Digital Commons Network^™

Contemporary Mythology: Poems Of Creatures And Grievances, Zane G. Segal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Urban legends and modern folklore have never been popular subjects in the canon of serious poetry, despite their more ancient counterparts being frequently coveted content. In a post-science world, the uncanny hearsay of yesteryear has lost its star power, and the act of believing in such myths has been relegated to an embarrassing pastime of drunk uncles and gullible dimwits. However, Contemporary Mythology is a collection of poems which are not afraid to be embarrassed. By entertaining the lovable qualities of unlovable monsters, these poems seek the resonance which keep urban legends comfortably lodged in the backlogs of American culture. …

Dispossession Of Ancestral Land: Effect Of Displacement On Indigenous Peoples' Life Satifaction, Kaitlyn Bird, Hailey Shangin, Alana Smutz, Julisa Lopez, Adam Farero, Stephanie Fryberg

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

North America's history of forced displacement and relocation of Indigenous tribes continues to affect contemporary Indigenous peoples (Wolfe, 2006). As climate change, socioeconomic disparities, and industry encroachment shape displacement, Indigenous people continue to be negatively impacted (Covey, 2021). The current work explores how displacement impacts life satisfaction for Indigenous Peoples, and whether cultural embeddedness modifies this relationship. Using the Indigenous Climate Justice survey (N=282), regression analysis illustrates that those who have not been displaced generally report higher life satisfaction than those who have been displaced (β=-0.255, SE= 0.108 p= 0.019). Lower reported life satisfaction is especially prevalent when those displaced …

Brains & Bilingualism: Overlapping Grammar In Aphasia Research (Ogar), Anya M. Craig, Ashlynn Everett, Jeremy Yeaton, Jenna Griffin-Musick, Catherine Off

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Title: Brains & Bilingualism: Overlapping Grammar in Aphasia Research

Category: Neuroscience

Presenter: Anya Craig

When a person who speaks more than one language has a stroke, they may experience loss of language or aphasia. Aphasia in bilinguals often causes grammatical deficits in one or both languages, yet no previous research has investigated whether the deficits across languages vary systematically or remain consistent. This study aims to identify grammatical structures uniquely preserved or impaired in bilinguals with aphasia (BWA) and understand how lesions to different brain regions correlate to grammatical deficits in those with aphasia. A cross-linguistic study was used to …

An Examination Of Cross-Language Grammatical Deficits In A Bilingual Hindi-English Aphasia Case Study, Juhi Singh, Jenna Griffin-Musick, Catherine Off, Danielle Fahey

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In this case study, we examine the cross-language grammatical deficits of a Hindi-English bilingual speaker with chronic aphasia. When aphasia patients are bilingual, they may experience deficits in each language; unique deficits are expected, as no two grammatical structures are exactly the same. So, this case study aims to identify how the overlap of grammars affects the patient’s pattern of grammatical deficits in each language. We recorded the patient’s utterances from samples of their Cinderella story retelling. These utterances were analyzed using the Computerized Language ANalysis (CLAN) paradigm. CLAN is a program that analyzes data for specific language transcriptions. Samples …

The Effect Of Livestock Grazing On Sharp-Tailed Grouse Nesting, Abigail I. League

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This past summer, I worked for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks on the first reintroduction effort of sharp-tailed grouse to western Montana following their extirpation from the region in the late 2000s. I was monitoring nest success, specifically in the Blackfoot Valley, and it was apparent that the nest survival rate was considerably low. Researchers do not know the exact reason sharp-tailed grouse were originally extirpated from the region. However, it has been hypothesized that the use of proper livestock grazing practices could be an important factor in increasing the probability of successfully establishing a population. For this project, I …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience Factors And Academic Performance In College Students, Marie Baird

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experience and Resilience Factors on Academic Performance in College Students

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to many different chronic illnesses and mental health issues. Previous research suggests that resilience factors may mitigate negative outcomes associated with ACEs. The purpose of this project is to investigate the impact of ACEs and resilience on academic performance in college students. Participants completed an online survey consisting of questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Module, the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and questions assessing grade point average and age. Correlation analysis …

A Comparison Of Mammal Detection Methods: Hair Snares Vs Wildlife Cameras, Rayne G. Mccollough

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This study presents findings from a multi-year mammal inventory project conducted by the Bosque School Field and Community Science Programs and partners. The research compares the efficacy of wire brush hair snares and camera traps as mammal detection methods within a 9-hectare property recently acquired by the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division, known as the Bosque. This study was prompted by the request of Albuquerque Open Space biologists and planners to conduct a comprehensive wildlife inventory of the Property and its adjacent public open space. Through rigorous methodology and data analysis, this research sheds light on the comparative effectiveness …

Woodsmoke Exposure Analysis, Maysen R. Mindt

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Exposure to woodsmoke, either incidentally during wildfire events or professionally as in the case of wildland firefighters, poses a significant public health concern and prolonged exposure can result in serious health effects. Yet, studies of the health effects of woodsmoke exposure are often challenged by a lack of quantitative exposure information. Active exposure monitors are cumbersome and difficult to employ, and measurement of markers of exposure in urine is complicated by high and variable background levels. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of silicone wristbands as passive samplers combined with headspace gas chromatography to analyze and …

Scoping Review On Bilingual Aphasia Assessments, Shea A. Kasenga, Danielle K. Fahey

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

I am writing a Scoping Review on Bilingual Aphasia Assessments, which is a piece of literature that showcases any other pieces of literature or resources that exist regarding a specific topic. In this case, the topic is bilingual aphasia assessments. Aphasia is a speech & language disorder, resulting from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or another type of brain injury or lesion. This scoping review paper is meant to serve as a resource for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to use when evaluating an aphasia patient speaking a less common language. With 7,000 languages spoken around the world, many SLPs need aphasia …

Qualitative Inquiry Of Standardized Patients In Slp Clinical Education, Katelin Nicole Cox

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

What are the outcomes of using standardized patients in SLP education?

Communication Sciences

As the need for speech therapists increases, so does the need for adapting and adopting different methods for instructing graduate students in clinical education. The nursing field has used clinical simulations such as having actors portray patients with various medical problems. Research and evidence have shown this type of training to be an effective way to instruct nursing students. Could the same results be replicated for those in the Speech-Language Pathology field? The methods used to determine the effectiveness of clinical simulations in future SLP training have …

Implicit Bias In Speech-Language Pathology: A Journey Towards Inclusive Care, Jadan L. Garner, Jackie Sullivan

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Despite long-lasting attempts to erase biases between people, this is still an issue that exists, even if subconsciously. The purpose of this research project is to investigate the presence and impact of implicit bias on assessment and treatment of speech disorders among multilingual individuals. This will be done with a specific methodology, called a Matched-Guise Test (MGT). MGT is a survey technique created to unveil covert attitudes toward linguistic varieties, including accents, dialects, and languages. In order to measure this bias, we will hire voice actors who are native English speakers and non-native speakers, to record voice samples that resemble …

Impact Of Nocturnal Oxygen Enrichment On High Elevation Acclimatization, P. James Straw, Alejandro M. Rosales, Christopher W. Collins, Christopher W. Collins, Mark L. Mcglyn, Dustin R. Slivka, Brent C. Ruby

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

To offset sleep disturbances at terrestrial altitude during acclimatization, those at high elevations occasionally use nocturnal oxygen enrichment. However, deliberately dampening the hypoxic stimulus may limit acclimatization. PURPOSE: Determine the impact of nocturnal oxygen enrichment on altitude acclimatization. METHODS: 22 males were assigned to sleep with (O₂+, 32.3±2.5% O₂) or without (O₂-, 20.8±0.1% O₂) nocturnal oxygen enrichment. An 8-day acclimatization protocol occurred at a field-based research site with access to sea level (0m), sleeping dormitories (2800m), and a hikeable route to 4200m. Participants were housed at 2800m and completed 5 daily hikes …

The Physiological Response To Exercise In Postmenopausal Women With And Without A History Of Breast Cancer, Liberty Broughton, Sarah Mueller

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO EXERCISE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER

PURPOSE: Compare the cardiovascular response to acute aerobic exercise in healthy postmenopausal women (HPM) and postmenopausal (PM) women after chemotherapeutic treatment from breast cancer (BPM).

METHODS: 5 PM women with a history of breast cancer and 7 apparently healthy PM women completed two visits to the lab. The first visit consisted of a DEXA scan to measure bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition, and a maximal aerobic capacity test (VO_2max) to establish workload. The second visit measured baseline nude body weight (NBW), …

The Effects Of Temperature On Bromus Tectorum (Cheatgrass) Seed Germination, Patrick White, Abby Mcmurtry, Akasha Faist

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Bromus tectorum (Cheatgrass) is an invasive winter annual grass from Eurasia that heavily impacts the intermountain west of North America. B. tectorum invades and changes the fire cycle by making it more intense and frequent by adding continuous fuels to the landscape. This study explores how heat from seasonal fire paired with extreme cold temperatures impacts B. tectorum germination. The hypothesis is that extreme cold temperatures and temperatures simulating grassland fires will impact B. tectorum seeds by decreasing the germination rate and ultimately affecting abundance. When seeds experience cold and heat treatments independently, a lower germination rate is expected relative …

Evolution Of Thermal Performance In A Geographically Widespread Marine Cyanobacterium, Nathan Ryan Miller

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Temperature is one of the most important factors that affect the growth and activity of organisms. Temperatures of coastal marine environments, in particular, vary greatly based on latitude and the local environment (i.e., bays, estuaries, water depth). The Chlorophyll d-producing cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina, is widely distributed in shallow, intertidal marine environments enriched in far-red light, but our understanding of its temperature preferences is limited. In this study, we investigated how different temperatures affect the growth of nine A. marina laboratory strains that were isolated from locations that experience distinct differences in mean sea surface temperature. We hypothesized that the …

Bilingual Lexical Processing Study Using French And English Cognates, Regin Koester

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In this research, we are testing the overlap of bilingual processing using French and English cognates. Bilinguals have acquired two or more languages. Cognates, words of similar or the same definition, are a way to categorize distinct groups of words in the mind of a bilingual, more specifically located in the lexicon. The mental lexicon stores all the words a person knows, connecting the different words for different languages. Cognates have been recognized by bilinguals a significant amount faster than other lexical items. Because of the similarity of cognates in different languages, the processing time of cognates is inherently quicker, …

Effects Of Timber Harvest On Understory Vegetation Succession: A Time Series Study, Reese Poindexter, Trevor Weeks, Chad Bishop

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Timber harvest is a global practice that provides jobs, industry materials, energy, and more, and contributes billions to the global economy. However, it can have long-lasting effects on the ecosystems being harvested. Where most work has focused on the responses of trees, the understanding of post-timber harvest effects on the understory community is an area with much opportunity for understanding how these communities shift over time. The majority of knowledge on how understory vegetation responds and changes post-harvest extends to only a decade or two. In order to paint a better picture of how understory species and communities change after …

How Grammatical Differences Impact Bilingual Cognate Processing Speeds, Ella Peterson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This research investigates people who are proficient in two languages (bilinguals) and the speeds at which they process cognates (words with comparable meaning and pronunciation across languages). Previous research has not examined the effects of cognate grammar on processing speeds. We compared processing speeds of cognates with and without grammar differences in 25 Spanish-English bilingual participants. We found that grammar differences do not impact processing speeds when words are isolated, but that grammar differences facilitate processing speeds when words are placed in sentences. These findings suggest that meaning and form should be prioritized above grammar instruction in second-language education.

Drought-Defying Blooms: Mt. Jumbo Wildflowers Accelerate Flowering In Response To Climate Change, Delia Schmidt, Peter Lesica, Meredith Zettlemoyer

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As our planet undergoes unprecedented climatic shifts, we are beginning to see profound impacts on ecological processes. For example, in western Montana, we expect warming temperatures, altered precipitation, and increasing drought. Both warmer and drier conditions can affect phenology, or the timing of biological events (e.g., flowering). Indeed, earlier flowering is a well-documented consequence of warming temperatures. However, evidence for phenological shifts in response to changing precipitation remains scarce. Using a 29-year dataset on flowering time in a wildflower community on Mt. Jumbo, Missoula, MT, we examined the impacts of warming temperatures and drought conditions on flowering time in species …

Scripted Dialogue Task For People With Aphasia: Effects Of Verb, Object Pronoun, And Sentence Structure Differences, Ashlynn Everett, Anya Craig, Jeremy Yeaton, Catherine Off, Jenna Griffin

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Purpose: Simple syntactic structures are often difficult to produce correctly for people with aphasia (PWA). There has been variability in the literature about how lexical syntax (i.e., ‘parts of speech’) correlates to production of grammatical errors. We aimed to assess verb and object pronoun errors in English-speaking PWA while reducing working memory demands, using a modified replication of Rossi et. al. (2013).

Methods: We used a scripted dialogue paradigm to assess how (a) declarative (“the man wants to eat the cookies”) and imperative (“eat the cookies”) sentence structures, (b) verbs, and (c) object pronouns differentially affected accuracy of sentence completion. …

Impact Of Topical Capsaicin Cream On Thermoregulation And Perception While Walking In The Cold, Alice L. Held, Jessica L. Moler, Alejandro M. Rosales, Andrew C. Engellant

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Capsaicin, a chili pepper extract, can stimulate increased skin blood flow (SkBF) with a perceived warming sensation on application areas. Larger surface area application may exert a more systemic thermoregulatory response. Capsaicin could assist with maintaining heat transport to the distal extremities, minimizing cold weather injury risk. However, the thermoregulatory and perceptual impact of topical capsaicin cream application prior to exercise in the cold is unknown. METHODS: Following application of either a 0.1% capsaicin or control cream to the upper and lower extremities (10 g total, 40-50% body surface area), 11 participants in shorts and a t-shirt were exposed to …

Earlier Snowmelt Adversely Affects Alpine Plant Reproduction, August Lawson, Megan Demarche, Meredith Zettlemoyer

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Alpine ecosystems, a high-elevation habitat found above treeline, are experiencing rapid rates of climate change. Climate change results in warmer, drier conditions and increasingly early snowmelt. However, we have a limited understanding of how climate change affects alpine plant population dynamics, including flower, fruit, and seed production. Recent evidence suggests that seed production declines as snow melt occurs earlier. In summer 2023, we monitored populations of three alpine plants, Minuartia obtusiloba, Phlox condensata, and Silene acaulis. These three species are long-lived, low-growing cushion plants commonly found in alpine habitats across the globe. We quantified fruit production of these …

The Pharmacist's Role In Reproductive Justice, Ann Killen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The pharmacist’s role in an outpatient setting is expanding from one focused solely on dispensing medications to one that collaborates with other healthcare professionals to offer clinical services. Pharmacists are professionally equipped to offer consultations regarding reproductive health services, as they are experts in medication therapy management and are easily accessible in community settings. Twenty states in the U.S. currently have laws permitting pharmacists to consult with patients and prescribe birth control, and several other states have similar legislation in progress. In rural states, pharmacists can bridge the gap many patients face in accessing quality reproductive care through this advancement …

The Youth Forest Monitoring Program: Informing High School Students, Prescribed Fire Management, And The Broader Community, Caitlyn Sena, Elizabeth Burke

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The purpose of this project is to explore whether citizen science can fill important prescribed burn research gaps as well as helping local communities better understand prescribed burning in general. The project proposes looking at the Youth Forest Monitoring Program (YFMP)—a high school citizen science program out of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest—and the data that has been collected on prescribed burn impacts by the program as a case study. The YFMP provides learning experiences to high school students in ecological data collection through commonly applied methods outlined in the Rapid Forest Assessment (RFA). RFA is a relatively …

Understanding The Role Of Maternal-Fetal Tissue Communication In The Evolution Of Genomic Imprinting And Disruption Of Placental Development, Ashlin K. Slanger

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Understanding the role of maternal-fetal tissue communication in the evolution of genomic imprinting and disruption of placental development

Ashlin Slanger¹, John Statz¹, Fernando Rodriguez¹, Jeff Good¹

¹Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana

The placenta is a fast-evolving organ in mammals and has been hypothesized to be a hotspot for the evolution of genomic imprinting. Imprinted expression is a form of gene regulation by which some genes show parent-of-origin dependent allelic expression bias and is critical for successful mammalian development. Studies of placental gene expression in hybridizations between mouse species have shown disruption of placental expression in several genes including …

Thomas Brown Castles: A Portrait Of Service Beyond The Front Lines, Lauren Paige Van Cleaf

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Thomas Brown Castles was born on August 10th, 1922, the seventh child of European Immigrants William and Catherine Irwin Castles. He grew up in a tiny Montana town called Superior, taking in everything it had to offer. Thomas dedicated his life to those around him, serving others in any way he could: local politics, running a family grocery store and serving the United States in World War II. The purpose of this project is to bring to light his powerful actions, while also allowing his experiences to shed light on the 20th-century history of Veterans Affairs and life after the …

Assessing American Attitudes: Welfare Perceptions Over Time By Race, Gender And Education, Liliana H. Silver

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Income and wealth inequality in the United States have skyrocketed since the 1970s, making the country increasingly unequal (Hout 2021; Lee 2023; Piketty and Saez 2014). Researchers disagree on whether overall support for redistribution in the United States has changed in the last several decades (Ashok et al. 2016; Lee 2023; Pittau et al. 2016) but recent studies suggest the country has seen a significant political realignment based on race and education. Education levels are increasingly becoming major determinants in this voter realignment (Kitschelt and Rehm 2019). Much of the literature on attitudes toward welfare exists in political science or …

The Impact Of Past Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence And Coercion On Abortion Attitudes, Grace M. Bintz, Selina Hardt

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Recent changes to the abortion laws across the United States have had a profound impact on the psychological well-being and overall health of women. The extent and ways that people support or oppose access to abortion may be influenced by personal experiences of sexual violence and coercion. To understand the implications of legal actions towards women’s reproductive health, this study explores associations between abortion attitudes and experiences of reproductive coercion, non-partner sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and perceptions of people actively seeking abortion access. In this study, participants were asked about their personal attitudes towards abortion, and their experiences of …

Sex Workers, Homicide, And Content Analysis, Caitlin Carvalho

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The current analysis is on the language used to describe sex workers who are victims of homicide. It explores the types of words used to describe the victims, specifically the use of the word prostitute. The main objective of this project is to examine the potential biases in the language used in academic and online news articles to describe sex workers who are victims of homicide. The methodology is a content analysis with the only guidelines being that the articles need to include any description of sex workers as victims of homicide. This allows for comparison of contemporary pieces and …

Disinformation's Detriment To Democracy: A Russian-African Case Study, Jorgia R. Hawthorne

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The research project will revolve around Russian disinformation campaigns in Africa and the effects of those campaigns on African democracies. The project will also include explanations of the intersection of reliable information and functioning democracy as well as Russian motivations behind the campaigns.

As a political science and journalism student, I am interested in misinformation/disinformation and how/why it is so influential in the health of a democracy. I’ve done research into these phenomena in the United States, but the Russian attacks in Africa appear to be more coordinated. Additionally, African democracies have become increasingly more unstable and I would like …