Undergraduates to showcase research at annual symposium
LAWRENCE — More than 90 undergraduates at the University of Kansas will present research at the 16th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in the Kansas Union.
“The symposium is for all KU students interested in research” says John Augusto, director for the Center for Undergraduate Research. “This is the culminating event for student research across the campus. In addition to the oral and poster presentations, we will have poetry readings and students panels about getting involved with research.”
The Symposium is sponsored by the Center for Undergraduate Research and the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. In addition, the Symposium is supported by KU’s chapter of Sigma XI, an international research society, as well as the University Honors Program, the McNair Scholars Program and the Office for Diversity in Science Training.
The event will end with a banquet and the awarding of the K. Barbara Schowen Undergraduate Research Mentor Award.
A list of student presenters is provided below. A full symposium program is on the Center’s website.
ALTAMONT
Alahna Broadway
Invasive species: introduction methods, impact, control methods
ANDOVER
Kyle Patterson
The Magnet or the Men?: Path Dependence and Political Polarization Through the Prism of National Budgetary Disputes
Adviser: Michael Lynch, Political Science
AUGUSTA
William Wright
Bio-Acoustical Neuromodulation for Fear and Excessive Anxiety Reduction
Adviser: Evangelia Chrysikou, Psychology
and
The Effects of Stress-related Noradrenergic Changes on Attentional Selection and Flexible Thought
Adviser: Evangelia Chrysikou, Psychology
BAXTER SPRINGS
Joseph Kellum
Cooperation of L-Type and Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ca2+ Channels in Prolonging U-46619-Induced Vascular Contraction
Adviser: James Orr, Molecular Biosciences
BEL AIRE
Marcus Florez
Analysis of Mitochondrial Haplotypes, APOE and TOMM40 Genotype with Alzheimer's Disease
Adviser: Elias Michaelis, Pharmacology and Toxicology
BONNER SPRINGS
Sophia Hilleary
Designing for an Unstructured Play Experience
Adviser: Richard Branham, Design
Rachael Snider
Abortion Rhetoric and the Media
Adviser: Dave Tell, Communication Studies
CHERRYVALE
Stoney Weaver
Fallen Idols
Adviser: Scott Jenkins, Philosophy
Hometown: Cherryvale
DODGE CITY
Lindsay Astleford
The Functional Role of Y201 in the Human Steroidogenic Cytochrome P450 17A1 Enzyme
Adviser: Emily Scott, Medicinal Chemistry
EMPORIA
Corinne Edds
Intracellular Calcium Level Changes in Cultured Neurons through Live Cell Calcium Imaging In Response to Thromboxane A2
Adviser: James Orr, Molecular Biosciences
EUDORA
Kayci Vickers
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over Prefrontal Cortex for Decision Making and Creative Problem Solving
Adviser: Evangelia Chrysikou, Psychology
Hometown: Eudora
FAIRWAY
Holly Lafferty
The Effects of Nutritional Stress on Nitrogen Stable Isotope Ratios in Minnows
Adviser: James Thorp, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
FORT LEAVENWORTH
Christopher Farley
Unit Cohesion: The Undiscussed Contributor to the My Lai Massacre
Adviser: Adrian Lewis, History
GARDEN CITY
Erin Fulton
Secular Repertoire in American Dispersed-Harmonic and Reform Tunebooks, 1820-1850
Adviser: Paul Laird, Music
Rubie Peters
How Locus of Control Relates to One’s Knowledge and Perception of Evolution
Adviser: Patricia Hawley, Psychology
GARNETT
Cynthia Brown
College Living Arrangements and Body Dissatisfaction: The Case for Males
Adviser: Ric Steele, Psychology
GLADE
Brendan Allen
Displaced Inspiration: How exposure into the unfamiliar galvanizes creative energy
Adviser: Megan Kaminski, English
GODDARD
Andrew Jamison
An ERP Study of Number Prediction in Noun Phrases
Advisers: Ruth Ann Atchley, Psychology and Robert Fiorentino, Linguistics
GOFF
Evan Reznicek
Analysis of Thermoelectric Devices as a Means of Condensing and Retaining Moisture
Adviser: Christopher Depcik, Mechanical Engineering
HAYSVILLE
Tyler Darland
The Role of Mical within the UNC-6/Netrin signaling pathway
Adviser: Erik Lundquist, Molecular Biosciences
KANSAS CITY
Jennifer Mendez
An evaluation of Fasciclin 3 (Fas3) as a core component of the septate junction of Drosophila melanogaster
Adviser: Robert Ward, Molecular Biosciences
LANSING
Jenny Curatola
Performing Paley
Advisers: Cheryl Lester, English & American Studies and Leslie Bennett, Theatre
LAWRENCE
Cody Alley
An analysis of environmental factors contributing to the successful population growth of Sceliphron caementarium
Adviser: Robert Ward, Molecular Biosciences
Matthew Behymer
Investigating the Tight Junction Modulatory Activity of EC-4 Hexapeptides from E-cadherin
Adviser: Teruna Siahaan, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Kirsten King
Impacts of Teleconnection Patterns on Relative Spatial Distribution of Spring Tornadoes in the Contiguous U.S.
Adviser: Johannes Feddema, Geography
Robert Knight
Delay Circuit for Doppler Shift Simulation
Adviser: Christopher Allen, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Jordan Koch
Algorithms for Calculating Pattern Class Probabilities on Phylogenetic Trees
Adviser: Mark Holder, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Alex Kong
Evaluating the mechanism of α-tocopherol-mediated recovery of lysosomal impairments in neurodegenerative diseases
Adviser: Jeff Krise, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Wing Yan Lau
Interpreting Conflicting Performance in a Masculine Domain: A Shifting Standards Approach
Adviser: Monica Biernat, Psychology
Sebastian Schöneich
The role of CDH-4 in neuroblast migration in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Adviser: Erik Lundquist, Molecular Biosciences
Myette Simpson
Understanding Spine Range of Motion in Correlation to Body Mass Index of Children
Adviser: Elizabeth A. Friis, Mechanical Engineering
Kenneth Stowe
The Rhetoric of Christian Identity: Myth and Paranoia
Adviser: Robert Rowland, Communication Studies
Rodolfo Torres-Gavosto
Derivatization of the azulenic framework along its molecular axis for self-assembly on gold surfaces
Adviser: Mikhail V. Barybin, Chemistry
Kel Woods
Echoes Through the Haze
Adviser: Megan Kaminski, English
Amy Zheng
Surface Wave Propagation
Adviser: David Besson, Physics and Astronomy
LENEXA
Rachel Brown
Assessing Preschool Children’s Knowledge of Complex Nouns from a Logico-Semantic Perspective
Adviser: Utako Minai, Linguistics
LINSDBORG
Sarah Bregman
Constructing Security on Jeju Island: An Analysis of Elite Rhetoric
Adviser: John Kennedy, Political Science & Global and International Studies
MANHATTAN
Julia Yang
Estimating populations of Osha, Ligusticum porteri, an important medicinal plant of the Southwest U.S.
Adviser: Kelly Kindscher, Environmental Studies
OLATHE
Eric Adell
The effect of stress and vowel quality on L2 Spanish learners’ perception of /d/ and /r/
Adviser: Jie Zhang, Linguistics
Rachel Bruursema
Bio-Acoustical Neuromodulation for Phobia and Excessive Anxiety Reduction
Adviser: Nancy Hamilton, Psychology; Evangelia Chrysikou, Psychology
Daniel Kennedy
Design and Deployment of the Askaryan Radio Array South Pole Autonomous Renewable Power Stations
Adviser: Dave Besson, Physics and Astronomy
Haley Robb
Depression and Coping Mechanisms
Adviser: Rick Ingram, Psychology
Kayla Sale
Comparing stomatal characters in glacial and modern conifer leaves
Adviser: Joy Ward, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Spyros Siscos
Computerized Neurocognitive Assessment Tests and Detection of the Malingering Athlete
Adviser: Phillip Vardiman, Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences
Jackson Young
X-Ray Studies Of The Pixel Readout For The CMS Detector
Adviser: Alice Bean, Physics and Astronomy
OTTAWA
Paul Thomas
Archaeological Survey of Center Chapel, Franklin County Kansas
Adviser: Philip Stinson, Classics
OVERLAND PARK
Jason Bates
Mesoporous Solid Acid Catalysts for Alcohol Dehydration
Adviser: Bala Subramaniam, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Lauren Beesley
Dynamics and Detection of Mead's Milkweed
Adviser: Helen Alexander, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Danse Bi
Application of Hetero-Michael Pathways for the Synthesis of Sultam Libraries
Adviser: Paul Hanson, Chemistry
Joshua Dean
Identifying Factors Affecting Student Transition from Primary to Secondary Education in Selected Developing Countries
Adviser: Elizabeth Asiedu, Economics
Brad Fasbinder
Bio-Acoustical Neuromodulation for Fear and Excessive Anxiety Reduction
Adviser: Evangelia Chrysikou, Psychology
Garrett Fugate
The Creation of Sacred Islamic Spaces out of non-Islamic Buildings
Adviser: Kapila D. Silva, Architecture
Jennifer Geller
Bejeweled Bones: Examining shrines and the holy dead in the Medieval Christian tradition
Adviser: Kathryn Gerry, History of Art
Mitchell Newton
Utilizing Microdialysis to Monitor Biomarkers In Vivo through Capillary Electorphoresis
Adviser: Craig Lunte, Chemistry
Haley McKee
The Relationship between Sports Involvement and Spine Flexibility in Adolescents
Adviser: Dr. Elizabeth Friis, Mechanical Engineering
Joseph Siess
The Reconstruction of the Moroccan Jewish Identity From the French Protectorate to Moroccan Independence: 1912-1956
Adviser: Marie Grace Brown, History
Elizabeth Sims
Obsession: Body Alteration and Modification
Adviser: Maria Velasco, Visual Art
Ryan Smith
Concerning Hobbits: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the Trauma of the 19th/20th Century Transition in English Culture
Adviser: Mary Klayder, English
Christopher Trezza
The Genetics of the Maintenance of Single-Celled Tube Diameter in C. elegans
Adviser: Matthew Buechner, Molecular Biosciences
Samuel Wester
The Chelyabinsk Event: A Sobering Reminder
Adviser: Adrian Melott, Physics and Astronomy
PARSONS
Allison Brewer
Acetic Acid Off-Gassing in Clamshell Enclosures
Adviser: Whitney Baker, KU Libraries
ROELAND PARK
Erin Reid
Separation Optimization of L-DOPA and its Metabolites Using Microchip Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection
Adviser: Susan Lunte, Chemistry
RUSSELL
Rena Detrixhe
Bring to the Table
Adviser: Cima Katz, Visual Art
SHAWNEE
Elizabeth Jarvis
Lethal phase and phenotypic analyses of a collection of prepupal lethal mutations in Drosophila melanogaster
Adviser: Robert Ward, Molecular Biosciences
Alexandria Roy
Identification of miR-137 Targets in Colon Cancer
Adviser: Liang Xu, Molecular Biosciences
Kyle Whitaker
Bio-Acoustical Neuromodulation for Fear and Excessive Anxiety Reduction
Adviser: Evangelia Chrysikou, Psychology
TOPEKA
Jamie Branch
Tension-Displacement Properties of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament at Maximum Extension Angles
Adviser: Lorin Maletsky, Mechanical Engineering
Samuel Long
Characterizing subcomplex formation in septate junction biogenesis in Drosophila embryonic tissues
Adviser: Robert Ward, Molecular Biosciences
Arianna Morgart
Gender and Maternal Responsivity as Factors in Number of Conversational Turns in Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities
Adviser: Nancy Brady, Speech-Language-Hearing
Timothy Turkalo
Ewing’s sarcoma protein EWS regulates skeletogenesis
Adviser: Mizuki Azuma, Molecular Biosciences
WELLINGTON
Devin Lasley
Employing a Sports Psychology Perspective to Assess an Athlete's Experience Competing in a 100-Mile Race
Adviser: Mary Fry, Health, Sport, and Exercise Science
WICHITA
Kimberly Cole
Rotary Task Moment Analysis of the Lower Extremity after Total Knee Arthroplasty
Adviser: Lorin Maletsky, Mechanical Engineering
Bonnie Ewart-Fisher
Sexuality in Early Modern Japanese Society Through the Works of Saikaku
Adviser: Maggie Childs, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Alexander Fondaw
Identifying Inhibitors of ZipA Through Computational and Biochemical Screening
Adviser: John Karanicolas, Bioinformatics
Benjamin Hofmeier
Vernier Reaction Control System Reboost Translational Maneuver of the Hubble Space Telescope During STS-82
Adviser: Steven Hawley, Physics & Astronomy
OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS
CARBONDALE, COLO.
Katherine Evans
How word-frequency influences word-learning
Adviser: Michael Vitevitch, Psychology
GENEVA, ILL.
Liza Tauscher
Diversity Oriented Synthesis Strategies to Benzofused Sultam Libraries: Discovery of Small Molecule Modulators of Biological Pathways
Adviser: Paul Hanson, Chemistry
METAMORE, ILL.
Allen Schaidle
Understanding Cultural Intelligence and Nurturing Global Consciousness
Adviser: Joe O'Brien , Curriculum and Teaching
NAPERVILLE, ILL.
Joe Krentz
Tibetan Vernacular and the Contemporary City
Adviser: Kapila Silva, Architecture
LAFAYETTE, LA.
Ian Cook
Vishuddha
Hometown: Lafayette, LA
BLUE SPRINGS, MO.
Mallory Eddy
Depression and Coping Mechanisms
Adviser: Rick Ingram, Psychology
GLENDALE, MO.
Michael Burch
The Studio Pod: An Architectural Investigation of a Live/Work/Study Cubicle
Adviser: Kapila Silva, Architecture.
KANSAS CITY, MO.
Samantha Brunker
A Broad-Band Photometric Survey of the Open Cluster NGC 7789
Adviser: Bruce Twarog, Physics and Astronomy
Mariah Trevizo
New Orleans Culinary Incubator: Experience, Integrate, Create
Adviser: Shannon Criss, Architecture
KIRKWOOD, MO.
Robert Healey
Lightweight Amplifiers for Acoustic Measurement and Electro-Acoustic systems
Adviser: Bob Coffeen, Architecture
Hometown: Kirkwood, MO
ROLLA, MO.
Nilam Patel
Investigation of Biochemical Changes in Seizure Affected Brain Tissue
Adviser: Elias Michaelis, Pharmacology and Toxicology
ST. CHARLES, MO.
Henry Clever
Imaging Thin Films of Non-Newtonian Fluids
Adviser: Sarah L. Kieweg, Mechanical Engineering
OKLAHOMA CITY
Margaret Witzke
Sitayana Gonna Say Something?
Adviser: Hamsa Stainton, Religious Studies
STILLWATER, OKLA.
Brenna Paxton
INDEX
Adviser: Jeremy Shellhorn, Design
BROOKINGS, S.D.
Bryce Tappan
Mapping of Four Indigenous Tawahka Communities
Adviser: Peter Herlihy, Geography
PARKER HEIGHTS, TEXAS
Matthew Visser
United States Intervention in Africa: The Legality of Building Nations
Adviser: Sharon O’Brien, Global & International Studies
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
BEIJING
Mohan Zhang
Automated Microfluidic Femtoliter Array for Quantitative ELISA at the Attomolar Level
Adviser: Yong Zeng, Chemistry
PENANG, MALAYSIA
Alyssa Ong
Alternative Breaks: Their Impact on Students’ Perceptions, Attitudes and Behaviors
Adviser: Catherine Schwoerer, Business
PAKISTAN
Haider Tarar
Designing Optimum Protein-Excipient Interactions using Molecular Docking Simulations
Adviser: Kyle Camarda, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
UGANDA
Mugabi Byenkya
E-waste: A necessary means to an end?
Adviser: Byron Caminero-Santangelo, English & Environmental Studies