2008 Diamond Research Scholars
Kwamina Akwa
Architecture
Tyler
Mentor
Sneha Patel
Architecture
Project Title and Abstract
African Architecture: a critical examination of the conceptual ideas and structure of the African city.
Often times, African cities have wrongfully been represented within the western media as poorly disorganized slums and lacking all the tenets of a progressive and developed society. The notion that modernity is largely absent in African cities demands careful and intellectual investigations to ascertain what modernity really is within an African context. What this research project will seek to do is to revise some of these wrongful notions and present African cities as diverse and dynamic modern places. The project will discuss what modernity means in an African society and how it is translated into the built environment. African cities are not stagnant places frozen in time. They are constantly evolving, undeniably affected by globalization and embracing change simultaneously. These African cities will be examined to assess the conceptual ideas that shaped them with an emphasis on historical context. Typical of any architectural undertaking, the socio-cultural, economic, political and conventional ideas that influenced the establishment of these cities will be examined. Aware of the existence of numerous cities within the African continent, the approach will be to examine a city each from North, South, East and the West of Africa exploring the various issues expressed above. In the end, it is hoped and believed that this project will provide a new and objective lens through which African Cities can be viewed and appreciated.
Lauren Averbuch
Biology
CST
Mentor
Ossie Geifman-Holtzmen
OB-GYN
Project Title and Abstract
Gestational Pre-Hypertension as an Indicator of Pregnancy Complications
Hypertension disease (Preeclampsia and Eclampsia) is a well-known pregnancy complication later in the pregnancy and is associated with maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Prehypertension defined in non-pregnant adults as borderline hypertension and appears before the occurrence of disease. The Joint National Committee on High Blood Pressure (JNC7) determined it to be blood pressure of 120-139/80-89 in adults that requires health promoting life style modifications to prevent cardiovascular disease. I develop with my mentor the hypothesis that Prehypertension also exist during pregnancy and is associated with increased risk of pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and preterm delivery. In the study, retrospectively and prospectively data collection will be collected of patients who are cared for and are delivered at Temple University Hospital. Patients who are currently receiving prenatal care at Temple University Obstetric Clinic will also be recruited for the study. In order to further develop the notion of Prehypertension in pregnant women, blood pressures from all three trimesters will be monitored according to the JNC7 set range. Outcomes of pregnancies of women with blood pressure in or above this range will be compared with those in a control group. Upon completion of the study, conclusions will be drawn regarding a correlation between Gestational Prehypertension, and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and preterm deliveries.
Marianne Ball
Marketing and Accounting
Fox
Mentor
Michael Smith
Marketing
Project Title and Abstract
Social Advertising: The Effect of Group Television Viewing on Advertising
The proposed topic of study is on the impact of advertising in the context of group viewing of television shows, whether proximally or virtually through electronic means (such as message boards and chat rooms). The purpose of this study is to discover whether people pay more attention to a specific type of advertisement (i.e. product placement or commercials) based on the type of show they are watching (i.e. a sports show, a drama series, etc) across social settings. To address this research issue I propose to conduct a thorough analysis of secondary data, followed by surveys of people who watch television shows as a group, and observations of communication through the internet in such locations as chat rooms and message boards. Most specifically, the study will seek to discover whether people discuss the advertisements amongst themselves and, in the case of the surveys, how many and what types of advertisements they can recall. Today, numerous companies and advertising firms are attempting to find the best way to communicate their message to consumers, as well as what types of television programming they should use to show their ads. This study will attempt to determine the most effective method of advertising for shows that are watched as part of a social setting.
Bryce Bayer
English
CLA
Mentor
Pattie McCarthy
English
Project Title and Abstract
Elegiac Poetry Then and Now: An Academic and Creative Exploration of How We Grieve
The project I propose is a reading and writing intensive poetic exploration of the elegy. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an elegy as a song, a poem, or speech expressing grief for one who is dead also: a reflective poem usually melancholy in tone. Using this type of fundamental definition as a foundation and reference point for my research, I will explore the elegy in the tradition of classical literature as it compares to elegiac works in contemporary poetry. This project is unique in that it will involve both extensive research as well as a highly focused creative pursuit. With the help of my mentor, I will develop a reading list of both classical and contemporary works which will allow a varied and extensive examination of the elegy as it developed through time. My efforts will culminate in an academic paper as well as a final creative product. The creative aspect of my project will involve writing and arranging my own collection of poetry with the central focus of the relationship between the individual and the deceased. I find my inspiration for this endeavor in the significant impact that death has had on my life and an inherent desire to creatively explore grief. My dedication to this topic derives from my love for the study of literature and of how genres of literature have developed and changed over time. In combining both my academic and creative strengths, I am sure that this project will be both an artistic and scholarly success.
Stephanie Bilinsky
English/Women's Studies
CLA
Mentor
Laura Levitt
Jewish Studies/Women's Studies
Project Title and Abstract
Gender Issues and Ethical Challenges in Roman Catholicism
This project will focus on gender issues in the Roman Catholic Church with particular attention to women’s ordination. As one of the fastest growing religions in the world, Roman Catholicism holds influence across the globe. Because it is a religion with a strictly patriarchal structure, the church and its ideology conflict with more mainstream secular views about gender and sexuality. I will explore the church’s stance on gender roles and other ethical challenges in relation to the women’s ordination movement. I will draw on various fields of study to develop my thesis, including theology, feminist theory, and history. Arguments surrounding women’s ordination often address the erasure of women from church history. By researching church history, I will illustrate a tradition of women ministering, beginning as early as Mary of Bethany. The current priesthood is declining rapidly. In my paper, I will incorporate a discussion of Richard Schoenner and Lawrence Young’s 1993 report about the state of the priesthood and reasons for its decline. Issues of gender and sexuality that cause men to leave the clergy may be a deterrent for women as well, but I will question whether ordaining women might help salvage the waning numbers of priests. With such questions in mind, I intend to take a Third-Wave approach to my project. According to Marian Ronan, Religious Studies in Catholicism often lacks this sensitivity. It is important to consider since the church is growing most rapidly in Latin American and African countries. I will pay attention to the intersectionality of race, class, and gender while making my inquiries.
Jonathan Bojan
Music Therapy
Boyer
Mentor
Cynthia Folio
Music Studies
Project Title and Abstract
Revisiting Pythagoras’ Monochord
While modern musical tuning emphasizes a linear calculation of musical intervals (Equal temperament), the early music theorist Pythagoras used a rational calculation of musical intervals (Just Intonation). In this research project, the following phenomenon will be studied: a sustained pure tone in the musical hearing range combined with a similar pure tone that increases in frequency at a slow rate. This experimental setup will allow all possible musical intervals to be analyzed both through Equal temperament and Just intonation perspectives. Three methods of analysis will be used: 1. A MIDI sequencer coupled with a spectrum analyzer; 2. A pair of acoustic monochords (strings divided by a movable bridge) and a human subject taking notes; 3. Computer-generated graphs of the acoustic phenomenon described, and a written proof of the existence of the theoretical Resonance Function represented by the experiment itself. Discussion will focus on these questions: 1. How do the notes taken by the human subject relate to the mathematical models of the experiment, and what does that tell us about the psychoacoustic properties of musical intervals? 2. Does the Resonance Function provide a link between the Equal-temperament and Just intonation analysis of musical intervals, and how can studying the qualities of this function improve the ear training of musicians.
Tara Chowdhury
Biology, Visual Anthropology
CLA/CST
Mentor
Michael Hesson
Anthropology
Project Title and Abstract
Effects Of Colonialism On Sexuality In India
Ancient Indian compositions of the 6th century B.C.E. celebrated sexuality by depicting explicit images of deities carrying out sexual activities. These practices stood as symbols for the union between the mortal and the divine, and acted as a vehicle for union with the devout. When British colonialism began, female sexuality in India appeared barbaric. Alfred Maskell shares his opinion of Indian art in his book Ivories when he writes "We are met at every turn by the interminable processions of monstrous gods and goddesses, these Buddhas and Krishnas, Vishnus and Ramas, these hideous deities with animals' heads and innumerable arms, these dancing women with expressionless faces and strange garments. The East Indian Company Charter Act of 1813 brought Victorian England’s church to India and its regulations like ruling out homosexual behavior, and placement of limits on sexual positions in order to maintain male dominance. Colonial England’s opinion of eroticism inverted a sexual civilization into a highly conservative one. The purpose of this research project is to present pre-colonial sexual norms through visual evidence in Hindu art, and research how British colonialism stigmatized ancient Indian sexuality through analysis of ancient Indian archives. After obtaining an IRB, observation and research will be conducted in Dhrangadhra, Gujarat through the month of June before traveling to Pune in July to finish observing sculptures of ancient Indian deities. Digital photography and film will be used to capture modern and ancient Hindu Temples in order to compare pre and post colonial Hindu deities, shedding light on Colonial Indian history and its acculturation.
Nicholas Daly
Film and Media Arts (Media Culture)
SCT
Mentor
Paul Swann
Film and Media Arts
Project Title and Abstract
Modernity and Agency: An Analysis of Communications Within the Small-Scale Coffee Growing Communities of 'La Junta Nacional del Café' in Peru
My project is in the most general sense a cultural analysis of the impact of the global on the local. The global flow of ideas, money, technology, ethnicity and media now shape not only the economics and politics of nation-states but also local cultures, social practices and identities everywhere. Anthropology has responded to this notion of locality and modernism, and current ethnographic research now increasingly incorporates a much broader array of disciplines, including my focus on media and communications for development and social change. I wish to synthesize my education and interests by applying the neo-Marxist media cultural theories of The Frankfurt School, the revolutionary anthropological work of Arjun Appadurai and my Spanish language and cultural knowledge to analyze how communications are used within the communities of local coffee growers in Peru that operate under the organization La Junta Nacional del Caf (JNC). Junta Nacional, like many other organizations in Latin America, seeks to encourage progress in the coffee-growing sector by facilitating the relationships between grower cooperatives and the niche markets that keep them afloat in the sea of global competition. This type of institution is a response to globalization and I wish to study how these forces have effected the use of communications as a means to bring about such economic, social and cultural development.
Catherine DeBrosse
Biophysics
CST
Mentor
Matt Mackie
Physics
Project Title and Abstract
Rate Limit for Molecule Production in Combined Photoassociation and Feshbach Resonances
We theoretically examine a Bose-Einstein condensate of atoms tuned nearby both a photoassociation and Feshbach resonance, focusing on the rate limit for converting atoms into molecules. While theory and experiments so far show a molecule formation rate that saturates to a constant, these results are not definitive. The purpose of this project is to numerically determine whether the molecule formation rate saturates or maximizes, and to produce a more precise limiting value.
Stephen DiDato
Secondary Ed - English
Education
Mentor
Jayminn Sanford-DeShields
CITE
Project Title and Abstract
Brotherly Love: Policy and Reform in Philadelphia's Public Educational System
Why are there constant disparities between the achievements of students in suburban/rural communities to those students in urban areas? This project aims at answering this question. Through the careful study of both the educational policy in Philadelphia and at a statewide level, extensive studies of the curriculum and surrounding community of Temple University's four partnerships schools and feeder high schools, and in-depth interviews with the students attending these schools, a multi-faceted approach to this question of inequality is presented. By approaching this issue from many different angles, we are able to chip away at the mystery of educational disparity to something that can be easily understood and interpreted by public officials as well as those living in these improvised communities. The hope of this project is to unite all of those who are affected by disparities in achievement in Philadelphia's urban communities, and to provide thoughtful and accurate commentary on the state of the schools including what we all may do to lessen the achievement gap.
Anamaya Farthing-Kohl
Undeclared
Tyler
Mentor
Jennie Shanker
Sculpture
Project Title and Abstract
Casting Entropy
I am interested in trying to track the invisible movement of water through space and time through creating a series of casts using water as my medium. My understanding that water is the most vital thing for life on earth, and that fresh water sources are diminishing has really grabbed my attention. I would like to address water, and, through exploration, find different ways to cast with water. I want to know water as it evaporates, rushes off a waterfall, boils, freezes, and runs into oceans and track its movement. Since I can't put a GPS gadget on a molecule of water, I have used ink and other dyes have to track the polarity of water and its wandering lines. I propose to use the worlds most natural form of casting using water to cast with and an object as a mold. In a sense, I would like to track the invisible.
Nora Fellag
Sociology
CLA
Mentor
Raymond Halnon
Sociology
Project Title and Abstract
Algerians/North Africans in France in comparison to Mexicans/Latino Americans in the U.S.
The project I will conduct will be an in-depth analysis of the social situation of Algerians and other North Africans living in France compared to that of Mexican and other Latino Americans living in the U.S. The investigation will involve research on each side, including both North African and Latino American minorities and will focus on comparing immigrants/minorities of Algerian and Mexican decent, because both nationalities make up the majority in their own minority groups (the majority of North Africans in France are Algerian, and the majority of Hispanics living in the U.S. are Mexican). Major areas of study will include socioeconomic factors, issues of crime and ethnic violence, class struggles within these minority groups, the creation of sub-cultures among these groups, etc. By utilizing these two situations as comparative models, I hope to identify patterns of immigration within the sociological spectrum. Research will be conducted by using materials such as newspaper articles, journals, and statistics but much of the project will consist of interviews, both group and individual. The significance of this project is to build knowledge in an area of personal interest, to gain hands-on experience of the field in which I am pursuing, and to build my credentials for the various Graduate schools I will be applying to after acquiring my Bachelors Degree at Temple University.
Grant Folin
Horticulture & Landscape Arch
Ambler
Mentor
Michael Olszewski
Landscape Arch & Horticulture
Project Title and Abstract
The Effects of Seed Treatment on Germination Rates of Restoration Seed Mixes
My proposed experiment will answer the question, does treating seed mixes used for landscape restoration by scarification, moist chilling or acid treatment improve the germination speed and rate of the seed mixes? I propose to test three mixes containing varying ratios of grasses, leguminous plants and family Asteraceae plant species. Each seed mix will be treated with the stated three methods. Additionally, each combination will be subjected to three differing watering regimens. In short, the study will consist of a 3 seed mix x 3 seed treatment x 3 watering regime experiment with control groups of 3 untreated seed mixes subjected to the 3 differing watering schedules. This experiment will be carried out in the horticulture laboratory and the greenhouse.
Ultimately, the goal of the experiment is to determine the combination with the highest germination rate at the earliest possible time. The results from the indoor experiment will provide a good indication of which combination of treatment, seed mix and water will function best under conditions in the field.
The reason I have chosen to study the effects of different seed treatments on the germination rate of seed mixes used for the restoration process is that the rate of germination is critical to the long term establishment of the stand of native plants which are going to feed and shelter wildlife, prevent erosion and overcome the dominance of invasive species. If the seed mix doesn’t germinate evenly, with sufficient density to cover the area being restored, then there is an increased probability that the invasive species previously removed will easily re-establish itself and, perhaps, again become dominant.
Melanie Foxx
Mentor
Melissa Napolitano
Project Title and Abstract
The Influence of Eating-Disorder Websites on Adolescent Female Eating Behavior and Body Image Perception
The main purpose of the proposed research is to investigate and gain empirical knowledge about the exposure and influence of pro-eating disorder websites on adolescent female eating behavior and their influence in adverse body image perception.
Questions to address in research include: are these pro eating disorder websites a contagion to our youth and a contributor in the rise of eating disorders? Are they a contributor to adverse body image perception?
Participants will be asked to come in for the research and must be 18 years or older and female. The participants are given the pre survey which will have three sections: a first section that is a mood inquiry which would include questions about body image where the participants can indicate what their image of beauty is and how they perceive their own bodies. The second section includes questions where the participant can identify eating behavior and also identify to the study if any disordered eating pathology is already in use (or if they have considered practicing disordered eating behavior). The third section asks questions about online usage frequency and material (how often they use the internet, do they use blogs etc).
They would be asked to view some pro- eating disorder websites for a duration of time (undefined as of now) and after the participants are given a post survey with the first section a mood inquiry including the same questions about body image and beauty ideals of the pre survey. In the second section there will be questions regarding if the participant now considers changing their eating pathology and the third section about if they would visit these websites for information in the future for body image references. After the research is concluded participants are all given information about the detriments of eating disorders via NEDA (The National Eating Disorders Association), the AED (Academy for Eating Disorders) or ANAD (The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) discourse.
Steven Frable
Economics
CLA
Mentor
Andrew Buck
Economics
Project Title and Abstract
Economic effects on the efficiencies of liquor markets
Given the rising amounts of alcohol consumption amongst teens and adults and the rising incidence of privatization of states and its effect on the marketing and distribution of the alcohol industry, my study will focus on the current state liquor control models and determine their effects on the aggregate and state demand of liquor markets. I will plan on implementing a theoretical econometric demand model, which I will use certain characteristics from models published in previous studies, including but not limited to the use of price data, other cross-section/time series data, effects of taxation, effects of arbitrage from state to state, and any other variables that may contribute to the accuracy and significance of my soon to be proposed model. My own addition to this model will be using dummy variables to determine different effects that certain varying state liquor laws have on individual state demand curves and then aggregate it either as the total U.S. demand for liquor or regionally from state-to-state to see if the overall effect of government intervention on alcohol consumption (not including already studied implementations of intervention) is significant.
Timothy Jennings
Mechanical Engineering
Engineering
Mentor
Hutapea Parsaoran
Mechanical Engineering
Project Title and Abstract
The Effects of Shock and Vibration on a PEM Fuel Cell Stack
The purpose of the research is to determine the effects of shock and vibration on a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack. More specifically, the focus of this analysis will be on the interface between the membrane and PEM stack plates. Currently, PEM fuel cell stacks have an estimated life expectancy of 2000 hours, but increasing this requires more information on the sources of failure. A vibration shaker will be used along with an accelerometer, stress gage, high speed camera for measuring deformations and a data acquisition system. The goal of this project is to create a model for the degeneration of the fuel cell stack, effectively allowing others to predict the behavior of a similar unit as well as providing failure data to make overall system improvements. The significance of this data is that it will allow changes to be made to the existing system for an increased life expectancy of future PEM fuel cell stacks, as well as increased consistency over the life of the unit.
Jonathan Kaufman
Latin American Studies
CLA
Mentor
Eugene Martin
BTMM
Project Title and Abstract
Life Without a Book
Life Without a Book will be a documentary film telling the story of Rick Pepper Holmes, an accomplished funk drummer who has played, performed, and recorded with some of the biggest names in the industry. He has traveled all over the world to perform in front of packed audiences in all kinds of venues. Pepper is illiterate, however, and for him the every-day-tasks that we do not even think about constantly exist as hurdles. His illiteracy does not stop him he drives and navigates, uses ATMs, works on cars, and leads a successful, productive life. Not being able to read forces Pepper to continually ask friends and strangers for help, which makes him humble and enables his outgoing personality to shine. The film’s message is meant to be inspirational and symbolic of the struggle that so many people experience daily, yet rise above through perseverance. In a society where the odds are doubly stacked against Pepper being a black male and illiterate his story will no doubt inspire others. There will be a strong emphasis on the power that music has played in his life not just measured through his professional successes, but through the discipline that demanded focus, thereby keeping him out of trouble. One of the messages will be that a disability or other marginalizing circumstance that might be a barrier can often be overcome through a passionate creative outlet such as music. Like Pepper, I, too, have relied on music to move beyond life’s impediments. While highlighting the role of music in Peppers ability to overcome his handicaps, the film also will document elements of the educational system that failed him and continue to allow young people to be launched into an adult world ill-prepared for what lies ahead. The documentary, therefore, is not just about Pepper, but also about anyone in a similar situation.
Christopher Lee
Political Science/GUS
CLA
Mentor
Benjamin Kohl
GUS
Project Title and Abstract
Segregation and Assimilation: The Immigrant Experience in Contemporary Sweden
Beginning in the late 1940s, Sweden received its first major wave of immigration with the recruitment of workers from Southern Europe and the Balkans, who were vital to the success of the Swedish economy in the post-war boom. This wave of immigration ended in the 1970s as Sweden tightened restrictions on work-force migration due to an economic downturn. Yet, Swedish immigration policy allowed political asylum for refugees fleeing war torn areas. Through the coming decades tens of thousands of immigrants per year poured in from a multitude of nations Iraq, Chile, Somalia, Bosnia eventually raising the immigrant population to roughly 1 million, 11% of Sweden’s population. Yet unlike previous waves of immigrants, this group, known as the miljonsvenskar (million Swedes), have had difficulty integrating into Swedish society. The majority of these immigrants reside in government housing on the edge of Swedish cities, with up to 60% unemployed and dependent on government welfare in some neighborhoods, which have also shown an increase in crime and a growth of the influence of radical Islam. The Swedish state has been unable to adequately address these issues, even as it provides generous cradle to grave welfare benefits and quality state-sponsored education to these immigrant communities. In order to understand the processes related to immigrant assimilation, I believe it is vital to speak to both immigrants and native Swedes, to discern what may be preventing these members of these immigrant communities from succeeding despite similar opportunities to their native Swedish counterparts and those of immigrants prior to 1970. To achieve this, I intend to survey and interview groups of 18-25 year old young adults from ethnic Swedish neighborhoods in the urban core of Stockholm and segregated immigrant suburbs. I will use my working knowledge of the Swedish language and established local contacts to facilitate this goal. In addition, I intend to use existing research and texts, as well as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to frame these interviews spatially and contextually by providing both demographic and historic backgrounds of the neighborhoods that I cover. If I am awarded a fellowship, I will complete IRB training and have my research protocol approved before beginning research. I believe that this study will offer insights into issues facing immigrant communities across the first world and a better understanding of the role a highly supportive government plays in solving these issues.
Joshua Loftus
Economics
CLA
Mentor
J. Tucker Taylor
Economics
Project Title and Abstract
The Value of a President to Young Americans
Project Focus: The focus of this project is to collect and analyze data on voting patterns of college students and try to determine why certain people choose to vote or abstain from doing so. Hypothesis: College-aged students have lower voter turnout than other demographics because they perceive the difference between alternative presidents to have very little effect on their lives. Research Methods: The research for this project will not only include historical demographic voting data, but will also include a survey that will help group voters based on known voting patterns and help determine the value they place on alternative presidents. If the initial research indicates that the given hypothesis is not accurate, the results will be analyzed and a new, more focused hypothesis and corresponding survey will be administered. Empirical Model: Using the research collected, it will be possible to run a regression analysis and control for a variety of independent variables.
Robert McClung
Music Ed
Boyer
Mentor
Stephen Willier
Music History
Project Title and Abstract
A History of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House
The objective of this project will be to document the history of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House. The building, which now sits in disuse on Broad and Poplar Streets, once enjoyed affiliations with such organizations as the New York Metropolitan Opera Touring Company and the Philadelphia Orchestra. It has been mentioned in certain publications, such as Quaintance Eaton’s book about the Metropolitan Opera touring company, Opera Caravan, yet no complete or detailed history of the opera house exists. My goal will be to research the building’s construction, the musical activity that took place under its roof, and the reasons for its demise. I will also collect information on the people involved in its history: those who built it, and those who performed on its stage. The final products will be a piece of writing on the history of the opera house, as well as articles suitable for publication in periodicals.
Information, mainly primary source material, on the opera house can be found in places such as The Free Library of Philadelphia, Paley Library at Temple University, newspaper archives, such as The New York Times, and the Metropolitan Opera Archives. I plan on spending the allotted weeks in the summer dividing my time between New York and Philadelphia conducting research, and then writing the paper during the Fall 2008 semester.
Megha Patel
Chemistry
CST
Mentor
Raghbir Athwal
Fels Institute
Project Title and Abstract
Promoter Region Analysis of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type K
I propose to do research this summer on a protein phosphatase (protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type K abbreviated PTPRK), to gain a better understanding of the enzyme's role in cells. PTPRK is of interest in studies because it is suspected to playa role in cell division. If the phosphatase down regulates other cell division factors, then cells should stop dividing. To see this effect, the gene was added to cancer cells, and the cells were able to reach senescence. The results from the previous experiments were interesting because essentially cancer cells were turned into normal cells. The experiment also revealed that there might be a defect in PTPRK expression in cancer cells. I will be conducting research to further investigate PTPRK.
This summer, I will be taking on two separate projects. Previously, I worked on finding a way to express PTPRK in brain tumor cells. I used two different types of viral vectors for the investigation. I first tried to use a retroviral vector to induce expression, but it did not yield results. I starting working with an adenoviral vector, and this summer I will continue to refine the procedure for the task so information on the gene expression can be gathered.
In addition to expressing PTPRK in cells, I will also examine the structure of the promoter region of PTPRK to see if there are differences between the sequence of the promoter in cancer cells and normal cells. From previous experiments in the lab, it was discovered that certain promoter factors playa role in regulating the gene. If there are mutations in region, the transcription of the gene might be altered to the extent that the expression of the phosphatase is absent. This experiment would give insight on the gene's expression in cancer cells.
Reese Revak
Music Composition
Boyer
Mentor
Richard Brodhead
Music Studies
Project Title and Abstract
Christmas Cantata for Choir and Small Orchestra
I propose to write a cantata in eight movements for choir, soprano soloist, and small orchestra that documents the birth of Christ as told by St. Luke. It would be performed in December by the Temple University concert choir with other members of the college of music playing in the orchestra.
The eight movements that I plan to write include an instrumental overture at the beginning and an instrumental interlude roughly halfway through. Two arias for the soprano soloist will also appear, accompanied by various members of the orchestra. The rest of the movements will be pieces for the full choir with accompaniment by the orchestra. The orchestration that I plan to use includes two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four French horns, percussion, organ, harp, and a full string section. I do not see the inclusion of the organ being problematic as the concert choir has performed off campus with organ before.
Kevin Ricker
Finance
Fox
Mentor
J. Tucker Taylor
Economics
Project Title and Abstract
Comparative Costing Analysis of the Existing U.S. Healthcare System and Alternatives
The proposal for this research paper is to compare the various systems of universal health care and to find the most efficient way of distributing healthcare in the United States. For the purposes of this paper, "efficient" shall be understood to mean coverage for the greatest amount of people at the lowest per capita cost. The systems that will be compared include the completely private healthcare system, the semi-private system, and the "universal" single-payer system. The costs of these systems will be considered in the attempt to find which allows for the most efficient system for healthcare distribution. Although impossible to quantify, a discussion of the relative benefits of the alternate systems will also be included. Additionally, for comparative purposes, the healthcare systems of other industrialized nations will be compared to the current healthcare system in the United States as well as the proposed alternate systems. The data that will be collected will include, current spending per capita in the United States, current healthcare spending per capita in selected industrialized nations, and estimates of costs of alternative healthcare proposals. Furthermore, the project will attempt to take into account not only explicit costs, but also externalities such as external costs to the current system. For example, an external cost for the current U.S. healthcare system may be the added stress to members of society who do not have healthcare coverage. Thus, the paper will summarize available cost comparisons while including the most recent healthcare proposals and attempt to determine a course of action for U.S. policy makers which would result in the greatest amount of healthcare coverage at the lowest per capita cost.
McKayla Saine
Anthropology Human Biology Track
CLA
Mentor
Vanessa Yingling
Kinesiology
Project Title and Abstract
Suppressed Estradiol levels and the Effects on Cortical Bone Structure in Adolescent Female Rats
Osteopenia, osteoperosis, and other effects of decreased bone strength, including stress fractures, have been observed in young women who suffer from secondary amenorrhea. Multiple factors are associated with secondary amenorrhea, such as increased bone resorption and suppressed bone formation due to decreased estrogen. Previous studies in the Skeletal Adaptation and Development Laboratory have shown that decreased estradiol levels result in decreased cortical strength of long bones. Estradiol levels were decreased by suppressing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in adolescent female rats through injections of gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-a). The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of decreased estradiol levels on bone structure. Cross sections of bones from the female rats mentioned above, 100um in depth, will be used to evaluate bone structure, using the Bioquant Digitizing System attached to an epiflourescence microscope. Structural data is important to develop a comprehensive understanding of both the short and long term effects of amenorrhea on bones of young athletic women. Once there is a clear understanding of the impact on bone structure, we can then begin to explore whether this is a result of increased or decreased bone cell activity. This study has been approved by the IACUC at Temple University.
Rene Santin
Civil Engineering
Engineering
Mentor
Adrienne Cooper
Civil Engineering
Project Title and Abstract
Application of Nanotechnology to combat flooding and organic pollutants by using self cleaning pervious concrete
Rainstorms create two environmental challenges in cities. Runoff often leads to flooding as the sewers of Philadelphia are currently very near capacity. In addition when it does rain, there are organic pollutants that are washed off from paved surfaces that eventually contaminate rivers. This project aims to deal with both problems by affixing a coating of TiO2 a photocatalytic species that creates hydroxyl radicals that react with organic pollutants, such as oils or various chemicals from cars and deactivate them. Three concrete sealers, Tri-Siloxane (water-based) Tri-Siloxane (solvent-based) and Tri-Silane (solvent-based), will be used, to fix a standard amount of nano-sized TiO2. After the fixation, we will conduct tests using Hydroxyl scavengers to measure the efficacy of the TiO2 in creating Hydroxyl radicals. It is these radicals that are responsible for deactivating the organic pollutants. A more holistic test will also be conducted in order to determine the correlation between amount of hydroxyl radicals and water quality. This research aims to alleviate both flooding and pollution originating from sidewalks, parking-lots and other paved surfaces. Such pollution is especially prevalent in large cities like Philadelphia, whose sewer systems are near capacity.
Amanda Thomas
Psychology
CLA
Mentor
Peter J Marshall
Psychology
Project Title and Abstract
Perception and Action in Infancy and Early Childhood
In these studies we focus on evaluating and developing tasks and measures that are designed to obtain the development of the mirror neuron system (MNS). The MNS is presumably a partial basis for the common coding of perceived and executed actions, making it very significant. The following studies are currently taking place Electrophysiological Responses to Action Observation in Infants and Adults, Infants Developing Body Knowledge, Measures of Motor Contagion in Preschool-Aged Children, Mu Rhythm Dynamics and Imitative Learning in Adults, and The Role of the Mirror Neuron System in Infant Imitation. I will be working most closely with the Measures of Motor Contagion in Preschool-Aged Children. This study uses four year olds as participants and it attempts to assess the overlap between perception and action in these children. One of the main tasks of the study is to see how preschool-aged children’s execution of specific actions can be interfered with, by simultaneously showing them incongruent movements. The preschool participants are told to move a pen, on a graphics tablet, either vertically or horizontally. While the subjects are moving the pen, a video is played on the tablet with an image of an adult moving their hand in either the same or opposite direction as the child’s pen movements. From this we want to explore whether the nature of the background stimulus interferes with the child’s movement on the task, whether individual variation in susceptibility to this type of motor contagion relates to performance on other inhibitory control tasks as well as Theory of Mind tasks. Through this research we would also like to find out if these motor interference effects are only specific to observing human motion as opposed to other types of biological and non-biological motion.
Teresa Trego
Horticulture
Ambler
Mentor
Michael Olszewski
Horticulture
Project Title and Abstract
A Comparative Study on the Effects of Natural Fertilizers on the Growth of Native Plant Species
The focus of this project is to demonstrate the benefits of non-synthetic organic fertilizers on the growth and development of selected native plant species grown with the addition of compost compared to growth without the addition of compost. The application of two OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)listed fertilizer products fish emulsion and worm castings will be separately applied to equal amounts of three native plant species Echinacea purpurea, Asclepias syniaca, and Asclepias tuberosa and compared to a control group. This procedure will be replicated three times for each application and control group. The group of trials will then be doubled, half being grown with the addition of compost to the soil and the others receiving none. The significant of this experiment is to provide data on the use of non-synthetic forms of soil amendments to enhance the productivity of growth in native plant species. Although an increasing interest in the use of non-synthetic fertilizers and native plants is bombarding the field of horticultural little research has been done on the benefits of using these types of fertilizers on native plant species. This experiment will provide the opportunity to shed some light on this field of study and perhaps open the door to more research pertaining to the use of non-synthetic organic fertilizers and their benefits to native plant species.
Thomas Viola
Film/English
SCT
Mentor
Stan McDonald
English
Project Title and Abstract
An Historical Comparison of Translation with some Original Tranlsations Complied with Original Works
If I am awarded the ship, I plan to translate selected epigrams of the Ancient Greek poet Callimachus. As mentor for this project, I have chosen Stan McDonald, a Lecturer in the English Department, who studied translation at Brown University with Keith and Rosmarie Waldrop, two well-respected translators of poetry. Due to the necessity of the research I will be doing, this project will demand critical and creative energies. The time granted by the scholarship will allow me to research past and current theories of translation, such as metaphrase versus paraphrase, fidelity versus adaptation, and dynamic versus formal equivalence. The critics I will consult include Cicero, Samuel Johnson, and Roman Jakobson. For the sake of comparison, I will analyze previous translations of Callimachus done by Catullus and previous translations of Catullus done by Bernadette Mayer. Ultimately, the various theories and earlier versions will inform my own translation of Callimachus' epigrams.
Once I have completed the translations I intend to assemble a poetry collection that combines some of my own poems with that of Callimachus. I have chosen Callimachus' epigrams because their condensed style and lyrical subject matter coincide and enrich my own poetry. Within the context of20th/21 st poetry, a book of original work and translation is an established practice, perhaps done most successfully by Kent Johnson and Bernadette Mayer. Lastly, I will write a critical paper that assesses the history of translation theories, and I will discuss the reasons why I chose my particular approach.
Zachary Wilson
Music Ed
Boyer
Mentor
Alison Reynolds
Music Ed
Project Title and Abstract
Using Vincent Persichetti's Wind Ensemble Literature in the High School Band Room
I propose to study a well-known Philadelphia composer, Vincent Persichetti. First, I will analyze 3 of Persichetti's most played wind literature pieces, (Divertimento, Op. 42, Psalm for Band, Op. 53, and Pageant for Band, Op. 59) for ways in which its content can satisfy a high school band director: How does his music fit the director's plan? To answer this question I will review research and conduct interviews with high school music teachers who use Persichetti's music. Second, I will investigate Persichetti's role as an educator: How did he use his own music to educate students? I will interview former students of Persichetti still living in the Philadelphia area including Temple University's own Professor Jan Krzywicki, as well as composers and conductors who knew him and teach his music.(1) Third, I will propose effective ways to teach these 3 works: What preparation is necessary for these scores? I will prepare lessons and ask for feedback from the high school band directors. As a soon-to-be first year band director, this research will jumpstart my lesson planning preparation. The goal of this research project is to help teachers maximize the educational potential of Persichetti's music. How music teachers plan lessons and structure rehearsals is at the forefront of the success of any music program; sequential instruction is critical. I will seek to understand the typical objectives of a high school band teacher (which include aural skills, executive ability, notation and symbol reading, expression, and theory/historical context) in relation to the analysis so that I can share what I learn with other band directors. As a soon-to-be new teacher, I are preparing for success in my first, and often most difficult years of teaching.
1) High school bands often play Persichetti's music, and I would like to learn whether he composed with pedagogical reasons in mind.
