Senior Research Symposium 2023 Online Directory

View more than 100 projects as part of the Online Symposium below and leave questions and comments for students. While these presentations are not live, students will be visiting their pages throughout the day to respond to questions and comments from visitors.

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Search by student name, project title, advisor, major, or minor.

NameProject TitleAdvisor(s)Major(s)Minor(s)
Abigail BeardCreating a Caring Community: An Examination of Mutual Aid NetworksSetsuko MatsuzawaSociology
Abigail RiceAutomated Geologic Cross-Section Generation for Ohio using GemPyDaniel Palmer, Drew GuarneraComputer ScienceMath, Geology
Alegnta Dawit MezmurThe Power of Narratives: Exploring the Influence of Propaganda Narratives on U.S. Ethiopian Migrants’ Remittance-Sending Behavior Post 2020 Ethiopia/Tigray ConflictEdward Teather-Posadas, Philip MellizoGlobal and International Studies (Economics concentration)Data Science
Alex PadfieldThis Is Not About The Body: Deprioritizing A Corporeal Study Of The HijraSarah Mirza; Mark Graham (second reader)Religious Studies
Alice MarkeyTogether, We Can Everything: The Social Outcomes of Cohousing Communities in DenmarkMatt Mariola; Heather Fitz Gibbon (second reader)Environmental StudiesSociology
Allison Ringold“What’s in a name?”: How Just the Word “Autism” affects Autism StigmaGrit Herzmann, Mareike HerrmannCognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, German Studies
Alysha Matson"Jesus, You Make Me Worthy": How Women Priests View Excommunication and Work towards an Inclusive CatholicismJeremy Rapport, Terry Reeder (second reader)Religious Studies, English
Alyssa HenssWartime Impacts on Maya Culture HeritageOlivia Navarro-Farr, Siavash SameiArchaeology
Anna RussellCelestial Bodies and Ancient Maya Women: Shedding (Moon)light on Divine PowerOlivia C. Navarro-FarrArchaeology
Anna TruongUnderstanding First-Generation Graduation Rates at The College of Wooster: Applying Mathematical Models to Factors that Affect RetentionDrew Pasteur, Rob Kelvey (second reader)Mathematics
Ayaka IwasakiMulticultural Experiences Influence Attitudes toward Different Groups: The Role of Social IdentitiesAmber Garcia; Amy Jo Stavnezer (second reader)PsychologyEducation
Ben ReadRed Sword-White Canvas: The Past, Present, and Future of the Avant-Garde and Avant-Garde AestheticsJohn Rudisill, John SiewertPhilosophy, Art HistoryMusic
Caitlin StrassburgConservation of Dynamic Modularity in Biological Network Modeling: Modular Boolean Model of Cell Cycle Regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiaeErzsebet Regan, Robert KelveyBiochemistry & Molecular Biology, Mathematics
Caitlyn DenesClimatological Analysis of Recent Pluvial Conditions in Northeast Ohio and Implications for Water ManagementGreg Wiles, Meagen Pollock, Shelley JudgeEnvironmental GeoscienceGerman Studies
Carter SchmidtThe Partisan Implications of a Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission: Examining the 2022 Midterm Elections in MichiganMegan Wrobel, Erik DavisPolitical Science
Chase D. FickesDetecting Cryptojacking MalwareDrew Pasteur, Max TaylorMathematics, Computer Science
Chloe ClearA Review of the Sexual Assault Kit Backlog and the Methods of Biological Analysis in Crime LaboratoriesLaura SirotBiology
Claira SchiffrikDon’t Fight the Fed? An Analysis of the Role of Monetary Policy in the Formation of Bubbles in the Housing MarketHuiting TianEconomics
Claire Lynn CampbellIt's the Little Things in (a Grasshopper's) Life: How the Carolina Grasshopper Visually Signals to Conspecifics While Minimizing Predation RiskNicholas Brandley, Jennifer IsonNeurobiology
Clare LeithauserThe Political Games of Foreign Direct Investment: Investigating the Influence of Regime Type on Host Country FDI Inflows During the OlympicsErik Davis; Jeffrey Lantis (second reader)Political ScienceEconomics
Cloud ChangThe Effects of Parenting Styles and Parental Conflict on Child DevelopmentSusan Clayton, Amber GarciaPsychology
Cory Edward HorganThe Impact of Nuclear Weapons Security Measures on Brinkmanship Conflict Outcomes: A Comparative Case Study of the Pakistan-India Border Conflict and U.S.-Russian Tensions Over the War in UkraineJeffrey Lantis, Kent Kille (second reader)Political Science (International Relations concentration)Religious Studies
David DunnAuthenticity & Virtue TheoryJohn Rudisill, Ronald HustwitPhilosophy, Psychology
David Lee DotsonPrognostic Factors for Meningioma Growth: A Meta-AnalysisNicholas Brandley; Seth Kelly (second reader)NeurobiologyMusic
Doak SchultzThe Online World of Politics: Analyzing the Impact of the Public During #MeToo on Public Policy Using Machine LearningMegal Wrobel, Brittany BrakePolitical ScienceArt
Drake StolmanFacilitating Collaborative Gameplay Within an Immersive Virtual Reality EnvironmentDaniel Palmer, Heather GuarneraComputer Science
Emily HaseckeThink Globally, Act Locally, Panic Internally: Climate Anxiety's Impact on Political ParticipationSusan Clayton, Matthew KrainPsychology, Political Science
Ethan SieberPutin's "Corrective Project": An Examination of State Repression Against Russian Nongovernmental OrganizationsKent Kille, Zach RewinskiPolitical Science, Russian Studies
Fiona SchieveGOP Jesus and Trump: an Exploration of the Usage of Evangelical Christianity by Donald TrumpJeremy Rapport, Terry ReederPolitical Science, Religious Studies
Gabriele Gajdos“Damn Daniel” to Genesis: An Analysis of Songs about Select Environmental EventsSeiko Matsuzawa; Matt Mariola (second reader)Environmental StudiesMusic
Glenna Van DykeOn This Land: Digital Indigenous History in Wayne County, OhioKatie HoltHistory, Secondary Social Studies Education
Gracie ParkBenzo(a)pyrene Induces CYP1A and p53 Expression in Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)Rebecca Williams; Erzsebet Regan (second reader)Biology
Haley BloomHey Baby You Up? A Solution To Early Online Sexual Predator DetectionThomas Montelione; Heather Guarnera (second reader)Computer ScienceData Science
Haley HuettKnowing When to Do Wrong: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Threat to a Leader and Violations of Physical Integrity RightsKent Kille; William Kujala (second reader)Political ScienceReligious Studies
Hannah BakerLa Violencia en Las Sombras: Epistemic Violence in The United States Immigration System and Its ImplicationsMichele Leiby, Cynthia PalmerPolitical Science, Spanish
Hope CarmodyPost-Disaster Urban Reconstruction's Effect on Mental Health: A Case Study of Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans ResidentsHamed Goharipour, Heather Fitz GibbonUrban Studies, Psychology
Ian LeonGold Sounds: An Empirical Analysis of Popular Music From the 1960s to TodayMoses Luri, Edward Teather-PosadasEconomicsStatistical and Data Sciences
Isabel EspinosaEnvironmental Activism For Sale: A Visual Analysis of the Relationship Between Product Advertising and the Environmental Movement in 2022Simon Rousset; Denise Bostdorff (second reader)Communication Studies, Global Media & Digital Studies
Jacob HassanEffect of Tributary Glacier Surge on Tidewater Terminus Stability: College Fjord, Prince William Sound, AlaskaVibhor Agarwal, Gregory Wiles; Mark Wilson (second reader)Environmental GeoscienceComputer Science
Jada Frost(De)Legitimization of Nonviolent Social Movements in U.S. News Media: A Rhetorical Analysis of News Coverage and Political Economic Analysis of News CorporationsDenise Bostdorff, Erum HaiderPolitical Science, Communication Studies
Jane WightAll the Lonely People: Edward Hopper's Imagery of Isolation and the Impact of his WorkJohn SiewertArt History
Jennifer MynardA Home for People and Planet: Assessing the Feasibility of Sustainable Affordable Housing by Designing a Proof-of-ConceptSusan Clayton and John SiewertArt History, Environmental Studies
Jillian MurrayProbiotic Bacterial Produced Serotonin (5-HT) in the Microbiome of Caenorhabditis Elegans Alters BehaviorStephanie Strand; Seth Kelly (second reader)Neuroscience BiologyPsychology
Joey HarrisFatal Extraction: A Comparative Analysis of Environmental Conflicts in Ecuador during the Presidency of Rafael CorreaErum HaiderPolitical ScienceEconomics
Judith TophamMagmatic Evolution of the Bræðravirki Ridge Basalts in Western IcelandMeagen Pollock, Mark WilsonGeology
Kate LarsonBreaking Out From Binaries Behind Bars: How Structural Identity Denial Influences Pro/Anti-Social Reactionary Responses and Corresponding Psycho-Social Experiences Inside and Outside the Prison Industrial ComplexZareen Thomas, Amber Garcia/Katie HoltWomen's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Psychology
Katherine ShelmidineInvestigation of splicing changes in dNab2 knockdown Drosophila neuronsSeth Kelly, James WestBiochemistry and Molecular BiologyStatistical and Data Sciences
Katie FleigAn Overworked Powerhouse: A Boolean Model of Mitochondrial Dysfunction Associated Senescence in the Context of Aging MicrogliaErzsebet Regan, Hilary Edgington; William Morgan (second reader)Neuroscience
Katie SchumacherCongestive Heart Failure and Depression: Are medical professionals biased towards CHF patients with depression?Bryan Karazsia; Amber Garcia (second reader)PsychologyBiology
Kay WetmoreThe Lost Electorate: A Content Analysis of 2022 Senatorial Candidates' Video Commercials and Their Appeals to the White Working-ClassDenise Bostdorff, Meg WrobelCommunication Studies, Political Science
Kayla Stevens"Does this spark joy?" Aesthetics, Gender, and Ideals in Marie Kondo's 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up'Beth Derderian; David McConnell (second reader)AnthropologyEnvironmental Studies; Pathway: Museum & Archival Studies
Keeton PurvisCubulus: Procedural World Generation Using Marching CubesHeather GuarneraComputer Science
Kevin PoeDivinity's Secret Love Song: An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Humanity and The Divine Through The Lens of Sacred NarrativesMark Graham, Elizabeth SchiltzReligious Studies, PhilosophySouth Asian Studies
Kyle RossiSwarm and Steady Wins the Race: Visualizing Constraint Satisfaction Problems Using Swarm IntelligenceDaniel Palmer; Heather Guarnera (second reader)Computer ScienceMathematics
Kylie Marie SchmitzStructural Stability of Bovine Serum Albumin upon Adsorption to SOMS Measured by FT-IRPaul Edmiston; Sara Martin (second reader)Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyMathematics
Langston HoodAgency: The Art of Human ChoiceAllison Cardon, Elizabeth SchiltzEnglish, Philosophy
Lark PinneyExploiting Emergencies: Government Corruption and Repression in Post-Disaster SocietiesMichele Leiby; Erum Haider (second reader)Political Science (Comparative Politics concentration)Spanish, Religious Studies
Lauren Ganson“Newgenics”: A Comparison Study of Parents of Children with Down Syndrome in Denmark and The United StatesTom Tierney, Heather Fitz-GibbonSociologyPsychology
Lauren KreegerUniaxial compression of FOAMGLAS® and bubble deformationShelley Judge, Mark WilsonGeologyGerman Studies
Lily AndersonMeasurement & Analysis of Pesticide Biotransformation Products in Ohio Precipitation SamplesJennifer Faust; Paul Edmiston (second reader)Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyMathematics
Lucie FialaThe Gunlock Member: Describing a New Member of the Carmel Formation (Middle Jurassic) of Southwestern UtahMark WilsonEnvironmental GeoscienceSpanish
Lucille SegalBeyond the Game: Examining Health Attitudes from a Collegiate Student-Athlete PerspectiveBryan Karazsia; Meredith Hope (second reader)PsychologyEducation
Lucy AgurkisColoring Away the Blues: Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Art Activities on Well-BeingMeredith O. Hope, Daren KendallPsychology, Studio Art
Lucy WickhamTile Invariants and an Exploration of Tilings with Ribbon Pentominoes and L-PentominoesSubhadip Chowdhury, Pamela PierceMathematics
Madison CarterAre Your Water Systems Safe? A Study on CYP1A Expression in Brown Bullhead and Channel Catfish in Response to Sediment Exposure From Killbuck Creek Wooster, OhioRebecca WilliamsBiology
Maley S. TinstmanA Farmer Works So the World Can Eat: An Analysis of the Impact of United Nations Food (In)Security and Climate Change Collaboration on Linkages in United Nations OutcomesKent KillePolitical Science, International Relations
Malik MooreUnlocking The Power of Neurotrophins: While analyzing the effects of DNT1 on the overproduction of TAU within Drosophila MelanogasterSeth KellyNeuroscience (Biology)
Mary Elise BlairA Tale of Two Morphs: Understanding the Influence of Temperature on Eastern Red-Backed Salamander Color MorphsRick Lehtinen, Hilary EdgingtonBiologyPsychology
Matt UlishneyAn Examination of Win Probability in NCAA Division I Football Overtime and Its Applications for Evaluating Coaching DecisionsDrew Pasteur, Qimin HuangMathematicsStatistical and Data Sciences
Matthew EngferAssessing and Projecting Stream Patterns in Hydrogeomorphology in Low-Elevation Watersheds, Pitt County, North Carolina, USAVibhor Agarwal (ESCI), Carlo Moreno (ENVS)Environmental Geoscience, Environment & Society
May LeInvestigation of PC1 and SI Bacteriophages’ Putative Genomic Identities and Infection Methods on Phage Resistant Pseudomonas ChloraphisStephanie Strand, James WestBiochemistry and Molecular Biology
Megan ConklinFace the Music: The History of Women’s Music within Cultural and Intersectional FeminismJordan Biro WaltersHistoryEducation
Min kyung KimSources of Stress in NCAA Division III Athletes: Racism and Mental Health Threats in CompetitionSusan Clayton; Amy Jo Stavnezer (second reader)Psychology
Minh Duc, DaoObject Detection and Application in Autonomous VehicleRob Kelvey, Max TaylorMathematics, Computer Science
Minjin LeeEffects of Phage Cocktail Compared to Antibiotic Treatments on Host Bacterial Cell (Pseudomonas Chlororaphis)Stephanie StrandBiology
Morgan StanleyOral Contraceptives Improve Spatial Learning and Anxiety in a Rodent Model Despite Opposing AndrogenicityAmy Jo Stavnezer, Meredith HopePsychology
MorganAnn MaloneThe [Hidden] Costs of War: Rape Culture Awareness and The Effects of Transitional Justice on Victims of Conflict-Related Sexual ViolenceMichele Leiby; Erum Haider (second reader)Political ScienceSpanish
Natalie Ibrahim BelleDo You Get Déjà Vu? Examining the Effects of Context and Time on Contextual Generalization in a Mouse Model of PTSDAlfredo Zuniga, Nicholas BrandleyNeuroscience (Biology Track)
Natalie NonnoAnalyzing the Effects of Different Factors on the Likelihood of Hybridization - A ReviewHilary EdgingtonBiology, Elementary Education
Nosherwan MughalBattling the Bloodsuckers: Examining the Expression of OBP23 in the Yellow Fever MosquitoLaura SirotBiologyChemistry
Olivia GreenA Two-Photon Investigation of a Material's Nonlinear SusceptibilityCody Leary, Susan LehmanPhysics
Omobolanle OladejiAn Analysis of Large Language Models in the HealthCare DomainKowshik BhowmikComputer Science
Patrick Thomas WoodDetermining The Crystal Structure of The Staphylococcus Aureus MurG EnzymeSara E.S. Martin, Annastassia GalloBiochemistry and Molecular BiologyStatistical and Data Sciences
Pookar ChandDawn of Darkness by Pookar ChandLisa Perfetti, Claire EagerEnglishEconomics
Riley ThorrResting Heart Rate, Sleep, and Stress: The Physiological Stress Response of NCAA Division III Female Student-AthletesNicholas Brandley; Laura Sirot (second reader)BiologyPhysical Education
Sam L. BelskyInterrogation of a conserved overlap between cofactor and substrate binding domains to facilitate crosstalk-induced conformational changes in Class A Flavin Monooxygenases: A case study of 6-Hydroxynicotinate-3-MonooxygenaseMark Snider, Annastassia Gallo; Sara Martin (second reader)Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMathematics, Spanish
Samantha BurkeIt’s Not Therapy: An Investigation of Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions of Effective Accent Modification Services For Adult Speakers and College Students' Perceptions of Accents Contingent Upon Their Exposure With Diverse SpeakersJoan E. FureyCommunication Sciences and Disorders
Sarah SniderCan We Reverse Aging? Using Cognitive Training in Rodents to Enhance Overall Cognitive PerformanceAmy Jo StavnezerCognitive NeuroscienceEconomics
Sena Houessou-AdinLiver Tumors in Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome: Can Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels Distinguish Benign from Malignant Tumors?Dean Fraga, Stephanie StrandBiochemistry and Molecular Biology
Seula KimAre the Arginine Kinase functions found in Myxococcus xanthus conserved in a sister species, Myxococcus macrosporus?Dean Fraga, Laura SirotBiology
Shane Louis"Forever On My Mind:" Blues Songwriting in the 1960sJordan Biro WaltersHistoryEducation
Shiropa ShahreenImmobilization of Transferrin in Swellable Organically Modified Silica for Remediation of Heavy Metal IonsPaul EdmistonBiochemistry and Molecular BiologyStatistical & Data Sciences
Sobika ThapaThe Evolution of Human-Computer Interaction and its Technological Advancement with a Focus on Applications with Electric PaintHeather Guarnera, Daniel PalmerComputer ScienceStatistical & Data Sciences
Sydney FitzcharlesInstating Natural Reward-Induced Conditioned Place Preference in C57BL/6J Mice​Alfredo Zúńiga; Grit Herzmann (second reader)Neuroscience (Cognitive/Behavioral Track)
Temuul MunkhturTraditional Ecological Knowledge and its role in building Socio-Ecological Resilience in the context of displaced communitiesCarlo MorenoEnvironmental Studies
Tomoka AdamsEcology and genetic variation of Aedes japonicus, an invasive mosquito in the Wooster, OH areaFerdinand Nanfack-Minkeu, Hernan MedinaBiology, Spanish
Victoria SilvaThird World: Bolivia, The United States, Democracy, and The Art of Putting it on StageJimmy A. Noriega, Michele LeibyTheatre, Political ScienceLatin American Studies, English
Wenshuo ZhaoAn Investigation of Improving Blue Intensity Measurements from Tree Rings, Gulf of Alaska, USAGreg Wiles, Vibhor Agarwal, Shelley JudgeEnvironmental Geoscience
Yeeun KohA Drunken Carnival of Hate: The Impact of a Minority Group’s Growth on Intergroup ConflictEdward Teather-Posadas, Robert KelveyEconomics, Mathematics
Zakary NowatzkeNike’s “Equality”: How the Spread of Equality is Halted by the Delivery of Nike’s Message and Their Past ControversiesJoshua Smith, Denise BostdorfCommunications StudiesPsychology
Zoe E. SeymoreOverlooked Adoptees: The Effects of COVID-19 Racism and Ethnic Identity on the Psychological Well-Being of Chinese Transracial Adoptees in the United StatesAmber Garcia; Nathan Foster (second reader)PsychologyMath and Chinese
Zoë SemerskyToward a Comprehensive Framework for Investigating Copper Dyshomeostasis: The Role of His-Tag Modularity and Alternative Expression Systems in Evaluating Dopamine β-HydroxylaseAnnastassia Gallo; Sara Martin (second reader)Biochemistry and Molecular Biology