Contents The Legacy of Ronald E. McNair ..................................................3 Letter from the Conference Chair ..................................................4 Letter from the MAEOPP President .............................................5 Conference History ..........................................................................6 Fireside Chat with Carl McNair ......................................................7 Luncheon Speaker: David Pate .......................................................8 Keynote Speaker: Will Allen............................................................9 Conference Staff ...............................................................................11 Conference at a Glance ....................................................................12 Detailed Conference Schedule ........................................................13 Oral Presentation Schedules ............................................................18 Poster Presentation Schedules.........................................................43 See full booklet for this information Graduate School Fair Exhibitors ....................................................57 Abstracts .............................................................................................75 Conference Center Maps .................................................................137 3 The Legacy of Dr. Ronald E. McNair An innovative laser physicist, phenomenal researcher and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission specialist, Dr. Ronald Ervin McNair became the second African American astronaut to travel in space. Born to Carl and Pearl McNair on October 21, 1950, Ronald E. McNair graduated from Carver High School in Lake City, South Carolina. With the encouragement and support of his family, friends and community educators, Ronald McNair pursued higher education and graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. Continuing a tradition of excellence, he was awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976. Recruited to NASA by Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols, Dr. McNair was chosen in 1978 as one of 35 candidates — from more than 8,000 applicants — to train with NASA’s flight program. In February 1984 during his first Challenger mission, STS-41-B, Dr. McNair deployed one of two communication satellites and operated the historic use of the remote Canadian arm manipulator that guided crew members around Challenger’s payload bay. During the mission, Dr. McNair also communicated with President Ronald Reagan via satellite and filmed motion pictures using a Cinema 360 camera. Throughout his career, Dr. McNair published extensively. He also studied laser physics and molecular spectroscopy with leading scholars around the world, including research with the Etole d´ete Theorique de Physique in Les Houches, France. Acknowledging the breadth and significance of his work, honorary doctorates were presented to Dr. McNair in 1978, 1980 and 1984 from North Carolina A&T State University, Morris College and the University of South Carolina, respectively. He also was a recipient of the 1979 National Society of Black Professional Engineers Distinguished National Scientist Award. In addition to his extensive academic and professional service, Dr. McNair remained dedicated to his family and community. He was an accomplished fifth-degree blackbelt karate instructor, a performing jazz saxophonist, avid athlete, culinary enthusiast and a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. On January 28, 1986, Dr. McNair died doing what he loved, when his second Challenger shuttle mission, STS 51-L, exploded 73 seconds after launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle was nine miles above the Atlantic Ocean, and all seven of its crew members perished. Dr. McNair was survived by his wife, Cheryl; their two children, Reginald Ervin and Joy Cheray; and numerous family members, mentors, colleagues and friends. Posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Dr. Ronald E. McNair’s legacy continues to inspire youth, scholars and colleagues worldwide. The Annual McNair Conference honors the research, service and life of Dr. Ronald E. McNair Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 4 Letter from the Conference Chair Dear McNair National Research Conference and Graduate Fair Attendees, Welcome to the 23rd Annual MAEOPP National McNair Research Conference and Graduate Fair at the renovated Lake Lawn Resort in Delevan WI. You are in for a memorable weekend during which you will receive a wealth of information and access to opportunities to network with potential research and professional colleagues. There will be workshops assisting in your career progress, opportunities for you to present your work in a comfortable atmosphere with plenty of student and professional colleagues, and a pleasant overall environment for networking interactions. It should be a bootstrap to your participation in professional society meetings and other career-oriented venues where you will attain your trajectory to a rewarding future. As McNair scholars, I am confident that your presentations will be outstanding and the relationships you build this weekend will be memorable. You have developed an expertise that may have started when you began your projects in your respective programs, and is increasing in strength and perspective every day. You deserve to be confident introducing yourself to Graduate Fair exhibitors from institutions nationwide, who are there to convince you to achieve your ultimate educational goals at THEIR institution. You will also converse with fellow scholars from across the country and strengthen your path towards attaining the doctoral degree. Diverse University units have pulled together to make this conference work, and its style includes response to participant comments. The UWM Graduate School, UWM diversity programs, research mentors and financial supporters, and communications staff all have your development in mind. In addition, science and humanities faculty from a variety of sponsoring institutions will be giving their time to understand your work and to guide you to potential mentors within their fields of expertise. Thank you for using these resources by attending the conference! The Mid-America Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MAEOPP) is our main sponsor, and we appreciate the support from President Annette Horvat and Treasurer Robert Jenkins. Thanks in advance for making this weekend so memorable! Carmen Aguilar Director, Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Graduate School Chair, 23rd Annual MAEOPP National McNair Research Conference and Graduate Fair Sponsored by MAEOPP and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 5 Letter from MAEOPP President Dear Conference Attendees, Welcome to the 23nd Annual National McNair Research Conference and Graduate Fair presented by the Mid-America Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MAEOPP) and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Hosted at the Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wisconsin which is set on beautiful Delavan Lake with huge oaks and maples shading the sweeping lawns for which it is named, the conference committee has worked diligently to create a memorable weekend for all. You will receive a wealth of information and access to opportunities to network with potential research and professional colleagues. Under the leadership of our McNair Conference Chair Dr. Carmen Aguilar, our committed conference staff have worked collaboratively and tirelessly to provide you with an experience full of knowledge and engagement. I must thank both Dr. Aguilar and Donte McFadden who began this year’s conference planning together and transitioned the chair position seamlessly to Dr. Aguilar this past summer. I also want to thank the UWM Graduate Diversity and Opportunity Programs – McNair Scholars Program/Advanced Opportunity Program Fellowship (Carmen Aguilar, Thoy Bouakongxaya, Desere Liddel), the Office of Undergraduate Research – College of Letters and Science (Kyla Esguerra, Tamara Long, Scott Payne, Nigel Rothfels), the Division of Global Inclusion and Engagement (Linda Huang), the IT office in the College of Letters and Science (Russell Stetzer, Sean Zettel), and all of our institutional partners who have given us significant support. On behalf of everyone mentioned, it is wonderful to have all of you, the McNair Scholars, faculty, staff, and alumni, join us to participate in this year’s event. Many attendees have brought their students to this conference since it began in 1992. We send an abundance of thanks to Michael Jeffries and Priscilla Fortier, the team behind the McNair Scholars Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that managed this event for seventeen years. As MAEOPP is the main sponsor, I extend my appreciation for the support and service from Treasurer Robert Jenkins. As McNair scholars, I am confident that your presentations will be outstanding and the relationships you build this weekend will be memorable. You have built an expertise that has started when you began your projects in your respective programs, and you should find tremendous confidence introducing yourselves to Graduate Fair exhibitors from the many institutions represented. They came here to visit with you! Throughout the conference, you will have opportunity to converse with fellow scholars, faculty and staff from across the country and build a network to strengthen your path towards attaining the doctoral degree. My best to you and thank you in advance for making this weekend so extraordinary! Annette E. Horvat, M.Ed. MAEOPP President Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 6 Conference History The MAEOPP-sponsored National McNair Scholars Research Conference is the oldest McNair Scholars conference in the country. It grew out of the committee work of the first 28 McNair Program administrators’ efforts from 1990 to 1992 at SAEOPP’s McNair training. Associate Dean of Students and McNair Director Michael L. Jeffries of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign initiated the conference with the able assistance of McNair Director Roy Hamilton of Purdue UniversityCalumet, Florence Harris of Michigan State University, the late Yvonne Croston of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Priscilla Fortier of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since 1992, the National McNair Scholars Research Conference has hosted most of the nation’s McNair Programs, as well as numerous Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Programs and students from a wide range of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Annually, more than 500 scholars, faculty and staff from more than 30 states and the Caribbean meet to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of excellence. Many McNair directors have been able to meet program objectives by sending scholars to the conference. We are delighted that a number of other annual conferences grew out of the national one. After 17 successful years of coordinating this conference, the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign has graciously passed the torch to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and we are extraordinarily honored to host this important event once again. Sponsored by MAEOPP and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 7 Annual Fireside Chat Carl McNair Since the death of his brother aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1986, Carl McNair has dedicated himself to developing and implementing educational programs that motivate and encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (also known as STEM fields). Carl was the first chairman of the National McNair Foundation, Inc., which is located in Atlanta. The foundation’s mission is to help empower aspiring leaders organizations and individuals to unleash their human potential to achieve their goals and enjoy a life they love. Under Carl’s leadership, the foundation created the Challengers Club Space Camp, the Challengers Club Science Mentoring Educational Program, and the In-Service Teachers Training Program. The foundation’s programs have been featured on CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS television networks and in a variety of news publications. Carl’s first book, In the Spirit of Ronald E. McNair, Astronaut, An American Hero, was published in 2005. He also conducts leadership and space science workshops for Talent Search and Upward Bound programs across the country. Whether he is speaking to university audiences, Fortune 500 companies or civic organizations, Carl has a passion for helping people succeed and live purpose-driven lives. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial technology from North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C., and an MBA from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 8 Luncheon Speaker David J. Pate, Jr., Ph.D. Associate Professor of Social Work, UW Milwaukee Prior to his academic appointment, David worked for 15 years as a practicing social worker, held a three-year post-doctoral research fellowship with the Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison and is the founder and former executive director of the Center for Family Policy and Practice in Madison, Wisconsin. Professor Pate’s research projects involve the use of qualitative research methods to examine the relationship of non-custodial fathers of children on welfare and the child support enforcement system, and the father’s relationship with the mothers of their children. Professor Pate’s professional interests lies on issues of poverty, child support enforcement policy, the life-course of black males, fathers of welfare-reliant children, domestic violence, and the intersection of race, gender, and poverty on social welfare policy formation. On sabbatical during the fall of 2013, he was a Visiting Research Professor at the University of York, SPRU, and City of York, United Kingdom. Professor Pate is a recipient of the 2013 Fromkin Award – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Golda Meir Library 44th Annual Morris Fromkin Memorial Lecturer: “Title of Lecture: Access to Justice: How Lawyers Matter in Civil Proceedings for Low-Income Litigants.” (November 14, 2013). Professor Pate is also an invited member to the National Advisory Board of the Responsible Father Research Network. (2013-2018), member of the Welfare Research and Family Self-Sufficiency Technical Working Group, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC. (Term: 2012-2014). Professor Pate also participated on the social science research and writing team which submitted two amicus brief for the Center for Family Policy and Practice (CFFPP) in support of the petitioner in the Turner v. Rogers case to the United States Supreme Court. Oral arguments were presented on the case in Washington, D.C. on March 23, 2011. The decision was rendered on June 20, 2011. Professor Pate also serves as an elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance. Sponsored by MAEOPP and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 9 Keynote Speaker Will Allen Urban Farmer Will Allen is an urban farmer who is transforming the cultivation, production and delivery of healthy foods to under-served urban populations. As the son of a sharecropper, former professional basketball player, ex-corporate sales leader and longtime farmer, he is recognized as a national leader in urban agriculture and food policy. After a brief career in professional basketball and a number of years in corporate marketing at Procter & Gamble, Will Allen returned to his roots as a farmer, using his retirement package to purchase a plot of inner-city land with greenhouses, where he established and functions as the CEO of the country’s preeminent urban farm and non-profit organization, Growing Power. At Growing Power and in community food projects across the nation and around the world, Allen promotes the belief that all people, regardless of their economic circumstances, should have access to fresh, safe, affordable and nutritious foods at all times. Using methods he has developed over a lifetime, Allen trains community members to become community farmers, assuring them a secure source of good food without regard to political or economic forces. In 2008, Allen was named a John D. and Katherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellow, a “genius grant,” only the second farmer ever to be so honored. He is also a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, and in February 2010, he was invited to the White House to join First Lady Michelle Obama in launching “Let’s Move!”—her signature leadership program to reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity in America. In May 2010, Time magazine named Will one of Time 100 World’s Most Influential People. In 2011, Allen was named one of the World’s Most Powerful Foodies by Michael Pollan and Forbes Magazine in its World Power Issue and the NEA Security Benefit Corporation Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education in 2012 for his work with children, teachers and schools. Allen also experienced an illustrious career in sports. In 1966, he was a member of the Richard Montgomery High School State Championship Basketball Team and named to the Washington Post’s AllMetro Basketball Team, the first player ever to be named three times in the history of the award. As a high school All-American basketball player, he received over 100 scholarship offers to colleges and universities. In 1967, Allen became the first African-American basketball player at the University of Miami Florida and one of Miami’s all-time leaders in scoring and rebounding. Post-college, Allen played professionally in the American Basketball Association and then for a Belgian team in the European Professional League. Allen was inducted in the Atlantic Coast Conference Hall of Legends in 2010 and in 2011, received the highest honor that can be bestowed to a collegiate athlete, the Theodore Roosevelt Award from the National College Athletic Association, his name enshrined at the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis, Indiana. On May 10th, 2012, Will Allen became a published autobiographer of the book, THE GOOD FOOD REVOLUTION: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities (Penguin/Gotham Books). In the Fall of 2012, Will Allen was the first ever inductee into the Richard Montgomery High School Hall of Fame. Richard Montgomery is Allen’s high school alma mater in Rockville, MD. He lives with his wife in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 11 Conference Staff Chair Carmen Aguilar Program Director, Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program Associate Scientist, School of Freshwater Sciences Committee McNair Program at UW-Milwaukee Thoy Bouakongxaya Associate Director, Ronald E. McNair Program Assistant Director, Graduate Diversity and Opportunity Programs Desere Liddell Office Manager, Graduate Diversity & Opportunity Programs Milan Outlaw Program Assistant, Graduate Diversity & Opportunity Programs Darius Carr Program Coordinator, Ronald E. McNair Program Office for Global Inclusion and Engagement Linda Huang Program Manager, Office for Global Inclusion & Engagement Office of Undergraduate Research Nigel Rothfels Director, Office of Undergraduate Research Kyla Esguerra Associate Director, Office of Undergraduate Research Tamara Long Advisor, Office of Undergraduate Research Scott Payne Programs Coordinator, Office of Undergraduate Research College of Letters and Science Information Technology Office Russell Stetzer Academic Technology, L&S Information Technology Office Sean Zettel Academic Technology, L&S Information Technology Office Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 12 Conference at a Glance Lake Lawn Resort is located on 250 wooded acres alongside two miles of Delavan Lake shoreline and provides all the comforts of home. Reopened in 2011 under new management, Lake Lawn Resort has been operating for more than 130 years and is the only property of its kind just 90 minutes from Chicago and within 60 minutes of Milwaukee, Madison and Rockford. As a locally owned full-service leisure getaway, family retreat and meeting facility, we have everything you’re looking for no matter what kind of vacation or event you’re planning. For many, we are a home away from home providing recreation and festivities that make lasting memories. As you explore, be sure to note the location of your own presentation room. The work agenda for Friday includes the conference’s kickoff activity, a Graduate School Fair from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Ask questions and be sure to pick up plenty of information. Then, enjoy the buffet dinner! Friday evening features several workshops and a Fireside Chat with Carl McNair, brother of Dr. Ronald McNair. On Saturday, the Graduate School Fair continues, and the oral presentations begin at 9:45am. The oral presentations and the poster session continue through the afternoon. The conference banquet will feature Will Allen as the keynote speaker. After the banquet each school’s spirit will be showcased during the campus roll call. The evening will finish with an exciting DJ and a dance. On Sunday morning, we will hear from a panel of graduate students who are eager to tell you about their experiences and answer your questions. Have a wonderful and productive conference! Sponsored by MAEOPP and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Schedule – 13 Conference Schedule—Friday, October 31, 2014 1pm — 8pm Registration (Follow the signs to the pre-function area) 1pm — 8pm PowerPoint Presentation Uploads (Willams Bay) 3pm — 4pm Graduate Fair Exhibitors set-up (Lake Lawn & Queens Table) 4pm — 7pm Graduate School Fair (Lake Lawn & Queens Table) 6pm — 8pm Dinner (Geneva Ballroom) 7:00pm — 8:35pm Graduate Preparation Workshops-First & Second Session Presenters Dr. Pushpa Murthy -- Funding Graduate Education: National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Wisconsin Room) Maya Holtzman -- Understanding the Differences Amongst Graduate Programs and Writing High-Impact, Best-Fit Personal Statements (Illinois Room) Dr. Russell Cuhel --- Preparation for Your Quality Application to Graduate School (Geneva Club) 7:00pm — 7:45pm First Session of Graduate Preparation Workshops (listed above) 7:30pm — 8:30pm McNair Staff Reception (Chicago Room) 7:50pm — 8:35pm Second Session of Graduate Preparation Workshops (listed above) 8:45pm — 10:15pm Fireside Chat with Carl McNair, brother of Dr. Ronald McNair (Great Room) 10:30pm — 11:30pm Annual Karaoke Contest with Great Prizes! Costumes encouraged! (Great Room) Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 14 – Schedule Graduate Preparation Workshops 1) Dr. Pushpa Murthy -- Funding Graduate Education: National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Wisconsin Room) Pushpa earned her PhD in chemistry from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. After her PhD, she conducted postdoctoral research in neurochemistry at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan before joining the Research and Development Department of Stauffer Chemical Company in Dobbs Ferry, New York. After 2 years of industrial research she realized that her passion was in teaching and fundamental research so she joined Michigan Technological University as an Assistant Professor. She is a Professor of Chemistry at her home institution, Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. She has taught and conducted research with undergraduate and graduate students for over 20 years. She has mentored over 50 undergraduate students in her laboratory. She is passionate about broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM and the career advancement of underrepresented groups to leadership positions. Pushpa Murthy has been working at the National Science Foundation for 2 years. She is a Program Director for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). 2) Maya Holtzman -- Understanding the Differences Amongst Graduate Programs and Writing High-Impact, Best-Fit Personal Statements (Illinois Room) Maya Holtzman is Associate Director of McNair Scholars Programs and the Summer Research Opportunities Programs at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Over the last 10 years, Maya has helped hundreds of McNair Scholars learn strategies to gaining admission to highly competitive Masters’ and Ph.D. programs, this includes understanding the graduate admissions process and ways to fund graduate education, writing effective graduate application essays, networking with faculty and self-advocacy, skills on effectively presenting research. Maya has a Master of Science Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and is currently a doctoral candidate, in the same program. Your personal statement is one part of your graduate application that you totally control. Come hear how to write a statement that will get you where you want to go! Facilitator: Maya Holtzman, Associate Director, McNair Scholars Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 3) Dr. Russell Cuhel --- Preparation for Your Quality Application to Graduate School (Geneva Club) This workshop will present for discussion aspects of different components of an application including STEM disciplines. The topics include: Application forms and files, the importance of the personal statement and background experience, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. Facilitator: Dr. Russell Cuhel, Senior Scientist and Director of the Research Experience for Undergraduates, School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. He started in Hollywood with a paper route and selling used hangers to a dry cleaner. His coin collection helped him attend college at the University of California San Diego, where he earned BAs in Biology and Chemistry along with a job in Oceanography. His skills and networking earned him a full ride to the PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. In addition to the more than 2000 days at sea studying marine biology, he has spent much time helping others pursues their careers in STEM. Sponsored by MAEOPP and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Schedule – 15 Conference Schedule — Saturday, November 1, 2014 7:30am — 8:15am Breakfast (please remain seated for the plenary sessions that follow meals) (Geneva Ballroom) 8:15am — 9:15am Conference Welcome and Panel of Deans and Directors Geneva Ballroom Welcome: Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska, Dean of Graduate School, Professor of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Presiding: Gabriel Gallardo, Associate Vice President, Office of Minority Student Affairs/New Initiatives and Director, McNair Scholars Program, University of Washington 9:45am — 11:45am CONCURRENT MORNING ACTIVITIES Graduate School Fair (Lake Lawn & Queens Table rooms) McNair Scholar Oral Presentations (check book for room locations) 11:45am — 1:15pm Conference Luncheon and Plenary Session: Dr. David Pate (Geneva Ballroom) 1:30pm — 2:15pm Oral Research Presentations continued (check book for room locations) 2:15pm — 2:30pm Poster Presentation set-up (Frontier Room) 2:30pm — 4:00pm Poster Presentation Session (Frontier Room) 4:00pm — 4:15pm Poster Presentation Session break-down (Frontier Room) 4:15pm — 5:30pm Oral Research Presentations (continued) 6:00pm — 7:00pm Reception (Geneva Ballroom) 7:00pm — 9:00pm Conference Banquet (Geneva Ballroom) Master of Ceremonies: Annette Horvat, President Mid-America Keynote Speaker Will Allen, Urban Farmer Campus Roll Call 9:30pm — 12:30am Evening Soirée (Geneva Ballroom) *** NOTE ABOUT SATURDAY: Some presentation rooms are not in the main conference area *** *** Explore a bit on Friday, and try to locate every room that you will need on Saturday *** Ronald E. McNair Research Conference and Graduate School Fair – 2014 16 – Schedule Sunday, November 2, 2014 8:00am — 9:30am Breakfast and Graduate Student Panel (Geneva Ballroom) 9:30 am — Noon Checkout and Departure COME BACK AGAIN NEXT YEAR! Sponsored by MAEOPP and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
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