Digital Commons Network^™

Associations Between College Students' Social Media Use And Psychological Adjustment During Covid-19, Bridget Mcguinness, Isabelle Warren

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

The purpose of this study is to examine whether higher levels of social media use are associated with higher levels of psychological distress, including symptoms of depression and anxiety, and perceived stress. We hypothesize that social media use will be positively correlated with psychological difficulties. The sample includes 522 undergraduates from two liberal arts institutions from the Southeast US. Participants were administered an online survey in the fall of 2020. A second wave of data will be collected during the last week of February 2021. Measures include the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Perceived Stress Scale, Adapted Social Media Use Integration Scale, …

Racial Disparities In College Students’ Scholastic Adjustment Amidst Covid-19: The Protective Function Of Campus Resources And Supports, T J. Anderson, Sam Pugliese

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Scientific investigations are needed to understand the extent to which COVID-19 has affected, and exacerbated racial disparities in, college students’ scholastic adjustment. We propose a study based on two waves of data collected as part of a large-scale, longitudinal study on college students’ well-being amidst COVID-19. More specifically, we will evaluate a model of risk and protective factors for college students’ scholastic adjustment across three time points within the 2020-21 academic year.

The first aim is to evaluate contextual risk factors for college students’ scholastic difficulties during COVID-19 and whether contextual risk is more pronounced for minoritized students. The second …

Committed To The Cause Or Performative Posting?: Developing A Measure Of Internal And External Motivations For Online Activism, Kathrina Durante

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This project assesses the allyship of White students and non-Black students of color at the University of Richmond, specifically through their use of and perceptions of social media as a form of activism during the recent racial justice protests. Though documenting one’s allyship on social media may function to educate and influence others, some have questioned whether such behaviors are merely optical or performative allyship, designed to benefit the ally’s reputation and social standing more than affect social change. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate whether students differ in the extent to which they report internal …

Analysis Of The Socio-Economic Impacts Of A Proposed Highway Between Nuevo Italia And Puerto Breu, Peru, M. R. Place *, E. Zizzamia, D. S. Salisbury, V. Galati, S. Spera

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Road building is increasingly promoted in the borderlands shared by Peru and Brazil despite an incomplete understanding of the socio-environmental impacts of transportation infrastructure in the region. Amazonian roads often expand informally, without official government process, previous consultation by Indigenous populations, and environmental impact statements.. Amazonian road expansion also often follows a progressive feedback cycle, with new, unplanned roads begetting illegal logging pathways and agricultural expansion which in turn expands and formalizes road systems. One expanding road system is developing between the Ucayali River and the remote headwaters of the Yurua/Jurua River. The Carretera Yurua (officially trail UC-105), extended approximately300 …

Le Poème | La Danseuse, Karen Fleming

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

le poème | La Danseuse is a piece that explores the relationship between historical, often male-created representations of the female dancer and the possibilities that exist for female dancers to claim their own identities in the twenty-first century. Drawing on modernist poetry and early modern dance, the film component of the piece emphasizes the ways in which the poetic image of the female dancer as an ideal, ethereal figure is a mere projection, or something unreal. Once the dancer on stage emerges, she begins to push back against the trappings of the historic gaze and ultimately breaks out of its …

Cosmological Inflation In N-Dimensional Gaussian Random Fields With Algorithmic Data Compression, Connor Painter

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

The leading theories of inflation are increasingly multi-dimensional. In this project, we consider a natural hypothesis that the inflaton potential, the theorized mechanism behind accelerated expansion in the early universe, is maximally random. We present a program that simulates random potentials, solves equations of motion, and catalogues predictions for observable quantities, such as perturbation spectra.

An Agent-Based Model To Evaluate The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status And Demographic Factors On Covid-19 Prevalence And Mortality, Jonathan Huang, Berke Nouri

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

The purpose of the project is to discover how the prevalence and mortality of a pandemic change depending on a population’s demographic factors as well as various intervention policies through a NetLogo agent-based model. This model will simulate how demographic factors affect the course of COVID-19 (infection rate, recovery rate, and death rate). Demographic factors of interest will include population density, income distribution, age distribution, and number of hospital beds per capita. Intervention policies include vaccination, social distancing, mask wearing, mass testing, and quarantining. Conclusions about the effect of demographic factors on the infection, recovery, and death rate will be …

Analyzing Polychromatic Map-Making Techniques From Monochromatic Time-Ordered Data, Brianna Cantrall

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This research focuses on techniques for extracting polychromatic data from a monochromatic time-ordered data signal. Being able to reproduce polychromatic maps from monochromatic data broadens the way in which one can analyze properties of the universe. This polychromatic map reconstruction in this research focuses on being able to further analyze the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.

Fala: Through The Lens Of Zarefsky’S Fourth Distinction, Oliver Vettoretti

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Attention to public image is an ongoing responsibility for a President in a free society, by virtue of the fact that public opinion and favorability influence voting inclinations. Power influences, legislatively and symbolically, and the way it is wielded defines each President. Fala served as a figurative sponge that absorbed criticism against Roosevelt and wiped it away. Although public opinion regarding Roosevelt’s politics was often very divided, Fala provided a positive distraction that shifted the public’s focus away from Roosevelt’s disability and served as a humanizing figure for adults and children alike to adore.

The Role Of Hope On Transplant Patients' Quality Of Life, Elena Bagnoli, Kendall Schuchman, Sydney Shah, Courtney Vu, Moriah Williams

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Chronic diseases not only account for rapidly deteriorating health of patients, but are also accompanied by massive emotional, cognitive, and lifestyle changes (Schulz & Kroencke, 2015). When such conditions worsen, leading to end-stage organ disease, organ transplant is often seen as the most viable treatment. Organ transplant recipients often witness positive changes in their health and lifestyle post-transplant. However, these positive changes do not always translate to psychological well being (Rainer & Thompson, 2010). Research suggests that a significant portion of organ recipients suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress due to a variety of stressors like medical risks, lower quality …

Characterization Of A Myo19 Knockdown Phenotype In A Cultured Neuron-Like Cell Line, Adelaide Masterson, Bridget Wolters

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

We will be characterizing and analyzing properties related to neurite outgrowth, including neurite length & mitochondrial dynamics, in order to understand how MYO19 activity and mitochondrial distribution play a role in neurite development. We aim to observe if loss of MYO19 expression alters these properties, and if reintroducing specific aspects of MYO19 function can “rescue” any observed defects in cells where normal MYO19 expression has been lost. Our studies and hypothesis are based on the previous work of Dr. Quintero and his students, where they have observed differences in the behavior of neuron-like CAD cells when MYO19 expression has been …

Long Coalitions In The Old Dominion, Gabriele Josephs

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Federalist Paper No. 10 was James Madison's jeremiad against what he called “faction," and what we might call political parties. Nevertheless, just over two decades from Federalist 10’s publication in 1787, Madison ran for president of the United States at the head of the 1808 Democratic-Republican ticket, and thus became the leader of one of the largest factions hitherto known in American politics. Given the allure of party politics, this paper reviews the literature on the attraction and incentive structure of political parties and extends that literature into voting patterns in Virginia's General Assembly. In the aperture of Thomas Shwartz's …

More Than Just A Label: The Afterlife Of The Hiv/Aids Pandemic In Richmond, Va, Josh Higdon

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This project investigated the current state of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Richmond, Virginia. Specifically, this project took into account the connections between HIV/AIDS and certain identity factors (race and sexuality), as well as the connections between HIV/AIDS and social isolation. Through using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methodology, this study provides information regarding new rates of HIV/AIDS contraction and the racial demographics of these new contractions, while also providing information of the lived experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS. Ultimately, this study sought to gain more information about HIV/AIDS to encourage continued research on this topic while also attempting …

Impact Of Online Learning On International Students’ English Language Concerns, Jiayi Du, Yiwei (Scarlett) Sun

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

With the onset of COVID-19, U.S. universities have been forced to move many, even all, courses online. At the University of Richmond, many of our international students faced visa restrictions due to COVID and were required to stay in their countries. As a result, the majority of our international students must attend their classes remotely. International students may find language to be a challenge during online learning. The purpose of our study is to learn more about how, if at all, online classes have an impact on international students’ English language concerns.

Emerald Ash Borer And The Application Of Biological Control In Virginia, Shuheng Chen, Yihui Wu, Shengjie Liu

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis; EAB) is an invasive wood-boring beetle whose larvae feed on ash phloem. After only 1-5 years of infestation, the larvae create extensive tunnels under the bark that disrupt the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients, which eventually girdles and kills the tree. Since 2008, EAB has spread to all but the eastern-most counties in Virginia. Bological control is one strategy to limit EAB populations. In this project we study control by native agents (woodpeckers) and imported agents (parasitoid wasps).

Mathematical models of host-parasitoid interactions and simulations based on both models and field studies …

Associations Between College Students' Social Media Use And Psychological Well-Being During Covid-19: Is Gender A Moderator?, Allyson Marrinan

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This study's purpose was to examine to what extent social media use is associated with psychological well-being among undergraduates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether gender moderates this relationship.

The Annotated Translation Of The Diary Of Lidia Makarovna Androsova, Rosa Lovo

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This play is based on the true story and focuses on a sector of the Young Guard i Eastern Ukraine during WWII. The Germans took control of Eastern Ukraine in July 1942. By the end of September, the smaller rebel groups in the city of Krasnodon united to form the Young Guard. The Young Guard sought to sabotage any German activity in the city and surrounding villages while also covertly sharing accurate news about the war. All actions portrayed here were described in the diary of Lidia Makarovna Androsova which the researcher translated over the course of 10 weeks. This …

Analysis Of The Socio-Environmental Impacts Of The Proposed Transboundary Highway Between Pucallpa, Peru And Cruzeiro Do Sul, Brazil, A. Frisbie *, E. Collard *, E. Zizzamia, D. S. Salisbury, V. Galati, S. Spera

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

As road building across the Amazon continues to be proposed by both Brazilian and Peruvian governments, it becomes increasingly important to consider the effects this infrastructure could have on diverse Amazonian cultures and ecosystems. One proposal being discussed is a 200 km road that would connect the cities of Pucallpa, Peru and Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil. While promoted as economically beneficial, the road could infringe upon protected conservation areas and indigenous lands, bringing illegal activity with it as well. This research aims to evaluate the potential impacts the Pucallapa-Cruzeiro do Sul road project presents to the ecosystems, societies, and economies …

Sustainable And Ethical Development In Africa: A Perspective From Ghana, Frank Hanson

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This research period sought to try to understand the role of China, a growing superpower in the world, in global interactions. I investigated their increasing role in the world by tracking different investments they have made in Africa, and seeing if they correlated with changing voting patterns and narratives across the African continent.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Black Lives Matter Movement, Anna Marston, Eileen Scheir, Shawna Pilout

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

When people have more free time, activism and engagement in social justice activities often increase. We studied whether this political theory is true in the midst of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, while many Americans have increased levels of free time during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We surveyed 203 participants between the ages of 18 and 71 to analyze the extent to which free time impacted engagement in the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice. In this survey, we controlled for the variables of self-efficacy and personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by including measures for these constructs to the …

Getting Over It, Thomas Kade, Kevorc Ibrahimian, Max Simpson

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

The research extended a 2D motion planning system to three dimensional environments. The updated system is now able to plan the motion for robots over 3D terrains modeled by polyhedrons.

The School Mathematics Study Group: Lessons In Mathematics Education, Madeline Polhill

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This work argues that the "new math" project called the School Mathematics Study Group offers a valuable case study for mathematics educators seeking to venture into the future better informed about both the successes and failures of previous projects. Understanding this project requires recognizing that the School Mathematics Study Group was wholly a product of the forces—personal, educational, mathematical, and political—that shaped it. Admittedly, some of the SMSG's shortcomings resulted from its members' lack of understanding of the changes needed in mathematics education. Still, the majority of the SMSG's public vilification resulted through no fault of its own, but rather …

A Better Breath, So Myung Kim, Kavon Valesquez Thompson

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Pollution and poor air quality can damage the health of people and their surrounding environments and are often tied to societal factors. This study collected spatial and temporal variability in air quality in the Greater Richmond Area to examine the connections between spatial patterns of pollution and demographic and economic variables. Air quality sensors were used to analyze the particulate matter as we examined the patterns in varying areas around the city and identified communities who were most vulnerable to these health concerns.

Storytelling For Fundraising: Assessing The Impact Of Personal Stories On Donation Behavior, Kate Mccarthy

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

In fundraising, some nonprofits have sought to channel the power of personal stories by including them in appeal letters. Are stories an effective tool in soliciting donations? In this study, participants read one of three appeals from an unnamed abortion fund. Two conditions contained a personal story, either an “unapologetic” or a “safe, legal, rare” narrative, about a woman who underwent an abortion; one condition did not include a story. Participants were then asked questions regarding the appeal and the organization before being given a “bonus” dollar, and offered the option of donating a portion of that to an abortion …

Liking And Listening: Impression Formation And Information Processing In Presidential Debates, Lauren H. O'Brien

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

Participants were asked to watch, listen to, or read a transcript of the opening statements from the first presidential debate of 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Afterwards, participants were asked to recall three moments in the debate, both list and identify quotes from each candidate, and indicate impressions of each candidate’s personality. My research aimed to see if there is any connection between debate format, how participants process information, and how participants form impressions of a leader’s personality. I hypothesized that participants who listened to the debate would best process information. While there were few situations where …

Learning To Check Yourself: Improving Civic Engagement Through Duties, Better Voting Practices, And Combatting Group Loyalty, Katherine Brumond

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

This project examines civic engagement. It is divided into three chapters: apathy, voting, and group loyalties. In the first section, I derive two duties, a duty to care and a duty to reason well, that serve as a framework for community engagement aimed at facilitating moral progress. In the second section the main topic is voting. Voting as it currently stands poses several difficulties when conforming to the duties of caring and reasoning well. Instead of arguing for abstaining from voting, I argue for strategies that we can vote well by being more rational. The third section of this project …

A License To Kill: The Institutional Failure Of The Legal System To Hold Police Accountable, Eliana Fleischer

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

In recent years, police shootings of unarmed African American men have become nationally visible. With few exceptions, the police officers involved in those shootings have escaped any criminal penalties. This paper addresses the question: Why is it that so few police officers are convicted after shooting unarmed African Americans? This paper takes an interdisciplinary approach in answering this question. First, prosecutorial power and lack of accountability allow prosecutors to advocate for accused police officers to further their own career prospects. Second, the Supreme Court has adapted the qualified immunity and excessive force doctrines to become nearly all-encompassing legal shields for …

Afghan Diaspora In Pakistan: Health And Education Policy Recommendations For Rural And Urban Areas, Mehreen Usman

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

This purpose of this study is to analyze relevant research on Afghan refugees’ health and education outcomes in rural versus urban areas in the country. Subsequently, I offer policy recommendations based on my observations to improve the status of each outcome for refugees

Bending Ternary Dihalides: A Single Functional Form For Linearization Energies, Supreeth Prasad, Kelling J. Donald

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Introduction

Although the bonding in the symmetric groups 2 and 12 dihalides (MX2) has been studied extensively1,2, remarkably little work –experimental or theoretical – has been done on the mixed (ternary) dihalides, MXY. Previously, a criterion3,4 based on atomic softness (σ) was proposed for the bending of MX2 and MXY molecules. We extend this softness criterion on the slate of the mixed dihalides and the predicted separation is achieved between the bent and linear structures with almost the same cutoff, and with quasilinear species straddling the boundary. In this work, we report a complete assessment of the bonding preferences and …

Cultural Differences In Perception Of Heroes: Greece, India, And The Usa, Smaragda P. Spyrou, Alexa M. Bertrand, Scott T. Allison

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Abstract:

Hypothesis: The cultural background of an individual will have a significant effect on their perception of heroes. The purpose of this study was to investigate how one’s cultural background may affect one’s perception of heroes. The results of Study 1 revealed significant cultural differences in ratings of heroic traits. Study 2 employed a trait-sorting and hero-sorting task to explore underlying categories of traits and heroes across cultures. The results again revealed substantial cultural differences, suggesting that heroes, heroic traits, and heroism in general are all constructions of one’s culture and nationality.