scholars showcase 2016 - minnesota's private colleges · 2 minnesota private college scholars...
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Celebrating undergraduate research 32 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Cover illustration by Kiki Kita ’15Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Undergraduate research provides
opportunities for students to explore the
kinds of projects they will pursue later in
their educational paths and careers.
A strong commitment to undergraduate
research is one of the reasons why more
than half of Minnesota college students
who attain a doctorate degree have earned
their baccalaureate degree at one of the
17 nonprofit institutions that are members
of the Minnesota Private College Council.
The 2016 Minnesota Private College
Scholars Showcase celebrates
43 students’ scholarship and the efforts
of their faculty advisors. From psychology
to environmental studies, computer science
to social work, the breadth of the subject
matter presented here represents the wide
range of student learning that occurs every
day at Minnesota’s Private Colleges.
Recognizing Undergraduate Research
Celebrating undergraduate research 54 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Table of Contents: Augsburg College A Study of Sex-Specific Swimming Behavior in Daphnia Magna, a Water FleaNajma Ahmed .....................................6
An Analysis of How Dual Relationships Are Manifested with Latino ClientsNancy Ortega ..................................... 7
Bethany Lutheran CollegeExamining the Link between Religiosity and AltruismDanielle Marzinske .............................8
Visualizing the Effect of Interventions during the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola OutbreakTimothy Wildauer ..............................9
Bethel UniversityThe Effects of Clay Filters on Arsenic Levels in Drinking Water in Rural CambodiaJenny Koops .....................................10
Carleton CollegeIdentity and Politics in the Age of Moroccan IndependenceCeleste Koppe .................................. 12
Sex-Marker Identification in Green Sea TurtlesAnne Schulberg ............................... 13
College of Saint BenedictPattern Avoidance in Set PartitionsEmma Christensen ........................... 14
The Chemistry of Learning: How Emotions, Text Difficulty, and Reading Goals Influence ComprehensionEmma Johnson ................................. 15
The College of St. ScholasticaSynthesis of Indolyl/Indazolyl (N1 Substituted) Quinolones (C6 Substituted) for Study as Possible Anticancer/Antibiotic /AntimicrobialMeek Msaki and Jenna Thomforde ..16
Translation of a Multi-Segment Foot Model into the CSS Motor Behavior LaboratoryHenry Sluka ..................................... 17
Concordia College MOORHEADUnderstanding Gender and Age Differences in Financial Risk Tolerance: The Role of EmotionsCassondra Thompson and Rachael Schauer ....................... 18
Restoring Chaucer to his Feet: Punctuation as a Means of Metrical Regularity in the 1721 Urry Edition of Troilus and CriseydeAudrey Gunn ....................................19
Concordia University ST. PAULExpression and purification of a functional silica binding protein fused with RGD motif for neural tissue engineeringAmien Masroujeh, Anna Augustine, Samantha Brennan and Samuel Johnson ............................... 21
Intestinal Cell Injury Generated by NSAIDsRachel Gratz, Colette Piche, Kayla Miller, Rachel Tadsen .............22
Gustavus Adolphus CollegeOlfactometer Construction to Determine Odor’s Influence on Attention Perception and AttentionMatt Broschard ................................23
Characterization of the acoustic radiation force produced by ultrasound transducers utilized for modal analysisMikaela Algren and Cole Raisbeck ..24
Hamline UniversityEffects of Multiple Carbohydrates and Protein on Time Trial Performance and Recovery in Trained CyclistsSallee Brandt and Anthony Wolfe ..................................25
Who Has a Public Voice? Justice Workers on Affectivity and Inclusion in Political DiscourseJoseph Damman ..............................26
Macalester CollegeSaving Energy on Campus: Incorporating Psychological Principles into an Energy MonitorAna Diaz ...........................................27
Supporting Community Efforts for Climate Change Adaptation: A Small Grants Program in Saint Paul, Minn.Ivy Bardaglio ....................................28
Saint John’s UniversitySimilar Conflicts, Different Policies: An Analysis of the Executive Decision-Making Processes in Mexico and El SalvadorJake Collins ..................................... 30
Size Distribution Calculation of Atmospheric AerosolsBenjamin Nault-Maurer ................... 31
Saint Mary’s University of MinnesotaGlutathione S-transferase expression in mice (Mus musculus) Exposed in Utero to AtrazineMegan Hafner and Bryan Ortman ...32
Anti-Microbial Properties of Plants Native to the Philippines and to MinnesotaBridget Pethke and Nick Thell .........33
St. Catherine UniversityUnwed Mothers in Midcentury America: A Shameful Double StandardAmanda Campbell ............................34
Graphene Oxide: A Controlled Reduction Using Ascorbic Acid Denyce Rochelle Alvarez and Alexandra Trusty .......................35
University of St. ThomasScreening Crude Oil-Polluted Water for Endocrine ActivityCassie Clark .....................................36
The Selfish Herd: Noise Effects in Local Crowded Horizon and Density Independent ModelsNick Ose ...........................................37
Celebrating undergraduate research 76 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Najma Ahmed
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Matthew Beckman
Department
Biology
Augsburg College
Daphnia, often called water fleas,
are keystone species in freshwater
environments and are routinely used to test
the toxicity of chemicals. Normally, Daphnia
reproduce by cyclic parthenogenesis,
making only females. But, males are
produced under stressful environmental
conditions. This study focused on
determining whether male Daphnia swim
differently than females. Predation risk
may be greater for animals that swim
slower. Males were produced by treatment
of reproductive-aged females with juvenile
hormone analog, pyriproxyfen, which is
a flea and tick killer that can enter the
water supply. We determined the sex of
daphnids with dichotomous keys. Daphnia
swimming was imaged with Fview and the
resulting data was analyzed with CTRAX.
Results indicate that pyriproxifen acts as an
environmental stimulus that promotes the
production of males, confirming published
data. Our preliminary data suggests
that male swimming rate is statistically
no different than for females despite a
significantly smaller male body size —
swimming rate differences are an unlikely
predation risk.
A Study of Sex-Specific Swimming Behavior in Daphnia magna, a Water Flea
Student
Nancy Ortega
Faculty Advisors
Dr. Laura Boisen & Dr. Lois Bosch
Department
Social Work
Augsburg College
Social service providers are expected to
maintain strict professional boundaries in
their professional practice with clients to
avoid exploitation and potential harm to
the client [National Association of Social
Workers standard 1.06 (c), 2008]. However,
in culturally responsive practice, forming
some dual relationships may be beneficial
towards the therapeutic relationship with
clients (Cottone, 2010; Lazarus, 2002;
Nguyen, 2007; Reamer, 2014). The present
work investigates this claim specifically
exploring dual relationships among social
service providers with Latino clients. Using
focus group methodology, 16 professionals
were interviewed using seven discussion
questions on dual relationships with Latino
clients. In addition, a survey containing 25
Likert scale questions was used to measure
the respondent’s perception of risk that
specific dual relationships pose to either
the client or worker. Results show that, in
this study, most practitioners abide by strict
ethical standards when addressing most
dual relationships. However, they are flexible
when faced with unavoidable/circumstantial
dual relationships or presented with small
gifts of gratitude.
An Analysis of How Dual Relationships Are Manifested with Latino Clients
Celebrating undergraduate research 98 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student
Danielle Marzinske
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Wosmek
Department Psychology
Bethany Lutheran College
Although the relationship between
religiosity, spirituality, and altruism has
been demonstrated within the research
literature, these reports focus primarily
on self-report measures. Few studies
have included observational measures
of participants’ altruistic behavior. In the
current study, participants completed
questionnaires which evaluated their degree
of religiosity, spirituality, and altruism. In
addition to this self-reported measure, each
participant had the opportunity to engage
in “helping behavior.” At either the start or
conclusion of the session, a cup of pencils
was dropped next to participants, and
researchers observed participants’ pick-
up response (or lack thereof). The results
suggest a relationship between self-reports
of religiosity and spirituality (p < .01), but
no significant relationship between the self-
reports of religiosity and spirituality, and
self-reports of altruism (p >.1) or between
any of the self-report scores and the pick-
up response from the pencil spill incident
(p >.1). These findings call into question
the validity of self-report measures as an
indicator of altruistic behavior.
Examining the Link Between Religiosity and Altruism
Student Timothy Wildauer
Faculty Advisor
Dr. John Drake, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Department Epidemiology
Bethany Lutheran College
Data recorded during the 2014–2015
West Africa Ebola Outbreak indicate when
patients presented themselves at hospitals
for treatment. To know if interventions were
successful, we must find when patients
became infected. We can only observe when
patients begin showing symptoms. This
information is corrupted by the distribution
of the incubation period. The current
method for finding when people became
infected is to shift the dates for the observed
data backwards by the average infection
period. We developed two non-parametric
filters to find when patients became infected
with Ebola: multiple trials of randomly
selecting incubation periods for patients,
and a Ridge Regression. These methods
were tested on simulated outbreaks of
different difficulties to see which method
worked best. We selected four interventions
during the outbreak to see if there was an
effect on the transmissibility of the disease.
Through testing we found that Random
deconvolution achieves a high correlation
with the infection curve.
Visualizing the Effect of Interventions during the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola Outbreak
Celebrating undergraduate research 1110 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Jenny Koops
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jeff Port
Department
Environmental Science
Bethel University
Cambodia is one of many countries that
produce clay filters to remove harmful
bacteria from water as an inexpensive,
locally available solution to improving access
to potable water. Cambodian soil contains
varying levels of arsenic and it has been
suggested that the filters are introducing
excess arsenic into the water. This study
conducted testing to see how much arsenic
was introduced into filtered water and
whether multiple wash cycles could reduce
that amount. Six filters were bought and
tested in Svay Reing, Cambodia and after
11 washes only four reached arsenic levels
of 10ppb, the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) safe standard. Two additional filters
in use for one year by local residents were
also tested and found to have arsenic levels
above 10ppb. Overall, this study suggests
that clay filters are initially increasing
arsenic levels in filtered water but with
proper preparation, levels can be reduced
to near standards established by WHO.
The Effects of Clay Filters on Arsenic Levels in Drinking Water in Rural Cambodia
Rachel Tadsen, Rachel Gratz, Kayla Miller, and Colette Piche at Concordia University, St. Paul
Advisor Dr. Debra Martin with Megan Hafner, Bryan Ortman, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Ana Diaz and Danny Lindholm, Macalester College
Audrey Gunn, Concordia College
Jenny Koops, Bethel University
Timothy Wildauer, Bethany Lutheran College
Emma Johnson,College of Saint Benedict
Matt Broschard, Gustavus Adolphus College
Celebrating undergraduate research 1312 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Anne Schulberg
Faculty Advisors
Dr. Tom Schultz & Dr. Richard Forward
Department Biology & Marine Conservation
Carleton College
A barrier in the conservation and
protection of sea turtles has been difficulty
in monitoring population dynamics.
One key parameter for understanding
populations is the sex ratio, which cannot
be phenotypically determined in juveniles.
Use of restricted site-Associated DNA
(RAD) sequencing to identify candidate sex-
specific markers was explored in Chelonia
mydas. Twenty-one female-specific markers
were identified out of 4849 possible loci,
where the 21 markers occurred in 32 or
31 females and 0 males. The presence of
mostly female-specific sex-identification
markers suggest that C. mydas utilizes a
ZZ/ZW sex determination system where
females are heterozygotic. Identification of
genetic markers capable of distinguishing
between sexes in sea turtles would aid in
conservation efforts providing the ability to
monitor population dynamics from samples
collected non-invasively.
Sex-Marker Identification in Green Sea Turtles
Student Celeste Koppe
Faculty Advisors
Dr. Adeeb Khalid & John Thabiti Willis
Department History
Carleton College
The newspaper, Al- Alam, was established
in 1946 by the Istiqlal (Independence)
Party and remains today as one of the most
widely read newspapers in Morocco. As
the first news source available in Arabic,
this newspaper embodies the Arab elite’s
struggle against French control throughout
the country. This research focuses on the
archives of Al-Alam to better understand
how the Istiqlal Party of Morocco shaped
their nationalist agenda through the revival
of the Arabic language and traditional
Islamic culture. The focus is specifically on
the periodicals from 1946- 1956, in which
I investigate how leaders of the nationalist
movement employed certain identities to
liberate their country from French rule.
Identity and Politics in the Age of Moroccan Independence
Celebrating undergraduate research 1514 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Emma Christensen
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Galovich
Department
Mathematics
College of Saint Benedict
A set partition avoids a pattern if no
subdivision of that partition standardizes
to the pattern. We find the sizes of several
avoidance classes for patterns of partitions
of [4]. We also characterize the restricted
growth functions which are in a bijection
with the set partitions of the avoidance
classes of interest, and examine various
statistics on these avoidance classes.
Pattern Avoidance in Set Partitions
Student Emma Johnson
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Catherine Bohn-Gettler
Department Education
College of Saint Benedict
Reading is a common avenue for learning
in many settings. Therefore, it is important
to understand what influences reading
and text processing. The primary goal of
this study is to understand how emotion,
reading goals, and text difficulty individually
and interactively affect comprehension
processes. First, in two norming studies,
emotion-inducing videos were validated,
and expository chemistry texts manipulated
to be easy versus difficult to read.
Second, in the full study, undergraduate
college students watched short video
clips and rated their feelings of hope and
hopelessness. Participants were then
instructed to read a chemistry text as
though they were studying for an exam or
browsing a magazine. While reading, their
cognitive strategies and comprehension
were measured using a write-aloud task.
After reading, participants answered
multiple choice questions designed to
assess different cognitive processes.
Understanding how these factors influence
reading and comprehension can provide
insight into better ways of understanding
how learning occurs.
The Chemistry of Learning: How Emotions, Text Difficulty, and Reading Goals Influence Comprehension
Celebrating undergraduate research 1716 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Students Meek Msaki Jenna Thomforde
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Timothy Trygstad
Department Chemistry
The College of St. Scholastica
Indole/indazole and quinolone sub-units
are found in numerous biologically active
compounds; many of which are known
to exhibit anticancer, antibiotic, and/or
antimicrobial activity. Therefore, a research
project with the overriding goal of exploring
the anticancer/antibiotic/antimicrobial
activity of compounds that contain both the
indole/indazole and quinolone sub-units was
developed. The project is highly amendable to
being divided into sub-projects, where each
sub-project focuses on a different location
of indole/indazole and quinolone sub-unit
connectivity. Each individual early stage sub-
project will focus on the synthesis of a handful
of analogues that share the same indole/
indazole and quinolone sub-unit connectivity.
Our specific early stage sub-project
focused on synthesizing indole-quinolone and
indazole-quinolone analogues with sub-unit
connectivity located at the N1 of the indole/
indazole sub-unit and the C6 of the quinolone
sub-unit. We successfully synthesized a
handful of analogues with this specific N1-
C6 sub-unit connectivity and our research
collaborators are conducting in vitro biological
studies testing the anticancer/antibiotic/
antimicrobial activity of each compound.
Synthesis of Indolyl/Indazolyl (N1 Substituted) Quinolones (C6 Substituted) for Study as Possible Anticancer /Antibiotic/Antimicrobial
Student Henry Sluka
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jon Nelson
Department Biology
The College of St. Scholastica
Through the use of a motion capture system
and a biomechanical modeling tool, this
project serves as a method for translation
of a multi-segmental foot model into the
College of St. Scholastica Motor Behavior
Lab. Motion variability and joint angles were
analyzed on the principle investigator and
a static skeletal model. The static skeletal
model analysis revealed marker-to-marker
position in space variability. The principle
investigator used applied marker set to test
for consistency and repeatability of joint
segment-to-segment joint angle movement.
Translation of a Multi-Segment Foot Model into the CSS Motor Behavior Laboratory
Celebrating undergraduate research 1918 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Students Cassondra Thompson Rachael Schauer
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Philip Lemaster
Department Psychology
Concordia College MOORHEAD
Gender and age are well-documented
demographic variables related to financial
risk tolerance. Men tend to be more willing
to take financial risks than women, and
younger people tend to be more willing
to take financial risks than older people.
These gender and age differences are not
comprehensively understood. Because
women tend to be socialized more toward
emotion than men, and with age, people
become more focused on maintaining
their positive emotional well-being, we
hypothesized that emotional “gut” reactions
to risk would account for gender and age
differences in financial risk tolerance.
Results indicated that emotional variables
(i.e., positive emotional reaction to risks and
risk perception) partially explained why men
report greater financial risk tolerance and
fully explained why older people report less
financial risk tolerance.
Understanding Gender and Age Differences in Financial Risk Tolerance: The Role of Emotions
Student Audrey Gunn
Faculty Advisor
Dr. David Sprunger
Department English
Concordia College MOORHEAD
In the early 1700s, readers debated
whether Chaucer meant for his works to
be metrically regular. Although the answer
is now a resounding “yes,” during this time,
Chaucer’s intent was hotly debated. John
Urry intended for his 1721 edition of Chaucer
to restore metrical regularity in modern
English, and took liberties such as adding
or deleting words and changing word
endings so the text would scan smoothly.
My research focused on the ways in which
Urry may have also utilized punctuation to
reestablish metrical regularity in Troilus and
Criseyde. Using a sample of 49 stanzas, I
compared Urry’s punctuation to his 1598
source text and later editions of Troilus.
Based on my findings, I propose that in
addition to manipulating words, Urry may
have relied on punctuation to reestablish
metrical regularity. Furthermore, every
major edition of Troilus after Urry’s has used
much of his punctuation, suggesting that
Urry’s 1721 Chaucer has a more positive
scholarly legacy than typically realized.
Restoring Chaucer to his Feet: Punctuation as a Means of Metrical Regularity in the 1721 Urry Edition of Troilus and Criseyde
Celebrating undergraduate research 2120 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Students Amien Masroujeh Anna Augustine Samantha Brennan Samuel Johnson
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Mary Ann Yang
Department Science
Concordia University ST. PAUL
Our project focuses on testing a novel fusion
protein’s ability to noncovalently modify the
three-dimensional silica nanofiber surfaces,
aiming at better simulate the extracellular
matrix for tissue engineering. Specifically,
we genetically engineered a recombinant
protein (SB-RGD-His) that contains a silica
binding protein (SB) fused with the RGD
peptide for cell adhesion, and a His-tag for
purification. We then expressed the SB-
RGD-His fusion in Escherichia coli Rosetta
(DE3) pLys and purified it using a nickel
column. Successful silica binding ability of
the fusion protein was demonstrated using
immunocytochemistry and pull-down assay.
Finally, PC12 cells were shown to success-
fully grow and differentiate on SB-RGD-His
coated silica surfaces. These results indicate
that SB-RGD-His fusion protein could serve
as a noncovalent coating biologic to support
and promote neuron-like cells’ growth and
differentiation on silica-based substrates for
neural tissue engineering. Our work provides
proof of concept for the possibility to genet-
ically engineer protein-based signaling mol-
ecules to noncovalently modify silica-based
substrates as bioinspired material.
Expression and purification of a functional silica binding protein fused with RGD motif for neural tissue engineering
Jenna Thomforde and Meek Msaki, The College of St. Scholastica
Celeste Koppe with Jamila Salmi, host sister
and translator, Carleton College
Emma Christensen, College of Saint Benedict
Benjamin Nault-Maurer and advisor Dr. Adam Whitten, Saint John’s University
Nick Ose , University of St. Thomas
Rachael Schauer and Cassondra Thompson, Concordia College, Moorhead
Nancy Ortega.Augsburg College
Celebrating undergraduate research 2322 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Students Rachel Gratz Colette Piche Kayla Miller Rachel Tadsen
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Mandy Brosnahan
Department Science
Concordia University ST. PAUL
(NSAIDs) maintain a specific recommended
dosage listed on the bottle. It has
been proven that taking more than the
recommended dosage of NSAIDs can cause
negative effects on intestinal cells, but how
much is too much? Is there a certain dosage
that may cause fatal effects on intestinal
cells? To test this hypothesis, IPEC-J2 cells
were split and then placed in a 96 well
plate with three different concentrations of
ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. Images
were taken after the drugs were on the cells
for 4 hours using an Amscope Digital Imager,
and Cell Titer was added so cytotoxicity data
could be collected using a microplate reader.
The naproxen and aspirin confirmed our
hypothesis because the number of live cells
decreased as the concentration increased.
As the ibuprofen concentrations increased,
proliferation occurred due to an inactive
ingredient in the drug. It can be concluded
that taking more than the recommended
dosage of any of these drugs can have
harmful consequences on the digestive cells.
Intestinal Cell Injury Generated by NSAIDsNon-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Student Matt Broschard
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Lauren Hecht
Department Psychological Science
Gustavus Adolphus College
The influence of essential oils on facets of
cognition is becoming more quantitatively
measured. Within a current study,
participants completed a version of the
Attention Network Test (ANT), which
assesses reaction time of two dimensions
of attention (alerting and orienting), while
electroencephalogram (EEG) measured
brain activity. The essential oil peppermint
was presented to half of the trials to
determine its influence on attention. To
administer precise volumes of odorant,
we constructed an olfactometer from
the designs outlined in Lowen & Lukas
(2007). Behaviorally, we expect peppermint
to increase dimensions of attention.
Additionally, we hope to see changes in
ERP components, specifically increased
amplitude and shorter latencies for parietal
and occipital N1 during peppermint trials.
Finding that olfactory experiences alter
performance on a visual attention task
provides further evidence for the interaction
between sensory perception systems. With
the construction of an olfactometer, we
can confidently attempt to explain how N1
patterns play a role in these interactions.
Olfactometer Construction to Determine Odor’s Influence on Attention Perception and Attention
Celebrating undergraduate research 2524 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Students Mikaela Algren Cole Raisbeck
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Thomas Huber
Department Physics
Gustavus Adolphus College
Every object vibrates in a characteristic way
that depends on its structural properties.
The study of this characteristic vibration
is called modal analysis; its uses include
investigation of the structural integrity of
objects and noise reduction in machinery.
For performing modal analysis, there
are many methods for exciting vibration.
Ultrasound radiation force excitation is a
relatively novel method that is non-contact,
highly focused, and can have a very broad
bandwidth for excitation. The goal of this
project has been to develop a simple and
repeatable method for determining the
output force distribution of ultrasound
transducers used for radiation force
excitation. The method involves measuring
an edge-spread vibrational velocity
distribution with a scanning laser Doppler
vibrometer as an ultrasound transducer
is moved across the face of a small brass
cantilever. Preliminary results indicate that
distributions determined using this method
are consistent with profiles taken by the
transducer manufacturer using specialized,
and costly, ultrasound measurement
equipment.
Characterization of the Acoustic Radiation Force Produced by Ultrasound Transducers Utilized for Modal Analysis
Students Sallee Brandt Anthony Wolfe
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Lisa Ferguson Stegall
Department Exercise Science
Hamline University
Ingesting multiple carbohydrate (CHO)
types during exercise may improve
endurance performance. Adding protein to
a multiple-CHO beverage has been shown
to increase cycling time to exhaustion
(TTE) compared to a single CHO beverage.
However, it is unclear whether improved
performance was due to the multiple CHOs
or the added protein. This study aimed to
determine whether adding protein to
a multiple-CHO beverage (MCP) improved
time trial (TT) performance and recovery
compared to an isocaloric, multiple
CHO beverage (MCO). Eleven cyclists
(39.9±11.8 y) performed 2 randomized,
double-blinded trials during which MCO or
MCP was ingested. Each consisted of a
pre-trial leg strength measurement, 40km
TT, HRV measurement during a brief
recovery, a 10km TT, and post-trial leg
strength testing. Paired t-tests indicated no
differences between treatments in 40km TT
time and power output, recovery HRV, 10km
time and power output, nor leg strength
recovery. We conclude that the addition of
protein does not improve performance in
short, intense race events such as time trials.
Effects of Multiple Carbohydrates and Protein on Time Trial Performance and Recovery in Trained Cyclists
Celebrating undergraduate research 2726 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Joseph Damman
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Valerie Chepp
Department Social Justice
Hamline University
Feminist political theorists have argued that
oppressed social groups are systemically
excluded from political discourse due to
being labelled as essentially affective (i.e.,
emotional). This label is constructed as an
inferior, binary opposite to dominant groups’
claims to their own essential rationality. This
research project seeks to understand this
type of exclusion through justice workers’
experiences communicating about justice
in public settings. The central question:
How do justice workers understand the
relationship between being perceived
as emotional and being regarded as (il)
legitimate? And, how have they enacted
these understandings? In-depth qualitative
interviews with twelve justice workers in
the Twin Cities demonstrate that a reason/
affectivity hierarchical opposition operates
as a prevalent norm in political discourse.
When normalized this way the reason/
affectivity opposition becomes a mechanism
for silencing justice claims that challenge
oppression. This form of exclusion defines
discourse environments in ways that stifle
dialogic and poetic approaches to justice
work. Suggestions for how to counteract the
reason/affectivity hierarchy are offered.
Who Has a Public Voice? Justice Workers on Affectivity and Inclusion in Political Discourse
Student Ana Diaz
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Christie Manning
Departments Psychology & Environmental Studies
Macalester College
The energy that powers our homes and
illuminates our cities is an abstract, invisible,
and largely misunderstood force. This
invisibility allows us to consume a great
deal of energy without thinking about how
much we’re using, where it comes from,
or what impacts it might have. Earliest
energy reduction campaigns attempted
to lower energy consumption by providing
direct informational feedback (i.e. visual
depictions of energy consumption). If
people were shown the amount of energy
they consumed, it was expected that they
would respond by cutting back. However,
informational feedback alone is ineffective
and in most cases does not result in
behavior change. More recent studies
show that energy use feedback can, in fact,
influence consumption behavior, if it is
delivered in the right form. The current study
examines the specific features that may
make energy consumption feedback more
effective. We created and tested an energy
consumption feedback display for student
dormitories and examined student response
to our feedback display design.
Saving Energy on Campus: Incorporating Psychological Principles into an Energy Monitor
Celebrating undergraduate research 2928 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Ivy Bardaglio
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Christie Manning
Department Environmental Studies
Macalester College
Supporting Community Efforts for Climate Change Adaptation: A Small Grants Program in Saint Paul, Minn.
The Ready and Resilient Small Grant
Project Fund was designed to increase the
capacity of neighborhood-based networks
in low-income and communities of color by
creating pathways to engagement in climate
change adaptation efforts. In the summer
of 2015, 11 distinct neighborhood-based
climate adaptation projects in St. Paul,
Minn. received support from the project
fund. Projects ranged from outreach and
education at community events to creating
a vermicomposting system. The Small
Grants project built upon past work in
St. Paul communities. In the summer of
2014, community-based research indicated
that St. Paul residents lack accessible and
inclusive education and outreach on climate
preparedness. Furthermore, residents
expressed a strong interest in reinvigorating
neighborhood social networks and creating
connections within their communities.
The aim of the Small Grants Fund was
to respond to these community
specific concerns.
Cassie Clark with lab partners, University of St. Thomas
Bridget Pethke, advisor Dr. Jeanne Minnerath and Nick Thell, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Joseph Damman and his advisor Dr. Valerie Chepp, Hamline University
Anthony Wolfe and his advisor Dr. Lisa Ferguson-Stegall, Hamline University
Denyce Alvarez and Alexa Trusty, St. Catherine University
Najma Ahmed, Augsburg College
Jake Collins, Saint John’s
University
Celebrating undergraduate research 3130 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Benjamin Nault-Maurer
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Adam Whitten
Department Physics
Saint John’s University
Atmospheric aerosols are particulates
suspended in the atmosphere. These are
usually naturally caused particles such
as salt, dust, and volcanic ash, but also
contain some industrial pollution. These
aerosols affect cloud composition, solar
radiation, and air quality. Using a solar
spectrophotometer we take measurements
of the solar spectrum as it comes through
the atmosphere, and we have developed
ways to use this spectrum to measure
aerosol optical thickness. From the aerosol
optical thickness we are able to make
estimations of aerosol size distributions
using a stochastic particle swarm
optimization technique. This presentation
focuses on the accuracy and repeatability
of this technique, changing variables
such as the number of wavelengths
used and the size of the swarm we set.
These size distributions can be used to
make estimations on the composition of
atmospheric aerosols, specifically how much
of what type of aerosol is in the atmosphere.
Size Distribution Calculation of Atmospheric Aerosols
Student Jake Collins
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Gary Prevost
Department Political Science
Saint John’s University
Over the last 10 years in Latin America,
cartel-related violence has reached alarming
levels — forcing many executives to respond.
The increasingly common response to
dismantle organized crime is to militarize
internal security through a high-value
leadership targeting strategy. While Mexican
President Felipe Calderón followed this
approach in his “War-on-Drugs,” El Salvador
President Mauricio Funes deviated from
the norm and pursued a truce between
the country’s two main drug gangs. Thus,
this research asks: why does an executive
choose a certain policy response, i.e. high-
value leadership targeting, over alternative
solutions to address cartel-related violence?
To answer this question, I explore the
influences of executive ideology, the cabinet
and legislature, and external actors on an
executive’s policy response. Through a
comparison case-study, I use a process-
tracing analysis on Calderón and Funes’s
policy responses relying primarily on public
documents and U.S. State Department
cables retrieved through WikiLeaks, a data
source I justify considering the limited public
data surrounding the formulation of
these decisions.
Similar Conflicts, Different Policies: An Analysis of the Executive Decision-Making Processes in Mexico and El Salvador
Celebrating undergraduate research 3332 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Students Megan Hafner Bryan Ortman
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Debra Martin
Department Biology
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Atrazine is a widely used herbicide
and has been found in ground water
and streams where it does not easily
breakdown. Although the EPA has set the
safe concentration of atrazine in water
systems to be 3 ppb, higher levels have
been measured causing concerns about
environmental effects on health.
In mammals, the liver is the organ that helps
to breakdown environmental toxins, such as
atrazine. One of the proteins of interest in
the liver is glutathione S-transferase (GST)
because of its ability to target xenobiotics.
In this study, GST protein levels were
determined for liver and serum samples
of newborn mice pups that were exposed
to 0, 3, and 30 ppb atrazine in utero
(n= >20/group). Results demonstrated
that there was a decreasing trend in liver
GST levels as exposure to atrazine in utero
increased suggesting potential liver damage.
Since a significant decrease in GST level
was also seen for serum samples there is
no support of liver damage.
Glutathione S-transferase Expression in Mice (Mus musculus) Exposed in Utero to Atrazine
Students Bridget Pethke Nick Thell
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jeanne Minnerath
Department Biology
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
This study analyzed the anti-microbial
activity of chemical extracts isolated from
two plants that are members of the plant
family Araceae, Epipremnum pinnatum and
Arisaema triphyllum, plants native to the
Philippines and Minnesota, respectively. To
do this, plant chemicals were isolated by
ethanol extraction, and minimum inhibitory
concentration (MIC) and minimum
bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays
were completed to determine whether
the extracts inhibited the growth of and
killed the microorganisms Staphylococcus
aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa. Results suggested that extracts
from both plants were able to inhibit the
growth of and kill the microorganisms
tested. Plant extract isolated from the leaves
of E. pinnatum exhibited the greatest anti-
microbial activity; extract isolated from the
rhizomes of A. triphyllum was most effective
at inhibiting the growth of and killing the
microorganisms. Thus, E. pinnatum and
A. triphyllum may contain chemicals that
would be useful in treating diseases caused
by microorganisms.
Anti-Microbial Properties of Plants Native to the Philippines and to Minnesota
Celebrating undergraduate research 3534 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Amanda Campbell
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Kim Heikkila
Department History
St. Catherine University
During the 1950s and 1960s, approximately
25,000 unwed mothers a year were removed
from their families and sent to maternity
homes to birth their babies. Most of the
illegitimate children born in these homes
were placed for adoption, largely due to
the gender-specific stigma associated
with premarital sex and pregnancy. A 1960
documentary produced by WCCO Television,
titled Unwed Mothers, shed sympathetic
light on the mothers’ situations through
interviews with staff and residents of the
Salvation Army’s Booth Memorial Hospital
for unwed mothers in St. Paul, Minnesota.
I used Critical Discourse Analysis to
reveal how this supposedly benevolent
take on unwed mothers perpetuated
gendered double standards. The male host,
interviewer, and Salvation Army Colonel
shamed the young women for their illicit
pregnancies while exempting the fathers
from similar judgment. In trying to explain
“what went wrong” with these troubled girls,
the report not only reinforced the prevailing
double standard, but it also revealed insight
to the mothers and their perspective.
Unwed Mothers in Midcentury America: A Shameful Double Standard
Students Denyce Rochelle Alvarez & Alexandra Trusty
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Gina Mancini-Samuelson
Department Chemistry
St. Catherine University
Nanomaterials have unique properties that
can differ from their corresponding micron
or millimeter scale materials. Their unique
structures allow them to exhibit new and
exciting properties that show promise for
use in nanotechnologies from electronics
to structural materials to drug delivery.
Graphene, an interesting nanomaterial, is
a two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms
arranged in a honeycomb lattice with
excellent electrical conductivity. When
oxygen atoms are introduced to the sheet,
an electrical insulator, graphene oxide, is
formed. In order to control the conductive
properties of graphene oxide, oxygen can
be partially removed from the sheet. The
purpose of this study was to monitor and
control the reduction of graphene oxide
using ascorbic acid, a “greener” alternative
to the more commonly used hydrazine.
Successful titrations were conducted,
showing that varying the concentration
of ascorbic acid is a viable method for
controlling the amount of oxygen allowing
for tuning of graphene oxide’s properties.
Graphene Oxide: A Controlled Reduction Using Ascorbic Acid
Celebrating undergraduate research 3736 Minnesota Private College Scholars
Student Cassie Clark
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jennifer McGuire
Department Biology
University of St. Thomas
Between 1.7 and 8.8 million metric tons
of oil are released into the environment
annually, and according to US EPA data,
nearly half of all spills are from crude oil
transport pipelines, similar to a major spill
near Bemidji in 1979. Current petroleum
risk assessment considers mainly
carcinogenic effects, but recent studies
have demonstrated the potential for some
petroleum substances to act as endocrine
disrupters. Twenty water samples were
collected at the National Crude Oil Spill
Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site
near Bemidji, Minn.; locations were chosen
to represent crude oil degraded to various
metabolites under a range of hydrologic
and redox conditions. Cell assays (T47D-
KBluc and MDA-KB2) were performed to
determine the estrogenic and androgenic
potencies of the samples. In vivo Daphnia sp.
assays (OECD protocols no. 202 and TG211)
were performed to evaluate acute and
chronic toxicity to invertebrates. Preliminary
androgen and toxicity assay results indicate
activity levels that are unlikely to cause
adverse biological effects, and that strength
of androgenic signal is not correlated with
amount of contamination by crude oil.
Some results still outstanding.
Screening Crude Oil-Polluted Water for Endocrine Activity
Student Nick Ose
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Paul Ohmann
Department Physics
University of St. Thomas
The herding of animals in the wild offers
some protection for individuals under
threat of a predator. Here we investigate two
distinct methods of examining predation
risk, and we do so for herds following the
well-known Local Crowded Horizon (LCH)
movement model as well as a more recent
Density-Independent (DI) approach. We
especially examine the effects of noise
in both the LCH and DI models, and
demonstrate that noise plays an important
role in reducing predation risk in both
models, with an influence on par with the
choice of model itself. Finally, we show how
noise facilitates the formation of herds in
the first place, starting from randomized
collections of individuals.
The Selfish Herd: Noise Effects in Local Crowded Horizon and Density Independent Models
38 Minnesota Private College Scholars
The Minnesota Private College Council represents
17 well-respected liberal arts colleges
and universities with 60,000 students.
These institutions award about 30 percent
of the baccalaureate degrees in the state.
The Council’s mission is to advocate for high-quality
private higher education, serving our students
and member colleges and universities, as well as
the education and economic needs of our region.
Along with the Council, which has an advocacy role,
is the Fund. The Fund raises financial resources
to support institutions’ operating costs and
need-based scholarships for students.
Augsburg CollegeBethany Lutheran CollegeBethel UniversityCarleton CollegeCollege of Saint BenedictThe College of St. ScholasticaConcordia College, MoorheadConcordia University, St. PaulGustavus Adolphus CollegeHamline UniversityMacalester CollegeMinneapolis College of Art and DesignSaint John’s UniversitySaint Mary’s University of Minnesota St. Catherine UniversitySt. Olaf CollegeUniversity of St. Thomas
Private College Scholars at the Capitol Advisors:Melissa Melgar Assistant Director, TRiO McNair Scholars Program St. Olaf College, NORTHFIELD
Janis Johnson, Director, TRiO McNair Scholars Program St. Olaf College, NORTHFIELD
“Tina” Maria Tavera, Director, TRiO McNair Scholars Program Augsburg College, MINNEAPOLIS
40 Minnesota Private College Scholars
mnprivatecolleges.org
Biology Psychology
Physics Social Work
History Epidemiology Mathematics
Education Chemistry
English Exercise Science
Marine Conservation Political Science
Social Justice Environmental Studies
This year’s research projects cover a wide range of academic disciplines, including: