2024 Statewide 3MT Competition Program

IDAHO'S STATEWIDE THREE MINUTE THESIS TUESDAY FEB. 6, 2023 2 PM MST LIVE FROM CSI FINE ARTS THEATRE

MEET THE EMCEE Chandra Zenner Ford Chandra Zenner Ford is the Center Executive Officer for the University of Idaho, Boise and Southwestern Idaho. A two-time U of I alumna holding degrees in adult education and organizational communications and a third generation Idahoan, Ford advocates for Idaho's economic development and educational opportunities.

This competition was originally developed by the University of Queensland, Australia in 2008, and is now held in over 600 universities across the world. Today, four graduate students from each of the Idaho graduate schools will compete to describe their research in 180 seconds or less.

The top three and the People’s Choice winner in today’s 3MT event will be given the opportunity to present their work at the Western Regional 3MT event in Portland, OR. in March. Thank you for participating in and/or celebrating graduate student research in the state of Idaho!

A special thank you to our host campus CSI, President Fisher, and especially Katie Jones & Todd Schwarz for the hard work to make the 3MT happen on your campus today!

MESSAGES FROM THE UNIVERSITIES Adam Bradford Idaho State University

Marlene Tromp Boise State University

C. Scott Green University of Idaho

MEET THE GRAD DEANS Tracy Collum Idaho State University

Scott Lowe Boise State University

Jerry McMurtry University of Idaho

MEET THE JUDGES Amy earned a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Victoria and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology from Indiana University – Bloomington. She has taught in the Biology Department at CSI since 2004 and was the CSI program leader for Idaho INBRE from 2009 – 2019.Amy loves being in the classroom, has fun experimenting with teaching techniques and enjoys providing students opportunities to experience their own “ah ha” moments.

Amy Rice Doetsch

Laurie Lickley is a native of Salmon, ID and a 1990 graduate of the University of Idaho with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics. She and her husband, Bill, raised their two children on the family’s century-old farm and ranch in Jerome.

Laurie Lickley

Laurie served Idaho’s beef industry from the local to the national level, lastly as President of the Idaho Cattle Association. Governor Little appointed Laurie to serve on Idaho’s Behavioral Health Council in 2020 where she worked collaboratively within the three branches of government to roll out access to more behavioral and mental health services in Idaho, including the roll out of the 9-8-8 Crisis Hotline.

She was elected as an Idaho State Representative from 2019-2022 and recently announced her candidacy for the Idaho Senate.

Rick Naerebout grew up on his family’s dairy farm in McBain, Michigan, where he learned the value of hard work, integrity, and an appreciation for agriculture that can only be learned on the farm. He moved west after the family dairy was sold in the late 90s and shortly thereafter began a family and his schooling at the College of Southern Idaho and Idaho State University. Rick has been married to his wife, Angi, for 23 years, and together they have three daughters.

Rick Naerebout

Rick has been with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, Inc. since 2002, assisting with the Association’s environmental, legal, economic, legislative and stewardship efforts. He stepped into the role of CEO in 2017, leading the Association’s advocacy on behalf of Idaho’s dairy farm families.

Raised on an Idaho farm, Tiffany Seeley-Case excelled as Valedictorian at North Fremont High School and proudly graduated with thirty-one classmates before attending Boise State University and joining their Talkin’ Broncos Speech and Debate team. Grateful for the life-changing impact of speech and debate, she graduated in 1996 with a BA in Communication/English and a minor in Political Philosophy. Tiffany later earned an MA in Curriculum and Instruction in 1999.

Certified in Communication, English, Journalism, Political Science, and Philosophy, Tiffany started her teaching career at Nampa High School, transitioning to the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) in 1997. At CSI, she directed the Speech and Debate Team, led the Honors Program, and taught Communication courses, emphasizing rhetoric, public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking. In 2017, Tiffany chaired the Social Science and Communication Department, eventually becoming the Dean of General and Transfer Education in 2019.

Tiffany, her husband Des and son Parker enjoy traveling, reading, cooking, and spending time on the farm in Ashton.

Tiffany Seely-Case

Todd Schwarz was born and raised on a southern Idaho farm and graduated first in his class from Valley High School. After a short unsuccessful stint at a state university, Schwarz returned home to complete an Associate of Applied Science degree in Drafting Technology from the College of Southern Idaho (CSI). After gaining industry experience, he returned to CSI to teach the program and climbed the ranks, and ultimately becoming Instructional Dean in 2007. Meanwhile he obtained baccalaureate and graduate degrees in education and leadership, culminating in a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Idaho in 2008.

Todd Schwarz

Appointed as the State Administrator of the Idaho Division of Professional-Technical Education in 2012, Dr. Schwarz oversaw technical education statewide. In 2014, he returned to CSI as Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, contributing to leadership roles in various organizations. Recognized for his economic development efforts, he received the Institutional Leadership Award from the International Economic Development Council in 2015.

Currently serving as Provost at CSI, Todd remains active in statewide leadership and enjoys hobbies such as music, photography, woodworking, and exploring Idaho's outdoors with his wife, a public middle school teacher.

THE WINNERS ADVANCE TO REGIONALS & TODAY THEY WIN 1ST $2000, 2ND $1500, 3RD $1000 & PC $500

THE RULES The presenters are judged on the following: Communication Style: Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?

Comprehension: Did the presentation help the audience to understand the research?

Engagement: Did the oration make the audience want to know more?

People’s Choice Remember your favorite presenter!

The audience online may vote once using the Zoom Poll.

The audience in-person will have a paper ballot!

MEET THE 12 PARTICIPANTS UNHCR reports a continuous increase in the numbers of refugees. The refugee population reached 32.5 million as of mid-2022. Palestinian refugees are more than 1.5 million individuals living in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps.

Their camps have lasted for more than 75 years now with the fifth generation to be born into exile.

Although camps are intended to be temporary habitats for refugees, the history of current camps teaches us otherwise. This thesis focuses on addressing the persistent challenges faced by refugees in camps. These challenges encompass unsustainable camp design, excessive reliance on aid, and limited economic opportunities. By examining the application of circular city planning principles, the research aims to achieve long-term sustainability, resilience, and the economic enrichment of refugee camps. What circular city planning will look like in the context of refugee camps? And what are the measurable indicators of such planning in terms of protracted refugee camps?

Hala Zahalqa University of Idaho MS in Integrated Architecture & Design

Most of us are “poetry illiterate.” The way we engage with (or, more often, avoid engaging with) difficult poetry — poetry we just don’t understand or just “don’t get” — has far-reaching implications concerning the practice of writing, the people who write it, and the population at large.

Caleb Merritt Boise State University MFA in Creative Writing

Enhancing Sustainability and Resilience in Refugee Camp Planning through Circular City Principles

“Dyfficuhlteh Mhineous” — Poetry We “Don’t Get” Can Save Our Practice of Writing, Our Poets, & Our Population

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS This thesis explores how viruses interfere with communication in the brain, and their contribution to neurodegenerative diseases.

The aims are: 1) Identify viral components capable of altering neuronal function, 2) Determine how viruses produce this effect.

Seyedeh Melika Akaberi Idaho State University PhD in Pharmaceutical Science

We show that Rabies, Herpes, and Covid-19 inhibit the function of nicotine receptors in the brain, revealing new insights into the relationships between viruses and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's. This work opens exciting new avenues for innovative intervention, and treatment.

Unlocking Viral Secrets: How Viruses alter Brain Function

The rate of ice loss from the world’s glaciers is an important driver of ongoing sea level rise. This rate of ice loss depends in large part on how fast glaciers flow downhill, as this transfers ice to lower elevations where it is more vulnerable to melt and iceberg calving. Meanwhile, the factors governing the rate at which glaciers flow downhill remain poorly understood. My thesis centers on assessing the role of liquid water at the base of glaciers in driving ice accelerations. We track water flow below the ice with seismic observations made on S´ıt’ Kus´a, Alaska.

S´ıt’ Kus´a is a glacier that undergoes periodic 20-fold increases in ice-flow speed, making it an ideal natural laboratory for understanding unstable ice-flow. We find that water below the ice can contribute to speedups even without disruptions in sub-glacial drainage, suggesting unstable ice-flow could be more prevalent than previously thought.

Yoram Terleth University of Idaho PhD in Geology

The Role of Water in Driving Unstable Ice-flow

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS School bullying is a significant problem in the United States, with one of four students reporting being a target of bullying. Targets of bullying report a wide range of socioemotional consequences, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depressive symptoms, poor mental and general health, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. The majority of students (80%) report observing bullying as a bystander. A bystander is a student who witnesses a bullying situation but is not the target or the perpetrator. Researchers have also established mental health risks associated with witnessing bullying including anxiety and depressive symptoms. Researchers have utilized the Bystander Intervention Model to conceptualize bullying bystander behavior. The five-step model includes Notice the Event, Interpret the Event as an Emergency, Accept Responsibility, Know How to Act, and Decision to Intervene. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the Bystander Intervention Model among middle school students (N = 79) trained in a bullying bystander intervention. We also assessed which of the steps were uniquely associated with defending behavior post-training. Results among bystanders indicated a significant increase in Know How to Act, Notice the Event, and Decision to Intervene, as well as a significant increase in defending behavior. Finally, Notice the Event and Decision to Intervene were uniquely associated with defending behavior post-training.

The purpose of this study was to understand Taiwanese K-12 teachers’ preference and intention towards mental health service. Data was collected from 128 K-12 Taiwanese teachers.

Results indicated that K-12 teachers held the strongest preference for individual therapy. A significant difference in intentions to seek treatment based on the referral source was also found. The results of this study have implications for encouraging treatment-seeking in Taiwanese K12 teachers when they experience a mental health need.

Matt Peck Boise State University PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Equipping Students to Be Heroes Against Bullying

Ailun Li Idaho State University PhD in Clinical Psychology Psychotherapy Help-seeking Intentions and Preferences among K-12 Teachers in Taiwan

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS Climate change is increasing wildfires, which release air pollutants like PM2.5. Exposure to wildfire-PM2.5 lowers milk production in dairy cows, affects calf health and metabolism, causes systemic inflammation, and can lead to death. Although systemic responses to wildfire-PM2.5 have been evaluated, the local response within the lung has yet to be described. To assess this, neonatal dairy calves were followed for the first 90-d of life, which aligned with Idaho’s wildfire season. Samples were collected before, during, and after naturally occurring wildfires. Lung inflammation was visualized using ultrasound. Immune cells were harvested from the blood and lung to assess cellular responses. Wildfire-PM2.5 increased lung inflammation for several days and altered immune cell populations within the lung and blood, indicating cell mobilization to combat inhaled PM2.5.

As severe wildfires are expected to persist, mitigating wildfire-PM2.5 health deficits in dairy cattle will assist dairy producers in feeding a growing world population.

Alexandra Pace University of Idaho PhD in Animal Physiology

A big vaccine deterrent is the pain associated with the needle. Delivering vaccines through a dissolvable skin patch removes any discomfort and can offer greater protection from the pathogen. These skin patches are called microneedles and are made of sugar, allowing them to penetrate and dissolve in the dermal layer of the skin. The vaccine then activates Langerhans cells, or the immune cells in residence in the dermal layer.

Activation of these cells lead to systemic immunity, as well as mucosal immunity. This two-pronged immune response allows for protection from severe illness, which injectable vaccines provide, but additionally, vaccines delivered through dissolvable skin patches prevent pathogens from entering through our mucosal membranes. The overall goal of this research is to increase vaccination by removing the pain of needles and improving the immune protection gained from the vaccine.

Haley Bridgewater Boise State University PhD in Biomolecular Sciences

Calves are Inflamed: A Burning Issue

Dissolvable Microneedles Used to Vaccinate Through the Skin

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS A major concern for the conservation of species affected by habitat loss is lowered genetic diversity. Populations of redband trout historically had large amounts of suitable habitat in the waterways of the Snake River; however, due to habitat loss, they are now often limited to small headwater streams. To determine how much remaining stream habitat is sufficient to support genetically viable populations of redband trout I have conducted a field study comparing the genetic diversity present in populations to the amount of habitat available.

Black children are often viewed as older and more responsible than their White counterparts (Epstein et al., 2017). The effect of adultification can be seen in many different domains of life, but especially within the criminal justice system.

Studies show that Black boys are sentenced to longer terms than White boys of the same age (Goff et al., 2014). Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model, I hypothesize higher level processing may disrupt the adultification process, using language that is stereotype in-congruent may increase elaboration and decrease adultification. Results suggest that using stereotype in-congruent language will significantly lower Black defendants' amounts of community service and potentially reduce adultification.

Adam Zambie Idaho State University MS in Biology How Much Stream is Enough?

Does Amount of Remnant Habitat Predict a Decline in Genetic Diversity for Redband Trout Populations

Abigail Rode University of Idaho MS in Psychology Listening Carefully: Disrupting Adultification during the Sentencing Process

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS The pesticide glyphosate is the most heavily used agricultural chemical in the world, with over 800 thousand tons used annually. Glyphosate exposure has been linked to a variety of negative health effects in humans, including cancer and preterm birth, but the scientific evidence showing these links is new and controversial. Glyphosate is applied to a variety of crops, and can still be measured in those crops by the time they reach grocery stores. This means that every time we sit down for a meal, we are at risk of being exposed. For farmworkers and those living in agricultural communities, the risk of glyphosate exposure may be even higher than in the general population. To determine the health effects of glyphosate exposure, we must first be able to accurately measure how much glyphosate an individual has been exposed to. Researchers commonly attempt to characterize glyphosate exposure by measuring glyphosate concentrations in a single urine sample. Since glyphosate levels in the body fluctuate, single urine samples represent only very recent experiences and are likely to misclassify long-term exposure. This misclassification has the potential to endanger public health by systemically underestimating the strength of the relationship between glyphosate exposure and potential health effects. The primary goal of this thesis is to determine the minimum number of urine samples that are required to accurately characterize longterm glyphosate exposure, which is vital to inform future glyphosate research and protect public health.

Unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common in the United States.

When unintended pregnancy and STIs co-occur, it can result in worse health outcome for both women and infants. It is currently unclear how different risk factors, such as multiple sexual partners, predict the co-occurrence of unintended pregnancy and STIs. My research aims to address this gap in knowledge in hopes of contributing to more effective unintended pregnancy and STI interventions.

Jianna Gimenez Boise State University Master of Public Health

Drastic Measures: Understanding Chemical Exposures in the Modern World

Dawn Amos Idaho State University PhD in Public Health Predictors of Unintended Pregnancy and STI Co-Occurrence

VOTE FOR THE BEST PRESENTATION WHO WILL WIN? People’s Choice $500