Discovery Day symposium - Program of Events April 6, 2022 - Benedictine College
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Discovery Day
Symposium
Program of Events
April 6, 2022
Welcome to Discovery Day 2022
G G
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all who contributed
their time and effort to make the critical difference for the
success of the Discovery Program, which is a key component of
the Benedictine College experience.
Every spring semester, the anticipation builds: What have our
students come up with this year? It is impossible to attend
Discovery Day and not be proud of what Benedictine College is
accomplishing in the lives of our students.
The true test for any academic program here is the mission
of Benedictine College. The collaboration with faculty in a
common academic project is the key to the Discovery Program,
and essential to our mission to educate men and women within a
community of faith and scholarship.
I invite the entire College community to join me in supporting
Discovery Day.
President Stephen D. Minnis
G G
Discovery Day 2022 marks the 26th year of the Discovery Day
Symposium. Since 1996, more than 3300 students have presented or
co-authored a Discovery Project, involving virtually all the faculty
and representing all academic departments. Discovery Day 2022
will present 53 projects, the result of the work of 122 students,
42 faculty/staff, and 21 academic departments. The Discovery
Committee invites you to join in recognizing our students for their
creative efforts being showcased today.
G G
Discovery Week is always the highlight of our academic year. For
months (or, in some cases, years) students and faculty have worked
together to find out something new about the world. Now they are
ready to share their findings, and we all have a chance to learn
something that no one ever knew before their project was under-
taken. We are so proud, at Benedictine College, that we offer all
of our students the opportunity not only to learn what others have
discovered in the past, but also to add to what people will know in
the future. Discovery Day gives us all the opportunity to see the
fruits of this work.
The Discovery Program is an integral part of Benedictine College,
and its benefits go far beyond the results of the projects you will
see during this symposium. Original research fosters and strength-
ens the curiosity and love of learning that are the foundation of a
liberal arts education. Collaborative work develops the bonds of
community among students and faculty that make Benedictine such
a special place.
Through our commitment to developing students’ confidence in
their ability to make an original contribution to our understanding
of the world and how it works, we are preparing leaders who will
know they can draw on their knowledge and creativity to face the
challenges that await the future.
On behalf of the faculty and administration of Benedictine College,
I encourage you to participate fully in the activities of this day.
Special thanks are in order for the Discovery Program Committee
and the Discovery Directors: their efforts throughout the year have
culminated in this unique and exciting academic experience.
Kimberly C. Shankman
Dean of the College
G G
2
The Discovery Program Committee
The Discovery Program Committee is committed to the advancement of
Discovery learning at Benedictine College. The committee’s responsibilities
include encouraging and supporting faculty and students in their own Discovery
activities, the awarding of Discovery grants, planning the Discovery Day
Symposium, and designating the Discovery Scholars. Members of the committee
for the current year are Patrisha Bugayong (Chemistry and Biochemistry),
Nickolas Hein (Mathematics and Computer Science), Chris Shingledecker
(Physics and Astronomy), Jay Wallace (Art and Design), and Terrence Malloy
and Julia Bowen (Discovery Program Co-Directors).
T T T
Discovery Grants
The Discovery Program committee awarded over $16,000 in Discovery grants to
students this year in support of 37 Discovery projects. The 2021–2022 Discovery
grant recipients are the following:
Patrick Argana Nicholas Hemman Grace Nelson
Luke Aschenbrenner Richard Hernandez Rebekah Nelson
Anthony Bridges Thomas Hoerner Julia Ondracek
Maisy Brouillette Lucas Hoffman Aaron Parks
John-Paul Buss Wade Hoffman Ethan Phibbs
Chloe Charles Julia Izzo Liam Philbin
Isabel Cobb Claudia Kammerer Shannon Rajkowski
Pietro Contolini Elizabeth Kastl Leah Sattler
Conrad Criddle Michael Kelly William Scavuzzo
Dyson Crooker Landon Kent Grant Schoening
Reese Danitschek Katherine Kirstein Francesca Stedwill
Aidan DeMoulpied Marco Kouatly Levi Streit
Kendall Dolan Patrick Lange Thomas Tighe
Daniel Draftz David Lauterwasser Sophia Valdivia
Michael Franzese Daniel Lopez-Sanders Amelia Vopat
Ryan Fricker Joshua Mansfield Luke Wadle
Isabel Friedrichs Juliet Mattingly Joseph Wiechelman
Francis Griesbauer Monica McGovern Sophia Winger
Joseph G’Sell Samuel Minarik P. Gabe Wolpert
Dominic Hammes Marlon Moorer Theresa Wood
Alexa Harper Matthew Muff Emily Yohon
Daniel Haunert Anton Murray Mary Zappe
3
Discovery Scholars
Last year marked the eighteenth year that students were honored as Discovery
Scholars. This award recognizes students who have demonstrated an outstanding
commitment to Discovery learning while at Benedictine College. Awardees
receive the Discovery Scholar Medal to be worn during Commencement
ceremonies, signifying their exceptional contribution to the Discovery Program.
In 2021, these seniors were honored as Discovery Scholars:
Ellen Budell ............................................................... Lincoln, NE
Ian Daly ..................................................................... Saint Charles, MO
Julia Fassero .............................................................. Effingham, KS
Peter Hockel .............................................................. Brentwood, CA
Matthew Krishnan Myjak ......................................... Atchison, KS
Elizabeth Lademan .................................................... Annapolis, MD
Miriam Miller............................................................. Golden, CO
Molly Muehlebach .................................................... Kansas City, MO
Erin Rauber ............................................................... Chesterfield, MO
Christopher Rziha ..................................................... Atchison, KS
Emily Sanderlin ......................................................... Crumrod, AR
Natalie Smaron .......................................................... Maple Plain, MN
David Torres .............................................................. Rogers, AR
Ryan Werdel .............................................................. Yankton, SD
Bernadette Zignego ................................................... Hartford, WI
4Wangari Maathai Discovery Award
When Wangari Maathai accepted the Nobel
Peace Prize in 2004, she made her alma mater the
only Catholic college inAmerica with a Peace Prize
winner among its alumni. She won the Nobel for her
efforts to promote democracy, peace, and sus-
tainable development and is the first Peace
Prize winner to have an environmental focus.
Maathai, from Kenya, came to the United States as part of the Kennedy
Airlift in 1960 and earned a degree in biology from Mount St. Scholastica
College, now Benedictine College, in 1964. In 2014 the college marked
the 10th Anniversary of the Nobel ceremony by announcing the winners
of two new Maathai Discovery Awards.
Maathai passed away in 2011 after battling cancer. Since then, the
College has remembered her in several ways. Her classmates from the
Mount Class of ’64 planted a tree in St. Scholastica Plaza on the college
campus, and in 2015 her statue was erected next to that tree. In 2014 Sister
Helen Mueting, OSB, announced the first recipients of the awards, funded
by a generous donor.
This year’s winners of the Maathai Discovery Award are Luke
Aschenbrenner, Marlon Moorer, and Francis Griesbauer. These students
are presenting the results of their research during today’s Discovery
Symposium.
Aschenbrenner worked on developing a low-cost way to browse the
Internet without using data networks to make it more accessible to those
without access to low-cost, high-speed Internet.
Moorer worked on creating a sustainable, “green” battery by using
carbonized corn husks as the anode material.
Griesbauer and his colleagues worked to convert a small carbureted
engine to a fuel injected one to improve fuel efficiency.
Each Maathai Discovery Award carries a $500 stipend for the student,
and up to an additional $500 to complete the proposed Discovery Project.
The award supports projects that focus on stewardship, sustainability,
women’s equality, and/or environmental justice.
x
5Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Delaware
“Science and Religion, the Myth of Conflict”
Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus
in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of
the University of Delaware and former Director of its Bartol Research
Institute. He currently is the president of the Society of Catholic Scientists
as well as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Professor Barr does
research in theoretical particle physics, especially grand unified theories,
theories of CP violation, neutrino oscillations, and particle cosmology.
His notable work includes co-discovering the much studied flipped
SU(5) scheme of unification, identifying the Barr–Zee diagram as an
important source of electric dipole moment for basic particles, such as
the electron and neutron in many theories, and proposing the so-called
Nelson–Barr mechanism as a solution to the strong CP problem. He is the
author of the article on “Grand Unified Theories” for the Encyclopedia of
Physics and of the book Modern Physics and Ancient Faith (University of
Notre Dame Press, 2003).
Barr received his Ph.D. in Theoretical Particle Physics from Princeton
University in 1978. Princeton also awarded him the Charlotte Elizabeth
Proctor Fellowship “for distinguished research.” He went on to do
research at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Washington,
and Brookhaven National Laboratory, before joining the faculty of the
University of Delaware in 1987. He was elected director of the Bartol
Research Institute of the University of Delaware in 2011.
Barr writes and lectures frequently on the relation of science and
religion. Since 2000 he has served on the editorial advisory board (now
the advisory council) of the religious intellectual journal First Things, in
which many of his articles and book reviews have appeared. His writing
has also appeared in Commonweal, National Review, Modern Age, The
Public Interest, America, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications.
In 2002 he gave the Erasmus Lecture, sponsored by the Institute on
Religion and Public Life. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI awarded him the
Benemerenti Medal for service to the Catholic Church. In 2010 he was
elected a member of the Academy of Catholic Theology.
He is married to Kathleen Whitney Barr. They have five children.
6Discovery Day Schedule
All presentations will take place in the Ferrell Academic Center
unless otherwise indicated.
Continental Breakfast
y 8:30 am — Napier Foyer (4th floor), Ferrell Academic Center y
Morning Sessions
8:30–9:35 NM Poster/Exhibit Session #1
McAllister Board Room (4th floor)
1. Green, Low-Heat Solar Stirling Engine With Future HVAC
Applications
Patrick Argana, Landon Kent, Aaron Parks, Aaron League, Chemistry and
Biochemistry
2. Spectroscopic and Photometric Monitoring of RV Tauri and SRd
Variable Stars at Daglen Observatory
Samantha Black, Cassie Beutelschies, Ryan Maderak, Physics and
Astronomy
3. Assessment of Invertebrate Pollinators in Mullins Pollinator Meadow
Grace Brandl, Jackson Maldonado, Katelyn Malick, Abby Walterscheid,
Terrence Malloy, Virginia Winder, Biology
4. Danger Rope: Laser Edition
Isabel Cobb, P. Gabe Wolpert, Lucas Hoffman, Daniel Haunert, Megan
Paciaroni, Max Sayler, Georgiy Shcherbatyuk, School of Engineering,
Physics and Astronomy
5. Circadian Effects on Brain Injury in Fruit Flies
Reese Danitschek, Jeremy Stubblefield, Biology
6. Effects of Atrazine
Samuel Minarik, Aidan DeMoulpied, Martha Carletti, Biology
7. Cadmium Analysis of Foreign and Domestic Seafood
Joseph G’Sell, Paul Steinbach, Chemistry and Biochemistry
8. Pump Laser
Lucas Hoffman, Isabel Cobb, P. Gabe Wolpert, Daniel Haunert, Max Sayler,
Megan Paciaroni, Georgiy Shcherbatyuk, Physics and Astronomy, School of
Engineering
79. So Far, So GUD: Exploring the Relationship Between Plant Diversity
and Small Mammal Seed Consumption in Prairie Restorations
Julia Izzo, Kendall Dolan, Theresa Wood, Brent Mortensen, Biology
10. Effects of Music on Brain Activity and Reading Comprehension
Elizabeth Kastl, Sophia Valdivia, Jeremy Stubblefield, Biology
11. SLAMbot
Michael Kelly, Marco Kouatly, Dominic Hammes, Nicholas Hemman,
Francis Griesbauer, Mary Zappe, John-Paul Buss, Patrick O’Malley, School
of Engineering
12. Electric-Assisted Hand-Bike Wheelchair Attachment
Nicholas Koval, Max Sayler, Physics and Astronomy
13. Pneumatic Baseball Launcher
Patrick Lange, Anthony Bridges, Darrin Muggli, School of Engineering
xx
14. The Astrolabe: An Ancient Multifunctional Device for Today’s
Students
Natalee Rose Brake, Clayton Stewart, Christopher Shingledecker, Charles
Sprouse, Physics and Astronomy, School of Engineering
9:45–10:05 X Room 109
15. Willa Cather’s American Merlin in O Pioneers!
Jeffrey Peterson, Sarah Young, English
9:45–10:05 X Room 125
16. Testing the Binding Affinity of Copper for a Lanthanide-Based Probe
With One or Two HOPO Molecules
Richard Hernandez, Julia Ondracek, Sarah Harris, Chemistry and
Biochemistry
9:45–10:05 X Room 208
17. The Sons of Liberty: Leaders or Followers?
Tatumn Holland, Joshua Wolf, History
9:45–10:05 X Room 219
18. By the Powers and Virtues of the Field: Origen’s Understanding of
Hebrew and Use of the Septuagint in Commentary on the Song of
Songs
Thomas Hoerner, Jamie Blosser, Andrew Swafford, Theology
9:45–10:35 X Gangel Seminar Room
819. The Effects of Green Tea and Black Tea on the Fermentation of
Kombucha Cultures
Isabel Friedrichs, Janet Paper, Biology
10:15–10:35 X Room 109
20. An Analysis of Off-Campus Housing
Ian Reilly, Jack Edwards, Luke Seymore, John Haigh, Architecture
10:15–10:35 X Room 125
21. Thrust Vector Controlled Model Rocket
Gregory Bourget, Alexander Buman, Patrick O’Malley, School of
Engineering
10:15–10:35 X Room 208
22. The Missing Piece
Sophia Winger, Katherine Kirstein, J. Dean Elmore, Jeremy Stubblefield,
Psychological Sciences, Biology
10:15–10:35 X Room 219
23. Accessing the Web on Mobile Devices Without an Internet
Connection
Luke Aschenbrenner, Donald Bagert, Mathematics and Computer Science
10:45–11:05 X Room 109
24. The Production of Metal Elastomers and Their Ability to Withstand
Stress
Liam Philbin, Matthew Muff, Ryan Fricker, Scott Blonigen, School of
Engineering
10:45–11:05 X Room 125
25. Developing Mission-Critical Software for the James Webb Space
Telescope II: Parallelization and Application
Daniel Lopez-Sanders, Joshua Mansfield, Christopher Shingledecker, Physics
and Astronomy
10:45–11:05 X Room 208
26. Evaluating White Privilege: The Effects of Ingroup Framing of
Minority Members
Jordan Dery, J. Dean Elmore, Psychological Sciences
10:45–11:05 X Room 219
BBB
11:15–12:10 T Poster/Exhibit Session #2
McAllister Board Room (4th floor)
27. Apoptosis of MCF-7, Breast Cancer, in the Presence of HMGN2
David Lauterwasser, Emily Yohon, Patrick Argana, Martha Carletti, Biology
928. Quest for Understanding Between Artistic and Virtual Realities
Juliet Mattingly, Monica McGovern, Thomas Tighe, Grant Schoening,
Charles Stewart, Art and Design
29. Converting a Carbureted Engine to a Port Fuel Injected Engine
Francis Griesbauer, Wade Hoffman, Dyson Crooker, Charles Sprouse,
School of Engineering
30. Utilizing Carbonized Corn Husk as Anodic Material for Sustainable
Batteries
Marlon Moorer, Patrisha Bugayong, Chemistry and Biochemistry
31. The Effect of UV Light on Commercial and In-House Film-Forming
Polymers (a.k.a. Gel Nail Polish!)
Grace Nelson, Rebekah Nelson, Shannon Rajkowski, Patrisha Bugayong,
Chemistry and Biochemistry
32. Concrete Canoe Reinforcement Methods
Ethan Phibbs, Maisy Brouillette, Scott Newbolds, School of Engineering
33. Comparing Pollinator Diversity in Different Habitat Types at
Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area
Rori Richardson, Julia Izzo, Terrence Malloy, Virginia Winder, Biology
34. Sinusoidal Oscillator Implementation With Operational Amplifiers
Leo Santucci, Megan Paciaroni, School of Engineering
35. The Effects of Pollution on Freshwater Diatoms
Leah Sattler, Levi Streit, Brent Mortensen, Biology
36. Imaging a Stroke: Optimizing Fluorescence to Help Determine
Selectivity and Binding Affinity of Nitric Oxide
William Scavuzzo, Alexa Harper, Sarah Harris, Chemistry and Biochemistry
37. Cowgirls in America: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Jessie Sonnen, Dennis Dunleavy, Journalism and Mass Communications
38. COVID-19 Vaccination Status Among Benedictine College Students
Francesca Stedwill, Chloe Charles, Jackie Harris, S. Linda Herndon, OSB,
Nursing, Associate Dean
39. Analyzing the Affinity of a Lanthanide Metal Complex Probe to
Remove Arsenate From Drinking Water
Amelia Vopat, Sarah Harris, Chemistry and Biochemistry
40. Sexism in Publishing
Sydney Wilkinson, Katie Rieger, English
1011:30 am–12:50 pm g Lunch – Dining Hall
s Jazz Band Entertainment s
Keynote Address
Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware
“Science and Religion, the Myth of Conflict”
1:00–2:20 pm
O’Malley-McAllister Auditorium
Afternoon Sessions
41. Defining the “Culture of Death” in the Modern Medical Field:
Ranking Medical Facilities for Faithful Catholics
Alexander Winger, John Rziha, Theology
2:35–2:55 X Room 109
42. Grain-Surface Hydrogen-Addition Reactions as a Chemical Link
Between Cold Cores and Hot Corinos: The Case of H2CCS and
CH3CH2SH
Virginia Jarvis, Joseph Wandishin, Faith Quinn, Grace Quinn, Christopher
Shingledecker, Physics and Astronomy
2:35–2:55 X Room 125
43. Economic Impact of an LED Lighting Retrofit
Ambrose Shaughnessy, Jack Torline, Liam Gnad, Jack Steinlage, Matt
Fassero, Operations
2:35–2:55 X Room 208
44. Luminescent Solar Concentrators and the Harvest of Solar Energy
Joseph Wiechelman, Luke Wadle, Anton Murray, Georgiy Shcherbatyuk,
Physics and Astronomy
2:35–2:55 X Room 219
45. The Benefits of a Mock Trial Program
Alejandro Calderon, Rose McIntyre, Ted Koval, Joseph D’Aquila, Samuel
Palmer, Sidney Meyer, Kaitlin Larson, Elizabeth Houska, Grace Cogan,
Kassidy Neuner, Jeffrey Schremmer, Christopher Ullrich, Kevin Vance,
Kimberly Shankman, Kevin Bryant, Michael King, Center for Constitutional
Liberty, Academic Dean, Sociology and Criminology, School of Business
3:05–3:25 X Room 109
1146. Sputtering of Water-Ice on Icy Moons and in the Interstellar
Medium
Garrett Nobis, Christopher Shingledecker, Physics and Astronomy
3:05–3:25 X Room 125
47. The Generation of Fractal Geometry Using Newton’s Method
Karolek Suchocki, Andrew Downs, School of Engineering
3:05–3:25 X Room 208
48. Quantum Dot Synthesis and Design
Claudia Kammerer, Joseph Wiechelman, Daniel Draftz, Georgiy
Shcherbatyuk, Physics and Astronomy
3:05–3:25 X Room 219
49. High-Powered Rocketry Data Analysis and Verification
Michael Franzese, Patrick O’Malley, School of Engineering
3:35–3:55 X Room 109
50. The Art of Letterpress Printing
Conrad Criddle, Pietro Contolini, Jay Wallace, Art and Design
3:35–3:55 X Bishop Fink Hall 513
51. Oedipus at Colonus
Thomas Richter, Peter Herron, Rachel Decker, Gemma Downey, Gretchen
Kleinschmit, Michael Parker, Kassidy Neuner, Christian Martin, Miriam Del
Castillo, Theresa Colombini, Edward Mulholland, Great Books
3:35–3:55 X Westerman Auditorium
52. Researching How the Role of American Catholic High Schools in
the New Evangelization Is Interpreted and Actualized
Carlos Cerda, Brett Bertucio, School of Education
3:35–3:55 X Room 219
53. “His Truth Shall Compass Thee”: An Exploration Into the
Compositional World of Liturgical Music
Aubrey Pichler, Timothy Tharaldson, Music
4:05–4:25 X O’Malley-McAllister Auditorium
12hFh
Presentation Abstracts
8:30–9:35 am NM Poster/Exhibit Session #1
McAllister Board Room (4th floor)
1. Green, Low-Heat Solar Stirling Engine With Future HVAC
Applications
Patrick Argana, Landon Kent, Aaron Parks, Aaron League, Chemistry and
Biochemistry
The purpose of this project is to find an efficient and inexpensive way of collect-
ing solar energy for use in a green, low-heat engine. One engine of this kind is
that of a solar powered Stirling engine. A solar-powered Stirling engine, such as
one to be constructed, could be used for future applications, such as heating and
cooling systems for homes. Heating and cooling is very expensive, especially
in the Midwest where temperatures swing into both extremes. A/C units give
off pollutants into the atmosphere, which put holes in the ozone layer. A solar-
powered engine would be able to geothermally cool a home in order to lower such
carbon emissions. With this engine constructed we seek to answer the following
questions: How much heat energy can we harness from the environment without
using electricity? How can we harness this energy to serve as a power source for
our constructed engine?
Research done by PNAS on the greenhouse gas emissions in the US states, “Resi-
dential energy use accounts for roughly 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
in the United States. Using data on 93 million individual households, we esti-
mate these GHGs across the contiguous United States and clarify the respective
influence of climate, affluence, energy infrastructure, urban form, and building
attributes (age, housing type, heating fuel) in driving these emissions.” Stirling
engines don’t emit any GHG. It uses emitted energy. In another article Forbes
states, “It takes 100% of stack-emitted waste energy, or solar thermal ... and con-
verts that for 40-50% [efficiency].”
A solar heat energy collector was constructed to capture ambient solar energy
and transfer that energy into a useable form, which will power a Stirling engine
that operates using heat flow. This heat flow allows for the piston to rise from the
heat source, and the cold sinks the piston to the bottom in a repetitive cycle. The
mechanical energy the engine generates can be used for many different things,
although turning a generator may not be the most ideal. The benefit in using a Stir-
ling engine is lessening the carbon footprint in the world in an inexpensive way.
The solar heat energy collector was subjected to different tests. These tests sought
to determine to what extent the collector is capable of capturing solar rays to
harness heat within it and compared it to a piece of standard sheet metal. This
data will be calculated to determine how much heat energy we were capable of
harnessing from the environment. With our collected data and constructed solar
heat energy collector, we calculated the needed dimensions for our Stirling engine
13to determine a method for harnessing the said heat energy. From here we seek
to take the finished engine and subject it to different tests to determine its power
output.
2. Spectroscopic and Photometric Monitoring of RV Tauri and SRd
Variable Stars at Daglen Observatory
Samantha Black, Cassie Beutelschies, Ryan Maderak, Physics and Astronomy
RV Tauri and Semi-Regular type d (SRd) variable stars are pulsating yellow
supergiants in the transitional period of their evolution following the asymptotic
giant branch and preceding the white dwarf phase. These stars are characterized
by complex atmospheric pulsations, as exhibited by their light curves and spectral
variations. RV Tauri variables are particularly notable for their double period
light curve consisting of alternating deep and shallow minima, interpreted as
indicating the motion of multiple atmospheric layers, whereas the light curves of
SRd variables are more erratic. The spectra of both variable types show Hydro-
gen alpha (Ha) emission, indicating the presence of hot circumstellar material,
and metal emission lines, interpreted as indicating heating due to shocks between
atmospheric layers. Despite decades of research, these stars are not yet fully
understood. In order to gain new insight, a spectroscopic and photometric moni-
toring study of RV Tauri and SRd variables was begun at Benedictine College’s
Daglen Observatory in summer 2019. This study focuses on two variable stars:
AC Herculis (an RV Tauri) and V441 Herculis (an SRd). We will discuss the data
obtained during the summer 2021 observing season, during which we expanded
our spectral coverages to several new wavelength regions. H-alpha region spectra
of AC Herculis in 2021 show that it has returned to its long-established spectral
behavior after having exhibited dramatic changes in 2020. Preliminary analysis
of emission line data in V441 Herculis suggests the velocity signature of a shock
event, despite the emission line strengths remaining relatively constant.
3. Assessment of Invertebrate Pollinators in Mullins Pollinator Meadow
Grace Brandl, Jackson Maldonado, Katelyn Malick, Abby Walterscheid,
Terrence Malloy, Virginia Winder, Biology
Pollinators promote the growth of native plants that are vital parts of important
native ecosystems. Because of their important ecological roles, we assessed the
abundance and diversity of bees in a ~0.4-ha native plant meadow on the campus
of Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. We planted the meadow in Decem-
ber 2020 with a mix of 85 native wildflowers, 3 shrubs, and 14 grasses. Beginning
in June and ending in late October 2021 (19 weeks), we sampled three transects
of six bowls each. Bowls contained a polyethylene glycol mixture that lured and
trapped the insects. Every two days, we emptied the bowls, separated, and washed
the bees for identification. We also used sweep nets to collect bees twice per
week. We caught a total of 403 bees: 32.1% were Halictus, 18.3% were Bombus,
13.0% were Augochlora, 11.5% were Augochlorella, and 25.1% were 12 various
other genera, making up 20 different genera. Across these genera, the Shannon
diversity index was 2.36 in the Mullins Meadow, which was comparatively higher
than indices found at another Atchison location. The data we collected will help
14us establish baseline research for future studies and understand pollinator biodi-
versity for the first growing season of a newly established plot of native habitat.
In the future, we plan to better evaluate the vegetation present and how it affects
the diversity of the meadow and the genera present in the meadow.
4. Danger Rope: Laser Edition
Isabel Cobb, P. Gabe Wolpert, Lucas Hoffman, Daniel Haunert, Megan
Paciaroni, Max Sayler, Georgiy Shcherbatyuk, School of Engineering, Physics
and Astronomy
This project, with combined efforts from the Department of Physics and
Astronomy, and the School of Engineering, has explored the theory and application
of ultra-fast pulsed lasers. Before beginning work on the laser, laser goggles were
purchased to protect students and faculty advisors from potentially hazardous
working conditions. The computers needed to run the software to control the laser
system were restored for use in the following testing operations. Students worked
to test the operation of a green multi-Watt pump laser, which drives a femtosecond
oscillator, and restore it to working condition through alignment of the optics.
The power output of the laser, which is supposed to be 2 W, was measured to
determine if the laser is fully functional. With the measured output around 2
W with the Vitesse oscillator operational, students have learned the operating
principles of regenerative amplification by restoring the Regenerative Amplifier
cavity by repairing other electronic components. This project combined hands-on
applications of the following subjects: optics, lasers, electro-optical systems,
electricity, and magnetism. Students participating in this project have gained
valuable knowledge in troubleshooting complex femtosecond laser systems.
5. Circadian Effects on Brain Injury in Fruit Flies
Reese Danitschek, Jeremy Stubblefield, Biology
Each year, there are 61,000 deaths per year in the United States associated with
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). These injuries are associated with both short- and
long-term damage, disrupting proper brain function. Throughout the past 30 years,
proposed treatments for TBI in humans have struggled to reach approval. TBI can
occur at different times of day, and the brain’s response to injury may vary with time
of day. This is due to the existence of a 24-hour time-keeping system in the body,
called the circadian system, that regulates many aspects of physiology and behavior.
Research investigating links between time of day and TBI has been narrow. One of the
main deficits associated with TBI is inflammation in the brain. This inflammation can
lead to behavioral deficits and, if severe, death. Interestingly, many features of TBI in
humans are recapitulated in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly).
We aim to investigate whether there is variation in TBI severity at different times of
day. To do this, we will utilize a High Impact Trauma (HIT) device to induce TBI in
Drosophila.
At this stage of research, degree of brain injury was quantified by measuring the
mortality of Drosophila within 24 hours of trauma. To demonstrate this, we created
a baseline survivability curve to establish the link between number of HIT strikes
and Drosophila mortality. Mortality after 24 hours was denoted “MI24.” For control
15variables, we placed similar numbers of flies in each vial, each vial being attached to the
HIT machine and resulting in fly traumatization. Flies tested were each seven days old.
Males and females were tested separately. The number of strikes was varied between
independent trials. We examined each vial 24 hours after receiving strikes. MI24 was
then calculated by counting the number of flies alive versus dead. In the future, we
plan to use this baseline curve to perform time-of-day experiments comparing MI24
values. The novelty of these experiments is that time-of-day associations with TBI
severity have not been done. It is our hope that links between time of day and brain
injury may lead to insights on treatment of TBI in humans.
6. Effects of Atrazine
Samuel Minarik, Aidan DeMoulpied, Martha Carletti, Biology
Atrazine is a chemical that is present in many municipal water supplies, which
preliminary research has identified as potentially hazardous on an epigenetic
scale. DNA methylation is a significant factor in epigenetic changes, which
have been previously observed as a result of atrazine exposure. In our research,
we investigate the effects of atrazine exposure at various levels on the rate of
methylation of DNA. COS 10 cells are used for the project, which are kept and
replicated using Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) at 37 degrees
Celsius and 5% carbon dioxide for experimental use. The cells are split twice
into six colonies, with each trial being carried out using cells from a single colony
for each experimental group. For each trial the cells are placed in their treatment
solution and allowed to replicate for four days. Treatment solutions consist of
DMEM with various levels of atrazine from various sources. After the growth
period, the DNA is extracted and treated with a bisulfate assay deaminating
unmethylated cytosine to uracil. The levels of uracil in each sample of DNA
are then measured using a combination of Pfu PCR and gel electrophoresis.
Statistical analysis of the lengths of DNA measured using electrophoresis is used
to determine the rate of methylation in each sample of DNA from each atrazine
treatment solution.
7. Cadmium Analysis of Foreign and Domestic Seafood
Joseph G’Sell, Paul Steinbach, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Cadmium poisoning is a worldwide issue because it is a toxic heavy metal. Expo-
sure to cadmium through consumption is known to cause nausea, diarrhea, dam-
age to the stomach, liver, and bones, and death in extreme cases. This research
project focuses on determining cadmium concentrations in seafood from both
national and international waters. The countries of the waters where the seafood
belong to were the United States, Vietnam, China, Venezuela, Argentina, Canada,
and Egypt. Individual fish samples are digested using concentrated nitric acid,
bringing it from a solid sample to a liquid sample. The liquid sample is then run
through flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA spectroscopy). The concen-
tration of the sample is then determined from the absorbance value determined
from AA spectroscopy. The concentrations of the numerous samples are then
related to the detection limit determined from the standards used. This is done
in order to determine which concentrations were above the detection limit. The
16samples that had concentrations greater than the detection limit have higher con-
centrations of cadmium, making them more dangerous to consume.
8. Pump Laser
Lucas Hoffman, Isabel Cobb, P. Gabe Wolpert, Daniel Haunert, Max Sayler,
Megan Paciaroni, Georgiy Shcherbatyuk, Physics and Astronomy, School of
Engineering
This multidisciplinary project will refurbish a Vitesse pump laser, which drives
a femtosecond pulsed laser cavity. The driving laser is continuous 532 nm ~2 W
green laser that excites a Ti:Sapphire crystal, which creates a pulsed, near-IR,
broadband laser pulse train at 800 nm and ~100mW with a 15 nm bandwidth.
Before the next amplification stage, this laser must be stretched out in time by a
beam stretched to avoid damaging the amplification medium. Once the beam is
stretched and then amplified, the time component is then recompressed to make
an ultra-short pulse. The purpose of rebuilding this laser is two-fold: (i) to have
a hands-on understanding of laser behavior, and (ii) to make a high-quality laser
system available for future research projects. Theories of electricity, magnetism,
optics, electronics, and mechanics are prevalent in the content of this project.
9. So Far, So GUD: Exploring the Relationship Between Plant Diversity
and Small Mammal Seed Consumption in Prairie Restorations
Julia Izzo, Kendall Dolan, Theresa Wood, Brent Mortensen, Biology
Native and nonnative plant diversity affects the rates of seed consumption by small
mammals, which in turn can further influence plant diversity. Resource diversity
and quality may affect consumption due to associational susceptibility, in which
the presence of preferred seeds increases consumer populations in an area and can
lead to greater consumption of both less-preferred and more-preferred seeds. One
measurement of consumption is giving up density (GUD), which is the resource
density at which a forager will move to another food source. Our project focused
on comparing rates of small mammal granivory for two native plant species,
Silphium laciniatum and Lespedeza capitata, at three sites at Lewis and Clark
State Park in Rushville, MO. Each site represented a different stage of restoration
with a different composition of native and nonnative plants. Our studies took place
monthly between December 2021 and March 2022. At each site we distributed
15 plastic buckets containing sand and either Silphium seeds, Lespedeza seeds,
or a mixture of the two. After leaving the buckets in the field for five nights, we
collected them and measured the GUD and associational susceptibility for each
species. Our results indicate differences in GUD between and within sites over
time, which may be due to changes in resource availability based on restoration
status or season. They also indicate that Lespedeza consumption is more strongly
affected by associational susceptibility than Silphium consumption. Our results
provide insight into the interactions between small mammal seed consumption
and plant diversity in areas under different levels of restoration. This knowledge
can be used to inform current and future efforts to manage and restore damaged
ecosystems in our area.
1710. Effects of Music on Brain Activity and Reading Comprehension
Elizabeth Kastl, Sophia Valdivia, Jeremy Stubblefield, Biology
It has long been known that music affects behavior and mood based upon the
genre and tempo of the music. There have been previous studies showing that
music affects how your brain works and that the electrical signals in your brain
change while listening to music. There have also been studies that suggest listen-
ing to music, especially as children, when the brain is developing, can increase
intelligence and mental flexibility. This study delves into how fast tempos and
slow tempos of music affect reading comprehension. This topic came to interest
when I wondered how types of music impacted how you learn, remember, and
your efficiency level, especially in an education setting. To test this hypothesis,
subjects were placed in a room while wearing an Electroencephalogram (EEG)
headband. The subjects had their brain activity monitored while sitting in silence,
listening to a slow or fast tempo music piece, and while reading an article and an-
swering comprehension questions concerning that article. Some control variables
in this experiment were monitoring the decibel level of the music in the room, the
same article for each participant, and only two classical pieces of music (one high
tempo and one low tempo) were selected. It is our hope that this experiment can
give insight into how the brain is affected by music and whether listening to fast
or slow music will help or harm a student’s efficiency level. To further this study
in the future, this experiment could be used in a classroom setting by testing the
effect of calming music on the student’s absorption of the material and the profes-
sor’s presentation compared to silence.
11. SLAMbot
Michael Kelly, Marco Kouatly, Dominic Hammes, Nicholas Hemman, Francis
Griesbauer, Mary Zappe, John-Paul Buss, Patrick O’Malley, School of
Engineering
SLAMbot is a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) robot, which was
built for research purposes. This robot is capable of dynamically constructing a
map of an indoor environment and navigating through it autonomously. SLAM
technology is used in a wide variety of applications, such as warehouse robots,
autonomous cars, robotic vacuums, and many more. SLAMbot can see the world
through two types of sensors: a 2D LIDAR sensor and an array of ultrasonic
sensors. The goal of this project is to determine the best of these two sensor types
for the purpose of SLAM. SLAMbot was constructed to facilitate both sensor
types for the testing and comparison of each.
12. Electric-Assisted Hand-Bike Wheelchair Attachment
Nicholas Koval, Max Sayler, Physics and Astronomy
The goal of this project is to build an electric-assisted hand-bike wheelchair
attachment. The attachment gives the wheelchair user greater mobility and ease
of transportation. The design for the attachment includes mechanisms for easy
connection and removal from the wheelchair itself. This phase of the project is
focusing primarily on the construction and engineering of the frame and mov-
ing parts of the attachment. The battery pack and bicycle wheel with an electric
18assist (originally meant as a bicycle to E-bike modification) were purchased and
adapted for the purpose of this project. Adapting these common components also
allows for a reasonable cost. Additionally, the project allows the opportunity to
study the engineering process involved, from design through fabrication.
Specifically, the team began by recognizing the needs for and advantages of an
electric pedal-assisted wheelchair attachment and then proceeded to develop the
idea and evaluate the fitness of possible solutions. Once the functionality of the
attachment was settled upon, a set of technical drawings was developed. With
this clear definition of the geometry and function of the attachment, the team
began machining the stock materials into the various parts. This facilitates learn-
ing about the fabrication machinery used in the engineering process. When the
parts are complete, the team will assemble the wheelchair attachment. Testing and
revisions will then occur until the final wheelchair attachment is completed. In the
future this may lead to a more flexible design that can accommodate wheelchair
users of different sizes and physical capabilities.
13. Pneumatic Baseball Launcher
Patrick Lange, Anthony Bridges, Darrin Muggli, School of Engineering
Pneumatic systems rely on compressed air to operate. They can produce large
amounts of force and are widely applicable. One of their uses is in projectile
systems. This project’s goal was to design a fully operable baseball launcher
and predict its trajectory. The project was divided into two sections: design and
modelling. The design process included research into adequate valves and piping
designs, proper sizing of equipment, and construction of the frame. Generating
the model included testing the launcher at varying angles and pressures along with
accounting for frictional and drag losses. The final model predicts the baseball’s
trajectory and impact location based on firing pressure and angle.
e
14. The Astrolabe: An Ancient Multifunctional Device for Today’s
Students
Natalee Rose Brake, Clayton Stewart, Christopher Shingledecker, Charles
Sprouse, Physics and Astronomy, School of Engineering
9:45–10:05 X Room 109
The astrolabe was a tool used from the 6th century through the 17th century and
is said to have more than a thousand uses. Common uses were telling time, sea
navigation, measuring the height of objects, and even predicting the weather. It
was essentially a physical app, like the apps our devices have now. Unfortunately,
astrolabes fell out of use in favor of other deceives, such as telescopes. Astro-
labes are much more versatile than telescopes, which would make them a valuable
teaching tool for astronomy. While a few people still make them, they are expen-
sive and uncommon. This Discovery Day project aims to find a method to design
and 3D print astrolabes and then create lesson plans to help educate students about
engineering, history, and astronomy.
19A program called ShadowsPro allows users to input their latitude and then creates
a CAD drawing for each part of the astrolabe. Astrolabes consist of five different
parts: the throne, limb, plate, rete, and ruler. Every part besides the plate will be
3D printed. The CAD drawing could then be exported into Inventor, and a CAD
model could be created. Due to the small details on the plate, which has the coor-
dinate system for the chosen location, this part will be printed on paper and then
inserted on the astrolabe. The other parts were printed using a 3D printer. After
refining the process and prototype, a guide was created for educators on how to
create and print astrolabes for their classes. This exposes students to engineering
modeling software and teaches them about 3D printing. Then, lesson plans were
made for different age groups. The lesson plans combine the history of the astro-
labe with lessons on its various uses. This gives students hands-on experiences
with astronomy and introduces them to STEM.
15. Willa Cather’s American Merlin in O Pioneers!
Jeffrey Peterson, Sarah Young, English
9:45–10:05 X Room 125
Critical examination of Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! tends to revolve around
the romance of the land and the characters of Alexandra Bergson and Marie.
Little, however, has been said about the significant figure of Crazy Ivar, and
his importance in the narrative and tone of the story. As Alexandra’s frontier
Merlin, Ivar serves as speaker for the “Great Genius of the Divide,” spiritual
adviser to the regal Alexandra, forecaster of suffering, defender of life, and nexus
between Romantic-style natural religion and American Christianity. As a figure
he casts light on the legendary and mythical qualities of the romantic narrative
of the land, while also being an impetus of action in the interpersonal narrative
between Alexandra and her brothers, as well as Alexandra and the community. As
adviser and protector of Alexandra, Ivar stands as a sign of what Alexandra values
throughout the narrative. By focusing on Ivar, a reader can begin to see Alexandra
as conqueror and ordained monarch, the courtly politics of the Bergson family,
and the chivalric nature and dire providence of the doomed lovers.
16. Testing the Binding Affinity of Copper for a Lanthanide-Based Probe
With One or Two HOPO Molecules
Richard Hernandez, Julia Ondracek, Sarah Harris, Chemistry and
Biochemistry
9:45–10:05 X Room 208
Reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) are essential for
the function of biological systems and natural products of the metabolism that
occurs constantly in cells. However, when a system loses control of regulation,
these highly reactive chemicals can wreak havoc on vital lipids, proteins, and
nucleic acids. The brain is particularly susceptible to oxidative damage due to its
high oxygen consumption and composition of easily oxidisable lipids. Alzheim-
ers and other brain disorders have been linked to excess levels of ROS and RNS,
and in order to understand the exact role these species play, we need reliable and
20sensitive methods of imaging ROS and RNS species. This project aims to design,
synthesize, characterize, and test a lanthanide-transition metal based fluorescent
probe for this task. Unlike most other fluorescent probes, lanthanides are advanta-
geous for their narrow emission bands and long luminescent lifetimes. The probe
will consist of a lanthanide, a spacer, and a fluorescent antenna. When excited by
UV light, the electrons in the antenna will be transformed into an excited state.
As the antenna relaxes, the energy is transferred to the lanthanide, which begins
to phosphoresce—a process with a much longer luminescent lifespan. For this
probe, the fluorescent molecule, 2-Hydroxypyridine-N-oxide (HOPO) will be
used as an antenna. The lanthanide, Europium, will be used due to its fluorescent
coordination with HOPO. In order to test for the presence of a specific ROS or
RNS, the probe will be initially bonded to a copper atom, quenching the fluores-
cence. When the probe is exposed to an ROS or RNS, the species will bond to the
probe, forcing it to drop the copper atom and restore luminescence. It is unknown,
however, whether one or two HOPO molecules will have an optimal binding
affinity for copper. Thus, this project will design two versions of the probe: one
with a single HOPO antenna and one with a double antenna chelate for the copper.
The probe that most reliably binds to copper while also reliably dropping it when
introduced to a ROS or RNS species may then aid in the study of ROS and RNS
species in the brain.
17. The Sons of Liberty: Leaders or Followers?
Tatumn Holland, Joshua Wolf, History
9:45–10:05 X Room 219
The Sons of Liberty are a particularly well-known pre-Revolutionary group
whose contribution was fundamental to American unification. They were an
association of brilliant men, and the ideas that influenced them were essential
to the formation of the political philosophy of the Revolution. As conveyors of
Enlightenment, organizers of riots including the Stamp Act riots, and coordinators
of communications across the colonies, their played an essential role in bringing
together colonists of various backgrounds and experiences together in rebellion.
Altogether, the Sons of Liberty played a key role in the events leading up to this
pivotal moment in American history. However, there is an extent to which the
question must be asked: Were the Sons primarily leaders of the people, or were
they in fact following the movements that the colonists took them in? Were they
actually being directed by the patriotic sentiments of the people and responding
to this by providing structure and release for their sentiments? In this project I
will be examining the fundamental role they played leading up to the American
Revolution, as well as considering the extent to which the Sons of Liberty
influenced the American colonies and reflected the desires of the public.
2118. By the Powers and Virtues of the Field: Origen’s Understanding of
Hebrew and Use of the Septuagint in Commentary on the Song of
Songs
Thomas Hoerner, Jamie Blosser, Andrew Swafford, Theology
9:45–10:35 X Gangel Seminar Room
Of the exegetes of the pre-Nicene period, none have been more prolific in the later
tradition than Origen of Alexandria (A.D. 185–232). His lucid commentaries of the
Old Testament in light of the Christian dispensation of grace established a praxis
in interpretation that is reflected in the later monastic tradition and beyond. This is
shown nowhere better than in his Commentary on the Song of Songs. Origen was
the first Christian to comment upon this book at length, and his influence is seen
in how the book is interpreted up to the present day. The Commentary on the Song
of Songs is enriched by the fact that Origen had some contact with the original
Hebrew of the Old Testament (both by contact with Jewish converts and his own
projects in biblical scholarship), but his reliance upon the Septuagint translation
often cuts him off from the meaning of the original Hebrew text of the work. This
thesis attempts to show how Origen built a spiritual interpretation of the Song of
Songs, which in many places stands upon an inaccurate literal interpretation, with
an additional discussion of how the later commentary tradition followed Origen in
his interpretations of the relevant portions of this book of the Bible.
19. The Effects of Green Tea and Black Tea on the Fermentation of
Kombucha Cultures
Isabel Friedrichs, Janet Paper, Biology
10:15–10:35 X Room 109
Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from tea that is inoculated with a
symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. The culture that creates kombucha contains
acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeast that consume a carbon source, such as
sucrose, to form an acidic, carbonated drink. The kombucha industry is growing
due to the increasing popularity of the drink, but kombucha producers lack the
same depth of knowledge of the brewing process as wine and beer producers.
Current research focuses on factors that affect the qualities of the kombucha, such
as carbonation, flavor, and texture. In addition, kombucha is being explored as a
health option as a source of polyphenols, which might decrease cancer risk.
In this Discovery Day Project, I explored the effects of the type of tea on the
sugar and alcohol levels, as well as the microbial community composition. I
achieved this by performing three trials of brewing with green tea and three trials
of brewing with black tea. Because black tea is more oxidized than green tea, it
offers a different chemical environment that could alter the microbial population
and influence the rate of fermentation. I used a hydrometer to probe alcohol levels
after the second stage of fermentation and used that data to convert alcohol to
sugar content. I then analyzed the species of bacteria and yeast in the cultures by
extracting DNA from samples after 12 days of fermentation and sending them to
a sequencing lab. With data on sugar levels, alcohol content, and the species in
22the cultures, I will make a conclusion using statistical analysis on whether there
is a significant difference between green tea and black tea as a nutrient source for
kombucha cultures.
20. An Analysis of Off-Campus Housing
Ian Reilly, Jack Edwards, Luke Seymore, John Haigh, Architecture
10:15–10:35 X Room 125
The student population at Benedictine has been steadily rising over the last
few years, and housing has become harder to find. As the on-campus options
fill, more students move off campus, and the options have become scarce.
To meet the demand, the college is building a new dorm at the top of Second
Street. In this Discovery Day project, I want to explore other options for new
upperclassman student housing that could be built along Second Street and in
other places in town, similar to the existing “on-campus” houses and row houses.
The presentation will focus on three specific building types: colonnade apart-
ments, row houses, and a cottage court. For each building type, I will present a
precedent analysis, exploring existing examples of each and how they affect the
character of their location. I also will present examples of each type in the context
of Atchison including elevations, plans, and perspective drawings showing each
type as it would look if built along Second Street. Lastly, I plan to speak with local
contractors to put together a hypothetical cost estimate for each building type and
analyze how each building type would affect the student housing capacity com-
pared to its cost and total footprint.
21. Thrust Vector Controlled Model Rocket
Gregory Bourget, Alexander Buman, Patrick O’Malley, School of Engineering
10:15–10:35 X Room 208
This project involved the development of a low power thrust vector controlled
(TVC) model rocket. Most model rockets are passively stabilized using the simple
aerodynamics of fins moving quickly through the atmospheric medium. However,
the physics of static-aero surfaces does not scale well for large rockets in the
aerospace industry, so engineers employ active stabilization by gimbling (maneu-
vering) the rocket engine. In the field of aerodynamics, this is known as thrust
vector control, as it involves changing the direction of the engine’s thrust vector
to compensate for any horizontal forces the vehicle experiences (active control)
or path deviations (guidance). This project involves exploring the use of TVC for
active control on the low power model rocketry scale for slow acceleration-low
altitude launches. A TVC rocket mount was developed that incorporates 2-axis
gimbling, driven by two independent electric servo motors, to orient the rocket
motor horizontally in the x and y directions (perpendicular to the nominal direc-
tion of ascent). The thrust vector control was programmed using a simple PID
control algorithm tuned using the root locus method. Launches of the system
were to be conducted using low-power rocket motors that burn for approximately
two seconds. In the future, similar TVC-assemblies and PID-control programs
could be implemented on higher power model rockets, along with the option of
23integrating a custom flight controller with all the required sensors and drivers
on board to simplify the mechanical assembly and improve the versatility of the
controller.
22. The Missing Piece
Sophia Winger, Katherine Kirstein, J. Dean Elmore, Jeremy Stubblefield,
Psychological Sciences, Biology
10:15–10:35 X Room 219
Many studies have been conducted to determine what factors promote effective
problem-solving. Although we have learned a great deal about the factors
that influence how individuals solve problems, we know relatively less about
problem-solving in cooperative settings, especially with regard to the influence of
personality. Thus, our study involves examining the efficacy with which a jigsaw
puzzle was completed in a dyad versus that of an individual participant. In order
to determine whether an individual’s personality influenced his or her ability to
cooperate with a partner or effectively to place pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, we
asked participants to fill out a survey that included a personality questionnaire,
which allowed us to see the influence of five personality factors. Additionally,
participants filled out a grit scale, which allowed us to assess general tendencies
in regards to participants’ ability to persevere through difficult tasks. After
completing the online pre-test survey, participants attended an in-person trial
where they were given eight minutes to place correctly as many pieces as they
were able of an 150-piece puzzle that had the border already completed. These
trials were run with both dyads and individuals. Participants’ scores on the puzzle-
solving task were obtained by counting the number of correctly placed pieces
connected in some way to the border of the puzzle. Data collection is ongoing.
At the end of the trials, we are hoping to have some indication towards which
aspects of personality predict performance, whether this performance is related to
personality similarities in dyads and whether individuals or dyads show stronger
performance within task completion. Final results will be presented.
23. Accessing the Web on Mobile Devices Without an Internet
Connection
Luke Aschenbrenner, Donald Bagert, Mathematics and Computer Science
10:45–11:05 X Room 109
In the past 30 years, the Internet has completely changed the way society operates.
The Internet allows for instant access to services, knowledge, and communication
in a way that was never possible before. In most places, like the United States,
Internet infrastructure has developed alongside it. Modern smartphones are now
equipped to deliver websites, movies, and apps at over 100 megabytes per sec-
ond almost anywhere in the US. However, other regions around the world have
been less capable of keeping up with the developments in low-cost, high-speed
Internet access. In some countries, 1 gigabyte of mobile data can cost over 10%
of a person’s monthly income. Still, over 80% of adults own a smartphone world-
wide. This disparity between smartphone ownership rates and data affordability
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