STUDENT ReseARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 STUDENT ReseARCH SYMPOSIUM Celebrating the achievements of SDSU student research, scholarship and creative activity FEBruARY 27-28, 2009 AztecAztec CenterCenter Ramp Free Speech Steps Lower Level Patio Starbucks e ounge Montezuma Info Hall Center tec Circle Driv Credit Union Az ezuma L S Mont Ramp Aztec Center Aztec Patio Stage Market Casa Real Food Service Main Level Aztec Center Patio oading Dock L Quetzalcoatl A & B Presidential Suite Patio Back Door Rec Center l unci Co Chambers Lower Level Chantico Calmecac Women’s Restroom Gender Neutral Restroom Disabled Access S ATM Men’s Restroom Stairs Phone Elevator 2009 STUDENT ReseARCH SYMPOSIUM Celebrating the achievements of San Diego State University students in research, scholarship & creative activity February 27 and 28, 2009 STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 2 STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 3 Welcome from the President.........................................................................................................4 Schedule of Events .......................................................................................................................5 Schedule at a Glance ...................................................................................................................6 Keynote Speaker ......................................................................................................................... 8 Awards ........................................................................................................................................9 Awards Reception ......................................................................................................................10 Oral and Poster Presentations: Friday .........................................................................................11 TABLE OF CONTENTS OF TABLE Oral Presentations: Saturday ......................................................................................................28 Abstracts ...................................................................................................................................33 Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................171 Notes .......................................................................................................................................175 Map of the Aztec Center is on the inside of the front cover. STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 4 February 27, 2009 Dear Colleagues and Guests: It is with great pleasure I welcome you to San Diego State Univer- sity’s 2009 Student Research Symposium. The symposium is a university-wide event to recognize and celebrate the outstanding research, scholarship, and creative activity of our undergraduate and graduate students. The symposium also identifies our most talented students who will represent SDSU at the annual Califor- nia State University Student Research Competition. This year nearly 400 students are presenting their original schol- arly work in a public forum that introduces community members, partners, students, and guests to our many outstanding academ- ic programs. Moreover, the symposium provides a venue for sharing academic excellence and discovery; and it demonstrates SDSU’s commitment to developing innovative solutions for our region, nation, and the world. All of these goals advance the vision of SDSU as a top urban research university. To plan and execute an event of this magnitude required the efforts of dedicated faculty and staff members. In addition, over 250 judges have volunteered to share their time and expertise in evaluating oral and poster presentations. These collective efforts demonstrate our commit- ment to fostering student scholarship and professional development, and I am grateful to all who have worked so hard on behalf of our students and the university. WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT THE FROM WELCOME Best wishes for a great symposium. Sincerely, Stephen L. Weber, President San Diego State University STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 5 Thursday Afternoon, February 26, 2009 S 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Registration Montezuma Hall Lounge NT E Friday Morning, February 27, 2009 7:00 am – 4:00 pm Registration Montezuma Hall Lounge 8:00 am – 8:30 am SRS Opening Remarks/Welcome Montezuma Hall North 8:45 am – 12:00 pm Session A: Poster Presentations Montezuma Hall South 8:45 am – 10:15 am Session A: Oral Presentations Aztec Center 10:45 am – 12:30 pm Session A: Oral Presentations Aztec Center SCHEDULE OF EV OF SCHEDULE Friday Afternoon, February 27, 2009 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Session B: Poster Presentations Montezuma Hall South 1:00 pm – 2:45 pm Session B: Oral Presentations Aztec Center 3:15 pm – 5:00 pm Session B: Oral Presentations Aztec Center 5:15 pm – 7:00 pm Session C: Poster Presentations Montezuma Hall South Saturday Morning, February 28, 2009 7:00 am – 11:00 am Registration Montezuma Hall Lounge 8:00 am – 9:45 am Session D: Oral Presentations Aztec Center 10:15 am – 12:00 pm Session D - Oral Presentations Aztec Center 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm Reception, Aztec Center Courtyard 1:15 pm – 2:30 pm Keynote Address and Awards Presentation, Montezuma Hall STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 6 Thursday, February 26 1:00 – 4:00 Registration Montezuma Hall Lounge Friday, February 27 7:00 – 4:00 Registration Montezuma Hall Lounge 8:00 Welcome Montezuma Hall North Time Session Session Session Title Academic Level Room Location Number Type 8:45 A-1 Poster Developmental Changes All levels Montezuma Hall South Cognitive Processes I Undergraduate and Master’s Astronomy Master’s Engineering All levels Gene Expression All levels Bilingual Communication Undergraduate and Master’s Biomechanical and Mechanical Engineering Master’s and Doctoral Adolescent Development Undergraduate and Master’s 8:45 A-2 Oral Microbial Biology Doctoral Calmecac A-3 Oral American Studies Master’s Casa Real A-4 Oral Cognitive Process II Master’s and Doctoral Chantico SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE AT SCHEDULE A-5 Oral Ethics and Consciousness Undergraduate Council Chambers A-6 Oral Evolutionary Biology and Ecology Master’s and Doctoral Presidential Suite A-7 Oral Political Philosophy and Literary Criticism Master’s Quetzalcoatl A 10:45 A-8 Oral Culture and Society Master’s Backdoor A-9 Oral Protein Structure and Function Master’s and Doctoral Calmecac A-10 Oral Literary Analysis Undergraduate Casa Real A-11 Oral Applied Mathematics and Civil Engineering Master’s and Doctoral Chantico A-12 Oral Metaphysics and Epistemology Master’s Council Chambers A-13 Oral Astronomy and Physical Sciences Undergraduate and Master’s Presidential Suite A-14 Oral Perspectives on Space and Time Master’s and Doctoral Quetzalcoatl A A-15 Oral Language Learning Disorders and Processing I Undergraduate and Master’s Quetzalcoatl B 1:00 B-1 Poster Computational Sciences, Mathematics, & Statistics All levels Montezuma Hall South Health Care Undergraduate and Master’s Influences on Health All levels Geological Sciences All levels Molecular Biology and Chemistry Master’s and Doctoral Analytical Chemistry I Undergraduate and Master’s Multiculturalism Undergraduate Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences All levels 1:00 B-2 Oral Environmental and Public Health All levels Calmecac B-3 Oral Culture and Health I Master’s and Doctoral Casa Real B-4 Oral Exercise and Nutritional Life Sciences Undergraduate and Master’s Chantico B-5 Oral Civil and Environmental Engineering Master’s Council Chambers STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2009 7 B-6 Oral Physical Chemistry and Sciences Master’s and Doctoral Presidential Suite B-7 Oral Social Relationships Master’s Quetzalcoatl A B-8 Oral Language Learning Disorders and Processing II Doctoral Quetzalcoatl B 3:15 B-9 Oral School Ethos Undergraduate and Master’s Calmecac B-10 Oral Biology and Neurobiology Undergraduate Casa Real B-11 Oral Politics and Policy Undergraduate Council Chambers B-12 Oral Computer Sciences and Applied Mathematics Master’s Presidential Suite B-13 Oral Cultural Studies Master’s Quetzalcoatl A B-14 Oral Socio-ecological Correlates of Health Doctoral Quetzalcoatl B 5:15 C-1 Poster Analytical Chemistry II All Levels Montezuma Hall South Bioengineering and Molecular Signaling Undergraduate Learning Communities Undergraduate and Master’s Neurophysiology Undergraduate and Master’s Policy, Politics, and Justice Undergraduate and Master’s Remote Sensing Master’s and Doctoral Saturday, February 28 7:00 – 11:00 Registration Montezuma Hall Lounge Time Session Session Session Title Academic Level Room Location SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE AT SCHEDULE Number Type 8:00 D-1 Oral Creative Arts and Writing I Undergraduate and Master’s Backdoor D-2 Oral Politics and Campaigns Undergraduate and Master’s Calmecac C-3 Oral Spiritual Explorations Master’s Casa Real D-4 Oral The Wide World of Business I Undergraduate Casa Real D-5 Oral Mexican Studies Master’s Council Chambers D-6 Oral Mechanical Engineering Master’s and Doctoral Presidential Suite D-7 Oral Applied Mathematics and Physics Master’s and Doctoral Quetzalcoatl A D-8 Oral Learning Approaches in STEM Curriculum Master’s and Doctoral Quetzalcoatl B 10:15 D-9 Oral Creative Arts and Writing II Undergraduate and Master’s Backdoor D-10 Oral Biochemical and Physiological Life Sciences Undergraduate Calmecac D-11 Oral Cultural Influences and Public Health Doctoral Casa Real D-12 Oral The Wide World of Business II Undergraduate and Master’s Chantico D-13 Oral Community Perspectives Master’s Council Chambers D-14 Oral Electrical Engineering