Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Volume 14, Ireland Seagle, Dalton C. Whitby, Cassandra Poole, Rachel Cannon, Heidi Parker-Combes, Devon G. Shifflett, Antonio Harvey

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Dr. Amorette Barber
• From the Editor: Dr. Larissa "Kat" Tracy
• From the Designers: Rachel English, Rachel Hanson
• Hungry Like the Wolf: The Wolf as Metaphor in Paramount Network’s Yellowstone: Ireland Seagle
• “Floating Cities”: Illustrating the Commercial and Conservation Conflict of Alaskan Cruise Ship Tourism: Dalton C. Whitby
• What Can You Do When Your Genes are the Enemy? Current Applications of Gene Manipulation and the Associated Ethical Considerations: Cassandra Poole
• La doble cara: un tema romántico en las obras de Larra y Hawthorne: Rachel Cannon
• Resolving a Conflict: How to …

Designing Single Molecule Diode, Tinsae Alem

Longwood Senior Theses

The field of single molecule electronics is based on using single molecule devices to control current in electronic circuits. One area of interest is to reproduce the functionality of traditional components such as wires, switches, and diodes using single molecule junctions. We used computational chemistry to design diodes to investigate what molecular features affect their performance including using different donors, acceptors, and connectors. A comparison of the diode's performance was made by comparing the rectification ratio. About 50 diodes were designed and tested, with rectification ratios ranging from 1.0 to 5.8. The results indicate that multiple factors have a significant …

Evaluating Our Reliance On Rare Earth Minerals And Platinum Group Metals Over The Period Of 2012 To 2021, Ryan Smith

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Rare Earth Elements (REE’s) are minerals used in our everyday lives. They can be found in our household appliances, phones, computers, cars, as part of wind turbines and solar panels. The US relies on imports of these rare earths from several other countries (e.g. China, Estonia, Malaysia, and Japan) as we cannot mine a majority of the minerals (e.g. cerium, lanthanum, europium, etc) domestically. Since the year 2012, the US has imported approximately 3,000 metric tons of rare earths, and in recent years, this number significantly increased. As of 2021, the US now imports approximately 43,000 metric tons of rare …

Determination Of Nitrate In Aqueous Media, Ebony Arauz Tellez, John Bohannon, Rebecca Mills, Virginia Tam, Isabelle Villarreal, Melissa C. Rhoten

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Determining the amount of inorganic ions in aqueous media is important in the food industry and environmentally. In the environment high levels of ions like nitrate (NO₃^-), nitrite (NO2^-), and phosphate (PO₄^3-) can lead to unhealthy conditions for aquatic species. Similarly, high levels of nitrate and nitrite can cause health issues in humans. One method for determining nitrate levels in aqueous samples involves reducing the nitrate species to nitrite via a redox reaction with finely divided zinc powder followed by conversion to a diazonium salt and complexation with 1-napthylamine to form a …

Volume 13, Payton Davenport, Audrey Lemons, Jacob Shope, Haley Smith, Cassandra Poole, Rachel Cannon, Rachel Boch, Suzanne Stetson

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Roger A. Byrne, Dean

From the Editor Dr. Larissa “Kat” Tracy

From the Designers Rachel English, Rachel Hanson

The Effect of Compliment Type on the Estimated Value of the Compliment by Payton Davenport, Audrey Lemons, and Jacob Shope

The Imperial Japanese Military: A New Identity in the Twentieth Century, 1853–1922 by Haley Smith

Longwood University’s campus: Human-cultivated Soil has Higher Microbial Diversity than Soil Collected from Wild Sites by Cassandra Poole

Reminiscent Modernism: Poetry Magazine’s Modernist Nostalgia for the Past by Rachel Cannon

Challenges Faced by Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Study of Age and …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Gallate Esters As Alternatives To Traditional Parabens, Marcia Reeves

Longwood Senior Theses

Parabens are esters of p-hydroxybenzoates that are commonly found in everyday consumer products as well as pharmaceuticals. They are often used in commercial products to prevent bacterial growth as well as to provide extended shelf life, but they have been shown to activate estrogen receptors in vivo, a contributing factor in human breast cancer proliferation. Our lab has previously generated a multitude of paraben derivatives that do not exhibit estrogenic activity. Many of these derivatives may have other safety concerns, but gallate esters appear to have the least hazardous properties. The estrogenic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of the gallate ester …

The Analysis And Remediation Of Excess Fluoride In Drinking Water In Isle Of Wight County, Va, Kaleigh Beale

Longwood Senior Theses

Excess fluoride in drinking water can cause fluorosis or brown and yellow staining of the enamel of teeth. In extreme cases, severe damage to teeth and bone structure can develop. In 1993, the World Health Organization set a limit of 1.5 ppm as acceptable for drinking water; however, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, recent water quality reports detected levels of fluoride as high as 4 ppm. The purpose of this study was to investigate several detection and remediation methods of fluoride in drinking water. Detection methods included an ion selective electrode (ISE), dye-based colorimetric methods, and an at-home testing …

Analysis Of Ritalin Addiction And Recovery From Both A Physical And Psychological Lens, Nicole Madrigal, Tyler Marshall

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

We will investigate the physical impacts, both short and long-term effects, of substance use. In doing so, we will frame an argument for the substance's addictive properties as it relates to both its physically addictive and sociological addictive properties. In doing so, a stronger understanding of how an individual can move through the stages of substance use, to abuse, and finally addiction will be reviewed. We will then address current treatment strategies for the substance and how they address or fail to address both the physical and sociological impacts of its use.

Analysis Of Fluoxetine (Prozac) Addiction And Recovery From Both A Physical And Psychological Lens, Kristen Dobek, Hannah Couch

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

We will investigate the physical impacts both short and long term effects of of substance use. In doing so we will frame an argument for the substance's addictive properties as it relates to both its physically addictive and sociological addictive properties. In doing, so a stronger understanding of how an individual can move through the stages of substance use, to abuse, and finally addiction will be reviewed. We will then address current treatment strategies for the substance and how they address or fail to address both the physical and sociological impacts of its use.

Non-Local Approximation Properties, Kira Pierce

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

This project concerns the approximation properties of a given set where X is a scattered sequence and Ï•(x) = 1/x* ln(1 + x^2 ). Similar approximation sets are commonly used in interpolation problems and are especially helpful due to their Fourier representation. For our work, we will work to prove the following theorem.

Geographic Distribution And History Of Plant Specimens At Longwood University Harvill-Stevens Herbarium, Ross Bechtle

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Herbaria are plant museums comprising collections of dried mounted plant specimens crucial for education, research, and conservation purposes. They provide a permanent record of plant diversity found in a particular area over time. An understanding of geographic coverage and history of collection of specimens in a herbarium is important for future planning and growth of a herbarium. The purpose of this study was to understand the county-level distribution and chronology of collection of plant specimens housed in Harvill-Stevens Herbarium at Longwood. Harvill-Stevens Herbarium is the largest collection of Virginia native plants the second largest herbarium in the state consisting of …

Analysis Of Oxycontin Addiction And Recovery From Both A Physical And Psychological Lens, Meagan Munley, Carrie Flickinger

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

We will investigate the physical impacts both short and long term effects of of substance use. In doing so we will frame an argument for the substance's addictive properties as it relates to both its physically addictive and sociological addictive properties. In doing, so a stronger understanding of how an individual can move through the stages of substance use, to abuse, and finally addiction will be reviewed. We will then address current treatment strategies for the substance and how they address or fail to address both the physical and sociological impacts of its use.

So, You Want To Take Zoloft (Sertraline)?: A Biological & Psychological Analysis, Hailey Lux, Mackenzie Harry

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

A lot of individuals around the world suffer with panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). One drug that has been found to significantly decrease these feelings of stress is Sertraline. Sertraline has been proven to increase quality of life among individuals with certain mental health disorders. In addition, it is commonly known as Zoloft and is prescribed to individuals by doctors and psychiatrist. However, we will be talking about how in extreme causes sertraline could become addictive and have withdrawal side effects. Furthermore, during this poster presentation we will be discussing how sertraline is not an …

Excursions In Summation, Brock Erwin

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Using polynomials from series representation of functions to approximate other functions on the closed interval from [-1,1].

Cis-Trans Isomerism In Single Molecule Electronic Devices, Tinsae Alem

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

We investigated the switching properties of cis-trans isomers of azobenzene for single molecule electronics. Although the cis-trans isomerization leads to structural changes within the molecule, the current flow is found to depend mainly on the relative position of the electrodes. The on/off ratio was determined to measure the performance of these isomers as switches. Different cis-trans isomers were studied to compare results.

The Analysis Of Heavy Metals In Samples Of Honey Using X-Ray Fluorescence And Anodic Stripping Voltammetry, Mia Arrieta, Kaleigh Beale

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

A daunting reality is haunting scientists as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is declining bee population in the United States (1). A concrete conclusion as to why CCD is happening remains unclear but extensive research and studies are leaning towards a toxic component in honey to bees called hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (1). HMF has been a culprit in question for a while but researchers are still on the fence as to whether it should be concluded as such. It is theorized that HMF is formed in very warm temperatures and catalyzed by a metal in honey; manganese (1). Manganese is one of …

Effect Of Lancer Park Detention Pond On Stormwater Sediment Concentrations, Rian Blakesley, Randolph Zerick, Jason Seagraves, Joseph Kohler

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

During rain events, stormwater collects sediments and other pollutants during runoff and transports them to receiving water bodies. Detention ponds can reduce pollutant concentrations in stormwater by allowing particulate matter to settle out of the water column. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Longwood University's Lancer Park stormwater detention pond in reducing sediment concentrations. This was accomplished by quantifying the difference between sediment concentrations of stormwater entering and leaving the pond. Inflow and outflow samples were collected from the pond for 3 separate rain events and the samples were filtered, dried, and weighed. The change …

Chemistry Meets Art: Instrumental Analysis At The Lcva, James Rakes, Mia Arrieta, Kaleigh Beale, Adonel Grubb

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

This project is an ongoing collaboration between the Longwood chemistry program and the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. The demonstration shows the capabilities of the X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer as a non-destructive elemental analysis technique. Our class visited the LCVA to analyze several pieces in their art collections. We were able to utilize the XRF instrument to analyze the elemental composition of glass and metal, painted pottery and porcelain, oil paintings, and metals. This project lays the groundwork for further research using X-ray fluorescence for non-destructive chemical analysis.

The Effect Of Urbanization On Water Quality, Mary Hays Scott, Paul Caspar, Danielle Clarke-Bradley

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The past several decades have seen the proliferation of urban areas around the world (Uitto, 1999). Land-cover change, correlated with different forms of land use, is documented to have significant impact on earth's hydrologic systems (Aichele, 2005). Significant studies point to urbanization as being a key source of pollutants in earth's watersheds and natural hydrologic landscapes(Li et al. 2016; Aichele 2005). This study aims to measure the effect of urbanization on the water quality of Gross Creek. Concentrations of E.coli, phosphorus, nitrogen, and suspended sediments were measured from four sampling sites along Gross Creek in Farmville, Virginia. This process was …

The Abundance Of Soil Microbes In Relationship To Proximity To The Urban Area Of Lancer Park In Farmville, Virginia, Christian Michael, Callie Cutrell, Miguel Diaz-Montealegre

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Soil microbes are microorganisms found in soil that serve various critical roles and functions in the environment, such as decomposition and the cycling of nutrients in ecosystems. Natural and human-caused factors can have positive and/or negative impacts on soil microbes. The objective of this study is to examine the abundance of soil microbes in relationship to proximity to the urban area of Lancer Park in Farmville, Virginia. Soil samples were taken from four locations within Lancer Park: the upper and lower floodplain of Buffalo Creek, the bottom of a large stormwater detention pond, and adjacent to an ephemeral channel connecting …

A Non-Destructive Analytical Technique Used For Analyzing A Variety Of Glassware Samples In Hopes To Determine Their Elemental Composition Based Off Their Qualitative And Quantitative Data Results., Angela Scarpa

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In this study, XRF analysis was used to examine and identify specific glassware samples, exported from remote locations, in hopes to determine any correlation between the glass samples being tested. During experimentation, there were 41 glass samples and 3 glass standards that were examined and quantitatively analyzed to determine the elemental compositions of all samples. To ensure optimal sensitivity of these different materials, four methods were utilized to confirm accurate data is collected and to improve all quantitative data results. These four methods contain distinct experimental factors and were purposely selected due to their specific current, voltage, filter, time, and …

Combined Effects Of Allelochemical And Pesticide Treatment On The Growth Of Cucumber Plants, Samue Morgan

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Allelochemicals are biochemicals produced by one plant that inhibits the success of other plants in its vicinity. These allelochemicals are sometimes produced naturally or as a result of stimulus or stress. Ferulic acid is a widespread allelochemical found in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus). Artificial inhibitory chemicals such as the pesticide zeta cypermethrin may create new interactions with ferulic acid. We found that cucumbers acclimate to ferulic acid over time while the inhibitory effects of pesticide remained relatively constant over 14 days.

Riemann Versus Lebesgue Integrals, Justin Moore

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The purpose of this project is to examine how integrals work and compare Reimann integrals to Lebesgue integrals, determining their applications and distinctions.

Chemical Analysis Of An Herbal Opioid, Lauren Johnson

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Different chromatography techniques were used to analyze the concentration of an active component, mitragynine, in kratom samples. The analysis also compared three different extraction methods, one using ultrasonification, the other two using a commercial at home espresso maker. Using gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and high performance liquid chromatography, comparisons between key compounds in the substances were determined and concentrations of mitragynine within the samples were calculated.

Water Quality Assessment Of Farmville, Va, Meghan Hall

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In Farmville, some people drink tap water, but others choose only to drink filtered or bottled water. Some blame this on taste, and others say the mineral content affects their skin from sinks and showers. I propose to conduct an analysis of water hardness and chloride, nitrate, and lead levels of water from various sources in Farmville, Virginia. To measure each parameter, an EDTA titration was carried out to test for water hardness, anodic stripping voltammetry was conducted to detect lead, ion-selective electrode was used to measure chloride, and a modified Griess reaction was carried out to measure nitrate levels. …

Which Weather And Water Conditions Affect The Biodiversity And Abundance Of Macroinvertebrates The Most?, Alyssa Oppedisano, Phil Anderson, Val Phillips

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Macroinvertebrates are important biological monitors that play a valuable role in the metabolism of freshwater food chains. Previous studies have suggested that conditions such as dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, precipitation, and air temperature can affect the abundance of macroinvertebrates which can in turn affect the health of freshwater ecosystems. This research aimed to find the relationship between macroinvertebrate biodiversity and various environmental conditions in freshwater ecosystems. Weather data was taken from a weather station at Lancer Park and water data was taken on-site at Wilson stream, both locations in Farmville, Virginia. Sample collection and identification occurred twice a week …

Microplastics In Urban Stormwater Ponds, Maryelizabeth Crabbs, James Giering

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Microplastics are pieces of plastic that have been broken down into extremely small particles. If introduced into the aquatic environment microplastics can impose adverse effects on aquatic wildlife, especially if they are ingested. The purpose of this study is to analyze the concentrations of microplastics in the waters of local stormwater ponds and compare them to a natural pond. Three ponds in the Farmville area were tested: two stormwater ponds on Longwood University's campus and one natural pond with limited human influence at an off campus location. Water samples were taken weekly over a five week period and then analyzed …

Effect Of Lancer Park Detention Pond On Stormwater Sediment Concentrationsâ , Randolph Zerick, Rian Blakesley, Jason Seagraves, Joey Kohler

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

During rain events, stormwater collects sediments and other pollutants during runoff and transports them to receiving water bodies. Detention ponds can reduce pollutant concentrations in stormwater by allowing particulate matter to settle out of the water column. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Longwood University's Lancer Park stormwater detention pond in reducing sediment concentrations. This was accomplished by quantifying the difference between sediment concentrations of stormwater entering and leaving the pond. Inflow and outflow samples were collected from the pond for 3 separate rain events and the samples were filtered, dried, and weighed. The change …

Adaptation Of Pt-Dna Binding Experiments Into A Multiweek Upperlevel Biochemistry Laboratory Activity, Keira Naff

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Platinum-based drugs are commonly used as anti-cancer therapeutics due to their abilities to bind to DNA and prohibit proliferation in cells. Although the concept of drug interactions within biomolecules is often introduced in undergraduate courses such as biochemistry and toxicology, there are very few laboratory activities that exist that provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to investigate this topic in the lab. During the Summer 2020 PRISM program, we worked to create a multi-week laboratory activity for upper-level biochemistry students focused on the investigation of the DNA binding abilities of common Pt anticancer therapeutics through biochemical modeling and wet laboratory …

Population Dynamics Of Waterfowl Wintering In The Mid-Atlantic Region, Usa, Abigail Harris, Thomas Hoke

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

A recent study (Rosenberg et al. 2019) has shown that bird populations in North America are experiencing major declines except for a few groups including waterfowl. However, this study focused only on the summer breeding populations and did not focus on regional dynamics. We utilized data from 62 Christmas Bird Count (CBC) count circles to evaluate population dynamics of common wintering waterfowl in the coastal Mid-Atlantic region (Delaware=7, Maryland=16, Virginia=18, North Carolina=21) since 1950. We found a 36% decline of wintering waterfowl relative abundance compared to 1950s. American wigeon and Canada goose had major population decreases while Snow goose had …