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guage, and disability. With a focus on four Cross-cultural Research Literature and the Arts discourse variables—question-and-answer sequences, expletives (profanity), honorif- Construction of Gender: ics, and indirection—the study aims to Why There Are Indirect Speech Insight into Japan and Korea (panel) identify stereotypes associated with female Acts: A Response to Bertolet (panel) Science Center 396 vs. male speech and explores the role Pendleton West 117 of disability in their perpetuation. The Gender is a social construct expressed by Shan Shan Tam ’10, Philosophy and each individual in accordance with a social major questions addressed by this film- based linguistic analysis are as follows: Architecture, Kimberly Goyzueta ’11, standard. This panel examines native Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences, and 1) Are the disabled subject to the same portrayals of gender in creative outlets, Margaret Hall ’11, Psychology language-related gender stereotypes that and the use of language and other social advisor: Mary Kate McGowan, Philosophy behavior, to examine the expression of characterize the speech of nondisabled Suppose a diner asks, “Can you pass the gender in modern Japan and Korea. men and women (e.g., women’s speech is “powerless” and/or “cooperative”)? and salt?” Although her utterance is literally a Real Men Wear Sequins: Performing 2) can physical disability, both in Oasis question (about the physical abilities of Gender on the Takarazuka Stage and more generally, in Korean society and the addressee), most would take it as a elsewhere, be a hyperbolized expression of request (that the addressee pass the salt). Maureen E. Wynne ’09, Economics and femininity itself? The request is performed “indirectly” by Japanese Language and Literature way of “directly” asking a question. advisor: Eve Zimmerman, East Asian Are the Gay Guys Uniquely Gay?: Accordingly, this utterance is known as an Languages and Literatures Cross-culture Influence on Gender indirect speech act. On the standard Japan’s all-female Takarazuka Revue has Identity and Expression account of such speech acts, a single utter- been staging large-scale musicals to mostly Laura M. Corser ’10, East Asian Studies ance constitutes two distinct speech acts. female audiences for almost 100 years. and Political Science On this account then, “Can you pass the Using makeup, costumes, and movement, advisors: Eve Zimmerman, East Asian salt?” is both a question and a request. In Takarazuka actresses create stylized por- Languages and Literatures, and Sun-Hee a provocative essay, Rod Bertolet argues traits of both genders that say much about Lee, East Asian Languages and Literatures that there are no indirect speech acts. societal perceptions of what constitutes According to Bertolet, “Can you pass the Over the last 25 years or so, the popular the “ideal” man or woman. However, are salt?” is only a question. Using what we culture exchange between Japan and Korea these representations static? Changes in learned in Philosophy of Language, we exploded. This exchange has led to an the Takarazuka repertoire over the past argue against Bertolet and argue for the increasing intersection of cultural attitudes 15 years could be a reflection of a greater existence of indirect speech acts. towards different individuals in today’s redefining of gender roles in Japanese society. This study analyzes both the society as a whole. This presentation Wit and Wellesley: Taking Ourselves fictional and nonfictional cross-cultural will explore the conventions of gender Less Seriously (long performance) influence of each country’s attitude toward construction on the Takarazuka stage and gender, language, and sexuality through Schneider Theatre, Black Box how they have been applied to recent points of shared contact. More specifically, traditional and less traditional roles. Lynne Adams ’09, English and Middle it strives to view a few different examples Eastern Studies, Claire Ayoub ’11, of cultural attitudes towards An Analysis of the Language of Societal Middle Eastern Studies, Mary-Katherine Misfits in the FilmOasis homosexuality in Japan versus that in Batson ’10, English, Nisha Bedi ’10, Art Korea through the analysis of language History, Sarah Case ’10, English, Kat Jenny S. Lee ’09, Cognitive and and other social behavior displayed in Chen ’12, Missy Ford ’09, Political Science Linguistic Sciences points of cultural intersection: the popular and Philosophy, Haley Harris ’12, Lilli advisor: Sun-Hee Lee, East Asian Korean drama Coffee Prince, the Japanese Johnson-Moffet ’11, English, Olivia Languages and Literatures and Korean versions of Antique Bakery, Kingsley ’11, English, and Simi Oberoi ’11, This study investigates the relationship and pop-culture figure Harisu. Political Science between language and gender in modern advisor: Sarah Wall-Randell, English Korea based on a set of discourse data To making fun of “that girl,” to making from Lee Chang-Dong’s film Oasis. fun of society girls, to making fun of each Constructing a complex image of marginal- other, Dead Serious has been mining the ized individuals, the film calls attention veins of comedy gold since 1066 C.E. But to various issues surrounding gender, lan-
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9:30–10:40am making it all up isn’t all fun and games. In Art, Feminism, and the Home: point in its history, as well as share some their Ruhlman debut, Dead Serious pres- Domesticity Reexamined (exhibition) of the difficult choices I faced during the ents an insightful yet frivolous, enriching Jewett Art Center, Student Gallery translation process. yet not-for-profit, intelligent yet not, and above all sustainable and digestible look Brittany Sundgren ’09, Studio Art ¿Qué hago yo aquí?: Fictional into the innards of improv. Come observe advisor: Phyllis McGibbon, Art Representations of Latin American the elusive and endangered comedy Immigration to Spain and the U.S. My independent studies in printmaking improv troupe in their natural habitat, as this year have explored issues of feminist Megan Briggs ’09, Comparative Literature they not only perform what they’re known art. Throughout the year, I have been advisor: Elena Gascón-Vera, Spanish for but all teach the pillars of comedic considering the concept of home and The United States and Spain have distinct improvisational theatre. Dead Serious. For belonging by viewing objects through a histories of immigration: whereas the U.S. Serious. (Performance sponsored by the feminist lens. I wanted to explore and has always been a country of immigrants, letters “D” and “S” and also audiences like present these ideas using different visual Spain has traditionally exported people you....please?) formats, including handmade books, abroad, and it has only become a recipient prints, sewing, and performance. Along César Franck and His Violin and of immigrants in the last two decades. the way, I have become particularly Nevertheless, immigration is a touchy Piano Sonata (long performance) interested in traditionally feminine objects subject in both countries, with heated Pendleton West 220 associated with the home: aprons, spools, debates not only in politics but also on the teapots, and the like. Currently, we are Pui Man Rosalind Lai ’11, Neuroscience, streets. This presentation summarizes the seeing a kind of new domesticity, or and Jane Park ’11, Biological Sciences findings of my senior honors thesis, reclaiming of domesticity emerge; motifs advisor: Jan Pfeiffer, Music which analyzes the fictional yet realistic and styles reminiscent of those used in the representations of the Latin American The nineteenth-century Romantic Era is 1950s and ’60s are popular once again. immigrant experience in three novels, two characterized by its passionate and expres- This, in conjunction with my studies, from the US and one from Spain. All of sive nature, and its unlimited imaginative has led me to create a dollhouse that them pay special attention to the complex and fantastical possibilities. In Belgium, a reconsiders the ideas of feminine objects realities faced by children and adolescents, dominant force in music at this era was and their place. especially the conflict between integration César Franck (1822–1890). Over his life- and tradition. time, Franck’s compositions included Exiles at Home operas, symphonies, organ works, and the (short talks) Science Center 277 Dirasat Al-Adabiyyat Al-’Arabiyya: Violin and Piano Sonata in A major, being Discovering Arabic Literature at A Young Author’s Potential: Exploring among Franck’s best-known compositions. Wellesley Yukio Mishima through His Debut Work The term “sonata”, in Latin literally means Liz Stickney ’09, Middle Eastern Studies Maya Katzir ’09, Japanese Language a piece to be played as opposed to being and French and Literature sung. Sonatas of the Romantic period advisor: Louise Marlow, Religion advisor: Eve Zimmerman, East Asian retained the musical form of the Classical Languages and Literatures After four years of Arabic study both at Sonatas, but emphasized the emotional Wellesley and abroad at Middlebury, in possibilities that were never achieved The popular yet controversial Japanese Egypt, and in Morocco, two students before. Franck’s Sonata in A major (1886) author Yukio Mishima submitted his first decided to explore Arabic literature is a perfect example of this sonata of the work of fiction for publication in 1941, at in order to continue their progress in Romantic period. Franck uses the cyclic the age of 16. “A Forest in Full Bloom,” mastering the language. Structured around form in which same musical themes are a highly developed piece of short fiction, informal weekly meetings, discussions of developed throughout the piece, resulting touches upon elements of Mishima’s contemporary literary works by writers in a unity among the four movements. childhood, while also using strong from Taha Hussein to Hanan Al-Shaykh metaphors to explore the world around were held in Arabic, enabling students to him. Through translating his work from practice the language by speaking about its Japanese to English, I have been able to literature. Using this untraditional, inde- further appreciate the linguistic subtleties pendent, and informal setting, students that abound in his writing. In my presenta- were able to focus specifically on their tion, I would like to elaborate on how his interests and needs in the spirit of salon- writing connects to both his own story and style learning without the commitment to Japanese society during a vital turning
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9:30–10:40am of taking a course for academic credit. History of the Use of Precision-guided Identity through Dainos: The Use of Through this experience, students not only Munitions Folk Music in the Creation of Lithuanian desired to gain an appreciation for Arabic Tiffany Howard ’09, History and Ethnic Identity literature and a greater level of proficiency Political Science Emily D. Saras ’10, Anthropology in the language, but also hoped to advisor: Guy Rogers, History and Music encourage further development of the advisor: Philip Kohl, Anthropology The United States, without a doubt, has Arabic program at Wellesley. the most technologically advanced military Lithuanians and non-Lithuanians alike in the world. From unmanned aerial vehi- have used dainos [ancient folk songs] to Political Development cles to social networking systems, the construct the idea of what it means to be United States uses this technology to give ethnically Lithuanian. These songs are his- its military an immense advantage over its torically tied to pagan folk history and the War, Nationalism, and Exclusion enemies. As the world seems to turn away development of the Lithuanian language. (short talks) Pendleton East 239 from conventional warfare to unconven- Under both the Soviet Empire and the The Invisible Wounds of War: tional warfare, we can examine how USSR, Lithuania’s arts were suppressed— Psychological Casualties of U.S. Military technology is used in asymmetrical opera- and performances were manipulated in Engagement tions and how it can contribute to the order to further the aims of state-spon- success or failure of a mission. Precision- sored evolutionism. The performance of Vanessa Arslanian ’09, Political Science guided munitions are only one piece of folk songs in times of occupation allowed advisor: Ivan Arreguín-Toft, Political Lithuanians to preserve their pride in their Science technology used by the United States mili- tary. However, by tracking the history of ethnicity, despite oppression. After their Seven years since the October 2001 deploy- their use in major conflicts beginning with two separate declarations of independence ment to Afghanistan and five since the Gulf War I until today, we can see that in the last century, Lithuanians have used commencement of U.S. operations in Iraq, doctrine is created to fit the current tech- performances of dainos in festivals to active duty servicemembers and veterans nology and technology is conversely proudly display their cultural roots. This of these conflicts continue to face a host of adapted to fit the doctrine. ethnomusicological project is a compara- physical and mental health challenges. tive analysis of the cultural and musical RAND Corporation conservatively esti- Beyond Language and Geography: trends in Lithuania over the last century, mates that of 1.64 million troops deployed, Why Ethnicity Continues to Threaten and demonstrates the critical role of folk about 18 percent suffer from major depres- Kenya’s Stability as a Nation song in the creation of Lithuanian identity. sion or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Elishibah W. Msengeti ’09, International 20 percent experienced traumatic brain Relations-History and Africana Studies injury during deployment. Yet these “invis- Science and Technology advisor: Pashington Obeng, Africana ible” injuries are hardly new: from the Studies Civil War’s “soldier’s heart,” to World War Code Green: Connecting People to II’s “shell shock,” the psychological after- Following the declaration of Mwai Kibaki Plants (panel) Science Center 104 effects of combat exact an even greater toll as the winner of the 2007 presidential elections, ethnic violence erupted in Kenya on those who have already sacrificed more Joy Ding ’09, Environmental Studies, killing over 1000 people and displacing than enough for our country. In an effort Christine Kang ’10, Psychology, Johanna tens of thousands from their homes. to better inform government decision- C. Lake ’09, Environmental Studies, and making before, during, and after war to Through an analysis of Kenya’s political Laura Stevens ’11, Geosciences history, social relations, and recorded limit these tragedies, I examined different advisor: Kristina Jones, Biological Sciences factors contributing to psychological casu- public speeches, I investigate how long- and Environmental Studies alties—including domestic perceptions of standing undercurrents were fired up by politicians in the months leading to the What’s the name of that tree? Where does the conflict and veteran care—from the that fruit come from? Can plants really Korean War until today’s engagements. election. The fact that majority of the rioters were young unemployed men grow on a wall? These were just a few of points to the intricate interrelation of the questions four students explored politics and economics in Kenya. Above during a new independent study in the all, the real and perceived links between Botanic Gardens. Despite being numerous, ethnic identity and access to resources tasty and fantastic, plants are often make it a continuous challenge to achieve ignored. Taking up the challenge of con- democracy and national harmony. necting people to plants, last semester, we chose to dig deeper into the many
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9:30–10:40am resources of the Botanic Gardens. Guided Bigger Is Not Always Better: Roxbury students a comprehensive intro- by lively critiques from her peers and pro- Investigations in Nanoscience (panel) duction to the science and promise of fessor, each student completed a project of Pendleton East 139 regenerative medicine, with a focus on her choosing. The finished products came induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). in many different forms, including a Linda Guiney ’09, Chemistry and French, The students put together an interactive Robert Frost walking tour, an exhibit on and Alex Bear ’09, Chemistry teaching presentation, incorporating Paramecium Pond, a vertical plant wall, advisor: Nolan Flynn, Chemistry hands-on activities tailored to their audi- and an edible fruits program featured in Nanoscale science has potential for use in ence of seventh graders from the Mission the Greenhouse Light Show. All projects numerous fields such as biomaterials. Grammar School. Activities included crossed the academic-public divide, show- Proposed biomedical applications include “regenerating” salamander limbs using casing plants and plant information with the creation of nanoscale thin films for the K’Nex, creating differentiated cells with colorful, interactive displays. mitigation of biofouling and the develop- play dough, understanding the transforma- ment of novel nanoscale materials for drug tion of iPS cells through role-play and Characterizing Buforin II and bCNG delivery. We will present results from acquainting students with stem cell vocab- Ion Channels: Investigation of studies of two nanoscale biomaterial ulary using an acrostic competition. Proteins Associated with the Cell systems. The first focuses on using thin Throughout the process of teaching, the Membrane (panel) Pendleton East 339 films of gold nanoparticles that have their outreach experience taught the Wellesley surfaces functionalized with organic mole- students valuable lessons about education Ryann C. Guayasamin ’10, Biological cules. These films have been proposed as and provided an excellent supplement to Chemistry, Jessica F. Hawkins ’10, coating for medical devices and as sub- course material. Biological Chemistry, Anna T. Lee ’09, strates for sensing of biological molecules. Biological Chemistry, Natalya P. The Growing, Learning Brain Despite these interests, little is known Maharaj ’09, Biological Chemistry, Hoi about the stability of such films, a property (short talks) Pendleton West 116 See Tsao ’09, Neuroscience, and Yang we have been investigating. The second Xie ’10, Biological Chemistry Modeling Adult Neurogenesis system involves pH-responsive nanoscale advisor: Donald E. Elmore, Chemistry Colleen Kirkhart ’09, Neuroscience metal oxide particles. These hollow advisor: Barbara Beltz, Neuroscience Antimicrobial peptides and ion channels materials are based on molybdate are both important classes of proteins that 2 (MoO4 ) and may have good stability in Like humans and many other species, mediate processes at the cell membrane. acid environments but dissolve rapidly in crayfish produce new neurons throughout The histone-derived antimicrobial peptide neutral or basic solutions. Steps toward their entire lives. The goal of this research (HDAP) Buforin II (BF2) is hypothesized to creating and characterizing these potential is to build a computational model of the cause cell death through membrane trans- drug delivery vehicles will be highlighted. crustacean neurogenic system using location and nucleic acid interactions. To (Research supported by the Brachman MATLAB. This model is not only a descrip- better understand the role of BF2’s proline Hoffman Fund and Wellesley College.) tive summary that helps to unite and hinge location on its bactericidal ability, consolidate previous findings, but it also four proline-relocated mutants were exam- Stem Cell Outreach Initiative: functions as a predictive tool, allowing for ined. The importance of HDAPs was also Teaching Junior High School a better understanding of how possible studied by characterizing the bactericidal Students about the Promise of Stem modifications and treatments influence mechanism of action of three novel Cells (panel) Pendleton West 212 neural proliferation at the systems level. HDAPs. A newly discovered family of bac- The existence of a simulation built solely terial cyclic nucleotide gated (bCNG) ion Rachel Casiano ’12, Alison Lee ’12, on quantitative analyses also allows us to channels can give insight into how ion Suzy Shepard ’09, Political Science and test the accuracy of our current under- channels respond to small molecule Latin American Studies, Nicolle Strand ’10, standing of this system and may lead us to ligands. To this end, the structural and Bioethics, and Lucy Xu ’12 pose new experimental questions that functional similarities between bCNG advisors: Kim O’Donnell, Biological have not been previously considered. channels and other families of bacterial Sciences, and Janet McDonough, ion channels were investigated through Biological Sciences molecular modeling, cysteine mutagensis During the fall 2008 semester, five students and osmotic downshock assays. (Research from BISC 105, Stem Cells: A New Frontier supported by Research Corporation, the in Biomedicine, chose an outreach project Office of the Dean of the College, and the option as part of their course credit. The Brachman Hoffman Fund.) program aimed at giving inner-city
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9:30–10:40am
Sexual Dimorphism in Brain upright adaptors affected the recognition Social Analysis Serotonin Levels in Crustaceans of inverted tests, but not vice-versa. This Zehra Omer ’10, Neuroscience and asymmetry in adaptation transfer suggests Middle Eastern Studies that separate neuronal populations code White Girls in Love with Hip-hop: advisor: Barbara Beltz, Neuroscience each orientation, but have some one-way Exploring the Racial Implications of interaction. (Research supported by a The neurohormone serotonin (5-hydroxy- White Female Rappers (interactive CIHR Summer Studentship.) tryptamine) has both behavioral and teaching presentation) Collins Cinema developmental effects in crustaceans, What Do Babies Know? Johannah Murphy ’09, Peace and including regulation of the molt cycle Justice Studies and the rate of neurogenesis. Preliminary Camille Doykan ’10, Neuroscience advisor: Genevieve Hyacinthe, Art experiments in crayfish suggested that advisors: Nancy Genero, Psychology, and Hyowon Gweon, MIT brain serotonin levels may differ in a As a white activist, I have identified an systematic way between males and Babies can draw rich inferences even after existing tension in the realm of working females. This project aims to compare a brief experience with a single object. For for racial equality. As a woman who grew brain serotonin levels in American example, upon learning that a toy has a up with a tremendous amount of privilege lobsters, Homarus americanus, where we squeaking property, infants can infer that a I have worked to find my role in a struggle use the brains of sibling male and female similar looking toy also squeaks. They that centers on empowerment. I have wit- adults to quantify serotonin levels using accurately generalize that object property nessed the empowering effect of the HPLC (high performance liquid chroma- even if only small amounts of data are hip-hop movement and have studied both tography) methods. We examine whether available. But what makes their inferences the roots of this movement and the role the differences in serotonin levels are so accurate? Studies have shown that white women rappers have played. While correlated with the gender or size of the infants as young as eight months can tell observing the power of this movement, I animal, as measured by carapace length. the difference between random and non- also recognize the conflicts in my relation- This work also raises the question of how random samples of a population of toys, ship with this movement and the conflicts any differences in serotonin levels may be showing a powerful capacity for inductive of all white women who choose to partici- related to the development and overall learning. The present study explores how pate and perform within hip-hop. In this functioning of the organism. infants’ sensitivity to statistical properties presentation I will be looking at these of a sample may constrain inductive infer- issues through audience involvement in Do I Know You?: Determining How the ences, thereby increasing the accuracy of how all of us relate to hip-hop, music, and Brain Processes their generalizations. The results show other cultures, and how our own race and backgrounds play into our developments Xiaoyue Guo ’11, Neuroscience that infants between 13 and 18 months of our passions and the passions of others. advisor: Bevil Conway, Neuroscience learn what they see, and they generalize what they learn. However, when given We can immediately pick out one face information that is inconsistent with their among a sea of faces, but this seemingly 11am–12:10pm intuitive statistical inferences, they resist effortless ability involves complex mecha- generalizing that knowledge. nisms of object recognition. One accepted Cross-cultural Research theory of facial representation describes a “face-space” where faces are points in Women’s Studies Panel (panel) a Cartesian space; multiple dimensions Science Center 277 represent the varying ways to distinguish faces (e.g. by gender, age). Inverted faces, Feminist Confessions: Contemporary being especially difficult to recognize, are Construction of Catholic Authority, proposed to not be represented in this Identity, and Sexual Ethics perceptual space. This summer, I used Shannon Hill ’09, Women’s Studies a contrast-based adaptation paradigm and Religion to measure human subjects’ abilities to advisor: Nancy L. Marshall, Women’s discriminate images of inverted or upright Studies/Wellesley Centers for Women faces (test) after adapting to a face in There are approximately 40 million either orientation (adaptor). By varying the Catholic women in the United States and, contrast, and thus difficulty, of test faces, despite the Catholic Church’s ban on I could see which adaptors facilitated or artificial contraception, 97 percent of these harmed test-face recognition. Surprisingly, women will use some form of contracep-
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11am–12:10pm tion during their lifetime. How and why “I Wear My Balls on My Chest”: decades, thousands of Jews have poured are these women choosing to ignore a Gender Subversion in Heavy Metal in to America from Israel and the former central component of the Church’s teach- Megan Turner ’09, Women’s Studies and Soviet Union. How do these second ings? Do they still believe and follow the Russian Language and Literature generation immigrants create Jewish lives Church’s teachings on other issues, such advisor: Irene Mata, Women’s Studies in America? as women’s ordination, celibacy of priests, Critics of heavy metal music have gay marriage, and abortion? If so, what Statelessness and Strangers: described its images of violence and trans- makes contraception different? For my A Comparative Life History Analysis of gression as enacting a misogynistic thesis and this presentation, I gathered Young Refugees from South Africa and hypermasculinity predicated upon the research from personal interviews with the United States objectification and violation of women. Catholic women of various ages and Julia Schroeder ’09, Sociology Traditional scholarly analyses presuppose backgrounds and from a wide range of advisor: Thomas Cushman, Sociology that women listening to heavy metal music sources to better understand how Catholic will identify with the sexualized images of Globalization has had many effects, women make decisions about the use of women encoded in the lyrics and that they including the production of 16 million contraception and how they perceive the will passively internalize and perform this refugees this year. My research reconcep- Church’s authority on sexual ethics. construction of femininity. I, however, tualizes this group’s social position as strangers. This project is a comparative The Racial and Gendered Politics of contend that by choosing to identify with study of refugee youth in developing and Asian American Representation in the active, transgressive figure embodied Competitive Reality Television in the implicitly-masculine narrators of developed societies, based on fieldwork in heavy metal songs, women can construct a Johannesburg, South Africa and Boston, Jessica Nahri Cho ’09, Women’s Studies subcultural identity that subverts main- Massachusetts as examples of these types, and Political Science stream constructions of femininity. respectively. I explore how young refugees advisor: Elena Creef, Women’s Studies (Research supported by Office of the Dean in these two types of societies navigate The imaging of Asian Americans has been of the College and a Schiff Fellowship.) their way through their lives, including the transformed and recycled throughout way in which they perceive their identity American television and film history. The Alienation and Assimilation as strangers and the social forces they feel archaic representations of the female (short talks) Pendleton East 339 shaping that identity. (Research supported dragon lady, lotus blossom, butterfly, or by the Office of the Dean of the College.) the forever impotent and effeminate Asian Russian, Israeli, American, Jew?: man continue to resurface in response to Identity Creation among Second Who Are the Zainichi Koreans? Are They Generation Immigrant Jews new forms of “yellow peril,” “yellow face,” Japanese or Korean? and model minority stereotypes. Although Kyla J. Raetz ’09, Sociology Grace Jaesook Lee ’09, East Asian Studies current research and literature delve into advisor: Peggy Levitt, Sociology and Political Science the way in which Asian American repre- America was founded by immigrants, advisor: T. James Kodera, Religion sentations are constructed in prime-time and now a whole new wave of their chil- During the earlier years of the Japanese television and the media, research in dren is coming of age. Many scholars have occupation of Korea, most Koreans lived in regard to the latest televised phenome- studied first generation immigrants, but poverty and many decided to move to non—reality television—is sparse. Reality what about their children? This is an Japan where they could find employment. television is a medium not only through important population to examine, particu- Entering Japan was not difficult since which representation is constructed, but larly right now. This modern second Koreans were considered citizens of Japan; also one in which authenticity is negoti- generation accounts for one out of every however, the most difficult part was living ated. By functioning under the pretense of six 18–32 year olds in the United States. in Japan. Koreans were treated as second- “reality,” these shows blur the line This issue is particularly salient to the class citizens and faced harsh between truth and fiction. As a result, American Jewish community; nearly every discrimination within Japanese society. reality television character portrayals, Jew in the United States is descended from Towards the end of Japanese colonial rule, including Asian American depictions, an immigrant to our shores and most are many Koreans in Japan repatriated to their become complex, misleading, and para- only separated from the old country by homeland. However, approximately doxical. (Research supported by Office of three or four generations. Jewish immigra- 600,000 Koreans decided to remain in the Dean of the College.) tion continues to take place today and Japan. These Koreans and their descen- its effects on the American Jewish commu- dents came to be known as “Zainichi” nity are significant. Within the past few Koreans. Once Korea was an independent
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11am–12:10pm nation, first generation Zainichi Koreans over Xinjiang and Tibet. As the unrest in Economic Issues lost Japanese citizenship and were given Lhasa last March showed, many Tibetans Korean citizenship. However, once the do not fully identify with the Chinese Japanese government allowed Zainichi nation. What is the source of these con- Creating the Brand Koreans to become naturalized citizens, flicting ideas about inclusion and (exhibition) Pendleton West 117 many decided to naturalize. Today, many exclusion from modern China? This project third and fourth generation Zainichi suggests that it could be found in the Qing Indi Marisa V. Frank ’09, Media Arts and Koreans struggle between their ethnic dynasty’s approach to empire, which Sciences and Psychology Korean and modern Japanese identity. changed drastically in the frontier during advisor: David T. Olsen, Art Does naturalization lead Zainichi Koreans the late nineteenth and early twentieth In our current economic climate how do to lose their Korean identity? centuries. During the time, Qing authori- we shift through our luxuries, curtailing ties began incorporating the ethnically some expenditure while embracing others? The Theme of Exile in Maghrebi differentiated populations of Xinjiang, The products and services which we con- Thought from 1948 to the Present Tibet, and Inner Mongolia by applying the tinue to buy are those whose images we Alma Rachel Heckman ’09, French and policies used in China’s provinces. This buy into. The products that we deem Middle Eastern Studies was a dramatic shift from the way these essential, beyond clothing, food and advisor: Anjali Prabhu, French areas were previously governed. What shelter, are those that seemingly strike at factors and changing ideas about gover- To be an exile is to be uprooted from one’s the core of our identities, embodying our nance within the Chinese state led to these homeland. Before French colonization and values and aspirations. How do you create adjustments? (Research supported by the until the founding of the modern state of this image, this “lifestyle brand?” Over the Office of the Dean of the College.) Israel (1948), Jewish communities thrived last semester I invented a product and alongside Arab ones in the Maghreb created a stylized advertising campaign Kinship, Social Capital, and Trust: although their rapport was not always per- which combining consumer research, American Merchants in China, interaction, and product’s perception aims fectly harmonious. However, most Jews 1803–1844 fled North Africa to become exiles due to at creating a unified brand image and an increasingly hostile environment, Sarah Corrigan ’09, Economics and History delves into the question of “how to make a advisor: C. Pat Giersch, History which was accompanied by policies of reli- brand?” “How do you create cool?” gious exclusivity in new nation states. At In an allegedly global age, one crucial the same time, Arabs, too, experienced question for international economic devel- Flying High, Flying Low exile both from within and geographically opment is what makes cross-cultural (short talks) Pendleton East 239 outside the extreme political climate of business relationships possible? How do Unfriendly Skies: The Effect fundamentalism that characterized some people build trusting relationships, even if of Low-cost Carriers on Domestic of these states. In my thesis work this year, they come from different backgrounds? Airline Competition I have been exploring, through compara- This study seeks to answer these questions Xing-Yin Ni ’09, Economics tive study, Jewish and Arab views of exile by combining social, cultural, and busi- advisor: Akila Weerapana, Economics in North African Francophone literature. ness history. Personal and business I will share my findings on the complex communications are used to understand The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 experience of exile through Jewish and how kinship organization in both changed the face of the United States Arab voices of the region and reflect American partnerships and Chinese airline industry, altering its competitive upon an enlarged understanding of this trading networks facilitated the creation of structure and eliciting several antitrust emotive concept. social capital and trust between different concerns. One key change to air travel has merchants. Although early Sino-American been the increased prevalence of low-cost China and the Outside World interaction faced remarkable cultural carriers (LCCs) as a discount choice for (short talks) Science Center 396 obstacles, trade between American and passengers. In recent years, several LCCs Chinese merchants in Canton, China was have exited the market through bank- One China: The Effect of the Qing Legacy extremely lucrative. I analyze one of the ruptcy or liquidation, citing rising fuel of Conquest on Modern China most successful collaborations developed costs as a primary cause. Did established Cynthia Chen ’10, Political Science between Boston-based Russell & Co. and carriers significantly increase their airfare advisor: C. Pat Giersch, History Yi-Ho, the firm of the legendary Houqua when competing LCCs left city-pair routes? In recent years, one of the Chinese II. (Research supported by the Henry Should there be a shift in policy to encour- Communist Party’s foremost concerns has Schwarz Honors Fellowship.) age a larger LCC presence in the industry? been the enforcement of its sovereignty
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11am–12:10pm
Easing the Transition to Adulthood: Migration and the Gender Wage Gap: the times of Brezhnev and Kosygin. This The Effects of Increasing the Age of Mexico Post-NAFTA presentation will include discussion and Dependency for Health Insurance to 25 Ro Chin ’09, Economics and Spanish performance of Shostakovich’s Seventh Samantha Heep ’09, Economics advisor: Kristin Butcher, Economics and Eighth String Quartets (1960), advisor: Phil Levine, Economics which demonstrate the political and There is much debate about how trade lib- autobiographical impulses found in many Young adults represent the largest group of eralization, a force behind globalization, of his compositions. The Seventh Quartet Americans who are not covered by health affects women. One of the most important represents a personal turning point for insurance. One third of young adults (13 trade liberalization agreements in the Shostakovich—a farewell in music to his million) lack health insurance, compared decade of the nineties was the North first wife, Nina, with whom he shared to 16 percent of the population as a whole. American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a turbulent yet loving relationship. The Limited access to coverage and rising implemented in 1994 among the United Eighth Quartet, while just as personal costs are primary barriers facing young States, Mexico, and Canada. NAFTA was as the Seventh, was also Shostakovich’s adults first entering the labor force from expected to have a particularly significant tribute to Soviet WWII victims. By obtaining insurance. Since the early 1990s, effect on Mexico because it was gaining presenting two contrasting pieces, we 20 states have implemented extended market access to two large, prosperous will examine the emotional and political dependent coverage laws, allowing unmar- economies in the United States and circumstances that fostered Shostakovich’s ried young adults to be covered under a Canada. Though wages and GDP increased two quartets, and also analyze the impact parent’s private health insurance plan until in Mexico post-NAFTA, certain regions and of such knowledge on successive interpre- their 25th birthday. This research examines industries may have benefited more than tations made by scholars and performers. whether these laws work as designed to others. Similarly, certain groups in the increase health insurance rates among population may have benefited more than Anatomy of a Book young adults. We take advantage of the others from these changes. NAFTA may (interactive teaching presentation) cross-state variation in the timing in which have had differential effects on male/ Clapp Library, Book Arts these laws were introduced and examine female wages and migration. I investigate the success of the laws by investigating how the gender wage gap changed during Yetunde Abass ’09, English and their effect on health insurance rates this time period and whether those Creative Writing, and Susanne within the target demographic group. changes are related to NAFTA. For Everill ’09, Classical Civilization and example, did NAFTA change male/female Medieval/Renaissance Studies The Effect of Falling House Prices mobility patterns in Mexico? Did NAFTA advisors: Ruth R. Rogers, Special on Labor Mobility generate changes in job opportunities that Collections, and Katherine McCanless Lindsay Relihan ’09, Economics differentially affected men and women? Ruffin, Book Arts Program advisors: Karl E. Case, Economics, and We all know books are made of paper, ink, Akila Weerapana, Economics Literature and the Arts glue and thread, but most of the time we The efficiency of the American economic don’t get a chance to see these elements system relies on the mobility of capital and Shostakovich: A Life Reflected and how they come together to form the labor across regions. However, labor through Music (long performance) finished product. In this presentation, mobility is largely dependent on the per- visitors to the Book Arts Lab will see the Jewett Art Center, Auditorium formance of the housing market; before a processes and raw materials that form a worker can migrate, he or she must sell a Julia Blood ’09, Neuroscience and book—paper and how it is made, loose home and buy a new home. Falling house Japanese Languages and Literature, type, printed pages, and various types prices slow this process and, therefore, the Nina Hart ’09, Political Science and Music, of bindings. The steps of the creation of speed with which workers obtain new Katherine Musgrove ’09, Economics and a book will be illustrated with materials employment. Using state-to-state migration Spanish, and Kira Treibergs ’09, made by students in ARTS 107, and visitors data, I attempt to quantify this effect. Biological Sciences will also be able to see finished examples I expect to find that states with falling advisor: Jan Pfeiffer, Music of different types of books including historical books and artists’ books from house prices experience higher unemploy- How does music reflect the personal Special Collections as well as current ment as a result of restricted migration. experiences and circumstances of the student work. Participants may also print The recent collapse of the housing market composer? To explore this question, our a letterpress keepsake to take home. and subsequent recession will be slower to quartet will focus on Dmitri Shostakovich, recover if this relationship holds. a composer whose life spanned from before the Russian Revolution through
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11am–12:10pm
White Noise Ran Tao ’09, Media Arts and Sciences critics proclaimed it a disappointment, but (exhibition) Pendleton West 220 and Philosophy Eliasson’s project offered something pro- advisor: Judith Black, Art, and David T. vocative and reassuring for New Yorkers. Tamara Al-Mashouk ’10, Architecture Olsen, Art advisors: Daniela Rivera, Art, and Phyllis My thesis seeks to use the tools of the Designing the Eighteenth-century McGibbon, Art computer to create a multisensory and Interior: Issues of Function, Style, and Authorship in the Davis Museum’s White Noise stems from an interest in trans-cultural understanding of a well- Album of 138 Rococo and Neoclassical the architectural study of space. Space is known Chinese story of my childhood, Ornament Prints defined by subtleties that are often unno- Journey to the West. My goal is to have ticed. This project is the first of many that others perceive the experiences of the Ashley Boulden ’09, Art History will magnify and focus on these subtleties. story as something familiar and natural, advisor: Meredith Martin, Art White Noise studies tight spaces with as memories that they would have Recently acquired by the Davis Museum, relation to claustrophobia. The aim is to had as children, rather than ones of a this album of French ornament prints create a space that is restricting, in which distinctively different culture. While digital comprises several notebooks that were one sits in solitude, tightly cocooned. As an media—such as film and television—can bound together in a single volume in the experimental variable, soft and white mate- create potent childhood memories, there is second half of the eighteenth century. rials such as yarn, paper pulp, fiber filling still a need to invest in some sort of physi- My analysis of the volume’s design and and plaster are used—adding an element of cal manifestation of those experiences. All production illuminates our understanding comfort and forcing us into a contradiction of these memorabilia, along with attaining of the dissemination and accessibility between comfortable tight spaces and the sentimental value, ultimately serve as of visual information at the end of the inevitable fact that we are confined. tangible validations of memory. Making Ancien Régime. By gathering information use of the computer’s ability to create from comparable albums at several Memories Retold (exhibition) and proliferate forms, my artistic process museums, I demonstrate how the prints Jewett Art Center, Student Gallery aims to make work that is approachable functioned commercially, as commodi- and conducive to interaction, echoing ties, and socially, as representations of Courtney Richter ’09, Studio Art and the playfulness of childhood. (Research objects that were used to secure and Art History supported by the Office of the Dean of the display social status. Ultimately, I aim to advisor: Phyllis McGibbon, Art, and College and the Art Department.) establish how such prints circulated in the Daniela Rivera, Art pre-Revolutionary art market, evaluate the I began my thesis year thinking about Evoking Images impact of recent archaeological discoveries objects and images that evoke strong (short talks) Pendleton West 116 at Pompeii and Herculaneum on the transi- sensory and emotional experiences from tion from the Rococo to the Neoclassical, The New York City Waterfalls: my childhood. A typewriter, a tufted Olafur Eliasson and analyze the role that decoration living room chair, a canoe, a trumpet and assumed in Enlightenment interiors as a a multitude of other seemingly uncon- Adrienne Jacobson ’09, Art History means of shaping social identity. (Research nected objects form my “image lexicon.” advisor: Patricia Berman, Art Supported by the Jerome A. Schiff Fund.) Experimenting with different image The New York City Waterfalls (2008), four combinations, I attempted to reinvent temporary site-specific sculptures by “…will they document our tears, but pieces of my childhood. The effort to grasp Danish-Icelandic Olafur Eliasson, were in not our smiles?” Photographic and these memories, however, is in vain, for many ways the most ambitious works of Literary Portrayals of Mexican-American my recollections are tainted by the passage public sculpture ($15.5 million) in New Farm Workers in California, 1927-1950 of time, dominated by a particular feeling, York’s history. Eliasson is known for his Jo Ann Gerber ’09, Spanish or revised by subsequent experiences. spectacular installations and environ- advisors: Jill Syverson-Stork, Spanish, and Using collage processes in print, drawing, ments, made to simulate natural Joy Renjilian-Burgy, Spanish and other media, I am able to add, delete, phenomena. His artistic goal is to change Lydia Vasquez Carlsen and her family shift, and revise imagery, mimicking the the viewer’s perception of what is consid- worked as migrant farm workers in fragmented nature of memories. (Research ered “natural.” To accomplish this, his California during the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s, supported by the Office of the Dean of the works often undermine our sensorial often in the same locations captured by College and the Art Department.) apparatus. His Waterfalls (installed in the documentary photographer, Dorothea East River) offered a hybrid phenomenon: Lange. Her experiences have been neither fully “natural” nor industrial, they recorded in an unpublished memoir offered New York a new sublime. Some
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11am–12:10pm written by Lydia with her husband, Robert Curing Cancer and Hepatitis C: Science and Technology D. Carlsen, and edited by this presenter. One Beaker at a Time By documenting her life as a migrant farm (panel) Pendleton West 212 worker, and by tinting and highlighting Clean, Green, Athletics Machine: each memory with the spirit that allowed Sustainable Renovation of the Nayna Lodhia ’09, Chemistry, Joyce her to persevere despite the adverse condi- Wellesley College Sports Center Ngai ’09, Chemistry, Claire Reddy ’09, tions her family faced, Lydia gives scholars (panel) Science Center 278 Chemistry, Adina Badea ’11, Chemistry, and the public at large an important, fuller, and Alice Kwan ’11 and more nuanced picture of the migrant Tyler S. Blangiardo ’09, Environmental advisor: Dora Carrico-Moniz, Chemistry farm-working experience than is evident in Studies, Priya Gandbhir ’09, Environmental Have you ever wondered how drugs are the extant portrayals, including those Studies, Marg D. Garascia ’09, developed? How do scientists battle deadly found in documentary photography, Environmental Studies, Haley M. Geller ’10, diseases such as cancer and hepatitis C on fiction, and memoir. Using photographs Environmental Studies, Susan W. Hall ’09, a molecular level? If questions like these Environmental Studies, Taylor Y. from the Library of Congress, and from the intrigue you, then this session will provide Harvey ’10, Environmental Studies, Emily Vasquez family collection, this presenta- some insight into the process by which B. Hewitt ’09, Environmental Studies, tion will share the presenter’s efforts to chemists develop novel therapeutic com- Johanna C. Lake ’09, Environmental understand and to help document Lydia’s pounds. We present our work on Studies, Catlin I. Powers ’09, Environmental story. (Research supported by the Office of developing several potential anticancer the Dean of the College and the Student Studies and Chemistry, Relena R. Ribbons ’09, Environmental Studies, Erin agents and HCV inhibitors. Work towards Research and Conference Travel Grant.) E. Ryan ’09, Environmental Studies, the design, synthesis and evaluation of Alex R. Warren ’10, Environmental two natural products and their structural Understanding God and Man Studies and Religion, Priscilla D. analogues as promising anticancer agents, through Creation Watson ’09, Environmental Studies and along with our progress towards the syn- Hannah Kapnik ’10, Art History and Philosophy, Kate E. Wyman ’09, Biological thesis of a novel series of HCV NS3/4A Jewish Studies Sciences, and Song-Song Xi ’10, protease inhibitors will be presented. advisor: Lawrence Rosenwald, English Environmental Studies Within one text, God is infinite, loving, advisor: Beth DeSombre, Environmental A Provably Better World: Improving jealous, all-knowing, omnipotent, angry, Studies Health and Advancing Chemistry curious, regretful, creative, and destruc- The same historic landscape and archi- Using Computational Optimization tive. This talk will begin to explore the tecture that make Wellesley College so (panel) Science Center 104 ways in which the first chapter of Genesis picturesque can act as barriers to campus illuminates and constructs an understand- sustainability. With major renovations to Andrea Johnston ’09, Chemistry, Mona ing of God. Traditional and modern Jewish the Keohane Sports Center set for the near Minkara ’09, Chemistry and Middle Eastern Studies, Maggie Chidothe ’10, commentators grapple with and glean from future, the college has an opportunity to Chemistry and Economics, Victoria the apparent inconsistencies in the Bible. create a truly environmentally conscious Abrenica ’11, Kathy Chen ’11, and Naomi This project seeks to engage traditional space on campus. Such a space could Sedani ’11, Biological Chemistry forms of bridging and valuing variations simultaneously reflect the needs of current advisor: Mala Radhakrishnan, Chemistry within the text. The talk will address the and future Wellesley students and take importance of biblical and exegetical texts into account the greater global impact Computational optimization is a new and in developing a rich and complex concept of our local actions. At the request of exciting tool to advance treatments for of the nature of God and the human the Facilities Department, the ES 300: HIV. In the Radhakrishnan Lab, students relationship with Him. Environmental Decisionmaking class has use various methods of computational drafted suggestions for Sports Center optimization, incorporating physical renovations that minimize the building’s principles and clinical data in order to environmental footprint as they maximize attack the problem of HIV treatment from its utility. Come hear the results of our many angles. Students from this laboratory semester-long report, share your thoughts, will present current progress on projects and get an idea of what “green” architec- relating to the application of optimization ture could mean for Wellesley College. Let in numerical methods development, drug 2009 be the year we “go green, or cocktail design, electrostatic binding go home.” analysis, and clinical data classification.
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11am–12:10pm
in a panel study of the class of 2010, my modern convents. On the one hand, both Social Analysis presentation will focus on the various ecclesiastical and secular authorities per- ways that students come to feel “at home” ceived female monastic institutions as On Disabling Speech: A Response and develop place identities rooted in the subject to enclosure that separated them to Bird (panel) Collins Cinema college environment. I will also examine from the surrounding secular world. On the influence of students’ personal the other hand, the demands of long-term Alexandra Adelman ’10, Classical environmental histories (i.e., those land- financial survival and institutional conti- Civilizations and Cognitive and Linguistic scapes—birthplaces and other residences, nuity required convents to engage with Science, Sara Helmers ’10, History, Jackie primary and secondary schools—with near-by communities and encourage Stolzenberg ’10, Political Science and which the student has already established outside interest in convent affairs. Philosophy, and Kelsey Turbeville ’09, a relationship) on their responses and Balancing this conflict of interests became Classical Civilizations attachments to the college landscape. a struggle that resulted in continuous com- advisor: Mary Kate McGowan, Philosophy promise of stated principles and open Many contend that (further) regulating Male Cross-registrants at a challenges to the convent identity. pornography would be an unconstitutional Women’s College: Effects on the (Research supported by the Henry infringement of the free speech right. Academic Achievement of Wellesley Schwarz Honors Fellowship.) Catharine MacKinnon argues instead that College Students failing to (further) regulate pornography Yo-Jud Cheng ’09, Economics Ambition in Wellesley College Students violates women’s right to free speech. advisor: Patrick McEwan, Economics Amelia Iuvino ’11, Sociology According to MacKinnon, pornography The number of male cross-registrants at advisor: Lee Cuba, Sociology silences women by systematically Wellesley has reached unprecedented interfering with women’s ability to suc- In an academically competitive atmo- levels over the past few years. During the cessfully perform certain speech acts. If sphere like Wellesley, does ambition fall 2007 semester, 11 percent of classes this is right, then the free speech rights contribute to a college culture of “stress,” had at least one male student. The mission of pornographers directly conflicts with or does our environment furnish our of Wellesley College is to “provide an the free speech rights of women. Using ambition? What are the motivations excellent liberal arts education for the philosophy of language, Rae Langton behind the majors that we choose, the women,” but how important is the “for and Jennifer Hornsby offer a speech act activities in which we participate, and the women” aspect of a Wellesley education? account of silencing. Alexander Bird internships that we complete? Through Research suggests that the presence of criticizes their account. We defend the a qualitative analysis of interviews with male students in a classroom environment Langton-Hornsby account of silencing by the class of 2010 completed by the New can significantly affect the interactions refuting Bird’s arguments. England Consortium on Assessment and between students and faculty, and may Student Learning (NECASL), I will explore Wellesley and Wo(men) Together even unconsciously influence the behavior the combination of formal and substantive of students through stereotype threat. I use (short talks) Pendleton East 139 rationales that inform our choices as an econometric framework to analyze Wellesley students. (Research supported Collegeplaces: Why Students Feel at whether or not the enrollment of a male by a Sophomore Early Research grant from Home (or Don’t) on College Campuses student in a class affects the academic the Office of the Dean of the College.) Celene Reynolds ’09, Sociology achievement of Wellesley students. advisor: Lee Cuba, Sociology (Research supported a Schiff Fellowship and the Office of the Dean of the College.) When new students arrive at college, they confront the campus landscape, not just Urban Convents in Eighteenth Century its physical geography but also its less Italy: The Case of Santa Maria Egiziaca concrete yet still palpable atmosphere. in Bologna, 1689-1760s Whether the student experiences a sense Liise Lehtsalu ’09, History and of belonging, a sense of rootedness, or Italian Studies a sense of displacement on campus, she advisor: Valerie Ramseyer, History unavoidably interacts with this geography to construct or develop a relationship As a small urban convent designed to with and attitude towards it. Drawing on house repenting prostitutes, Santa Maria semi-structured interviews with students Egiziaca provides an interesting case study at three of seven schools participating of the dilemmas faced by many early
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1:30–2:40pm
natural painkillers, but provides euphoria Cross-cultural Research when used recreationally. In Boston, Economic Issues heroin is the primary “hard” recreational Cross-cultural Health Issues drug used; therefore it is necessary to Trading Up (short talks) Science Center 104 explore addiction’s causality and the ways (short talks) Pendleton East 139 that heroin’s properties and highly addic- Cold Showers and Tuberculosis: The New Trade Theory: tive nature contribute to addiction. Ethnographic Insights from a Extensions to Occupational Wage Furthermore, I also address how that defi- Guatemalan TB/HIV Clinic Inequality in the U.S. nition negatively influences treatment and Samantha Bellach ’10, Neuroscience health outcomes for users. Social suffering Andrea Liang ’09, Economics advisor: Erich Fox Tree, Anthropology and marginalization from society enable and Mathematics The tuberculosis and HIV clinic of them to create their own subculture that advisor: Malhar Nabar, Economics Guatemala’s Hospital Rodolfo Robles continually gives them access to social Does international trade significantly affect exemplifies a holistic approach to patient networks, gift/exchange relationships and wage inequality in the United States? care that offers lessons for medical care relative economic stability. My goals are to Traditional trade theory says that yes, it in the USA. My ethnographic study of express the shortcomings of homogenous does; however, many notable economists the clinic while a volunteer there in 2008 abstinence-only treatment modules and have written papers which have concluded suggests that the philosophy of the clinic stress how they do not adequately address that trade of the type and scale which the operates on principles of Zapatista ideol- the comprehensive health needs of a het- United States is typically engaged in has ogy: Though the stay is free, the patient erogeneous heroin-using population. not been a major factor in the vast is expected to perform menial tasks such increase of wage inequality in the U.S. as cleaning dishes, washing laundry and Indoor Air Pollution Exposures in over the past three decades. These papers maintaining his or her living space. These Himalayan Communities have chiefly focused on the effect of trade activities train the ill to take responsibility Catlin I. Powers ’09, Chemistry and on the wages of low-skilled workers; little not only for their own care, but for the Environmental Studies work has been done to determine whether healing environment itself. advisor: Nolan Flynn, Chemistry burgeoning top-tier inequality has any roots in international trade. This research My participant-observations in Guatemala Indoor air pollution (IAP) is responsible determines the implications of the New address the benefits of Zapatista self-suffi- for 1.6 million deaths per year, the major- Trade Theory—espoused by Paul Krugman ciency, but contextualize such benefits ity of which occur amongst the three (1979) and Marc Melitz (2003)—on within the framework of a neoliberal state billion global citizens who rely on solid domestic wage inequality, suggesting that that has historically viewed self-sufficiency biomass for fuel. Himalayan communities trade patterns contribute significantly to as a threat to governmental power. An suffer disproportionally from IAP because widening upper-tail inequality. (Research understanding of such conflict is critical in freezing outdoor temperatures have led to supported by the Jerome A. Schiff Fund.) highlighting the role of NGOs in the anti- a tradition of poorly ventilated houses. In politics of healthcare reform. (Research addition, dung—the primary fuel source— The Economic Consequences of Freeing supported by Casa Xelajú Language School emits more pollution and greenhouse the Grapes and by the patients and staff at Hospital gases per unit of energy extracted than any Rodolfo Robles.) other fuel. Please join me to learn about Marisa P. Kaley ’09, Economics and my research on IAP exposures in the Russian Language and Literature Shooting Up Together: An Exploration Himalayan indoor environment and poten- advisor: Ann D. Witte, Economics into the Heroin Subculture in Boston tial abatement strategies. (Research Americans treated themselves to more Kendall LaSane ’09, Anthropology supported by the Pamela Daniels ’59 than 700 million gallons of wine in 2007, advisor: Anastasia Karakasidou, Fellowship, Clinton Global Initiative, and fueling a $30 billion industry. Wine is Anthropology Muhammad Yunus Award.) produced in 48 states, often by small- Heroin addiction is a pervasive cross- scale wineries whose owners long to regional public health problem in expand their business by selling directly American society that often results in to customers nationwide. Many state expensive hospitalizations and injury- governments, however, prohibit the direct related deaths. Heroin is a semi-synthetic shipment of wine from out-of-state produc- opioid created from morphine that brings ers to consumers in their state. Wine must analgesic effects similar to the body’s instead pass through wholesalers, who contend that allowing direct shipping
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1:30–2:40pm would harm not only their business, but harmony, melody, and texture to highlight also consumers and wineries. Consumers Literature and the Arts natural imagery in his songs. These are frustrated by an inability to purchase musical techniques allowed Debussy to certain wines locally and accuse wholesal- Love, Valor, Salvation convey an experience of nature that was in ers of using their monopoly on distribution (long performance) keeping with ideals of Symbolism, a nine- to inflate prices. I will discuss the relevant Schneider Theatre, Black Box teenth-century literary movement that legal issues and the results of two natural favored the evocation of objects and emo- experiments focused on the economic Valerie King ’09, Theatre Studies and tions through elusive suggestion rather effects of shipping laws in five states, Anthropology, Sarah Moazeni ’10, than explicit textual representation. In this including Massachusetts, that restrict Theatre Studies, Elizabeth Stone ’10, presentation, I will undertake text-music the direct shipment of wine to varying Theatre Studies and English, Samantha analysis to inform my performance of song degrees. Cooper ’09, Theatre Studies and Classical extracts. My goal in so doing is to show Civilization, Caitlin O’Connell ’10, how Debussy’s settings of these poems Theatre Studies, and Ruth Craig ’09, The Impact of Financial Modernization enhance Verlaine’s allusion to various Theatre Studies on Women-owned Businesses emotional states, while intensifying the advisor: Nora Hussey, Theatre Studies Lauren Tilden ’09, Economics and Spanish poet’s attention to nature’s effect on advisor: Kristin Butcher, Economics Now a Ruhlman tradition, Wellesley human emotion. College Theatre student directors and Access to credit is fundamental to the actors collaborate to recreate theatrical A Grand Concert of Instrumental well-being and growth of small businesses, highlights of the 2008–2009 season. This Musick: The Art of Performing and historically, small businesses have year the Wellesley Theatre Department disproportionately received loans from Baroque Music on Period and Wellesley College Upstage opened a Instruments (long performance) small banks. Two landmark pieces of new space with productions focusing on Pendleton West 220 legislation in the 1990s, the Riegle-Neal the age old themes of war, love, family, of 1994, and the Gram-Leach-Bliley Act of friends, community, murder, duplicity, Kaylan Stevenson ’09, History, and 1999, resulted in significant consolidation reality, belonging, and not belonging. Natasha Roule ’11, Medieval and of smaller banks into larger institutions. Woven with the music, rhythm, and lan- Renaissance Studies This may have had a particularly impor- guage from across the country, across the advisor: Suzanne Stumpf, Music tant impact on women-owned businesses, world, and through time past and present, Performing on period instruments presents as women-owned businesses tend to be these pieces remind us of our own strug- unique opportunities for a deepened smaller than men-owned businesses. My gles, hopes, fears, and dreams. From Shaw understanding of eighteenth-century research examines the impacts of these to Mamet, from Jacobean to modern, from repertoire as well as challenges specific banking law changes on the relative access Ireland to Mississippi these pieces awaken to each instrument. The construction of to credit for women-owned businesses our hearts and minds and resonate with instruments such as the viola da gamba, compared to men-owned businesses. the rhythms of our spirit. Using the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Baroque flute, and harpsichord cause Small Business Finances, I look at loan Ariettes oubliées: Symbolist the instruments to resonate differently in various keys, giving them unique char- interest rates, size of loans, and likelihood Correspondence between Music of loan approval for women-owned acters. Additionally, an understanding of and Nature (long performance) businesses, controlling for observable music theory helps build the improvisatory characteristics, before and after each law Jewett Art Center, Auditorium and ornamentation skills that create the distinctively Baroque style. This presenta- passed to determine the impact of finan- Elizabeth Merrill ’09, Music cial modernization on loan financing for tion will feature performances on the advisors: Gurminder Bhogal, Music, and flute, viola da gamba, and harpsichord of women-owned businesses. I further test Marion Dry, Music for whether, conditional on loan terms, music by LeClair, Boismortier, and others, female-owned businesses have better Claude Debussy (1862–1918) was a com- in conjunction with a discussion about outcomes than male-owned businesses. poser who believed that music had the period instrument performance practice. If so, that would provide evidence that power to evoke nature without having to banks are using a different decision rubric directly imitate it. He demonstrates this to determine whether to make loans to idea in his song cycle, Ariettes oubliées women-owned firms. (1885–7), which is based on poems by the Symbolist poet, Paul Verlaine (1844–1896). Debussy uses compositional innovations in
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1:30–2:40pm
“Girls at Home, Girls Abroad”: with me ever since. In “Dance in the The Transnational Antisweatshop Readings from Three Creative Sun,” a creative nonfiction essay about Movement: Realities and Politics of the Writing Theses (literary readings) the beautiful and tragic—and above all, Global Labor Market controversial—practice of the Spanish Science Center 277 Rakeen Mabud ’09, Political Science bullfight, I hope to inspire questions of the and Economics “Cats and Coons”, a Short Story nature of art, sport, and the importance of advisor: Rob Paarlberg, Political Science cultural traditions. (Research supported by Susan Muensterman ’09, English Though the transnational anti-sweatshop the Office of the Dean of the College.) and Creative Writing movement enjoys widespread support, the advisor: Marilyn Sides, English moral and economic reasoning offered by My creative writing thesis is a combination Political Development the movement is frequently questioned by of short stories and novel chapters, all set economic literature. This literature sug- in America’s Heartland and navigated by Political Realities: The Language of gests that factory work often offers the best option for workers in poorer coun- young female narrators. I’ll read an excerpt Policy and Movements (short talks) from one short story, “Cats and Coons.” tries. Though it is indisputable that Science Center 396 You’ll meet Rachel, a girl who falls in love sweatshops are terrible places to work, the with Mel when he invites her over to The Political Implications and Real-life intervention of the transnational anti- slaughter. Despite Mel’s tough-boy exte- Application of Italian Immigration Law sweatshop movement does not address the rior, he proves himself perhaps smarter on Albanian Migrants root cause for why there are so many than he is initially given credit for. (Project Kathleen Livingstone ’09, Italian Studies women seeking out factory work around supported by Pamela Daniels ’59 and Political Science the world—poverty. This presentation will Fellowship.) advisor: David Ward, Italian Studies explore the reconciliation between the eco- nomic views that argue for the benefits of The Family Plot: Stories Italy has been experiencing exponential factory work versus the views of the anti- growth in its immigrant population since sweatshop movement, which highlight the Jessica Trimble ’09, English and the early 1990s. Though historically a Creative Writing poor working conditions and low wages country of emigration, Italy has some of advisors: Susan Meyer, English, and found in garment factories all over the the toughest and most unforgiving immi- Luther Tyler, English world. (Research supported by the Office gration laws in the European Union. of the Dean of the College and the Barnette Part fiction and part family history, the Racism and discrimination against immi- Miller Fund.) stories in this collection explore the ways grants are a recognized problem for both in which family folklore is created, retold, the citizenry and the government. Italian Language and State Terrorism during and modified over time. By forging alli- immigration law reflects these negative the Argentine “Dirty War” ances, clinging to old feuds, and keeping attitudes. It permits immigrants to enter Paola Reyes ’09, History and Psychology secrets for and from one another, the Italy relatively easily, but makes it nearly advisor: Alejandra Osorio, History family members in each story shape their impossible for these immigrants to renew own—sometimes conflicting—versions of their visas and maintain their legal sta- From 1976 to 1983 a military dictatorship family legend. I will read from the title tuses. Instead of returning home, most of disappeared approximately 30,000 people story, in which three sisters disagree about these irregular migrants become illegal and in Argentina. Over 340 concentration the proper way to bury their older brother. are forced to work in the grey sector to camps were built to aid in the torture and preserve their livelihoods. To demonstrate murder of alleged “subversives;” newspa- Dance in the Sun: Discovering a this phenomenon, I examine the experi- pers were controlled; anyone who opposed Controversial Tradition ences navigating modern Italian the regime was kidnapped and disap- Eliza Borné ’09, English and Spanish immigration law of arguably the largest peared. Yet the military maintained active advisor: Marilyn Sides, English group of migrants in Italy—Albanians— and passive consensus in Argentina and through both research and one-on-one, retained significant foreign support. These The thought of a bullfight, for many, elicits visually-recorded oral histories. (Research feats were primarily accomplished through disgust and revulsion—how can the public supported by the Office of the Dean of the their use of a new language of power. By display of an animal’s death possibly be College.) publicly introducing strategic words and entertaining? This was my thought until phrases, the military shaped the perceived I attended a bullfight in Sevilla, Spain. reality in Argentina, naturalizing human The image of the matador circling the bull rights abuses in the process. The military’s in a graceful pas de deux has remained use of this new language is contrasted to
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1:30–2:40pm the language used by the Mothers of the ultimately integrated by brain centers supported by the Jerome A. Schiff Fund Plaza de Mayo, the only Argentine human involved in cognition and behavior. Within and the National Science Foundation.) rights organization that, at the time, the visual system of mammals, evidence publicly denounced the ongoing disappear- suggests that parallel tracks process Who Goes First?: Finding Fair Rankings ances. During my presentation, I will draw information about color, form, and motion. of the Points in a Partially Ordered Set upon research findings and my summer Our lab is interested in understanding Alicia West ’11, Mathematics research experience in Buenos Aires, the neural mechanisms that underlie this advisor: Ann Trenk, Mathematics Argentina to illustrate this process. process. We explore the mechanisms We begin with an introduction to posets, (Research supported by the history depart- for vision in human and animal models, or partially ordered sets, and give several ment Schwarz Fellowship.) including macaque monkeys, squirrels, examples, motivating our study by the and rats. Monkeys are used to real-world problem of triage in hospital The Midwife of History: Hannah Arendt, investigate mechanisms of trichromatic emergency rooms. We next define the Frantz Fanon, and the Concept of color. Visual experiments investigating total discrepancy of a poset and find the Political Violence object recognition, dichromatic color total discrepancy of the poset A (the Kristina Costa ’09, Political Philosophy matching, and spatial navigation are n anti-chain). We then calculate the total advisor: Debra Candreva, Political Science carried out in simpler animals, like rats discrepancy of the poset S , or the and squirrels. The lab is also involved in n In 1969, political theorist Hannah Arendt “Standard Example” and prove our result experiments that address the relationship published a long essay titled On Violence. is correct. We conclude by placing our between vision and art. This panel will It was Arendt’s first major foray into the result in a larger context. (Research discuss what we are learning about theory of violence in action, particularly supported by the Office of the Dean of perceptual phenomenon concerning political action, and contained not only the College: Sophomore Work-study color, object recognition, and stereopsis. an exploration of the concept of political Research Program.) (Research supported by the Amabel Boyce violence within the matrix of Arendt’s James Fund for Research in the Sciences, broader political theory but also a scathing Thermodynamics of Ising Models on the Georgeanne Miller Mulhern Summer repudiation of Frantz Fanon. Fanon, Geometrically Frustrated Lattices Research Fund in the Sciences, the a Martinician psychiatrist-turned-FLN Sherman Fairchild Foundation’s Summer Bilin Zhuang ’09, Physics and Chemistry activist, was a major theorist of the Stipend Program in the Sciences, the advisor: Courtney Lannert, Physics Algerian revolution whose Wretched of the Whitehall Foundation, and In recent years, a new class of magnetic Earth became a well-known anticolonial Wellesley College.) materials that are “frustrated” at low manifesto. My talk, based on my senior temperature have been fabricated and thesis, will focus on the conflict between Order and Disorder characterized. They exhibit many fascinat- these two prominent twentieth-century (short talks) Science Center 278 ing properties. In particular, they possess political thinkers. a large number of ground states, resulting Chaotic Orbits of Uranian Moons in nonzero entropy at absolute zero Science and Technology Rebekah Dawson ’09, Astrophysics temperature, which violates the Third Law advisor: Richard French, Astronomy of Thermodynamics. My thesis research focuses on geometrically frustrated spin Foundations in Vision Though Uranus’ inner moons are tiny, the spacing of their distances from Uranus systems on triangular lattice, Kagomé (panel) Pendleton West 116 causes them to strongly push and pull on lattice and triangular Kagomé lattice. In Cleo Stoughton ’11, Neuroscience, each other in ways that lead to chaos in my presentation, I will explain why the Mona Guo ’11, Neuroscience, Rosa their orbits. Using telescope observations lattices are “frustrated” and how the Lafer-Sousa ’09 Neuroscience, Pierce from the Hubble space telescope and Keck “frustration” gives rise to many interesting MacConaghy ’11, Neuroscience, and Marlie 10-meter ground telescope and numerical thermodynamic properties in these lattices. Philiossaint ’10, Neuroscience models of the moons’ interactions, I’ve I will also present some small and simple advisor: Bevil Conway, Neuroscience investigated how the moons’ orbits change theoretical models that can serve as good over short timescales and assessed the sta- approximations to the properties of the Sensory information is processed along bility of this chaotic system. This system of large lattices. (Research supported by the parallel tracks within the brain; within small satellites is a dynamical laboratory Jerome A. Schiff Fund.) each track, information is communicated for studying the stability of planetary along a series of hierarchical stages systems in both our own solar system and beginning with the sensory receptors and extra-solar planetary systems. (Research
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1:30–2:40pm
“Computer, take a look at these papers choices have an impact, they often lack The Mechanics of Explosive Seed and tell me what they are about”: the education or motivation to follow-up Dispersal in Orange Jewelweed A Web Application for Browsing and on sustainable actions. By developing (Impatiens capensis) Searching Paper Topics Extracted by a social network that emphasizes an Marika Hayashi ’10, Biological Sciences Machine-learning Algorithms individual’s position in the community, advisor: David J. Ellerby, Biological Amy Dai ’09, Biological Chemistry people can be motivated to adopt similar Sciences and Computer Science, and Nandini sustainable practices as their peers. Orange jewelweed is one of a number of Dookeran ’09, Computer Science Moreover, individuals don’t always plant species that use ballistic seed disper- advisor: Panagiotis T. Metaxas, Computer know what behaviors they should adopt. sal. The seed pods explode, transferring Science Through an online network, people mechanical energy stored in the pod wall could compare their energy usage and In seminars one usually skims through to the seeds, increasing their kinetic and green actions to others. My thesis work, a large number of papers to familiarize potential energies. The mechanical perfor- in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon herself with the topics they present mance of a launch mechanism of this type University, has focused on developing a before selecting ones to read more has not been measured. The valves social application for the Stepgreen.org carefully. We have created a user-friendly forming the seed pod wall had a mass spe- Web site. I will present the results of a Web application (http://cs.wellesley. cific energy storage capacity of 124 Jkg-1, month-long, campus-wide evaluation of edu/~cs349/webapi/papers.php) for comparable to that of spring steel. This the project at Wellesley College. browsing a large corpus of papers for energy storage capacity depended on the CS 349, Web Search and Mining. The Nature Protection: Democratic, level of tissue hydration, suggesting a role application allows users to easily view Coercive, or Both? for cell turgor pressure in generating the title, abstract, authors, and keywords tension within the pod walls. The effi- for each paper, making browsing papers Anli Yang ’09, Environmental Studies ciency with which energy was transferred easier and more visually attractive. While and Economics to the seeds was 0.51 ± 0.26 % (mean ± advisor: Jay Turner, Environmental the current Web application allows for SEM, N = 13). This low transfer efficiency Studies search by any of the given fields, the best may be due to the absence of a direct way to retrieve a set of related papers is to What role does a country’s political system mechanical connection between the pod search by keyword. To avoid the tedious play in its commitment to nature preserva- valves and the seeds. task of manually looking over all papers, tion? The historian Donald Worster argues, and choosing keywords ourselves, we “[T]he protection of wild nature owes Leeches Suck…Then Shrink! use various machine learning techniques [much] to the spread of modern liberal, Kara Feilich ’11, Biological Sciences, and to group and extract topics from papers. democratic ideals...” Based on qualitative Jing Wang ’10, Neuroscience This application can be used in the future studies of the history of environmental advisor: David J. Ellerby, Biological to help conference attendees, such as protection, he and other historians have Sciences Ruhlman’s, browse and select the sessions argued that democracy has been a driving Blood-sucking leeches can increase they want to attend. force in the creation of national parks, wil- their body mass by up to 900% during derness areas, and wildlife refuges. Other feeding. This restricts their mobility and Systems and Sustainability scholars, however, drawing primarily on makes them vulnerable to predation. (short talks) Pendleton West 212 individual case studies, have argued that This may create a selective pressure for such nature reserves are often coercive, Encouraging Sustainable rapid recovery of locomotor capacity. We representing the imposition of govern- Behavior through a Motivational have found that leeches can recover up ment-sanctioned conservation practices on Online Application to 50% of prefeeding swimming speed local communities. To address this appar- within one hour of a meal by actively Catherine Grevet ’09, Computer Science ent contradiction, this study evaluates expelling excess fluid. We performed a advisor: Scott Anderson, Computer Science which national characteristics, including series of experiments on the medicinal As people go about their daily lives, the strength of a state’s democracy, the leech following a blood meal, in order to their decisions and actions affect the size of its economy, and the extent of its test whether energy requirements for rapid environment. If individuals adopted more biodiversity, best predict its commitment return to locomotor capability are met via sustainable practices, they could reduce to establishing nature reserves. increased oxygen consumption, mobiliza- the U.S. carbon emissions and have a Understanding these national commit- tion of intracellular carbon stores, or positive impact on global warming. While ments is important to addressing the behavioral thermoregulation, independent individuals might be aware that their ongoing biodiversity crisis. of blood meal digestion. These data offer
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1:30–2:40pm insight into possible adaptive mechanisms involved in vesicle trafficking during cell This program was validated on known contributing to the rapid locomotor plate maturation. This protein, Patellin1 sRNA:mRNA interactions in a well studied recovery of leeches following a blood (PATL1), is one of six PATL proteins found bacterial species. Novel sRNA targets in meal. (Research supported by the Office of in Arabidopsis and one of forty-four PATLs a less well studied bacterial species were the Dean of the College.) found throughout the plant kingdom. predicted and validated with in vitro Phylogenetic analysis has divided the experiments. (Research supported by a How Cells Work PATLs into four distinct clades, suggesting grant from the National Institutes (short talks) Pendleton East 339 different roles for different PATL proteins. of Health.) Using transgenic plants expressing Coordinating Cell Growth and Division PATL promoter:;reporter gene fusions, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae we are investigating patterns of PATL1 Lulu Tran ’09, Neuroscience, and and PATL3 expression in Arabidopsis Jessica Weng ’09, Biological Chemistry thaliana; publicly available microarray and Psychology coexpression data will also be analyzed advisor: Jennifer Hood-DeGrenier, for all Arabidopsis PATLs using ATTED-II Biological Sciences (Arabidopsis thaliana transfactor and The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein is cis-element prediction database) and the central regulator of eukaryotic cell Arabidopsis eFP (Electronic Fluorescent growth and mainly works in the G1 phase Pictograph) Browser. This will provide of the cell division cycle to promote accu- insight into the role of PATL proteins in mulation of cell mass and cell cycle-entry. Arabidopsis and highlight redundancies Clb5 is a cyclin that works in S phase of and singularities in function among the cell cycle to initiate DNA replication. the different PATL family members. Previous studies in this lab have shown (Research supported by the National that cells in which the CLB5 gene has been Institutes of Health.) deleted (∆clb5) are hypersensitive to rapa- mycin, an immunosuppressive drug that Playing Matchmaker: sRNA Target inhibits TOR and is being investigated for Prediction its antitumor properties. Further character- Amy Dai ’09, Biological Chemistry and ization of the rapamycin hypersensitivity Computer Science of ∆clb5 cells was performed through advisor: Brian Tjaden, Computer Science growth assays, flow cytometry, synchro- Small noncoding RNA genes are found nized cell experiments, and fluorescence RhyB and sodB predicted interaction. throughout all kingdoms of life. They are microscopy. Overexpression of the Kip3 Boxes indicate sRNA:mRNA interacting referred to as sRNA in bacteria and act as motor protein, which we have found to base pairs. posttranscriptional regulators. sRNAs are reverse ∆clb5 rapamycin hypersensitivity, quickly being discovered, but their cellular was also studied. Results implicate TOR Environments Near and Far functions are still mainly unknown. and Clb5 in a novel, shared function at the (poster session) Science Center Focus With recent studies identifying sRNAs as G2/M transition. (This research was sup- regulators of virulence factors in Vibrio The SolSource: A 3-in-1 Solar Solution ported by a Roberta Dey Staley and Karl A. cholera and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, for Environmental Health and Gender Staley Fellowship for Cancer-related better tools for sRNA target identification Equality in the Himalayan Region Research at Wellesley College.) are needed. Current computational pro- Catlin I. Powers ’09, Chemistry and grams for identifying sRNA targets make Gene Expression Patterns of the Patellin Environmental Studies predictions based on the maximization of Gene Family of Arabidopsis thaliana advisor: Didem Vardar Ulu, Chemistry sRNA:mRNA base-pairing. While there is “My mother and I are very short, but Smadar Levy ’09, Biological Sciences abundant thermodynamic data for ribo- my brothers are tall. My mother told me advisor: Kaye Peterman, Biological nucelotide interactions, there is a current that this is because of the heavy burdens Sciences lack of programs utilizing these parameters of fuel and water that we women carry. Several years ago, members of the for sRNA:mRNA interaction prediction. This is why I feel women need good Peterman lab isolated a novel Arabidopsis For my senior thesis, I wrote a computer solar cookers and more of a voice in the protein that localizes to the expanding and program that uses thermodynamic data village”—Lhamotso of Waku Village. In maturing cell plate and is believed to be to predict stable sRNA target interactions.
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1:30–2:40pm response to concerns of village women like The Expanding Atmospheres of Two This presentation will tackle “Pinkwashing” Lhamotso, I spent much of 2007 and 2008 Supergiant Stars and the political economy of breast-cancer designing solar cookers more suited to Jahanara Ahmad ’11, Astronomy marketing, addressing how breast cancer village life. One of these is the SolSource advisor: Wendy H. Bauer, Astronomy has become a trend. 3-in-1 which uses nomadic tent material to harnesses the sun’s energy for cooking, VV Cephei and KQ Puppis are binary star Brain and Behavior heating, and low-cost thermoelectricity systems consisting of a supergiant star (poster session) Science Center Focus generation. It has the potential to abate with an extensive, expanding wind and a The Functional Implications 70 percent of rural household biomass smaller, hotter companion star. When the of α-Synuclein Overexpression emissions, allow more girls to gain hot companion’s light shines through the and Oligomerization in Human education, and recover up to one-third supergiant’s atmosphere, the absorption of Neuroblastoma Cells of household income. Please attend my its light by the atmosphere of the supergi- poster session to learn more. (Work ant star can give us information about the Joanna Choi ’09, Neuroscience supported by the MIT IDEAS, Muhammad composition and spatial structure of the advisor: Gary Harris, Biological Sciences supergiant’s atmosphere. VV Cephei was Yunus Innovation Award, and Clinton α-Synuclein (αSyn) is a small protein that observed by the Hubble Space Telescope at Global Initiative.) is closely associated with Parkinson’s different parts of the companion’s orbit, disease (PD). Substantial evidence links including total eclipse. KQ Puppis was Colonization History of the Galápagos αSyn to mitochondrial dysfunction, and observed only once by Hubble at a config- Flightless Stomion Beetles there is evidence that αSyn oligomers are uration similar to some of the VV Cephei Lily Duh ’11, Chemistry, Weixia Guo ’11, the toxic species causing neurodegenera- observations. For both these star systems, Biological Sciences, and Christina Tran ’11, tion in PD. Though αSyn is the focus of Hubble was able to detect spatially Biological Sciences much research, its pathophysiological role extended emission from the wind of the advisor: Andrea Sequeira, Biological in PD remains unclear. The goal of this supergiant. In my poster, I will be compar- Sciences project is to understand the functional ing the observations of KQ Puppis with implications for αSyn overexpression in This project compiles and analyzes the those of VV Cephei to analyze the atmo- cells, gain insight on its relationship with first molecular dataset for a group of spheres of both supergiants. Galápagos endemic flightless Tenebrionid mitochondrial health, and determine whether these effects are mediated by beetles. With this multiple-gene dataset we Illness in the Cure are studying the colonization history and αSyn oligomers or monomers. Human Teresa Le ’11, Anthropology mechanisms of diversification of these dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells with advisor: Anastasia Karakasidou, and without overexpressed αSyn were endemics in five of the Galápagos islands. Anthropology Preliminary results indicate that contrary treated with a panel of mitochondrial to the majority of island colonizers, phy- This presentation focuses on how society’s toxins and the effect of αSyn overexpres- logeny estimates for Stomion do not perceptions of the female body influence sion on cell health was determined by cell appear to follow the progression rule of the culture of breast cancer. It is for this viability assays. Also, purified mitochon- island biogeography whereby islands are reason that not enough attention is given dria and whole cells were exposed to colonized according to their age. This to household products and environmental αSyn oligomers, and their mitochondrial interesting preliminary assessment of the factors in the carcinogenesis of breast health was determined by fluorescence diversification patterns in Stomion allows cancer. Instead of emphasizing breast activated cell sorting in order to determine relevant comparisons with already well- cancer prevention, western society creates the toxic effects of αSyn oligomers. established patterns in other systems a culture of breast cancer that is based on (Research supported by the Howard studied in the laboratory, i.e. Galapaganus. treatment and reconstruction. Hughes Medical Institute and the Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and (Research supported by the AT&T A large portion of the research will come Women’s Hospital.) Mentoring in the Sciences Program.) from popular women’s magazines and their portrayals of “normal” female bodies and of breast cancer, in order to show media responses to the realms of the sick vs. the healthy. Furthermore it looks at the relationship between the societal view of the “normal” female body and the stigma- tization of women who have breast cancer.
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Into the Depths of the Mind’s Jungle: A nohistochemistry to investigate the Search for TOP and PEP coexpression of SRC-1, SRC-2 and PR in Jana Qiao ’11, Biological Chemistry, individual cells in female mouse brain Diana Wang ’11, Economics, and Tania regions that regulate reproductive physiol- Dhawan ’11, Biological Sciences ogy and behavior. These experiments will advisor: Adele Wolfson, Chemistry and further our understanding of how hor- Office of the Dean of the College mones act in brain and their possible role in brain disorders that are influenced by In studies of illness related to reproductive hormones, such as Alzheimer’s Disease physiology, abnormal production of the and depression. (Research supported by ovarian steroid hormone estradiol may the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and be an underlying cause for a number the National Institutes of Health.) of disorders common to women. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) Interpretation of ASL Facial Grammar is an important regulator of estradiol by Nonsigners release. Estradiol, in turn, exerts feedback control on GnRH. GnRH may be further Sienna Laughton ’11, Neuroscience regulated by the hormone degrading advisor: Jennie Pyers, Psychology enzymes thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) For most people who speak more than one and prolyl endopeptidase (PEP). In this language, it is impossible to speak them project we analyzed how estradiol affects both at the same time. However, bimodal- levels and activity of these two enzymes bilinguals, people fluent in a signed and a in various mouse brain regions, using spoken language, can produce elements of immunohistochemistry and fluorometric both languages simultaneously. Bimodal activity assays. (Research supported bilinguals produce ASL facial grammar by grants from AT&T Mentoring in the while speaking English: they raise their Sciences Program and Howard Hughes eyebrows when speaking an English condi- Medical Institute.) tional sentence, and they furrow their eyebrows when asking a wh-question. Yet Cells in Female Mouse Brain signers tend to inhibit the expression of Coexpress Progestin Receptors and the furrowed brow more than the expres- Nuclear Receptor Coactivators sion of the raised eyebrows. One possible Christina Tognoni ’09, Neuroscience reason for this inhibition is that the fur- and Spanish, and Courtney Ackeifi ’10, Biological Chemistry advisor: Marc Tetel, Neuroscience The ovarian steroid hormones, estradiol and progesterone, act in the brain to elicit profound effects on behavior and physiol- ogy. One physiological function of estradiol is the induction of progestin receptors (PR) in brain and other steroid- sensitive tissues. In this estradiol induction of PR, estradiol binds to estrogen receptors (ER) to induce the transcription of the PR gene in reproductively-relevant brain regions. In vitro studies have shown that nuclear receptor coactivators, such as steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) and SRC-2, enhance the hormone-dependent transcriptional activity of ER. In the present study, we used triple-label immu-
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1:30–2:40pm other LNRs can only form two disulfide Characterization of the Ca2+ Binding participates in more extensive interactions bonds. In this work we present our find- Affinity and Coordination Site of the via its exposed hydrophobic tryptophan ings on the effect of various reduction LIN-12/Notch Repeat residues. To study the possible destabiliz- potentials as well as the elimination of the Christina Hao ’09, Biological Sciences ing effect of hydrophobicity in LNRB first disulfide bond in thein vitro folding advisor: Didem Vardar Ulu, Chemistry imparted by hydrophobic residues, trypto- of hN1 LNRA through a comparative anal- phan-52 was mutated to an alanine. This Notch receptors are transmembrane ysis. The results of this study will help to work presents data on different lengths of glycoproteins of a highly conserved elucidate the impact of disulfide bond for- LNRB with the above-mentioned muta- signaling pathway that regulate cell fate mation during LNR folding. tions to help define the minimal in multicellular organisms. Notch proteins requirements for the autonomous folding include three tandem LIN-12/Notch Amino Acids That Are Critical for of LNRB. Structural Stability and Functionality Repeats (LNRs) responsible for maintain- within the Heterodimerization Domain ing the receptor in its resting conformation Predicting and Measuring Molecules prior to ligand binding. These modules of Notch (poster session) Science Center Focus contain highly conserved arrangement Marina Pellon Consunji ’09, Biological of three disulfide bonds and a Ca2+ ion Designing Ion Optics for Imaging Chemistry and International that is essential for its correct folding. Chemical Dynamics Relations-Economics, and Lucien C. In our previous work, we used the first Montenegro ’10, Chemistry Sarah Hyde ’11, Chemistry repeat of human Notch1 and showed that advisor: Didem Vardar Ulu, Chemistry advisor: Wilton L. Virgo, Chemistry it exclusively binds to calcium ion. In this Department The integral role of Notch proteins in work, we used a combination of computer Design, simulation and optimization of the normal development and tissue modeling and experimental approaches electrostatic lenses are crucial to the ion homeostasis of metazoans is orchestrated to characterize and compare the Ca2+ imaging techniques employed to investi- through the tightly regulated proteolytic binding affinities and coordination gate molecular chemical reaction processing of its Negative Regulatory geometries of LNR repeats across different dynamics. The images obtained from Region (NRR). Ligand binding at an protein families. We expect this work to studies of photodissociation dynamics are extracellular region activates Notch by elucidate the basis for Ca2+ ion selectivity particularly dependent on the electrostatic facilitating a proteolytic cleavage at the by the LNRs that is integral for their lens configuration, which determines the heterodimerization (HD) domain within proper regulation in the Notch signaling spatial quality of the image. In order to the NRR. This cleavage is a prerequisite pathway. for the subsequent intramembrane cleav- optimize image spatial resolution, a simple age that permits the translocation of the LIN-12/Notch Repeat B: The Effects of three-plate electrostatic lens with open intracellular region of Notch to the nucleus Disulfide Bonding and Hydrophobic electrodes is simulated so that all particles to activate transcription. In this work we Residues on Its Autonomous Folding with the same initial velocity vector are present the algorithms we have developed mapped onto the same position on a 2D Jessica Lin ’10, Chemical Physics to evaluate the relative importance of detector, regardless of their initial distance advisor: Didem Vardar Ulu, Chemistry specific amino acids for the structural from the electrostatic lens axis. stability and functionality of the HD Notch proteins are transmembrane pro- Characterization of the electrostatic lens domain. These include predictive models teins involved in controlling cellular apparatus is performed using a 3D ion tra- derived from bioinformatic analysis as differentiation, growth, and death. An jectory simulation software package. The well as experimental data from circular extracellular negative regulatory region simulations are designed to accurately dichroism, chromatography, and mass (NRR) contains three contiguous LIN-12/ reproduce experimental results and guide spectrometry studies that compare the Notch Repeats (LNRs)—LNRA, LNRB, and the design of a new experimental velocity wild-type HD domain with two mutants LNRC. Two factors of LNRB folding of map imaging apparatus. (Research sup- identified in leukemia patients. Our results much interest are its disulfide bonds and ported by AT&T and the Wellesley provide valuable insight to the mechanism distribution of hydrophobic residues. To Mentoring in the Sciences Program.) of Notch activation. study the effect of disulfide bonds on the independent folding of LNRB, one of its three pairs of disulfide bonds was elimi- nated by mutating cysteine-45 and cysteine-69 to two alanine residues. Because of its more central location in relation to the rest of the protein, LNRB
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1:30–2:40pm
Electronic Structure Calculations implemented but also draw conclusions of social and emotional competencies on Cyanamide and Substituted regarding our experimental results. increases individuals’ happiness and Cyanamides—The Anomaly of the success in life. Yet many schools Nonlinear NCN Bond today are failing to address children’s Social Analysis Stephanie Lau ’11, Chemistry social-emotional needs. What specific advisor: Flick Coleman, Chemistry social-emotional skills do children need to Play, Laugh, Learn achieve both academic achievement and The valence shell electron pair repulsion happiness? How can schools, parents, and (VSEPR) theory taught in introductory (short talks) Collins Cinema friends best foster positive school environ- chemistry predicts the NCN bond of The Effect of Imaginary Companions on ments, where children can develop these cyanamide (H NCN) to be linear. 2 Preschoolers’ Play crucial social-emotional skills? However, experiments have shown that the Svetlana Roskin ’10, Psychology NCN bond of the molecule is, in fact, advisor: Tracy Gleason, Psychology The Role of Gesture Input in Children’s slightly bent. In an effort to understand Exploratory Play this deviation from theory, the tools of Many preschoolers create relationships computational chemistry were used for with imaginary companions, and these Kate Zmich ’09, Psychology electronic structure calculations and special friends generally fit into one of two advisor: Jennie Pyers, Psychology molecular orbital visualizations. Besides categories: invisible companions or per- Gesture expands and complements infor- investigating the nonlinearity of cyana- sonified objects (e.g., a stuffed animal that mation provided in the speech stream. mide’s NCN bond with multiple levels of the child treats as real). I examined videos Iconic gestures look like their referents, theory, this project also explored the prop- of children with and without imaginary but it is unclear whether children can tap erties of substituted cyanamides to see companions, who were asked to engage in into the analogous relationship between how the different substituents affect the three types of games: teaching, caretaking, gesture and referent. This study asks when NCN bond angle in these molecules. and free-play. Through these videos, and how children between the ages of two Results from this research will hopefully I want to compare children with and and four years interpret the gestures pro- broaden our current understanding of without imaginary companions, as well duced by adults, and whether they use molecular structure and bonding in such as children with either invisible or personi- gestural information to guide their explor- compounds. (Research supported by the fied imaginary friends, in terms of their atory play with novel objects. Children Office of the Dean of the College.) levels of engagement for the three tasks were presented with four novel objects and their game preferences. I would also with novel labels. Each label was accom- The Inner Workings of the Ballistic like to examine whether the type of panied by a shape gesture, a function Pendulum relationship a child has with his or her gesture, a non-iconic gesture, or no Emily Cuddy ’12 and Eleanor Byler ’11 imaginary companion, whether hierarchi- gesture. Children’s play with the novel advisor: George Caplan, Physics cal or egalitarian, relates to how children object and their memory for novel labels play. These comparisons will show us was coded. The findings will illuminate How can you determine the velocity of a how children represent relationships how children understand different types of speeding bullet? It is easier than you might through play and tell us how they concep- gesture and how gesture informs children’s think. Designed in the late eighteenth tualize their real and imaginary exploratory play. (Research supported by century, prior to many modern technologi- relationships with others. (Research sup- the Psychology Department.) cal advances, the ballistic pendulum was a ported by the Brachman Hoffman Fund simple tool used to determine the launch and Wellesley College.) The Impact of High Stakes Testing on speed of a bullet. Applying the fundamen- Elementary School Students’ Stress tal physical principles of conservation of Making Children Happy: How We Can Marjorie W. Schaeffer ’09, Psychology linear momentum, conservation of angular Use Social and Emotional Learning to advisor: Beth Hennessey, Psychology momentum, and conservation of energy, Help Children Be Successful we used a modified ballistic pendulum to High-stakes testing is common across Emily Evans ’10, American Studies calculate the initial velocity of a steel ball the United States. The Massachusetts advisor: Deborah Donahue-Keegan, launched from a spring-loaded gun. Can Comprehensive Assessment System Education the law of conservation of linear momen- (MCAS) is one such test designed to tum be applied in this situation? How does Social-emotional intelligence has a direct measure student performance and to conservation of energy even relate? We relationship to happiness and success. meet the requirements of the national will not only discuss the advantages and As many research studies have proven NCLB initiative. Massachusetts students disadvantages of each of the methods we over the past 20 years, the development first take this test in the spring of third
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1:30–2:40pm grade. While some research has focused perceptions about themselves and about Social and Political Interactions on teachers’ feelings about and stress potential mates when compared to other (poster session) Science Center Focus felt because of high-stakes testing, little phases of the cycle. For example, when is known about the impact of these tests women ovulate, they may dress in sexier, Hot or Not: How Your Boyfriend’s on young children. Third, fourth, and more revealing clothing, and may experi- Qualities Influence Perceptions of You fifth graders will describe the feelings ence heightened judgments of their own Freena Chohan ’09, Psychology and of a hypothetical same-gendered child attractiveness. This research focuses spe- Economics, Cara Parcell ’10, Psychology, taking either his or her first MCAS, or a cifically on body image and how it is and Laura D. Stevens ’09, Psychology spelling or social studies test. Results are affected by the hormonal cycle. Data were advisor: R. Steven Schiavo, Psychology expected to suggest that high-stakes tests collected on heterosexual women’s ratings Previous research examines effects of a cause far more anxiety than do low-stakes of their own physical attractiveness, as female’s attractiveness and perceived tests. Children are additionally expected well as their preferences for male body intelligence on her male partner. We to describe different ways of handling the types, considering men as both as poten- examined the reverse effect: how a male’s stress related to testing. (Research sup- tial long-term partners, and for short-term appearance and intelligence influence ported by the Psychology Department and sexual encounters. Participants completed perceptions of his female partner. We the Office of the Dean of the College.) the study once while in the high fertility manipulated the male’s appearance using phase of their menstrual cycles, and once Photoshop to make him more or less Our Bodies, Ourselves while in the low fertility phase of their attractive. We created Facebook profiles (short talks) Pendleton West 117 cycles. In addition, the effects of hormonal displaying information pertinent to his contraceptives on these judgments will be Russian Women’s Sexual and intelligence and manipulated these to examined. (Research supported by a Reproductive Health from the 1980s enhance or detract from his career faculty award from Wellesley College.) to the Present prospects. We asked 48 Wellesley College students to fill out a questionnaire regard- Abigail Lees ’09, Russian Area Studies Multivariate Analyses of Family ing these manipulations. We found that advisor: Nina Tumarkin, History Functioning among Adolescent Hispanic the male’s attractiveness influenced and Brazilian Girls In 1990 at a conference in Tbilisi, the U.N. the female’s perceived career prospects, Population Fund emphasized reproductive Jennifer Gorcos ’09, Psychology while his intelligence influenced her freedom as “the freedom from which all advisor: Nancy Genero, Psychology perceived intelligence. others flow.” The conference highlighted Positive family functioning is incontrovert- Russia as a prime example of a country ibly one of the most important indicators Grooming versus Opening Line: Which suffering from limited reproductive of well-being among adolescent girls. For Will Win the Fight? options. This presentation will explore my independent study, I performed multi- Chong Wu ’09, Psychology, and DongHwa the marginalization of Russian women’s variate analyses to assess the relationship Kim ’10, Psychology sexual and reproductive health from between family functioning and Hispanic advisor: R. Steven Schiavo, Psychology the 1980s to the present. Health policy, and Brazilian girls’ perceptions of social Did you know that it only takes one sen- statistics, and media show how Russia’s support and mother-daughter mutuality. tence for someone to make a series of changing relationship to contraception, Family functioning predictors included judgments about you, ranging from your abortion, sexual diseases, and feminism family participatory decision-making, physical attractiveness to your compe- affect the country’s current demographic closeness, and fairness. Girls’ overall sense tence? Past studies have shown that crisis and its very future. of relational efficacy was also included as opening lines play an important role in the a predictor in the analyses. Results were Ovulation and Perceptions of perception of the line user. In particular, significant and provide a complex view of Attractiveness the obnoxious opening line users were ethnic girls’ family relationships. viewed significantly more negatively com- Robyn Migliorini ’09, Psychology and pared to the direct line users. Other studies Philosophy have shown that grooming also plays an advisors: Margery Lucas, Psychology, and important role in forming first impressions, Elissa Koff, Psychology with well-groomed men viewed more posi- Previous research has suggested that ovu- tively than casually-groomed men. In this lation, the time of highest conception risk study, we sought to explore whether the in a woman’s menstrual cycle, is corre- positive qualities attached to a well- lated with distinctive changes in female groomed male can override the negative
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1:30–2:40pm 3–4:10pm effects of his saying an obnoxious opening different priming patterns. Our study line to a female. Come and find out which questions whether these differences are Literature and the Arts won the fight! due to the use of explicit memory by healthy control subjects. Writing and Slamming Poetry Planning and Preservation in D.C.: (short talks, literary reading) The Development of Rock Creek Park Women Judging Women: Perceptions of Collins Cinema Lisa Snider ’11, Sociology Women Based on Clothing and Posture Mayakovsky and America: “A Person, advisor: Jonathan B. Imber, Sociology Evann Schwerm ’09, American Studies an Action, an Event” and Psychology, and Linda Yan ’09, As the capstone project for my Urban Economics and Psychology Carlotta Chenoweth ’09, Russian and American History class at MIT last advisor: R. Steven Schiavo, Psychology Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences semester, I wrote about the development advisor: Sarah Clovis Bishop, Russian of Rock Creek Park, one of the nation’s “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” goes the oldest national parks. A woodsy, several aphorism, but the impact of appearance Vladimir Mayakovsky, the foremost thousand square acres above the National is so much a part of our social experience Russian futurist poet, was given the oppor- Zoo that runs along Rock Creek, the Park that many of the judgments we make are tunity in 1925 to travel from the still-young continues to provide a venue to relax instantaneous and subconscious. Research Soviet Union to America. He produced a for Washingtonians who want a break examining the effect of nonverbal cues collection of propagandistic articles for the from the busy city. The multiple stages of on perceptions of individuals indicates Soviet newspapers, but also a cycle of less renewal in the park’s story reflect larger that clothing and posture cue attributions affected poems that give us a better look social trends in American history. Thus, of masculinity, femininity, and lifestyle at his fascination with the bustling, filthy through Rock Creek Park’s history, we choice. We gathered experimental data on America of the 1920s. learn about the values of American society Wellesley students, which was consistent It has been said and often cited that during much of the twentieth century. The with the associated body of literature. We Mayakovsky was “better known as a thread that runs through its history is the will present our findings on how students person, as an action, as an event.” Since continual need for maintaining a balance attributed gendered characteristics such as his well-known suicide, Mayakovsky’s between preserving nature and enabling leadership potential, likelihood to comfort a persona has risen to superhuman status: the park’s visitors to access and benefit friend, or the presence of a tattoo based on he is both a man and the revolution, the from it conveniently. masculine or feminine clothing and posture. alluring artist and the fearless agitator. This notorious character has, in turn, The Role of Explicit Memory in captivated American poets, and Frank Priming Effects O’Hara’s attachment to Mayakovsky, in Priya Josyula ’10, Neuroscience, and Sara particular, will be addressed. Teichholtz ’09, Neuroscience advisor: Margaret Keane, Psychology “Nothing is until it has a word”: The Poetry of Gillian Clarke Human memory is made up of multiple subtypes, each of which operates through Dana Britt ’09, English a different mechanism. Two subtypes are advisor: Timothy Peltason, English explicit (conscious) and implicit (uncon- I vividly remember the first day I heard of scious) memory. An example of implicit Gillian Clarke and of her poetry, because memory is priming, where performance is it was the same day I saw her for the first influenced by recent experience, even time. No matter how hard I try, I cannot though one is not explicitly remembering recreate the rolling, rhythmical way she that experience. For instance, if individuals shaped her tongue to pronounce the Welsh are asked to identify a very briefly flashed words of her poetry, but I have tried to word (e.g. 13 milliseconds), performance recreate in my thesis the importance of her is improved if they have had recent words. That day in Wales, she told me and exposure to the word. Surprisingly, while the rest of the audience that “nothing is explicit memory is impaired in amnesia, until it has a word,” and each time I read implicit memory, including priming, is one of her poems I feel that I am being largely retained. However, in a recent reintroduced to my own language. But study, amnesic and healthy control more than that, her words give a name, a participants unexpectedly displayed face, and a voice to countless women who
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3–4:10pm refuse to be forgotten. (Research supported by the British literary tradition and inher- are inseparable and seldom bring glory. by the Office of the Dean of the College.) ited by the American South. I will discuss Before Dorothea can make her promise, the ways in which Sterne and Percy revisit her husband dies, and, through his will, Nuyorican Slam Poetry: Roots and and revise this character—defining him in she discovers his intent to make a second, Renditions their own version of “sentimental irony.” more sinister demand. Paradoxically, in Megan Aebi ’09, Spanish (Research supported by a Jerome A. Schiff a novel committed to sacrifice, Dorothea advisor: Joy Renjilian-Burgy, Spanish Fellowship.) then revokes her decision to complete the Key. Does Eliot have her do so because The décima, bomba, y plena, popular The Human Condition: Analysis of the sacrifice would be too great? Because verse forms of Puerto Rico, were created Theodore Dreiser and Literary Naturalism Casaubon is unworthy? Or because she by troubadours chronicling the history of never officially made the promise? Critics Puerto Rican society and culture, begin- Page Monji ’09, English and Classical Civilization Studies have long struggled with these questions, ning three centuries before Spanish advisor: William Cain, English and I will explore them through a compari- colonization of the island. This presenta- son of Dorothea’s intended sacrifice with tion will examine the contributions of Theodore Dreiser, during the turn of the Mrs. Bulstrode’s fulfilled one. these poetic and musical forms on writers century, experienced America’s urban in the Nuyorican Poets Café of New York scene at one of the most transitional City. Themes vary from race, gender, and periods in history. Shocked by the scale Science and Technology nationhood to love and loss in daily life. of urban development and commercial- Nuyorican poets’ contemporary production ism, Dreiser became one of the greatest Cruising the Cosmos with ASTR 206 and performance reveal how this tradi- social critics and authors of his time. tional poetry has evolved, both Dreiser questioned the power that people (panel) Pendleton West 212 thematically and stylistically, into innova- have over the external forces within Katie Judd ’11, Latin American their environments. He sought to find tive literary expression, such as slam Studies, Molly Wasser ’09, Cinema poetry. Performance included. an over-arching continuum among all and Media Studies, Allison human experiences to explore the depths Youngblood ’10, Astrophysics, and Novel Ideas of the human consciousness in a society Kirsten Levandowski ’10, Astrophysics (short talks) Science Center 104 that is more concerned with money advisor: Kim McLeod, Astronomy than with individual happiness. Dreiser Convictions of Consanguinity: Sterne, also discusses the role of desire and the The class of ASTR 206, “Basic Percy, and Sentimental Irony debilitating effects of the relentless pursuit Astronomical Techniques,” spent the Emma Ingrisani ’09, English of success. Within my thesis, I focus on fall semester completing observational advisors: James Noggle, English, and three of his novels—Sister Carrie, Jennie research projects with Wellesley’s Luther Tyler, English Gerhardt, and An American Tragedy— 24"-diameter Sawyer Telescope. Objects studied range in distance from a galaxy Why Laurence Sterne and Walker Percy? in order to answer Dreiser’s pivotal cluster 170 million light-years away to a The two authors, after all, are divided by question: what is the human condition in comet right here in our own solar system. century, country, and genre—Sterne firmly modern America? We’ll show our light curve from an extra- eighteenth-century British, and Percy solar planet’s passage in front of its star, indisputably twentieth-century Southern— The Key to Promise Keeping in George tell how we found the distance and age of and have never previously been united in Eliot’s Middlemarch a Milky Way star cluster, and describe how critical discourse. Nevertheless, a sense of Flannery Wheeler ’10, English we charted the motion of Comet Barnard- some odd resonance between their works’ advisor: Lisa Rodensky, English Boattini. Come learn about the intricacies ironic and roguish narrative voices led Midway through Middlemarch, the of using a telescope to make scientific me to investigate points of commonality young Dorothea Casaubon resolves to measurements, and see a video of the between them. In examining Sterne’s complete her dying husband’s Key to All comet’s motion as seen from Wellesley! Tristram Shandy and A Sentimental Mythologies—a work so ineffectual and Journey and Percy’s early books The time-consuming it would preclude Moviegoer and The Last Gentleman, I her desire to lead “an epic life… of far- explored the idea that Sterne and Percy resonant action.” Rather than indicating are not only stylistically and thematically failed ambitions, Dorothea’s decision similar, but that they share the same marks her moral maturity, for she now source: the sensitive hero figure initiated realizes that compassion and sacrifice
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It’s a Bacterial World Using 31P and 23Na NMR Spectroscopy quent growth of biofilms, along with + + (panel) Pendleton East 339 to Investigate the Role of Na /H motility of cells that are not in a biofilm. Antiporters in Acid-stressed In this research I am finding if the cyano- Cyanobacteria were the first photosynthetic Cyanobacteria bacterial species Synechocystis sp. strain organisms to produce oxygen. Not only PCC6803, which exhibits surface motility have they survived for billions of years, but Jessica L. Tse ’09, Biological Chemistry, and Hatice G. Yayla ’11, Chemistry and has type IV pili, forms biofilms. I grow they have been found in extremely diverse advisors: Mary M. Allen, Biological the bacteria under a variety of stressful locations, ranging from glaciers to geysers. Sciences, and Nancy H. Kolodny, Chemistry conditions and then search for the pres- With that much longevity and diversity, ence of EPS. I then support these results these bacteria have adapted significantly Membrane proteins involved in transport- by verifying the presence of type IV to survive under many stressful conditions. ing Na+ and H+ ions across the pili using the electron microscope. This panel will discuss the research being membrane, Na+/H+ antiporters, may help (Research supported by the Howard conducted in Dr. Mary Allen’s laboratory on regulate the internal and external pH of Hughes Medical Institute.) the many stress responses of the cyanobacte- acid-stressed cyanobacteria. The cyanobac- terium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 rium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Cleaning Lead-polluted Waters with contains at least five Na+/H+ antiporters. Cyanobacteria Proteomic Analysis of the Acid-stress Studies suggest that these proteins help Response of Cyanobacteria regulate the internal pH of acid-stressed Jean Yau ’09, Biological Sciences and French, and Brachi Schindler ’11, Lauren F. Allison ’10, Biological cells, but how are the internal pH and + Environmental Studies Sciences, and Elizabeth Jeruto ’09, Na concentration of cells with a 1.5 μm 31 advisor: Mary M. Allen, Biological Sciences Biological Sciences diameter measured? P Nuclear Magnetic advisor: Mary M. Allen, Biological Sciences Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used to Water pollution with heavy metals is a determine the chemical shift of the pH problem worldwide, including on the Airborne pollution and acid rain are sensitive inorganic phosphate peak. 23Na Wellesley College campus in Lake Waban causing the acidification of bodies of fresh- NMR spectroscopy using chemical shift and Paintshop Pond. Lead is one such water around the world. Cyanobacteria reagents is used to detect the relative heavy metal that can cause hypertension are being threatened by this man-made amounts of Na+ inside and outside the and impair nerve and kidney function if ecological disaster. Since cyanobacteria cells. We are now acid-stressing cyanobac- ingested. Bioremediation is a method of have adapted to survive in environments teria at different pHs to follow the removing pollutants using microorgan- with alkaline pH, the decreasing pH of transport of Na+ across the cell membrane. isms, and cyanobacteria might be model their habitats will have important conse- (Research supported by the Merck/AAAS organisms to remove heavy metals from quences for cyanobacteria and the entire Undergraduate Science Research Program, polluted waters. One cannot, however, freshwater ecosystem. In the lab we are Howard Hughes Medical Institute release cyanobacteria directly into the trying to determine how the bacteria will Research Grant, and Office of the Dean water, as this would disrupt the ecosystem. respond to acidification by stressing them of the College.) Cyanobacteria can be contained within at low pH and attempting to identify pro- beads made of calcium-alginate, an algae- teins that are expressed differently under It’s Not Easy Being Green, So Let’s Stick derived substance, and the beads could acid-stress. Proteomic techniques such Together: A Study of Biofilm Formation easily be removed from the water system as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, in Cyanobacteria after remediation. The beads themselves trypsin digestion, and MALDI-TOF Mass Jessica Weyer ’09, Biological Sciences can also remove metals from water. Our Spectrometry will be discussed. (Research advisor: Mary M. Allen, Biological Sciences research examines the ability of cyanobac- supported by the Roberta Day Staley and teria, free and immobilized within beads, Karl A. Staley Fund for Cancer-related Many different forms of bacteria form a to remediate lead from water systems. Research and the Amabel Boyce James biofilm as a coping mechanism during (Research supported by the Office of the Fund for Research in the Sciences) times of stress. A biofilm is an aggregate of Dean of the College, Jerome A. Schiff bacterial cells surrounded by a sticky Fund, and the Merck/AAAS Undergraduate extracellular matrix anchored to a biotic or Science Research Program.) abiotic surface. The main component of this matrix is exopolysacharride, or EPS. Often the presence of type IV pili, small hair-like appendages coating a cell’s surface, are rumored to have an important role in the initial anchoring and subse-
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Nutrition and Brain Disorders: Game Design and the Transparent cell-DC interaction there are three phases, You Are What Your Mother Ate Interface (interactive teaching each characterized with a specific T cell- (panel) Pendleton East 139 presentation) Jewett Arts Center 247 DC interaction duration. In this study, we have looked at the significance of phase Jennifer Moriuchi ’09, Neuroscience, Langdon Ferguson ’09, Art History, Indi II, characterized by the stable interaction Loren Saulsberry ’10, Neuroscience, and Marisa V. Frank ’09, Media Arts and between T cells and DCs, with respect to Hillary Chu ’09, Neuroscience Sciences, Francesca Gobeille ’09, Media activation, proliferation, cytotoxicity and advisor: Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Arts and Sciences, Soo Been Kim ’10, memory generation. Biological Sciences and Office of the Dean Media Arts and Sciences, Serena Wales of the College ’09, History and Media Arts and Sciences, Synthesis and Evaluation of α-Synuclein Animal models provide a unique and Emmy Zhang ’11, Russian Fragments to Determine Regions of opportunity to study basic mechanisms of advisor: Panagiotis T. Metaxas, Computer Importance for Aggregation Science human disease, such as how genetic and Laura Stafman ’09, Neuroscience and nutritional factors interact to influence What makes an interface design effective, Middle Eastern Studies, Arianne Jong ’10, disease symptoms, and to test preclinical and how can such principles be applied to Biological Chemistry and East Asian therapies. Rett Syndrome (RTT) and computer games? Last fall, our CS 215 Studies, and Kyi-Sin-Lin Than ’11, Schizophrenia (Schz) are both neurological class sought to explore the fundamentals Psychology disorders that originate early in fetal behind multimedia design and program- advisor: Julia Miwa, Chemistry development and are linked to specific ming through a hands-on study of game Several neurodegenerative diseases are genetic mutations. However, nutritional creation. We applied interdisciplinary caused by the abnormal aggregation of factors can also influence the severity themes such as Gestalt and color theory proteins into amyloid fibrils. In Parkinson’s of symptoms. Here, we test the effects along the way, and our experience cumu- disease, the protein α-synuclein aggregates of maternal nutritional supplementation lated in the final product of our own to form Lewy bodies. The goal of this (choline) or deprivation (folate) around appealing and fully functioning computer research is to determine which regions of the time of birth in genetically modified games playable on the Web. In our presen- α-synuclein are involved in aggregation. mice that model RTT and Schz, respec- tation, we will discuss the design process With this information, drugs may be pro- tively. In RTT-like offspring, we find that that went into creating these games, which duced to target these regions specifically. choline supplementation improves both we will then invite you to play! Twenty residue fragments were synthe- physical and cognitive symptoms. In Schz- sized using solid phase peptide synthesis like offspring, a single genetic mutation Investigations of Disease and purified using HPLC. Lewy bodies are unexpectedly protects against the harmful (short talks) Pendleton East 239 known to exhibit a b-sheet secondary physical and cognitive effects of folate structure; the goal is to determine which deficiency. These nutritional manipula- The Significance of Stable DC-T Cell fragments of α-synuclein are more prone tions, both choline and folate, interact Interactions in the Differentiation of to be in this conformation. Using FTIR with genetic mutations to influence Effector T Cells spectroscopy, the secondary structure of neurological disorders and underscore Balimkiz Senman ’09, Neuroscience fragments was determined by examining the critical nature of maternal nutrition. advisor: Andrew Webb, Biological Sciences the amide I band. Those fragments with a (Research supported by the Office of The immune system constantly surveys predominantly b-sheet structure were the Dean of the College, the Howard the body for the presence of antigen. It further examined to determine their aggre- Hughes Medical Institute, and the Jerome operates mainly through T cells and B gation kinetics using the fluorescent dye A. Schiff Fund.) cells to fight off foreign invaders, called Thioflavin T. Aggregates that form more antigens, that gain access to the body and easily and rapidly are thought to be more dendritic cells (DC), which are specialized essential in forming the toxic species. in alerting the immune system about the (Funded by Howard Hughes Foundation, presence of antigens. T cells originate in Wellesley College Mentoring in the the bone marrow as stem cells and migrate Sciences Program, and Wellesley College to the thymus, where they differentiate Science Center.) into different types of T cells. They then leave the thymus as naïve T cells and circulate in the blood and secondary lymphoid organs searching for antigen pre- sentation DCs. At the onset of this initial T
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Risk Factors Associated with Athletic the music and language of the Shetland afternoon” is an adjunct, while the other Injuries in Female Division III Athletes Islands in Scotland, County Donegal in bracketed phrases are arguments. This dis- Julia Thomas ’09, Chemistry Ireland, and the state of Kentucky. It aims tinction is important for the study of advisor: Connie Bauman, Physical to determine if these characteristics are linguistic ambiguity, especially PP-attach- Education, Recreation, and Athletics correlated in the speech and music in each ment ambiguity. For example, the PP “with dialect area; such a correlation may the telescope” in the sentence “The detec- As female participation rates at all levels of provide support for the hypothesis that tive saw the man with the telescope” sporting activity have dramatically music and language share processing could mean that the detective used the increased, so have certain sports injuries. resources in the brain. (Research sup- telescope to see the man or that the man In particular, the incidence of ACL injury ported by the Jerome A. Schiff Fund.) he saw had a telescope. Using a reading in female athletes has been reported to be time paradigm, this study investigates four to six times greater than male athletes On Being an Accent Sponge: Phonetic Korean-English bilinguals’ processing of participating in the same sports. This pilot Convergence in Bilingual Speakers PP-attachment ambiguities involving two study serves to determine if any relation- kinds of prepositional objects, which may ship exists between selected strength, Emily Cibelli ’09, Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences differ in argument status: dative recipients flexibility, and sports related dynamic advisor: Andrea Levitt, French (“the man” in “John gave a letter to his measures and the type and severity of son to the man”) and instruments (“a lid” injuries sustained by Wellesley College Have you ever spoken with someone who in “Sarah sealed the container with glue athletes. Athletes on Wellesley’s soccer, has an accent—and found yourself adopt- with a lid”). (Research supported by the basketball, and lacrosse teams were ing it in your own speech? This tendency Office of the Dean of the College.) included in this preliminary study. is known as phonetic convergence, and Conclusions were drawn using Dartfish it is a well-documented phenomenon visual analysis, isometric strength and that occurs in both short- and long-term Social Analysis flexibility measures, and the athlete’s conversational interaction. My thesis injury reports. The findings will provide a examined phonetic convergence among Gender and the Workplace foundation upon which further investiga- bilingual speakers. Spanish-English bilin- tion of injury prevention and rehabilitation guals with different language backgrounds (panel) Pendleton West 116 protocols can be implemented. were exposed to accented speech to see Dancing is a Sweat Job: whether they would adopt the accents in Gender Performance in the Ballroom Sound and Sense their own productions. This research sheds Dance Workplace (short talks) Science Center 277 light on the flexibility of the linguistic Brittany Low ’10, Women’s Studies sound system, and explores the effects advisor: Nancy L. Marshall, Women’s Reflections of Language in Music: of language history on people’s ability Comparing Rhythm and Melody in Studies to change characteristics of their speech. English Dialects and Music (Research supported by the Office of the The ballroom dance workplace is a Rebecca McGowan ’09, Cognitive and Dean of the College.) peculiar workplace as gender is intrinsic Linguistic Sciences and Mathematics to the definition of ballroom dance. advisor: Andrea Levitt, French Second Language (L2) Processing For instance, men “lead,” and women Informal observations have often been of Prepositional Phrase (PP)-Attachment “follow.” In this presentation, I examine an made that a country’s language is reflected Ambiguities: Toward an Improved interview with a current ballroom dance Understanding of the Argument/ in its instrumental music. Language and teacher about gender performance in his Adjunct Distinction music are both ways of organizing sound, student-teacher interactions. I discuss and it may be that the distinctive temporal Jenny S. Lee ’09, Cognitive and how these student-teacher interactions and melodic patterning of a language also Linguistic Sciences continually reinforce the current gender appears in the related music. Little advisor: Sun-Hee Lee, East Asian dynamics not only in the dance studio but research has explored this possibility, but Languages and Literatures also in every other aspect of the ballroom dance industry. Through looking at the the few studies conducted have found sim- A controversial topic in linguistics is teacher’s student-teacher interactions with ilarities between the rhythmic and melodic known as the argument/adjunct distinc- Professional-Amateur (Pro-Am), social, characteristics of French music and lan- tion. Arguments are phrases that form and competitive dance students, it is guage on the one hand and British music integral components of a verb’s meaning, arguable that gender performance in the and language on the other. Using acoustic while adjuncts are simply “modifiers.” For American ballroom dance workplace is measurements, my research compares the example, in “[Mary] gave [the package] [to largely dictated by the American public’s rhythmic and melodic characteristics of the mailman] [in the afternoon],” “in the
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3–4:10pm demand for dance instruction and by at an equal level and that their gendered While we found no overall difference in the use of traditional gender roles within practices may be subconscious. number of TOTs, we found that once in a actual dance performance/competition. TOT state, the gesture-allowed group was Ignoring Inequality: Examining more successful at resolving their TOTs. In Women in Writing: It’s a Man’s World Gendered Actions in the Office of a this follow-up study, we ask whether inhi- (Until Someone Needs Coffee) Female Elected Official bition of another body part, in this case Tamzin Mitchell ’09, English Rachel G. Kohl ’09, Sociology the neck, can affect the resolution of TOTs. advisor: Nancy L. Marshall, Women’s advisor: Nancy L. Marshall, Women’s Sixty participants were randomly assigned Studies Studies to a gesture allowed, gesture inhibited, or neck inhibited condition and were asked to What was the last book you read for fun? Due to the feminist movements of the name 52 pictures. The findings will speak How about the last magazine you twentieth century, the modern workplace to the nature of the relationship between skimmed through? The last overpriced is now outwardly more open to female gesture and speech. (Research supported textbook you bought? These things all advancement than in the recent past. by the Office of the Dean of the College.) have a common denominator: the Places of employment in the public service publishing industry. Women are well- sector specifically have been experiencing Amicizia (Friendship): Analysis of Group a shift in gender representation and represented in the publishing industry, Work in an Intermediate Language Class yet underrepresented in positions of power employment structures. However, the or prestige. Using research from WOST barrier of the “glass ceiling” for employed Caitlin McGraw ’09, Spanish 219 and retroactive analysis of an intern- women is still a very real phenomenon. Do advisor: Veronica Darer, Spanish ship in a small publishing house, I will gendered interactions in offices of female Group work is an integral part of learning examine the roles that women play in elected officials accurately reflect this in today’s language classrooms. As part of publishing, from proofreader to publisher. structural change that has been occurring the Education 307 seminar, we conducted in the public sector? At the office of one of a discourse analysis of an intermediate The Role of Gender in the Bioscience relatively few female elected officials in Italian language class studying the topic of Workplace: The Experience of a the United States, the observed workplace Amicizia (Friendship). Our findings dem- Female Intern was progressive in many ways. However, onstrate how group work enhances or Kate Gallagher ’11, Women’s Studies the gendered actions that were visible but hinders language learning. We discovered advisor: Nancy L. Marshall, Women’s not discussed showed that even work multiple variables, such as the role of Studies environments that are better than most in group leaders, the use of native language, terms of gender equality still have a need and many others, that construct group Women have made great progress across for improvement. work dynamics. The findings of the study all fields of science, especially bioscience. can be used to inform the process of group However, unemployment statistics and Language and Memory work in language classrooms in general, leadership position statistics indicate that (short talks) Science Center 396 and help guide students in ways to maxi- gender inequality is still ever present mize language-learning opportunities in the bioscience workplace. Yesterday, The Role of Gesture in Lexical Retrieval: during group work. women faced blatant discrimination due Does Gesturing Make a Difference? to stereotypes; today, women face subtle Sam Grossmith ’11, Cognitive and Mechanisms of Implicit Memory discrimination and a glass ceiling. Drawing Linguistic Sciences and English, and Amanda Utevsky ’09, Psychology on my summer internship in a biosci- Rachel Magid ’12 advisor: Margaret Keane, Psychology ence laboratory, I address the question: advisor: Jennie Pyers, Psychology Although there is an equal percentage When was the last time you went to the Whether they are used to facilitate of qualified women and men potential doctor? What did you have for breakfast dialogue or to grasp at a particular word, employees for the bioscience workforce, this morning? These are the types of infor- gestures are embedded in most, if not all, why is there still gender inequality in mation we typically refer to when we linguistic interactions. But does gesturing employment rates and structure of the describe “memory.” It turns out that our actually help us retrieve a word? Difficulty workplace? At my internship, I experi- memory systems are actually much more with word retrieval can be seen in frustrat- enced first hand the practices that uphold complex that we once thought. How does ing experiences called “Tip of the Tongue” the glass ceiling. However, the company’s riding a bike get easier with time? Why do (TOT) states. In our previous research, decision to allow my participation in we often prefer melodies that are familiar we compared the TOT experiences of research displayed that they are open to to us? Why do things generally seem easier participants who were allowed to gesture the idea of allowing women to participate the second time around? This presentation to those were prohibited from gesturing.
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3–4:10pm 4:30–5:40pm focuses on this type of memory: implicit Do Institutions Create a One-way Street have left early versus the players who memory. By examining whether prior for Foreign Direct Investment? have stayed all four years in college experience is always beneficial, this dis- Sadia Raveendran ’09, Economics reveals some interesting and perhaps cussion will focus on the possible advisor: Malhar Nabar, Economics unexpected conclusions. mechanisms by which previous experi- ences can affect our later behavior. Does a country’s legal framework, its pre- Literature and the Arts (Research supported by the Office of the vailing investment environment, or its Dean of the College and the Psychology corruption levels have an effect on its eco- Department.) nomic outcomes? This relationship Sources of Light: Poetry and between the quality of a country’s institu- Music of Home (long performance) tions and national economic outcomes is Jewett Art Center, Auditorium 4:30–5:40pm difficult to estimate statistically because of reverse causality and issues related to Courtney Sato ’09, English, Katelyn measurement error. My thesis makes an Ching ’09, Music, Olivia Park ’09, Economic Issues attempt to overcome this challenge by ana- Political Science and English, Edlyn lyzing the impact of institutions on foreign Yuen ’09, Political Science and Classical What Goes Up Must Come Down direct investment in the aftermath of an Studies, Megan Cunniff ’11, English, and (short talks) Science Center 104 external growth shock to the economy. Magdalena Zebracka ’12 The preliminary regression results indicate advisor: Dan Chiasson, English Fighting Italian Tax Evasion: that the adverse impact of a negative How is creativity rooted in one’s sense of The Effect of the “Studi di Settore” growth shock on FDI is less in a country place, space, and home? How does a poet’s on Income Declarations with good institutions. In the aftermath of sense of place seep into his or her creative Elira Kuka ’09, Economics a positive growth shock, however, institu- mindset—into word choice, subject matter, advisor: Courtney C. Coile, Economics tions do not play a similar role i.e. they do recurring images or themes? There are Italian tax evasion is one of the highest not increase the flow of FDI. My presenta- numerous places that have multiple layers among developed countries. As noncom- tion will outline the identification strategy of stories and poems waiting to be pliance has negative effects on equality for growth shocks, the methodology used, revealed: places in nature, neighborhoods, and government revenues, in the 1990s and the validity of my results. and backstreets. Our poems and music tell the Italian government attempted to of places that span from Kyoto to Hawaii reduce noncompliance by implementing Basketball: For Love of the Game or for to Wellesley. The performance will open the “Studi di Settore” (SDS). Under the the Love of Money? and conclude with original music composi- SDS, the Italian government provides Anna Morris ’12 tions that tie into the theme of home, small/medium businesses with a tool to advisor: Julia Miwa, Chemistry using Hawaiian, Latin, French, and English. A poetry reading will follow the estimate gross revenues, according to their The hype surrounding men’s college bas- opening music piece where students will field of activity. This estimation becomes a ketball has increased dramatically in read original poems. Our creative perfor- benchmark; if firms declare their revenues recent years. Star student-athletes are in mance combines poetry and music in an to be less than the benchmark, then the the spotlight from the start of the season attempt to articulate the revered relation- probability of audits becomes larger. In in November until the championship in ship between art and place. my honors thesis, I empirically test the March, and at the end an elite few are effectiveness of the SDS method. I expect faced with a difficult decision: enter the the introduction of the SDS to have led NBA draft early, or play another year of to more substantial changes in declared college ball? Through an original research income among those types of firms that paper conceived and executed in my WRIT historically have had more tax evasion, 125 class, I have examined the logical such as smaller firms and firms in the arguments made by both proponents and Southern region. I test this hypothesis critics of the decision to enter the draft using data from the Italian tax authority. early, as well as conducted my own statistical analysis drawing on over five years of numerical data. While a definitive answer to the question still cannot be reached, a comparison between the points, rebounds, and assists of the players who
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Synergy and Slam (short ing honors senior thesis research and a Political Development performances) Pendleton West 220 summer of fieldwork in India through a CWS-identified internship, is the explicit Jazz + Strings + Energy = Synergy! Nation Building recognition of the interdependency of the Rakeen Mabud ’09, Political Science (short talks) Pendleton West 212 economy on state and social dimensions, as and Economics, Chindhuri supported by an extensive case study of the Selvadurai ’10, Neuroscience, Camille Identifying Convergences and Building economically promising country India. Alliances between Grassroots Social Doykan ’10, Neuroscience, Laura Through understanding the current status Movements and United Nations Actors Stearns ’12, and Dan Grieneisen ’11 within India, it becomes evident that policy (Olin), Engineering: Systems Design Anisha Gupta ’09, Peace and Justice sequencing within the political institu- advisor: Paula Zeitlin, Music Studies and English tions, the social sector, and the market Piano Accompanist: Vanessa Morris advisor: Julie Matthaei, Economics provide the most comprehensive strategy While string instruments are well known In general, the relationship between social to allow developing states the ability to for elegant classical compositions and rol- movements and government institutions participate in the global economy. licking folk music, we will share the magic has been highly polarized and character- of a classical string ensemble veering off ized by mutual criticism. I have Housing and Homelessness in Calcutta from Bach and fiddle traditions to explore participated in both extremes; following a and Dhaka the world of improvisation. In this presen- year abroad studying radical antiglobaliza- Hannah Dale Sholder ’09, Peace and tation, we invite you to discover the tion grassroots movements, I accepted a Justice Studies and Sociology versatility of Synergy, an on-campus jazz job working for the U.S. Permanent advisor: Victor Kazanjian, Peace and string ensemble, through our performance Representative to the United Nations. This Justice Studies of jazz and rock arrangements. project aims to identify and analyze In my study on housing and homelessness certain spheres in which the positions of in Calcutta and Dhaka, I analyze the Uncommon Ragtime: The Xylophone important actors within the UN overlap effects of the partition of British India, into Rags of George Hamilton Green with movements on the outside. These the independent nations of India and Nancy Pontius ’09, Music convergences and the resulting potential Pakistan/Bangladesh, on the living condi- advisor: Tamar Barzel, Music for collaboration and social change are tions of partition refugees in Calcutta, identified in comparative case studies of Ragtime, America’s popular music of India and Dhaka, Bangladesh. In particu- three thematic areas: land rights-based the late nineteenth and early twentieth lar, I focus on the various planning development, global trade policy, and centuries, was influenced by European strategies employed by the East Bengali international financial reform. (Research dance music, the concert band march, Hindu refugees in Calcutta to gain rights to supported by the Office of the Dean of and African American spirituals and folk land and housing after immigrating to the College.) songs. When it emerged in the late 1800s, India. By assessing the effectiveness of ragtime was played by string bands to these strategies, I propose recommenda- Multidimensional Sequencing: A Strategy tions for how the Bihari Muslim refugees accompany high-spirited social dances. of Global Economic Inclusion Composers also published original ragtime in Dhaka (who are still living in refugee pieces as sheet music for wider public Kacie Lyn Kocher ’09, Political Science and camps) can learn from the strategies of the consumption. Although most such ragtime Middle Eastern Studies East Bengali Hindus and begin their advisor: Joel Krieger, Political Science compositions (“rags”) were scored for own process of obtaining rights to land either solo piano or piano and voice, some Within a world defined by new levels of and housing. were written for other instruments, such interconnectedness, dependency, and com- as banjo and accordion. One Midwestern petition, globalization has fundamentally composer, George Hamilton Green changed the ways countries economically (1893–1970), wrote rags for xylophone compete. Strategic sequencing of economic soloist with percussion accompaniment. policies is a necessity in creating economic In this presentation, I will discuss the stability and growth, but not the sole importance of Green’s lively rags and will requirement. Rather, multidimensional play examples on xylophone with piano sequencing describes the strategic sequenc- accompaniment. ing of policies within economic, social, and state capacity realms to assure economic stability and growth. This theory, culminat-
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Planning Phase IV designed and built a new surface coil Dey Staley and Karl A. Staley Fund for Patsy Bailin ’09, International Relations that resonates at the Larmor frequency of Cancer-related Research and Merck/AAAS and Political Science protons in our Bruker Avance (400 MHz, Undergraduate Science Research Program.) advisor: Craig Murphy, Political Science 9.4 Tesla (T), 8.9 cm vertical bore) micro MRI system. We have also optimized A New Technique for Visualizing Neural Post-conflict reconstruction and nation- parameters of different three-dimensional Activity: Activity-induced Manganese building have been pushed to the forefront pulse sequences that can be used to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (AIM MRI) of international discussion since the end of produce fast high-resolution, 3-D images in Cherax Destructor the Cold War. As a great power, the United in our ongoing mouse and crayfish studies. Amelia M. Bond ’09, Chemistry and States is no stranger to these concepts, (Research supported by a Howard Hughes French, and Adriane Otopalik ’11, having initiated both multilateral and uni- Medical Institute Research Grant.) Neuroscience lateral interventions as early as the end of advisor: Nancy H. Kolodny, Chemistry the nineteenth century. Yet America’s Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study Neurogenesis, the process of generating efforts have met with frequent failure, of Neurochemistry of Rett Syndrome in a new neurons, is important in learning and sometimes even repeating the mistakes of Mouse Model past experiences. Political analysts often memory. Our lab is interested in using Laura Huang ’09, Chemistry, and fault poor policy implementation or igno- Activity-induced Manganese MRI (AIM Stephanie Huang ’12 rance of the host country’s national or MRI) to identify potential sites of neuro- advisors: Nancy H. Kolodny, Chemistry, historical context for these blunders. genesis in an invertebrate model, a and Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Biological crustacean called Cherax destructor. AIM However, these theories fail to explain the Sciences and Office of the Dean of MRI cannot directly visualize the produc- fundamental source of miscalculations or the College expose the essential barrier to cohesive tion of new neurons; however, new and comprehensive nation-building strat- Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurons normally appear in activated egy. For this, one must examine the neurodevelopmental disorder that affects regions of the brain. AIM MRI uses the 2+ decision-making process of the United 1/10,000 girls, making it the second contrast agent manganese, Mn , to visu- States government and the factors that leading cause of mental retardation in alize activated regions of the crustacean’s 2+ impact its capacity to evaluate options, females. The goal of our research is to brain. Mn travels through the blood- goals, and past experiences. study the neurochemistry of RTT using the stream and is taken up by tissues through mouse model Mecp21lox. The non-invasive calcium-gated ion channels. When syn- techniques of magnetic resonance imaging apses fire, the activity of calcium-gated ion Science and Technology and spectroscopy allow us to perform a channels increases, which leads to an ele- longitudinal study of the mice between vated uptake of Mn2+. The regions with Experiences of a Magnetic Moment: ages three and six weeks. The images increased Mn2+ concentrations produce Magnetic Resonance Research at obtained are used to localize the region areas of increased intensity in MRI images. Wellesley (panel) Pendleton West 117 for spectroscopy (image below). Spectra of (Research supported by Merck/AAAS brain metabolites such as creatine, choline, Undergraduate Science Research Program Designing a Surface Coil and glutamine, glutamate, taurine, and N- and Mentoring in the Sciences Program.) Modifying Three-dimensional Imaging acetylaspartate are then quantified; these Techniques to Enhance Magnetic neurochemicals are involved in important Using 31P and 23Na NMR Spectroscopy Resonance Image Quality brain functions. Eventually, this will help to Investigate the Role of Na+/H+ Sahr Khan ’09, Chemical Physics us monitor disease progression, identify Antiporters in Acid-stressed advisors: Nancy H. Kolodny, Chemistry, RTT at an early stage, and investigate the Cyanobacteria and Robbie Berg, Physics neurochemical effects of potential treat- Jessica L. Tse ’09, Biological Chemistry, The quality of Magnetic Resonance (MR) ments. (Research supported by Roberta and Hatice G. Yayla ’11, Chemistry images and spectra may be enhanced by advisors: Mary M. Allen, Biological the use of surface coils. Surface coils are Sciences, and Nancy H. Kolodny, Chemistry flat resonators placed in close proximity to Membrane proteins involved in trans- the region of interest of an animal/sample porting Na+ and H+ ions across the within a magnet. MR studies at Wellesley membrane, Na+/H+ antiporters, may help College have previously been done using regulate the internal and external pH of a whole body resonator instead of surface acid-stressed cyanobacteria. The cyanobac- coils. In order to obtain higher resolution terium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 localized images and spectra we have contains at least five Na+/H+ antiporters.
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Studies suggest that these proteins help Leaping off the Screen: flexible security paradigm well suited for regulate the internal pH of acid-stressed Connecting Computer Programs to user confinement. This language will cells, but how are the internal pH and the World Around Us better express high-level security policies + Na concentration of cells with a 1.5 μm Alexandra Olivier ’11, Computer Science and help prevent Linux security vulnera- 31 diameter measured? P Nuclear Magnetic advisor: Robbie Berg, Physics bilities from becoming exploits. Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used Quickly replacing the television screen, to determine the chemical shift of the pH Evaluating the Role of Syntax for today’s children spend hours staring at sensitive inorganic phosphate peak. Novice Programmers: Is Drag and Drop computer monitors, while imaginative 23Na NMR spectroscopy using chemical Really a Drag? and constructive play is all but forgotten. shift reagents is used to detect the relative Ariel Hathaway ’09, Media Arts + Scratch, an easy-to-use programming amounts of Na inside and outside the and Sciences language, provides a means for kids to cells. We are now acid-stressing cyano- advisor: Sohie M. Lee, Computer Science design and implement their own projects, bacteria at different pHs to follow the teaching creative problem solving skills Novice programmers are often initially transport of Na+ across the cell membrane. in the process. As children actively write frustrated with the strict syntax of com- (Research supported by the Merck/AAAS programs, the computer becomes a tool puter programming languages. Recently, in Undergraduate Science Research Program, for artistic expression rather than a sur- an effort to ignite interest in computer pro- Howard Hughes Medical Institute rogate TV. Used in conjunction with the gramming and eliminate some of the Research Grant, and Office of the Dean of PicoBoard, this research explored ways difficulties that novice programmers may the College.) of extending Scratch programs to the real face, computer-based learning environ- ments have been developed, which Human/Computer Interface world. Using various art supplies and craft materials, several sample projects were eliminate the need for the user to learn the (short talks) Pendleton East 239 created to illustrate the immense possibili- syntax associated with a programming lan- Wii Remote Applications Outside of ties of the PicoBoard. Workshops were guage. These applications allow users to Competitive Gaming also conducted to introduce new Scratch drag and drop code segments, thus enabling them to learn the logic and Chloe Fan ’09, Media Arts and Sciences users to programming and building with and Psychology light, sound, touch, slider, and resistance problem-solving fundamentals of program- advisor: Panagiotis T. Metaxas, Computer sensors. (Research supported by the AT&T ming, without the risk of producing Science Mentoring in the Sciences Program.) incorrect code. Despite the increasing pop- ularity of such environments in computer The Wii Remote game controller for the Improving Usability and science classrooms, the question Nintendo Wii is primarily known for its Extending Functionality of Security- remains—are these methods efficient for motion sensing capabilities and natural enhanced Linux teaching programming, or do they simply gestures recognition that enhance game prolong the inevitable of learning proper play beyond traditional joysticks and Ayla Solomon ’09, Computer Science advisor: Franklyn Turbak, Computer programming syntax? (Research supported buttons. From a Human-Computer Science by the Office of the Dean of the College.) Interaction research standpoint, the Wii Remote’s infrared camera and gesture- As the Internet becomes a more dangerous Webs, Waves, and Weevils: place and as software becomes increas- based interaction make it an intuitive and Signs of Disaster innovative device. This project explores ingly complex, computer security becomes (short talks) Pendleton East 339 the Wii Remote outside of gaming to dis- more important. Security Enhanced Linux cover its limits as a tangible user interface. (SELinux) is an extension to the Linux Negative Effects of Atmospheric Mercury By connecting it to a computer, we can operating system that provides fine-grained Pollution Not Detected in Remote program the Wii Remote to emulate key- controls for preventing malicious agents Populations of Web-building Spiders board and mouse input or create from exploiting software vulnerabilities. It Kate E. Wyman ’09, Biological Sciences can be very effective, but its policy lan- gesture-based applications using the Wii advisor: Nicholas Rodenhouse, Remote as an input. The main focus of this guage is extremely low-level, making it Biological Sciences project is the creation of WiiPaint, a col- difficult to map a high-level idea of a secu- Mercury, a neurotoxin, is accumulating in laborative art application that allows up to rity policy to what needs to be done in remote terrestrial ecosystems throughout four people to collaboratively create digital SELinux. To address this discrepancy, I am northeastern North America. Orb-weaving artwork. (Research supported by the Office building a language on top of SELinux to spiders (family Araneidae), high-level of the Dean of the College.) implement administrative role-based access control (ARBAC), an intuitive and invertebrate consumers, are excellent
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4:30–5:40pm subjects for studying the impact of sub- growth. Genotyping of multiple individuals Social Analysis lethal levels of mercury on forest animals will measure potentially adaptive variation because their webs provide “snapshots” among introduced and endemic popula- of their behavior and neurological func- tions. The results of these investigations Youth, Activism, and Campaigning tion. Spiders of the diadematus group could inform the design of measures to (short talks) Science Center 277 of the genus Araneus were collected curb the spread of the introduced weevil Gandhi for President: Philosophy from the Jeffers Brook watershed in the into native habitats. With concerted of Nonviolence as Realized in Barack White Mountain National Forest, New conservation efforts most of Galápagos’ Obama’s Presidential Campaign Hampshire, and analyzed for total mercury unique biodiversity can be restored. content. Webs were photographed and Shan Shan Tam ’10, Philosophy measured to test for correlations between Sedimentological Analyses of Pocket and Architecture body burden of mercury and web features. Beaches, Vieques, Puerto Rico advisor: T. James Kodera, Religion No relationships were detected between Cyndhia Ramatchandirane ’11, Did President Barack Obama win the 2008 total mercury content and web structure. Geosciences, and Asha Stenquist ’09, presidential election because John McCain Additionally, one individual with a Geosciences and Economics was too old? Was it because Hillary uniquely high total mercury concentration advisor: Britt Argow, Geosciences Clinton came across as being smug and demonstrated a typical web structure. The northern shore of the island of presumptuous? Obama’s success has been Spiders in the study area appear to be Vieques, Puerto Rico, is interrupted by the attributed to various factors, including our largely unaffected by mercury pollution. mile-long Rompeolas Pier. Built in the current economic crisis, the numerous (Research supported by the Georgeanne 1940s, the pier creates a large wave grassroots efforts, and the unpopular presi- Miller Mulhern Summer Research Fund shadow and significantly disrupts long- dency of George W. Bush. Many simply in the Sciences and the Northern States shore transport. Shoreline position and believe he ran an overall better campaign. Research Cooperative.) variation in composition, grain size, and In studying Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings, beach profiles are compared along-shore. it seemed evident that the main principle Invasion Success and Genetic Diversity Results indicate deposition on the up-drift grounding all of Obama’s strategies is in Populations of Introduced and beach and erosion on the down-drift Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. Not Endemic Weevils in the Galápagos only can the effectiveness of nonviolence Archipelago beach, as well as relative fining and coars- ening, respectively. Compositional be realized in Obama’s successful cam- Maryska Kaczmarek ’09, Biological variation between beaches is related to paign, the inefficacy of ideological and Sciences and French, Hoi-Fei Mok ’10, transport and source parameters for the verbal violence can be observed in the Biological Chemistry, and Austin beach system. Winnowing of fines from campaigns of Senators Hillary Clinton and Stuckert ’10, Biological Sciences the down-drift beach due to the pier’s John McCain. advisor: Andrea Sequeira, Biological wave shadow combined with the physical Sciences Television vs. YouTube.com Ads in the interruption of long-shore transport are 2008 Election: Does Medium Make a Unlike other archipelagos, Galápagos responsible for the modern shoreline mor- Difference in Negativity? retains most of its original species, but phology and beach composition. ecological degradation is proceeding Understanding and quantifying both Lauren Hume ’09, Political Science rapidly. Introduced species are a threat natural processes and anthropogenic advisor: Marion Just, Political Science to its biological diversity. This research effects on tropical island shorelines is The interactive medium of the Internet, investigates processes that can cause increasingly important in light of projected specifically through Web sites such as introduced populations to evolve rapidly, increases in the rate of sea-level rise. YouTube.com, provides presidential candi- aiding their establishment and impact (Research supported by the Early dates with innovative ways to advertise. on endemic species. Microsatellite DNA Sophomore Research, Wellesley College.) The 2008 presidential campaign was the loci are regions of nucleotide repeats in first during which YouTube existed, and the genome and they have become the both major party candidates took advan- tool of choice for conservation genetic tage of this new advertising tool. Both studies given that they cover multiple candidates not only posted their television genomic regions and they are highly ads there, but they also produced ads that variable. This multi-locus approach will were just distributed online. This project be used to assess the invasive potential of seeks to determine whether Internet ads introduced weevil populations specifically differ significantly from their TV counter- by detecting signatures of demographic
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4:30–5:40pm parts or are just more of the same. This Although Aron and Aron (1997) claim that appear to be the result of displacement of subject is very important because Internet their 27-item Highly Sensitive Person Scale personal hostility onto the outside world. ads will likely play a larger role in coming (HSPS) measures a single psychological campaigns, and if this new medium is construct, three psychometric studies have Culture of Secrecy especially negative, it may alienate voters concluded that the HSPS is not unidimen- Jennifer Pawson ’09, Anthropology and fail to realize its potential as a democ- sional. After weeding out items that advisor: Gregory Ruf, Anthropology ratizing force in elections. conceptually fit with established scales of By recognizing and analyzing secrets held openness to experience, conscientiousness, by individuals and communities, more Youth Political Participation: The shyness, and a “rich inner life,” a single- can be learned about the cultural values Motivations and Organizing Techniques factor 19-item HSPS remained. However, such people treasured. From studies of That Engaged Youth during the 2008 the reduced scale did not appear to ade- individual secrecy, I will explore the con- Presidential Campaign quately make a distinction between what nections between individual deception and Jane Booth-Tobin ’09, Political Science Evans and Rothbart (2008) call cognitive familial, community, and organizational and French awareness and emotional distress thresh- concealment. From secret societies to advisor: Hahrie Han, Political Science olds. A study of 105 Wellesley College defense contractors, organizations and students investigated the extent to which Young people are traditionally apathetic companies alike also form a bridge the HSPS makes a distinction between when it comes to politics and voting. between individual and national secrecy. these thresholds, or a distinction between However, young voters turned out in Through researching concealment and sensory-processing sensitivity and sensory higher numbers than ever before for the deception in American society, I explore discomfort. Discussion will focus on these 2008 election, supporting Barack Obama how secrets are part of human existence. results. (Research supported by the by a margin of two to one. They worked Psychology Department and the Office of for Obama throughout the campaign in Hello, Can You Help Me? the Dean of the College.) seemingly endless ways, from joining his Theresa Lau ’10, Women’s Studies Facebook group to campaigning full-time. Does Adolescent Fearfulness Predict and Economics Given that political parties and nonparti- Authoritarianism in Old Age? advisor: Rosanna Hertz, Women’s Studies san groups have unsuccessfully courted the youth vote for years, how has Obama Veronica Cole ’09, Psychology Survivors of rape and domestic violence succeeded where so many have failed? advisor: Paul Wink, Psychology face immense emotional and societal barriers preventing them from speaking This paper draws on original survey data In times of political uncertainty, some indi- out against these atrocities. Being a highly of Obama supporters under the age of 30 viduals cling to convention, resist change, gendered crime, the hegemonic norms to examine young people’s motivations for and show antipathy to those unlike them. create an even more caustic environment participation, and the effectiveness of These individuals exhibit a trait known as for women seeking assistance. As numerous organizing tactics used by the Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), survivors’ first point of contact during Obama campaign. The conclusions present which is linked to many forms of intoler- crisis, effective hotline services are crucial not only an understanding of the Obama ance and prejudice. Using longitudinal to the decision to work with a particular campaign, but also have implications for data spanning from adolescence to late organization. However, problems occur our understanding of what it takes to adulthood, we isolated two pathways that can leave callers feeling vulnerable: increase political participation among leading from adolescent personality to calls lost in translation, questions left young people. (Research supported by a authoritarianism in old age. First, RWA in unanswered, survivors turned away Schiff Fellowship.) old age was predicted by an absence of because of communication issues. What wide interests, and a lack of introspective- can be done to ensure that all women Secrecy, Sensitivity, and Fear ness and openness to new experiences in calling out for help will be heard? (short talks) Pendleton East 139 adolescence; this finding has been reported by other researchers. Secondly, Distinguishing Sensory Sensitivity from we found that, independently of lack of Sensory Discomfort openness to experience, authoritarianism Michelle Bourgeois ’09, Psychology at age 70 was characteristic of individuals advisor: Jonathan M. Cheek, Psychology who as adolescents were fearful and sub- In 1996, Elaine Aron conceptualized the missive but simultaneously reported trait of high sensory-processing sensitivity troubled relations with parents. For these in her book, The Highly Sensitive Person. individuals, intolerance and prejudice
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