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Representations of Queer Cowboys in History, Literature, and Film
No full textOlivia Black ’25, History major
Faculty mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, History and Classics
My research focuses on how certain traits such as queerness in historical cowboys were erased from American popular culture yet found in journals of real cowboys and influential Western literature. This erasure contributed to an inaccurate view of American cowboys in order for the media about cowboys to be successful
The Significance of Symmetry: Exploring T-numbers and their Role in Virus Survival and Behavior
No full textJenna Franco ’25, Biology major
Taylor Ligozio ’25, Biology major
Faculty mentor: Dr. Su Jeong Kang, Mathematics and Computer Science
We studied the symmetry of different structures in common viruses and their T-numbers. We related these T-numbers with characteristics of the virus. Next we researched how the T-number of each virus was optimal for its survival and reproduction in its environment. We can use this information to infer or predict the behavior of viruses in the future based on their T-numbers
The Failure of Poland’s Intermarium Policy in the Interwar Period
No full textAfter the collapse of Europe’s continental empires following World War I, a number of national movements established states in Central/Eastern Europe amid the ensuing power vacuum. Amongst these new states was the 2nd Polish Republic, sitting between a defeated Germany and a Russia embroiled in civil war. Recognizing that this situation would not last, Polish federalist thinkers, including Józef Klemens Piłsudski and Józef Beck, opted to create a political alignment of Central/Eastern European states to more effectively resist the traditional German and Russian dominance of the region following the collapse of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century. In modern academic circles, this policy became known as Intermarium, literally meaning ‘between the seas’. This study will use a historical institutionalist framework and causal process tracing to understand how the rise of nationalism, internal and regional political divisions, and the lack of outside support doomed the policy’s outcome. These institutional forces meant that Central/Eastern European states were unsuccessful in adopting a unified political position during a critical period of weakness in Germany and Russia. Following the recovery of Germany and the consolidation of the Soviet Union, the policy became less and less viable, particularly since Western support to the region declined in favor of adopting an appeasement approach toward Germany. The increasing power disparity between Central/Eastern States and the two surrounding powers led many of its components to adopt a policy of non-provocation eventually contributing to the region’s collapse during World War II
Systemic Review: Deep Pressure Stimulation Effect
No full textThe objective of this project was to examine the relationship between deep pressure intervention and occupational performance with children. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) guideline was used to conduct this systematic review. Articles published between 2014 to 2024, and participants ≥28 weeks to 18 years old were included. This population received a deep pressure stimulation intervention while occupational performance was an outcome measure in this review. Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria and research objective; eight Level 1 Randomized Control Trials, three Level III, and one Level III multiple baseline study. Findings demonstrated moderate evidence for massage, low evidence for compression clothing and weighted items. These studies impact the performance of occupations such as sleep, rest participation, and feeding for infants, as well as activities of daily living (ADLs), play, health management, social participation, and education for children in various settings. In conclusion, the use of massage, compression clothing, and weighted items as an intervention to improve occupational performance in individuals for preterm infants ≥28 weeks to 18 years old yielded insufficient findings. Further research is necessary. Deep pressure stimulation as an intervention should be considered with caution due to lack of research
Field-Based Device to Test Possible Concussions
No full textTraumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are injuries to the brain caused by an outside force from car accidents, falls, and strikes to the head. TBI’s make up 30% of injury related deaths in the US. The market for screening TBI’s was deemed profitable, thus research and development (R&D) was done to create a field-based device. This device targets the demographic of patients with less access to important TBI care, like DIII and high school athletes. It also targets the demographic of people injured in motor vehicle accidents. This inexpensive field-based device is designed to tell a first responder or athletic trainer, “more likely than not,” if the person injured has a concussion. The TBI screening prototype does this by testing the patients’ reaction time. This paddle-shaped device has an array of touch sensing buttons that light up in a specific pattern. The patient will follow that pattern, touching the buttons as fast as possible, and the device records the total time it took to finish. By comparing this time against the time from the same test that the patient took prior to the injury, or by comparing it to a national average, it can be seen “more likely than not” if someone has a concussion. This testing method is inspired by the MAT project which was created and is currently being improved by other students in the research class. This device is inspired by online, computer-based concussion tests such as ImPACT
Restrictive Masculinity and Depression
No full textRestrictive masculinity contains rigid traditional norms that reinforce emotional suppression, dominance, and self-reliance, contributing to poor mental health outcomes. The goal of this study was to determine if belief in restrictive masculinity norms was associated with depressive symptoms in young adults. A survey of n=1008 young adults (18-25 years old) living in Rhode Island was completed. Restrictive masculinity was measured using a 12-item questionnaire, and depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item CES-D10. Logistic regression models, stratified by sexual/gender status, were used to estimate the main effects, after adjusting for age, race, ethnicity, and relative social status. Overall, 45.4% of participants screened positive for depression. The stratified logistic regression models suggest that higher restrictive masculinity scores are associated with greater odds of screening positive for depression (OR[95%CI]=1.05 [1.01,1.10]), but only among cis-gendered heterosexual males. Secondarily, higher relative social status was protective against screening positive for depression but only among cis-gender heterosexual females (OR[95%CI]=0.81 [0.70,0.93]) and participants identifying as a sexual or gender minority (OR[95%CI]=0.74 [0.66,0.83]). Expanding access to mental health screening and targeted education is essential and integrating these into community settings can improve mental health outcomes and societal acceptance of diverse masculinities
Fungal Recycling
No full textFungal recycling is a developing technique that turns garbage into food. To do this, the presenters created a new method of growing fungi of all different types (e.g. white oyster, lion\u27s mane, etc.) and inoculating them into bags. These bags are sterile and contain a few key ingredients: coco coir, grain pellets, and shredded cardboard boxes. These boxes are taken from anywhere, mostly from lab equipment. Using the coco coir and grain pellets as a starter , the fungi used the cardboard as a growing medium, literally growing food from trash. The technique is currently being refined. This project could bring about a massive change in how waste is dealt with, and contribute towards solving food inequality. The hope is to refine and perfect the idea, as well as build off of it for other environmentally impactful fungi projects (ex. optimizing how fungi clean up oil spills) in the future