BIO

My name is Hana Poole and I am from Pensacola, Florida. I am an undergraduate sophomore studying Public Health with aspirations to become a physician. I work under Dr. Ahn in his lab studying the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on older adults suffering from knee osteoarthritis pain. I am a member of Special Olympics at FSU, Medical Brigades, HOSA Future Health Professionals Secretary and Treasurer, a member of FSU's Public Health Conference Sponsor Committee, and I am the proud Founder and President of ENGin FSU where we recruit English-speaking volunteers to tutor Ukrainians English. I regularly volunteer in Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's Bixler E.R. and at the Kearney Center.

Changes in Experimental Pain Sensitivity from Using Home-Based Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) involves a directed low-amplitude electrical current to affect the activity of the motor cortex and supraorbital region in the brain. Increasing ranges of literature supports that mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) assists in providing analgesia-like effects for pain. In this study, 30 subjects with chronic osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain aged 50 to 85 years utilized self-administered tDCS and performed meditative exercises to treat their pain symptoms. Combining MBM and tDCS has rarely been studied, despite knee OA being the most prevalent joint disease. On every weekday for two weeks (10 days), subjects remotely participated in 20-minute sessions of tDCS at a constant current intensity to the motor cortex and supraorbital regions along with MBM exercises. Researchers measured the subjects' heat, pain, and pressure tolerances using a visual analog scale, pain questionnaires, quantitative sensory testing, and current stimulation devices for 3 days within 10 days, in addition to their pain symptoms. Pain levels and OA symptoms were measured using a Numeric Rating Scale and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. The results indicated improvement in osteoarthritis pain symptoms and sleep quality, no effect on anxiety or depression, and no adverse effects caused by tDCS. Self-administered tDCS monitored remotely was found to be successful with older patients. tDCS combined with MBM decreased results on the Numeric Rating Scale and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index.

Keywords: stimulation, brain, osteoarthritis, transcranial, knee

BIO

My name is Aaron Weckesser; I am studying food and nutritional science at Florida state university. My hometown is Gainesville, Florida. My research interests include eating disorders and food product development and technologies. My career goals include going to graduate school and continuing my education to work in product development in the food industry. My interests outside of school include reading, watching movies, cooking, and spending time with the people I care about!

Intersection of Mindfulness and Eating Disorders for Sexual and Gender Minorities

Abstract

Within the current literature on eating disorders in sexual and gender minorities, there is a gap in mindfulness techniques and application. These research gaps create questions on EDs manifestation in people of different sexual/ gender identities and the role of minority stress; could mindfulness techniques alleviate these stresses?
To answer this we implemented a systematic literature review that reviews the current and existing literature on the intersection of mindfulness-based interventions and eating disorder symptomatology in both gender and sexual minorities. For our systematic literature review, we used a process in which articles are: pooled, selected, and reviewed to find an answer.
This subject must be explored as LGBTQ+ individuals are in a unique position, that leaves them more vulnerable to EDs. This research answers this by looking at how mindfulness techniques can help alleviate the stress intersectionality causes and looking into mindfulness’s potential within clinical settings.

Keywords: Eating Disorders, Disordered eating ,mindfulness, gender and sexual minorities,

BIO

Hello! My name is Annelyse Woods and I am currently a sophomore majoring in Cell and Molecular Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry. I am on the pre-medical track and am very excited to continue researching throughout my time at Florida State University. I am from McLean, Virginia, which is right outside of Washington D.C.. I am incredibly interested in the functions and processes involved between different regions of the brain.

Plotting Orexin Within the Olfactory Bulb

Abstract

The olfactory bulb is a primary structure involved in the processing of olfactory sensory information. The bulb contains a complex network of input ORN axons which work together to shape sensory signals transmitted into the bulb. This network includes interneurons, containing granule cells, and projection neurons, containing mitral and tufted cells. This variety of cell types working cooperatively is essential to the functions and processes involved within the bulb. Furthermore, the reception of signals from other regions of the brain that release a diverse array of neurochemicals, one of which is orexin. Orexin is a neuropeptide that is released by a cluster of neurons stemming from the hypothalamus forming connections throughout the brain, including the bulb. In past studies Orexin has shown that it is directly correlated with bodily functions arousal and appetite. In this study, c57bl/6j mice were used in which orexin was visualized using immunohistochemistry. The brain samples were sliced at 40 μm and the florescent dyes DAPI and GFP were used to stain the cells within the segments. The orexin populations were visualized after being observed under a florescent microscope, accurately mapping the frequency and glomerular locales within the mouse bulb. This mapping has indicated many glomerular populations throughout the bulb. Past studies show that orexin appears in the bulb, however the exact location was unclear hence why it is essential to determine this. The presence of orexin in the bulb also assumes that chemospecific populations occur throughout the brain instead of only specific locations.

Keywords: Orexin, Olfactory, Neuropeptide, Neuroscience, Expression

BIO

I am first year political science and economics student with aspirations of going into the law field. My main interests lay within the scope of domestic law, economic equality, and the intersection between business and international law.

Domestic Violence Discourse As Political And Civic Engagement: A Textual Analysis Of Comments On Social Media

Abstract

Domestic violence continues to be an issue around the globe,
particularly in Africa; this research study works to analyze the role of
online discourse as a form of political and civic engagement when
talking about topics such as domestic violence. Social media platforms
encourage the mass sharing of ideas, views, and opinions that may
influence behavioral changes on a societal level. This study explores the
factors that make online discourse an effective medium by analyzing
language use. Using NVivo software, reactions and actions in these
comments are coded by highlighting the use of adjectives and verbs,
respectively. Qualitative discourse analysis allowed us to gain a deeper
understanding of language use in particular contexts on social issues,
which in the case of our study is domestic violence. Given how recent
this form of data collection is in analyzing language use in domestic
violence discourse, grounded theory is adopted to give way for themes
to emerge naturally from the discourse. We gathered data from the
comment sections of thirteen discussion threads on a Nigerian news and
information blog on Instagram, Instablog9ja. Two thousand of these
comments were cleaned, collated, and eventually analyzed to
understand how these comment sections serve the purpose of being a
space for dialogue and their potential as catalysts for cultural and
religious reforms.

Keywords: Political Discourse, Communications, Domestic Violence

BIO

Hi, my name is Adele Menezes. I'm really interested in Environment Conservation, which is part of the reason that I chose to work with Dr. Van Tol this year, as EPR can be used to increase efficiency in solar energy cells. That being said, I'd also like to work with AI sometime in the future, which is why I'm working towards a double major with Computer Science.

Optical Detection of Magnetic Resonance

Abstract

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy is a powerful tool used to identify the changes in energy levels of unpaired electrons. Uniquely, it can identify the reactivity of substances through the changes in microwave emission when said substances are exposed to large amounts of energy via a laser. Such technology may be the stepping stone to developments in quantum computing, increased efficiency of solar energy cells, and better quality beer. However, one of many difficulties in working with EPR is the T1 relaxation time of electrons, where the speed at which microwave levels get affected (the same speed that the unpaired electrons fall back into the ground state after excitation) is often too quick for the machine to detect.

Optical detection could provide a supplementary way of detecting phosphorescence and provide a more accurate way of determining the reactivity of a sample. The goal of this study was to develop a sample holder that could allow for phosphorescent light released from a sample during EPR to leave the sample holder through the use of a quartz rod, which is highly efficient at transmitting light. Using Fusion360, many preliminary models were made, however, none have been engineered/tested yet. These models were created specifically for the Heterodyne Quasi-Optical Spectrometer at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, FL.

Keywords: EPR, Optical Detection, Optics, Electron Spin States

BIO

I am first year student with a goal of a career in research in non-human in behavioral biology/neuroscience. I am especially interested in ornithology and worked with parrots throughout all of high school. I love a mix of lab and field work and would like to do an honors in the major project in my later years.

Why Practice? Investigating Why Males Perform “Mating” Displays with No Female Present

Abstract

Lanced-tailed manakins (Chiroxiphia lanceolata) are a species of bird in which males perform complex courtship dances for females. Males can be seen doing this dance alone, but typically work in pairs that involve an alpha and a beta. Only the alpha gets to mate with the female if successful. These birds are frequently seen doing their mating display dances without a female present, which leads me to believe they are practicing the dance. Males can be seen “practicing” solo, with a partner, or in groups of three or more. I have developed two non-exclusive hypotheses on why these birds may perform mating displays without a female present: 1) Males practice to increase reproductive success and 2) Males practice to establish social roles and their place in the dominance hierarchy. To test these hypotheses, I extracted data from previously recorded and analyzed video footage of manakin display sites. I found no significant correlations between rates of practice displays and reproductive success or between years of alpha status and general rates of practice, as well as no correlations between years as alpha and the number of males practiced with (solo, two, three or more). These results lead to more questions on why this behavior may occur, and a longitudinal study may be a good future direction for this question.

Keywords: Behavioral ecology, ornithology

BIO

My name is Mia Saccente, and from Lake Placid, Florida. I am in my second year at Florida State University. After I graduate, I plan to attend the criminology master's program at FSU and then go to law school. My career goals are to go into criminal law and become a prosecutor.

Reparations and Intergroup Inequality

Abstract

By searching through articles and transcribing council meetings, the researchers evaluate the extent at which Evanston, Illinois is administering inclusive housing reparations as its funding primarily comes from cannabis sales. This project analyzes the marijuana industry and its efforts to increase diversity and how communities that were systematically impacted by marijuana laws are affected by Evanston housing reparation program. Through the use of extensive review, it is discovered that despite claims of increasing diversity and administering equitable housing reparation, Evanston is falling short on its promises. Diversity in the marijuana industry is at an all time low, and individuals who were previously charged with marijuana related activities are not getting any benefit from the reparation program. Results are not yet conclusive, however, literature review suggests that individuals who were discriminately affected by marijuana laws are not benefiting from the reparation program, despite it being funded by cannabis sales.

Keywords: Cannibis, Reparations, and intergroup inequality

BIO

Hello! My name is Paige Coker, and I am from Macomb, MI. I am a junior majoring in International Affairs, and I am also working on my US Intelligence Studies Certificate. After completing my degree, I plan to attend law school and hope to practice International Law. I enjoy historical research and having the ability to see how the history of the world has shaped our world today.

Civil Courage in Action: Identifying the Courageous Women of the Rosenstrasse Protest

Abstract

During the time of the Nazi regime, interfaith marriages, especially between Jewish men and non-Jewish women, were outlawed. As the Gestapo increased their power in the city of Berlin, over 7000 Jewish men were arrested. In the end of February and beginning of March of 1943, hundreds of non-Jewish wives initiated the Rosenstrasse Protest, in an act of civil courage to save their Jewish husbands from being deported and killed. This protest continued for several weeks as women to fought for their husbands’ releases. Because of the overwhelming growth and power of the protest, the Jewish men that were detained were eventually released. The courageous acts of their wives and family members have often gone unspoken about and their genealogical pasts forgotten. To commemorate these courageous acts and to bring to light the familial connections, our research team has put together a genealogical database accompanied by a series of biographies. This database begins with protesters from the Rosenstrasse Protest, cases of intermarriage, civil courage, and women’s resistance. From there connections are built as the rest of their genealogy and family history is compiled. Once completed, the comprehensive database and the accompanying biographies will (a) be used to further contribute to the historical studies of Germany during the Nazi regime and (b) serve as an online resource for descendants to find lost family records and build their own genealogical history.

Keywords: History, Holocaust, Civil Courage

BIO

Ayana Ovalles is a second-year student at Florida State University's College of Medicine
where she is pursuing a degree in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions (BS). She is a participant of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, which has allowed her to engage in research on access to maternity care, working alongside one of her mentors and peers. In her
academic career, Ayana is focused on gaining more exposure and utilizing leadership and collaboration skills whilst making meaningful connections. Her interest in medicine stems from her goal of communicating the importance of cultivating equity in healthcare. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, she intends to apply to graduate school to further her knowledge of public health and progress toward a career as a OB/GYN.

Gadsden County and the Politics of Birthing Spaces: The Making of an Invisible Care Desert

Abstract

With there being an increased interest in maternity care deserts, there has been less emphasis on how such framings may render certain communities invisible. Although Gadsden County, Florida, is not considered a maternity care desert, many of its community members still experience it as such. The present study aims to investigate the trajectory of maternal healthcare in Gadsden County for Black birthing persons. It divulges birthing narratives, examining what such experiences mean for the community and birthing care for African American birthing persons as a whole. By conducting semi-structured interviews, this study aims to capture the social processes that impact one’s ability to seek and navigate care within a perceived maternity care desert. The study is divided into two groups: Black birthing residents (n=26) and reproductive health advocates and professionals (n=14).

Many respondents within the study share birthing stories that detail forms of obstetric violence and perceived racial discrimination. Furthermore, several professionals acknowledge that there is a history of bias in the medical care system. These biases directly impact African American individuals, especially those in marginalized communities. The study reveals several emergent themes among members of the community, including how they are naming barriers to care, resisting barriers to care, and cultivating health equity. Although this study is not designed to be generalizable since it is a qualitative case study situated in Gadsden County, further research is still needed to explore how other marginalized communities navigate the ever-shifting landscape of maternal healthcare within the U.S.

Keywords: Maternity Care, Doula, Midwife

BIO

My name is Michael Davis, I am pursuing a career in medicine, and I have a strong passion for mathematics and astronomy.

Understanding Properties of Type Ia Supernova Flames

Abstract

Type Ia supernovae are valued for their scalable absolute luminosities being revolutionary for distance astronomy. Though widely used, the structures of their stellar progenitors are not well understood. We will construct an approximate flame speed formula for flame and explosion studies using MESA code and by probing parameter space. Our results consist of sets of MESA runs simulating flames for conditions expected of progenitor stars. Our simulation results show strong dependencies of flame parameters. We have many people, six, running simulations such that the difference between the approximate solution and the true solution decreases. In the future, we recommend using larger nuclear networks, as our model employs a relatively simple nuclear network with 21 isotopes.

Keywords: Astronomy, Astrophysics, Computational

BIO

Victoria grew up in Singapore and moved to Florida in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic to be closer to family. She is an undergrad pursuing a degree in chemical-materials engineering and hopes to either obtain her doctorate or masters in materials science. Her research interests are focused mainly in materials used in extreme environments.

Wear Rate & Friction Dependence on Contact Pressure for PTFE-PEEK Polymer Composites

Abstract

PTFE (Teflon) based polymers are often mixed with fillers such as PEEK (poly ether ether ketone) or metals, metal oxides and other materials to improve their wear rates and coefficients of friction. Many experiments have been conducted measuring the effect of different weight precents of filler materials, mainly PEEK, in PTFE; yet not many studies have looked at the effect varying normal load for different compositions has on the wear rates and friction coefficient. This research study looked at PTFE polymer composites with 40 wt% PEEK. After mixing, molding, sintering, and machining three pins of each composite polymer were tested at normal loads (force against the counter sample) of 50N, 150N, and 250N on a six-load-cell tribometer under humid conditions. The samples were massed after each test’s number of cycles had concluded until the full experiment had completed. The samples travelled a total sliding distance of 20 kilometers with a stroke length of 20mm one way. Results show that the polymer composites with 40 wt% peek performed better at higher normal loads with lower wear rates. Results show that the sample with a contact pressure of 250N has the lowest friction out of the three samples.

Keywords: Materials Science, PTFE, Polymers, PEEK

BIO

I am a pre-med student from Tampa, FL hoping to pursue a career in pediatric medicine in the future. I am interested in research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology within early childhood and adolescence. On campus I am involved in a health and wellness organization called CHAARG, the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), and Best Buddies.

Do Early Childhood Educators Have a Positive or Negative Perception on the Implementation of a Social-Emotional Curriculum?

Abstract

This mixed-methods (i.e., quantitative and qualitative) study is aimed at exploring early childhood educators’ perceptions and experiences with the social-emotional curriculum Rebound Recovery, focusing on preschool-aged children. Early childhood is a critical period for development that can help to build foundational skills that influence social and academic development.. Early education teachers who implemented the social-emotional curriculum will complete several survey instruments related to managing challenging behavior as well as their self-efficacy and other perceptions of working with preschool age children. They will then be placed in groups of four to participate in a focus group interview. Data from the survey instruments and focus groups will be analyzed to answer the following research questions: What are the experiences, perceptions, and opinions of early childhood educators after implementing the Rebound and Recovery curriculum with preschool age children? What is the relationship between teacher (1) self-efficacy, (2) perceived relationships with students in their classrooms, (3) stress, and (4) priorities and beliefs about behavior, teaching practices and children, and their continued use of Rebound and Recovery?

Keywords: Education, Social-Emotional Learning, Early Childhood

BIO

Hello! My name is Ethan Correa and I am currently in my second year at Florida State University. I am a Political Science and Classics double major and have always had a love for research. Career wise, I plan on attending law school and focusing my life around helping those who feel their rights have been violated.

Assessing the Social Side of Corporate Sustainability

Abstract

Our study aims to identify current social sustainability metrics and understand the role they play in fostering corporate social responsibility (CSR). We examined consumer and stockholder demand for sustainable products and the net benefits of engaging in environmental and social sustainability practices. Next, we compiled social and environmental sustainability metrics and constructed a consumer-facing sustainability framework, entitled the Corporate Sustainability Indicator (CSI). We centered our framework around social and environmental sustainability in the agri-food industry and evaluated two chocolate companies, Alter-Eco and Tony’s Chocolonely. Then we compared the results of the the CSI with the results of an existing framework, the Good Shopping Guide (GSG). Based off the data collected in the case study, we will assess the effectiveness of the CSI. Our results can be beneficial to corporations, small businesses, governmental agencies, shareholders, and consumers among other entities.

Keywords: Sustainability, Food, Environment

BIO

Hi, my name is Anthony Benn. I am Sophomore from Orlando, Florida. I am studying Biological Sciences and hope to one day become a pediatric doctor.

Experimental Algae Wheel Feasibility Study

Abstract

This investigation seeks to assess the feasibility of an experimental algal wheel which will be used to assess the marine diatom species Skeletonema costatum potential for allelopathic growth inhibition of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. K. brevis, an HAB, otherwise known as red tide, is a phenomenon damaging the marine ecosystem by killing marine life and damaging human health. In this study, we conducted a feasibility study of a newly designed experimental algae wheel which will be used in future trials to assess HAB allelopathic growth inhibition. Conducting a feasibility study of the experimental algae wheel is necessary as this algae wheel is designed to control temperature and lighting while reducing variability in culture growth. The algae wheel ensures a constant volume of water exchange in no-contact cultures, which are used to assess the effect of allelopathic competition. No-contact cultures are used to evaluate allelopathic growth inhibition to isolate each algae species while allowing allelochemicals to pass between cultures. A consistent volume of water exchange ensures a proportional exchange of allelochemicals. We can assess the effect of allelopathic competition by ensuring the experimental algae wheel provides more consistent growth than stationary cultures. Two culture types were employed to accomplish this: a stationary culture and a culture grown in the algae wheel. The density of each culture was measured every 24 hours to generate a growth curve. Variation in growth between each culture was evaluated from these cultures allowing for assessments to be made on the feasibility of the wheel design.

Keywords: Algae, Red tide, Karenia Brevis

BIO

Emily Stout is a second-year undergraduate student in the Honors program pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering. As a woman in an underrepresented field, she is passionate about harvesting her leadership skills throughout her academic and extracurricular endeavors. She currently serves as the Treasurer of Florida State's Women's Club Soccer Team, where she is responsible for the facilitation of the organization's financial obligations, travel accommodations, and national communications. In the upcoming school year, she will also serve as the Treasurer for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering's chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers. Emily is an active member of her sorority, the Gamma Chapter of Chi Omega, where she previously served on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and is actively serving as the Recruitment Morale Chair.

Simulation-based Heavy Equipment Planning for Building Mass Rescue Operation

Abstract

The success of mass rescue operations, such as in the aftermath of a building collapse, requires effective use of limited resources to search for more people on time constraints and expedite the debris removal process. However, the two major processes of rescue operation, debris removal and survival search, have different objectives (i.e., removal of debris and search for survivors, respectively) but share resources, such as excavators and trucks, thereby making resource planning for mass rescue operation challenging. We propose a novel approach to optimize heavy equipment planning for mass rescue operation through discrete event simulation (DES). Debris collection and survivor search operations are simulated as two distinctive processes that share the input of excavators and trucks. One key challenge in developing a simulation model of rescue operation is the lack of productivity data for each process. To overcome this issue, small-scale experiments were conducted in which students operate 1:14 scale heavy equipment for debris removal and rescue operations, while their productivity for each operation is recorded. The measured productivity data from the small-scale experiments are used in the developed simulation model in order to identify bottleneck resources within these two processes. The use of equipment is planned in a way that addresses such resource bottlenecks and thus expedites the overall mass rescue operation. Our findings have important implications for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of rescue operations in the aftermath of a disaster.

Keywords: Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mass Rescue Operations

BIO

Ella Windlan is a first-year Presidential Scholar from Hudson, Florida, pursuing a dual degree in Editing, Writing, and Media and International Affairs. After working on the Linked Women Pedagogues Project through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and authoring an additional research project centering around predictive policing that she presented at the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference, she hopes to continue pursuing undergraduate research. Some of her research interests include criminology, women's representation, sociology, artificial intelligence, and international relations. Her career goal is to work for the U.S. government as a Foreign Service Officer or for an international human rights organization.

Data Feminism in the Numbers: A Qualitative Analysis of Where Women Pedagogues Are Documented

Abstract

The Linked Women Pedagogues (LWP) Project aims to trace the intellectual influence of underrepresented women in the broad field of rhetorical studies from roughly 1870-1970. The LWP Project works to promote data feminism, a term feminist scholars Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren Klein (2019) define as “a way of thinking about data, both their uses and their limits, that is informed by direct experience, by a commitment to action, and by intersectional feminist thought” (D’Ignazio & Klein 8). The LWP project, created by Dr. Graban, documents underrepresented women whose “...intellectual influence is tracked through the migration of people, motives, texts, curriculum, and ephemera—all as reflected in institutional and archival metadata and in the ways that researchers take up or historicize that metadata” (“Linked Women Pedagogues”). Researchers working on the LWP Project keep track of women’s names, roles, affiliations, publications, and archival locations in a “master dataset” that also records which online databases do or do not store information about their careers. To support the LWP Project in this goal, this project conducted a macro-level examination of all the collected data in “master datasets” thus far, calculating the average percentages of LWP women represented in different online datasets such as WorldCat, VIAF, DBpedia, Wikipedia, etc. This project exemplifies why the principles of data feminism are essential for archival metadata research; women are grossly underrepresented. Furthermore, this project concludes that there is a significant need to combat the hegemonic forces that get repeated and amplified in certain branches of information sciences.

Keywords: Data feminism, Rhetoric, Representation, Archives, Metadata

BIO

Hi, My name is Ibukunolu Shofolu! I am a second year here at Florida State University. I am Nigerian but grew up in the city of Jacksonville, Florida. I am a biochemistry major on the pre-med track hoping to someday become an OB-GYN and primarily serve minority women in underrepresented communities. I thoroughly enjoy psychology research in the sense that the field of psychology is very diverse and helps us better grasp the complex nature of human behavior.

Is Imagery Rehearsal Therapy an Effective Treatment for Nightmares among People with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? A Review​

Abstract

This systematic review is an examination conducted in order to identify and synthesize all relevant studies, that meet the eligibility criteria, in an effort to determine the effectiveness of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) in addressing nightmare occurrence/intensity in patients with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD). The overall goal of using a systematic review was to compile a meticulous summary of the primary sources that have already conducted their experiments and research on this topic. The focus of this systematic review was on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that highlighted IRT as their chosen treatment to treat patients suffering from PTSD-induced nightmares. RCTs were searched for and gathered from a total of four databases using identical search terms as well as exclusion criteria. Of all the four studies chosen and examined in this review (Krakow et al., Thunker et al., Belleview et al., and Sandahl et al.), The same conclusion was drawn: Imagery rehearsal therapy aids in the decrease of nightmare symptoms, in terms of frequency and severity, as a result of PTSD. This result was seen regardless of the sample.

Keywords: Imagery Rehersal Therapy, PTSD, Nightmares, Nightmare Treatment

BIO

I am from Oviedo, Florida and I am currently a Junior at FSU. I look to pursue Mental Health Counseling for PTSD patients, as I want to do research on Women who experience PTSD symptoms.

Mentor Resources and Training in Undergraduate Research Programs

Abstract

Mentorship is an important part of undergraduate research, allowing students to be guided at the start of their research careers. Programs and individual students seek out research projects regardless of the mentor's previous experience. As a result of this, sometimes there is a lack of mentors with training or previous experience mentoring undergraduate students. Some undergraduate research offices including The College of New Jersey and UWA La Crosse have online tools available to research mentors, however, this is not the standard. While many colleges with undergraduate research programs have won awards such as the Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA) it is not a reflection of their effective mentorship training. Many schools that have received the AURA award have provided examples of mentor training, which we analyze and discuss. Even so, an estimated 33% of the colleges covered in this study have no explicit tools or resources for their mentors available on their websites. The goal of this research is to learn about the resources available for research mentors and determine future steps to improve and support undergraduate research mentors at FSU.

Keywords: Undergraduate Research Mentor Training

BIO

I am an International Honor Computer Science major student at FSU, and expect graduation year 2024 for Bachelor of Science degree. I’m really looking forward to learn, study and even research on topics that relate to Computer Science.

Machine Learning in predicting outcomes of organ transplantation

Abstract

This poster is an examination of machine learning in predicting the outcome of organ transplantations, specifically liver, and heart. Due to the already large number of potential variables that have to be considered for predicting, machine learning can be most efficiently performed these tasks. Thus, various Machine Learning models such as Random Forest and XGBoost have been tested, even Deep Learning models are being used to research on. The data that use to train these models are also varied such as Pediatric Heart Transplant Society database, UNOS registry database and data from a large pediatric organ transplant center. This indicates that the machine learning models are flexible enough to be able to train and use for different purposes not just predicting the outcomes of organ transplant. Regarding to Deep Learning models, results from researches showed that till now it has not yield superior result compare to traditional Machine Learning models. After training the models from the large existing medical data, despite the overall prediction performance can be limited in certain aspects, the Machine Learning model along with Deep Learning model which has proven to have potential to assist and provide crucial informations about potential post-transplant outcomes for patients so physicians, transplantation teams can make better decisions to yield the best possible outcomes for the patients.

Keywords: Machine Learning, Post Organ Transplant, Health

BIO

I am a second year undergraduate student majoring in Digital Media Production, with an immense passion for media journalism and film & television through a cross-cultural lens. I was interested in taking on this project as it is focuses on multi-cultural liberation within mass media, which is very relevant to my personal and career interests as I hope to enter the media landscape to help spotlight AAPI issues.

Are Women in Ads Really Empowered? What Hair Tells Us

Abstract

This qualitative textual analysis questions the "empowered female" discourse suggested in "femvertising," specifically focusing on the development of hair representation amongst women of color in comparison to their White counterparts. Using Goffman's Gender Advertisements as the theoretical framework for coding female adverts' non-verbal communication cues over time, it can be inquired whether or not women are more empowered in the current state of contemporary commercialism in terms of their roles and non-verbal behaviors. Our preliminary findings show that there has been progress made in the depiction of females' nonverbal behaviors that has revealed more independence then what Goffman did in 1988. However, the analysis found that black females’ hair portrayals still demonstrate stereotypes of black women’s natural hair and its negative connotations embedded in western culture.

Keywords: sociology, women's studies