The Office of Student Research will host its fourth annual student research exhibition on Tuesday, April 22 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

The event will showcase findings from 11 funded projects completed at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) during the 2013-14 academic year. The free event will be held in the Student Commons in the Columbus Learning Center. The public is invited to attend.

According to Dr. Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick, director of the Office of Student Research (OSR), 14 undergraduate students and several faculty mentors representing a cross-section of disciplines completed the work.

“The exhibition is something our campus community is proud of because these students produce scholarly work addressing important issues and questions that have impact on us all. The projects are quite diverse in their approaches and explore topics like politics, law enforcement, psychology, plant and insect biology, tourism, mathematics education, chemistry, and women’s studies,” she explained.

Descriptions of the funded projects, along with the names of the student researchers, their majors, hometowns, and faculty mentors follow.

1. THE BIODIVERSITY OF MAYFLIES (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) IN MINNESOTA
   This study aims to catalog and identify the mayflies in the State of Minnesota, make observations regarding their habitat and range, and possibly produce a rare species or two. The state is abundant in aquatic fauna, yet many native species are poorly studied, the mayfly being one of them. The changing habits of mayflies may be equated with global climate change, human habitation interference, and ultimately, the question will arise of how the distribution of an organism low on the food chain may pose wide ranging implications for future human activities. The student researchers presented their project at the annual meeting of the Indiana Academy of Science on March 15.
   Student researchers:
   —  Ceara Burnett | Biology major (Butlerville)
   —  Andrew Usher | Biology major with a chemistry minor (New Whiteland)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Luke Jacobus | Assistant professor of biology

2. CREATIVITY & MOOD DISORDERS: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFICACY OF CREATING THINKING IN REDUCING ANXIETY
   This study is designed to confirm the results of previous studies showing a relationship between mood disorders and high creative thinking scores. It is also designed to measure the effects of creative thinking on anxiety.
   Student researcher:
   —  Lloyd Dobbins | English and psychology double majors  (Columbus)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Mark Jaime | Assistant professor of psychology
    
3. LOCAL SPORTS TOURISM PROGRAMS: A METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATING ECONOMIC IMPACT USING EXISTING EMPIRICAL STUDIES
   Research studies have consistently shown that sporting events can generate a positive economic impact to the host community. Typically, their economic impact is estimated event-by-event, using extensive surveys of each sporting event, but this is not always practical or even feasible for small communities. This project developed a model for economic impact estimation of an annual sports program not requiring event-specific surveys.   
   Student researcher:
   —  Kayla Marie Freeman | Business major with concentrations in finance and accounting and minor in mathematics  (Westport)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Ryan Brewer | Assistant professor of finance
    
4. IMPACT ON STUDENT SELF-EFFICACY IN MATHEMATICS USING LEGO MINDSTORM ROBOTS
   To determine whether using technology with student-centered inquiry enhances the development of conceptual learning among middle school students and whether such inquiry has a measurable impact on the student’s self-efficacy in mathematics. Using the principles of Universal Design for Learning as my framework, the project will incorporate LEGO Mindstorm Robots in student-centered inquiry into EV3 design engineering projects to meaningfully merge science instruction with deliberate support for content-specific mathematics acquisition. The student researcher presented this project in January at the annual meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Educators in San Antonio.
   Student researcher:
   —  Davida Harden | Elementary education major with concentration in middle school mathematics (Columbus)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Kate Baird | Assistant professor of science education
    
5. POLYMER COMPOSITES BASED ON CHITEN FROM UNDERUTILIZED SOURCES
   Chitin is an extremely abundant natural polymer found in insect shells, crustaceans, and fungi cell walls. Even though it is used commercially in a wide range of applications, most chitin is obtained from just a few sources (mostly fungi and shrimp). This project investigated other sources of chitin besides shrimp and fungi. Extracted chitin was used to make composites with other, more common, plastics. The student researcher presented the project in March at the American Chemical Society convention in Dallas.
   Student researcher:
   —  Heather Jean Johnson | Elementary education major (Elizabethtown)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. James Mendez | Assistant professor of chemistry
    
6. FEMINIST INTERPRETATIONS OF THE WORKS OF SYLVIA PLATH AND LISA SEE
   The researchers will analyze literature written by women and critique them using feminist theories, demonstrating the importance of studying women in minority groups, and why it is important to write about the female body to expand knowledge on these two subjects to better understand our society. The two student researchers presented their findings at the Indiana University Women’s & Gender Studies Conference in South Bend in April.
   Student researchers:
   —  Makayla Knight | Secondary education major (Hope)
   —  Lindsay Montgomery | Secondary education major (Shelbyville)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick | Associate professor of English
    
7. POLICE OFFICERS’ STRESS: THE FEELING OF NOT FEELING
   Police officers’ stress is extremely powerful. It is intense and never stops. As a result, this project predicts that as the daily stressors of the calls and pressure of the different situations increase, emotional numbness, and burnout will increase as well. 
   Student researcher:
   —  Adriana Marciano | Psychology major (Columbus)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Joan Poulsen | Associate professor of psychology
    
8. COMMUNICATION OF INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE
   Conflict can lead to negative consequences for the employees and the organization: research suggests conflict can decrease employee motivational levels, or an individual’s willingness to work at tasks. Some research has also illustrated that conflict can cause individuals to engage in dissent with the organization. This research study sought to understand the potential effects of interpersonal conflict on employee motivation and perceptions of organizational dissent. The student researchers presented their work during an oral presentation at the Butler University Undergraduate Research Conference in Indianapolis and as a poster presentation at the Central States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference in Minneapolis in April.
   Student researchers:
   — Emma Metz | Communication studies major with sociology minor (Edinburgh)
   — Courtney Seiwert | Communication studies major with sociology minor (Columbus)
   Faculty mentor:
   — Dr. Anna Carmon | Assistant professor of communication studies

9. BEYOND THE SOUTHERN STRATEGY? AN ANALYSIS OF RAND PAUL’S SPEECH AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY
   This project argues that U. S. Senator Rand Paul’s speech at Howard University in April 2013, given in order to repair the Republican Party’s tattered relationship with minority voters, ultimately fell short by perpetuating a “race-blind” vision of the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing white agency in the movement while deemphasizing inequalities inherent in United States history. It also explores the implications of Paul’s speech for the future of the Republican Party. The student researcher presented his work at the Central States Communication Association’s Undergraduate Honors Conference in Minneapolis this month.
   Student researcher:
   —  James O’Mara | Communication studies major (Seymour)
   Faculty mentor:
   —  Dr. Ryan Neville-Shepard | Assistant professor of communication studies
    
10. PREY ATTRACTION TO THE CARNIVOROUS PLANT GENLISEA
    The purpose of this research is to understand if Genlisea prefers one kind of prey organism, such as Paramecium and Daphnia, over another. It includes observation on how organisms interact with the Genlisea traps: whether the plant traps its prey passively (the organism walks into the traps) or actively (captures or sucks-in its prey).  
    Student researcher:
    —  Kirk Rumple | Biology major with a psychology minor (Seymour)
    Faculty mentor:
    —  Dr. Barbara Hass Jacobus | Lecturer in biology
     
11. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HAND HYGIENE TECHNIQUES IN
    SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN
    Currently, three different forms of hand washing exist in the general public: hand washing with regular (non-antibacterial) soap, hand washing with antibacterial soap, and the use of hand sanitizer. However, little is known about which method is more effective for the average time an individual washes his or her hands. Finding and implementing the most effective practice could decrease the prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections in children, while also decreasing student and adult absenteeism, company loss (due to employee absenteeism), and hospital costs (due to hospital-acquired infections). The researcher will present her findings in Indianapolis during the Indiana University School of Nursing’s annual Nursing Research Day in December.
    Student researcher:
    —  Crista Turmail | Nursing major with a psychology minor (Seymour)
    Faculty mentor:
    —  Bethany Murray | Clinical assistant professor of nursing

The Columbus Learning Center is located at 4555 Central Avenue near Columbus Municipal Airport. Parking is free.