The Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum Is
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The Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum is sponsored by the Graduate & Professional Student Association and the Graduate College. We’d like to thank the faculty judges and student volunteers. Without your support this event would not be possible. 22nd Annual Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum Marta Meana, Ph.D. President Dear Students, Colleagues, and Guests: It is my pleasure to welcome you to UNLV's 22nd Annual Graduate Research Forum! Events like these bring our students, faculty, staff, and community together in celebration of the cutting-edge research that is taking place right here on campus. As you know, UNLV now holds the prestigious designation of Carnegie Rl with "very high research activity" -the gold standard for research universities. RI status is a massive accomplishment, and it is not one that we take for granted. We continue to increase our research presence, most recently with the opening of Black Fire Innovation as the debut research building of the UNLV Harry Reid Research and Technology Park. Our researchers continue to win coveted grants and partnerships, and publish in national media outlets. I am so proud of the way our incredible students, faculty, and staff are striving every day to further elevate UNL V among the nation's top universities. In the Research Forum, you will see the innovation and creativity that has propelled UNLV into the top 3% of research universities. With graduate and professional representatives from colleges across campus, I encourage you to be curious and engage with the presenters. Behind every exhibit is a network of academics, researchers, mentors, and many others who helped bring an idea to fruition. They are all perfect examples of the talent and hard work that contributed to UNL V achieving Carnegie Rl status and national recognition. They are also a peek into the wildly exciting future of research at UNLV. Carnegie RI is just the first step of our overall Top Tier vision, which includes excelling in education, community impact, and scholarly activities. I am thrilled to say that we are moving forward boldly, thanks to the work of the dedicated individuals you'll meet during this forum, along with many, many others. Thank you for participating in this meaningful event and for your tireless commitment to excellence in research at UNLV! 22nd Annual Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum Chris L. Heavey, Ph.D. Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Today we celebrate the most outstanding research our graduate students are producing, and it is truly a point of pride for UNLV to showcase their work. Our students on a daily basis demonstrate their drive to apply what they learn to solving real-word problems through well-reasoned research and creative activity. The strength of their work has been recognized and has elevated our standing as a university. UNLV was recently designated an R1 “very high research activity” institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This is the gold standard for research among all American universities. As student researchers, creators and innovators, the work they do can have far-reaching influence on the well-being, sustainability and vitality of our community. So much of the work our students do is rooted in inspiration from their lived experiences, and it is geared toward improving the future for all of us as global citizens. I am delighted to be part of this wonderful community of scholars and researchers. I am eager to see the impacts of this work as our students carry into the future what they started here. During today’s forum, I encourage you to join these gifted researchers as they guide you through their journey of exploration, discovery and innovation. I am certain you will be impressed and inspired. 22nd Annual Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum Kate Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D. Graduate College Dean Hello and welcome to the 22nd Annual Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas! It is a great pleasure to participate in this grand UNLV tradition with you. When this event began in 1998 we were much smaller, and we had not yet been recognized as the Carnegie Research High institution. Today, UNLV is a thriving Minority Serving Institution and was recognized as a Carnegie "Very High Research Activity," also known as tier one or R1, university just one year ago. This is a tremendous accomplishment for UNLV and it’s a reflection of the outstanding and innovative work of our graduate faculty and students. One of the wonderful things about this tier one Carnegie status is affirmation that graduate education is a centrally important part of our campus community and our top tier mission. Graduate faculty and students are drivers of academic and scholarly excellence. I am particularly proud of the long and strong history of graduate student governance exemplified by the Graduate and Professional Student Association, a strong voice for the more than 5,000 graduate and professional students enrolled in more than 160 graduate programs and certificates today. I couldn't be more thankful for GPSA's leadership or more proud of your organization’s accomplishments over the years. Graduate and professional education is thriving and it’s a wonderful time to be an R1 Grad Rebel! As thinkers, researchers, scholars, and creatives, graduate students are at the cusp of innovation and often the drivers of change. Our students are diverse, and your range of expertise is even more so -- and I couldn't be more proud of your determination, hard work, resiliency, innovation, and accomplishments. Today is a day to celebrate all of this and to foster communication and collaboration across disciplinary silos. The GPSA Research Forum is an event that inspires us to know more, to work harder, to be better --- as individuals, and as a graduate community of scholars. Participation in this annual event helps develop your professional socialization skills and provides an opportunity to practice talking about your work to non-specialists in your field. It draws us all out of our disciplinary silos to encourage conversations and fosters collaboration. The work showcased at the Research Forum highlights graduate and professional student excellence, and is a reflection of the outstanding graduate and professional faculty and programs here at UNLV. It is an honor to help support this great event, and to celebrate you, our graduate and professional students. You inspire me! I wish you a wonderful Research Forum and a successful remainder of your semester. Go Grad Rebels! All the best, Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D. Dean, UNLV Graduate College 2020 Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Saturday, February 29, 2020 Research Forum 8:30am – 2:00pm Student Union Podium Sessions Science Podium Session A: 8:45 AM - 11:45 AM Room 207 Science Podium Session B: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Room 222 Science & Engineering Podium Session: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Room 218 Mechanical Engineering: 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Room 224 Social Science Podium Session A: 9:15 AM - 11:30 AM Room 208C Social Science Podium Session B: 8:45 AM - 12:00 PM Room 209 Humanities and Fine Arts Podium Session: 8:45 AM - 12:00 PM Room 211 Education Podium Session: 8:45 AM - 12:00 PM Room 208B Social Sciences and Hospitality: 8:45 AM-12:00 PM Room 213 Poster Sessions Education Poster Session: 9:00 AM- 11:45 AM Ballroom Social Science Poster Session A: 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM Ballroom Social Science Poster Session B: 8:45 AM- 11:45 AM Ballroom Social Science Poster Session C: 9:15 AM- 11:45 AM Ballroom Social Science Poster Session D: 8:45 AM- 11:45 AM Ballroom Science Poster Session A: 8:45 AM- 12:00 PM Ballroom Science Poster Session B: 9:15 AM- 12:00 PM Ballroom Science Poster Session C: 9:00 AM - 11:45 AM Ballroom Science Poster Session D: 8:45 AM- 11:45 AM Ballroom Science Poster Session E: 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM Ballroom Science Poster Session F: 8:30 AM- 12:00 PM Ballroom Luncheon and Awards Ceremony Noon – 2:00pm Ballroom 2020 Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum TABLE OF CONTENTS Podium Sessions.......................................................................................................................................... 1 Science Podium Session A – Room 207 .......................................................................................................... 2 Science Podium Session B – Room 222 .......................................................................................................... 8 Science & Engineering Podium Session – Room 218 ..................................................................................... 14 Mechanical Engineering – Room 224 ............................................................................................................ 20 Social Science Podium Session A – Room 208C ............................................................................................ 24 Social Science Podium Session B – Room 209 ............................................................................................... 29 Humanities and Fine Arts Podium Session – Room 211 ................................................................................. 36 Education Podium Session – Room 208B ....................................................................................................... 43 Social Sciences and Hospitality Podium Session – Room 213......................................................................... 50 Poster