Oral Presentations
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
8:30 – 8:50 am
What is Causing the Rising Epidemic of Homelessness in America:
A Comparative Analysis of Public Policy in the Five Most Homeless and Five Least Homeless States
Mitchell ClinardU
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Law, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Homelessness has become one of the most pressing social crises in the United States, particularly in urban centers. Not only is it growing nationwide, but it is also becoming increasingly concentrated in certain states. California, New York, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii have some of the highest homelessness rates, while states like Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Vermont experience significantly lower numbers. This disparity raises an important question: What are these low-homelessness states doing differently? By examining the public policies of the most and least affected states, we can gain critical insights into the factors that either exacerbate or alleviate homelessness and explore potential policy solutions.
Many assume homelessness stems primarily from personal issues such as addiction or mental illness. However, state-level policies on affordable housing, healthcare access, mental health services, and economic support systems play a significant role in shaping homelessness rates. States that invest in social safety nets and affordable housing tend to have lower rates, while those with high living costs, insufficient public housing, and limited mental health services struggle to manage the crisis effectively.
Studying these policy differences is crucial to addressing homelessness nationwide. By identifying successful strategies in low-homelessness states and recognizing failures in high-homelessness states, policymakers can develop more effective solutions to this growing issue.
8:50 – 9:10 am
The Effects of District Partisan Slant on Voter Party Affiliation: Evidence from Repeated Redistricting in North Carolina
Dr. Emanuel Garcia Munoz1, Dr. Robert Ainsworth2, & Dr. Carlos Estrada2
1Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
2University of Florida
Does the slant of a legislative district merely reflect the district’s voters, or can it also affect them? To investigate this, we collect rich data on districts and voters from the 2006-2022 elections in North Carolina. We exploit variation in slant due to redistricting, the process in which district boundaries are redrawn. We show that living in a district where one party is powerful causes people to shift their party affiliation toward that party. Effects depend on cumulative slant exposure, both over time and across legislative chambers. They also seem to stem from changes in preferences, not strategic behavior. An implication of the results is that uncompetitive districts contribute to polarization: under uncompetitive districts, people and places who lean Democratic get put into Democratic controlled districts and become more Democratic; vice versa for those who lean Republican. As an illustration, we assess the impacts of the districts that were used in North Carolina during the 2010s. Relative to a counterfactual of competitive districts, the 2010s districts led to a sizable increase in geographic polarization.
9:10 – 9:30 am
Killing the Living Constitution: Why Originalism is Essential for Preserving Our Constitution and Limiting Government
Alexandra DudaU
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Law, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The interpretation of the U.S. Constitution has been a subject of ongoing debate, primarily between two schools of thought: Originalism and the Living Constitution. The style of constitutional interpretation influences the range of government power and has significantly affected the decisions of the Supreme Court throughout the 21st century. The use of Living Constitution interpretation by the Supreme Court has allowed federal power to grow beyond the bounds of the U.S. Constitution, which impacts broader politics and individual lives. Originalism, by focusing on the writers’ original intent within the historical context, is the most effective interpretation for limiting government overreach which will protect individuals and the integrity of American system of government. This research will analyze the historical origins, philosophical foundations, and key judicial decisions that have shaped both approaches to the Constitution and evaluate why Originalism is the more suitable method for the Supreme Court to adopt for the sake of limiting government which will preserve and protect the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual Americans.
9:30 – 9:50 am
Age-Gap Romances and Hollywood’s Attempt to Normalize Pedophilia
Faith KazimU
Department of Cinema Arts, College of the Arts
Cinema is often used to influence what takes place in society, seen mostly obviously in Nazi and Soviet propaganda but still very present in Italian, American, and British wartime films. The past three years have produced a surprising surplus of age gap romance films, including The Idea of You, No Hard Feelings, Miller’s Girl, and Babygirl, which all involve a romantic or even sexual relationship between a middle-aged person, usually a woman, and her newly-adult lover. This paper will argue that Hollywood’s recent interest in age-gap romances involving very young adults is part of the industry’s attempt to eventually desensitize modern culture to pedophilia. When a person is constantly exposed to things like foul language, violence, or sex scenes in film, its behavior loses its shock value and begins to feel normal. As Hollywood has recently come under fire for its treatment of minors, perhaps it is making slow steps to normalize such predatory behaviors, starting with the seemingly innocuous age-gap romances.
Break (9:50 – 10:00 am)
10:00-10:20 am
The Loss of Alice: Disney Film Adaptations and Alice’s Character Growth
Johnna RyanU
English Department, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-glass and what Alice Found There” have often been conflated into the two-headed entity known universally as “Alice in Wonderland.” This popularization is mainly from adaptations, especially those by Walt Disney Studios. Through the spread of these adaptations, the key differences between Carroll’s two novels are lost. The most recognizable victim of this epidemic is Alice herself. Previous research has been done on the differences between adaptations and original work. This proposed research will consider the changes to Alice’s coming-of-age from the original writings seen in Disney’s film adaptations, through analyzing Alice’s character at the beginning and end of both novels and all three films. This research will introduce to the conversation of literature the negative impacts of inconsistencies between children’s literature and the subsequent film adaptations. The aim of this research is to introduce the audience to a new and open perspective of Carroll’s Alice, and convince them to take a closer look at the story of growth and maturity that Carroll originally intended
10:20 – 10:40 am
Privatization of the VA
Jacob FriessU
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Law
School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
In recent years, veteran homelessness and suicide rates have climbed at a rapid pace while unemployment rates have remained stagnant. This paper will establish a connection between the Office of Veteran Affairs’ mismanagement of funds, human resources, and IT systems and the deteriorating conditions of veteran issues. This research will include internal VA reports, data from third-party organizations, and statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This paper will argue that privatizing VA services like healthcare would promote fiscal transparency, efficient responsiveness, and accessibility to quality services through free market competition and innovation. The incentives of a competitive business-for-profit model would eliminate wasteful and obsolete systems, increasing responsiveness to critical veteran issues. As a future Marine Officer and a current Politics major, I believe this issue is relevant to our military and politics. Veteran interests impact our nation’s military readiness yet remain a beachball in congressional committees. Now more than ever, American citizens and patriots should rally behind supporting and advocating for the protection and service of our honorable veterans who first served us.
10:40 – 11:00 am
The Death Penalty: The Ineffectiveness of Capital Punishment
Khimarie CarpenterU
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Law, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Using national crime statistics and financial data that is directly correspondent to the start of the death penalty as a punishment will prove that the death penalty is not as effective as supporters of the punishment would believe. This as well as highlighting the cases of wrongful convictions that almost led or did lead to the death of an innocent citizen. This discussion of the death penalty will ensure that the people involved in the United States legal system are enlightened to the misuse of this punishment. The death penalty also goes against moral values discussed in the bible and there are other ways to punish those who commit extremely severe crimes that would warrant such a punishment. Disassembling the death penalty would cause the nation to find a more suitable punishment that would protect public safety as that is the goal of capital punishment. Life without parole has been one of the better alternatives. It is apparent that the death penalty is never an effective, equitable, or morally upright system and should be dismantled.
Lunch (11:00 – 11:50 am)
11:50 am – 12:10 pm
Exploring the Population Genetics of Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus) Across the Philippines
Rebecca Nacy1,U, Dr. Nadia Palomar-Abesamis2, Persie Sienes2, Dr. David Gauthier3 & Dr. Chris Bird4
1Biology Department, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 2Silliman University. 3Old Dominion University. 4Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
Portunus pelagicus, known as the blue swimming crab (BSC), is an important economic resource in the Philippines. The Philippines is the 4th largest producer of BSC worldwide, so it is pivotal to establish sustainability management plans and understand BSCs population genetics in that region. There are two distinct clades of BSC in the Philippines, Portunus pelagicus sensus stricto and a cryptic Portunus species. This suggests that the populations are more diverse than once thought. The purpose of this research was to examine the population genetics of Portunus pelagicus around the Philippines using microsatellite markers. 177 crab samples were collected from 14 sites in the provinces of Negros, Panay, Masbate, Leyte, and Tawi-Tawi. A Hardy-Weinberg analysis of the results suggests that there is no structure within the BSC populations at any level. This suggests that the population can be managed as a single fishery. By understanding the connectivity of different BSC populations around the country, the stocks can be managed more sustainably and maintained as economic resources for the future.
12:10 – 12:30 pm
The Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Water Birds
Allison Boughton1,U & Dr. Hegna2
1Department of Psychology – Behavioral Neuroscience; Supper Honors Program
2Biology Department, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The introduction of a species from where they do not naturally occur is becoming a more common phenomenon in the modern connected world. Invasive species cause a variety of changes to the ecosystem which can have significant impacts on the biodiversity of the area (Jeschke et al., 2014), such as predation, habitat modification, and introduction of diseases (Linz et al., 2007). In the present study, the devastating impacts of Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata) and Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca), which are listed as invasive species to South Florida, will be analyzed for their effects on native waterbird biodiversity and abundance. Understanding public attitudes toward invasive species is crucial to narrowing reasons for their introduction and to increase the effectiveness of control measures (Rodriguez et al., 2021). Residents of Palm Beach County will be surveyed to provide their knowledge of these invasive species in their neighborhoods and their corresponding attitudes towards them.
12:30 – 12:50 pm
Wildfire Ash Impacts to Photosynthesis and Growth of Cultured Marine Phytoplankton
Dr. Kyle S. Van Houtan1, Dr. John Lambert2, Dr. Anthony A. Provatas3, Dillon J. Van Houtan4, & Dr. Celia M. Smith5
1Biology Department, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences. 2Monterey Bay Aquarium. 3University of Connecticut. 4The Kings Academy. 5University of Hawaii
Climate change includes increasing temperatures and extreme events—heatwaves, storms, floods, and droughts. In 2020, these factors produced a record 10,000 wildfires that burned 18,000 km2 in California USA. Air pollution (smoke and ash) from these fires was a widespread human health hazard. While the ecological effects of wildfires have been documented in terrestrial aquatic systems, impacts on coastal ecosystems are largely unexplored. Here, we describe the physical and chemical properties of ash from the CZU Lightning Complex fire and experimentally test its effects on the photosynthesis and growth of four unicellular marine phytoplankton. We find air-fall ash was primarily composed of particles 250-500 μm and contained > 1 ‰ of Fe, Mn, and Ba. Additionally, the total concentration of the 16 EPA-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exceeded 2.7 ppm. We observed declines in the photosynthetic efficiency and the bulk cellular growth of phytoplankton cultures dosed with ash but the resistance and resilience to ash varied between species. Wildfire events therefore may produce significant shifts in the community abundance and diversity of marine phytoplankton.
Break (1:00 – 1:15 pm)
1:15 – 1:35 pm
Friedrich Nietzsche’s “On the Genealogy of Morality.”
Dr. David Horkott
Department of Philosophy, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Friedrich Nietzsche’s (1844-1900) Zur Genealogie der Moral: eine Streischrift (1887) is a provocative work, not only because it provides a compelling critique of the psychology underlying modern values, but also because it expresses his mature views on how to face the challenge of nihilism.
His polemic against modern morality consists of a preface and three essays. In each essay he analyzes the origin of some aspect of European morality. Presumably the essays are united by their common method (genealogy) and their common focus (genesis of moral values). But Nietzsche never makes explicit any connections between the essays. This has led some interpreters to argue that Nietzsche’s genealogical method is an exercise in perspectivism. This presentation will argue that despite what appears to be a collection of disjointed essays that On the Genealogy of Morality: A Polemic provides a unified account of morality. Specifically, I will argue that Nietzsche’s overarching concern with moral interpretations of suffering provides a deep and comprehensive unification of the apparently desultory essays.
1:35 – 1:55 pm
Sexual Behaviors Conversations in Session: Are Students Comfortable?
Dr. Ana Jaramillo De Graham1, Dr. Lindsey Allen1, Isabella Joy, & Paola Ardila-Riley2
1Graduate Counseling Program, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
2Jupiter Community Counseling
The counseling field supports clients in overcoming various challenges, including sexual health, a key aspect of human experience. However, there is limited literature on trainees’ comfort and competence in addressing sexual behaviors. This study contributes to the professional development of CACREP-accredited Master’s programs and their students. The goal of this poster is to review the results of our study that explores the comfort of trainees discussing sexual behaviors in a clinical setting and its implications for counselor training.
1:55 – 2:15 pm
The Interaction Between Moral Ideology and Determinants of Taxpayer Compliance
Dr. Claire Nash
Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
Prior tax compliance research shows that non-economic and economic factors affect taxpayers’ decisions to comply with Federal income tax laws. This study extends the investigation of non-economic factors that affect taxpayers’ compliance decisions. This study examines whether moral ideology is a predictor of tax compliance behavior for taxpayers who have the opportunity to evade taxes. Prior studies show that tax pre-payment position and detection risk are persistent economic predictors of tax compliance behavior. These economic factors are included as a posteriori explanatory variables in this study. The Ethic Position Questionnaire is used to assess taxpayers’ moral ideology as: situationists, absolutists, subjectivists, or exceptionists. The results suggest that taxpayers’ moral ideology does not predict whether taxpayers with the opportunity to evade taxes will comply with Federal income tax laws. And thus, it could be that any effort to influence this non-economic factor would not affect taxpayers’ compliance decisions. The findings for the a posteriori explanatory variables included in the study are mixed.
2:15 – 2:35 pm
Working Habits in Us Without Us: On Theological and Moral Virtue
Dr. Austin Stevenson
Theology Department, School of Ministry
Central to our reception of the blessings and benefits of salvation are the theological virtues—faith, hope, and love—by which we are conformed to the image of Christ. Retrieving the thought of Thomas Aquinas, I respond to criticisms that build on Luther’s claim that “the righteousness of God is not acquired by means of acts frequently repeated, as Aristotle taught,” but rather comes “without work.” I argue that the acknowledgment of our sin and powerlessness to achieve the excellences of the virtues is a necessary condition for our reception of the theological virtues: works that, in Augustine’s words, “God does in us without us.” Alasdair MacIntyre offers the brief suggestion that it is only the knowledge provided by faith, the expectation provided by hope, and the capacity for friendship provided by charity that can “provide the other virtues what they need to become genuine excellences.” I work out the details of this claim, offering a constructive account of virtue ethics as a participation in the divine life.
Break (2:35 – 2:40 pm)
2:40 – 3:00 pm
Christian Ethics in Computers, Software, and Artificial Intelligence
Dr. Michael Kolta
Computer Science Department, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
An overview my newly released book “Christian Ethics in Computers, Software and Artificial Intelligence”. Thanks to the pervasiveness of computers and the proliferation of AI, the book is applicable to everyone but is designed to equip students and professionals in computer science, software engineering, and related fields to engage these issues in deep and practical ways that uphold time-honored values as embodied by Judeo-Christian principles. “Dr. Michael Kolta provides an insightful introduction to the complexities of generative AI while minimizing the technical language often utilized in such discussions. His discussion is informative and clear. Implicit in this text lies a potentially useful ethic to guide the ongoing development of these technologies. This ethic acknowledges “objective value,” “practical wisdom,” and the ever-present need to resist the temptation to turn human products into gods who will destroy our humanity in the name of efficiency and power.” – Scott B. Key, PhD
3:00 – 3:20 pm
Navigating the Future of AI Regulation
Leah WilhoitU
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Law
School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The purpose of the proposed research is to present policy options regarding the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). The project will explore proposed and in-force policies in other international states, as well as preexisting domestic regulations, and ultimately issue a recommendation for future domestic policy regulations of AI. The study will examine various international AI regulations adopted by the UN, EU, as well as individual states on the forefront of the regulation of AI such as China and the UK. The study will also examine the preexisting domestic legislation on the topic of AI and offer critiques and areas that have been neglected by that legislation.
3:20 – 3:40 pm
Reimagining Adobe Express for the College Students
Delaney HetzerU, Ami PiperU, Mackenzie McGarrityU, & Dr. Emily Webster
Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
This study explores Adobe Express’s market positioning among college students (18-24), examining its user experience, features, and brand perception compared to competitors like Canva. A mixed-methods approach, including a focus group (n = 33) and a survey (n = 120), revealed limited awareness of Adobe Express and concerns about its complexity and unique selling points. The research suggests the need for Adobe Express to simplify its interface, expand features, and emphasize its value proposition through targeted marketing to enhance its appeal among college students. The study also analyzes the broader market context, including competitive pricing and the potential for strategic partnerships. The findings inform recommendations for product redesign, rebranding, and marketing strategies to increase awareness, engagement, and retention of Adobe Express among college students.
3:40 – 4:00 pm
Leveraging GenAI in Small Universities
Dr. Emily Webster1 & Dr. Ayan Ghosh Dastidar2
1Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
2 School of Management, Clark University
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly changing many aspects of society, and higher education is no exception. This research investigates the potential and growing use of GenAI amongst small universities, defined as institutions with fewer than 5,000 students. With approximately 2,500 small universities in the United States, this sector presents a significant opportunity for AI-driven innovation. Small universities can leverage GenAI to address critical challenges and enhance key performance indicators, such as improving student satisfaction with faculty and curriculum, increasing student enrollment, and boosting academic performance. This research presents studies of small universities that have adopted GenAI providing insights into the practical applications of this technology. This research contributes to the broader understanding of how GenAI can be leveraged in higher education.
4:00 – 4:20 pm
Anxiety Emotions and Technology Use: A Look at Student Adoption of Learning Management Systems
Dr. Madison N. Ngafeeson
Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
The COVID-19 pandemic redefined the significance of learning management systems (LMS), making their adoption more crucial than ever. However, users were compelled to navigate these technologies amidst heightened anxiety, limited technical readiness, and a post-pandemic learning environment that can no longer depend on emergency-driven policies and adaptations. This study investigates the impact of behavioral control and anxiety-related emotions on LMS adoption decisions.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
8:30 – 8:50 am
The Beauty of Ugliness: Exploring Suicide Awareness in Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto
Dr. Jackie Yong
Music Department, College of the Arts
Sergei Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto, premiered in 1913, sparked chaos and controversy. Dedicated to Maximilian Schmidth of, a close friend who died by suicide that year, this dissonant and emotionally charged work reflects grief and the turbulence of its time. Beyond entertainment, it captures the “beauty of ugliness” and offers a lens to explore mental health and loss through music.
This research examines the intersection between music analysis and advocacy. The presentation begins with analysis on the cadenza of the first movement, a dramatic solo passage, examining its ambiguous form and tonality through Jan LaRue’s analytical framework. Supported by J. Peter Burkholder’s theories of musical meaning and historical context, I propose three interpretations of the cadenza’s structure, each reshaping its role in the concerto. Additionally, thematic transformations in the work are linked to the psychological stages of suicide, revealing a narrative of struggle and renewal.
Prokofiev’s concerto transcends its era, serving as a powerful artistic response to personal and societal challenges and as a profound call for mental health awareness through the transformative power of music.
8:50 – 9:10 am
Unearthing Trauma and Lived Experiences Through the Body: An Interdisciplinary Choreographic Journey
Professor Ericka Squire
Dance Department, College of the Arts
This presentation explores how dance serves as a powerful interdisciplinary medium to unearth trauma, lived experiences, and resilience through the body. Drawing from my choreographic process on my dance company, Ericka Squire//The Dance Company, I examine how gesture, movement, and ‘Body Speak’ become tools for storytelling, allowing dancers and myself to connect deeply with personal and collective narratives. The discussion will center on my new work on ES//DC, inspired by the exhibition Strike Fast, DanceLightly: Artists on Boxing at the Norton Museum of Art, which is billed as the largest and most in-depth exhibition on artistic representations of boxing and the sport’s wider impact on global culture. Specifically, it draws inspiration from Demetri Broxton’s 2023 artwork, How You Gon’ Win When You Ain’t Right Within, which references a lyric from Lauryn Hill’s album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. This piece integrates cultural history, somatic studies, and visual art, delving into themes of identity, struggle, and self-alignment. By connecting Lauryn Hill’s lyric with the symbolism of cowrie shells and the physicality of boxing, the choreography invites dancers and audiences alike to navigate their own stories through movement, exploring universal themes of human experience. This presentation highlights the intersections of artistic practice, psychology, and cultural history, offering insights into how movement can transcend words to reveal universal human stories.
Break (9:10 – 9:15 am)
9:15 – 9:35 am
Biblical Literacy for Digital Natives: How to Teach the Bible to Undergraduates For All Its Worth
Dr. Wanjiru M. Gitau
School of Ministry
How do you make the bible come alive in a gen-ed class? The generation now coming of age, majority of who are joining college as freshmen, has been variously labeled Gen Z, IGeneration or the Digital natives generation. The preferred ways of learning, expectations and capacities, as well as the aspirations that Gen Z differs significantly from previous generations, which means that the pedagogical techniques that worked well with previous cohorts tend to fall flat with the current crop of students. On the other hand, the bible is a complex book, a library of books that does not lend itself to easy studying. Not only is it shaped by a culture and world that is quite far removed from contemporary experience, but the biblical story also competes with a wide range of internet generated resources competing for a mindshare among the emergent generations. Granted, there is no lack of scholarly resources explaining, translating, and interpreting the world of the bible, the biblical text, and devotional practices of believing students. And yet, a lot of students display only a thin veneer of knowledge of the biblical metanarrative. How do we help students engage the thickness, depth, and fullness of biblical story as one unified story that leads to Jesus within the college classroom?
My presentation emerges out of my experience teaching Exploring the Bible here at Palm Beach Atlantic University, therefore it is a work in progress. Quite apart from knowing, and loving scripture, I have found that there are a series of skills that are necessary to teach an ETB successfully. The very first skill is teaching the students how to learn at the college level. In my experience, many students come to the classroom without the basic skills of learning like how to take meaningful notes, how to ask questions, how to participate in discussion, create analogies, build correlations, mental models and such. These skills are as essential in a science class as they are in a bible class. Secondly, teaching the students how to master the big picture of a subject, bible or otherwise before starting out on the study of individual section or segments is essential to staying engaged throughout the semester. Third, creating a collaborative classroom environment takes intentional classroom design from the get-go, and teaching skills of how to hack group work makes classroom engagement a breeze. Thereafter, finding the right balance between the story arch, essential details, case studies, and other interesting material accounts for limitations of time and other constraints. In this matrix, shifting the focus of tests from memorization and recall to formational discovery removes anxiety from exams and extends grace to the different capacities that students bring to the learning experience. While my method may not be the only way to get students to embrace the bible story, this paper is proposed in the spirit of Gordon Fee and Douglass Stuart’s How to Read the Bible for All its Worth (1981, with many reproductions), only this time, my focus is on how to teach the bible to undergrads for all its worth.
9:35 – 9:55 am
Direct Registration as a Catalyst for Financial Stability: Lessons from GameStop Corp.
Dr. Daniel Lawson & Christopher Mueller
Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. School of Business
This paper examines the recent trend of household investors directly registering their shares of GameStop Corp. and its positive implications for the company’s financial position. Through a review of SEC filings and an analysis of GameStop’s stockholder list, we determine that over 194,000 household investors have directly registered approximately 25% of the company’s outstanding shares. Our findings illustrate how GameStop leveraged this trend to reduce its debt, execute a stock split in the form of a dividend, and raise over $4.7 billion through multiple equity issuances, despite limited advancements in its core business model. We propose that GameStop’s success is closely linked to the direct registration movement, which has fostered investor confidence through collective ownership and self-custody—an unprecedented occurrence in U.S. financial markets. Finally, we discuss the potential for other companies to replicate this phenomenon under specific conditions.
9:55 – 10:15 am
Improving Donor Engagement and Retention in Healthcare Philanthropy
Dr. Beth Janser
Department of Ethics and Organizational Behavior, Catherine T. MacArthur School
The United States is the world’s most charitable nation. Due to many factors, however, the landscape of American philanthropy is changing. Older donors are slowly transferring their wealth to younger generations as the U.S. population concomitantly continues to become more racially and ethnically diverse. Evaluating the relationships between age, race, and ethnicity in charitable giving may help nonprofit organizations better understand the motivations of their donors, leading to improved organizational efficiencies and effectiveness in fundraising appeals of all types. This quality improvement project sought to understand how the foundation of a Florida Children’s Hospital can enhance its Annual Giving program and sustain its long-term viability. Two theoretical frameworks helped shape the study: charitable giving theory and Burnett’s (1993) theory on relationship fundraising. By collecting the perspectives of foundation donors through surveys and interviews, this sequential explanatory mixed methods study aimed to understand the factors influencing donor motivation. Research findings showed donors have a wide range of motivations for their giving and exhibit distinct communication and solicitation preferences by generation.
10:15 – 10:35 am
Strategic Growth and Financial Resilience: Analyzing HEICO Corporation’s Investment Potential
Frida Alsterhem1,G, Leandro Santoro2,U, Agustin Iusem2,U , Fabio Podmelle1,G, & Tin Vastic2,U
Dr. Ariel Viale (faculty sponsor)
1Master of Business Administration. 2Pre-Finance
Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
HEICO Corporation, a leading aerospace, defense, and electronics company, has demonstrated consistent financial growth through strategic acquisitions, innovation, and strong market positioning. This research evaluates HEICO’s investment potential using financial modeling techniques, including a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis and various sensitivity analyses. Our findings indicate that HEICO is a strong investment candidate, with an optimal debt level of approximately 10%, aligning with its historical financial trends and post-pandemic recovery strategy. Despite lower R&D expenditures compared to industry competitors, HEICO has maintained a competitive advantage through acquisitions and cost-efficient product offerings. Additionally, sensitivity analysis further supports HEICO’s financial stability, revealing a high probability of returns exceeding its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 11.86%. This study provides valuable insights for investors, highlighting HEICO’s growth trajectory, risk factors, and potential for sustained profitability in the aerospace and defense industry.
11:00 am – 12:05 pm
Academic Research Experiences and Opportunities at Palm Beach Atlantic – The Student Perspective
Joseph Harold is a sophomore majoring in Biology: Concentration in Marine Biology with a minor in Chemistry
Gabriela Alves is a junior majoring in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry with a minor in English and is a member of the Fredrick M. Supper Honors program.
Rebecca Nacy is a senior majoring in Biology: Concentration in Zoology with a minor in Psychology and is a member of the Fredrick M. Supper Honors program
Hannah Hutchins graduated with an undergraduate major in Behavioral Neuroscience and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Health Science: Concentration in Biomedical Science.
12:05 – 1:00 pm
1:00 – 1:20 pm
Sing Me Some Melodious Sonnet: Weighing the Value of Mass-Produced Worship Music
Summer KazimU
Music Department, College of the Arts
Groups like Bethel Music, Elevation, and Hillsong have taken over the Christian music industry in recent years, causing smaller artists to go unnoticed, and limiting the modern church-going Christians’s view of worship music, and worship as a whole. This presentation poses the thesis that this type of mass-produced worship music might actually be harmful to the church, and the questionable theology behind it could be detrimental to the purpose of worship. The groups behind the production of this music have theological ideals that tread the line between differences of opinion and heresy and must be examined with a critical eye.
1:20 – 1:40 pm
The Practical Turn in Trinitarian Theology: Considering Thomistic Ressourcement for Divine and Human Action
Professor Elvir Ciceklic
School of Ministry
There are many “turns” of perspectives that have had a profound impact on trinitarian theology—the turn to the subject, the historical turn, the cultural turn—and now there has been a practical turn that grounds trinitarian theology in the lived experience of the church and wider society. Practical theology broadly conceived is a way of doing Christian theology from the core perspective of embodied religious beliefs in the lives of individuals and communities. This paper reviews diverse works of trinitarian theology that engage in the constellation of concerns that overlap with practical theology to uncover a participatory paradigm for understanding human action in light of Divine action. The critique of this participatory paradigm is that it is epistemologically grounded, leaving the question of ontology unexplored. The result is a participation that causes a competitive metaphysics between human and Divine agency. A ressourcement of Thomistic trinitarian theology is offered here to develop a more robust ontological account of participation that can better account for the practical turn in trinitarian theology.
1:40 – 2:00 pm
Christian Participation in Resistance and Theology in Twentieth Century Palestine
Lesley FlahardyU
History Department, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
(faculty sponsor, Dr. Gary Poe)
This paper speaks on the Palestinian Christian participation in Palestinian Liberation Organizations and resistance during the second half of the twentieth century. The goal of the paper is to highlight the Christian minority in Palestine and their work in establishing a liberation theology that allowed Christianity to continue to exist regardless of circumstances. This paper is what I presented at the Phi Alpha Theta Biennial Convention in Washington DC this January.
Break (2:00 – 2:05 pm)
2:05 – 2:25 pm
In vitro Analysis of Interactions Between Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa During Biofilm Formation
Cameron DobrotkaG,a & Dr. Fabio Aguiar-Alves
aLaboratory Technician
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy
Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are classified as ESKAPE pathogens that present a significant challenge to treatment due to their increased resistance to a considerable number of antimicrobial agents. Biofilms further exacerbate treatment challenges as they provide enhanced antimicrobial and environmental protection. Mixed-species biofilms further complicate treatment options through numerous complex interspecies interactions, leading to potentially negative clinical outcomes. This study assesses the interaction between Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa during biofilm formation using traditional biofilm formation assays, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Confocal microscopy. We identified a competitive relationship between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, wherein both pathogens exhibited a reduction in biofilm formation during mixed-species biofilms in comparison to monocultures. Furthermore, we found the cell-free conditioned media (CFCM) of P. aeruginosa significantly reduce S. aureus biofilms. Using fractioned CFCM, we identified that anti-staphylococcal activity of > 10 kDa fraction was almost identical to non-fractioned CFCM. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the interactions between these pathogens, suggesting there is an antagonistic relationship between S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.
2:25 – 2:45 pm
Evaluation of the Effects of Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Combinations on Infections Caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an Experimental Rodent Mode
Dr. Fabio Aguiar Alves1, Cameron DobrotkaG,a, Gabriela Alves2,U, Isabel Gaya1,G, Adrian Almeida1,G, & Megan Novins1,G
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy
2Department of Chemistry, Forensic Sciences, Oceanography & Physics, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences. aLaboratory Technician
Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are opportunistic pathogens frequently isolated in the hospital environments. They can be associated with infections in these environments. The empirical and indiscriminate use of antimicrobials, without consideration of resistance patterns, has led the emergence of new resistant clones, making the treatment of these infections, which are usually fatal, a major challenge for researchers. Thus, combining an antimicrobial peptide with potential to disrupt membranes of the microorganisms with other molecules, seems to be a promising strategy to fight hospital infections. A total of twenty-two peptides were subjected to MICs and MBCs against the standard strains S. aureus ATCC 25923 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and the clinical strains S. aureus USA300 and P. aeruginosa CBAC 337. A total of 18 out of 22 AMPs showed inhibitory activity against the strains evaluated. The AMPs HHX-2-28 and AJP-1-102 were shown to significantly inhibit USA300 biofilm formation. AMP HHX-2-28 significantly reduced the Colony Forming Units (CFUs) of the biofilm and consequently, the biofilm visualized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The selected AMPs showed low cytotoxicity in the cell cultures evaluated, in addition, the identified AMPs do not have a hemolytic effect. An in vivo prophylaxis trial was conducted with three groups: (1) a group treated 30 minutes before infection with AMP HHX-2-28 against USA300, (2) a group treated with vancomycin against USA300, and (3) a control group treated with sterile saline solution. All animals in all groups exhibited clinical signs of infection and inflammation. However, HHX-2-28 increased survival compared to both the saline and vancomycin-treated groups, achieving 100% survival when the dose was increased fourfold (4×). Therefore, AMP HHX-2-28 is a strong candidate for future trials aimed at assessing its efficacy and safety in treating bacterial infections.
2:45 – 3:05 pm
Effect of Probiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis Antibiotic Resistance to Ampicillin, Penicillin, Chloramphenicol, Streptomycin, and Tetracycline
Crystal LopesU & Dr. Brittany Stinson
Department of Biology, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The human gastro-intestinal tract and cutaneous microbiomes are diverse and correlated to various illnesses and diseases. Escherichia coli is a gram-negative bacteria found in the GI-tract and Staphylococcus epidermidis is a gram-positive bacteria found on the skin. The overuse of antibiotics has led to increased formation of multi drug-resistant organisms (MDROs); therefore, studies have characterized the effectiveness of probiotics as an alternative treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated the anti-proliferative effect of probiotics against colon and melanoma cancer (Salemi et al. 2023). This study observed the effect of L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus on E. coli and S. epidermidis antibiotic resistance. Zones of inhibition were measured to assess changes in susceptibility to penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and tetracycline. In the presence of the probiotic, tetracycline demonstrated the highest increase of susceptibility in E. coli by 2.3 mm (p < 0.05), whereas streptomycin demonstrated the lowest decrease of susceptibility in S. epidermidis by 1.3 mm (p < 0.05). Future studies should consider probiotic mechanisms to increase microbial susceptibility to antibiotics or newly developed treatments.
3:05 – 3:25 pm
Evaluating the Biofilm-Inhibiting Effect of Two Pyrazole-Tetrazole Derivatives
Gabriela Alves1,U, Dr. Fabio Aguiar Alves2, & Cameron Dobrotka G,a
1Department of Chemistry, Forensic Sciences, Oceanography & Physics, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences. 2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy. aLaboratory Technician.
The synthetic compounds JVS-02 and JVS-05 are pyrazole-tetrazole derivatives shown to have antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, inhibiting especially its biofilm formation process. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of these compounds against biofilm in clinically significant bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. In the event of proving its effectiveness against biofilm, it will be possible to evaluate these compounds’ potential for combination therapy with commercially available antibiotics, such as vancomycin.
3:25 – 3:45 pm
Research On Diabetes and the Different Factors Affecting the Puerto Rican Vs. Floridian Population
Gretchen VazquezG
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy
Introduction
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. This disease can affect anyone regardless of age, race, or sex.
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to investigate type 2 diabetes among residents of Puerto Rico and Florida, to determine the ages at which this disease is most prevalent, and to identify the eating and physical activity habits that influence the high incidence of diabetes in both populations.
Method
Participants were asked to complete a 14-question survey through a link provided to obtain data. One of the requirements to complete the survey was that participants had to be over 18 years old and have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Results
Among both populations, the age group with the highest percentage of responses was 61 years or older. However, in the information obtained from people living in Puerto Rico, 28% of the responses were from individuals aged 46-55 years.
These results are preliminary, and the information will be updated as the research progresses.
3:45 – 4:05 pm
The Racial and Ethnic Biases in Dermatology – Keloids
Brya CampbellU
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Law, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
My research exposes racial and ethnic bias in dermatology, specifically in keloid treatment, and calls for action by medical professionals. Keloids, an overgrowth of collagen in scar tissue, disproportionately affect darker-skinned patients. Due to bias and lack of representation in medical research, these patients are likely to be misdiagnosed, have fewer treatment options available, and be refused insurance coverage because keloids are unjustifiably characterized as a cosmetic rather than a medical condition. To promote equitable healthcare, the medical community must adopt bias training, diversify clinical trials, expand insurance coverage of proven treatments, and create standardized treatment routines encompassing all skin types. This study will delve into Implicit Bias Theory, which examines unconscious bias in medical decision-making, and Medicalization Theory, which determines the reasons for considering conditions such as keloids as cosmetic problems. In addition, I will conduct an analysis of case studies, although this field remains limited. By spreading awareness about the stigma, pain, and suboptimal care that keloid patients receive, my goal is to bring about systemic change and encourage better medical policy.
Poster Presentations
A Multi-Site Case Study of Christian School Leaders and Teachers Who Provide a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment for Students from Low SES Backgrounds and/or With Learning Differences
Dr. Amanda Champion
Education, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
The purpose of this multi-site case study was to examine the intentional practices of Christian school leaders and teachers who strive to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students from low-socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds and/or with learning differences. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory. It connects the beliefs of self- efficacy held by school leaders and teachers to their values and philosophies, and their capability to include and welcome students from low SES backgrounds and/or with learning differences. This study investigated how school leaders and teachers welcome and include students from low SES backgrounds and/or with learning differences, as well as how teachers are prepared to meet the diverse learning needs of every student. Purposeful sampling was used to secure the school leadership and teachers from three Christian schools in different geographical regions of the United States. Multiple forms of data were collected from each site that included individual interviews, document analysis, observation, and focus groups. The data from this investigation were analyzed using Stake’s case study worksheets and steps for case study methodology: coding, organizing data into themes, and examining the relationships of the data obtained. The results of this study indicated that school leaders and teachers welcome and include students from low SES backgrounds and/or with learning differences because of their personal beliefs, by intentional practices done with consistency, by being highly relational, through the equipping of teachers, and by providing support to students, teachers, and parents. Keywords: Christian school, inclusive, welcoming environment, low SES, learning differences, school leaders, teachers, social cognitive theory, self-efficacy, biblical mandate.
A Spiritual Snapshot of Generation Z
Dr. Gregory J. Rummo
Department of Chemistry, Forensic Science, Oceanography & Physics, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The majority of students on college campuses currently are members of Generation Z (Gen Z). They are adults, born between 1997 and 2021, and the most stressed cohort to ever embark on their journey through higher education. They are reporting “the highest stress levels of any generation in the country,” [1] according to The American Psychological Association’s (APA) Stress in America 2020 report, as well as the highest suicide rate. This is the field, white unto harvest (John 4:35), into which God has called professors at Christ-first institutions of higher education for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early March, 2020, and sent all high school and college students home into virtual learning environments for the following eighteen months, exacerbated levels of stress, leaving some with feelings of hopelessness and depression. One recent study reported one in five Gen Zers have had thoughts of suicide. [2] I conducted a three-semester survey aimed at understanding the spiritual temperature of my Gen Z cohorts. The results of that survey are featured in this presentation.
[1] American Psychological Association (2020). “Stress in America™ 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis,” https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/sia-mental-health-crisis.pdf.
[2] The University of Queensland of Australia, “One in five adolescents have suicidal thoughts or anxiety,” June 22, 2020, “Data collected from more than 275,000 adolescents aged between 12-17 years across 82 low-, middle- and high-income countries found 14 per cent of adolescents had suicidal thoughts and 9 per cent had anxiety over a 12-month period. The overall pooled prevalence was approximately one in five.”
College Major Selection and Retention: Influence of Perceived Social Support and Personal Goals
Emma MuschettU & Dr. Angie McDonald
Department of Psychology, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The influence of social factors on major selection and retention among college students was investigated in the current study. Participants (N = 104, Mage = 20.29) completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Support (α =.87), along with additional social influences’ items. Several findings to be addressed include the following: MSPSS scores were negatively correlated with one’s most important aspect of his or her career (r = -.193, p = .049), age was negatively correlated with salary potential (r = -.215, p = 0.28) and with the most important aspect of career (r = -.252, p = 0.10), and salary potential was positively correlated with the most important aspect of career (r = .555, p < .001). These identified relationships, along with others, provide important insight regarding social factors and their effect on major selection and major retention.
Development of a pH-Responsive Nanocarrier to Deliver Phenelzine for Prostate Cancer Treatment
Karelys M. Díaz Dávila1,G, Rodney E. Valdivia, John Fetse, Angelo Altenor2,G, Tovau A. St Ignac, Alexandra O. Esposito, & Dr. Nii Lante Lamptey2
1Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy. 2Larkin University
3Memsel Biotechnology Research.
Prostate cancer’s overexpression of MAO-A drives tumor growth and resistance, making phenelzine, a MAOI, a promising treatment. However, systemic administration can cause CNS side effects, highlighting the need for targeted delivery to cancer cells. A pH responsive
drug delivery platform was developed involving a hydrazone bond to ensure the delivery of phenelzine. Synthesis of polyethylene glycol-hydrazone-phenelzine (PEG-HZ-PHE) was performed by reacting PEG2000-aldehyde and phenelzine. Then, characterization of PEG-HZ-PHE was performed using LC/MS and incorporated in a lipid nanocarrier system which was characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The pH-dependent release of phenelzine and stability from the formulation was evaluated by dialysis at different pH ranges (pH 5.4, 6.4 and 7.4) at different time intervals, while cytocompatibility of the formulation was examined
in fresh human red blood cells. The pH-responsive nanocarriers exhibited stable particle size at pH 7.4 but became unstable at pH 5.4 and 6.4, forming aggregates. Phenelzine release was highest at pH 5.4 (74.70 ± 0.56%) and lowest at pH 7.4 (11.30 ± 0.14%). No significant hemolysis was observed compared to controls.
Ethically Balancing Benefits and Challenges of Digital Tracking and AI in the Workplace
Dallas WattersonG
Catherine T. MacArthur School
Digital tracking technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed the way business is conducted in the workplace. The rapidly growing dependence on AI is also raising ethical concerns pertaining to privacy violations, employee autonomy, AI biases, and the potential for misuse. The lack of effective regulation with AI could contribute to erosion of trust between employer and employee and inequalities in processes such as hiring, promotion, and evaluation. The research will articulate ethical debates regarding organizational concerns that contradict employee protection, incorporating AI-based decisions and AI-substituting occupations generally undertaken by humans. The basis of the research will be five core ethical guiding principles: beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice, and explicability. These principles will provide a basis upon which the review of different ethical frameworks and their applicability in a variety of workplaces will be premised. A key exploration in this research is based on whether having one universal ethical framework for all organizations or whether the diversity of AI and digital tracking requires different frameworks according to industrial demands.
Evaluating the Impact of a Dose-Rounding Protocol on Waste Reduction and Cost Savings of Inpatient Rituximab Administration at a Community Medical Center
Dr. Chip Wight, Daylin Naranjo PerezG & Rebecca GrigoryevG
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy
Rituximab, a high-cost monoclonal antibody used for hematologic malignancies, generates significant drug waste due to single-use vial sizes. Current data suggests rounding rituximab to the nearest vial size, within ±10% of the calculated dose, is safe and effective. This study evaluates the impact of a rituximab dose-rounding protocol on waste reduction and cost savings at Good Samaritan Medical Center (GSMC). A retrospective chart review was conducted on inpatient rituximab administrations at GSMC from July 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025. Data from three months before and after implementing the dose-rounding protocol on October 1, 2024, were compared. Waste and cost savings were analyzed based on discarded drug volumes and wholesale acquisition costs. Pre implementation, 37.5% of doses were rounded, leading to 575 mg ($4,946.15) in drug waste. Post-implementation, 60% of doses were rounded, reducing waste to 260 mg ($2,709.63). Overall, waste was reduced by 315 mg ($2,709.63). Implementing a rituximab dose rounding protocol reduced drug waste and costs, supporting broader application of similar inpatient stewardship strategies for high-cost biologics.
Factors of Digital Marketing Affecting the Behaviors of Adults in the Age 18 – 40 Toward Ecotourism – The Case of Vietnam
Thi Thu Hoai NguyenG
Master of Business Administration Program, Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
In recent years, ecotourism has been widely recognized as a holistic alternative that effectively integrates economic development, community well-being and environmental conservation. Besides, digital marketing plays a crucial role in promoting ecotourism, especially among young and middle-aged adults. This study aims to identify key digital marketing factors that influence ecotourism engagement among adults aged 18-40 in Vietnam. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the theoretical framework, the research examines the impact of digital marketing on tourists’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control in shaping their ecotourism behaviors. The study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data collected from a survey of 315 tourists in Vietnam. The findings reveal significant relationships between digital marketing strategies and tourists’ behavioral intentions towards ecotourism. Based on the results, this research proposes actionable recommendations for authorities and tourism companies in Vietnam to develop effective digital marketing strategies aligned with tourist behavior. The study contributes to the literature on ecotourism marketing and offers practical insights for sustainable tourism development in Vietnam.
Haunted by Nightmares: Factors Associated with Nightmare Frequency and Experiences
Dr. David M. Compton
Department of Psychology – Behavioral Neuroscience Program, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Previous research has reported relationships between nightmares, including nightmare frequency and variables such as gender, cognition, sleep habits and quality, and beliefs about dreams and their meaning. Using a convenience sample of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at a small Evangelical Christian university, a number of potential factors were examined for their respective influence on aspects of dream frequency and content and the typical emotional tone of dreams. Specifically, the primary goal of the present research was to examine the personality characteristics and academic background of participants on the frequency of nightmares among a cohort of college students of different academic ranks, undergraduate and graduate, and the impact of majoring in an area of science versus nonscience majors. In addition, the potential role of stress and anxiety on nightmare frequency was explored. Finally, but central to the goals of the present research, various measures of sleep quality, beliefs about the experience of dreaming, the meaning ascribed to personal dreams, and the MADRE Interactions and Uses of Dreams subscale were considered as drivers impacting the frequency, severity, and distress individuals experience when confronted with nightmares. The results, their implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Higher Power, Lower Risk? Exploring Attachment to God and Substance Use
Bridget AvenaU
Department of Psychology – Behavioral Neuroscience Program, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Religious faith and substance use are both coping strategies individuals may adopt in response to anxiety and distress. Research has shown a comorbidity between anxiety disorders and substance use, with individuals often turning to substances to manage anxiety (Back & Brady, 2008). Reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism has been linked to a lack of adaptive coping skills (Merrill & Thomas, 2012), while religious faith can serve as a protective factor against mental distress (Bryan et al., 2016). However, the relationship between religiosity and substance use remains complex, influenced by factors such as religious denomination, personal faith commitment, and cultural context (Wallace & Forman, 1998). This study examined whether an individual’s Attachment to God was related to their level of substance use and abuse. Sixty-seven participants, primarily female (83.6%), completed an online survey assessing Attachment to God and substance use. Measures included the Substances and Choices Scale (Christie et al., 2007) and the Attachment to God Inventory (Beck & McDonald, 2004). Results indicated a significant positive correlation (r = .27, p = .05) between Attachment to God Avoidance and substance use, suggesting that individuals with a more distant relationship to God reported higher substance use. Findings support the hypothesis that avoidant attachment to God is associated with increased substance use. Implications, limitations, and future research directions will be discussed.
Increasing Levels of Normobaric Hypoxia Alters Heart Rate Variability During Moderate Exercise
Sarah CampbellU & Dr. Matthew Mitchell
Department of Health & Human Performance, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
Normobaric hypoxia occurs when the fraction of inspired oxygen decreases while the barometric pressure remains constant, this is most commonly used to simulate exposure to high altitudes. Reduced autonomic cardiac modulation occurs at high altitudes, likely causing alterations in heart rate variability (HRV). This study examined whether HRV was altered at 4 simulated altitudes (2000ft, 4000ft, 6000ft, and 8000ft). Eight female subjects (weight: 61.6 ±6.46kg, Height: 165.25 ±6.17 cm) engaged in an exercise session at 40-60% of their individual maximum oxygen carrying capacity (VO2max). The session consisted of four separate, five minute cycling trials performed at randomly assigned, simulated altitudes (2,000, 4,000, 6,000, and 8,000 feet above sea level). HRV in the time domain, was significantly different between 2000 ft (0.025 ±0.008ms) and 6000 ft (0.015 ±0.007ms) (p < 0.01) and between 2000 ft and 8000 ft (0.013 ±0.09ms) (p < 0.01). Sympathetic-vagal balance was significantly different (p < 0.01) between 2000 ft (0.510 ±0.180) and 6000 ft (0.601 ±0.248) (p < 0.01) and 8000 ft (0.746 ±0.084) These findings indicate higher sympathetic activity vagal tone occurs under normobaric hypoxic conditions.
Project Dance Paris
Professor Jin Hanley, Lydia CrossU, Elizabeth KarpovU, Kylie StrongU, Elizabeth OgdenU, & Professor Stella Almblade
Dance Department, College of the Arts
In the summer of 2024, six dance students and two dance faculty served at the forefront of the leadership team of Project Dance Paris during the Summer Olympics season in the city. Our goal was to discover how dance can be utilized for community engagement, arts advocacy, and transformational and redemptive experiences within the context of the culture of another nation. While experiencing and engaging in our research, we lived out PBA’s mission of growing in wisdom, leading with conviction, and serving God boldly. This was accomplished with the platform that Project Dance provided while working with Project Dance leaders and participants. Throughout the three-day event, we strengthened the community through the open-air concert free to the public in the streets of Paris. This event and others provided a form of arts advocacy through performance and training opportunities for diverse audiences and participating dancers of all levels and dance backgrounds. Team members partook in transformational and redemptive experiences, as is evident from their personal accounts and journal entries. We found that the public of Paris also had transformative and redemptive experiences by their testimonials. Through Project Dance, PBA dancers fostered community engagement, arts advocacy, and transformational and redemptive experiences in the city of Paris.
Structural Studies of RNA Spliced Leader Sequences of the Red Tide Dinoflagellate Karenia brevis
Dr. Jackie Esquiaqui1, Danielle Garzon2,G, Morgan Harbour2,U, & Dr. Tina Batoh1,3
1Department of Chemistry, Forensic Science, Oceanography & Physics, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
2Department of Biology, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
2Sustainability Manager, City of Boca Ration (formerly with the PBA Department of Biology)
Florida Red Tide is a harmful algal bloom of the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. This alga produces a neurotoxin known as brevetoxin. The mRNA precursors of enzymes involved in brevetoxin synthesis undergo a maturation mechanism called spliced leader (SL) trans-splicing, which splices a 5ʹ exon (the SL) from a small noncoding RNA (snRNA) to the 5ʹ end of pre-mRNA sequences of different genes. Details of this mechanism, particularly how SL RNA structure and dynamics impact transcription and splicing, are limited but could provide important insight to understanding the critical steps within the K. brevis life-cycle and toxin production at the
molecular level. Synthetic RNAs for the wild-type spliced-leader have been successfully tested using electrophoretic mobility shift assays to probe for the impact of various environmental factors including salinity and pH on SL RNA structures. Both mutant and wildtype studies have been performed which will allow for rigorous testing of molecular and cellular mechanisms of brevetoxin production under various environmental conditions.
The Acute Effects of Static and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching on Collegiate Softball Throwing Velocity
Dr. Matthew J. Mitchell & Sar’Aiyah MurphyU
Department of Health & Human Performance, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
This study examined the effect of acute static stretching (SS) v proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on shoulder muscle motor unit activation and throwing velocity in softball pitchers. All subjects engaged in 2 separate sessions of SS and PNF protocols before 5 maximal throws from 60 ft distance with 15 seconds of rest between throws. Motor unit activation was assessed using standard surface electromyography (EMG) of the teres major and anterior deltoid muscles. Mean ball velocity was significantly greater (p+0.49) following PNF v. SS (54.58 ±2.67mph v. 52.31 ±5.16mph). EMG (%MVC) was significantly increased (P<0.05) in the teres
major group in (3.82 ±2.31 v. 2.94 ±2.16), though unchanged in the anterior deltoid muscles. Compared to other studies, the findings a potential benefit of PNF for acute improvements in throwing performance.
The Effects of an Elevated Work Surface on Consistent Upright Posture and Postural Adjustments
Emma WentzelU, Dr. Matthew Mitchell, & Dr. Brian Ferguson
Department of Health & Human Performance, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
Chronically poor posture has become a more prevalent concern among younger populations alongside the general rise of technology use. The current study sought to determine what effect elevated desk height may have on posture. Participants (n = 10; all female) participated in a randomized crossover study that consisted of two testing periods of 30 minutes each. Motion capture (MoCap) markers were placed along the spine at C5, T6, L3, and S1 and used to track motion during 30-minute sessions sitting at desks with altered height. Video was analyzed using Kinovea software, and relevant outcomes were vertical and horizontal displacement, total distance travelled, and significant postural adjustments—defined as acceleration of > 0.05 m/s2. There were no significant differences observed between conditions in vertical displacement or in horizontal displacement. Postural adjustment data was inconclusive due to an excessive number of outliers. While results did not support the initial hypothesis as it is likely that desk height alone is not enough to create meaningful improvements in posture.
The Effects of Percussive Therapy Vs Myofascial Therapy on Restoring Muscle Function in Trained Individuals
Jelsy CroesU, Isabella DaSilvaU, Dr. Matthew J. Mitchell, & Dr. Brian Ferguson
Department of Health & Human Performance, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
Purpose
There is some evidence that percussive therapy (PT) and myofascial release therapy (MFR) may attenuate muscle function recovery in trained individuals.
Methods
Participants (n = 12, aged 18-23 y/o) completed an exhaustive treadmill running protocol in order to induce muscle fatigue. MFR was utilized on the left leg, and PT was implemented on the right leg—each for five minutes. Tensiomyography (TMG) was used to measure contraction time (Tc), delay time (Td), and maximal displacement (Dm) in both the rectus femoris and the gastrocnemius at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 24 hours after treatment. A two-way within-subjects ANOVA was used to analyze the effect of each treatment.
Results
There was no effect of PT or MFR on muscle recovery. There was a main effect of time, which is likely just indicating general muscle recovery and is unrelated to treatment.
Conclusion
While findings were not significant, the study was hindered sample size, and if there was an effect of treatment, the effect size would have needed to be large to detect at this sample.
The Effect of Range of Motion Change on Peak Performance Parameters During a Counter-Movement Jump
Dr. Matthew Mitchell & Alexander SilvaU
Department of Health & Human Performance, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
The Countermovement Jump (CMJ) is a common movement performed to assess maximum power and other performance variables. This study examined whether stretching-induced changes in lower body joint range of motion (ROM) altered CMJ performance variables. Fifteen subjects (age: 21.67 ± 2.87 yr, height 174.21 ± 6.75 cm, weight: 75.16 ± 11.9 kg) participated in 2 testing sessions. For session 1 (TRT), subjects performed stretching and dynamic warm up protocol prior to CMJ testing. For session 2 (CON), subjects only performed a dynamic warm-up. During the CMJ, knee flexion was significantly higher (p = 0.005) in the TRT v CON group (81.64
±11.96° v. 73.54 ± 10.2°) Hip flexion and ankle flexion were also significantly different (p < 0.05) in the TRT v CON groups. Do differences in Jump height (cm), Maximum Concentric Power (kW) and Takeoff speed (m/s) were found between groups. The data suggest that although a stretching protocol alters kinematic variables during CMJ testing, there is not impact on performance variables measured.
The Efficacy of Ultrasound Echo Intensity in Predicting Muscle Function and Performance
Dr. Matthew J. Mitchell, Angelina BaaderU, Lena HortonU, & Katherine LopezU
Department of Health & Human Performance, School of Education & Behavioral Studies
Echo intensity (EI) is the mean pixel intensity of an ultrasound image, based on a gray-scale analysis with 0 (black) and 255 (white) pixels. Low EI of skeletal muscle is indicative of healthy muscle tissue, while higher values are often associated with various disease states and/or muscle degeneration. Our laboratory has examined the efficacy of EI in predicting aerobic and anaerobic performance, muscle strength, muscle contractile speed and other performance- related variables. This presentation will summarize our findings in this area and look at possible future directions of research using ultrasound assessment of skeletal muscle quality.
Perceptions of Entrepreneurship and Franchising in Italy, Paris and Czech Republic
Sophia GormleyU, Taylor SchantzU, & Leila PantzerU
Marshall E. Rinker Sr. School of Business
In an increasingly interconnected global economy, entrepreneurship and franchising play pivotal roles in driving innovation, economic growth, and job creation. However, the perceptions and attitudes towards these concepts vary significantly across different cultural contexts, influenced by socio-cultural values, historical experiences, and institutional frameworks. Understanding these cross-cultural differences is crucial for policymakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs seeking to navigate diverse markets and foster entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide.