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Graduate Research Symposium Fall 2021

Graduate student presenting at the podium on stage at the Research Symposium


We are proud to present the exceptional research conducted by this select group of students.

The Third Annual Graduate Research Symposium was held on Friday, November 12, 2021, in the Connelly Center. Oral presentations took place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Cinema and followed the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) format. Poster presentations ran concurrently from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the St. David's Room.

See the abstracts of the Summer Research projects.


Oral Presentations

  Opening Remarks
Dean Emory Woodard, PhD
  Social networks of mixed species chickadee flocks change with food accessibility
Shane McFoy, Biology
  Mathematical Modeling of Crime and its Deterrents: an Investigation of Prison, Policing and Collective Efficacy
Gabrielle Coker, Math
  David Burpee and the Marigold Makeover
David McCauley, History
  Synthesis of Functionalized Dihydropyrimidines for the Exploration of their Potential Antibiotic Activity                
Hannah Kessler, Chemistry
  Through Roots and Binds: The Essence of Policing in Simone Weil
Nathaniel Grimes, Theology
  The Impact of Modeling Mental States on Goal-Directed Conversations
Samuel Sinemus, Psychology
  Examining the Relationship Between Autistic People’s Self-Esteem and Perceived Bias in their Alliance with their Mental Health Practitioners
Zoe Darazsdi, Counseling
  Aristotelianism and Technological Development
Christopher Quintana, Philosophy
  Impacts of impervious surface cover and road salt application on sodium and chloride concentrations in southeastern Pennsylvania streams
Marissa Rossi, Environmental Science
  Mobile app development: Evaluating FM radio signal propagation
Nick Langan, Software Engineering
  Understanding the transcription of Candida glabrata thiamine starvation-regulated promoters by characterizing the binding of transcription factor CgPDC2
Yakendra Bajgain, Biology
  Conspiracy Theories and Party Politics in the Antebellum North
Christopher DelSanto, History
  Serotonin Deficiency Reduces the Magnitude of Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Behavioral Effects of Cardiovascular Exercise
Allison Warner, Psychology
  Environmental factors as predictors for peatland bryophyte assemblages of the Glaciated Pocono Plateau of Pennsylvania
Joshua Zalewski, Biology

Poster Presentations


Does social dominance of tufted titmouse asymmetrically impact black-capped versus Carolina chickadees?
Margaret Boyle, Biology

Determining the Role of Adenylate Cyclases in Crithidia fasciculata
Kelly Hodges, Biology

Modifying a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anode, Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6-δ (SFMO), to Improve Redox Stability for Fuel Cell Applications Using Biofuels
Marissa Bradley, Chemistry

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) Method for the Quantitation of Sulforaphane (SFN) in Human Plasma and Insights into Decomposition Pathways
Rachel Grady, Chemistry

Analysis and Characterization of Dissolved Organic Matter in Arctic Surface and Subsurface Waters
Amy Troutman, Chemistry

DiHD: Efficient classification of viral diseases from DNA Sequences using Hyperdimensional Computing
Bikal Lamichhane, Computer Science

Feminist Abolitionism Across Time
Em Friedman, English

Locating the Byzantine in Medieval English Literature: The Auchinleck Manuscript
Panagiotis Christoforos Sassaris, English

The Modern Revolution in Political Affect
Daniel Cunningham, Philosophy

Shift from Detailed to Gist-Like Memory Representations Across the Adult Lifespan
Alexa Gonzalez, Psychology

On God’s Ground: Desire, Identity Formation, and ‘Perverted Groups’ in Henry Suso’s The Life of the Servant
Ailie Posillico, Theology