19354 research outputs found
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Save our Languages: Cultural Tourism to the Rescue
No full textFlorentina Berns , HTR318: Cultural TourismFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Kathleen O\u27Brien, Hospitality and Tourism
Language defines culture, strengthens the bonds of people between speakers, and provides history and value that shape the identity of places. It is also important to note that language is the centerpiece of a cultural tourist\u27s experience in a foreign country. The diversity of languages still in use to today and those trying to be preserved are irreplaceable. UNESCO states that every two weeks a language becomes extinct. Why? There are over seven thousand languages but only twenty-three account for more than half the world\u27s population. English surpassed Mandarin Chinese with Hindi, Spanish and French. Why are languages disappearing and why does it matter? This qualitative research study examines reasons for language extinction on a global scale and seeks to understand implications for cultural travel experiences. Linguists work tirelessly with communities who are trying to salvage their language. These linguists, after conferences, workshops and language immersion classes, travel far and wide to distant places to teach across the globe or publish their findings. I will prove that language shapes the identity of a destination and adds value to travelers\u27 experiences. It is my goal with this research to make a case that diversity of languages can be preserved with initiatives undertaken by the global tourism industry. I believe in my heart that cultural identity is worth saving.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-commhum/1007/thumbnail.jp
Water Crisis in South Africa: The Influence on Tourism
No full textAmanda Szymanski, HTR318: Cultural TourismFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Kathleen O\u27Brien, Hospitality and Tourism
The availability of clean water in South Africa has been an ongoing issue, originating before the post-apartheid era. The clean water shortage has greatly affected the country\u27s prosperity, its citizens\u27 health, and its tourism sector. Tourists in South Africa need to remain very aware and cautious of their water usage, and they typically experience the burden of the water crisis through their lodging accommodations and their trip activities. The shortage has obligated South Africa to take on numerous water conservation and recycling methods that tourists are asked to respect and follow, such as taking less than two-minute showers and catching shower water with a bucket, so water can then be used to flush toilets when needed. The lack of water has also made sanitation and hygiene difficult to achieve, therefore, the country has had limited resources in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. The country does not have enough water for its citizens to frequently wash their hands, therefore contributing to the increase in Covid-19 cases. The CDC has warned tourists to not travel to South Africa due to its high Covid-19 case levels. I use a collection of peer-reviewed journal articles to obtain my information. My in-depth research explores the water crisis that South Africa faces, the impact that this issue has on tourism in the country, and the courses of action that tourists and the tourism industry can take to conserve water while in South Africa.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-busfashhosp/1009/thumbnail.jp
Is the Cocktail Party Effect the Same Over the Short and Long Term?
No full textSimmy Kaur Sandhu, Umme Salma Amir, Sarp Gonenc Samanci, Caitlin Carol McMahon, PSY435: Human MemoryFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Stephani M. Foraker, Psychology
The cocktail party effect is when our selective attention automatically alerts us to particular external stimuli that we were not trying to pay attention to before. This can cause a distraction, making it harder to remember the original thing we were attending to. Our current study focused on the cocktail party effect for short-term and long-term memory. The hypothesis is that the cocktail party effect will have a greater influence on information retention on long-term memory than short-term memory. The study consists of two groups, one measuring short-term memory and the other long-term memory. Participants will be randomly assigned. Participants in the short-term memory group will be given a demographic questionnaire at the beginning of the study. They will then be given a reading comprehension passage while simultaneously listening to audio in the background. Lastly, they will proceed to immediately fill out questions regarding the passage they just read. Participants in the long-term memory group will first read the same passage as the other group while simultaneously listening to audio in the background. Next, they will complete the demographic questionnaire as well as two other critical thinking questions unrelated to the passage. Lastly, they will answer the questions about the passage they read. We will then compare participants\u27 recall accuracy for the questions about the passage, which should be lower for the long-term memory group because of the intervening material. Data collection is currently in progress and full results will be reported in the presentation.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-psychsocsci/1026/thumbnail.jp
Death Over a Century: Changes in Mortality Among Buffalonian Women (1917-2017)
No full textAmelia Liuzzi, ANT418: Seminar in Biological AnthropologyFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Julie Wiezczkowski, Anthropology
The last one hundred years have seen an unbelievable number of changes for women in Buffalo, including changes in mortality. A century ago, the leading causes of death were predominantly related to infectious diseases, like pneumonia or tuberculosis. Contemporary Buffalonians are more likely to die from “man-made” mortalities, related to behavior, environment, or successfully surviving to old age. This study compares data collected from one hundred female individuals in Forest Lawn\u27s 1917 death registers with data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation\u27s 2017 Global Burden of Disease records, looking for evidence of these trends. This study found that of the five leading causes of death, only cardiovascular disease, neoplasms, and respiratory infections remained in the top five between 1917 and 2017. Of those, only cardiovascular disease maintained its position, accounting for 34% of deaths in 1917 and 33% in 2017, the leading cause of death both years. Respiratory infections, although they managed to remain one of the leading causes of death, have decreased a dramatic 17%” the most change in any category. On the other hand, chronic respiratory disease, which is often related to smoking, doesn\u27t even appear in the 1917 data, but has rocketed into being one of the leading causes of death by 2017. This talk will discuss the changing mortality trends of the last century, as well as the causal factors behind these changes.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-psychsocsci/1009/thumbnail.jp
Kochajmy Sie Wszyscy (Let\u27s All Love Each Other)
No full textMarcel Kosmider, FTT451: Senior Project in Fashion and Textile TechnologyFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Ali Eagen, Fashion and Textile Technology
I am taking the opportunity to use my senior project for RUNWAY, under the theme of History Retailored, to place a spotlight on the social injustice that has affected millions of people worldwide for generations. We can no longer sit around and watch our friends/family be put down, shoved aside, and be the outcasts of our society. We must be the change that we want to see in the world and retailor our future history to a more positive and accepting one. Love comes in all forms and it is unjust for the majority to determine the ways of life for LGBTQ+ minority groups worldwide. We must be thankful to many minorities, who were the first of many who fought along the front line to bring about that change we have today. My collection is inspired by Nicole Zizi Studio and their mission focused on eco-consciousness, sustainability, and innovation in gender-free premium streetwear and accessories. We are all individuals who need to be nurtured and cared for not only by ourselves, but by the world around us. I utilize “Resourceful,” a WGSN S/S22 trend in executing the “Kochajmy SiÄ™ Wszyscy” (Let\u27s All Love Each Other) collection. I focus on the sub-themes of natural fibers and imperfect dye to enhance the collection, while stressing the importance of eco-conscious and sustainable practices in fashion. This collection is intended to send a message about the promotion of acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community by my executing a gender-neutral collection.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-busfashhosp/1007/thumbnail.jp
Hand Gestures Sensor
No full textSom Dhital, Jose Rodriguez, Prem Kafley, Dylan Woodling, ENT466: Electrical Design IIFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Ilya Grinberg, Engineering Technology, Professor Ken Pokigo, Engineering Technology, Professor Darold Wobschall, Engineering Technology
This project utilizes two ultrasonic sensors: HCSR04 and an Arduino UNO microcontroller. The two ultrasonic sensors are connected to the Arduino UNO, and from there to the computer. A computer code is sent to the Arduino to interface with the sensors. These sensors detect a gesture by a person\u27s hand and have a reaction on the computer. Such reactions may include adjusting volume controls, or changing slides on Microsoft PowerPoint. Our research may potentially be developed to limit the amount of person-to-surface contact and reduce the spread of viruses. Another purpose for this project may benefit the elderly, or persons with disabilities, who may experience difficulty adjusting volume controls, scrolling on a web browser, or playing/pausing a video. The ultrasonic sensors can only sense distances, therefore, a method has been developed to detect the different gestures in addition to distance to the object.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-compeng/1001/thumbnail.jp
Associations Between Parental Attachment and Academic Achievement and Motivation
No full textAshley Mendola, PSY499: Independent StudyFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Pamela Schuetze, Psychology
Literature credits Mary Ainsworth and John Bowlby as the creators and principal researchers of attachment theory. While their research mainly focused on infant and child attachment, e.g. Ainsworth\u27s Strange Situation Procedure, the premise that the lack of a loving environment impedes development is seemingly relevant in other age groups. The transition to college and early adulthood serves as a unique Strange Situation in itself, and the manner in which individuals rely on their parent(s) during this stressful time can give insight into their personal parent-child dynamics. The attachment of college-age students to their parent(s) provides a foundation for the student to begin to settle into adulthood and create their own identity. The focus of this study is to determine whether or not an association exists between a college student\u27s parental attachment and their motivation and achievement in academics. Psychology students completed an online questionnaire which gathered basic demographic information and asked questions examining participants\u27 parental relationships, academic achievement, and motivation for school. The parental attachment dimension was measured through the use of the Parental Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ), and the academic motivation dimension was examined with the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS-C 28). Academic achievement was measured by grade point average. Regression analyses will be used to test our hypothesis that, after controlling for relevant demographic covariates, those who are securely attached to their parents will show higher levels of both motivation and achievement in their studies.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-psychsocsci/1014/thumbnail.jp
Giacomo Puccini: Writing Until the Last Breath
No full textMatthew Bouchard, MUS303: Music History 2Faculty Mentor(s): Professor Carolyn Guzski, Music
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) spent the final five years of his life composing his final opera, Turandot (1926). Before tragically dying of a heart attack due to complications from his throat cancer, Puccini completed nearly the entire opera “up until the final scene. He left behind 23 pages of notes on his bedside table in a Brussels hospital, where he had been working up to the final moments of his life. What survived him was a gorgeous and exceptionally extensive “fragment” produced by an artist at the peak of his creative and intellectual form. The opera is based on the eighteenth-century play Turandot (1762) by Count Carlo Gozzi. No opera of the Italian tradition that preceded Puccini\u27s Turandot attempted to forge such a strong integration of music and drama. Additional influences that helped create this masterpiece came from the East, most notably Asia. The story is set in China, and many Asian musical motifs are used throughout. Puccini takes full advantage of the pentatonic melodies foundational to traditional Asian music. I focus on the famous aria found in the third act: Nessun Dorma, and how it has become so popular due to the stirring melody and beautiful harmonies that Puccini wrote. My analysis reveals why Puccini\u27s final unfinished project was ahead of its time and stands apart from works by other composers of his era.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-arts/1013/thumbnail.jp
Harlem Renaissance Man: Towards a Comprehensive Biography of Actor-Singer Frank H. Wilson
No full textTracy Clark, MusicFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Carolyn Guzski, Music
Among the important artists of the Harlem Renaissance is the noted Broadway actor and singer Frank H. Wilson (1886-1956), renowned for creating the title role in Dorothy and DuBose Heyward\u27s Porgy (1927), the phenomenally successful Broadway play that served as the basis for George Gershwin\u27s classic opera Porgy and Bess. From humble beginnings in New York\u27s Tenderloin district, Wilson began his acting career on the vaudeville circuit and was included among a small cohort of African American talent selected to receive dramatic training at the esteemed American Academy of Dramatic Art while he concurrently worked with Harlem\u27s pioneering Lafayette Players as both actor and playwright. Wilson\u27s subsequent Provincetown Playhouse appearances link him with the young Eugene O\u27Neill and his interracial drama All God\u27s Chillun Got Wings (1924), in which he later played the lead on the London stage. Wilson was also the first performer of color credited in a Metropolitan Opera program (Skyscrapers, 1926), but it was his unexpected breakout performance in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play In Abraham\u27s Bosom (1926) that led to the starring role in Porgy. Wilson also acted in numerous films, and his career extended into the broadcasting era with numerous appearances on early radio and television. Although he has been overshadowed by celebrities like Charles Gilpin and Paul Robeson, his significant achievements won him a place in the African American National Biography. My project addresses several historical lacunae, including Wilson\u27s early personal experiences, details of his foundational training, and the development of a professional acting career on Broadway and in Hollywood. The project aimed to complete a more comprehensive study of Wilson\u27s life than is presently available in historical studies, using a combination of archival documents, genealogical research, and secondary texts.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-arts/1001/thumbnail.jp
The Role of Community and Race in Understanding Safe Sex Behavior among Sexual Minority Individuals
No full textTaylor Romanyk-O\u27Brien, PsychologyFaculty Mentor(s): Professor Kimberly Kamper-DeMarco, Psychology
Understanding risk factors associated with risky sexual behavior among sexual minority individuals is crucial to promote safe behavior (Walker et al., 2015, Rosario et al., 2001). Research has demonstrated that individuals from this population may be more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior when they are less comfortable with their sexual identity. Little research focuses on race and safe sex practices among sexual minorities. One study found that Black individuals, as well as those who have Black partners, engage in safer sex as opposed to those identifying as White or have White sexual partners (Clerkin, Newcomb, & Mustanski, 2011). The goal of the current study was to better understand these correlates of safe sex behavior. A total of 136 participants who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual were recruited at local colleges and through social media. Participants completed several questionnaires online, including the Safer Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ, DiIorio et al., 1992), Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHS, LaPollo et al., 2014), and Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC, Proescholdbell et al., 2006). Regression analyses examinee how community and race were associated with safe sex behavior. Gender, age, sexual identity, and the age at which individuals came out to others were included as covariates. A sense of community was positively associated with safe sexual behavior. In addition, identifying as Black/African American or Multiracial, compared to White/Caucasian were both positively associated with safer sex. Importantly, this study demonstrates the importance of community and race in safe sex behavior among sexual minority individuals.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp21-psychsocsci/1007/thumbnail.jp