Research Week 2021 Research Week is a collaboration between the Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity, the Office of Graduate Studies, and the Division of Research to highlight the scholarly and creative activities of UNK’s faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students. This multidisciplinary event serves as both a celebration of the fantastic work being done on our campus and as an intellectual platform for faculty and students to disseminate their work. Student Research Day is a mainstay on UNK’s campus and is an event to celebrate the amazing work of our talented students and their integration into the research enterprise. With Research Week, we are expanding our efforts with a stand-alone Graduate Research day and the unveiling of our annual faculty research magazine, New Frontiers. Please join us in celebrating the work and accomplishments of the UNK community. Matthew R. Bice, Ph.D., Director Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Mark R. Ellis, Ph.D., Dean Office of Graduate Studies Richard Mocarski, Ph.D., Ast. Vice Chancellor Division of Research 2 | Welcome Schedule of Events March 30 – April 2, 2021 Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Rooms Tuesday, March 30 New Frontiers 2019-2020 Awards 11:00 am – 12:00 pm 2019-2020 Awards Wednesday, March 31 New Frontier Faculty Awards 10:30 am – 11:30 am 2020-2021 Awards Thursday, April 1 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Students set up posters (Ponderosa C&D) 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Open poster viewing (Ponderosa C&D) 10:00 am to 3:30 pm Oral Presentations Friday, April 2 8:30 pm to 3:30 pm Oral Presentations, (CMCT 101, public viewing via Zoom) 4:30 pm Awards Ceremony & Reception via Zoom Note: All times are in Central Time Zone Schedule of Events | 3 Table of Contents Graduate Poster Abstracts .................................................. 8 Fine Arts & Humanities ...................................................... 8 Behavioral & Social Sciences ............................................. 9 Natural & Physical Sciences ............................................ 10 Professional & Applied Studies ....................................... 11 Graduate Oral Presentation Schedule.............................. 14 Graduate Oral Presentation Abstracts ............................. 16 Undergraduate Poster Abstracts ...................................... 19 Fine Arts & Humanities .................................................... 19 Behavioral & Social Sciences ........................................... 21 Natural & Physical Sciences ............................................ 26 Professional & Applied Studies ....................................... 37 Undergraduate Oral Presentation Schedule.................... 48 Undergraduate Oral Presentation Abstracts ................... 50 Index ................................................................................... 58 4 | Table of Contents Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity unk.edu/ugr Undergraduate research is an important part of the fabric of the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). UNK has a broad-based culture that supports students being involved in research, enhances the student experience, and provides skills that are transferable beyond the classroom or laboratory. The positive effects of the research-centered campus culture diffuses into student learning, attitude, and career choices with both professional and personal benefits including: • Understanding research methodologies within a specific discipline • Independent work and thought • Problem-solving • Written and oral communication • Graduate school/research opportunities • Career insight • Self-efficacy Within the scope of research, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity supports the Undergraduate Research Fellow (URF) program and Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), which are both designed to create opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in student-led independent research studies. These programs provide opportunities for students to experience research/creative activities outside the classroom and creating a sense of "ownership" over the project. Each program contributes to a community of scholars that promotes student learning through doing. TheUndergraduate Research Fellows (URF) Program is designed to allow undergraduate students the opportunity to work under the supervision of a faculty member. This student-led research project allows students to develop an understanding of scholarly inquiry, skills associated with research and creative activity, and an ability to design and complete their own scholarly projects. TheSummer Student Research Program (SSRP) is an aggressive program spanning the summer months. Students and faculty mentors set forth with the goal of completing an entire project over the summer. Students can experience challenges and apply their knowledge and skills to solve new problems while also learning to understand the differences and connections between various fields of study. Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity | 5 LIBRARIANS are key partners for your research. But don't just take our word for it. My advancement and success in research is something that I greatly owe to the faculty and resources of the Calvin T. Ryan Library. Shelby Hinrichs 2018 Library Award for Undergraduate Research winner I loved having all of these databases available to me and I knew I could trust the sources that came up because they were trusted by the library. Mackenzie Marrow Thank you so much for your help and time! I guess I was not typing in the right phrases, because now I'm finding a lot. Taylor Ritz To contact a librarian, visit: library.unk.edu/ask or guides.library.unk.edu/librariansbysubject For more information visit: library.unk.edu 6 | Calvin T. Ryan Library UNK Graduate Programs Art 308.865.8082 Modern Languages 308.865.8082 Art Education (MAEd) Spanish Education (MAEd) • • Classroom Education Emphasis • Spanish Graduate Certificate • • Museum Education Emphasis • Music 308.865.8618 Biology 308.865.1589 Music Education (MAEd) • Biology (MS) Public Communication 308.865.8737 • Thesis■ Public Communication (MA) • • Non-Thesis • Science/Math Education 308.865.8043 Business 308.865.8346 MBA or 308.865.8240 LTC Science/Math Education (MSEd) • Business Administration (MBA) • Integrated Option • • Accounting ◆ • Chemistry Option • • Human Resources ◆ • Marketing • Teacher Education 308.865.8513 • Professional • Curriculum & Instruction (MAEd) Long-Term Care Management (MS) • • Early Childhood Education • • Elementary Education • Communication Disorders 308.865.8300 • Reading/Special Education • Speech/Language Pathology (MSEd) ■ • • English as a Second Language • Counseling & School Psychology 308.865.8508 • Secondary Education • Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MSEd) ◆ • Instructional Effectiveness • Counseling (EdS) ◆ • Transitional Certification • Drug & Alcohol (Certificate) • • Montessori – Early Childhood ◆ Higher Education Student Affairs (MSEd) • • Montessori – Elementary I ◆ School Counseling Elementary (MSEd) ◆ • School Librarian • School Counseling Secondary (MSEd) ◆ • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, & Math) • School Psychology (EdS) ■ Instructional Technology (MSEd) • Instructional Technology • Education Administration 308.865.8512 • Information Technology • School Principalship PK-8 or 7-12 (MAEd) • • Leadership in Instructional Technology • School Superintendent (EdS) • • School Librarian • Supervisor of Special Education (MAEd) • Reading PK-12 (MAEd) • English 308.865.8299 Special Education (MAEd) English (MA) • • High Ability Education (Gifted) • • Advanced Practitioner • Health Sciences 308.865.8325 ° Behavioral Intervention Specialist • Health Sciences (MS) • ° Assistive Technology Specialist • History 308.865.8766 ° Inclusive and Collaboration Specialist • History (MA) ° Functional Academic Skills & Independent Living • • Thesis■ • • Special Education Generalist • • Non-Thesis■ • • Public History ■ • For information contact: • Public History (Certificate) • UNK Graduate Studies 800.717.7881 | 308.865.8500 | [email protected] Kinesiology & Sports Sciences 308.865.8331 Athletic Training (MATR) ■ • Online Program General Physical Education (MAEd) ◆ Blended Program • Sports Administration ■ ■ Campus • Recreation and Leisure ■ Exercise Science (MAEd) ■ Physical Education – Master Teacher (MAEd) • Pedagogy • • Special Populations • Graduate Programs | 7 Graduate Poster Abstracts joys and anguish of the world are the joys and anguish Fine Arts & Humanities of the Church." As Camila Alvarez observes in “Creating Cultural Sensitivity,” both Danticat and Akpan uniquely English engage with the whole personhood of the reader, or the “physical, mental, and spiritual” aspects of people. Yet, Poster G01 – Valerie Owens both writers compose stories in such a way as to portray Mentor: Amanda Sladek the characters and themselves “within the context of their Title: Rethinking "Inspiration Porn": A Deconstruction of entirety” (Alvarez n.p). Their intersectionality as diasporic- Disability Representation exile-expats makes their writing more compassionate, full In her work Feminist, Queer, Crip, feminist scholar of mercy and joy. This challenges readers to consider their Alison Kafer deconstructs disability representation in whole personhood and what it means to be diasporic and advertising, in particular The Foundation for a Better an exile today. Life’s (FBL) billboard campaign. Kafer questions what are considered acceptable community values and the ways