2015 Abstract Book
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26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference Poster Presentations Friday, May 1, 2015 3–6 p.m. ARC Pavilion Arts Exhibit Friday, May 1, 2015 3–6 p.m. ARC Pavilion Oral Presentations Saturday, May 2, 2015 1–6 p.m. Wellman Hall Sponsored by: Undergraduate Education and the Division of Student Affairs 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference Letter from the Chancellor May 1, 2015 Dear Students, Colleagues, and Guests: It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 26th annual University of California, Davis Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference! This two-day conference highlights the accomplishments of students who have immersed themselves in faculty- mentored research and creative projects. Promoting collaboration between students and faculty in research is central to the mission of our campus, and I am proud of the long-standing tradition in undergraduate research at UC Davis. The work you will see here represents the passion students have for their topics of study and their excitement to share their results with the public. These students have dedicated a great deal of time and sweat equity to their research. They have learned how to approach problem- solving and how to overcome challenges. They have garnered valuable experience with time management. They are actively honing their skills for communication. There will be some nervous looks on our students’ faces today, but every one of them should be proud to be participating. As someone who spent years working in research labs, I commend the students on the diligence, creativity, and courage required to bring them here today. I also want to offer my deepest thanks to the faculty mentors who engaged, challenged and inspired these undergraduates in their research projects. The mentorship and supervision of student researchers requires dedication and a degree of altruism. I truly appreciate our faculty’s commitment to mentoring students. The many faculty volunteers who have taken time out of their schedules to moderate oral and poster sessions also deserve our gratitude. Without your participation, this event would not be possible. My warm congratulations to the Undergraduate Research Center for its organization of the conference and its tireless dedication to connecting students with research opportunities. The Center represents our campus’s commitment to exposing students to training that can connect the theoretical foundations of their coursework with research and critical thinking skills that will prepare them for their future careers. I invite you to sample all that the conference has to offer and let yourself to be amazed and inspired by the incredible accomplishments of the dedicated young people who will be presenting their work in the poster and oral sessions. Thank you for participating in this celebration of undergraduate research, scholarship and creative excellence! Linda P.B. Katehi Chancellor UC Davis 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference Vice Provost and Dean’s Welcome May 1, 2015 Dear Colleagues, Presenters, and Guests: Welcome to the 26th annual UC Davis Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Conference. More than 500 students, representing each of our colleges and divisions, will present their work at this two-day event. The conference’s format encourages all who attend to encounter new discoveries within and beyond their own disciplines. Here you will meet students working to advance solutions in health, agriculture, world hunger, and renewable energy. They are contributing to cutting-edge design and engineering breakthroughs. They are forging a better understanding of critical issues in human development and human rights. They are discovering data that lead to a better understanding of ourselves as human beings. And all of this new knowledge is coming to us in a cacophony of formats from colorful posters to complex charts and graphs to impassioned presentations and engaging exhibits of objects and spaces. Take time to engage with and learn from our students. Ask them how they found their projects. Re-create with them the moment in a class or reading a text or settling into a new lab position or internship or talking with a friend late at night when they happened upon a topic that grabbed them. Ask them who they learned from. You’ll no doubt hear about amazing faculty who are truly engaged with undergraduate research and the dedicated teaching assistants and postdoctoral scholars who round out our instructional teams. And ask them what they’ve discovered that’s really new. You’ll be surprised at how many students have found, in the midst of so much that we already know, things we don’t. They’re asking new questions, demanding new answers, and in so doing improving the world we live in for the generation to come. To the students who are sharing their research and creative projects this weekend, I offer my congratulations and best wishes. To our mentors, I offer my thanks for your commitment to our undergraduates. All of you make real the promise of our world-class research and teaching institution. Lastly, I commend the Undergraduate Research Center for hosting this conference this year as they have each year since 1990, with great care, attention to detail, and commitment to the highest standards of student excellence. As each student participating over the next two days can assure you, the URC’s commitment to engaging UC Davis students in world-class research is a model for us all. Carolyn Thomas Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education UC Davis 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ......... 4 Agenda ......... 5 Presenters Index ......... 7 Session A (Poster) ....... 13 ARC Pavilion Session B (Poster) ....... 17 ARC Pavilion Session C (Poster) ....... 21 ARC Pavilion Arts Exhibit ....... 25 ARC Pavilion Session 1 (Oral) ....... 27 Wellman Hall Session 2 (Oral) ....... 31 Wellman Hall Session 3 (Oral) ....... 35 Wellman Hall Wellman Hall Floor Maps ....... 37 Abstracts ....... 39 UC Davis 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Undergraduate Research, Scholarship Sponsors & Creative Activities Conference gratefully Undergraduate Education acknowledges the faculty sponsors and other individuals whose mentoring has Division of Student Affairs contributed to the research produced by our presenters. We would also like to thank the many programs that generously Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities support and encourage undergraduate Conference Committee research. Among these are the following: Allan Bach – Undergraduate Student Representative Biology Undergraduate Scholars Program (BUSP); California Alliance for Minority Alina Bara – Dean’s Office, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Participation (CAMP); Interdisciplinary Jacques Bowyer – McNair Scholars Program; Graduate Studies Agriculture Medicine Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (iAMSTEM); Connie Champagne – College of Biological Sciences; BUSP Internship and Career Center; McNair Tom Hall – Dean’s Office, College of Biological Sciences Scholars Program; Mentorships for Undergraduate Research in Agriculture, Raynell Hamilton – Student Academic Success Center; MURALS, MURPPS Letters and Science (MURALS); Mentorships Tammy Hoyer – Conference Chair, Undergraduate Research Center for Undergraduate Research Participants in Alessa Johns – Undergraduate Council--Committee on the Physical and Mathematical Sciences (MURPPS); Provost’s Undergraduate Special Academic Programs Fellowship; Undergraduate Research Milton Lang – Student Affairs Center; University Honors Program; UC Davis Washington Program; and UC Angelique Louie – Undergraduate Research Center Leadership Excellence Through Advanced James McClain – Council of Associate Deans; Dean’s Office, Degrees (UC LEADS). College of Letters & Science Janice Morand – Internship and Career Center Enid Picart – Undergraduate Research Center, CAMP Kim Reinking – Dean’s Office, College of Engineering Design and Publications Student Affairs Marketing and Communications Special Thanks Dean Witter Fund 4 UC Davis 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference AGENDA Poster Sessions: Friday, May 1, 2015 3–6 p.m., ARC Pavilion 3–4 p.m. Poster Session A ARC Pavilion 4–5 p.m. Poster Session B ARC Pavilion 5–6 p.m. Poster Session C ARC Pavilion Arts Exhibit: Friday, May 1, 2015 (concurrent with poster session) 3–6 p.m., ARC Pavilion 3–6 p.m. Arts Exhibit ARC Pavilion Oral Sessions: Saturday, May 2, 2015 1–6 p.m., Wellman Hall Noon–1 p.m. Presenter Check-in 115 Wellman Hall 1–2:30 p.m. Oral Session 1 Wellman Hall Rooms 3–4:30 p.m. Oral Session 2 Wellman Hall Rooms 5–6 p.m. Oral Session 3 Wellman Hall Rooms Sponsored by: Undergraduate Education and the Division of Student Affairs UC Davis 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference 5 26th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference PRESENTERS Acord, Katherine .................. Session 1 ............ Oral ..... 1:00 p.m. .....107 Wellman Bybee, Michael .................... Session 2 ............ Oral ..... 3:45 p.m. .....226 Wellman Agulto, Regina .....................Session