Digital Commons Network^™

Postville Today: An Update

Postville Project Documents

A four-page document with information about Postville, Iowa, years after the 2008 Postville immigration raid.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, August 2022, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Welcome Back Students!
--- Don't Miss Out: Community Training Workshops are winding down
--- Painter Training: IWRC Contributes to UNI Campus-wide Initiative
--- Free Energy Assessments
--- Industry News

Gender & Sexuality Services Back-To-School Newsletter [August 2022], University Of Northern Iowa. Gender & Sexuality Services.

Gender & Sexuality Services Newsletter

In This Issue:

--- Back to School with Diversity, Inclusion & Social Justice
--- Conference Opportunity
--- NISG Board of Directors
--- Cedar Valley Pridefest
--- BSU 50th
--- Harvest Conference
--- Upcoming Events

International Engagement, August 2022, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

In this Issue:

--- Welcome Back!
--- CAB Events
--- Community Events
--- Campus Event
--- Hello Fall
--- Coffee Hour
--- Learn Culture and Language with Us
--- IE and CIEP Partnership
--- Around UNI: Useful Sources to Explore

Notes For The Stalled, V15n01, August/September 2022, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Welcome Back!
--- TEACH Project
--- Do you have my textbook?
--- Career Readiness

Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy Analysis Of Native American Pottery For Maple Syrup Residue [Poster], Alexis Wirtz, Joshua Sebree Ph.D., Donald Gaff Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The research conducted regards whether or not Native Americans understood how to create maple syrup before the influence of Europeans. Through the usage of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), the identity of different maple syrup organic residues within pottery can be determined.¹ These organic residues tell us more about Native American history and culture. An analysis of organic residues was performed on the following types of pottery: proof of concept and weathered (an analog of the proof of concept). Organic residues were able to be identified within the proof of concept but not in the weathered pottery. This research also …

Using Atomic Force Microscopy To Study Dna And Rad51 Protein Interaction, Samrin Shahnaz, Justin Peters Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Recombinase proteins, such as RAD51, play a central role in repairing double-strand breaks of DNA through the process of homologous recombination. In this project, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to generate scans of RAD51 proteins bound to double-stranded DNA. Due to the cooperativity of RAD51 binding, we observed a nucleation effect where RAD51 proteins generally tended to bind to DNA that already had other RAD51 proteins bound.

The State Of Safety Training, Facilities, And Resources For Chemistry Teachers: A National Survey, Lydia Richardson, Dawn Del Carlo Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

This study is examining the current state of secondary science teachers' chemical safety training, facilities in the school, and the resources available. A survey is being conducted at the start of August and collection will be concluded at the end of September. Data analysis will begin in October, with four main goals in mind to begin with. Teachers’ variation in training is going to be looked at along with what form of safety training is most common. The timing of training will also be looked at to see how frequently training is occurring. With regard to facilities, reported parts of …

Extracting Lithium Using The Steric Bulk Of An Aminimide Functional Group, Jacob Parker, Martin Chin Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

An aminimide is a zwitterionic group containing a cationic nitrogen bonded to an anionic nitrogen. The goal of this project was to use the steric bulk and electronic properties of the aminimide to block other species in a brine solution such as potassium, and selectively pick up lithium. To test this, polymethacrylate beads which contain carboxyl groups were modified to the desired aminimide. Three different aminimide groups were tested, a trimethylaminimide, aminopyridiniumaminimide, and a triethylaminimide. The modified beads would be introduced to a solution containing lithium and the lithium concentration was measured before and after exposure to the beads using …

Identification Of Microorganisms From The Depths Of Wind Cave, Abbie Bangs, Justin Peters Ph.D., Joshua Sebree Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

During 2022, samples were collected at Wind Cave National Park on three different trips. As the team goes deeper and deeper into the cave, the goal is to actively trace the types of microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, and archaea) throughout the cave. The process to obtain species level identification of these samples utilizes PCR amplification of different sections of their genomic DNA followed by sequencing analysis. An initial phylogenetic tree showing relatedness of the identified microorganisms is presented.

Attitudes Toward The Chemistry Laboratory Learning Environment Using Different Pedagogies And Assessment Protocols, Lydia Richardson, Dawn Del Carlo Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) and Argument Driven Inquiry (ADI) are evidence-based laboratory approaches that emphasize the process of scientific argumentation (Burke et al., 2006; Rudd et al., 2001; Walker et al., 2011). The University of Northern Iowa utilized the SWH approach for over 10 years until research indicated that the cognitive load associated with the pre-lab, specifically, hindered students’ ability to participate in authentic scientific inquiry for the rest of the laboratory experiment (Bonde & Del Carlo, 2018). In response to this, a hybrid model of instruction integrating elements of both the SWH and ADI laboratory approaches was created …

Pilot Study: Geoenvironmental Controls Of Residential Radon Cedar Falls, Iowa, Maya Mallavarapu, Chad Heinzel Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

• The leading cause of lung-cancer for individuals who do not smoke is exposure to abnormally high radon concentrations. If radon concentrations within a person’s basement is above 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends further testing and possible decontamination of the area to mitigate one’s exposure to radon.

• Radon is a radioactive gas that originates from the decay series of Uranium-238. The decay series begins with Uranium-238 and finishes with an end product of Lead-206. However, during this decay process before Lead-206 is culminated, intermediates such as Uranium-234, Thorium-230, Radium-226, and Radon-222 are also produced

The Total Solar Eclipse Of 1869 In Iowa: What Remains Today, Jacob P. Baskin

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

On August 7th, 1869, a total solar eclipse was visible in the United States. It carved a path through the heartland, nearly bisecting the state of Iowa as it ran from the northwest corner of the state, through Des Moines, and down through the southeast. As the scientists of the day flocked from universities and observatories on the east coast to the Midwest for a chance to make observations and measurements, many of the teams chose to set up in Iowa. Along the path of the eclipse, the parties built temporary observatories to house their telescopes, or simply picked buildings …

Geoarchaeology Of The 1926 Seeberger Excavation - Jackson County, Iowa, Nicolas Duffy, Chad Heinzel Ph.D., Faith Luce, William Green

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

In 1926, Paul Nesbitt discovered around 350 shards of clay pottery in Seeberger Cave, located 6 miles north of Maquoketa, Iowa. It is unknown if these artifacts were made in Iowa, or brought over from neighboring states. For this project, Dr. Heinzel, Faith Luce and I traveled to the area to collect samples of clay and stone. We got close to the cave, but didn’t have the equipment to cross the river at the time. The area we collected our samples from is about 600 meters away from the original site. The samples will be used to characterize the site, …

Geoenvironmental Implications On Food Sovereignty - Meskwaki Settlement, Tama County, Iowa, Lindsey Hubbell, Chad Heinzel Ph.D., Christina Blackcloud, Luke Kapayou, Avis Bear-Bass

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Native American culture demonstrates a spiritual relationship to food, land, and Earth. As opposed to European traditions valuing private property and exploiting the Earth for profit, Native American tradition believes the Earth is owned by no one; food and nourishment from it are a gift for all to take only as needed. The Meskwaki Nation originated around the Great Lakes but was removed to Tama County, Iowa. It is derived from the words “Meskwa” meaning “red” and “aki” meaning “Earth”. This Red Earth nation has initiated a Food Sovereignty program to pass along traditional growing and food preparation practices to …

Development Of A Water Quality Index Calculation Tool Using Excel, Rowan Mccarthy, Mohammad Iqbal Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

With many parameters by which water can be measured, it can be difficult to understand whether water is high quality or low quality. To solve this problem, many water quality indices have been developed over the last 60 years. The UNI Hydrology Lab uses the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI). This index provides a methodology by which Dissolved Oxygen, Fecal Coliform, pH, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Temperature Change, Total Phosphate, Nitrate, Turbidity, and Total Solids can be combined to provide a single number indicative of the overall water quality. In previous years, when WQI calculations were needed, the bulk …

Why Do Effective Science Teachers Persist?: A Mixed Methods Approach Exploring Post-Induction Effective Science Teachers' Experiences, Molly Ella Ramker, William Raymond Lange, Jesse Wilcox Ph.D., Dori Clausen

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Secondary science teachers have been leaving the field at an increasing rate in recent years. While much is known about science teacher attrition, less is known about science teacher persistence. The purpose of this study was to identify effective post-induction science teachers and analyze why they persist. This study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach including the Local Systemic Change Classroom Observation Protocol (LSC-COP) to generate a quantitative measure of science teaching effectiveness, along with using a phenomenological approach to investigate the experiences of effective science teachers who have stayed in the field.The median and mode of the LSC-COP capsule …

Evaluation Of Methods To Extract Genetic Material From Wild Bees, Brody Jack, Mila Haynes, Ai Wen Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Genetic studies on bees are essential to the understanding of the genetic and species diversity of bees, as well as general prairie health. Diversification of species and genetics are in decline, this means a decline in overall prairie health is inevitable. The University of Northern Iowa has ongoing studies looking into the health of prairies as well as the bee population, with a need for an understanding of how to properly store and extract genetic material from wild bees. We examined the concentration of DNA and fragment size shown in a gel from the bees that were killed using two …

Exploring Microbes At Wind Cave As An Analog For Exobiological Environments Off Earth, Abby K. Sliwiniski, Emma W. Pellegrino, Nicole Geerdes, Marek K. Sliwinski

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Subterranean environments on Earth serve as an analog for the study of microbes on other planets. This has become an active area of research with the discovery of exoplanets. To learn about the microbial species living in Wind Cave, we are comparing methods to sample environmental DNA because most microbes cannot be cultivated using standard laboratory methods. We are then probing the environmental DNA with broad primers that are designed to amplify most life and narrower primers such as those specific to the domain Archaea. Of the methods compared, the Qiagen DNeasy Powerbiofilm kit produced the purest template as measured …

Comparison Of Plant Richness And Density In Crp-42 Fields Between 2018 And 2022, Liz Wilgenbusch, Ai Wen Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Recently, the number of pollinators have decreased dramatically throughout the United States. Pollinators play an important role in food production with around ⅓ of the world’s food crops being dependent on pollinators. Providing a high-forage habitat for pollinators is a proposed solution to combat their decline. In the upper Midwest United States, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) helps protect pollinator habitats by providing farmers with annual payments to retire their old farmland. The purpose of this study was to compare plant density and richness in CRP fields between year 3 and year 7 post planting to find trends in the …

Developing Methods To Assess The Role Of Lumbricus Terrestris On Seed Predation In Prairie Restoration [Poster], Jacey Meier, Laura L. Jackson Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Much of Iowa and the midwest used to be covered in tallgrass prairie– now only a small percentage of it remains. Many prairie restoration efforts to revitalize prairie lands are in place, but native prairie seed prices are extremely high. In addition, seedling establishment rates of native prairie seed are low. There are many events that can occur to prevent a seed from germinating into a seedling. One of those events is seed predation (or granivory). Seed predation is when seeds are used as a primary food source for animals. Granivores that commonly come to most minds include mice, squirrels, …

Left-Separation Of Ω1, Lukas Stuelke, Adrienne Stanley Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

A topological space is left-separated if it can be well-ordered so that every initial segment is closed. Here, we show that all countable ordinal numbers are left-separated. We then prove that a similar method could not work for ω₁ , using the pressing-down lemma¹ . We finish by showing that a left-separating well-ordering on ω₁ necessarily leads to a contradiction.

Assessing Methods For Enhancing Monarch Habitat In Re-Enrolling Crp Sites, Eva Van De Mortel, Tristan Murphy, Laura L. Jackson Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Over the last 30 years, monarch butterflies and their habitats have been in dramatic decline. Land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is one of the greatest resources available to increase monarch population as it has the largest amount of space available for monarch habitat. However, some fields have lost the nectar plants and milkweeds necessary for monarch habitat. This study, asked how to best suppress vegetation in re-enrolling CRP land so that overseeded forbs have a better chance of survival? Vegetation surveys from 6 different sites in northeastern Iowa and results from 2021 to 2022 were compared. We …

Using Environmental Dna (Edna) To Assess Pollinator Communities In Cedar Valley, Mila Haynes, Brody Jack, Ai Wen Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Tracking biological activity in Iowa prairies can prove difficult with such high levels of biodiversity. However, using environmental DNA (eDNA) collected from prairie flowers can provide integral information about the insects that pollinate various plants.

When bees land on flowers, they shed cells and leave trace amounts of their DNA behind. After extracting the DNA from these flowers using the Qiagen DNeasy Extraction method, the samples are then mixed with B10 primer. This primer allows only the bee DNA to be targeted once the samples are put through a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

The purpose of this study is to …

Curating A Global Collection Of Grapsoid Crabs For The American Natural History Museum, Nyc, Taylor Pruisman, Amber Finke, Carl Thurman Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Curation is a powerful tool when accessing information about specialized collections. Many researchers that use specimens borrowed from other institutions often find the supporting information insufficient. Over the last two years, a large collection of preserved grapsoid crabs was received from Frank H. Barnwell, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.The collection of land crabs has undergone an extensive curation process done by University of Northern Iowa undergraduates. The curation process included identifying species, locating pin points, counting of sexes, rehousing and producing new labels. The specimens were sorted by their species, counted by gender, and their collection locations …

Rendezvous Numbers Of Compact And Connected Spaces, Kevin Demler, Bill Wood Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The concept of a rendezvous number was originally developed by O. Gross in 1964, and was expanded upon greatly by J. Cleary, S. Morris, and D. Yost in 1986. This number exists for every metric space, yet very little is known about it, and it’s exact value for most spaces is not known. Furthermore, it’s exact value is difficult to calculate, and in most cases we can only find bounds for the value. We focused on their arguments using convexity and applied it to shapes in different metrics and graphs. Using sets of points that stood out (vertices, midpoints) as …

Using An Aminimide Polymer To Extract Lithium From A Brine Solution, Austin Heidbreder, Martin Chin Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Fast lithium isolation from water partly containing lithium ions would be an improvement over the current method of obtaining lithium in lithium mining water operations. The aminimide functional group can be used to selectively bind to lithium cations to extract lithium from brine. To characterize this uptake, the concentration of water containing lithium was measured with atomic absorption spectroscopy before and after the solution has been exposed to a polymer with the aminimide functional group. Three different polymers were used: trimethyl EGDM polymer, trimethyl TMPTA polymer, and the triethyl TMPTA polymer. Of the three, the trimethyl TMPTA polymer seemed to …

Analysis Of Temperature Dependence Of Surface Roughness Of Gold Film On Mos2, Joshua Wolff, Jeff Carlson, Timothy E. Kidd Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

We have developed a method to control the surface roughness of ultrathin Au surfaces on MoS₂ crystals through the use of annealing. Through this method, we are now able to utilize Au surfaces for a variety of research, such as research on self-assembled monolayers (SAM) as well as with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Ultra-Flat Au Surfaces On Finite Layer Mos2, Jeff Carlson, Timothy E. Kidd Ph.D., Andrew J. Stollenwerk Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

We have developed a method for creating ultra-flat Au surfaces by sputtering Au onto thin films of MoS₂. This method is more cost effective than current technologies. Our Au surfaces are subatomically flat over relatively large areas making them useful for self assembled monolayer (SAM) research.

A Lite Daq System For Precision Resistance Measurements, Nathan Schmidt, Timothy E. Kidd Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Data acquisition (DAQ) systems are frequently utilized in lab settings. Basic DAQ systems are a common occurrence in lab courses for this reason. Commonly, however, the DAQ systems utilized in such courses are proprietary, and do not allow students to understand how they operate beyond a “plug in and go” nature as a result. A further consequence is that these systems are not capable of being programmed, such as is often done with equipment used in professional labs. The DAQ systems used in lab courses aren’t easily replaced by the test equipment they seek to emulate due to cost. Ideally, …