The Seventh Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium Conference Program April 26, 2014 Hosted by the Elliott T. Bowers Honors College Ambassadors A Message from Our Faculty Adviser Welcome to the Seventh Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, hosted by the Elliott T. Bowers Honors College Ambassadors. Undergraduate research is “an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline” (Council on Undergraduate Research), and national studies have shown that undergraduates who participate in research are better prepared for the rigors of graduate school, the realities of the workplace, and the duties of responsible citizenship. They are better communicators and more effective leaders. Presenting at a conference is one of the ways in which students can share their research with a larger academic community. The URS is testament both to the exceptional level of research in which SHSU undergraduates are engaged and to the close relationships between faculty and students that are forged or reinforced through interacting in a professional environment. The Honors Ambassadors have been working hard this academic year to ensure that the URS is a continued success. Co-chairs Trey Cawley and Heather Woitena spent much of fall semester organizing and directing the URS committees, and along with the ambassadors, disseminated information about the URS across campus and hosted several URS informational sessions. This spring, Trey and Heather improved upon our use of the CHSS and LSC spaces and updated the URS merchandise. The co-chairs also worked closely with Melanie Adams, the Dialogue newsletter editor and URS go-to person extraordinaire, who designed the program and got it to press by the deadline; Melanie also designed our new, scholarly owl logo. But these active students aren’t the only ones who have dedicated themselves to furthering what is now a nation-wide program of fostering and promoting undergraduate research. Others have been just as vigorous in their support, including the faculty advisors, who have helped students with their research; the family and friends, who have come to show their support; the faculty moderator volunteers, who have devoted their Saturday to giving presenters feedback; the staff members and students, who have been working off the clock to ensure that everyone is fed, given gift bags, directed to the right rooms, and checked in properly; and the Honors College and College Deans, who have paid for this entire event because they believe in promoting undergraduate research and in supporting the URS. We recognize and greatly appreciate their kind, open-handed, and active support. Finally, special thanks go to Dr. John Pascarella, Dean of the College of Sciences, for his enthusiastic willingness to serve as a guest speaker during lunch, and to Dr. Hiranya Nath, Department of Economics, for his very generous Annual Assam Scholarship Award. Today is a celebration of our students’ involvement in research (and thus, commitment to their future careers) and to SHSU’s dedication to undergraduate research. Dr. Kimberly Bell Faculty Adviser: Co-Chairs Chair; URS Faculty Committee Interim Dean- Elliott T. Bowers Honors College I The Undergraduate Research Symposium A Message from Our Co-Chairs Is Sponsored By: Elliott T. Bowers Honors College College of Business Administration College of Education It is our pleasure to have helped organize the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication Seventh Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. College of Health Sciences Through the combined effort of the Honors College, our College of Humanities and Social Sciences fellow Honors Ambassadors, and various volunteers, we College of Sciences have tried to create a truly unique experience that showcases undergraduate students such as yourselves. The URS especially thanks Dr. Hiranya Nath for his generous Assam Scholarship We hope that you receive constructive feedback on your presentations and enjoy the giveaways and food. Our goal is that after today, you leave more passionate about research and The Undergraduate Research Symposium more prepared to take lessons learned so as to produce better, Faculty Committee: and more informative, presentations. Dr. Kimberly Bell This year’s symposium should be one of the most engaging Dr. Lydia Fox and enlightening yet! We once again thank all of the people Mr. John Jordan that helped plan this event. Thank you for attending and Dr. Patrick Lewis please enjoy this year’s presentations. Dr. Pamela Zelbst Dr. Maria Holmes Faculty Moderators Dr. Tracy Bilsing Ms. Barbara Miles Dr. Paul Child Dr. Carroll Ferguson Nardone Heather Woitena Dr. Madhusudan Choudhary Dr. Todd Primm URS Co-Chair Dr. S. West Gurley Dr. Joni Seeling Dr. Maria Botero Jaramillo Dr. Monte Thies Mr. John Jordan Dr. David Thompson Dr. Helena Halmari Dr. Stacy Ulbig Mr. William Kerr Dr. Candice Williams Trey Cawley Dr. Santosh Kumar Ms. Sonja Yung URS Co-Chair II III All Oral-Media Sessions will be held in the CHSS Building The poster Session will be held in the LSC Ballroom 8:00-8:45 Registration 8:45-8:55 Welcome and Opening Remarks Room C070 Alphabetical List of Presenters 3 9:00-10:15 Session A, Oral-Media Oral-Media Presentations: Presentations Schedule at a Glance Session A 5 10:30-11:45 Session B, Oral-Media Presentations Session B 8 12:00-1:00 Lunch with Speaker Dean Pascarella Session C 11 LSC Ballroom Oral-Media Abstracts 15 1:15-2:15 Poster Session LSC Ballroom Table of Contents Table Poster Abstracts 40 2:30-3:45 Session C, Oral-Media Presentation Co-Author Acknowledgments 60 Presentations Maps 63 4:00-4:30 Closing Ceremony* Room C070 *Scholarship awards announced; Symposium Evaluation Forms returned. 1 2 Ahmed, Sahabia–A2 Fisher, Dawn– Poster Miller, Courtney– Poster Smith, Lauren– Poster Bannon, Andrew–A2 French, Corbett– Poster Miller, Joshua–B 5 Sommer, Lauren–A 1 Batres, Stacy–A1 Graham, Jessica– Poster Mohamed, Sarah– Poster Sorrell, Grant–B 3 Bauer, Walter–Poster Gregory, Brittany–C 5 Moore, Danielle– Poster Stanley, Levi–B 6 Becker, Madison–A3 Gutierrez, Scarlett– Poster Morrison, Clinton–C 3 Stengle, Kaeleigh–C 2, Poster Benitez, Said–A 7 Hammonds, Alicia–A 6 Mullan, Michelle– Poster Stephens, Elexis– Poster Bigham, Benjamin– Poster Hanson, Kortney– Poster Munezero, Bridget– Poster Suarez, Babbie– Poster Boykin, Lucas–C 5 Harrel, Michelle– Poster Nieto, Courtney–A 6 Swyden, Julia–B 2 Brumlow, Chelcy– Poster Harrison, Jacy –A 1, Poster Nolen, Maegan–C 4 Tate, Travis–A 7 Carlson, Kelly–B 2 Henson, Kaylin– Poster Paluka, April–A 4 Tetens, Sydney– Poster ListPresentersof Carlson, Jeanette M.–C 1 Jackson Roe, Honora– Poster Parnell, Tonya– Poster Tey, Shirley–A 5 Carroll, Zechariah– Poster Jacobs, Brian–C 4 Peaslee, Erica–C 4 Torrecampo, Raymond–B 1 Carson, Drew–A 2 Jamison, Amber–A 3 Perkins, Afifa– Poster Townsend, Hope–C 2 Carter, Alicia–C 6 Johnson, Hannah– A 7 Pinard, John– Poster Tracy, Lee– Poster Carter, Zakiya–Poster Karli, Kris–B 3 Ramagli, Lori– Poster Turner, Elizabeth–C 5 ListPresentersof Cawley, Trey–C 2, Poster Kooi, Devon– Poster Renfro, Sarah–C 6 Walton, Varion– Poster Chavez, Oscar– Poster Koch, Deborah–B 5 Rodriguez, Veronica– Poster Walton, Darion– Poster Clark, Geneva–B 1 Labbe, Michelle– Poster Ruiz-Requena, Paul–A 4 Ward, Janeane–A 4 Cobler, Tara– Poster Langle, Brandon– Poster Sears, Steve–A 2 Weber, Kathryn– Poster Cooper, Rhett– Poster Lee, Stephen–C 1 Seay, Jenny–C 3 Wesson, Jason–B 4 Cornejo, Stefany– Poster Leger, Thomas–A 5 Sergi, Anne–B 4 Williams, Kala– Poster Crews, Sarah–A 6, B 4 Lopez, Nayeli–B 6 Shackelford, Angela–C 3 Wilson, Christopher– Poster Cullen, David–A 5 Lucio, Justin– Poster Shifflet, Marla– Poster Wood, Angela– Poster Daniells, Gregory–B 6 Means, Grayson–B 1 Shrum, Skylar– Poster Young, Tiffany–B 3 Edwards, Rebekah–A 3 3 4 Oral-Media Presentations Oral-Media Presentations A3: Room 226 B56α and B56É› Phenotypic Analysis Round and Round: Comparing the Differing Existentialist Humanities: Philosophy & English Stacy Batres Viewpoints in Kobo Abea’s Woman in the Dunes, and Faculty Adviser: Dr. Joni Seeling Albert Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus Madison Becker B56α and B56β Function and Specificity Faculty Adviser: Dr. Audrey Murfin Jacy Harrison Self-Doubt Sciences: Biology Faculty Adviser: Dr. Joni Seeling A1: Room 262 Rebekah Edwards Protein Phosphatase 2A Mutations E64G and E64D in Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stuart West Gurley Wnt Signaling Pathways of Xenopus Axis Formation Lauren Sommer How WE Relate to Nothingness: Existentialism Does Not Faculty Adviser: Dr. Joni Seeling Mean Isolationism Amber Jamison Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stuart West Gurley A4: Room 242 A IMEI Spoofing and Phone Cloning Saving the Lines Humanities: History Andrew Bannon & Drew Carson April Paluka Faculty Adviser: Dr. Andy Bennett Faculty Adviser: Dr. Charles Heath Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Patriarchy and Women in Early Modern Britain and Immigration from Africa Paul Ruiz-Requena Sahabia Ahmed Faculty Adviser: Dr. Lila Rakoczy Faculty Adviser: Dr. Hiranya Nath Thomas Jefferson: A Man of Paradoxical Views Effects of Gender and Racea on Occupational Wages Regarding Slavery Stephen Sears Janeane Ward Faculty Adviser: Dr. Hiranya Nath Faculty Adviser: Dr. Wesley Phelps Economics & Computer Science A2: Room 206 5 Session A 9:00-10:15 9:00-10:15 Session A 6 Oral-Media Presentations Oral-Media Presentations A7: Room 210 That One Night in Time Phoradendron leucarpum: Development of Microsatellite Sciences: Biology David Cullen Markers for Assessment of Population Genetic Structure Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stuart West Gurley Said Benitez Faculty Adviser: Dr. Chris Randle Mysterious Owls and Political Discussions Shirley Tey Sequestration of Gold (III) by Rhodobacter sphaeroides Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stacy Ulbig Hannah Johnson Faculty Adviser: Dr. Madhusudan Choudhary Species–Being and Sexuality Thomas Leger In vivo construction of RecA mutant in Rhodobacter Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stuart West Gurley sphaeroides 2.4.1 Travis Tate Faculty Adviser: Dr.