Celebration of Scholarship
Oral Presentations

Oral Presentations, Thursday, April 9, 2009

Session 1
Noon - 1:00pm

1a. Visual Art: A Picture Can Express Ten Thousand Words
Room: Library 205
Moderator: Allyson Klutenkamper

“The Dream Document: A Series of Photographs”
Lacy Golden Davis, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Allyson Klutenkamper

In this presentation, I will be showing my newest series of photographs, which documents my dreams and imagined realities. I will discuss what went into making the series, as well as the insights I gained from the final outcome of the project.

“Community Arts”
Mallory Goldie, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Isabel Graziani

Community arts throughout the U.S and how these projects positively affect society.

“Body Art of the Incarcerated: The Symbolism Behind Inmate Tattoos and Scarification”
Courtney Moore, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Scott Douthat

This presentation will discuss the data collection of tattoo and scarring in Ohio prisons’ inmates to help identification within systems in the prisons themselves.

1b. Slade Formation
Room: Massie 203
Moderator: Jeff Bauer

“Despositional Environmental of the Slade Formation, Northern Kentucky”
Reece Brown, Michael Gossett, Audrey Hogge, Jason Tackett, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Jeff Bauer

The Slade Formation is a late Mississippian-age carbonate rock unit exposed in northern Kentucky. During fall semester 2008, students in Geology 2204 visited and sampled an outcrop of the Slade along interstate-64 in order to determine the depositional environmental that produced the formation. The lower Slade limestone layers represent shallow, lagoonal deposits.

“Conodont Biostratigraphy of the Slade Formation, Northern Kentucky“
Audrey Hogge, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Jeff Bauer

Approximately 320 million years ago, during the Mississippian Period, a shallow epeiric sea covered much of North America.  This sea was inhabited by many creatures including the soft-bodied, worm-like conodont.  The purpose of my research is to describe the conodont fauna of the Slade Formation at a rod cut along I-64 in north-central Kentucky.

“Conodont Fauna of the Slade Formation”
Reece Brown, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Jeff Bauer

Samples were taken from an outcrop in KY and processed for conodonts to determine their relative age.

1c. Latina Women at the Literature Table
Room:  Massie 109
Moderator: Julia Coll

“The Winds of Change”
Deborah Bankhead, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Julia Coll

My presentation examines how the unique form of monologue type of narration in Ana Teresa Torres’s novel Dona Ines vs. Oblivion allows readers to receive insights into the history of racism and to see the changes in racist and gender ideologies over a three-hundred-year time span in the South American country of Venezuela.

“Mysticism of Women in “The House of the Spirits”
Brian Church, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Julia Coll

This presentation will concentrate on how Isabel Allende portrays her women in the novel. She portrays them much stronger than the perceived stereotype embedded into the South American Culture. The three protagonists in the same family: Clara, Blanca, and Alba defy culture and lead successful lives without the support of “their men.”

“Rigoberta Menchu: An Exploration of Fact and Fiction”
Andrew McClave, Shawnee State University

Rigoberta Menchu famously accepted a Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for her work in making the public aware of the atrocities committed during the Guatemalan Civil War, largely due to her testimonial work "I, Rigoberta Menchu." The validity of some of the content in her work was debated quite heavily, many claiming it to be erroneous or downright misleading. The purpose of exploring the importance of fact vs. fiction in my work is to show that regardless of how truthful some of the testimonial nature of her work may be, what matters is how effective it's idea and purpose is conveyed.

“From Riches to Rags: The Impact of Victoria Ocampo
Audra McCue, Shawnee State University

A discussion of the social impact of Victoria Ocampo's works of fiction and Sur Magazine. Ocampo's works and impact will be contrasted with the decidedly different lifestyle of the upper class of which she belonged.

1d. Service, Culture, & Gender
Room: Massie 108
Moderator: Debra Knutson

“Stone Soup Project”
Astra Ng, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Carl Hilgarth

I will be giving a presentation on my ROC14485 class, but specifically on the Stone Soup Project I worked on with Kelly Hates and Sarah Lowe during last semester.

 “Out of Kenya”
Alihussein Noordin, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Rita Haider

A presentation about Kenya.

“Jake Barnes vs. Conan, The Changing Male Hero in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises"
Matthew McGuire, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Barbara Kunkle

An analysis of changing gender roles in literature following the rise of modernism, focusing on a comparison / contrast of characters from Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and Robert E. Howard’s short story “Red Nails”.

Session 2
1:00pm - 2:00pm

2a. Ni Hao, Zhonghua! (Hello, China!)
Room: Massie 108
Moderator: Isabel Graziani

Mallory Goldie, Samantha Emler, Kailai Mathews, Veronica Middleton, Ryan Warner, Leah Blevins, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Isabel Graziani, John Valentine

On August 2008 SSU student recipients of the Hodgen Travel Award traveled to China for 15 days. Their trip began in Shanghai and took them to Hangzhou, Xian, Luoyang, Qingdao, and Beijing. Six of these students will share their impressions of China, their experiences and the joys and difficulties of traveling in a foreign land. Their stories will be illustrated with visual images, music and a collection of Chinese traditional art that they collected while visiting the country.

 2b. Facing Daunting Truths in Journalism and Mass Media: Meeting Challenges Head On
Room: Massie 203
Moderator: Jennifer Pauley

“The Changing Face of Journalism”
Heather Dumas, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Shannon Lawson

The business of journalism is rapidly transitioning to the internet. This presentation will demonstrate that despite current trends toward downsizing newsroom staffs and decreased print copy sales of traditional newspaper, journalism is still a viable career that is adjusting to the new electronic media.

“Negative Effects of Mass Media on Children and Teenagers”
Emily Gleim, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Scott Douthat

How the mass media affects individuals and sends out messages that tell the public what their roles and expectations should be in society.

2c. Earth Matters: Earthquakes, Meteorites & Bones
Room: Massie 026
Moderator:  Jeff Bauer

Jamie Mastropieri, Shawnee State University
Mentor:  Jeff Bauer

This presentation is about the earthquake that happened in Illinois on April 18, 2008. Using the Mercalli scale, I designed a number based on people’s detailed descriptions of what occurred.

“Identifying and Etching Iron Based Meteorites”
Jason Tackett, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Jeff Bauer

Numerous meteorites strike earth everyday. Most burn up on entry in the atmosphere while others are too small to detect. However, large meteorites do strike Earth and leave their scar upon the ground. This study discusses the characteristics of Iron based meteorites, how to identify them if no crash site was recorded, and what can be learned from them.

“Cataloging and Identification of Bones Found on Great Lakes Field Trip August 2008”
Meranda McCleary, Carrie Breach, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Jeff Bauer

The objective of this study is to introduce the methods and procedures followed by the paleontological communities from a novice perspective.

2d. Respiratory Pathogens
Room: Kricker 250
Moderator: Eugene Burns

“Determination of Host Specificity, using Monoclonal Antibodies Against Bordetella Bronchiseptica Fimbriae”
Matthew Watson, Tiffany Journey, Adam Evans Shawnee State University
Mentor: Gene Burns

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a repiratory pathogen that commonly infects the respiratory tracts of many small animals. It causes diseases such as kennel cough in dogs and atrophic rhinitis is pigs by attaching to ciliated epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract. It attaches by way of adhesions such as filamentous hemagglutin, pertactin, and fimbriae. This investigation aims at the role of fimbriae in the host specific attachment of B. bronchiseptica by making monoclonal antibodies against the fimbriae of B. bronchiseptica, strain B17640.

“Attachment Assays of Bordetella Bronchiseptica”
Cory Smith, Josh Days, Carrie Dunham, Shawnee state University
Mentor: Eugene Burns

Bordetella bronchiseptica causes kennel cough in dogs of this study and atrophic rhinitis in pigs and guinea pigs, an infection in the nasopharynx. The goal of this study is to determine the attachment affinity in various strains of B. bronchiseptica to different animal cell types. Twenty-five strains of bacteria were tested on two cell lines. One originating from the nasal cavity of the pig and the pharynx of the guinea pig. The results have shown variability in attachment among strains to each animal cell line, possibly indicating each strain may have different attachment preferences.

Session 3
2:00pm - 3:00pm

3a. Researching Popular Culture: Music and Film
Room: Library 110
Moderator: Lavanya Vemsani

“Role of Lyrics in Song Recognition”
Jiaxi Wang, Amos Jones, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Darrell Rudmann

This presentation examines a study involving a group of undergraduate students who were played the lyrics of a song without music and then played the actual song.  Their accuracy in recalling the name of the song was tested.

“An American Voyage: An Analysis of Thelma and Louise”
Shelly Goddard, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Tim Scheurer

An examination of the universals of traveling in connection with the popular movie Thelma and Louise. This paper also looks at the movie in connection with other novels.

“The Journey Along the Yellow Brick Road”
Carrie Dunham, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Tim Scheurer

This presentation compares and contrasts the theme of the story to the preconceived notion that travel brings about freedom and success.  It also considers other legendary pieces of work and how they support or disprove the philosophy that journey is the key to self-improvement.

“The Times: They Are A-Changin:  The Protest Music of Bob Dylan”
Don Stepp, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Lavanya Vemsani

Music is a part of every culture, and throughout history, people have used music as a powerful tool for social change.  This presentation looks at the history of American Protest music, especially the music of Bob Dylan, and its influence on society.

3b.Academic Research Roundtable: Analysis, Intervention, and Theorizing
Room: Massie 020
Moderator: Valerie Myers

“Statistical Analysis in Research”
Dianna Wilson, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Robert Mendris

A description of how to use statistical analysis in research through practical application.

“Functional Interventions to Overcome Social and Perceptual Motor Skill Deficits”
Brandi Norris, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Valerie Myers

This research project was an assignment that illustrates the journey through the process of diagnosing a child with specific deficits and creating individualized interventions in efforts to help the child overcome the perceived inabilities.

“Task Dependencies of the Rate of Mental Rotation”
Alicia Jean Newman, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Kyle Vick

The question to be addressed is if mental rotation is stimulus dependent or task dependent. If mental rotation is stimulus dependent, the subject will rotate a more complicated object more slowly because the brain must store the complexity of the object. If mental rotation is task dependent, the brain only stores an object as detailed as it needs to be to complete the task so the rotation will be faster if the task demands do not require all of the detail in the object. The results of this study will provide insights into how the brain organizes info for higher level processes. In particular we will be able to measure the effect (if any) of useless info on a high level cognitive task.

2:00pm - 4:00pm
3c. Steven A. Hunter Appalachian Legacy Project
Room: Massie 026
Moderator: Kurt Shoemaker

“Regional Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park”
Heidi Tackett, Brittany Tackett, Joshua Simpson, Benjamin Kelley, Michael Gosset, Ryan Williams, Meranda McCleary, Jamie Mastropieri, Elizabeth Reffet, Katherine Sowards, Audrey Hogge, Jason Tackett, Reece Brown, Brian Truitt, Michelle Ashcraft
Mentor: Kurt Shoemaker, Jeff Bauer

The inclusion of field-based learning experiences is an essential part of geologic education. From March 20-23, 2009, fifteen Shawnee State University students participated in one-credit field of course, Regional Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GEOL 2999), which was made possible through a generous award from the Stephen A. Hunter Appalachian Legacy Project. In preparation for the trip, each student was responsible for researching and leading discussion on one aspect of the regional geology. Here they will elaborate on these topics by including their personal experiences and perspectives gained from their participation in the course.

3d. Habla Español? Yo Tambien`! Technology and Language Instruction
Room:  Massie 109
Moderator: Julia Coll

“Skype is the Limit”
Audra Smith, Brian Church, Christine Moore, Belkys L Madden, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Julia Coll

This presentation will focus on some of the applications Skype has to offer in the foreign language classroom and its potential in other fields. It will demonstrate how students use it in the elementary and intermediate levels of Spanish. In order to do this, presentations will connect with Spanish speaking people.

“The role of Film to Enhance Language Skills in Spain.”
Kayla Crabtree, Christine Moore, Deborah Bankhead, Belkys L Madden, Brian Church, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Julie Coll

A short film produced by intermediate level Spanish students will show the final outcome of practicing language skills in Spanish and collaborating in the production of the film.

Session 4
3:00pm - 4:00pm

4a.  Shame! And You Thought it Was Just a Game: The Serious Theory Behind Gaming and Robotics
Room: Library 205
Moderator: Deepa Sitaraman

“Game Theory”
Jeremy Evans, Shawnee State University
Mentor:  Robert Mendris

Applying mathematics to board games

“Video Games: An in-depth look at making a game using Torque and Maya”
Chris Kapelski, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Matt Cram

My presentation is a videogame that I created using the torque game engine and Maya software.

“Man vs. Machine”
Bethany Heidenreich, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Shannon Lawson

In this age of technology, most of society view advances to be unarguably beneficial. However, there are advancements being made in the field of robotics that affect the lives of the average American in a negative way.

4b. Studies in Academic Diversity: Alternative Fuel and Climate Change
Room: Library 110
Moderator: James McPherson

“Corn Ethanol: Food for Thought”
Lori Jo Harmon, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Barbara Kunkle

This presentation discusses the flaw in the current energy plan of the United States focusing on its use of corn ethanol. The presentation discusses alternatives to corn ethanol that are more economic and environmentally friendly.

“Adaptation Strategies in an Ever Warming Climate”
Jason Tackett, Shawnee State University
Mentor: Jeff Bauer

Climate changes, as evidence into the past decades, have led to two different strategies. The mitigation approach tackles the issue from a policy standpoint. By regulating all human activity, decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases, the climate will correct itself. The adaptation approach attacks the issue by changing human habits and creating new ones that are best suited for the new climate. This approach assumes that the climate change is a naturally occurring phenomenon and is not man induced.

Session 5
5:30-6:30pm

5a. Professorial Discussion: 200 years of Charles Darwin
Room: Massie 214
Moderator: Levanya Vemsani
 

“The Political Uses of Darwinism”
Nicholas Meriwether, Shawnee State University

I will examine the application of Darwin’s theory to contemporary political philosophy by contrasting the work of two theorists, Larry Arnhart and Peter Singer.

“Darwin on an Evolutionary Law of Compensation”
John Valentine, Shawnee State University

 I will examine the Evolutionary Law of Compensation and its implication for thinking on race and gender.

“A Critique of Richard Weikart’s book from Darwin to Hitler.”
Clifford Poirot, Shawnee State University

Weikart argues that there is a direct intellectual line of descent from Darwin to Hitler, thus implying that ethics based on “Darwinism” bears at least partial responsibility for the holocaust. This extended review essay argues that Weikart has failed to understand Darwin, Darwinism, "Social Darwinism" and Nazism. There is no intellectual line of descent from Darwin to Hitler.

5b. OhioWINS Summer Institute – The Investigative Essay
Room: Library 207
Moderator: Patricia Spradlin

“What Are the Challenges Teachers Face with Regards to Special Education and Inclusion?”
Cathleen Adams,
Mentor: Patricia Spradlin

After interviewing teachers with a wide range of experience, many positives were discovered when it comes to teaching in a classroom with regards to inclusion.

“Challenges Teachers Face with Special Education Interventions”
Andrea R. Faulkner, Georgetown Jr/Sr. High School
Mentor: Patricia Spradlin

When regular classroom teachers look at the challenges with inclusion and modification the three areas of most concerns are: time, expectations of students and expectations of the intervention specialist.

“A Plethora of Issues Exist on the Mainstreaming of Academically Challenged Students”
Robert Lawson, Georgetown Jr/Sr. High School
Mentor: Patricia Spradlin

This investigative essay discusses some of the problems that surface in the traditional classrooms where traditional teachers practice inclusion for academically challenged students. The need for better interaction between classroom teachers and intervention specialists is also reviewed.