Summer Research Projects, Summer 2009

Anthropology/Sociology

Homogeneous Faith, Ethnic Diversity: Desirable and Undesirable Traits in a Marital Partner in Nigeria
Jacob Rinkinen (Adviser: Dr. Togunde)

Dating Patterns and Behaviors among Nigerian Undergraduates
Abigail Walls (Adviser: Dr. Togunde)

Art and Art History

The Ceramic Art: Form and Function
Anne Beyer (Adviser: Ms. Chytillo)

Pop Culture and the Construction of Femininity: The Manipulation of Classical Greek and Roman Goddesses
Chelsea Grieve (Adviser: Dr. Morrow)

Classifying the Work of Maria Sibylla Merian in a Modern Context
Elizabeth Reimann (Adviser: Prof. Wickre)

Biology

Demographical Analysis of Tanaids in Suriname, South America
Kelyn Carlson (Adviser: Dr. McCurdy)

Relationship between Preening Behaviors and Parasites as the Incubation Period for House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) Progresses
Becky Cotteleer (Adviser: Dr. Kennedy)

Assessment of Microbial Communities on Native and Invasive Plant Species
Erin Goldman (Adviser: Dr. Lyons-Sobaski)

Infaunal Communities in the Intertidal Mudflats of Suriname, South America
Angela Johnston (Adviser: Dr. McCurdy)

Novel Brooding Calls and Hatching Time of Day in House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon)
Mark Kluk (Adviser: Dr. Kennedy and Dr. White)

Assessment of Microbial Communities on Native and Invasive Plant Species
Kayleigh Pung (Adviser: Dr. Olapade)

Alternative Methods for Analysis of DNA Repair
Brandon Veremis (Adviser: Prof. Saville)

Personality in House Wrens and it's Affect on Incubation and Nest Defense Behavior
Chris White (Dr. White)

Chemistry

Synthesis of OLED and Light-Emitting Materials and Synthesis and Development of New Chiral Hypervalent Iodine Compounds
Bin Cai (Adviser: Dr. French)

Synthesizing Insecticides Using Common Household Solvents
Seth Dawson (Adviser: Dr. McCaffrey)

Chemical Functionalization of Glassy Carbon Surfaces and Attachment of Gold Nanoparticles Using Electroless Depositing Techniques
Seth Goulet (Adviser: Dr. Metz)

Oxidation, Evaluation, and Characterization of the Di-imine Di-iodide Chiral Hypervalent Iodine Reagent
Laura Kirk (Adviser: Dr. French)

Synthesis and Evaluation of a Novel Chiral Hypervalent Iodine Reagent
Matt Logan (Adviser: Dr. French)

Investigation of the Mechanism of the Reaction between the Tetrone and Amines
Devon Roeser (Adviser: Dr. McCaffrey)

Fluorescence Analysis of the Twort Group 1 Introns Using an ABI Prism 310 Sequencer
Timothy Stevens (Adviser: Dr. Rohlman)

Cavity Ring-down Spectroscopy
Qian Wang (Adviser: Dr. Bieler)

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoscale Catalysts on Molecular Monolayers on Carbon Surfaces
Kristina Weage (Adviser: Dr. Metz)

Synthesis and Optimization of Fluorescently Labled Group I Intron Substrates
Matthew Zaborowicz (Adviser: Dr. Rohlman)

Economics and Management

A Comparative Analysis of the Relative Fiscal Solvency of Social Security Systems
John Pearce (Adviser: Mr. Yoshida)

Ford Institute

Analysis of Third Parties and Independent Candidates in the United States
William Armstrong (Adviser: Dr. Pheley)

The Historic Roots and Present Implications of Government Transparency
Becky Friedrick (Adviser: Dr. Pheley)

Geology

Evolution and Systematics of the Eocene Alligator Procainamoidea
Melissa Light (Adviser: Dr. Bartels)

Paleogeographic Distribution of Eocene Fossil Crocodylians, Southwestern Wyoming
Matthew Mahony (Adviser: Dr. Bartels)

A Study of the Chemistry and the Mineralogy of Soils Collected in the White-Inyo Mountains, Eastern California
Brittany Myers (Adviser: Dr. Van De Ven)

Taphonomic and Faunal Analysis of Late Wasatchian and Early Bridgerian Microvertebrate Fossils from the Eocene of South Pass, Wyoming
Allison Neumann (Adviser: Dr. Bartels)

Honors

Dances Lost in the Past: A Recreation of Nabataean Dance Using Archaeological Theory
Sarah Wenner (Adviser: Prof. Vaughan-Southard)

International Studies

An Analysis of the Mexican Drug War and Suggested Policy Solutions to End the Crisis
Adam Lomasney (Adviser: Dr. Kanter)

Mathematics and Computer Science

Explanation for Biangular Analytic Geometry
Chen Chen (Adviser: Prof. Bollman)

Moving Closer to a Real Transportation Plan for Metro Detroit
Eric Richardson (Adviser: Prof. Bollman)

Biangular Coordinates
Kathryn Wagner (Adviser: Prof. Bollman)

Music

The Easy "A": Teacher Assessment of High School Band Students in Southern Michigan
Kelly Gentry (Adviser: Dr. McIllhagga)

Philosophy

The Impact of Aristotelian Political Thought on James Madison's View of Government
Anthony (Tony) Gorga (Adviser: Dr. Kirby)

Physical Education

Physical Activity and Type I Diabetes
Catarina Gulledge (Adviser: Dr. Moss)

Physics

Developing a Bean Acquisition Program for the Oak Ridge and Albion Ion Accelerators
Kent Bornemeier (Adviser: Dr. Seely)

Attenuating Vibrations on the Rooftop of Palenske Hall
Joseph Cybulski (Adviser: Dr. Zellner)

Use of the Palenske Hall Telescope for Observing and CCD Imaging
Culver Redd (Adviser: Dr. Zellner)

Psychology

The Imposter Phenomenon, Life Satisfaction, and Belief in a Just World: The Moderating Effects of Inconsistent Ideologies
David Mendrygal (Adviser: Dr. Christopher)

The Effects of Gonadal Hormones on Time-dependent Spatial Learning in the Octodon degus
Megan Roberts (Adviser: Dr. Jechura)

Incentive and Problem Solving
Jackie Rollin (Adviser: Dr. Wieth)

Circadian Rhythms
Linette Rousseau (Adviser: Dr. Jechura)

Religious Studies

Christian Legends: Their Origins, Messages, and Connections with Jesus and Non-Christian Myths
Steven Maisel (Adviser: Dr. McWhirter)