13th Annual
Student Research
SYMPOSIUM April 10, 2020
Student Research Symposium
Greetings! The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith proudly welcomes you to the 13th Annual Student Research Symposium. Our faculty and staff are committed to fostering an environment that promotes not only learning but also enlightenment. As you will see in today’s presentations, our students have accepted the challenge, explored unique areas of research, and synthesized their results in the form of lectures, studio art, demonstrations, posters, and performances. These presentations represent the academic diversity of UAFS’s programs and the intellectual excellence of our students. On their behalf, thank you for your participation. I invite you to engage the presenters during the question-andanswer segments of their presentations. Your active involvement ensures that UAFS remains a dynamic learning community.
Dr. Georgia Hale Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
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Student Research Symposium
Acknowledgements Linda Maness Duplication Jessica Martin Editor/Production Coordinator - Marketing & Communications Rachel Putman Associate Director for Strategic Communications UAFS Marketing & Communications Jo Donna Collins and the A/V group 2020 Student Research Symposium Committee Paula Abbott Heath Cady Carolyn Fillippelli Casey Harmon Brandon Hutchison Kevin Jones Julie Martin Noel Sagullo
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Student Research Symposium
Schedule/Table of Contents Room 1 – Presentations in Health Science and Dental Hygiene – Library 122 2:00
Predictors of Dental Avoidance Among University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Students.........................................14
2:30
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect in the Dental Office..........................................................15
3:00
The Importance of Interprofessional Education and Collaboration for Dental Hygiene as a Developing Discipline..................................................................................................................................16
3:30
Addressing Electronic Nicotine Devices in the Dental Office...............................................................................17
Room 2 – Presentations in Animation, Filmmaking, Animation Technology, and Computer Graphics – Library 209 2:00
Disaster Structures: Rebuilding History Through 3D Reconstruction...................................................................20
2:30
Independent Filmmaking in Arkansas: How Harrisburg Became Vietnam...........................................................21
3:00
Bistro Breakdown................................................................................................................................................21
3:30
VR Emergence in the Medical Field.....................................................................................................................22
Room 3 – Presentations in Disruptive Leadership, Marketing, and Economics – Library 206 2:00
New Theater Collaborative Class........................................................................................................................24
2:30
Going Forward with the New Theater Collaborative Class...................................................................................26
3:00
Under the Influencer...........................................................................................................................................27
3:30
Impact of Immigrants on Arkansas and the U.S.: Analysis of the 2010 U.S. Population Census.........................27
Room 4 – Presentations in Art/Anatomy, Geoscience, Biology, and Math Education – Health Science 120 2:00
Anatomy and Art: Where the Humanities and Science Entwine...........................................................................30
2:30
Hot Springs of Arkansas.....................................................................................................................................30
3:00
The Role of Xenoestrogens in Breast Cancer.......................................................................................................31
3:30
Repeater Students: Characteristics and Comparison of Grades.........................................................................31
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Student Research Symposium Room 5 – Presentations in Computer Science – Health Science 121 2:00
UAFS NLP Bot: Temporal Analysis of Student Emotions Using Deep Neural Networks in Conversational Dialogue......................................................................................................34
2:30
NumaDocs: Automatic Text Summarization System for Text Documents .............................................................34
3:00
NumaSent: Sentiment Analysis Classification for Documents Using Deep Learning...........................................35
3:30
Sentiment Analysis of Bursts in News Articles Across Social Media Platforms...................................................35
Room 6 – Presentations in Engineering and Computer Science – Health Science 124 2:00
The Mars/Lunar Rover Project.............................................................................................................................38
2:30
Using Sentiment Analysis to Validate Price Movements in Financial Markets.....................................................38
3:00
Using Deep Learning to Predict Supreme Champions in Games.........................................................................39
3:30
Real-Time Player Identification Via Gaming Input Side Channels Using Deep Learning......................................39
Room 7 – Presentations in Education – Health Science 222 2:00
Flexible Seating: Ways to Improve Student Engagement and On-Task Behavior.................................................42
2:30
Academic Practices and Activities Designed to Improve the Reading and Writing Skills of Students Diagnosed with Dyslexia............................................................................................43
3:00
The Effect of Growth Mindset Training on Students............................................................................................44
3:30
Enlivening Instruction in Middle School Content Areas by Integrating Coding Instruction Across the Curriculum......................................................................................................................45
Room 8 – Presentations in Education, STEM Education, and History – Health Science 223
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2:00
Where Have All the Teachers Gone? One Solution for Dwindling Teacher Retention.............................................48
2:30
Physical vs. Virtual Dissections in Arkansas’ Classrooms..................................................................................49
3:00
A Look into the Impact of Grant-Based Programs Located in the Echols Building at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith..........................................................................................................50
3:30
Gunfighters, Outlaws, Gangsters, U.S. Marshalls, and G-Men............................................................................51
Student Research Symposium Room 9 – Presentations in Ethnomusicology, Musicology, Music, and Theatre – Health Science 227 2:00
The New Taste of Tango.......................................................................................................................................54
2:30
An Inside Look into Bendetto Marcello’s Cello Sonatas, Transcribed for Trombone and Piano.............................55
3:00
The Impact of Gisela Hernandez Gonzalo and Olga De Blanck on Cuban Music..................................................56
3:30
An Examination of Stanislavski’s System and Strasberg’s Method......................................................................56
Room 10 – Presentations in English – Health Science 318 2:00
Fear the Future, Fight the Fear: Dystopian Literature in Young Adult Fiction.......................................................58
2:30
Empowered Little Angel: Feminine Influences of Rose and Nancy on Oliver in “Oliver Twist”..............................58
3:00
Charles Dickens: Reformer or Racist?.................................................................................................................59
3:30
A Religious Twist: Christianity in the Work of Charles Dickens............................................................................59
Room 11 – Presentations in English – Health Science 321 2:00
The Heritage of a Lived Experience.....................................................................................................................62
2:30
Man’s Reaction to Sin: Hypocrisy in a Religious Society......................................................................................62
3:00
Linguistics and Lexical Violence: How the Appropriation of a Culture Leads to a Halt in Lexical Borrowings......63
3:30
Submission and Manipulation in the Allegorical Reading of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Clerk’s Tale”....................63
Room 12 – Presentations in Media Communication – Health Science 325 2:00
Non-Verbal Communications in Classrooms and Media Ecology Theory .............................................................66
2:30
Social Media and Elections.................................................................................................................................66
Room 13 – Presentations in Health Psychology – Health Science 326 2:00
The Effects of Idealized Images in Advertisements on College Students’ Body Image........................................68
2:30
How Stress and Anxiety Among College Students May Lead to Hormonal Imbalances.........................................69
3:00
Various Aspects of Health May Correlate with Higher Stress Levels Among College Students ............................69
3:30
Gender Differences in the Correlation Between Hours of Sleep and Mood Among College Students....................70
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Student Research Symposium Poster Presentations - Boreham Library - 2-4 p.m. Table 1 – 3D Digital Modeling and Processes:
Prioritizing Historic Structures for 3D Interaction...............................................................................................72
Table 2 – 3D Printing:
3D Printing Your Everyday Life............................................................................................................................72
Table 3 – Animation:
How Animation Effects Emotion..........................................................................................................................73
Table 4 – Animation:
Storyboarding: How It Has Evolved......................................................................................................................74
Table 5 – Animation Technology:
How Artistic Styles Affect Animation...................................................................................................................74
Table 6 – Computer Graphic Technology:
3D Printing: How Will it Effect the World of Miniatures and Tabletop Gaming.....................................................75
Table 7 – Computer Science:
The Future of Augmented Reality........................................................................................................................76
Table 8 – CAD and 3D Manufacturing:
The Role of 3D Printing in Manufacturing...........................................................................................................77
Table 9 – Electronics:
Arduino Quadcopter............................................................................................................................................78
Table 10 – Electronics:
Electronically Enhanced Smart Measure.............................................................................................................79
Table 11 – Drawing:
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The Resourcefulness of Creativity.......................................................................................................................80
Student Research Symposium Table 12 – Ethnomusicology:
Exploring Grainger’s Timeless Classic “Molly on the Shore”................................................................................81
Table 13 – Computer Science/Cybersecurity:
A Comparative Analysis of Cybercrime in the European Union and the United States.........................................81
Table 14 – Psychology:
The Correlation of Mental Health and Juvenile Incarcerations............................................................................82
Table 15 – Math Modeling:
Shark Nets and Shark Encounter........................................................................................................................82
Table 16 – Mathematics Education:
Perceptions of College Course Content Among Secondary Mathematics Educators ...........................................83
Table 17 – Health Science:
An Anomalous Gestation.....................................................................................................................................84
Table 18 – Health Science:
Scrotal Pearls: A Case Study...............................................................................................................................85
Table 19 – Health Science:
Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome........................................................................................................................86
Table 20 – Biology:
Testing the Water Quality of Vache Grasse Creek................................................................................................87
Table 21 – Biology:
Mating Type Identification and Biology of Sex in Dictyostelium discoideum........................................................88
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Student Research Symposium Table 22 – Organic Chemistry:
Synthesis of Optically Pure L-/(S)-y-Amino Acids from Commercial D-/(R)-a-Amino Acids Using Mayer-Schuster Rearrangement................................................................................................................89
Table 23 – Polymer Chemistry, Water Quality, Geoscience:
Development of a Standard Methodology for the Collection and Quantification of Microplastics in Fort Smith Regional Waterways.......................................................................................................................90
Table 24 – Medicinal Chemistry:
Structural Optimization of Small Molecule Autotaxin Inhibitor to Develop Potent Autotaxin/LPAR1 Dual Inhibitor for IPF................................................................................................................91
Table 25 – Medicinal Chemistry:
Development of New Quinolone Derivatives Through Intra-Molecular Mannich and Mayer-Schuster Rearrangement as Anti-Cancer Agents...............................................................................................................92
Table 26 – Medicinal Chemistry:
Potent, Metabolically Stable and Less Toxic Microtubule Polymerization Inhibitors for Resistant Melanoma and Prostate Cancer..........................................................................................................93
Table 27 – Medicinal Chemistry:
Development of Novel Small Molecule LPA5 Specific Antagonists as the Anti-Thrombotic Agents......................94
Table 28 – Biochemistry:
Pesticides Environmental Pollutants Interaction with Human Serum Albumin and Human Drug Metabolizing Cytochrome P450 Enzymes....................................................................................................95
Table 29 – Chemistry:
Designing Halogen Based Memantine Drug for Alzheimer’s Disease...................................................................96
Table 30 – Chemistry:
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Non-Covalent Interaction of Mentol-based Deep Eutectic Solvent......................................................................97
Student Research Symposium Table 31 – Chemistry:
Exploring the Lysozyme Enzyme Conformation in Acidic, Basic and Organic Environments by Mass Spectrometry.........................................................................................................................................98
Table 32 – Chemistry:
Investigating Folding and Unfolding Conformation of Cytochrome C by Mass Spectrometry...............................99
Table 33 – Chemistry:
Alcohol Unfolded Hemoglobin: Insights from Mass Spectrometry......................................................................100
Table 34 – Chemistry:
Molecular Shape, Electronic and Thermodynamic Properties of Anti-Cancer Drug Mercaptopurine and its Derivatives..................................................................................................................101
Table 35 – Chemistry:
Designing New Analogs of Anti-Cancer Drug 5-Fluorouracil by Computational Chemistry Approach................103
Table 36 – Chemistry:
Designing Pyrazinamide Derivatives: A Computational Approach.....................................................................104
Table 37 – Chemistry:
Molecular Structure, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Niacin..................................................................105
Table 38 – Chemistry:
Structure, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon..........................................106
Table 39 – Chemistry:
Molecular Shape, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Inorganic and Organo-Arsenic Compounds..............107
Table 40 – Chemistry:
Molecular Structure, Thermochemistry, Molecular Orbitals, Polar and Nonpolar Region of Theophylline and its Derivatives.......................................................................................................................108
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Student Research Symposium Table 41 – Chemistry:
Exploring the Structure, Electronic and Thermodynamics Properties of Mesalamine Drug................................109
Table 42 – Chemistry:
Investigating the Structure, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Aspirin and Its Sulfur Containing Derivative.............................................................................................................................110
Table 43 – Chemistry:
Effect of Halogenation on Noxytiolin Drug.........................................................................................................111
Table 44 – Chemistry:
Molecular Structure and Electronic Properties of Pentacene and its Derivatives..............................................112
Table 45 – Chemistry:
Equilibrium Geometry, Electronic and Thermodynamic Properties of Histamine and its Derivatives.................113
Table 46 – Chemistry:
Molecular Geometry, Electronic and Thermodynamic Properties of Anti-Fungal Drug Tavaborole and its Derivatives.................................................................................................................114
Table 47 – Geoscience:
The Challenges of Using High-Resolution Field Photogrammetry to Recreate 3D Renders and Models of Mid-Silurian Reefs.....................................................................................................................115
Table 48 – Geoscience:
Petrographic and Biostratigraphic Analysis of a McKay Bay Member Mid-Silurian Knoll Reef in Michigan’s Upper Penninsula................................................................................................................115
Table 49 – Geoscience:
Calculating the Moisture Retention of Synthesized Regolith from the Lunar Terra............................................116
Table 50 – Geoscience:
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Classification of Soils in a Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Project.......................................................................116
Student Research Symposium Table 51 – Geoscience:
Arkansas Caves................................................................................................................................................117
Table 52 – Geoscience:
Comparing the Arkansaurus fridayi to Modern Tridactyls..................................................................................117
Table 53 – Geoscience:
Silver Deposits in Arkansas..............................................................................................................................118
Table 54 – Geoscience:
Diamonds in Arkansas - Industry or Recreation?..............................................................................................118
Table 55 – Geoscience:
Gypsum in Arkansas.........................................................................................................................................119
Table 56 – Geoscience:
Tectonic Evolution and Physiography of the Arkansas River Valley....................................................................119
Table 57 – Geoscience:
TCE in Our City?!..............................................................................................................................................120
Table 58 – Geoscience:
Comparing Temperature Values of Glass Cullet from Recycled Bottles to Silica Sand. A Possible Alternative to Beach Dredging..........................................................................................................................120
Table 59 – Geoscience:
X-Ray Diffractometer Analysis of Carbonates in Ancient Reef Systems............................................................121
Table 60 – Psychology:
Assessing Validity of the 22-Item Aggressive Word Completion Task................................................................121
Table 61 – Social Work:
Decreasing Substance Abuse Levels in the Hispanic Youth Population Count: Evidence Best Practice.............122
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Student Research Symposium Table 62 – Social Work:
Youth Exiting the Foster Care System and Transitioning into Adulthood...........................................................123
Table 63 – Social Work:
Best Psychosocial Practices for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Female Victims of Sexual Abuse....................................................................................................................................124
Table 64 – Social Work:
Preventing Child Maltreatment: Evidence Best Practices.................................................................................124
Table 65 – Visionary Leadership:
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Change Management and Visionary Leadership Within the City of Fort Smith Utility Organization...................125
Student Research Symposium
Room 1
Presentations in Health Science and Dental Hygiene Library 122
2:00 Group - Mary Beth Andrews, Regan Ridenoure, and Ashley Hattaway
2:30 Group - Katelyn Brent, Shai Wilkinson, Parker Bartlett, and Shelby Widner
3:00 Group - Megan Halbert, Brittany Brewer, Debanhy Sonora, Araceli Ramirez, and Debbie Brown
3:30 Group - Katelynd Fennell, Michelle Perez, and Mackenzie McKinley
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Student Research Symposium Predictors of Dental Avoidance Among University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Students Presented by Mary Beth Andrews, Regan Ridenoure, and Ashley Hattaway Faculty Sponsor: Jennifer Stane
The aim of this study was to examine the factors associated with dental avoidance in students at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. The nature of this study was to determine common reasons UAFS students choose not to attend dental appointments. This study consists of surveys sent electronically to a convenience sample of UAFS students through email. The survey was sent to 484 students, of which 126 responded. The survey was constructed using Google Forms and measures the participants’ level of dental attendance, anxiety, fear, and ability to pay for dental services. Consideration was also given to the participants’ perceptions of personal oral health, history of pain experienced at dental appointments, their current knowledge of the UAFS Dental Hygiene Clinic, and demographics such as gender, age, socioeconomic status, marital status, and ethnicity. The results of the survey were analyzed using SPSS software. The bivariate Pearson correlation analysis revealed that dental fear and difficulty paying dental costs were negatively related to dental attendance at a statistical significance of .01. The conclusion of this study was that cost and dental fear were the primary predictors of dental avoidance. This study was found to be human research exempt by the UAFS IRB. Mary Beth Andrews is a 21-year-old senior in the dental hygiene program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Mary Beth is passionate about improving the overall oral health of the community. She is interested in developing techniques to ensure that dental care is available to all through research focusing on social determinants that keep community members from seeking dental care. Mary Beth currently serves as the UAFS Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA) vice president and has played an integral role in establishing SADHA as a registered student organization and broadening the scope of the chapter’s activities. Mary Beth’s research has been accepted for presentation at the American Dental Hygiene Association national conference, set for June 2020. Regan Ridenoure is currently a senior in the dental hygiene program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is 21 years old and is the president of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA). As SADHA president Regan has conducted meetings for the association’s business, aided in establishing SADHA as a registered student organization, and was instrumental in increasing available funds for the organization. Regan has a passion for expanding and improving the community’s oral hygiene knowledge and practice. She looks forward to working in pediatric dentistry to help children develop fundamental oral hygiene knowledge and care techniques while creating a fun and positive dental environment. Ashleigh Hattaway is a non-traditional student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is a devoted mother of two and is currently a senior in the UAFS dental hygiene program. Ashleigh has an intense passion for outreach and community service and wants to use her dental hygiene education to increase interprofessional collaboration opportunities as a way to increase the health of the community. Outside of her full-time studies at UAFS, Ashleigh also works as a registered dental assistant on her summer and winter breaks. Ashleigh is co-founder and board member for Safe Haven, an organization created in 2013 to serve members of society that have experienced times of personal hardship. This organization provides knowledge and resources to help individuals and families in need from Fort Smith, Northwest Arkansas, and surrounding areas get back on their feet and become more productive members of the community.
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Student Research Symposium Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect in the Dental Office Presented by Katelyn Brent, Shai Wilkinson, Parker Bartlett, and Shelby Widner Faculty Sponsor: Jennifer Stane
As healthcare professionals, dentists in all states and dental hygienists in 38 states, are required to report suspected abuse and neglect. However, these professionals typically receive little training as to how to proceed when the ethical dilemma of suspected abuse or neglect presents itself. It is important for the entire team to be thoroughly educated on how abuse and/or neglect can manifest, how to communicate with victims and their abusers, and how to report those suspicions. Sufficient knowledge on this topic can be crucial when dealing with the health and safety of an abused or neglected child. The purpose of this literature review is to inform dental professionals on recognizing child abuse or neglect in the clinical setting and the process of reporting incidents. A literature search was conducted using CINAHL, Academic Search Complete and ProQuest Central for the years 2015-2019. A total of 10 studies met the established inclusion criteria. Katelyn Brent is from Texarkana and moved to Fort Smith upon graduation from high school to pursue a Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene. She is currently completing her final semester of dental hygiene school at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Following graduation she hopes to work in a pediatric dental office in the state of Arkansas. Patient relationships and oral health education are her biggest passions and serve as the driving reasons she chose to pursue this profession. Shai Wilkinson is in her final semester of the dental hygiene program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is from Mountainburg, but has lived in Fort Smith for the past four years while completing her bachelor’s degree. After graduation she plans to work as a dental hygienist in Arkansas and provide oral health treatment and education to the community. Parker Bartlett is a senior dental hygiene student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She serves as historian of the UAFS Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She currently lives in Fort Smith with her husband and dogs. Outside of academics she enjoys music festivals, traveling, and working at a local restaurant. After hygiene school she plans on moving to Colorado and beginning her new career as a registered dental hygienist. Shelby Widner of Harrison is a senior in the dental hygiene program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. After graduating in May, she plans to move back to Harrison with her husband, Stephen. Shelby hopes to start her career as a dental hygienist working in a private practice located in Northwest Arkansas or southwest Missouri. She is passionate about using her degree to serve her community by educating patients about oral hygiene and volunteering at service events like ArMOM.
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Student Research Symposium The Importance of Interprofessional Education and Collaboration for Dental Hygiene as a Developing Discipline Presented by Megan Halbert, Brittany Brewer, Debanhy Sonora, Araceli Ramirez, and Debbie Brown Faculty Sponsor: Jennifer Stane
Interprofessional education and collaboration occurs when multiple health professionals from differing backgrounds work together with patients, their families, their caregivers, and their communities to supply the highest quality health care available. With oral health being more widely accepted as a component in overall health, dental hygienists are now key players in the growth and implementation of interprofessional education. Without representation of dental hygiene in these crucial conversations, the process of presenting dental hygiene as a discipline instead of only a profession becomes almost impossible. Dental hygiene education has been on the forefront of adopting interprofessional education as a key component in educating future oral health care professionals who no longer look at the mouth as a single treatment entity, but as an integral part of the complex human system. A literature search conducted using CINAHL and ProQuest Central produced over 100 studies on the issue of dental hygiene and interprofessional education. Of these, 18 met the inclusion criteria and were used. Megan Halbert will have a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene with a minor in psychology in May of 2020 from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. As a missionary kid, she has grown up in and experienced cultures around the world. During her world travels, she became aware of the differences in health ideals, and it was at this time she recognized the need for oral care. Now a non-traditional student, she has returned to finish her education and is looking forward to serving her community as a health care provider and educator, promoting oral health and well-being. Brittany Brewer resides in Huntsville. She has waited tables at a privately owned restaurant for seven years and is looking forward to changing her career path to serve the community in a different way. She completed her pre-requisites at Northwest Arkansas Community College and is currently attending the dental hygiene program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, looking forward to earning her Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene. Debanhy Sonora was born and raised in Rogers. She graduated from Rogers High School in 2016 and is currently a senior student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in dental hygiene. Debanhy is looking forward to graduating in May 2020 and beginning work as a registered dental hygienist. She is passionate about helping her patients learn how having good oral care can help them to live healthier lives. Cheli Cooper has been a dental assistant for 13 years, working in various disciplines across the profession of dentistry: maxillofacial surgery, pediatric, orthodontics, and general dentistry. She has also volunteered to her community by serving at the Samaritan House dental department. She is currently an adjunct professor at Vandelay Institution in Fayetteville, where she helps lead a registered dental assisting program. When she is not giving her time to the dental field, she is a mother of two. Her daughter is a senior in high school, and her son is in second grade. She is looking forward to graduating from the dental hygiene program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with a Bachelor of Science. Her future in the field of dental hygiene includes continuing her volunteer work and joining a dental consulting firm to further promote quality patient treatment and continuing education for dental professionals.
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Student Research Symposium Debbie Brown has an Associate of Arts in psychology/sociology from Carl Albert State College and an Associate of General Studies from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and is currently working toward her Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene. She has experience in working with the youth in her church and community, fostering, preschool education, retail management, and customer service. As a widow with two teenage children, Debbie returned to UAFS as a non-traditional student to pursue her dream of becoming a Registered Dental Hygienist. She is looking forward to graduation and her future career as a health care provider, collaborator, and educator within her community.
Addressing Electronic Nicotine Devices in the Dental Office Presented by Katelynd Fennell, Michelle Perez, and Mackenzie McKinley Faculty Sponsor: Jennifer Stane
Alternative forms of nicotine consumption have recently become popular among adults and young adolescents. Electronic cigarettes, vaping, and Juuling are just a few of the new types of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). These new methods are changing the way healthcare professionals ask questions about nicotine product use and educate patients on the possible harmful effects. The e-liquids contained in electronic cigarettes have reportedly caused dental caries, lung and airway disorders, and many other negative effects in the human body. Patient education is a major component of the dental hygiene process of care because prevention is the basis of the dental hygiene profession. The purpose of this literature review was to discuss the various forms of electronic nicotine devices that may be used by dental patients, the effects of these devices, and important patient medical history questions that should be asked. A literature search conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and MEDLINE provided nine articles that met the inclusion criteria and were used. Katelynd Fennell is currently a senior in the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith dental hygiene program. She is the secretary of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She is 22 years old and the mother of a wonderful 2-year-old boy. As a hygienist she strives to connect with each and every patient. Her hope is to be more than a healthcare provider, but also an educator, friend, and motivator. She is passionate about providing the highest quality of care to those who need it most and is excited to start her journey to brighter smiles. Michelle Perez is currently a senior in the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith dental hygiene program. She is the treasurer of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA). She is 21 years old and grew up engulfed in several languages and cultures from different minority groups in her hometown of Green Forrest. Michelle is motivated to not only be an educator for her patients, but she also to be a resource and voice for minority group patients who struggle with barriers to quality oral health care. Mackenzie McKinley is a senior in the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith dental hygiene program. She is 25 years old and grew up in Ozark. She married her husband, Jordan, a year-and-a-half ago, and they recently welcomed a baby girl named Riley into the world. As a hygienist Mackenzie hopes to connect with each patient personally and build a relationship of trust to ensure they are always comfortable and eager to come back.
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Student Research Symposium
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Student Research Symposium
Room 2
Presentations in Animation, Filmmaking, Animation Technology, and Computer Graphics Library 209
2:00 Gabriel Priddy
2:30 Brandon Yutterman
3:00 Elway Inthirathvongsy
3:30 Group - Oscar Gรณmez and Bailey Wright
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Student Research Symposium Disaster Structures: Rebuilding History Through 3D Reconstruction Presented by Gabriel Priddy Faculty Sponsor: Lisa Cady
The Berlin Wall, the Alexandria Library, and Chernobyl. These are considered “disaster structures,” or foundations that were demolished or constructed as a result of human strife. This project highlights the necessity of remembering history as a means to not repeat it. There are several severe instances of history repeating itself due to negligence and the refusal to point towards the importance of understanding history. The problem not only lies in the understanding of history, but the locations involved within them. The focus here is the analysis of old foundations and structures. Historical Architectural Buildings Society and Historical Architectural Lands Society’s knowledge and methods on how recording a location works will be demonstrated. In a technologically driven world, it’s important to adapt to not only stay relevant, but to ensure that future generations have the capability to gain the same knowledge as those before them. The Internet is readily available, quickly turning to replace the traditional education presented. Having this information readily available allows the possibility to analyze these structures and their construction without the cost or need for materials, it can be shown through renders or projector screens and blown up to realistic proportions. Gabriel Priddy is a 22-year-old student currently attending the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. As a freshman she was awarded with entry to the Honors International Studies Program, allowing her to hone in on her studies and engage in the Student Research Symposium as a junior. She is majoring in animation technology, gaining a Bachelor of Applied Science in May 2020 to accompany her associate degree in computer graphics technology with a focus in digital design. Her hobbies include drawing, playing video games, and studying space. She has a passion for animals and a love of knowledge. Gabriel has traveled abroad, pursuing knowledge in Canada and eventually taking a trip to Ireland. Her plans after graduation are to further her knowledge of the animation field by branching out with freelance art and commission-based animation while furthering herself in her current career path, searching for new opportunities to use her skills throughout video editing and design.
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Student Research Symposium Independent Filmmaking in Arkansas: How Harrisburg Became Vietnam Presented by Brandon Yutterman Faculty Sponsor: Lisa Cady
In the summer of 2019, a small production company from Los Angeles, California, flew down to various parts in Arkansas to recruit local talent for their independent production. They planned to shoot for five weeks with a collective cast and crew of roughly fifty people, both veterans of filmmaking and amateurs taking their first steps on a film set. The problem they faced was the story. The movie was about the Vietnam war, which has been done before on a much greater scale than an indie production. Tropic Thunder has a budget of $92 million, and was shot in California and Hawaii. Our budget was nowhere near six figures, and Arkansas doesn’t have palm trees. So how do you take coal and turn it into diamonds? Just like indie filmmaking, it takes a lot of pressure and time! It all starts at the planning phase, which takes most of the time for indie productions. There is a lot of time that goes into planning a production, and the more you plan, the more money and time you can save during filming. Then comes the pressure, or the production phase. This is the hardest and most stressful part of an indie production because they are often under-manned, under-geared, or both. So, can you still get the job done with all the limitations in mind? Well of course you can, and I’d like to show you how we and other indie filmmakers do it! This is how an indie production company turned the rice fields of Harrisburg, Arkansas into the jungles of Vietnam. Brandon Yutterman is a local Bachelor of Science in Animation Technology senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He received an associate in computer graphics technology - digital design in 2018 and plans to graduate in the fall of 2020. His hobbies are video games, cinematography, music, and rock climbing. After graduating he plans to build his portfolio in his hometown of Fort Smith then move to an area where filmmaking is more prominent like Los Angeles or Atlanta. During the summer of 2019, he was hired by an indie production company from Los Angeles to help make an independent film in eastern Arkansas. He was an assistant camera/focus puller and background extra and also had a small speaking role. This was his first professional-level film set.
Bistro Breakdown
Presented by Elway Inthirathvongsy Faculty Sponsor: Derek Goodson The proposal is to design a small- (single floor) or medium-sized (two floor) restaurant as a ready-to-use floor plan. Interior systems such as lighting, electricity, water, and HVAC will be represented. The intent of the project is to create a usable design for an actual restaurant. I will use Autodesk Revit to create the floor plan and subsystems listed above. I will then import the floor plan into either Maya or 3ds Max to add materials and lights and create rendered images. The building will have a concrete foundation with wood walls. The first floor consists of a dining room, entrance, kitchen, staff room, and restrooms. Interior items such as a boiler will be past the kitchen on this floor. The second floor (for the medium size) has a dining hall with a wide staircase leading up to it. This floor will be about half the size of the first floor. The second floor will also contain large windows. Standard-size windows will be used on the first floor. I plan to use the model, floor plan, and renders to show to architectural firms in hopes of being hired as a drafter. This will be part of my demo reel that I use when I seek employment after graduation. Elway Inthirathvongsy was born in Rhode Island in March 1995 near Long Island, New York, and lived there for eight years until moving to Arkansas to live closer to relatives. He is currently in his senior year at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in the Bachelor of Science in Animation Technology program. After graduation Elway plans to pursue a career in architectural drafting.
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Student Research Symposium VR Emergence in the Medical Field Presented by Oscar Gómez and Bailey Wright Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Argie Nichols
The evolution of Computer Graphic Technology (CGT) has yielded impressive and adaptive results. Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the most promising fields of the CGT industry and as VR grows and develops as a technology, the extents of its utilization do as well. Just as the adjacent field of 3D printing has growingly been applied to medical technology, VR also has the possibility to produce fruitful endeavors in the medical field. There are three main fields in which VR is an exceedingly capable asset at the disposal for professionals in the field: procedure (surgical) training, 3D visualization, and rehabitulation. Surgical theatres are often utilized in medical school, but there may lay issues of experience or overbearing expensive medical equipment. VR can supplement these courses by offering inexpensive and interactive training courses. Meanwhile, 3D visualization and rehab using 3d scenes have been already implemented and/or have begun to see experimentation. Continuation of these concepts and improvement for them may offer alleviation to patients who need help or merely clarification of their medical issues. Oscar Armando Gómez Romero is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in the animation technology program. He and his sisters, Norma Grimmett and Deidra Barnes, are first-generation college students. He is planning to pursue a career in the gaming industry and continue his education with a Master of Arts at the Academy of Arts, specializing in game design. His other accessory hobbies and talents will also aid in job opportunities, including photography, design, and writing. His goals are to work for the developing gaming industry in the Seattle area and eventually work for a company like Wizards of the Coast. He attempts to gain experience by undertaking freelance 3D generalist jobs while fine tuning a professional portfolio for the lighting and texturing departments of the game industry. Bailey Wright is a 22-year-old student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith working toward a Bachelor of Science in Animation Technology. He enjoys playing video games, watching anime, working on his truck, and playing with his pets. The skills that he has been learning at UAFS include working with 3D software such as 3DS Max, Maya, Mudbox, and Blender (in personal application). Although not very experienced with it, he does have some experience working in After Effects, Photoshop, and AutoCAD. Bailey has a larger interest in hard surface 3D modeling and is looking into a career of making video games. Over the past few years, he has taken a greater interest in the uses and capabilities of virtual reality equipment and has considered specializing in a field that closer relates to his interests.
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Student Research Symposium
Room 3
Presentations in Disruptive Leadership, Marketing, and Economics Library 206
2:00 Group - Holly Hodge, Taylor Wewers, Alexa Taylor, Penny Sangster, and Joseph Melton
2:30 Group - John Jobe, Lacy Wilson, and Dillon Hudson
3:00 Luke Barber
3:30 Selina Weber-Undecker
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Student Research Symposium New Theater Collaborative Class
Presented by Holly Hodge, Taylor Wewers, Alexa Taylor, Penny Sangster, and Joseph Melton Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristin Tardif The cross-discipline New Theater Capstone Project Team was created to harness the foundational strengths of multiple colleges on the UAFS campus by encouraging creative planning and realistic academic application. Students with diverse skill sets conducted exceptional research of a downtown Fort Smith landmark then worked together to ensure valuable information was presented to its shareholders. Aside from discovering how to effectively work with peers from different colleges, the team designed a sustainable vision for the relationships, programming, and branding of downtown Fort Smith’s revived New Theater. Students studying business, English, education, theater, information technology, history, and organizational leadership participated as members of the Capstone Project Team. It was quickly discovered that students from different colleges tend to approach tasks differently and perhaps the most difficult challenge to overcome was learning how to work together. The team was divided into two smaller groups and assigned tasks. Each group met autonomously to accomplish set goals and then the whole group would reconven periodically to ensure both teams were moving in the right direction. The students with a passion for history began extensive research on the theater over time and sought opportunities for historical aspects to be included in the renovation. The student representing the School of Education fought for the inclusion of educational uses in the theater and created a sample field trip outline that could be used for visiting classes. The students with an understanding of the theater industry worked to create relationships with key members of the industry and the community and asked their advice on the development of a new industry hub. The business and organizational leadership students focused on finding non-theater uses for the theater, marketing strategies, and analyzed potential costs and profits. The accomplishments of this collaborative effort were vast. To join forces with students outside of one’s discipline and conduct hands-on research and development while effectively communicating findings is an unprecedented opportunity for UAFS students. The members of the Collaborative Class finished the semester prepared for their professional careers where they will be surrounded by those with different ideas, backgrounds, and skill sets. Holly Hodge is currently a sophomore majoring in elementary education. She is excited to be a part of this project because she believes that the arts are important to incorporate in public education. Finding innovative ways to include students in all aspects of the arts is something she has been passionate about since middle school when she joined marching band and more so in high school when she joined honor choir. Her dream is to have the power to help kids find their safe space in a creative, productive place. Taylor Wewers is a Fort Smith native and Northside High School graduate pursuing a degree in international business and a double minor in political science and history at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. For the 2018-2019 academic year, she served as the UAFS Student Government Association vice president and will continue her service as secretary for 2019-2020. Taylor participated in First National Bank’s Collegiate Ambassadors Board and serves as the continuing legal education chair of the First Bank Corp. Student Leadership Council. During her time at UAFS, Taylor has also held the roles of Rotaract vice president and Up to Us team leader and participated in the American Democracy Project. She recognizes the importance of community involvement and has volunteered as a cheerleading and dance coach for the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Club for more than five years. After graduating in May of 2020, Taylor plans to attend law school.
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Student Research Symposium Alex Taylor of Booneville is a full-time student majoring in marketing at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with plans to graduate in May 2020. At UAFS Alex is currently an active member in both Rotaract and the First Bank Corp. Student Leadership Council. She was a member of the First National Bank Collegiate Ambassador’ Board over the past school year. During the previous semester, Alex was involved in the Community Leadership class taught by Rusty Myers and Fred Williams. Alex and her team took on the project of bringing a maker’s space to the Fort Smith area, which the team is still working on. During her college career, she has been honored to be the recipient of the four-year First National Bank Scholarship, was recognized as the 2018 College of Business Outstanding Marketing Major, and has been on the dean’s list the past six semesters. Outside of school Alex was recognized as Drag Illustrated’s “30 under 30,” receiving acknowledgment of being a young, outstanding individual in the automotive industry. She is also the owner of Alex Taylor Racing, where she manages her drag racing team, collaborates with sponsors, and manages multiple social channels. Another business endeavor is Alex Taylor Worx, a dealer for high performance automotive parts and CNC (Cad/Cam) designer and operator. Alex is in development of a new racing part which she hopes to launch over the summer. Upon graduation she plans to pursue her career in the automotive industry with both business and driving. She also plans to continue working with Production Management One, a staging company based in Detroit.
Penny Sangster has lived in Fort Smith all her life. She has an Associate of General Studies and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. When not attending class, Penny works at the university’s Technology Service Desk full time. In addition to work and school, she am the president of the Leadership Human Resources Student Association on campus. In her spare time she enjoys reading, knitting, and playing with her two dogs. Joseph Melton is a senior marketing major with a minor in media communications, planning to graduate in May 2020. He is from Lavaca, where he graduated high school in 2016. Joseph served as marketing chair for the First Bank Corp. Student Leadership Council this past year. In that role he managed the marketing efforts for sponsored events and assisted the College of Business to spread awareness for the college’s recent AACSB re-accreditation. Joseph was awarded the 2018-2019 College of Business Outstanding Marketing Major award. As a sophomore he began working with a local State Farm agent managing social media and became involvement with Hope Humane Society and the Salvation Army. He continues today as a sales representative for that agent and aspires to work in business-to-business sales after graduation.
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Student Research Symposium Going Forward with the New Theater Collaborative Class Presented by John Jobe, Lacy Wilson, and Dillon Hudson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristin Tardif
The cross-discipline New Theater Capstone Project Team was created to harness the foundational strengths of multiple colleges on the UAFS campus by encouraging creative planning and realistic academic application. Students with diverse skill sets conducted exceptional research of a downtown Fort Smith landmark then worked together to ensure valuable information was presented to its shareholders. Aside from discovering how to effectively work with peers from different colleges, the team designed a sustainable vision for the relationships, programming, and branding of downtown Fort Smith’s revived New Theater. Students studying business, English, education, theater, information technology, history, and organizational leadership participated as members of the Capstone Project Team. It was quickly discovered that students from different colleges tend to approach tasks differently and perhaps the most difficult challenge to overcome was learning how to work together. The team was divided into two smaller groups and assigned tasks. Each group met autonomously to accomplish set goals and then the whole group would reconvene periodically to ensure both teams were moving in the right direction. The students with a passion for history began extensive research on the theater over time and sought opportunities for historical aspects to be included in the renovation. The student representing the School of Education fought for the inclusion of educational uses in the theater and created a sample field trip outline that could be used for visiting classes. The students with an understanding of the theater industry worked to create relationships with key members of the industry and the community and asked their advice on the development of a new industry hub. The business and organizational leadership students focused on finding non-theater uses for the theater, marketing strategies, and analyzed potential costs and profits. The accomplishments of this collaborative effort were vast. To join forces with students outside of one’s discipline and conduct hands-on research and development while effectively communicating findings is an unprecedented opportunity for UAFS students. The members of the Collaborative Class finished the semester prepared for their professional careers where they will be surrounded by those with different ideas, backgrounds, and skill sets. John Jobe is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and will graduate in the spring of 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership. He works at Summit Utilities in the Gas Control Department and, along with his wife Adrianne, owns Tone Beauty Bar salon salon in downtown Fort Smith. John and Adrienne have two children, ages 3 and 5. In his spare time he enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family. Lacy Wilson is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. In addition to being a full-time student, she is also a mother and works full time. Dillon is a junior media communications and theater student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is an honor student and has recently performed at the Kennedy Art Center.
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Student Research Symposium Under the Influencer Presented by Luke Barber Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jim Beard
Under the Influencer is a look into the emerging market of utilizing social media users as a means of advertising. This project was created with the intent of creating a clear definition of a social media influencer, the economic impact it has on a broad and narrow scope, and the longevity of this form of marketing. Under the Influencer also delves into the ethics of using untrained personnel to promote brands to individuals under the guise of friendly brand appreciation in place of advertisements that are easily recognized as advertisements. As with any new market, there are questions that need to be addressed: Is it profitable for my company to utilize social media influencers? What is the risk versus reward? How can I discern my online friends from people attempting to sell me things? Luke Barber is a senior majoring in international business, minoring in philosophy, and receiving a certificate in community leadership. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and Interfraternity Council where he serves as the senior delegate. While attending the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, he has served as the Student Government Association president and John Paul Hammerschmidt Fellow under Congressman Steve Womack. After graduation Luke will attend law school with the intention of becoming a real estate lawyer.
Impact of Immigrants on Three States of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and the U.S. as a Whole: Analysis of the 2010 U.S. Population Census Presented by Selina Weber-Lindecker Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bun Song Lee
Immigration to North America has revealed itself as an ever-evolving process. Since the first settlers arrived in the New World centuries ago, many aspects influence immigration, such as gender, ethnicity, education level, as well as income level, and vice versa. Currently, immigration is a controversial topic at both state and federal levels. This study seeks to answer the question of how immigration is influencing employment and other issues related to socioeconomic characteristics within the three states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas as well as the United States as a whole. In 2010, the percent of immigrants to the United States was the highest within the past twenty years. Therefore, 2010 census data is utilized with IBM SPSS software to analyze the impact of immigrants on three states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, and the U.S. employment as well as correlations between immigrant employment, income level, education and marital status. Selina Weber-Lindecker was born and raised in Germany. She studied SME and completed an internship in Ivory Coast, Africa. During her studies she immigrated to Arkansas and enrolled as an international business major in the College of Business at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Selina is both facilitator and mentor in the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is the College of Business (COB) representative to the Student Government Association and member of the finance and allocation committee. She is a member of the international business honor society of Beta Gamma Sigma, and she is a student worker in the Business Dean’s Office. Selina was awarded the Outstanding Major in International Business Award and was invited to speak to the Spring 2019 Dean’s Leadership Council about the increasing importance of global awareness. She will graduate with honors in May 2020. Her passions include studying economics, traveling to distant destinations, and international activities between countries.
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Student Research Symposium
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Student Research Symposium
Room 4
Presentations in Art/Anatomy, Geoscience, Biology, and Math Education Health Science 120
2:00 Kenzie Mears
2:30 Cassaundra Huggins
3:00 Allie Billups
3:30 Meghan McDaniel
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Student Research Symposium Anatomy and Art: Where the Humanities and Science Entwine Presented by Kenzie Mears Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Amy Skypala
Art is intertwined with the development of the science of anatomy. It is a science that requires a visual representation of its findings. The most famous early anatomists were artists, such as Da Vinci, Netter, or Versailus. Their art not only illustrated the structures, but also legitimized the study of anatomy at times when anatomists were not always held in high regard. Dissecting cadavers, for the most part of history, was morally abhorrent, as the body was considered sacred. However, art is versatile in that it can be adapted to supplement words on a page in a way that other methods fail to, which helped to soften the negative reputation that anatomy had. Now, anatomy has advanced beyond simply illustration thanks to new technologies. Its depiction remains as artistic as educational, yet controversy persists. Kenzie Mears is pre-med/biology honors student from Harrison.
Hot Springs of Arkansas Presented by Cassaundra Huggins Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Mayo
The hot springs of Arkansas are geothermal springs located in central Arkansas, in the aptly named city of Hot Springs. The springs have become a tourist attraction and are the site of a turn-of-the-century health craze. The city is home to the famous Bathhouse Row, where one can bathe in the water from the hot springs safely. These waters are roughly 4,400 years old, have an average temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit, and contain many dissolved minerals. Geologic maps and cross-sections will be used to illustrate the subsurface plumbing system of the hot springs. Other questions to be explored are: Why are the hot springs there? What minerals are found in and around the waters? Are there any proven health benefits from exposure to the waters? What dangers do the hot springs pose? Is there an economical benefit stemming from the hot springs? Cassaundra Huggins is a 2006 graduate of Poteau (Oklahoma) High School. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geocience from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and plans to attend graduate school, specializing in space and planetary science. Her career goal is to work for NASA as a planetary geologist.
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Student Research Symposium The Role of Xenoestrogens in Breast Cancer Presented by Allie Billups Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rebecca Mroczek
Xenoestrogens are non-endogenous compounds that mimic the activity of estrogens in mammalian systems. Breast cells naturally contain estrogen hormone receptors (ER) and respond to the presence, absence, and amount of estrogens in their environment. Additionally many breast cancers are known to have excessive numbers of ERs (ER+) and are therefore hyper-sensitive to estrogens. Here we have undertaken a literature review of documented environmental links associated with oncogenesis, invasiveness, and aggressiveness of breast cancer. Specifically we examine what has been published with respect to xenoestrogen exposure from the environment (air and water pollution, food products, pharmaceutical products, etc.) and their actions upon breast cells. Allie Billups is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and will graduate in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in biology with an emphasis in biomedical professions. She was born and raised in Harrison and graduated from Harrison High School in 2015. She has always been interested in health sciences and plans to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant. Upon graduation Allie plans to obtain a Master of Science in biomedicine at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine and then enter the physician assistant program at ARCOM in 2022.
Repeater Students: Characteristics and Comparison of Grades Presented by Meghan McDaniel Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Myron Rigsby
Multiple studies have examined effective methods to teach students who are repeating classes in college. The goal of this study was to determine whether repeating students exhibit characteristics and behaviors research has found to be associated with successful students, and how behaviors of repeating students compare to those of first-time students. Teachers need to understand the behaviors these students exhibit in order to teach them in ways that contribute to content retention and understanding. Surveys were administered to College Algebra and Calculus students at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in order to gauge the students’ behaviors. Grades of repeating students and first-time students were compared. We found that College Algebra first-time students exhibited more successful behaviors compared to repeating students. In Calculus, repeating students exhibited more successful behaviors. In analyzing the grade distributions, there was significant evidence that first time students performed better in all course formats, but the difference decreased in extended format classes. Based on study results, we conclude that repeating students should be given more opportunities for extra help or be required to take a co-requisite course in the basic skills needed for each class. Meghan McDaniel is a senior mathematics major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She graduated from Lake Hamilton High school in Pearcy and spends her time volunteering with shelter dogs in Van Buren. Her plans after graduation include getting a paralegal license, going to law school, and opening her own practice. This project is important to Meghan as her mother is a high school special education teacher. She hopes that the information she obtained from this project will help those that need an advocate and need extra support.
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Student Research Symposium
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Student Research Symposium
Room 5
Presentations in Computer Science Health Science 121
2:00 Adrian Cuevas
2:30 Martin Tran
3:00 Group - Fernando Estrada and Luke Hinton
3:30 Group - Renae Fisher and Austin McFerran
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Student Research Symposium UAFS NLP Bot: Temporal Analysis of Student Emotions Using Deep Neural Networks in Conversational Dialogue Presented by Adrian Cuevas Faculty Sponsors: Andrew Mackey and Israel Cuevas
Chatbots are software applications that leverage artificial intelligence and natural language processing algorithms to engage in dialogue with people. The applications are able to perform a variety of tasks, such as providing information, facilitating decision making, and responding to requests. Higher education can also benefit from chatbots in a variety of ways. For example, students who need information about the university or classes would find utility in chatbot services. The research being presented will introduce a new system called the UAFS NLP Bot that utilizes deep neural networks to assess the emotional content of a dialogue while responding to requests from users. The classification model proposed in this research utilizes long short-term memory (LSTM) networks with multi-layer embedding models for extraction in addition to monitoring temporal shifts in emotions of students. The system utilizes both retrieval-based and generative-based conversational models while facilitating generalizability through neural machine translation techniques with recurrent encoder/decoder algorithms. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the system’s ability to discern when the emotional patterns of a dialogue contribute to a negative response. Adrian Cuevas is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, text mining, and big data. He is also an active member of the UAFS Game Design and Development Club and the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
NumaDocs: Automatic Text Summarization System for Text Documents Presented by Martin Tran Faculty Sponsors: Andrew Mackey and Israel Cuevas
Social media, online news, and the digitization of documents have resulted in a large number of text documents being produced around the world. In many situations that require extensive analysis of text, such as medical research or legal cases, it is difficult for individuals to process all of these documents manually given the vast quantity. This research presents a system that scans a collection of given documents to produce a summarization of the documents automatically by using natural language processing and machine learning algorithms. Multiple documents are provided to the system and the models automatically generate a summary. Experiments also reveal the effects of generalized versus domain-specific ontological background corpora for model training and summary generation. Martin Tran is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are artificial intelligence, text mining, machine learning, and natural language processing. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
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Student Research Symposium NumaSent: Sentiment Analysis Classification for Documents Using Deep Learning Presented by Fernando Estrada and Luke Hinton Faculty Sponsors: Andrew Mackey and Israel Cuevas
Sentiment analysis is a popular research area in the field of natural language processing (NLP) whereby an algorithm is able to determine the sentiments, emotions, opinions, and attitudes toward some entities, generally with a set of predefined classes. Organizations often benefit from sentiment analysis and opinion mining as the views and attitudes of individuals often serve as influential factors in determining the behaviors of others (e.g. movie reviews, product reviews, etc.). Algorithms attempt to extract features that are probabilistically more likely to occur with one class than others. With the advancements in research of deep learning models, new ways of improving the performance of sentiment analysis algorithms have emerged. We propose our new system, NumaSent, that was developed to automatically classify the expected sentiment for a given document. Fernando Estrada is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are data science, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab. Luke Hinton is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are data science, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
Sentiment Analysis of Bursts in News Articles Across Social Media Platforms Presented by Renae Fisher and Austin McFerran Faculty Sponsors: Andrew Mackey and Israel Cuevas
News stories can become viral and explode in popularity across social media sites. This growth occurs in bursts, and this rate of growth can be quantified by the measure “burstiness.” We determine whether headlines with negative emotional sentiment propagate more rapidly than those with a positive sentiment. We analyze the growth rate and burstiness of articles over a 48-hour period. Utilizing three different social media sites and news articles spread across different categories, we determine how sentiment can affect the popularity of new stories. Renae Fisher studies data analytics in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, where she’s an active participant of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab. Her academic interests are big data frameworks and machine learning. Austin McFerran is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are artificial intelligence and natural language processing. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
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Student Research Symposium
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Student Research Symposium
Room 6
Presentations in Engineering and Computer Science Health Science 124
2:00 Group - Anthony Ming, Hunnt Hickman, and Sarah Mann
2:30 Jacob Burton
3:00 Coleman Gann
3:30 Group - Kyle Kelly and Spencer Atchley
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Student Research Symposium The Mars/Lunar Rover Project
Presented by Anthony Ming, Hunnt Hickman, and Sarah Mann Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin Lewelling This presentation will give a brief history of the Mar/Lunar Rover project at UAFS. The brief history will cover electric vehicles, Mars/Lunar rovers, and autonomous rovers all constructed at UAFS. The current UAFS Mars/Lunar rover is shown in Figure 1a below. Notice the rover uses 6 wheels and a rocker-bogie design. Each of the six 1 kW, Brushless DC (BLDC) rover motors is individual controlled for speed and torque. The 1 kW BLDC motor drive developed at UAFS is shown Figure 1b. Two control handles are used for driver input of speed and direction; this is similar to what is used on a zero-turning lawn mower. Currently, we are redesigning the control handles to provide better resolution for speed and direction by using an encoder and Hall sensor. The encoder will provide a speed signal and the Hall sensor will provide a direction signal. This presentation will give a progress report on what has been accomplished this past year and a discussion of future plans. Anthony Ming of Van Buren is a junior mechanical engineering student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is currently interning at Automation Engineering of Fort Smith. Hunnt Hickman of Fort Smith is a junior electrical engineering student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is currently interning at Rheem of Fort Smith. Sarah Mann of Fort Smith is a senior information technology major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She plans to work for JB Hunt after graduation.
Using Sentiment Analysis to Validate Price Movements in Financial Markets Presented by Jacob Burton Faculty Sponsor: Andrew Mackey
In today’s financial markets, multitudes of eager investors trade trillions of dollars via trending strategies each day. One of these most popular strategies are referred to as Breakout Strategies. This consists of waiting for the market to transition from a state of congestion to trending. The problem surrounding this strategy arises when the trader must determine whether the occurring breakout is genuine or not, as more often than not they result in a “fake out.” This paper researches the possibility of applying sentiment analysis of news articles to breakout strategies in order to filter out false price movements. NLP techniques will be used to retrieve the sentiment of various news sources and articles, and a classification neural network will predict the validity of the price movements based on the sentiment. Jacob Burton is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are artificial intelligence and natural language processing. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
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Student Research Symposium Using Deep Learning to Predict Supreme Champions in Games Presented by Coleman Gann Faculty Sponsor: Andrew Mackey
Deep convolutional neural networks are powerful classification algorithms that have many applications in today’s society. For example, deep learning techniques have been used in a variety of fields, such as machine learning, image recognition, natural language processing, etc. In this research, we develop a new system that is capable of identifying the winner of a game based on the controller inputs during the match in real time. By utilizing a combination of hardware and software, we propose a new system that is capable of determining the winner of a system during gameplay. Coleman Gann is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are artificial intelligence and natural language processing. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
Real-Team Player Identification via Gaming Input Side Channels Using Deep Learning Presented by Kyle Kelly and Spencer Atchley Faculty Sponsors: Andrew Mackey and Israel Cuevas
Recent events in cybersecurity breaches have resulted in an increased awareness of security and privacy vulnerabilities. Our research demonstrates the preliminary phases of a new side channel attack that can be used to identify individual players based on their gameplay. The attack uses raw controller input to determine the player’s identity from a collection of known entities. We design a new system that can be used to structure the inputs and leak the player’s identity in real time using deep convolutional neural networks. Kyle Kelly is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests include artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and data analytics. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab. Spencer Atchley is a student in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His academic interests are artificial intelligence and graphics technologies. He is also an active member of the UAFS Natural Language Processing Lab.
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Student Research Symposium
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Student Research Symposium
Room 7
Presentations in Education Health Science 222
2:00 Meghan Johnson
2:30 Karter Langston
3:00 Kayla Thompson
3:30 Cami Hedstrom
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Student Research Symposium Flexible Seating: Ways to Improve Student Engagement and On-Task Behavior Presented by Meghan Johnson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lois Yocum
Uncomfortable seating, limited options, and too few opportunities for physical movement are common explanations for off-task behavior and disengagement in classrooms. Students often struggle with the need to exercise, but they are confined in standard desks. This study investigated ways that flexible seating might improve student engagement and on-task behaviors in a first grade classroom. Research suggests that physical activity integrated across the curriculum and in inclusion classrooms will boost academic performance and engagement, which can be facilitated with flexible seating. The approach used tested two examples of flexible seating to see how the students responded. A rocking chair and three “book boats” (laundry baskets with cushions inside) were used to improve engagement. The students were given opportunities to use these flexible seating options while reading or while doing assignments on their i-Pads. First graders appeared to be more on-task and engaged with their assignments and readings than they were in their more traditional seating arrangements. Individuals who previously were fidgety and distracted in standard table-chair settings appeared more comfortable and relaxed while seated in a child-sized rocker or huddled in the book boat. Some limitations from this research relate to the amount of time given to introduce the flexible seating and the lack of funds available to purchase and or create flexible seating options. Future studies might include a larger variety of optional seating, such as stability balls or scoop chairs. Meghan Johnson is a senior elementary education major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She has been surrounded by children her whole life. Growing up in a home daycare and volunteering in her church to plan and direct children’s activities, she always knew that her calling was to work with children. Meghan has enjoyed her time at UAFS learning how to teach and how students learn. One topic to which she was introduced in the education program was flexible seating. She knew that some area teachers were implementing new types of more comfortable seating in their classrooms, but she wanted to determine if creating spaces that were designed to enhance student performance were actually effective. As a future teacher, one of her philosophies is to be a lifelong learner. Meghan believes that everyone can learn and improve, which is why she researched the topic of flexible seating.
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Student Research Symposium Academic Practices and Activities Designed to Improve the Reading and Writing Skills of Students Diagnosed with Dyslexia Presented by Karter Langston Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lois Yocum
Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for dyslexia face multiple challenges in classrooms every day. They struggle to learn multiple skills, but reading and writing are most important, considering they use those skills in all of their other subjects. When students with special needs do not have activities and strategies to assist them in improving their reading and writing skills, they often fall farther behind their peers in general education classrooms. Students who have IEPs that provide accommodations for dyslexia need to be directly taught the strategies and activities that will help them improve their reading and writing skills. This study identified diverse strategies to plan and implement to determine which these students valued most. While the strategies were not implemented in an observation site due to time, they serve as examples of research-based methods that will assist students with learning differences get the help they need to thrive in inclusion classrooms. Data collected through observations and recorded in notes related to the students’ classroom achievement. As with all studies, there were some limitations. Time, resources, and availability of students to interview were all limitations. For future research, students might benefit from learning new strategies for helping them improve their reading and writing skills across the math, science, and social studies curriculum areas. Karter Langston is an elementary education (K-6) major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Helping and working with children have always been her favorite things. She chose to attend UAFS because of the small class sizes and its proximity to home. Attending UAFS has made a difference in her life and has really pushed her to be the best pre-service teacher she can be. She is thankful for the faculty and staff who have encouraged her. After she graduates in December, she plans to go to graduate school to earn a Master of Special Education degree.
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Student Research Symposium The Effect of Growth Mindset Training on Students’ Academic Success Presented by Kayla Thompson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lois Yocum
Researchers and skilled educators believe that training students to develop growth mindsets instead of fixed mindsets will encourage them to succeed. This study examined the success of a growth mindset-training program for sixth graders. By teaching young adolescents that mistakes were proof that they were trying and that they actually could set realistic goals and complete difficult tasks, sixth grade students were able to step out of their fixed mindsets and into more positive outlooks that helped them achieve challenging tasks with which they were faced academically or personally. Results of this research indicated that students responded positively. From a group of sixty students, forty-five students saw improvement in academic achievement as shown in quarterly grades. This training also transferred to students’ lives outside of academics, including their extracurricular activities such as sports, band, theater, and other social activities. Limitations of this training related to students’ intrinsic motivation to participate mentally. They must commit to opening their minds to new ways of thinking. In the future, schools can plan and implement growth mindset training for their students to encourage them to be more successful academically and personally. Kayla Thompson is a senior majoring in elementary education at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Her inspiration for this research began in a practicum field experience classroom when she observed students being successful with academic tasks that most sixth graders found very difficult. As a future educator, Kayla has set many goals, including earning a Master of Education with an emphasis in English. For now she plans to graduate and inspire her students to use growth mindset principles to enhance their academic and personal lives.
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Student Research Symposium Enlivening Instruction in Middle School Content Areas by Integrating Coding Instruction Across the Curriculum Presented by Cami Hedstrom Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lois Yocum
In today’s ever evolving technological society, it is important to teach students digital skills such as coding in middle schools. Coding is anticipated to become not an ivory-tower skill, but rather an everyday one, which will only increase in importance in the future for jobs that require the skill. Along with its relevance in many technological career fields for the upcoming generation, coding also teaches young adolescents twenty-first century skills, learning and thinking skills, and life skills. When paired with content, it encourages middle school students to comprehend, create, and engage with content, rather than only consuming it. This research study examines the impact of acquiring coding skills on young adolescents’ self-efficacy and learning engagement. One intervention to be used to improve student performance involved using a simple block coding robot called Ozobot in a seventh grade science classroom lesson and introducing Makey Makey, a circuit invention tool, paired with a simple block coding program called Scratch in the fourth grade library media classroom lesson. Recording data and observations in anecdotal notes during the lesson and from student surveys before and after the lesson assisted the pre-service teacher/researcher in determining the significance of the integration of coding in these two classrooms. The researcher hypothesized that if general educators integrated coding across their disciplines, students would develop higher self-confidence and self-efficacy in their learning and subsequently be more engaged with the content. The implications of this study relate to its not being widely researched, and further study may be required to determine the full effect on students’ self-efficacy and engagement with content. Cami Hedstrom is a native of Bentonville and a senior middle level education major with emphases in science and English at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Outside of her studies, she interned at the Scott Family Amazeum during the summer of 2019 and will again this summer. There she saw first-hand the effectiveness of a Constructivist approach to education in an environment that was hands-on, interactive, collaborative, and explorative in helping students come together to learn and grow. This experience combined with her practicum mentor’s encouragement inspired her research. As a future educator, she has aspirations of earning a Master of Education to qualify as a library media and information specialist.
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Presentations in Education, STEM Education, and History Health Science 223
2:00 Group - Kyle Bates and Merary Ramirez
2:30 Kristin Middleton
3:00 Gillian Johnson
3:30 Ethan Beckham
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Student Research Symposium Where Have All the Teachers Gone? One Solution for Dwindling Teacher Retention Presented by Kyle Bates and Merary Ramirez Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Monica Riley
“Where have all the teachers gone?” asked Pfeffer and White (2015) of the Arkansas Department of Education. After the first year, 14% of teachers are lost; 27% after three years. Could the lack of teachers “sticking it out” be contributed to an absence of preparedness before entering the field of education? Before the 2019-2020 school year, educator preparation programs such as the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, provided future educators with rigorous curriculum and opportunities for multiple field experience, including a semester-long internship. An intern is placed in the classroom of a mentor teacher and gradually assumes the responsibility of instruction. However, the career title of “educator” hides a massive spectrum of responsibilities and silent struggles of which an intern may only be provided a glimpse. This practice results in new educators entering the field with a pseudo-reality of what it means to be a teacher. In an effort to prevent this diminishing pool of effective teachers; the Teacher Apprenticeship Pilot Program was created. This program was developed with the intent of generating educators that may begin their first year of licensed teaching with the knowledge, endurance, and confidence required to survive in the profession. Kyle Bates is a senior in the elementary education K-6 teacher education program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. In the summer of 2019, Kyle was selected to participate in the competitive year-long teacher apprenticeship program. He is currently serving in that role in a third grade classroom at Spradling Elementary School in Fort Smith. Kyle was the only student in his class to score a perfect score on the Math Licensure exam. He will graduate in May. Merary Ramirez is a senior in the elementary education K-6 teacher education program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. In the summer of 2019, Merary was selected to participate in the competitive year-long teacher apprenticeship program. She is currently serving in that role in a third grade classroom at Spradling Elementary School in Fort Smith. Merary has served as the president of the Future Educators Association Professionals (FEAP) and a student orientation leader. She will graduate in May.
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Student Research Symposium Physical vs. Virtual Dissections in Arkansas’ Classrooms Presented by Kristin Middleton Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shelli Henehan
Literature shows that there is debate between whether or not virtual or physical dissection is more beneficial to students. A majority of students in the classroom learn kinesthetically, which would involve physically touching and seeing the material they are working with to learn the content. However, with the technological advances over the last decade and the movement of technology into the classroom curricula, many schools have been performing virtual dissections, rather than the physical options. Catering to the minority of students in a classroom can lead to a decrease in not only the student’s grade but his/her understanding of the content as well. When choosing what is best for a science classroom, it is important to know your students and what the research supports for the classroom environment. After receiving UAFS IRB approval, I surveyed 7th-12th grade science teachers from Arkansas classrooms, as well as UAFS anatomy and physiology students, to determine prior dissection experience and preferences. My name is Kristin Middleton is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith graduating in May with a degree in biology education. She will be certified to teach life science in grades 7-12. She lives in Centerton with her border collie/Australian shepherd puppy, Sandor rambunctious puppy, Sandor. Kristin is currently working on a student teaching internship at Huntsville High School. She graduated with high honors from Pea Ridge High School and chose to attend UAFS because of a full tuition scholarship with the Myles Friedman Honors Program. Being accepted into the honors program has allowed her to travel to Canada and Scotland to expand her educational experience.
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Student Research Symposium A Look into the Impact of Grant Based Programs Located in the Echols Building at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Presented by Gillian Johnson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shelli Henehan
There are currently three grant-funded programs operating out of the Echols building: the Early Childhood Preschool Program, the Western Arkansas Educational Renewal Zone, and the UAFS STEM Education Center. Each of these programs is unique in its mission statement, but together make the Echols building a melting pot of resources that share a common goal of improving education in the state of Arkansas. To measure the impact of these grants, I looked at qualitative and quantitative data. I focused on fiscal years 18 and 19 for both of the programs. The quantitative data includes: counties served, number of professional developments or trainings held, and the number of participants. The qualitative data I have analyzed include: student letters, interviews, and participant feedback surveys. I have had the absolute privilege to work in the Echols building for the last three years. This opportunity has allowed me to gain personal insight into the wondrous, but ever-changing nature of grants and the impact that they have on not only the university that houses these programs, but the local community. Gillian Johnson of Pine Bluff graduated in 2016 from Watson Chapel High School. She is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in mathematics education in grades 7-12. Over the years she has had wonderful math teachers, and her dream is to be that same positive influence for her students. She has worked in the Echols Building at UAFS as a student worker for the Office of P-20 Collaboration for three years. Seeing the impact of the ECE, ERZ, and STEM grants inspired her to concentrate on the wonderful programs in the Echols Building for her project. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi and the Mathematics Club and has played clarinet in the Symphonic Band for three years.
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Student Research Symposium Gunfighters, Outlaws, Gangsters, U.S. Marshals, and G-Men Presented by Ethan Beckham Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin Jones
Gunfighters, outlaws, and gangsters brought about the way the laws and lawmen changed and developed skills in order to be able to track criminals and arrest them. Judges and courts set precedents for punishment to fit the crimes. This paper will argue how, throughout history, these outlaws and gangsters and lawmen and law enforcement groups influenced each other. Some of these nefarious outlaws and gangsters even managed to change the way the lawmen and law enforcement evolved to handle the way criminals and criminal activities were investigated, sought after, and punished. Many towns across the West faced the rise of the unruly, often outnumbering good citizens. The Oklahoma Territory population was mostly some who found refuge from and outside of the law and the court system, at least until the establishment of the Western District U.S. Court in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Lawmen were needed to help guard against and control the outlaws and gangsters. The U.S. Marshals began with George Washington and the Texas Rangers were started in 1835. Throughout time, outlaws and the law have battled to stay one step ahead of the other. Wild West era criminals would have no chance of surviving against the lawmen today. The advancements made in criminology have given the law a much better advantage against their opponents. Ethan Beckham is a graduate of Northside High School in Fort Smith majoring in history at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He plans to continue his education with a double master’s in teaching and athletic training with a coaching endorsement. His hobby is auto mechanics, and he would like to someday open his own auto custom and detail shop.
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Room 9
Presentations in Ethnomusicology, Musicology, Music, and Theatre Health Science 227
2:00 Zabdiel Montes
2:30 Raul Ortiz
3:00 Lucia Ortiz
3:30 Samson Sorluangsana
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Student Research Symposium The New Taste of Tango
Presented by Zabdiel Montes Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alexandra Zacharella Astor Pantaléon Piazzolla (1921-1992) was a world-renowned composer, arranger, bandleader and a virtuoso on the Bandoneon (accordion). He was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, moved to New York City at a young age and then moved back to Argentina in his late teens. Piazzolla later moved to Paris, where he studied with famed composer, conductor and teacher, Nadia Boulanger at the Paris Conservatory. This paper will explore Piazzolla’s unconventional mixture of classical music, jazz, and tango. He would become one of the main catalysts for the birth of a new style of music known as Nuevo Tango. Throughout his lifetime, he would continue to experiment compositionally by using musical counterpoint and a variety of instrumentation in his music. While Piazzolla’s new style of music was met with heavy criticism in Argentina, his emotional and welcoming compositions came to transcend cultures and captivate those who listened. Zabdiel Montes is a senior instrumental music education major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is currently a member of the UAFS Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Athletic Band. He has served as the president of NAfME at UAFS and now serves as the president of the Lambda Kappa chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. In 2019 he presented a poster session at the UAFS Student Research Symposium and will be presenting a poster session at the College Music Society Regional conference in March 2020. Zabdiel has participated in the Arkansas All Region concert and jazz bands and the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band. He is an Arkansas Scholar and high school honors graduate, the recipient of the Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award, and was Northside High School’s drum major. He has also been a part of productions with the Northside Theatre and Fort Smith Little Theatre. In his spare time, Zabdiel enjoys arranging and composing music.
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Student Research Symposium An Inside Look into Benedetto Marcello’s Cello Sonatas, Transcribed for Trombone and Piano Presented by Raul Ortiz Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alexandra Zacharella
Benedetto Marcello (1686-1739) was an Italian composer and writer. Marcello was mostly known for his setting of 50 psalms for voices and instruments by Giovanni Giustiniani and his satirical pamphlet Il teatro alla moda. Marcello did however; compose many works for solo instruments and instrumental ensembles, including six sonatas for cello and basso continuo. This lecture recital will discuss Marcello’s six sonatas, specifically Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 2, No. 3 in detail. The sonatas were originally composed for cello and basso continuo, but are frequently transcribed and performed on a wide variety of instruments including the tenor trombone. Marcello wrote his sonatas in the style of Sonata da chiesa’s or church sonatas, which were a popular instrumental composition in the Baroque Era. This lecture recital will also discuss how imagination, musical counterpoint and progressive features of the French Galant style, characterize the sonatas. The lecture recital will conclude with a performance of the Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 2, No. 3. for trombone and piano. Trombonist Raul Ortiz is currently an instrumental music education major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is principal trombone in the UAFS Wind Ensemble, lead player in the UAFS Jazz Band, a member of the UAFS Lions Athletic Band, the UAFS Brass Ensemble, UAFS Low Brass Ensemble, and a student-run quartet called 50/50 Ensemble ,and performs with the community group Bordertown Bones. In high school Raul was a member of the ASBOA All State Wind Ensemble and All State Jazz Band as well as part of several region bands, jazz bands, and orchestras. He has been a member of several ArkCBDNA Intercollegiate Bands. Raul is a brother and officer in the band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi Lambda Chapter at UAFS. He was recently selected to perform with the Intercollegiate Honor Band at the Southwestern Division CBDNA Conference in Norman, Oklahoma.
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Student Research Symposium The Impact of Gisela Hernandez Gonzalo and Olga De Blanck on Cuban Music Presented by Lucia Ortiz Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Elizabeth Momand
Working closely with Olga De Blanck (1916-1998), Gisela Hernandez Gonzalo (1912-1978) taught music at the Hubert De Blanck conservatory. Hernandez was a Cuban composer, and the development of her work created great changes within music education. To receive proper appreciation for her work as a teacher and composer, she made an agreement with the Castro government due to political fundamentals. Hernandez incorporated many Afro-Cuban components into her work, so that they could be more widely recognized within larger structures of music. Olga de Blanck was one of Cuba’s most influential musicians during the twentieth century. Throughout her early life she was a singer, guitarist, and a pianist and began her studies with her father before she went on to the Municipal Conservatory of Havana. But as her career took off, she became a successful and influential composer and music educator who greatly progressed music within her home country. As associates and friends, De Blanck and Hernandez founded Ediciones de Blanck for publishing piano, voice, and choir compositions. They also collaborated on pedagogical books that were used at de Blanck’s conservatory, which included a work by de Blanck that focused on harmony and music theory. Hernandez and De Blanck were greatly influenced by poetry and art, and this influence can be traced throughout their compositions. They also published children’s music, and one of their most popular distributions was Cuarenta Danzas (Forty Dances). This lecture will deliver background information on the lives of Hernandez and De Blanck, as well as feature a live performance of various songs from Hernandez’s work. It will then conclude with the impact and inspiration that these composers had on their country, and their contribution to the further development of music widely throughout Cuba. Lucia Ortiz is a vocal music major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is currently a senior, graduating in the fall of 2020. She enjoys performing opera and musical theatre, and is involved in various vocal ensembles on campus. While her main focus of music is opera, she loves to sing and enjoys researching various composers and different types of music in order to grasp every area of her chosen field of study. This is her first time participating in the Student Research Symposium. After completing her undergraduate degree, Lucia will continue her studies to pursue a master’s degree. She hopes to one day perform opera as well as teach.
An Examination of Stanislavski’s System and Strasberg’s Method Presented by Samson Sorluangsana Faculty Sponsor: Bob Stevenson
Modern realism in acting first began in the 20th century when Konstantin Stanislavski originated a system of actor training called the Stanislavski System. Through it, the System sought to draw from actors believeable performances by activating their subconscious behavior through various techniques. It is from the System that Lee Strasberg devised his Method, crafted to magnify the intensity by which actors connect to the script by reliving their emotional experiences. This presentation will discuss how the Method evolved from the System, briefly analyze contemporary techniques, then theorize how acting technique may continue to evolve from its influence. Samson Sorluangsana is a senior theatre major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with a concentration in acting/directing. He has twice directed for the stage and multiple times for the screen. After graduation he plans to pursue an MFA in theatre directing.
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Student Research Symposium
Room 10
Presentations in English Health Science 318
2:00 Melanie Bradley
2:30 Christopher Releford
3:00 Tamara Hunt
3:30 Trittany Young
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Student Research Symposium Fear the Future, Fight the Fear: Dystopian Literature in Yound Adult Fiction Presented by Melanie Bradley Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Cammie Sublette
Over the course of the last thirty years, dystopian fiction has been increasingly popular among audiences of all ages. However, the last twenty years have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of dystopian themes in young adult fiction. New Historicism gives us a tool kit with which to examine how both the past and present sociopolitical and environmental state we live in has influenced the increased writing of these texts and the overwhelmingly positive reception of them. Events like the Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, and environmental disasters such as the Exxon-Valdez oil spill influenced writers like Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games. The modern experiences of her audience, including the war in Iraq, outbreaks of swine and avian influenza, and the BP oil spill, cause great fear for the future. Texts like The Hunger Games express and explore these fears, allowing audiences to examine their fears and futures, and perhaps create an internal preparedness for whatever the future might bring. Dystopian fiction, especially in young adult circles, has arisen as an expression of fear influenced by the past, and acts as a tool for dealing with those fears for its audience, allowing for its rise in popularity. Melanie Bradley grew up in Fallon, Nevada, and moved to Fort Smith in 2012. She enrolled as an English major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith as a transfer sophomore in the fall of 2019, completing her first semester with a 4.0. She is working to publish her first manuscript and plans to attend graduate school. Her hobbies included watercolor painting, bookbinding, and collecting fountain pens. She is involved in a few small, cultivated community groups and participates yearly in National Novel Writing Month.
Empowered Little Angel: Feminine Influences of Rose and Nancy on Oliver in “Oliver Twist” Presented by Christopher Releford Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lindsy Lawrence
The female roles of Rose Maylie and Nancy, in “Oliver Twist,” are commonly analyzed through the twin lenses of angelic purity and the fallen woman respectively. Sometimes scholars approach their roles from the perspective of Dickens’s fascination with the “ideal feminine,” as well as examining the maternal figures in “Oliver Twist.” A gap, however, in the analysis of these characters is their possible feminizing influence on Oliver. This essay examines the empowerments that Rose and Nancy’s characterizations bestow on Oliver in the context of Victorian gender identity. Feminine empowerments can be considered as part of the development of the character of “Oliver Twist” when he is under the wings of Nancy and Rose. These two women embody Dickens’s the ‘ideal feminine’ also build bridges for Oliver towards the domestic world in which his gender identity is liberated and even encouraged. I argue that Rose and Nancy empower Oliver into the realms of the same ideal femininity, as he, like Rose, is purely a creature of the feminine domesticity. Christopher Releford is a studio art major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with minors in creative writing and English. He is also the founder of his own website, churchofanneliese.com, which houses his collection of his original artworks. He is a fan of a few classic literature, like “Oliver Twist” and “Carmilla,” and he enjoys a good vampire story.
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Student Research Symposium Charles Dickens: Reformer or Racist? Presented by Tamara Hunt Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lindsy Lawrence
“Oliver Twist” is about an orphan named Oliver whose mother dies in childbirth. He ends up in the workhouse and he is badly treated. Oliver eventually makes his way to London where he is taken in by a gang of thieves made up of children, and their caretaker is a devious fence named Fagin, who is taking what the boys have stolen and selling it to unscrupulous vendors. Fagin is clearly a villain. He is also repeatedly portrayed as Jewish, and Dickens writes him in a prejudiced tone and stereotypical way. Fagin embodies everything negative that people believed about Jews at the time: ruthless, greedy, and conniving. Dickens even compares him to Satan, the greatest literary villain of all. In the novel, Dickens wanted to shed light on the fact that the poor have no place or voice in society, yet he portrays Fagin as an abusive criminal who preys upon orphaned boys. His social work, including a sanctuary for homeless women, implies that he was a champion of the lower class, and in his novels, Dickens strove to improve the lives of impoverished people. However, a close analysis of”Oliver Twist” shows that he held racist ideals. Tamara Hunt is the mother of four children. She is a history major with a minor in English at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She loves history, especially 16th century European. She also enjoys reading, biology, and coffee.
A Religious Twist: Christianity in the Work of Charles Dickens Presented by Trittany Young Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lindsy Lawrence
Within the works of Charles Dickens, there are many hidden themes and social commentary. This essay explores some of the symbolism and pseudo-religious undertones throughout his career. The worlds of Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, Little Dorrit, and A Christmas Carol make references to Christian ideas of hell, purgatory, and Heaven. This paper uses close reading to show how Dickens uses religion as a narrative device, including a device for plot development and as a reward or punishment for the characters he created. This essay also attempts to answer the question of how Dickens’s personal beliefs played into his writing. Dickens himself was not known to be overtly religious. Instead, he believed in the ideals of Christian virtues. Perhaps the prevalence of Christian tropes in his writing is due to his advocacy for the downtrodden and a social commentator on what he saw as societal issues of the time, which went hand in hand with the Christan virtues of compassion, forgiveness, and atonement for sin. From what kind of virtues made a person “holy” to how to truly repent, and what characteristics twist a person into become satanic, Dickens uses his characters to represent Christian virtues or sins. After graduating with an associate degree in early childhood development from Carl Albert State College, Trittany Young chose to continue her education at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and is currently working toward becoming an English teacher. While attending the university, she has gained insight into poetry and prose while learning new ways to understand and apply context to literature that she hopes to one day pass on to her future students.
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Presentations in English Health Science 321
2:00 Allison Costa
2:30 Christina Smith
3:00 Jackalynn Self
3:30 Mason Patterson
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Student Research Symposium The Heritage of a Lived Experience Presented by Allison Costa Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carol Westcamp
“Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker, carries several meanings. Many of the important themes of the story are focused on the issue of how items are used on an everyday basis. The disagreement between the mother and her two daughters can be recognized from the values and beliefs they all hold. For example, Dee’s viewpoints are primarily modern while the mother and younger sister value their heritage for its personal significance and usefulness. For Dee, heritage is a curiosity to look at, or something to put on display for others to observe much like art. What Dee fails to realize is that the heritage of the items her mother and sister cherish comes precisely from their “everyday use” or the items connection to the lived experience of the members of the family who have used them. Dee is unable to separate her new found cultural identity from her own long standing need to feel superior to her mother and sister. Maggie remains quiet throughout Dee’s tirade of what embracing heritage really means and wants to give the items to Dee just so she will leave. Their mother wants both of her daughters to represent themselves as they are supposed to, and strong independent women with a thorough knowledge of what their heritage consists of. Allison Costa is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith graduating in May 2020 with a major in English and minor in rhetoric and writing. Her dream job is to become a book editor because her passion has always been reading and she wants her passion to be her work. The closest she can get to reading for a living is to help people tell stories. She also has a passion for guiding authors throughout the writing process.
Man’s Reaction to Sin: Hypocrisy in a Religious Society Presented by Christina Smith Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carol Westcamp
Nathaniel Hawthorne is known for using allegories and symbolism throughout his writing. He has made the two literary devices coexist in his short stories such as “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil.” In addition, the two stories align with a secret sin and man’s reaction to the sin. “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil” have parallels with the concept of a hidden sin, sacrifice of own happiness, and happiness of spouse. Young Goodman Brown and Mr. Hopper suffer from pride and this separates them from society. Both men think they have a higher understanding of human nature and sin. Furthermore, they both try to confront evil and are unsuccessful. The paper will argue that the two stories are meant to teach man a moral lesson and the hypocrisy that is within the religious societies. Christina Smith is an English major with a TESOL minor at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith graduating in the fall of 2020. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta and secretary of the Cultural Network. She loves studying languages and culture. After graduation she hopes to teach English in Korea. In the future she plans to go to graduate school for a master’s in English. In her free time, she enjoys reading, creative writing, watching Korean dramas, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. In life she strives to be a lifelong learner because education is the key to changing the world.
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Student Research Symposium Linguistics and Lexical Violence: How the Appropriation of a Culture Leads to a Halt in Lexical Borrowings Presented by Jackalynn Self Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Erik Carlson and Dr. Cammie Sublette
Language is an ever-changing social construct. The English lexicon is a prime example of this. Careful analysis of even a small portion of the interchanges within the English language exposes patterns in construction, frequently related to political conflict. This conflict often results in language borrowings featuring negative connotations or considerable bias, resulting in a trend of lexical violence. At its core, lexical violence represents a corrupted, and often erroneous, adoption of and/or rejection to semantically foreign language, in which the primary language either rewrites the secondary language or suppresses an otherwise natural exchange between the two languages in alignment with the primary’s societal and/or political views. Such lexical violence can be found in the English lexicon, specifically in the appropriation of the Arabic language as recorded over the last century. Due to the history of political strife between the western and Middle Eastern cultures, a lexically violent culture has tainted the borrowings with bias and prejudices, creating not only noticeable gaps in the lexicon but a halt in borrowings for nearly thirty years. This presentation analyzes the borrowings by breaking them down into the categories of the numerical peaks and gaps in the lexicon and seven semantic groups that construct the negative lexical culture between the two languages. Jackalynn Self graduated from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in December 2019. She graduated at the top of her class with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with summa cum laude and cum honore status. She hopes to continue her education in the fall of 2020 as a graduate student studying linguistics.
Submission and Manipulation in the Allegorical Reading of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Clerk’s Tale” Presented by Mason Patterson Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Erik Carlson and Dr. Cammie Sublette
In “The Clerk’s Tale,” the relationship between Griselda and Walter can be interpreted as an allegory representing the relationship between God, an all-powerful entity who demands unwavering loyalty, and devout humans, people who would sacrifice everything they care for in order to appease their God. Walter demands unwavering loyalty from Griselda, then tests her devotion by pretending to murder her children then convincing her that he is taking another wife. By testing Griselda’s loyalty, Walter asserts his power over her, establishing himself as the dominant figure and expressing the toxicity which can occur when there is an uneven distribution of power in a relationship. The Biblical allegory expressed within the tale backfires as it fails to accomplish the primary purpose of what an allegory is meant to do: point the listeners back to the Church and reaffirm their faith. Instead, the tale weaves a narrative of abuse and exploitation, further illustrating Chaucer’s critique of the Catholic Church throughout the course of the Canterbury Tales. Mason Patterson is a senior English major with a creative writing minor at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She has presented her work at multiple universities across the country, including Monmouth University and the University of Arkansas. Her poetry has been published in Fire Poetry Journal, The RavensPerch, and UAFS’s Applause. After she graduates in May 2020, she plans to attend graduate school to continue her study of English literature, focusing on Victorian literature and gender and queer studies.
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Room 12
Presentations in Media Communication Health Science 325
2:00 Isaiah Powers
2:30 Sydney Roberts
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Student Research Symposium Non-Verbal Communications in the Classrooms and Media Ecology Theory Presented by Isaiah Powers Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Susan Simkowski
The focus of this study is to cover the effect of non-verbal communication on school classrooms by using the Media Ecology Theory. This research was carried out using scholarly journals, articles, field observations, and interviews with teachers in the Ozark School District. I used McLuhan’s Media Ecology theory (1962) to show the overall development of classrooms using non-verbal communication, specifically; color, proximity, haptics, chronemics, objects, and artifacts. During the processes of interviewing educators, I interviewed teachers who have been educating for 10 years or more and teachers who have just started educating and have been in a public school for less than two years. I have interviewed student teachers to get an opinion on the newer generation of educators use of non-verbal communications and the overall effect on students. Students in these modern times are a lot more different than those from the 90’s and Many students’ attention spans seem to have shortened through the years and teachers are often struggle to maintain student focus on the schoolwork. This study covers the use of non-verbal communication in the classroom and its effects on students including whether various types of nonverbal communication can keep students on task. Isaiah Powers of Ozark is a senior media communication major with a minor in history at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is a very positive person who loves to speak. His interests are speaking to the public and sports.
Social Media and Elections Presented by Sydney Roberts Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Susan Simkowski
The purpose of my research is to focus on the influence social media has on presidential elections. More specifically, I studied how Arkansas university students, who do and do not vote, react to certain social media posts about presidential elections. Additionally, how do these posts affect their view of different candidates in presidential elections? The goal is to find out whether social media has an influence on these potential voters’ opinions of presidential candidates. I used surveys to collect data of college students in the state of Arkansas. I am connecting my research to the cultivation analysis theory (Gerbner, 1969). This theory focuses on how long exposure to television can affect a viewer, and by extension, to other media; therefore, I am relating the theory to how social media exposure can impact a voter. Sydney Roberts of Bentonville is a sophomore media communication major with a minor in speech at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is passionate about communication and plans to continue her education by going to graduate school. Her future plans include traveling and studying how people communicate in different parts of the world.
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Student Research Symposium
Room 13
Presentations in Health Psychology Health Science 326
2:00 Kayla Hipp
2:30 Ricci Stylman-Ricchetti
3:00 Cassie Graham
3:30 Estefani Garcia Carcamo
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Student Research Symposium The Effects of Idealized Images in Advertisements on College Students’ Body Image Presented by Kayla Hipp Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nicha Otero
Advertisements often present to viewers idealized images in order to better sell their products. These idealized images can include various components, such as physically fit bodies and beautiful appearances, and are often technologically altered to the extent of showcasing unattainable features. Both males and females are targeted by these advertisements, with males being portrayed as being highly athletic with protruding muscles, prominent sexual features, and attractive qualities, and females being portrayed as shockingly thin, flawless, and sexually appealing. Viewing these advertisements may have a negative effect on college students’ perceptions of their own body image due to their potential tendency to compare themselves to these images. In this study, students at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith were randomly assigned between a control and experimental group to compare scores on a body image questionnaire after viewing advertisements. Participants in the control group were shown advertisements without idealized images (furniture, appliances, cleaning supplies) while those in the experimental group were shown advertisements with idealized images of the gender with which they had chosen to identify. We hypothesize that those in the experimental group will show significantly lower opinions on their own body image than those in the control group. Kayla Hipp is a senior psychology student with a double minor in sociology and rhetoric and writing at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in the spring of 2020. After graduation she plans to immediately begin pursuing her Master of Science in psychology with a concentration in cyberpsychology and cybersecurity, followed by a Ph.D. Her research is predominately concerned with media and cyberpsychology. Her previous research includes social media’s effects on mental health and media representations. Outside of education she also enjoys spending time with her loved ones and pets.
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Student Research Symposium How Stress and Anxiety Among College Students May Lead to Hormonal Imbalances Presented by Ricci Stylman-Ricchetti Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nicha Otero
This paper examines the effects of stress and anxiety in a college setting. The study looks at college students at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith who undergo feelings of stress and anxiety on a daily basis. These students are used to determine whether ample amounts of stress and anxiety lead to the possibilities of hormonal imbalances. Students participate in three surveys, each measuring either stress, anxiety or symptoms that have been shown in previous research as possible signs of hormone imbalance. The intended nature of this study is to shed light on how stressors and anxieties may ultimately lead to hormone imbalances in college students. We hypothesize that copious amounts of stress and anxiety in a student’s life will cause them to experience hormone imbalances in some form. We intend to provide evidence that hormone imbalances are quite common within a stress and anxiety realm. We predict that a significant amount of college students will be suitors of hormone imbalances caused by stresses and anxieties. This is important for us to become aware of because, stress, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances cause a disruption in dayto-day life, health, and social situations. Ricci Stylman-Ricchetti is a 25-year-old senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She will complete her Bachelor of Arts in psychology in the spring of 2020. Ricci graduated from Southside High School in May of 2012, the last graduating Rebel class. Originally from upstate New York, she has lived in Arkansas for 10 years now and still continues to get acclimated with the culture shock. Her hobbies include cooking, crafting, reading, and taking adventures with her puppy Hallie-Jane. This will be her third year presenting research at a symposium.
Various Aspects of Health May Correlate with Higher Stress Levels Among College Students Presented by Cassie Graham Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nicha Otero
Certain aspects of health such as nutrition, physical fitness, and optimism may correlate with higher stress levels among college students. Targeting the things that increase stress levels is imperative to aiding in decreasing the amount of stress people around the world are faced with. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the relationship between the aspects of health such as physical fitness, nutrition, and optimism and how these influence college students’ stress levels. In the present study, participants take a series of four short self-report surveys: a stress scale intended to measure individuals’ perceived level of stress, a nutrition scale to evaluate eating behaviors among participants, a physical fitness inventory, and a survey to evaluate the degree of optimism among participants. The form also includes a section on demographics. I hypothesize that high levels of physical fitness will have a negative correlation with stress levels. My second hypothesis is that a more balanced diet and good nutrition will correlate with lower levels of stress. Then, my last hypothesis is that optimism and stress levels will have a negative correlation with each another. Cassie Graham is a senior psychology major with a minor in sociology the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She will graduate in the fall of 2020 and plans to pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and practice locally in Fort Smith. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and one day dreams of starting her own family.
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Student Research Symposium Gender Differences in the Correlation Between Hours of Sleep and Mood Among College Students Presented by Estefani Garcia Carcamo Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nicha Otero
One of the major things that college students battle with throughout their college career is hours of sleep and managing their daily lives. This is of great importance because the amount of sleep we get has an influence on our mood, which in turn can affect our overall health. Within this study, we focus on gender differences between hours of sleep and level of mood in college students. We want to provide evidence that may reflect that a decrease in sleep can affect the mood, and thus overall health, of college students. At the same time, we want to determine a gender difference with the hours of sleep and daily mood. We predict that females will have an increase in negative mood if they do not have at least eight hours of sleep due to experiencing a high level of stress. With males getting less than eight hours of sleep, we hypothesize that their mood would remain at equilibrium and they do not experience as high stress levels compared to females. Within our research, our aim is to determine the difference between male and female college students in the correlation between the lack of sleep and level of mood. Estefani Garcia Carcamo is a first-generation college student in her family. She will be graduate from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in sociology in May 2020. She will be continuing her education, as she was recently accepted at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville for a master’s in clinical mental health counseling. She has always had a passion for making a mark in the world and contributing to her community. With her master’s in clinical mental health counseling, she plans to focus on working with the adolescent community and educating teenagers on better coping mechanisms with their specific diagnosis. She wants to make her mark by creating a better quality of life for future generations. She also plans to further her education to pursue family and marriage counseling to work hand in hand with families.
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Student Research Symposium
Poster Presentations Boreham Library
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Student Research Symposium Prioritizing Historic Structures for 3D Interaction Presented by Jacob Todhunter Faculty Sponsor: Lisa Cady Table 1
There are so many benefits that could come from creating 3D digital records of historical structures. On-site interactive capabilities, precision work, interactive exhibits, making education more enjoyable and the possibilities involving virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) with digital 3D recreations. The problem we are having is that we are living in a digital world, but we are still recording historical structures as if someone is reading them from a book or with blueprints in hand. Museums have begun using digital 3D models in various ways to increase the excitement and interaction with historical structures. Even most classrooms have access to computers where students could interact with these models. A priority list would help by using a matrix involving the age, significance, sturdiness, currently existing, and whether it is scheduled for reconstruction or demolition. Another great benefit of digitally restoring structures in 3D would be in the event the structure no longer exists and is not going to be rebuilt. With the technology we have today, anyone could visit and experience these places. We could take a step into the past and experience what our ancestors built and where they lived, worked, and spent their free time. Jacob Todhunter is a senior completing a Bachelor of Science in Animation Technology. After graduating he wants to pursue a career in film and animation. He will continue his journey by working toward a master’s degree in project management from DeVry University while beginning a college internship at the Disney World Resort in Orlando just after graduating in May 2020.
3D Printing Your Everyday Life Presented by Austin King Faculty Sponsor: Derek Goodson Table 2
3D printing has started rising in popularity in the past decade, especially for the everyday person. There are amazing medical advancements through 3D printing, such as creating new prosthetics. At the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, a mouse with 3D printed ovaries gave birth to healthy babies, giving promise to the future for people with infertility problems. In Moscow, a 400 square foot home was printed in less than 24 hours. You can even use edible material like chocolate to create your own delicious creations. If you have access to and the know-how to use 3d modeling software, you can create your own designs, or you can go to sites such as Thingiverse.com to find thousands of free STL files for your own use. Ranging from prices starting at two hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, there are a wide variety of 3D printers to choose from, so it can be hard to know which printer to start with. Luckily, the average person doesn’t need to spend thousands of dollars to take advantage of the usefulness of 3D printing. In the years to come, I am excited to see the advancements to be made through 3D printing technology. Austin King is a 24-year-old senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith following the degree path of animation technology. Originally following a programming degree, he discovered animation and the creation of 3D models to be his passion, specifically level design for video games. He uses software such as 3DS Max, Maya, After Affects, and Photoshop to make his creations come to life. Austin is on track to graduate in May of 2020.
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Student Research Symposium How Animation Affects Emotion Presented by Austin Harrison Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Argie Nichols Table 3
The purpose of this research is determine what factors in an animation can affect the emotion we feel while viewing it. Perhaps the most simplest and first factor is what colors the animation artist decides to use within his film. Color has been a vital factor of how humans describe emotion since the beginning of man, and it is because of this that we have adapted to this knowledge and use it indirectly to change the way we feel. Another factor that seems to influence how we feel is the ability to compare yourself to what is going on within the animation. When there is a certain event conspiring within the animation that is relatable to the viewer, the viewer tends to feel empathy to what is happening in the animation because they know the feeling it creates. The most important factor of how a viewer feels when watching an animation is the dynamic textures within the motion picture. Dynamic textures consist of repetitive patterns within the animation such as: sea-waves, smoke, foliage, etc. Music can also be considered a dynamic texture based on rhythmical qualities, and how it is being used to portray emotion. Austin Harrison is an animation technology student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He also works as a trainer at Panera Bread. His dream job is to work with Blizzard to work on upcoming Overwatch or League of Legends Games. Austin began his journey at UAFS as a graphic design major where he picked up multiple 2D and 3D design skills utilizing Adobe programs such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, After Effects, and Premiere Pro. After realizing his true passion was creating 3D animation, he switched to animation technology where he has picked up skills in Autodesk programs such as Inventor, 3Ds Max, Mudbox, and Maya. Austin spends most of his free time working on projects for his classes to make sure they are the best he can possibly make them.
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Student Research Symposium Storyboarding: How It Has Evolved Presented by Eric Beckham Faculty Sponsor: Heath Cady Table 4
My research project is based on the process of storyboarding in animation. In many phases of animation process, people tend to plan concepts in advance by using storyboards. These storyboards are visual organizers, typically made up of a series of illustrations displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a planned animation and communicating the idea to others. A storyboard is essentially the roadmap to what eventually leads to an animation whether it is a video, game, or something else entirely. The practice of storyboarding was developed at the Walt Disney Studio during the early 1930s, created by animator Webb Smith. In the past, storyboards were created by hand drawing actual scenes and organizing them together in sequence. Nowadays, storyboarding has branched out and evolved in many different ways such as how they are developed and put to use, to how they are created with modern technology. My research will explain many different ways of how the intent, art, and process of storyboarding has changed over time. Eric Beckham is a 22-year-old aspiring game designer and animator proficient using 3D modeling programs such as Maya, 3DS Max, Mudbox, and Photoshop. When he is not working on 3D projects, Eric likes to utilize his creativity writing stories whenever he has the motivation and time. He uses these activities to practice his writing skills and help improve his ability as a storyteller. He loves the entertainment value of games, movies, and animation. Although Eric is known to be a quiet person and not very gregarious, he feels that he is able to communicate better through animation. In addition, even though he is uncertain what the future holds, Eric’s plans are to eventually make a career in the field of 3D animation. For now he plans to continue honing his skills and improving as time goes on.
How Artistic Styles Affect Animation Presented by Trevor Miller Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Argie Nichols Table 5
This presentation will portray different types of artistic styles used in different sources of animation such as video games, films, or shorts. During this, it will show the effect the styles gave to the media. I will try to create different scenes in 3ds Max or Maya with different styles to go over how it can give the tones different themes such as Horror, wonder, a more childish setting, and more. As well as portray just how much more memorable these choices can make each project compared to overdone or simple realistic choices. I will do my best to recreate and expand upon these experiences with my own scenes and showcase what makes them so special. Trevor Miller is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith pursuing a degree in animation technology. Because of WATC and concurrent classes he took during high school, he will graduate with his bachelor’s at the age of 20. He graduated high school with more than 60 hours of college credit. Trevor is from Van Buren and works at Walmart part time as a personal shopper. Some of his favorite hobbies are hiking, music, and video games. His favorite aspect of 3D animation is creating character models and scenes.
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Student Research Symposium 3D Printing: How Will it Effect the World of Miniatures and Tabletop Gaming? Presented by Dalton Weaver Faculty Sponsor: Derek Goodson Table 6
No other technology will shake up the 21st century quite like the use of 3-Dimensional printing. That is already happening in the niche hobby of crafting miniatures. Using 3D printing hardware, both traditional sculptors and companies who profit off the sales of miniatures may face challenges as the technology grows. In this presentation, I will show ways that the adoption of 3D Printing could be beneficial to companies wishing to stay afloat as the hobby changes, and that refusing to take advantage of it could hinder these companies financially as 3D printing gains more and more of a foothold in the industry. In the secondary market of the hobby, 3D printing has already gained traction, and people are making amateur miniatures for cents on the dollar. With commercial models ranging from $8/piece to hundreds of dollars for a set, hobbyists will be further pushed to invest in 3D printing. Companies who own tabletop games that use entire groups of miniatures should begin to employ 3d sculpting artists if they want to remain viable, as more and more fans are beginning to print their own miniatures instead of purchasing commercial products. The evolution of 3d printing technology will only continue to grow and present opportunities for those who jump on it, and cause problems for those who don’t. Dalton KingWeaver is a 25-year-old working man from a small city with big dreams of one day working in a studio where he can show off his talents for character animation, 3D environmental storytelling, and video production. On an average day, he finds his mornings filled with academics, going to university, and working on personal projects. His afternoons and evenings are spent at his place of work managing Sweet Bay Coffee Co. At night he goes home to his wife, Tia KingWeaver, and his Border Collie and Australian Shepherd dogs. On his days off he likes to hang out with his friends, and other times he just enjoys spending time with his family, taking the dogs to the park or going out with his wife.
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Student Research Symposium The Future of Augmented Reality Presented by Vinh Nguyen Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Argie Nichols Table 7
Augmented Reality mixes simulated and tangible reality, Giving the user new instruments to ensure effectiveness in the transfer of knowledge for many procedures in many environments but It is still marked by serious shortcomings that weaken its applications in the business environment. This Presentation show functions and the practicability of Augmented Reality results in commercialization, highlighting benefits it could create and suggested potential routes of innovation. AR technology have been used to train new employee or teach student to do procedure without fear of failing and reduce the cost of training. For example, some Factory have use AR to create an interactable 3d model of machinery so that trainee could see and interact with the model before they do it with the real thing. In medical field, AR have introduced interactivity into medical training and complements theoretic knowledge with case-based simulations by creating a 3d interactive model of the body. Lastly, Amazon and others online seller have introduced 3d interactive interface that allow you to view what your item would look like before you buy it, allowing for you to easily pick what you want. the Armed Forces System, AR technology have been used to train soldiers and pilot. Vinh Nguyen was born Hong Kong and raised in Vietnam. He moved to America when he was 12 ,and ever since he was a little kid, he has loved animation and art with a dream of making a career in these fields in America. Though there are many obstacles along the way in his journey, including balancing school and work and problems in his personal life, his loves for art and animation remain the same. His dream is to have a job making animated films, including one animated short and one animated feature. Vinh is on course to graduate from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with a bachelor’s in animation technology. He is good with computer technology and software in general, but his expertise lies mainly in creative software such as Photoshop and 3D modeling/animation packages as well as video editing. Many forms of art like sculpting, printmaking, painting, and designing enable him to learn new programs and methodology very fast and easily adapt to change. He is also fluent in English and Vietnamese and is authorized to work in the United States for any employer.
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Student Research Symposium The Role of 3D Printing in Manufacturing Presented by Andy Phongphouthai Faculty Sponsor: Derek Goodson Table 8
This research project will show how 3D printing is being used in today’s manufacturing processes. The research used during the product development phase currently has several different process options. This presentation will display small 3D models to demonstrate the potential of possible manufacturing items currently being used. The research will demonstrate specific workload reductions and possible additional profits for manufacturing facilities by using 3D printing. Selecting the best approach will take into consideration the different processes and this research will display the advantages of 3D printing based on workflows, time and cost outlines, and quality characteristics. Andy Phongphouthai is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in animation technology with plans of graduating in May 2020. One of his most enjoyable projects has been a bridge project involving the preservation of the Old Lee Creek Bridge. His most prominent role was recreating the bridge by using 3D software which involved measuring the bridge for accurate dimensions. Andy’s goal after graduating college is work as a 3D modeler at either V1 Interactive in Seattle or Archetype Entertainment in Austin, Texas. Andy has a bright future to look forward to and is preparing accordingly to make sure his vision becomes reality.
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Student Research Symposium Arduino Quadcopter
Presented by Jennie Keohacksa, Forrest Lasiter, and Luke McDonald Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kiyun Han Table 9 As technology advances, the demand to know more increases. For complex devices, such as a drone, it may seem too big for many people because there is a lot of things going on that the engineer will have to worry about. Some components include the flight controller, gyroscope, motors, speed controllers, etc. The group then decided to recreate an existing DIY project called Project YMFC-AL - The Arduino Auto-Level Quadcopter from brokking.net. This project is an Arduino based quadcopter. The code that the group used was the exact same as the developer’s program. As for the hardware, there were a few differences: the frame of the drone, the battery specification, and the RC controller transmitter and receiver. Because of some of the hardware specification differences, part of the code had to be tweaked to the appropriate levels of operation. The frame was designed using SolidWorks software and 3-D printed using PLA material, the battery is a more efficient version than the developer’s battery, and the RC controller and receiver used by the group is an older version than what the developer used. After recreating this project, the group has a better understanding of how each component is essential to a drone. Jennie Keohacksa graduated from Fort Smith Northside High School in the spring of 2015 and started attending the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith that fall. She acquired an Associate of Applied Science in electronics technology at UAFS in the spring of 2019. She is currently finishing a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering technology and expects to graduate in the spring of 2020. Forrest Lasiter graduated high school in 2013 and began to earn an associate degree in electronics technology in 2015. He missed three semesters in 2016-2017 due to an overseas deployment, but completed his associate. He is currently completing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Luke McDonald was home schooled from kindergarten through 12th grade. He loves working at his local church, First Baptist Fort Smith, and also enjoys wood working, video games, and photography. He will graduate from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with an associate degree in electronics technologies in May 2020.
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Student Research Symposium Electronically Enhanced Smart Measure Presented by Eran Robertson, Brett Fisher, and Josh Pottridge Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kiyun Han Table 10
In the industry such as a wooden sawmill, there are times when a worker will have to count and estimate the number of an object, in this case wooden planks, that will fit in a given space. Although this is just simple arithmetic, it can be time consuming. Thus, the Electronically Enhanced Smart Measure (EESM) was introduced. With the EESM, it saves the user time by doing live calculations thanks to the Arduino Nano. The outer casing may include a keypad and an LCD screen. Inside the tape measure will include a set of rollers near the exit port of the tape measure and a rotary encoder to electronically measure the distance the tape measure extends from the case along with the Arduino Nano. The user will be able to select the appropriate measuring unit either through default presets or a custom mode. In order to use the calculations feature, the user must pull out the blade of the measuring tape to their desired distance. With the press of a button, a rotary switch will retract the blade and the Arduino Nano will calculate and display the total distance divided by the chosen distance on the small LCD screen. Eran Robertson is a fifth-year college student set to graduate from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in December 2020. He is an electronics engineering technology major with aspirations to work in the field of robotics. He is proficient in the field of mathematics and critical thinking and considers himself a very logical thinker. Brett Fisher is a senior in the electrical engineering technology degree program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He currently work at Sams’s Club in Fort Smith. He will graduate this spring, after which he wants to go into software. Josh Pottridge is a senior in the electrical engineering technology degree program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He rides mountain bikes and loves building and restoring cars along with modifying the vehicles he owns using his own engineering.
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Student Research Symposium The Resourcefulness of Creativity Presented by Jenna Drake Faculty Sponsor: Peter Cullum Table 11
Peter Cullum, an art professor at UAFS, once told me that a majority of creativity boils down to simply combining ideas. Combining good, combining bad, combining whatever you have on hand. Don Quixote de la Mancha was a story of a man so wrapped in his chivalric romances that he started to believe he was a knight. Despite him being in an imaginary world of his own and everyone doubting his sanity, he was able to accomplish much more than he would have without his delusions. This story showcases the duality of man; the incredible and the terrible parts combine to create a whole person. While Quixote had his imagination to manage his quests, in Ukraine, people in the mountains utilized the resources around them. Alpaca wool ponchos keep men warm while toiling at high altitudes, and the slits down the sides keep their arms free to move. Out of a place of necessity, humanistic expression occurs. An essential element an artist can possess is the ability to analyze the origin of an idea and how that can ultimately reveal the humanity behind it. Jenna Drake graduated from Fort Smith Southside High School in 2019 and is a freshman majoring in graphic design at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She has always had a love for art, and through her studies at Southside she recognized she also had a love for computers. While being incredibly indecisive on her major, over time she realized the combination of the two was possible and that she could find a career that balanced what she loved. Jenna plans to one day start a freelance career, however, she also loves working with others and shows strong leadership capabilities.
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Student Research Symposium Exploring Grainger’s Timeless Classic “Molly on the Shore” Presented by Charles Melby Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alexandra Zacharella Table 12
Percy Aldridge Grainger was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1882 and died in 1961, in White Plains, New York. Grainger was a world-renowned composer, who left his mark on wind band repertoire. His musical works are riveting, dynamic and complex. Some of Grainger’s most famous compositions include, “Lincolnshire Posy,” “Irish Tune from County Derry” (“Danny Boy”), and “Molly on the Shore.” This poster session will discuss in detail, Grainger’s composition “Molly on the Shore.” “Molly on the Shores’” musical material derives from an Irish jig from two Irish Reels, “Molly on the Shore” and “Temple Hill.” The two reels come from the book “The Complete Collection of Irish Music” as noted by George Petrie, ed.by Charles Villiers Stanford. The composition begins with a driving woodwind motif based on the Irish reel. The brass voicings provide counter melodies and rhythms that support the thematic material. The percussion instruments add color and contrast to help mark the endings of musical phrases. The reel repeats and transforms throughout entire the work. “Molly on the Shore” also draws from Gregorian chant that includes irregular rhythms to support the development and evolution of the piece. Charles John Melby III is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education in instrumental music at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Charles serves as the principal bassoonist of the UAFS Wind Ensemble and performs in the UAFS woodwind quintet. As a graduate of Fort Smith Northside High School, he performed in the Northside Wind Ensemble, was a member of the ASBOA All-Region Band, was in the ArkACDA Choir for three years, and was in the ASBOA All-State Band in 2016, when he was presented with the Senior Musicianship Award at Northside. In high school Charles also was a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Core (ROTC), earning the award of Cadet of the Month and receiving the SAI Award for Leadership Excellence.
A Comparative Analysis of Cybercrime in the European Union and the United States Presented by Tristan Goodell Faculty Sponsor: Nikki Kennedy Table 13
The number and threat of cybercrimes have exploded in the past decade. As a result, the United States implemented several cybercrime counter-measures. Despite this, two-thirds of Americans believe the US government is not doing enough to combat cybercrime. In an effort to satisfy constituents and ensure the digital security of the United States, the United States should analyze the anti-cybercrime measures implemented by other governments. Specifically, the anti-cybercrime legislation in the European Union should be studied. Starting with Sweden’s Datalagen (Data Act) in 1973, the anti-cybercrime policies instituted in the European Union have inspired other countries to improve their cybercrime law. The purpose of this research project is to perform a comparative analysis between cybercrime in the European Union and the United States. This analysis uses the data provided by the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the European Commission to determine the effectiveness of EU anti-cybercrime measures. Tristan Goodell is dual enrolled at the Arkansas School for Math, Sciences, and the Arts (ASMSA) and the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is interested in computer science and enjoys competing in computer science competitions, such as the JOLT Cyber Challenge.
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Student Research Symposium The Correlation of Mental Health and Juvenile Incarcerations Presented by Josie Lee Faculty Sponsor: Nikki Kennedy Table 14
Youth incarceration numbers across the United States have become a prominent issue, and the lack of mental health services rewards this problem. This paper analyzes the correlation of mental health services in each county in the state of Arkansas and the amount of youth incarcerations in those same counties in the state of Arkansas. Each juvenile detention center in the state of Arkansas was located, as well as where each county houses their troubled youth to assess the stability of juvenile detention centers. The amount of psychologists, psychiatrists, and licensed social workers in each county were recorded. The juvenile incarcerations in each county in the year 2015 were recorded in order to compare this to the number of mental health services in that county. Each county was classified by their risk of having high incarceration levels, which was determined by the ratio of mental health services to the number of children in that county. Although there are many concerns about a broken juvenile system, it could not be statistically determined that a lower number of mental health services increases the number of juvenile incarcerations in a county. Josie Lee is a junior at Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts. She is from Bryant and plans to major in psychology. After completing her undergraduate, she plans to go to medical school to become an adolescent psychiatrist.
Shark Nets and Shark Encounter Presented by Hope Coffman Faculty Sponsor: Nikki Kennedy Table 15
Australia has implemented the use of shark nets in order to prevent shark encounters and attacks. Previous research suggests that these nets are inefficient and damage the environment. Due to the declining population of sharks, there are concerns that the nets cause more overall harm than protection. The number of unprovoked shark encounters from each state of Australia was recorded and divided by the population of that state. This was done for the years of 2013-2018. This data was then separated into two groups: states with shark nets and states without. In order to examine the effect of the shark nets, the researcher ran a t-Test to examine the relationship between the means of the two groups. The two-sample t-Test showed no significant difference in encounters between the locations with shark nets compared to those without shark nets. More evidence would be necessary in order to show that shark nets should remain because of their inefficiency and detrimental harm to marine life. Hope Coffman of Bryant is a junior at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, and playing retro arcade games. She also enjoys football and reading. Her interest in sharks is due to her family allowing for her interest in marine life to develop from a young age. She intends to pursue a career in the medical field, but her passion for marine life will continue to develop in her following years.
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Student Research Symposium Perceptions of College Course Content Among Secondary Mathematics Educators Presented by Darian Wilson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Myron Rigsby Table 16
In-service teachers of 7-12 mathematics in Arkansas were surveyed regarding the importance of proof-related topics in the 7-12 curriculum and their preparation and confidence in their knowledge for teaching these topics. The survey design was based on topics covered in the Arkansas Standards, PRAXIS examinations, and ACT Aspire, including direct proof, indirect proof, visual representations, sequences, properties of relations, and counterexamples. Each parallel section from the survey was analyzed through running correlation tests and creating frequency charts for each question as well as for pairings of questions within each section. Additionally, the difference in importance and prepared values of each participant were analyzed through a matchedpairs t-test. Averages were calculated for each question to determine participants’ overall perception of that question. On most topics, there was low to moderate correlations between teachers’ rating of the importance of a topic and their level of confidence in teaching the topic and/or their expectations of students in most areas. In all six topics, the level of preparation was reported as below the perceived importance of the topic. Recommendations are made for enhancing and broadening the preparation of teacher candidates in the teaching of proof-related concepts. Darian Wilson of Greenwood is currently in her third year at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in mathematics with teacher licensure. She will graduate in the fall of 2020, after which she plans to stay in the Fort Smith area and begin teaching secondary mathematics. She would also like to earn certification to teach 5th- and 6th-grade mathematics to allow for more flexibility and options in her future career. For Darian teaching is far more than just a career. Teaching is truly a passion that someone has to have - for their content and their students. WIthout this passion she believes that teachers can ultimately fail their students and rob them of an appropriate educational experience.
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Student Research Symposium An Anomalous Gestation
Presented by Tenessa Wroten and Oaklie Jackson Faculty Sponsors: Brandy Weidman and Jodi Callahan Table 17 Cornual fertilization is an uncommon variant of ectopic pregnancies. The incidence of this occurrence accounts for 2-4% of all ectopic pregnancies. A cornual pregnancy can be hard to diagnose due to its asymptomatic tendencies. The likelihood of trauma increases the necessity of early diagnosis because the gestational sac becomes embedded in the interstitial portion of the fallopian tube. A ruptured gestational sac may result in hemorrhage, contributing to the high maternal mortality rate. A transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound is the preferred diagnostic methods of imaging. A case report is reviewed of a right cornual pregnancy in a 22-year-old female presenting with heavy bleeding and abdominal cramping. Tenessa Wroten is from the small town of Charleston. She enjoys spending time with her 6-year-old son Holden, her two dogs, and her cat. She also loves to read and likes to travel any opportunity she has. She currently works for the Mercy Convenient Care clinics in Fort Smith as a lab and X-ray tech. Once she finishes her degree, she hopes to work for Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital. She loves to work with children and cannot wait to start her career contributing to the amazing care they deserve. Oaklie Jackson grew up in Winslow and has since moved to Fort Smith to attend the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Oaklie completed the radiography program this past summer and is now a student in the diagnostic medical sonography program at UAFS. She works as a radiographer/lab tech at a pediatric clinic ,but has hopes of becoming a traveling sonographer once she graduates. Oaklie loves to travel and explore new places as well as spend time outside. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, and lying in her hammock with a good book. She plans to finish school to help achieve her dreams of seeing the world and helping people along the way.
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Student Research Symposium Scrotal Pearls: A Case Study Presented by Celeste Lemus and Audrey Legg Faculty Sponsor: Brandy Weidman Table 18
Scrotal pearls or scrotal calculi are benign macro-calcifications within the scrotum. They can be viewed sonographically as a hyperechoic, extratesticular mass. Scrotal calculi are typically an incidental finding as they cause very few problems medically. Although they are rare, when scrotal calculi are found, they typically lie within hydroceles, which may be a link to their cause. A case report is reviewed of a 79-year old patient who had a history of a left inguinal hernia. Consequently, a single scrotal calculi was found in the left scrotal sac measuring 0.7 cm x0.8 cm x0.8 cm. Celeste Lemus is a junior in the sonography program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is from Green Forest and is 23 years old. Celeste comes from a large but close-knit family and is the oldest of four siblings. She enjoys spending her free time with friends and family. Celeste became interested in the medical field at a young age. She always knew she wanted to make a difference in patients’ lives in any way she could. After much research and prayer, she discovered medical imaging. She fell in love with the field and is currently a radiologic technologist at NorthWest Medical Center in Springdale. Celeste strives to become a diagnostic medical sonographer. After graduation she plans to continue to work in the imaging field as a sonographer and continue to make a difference in patients’ lives. Audrey Legg of Sherman, Texas, is currently a CT technologist at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. She loves animals, music, and hiking. Her favorite thing about Arkansas is all of the beautiful nature. After she graduates from ultrasound school, she plans to eventually becoming a traveling ultrasound technologist so that she can get paid to see the world while doing the job that she is passionate about.
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Student Research Symposium Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome
Presented by Ashley Holubeck, Madison Weir, and Carley Wooldridge Faculty Sponsors: Brandy Weidman and Alisa Cole Table 19 Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a complication of monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins. This occurs when there is an unbalanced transfusion across the placenta and leads to volume of red blood cell imbalance between the twins. In severe cases of TTTS, the mortality rate is as high as 90% if left untreated. This condition can be diagnosed by using sonographic imaging to detect oligohydramnios in one amniotic sac and polyhydramnios in the other sac. Treatment for TTTS includes: fetoscopic laser surgery, amnioreduction, septostomy, radiofrequency ablation, or termination of pregnancy. A case report is reviewed of twin-twin transfusion syndrome in a 19-week, 5-day pregnancy with MCDA twins. Ashley Holubeck is a student of the diagnostic medical sonography program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She lives in Greenwood with her husband and three daughters and has been employed as a radiology technologist at Mercy of Waldron since 2014. In her free time, she enjoys running and plans to train for a marathon in the future. Madison Weir grew up in Van Buren and currently works at Premier Pediatrics in Fort Smith. She is uncertain as to where she will live after graduating from the sonography program. at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Madison is a huge lover of animals and thoroughly enjoys the outdoors. She loves to kayak and to see new places. The most important things to her are God, family, and friends. Carley Wooldridge grew up in Booneville, but has resided in Fort Smith since she started college at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in the fall of 2016. She is currently a junior in the medical sonography program. Carley has an associate degree in radiography, which she obtained last summer. She works as an X-ray and lab technician at Mercy Convenient Care in Fort Smith. When Carley finishes her bachelor’s degree in diagnostic medical sonography, she plans to work as an ultrasound technician in the Northwest Arkansas area. In her free time, she loves to go hiking, camping, or floating with her fiancé and their dog, Mack.
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Student Research Symposium Testing the Water Quality of Vache Grasse Creek Presented by Saloni Ramnathkar and Emily French Faculty Sponsor: Roger Lightner Table 20
In this research project, we are examining the water quality of a creek in Sebastian County, Arkansas. Water samples from Vache Grasse creek will be gathered from six different locations at four separate times. As the samples are collected, we expect to see a gradual change in the quality of water as the sample sites move downstream. We hypothesize that the water quality will be purer in areas that are more secluded and less pure at sites closer to human activity. Various information will be collected about each sample site to accurately analyze the purity. Parameters selected for analysis include, turbidity, presence or absence of coliform bacteria, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate and phosphate. Preliminary data from coliform testing indicates this stream is unique because the headwaters are located close to cattle ranches and pollution levels are immediately higher than was hypothesized. Saloni Ramnathkar is in her second year at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in biology with a biomedical concentration. After completing a bachelor’s degree, she wants to take the DAT exam and apply for admission to dental school, then later pursue specialization in either ortho-dentistry or pediatric dentistry and also receive either a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Medical Dentistry. She has a lot of passion for learning new things, especially about the teeth, and wants to learn more in the field of dentistry and use the knowledge she has learned in my future career. With her passion of becoming a doctor, she can make a huge difference in her career. Emily French was born and raised in Fort Smith. She is a sophomore at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Outside of school she works at First United Methodist Church Child Enrichment Center. She is majoring in biology and hopes to attend dental school after graduating with an ultimate goal of becoming a pediatric dentist.
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Student Research Symposium Mating Type Identification and Biology of Sex in Dictyostelium discoideum Presented by Harrison Jenkins, Michael Smith, and Connor Catron Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandhya Baviskar Table 21
Dictyostelium discoideum is a unicellular, bactivorous, soil - dwelling amoeba. When food is available, it reproduces asexually. Under certain environmental conditions such as darkness and humidity, Dictyostelium reproduces sexually. The sexual cycle is uniquely social and has unusual features. Sexual reproduction in most eukaryotes usually involves fusion of two gametes, but in Dictyostelium triparental inheritance is observed where gamete fusion involves more than two gametes. The resulting zygote, called macrocyst, is a multinucleate giant cell. Most eukaryotic species have two sexes or mating types, but Dictyostelium species are known to have more than two mating types. Even though Dictyostelium species show variations in sexual interactions, they look morphologically very similar. New natural isolates of Dictyostelium are generally identified and classified based on morphology. Because variations in sexual interactions has genetic basis, many researchers agree that morphological species identification is not accurate, and that mating type identification be used to identify new isolates. The goals of this project are 1) to identify mating type of DdOZK11A (a natural isolate from Ozark region, AR) by gene presence/absence assay 2) To study macrocyst biology by crossing DdOZK11A strain with strains of known mating types. Results of this important and novel study will be presented at this conference. Harrison Jenkins is a Fort Smith native currently in his junior year at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He is enrolled in a dual degree program with a primary major in biology and a secondary major in chemistry. Harrison is serving his second year as the College of STEM representative on the UAFS Student Government Association. He will graduate in May 2021, after which he plans to attend medical school because of his love for the science of the human body and the desire to give back to the Fort Smith community. Michael Smith is a proud husband to Lela Smith and father to a beautiful baby girl named Mila. Michael is a combat veteran of the U.S. Army, trained as a petroleum supply specialist, and proudly served from 2007 through 2011. He is currently a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in biochemistry. Michael has applied to attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and is currently on the waitlist for acceptance for the fall of 2020. He is currently an employee at the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Community College as a tutor of all subjects offered on campus, as well as a science lab instructor. Michael is the son of Bonnie C. Jewell and Boyd S. Smith Sr. He was born at Sparks Regional Hospital in Fort Smith and raised in Polk County, currently residing in Hatfield. Connor Catron is a motivated, self-driven and extremely personal young man. At the age of 13, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. He quickly realized he would want to pursue a career in the healthcare industry. He is currently a junior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in biochemistry and is very active in many on-campus organizations. Connor has spent many hours working and observing for oral surgeon Dr. JB Hays. He also enjoys observing his father, Dr. Kyle Catron. Through these experiences Connor has quickly learned he has a passion for the field of dentistry. Connor plans to apply to multiple dental schools this upcoming summer. Connor was raised in Van Buren, where he now enjoys giving back to the community that gave him so much. He is a hard worker and acknowledges the importance of giving back to his community.
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Student Research Symposium Synthesis of Optically Pure L-/(S)-y-Amino Acids from Commercial D-/(R)-aAmino Acids Using Mayer-Schuster Rearrangement Presented by Rabia Sajjad Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Souvik Banerjee Table 22
In recent years there has been tremendous interest in the synthesis of homologated β- or γ-proteinogenic amino acids that differ from naturally occurring amino acids in one or two methylene groups, amongst medicinal and bioorganic chemists. A variety of natural products, including physiologically active and toxic ones, consisting β and γ-amino acid moieties have been presented. The additional Carbon-Carbon bonds in the γ-peptides did not give rise to chaotic increase in their secondary structures. On the contrary, the γ-peptides are known to form very tight 10/12-, 12- and 14-helices. Additionally, in vivo PK/PD experiments demonstrated that γ-peptides are completely stable against different kinds of proteases. Thus, recently, there has been many reports on biological evaluation of novel γ-peptides as anti-cancer as well as anti-microbial agents. However, synthesis of optically pure-γ-amino acid building blocks in an affordable and concise manner remains a challenge in the organic synthetic chemistry community. We are attempting to make use of the Mayer-Schuster rearrangement to homologate the commercially available D-Amino Acids into corresponding g-amino acids in a few steps and under microwave conditions. Rabia Sajjad was born in Pakistan and came to the United States in 2011. She graduated from Fort Smith Southside High School and is currently pursuing a degree in biology with a concentration in biomedical professionals at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Rabia is planning to go to medical school and be a family physician. She is excited to see what her future holds. Rabia is involved in the NSLS and ALD at UAFS. She is passionate to volunteer and enjoys helping other people at whatever chance she gets. When she is not volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones and traveling the world.
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Student Research Symposium Development of a Standard Methodology for the Collection and Quantification of Microplastics in Fort Smith Regional Waterways Presented by Samantha Barnett and Emily Blitz Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Jordan Mader and Dr. Maurice Testa Table 23
Microplastics are defined as either synthetic solid particles or polymers between one micron and five millimeters. These particles are insoluble in water, which allows them to accumulate in water sources. Additionally, their size allows them to be ingested by organisms such as fish and potential food sources for larger organisms, including humans. Additionally, microplastics can act as a carrier to heavy metals, increasing the concentration of heavy metals within sediment samples as dense microplastics settle down to the river bed. A standard operating procedure for collecting and analyzing microplastics within water samples has not yet been devised to allow for adequate comparison of data across studies.This project is a preliminary investigation into creating a methodology to evaluate the identity and volume of microplastics traveling in the Arkansas River and its tributaries local to the Fort Smith area. Analysis of microplastics will be done using density separation with ATR-IR to differentiate between specific microplastics within a sample. Samantha Barnett is a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in geoscience and is expected to graduate during the fall of 2020. She has been researching under Drs. Jordan Mader and Maurice Testa for a year-and-a-half and has plans to continue research until she graduates. She plans to continue her education by attending law school and focusing on environmental law. Emily Blitz is a sophomore biochemistry major with a minor in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is working with Drs. Jordan Mader and Maurice Testa to help develop methodologies for quantification of materials that meet at the crossroads of these disciplines. When she is not exploring her various research projects, Emily is busy with her duties as the vice president of Chemistry Club and Math Club. She hopes to someday be crowned the queen of organic chemistry when she pursues an M.D./Ph.D.
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Student Research Symposium Structural Optimization of Small Molecule Autotaxin Inhibitor to Develop Potent Autotaxin/LPAR1 Dual Inhibitor for IPF Presented by Katelyn Smith Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Souvik Banerjee Table 24
Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted lysophospholipase D that catalyzes the production of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a pleiotropic growth-factor–like lysophospholipid. LPA signaling modulates cell proliferation, invasion, adhesion, angiogenesis, and survival that can promote cancer growth and metastasis. Thus, ATX and Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor Subtype 1 (LPAR1) signaling axis has been known to promote tumorigenesis, including renal, prostate, breast, and cervical, and be involved in the acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. We have developed a small molecule dual inhibitor of ATX-LPAR1 axis (SB-3f) with strong activity against ATX, but weak efficacy against LPAR1. Currently, there is only one specific LPAR1 antagonist, namely AM095, reported by Amira Pharmaceuticals. However, AM095 could not make it to the clinic probably due to its affinity towards other LPA receptors. Our compound (SB-3f) is specific to the LPAR1. Thus, we are making efforts to combine crucial structural motifs from each scaffold and come up with a potential dual inhibitor, specific for LPAR1, of ATX-LPAR1 axis as shown in the Figure. Currently, research showing that both ATX inhibitors and LPAR1 inhibitor are good for the treatment of IPF. Hence, we hypothesize that the dual inhibitors of ATX-LPAR1 axis will outperform the individual ATX and LPAR1 Inhibitors. Katelyn Smith was born in Layton, Utah, and raised in Cabot. She was home schooled until the 4th grade, at which point she was put into public school. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology with a concentration in biomedical professions at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Katelyn has plans for medical school. She has a special interest in pediatrics. In her spare time, Katelyn has a passion for traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures, reading, cooking, volunteering, and spending time with her family and two cats.
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Student Research Symposium Development of New Quinolone Derivatives Through Intra-Molecular Mannich and Mayer-Schuster Rearrangement as Anti-Cancer Agents Presented by Zane Neal Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Souvik Banerjee Table 25
Quinolones have a large bio-dynamicity. Although they are well known as antibacterial, another important activity has been investigated – quinolones are able to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. In view of the great versatility associated with the synthesis of quinolones, many researchers have spent time and resources on the development of new structurally diversified quinolone derivatives with the purpose of finding new possibilities for cancer treatment. Thus, we are making efforts to prepare diverse quinolone derivatives using proline or beta proline catalyzed intra-molecular anti-Mannich type reactions under microwave conditions to cut down long reaction time. Additionally, we are pursuing Bronsted acid catalyzed intra-molecular Mayer-Schuster rearrangement to prepare 4-quinolones. We are carrying out diverse N-protecting groups and substituents in phenyl rings to observe the structure and activity relationship (SAR). By controlling the catalyst loading, o-anilinopropargyl alcohols undergo the expected transformation to produce N-protected or N-deprotected 2,3-dihydro-4 (1H)-quinolones in good yields exploiting Mayer-Schuster rearrangement. This transformation probably involves a tandem Meyer–Schuster rearrangement/intramolecular hydroamination reaction process. Zane Neal was born in Fort Smith and raised in Hackett, where he attended school from kindergarten until graduation of high school. Zane is currently pursuing a degree in chemistry with concentration in biochemistry at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He wants to continue on to grad school to get a Ph.D. in biochemistry, though he is unsure where he wants to go as of yet. When not at school or work, he likes to spend time with friends, playing video games or riding horses.
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Student Research Symposium Potent, Metabolically Stable and Less Toxic Microtubule Polymerization Inhibitors for Resistant Melanoma and Prostate Cancer Presented by McKenzi Bromley Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Souvik Banerjee Table 26
Disruption of microtubule assembly by colchicine binding site inhibitors (CBSI) is a well-established strategy in cancer chemotherapy. However, most of the CBSI suffer from multi-drug resistance and toxicity to the normal cells. There is considerable demand in highly potent CBSIs with higher therapeutic indices. Recently, we have developed CBSIs, that belong to the Azixa family, capable of inhibiting tumor growth in A375 melanoma xenograft model and significantly overcoming multi-drug resistance in paclitaxel resistant prostate cancer xenograft model. However, the Azixa family compounds come with higher toxicity associated with extremely high potency leading to narrow therapeutic indices. Azixa was first introduced for the treatment of glioblastoma, however, it could not make it to the market for the observed cardiovascular toxicity. We have also reported recently that ABI compounds with relatively less efficacy with improved maximum tolerating dose (MTD). With this being said, we would like to pick the crucial structural motifs from each scaffold and derive a new scaffold with improved efficacy and reduced toxicity for the broader therapeutic indices. McKenzi Bromley was born in Fort Smith and attended the Van Buren School district her entire life, graduating from Van Buren High School. She is currently pursuing her degree in biology with a concentration in biomedical professions at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. McKenzi has hopes to attend the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine to get her doctorate degree. Though she is not certain which exact specialty she wants to pursue, hopefully the next few years volunteering, researching medicinal chemistry, and shadowing medical professionals will help her make her decision.
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Student Research Symposium Development of Novel Small Molecule LPA5 Specific Antagonists as the Anti-Thrombotic Agents Presented by Ryan Whatcott, Alexis Dear, and Olivia Coulter Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Souvik Banerjee Table 27
Platelets and oxidized low- density lipoprotein (LDL) play an important role in the development of thrombosis, atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. Nature’s simplest phospholipid, 1-acyl/alkyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphate, aka. lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) accumulates in oxidized LDL and gets exposed upon rupture of atherosclerotic plaques and activates platelets. Upon activation, platelets release a number of coagulation factors that stimulate platelet aggregation, thrombus formation and adhesion of platelets to endothelial cells. There is compelling evidence in the recent literature suggesting LPA Receptor Subtype 5 (LPA5) is responsible for LPA-mediated activation of human platelets. Hence, inhibition of LPA5 could be a promising strategy for future anti-thrombotic therapeutic strategies, targeting platelet aggregation following plaque rupture. The central hypothesis of this abstract is that inhibition of LPA5 with selective antagonists will have potential therapeutic utility by attenuating platelet activation, aggregation, and thrombus formation. The overall objective of this abstract is to characterize the chemical biology of LPA5 using computationally-guided design, synthesis, and experimentally evaluation of specific LPA5 antagonists. Recently, Kozian 4 has been reported as one of the selective LPA5 inhibitors. However, it has 800 nM IC50 value. We would like to synthetically modify Kozian 4 to derive new analogues with improved efficacy while retaining the selectivity. Ryan Whatcott was born in Carson City, Michigan, and moved to Fort Smith when he was 5 years old. He graduated from Greenwood High School and volunteered two years in Fortaleza, Brazil, as a missionary serving the community there. He is married to Helene Ulriksen, who is from Porsgrunn, Norway. He is currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with his next academic pursuit involving going to medical school. He has a special interest in physical management and rehabilitation and ophthalmology, as well as an interest in infectious diseases. In his spare time, Ryan likes to play disc golf, go fishing, and travel with his wife. Alexis Dear was born in Fort Smith and attended County Line High School in Branch. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry. After college she plans to attend medical school, after which she plans to specialize as a pediatric oncologist. In her free time, she participates in slow pitch softball, basketball, and spending time outdoors. Olivia Coulter was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and attended Sallisaw High School. She is currently pursuing a degree in biology with a concentration in biomedical professions. Her pursuits after earning her bachelor’s degree include attending medical school and specializing in pediatric oncology. In her free time, Olivia loves to be involved in her sorority, Delta Gamma, watch movies, and listen to classic novels on Audible.
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Student Research Symposium Pesticides Environmental Pollutants Interaction with Human Serum Albumin and Human Drug Metabolizing Cytochrome P450 Enzymes Presented by Audrey Thomas Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Archana Mishra Table 28
Pesticides environmental pollutants (PEPs) are environmental contaminants whose taxological risk factor varies with their exposure and include cellular poisoning, DNA damage and cancer risk. WHO categorizes pesticides environmental pollutants (PEPs) based on their lethal dose (LD50) and of these; aldicarb-sulfoxide, methamidophos, fenpropathrin, and carbofuran, although vary in molecular sizes and structural complexity, come under category of extremely/highly hazardous PEPs (LD50 < 50 mg/kg). Therefore, investigation of interaction of PEPs with biologically relevant macromolecules is needed to fully assess their chronic and acute effect on human health and potential ways to prevent that. The first aspect of this study involves studying the interaction of selected PEPs with a promiscuous and the dominant serum protein, human serum albumin (HSA). HSA is unique in its ability to bind various endogenous and exogenous molecules on its one of the several binding sites. Our molecular docking and MD simulation study investigates PEPs binding preference for one subdomain vs the other subdomain of HSA and specifically explores key structural determinants of ligand and protein that direct preferential binding of one ligand vs the other and one binding site vs the other. The second aspect of this study involves investigating the PEPs binding and activation/inhibition of human drug metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9. These three P450s metabolize >50% exogeneous molecules in the liver. Therefore, inhibition/activation of these P450s by exogeneous molecules have severe consequences for human health. Using molecular docking, we have specifically investigated binding of PEPs with these P450s and determined whether this binding could lead to PEPs metabolism and/or P450 activation or inhibition. The result of this study will inform the effect of PEPs on human health and help in designing effective anti-PEPs poisoning therapies Audrey Thomas is working toward a degree in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith while planning to further her career by attending graduate school. She aspires to be a biochemical researcher with a particular interest in disease caused by environmental and genetic factors such as cancer-related illnesses.
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Student Research Symposium Designing Halogen Based Memantine Drug for Alzheimer’s Disease Presented by Honey Matevia Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 29
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease characterized by cognitive deterioration. Memantine decreases the symptoms of dementia and neurocognitive disorders associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Memantine binds to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor to prevent the binding of glutamate this disables the receptor. Herein, we have designed some memantine derivatives incorporating fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Halogenation holds the promise of effective drug design by facilitating the drug molecules to cross biological barriers, filling small hydrophobic pockets present in protein targets, prolonging lifetime and easy adsorption. Hartree-Fock theory has been employed to optimize all drugs using Gaussian software implemented in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. The dipole moment of memantine is 1.464 Debye, which was significantly increased with halogenation. This may play a role in determining the activity of drugs as elevated dipole moment has been considered a good indicator to promote non-bonded interactions in drug-receptor complexes. Electrostatic potential showed that N6 was highly negative and H8 was highly positive in the parent drug. In derivatives, N6 was still highly negative; however, H5, H1, H9 and H3 were highly positive. HOMO-LUMO gap of the derivatives was lower compared to the parent drug, which indicates that derivatives may promote more interaction with the receptor protein. Honey Matevia was born in Van Buren and graduated from Van Buren High School in 2018. She is currently pursuing a biomedical degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with the intention to further her degree to become a physician’s assistant. She has a special interest in cardiology and hopes this will guide her future career choices. She is a certified nursing assistant and has a passion for caring for others. Her hobbies include taking her dog to the park, mountain biking, traveling, and reading.
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Student Research Symposium Non-Covalent Interaction of Menthol-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent Presented by Claudia Macall Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 30
Menthol is an organic compound that can be made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or mint oils with flavoring and local anesthetic properties. When added to pharmaceuticals and foods, menthol functions as a fortifier for peppermint flavors. Recently menthol with acetic acid and pyruvic acid can be used as a Deep eutectic solvent (DES). DES is the alternative and greener solvent in which two or more compounds mixed and form complex, where commonly a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) are used. In DES, methanol can act as hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and acid can act as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA). In this study, we investigated the non-covalent interactions of methanol with acetic acid and pyruvic acid. All computational calculations are performed by TINKER available in WebMO open access computational chemistry software. Hydrogen bond surface of the menthol:acetic acid and menthol: pyruvic acid are calculated with Discovery Studio 4.5. Our results show that a hydrogen bond is formed with a distance of 2.10 Å where the oxygen in -OH group of menthol acts as HBD and the hydrogen in –COOH group acts as HBA. Nearly similar hydrogen bond is detected for menthol: pyruvic acid complex. Claudia Macall was born in New York but raised in El Salvador. She came back to the United States at 16 to continue her studies. She attended high school in Van Buren, after which she enrolled at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith to pursue a degree in biochemistry. Claudia is currently a medical scribe in the emergency department at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith. She aspires to become a physician and help under-served communities.
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Student Research Symposium Exploring the Lysozyme Enzyme Conformation in Acidic, Basic and Organic Environments by Mass Spectrometry Presented by Muhammad Abdul Rahim Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 31
Lysozymes are antimicrobial enzymes produced by animals, which forms the innate immune system. Lysozymes catalyze the hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in peptidoglycan. To understand the protein function, it is important to know the conformational changes within the protein and the rate of interconversion between the conformations. In this study, we explore the folding and unfolding conformation of the Lysozyme enzyme in various environments by mass spectrometry. All mass spectrometry experiments were carried out on an Electrospray Ionization (ESI) coupled a with Thermo LTQ mass spectrometer. Mass spectra was acquired using a mass range of 200–4000 m/z. In neutral conditions, charged states including 7+ to 12+ were found for Lysozymes in which the 10+ charge state became the dominant peak. However, in a basic solution (1% NH4OH), charged states reduced from 6+ to 10+ where the 9+ charge state was the most intense peak at 1592.67 m/z. Reduced charged states were also detected for a 1% acetic acid solution. However, in a 50% methanol solution, Lysozymes partially unfolded with a charge state distribution from 8+ to 13+. This study shows that alcohol causes more unfolding of Lysozyme enzymes while a basic environment helped the enzyme to adopt the folded conformation. Muhammad Abdul Rahim was born in Fort Smith and has lived here his entire life, although his father is from Iraq and his mother is from Lebanon. Muhammad is pursuing a degree in biochemistry at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His hobbies include games, basketball, and watching movies. He graduated from Northside High School in 2019 and is very excited to gain lots of valuable knowledge for the future and ultimately shape his career path into any passion that he chooses. In Dr. Mohammad Halim’s lab, Muhammad is doing research on mass spectrometry and molecular modelling.
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Student Research Symposium Investigating Folding and Unfolding Conformation of Cytochrome C by Mass Spectrometry Presented by Jack Neal Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 32
Cytochrome C is a protein involved in ATP synthesis inside of the mitochondria of cells. Should the cell receive an apoptosis stimulus, however, Cytochrome C will then be released to the cytosol and trigger a program of cell death by means of apoptosis. In order to further study this proteins functions, conformational changes and rate of interconversion between conformations are needed. We investigated the folding and unfolding conformations of Cytochrome C in different environments by using mass spectrometry. The study used all mass spectrometry experiments on an Electrospray Ionization (ESI) with Thermo LTQ mass spectrometer. In an aqueous environment, 7+ to 11+ charge states are noticed and 9+ being most intense. Similar results were found in an acidic condition when 1% acidic acid is used. In alkaline solution (1% NH4OH), the proteins charge state had a reduced distribution from 5+ to 11+ with the most intense charge being 8+. In the presence of 50% methanol, the protein seems to have unfolded to some degree, giving us a much wider range of charge states from 7+ to 17+, having the most intense charge at 13+. The study conducted shows that the organic solvent used can cause more unfolding of Cytochrome C proteins, as a more alkaline environment helped the protein to further adopt its folded confirmation. Jack Neal was born in Beaumont, Texas, and grew up in Colleyville, Texas, most of his life. He originally came to the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith to run cross country. He participated in cross country and Boy Scouts in high school, earning his Eagle Scout just before his 18th birthday. Jack graduated from Grapevine High School in the class of 2019. His major is in biochemistry, and although he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a specific career in mind yet, he likes to be challenged by the obstacles chemistry can provide. He likes to skateboard and hangout with friends in his free time. In Dr. Mohammad Halimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lab, Jack is performing research training on computational chemistry and mass spectrometry.
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Student Research Symposium Alcohol Unfolded Hemoglobin: Insights from Mass Spectrometry Presented by Harmeet Kaur Chohan Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 33
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that originates from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which carry out the oxygen from lungs and transport to the tissues and organs all over the body. Heme is part of hemoglobin that contains iron and gives the ability for hemoglobin to bind with oxygen and transfer it throughout the body. Using Thermo LTQ mass spectrometry, we explored the structure of hemoglobin in different environment specifically, water, 1% acetic acid, 1% NH4OH, and 50% methanol. The mass spectra give different charge states, which indicate whether the protein is folded or unfolded in different environment. When the protein is folded, it means that the protein is in native conformation and can function normally but when the protein is unfolded the protein losses the heme and creates malfunctioning. In this study, the results showed that in neutral state, it has charge state distribution from +7 up to +12, where +10 was the most intense peak. In basic solution, similar pattern was observed. However, with methanol solution, the charge state was spread from +6 to +14 with the most intense peak of +10. On the other hand, in acetic acid solution, the charge state showed from +8 up to +15 with +11 being the intense peak. Thus, hemoglobin with acetic acid and methanol showed more charge states, which indicates that the protein was unfolded while hemoglobin with water and NH4OH showed that the protein was folded. Harmeet Kaur Chohan is an Indian citizen but was born and raised in the Philippines. After she graduated from De La Salle University â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dasmarinas in 2018, she came to the United States to pursue a college degree. She is pursing a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and is currently in her sophomore year. She is working as a student worker in the Office of International Relations at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith. Giving any kind of help to the students is the foundation of everything they do in OIR. Outside of school and work, Harmeet loves to sketch realistic portraits and loves to dance Bhangra and Giddha. In Dr. Mohammad Halimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group, Harmeet is doing research on mass spectrometry and molecular modeling.
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Student Research Symposium Molecular Shape, Electronic and Thermodynamic Properties of Anti-Cancer Drug Mercaptopurine and its Derivatives Presented by Cole Ashton, Sarah Chiles, Stephanie Reyes, Ciera Still, and Lighla Whitson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 34
Mercaptopurine is a drug used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. The stoichiometry of this drug is C5H4N4S and has a molar mass of 152.18 g/mol. In mercaptupurine drug, we replaced S atom with O and Se elements present in the chalcogen group. In addition, we replaced hydrogen with halogen including F and Cl. The aim of this study is to investigate the molecular shape, dipole moment, electronic, thermodynamic properties of mercaptopurine and its derivatives. All theoretical calculations are conducted with Gaussian in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Employing Hartree-Fock theory (HF) theory and minimal STO-3G atomic orbital, computational study is performed to calculate equilibrium geometries and thermodynamic properties including change of enthalpy and Gibbs free energies. The equilibrium geometry shows that structure of mercatopuring is planar and C-S bond distance is 1.602 Å. The dipole moment of the parent drug is 2.865 Debye; however, it is changed with Se and F replacement. Thermodynamics properties demonstrate that all compounds are exothermic. Electrostatic potential map shows that H14 and H10 are highly positive, however, N3 close to sulfur is highly negative. The bonding (HOMO) and anti-bonding (LUMO) gap of mercaptopurine is 0.37 Hartree (10.2 eV). Cole Ashton was born in Hopatcong, New Jersey, and lived there until he was 14. He attended high school in Olathe, Kansas, after which he enrolled at the University of Missouri-Columbia for a degree in biology. After a year he transferred to the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith to be closer to family and changed his major to Bbochemistry. Cole is currently a licensed EMT and is planning on pursuing his paramedic certification alongside his biochemistry degree. He aspires to become an M.D.-Ph.D., specializing in gene therapy research. Sarah Chiles was born in Fort Smith and was home schooled throughout high school. She is currently pursuing a degree in biology with a concentration in biomedical professionals at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Though she is not certain of what her next academic pursuit will entail, Sarah is excited to continue learning. She has a special interest in infectious diseases and intellectual and developmental disabilities, which may guide further study. In her spare time, Sarah likes to paint, sing, and is involved with a student ministry group on campus called Chi Alpha. Stephanie Reyes was born in Florence, Alabama, but grew up in Phoenix,where she lived for 11 years from the age of 3 before moving to Danville. She graduated from Danville High School in 2019 and is currently pursuing a biology degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with the intention of furthering her schooling in order to become a pediatric surgeon. She aspires to make a change in the world and wishes that in the future she is capable of making that change. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys volunteer work, spending time with family and friends, and reading. Ciera Still was born in Benton but grew up in Fort Smith, where she graduated from Northside High School in 2019. Ciera is currently pursuing a biology degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with the goal of becoming a high school biology teacher. Ciera currently works with girls ages 5-18 at Girls Incorporated of Fort Smith to further her experience of working with kids. She hopes to inspire the next generation with science like she was.
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Student Research Symposium Lighla Whitson was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and grew up in Cabot. She graduated with a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in anthropology from Lyon College in 2012. While working as a recruiter for careers in healthcare at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, she discovered a passion for speech and language pathology and made the decision to return to school to pursue a career in the field. When not working or taking classes, she enjoys spending time with friends or indulging in a quiet night at home with a good book.
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Student Research Symposium Designing New Analogs of Anti-Cancer Drug 5-Flourouracil by Computational Chemistry Approach Presented by Hannah Boyett, Tara McKinney, Jade Rogers, and Nathan Ulmer Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 35
5-Fluorouracil is a drug used to treat cancer, which can be administered as an injection or as a topical ointment. The stoichiometry of this drug is C4H3FN2O2 and has a molar mass of 130.078 g/mol. In this study, we have designed new analogs of 5-Fluorouracil by incorporating Cl, CH3, CF3 in the position of F. Theoretical calculations are executed with Gaussian Software in WebMO Computational Platform. The equilibrium geometry of the parent drug and analogs are optimized by Hartree-Fock theory (HF) theory and minimal STO-3G basis set. In addition, vibrational frequency and molecular orbital calculations are performed. The equilibrium geometry shows that the structure of 5-fluorouracil is planar and C-F bond distance is 1.325 Å. The C-Cl bond distance is elongated compared to the parent drug. The dipole moment of the parent drug is 2.807 Debye; however, it is increased with Cl and other replacements. Electrostatic potential map shows that H7 and H9 are highly positive, while O8 and O12 are highly negative. The bonding (HOMO) and antibonding (LUMO) gap of 5-fluorouracil is 0.471 Hartree (12.83 eV). This study reveals that these analogs may promote more binding affinity and non-covalent interactions with the protein receptors related to cancer. Hannah Boyett is a freshman at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith pursuing a degree in biology with a career plan in physical therapy assistance. Hannah played basketball at Muldrow (Oklahoma) High School and helped lead Muldrow to a 30-1 record as a senior. Currently Hannah plays as a guard for the UAFS women’s basketball team. Tara McKinney graduated from Fort Smith Northside High School. She is currently pursuing a biology degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with the goal of becoming an orthodontist. Jade Rogers graduated from Roland High School in Oklahoma. She is a first-generation student and very motivated for chemistry and biology research. Currently she is pursuing a biology degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with a career plan in occupational therapy. Nathan Ulmer is a sophomore pursuing a biology degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He graduated from Poteau (Oklahoma) Senior High School.
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Student Research Symposium Designing Pyrazinamide Derivatives: A Computational Approach Presented by Melissa Cristee, Sam Fuentes, Larry Henley, and Erica Sudderth Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 36
Pyrazinamide is a drug used to treat tuberculosis. In this study, we designed some pyrazinamide derivatives by installing S, Se and halogen atoms. This study investigates the molecular shape, dipole moment, electronic, thermodynamic and molecular orbital properties of Pyrazinamide and its derivatives. All theoretical calculations are conducted with Gaussian Software available in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Hartree-Fock theory (HF) theory and minimal STO-3G basis set are used for computational calculations. The dipole moment of the parent drug is 2.1336 Debye; however, it is increased to 4.080 Debye with replacing O with Se to 5.84, with F replacing one of the H, and a decrease to 1.85 with a substitution of S replacing O. Electrostatic potential of pyrazinamide shows that H13 is highly positive, however, O is highly negative. Its derivatives show that replacing O with S shows a negative charge over N3, replacing O with Se adds a negative charge to the Se, however, while replacing an H with F shows no obvious changes from the parent drug. The bonding (HOMO) and anti-bonding (LUMO) gap of pyrazinamide is 13.68 eV, which is higher than the other derivatives with Se being 10.12 eV, S 10.98 eV, and F 13.14 eV. Melissa Cristee is a non-traditional student majoring in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She graduated from Alma High School. Sam Fuentes graduated from Fort Smith Northside High School. He is a non-traditional student pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with a career plan for teacher licensure. Larry Henley is a non-traditional junior pursuing a degree in history at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Erica Sudderth is a non-traditional freshman pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
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Student Research Symposium Molecular Structure, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Niacin Presented by Brandon Becker and Alyssa Johnson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 37
Niacin is a form vitamin B3 and an essential nutrient for human being. Niacin is used by the body to convert food into usable energy. The chemical formula for Niacin is C6H5NO2. The molar mass is 123.11 g/mol. More in depth, niacin is used for making repairs to DNA, helps the body utilize calcium as well as obtain energy from carbohydrates for the body to use. In the research project, we have investigated the charge distribution, dipole moment, enthalpy, free energy and molecular orbitals of Niacin. Theoretical calculations are executed by Gaussian 16 program available in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. HF/STO-3G level of theory is employed for all calculations. Equilibrium structure reveals that Niacin adopts a slightly deviated planar structure. The computed dipole moment of Niacin is 1.1967 Debye, which increases to 1.3893 Debye if one oxygen is replaced by a sulphur atom. The charge distribution results show that O12, O14 and N5 are very negative, while H13 is highly positive. The bonding (HOMO) and anti-bonding (LUMO) gap of Niacin is 9.98 eV, however, it is increased to 11.36 eV while the oxygen is replaced with S. Brandon Becker graduated from Paris High School and currently he is pursuing a degree in chemistry at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith. Alyssa Johnson is a sophomore currently majoring in biology at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith. She graduated from Paris High School.
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Student Research Symposium Structure, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Presented by Janro Rafanan, Jose Palafox, July Rodriguez, Latrice Swanson, and Lexy Lewis Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 38
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen. In this research, we examined five different PAHs. The objective of this study is to explore the dipole moment, enthalpy, free energy, electrostatic potential, and the bonding and anti-bonding molecular orbital gap of the different PAHs. All theoretical calculations are conducted with Gaussian Software implemented in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Geometry optimization and other calculations are performed using Hartree-Fock theory (HF) with STO-3G basis set. The first PAH is naphthalene (C10H8) has a dipole moment of zero, which indicates that this molecule is non-polar. Electrostatic potential map shows that hydrogen atoms are highly positive, however, central carbon atoms are highly negative. Higher dipole moment (0.6263 Debye) is noticed for acenaphthene, which indicates that it is slightly polar compared to naphthalene. Electrostatic potential map shows that hydrogens in the position of 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 in acenapthlene are highly positive, however, carbon atoms in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11 positions are highly negative. The bonding (HOMO) and anti-bonding (LUMO) gap of naphthalene is very low (0.02624 Hartree), however, this gap for acenaphthene is relatively higher (0.4439 Hartree). Janro Rafanan is a freshman pursuing a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Jose Palafox is a non-traditional first-generation college student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Currently he is pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. July Rodriguez graduated from Fort Smith Northside High School. He is currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Latrice Swanson is a freshman pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Lexy Lewis graduated from Chaparral High School in Phoenix. She is currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
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Student Research Symposium Molecular Shape, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Inorganic and Organo-Arsenic Compounds Presented by Melina Müller, Joseph Watson, Alex Burns, and Blake Dehart Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 39
Arsenic (As) is a metalloid and it is highly toxic in its inorganic form. It is naturally present at high levels in the groundwater of a number of countries, contaminating drinking water and posing a threat to public health. In this research, we worked with the four arsenic compounds including arsenite, arsenate, mono-methylarsenite and mono-methylarsenate. The goal of this study is to inspect the molecular shape, dipole moment, electronic and molecular orbital properties of inorganic and organo-arsenic compounds. All theoretical calculations are conducted with Gaussian16 implemented in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Hartree-Fock theory and minimal STO-3G basis set are employed to calculate equilibrium geometries, dipole moment and electrostatic potentials. The equilibrium geometry shows that the structure of all compounds are trigonal planar with the As-OH bond being 1.937 Å. The dipole moment of arsenite is 2.1215 Debye while the dipole moment of arsenate is 0.9342 Debye. The three oxygen in arsenite are highly negative and three hydrogens are highly positive. However, carbonyl oxygen (C=O) in arsenate is highly negative compared to O2 and O6. The dipole moment and charge distribution of the organo-arsenic compounds are different from the inorganic one. Melina Müller was born in Hamburg, Germany, and graduated from high school there in 2019. After graduation she enrolled at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith as an international student studying biology. Melina aspires to become an M.D. specializing in anesthesiology. Joseph Watson graduated from Fort Smith Southside High School. He is currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Alex Burns was born and raised in Brookhaven, Mississippi, where he started home schooling in the 1st grade. Alex moved to Greenwood his senior year of high school and made the decision to attend the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He plans on majoring in geoscience. Blake Dehart graduated from Greenwood High School and is currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
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Student Research Symposium Molecular Structure, Thermochemistry, Molecular Orbitals, Polar and Nonpolar Region of Theophylline and its Derivatives Presented by Jacob Martin, Samantha Cobos, and Brigham Martin Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 40
Theophylline is a methylxanthine drug used in therapy for respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (bronchitis). In this research, we have replaced the oxygen atom with a sulfur and a selenium atom. The main objective of this study is to study the molecular structure, thermochemistry, molecular orbitals, polar and nonpolar region of theophylline and its derivatives. All computational calculations were performed with the “Gaussian Software” implemented in the WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Semi-empirical PM6 method was used for geometry optimization, however, HF/STO3G level of theory was considered for vibrational frequency and molecular orbital calculations. The electrostatic potential map of theophylline showed that H12 is highly positive, however, O20 is negative and O8 next to carbon is highly negative. The equilibrium geometry showed that the structure of theophylline is planar except for the hydrogen atoms. The C-O bond distance is 1.212 Å. The dipole moment of the parent drug is 4.3239 Debye; however, it gradually increased with the replacement of O with S and Se. Sulfur containing derivative showed the dipole moment at 4.5343 Debye, however, selenium-containing one demonstrated at 6.3560 Debye. Thermodynamics properties demonstrated that all derivatives are exothermic. Jacob Martin is a sophomore currently pursuing a degree in business administration at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Samantha Cobos graduated from Union Christian Academy in Fort Smith. She is a sophomore at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and is currently pursuing a degree in biology. Brigham Martin is a sophomore at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith currently pursuing a degree in nursing.
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Student Research Symposium Exploring the Structure, Electronic and Thermodynamics Properties of Mesalamine Drug Presented by Taylor Tran, Bhumi Masalawala, Brianna Sanchez, and Katelyn Noble Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 41
Mesalazine is used for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and crohn’s disease. It is also known as 5-aminosalicylic acid. This drug was approved for medical use in the United States in 1987. This sensitizes bacteria towards oxidative stress and reduces colonization. This drug cannot be used for children who are under two. Commonly reported side effects of this drug include headache, abdominal pain, constipation, skin rash, and vomiting. This drug has a molar mass of 153.135 g/mol. In this research, we installed S and Se elements to replace O in the –OH and C=O groups. In addition, we also replaced the benzene ring’s H atom with the F element present in the halogen group. The main target of this research is to identify the shape, polar or nonpolar regions, thermodynamic, and molecular orbital properties. To perform the theoretical calculations, we used the Gaussian Software in WebMO Open Access Computational platform. The equilibrium geometry of the Mesalazine is planar. The dipole moment of the parent drug is 2.7856 Debye; however, it is elevated to 3.2123 and 5.1514 Debye, respectively for sulfur and selenium containing derivatives. The dipole moment of the drug is slightly decreased to 2.6412 when fluorine is incorporated. Taylor Tran was born in Fort Smith and moved to Houston at the age of 16. She thought about enrolling in a university somewhere in Texas, but after visiting her hometown she decided to attend the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith to get her bachelor’s degree in biology. Taylor is currently taking classes to become a medical billing and coding/insurance specialist, and plans to build her required experience hours working at a hospital or clinic. She aspires to become a physician assistant. Bhumi Masalawala was born in India where she completed middle school before moving to the United States and completing high school in Irving, Texas. After graduation she moved to Fort Smith and enrolled at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith to pursue a degree in biology. Brianna Sanchez graduated from Fort Smith Northside High School. She is a freshman at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith currently pursuing a degree in biology. Katelyn Noble was born in Fayetteville and attended Fort Smith Southside High School. Fresh out of high school she attended the University of Central Arkansas in hopes of pursuing a nursing degree. But after a few years she found a new passion for science and medicine and decided to move back to her roots and attend the University of Arkansas – Fort smith as a biochemistry student.
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Student Research Symposium Investigating the Structure, Electronic and Molecular Properties of Aspirin and its Sulfur Containing Derivative Presented by Cheyenne Edwards and Ariel Hammonds Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 42
Aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a drug used to ease pain, fever, and inflammation. Aspirin is known as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The stoichiometry of this drug is C9H8O4 which has four oxygen atoms. In this research project, we have replaced the oxygen with sulfur and investigated the influence of sulfur on molecular shape, electronic and molecular properties of aspirin. These calculations are performed using the Gaussian software available in WebMO open access computational platform using HF/STO-3G level of theory. For the original aspirin drug, the dipole moment is 6.1948 Debye, however, the dipole moment of the sulfur containing aspirin is decreased to 5.6808 Debye. The sulfur derivative will be slightly less soluble compared to the parent aspirin. The charge distribution of the aspirin and sulfur-containing derivative is also compared. In aspirin, O18, O17, and O3 are very negative, whereas H16 and H13 are positive. However, sulfur-containing derivative shows that O18, O3, and O15 being negative and S being slightly negative. The HOMO-LUMO gap of the sulfur-containing derivative is slightly reduced to 0.43158 Hartree in comparison with parent aspirin. Cheyenne Edwards grew up mostly in Ozark, though she did move around a lot. She graduated from Ozark High School in May 2019 as an honors graduate and started attending the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith in August 2019. She spent the first semester of her freshman year undecided and declared her major as biology at the start of her second semester. She is currently undecided, but plans to work in either the medical field as a surgeon or anesthesiologist or along the coasts as a marine biologist. Ariel Hammonds grew up in the small town of Cove graduated from the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the fall of 2014. She has been an RN for five years now and is currently working in the ICU at Mercy Hospital. She is taking classes now at UAFS in preparation to start a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in nurse anesthesia graduate program. She would like to improve her graduate-level study skills and get more experience doing scientific research.
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Student Research Symposium Effect of Halogenation on Noxytiolin Drug Presented by Katelyn Robine and Mariah Canady Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 43
Noxytiolin is a drug used for therapeutic irrigation and infections in different body cavities. It is a member of thioureas. Noxytiolin has a stoichiometry of C4H8N2OS and has a molar mass of 120.17 g/mol. In this research, In the drug, we have incorporated halogenation on noxytiolin drug and inspect the structural and electronic properties of all derivatives. In addition, thermodynamics properties of the all compounds are also explored. All theoretical calculations were conducted on WebMO Open Access Computational Platform using wave functional theory such as Hartree-Fock and minimal basis set of STO-3G. The equilibrium geometry shows that the structure of noxytiolin is mostly planar. The dipole moment of noxytiolin is 2.4973 Debye, but when the hydrogens are replaced with fluorine, it is increased to 2.7390 Debye. Similar pattern is also observed for other halogenated derivatives. The electrostatic potential map shows that oxygen present in the parent drug is highly negative while H7 is highly positive. The charge distribution of halogenated derivatives is significantly changed compared to the parent drug. Kaitlyn Robine graduated from Greenwood High School. She is a sophomore and currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith. Mariah Canady graduated from Cedarville High School. She is a sophomore and currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith.
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Student Research Symposium Molecular Structure and Electronic Properties of Pentacene and its Derivatives Presented by Logan Brothers, Andrew Miller, and Aron Turner Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 44
Pentacene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of five linearly-fused benzene rings. This highly conjugated compound is an organic semiconductor. The stoichiometry of Pentacene is C22H14 and has a molar mass of 278.35 g/mol. In Pentacene, we replaced the H atom with O and S elements present in the chalcogen group, and the F and Cl elements in the halogen group. The aim of this study is to investigate the molecular shape, dipole moment, electronic, thermodynamic properties of Pentacene and its derivatives. All theoretical calculations are conducted with Gaussian in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Employing Parameterization Method 6 (PM6) and the Hartree-Fock theory (HF), and minimal STO-3G basis set, computational study is performed to calculate equilibrium geometries, and thermodynamic properties including change of enthalpy and Gibbs free energies. The equilibrium geometry shows that structure of pentacene is linear. The dipole moment is 0.005 Debye; however, it is increased with O, S, and Cl replacement. Electrostatic potential map shows that the C element is highly negative, and the H element is very positive, however it is the opposite with the F, O, and Cl elements. The bonding (HOMO) and anti-bonding (LUMO) gap of Pentacene is 0.28 Hartree (7.69eV) which is higher than the other derivatives. Logan Brothers of Van Buren recently transferred to the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith from Central Baptist College in Conway. He is majoring in psychology with a minor in biology and is working to get into the Arkansas Colleges of Health Sciences physical therapy program to pursue a career as a physical therapist. Andrew Miller was born in Van Buren, where he graduated high school. He is attending college at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Andrew is in his second semester as a freshman. He finished his first semester with a 3.5 GPA and is currently trying to pursue a mechanical engineering degree to help improve and design better technology to improve people’s lives. Aron Turner was born in Fayetteville, but didn’t live there very long. He moved from place to place as a child, but eventually graduated from Hartford High School. Shortly after high school he enlisted in the military, where he conducted funerals for the Army for six years. He now serves as a citizen soldier in the Arkansas Army National Guard as a fire direction chief. Aron was working as a full-time contractor for the Department of Energy when he decided to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He now works part time for the Department of Energy and part time for Gregg’s Cleaning Service at Exide Technologies. Aron is married with three children.
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Student Research Symposium Equilibrium Geometry, Electronic and Thermodynamic Properties of Histamine and its Derivatives Presented by Mason Baker, Kari Sosa, Courtney Steer, and Cladie White Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 45
Histamine is an organic nitrogenous compound involved in local immune responses, as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter for the brain, spinal cord, and uterus. Histamine is also involved in the inflammatory response and has a central role as a mediator of itching. The stoichiometry of this compound is C5H9N3 and has molar mass of 111.17 g/mol. In this research, we have replaced H atom with F and Cl elements present in the halogen group. The main goal of this research is to investigate the molecular shape, dipole moment, electronic, and molecular orbital properties of histamine and its derivatives. All theoretical calculations are executed with Gaussian Software implemented in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform. Hartree-Fock theory (HF) theory and minimal STO-3G basis set are considered. The dipole moment of histamine is 2.8712 Debye. The single fluorination in the Imidazole ring decreases the dipole moment to 2.8062 Debye. On the other hand, chlorination increases the dipole moment to 3.0897 Debye. The electrostatic potential map of the histamine discloses that N7 and N13 are highly negative, however, H9 is highly positive. However, single fluorination does not change the charge distribution. Thermodynamics results show that halogenation of histamine is exothermic. Mason Baker is from Ozark and is majoring in chemistry at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith with the goal of becoming a pharmacist in a hospital to help people understand better the type of drugs they are putting into their bodies. Kari Sosa is from Fort Worth, Texas, and is majoring in psychology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He plans to go through physical therapy school after graduation. Courtney Steer of Russellville is a pre-med biology major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She plans to become a dermatologist working in skin rejuvenation and helping decrease the rate of skin cancer while improving its treatment. Cladie White is from Saint Joe and is majoring in biology with a concentration in bio-med at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She has hopes to continue her education and become an osteopathic doctor with a specialization in internal medicine.
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Student Research Symposium Molecular Geometry, Electronic and Thermodynamic Properties of Anti-Fungal Drug Tavaborole and its Derivatives Presented by Riley Roper, Maxwell Pollan, Brad Tran, and Matthew Neal Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mohammad Halim Table 46
Tavaborole (trade name “Kerydin”) is a drug that has been FDA approved since July 2014 and is currently used to treat fungal infections, specifically of the nail surface and area beneath the nail known as the nail bed. Tavaborole is a topical solution, meaning it is applied directly to the area affected by the fungal infection. This drug works by blocking enzymes the fungus uses to produce protein, which then results in the death of the fungus. An average dose is 0.2 mL of solution containing 5% concentration of Tavaborole applied once daily. In the Tavaborole drug, we have replaced hydrogen with halogen atoms to see what differences are possible. The aim of this study is to learn more about the molecular structure, dipole moment, electronic, thermodynamic properties of Tavaborole and its derivatives. All theoretical calculations are conducted with Gaussian in WebMO Open Access Computational Platform using HF/STO-3G level of theory. The dipole moment of the parent drug is 1.6996 Debye with electrostatic potential consisting of O2 and O4 being highly negative, B3 being slightly positive, and H5 being highly positive. When fluorine is changed to chlorine the dipole moment becomes 1.4853 Debye with O9 and O11 being highly negative, Cl14 being slightly negative, H10 being slightly positive, and B8 being highly positive. This study shows that halogenation can contribute significant change in the parent drug. Riley Roper is a non-traditional student currently pursuing a degree in biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Maxwell Pollan is a freshman currently pursuing a degree in geosicence at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Brad Tran is a sophomore currently pursuing a degree in general studies at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Matthew Neal is a junior pursuing a degree in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
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Student Research Symposium The Challenges of Using High-Resolution Field Photogrammetry to Recreate 3D Renders and Models of Mid-Silurian Reefs Presented by Preston Liles Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maurice Testa Table 47
High-resolution panoramic images are useful to document geologic features at the macro and micro scales. This project focuses on the challenges of collecting high-resolution field data and analyzing the data with low-cost applications so the data can be further accurately analyzed in the lab or classroom. A Gigapan Epic Pro equipped with an affordable Canon 7T crop sensor DLSR and a Canon 50MM F1.4 lens was used to collect the high-resolution images of mid-Silurian aged Knoll reefs in the Hiawatha National Forest. The equipment was challenged with a variety of obstacles for its ability to capture high-detail microscale textural changes in the rock facies. In the lab, the data is tested on a macro-scale level testing the algorithms of multiple software programs to stitch the images accurately into high-resolution panoramas. Autodesk 3DS, a popular 3D animation software, was used to recreate artificial renders of the reefs in 3D. A Monoprice Maker Select Plus 3D printer was used to print the individual models. Artificial renders and 3D prints provide a new view to understanding our current and past environments while keeping the original rock samples preserved in situ. Preston Liles is a geoscience major at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith with a computer science background. His research involves using computer science to better understand geological principles. Preston plans to further his research in graduate school after his time at UAFS.
Petrographic and Biostratigraphic Analysis of a McKay Bay Member Mid-Silurian Knoll Reef in Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Upper Peninsula Presented by Logan Pearson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maurice Testa Table 48
This study will examine a mid-Silurian knoll reef in the Hiawatha National Forest in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Knoll reefs are understood to be elongated mud-skeletal mounds ranging in size from a few square meters to hundreds of kilometers. Their vertical growth is often minimal due to the extremely shallow waters in which they form. The particular dolomitized reefs of this study are stratigraphically located in the McKay Bay Member in the Bush Bay Formation of the Engadine Group. Previous studies conducted approximately 60 years ago were intended to identify reef distributions throughout the Michigan Basin but the physical features remain only partially described based on hand sample analysis. This study will further investigate these knoll reefs, by conducting petrographic, biostratigraphic, and analysis by photogrammetric high-resolution analysis. The surveyed knoll reef mound measures in 24 meters by 35 meters and 5.5 meters in height. In order to thoroughly analyze the knoll reef, transverse samplings were completed every five meters. Much of the megafossils have been lost due to dolomitization, only moldic voids have been left behind. However, stromatolites and stromatoporoids were well preserved and in many other similar cases incorporate underlying marine organisms as substrates. Logan Pearson is a senior in the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith geology program. He has plans to continue his academic career and pursue a Ph.D. in paleontology. Afterwards he hopes to continue with his research interests and work in higher education.
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Student Research Symposium Calculating the Moisture Retention of Synthesized Regolith from the Lunar Terra Presented by Jonathan Turco Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maurice Testa Table 49
Various studies of lunar regolith’s ability to support and sustain botanical life have been conducted. However, none of the previous studies have successfully researched the simulated lunar regolith and its abilities in retaining moisture. This project’s focus is to investigate the water retention capabilities of simulated lunar regolith. Anorthosite and basalts samples, similar to what is found on the terra (highlands) of the moon, will be mechanically weathered to the appropriate sediment size (very fine grained, 4.9699Φ/32 μm) to produce synthesized regolith. This synthesized regolith will both chemically and physically match what is found on the lunar terra at the Apollo 16 landing site, where the lunar sampling was conducted. Moisture retention of the terra-simulated soil samples will be calculated by volume weight percentage and analyzed in greenhouse conditions to determine evaporation rate. These findings could be used in future research projects to help understand what plant-based food source will be the most successful to grow in greenhouse conditions on the lunar surface. Jon Turco is a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Science in geoscience. His focus is xenogeology. After graduation Jonathan plans to pursue a doctorate in planetary geology and a career with NASA or JPL.
Classification of Soils in a Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Project Presented by Colton Johnson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 50
The Massard Prairie, once covering over 10,000 acres in south Fort Smith, is now reduced to only around 200 acres. The prairie has been displaced due to development in the area, and the remaining grasslands are in small isolated patches. In 2016, Jay Randolph (Certified Golf Course Superintendent for Sebastian County), and the Sebastian County Parks Department initiated a 110-acre tallgrass prairie restoration within Ben Geren Park’s 27-hole golf course. This involved management practices such as prescribed burns, selective mowing, non-native plant control, and native seed procurement. Geoscience and Biology faculty and students at UA-Fort Smith are partnering with Randolph in the study of the tallgrass prairie and its restoration. Over 20 composite soil samples were collected from the remnant and restored prairie. Biology students and faculty are studying soil bacteria while Geoscience students and faculty are analyzing the mineralogy and grain size distribution of soils in order to classify them according to standards published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grain size analysis is accomplished in the laboratory with the hydrometer method, and results are expressed as weight percentages of sand, silt, and clay-sized particles. Colton Johnson grew up in Greenwood and graduated from Greenwood High School in 2016. He loves the outdoors and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geoscience. His goal is to get a master’s in geotechnical engineering and pursue a career locally.
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Student Research Symposium Arkansas Caves
Presented by Hutchon Montgomery Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 51 Caves have always been fascinating to me and to be able to study and learn about the caves of Arkansas is an exciting task. There are about 2000 documented caves in Arkansas, the highest concentration being in the Ozark Mountains. Eight of the caves are privately owned, but most of them are owned by the Forest Service and used for tourism. Some of the caves have wildlife living in them like bats and certain types of fish as well as lizards. Native Americans and early travelers used some of these caves for shelter, and criminals used some of them as hideouts. Most of the caves are found in limestone and sandstone of Pennsylvanian age (about 340 to 310 million years ago). Limestone caves, the most common type, form as slightly acidic groundwater slowly dissolves the limestone over time. These caves can extend long distances from their surface openings. Occasionally, the roofs of shallow limestone caves collapse to form sinkholes. Shallower caves, known as “bluff shelters”, form when beds of sandstone or limestone collapse from a bluff wall, leaving a protective overhang. Hutchon Montgomery grew up in Lavaca and graduated from Lavaca High School in 2017. He is pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His career goal is to work for a major outdoor clothing store like Northface or Patagonia.
Comparing the Arkansaurus fridayi to Modern Tridactyls Presented by Eddie Ruark Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 52
The foot bones of Arkansaurus fridayi, a tridactyl ostrich-like dinosaur, were discovered in 1972 by J.B. Friday near Lockesburg Arkansas. The dinosaur was defined as a new species in 1973 by Dr. Quinn, a professor at the University of Arkansas. Other similar specimens have been discovered in Utah and Maryland. The Arkansaurus is a member of ORNITHOMIMIDAE, a family of bipedal theropod dinosaurs that lived during the late Cretaceous Period about 70 million years ago. ORNITHOMIMIDS resembled large ostriches, with adults reaching 3.5 m long and weighing 50 to 100 kg. The stride length of the Arkansaurus fridayi, and thus its potential speed, is being evaluated by comparison of its foot length to modern-day tridactyls. Eddie Ruark grew up in western Oklahoma and graduated from Sallisaw (Oklahoma) High School. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geoscience with minors in math and biology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. He plans to get his M.S. and Ph.D. in paleontology. His career goals are to be a museum curator and teach at the university level. He wants to make an impact on future generations, young and old alike.
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Student Research Symposium Silver Deposits in Arkansas Presented by Lindsey Gregory Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 53
Silver (Ag) is a metallic mineral with ductile and malleable properties found geologically native to Arkansas in veins along with bismuth or cobalt. Silver has a shiny, metallic luster and when untarnished is white in color. In Arkansas, significant silver deposits are found in Saline County, with traces found in the Arkansas Valley and Ozark region of northern Arkansas. The silver deposits in Arkansas were mostly mined between 1840 and 1927. Though the mining usually didn’t result in commercial profit, sales of the mines were the popular way the silver was used to make money. Silver is used for electrical products, utensils, tools, jewelry, photography, cloud seeding, fillings, x-ray plates, coins, and back in the 1800s, untarnished silver was used to make mirrors. Mexico is the largest silver producing country today. Lindsey Gregory grew up in Northwest Arkansas and graduated from Rogers Heritage High School in 2012. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geology focusing on environmental geology from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Her career goals as an environmental geologist are to help save our planet, never have an office job, and travel the world.
Diamonds in Arkansas - Industry or Recreation? Presented by Travis Creekmore Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 54
Roughly 100 million years ago, a violent eruption of diamond-bearing magma blasted an eighty-acre crater near presentday Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Commercial mining of the diamonds was never viable, so the site became the Crater of Diamonds State Park (COD). The COD hosts thousands of tourists each year and is the only publicly accessible diamond-bearing location in the world with a “keep-what-you-find” policy. Visitors pay a fee to shovel, sieve, and sort through the crater soil, and on average recover over 600 diamonds each year. The 40.2-carat “Uncle Sam”, discovered in 1924 before the COD was a state park, is the largest diamond ever found in the U. S. Diamonds are exceptionally hard minerals composed of pure carbon with each carbon atom covalently bonded to four neighboring atoms. Diamonds are usually found in kimberlite or lamproite, rare igneous rocks derived by partial melting of chemically virgin, CO2-rich subcontinental lithospheric mantle where conditions are right for diamond formation. On rare occasions, these gas-rich magmas rise rapidly through the crust, carrying diamonds to earth’s surface. Chemically pure diamonds are colorless, but small impurities produce a range of colors. COD diamonds are typically white, brown, or yellow. Travis Creekmore is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and plans to build a career around collecting and selling mineral and fossil specimens.
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Student Research Symposium Gypsum in Arkansas Presented by Willow Mendez Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 55
Gypsum (CaSO4-2H2O) is a soft, water-bearing sulfate mineral found in nature, and in massive form, can form rocks. Gypsum is typically clear to white, with the exception being reddish, brown, or yellow if containing impurities. Gypsum precipitates from evaporated seawater or in groundwater containing dissolved ions to form thick beds. Gypsum is the primary binding agent in plaster and drywall and gives toothpaste its ‘paste’ texture. Gypsum is good for drywall because it has a very low thermal conductivity and the water in its crystalline structure acts as a fire retardant. To make plaster, gypsum is heated to drive off its structural water to produce anhydrite (CaSO4). Anhydrite is then rehydrated to produce gypsum plaster. Arkansas gypsum is extracted from open-pit mines, and in 2005 Arkansas was ranked 6th in the nation in gypsum production. Most of Arkansas’ gypsum comes from the lower Cretaceous Trinity Group in the southwest region of the state. The sedimentary beds of the Trinity Group were deposited about 100 million years ago on a broad coastal plain bordering the proto-Gulf of Mexico. Willow Mendez grew up in Fort Smith and is a graduate of Northside High School. She is currently studying at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, striving toward a bachelor’s degree in geoscience. After graduation Willow plans to pursue a career in her field of study.
Tectonic Evolution and Physiography of the Arkansas River Valley Presented by Bryan Rhamy Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 56
The Arkansas River Valley (ARV) exhibits geologic features formed by processes occurring as early as 500 Ma. The ARV extends from Fort Smith to central Arkansas with the Ozark Plateau to the north and the Ouachita Mountains to the south. During the early Paleozoic Era, the ARV was a shallow ocean basin underlain by horizontal beds of carbonate and shale on the southern continental shelf of Laurentia. By the middle Pennsylvanian period, the continent of Llanoria encroached on Laurentia from the south, deepening and narrowing the ocean basin and accelerating the deposition of shale and sandstone. Laurentia and Llanoria eventually collided during the late Pennsylvanian and Permian periods, and the sedimentary beds were folded, faulted, and uplifted in a mountain-building event known as the Ouachita Orogeny. The region has been above sea level since the orogeny, and weathering and erosion continue to shape the landscape. A striking physiographic feature of the ARV today are long, sinuous eastwest ridges like Poteau Mountain, the Devil’s Backbone, and Mount Magazine. These ridges are the remains of broad, open folds generated by north-south compression during the Ouachita Orogeny. Bryan Rhamy resides in Huntington and graduated from Greenwood High School in 2004. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and plans to attend graduate school after completing his undergraduate studies.
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Student Research Symposium TCE in Our City?!
Presented by Kevin Schultz Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 57 Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a volatile organic compound that was widely used for decades as a solvent, as an intermediate for refrigerant manufacture, and as a spotting agent in dry cleaning. A clear, colorless liquid with a sweet odor, TCE is a toxic chemical with human health concerns. TCE can be released into the air, water, and soil at places where it is produced or used, and it breaks down slowly, remaining in the environment for long periods of time. TCE can move easily through soil and contaminate groundwater. Whirlpool, an appliance manufacturer in Fort Smith, began using TCE in the 1960s and stopped using it in the 1980s when it was deemed harmful. In 2001, a plume of TCE was discovered in groundwater under a neighborhood adjacent to the Whirlpool property, and Whirlpool hired a consulting company to assess the hazard and propose a plan for remediation. Whirlpool closed the plant in 2012, but continues to pay for monitoring and remediation. To date, there are no cases of harm to residents’ health, but home values have declined significantly. Kevin Schultz grew up in Alma and attended Alma High School. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. His career goal is to work for the Environmental Protection Agency or similar organization and help with ocean clean ups.
Comparing Temperature Values of Glass Cullet from Recycled Bottles to Silica Sand: A Possible Alternative to Beach Dredging Presented by Kathryn Smith and Julia Mathews Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maurice Testa Table 58
Beach erosion is an ongoing problem for many environmental scientists. Dredging is the practice of pumping sediment off the coast onto the shore line to replenish the beach with sand. This has a negative effect on marine life because dredging releases plumes of sediments into the water, disturbing habitats and blocking sunlight from photosynthetic organisms on the ocean floor. Seagrass and burrowing organisms are often dredged as well, severely damaging what is left of their ecosystems. Glass cullet beaches are an environmentally friendly way to restore shorelines from coastal erosion while no longer relying on sediment dredging. Glass cullet is denser than natural silica sand and is more resistant to sediment transport and beach erosion. Glass cullet also has a higher moisture content, which could be beneficial to sustaining burrowing organisms. This project is designed to test the thermal properties of different colored glass cullet. Temperature readings for each color of cullet is measured at 6, 12, and 18 inches to compare to that of natural silica sand. This test is used to determine if glass cullet can be used in areas with temperature-sensitive burrowing organisms. Kathryn Smith, is a geoscience major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. After graduation she plans to pursue a master’s degree in environmental science with a concentration in beach restoration. Julia Mathews is a second-year geoscience major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. As an undergraduate she hopes to learn and better understand the environment and the life living within it. Her interests are aquatic biology, environmental science, and art.
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Student Research Symposium X-Ray Diffractometer Analysis of Carbonates in Ancient Reef Systems Presented by Gary Johnson and Ian Hattabaugh Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dave Mayo Table 59
The Ordovician–Silurian Extinction Event resulted in the disappearance of 60% of all marine life. Complex coral and reef systems finally reappeared in the rock record in the Devonian around 400 Mya. These reefs featured biomineralized carbonate mounds and branches constructed by stromatoporoids such as rugose corals. The mineralogy of carbonate reefs is one key to understanding the environments that promoted reef growth but identifying and measuring the proportions of the various carbonate minerals is challenging. Coralline algae skeletons can be composed of magnesian calcite [Ca0.8–0.9Mg0.2–0.1CO3] and dolomite [Ca0.5Mg0.5CO3], but also magnesite [MgCO3] and aragonite [CaCO3]. Bulk chemical analyses provide molar proportions of Ca and Mg, but no information about which carbonate phases are present. In contrast, X-ray diffractometry (i.e. XRD) does provide phase identification, and with modern software, is increasingly capable of quantitative chemical analyses. We are using Rietveld refinement of XRD data to quantify the proportions and chemical compositions of carbonate phases in several samples from ancient reefs. Gary Johnson graduated from Lakeside High School in Hot Springs in 2015 and is a first-generation college student. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geoscience at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and plans to earn non-traditional teacher licensure. His career goal is to teach in Arkansas schools where he can have a positive impact on others through education. Ian Hattabaugh grew up in Fort Smith, graduating from Southside High School in 2016. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geological sciences at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and plans to attend graduate school in pursuit of a career in oceanography.
Assessing Validity of the 22-Item Aggressive Word Completion Task Presented by Max Stout Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Arlin Benjamin Table 60
Aggression researchers have been using word completion tasks to measure aggressive cognition for decades. Unfortunately, these measures have not been adequately validated. We are in the process of validating the Bushman Aggressive Word Completion Task. The first step is to determine that word frequency for the aggressive and non-aggressive solutions to the word fragments are roughly equivalent, or that the possible solutions are roughly equally as commonly used. I used the Corpus of Contemporary American English to assess word frequency for each possible response and comparing the frequency of aggressive and nonaggressive responses to the word fragments. A t-test showed that there is no significant difference between the frequency of aggressive and non-aggressive solutions for this version of the Aggressive Word Completion task. Max Stout of Spiro, Oklahoma, is a senior psychology student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. After graduating this spring, he will be going WWOOFing before continuing his academic education.
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Student Research Symposium Decreasing Substance Abuse Levels in the Hispanic Youth Population Count: Evidence Best Practice Presented by Guadalupe Zepeda-Hernandez Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Vaughn DeCoster Table 61
This project reviewed the behavioral science literature for evidence-based methods for the treatment of substance abuse in the Hispanic population. The substance abuse rate in the Hispanic/Latino community is quite high, yet treatment success remains low. This study focused on the Hispanic youth population and substance abuse, exploring evidence-based outcomes for interventions, treatments, strategies, or programs. The social worker analyzed findings from databases such as Google Scholar, PsycARTICLES, and PsycINFO, to locate peer-reviewed practice related articles. The initial search resulted in 221,707 articles, narrowed by focusing on title searches to 361 articles; abstract reviewed narrowed it further to 32 articles with the author selecting the most recent 11 articles. Outcome findings show that interventions based on a family, group therapy, parenting improvement or community involvement approaches had the most positive outcomes. The social worker then rated the quality of the research methods using the Methodological Quality Research Scale (MQRS) scale, ranking studies by their methodological quality and significance of outcomes. Overall, the social worked learned that there are treatments and interventions for substance abuse users in the Hispanic community, many directed at youth and using a familial or community based approach. The author looks at the limitations and need for more school-based interventions. Guadalupe Zepeda-Hernandez is a bilingual senior Bachelor of Social Work major at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith. She has interned at the Reynolds Cancer Support House and is currently interning at the Fort Smith Public Schools with the district social worker. She has applied to grad school to continue her education and plans on obtaining licensure. She is interested in medical social work and school social work.
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Student Research Symposium Youth Exiting the Foster Care System and Transitioning into Adulthood Presented by Kyrene Thomas Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Vaughn DeCoster Table 62
Children who exit the foster care system ideally go to a safe, permanent family (Batista 2018). However, this is not always this case for many. More than 20,000 foster care youth aged 18-21 years old (depending on state of residence) emancipate or “age out” of the system without a permanent family (Bloch 2019). In 2018, 235 foster youth aged out of the system in Arkansas (GetREAL n.d.). This vulnerable population is more likely than their age peers to face poor outcomes in adulthood like unemployment, economic hardship, housing instability or homelessness, premature parenthood, poor mental health, substance abuse, involvement in the criminal justice system, & little to no higher ed. (Courtney 2019). The social work profession has a long-standing history with assisting women and children, this project aims to continue that tradition and identify and rate empirical evidence-based “best practices” for vulnerable youth who need help transitioning from a dependent care system into independent adulthood. Kyrene Thomas is a junior in the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith social work program. Originally from Guthrie, Oklahoma, she moved to Fort Smith in the fall of 2017 to begin her second year of college. She transferred as a psychology major but soon realized she wanted to go in a different direction with her career to work with displaced kids. Her passion for kids began to stir when her parents brought home two young girls to join their family almost 15 years ago. She did not know the impact that would make on her until she had to decide what to do with her life after high school. Since living in Fort Smith, she has gotten married, joined an amazing church, and some life-long friends.
Best Psychosocial Practices for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Female Victims of Sexual Abuse Presented by Samantha Fisher Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Vaughn DeCoster Table 63
In today’s climate, the #metoo movement has personified the fact that one in three women are sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime (NSVRC, 2019). Concurrently, “only 15.8 to 35 percent of all sexual assaults are reported to the police”, making it the most underreported crime (MCASA, 2013). With this many women experiencing sexual assault or nonconsensual sexual contact it is imperative to ensure that social workers know the best evidence-supported methods to treat expected consequences following sexual assault such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the McGill (2006), “sexual assault is the most frequent cause of PTSD in women” and of those 94% experience traumatic stress in as little as two weeks after the assault. The frequency of PTSD is “drastically higher than the national prevalence of the disorder”, indicating the importance of finding the best therapies suited to treat PTSD specific to sexual assault (Chivers-Wilson, 2006). This project identified evidence-based strategies from the scientific literature then rate the methodological quality of these studies using a standardized evaluation tool. Resulting practice studies were then summarized and rank-ordered by the quality of their research methods and statistically significant outcomes. Samantha Fisher is a Bachelor of Social Work student at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. After receiving her bachelor’s, she plans on getting a Master of Social Work and practicing as an licensed clinical social worker in therapy related to sexual trauma and sexual disorders.
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Student Research Symposium Preventing Child Maltreatment: Evidence Best Practices Presented by Patience Wise Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Vaughn DeCoster Table 64
The purpose of this project was to systematically review the scientific literature to identify evidence-based methods and interventions within the social work profession to prevent the maltreatment of children. Child maltreatment (CM) is any behavior directed towards a child, intentional or not, that is outside the norms of conduct and involves the risk of physical or emotional harm. There are four types of CM: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. In the United States, more than 670,000 children were victims of maltreatment and over 1,720 children died as a result of abuse or neglect in 2017 alone. Social workers are tasked with the enormous challenge of identifying maltreatment risk factors and implementing preventative interventions. This project reviews the best-practices for preventing CM by identifying programs with statistically significant results and by assessing the quality of their research methods using a standardized scale, Methodological Quality Research Scale (MQRS). The intervention proving to be most successful was the Triple P Program. Success was evidenced by a MQRS rating of 27 and statistical significance. Research suggests that long-term parent training sessions, adequate follow-up procedures, and valid measurements are most effective in preventing CM. Patience Wise is a junior in the social work program at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith. She graduated from Cedarville High School in 2017 and plans to attend graduate school following her time at UAFS. She spends her free time volunteering and mentoring the youth at her church and spending time with her friends.
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Student Research Symposium Change Management and Visionary Leadership Within the City of Fort Smith Utility Organization Presented by Nicole Robertson Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kristin Tardif Table 65
Change Management & Visionary Leadership within the City of Fort Smith Utility Organization Abstract Change management means empowering organizations, teams, and individuals for revisions, transformations, and implementations that changed the course of mechanisms, processes, and systems within an organization. Organizations need to be flexible and innovative in ways in which they deal with change management, and this approach takes evolutionary leadership within the vision of the change at hand. This capstone will capture the leadership approach and change management methodologies pursued by the City of Fort Smith Utility Department through the implementation of the new Enterprise Resource Planning system. The change in processes surrounding the new system observed through risk management and quality control put in place for the transition into a new system. What was the selection process for a new software system? What input and consideration from the City Board of Directors given in the selection process? What type of internal communication and project management disseminated to the employee base? These questions are substantial in the understanding of the leadership vision, approach, and planning for this type of organizational endeavor. Through interviews with pivotal and essential employees within the implementation, the capstone provides insights on internal stakeholder involvement, project planning, employee training, community outreach, and technical implementation. This capstone will detail the steps taken to have change management initiatives in place, but also reveal the deficiencies and shortcomings that leadership failed to organize before implementation took place. In addition, what fundamental after-action steps were taken to remediate unforeseen issues that arose from missteps in the pre-planning process. How did the employees react to negative public feedback on the implementation performance and what did leadership do in response to keep the loyalty and focus of the employee base to stay on course. It will also depict a considerable impact on the customer base through the Utility Billing portion of the implementation. In conclusion, the capstone captures the future of the leadership vision of progression for the future and the culture plan that involves change management built for better results in project planning and quality control. Nicole Robertson is a senior at the University of Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Smith studying organizational leadership. She plans on going to graduate school when she finishes her studies.
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Student Research Symposium
Student Index Muhammad Abdul Rahim...............98
Melissa Cristee.............................104
Mary Beth Andrews.........................14
Adrian Cuevas.................................34
Cole Ashton...................................101
Alexis Dear......................................94
Spencer Atchley...............................39
Blake Dehart.................................107
Mason Baker.................................113
Jenna Drake....................................80
Luke Barber.....................................27
Cheyenne Edwards........................110
Samantha Barnett..........................90
Fernando Estrada............................35
Parker Bartlett................................15
Katelynd Fennell..............................17
Kyle Bates.......................................48
Brett Fisher.....................................79
Brandon Becker.............................105
Renae Fisher...................................35
Eric Beckham..................................74
Samantha Fisher...........................123
Ethan Beckham...............................51
Emily French...................................87
Allie Billups.....................................31
Sam Fuentes.................................104
Emily Blitz.......................................90
Coleman Gann................................39
Hannah Boyett..............................103
Estefani Garcia Carcamo................70
Melanie Bradley..............................58
Oscar Gรณmez...................................22
Katelyn Brent..................................15
Tristan Goodell................................81
Brittany Brewer...............................16
Cassie Graham...............................69
McKenzi Bromley.............................93
Lindsey Gregory.............................118
Logan Brothers..............................112
Megan Halbert................................16
Debbie Brown..................................16
Ariel Hammonds............................110
Alex Burns.....................................107
Austin Harrison...............................73
Jacob Burton...................................38
Ian Hattabaugh.............................121
Mariah Canady..............................111
Ashleigh Hattaway..........................14
Connor Catron.................................88
Cami Hedstrom...............................44
Sarah Chiles.................................101
Larry Henley..................................106
Harmeet Kaur Chohan...................100
Hunnt Hickman...............................38
Samantha Cobos...........................118
Luke Hinton.....................................35
Hope Coffman.................................82
Kayla Hipp.......................................68
Allison Costa...................................62
Holly Hodge.....................................24
Olivia Coulter..................................94
Ashley Holubeck..............................86
Travis Creekmore...........................118
Dillon Hudson..................................26
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Student Research Symposium
Student Index Cassaundra Huggins......................30
Tara McKinney...............................103
Tamara Hunt...................................59
Kenzie Mears...................................30
Elway Inthirathvongsy.....................21
Charles Melby.................................81
Oaklie Jackson................................84
Joseph Melton.................................24
Harrison Jenkins..............................88
Willow Mendez...............................119
John Jobe.........................................26
Kristin Middleton.............................49
Alyssa Johnson..............................105
Andrew Miller................................112
Colton Johnson..............................116
Trevor Miller....................................74
Gary Johnson.................................121
Anthony Ming..................................38
Gillian Johnson................................50
Zabdiel Montes...............................54
Meghan Johnson.............................42
Hutchon Montgomery....................117
Kyle Kelly.........................................39
Melina MĂźller................................107
Jennie Keohacksa............................78
Jack Neal.........................................99
Austin King.....................................72
Matthew Neal................................114
Karter Langston..............................43
Zane Neal........................................92
Forrest Lasiter.................................78
Vinh Nguyen....................................76
Josie Lee..........................................82
Katelyn Noble................................109
Audrey Legg....................................85
Lucia Ortiz.......................................56
Celeste Lemus.................................85
Raul Ortiz........................................55
Lexy Lewis.....................................106
Jose Palafox..................................106
Preston Liles.................................115
Mason Patterson.............................63
Claudia Macall................................97
Logan Pearson..............................115
Sarah Mann....................................38
Michelle Perez.................................17
Brigham Martin.............................108
Andy Phongphouthai.......................77
Jacob Martin.................................108
Maxwell Pollan..............................114
Bhumi Masalawala.......................109
Josh Pottridge.................................79
Honey Matevia.................................96
Isaiah Powers..................................66
Julia Mathews...............................120
Gabriel Priddy.................................20
Meghan McDaniel...........................31
Janro Rafanan...............................106
Luke McDonald................................78
Araceli Ramirez...............................16
Austin McFerran..............................35
Merary Ramirez...............................48
Mackenzie McKinley........................17
Saloni Ramnathkar.........................87
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Student Research Symposium
Student Index Christopher Releford.......................58
Alexa Taylor.....................................24
Stephanie Reyes............................101
Audrey Thomas................................95
Bryan Rhamy.................................119
Kyrene Thomas..............................123
Regan Ridenoure.............................14
Kayla Thompson..............................44
Sydney Roberts................................66
Jacob Todhunter..............................72
Eran Robertson...............................79
Brad Tran......................................114
Nicole Robertson..........................124
Martin Tran.....................................34
Kaitlyn Robine...............................111
Taylor Tran.....................................109
July Rodriguez...............................106
Jonathan Turco..............................116
Jade Rogers...................................103
Aron Turner....................................112
Riley Roper....................................114
Nathan Ulmer................................103
Eddie Ruark..................................117
Joseph Watson...............................107
Rabia Sajjad...................................89
Dalton Weaver.................................75
Brianna Sanchez...........................109
Selina Weber-Lindecker...................27
Penny Sangster...............................24
Madison Weir...................................86
Kevin Schultz................................120
Taylor Wewers..................................24
Jackalynn Self.................................63
Ryan Whatcott.................................94
Christina Smith...............................62
Cladie White..................................113
Katelyn Smith..................................91
Lighla Whitson..............................101
Kathryn Smith...............................120
Shelby Widner.................................15
Michael Smith.................................88
Shai Wilkinson................................15
Debanhy Sonora..............................16
Darian Wilson..................................83
Samson Sorluangsana....................56
Lacy Wilson.....................................26
Kari Sosa.......................................113
Patience Wise................................124
Courtney Steer...............................113
Carley Wooldridge............................86
Ciera Still......................................101
Bailey Wright...................................22
Max Stout......................................121
Tenessa Wroten...............................84
Ricci Stylman-Ricchetti..................69
Trittany Young.................................59
Erica Sudderth..............................104
Brandon Yutterman.........................21
Latrice Swanson............................106
Guadalupe Zepeda-Hernandez......122
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Brandon Hutchison at 788-7414 symposium@uafs.edu