High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

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  Rats and Emperors: The Justinianic Plague and a Shaken Empire

  Miranda Allaire

  For this research proposal, I decided to analyze the question of how the Justinianic Plague affected Eastern Roman politics. The benefits of taking a Research-Intensive class are easy to see, especially as a History major. Through constructing this research proposal, I noticed how my skills of critical thinking, source analysis, and comprehension of evidence improved. By participating in this project, this has continued to confirm my desire to pursue even higher education.

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  Unraveling Molar Wear Patterns of San Pedro Maya: Exploring Dietary Correlations and Oral Health

  Julie M. Alvarez and Emily Boutin

  This study investigates the oral health and dietary practices of the historical San Pedro Maya population in Belize. By analyzing the wear patterns on their molars, we gained insights into their past diet and oral health conditions. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the lifestyle and health of the San Pedro Maya in ancient times. This research illuminates the connections between diet and oral health among this indigenous group, offering valuable historical insights into their well-being and contributing to our understanding of ancient Maya civilization. We hope to add to what is known about the Maya of San Pedro and further research into this topic. We explored what is known about their diet and how it is evident in their observable oral health.

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  Leadership Through The Special Olympics Florida

  Aubrey M. Anthony, Brooke Leggiero, Cameron Weeks, and Octavius Woods

  The Special Olympics is a nationwide organization that focuses on providing a safe environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Florida, this organization provides many opportunities for us to get involved and is why we chose this organization. We admired their mission for positivity and inclusivity, and therefore jumped at the opportunity to get involved. Some of this involvement included attending the recreational sporting events, playing with the athletes, and contacting the staff that was involved. We learned through this service learning, that the Special Olympics Florida is a truly congruent organization, and shows that their espoused values align with their enacted values. We also provided some recommendations of ways to possibly improve the way the Special Olympics handles event planning. Overall, we loved this experience, and learned about leadership, teamwork, and community thanks to this organization!

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  Comparative analysis of metric and non-metric ancestry estimation methods of Maya individuals

  Griffon G. Binkowski and Channing Cook

  Ancestry estimation finds its place in many fields of anthropology, including biological anthropology, osteoarchaeology, and paleopathology. A biological profile creates a framework for identity; with ancestry, it can aid researchers in determining the population group an individual is most genetically affiliated with. The heritability of dental traits makes teeth useful in estimating affinity. Ancestry estimation statistical programs using dentition, however, were originally developed upon limited and well- preserved databases, so archaeological Indigenous individuals are often grouped incorrectly as East Asian due to shared genetic traits. By using RStudio for anthropological statistical analysis, we aim to test the preservation bias and population specificity of the program rASUDAS in comparison to the established field of odontometrics. We hypothesize that rASUDAS will classify the Indigenous Maya individuals as East Asian, and odontometrics will be more accurate in ancestry estimation.

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  Does the Addition of Epinephrine Prolong the Duration of Spinal Anesthesia for Repeat Cesarean Sections?

  Katrina M. Bustani, Inshad Khalil, Christina Tran, Michelle Garcia, Chelsea Mejia, and Anna Coffman

  The objective of this randomized interventional clinical trial is to determine whether or not the addition of epinephrine during repeat c-sections enhances the effects and duration of spinal anesthesia. It follows a group of 68 women, who are all scheduled for a repeat cesarean section following the birth of a prior child. The women were split into 3 groups: no epinephrine, low-dose epinephrine, and high-dose epinephrine. The primary measurable outcome was the amount of time for motor and sensory recovery to the T10 vertebrae following the competition of spinal anesthesia administered during the cesarean section and was measured by pinprick sensation. The overall findings were that the no epinephrine group experienced the lowest rates of motor blockage, sensory blockage, nausea, and vomiting, but highest rates of hypotension. The low-dose epinephrine group experienced a decreased recovery time for both motor and sensory recovery and less nausea and vomiting compared to the high-dose epinephrine group, but experienced higher rates of hypotension than the high-dose. All in all, it was found that epinephrine does prolong the duration of spinal anesthesia and also creates adverse effects, like nausea and vomiting, so we do not recommend the intervention.

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  Homelessness and Hunger: In collaboration with Soldiers Angels and Free Rice

  Lucas M. Califano, Ericka Gordon, Jordyn Zawatsky, Luis Lecini, and Robert Knight

  Our project focuses on the collaboration between two groups, Soldiers Angels and Free Rice, aimed at alleviating hunger by providing food assistance to those in need. Through volunteering efforts and organizing food drives, we've been able to support approximately 200 individuals per event at soldiers angels. Free rice is a little more challenging to estimate but the organization is able to help millions of people worldwide making a tangible difference in their lives. Throughout the semester, we've gained valuable insights, particularly emphasizing the importance of effective communication and collaboration skills in our efforts to help others. Whether it's coordinating volunteers, promoting our events, or reaching out to communities in need, clear and efficient communication and collaboration has been very important to the success of our project.

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  CHM2045C: The Hurdle

  Benjamin F. Cherkasskiy, Kira Garvey, and Abigail David

  Many undergraduate students at UCF are required to take chemistry classes and the chemistry pathway to fulfill their major conditions. As ULAs for one of the first college chemistry courses that students will take, we have witnessed students struggle when being introduced to the content. This contributes to lower motivation among students and an overarching feeling of “I can’t do this”. We aim to help alleviate the assumption that chemistry is “hard” or “impossible” by personally working with students and utilizing the strategies we learned in our Pedagogy class (CHM 4942). Throughout the semester, we have worked one-on-one with students during lectures and held exam review sessions in the library. We have learned that we can have a profound effect on student learning and as ULAs, we can influence their perception and understanding of chemistry. With this, students can feel more confident and positive about their future in chemistry.

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  Arboretum and Make a Wish Organizational Audit

  Jordan M. Cohen, Luke Dederich, Jacqueline Harper, Julia Hartwig, and Danishka Morissette

  This is an audit of what leadership experiences we took part in our service at the UCF Arboretum and Make a Wish on the UCF Campus. Our group focuses on-campus leadership since we wanted to see our service impact the community we are a part of. We chose our service locations accordingly. In our service, we gained new appreciation for the people who keep the two organizations running. We documented the effects of the organizations on us personally and the community in and around the UCF campus. This audit is a culmination of the thoughts and experiences we had while serving our community.

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  Social Media in Schools

  Lily Cring, Olivia Skvarenina, Brianna Philips, Rachel Blank, and Joshua Carrizales

  For our service-learning project for our final semester as part of LEAD Scholars Academy, we dove into deliberative dialogue. In our class, we research 2023 Florida State Bill 52. This bill requires public schools to provide education on the social and emotional impacts of social media, limiting social media usage during schools hours, and limiting cell-phone usage on school property as a whole.

  Through this project and the interactions we had in class we learned just how powerful social media is, and the importance of awareness around the negative impacts it can have, especially on youth and teens.

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  The Acute Effects of Different Exercise Modes on Glycemic Stability Post-training in Type 1 Diabetes

  Axel de la Rosa

  The purpose of this study was to examine whether aerobic and resistance exercise elicit significantly different glucose responses in terms of glycemic control in type 1 diabetes by examining periodic trends in a period 24 hours post-exercise. Based on findings from previous investigations, it was hypothesized that RE would elicit more favorable glycemic responses and promote greater glycemic stability in comparison to AE. Additionally, the time in optimal glucose range 24 hours post-exercise would be greater post-RE than AE. Resistance training in this study was associated with increased TIR and overall glycemic stability relative to aerobic exercise and rest and may be associated with improved glycemic control in adults with T1D. It should also be noted that both resistance and aerobic exercise were correlated with improved glycemic control following exercise relative to sedentary activity, so while resistance exercise may be a viable method promoting overall glycemic control, exercise as a whole should be a component of the management plans of diabetics, regardless of method. Data from this investigation do provide enough justification for further research, particularly to examine the effect of resistance exercise on BGL in larger and more diverse samples as well as the utility of manipulating exercise time and mealtime consumption to promote glycemic control.

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  Youth Advocacy and Children Services

  Sofia DV Delgado, Katherine Coyle, and Olivia Wheaton

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  Organizational Culture Audit of Save a Life Pet Rescue

  Ally L. Farace, Jordynn Velez, Emily Ramirez, and Ayden Jordan

  In this project, we examined the organization Save a Life Pet Rescue. We related our work there to our course objectives, determined whether their espoused values matched their enacted values, and discussed the impacts of our work. Our jobs as volunteers at Save a Life Pet Rescue was to ensure a clean, safe, and supervised environment for the dogs. We aided in adoption events and helped potential adopters with any questions they may have. Through this project, we learned effective leadership strategies within our class group, as well as in Save a Life Pet Rescue. We also learned how to effectively communicate as an online group, with little to no in person communication.

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  Effect of Grammatical Accuracy and Content Accuracy on Eyewitness Message Credibility

  haily follese and aishlin belony

  We conducted research regarding grammatical accuracy and content accuracy on the perceived credibility of eyewitness testimony. Eyewitness testimony is a crucial part of the legal system, as testimony can be vital in cases where circumstantial evidence is present. We sought to determine the impact that grammar type had on eyewitness testimony credibility perception, as biases against grammar, dialects, or vernaculars can impact the perceived reliability or trustworthiness of eyewitnesses, thus hindering believability. To do so, we administered a digital experiment where participants viewed a mock-crime and answered follow up questions after being assigned to one of four conditions regarding content accuracy and grammar type. Though we found no significant results, we learned a great deal regarding the research process, including design, distribution, and data analysis.

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  Experiences of a Learning Assistant in the Advanced Analytical Chemistry Lab

  Daniela A. Galindez Colmenarez

  This project is a report of my experiences as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant (ULA) for the Advanced Analytical Chemistry Lab. Although this is considered an advanced-level lab, it usually takes some time for the students to adjust to the way this lab is structured, which may lead them to feel overwhelmed during their first experiments. In addition, students must work in groups, so establishing team dynamics might be a challenge for some of them. Having a ULA in the lab can be beneficial in this setting since it can help students feel more comfortable when asking questions to someone at their level that they would not usually ask an instructor. Throughout the semester, I learned several teaching strategies that helped me approach my students to promote productive teamwork and increase their confidence in the class material and techniques. Being a ULA was a rewarding opportunity that helped me grow as a student and individual. During this time, I learned valuable lessons and skills that will be useful in my future career as a chemist.

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  chemistry can be fun

  Adebanke N. Gbago

  I am a learning assistant in the Instructional Experiences in Undergraduate Chemistry. I am presenting my experience in the course and the core details and concepts of the course that have guided me in my job as a learning assistant. in this class, i have learned about the best teaching strategies and the impact of student-centered teaching in the classroom as well as the utilization of pedagogical techniques that foster a positive classroom and growth mindset. The information and content I have learned in this class has allowed me to achieve my goal of debunking the preconceived idea of chemistry being a weed-out class and to also improve student involvement in the course through strategies that consider external factors.

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  The Use of Limiting Screen Time to Reduce or Eliminate Adverse Mental Health Effects in Adolescents: An Interventional Study

  Tiffany Goree

  The research project "The Use of Limiting Screen Time During the School Year and Summer Seasons to Reduce or Eliminate Adverse Mental Health Effects in Adolescents 11-14 Years Old: A Randomized Control Trial" stemmed from personal experience and concern for adolescent mental health. I took the initiative with my formed project group and facilitated collaborative brainstorming sessions to refine our ideas. Key activities included designing the study, selecting assessment tools like the Profile of Mood States test, and coordinating collaborative sessions to discuss progress and challenges.

  Through this project, I learned the importance of leadership, teamwork, and effective communication in research endeavors. As I embark on my medical school journey, these skills will be invaluable in collaborating with colleagues, leading research initiatives, and effectively communicating findings. Additionally, the project reinforced the significance of evidence-based practice and critical thinking, essential aspects of medical education and practice. Overall, this experience has provided a solid foundation for navigating the complexities of medical research and patient care in the future.

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  Investigating the Potential Impact of External Disadvantages and Self-Doubt on Task Performance

  Eric E. Haseman Jr, Archelie Belvu, and Mariya Bendus

  Past literature suggests that listening to music while taking a memory recall test can hinder memory recall ability, with music serving as an external disadvantage in the context of a memory recall task. Past literature also suggests that having low levels of self-efficacy can hinder memory recall ability, with self-doubt serving as an internal disadvantage in the context of a memory recall task. Our project sought to investigate the potential effect that intersecting disadvantages can have on an individual's task performance. We took a convenience sample of 36 participants and randomly sorted them into one of six conditions: a non-music (Groups 1-3) or music (Groups 4-6) condition, and an increased (Groups 3 and 6), neutral (Groups 2 and 5), or decreased (Groups 1 and 4) self-efficacy condition. We hypothesized that those who listened to music and had lowered levels of self-efficacy would underperform compared to those in the non-music and neutral or positive self-efficacy conditions, and that those who were in the music and decreased self-efficacy condition would underperform compared to those in all other conditions. After running a 2 X 3 Factorial ANOVA comparing the music and self-efficacy conditions, we could not support any of our hypotheses. We speculate that the lack of control we had over our study (as it was conducted entirely online via Qualtrics) significantly contributed to the results we obtained. In the future, would encourage researchers to conduct similar experiments in a controlled setting.

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  Soles of the bones: Analysis of Calcaneus, Talus, and Mental Eminence in Sex Estimation

  Faith R. Hendrix and Troy Jardine

  The purpose of our project was to estimate sex of individuals from San Pedro, using the talus, calcaneus, and mental eminence. We tested the validity of the mental eminence compared to the talus and calcaneus which has a growing repertoire of research to back its strength in estimation. We measured the talus and calcaneus using non-metric methods ie measuring the height, width, and length using bone calipers. Published set points were used to analyse the calcaneal and talar measurements and estimate sex of each point. Using a non-metric standard, to estimate sex using the mental eminence. From our research, we were able to estimate the sex of San Pedro individuals that have never before had an estimation and that in order to get a complete picture of an individual more bones should be used in sex estimation.

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  ULA Reflections within Specialized Chemistry — Trace Evidence, A Forensic Science Course

  Jiyeong Hong, Laura Hilario Garcia, and Brooke Bass

  This presentation is to display our experience as a ULA in a specialized chemistry course within the forensic science program, Trace Evidence. This course is an upper-level chemistry course that requires a strong foundation in organic and analytical chemistry and is required for all tracks in the forensic science undergraduate program. Trace Evidence also utilizes team-based learning and a flipped modality. We were tasked with helping students during active learning activities regarding the current content by using guiding questions. We learned the best way to help students was to ask open-ended questions, enhance their motivation, and understand their frustrations or misconceptions, which often stem from concepts from prerequisite courses. Trace Evidence covers imperative concepts and forensic analyses, such as glass, fibers, and paints, that are currently used in forensic crime laboratories today. Students that wish to pursue careers in forensic science will ultimately become experts in their field, and to understand those concepts is paramount for their future in forensics.

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  Essays to Empirical Studies: Transferring Introductory Writing Skills to Psychological Research

  Anna A. Hubbard

  This research focuses on how skills from introductory English courses are used for research writing in psychology. It explores why introductory English classes are important for psychology majors, what writing skills are used in research writing, and how well psychology students with high school English credits are prepared for research writing their freshman year. Previous research showed that skills from intro English courses need to be retained and built upon. Previous research also showed that psychology students need to have a variety of writing skills by the time they graduate. This research addresses how psychology students who did not take introductory English courses in college may lack education about research writing.

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  Leadership Within Volunteer UCF

  Ryan P. Kaufman, Parker R. Tyson, Ellie J. Clarke, Alayna G. Poore, and Nadav Shanun

  Our group comes from a variety of backgrounds and majors from New Jersey to Florida and from Engineering to Finance. Volunteer UCF (VUCF) was perfect for us. Though we are all different, we were able to connect through serving our Orlando community.

  VUCF’s mission is to allow students to gain valuable knowledge and experience, become connected to volunteer opportunities of their interest, and expand their community outreach, through their events and programs. Volunteer UCF provides service event consultations and recognizes student volunteers for their outstanding service. They work with over 200 community organizations and continue to expand their outreach.

  One of the non-profits we worked with through VUCF was Clean the World, which is dedicated to redirecting hotel waste from landfills to countries and communities facing shortages. Through our efforts, we made a tangible difference for individuals in lower-income or developing nations lacking basic hygiene necessities. In addition, VUCF’s commitment extends to various community service initiatives such as pet adoption events, litter cleanups during hikes, and other volunteer opportunities, ensuring a deeper impact for those they serve throughout the Orlando area.

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  Growing Knowledge: UCF's Arboretum

  Carla A. Lozano, Kaitlin Stallings, Valentina Casale, Maia Leon, and Jeffery Valere

  For our LDR 2002 course, we were tasked with investigating a non-profit organization through service learning. We wanted to see how the organization interacted with their volunteers and to find out what volunteers could learn from it. After our first shift with the Arboretum, we each agreed that the staff was extremely friendly. Each person was open to answering any questions we had, teaching us about invasive species and how to handle them. One specific invasive species we dealt with is tassel flower, it grows rapidly and takes vital resources away from local species. As volunteers, we were encouraged to explore our surroundings, and to experiment different strategies to complete our tasks.

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  Social Media and Kids: An Issue Guide

  Timothy A. McAllister, Mekhai Ryan, Connor Sands, Matthew Turman, and Spencer Friedberg

  Our goal with this project is to foster civil discourse on issues relating to kids and social media, examining both the potential benefits and harms they may experience. We used HB 1: Online Protections for Minors as a starting point, as a relevant example of regulatory measures aimed at safeguarding children online.

  Throughout our project, we've learned a lot to deeply understand the various perspectives on this issue. From concerns about the detrimental effects on mental and physical health to considerations of privacy and freedom of speech, we have definitely expanded our own knowledge on the topic while completing this issue guide to be used by others.

  Key activities in our project have involved gathering evidence from reputable sources, critically analyzing proposed legislation, and crafting impartial questions to facilitate meaningful discussion. We also outlined three options for addressing the issue, highlighting the potential benefits, trade-offs, and implications of each approach.

  Ultimately, our aim is to foster informed dialogue and decision-making by presenting a balanced perspective on this complex issue. We believe that by fostering discussion and debate about this important issue, we will be able to promote positive change in a democratic form.

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  Helping Hooves: Freedom Ride's Impact on our Community

  Miles R. McKnight Mr., Gabrielle Lunden, Isabella Santos, Brintlee Burchfield, and University of Central Florida

  Established in 1998, Freedom Ride states that their mission is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities through horseback riding and other therapeutic activities. Freedom Ride's vision is to raise awareness for the struggles that disabled people go through. Their goal is to inspire people to believe that they're more than their physical limitations. The organization was our first pick because our group member Izzy, was already involved there. Once she shared the mission of the organization, the rest of us were just as passionate. Throughout our volunteer time, we assisted the riders on their trails, meaning we worked directly with staff, clients, and horses. We also groomed, fed, and hydrated the horses. Freedom Ride was an enriching experience for both our group and the clients!

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  Weeds to Wealth: Upcycling Emilia Sonchifolia to Biobased Batteries

  Arielle E. Myerson and Lauren Whetstone

  Lithium ion (Li-ion) battery technology typically requires graphite as the conductive material for the anodes. Graphite is an unsustainable material which is either synthetically manufactured from fossil fuels or mined and imported. To replace graphite anodes, silicon-based materials such as silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) can be used along with bio-based carbon sources to make even more energy-dense anodes than traditional graphite. The lignins that comprise plant cell walls are an excellent biological source of carbon. Therefore, invasive weeds, such as Emilia Sonchifolia (lilac tassel flower) are a good candidate for building sustainable Li-ion batteries. In this research, the weeds were collected, dehydrated, pyrolyzed, milled, sieved, and added to SiOC to create anodes. These anodes were used to build half-cell coin batteries. The batteries were run through several cycles on a cyclic voltammogram, and the specific capacity of each cycle was measured. Compared to traditional graphite, the specific capacity was higher, showing that they are more energy-dense, but the large drop in specific capacity between the first and second cycles indicates that they are unstable. Future research could be done to improve the cell with prelithiation techniques, and other bio-sources such as Kudzu, a fast-growing invasive vine found in Southeast America, could be explored.