Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using Arcgis Pro For A U.S. Embassy Site Suitability Study: Douala, Cameroon, Derek Romanek

Symposium of Student Scholars

Using ArcGIS Pro for a U.S. Embassy site suitability study: Douala, Cameroon

Derek Romanek (Uli Ingram), Department of Geography and Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, 30144

The Bureau of Overseas Building Operations wants to know the ideal location for a U.S. Embassy in the Douala, Cameroon. The suitability for the U.S. Embassy location will be determined from feature layer data acquired from ArcGIS Online. The ideal location will be accessed through vacant parcels and industrial sites, points of interest, vulnerabilities to natural hazards, social and economic issues, and a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Through ArcGIS Pro, I …

Classifying Dogs’ Facial Expressions: Implications For Human Cognitive Social Evolution And Cross-Species Communication, Lauren Mitchell

Symposium of Student Scholars

Facial expressions have been considered outward expressions of internal behavioral states. There is evidence that both dogs and humans subscribe to the social learning theory to acquire contextual information from past experiences in connecting facial expressions to behaviors. Previous research has shown that people are able to read dog facial expressions; however, the research is inconsistent on whether this behavior is innate or learned, as well as if this ability extends to dogs of different facial morphologies. The goal of this study was to understand the extent of humans’ ability to read facial expressions of dog breeds with different facial …

Ramifications Of Sleep Deprivation On Army Soldiers, Zoey Coker

Symposium of Student Scholars

While hazardous and largely preventable, sleep deprivation and its negative consequences remain common in the military, more so in the U.S. Army. Sleep deprivation relates to an insufficiency of sleep duration (i.e., seven or fewer hours of sleep). The common duration of sleep among military populations is <6 hours per night, intensified during situational training. Sleep deprivation increases risks for developing behavioral health concerns such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and relates to several health consequences such as worsening traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptoms. Beyond the direct negative effects of sleep deprivation, it also poses an occupational hazard as it affects service member’s focus, point of view, and overall health/readiness. Decreased readiness in combat environments is a factor directly diminishing effective and safe performance. Failure to understand a task and carry out efficient execution ultimately escalates the probability of an unsuccessful operation. There have been few attempts to withstand these repercussions, such as experimenting with a soldier’s caffeine intake to improve readiness, but these efforts come with little progress. This project examines existing literature about the ramifications of sleep deprivation specifically among Army personnel, explains how behavior and resilience is connected to sleep deprivation, and addresses potential solutions to combat the persisting problem of sleep deprivation in the military.

Possible Location For Us Embassy In Copenhagen, Denmark, Danny Jang

Symposium of Student Scholars

The purpose of this research is for students to experience using GIS in a professional setting for a public organization. Copenhagen, Denmark hosts numerous embassies for other countries including the USA which was established nearly a century ago! After going through a couple of public opinions left by the locals (Google review), it would be nice if another location was established to assist both USA and Denmark’s bureaucratic needs. The population has surged compared to the numbers from when the building was established, which also changed the geospatial environment that was established when the building was opened. This research will …

Social Vulnerability, Diabetes, And Obesity In Georgia, Danny Jang

Symposium of Student Scholars

This project examines factors of health geography and population geography by examining the spatial correlation between diabetes and obesity prevalence among the population of Georgia. Diabetes and obesity are closely linked together, however, they are still far apart in various aspects which can be from personal to environmental impacts like geographical locations. This research attempts to investigate diabetes and obesity prevalence by examining the SVI of given counties of a state. This project uses data from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Opendata (which can be found on ESRI). Future studies can examine these health factors …

Examining The Experiences Of Black, White, And Other Student Groups On Campus, Christopher Pauyo, Reanna Tran, Kaelyn Ireland

Symposium of Student Scholars

The climate of a university can be critical to the experiences and mental health of students on a university’s campus (Budge et al., 2020), as such it is necessary to examine the experiences that perpetuate a university’s racial climate. Past psychological research has aimed to reduce negative emotional reactions born of race-related experiences in targeted and marginalized groups (Carter & Forsyth, 2020; Kim, 2016). Although the focus of prior research was essential in improving the experiences of people of color, other directions such as, analyzing the similarities and differences between experiences and emotional reactions of different racial groups, exist as …

Nursing Students' Attitude Towards People Living With Dementia During Covid-19 Pandemic., Jakira D. Usry, Janya Wilson

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: The current global prevalence of dementia is estimated to increase from 55.2 million to 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. Prelicensure student nurses must be educated to have knowledge and skills in providing dementia care as well as positive attitudes.

Aim: To assess prelicensure nursing students' attitudes towards people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This is secondary data analysis of the data collected in an ongoing Mixed-Methods study investigating the impact of clinical experiential learning on prelicensure nursing students' dementia knowledge, attitudes, and skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data was collected via …

Historical And Contemporary Population Trends In New York, Thomas Gillespie

Symposium of Student Scholars

This project explores historical and contemporary population geography trends within the state of New York. New York state contains the largest city and metro area within the United States, New York City, which has served as a major immigration destination for much of its history. Today, it is still considered a major-continuous immigrant gateway metro area. Due to the city being a popular choice for immigration, it has allowed the population of New York to grow and encompass many different cultures and nationalities. This project examines these trends in further detail, by looking at various aspects on why this might …

Exploring Antecedents And Outcomes Of Engineering Students’ Perceived Employability, Nicholas A. Leymeister

Symposium of Student Scholars

The purpose of this research is to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of engineering college students’ perceived employability, which refers to an individual’s perception of their ability to acquire satisfactory employment based on their professional qualifications. We hypothesized that psychological resilience, which describes an individual’s ability to bounce back from adversity, is positively related to perceived employability. Additionally, job seekers with learning goal orientation (LGO), who are motivated to improve their competence by acquiring and mastering new skills, were also hypothesized to have higher perceived employability. We further proposed that perceived employability is positively related to job search intensity and …

How Are You? A Comparison Of Race-Related Emotions On A Predominantly White College Campus, Aisha Duck, Andrew Lord, Avery Britt

Symposium of Student Scholars

How Are You? A Comparison of Race-Related Emotions on a Predominantly White College Campus

Aisha Duck, Andrew Lord, Avery Britt, and Kaelyn Ireland

Racial tension displayed during the events of Summer 2020 demonstrated a need for further discourse on racism and its consequences. Although previous researchers have proposed models that outline discrimination-related stress’s impact on minority groups, these models typically lack details regarding specific emotional reactions to discriminatory incidents (Harrel, 2000; Kim, 2016). Thus, the current study aims to assess KSU’s students’ emotional reactions and coping mechanisms related to racism. For this presentation, there is a particular focus on comparing …

Substance Use Disorders, Cognitive Dysfunction, And Neurodivergence In Emerging Adulthood, David Posada, Jordyn Hebert

Symposium of Student Scholars

Substance Use Disorders, Cognitive Dysfunction, and Neurodivergence in Emerging Adulthood

Posada, D., Herbert, J., Weingast, L., Holliday, E.

Cognitive functioning in college students with substance use disorders (SUD) has been widely researched, however, discussions have largely concentrated on executive functions (EF) such as working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. Literature on the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and SUD has largely underreported the influence of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADD/ADHD) and other neurodivergent characteristics. The current review explores the state of the literature on the relationship between neurodivergence, cognitive dysfunction, and SUD in emerging adulthood. More specifically, it speculates whether college students …

Cochlear Implantown, Ria Shah

Symposium of Student Scholars

My painting, “Cochlear Implantown,” portrays the dramatized position of the Deaf community against the cochlear implant, which is the focus of a vociferous debate between the hearing and Deaf communities. The cochlear implant debate explores the social and ethical factors considered in the choice to accept or reject the cochlear implant surgery for Deaf individuals. The Deaf community is comprised of Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, and within this community, deafness is not only the loss of hearing; it includes their own linguistic, behavioral, and cultural practices. Thus, being deaf is more than an impairment -- it is an identity. The …

Gender Equality And Its Relationship With Democracy, Destini Benning

Symposium of Student Scholars

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that cause gender inequality among men and women within democracies or the political world. During the creation of democracy and the earlier years in the United States women had little to no rights and no representation within positions of the government. When it comes to the subjective validity of democratic institutions, people' opinions are crucial, hence it's crucial to look into how participatory disparities influence these attitudes. Citizens regard participatory disparities to be relevant in general, but only gender differences have an impact on subjective legitimacy and utility. I will …

Dating The Seals Of Harappa: A Radiocarbon Approach, Grace Abernathy

Symposium of Student Scholars

For many years, Indus seals have puzzled archaeologists with their detailed motifs and undeciphered script. There is no pattern to the relationship between motifs and inscriptions, as each motif has been found scattered across the greater Indus region. In looking at the context of the seals and radiocarbon dating of charcoal, bone, and shell in a singular site, there may be a definitive pattern between certain motifs and the time periods they were used. This study uses contextual analysis to identify chronological patterns of seals discovered at the site of Harappa. Should any patterns arise, this research study could be …

Geography Of Covid-19 Waves In Georgia, Walker Tompkins

Symposium of Student Scholars

Geography of COVID-19 Waves in Georgia

Over the past 2 years everyone on the globe’s lives have been changed drastically after the COVID-19 virus spread across the world. This united and divided us more than any other event in most of our lifetimes. The pandemic everyone and now that there are two years of data, it is important to examine impacts at various geographic scales. As such, focusing on the state of Georgia, this project explores how the different variants, public policy, and vaccination of our population has changed the trajectory of the virus and how many deaths it has …

The Development Of Purpose Among Marginalized Older Adults: A Resource For Resilient Aging, Ameesha Narine, Semper Habib, Shubam Sharma

Symposium of Student Scholars

Contrary to societal presumptions, older adults can show positive adaptation despite facing declines associated with late life (i.e., resilient aging; Wiles et al.,2019). One understudied resource that older adults may use to support their resilience is having a sense of purpose. Drawing on purpose has been shown to positively relate to mental and physical health (Musich et al., 2018). However, there is limited research that has examined how older adults develop purpose, particularly those who experience challenges due to aspects of their identity (i.e., due to marginalization). The current study explores older adults’ life stories to understand how a sense …

Sample Holiday Cards: Examples To Help Visualize Your Families Holiday Card Or A Reinforcement Of Racism And Heteronormativity In America., Chasidy Harris

Symposium of Student Scholars

The United States is considered a "melting pot" with a diverse population of citizens. Each year, thousands of Americans send out holiday cards, and increasingly these cards are ordered online in bulk and are decorated with photos for family and friends. However, evidence shows that current advertising does not typically reflect the diversity present in the United States population. This research aims to show how the advertisement of photo holiday cards through sample cards posted on the retailer's website includes mostly white heterosexual couples and families and fewer same-sex couples (with and without children), racial-ethnically diverse families. This research will …

Gender Inequity As An Effect Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kennedy Broner

Symposium of Student Scholars

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us many lessons. Some of which were only made possible because of its widespread impact in every aspect of our lives. One of the lessons we learned is the value of anything unexpected. From medical research to political rhetoric and socio-political debate, the pandemic has shaped the home, the workplace, and the community.

Issues related to equity, or better-said inequities, became a flashpoint for the disparities that exist in society. Said inequity was discovered in various capacities such as gender discrimination, underpaid salaries, and barriers to accessing efficient healthcare. Disparities that under “normal conditions” would …

How Covid-19 Has Impacted Mothers: The Decisions They Make & Their Overall Wellbeing, Alaya Tyler

Symposium of Student Scholars

Women and mothers are a vital component of the modern-day workforce. However, the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020 drastically affected the way women and more specifically mothers can participate in the workforce. The lack of adequate options regarding childcare, work flexibility, and support became apparent when trying to make decisions regarding home and work. For example, decisions involving money became do or die as mothers were forced to make decisions to pause or stop their careers so that they could take care of their children in dual households. In contrast, single mothers were met with almost no alternatives as …

Personal, Familial, And Institutional Challenges Working Mothers Faced During Covid-19, Ashley Celestin

Symposium of Student Scholars

HS 3600 Program Development and Evaluation in Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

Parenting is not an easy task, but during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, parenting especially for women who work outside the home and were caregivers for the young and old had an exceptionally onerous time. According to Brookings (2020), “COVID-19 has also increased the pressure on working mothers, low-wage and otherwise. In a survey from May and June, one out of four women who became unemployed during the pandemic reported the job loss was due to a lack of childcare, twice the rate of men surveyed. A more …

Trajectory Of Substance Use Disorders And Collegiate Recovery In Emerging Adults, Jordyn Hebert, Victoria Chaney, Rebecca Smith Msw, Thomas Bannard, Leah Weingast Ma, Danielle Dick Phd, Erica Holliday Phd

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) provide services to support emerging adults achieve academic success, while maintaining substance use disorder recovery. College and university campuses can often be considered abstinence-hostile environments, giving rise to the need of support services for students in recovery. A nationwide survey to understand the efficacy of services provided by CRPs was conducted to assess the demographics and academic profiles of students involved with CRPs. Co-occurring disorders including mental health issues, criminal histories, utilizations of recovery services and 12-step groups, and work histories of students were also assessed. CRPs can provide services and an environment to students …

Challenges Nonprofits Face With Communication Between Volunteers And The Organization And The Damaging Effect It Causes, James Cooke

Symposium of Student Scholars

Discrepancies in information, lack of communication, and losing track of data due to poor communication practices are only some reasons nonprofit organizations are less effective when dealing with emergency events. This issue does not only begin at the volunteer and organization level of communication but even at the interagency level. This article will explore organizations' shortcomings in how communication occurs between the organization's leadership, personnel, and volunteers and will peer into interagency communication issues. Many issues plague the area of communication within nonprofits that operate within disaster areas, like collecting, aggregating, analyzing, and then disseminating it to everyone who would …

Analyzing Perspectives On Archaeological Curation: A Case Study From The Civil War Site Of Pickett’S Mill, Isabella Rosinko

Symposium of Student Scholars

Foundationally archaeology is defined as the scientific study of material remains, uncovered through survey and excavation. Meaning the field is dependent upon the accumulation of things: ceramics, stone tools, natural material, historic artifacts, etc. One way in which site assemblages are dealt with is through the process of curation, the storage and care of assemblages for extended periods. This is a varying process, across nations, states, and institutions. In the context of the United States, the National Preservation Act (1966), Reservoir Salvage Act (1960), and Archaeological Resource Protection Act (1979) provide standards for the long-term storage and management of archaeological …

How Accurate Were Predictions Of China’S Rise?, Osebhahiemen Okooboh

Symposium of Student Scholars

The rise of China is often depicted as one of the clearest, most predicted, and predictable realities in a century of international politics. Instead, China's rise has been gradual, widely foreseen, and not because of a conflict that transformed the world. Predictions and recommendations from academics and policy circles on China's rise matter because they transfer to popular discourse, albeit haphazardly. Therefore, understanding the predictions and recommendations and how they have changed over time is vital to explaining democratic responses to China's rise.

To empirically assess understandings of China's rise and how they have changed, we have coded a sample …

Acute Stress Disorder: Incidence Findings And Diagnostic Implications For U.S. Active Duty Service Members, Michael A. Schlenk

Symposium of Student Scholars

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric diagnosis that can occur between three days and one month following traumatic events such as injuries, violence, and/or experienced or threatened harm (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). ASD has long been utilized as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, literature examining ASD elucidates that predication of subsequent PTSD is not as reliable as once thought (Bonnano et al., 2012; Bryant, 2018). Further, there is a dearth of empirical literature examining ASD among active duty service members (SMs). As such, the present study sought to provide epidemiological data by …

Best Locations For A Future U.S. Embassy In Stockholm, Sweden, Aj Sherrell

Symposium of Student Scholars

The purpose of this study is to find the best possible location for a future U.S. embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. I have gathered data about current embassy locations, demographics about place locations or points of interest that the U.S. embassy needs to be close to or a specified distance from, information about lot zoning, and demographics about the city itself such as roads, railways, and bodies of water. I will use a spatial analysis and model builder through the software, ArcGIS Pro by Esri. These analyses will allow me to determine good locations for the future U.S. embassy based on …

An Examination Of College Experiences And Mental Health Outcomes For Black College Students In Georgia, Summer Burns, Anisah Bagasra

Symposium of Student Scholars

Minority students particularly, Black students face multiple different stressors compared to their peers while attending higher learning institutions. Current research has identified Black students’ experiences to be more cumbersome which places them at more risk for negative mental health outcomes. Black college students experience more systemic barriers with racial trauma, cultural mistrust, microaggressions, and belongingness, which all contribute to the experience of trauma faced by this demographic. These factors increase psychological distress and can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms. However, there are limitations in current research identifying the differences of experiences affecting mental health outcomes between Black students who attended …

Demographic Change In The North Atlanta Metro Area, Zachary Lloyd

Symposium of Student Scholars

The northern Atlanta suburbs are perhaps the premiere destination for migrants, both domestic and international, into the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. Filled with activities, good schools, and endless dining options, these communities are not only relatively safe to raise a family in, but also offer plenty to do for married couples and retirees. The counties of Gwinnett and Cobb, along with the northern portion of Fulton County (known as North Fulton) are the traditional northside suburban destinations, but growth there has slowed because much of the land is now densely developed. Predictably, the suburbs have extended northward through the counties of …

Nurse Manager Communication Associated With Staff Nurse Satisfaction Or Retention, Svetlana Periut, Mary Dioise Ramos

Symposium of Student Scholars

Nurse Manager Communication Associated with Staff Nurse Satisfaction or Retention

Abstract

Background: Nursing communication is a significant part of a nurse's job, especially when communicating with their patients, patients' families, and the healthcare team. Communication is the center of attention of many studies, and the way nurse leaders relate massages can influence an organization’s outcomes, including nurse satisfaction and retention. This integrative study aims to analyze communication styles, behaviors, and instruments used by hospital unit nurse managers to increase staff nurse satisfaction and retention. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis were used in the literature search …

Atlanta Region Food Access: A Study Of Food Access As It Relates To Population Growth, Derek Romanek

Symposium of Student Scholars

Atlanta region food access: A study of food access as it relates to population growth

Derek Romanek (Uli Ingram), Department of Geography and Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, 30144

The Atlanta region is one of the fastest growing regions in the United States of America. With a growing population there is an increase in the demand for resources including food. Food security is a global issue and does not only effect developing nations. To improve sustainability the United Nations came up with 17 Sustainable Development goals. To better understand what we can do to improve sustainability and meet the …