November 5, 2016 Dear Student and Faculty Attendees and Guests of the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium: Welcome to North Carolina Central University! We are honored that our campus was chosen to host the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS) and are thrilled to have you here. SNCURCS provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate students from across North Carolina to share their research with one another and dialogue with faculty from other leading institutions of higher learning. Our nearly 6,826 undergraduate students and 1,500 faculty and staff members are part of a community that thrives in Eagle Excellence, or excellence on our campus, in our classrooms and in our service. Along with our signature programs—liberal arts, education, business, nursing, biosciences, social sciences and law—we are increasing our investment in STEM education to train the next generation of North Carolina’s skilled workers who are able to fully compete in the global marketplace. We produce some of the nation’s best “techno-scholars,” or students who understand how technology intersects with all disciplines—from STEM to the liberal arts, business, education and law. Founded in 1910, we have a solid 106-year-old legacy of “Truth and Service” that is synonymous with excellence, innovation, integrity and quality. As the first public liberal arts institution for African Americans in the nation, NCCU is continually named as a top-ranked historically black university and university in the South. Please take a moment to explore NCCU’s sloping hills and verdant green and consider us for your graduate and professional studies. NCCU offers advanced degrees and professional programs in law, nursing, pharmaceutical sciences, education, library science and a Ph.D. in Integrated Biosciences. Best wishes for a productive conference! Sincerely, Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D. Acting Chancellor, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY • 1801 FAYETTEVILLE STREET · DURHAM, NC 27707 · (919) 530-6230 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY IS A CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA Center for Science, Math and Technology Education Gail P. Hollowell, Ph.D., Director James E. Shepard, Founder November 5, 2016 Welcome to the 12th Annual State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium. We are delighted to co-host this event in collaboration with the other NCCU units in addition to other NC institutions. The Center for Science Math and Technology Education is a dynamic education alliance at North Carolina Central University among several colleges and schools, collaborating to increase the number of knowledgeable and motivated students at NCCU pursuing and attaining careers in science and mathematics. Today promises to be an exciting day as we experience dynamic presentations of scholarly and creative work from undergraduate studentswho have come from all over the state. To the student presenters, mentors, and moderators, thank you for making this event possible. We value this opportunity to participate in this annual event and look forward to hearing about future student success. Hope to see you all again next year for SNCURCS which will be hosted at Campbell University. In truth and service, Gail P. Hollowell, PhD, Director NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY – 1801 FAYETTEVILLE STREET – DURHAM, NC 27707 – (919) 530-5274 – FAX (919) 530-6210 NORTH CAROLINACENTRALUNIVERSITY IS A CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA George T. Barthalmus Undergraduate Research Grants 2016 – 2017 The following students have been selected to receive a George T. Barthalmus Undergraduate Research Grant. Dr. Barthalmus was the driving force in starting the State of NC Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium and the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research at NC State University. He was an advocate of students becoming engaged in research early in their academic career, so these grants are given only to sophomore students. Students selected for the award will be expected to present their research at the 2017 SNCURCS. Grants range from $100 to $500. Awards: Houston Cole, Campbell University, Synthesis of Heterodisubstituted Pyridines via Cyclization of Methyl Ketones, DMSO, and Ammonium Salts Rachel Crawford, Meredith College, Subjectivity, Authenticity, and the Contextualized Body Zakiyah R. Henry, Winston Salem State University, A Look Inside the Codependence of NO and Insulin in Type II Diabetes John Drake Johnson, North Carolina State University, Synthesis and Optimization of Ultra­bright BODIPY Fluorophores Ami K. Patel, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Metal Complexes of New Chalcogenone Ligands Ivana Premasinghe, Duke University, Healthy Choices, Latina Voices: Improving Health for Interested Low­Income, Working Middle­Aged Latina Women in Durham Avery Salmon, Mars Hill University, Evaluating Macrophage Production of TGF­beta Following Amphibole Asbestos Exposure Alexandra Sprouse, High Point University, Relative contributions of apoptosis and necrosis in stroke models Kenya L. Williams, Shaw University, Activation of the Nuclear Receptor NOR1, a Target for Type II Diabetes Rishita Reddy Yeduri, East Carolina University, Poxvirus Gene and it’s Role in Endosome Trafficking and Antigen Presentation: Crucial Steps in Activation of Immune Response SNCURCS 2016 Schedule at a Glance 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration – BN Duke Auditorium 9:00 am – 9:20 am Welcome – BN Duke Auditorium 9:30 am – 12:00 pm Presentations, Performances and Exhibits – Various Locations 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Vendor Exhibit – Mary Townes Science Building 12:00 pm – 1:45 pm Lunch – WG Pearson Cafeteria (Lunch and Learn in Banquet Hall) Undergraduate Research Directors Meeting - 1229 Mary Townes Sciecne Building NC Space Grant Meeting - 2221 & 2229 Mary Townes Science Building Fab Lab Demonstrations - 3rd floor Mary Townes Science Building Musical Interlude – 3rd floor Mary Townes Science Building 1:45 pm – 4:00 pm Presentations, Performance and Exhibits – Various Locations 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Closing Remarks & Light Refreshments – Mary Townes Science Building Guest Wireless Access Guest wireless access is available for up to 8 hrs of web-only access. Select the Eagles- WiFi SSID and complete the self-registration portal on your web browser indicating that you are a guest. Self-registration requires having access to a mobile device capable of receiving text messages or email in order to receive your temporary username and password information. 1 Table of Contents Oral Presentations ................................................................................................................................. 3 Oral Presentations ................................................................................................................................. 6 Oral Presentations ................................................................................................................................. 9 Oral Presentations ............................................................................................................................... 12 Poster Presentations Session #1 .......................................................................................................... 16 Poster Presentations Session #2 .......................................................................................................... 20 Poster Presentations Session #3 .......................................................................................................... 26 Poster Presentations Session #4 .......................................................................................................... 30 Performance Presentations .................................................................................................................. 36 Exhibit Presentations .......................................................................................................................... 36 Abstracts ............................................................................................................................................. 36 Morning Session Facilitators ............................................................................................................ 232 Afternoon Session Facilitators .......................................................................................................... 232 NC Space Grant - Alphabetical by Student Last Name .................................................................... 233 Index of All Student Presenters Alphabetical by Student Last Name ............................................... 234 2 Oral Presentations Time Discipline Presenter(s)/Institution Title Oral Presentations #1 (9:30 - 10:30 AM) - 1008 BRITE Moderator: Corey Walker 9:30 AM - Mathematical Aysha Khan Signaling Models in Open- 9:45 AM Economics University of North Carolina - Market, Cooperative Settings: Wilmington an Application of Game Theory to Islamic Finance 9:45 AM - Mathematical Emily Ryu A Model for Political 10:00 AM Economics Appalachian State University Polarization Based on Various Economic Indicators 10:00 AM - Physics (B.S.) Samuel Migirditch Computational Models of 10:15 AM Appalachian State University Metallic Nanoshell Particles for Enhanced Trapping with Optical Tweezers 10:15 AM - Mathematics David Perez-Suarez Variations of the Greenberg 10:30 AM University of