Digital Commons Network^™

Enhanced Quantitation Of Amine Drug Derivatives By Gc-Ms Analysis, Wardah Shabbir, Jenna Micor, Sonya Proce

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Many controlled substances fall into the family of compounds known as amines. Analysis of these drugs in crime labs represents about 30% of all drug

exhibits in the US. Confirmatory and quantitative analysis is typically

performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

The highly polar nature of the drugs causes strong interactions with surfaces

such as the inlet and stationary phase in the GC; these interactions are

problematic, especially for quantitation. Our laboratory has discovered that

improved chromatographic behavior and detector response can be achieved via

derivatization of the basic nitrogen with alkanoic anhydrides.

Upper Extremity Anatomical Simulated Fracture Device, Lindsey Koch, Riley Hilbert, Charlotte Wilson

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The purpose of this design project is to create a functional upper limb fracture simulation that can be used by medical students to mimic reduction and splinting accurately in hopes that these skills can be learned effectively and realistically before being put into practice. The design aims to replicate the Smith and Colles wrist fractures, as well as a comminuted fracture. The model design was presented to five medical students pursuing their undergraduate degrees, and overall responses to prompts indicated that they believed the model would be a good tool for learning reduction and splinting.

A Mesocosm Experiment On The Impact Of Competition With Native Pickerelweed (Pontederia Cordata) And Invasive Cattail (Typha X Glauca) On The Growth Of Northern Wild Rice (Zizania Palustris), Megan Wenner

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Northern wild rice (Zizania palustris; manoomin/Mnomen in Anishinaabemowin; ZP) is an annual emergent macrophyte of cultural and economic significance to many North American indigenous tribal nations. Its present extent throughout its native Great Lakes region is much reduced. Competition with other wetland plants may significantly reduce ZP growth and survival. Most ZP competitors are perennial plants, whose established rhizomes persist in the sediment, granting a head-start on growth each year. This mesocosm experiment investigated how competition with hybrid cattail (Typha x glauca) and pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) – dominant invasive and native rhizomatous species, respectively – impacted ZP growth.

Adipocyte/Progenitor Communication Axis Controls Beige Adipogenesis., Briana Noel Cortez, Nabil Rabhi, Kathleen Desevin, Jean Z. Lin, Stephen R. Farmer

Research Colloquium

The unique capacity of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) to brown has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for treating obesity and its adverse complications. Both white and beige adipose arise from a subpopulation of perivascular adipocyte progenitor cells (APC) expressing SM22 (Smooth Muscle Protein 22-Alpha). However, the early signaling events controlling ACP differentiation to beige adipocytes are still unknown.

To uncover the stromal cells heterogeneity during beige adipogenesis, we performed a single cell RNA-sequencing of iWAT under control condition, treatment with β3-adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) agonist or exposure to cold. ScRNA-seq revealed the landscape of APCs undergoing beige adipogenesis. We …

Sabrina Vs Steph: The Battle Between The Wnba And Nba, Naysha Mcgriff

Symposium of Student Scholars

The average salary of a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player is 110 times less than a National Basketball Association (NBA) player’s. Despite growing WNBA viewership, gender inequality in sports remains high, with critics claiming female athletes are less skilled. Gender bias in sports is severely understudied, making direct comparisons to men’s leagues unfair due to long-term lack of investment in women’s sports. This study investigates whether the perceived disparity in skill levels between WNBA and NBA players' is genuine or influenced more by external factors by developing an unbiased measure of player efficiency to compare athletic performance. This dataset …

Model For Analyzing Floorplate Morphology That Optimizes Daylighting And Cost, Andrew Welch, Ermal Shpuza Phd

Symposium of Student Scholars

One of the key ways of improving the energy efficiency of a building is to enhance the daylight levels and reduce the need for artificial lighting. Good daylight levels are also associated with increased productivity and well-being of buildings occupants. Daylight levels are directly linked to the building floorplate depth, whereas shallow floorplate and elongated buildings are usually related to higher daylight levels. However, creating buildings that have more natural light comes with a greater construction cost due to larger envelope areas as well as greater operating costs due to the energy loss through the envelope. This research addresses the …

Veterans & Visionaries: Georgia's World War Ii Veterans & The Civil Rights Movement, Kristin Horan, Chris Hess, Brian Moore, Sophie Vincent, Adrian Alicea, Michelle Foster-Smith, Jerry Funkhouser, Kendal Motley, Miosha Quinn, Edwin Trejo-Rivera, Victoria Grace Tucker

Symposium of Student Scholars

In this project, we aim to explore resilience in a population that is both historically underserved and contributed in an extraordinary manner to their community: World War II Veterans who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. By reviewing memorial cemetery burial records and ancestry records, the research team identified living family members of Veterans who may meet these criteria and reached out to them with information about the study. Data collection is ongoing, but four interviews have been conducted thus far. The interview protocol was adapted from a project called “Profiles of Resilience,” which focused on adversity and resilience among …

Enhancing Patient Safety: Exploring Virtual Sitters' Role In Fall Prevention Through Remote Virtual Monitoring, Adama Diallo, Awatef Ergai Dr., Leeanna Spiva Dr., Meriel Mccollum Dr.

Symposium of Student Scholars

Remote Virtual Monitoring (RVM) technology enhances safety for both patients and care teams by reducing falls, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of continuous patient observation, and lowering costs associated with falls and staff support. The success of fall reduction efforts largely depends on the role of virtual sitters, individuals who remotely monitor high-risk patients to prevent falls. This study aims to explore the experiences of virtual sitters, identifying key themes, challenges, and opportunities to improve the intervention. Specifically, the research investigates how technology, work shifts, and institutional support impact the effectiveness and job satisfaction of virtual sitters.

Structure Disorder And Magnetic Behavior Of An Olivine-Type Cathode Material, Hamida Hassan, Madalynn Marshall

Symposium of Student Scholars

Our research investigates the structure disorder and magnetic behavior of Li(Mn,Fe)PO₄, an olivine-type material relevant for lithium-ion battery applications. Using single-crystal neutron diffraction at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we precisely determined Mn and Fe occupancy, revealing a 56% Fe and 44% Mn distribution at the atomic 4c site within the Pnma space group. Additionally, we observed significant lithium site vacancies (78% occupied), influencing the material's electrochemical and magnetic properties. The varying Mn/Fe ratio affected spin reorientation transitions, shifting from antiferromagnetic alignment along the a-axis to the b-axis. Our findings provide crucial insights for optimizing olivine-based cathodes, enhancing energy …

Campus Navigator: A Mobile App For Seamless University Navigation, Hafsa Mohammed, Ali Rahimzadehfard, Rachab Wilson, Mathias Rossi, Turaj Ashuri, Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam

Symposium of Student Scholars

Navigation services play a big role in everyone’s daily lives, from directing them on new roads to guiding them through buildings. Outdoor navigation services have evolved from physical maps to digital ones like Google Maps for ease of use and accessibility. Upon conducting literature research, the team found that many navigation apps lack clear and accurate instructions for how to navigate university campuses such as Marietta campus. Due to the size of KSU’s Marietta campus and its buildings, effortless navigation has been a common challenge for students, faculty, and visitors alike. Additionally, all buildings are referred to by letters, numbers, …

Assessing A Solution For Ga Work Zone Safety Through Cross Classification, Asiah Lightfoot, Sunanda Dissanayake

Symposium of Student Scholars

Work zone safety is a health risk for drivers and construction workers. In Georgia, work zone crashes have decreased over the past 5 years, but the number of fatalities has still been over 1,000 each of those years. Studies have proven solutions such as lowering the speed limit or relying on current traffic control devices to be ineffective. The risks associated with these crashes must be recognized to improve upon previous solutions or innovate new ones from the results. The objective of this study is to utilize cross classification to identify factors that contribute to work zone crash deaths and …

Low Cost Additive Manufacturing Of Segmented Stator Composite Polymer Permanent Magnet Dc Motors, Ben Goldberg, Jordan Bailey, Connor Hawkins, Colin Haskins, Razvan Voicu

Symposium of Student Scholars

This study presents a novel approach to the design, manufacture, and optimization of segmented stators for composite construction axial flux permanent magnet DC motors. Traditional axial flux stator manufacturing is both challenging and expensive, creating a bottleneck in rapid prototyping and innovation. To overcome these limitations, the stator is divided into individually fabricated segments using advanced composite polymer materials and low-cost additive manufacturing techniques. This segmentation not only drastically reduces production complexity and cost but also allows for customized coil geometries that maximize the surface area for improved heat dissipation.

A key innovation of our design is the integration of …

Large Language Model Enabled Mental Health App Recommendations Using Structured Datasets, Kris Prasad, Md Abdullah Al Hafiz Khan

Symposium of Student Scholars

The increasing use of large language models (LLMs) in mental health support necessitates detailed evaluation of their recommendation capabilities. This study compares four modern LLMs—GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and dataset-enhanced Gemma 2 and GPT-3.5-Turbo—in recommending mental health applications. We constructed a structured dataset of 55 mental health apps using RoBERTa-based sentiment analysis and keyword similarity scoring, focusing on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and insomnia. Standard LLMs demonstrated inconsistent accuracy and often relied on outdated or generic information. In contrast, our retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipeline enabled lower-cost models to achieve up to 55% higher accuracy than baseline models while recommending apps with …

Properties Of Eigenvalues Of The Fractal Laplacian, Eric Stachura, Andrew Chincea

Symposium of Student Scholars

We investigate the properties of the eigenvalues of the fractal Laplacian. We begin by defining the fractal Laplacian operator in one dimension and formulate the corresponding Dirichlet eigenvalue problem. Analytical solutions are obtained for specific fractal parameters, and computational results illustrate the structure of eigenvalues and their associated eigenfunctions. We extend our analysis to two dimensions using separation of variables. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how fractal geometry affects the spectral characteristics of differential operators.

The Translucent Fortress, Owen Phillips, Robin Puttock

Symposium of Student Scholars

Domestic violence is a nationwide crisis affecting millions of women, with severity increasing since COVID-19. In Georgia, over a third of women report experiencing physical violence by an intimate partner, with rural victims facing even greater risks. They experience abuse more frequently, must travel farther for help, and are more likely to be turned away due to limited shelter capacity. Existing shelters often fall short due to poor design and security.

Several factors complicate the issue, including geographic isolation, religious and familial pressures to stay with an abuser, and financial barriers limiting transportation access. Addressing these challenges requires reimagining the …

Bridging The Gap: Care Team’S Perspectives On Technology And Ai Integration In Healthcare, Sarah Fernandes, Pranathi Boyina, Awatef Ergai Dr., Wellstar Health System, Mohammad Yousef Mousa Naser, Sylvia Bhattacharya Dr.

Symposium of Student Scholars

As healthcare systems increasingly integrate digital solutions, understanding the perspectives of frontline healthcare workers on technology adoption is critical. This study explores how Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), collectively referred to as the Care Team, interact with existing and emerging healthcare technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). Given the growing reliance on digital tools for clinical and administrative tasks, this research examines the challenges and benefits perceived by healthcare professionals when incorporating AI-driven solutions into their workflows.

A cross-sectional research design was employed, involving 30 semi-structured interviews with Care Team members from an Intensive …

Heathy Aging In A Sustainable Manner, Karin Volkwein-Caplan

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Karin Volkwein-Caplan, Kinesiology, presents "Healthy Aging in a Sustainable Manner".

Distribution Of Mussels In Two Intermittent Upland Streams Of The Arkansas Valley Ecoregion, Aaron A. Brady, Seth Drake, Zach Crain, Kendall Moles

ATU Scholars Symposium

Freshwater mussels are facing an increasing need for conservation due to their declining populations. More data is needed on mussel distributions, especially in tributaries of large rivers to properly conserve and restore populations. Big Shoal Creek and Little Shoal Creek are two upland-tributaries of the Arkansas River (Lake Dardanelle) in which no records exist for freshwater mussel populations. We addressed this knowledge gap by sampling a total of 9 sites in Little Shoal Creek and 18 sites in Big Shoal Creek to determine the abundance and distribution of mussels in these streams. Mussels were sampled using a timed search approach. …

Ecosystem Stability In The Late Cretaceous Preceding The Chicxulub Impact, Anna Gamal, Anthony Uriarte

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The K-Pg mass extinction significantly altered the course of life on Earth— nearly 75% of all life went extinct. However, we still do not know the exact cause of this extinction event. There are two hypotheses: 1) the extinction was created solely by the Chicxulub meteor impact; 2) the global ecosystem was already in decline before the meteor. Here, we test these hypotheses using fossils from the Lance Creek Formation of Wyoming. We gathered data on taxonomic richness, abundance, evenness and compared our data to historically well-sampled sites. Continued testing on these two hypotheses will allow us to gather support …

The Peace Trap: Corporate Behavior And Human Rights, Alexis Schnelker, Jack Blumenshine, Michael Clausen

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

How does domestic corporate behavior affect government protections of human rights? Using data on large corporate participation in the UN Global Compact, positive and negative corporate behavior (Melin 2021), and national latent human rights scores from Farriss et al. (2019) and Cingranelli et al. (2023), we examine the effects of corporate behavior on the protection of various human rights by the host state. Our findings will shed light on the opportunity for domestic corporations to affect the protection of human rights and will deepen the existing links of study between human rights attainment and the activity of the private sector.

"Conversae: The Sorbonne Cartulary And Jewish Converts Of 13th Century Paris, Andrew Ms Zero

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This mentored research project supports medieval historian Dr. Stabler-Miller’s work on 13thcentury Paris, focusing on Jewish converts to Christianity, or conversae, who were not fully accepted as Christians. Using the Sorbonne cartulary—a record of property transactions from the early 1200s to 1300s—this project examines interfaith interactions before the expulsion of Jews from France. The cartulary documents King Louis IX’s policy of housing Jewish converts on the Left Bank, contributing to the development of the Sorbonne. These first-generation converts likely received royal pensions, reflecting broader Capetian conversion efforts. By analyzing printed and manuscript sources, this project contextualizes Jewish convert life, interfaith …

Prenatal Stress Effects On Sex Differences In Recognition Memory And Synaptic Expression Of Ampa-Type Glutamate Receptors, Rumyr Sobrepena

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Prenatal stress (PRS) increases the risk of cognitive deficits in male but not female offspring. This study investigates sex-specific effects of PRS on RNA editing, AMPA receptor expression, and dendritic spine density in the dorsal CA1 hippocampus—critical for memory. Behavioral assays revealed impaired recognition memory in PRS males only. We hypothesize that reduced RNA editing and synaptic AMPA receptor localization underlie these deficits. Through immunohistochemistry, confocal imaging, and qPCR, we will assess correlations between molecular alterations and cognition. Findings may uncover mechanisms of female resilience to PRS and identify targets for treating neurodevelopmental disorders marked by cognitive impairments.

Meet Atu Intro, Caleb Urbani, Darlene Matamoros, Dena Paw, Jean Caballero

ATU Scholars Symposium

Meet ATU is our app designed to improve a student’s network and campus experience. Specifically made for students at Arkansas Tech University, Meet ATU allows students to connect and engage with their classmates easily. Students can add classes to their profiles using a course reference number. Students can also personalize their profiles to help them find other students to connect with within their enrolled classes. Meet ATU encourages students to communicate and collaborate with others through the messaging page. This would help students grow their network. The app will also include a leaderboard page that tracks points earned through various …

Seasonal And Environmental Influences On Snake Captures In Northern Indiana, Skye La Rosa, Nicholas Sekits, Sara Ruane

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Midwestern snake populations have been declining, yet, snakes are challenging to capture and study due to their cryptic nature. We examined how the time of sampling, coverboard type, and temperature influenced the capture rates and sizes of Common Gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) and Dekay’s Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi). We deployed coverboards (rubber or carpet) at 20 sites across northern Indiana and found that T. sirtalis captures peaked in July and August, and both species had smaller sizes in August. Coverboard type had no significant effect. These findings provide insight into snake ecology, particularly seasonal patterns, and habitat preferences, informing future conservation efforts.

Telehealth In Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Pre- And Post-Covid 19 Analysis, Sydney Kiana Shimizu

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from in-person substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to virtual telehealth (TH) visits, creating opportunities to assess the impact of virtual visits on SUD treatment.

Methods: This study utilized retrospective, de-identified, electronic health record (EHR) data from Oracle EHR Real-World Data to examine the impact of TH on SUD treatment. Patients with a qualifying SUD diagnosis from 141 U.S. health systems were included and divided into pre-TH (January 1, 2017 through January 1, 2019) and COVID (January 1, 2020 through January 1, 2022) cohorts. This study analyzed TH utilization, medications for SUD …

An Analysis On The Time Effectiveness Of Speeding While Driving A Vehicle, Joy Skaggs

ATU Scholars Symposium

Speeding is responsible for roughly a third of all crashes, often coming at a deadly cost. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports many negative consequences, such as a greater likelihood of loss of vehicle control, reduced protection equipment effectiveness, increased stopping distance, crash severity, and fuel consumption (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, n.d.). Yet despite these costs, drivers continue to speed. In fact, in our fast paced world, speeding is so normalized that it’s uncommon to encounter a driver following the speed limit. Hawaiian psychology professor Leon James explains it best: people have twisted their definitions of speeding to …

Elucidating The Function Of An Evolutionarily Conserved Embryonic Splice Variant Of Type Ii Collagen During Vertebrate Development, Megan Stropus, Elise Adrian, Christine Kouria

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Our lab is focused on the highly conserved second exon of Col2a1a utilized during embryogenesis. Within this second exon is the von Willebrand Factor Type C (VWF-C) domain, which regulates the production of Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMPs). BMPs are essential growth factors that signal the development of cartilage, heart, bone, and neural tissue formation. Using CRISPR-Cas9 we will splice out exon 2 (subsequently knocking out the VWF-C domain) to observe the change in BMP production and its effect on the growth and development of zebrafish embryos. Given the role the VWF-C domain plays in BMP production, we expect that the …

Electric Stimulation Treatment For Anorexia Nervosa: From Modern Treatments To Bench Study With Aplysia Californica, David Brynski, Hui Ye

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a mental disorder characterized by the practice of extreme diets that results in low bone density and weight loss. Aside from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychiatric therapy, deep brain stimulation (DBS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) stimulation have started to yield greater promise and effectiveness. We will review the clinical cases using electric stimulation in treating AN. We will also provide evidence that demonstrate the switching of feeding motor programming in Aplysia californica by electric stimulation and magnetic stimulation. Our work is essential in establishing Aplysia as a valuable model for studying the cellular and …

Thermostability And Catalytic Activity Analysis Of Protein Mutant 𝛽- Glucosidase B (Bglb) A88e, Taneesha Sinha, Alana Pereira

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Much has been discovered about the nature of proteins, but scientists around the world are still trying to understand the relationship between protein structure and function. Steps to answer these questions have been pursued in the efforts of improving predictive modeling software like Foldit with supplemented data sets. We make our own efforts to aid researchers in gaining more data, by mutating and analyzing the thermostability and catalytic activity of mutant 𝛽-glucosidase (BglB) proteins.

Building A Digital Decolonial Archive, Isabella Paluzzi Steele, Sofia Peralta

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Our research was to aid in developing an archive for a Women Studies and Gender Studies and Anthropology course on decolonization.

We studied Cherrie Moraga, Gloria Anzaldua, Anibal Quijano, and Enrique Dussel to first frame our research. Then, we visited the Field Museum, the National Museum of Mexican Art, the American Indian Center, and the Newberry Library in Chicago to see if these institutions are effectively decolonizing.

With this project, we aimed to create an archive that would address how Eurocentric ideas ignore the history of the countries they exploited, recognize how colonizer nation hypocrisy is dangerous and creates the …