Research Roundup

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

Starting freshman year, Niagara students can roll up their sleeves and work one-on-one with their professors on primary research studies. Many go on to present their findings at the annual Niagara University Undergraduate Research Conference, at state and regional research conferences, or at professional conferences in their fields of study.

Here’s a sample of what some of our students have been working on:

“College Alcohol Beliefs, College Drinking Movie Exposure, Perceived Drinking Norms, Alcohol Expectancies, and Drinking Among College Students” Maribeth Insana, Meredith Eggert, Katherine Billingsley, Claire Hogan, Christina Antonelli, Elaine Brzezowski, Andrew Swiantek, Harjit Singh, Andrew Murphy, Stephanie Mann, Alexandria Collins, and Salvatore Vescio. Presented at he Eastern Psychological Association Convention

“Validity of College Alcohol Beliefs in Predicting Drinking Game Participation” Maribeth Insana, Meredith Eggert, Katherine Billingsley, Claire Hogan, Christina Antonelli, Elaine Brzezowski, Andrew Swiantek, Harjit Singh, Andrew Murphy, Stephanie Mann, Alexandria Collins, and Salvatore Vescio. Presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention.

“An Honorable Attempt at Peace: An Assessment of Britain’s Appeasement Policy” Adam Harris Presented at the New York West/Central Regional Conference of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society

“The Un-Kept Secrets of the Gulag Camps” Ashley Clingersmith Presented at the New York West/Central Regional Conference of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society

“Mainstream Media v. Blogging in a Professional Sports Franchise Case Study: New York Islanders” Chrissy Foster Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication

“Print Advertising and the Female Body Image” Kadie Gaiser Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication

“Animal Rights and Celebrities: How PETA Employs Celebrity Advocacy” Jessica Garfinkel Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication and the NU Undergraduate Research Conference

“Is Reality Television Real? Non-Scripted Television: A Mediated Reality” Savannah M. Hauck Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication “Feminist Icon or Not?: Rereading Nancy Drew” Colline Landry Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication

“The Ugly Business of Women's Beauty” Erin Mirando Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication

“Media's Unrealistic View of Beauty and its Impact on College Women” Brittany Schottmiller Presented at the Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication

“Zelda Fitzgerald and the Spread of Flapper Culture in North America” Megan Hahin Presented at “Crossing Borders: A Multi-Disciplinary Student Conference on the U.S., Canada, and Border Issues”

“There is No Crying in Politics: Emotional and Issue Based Voter Responsiveness to Political Campaign Advertising” Eric Walsh Presented at the Illinois State Undergraduate Research Conference for Political Science

The following research was given at the Niagara University Undergraduate Research Conference

“The Information Age and its Effect on Candidate-Voter Relationships” Bobbi Nelson

“Presidential Leadership and Relations with Congress” Josh Jensen

“Sufi Saints and Healing Miracles” Patrick Teixeira

“Modern Day Dervish” Corinne Oudkerk

“Homoerotic Poetry in Sufism” Amanda Kelley

“Euclid’s Influence on Mathematics” Kasey McFarren

“The Pythagorean Theorem: The Untold Story” Ryan Ventura

“The Importance of Complex Numbers” Christina Fetzer

“An Alternate Method of Solving Linear Equations” Kathryn Potter

“Apocalyptic Literature and Themes in Contemporary Music” Paul Woods

“The Apocalyptic Ideas of Charles Manson and the Manson Family” Dallan Cline

“Apocalyptic Themes in ‘The Lord of the Rings’” Patrick Teixeira

“Modern Day Apocalypse: Stephen King’s Attempt to Answer Humanity’s Enduring Questions” Crystal Bojanowski

“Borderless: The Lack of International Diversity on an International Border” Kenneth Lambert Jr.

“A Lack of Beans and Rice for Niagara” Nicholas Mendenhall

“The Reality of the ‘Diversity’ Issue” Kate Musselman

“Examining the Effectiveness of a Coping Strategy Group in Increasing Independent Living Skills in Individuals in Recovery” Cindy Pugh

“Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Strengthening Sense of Self (SOS) Intervention on Adolescent Victims of Bullying” Mary Kate Metzger & Kristen Silla

“Evaluation of the Special Friends Program” Audrey Tinsdale

“Exploring the Use of Alternative Therapies by Future Professionals” Brie G. Reid

“A Deeper Truth into Slavery: Frederick Douglass, Former Slave and Abolitionist” Kaitlyn Border

“Young Adult Romantic Relationships: Factors Influencing Relationship Quality and Potential Marital Satisfaction” Rachel Ward

“College Student Drinking Beliefs Regarding Alcohol Use in College Life and Student Retention from the Freshman to Sophomore Years” Maribeth Insana

“Student Retention” Sean Fitzerald

“Evaluation of the Photolytic Decay of Dibenzylic Sulfites”

Paolo Grenga

“PVPh Multilayer Films as an Antibacterial Surface Coating” Megan McGahan and Matthew Pinto

“Phage Hunting in Staphylocuccus Isolates” Alexis Dunker and Richard Myers

“Audience Reaction to Horror Films: Comparing Originals to their Remakes” Jaclyn Eckel

“Physical Forensics/Fire Investigations” Robert Booth and Nick Capra

“Forgery” Curtis Monaco and Andrew Strell

“Intercultural Communication & Miscommunication: Implications for ESL Learners and Teachers” Ashleigh Bowers

“Intercultural Communication: Challenges and Implications for German L1 ESL Learners” “English Training Programs for ESL Adult Learners in the Community” Jennifer Hoess

“Intercultural Communication: Challenges and Implications for Spanish L1 ESL Learners” Deborah Rivera

“Robeson on African Education” Alyn Simpson

“Emerging Powers, Emerging Energy” Kenneth Lambert,

“Lagrangians and the Principle of Least Action” Matt Bordonaro, Terry Seyler and Gary Styn

“Relationship Between Student Involvement and Political Involvement” Josh Coyne

“Do You Have What it Takes to Run for a Political Office” Mark Farnitano

“A Series of Tubes: social Media & Vote Mobilization” Thomas Gaines

“Negative Campaigns” Amanda Geary

“Passing Protective Legislation for the LGBT Community on a Federal and a National Level” Amanda Kelly

“Most Prevalent Factor in Determining Local Legislative Success in Monroe County, NY” Heather Moffitt

“Child Defiance & the Long Term Affects on Political Socialization” Gabrielle Paonessa

“Peer Discussion and Voting” Sarah Potter

“Centenarians: What Factors Increase Their Longevity” Rachel Albanese

“Senior to Senior: The Passage of Wisdom” Clara Kuntz

“Dimensions of Academic Procrastiniation” John Phillips, Jamie Williams and Toni Wilson

“Increasing Academic Performance by Decreasing Anxiety” Christina Antonelli and AnneMarie Sacco

“Media Emphasis on Positive & Negative Aspects of Relationships” Megan Heidle

“Investigating the Occurrence of Child Abuse Amongst Cities in the Northeast of Canada” Mikylah Death

“Exploring Gaps in Services for the Olderly: A Pilot Study” Ashley Dwyer and Elizabeth Santilli

“Piloting a Survey Instrument Developed for Community Assessment of Family and Children's Services” Nicole Genovese and Carly Soyka

“Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Salvaging Sisterhood Program with Adolescent Girls” Karen Kamenar

“Examining Group Cohesiveness in Mentors of an Academic and Social Support Group for High School Students” Natalia Martinez “Exploring the Effectiveness of Group Counseling in Increasing Self Esteem in Students with Disabilities” Brittany McPherson

“Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Families in Transition Program in Reducing Family Conflict and Increasing Parenting Competence”

Erika Vankouwenberg

“Exploring the Impact of Budget Cuts on Stress and Burnout in Agency Social Workers” Amanda Webb

Presented at the Department of Nursing Research Presentation Day

“Hospice – It’s More than You Think” Corrie O’Hara

“Palliative Care” Diane Morris

“Magnet Nursing” Dawn Willard

“Communication for a Cohesive Work Environment” Yolanda Spencer

“The Legal Side of Nursing Documentation” Deanna Tedesco

“Perceptions of Obesity” Andrea Lambert

“Factors influencing Duration of Breast Feeding” Melinda Hancock

“Nurses’ Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Open Visiting on Patients, Families and Nurses in Non-Intensive Care Unit Settings” Diane Taylor

“Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Using a Closed Versus an Open Tracheal Suction Systems” Barbara Aceti

“End of Life Dehydration and Benefit of Rehydration” Janelle Atkinson

“Prevalence of Meningitis in Infants with Urinary Tract Infections” Khristen Bakota “Conditions Affecting Screening for Domestic Violence in the ER” Louise Hines

“Factors that Influence Nurses in Their Pain Management Practices in Acute Care Systems” Tyann Iveys

“Long Terms Operate Management/Compliance” Julie Marsh

“Prevalence of Obesity in Adults with Bipolar Disorder” Kerry Ostwald

“Online vs. Traditional Education of Medical Students” Julie Stefik

Accounting Research

“Sooner or Later: An In-Depth Analysis on Capital Gains and Dividend Taxes in the United States” Jack LePage

“International Financial Reporting Standards – The Impact on Information Technology” Daniel Otto

“The Cost Benefit of Sarbanes-Oxley Laws in Western New York” Rochelle Greek

Chemistry Research

“Urine Based Screen for Alzheimers Using NMR” Brittany Sumbler

“Blood Screen for Heart Disease Using NMR” Haley McClory

“Optimization of Synthetic Protocol for Cholestosomes” Charles Smith

“Computational Analysis of Aminoglycosides in Cholestosomes/NMR Breast Cancer” Christopher Wirth

“Breast Cancer Cell Analysis for Biomarkers” Sarah Roberts, Michael Donahue, Matthew Castaldo, Carolyn Trabert, Kevin Cutler, and Steven Fuchs

“Computational Modeling of Drugs in Cholestosome” William Femec)

“Development of Orally Available Treatments Using Cholestsomes” Marie Albano and Julia Bulmahn