Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium

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April 16-17, 2020

The Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium/Posters of Research in Science and Mathematics (LASS/PRISM) is an annual event that brings together Oglethorpe University students and faculty in a day-long celebration of exemplary scholarly work produced by Oglethorpe students under faculty mentorship. The symposium’s sessions provide a forum for students and faculty to present, discuss, and learn from outstanding student endeavors. Papers, oral and poster presentations, art exhibitions, and scholarly musical presentations present the fruits of both Oglethorpe’s liberal arts curriculum as well as science, technology, and math research.

The 2020 LASS/PRISM event was conducted virtually. The schedule was as follows:

Thursday

Posters: Thursday, April 16, 4-6 p.m.

View recorded session

Posters and Presenters

The Importance of Centrality in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Network When Talking About the Coronavirus
Presented by: Maya Babbs, Gil Ramos and Justin Thompson

Using NodeXL to Explore the Conversations Around the Astros’ Sign-stealing Scandal
Presented by: Kendal Kosek

Social Media Reactions to the Coronavirus with NodeXL Analytics
Presented by: David Swillum, Katie Hunter and Elizabeth Gomes

Understanding Greta’s Climate Movements via Twitter
Presented by: Veronica Mitchell, Omar Toubassy and Desirae Golden

The interaction activity, in terms of replies and mentions, for Wendy’s consumers in relation to the keywords “Roast” and “Savage” on Twitter
Presented by: Doris Gonzalez and Valencia Barnes

Machine Learning and Credit Card Fraud Detection
Presented by: Rebecca Bryant and Zoe Nelson

Does Manipulating Signature Location Really Increase Honesty?
Presented by: Mikayla Ries and Emily Schultz

View recorded session

Posters and Presenters

A cylinder, an Air-foil, and a Homemade Wind Tunnel
Presented by: Kristoff Dixon and Dee Kelly

Brown Energy – Power Production from Wastewater
Presented by: Stephen Haddox and Nathan Williams

Optimizing Thrust in Air Pressure Rockets
Presented by: Hannah Datillo and Stephen Meyers

Creating Color Difference Plots for Star Clusters
Presented by: Braden Draucek

Water Wave Energy
Presented by: Leondra Freeman, Taj Lowe, Gywneth Wilson and Tuli Mwarumba

Range and Drag Coefficient of a 28-inch Carbon Fiber Arrow
Presented by: Gus Smith, Justin Rickerson, Mishnea Pop and Yueh-Ju Hsieh

Speed of Sound Through Solids and Liquids at Different Temperatures
Presented by: Vivian Manso, Deauntee’ McDuffie and Elijah Foglio

A Physics-inspired Model for Disease Propagation
Presented by: Jose Trinidad

Measuring the Aerodynamic Drag of Sports
Presented by: Yueh-Ju Hsieh, Gus Smith and Mishnea Pop

Structure Dynamics of HIV ESS2p and its Effect on Molecular Recognition
Presented by: NaShea Kendrick

Posters and Presenters

Exploring LIN-52 as a synergistic collaborator with maternally deposited epigenetic modifying proteins, SPR-5 and MET-2, to cause a developmental delay in C. elegans
Presented by: Kendall Kosek, Esteban Martinez and Reina Munoz

Epigenetic/DRM Complex Collaboration of Spr-5, Met-2 and Lin-52 in Somatic-Germline Cellular Determination within Caenorhabditis Elegans
Presented by: Keon Henderson, Shania Fernandes, Gavin Jordan and Anjali Maggan

The DREAM complex gene, lin 37, synergizes with the chromatin-modifying proteins SPR-5 and MET-2 to promote appropriate germline-soma distinctions in C. elegans
Presented by: Ariana Jiminez, Alex Prots and John Lieng

The DREAM complex component, Lin-9, synergizes with the chromatin-modifying enzyme, spr-5, in deterring misexpression of germline genes in the soma of C. elegans
Presented by: Glenda English, Yazmin Salazar and Raquel Ramirez

Blockage of lin 37, a component of the dream complex, and a chromatin modifier like spr 5 or met 2 causes germline expression in somatic cells in C.elegans.
Presented by: Padma Niharika Putrevu, Elena Gierok and Ta’Korya Green

The DREAM complex component, lin-35, synergizes with chromatin-modifying genes, spr-5 and met-2, during germline-soma distinction in C. elegans
Presented by: Abri-Elle Sivertsen, Jaime Croft and Alexis Walker

Can educational signs help dolphins sleep?
Presented by: Alex Prots

Defects in LIN-9 and chromatin-modifiers, SPR-5 and MET-2, causes a developmental delay in C. elegans
Presented by: Monique Ellis,  Idara Johnson, Karishma Patel and Liam Ryan

Using RNAi Knockdown to Explore Synergies Between spr-5, met-2, andlin-35 in Regulating and Reinforcing Germinline-Soma Decisions in C. elegans
Presented by: Courtney Stuart, William Springer and Eilleen Falkenberry

 

Music: Thursday, April 16, 6-7 p.m.

 

A study of Haydn’s Piano Sonata in Eb major (E-flat), Hob. XVI: 49
Presented by: Elizabeth Kontyko
View performance

Lakmé “Flower Duet”: An Archetype of Romanticism
Presented by: Samantha Foster and Sarah Davidson
View performance

Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Opus 23, No.5
Presented by: Jovan Brockett
View performance

Friday

*In addition to the LASS/PRISM virtual sessions, the Hammack School of Business hosted student internship presentations on Friday, April 17 at 1 p.m. View the recorded presentations.

Oral Presentations, Session 1: Friday, April 17, 2:30-3:45 p.m.

 

It Was an Extraordinary Summer: Youth, Memory, and Homosexual Desire in Mrs. Dalloway and The Goldfinch
Presented by: Lexi Covalsen
Advisor: Dr. Sarah Terry

“Feels bad man”: Internet Memes as Alt-Right Discourse
Presented by: Ansley Dyer
Advisor: Dr. Katharine Zakos

Modern-Day Relics of Quaker Ideals: How Solitary Confinement Practices Continue to Negatively Impact the American Prison System
Presented by: Emily Shultz
Advisor: Dr. Robert Hornback

Perception of Child Abuse by Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Marital Status
Presented by: Erin Raquel Battaglia
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Bays

View recorded session

The Use of Public Relations in Civil Rights Advocacy and Social Movements
Presented by: Katie Hunter and Sarah Taphom

Ancient Egyptian Agriculture, Power, and Parasites
Presented by: Christopher Leghorn

Happily Never After: An Exploration of Gendered Socialization Through Princess Culture
Presented by: Elle Summers

Watch on Zoom

Do Hot Temperatures affect Home Blood Pressure Measurement
Presented by: Jalisa Kassam

Localization of FAP93 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Presented by: Ariana Jimenez

Mechanistic Study of Nickel (II) Bipyridine Dichloride: Synthesis and Characterization
Presented by: Taylor Turner

 

Oral Presentations, Session 2: Friday, April 17, 3:45-5 p.m.

 

View recorded session

And The Winner Is: American Life As Seen In the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Presented by: Fernanda Stelzer Rodriguez

The Cry For Representation
Presented by: Olivia Kelly and Margaret Light

How to Take Our Bodies Back: Fighting Against Patriarchal Modes of Discourse on Female Objectification Through Modern Dystopian Works
Presented by: Dani Lindmier

View recorded session

Presenters:

  • Syeda Bano
  • Elle Summers
  • Clara Grimaldo
  • Kelli Bryant
  • Manuel Portillo

View recorded session

Archaeo-Astronomy: Celestial Architecture
Presented by: Mikayla Entrekin

Non-Invasive Investigations of the Correlates in Biophysical Forces and Electrophysiology Within the Biceps Brachii Muscle
Presented by: Jesse Storr

 

Oral Presentations, Session 3: Friday, April 17, 5-6:15 p.m.

 

Characterization via transcriptomic analysis of a potential gene interaction between spr-5, met-2, and mep-1 in determining germline versus soma in C. elegans
Presented by: Jovan Brockett
Advisor: Dr. Karen Schmeichel

Engaging the City: An Ethnography on the Beltline’s Promotional Framework
Presented by: Yasmin Tehrani
Advisor: Dr. Janelle Pham

Why Diversity Matters: Finding Community as Desi College Students
Presented by: Syeda Bano
Advisor: Dr. Janelle Pham

Presenters:

  • Raquel Battaglia
  • Lexi Covalsen
  • Maggie Thompson

Hierarchy of the [Hum]animal Other
Presented by: Mackenzie Blumberg

“Americanah” and its take on immigration and the narratives surrounding it
Presented by: Dzidula Boney

Akhenaten: The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Presented by: Alexa Shipes

FAQs

The Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium/Posters of Research in Science and Math (LASS/PRISM) is an annual event that brings together Oglethorpe University students and faculty in a day-long celebration of exemplary scholarly work produced by Oglethorpe students under faculty mentorship. The symposium’s sessions provide a forum for students and faculty to present, discuss, and learn from outstanding student endeavors. Papers, roundtables, oral and poster presentations, art exhibitions, and scholarly music presentations present the fruits of both Oglethorpe’s liberal arts curriculum as well as science, technology, and math research. You can explore programs and schedules from prior years at https://oglethorpe.edu/symposium/

LASS stands for Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium and PRISM stands for Posters of Research in Science and Math. LASS refers to the day-long academic conference, which includes oral presentations, panel discussions, an art exhibition, and a STEM poster session (PRISM). PRISM typically occurs at the beginning of the day and posters are focused on the STEM disciplines. You are welcome to propose to participate in either or both formats if you have a faculty mentor for the project, regardless of your major.

LASS/PRISM will be all day Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Daytime classes do not meet on this day.

The event is open to all students, faculty, and staff. In fact, this is a public event. Students may participate by presenting, volunteering, and attending. If you’d like to present your scholarly work, please see the Student Guide for more details which can be found below. If you’d like to volunteer to welcome attendees and participants or hand out programs, please email lass@oglethorpe.edu. If you are not presenting or volunteering, please attend the event! Come support your peers!

The University strongly encourages attendance at LASS/PRISM. This is a great opportunity to contribute to the Oglethorpe Community and experience the motto “Make A Life. Make A Living. Make A Difference” up close. Your instructor may require attendance for a particular class, so please check with your individual professors.

If you’re interested in your subject and proud of your commitment to the topic, that will show in your abstract and proposal. Any course-related subject with a faculty mentor is open to consideration by the LASS/PRISM committee. 

The Student Guide, which can be found below, includes detailed information on writing an academic abstract or proposal. In addition, the Student Guide includes detailed information including presentation skills, preparing a poster, and dress code.

This year’s deadline for submission is Monday, March 9, 2020. You will be notified if your proposal is accepted by midnight, Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

Yes, you must work with a faculty mentor to write your proposal or abstract and to prepare for your presentation.

Business casual. Formal wear, party clothes, or clothing with slogans are generally not appropriate unless relevant to the content or tradition of your presentation. Follow these guidelines compiled by the A-Lab:

  • You may want a tailored jacket over a professional dress or pantsuit.
  • Shoes should be plain and not too tall (no platforms, sandals, or sparkle.)
  • No ‘club wear’ — short skirts, low-cut blouses, or tight-fitting clothes.
  • Hair, makeup, jewelry should be conservative. Pull your hair back if you play with it when nervous.
  • Hair and facial hair should be trimmed and neat; clean-shaven is generally best.
  • Shoes and belt should match in color.
  • No white socks.
  • No polo shirts, t-shirts, hats, athletic wear, sneakers.
  • No chewing gum, food, take-out cups, or cell phones.

LASS/PRISM participation puts you ahead of your peers in graduate school and in your profession when it comes to conference skills. Attending symposia and conferences and presenting research or speaking in your chosen field is a part of professional life. According to the ASAE (American Society for Association Executives), there are nearly 100,000 different organizations for professions in the United States alone. https://www.npr.org/2011/05/25/136646070/time-for-associations-to-trade-in-their-past. Graduate students routinely speak and present at academic conferences throughout their course of study.

Yes, this is a public, free event. 
 

Faculty Guide

Poster Template

Past events:

View the 2019 Symposium program (PDF)

2019 Liberal Arts and Science Symposium

This annual event brings together students and faculty in a day-long celebration of exemplary analytic and creative work produced by Oglethorpe students during the academic year. 4/24/19

2019 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium Keynote Speaker – Dr. Iona Wynter Parks

Dr. Iona Wynter Parks, French and Core Instructor, at Oglethorpe University, on disrupting our systems of knowing, and moving from the “measure of the man” t…

View the 2018 Symposium program (PDF)

2018 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium

Explore this photo album by Oglethorpe University on Flickr!

View the 2017 Symposium program (PDF)

2017 Liberal Arts & Science Symposium

This annual event brings together students and faculty in a day-long celebration of exemplary analytic and creative work and research produced by Oglethorpe students during the academic year.

 

View the 2016 Symposium program (PDF).

2016 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium

This annual event brings together the entire Oglethorpe community for a day-long celebration of exemplary analytic and creative work produced by students during the academic year.

View one of the 2016 panels below:

Our Books for Benin: The Benefits of Service Learning at Oglethorpe

From the 2016 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium Moderator: Professor Iona Wynter-Parks Student presenters: Victoria Lindbergh: “The Bigger Picture of Givin…

View the 2015 Symposium program.

2015 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium

This annual event brings together the entire Oglethorpe community for a day-long celebration of exemplary analytic and creative work produced by students during the academic year.

View the 2015 LASS YouTube Playlist below:

2015 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

View the 2014 Symposium program. 

2014 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium

This annual event brings together students and faculty in a day-long celebration of exemplary analytic and creative work produced by Oglethorpe students during the academic year. April 11, 2014.

View the 2014 LASS YouTube Playlist below:

2014 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

View the 2013 Symposium program. 

See our coverage of this event

2013 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium

The Symposium in the Liberal Arts and Sciences is an annual event that brings together students and faculty in a day-long celebration of exemplary analytic and creative work produced by Oglethorpe students during the academic year. The symposium’s sessions provide a forum for students and faculty to recognize, discuss and learn from these outstanding student endeavors.

View the 2012 Symposium program. 

See our coverage of this event

2012 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium

A time when OU students are able to present there hard work to the Faculty and Staff but also to their fellow students and incoming admitted students. Check it out!

View the 2011 Symposium program. 

See our coverage of this event Prof_Chandler_Ndongo_student