| Poster Session I | | |
| Jennifer Bouzy ’21 | The Mutational Analysis of Amino Acids on the Function of Rotavirus Viroporin NSP4 at Position 78 | Lori Banks, Biology | The rotavirus is commonly known as a gastrointestinal pathogen and the primary cause of nonbacterial severe diarrheal disease that predominantly affects infants and young children worldwide. Rotavirus nonstructural glycoprotein 4 (NSP4) is one of the first viral enterotoxins identified as an essential agent in symptoms associated with rotavirus infection, including life-threatening vomiting and diarrhea. The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of side-chain charge and size on NSP4 Viroporin function by mutating the wild-type threonine at position 78 to cysteine, glutamine, and serine. To achieve this, a bacterial lysis assay was performed with the aforementioned point mutants, where I observed their ability to lyse BL21(DE3) E. coli. By understanding which components of the protein structure are most responsible for its function, small molecules can be used to inhibit NSP4 activity and limit disease severity in infected patients. |
| Jeremy Bennett ’21 | Computational Modeling of Viroporin Proteins from RNA Viruses | Lori Banks, Biology | Ion channels are fundamental for the regulation of cellular ionic content and transmission of molecular signals within and between cells. As a testimony of their crucial importance, ion channels are found ubiquitously throughout all domains of life, including viruses. Virally encoded ion channels called viroporins are a diverse and growing family of viral virulence factors found in many important pathogens, including influenza, HIV, SARS, and rotavirus. Despite the growing body of data about these proteins, few viroporins have been amenable to traditional biophysical methods of molecular structure determination. Until recently, in silico methods also provided little insight because of the lack of empirical data from membrane proteins in the algorithms. With the newly published trRosetta program, we compared the computational models of the Vpu protein from HIV-1, the M2 protein from influenza A, and non-structural protein 4 (NSP4) from SA11 rotavirus with experimentally determined structures for the membrane-associated portions of those proteins. While the purely helical conformations of Vpu and M2 were maintained between the experimental and computational models, we found that the viroporin domain of the rotavirus NSP4 protein adopted a distinct conformation from previously published in silico models. Rather than the former trio of antiparallel helices within a single plane, our model suggests an interaction between the penta-lysine helix and the N-terminal H1 and H2 helices. Further analysis of the NSP4 coiled-coil domain diverged from the published X-ray crystallography data. The algorithm did not consider multimerization or ion coordination between monomers, however. These features have previously been tied to the biological function of NSP4. Ongoing studies seek to identify residues key for viroporin activity in a bacterial model and those important for viroporin multimer formation. |
| Haley Washington ’21 | Investigating the Role of Amino Acids on the Function of Rotavirus NSP4 (Non-structural Protein) at Position 78 | Lori Banks, Biology | The double-stranded RNA virus, rotavirus, causes life-threatening vomiting and diarrhea resulting in more than 250,000 deaths annually, mostly affecting children in developing areas of the world. I studied the mutation tolerance of the highly conserved region of rotavirus non-structural protein 4 (NSP4) and the importance of side-chain charge and size for the threonine at position 78. I constructed point mutants of NSP4 using ligase-independent cloning methods and testing the function of each mutant in a series of biochemical assays. I investigated three position 78 variants expressing serine, valine, and alanine. With my results, we will be able to tell which features are the most crucial for the NSP4 activity. Knowing this information will allow small molecules to be created that will work toward inhibiting the function of NSP4 and hopefully help reduce the severity of disease in infected children. Investigating this virus and ways to alleviate the tremendous pain it causes, especially in infants and children, motivated my studies. Ongoing work seeks to understand the overall molecular structure of NSP4 and what kinds of small molecules might inhibit its function. |
| Erin Murphy ’21 | Blunted Response to Low-oxygen Environments in Envigo Sprague-Dawley Rats | Ryan Bavis, Biology | Two years ago, Ryan Bavis’ lab exposed Sprague-Dawley rats from Charles River Laboratories to a week of chronic hypoxia (low-oxygen) and tested their response to an acute onset of hypoxia. We’d expect rats in hypoxia to be acclimated and have increased breathing. However, rats who were in hypoxia increased their breathing less than rats who’d been in normal air. This blunted response was postulated to be a result of genetic drift in the lab rat population, but my study, performed on a different substrain of rat, sourced elsewhere, showed the same unusual pattern of breathing, suggesting a different mechanism. |
| Emily Woods ’21 | Tapeworm DNA analysis in Leach’s Storm-petrels | Donald Dearborn, Biology | Climate change is altering the distribution of diseases and disease vectors, which is impacting parasite prevalence in seabirds. We sought to identify and assess the prevalence of tapeworm DNA from the fecal samples of Leach’s storm-petrel, Oceanodroma leuchora. We used PCR to screen for tapeworm DNA within 59 fecal samples and DNA sequencing to determine whether DNA was from avian parasites or prey items, which would have no impact on seabird health. Sequencing suggested that the unknown tapeworm(s) belong to the order Cyclophyllidea, a tapeworm not known to parasitize seabirds. Currently, we are using Ilumina sequencing to investigate prevalence. |
| Emma Proietti ’21 | Coastal Forest Response to Past Floods and Storm Surges in the Gulf of Maine | Brett Huggett, Biology | In order to understand how rising sea levels and increased storm intensities may affect coastal forests, we examined the relationship between weather patterns and the annual growth of four tree species along the coast at the Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area (BMMCA). The ring widths of pitch pine, paper birch, red maple, and red oak were correlated with different measures of temperature and precipitation, and large changes in growth were compared with data on historic storms. The results of this study may inform conservation efforts at BMMCA and other coastal forest sites along the Gulf of Maine. |
| Cole Fuller ’21 | The Effect of Saltwater Intrusion on Pinus rigida Stands at the Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area | Brett Huggett, Biology | Pitch pine (Pinus rigida) barrens are considered a conservation priority but more frequent saltwater intrusions due to rising sea levels may negatively affect the growth and photosynthesis of P. rigida. The study measures the direct effect of an acute saltwater intrusion on the photosynthesis of P. rigida specimens in an ongoing greenhouse study. P. rigida growth rates from tree cores are also compared to soil salinity and historical storms at sites differentially vulnerable to saltwater intrusion in the Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area. |
| Elizabeth Bennett ’21 | Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Myocarditis | Larissa Williams, Biology | Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a recent advancement in immunotherapy and have demonstrated substantial clinical efficacy with the potential to advance treatment for numerous cancer types, but are also associated with systemic effects including cardiotoxicities. This retrospective study evaluates the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients diagnosed with ICI cardiotoxicities at Maine Medical Center (MMC). With an increasing use of ICIs in cancer treatments, there is an urgent need for a more comprehensive diagnostic criteria given the variable clinical presentations, potential fulminant course, and high mortality of ICI cardiotoxicities, especially myocarditis. |
| Alice Li ’21 | Average and Local Structure of High IR-reflective Inorganic Pigments Y(In, Mn)O3 and Y(In, Cu, Ti)O3 | Geneva Laurita, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Accurate descriptions of how structure leads to color is crucial for rational design of functional pigments. Many inorganic pigments are most vividly colored with only a small concentration of dopants. The small number of dopants means average structural techniques may not accurately describe the asymmetric coordination environments induced by the dopants. The local geometry of ligands can have a huge impact on electronic transitions arising from crystal field splitting; therefore, local structure may lead to a more precise description of the origin of color in inorganic pigments. In this work, the solid-state solutions, YInO3-YMO3 (M = Mn, Cu/Ti), which have been found to exhibit high IR-reflectivity as well as vivid colors, were examined using neutron and X-ray total scattering techniques. Here, we present a comparison between the average crystallographic structure and deviations in the local coordination environments, and correlate this to the optical properties of the pigments. |
| Joyce Gong ’21 | Exploring Multiferroic Potential in Pyrochlores through Structural Characterization | Geneva Laurita, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The pyrochlore lattice A2B2O7 is capable of possessing many exciting properties due to the wide range of cations that can be located on the A and B sites. However, geometric frustration that is innately present in the lattice prohibits many properties that rely on correlated dipoles, such as multiferroism. Multiferroic materials can be harnessed for a diverse range of unique technological applications, and studying their correlated behavior is of fundamental importance. Here we employ X-ray and neutron total scattering to perform detailed structural characterizations and gain more insight into the interaction of electrical and magnetic dipoles on the pyrochlore lattice. |
| Emma York ’21 | Origins of Color in Chromium-Doped Potassium Alum | Geneva Laurita, Chemistry and Biochemistry | For as long as humans have been fascinated with color, pigments have met various aesthetic and functional needs. While pigments were once made from natural minerals and plant material, modern pigments are made synthetically to be tunable, inexpensive, stable, and minimally toxic. The development of these pigments demands a thorough understanding of the relationship between a material’s chemical structure and its perceived color. This thesis explores such structural origins of color in chromium-doped potassium alum, a violet material that has not yet been characterized in detail, using X-ray diffraction, PDF analyses, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. |
| Jake O’Hara ’21 | The Role of Stoichiometry on Polarity in Lead Niobate Pyrochlores | Geneva Laurita, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The effort to enhance our understanding of polar behavior in crystalline materials is at the forefront of research in many technologically driven fields. One specific property which makes many materials so appealing in tech-related fields is ferroelectricity. Resulting from noncentrosymmetric lattice distortions and characterized by spontaneous reversible electric polarization, this behavior has captivated researchers given its vast applications. Significant research has been conducted on distortion-driven polarity in the perovskite lattice, and factors contributing to such behavior are fairly well understood. However, studies focused on distortion-induced polarity in other lattice types have not been studied as extensively. The pyrochlore presents intriguing phenomena. Easy to prepare and accommodating of chemical substitution, the pyrochlore is an excellent candidate for the investigation of structural factors contributing to ferroelectricity. By utilizing neutron total scattering, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and first principles calculations, this work investigates the role of vacancies on polarity in a series of stoichiometrically varied lead niobate pyrochlores. Procuring an understanding of polar behavior in this system could pave the way for novel ferroelectric pyrochlores. |
| Owen Bailey ’22 | Characterization of Polar Materials through Second Harmonic Generation | Geneva Laurita, Chemistry and Biochemistry | This project we research, design, and construction of a laser-based instrument and programming for its operation to identify second harmonic generation in solid state material samples. Second harmonic generation is a property found in polar materials, which have a wide range of applications through medicine, transportation, and battery sciences. |
| Carolyn Snow ’21 | A Comparison of Sediments from above and below a Tidal Restriction in the Back River Creek Marsh, Woolwich, ME | Beverly Johnson, Earth and Climate Sciences | This study examines the geologic and anthropogenic history of the Back River Creek Marsh (BRCM) in Woolwich, ME, through comparison of sediments from above and below U.S. Route 1. Geochemical and visual analyses reveal that the BRCM may be a freshwater marsh rather than a restricted salt marsh. Using a Pb concentration age model, it has been determined that the marsh was brackish or fresh since the late 1700s. The δ13C values from sediment cores range from -24-30‰, falling within the C3 plant (freshwater plant) range. This study resulted in more questions about the BRCM, paving the way for further research. |
| Daniel Riggi ’21 | The Effect of Fluorine on the Density and Partial Molar Volume of Aluminosilicate Melts | Geneviève Robert, Earth and Climate Sciences | The density of silicate melts in Earth’s mantle, along with their viscosity, control processes like heat and mass transfer, planetary differentiation, and magmatic and volcanic processes. I study the effect of fluorine on the density and volume of Na-K-Al-Si-O melts, which are analogs for melts produced during continental rifting. The density data will be used to calculate the partial molar volume of fluorine in these melts. Partial molar volume of fluorine is needed to build and revise density models that allow petrologists to estimate the density of magma at temperatures of the Earth’s interior. |
| Psychology I: Mind and Body | Susan Langdon, Psychology, moderator | |
| Lauryn Boucree ’21 | Difference in Self-Concept among Division I Black and White Athletes | Susan Langdon, Psychology | While research has been done on stereotype threat and the effects it can have on Black athletes’ performance ability, there has not been enough data collected on the overall self-concept of Black collegiate athletes in relation to their White collegiate teammates. For my senior thesis, I used a mixed-methods approach to gain a better understanding of the ways in which the self-concept of Division I athletes is shaped based on racial differences and based on their participation in athletics through college. Through a questionnaire and an interview, I collected data about these levels of self concept in Division I collegiate athletes. |
| Sarah King ’21 | Perceptions of Belonging in College Students during Coronavirus: Assessing the Impact of Course Modality | Rebecca Fraser-Thill, Psychology | Belonging has been found to be critical to student success, well-being, and persistence in both in-person and online learning formats (Peacock, 2020; Strayhorn, 2012; Thomas, 2012). This study sought to examine the relationship between student perceptions of belonging and course modality during the pandemic, implementing both quantitative and qualitative measures. It was found that students did experience significantly more class community and peer-to-peer connectedness in their in-person classes, but student-instructor rapport, a key component of student belonging, did not differ significantly across modalities. This relationship between in-person course time and peer-to-peer connectedness was discovered to be dose-dependent, meaning any amount of in-person class time was associated with increased perceptions of class community and connectedness. It was also found that students who experienced more class community and student-instructor rapport tended to perceive their lives as more meaningful. |
| Nicki Lane ’21 | The Impact of Widespread Isolation on the Psychological Well-Being of Children in Their Later Childhood Years | Rebecca Fraser-Thill, Psychology | The purpose of this study was to investigate how children 9 to 12 years of age were psychologically affected by the widespread isolation set in place due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Both child and parent perspectives were gathered in order to gain a full insight into children’s experiences. In general, children were adaptable and resilient under the circumstances of widespread isolation, and all of the children in the sample claimed to be experiencing similar psychological well-being levels during the pandemic as they did previously. |
| Theater Makers I: Acting, Directing, Costume Design | Katalin Vecsey, Theater and Dance, moderator | |
| Jade Zhang ’21 | Interpreting Culture through the Lenses of Costume | B. Christine McDowell, Theater and Dance | My theater thesis focused on Elizabethan-era costume history and how to convey cultural interactions through costume design innovations. Inspired by the famous Nigerian-British Artist Yinka Shonibare’s work, I studied the accurate period costume of Elizabethan England, and then designed a series of costume for a Shakespeare comedy As You Like It, merging Western silhouettes and Eastern prints and colors. |
| Deon Custard ’21 | “Put Me Into Good Fooling”: Using Shakespeare to Approach a Post-Bakhtinian Carnivalesque | B. Christine McDowell, Theater and Dance | Research for my yearlong thesis and this production of Twelfth Night attend to the questions that arise at the intersection of Bakhtinian carnival, comic critique of imbalanced power structures, and periodized stagings of Shakespeare in contemporary performance practices. Through historical and theoretical contextualization of the play’s literary function, close scrutiny of my own directorial style, and a clear community-engaged aspect, this original staging works to justify the value of producing Shakespeare in 2021. Part of the answer: to publicly reject the rigid systems that exploit the most vulnerable, often with a few laughs along the way. |
| Patrick Reilly ’21 | Directing A Gaggle of Saints: Theatrical Process and Performance during COVID-19 | Katalin Vecsey, Theater and Dance | For my senior thesis in theater, I directed Neil LaBute’s dark short play, A Gaggle of Saints. in this presentation I discuss not only my own approach to directing, but also the obstacles that my team and I encountered during COVID-19 and how we overcame them. Our process worked both over Zoom and in person. The work was presented in Schaeffer Theatre using cameras and projectors to allow our actors to act without masks and remain a safe distance away from each other. |
| Muskan Verma ’21 | Playing Sue in A Gaggle of Saints: An Actor’s Process | Katalin Vecsey, Theater and Dance | For the senior capstone thesis for my theater major, I portrayed Sue in the play, A Gaggle of Saints, by Neil LaBute. This presentation outlines my research and personal approach of a collaborative artistic process to the performance as an actor. I also highlight aspects of performing under unusual circumstances as well as the obstacles and triumphs in the production as they were documented in my actor’s journal. |
| Research and the Public Good: Multidisciplinary Explorations | Darby Ray, Harward Center for Community Partnerships, moderator | How can undergraduate research contribute to community well-being and social justice? This year’s Community-Engaged Research Fellows hail from diverse disciplines, but they share an interest in the public purposes of higher education and the potential of research to address community needs. This session will feature community-engaged projects targeting a range of issues and developed in collaboration with diverse community partners. |
| Emma Block ’22 | Maine Prisoner Reentry Network: Benefits and Barriers to Post-Incarceration Reentry Resources | Emily Kane, Sociology | How can undergraduate research contribute to community well-being and social justice? This year’s Community-Engaged Research Fellows hail from diverse disciplines, but they share an interest in the public purposes of higher education and the potential of research to address community needs. This session will feature community-engaged projects targeting a range of issues and developed in collaboration with diverse community partners. |
| Frederik Cornelius-Knudsen ’21 | Branding Lewiston: The Origin and Politics of the Phrase “Dirty Lew” | Jacqueline Lyon, Anthropology | How can undergraduate research contribute to community well-being and social justice? This year’s Community-Engaged Research Fellows hail from diverse disciplines, but they share an interest in the public purposes of higher education and the potential of research to address community needs. This session will feature community-engaged projects targeting a range of issues and developed in collaboration with diverse community partners. |
| Amelia Keleher ’21 | Local Food, Local Places: Cultivating a Local Food and Agriculture Brand in Lewiston-Auburn | Darby Ray, Harward Center for Community Partnerships | How can undergraduate research contribute to community well-being and social justice? This year’s Community-Engaged Research Fellows hail from diverse disciplines, but they share an interest in the public purposes of higher education and the potential of research to address community needs. This session will feature community-engaged projects targeting a range of issues and developed in collaboration with diverse community partners. |
| Sophie Landes ’21 | The Role of Community Land Trusts in Resisting Gentrification: A Lewiston, Maine Case Study | Francis Eanes, Environmental Studies | How can undergraduate research contribute to community well-being and social justice? This year’s Community-Engaged Research Fellows hail from diverse disciplines, but they share an interest in the public purposes of higher education and the potential of research to address community needs. This session will feature community-engaged projects targeting a range of issues and developed in collaboration with diverse community partners. |
| Hannah McKenzie ’21 | Exploring “Cultural Sensitivity” among Frontline Workers Addressing Violence against Women in Lewiston, Maine | Loring Danforth, Anthropology | How can undergraduate research contribute to community well-being and social justice? This year’s Community-Engaged Research Fellows hail from diverse disciplines, but they share an interest in the public purposes of higher education and the potential of research to address community needs. This session will feature community-engaged projects targeting a range of issues and developed in collaboration with diverse community partners. |
| STEM I: Research in Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Physics | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry, moderator | |
| Juliana Martino ’21 | The Future of Nuclear Reactors | John Smedley, Physics and Astronomy | This presentation explores both fission and fusion nuclear reactors. I focus on fission and fusion outside of the context of a reactor, and delve into how those basic principles are employed to create energy. I discuss the current reactors in use in contrast with the next generation of reactors, Gen IV, in addition to fusion reactor currently being constructed in France. I also discuss the sustainability of each reactor, and the challenges and rewards of using nuclear energy. |
| Joe Inger ’21 | Development of Novel Nitrocinnamoyl Glycosides as Antimicrobial Agents | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Currently, there is a demand for the development of novel therapeutic solutions to combat the growing number of drug-resistant microbial pathogens and subsequent formidable infections. While there are several different strategies to combat this growing dilemma, the use of natural products has revealed to be a promising approach; screening secondary metabolites for potential antimicrobial properties. This work focuses on the development of a library of novel antimicrobial compounds based on a methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside skeleton with 3-nitrocinnamic acid substituents. Through a series of antimicrobial assays, we hope to elucidate the role of glycoside-containing natural products in fighting microbial infection. |
| Ryan Carlson ’21 | Predicting Long-term Changes in Microbial Carbon Flux due to Climate Change using S. coelicolor as a Model Organism | T. Glen Lawson, Chemistry and Biochemistry | As the Earth’s climate continues to change in response to widespread greenhouse gas emissions, the environmental conditions of every ecosystem are being brought out of balance. Organisms once well adapted to their environment will likely be prompted to alter their biochemical and metabolic patterns, which could have even greater impacts on greenhouse gas flux into the atmosphere. This study uses the soil bacteria Streptomyces coelicolor to model the microbial response to climate change over time, employing a long-term evolution experiment to provoke adaptation to increasingly severe temperature, pH, and oxygen concentrations. qRT-PCR is used to evaluate changes in expression of three carbon-releasing steps of the TCA cycle, to predict whether the Earth’s microflora will have either a mitigatory or exacerbatory effect on the rising greenhouse gas concentration. |
| Drew Murdock ’21 | Mixed Messages: Analyzing the Effects of pzn Small Molecules and Other Environmental Conditions on S. epidermidis Proliferation and Biofilm Formation | Colleen O’Loughlin, Chemistry and Biochemistry | While Staphylococcus epidermidis is integral to a healthy skin microbiome, the bacteria can cause infections after colonizing certain internal body tissues. This project aimed to understand how cell proliferation and biofilm formation of this bacteria was impacted by environmental factors, including pH, salinity, lipid concentration, and natural products from the pzn gene cluster. Growth curves and biofilm assays were performed under various minimal media conditions to determine how S. epidermidis alters gene expression in response to chemical changes in its environment. |
| Summit Literary Reading | Jessica Anthony, English, moderator | |
| Sommer Glasgow ’21 | Transplanted: A Reading from a Collection of Short Stories | Myronn Hardy, English | This is a collection of short stories that explores the definition of transplant. The stories weave through medical definitions of transplant within the body and physical definitions of transplant as whole bodies. I will read a story about pregnancy. |
| Will Kraus ’21 | Tributary | Myronn Hardy, English | This presntation is a reading form my senior poetry thsis. |
| Naythan Delgado ’21 | Selected Poems | Myronn Hardy, English | In this public reading, I hope to engage you with pieces from my poetry thesis investigating the themes of hope and existence. This presentation will find itself awkwardly lodged between slam poetry, traditional poetry, and hip hop. |
| Anna Mangum ’21 | ELEANOR | Jessica Anthony, English | Inspired by Wallace Stevens’ poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,” my thesis, ELEANOR, offers various perspectives on the main character, whose psyche is the core of the piece. The novel deviates from traditional fiction as the story jumps in time and shifts in closeness to Eleanor’s narration. |
| Jake Michael ’21 | Gwendolyn Rutgur’s Residence | Jessica Anthony, English | Nataly, a young woman living with her grandmother Gwendolyn in their family estate house on the east coast, searches for answers in the world as a storm brews over a few tumultuous days. As the wind knocks on the windows of the house, her soul yearns to fly out and meet it while death follows her around mocking the shackles of mortality stringing her to the ground. She listens and feels every ancient whisper the wind has to offer as the depths of her soul emerge to meet the world. |
| Poster Session II | | |
| Dylan Muldoon ’21 | Next-generation Sequencing of Ephydatia muelleri Endosymbiotic Microalgae | April Hill, Biology | Endosymbiosis provides a selective advantage to the species that exhibit it and is a major force facilitating the diversity of life on Earth. Endosymbiosis has been widely studied, but the exact molecular pathway describing its persistence is still unclear. We used the Oxford Nanopore platform to characterize a green algae symbiont of Ephydatia muelleri, and conclude that next-generation sequencing platforms are a viable tool for the study of this interaction. |
| Ivy Nguyen ’21 | The Scavenger Receptor Repertoire in Ephydatia muelleri and Its Putative Role in Ephydatia muelleri-Chlorella vulgaris Symbiosis | April Hill, Biology | My study aims to shed light on the molecular mechanisms that sponges use to facilitate and maintain relationships with algal endosymbionts. I hypothesize that scavenger receptors (SR) hold key roles in regulating and establishing such inter-partner interactions. SRs are a large superfamily of diverse membrane-bound receptors that recognize a broad range of microbial ligands and participate in phagocytosis of invading microbes. In this study, I utilized bioinformatics to characterize the SR repertoire found in the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri. I also performed experiments using fucoidan, an SR inhibitor, to further investigate the role of SRs in Ephydatia symbiosis and immunity. |
| Jasmine Nutakki ’21 | Gene Regulatory Pathway Analysis for Freshwater Algal Symbioses in the SSU and ITS Region | April Hill, Biology | This project is to determine which species of microalgae form mutualistic symbioses with our model sponge system, Ephydatia muelleri. Amplification of the molecular barcode regions, ITS ribosomal DNA region, is undertaken to find complete gene sequences that characterize several algal lines that live in symbiosis with Ephydatia muelleri. This project also compared an endosymbiotic microalgae that infected another freshwater sponge, Eunapius fragilis. Both Ephydatia muelleri and Eunapius fragilis can be found growing adjacent to each other in freshwater habitats in Maine.The characterization of these microalgae is necessary to study molecular pathways involved in endosymbiosis from the algal perspective. |
| Anna Barrow ’21 | Synthetic Studies of Linderfruticoside A | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Natural products have consistently been a point of interest for developing new medications and therapies. Isolated from Lindera fruticosa, a plant used in traditional medicine, Linderofruticoside A, is a natural product hypothesized to have medicinal benefits. This novel structure, consisting of a 13 membered lactone, disaccharide, and phenolic glycoside, has not be chemically synthesized and, to our knowledge, similar structures have not been identified in other natural products. The chemical synthesis of Linderofructoside A is required to study the biological activity of the molecule. Thus, a partial chemical synthesis of Linderofructoside A is described including the successful formation of the glycosidic bond between D-xylose and the gentisic acid. |
| Volney Spalding ’21 | Role of the pzn Gene Cluster in Biofilm Formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The pzn gene cluster is found in most microbes that colonize human skin and codes for three small molecules, pyrazinones. Previous studies have identified the pzn gene cluster as vital in biofilm formation. Bacteria like Staphylococcus epidermidis use biofilms to protect themselves from the harsh environment of the skin and the immune responses of the host. In order to determine the mechanism of pyrazinones in biofilm formation and potential targets for future treatments to bacterial infections, this experiment aimed to identify the concentrations of pyrazinones in S. epidermidis during different stages of biofilm production. |
| Dan Colombo ’21 | Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Caffeoyl-based Phenylpropanoid Glycosides | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Phenylpropanoid glycosides (PPGs) are a diverse group of secondary metabolites (SMs) produced in plants with well-documented anti-oxidant, and antimicrobial effects. Phenylpropanoids (PP) are SMs derived from phenylalanine; this group is one of the largest SMs in plants with many roles in their growth and development. This study is focused on the synthesis of novel PPGs substituted with a very common PP: caffeic acid. Methyl-D glucopyranoside underwent various organic protections combined with caffeoyl substitution to produce several molecules. These molecules were tested for antibacterial activity with zone of inhibition examinations, and a 96-well plate assay for minimum inhibitory concentration. |
| Tim Edson ’21 | Anchimeric Assistance of Orthoesters in Glycosylation | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The current method for glycosylation requires the following three time and resource consuming steps: activate the glycosyl donor with an acid, react it with the glycosyl acceptor, and then quench the reaction. Step economy is the process by which chemists analyze and optimize the course of their synthesis by reducing the number of steps. Step economy is employed to shorten this process through the use of anchimeric assistance from an orthoester. The orthoester works to prime the sugar for glycosylation. The hypothesis is tested by examining the results from different acids and lewis acids as well as different substrates. |
| Trisha Kibugi ’21 | Synthesis of Pyrazinone Products | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that is responsible for around 119,000 blood infections and nearly 20,000 deaths in 2017 in the United States. S. aureus is associated with the production of pyrazinone products and exhibits antibiotic resistance properties. Phevalin, one of the originally identified pyrazinone products, is produced by a biofilm in order to exist on the human skin and exhibits resistance to antibiotics. Current research has developed a chemical synthesis procedure for phevalin. In this study, we aim to synthesize pyrazinone products with a similar structure to phevalin using a procedure developed by Ramesh et al., in the synthesis of Phevalin. |
| Munashe Machoko ’21 | Computational Epitope Mapping of the Coronavirus | Michael Sommer, Chemistry and Biochemistry | COVID-19 is a highly infectious acute respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. On March 11, 2020, the disease was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization and as of August 17, 2020, over 21 million cases were reported with 774,000 deaths worldwide. The successful development of an effective vaccine depends on the identification of epitopes, which are antigenic sequences that can be identified by antibodies. In this work, we explore the use of computer algorithms to streamline epitope identification in antigens with emphasis on the coronavirus. |
| Olympia Fisher ’21 | Quantifying Changes in Snow Conditions and Water Equivalent as Result of Arctic Warming in Linnedalen, Svalbard | Michael Retelle, Earth and Climate Sciences | Warming in the high Arctic due to climate change has been accelerating, exemplified in the Svalbard Archipelago, where temperatures are expected to rise 10-13oC and precipitation 14% by 2100 as rain becomes dominant. Little is quantitively understood about how warming effects snow in the hydrologic cycle, yet it is expected that snow depth and duration of cover will decrease and melt-rate intensity will increase. This study quantifies the changing amount of snow and the subsequent acceleration of the water cycle through determining change in snow depth, melt-rate, density and water-equivalent in Linnedalen, a watershed on the western coast of Svalbard. |
| Will Jaekle ’21 | Studying the Physical Conditions of Ionized, Outflowing Gas for Galaxies in the MaNGA Survey | Aleksander Diamond-Stanic, Physics and Astronomy | The lifespan of a galaxy can be characterized through the energetic feedback cycles present until it is quenched. In this paper, I present a sample of ten galaxies that show clear evidence of radial outflows on the basis of emission-line kinematics. I analyze the relative strength of the emission lines from hydrogen, ionized oxygen, and ionized nitrogen in these galaxies to understand the physical conditions of the outflowing gas. By studying the source of ionization for this outflowing gas I intend to show the role star formation and stellar feedback plays in galactic evolution and the formation of outflows. |
| Sofia Edgar ’23 | Exploring Outflows, Dust, and Star Formation Rate Uncertainties in Compact Starburst Galaxies | Aleksander Diamond-Stanic, Physics and Astronomy | The universe forms stars inefficiently. A possible cause is the quenching of star formation by stellar feedback. We present results for a sample of compact starburst galaxies that provide insight into quenching by stellar feedback. We calculate the star formation rates of these galaxies using dust luminosities from infrared photometry and emission-line luminosities from optical spectroscopy. We also measure the amount of dust attenuation at optical wavelengths. We discuss the uncertainties and discrepancies in the measurement of star formation in the last 10 million years and in the last 100 million years in these galaxies. |
| Kieran Edmonds ’22 | Exploring Outflows, Dust, and Star Formation Rate Uncertainties in Compact Starburst Galaxies | Aleksander Diamond-Stanic, Physics and Astronomy | The universe forms stars inefficiently. A possible cause is the quenching of star formation by stellar feedback. We present results for a sample of compact starburst galaxies that provide insight into quenching by stellar feedback. We calculate the star formation rates of these galaxies using dust luminosities from infrared photometry and emission-line luminosities from optical spectroscopy. We also measure the amount of dust attenuation at optical wavelengths. We discuss the uncertainties and discrepancies in the measurement of star formation in the last 10 million years and in the last 100 million years in these galaxies. |
| Tasha Jones ’22 | Exploring Outflows, Dust, and Star Formation Rate Uncertainties in Compact Starburst Galaxies | Aleksander Diamond-Stanic, Physics and Astronomy | The universe forms stars inefficiently. A possible cause is the quenching of star formation by stellar feedback. We present results for a sample of compact starburst galaxies that provide insight into quenching by stellar feedback. We calculate the star formation rates of these galaxies using dust luminosities from infrared photometry and emission-line luminosities from optical spectroscopy. We also measure the amount of dust attenuation at optical wavelengths. We discuss the uncertainties and discrepancies in the measurement of star formation in the last 10 million years and in the last 100 million years in these galaxies. |
| Paul Chapman ’21 | Numerical Analysis of Dynamics of Vertical-cavity-surface-emitting Lasers with Optical Injection | Hong Lin, Physics and Astronomy | Vertical-cavity-surface-emitting-lasers (VCSELs) are a type of laser diodes that have many advantages over their edge-emitting counter parts, such as single longitudinal mode, circular beam profile, lower cost, and ease of fabrication. As a result, they are widely used in optic-data communications. My thesis is a numerical investigation of VCSELs when they are subject to optical injection. Our result shows that polarization switching occurs as the bias current reaches a certain value. Additionally, the output power can oscillate sinusoidally for certain regimes of injection power and frequency detuning. |
| Brooks Clement ’21 | Dynamics of a Semiconductor Laser Subject to Optical Feedback | Hong Lin, Physics and Astronomy | Semiconductor lasers are sensitive to optical feedback. This optical feedback, often unavoidable in applications, is a portion of laser beam reflected back to the laser. We have studied numerically a semiconductor laser with optical feedback, which is modeled by Lang-Kobayashi equations, with a focus on the effect of delay time of optical feedback. Our data show that feedback can trigger irregular fluctuations and power spectrum is a good tool to reveal frequency components in the fluctuations. These frequencies are determined by the delay time of feedback light. |
| Reimagining Eden: Midrashic Meanderings in the Primordial Garden | Cynthia Baker, Religious Studies, moderator | |
| Matt Suslovic ’21 | Reimagining Eden: Midrashic Meanderings in the Primordial Garden | Cynthia Baker, Religious Studies | “Midrash” is a creative practice of biblical interpretation that seeks to “fill in the gaps,” ask the hard questions, and/or imaginatively re-envision plots and characters from the Bible in pursuit of deeper insights. This panel features midrash writers from GS/RE 207, Eve, Adam, and the Serpent, who share their “creations on Creation” and reflect on the process of conceiving, giving form to, and learning from such biblical renderings. |
| Khushi Choudhary ’23 | Reimagining Eden: Midrashic Meanderings in the Primordial Garden | Cynthia Baker, Religious Studies | “Midrash” is a creative practice of biblical interpretation that seeks to “fill in the gaps,” ask the hard questions, and/or imaginatively re-envision plots and characters from the Bible in pursuit of deeper insights. This panel features midrash writers from GS/RE 207, Eve, Adam, and the Serpent, who share their “creations on Creation” and reflect on the process of conceiving, giving form to, and learning from such biblical renderings. |
| Anna Maheu ’21 | Reimagining Eden: Midrashic Meanderings in the Primordial Garden | Cynthia Baker, Religious Studies | “Midrash” is a creative practice of biblical interpretation that seeks to “fill in the gaps,” ask the hard questions, and/or imaginatively re-envision plots and characters from the Bible in pursuit of deeper insights. This panel features midrash writers from GS/RE 207, Eve, Adam, and the Serpent, who share their “creations on Creation” and reflect on the process of conceiving, giving form to, and learning from such biblical renderings. |
| Contemporary Social Issues: Sociological Perspectives | Emily Kane, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Emma Bouchey ’21 | Queerness for Kids: A Content Analysis of LGBTQ Picture Books | Emily Kane, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Layla Dozier ’21 | The Kingdom of God on Earth: An Analysis of Black Space and Place through Father Divine | Marcelle Medford, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Lily Edelman-Gold ’21 | A Comparative Analysis of Media Rhetoric in Response to the Capitol Hill Attack on January 6, 2021 | Benjamin Moodie, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Genesis Paulino ’21 | “Las cosas pueden solucionarse hablando”: An Analysis of the Economic Circumstances of Cuba through the Cuban and United States Student Lens | Emily Kane, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Abby Ryan ’21 | Gender and Education: What Do Teachers Believe about the Gender Differences in Teaching? | Emily Kane, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Aidan Temperino ’21 | Understanding the State of Harm Reduction: Challenges to Implementation in Rural Maine | Heidi Taylor, Sociology | In this panel, sociology thesis researchers shed light on a variety of contemporary social issues: economic and racial injustices, the opioid epidemic, media rhetoric, and gender and sexuality-related experiences. Reporting on research using a range of social science methods including content analysis, qualitative interviews, and case studies, they frame their projects in the context of key social institutions such as education, law, religion, public policy, health care systems, and intersecting social inequalities both within and between nations. |
| Arts and Humanities: Expression, Perception, Appropriation | Jakub Kazecki, German and Russian Studies, moderator | |
| Oliver Russell ’21 | Deutsches Blut und japanischer Boden: Arnold Fanck’s Die Tochter des Samurai as a Reflection of National Socialist Values | Jakub Kazecki, German and Russian Studies | This analysis of Arnold Fanck’s 1937 film Die Tochter des Samurai attempts to place the picture in the broader trends of German and Japanese concepts of exceptionalism. The film is either a reflection of the cultural chauvinism and Orientalist thought that dominated German and Japanese discourse or a repudiation of said forces. Is Die Tochter des Samurai a reflection of uniquely National Socialist values and anxieties transplanted into a Japanese setting, or a repudiation of Germany’s position and an examination of the multi-polar German-Japanese relationship of the Interwar Period? |
| Jack Cantor ’23 | Dancing with Light: Photographic Approaches to Wilderness | Cynthia Baker, Religious Studies | A photograph is characterized by light, color, and subject. I explore my photography journey by delving into the evolution of my approaches to chasing the best light in Maine. Last fall, I had almost died when I developed hypothermia while on an alpine shoot. Hours later, I continued trekking despite the close call. That moment changed the way I interact with my environment; it shows in my work. I conclude by discussing the value of respect for one’s subject in any artistic endeavor. I argue that the most meaningful photographs are characterized by intimate connection with the environment. |
| Maya Benziger ’22 | Reality, Artificiality, and the World of K/DA | Gina Fatone, Music | In 2018, Riot Entertainment, the company behind the massively popular video game League of Legends, released a promotional video for new content coming in the game. Rather than the typical advertising trailer, Riot instead debuted K/DA, a brand new k-pop band made up of popular League of Legends champions. Their music videos quickly became a phenomenon. The purpose of this ethnography is to investigate how the K/DA music group has been received, accepted, and/or rejected by League of Legends players, particularly in the context of the group’s k-pop genre, parasocial internet presence, and advertisement origins. |
| STEM II: Research in Biochemistry and Chemistry | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry, moderator | |
| Nicole Kumbula ’21 | Characterization of Structural Origin of the Compositionally Dependent Viscosity of Aluminosilicate through Scattering Techniques | Geneva Laurita, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The study of magma is essential in understanding how our planet was formed and has evolved overtime. During a volcanic eruption, the cooling and rate of flow of the magma is crucial in implementing evacuation protocols. Viscosity determines this flow. Experiments conducted in Professor Geneviève Robert’s laboratory (Department of Earth and Climate Sciences) have shown that viscosity is dependent on the sample’s composition. In this study we use aluminosilicate glass samples that resemble magmatic material. The goal of this inorganic chemistry and earth sciences work is to characterize the structural origin of the compositionally dependent viscosity thorough scattering techniques such as x-ray and neutron pair distribution function. |
| Martha Bishop ’21 | The Roles of TCF4 and TET2 in Learning and Memory Disorders | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Learning and memory disorders affect millions worldwide, and one way to alleviate the myriad of diseases is to understand the mechanism of memory. Pitt Hopkins Syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder that is caused by haploinsufficiency of Transcription Factor 4 (Tcf4), which results in upregulation of Ten-Eleven Translocation-2 (TET2), an epigenome modifying protein. TET2 is the protein implicated in the memory phenotype present in patients with a mutation in Tcf4. This hypothesis will be tested using an array of behavioral and biochemical assays to help elucidate the interaction between these two proteins, and their effect on learning and memory. |
| Mallory Caron ’21 | What If You Could Never Forget? Engram-specific TET2 Knockout Leads to Selective Memory Enhancement | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Memory is intimately tied to identity, making diseases of learning and memory particularly devastating. While the complete mechanisms of memory are not yet understood, it is known that epigenetic modifications are made to a specific network of neurons, an engram, when learning occurs. It is predicted that the removal of methylation marks by the Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) family of enzymes facilitates forgetting; conversely, a TET2 knockout is expected to result in an enhanced memory phenotype. This hypothesis will be interrogated by running transgenic mice with conditional TET2 knockouts through behavioral paradigms and utilizing fluorescent microscopy to map engrams.
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| Nick White ’21 | Computational Modeling of TET Inhibitors and Synthesis of New Leads | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | DNA methylation is an epigenetic marker that has important implications in long-term memory. The reverse process is achieved via the TET family of enzymes. Disruption of transcription of these enzymes is a hallmark of multiple cancers. Moreover, there seems to be a connection between TET enzymes and detrimental effects on long-term memory. Chua et al. have published a library of first-generation, cytosine-based TET enzyme inhibitors. The current lead shows only mid micromolar inhibitory activity. Therefore, optimization is necessary. This thesis uses computational modeling to explore novel TET enzyme inhibitors and describes the synthesis of new leads. |
| Uninvited Dance Partner: Creative Endeavors in a Pandemic | Carol Dilley, Theater and Dance, moderator | |
| Ellie Friends ’21 | Uninvited Dance Partner: Creative Endeavors in a Pandemic | Carol Dilley, Theater and Dance | This panel includes student choreographers working on thesis and independent studies in dance. They share how they have developed their dance-making processes, and how this semester has brought unique challenges and opportunities in considering how to dance with others and share movement in creative ways. Choreographic projects include developing somatic practices in response to trauma, negotiating the histories of appropriation and delegitimization of hiphop dance, and utilizing video and theatricality in dance performance. |
| Erick Gredonia ’21 | Uninvited Dance Partner: Creative Endeavors in a Pandemic | Carol Dilley, Theater and Dance | This panel includes student choreographers working on thesis and independent studies in dance. They share how they have developed their dance-making processes, and how this semester has brought unique challenges and opportunities in considering how to dance with others and share movement in creative ways. Choreographic projects include developing somatic practices in response to trauma, negotiating the histories of appropriation and delegitimization of hiphop dance, and utilizing video and theatricality in dance performance. |
| Isabel Honigman ’22 | Uninvited Dance Partner: Creative Endeavors in a Pandemic | Carol Dilley, Theater and Dance | This panel includes student choreographers working on thesis and independent studies in dance. They share how they have developed their dance-making processes, and how this semester has brought unique challenges and opportunities in considering how to dance with others and share movement in creative ways. Choreographic projects include developing somatic practices in response to trauma, negotiating the histories of appropriation and delegitimization of hiphop dance, and utilizing video and theatricality in dance performance. |
| Talia Kurlansky ’22 | Uninvited Dance Partner: Creative Endeavors in a Pandemic | Carol Dilley, Theater and Dance | This panel includes student choreographers working on thesis and independent studies in dance. They share how they have developed their dance-making processes, and how this semester has brought unique challenges and opportunities in considering how to dance with others and share movement in creative ways. Choreographic projects include developing somatic practices in response to trauma, negotiating the histories of appropriation and delegitimization of hiphop dance, and utilizing video and theatricality in dance performance. |
| Lauren Reed ’23 | Uninvited Dance Partner: Creative Endeavors in a Pandemic | Carol Dilley, Theater and Dance | This panel includes student choreographers working on thesis and independent studies in dance. They share how they have developed their dance-making processes, and how this semester has brought unique challenges and opportunities in considering how to dance with others and share movement in creative ways. Choreographic projects include developing somatic practices in response to trauma, negotiating the histories of appropriation and delegitimization of hiphop dance, and utilizing video and theatricality in dance performance. |
| Poster Session III | | |
| Alexander Berzansky ’21 | Plasmonic Generation of Second and Third Order Optical Nonlinear Harmonics through the Utilization of Shape Controlled Gold and Silver Nanostructures | Matthew Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Single crystalline gold and silver nanostructures are ideal for our plasmonics research due to their low optical losses in the visible and infrared wavelengths and their propensity for self-nucleation. Through the use of a high-speed infrared laser, we create an oscillating electromagnetic field that excites electrons within the surface of gold or silver into a propagating charge density wave, known as a surface plasmon polariton. After propagation through the nanostructure, surface plasmons emit photons with nonlinear optical properties. This project focuses on controlling the growth of silver and gold nanostructures in a solution-phase synthesis in order to optimize and control the generation of nonlinear optical harmonics. |
| Jhansi Kolli ’21 | Localization of rpoA, rpsM, and rrp1 within the Structural Constraints of B. Burgdorferi using FISH and STED Microscopy | Paula Schlax, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the United States with an estimated 300,000 people a year infected. This widespread tick-specific disease is induced by Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes. Previous research has recently established a link between transcript location and gene function within prokaryotic organisms. To further assess the role of the three genes: rrp1, rpsM, and rpoA within the spirochete Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) and Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopy (STED) were used to image mRNA transcripts within the narrow structural constraints of borrelia. STED images generated revealed localization patterns of Rrp1 and rpsM transcripts similar to those that have been established in E. coli. No interpretable images were produced for rpoA transcripts. These findings further increase our understanding of the regulation, degradation, and role of these essential genes in B. burgdorferi and create the possibility of new antibiotic targets. |
| Brian Boitnott ’21 | Laser-Induced Plasmonics and Nonlinear Optical Effects in Gold Nanoparticles | Matthew Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | When laser light interacts with gold nanostructures, it can couple with free-electrons on the surface of the metal. In specific conditions, the resulting charge density waves, also called surface plasmons, can generate nonlinear optical effects. Control over the direction of these surface plasmons and the nonlinear optical behavior can be accomplished by controlling the incident angle of the laser beam and placement of the laser light on the gold nanostructure. Imaging techniques, including Fourier plane imaging, are used to demonstrate this optical behavior. |
| Sam Britner ’21 | Plasmonic Behavior on Gold Nanostructures through Scanning Near-Field Microscopy | Matthew Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Using an infrared (IR) laser incident on gold nanostructures, the excitation of a charge density wave or surface plasmon polariton (SPP) is possible. Nonlinear optical properties are observed experimentally, but it is unknown if the plasmon is generated by the IR laser or a second or third harmonic. The goal of this project is to better understand this plasmonic behavior present on our samples through use of scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) through a fine fiberoptic tip physically close to the gold sample. |
| Brittany Seipp ’21 | Synthesizing TET Enzyme Inhibitors: Hydroxymethyl Derivatives of Bobcat 339 | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | It is hypothesized that epigenetic mechanisms, and in particular, DNA methylation, can help explain the changes in gene expression associated with long-term memory formation in the central nervous system. However, the TET family of enzymes reverse DNA methylation by oxidizing 5mC, causing the hydroxymethyl to fall off the cytosine and loss in memory consolidation. These TET enzymes have been found in patients who suffer from memory-related illnesses such as Pitt Hopkins Syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. Through medical chemistry and neuro-epigenetic approaches, I designed and synthesized small molecules that can potentially serve as a drug that inhibits the function of TET enzymes. Starting with Bobcat 339, our lab’s current most effective molecule, I am working on creating a hydroxymethyl derivative positioned at the ortho position to have TET enzymes bind at a lower micromolar level. |
| Ben Goldberg ’21 | The Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of a Novel TET2 Inhibitor, and Its Potential Therapeutic Use | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The Kennedy lab has discovered and synthesized a novel TET2 inhibitor with therapeutic potential. The TET enzymes work to demethylate DNA, and are thought to be vital in memory consolidation, as knockout animal models show that animals not expressing TET2 have improved memory. We have worked with this novel inhibitor, Bobcat339, to assess the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, in the hopes of learning what the molecules penetrance into the brain is, and in vivo half life. Hopefully, these data can be used in subsequent experiments to both better design dosing regimens to examine the therapeutic potential of Bobcat339, and can be used to inform decisions regarding the synthesis of potentially more effective inhibitors. |
| Allen Schroeder ’21 | The Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of a Novel TET2 Inhibitor, and Its Potential Therapeutic Use | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The Kennedy lab has discovered and synthesized a novel TET2 inhibitor with therapeutic potential. The TET enzymes work to demethylate DNA, and are thought to be vital in memory consolidation, as knockout animal models show that animals not expressing TET2 have improved memory. We have worked with this novel inhibitor, Bobcat339, to assess the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, in the hopes of learning what the molecules penetrance into the brain is, and in vivo half life. Hopefully, these data can be used in subsequent experiments to both better design dosing regimens to examine the therapeutic potential of Bobcat339, and can be used to inform decisions regarding the synthesis of potentially more effective inhibitors. |
| Wuyue Zhou ’21 | The Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of a Novel TET2 Inhibitor, and Its Potential Therapeutic Use | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The Kennedy lab has discovered and synthesized a novel TET2 inhibitor with therapeutic potential. The TET enzymes work to demethylate DNA, and are thought to be vital in memory consolidation, as knockout animal models show that animals not expressing TET2 have improved memory. We have worked with this novel inhibitor, Bobcat339, to assess the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, in the hopes of learning what the molecules penetrance into the brain is, and in vivo half life. Hopefully, these data can be used in subsequent experiments to both better design dosing regimens to examine the therapeutic potential of Bobcat339, and can be used to inform decisions regarding the synthesis of potentially more effective inhibitors. |
| Eli Mihan ’21 | Development of Methods for Obtaining Catalytically Active E3 Ubiquitin Ligases ARIH1, ARIH2, and DTX3L through Induction in E. coli | T. Glen Lawson, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The encephalomyocarditis virus 3C protease is marked for degradation by the ubiquitin system. The ubiquitin pathway utilizes multiple unique E3 ubiquitin ligases to specifically catalyze a covalent bond between ubiquitin and 3C protease. In these experiments we attempted to obtain properly folded E3 proteins to determine how the E3s ARIH1, ARIH2, and DTX3L interact, through kinetic analysis, to attach ubiquitin to 3C protease. Plasmids encoding the three E3’s were introduced in E. coli and induced at varying temperatures. Inducing in E. coli at varying temperatures may yield kinetically active proteins without the need for eukaryotic cell cultures. |
| Sofia Esquibies ’21 | Identification of the Encephalomyocarditis Virus 3C Protease Catalytic Acidic Amino Acid | T. Glen Lawson, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Picornaviruses are positive-sense RNA viruses that impact both human and veterinary health. The encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) primarily infects animals. The EMCV genome encodes large polyproteins, and 3C proteases are initially synthesized within these polyproteins. Their cleavage activity produces functional proteins significant for viral genome replication, including mature 3C proteases. Picornavirus 3C proteases contain a catalytic triad composed of a conserved Cys-His dyad and an acidic amino acid. In the EMCV 3C protease, the acidic amino acid has not been identified. Our aim was to identify the acidic amino acid in the EMCV 3C protease catalytic triad by using site-directed mutagenesis, purifying the proteins from expressing E. coli cells, and then testing for catalytic activity in a reconstituted in vitro system. |
| Ellie Murphy ’21 | The Trajectory of Algal-based Biofuel Production Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Editing to Mitigate Public Health Risks Associated with Crude Oil Extraction and Refinement | T. Glen Lawson, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The climate crisis poses serious threats to global public and environmental health. Rising carbon dioxide levels, coupled with a radical depletion of fossil fuel sources, have increased the urgency for the development of alternative energy sources. Algae prove to be a promising source of alternative energy, and can produce fuel-relevant molecules that can be harvested and refined to replace fossil fuel derivatives. Use of the novel CRISPR/Cas9 genetic modification tool has increased algal lipid accumulation, and serves as a promising technology to create more efficient algae for use in full-scale biofuel production. Genetic modifications made to algae have improved lipid yield, and serve to mitigate current public health crises that threaten communities in close contact to fossil fuel extraction and refinement. |
| Katherine Towle ’21 | Biofilm Formation and Growth Behavior of Several Strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis | Colleen O’Loughlin, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Staph infections are notoriously nasty and difficult to treat, with the CDC reporting 119,000 cases and 20,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2017 alone. Though Staphylococcus aureus is a familiar name in this realm, its less famous relative Staphylococcus epidermidis is responsible for a growing number of implant device and surgical site infections. We investigate the small molecule signaling and environmental conditions that turn this harmless and essential skin-dwelling species into an opportunistic pathogen. Understanding how bacterial cells communicate with each other and regulate gene expression may be the key to future treatments that bypass traditional antibiotics. |
| Xing Wang ’21 | Biofilm Formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis in Skin Stress Conditions | Colleen O’Loughlin, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Bacteria form biofilms of extracellular matrices to adhere to each other and surfaces in their environment. Composed of carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids, biofilms can protect bacteria from antibiotics by trapping and degrading antimicrobial molecules. We are interested in how bacteria produce and utilize biofilms in response to stress conditions. Specifically, we investigated four strains of a skin commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis. We grew S.epidermidis in minimal media with acidic pH, lipid, and salt which mimics our skin stress conditions. We then determined the amount of biofilm formed discovering that these four strains responded very differently to each stress resulting in altered levels of biofilms formed. |
| Rowan Cutler ’21 | Using Fluorescence Nanoscopy to Study RNA Localization in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Spirochete that Causes Lyme Disease | Paula Schlax, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The spatial arrangement of RNA localization plays a role in the expression and turnover of transcripts in B. burgdorferi, including those that are involved in its virulence and pathogenicity. RNA localization was experimented with by using techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization with RNA polymerase subunits and regulatory Factors, using RNA aptamers through induction, and imaging using stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy. Throughout experimentation, it will be determined whether RNA transcripts distribute themselves along the full length of B. burgdorferi cells or localize at the poles, septa of dividing cells or are concentrated at other foci within the cells. |
| Gabi Gucagaite ’21 | Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression by SpoVG in the Lyme Disease Causing Agent, Borrelia burgdorferi | Paula Schlax, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Post-transcriptional control imposed by protein SpoVG in Borrelia burgdorferi, a Lyme disease causing agent, is not well understood. It is well established that SpoVG binds DNA loci specific to VlsE protein, which is an important virulence factor. In order to test the hypothesis that SpoVG specifically binds vlsE mRNA transcripts, we performed mobility shift assays to assess the binding constants for the said interaction. After a comparison with a control, we determined that SpoVG does not impose direct post-transcriptional control vlsE as no specific binding was observed. We further investigate if SpoVG imposes direct negative post-transcriptional control on itself. |
| Prarthana Mocherla ’21 | The Role of the RNA Binding Protein SpoVG in Post-Transcriptional Regulation of the Lyme Disease-Causing Spirochete B. burgdorferi | Paula Schlax, Chemistry and Biochemistry | The post-transcriptional control imposed by the protein SpoVG of the Lyme disease-causing spirochete B. burgdorferi is not understood well. It has been established that SpoVG binds to DNA specific to the VlsE protein, which is responsible for spirochete’s ability to evade the immune response. The Schalx lab is testing whether SpoVG specifically binds to VlsE mRNA transcripts using mobility shift assays to determine the binding constants for the interaction. Comparison with a control showed no direct post-transcriptional control imposed by SpoVG on VlsE mRNA. Further investigations are being conducted for whether SpoVG imposes negative post-transcriptional control on itself. |
| Hannah Beams ’21 | Exploration of Small Molecule Regulation of Fluorescent Aptamers in Selective in vitro S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH) Assay | Paula Schlax, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Fluorescent aptamers open doors to different areas in biochemical research. The in vitro assay developed by Su et al. to monitor SAH levels was replicated in Paula Schlax’s laboratory at Bates College. In this thesis, the assay investigates the change in fluorescence of the cpSpinach2 aptamer when it forms a complex with the Aeh1-4 SAH riboswitch and the cpSpinahch2’s fluorophore DFHBI. Due to the system’s known dependence on Mg2+ concentration as well as the Mg2+ ion’s ability to stabilize the folding of a pseudoknot, further work analyzing the correlation between this system and Mg2+ concentrations would be interesting. |
| Politics and Economics: Identity, Persuasion, and Behavior | Jiyoung Ko, Politics, moderator | |
| Jacob Nishimura ’21 | Does Rural Mean Red? A Case Study of Rural America and How the Modern Democratic Party Can Win | John Baughman, Politics | When we think of rural America, we think of Red. Why do rural areas tend to vote Republican? What do the exceptions tell us about rural politics? And can progressive or Democratic candidates actually win in this modern era of partisanship? This case study of rural congressional districts addresses these questions and proposes a framework by which Democrats can win in rural America, focusing on the rise of conservative media and its saturation in rural communities. |
| Shane Ward ’21 | National Identity and Nuclear Modernization in a “Global Britain” | Jiyoung Ko, Politics | In 2006 the United Kingdom announced its intention to upgrade its existing fleet of nuclear weapons-capable submarines and participate in warhead and missile renewal programs alongside the United States. Despite being a self-proclaimed leader in nuclear disarmament, the U.K. has repeatedly shied away from eliminating its Trident nuclear program, going so far as to announce in 2021 a first warhead stockpile increase since the Cold War. My thesis examines the U.K.’s nuclear policy and rhetoric in light of a British national identity crisis, further visible in its invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its decision to leave the European Union in 2016. |
| Kerry Manuel ’21 | The Politics of Outer Space | Melinda Plastas, Gender and Sexuality Studies | For my senior thesis, I am conducting research on how outer space is currently governed, by whom, and whether it is sustainable for the future. I also am studying the privatization and commercialization of space flight and whether it will change the landscape of who has access to outer space and if outer space really is “a common heritage of mankind.” |
| Kevin Downing ’21 | How Have Investors’ Perceptions Changed? Reexamining the Explanatory Factors of Stock Returns | Julieta Yung, Economics | In my research, I reexamined the results of the Fama French asset pricing model. Their fundamental discovery was that, in the long run, value stocks outperform growth stocks. When this model is applied to current data, using rolling window regressions, their conclusions no longer hold. My results show that, for the last decade, the explanatory power of their model has significantly diminished. The fact that this model’s performance is time-varying points to an interesting, largely under-recognized, concept in financial economics: the idea that investors’ perceptions are time-varying. |
| New Perspectives on Chinese and Japanese Texts and Popular Culture | Gina Fatone, Music and Asian Studies, moderator | |
| Tyler Simmons ’21 | Authorship of Li Qingzhao’s Anthology: A Computational Approach | Chao Ling, Asian Studies | Li Qingzhao is one of China’s most famous premodern female poets. She is said to have read and composed thousands of poems. However, today, her entire anthology only contains less than one hundred separate works and many of these poems entered her collection several hundred years after her death. There is good reason to speculate that some of the works attributed to Li Qingzho were written by people imitating her work. This thesis explores the authorship of Li Qingzhao’s anthology by using computational techniques and discusses their implications and significance. Some of the computational devices include bag of words and other similarity finding techniques. Although many of these tests are interesting, there are many limitations and issues with using these to explore authorship. The goal of this thesis is to explore the role of computation in authorship determination, and the significance of that authorship. |
| Dj Hyman ’21 | The Language that Surrounds LGBT Conversations in China | Chao Ling, Asian Studies | Within China’s long history exists encounters involving the discourse about the act and social reaction to homosexual relationships. In my presentation I talk about the linguistic history and cultural-political background of homosexual vocabulary in modern and contemporary China. I want to explicate how certain phrases are modified and invented to meet the needs of the new social phenomena and how they contribute to the public awareness of the LGBTQ+ community. The three main points show the different forces that have influenced contemporary Chinese homosexuality, namely, tongzhi and domestic politics, lala and gender theory, and duanbeishan and Western popular culture. |
| Noah Cowper ’21 | Neon Genesis Evangelion and Struggles in Growing Up | Keiko Konoeda, Asian Studies | This thesis presentation is an exploration of how the popular 1995 anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, portrays what it is like for Japanese teenagers to grow up and find their place in the world. It is a close look at two of the main characters’ identity and relationship developments through the lens of research in the cultural psychology of Japanese youth. In the analysis, special emphasis is placed on the characters’ concrete struggles, movement in identity development stages, and the role of relationships and interdependence in their identity development. |
| Wil Osher ’22 | Language and Culture in Japanese Rap | Keiko Konoeda, Asian Studies | Beyond just being popular and fun to listen to, Japanese rap is particularly interesting for linguistic, musical, and cultural reasons. Far from being simply an imitation, Japanese rap has unique features that differentiate it from American rap as well as other Japanese music. More importantly, however, is the fact that there are unique features at every level, from subcultures to how words are used in song composition with interesting parallels despite the broad differences from one artist to another. |
| Psychology II: Perception and Bias | Todd Kahan, Psychology, moderator | |
| Rex Hirschhorn ’21 | Aging’s Effect on Perceived Consonance and Dissonance | Todd Kahan, Psychology | The current study seeks to examine the difference in perceived consonance (pleasant-sounding stimuli) and dissonance (unpleasant-sounding stimuli) of harmonic dyads and tetrachords among different age groups. Furthermore, this study looks to use the overtone series to create a model that may predict a person’s perceived pleasantness of any given harmony. The results revealed no significant difference between the two age groups’ perceived pleasantness ratings. However, the perceived pleasantness of corresponding tetrachords and dyads were almost always significantly different. Additionally, the overtone series model significantly predicted the perceived pleasantness of all presented dyads and tetrachords. |
| Katie Abramowitz ’21 | The Influence of Racial Bias on Peremptory Challenge Use and Potential Consequences for Juror Attitudes | Amy Douglass, Psychology | In two studies, we tested a series of questions related to race and the peremptory challenge, a legal tool for attorneys to exclude jurors without providing an explanation. In Study 1, we found that participants taking on the role of a prosecutor were more likely to exclude a Black juror than a White juror, but gave race-neutral rationales for their decisions. The effect of race was eliminated, however, when participants were warned not to use race as a basis for excluding jurors. In Study 2, we examined the effects of race-based exclusions on participants taking on the role of a juror.
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| Theater Makers II: Directing | Michael Reidy, Theater and Dance, moderator | |
| Luis David Molina Rueda ’21 | The Girl Who Was Cyrano: Argentinian Queer Theater for Children in Translation | Baltasar Fra-Molinero, Latin American Studies | This presenation includes a semi-staged play in video, followed by Q&A with student translator, dramaturg, and director. Valentina travels back to her childhood. Her best friend Mateo is moving out of the neighborhood, which upsets Valentina. A new girl, Roxie, moves into the neighborhood. Valentina and Roxie become inseparable. Valentina writes letters to her new friend Roxie under a boy’s pen name. The exchange of letters grows as she is faced with emotions she can’t understand. She is in love with another girl. Inspired by Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, Guille Baldo reworks the classic into telling a queer love story for children. |
| Kush Sharma ’23 | Theater on Zoom: My Directorial Debut at Bates | Michael Reidy, Theater and Dance | Theater majors who are on the directing track, make their directorial debut at Bates with a short one-act play, which they direct as a part of an independent study in directing. In Fall 2020, I conducted this independent study. What made it difficult was to work with a completely different medium to produce the Bates theater and dance department’s first “Zoom Show” In this presentation, I share my experience of directing a Zoom Show, the challenges we encountered, and my journey as a BIPOC student majoring in theater. |
| Student Teaching during COVID-19 | Mara Tieken, Education, moderator | |
| Kali Brown ’21 | Student Teaching during COVID-19 | Mara Tieken, Education | What is it like to learn how to teach during COVID times when you have to be six feet from students and they themselves must be distanced? Or you may wonder what it is like to connect with a student through Zoom and on a virtual level, never having met them in person. At Bates, we learn how to become educators during a difficult time in our lives and are working within the Maine Teaching Standards as a guiding principle. This presentation will provide insights into planning instruction within CDC guidelines and developing assessment through our school placements’ curriculum constructs. |
| Travis Palmer ’21 | Student Teaching during COVID-19 | Mara Tieken, Education | What is it like to learn how to teach during COVID times when you have to be six feet from students and they themselves must be distanced? Or you may wonder what it is like to connect with a student through Zoom and on a virtual level, never having met them in person. At Bates, we learn how to become educators during a difficult time in our lives and are working within the Maine Teaching Standards as a guiding principle. This presentation will provide insights into planning instruction within CDC guidelines and developing assessment through our school placements’ curriculum constructs. |
| Poster Session IV | | |
| Sarah Raphael ’21 | Why We Need Translingualism: An Antiracist Approach in the Writing Center | Daniel Sanford, Academic Resource Commons & Writing at Bates | In higher education institutions, where Standard American English (SAE) is frequently enforced to the exclusion of other languages, multilingual students are forced to navigate systemic issues of linguistic discrimination and linguistic racism (Baker-Bell 2020). For this project, I surveyed and interviewed students at Bates College, who identify as multilingual, multidialectal, and multicultural to investigate whether and how these students experience these pervasive issues. Based on the research findings and theoretical concepts, I drafted trainings for peer tutors in the Bates Writing Center that utilized translingual and antiracist approaches. As a pedagogical tool, tanslingualism supports the idea that speakers of more than one language or dialect cannot only shuttle in and out of tongues and codes, but also utilize their fluencies as interconnected resources (Lu and Horner 2013). As a practice, translingualism fosters opportunities to dismantle language biases and address linguistic racism that can be implemented in the Writing Center. |
| Ian Robertson ’21 | Eddies and Florida Current Variability Impacts on Ocean Energy Potential in the Florida Straits | Katharine Ott, Mathematics | The Florida Current is one of the most powerful and accessible ocean currents in the world. While highly consistent, it induces the frequent spin-off of eddies causing current reversals and energy fluctuations, which could significantly impact harvesting of hydrokinetic energy. This study investigated the potential for hydrokinetic energy generation from the Florida Current, focusing on patterns of eddies, energy availability, and current variability using a high-resolution regional ocean model (ROMS). Compared with data, ROMS reasonably simulated the spatial-temporal patterns of the current, and its energy availability estimates were in line with but somewhat higher than the data collected offshore. |
| Eliza Fischer ’21 | The Black Scholes Equation: Exploring Partial Differential Equations in Finance | Katharine Ott, Mathematics | In this project I explore solutions of a partial differential equation known as the Black Scholes Equation. The Black Scholes equation was published in the 1970s and has numerous applications. It is best known for its application to finance, where it is used to calculate the price of European-style call options. The project begins with studying solutions to the heat equation utilizing Fourier Analysis. These methods are then adapted to the setting of the Black Scholes equation. |
| Josiah Krul ’21 | Escapism as a Motivation for Media Consumption amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic | Amy Douglass, Psychology | The purpose of this study is to assess escapism through media consumption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (N = 270) recruited from CloudResearch consider the impacts of the pandemic by indicating potential changes in overall life satisfaction since the pandemic began, general reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, and general tendencies toward escapism. Participants indicate the degree to which they engage with media and their motives for engaging with those media outlets. We expect that negative reactions to the pandemic will increase the extent to which people use media as a mechanism for a temporary escape from the real world. In particular, we predict life satisfaction assessments will mediate the relationship between reactions to the pandemic and escapism. |
| Dale Braza ’21 | The Effect of Clothing and Camera Angles on a Suspect’s Perceived Guiltiness | Amy Douglass, Psychology | The aim of my research is to explore the impact of clothing on perceptions. This is relevant in contexts such as the judicial system. In the research, observers evaluate a video of an individual being interrogated. The suspect wears one of three types of clothing: civilian clothing, a prison uniform, and a nurse’s scrub. In addition to the clothing manipulation, the camera angleis varied, because previous research shows that cameras focused on a suspect (as opposed to equally on a suspect and interrogator) increase perceptions that a confession was voluntary (Lassiter, Diamond, Schmidt, & Elek, 2007). |
| Ellie Vance ’21 | The Effect of Attributional Information on Public Perception of Radicalized Extremists | Amy Douglass, Psychology | People recruited by extremist groups sometimes disavow the ideology of these groups after law enforcement intervention. The current research assesses how these individuals are perceived. Participants read one of six scenarios about a convicted female terrorist in which explanations for her behavior are manipulated: dispositional explanation, situation explanation, or neither. There also are two ideology type conditions: jihadist and white supremacist. I predict that situational explanations will generate more positive assessments of the individual across both types of ideology. This research is important because public perception can help deradicalization programs further understand former extremists’ barriers to reentering society. |
| Nicky Longo ’21 | Intellectual Property Law’s Influence on Creativity | Amy Douglass, Psychology | The present study explores the common perception that intellectual property law bolsters creativity. Through a qualitative interview measure, the research assess motivations for creativity. Through a quantitative mTurk online survey, the research tests the impact of intellectual property law on creativity. |
| Dan Brady ’21 | The Effects of Meditation Practice on Brain Structure | Todd Kahan, Psychology | Many differences in brain structure have been found when comparing meditators and non-meditators in various studies. My literature review shows that consistent findings include increases in gray matter volume in the hippocampus, dACC, right anterior insula, and left inferior temporal gyrus. It is theorized that practicing mental and body awareness may improve meditator’s pain tolerance, attention, and episodic memory through changes to these and other brain regions. Additionally, individuals with thousands of hours of practice over many years appear to be able to avoid much of the gray matter volume loss that is typical with aging. |
| Maya Matlack ’21 | Warning, Instagram Can Seriously Harm Your Mental Health: Development of a Dissonance Intervention to Protect against Instagram-Related Body Image Dissatisfaction | Susan Langdon, Psychology | In Western societies, many women experience negative outcomes due to body image dissatisfaction, which can be exacerbated by the use of Instagram. On Instagram, users may post photos where their body is manipulated to look thinner, and interact with followers through likes and comments. Both of these behaviors on Instagram have been associated with increased body image dissatisfaction. Previous research has displayed online cognitive dissonance interventions can improve body image. The current study tests two online cognitive dissonance interventions, specifically targeted toward Instagram-related body image dissatisfaction. In the first study, 120 female-identifying subjects, recruited from Bates College and Prolific, were randomly assigned to a cognitive dissonance intervention focused on photo manipulation, online feedback, or a control. In the second study, 60 participants recruited from Bates College only were randomly assigned to either the cognitive dissonance intervention focused on online feedback, or the control. Mixed model repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze if participants in the dissonance conditions significantly reduce their thin-ideal internalization, state body image dissatisfaction, and self-objectification, and significantly increase their body appreciation, compared to the control. The study contributes to the current research on Instagram and body image, and highlights distinctions in the efficacy between body image interventions regarding traditional media and social media. |
| So Kim ’21 | Female Athletic Uniforms and Body Image | Susan Langdon, Psychology | This study examines the relationship between female athletic uniforms and body image. Past research about body image and uniforms have primarily been negative, however thesis research by Matt Charest ’19 contradicted these findings and found that there are body positivity aspects to uniforms. This study builds off his thesis, and so the purpose is to assess whether female athletic uniforms can be associated with body positivity. Participants were primed with negative or positive research about uniforms and body image. We expect to find that with the positive prime, there will be higher scores in the body appreciation and body functionality measures. |
| Val Bravo ’21 | Prejudice and Police Brutality: Exploring the Role of Bias and Intersectional Invisibility in Law Enforcement Interactions | Michael Sargent, Psychology | The purpose of this study is to explore the speculation of the role of intersectional invisibility in police brutality cases in the United States. Black victims with more than one subordinate-group identity may possibly be disregarded in research/media coverage, which may be a result of intersectional invisibility. This study is a close replication of Cooley et al. (2009) which presented a simulated court case in which a Black male victim is killed by a White officer. Participants were presented with an anti-Black and anti-Trans bias assessment along with one of two versions of the simulated court case and one of two versions of the simulated coroner’s report. Afterward, I ran multiple analyses of variance (ANOVA) focusing mostly on the 2 (victim gender status: transgender vs. cisgender) by 2 (Anti-Trans bias: low vs. high) ANOVA to determine officer culpability. |
| Earth and Climate Sciences: Water Quality and Beach Retreat | Beverly Johnson, Earth and Climate Sciences, moderator | |
| Peter Galloway ’21 | Geometry of Brittle and Ductile Bedrock Structures Influencing Groundwater Hydrology adjacent to the Chlor-Alkali Superfund Site, Berlin, NH | J. Dykstra Eusden, Earth and Climates Sciences | Field mapping and remote sensing analysis of hydrogeological features in Berlin, NH, was conducted as part of a USGS/NHGS State Map program to define bedrock units and structural features within the northern half of the Berlin 7.5’ Quadrangle. In addition, the research supplemented previous efforts to define how groundwater flow could assist the entrance of Superfund site contaminants, including elemental mercury, into the Androscoggin River watershed. Previous USGS reports recorded bedrock units and features from the riverbank adjacent to the site and identified fracture domains based on local field data. This latest research incorporates data from the 2020 field mapping season, which updated the northern half of the Berlin quadrangle for the first time since the 1940s. The regional bedrock data allowed us to better identify and contextualize both brittle and ductile structures recorded at the chlor-alkali facility. The research also includes an expanded dataset of fractures measured in the field. These fractures were measured at the same location featured in previous studies in Berlin (primarily at the Superfund site and the penstocks) but allowed us to define the fracture domains with greater confidence. The research included a hillshade analysis of fractures across the entire quad. Hillshade raster imagery on ArcGIS was not available during previous studies, and this provided a valuable way to confirm fracture domains at a regional scale. Measurements of brittle and ductile features surrounding the chlor-alkali facility indicated the presence of a syncline structure running from the chlor-alkali facility toward the Androscoggin River. This structure would certainly assist groundwater flow from the site to the river. Fractures were found to primarily exist in two main domains: NE-SW, and NW-SE. Fractures surrounding the chlor-alkali facility appeared to favor the NE-SW trend, which explains how a large amount of elemental mercury entered the Androscoggin River and polluted biota and ecosystems downstream.
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| Vanessa Paolella ’21 | Data Analysis and Spatial Mapping of Dissolved Oxygen in Surface Waters of the Androscoggin River, 1930-2019 | Beverly Johnson, Earth and Climate Sciences | The Androscoggin River was one of the most polluted waterways in the United States, providing inspiration for the Clean Water Act of 1972. Paper mills freely discharged organic-rich effluent into the Androscoggin in the early 20th century, depleting the river of oxygen. During the summer months, sections of the river became anoxic, resulting in fish kills and the production of hydrogen sulfide gas. No report since 1978 has sought to contextualize and interpret dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Androscoggin from the first survey in 1930 to present. This is the first study to analyze, map, and graph all available data. |
| Jacob Russett ’21 | Monitoring Beach Retreat and Sediment Shift at Seawall Beach, Phippsburg, ME | Michael Retelle, Earth and Climate Sciences | As climate changes and sea levels rise, coastal environments play a critical role in ensuring the health of those natural ecosystems and manmade communities near the coast. This study collected data regarding the shifting of sediment in the Seawall Beach system in Phippsburg, ME, and compared it to archival data to establish a long-term trend regarding barrier beach health. Preliminary results indicate the beach is retreating over time across all locations studied, but not at uniform rates. This suggests that while anthropogenic factors are a universal threat to coastal health, some systems may be more vulnerable than others. |
| Curating, Collections, and Contemporary Art: Interning at the Bates Museum of Art | Anthony Shostak, Bates College Museum of Art, moderator | |
| Anna Greenspan ’22 | Curating, Collections, and Contemporary Art: Interning at the Bates Museum of Art | Anthony Shostak, Bates College Museum of Art | We are art and visual culture majors presenting our experiences as interns at the Bates College Museum of Art. During this panel discussion, we share our individual and collaborative projects in which we are learning about the museum’s collections, the inner workings of art museums, and the contemporary art world. Please note: the Museum is currently open to peers, faculty, and staff of the Bates community! |
| Laila Stevens ’21 | Curating, Collections, and Contemporary Art: Interning at the Bates Museum of Art | Anthony Shostak, Bates College Museum of Art | We are art and visual culture majors presenting our experiences as interns at the Bates College Museum of Art. During this panel discussion, we share our individual and collaborative projects in which we are learning about the museum’s collections, the inner workings of art museums, and the contemporary art world. Please note: the Museum is currently open to peers, faculty, and staff of the Bates community! |
| Jordan Wilson ’23 | Curating, Collections, and Contemporary Art: Interning at the Bates Museum of Art | Anthony Shostak, Bates College Museum of Art | We are art and visual culture majors presenting our experiences as interns at the Bates College Museum of Art. During this panel discussion, we share our individual and collaborative projects in which we are learning about the museum’s collections, the inner workings of art museums, and the contemporary art world. Please note: the Museum is currently open to peers, faculty, and staff of the Bates community! |
| Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies, moderator | |
| Audrey Aberg ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Eli Boesch Dining ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Hannah Braslau ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Josie Carter ’21 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Charlie Cronin ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Oaklea Elfström ’21 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Jenna Genthner ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Ryan Giunta ’21 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Robert Griffin ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Henry Hardy ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Abby Holden ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Nathan Huynh ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Zoe Knauss ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Kate Loughlin ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Isabel Mohammadi-Hall ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Natalie Moon ’21 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Jared Pantalony ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Henry Raff ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Griffin Smith ’22 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Talia Sperduto ’21 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Friedrich Wilcox ’23 | Right Whale Conservation vs. Lobster Fishery Livelihoods: A Debate and Solutions Discussion | Carissa Aoki, Environmental Studies | The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whale species on earth. The whales spend part of the year in the Gulf of Maine, where proposed conservation regulations have come into conflict with the livelihood of those engaged in the Maine lobster fishery. The proposed rules would reduce the number of ropes in the water, require changes to existing gear or investment in entirely new gear, and modify seasonally restricted areas. In this debate-style session, students offer arguments for each side of the conflict, followed by proposals for and discussion of possible middle-ground solutions. |
| Text, Image, and Meaning: Research in Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies | Stephanie Kelley-Romano, Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies, moderator | |
| Solaine Carter ’21 | A Queer Fandom of Sorts in Heavenly Creatures: Queering Signification of (Dis)ability and Desire | Stephanie Kelley-Romano, Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies | This paper introduces a reimagined view and interpretation of the film Heavenly Creatures by Peter Jackson by queering (dis)ability theory and issues of spectatorship. In contemporary media culture, hegemonic notions of beauty, desire, sexuality, and ability influence not only what is shown on screen, but also how different audiences receive the text. I employ queer theory and notions of ability in order to queer significations of desire and familial power relations in this film. This lens highlights how spectatorship can translate into queer fantasy. I write (dis)ability with parenthesis to reclaim the term. I identify as (dis)abled and believe illness constructs a difference in ability rather than a lack of ability.
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| Perla Figuereo ’21 | The Category is…Camping Death: Screening the Deaths of Candy Ferocity in Pose and Jame Gumb in The Silence of the Lambs | Stephanie Kelley-Romano, Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies | This thesis considers movie musicals and why directors use them in their work. It looks at what “camp” means in the context of death, blackness, and folk art. Camp is analyzed as excessiveness and I make sense of why camp is needed in these two scenes. The journey to understanding these two scenes also takes us to listen to the Black female voice. Last, we look at the Christian theme of love and how when community is missing for a person, it leads to denial, outcastness, and solitude, but when there is community, there is worship, acceptance, and celebration. |
| Theresa Willmott-McMahon ’21 | Two Stories of Homelessness: The Different Ways The New York Times and Fox News Present the Issue | Stephanie Kelley-Romano, Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies | Print media plays a significant role in the way the public consumes and perceives current political and societal issues in the United States. In order to gain an understanding of the way that print media is presenting homelessness, I analyzed articles focused on the issue of homelessness and published over the past year by by The New York Times and Fox News. I compared the frames utilized by each of these publications to create different images of the issue, and in turn, placed different causes at the root of homelessness. |
| STEM III: Biochemistry and Chemistry | Donald Dearborn, Biology, moderator | |
| Amina Mohamed ’22 | African Seizure Treatments | Jennifer Koviach-Côté, Chemistry and Biochemistry | In this presentation, African seizure treatments are explored from an interdiciplinary approach that includes chemistry, neuroscience, and history. |
| Saylor Strugar ’21 | The Cellular Basis of Autism Spectrum Disorder | Andrew Kennedy, Chemistry and Biochemistry | Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a disorder affecting 1 in 68 children, still lacks an adequate therapy 80 years after its discovery. The hundreds of risk genes, including transcription factor four (Tcf4), implicated in ASD makes the disorder challenging to characterize. In this study, a mouse model with mutated Tcf4 was used to understand the specific role of oligodendrocytes in ASD. Changes in oligodendrocyte gene expression disrupt connectivity of neurons, potentially causing the cognitive deficits and social aversions associated with ASD. Using behavioral, bioinformatic, and cellular imaging techniques, this study aims to elucidate the effect of a Tcf4 mutation in oligodendrocytes. |
| Bridget Tweedie ’21 | What Seabird Poop Can Tell Us about Host-Parasite Evolution: How Intestinal Parasites May Shape Genetic Variation in the Vertebrate Immune System | Donald Dearborn, Biology | The vertebrate immune system evolves in response to parasites. To understand host-parasite interactions in Leach’s storm-petrels, I investigated whether coccidian parasites might provide a functional explanation for the extensive variation of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). I found two types of single-celled intestinal parasites, one of which was present in nearly all individuals. The common parasite was acquired globally, while the rare parasite was acquired locally. These findings will lay the groundwork for future studies to better understand the complexity of host-parasite relationships and how they may explain the functional significance of the genetic diversity of the MHC. |
| Brianna Karboski ’21 | The Effects of Climate Change on Atlantic Salmon in Québec | Carla Essenberg, Biology | Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) have been declining in Canada for decades due to anthropogenic factors such as overfishing, and global climate change exacerbates these problems. Here, we describe a population of Atlantic salmon from the Whale River in northern Québec, Canada. We use a dataset spanning a 52-year time series to assess how the population is changing over time, possibly associated with climate change. Atlantic salmon prefer cold waters with high levels of dissolved oxygen, and warming water temperatures are known to directly affect salmon physiologically. However, little is known about the Atlantic salmon populations of Canada, and specifically in northern Québec. Atlantic salmon are an anadromous, iteroparous species meaning that they are vulnerable to climate change in freshwater as well as marine ecosystems. Salmon migration to spawn is imperative to their reproductive success, but makes them a vulnerable species to changing conditions. The results from this study can help to inform further research about how Atlantic salmon in Québec are affected by climate change, as well as inform conservation efforts for the future. |
| Toward Mutual Transformation: Inclusive Aproaches to Teaching and Tutoring Diverse College Writers | Bridget Fullerton, Writing at Bates, moderator | |
| Martha Coleman ’23 | The Power of Epistemology: Incorporating Antiracism and Indigenous Studies into Writing Center Praxis | Bridget Fullerton, Writing at Bates | In EDUC 221, Theory and Practice of Writing and Tutoring, students explored the intersections of thinking, learning, and writing, and in particular, the teaching and tutoring of writing. They considered their own histories and perceptions of language and writing while expanding their understanding of writing and tutoring as practices, as fields of research and as potential sites of oppression and/or social justice. In this panel, a selection of students who took the course share their final PechaKucha-style presentations, offering audience members theoretical grounding and practical strategies for tutoring writers and teaching writing through a social justice- and equity-minded lens. Topics include intersectional feminism, mental health, antiracism, and decolonization. Students discuss how (else) Bates students, faculty, and staff can engage in “mutually transformative” (Grimm) tutoring, mentoring, and teaching practices, particularly in regard to the diverse linguistic and embodied repertoires we each bring to into an educational space. |
| Rachel Retana ’22 | The Power of Epistemology: Incorporating Antiracism and Indigenous Studies into Writing Center Praxis | Bridget Fullerton, Writing at Bates | In EDUC 221, Theory and Practice of Writing and Tutoring, students explored the intersections of thinking, learning, and writing, and in particular, the teaching and tutoring of writing. They considered their own histories and perceptions of language and writing while expanding their understanding of writing and tutoring as practices, as fields of research and as potential sites of oppression and/or social justice. In this panel, a selection of students who took the course share their final PechaKucha-style presentations, offering audience members theoretical grounding and practical strategies for tutoring writers and teaching writing through a social justice- and equity-minded lens. Topics include intersectional feminism, mental health, antiracism, and decolonization. Students discuss how (else) Bates students, faculty, and staff can engage in “mutually transformative” (Grimm) tutoring, mentoring, and teaching practices, particularly in regard to the diverse linguistic and embodied repertoires we each bring to into an educational space. |
| Caroline Davis ’23 | Rewriting Narratives: Exploring the World of Intersectional Feminist Voices in the Writing Center | Bridget Fullerton, Writing at Bates | In EDUC 221, Theory and Practice of Writing and Tutoring, students explored the intersections of thinking, learning, and writing, and in particular, the teaching and tutoring of writing. They considered their own histories and perceptions of language and writing while expanding their understanding of writing and tutoring as practices, as fields of research and as potential sites of oppression and/or social justice. In this panel, a selection of students who took the course share their final PechaKucha-style presentations, offering audience members theoretical grounding and practical strategies for tutoring writers and teaching writing through a social justice- and equity-minded lens. Topics include intersectional feminism, mental health, antiracism, and decolonization. Students discuss how (else) Bates students, faculty, and staff can engage in “mutually transformative” (Grimm) tutoring, mentoring, and teaching practices, particularly in regard to the diverse linguistic and embodied repertoires we each bring to into an educational space. |
| Sacha Feldberg ’24 | Rewriting Narratives: Exploring the World of Intersectional Feminist Voices in the Writing Center | Bridget Fullerton, Writing at Bates | In EDUC 221, Theory and Practice of Writing and Tutoring, students explored the intersections of thinking, learning, and writing, and in particular, the teaching and tutoring of writing. They considered their own histories and perceptions of language and writing while expanding their understanding of writing and tutoring as practices, as fields of research and as potential sites of oppression and/or social justice. In this panel, a selection of students who took the course share their final PechaKucha-style presentations, offering audience members theoretical grounding and practical strategies for tutoring writers and teaching writing through a social justice- and equity-minded lens. Topics include intersectional feminism, mental health, antiracism, and decolonization. Students discuss how (else) Bates students, faculty, and staff can engage in “mutually transformative” (Grimm) tutoring, mentoring, and teaching practices, particularly in regard to the diverse linguistic and embodied repertoires we each bring to into an educational space. |
| Amanda Taylor ’23 | It’s Okay Not to Be Okay: Recognizing and Embracing Mental Health in the Writing Center | Bridget Fullerton, Writing at Bates | In EDUC 221, Theory and Practice of Writing and Tutoring, students explored the intersections of thinking, learning, and writing, and in particular, the teaching and tutoring of writing. They considered their own histories and perceptions of language and writing while expanding their understanding of writing and tutoring as practices, as fields of research and as potential sites of oppression and/or social justice. In this panel, a selection of students who took the course share their final PechaKucha-style presentations, offering audience members theoretical grounding and practical strategies for tutoring writers and teaching writing through a social justice- and equity-minded lens. Topics include intersectional feminism, mental health, antiracism, and decolonization. Students discuss how (else) Bates students, faculty, and staff can engage in “mutually transformative” (Grimm) tutoring, mentoring, and teaching practices, particularly in regard to the diverse linguistic and embodied repertoires we each bring to into an educational space. |