Student Scholars Day

Seidman IPO Portfolio

Patrick Karabon — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

The Seidman IPO portfolio is a collaboration of diverse investment instruments used to teach future investment leaders how to invest in today's modern volatile markets. The portfolio incorporates hours of research in today's business world in order to make informed decisions about investing. The research is condensed into presentations which members make to improve the portfolio.

Conjectures and Results Involving Orderings, Posets, and Lattices

Kurt O'Hearn et al. — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 PDT

In discrete mathematics, there are partial orders on permutations relating how much they are disordered. One of these orders, the weak order, has some additional structure called a lattice. Our work presents conjectures and results from combining the weak order with other orders to form larger posets with the aim that these posets exhibit properties of a lattice. Our ideas include the use of alternative representations such as binary matrices.

Disbanding the Myths of Green Chemistry

Ross Harmon et al. — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 PDT

In today's time the term Green means several different things. Many negative connotations have been attached to this term. Learn what Green chemistry really is and how it works in today's world.

Bio-Succinic Acid

Hongjoon Yoon et al. — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:00:00 PDT

Succinic acid is one of the key platform molecules produced from biomass and transformed into a variety of useful chemicals. The production and usage of succinic acid as a replacement of maleic anhydride, main intermediate in petroleum based technologies, will be presented here. The versatility of the two carboxylic groups and its partial solubility in water make succinic acid a convenient starting materials for a variety of chemicals such as esters, amides, alcohols and biopolymers.

Foucault Pendulum and Light Ring

Amy Mohr — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

This experiment was composed of building a Foucault Pendulum that could fit inside a classroom. I constructed a pendulum that hung over a light ring. A phototransistor on the bottom of the bob registered the change in light intensity and started a timer when it passed over the light ring. The timer turned on an electromagnet, which attracted the metal bob to it. This caused the bob to accelerate. The acceleration counteracted the frictional forces that usually slow a pendulum. This system successfully made a perpetual motion pendulum that can demonstrate the rotation of the Earth.

Gravitational Collapse in Anti de Sitter Spacetime

Eric Van Oeveren — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Since Oppenheimer and Snyder first studied the collapse of stars under their own weight in 1939, many other studies on gravitational collapse have been performed. In this project, we study the gravitational collapse of pressureless dust in AdS spacetime. This project compares and contrasts the redshift of null rays emitted from an infalling dust cloud in this Schwarzschild AdS spacetime to that of an ordinary Schwarzschild spacetime.

The Stirling Cycle Engine

Mark VanderVelde — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

A small beta configuration Stirling cycle engine of approximately 6 cubic inches of displacement was constructed. The engine was operated at atmospheric pressure. Heat was provided by an electric element with voltage and current measured in order to monitor the power input to the engine. Pressure and the temperature of various components were also logged to facilitate the calculation of performance and efficiency. The power output was measured by means of a deProny brake. Comparison between the calculated theoretical efficiency and the actual efficiency was made and possible causes for the discrepancy explored.

Studying Polymer Confinement Using Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy

Samuel Bowerman — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Polymer surface interactions are studied within the polymer nanocomposite (PNC) system of silica nanoparticles immersed in an epoxy matrix composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with a 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) hardener using positronium annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). This method offers a unique perspective because positronium localizes within the pores of the material, allowing for a measurement sensitive to the polymer free volume and not to the nanoparticles immersed within. PALS measurements determine free volume over a range of temperatures, which are used to relate the glass transition temperature to the loading weight fraction of nanoparticles.

A Study of the Pulsar PSR J1907+0602

Robert Scott — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

The pulsar PSR J1907+0602 has been observed at a variety of wavelengths over the past few years. This pulsar is located near an extended TeV gamma-ray source (MGRO J1908+06) and may be connected to it in some way. This study has been an effort to determine certain properties of this pulsar using data gathered at different wavelengths and from multiple instruments. Radio wavelength data came from the Extended Very Large Array (EVLA) in New Mexico. X-ray data came from the XMM-Newton satellite. The radio data was examined to determine if the source was a point-like or extended radio source. The X-ray data were used to search for pulsed X-ray emission as well as to determine if the pulsar is an extended X-ray source. Combining outside research at gamma-ray wavelength with the radio and X-ray data allowed for a spectral model to be fit to the spectral energy distribution of the pulsar.

Development of Water Target for Radioisotope Production

Nathan Tripp — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Ongoing studies of plant physiology at TUNL require a supply of nitrogen-13 for use as a radiotracer. Production of nitrogen-13 using a water target and a proton beam follows the nuclear reaction 16-O(p,a)13-N. Unfortunately the irradiation of oxygen-18 within a natural water target produces fluorine-18. The presence of this second radioisotope reduces the efficacy of nitrogen-13 as a radiotracer. Designing a natural water target for nitrogen-13 production at TUNL required the design of several systems. A heat exchanger thermally regulates the target water preventing the system from overheating and minimizing the effect of the cavitations occurring within the target. Alumina pellets within a scrubbing unit remove the fluorine-18 contamination from the irradiated water. The newly designed and constructed water target should meet the current and future needs of TUNL researchers in the production of nitrogen-13.

Quality Assurance of Computed Tomography

Michael Dykstra — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Computed Tomography is an imaging method that uses X-rays emitted and detected at different orientations to create a 3D image of the subject. To ensure that all data acquired is reliable and reproducible, the quality of the GE Micro-CT must be investigated. Two different levels of X-Ray production are measured. A quality assurance phantom was used to acquire images on the GE Micro-CT. MATLAB was then used to examine the images in terms of spatial resolution, signal to noise ratio, CT number evaluation, and geometric accuracy for two different levels of X-ray production: 40 mA and 50 mA. The results for the 40 and 50 mA images were equivalent in regards to spatial resolution, linearity with respect to attenuation, and geometric accuracy. All measured differences involved a higher level of noise on the 40 mA image. The GE Micro-CT provides images of acceptable quality at both 50 and 40 mA.

Evaluating the Performance of a Decimeter-Wave Software Defined Receiver for Radio Astronomy

Steven Childs — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Jupiter and the Sun emit radio waves across a broad bandwidth of frequencies due to their large magnetic fields. Studying these radio wave emissions can help us learn more about Jupiter and the sun (NASA). A group of engineering students at Grand Valley State University developed a software-defined radio receiver to monitor the radio wave emission from both Jupiter and the Sun (Behnke). Software defined radios are capable of monitoring and recording wide ranges of frequencies; this receiver was designed to record with a bandwidth of 1 MHz centered at 20.1 MHz. The software defined receiver will be set up at Stephen F. Wessling Observatory in Fremont, Michigan and its capabilities will be compared to that of the standard Jove radio receiver distributed by NASA.

Positronium Decay Rates in Gases

Jacob Voetberg — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Theoretical work on the heavier noble gases, xenon in particular, has suggested that the temperature dependence of the rate at which orthopositronium (o-Ps) decays is non-linear with increasing temperature. However, there is little experimental data on the heavier noble gases to support the theory, and the data that does exist is inconclusive. This non-linearity is in opposition to both the theoretical and experimental work on the lighter noble gases like helium, neon and argon, which have shown a linear dependence with respect to temperature. The goal of this experiment is to investigate the temperature dependence of the decay rate of o-Ps in xenon gas. We will use a high-pressure gas cell with a positron source inside as the basic setup of the experiment. So far, design and construction has been completed on the temperature control system, including the temperature controller electronics, the heaters, and the insulated housing for the gas cell.

Effects of Emotional vs. Logical Processing and Messages on Skin Cancer Risk Behaviors

Molly Graham et al. — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of different information processing and formats in communicating the risk of skin cancer. College student women who reported indoor tanning in the past were randomly assigned to read a narrative about a similar other or a bulleted list of facts about skin cancer. Both formats included the same factual information. Additionally, participants were randomly assigned to one of two instruction primes: they were asked to process information rationally (based on logic and reason) or experientially (based on emotions and experiences). We then tested the effects and interactions of these factors on knowledge about skin cancer, risk perception, and behavior intentions related to tanning in the future.

Naturally Occuring Contextual Cues During Infant-Directed Speech

Megan Zelinsky — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Background & Aims: Caregivers are more likely to touch their infants while speaking about an abstract topic than while speaking about a physically present object (Dueker, Portko & Zelinsky, 2011). The current study will examine whether touch characteristics, utterance type or their interaction consistently predict the topic of infant-directed speech (IDS). Method: Adult-infant dyads were given objects and topic cards to use while interacting. Interactions were recorded and transcribed. Utterances were coded for topic, presence of touch, type and quality of touch, and utterance type (e.g. declarative, interrogative). Proposed Analyses: Data will be analyzed for patterns within aspects of touch and utterance type and interactions between aspects of touch and utterance type. Discussion: Results could reveal patterns of cues present during adult-infant interactions that predict the topic of IDS. Patterns may be used by the pre-verbal infant to disambiguate the referent of adult speech.

Guys and Gals Going for Gold: Sex Differences in Olympic Success Across Nations

Erika Schmitt — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Studies show that the number of Olympic medals won by nations can be predicted by population size, wealth, and previous success. Here we test whether there is also predictable variation in which nations win propotionally more women's than men's medals. In particular, we explore the predictiveness of gender role strength, gender-equity and gender-empowerment indices, and legislation aimed to increase female sports opportunities (e.g., Title IX). Results will be related to previous cross-national studies of women's empowerment.

Sex Differences in Athletes' Media Representations: Conspiracy or Reflection of Human Nature?

Megan Luchies — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Many studies report that media portrayals of female athletes are much less frequent than those of males and are qualitatively different, especially in their emphasis on physical attractiveness. This differential representation is usually assumed to be due to systematic social structural biases. Here we review evidence for the differential representation of male and female athletes and present a new hypothesis for it, namely that it partly reflects evolved psychological dispositions. We conclude by outlining research that might distinguish between the hypotheses.

Sex Differences in Sports Interest: Is Socialization The Whole Story?

Amber Jahnke — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

There is much evidence that boys and men are generally more interested in sports than girls and women are. Most scholars and policy makers seem to assume that this sex difference can be entirely attributed to socialization practices (i.e. the differential treatment of males and females by parents, peers, and media). Here we document the ubiquity of this assumption, review the empirical evidence for it, and explore other possible factors, including genetics and hormones. We conclude with suggestions for further research.

Examining the Effects of Testimonials on Cancer Screening Decisions: Does Identity or Vividness Matter?

Jackie Main — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

Research supports the use of testimonials to communicate health information and encourage health behavior change, but few studies have examined what attributes of testimonials make them persuasive and meaningful. In this study, older adults who were due for colorectal cancer screening read a screening message about colon cancer that included a testimonial from a similar other (matched to each participant's age, gender, and race) who had previously made a screening decision. We examined associations between participants' perceptions of the testimonial, such as identification with the character and vividness of the experience, and their intentions to have a screening test in the next year. We also examined associations between participants' perceived identity and vividness and their knowledge and attitude toward screening.

Perceived Social Support Relationships Among Infantry Marine Reservists

Justin Andrews — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT

The present study is an investigation of the mechanisms by which perceived social support is linked to better mental health. This study was conducted to explore the link between favorable affect and perceived social support. We examine the extent to which conversation elaboration (CE) is highly relational and the extent to which CE can account for perceived support's link to mental health, specifically for relational influences. This was be done by testing Relational Regulation Theory (RRT) which explains the association between perceived support and mental health, by using CE as the mechanism. Findings were consistent with RRT, for relational influences, perceived social support and CE are correlated at about .77, both are correlated with positive affect at about .42 and with negative affect at about -.35. Perceived social support was found to be linked to high positive affect and low negative affect, and positive affect and negative affect were weakly correlated.