Seventh Annual Undergraduate Research and Discovery Symposium


CONFERENCE PROGRAM


Keynote Speaker
Dr. John Delaney
Technical Talk: Wednesday, April 13, Noon-1PM, RH 117
Keynote Address: Thursday April 14, 7:30-9PM, RH 101
Next Generation Ocean Science

John Delaney is Professor of Oceanography and holds the Jerome M. Paros Endowed Chair in Sensor Networks at the University of Washington. Since 1997, he has directed development of the regional cabled ocean observatory in the northeast Pacific Ocean that evolved into the Regional Scale Nodes program within the National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative. The construction phase of this observatory began in September 2009 with the announcement of an award to the University of Washington of $126 million over five-and-a-half years.

This distributed, remote, sensor-robotic network will convert a sector of the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate and overlying ocean into an internationally accessible, interactive, real-time natural laboratory capable of reaching millions of users via the Internet. Such networks are at the leading edge of ocean and earth science research and education.



This event is co-sponsored by the UAA Community and Technical College and the UAA Complex Systems Group.



Second Keynote Speaker
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman
Friday, April 22, 7-9 PM North & South Cafeteria, Student Union
Lessons from Jonesboro, Littleton, and Vietnam: How Kids are Learning to Kill and Learning to Like It

LT. COL. DAVE GROSSMAN, U.S. Army (Ret.) Director, Warrior Science Group, www.killology.com: Member, American Board for Certification in Homeland Security; Member, American College of Forensic Examiners Institute. Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is an internationally recognized scholar, author, soldier, and speaker who is one of the world's foremost experts in the field of human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime.



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


UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Friday, April 15, 2011
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

Arts, Humanities, and SCUSA Session
Commons 107
Session Moderator: Shannon Donovan
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
9:00-9:15 Welcome    
9:15-9:30 Applause Rising Talent Showcase Gloria King (Theatre and Dance)Daniel AnteauUndergradute Research Grant
9:30-9:45 Winston S. Churchill's Autobiography: My Early Life Erica Chenoweth (Natural Sciences)James MullerUndergraduate Research Grant
9:45-10:00 Report from SCUSA 2010 Erick Romig (Languages) and Kimberly Pitney (International Studies/Economics)Faculty Representative: Susan KalinaSCUSA Award
10:00-10:15 Break


Social Science Session
Commons 107
Session Moderator: Eric Murphy
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
10:15-10:30 The Effect of Short Duration Mindfulness Meditation on Attention & Stress Adam Butler (Psychology)Robert BoeckmannUndergraduate Research Grant
10:30-10:45 Food Independence, Risks, and Some Central Challenges to Operationalizing Food Security in Alaska Danielle Giles (Philosophy)Raymond AnthonyUndergraduate Research Grant
10:45-11:00 A Cooperative for Matanuska Valley Produce Farmers Carey Thissen (Undeclared)Shannon DonovanResearch in the Community Grant
11:00-11:15 Effectiveness of Internet Advertisements During a Distraction Test Emmy Schultheis (Psychology)John PetraitisUndergraduate Research Grant
11:15-11:30 Break


Computing Session (Parallel with Natural Science)
Commons 107
Session Moderator: Kenrick Mock
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
11:30-11:45 Yupik Language Dictionary and Processing Software Eric Sommerville (Computer Science)Frank Moore, David MeyersUndergraduate Research Grant
11:45-12:00 Iris Recognition for Continuous Biometric User Authentication Justin Weaver (Computer Science)Kenrick Mock, Bogdan HoancaUndergraduate Research Grant
12:00-12:15 FreeSim Mobile Timothy Menard (Computer Systems Engineering)Jeffrey MillerDiscovery Grant
12:15-12:30 Break


Engineering Session (Parallel with Natural Science)
Commons 107
Session Moderator: Anthony Paris
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
12:30-12:45 Mechanical Ankle (Phase I of III) Jens Jensen, Kevin Mann, Michael Dalsfoist, Torvald Thomas (Engineering)Todd Petersen, Sam CookAlex Hills Engineering Research Award
12:45-1:00 Acceleration of the Head from Impacts During Soccer Heading Tessa Kara (Engineering)Anthony ParisAlaska Heart Institute
1:00-1:15 Mechanical Hand Stephen Sutton, Jens Jensen, Sarah Aiken (Engineering)Muhammad Ali, David Pfeiffer, Todd PetersenParasca Science Award
1:15-1:30 Hydro Powered Fish Disposal on the Russian River Alexandra West (Engineering)Tom RavensUndergraduate Research Grant
1:30-2:00 Break


Natural Science Session (Parallel with Computing and Engineering)
Commons 106
Session Moderator: Khrystyne Duddleston
Time Title Speaker Mentor Grant
11:45-12:00 Dynamics of the Gut Microbial Community of Juvenile Arctic Ground Squirrels Brian Quinlan (Biological Sciences)Khrystyne DuddlestonAlaska Heart Institute
12:00-12:15 COMMD1 Action in Hepatocelllular Copper Export Jessica Schwartz (Biological Sciences)Jason BurkheadAlaska Heart Institute
12:15-12:30 Effects of testosterone on the synchoronization of activity rhythms to low amplitude zeitgebers in an arctic breeding songbird Brady Salli (Biological Sciences)Loren BuckFran Ulmer Award
12:30-12:45 Characterizing the Expression of Transgenic Polyglutamine Repeat Proteins in A. thaliana David Nash (Biological Sciences)Ben HarrisonUndergraduate Research Grant
12:45-1:00 Break
1:00-1:15 Contaminant Levels in Seabirds from the Near Island Archipelago Brian Baker (Biological Sciences)Doug CauseyUndergraduate Research Grant
1:15-1:30 The Effects of the Loss of Fence Function between Lung Epithelial Cells Exposed to Cigarette Smoke Meagan Byrne (Biological Sciences)Cindy KnallUndergraduate Research Grant
1:30-1:45 Developmental Changes in the Myosin Heavy Chain (MHC) expression in Harp Seals Mallory Givens (History)Jennifer BurnsAlaska Heart Institute
1:45-2:00 Determination of Pharmaceutical Compounds in Anchorage Wastewater and Stream Candace Ede (Chemistry)John KennishUndergraduate Research Grant




Reception 2:00 - 3:00 PM
Commons Lobby


UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH POSTER SESSION

2:00 - 3:00 PM, Friday, April 15, 2011
Gorsuch Commons
University of Alaska Anchorage

Students will be available from 2:00 - 3:00 PM on Friday, April 15, in the Gorsuch Commons to discuss their posters. The posters will be on display (unmanned) earlier in the week in the Conoco Phillips Integrated Sciences Building and Rasmuson Hall.

Title Presenter Mentor
Probing Dynamics of Villin Headpiece Subdomain Protein Anastasia Khadjinova (Biological Sciences)Liliya Vugmeyster
Transgenic polyglutamine expression in Arabidopsis thaliana David Nash (Biological Sciences)Benjamin Harrison
Health Conditions of Immigrants in Anchorage, Alaska Nina Pastor (Nursing Science)Gabriel Garcia
Exploring 'Healthy Multiplicity': A Non-Disordered View Carolyn Tix (Sociology)Zeynep Kilic
The View on News: A Content Analysis of the News on The View Shana Roberson (Journalism and Public Communications)Joy Mapaye
Not Just for Show Nicole Aden (Journalism and Public Communications)Joy Mapaye
Improving Image Comp. via Evolutionary Comp. and GPUs Brendan Babb (Computer Science)Kenrick Mock
Is There a Place for Sharia Law in Western Nations? Michaela Hernandez (Philosophy)Raymond Anthony and Bill Jamison
Economic Significance of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Kim Pitney (International Studies/Economics)Alexandra Hill
Generational Collaboration to Improve Distance Courses (Developed as part of SOC A487 Sociology Practicum) Sheila Oelrich (Psychology)Ann Jache
Mechanical Ankle (Phase I of III) Jens Jensen (Engineering)Todd Petersen
Mechanical Hand Sarah Aiken, Stephen Sutton, Jens Jensen (Engineering)Muhammad Ali
Mabel T. Caverly Senior Services: Raising Awareness and Bridging the Transportation Gap Elise Blomfield, Erica Carr, Ellie Farmer, Tapia Hansen, Sarah Kruse, Holly McCune, Jessie Westin (Nursing Science)Elizabeth Campbell
Nurse Practitioners and Primary Care: Medicare Beneficiaries in Anchorage and Mat-Su Erica Mitchell (Sociology)Rosyland Frazier
Developmental Changes in the Myosin Heavy Chain (MHC) expression in Harp Seals Mallory Givens (History)Jennifer Burns
Hydro Powered Fish Disposal on the Russian River Alexandra West (Engineering)Tom Ravens
Effects of testosterone on the synchoronization of activity rhythms to low amplitude zeitgebers in an arctic breeding songbird Brady Salli (Biological Sciences)Loren Buck


Award Ceremony Starts at 3:00 PM
Commons 107