A Comparison of German, Japanese, and American

Hans, Ashley; Sterner, Angela

Attitudes about maternal employment among students from Germany, Japan, and the U.S. were compared by administering the BACMEC and author devised questions to three samples of respondents. Directionally adjusted items were totaled to create summary measures of the perceived costs and benefits associated with maternal employment for each respondent similarly. Directionally adjusted items were totaled to create summary ratings of the quality of relationships with mother and father. Finally, items assessing the extent to which respondents attribute problems to their mothers’ employment status were totaled, yielding a summary score on the Childhood Appraisal Score for all participants. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences on two measures. German participants’ perceived maternal employment as being associated with fewer benefits to children than Japanese and American respondents did. German participants were also more likely to attribute their own childhood problems to their mothers’ employment choices (either employment or nonemployment).

A Mobile Phase Study for Phenyl and Fluorophenyl Stationary Phases in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Thomas, David

High performance liquid chromatography is a highly versatile separation method that separates compounds based on their molecular properties. The molecular interactions that underlie HPLC are still not understood despite its wide use in pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and biology. A better understanding of these interactions could lead to efficient development of methods that allow for the separation of extremely similar compounds. Reverse-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) is a method of separating compounds using a non-polar stationary phase and a more polar mobile phase. Most current reverse-phase (RP) methods commonly utilize different hydrocarbon stationary phases in order to selectively separate components in a mixture. Recent research has been directed at the use of stationary phases where the hydrogen’s have been replaced by fluorine atoms (fluorinated phases). Fluorinated compounds have been shown to be non-polar and have higher surface tensions than corresponding hydrocarbon phases. These non-polar compounds are of use specifically for RP-HPLC. The retention of compounds in HPLC is dependent on the complex interactions between the compounds to be separated and the stationary phase, between the compounds and the mobile phase, and between the mobile phase and stationary phase. This study is specifically interested in how the mobile phase affects retention in phenyl and fluorophenyl columns. The amount of methanol in the mobile phase was varied from 100% methanol to 10% methanol for each column. A variety of analytes with different functional groups were used to observe trends. Compounds that were more non-polar tended to be retained longer than the relatively more polar compounds. Retention times were much longer with a lower concentration of methanol for both columns, as is common in reverse-phase separations, and the compounds in the fluorophenyl column were retained noticeably longer than in the phenyl column.

A Physical Visualization of Hyperactive Samples

Carl Spencer, Morse; Herrmann, Thomas

I chose the title above because my works in the New Media jump around like a hyperactive mindset. I have a collage of works to present, from various sound and visual-made applications: Photoshop, Flash, iMovie, Garageband. I have Mr. Scranton to thank for teaching us Photoshop and Flash, as well as providing input to each of my projects. I also chose the title because it's an attention grabber :-P

A Small City's New Math Curriculum

Winterbottom, Don

In spring 2007 the Pottstown School District’s School Board will meet to discuss a change in the mathematics curriculum. We will conduct an in-depth qualitative study before the board meets. This study will result in a report that contains a summary and recommendations, including opportunities such as: curriculum groups, professional development, as well as descriptions of various textbook series, to aid the board as they make their decision. In order to develop a thorough report, we will conduct interviews with all secondary mathematics teachers in the district, a sample of elementary teachers, and supervisors of mathematics from various urban districts.

A Thermodynamic Study of High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Frey, Alexander

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is one of the most commonly used chemical separation techniques employed by scientific researchers, having uses in significant fields such as pharmacological research, biochemistry, and chemical engineering. The goal of this study was to characterize the thermodynamic contributions of changes in entropy and enthalpy in the determination of retention times of various analytes of similar structure. Studying the thermodynamics of these mobile phase interactions will provide knowledge useful in the manipulation of such variables as temperature, stationary phase choice, and mobile phase composition to enhance the precision and capabilities of HPLC. Knowing the functional groups of possible analytes to be separated as well as potential mobile phases, experiments can be designed with greater selectivity in order to more efficiently separate mixtures without time wasted establishing a method, so that future research in fields such as pharmacology can be done with greater alacrity and less waste.

A Translation of Descartes's 'Discours de la Méthode"

Bumbaugh, Carrie; Damelio, Jennifer

Scientist, Mathematician, Philosopher. A Frenchman regarded as the founder of modern philosophy and father of modern mathematics, Descartes posed questions during the 1600’s that shook the philosophical and scientific base of the way people understood nature and themselves. His "Discours de la Méthode" (Discourse on Method; 1637) is regarded as a work that is central to modern philosophy and the French Enlightenment, and it is also Descartes’s intellectual autobiography. We will talk about our efforts to translate the piece from its original French into English. We took away from the project our own translated versions of the Discours, as well as a deeper understanding Descartes’s philosophy.

A Two-Way Mirror: Double Consciousness in Nella Larsen's Quicksand

Kosmin, Jennifer

As the daughter of a white Danish mother and a West Indian father, Nella Larsen writes witht the unique voice of one caught between identities. Larsen's scholarship and success earned her a position among both white and black elites at the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Indeed, she was strongly influenced not only by existing racial tensions, but also by what W.E.B. DuBois referred to as double consciousness: the sensation of viewing and judging's oneself by the standards of others. "A Two-Way Mirror" explores the expression of Larsen's double consciousness in her novel Quicksand. Specifically, I will argue that Larsen's representation of black society often relies upon stereotypical conventions, even as she attempts to liberate her protagonist, Helga, from these same perversions.

Acting Performances

Cocchiaro, Scott; Cretella, Joanna; Dawley, Nathan; DeLaurentis, Mike; Johnson, Grey; Nicolo, Lindsay; Nunn, Katie; Urich, Katie

Students of the Acting 1 class will act out various monologues and scenes of his/her choosing.

Activism at Ursinus: Learn What You Can Do From Students’ Current Experiences

Baker, Tara; Cleary, Caitlin; Herring, Janine; McEnvoy, Blaine; O'Connor, Carrie; Smethie, Sarah

With support from Project Pericles and the Mellon Grant students in the American Studies class, Youth Activism, are promoting social change in Philadelphia. The class has divided into groups, to work with three promising Philadelphia spaces in need of reform. One group works with the nationally recognized Philadelphia Student Union to facilitate the organization’s longstanding attainment of educational reform within the Philadelphia public schools. The other two groups collaborate with students and faculty at two city charter schools. One group works in Nueva Esperanza Academy to conduct in depth research, and later paint a mural based on cultural diversity in the school. The other group works with Mastery Charter Middle School to implement a much needed recycling program, and also to plan and execute an educational health fair. With instruction and guidance from Dr. Rebecca Skulnick, students take pride in piloting an Ursinus course revolving around activism, service learning, and the diverse community of Philadelphia.

Adsorption of Ethanol Gas on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Morris, Steve

The objective of this project is to understand the interaction of ethanol vapors with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Nanotubes have promise as tiny wires in commercial devices, such as cell phones. Before implementation, the effect of ambient gaseous species on the electrically conductive properties of these SWCNTs must first be studied and understood. This project uses Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to study this interaction and to determine its nature. This is part of a broader study to determine the effect of gaseous species on the conductive properties of the SWNCTs. To date, observed peaks are similar to peaks of liquid ethanol, suggesting that adsorbed ethanol molecules are in a similar environment as in liquid ethanol.

Alcoholism in Nineteenth Century French Literature as Portrayed in the Works of Emile Zola

Caldwell, Eileen

As a prominant issue in the works of Zola, alcoholism plays a larger role than is seen on the surface. Having read L'Assommoir, Nana, and Germinal (three of Zola's finest works), several of Zola's critics, and a number of psychological articles discussing the contemporary issues involved in alcoholic behavior, there is much to say about what is presented throughout Zola's works.

America Reads: A Look Into Community Service at Ursinus College

McQuate, Jennifer K.

What is America Reads? America Reads was a challenge originally issued by President Clinton in 1997 to improve children’s reading achievement. The challenge stressed the importance of communities coming together to ensure all children read well. Research showed that more than nine out of ten children could learn to read, yet national assessment demonstrated that many children were reaching their potential. America Reads helps families, schools, and communities build stronger educational standards. Since the fall of 1997, Ursinus College students have been participating in the America Reads program in the surrounding area. Students travel to the Christian Network Outreach Church in Norristown as well as the Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos, Inc. (CCLU) in Pottstown. Both the children and Ursinus students have a great rapport with each other and seem to bond very quickly. As student coordinator of the program, I have been very pleased with the great enthusiasm that Ursinus students exhibit for America Reads.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Word and Image in the Works of Lewis Carroll

Ritter, Cynthia

I have used reader-response criticism to examine and compare Lewis Carroll’s texts and the different illustrations created for his books. This literary critical approach has allowed me to gain insight about various ways that his books can be critically interpreted, how the visual and verbal narratives might be related, and the extreme importance of both word and image in Carroll’s literature. Using reader-response criticism has also enabled me to see how different representations of Carroll’s work and different interpretations of it can lead to the expression of different meanings for readers young or old. The major focus of my research and my paper has been based on four Carroll texts: "Alice’s Adventures Underground," "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland," "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There," and "The Hunting of the Snark." This research is a combination of the work I did during Summer Fellows 2005 and then for my senior English Honors project.

Beyond the First Few Laps: Social Capital and the Future Aspirations of Boys and Girls

Smethie, Sarah

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act aspires to boost student’s competence in math and reading. This law is being enforced with the intentions preparing students for their future. Unfortunately, measuring student’s future orientations are often overlooked by exclusively focusing on test scores, and current legislation has no direct way of accounting for students’ future aspirations. Additionally, these governmental mandates fail to address powerful cultural and social issues surrounding students. Here, the consideration of social capital comes to light. Social capital, advantages and skills obtained though relationships, has been known to have an array of positive student social, academic and behavioral outcomes (Nieto, 2004; Rury, 2005). This study explores social capital within a unique group of urban, public school students, and hypothesizes that social capital will have a positive effect on students’ future aspirations. Interesting results have emerged both supporting and contradicting the hypothesis. It was concluded that the contradictory findings allude to positive motivational factors that lead to resiliency.

Beyond the First Few Laps: Social Capital, Academic Engagement and the Future Aspirations of Boys and Girls

Smethie, Sarah

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act aspires to boost student’s competence in math and reading. This law is being enforced with the intentions of raising overall academic engagement in efforts to prepare students for their future. Unfortunately, these intentions are overlooked by exclusively focusing on test scores, and current legislation has no direct way of accounting for academic engagement and future aspirations. Additionally, these governmental mandates fail to address powerful cultural and social issues surrounding students. Here, the notion of social capital comes to light. Social capital, advantages and skills obtained though relationships, has been known to contribute to student resiliency (Nieto, 2004; Rury, 2005). This study explores social capital within a unique group of urban, public school students, and aims to see if social capital has an effect on academic engagement and/ or students’ future educational and occupational aspirations. Interesting results have emerged showing both positive and negative effects.

BIO394/ENV394 Waterhsed Research and Action: Learning about Kids, Creeks, and Watershed Preservation

Balhar, Aseem; Etse, Ama; Garcia, Stacey; Jensen, Deborah; Joy, Casey; Kehler, Erica; Ordog, Stephen; Shafer, Chelsea

Bio394/Env394 is focused on the Darby Creek Watershed in southeastern Pennsylvania, but students also learn about the concerns and conservation efforts of residents of mountain, coastal, and desert watersheds as well as the watershed in their hometown. Current students are studying which parasites infest the minnows in the creek downstream from a superfund site. Other students are studying whether two species of minnows hybridize in the Darby Creek, and if the fish here are genetically distinct from populations of the same species in less polluted areas. Bio 394 students and elementary school children assess the health of a creek near their schools by collecting small animals called macroinvertebrates in the creek. The college students and the elementary school children discuss what citizens, both large and small, can do to preserve the creek and the environment in general.

BNaturals: Musical Selections

Basla, Ashley; Bean, Kim; Cruz, Laura; Daniel, Rachel; Diana, Katy; Gaustad, Alex; Higgins, Ashley; McGrath, Vanessa; O'Callaghan, Megan; Schroeter, Natalie; Schubel, Sara; Tomiello, Jenna

The BNaturals is the only all women's choir on campus. The group was started at the beginning of this year by the two current co-Presidents Vanessa McGrath and Alex Gaustad

Bridging Cultural Crevices

Bhattacharya, Joshua

As an international student I was asked to speak at Methacton High School at a foreign cultures class. My primary task was to dispel the myths and misconceptions that high school students often have about India and the lifestyle of an average Indian citizen. This year will mark my second visit to the school to Mr. Adam Sussman’s class and hopefully another batch of students who no longer believe the propagandist media or misperceptions Hollywood endows them with. Due to the restrictions in terms of transportation that most internationals are faced with I felt the opportunity to speak to 7 classes of high school students was possibly the one of the greatest ways to reach out to the future leaders of America. My presentation will focus primarily on my experiences with the American students and how different their conceptions of the world differed from their counterparts in India or the United Kingdom.

Caenorhabditis elegans early embryo analysis for the location of the meiotic exit defect in pam-1 mutants

Snyder, Christine

Early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos undergo meiotic exit phase during which sperm and egg chromosomes decondense, pronuclear envelopes form, and anterior-posterior axis polarity is established. To investigate this poorly understood phase and its potential ties to A-P polarity establishment, we are studying the mutant pam-1 gene which exhibits abnormalities in both processes. Through our study we have employed confocal microscopy analysis of embryonic development in live embryos expressing histone::GFP to evaluate meiotic exit processes in wild type and pam-1 mutant C. elegans early embryos. The timing of histone::GFP expression on oocyte and sperm DNA was monitored in live wild type, pam-1, and cyb-3(RNAi) embryos as they passed through ovulation and meiotic divisions. Inhibition of the B type cyclin, CYB-3 is thought to be essential for timely exit from meiosis in wild type C. elegans. Ovulation timing in pam-1 cyb-3(RNAi) embryos may elucidate the role of CYB-3 in pam-1 meiotic exit.

Causes of the French Revolution

Kostishion, Jennifer

In my presentation, I will discuss the major causes of the French Revolution of 1789. (This includes serious class struggles, as well as the need for economic and political reform in France at the time.) I will make connections between Voltaire's "Memnon," and the film "Cartouche" that my 202 French class read/watched earlier this year.

Chesnutt exposes the hypocrisy of southern whites in the Recontruction Era.

LeCours, Katherine

African American novelist Charles W. Chesnutt, in his 1901 novel, The Marrow of Tradition, provides an intricate and complicated view of the relationships between blacks and whites in the South during the Reconstruction Era. After the Civil War, blacks were no longer slaves, but whites were not able to accept blacks’ new status as citizens. This paper demonstrates that Chesnutt shows both the evolution of a new moral code in the south and the desire to revert to pre-Civil War society. The reestablishment and enforcement of the white southerner’s unrealistic ideals caused tension between both men and women and between whites and blacks; in order to have power, white women were forced to both obey and enforce the laws. This dual expectation put white women in a paradoxical position; in one moment, they were both the accusers and the accused.

Choosing a Math Curriculum for a Small City School District

Furman, Jessica; Gilardi, Lisa; Lee, Dominick; Liberatore, Tina; Metz, Kevin; McNally, Sara; Winterbottom, Don

In spring 2007 a small city school district’s school board will meet to discuss a change in the mathematics curriculum. In the meantime, we will conduct an in-depth qualitative study before the board meets. This study will result in a report that contains a summary and recommendations, including opportunities such as: curriculum groups, professional development, as well as descriptions of various textbook series, to aid the board as they make their decision. In order to develop a thorough report, we will conduct interviews with all secondary mathematics teachers in the district, a sample of elementary teachers, and supervisors of mathematics from various urban districts.

Clonal Hybridization in female F. Diaphanus and male F. heteroclitus of Nova Scotia, Canada

Brown, Sharlene; Garcia, Stacey; Gilbert, Riley; Lim, Diana; Newman, Jessica

Fundulus diaphanus and Fundulus heteroclitus hybrids are clonal minnows found in Porter’s Lake and St. Mary’s River in Nova Scotia. F. heteroclitus resides in an estuarine environment, a mix of salt and fresh water, while the F. diaphanus resides within a fresh water environment. Hybridization is usually a waste of reproductive potential because hybrids are often unfit and do not contribute to either parent species. However, the hybrids play an important role in the ecosystems of these areas. They were first discovered by R. Dawley in 1996, becoming one of approximately 80 hybrid fish, reptile, and amphibian species. Assessing the mitochondrial DNA of the hybrid, which is passed on from mother to offspring, is a common way to distinguish which of the two species was the maternal parent. We assessed which mtDNA the hybrids carry by making millions of copies of a stretch of sequence of the cytochrome b gene on the mtDNA. We then cut the sequence with enzymes that slice it distinctly in F. heteroclitus and F. diaphanus. Our results indicate that the hybrids have F. diaphanus mitochondrial DNA which indicates that the hybridization event occurred between a female F. diaphanus and a male F. heteroclitus. These findings support previous studies, stating that only one direction of mating produces the clonal hybrid lineages. This study helps to increase our understanding of this hybrid species.

Coaching for College

Kyser, Tara; Pollard, Erin

Leadership theories can be learned in the classroom, but can only be truly understood through practical application. Project Pericles combined with the Leadership Studies program is an opportunity to give students this experience. Utilizing these resources to apply the theory of informal coaching in planning a SAT preparation program to aid high school juniors and seniors, we gained insight into how to effectively lead groups of volunteers to improve civil society. Throughout the course of the semester, we constantly evaluated and reevaluated the program to better fit the needs of our students, as well as the tutors. Our experience has caused us to better understand the leadership process and the steps needed to gain success.

Comparing the Methods of Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with DNA

Gasda, Patrick

There have been a number of studies done by various groups that have functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) with various organic groups. This study will functionalize the SWCNTs with DNA by a four-step process in order to connect SWCNTs to each other or to another, more tangible medium such as silicon wafers or to quantum dots. The DNA will act like a molecular Velcro to connect SWCNTs to surfaces or other objects. There are major applications for this research in the field of nanoelectronic systems. The project will combine two methods1,2 and study the effectiveness of the functionalization. The new methods should be cheaper, easier, and safer to perform than past means. This is because we will be using the “Solvent-Free” method to functionalize the SWCNTs with 4-nitroaniline rather than using a method that involves more harmful chemicals such as Thionyl chloride.

Coulomb Excitation of 50Mn and Testing Symmetry in the A=50, T=1 Multiplet

McGlinchey, Darren

This experiment uses Coulomb excitation of 50Mn in order to test symmetry in the A=50, T=1 Multiplet. The experiment was performed at the NSCL at Michigan State University in March 2005. The analysis of the data collected was performed over the summer as summer fellows’ research under the guidance of Dr. Lew Riley. Through the use of Coulomb excitation the probability of exciting the 50Mn nucleus was measured. This probability was then used to test for symmetry between similar nuclei, being 50Mn, 50Fe, and 50Cr. This symmetry or lack there of can then be used in order to learn more about the inner workings of the nucleus, particularly the nuclear force which acts within the nucleus.

Cuba: Crossing Borders to Learn About Secluded Cultures

Cohen, Rebecca; Koodathil, Reena; Krysa, Scott

After spending a semester learning about the volatile history of Cuba in Politics 343, our class was given the opportunity to observe the culture of the country and put many of our stereotypes to rest. Living with a Cuban family and interacting with an entire neighborhood allowed us an occasion to question the Cuban people firsthand about political situations at home and abroad, their living conditions, Fidel Castro, George Bush, relatives in the US, and their perspectives on the world. Furthermore, the trip enabled us to visit the city of Havana, the Bay of Pigs, and other historical sites, and although these parts of Cuba were beautiful, we found that the most beautiful part of our trip was the chance to expand our outlook on new cultures and re-evaluate our stereotypical beliefs.

DANCE COMPOSITION CLASS

Comcowich, Jason; Dawley, Nathan; Fritz, Katie; Fusco, Cate; Garcia, Stacey; Kuras, Brett; Langdon, Danielle; Weir, Erikah; Wright, Aimee; Young-Morrison, Fauve

This semester we have explored various ways to create and explore movement. We have played with music, texts, spacing and duets among other things. Now we would like to present to you our culminating original dance pieces. Enjoy.

Democratic Theory and the Evolution of the Presidential Nomination System

Vondran Jr., Dennis

A popular complaint heard during a presidential election is, “how did we get stuck picking between these two characters?” This presentation will address this question by examining the relationship between the various presidential nomination systems and concepts within democratic theory. Concepts such as such as democracy, representation, participation, deliberation and party leadership will be defined, and then applied to the different nomination systems. Each presidential nomination system will be examined as to why it developed, the role democratic theory played in the system and how it ultimately collapsed. Special attention will be paid to the current primary system. Ultimately, the proper role of the concepts of democratic theory will be presented in an effort to craft a new presidential nomination system.

Determinants of Audit Fees Since the Phase-In of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Conner, Michael

This paper provides empirical evidence regarding the factors that affect the change in audit fees since the phase-in of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). Since its implementation for the fiscal year 2004, Section 404 has been highly scrutinized and intensely debated over concerns that the magnitude of effort required to conduct the internal control audit is far greater than the benefits achieved. The goals of this study is to determine which variables are most responsible for the change in audit fees as a means of identifying the expectations a company should have when preparing for compliance in the proceeding year. With a better understanding of the factors contributing to audit fees changes, companies and auditors will be able to improve the integration of the newly required internal control audit with the audit of a company’s financial statements.

Differential Cognitive Reorganization Seen Between Collegiate Athletes versus Non-Collegiate Athletes in Mental Rotation and Brain Asymmetry Tasks

Vado, Jaynine

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential for athletic activity to result in cognitive reorganization. To achieve this goal we tested college students, athletes and non-athletes on a number of cognitive tasks, including attention, memory, visuo-spatial processing, and executive functioning. Comparisons between the college athletes and the non-athletes resulted in statistically significant results providing evidence for a considerable difference between athletes reaction speed during the Mental Rotation task and non-athletes. Additionally, athletes exhibited more appropriate brain asymmetry for shapes than non-athletes. This study indicates athletics may have a direct effect on visuo-spatial processing beyond the athletic field. Thus athletic activity might be useful in neurological disorders where recognizing shapes and rotating them in space is impaired.

Digging for Gold: Subsumation and Issues of Cultural Identity in Seamus Heaney’s “Kinship”

Strunk, Trevor

I plan to read a paper initially prepared for my final researched assignment in Postcolonialism, a 300 level English course I took as a Sophomore. It concerns Seamus Heaney's bog poems, specifically "Kinship" as informing an Irish sensibility and identity through images of subsumation in the bog. This identity will help to identify the post-colonial voice which Heaney attempts to represent, and clarify his bog poems as well as the rest of his work. Included in this work will be several agreements and refutations of other scholarly work on Heaney, which will place my work in the midst of a critical conversation. All-in-all, it should be a pretty stimulating talk on an important post-colonial Irish writer, thinker, and poet.

Digital Media Using Flash and Photoshop

Vadas, Natalie

Visual presentations of work created by using Photoshop and Flash programs.

Digital Media Work

Frank, Samantha

A brief presentation, showcasing the work I've done in the new "Intro to New Media" class, including Adobe Photoshop art pieces and an animation done using Macromedia Flash. It will give audiance members an idea of what the class is about and what skills can be acquired through taking it, and generate some well-deserved enthusiasm for the department!

DO FRIES COME WITH THAT EDUCATION?:DIET AND WEIGHT IN RELATION TO SELF/BODY IMAGE AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE,”

Boyer, Caroline

The goal of the Adolescent Family and Health Study (AFHS) is to examine the links between fitness and nutrition habits and patterns, psychosocial indicators, and contextual characteristics. The impetus is that children are becoming heavier and unhealthier. The many “luxuries” that did not exist generation ago, like video games and cable television, have contributed to a sedentary lifestyle. The current study specifically examines the relationships between physical build, dietary habits, school performance, self/body image and socioeconomic status. This investigation is prompted by 1) national concerns regarding the alarming rates of childhood obesity 2) the idea that related characteristics might be driven by socioeconomic status and 3) the need to clarify relationships between weight and psychosocial characteristics.

Do you really want to sleep with them tonight? Dominant Traits and Sexual Behaviors

Blum, Alison

This two-part study examined whether dominant traits displayed in the classroom, at work, and in relationships indicate dominant traits in sexual behaviors. It was thought that males display more dominant traits in the classroom, at work, and in relationships and therefore will exhibit more dominance in sexual behaviors. Dominance was defined as being in control or taking control of a situation. Surveys as well as classroom observations were used to obtain information from the subjects. Data were initially collected at college summer sessions at colleges within a half hour of a rural town on the East Coast. The results of the present study confirmed that males displayed more dominance in the classroom, at work, and in relationships, but levels of sexual dominance for males and females were equal. The goal of the second half of the study was to expand on and clarify the results of the first half.

Documentary of American Perspectives of a Romanian Experience

Emas, Juliet

In the summer of 2005 I spent 3 months living in Romania. While there I volunteered with 12 other American students in orphanages and nursing homes. I took 4 hours of video footage and have condensed it into a 15 minute piece capturing the responses of my colleagues on what they thought Romania was going to be like, how their impressions changed after arrival, and what they took with them from the experience.

Dynamics of Social Identity

O'Neill, Kate

Subjects (n=79) filled out a questionnaire that assessed various ways in which they identify themselves. Identification with various groups (family, ethnic group, college, and athletic teams) as well as sense of uniqueness were included in the study. Various items also assessed a sense of well-being. Findings indicated (1) that students entertain multiple self-categorizations that are not mutually exclusive, (2) that strong identification with family was significantly correlated with measures of quality of life and well-being. The complexity of identity, as well as the importance of family ties are discussed.

Economic Growth in Latin American Countries

Bongaardt, Britton

Both Barro (1995) and Romer (1989) found that because a given country is located in Latin America, their economic growth is negatively affected. They determined this by including dummy variables in their empirical models that reflected the regional location of a country. Romer suggested that the reasoning for the negative affect is that there are important omitted variables in the models creating a bias that forces the Latin American countries to lag behind other countries. It was the purpose of my project to study and examine this negative dummy variable and to try and minimize it. I began with the basic Solow growth model that shows a country’s growth as a function of their capital, labor, and human capital. I then expanded the model to include the Latin American dummy variable as well as variables such as defense spending, openness to trade, and aid based on previous studies and literature.

Economic Liberalization and Its Effects on China's Political Atmosphere

Hofmann, Michelle

My research discusses China's history of economic reforms and the effects to their communist government. Since China has opened its markets to the rest of the world they have shown signs of a more liberalized government and the possibility for a democratic state.

Effect of recovery time on alcohol and carboxylic acid concentrations in goldfish

Monk, Jeffrey

The mechanism that governs general anesthesia on a molecular level is currently not known. New information regarding the effect of general anesthesia should improve its clinical efficacy and reduce the risk of side effects. Alcohols are commonly used as general anesthetics, and in this study the anesthetic effect of 1-nonanol was investigated. Goldfish were subjected to a solution of 1-nonanol for twenty minutes and the time allowed for recovery was varied. From a blood sample, concentrations of 1-nonanol and 1-nonanoic acid were measured with a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The relationship between the alcohol and carboxylic acid shows that as recovery time increases, initially alcohol concentrations decrease as carboxylic acid concentrations increase (reaching a maximum at ten minutes of recovery time). After this time, both concentrations decrease to minimal levels. Although there was substantial carboxylic acid concentrations measured, the aldehyde (nonanal) was not found in the goldfish blood.

Effects of Debt on Risk Premium: Nordstrom, Inc.

Miron, Alexander

This project attempts to illustrate the relationship between leverage, the amount of debt a company has, and that company's risk premium, or the extra compensation demanded by an investor, using Nordstrom, Inc. as an example.

Egg Quality Database Development Project

Kroon, Paul

This project involved development of a database application for Eggland's Best, a nationwide egg company based in King of Prussia. I developed an application to manage the nutritional testing data for their laboratory. The program has two main functions: import data into the database, and search the data. The flexible search system can create a report based on a wide variety of different criteria. I will demonstrate the application, and also will discuss the process I used to develop the system.

Fra Lippo Lippi: An Adventure in Puppetry

Curley, Christopher; Julius, Georgia; McDaniels, Ivy; Wagner, Ali

Our project stemmed from a class assignment to creatively perform some scenes from Robert Browning's Fra Lippo Lippi. My teammates and I chose, rather, to create puppets and have THEM act out the poem. What followed was a humorous, relatively accurate portrayal of this Victorian poem that can be enjoyed children and adults alike.

General Anesthesia and Its Molecular Mechanism: Blood Alcohol Concentrations in Eigenmannia virescens and Goldfish

Silverman, Jason

The molecular mechanism of general anesthesia is currently unknown. Widely used in many surgical procedures, learning how general anesthesia works may help to reduce the side effects and danger of its use. Alcohols are one particular type of general anesthetic, and in this study the anesthetic effects of alcohols are investigated. Both Eigenmannia virescens and goldfish were exposed to 1-alcohols of increasing carbon chain-length of one to eleven carbons. Using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS), the blood alcohol concentrations of the fish were also measured. By comparing the blood alcohol concentration data of different alcohols and different alcohol exposure times, trends about the potency of different alcohols and the time dependence of the alcohol’s anesthetic effects was revealed. Currently, we have shown that the fish’s blood alcohol concentration continues to increase even after twenty minutes of exposure. Also, although carboxylic acids were found in the blood, aldehydes were not.

Genotype/Pheotype correlations in Collagen mutations in Stickler Syndrome

Griswold, Ben

Stickler Syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that involves abnormalities of the extracellaur matrix and connective tissue. Clinical findings in affected patients includes eye abnormalities, hearing loss, premature osteoarthritis, and craniofacial defects including cleft palate and midface hypoplasia. Forty six probands and their affected relatives were enrolled in a natural history study of connective tissue disorders at the National Institutes of Health. Seventeen mutations in the collagen genes including Col2a1 and Col11a1 were identified. The genotype/phenotype correlations for the mutations will be presented. The results indicate that there are a large proportion of patients who do not have mutations in Col2a1 or Col11a1 who meet diagnostic criteria for Stickler Syndrome and are not clinically distinguishable from the patients who do have mutations in the known collagen genes. Several large families are identified who would be suitable for linkage analysis to identify novel genes that cause the Stickler Syndrome phenotype.

Heroine and Villainess: Women in French and Chinese Fairy Tales

Blauch, Laura

I intend to analyze gender roles as they are depicted in Chinese and French fairy tales from the late seventeenth century. Several questions I hope to answer include what constitutes a “good” and “bad” man or woman in light of each society’s cultural norms as well as each society’s beliefs about proper gender roles.

Honor in the Past; Honor in the Future: An Investigation of Virtue Ethics in Business

Davis, Adam

In the wake of the corporate scandals of 2002, much research has been done in the field of business ethics. However, the discipline of virtue ethics has yet to really be tapped in regard to its possible application to business ethics. It is proposed that virtue ethics is the best moral theory for which to apply to business ethics, and through virtue ethics we can investigate the following question, "Does an undergraduate honor code experience influence ethical decision making in the post-collegiate workplace?" Aristotelian virtue ethics tells us that an ethical community, like at an honor code institution, should provide an infrastructure through which habituation of ethical behavior leads to the development of virtuous character traits. These traits being cross-situationally and temporally stable will allow for their manifestation in the post-collegiate work environment. An empirical model tested the explanatory power of an honor code variable within a sample of the 100 best corporate citizens as ranked by Business Ethics Magazine. This particular model did not find a significant relationship between undergraduate honor codes and a firm’s integrity score, however, it is believed that with a larger sample and more accurate account of a firm’s integrity, such a model could be produced that the honor code’s influence on post-graduate ethical behavior would be notable.

Honors Project about Cultural Attitudes Towards Maternal Employment

Hans, Ashley

For Student Achievement Day, I would like to give roughly a 10 minute presentation on my time spent studying abroad in Tübingen. I will focus on my interdepartmental honors research project, which is advised by Dr. Clouser and Dr. Chambliss. Dr. Chambliss has created an on-going survey that assesses people’s cultural attitudes towards maternal employment. I collected some of this data while in Germany with the help of Dr. Clouser. For my honors project, I am comparing the maternal benefits and protections in both United States and Germany, and proposing how either country could improve. I am also evaluating the means for the results of specific questions of both the U.S. and German respondents to determine if any cultural discrepancies exist. Had I never studied abroad in Tübingen with the Ursinus program, my honors project could have never happened and I would have missed out on an excellent opportunity to immerse myself in another culture.

How Rumor Generation and Transmission Can Influence Children’s Memory for the Past

Guiliano, Stephanie; Root, Courtney

This study examined how erroneous rumors generated by peers can influence preschoolers’ event memory. This was done by staging a situation in which some members of preschool classrooms were exposed to clues that were expected to lead to the generation of two false rumors. Results from a 1-week delayed interview revealed that a substantial number of the children who were exposed to the clues later remembered experiencing events consistent with the rumors. Further, claims of actually experiencing the rumors were found among the children who were the classmates of those who were exposed to the clues. Most of the false reports were in response to open-ended probes.

In Depth Analysis of Rivercrest Golf Club

McGarvey, Mike

With Pr. Bowers overseeing our project, we have worked with local Rivercrest Golf Club's owner Dan Lejeune in order to complete a case study analyzing his specific srategies to differentiate his club from rival courses/clubs in the Collegeville and surrounding areas. Studying Rivercrest itself, as well as the industry from a literature review, looking at financial differences in competitors' data, and creating questions as to why his club has succeeded in the current market enviornment were all key components to our research project. Rivercrest's unique approach to marketing and developing it's country club has been recognized nationally and we plan to show how and why this particular strategy has been successful.

Inner Product Spaces

Gilardi, Lisa

This talk is designed to provide a brief introduction to the notion of an Inner Product Space. This is a vector space V along with a function which assigns a real number to each pair of vectors in V, subject to a set of axioms. During this discussion, examples will be given, the related notions of length, distance, and orthogonality. Along with further examples, two famous inequalities will be presented, along with applications of them. Finally, an inner product for the vector space of all continuous functions on a closed interval will be given.

Intermolecular Energy Transfer in Bridged Re(I)-Re(I) Polypyridyl Complexes

Ruff, Caitlin

The purpose of this research was to study the metal-to-ligand charge transfer theory (MLCT) in bridged rhenium (I) polypyridyl compounds. The objective was to create a Re complex with a dimethyl bipyridine (an electron donor group) bridged through various ligand and platinum-containing bridges to a second Re complex containing diethyl ester bipyridine (an electron acceptor group). It was hypothesized that the ligand-bridged compound would absorb high energy light into the donor group’s MLCT, transfer the energy through the ligand bridge to the acceptor group, and emit light from the latter’s MLCT bond. The nature of the bridging group will be manipulated to investigate the degree of coupling between the donor and the acceptor complexes.

Introduction to Graph Theory

McCormick, Jaime

My presentation will cover some basic concepts of graph theory. Some topics included will be graphs and digraphs, graph coloring and trees. I will also be presenting applications of graph theory to other industries.

Italy: Various Aspects of the Culture

Lo Piccolo, Valentina

What i would like to focus on are some aspects of the italian culture such as art, music, clothing, foods... basically some of the things that people think about when they picture Italy. I might also want to include particular places to visit for tourists.

'Jaden' a 10 minute play

Allman, Ben; Dawley, Nathan; Reddish, Blair; Strunk, Trevor

This will be the performance of a 10 minute play, 'Jaden,' with actors Nathan Dawley and Trevor Strunk. This play was written by Ben Allman for a playwrighting class and directed by Blair Reddish. The initial performances for the class were held March 9th, however, both the actors and director sought to continue their work, exploring and preparing the roles. Hence, we have for you today the product of our furthered toilings. Humbly, The Cast

Killing for God: The Work Of Jessica Stern

Romano, Alexis

This project focuses on theories of religious violence, analyzing work from prominent scholars in the field, as well as theoretical work geared toward a more general audience. The analysis attempts to identify important aspects of each theory, the underlying assumptions of each theorist, and issues of each theory which still need to be resolved. The presentation itself will focus on articulating the theoretical problems of religious violence, and exploring Jessica Stern's work to demonstrate the kind of analysis being done throughout the project. It will conclude with some general comments on how the field of religious studies deals with these issues as a whole, and what work is left to be done.

Kinetics of biofilm formation by extremely halophilic archaea

Smith, Drayton

Biofilms are formed by many species of bacteria and archaea as a means of colonizing and surviving in different environments. Formation of biofilms by bacteria appears to be a complex process regulated at least in part by cell density and quorum sensing; by comparison, little is known about how archaea form biofilms. We investigated the rate at which pure cultures of three extremely halophilic archaea, Haloarcula hispanica, Haloferax mediterranei, and Halobacterium sp. NRC-1, formed biofilms while growing in rich media in polystyrene cell culture dishes. Cultures of the three organisms were grown for varying lengths of time and then removed from the dishes, at which time the adherent biofilms were stained with crystal violet and quantified spectrophotometrically. Biofilm formation by H. hispanica and H. mediterranei was detectable 18 – 24 hours after inoculation, while Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 biofilms were detectable only after 60 hours. We hypothesized that biofilm formation by these organisms might also be influenced by cell density-related signals, so we compared biofilm formation by untreated cultures to those made by cultures to which stationary phase culture supernatants were added. While no differences in biofilm formation were seen between treated and untreated H. hispanica and H. mediterranei cultures, we observed enhanced biofilm formation by Halobacterium NRC-1 upon addition of culture supernatant from 72-hour broth cultures of Halobacterium NRC-1. We also tested culture supernatants of all three organisms for the presence of acylated homoserine lactone molecules using a diffusion plate assay and the Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4 reporter strain that had been used to detect quorum sensing signals produced by the haloalkaliphilic archaeon Natronococcus occultus. None of the three extreme halophiles we tested produced acylated homoserine lactone molecules detectable by the Agrobacterium reporter. We conclude that biofilm formation by these organisms is associated with older cultures, and in the case of Halobacterium NRC-1 may be associated with cell density-related signals unrelated to acylated homoserine lactones.

Made In China: Implications of Currency Revaluation and Open Markets on the Sino-American Trade Gap

Katch, John

This paper is aimed at tackling the unbelievable trade deficit amassed by the United States. America’s two-tier strategy involves further appreciation of the Renminbi in conjunction with open access to Chinese markets by foreign investors. An increase in the value of the Yuan will help to counteract China’s low wage labor system. Increased foreign presence will grant access to the untapped resource of Chinese markets. The combination of these two proposals will shine the spotlight on the US, allowing them to increase exports and ultimately decrease the Sino-American trade deficit. While engaged in negotiations with China regarding their economic policy reform it is important to remain conscientious of the fact that China will oppose the majority of these changes. Therefore, it is necessary for the US to relax the ferocity of its approach, but nevertheless continue to negotiate until the Chinese realize that the long-term benefits will sky rocket China into a stronghold of future success.

Molecular Identification of scu-1 Mutants of C. elegans

Zweier, Lynnsey

Normal Caenorhabditis elegans embryos exit meiosis and polarize the first body axis shortly after the egg is fertilized, however, scu-1 (sperm cue abnormal) worms do not properly undergo these processes. The aim of this study was to identify the gene responsible for the embryonic lethal scu-1 mutation. The entry of the sperm into the oocyte signals the completion of meiosis and triggers polarity. Previously, the location of the gene was narrowed to a region of 143 genes on chromosome IV by high resolution genetic mapping and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) mapping. Further analysis limited our search to genes on a set of 4 neighboring cosmids. Next, a candidate gene approach was used to identify the scu-1 gene. Candidates were selected based on published RNAi phenotypes and homology to known genes. Candidates were sequenced and compared to the wild-type gene. We ruled out the fourteen genes as candidates for scu-1. We identified the gene F49E8.3 (pam-1) as the gene responsible for the scu-1 phenotype. pam-1 encodes an aminopeptidase which is an ortholog to PSA in mammals. Most recently we have hypothesized a link between scu-1 and proteolysis in polarity establishment. Presently, we are sequencing the alleles for scu-1 to determine the mutations. We hope that the identification of the scu-1 gene and subsequent phenotypic and molecular analysis of scu-1 will lead to a more specific and complete understanding of the relationship between cell-cycle regulation and axis formation in animal development.

MTV, VH1, BET and CMT: A Content Analysis of Music Television Networks and Their Videos

Witt, Alexis

Music videos have been a significant part of our American pop culture since 1981. Past researchers have studied music videos and their content because of the possible effects they have on youth. Numerous past studies have looked at music videos and found a level of references to sex, violence, religious elements, and depictions of death. This study looked at 138 videos from MTV, VH1, BET and CMT. The sample was recorded off air and coded for sexual content, cigarette/tobacco visuals, drug content, physical and psychological violence, weapons, death, religious elements, alcohol, homosexual activity, appearance of children, and gender dominance in band and plot. Findings indicate that a]. Sexual content was prevalent in all videos. b] Sexual references in the videos was similar on almost all four stations. c]. The amount of alcohol use in the videos varied. d]. CMT had far more alcohol than the other three stations. e]. MTV had the most physical violence and VH1 had the most psychological violence in their music videos. f]. Homosexuality, death, and drug content, when compared to previous studies, remained low on all four stations.

My Time Amongst the Macintoshes

Sergeant, Daniel

This presentation will showcase my final projects from the Introduction to New Media class. It will feature my collection of Adobe Photoshop artwork, including my 3-piece series "Hell on Earth," inspired by Dante's Inferno. Also featured will be my Macromedia Flash project, a satirical choose-your-own-adventure game entitled "The American Dream."

My Town, Norristown!

Thompkins, Jennifer

My presentation is based on the demographics of my neigborhood in Norristown, Pennsylvania. By using personal interviews with the residents of Norristown and population facts about the town, the area will be thoroughly analyzed.

New Media and Public television- Internship Experience

Chou, Felicia

I will share a slideshow highlighting the experience I've gained this semester through the Mellon Program as an intern at WYBE, a Philadelphia-based public television station. These experiences include but are not limited to all aspects of video production, screener tracking, and program database management. I will also be showing promotional video clips (30 seconds each) I created during the course of the internship for WYBE programming. I will give a brief explanation for each segment and the steps taken to produce it, also offering tips on how to make an effective promotional clip.

On Campus Artists and Recording

Brown, Brandon; Chou, Felicia; McLaughlin, Chris; Weyrauch, Mike

the focus of the program will be to discuss the purpose the the folksong/recording club on the ursinus campus and to give a sample of what on campus artists are doing. we will briefly discuss how recording works and perform a short original piece of music.

Osteogenic Properties of Titanium-Attached Orofacial Bone Marrow Stromal Cells

Giavis, Parascevi

It is unclear if attachment to titanium modulates OFMSCs osteogenic property. The objective was to evaluate and compare in vitro osteogenic properties of OFMSCs and iliac crest bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) attached to oxidized titanium. Plates were assayed for cell attachment at 24 hours, cell proliferation at 48 hours and alkaline phosphatase activity at week 1. Levels of mineralization and RT-PCR of mRNA transcripts of alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein and osteopontin were analyzed at week 4. No statistically significant differences were observed in attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and mRNA transcripts of osteogenic markers of Ti-attached iliac crest BMSCs and OFMSCs at P < 0.05. Ti-attached OFMSCs exhibit similar osteogenic properties as iliac crest BMSCs, and represent alternative donor sites for bone grafting in dental surgery.

Our Own Vision: A Discussion on Activism at Ursinus

Herring, Janine; Joyce, Joseph; McMahon-Purk, Marlena; Rogers, Christopher

This roundtable discussion will delve into the meanings of activism and service as understood by some of the student leaders of the Ursinus community. The underlying objective of this discussion will be to examine the reasons Ursinus College engages or does not engage in the myriad of life’s circumstances which warrant amendment through activism, such as those oriented in the educational institution, community, natural environment, the media, and national and international relations. The aim of this event is to stimulate self-analysis of our collective identity as Ursinus College and explore how this identity shapes or influences what we do, especially outside of the classroom. While monitored and led by a handful of students, this discussion will encourage the participation of the other students, faculty, staff, and administration which compose the audience. **Note (not to be included in the synopsis above): There will be more than three co-presenters for this roundtable discussion. The following students have also expressed an interest in co-leading the discussion: Katy Diana Class of 2006 Erin Pollard Class of 2008 Stephen Ordog Class of 2007

Oversight to Insight: the US Marine Mammal Commission as a Prototype for Government Evaluation

Semmens, Kathryn

The Marine Mammal Commission (MMC), created under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA) to provide oversight for federal programs relating to marine mammal conservation and management, serves a unique and beneficial function not seen elsewhere in the conservation field. Though small and with a limited budget, the MMC is able to initiate action and influence through quick action not tied down by bureaucracy or politics. The MMC is also a superb facilitator and has proven successful in its collaborative efforts, as well as its ability to bring all the stakeholders together to share information. As a result, the MMC is a prototype that would greatly benefit conservation programs under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). By applying the model to several endangered species cases, specifically the black-footed ferret and the dusky seaside sparrow, I will illustrate the benefits of having such an oversight agency within the ESA arena.

Painting-in-progress

Morris, Heather; Re, Kate; Rooney, Milena

Photoshop/ Flash

Langdon, Danielle

In my last semester intro to new media class I designed three photoshop works. The first of which is a zebra made of barcodes, personifying the idea that animal fur in our society is used for money. The second is a swimming pool superimposed into a bird bath which is placed in a museum; simply symbolizing how unrelated items can in fact be related. The third is of a business man holding the hands of a watch; above the hands is daytime, and below is night. This embodies the idea that humans choose how to spend their own time. My Flash project is a website dedicated to Zoe Hass; a musician my friend and I created. Following the links on the site will lead viewers through a playful description of Zoe's career.

Playwriting Class: 10 Minute Plays

Bench, Kevin; Calem, Rob; Conte Jr, John; Esparra, Candice; Frey, Tim; Johnson, Grey; Norris, Michael; Nunn, Kathleen; Rokaski, Natalie; Urich, Katie

Students in the Playwriting class began the semester developing characters and using appropriate dialogue by writing monologues. They continued by adding conflict and plot by writing ten minute plays. The following will be preformed: The General, Pitching the Question and Surprise!

Quality Assurance Internship

Rees, Lauren

A Quality Assurance Internship is more than just simply testing software. In my experiences I have done the testing, as well as worked with software documentation in several forms, product management for clients, and software developers in creating elements to be added to existing software. My talk will focus primarily on my work at ActiveStrategy Inc. in these areas and how as a math major I was pleasantly surprised how this internship related to my Math and CS classes.

Reaction Times in computer tasks as an indicator of cognitive processing

Costa, Cristiana; Pacifique, Mikala; Strojan, Edward

To test whether cognitive processing is affected by routine daily activity among normally developing individuals, standardized computer tasks were utilized which tested a series of cognitive processes, including visuo-spatial processing, attention, memory, and executive function. Additionally, data was gathered as to the amount of time individuals have spent on daily activities, e.g. athletics, video games, dance, music. Fifty-four college students comprised of both males and females, completed the study thus far. The results suggest that the reaction times and responses of the individuals indicate measurable differences among college aged individuals, furthermore that these reaction times can be augmented depending on the activities of the individuals, such as playing video games. The implications of this study suggest that video games and/or physical activities which increase cognitive efficiency may be useful as a therapy for individuals afflicted by neuro-degenerative diseases and brain trauma.

Regency to Red Carpet:: Adapting Gender in Jane Austen Films

McGrath, Vanessa

Jane Austen has been an ever present cultural symbol in today's society. In the last decade a great number of films have adapted her novels, which were written in the late eighteenth century, onto the silver screen. This presentation looks at the representations of the heroines in the novels and films, in order to showe the effects of ideology on film and literature.

Religion and the Civil Rights Movements Civil Rights Tour 2005

DeCourcey, Claudia; Styer, Arley; Thornburg, Evan

Religion and the Civil rights Movement was a course offered in the spring 2005 semester to give students an in depth view of the civil rights movement and the black church as the centerpiece of the movement. As major portion of the curriculum students traveled to Mississippi and Memphis Tennessee to relive parts of the civil rights movement that were introduced in class. During their Spring Break the ten students and their instructors Rev. Rice and Dr. Claudia Highbaugh took a civil rights tour that proved to be a life changing experience. The civil rights tour served to tie together the integral pieces of the civil rights movement including the black church, the HBCU (historically black college or university), and the people. Along with hearing speakers such as James Meredith and Senator Benny Thompson who were involved in the movement; students also visited Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, and Rust College. Through their travels the class was able to see the crucial role the black college had in the civil rights movement and in the black community. Tougaloo College is a place that developed leaders during the civil rights era, and it was also a place of refuge and a source of strength and support for civil rights workers. To tie together the major theme of the class students also attended a church service during the civil rights tour. During the civil rights movement the black church and its leaders were the backbone of the movement. The church was an organizer of the movement and also a place of solace, and a source of inspiration for the workers of the movement. The church was one of the first organizations to informally organize protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, and marches for the civil rights movement. Through the civil rights tour students had the opportunity to see the history they learned throughout the course come to life. They had the opportunity to see how the black church continues to be the foundation of the black community today. The civil rights tour helped the students to fully experience how the civil rights movement has directly impacted them as well as the south, and the people of that era. As a result of the civil rights tour many students came away from the class wanting to follow in the footsteps of the civil rights workers. In order to share their experience the class created a video of the civil rights tour. The compilation of their experiences on the civil rights tour was made in hopes of enlightening the greater campus community and of spreading the spirit of the civil rights movement.

RNA interference in Caenorhabitis elegans

Correa, Paola

RNA interference is the introduction of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) to specifically target a gene’s product and interfere with its activity. There are some genes known to affect RNAi, such as eri-1, which were identified due to enhanced sensitivity to RNAi (Kennedy, et al, 2004). The ERI-1 protein directly interacts with UNC-13 (Polinsky, et al., 2006), which regulates neurotransmitter release at synapses. The effect of RNAi in Caenorhabitis elegans was studied in the triple mutants, unc-47::GFP; unc-13;eri-1. GFP expression patterns in C. elegans were determined using confocal microscopy. C. elegans were fed bacteria expressing GFP dsRNA. We found an enhanced sensitivity in triple mutants exposed to RNAi.

Rodin's Metamorphic Muse: Danaide

Babbitt-Cook, Catherine; Nunez, Addelynne; Rice, Wynton

My objective for the presentation is to present my poetry based on a Rodin sculpture in the Berman Museum. The presentation will be conducted using a PowerPoint presentation giving some information on Rodin and the sculpture of my choice. While presenting my poem, two dancers, Wynton and Catherine will be dancing, maybe with music accompaniment. My presentation could take place in the Kaleidoscope lobby.

ShivaShakti: A Tribute to Indian Art in a Dance of Cosmic Forces

Gopalan, Menaka

According to Hinduism, Shiva is known as the destroyer, while Shakti is the creator. Shiva cannot exist without Shakti and vice versa. They represent the male and female principles, complementing each other as both are total opposites. Shiva is the spirit and soul while Shakti is flesh and matter. Shiva is constant, eternal, and unmoving, while Shakti is life, transformation and evolution. When in union, their energies are so powerful that destruction and creation occur simultaneously. This concept is shown in a 9ft by 6ft painting of Shiva and Shakti dancing, as their dance is a form of love making, thus representing their union. The style is influenced by the mystery and sensuality in Indian art. Research was conducted in India to recover the roots I felt I had lost. This painting serves as homage to my identity, revealing a union of Indian art, dance, and mythology.

Snapshots from Italy

Allman, Ben; Bronson, Jonathan; Gorman, Michaela; Liccketto, Corinne; Richter, Thomas; Smith, Eric

Several students from Dr. Volkmer’s Travel Writing Class will read brief excerpts from travel essays written during the Ursinus-in-Florence semester (Fall 2005). We hope that these “Snapshots from Italy” will add up to an entertaining verbal montage of the study abroad experience. For all who have been, it will be a nostalgic reminiscence; for those who are thinking of going, it will provide a valuable insight into the Florence experience.

Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Studies of a Pentanuclear Mixed-Valence Compound

Norris, Michael

The pentanuclear MV compound Ru(III)-Fe(II)-Pt(IV)-Fe(II)-Ru(III) was synthesized, purified, and characterized by UV/VIS, IR, and CV. The compound contains two intervalent (IT) Pt(IV)àRu(III) and Fe(II)àabsorption bands at different energies for the Fe(II) IT transitions. A single, quasi-reversible Fe wave is observed in the CV when the potential is scanned between 0.0-1.0 V vs SSE. When the potential is scanned negative of 0.00 V vs SSE, the molecule undergoes an ECE mechanism. One proposed mechanism has the Ru(II) reducing the Pt(IV) by an intramolecular electron transfer through the ferrocyanide bridges. Reduction of Pt(IV) to Pt(II) is followed by a breaking of the cyanide bridges on either side of the platinum to yield two molecules of Fe(II)-Ru(III) and one Pt(II). The subsequent CV scans support this mechanism, as evidenced by an Fe(III/II) redox event that occurs at the same potential as for the Fe(II)-Ru(III) model compound.

Study Abroad Adventures in Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand

Joy, Casey

During fall semester of 2005 I attended James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. While there I was also able to visit Thailand and New Zealand. My presentation will include pictures from all three locations and many souvenirs. Ayer's Rock, Franz Joseph Glacier, and the Grand Palace in Bangkok are just a few of the many locations that will be shown.

Study in Japan: Encounters with the Expected and the Unexpected

Biondi, Sara; Davis, Adam; Foose, Tara; LaRocca, Karen; Stine, Julian

When we go to Japan to study, we take with us a set of expectations that are based on media images and our studies here. We also have plans for projects that we wish to undertake. What happens once we're in Japan? How do our experiences there conform to, or contradict, our expectations? For example, to what extent does anime represent life as lived in Japan? What kinds of transformations take place in our projects? What impact does our encounter with cultural difference have on our sense of American culture and society? The panel members, who have participated in four different programs in Japan, will discuss their experiences and invite contributions from the audience.

The American Prison System: Crime Control or Mind Control?

McGuire, Caitlin

Until the 1960s, the American prison population fluctuated between 100,000 and 200,000 inmates. Today, the United States incarcerates over 2.4 million inmates. Our nation’s skyrocketing incarceration rate over the past forty years has not been driven by efforts to control the crime rate. Rather, since the 1960s, incarceration has increasingly been used as a form of social and political control by unfairly targeting the poor, racial minorities, civil rights activists, and antiwar demonstrators. The shift from the treatment model of corrections to the current punishment model has facilitated the use of imprisonment as social and political control. Addressing the social causes of crime would be a much more effective solution to controlling the nation's crime rate.

The Amusement Park Syndrome: Gender and Space in Central Philadelphia

Mangler, Andrew

Modern day Center City Philadelphia is a haven for culture and life. Each person can relate to a particular space and set of corresponding activities. This acknowledgment creates specific guidelines for the categorization of space in the city. Similar to an amusement park, where visitors have maps showing them where to eat, ride a rollercoaster, and purchase souvenirs, Center City Philadelphia provides us with a parallel outlook on the city and space, all with the aide of a Septa transit map. This presentation tries to uncover the gendered spacing of Central Philadelphia, while relating it to other historical spatial analysis.

The Decisive Battle of the Teutoberg Forest, A.D. 9

Garner, James

The Roman Empire was arguably the strongest political and military machine of the pre-modern world. Their domain extended from Britain to Northen Africa and from France to the Middle East. However, they were never able to expand east of the Rhine. In A.D.9, three Roman Legions were annhilated by a group of Germanic Tribes led by Arminius. In this presentation, i will argue that the battle of the Teutoberg Forest was one of the most decisive battles of world history. I will discuss the political, cultural, and militaristic ramifications of this battle, and how the legend of this battle was resurrected a century and a half later by Martin Luther, Bismarck and Wilhelm, and Hitler.

The Effects of Calcium Free, Sodium Free, and Lithium Chloride Environments on the Early Development of Sea Urchins

Farag, Rami

Both sodium and calcium ions play an important role in the proper development of sea urchins while lithium chloride disrupts its development. Sodium is important for the prevention of polyspermy while calcium is important in cell processes such as egg activation and completion of meiosis. Lithium chloride has a negative effect by causing the embryo to become vegetalized. The effects of a sodium free, calcium free, and lithium chloride environment on the development of sea urchins were tested. All three types of sea water affected the development of the embryo prior to the pluteus larva stage and resulted in abnormal divisions and failure to develop into a normal embryo.

The Effects of Rumors that Conflict with the Past: Testing the Boundary Conditions of Preschoolers Suggestibility

Dobkowski, Nicholas; Tinguely, Alison

Research has shown that the circulation of a false rumor that fills a gap in an earlier experience can lead preschoolers to report witnessing non-experienced events consistent with the rumor. The present study extends this work by exploring what happens when preschoolers (ages 3 and 5) encounter rumors that conflict with their experiences. One third of the children, those in the CMR group, overheard a rumor that conflicted with a past experience. A second third of the children, those in the non-CMR group, overheard a rumor that filled a gap. The remaining children in the Control group did not overhear a rumor. Results revealed that most of the non-CMR children reported witnessing events consistent with the rumor. However, while a substantial number of younger CMR children reported witnessing rumored events, the older CMR children were not easily swayed by the rumor and tended to report events they actually witnessed.

The Language of the Outsider in William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" and "The Sound and the Fury"

Partyka, Jaclyn

William Faulkner is well known for testing the limits of language throughout his literary works. Mixing history, tradition, social issues, Southern lifestyle, and family relations, Faulkner develops vivid characters through a complicated linguistic and narrative style. However, with the addition of subversive and alternative characters that do not fit within the standards of traditional community or linguistic systems, Faulkner creates a fictional society that mimics real life. For my Honors project I have chosen to focus on two of his novels: "As I Lay Dying" and "The Sound and The Fury", to explore the presence and purpose of outsider characters like Darl Bundren and Quentin Compson. Through Darl and Quentin’s unconventional language, Faulkner pushes the limits of his own prose while expounding the purpose of such outsider characters living within a normalized system.

The Re-Invention of Japanese Women’s Language

Biondi, Sara

While many languages have words that are technically gendered (for example, Romance languages with male and female nouns), Japanese has words that while they do not carry gender, they are strongly associated with the language of men or women. This "women's language" is assumed to be an institution that stretches back into Japanese history and is a staple of feminine identification. However, current analyses by modern scholars trace the emergence of Japanese women’s language back to not to the distant past but to a distinct and concrete point in history, leading us to a reassessment of Japanese women’s language as a social device and construct rather than an ancient tradition. Through a consideration of the role of women's language in Japan both in modern times and at its emergence, it is possible to better understand the ways in which Japanese women today can use gendered language to define themselves.

The Relationship Between Depression and Empathy in Mildly Depressed and Nondepressed College Students

Caldwell, Eileen; DeLaurentis, Mike; Minus, Kelayne; Nagourney, Rachel; Schutte, Jessica

This study investigated the correlation between depression and empathy of 120 college students. The packet consisted of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). BDI response items were directionally adjusted and totaled to create a summary measure of depression. A median split was used to create nondepressed and mildly depressed groups. Significant differences were found on all six individual items of the Personal Distress subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index between the nondepressed and mildly depressed participants. Mildly depressed students gave significantly higher ratings than nondepressed students on items assessing Emergency Anxiety, Emergency Panic, Perceived Helplessness, Emergency Loss of Control and Perceived Fear. Mildly depressed students gave significantly lower ratings than nondepressed students on the item Emergency Competence. No significant differences were found on any other subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index between nondepressed and mildly depressed participants. The results partially supported the hypotheses.

The Relationship Between Maternal Employment and Male and Female Middle School Students' Family Attitudes and Preferences

Frank, Wendi; Young-Morrison, Fauve

The relationship between maternal employment and the quality of parental relationships among 141 urban and suburban middle school students was examined. Students completed the BACMEC, Rosenberg Self Concept Scale, and Parental Relationship scales. 2 x 3 MANOVA (gender and maternal employment: full-time, part-time, and non-employment) showed a significant interaction effect on ratings of maternal intelligence. Students’ self esteem was only associated with quality of paternal relationships. Females perceived maternal employment as more beneficial than males.

THE ROLE OF THE MOURIDES IN SENEGAL: THE INFLUENCE OF ISLAMIC BROTHERHOODS ON SOCIETY AS EXAMINED THROUGH LITERATURE AND POLITICS

Tamny, Nickie

My presentation would be a shortened summary of my honors thesis. Senegal, a West African Islamic country, has been historically molded in such a way that the population is strongly influenced by specific religious groups, called Islamic brotherhoods, and their powerful religious leaders (les marabouts). My research is based on the perceived political and social influences that these religious leaders (les marabouts) have on their followers. I explore the history of the Mourides’ rise to popularity and power during colonization and investigate how their followers’ strict devotion is mobilized on the political scene. I examine these influences in Senegalese novels and compare their treatment to factual analysis of voting patterns, academic studies and political involvement throughout Senegal.

The Strength of Relationships with Parents in Middle School Students versus College Students

Buttigieg, Susan

The closeness of parents and their children was measured using the Maternal Relationship Scale and the Paternal Relationship Scale. These inventories were administered to 87 middle school students and 140 college students and t-tests were conducted to investigate the strength of the parent-child relationship. Results indicated that college students placed more value on their relationships with both their mother and their father than did their middle school counterparts.

The Synthesis and Characterization of a New Class of Porphyrins

Lapinski, Leahann

Porphyrins are large molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and metal ions. They are found in biological systems in the form of hemoglobin for oxygen transport in mammals and in the form of chlorophyll for the process of photosynthesis in plants. The chemical properties of a porphyrin can be altered by preparing these complexes with varying substituents, linkages, and central metal ions. Porphyrin complexes that absorb photons in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum are ideal for use in optical imaging in vivo as these types of compounds will penetrate deep-tissue, thus being a useful technique for diagnosis of tumors and other diseases. Ideally, these porphyrin complexes must be fully conjugated, planar, absorb light in the near infrared region, and be sufficiently lipophilic (soluble in fat) to penetrate deep tissue and be effective for optical imaging. The target porphyrin array described in this presentation contains zinc ions to improve optical properties and pentafluorobenzyl groups to improve solubility.

The Ursinus Organic Garden Project

Diana, Katy; Madsen, Devyn

The Ursinus Organic Garden Project seeks to promote using nature as a learning tool in academic classes, provide a community atmosphere for volunteers, and incorporate its produce into the college's food service. Our goal is to improve and maintain the success of this project for the next growing season. This year we have expanded the garden to three times its original size in the hopes of providing more organic foods for the dining hall.

The use of track tubes as a measure of population abundance in small mammals

Balko, Julie; Frear, Josh; Schartel, Tyler; Sundheim, Matthew

Population abundance in small mammals is typically determined through livetrapping. However, the risk of Hantavirus lead to a pursuit of alternative techniques that require less handling, especially of Peromyscus species. Track tubes are designed as weather resistant means of recording small mammal tracks. Spaced apart as stations on a grid, they provide information on relative abundance of different species. This method is limited since movement varies and researchers cannot identify individuals. We compared track station visitation frequency to trapping effort for small mammals, with a particular interest in Peromyscus leucopus. Studies were conducted at sites on the flood plain along the Perkiomen Creek, as well as in the deciduous uplands of Green Lane Park. We also investigated factors that affected visitation, including light availability and area cover. If correlations are present between visitation and site parameters, then a predictor of population size based on track counts may be possible.

Trappe Ambulance Call Log

Cleaver, Kyle

Demonstrating the finished Trappe Ambulence Call log program. Writen in Java and mySQL. The final version was tweaked to fit the customers needs upon request.

UC Recycles!

Arnhold, Zakary; Maioli, Sara; Vogt, Carolyn

The recycling program at Ursinus College has developed from a suggestion to a broad program over the span of just a few years thanks to the commitment of a group of students, faculty and staff. Thanks to the efforts of the student-run Campus Recycling Committee, the program grows every semester and currently encompasses cans, glass, plastic, cardboard, newspaper, office paper, Styrofoam and batteries. As the program continues to grow, challenges emerge: how can the recycling committee effectively meet the demands of the community for recycling services and communicate changes in the program to the campus community? This poster presentation will broadcast the scope of the current recycling program as well as the targets for the near and distant future to the students, faculty and staff of Ursinus College thereby increasing awareness and participation.

Ursinus College's First Annual Relay For Life

Dalton, Aileen; Joyce, Joseph

Ursinus College’s sense of community and service has been well established by its faculty, staff, and students through their ambition and altruism. The Relay For Life provides an amazing oppurtunity for the faculty, staff, and students to get invovled in the comunity. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a time of reflection to remember those who have succumbed to cancer, to encourage those who are currently fighting the battle, and to celebrate the victory of those who have won. With the statistic of 1,400 people dying each day from cancer, events such as Relay For Life are necessary to provide hope and support to those struggling with the disease. Over the past 50 years, the survival rate has increased from 10% to 50%. Funding for research has enabled this increase.

Ursinus College's Sustainability Master Plan

Brody, Samuel; Ciucci, Patricia; Diana, Katy; Every, John; Maioli, Sara; Porrini, Marguerite; Rogers, Christopher; Schubel, Sara; Semmens, Kathryn; Spiro, Shanna; Tomiello, Jenna

Environmental concerns are increasingly gaining prominence in decisions made by private citizens, businesses, and institutions. Academic institutions hold an influential position to affect change towards sustainability, especially through example. In order to maintain the cutting-edge appeal and quality of Ursinus College, a handful of junior and senior environmental studies majors have developed a sustainability master plan for the college in the ENV senior seminar. The plan clarifies the goals and direction of sustainability at UC through a succinct mission statement, a list of sustainability indicators, and coverage of various aspects of the college’s operations and composition. Based on the progress achieved through the seminar, an overview of the sustainability plan will be presented, as well as the group’s findings, recommendations, and direction for future planning, goals, and action.

Ursinus in Tübingen 2005

Cleary, Caitlin; Gaspar, Aaron; Glace, Laura; Miller, Andrew; Russo, Gregory

We also have another presenter, Caitlin Cleary 2007 presenting with us. We will be describing our experiences in Germany, as well as other European nations. We will basically be describing how our experiences and classes were intertwined and related. Also, we will speak of what we gained from this experience, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Visiting Day at Mysinus College

Weis, Elkan

This project consists of the full production of an interactive animated cartoon using Macromedia Flash. The cartoon is based on people and places here at Ursinus College. The project involved the writing of a script, the recording of dialogue, and the creation of the animated cartoon using Macromedia Flash. The presentation will consist of an explanation of the production process and the concepts used in the creation of the cartoon in Flash, followed by a 5 minute demonstration of the cartoon.

Volunteerism in Montgomery County: Ursinus College's Meal Service Team

Dennis, Mark; Helzner, Megan; Graham, Nina; Vogt, Carolyn

A group of about ten exceptionally-committed volunteers + community members in need = a recipe for success. Under the umbrella of Project Pericles these students provide weekly volunteer services for Catholic Social Service's Food Pantry in Norristown and bi-weekly services for the Manna soup kitchen in Lansdale. Students provide a valuable service to the Collegeville-area, learn about the complex and important operations of a food bank, and interact with diverse age, race, gender, and socio-economic groups. The highly-successful Meal Service Team was started by junior, Katie Ringler, who is abroad for the Spring, 2006 semester.

What Drives Corruption? A Cross-National Study

Bitar, Marina

Corruption has become an increasingly important issue in the fields of international business and world affairs. The effects of corruption have proven to reach both the public and the private sectors in a way that reflects negatively on the country as a whole. International concern has risen over the past few years and many efforts have been made to properly examine and address this problem. Why is it that some countries are capable of keeping their corruption levels under control while others continue to lose the battle in the fight against corruption? The purpose of this paper is to explain the variation in levels of corruption in a wide range of countries based on a set of political, economic, and social factors. The factors examined include but are not limited to political rights and civil liberties, income levels, religion, foreign aid, and foreign direct investment.

When the Gloves Come Off: Exploring Aggression and Deviance

Myers, Shannon

Research has shown peers and school to be factors related to both adolescent deviance and self-esteem. Taking into account the potential social influence the goal of this study was to examine the female behavioral patterns in terms of self-esteem and deviance. Survey data was collected from urban public middle school students in co-ed and gender separate schools measuring self-esteem and deviance. Focus groups addressing in-school experiences and in-depth focus groups addressing factors influencing female behavior were conducted. Results revealed significant gender differences in terms of deviance, but no significant school status differences. No significant gender differences in self-esteem emerged. Results indicated a school status effect for self-esteem. Emergent focus groups included witnessing and engaging in physical aggression by both boys and girls. Female students identified respect, protection, and girl characteristics as factors influencing such physical behavior. The study suggests future implications regarding school environment and behavior. The larger goal is to inform urban school reform.