MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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MacEwanCYU: Exploring STEM Outreach Opportunities within Community Engaged Research
No full textSTEM outreach refers to the efforts to promote and encourage engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among students, especially those who are underrepresented in these fields. STEM outreach aims to inspire and motivate young people to pursue careers in STEM fields and to promote the importance of STEM education.
The MacEwanCYU (Children’s and Youth University) project is a pilot program that aims to partner STEM outreach opportunities with community engaged research. Many STEM outreach programs that bring science programs into classrooms of students in the K-12 system, however these programs do not address the barriers that students may face when accessing post-secondary education. Through this project we aim to examine barriers that students face when pursuing post-secondary education.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kaitlyn Towle-Straub 
OER: Providing Students with an Interactive, Engaging Learning Experience
No full textOpen Education Resources (OER) are educational materials that are freely available for use, reuse, and adaptation. They have been shown to improve educational outcomes and reduce disparities (Feldman-Maggor et al., 2016), and can also be used to support teachers in creating effective and engaging learning experiences for their students (Harvey et al., 2022). H5P, a HTML5 package program, was used to digitize key concepts covered in introductory chemistry. By digitizing chemistry materials, educators can provide students with more dynamic and interactive learning experiences, increasing student engagement and understanding of complex chemistry concepts (Feldman-Maggor et al., 2016). Additionally, OER study tools have been developed to help students further their study without the financial burden of purchasing closed-source resources. These interactive modules, created in this project, provide students with study materials that can be accessed remotely, with laptops, cellphones, or tablets. 36 individual modules/tools have been created, including interactive presentations, memory-matching quizzes, question sets, informative hotspot images, etc. These interactive modules provide students with an engaging study process and accompanying each study tool is a question-answer based module, directing students to the areas that require more study. With the increasing costs of closed-source learning materials, the creation and variety of open educational resources continues to become increasingly valuable. The digitization of introductory chemistry courses also aims to exemplify the ease at which these materials can be created, used, and shared among educators and students looking for sustainable learning materials to help further their education or practice.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kaitlyn Towle-Straub 
Redefining detection limits of the baker-Nunn telescope
No full textThe goal of my project is to define the detection limits of the RAO.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Stefan Cartledge 
Oil spill detection using a handheld fluorometer: Chemistry Practicum with CanmetENERGY
No full textA handheld fluorometer is an analytical device that uses a single-wavelength light source that excites a sample, which causes the sample to release a fluorescent signal with a certain wavelength. This type of equipment can be used in the field and has been applied to environmental research. It is cost-effective compared to other types of fluorometers. Specifically for this research, the fluorometer was used as part of the oil spill assessment by quantifying the oil concentration in water via the fluorescence of the aromatic compounds in the oil. This research project is part of my internship at CanmetENERGY as a laboratory assistant from January to April 2023. CanmetENERGY performs research and development focused on reducing the environmental impacts of natural resource extraction. The main objective for my internship was to optimize the sample preparation method for fluorescence measurements of pure PAH standard, VLSFO, and diesel. I will present my internship work involving testing factors such as shaking time, solvent: seawater ratio, and the type of solvent on the extraction efficiency of dissolved oil from water. We will determine the best extraction method based on our calculated percent recovery (85-115%(100+/-15%)). During my time at the internship, I refined my analytical skills by preparing standard solutions and calibrating the fluorometer by finding the concentration range with linear regression. I will also highlight, the professional skills learned in my internship.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Samuel Mugo 
Do Cognitive Load and Processing Mode Influence Stereotypical Thinking About Consent?
No full textJudgements can be based on effortful deliberation, or they can be generated quickly and automatically. Whether we are “thinking fast” or “thinking slow” can influence decision-making and the outcome of our judgements. For example, how much of each thinking we recruit when judging others can influence how stereotypical those judgments are (Monteith, Woodcock, & Gulker, 2013). Recognizing and avoiding stereotypical and erroneous beliefs about sex, gender, roles, and responsibilities is an important part of building a culture of consent. This research examines whether more stereotypical responses to stories of consent failures occur when people respond automatically, analytically, or distractedly. Participants read a vignette depicting a sexual encounter, including contextual information to support stereotypical thinking. Presentation of the vignette was either degraded in quality or along with a dual task, compared to the control condition, in order to encourage more thinking slow or reduced monitoring respectively and thereby produce more stereotypical responding. Presentation of the research will discuss whether and where these expectations were supported. Understanding when stereotypical thinking is more likely can help reduce and correct potential errors in sexual consent judgments.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aimee Skye 
Masked Reactions: Public Reactions to a Masking Update by the Premier of Alberta
No full textThis qualitative study was conducted to explore attitudes and reactions towards a tweet released by Danielle Smith on October 29th, 2022. The data was collected by creating a sample of the 100 most recent comments on the post. From there, the comments were coded to identify common themes and messages. Two sides emerged; those in support of Smith and those opposed. For those in support, four main subcategories emerged. For those opposed, six categories were developed. This study demonstrated that individuals were generally displeased with this announcement and the mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic by Alberta’s UCP government.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Diane Symbaluk 
naspasinahikew
No full textThe project took place on December 2nd, 2022 at the university’s Kihew Waciston center, where myself and six of my INTA 210 classmates organized a guided art session. I plan to present on all of our behalfs. The session was intended to move away from the common occurrence that is trauma-based programming, and instead replace that framework with an event that celebrated Indigenous joy and creativity instead.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Heather Fitzsimmons-Frey 
Smart Camps: The Digital Revolution’s Dark Creation
No full textWithin the history of penal systems, China represents a special case that initially adopted western penal models in the early 20th century but subsequently diverged onto a separate and unique path. Upon Mao Zedong’s victory in 1949 over the ruling Nationalist government, the focus on a western prison reform model shifted to one based on ideological purity and correct political thought, resulting in re-education camps known under the blanket term “laogai.” This change in penal practice occurred during the embryonic stages of the digital revolution, where humanity discovered ever more powerful methods of computation and data processing. The fixation on punishing incorrect thought led the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to adopt data collection and observation methodologies that could be easily digitized, allowing for exponential growth in oppressive systems. This comingling of laogai camp practices with computing power harnessed by the digital revolution has resulted in a new system of penal camps that is a stark break from traditional models. Using the PRC as a historical case study, this paper will explore the history of re-education camps, contextualizing the evolution towards the modern “smart camp” that is unique within the history of penology
Album Cover |Typography 2
No full textThe design concept for this album cover is centred around a life fully lived. Lush, rich, vibrant, and full of rhythm and movement. As a legacy album for Jim Walker, he is represented prominently on the cover. He is illustrated with a line drawing - which pares down to the essence what is being conveyed; flow and grace, running through the coloured shapes and background.
The colour and shapes represent the big band, a metaphor for the people and experiences that make up a full life. The colour and shapes are saturated and everywhere on the album, as are people and experiences in our lives.
Orange evokes energy, happiness and positivity. Blue is associated with freedom and imagination. It is also known for insight and realization. In contrasting these complementary colors, a synergy is created that mimics the synergy of putting together the sounds of big band and the flute.
The title font is BD Colonius, a sans serif type, that is round, elegant and full. It is warm and inviting in is curved forms, but solid and structured, much like a flute.
To have a dream is to aspire and strive. To live fully and brightly knowing there is a future in which the dream can come true. Pipe dreams in this instance, references the flute and all the dreams that have come from the sound and music it has made, not just for Jim, but for all who have been the colour and the shape in his life.
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pacher 
Designing User Experience in Crossover Zones; Where ETS intersects with the world; A Case Study
No full textThe work that we conducted in DESN 445 primarily looked at Non-Places following a data collection phase in which we identified key issues in the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) when it came to ridership amongst youth (12-24). Non-Places can be described generally as those in which people remain anonymous and in which people would not want to dwell, lacking any significance, utility, or anthropological connections. We explored solutions in these crossover zones to make the riders feel more connected with their environment based on the research gathered in the class. We ultimately concluded on constructing a case study that identified key points that could be translated to other areas of the city where ETS is present.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Isabelle Sperano