Academic Forum

Biochemistry

Modeling Investigation of Calcium Signaling Effected by the Therapeutic BEMER Technology

BEMER is a newer technology claiming to enhance vitality, stress management, muscle performance, oxygen delivery, and carbon dioxide removal. By sending low electromagnetic field pulses into the body, muscles are stimulated, temporarily increasing body temperature and improving performance(Health Benefits of BEMER Vascular Therapy Machines, n.d.). Given the broad and complex physiological responses reported in association with the BEMER signal, it is logical to investigate a mechanism through calcium signalling. Calcium signaling plays a fundamental role in a wide range of cellular processes, including gene expression, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell differentiation. Currently, calcium signaling is being targeted for therapeutic effects, such as being inhibited to prevent inflammation as well as slow the progression of cancer (Park et al., 2020). The goal of this research project is to examine how electromagnetic exposure influences two key components of calcium regulation: the G-protein cascading mechanism and the operation of the calcium channels, as well as the combined effect of the two. Understanding these interactions is essential for elucidating the cellular basis of the observed therapeutic benefits and could provide valuable insight into how BEMER technology works and affects cell regulation.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandor Kadar

Sport and Recreation Management

How NIL Changed College Sports

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Public Health, Psychology

Alternatives to Physical Restraints in the Psychiatric Setting

The use of physical restraint in psychiatric settings remains a contentious issue, often raising ethical concerns regarding patient autonomy, trauma, and overall treatment outcomes. This study explores evidence-based alternatives to physical restraint, assessing their effectiveness in managing agitation and aggressive behaviors while prioritizing patient safety and dignity. Through a comprehensive literature review and potential qualitative interviews with mental health professionals, this research aims to identify de-escalation techniques, therapeutic interventions, and policy changes that reduce reliance on restraints. The findings will contribute to the growing discourse on trauma-informed care and advocate for best practices that enhance patient-centered approaches in psychiatric treatment.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mia Khera

Communication
Psychology

Barbie Talk: College Girls Explore the Ideal Representation of Womanhood

“Barbie Talk” was a focus group for college-aged females to have a conversation about Barbie utilizing the recent release of the Barbie (2023) film. The goal was to discuss, evaluate, critique and reflect on how the structure and standard that Barbie rests upon affect how real women feel in society today. The focus group was created with the intent to have meaningful conversations with adult females enrolled in college about what it means to be a woman and what ideal womanhood should entail. The created their own representations of the doll based on their experiences and knowledge and discussed how they represent the “real woman” rather than the standard that everyone expects a woman to look like. Some key words include: Barbie, body image, feminist standpoint theory, feminist studies, popular culture, college-aged women, feminist focus group, societal standards, realistic image. 

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jayson Baker

Biology
Forensic Science 

Improving Methods for Analyzing Changes in Antibiotic Resistance In Soil During Mouse Decomposition

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health challenge that begins when bacteria become antibiotic-resistant. Changes in soil chemistry, including potassium, phosphorus, pH, calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen, can significantly influence the soil microbiome, including increasing or decreasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the soil. When bacteria are exposed to antibiotics or other stressors that alter gene expression in the environment, these microorganisms become resistant via horizontal gene transfer or by mutations. Few research groups have studied antibiotic resistance during the decomposition of organisms in the soils. Examining the changes in resistance during the decomposition of organisms can be a valuable tool to look at soil chemistry and better understand what factors influence the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment. During this experiment, the changes in antibiotic-resistant bacteria were analyzed in soil during decomposition in a controlled laboratory environment over 70 days. To conduct this experiment, 20 microcosms were prepared by adding sieved soil samples and comparing control soil-only microcosms to those with a mouse placed on top of the soil. The microcosms were incubated at room temperature and sampled periodically throughout the experiment using a serial dilution plating method. Colonies were then counted, and calculations were performed to determine the percentage of antibiotic resistance at each point. Antibiotic resistance levels were hypothesized to fluctuate in response to mammalian decomposition. Overall, we developed an efficient method to test changes in antibiotic resistance of soil bacteria during decomposition. This experiment will be repeated to validate the methods we determined further and provide more conclusive data to support or refute our hypothesis.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

Graphic Design 

Portrait of Megan Fox

Vector Portrait of Megan Fox via Adobe Illustrator.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Public Health and Wellness
Biology, Psychology

Accessing Safe Abortions for Low-Income Women of Color

Low-income women of color in abortion-restricted states face significant challenges when making reproductive health decisions, influenced by a range of factors. Many of these women may have limited access to comprehensive sexual education, leading to misinformation or uncertainty about their options. In abortion-restricted states, legal barriers severely limit access to safe abortion services, often forcing women to travel long distances, pay significant costs, or seek unsafe alternatives. Economic instability exacerbates these challenges, as many low-income women struggle with transportation, childcare, and time off work. Social stigma and punitive policies, such as legal consequences or loss of social support, may discourage women from considering abortion or seeking post-abortion care; It may also lead to psychological distress years later. My program proposal addresses these issues, highlighting the risk of maternal mortality caused by unsafe abortions. Women of color, particularly Black women, are at a more heightened risk of maternal mortality. These risks are further exacerbated by the political climate that is restricting safe and legal abortion access in the United States. My proposal uses the Precede-Proceed Model to conduct an assessment of these individuals to address the health problem and create an intervention using the Community Organization Model.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Colby Zongol

Biochemistry 
Mathematics

Improving forensics techniques: The development of a new technique to catch criminals

In crime scenes where there is insufficient evidence to directly link bodies to locations, forensic entomology can play a crucial role. There are many challenges to isolating human DNA from an arthropod larvae. This project aims to determine the most effective DNA extraction method among several techniques and identify the optimal lifestage for DNA extraction from maggots feeding on rat cadavers as a mammalian substitute for human cadavers, establish the best storage conditions, and assess DNA quality. The species used in this study is Sarcophaga bullata, a common necrophagous species. For DNA extraction, we employed three widely used extraction kits: the Instagene kit, the PrepGEM Forensic DNA Extraction Kit, and the Qiagen DNA Investigator kit. After extraction, PCR was performed, followed by gel electrophoresis to confirm the successful amplification of the desired DNA. Every kit was employed to two different like cycle instar 2 and instar 3 after being feed on rat corpse (mammalian DNA). While our DNA extractions were successful however, our amplification was not successful.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Graphic Design
Marketing

Tapioba Strategic Branding

The creation and strategic branding of a Boba Tea company called Tapioba.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue 

Biology
Forensic Science 

Examining the Change in Antibiotic Resistance of Pseudomonas putida in Soil Extract vs. Mueller-Hinton Media

Antibiotic resistance is a complex global issue that results in infections becoming increasingly difficult to treat. This issue does not just impact people in healthcare settings but also occurs in animals and in the environment, including locations with little to no human activity. Clinical antibiotic resistance is tested using a standardized growth medium called Mueller-Hinton. This non-selective, consistently formulated medium has few inhibitors that interfere with the growth of microorganisms, making it an ideal choice for antibiotic susceptibility testing.  Although using a standardized medium allows for easy comparison between labs regardless of location, antibiotic susceptibility is not currently tested using a medium that more closely resembles the environment where the resistant organism is usually found. This problem is true for both infectious bacteria as well as antibiotic resistant bacteria isolated from the environment. The goal of this project was to prepare a soil extract broth to represent the nutritional composition of soil and to use this medium to compare bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics to that in Mueller-Hinton medium. We conducted this research using Pseudomonas putida, a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, metabolically versatile bacterium that is found in many different soil and water sources and is intrinsically resistant to certain antibiotics. We found that P. putida had a higher tolerance to tetracycline and colistin, two commonly used antibiotics, when grown in the soil extract broth. One possible explanation for this result could be the presence of humic acids in the soil extract, which have been shown to chemically change the antibiotic resistance gene expression in bacteria living in soil. When humic acids were titrated into the Muller-Hinton medium, P. putida colistin tolerance increased to levels similar to those seen in soil extract broth and was higher than the colistin tolerance observed when tested in Mueller-Hinton without the addition of humic acid. We are currently testing the hypothesis that gene expression changes in putative antibiotic resistance genes are contributing to the observed differences between each growth medium

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

Biochemistry

Forensic Science Rat DNA Extraction from Maggot Crop

To develop and prove a standard opperating procedure for the storage, extraction, and amplification of DNA from within the stomach (crop) of maggots to be used by professionals in the field of Forensic Science. This will expand the range of knowledge forensic science has to work with, providing new evidence.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Biochemistry, Psychology, Brain and Cognitive Science

Bioremediation of Estrogen

Estrogen is a steroid sex hormone responsible for the development of female characteristics and plays a key role in processes such as puberty, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. However, environmental contamination by estrogen is a serious concern, as it can lead to feminization, sterilization, infertility, and hermaphroditism in aquatic organisms (Ciślak et al., 2023). Bioremediation, which uses biological organisms to degrade and remove harmful compounds, offers a promising solution for removing estrogen from the environment. Certain microorganisms can break down estrogen by utilizing it as an energy source (Menashe et al., 2020). Wastewater and soil contaminated with estrogen are key targets for bioremediation efforts. In this project, a mutant library of Pseudomonas putida was screened, and three mutants showed the ability to grow in the presence of estrogen during preliminary tests. Currently, the screening process requires multiple days to complete growth curves; our goal is to shorten this timeline. Ultimately, we aim to identify the biochemical pathways that allow P. putida to degrade estrogen into inactive metabolites, with the hope of deploying an efficient strain to help reduce environmental estrogen levels.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Sport and Recreation Management 

College Football and the Effects of NIL

This project will be covering the positive and negative effects of the new NIL rule within college football.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Biology
Forensic Science

Antibiotic Resistance of Soil Microbes in the Presence of a Decomposing Organism

The soil microbiome is a reservoir that holds antibiotic resistance genes and hundreds of microorganisms. Since the process of decomposition significantly influences the structure, biochemistry, and activity of the soil microbial community, it stands to reason that antibiotic resistance of soil bacteria may change as decomposition progresses. Previous studies have shown that resistance of soil bacteria increases with the decomposition of an organism over soil, but only through sequencing data. For this study, the impact of a decomposing organism on the antibiotic resistance of the soil bacteria was investigated over the course of three distinct stages of decomposition: fresh, active and advanced decay. We hypothesized that if an organism was set up to decompose in soil, then it would result in an increase of the antibiotic resistance of the microbes in that soil. Soil samples were collected from the microcosms containing either soil alone (control) or soil with a decomposing mouse carcass inside of it then serial diluted, and plated on R2A agar with or without tetracycline. To quantify, colony forming units (CFU’s) were counted to determine the percent resistance to tetracycline using calculations. Contrary to our  hypothesis, the highest percentage of tetracycline resistance in the soil was observed during the fresh stage of decay. All control samples showed consistently low tetracycline resistance throughout the experiment. This suggests that the initial presence of the deceased mouse may have introduced tetracycline resistant bacteria to the soil during fresh decay. To investigate further, this process of experimentation would need to be done multiple times to show accuracy for this data.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

Nursing

Review of Evidence-based Guidance Concerning Pediatric Fever Management

This is an overview of research regarding evidence-based approaches to pediatric fever management and their impact on caregiver satisfaction and healthcare resources.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Coleen Toronto

Biology

Investigating the Transmission of MRSA via Sarcophaga Flies and Staphylococcus aureus

Antibiotic resistance is a continually evolving public health issue that is continually increasing in severity throughout the world. This growing threat does not discriminate between species. Both humans and animals are impacted by the spread of resistant bacteria. Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) is becoming more prevalent in the food animal industry. When MRSA outbreaks occur in livestock, the infection spreads rapidly due to the animals' close contact with one another, affecting milk production, quality, health of animals and humans, and farm profitability. One potential contributor to or indicator of MRSA infections could be insects. In previous studies, it has been shown that flies may transport live LA-MRSA bacteria from infected livestock to neighboring farms and residencies. The aim of this project is to perform preliminary investigations into the acquisition and detection of Staphylococcus bacteria from flies. To investigate this, flies from the genus Sarcophaga were raised and fed liquid growth medium inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis, a non-pathogenic, commensal, BSL-1 bacterial species. S. epidermidis was used as a model organism for MRSA because it shares genetic similarities with S. aureus such as the ability to readily acquire antibiotic resistance genes, thus making it a reasonable proxy for our intended investigations. After feeding, we then euthanized the flies at different time intervals 2 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours and plated them to look at how viability of the bacteria changes over time. Our findings showed that S. epidermidis could be recovered from the fly remains, but as time goes on the viability of the bacteria decreases. These preliminary results support the potential role of flies as short term vectors for bacterial transmission and highlight the importance of further exploring their role in the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

Graphic Design 
Photography 

Tate McRae Vogue

InDesign Vogue Magazine on Tate McRae

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue 

Sport and Recreation Management 

The Role of Athletes in Popularizing Sports

This project will be about the big starts of each sports and how they impact their sport, making it more popular, more viewers, more interactions with fans and making a lasting impression on the fans who love the team and the start player on each team.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Graphic Design
Photography

CC Men's Hockey Documentary 

A documentary on the CC Men's Hockey teams historic run this season.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Forensic Science

The Bioremediation of Estrogen

Estrogen is a natural and synthetic hormone that has surfaced in the environment through human waste. Due to wastewater treatment plants, agricultural runoff, industrial waste and other areas where the buildup of estrogen has occurred, estrogen pollution continues to spread into a wider issue. Bioremediation using bacterial strains has shown promise in degrading estrogen compounds in the environment. This study investigates the ability of Pseudomonas Putida to grow using estrogen as its sole carbon source. We have a library of transposon generated mutations that allow us to screen for genes that are involved in this process. The P.putida  wildtype and its mutant variant strains had their growth measured and compared using a standardized weekly protocol involving streak plating, inoculation of liquid cultures, dilution of liquid cultures, and recording growth through bacterial growth curves. We were able to determine WT is more likely to begin its exponential growth phase quicker, but is less likely to have more growth compared to the mutant types. Types B and D tended to reflect higher growth rates than the WT, and other mutant strains indicating increased ability to use estrogen. 

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Biology
Environmental Science

What's in the Water (and dirt)? Environmental Management of Athletic Fields and Community

This project investigates the environmental management, historical development, and current usage patterns of Curry College’s athletic fields and surrounding wetland areas. I assessed both the ecological health and user experience associated with the fields. Key findings suggest that lack of irrigation, maintenance schedules, and seasonal overuse contribute to field degradation, possibly impacting both safety and performance. At the same time, data on wetland management, drainage, and historical land use show us the importance of environmental protection. This research incorporates the best practices in field care and emphasizes stakeholder perspectives from athletes to administrators. By analyzing how the fields have changed over time and are maintained today, this research offers recommendations for sustainable practices that have balanced athletics with environmental responsibility. Ultimately, this project aims to promote a deeper understanding of how land use decisions affect not only athletic performance and safety but also local ecosystems and community positivity.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Beth Wade

Biohemistry

Heavy metals in Hungarian water samples using Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer

This research project is about measuring the levels of heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury in various water samples. Heavy metals are known to pose a variety of health risks to people. The heavy metal content in the samples was assessed with Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer, using a MSIS sampler for arsenic and a regular nebulizer for the other metals. Standard solutions are made at various concentrations. A variety of heavy metals will be tested for and compared between samples. So that we would have something to compare the water samples that are being tested too.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandor Kadar

Graphic Design

Florélle catalogue

A designer catalogue featuring a fictional makeup brand's yearly catalogue and website and digital ads

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Communication
Multimedia Journalism

Student Personal Disclosures and Academic Performance

This research evaluates modern social science literature to assist in discerning how students' personal disclosures impact their academic performance. COVID-19 has had unique implications on our communication systems, which intensified the need for results that students and professors can use to relate to each other most appropriately to produce efficacy in their work. The applicable nature of the results is more expansive than that of professors and students, as different working and academic contexts can apply the findings to ensure an effective and, therefore, satisfying workplace by establishing positive connections through disclosures. Two quantitative surveys were conducted, one for professors in the Communication Department at Curry College and one for current Curry College students, to uncover how best to interact between them by calling upon social penetration theory and social exchange theory while measuring retrospective behaviors. The research findings are perceived through the socio-phycological tradition of communication theory. The results indicated three conclusions. The first was that students who disclosed struggles they experienced outside the classroom helped them to perform, but the professors disagreed. The second is that revealing more personal disclosures improved student performance from the student's perspective. Last but not least, professors' use of personal disclosures with their students improved their students' performance from the professor's perspective. Limitations such as the potential values of Curry College and having a smaller data pool are acknowledged. 

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jayson Baker

Sport and Recreation Management 
Coaching

The Problem with Youth Sports Burnout

I looked into the reasonings for why there is such a big uptick in youth athletes struggling from burnout, and how they are losing their love for their favorite sports.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Graphic Design
Marketing

Mason & Finch Exclusive Catalog and Website

12-page exclusive toy catalog and matching website for company "Mason & Finch"

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue 

Graphic Design
Studio Arts, Creative Writing, Photography 

Pokemon Map

A map of all 9 pokemon regions

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Forensic Science 
Biology

Finding the genes of speciation in Green Lacewings

The radiation of Chrysoperla carnea-group green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) seems to be driven, at least in part, by their species–specific pre-mating vibrational duets. Finding the genomic regions that code for these pre-mating vibrational duets provides insight into the driver of speciation within this group. The main objective of this project was to extract high-quality genomic DNA that can be used for future genetic studies to investigate the genes of speciation in Chrysoperala species. Genomic DNA was isolated using standard extraction techniques and quantified using NanoDrop spectrophotometry and gel electrophoresis to determine purity and concentration.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Beth Wade 

Communication
Video Gaming Studies

Music and Sound in Gaming

This presentation explores the role of music and sound in video games, drawing a comparative analysis between the evolution of game sound and film sound. It begins with an examination of the historical development of sound in both mediums, highlighting key milestones and their impact on player experience and immersion. The presentation then focuses on the concept of diegetic sound in games, exploring whether the sound is synchronous with onscreen actions and whether it enhances thematic framing. The analysis expands to consider soundscapes, emphasizing the importance of setting, sound, and significance in creating an auditory environment that contributes to the overall narrative. To demonstrate these concepts, the presentation concludes with a detailed analysis of Gwyn’s theme from Dark Souls, applying the discussed techniques to examine the compositional elements, atmosphere, and emotional resonance within the context of the game’s world. Through this exploration, the presentation aims to deepen the understanding of how sound shapes player perception and engagement within the unique medium of video games.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jayson Baker

Graphic Design
Photography

New York Times Style Magazine

Educational content newspaper created in the style of the New York Times for Kids newspaper, based around mathematics.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Forensic Science

Observing Changes in Antibiotic Resistance of Soil Microbes Throughout Decomposition of an Organism 

Antibiotic resistance has become a major threat and health crisis to society. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria develop the ability to withstand and survive the effects of an antibiotic through either mutation or acquisition of resistance genes from horizontal gene transfer. Throughout decomposition, a surge of matter is released over time that can modify and affect the microbial communities present in the soil around the organism, which could allow opportunities for antibiotic resistance to develop.around the organism. Previous research has shown that throughout the decomposition of fish, the total relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes was increased. Another study expressed that aside from time, there were several environmental factors, opportunistic pathogens, as well as corpse decay that all had an effect on the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in drinking water. However, these studies and others have frequently extracted DNA from their collected samples and sequenced it, rather than attempt to culture them and test them against antibiotics. The goal of this experiment was to determine if there is an increase in resistance of the soil microbes to the antibiotic streptomycin throughout various stages of mouse decomposition. It was hypothesized that the decomposition of the mice in soil would result in an increase in streptomycin resistance of the soil microbes as decay progressed. The experiment was conducted by collecting soil samples and distributing it through separate boxes as an environment for each cadaver. Boxes were also set up containing only soil as controls. Once the cadavers were placed, the soil was sampled at three different stages of decomposition including fresh stage, active decay, and advanced decay. Serial dilutions were performed on each soil sample and plated on agar plates with no antibiotic, as well as plates with streptomycin, and plated onto growth medium with and without streptomycin. The cultures were incubated for several days before colonies were counted and calculations were performed in order to determine the percent resistance. The results of this experiment were relatively inconclusive. Although there was a spike in resistance to streptomycin from the fresh stage (76.49%) to the active stage (87.89%), there was a large decrease at the advanced stage (6.76%). On the other hand, streptomycin resistance within the control samples remained relatively low throughout the experiment, but decreased from the fresh stage (8.53%) to the active stage (0.702%). This number then increased in the advanced stage (11.57%). This research is important, as it can help to determine if resistance genes could be spreading from wildlife corpses and affecting surrounding soil or waterways.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

Graphic Design
Photography

Blood-Filled Love

This project is a movie poster that we came up with our own concept of a movie and selected a genre and rating.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Public Health
Biology

Addressing Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Mexican American Men Who Struggle with Obesity

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Colby Zongol

Master of Education: Diverse and Equitable Instruction

Intergenerational Trauma within Refugee Families

In my presentation on intergenerational trauma within in refugee families I will be discussing the ways in which forced migration can create lasting effects in direct survivors or their offspring. I will be discussing the mental health impacts and how it relates to modern day politics and the importance of working with a trauma informed lens within school systems and within the work place. 

Due to the recent political climate surrounding immigration, it’s important to acknowledge the impact policies can have on post migration living difficulties for refugees and their experience. It’s important to acknowledge the role systems can play in the perpetuation or alleviation of intergenerational trauma within refugee families. Through the research of qualitative and quantitative data on the topic, it revealed (1) how the traumatic experiences of being forcibly displaced manifests a response within parents. (2) How do we see this trauma response in their children’s sense of belonging, (3) How do systems and their services impact or break this cycle. Overall, there is a need to move through a trauma informed lens as we understand resources systemically can alleviate socioeconomic barriers preventing mental health crisis for this community.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Amy Leshinsky

Nursing

Soothing the Sting: Non-pharmacological Pain Management for Newborns Undergoing Heel Stick Procedures

Background
Non-pharmacological interventions are typically ignored within the medical field due to false perceptions that they are ineffective in managing pain, and require a lot of extra time and effort.

Research Question
In newborns undergoing heel stick procedures, how does non-pharmacological pain management compare to standard care in reducing discomfort?

Methodology
The databases CINAHL and PubMed were used to complete a literature review pertaining to the search terms (Newborns and neonates) AND (non-pharmacological pain management) AND (pain management and procedural pain and pain).

Search limiters include peer reviewed journal articles, written in english, within the past five years. Critical Appraisal was performed for the three articles used within this presentation.

Results
Vibration and facilitated tucking were seen as key techniques in reducing pain scores when compared to the control group.

Significant differences were seen pertaining to the NIPS scores of both groups when assessing respiratory and O2 saturation rates pre and post procedure.

Discussion
Vibration and facilitated tucking can be used to reduce discomfort for newborns undergoing heel stick procedures.

Collaboration of the healthcare team and referrals to child life when available are crucial in communicating the use of non-pharmacological techniques for newborns.

Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Coleen Toronto

Sport and Recreation Management
Business Administration, Law and Society 

How do sports injuries affect a players psychology?

My research examines the psychological impact of sports injuries on athletes, focusing on common issues such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. Beyond the physical tear and toll, injuries can lead to identity loss, social isolation and fear of reinjury, all of which affect recovery and motivation. My research highlights the importance of mental health support during rehabilitation and emphasizes the crucial role of coaches, teammates and sports psychologists in helping athletes return not only to play, but to maintain a healthy state of mind.

Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Natalie West

Environmental Science
Sociology

Does naturally occurring genetic diversity within duckweed (Lemna sp.) influence phytoremediation of heavy metals?

Heavy metals are naturally occurring trace elements that are toxic in varying doses. While essential heavy metals can damage and inhibit the mechanisms that affect the cells, DNA and proteins of an organism. Heavy metals persist in the environment, bioaccumulate up the food chain and are hard to degrade, therefore strategies are needed to effectively and sustainably remove their excess doses without creating more toxic sludge. Lemna sp., commonly known as Duckweed, is a small free floating aquatic plant that can be found in still- moving ponds and lakes. Lemna sp. has shown a potential in phytoremediation, which is the use of plants and their mechanisms to contain, destroy or extract contaminants from the environment. While scientists have conducted experiments testing if Lemna sp. can uptake certain pollutants and heavy metals, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms and capabilities that allow duckweed to phytoremediate heavy metals and pollutants. How does Lemna sp. tolerate varying heavy metal concentrations as well as does genetic diversity influence Lemna sp. heavy uptake are the research questions this experiment aims to investigate. Insights from this experiment could change the way in which we cultivate Lemna sp. for the purpose of phytoremediation.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Elizabeth Wade

Graphic Design
Marketing

Hotel Inbetween Movie Poster

This project is a movie poster and three social media posts. The concept and title of the movie is original. The student photographed the overlay image which is of an eye.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Biochemistry
Mathematics

Extremely Low Frequency electromagnetic waves influence the intracellular Calcium oscillations via altered GPCR activity

The purpose of our research is to use a mathematical model to explore if extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF) given off by powerlines, could cause disruptions in calcium signaling leading to increased cell proliferation. The model explores how different noise levels (ELF) affect the bifurcation parameter (rate constant of the dissociation of the G-protein), and in turn the calcium signal (frequency of the oscillation of [Ca2+] in the cytosol). From the simulations it is determined that with no noise, robust calcium oscillation occurs between the lower and upper bifurcation point. Any noise added corrupts and eliminates oscillation. With a bifurcation parameter slightly above the upper bifurcation noise, it recovers signal displaying stochastic resonance. Our future plans are to validate our current model with a two-cell model, investigate how changing calcium channel dynamics of the cell affects calcium oscillation, and connect experimental findings to the modeling results. the groundwork laid by the modelling project fuels our investigation of the G-protein signalling with use of a G-protein biosensor, looking to confirm findings from our previous study.

Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Jessica Fry, Dr. Sandor Kadar

Biochemistry
Sociology

Measuring Ampheregulin Secretion in CRB3

Using cell culture to knock out a protein (CRB3) from DNA constructs to see if there is still cell growth and secretion of another growth factor- ampheregulin.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Stephanie Walker

Public Health and Wellness
Biology, Psychology

Addressing Respiratory Illnesses Among Low Income Southeast Asian Immigrants

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Colby Zongol

Psychology
Education, Dance 

Becoming a Culturally Aware Educator

Information and Strategies on how to make culturally aware teachers and school environments

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mia Khera

Graphic Design
Photography

All Alone Movie Poster

All Alone movie poster created with my own photography and Adobe Creative Suite.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Graphic Design

Rolling Stone Magazine

Created a 12-page editorial with ads following the Rolling Stone Magazine media-kit.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Sport and Recreation Management, Business Administration

How has legalized sports betting impacted professional sports?

From the research that I have already gathered I am looking into the impact of sports betting and gambling being legalized. Looking into the impact of the athletes and also looking into the money and how much these big sport betting companies put into professional sports.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Business Administration, Sport & Rec Management
Marketing

The Effect of Travel Programs on Community Youth Sport

Discussing how pay-to-play sport programs have negatively impacted youth sports and left talented individuals behind due to financial implications.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

M.Ed. in Diverse and Equitable Instruction

Preservice teachers’ conceptual understanding of multiplying 2-digit numbers, the standard and scaffolded algorithms for multiplication, and the area model for multiplication

This project was designed to gather information about prospective teacher’s understanding of multiplying 2-digit numbers, the standard and scaffolded algorithms for multiplication, and the area model for multiplication to inform teaching and learning at the secondary and undergraduate level.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Amy Leshinsky and Dr. Jennifer McNally

Nursing

Laughing Matters: The Effectiveness of Humor Intervention on Improving Quality of Life in Patients with Cancer

Humor therapy in cancer care is worth exploring in nursing due to its potential psychosocial benefits, especially as patients often experience anxiety, depression, and emotional distress throughout their diagnosis and treatment.  *Research Question: In adults with cancer, how does humor-based therapy compare to traditional or no intervention in improving overall well-being?  *Methods:  A literature review was conducted using the CINAHL and PubMed databases using the key words (patients with cancer or cancer patients or oncological patients or cancer) AND (humor therapy or laughter therapy or humor or humour or comedy or laughter or jokes) AND (well-being OR resilience OR mood disturbances OR quality of life OR emotion OR psychological well-being) with limiters including narrowing to only the English language and pieces published in the last 5 years.   *Results:  There is an emergence of three themes from including humor in care: feeling more human, feeling a closer bond with their healthcare team, and feeling that humor may not be appropriate at all times.  *Discussion: Using humor while caring for patients, especially those with cancer, should be embraced as a means to improve their quality of life. Further research should be done to explore this concept in greater detail, like exploring differences in reception to humor therapy in different ethnic groups, ages, and genders.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Coleen Toronto

Nursing
Biology

Politically Sensitive Health Topics: Faculty Insight on Addressing Controversy in Nursing Education

This study seeks to explore nursing faculty perceptions related to teaching politically sensitive health topics, with the goal of informing professional development and curriculum improvements.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Coleen Toronto

Public Health & Wellness

Mental Health Awareness Program Proposal

Implementing mental health awareness within middle schools targeted for middle school girls experiencing anxiety.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Colby Zongol

Environmental Science
Chemistry

Hydrology and Water Flow Dynamics in Balster Brook and Wetland: Insights from Curry College, Milton, MA

Wetlands and the water bodies that flow into them are critical ecosystems that improve water quality and support diverse biological communities. Understanding the hydrology of these systems is fundamental to investigating how these environments change over time. This study focuses on the Balster Brook and wetland system in Milton MA, a vital water resource for biodiversity located on Curry College’s campus. Field measurements include pH, air and water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids,, electrical conductivity, wildlife cameras, water depth, flow rates, nutrient availability, and heavy metal concentrations. Year-round data collection is done to understand variability across seasons and years. By monitoring these fluctuations our research provides evidence about seasonal patterns, landscape influences and long-term changes in ephemeral wetland systems due to increasing climatic changes.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Beth Wade

Marketing, Sport and Recreation Management

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: The Media's Role in Silencing Women's Sports

In the media and beyond, professional women’s sports are underrepresented and misconstrued. Through the variety of media channels, professional women athletes are often showcased as mothers instead of athletes, the language used towards women is sexist, men still think women are inferior, and there is significantly less coverage for women’s sports than for men’s sports. This research project aims to understand why.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Forensic Science

The Effect of Insects on Soil Microbiota During Mammalian Decomposition

 Microorganisms are known to impact the rate of decomposition of an organism. Changes in the microbial community occur for numerous reasons, including introduction of microorganisms from necrophagous flies and other carrion consuming arthropods, along with changes in the soil chemistry and environmental factors. Previous work in our lab has shown that the microbial community composition in soil below remains changed significantly across the different taphonomic stages of decomposition of mice, however; there have been very few studies conducted that analyze the effect of insects on the microorganism population.This research aims to understand if insects impact the soil microbial community below decomposing remains. To do this, twenty-two deceased mice were placed in a pitch pine oak forest in eastern Massachusetts in pairs of two with five meters between sample locations. The mice were all placed on homogenized soil from the same location. One mouse in each pair was placed in an insect exclusion bag and the other mouse was left on the soil so insects impacted the decomposition rate.  At various stages of decomposition soil was collected from control and experimental sites which was used to determine the pH of each sample.  After isolating DNA from each soil sample, community amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed in order to analyze changes in the microbial community of each soil sample The results showed that, on average, the pH increased from fresh decay to active decay and from active decay to advanced decay. Analysis of the sequenced DNA from the microbial communities of the soil between insect excluded and included sites is underway. By conducting this research, the microbial environment under decomposing remains can be further examined which is vital to understanding the impact microbial communities have on decomposing matter in forensic casework. The changes in the microbiota surrounding decomposing organisms can also aid in determining the post mortem interval.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

M.Ed.

The Importance of Behavior Management Training for General Education Teachers

Student behavior is an important part of the classroom environment. As an educator, being able to manage student behavior requires much trial and error. It is important to recognize that student behavior is dependent on many different factors. Furthermore, student behavior is also dependent on how educators perceive it. Through qualitative and quantitative research methods, this paper will focus on the factors that influence student behavior, the teacher perceptions of student behavior and behavior management, and the next steps that teachers can take to improve behavior management in the classroom. Future research will focus on the evidence-based behavior management strategies being implemented in the classroom and how they impact the overall classroom environment.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Amy Leshinsky

Biology
Studio Arts 

Oral Hygiene on-the-go: Comparing the Effectiveness of Chewing Gum vs. Waterless Toothbrushes at Eliminating Bacteria on Teeth

The oral microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining oral and systemic health, with imbalances linked to conditions such as tooth decay, periodontal disease, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory infections. In situations where traditional oral hygiene practices are not feasible, alternative methods such as chewing gum and waterless toothbrushes are often used. However, the effectiveness of these two options in reducing bacterial load on teeth relative to one another remains unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of chewing gum and waterless disposable toothbrushes in reducing oral bacteria. Volunteers were recruited, and tooth surface swabs were collected before and after using either chewing gum or a disposable toothbrush. Swab samples were serially diluted, plated on nutrient agar, and incubated to quantify colony-forming units (CFUs). Our results demonstrated that both interventions reduced the number of bacteria on the teeth: however, chewing gum led to a greater mean percentage reduction in CFUs compared to the waterless toothbrush. These findings suggest that chewing gum is a more effective alternative for maintaining oral hygiene than waterless brushers when traditional methods are unavailable. Further research is warranted to expand upon these findings and explore long-term impacts on oral health. In the future, additional bacterial quantification will be performed and compared between these treatments by extracting metagenomic DNA from the samples and then performing qRT-PCR targeting 16S rDNA.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Nowicki

Sport and Recreation Management, Business Administration 

Breaking the Ice: Overcoming Barriers and Elevating Representation in Women’s Hockey

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Biology
Chemistry 

Isolating Mammalian DNA for Identification of Remains

Forensic entomology is the field of forensics that focuses on the use of insect data to analyze crime scenes. Theoretically, necrophagous insects can be used to determine original location, transitory locations, and identity of a victim, by using consumed DNA to establish connections. There are few standardized methods when it comes to extracting DNA from the crop of necrophagous insects. We believe that determining a proper method for DNA extraction from the crop of a fly larva could assist the forensic field by making this a more prominent method. Using a mammalian analog (rat) in place of human DNA, we fed Sarcophaga bullata larvae and tested different DNA extraction kits. We then tested for their quality of DNA extraction using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis. We also tested the optimal storage conditions of DNA post-extraction using both water and Tris-EDTA buffer. ForensicGEM extractions stored with the use of TE currently is the best method for extracting DNA from the crop of fly larva.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Sport and Recreation Management, Business Administration 

Navigating Life After Sports: The Psychological, Social, and Career-Related Challenges Faced by Collegiate Athletes

This project explores the challenges athletes face when transitioning out of collegiate sports and into the workforce.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Graphic Design
Studio Arts, Art Therapy

The Life of a Lonely Genius

A poster (18x24), of my final project for an independently directed class, a full illustration done by myself in Adobe Illustrator

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Biology

The Impact of SIRT1 on MCF7 breast cancer cell line

Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells in breast tissues, mainly affecting women. A critical aspect of breast cancer progression is metastasis, where cancer cells spread to distant organs, significantly contributing to morbidity and mortality. This paper/poster explores the role of SIRT1 in the migration of MCF7 breast cancer cell line, a model for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. SIRT plays a role in regulating cell migration and metastasis, making them potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer treatment. SIRT1 was transfected into the MCF7 cells and a western blot was used to confirm overexpression.The process of cell migration in breast cancer involves epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and eventually metastasis. We used a scratch assay to test migration in SIRT overexpressing cells.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Biology
Mathematics, Chemistry

Cloning ADAM9-S in Cells for Use in Studying the Migration of Breast Cancer

Metastasis is the process in which cancer cells migrate to other sites of the body beyond the primary site where the tumor started. Cell migration is a key component of the metastatic process. Metalloproteases are proteases that use a metal ion, usually zinc, to cleave a peptide bond. Matrix metalloproteases aid in the breakdown of protein barriers in the extracellular matrix. This process releases growth factors and chemokines, which reorganizes the extracellular matrix to present new binding sites to tumor cells and activates molecules that signal migration. A disintegrin metalloprotease 9 (ADAM9) has been identified to play important roles in metastasis, tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, and immune evasion; and is over-expressed in many cancer types. There are two isoforms of ADAM9 that influence migration of breast cancer cells; ADAM9-L suppresses migration, and ADAM9-S has been found to promote migration. While there is an expression plasmid commercially available for the overexpression of ADAM9-L, we are currently unable to overexpress ADAM9-S in cells. The goal of this project is to clone ADAM9-S from cells into a mammalian expression plasmid. Since overexpression of ADAM9 has been reported in breast carcinoma, colon carcinomas, and non-small cell lung cancer, if we can express ADAM9-S specifically and understand the consequences for migration, we can build upon the case for this protein as a therapeutic target.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Sport and Recreation Management
Coaching

How youth sports can be used to tackle issues in neighborhoods that are suffering to end violence and danger

In a number of lower income and minority neighborhoods, which typically play a huge part together, we see crime rates at an all time high and the youth getting affected all too much. Whether the kids are being affected by seeing loved ones fall victim to the violence, or the kids unfortunately are falling into it themselves, they are getting affected. One of the worst things is that they have nothing in place to help them know right from wrong and give them any sort of structure.. There are a number of ways to tackle this issue both big and small but it is well worth the time and effort if it means saving the youth and those living in these communities lives. An answer that has been sitting in front of us all along is the participation in youth sports being a solution to combating these problems starting at a young age. In this we will dive deeper into what specifically can be feasibly done and help the problem for not just the short but also the long term.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Graphic Design

Space Needle

Vector Illustration of the Space Needle.

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Communication
Psychology

Red Panda Power: Domee Shi’s Turning Red and Transnational Girlhood

Disney-Pixar’s Turning Red was a breakthrough in the animation industry for female representation and storytelling. Both animation studios have been criticized for poor female representation and sexual harassment allegations. Domee Shi’s Turning Red signals an important shift in the industry for women. Four scenes from the film are examined based on mother-daughter tensions within a Chinese-Canadian household to showcase Mei’s fight for autonomy. This project reads mise-en-scène of the animated frames, focusing on the placement of Mei and her mother Ming. This transnational feminist narrative features Mei discovering her ‘red panda power,’ and utilizing it to confront traditional social expectations assigned to girlhood. Scenes in Turning Red emphasize Mei’s struggle to accept her inner power, a theme resonating with adolescent girls worldwide. 

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jayson Baker

Biochemistry

The Effects of Oxidative Stress on Cancer Cell Migration

Oxidative stress is a key player in metastasis and cancer development through inflammation and wound healing. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition is the process by which cells, in our case MCF7 cells, change their phenotype in order to migrate. In our experiment, oxidative stress was induced using hydrogen peroxide, and we analyzed SIRT-1 and SNAIL-1 expression. These two proteins are very closely related to migration in metastasis, and we would expect them to be increased with oxidative stress, SNAIL due to EMT, and SIRT due to inactivation of the enzyme by oxidants. When looking at the rt-PCR results of SIRT-1 and SNAIL-1 expression normalized to actin, the hypothesis that the two proteins would increase in expression was not the outcome. The control, starved cells not treated with hydrogen peroxide, proved to have the desired outcome by expressing a high amount SIRT-1. But when hydrogen peroxide was given to starved cells, there was a reduction in SIRT-1 expression. Similarly in the SNAIL-1 results, protein expression was reduced when hydrogen peroxide was involved. This implies that perhaps there may not be a direct relationship between oxidative stress and cell migration in cancer cells as suggested. This brings into doubt our hypothesis that SIRT1 is responsible for mediating cell migration through EMT processes, and raises the possibility that oxidative stress itself is not sufficient enough to induce EMT in this scenario, but may inhibit the regulators of migration.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Psychology
Dance, Art Therapy

Exploring How Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) Facilitated Emotional Expression & Healing in Dancers and Non-Dancers Alike

This is a research study exploring how dance and movement therapeutic interventions may help facilitate the expression and processing of emotions, including those held in the unconscious mind. This study aims to gain insight into how dance movement therapy (DMT) impacts emotional expression, self-awareness, and mental well-being through a mock DMT session, observations, and feedback through survey and data collection.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mia Khera

Sport and Recreation Management
Coaching

Parental Involvement in Youth Sports

The positive and negative impact of parental involvement in youth sports.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Natalie West

Master of Education: Diverse and Equitable Instruction

Exploring Pre-Service Teachers Perceptions of Classroom Flexibility: Insights and Implications for Teacher Education

Educating pre-service teachers to effectively prepare for their future classrooms is a crucial task for every organization. While there are various qualities that contribute to being a good teacher, one particularly beneficial trait is often overlooked. In a recent study, we asked a group of undergraduate students training to become teachers to share their thoughts on the importance of flexibility in the classroom. The research generated some intriguing results. Teachers should engage in discussions about techniques that are most effective for students, with a focus on student-centered approaches. Educators have emphasized the advantages of maintaining an open and adaptable mindset within their classrooms. They have also highlighted the importance of Education Preparation Programs for aspiring teachers, as well as professional development opportunities for those already working in the field. Ultimately, it is vital to assist educators in recognizing the significance of their own values in the classroom and the impact it has on their students.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Amy Leshinsky

Graphic Design

“Can’t Hurt Me”

A book cover redesign of the book “Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins 

Faculty Sponsor: Alison Poor-Donahue

Biochemistry, Sociology
Critical Inequality Studies, Psychology

Isolation of Protease ADAM9-S from ADAM9-L to Determine the Impact of Cell Migration in Breast Cancer Cells

ADAM9 plays a major role within the mechanism of breast cancer cell migration.  Advanced forms of breast cancer metastasize when the tumor cells lose their epithelial phenotype, separating from nearby cells, degrading the basement membrane and invading surrounding tissues [2].  Both isoforms of ADAM9 were expressed in breast cancer cell lines and tissues through migratory assays in breast cancer cell lines, where ADAM9 was found to modulate cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction.  Given that ADAM9-S and ADAM9-L have different effects on migration, identifying the conditions that switch L and S expression in the cell can pinpoint the migratory phenotypes of breast cancer progression.   A technique crucial to detect the expression of ADAM9-S and ADAM9-L in a sample of breast cancer cells is quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or qRT-PCR.  This laboratory technique will detect and quantify the forms of ADAM9 present in a U-937 breast cancer stable cell line.  qRT-PCR takes place in separate stages, the first being extraction of RNA from a breast cancer sample, which is then converted to cDNA using reverse transcription.  qPCR then amplifies the target DNA samples (if present) using fluorescence, quantifying the amount of DNA in a sample.  The goal of this experiment is to separate ADAM9-S from ADAM9-L by designing unique primers, which will then be quantified using qRT-PCR in U-937 cells.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jessica Fry

Psychology

What are the Effects of Social Cues in High Functioning Autism vs Low Functioning Autism?

The purpose of this study is to look at the different kinds of social cues that both high and low functioning autism demonstrates. This includes similar behavioral factors, behavioral differences, different kinds of comorbidities, and misdiagnoses that tend to occur.

Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Mia Khera