Festival of Science, Scholarship, and Creativity

Neurostimulation is an expanding therapeutic field in which electric or magnetic fields are used to modulate brain activities. Techniques involving static magnetic fields, such as transcranial static magnetic stimulation (tSMS), have demonstrated clinical benefits for patients with neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease and ALS. Although the therapeutic benefits of these interventions are increasingly supported by clinical data, the cellular mechanisms underlying their effects remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, we examined the impact of a 1 mT static magnetic field on the proliferation of mouse hippocampal neural cells. We observed that both the presence and orientation of the magnetic field influenced cellular proliferation, with a downward-directed field resulting in the greatest increase in cell growth, followed by horizontal and upward orientations. We also evaluated whether variations in culture media composition modified the proliferative response to magnetic fields. To explore the mechanisms underlying these orientation-dependent effects, we analyzed changes in cytoskeletal organization. These findings provide insight into how static magnetic fields influence fundamental aspects of neural cell behavior, offering a cellular framework for interpreting the observed clinical outcomes of magnetic field-based neurostimulation therapies.

The precarious sexuality effect states that men’s heterosexuality is more prone to scrutiny than women’s. Straight men who have had just one sexual encounter with another man are often perceived as closeted gay men, despite prior heterosexual relationships. Straight women who have had a similar experience with another woman are typically perceived as experimenting or bisexual. Importantly, for men, this discordance between a heterosexual identity and prior sexual experiences with other men is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression. These mental health outcomes are thought to be a consequence of the stigma tied to men’s homosexuality and rigid beliefs that men are either gay or straight. The present study investigated a potential approach to normalizing men’s sexual fluidity and bisexuality. Ninety-six participants were recruited to complete an online survey via Prolific. Nine of those participants were removed for either not identifying as men or not passing the manipulation check. The remaining 87 participants identified as either cisgender men (97.7%) or transgender men (2.3%). Most identified as straight (83.9%) and white (70.1%) and had an average age of 39.5 (SD = 13.9). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: stigmatizing (n = 30), normalizing (n = 29), and control (n = 28). Those assigned to the stigmatizing condition were presented with a fake New York Times (NYT) article which stigmatized bisexuality among men and portrayed sexuality as a gay/straight binary. The normalizing condition presented another fake NYT article that portrayed sexuality as flexible for men. The control condition included a fake NYT article arguing that apple cider is better than pumpkin spice. After reading the article, participants completed measures related to their sexual fluidity beliefs, essentialist beliefs, sexual experiences, and sexual desires and fantasies about men. We predicted that exposure to the normalizing condition would result in higher sexual fluidity beliefs scores, lower essentialist beliefs scores, higher scores for sexual desires and fantasies related to other men, as well as a higher number of past sexual experiences with other men. A one-way ANOVA revealed a main effect of experimental condition on sexual desires and fantasies about men (F (2, 85) = 4.82, p = .01), with the normalizing condition reporting lower scores than either the control or stigmatizing conditions. There were no significant main effects for essentialist beliefs or sexual fluidity beliefs. Post hoc tests revealed a significant difference between the stigmatizing and normalizing conditions in reports of past penetrative sex with other men, with no one in the normalizing condition reporting any such experiences. Attempting to normalize men’s sexual fluidity and bisexuality appears to have had an adverse effect, potentially leading men to reject these sentiments more strongly.

This project examines current composting infrastructure in the North Country, with particular emphasis on food scraps diversion at St. Lawrence University (SLU). The NYS Food Donation and Food Scraps recycling Law requires institutions generating a specified minimum tonnage of food scraps to divert them from the landfill. Under this law, SLU and 19 other institutions in St. Lawrence, Franklin, and Clinton counties are required to compost food scraps, and future plans to expand this law will broaden the scope of institutions impacted. We identified a mix of forty businesses across the tri-county area that are both currently required to divert or will be in the future, and disseminated a survey to assess their approaches to food scraps diversion regarding attitude, education, awareness, and operations. Our preliminary results have identified problems associated with implementing the law that are common with new environmental policy mandates.

Building upon a 2023 food scraps audit conducted at SLU, we have identified the major food waste stream across campus and made actionable steps towards increasing diversion. Working closely with student groups, Dining Services, and Facilities and Operations, we implemented a post-consumer food waste collection system at the university’s buffet-style eatery, Dana Dining Hall. Additionally, we helped decrease the size of plates to reduce leftover scraps and disseminate educational material on the importance of food scraps diversion. Based on projections with the new collection system, we are diverting an additional 43.76 tons/year of food scraps from the landfill. Preliminary results from a recently conducted audit in Dana show that, with smaller plates, we are producing markedly less food waste on average per meal. There is still work to be done to increase diversion on campus, particularly at SLU’s to-go eatery, North Star Café. Both increasing diversion and producing less food waste should be a top priority for SLU’s sustainability infinitives and have promising financial implications.

Investigative projects both within and outside of the lab use synthetic chemicals usually made from weak acids or bases to test pH (Kadam et. al. 2013, Garg 2013). While synthetic indicators are useful for their consistency, stability, precision, and storage ability, they have a number of downsides, including safety, environmental impact, cost, and even aesthetic appeal (Abbas 2023). One alternative to using synthetic indicators are bioindicators, also referred to as natural indicators (Riyanti et al. 2022), which are a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative. Our research observed anthocyanins extracted from purple sweet potato (Discorea alata) tubers and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) flowers, as potential bioindicators for a colorimetric pH bioassay. Butterfly pea and sweet potato extracts were subjected to four different buffer solutions, with pHs of 2, 4, 7, and 10 alongside a control group of distilled water to compare changes in color for each of the extracts. The absorbance spectra for each colorimetric change was recorded using a spectrophotometer and the Oceanview 2.0 software. Our preliminary results for the purple sweet potato and butterfly pea flower extracts showed potential use of both in indicating a wide range of pH levels through colorimetric assay. Our findings are relevant to designing safer classroom and household pH bioassays.

Molecularly Imprinted Carbon Dots to detect Cardiac Troponin

Hadley Reinke and Dr. Samantha Glazier

Carbon dots (CDs) are a nanoparticle that are inexpensive and ecofriendly relative to traditional quantum dots. CDs are a fluorescent material that can be utilized in biological systems as a nano sensor by binding a specific target, which quenches the fluorescence of the CDs. The CDs become selective to a target through the molecularly imprinting process, which includes a silica matrix combining a group of CDs that are then covered by a polymer with an imbedded binding site. CDs have been used to detect many types of small molecules like TNT, aspirin, antihistamine and are starting to be developed to detect macromolecules. A few well-known proteins that have successfully been detected are hemoglobin and cytochrome C. One concern about detecting large molecules is orientation and fragility during the imprinting and detection process. There is a need for a method that can detect the protein in any orientation in solution and does not degrade the protein with high temperatures or large changes in pH. A solution to some of these problems for detection of proteins is using the epitope approach, where the peptide strands that are exposed to solvent are molecularly imprinted into the polymer. Therefore, the orientation of the protein does not affect the protein’s binding ability.

Cardiac Troponin I is a biomarker for a myocardial infarction and therefore makes for an interesting macromolecular target where sensitivity and selectivity are critical. CDs made through the hydrothermal method, that utilizes high heat for a long length of time. The CDs are then molecularly imprinted using a modified Ströber method, which is a polymer, monomer and cross linker layer that embeds the target peptides. Fluorescence spectroscopy will be used to detect nano-levels of Cardiac Troponin I.

Individuals diagnosed with comorbid ADHD and PTSD may experience altered impulsive choice behavior. Twenty-four female rats, twelve SHR/NCrl modeling ADHD and twelve Wistar, completed a delay discounting task in a pre/posttest design. Half of each group underwent predator odor exposure to model PTSD. Odor exposed SHRs appeared to be more impulsive than odor exposed Wistar. However, unexposed SHRs did not display significantly increased impulsivity, suggesting that female SHR/NCrl rats may not be an acceptable model of impulsivity in ADHD.

From March 30 to April 16th, Erika Barthelmess and students from the St. Lawrence biology department collected data from 20 audio recording devices in the Northern New York area. These devices were strategically located to observe potential audiological changes in wildlife at the time of the total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024. We processed this audio data to produce organized data frames, centered around 5 commonly used bioacoustic indices. From this tabular data, we constructed many visualizations displaying patterns across time, day, and recording device. Due to the non-linearity present in our plots, generalized additive models based on time of day, date, and recording device were implemented to assess patterns that may have occurred during the solar eclipse. From these visuals and models, we conclude the possibility that 3 of our 5 indices are associated with audio changes during the time of the eclipse.

In the years since his 2018 plane hijacking and suicide, Richard “Sky King” Russell has amassed something of a cult following, becoming a folk hero in the process. In observing these online communities of supporters of Russell, it becomes necessary to understand why and how Russell has made this posthumous ascension to a digital folk hero. This paper theorizes that the primary source of Russell’s status as a folk hero is feelings of societal disenfranchisement by Whites, and is further supplemented by experiences of relative deprivation, the death of America’s “Self Made Man”, and the influence of YouTube in determining an individual’s political philosophy. After introducing the framework of and engaging in the concepts of digital ethnography and rhetorical field methods, I analyze a cross-section of comments left under three distinct YouTube videos that specifically focus on Richard Russell, each posted by a creator/channel of different genre and purpose. In the analysis of the comment cross-section, this paper demonstrates Russell’s status as a folk hero and the multifaceted construction of his identity into one that is larger than life and reflects widespread dissatisfaction with the state of the world at large. This paper concludes with a discussion of the broader societal implications of Russell’s folk hero persona, as well as the need to continue studying folklore rhetoric.

In an era increasingly defined by data-driven technologies, personal information privacy has become a critical concern, particularly for university students who are among the most active digital platform users. This research explores the awareness, attitudes, and behaviors of university students regarding data privacy, surveillance capitalism, and digital security. As young adults navigate a landscape saturated with data collection by corporations and governments, questions arise about their understanding of privacy risks, trust in institutions to safeguard their information, and how perceptions influence online behavior.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines survey data from 50 St. Lawrence University students with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The survey, distributed through academic and student organization channels, collected demographic data and assessed knowledge of data privacy, awareness of surveillance, trust in regulation, and personal security habits. Interview participants elaborated on their experiences with digital privacy, views on corporate and governmental data practices, and the emotional or behavioral impacts of surveillance.

Findings show that while students express high concern about data misuse, their knowledge and privacy practices are inconsistent. Most rely on informal sources like social media to learn about privacy, with few receiving formal education or training in digital security. This gap leads to partial or reactive behaviors. For example, students use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication, but are less likely to regularly update passwords, use password managers, or avoid risky habits like using public Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks.

The study also reveals widespread skepticism toward both corporate data practices and government regulation. Students frequently identify companies like Meta and TikTok as invasive, yet many are unwilling to pay for privacy-respecting alternatives, highlighting a tension between privacy values and the convenience of “free” services.

The research concludes that students are not apathetic about privacy. Many have altered their behavior in response to concerns, but often feel powerless or unsure about how to protect their information. This mix of awareness, concern, and disempowerment points to the need for stronger privacy education, digital rights advocacy, and greater transparency in data governance. As digital technologies continue to mediate social, academic, and economic life, universities and policymakers must prioritize privacy literacy and ethical data practices to better equip students for an increasingly surveilled world.

My paper's aim is to review the work of the author Guy de Maupassant through a literary and gender-based lens. Born in 1850, Maupassant is a French author who published his short stories towards the end of the 19th century. He utilized the fantastic genre in order to represent the unease he was feeling due to political instability of French society at the time. He also used the fantastic to illustrate the strict societal norms regarding masculine ideals which he did not entirely adhere to. Since the fantastic is a fictional genre, it allows him to explore the discomfort felt due to masculine standards and political unrest with metaphors often associated with illness or monstrosity. To avoid criticism, Maupassant punished his characters who did not fit the societal mold using the tropes of madness or imprisonment, sometimes combining the two. To build upon these arguments, I will be using his short stories "La Peur", "Qui Sait?", "La Chevelure", "L'Apparition", "Le Horla", and "Lui?".

This project aims to study classification and its applications to Major League Baseball (MLB) batting data. The goal is to develop a model that is capable of classifying a hit based on various in-game metrics, including release speed, launch angle, bat speed, and swing length. The model development process incorporates different statistical techniques such as K-means cluster analysis and decision trees to understand the distributions of the data and how observations are being classified in the multinomial model. Additionally, specific balancing techniques are explored to address inherent bias and imbalance in the data for the purpose of making more accuracte classifications. Also, a Shiny App was created in R to explore individual players and how altering their hitting profile impacts their season statistics and hit outcomes.

Infinity cubes are internally mirrored cubes with lights lining the edges so that when we look into the cube, it seems as if we are looking into infinite space tiled by copies of the cube projecting outwards. The cube is a member of the family of geometric objects known as Platonic solids. What mathematical properties of other Platonic solids could be explored using infinity polyhedra? This project explored properties such as reflection groups, tilings, honeycombs, and Petrie polygons by building infinity polyhedra in the Explore Lab Makerspace. Students, learners, and researchers often struggle to visualize higher-dimensional concepts; we worked not only to explore 3-dimensional properties in space, but also to create a tangible visual aid that boosts understanding. This approach aims to bridge the gap between abstract mathematical concepts and intuitive visual comprehension.

While in most media, we’ve grown accustomed to only observing the hero’s journey take effect, within games, we’re tasked with experiencing and leading that journey. While this kind of storytelling is special to video games, its unique aspects and oddities are all reflective of the relationship between story and consumer in so many other media. This presentation is about how video games connect players to the story they're in with the actions they take. The moments where the player's actions, story's themes, and gameplay coalesce to immerse and engage with the player like never before are the heart and soul of video game storytelling.

These scenes of ludo narrative harmony are what my presentation will focus on and the unique and familiar ways it's related to more traditional storytelling in literature.

Initially developed in the early 1900s, the Enigma Machine became essential for secure German military communications during World War II and was famously deciphered by Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park group. Our project involved understanding the German military Enigma to create a replica, utilizing the Makerspace for prototyping and both digital and physical fabrication. We incorporated an Arduino micro-controller to simulate rotor ciphers with code and a circuit board emulating a plugboard to add cryptographic complexity, enhancing historical accuracy. We also delved into the mathematical framework of how permutations are used to facilitate the encryption process. Additionally, we developed a user interface with a custom keyboard and an interactive digital display for system settings, coupled with a lamp board indicator to facilitate encryption and decryption. This project aimed to demonstrate learning experiences using creative workspaces to foster interest in new learning opportunities.

When stimulated by an external current, neurons fire a single electrical impulse called an action potential. However, excessive stimulation can induce repetitive firings, potentially leading to neurodegenerative diseases such as seizures. My research focuses on developing a Python-based simulation of the FitzHugh-Nagumo model, a system of ordinary differential equations frequently used to study neuronal voltage dynamics. This simulation approximates solutions to the model across varying external current inputs and identifies bifurcations that mark transitions between regular and unstable neuronal activity.

By linearizing the system via the Jacobian matrix and extracting eigenvalues, the script classifies local behavior and detects shifts in dynamical behavior. The tool features interactive visualizations, including a trace-determinant plane and a phase portrait with optional nullclines and vector fields. A built-in slider enables users to explore how neuronal dynamics evolve under different current levels, providing an intuitive, hands-on approach to understanding the threshold between typical and pathological firing patterns. Additionally, a second, higher-dimensional, and more biologically accurate model called the Hodgkin-Huxley model is explored.

This project analyzes pitch selection data for qualified pitchers during the 2023 season. The data comes from Baseball Savant, which contains detailed information on each pitch thrown. The main goal of this project was to see how pitchers deviate from their usual arsenal of pitches during different situations. To accomplish this goal, we used hierarchal clustering, standardization, modeling, and data visualization. The poster describes how these techniques are connected to uncover insights on MLB pitchers.

The SCORE Network is a repository of datasets and educational resources with the goal of furthering statistic and data science learning, particularly relating to sports analytics. This network is funded by the National Science Foundation, which aims to serve underrepresented populations and minorities.

This SCORE Module takes data from Kaggle of compiled Formula 1 data. The data is cleaned and filtered into a data frame containing data from only the 2021 season where the Title for World Champion came down to the last race between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. With the closeness of the championship, the effect of starting position on finishing position and consistency throughout the season will be explored in this Module. This dataset's analysis will entail understanding and filtering the data, visualizing data using R code, understanding ggplot syntax, and observing trends between variables.

The long-term and acute effects of a new breathing technique, the cyclic sigh, on physiological and psychological well-being and response to stress were measured on college students. The intervention group was advised to practice five minutes of the cyclic sigh daily over a four-week period. All participants completed a daily survey analyzing mood and psychological well-being throughout the four-week period. Results revealed no overall significant difference in physiological or psychological measures between the control and intervention treatment. However, significant correlations between time spent practicing the cyclic breath with the treatment group and various physiological measures were observed. A decrease in heart rate was significantly correlated to greater time spent cyclic breathing. A decrease in blood pressure was marginally significantly correlated to greater time spent cyclic breathing. Time spent breathing was also significantly correlated to daily diary measures of well-being. In the future, a study in longer duration with weekly participant check-ins may increase effect size.

As part of the SLU Fellows program last summer, there was a project centered on looking at a website created in a Web Programming class as a testing site for vulnerabilities. Using Kali Linux software, which is used for penetration testing and digital forensics, a variety of tools were used to identify whether a site is encrypted or unencrypted, which also indicates whether a site is secure or not. These tools included Hydra, skipfish, burp suite, Wireshark and XSSer. Also see the use of AI to help explain output results, and files from each tool that aided in ensuring that the command line was correct for the particular software being used.

We present our research on autonomous drone resilience, with a goal of reducing security vulnerabilities and software defects. With the increase in autonomous vehicle use in recent years, the need for trust in autonomous vehicles has grown. Given previous research that forces software to terminate prior to repairs, we introduce a method that allows a mission to be completed while repairs are deployed. We implement redundant computers to enable hardware switchover mid-mission. We extend previous work on sensor data transplantation to seamlessly switch control between computers while making repairs to flight software. We evaluate our design on commodity drone hardware using a custom safety apparatus. Through repeated tests, we find the drone is capable of initializing software in the air and switching control while losing less than a meter of altitude.

Plastics play a vital role in modern society, but their widespread use has led to the proliferation of microplastics in the environment. This study investigates the presence of microplastics in freshwater bivalves, specifically examining their ingestion and retention. Microplastics are commonly suspended in the water column, making filter-feeding organisms like freshwater clams susceptible to their intake. We hypothesize that freshwater clams ingest microplastics and expel larger particles through their digestive tract, while smaller particles are absorbed into their soft tissues.

Live freshwater clams were collected from lakes in northern New York and the Adirondack Park, and their fecal matter was analyzed. Samples were dissolved with FeSO₄ and 30% H₂O₂, and the remaining solution was stained with Nile Red to fluoresce plastics under blue light. Organic material was stained with Evans Blue for contrast. The solution was then filtered through 0.4-micrometer filter paper, which was examined under a Leica EZ4HD stereo microscope with a Nightsea fluorescence adapter. Using an in-house built automated microscope stage, images of the filter papers were captured, stitched together with Image Composite Editor, and fluorescent microplastics were quantified.

All samples contained microplastic contamination, categorized into three types: fibers, fragments (irregular particles >0.1 mm), and specs (rounded particles <0.1 mm). Among the 37 total samples, the average number of microplastic particles per gram was 29.4 for specs, 1.7 for fibers, and 9.2 for fragments. All samples contained specs and fragments, while fibers were present in 32 of the 37 samples analyzed for fiber content. These results suggest that smaller particles are more likely to accumulate in soft body tissues than in fecal matter.

During my time abroad in Trinidad & Tobago, I reached out to the SLWA (Syrian Lebanese Women's Association) to teach them the Arabic language in exchange for interviews on their family histories. In 1904, a massive wave of Lebanese and Syrian immigrants ended up in the Caribbean where they established communities within the islands they were residing in. Their presence implies the presence of a rich and complicated history of mobility and the neoliberal market that governs so much of our lives today. This poster presentation aims to narrate my experience of teaching, finding community, and learning about home while living halfway across the world from it.

Highly toxic azo dyes are commonly used in textiles, paints, cosmetics, food, and the pharmaceutical industries for their bright pigmentation. Pre-carcinogenic azo dyes are defined by a nitrogen-nitrogen double bond attached to substituted aryl rings on either side of the azo bond. Azo bonds can be reduced into carcinogenic aromatic amines, which have the ability to react with our DNA. Sequestration experiments with metal organic frameworks in water will be used to investigate a form of azo dye called methyl orange. Metal organic frameworks (MOF) are structures that contain Lewis acidic metal nodes connected by Lewis basic organic linkers to form a crystalline structure capable of adsorbing pollutants from water. MOF 525 is a type of framework formed using coordination sites on zirconium clusters linked together with a porphyrin ligand creating a porous structure with catalytic sites embedded in the organic ligand. Methyl Orange has a high molar absorptivity allowing the completion of sequestration experiments using UV-vis spectroscopy. The removal of methyl orange from water using MOF 525 can be monitored through UV-vis spectra, where the lambda max can be tracked and analyzed to obtain a sequestration rate constant.

The Lotka-Volterra equations are a classic model for predator-prey dynamics that effectively illustrate predator-prey population behaviors. However, determining their parameters from real-world data is often left unexplored. This project investigates a practical approach to deriving these parameters using empirical data. This functional method for parameter estimation helps bridge the gap between theoretical modeling and applied analysis, offering insights into how mathematical models can be grounded in real-world ecological observations.

This poster is part of the SCORE Network, a National Science Foundation funded initiative that aims to create and share educational modules focused on sports statistics and data science. The SCORE Network connects academic and industry leaders to develop resources that educate students in these fields. This particular module introduces students to the fundamentals of RStudio and Shiny App development through an interactive analysis of basketball statistics. By working with a real-world dataset, students will learn how to structure and build a Shiny App, create dynamic visualizations, and analyze their outputs. The dataset, containing Caitlin Clark’s career statistics from 2020 to 2024, provides an accessible and easily understandable context for data manipulation, visualization, and app creation. The module is designed to guide students through the process of developing their own Shiny App, starting with basic concepts in the first worksheet and advancing to more complex features in the second worksheet. Students will gain practical experience in using R to explore and visualize data, ultimately helping them develop the skills necessary to create their own interactive web applications. This hands-on approach will enhance their understanding of both statistical analysis and web development, laying the foundation for more advanced projects in data science and programming in the future.

Old growth forests offer a glimpse into the past forests that blanketed the northeastern United States, of which only .04% remains in the region. Ecologically, these forests provide crucial habitat for numerous species and are important carbon sinks. As part of the North Country Old Growth Program and Dr. Jon Rosales’ Once and Future Forests class, we examined a strand of potential old growth near the Kip Trail on St. Lawrence University’s campus. Our assessment protocol is adapted from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which assigns a numerical value related to the extent a forest stand qualifies old growth. Our results are to be determined. The presence of old growth forest on St. Lawrence University’s campus provides rare educational, spiritual, and conservation opportunities that would distinguish SLU from other universities.

Formula 1 (F1) is an international motorsport series governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), involving 20 drivers across 10 teams who compete in 18–24 race weekends annually. Prior to a race session, each driver completes a series of individual ‘qualifying laps’ under peak performance conditions to decide the starting order of the race. This project centers on the analysis of F1 qualifying sessions, highlighting comparisons between two drivers in the same race or the same driver across different seasons. Using the f1dataR package, we retrieved telemetry and lap time data, which were further processed through a local R package for data cleaning, transformation, and visualization. We built a Shiny application to allow users to interactively explore qualifying data and create custom visualizations by selecting drivers, seasons, and circuits. As a case study, we analyze the 2023 and 2024 qualifying sessions of the São Paulo Grand Prix, highlighting performance and driver consistency changes across seasons, with varying weather conditions and temperatures as an added factor.

This project contributes to the Death in St. Lawrence County (DSLC) initiative, an interdisciplinary project that aims to map, document, and digitize the histories of over 200 cemeteries in St. Lawrence County, New York. Focusing on the St. Lawrence County Almshouse Cemetery, this research uncovers and preserves the identities of individuals once institutionalized and buried at the site. Through extensive archival research using census data, historic newspapers, and public records, the project seeks to reconstruct the lives of those interred between 1871 and 1919—individuals often overlooked in historical narratives. The findings are systematically organized to enhance the DSLC's public database, helping restore dignity and historical visibility to some of the county’s most marginalized residents. Due to the large number of individuals represented in this research, only a select few with the most available information will be featured on this poster, offering a deeper look into their personal histories and highlighting the broader value of archival research in community memory work.

This study conducts a comparative cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of jeans from three markets: high-end (organic cotton), mid-range (conventional cotton), and low-end (conventional cotton blended with synthetic materials).

We examined the environmental impacts associated with one year of use for each product. Data for the assessment is drawn from Ecoinvent v3.10.1, as well as external sources, covering the main processes for making a pair of jeans. Impact category analyzed included Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), IPCC Global Warming Potential, TRACI eutrophication and acidification potential.

We found that high end jeans, made with organic cotton, had a lower environmental impact across all categories. However, what contributes most to jeans environmental impact is the use phase not the production and manufacturing phase.

Our goal is to empower consumers to make more informed decisions, considering material quality, product labels and the companys recommended care with the understanding that their choices will affect the way they care for their jeans specifically the wearing, washing and drying.

The ski industry is a carbon intensive industry with one resort, Whistler Blackcomb, reporting 133,526 tons carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) produced in 2019, 98.3% of which is produced by resort visitors (Resort Municipality of Whistler, 2019). This study presents a cradle-to-gate life cycle analysis of a pair of skis to quantify the environmental impacts associated with their production. The goal of this LCA is to identify high-impact processes and materials within the supply chain and facilitate transparency for environmentally conscious consumers. To enable this LCA to be accessible to consumers the impact assessment was quantified in CO₂e. CO₂e were chosen since they are widely understood by consumers and often used on products (Feucht et al., 2018). This LCA encompasses the production process from raw material extraction up to final assembly of the skis. Due to limitations in data availability only the impacts of the materials used in a pair of skis are included. Data was obtained from Parlor Skis, a boutique ski manufacturer based in Boston Massachusetts. As a result, the results are not intended for comparison. Future analysis may be done to build a more accurate model allowing for comparisons across ski models and better quantify the impact of sustainability efforts

The purpose of this project is to study the effects of image characteristics and model configuration on a convolutional deep model for image generation. The original model was trained on a dataset of small grayscale images of clothing items. The dataset I used for this project also consisted of images of clothing items, but the images contained extra features such as people wearing the clothes, and were in color and a different size from the original images. My goal was to study the effectiveness of the model on this new dataset, and to investigate what configuration changes were needed to get the model to produce clear images. Through my research, I found that the original model was only effective on images close to the original size. Additionally, I found that larger image sizes were harder to train and did not become clearer with modified parameters. While the smaller sizes were able to produce better quality images with extra added layers, the training was unstable for larger image sizes with added layers.

This project develops an artificial intelligence (AI) system to automate the separation of dialogue from background sound effects in movie audio tracks. Using advanced deep recurrent neural networks (RNNs), the system learns to isolate human voices within complex soundscapes by analyzing spectral patterns unique to speech. When applied to mixed audio inputs, the model generates two distinct outputs: a clean dialogue track and a standalone sound effects stem.

The system was pre-trained on a dataset of thousands of music tracks with pre-separated vocals and instrumental stems, helping it to distinguish voice from non-vocal content. This foundational model was then fine-tuned using movie-specific audio, including dialogue and sound effects, augmented with the Scaper toolkit to simulate real-world conditions and increase my amount of training data. By refining the network architecture and training parameters, the system achieves good performance even in scenarios with overlapping sounds and dynamic audio environments.

This technology addresses a time intensive challenge in audio post-production: streamlining the laborious process of dialogue extraction for international dubbing (e.g., replacing dialogue with another language). Current practices require manual separation by sound editors, often taking hours. The proposed solution reduces this task to minutes while preserving audio quality, offering filmmakers and engineers a scalable tool for editing, remastering, and adapting content making easy accessibility across multiple languages.

Inadequate sleep is a significant concern among college students. Research suggests that the majority of college students do not meet the 9 hours of sleep per night that the CDC recommends. Inadequate sleep can negatively affect academic performance, mental well-being, and physical health (Hershner and Chervin, 2014). The current study examines whether cyclic sighing, a structured breathwork technique characterized by a double nasal inhalation with a prolonged exhalation from the mouth, is effective at improving sleep based on total sleep time, sleep onset latency, sleep maintenance, total wake time, and sleep efficiency. The study took place over a 7-week period. Undergraduate students were randomly assigned to the intervention group, where they were asked to practice cyclic sighing once a day for 5 minutes, or the control group. Both groups completed a daily survey to assess the overall quality of the previous night’s sleep and participated in biweekly virtual check-ins to maintain participation. At the beginning and end of the seven-week period, an in-person lab session was conducted to assess physiological responses to a stressor, and self-reported sleep and chronotype results from the cyclic breath intervention will be discussed.

Chronic stress can manifest symptoms in both physical and mental health, contributing to issues such as lowered immune function, increased blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. Coping mechanisms like controlled breathing techniques have been shown to improve mood and reduce anxiety. The current study investigated the effects of cyclic sighing, a specific breathwork technique involving a double nasal inhalation followed by a long exhalation, on stress and well-being among college students at St Lawrence. Our study aims to extend existing research by implementing a seven-week daily practice of cyclic sighing. 20 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to the treatment or control groups. The treatment group was asked to engage in cyclic breathing for at least 5 minutes a day over 7 weeks. We assessed levels of depression, anxiety, and stress at baseline, and recorded them again at the end of the seven-week period, in addition to collecting electrophysiological measures of reactivity in response to a stressor. Participants also self-reported their stress and well-being levels daily and participated in weekly Zoom meetings to increase compliance. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, low-effort intervention technique for stress management and other wellness benefits. The results will be discussed.

From 2014 to 2018, the number of Americans following a vegan diet increased 600%, according to Global Data. The rise of plant-based diets has increased globally since the environmental movement gained momentum in the 1970s. Life cycle assessments (LCA) have been vital in evaluating the environmental impacts related to products and processes involving these diets. While LCAs comparing cow’s milk with plant-based alternatives (e.g. almond, oat, soy, etc.) are well-documented, there is limited research analyzing the impacts of protein isolate powders derived from animal-based and plant-based sources. As the demand for protein increases, driven by both athletic performance and foundational health, it remains important to assess the sustainability of protein products. This study conducts a comparative LCA of whey protein isolate (animal-based) and pea protein isolate (plant-based), focusing on key environmental impact categories such as eutrophication, water use, and land use. The results offer valuable data for consumers to make more informed choices and assists manufacturers in identifying which components of their process serve as areas for improvement.

Through the Travel Enrichment Grant from the CIIS Fellowships Fund, I explored how the definition of happiness in economics appears in everyday life in Denmark, where economic prosperity, social cohesion, and cultural values intersect. My exploration was guided by the questions: How do cultural traditions, social trust, and sustainability shape Denmark’s collective happiness? And how is well-being prioritized alongside economic success? I examined the Danish welfare model and daily life through the cultural activities I engaged in and the communities and settings I explored. This experience deepened my awareness of how personal choices can reflect broader societal values and inspired a growing interest in how global economic systems might better support happiness and equality worldwide.

Queer college students often face unique barriers when pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) degrees. In particular, “bro culture,” heteronormativity, and a lack of queer role models inhibit queer students’ interest and persistence in these disciplines. Most literature on this subject comes from large research-intensive institutions. The present study aims to expand on this research by examining the barriers that may exist for queer students pursuing STEM degrees at SLU, a small liberal arts college. Fifteen queer students participated in either one-on-one interviews or small focus groups in which they responded to semi-structured interview questions about their experiences. The 15 participants identified mostly as women (53%), lesbian (33%), and white (80%) with a mean age of 20.33. There were a majority of psychology majors (33%) and most are in their junior year (33%). The qualitative data derived from these interviews were analyzed using an inductive content analysis, and revealed seven major themes: community and belonging, the influence of queer identity on academic and career choices, openness and visibility of queer identity, valued contributions and experiences of being ignored, microaggressions and discomfort, mixed perceptions of a bro-culture, and advice for STEM faculty and SLU administration. Contrary to existing literature on this subject, participants typically did not report a bro-culture in their STEM courses (with some exceptions). Results of this study provide important context about valuable experiences for queer students in STEM majors at SLU, as well as potential future efforts that could improve students’ interest and persistence in STEM.

This thesis is an attempt to weave together two historical narratives. One is the development of the theory of property in the western philosophical tradition, and how our ideas about intellectual property fit (or don’t fit) into our understanding of how and why we own. The second is the global development of agribusiness and the loss of farmer’s rights and food sovereignty. Multinational corporations have created a seed patent empire, and in doing so have eroded traditional agricultural knowledge and biodiversity and alienated farmers from their crops, oppressing the labor that feeds the planet. In this paper, I try to use these ideas as a guide in figuring out how we allowed such a situation to dominate the practice that nourishes, reproduces, and makes human life possible on this planet. I also read them in the hopes of finding a better way forward.

This thesis aims to show how the farmers relationship to a patented seed does not constitute a genuine property right. The system of IPR creates a contradictory kind of double-ownership in which the IP holder restricts fundamental aspects of property rights that Western political economy has seen as property’s ethical and practical essence: our ability to use and change our property as we please, our ability to exchange it as we please, and at the most fundamental level, to survive and thrive off the land we inhabit. I will also argue that this is not an inherent flaw that comes with the idea of property or intellectual property. Systems of property are malleable and capable of evolution. An egalitarian and democratic legal structure can make ownership something that empowers people instead of oppressing them.

Lots of high school students may have encountered the Quadratic formula, which provides a solution to quadratic equations using radicals. After Quadratic formula, People have found formulars for cubic and Quartic equations and started to wonder if we could find formulas for polynomials of higher degree. However, with an approach that is far from intuitive, people observed there is no such general formula for quintic polynomials or those of higher degrees. This theorem is known as Abel–Ruffini Theorem, which was first proposed by Ruffini in 1799, and later rigorously proved by Abel in 1824. The proof of this fact is complicated and relies on Galois theory, which builds a bridge between group theory and ring theory. In this work, we first place radicals within the framework of ring and group theory and then use Galois theory to explain why the existence of such a formula is impossible.

SCORE is a network funded by the National Science Foundation with the goal of promoting statistics and data science education using sports data. Students and faculty create modules covering a variety of statistics and data science topics that can be used in and outside of the classroom. This project utilizes a powerlifting data set containing millions of records of powerlifters. Powerlifting consists of three types of lifts: squat, bench, and deadlift. The data contains a wide variety of ages and represents an opportunity to better understand how age has an effect on strength levels. More specifically, we create classroom activities with the purpose of teaching regression topics including high order polynomials, indicator variables, and quantile modeling.

I grew up eating made-in-Ghana chocolate. Ghana is the second largest producer of cacao in the world but I have seen documentaries where Ghanaian cocoa farmers say, "I have never had a bar of chocolate." With my project, I spent time exploring and experiencing cacao and chocolate in three European countries where "we make chocolate sculptures" is a common phrase.

Through my visit to the Choco Story Museum in Brussels, Belgium, I was introduced to and shown the entire history of how chocolate found its way into Europe.The experience included a master chocolate chef making pralines. I made my own chocolate bars in a workshop here. I explored the Chocolate Nation Museum in Antwerp, Belgium. A gigantic fantasy machine was used to showcase how chocolate is made. The tour displayed chocolate production through fantastical representation. In France, I spent a day at the Marché des Artisans du Chocolat learning about and partaking in chocolate tastings. A stop at the Tony's Chocolonely Superstore in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, resulted in a lesson involving an explanation of the various injustices experienced in the cacao world and a chance to learn how to make a positive impact in the chocolate industry. The tour ended with making custom chocolate bars.

My findings from this project included the opportunity to explore the joy of tasting chocolate from different places, but also, learning of the harsh reality of the cacao and chocolate industry, and increasing my passion of hoping to make a change in this field.

Road expansion likely exacerbates barriers to species movement. Within British Columbia’s South Okanagan Valley, there is particular concern that amphibian species are vulnerable to road effects in their annual movements from upland overwintering habitat to lowland breeding areas. A before-after control impact (BACI) approach to assessing amphibian movement along Highway 97 and the implementation of a three-kilometer four-lane highway expansion project was constructed in 2010 and open to traffic use in 2011. Amphibian surveys were conducted to determine mitigation fencing and culverts' location. To evaluate the long-term impact of mitigation, three culverts were set up with camera traps from 23 May to 1 Sept. 2023 and 31 March to 10 Oct. 2024. The total number of trapped camera images was 21,771 in 2023 and 709,346 in 2024; photos were taken every 15 minutes in 2023 and every minute in 2024. In 2023, all photos were manually observed; in 2024 only photos occurring on rainy days or after rainy days were observed. This set a priority for images to be looked through and narrowed the search to only 217,696 photos. There were 12 amphibians (all likely Great Basin Spadefoot) captured in 21 frames in 2023, and 323 photos captured 21 amphibians (all likely Great Basin Spadefoot or Tiger Salamanders) in 2024. In 2023, this effort took 75 hours (317 photos/hour) and in 2024 it took 113 hours (1,927 photos/hour). This effort was six times more efficient in 2024; this was due to software for storing environmental sensor data known as WildTrax. It stored the images in folders sorted by culvert number and date range, allowing easy data sharing with volunteers and a far more efficient method for observing photos. Camera trapping devices though very useful in data collection and monitoring of mitigation effectiveness, do so through producing enormous amounts of data. Data management and analysis are both time-consuming and difficult. Recent technological developments in Artificial Intelligence offer a promising solution for mammals but are not feasible for cold-blooded species. Future research should examine before and after mitigation impact studies with a particular focus on biological response variables, such as broader conservation genetic effects of mitigation.

This project focuses on the development of a web-based chemical inventory management system designed specifically for the St. Lawrence University chemistry stockroom. Utilizing Node.js for server-side development and Prisma to interact with a PostgreSQL database, the website serves as a centralized storage system for chemical data. The goal of this project was to improve accessibility, accuracy, and efficiency in managing chemical inventory records. Key features of the website include a chemical request and checkout survey, which allows users to easily request or check out chemicals from the stockroom. The website also provides direct access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) pictograms for all chemicals stored in the database, ensuring users have quick access to essential safety information. An administrative page was developed to allow authorized users to add, remove, or update chemical records, streamlining inventory management tasks. Overall, this project provides an accessible and user-friendly solution for organizing and maintaining chemical inventory data, supporting both safety and operational efficiency within the chemistry department.

The Fall 2024 St. Lawrence University Tree Survey assessed the current condition of campus trees in comparison to the original 2010–2012 inventory. Focusing on Zones 2, 5, and 6, the project aimed to update tree status, support Tree Campus USA standards, and guide future urban forest planning. Using ArcGIS Online, Arrow 100 GPS units, and iNaturalist, 1,146 trees were evaluated and classified as Same Tree, New Tree, Gone, or NA. Results showed a 21% turnover, with many trees lost or relocated. Ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) were disproportionately affected by the Emerald Ash Borer, accounting for a large portion of removals.

Key recommendations include implementing a five-year rotational survey plan, introducing fixed-point photo monitoring, identifying replanting priorities using GIS, and exploring a campus nursery for native, climate-resilient species. Securing funding in order to align planting protocols with New York DEC guidelines will support evidence-based management. This project highlights the importance of continuous monitoring, long term planning, and campus-wide collaboration in sustaining healthy and biodiverse campus trees.

The present study examined the role of the right insular cortex in modulating feeding motivation and anxiety-like behavior in rats. Although the role of the insula in sensory inputs, emotional functions, reward, defensive systems, interoception, cognitive systems, and neuromodulation is well known, its exact role in motivation and anxiety remains unclear. Given the dense reciprocal connections between the insula and emotion regulatory centers such as the amygdala and frontal cortex areas, the insula is a compelling target for investigation. For this study, ten male Long Evans rats served as subjects. Animals were maintained at 85% of their free-feeding weight, and their baseline motivation was measured in an operant chamber using a progressive ratio 3 (PR3) schedule of reinforcement. Following training, the rats received under deep anesthesia stereotaxic injections targeting the right insular cortex (AP +1.4; ML +5.2; DV -6.8 from bregma). Half the rats received an injection of the neurotoxin quinolinic acid dissolved in phosphate buffered saline while the other half received vehicle control injections. Following recovery from surgery, animals were retested on the PR3 task using regular food pellets as well as sucrose and chocolate pellets. Anxiety-like behaviors were also evaluated using two standard paradigms: the open-field test and the elevated plus maze, both of which are standard indicators of fear, anxiety, and exploratory behaviors in rat models. In the open field test, dependent variables included time spent grooming and time spent moving in the inner portion of the box, while the elevated plus maze measured time spent on open arms compared to enclosed areas of the maze. These behaviors were specifically monitored as they are considered reliable indicators of anxiety levels. Each rat was individually tested during two 300-second testing periods per paradigm, with the two sessions conducted 24 hours apart. Full results are pending, but preliminary findings suggest neurotoxic lesions to the right insula increase anxiety and motivation behaviors compared to control animals.

Ambergris Caye, a 25-mile-long and 1-mile-wide island off the coast of mainland Belize, features two distinct lagoon-floor habitat settings. The eastern, windward side includes a narrow lagoon dominated by seagrass habitats and rimmed by the Great Mesoamerican Reef. In contrast, the western, leeward side has a broad lagoon with sandy habitats as part of the Chetumal Bay. This study compares carbonate sediments deposited in these contrasting settings across varying depths and habitats.

Eighteen thin sections were prepared from sand sediments collected across six transects. Carbonate grain types were identified and point counted (250 points per thin section) to assess their abundance. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the the major carbonate sediment producers from two settings. The windward lagoon is dominated by peloids (30%) and Halimeda (calcareous green alga, 29%), whereas subordinate grains include mollusks (9%), coral fragments (9%), benthic foraminifera (8%), grapestones (5%), intraclasts (3%), and red algae (3%). The most abundant grains in leeward lagoon are peloids (50%), benthic foraminifera (24%), and mollusks, while all other grains each contribute<4% (grapestones, intraclasts, Halimeda, red algae, and corals). Peloids are the most abundant grains in both sides, with their numbers increasing significantly on the windward side as habitats transition from seagrass to sandy bottoms, a pattern consistent across all transects.

Overall, the high-energy windward side of Ambergris Caye is characterized by coarse carbonate sands and dense seagrass seafloor, fostering a well-lit and oxygenated benthic environment with diverse benthic organisms. Conversely, the restricted, low-energy lagoon on the leeward side exhibits minimal diversification of carbonate sediments. This study highlights the importance of understanding sedimentary processes in different energy environments, contributing to broader insights into coastal ecosystem dynamics and sedimentary geology.

Nanomaterials have shown promise in photodynamic cancer therapy, tissue engineering, imaging and for drug delivery. They are exceedingly small, ranging in size from 2.5-100 nm thereby allowing high tissue penetrance. The high surface area of nanomaterials greatly increases their chemical reactivity compared to macro forms of the same elements and given their crystalline, lattice structures they are exceptionally durable and demonstrate long dwell times in tissue. Moreover, the surface of nanomaterials is easily functionalized, allowing the material to be rendered more biologically compatible and enhance cellular uptake.

Cerium dioxide nanoparticles have been successfully used in a variety of pre-clinical test beds used to reduce oxidative injury in models of neurodegenerative, stroke and wound healing. In this study, we wish to examine how poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) decorated ceria nanoparticles impact the cell viability in the dentate gyrus and the hippocampus in living slices of rodent brain. The addition of PEGylated particles to the surface of nanomaterials reduces removal of the material by resident immune cells in vivo but may reduce their overall catalytic power since the PEG reduces the surface area on the particle.

To test this, we examined the effects of the PEGylated ceria nanoparticles in two experimental paradigms. In the first set of experiments, we examined the impact of the particles on baseline tissue viability in living brain tissue sections. In the second set of experiments, we added an ischemic challenge to see if the particles could protect tissue from the cell damaging effects of free radicals produced by the tissue following the ischemic challenge. We found that the addition of the PEGylated ceria particles under baseline conditions yielded greater death, but these differences were not significantly different from untreated control sections. Our preliminary results examining the effects of the particles post ischemic challenge suggests that the PEGylated particles may increase cell death. These findings suggest that while PEGylation of ceria nanoparticles may keep them in circulation longer, they may not be effective in reducing oxidative injury and may in fact exacerbate tissue death.

A recent trend in modern Japan has sparked worldwide popularity, with a number of people traveling to participate. Seichi Junrei , or “anime pilgrimage,” refers to people visiting anime or manga sites within Japan, as the media often reflects actual landscapes and structures located in and around the country. Due to the international spread of media and consumerism, particularly with Japanese anime and manga, people all over the globe have traveled to Japan to visit sites that were drawn or animated into their favorite media. This popularity has grown so large that official guides and the Japan Tourist Bureau have marketed these as a source of tourism and “pilgrimage to sacred places”, much like how religious followers have journeyed to visit places associated with sacred happenings in religious media. Anime and manga often draw on shrines and temples associated with Japanese religion/culture, specifically, directly tying certain spiritual dimensions to the media and the pilgrimages that follow.

In May of 2024, six St Lawrence students traveled to spend a week in Japan to experience and study this new form of pop-culture tourism. Our pilgrimage focused on the film Kimi no na wa , which highlighted common anime tropes of Japanese culture, fantasy, and young romance. The film itself features several Shinto shrines and many real-life buildings around Tokyo that many people travel to see and photograph on their own pilgrimages. We students immersed ourselves in Japanese culture by learning how to navigate around a city with a language none could largely understand.

On our pilgrimage, we would take notes on our own experience at each scene, reflecting on its role, meaning, and value in the film. We set out to take several photos of structures around Tokyo with the goal of matching the exact frames within the film. During this time, we learned how to navigate Japan by walking and using its complex subway system, as well as how to communicate and purchase goods from people without a common language. Our travels also sought to interact with tourists or Japanese individuals around these sites to gauge a sense of the popularity of anime pilgrimages across the world.

We aimed to learn how to use cellphones to navigate around Japan as well as translate, study the film’s content while directly seeing how real-life locations are depicted in anime, and fully exploring the pilgrimage experience. The trip allowed us to build several skills in a challenging setting and build a deeper understanding of Japan beyond the ultra-modern depiction in pop culture. Traveling around Tokyo allowed us to see how accurate anime is in its depiction of Japan and how the tourism of pop-culture anime was a legitimate path of exploring the country and culture within. Our travel experience overall helped build life skills and apply what we learn/saw in media to real life, seeing the significance of location when used in media.

Abstract: This project explores how the embodied freedom is unequally distributed and experienced differently depending on what social, historical, and racial context one's body is within. In earlier sections, I bring in Western philosophers, such as Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Jean-Paul Sartre who argue that freedom of embodiment is a universal starting point, that all human bodies have the same innate ability to freely express themselves and use their bodies in accordance with their own goals and projects. While these authors describe embodiment as a universal “live vein of freedom,” this paper argues that the lived experience of marginalized individuals shows that the freedom of the body can be systematically compromised. Drawing from authors such as Frantz Fanon and Sara Ahmed, I show how systematic barriers restrict how marginalized bodies are able to act and freely navigate the world in accordance with their own goals, how the gaze of dominant groups often limits the freedom of marginalized bodies. Thus, in this paper I argue that a new account of embodied freedom is necessary, one that recognizes how power structures shape embodied experience. A new account that requires resistance and liberation. We will find that true embodied freedom does not come from seeking recognition from dominant groups, but by rejecting and resisting the imposed identities they create and reclaiming embodiment on one’s own terms.

Carbon dots (y-CDs) are a promising nanomaterial with a wide range of applications including energy conversion, bio-imaging, and drug delivery, thanks to their low cytotoxicity and high biocompatibility. These carbon dots are synthesized through an amide condensation reaction between o-phenylenediamine and citric acid. The resulting carbon dots are characterized using infrared (IR) and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Characterization of the products is important because there are at least three different reaction pathways, including amide derivatives and polymetric structures. This complexity contributes to the current uncertainty in structural details and incomplete understanding of the optical properties of carbon dots. To combat this, extensive structural characterization including X-Ray diffraction, Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy will provide detailed information of the nanostructure. The fluorescence properities of CDs are commonly used in detection applications. For example, at SLU, CDs have been used to detect the explosive TNT and are currently being developed to detect the protein cardiac troponin I and deliver a potential anti-inflammatory drug epigallocatechin-3-gallate. The fluorescence depends on particle size; we will design and construct a dynamic light scattering instrument using 3D printing and Arduino technology to analyze the size distribution of the y-CDs. This comprehensive approach will enable us to propose a definitive structural model for our carbon dots, addressing the existing gaps in research on carbon dot properties.

In the class Once and Future Forests, taught by Jon Rosales, we evaluated a candidate old-growth stand for the North Country Old-Growth Program. The mission of the NoCo Old-Growth Program is to increase conservation in the North Country. The stand, near the Kip Trail, was evaluated using the methodology adopted from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This is the 22nd stand evaluated for the program, only four of which qualified as old-growth. Old-growth forest on campus provide benefits for both students and wildlife. Old-growth provides complex habitats which foster an abundance of wildlife. The structure of the forest provides homes for snag and log dwelling animals, and the pit and mound topography creates small ponds and a variety of habitats for animals such as salamanders and frogs. Populations of mosses and lichens are associated with Old-growth, adding to the biodiversity and complexity of these stands. Old-growth is also plays an important part in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and storing carbon, which helps combat climate change. Students can use old-growth forest to better understand biodiversity, sustainability, and research opportunities, as well as to connect with nature. The final scores of this stand will be compared to the highest-scoring stand in the NoCo Old-growth Program, the Elder Grove at Paul Smith’s College. It is important to note that there is no one definition of old-growth forests, and the methodology/evaluation techniques we are using are just one of many.

Historically, a lot of research in performance psychology has been paired with sports psychology. However, different professions have tried incorporating different elements of psychological practice, based on athletics, to help create the best mental state for critical moments. This study aimed at looking at the specific performance psychology attributes of elite endurance athletes and finding associations between their specific practices and the practices of professionals in the fields of the military, medicine, emergency services, and music. All of these professions have “peak moments” that they spend significant time preparing for, whether it be a concert, battle, or a surgery. It is important that these professionals are at their best in these moments. Better understanding potential relationships between performance psychology strategies used by elite endurance athletes and these other professions, may allow for the development of better training strategies in those fields.

This study explores ghetto currencies issued by the Third Reich as instruments of cultural manipulation and public memory. While physical currency often reinforces collective identity through symbolic design, Nazi-issued coins and banknotes for Jewish ghettos instead distorted or omitted motifs to extend persecution into cultural consciousness. Focusing on the Łódź ghetto mark, this project employs a cultural-analytical framework to reassess these artifacts not as commemorative works but as coercive tools. Despite abundant primary sources, secondary English-language scholarship rarely addresses these designs’ cultural implications. This research investigates German motives behind ghetto currency design and its impact on ghetto life from 1940 to 1944 as a symbolic form of control.

We used Bayesian modeling to understand how age negatively impacts powerlifters' ability to lift at peak performance. This was done using the Open Powerlifting Database, only using SBD (Squat, Bench, Deadlift) events and people who have been competing for at least five years. Another aspect is being able to create a good model to predict how much a powerlifter can lift, given their metrics.

Invasive crayfish species pose a significant environmental threat, disrupting freshwater ecosystems and challenging the habitats of northern New York. Among these invaders, the rusty crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is particularly concerning due to its larger size compared to native species, its capacity to destroy aquatic plant beds, prey on fish eggs, and outcompete local crayfish populations. While not yet reported in northern New York, this species has already established itself in regions south, east, and west of the Adirondack Park, as well as spreading northward into Ontario, Canada, for decades.

In this study, we investigated the predatory behaviors of invasive crayfish and compared them to two native species, Cambarus bartoni and Cambarus robustus. We hypothesized that invasive crayfish exhibit more aggressive and destructive behaviors than their native counterparts. Feeding experiments included two prey types: the gastropod Viviparus georgianus and the freshwater clam Elliptio complanata. Predation behaviors were categorized as peeling, crushing, or chipping (the latter representing traces of unsuccessful predation attempts).

The average size of native crayfish was 3.8 cm, while invasive specimens averaged 4.5 cm. Gastropod prey measured 1.3 cm on average, and bivalves were 4 cm in length. Preliminary findings indicate that invasive crayfish consumed more prey and had higher predation success rates (75%) compared to native species (57.9%). Peeling was the most common predation method for both groups: native crayfish peeled 36.84% of their attempts, while invasive crayfish peeled 54.7%.

Notably, while no successful predation on bivalves was observed, invasive crayfish attempted to pry open clams, causing damage to shell margins. In contrast, native crayfish did not engage with bivalve prey. These observations suggest that invasive crayfish are more aggressive and interact with prey items even when predation is unsuccessful, potentially increasing their ecological impact.

Our findings highlight the significant threat posed by invasive crayfish to northern New York ecosystems, emphasizing the urgency of proactive management strategies to mitigate their spread and impact on local communities.

StatKey, first introduced in 2012, is a collection of accessible, web-based tools to teach introductory statistics concepts. StatKey simplifies complex statistical concepts such as bootstrap intervals and randomization tests for students, replacing and augmenting more traditional formula-based approaches. While Statkey has been used by over 2 million students, the software platform is becoming outdated, is hard to maintain and web technology has advanced significantly over the past decade.

For my Senior Year Experience project, I am rewriting StatKey using modern software development techniques and platforms. I am implementing the user interface with Vue.js to create a more intuitive, responsive, more visually appealing, and user-friendly application. To reduce the number of bugs and make StatKey code easier to maintain, I have translated the software from JavaScript to TypeScript. Other improvements include simple ways to upload data as spreadsheets, improved interactive charts, and better overall functionality. I am also ensuring that the platform works smoothly and is accessible for students who use assistive technologies.

My project lays the groundwork for—and demonstrates a viable approach to—updating StatKey for the next decade of helping students learn statistics in a more engaging and accessible way.

The ongoing Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey (APPSS) seeks to enhance our understanding of the Pisces-Perseus Supercluster (PPS) through the analysis of distances and motions of galaxies within the supercluster, as well as its foreground and immediate background. By furthering analysis of galaxy mass, rotational velocity, and distance through the application of the Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation (BTFR), APPSS aims to further classify galaxy infall towards the PPS to characterize the linear mass density of the dark matter filament responsible for its formation.

The APPSS adopts a two-fold approach, including both the analysis of computational simulations modeling the evolution of dark matter and radio observations of galaxies in the PPS. The Millennium Simulation Project traces the evolution of dark matter based on the initial distribution revealed by the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This was applied by Crone et al. (2022) Infall Profiles for Supercluster-scale Filaments to develop theoretical expectations for observational signatures of galaxy infall toward a dark matter filament. Our observing project GBT 22A – 430: The Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation for Galaxies with Supernova Distances is intended to provide a minimal scatter BTFR constructed from neutral hydrogen (HI) 21-cm line observations of 220 galaxies with measured supernova distances and galaxy rotation rates. This template will serve as a tool to estimate galaxy distances for other ALFALFA galaxies. Galaxy distances are essential in determining the “peculiar velocities” with which galaxies fall toward the dark matter filament.

All radio observations are impacted by cosmic background noise and other radio frequency interference. To remove these effects and analyze the HI 21-cm line observations, the Undergraduate ALFALFA team (UAT) is developing pyAPPSS, a Python data reduction script designed to preprocess data for further analysis. This project focuses on improving the ability of pyAPPSS to remove the cosmic background and RFI from observations by implementing a robust baselining technique. By improving the data reduction process, this work will contribute to more reliable observational data and a user-friendly interface.

What happens in a post-apocalyptic women’s community deep in the woods? After a catastrophic hurricane wipes out infrastructure across the American Northeast, a group of women form an off-grid settlement to live the life they believe they were meant to lead. When siblings Kaya and Lucas stumble upon their community- one exclusive to women- they must navigate complex social dynamics and prove their worth to stay. As they learn what it means to rebuild a sense of belonging after losing their home and family, they are forced to confront how far one can exploit others before compromising personal integrity. This feminist parodic novella bends the conventions of the post-apocalyptic genre, blending satire with serious themes including cultural appropriation, the fragility of community, and the nuances of both platonic and romantic female relationships. The protagonist’s snarky, defensive tone contrasts sharply with the devastation of the setting, highlighting the absurdities and contradictions of human nature. Alongside the novella, this project examines the creative process behind short-form and long-form fiction, pushing the boundaries of traditional narrative form.

This project aimed to analyze trends and patterns in avalanche forecasts. Avalanche forecasts are sent out each day for winter athletes to view and assess the danger of going out into the backcountry for skiing, snowboarding, or other winter activities. I received datasets from the Sawtooth Avalanche Center in Sun Valley, Idaho. There were 4 different regions with data from 2019 to 2023. A danger rating is given each morning for the day which is a number 1-4 with 1 being the lowest danger and 4 being the highest. A different rating is assigned to upper, middle, and lower elevations. A prediction for tomorrow's forecast is also given on the same day. A confidence rating is given for both the rating for the day and for tomorrow with 1 being low confidence and 5 being high confidence. A revised danger rating is given the next day for the previous day after the forecasters go out that day to evaluate the snowpack. I used Python in Google Colab to calculate error rates for predictions and to plot danger rating frequencies to compare between elevation, region, and year. My results could help Sawtooth Avalanche Center with future predictions.

San Andrés Island, originally of volcanic origin, is presently mantled by carbonate sedimentary deposits resulting from long-term subsidence and reef accretion. Despite its geological and ecological significance, limited data exist on the island’s marine habitats, particularly those associated with the shallow lagoon and fringing reef systems along the eastern shoreline. This study aims to characterize and map the dominant marine habitats, carbonate-producing biota, and sedimentary facies along Mateo Beach. Field data were collected along six shore-normal transects (A–F), spanning approximately 600 meters. Sediment samples were obtained at 100-meter intervals from the backshore to the reef crest (~170 m offshore), with depth measurements recorded every 10 meters. Biotic assemblages and habitat types were described continuously along each transect. Five primary habitat types were identified: rocky shoreline, rocky nearshore, seagrass meadows with skeletal sands and coral rubble, coral rubble with mixed algal cover, and coral rubble dominated by brown algae. Transects A–C were characterized by skeletal sand facies and abundant green algae (e.g., Halimeda, Penicillus, Rhipocephalus, Udotea), red algae (Porolithon), brown algae (Sargassum), and seagrasses (Syringodium, Thalassia), with limited coral rubble. In contrast, transects D–F were dominated by coral rubble facies, brown algae (Padina, Sargassum), sparse green algae, and patchy seagrass occurrences. The prevalence of coarse rubble and robust macroalgae suggests a high-energy environment with frequent wave action, shaping both the sedimentary fabric and habitat zonation of Mateo Beach. These findings provide baseline data essential for future monitoring of ecological change. As reef systems worldwide face increasing stress, documenting current habitat structures and sedimentological patterns is critical for assessing future vulnerability and resilience.

In areas where there is an abundance of invasive Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), native plants are outcompeted and these invasives quickly dominate. Both species are fast growing and spread aggressively, crowding out other plants which are much more beneficial to the native ecosystem. To address the problem, we removed all of the Amur Honeysuckle and Common Buckthorn from a specified area at the Living Lab in Canton, NY. We attempted several eradication methods to ensure that these plants do not resprout in the spring. For the stems that were small enough, we were able to rip them completely out of the ground, including the roots. For the plants that had a diameter that was too large to be successfully pulled out of the ground, we used several methods to target these individuals. First, we cut down the plants using hand and chainsaws, leaving a small stump exposed close to the ground. For one group, we then coated the exposed stumps with tar and covered them tightly with a tarp. For a second group, we bored holes in the exposed stumps. The rest of the stumps were left alone. Our goal was to figure out if there was a method of eradication that would prevent the plants from resprouting in the spring. Both of these plants are aggressive, widespread, and difficult to permanently remove. If we can show that there is a way to cut down these plant species and prevent them from coming back, these methods could be put in place to help increase diversity and abundance of native plant species.

It is estimated that between 365 and 988 million birds die as a result of collisions with windows in the United States annually (Loss et al. 2014). This places window strikes as the second greatest hazard to wild birds, only surpassed by predation via cats. Birds cannot perceive glass as a solid barrier and thus fly into the surface under the assumption that the scenery reflected in the glass holds depth (Somerlot, 2003). Studies have shown that collision fatalities increase with the proportion of glass that makes up a building, which presents a worrying precedent with contemporary architectural trends favoring more glass. Over the course of 13 years, we have documented 95 cases of window strike fatalities on campus, 71 of which have occurred since 2023 when surveying efforts became more regular. We used GIS software to create a heat map demonstrating the varying quantities of known window strikes at different buildings on campus between 2012 and 2025. This poster seeks to visually convey the effect that different campus buildings have on bird mortality. It also hopes to display the urgency of addressing the situation by highlighting areas on campus that are most dangerous to birds, which can lead to targeted remediation with effective and economical treatments that keep birds from flying into glass.

During my abroad semester in New Zealand, I was given the opportunity to explore the rich culture of Māori, with a focus on the art of weaving. The practice of weaving, known as raranga, is a deeply ingrained cultural practice that incorporates a variety of techniques and natural materials. In my research I focused on the artistic application of weaving techniques, visiting over twenty art museums across the South and North Islands. Through my travels, I learned the history that weaving played in Māori society and was lucky enough to try it myself using harakeke (New Zealand flax). The Travel Enrichment Grant made it possible for me to spend four days in Auckland, where I was immersed in the art world of New Zealand.

To complement my research, I was documenting my time abroad through the camera lens. To increase my understanding of my surroundings, I photographed my daily surroundings: nature, architecture, and social and academic interactions. I utilised two types of digital photography, supplemented by film photography. By the end of my time in New Zealand, I had hundreds of pictures to go through, which I assembled into four thematic categories, representing my experience abroad.

It is believed that Pythagoras knew of the existence of the 5 Platonic Solids. Some believe he only knew of the tetrahedron, cube, and dodecahedron, while Theaetetus knew about the octahedron and icosahedron. However, the Platonic solids are primarily attributed to Plato. He described all five in his dialogue Timaeus, associating each with an element: earth, air, fire, water, and the universe. A regular polygon is a two-dimensional shape with equal edges and angles—for instance, a square has four equal edges and four right angles. Extending this idea to three dimensions, a Platonic solid is a polyhedron whose faces are identical regular polygons, arranged so that the same number meets at each vertex. A cube, made of square faces, is one familiar example. While there are infinitely many regular polygons, remarkably, there are only five Platonic solids. We prove this surprising result and explore generalizations.

Deep learning’s high performance is often counterbalanced by its “black box” nature, challenging its deployment in critical fields. This project enhances transparency in convolutional neural networks for image classification by implementing three explainability techniques: Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM), Layer-CAM, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). A user-friendly Shiny web application enables interactive visualization, method comparison, and exploration of computational trade-offs. Performance enhancements significantly accelerated inference, enabling near real time visualizations for Grad CAM and Layer CAM, while SHAP continued to deliver detailed pixel-level insights despite its higher computational demands. By streamlining integration and resource management, this framework paves the way for scalable, interpretable AI in high-stakes applications such as medical imaging and autonomous systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global society, affecting both public health and social dynamics. In the United States, the virus quickly overwhelmed hospitals and forced cities into lockdowns. Pandemics such as COVID-19, however, do not affect every individual or community in the same way. The effects differ based on the makeup of each person’s unique identity, including factors such as race, gender, sex, preexisting health conditions, and access to health care.

This study explores these disparities to better understand which populations experienced the most severe outcomes and why. While data were collected from various COVID-19 databases, our primary dataset was from “covidtracking.com” due to its level of reliability and completeness. This data set was analyzed using an open-source programming language, R, commonly used for statistical analyses.

Though analysis is still ongoing, preliminary results show race and region to be significant factors in the death rates of COVID-19. Widely available data indicate that Black, Asian, and pacific islander communities were affected in greater numbers by the pandemic. Our findings suggested similar results. We found that State Government and Region were not significant factors in the death rates, however Race was. Additionally, Race and Democratic State Government were significant to affect the rate of confirmed cases. These results partially align with those suggested by preexisting analyses and are due to numerous overlapping sociological factors that typically affect these populations, such as access to health care, education, and wealth. Additionally, they can, in part, be attributed to the longstanding systemic inequalities embedded in American society.

International trade connects nations through a complex map of imports and exports. In this project, graph theory is used to model these trade relationships as a network, where each country is a node, and each trade flow is represented by a directed edge with a weight corresponding to an export volume in dollars. This project highlights a real-world case: trade among prominent countries in the European Union. By leveraging Python and a library called NetworkX, this project creates a network that maps trade patterns and uses graph theoretic techniques to assess the centrality through degree, eigenvector, and subgraph measures. After running the mathematical analyses on both directed and undirected networks, the findings are connected to economic welfare indicators. These values are mapped out across 2 decades in 5-year intervals to illustrate the shifts in economic influence over time.

Many people are exposed to VOCs either at their homes or workplaces, but current methods of air quality detection cannot account for event exposures or rapid fluctuations in VOC concentrations. The aim of this project is to test low-cost electrochemical sensors to detect and analyze VOCs and find out if they could be the successors of current detection instruments. One’s hypothesis is that low-cost sensor triggered instruments are reliable alternatives, and that they can give a more accurate picture of indoor VOC concentrations by accounting for event exposures. It was concluded that there is no significant statistical difference in average VOC concentration (for some specific chemicals) between the sensor triggered and the current method. Nevertheless, more data is needed to draw conclusions about the reliability of sensor triggered detectors.

Thousands of people each year are diagnosed with some variation of psychosis, a debilitating mental disorder causing hallucinations and degradation of cognitive function. For millennia those afflicted with psychosis were shunned by society and deemed unfit to perform most simple tasks. The synthesis of chlorpromazine in 1941 completely reshaped the global perspective on mental health while also creating the first treatment for psychotic people. Chlorpromazine is composed of a non-planar phenothiazine ring attached to a dimethylamine group by a propyl carbon group. In its crystalline form chlorpromazine is largely metabolized by the body, causing researchers to put chlorpromazine through an antigen synthesis pathway to maximize the body’s absorbance. This composition and structure allows for it to function as a central dopamine blocker, blocking all the major symptoms of psychosis while also acting as a weak sedative. After the medication passed clinical trials, thousands of people were able to leave insane asylums and reintegrate into society after being medicated for their psychosis. Its discovery pioneered a new field of science while also reigniting global scientific interest in mental health. However, the high cost of chlorpromazine renders many people unable to pay for the consistent dosages they must take to alleviate symptoms. Chlorpromazine was the pioneer in both mental health science and the wellbeing of those living with mental disorders.

Citrulline: The Watermelon Connection

Once dismissed as an obscure compound discovered in watermelon over a century ago, citrulline has emerged as a vital molecule in human physiology, sports performance, and sustainable innovation. This paper traces the evolution of citrulline from its serendipitous isolation to its central role in the urea cycle and nitric oxide production and its growing impact on cardiovascular health, exercise recovery, and industrial applications. By bridging botanical origins with cutting-edge biomedical research, citrulline exemplifies how subtle molecular agents can redefine science and society.

Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid with a unique ureido functional group that distinguishes it from proteinogenic amino acids like arginine and ornithine. Though not incorporated into proteins, it serves as a critical intermediate in the urea cycle, aiding in the detoxification of ammonia and facilitating nitric oxide production through its conversion to arginine. Its chemical stability and bioavailability make it particularly effective for therapeutic and athletic applications.

Citrulline’s impact spans multiple fields, from enhancing athletic performance and muscle recovery to supporting cardiovascular health through improved nitric oxide production. It shows promise in treating conditions like hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and muscle wasting while also playing a role in immune support and potential anti-aging therapies. Its sustainable sourcing from watermelon byproducts highlights its growing relevance in environmental and economic contexts.

Citrulline’s journey from an overlooked compound in watermelon to a multifaceted molecule in modern science illustrates its broad biochemical, medical, and industrial significance. As research continues to uncover its diverse applications, citrulline is a powerful example of how a simple molecule can influence health, sustainability, and innovation across disciplines.

Truvada: The Game Changer Medication for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Epidemic.

Truvada is a combination drug that consists of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine used in the prevention of HIV in high-risk individuals. The chemical and historical impact of the molecules on humanity in regard to the HIV epidemic will be the main focus. It was found that Truvada is a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis that is considered to be 99% effective against the spread of HIV. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is a prodrug that acts as a nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor, blocking the RT enzyme that is essential to HIV regeneration. Emtricitabine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase that prevents the transcription of HIV RNA into DNA. Truvada was found to be a key turning point in the HIV epidemic by reducing infection rates in key high-risk populations that is still used in modern medicine today.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), including perfluorohexanoic acid (C6) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are a diverse group of chemicals with widespread industrial and consumer applications due to their unique hydrophobic and lipophobic properties. The environmental fate and human health implications of these persistent "forever chemicals," with a specific focus on contamination pathways stemming from industrial sources, firefighting activities, and the ski industry is investigated. The production of PFAs through electrochemical fluorination is described, as well as the detection techniques used by researchers. The analysis details how PFAs contaminate waterways and accumulate in the food chain, leading to human exposure primarily through drinking water and food. Occupationally exposed groups, such as PFA production workers and ski wax technicians, exhibit significantly elevated serum PFA levels, with ski technicians showing up to 40 times higher PFOA levels than the general population. The long half-lives of PFAs in the human body (3-5 years) and their association with adverse health outcomes, including high cholesterol, reproductive issues, liver damage, and various cancers puts these workers at risk. In response to these risks, increasing regulatory efforts by agencies like the EPA, including drinking water standards and production limits, are examined. Additionally, bans on fluorinated ski waxes by national and international federations highlight industry-specific efforts to reduce exposure. The challenges of PFA remediation and the ongoing search for safer alternatives are also considered. Ultimately, an emphasis is placed on the critical need for continued research and proactive measures to mitigate the environmental and human health risks posed by the pervasive use of PFAs.

Anthocyanins are the pigment molecules that give the natural world a variety of colors. They are found in the vacuoles of plant cells and provide protection from environmental stressors. Their bright colors fluctuate with vacuolar pH changes, attracting pollinators and have positive effects on the health of animals that rely on anthocyanin-rich berries and fruits, such as migratory birds. More recently, the effects of anthocyanins have been explored in the human body. Research has found that anthocyanins act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, scavenging reactive oxygen species as they travel through the gastrointestinal tract. They are not only responsible for the colors of fruits, vegetables, and even the changing colors of leaves, but they have potential to impact the health and food industry as well. Anthocyanins have been explored as edible films, attackers of cancerous cells such as melanoma, and other positive health benefits they provide. Anthocyanins are often discounted due to their elusive traits, such as low bioavailability, quick degradation, and color instability, causing questions surrounding how they can be practically applied to these industries.

From Tree to Treatment

Paclitaxel, a potent chemotherapy agent derived from the Pacific yew tree, has significantly transformed cancer treatment. The intersection between paclitaxel’s chemical complexity, lifesaving value, and broader environmental and economic consequences will be explored, as well as addressing the central dilemma: how do we balance the drug’s life-saving benefits with its environmental footprint and financial burden?

Paclitaxel’s unique structure and poor water solubility initially made its extraction and formulation difficult. Its source, the slow-growing Pacific yew, raised sustainability concerns, eventually leading to alternative production methods like semisynthesis, which solved supply issues and protected endangered yew populations.

Beyond its clinical success, paclitaxel’s use poses environmental risks. Traces of the drug persist in wastewater, where they disrupt aquatic ecosystems and developmental processes in marine organisms. This raises ethical questions about a drug meant to heal harming the environment. Economically, the high cost of administration, compounded by expensive delivery methods and necessary premedication, places a substantial burden on both patients and healthcare systems. However, new technology, in the form of an orally administered pill, will potentially help bring costs down.

Though paclitaxel remains a cornerstone of modern oncology, its development underscores the urgent need for sustainable and equitable medical innovation. As global demand for cancer therapies grows, addressing the environmental and financial costs of treatment will be essential to ensuring long-term access and ecological responsibility

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)–a potent hallucinogen first synthesized in 1943 by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann has shown promise in treating various psychological conditions such as addiction and terminal illness-related anxiety. Preliminary research also suggests that LSD’s neurobiological effects on the serotonergic system may influence gene expression associated with enhanced neuroplasticity, potentiating its use in neuronal proliferation and regeneration in patients experiencing neurodegeneration caused by Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Despite promising research, historical stigmatisms surrounding LSD’s perception of danger within recreational settings, as well as the compound’s association with controversial counter-culture movements throughout the 1960s, further clinical research has been inhibited through LSD’s Schedule 1 classification under the United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Research has resurfaced beginning in the 1990s throughout parts of Europe and the United States, reenforcing previous evidence supporting the substance’s use in clinical therapy.

Pairwise Rankings (PWR) determine NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey postseason tournament selections. PWR uses a metric called Rating Percentage Index (RPI), head-to-head results, and common opponents. However, PWR has limitations, including its reliance on aggregate statistics, strength of schedule biases, and binary win/loss outcomes. This project explores Elo ratings, a system originally developed for ranking chess players, as an alternative, offering a dynamic system that updates based on game results while incorporating margin of victory and home ice advantage. By evaluating Elo’s ability to model team performance and predict outcomes, this study assesses its viability as a meaningful rating system for ice hockey. Additionally, we implement a web app that automatically displays up-to-date ratings that are also used to make predictions for upcoming games.

This project explores stochastic processes and their applications. It covers three main topics: random walks, Markov chains, and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. Each of these models describes how random events evolve over time and provides a practical application of each topic. For each topic, an interactive Shiny app allows users to interact in a custom way with these methods and offers visualizations

What happens when you press the power button on your computer? To explore how computers boot, we have constructed the ARC86-512 Computer on breadboards, which are used for prototyping electronic circuits. Our computers utilize integrated circuits, input/output devices, and connecting wires to replicate the basic internal workings of the original IBM PC that revolutionized personal computing in the 1980s. We began by creating a clock signal, the beating heart of the computer needed to synchronize memory operations and processor functionality. The Intel 80C88 central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of our computer, performing logical and arithmetic operations as well as reading and writing data in memory. The computer’s memory system consists of read only memory (ROM) storing the initial program run by the computer and random-access memory (RAM), which is used as temporary storage while programs are executing. Our computer also includes several input and output devices, such as an LCD screen, speaker, programmable timer, serial console, and CompactFlash drive. We also studied operating systems, which interface between hardware and software, allowing users to interact with the computer. We developed a basic input/output system (BIOS) to display a message on the LCD screen of our computers, and individual groups developed and extended various computer features with additional software and hardware. Throughout this hands-on implementation, we explored the essential skills for assembling and troubleshooting basic electronic circuits and writing system-level code.

What happens when you press the power button on your computer? To explore how computers boot, we have constructed the ARC86-512 Computer on breadboards, which are used for prototyping electronic circuits. Our computers utilize integrated circuits, input/output devices, and connecting wires to replicate the basic internal workings of the original IBM PC that revolutionized personal computing in the 1980s. We began by creating a clock signal, the beating heart of the computer needed to synchronize memory operations and processor functionality. The Intel 80C88 central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of our computer, performing logical and arithmetic operations as well as reading and writing data in memory. The computer’s memory system consists of read only memory (ROM) storing the initial program run by the computer and random-access memory (RAM), which is used as temporary storage while programs are executing. Our computer also includes several input and output devices, such as an LCD screen, speaker, programmable timer, serial console, and CompactFlash drive. We also studied operating systems, which interface between hardware and software, allowing users to interact with the computer. We developed a basic input/output system (BIOS) to display a message on the LCD screen of our computers, and individual groups developed and extended various computer features with additional software and hardware. Throughout this hands-on implementation, we explored the essential skills for assembling and troubleshooting basic electronic circuits and writing system-level code.

The rapid rise of electronic sports (esports), particularly multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, has sparked a growing interest in understanding the dynamics that contribute to successful team compositions and strategies. As one of the most popular MOBA games, League of Legends engages players in strategic battles where two teams of five players select champions with unique abilities to compete on a dynamic map called Summoner's Rift. Among the various team roles, the cooperation between the Attack Damage Carry (ADC) and Support roles in the bottom lane is especially crucial for team success. This paper builds on previous work by Lee, Ramler, and Schuckers, investigating the synergistic relationships between champions in these roles. Utilizing advanced logistic regression methods, we model the impact of different ADC and Support champion pairings on match outcomes, aiming to identify which pairings contribute most to victory. By refining and analyzing datasets from League of Legends match data, we explore the practical applications of advanced statistical techniques in esports analytics, ultimately offering insights into how champion synergies influence team performance. The results of this study will inform strategies for both casual players and competitive teams looking to optimize their bottom lane compositions. Additionally, this research aims to extend its insights by contributing to strategies for team-based games, coaching approaches, and overall team dynamics in both esports and traditional sports.

Plastic products have been increasingly utilized in all aspects of life. Many single-use plastics are used in food packaging, construction, automobiles, farming, healthcare products, and much more. When plastic is not properly recycled, it can enter all spheres of our environment, through atmospheric transport or advection in water bodies, acting as a large-scale pollutant. Through mechanical degradation and various chemical reactions caused by the sun, heat, and water currents, large plastic objects are slowly turned into smaller pieces called microplastics (MP). MP are any piece of plastic that ranges from 1.0 nanometer to 5.0 millimeters in size with various morphologies such as fragments, pellets/microbeads, and fibers. Once introduced into aquatic ecosystems, MP can be ingested by aquatic organisms and transcend trophic levels. Filter-feeding organisms can retain fine sediment in their gills and digestive tracks, which makes them susceptible to MP contamination.  This research project is designed to examine relative concentrations of MP in the tissues of fresh-water clams from 14 water bodies in Northern NY and the Adirondacks. Clam soft bodies will be digested using Fenton’s reagent. Isolated microplastics will be counterstained with Nile Red and Evans Blue dye, then examined using brightfield and confocal microscopy to determine the concentration and type of MP in tissues of fresh-water clams.

Microplastics (MP) are increasingly common water contaminants which have weaved their way into many facets of life. Therefore, the efficient degradation of these molecules has become a major challenge for the scientific community. Developing photocatalytic oxidative methods of degrading MP is one potential solution to this problem. The catalyst is chosen for the MP degradation experiment due to its facile synthesis, water solubility, ability to absorb visible light, and conduct electricity. Using coordination-driven self-assembly the discrete catalyst structure was made by mixing the Lewis acidic Fe (II) centers with the components for the desired Lewis basic ligand formation, therefore the process is low effort but takes time to ensure the thermodynamically favorable product is formed. The Lewis basic ligand contains sulfonate functional groups that increase the water solubility of the discrete structure. The complex was characterized using multiple spectroscopic methods including 1H and DOSY NMR, ATR-FT-IR, and UV-vis and tested for stability in water under various conditions. Future work will include determining degradation efficiency of the catalyst towards MP samples.

This research project is my Senior Honors Thesis for Political Science, inspired by my opportunity to attend the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. at the invitation of Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Through this experience, I learned about NATO’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, an initiative aimed to combat gender inequalities in international security and promote a gendered perspective in security affairs. However, since its adoption, the agenda has experienced many shortcomings, leading to my research question – despite being supported by the most influential international entities, why has the agenda failed, and how can an international feminist security policy truly succeed if not in this way? Drawing on international constructivist assumptions, I hypothesized that despite NATO’s formal adoption of UNSCR 1325 through its own WPS agenda, the implementation has lacked expected behavioral changes, leadership commitment, and social and cultural change, indicating that the norms have not been fully diffused and integrated throughout NATO. Through a hybrid methodology, utilizing online research and semi-structured interviews, I searched for indicators and variables of WPS norm diffusion and integration across NATO. Thanks to the CIIS office, I had the opportunity to travel to NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium to interview top-policy officials in person, contributing greatly to my research. Through my research, I found that neither WPS norm diffusion nor integration has fully occurred across NATO, but that diffusion has occurred more than integration has. As assumed by constructivist literature, and predicted by the hypothesis, this demonstrates that formal adoption and institutionalization can only go so far, and that the norms of an initiative must permeate the organization and its personnel in every way for it to be successful. This proves more true when that initiative is attempting to combat a cultural or systemic issue, such as gender inequality in security. Finally, I developed policy recommendations for the WPS agenda moving forward, which will be circulated at NATO Headquarters by the policy officials I was able to connect with in Brussels.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG, a molecule found in green tea, has been shown to reduce symptoms in the brain due to Alzheimer’s Disease. However, bioavailability and the penetration of cell walls is an obstacle for EGCG, because of its small size and high polarity. Carbon dots, which are classified as nanoparticles made of carbon atoms, offer a potential solution to these complications. Carbons dots can be used in drug delivery by enhancing the solubility of polyphenols leading to higher drug bioavailability. In this study, carbon dots will be synthesized by the hydrothermal method using ethylenediamine and EGCG as its carbon source. IR and fluorescence spectroscopy will then be used for characterization. EGCG can be proven a successful molecule for creating carbon dots and eligible for drug delivery to reduce these symptoms due to its fluorescence, enhanced permeability, and medicinal potential. Once synthesized, EGCG carbon dots can be used to treat B16 cells, a melanoma cell line, to compare its effects to the molecule EGCG. The effects of these molecules on cells can be detected using confocal microscopy. Using these techniques, we hope to find more EGCG carbon dots present in the B16 cells than the control molecule, EGCG. Therefore, demonstrating that EGCG can be used to form carbon dots and to reduce symptoms related to Alzheimer’s.

Haley Morland, Sirus Minovi, Addie Moore, Agata Faran, Colin Young, Maddy Musterait, Nela Chestojanova, Marquize Barmore, Sushma Aryal, Adam E. Fox

Pre-crastination is the tendency to initiate tasks earlier than necessary even at a cost. The present study extends pre-crastination research to rats. We employed a sequential lever-pressing paradigm where rats could choose between completing an action sequence sooner (pre-crastination) or later. The experimental sequence required rats to press a left lever initially, followed by a choice between left and right levers, and concluding with a final right lever press for food reinforcer. Pre-crastination was operationalized as choosing the right lever during the middle choice point (left-right-right pattern). In both conditions, we observed a sex difference – males demonstrated pre-crastination behaviors at higher rates than females. This finding reveals a previously undocumented sex difference in pre-crastination tendencies. Further results are still pending.

Geothermal Hydrotherapy in Iceland: A Cross-Cultural Exploration of Wellness Tourism

Nela Chestojanova

DIS Copenhagen, Fall 2024 | St. Lawrence University

Faculty Recommender: Professor Brook Henkel

Wellness tourism is on the rise, especially in the post-pandemic era, as individuals seek alternatives and supplements to modern medicine. My project explores geothermal seawater therapy in Iceland as both a scientific phenomenon and a cultural practice—centered around the Blue Lagoon, a world-renowned natural spa known for its treatment of psoriasis.

With a background in healthcare through my medical high school in Macedonia and hospital internships, I was drawn to this topic through personal experience—particularly my mother’s journey with psoriasis and our exploration of natural geothermal remedies. During my weekend trip to Iceland, I visited the Blue Lagoon and the Perlan Museum in Reykjavik to investigate how Iceland’s unique geology makes such therapies possible.

This project allowed me to engage directly with wellness practitioners, observe therapeutic rituals, and better understand the science behind the silica- and algae-rich waters. I collected observations and testimonies from on-site staff and reflected on how these practices compare to those in Denmark and Macedonia.

This experience supports my academic focus as a Biomedical Science major, informing my upcoming senior thesis on the intersection of modern and alternative medicine. It also shaped my broader interest in how environmental and technological contexts influence healing—bridging fields like microbiology, psychology, and cultural health studies.

Lacrosse has seen tremendous growth over the years, with rising popularity and participation elevating the sport to new levels. This evolution has led to an increase in skilled athletes competing in high-level leagues, such as NCAA Division I lacrosse. In both the men’s and women’s game, gaining possession of the faceoff (men’s) or draw control (women’s) is a crucial factor in determining success. Because of their significant impact, many players specialize in these areas, as securing possession provides teams with valuable offensive opportunities that can greatly influence the outcome of a game. Analyzing faceoff data can provide students with a realistic application to regression modeling by looking into how much of an impact winning the draw/face-off has on the final results of a lacrosse game for both men and women. This poster outlines a classroom activity created for the SCORE Network to show how logistic regression can be used to analyze this data. The SCORE Network is an NSF-funded national network focused on developing and distributing Sports Content for Outreach, Research, and Education in the fields of statistics and data science.

Rugby Union is one of the world’s oldest and most tradition-rich sports, with international matches dating back to the 19th century. Over decades of competition, a handful of nations — mostly from the Commonwealth — have developed longstanding rivalries that are culturally significant. This project, titled Rugby Union Results Exploration, examines these rivalries through a historical and data-driven results. Using a dataset containing over 2,700 international Rugby Union matches played from 1871 through 2023, I built a Shiny App that allows users to visualize head-to-head matches and analyse patterns. The goal is to show how historical data, when paired with statistical tools, can help us make informed guesses about future outcomes — or at least understand past ones with more clarity.

In the Spring of 2024, I received a Travel Enrichment Grant from the CIIS office for the purpose of traveling to Paris, France and visiting museums related to mathematics and statistics. The goal of this grant was to continue my mathematics and statistics education as a statistics major in a study abroad program that only offered humanities courses. Through this grant, I was able to travel to Maison Poincaré and Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie and explore exhibits that covered topics such as fractals, the pythagorean theorem, frequentist statistics, and more. With this poster, I will be discussing my experiences at these museums and their effectiveness in conveying the topics of their exhibits.

Through the St. Lawrence University CIIS Travel Enrichment Grant, I embarked on a four-day hike of the Abel Tasman Coast Track during my semester abroad in New Zealand. This 50-km journey deepened my understanding of the region’s unique cultural landscapes and expanded my backpacking and outdoor leadership skills. In preparation for the trip, I utilized the skills I gained from my guide training through the Outdoor Program, including risk assessment, map planning, and emergency protocols. I also drew on my experiences from my gap year in South America, the SLU Kenya Summer Abroad Program, and my previous outdoor and cultural awareness coursework. Throughout the hike, I engaged in place-based learning by journaling, observing the environment, being present, and conversing with fellow hikers from around the world. This experience enriched my understanding of the local culture in Nelson and the global backpacking community, adding to my abroad and outdoor experiences. After further reflection on my semester abroad, this trip stands out as the highlight of my time in New Zealand and one of the most memorable adventures I’ve undertaken. Overall, this experience enhanced my appreciation for outdoor education, interested me in potentially pursuing this field post-grad, and reaffirmed my commitment to the importance of experiential learning.

Historically, fraternities and sororities (Greek life) have been inherently exclusive, valuing and upholding cisgenderism. Cisgender refers to those whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth. Not all people are cisgender: for instance, gender diverse people include those who identify as transgender or nonbinary. Transgender refers to those who’s gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth; nonbinary people do not describe themselves or their gender as fitting into the categories of man or woman. Additionally, Greek organizations uphold traditional performances of gender, where they expect members to act in ways that are consistent with how a “woman” or a “man” should behave. Across the United States, some members of Greek organizations have begun to explore how gendered exclusivity can be mitigated to promote gender diversity. Are Greek organizations at SLU open spaces for gender diverse students? What barriers, either institutional or cultural, are preventing organizations from accepting gender diverse students? How is gender performance inherently present in Greek organizations?

To conduct this study, I conducted 10 in-depth interviews with Greek life leaders. I sent a survey to all members of Greek organizations with 65 responses.

The findings showed that there was variability of opinions on whether gender diverse students should be allowed to gain membership into Greek organizations at St. Lawrence. These mixed opinions indicated that sex, gender, and gender performance matter when determining whether someone meets eligibility requirements for membership. More elite organizations were found to be more rigidly gendered through their upholding of cisgenderism and how they perform gender. In addition to cultural differences, there were also institutional barriers that were found such as rules that require discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, and sexuality.

This research implies that there are still significant barriers for gender diverse students joining Greek organizations at St. Lawrence both culturally and institutionally.

Meditation and controlled breathing strategies are often used to improve health and wellness and enhance cognitive performance. The current study examined a novel controlled breathing technique, cyclic sighing, characterized by a deep inhale, followed by a second, shorter, inhale to fully expand the lungs, followed by a prolonged exhale. Participants were randomly assigned to two conditions. In the treatment condition, they were instructed to practice cyclic breathing daily, ideally for 5 minutes per day, at a time of their choosing. The result were compared to an inactive control group. A cognitive battery was completed before and after the 4-week intervention. Measures included sustained attention and working memory (Bakan Rapid Visual Information Processing Task; RVIP), information processing speed (Digit Symbol Substitution Task), cognitive control, working memory, and visual learning (One Card Learning Task; OCL), and recognition memory (immediate and long-term). Physiological measures of stress and wellness were also recorded during both testing sessions. The results revealed no group differences in cognitive performance between the initial and the final session, although resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and electrodermal responses to an auditory stressor were lower in the treatment compared to the control group. Importantly, in the treatment group, participants who adhered to the breathing protocol displayed increased performance on the OCL, and their RVIP responses were faster and accompanied by fewer false positives compared to those with poor adherence. Neither DSST nor recognition memory changes differed between these subsets of individuals. Better mood was observed in the high-adherence group post-intervention. These results indicate that participants who practice cyclic breathing over time may experience some affective and cognitive benefits. Ongoing work is implementing longer treatment duration with stronger adherence protocols.

This study is a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of both carbon fiber and aluminum bicycle frames to evaluate their respective environmental footprints from cradle to grave. The research aims to inform environmentally conscious consumers and manufacturers about the sustainability implications of frame materials. The functional unit is one mountain bike frame, and the product system encompasses stages from raw material extraction through end-of-life treatment. The Use Stage is omitted.

Key findings from the analysis will highlight differences in both the Cumulative Energy demand, and Global Warming Potential between carbon fiber and aluminum Ibis bike frames. The product in comparison is the Ibis Ripmo, which is offered in both frame materials. Both frames are manufactured in Asia and are energy-intensive. Aluminum production, though energy-intensive, benefits from higher recyclability compared to Carbon Fiber which is disposed of in Landfills. The findings display the trade-offs in material selection, which emphasizes the need for sustainable production and end-of-life strategies within the cycling industry.

The study uses secondary datasets for carbon fiber and aluminum production inputs and outputs. Through OpenLCA software and the Ecoinvent Database, results focus on global warming potential and energy demand to quantify environmental footprints. The results aim to provide actionable insights for bike manufacturers and consumers seeking to integrate sustainability considerations into product choices.

This LCA contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable materials and the location choice within the manufacturing production of frames in the cycling industry. The findings will offer data to support informed decisions that align with environmental awareness and product sustainability.

Latinxs are the biggest minority in the United States. Their decision to immigrate is often a challenging one. This project hypothesizes that their experiences as migrants will differ depending on the root causes of their exit. Some are crisis migrants – people or families that escape armed conflict, natural disasters, community violence, or government repression, as is the case of immigrants from the Northern Triangle of Central America. Some migrate in search of better opportunities, and personal growth.

This project looks to understand the mental health implications of each one of these migration paths, and seeks to answer the questions: Are their mental health experiences different? And is the United States answering the mental health needs of this growing population?

In this presentation, I discuss my experience with the Travel Enrichment Grant, which enhanced my semester in Italy by allowing me to explore significant European art venues. I visited renowned institutions such as the Tate Modern, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Bristol Museum. As a Latina artist, this opportunity was significant, enabling me to engage with art in ways that had previously felt inaccessible. My itinerary included immersive visits that enriched my understanding of European art history and inspired my Senior Art Honors Thesis. My academic background, including courses in contemporary art and gender studies, alongside hands-on experience in gallery management, positioned me to maximize this opportunity. Ultimately, this experience advanced my personal and academic goals while benefiting my peers and professors, as I shared insights gained from this transformative journey.

In an increasingly digital world, cybersecurity is becoming more critical in protecting sensitive information, ensuring data integrity, and guaranteeing system availability. This fundamental concept in security is encapsulated in the CIA triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Cyber threats now evolve at an unprecedented pace and understanding the attack vectors and methodologies targeting these three pillars is essential. In this SYE we tested various cybersecurity attack projects that include network infrastructure attacks, malware attacks, and cryptographic attacks. These projects emphasized the importance of the CIA triad by exploiting vulnerabilities to compromise one or more of its components. My work involved reviewing and documenting project setups, debugging outdated code and providing updated solutions, and testing project add-ons and security tools. We describe the testing environment used for the attacks, detail the projects and exploits conducted, and discuss the broader security implications that each project highlights.

This study uses OpenLCA to evaluate the carbon savings of the proposed 240 MW Rich Road Solar Project in Canton, NY, over a 40-year lifespan. The facility is projected to generate 11,780,160 MWh, avoiding approximately 1,984,819 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions (tCO₂e) compared to the current Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) grid mix. The analysis uses a functional unit of 1 kWh and models emissions for multi-crystalline silicon panels using ecoinvent and the IPCC 2021 GWP100 method.

The project footprint spans 1,277 acres, including 75.5 acres of forested land. Spatial analysis using a canopy height model (CHM) was used to estimate deforestation impacts. To contextualize these savings, a land-based offset scenario was modeled. Reforesting 26,254 acres of degraded land at a sequestration rate of 1.89 tCO₂e/acre/year (NYSERDA, 2022) would sequester an equivalent amount of carbon over 40 years. This results in a land ratio of roughly 20.5 acres of reforested land per acre of solar development to achieve the same climate benefit.

New York State has over 2.2 million acres of underutilized or abandoned agricultural land, much of which is suitable for solar development or reforestation efforts (NYS DEC, 2021). Compared to the NPCC mix, solar reduces lifecycle emissions by over 70% (0.07 vs. 0.24 tCO₂e/MWh). While the project offers significant climate benefits, this analysis does not consider broader ecological or social trade-offs of land use change, which merit further study.

Old-growth forests provide critical ecological services and cultural value, yet their identification remains challenging without extensive field surveys. This study explores the use of remote sensing and GIS-based methods to identify potential old-growth forest stands in the Wolf Lake, Fire Fall, and Trout Lake State Forests of upstate New York. Using high-resolution LiDAR-derived canopy height models, tree-level vector data, and deep learning-derived crown delineations, structural indicators such as maximum tree height, crown size, height variability, and tree density were calculated. These were integrated with stand-level species composition data to account for the presence of late-successional species such as eastern hemlock and white pine. A composite scoring model was developed in ArcGIS Pro to map the spatial distribution of stands with high old-growth potential. This workflow highlights the power of remote sensing to support conservation planning by efficiently narrowing the search for old-growth candidates across large, forested landscapes. The approach offers a repeatable, cost-friendly, and scalable framework for old-growth detection in the Northeast.

This experience explores the intersection of environmental conservation and cultural significance in Abel Tasman National Park, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most popular and ecologically diverse areas. With over 250,000 visitors annually, the park is a prime example of how conservation efforts must balance tourism demands with the protection of native ecosystems while properly respecting the land's cultural values and historical significance. Māori cultural and spiritual connections to the park's features, combined with the principles of co-management established by the Treaty of Waitangi, create a unique framework for understanding the role of indigenous perspectives in modern conservation practices. Through a 48 km, 4-day hike on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, I paid close attention to Māori cultural presence within the landscape, such as signage, place names, and narratives, while observing conservation practices in action. This allowed me to explore how conservation management practices are intertwined with Māori views of the land. The consistent presence of bilingual educational signage, Māori carvings, statues, and indigenous place names revealed how the park embeds Māori worldviews into both its infrastructure and storytelling. This went beyond symbolic inclusion, it demonstrated a genuine effort to legitimize Māori knowledge as central to environmental stewardship. Compared to national parks I’ve visited elsewhere, Abel Tasman presented a model for integrating indigenous voices in conservation policy and public engagement. This experience not only deepened my appreciation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural approach but also reshaped my academic and professional goals, motivating me to advocate for conservation frameworks that center indigenous relationships to land.

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) populations are declining across North America due to several ecological factors. Mark Manske of ADK Raptors has been putting up kestrel nest boxes since 2002 and recording their nesting success. I started working with his data in the fall of 2024 to track how land use around the next boxes was impacting their success. To look at the land uses, I used the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) that is collected yearly by the US Geological Survey with a 30-meter spatial resolution. The data have been classified into 16 land uses or classes based on a modification of the Anderson Level II classification system. I made a suitability model with GIS to examine yearly nest box locations and how land cover impacts nest box success. In general, I found that an increase in ideal kestrel nesting habitat (grasslands) around the nest boxes led to higher nesting success. The model I have built in the GIS lab can be used by Prof. Susan Willson (Dept. Of Biology) and future students to continue modeling work on kestrel nest box occupancy and success, to determine how it relates to land cover variables including percentages of row crops and grassland surrounding nest boxes.

Despite its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, Serbia continues to face challenges in attracting and retaining tourists. Through conversations with friends who had visited Serbia, I observed a clear pattern: their overall experience was strongly influenced by the extent of their interaction with locals. Visitors who explored without local insight often struggled to fully enjoy their stay. In contrast, those who received some local guidance reported positive experiences, while those who spent significant time with locals expressed a strong desire to return. Recognizing this gap, I developed Serbism, a platform designed to connect tourists with local hosts. The goal is to enhance the tourist experience through authentic recommendations and cultural exchange, while also providing locals with opportunities to engage with diverse visitors. Moreover, Serbia lacks the widespread social media presence enjoyed by more prominent tourist destinations like France or Italy. By creating a dedicated space for sharing travel tips, personal stories, and curated content about Serbia, Serbism aims to generate greater interest and confidence among potential travelers.

Deep learning’s high performance is often counterbalanced by its “black box” nature, challenging its deployment in critical fields. This project explores transparency in convolutional neural networks for image classification by implementing three explainability techniques: Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM), Layer-CAM, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). A user-friendly Shiny web application enables interactive visualization, method comparison, and exploration of computational trade-offs. Performance enhancements significantly accelerated inference, enabling near real-time visualizations for Grad-CAM and Layer-CAM, while SHAP continued to deliver detailed pixel-level insights despite its higher computational demands.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by time consuming, distressing, and functionally impairing obsessions (recurrent or persistent thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive, unwanted, or anxiety-inducing) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts that are performed with rigid rules to ignore, suppress, or neutralize obsessions). A growing collection of research has found impulsivity to be associated with OCD, but this literature has predominantly evaluated impulsivity as a trait and discounts the complex relationship this behavior may have with the fluctuating symptomatology severity of OCD. We explored the relationship trait impulsivity, a characteristic that is ubiquitous within daily life, and state impulsivity, a momentary behavioral reaction, have with OCD—establishing a more reliable measure of state impulsivity through a symptom induction task. Participants (N = 120) completed an online survey consisting of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale as a self-report trait impulsivity measurement, a delay discounting task as a behavioral trait impulsivity measurement, the Maudslay Obsessive-Compulsiveness Scale as a method of symptom provocation, and the stop-signal task as a state/motor impulsivity measurement. Data collection is in progress.

Through the St. Lawrence University CIIS Travel Enrichment Grant, I spent four days in Melbourne, Australia, exploring the intersections of identity, immigration, and culture through a global lens. I used this opportunity to connect my academic interests with lived experiences and historical contexts. Melbourne’s status as one of the world’s most multicultural cities made it an ideal location to examine immigrant communities, student migration, and diverse cultural narratives, while also deepening my understanding of Australia’s Indigenous and colonial histories. My visit included educational trips to the Melbourne Museum, Immigration Museum, and the Chinese Australian Museum. This travel experience complemented my coursework at James Cook University, including classes on Indigenous communities and Australian biodiversity, and ultimately supported the development of a meaningful, interdisciplinary personal project that bridged biology, global studies.

Evidence of a glacier’s basal movement can be challenging to discover due to subsequent weathering and covering by the retreating glacier. Thanks to mineral prospecting, however, in Talcville, NY, an approximately 0.3-hectare site of striated talc-tremolite schist became exposed for striae analyses. This “pit”, geologically, is part of the greater Frontenac Axis, which geomorphologically represents a hectometer-scale, northeast-southwest ridge-and-valley system (cf., Miller and Stewart, 2014). Using a compass, 2,901 azimuths of type-2 striations were measured across seven exposures (or pods) of polished whalebacks. In addition, 1,989 widths, 342 lengths, and 186 hardness measurements were collected using a caliper/measuring tape and hardness-testing kit. Using the EZ-ROSE program (Baas, 2000), all azimuths (n=2,901, mean of 011.6°, σ of 6.4°) were subjected to the Kuiper, Rayleigh, and Watson tests, all of which demonstrated a unimodal distribution with 99% confidence. Linear data were descriptively analyzed with mean striation length of 44mm (σ=7.0), width of 1.7 mm (σ=2.0), and Moh’s hardness of 5.1 (σ=2.1). Local joints and regional structure measure approximately 036-216° (Miller and Stewart, 2014) and are distinct from these striae suggesting the glacier flowed at an acute angle to the regional structure and topography. We estimate, by extrapolating our linear data, that at any one moment, 0.5-1.0㎥ of bedrock was removed from this site (approximately equal to the volume of a standard refrigerator’s interior). Inclusion of Moh’s hardness data suggests the striators must have been at least greater than the 5.1 hardness on average, but as high as 8.5, and, in conjunction with a 1-standard-deviation striae wedge up ice were likely sourced proximally from about 35 km north or distally, from southern Quebec, Canada over 150 km away. Additionally, we infer that the flow of the glacier was not bedrock controlled, but likely deflected around the western Adirondack Mountains during an ice advance, as the glacier flow was more vigorous than topographic control, but not greater than the control of the western Adirondacks Mountain edge.

One in four women and one in 16 men experience sexual violence (SV) or attempted or completed rape during college (Bennett & Banyard, 2016; Wilson, 2018). The present study examined how differences in Title IX training (active vs passive) might impact an individual’s real versus perceived learning. Participants were required to participate in a Title IX training. The perceived learning scale in this study consisted of a 15-item Likert-type scale and two open-ended short-answer questions. The real learning scale in this study consisted of five short response questions. Participants were asked to complete a pre-test and an identical post-test. They were then given the perceived learning scale as an exit questionnaire. Participants' perceived learning score was X in the active learning group and X in the passive learning group. Participants measured learning rose by X% between the pre- and post- tests in the active learning group and rose by X% in the passive learning group. Results pending further data collection. We hope to use whatever results we obtain to reveal any clues for improving the effectiveness of Title IX trainings at St. Lawrence University.

Keywords: training, active, passive, survivors, perceived learning, measured learning, title ix,

direction of the magnetic field can be recorded in rocks, sediments, and archeological materials. This study investigates the paleomagnetism of early Devonian Old Red Sandstone samples from Woodfjorden, Svalbard, Norway, aiming to isolate primary magnetic signals to gain more knowledge about the Devonian magnetic field. Not much is known about the magnetic field during the Devonian, and previous studies have struggled to isolate primary magnetic signals. Previous studies from Woodfjorden have found signals that could possibly be of Devonian age (Douglass, 1987), which is why this area is of special interest within paleomagnetic research.

We present the results of a paleomagnetic study, including thermomagnetic measurements, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), hysteresis loops, and natural remanent magnetizations (NRM). The thermomagnetic measurements were taken using the AGICO MFK1-FA Kappabridge and are used to measure magnetic susceptibility, which help determine which magnetic mineral is present in the sample. AMS is also measured in the Kappabridge and gives information about the magnetic fabric in the samples. The hysteric loops show inductive and remanent magnetization and was created using the J-meter Coercivity Spectrometer. NRM was measured by stepwise thermal demagnetization followed by NRM measurements taken on a WSGI (2G) Model 755 Superconducting Rock Magnetometer. The samples underwent a total of 17 demagnetization steps with temperature intervals of 5-100°C, with the highest temperature being 680°C. The directional data from the NRM measurements were analyzed using Zijderveld diagrams and principal component analysis.

We show that the Old Red Sandstone has hematite as the primary magnetic carrier, alongside another mineral with a very low (~100°C) Curie temperature, possibly goethite. The samples show low-temperature and high-temperature components (isolated above 500°). The magnetic direction of the low-temperature component is similar to what is expected for the present-day magnetic field in Svalbard. The high temperature component has a shallow inclination (~-21°) and a declination of around 200°. These directions likely correspond to a magnetization that was acquired during the early Carboniferous, in a magnetic field that had a reverse polarity.

Although a widely understudied area of the brain, the insula is a hub for integrating a multitude of cortical and subcortical inputs. Previous studies have demonstrated the role of the anterior insular cortex in processing social recognition memory, as well as the role of the central amygdala deciphering fear and extinction memories. Rats have anatomical and physiological similarities to humans, making them an ideal model for understanding how manipulations to specific brain areas can effect memory and behavior, and how this may translate to humans. To date, however, the relationship of spatial memory to the insular cortex has not been well-characterized. This study investigated how insular lesions affected spatial memory and social behavior. We sought to investigate if targeted damage to the insula in the rats would disrupt their spatial memory and social behavior. Ten male Long-Evans rats received stereotactic injections targeting the right insular cortex (AP +1.4; ML +5.2; DV -6.8 from bregma). Five rats received neurotoxic lesions to their insular cortex via quinolinic acid dissolved in phosphate buffered saline, and the other five control rats received vehicle control injections. After the rats recovered from surgery, we tested their spatial learning and memory utilizing the Morris water maze. Social perception was assessed via a three-chamber task. In this task we measured whether subjects could discriminate between inanimate objects and unfamiliar conspecifics, as well as between familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics. Results are currently being analyzed but preliminary findings suggest that insular lesions impair specific aspects of both spatial and social behavior.

Prior research has established that college students' sense of belonging predicts retention, well-being and a host of other outcomes (e.g., Allen et al., 2021). However, belongingness interventions often fail. One potential reason is that students vary in their need to belong. Some may fulfill this need outside the university through family or workplace relationships, while others may simply have a lower inherent need. Such students may remain unaffected by interventions as there is no "need" to belong to the university. If true, interventions targeting retention and similar outcomes may require greater tailoring to maximize effectiveness (see Walton, et al., 2023)

The current investigation examined whether several socially-oriented predictors drawn from prior work do in fact predict belonging outcomes in a sample of college students, and more importantly, whether the need to belong moderates the association between predictors of belonging and belonging outcomes.

To address these aims, data were collected from a convenience sample (n= 101) of college students who participated in an online survey in exchange for course credit or a small token of appreciation. Self-report measures were used to assess sense of belonging and transfer intentions, which comprised the study’s two primary outcome measures. Predictors of belonging, which included social skills, social anxiety, similarity to one’s peers, opportunities to join student organizations and ease of social transition to college were also assessed using a combination of newly developed and previously validated measures. Need to belong was examined as a potential moderator of the associations found between the predictors and outcomes.

Bivariate correlations revealed all predictors correlated with sense of belonging, whereas only belonging, opportunities to join student organizations and social transition predicted transfer intentions. Follow-up, simultaneous regressions indicated that for sense of belonging, social skills, similarity, opportunities and social transition were responsible for the bulk of the variance accounted for by the predictors, whereas only belonging and social transition drove transfer intentions. Further analyses indicated that need to belong did not moderate any of the previously described associations, failing to support the study’s primary hypothesis.

In NCAA football, rankings are traditionally determined by Associated Press’s poll rankings, which surveys 62 broadcasters and analysts across the country. A mathematics professor at the University of Utah in 1989 explored the application of linear algebra theorems to create an objective ranking scheme. In linear algebra, the Perron-Frobenius Theorem states that for any square, non-negative matrix there exists a unique largest eigenvalue corresponding to an eigenvector with strictly positive components. In addition to sports applications, the theorem is widely applicable to Google’s search algorithm, economics, and demographic modeling. My project extends the original 1989 ranking schemes with Python implementations, along with several of my own design implementing modern techniques. Leveraging technological advancements, I analyzed all 47 years of available NCAA D1-A football data and AP rankings to evaluate success through multiple metrics. The results show significant and consistent performance improvements of linear-algebra-based ranking schemes over AP poll rankings, with fewer total upsets. Further, my techniques reduced the number of upsets within the top-25 ranked teams by approximately half.

The Marcy Massif is a major component of the bedrock geology of the high peaks

region of the Adirondacks. The Massif is composed anorthosite and surrounded by a

gabbroic gneiss known as the border facies. The nature of the deformation recorded

by the border facies gneiss is debated. It may be a primary magmatic feature related

to diapiric ascent, a tectonic feature recording post emplacement contractional

orogenesis, or record exhumation along the Marcy Massif detachment zone. Here we

present a strain analysis of a vertical transect through the border facies border facies

at Cooper Kiln landslide in the Northern section of the Massif. Five oriented rock

samples were taken from different structural levels and cut on orthogonal surfaces

parallel to X, Y, and Z principal strain axes and digitized using EllipseFit. Preliminary

results indicate that flattening strain dominates at lower structural levels and

progresses into constriction near the top of the slide.

DNA intercalators treat cancer by interfering with functions such as DNA translation and replication. Proflavine, a classical intercalator, is a promising starting point for developing novel chemotherapeutics, despite limited binding capabilities due to the steric and hydrophobic properties of some of its derivatives. Therefore, the Tartakoff Research Group, in conjunction with the Glazier Research Group, are attempting to synthesis novel acylated proflavine derivatives that preserve favorable properties, such as strong binding affinity and water solubility. Acylating proflavine’s amine groups with chloroacetylchloride produces a shelf-stable compound that can be used as an intermediate. Further functionalization with various small molecules via S¬N2 reactions enables the facile synthesis of new proflavine derivatives in high yield and purity. I will be reporting on the efforts in this direction thus far.

It is difficult to make sense of the transitions Croatia has undergone since the ‘90s. From the shift from a communist to a free market capitalist system, shifts in national and cultural identity, and membership in the EU, different dimensions of Croatian existence changed in a comparatively short span of time and it is hard to disentangle their influence on one another. In my project, I am looking at agriculture, a specific branch of Croatia’s economy and existence, that may help make the transitions more coherent because of its apparent relation to Croatia’s economy, but also less obvious involvement in cultural (re)production. The periodical newspaper Gospodarski List has the historical longevity and thematic relevance to help explore the question: how do the (ongoing) changes in Croatia’s politics and economy reflect in cultural shifts/changes in agricultural practices in Croatia today? I draw upon four different theorists: Roland Barthes, Antonio Gramsci, Karl Polanyi, and Susan Strange to answer this question. Using their theoretical framework, I conducted a content analysis of several articles and organization of volumes of Gospodarski List.

As the healthcare industry shifts away from the historically dominant paternalistic model of care, shared decision making has gained prominence as a potential ideal framework for patient engagement and decision making. In theory, shared decision making functions to maximize health justice and improve outcomes by strengthening patient-provider relationships through increased information sharing and patient empowerment. The literature suggests however, that patients with negative social determinants of health (SDOH) profiles have disproportionately fewer opportunities to participate in shared decision making relative to individuals with more positive SDOH profiles (Enard & Hauptman, 2019). To explore the extent to which this may be happening I analyzed data from the National Health Information Trends Survey and the National Survey of Children’s Health. Analysis from both datasets indicate a significant correlation between various social determinants of health and level of shared decision making. Negative social determinants of health such as lower education levels, inconsistent health insurance, and food insecurity correlated strongly with reduced levels of participation in shared decision making. Consequently, these findings suggest that, in its current practice, shared decision making may not only be ineffective in reducing the disparities it was, in part, designed to address, but may actually exacerbate the gap in quality of care between patients with positive and negative SDOH profiles. Therefore, changes to provider education and shared decision making implementation strategies must be considered in order for the model to function as designed.

At the highest level of tennis, a player's mental skillset is as -- if not, more -- important than their physical and technical skillset. Do the top champions of the sport handle pressure situations differently that sets them apart from the rest of the players? My goal was to leverage shot-by-shot data (including the exact coordinates of every ball hit) collected during the French Open -- the most prestigious clay court tournament in the world -- to answer this question. The data wrangling process involved meticulous data cleaning, match score parsing, and joining functions, but it allowed me to create powerful visualizations that illustrate how the best players in the world serve and return on the most important points. I found that for these important points, elite players tend to stick to their strengths and even play more aggressively (depending on the opponent) when they're serving, but generally adopt a more conservative approach to their current strategy.

Tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) require strategic decision-making and effective team coordination. Yet assessing how well a party will perform in combat encounters, before actual gameplay, remains largely speculative and inconsistent. This project presents the development of a battle simulator for D&D, created using Unity and C#, designed to provide a better method of testing and analyzing combat scenarios. Ultimately, this project demonstrates how computational tools can bring greater clarity to the improvisational world of tabletop gaming.

In the aftermath of its imperial past, Japan strategically rebranded itself as a nation, utilizing cultural soft power and the perceived innocence of kawaii culture to reconstruct national identity and reshape its global diplomacy. The literature discusses gendered innocence through kawaii diplomacy as a nation branding tactic, entwining themselves with gendered performances of innocence and control, while “forgetting” their imperial past to rebrand as a global soft power. Specific icons of kawaii culture, such as Hello Kitty and Doraemon, are used in government led approaches for nation branding, including tourism and the “Cool Japan” initiative, to capitalize on Japan’s cultural prowess for international power. Soft power is expanded to include the cultural realm of all things Japan: anime, manga, cosplay, and characters. Soft power is a cultural might reshaping Japan’s internal and external identity. However, much of the current literature is outdated given the speed at which technology and global transmission of culture evolve. Due to the lack of modern research, this has transpired in a lack of recognition for kawaii culture in nation branding. By analyzing kawaii culture’s role in nation branding, this paper considers how Japan utilizes its cultural soft power and popular culture as a tool for global diplomacy in contrast to traditional military strength.

There are 64 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Hockey teams. In NCAA Division 1 Men’s Hockey, the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) provides the official rankings on the 64 total teams using a system that relies on expert votes. However, this method is not perfect as there is no formal quantitative analytics involved in the voting. To improve on this, a chess ratings system, called Elo, is commonly used in many sports to quantitatively rate players, weighing strength of opponent and recency of match. In this project, we modify the Elo system for NCAA Division 1 Men’s Hockey by adding in weights for game goal differential (so that games in which the score differential was large potentially result in a larger bump in Elo for the winning team) and home-ice advantage (so that the team playing on home-ice has an adjusted probability of winning the game).

This Travel Enrichment Grant allowed me to visit Stewart Island / Rakiura, New Zealand, where I investigated how the local community contribute to the success of pest eradication efforts that support native bird conservation. With over 85% of the island being protected as part of Rakiura National Park, and nearby Ulva Island serving as a rare predator-free sanctuary, the region offers an ideal setting for studying conservation in action. I encountered the specific strategies used in island-based pest eradication programs, such as trapping, monitoring, and the controversial use of 1080, and how these approaches have benefited rare bird species like the tokoeka (Rakiura southern brown kiwi), the tīeke (South Island saddleback), and the mohua (yellowhead). I also witnessed firsthand how deeply involved the local community is in these efforts, through volunteer work, public meetings, and long-term planning. Their passion and persistence are essential to maintaining progress. This experience gave me a much deeper understanding of what it takes to be successful in protecting biodiversity not just on Rakiura, but across New Zealand.

Metagenomics is an important tool for understanding microbial diversity in complex environments. Implementing computational pipelines for these analyses can be difficult. KBase is a Department of Energy funded online program that contains different tools that can be used to assemble and annotate MAGs – Metagenome-Assembled Genomes. I analyzed shotgun metagenomic sequence data from a freshwater environment, Crystal Bog, WI. Using KBase, I was able to assess the quality of the sequences, trim the sequences, and obtain a taxonomic classification of the bacteria present. I was also able to assemble the metagenomic reads into contigs that could then be binned to create MAGs. I compare the three contigs to see which ones contain the most complete data. The MAGs were then annotated using Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology (RAST). I used the functional genes found in two MAGs to assess the potential roles of these microbes in Crystal Bog.

A belief in God and an afterlife nearly frees someone from the fear of death. When you are certain in the promise of an eternal life after a life of devotion, death may not seem final nor something to fear. Beginning from a conversation with a believer, this thesis will consider how we think about death and how we confront mortality if we lack a spiritual or religious framework to explain death. I will attempt to distinguish between anxiety and fear while discussing the importance of guilt, grief, and love. The works of eminent philosophers that I will utilize seek to change the thinking about death and fear, but I will argue that death is meaningful when thought about; death brings grief, which is a sign that we matter to one another. The question of whether we can survive our physical deaths by means of memory and consciousness is asked, suggesting that ideas of continuance are, in some way, parallel to the eternal life guaranteed by religious belief. Ultimately, this thesis will reflect on religion in understanding death and reimagine the systems by which we seek meaning and continuity.

Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is an aggressive aquatic invasive plant threatening the water bodies of North America. We collected data on plant communities, macroinvertebrate communities, and abiotic factors at two site types (predominantly T. natans or predominantly native plants) in the Oswegatchie River at Heuvelton, NY. By combining this data with data from the previous summer, we found potential differences in community structure and abiotic factors between the site types. However, this research is ongoing and further study will be required to fully understand the T. natans invasion in Northern New York.

Polymers, or long-chained molecules made of smaller constituents, are highly utilized in our daily lives. From plastic bags to synthetic clothing fibers or surgical sutures, polymer-based materials are practical, versatile, and relatively inexpensive, which is why they are so widespread and integral for many applications. Unfortunately, many polymers do not degrade easily into simpler components, which is why polymer degradation and recycling is a longstanding challenge. To create a truly sustainable environment, we may need to develop new types of polymers that can be more easily broken down. My research focuses on finding ways to build and later disassemble polymers using reversible chemical reactions. One promising approach involves aldehyde derivatives of a natural compound, called guaiazulene, which should form polymers that can be reversed through imine chemistry reactions. To make progress toward the target polymer, I have synthesized an aldehyde derivative of guaiazulene and have begun to investigate its reactivity in condensation reactions with aniline. These polymers could be used in technologies like semiconducting electronics, solar cells, and organic electronics. By studying these new materials, my research hopes to find a new class of degradable polymers, helping to reduce waste and promote a more eco-friendly future.

Philosophy provides practical skills as well as insights into the human condition that theoretically could enable a person to improve their well-being. To examine this possibility, the current study assessed the associations between philosophical engagement (i.e., thinking like a philosopher) and subjective well-being in a sample of college students (n=64).

Critical thinking skills, growth mindset, and meaning in life were investigated as potential mediators of the hypothesized associations between philosophical engagement and the well-being outcome variables, which included satisfaction with life and general levels of positive and negative affectivity. Data were collected using a combination of previously validated and newly developed self-report measures, including the 20-item Philosophical Engagement Questionnaire. Results indicated that although philosophical engagement is related to all three potential mediators, it is related to one of the outcome variables: positive affectivity. Regression-based mediation analyses further indicated that of the three potential mediators, meaning in life was the only one capable of explaining the relationship between philosophical engagement and positive affectivity.

There is an intuitive distinction between the literal meaning of an utterance (‘what is said’) and the non-literal or implicit meaning (‘what is communicated’). Traditionally, the determination of what is said has been accounted for by a process of semantic composition that is insulated from pragmatic influence. However, recent work in the philosophy of language has revealed that pragmatic factors are necessarily involved in semantic composition (François Recanati, 2010). In light of this conclusion, the line between semantics and pragmatics must be redrawn, and theorists must provide a systematic account of the pragmatic functions which allow context to influence the semantic composition process.

Dan Sperber and Diedre Wilson (1995) provide a compelling solution to the latter problem by accounting for the pragmatic processes involved in semantic composition with a cognitive principle of relevance. However, though this account is grounded in a useful theoretical framework which is backed by empirical research in cognitive science and psychology, it faces critical problems of circularity and underdetermination. Alternatively, David Beaver and Jason Stanley (2023) lay the foundation for a new theoretical framework which defines meanings not as psychological states, but objective statistical correlations. This theory offers a unique way of accounting for the semantic composition process which avoids the problems of circularity and underdetermination. Furthermore, it offers an account of how large-scale changes in human behavior are influenced by individual speech acts. Nevertheless, it is not without serious problems of its own.

More than half of the school year at St. Lawrence University lies within a seasonal dormant period. Although winter has much to offer in terms of recreation and wellness, students, faculty, and staff recognize that activity, mood, and productivity decrease during the winter months, whilst the temperatures are low and there is a lack of greenery and sunlight outside. Research has shown that increasing indoor greenery has many benefits, especially for work environments. This project brings together students, faculty, staff, administrators, the resources they have to offer, and shared goals, such as climate action, wellness, and building community. These assets and initiatives put together will help push St Lawrence University to a greener campus, even in the winter months. Leadership from across disciplines, including student club leaders, were brought together on two occasions to discuss their interests with green spaces. A separate meeting was held for students with a panel and a short film on the benefits of indoor plants. Locations around campus were identified for plant placement. Additionally, the concepts of Seed to Table, Tree Campus, and the Living Lab, such as growing pollinator plants, trees for restoration, and vegetables were discussed and noted for planning green spaces. From the stakeholders' responses and examining other universities' campus initiatives, a plant hospital is being formed which will serve as an example for future projects. There are multiple plant projects currently happening on campus that are now in communication with one another through the meetings stated prior. A proposal with multiple green space scenarios for planning purposes is being developed. This will include a collection of records for students, faculty, and staff to coordinate and strengthen future plant projects.

Immigration-related trauma has profound psychological and developmental impacts on Latinx youth in the Unites States, this trauma is potentially compounded by those affected by ICE detainment and aggressive border enforcement policies. Synthesizing research from developmental psychology, immigration studies, and cultural stress theory, this review highlights how trauma experienced across childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood can lead to long-term health challenges. Early exposure to toxic stress, combined with inadequate support systems in strenuous environments result in maladaptive coping behaviors, conduct disorders, and chronic psychological distress. Moreover, it calls for preventative, trauma-informed, and culturally competent approaches within welfare, legal, and educational systems. Addressing these disparities requires interdisciplinary collaboration and culturally responsive reform to protect the well-being of Latinx immigrant youth.

This research examines how representatives of Vienna’s social housing organizations help low-income and homeless populations access affordable housing that supports a healthy lifestyle. Focusing on an interview with a city official, this project explores how the system is structured to promote stability, inclusion, and well-being. Ethnographic observations and visual analysis of social housing neighborhoods further contextualize how housing policies are translated into lived environments. Grounded in interdisciplinary training in global studies and psychology, this research aims to understand the strengths of Vienna’s housing model and the role institutional actors play in maintaining its accessibility and effectiveness.

This was the 22nd evaluation of an old-growth forest carried out by ENVS 326 – Once and Future Forest classes, employing a forest evaluation method developed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. It was adapted to the North Country for the North Country Old Growth Program whose mission is to increase forest conservation in the North Country. Old-growth is important for biodiversity, provides habitat for other plants, as well as animals, insects, and fungi, and is beneficial to the ecosystems around them. Only four of the 22 stands evaluated by this program have been old-growth, this stand is the 5th. Ten plots were taken in our 19-acre stand and used the evaluation method to look at the age of trees, regeneration, human disturbances, and many other factors that indicate old-growth.

The purpose of this experiment was to test the effects of goal sharing via social media platforms and task choice on achievement of wellness-based goals during two weeks in a sample of young adults. We predict the effects of accountability and autonomy produced by the study's independent variables will interact synergistically such that those participants who had task choice and shared their goal will be more successful in achieving their goal than the other conditions. Data analysis is currently underway, and the results will be presented at the Festival of Science.

Previous research has examined how instructional focus (e.g., acceptance, personal improvement, or comparison to others), effort level, and the order of physical activity intensity affect how people feel during exercise. However, less is known about how these factors influence perceived energy levels. This study investigated the impact of instructional focus, effort level, and changes in effort during yoga sessions on self-reported energy. Forty-six undergraduates from St. Lawrence University participated in the study. They viewed six three-minute YouTube yoga videos featuring either easy or moderate poses, paired with one of three types of instructions: acceptance, personal improvement, or comparison to others. Participants experienced the effort levels in one of two orders: easy-to-moderate or moderate-to-easy. After each segment, they rated how energized they felt. Results showed that the combination of instructional focus, effort level, and order of effort significantly influenced energy levels. Specifically, participants who received acceptance or personal improvement instructions and experienced increasing intensity (easy to moderate) reported feeling more energized after moderate yoga than easy yoga. In contrast, participants in the decreasing intensity group (moderate to easy) showed similar energy ratings for both levels. When instructions focused on social comparisons to others, energy ratings were consistent across both effort orders. Additionally, participants generally felt more energized after moderate yoga than after easy yoga. This suggests that considering instructional focus alongside the ordering and difficulty of exercise can maximizes energy levels.

This study aims to examine how instruction type, exercise intensity, and the order in which they are performed interact with each other to shape affective experience during yoga. In this study, participants were instructed to watch six three-minute yoga sessions and answer three short questions after each one. Each of the six yoga videos included either easy or more difficult poses and one of three types of instructions focusing on bodily sensations in the present moment, comparing movements to others, and self-improvement throughout each exercise. Half of the participants started with easier yoga exercises then moved to more difficult intensity yoga exercises and the other half started with the more difficult yoga exercises and then moved to the easier yoga exercises. The order of easy and hard videos made a difference. Those participants who started easy and moved to hard showed similar good feelings after easy and hard yoga. However, those people who started hard and then went to easy experienced easy yoga as more enjoyable than hard yoga. The level of difficulty and order together influenced perceived pleasure. Our study also found that easy yoga poses made participants feel happier than harder yoga poses. Additionally, we found that instructions had an impact on the participants throughout the study. The instructions that told the participants to focus on self-improvement and the present moment led them to feel more pleasure, while those given instructions to compare to others experienced less enjoyment. The findings will lead to better practices for exercise instructors to use, as well as better understanding of how exercise conditions shape our feelings during exercise.

Carfentanil and Ketamine: Animal Tranquilizers with Different Stories to Tell. Carfentanil and

ketamine are two drugs that are commonly used in wildlife conservation and research as animal

tranquilizers, however the implications of the separate drugs can be very different. Carfentanil is

one of the most potent synthetic opioids in the world, while ketamine is one of the safest

anesthetics used in medicine.

Carfentanil acts by binding to the mμ opioid receptors in the brain and acting on the respiratory

and central nervous systems. It’s high protein binding ability adds to its high potency, causing

analgesia and pleasure, but also muscle stiffness and respiratory inhibition that can lead to death.

Ketamine is a noncompetitive NDMA and glutamate receptor antagonist, blocking the HCN1

receptors to cause a dissociative action and partial agonism of the mμ opioid receptors creating

an anesthetic state of sedation and comfort.

The anesthetic and sedative properties of the drugs allow them to be used successfully as wildlife

tranquilizers, and but the differing properties of the drugs change the way they are used beyond

sedation. Carfentanil is so potent that it is only approved for use in animals as a sedative and has

no approved use in humans. However, it is still abused recreationally and is responsible for a

large percentage of overdose deaths in the US. Ketamine has a wide variety of uses outside

wildlife conservation, used in medical and psychiatric fields to treat a wide range of issues.

Carfentanil and ketamine are wildlife tranquilizers that have very different implications for

society. The dangerous and potent carfentanil poses a great risk to public health and safety, while

ketamine is responsible for great advances in treating medical and psychiatric problems.

Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are a class of antidepressants, and are some of the most widely used drugs in the world. Knowing when they are appropriate to use, how they work, and how usage may affect users and those around them is very important. Taking a look at the common six used SSRIs (fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine), their mechanisms of action are similar yet they have different effects. The six main SSRIs treat different disorders and have pharmacological similarities that can make it easier to switch between drugs within this class. SSRIs are used to alter one’s brain chemistry; therefore, they are very impactful in positive and negative ways, treating or possibly worsening one’s condition. They have a large impact on their users, those around their users, and even the environment. These “rewiring” drugs may raise some concerns, which is why knowing all the effects of SSRIs is crucial to a sufficient understanding and decision making regarding selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Dextroamphetamine or (2S)-1-phenylpropan-2-amine, also known as Adderall, is a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD and narcolepsy, but also has a large risk for misuse, addiction, and can have a significant amount of side effects. There are also a lot of positive outcomes that come from taking it. As more people get prescribed the drug, the demand for the drug increases leading families to struggle to gain access to it. Dextroamphetamine, originally synthesized for respiratory stimulation, is now used to treat the common disorders due to its ability to enhance focus and alertness. Some side effects include cardiovascular issues and growth suppression in children. Due to the high potential for abuse, dextroamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, necessitating careful regulation. While beneficial in managing ADHD and improving focus it has significant social and economic impacts. This includes shortages of the medication, increased healthcare costs, and varying insurance coverage. It can enhance productivity and academic performance for those with ADHD, but it poses risks, such as sleep deprivation and social challenges. Despite these effects, it remains essential for many individuals struggling with ADHD, especially in the workplace and academic settings. In conclusion, dextroamphetamine provides significant benefits for managing ADHD and narcolepsy, but its potential for misuse, addiction, and side effects creates a significant amount of challenges. While it enhances productivity and academic performance, its increasing demand and access issues highlight the need for careful regulation and consideration of its risks.

Synthesized by Stephanie Kwolek in 1965, the Kevlar molecule is known for its lifesaving strength. The proper orientation of this molecule and the monomers that make it up allow for each solution to be spun into fiber. This fiber has an impressive strength-to-weight ratio. Because of this, Kevlar is used the making of ballistic armor, including bulletproof vests. These vests, first introduced to the public by Richard C. Davis were first made out of nylon and inspired by WWII Flak Jackets. Both law enforcement and the armed forces employ the Kevlar version of this vest as their chief method of protection in their fields. Additionally, the molecule has potential to be applied in medical contexts as a prosthetic, cartilage regeneration tool, and stabilizing material for post-operative patients. Kevlar’s major contributors should be commended for their dedication to the making and marketing of this molecule.

Creatine is a key component in one of the human body’s most important energy production processes. It is widely recognized in the athletic side of pop culture, but many people are unaware that creatine even exists in their body already. It plays a crucial role in short-term energy reserve build-up and expenditure by supporting ATP regeneration. This function and its unique chemical structure make it essential for physical performance and cellular function. Creatine allows animals to be powerful and explosive when the need arises without immediately exhausting themselves. Without creatine and its connecting phosphocreatine system (the system in which Phosphocreatine is used to replenish and build up ATP reserves) doing anything intense, even for a short amount of time, would potentially risk exhausting the exerciser, putting them out of commission for a while until their ATP levels normalized again. In the last few decades, creatine has gained major popularity, mainly in sports and physical performance fields, but also in neurological health and even medical applications. As research continues to be done on the molecule, uncovering its broader effects, Cr’s role in the human body and in sports performance becomes increasingly evident. Thanks to its involvement in our body’s energy metabolism systems, humans are capable of great physical feats, both in sports and out in the wild.

Nitrous oxide, popularly named “laughing gas,” has a surprisingly complex history that stretches far beyond its genreal common use in the dental procedures. Originally discovered in the 18th century, nitours oxide has been utilised in the food and automobile sectors, along with in entertainment and other medical application. From its usage as an anaesthetic in dental settings to its recent research as a possible treatment for mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, this study examines the intricate role of nitrous oxide through multiple lenzes. The gas’s simple structure is unproportianal to its influence, which includes positive contributions to healthcare and serious concerns around environmental damage and recreational abuse. Due to having a global warming potential (GWP) 300 times that of CO ₂ and a trend of increasing misuse among youth, nitrous oxide now stands at the center of legal and ethical debates . Understanding its scientific, medical, and social implications is essential for deciding the future usages and future policies of nitours oxide.

In 1961, Jane Jacobs, among the foremost influencers of urban planning in the United States, wrote that “Streets and their sidewalks, the most public places of a city, are its most vital organs” (Jacobs, 1961). Streets and connected social infrastructure are where the unique identities of an urban area are created. Utilizing the online game, Cities: Skylines (Cities, n.d.), proposed planning practices can be applied to digital cities. Part of this model city was built around the practices of reducing travel distances, providing accessible public transportation and support to non-car-based transportation, as well as dispersing green spaces for ease of access. The transportation related practices incentivize walkability. Combining walkability and green spaces spawns greater social interaction within a city.

Niacinamide is a popular skincare ingredient that is valued for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and barrier-strengthening properties. The chemical background, mechanisms of action, applications, and impacts of niacinamide (vitamin B₃), are explored. Composed of a pyridine ring with an amide group, niacinamide is stable, non-reactive, and compatible with various formulations. It enhances cellular metabolism and DNA repair through NAD⁺/NADP⁺ pathways, effectively treating acne, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and rosacea. Widely used in moisturizers, serums, and cleansers, niacinamide is well-tolerated, affordable, and environmentally safe. Its minimal environmental impact, biodegradability, and suitability for sensitive skin, contribute to positive consumer perception. The ingredient's accessibility, versatility, and proven efficacy have led to increasing popularity in skincare, showing its value as a gentle yet effective treatment for a variety of skin concerns.