Note: The 25th Annual Research Conference was originally going to be held on March 13, 2020 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm on the Gainesville Campus, Martha T. Nesbitt building. However, due to the global COVID-19 Pandemic and subsequent shut down, the conference was cancelled and was moved online the following month. The works/submissions on this page contain students’ who submitted for both the original conference and the online one.
SPECIAL UPDATE: To honor and celebrate the hard work you put into preparing for the Annual Research Conference, we have decided to host the conference ONLINE on April 17, 2020!

The online 25th Annual Research Conference consisted of oral presentations via Visual Huddle, and a poster session. You will be able to view poster presentations by clicking on each individual poster’s titles and finding their uploaded video.
Note to Presenters: 
If you were previously accepted to present at the 25th ATC (originally scheduled for March 13) please fill out the survey to let us know if you can participate and if your originally scheduled hour still works for you.
In addition, students originally scheduled to present at another (no cancelled) conference may also present at ARC 2020! If you have any questions, please contact <a href=”mailto:curca@ung.edu”> CURCA@ung.edu</a>.

UNG Annual Research Conference 2020

ARC Program 2020

Issued on January 27, 2017, Executive Order 13769: PROTECTING THE NATION FROM FOREIGN TERRORIST ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES caused mass panic and mass protests overnight. The executive order first introduced by Donald J. Trump during his candidacy for president in 2016 was a cornerstone of the future President’s campaign. The 21st century has introduced a broad range of American presidents and administrations who have introduced foreign policy initiatives ideal for analysis through the cognitive and the personified state perspectives. Initiatives that would have otherwise been deemed irrational or unsuccessful through other schools of thought have been explained by the cognitive perspective by focusing on the person or persons behind the policy. This research study analyzes the formulation and implementation/re-implementation of E.O. 13769 by focusing on the personified state through President Trump and the cognitive perspective to suggest the success of E.O. 13769 ratification was not based on the efficacy of the policy but rather persistence of the Trump administration.
Keywords: Executive Order 13769, travel ban, Muslim ban, Trump Administration

05. A Cognitive Analysis of the Trump Administration's Implementation of Executive Order 13769

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) rights have progressed quickly in the 21st century. However, much of this progress has been in the global West. In 2019, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriage, leaving behind the third-largest economic power in the world, Japan, which has not yet moved to recognize same-sex marriage. Through a comparative political examination, this study explores how family registry systems have affected LGBTQ rights and the progression of marriage equality in two liberal democratic states in East Asia. This paper draws from the extensive literature on the history, use, and current status of the koseki and huji. It also examines the role played by transnational advocacy organizations in sharing information and influence. The koseki has a long history in Japan which helped shape the current system of marriage and families. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, adopted a similar system. This examination uses case study methodology to explore why Taiwan progressed toward marriage equality and Japan has not. This study hypothesizes that these family registry systems are patriarchal, heteronormative, and discriminatory and have thus hindered – though not prevented in the case of Taiwan – the fight for LGBTQ rights and marriage equality. Taiwan and Japan are two of the strongest liberal democracies in Asia, both with a history of Confucian values. As an emerging beacon for LGBTQ human rights in Asia, Taiwan, as a norm entrepreneur in Asia, has set an example that many other countries in the region can follow.

Making Marriage Equal in Asia

Invasive plant species have the potential to disrupt growth patterns of native plant communities and alter ecosystem composition. Disruption of these habitats may affect behavior, movement, and physiology of the animal populations that inhabit them. Ectothermic vertebrates may especially be affected due to their reliance on specific habitat features for thermoregulatory purposes. By analyzing physiology, we can evaluate possible impacts on population health, including whether the presence of invasive plant species is a potential stressor. The heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H:L) in blood can be an indicator of stress in vertebrates. To assess possible impacts of invasive Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) on Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) H:L ratios in the North Georgia Piedmont region, we conducted a study to analyze this potential stressor on turtles that are currently a part of a larger, long-term radiotelemetry study. In June 2019, we drew blood samples from 16 radiotelemetered turtles and made blood smears in the field. Each smear was later stained using Wright-Giemsa stain. We categorized 100 leukocytes within each smear as either lymphocytes, heterophils, monocytes, or basophils, and calculated the H:L ratios. This data will be analyzed as related to individual sex, body size, and habitat use. Preliminary results of this study may highlight possible impacts on the indicators of stress of Eastern Box Turtles. Future research will continue through multiple seasons and years to expand sample size and continue assessing factors that may correlate with H:L ratios.
Key words: physiology; leukocytes; invasive species; turtles; habitat

13. Preliminary analysis investigating the effect of invasive species presence on heterophil to lymphocyte ratios in Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina)

Morphological variation across space in large mammal species can provide insights into their overall ecology and evolutionary history. However, these analyses are frequently limited by the availability of high-resolution morphological data from a large number of individuals over a wide spatial scale. In this study, we compiled morphological data (>700,000 individuals; >600 localities) spanning two decades collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginiana) across Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. We use these data to investigate spatial heterogeneity in the morphological characteristics (e.g., body weight, total antler spread, antler diameter) of this species across southeastern North America. Preliminary analysis indicates 1) significant variation in body size across the space considered here, and 2) the potential of this large data set to provide unprecedented insights into the ecology and biogeography of this important species. Finally, the patterns identified here could serve as a model for evaluating extinct mammal herbivores in the paleontological record of this region. Future analysis will incorporate morphological data from additional localities outside of southeastern North America.

28. Spatial variation in white-tailed deer morphology across southeastern North America

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are a subfamily of porous metal organic frameworks (MOFs) which mimic the 145⁰ Si-O-Si dihedral angle in zeolite minerals. They are prepared by reacting metal salts with imidazole linkers to form crystalline materials that have found application in gas separation, drug delivery, and catalysis. The purpose of this research is to study the steric and structural directing effects of an unexplored disubstituted linker, 4,5-diphenylimidazole, with a variety of metal centers on the formation of new materials which we hypothesize will be novel frameworks. This linker was chosen to add hydrophobic dynamics to the framework at the 4- and 5- positions, which could lead to greater stability in aqueous environments. Different metal nitrates were selected to study the potential linker to metal coordination patterns and the effect they have on the resulting structure of the material as well as potential application properties. In this study, reactions between the linker and Cd, Co, and Zn nitrates were performed in dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent leading to the isolation of solid products. The products have been characterized by optical microscopy, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, PXRD, and XRF to provide information about the microstructure, crystallinity, and presence of metals/linkers. Initial combing of the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and comparison to obtained PXRD patterns suggest that the products obtained herein are novel, however, further studies are underway to elucidate the exact structure of the obtained materials and to examine their application in catalysis.

02. Exploring Reactions Between 4,5-Diphenylimidazole and Metal Nitrates for Access to Novel Framework Materials

Ecological interactions on islands often vary from interactions characteristic of mainland ecosystems. When compared to the mainland, islands typically exhibit higher population density, less interspecific interactions, and lower species/predator richness. However, the degree of difference between the mainland and neighboring island is typically influenced by island size and isolation since these factors are particularly relevant to rates of colonization and migration. Our objective for this project was to assess how island size and isolation influenced the rate of nest predation on islands in Lake Lanier in northeast Georgia. Lake Lanier is approximately 60 mi2 and contains many islands that are used as nesting habitat by a variety of species. Based primarily on tracks and other signs, predators of nesting birds on the islands likely include raccoons, rat snakes, domestic dogs, and opportunistically by a dense population of white-tailed deer. During the pilot study, we created 40 (4 nests on 10 islands) artificial ground nests modeled after Canada geese nests found on the islands from previous nesting seasons by raking leaf litter into a mound with a depression in the center. We placed 3 chicken eggs in each nest, checked for predation after ~ 7 days, and used logistic regression to evaluate the influence of island size, isolation, and the distance of the nest to the island edge on the likelihood of predation. Ten nests were depredated during the study and preliminary modeling results indicate that island size was the most influential variable with predation risk increasing with island size.

27. Nest predation on the islands in Lake Lanier

SEXTING BEHAVIOR AND EMERGING ADULT MENTAL HEALTH
Abstract
The prevalence of sexting, the sending and receiving of sexually suggestive messages through cell phones or social media, continues to increase, especially among emerging adults (Lee et al. 2015). The present study aimed to determine if there are differences between sexting behavior and mental health outcomes among emerging adults. A sample of 289 emerging adults (Mage = 19.04, SD = 1.48) completed a survey examining sexting behavior and mental health. Using Gorden-Messer et al. (2012) coding scheme, sexting behavior was categorized as 1 = nonsexters (Never sexted), 2 = receivers (Received nude image), and 3 = two-way sexters (Received and sent nude images). The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) (Gloster et al., 2008) was used to measure depression, anxiety, and stress. Results showed that most of the participants reported being two-way sexters (44.3%). A one-way ANOVA was conducted to examine differences between sexting behaviors and mental health outcomes. Significant differences were found between sexting behavior and depression F(2, 281) = 9.46, p < .001, η2 = .063, anxiety F(2, 281) = 10.77, p < .001, η2 = .071, and stress F(2, 281) = 17.33, p < .001, η2 = .110. Overall, two-way sexters reported significantly higher scores of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to nonsesxters. The results indicate that sexting behavior may have a negative impact on mental health. Stress has been found to correlate with negative symptoms of depression and major depression development (O’Keane et al. 2005). This is important to note given that high depression and anxiety (Beautraise 2000) levels can lead to substance abuse (Teter et al. 2010), poor academic performance, and suicide (Eisenberg et al. 2007). Further research is needed to further understand the relationship between sexting behavior and other mental health outcomes among emerging adults.
 
Keywords: sexting, mental health, emerging adults

10. Sexting Behavior and Emerging Adult Mental Health

The spread of snake fungal disease (Ophidiomyces ohidiicola) throughout northeast Georgia
Noble, E.J., Duckworth, C.E., Patterson D.B., Patterson, J.R.
Abstract
An emerging threat to local snake species in northeast Georgia is becoming increasingly more severe and fatal to wildlife populations. Snake Fungal Disease (SFD) is caused by a naturally-occurring fungal pathogen, Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, that acts as an opportunistic invader and causes a high mortality rate after exposure. The fungal disease has been confirmed and studied in the southern parts of Georgia and surrounding states; however little is known about SFD in northern Georgia, and more research is needed to be conducted in the area for conservation efforts in the state. In this study, we surveyed local snake populations in northeast Georgia to monitor the occurrence of SFD. Specific sites were surveyed throughout Lumpkin, Hall, and surrounding counties, and data was collected at each site, such as location (e.g., GPS coordinates, habitat type), a morphological assessment (e.g., species, sex, mass, age) and a health examination (e.g., the presence of lesions, behavior) after the snake was swabbed. Our results show that out of 53 snakes swabbed, 18 of those tested positive for SFD. We are continuing to conduct further investigations into the total DNA concentration of Ophidiomyces present in each sample. This project will help to gain a deeper understanding of how SFD threatens snake populations in Georgia and conservation and management plans can be developed accordingly in collaboration with organizations such as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, U.S Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Orianne Society.

15. The spread of snake fungal disease (Ophidiomyces ophidiicola) throughout northeast Georgia

Learning new information can sometimes be a very demanding process, especially in very intense courses such as hard sciences, which can require a lot of reading, studying, and memorization. Simply reading the large walls of text within textbooks can be overwhelming to some students. Thus, applying mnemonic strategies may help in the simplification of otherwise overwhelming information and improving knowledge retention. This study was designed to test the effectiveness of such mnemonics in the memorization and retention of information both long-term and short-term. Two groups of students were selected from two different lab sections of a Human Anatomy and Physiology II course and given a mnemonic phrase each week to help them retain information. After six weeks, they were tested on the information, and given a survey. Results were compared both within each group, and between the two groups. While one group of students showed better four- to five-week-long knowledge retention after applying two mnemonic phrases in their study, they did not show any significantly better retention after one week. Comparatively, the second group showed better knowledge retention overall, regardless of whether or not they had the mnemonic devices to assist them, and even showed generally better retention of information for which they were not given mnemonic phrases after three weeks. Despite student responses claiming the effectiveness of mnemonic phrases, the data suggests other factors, aside from simply having mnemonic phrases to assist learning, are important to knowledge retention.

UNG Annual Research Conference 2020

Items in this collection

ARC Program 2020

05. A Cognitive Analysis of the Trump Administration's Implementation of Executive Order 13769

Making Marriage Equal in Asia

13. Preliminary analysis investigating the effect of invasive species presence on heterophil to lymphocyte ratios in Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina)

28. Spatial variation in white-tailed deer morphology across southeastern North America

02. Exploring Reactions Between 4,5-Diphenylimidazole and Metal Nitrates for Access to Novel Framework Materials

27. Nest predation on the islands in Lake Lanier

10. Sexting Behavior and Emerging Adult Mental Health

15. The spread of snake fungal disease (Ophidiomyces ophidiicola) throughout northeast Georgia

16. Testing the Effectiveness of Mnemonic Strategies in Learning and Retaining New Information

.repo-1h6ne0y{background:#ffffff;text-transform:uppercase;padding-right:1.5rem;}.repo-1h6ne0y:after{content:'';position:absolute;background:#adadad;transform:translateY(-50%);top:50%;left:0;width:100%;height:0.1rem;z-index:-1;}Items in this collection

.repo-96qggn{color:inherit;text-align:left;font-weight:500;line-height:2.3rem;font-size:1.8rem;overflow-wrap:break-word;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-line-clamp:4;overflow:hidden;hyphens:auto;}.repo-96qggn:hover{color:inherit;}ARC Program 2020

Items in this collection

ARC Program 2020