Lafayette Students Made Presentations on their Scholarly Research at the 14th Annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research April 27-29

Twenty-seven Lafayette students earned the distinction of being invited to make presentations on their scholarly research at the 14th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) April 27-29.

The students’ research ranges widely over the academic landscape, from the humanist to the technical. Many topics are in the sciences (including biochemistry chemistry, computer science, neuroscience and psychology) and engineering (including civil and environmental engineering and mechanical engineering). But even more are in the humanities (from “foreign language anxiety” to the influence of Hinduism in 19th-century American literature) and the social sciences (from the role of rumor in American society to NATO’s inclusion of Eastern Bloc nations).

This year’s presenters brought to more than 325 the number of Lafayette students who have participated in NCUR, the only national conference dedicated to showcasing research by college undergraduates. More than 200 colleges and universities sent students to this year’s conference hosted by the University of Montana.

Here is a listing of the invited Lafayette students, including their class year, major, hometown, research topic, and faculty adviser.

Humanities

Sarah Eremus ’00 (double major: Spanish/Japanese [individualized major]), Bryn Mawr, Pa. “Understanding Foreign Language Anxiety: A Case Study” (Yoshihiko Ariizumi, assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures)

Lee Ann Friend ’00 (English), Orange, Conn. “Doris Lessing’s Analysis of Heterosexuality and Heterosexism in The Golden Notebook” (Deborah L. Byrd, associate professor of English and coordinator of Women’s Studies)

Andrea LaConte ’00 (art), Wayne, N.J. “Exile and Max Beckmann” (Robert S. Mattison, professor of art)

Shivani Mahendroo ’00 (English), Ridgewood, N.J. “The Influence of Hinduism in 19th Century American Literature” (Laura Dassow Walls, associate professor of English)

Kei Ouchi ’01 (biology), West Covina, Calif. “Mindful Interpersonal Communication and the Effective Learning Process in Undergraduate Education” (Yoshihiko Ariizumi, assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures)

Christina Stenman ’03 (intends to major in engineering), Windsor, Conn. (Marquis Scholar) “From Chicken Farmer to Nazi Leader: Heinrich Himmler’s Ascension to Power” (Edward R. McDonald, professor of foreign languages and literatures)

Social Sciences

Robert Alessi ’00 (government and law), Moorestown, N.J. “Rumor’s Role in American Society” (Richard A. Hall, visiting assistant professor of government and law)

Peter Davis ’00 (anthropology and sociology), Glen Ridge, N.J. “Identifying the Role of Quirigua in the Late Classic Collapse of Copan, Honduras” (Susan A. Niles, professor of anthropology and sociology)

Keith Griffin ’00 (anthropology and sociology), Oakton, Va. “God K Across Maya Time and Space” (Susan A. Niles, professor of anthropology and sociology)

Brent Hierman ’00 (government and law), Harvard, Mass. “NATO Enlargement: It’s Rationale and Its Future” (Ilan Peleg, Dana Professor of Government and Law)

Nancy Johann ’00 (history), Mahwah, N.J. “The Role of the Catholic Church and Irish Traditional Music in the Irish Immigrants’ Transition to American Culture” (Deborah A. Rosen, associate professor of history)

Marteena Jones ’00 (anthropology and sociology), Fayetteville, Pa. (Marquis Scholar) “Both Sides of the Border: A Look at Mexican/United States Migration” (Dan F. Bauer, professor of anthropology and sociology)

Beverly Kendall ’00 (history), Rock Hall, Md. “Probate Inventories of Northampton County, Pennsylvania 1800-1850: A Study in Early Nineteenth Century Material Culture” (Deborah A. Rosen, associate professor of history)

Janelle Maginnis ’00 (American Studies), Wallingford, Conn. “Rising Popularity of Women’s Soccer in the United States” (Deborah Rosen, associate professor of history)

Chantal Pasquarello ’02 (International Affairs), Phoenixville, Pa. “Expaining the Czecho-Slovak Split: A “No Fault Divorce” in Contemporary International Politics” (Ilan Peleg, Dana Professor of Government and Law)

Natural Sciences

Kimberly Bassi ’01 (neuroscience), Johnstown, Pa. “Onset of the Endogenous Clock in Domestic Chicks” (Wendy Hill, associate professor of psychology)

Patrick Eidam ’01 (chemistry), New Castle, Pa. “Effects of Stem Versus Leaf Diets of Romaine Lettuce on the Growth and Neutral Lipid Composition of Biophalaria Glabrata” (Joseph A. Sherma, Larkin Professor of Chemistry)

Erin Muller ’00 (biochemistry), Riverton, Conn. (Marquis Scholar) “The Effects of Schistosoma Mansoni on the Neutral Lipid Profiles of Mice” (Joseph A. Sherma, Larkin Professor of Chemistry)

Matthew Patton ’02 (computer science), Los Alamos, N.Mex. (Marquis Scholar) “Parallelizing a Marching Method Application” (Chun Wai Liew, assistant professor of computer science)

Sara Scott ’00 (neuroscience), Towanda, Pa. “The Effect of Trytophan Depletion on Alcohol-Induced Memory Impairments” (Wendy L. Hill, associate professor of psychology and chair of neuroscience)

Elizabeth Westgate ’01 (chemistry), Maynard, Mass. “Determination of the Sunscreen Oxybenzone in Lotions by Reversed-Phase HPTLC with Ultraviolet Absorption Densitometry” (Joseph A. Sherma, Larkin Professor of Chemistry)

Tana Zerr ’02 (psychology), Hamburg, Pa. (Marquis Scholar) “The Effects of Motivation on Eyewitness Confidence” (John S. Shaw, assistant professor of psychology)

Engineering

Brian Guzas ’00 (civil and environmental engineering), Westford, Mass. “Repeatability and Reliability of Multi-Electrode Earth Resistivity in Karst” (Mary J. S. Roth, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering)

Gregory Hayes ’00 (mechanical engineering), Belleville, Pa. “Modeling the Thermoforming of High Impact Polystyrene Using Experimentally Determined Material Properties” (Scott R. Hummel, assistant professor of mechanical engineering)

Kishwar Hossain ’00 (mechanical engineering), Dhaka, Bangladesh “Coating Composite Materials with Microparticles” (Laura A. Ruhala, assistant professor of mechanical engineering)

Rachel Pilling ’00 (mechanical engineering), Deer Isle, Maine (Marquis Scholar) “Thermoelectric Refrigeration: Design of Testing Apparatus for Integration into Existing Mechanical Engineering Curriculum” (Laura A. Ruhala, assistant professor of mechanical engineering)

Steven Sivak ’01 (civil and environmental engineering), Scottdale, Pa. “Transportation Planning Using Geographic Information System (GIS) Technologies” (Maria P. Boilé, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering)