Dr. Rae Linda Brown Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Showcase
May 10, 2024
The Dr. Rae Linda Brown Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Showcase highlights the research and creative activities of PLU students from across the university. Featured projects may be the outcome of a range of learning opportunities, including student-faculty research collaborations, classroom, capstone, laboratory, or community-based projects, or study away or academic internship experiences.
May 10, 2024 | 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
Faculty Moderator: Harry Papadopoulos, Kinesiology
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Cora Beeson | Global and Cultural Studies | The Unacknowledged and Underfunded Fight for Women's Empowerment in Indonesia Faculty Mentor: Ami Shah, Global and Cultural Studies I conducted research in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, interviewing members of four women’s organizations that offer services for women which range from counseling for victims, to legal aid, to reproductive healthcare. My focus was about domestic violence, sexual assault, and abortion in Indonesia, and the complexities of making support for women accessible. |
| Zoe Bucher | Social Work | Human Sex Trafficking: Examining the Social and Policy Dynamics with an Emphasis on the Role of Social Work. Faculty Mentor: Anissa Rogers, Social Work This project identifies human sex trafficking as a social problem and explains how social workers address it. It describes the theory, practices, services, policies, and social and historical context of the issue from local and global perspectives. Finally, it serves to critique current practices, identify promising developments, and make recommendations. |
| Emily Fisher, Abbie Hughes, Eleora Hughes | English | Saxifrage Literary Arts Magazine: Its Legacy & Relevancy Faculty Mentor: Solveig Robinson, Publishing & Printing Arts Our presentation consists of three members of the student editorial team for Saxifrage: Emily Fisher, Eleora Hughes, and Abbie Hughes. We discuss the journal’s history, a brief history of literary journals at universities, the importance of a writing community at the university level, and the types of submissions that Saxifrage accepts. |
| Elijah Noel W. Paez | Environmental Studies | Bird Watching Goes Both Ways: Developing Critical Animal Pedagogy and Multispecies Worlding in Birding Practice Faculty Mentor: Nicole Juliano, Center for Diversity, Justice & Sustainability "Flourishing" is a term often used but rarely defined in environmental studies. This project explores critical animal studies literature to construct pedagogical themes in how to raise attentiveness towards multispecies worlds in the context of bird-watching practices. |
| Olivia Petersen | Global and Cultural Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Race Studies | A Culture of Peace: Likhet, Genocide, and Affective Economies in Norway Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Wilkin, Global and Cultural Studies This research project pulls from my two disciplines to critically examine Norway's national and state history as well as present actions. I do this through looking into the Norwegian ideology of likhet and how it has and continues to shape the nation and state. |
| Annika Phillips | Chemistry, Communication, Media & Design Arts | Developing Different Ways to Showcase Science Based on Need, Setting, and Audience Faculty Mentor: Andrea Munro, Chemistry This is my capstone, which approaches different ways that we can convey scientific information and ideas to different audiences, specifically regarding topics that are widely misunderstood. I am discussing radioactivity (e.g. what it is, what different types are, where we can find it in our day to day, dangers, uses) and developing a hypothetical training module for nursing students, a hypothetical lesson on the subject for 6th grade students, an exhibit proposal for a science museum, and a sculpture inspired by radioactivity. |
| Sage Warner | History | Intersectional Activism: The Work of Black Women During Reconstruction Faculty Mentor: Gina Hames, History This research paper applies the modern concept of intersectional identity to historical analysis. By viewing four black women during Reconstruction through an intersectional lens, it is possible to better understand the dynamics that influenced their work and how their activism benefited black women in general. |
Faculty Moderator: Ann Auman, Natural Sciences
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Kaden Bolton | Political Science | Britain's First Zero Emissions Zone: How Environmental Public Policy Affects Political Perceptions Faculty Mentor: Michael Artime, Political Science A study conducted in Oxford, England assessing how the city's Zero Emissions Zone project has influenced political beliefs, party support, and support for the city council. The results established an association between younger respondents and approval for the policy, the city council, and political parties who supported the policy. |
| Brianna Christiansen, Amberly Lunsford | Psychology | Lengthening Lexicon: The Connection Between Household Size and Acquisition of Extended Familial Terms Faculty Mentor: Sara Finley, Psychology This study used the Wordbank database, which includes data from over 92,000 children in 42 languages. It examined whether children living in countries with higher average household densities would learn extended familial terms quicker than those living in countries with lower average household densities. |
| Jackson Helt | Earth Science | Chemical Comparison of Igneous Rocks in the northern Tusas Mountains Faculty Mentors: Alex Lechler & Peter Davis, Earth Science This project uses geochemical data collected from ICP-Mass Spectrometry to analyze the oxides and rare earth elements present in different igneous rocks from the same area, in order to determine if there is any relationship between them. This will help better understand the geologic history of the southwestern U.S. |
| Iris Hernandez | Earth Science | New Detrital Zircon Age Constraints for the Darrington Phyllite East of the Straight Creek-Fraser River Fault Faculty Mentors: Alex Lechler & Peter Davis, Earth Science My project presents age correlations of Darrington phyllite across the Straight Creek Fault. The preliminary data shows a 131 and 141 Ma peak, with a Precambrian zircon tail present. The younger peak and tail are explained by a younger oceanic basin with different sediment inputs than Darrington Phyllite. |
| Sonika Nigam, Taylor Rawson, Amy Ruiz, Marissa Smith | Psychology | Implicit Learning Biases of Natural Phonotactic Constraints Faculty Mentor: Sara Finley, Psychology We ran a psychological study looking at whether adults prefer some types of sound patterns over others. Participants were generally faster at responding to words that followed vowel harmony, a phonetically natural pattern than disharmony. |
| Makya Warren | Natural Sciences, Immunology and Cancer Research | Modified TREC Assay for Multiple Mouse Strains Faculty Mentor: Jarrod Dudakov & Kristen Cooper, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute, and Shannon Seidel, Biology, PLU The maturation of T-cells results in the formation of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) during gene rearrangement. Previously, there were no TREC primers available for the most common lab mouse. This project utilizes gene sequencing and TREC assays through PCRs to detect thymic output in multiple mouse strains. Some results of this study are still pending. |
10:30 am | Welcome
Joanna Gregson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Faculty Moderator: Bridget Yaden, Hispanic and Latino Studies/Office of the Provost
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Bankowski | Communication, Media & Design Arts | Refashioned. Faculty Mentor: Heather Mathews & Taylor Cox, Communication, Media & Design Arts My project is a fashion design portfolio based on recycled materials and inspired by 70s punk and early 2000s fashion. I wanted to combine my interest in environmental sustainability with my skills in illustration, painting, and design to create something relevant to our current climate situation and modern trends. |
| Guillermo Baltazar-Munoz | Communication, Media & Design Arts | Label Design - SIPZ Faculty Mentor: Junichi Tsuneoka, Communication, Media & Design Arts Graphic Design 3 final project, creating a label design proposal for a made up client. Determining what the product is, the different flavors, the target audience, and keywords to describe the product. A project that required coming up with ideas of what to do, sketches, research, and illustrations. |
| Stephania Lara | Communication, Media & Design Arts | The Aces: I've Loved You For so Long World Tour Faculty Mentor: Junichi Tsuneoka, Communication, Media & Design Arts This piece is a two color print inspired by the opening lyrics of the song, “Girls Make Me Want to Die” by The Aces. The Aces are an all female indie pop band, most of whom are LGTQ+, based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. They have since relocated to Los Angeles where they have been touring every year since their formation in 2012. |
| Katia Lewis | Communication, Media & Design Arts | Kitea Energy Drink Mockup Faculty Mentor: Junichi Tsuneoka, Communication, Media & Design Arts A product design for the fictional energy drink brand Kitea. |
| Lillian Louie | Communication, Media & Design Arts | Smashing Pumpkins Concert Poster Faculty Mentor: Junichi Tsuneoka, Communication, Media & Design Arts This piece was a project last semester from my graphic design 3 class. We were asked to create a concert poster design for a band/musical artist of our choosing. Smashing Pumpkins has always been one of my favorite bands and I wanted to create something they would realistically use. |
Faculty Moderator: Bridget Yaden, Hispanic and Latino Studies/Office of the Provost
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Buetow, Benjamin Thompson | Chemistry | The potential of fluorenone as a photocatalyst for Diels-Alder reactions Faculty mentor: Neal Yakelis, Chemistry Diels-Alder reactions are common reactions used in organic synthesis. However, they often require harsh reaction conditions or expensive and hazardous metal catalysts. Recent works have shown that photocatalysts can allow Diels-Alder reactions to be run at room temperature by irradiating the reaction vessel with blue LED light, producing high yields. Fluorenone is one such catalyst that has been investigated in recent literature. Our work seeks to confirm fluorenone’s effectiveness as a catalyst by replicating literature procedures for these reactions using both tested and untested diene and dienophile reactants. |
| Steven Chu, Avigail Salazar-Martinez | Chemistry | Utilizing a Diels-Alder reaction to synthesize a zwitterion monomer for an ion-conducting polymer Faculty mentors: Dean Waldow & Neal Yakelis, Chemistry The efficient synthesis of endo norbornene-2,3-dicarboximide (NDI) zwitterions using a Diels- Alder reaction could potentially be used to build better batteries by improving lithium ion flow. Beginning with a Diels-Alder reaction and then followed by additional steps, we have created the intermediate compounds that will be used to construct essential parts of the targeted zwitterion. These intermediate products were analyzed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and melting point, which were compared to literature data to verify the correct products were being synthesized. |
| Jordyn Horton, Lia Zabowski | Chemistry | Iodine is a surprising catalyst for Diels-Alder reactions Faculty mentor: Neal Yakelis, Chemistry As a catalyst, iodine (I2) allows for mild reaction conditions, environmentally friendly methods, and a reduced expense in experiments. Inspired by a recent report in the literature, we explored the effectiveness of various dienophiles in iodine-catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions using 1,3-cyclohexadiene as the diene partner. Reaction progress could be monitored using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and characterization of the Diels-Alder products was accomplished using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. |
| Sarah Olver, Kaela Williams | Chemistry | Building an ONDI zwitterion monomer for safer lithium batteries Faculty mentors: Dean Waldow & Neal Yakelis, Chemistry A zwitterion monomer, which has positively and negatively charged functional groups present in a single molecule, could potentially be used to create a polymeric electrolyte for safer and longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries. ONDI (oxanorbornene dicarboximide) is one potential monomer scaffold that can be used to create such a polymer. To build this compound, a Diels-Alder reaction was performed using furan and maleic anhydride to form oxanorbornene dicarboxylic anhydride (ONDA) which could then be condensed with 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole to form an intermediate monomer. This monomer could then be used in future work to create the ONDI zwitterion through an SN2 imidazole alkylation reaction and finally polymerized using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) to create the target polymeric electrolyte for lithium battery application. Characterization of each monomer intermediate was conducted using ¹H NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy). |
| Tog-yeum Junior Nagorngar, Mikhail Turchaninov | Chemistry | Synthesis of 2-nitrosopyridines for studying reversible Diels-Alder reactions with spiramycin Faculty mentor: Neal Yakelis, Chemistry Via a nitroso-Diels-Alder reaction, 2-nitrosopyridine can be used to tag natural conjugated alkenes that may be biologically active. The nitroso dienophile is most commonly synthesized by oxidation of pyridine-derived compounds such as 2-aminopyridine or 6-amino-2-picoline. Diels-Alder reactions are planned using dienes such as the antibiotic spiramycin. 1H NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), infrared spectroscopy, TLC (thin layer chromatography), and 13C NMR (carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) will be used to characterize and analyze the products to confirm their structures and purity. |
| Abby Mebane | Chemistry/Planetary Science/Geology | Investigating Chemical Signatures of Explosive Volcanic Rocks and Downstream Sediments in a Martian Analog Source-to-Sink System Faculty Mentor: Kirsten Siebach, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Rice University In the Martian Gale Crater, the sedimentary rock layers provide insight into the ancient lake’s history. My research contributed to what alterations took place during sediment transport by examining similar rocks in Iceland. Chemical analysis shows significant differences between the rocks and sediments, suggesting other processes are at play. |
| Ava Stefanik, Ayden Zamudio | Chemistry | Optimization of hydroboration-oxidation of eugenol using microwave acceleration and catalysis Faculty Mentors: Valeriy Smirnov & Neal Yakelis, Chemistry Hydroboration-oxidation reactions are an efficient way to selectively convert alkenes into alcohols. Experiments were performed on eugenol, a commonly used alkene found in clove oil, to form the natural product dihydroconiferyl alcohol via an anti-Markovnikov addition reaction. Hydroboration of eugenol was examined using either borane dimethylsulfide or pinacolborane with different catalysts such as calcium chloride and potassium carbonate. Oxidation or the organoborane intermediates was performed using sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. After extraction and purification, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) were used for analysis. |
Faculty Moderator: Heather Mathews, Communication, Media & Design ARts
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Golde, Camden Hunt | Computer Science | Player Piano Faculty Mentor: Jeff Caley, Computer Science We have turned a upright piano into a player piano. We built everything from the circuit boards, hardware, and software. |
Faculty Moderator: Heather Mathews, Communication, Media & Design ARts
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Sophia Barkhurst | English | In the Empty Spaces: The Powerful Voices of Women Faculty Mentor: James Albrecht, English This project looks into the recent surge of feminine perspective retellings of classic Greek myths. Specifically, I will analyze three authors between four novels: Jennifer Saint author of Ariadne (2021) and Atalanta (2023), Madeline Miller author of Circe (2018), and Natalie Haynes author of Stone Blind (2022). We will delve into the issues of classical women and see how they apply to our modern age. |
| Marina Foster | English | Trees are the main character of the 2018 environmental epic "The Overstory" Faculty Mentor: James Albrecht, English How has this novel been so successful despite its unlikely protagonist? This project will explore what meaningful environmental access looks like through the lens of the novel. |
| Elizabeth Kamke | Psychology | In Search of a Gender-Neutral Face Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Lindsay, Psychology In this study, children, ages four to seven years old, viewed pictures from storybooks and illustrated faces, then were asked to tell a story about the image. We are examining how the children categorize the characters' gender to better understand what might make a character gender-neutral. |
| Kassidy Short | History, Holocaust and Genocide Studies | Nazi Racial Ideology and Jewish Stereotypes in Propaganda Films Faculty Mentor: Beth Griech-Polelle, History, Holocaust and Genocide Studies This paper was written for Gonzaga University’s research workshop, “The Tenacity of Antisemitism, in the Pacific Northwest and Beyond.” It explores antisemitism and Jewish stereotypes in Nazi Propaganda films while also providing crucial background about the origins of Jewish stereotypes, Nazi racial ideology, Nazi propaganda, and then the analysis of specific films: Hitler’s Youth Quex, Triumph of the Will, Jud Süß and Der ewige Jude. |
| Eomon Sullivan | English | Reason and Faith in Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment Faculty Mentor: James Albrecht, English Crime and Punishment is a novel suffused with intense polarity. As one scholar puts it: “Everything in the novel is constantly threatening to turn over into its opposite.” Although many explanations have been given regarding this phenomenon, none are sufficiently exhaustive for explaining what gives the novel such an intense charge. I explore this problem from the angle of the protagonist’s situation. Understanding the protagonist’s situation is crucial for understanding what gives the novel its specific aesthetic form. What are the environmental, social, and psychological factors informing the novel’s action and driving its main plot? I argue that the protagonist’s situation leads him into desperate acts (including murder) to resolve his inner deadlock, yet he is unable to resolve his problem through these acts. The result is a novel deeply ambivalent about its own goal. |
| Chandra Wallace | Social Work | Relational-Cultural Intervention With Unhoused Patients: Meaning-Making by Social Workers at Bedside Faculty Mentor: Ren Winnett, Social Work This qualitative research examines the experiences of hospital social workers who care for unhoused patients, provides information on Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT), and considers hospital social workers’ impressions of RCT’s potential usefulness as an intervention. This project is a collaboration between faculty and student researchers that utilizes an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis framework. |
Faculty Moderator: Ann Auman, Natural Sciences
| Student(s) | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Min Cho, Ben Kraska, Keira McCornack, Kekoa Meyers, Jason Montes Padilla, Jaeden Pieper, Anna Preciado, Annelies Richie, Erwin Robles, Kailey Sasse, Zachery Vick | Kinesiology | The effect of music on isometric muscle strength and muscle fatigue. Faculty Mentor: Harry Papadopolous, Kinesiology A group research project to determine the effect of music on isometric exercise. |
| Ryan Fisher | Chemistry | The Impact of Nitrogen Concentration on the Fatty Acid Production of Marine Microorganisms Faculty Mentor: Angie Boysen, Chemistry This project revolved around investigating the impact that nitrogen concentration stress has on the growth and metabolite production of marine microorganisms. More specifically, the scope of work focused on the production of fatty acids, which play an important role in cellular energy storage and maintenance. |
| Ainsley Fuerst | Political Science, Sociology & Criminal Justice | Mental Health Care in Private Prisons Faculty Mentor: Michael Artime & Maria Chavez, Political Science Through a quantitative analysis, I seek to answer the question of how the economic interests of private prisons influence the accessibility of mental health care for those in their care. I hypothesize that I will find a negative correlation between private prisons and the accessibility of mental health care. |
| Seth Gebauer | Political Science | Metropolitan Governance Fragmentation and Transportation Accessibility Faculty Mentor: MAria Chavez, Political Science This project seeks to determine if there is a significant relationship between the level of metropolitan governance fragmentation and changes in transportation accessibility in the most populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States. |
| Elena M. Oliver | Earth Science | Eruptions and Effects Faculty Mentor: Alex Lechler, Earth Science A research type project that looks at two stratovolcanoes and their well known eruptions of the 20th century. With a focus on what the landscape response was from both the environment and people. |
| Emma Penick | Earth Science | Shift in Nitrate Concentration in the Yakima River Basin Faculty Mentor: Alex Lechler, Earth Science In this project, I am investigating how nitrate levels have increased in the Satus Creek region of the Yakima River Basin over time, specifically from 1973 to 2004. I am using well water data in this region and comparing their nitrate levels to examine to what extent nitrate levels have risen. |
| Sam Seabury | Earth Science | Mapping the subsurface distribution of Olympia beds in the Tehaleh and Tacoma Puget Sound Lowland Region Faculty Mentor: Alex Lechler, Earth Science Olympia beds are from glacier deposits from 10,000+ years ago. This bed is not usually found in southern Washington and does not have enough data to have it be considered its own formation. With my data and data published by Troost and Borden 2001, there's enough evidence to claim it should be a formation. |
| Amy Wagner | Biology | Bug Bonanza: Accounting for Insect Holdings in the Burton Ostenson Museum of Natural History Faculty Mentor: Jacob Egge, Biology The Burton Ostenson Museum of Natural History in the Rieke Science Center holds preserved animal specimens that are used for teaching and research. This project focuses on cataloging unaccounted-for insects in the collection. Data on geographic distributions, taxonomic coverage, collection dates, and collector information will be presented. |