101 (Introduction to Psychology). I learned to quell my fear of public speaking, create proper assessment material, synthesize class material into manageable lectures, and disseminate that information in a way that students could understand.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? First and foremost, work WITH your advisor on all fronts. As graduate students, we sometimes get so overwhelmed with work and responsibilities that we can harbor resentment towards the people who hold us responsible for our work. There will always be someone or something holding you accountable, and carrying through your work begrudgingly will only make it worse. Your advisor did you a BIG favor by taking you under their wing. Whether you realize it or not, you represent them with everything you do (your classwork/attendance, research, and general behavior), so hold up your end of the bargain. In addition, make sure you communicate with your advisor. I saw a few advisor-advisee relationships sour, and some students withdrew from the program because of problems stemming from a lack of communication. No one knows you need help unless you say something.

Anything else you would like to add? Take advantage of what is free! Attend sporting events. Attending the men’s and women’s basketball games at ETSU was some of the most fun times I’ve had as a graduate student. Finally, get a Trust Pizza from Scratch and go play disc golf! The tri-city area has some of the best (and free) courses in the world (Winged Deer Park & Warriors Path Park)!

Deepshila Gautam Biological Sciences

emily napier communication & storytelling studies

ETSU’s 2021 3MT® Competition The 4th annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition at ETSU was held in-person on November 10th, 2021 in the Martha Street Auditorium in the D.P. Culp Student Center. This competition provides graduate students the opportunity to develop their professional presentation and research communication skills by distilling their projects into a three-minute presentation designed for a general (non-specialist) audience using just one slide. Through this engaging three-minute presentation, audience members learn what students in master’s and doctoral programs are studying and gain insight into the future of research, design, and innovation on a variety of disciplines.

kara boynewicz early childhood education

anna musket biomedical sciences

emily katt communication & storytelling studies

3MT® originated at the University of Queensland and was designed as a research competition for PhD students. However, many other universities, including ETSU, have opened registration to master’s students or students engaged in research through their coursework or other culminating projects. This allows for a variety of topics and makes for a very enjoyable experience for the audience. The winner of the 2021 3MT® competition was Emily Napier, a master’s degree student in the Communication and Storytelling Studies program, with her presentation on “The InstructorStudent Relationship: An Interpersonal Perspective.”

michael tetteh chemistry

ummear raza biomedical sciences

leticia pizzino communication & storytelling studies

Second place in the competition was awarded to Anna Musket, a doctoral student in the Biomedical Sciences program whose dissertation is titled “Glioblastoma: In Vitro Studies.” Michael Tetteh received the People’s Choice Award, which was voted on by audience members. His thesis is “Folic Acid Carbon Dots Doxorubicin Nanoparticles as Cancer Theranostics.”

olusegun olatunji history

A donation from Tennessee Hills Brewing and Distillery resulted in a $1,100 scholarship for the first-place winner, and a $750 scholarship for both the second place and people’s choice recipients. The judges for the 2021 3MT® competition were entrepreneur and author Scott Andrew; President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County Robin Crumley; and President of the International Storytelling Festival (ISC) Kiran Singh Sirah.

As the winner, Emily Napier represented ETSU in the virtual Southern Regional Competition during the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools 2022 Annual Meeting in Raleigh, NC, on February 18th 2022.

hanna traynham studio art

aaron caesar chemistry

rachelle kromash psychology

From left, Emily Napier, First Place; Michael Tetteh, People’s Choice; Anna Musket, Second Place

Judges: From left, Kiran Singh Sirah (President of the International Storytelling Center (ISC); Robin Crumley (President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County); Scott Andrew (Author, entrepreneur, and CEO of Retail Services Systems) Emily Napier, Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, 2022 3MT® Competition

Assessing the Barriers to Developmental Advising in Higher Education Institutions Alicia Abney

Educational Leadership, EdD Higher Education Leadership concentration

Dr. Jill Channing Faculty Advisor

Written by Marten Baur

esearch consistently shows that academic advisors increase retention and completion rates at higher education institutions, yet there remains a disconnect between advisor best practices and what actually happens in higher education academic advising. This disconnect stems from the deprofessionalization of academic advising and the limited resources available to current academic advisors. Alicia Abney, a doctor of education student at ETSU, is investigating the educational and occupational backgrounds of academic advisors in order to identify the barriers that prevent them from offering academic advising beyond a simple, prescriptive approach.

Alicia Abney, from Kokomo, Indiana, received her bachelor’s degree in English (with a minor in secondary education) and her master’s degree in student development counseling and administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. After graduating, she began working as an academic advisor for Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where Alicia also earned an EdS in Administration and Supervision with a concentration in higher education. Alicia wanted to pursue a doctorate degree, and she saw that ETSU offered an EdS to EdD online program. After speaking with advisors at ETSU, she knew it was the perfect fit. Alicia is now working on her dissertation with Dr. Jill Channing

Alicia Abney

(department chair and assistant professor) at ETSU. Alicia is interested in answering the question, “Who are academic advisors?” Two of the most common forms of academic advising are prescriptive and developmental advising. Prescriptive advising is the most basic, and it consists of helping the student register for classes that fit their major. Prescriptive advising is often paired with computer programs like Degree Works, a tool that monitors a student’s progress toward their degree. While this form of advising is important, it often falls short when it comes to students who are feeling lost in college. Advanced forms of advising, such as developmental advising, assess a student’s goals and needs. From this assessment, the advisor can offer tools, resources, and recommendations to enhance their college experience. “Academic advising goes beyond asking students what classes they want to take,” explained Alicia. “You have to have the tools and the knowledge to identify and empathize with the student in order to understand their goals.” Alicia has found that advisors hold degrees from a variety of fields. Oftentimes, the degrees have nothing to do with academic advising. Alicia explained, “Research consistently shows that academic advisors have a significant impact on student success rates, yet there is no direct educational pathway to become an academic advisor, and no standardized qualifications exist.” The lack of an established educational pathway leaves some academic advisors without the theories and methodologies needed to provide quality advising. This results

in a deprofessionalization of academic advising, which hurts students, advisors, and the institutions they work for. One major concept used by academic advisors is student development theory. The theories presented by several education and psychology researchers give advisors the framework to implement transformational advising approaches, which has been shown to increase retention and graduation rates of college students. Another important resource for academic advisors is NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. The organization provides continuing education to academic advisors and promotes the importance of advising to student success. NACADA outlines the roles of academic advisors through their four Pillars of Academic Advising: Concept of Academic Advising, Core Values of Academic Advising, Core Competencies of Academic Advising, and Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS): Standards and Guidelines for Academic Advising.

Alicia is using a research method called phenomenography. Phenomenography was created to evaluate thinking, learning, and the number of ways in which learning can take place. Alicia’s phenomenographic study examines how advisors learn and seek knowledge in their professional environment. Specifically, her study elucidates how advisors learned about student development theory and NACADA’s Conceptual Core Competency. To recruit her sample, Alicia sifted through NACADA’s membership demographics to find institutions with the highest number of NACADA members from ten different regions. Alicia selected the institutions with the highest NACADA members from each region. She began recruiting academic advisors with less than five years of experience from those institutions to participate in her study. Alicia interviewed each participant (n=17) to gather information on their educational and occupational backgrounds. She also asked how they began their careers in academic advising, if they knew about NACADA’s Pillars of Academic Advising, and if they were familiar with student development theory. Alicia’s initial results indicate that advisors who have earned a degree within student personnel/higher education have some knowledge of student development theory and NACADA’s Conceptual Core Competency. In contrast, advisors without a student personnel/ higher education degree have very little knowledge of student development theory and NACADA’s Conceptual Core Competency. Some advisors reported seeing the Conceptual Core Competency mentioned during onboarding training or within literature shared as a new hire. 23

Almost all advisors perceived student development theory to be helpful for effective academic advising. Advisors with no background in student development theory expressed interest in learning more about the theory in order to become more effective advisors. Alicia’s work will add to the growing body of literature and further professionalize the budding field of academic advising. She hopes to change the misperceptions of academic advisors, as they are frequently undervalued on college campuses. Because academic advisors impact student retention and completion rates at higher education institutions, administrators should know who they are hiring as academic advisors and provide them with ongoing training and professional development opportunities. In addition, institutions need to hire enough advisors to keep the standard caseload ratio below 250 students to one advisor. These conditions will allow the implementation of transformational advising approaches. Alicia’s study will help identify the occupational and educational background of academic advisors in order to identify exactly the resources they need to perform their jobs better. She hopes that her study will bring awareness to the deficits in academic advisor pay, the lack of training and professional development opportunities, and the overwhelming advisor caseloads. Alicia hopes to present her dissertation research at the NACADA National Conference hosted in Portland, Oregon in October. In addition, Alicia was awarded the NACADA Global Awards Scholarship to attend the Administrators’ Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She will present an action plan on advisor training and professional development using her dissertation research to support her presentation.

Despite being an online student, Alicia and Dr. Channing have formed a close relationship. Dr. Channing has taken the role of a developmental advisor by not only holding Alicia accountable for her work and research, but also by caring about Alicia’s well-being. Alicia stated, “Dr. Channing has really taken the time to get to know me, and she’s listened to my project ideas and talked me through how they can be accomplished.” After graduation, Alicia plans on teaching at the college level and becoming a director

Alicia Abney

Dr. Jill Channing

“Academic advising goes beyond asking students what classes they want to take... you have to have the tools and the knowledge to identify and empathize with the student in order to understand their goals.”

of advising. She wants to be a part of the training and development of academic advisors on her campus. Ultimately, Alicia wants a position that allows her to advocate for students. Alicia’s phenomenographic study helps reveal the resource deficit in academic advising. Advisors serve an important role in improving student retention and completion rates at higher education institutions. In order to perform their jobs effectively, advisors need lower caseloads and better access to professional development and training. By giving advisors the resources they need to perform developmental advising, more students will succeed in college. While no amount of advising will prevent a student from failing, Alicia’s work brings hope that there will always be a qualified academic advisor to help the student back on their feet.

Core Values of Academic Advising

Alicia Abney abneya@etsu.edu

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Where are they now? Angela Duggins MA in Professional Communication, concentration in Storytelling and Theatre Department of Communication Studies • Year of Graduation: 2017

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I chose to attend ETSU because the storytelling program allowed me to focus both on the theory and practice of oral traditional performance while embracing my love of my home region.

What is your current position and/or research? I currently hold a few positions: I am a PhD candidate at Southern Illinois University where I research Ozark performance traditions; I teach English, world literature, and theatre at a small high school; and I work as an author publishing plays, poems, and the occasional book.

What does this position/research entail? Every day is a new adventure. Right now, I’m directing a production of Seussical the Musical TYA while writing my next book, teaching Cervantes and Shakespeare, planning two dances, and writing my dissertation. I have amazing students who are up for anything, and I am starting to find my voice as a speculative poet.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? Each of my professors at ETSU had a different approach to time management. They helped me learn to set boundaries and create systems that now allow me to go home every night and enjoy life. My coursework and mentors also helped me grow as a writer. I used to panic thinking about writing a two-page paper. Now, I present my research at national conferences that I’ve been fortunate enough to assist in planning.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? A dream deferred is better than a life destroyed. Take time to build your finances early so that you can enjoy chasing your dreams later.

Anything else you would like to add? I actually work with another Buc. We’re everywhere!

“Every decision you make, from the ground up, informs the audience what your work is about and influences how they are going to respond.” 26

Reconnecting to Appalachia: A Sculptural Perspective Hanna Traynham

Studio Art, MFA

Lindsay Rogers

Written by Marten Baur

Faculty Advisor

Sensory memory is the first component of memory storage, and it refers to the snapshot of sensory information captured in a given moment. Sensory experiences can create strong sensory impressions that can be stored into long-term memory, especially if connected with people, places, and events. The connection to place, in particular, is what fascinates Hanna Traynham, an MFA candidate at ETSU. Connections to place, especially when tethered to a sensory experience, can form lasting impressions and memories that make a place meaningful. This research feature explores Hanna’s journey of reconnecting to Appalachia through sculptures made using “wild” clay and traditional firing methods. The Blue Ridge Mountains are considered home to Hanna. She received her BFA in ceramics from James Madison University in the Shenandoah Valley. After graduating, Hanna taught high school students and developed her ceramics studio practice in the Pacific Northwest. She also traveled to Denmark and Japan to further her global understanding of ceramics. Her travels away from the Appalachian Mountains helped shape her understanding of how unique histories of craft and design are embedded in different places both culturally and geographically. Hanna returned to the Appalachian Mountains to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art. She chose ETSU for two reasons: one, she wanted to reconnect with her home region of Appalachia, and two, the thriving community of ceramic artists. The abundance of wild clay in Appalachia laid the foundation for its rich ceramic art history, and it explains why Appalachia continues to serve as an attraction for ceramic artists. Wild clay

refers to clay that is hand-harvested from the ground. It contrasts commercial clay, which is a blend of clays that are manufactured to be malleable and consistent. Lindsay Rogers, an associate professor at ETSU, is well versed in harvesting wild clay, and she is another reason Hanna decided to pursue her master’s degree at ETSU. Wild clay has unique properties, and it can take months of processing and testing before it is ready to use. However, for artists like Hanna and Lindsay, the unique colors and textures are worth the time and effort.

Hanna chose to use wild clay because as an artist, “every decision you make, from the ground up, informs the audience what your work is about and influences how they are going to respond,” explained Hanna. The process of harvesting clay was a significant aspect of Hanna’s journey to reconnect with Appalachia, and it doubled as a way to visually represent the importance of place to her audience. Clay veins, typically found near rivers or springs, are about eighteen inches beneath the topsoil. They can be spotted by identifying streaks of red, orange, yellow, blue, or pink. Hanna often relied upon her community connections to find clay. For example, friends and community members would share their experiences of finding clay while digging a garden or excavating a basement. When she didn’t have any leads, Hanna often drove backroads with a shovel and a few buckets in her car throughout east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and western North Carolina in search of banks of clay. “It’s been a hunt at times!” stated Hanna.

“Lindsay [Rogers] has helped me understand how to think about clay on a deeper level, which was what I was craving when I came to this program.” After harvesting the wild clay and returning to the studio, Hanna would begin the testing process to determine the melt point, absorption rate, and pliability of the clay. Identifying the melt point is important, as the clay can melt and damage the kiln. To determine the melt point, Hanna formed small marbles of wild clay and placed them into the kiln. She progressively increased the temperature of the kiln and monitored the condition of the clay through several stages of heating. Between stages, Hanna measured the clay’s absorption rate. Ideally, clay should have less than a 3% absorption rate to be used for pottery. Testing is critical for understanding ceramic durability. If the absorption rate is too high, the ceramic will be porous and prone to chipping. If it is too low, it may start to warp or melt in the firing. Furthermore, the clay must be able to withstand temperatures of 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit if used in high-fire kilns. Because of this, wild clay will often require the addition of stable mined minerals in order to

ECHOES OF HOME • Tipton Street Gallery

make it more melt-resistant or malleable. To further complicate this process, no clay is the same. “Even clay a mile down the road from another vein can be completely different,” explained Hanna. The artists must assume that other contaminants exist in these different clay veins, which can affect the melting point of the clay. Therefore, the clay harvested from each vein must be individually tested. Hanna views the digging and testing of clay as a process of discovery that adds another layer of connection to land. “The digging of clay and the testing process has really been a huge proponent of meaning behind my work. It’s highly physically intense, but super rewarding,” explained Hanna. Hanna uses wild clay to sculpt large, imposing vessels that represent the mountainous landscape of Appalachia. She follows an iterative process that allows her materials to inform the final product. Her work is gestural, performative, and demanding, as evidenced by her finger marks indented upon the surfaces of the sculptures. Instead of using glaze, Hanna relies on the natural colors of the wild clay that emerge through a calculated firing process. In addition, the use of wood, soda, and gas reduction kilns produce effects that alter the surface of ceramic objects. The origins of the clay and wood vastly influence the appearance of the sculptures. The variety of outcomes, despite following the same process, visually represent the meaning of place. Hanna presented her thesis exhibit at the Tipton Gallery in Johnson City last March and April. Her thesis exhibit was a

Hanna Traynham, in studio

sculptural archive of memories that expressed her reconnection to the land, culture, and history of Appalachia. Her hollow burntorange sculptures symbolically stored memories and experiences, and they represented the different places Hanna connected to within Appalachia. Her imposing sculptures were placed on tall pedestals to create a sense of being enveloped by mountains. Music recordings from ETSU’s Archives of Appalachia played within each hollow vessel added a cross-disciplinary experience that deepened the project’s theme of connection to place. Hanna acknowledged the impermanence of memories and undocumented traditions through the presentation of a vessel of raw, unfired clay. If left to the elements, the sculpture would dissolve back to the earth within weeks.

Hanna’s project would not have come to fruition without guidance from Lindsay. Lindsay’s expertise and enthusiasm for clay has helped Hanna grow as both an artist and teacher. “Lindsay has helped me understand how to think about clay on a deeper level, which was what I was craving when I came to this program,” explained Hanna. Lindsay is well connected to the creative

community in Appalachia, and is another reason Hanna is glad to work with her. She helped Hanna connect with other artists and community members, which in turn helped Hanna re-establish her connection to Appalachia. After graduation, she plans on continuing her work with wild clay and pursuing teaching jobs. Hanna connected to Appalachia through a laborintensive process of harvesting, testing, molding, and

Left, Lindsay Rogers, Right, Hanna Traynham

firing wild clay. Her imposing sculptures documented the memories she made throughout the rigorous process. Just as place impacted the outcome of Hanna’s sculptures, establishing a connection with place can influence how people interact with their environment and community. She hopes her project inspires others to connect to the land, history, and culture of Appalachia.

Hanna Traynham traynhamh@etsu.edu

Parental Constrained Behavior Impacts Children’s Participation in Unsupervised Outdoor Play and Informal Sport

David Hutson

Global Sport Leadership, EdD

Dr. Brian Johnston Faculty Advisor

Written by Marten Baur

n the early 1900s, social psychologists and philosophers theorized that some children might become juvenile delinquents if they participated in unsupervised outdoor play. This idea gave rise to organized youth sports as a way to keep children occupied with supervised activity. Starting in the 1950s, unsupervised play and informal sport began to be more prevalent. By the 1970s and 1980s, it was common to see children participating in unsupervised play and sport like in a scene from The Goonies or The Sandlot. David Hutson, a doctoral student in ETSU’s global sport leadership program and an associate professor at Rochester University in Michigan, has observed a shift away from these unsupervised behaviors in today’s culture. Children are now spending more time indoors and limiting their exposure to outdoor physical activity.

“Unsupervised play not only keeps kids healthy, but also it helps children develop problemsolving skills, leadership skills, social skills, independence, and creativity.” While serving as a faculty advisor in 2018 for Rochester University’s three-month study-abroad program in Vienna, Austria, David observed children participating in unsupervised outdoor play in cities throughout Europe. He found this fascinating, as it reflected his own childhood growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. David began questioning the state of unsupervised play in the United States. “Unsupervised play not only keeps kids healthy, but also it helps children develop problem-solving skills, leadership skills, social skills, independence, and creativity,” David said.

After returning to the United States, David was inspired to start a doctorate degree and to explore youth sports at an academic level. He discovered ETSU’s global sport leadership program, which offers students a blend of domestic and global perspectives on sport administration, governance, ethics, philosophies, and culture. For his major research study, David began a study on parental constrained behavior and how it impacts the time children spend in

David Hutson

David’s study found significant negative correlations between parents’ constrained behavior scores and the number of hours their children participated in unsupervised play and informal sport. Interestingly, the reason for parents’ constrained behavior was not due to perceived risks. Children participated in an average of 5.5 (SD = 4.3) and 5.8 (SD = 4.4) hours per week of unsupervised play and organized supervised sport, respectively.

unsupervised play and informal sport. David wanted to know if parents were constraining their behavior to protect their children against the risks inherent in unsupervised play and informal sport. David said there are two types of constrained behavior. Avoidance behavior refers to completely avoiding unsupervised outdoor play due to perceived risks, which include bullying, injury, and unwanted approaches from strangers. Defensive behavior refers to the presence of a supervisor to monitor outdoor play. David’s project investigated the relationship between parents’ constrained behavior and the number of hours spent per week involved in unsupervised outdoor play (e.g., riding bikes, physical play with friends) and informal sport (e.g., pick-up basketball, football, or volleyball games). He hypothesized that parents’ constrained behavior due to perceived

risks would have a significant negative relationship to children’s participation in unsupervised play and informal sport. To answer his research question, David created a survey that was distributed across the United States to parents with children between the ages of six and 16. He received 158 responses from parents in 19 different states. The survey included demographic information including the family’s household setting (urban, suburban, and rural), the type of school the child attended (public, private, homeschool, other), and the number of children living in the household. Next, the survey inquired about the number of hours per week their children were playing in organized youth sport supervised by adults and unsupervised outdoor active play. The survey then asked the parents about their perception of risk involved with the above activities.

Importantly, many children are meeting the guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day; however, the percentage of children who participated in three or less hours of unsupervised play per week was 40%. In addition, 9% of children did not participate in any form of unsupervised play or informal sport. David found the number of children per household also impacted a child’s amount of unsupervised outdoor play. In households of only one child, the average amount of unsupervised play was 3.8 (SD = 4.3) hours per week, whereas the average amount of unsupervised play in a household of five or more children was 7.3 (SD = 6.5) hours per week. “This might be explained by a strength-in-numbers concept,” David said. When analyzing organized supervised youth sport, David also found negative correlations between time spent during supervised sport and parents’ constrained behavior scores. While a negative correlation existed between constrained behavior and both supervised and unsupervised outdoor play, David found that parents are not constraining their own behavior due to the perceived risks inquired by the survey. Only 13.6% of respondents said it was likely or highly likely that their children would be injured during unsupervised play outdoors, and only 7% of respondents said it was likely or highly likely that their children would have an unwelcome approach by a stranger in their neighborhood. David’s work has important societal implications because unsupervised play can impact a child’s creativity, independence, and leadership skills. In addition, studies show that unsupervised children tend to be more active than

supervised children. To David’s knowledge, only two other studies exist in the literature covering constrained behavior and its effect on unsupervised play. He hopes to conduct future studies to uncover the reasons for parents’ constrained behavior, the impacts of socioeconomic status, and the differences of unsupervised play between the United States and European countries. David is thankful for the guidance and support of his advisor, Dr. Brian Johnston, who has helped David develop as a researcher and professor. Dr. Johnston uses practical assignments to challenge his students to grow within their professional careers. David is able to take the knowledge he learns from Dr. Johnston and directly apply it to his career at Rochester University. After concluding his study, David plans to publish and present at professional conferences.

Left, David Hutson, Right, Dr. Brian Johnston

David has a long history as a teacher, coach and athletic director. He earned his master’s degree in sports administration with a concentration in intercollegiate athletics administration from Wayne State University in Detroit, and his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. David has taught at the collegiate level since 1999 when he helped start Rochester University’s sports management degree. Before becoming a full-time professor, he served as Rochester University’s associate athletic director, intramural director, and head track and cross country coach. Previously, David taught K-12 health and physical education in Texas, and served as a middle school athletic director, and coach of a variety of high school and youth sports, such as basketball, volleyball, track, and cross country. David’s practical experience as a coach and teacher combined with his academic experience makes his research into youth sports a perfect fit for him. He said that while it is evident that parents are practicing constrained behavior, the reasons for their constrained behavior remain unknown. Children are spending less time engaging in unsupervised outdoor play and informal sport, which may impact their physical, intellectual, and emotional development. For children, the days of meeting at the sandlot to play ball or roughing it through the woods in search of buried treasure seem to be coming to an end. Although more work is needed, David’s capstone serves as the framework to restoring unsupervised play into contemporary culture.

David Hutson hutsond@etsu.edu

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Where are they now? Justin “Jay” Guillory MEd in Educational Leadership, concentration in Student Personnel Leadership Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Year of Graduation: 2020

What is your current position and/or research? My current position is Interim Assistant Director of the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center. My current research interest is the impact of summer bridge programs on underrepresented students’ persistence, retention, and graduation rate.

What does this position/research entail? Why did you choose ETSU for your education? Originally, I was looking at ETSU for their Master of Arts in History. The staff in the history department are more diverse compared to the department I received my undergraduate degree from. When I finally figured out my career path was student affairs, I begin to look into the student personnel program (now higher education leadership) at ETSU, and it was a great fit for me. What solidified the decision for me was being offered a graduate assistantship in the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center by then Director Carshonda Martin.

In this position, I am responsible for the center access programs (B.U.C.S Academy, QUEST for Success, and Discover ETSU) while also being responsible for the leadership development of our student leaders. I also help with the day-to-day operations of the Multicultural Center.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? My time at ETSU prepared me for my career because my graduate assistantship advisor allowed me to have a seat at the table when it came to planning programs. Experience with program planning allowed me to be better prepared when taking on my coordinator role and now interim assistant director role.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? The road is sometimes rough. But it’s important to take care of yourself! Self-care is the best care! Also, lean on your cohort members. They are here to support you just as much as faculty members are.

Anything else you would like to add? GO BUCS! 35

Determining the Molecular Structure of a Grapefruit Enzyme Using X-ray Crystallography

Aaron Birchfield

Biomedical Sciences, PhD Cellular, Molecular, and Chemical Biology Concentration

Dr. Cecilia McIntosh Faculty Advisor

Written by Marten Baur

“

There are tens of thousands of glucose transferring enzymes in plants, and only six have been crystallized,” remarked Dr. Cecilia McIntosh, professor emerita in ETSU’s Department of Biomedical Sciences. Aaron Birchfield, a second year PhD student under Dr. McIntosh, is drawing closer to crystallizing the seventh-ever glucose transferase enzyme found in plants. This enzyme, derived from grapefruit, is called Citrus paradisi 3-glucosyl-transferase (CP3GT), and serves the unique role of attaching a glucose molecule onto the third carbon of a flavonol compound. While CP3GT is important to the grapefruit plant’s survivability, its applications extend well beyond these functions. This article features Aaron’s research and highlights his contributions to the field of biomedical sciences.

“This idea that you can make crystals to determine—atom per atom—how an enzyme is put together in three-dimensional space just blew my mind!

Aaron Birchfield

While Aaron never anticipated studying grapefruit, he has always dreamt of becoming a scientist. With an innate curiosity of the natural world, Aaron recalls reading children’s encyclopedias in the second grade. Now, as he develops protein crystals in Dr. McIntosh’s lab, he is well along his way to fulfilling his dream. Aaron grew up in Bristol, Virginia, and he received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and his master’s degree in biology from ETSU. As a transfer student from King University, Aaron was drawn to ETSU because of its robust chemistry department with an emphasis on research. ETSU’s friendly atmosphere and invested professors, along with opportunities for undergraduate research, motivated Aaron to move to Johnson City to complete his bachelor’s degree. Aaron is fascinated with protein crystals, which are pure proteins that form into crystals under specific conditions. These crystals can be used to determine the three dimensional structure of a protein through a process known as X-ray crystallography. “This idea that you can make crystals to determine—atom per atom—how an enzyme is put together in three-dimensional space just blew my mind!” expressed Aaron. Aaron is mentoring under Dr. McIntosh, who has studied grapefruit for over forty years and is well-versed in protein and enzyme biochemistry. Dr. McIntosh and Aaron’s research focuses on flavonoid biosynthesis and regulation. Flavonoids are a class of compounds that protect a plant’s photosynthetic

machinery from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, aid in the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules, and increase plant-pollinator interactions. Importantly to humans, flavonoids contribute to a plant’s taste, smell, and color. Flavonoids are known for their antioxidant properties, and they are marketed as nutritional supplements such as quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin. In addition to supplements, flavonoids are found in several cancerfighting drugs, and they have even been found to reduce excessive inflammation induced by COVID-19. Aaron and Dr. McIntosh are currently working to identify the molecular structure of CP3GT, an enzyme that attaches glucose to the third carbon on a flavonoid molecule. Because CP3GT has not been crystallized, its exact three-dimensional molecular structure is still unknown. A compound’s structure determines its function. Therefore, identifying a protein’s exact structure has several practical applications. Synthetic chemists and biologists use enzymes when creating compounds such as medicines or nutraceuticals. Just as a carpenter would use a hammer to pound a nail, synthetic chemists use enzymes as tools to accomplish specific tasks when synthesizing compounds. When an enzyme’s structure has not been determined through protein crystallization, chemists must rely on computer-generated models to approximate the structure and function of the enzyme. Because the models are not 100% accurate, enzymes can act in unanticipated ways. This can make it difficult for synthetic chemists to use the enzyme, as the enzyme might accomplish a different task than expected. Just as a hammer can serve many different functions other than pounding nails, an enzyme in the hands of a skilled scientist can be mutated to

accomplish several similar, but different tasks. By identifying the exact structure of CP3GT, scientists will have another tool in their tool box when synthesizing medicines or supplements. Aaron and Dr. McIntosh want to know the specific structural features of CP3GT that allow it to attach a glucose to the third carbon position of a flavonol and not to any other types of flavonoid compounds. They hypothesize that if they can identify the structural elements of CP3GT through X-ray crystallography, then they can understand what gives rise to its unique activity. Before beginning his crystallization experiments, Aaron first had to obtain sufficient amounts of CP3GT. Aaron took the DNA responsible for synthesizing CP3GT from grapefruit, added a yeast promoter sequence and histidine tags to the ends of the DNA strand, and inserted it into a yeast cell’s DNA. Yeast cells prefer to eat glucose, but in the presence of methanol, the yeast will turn on a gene to create enzymes that break down methanol. This gene has a promoter sequence identical to the promoter Aaron attached to the inserted CP3GT DNA. Because of this, when the yeast turns on the gene to make the methanol enzymes, it also makes CP3GT. As Dr. McIntosh succinctly described, “We turn yeast into a CP3GT-producing factory.” The histidine tags Aaron attached to the CP3GT DNA allow him to isolate CP3GT from the other yeast proteins through the process of affinity column chromatography—a method used to separate compounds poured through a vertical glass column.

“It takes multiple experiments to figure out what conditions to use and what works.” Because the histidine tags attached to CP3GT have a high affinity for cobalt, Aaron uses a cobalt stationary phase (a gel-like material that the solution passes through to separate the proteins) to catch the CP3GT while the other yeast enzymes flow through the column freely. The process of culturing yeast to produce histidine-tagged CP3GT was a huge accomplishment, and Aaron published a paper based on his work. While difficult, culturing yeast cells was his favorite part of the project. “I’ve probably grown enough yeast to power a small bakery!” joked Aaron. Aaron was able to isolate 85% pure CP3GT; however, in order to form a crystal, he needs a purity of 95%. Aaron must develop additional purification steps in order to form CP3GT crystals and determine the enzyme’s structure. His next steps are to run an anion exchange, which uses the same column chromatography

Left, Dr. Cecilia McIntosh, Right, Aaron Birchfield

technique but separates the proteins based on their electric charge rather than their affinity for cobalt. “It takes multiple experiments to figure out what conditions to use and what works,” explained Dr. McIntosh. With luck, Aaron will achieve 95% purity by summer of 2022. Dr. McIntosh has helped Aaron develop as both a scientist and writer. “Dr. McIntosh played a huge role in getting my writing where it needed to be in order to write and publish papers,” expressed Aaron. He now has two peer-reviewed publications in Reports of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Current Plant Biology. After publishing his project on the crystallization and determination of the molecular structure of CP3GT, Aaron will have fulfilled his research requirements for his PhD. Aaron has already presented his research at the Phytochemical Society of North America in 2019 and 2021, and he plans on presenting at the Appalachian Student Research Forum this spring and at PSNA again in summer 2022. After Aaron graduates in summer of 2023, he plans to work in the medical industry. He wants to apply everything he has learned and use it to better human medicine or health: “I really just want to grow someone a new set of lungs!” stated Aaron. Aaron, a devout Christian, brings a unique perspective to the field of science. He is fascinated by the complex interplay of chemical reactions that produce the experience of life. Aaron explained, “Studying the biochemical foundations of life gives me a window into the eyes of God—how he built the foundations of life and shaped humanity.” Aaron hopes to determine the molecular structure of CP3GT by fall of 2023, and views his work as his own “small contribution to the Creator’s blueprint.” By determining the structure of CP3GT, Aaron and Dr. McIntosh bring humanity a small step closer to understanding the phenomena that shape the natural world.

Aaron Birchfield birchfieldas@etsu.edu 38

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Where are they now?

Heather Brooke Eisenhart MA in Liberal Studies Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies Year of Graduation: 2014 Why did you choose ETSU for your education? When considering graduate

variety of courses ranging from Interdisciplinary Presentation Methods to Workforce Skills—a course I had the pleasure of designing for inclusion in ETSU’s Bachelor of Applied Science programs. I currently hold a full-time position at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise

programs, I looked around for a few

as the media services associate.

years before realizing that ETSU

What does this position/research entail?

offered a program that fit my goals quite perfectly. My background is the arts - theatre, specifically - and I wanted a graduate program that would allow me to blend my arts experience with a variety of studies. I didn’t see myself fitting into a typical terminal degree program in theatre because I was already working consistently in theatre, and I felt confident in my skill level. I wanted to teach in higher education, but I wasn’t interested in teaching the standard techniques in acting, directing, or design. I wanted to focus on the value of the arts as a tool for learning and teaching transferable skills. ETSU’s interdisciplinary Master of Arts in Liberal Studies allowed me to piece together a program of study that included the disciplines that inform the kind of research and practice I am interested in.

What is your current position and/or research? Since 2018, I have been an adjunct instructor for ETSU’s Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies teaching a

As the media services associate, I am responsible for assisting the media services coordinator. Together, we facilitate events across the campus from college board meetings and commencement ceremonies to student research symposiums and guest lectures. On a daily basis, the Media Services team supports the needs of faculty, staff, students, and executive administration through our technological expertise and knowledge of quality production and event management. In this role, I am afforded the opportunity to learn new skills while also teaching students, staff, and faculty. Additionally, in the fall of 2021, I began working as an adjunct instructor at UVA Wise, where I teach a film and production course for the communications department.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? The education I received through the MALS program effectively prepared me for applying interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. The program strengthened my ability to investigate complex concepts, consider alternative perspectives, and articulate information in a meaningful way. These skills have been imperative for every position I’ve held since graduating in 2014. My interdisciplinary training has not only informed my approach to everyday tasks, but also continues to be a motivating factor in my interest in interdisciplinary research and teaching methods. I see through a different kind of lens now; I am curiously looking for ways to bridge gaps and make connections between seemingly disconnected worlds.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? I would advise future graduate students to prepare to DIG IN. The work is hard, but the time and energy are worth it. Regardless of why you decided to go on to the graduate level, if you thought it through and you are ready to be there, the process will be fulfilling, thoughtprovoking, meaningful, and motivating. Keep at it when you think you can’t. Sleep when you can. Ask for help when you need to. Greet the finish line with confidence and pride in your accomplishment.

Where are they now?

Michael H. Spence MS in Computer and Information Sciences, concentration in Software Engineering Year of Graduation: 2001

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I was working full-time while attending graduate school at ETSU. ETSU offered a master’s in computer science, and they scheduled classes when full-time employees could attend.

What is your current position and/or research? I began a position as the senior solutions architect at Amazon Web Services in 2021. Prior to this position, I was the enterprise infrastructure architect at Eastman Chemical (1985 - 2021). 40

What does this position/research entail? I currently support Amazon Web Services customers within the public sector (government/education/non-profit). My specific role is to help these customers with their migrations into the Amazon Web Services cloud.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? ETSU provided me with the foundational skills that I have carried forward for many years. While technologies have certainly changed over the last 20 years, the education I received at ETSU prepared me to build upon my skills and adapt to change.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Enjoy your time in the ETSU graduate program. You will get out of it exactly what you put into it. I have never once regretted the time I spent pursuing my MS at ETSU. I made friends with fellow students and faculty that I still keep in touch with 20 years later.

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Where are they now?

Cornell Augustus Sneed EdD in Global Sport Leadership; MA in Sport Management; BS in Criminal Justice & Criminology Years of Graduation: EdD 2018; MA 2013; BS 2012

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? ETSU has a strong academic program with great faculty and staff, a winning athletics program, and a beautiful campus. They offer generous financial aid packages and, in my opinion, have the best doctorate program in the world! All in all, ETSU felt like home.

What is your current position and/or research? I currently hold several positions. First, I am an assistant professor and instructional designer of sport management and e-sports courses at Benedict College in South Carolina. I am also an adjunct faculty member of sport studies and kinesiology at Tulane University. Last, I am an assistant track and field throws coach at Columbia College.

What does this position/research entail? At Benedict College, I teach and build sport management and e-sports undergraduate and graduate courses. At Tulane University, I teach graduate sport studies courses and undergraduate kinesiology courses. At Columbia College, I coach the shot put, discus, hammer, weight, and javelin field events.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? ETSU afforded me a world-class education that prepared me to be a leader in life, in the sports industry, and in higher education. I could not have asked for a better, more well-rounded education.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Do your best, do not compare yourself to others, and take care of your mental health.

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ETSU - Illuminated - Spring 2022

Articles inside

Where are they now? Featuring: Jay Guillory

Where are they now? Featuring: Curtis Bradley

Where are they now? Featuring: Cornell Sneed

Where are they now? Featuring: Danielle Pulliam

Where are they now? Featuring: Heather Eisenhart

Where are they now? Featuring: Angela Duggins

Where are they now? Featuring: Eric Magrum

Where are they now? Featuring: Michael Spence