Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploration Of Employment Factors That Facilitate Or Hinder Working College Students’ Academic Success, Gabrielle M. Gergen, Lisa L. Scherer

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This study was part of a larger study which investigated college student experiences, and how students negotiate multiple roles. This study specifically examined college students’ perceptions of how their employment facilitates versus hinders their abilities to meet the demands of other roles in life such as student, family member, significant other, volunteer, and extracurricular participant. We also assessed students’ suggestions for improving employment conditions to succeed in college. One-on-one interviews with 31 college students were conducted face-to-face, or via Facetime, or Skype. All interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim. Consistent with job facilitation theory, the results showed that students identified …

Landscape Effects On Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus Ater) Abundances In Crp Patches, Chase Wickard

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Many grassland bird species have experienced significant population declines and are the focus of conservation efforts. Recovery of these species is slowed, in part, due to nest parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater). Cowbirds are nest parasites that lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species and rely on the host species parents to raise their offspring. This in turn can reduce the reproductive success of hosts. This study attempts to determine whether landscape variables surrounding CRP patches may be driving cowbird densities.

Natural History And Diet Of A Population Of Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Viridis) In Kansas, Colleen Rothe-Groleau

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The primary goal of this study was to gather enough data to create a life history table for this population that can be used in future studies on this and similar species, such as timber rattlesnakes. A second goal was to compile diet data for comparison to datasets within the primary literature from populations of C. viridis and other crotalid species throughout the United States and Canada.

Using morphological characteristics, I attempted to determine whether there are methods that are less invasive for determining sex of C. viridis in the field than those currently in use. Snout-vent length (SVL) and …

An Examination Of Within And Between Family Influences On The Intergenerational Transmission Of Violence And Maltreatment, Bradon A. Valgardson

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant problem that results in long-term mental and physical health issues. Previous research has identified a wide range of factors that potentially contribute to IPV perpetration, with childhood and adolescent maltreatment being some of the more commonly examined sources of influence. Despite these contributions, maltreatment has not been adequately distinguished from additional sources of influence that tend to cluster within families, such as other adverse family experiences and genetic influences. The current study attempts to better isolate the influence of maltreatment on IPV perpetration through the use of a sibling sample from the National …

A Systems Biology Approach To Analyze Microbiome In Soil And Fish Gut, Suyeon Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

With the recent advances in sequencing technology, we now have opportunities to study microbiomes associated with various environments. Recent studies have shown that the composition of microbiomes in our bodies and our environments play a significant role in impacting our health. Often referred to as the forgotten organ, 90% of human DNA is composed of bacterial microbiomes. In this study, we propose a graph-based systems biology approach to analyze the impact of microbiomes composition on the health and growth of organisms living in associated environments. We focus on two case studies; 1) The composition of soil microbiomes and how it …

Why Follow? Followership Favorability And Followership Styles, Hanna M. Miller Ms.

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Given the choice between leading or following in a group setting, which would you choose? Leadership and followership both have strengths and limitations. However, the perceptions of followership are typically unfavorable when compared to leadership. This quantitative study expands on the perceptions of followership by analyzing followership favorability among group members and followership styles as they relate to the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory and Follower’s Active Engagement Theory.

Keywords: Followership, Leadership, LMX Theory, Leader-Member Exchange, Unfavorable Perceptions, Followership Styles, Active Engagement

A Systems Biology Approach To Analyze Microbiome In Soil And Fish Gut, Suyeon Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

With the recent advances in sequencing technology, we now have opportunities to study microbiomes associated with various environments. Recent studies have shown that the composition of microbiomes in our bodies and our environments play a significant role in impacting our health. Often referred to as the forgotten organ, 90% of human DNA is composed of bacterial microbiomes. In this study, we propose a graph-based systems biology approach to analyze the impact of microbiomes composition on the health and growth of organisms living in associated environments. We focus on two case studies; 1) The composition of soil microbiomes and how it …

The Role Of Research In Social Work Education, Lily E. Defrank

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This presentation focuses on the assessment phase of the Generalist Intervention Model which is often used by social workers to enact policy change or address social problems occurring within their communities. Research has a significant role in planning these community interventions. This particular project aims to address a gap in diversity education within the current social work curriculum. Although this project is specific to Social Work and is still being implemented, it serves as an example of how students are often the best advocates for their own education and encourages students to seek evidence based arguments when participating in policy …

The Assessment Of The Impacts Of Differently-Designed Tax And Expenditure Limitations (Tels) On Municipal Government Revenues: A Game Theoretic Approach, Sungho Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Nearly every state in the US imposes some form of limitation on local fiscal decisions – typically property taxes. The effects of tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) on fiscal outcomes have received significant attention by scholars, particularly since passage of California’s Proposition 13. The impact of TELs, however, remains an open empirical question, particularly at the municipal level. Do municipal governments with varying types of TELs, changing TEL structures, or no TELs experience different fiscal outcomes? Scholars and practitioners have attempted to answer these questions; however, the existing literature has at least two limitations. First, the extant literature fails to …

The Experiences Of Female High School Students And Interest In Stem: Factors Leading To The Selection Of An Engineering Or Computer Science Major, Sharon Genoways

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators, which leads to new products and processes that sustain our economy (Hossain & Robinson, 2012). We have been hearing the warnings for several years, that there simply are not enough young scientists entering into the STEM professional pathways to replace all of the retiring professionals (Brown, R., Brown, J., Reardon, & Merrill, 2011; Harsh, Maltese, & Tai, 2012; Heilbronner, 2011; Scott, 2012). The problem is not necessarily due to a lack of STEM skills and concept proficiency. There also appears …

Dual Tasking And The Effect Of Short Term Training On Risk Of Falling In Patients With Copd, Farahnaz Fallah Tafti

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The main objective of this study is to investigate the changes of gait variability as a potential predictor of falls in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); while performing two attention demanding motor tasks at the same time on both even and uneven surfaces. Patients with COPD suffer from significant decreases in physical activity and deficits in their balance control. These patients are also at greater risk of falls than other older adults. These falls could lead to injury, hospitalization and even mortality in this population. For this purpose, in this study, the intrinsic changes of gait pattern in …

An Analysis Of Teacher Perceptions Of Student Behavior And Discipline In Schools Implementing Pbis, Lauren Drelicharz

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between staff perceptions of behavior and discipline and the implementation of positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS). Despite studies that have found PBIS to be effective, research is needed to understand teachers’ perceptions of behavior and discipline in order to identify the needs and concerns of school staff. Identifying such needs and concerns may lead to improved implementation of PBIS. For this study, 292 teachers and other certified staff from a public school district were asked to complete a survey that addresses the perceptions, beliefs, and needs of school …

Differences In Behavioral Responses To Stress In Zebrafish: Exploring Underlying Neural Mechanisms, Jacalyn B. Russ

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Two alternative “stress coping styles” are documented across a wide range of taxa: proactive and reactive. While behavior differences can be observed between coping styles, brain regions potentially mediating these differences have not been studied extensively. Understanding differences in how the brain processes information between the coping styles can lead to insights on how these responses might be controlled. To assess the neural mechanisms underlying alternative stress coping styles, I utilized Danio rerio (zebrafish) and the Novel Tank Diving Test (NTDT). I hypothesize (i) that proactive fish will spend less time in the lower portion of the NTDT and spend …

Authenticity In College Classrooms: A Qualitative Study Exploring Student Perceptions And Instructor Insights, Ursula Vanantwerp

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The political and financial disturbances that have occurred in recent times have created a universal desire for trustworthy leadership. This widespread unrest makes the study of authentic leadership a timely and worthwhile pursuit. The purpose of this study is to examine how college students identify authentic instructors and explore how authentic instructors view themselves. Through a textural analysis of five college students and four college instructors interviewed in-depth in 2016, the findings indicated that the students identified as authentic the professors who shared common interests, showed interest in them, and were comfortable with who they were as instructors. Instructors that …

Microflora In The Cheek Pouches Of Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Ordii) From The Nebraska Sandhills, Devin M. Christensen

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The microflora living within the Ord’s kangaroo rat (Dipodymis ordii) cheek pouches has never been extensively studied before. Kangaroo rats use their cheek pouches to transport seeds and grasses in their mouths that they later store. It is predicted that the cheek pouches harbor fungal and bacterial growth that could be either helpful or harmful to the kangaroo rat and its environment. 8 kangaroo rats were humanely captured using Sherman live traps in the Nebraska Sandhills; their cheek pouches were swabbed, and the microorganisms obtained were grown on agar plates and in liquid media until an adequate amount …

The Effect Of Bilateral Vestibular Stimulation On Locomotor Adaptation, Allison Hoover

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Locomotor adaptation requires input from vision, somatosensory and vestibular systems. The contribution of the vestibular system is important for maintaining postural control during gait specifically orientation of the head on the trunk and acceleration (linear and angular) feedback. Disrupting this system causes instabilities during locomotion. However, it is not clear, how much the vestibular system contributes to gait adaptation. Eighteen healthy adults adapted to a split-belt treadmill task with or without additional vestibular perturbation using bilateral mastoid vibration. The symmetry index for step length and step time, as well as the change in standard deviation in stride time for both …

Who's Tweeting Whom: The Influence Of Rearing Condition On Social Integration In Zebra Finches, Zachary L. Darwish

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are a gregarious species of finch. Previous work with zebra finches has demonstrated the long-lasting impacts of ear social environment on social behavior in adulthood. Zebra finch chicks were raised by either both parents (biparental) or their mother only (uniparental) and their behavior in an aviary was recorded using passive integrative transponders. Zebra finch ID numbers were recorded every time they entered a feeding station for 31 days. There was a trend for uniparental birds to engage in more visits to a feeding station per event than biparental birds, however, there was no difference …

Dual Tasking In A Virtual Reality Environment: Does Auditory Selective Attention Impact Gait?, Angeline L. Roth

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Falling is a common problem with increasing age; each year approximately 2.5 million older adults are treated in emergency departments due to falls. During walking, slower step time and a double stance position allow individuals to feel more balanced while performing more than one task, hopefully decreasing fall risk. These changes in gait may result from increased selective attention required from a cognitive task, thus increasing dual task demands. This project aimed to investigate dual task costs of an auditory selective attention task. Eleven healthy older adults (746 years) completed a series of different cognitive tasks such as dichotic listening …

Validation Of Postural Sway Measurements Using Wii Balance Board, Zachary Meade

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Standing balance measurements, such as postural sway, are vital for determining functional ability, risk of falling and recovery of injuries. Often the need to collect data outside of the typical clinical or research setting arises. However, obtaining these measurements outside of a laboratory setting can be very difficult, as the mobility of a laboratory-grade force plate (FP) is minimal, and its cost can be upwards of $20,000. The purpose of this study is to create a cheaper alternative by validating the Wii Balance Board’s (WBB; Nintendo, Redmond, Washington, USA) ability to measure postural sway patterns. The WBB can be acquired …

Courting Behavior Among Biparentally And Uniparentally Raised Zebra Finches, Angela K. Adams

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Zebra Finch are a monogamous pair bonded species, and a commonly studied animal due to their complex social behavior. Chicks were raised in a biparental (raised by two parents) or uniparental (raised by the female alone) rearing condition. This study was done to test our hypothesis of differences in parental care and how rearing conditions may affect mate choice for the male finch. Through this study we have found that time spent in proximity to the female differed between a uniparentally raised and biparentally raised male finch.

Assessment Of Olfactory-Based Social Recognition: Designing A Paradigm For Marmosets, Stephanie Womack

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Navigation of the social world depends largely on one’s responsiveness to social stimuli and information from a wide range of senses can be used to discriminate between individuals. Mammals use several sensory modes to communicate and respond to their surroundings, but olfaction is the dominant sense across most species. Chemosignals provide a wealth of information including sex, age, reproductive status, and individual identity. Currently, assessment of olfaction is largely limited to the habituation-dishabituation paradigm or the two-choice discrimination task used primarily in rodents. These paradigms are limited by their reliance on inherent reward of interaction with stimuli without providing additional …

College Student Experiences And Happiness: A Multi-Method Exploration, Stephanie Hines, Lisa L. Scherer

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This study explored student happiness and their perceptions of positive and negative experiences in college. A multi-method approach was used with both qualitative and quantitative data collected. One-on-one interviews with 31 college students were conducted face-to-face and via Face-time or Skype. All interviews were taped, transcribed verbatim, and then coded for themes. Inter-rater coding agreement was assessed and discrepancies were resolved through consensus. The resulting themes reflecting both the positive and negative experiences reported included: professors and courses, academic supportive services and resources, co-curricular supportive services and activities, college friendships, and work-school interface. The most frequently reported experience themes were …

On Utilizing Big Data To Assess Health Levels, Elham Rastegari

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The general relationship between mobility/gait patterns and health conditions, has been established by many research studies. Gait patterns have been used in predicting fall incidents, assessing the movement of people with Parkinson disease and assessing gait characteristics of patients with major depression. However, not much has been reported in terms of how to utilize mobility data along with gait patterns to assess health levels and to identify early stages of certain diseases or conditions that impact mobility/gait patterns. In this project, we propose to develop a population analysis system based on recent Big Data technologies that relies on different types …

Autonomous Uav Navigation In An Indoor Environment For Warehouse Inventory Recording, Venkat Ramana Reddy Garlapati

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

UAV’s are currently used extensively in outdoor environments for various applications, including wildfire monitoring, and agricultural surveying, their use in indoor applications have been fairly restricted, owing mainly to the difficulty to maneuver them in smaller indoor spaces and the inability to use GPS-based navigation system. Nevertheless, there are many indoor applications where UAVs could provide a safe, reliable and resilient means to perform operations that are dangerous for humans such as surveillance inside chemical plants, inventory scanning in cold storages etc., Autonomous UAV navigation in an indoor environment can be achieved by finding a collision-free flight path to pass …

Twenty-First Century Representations Of Albert Camus’S “L’Hôte”, Roland R. Buchta

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Albert Camus, an Algerian-born French writer, philosopher, and winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize in literature, had a significant impact on 20^th-century world literature and philosophical thought. Even today, Camus’s essays, novels, plays, and short stories remain relevant and compelling. More recent adaptations of his work incorporate such important themes as the meaning of life and death, French colonialism and practices, and basic human rights. This presentation examines the short story L’Hôte (Eng. The Guest) (1957) from Camus’s the Exile and the Kingdom collection, as well as the graphic novel L’Hôte (2009) by Jacques Ferrandez, and the …

A Hierarchical Learning Model For Extracting Public Health Data From Social Media, Elham Rastegari

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In decision making processes, particularly when it comes to health-related decisions, each relevant piece of information is important. This is particularly important when it comes to health conditions for which there remains a high degree of non-determinism as far as diagnosis and treatment. Online social media, are places in which people feel free to share their opinions about numerous topics, including public health issues and how individuals have responded to different types of treatments associated with diseases. social media could represent a secondary source that can be used as a supplement to other data sources. This would allow individuals as …

Augmenting Human Muscle Performance Through Added Foot Stiffness, Samuel F. Ray

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In human walking, the relationship between foot and ankle structure and function is not fully known. The foot and toe structures seem to dissipate energy while the ankle generates force through the plantarflexor muscles. Increasing foot stiffness through added carbon fiber insoles has been shown to increase force output and decrease contraction velocity of the ankle plantarflexor muscles. This shift in the muscular force-velocity operating range may be beneficial in fast walking. During fast walking, muscle fascicles contract at high velocities and low force output. We predict that added foot stiffness can reduce the metabolic cost of fast walking by …

Neuroendocrine And Psychological Factors Associated With Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, And Reduced Compassion Satisfaction In Mental Health Professionals, Michelle Huffman

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Mental health professionals are at increased risk for burnout, compassion fatigue, and reduced compassion satisfaction. Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and loss of personal accomplishment. Compassion fatigue is a more progressed disruption relative to burnout marked by insomnia/nightmares, arousal, loss of objectivity, isolation, and intrusive thoughts. Compassion satisfaction buffers against burnout and compassion fatigue. Although links between demographic, psychological, and biological factors have been documented, interactions between these factors have not been explored. Mental health professionals completed psychological inventories measuring depression, anxiety, burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. Saliva samples were collected during the Trier Social Stress Test …

Multi-Stage Graph-Based Approach For Managing Self-Organized Iot Networks, Yara Mahfood Haddad

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The rapid development of smart devices and wireless sensors is having a major impact on many scientific disciplines as well as on many real world applications. An essential aspect of deploying sensors and devices in various application domains is to be connected to the Internet forming the so called Internet of Things (IoT). Having access to the massive public data and the various sources on the Internet is critical to the cognitive functionality of such Things. Connecting the devices/sensors to each other in a given environment is highly desirable as well since their functionality in most cases do overlap. Hence, …

Creating A Standard In At-Home Pulmonary Exercise Maintenance Programs, Casey Caniglia

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Between 12-24 million people in the United States suffer chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is linked to reduced physical activity and may be due to effects of the disease on the musculoskeletal system. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) clinics offer patients the chance for a better quality of life through exercise programs. However, PR typically lasts 36 sessions and is covered by Medicare. However, any maintenance past the 36 visits requires that costs to be covered by the patient. Cost and access to infrastructure are major barriers to continued supervised maintenance. Lack of confidence and motivation are barriers to at-home fitness …