Sixth Annual Undergraduate Research and Discovery Symposium


CONFERENCE PROGRAM


Keynote Speaker
Dr. Jean Twenge
Thursday, April 15, 7:30 PM, Wendy Williamson Auditorium
The Narcissism Epidemic and How It's Spreading Through Our Culture

Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., is the author of more than 60 scientific publications and two books including "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled - and More Miserable Than Ever Before." Her latest book is "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement." Accounts of her research have appeared in numerous national magazines, newspapers, TV, and radio shows. For more information, see http://www.narcissismepidemic.com

This event is co-sponsored by the UAA Department of Psychology's Behavioral Sciences Conference of the North.



UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Friday, April 23, 2010
Gorsuch Commons
University of Alaska Anchorage

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) promotes undergraduate scholarship and academic accomplishments through inquiry, discovery, and creativity. OURS fosters undergraduate research opportunities and presentations, encourages the integration of teaching and research across the campus, and links students to both local faculty and the global community of scholars. Every April, recipients of Undergraduate Research Grants present their research to the public, creating opportunities for dialogue between UAA faculty, staff, students, and the community.

All Sessions Held in the Gorsuch Commons

Community-Based and Social Science Research Session
Session Moderator: Paola Banchero
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
8:55-9:00 Welcome Adrianne Jacobs  
9:00-9:15 Homestead Recreation Project Shane Lopez (BA History)Mike HawfieldCommunity-Based Research Grant
9:15-9:30 Equal Rights/Equal Benefits: An Exploration of Domestic Partner Benefits and Employment Protections in Alaska's Private Sector Katie Marquette (BA Sociology)Diane HirshbergCommunity-Based Research Grant
9:30-9:45 Value-Driven Rent Dissipation in Fisheries: Losing Money by Racing for Fish Joel Ainsworth (BA Economics/Justice) and Gabe Dunham (BBA Economics/Business)James Murphy and Gunnar KnappUndergraduate Research Grant
9:45-9:55 Break


Natural Sciences Research Session
Session Moderator: Nadine Parker
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
9:55-10:10 What role does Serine 122 of Histone H2A serve in DNA damage repair pathways? Shira Wolfe (BS Natural Sciences)Jocelyn KrebsAlaska Heart Institute
10:10-10:25 The Effects of Benzene and Its Metabolites on Epithelial Lung Cells Deana Glick (BS Biological Sciences)Cindy KnallUndergraduate Research Grant
10:25-10:40 Identification and Characterization of Temperature-Sensitive Mutations Affecting Root Growth and Development in Arabidopsis thaliana April Rochford (BS Biological Sciences)Ben Harrison and Jocelyn KrebsUndergraduate Research Grant
10:40-10:55 Geochemical and Physical Connectivity between Surface Water and Groundwater in the Anchorage Watershed Megan Cardenas (BS Geological Sciences)LeeAnn MunkUndergraduate Research Grant
10:55-11:05 Break


Mechanical Engineering Research Session
Session Moderator: Anthony Paris
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
11:05-11:20 The Microstructural and Biomechanical Property Differences of Spinal Rods from Different Lots Cheyenne Alabanzas (BSE Mechanical Engineering)Anthony ParisParasca Award
11:20-11:35 The Biomechanical Properties of Steel, Titanium & Cobalt Chrome Spinal Rods Tessa Kara (BSE Mechanical Engineering)Anthony ParisAlex Hills Engineering Research Award
11:35-11:50 Biomedical and Metallurgical Properties of Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum Spinal Rods Kali Korach (BSE Mechanical Engineering)Anthony ParisUndergraduate Research Grant
11:50-12:05 Spinal Rod Heat Tinting Alex Bergeron (BSE Mechanical Engineering)Anthony ParisUndergraduate Research Grant
12:05-12:20 Break


Computer Science and Engineering Research Session
Session Moderator: Kenrick Mock
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
12:20-12:35 Use of Graphical Processor Units to Accelerate Evolutionary Computation for Evolving Image Compression Transforms Brendan Babb (BS Computer Science)Frank MooreUndergraduate Research Grant
12:35-12:50 Bio-Inspired Intelligent Satellite Image Compression Britny Herzog (BS Computer Science)Mike Peterson and Frank MooreUndergraduate Research Grant
12:50-1:05 An Analysis of Seismic Activity from Redoubt Volcano, Alaska using the Hilbert-Huang Transformation Sunil Panthi, Dane Ketner, Rolan Baguyos (BSE Electrical Engineering)Jens Munk and LeeAnn MunkUndergraduate Research Grant
1:05-1:20 Ultrasonic Gum Tissue Sounder Doug (John) Franklin (BSE Mechanical Engineering)Anthony ParisAlaska Heart Institute
1:20-1:25 Break


Poetry and Music Session
Session Moderator: Adrianne Jacobs
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
1:25-1:40 Performance of Songs for Voice and Guitar/Lute Merrill Flint (BA Music Performance)Roland Stearns and Mari HahnUndergraduate Research Grant
1:40-1:55 Skylines and Conversations Kameron WaltersDon ReardenUndergraduate Research Grant
1:55-2:00 Break


Student Conference on United States Affairs Session
Session Moderator: Susan Kalina
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
2:00-2:25 Report from SCUSA 2009 Conference Melanie Parrett and Jacquelynn Engebretson (BA International Studies) SCUSA Award
2:25-2:30 Break


Psychology Research Session
Session Moderator: Eric Murphy
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
2:30-2:45 Influence of Time of Day and Mood State on Recall of Words Associated with Emotionally Charged Autobiographical Memories Earl "Charles" Crew (BA Psychology)Claudia LampmanUndergraduate Research Grant
2:45-3:00 Effects of Fixed and Variable Schedules of Reinforcement on Within-Session Decreases of Response Rates and Food Consumption in Dwarf Hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) Christie Flanagan (BA Psychology)Gwen Lupfer-JohnsonUndergraduate Research Grant


UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH POSTER SESSION

2:15 - 3:15 PM, Friday, April 23, 2010
Gorsuch Commons
University of Alaska Anchorage

Students will be available from 2:15 - 3:15 PM on Friday, April 23, in the Gorsuch Commons to discuss their posters. The posters will be on display on Tuesday and Wednesday April 20-21 in the Rasmuson Hall lobby, and then on display Thursday and Friday April 22-23 in the Gorsuch Commons Great Hall.

Title Presenter Mentor
Medicare Beneficiaries' Access to Primary Care Nurse Practitioners in Anchorage Leigh Coppola (Sociology)Rosyland Frazier
Ice Breakup Prediction Olya Korobova (Computer Science)Kenrick Mock
UAA Transitions Kate Sanders (Sociology)Marie Lowe
Participatory Action Research - What do First Year Students Need to Know About UAA? Karen Carlson, Kent Spiers, Lauren Wolford, Christie Flanagan, Luka Micke, Larisa Mironova, Joyce Swan, Ayla RogersDiane Erickson
Arctic Observation Network Social Indicators Project Melissa Bradley (Sociology)Ginny Fay
Equal Rights/Equal Benefits: An Exploration of Domesic Partnerships Katie Marquette (Sociology)Diane Hirshberg
The effect of chronic stress on the adrenal cortex of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Samuel CasonDavid Pfeiffer
Yup'ik Language Dictionary and Processing Software Eric SomervilleFrank Moore
Medical Ethics and Physician-Assisted Suicide Ashley WhitakerTerrence Kelly
The Biomechanical Behavior of Stainless Steel, Titanium and Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum Spinal Assemblies in a Vertebrectomy Model Tessa KaraAnthony Paris
The Effects of Odor during Study: Using Encoding Specificity on the Graduate Record Exam Amy EllerbeClaudia Lampman
Promoting Recovering Prostitutes' Mental Health: Teaching Coping Strategies for Stress and Depression Amy Wilkins, Tamra Sessoms, Brooke Powers, Elise Phelps, Mary McCone, Austin Kolbeck, and Anastacia BurkoffAngelia Morris


Award Ceremony Starts at 3:30 PM