Student Research

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Artificial Intelligence: An Innovative Technology in a Vital Industry
(2019-12-04) Carrasco, Diego
One of the leading causes of death in America after heart disease and cancer is medical errors. Although not yet officially recognized by the Center for Disease control (CDC), medical errors account for a startling number of deaths, and this is primarily down to preventable human errors in the healthcare industry. Eliminating these errors could save thousands of lives, improving the healthcare industry all around, and one of the most promising methods is artificial intelligence technology. First, I will look at the progression of artificial intelligence technology and examine some modern applications of the technology in other industries like business and automotives. Then, I will research these errors and determine the some of the primary causes of these mistakes in the industry. I will take some of these applications of AI technology and examine how they could be used to both alleviate human error and improve the effectiveness of the industry. Finally, I will look some of the current social barriers to implementing AI technology.
Caring for the Elderly: Eliminating an Annual Cap on Physical Therapy Visits
(2019-12-09) Dotson, Abby; Rangel, Trini
Most physicians encourage a physical therapy program to be completed after a major surgery or injury. Since Medicare started in 1965, elderly patients have struggled with receiving enough physical therapy visits after their surgeries or injuries. Unfortunately, since Medicare limits the number allowed, they often cannot fully heal. I will take a closer look at why Medicare patients have an annual cap on physical therapy visits. I will investigate the ways local and national Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy students, and physicians can partner with these patients in their recovery journey. Focusing on ways to provide a healthier life for Medicare patients, I will defend and advocate for these patients by exploring practical ways to enable Medicare patients to obtain more physical therapy visits.
Cinema Sans Sin: Imaginatively Transforming Evangelical Cinema
(2019) Williams, Taylor
Saints and sinners alike are enthralled by cinema, and the statistical majority of American Christians subscribe to Evangelicalism. Yet dissimilar to their ample presence on bookshelves and radio, Evangelicalism remains noticeably absent from American cinema. Recurrent anti-Hollywood rhetoric from the pulpit confines Christ to traditional media such as literature and music, forsaking the millions more inclined to sit in a theatre seat than a church pew. Such negligence, coupled with unimaginative filmmaking, isolates Evangelical films into a singular genre, effectively effacing Christian influence from the American film industry and its respective audience. In my research, I discuss the historical relationship between American cinema and Christianity. Likewise, I demonstrate how Evangelical filmmakers are guilty of creating palatable, unimaginative films, and how Evangelical audiences are weak in their support of the medium. Following this, I outline not only why Evangelical influence in cinema is an effective outreach to American society, but also how Evangelicals can transform their production tactics and entertainment priorities to promote a Christ-centered worldview. If Evangelical filmmakers commit to transforming American cinema with imaginative narratives, and if Evangelical audiences simultaneously embrace nuanced cinematic entertainment instead of palatable entertainment, their collective influence upon the medium will evolve from obscurity to stability.
Energy Efficiency Projects as Short-term Solutions to Combat Greenhouse Gas Emissions Within the Metals Industry
(2019-12-09) Maines, Doc; Scott, Grete
Over the last several decades, data collected by scientists across the world has indicated rapid mean temperature rise across the globe. This increase in global temperatures correlates with and has been attributed to elevated greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere due to the reliance on fossil fuels for energy since the late 16th century. Focusing in on one of the largest energy consumers and emitters of greenhouse gases within industry, the metals industry was identified as a major area for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, researchers within the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory have pinpointed several avenues to eliminate the emission of greenhouse gases from processes within the metals industry. However, these projects have yet to emerge as practical, large-scale, and economically viable options for most facilities within the metals industry. Smaller energy efficiency projects offer a stop-gap solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions until more robust avenues for sustainability become practical. In this light, recommendations for effective energy management programs are provided along with the identification of practical energy efficiency projects common within the metals industry. Additionally, a call for further research into long-term solutions to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions is put forth to encourage future work within the area.
Heroes and Princesses: How Imagination Can Alleviate Poverty
(2019-12-04) Helton, Lydia; Edmondson, Todd
Researchers have found that children who are raised in poverty are more likely to be impoverished later in life as a result of educational limits, health implications, or lowered self-esteem. The latter cause could be alleviated by encouraging imagination, a means by which children create hope in visualizing themselves in a life different than their own and believing that their perseverance in life has the power to bring them to a new place, one where they feel safe and capable of great deeds. This research will explore how imagination can facilitate the growth of children’s confidence in their abilities, and findings will discuss avenues of imagination, which include close relationships with strong role models in the community, as well as parents and educators, who can encourage children to pursue activities such as participating in imaginative play or reading fictional stories. If general attitudes toward children living in poverty are transformed to believe that imaginative efforts can alleviate the intergenerational poverty cycle, then outcomes will be improved for children who perceive poverty as impossible to overcome.
Mental Illness and Ministers: Imagining a Community Where They Can Be Vulnerable
(2019-12-07) Greene, Mary E; Hoover, Heather
The stigmatization of mental health within the Church has created a perplexing dichotomy where church congregants shun those who are in need, a problem that has long vexed Christians. Even more complex is the problem of psychological health for ministers, who are often forgotten about having their own difficulties simply due to the title they bear. Mental health issues for ministers in America have continually risen in recent years, sadly with an increase in the number of suicides committed by Church leaders. The lack of support and availability for ministers to speak about their struggles is becoming a national issue that needs more awareness and conversation regarding the topic. I will look into the reasons why Church tradition prevents ministers from being vulnerable in discussing their mental health and why there is such little discussion about this important and prevalent issue. I will also look into ways that church congregants and officials within the Church community can create a better community for their leaders. Additionally, I will try to show how the use of imagination can break the Church tradition that prevents vulnerability of ministers’ struggles and how instead it can be used to create a new community and support for the emotionally taxing role that they occupy.
Perspective and Poetry: Reimagining 21st – Century American Hymnody
(2019-12-09) Dykes, Joseph; Walker Edin, Kayla
Hymnody remains a pivotal aspect of Christianity, taking on a plethora of musical forms and traditions throughout the millennia. As a frequent component of church liturgy, worship through song should aid congregations in comprehending Scriptural truth and offer praise and reverence to the Lord. However, archaic language in many pre-20th-century works confuses many American Christians and distances the general public from the universal Church. In contrast, 21st-century worship music often avoids discussion of detailed theological concepts, instead relying on emotional appeals through its atmosphere and egocentric relationship to the divine. This self-centered view is countered by the unusual syntactic structure and lofty vocabulary of the older selections. The ensuing polarization thus requires modern hymnists to transform and reimagine the continuation of Christian hymnody. My paper analyzes and interpolates the syntactic choices of English and American hymns from the 18th century to the 21st century; using those historical examples, I argue that the solution to the United States’ evolution towards flippant and dichotomic hymnody is distilling complex theological concepts into modern, simple vocabulary that all listeners can understand, while retaining an emotional and reverent aura.
Play Time Should Not Be Over: The Importance of Play in Elementary Classrooms
(2019) Harper, Emily; Hoover, Heather
A typical elementary school classroom after kindergarten consists of desks and charts. The toys and activity centers are replaced with worksheets and desk work. However, classrooms filled with more play and fewer worksheets would be more beneficial. This change is possible if more classrooms incorporated guided play. Guided play occurs when children are given the time and space to play, explore, and discover at their own discretion while adults guide them in making connections to larger concepts. Guided play is important not only in the cognitive development of children, but also in their social development. Some skills can only be learned through interaction with other children in their own time and way; however, play of almost any kind in elementary classes often halts after kindergarten. Unfortunately, many teachers face instructional time and curriculum standard constraints which prevent incorporating guided play into their classrooms on a daily basis. I research the reasons why guided play is removed from classrooms beyond kindergarten, investigated past and current models of play, and considered how guided play has affected child social and cognitive development. I then propose specific ways guided play could effectively be incorporated into classrooms.
A Reading into the Public Education Standards: Reimagining Learning for Elementary Students
(2019-11-21) Wymer, Ethan; Hoover, Heather
The effects of standardized testing on how elementary schooled children learn, and more specifically, on how they interact with their interests are becoming more noticeable and problematic. When reading a given text, students learn to look for specific information, define certain terms, and understand themes; yet, they are not encouraged to find meaning, connection, and application. Education has become a checklist of required thoughts and ideas rather than a springboard for imagination and an understanding of the world. The standards that have been adopted by most school systems in the United States are effective in making sure each generation learns what is of value to the policymakers, but they can hardly encourage creative thinking and imaginative learning. I will discuss the Montessori, social-learning, and literature-based approaches. I will then try to imagine how standardized testing could be implemented effectively while still allowing for less educational restrictions. I will discuss various ideas for how to achieve this balance. Finally, I will begin to look at how new methods could be implemented into local public-school systems.
Simulating Life: Reimagining Realism in the Art of Animation
(2019-11-05) Greer, Sarah
With improvements in technology, animation as a medium has begun to have fewer and fewer limitations on how close to real life it can become. However, as animation styles seem to be leaning more and more towards hyperrealism, the question becomes not if we can make animation more realistic, but if we should. This essay tracks the reasons behind the widely held belief that cartoons are for children by examining some of the history of animation. Additionally, some of the pitfalls of realistic animation are examined alongside the artistic liberties available in stylized animation. The findings show that realism can fall into a number of traps, such as the uncanny valley effect and emotionless characters, while stylized animation has far more leeway in artistic expression, and is more capable of emotional storytelling. This all leads to the conclusion that, while it does have its uses, realistic animation should not be considered the end goal of animation technology. Rather, the focus should be on telling a compelling story, and in this way perhaps a wider range of audiences can be reached.
This Generation and their Screens: The Innovation of Virtual Reality Therapy
(2019-12-09) Mitchell, Amber; Edmondson, Todd
The majority of individuals who struggle with a mental illness in the United States remain untreated. There is a great need for accessible and affordable treatment, and technology may be the answer. Being a therapist requires creativity and imagination, and that creativity combined with virtual reality technology is a solution that allows for accessible treatment. Thus far, virtual reality technology has been used to provide vestibular input, which is used for the treatment of vertigo, as well as to treat patients with autism or those who struggle with specific phobias. There are already proven successes, and there is so much more opportunity for this method of treatment to flourish. This technology, in conjunction with an imaginative approach to therapy, can become the best, most affordable solution to decreasing the number of individuals struggling with accessible healthcare for mental illness.
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger: Using Diseases to Treat Patients
(2019-12-06) Shull, Drake; Hoover, Heather
Genetic disorders are the most common diseases that are diagnosed today. However, genetic disorders are difficult to treat and often the disorder is incurable. This research paper presents a new treatment option for genetic diseases. The new treatment uses viruses to treat these diseases. The mechanism of virotherapy is examined in several studies of the use of virotherapy on cancer cells. By understanding the mechanism of virotherapy, scientists can then find ways to use this mechanism to treat genetic disorders. The paper looks into detail of a genetic disorder, cystic fibrosis, and how research is being conducted of virotherapy on cystic fibrosis. Finally, this project presents disease treatment in an innovative way by changing the perspective of viruses and changing the from something harmful to something life-saving.
When Having a Good Imagination is Bad: Body Dysmorphia and Eating Disorders
(2019-12-09) Bryant, Danielle; Edmondson, Todd
Despite recent movements advertising body positivity and self-love, eating disorders are on the rise. It has been found that eating disorders especially affect young adults, and tend to develop in women much more than men. Disordered eating is the cause of a myriad of health problems, including loss of bone and muscle mass, stomach ulcers, hair loss, and fatigue. Sufferers of eating disorders are tenfold more likely to die than their peers due to complications. Currently, research has linked the causes of body dysmorphia to an increased risk of developing eating disorders. Socialization is a major factor in the development of body dysmorphia and body dissatisfaction, and media consumption is an influential form of socialization for younger generations. Because of the vast influence that media consumption has on body perception, media outlets should expand representation of body types and consumers should expand their exposure to various body types to promote lifestyle choices that represent healthy individuals, regardless of body shape.

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Browsing Student Research by Subject "2019 Sophomore Research Conference"

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