The influence of prenatal versus postnatal conditions
on the physiology of 5 day old kittiwake chicks

The Black Legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a species of Arctic seabird that breeds on coastal cliffs and usually raises two chick broods. Similar to other bird species, kittiwake egg size is correlated with hatchling mass. In older chicks, mass can also be correlated with physiology, including metabolite and hormone levels. However, it is not yet known whether this relationship is due to early postnatal experiences that shape both mass and metabolic and hormonal functions, or whether these aspects of physiology may be predetermined by maternal investment in the egg. If the prenatal experience is the cause of the mass-physiology relationship, then egg mass will be a better predictor of ketone and corticosterone levels than chick mass at 5 days old. We also manipulated the postnatal environment by providing food supplementation to some nests, allowing us to further test the role of post-natal experience in shaping physiology. Experiments conducted on Middleton Island, AK in 2024 studied kittiwake chicks from nests that were provided with food supplementation 3x/day, and control nests that were not supplemented. We measured egg size and mass, as well as chick mass, and corticosterone and ketone levels on day 5 post-hatch. By comparing the ability of egg size versus chick mass to explain ketone and corticosterone levels and survival in both control and experimentally fed nests, our study will provide insight into whether variation in physiology and survival in young chicks is more strongly influenced by prenatal investment or postnatal experiences.

Continue reading Tyler McMasters »

Influences of prenatal and developmental conditions on telomere dynamics in seabird chicks (Rissa tridactyla)

This study investigates the effects of prenatal and postnatal environmental conditions on telomere dynamics in Black-legged Kittiwake chicks (Rissa tridactyla). Telomeres are considered molecular markers for biological aging. They are highly conserved, noncoding, repetitive DNA sequences that form the “caps” at the end of chromosomes, protecting the coding sequences. In some species, variation in telomere length among same-age individuals is associated with individual “quality” and variations in life expectancy. Although higher telomere attrition rates can occur in early development, the inherited and environmental factors driving this physiological process vary by species. In kittiwakes, chicks develop in the nest for over forty days. During this time, chicks are subjected to environmental conditions that affect their growth and longevity. The ensuing study will test the hypothesis that favorable conditions are associated with longer telomeres. We will use blood samples from known-age kittiwake chicks to assess the potential impacts of food availability, sex, hatching order, and sibling competition on chick telomere dynamics. From our hypothesis, we predict that high food availability, status as a first-hatched chick (A chick), and lower sibling competition contribute to maintaining inherited telomere length. Additionally, we will test the hypothesis that rapid growth is associated with longer telomeres at hatching but more rapid telomere loss during development. If this is true, male chicks who grow faster and may have higher metabolic rates will hatch with longer telomeres but show more telomere loss than female chicks.

Continue reading Amelia Ruck »

Title:

UnWritten, UnDefined, UnEquivocally Black: How Black Women Release their Inhibition in Literature

Abstract:

This project, UnWritten, UnDefined, UnEquivocally Black: How Black Women Release their Inhibition in Literature, explores how political movements like the Black Power Movement of the 1970s and feminism between 1955 and 1972 shape contemporary Black playwrights’ engagement with narratives of Africa, Africanism, and Black womanhood. My research examines how race and gender intersect in literature and theater, challenging long-standing American narratives.

Through intensive readings, film analysis, and historical research, I investigated how Black women writers’ stories are often overlooked when they deviate from stereotypical depictions of Black female characters. This erasure influences the kinds of narratives Black women produce. Under the guidance of Professor Meenakshi Ponnuswami Associate Professor of English, Affiliated Faculty in Critical Black Studies and Theatre & Dance, who specializes in Black theater, I traced the lineage of Blackness from the transatlantic slave trade to modern movements like the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, Black Nationalism, and the Black Arts Movement.

These sociopolitical shifts continue to shape Black artistic expression, influencing how writers engage with themes of race, resilience, and identity in a digitized age of Black violence and pop culture. Literature and theater allow Black creators to reclaim narratives and challenge perceptions of racism. By engaging with these materials, I developed a deeper understanding of the forces that influence Black feminism literature and theater, from historical struggles for liberation to modern digital-age realities of Black violence, resilience, and pop culture.

At the conclusion of this project, I produced an annotated bibliography, a literature review, and a creative journal reflecting my engagement with these themes.

Continue reading Athaliah Elvis »

Morphological Analysis of Main and Chute Channel Discharge, Scroll Spacing, and Migration Rates Along the Kantishna River, Alaska
English, G., Sentz, C., Chamberlin, E.,Trop, J.

Channel migration rate in meandering rivers is influenced by hydraulic geometry, bank strength, and bend curvature, and this lateral movement allows channels to deposit scroll bars, curved ridges of sediment that form on the inner bank. In some river systems, chute channels also migrate and deposit scroll bars, making a natural laboratory for testing the role of local channel size on channel lateral migration and scroll bar deposition. Here we investigate main and chute channel migration rates and the spacing of their respective scroll bars at two sites on the Kantishna River, a sinuous, chute-dominated, meandering river in the Alaskan subarctic, to test the hypothesis that scroll bar spacing directly correlates with lateral migration rate and channel discharge in both main and chute channels.
We collected discharge and bathymetry data from the main channel (MC) and chute channel (CC) of two bends on the Kantishna using a Teledyne RiverPro ADCP with a GNSS Hemisphere, and completed field mapping of scroll bar spacing using a laser rangefinder. For the same two bends, we calculated annual channel migration rates from 1984-2020 using satellite images from Google Earth Engine processed with RivMap, a MATLAB package that measures changes in channel centerlines.
Preliminary results show ADCP-measured discharges of 144m3/s and 191m3/s for sites 1 and 2 MCs and 28m3/s to 31m3/s for the respective CC, showing that these MCs have 5x the flow of CCs. Based on image analysis, MC width is 146m and 163m at sites 1 and 2 respectively while associated CC width is 86m and 102m. MC mean annual migration rates are 4.1m/yr and 4.9m/yr for sites 1 and 2 respectively, compared to 5.6m/yr and 13.3m/yr for CCs. Field measurements show average scroll bar spacings of 5.4m and 13.6m for MCs at sites 1 and 2, and CC scrolls have similar average spacings of 7.6m and 14m at the same sites. Additionally, the year of maximum migration rate differs for MC and CCs at both sites.
Overall, MC and CC migration rates and scroll bar spacings are very similar within both bends, despite CCs having 5x lower discharges. This suggests that the scroll spacing is correlated with local migration rate, not the local channel discharges. Therefore, an alternative variable such as bifurcation angle or local slope may be more important for migration rate and scroll bar spacing along each reach.

Continue reading Grace English »

Effects of Lead-Based vs. Lead-Free Low-Frequency, Low-Intensity Ultrasound Devices on VEGF Secretion from Endothelial Cells in a 3D Scaffold

Research has shown that the application of low-frequency, low-intensity ultrasound (LFLI US) accelerates healing processes within cell tissue (Samuels et al., 2013). In one human study, diabetic ulcers closed approximately 3 times faster when treated with ultrasound (Ngo et al., 2019). Beyond wound healing, LFLI US also holds promising potential in areas such as pain management (Gam et al., 1995) (Gehling et al., 2007), nerve stimulation (Gavrilov et al., 1996), and transdermal drug delivery (Sunny et al., 2012).

Piezoceramics like lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are vital to the function of therapeutic ultrasound devices for their ability to generate ultrasound waves via the piezoelectric effect. Consequently, these devices typically contain over 60% lead. Increasing knowledge about the ramifications of lead-containing appliances on human health and the environment has prompted global regulatory actions like the 2003 European Union law on the “Restriction of Hazardous Substances,” which call for a shift away from lead-based medical devices in the near future (EU, 2003).

To evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of lead-free piezoceramics and explore viable alternatives to traditional lead-based materials, both lead-based and lead-free devices were manufactured and biological testing on human cells was conducted post-ultrasound application. More specifically, this study monitored the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key stimulator of angiogenesis, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

A flexural cymbal transducer design, optimized for operation between frequencies of 20 and 100 kHz, guided the manufacturing process (Sunny et al., 2012). Devices consisted of two identical convex brass caps adhered to either side of piezoceramic disks (Ferroperm Piezoceramics), as well as a positive and negative lead.

Brass sheets were manually cut, sanded, and shaped. A PZT-based Pz26 disk was used for lead-based devices, while a sodium bismuth titanate (NBT) Pz12 disk was used for the lead-free. Individual components were fixed in place with bonding epoxy, wires were attached with cold solder, and the entire assembly was potted in polyurethane epoxy (Spurr’s Epoxy). The resonant frequency of each device was determined using a vector network analyzer and Teledyne RESON probe.

Four groups of HUVECs were seeded in a 3D collagen scaffold. Ultrasound was applied to each group for 15 minutes at varying intensities: 50 mW/cm², 100 mW/cm², 150 mW/cm², while one group received no treatment. After a 48- hour incubation period, the conditioned media was collected and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify VEGF secretion following manufacturer’s (PeproTech) protocol. This procedure was repeated with both lead-based and lead-free transducers. The differences between absorbance values of each sample–collected at 450 nanometers and 605 nanometers–were used to create a standard curve with a four-parameter logistic (4PL) line of best fit, and further calculate VEGF concentrations in pg/mL. Results were analyzed for significant (p<0.05) differences using a one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc analysis.

There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in VEGF secretion when comparing the varying ultrasound intensities to the control group using lead-based devices. While ultrasound application at any intensity led to higher VEGF concentration than the baseline set by the control group, intensities of 50 and 100 mW/cm² stimulated more VEGF secretion than 150 mW/cm².

Although not significantly different, we observed that lead-free ultrasound devices stimulate the same concentration of VEGF secretion in the 100 mW/cm² group when compared to the control group.

This data suggests that applying therapeutic ultrasound at 50 mW/cm² and 100 mW/cm² is potentially more beneficial than application at 150 mW/cm² in the context of wound healing; HUVECs displayed the greatest increase in VEGF concentration at these intensities with lead-based applicators. In turn, this would lead to increased angiogenesis.

Additionally, these results convey that NBT may be a successful substitute for PZT in ultrasound-generating piezoceramics. It is necessary to repeat a 48-hour ELISA with lead-free applicators to validate this finding, yet lead-free devices nonetheless appear to reproduce similar biological effects in HUVECs as lead-based devices.

Continue reading Angelina Santos »

Emergence & Maintenance of Psychological Experiences of Community at Work

Recent scholarship has demonstrated that psychological experiences of community at work (i.e., a psychological sense of community and a sense of community responsibility) can enhance employee psychological and behavioral outcomes. Recent evidence also shows that psychological experiences of community are facilitated by a multitude of actions that can be enacted by executives, human resource professionals, and managers throughout an organization. These findings have helped scholars understand some of the factors that contribute to building experiences of community in organizations. However, very little empirical evidence exists on the dynamic nature of antecedent conditions that exist when experiences of community first form, and what factors lead to maintenance or changes in experiences of community over time. The present study attempted to study this research gap by investigating experiences of students who enrolled in a course where they were charged with forming and running a company for a semester. A mixed-methods study was employed that included surveys at six key moments throughout the semester, and interviews with a randomly selected small cohort of participants to understand factors and incidents that were present as experiences of community manifested, and during states of dynamic change. The findings help frame factors that scholars can empirically test in future studies, and that managers could use in building community at work.

Continue reading Charlotte Hughes »

“Culture evolves with time”: Learning about Rwandan culture through traditional music.

Rwandan culture, rooted in oral traditions of storytelling, poetry, and music, faces threats from colonization, the loss of knowledgeable people to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and the adoption of Western Cultures. In the summer of 2024, I spent ten weeks conducting research on the measures that need to be taken to preserve the Rwandan culture from this fate. I conducted interviews with five traditional music artists and attended various cultural festivals in order to understand how they helped to preserve and pass down traditions to next young generations. Through my interviews, I learned something opposite to my prior understanding of culture. Instead, I found that there is not one single way to retain traditional culture. In this presentation, I will share these artists’ views on what we can do to protect the culture. Some artists advocate for preserving old traditions, while others embrace new combinations of traditional music and modern values. Although these ways are different in their implementation, the ultimate goal is the same: preserving the heritage of our ancestors in this contemporary society. What I initially thought would be a journey to discover how to bring back the old ways ended up having a detour to how we can protect the heritage of our ancestors from getting diluted and lost.

Continue reading Jean Marie Ngabonziza »

From War to Walls: U.S. Intervention and the Rise of Carceral Society in El Salvador

In January 2023, El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America, opened Central America’s largest prison, the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT). The facility was primarily built to address the country’s escalating gang violence which had become one of the most significant security threats by the early 2000’s. The history of its development has its roots in the 1980’s when the United States played a significant role in the political and military landscape of El Salvador during the Salvadoran civil war. The involvement of the U.S. government, initially focused on counterinsurgency efforts and the suppression of left-wing movements in Latin America, helped stabilize the Salvadoran government and military during the war. However, it also fostered an environment of state violence and repression that prompted the rise of powerful gangs in the United States, as a result of increased immigration, which then spread to El Salvador through the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in the 1990’s. Through the study of primary and secondary sources, including historical and legal documents from both the U.S. and Salvadoran government, I examine the historical and cultural significance of the foreign relations between the United States and El Salvador, in an attempt to provide an understanding about how U.S. intervention has shaped current security measures and the political landscape of the country, including the establishment of CECOT. CECOT has dramatically changed the country’s policing and carceral system, since its establishment, in an attempt to address the long-term consequences of American foreign influence.

Continue reading Xochitl Granados »

INTEGRAL BUT FORGOTTEN: METICS IN ANCIENT ATHENS

Every civilization has contained foreign residents, and Ancient Athens was no exception. In Classical Athens (489-323 BCE), these foreign residents and freed slaves were known as metics. The “metic” label came from the tax they had to pay: the metoikion, or metic tax. While foreign resident status most likely existed throughout city-states across Greece, Athens is the location best documented. Many of these documents come from wills and court cases, giving glimpses of the daily life of Athens’ non-citizen residents. Metics commonly worked as craftsmen, bankers, and people of commerce. A large number of philosophers also lived as metics, including Aristotle. Yet, although Athenians allowed metics to live and work in their city-state, metics faced numerous legal restrictions, limiting their rights and reinforcing their status as outsiders.

Continue reading Morgan Haros »

Following the Light

The Samek Art Museum contains a collection of ancient Mediterranean lamps as part of the Turnure Collection. In my research, I first focused on a specific mold-made lamp, lamp TD2020.12.29, which I identified as belonging to an Ephesian style originating from the Eastern Mediterranean. However, further analysis of the lamp revealed that it is not of Eastern Mediterranean origin, leading me to investigate how the Ephesian style transformed throughout the Mediterranean. I started to look at similar later lamps in Italy, which then prompted me to start considering North African red-glaze pottery. Expanding my study, I explored two additional lamps in the Turnure collection, TD2020.12.38, and TD2020.12.28, which may represent two different periods of the lamp’s stylistic development. My research on the stylistic shifts then led me to look at the makers-mark on lamp TD202.12.28, which provides a connection between Italian lamp workshops and those in North Africa.

Continue reading Morgan Haros »