Synthesis of Sulfur, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Containing Chalcone Ligands and their Complexes

Ligands are molecules that can bind to other molecules as well to metals to form complexes. Studies have shown that chalcone ligands can possess anti-bacterial properties due to the substituents on their rings. The electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituents can either increase or decrease antibacterial properties. In this study we studied the synthesis of chalcone ligands and how they bind to transition metals such as zinc, and copper. Both the chalcone ligands and complexes were characterized using 1H NMR and IR. In addition, crystal structures of some of the chalcone ligands and complexes were obtained using X-ray crystallography. In future studies, the effectiveness of the ligand-metal complexes would be tested to determine if they exhibit antibacterial properties.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

The Arbor Behavioral Healthcare is a rehabilitation facility aimed at treating addiction. As previously learned in my Abnormal Psychology course, substance abuse is a debilitating disorder with no known cure or course of treatment. In fact, only 10% of individuals who have been dependent on a substance will maintain sobriety within a year of leaving a treatment center. Thus, The Arbor’s mission is to offer a holistic approach to treatment, tackling addiction at a biopsychosocial scale. Fascinating enough, following The Arbor’s regimen increases the aforementioned percentage to 80%. As the Family Services intern, I was able to attend and compile notes on individual, group, and family therapy sessions. Outside of normal intern responsibilities, I was also tasked with organizing visitation and family workshop, a three-day educational retreat aimed at helping families better understand their loved ones’ struggles. I consider myself extremely lucky to partake in such a transformative capstone that not only taught me about addiction and navigating a professional workplace, but it also taught me a lot about myself. Any positive changes I’ve made in my life this year are because of my experiences at The Arbor!

Therese Shelton, Mathematics and Computer Science

Modeling Red Tide vs. Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Population

This presentation involves efforts to model the trends of observed Atlantic Sharpnose shark populations in the Panama City coastal area next to concentration levels of the harmful algae Karenia brevis (abbreviated K. brevis and also dubbed “red tide” for the way large blooms turn the water red) in the same area in the same area. We investigate the statistical association between large blooms of these organisms and the catch and release rates of the Atlantic Sharpnose. Going further, we hypothesize that mathematical models will show fewer sharks caught during large blooms of the toxic algae, exploring the observation that sharks are not observed to die due to red tide events. By connecting data points from the two datasets with an index of time, it was possible to compare populations of the two organisms at similar times. Using the populations as the two dependent variables and the time index as the dependent, our models allow us to visualize the fluctuations that both experience over a period of 20 years. We are able to show a promising result implying that during large red tide blooms these sharks don’t seem to be in the area.

Carmen Velez, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Alterations to the Carbohydrate Moiety of Bleomycin and its Effect on Selective Tumor Cell Targeting Efficiency

Bleomycin (BLM) is glycopeptide-derived, antitumor antibiotic that has proven to be an effective treatment for various different types of squamous cancers, where uncontrolled division of squamous cells found in the skin, head and neck, cervix or genitalia is inhibited. BLM contains a disaccharide carbohydrate moiety that is responsible for the detection of tumor cells using cell-surface markers, thus determining the drug targeting efficiency of BLM. Alterations to the carbohydrate moiety’s physical properties, formal charge or binding location on BLM has proven to increase the drug targeting efficiency of bleomycin. In this study, different alterations of the amide functional group on the disaccharide moiety are organically synthesized then arranged around different positions on the disaccharide. Normal cell lines and different cancer cell lines are then treated with each of these carbohydrate moiety conjugates followed by fluorescence imaging. Results showed that BLM conjugates that completely lacked the carbohydrate moiety displayed no binding or uptake of BLM in the various cell lines used. On the other hand, conjugates that contained a tertiary or secondary amide in their carbohydrate moiety showed higher rates of binding/uptake of the BLM disaccharide when compared to the conjugates that had a primary amide. The functional groups of the carbohydrate moiety were proven to be responsible for the binding and uptake of BLM. The development of a more modified moiety could enable more effective use of this drug in the future and harnesses the potential for BLM to be used to treat other non-squamous cancers.

Another thousand words can make an image: visualizing reproductive services in early 20th century Mexico

This project seeks to understand the coverage of reproductive services provided by midwives during the 1920s and 30s in Mexico City. This is continued work from a previous project where student researchers mapped the addresses of midwives from the Escuela Libre de Obstetricia y Enfermeria (ELOE), this year we expanded the project to locate midwives’ patients. ELOE was one of many different alternative institutions of obstetrical learning that arose from the revolutionary movement of early 20th century Mexico. This specific institution equipped midwives with the knowledge and skills required to help birth children well into the 1930s, past the time of death given to the career by the current historical literature. Our methodologies included reading clinical records from the 1930s written in cursive and in Spanish, gathering names and addresses, organizing them in Google sheets, and finding and corroborating addresses using historical maps and Google maps, all through collaborative work experience. Our presentation includes preliminary visualizations of the future maps. By using visualization methodologies, historians are better positioned to examine the success of midwifery programs at a time when the medical service were scant in Mexico. Future research includes obtaining all the coordinates needed to generate a map in ArcGIS

The Multi-Edged Blades of Creative Escapism

In this presentation, I use collaborative ethnographic research on the table-top role playing game Dungeons and Dragons to illustrate the importance of sharing emotional labor in order to maximize the impact of healing experienced in shared spaces. D&D is a space in which people decompress, relax, and exercise creative and critical judgment safely. However, because it is often a white and male dominated creative space, oppressive social structures often recreate themselves through well-intentioned but unaware creators. Given the invisible nature of biases, it is our job as creators and participants of shared spaces to actively practice awareness of each other's boundaries, and keep in conversation about how to improve inclusivity. In order to move toward a future where the emotional labor of oppression is not just a problem for marginalized people, we as citizens of each other's communities need to recognize safety and consent as a practice that involves every person's cooperative efforts.

EFFECT OF BLOCK DESIGN ON ROTATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A SWIM START

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of start block design on the rotational characteristics of a swim start. Fourteen university-level competitive swimmers (21.1±2.1 yrs, 1.79±0.08 m, 75.6±11.8 kg) completed three maximal effort swim starts under each of four conditions, flat block with kick plate, flat block with a kick plate, inclined block with no kick plate and inclined block with a kick plate. Temporal and kinematic variables and angular momentum were measured for each start using a two-dimensional video analysis. Use of an inclined block significantly reduced block time by 4%, reduced time to 5m by 2.2% and reduced vertical velocity at entry by 4.9% compared to a flat block. Use of a kick plate significantly reduced block time by 3.4%, reduced time to 5m by 3.4%, increased horizontal velocity at takeoff by 3.7%, increased horizontal velocity at entry by 2.7% and increased the body orientation angle at takeoff by 2.7% compared to not using a kick plate. Neither block inclination nor use of a kick plate affected airborne whole body angular momentum. These data support using an inclined block platform and kick plate to improve start performance and suggest that experienced swimmers can adapt the rotational characteristics of their start to different conditions.

Daily Administration of GnRH agonist Leuprolide Acetate During Adolescence Delays Puberty and alters Sexual Behavior in Female Long-Evans Rats.

The present study examined the long-term effects of suppressing puberty with a GnRH agonist on reproductive physiology and behavior in female rats. Little is known about the long-term effects of chronic GnRH agonist treatment on reproductive physiology and behavior when treatment starts prior to puberty and continues until early adulthood in animal subjects. We have recently reported that administration of the GnRH agonist leuprolide acetate (25 µg/kg) daily for 25 days (postnatal day (PD) 25-50) delayed puberty and disrupted the development of copulatory behavior and sexual motivation in male rats. However, pilot data from our lab suggest that this dose of leuprolide acetate was not high enough to significantly delay puberty in female rats. Therefore, we injected female Long-Evans rats with either leuprolide acetate at a higher dose (50 µg/kg) or 0.9% sterile saline daily for 25 days, starting on PD 25 and ending on PD 50. Vaginal opening was observed daily starting on PD 30 for signs of pubertal onset and first estrous cycle. In addition, we measured estrous cyclicity in these adult females, approximately 2 weeks after leuprolide treatment ended. Starting immediately after monitoring estrous cyclicity, females were mated on their first day in behavioral estrous using the partner preference paradigm, with and without physical contact. We found that this higher dose of leuprolide significantly delayed puberty in female rats. However, estrous cyclicity was not significantly affected. Finally, sexual motivation was or was notaffected. Female rats who had been exposed to leuprolide during the peri-adolescent period, spent less time with the male partner, made fewer visits to the male, and took longer to return after receiving an ejaculation than the vehicle controls. Together with our findings in male rats, these results add to understanding of the developmental effects of chemically suppressing puberty.

I was an editorial intern at Discover Grey during the summer of 2021. As an intern at Grey, my responsibilities mainly included writing weekly column articles and news articles and editing other’s work. The editing aspect was definitely my favorite part; I have always loved being able to help others get their thoughts on the page in a way that is the most accessible to others. This internship not only gave me an opportunity to do that, but it also reaffirmed my wish to go into editing and publishing after I graduate. Working at Grey gave me real skills that I will take with me into the workforce. It also connected back to my time at Southwestern. Naturally, writing and editing connected back to nearly every class I have taken, but especially my English Capstone. Having to collaborate, write and rewrite, and research was a constant in both my Capstone and at Grey. Overall, both my time at Grey and my time at Southwestern has helped me affirm my passion for publishing and have given me the experience to allow me to pursue that passion.

Snail (Pomacea maculata) Days of Summer: Associations between reproductive output, snail removal efforts, and eDNA concentration

Higher temperatures during summer lead to heightened metabolic activity and reproduction in Pomacea maculata, an invasive apple snail species. This activity increases production of environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA provides an additional means of detecting the presence of invasive species through water samples. Recently, P. maculata invaded the San Antonio River in 2019. We monitored eDNA concentration during peak activity season of P. maculata along with removal effort conducted by the San Antonio River Authority (SARA). SARA collected water samples over six weeks from three riverwalk stretches (King Williams, Museum Reach, and Downtown). We sought to analyze how abundance of P. maculata correlates with ongoing removal efforts using eDNA. We received 72 water samples (6 weeks x 4 sites x 3 replicates), filtered samples using 1.2 µm millipore filters, and performed chloroform extractions. Our research allows us to analyze patterns of P. maculata activity by comparing eDNA detections from early summer to late summer. We expect a decline in eDNA concentration despite the peak season due to increase in removal efforts. We highlight the importance of collaborating with authorities to control the spread of P. maculata and using eDNA as an effective tool in monitoring the presence of apple snails.

Stop escargo in San Antonio: developing best methodology for detecting Pomacea maculata using environmental DNA (eDNA)

Invasive species spread rapidly or relatively slowly. Since establishing in Houston in the early 2000’s, Pomacea maculata apple snail populations slowly spread westward. In 2019, the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) started combatting P. maculata spread within the San Antonio River. Beyond routine field work, environmental DNA (eDNA) provides another invasive species detection method. We tested how a combination of factors (N=5) influenced P. maculata eDNA detection. In June 2021, we visited an established site and filtered water samples using different filter types (1.2 µm Millipore versus Smith-Root self-preserving & regular filters), filter sizes (1.2 µm & 5 µm), and locations (upstream of the snails’ known location). We extracted filter samples using chloroform or Qiagen kits to compare extraction methods. We amplified eDNA with qPCR and species-specific primers and statistically compared mean eDNA concentrations. We found 1.2 µm filters captured significantly more eDNA than 5 µm filters. We found positive detections downstream, but surprisingly found detections upstream beyond the snails’ known boundary. Chloroform resulted in significantly more eDNA than kit extraction. These results indicate necessary standardization of eDNA detection methods. Combining eDNA with ongoing SARA collaboration efforts will hopefully prevent P. maculata spread in San Antonio and beyond.

Chigger Mite Prevalence in Texas Chirping Frogs Based on Citizen Science

Hannemania mites have been found on a number of amphibian species. In this study, we investigated the presence of Hannemania mites on two species of chirping frogs, Eleutherodactylus marnockii and E. cystignathoides. Using research-grade records on iNaturalist, a social network for citizen scientists, we examined photographs of 265 E. marnockii collected from August 10, 1985 through May 7, 2019. We also examined photographs of 347 E. cystignathoides collected from August 10, 1985 through January 21, 2018. We scored photographs for the presence of mites on the two species, and examined their association with visibility of extremities, seasonal changes, and geography. We found that 43.36% of E. marnockii and 1.24% of E. cystignathoides were visibly infected with mites, a highly significant difference. Among E. marnockii infected with mites, 64.29% of frogs had mites on the front legs, 74.49% had mites on the hind legs, 7.14% had mites on the head, and 23.46% had mites present on the trunk. There were no significant differences in the presence of mites among frogs that exhibited differences in visibility of their legs. The proportion of E. marnockii infected with mites during fall/winter (October-March) was 48%, while the proportion of frogs with mites during spring/summer (April-September) was 42%; these differences were not significant. Of the 22 Texas counties where E. marnockii were observed, mites were observed on the frogs in all but 6 counties and we did not observe any obvious geographic pattern of mite infection. Our results demonstrate that mites are common in E. marnockii but rare in E. cystignathoides and provide information about seasonal and geographic patterns of mite prevalence. This study provides baseline information that can lead to further investigations of why these types of mites are more prevalent in some species.

Barbara Anthony, Mathematics and Computer Science

‘dex : The Virtual Rolodex for Students and Young Professionals

For our 2022 Senior Seminar in Software Engineering, we decided to team up with two recent business majors to create a mobile application that assists in organizing professional connections as students expand their network. ‘dex is a virtual rolodex that allows students to store information about people they meet as well as set reminders, to-dos, and copy sample emails to interact with those connections.
We created our app using a technology known as React Native, which allows for the deployment of our app on both iOS and Android devices. We created a server that implements functionality like authorization, contact creation, and other API services.
Since we were in constant contact with our partners, we were able to implement an Agile process model that emphasizes incremental change as well as consistent communication. This allowed us to slowly build our app from the ground up, focusing on getting incremental changes pushed every two-week sprint. We streamlined the development of our application by designing it with the modeling software Figma, and maintaining a list of features, issues, and bugs with Github.

Jacob Schrum, Mathematics and Computer Science

Evaluating Quality Diversity Success by Transferring MAP Elites Archives

Quality Diversity (QD) algorithms find a diverse collection of distinct high quality solutions to a problem, rather than just a single, best solution. QD algorithms often find better solutions than optimization techniques that only focus on improving performance, because sometimes an unusual but suboptimal solution will eventually lead to a much better solution. One QD algorithm, Multi-dimensional Archive of Phenotypic Elites (MAP-Elites), divides a possibility space into an archive of bins, which solutions are categorized into based on a set of measurements that constitute a “binning scheme”. This research utilizes MAP-Elites along with a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to generate video game levels for Super Mario Bros. and Mega-Man, and compares the relative success of different binning schemes. However, it is difficult to assess the relative quality of archives using different binning schemes. The new approach used in this research re-evaluates filled archives from one binning scheme into an archive created by a different binning scheme, to measure how well the old solutions fill the new archive. If the overall percentage of filled bins is high, the target scheme is successfully capturing the diversity in the source scheme, or the source scheme is producing diverse solutions.

How Actual V. Anticipated Wait Time Influences children's and adults emotions and preferences

We plan to investigate children’s (aged 4 to 10 years) and adults’ (anticipated N = 200; current N = 12) experience of how expectations shape affective experiences (preferences and emotions). Specifically, how affect may change based on varying expected wait time. All participants will wait five minutes to receive a treat (e.g., candy). Before the waiting period, half of the participants will be asked to wait ten minutes (low expectations; unexpected) and half will be asked to wait five minutes (expected). After receiving the treat, participants will report their preferences and emotions about the treat and their wait-time (e.g., “Did you like or not like the amount of time that you waited? How much? How did you feel about that?”). Participants use 6-point pictorial scales for preferences (from “dislike a lot” to “like a lot”) and emotions (from “very bad” to “very good”). We hypothesize that older children and adults who wait for a shorter time than expected (low expectations) will feel better about the treat and their wait time than those who waited for as long as they expected, whereas younger children will have similar emotional reactions regardless of anticipated wait time.

Don’t Shoot — I Have Something Very Important to Tell You

“I have something very important to tell you. I’m okay. Your dad’s okay. We’re okay. But there’s been a mass shooting in our hotel. Our hotel is on lockdown. I don’t know when I’m coming home. But we’re okay. Okay?” These are the words that came through the phone at 7 a.m. on October 2nd, 2017. My parents had been in the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada the night the deadliest shooting in the United States took place. Mass shootings, school shootings, and racial gun violence have plagued the United States for as long as I can remember. In response to these shootings, there have been protests calling for politicians to take action. However, in the United States, due to media biases and individual implicit bias, the way protests and activism are perceived in America has roots in the racism in which America was founded upon. Therefore, I ask: How does the racial makeup of the leadership team of an activist organization affect the media coverage they receive and the probability that their demands are met? I compared the media coverage of the marches and protests of the gun violence prevention activist organization “50 Miles More” in 2018 and in 2020. In addition, I compared whether or not their demands were ultimately met following their protests. Recognizing the way these marches were portrayed in the media, and subsequently whether or not their demands were met is important for recognizing the way diversity is treated in America, specifically when it comes to protests.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

Before I began my internship at Cox Family Dentistry, I really did not know much about the field of dentistry. Over six weeks I was able to see what day-to-day responsibilities look like as a dentist, learn about the managerial aspects of dentistry, get better at asking questions, evaluate if dentistry is truly the right path for me, and gain more knowledge about all the different job positions in a dental office. With the help of Dr. Cox and his team, I can say that all of my goals were attained. I was able to experience many of the responsibilities that come with being a dentist, including the managerial side of owning a practice. My duties included sterilizing instruments, probing, calling to confirm patients, and shadowing restorative and cosmetic procedures. I developed friendships with his wonderful staff that I still keep in touch with today. My experience at Cox Family Dentistry has me happily anticipating my future, and it exceeded all of my expectations.

Destructive or Democratic? Perceptions of Civility and Protest Attitudes

Civility contests are “practical efforts to draw symbolic boundaries between civil and uncivil individuals, groups or behaviors” (2018, 608), exactly like Walsh is trying to do in his tweets. Some protestors are uncivil “assholes,” while others are civil because they are “for a good cause.” But what is the impact of these civility contests on public attitudes towards protest? Does calling a set of protestors uncivil change Americans’ opinions not only of the group protesting, but of the appropriateness of protest as a democratic behavior? And does the uncivil label have an impact even in a true contest, when it is juxtaposed with a counterframe that presents the protestors as civil?
To answer these questions, we present the results of a survey experiment in which participants were exposed to social media posts that frame a climate change protest as civil or uncivil. Some participants were also assigned to view counterframes in order to assess attitudinal effects in the presence of an explicit civility contest.

Dr. Erika Berroth Dr. Erika Berroth, Modern Languages and Literature

German-language Hip-Hop in Modern Language Teaching and Learning:
Increasing Social Justice and Diversity in the Curriculum

This German Capstone thesis reviews and analyzes the development of German-language hip hop over the last 20 years. My goal is to assess how hip hop lyrics can serve as authentic resources for learning German. How and what can we learn from Hip Hop artists in Germany, from those of German and other origins.
My method of integrating critical perspectives developed in the scholarly literature with the personal perspectives shared by a major hip hop artist, Kool Savas, (I secured IRB approval for interviews) generates a nuanced understanding of the significance of the genre as an expression of German culture. Many of today’s German-language hip hop artists have family histories in countries other than Germany. Their lyrics, I argue, communicate important issues related to social justice questions in contemporary Germany related to identity and migration. My double major in German and Education informs my goals. I investigate pedagogical arguments for how and why hip hop and its lyrics would be suitable as an authentic resource for the teaching and learning of German and the understanding of contemporary German society. I conclude that well chosen and contextualized lyrics can serve as authentic resources to explore rich layers of cultural diversity, especially regarding social justice issues.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

Southwestern University Special Collections, Student Archivist

In the summer of 2021, I interned at Southwestern University’s Special Collections and Archives. Southwestern’s Special Collections and Archives houses books, manuscripts, and objects of historical and scholarly value that support undergraduate, faculty, and community research. As a student archivist, I worked to process a few archival collections. I worked on three small collections including the Ruth Jackson Collection, Louise Britt Carvey Collection, and the Earl of Anglesey Collection, as well as the Walter V. Hankla Collection. Processing a collection involves inventory, research, description, database entry, and rehousing of materials. I gained professional and theoretical knowledge of archives and how they function through this internship. I know more about the steps I need to take to become an archivist and about the theory that guides how archives function. This experience was extremely valuable as I have a clearer understanding of what the field of archives entails.

Interpersonal Drama Therapy Through Tabletop Roleplaying Games:
Theatre Capstone

This research paper discusses an expansion on Tabletop Roleplaying Games and Drama Therapy, and an argument on how TTRPGs can be utilized as a tool in drama and art therapy. Taking a deeper look into the structure of TTRPGs reveals a number of reasons why these games should be looked into as valid outlets for individuals and examples as to why TTRPGs have helped people since the beginning of its creation. Improv is a fundamental part of the roleplay experience, with players having plenty of time to discuss and plan their interactions or come up with it on the spot, leaving room for a comfortable and accessible outlet to have a voice. A majority of people who play tabletop games can be introverted and unable to have interactions without the fear of overstimulation, but as social beings, humans need connection. Many become very satisfied with the bonds they create and have with other players. Using Tabletop Roleplaying Games as a tool in combining drama and art therapy into one interaction, this research paper argues how useful it can be.

We all lived in a COVID-submarine: The role of crowding in predicting stress-spillover during

the stay-at-home orders

Stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic created novel conditions under
which many people were contained in their homes. Much like being aboard a submarine, homes became capsule environments. According to the crowding literature, high density in capsule environments increases cognitive load and diminishes a person’s ability to manage external stress (Altman, 1975). As such, we hypothesized that household density during the stay-at-home orders would exacerbate the impact external stressors (e.g., work and school) have on relationship satisfaction (i.e., stress spillover; e.g., Buck & Neff, 2012). To test this idea, 195 participants (110 women and 85 men; 83 couples and 29 individuals) living with their partner during stay-at-home orders completed 14 daily diary surveys measuring relationship satisfaction and external stressors individuals were experiencing. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed that couples with more dense homes were more affected by stress spillover (i.e., they had lower relationship satisfaction under high stress conditions) compared to those with less dense homes. Our findings highlight the role of the home environment in predicting relationship outcomes.

An Inclusive Education Advocacy Project Between Neighbors:
A Creative and Comparative Examination of the American and Canadian Education Systems in the Midst of COVID.

The goal of this project is to examine ways in which two neighboring countries (Canadian and U.S) can learn from each other in order to maximize the strengths of their respective special education systems. Additional goals include: (1) taking a bold step toward developing an innovative, new vision for inclusive education for special education; (2) educating neighboring nations through collaborative sharing and problem-solving; (3) advocating for students with disabilities; and (4) building a United Inclusive Education Advocacy Council.

Through the review of the aforementioned countries' and the actions that were taken to insure inclusion during a worldwide pandemic, we can lay the groundwork for change. While this study in itself only looks at a small sample of the work that could be done, it is the foundation for innovation, creativity and inspiration in this new frontier of education. The devastating effects of the pandemic is the impetus for change - one that helps us find a way we can do better for children. On the heels of our struggle we can reflect, research and rise to the challenge of change. We cannot let this moment pass without engaging in the energy and focus it offers us. The pandemic and the impact it has had on our lives is a concern for everyone at this moment, using that opportunity to fuel the motion for change is our responsibility. This small study is the spark that lights that fire within education.

The Southwestern Health and Counseling Services strives to provide many different avenues of care to students. Health education is one of these avenues. Santiago Rocha is the Health Educator at Southwestern and he works out of an office in the health center and an office in the student activities suite. A goal of health education at Southwestern is to encourage students to engage in well-rounded and mindful self care. Through this internship I learned how to gather data and conduct needs assessment on community needs. With the data gathered, I developed health programs that engaged community specific needs. This outreach was made possible through the development of professional communication skills and the organization of many different faculty. This internship has allowed me to better serve my role within the Southwestern Community and develop myself professionally.

Not known yetEngaging Students in Mathematics Through Stories and Escape Rooms: [The Title of your Book or Escape Room] or [My Book or Escape Room Title TBD]

In this session, students in the Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School will read math-focused children’s books they wrote (elementary education certifying students) and present Escape Rooms they designed (secondary math education students). The presenters taught mathematics in local classrooms ranging in grade levels from kindergarten through high school depending on the presenters certification level. Most of the presenters in the class were teaching in elementary classrooms. These Southwestern University students wrote children’s books to engage and provide a context to support their students' exploration of mathematical concepts in developmentally appropriate ways. A contextualized story makes learning math more inclusive and accessible. Each children’s book will be read aloud with the illustrations projected. Students placed in high school classes designed math-focused Escape Room Activities to motivate and engage their students in productive struggle. An overview of each of the Escape Room Tasks will be shared.

Michael Gesinski, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Naphthoquinones

Naphthoquinone scaffolds are commonly found in biologically relevant natural products, and their use as cancer therapeutics and antibiotics makes their synthesis of interest. Current synthetic methods have poor selectivity and a narrow substrate scope, reducing their viability as options for large-scale syntheses. Here, gold(I) catalysts were used with o-alkynylbenzyl silyl enol ethers to yield naphthalene derivatives which can be easily oxidized to form naphthoquinones. The substrate was synthesized from inexpensive starting material using a Sonogashira coupling followed by a silyl enol ether formation. The reaction proceeds through a highly selective 6-endo-dig cyclization due to the enhanced stability of the benzylic gold carbocation intermediate. The cyclized product has been isolated in 95% yield and characterized using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Work is currently underway to expand the substrate scope and develop an efficient oxidation reaction. This approach has the potential to yield di-substituted naphthoquinones, expanding its utility as a useful tool in the synthesis of complex naphthoquinone-containing natural products.

The effect of native oceanic or coastal environment on light-harvesting pathways in photosynthetic diatoms

Diatoms are a group of photosynthetic microalgae that account for a fourth of the planet’s carbon fixation and play critical roles in global primary production and in aquatic food webs. As global climate change continues, diatoms will need to adapt to their changing aquatic environments. Early studies suggest that coastal and oceanic species of diatoms may respond differently to environmental stressors. Diatoms of the same species can be found in contrasting environmental niches and can adapt their photosynthetic light-harvesting structures and dynamics to suit their specific environment. Using UV-Vis, steady-state fluorescence, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopies, we are investigating the effect of native aquatic environments on light-harvesting dynamics in photosynthetic diatoms. Our fluorescence lifetimes indicate energy transfer processes that reflect energy flowing through the photosynthetic complexes of the diatoms. These preliminary results provide insight into the light-harvesting pathways of coastal and oceanic diatoms.

Barbara Anthony, Mathematics and Computer Science

‘dex: The Virtual Rolodex for Students and Young Professionals

For our 2022 Senior Seminar in Software Engineering, we decided to team up with two recent business majors to create a mobile application that assists in organizing professional connections as students expand their network. ‘dex is a virtual rolodex that allows students to store information about people they meet as well as set reminders, to-dos, and copy sample emails to interact with those connections.
We created our app using a technology known as React Native, which allows for the deployment of our app on both iOS and Android devices. We created a server that implements functionality like authorization, contact creation, and other API services.
Since we were in constant contact with our partners, we were able to implement an Agile process model that emphasizes incremental change as well as consistent communication. This allowed us to slowly build our app from the ground up, focusing on getting incremental changes pushed every two-week sprint. We streamlined the development of our application by designing it with the modeling software Figma, and maintaining a list of features, issues, and bugs with Github.

Computational Mathematics

Barbara Anthony, Mathematics and Computer Science

Worldwide, the food service sector is considered the least sustainable among the economic sectors. Meal production is responsible for 80% of deforestation, 70% of the consumption of fresh water, and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Our Computer Science Computer Science capstone group is creating a mobile application that helps you locate nearby restaurants based on a sustainability rating. Young consumers showed that they tend to rely on the suggestions and reviews made available via apps when making their food decisions. Severe environmental problems, such as global warming, waste, and pollution, have increased people's consciousness of the environment and the need for actions based on sustainability. There is currently no mobile app providing a holistic sustainability score for restaurants. The sustainability rating would be based on a restaurant sustainability checklist created in 2020 by environmental experts. This checklist contains 76 items that cover a variety of aspects of a restaurant's organization. In creating this app we are learning about software tools such as React Native, Django, MySQL gaining experience in mobile design, how to manipulate a database, and how to deploy our application.

The Effects and Antioxidant Capabilities of Catechins in Matcha Green Tea

Matcha has long been a Japanese ceremonial tea and is made from Camellia sinensis, a plant whose leaves are delicately grown and harvested. The tea plant is cultivated in the shade away from direct sunlight which accounts for increased antioxidant activity of the leaves which are then ground into powder to produce matcha. Antioxidants such as catechins, polyphenols, and vitamin C are found in the chemical composition of matcha green tea. The most abundant catechin found in matcha is (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which has been associated with many health benefits such as improved cognitive function and anti-inflammation. In this literature review, the various health benefits of matcha will be discussed as well as the importance of catechins such as EGCG within matcha green tea. An overview of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and micellar electrokinetic chromatography will be provided as these methods are frequently used to quantify catechin concentrations in green tea. The effects of catechins found within matcha green tea with a focus on EGCG will be presented due to the antioxidant capabilities of these compounds. The literature shows that matcha green tea possesses strong antioxidant properties that are related to a wide range of health benefits.

White-knuckling Through Life: Predicting Aggression Through Romantic Attachment, Emotional Intelligence, and Maladaptive Personality

Trait aggression is correlated with a variety of problematic outcomes including interpersonal violence, but also psychological forms of abuse. While a variety of personality variables, including attachment security, emotional intelligence, and personality pathology have been linked to trait aggression, the nature of these relationships is not well understood. The current study hypothesized positive correlations between romantic attachment security dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and global trait aggression, which would be mediated by emotional intelligence and the symptoms of personality disorders. Using Amazon’s MTURK platform, we collected online survey data from 261 participants all of whom were, or had been, in a romantic relationship. Regression analyses revealed a positive correlation between attachment anxiety and trait aggression, with personality disorder symptoms partially mediating this relationship. This may indicate that attachment anxiety contributes to higher levels of trait aggression, which may be facilitated by maladaptive elements of personality. Given the correlational nature of the data, the causal interpretation must be considered tentative and warrants further research.

Engaging Students in Mathematics Through Stories and Escape Rooms: My Book Title TBD

In this session, students in the Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School will read math-focused children’s books they wrote (elementary education certifying students) and present Escape Rooms they designed (secondary math education students). The presenters taught mathematics in local classrooms ranging in grade levels from kindergarten through high school depending on the presenters certification level. Most of the presenters in the class were teaching in elementary classrooms. These Southwestern University students wrote children’s books to engage and provide a context to support their students' exploration of mathematical concepts in developmentally appropriate ways. A contextualized story makes learning math more inclusive and accessible. Each children’s book will be read aloud with the illustrations projected. Students placed in high school classes designed math-focused Escape Room Activities to motivate and engage their students in productive struggle. An overview of each of the Escape Room Tasks will be shared.

Cost-effective 3D Bioprinter Calibration using Bioalginate

3D bioprinting is a novel technique that enables the additive manufacturing of soft biological materials, including human tissue. However, the novelty of bioprinting creates financial and technological barriers that make it largely inaccessible to researchers. Our study aimed to overcome these barriers by building and calibrating custom-made, inexpensive bioprinters. To begin, we replicated two previously published bioprinters: the Replistruder 4 and the Large Volume Extruder (LVE). Bioprinting uses different biomaterials, i.e. bioinks, that are printed into tissue scaffolds to which cells can eventually be introduced. To aid in calibrating the optimal settings for our bioprinters, we printed freeform 3D structures using a highly biocompatible and inexpensive bioink, calcium-crosslinked alginate. To aid structural integrity upon printing, we also performed prints in a freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH) bath consisting of gelatin microparticles. Through our preliminary prints, we have discovered both printers are capable of printing simple 3D structures, though further testing is needed to verify the fidelity of each model.

Child Advocacy and It’s Connections to the Classroom: My Summer as an Intern

As a psychology major here at Southwestern I made the decision to do an academic internship over the summer to contribute to a paideia undergraduate experience. Over the summer of 2021, I was a family advocate intern at the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center where I worked with the caregivers of children who’ve experienced or witnessed abuse. As a family advocate I worked with caregivers to help find them job and housing opportunities in the community. Due to my personal interests, the team I worked with also introduced me to forensic interviewing. I observed several prerecorded and also live interviews with children who are there to talk about one of the worst moments of their life. The head forensic interviewer gave me forensic interview training and I got to practice those skills will several other team members. This internship experience gave me a lot of opportunities to grow personal skills, make real-world connections to the content of my psychology courses, and also learn about possible careers in the field of psychology.

White-knuckling Through Life: Predicting Aggression Through Romantic Attachment, Emotional Intelligence, and Maladaptive Personality

Trait aggression is correlated with a variety of problematic outcomes including interpersonal violence, but also psychological forms of abuse. While a variety of personality variables, including attachment security, emotional intelligence, and personality pathology have been linked to trait aggression, the nature of these relationships is not well understood. The current study hypothesized positive correlations between romantic attachment security dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and global trait aggression, which would be mediated by emotional intelligence and the symptoms of personality disorders. Using Amazon’s MTURK platform, we collected online survey data from 261 participants all of whom were, or had been, in a romantic relationship. Regression analyses revealed a positive correlation between attachment anxiety and trait aggression, with personality disorder symptoms partially mediating this relationship. This may indicate that attachment anxiety contributes to higher levels of trait aggression, which may be facilitated by maladaptive elements of personality. Given the correlational nature of the data, the causal interpretation must be considered tentative and warrants further research.

Chigger Mite Prevalence in Texas Chirping Frogs Based on Citizen Science

Hannemania mites have been found on a number of amphibian species. In this study, we investigated the presence of Hannemania mites on two species of chirping frogs, Eleutherodactylus marnockii and E. cystignathoides. Using research-grade records on iNaturalist, a social network for citizen scientists, we examined photographs of 265 E. marnockii collected from August 10, 1985 through May 7, 2019. We also examined photographs of 347 E. cystignathoides collected from August 10, 1985 through January 21, 2018. We scored photographs for the presence of mites on the two species, and examined their association with visibility of extremities, seasonal changes, and geography. We found that 43.36% of E. marnockii and 1.24% of E. cystignathoides were visibly infected with mites, a highly significant difference. Among E. marnockii infected with mites, 64.29% of frogs had mites on the front legs, 74.49% had mites on the hind legs, 7.14% had mites on the head, and 23.46% had mites present on the trunk. There were no significant differences in the presence of mites among frogs that exhibited differences in visibility of their legs. The proportion of E. marnockii infected with mites during fall/winter (October-March) was 48%, while the proportion of frogs with mites during spring/summer (April-September) was 42%; these differences were not significant. Of the 22 Texas counties where E. marnockii were observed, mites were observed on the frogs in all but 6 counties and we did not observe any obvious geographic pattern of mite infection. Our results demonstrate that mites are common in E. marnockii but rare in E. cystignathoides and provide information about seasonal and geographic patterns of mite prevalence. This study provides baseline information that can lead to further investigations of why these types of mites are more prevalent in some species.

Cost-effective 3D Bioprinter Calibration using Bioalginate

3D bioprinting is a novel technique that enables the additive manufacturing of soft biological materials, including human tissue. However, the novelty of bioprinting creates financial and technological barriers that make it largely inaccessible to researchers. Our study aimed to overcome these barriers by building and calibrating custom-made, inexpensive bioprinters. To begin, we replicated two previously published bioprinters: the Replistruder 4 and the Large Volume Extruder (LVE). Bioprinting uses different biomaterials, i.e. bioinks, that are printed into tissue scaffolds to which cells can eventually be introduced. To aid in calibrating the optimal settings for our bioprinters, we printed freeform 3D structures using a highly biocompatible and inexpensive bioink, calcium-crosslinked alginate. To aid structural integrity upon printing, we also performed prints in a freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH) bath consisting of gelatin microparticles. Through our preliminary prints, we have discovered both printers are capable of printing simple 3D structures, though further testing is needed to verify the fidelity of each model.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

For the summer of 2021, I interned with Level Equity Management as an investment analyst. "Level" is an investment manager with over $3 billion in capital invested on behalf of endowments, pensions, and high-net-worth individuals. Throughout my internship, I worked alongside a team of 25 professionals to invest money into promising companies. My day-to-day responsibilities included identifying impressive privately-held software companies, preparing investment memorandum, networking with investment banks, and maintaining investment portfolios. Among other tasks, I utilized analytical and critical writing skills to develop market abstracts for over 20 fast-growing software firms. The abstracts require extensive research, problem-solving, and communication abilities to identify market opportunities. The demands of Southwestern's History department, which include: developing strong writing ability, engaging in quantitative & qualitative analysis, and research synthesis techniques, aided me greatly in accomplishing every task. I will excel as a professional investment post-graduation due to Southwestern's fantastic opportunities and classwork.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

My internship site, Hope Alliance, provides support to survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence by providing free services including counseling, emergency shelter, housing, legal services and advocacy, SANE accompaniments, and 24 hour crisis intervention. I worked the most on the crisis hotline, providing direct support and crisis intervention to survivors, which often included intake appointments, referrals to legal advocacy, working with sexual assault nurses for examination accompaniments, and safety planning. I gained direct experience working with survivors and completed the TAASA approved sexual assault advocacy training. I also gained crisis management experience and connections to other non-profit organizations and social services. My experience at Hope Alliance showed me the huge need for more resources for survivors, including state funding, safe housing, and counseling. I plan to continue to work in advocacy and will eventually pursue a masters degree in Clinical Social Work to help increase community resources and understanding for survivors.

BDSM (bondage/discipline, dominant/submissive, and sadism/masochism) is a mosaic of both sexual and nonsexual activities and roles. Although many studies have examined personality variables predicting engagement in sadomasochism and self-identification as either a dominant or a submissive, there is not much data on predictive variables for engagement in bondage-discipline. To better understand personality correlates of bondage roles specifically, we asked BDSM practitioners (N = 313) to complete questionnaires on dominance, submission, sense of agency, coping strategies, and bondage. We found that bondage role preferences were correlated with sadomasochism, hierarchy fantasy, trauma, coping strategies, and traits such as sensitivity and masculinity. Bondage-discipline encounters can vary substantially in intensity (e.g., pain, lack of control), and so future research should incorporate intensity into this analysis. The current findings imply that themes of dominance and submission may be applicable to, and inherent within, other dualistic themes of BDSM, such as sadism and masochism, although future research is needed to support this claim.

The Sonogashira coupling of 2-iodobenzyl alcohol with 1 hexyne: an investigation of protecting groups and gold(I) catalysis

The use of protecting groups in the field of organic chemistry has been useful in synthesizing molecules with applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Protecting groups shield a particular functional group by manipulating the molecules, ultimately aiding the synthesis of organic molecules by preventing unwanted manipulation of particular functional groups. An ideal protecting group would be selectively added or removed under specific conditions, but stable in most environments. To aid the use of protecting groups, transition-metal catalysts have been used. Looking specifically at gold catalysis due to its specificity for alkynes, this method can help further discover possible mechanisms for reactions in the field of organic chemistry. A novel protecting group was synthesized through a Sonogashira coupling reaction between 2-iodobenzyl alcohol and 1-hexyne. This reaction was characterized by 1H NMR and the product was purified through column chromatography. It was found that the product formed from this reaction creates an alkynyl, which makes the benzyl alcohol more favorable for mild gold(I) catalysis. Furthermore, more research is needed to continue to examine the efficiency of these novel protecting groups, both in installing novel protecting groups on different alcohol, as well as cleaving them through gold-catalysis.

A Garden Where I Found Myself, and I Found You: An Immersive Art Installation

This living art installation seeking to redefine the relationships that we hold with the Earth through an innovative approach to sculpture. In this piece, I am introducing living plants into the gallery space to compose a native Texas landscape. The union of natural elements within man-made infrastructure works to bring awareness to the growing separation between humans and nature.
This piece builds upon my current work in art that explores visceral and spiritual connections to nature. I take influence from the works of land artists, including Robert Smithson and Agnes Denes, to continue the quest to bring awareness to environmental concerns, and to discover creative ways to reintegrate nature into our lives.
In walking through and interacting with the space, visitors become a component of the living installation, transforming it into a performative piece that breaks the boundaries of experiencing art through touch. The garden is a reminder of our roots that ground us to the Earth, and adopts an optimistic approach to embrace the beauty of nature and reevaluate the role that it plays in our everyday lives.

Barbara Anthony , Mathematics and Computer Science

dex: The Virtual Rolodex for Student's and Young Professionals

‘dex: The Virtual Rolodex for Students and Young Professionals
Declan Jeffrey ‘22, Nolan Winsman ‘22, Ben Capps ‘22, Maxx Batterton ‘23
Sponsor: Dr. Anthony (Math and CS Department)
Creative Works Symposium: Bishop's Lounge


'dex Abstract:
For our 2022 Senior Seminar in Software Engineering, we decided to team up with two recent business majors to create a mobile application that assists in organizing professional connections as students expand their network. ‘dex is a virtual rolodex that allows students to store information about people they meet as well as set reminders, to-dos, and copy sample emails to interact with those connections.
We created our app using a technology known as React Native, which allows for the deployment of our app on both iOS and Android devices. We created a server that implements functionality like authorization, contact creation, and other API services.
Since we were in constant contact with our partners, we were able to implement an Agile process model that emphasizes incremental change as well as consistent communication. This allowed us to slowly build our app from the ground up, focusing on getting incremental changes pushed every two-week sprint. We streamlined the development of our application by designing it with the modeling software Figma, and maintaining a list of features, issues, and bugs with Github.

During the summer of 2021 I was given the opportunity to participate in the BRAINS (Brain Rejuvenation Aging Inflammation Neurodegeneration Stroke) Summer Research Program. This program is a part of the John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, TX. While involved with this program I was able to learn much about cellular senescence and apoptosis through my research project focused on cerebral endothelial cells. The cerebral endothelium represents an active interface between blood and the central nervous system and induction of apoptosis is thought to promote a healthy blood brain barrier through the removal of waste. Participants in this program were required to attend weekly journal clubs, attend weekly lab meetings, given the opportunity to hear from medical school admissions and students, and to present their research at the end of the program. I was able to make ample connections to many of my classes in the biological sciences, mainly on the side of cellular and molecular biology. This experience allowed me to gain a better understanding of the detailed biomedical research that goes into the treatments and therapies that physicians use today and how vast the field of medicine truly is.

Destructive or Democratic? Perceptions of Civility in Protests

Civility contests are “practical efforts to draw symbolic boundaries between civil and uncivil individuals, groups or behaviors” (2018, 608), exactly like Walsh is trying to do in his tweets. Some protestors are uncivil “assholes,” while others are civil because they are “for a good cause.” But what is the impact of these civility contests on public attitudes towards protest? Does calling a set of protestors uncivil change Americans’ opinions not only of the group protesting, but of the appropriateness of protest as a democratic behavior? And does the uncivil label have an impact even in a true contest, when it is juxtaposed with a counterframe that presents the protestors as civil?
To answer these questions, we conducted a survey experiment in which participants were exposed to social media posts that frame a climate change protest as civil or uncivil. Some participants were also assigned to view counterframes in order to assess attitudinal effects in the presence of an explicit civility contest.
To answer these questions we will present the results of a survey experiment.

Quantitative Easing and Bank Risk-Taking Behavior

In this paper, we examine the effect of reserve creation due to the Federal Reserve’s Large-scale Asset Purchase programs on bank lending and risk-taking behavior. In particular, we test the existence of a risk-taking channel that induces banks with higher reserve accumulation due to the Fed’s policy to increase the share of riskier loans. Exploiting the heterogeneity in the exposure to such asset purchase programs, as measured by relative mortgage-backed securities holdings in the banks’ portfolios, we use difference-in-differences analysis to study the effect of the Fed’s policies on the supply of total loans and the share of riskier loans such as real estate, commercial, industrial and consumer loans. We find that the first and third round of Quantitative Easing (QE) policies led to an increase in both the total loans and the share of riskier loans within the banks’ portfolios, supporting the risk-taking channel. The second round on the other hand, had no significant impact on banks’ lending behavior.

Filter me...if you can: using size fractionation to separate, measure, and determine the size of Pomacea maculata eDNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection shows immense potential in conservation, but many details about the state (like shape & size) of eDNA-bearing particles in the environment remain unknown. We can use eDNA to detect the non-native invasive apple snail, Pomacea maculata, but not enough comparative data exist to determine the optimum filter size for maximum eDNA collection. We first confirmed eDNA presence of P. maculata in the San Antonio River in June 2021 using 1.2 & 5 µm filters and other factors (like filter types & extraction methods). To describe apple snail eDNA size distribution, we returned in October 2021 at a site upstream of our previous snail detections and collected 1 L water samples (N = 8). Using size fractionation, we sequentially filtered water samples from largest to smallest filter size (12 µm, 8 µm, 5 µm, 3 µm, 1 µm, & 0.2 µm) followed by ethanol precipitation. We quantified eDNA from each size class using qPCR. Our research goal includes comparing our results with other published size fractionation experiments to deduce the nature of aquatic eDNA. Identification of the filter size generating the greatest P. maculata eDNA concentration will guide future sampling efforts to monitor apple snail spread in Texas and beyond.

Stop escargo in San Antonio: developing best methodology for detecting Pomacea maculata using environmental DNA (eDNA)

Invasive species spread rapidly or relatively slowly. Since establishing in Houston in the early 2000’s, Pomacea maculata apple snail populations slowly spread westward. In 2019, the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) started combatting P. maculata spread within the San Antonio River. Beyond routine field work, environmental DNA (eDNA) provides another invasive species detection method. We tested how a combination of factors (N=5) influenced P. maculata eDNA detection. In June 2021, we visited an established site and filtered water samples using different filter types (1.2 µm Millipore versus Smith-Root self-preserving & regular filters), filter sizes (1.2 µm & 5 µm), and locations (upstream of the snails’ known location). We extracted filter samples using chloroform or Qiagen kits to compare extraction methods. We amplified eDNA with qPCR and species-specific primers and statistically compared mean eDNA concentrations. We found 1.2 µm filters captured significantly more eDNA than 5 µm filters. We found positive detections downstream, but surprisingly found detections upstream beyond the snails’ known boundary. Chloroform resulted in significantly more eDNA than kit extraction. These results indicate necessary standardization of eDNA detection methods. Combining eDNA with ongoing SARA collaboration efforts will hopefully prevent P. maculata spread in San Antonio and beyond.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

“NEST-ing” Potential: An Examination of Psychological Theory Illuminated by Professional Experiences with Local Youth

Last semester I served as a student intern at The Georgetown Project's N.E.S.T. Empowerment Center. The N.E.S.T.(Nurturing, Empowering, and Supporting for Tomorrow), is an after-school care program for disenfranchised high schoolers in Georgetown ISD. While there I built relationships with the students and catered to their individual needs, ranging from college readiness to personal advice. I also assisted in facilitating their various forms of programming, helping prepare nightly meals that were served to the students, and attended several community presentations on relevant issues. Using material learned in my Learning & Cognition class, taught by Carin Perilloux, we applied B.F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning to help the NESTlings become more capable, caring, and resilient young adults. We did this by creating "Awesome Cards," which were passed out whenever we observed a student treating others with kindness or going above and beyond in helping us out. They were then positively reinforced at the end of each week during a drawing of the Awesome Cards that would result in them getting a reward out of the prize box. I learned that all behavior is a form of communication, which allowed me to become more confident and caring in my actions and interactions with others.

Maha Zewail-Foote, Chemistry and Biochemistry

The biochemical impact of damage on alternative DNA structures

Double-stranded B-DNA is the dominant conformation in human cells. However, depending on the sequence, DNA can also adopt alternative structures such as the triple-stranded H-DNA conformation. Changes in the genetic sequence, known as mutations, contribute to genetic instability and are related to human diseases such as cancer. H-DNA-forming sequences result in mutations and are enriched at translocation breakpoints. Furthermore, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells can damage DNA, leading to further mutations. Specifically, ROS can chemically modify the base guanine to produce 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) or remove a base to form an abasic (AP) site. We hypothesize that H-DNA will be hypersensitive to damage by ROS compared to B-DNA due to its altered structure. To test this hypothesis, we are developing a novel immuno assay to compare DNA damage levels within H- and the control B-DNA-forming sequences. We also evaluated the impact of 8-oxoG lesions and AP sites on the thermal stability of triple-stranded DNA. Our results showed a decrease in the thermal stability when a single 8-oxoG or AP site was positioned within the triplex sequence. Overall, these results will provide insight into the effects of DNA damage on the mutagenic potential of H-DNA.

The Covid-19 Pandemic forced the Theatre Community to explore new creative and innovative ways to create theatre and reach their audiences and we should carry these new ideas with us into the future of our industry regardless of a pandemic. Online Theatre isn’t a bandaid for the restrictions of the pandemic, but a new opportunity for making our art more accessible to those who might not have been able to reach it before. I’ve experienced first hand what creating exciting theatre on zoom is like and I want everyone to know the joy that creating for a hybrid or online format can bring.

Supplementing my interactions with those I consider to be my kin with both structured and informal conversations with other individuals, I hope to generate an understanding of kinship ideologies and structure within white, middle class, suburban United States. I am particularly interested in the familial/social positions women occupy according to commonly accepted conceptions of kinship. By situating class, gender, and race within the family sphere, particularly in the lives of women, I hope to understand the ways in which ideas of kinship are created by our general socialization as humans but also how those ideas are shaped by capitalistic society, popular culture media representations, and other external contributing factors. I aim for this research to exist as a means to reflect on my personal family structure and how it has been impacted by various social structures and to provide insight to the white middle class which has often been understudied. Through my attempt to understand my own ideas of kinship, I also hope to contribute to pre-existing theories or ideas, and to create the valuable bond of shared experience, in order to implore others to consider their knowledge of kinship and how such understandings operate within their lives.

The 2021-2022 LIVE cohort worked on four projects. This included market research to test proof of concept, refinement of the concept based on data collection and analysis, and development of a business plan. Carlos Esteban Rodero’s project is the development of a mobile application to aid consumers in identifying sustainable businesses. Corinne Freitas’ project provides opportunities for college students to gain internship experience in events management. Ashton Frey’s project is an initiative to beautify roadways in his hometown of Houston, Texas. Bryan Meissner’s project is the development of a consumer entertainment product that can be used for recreation and/or team building events.

Barbara Anthony, Mathematics and Computer Science

Worldwide, the food service sector is considered the least sustainable among the economic sectors. Meal production is responsible for 80% of deforestation, 70% of the consumption of fresh water, and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Our Computer Science Computer Science capstone group is creating a mobile application that helps you locate nearby restaurants based on a sustainability rating. Young consumers showed that they tend to rely on the suggestions and reviews made available via apps when making their food decisions. Severe environmental problems, such as global warming, waste, and pollution, have increased people's consciousness of the environment and the need for actions based on sustainability. There is currently no mobile app providing a holistic sustainability score for restaurants. The sustainability rating would be based on a restaurant sustainability checklist created in 2020 by environmental experts. This checklist contains 76 items that cover a variety of aspects of a restaurant's organization. In creating this app we are learning about software tools such as React Native, Django, MySQL gaining experience in mobile design, how to manipulate a database, and how to deploy our application.

In this paper, we examine the effect of reserve creation due to the Federal Reserve’s Large-scale Asset Purchase programs on bank lending and risk-taking behavior. In particular, we test the exis- tence of risk-taking channel that induces banks with higher reserve accumulation due to the Fed’s policy to increase the share of riskier loans. Exploiting the heterogeneity in the exposure to such asset purchase programs, as measured by relative mortgage-backed securities holdings in the banks’ portfolios, we use difference-in-differences analysis to study the effect of the Fed’s policies on the supply of total loans and the share of riskier loans such as real estate, commercial and industrial and consumer loans. We find that the first and third round of Quantitative Easing (QE) policies led to an increase in both the total loans and the share of riskier loans within the banks’ portfolios, supporting the risk-raking channel. QE2 on the other hand, had no significant impact on banks’ lending behavior.

Maha Zewail-Foote, Chemistry and Biochemistry

The biochemical impact of damage on alternative DNA structures

Double-stranded B-DNA is the dominant conformation in human cells. However, depending on the sequence, DNA can also adopt alternative structures such as the triple-stranded H-DNA conformation. Changes in the genetic sequence, known as mutations, contribute to genetic instability and are related to human diseases such as cancer. H-DNA-forming sequences result in mutations and are enriched at translocation breakpoints. Furthermore, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells can damage DNA, leading to further mutations. Specifically, ROS can chemically modify the base guanine to produce 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) or remove a base to form an abasic (AP) site. We hypothesize that H-DNA will be hypersensitive to damage by ROS compared to B-DNA due to its altered structure. To test this hypothesis, we are developing a novel immuno assay to compare DNA damage levels within H- and the control B-DNA-forming sequences. We also evaluated the impact of 8-oxoG lesions and AP sites on the thermal stability of triple-stranded DNA. Our results showed a decrease in the thermal stability when a single 8-oxoG or AP site was positioned within the triplex sequence. Overall, these results will provide insight into the effects of DNA damage on the mutagenic potential of H-DNA.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center- Family Advocate Internship

As a Children's Advocacy Center, the WCCAC acts as the middleman for children that have undergone abuse in all forms. The WCCAC provides children and their families resources such as mental health support during the complex process of investigations within the judicial system regarding abuse and further trauma. My role as a Family Advocate Intern began by shadowing other Family Advocates through the seating and care portion of the discussion with families. As time progressed, I began the process of bringing the clients back for their interview, helping explain all the resources we can provide to them as well as following up with them as needed after leaving the center. I gained integrated knowledge of psychological concepts gained from psychology coursework within the internship as well as
developed further insight into possible fields of future employment. Most importantly, I
furthered my knowledge of overall child development as well as how to be an effective ally for children who have undergone abuse.

Andy/Debika Ross/Sihi, Economics and Business

Lab for Innovative Ventures and Entrepreneurship (LIVE)

The 2021-2022 LIVE cohort worked on four projects. This included market research to test proof of concept, refinement of the concept based on data collection and analysis, and development of a business plan. Carlos Esteban Rodero’s project is the development of a mobile application to aid consumers in identifying sustainable businesses. Corinne Freitas’ project provides opportunities for college students to gain internship experience in events management. Ashton Frey’s project is an initiative to beautify roadways in his hometown of Houston, Texas. Bryan Meissner’s project is the development of a consumer entertainment product that can be used for recreation and/or team building events.

Andy/Debika Ross/Sihi, Economics and Business

Lab for Innovative Ventures and Entrepreneurship

The 2021-2022 LIVE cohort worked on four projects. This included market research to test proof of concept, refinement of the concept based on data collection and analysis, and development of a business plan. Carlos Esteban Rodero’s project is the development of a mobile application to aid consumers in identifying sustainable businesses. Corinne Freitas’ project provides opportunities for college students to gain internship experience in events management. Ashton Frey’s project is an initiative to beautify roadways in his hometown of Houston, Texas. Bryan Meissner’s project is the development of a consumer entertainment product that can be used for recreation and/or team building events.

WE ALL LIVED IN A COVID SUBMARINE: THE IMPACT OF CROWDING ON
STRESS SPILLOVER DURING THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS

Stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic created novel conditions under which many people were contained in their homes. Much like being aboard a submarine, homes became capsule environments. According to the crowding literature, high density in capsule environments increases cognitive load and diminishes a person’s ability to manage external stress (Altman, 1975). As such, we hypothesized that household density during the stay-at-home orders would exacerbate the impact external stressors (e.g., work and school) have on relationship satisfaction (i.e., stress spillover; e.g., Buck & Neff, 2012). To test this idea, 195 participants (110 women and 85 men; 83 couples and 29 individuals) living with their partner during stay-at-home orders completed 14 daily diary surveys measuring relationship satisfaction and external stressors individuals were experiencing. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed that couples with more dense homes were more affected by stress spillover (i.e., they had lower relationship satisfaction under high stress conditions) compared to those with less dense homes. Our findings highlight the role of the home environment in predicting relationship outcomes.

Michael Gesinski, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Titanium-Mediated Synthesis of Substituted Cyclobutanones

Cyclobutane-containing molecules are a large class of natural compounds that exhibit a versatile range of properties making them promising therapeutic agents. The most common method for the synthesis of substituted cyclobutanes is a [2+2] cycloadditions of alkenes.Unfortunately, this reaction is limited in both its scope and selectivity. Therefore, a novel method for the synthesis of substituted cyclobutanones has been developed using low-valent titanium intermediates. Previous research has shown that the addition of Grignard reagents to a mixture of titanium(IV) complexes and tosylated cyanohydrins produces cyclobutanones in good yields. In these reactions, the “Kulinkovich reagents” are believed to act as 1,2-dicarbanionic intermediates that add to the cyanotosylate to form the desired cyclobutanone final product. Current work explores the use of 4-hexen-1-ol and 5-penten-1-ol as starting materials to determine the effects of carbon chain length on intermediate stability. It is proposed that the corresponding cyanotosylates will undergo intramolecular cyclobutane ring forming reactions to form complex bicyclic systems.

Effects of Iron Concentration on Diatom Growth and Photosynthetic Activity

Diatoms are single-celled light-harvesting organisms that are responsible for up to 30% of the oxygen we breathe and can be found in lakes and oceans around the world. Iron is a key component of diatom structure and is a major component of Photosystem I and Photosystem II which are two photosystems involved in absorbing light energy for photosynthesis, they differ with the different chlorophyll-protein complexes used during this process. It was found that PSI contains considerably more iron than PSII which has resulted in the ratio of PSII:PSI being 2:1 for coastal diatoms and 10:1 for oceanic diatoms, which is a result of varying iron concentrations within the ocean. This study looks to see how diatoms are affected in their growth and light-harvesting pathways when there is a limited amount of iron available. We will use the oceanic and coastal strains of Phaeodactylum tricornutum in various levels of iron concentrations ranging from 1-10,000 nM utilizing UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence to analyze growth rates and light-harvesting pathways respectively. I hypothesize that the levels of iron will have a direct correlation with the growth rate. The light harvesting function will be better adapted for oceanic diatoms due to their PSII:PSI ratio which does not require as much iron as the coastal diatoms. This in turn will allow for oceanic diatoms to maintain their light harvesting ability when the coastal diatoms will struggle with lower iron concentrations.

Fumiko Futamura, Mathematics and Computer Science

An interesting ellipse problem is determining when, for two rotated ellipses centered at the origin of varying sizes, one ellipse is fully inside the other. Given three variables, represented by a1, a2, and b1, we can uniquely define two ellipses such that their semi-major axis, semi-minor axis, and the angle in which it is rotated are defined by these three variables. Our research asks, what values of a1, a2, and b1 solve our ellipse problem? Using Mathematica, we initially found a point cloud on a 3D graph with a1, a2, and b1 axes representing possible solutions to our ellipse problem. We then found the equation that matched the point cloud. Our technique can in fact be used to solve the general problem of when any arbitrary ellipse centered at the origin is inside another. Moreover, this research solves an extension of a previous research question involving the numerical range of composition operators.

Engaging Students in Mathematics Through Stories and Escape Rooms: Title unknown

In this session, students in the Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School will read math-focused children’s books they wrote (elementary education certifying students) and present Escape Rooms they designed (secondary math education students). The presenters taught mathematics in local classrooms ranging in grade levels from kindergarten through high school depending on the presenters certification level. Most of the presenters in the class were teaching in elementary classrooms. These Southwestern University students wrote children’s books to engage and provide a context to support their students' exploration of mathematical concepts in developmentally appropriate ways. A contextualized story makes learning math more inclusive and accessible. Each children’s book will be read aloud with the illustrations projected. Students placed in high school classes designed math-focused Escape Room Activities to motivate and engage their students in productive struggle. An overview of each of the Escape Room Tasks will be shared.
Other, Education Class

Safe Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Youth in American High Schools

The concept of a “safe space” is well known, but the definition can be elusive. The criteria of safety and feelings of community can vary depending on the environment, and the American high school is no exception. This study attempts to define the “safe space” for LGBTQIA+ students in high schools, and what educators and administrators can do to expand these spaces to be inclusive everywhere. It is stereotypical, but nevertheless true to assign spaces like the arts or English classrooms as places for LGBTQIA+ students to flock to. But the question arises: how can other spaces become equally as welcoming? For this study, I examine existing scholarship on safe spaces, queer theory, arts education, representation, and support for LGBTQIA+ students in schools. I then conducted a series of semi-structured interviews with individuals identifying as LGBTQIA+ who have graduated high school within the past 5 years to talk about their experiences. This opened a wide discussion about the honesty of stereotypical queer spaces and how gender and sexuality can be restricted even within them.

As an Admission Ambassador and active member of our community I often find myself searching for the words to describe just how unique and impactful our experiences at SU are. It is not always easy to describe the depth of the Southwestern experience and just how diverse the opportunities afforded to us are. By creating a visual space for our community to explore the journeys of our outgoing class I hope to create a connection to this experience that is intuitive and tangible. Moving Through Your Time at SU will be an interactive art installation that actively encourages our community to experience in a highly visual and personal way the value of a Southwestern education. Each section of canvas will represent one year in the life of our seniors, through showing the experiences they had in colors of paint, and they will work together to take the viewer on a journey mirroring their own.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

The Georgetown Art Center is a part of a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide innovative, intelligent exhibits and programs that promote visual literacy in the greater community. The Georgetown Art Center has a continuous rotation of exhibits throughout the year and hosts art education, art camps, pop-up shows, and events. There are also artist studios for rent. In my role as a curatorial intern, I have assisted the Art Center Coordinator in any activities related to the daily functioning of the art center. The art center is a small but dedicated team, and my job responsibilities flex with the needs of the organization. I have performed administrative tasks, assisted visitors, assisted with the setup and teardown of exhibits, assisted with art camps, written press releases for the website on the exhibits, and helped the curator with events, planning, and tasks that come up. I have become acquainted with the board, attended its meetings, and assisted the board members with current projects. I have also been given the opportunity to develop my own projects for the organization, including an annual event with the university to potentially be held next year.

Hypothesizing the Functionality of Novel B. subtilis Glycosylases With Potential DNA Alkylation Repair Activity

Some forms of DNA alkylation damage, such as 3-methyladenine (3mA), can trigger replication stalling and cell death. Bacillus subtilis, a model organism for studying gram-positive bacteria, is equipped with seemingly redundant glycosylase enzymes capable of recognizing 3mA damage and initiating base excision repair (BER). B. subtilis strains most frequently used in research have descended from wild-type ancestors isolated from soil samples, which survived contending with a menagerie of soil-environment alkylating agents. The repair roles of the suspected alkylation damage glycosylases yfjP and yhaZ are unknown but can be hypothesized by conducting amino acid sequence comparisons with similar enzymes. The Escherichia coli 3mA glycosylase AlkA shares many active site residues with yfjP, but the enzymes are only 22.96% identical, indicating that their functionalities are possibly distinct. YfjP also maintains a nearly identical amino acid sequence across B. subtilis strains and broader Bacillus species with diverse lifestyles, potentially hinting that it addresses more universal, or endogenous repair needs. To truly begin to examine the functional importance of yfjP and yhaZ within B. subtilis, DNA alkylation damage survival assays need to be performed on an array of B. subtilis strains containing various deletions of genes coding for alkylation damage repair glycosylases.

Meaghan Bellande, Study Abroad & International Student Services

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

During the Fall 2021 semester, I studied abroad in Japan. Being half Japanese, I chose to study in Japan to further improve my Japanese, and reconnect with both my culture and the country. While there, I attended Tokyo International University, where I took classes that aligned with my major/minor, as well as an elementary Japanese course. Going to Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew my experience in the country would be vastly different than my previous visits. The various restrictions made it difficult to be able to meet and gather with others, but through this experience, I was able to learn a lot about myself. As an extrovert, the beginning of my study abroad experience was a little jarring due to how hard it had felt to meet others and go out. This ushered me into exploring many places and experiencing different things on my own, as I learned to enjoy and appreciate my own company. Having to communicate in Japanese daily improved my speaking skills, but as I look back, I realize that my improvement in speaking didn’t come through a widening in my vocabulary, rather, an increase in confidence in my own speaking ability. My time in Japan pushed me to work on and improve my ability to communicate with others, while adjusting to an environment and culture that differs greatly from that which I’m used to here at Southwestern.

How actual versus anticipated wait time influences children’s and adults’ emotions and preferences

We plan to investigate children’s (aged 4 to 10 years) and adults’ (anticipated N = 200; current N = 12) experience of how expectations shape affective experiences (preferences and emotions). Specifically, how affect may change based on varying expected wait time. All participants will wait five minutes to receive a treat (e.g., candy). Before the waiting period, half of the participants will be asked to wait ten minutes (low expectations; unexpected) and half will be asked to wait five minutes (expected). After receiving the treat, participants will report their preferences and emotions about the treat and their wait-time (e.g., “Did you like or not like the amount of time that you waited? How much? How did you feel about that?”). Participants use 6-point pictorial scales for preferences (from “dislike a lot” to “like a lot”) and emotions (from “very bad” to “very good”). We hypothesize that older children and adults who wait for a shorter time than expected (low expectations) will feel better about the treat and their wait time than those who waited for as long as they expected, whereas younger children will have similar emotional reactions regardless of anticipated wait time.

How Common is Undergraduate Publication in Psychology?

Despite the increasing popularity of faculty-undergraduate research, little empirical attention has examined the outcomes of such collaborations, such as coauthored journal publications. We sought to address this gap by examining the frequency of outcomes related to undergraduate publication (i.e., number of publications with an undergraduate coauthor, number of undergraduate coauthors, number of undergraduate first authors) in psychology. We also explored factors (such as faculty rank and institution type) that might predict publication with undergraduate coauthors. We analyzed the curricula vitae of 157 psychology faculty members from the top 20 research-intensive (R1s), masters-granting (MGs), and primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) and found that (a) 83 % of our sample had at least one coauthored publication with an undergraduate, (b) faculty who publish with undergraduates have coauthored an average of 7.5 such publications, and (c) the frequency of undergraduate publication is increasing over time and doing so exponentially. Moreover, both faculty rank and institution type predict coauthoring with undergraduates, with faculty at PUIs more likely to do so than faculty at R1s, and full professors more likely to do so than assistant professors. Our findings highlight the growing importance of faculty-undergraduate coauthored publication in psychology and suggest ways to increase these outcomes.

Submissives, dominants, and gender, oh my! Sensitivity, gender, and gender expression predict BDSM roles

BDSM is an overarching term for lifestyles including bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism. Prior research leaves much to be explored regarding predictors of who engages in BDSM; however, dominant and submissive roles are generally preferred by men and women, respectively. Scant research has examined the reverse of these roles: submissive men and dominant women; hence the purpose of this study was to explore factors -- other than gender -- that better explain these preferences. We hypothesized that trait sensitivity and gender expression, irrespective of gender itself, would explain the disparity in role preference between men and women. We used social media to recruit participants (N = 313) who regularly, or had ever, engaged in BDSM. Participants provided their BDSM orientation, and completed scales related to sensitivity, gender expression, and romantic relationships. We found that individuals with masculine gender expression were more likely to self-identify as dominant whereas more sensitive individuals preferred submissive roles. Additionally, we found that gender expression and sensitivity are better predictors of BDSM role preference than gender, but gender may still play a role. We discuss the implications of these findings while also highlighting other factors that may influence preference for certain BDSM roles.

Keep Austin Snail-free: Ongoing Removal of Pomacea maculata and Evaluation by eDNA

Removal efforts of non-native species can help combat spread, but often suffer from incomplete success or a lack of subsequent monitoring. The genus Pomacea, called apple snails, includes more than one invasive species. These can be detected and distinguished using environmental DNA (eDNA). To investigate a new suspected record of Pomacea maculata in Travis County, TX, we visited a six-acre retention pond, collected four snails, identified them through genetic barcoding, and followed up with homeowners with monitoring efforts, including eDNA. All snails collected from this pond identically matched existing sequences in Texas, thereby confirming their identity as P. maculata. After genetic confirmation, we returned to the site and collected water to determine if eDNA revealed an overall low abundance of apple snails and compared these results to known high-abundance locations. We also received extensive historical removal data from a local homeowner. From March 2020 to November 2021, hand removal efforts by concerned citizens resulted in 4872 snails removed and 1719 egg clutches eradicated from the site. However, apple snails quickly establish in favorable conditions, therefore warranting ongoing monitoring. Using eDNA informs homeowners and managers regarding success of the removal efforts and evaluates the urgency for continual efforts to combat invasive apple snails, ultimately keeping Austin snail-free.

I Haven’t Always Been This Naughty: Life History Predicts BDSM Role Preferences

BDSM is the adoption of different roles that encompass sexual and lifestyle activities, highlighting power dynamics. Psychological research has explored how trauma experiences predict participation in BDSM, such as a link between childhood abuse, earlier age of sexual development, and submissiveness. However, research hasn’t explored how earlier age of first sexual experience predicts specific role preferences within BDSM. Our competing hypotheses were that early sexual development and activity would either lead to more interest in dominance and sadism, or more interest in submission and masochism. We pit these hypotheses against one another in the current study, in which we recruited BDSM practitioners (N = 313) through BDSM communities on social media to complete our online survey. Participants responded to demographics, life history information regarding sexual experience and trauma, and BDSM orientation. Results showed that earlier menarche and earlier sexual activity are more associated with not only masochism and submissiveness, but also earlier kink-related sexual activity. While the current sample consisted of mostly submissives and may not be representative of the entire BDSM community, the findings of the study challenge the idea that earlier sexual activity is linked to dominance.

Who Gets The Tingles? Modeling ASMR Predictors

ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) is characterized by tingles originating in the back of the neck and often spreading through the whole body, creating a low-grade sense of euphoria. ASMR is often used to help with sleeping, relaxation, and self-treatment of symptoms of anxiety and depression. There are a wide variety of ASMR triggers ranging from interpersonal (e.g., first-person role plays) to more abstract (e.g., oddly satisfying imagery). Previous studies have shown that, compared to non-experiencers, ASMR experiencers are more open, more able to fantasize and empathize, more neurotic, less agreeable, and less conscientious. In our study, we hypothesized that ASMR ability, physical sensitivity, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence would be positively correlated. We collected a convenience sample from MTurk (N = 328). Each participant completed background measures, then viewed four three-minute video clips: first, a control video, then three ASMR triggers in a randomized order. Finally, they completed a post-experiment questionnaire. We conducted a layered regression path analysis predicting ASMR-15 ability from our individual difference variables. In addition to some individual effects, our model suggested a path from physical sensitivity to attachment and mindfulness, then through emotional intelligence, and finally to ASMR ability. Essentially, the model suggests that people who are physically sensitive develop temperaments that lead to insecure attachment styles, potentially leading to lower emotional intelligence about internal states, which then predicts less ASMR ability. Contrary to our predictions, we also documented an inverse relationship between mindfulness and ASMR ability - perhaps people who cannot easily achieve mindfulness themselves are able to do so during ASMR. The model and its implications will be discussed.

Emily Niemeyer, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of commercially-available Aloe species powder products

Aloe vera (L.) Webb has been utilized in herbal medicine for centuries, and recent research has shown that the plant possesses curative benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Aloe vera is commercially sold in many forms, including dried and dehydrated powder derived from leaf gel. Aloe powder is widely used as a dietary supplement, and in this study, we analyzed the phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of nineteen Aloe vera powder products: ten capsules and nine bulk powders. Aloe samples were first extracted using an acidified phosphate-buffered saline solution, then the total phenolic content (TPC) of each powder extract was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Additionally, the antioxidant properties of aloe extracts were evaluated using the oxygen reducing antioxidant capacity (ORAC) assay by determining Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacities. Large variations in TPC and TEAC values were determined for these aloe powders, with total phenolic contents ranging from 0.5 to 72 GAE (gallic acid equivalents, mg/g) and total equivalent antioxidant capacity ranging from 6.25 to 250 mg/L. This paper will discuss the similarities and differences in the phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of Aloe vera products, as well as the relationship between these factors within commercially-available dietary supplements.

Erika Berroth, Modern Languages and Literature

When studying a different language and culture, music is an important way of intercultural learning. Music, lyrics, and often a video work together to express and reflect important aspects of cultures and have the capacity to reach audiences across languages and cultures. An examination of selections from the contemporary German music scene explores a variety of genres, artists, and themes. The investigative strategy includes examining the 13 samples offered in a first-year German textbook and researching additional German language artists who are also popular in the USA. The research results show two important thematic clusters. First, expressions of isolation and difficulties with communication and connecting; second, expressions of attitudes towards social and political issues in the past and present. Sharing insights into building cultural knowledge and intercultural competence through studying the music scene of another culture, the panel contributes to understanding the importance of integrating music into first-year language learning and beyond.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

Tiemann Art Gallery was founded by Carrie Tiemann, a retired lawyer whose first passion has always been art. The gallery, in addition to exhibitions, holds events on weekends and conducts house calls to bring artwork to customers homes. They also have a frame shop - as the frame makes the artwork. Interning at Tiemann Art Gallery allowed me to experience the workings of a small gallery first hand. Being able to see thriving careers in the arts has inspired me to continue my education as an Art History major. Being able to employ my knowledge of art in a professional setting was amazing, and has allowed me to further develop skills I previously thought were constrained to academia. Being an art gallery intern has widened my eyes to a whole set of professional experiences in the arts. My responsibilities included cataloguing artwork using the database ArtCloud, helping manage the social media, interviewing artists and wrote up biographies, creating artwork descriptions and cards for exhibitions.

“Because history has been whitewashed for decades": Predictors of Attitudes about Critical Race Theory

One of the most heated political issues in the United States today focuses on the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools. Although CRT was developed decades ago, it has recently garnered the attention of politicians, some of whom have labeled CRT as “racist” and have led efforts to ban CRT in public schools. However, little is known about Americans’ views on whether CRT should be taught in schools. Our study addresses this gap. Using a mixed-methods approach, our paper examines demographic and attitudinal predictors of the likelihood that Americans will strongly support Critical Race Theory being taught in K-12 public schools.

In summer 2021, we conducted a national on-line survey with open- and close-ended questions to explore American attitudes about contemporary race-related social issues in the United States. Our primary strategy employs descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression models of survey responses from 400 survey respondents. The quantitative findings indicate that white respondents, those who identify as colorblind, and participants who believe that racism is not an important problem today are less likely than their counterparts to strongly agree with Critical Race Theory being taught in public schools. Our qualitative results shed further light on these patterns.

For the Sake of Spectacle: Why Theatre Goes Wrong, and How We Can Fix it With Better Leadership

“Poor leadership is the primary cause of safety issues, exploitative working conditions, and emotional suffering in theatrical productions, and the best way to prevent such issues is to introduce better leaders and leadership strategies rooted in empathy, anticipation, and adaptivity.” Nearly every industry suffers from harsh working conditions, but these are too often overlooked in the field of performance art and, more specifically, theatre.

This research paper investigates a variety of theatre productions through news stories, academic articles, and personal interviews; why they were successful or unsuccessful from both an audience perspective and a team perspective; and how each production’s leadership affected the overall outcome and experience of the production. The paper then proposes three core qualities that make a quality leader, all based on personal experience, interviews, and further research: the ability to empathize with your team, the ability to anticipate problems before they arise and become detrimental, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and alter one’s leadership strategies appropriately.

How actual versus anticipated wait time influences children’s and adults’ emotions and preferences

We plan to investigate children’s (aged 4 to 10 years) and adults’ (anticipated N = 200; current N = 12) experience of how expectations shape affective experiences (preferences and emotions). Specifically, how affect may change based on varying expected wait time. All participants will wait five minutes to receive a treat (e.g., candy). Before the waiting period, half of the participants will be asked to wait ten minutes (low expectations; unexpected) and half will be asked to wait five minutes (expected). After receiving the treat, participants will report their preferences and emotions about the treat and their wait-time (e.g., “Did you like or not like the amount of time that you waited? How much? How did you feel about that?”). Participants use 6-point pictorial scales for preferences (from “dislike a lot” to “like a lot”) and emotions (from “very bad” to “very good”). We hypothesize that older children and adults who wait for a shorter time than expected (low expectations) will feel better about the treat and their wait time than those who waited for as long as they expected, whereas younger children will have similar emotional reactions regardless of anticipated wait time.

Liveness in Pandemic Times: An Experiment in Digital Theatre

As a live art, theatre has been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a result, thousands of professional actors, directors, designers, stage managers, and technicians have been laid off or indefinitely furloughed. Theatre artists had to learn about and move to online digital platforms in order to be able to reshape and showcase their craft in new ways. These new practices, however, have challenged traditional definitions of what live theatre is. Through the process of devising a digital show, we also have questioned and challenged traditional ideas of theatrical liveness and explored new techniques and strategies for digital performance. The result of this experimentation has yielded a new form of hybrid theatre which aims not to substitute live theatre, but rather compete with past theatrical paradigms and make its place in the history of theatrical performance. The goal of the creation of this hybrid style was the adaptation of the elements of hidden labor, not unlike that seen in film's special fx, with the ever present knowledge that what you are currently seeing is being created live.

Barbara Dr.Anthony, Mathematics and Computer Science

Worldwide, the food service sector is considered the least sustainable among the economic sectors. Meal production is responsible for 80% of deforestation, 70% of the consumption of fresh water, and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Our Computer Science Computer Science capstone group is creating a mobile application that helps you locate nearby restaurants based on a sustainability rating. Young consumers showed that they tend to rely on the suggestions and reviews made available via apps when making their food decisions. Severe environmental problems, such as global warming, waste, and pollution, have increased people's consciousness of the environment and the need for actions based on sustainability. There is currently no mobile app providing a holistic sustainability score for restaurants. The sustainability rating would be based on a restaurant sustainability checklist created in 2020 by environmental experts. This checklist contains 76 items that cover a variety of aspects of a restaurant's organization. In creating this app we are learning about software tools such as React Native, Django, MySQL gaining experience in mobile design, how to manipulate a database, and how to deploy our application.

Michael Gesinski, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Developmental Expansion of Potassium Organotrifluoroborates in Organoboron Research.

The Suzuki- Miyaura cross coupling is a transition metal catalyzed carbon-carbon bond forming reaction used in organic synthesis. The very basic application of the Suzuki- Miyaura cross coupling, forms a carbon-carbon bond between an organohalide and an organoborane in the presence of a palladium catalyst. Unfortunately, the most common organoborane reagent, boronic acid, is known to undergo side reactions such as oxidation, homocoupling, and protodeboronation during Suzuki- Miyaura cross coupling reactions. As a result, recent studies have aimed to expand the repertoire of highly reactive and efficient organoborane reagents. These developmental organoborane reagents exist as protected boronic acids that avoid degradation pathways while still being able to participate in Suzuki cross couplings. Recent research has resulted in the implementation of potassium organotrifluoroborates (R-BF3K). R-BF3K represent a privileged class of organoboron reagents due to their unique physical characteristics, monomeric nature, and their stability to air and aerobic moisture. This review focuses on the expansion of organoboron research and the recent advancement of potassium organotrifluoroborates in the cross coupling of organic synthesis.

How Actual V. Anticipated Wait Time Influences Children’s and Adult’s Emotions and Preferences

We plan to investigate children’s (aged 4 to 10 years) and adults’ (anticipated N = 200; current N = 12) experience of how expectations shape affective experiences (preferences and emotions). Specifically, how affect may change based on varying expected wait time. All participants will wait five minutes to receive a treat (e.g., candy). Before the waiting period, half of the participants will be asked to wait ten minutes (low expectations; unexpected) and half will be asked to wait five minutes (expected). After receiving the treat, participants will report their preferences and emotions about the treat and their wait-time (e.g., “Did you like or not like the amount of time that you waited? How much? How did you feel about that?”). Participants use 6-point pictorial scales for preferences (from “dislike a lot” to “like a lot”) and emotions (from “very bad” to “very good”). We hypothesize that older children and adults who wait for a shorter time than expected (low expectations) will feel better about the treat and their wait time than those who waited for as long as they expected, whereas younger children will have similar emotional reactions regardless of anticipated wait time.

Engaging Students in Mathematics Through Stories and Escape Rooms: My Book Title TBD

In this session, students in the Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School will read math-focused children’s books they wrote (elementary education certifying students) and present Escape Rooms they designed (secondary math education students). The presenters taught mathematics in local classrooms ranging in grade levels from kindergarten through high school depending on the presenters certification level. Most of the presenters in the class were teaching in elementary classrooms. These Southwestern University students wrote children’s books to engage and provide a context to support their students' exploration of mathematical concepts in developmentally appropriate ways. A contextualized story makes learning math more inclusive and accessible. Each children’s book will be read aloud with the illustrations projected. Students placed in high school classes designed math-focused Escape Room Activities to motivate and engage their students in productive struggle. An overview of each of the Escape Room Tasks will be shared.

Liveness in Pandemic times: An Experimental Response in Digital Theatre

As a live art, theatre has been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a result, thousands of professional actors, directors, designers, stage managers, and technicians have been laid off or indefinitely furloughed. Theatre artists had to learn about and move to online digital platforms in order to be able to reshape and showcase their craft in new ways. These new practices, however, have challenged traditional definitions of what live theatre is. Through the process of devising a digital show, we also have questioned and challenged traditional ideas of theatrical liveness and explored new techniques and strategies for digital performance. The result of this experimentation has yielded a new form of hybrid theatre which aims not to substitute live theatre, but rather compete with past theatrical paradigms and make its place in the history of theatrical performance. The goal of the creation of this hybrid style was the adaptation of the elements of hidden labor, not unlike that seen in film's special fx, with the ever present knowledge that what you are currently seeing is being created live.

Elucidating the role of ε391 in RumA’₂B-mediated mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

RumA’₂B, an error-prone DNA polymerase V ortholog encoded by integrative conjugative element R391, can replicate past DNA lesions, but does so with low fidelity. The mutagenicity of RumAB can accelerate the acquisition of antibiotic resistance in bacteria that harbor R391. R391 encodes factors that suppress the activity and expression of RumA’₂B, but the activity of currently identified regulators does not fully account for the level of regulation observed in the genetic context of R391. Prior research suggests that ε391 may be one such regulator. To investigate the role of ε391 in RumAB-mediated mutagenesis, R391 Δε391 was mated into an activated RecA background. Mutagenesis assays were then performed to elucidate differences in mutagenic activity between wild-type R391 and the ε391 knockout. Increased rates of mutagenesis were observed in the absence of ε391, which suggests that ε391 is a negative regulator of RumA’₂B. Further research is needed, however, to characterize the mechanism of this regulation.

Weight History Association with Current Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness

High cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness are often associated with lower body fat mass. Age-associated increases in body mass might be attenuated by maintaining a higher level of fitness into middle- age. PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness of individuals who have maintained body mass during adulthood to those who have had substantial increases and/or decreases in body mass in adulthood. METHODS: Obese, overweight, and non-obese adults were recruited to participate. Long-term health and weight history was collected retrospectively on 79 individuals. Total body composition, maximal oxygen consumption, grip strength, and maximal isometric knee extension strength were measured. Participants were subsequently categorized based on short term and long-term weight loss history, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscle function for further analysis. RESULTS: Participants (31 Male, 45 female, aged 41.0 ± 12.3 years) were 29.2 ± 10.1% body fat having gained 9.3 ± 11.7 kg since 20 years of age. Current cardiorespiratory fitness as indicated by relative maximal oxygen consumption was 36.6 ± 12.0 ml*kg-1*min-1. No significant relationship existed between weight gain since age 20 and current cardiorespiratory fitness (r = -0.12). No differences in weight history were observed after classification of participants into high vs. low cardiorespiratory fitness nor high vs. low muscular fitness. CONCLUSIONS: Current cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness are independent of past body weight history. Despite the limitations of retrospective analysis of weight history and inability to determine previous levels of fitness, these results imply that high fitness might not be protective against age-associated body mass increases, but also that low fitness might not destine an individual to larger than normal gains in body mass.

Daily Administration of GnRH agonist Leuprolide Acetate During Adolescence Delays Puberty and alters Sexual Behavior in Female Long-Evans Rats.

The present study examined the long-term effects of suppressing puberty with a GnRH agonist on reproductive physiology and behavior in female rats. Little is known about the long-term effects of chronic GnRH agonist treatment on reproductive physiology and behavior when treatment starts prior to puberty and continues until early adulthood in animal subjects. We have recently reported that administration of the GnRH agonist leuprolide acetate (25 µg/kg) daily for 25 days (postnatal day (PD) 25-50) delayed puberty and disrupted the development of copulatory behavior and sexual motivation in male rats. However, pilot data from our lab suggest that this dose of leuprolide acetate was not high enough to significantly delay puberty in female rats. Therefore, we injected female Long-Evans rats with either leuprolide acetate at a higher dose (50 µg/kg) or 0.9% sterile saline daily for 25 days, starting on PD 25 and ending on PD 50. Vaginal opening was observed daily starting on PD 30 for signs of pubertal onset and first estrous cycle. In addition, we measured estrous cyclicity in these adult females, approximately 2 weeks after leuprolide treatment ended. Starting immediately after monitoring estrous cyclicity, females were mated on their first day in behavioral estrous using the partner preference paradigm, with and without physical contact. We found that this higher dose of leuprolide significantly delayed puberty in female rats. However, estrous cyclicity was not significantly affected. Finally, sexual motivation was or was not affected. Female rats who had been exposed to leuprolide during the peri-adolescent period, spent less time with the male partner, made fewer visits to the male, and took longer to return after receiving an ejaculation than the vehicle controls. Together with our findings in male rats, these results add to understanding of the developmental effects of chemically suppressing puberty.

Chigger Mite Prevalence in Texas Chirping Frogs Based on Citizen Science

Hannemania mites have been found on a number of amphibian species. In this study, we investigated the presence of Hannemania mites on two species of chirping frogs, Eleutherodactylus marnockii and E. cystignathoides. Using research-grade records on iNaturalist, a social network for citizen scientists, we examined photographs of 265 E. marnockii collected from August 10, 1985 through May 7, 2019. We also examined photographs of 347 E. cystignathoides collected from August 10, 1985 through January 21, 2018. We scored photographs for the presence of mites on the two species, and examined their association with visibility of extremities, seasonal changes, and geography. We found that 43.36% of E. marnockii and 1.24% of E. cystignathoides were visibly infected with mites, a highly significant difference. Among E. marnockii infected with mites, 64.29% of frogs had mites on the front legs, 74.49% had mites on the hind legs, 7.14% had mites on the head, and 23.46% had mites present on the trunk. There were no significant differences in the presence of mites among frogs that exhibited differences in visibility of their legs. The proportion of E. marnockii infected with mites during fall/winter (October-March) was 48%, while the proportion of frogs with mites during spring/summer (April-September) was 42%; these differences were not significant. Of the 22 Texas counties where E. marnockii were observed, mites were observed on the frogs in all but 6 counties and we did not observe any obvious geographic pattern of mite infection. Our results demonstrate that mites are common in E. marnockii but rare in E. cystignathoides and provide information about seasonal and geographic patterns of mite prevalence. This study provides baseline information that can lead to further investigations of why these types of mites are more prevalent in some species.

High Impact Experiential Learning Poster Presentation

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is characterized by the gradual accretion of arterial-wall macrophage-foam cells that have accumulated excess free cholesterol (FCh), and triglycerides (TG) from plasma lipoproteins, especially low-density lipoproteins. Continued lipid accumulation in the subendothelial space produces raised lesions that impair the blood flow throughout the body. Traditionally, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was considered athero-protective because it is an acceptor of excess macrophages’ FCh, which it transfers to the liver to be converted into biosalts. However, new research suggests that increasing the plasma HDL concentration does not prevent ASCVD1. Thus, we investigated current laboratory techniques and processes involved in the research of lipoproteins, their biochemical mechanisms, and role in preventing atherosclerosis.

Cost-effective 3D Bioprinter Calibration using Bioalginate

3D bioprinting is a novel technique that enables the additive manufacturing of soft biological materials, including human tissue. However, the novelty of bioprinting creates financial and technological barriers that make it largely inaccessible to researchers. Our study aimed to overcome these barriers by building and calibrating custom-made inexpensive bioprinters. To begin, we replicated two previously published bioprinters: the Replistruder 4 and the Large Volume Extruder (LVE). Bioprinting uses different cell-containing biomaterials, i.e. bioinks, that are printed into tissue scaffolds to which cells can eventually be introduced. To aid in calibrating the optimal settings for our bioprinters, we printed freeform 3D structures using a highly biocompatible and inexpensive bioink, calcium-crosslinked alginate. To aid structural integrity upon printing, we also performed prints in a freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH) bath consisting of gelatin microparticles. Through our preliminary prints, we have discovered both printers are capable of printing simple 3D structures, though further testing is needed to verify the fidelity of each model.

White-knuckling Through Life: Predicting Aggression Through Romantic Attachment, Emotional Intelligence, and Maladaptive Personality

Trait aggression is correlated with a variety of problematic outcomes including interpersonal violence, but also psychological forms of abuse. While a variety of personality variables, including attachment security, emotional intelligence, and personality pathology have been linked to trait aggression, the nature of these relationships is not well understood. The current study hypothesized positive correlations between romantic attachment security dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and global trait aggression, which would be mediated by emotional intelligence and the symptoms of personality disorders. Using Amazon’s MTURK platform, we collected online survey data from 261 participants all of whom were, or had been, in a romantic relationship. Regression analyses revealed a positive correlation between attachment anxiety and trait aggression, with personality disorder symptoms partially mediating this relationship. This may indicate that attachment anxiety contributes to higher levels of trait aggression, which may be facilitated by maladaptive elements of personality. Given the correlational nature of the data, the causal interpretation must be considered tentative and warrants further research.

Two Step is a short film about 5 students of a central Texas liberal arts college that are facing the impending night of graduation. Since they are all part of the sorority family “Gemini” (with the honorary Gemini role to the guy best friend that tags along) and they decide to follow the tradition of doing one last “family” adventure. While going on the road trip destined to Laredo, they run into issues that are personal and physical that prevent them from what they truly want. Through a comedic way of expressing worries of what next to do from their final night of being a student, the context becomes very relatable through humor to many people. This short film shows the different mindsets of college graduates whether people know exactly what their plan is or have absolutely no idea what direction they will go after they throw their caps. With the collaboration of local students being casted to be in the project, actor or not, they can be able to translate what it is like to be an actual student of Southwestern University. People will be able to see themselves in each character that show that being a student no matter what is scary, exciting, and an experience that many people appreciate.

Method Acting: A Psychological Study For Healthier Acting Techniques

When it comes to theater acting techniques, actors want to understand the character, their mindset, and how they physically act. Many techniques such as Classical Acting, Stanislavski's Method or System, and Brechtian Method are widely accepted as common practices from many theater practices. However, the practice of Method Acting, though used in acting, is stigmatized for the damaging mental effects that it has been associated with. Method acting is seen as taboo compared to other acting methods because we know the risks it has, yet we ignore finding healthier ways to practice method acting and prioritize the actor’s mental health. By implementing different ways to cope with Method Acting techniques, we are able to prioritize the actor’s sense of identity and mental health.

Engaging Students in Mathematics Through Stories and Escape Rooms: My Book Title TBD

In this session, students in the Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School will read math-focused children’s books they wrote (elementary education certifying students) and present Escape Rooms they designed (secondary math education students). The presenters taught mathematics in local classrooms ranging in grade levels from kindergarten through high school depending on the presenters certification level. Most of the presenters in the class were teaching in elementary classrooms. These Southwestern University students wrote children’s books to engage and provide a context to support their students' exploration of mathematical concepts in developmentally appropriate ways. A contextualized story makes learning math more inclusive and accessible. Each children’s book will be read aloud with the illustrations projected. Students placed in high school classes designed math-focused Escape Room Activities to motivate and engage their students in productive struggle. An overview of each of the Escape Room Tasks will be shared.

The Multicultural Storytelling of the Walt Disney Company

To entertain and inspire guests of all ages around the world through the power of exceptional, unmatched storytelling is the mission of the Walt Disney Company. The multinational entertainment and media powerhouse is a recognizable brand all across the globe. With theme park attractions found in several countries, the company needs to be able to accommodate the needs and desires of consumers from different cultural backgrounds. Luckily, Disney’s Imagineers were able to adapt their creations to fit within the cultural and geographic climate of the different regions. The Walt Disney Company’s team of Imagineers utilized consumer demographics and cultural segmentation in order to accommodate for the cultural environments when designing their theme park attractions, as seen in the transfer of the iconic Haunted Mansion to new locations in the U.S. and globally. The original concept of Anaheim Disneyland’s “999 happy haunts” was revamped and brought to Florida’s Walt Disney World, and then later reimagined at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris, through the installation of the Mystic Manor and the Phantom Manor. The addition of these attractions ensure that those Grim Grinning Ghosts can “come out to socialize” through any of the Disney Haunted Mansions around the world.