Digital Commons Network^™

Learning To See Human: Universal Aspects And Cultural Variations In The Development Of Anthropomorphism, Kit Smith

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Anthropomorphism is the tendency to attribute human characteristics (i.e. emotions, intentions) to nonhuman animals, technologies, and nature. This disposition varies by individual, but there may be factors that contribute to one’s tendencies. The current study investigates cultural contributions to the development of individual anthropomorphism by assessing the anthropomorphic tendencies of children and adults from China and Canada. The Chinese sample included children (4-6 years; N=299) and adults (16-28 years; N=294); the Canadian sample included children (4-6 years; N=103) and adults (17-52 years; N=158). All participants were administered the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire - Child Form …

Pulmonary Response To Exercise, Woodsmoke Smoke Inhalation, And Acute Sleep Deprivation, Aidan Daniel Anton Mccloy

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As the prevalence of woodsmoke exposure from wildfires increases in the western US population, so does the need to understand the long-term deleterious effects of smoke exposure. In addition to strenuous physical activity while exposed to woodsmoke, populations such as wildland firefighters may operate under sleep-deprived conditions. To this end, our laboratory studied the combined effects of smoke exposure, exercise, and sleep deprivation by measuring vascular inflammation, differential gene expression, heart rate variability, pulse wave velocity, and pulmonary function both before and after a 45-minute stationary bike workout. The focus of this analysis was to evaluate forced vital capacity (FVC), …

Developing Quality Of Life Indicators For Open Space And Parks Management: A Three-Pronged Approach, Lane J. Arthur

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The City of Boulder Outdoor Space and Mountain Parks manages open space land for its “recreational value and its contribution to the quality of life of the community”–amongst other values (Boulder, Colorado Charter art. XII, sec. 176). Resulting, OSMP is currently utilizing an outcomes-focused management (OFM) approach to understand how OSMP lands affect quality of life and well-being in the community. However, little guidance has been provided in the literature on how to identify which outcomes are most relevant to park and protected area users (Driver & Bruns, 2008). Since 2008, efforts have been made to understand outcome relevancy and …

Graduation Rates And Property Taxes In Montana Impacting Accessibility To Education, Abigail K. Robideaux

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

1. The question being asked is how property taxes correlate with graduation rates in Montana and if there is a way to change the funding of the education system to increase accessibility to higher education.
2. The purpose of this research is to advocate for changing how the education system is funded. Currently, public schools are being funded based off the property taxes in a certain neighborhoods and counties and there is greater need to understand how those numbers relate to who is graduating where. The intention is to collect this data so in the future, students who have higher need of …

There Is No Planet B: Lessons From My Experience With Sustainability Planning, Elani G. Borhegyi

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The development of plans directed at sustainability is crucial to greening institutions, holding parties accountable, and promoting justice. The process of forming such plans is complex and interdisciplinary, as I have experienced as a student working on the University of Montana (UM) Sustainability Action Plan (SAP). Since working on the UM SAP, I have learned many lessons that demonstrate the importance and impact of sustainability planning that are worth sharing with a wider audience to motivate participation in sustainability.

Work on the SAP began in summer 2021 with student-led research on strategies to make the UM more sustainable. In fall …

An Improved Method To Study Viral Entry Of Human Cytomegalovirus, Lars Ponsness

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes significant disease in immunocompromised adults and congenital infections are a leading cause of hearing loss and cognitive delays. Development of a broadly effective vaccine has been limited by the lack of a method to study receptor-engagement and membrane fusion mediated by HCMV glycoproteins. Additionally, these methods have lacked a convenient way to account for the genetic diversity of the HCMV glycoproteins. Transient expression of the viral glycoproteins in human cells can induce cell-cell fusion. The induction of cell-cell fusion can be used as a surrogate measure of virus entry and is known as a cell-cell fusion …

Reading As Bearing Witness: Incorporating The Voices Of Incarcerated Youth In Honors Education, Amelia Hawes, Jorgia Hawthorne

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Honors faculty often engage students in service-learning and community-engaged courses to help them learn curricular concepts, develop skills in responsible citizenship, and positively impact their community. In fall 2020 and spring 2021, the Davidson Honors College worked with the Free Verse Writing Project, a nonprofit organization serving incarcerated youth, with the primary goal of bringing the writing and voices of young, incarcerated authors into the college classroom to give their stories a wider audience. Our presentation will explore a case study of this successful partnership and its ongoing development, with a particular focus on our perspective as honors students. We …

Mindful Youth: Empowering Adolescents To Own Their Mental Health Through An Interactive Online Platform, Rachel Gebhardt, Jesse Jewel, Jewel Wicks, Serena Gardner, Kate Hess, Diana Urey

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Depression and anxiety are prevalent issues with rates that continue to increase each year for adolescents within our society. This project focuses on creating a website that will engage adolescents to own their mental health and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by equipping them with self-help tools. The website includes situational videos, journaling prompts, and other interactive resources based in Positive Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The online toolkit is designed to be available to people who use online accessibility functions. We created a pilot version of the website using the platforms Toonly and Wix, and then hosted …

Healthy Dialogue As The Impetus Of Change: Emotional, Intellectual, & Substantive Conversations About The Environment And Climate Change, Abigail Vogt, Damara Stewart, Sierra Franklin, Cara Shepard, Sarah Griffin, Rowan Ulrigg

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As six students of the Resources and Sustainability Global Theme of the Franke GLI program our capstone project addresses the need for emotional, intellectual and substantive environmental conversations, a lack thereof we all have observed in our studies and daily lives. We conducted research of scholarly sources that found experience, upbringing, biases, and emotions are influencers of a person’s attitude and behavior toward the environment and climate change. Attitude is expressed through a person’s morals that inform behavior. The topics of environment and climate change are largely interpreted and expressed through pathos, which is easily manipulated by social media, marketing, …

Assessing The Accuracy And Deficits Of Popular Drug-Interaction Software Programs In Detecting Interactions Between Cannabis And Pharmaceutical Drugs, Nathan C. Ramsbacher

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

- Purpose – The management of drug interactions in healthcare is a large concern for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, especially for patients requiring large amounts of medications. Healthcare professionals and patients alike utilize drug-interaction software programs (DISPs) frequently to manage medications and make clinical decisions. There is a large discrepancy between DISPs in terms of detecting clinically significant drug interactions. Notably, cannabis does not flag as an interaction as reliably as pharmaceutical drugs on many DISPs. With rising cannabis use in the United States, patients deserve to make decisions on how to safely use cannabis with their prescription drugs …

Investigating The Protein-Protein Interactions Of Riok3 During Viral Infection, Hunter L. Grimes, Luke A. White, Thomas C. Bisom

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In response to viral infection, cells initiate a series of innate immune signaling cascades that result in inflammation. This process is highly regulated to prevent a damaging hyper-inflammatory response while still fighting off the infection. Infection with Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), an RNA virus endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, can result in severe disease in humans and livestock. Infection in pregnant livestock can result in abortive pregnancies and high mortality rates. RIOK3 is an understudied protein expressed in most mammalian cells that has an unclear role in the response to viral infection. Recent work in our laboratory has shown that …

The Integration Of Student Understanding: Exploring Competition In The Classroom, Alexandra A. Berna

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Over the past 50 years, extensive research has been conducted on the mechanistic and consequential roles of competition in the classroom. Much of this research is framed around the perspectives of educators, often in terms of the impacts of their grading methods and the presence or absence of team-based learning in their classrooms. However, dialogue about the potential benefits and drawbacks of competitive classrooms is not inclusive of student perspective, especially when considering the long-term academic and social impacts of competitive classroom environments. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore how to best define competition for students enrolled …

A Strategic Analysis Of Spotify, Andrew J. Jensen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Companies are amassing bigger global footprints. Therefore, it is imperative for users of their financial statements to understand how those companies work, especially with the uptick in streaming as more people are staying at home. A company analysis can help inform potential investors and other financial statement users on the intricacy of a company. Spotify, an international music streaming service, impacts many users with its strategic model. Many of these users are not familiar with Spotify’s strategic model, and it is valuable for that model to be broken down and explained in simpler terms. My PowerPoint presentation digs into financial …

Assessing The Role Of Time And Beavers In Driving Recovery Following Restoration, Daylen Egger, Claire Shady, Shawnalee Voyles, Kory Shoja-Chaghorvand

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The role of time as an important factor in restoration of riparian ecosystems toward a reference state is well known. Ecosystem engineers, such as beaver, can have substantial influences on ecosystem characteristics, and thus they may play a large role in ecosystem recovery, however the role of beavers in altering the rate of ecosystem recovery is not well described. In this study, we monitored the recovery of vegetation and soil characteristics at Ninemile Creek in western Montana. This site has been highly degraded by historic placer mining, which resulted in a stream channel bounded by ten-meter-high gravel piles, eliminating the …

Examining Factors Limiting Post-Restoration Riparian Revegetation In Western Montana, Aubrey Benson, Sydney Bish

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Revegetating riparian soils made bare during restoration is important to stabilize soils and minimize the spread of non-native invasive plants. Seeding is a commonly used approach for revegetation, but its efficacy and factors that limit its success remain understudied. It is known that nutrient availability can limit plant growth and establishment, and that seed addition rates can also play a role. However, the success of these approaches has varied, presenting an opportunity to study the optimization of revegetation techniques. In this study, we examined ways to increase the efficacy of reseeding riparian areas on a reach of Ninemile Creek in …

Differences In Childhood Bullying Experiences And Self-Harm And Suicidality Across Subgroups Of Sexual Minorities, Jesse Jewell

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Sexual minorities (e.g. lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) are at greater risk for childhood bullying, self-harm, and suicidality than the heterosexual population. Research has also shown that bullying victimization is related to increased negative mental health outcomes. Additionally, some subgroups of sexual minorities, such as bisexuals, have been reported to experience higher rates of adverse mental health than their gay and lesbian peers. However, less is understood about how the relationship between childhood bullying and deleterious mental health may impact different subgroups of sexual minorities.

The current study examined responses from 1,507 sexual minority participants in the Generations: A Study of …

City Of Missoula Partnership Project: Supporting The Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Petra Leah Slater

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As housing prices continue to increase rapidly in Missoula, it is more important than ever for community members to be aware of the resources available to them that support access to affordable housing. I have partnered with the City of Missoula to research and design a new webpage for the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund was adopted in July of 2020 and aims to provide housing developers and nonprofit organizations funding with the goal of creating new, affordable housing options for Missoulians. The new webpage for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund will expand community knowledge …

Firewise Landscaping: Bolstering Safety And Ecological Benefit: An In Depth Look Into The Benefits Of Firewise Landscaping In The Mountain West, Christine Martin

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Severe wildfires are more frequently entering urban areas causing billions of dollars of damage in the Western United States over the past decade. One approach for limiting the wildfire risk to urban homes is to adopt “firewise” landscaping approaches. These approaches focus on minimizing flammable materials near the home and landscaping with plants that don’t generate large quantities of flammable material. Highlighting these practices is important to reducing the dangers of wildfires. incorporating native, pollinator friendly plant species closes ecological gaps. An in depth review communicates the firewise principles that will help inform the community on ways to help prevent …

Rethinking Trust, Reconnecting Us - Website And Campaign To Combat Misinformation, Jacob Owens, Connor Dunlap, Ben Brodhead, Reed Lindsey, Colin Mclean, Elle Wilgus

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Advancements in online platforms can lead to a more widely informed public, but they also create room for false information. Misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine has become a public safety issue. Our team created a project that contributes to solving this global problem. Our project’s mission is to tackle vaccine related misinformation. The project utilizes a human-centered method to design a solution.

Based on our literature review the main problem is skepticism about getting vaccinated. Our solution is to create an online portal targeted at college students, highlighting the benefits of vaccination, examining examples of misinformation, providing trusted sources for …

History And Conflicts Of The Montana Environmental Policy Act, William Oliver Borghesani

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The purpose of this research project was to explore the history of Montana's Environmental Policy Act and determine the impact it has had on environmental law in Montana, as well as where its future lies amidst the current demographic and political trends in this state. Being an outdoor enthusiast, something I have noticed about Montana in the past four years I have spent here is that the natural environment is a defining feature of the state. The reason I pursued this topic for my project was that I wanted to explore the dynamics of the changing political and demographical landscapes …

Caution In Stalin's Wake: Perspectives Of American Leaders, Keegan Sorelle Lundman

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

President Dwight D. Eisenhower came to the White House with as much experience in military and diplomatic affairs as anyone who has held the office. From the very beginning of his first term, he faced challenges that put his experience to good use. The death of Josef Vissarionovich Stalin on March 5, 1953, created tensions for Eisenhower’s administration that hardly abated until the Geneva Summit in July of 1955. Throughout the succession struggle in the Kremlin, Eisenhower and his administration worked diligently to understand the complicated dynamics of the Soviet power hierarchy. Complicating factors for understanding what was happening in …

Assessing Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Response To Dam Removal And Restoration Rattlesnake Creek, Montana, Samuel Brian Turner

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Dam removal is increasingly used to restore stream ecosystems, however the ecological effects of this type of restorative action is under-studied. Benthic macroinvertebrates are commonly used as biological indicators of stream integrity when monitoring stream restorations. This study assesses the response of benthic macroinvertebrates to a small dam removal in Rattlesnake Creek, Montana. We examined benthic macroinvertebrate data collected from 2019-2021 to determine variation in community abundance and composition upstream, downstream, before and after dam removal and restoration. Macroinvertebrate community metrics were assessed, in relation to Montana specific biological and ecological integrity measures, to gain insight into the current states …

Indigenous (Mis)Representation: Implications For The Mmiwg2s Epidemic, Emma Swartz, Chloe Burnstein, Desi Greer, Danara Greer, Jillian Topsky, Sam Severson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In the United States and Canada, Native women, girls, and two-spirit people are stolen and killed at a disproportionate rate. Despite their pleas for justice, non-indigenous media are reluctant to give Indigenous voices a platform to incite change. Critically, the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) is not endemic to North America, but permeates through aboriginal life on every continent as a tool of settler colonialism. Existing literature on the topic ofMMIWG2S has traced the roots of the crisis to settler colonialism and to non-Indigenous popular culture, but there is a gap in knowledge …

The Cult Of Domesticity And Its Effects On African American Women In The Northern United States From 1820-1860, Cassidy Ann Vandervoort

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Throughout the early to mid-nineteenth century, the Cult of Domesticity thrived in both southern and northern middle-class homes in the United States. Women of all races were expected to focus on the building and strengthening of the home and family, and African American women were no exception. In this paper I seek to explain the environment African American women were living under in the Cult of Domesticity and how African American men shaped and perpetuated the ideal of True Womanhood in their communities. I will use a collection of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources will focus on journal entries, …

How Covid-19 Restrictions During The 2020-2021 School Year Affected The Mental Health, Physical Health, And Social Health Of The Students At Bowling Green State University, Hannah Davies

Honors Projects

The purpose of this study was to survey BGSU students in the Honors College and Athletics Department to obtain their perspective on whether Covid-19 restrictions during the 2020-2021 school year affected their mental health, physical health, and social health. The study was performed in an effort to allow people to consider whether Covid-19 protocols influenced the mental and physical well-being of students. If that was the case, was there a difference between the student-athletes and the non-athlete students.

Debunking Medical Myths: Does Cold Weather Make You Sick?, Jack Mcconnell, Hanna Simmons, Jordan Tall, Eleanor Lasch, Sarah Chung

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Concurrent Session 1 The Togo Slippery Frog And Dpsir Frameworks, Aiden Franklin, Ben Walker, Caroline Spirit, Diego Tovar

The Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education

Our presentation will demonstrate how the Togo Slippery Frog plays an important role in both socio-economic and environmental factors of Togo. These include conservation efforts to restore forests and creating protected areas. This will impact eco-tourism, biodiversity loss and forest fragmentation, as well as agricultural practices. The presentation will also dive deeper into drivers and pressures, such as logging, harvesting, and hunting. The Togo Slippery Frog plays a crucial role in Togo and will be investigated through trends and analysis.

Developmental, Personality, And Family Influences On Risk-Taking During Young Adulthood, Jessica Leach

Psychology Presentations

The aim of this research was to identify relationships between narcissism and likely risk-taking behaviors in young adult students, as well as to assess possible developmental and family influences over this personality trait and these behaviors. Evaluations of the severity of a range of criminal activity were also assessed through this study as predicted by narcissism and as a predictor of risk behaviors. The data was collected through the use of anonymous online surveys, which included a total of five measurement instruments. Since young adulthood is a time of engaging in more risk behaviors than later periods of life, the …

Shifting Weight Attitudes? A Look At Stigma And Implicit Bias, Carolyn H. Decicco, Sarah L. Capen-Becerra, Sophie K. Louis

Psychology Presentations

The goal of the current study is to investigate students’ perceptions of controllability and biases against individuals who smoke and individuals who present as ‘overweight’ in the workplace. Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to read an article describing either weight-based (n = 35) or smoking-based discrimination in the workplace (n = 34). Participants were tasked with writing open-ended responses to the articles. Participants in the smoking group were more likely to endorse (n = 16; 47.1%) discriminatory workplace practices than those in the weight group (n = 4; 11.4%), who showed more conflicted justification responses (weight n = …

An Exploration Of A Year At The Ursinus Food Forest, Victoria Bearden

Environment and Sustainability Presentations

The Ursinus Food Forest began a commitment to a new form of sustainable land management at Whittaker Environmental Research Station. This management integrates lessons from urban agriculture, urban forestry, and agroforestry (see Clark & Nichols 2013) with principles of permaculture (Jacke et al 2005). Begun in 2017, and this past fall marked 2 years since the planting of phase one in 2019. In the fall of 2021 students, faculty, facilities, and volunteers planted the second phase of the food forest site, which added 7 new food producing species. Including this, many projects were created to enhance the site throughout the …