May 3, 2024 | Digital Showcase | Humboldt Library
All Presenters & Abstracts
Mayan Ceramic Reconstruction
Presentation Year: 2019
This reconstruction project was essential in understanding the proper steps to put together ancient pottery. The methods used were based on the National Park Service use of acryloid B-72 for labeling, as well as the Xuenkal Archaeological Project, Yucatán’s way of properly conserving, washing, and gluing of ceramic. The acryloid glue allows items’ provenance to be written directly on the artifact without damage. The acryloid glue prevents the curling, flaking, and loss of numbers of the cellulose nitrate lacquers within the ceramics unlikes other glues. These methods have proven successful with the ink, not being absorbed by the ceramic causing damage and the glue proved longevity.
Media Coverage of the Opioid Epidemic in Humboldt County
Presentation Year: 2019
This study focuses on media coverage of the opioid epidemic. We analyzed local media coverage from 2013-2018 in the Times-Standard, North Coast Journal, and Lost Coast Outpost. The study is inspired by cultivation theory, which indicates that prolonged exposure to mediated messages influence how people perceive reality. Results indicate that the majority of articles containing the term “heroin” are focused on crime rather than a health, legislation, community engagement, or other key factors that could potentially affect the future outcome of this epidemic.
Mindfulness in Higher Education: How the Brain Booth is Fostering Academic Excellence
Presentation Year: 2019
The Brain Booth initiative is an innovative project promoting mindfulness and contemplative pedagogy as a means of introducing metacognition for academic success. The Brain Booth is an informal, experiential space to learn about the mind body connection, reduce stress, and optimize learning. It is open to all HSU students, staff, and faculty as well as community members. In the last academic year, 1,000+ students took a brain break in the Brain Booth, and
the Brain Booth was embedded across the colleges curricula in 5 departments and 8 courses.
Motion Sickness: An Evolutionary Analysis
Presentation Year: 2019
Motion sickness is a condition that has no apparent evolutionary advantage, yet it persists in many species. Research has revealed the mechanisms that cause motion sickness, but there is no consensus or agreement in the scientific literature regarding its evolutionary origins. Some research suggests that motion sickness is an evolutionary byproduct of our biological response against neurotoxins. Others propose that it functions as some kind of defense mechanism against unfavorable motion and promotes visual-spatial stability. Exploring the evolutionary origins of motion sickness will provide a better understanding of how modern environments can cause physiological miscues.
Mountaintop Removal at Hobet Coal Mine from 1976-2010
Presentation Year: 2019
The Hobet Coal Mine is located in West Virginia and was an active mining site for 41 years and was one of the largest surface coal mines in the United States. The impacts of this particular mine are especially pronounced because of the sheer scale of alteration to the landscape caused by mountaintop removal to retrieve the coal, and valley fill techniques to dispose of the mining debris. In order to reach the coal located in shallow seams below these Central Appalachian Mountain peaks, hundreds of vertical feet of earth were demolished. This mining has impacted nearly every aspect of the geography of the region, from the environment to the surrounding human communities.
My Protein Bars are Gendered
Presentation Year: 2019
Did you know that most protein bars are gendered? DeFrancisco, V. L., & Palczewski, C. H. wrote that “communication creates gender, gender does not create communication,” and this is especially evident when looking at the difference in protein bars. Protein bars like the Clif bar and Luna bar are socially constructed to appear feminine or masculine. This is done by playing to cultural feminine ideals, by the packaging of the product itself, and by the rhetoric associated with each product.
Mycoremediation and TEK Implemented into Ecological Restoration Practices
Presentation Year: 2019
Mycoremediation and traditional ecological knowledge or TEK implemented within Indigenous communities and blended with accepted ecological restoration methods in order to restore the health of damaged and contaminated ecosystems.
Nanoscale Modifications to the RsaA S-Layer Protein Enhance Lead Binding in Caulobacter Vibriodes
Presentation Year: 2019
Heavy metal contamination of soils and waterways due to industrial processes continues to be a problem in the United States. Recent reports indicate that microbial surface layers (S-layers) can bind and sequester heavy metals, thereby removing them from the environment. Our approach is to enhance this process for lead bioremediation. Through this study, C. vibrioides strains were morphologically characterized through transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and recombinant surface layer export was genetically verified. Using a fluorescence-based assay, we show that our engineered strains were 10% more effective in bioremediating lead than the wildtype in nanomolar concentrations.
Narrative Mapping of Genocide: A Transformative Approach in Reader’s Advisory
Presentation Year: 2019
Studies show that knowledge of atrocities in history such as the Holocaust is rapidly declining. Fewer people are searching these topics or reading related articles, and evidence shows there is a significant decline in the reading of literature altogether. To address these issues on a small scale, I created an interactive digital platform using geographic locations to share the various literary narratives of those who have experienced genocide first hand. I examined the impact of transformative approaches, such as GIS software, to provide a new method that actively engages and directs readers to books from a geographic perspective.
Native Alaskans and Wildlife Interactions and Issues
Presentation Year: 2019
This project encompasses the relationship and issues connected to Alaskan Natives and wildlife. Their relationship to the land and wildlife is deeply rooted in their history, and most Alaska natives practice traditional hunting and gathering practices. Native Alaskan interactions with the natural world is interwoven in the way in which they define subsistence, which is synonymous with culture, identity, and self-determination and involves conservation and perpetuation of natural resources. The US Federal and Alaska State government define subsistence differently and have passed Acts and policies that interfere with the Native’s aboriginal hunting and fishing rights.
Native American Storytelling
Presentation Year: 2019
We are focusing our topic on the role that animals have in Native American storytelling, and how these animal's behaviors in real life are reflected in the stories. Storytelling is a way of communication that Natives use to share knowledge between generations; often, these stories use animals as symbolism. Our group is composed of all zoology majors interested in studying animal behavior, and we will compare the personality traits and characteristics of these animals to their role played in these stories.
NDCI Analysis and Change Detection for Coral Reef Habitats of Duncan Island In South Chinese Sea from 2016 to 2018
Presentation Year: 2019
Mismanagement of coral reef habitats for construction has impacted on rapid destruction of most biodiverse coral reefs of South Chinese sea. This project examines how coral reef habitats changed in Duncan island of South Chinese sea using object based image analysis (OBIA) and coral index. We estimated the coral changes over time with different land-use classes. The unchanged coral acreage was 7.80 acres between 2016-2017, 1.21 acres between 2017-2018 and 8.22 acres between 2016-2018. The coefficient of agreement for the classification is ranged from 0.55 to 0.60. NDCI Analysis of coral regions surrounding Duncan island revealed vegetation change in coral health.
Nifty Fifty Ain't So Thrifty- Privileges and Challenges of Locavore Diet in Arcata
Presentation Year: 2019
A locavore diet aims to consume only foods that have been grown and produced typically within 100 miles of where you live (I chose to do 50 miles). Localism offers community-based solutions to global problems like fossil fuel dependency, carbon emissions, and single-use plastics while attempting to remove the individual from global markets, transnational free-trade agreements, and socio-economic exploitation of labor. This project reflects on the personal privileges and challenges with participating in a strict 50-mile diet in terms of economic viability, dietary habits, and accessibility to luxury ingredients (such as sugar, spices, and beer).
Nonverbal and Stereotypical Representations of Disney Animation and Characters Throughout History
Presentation Year: 2019
The purpose of this study was to analyze and focus on gender roles, expectations, and ideologies portrayed in Disney animated feature films through the use of nonverbal communication. The researchers of this analysis observed three distinct Disney Films across history: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), The Little Mermaid (1989), and Moana (2016) to draw similarities and differences between them. By 1) uncovering hegemonic principles and gender norms in Disney animation and 2) determining changes in stereotypical representations of Disney characters throughout history, the researchers sought to understand why gender roles and norms have primarily remained the same throughout history.
Nonverbal Communication In Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times
Presentation Year: 2019
This project is a analysis of the nonverbal communication in the film Modern Times. The analysis is based on theories from Comm 324 Nonverbal Communication and include the use of physical space, gestures and facial expressions to communicate meaning.
Nonverbal Communication in Children's MMO Games
Presentation Year: 2019
We looked at three free Massively Multiplayer Online video games (MMO) for children: Wizard 101, Woozworld, and ToonTown Rewritten. We focused on three nonverbal areas: character design, gestures, and emotional displays. While looking into each of these games, we compared these non verbals, their contexts, and their meaning.
Only Birds Can Start Wildfires
Presentation Year: 2019
Our creative project is going to revolve around the ecological knowledge of the Chicken Hawk that is from Indigenous people of the Humboldt County area. We want to show the significance that Chicken Hawk has in their culture and how it correlates to scientific research that has been done and is being done on them today. We aim to show how ecological knowledge can be applied to current research and assist modern day scientists.
Open Pit Iron Mining on Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Presentation Year: 2019
Michigan's Upper Peninsula is an iron rich region in the Marquette Iron Range (aka Negaunee Iron Formation) that has been mined since the mid-1800's. By the 1950's most of the easily accessible high grade ore had been mined, forcing the mining companies to dig deeper for less valuable ore. The entire complex depicted in this map is commonly referred to as the National Mine, but it is broken up into two separate facilities: the Empire Mine to the east (which closed in 2016), and the Tilden Mine to the west (the last active Iron mine in Michigan). While these mines have been great for the local economy, this has come at the cost of major environmental impacts.
Osteoarthritis in Anglo-Saxon Groups
Presentation Year: 2019
There are many cases of osteoarthritis observed in western England skeletal remains from the 5th to 9th century. I investigated the potential connections and causes of the high rates of osteoarthritis within Anglo-Saxon remains as described in case studies. Current research indicates there is a link between occupation and osteoarthritis. These data shed light on how lifestyle affects overall health. These findings are valuable because they can be used to describe the connections between lifestyles and diseases through the remains of Anglo-Saxons through the observation of osteoarthritis within their remains.
Painting the Medium: Digital Standardization of Archaeological Data
Presentation Year: 2019
The bulk of archaeological notes taken in the field are hand-written, with pencil-sketched maps and diagrams, varying widely in legibility, clarity, and completeness of information. While this last point cannot easily be fixed in post, the former two can be through the development of a comprehensive “style guide” and tutorial for the digitization of archaeological field notes—using the free design program “Inkscape.” The guide is designed to be internally consistent and easily comprehensible, usable even by those with no experience with either the programs or raw data involved, guiding the user along the process of rendering previously inconsistent field data into a uniform visual style.