Digital Commons Network^™

Foreign Language Instruction – Commonalities From Kindergarten To College, Bethany A. Tafoya

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Kindergartners learn much differently than high schoolers or college students. Yet, when it comes to foreign language (FL) instruction, adult learners are often back at square one, like kindergarteners. Though learning capacity and maturity differ greatly between kindergarten and college, are there any common threads in the method of instruction across all these levels? This project was carried out by observing foreign language classrooms from kindergarten to college, identifying the main means of instruction in each class, and analyzing whether any commonalities exist between all the levels. Language is universal, and in an increasingly global world, contact with other languages …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 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 …

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 …

The Climate Crisis: Mental Health Providers' Beliefs About Responsibility And Professional Relevance, Mackenzie Raiman, Marci Olsen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Climate change is a global phenomenon that poses an existential threat to individuals worldwide. Research has shown that climate change can negatively impact mental health. However, it is unclear if, and how, mental health providers are engaging with this unique stressor, how much of a personal and professional responsibility they feel regarding the impacts of climate change, and how relevant they feel it is to their profession. 150 mental health professionals across the United States completed a measure of nature connectedness (NR-6), a measure of professional identity (PISC), and several questions assessing their sense of personal and professional responsibility to …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 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 …

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 …

The Impact Of Mental Health On Recidivism: A Logistic Regression Analysis Examining Federal Probation Outcomes, Stephanie Kowal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

My research study examines the relationship between mental health and a person’s success in probation. I used secondary data that was sourced by the Criminology research group at UM that collected probation data from the Feder Probation District in Montana during 2022. I wanted to specifically understand whether probationers that were receiving mental health treatment were more likely to recidivate while in the probation program. In this study, recidivism refers to an instance in which a probationer violated a condition of their release and was sent back to prison. From the binary logistic regression analyses I estimated, I discovered that …

Beyond Navigating: Empowering Ourselves And Our Communities Through Critical Technology And Information Research, Sarah Appedu

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Artificial intelligence systems are increasingly being sold to the public as transformative, world-changing, life-improving advancements in human evolution. Information literacy librarians have and will continue to play an instrumental role in challenging and critiquing new technological “advancements” that make their way into the lives and practices of their organizations and communities. However, librarians may be underutilizing the important skills they hold in evaluating complex information sources and systems when helping their communities critically respond to new tools like those powered by artificial intelligence. While emphasizing skills related to source evaluation, identifying algorithmic bias, and critically examining the economic context of …

Yes, Use Ai, But Not Like That! Helping Student Researchers Navigate Conflicting Messages About Generative Ai, Ali Krzton, Todd Shipman

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

University students are being encouraged by their peers, or even their institutions, to use generative AI tools to make the research process more efficient and less stressful. However, they are also cautioned against inappropriate use of generative AI by course instructors, research supervisors, and those same institutions. Many librarians are reluctant to enter the discussion and provide instruction in the appropriate use of generative AI, perhaps to avoid the appearance of endorsement. On the other hand, the implications of student use of AI for information literacy cannot be ignored. One possible strategy is for librarians to explore the use of …

Getting Student Buy-In On Information Literacy In A Generative Ai Information World, Vincent Larkin

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Even before the emergence of ChatGPT and similar programs, it could be difficult to get students interested in tracking down information sources and evaluating the authority, context and intent of content. With the emergence of generative AI tools, many educators are finding more unattributed or AI generated content in submitted student work, and for the students who use these tools, the speed and perceived authority of these tools may blind them to the difficulty of tracking and crediting the original sources. Given the emergence of these tools, how can we get students to value and put into practice information literacy …

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 …

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 …

An Integrative Literature Review Of Covid-19-Driven Sustainability-Based Strategies For Tourism: 2020-2023, Maryanne Eva

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

The unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic exposed severe vulnerabilities within existing business models. Global supply chains, educational services, health care systems, and specific industries such as the travel and tourism sectors have been profoundly disrupted. The adverse effects on businesses and socio-economic systems suggest the need to reevaluate and reshape existing management strategies to increase business preparedness and responsiveness to future global disruptions. This integrative literature review presents a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature during the height of the pandemic from 2020 to 2023, exploring how the latter generated momentum for adopting new sustainable business models within …

Food Tourism And Storytelling In The Scandinavian North, Kajsa G. Åberg

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

The relation between place, food and tourism is gaining interest from actors in both private and public sectors in the Nordic countries. Food is discussed as potential for product development and image building, based on reasoning on how value may be added through geographical food branding. However, food and drink may also be regarded as a tangible way to communicate local ways of life and as bearers of symbolism and values. The process of commercialization is therefore closely linked to aspects of control and respect, elements found in the criteria section on socio-cultural sustainability in the Global Sustainable Tourism Council …

Ambosli National Park (Kenya) - Recommendations For Park Management And Regenerative Toursim, Masahiko Takai Mr.

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

Amboseli National Park (ANP) in Kenya is now registered in the Tentative List for Natural World Heritage of UNESCO. This paper initially reviews the major challenges and issues of ANP released by Kenyan Wildlife Service and Amboseli Ecosystem Trust. Then, recommendations for benefit sharing with local communities, for opportunities for ROI in protected areas for conservation, for improvement of park & recreation management and sustainable tourism are proposed. This paper takes the holistic views recommending regional government to take actions “beyond ANP” for the total regional ecosystem, and also recommending regenerative tourism with high touch beyond sustainable tourism.

Gstc Criteria As Self-Diagnosis Tool In The Mexican Caribbean., Pedro Moncada Dr.

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

Case Study : Use of the GSTC Criteria as a self-diagnosis tool

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 …

Impact Of Gstc Destination Assessment On Socio-Economic And Environmental Changes In Destinations: The Case Of Sukhothai Historical Park And City Of Dubrovnik, So Young Lee, Tiffany Chan, Mihee Kang

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

No abstract provided.

Juggling Expectations And Certification Standards: Journey Of A Norwegian Destination Towards Acquiring The Sustainable Destination Label, Per Strömberg, Ajay Kumar

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

Juggling expectations and certification standards: Journey of a Norwegian destination towards acquiring the sustainable destination label.

Authors: Ajay Kumar & Per Strömberg, University of South-Eastern Norway

Short abstract: External third-party audits are crucial for ensuring the quality of sustainability in tourism, utilizing tools like certifications and accreditations. Certification is widely employed as a means of assessing quality in sustainable tourism practices, enhancing credibility and overall quality standards. In 2018, Innovation Norway's Sustainable Destination Standard achieved the esteemed status of being recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This standard, consisting of 45 criteria and 108 indicators, undergoes thorough assessment, …