Mcnair Scholars Journal VOLUME 11, 2007
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McNair Scholars Journal VOLUME 11, 2007 1 Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Nancy M. Giardina, Ed.D. Message from Nancy M. Giardina Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Director Arnie Smith-Alexander e are proud to present the eleventh volume of the Grand Valley State Associate Director WUniversity McNair Scholars Journal. It is the culmination of intensive Dolli Lutes research conducted by our student scholars and their faculty mentors through our Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program. Project Manager Dolli Lutes The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, now in its 13th year here at Grand Valley State University, provides an opportunity for students and faculty to Editors apply much of what is learned within the classroom by engaging, outside the Summer Hodgman classroom, in research activities in a particular area of scholarly interest. Katya Konkle These research activities provide a journey through the challenges and Dolli Lutes affirmations of scholarly work and better prepare students for graduate study Cover Design and the pursuit of a doctoral degree. University Promotions Thank you to the faculty mentors who have worked so closely with our Photography McNair Scholars to propel their research skills towards the next level of John Corriveau/cover educational challenges. Summer Hodgman Tony Nelson Congratulations to the eleven McNair Scholars whose research is Aaron Rozeboom presented here. Your journey and the challenges you have met during this scholarly activity speak to your talents and persistence in pursuing both Graphic Design and Production your educational and life goals. Thank you for sharing your talents with University Promotions the university community and continuing the spirit of this program. Grand Valley State University Faculty Mentors and Research Editors Finally, thank you to all the people behind the scenes that work to sustain this program and produce this journal. Your work is valued as well. Assistant Professor of Classics Peter J. Anderson, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences Martin G. Burg, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology Stephen Burton, Ph.D. Nancy M. Giardina, Ed.D. Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Associate Professor of Political Science Polly J. Diven, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Writing Chris Haven, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Liberal Studies Daniel McClure, Ph.D. Professor of Classics Diane Rayor, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of History David Stark, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Sociology Jennifer Stewart, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences Francis A. Sylvester, Ph.D. Professor of Biology 2 Patrick A. Thorpe, Ph.D. “Before you can make a dream come true, you must first have one.” - Ronald E. McNair, Ph.D. onald Erwin McNair was born October 21, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina, to Carl Rand Pearl McNair. He attended North Carolina A&T State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in physics in 1971. McNair then en- rolled in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1976, at the age of 26, he earned his Ph.D. in physics. McNair soon became a recognized expert in laser physics while working as a staff physicist with Hughes Research Laboratory. He was selected by NASA for the space shuttle program in 1978 and was a mission specialist aboard the 1984 flight of the USS Challenger space shuttle. After his death in the USS Challenger space shuttle accident in January 1986, members of Congress provided funding for the Ronald E. McNair Post- Baccalaureate Achievement Program. The goal is to encourage low-income, first generation students, as well as students who are traditionally underrepresented in graduate schools, to expand their opportunities by pursuing graduate studies. Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program The Purpose Program Services Funding The McNair Scholars Program is The McNair Scholars are matched with The Ronald E. McNair Post- designed to prepare highly talented faculty research mentors. They receive baccalaureate Achievement Program undergraduates to pursue doctoral academic counseling, mentoring, advising, is a TRiO Program funded through the degrees and to increase the number and GRE preparation. In addition to the United States Department of Education of individuals (from the target groups) above services, the McNair Scholars have and Grand Valley State University. on college and university faculties. opportunities to attend research seminars, conduct research, and present their finding orally or written via poster presentations. Who are McNair Scholars? In the first semester of their senior year, The McNair Scholars are highly the scholars receive assistance with the talented undergraduate students who graduate school application process. are from families with no previous college graduate, low-income back- ground or groups underrepresented at the graduate level for doctoral stud- ies. The program accepts students from all disciplines. GVSU McNair Scholars Journal VOLUME 11, 2007 Ronald E. McNair, Ph.D. 3 Table of Contents Jeff Adams.................................................................................................................5 Greek and Roman Perceptions of the Afterlife in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid Faculty Mentor: Diane Rayor, Ph.D. Erik Anderson.........................................................................................................12 Synthesis of a HDC-GFP Promoter-Gene Fusion as a Tool to Identify Histaminergic Cells and Examine HDC Regulation Faculty Mentor: Martin G. Burg, Ph.D. James D. Dells.........................................................................................................18 Effects of Endogenous Androgens on Pulmonary Microvascular Reactivity Faculty Mentor: Francis A. Sylvester, Ph.D. Danielle DeRuiter-Williams...................................................................................23 The Critical Nexus: Deindustrialization, Racism and Urban Crisis in Post-1967 Detroit Faculty Mentor: Daniel McClure, Ph.D. De Vona Glover.......................................................................................................32 16S rRNA DGGE Analysis of Gut and Hepatopancreas Microflora in the Isopod Oniscus asellus Faculty Mentor: Patrick A. Thorpe, Ph.D. Whitney Laster........................................................................................................37 Between Black and White: An Exploratory Investigation of Biracialism in the United States and South Africa Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Stewart, Ph.D. Bryan Manewal.......................................................................................................49 Religion in the Trenches: Liberation Theology and Evangelical Protestantism as Tools of Social Control in the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996) Faculty Mentor: David Stark, Ph.D. Amanda Miralrio....................................................................................................63 The Latin American Consensus Faculty Mentor: Polly Diven, Ph.D. LaTricia Phillips......................................................................................................74 Interactive Media - The Next Literature? Faculty Mentor: Chris Haven, Ph.D. Aaron Rozeboom.....................................................................................................83 The Rhetorical Implications of Clementia in Cicero’s Caesarian Speeches Faculty Mentor: P. J. Anderson, Ph.D. Denita Weeks...........................................................................................................92 Green Frog (Rana clamitans) calling habitat associations: Are males selecting calling habitat more closely associated with egg-laying or predator protection? Faculty Mentor: Stephen Burton, Ph.D. About the TRiO Programs...................................................................................102 2007 McNair Scholars 2007 McNair 4 Greek and Roman Perceptions of the Afterlife in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid Abstract Homer’s Odyssey says that death “is the This study is a literary analysis of way of mortals, whenever one of them Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil’s should die, for the tendons no longer Aeneid. Of specific interest are the hold flesh and bones together, but the interactions of Achilles, Odysseus, strong might of blazing fire destroys and Aeneas with their beloved dead. these things as soon as the spirit has left I focused on what each party, both the the white bones, and the soul, having living and the dead, wanted and the flown away like a dream, hovers about.”1 results of their interaction. Methods People have always been fascinated by included reading passages from the death and the afterlife. From scholarly ancient Greek and Latin texts and inte- research to American cinema, everyone grating these with historical evidence of has his or her own idea of the afterlife. beliefs in the mid-eighth century BC for For example, the movie What Dreams the Greeks, and in the late first century May Come serves as one modern take BC for the Romans. Homer significantly on a classical theme: Robin Williams’ influenced the religious beliefs of the character can interact with his wife after Greeks, while Virgil did not similarly his death and he is even able to travel to affect Roman religion. the underworld from heaven to save her. Jeff Adams The concept of the living interacting with McNair Scholar the dead is still a salient topic in our age. We can easily see how present depictions of the interactions between