25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference Poster Sessions Arts Exhibit Oral Sessions Friday, April 25, 2014 Friday, April 25, 2014 Saturday, April 26, 2014 3–6 p.m. 3–6 p.m. 1–6 p.m. Freeborn Hall Freeborn Hall Wellman Hall Rooms Sponsored by: Undergraduate Education and the Division of Student Affairs 25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference WELCOME 2014 Dear Colleagues, Presenters and Guests, Welcome to the 25th annual UC Davis Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference. This two-day event brings together students from each of our colleges and divisions to showcase the unique community of research and learning at UC Davis. I am very proud of the fact that in its 25-year history, the conference has grown dramatically. Nineteen students participated in the original conference in 1990; this year, more than 500 students will present their research. This phenomenal growth indicates the value UC Davis places on fostering undergraduate research, and demonstrates the quality of our students and the faculty who support, teach and mentor them. The opportunities for undergraduate research at UC Davis are excellent, reflecting our university’s emphasis on working toward solutions for the most pressing global problems. Undergraduates receive mentoring not only in their home departments, but also from faculty in our professional schools, including the School of Medicine and the School of Veterinary Medicine. Our students work in laboratories seeking new treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s and neurotrauma, participate in developing agricultural solutions to world hunger, and contribute to engineering projects from prosthetics to alternative energy sources. Student research extends into all disciplines, helping to improve our world by forging a better understanding of critical issues such as human rights and development. Research in the humanities and arts promotes better understanding of ourselves as human beings, and shares that knowledge through literature and the performing and fine arts. We are all fortunate to be part of a university with such diverse research interests and boundless creative energy. Let me take this opportunity to commend the work of the Undergraduate Research Center, which hosts this conference every year. Thank you to our mentors for their commitment to undergraduates and congratulations to all our student presenters on their research. Sincerely, Linda P.B. Katehi Chancellor UC Davis 25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome ................. 1 Table of Contents ................. 3 Acknowledgments ................. 4 Agenda ................. 5 Presenters Index ................. 6 Session A (Poster) ............... 13 Freeborn Hall Session B (Poster) ............... 17 Freeborn Hall Session C (Poster) ............... 21 Freeborn Hall Arts Exhibit ............... 25 Freeborn Hall Session 1 (Oral) ............... 27 Wellman Hall Session 2 (Oral) ............... 31 Wellman Hall Session 3 (Oral) ............... 35 Wellman Hall Wellman Hall Floor Maps ............... 37 Abstracts ............... 39 UC Davis 25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Undergraduate Research, Scholarship Sponsors & Creative Activities Conference gratefully Undergraduate Education acknowledges the faculty sponsors and other individuals whose mentoring has Division of Student Affairs contributed to the research produced by our presenters. We would also like to thank the many programs that generously Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities support and encourage undergraduate Conference Committee research. Among these are the following: Alina Bara – Dean’s Office, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Biology Undergraduate Scholars Program (BUSP); California Alliance for Minority Jacques Bowyer – McNair Scholars Program; Graduate Studies Participation (CAMP); Davis Honor’s Connie Champagne – College of Biological Sciences; BUSP Challenge; Interdisciplinary Agriculture Medicine Science Technology Engineering Katie Green – Undergraduate Student Representative and Mathematics (iAMSTEM); Integrated Tom Hall – Dean’s Office, College of Biological Sciences Studies Honors Program; Internship and Career Center; McNair Scholars Raynell Hamilton – Undergraduate Research Center Program; Mentorships for Undergraduate Tammy Hoyer – Conference Chair, Undergraduate Research Center Research in Agriculture, Letters and Science Milton Lang – Student Affairs (MURALS); Mentorships for Undergraduate Research Participants in the Physical Angelique Louie – Undergraduate Research Center and Mathematical Sciences (MURPPS); James McClain – Council of Associate Deans; Dean’s Office, College of Provost’s Undergraduate Fellowship; Undergraduate Research Center; UC Letters & Science Davis Washington Program; and UC Hope Medina – Student Academic Success Center; MURALS Leadership Excellence Through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS). Janice Morand – Internship and Career Center Kim Reinking – Dean’s Office, College of Engineering Jeffrey Williams – Academic Senate, Undergraduate Council Design and Publications Student Affairs Marketing and Communications Special Thanks Dean Witter Fund 4 UC Davis 25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference AGENDA Poster Sessions: Friday, April 25, 2014 3–6 p.m., Freeborn Hall 3–4 p.m. Poster Session A 4–5 p.m. Poster Session B 5–6 p.m. Poster Session C Arts Exhibit: Friday, April 25, 2014 3–6 p.m., Freeborn Hall, Concurrent with Poster Session 3–6 p.m. Arts Exhibit Oral Sessions: Saturday, April 26, 2014 1–6 p.m., Wellman Hall 12–1 p.m. Presenter Check-in East Entrance, Wellman Hall 1–2:30 p.m. Oral Session 1 3–4:30 p.m. Oral Session 2 5–6 p.m. Oral Session 3 Sponsored by: Undergraduate Education and the Division of Student Affairs UC Davis 25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference 5 25th Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference PRESENTERS Acharya, Subhadra ............Session C ....... Poster 21 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Bonilla, Gabriel .................Session 1 ...............Oral .. 1:15 p.m. ... 202 Wellman Acoba, Noeli ....................Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:00 p.m. ..... 26 Wellman Brandl, Kathleen ...............Session B ....... Poster 50 ... 4:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Aejaz, Mariam ..................Session 2 ...............Oral .. 4:15 p.m. ... 230 Wellman Brar, Nivaz .......................Session A ..... Poster 102 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Aguilar, Diane ...................Session B ....... Poster 59 ... 4:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Brink, Lauren ...................Session C ....... Poster 61 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Aguirre, Alejandro .............Session 1 ...............Oral .. 1:00 p.m. ..... 26 Wellman Brochard, Laura ................Session C ......... Poster 9 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Ahmed, Mubasher .............Session A ....... Poster 35 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Bronec, Casey ..................Session B ......... Poster 8 ... 4:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Ahn, Sohyun ....................Session A ....... Poster 55 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Bronstein, Sarah ...............Session 1 ...............Oral .. 1:00 p.m. ... 126 Wellman Aleksinski, Adam ..............Session A ....... Poster 67 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Bucher, Elizabeth ..............Session C ....... Poster 79 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Alemnew, Saba ................Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:00 p.m. ... 230 Wellman Butler-Struben, Hanna .......Session B ....... Poster 64 ... 4:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Amro, Yazan ....................Session C ....... Poster 36 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Cabalaungan, Shadd .........Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:15 p.m. ... 234 Wellman Anson, Brandon ................Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:15 p.m. ..... 26 Wellman Cabrera, Roxana ...............Session A ....... Poster 38 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Arabi, Yasaman ................Session A ..... Poster 101 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Caffery, Gage ...................Session 1 ...............Oral .. 1:00 p.m. ....... 6 Wellman Arlen, Robert ....................Session B ....... Poster 84 ... 4:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Calderon, Allison ...............Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:00 p.m. ... 226 Wellman Aulakh, Sabreen ...............Session C ....... Poster 96 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Calip, Tiani .......................Session B ......... Poster 6 ... 4:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Austin, Daniel ...................Session A ......... Poster 7 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Calzada, Amanda ..............Session A ....... Poster 69 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Avila, Brenda ....................Session C ....... Poster 55 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Campos, Robert ................Session C ....... Poster 65 ... 5:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Avitua, Angela ..................Session 3 ...............Oral .. 5:00 p.m. ... 126 Wellman Carney, Laurel ..................Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:00 p.m. ....... 7 Wellman Bairrington, Benjamin ........Session A ....... Poster 75 ... 3:00 p.m. .......... Freeborn Carruthers, Theo ...............Session 2 ...............Oral .. 3:15 p.m. ....... 7 Wellman Balla, Sara .......................Session A ......