Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Is Fair Triage Possible?: Navigating The Complexities Of Triage In Healthcare Crises, Caleb Rader

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

A New Key To Sustainable Farming: A New Wave Of Pesticides Has The Potential To Change Farming, Michael E. Harvey

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

The New Miracle “Meat”: The Future Food Industry’S Approach To Young Jackfruits, Minh Tran Ha

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Issue 37

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Featured Artist: Sara Fields, Sara Fields

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Call For Submissions

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Pushing Therapeutic Boundaries: Ipsc Therapy For Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy, Long Ly

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

An Urgent Need For Classroom Support: Uncovering Developmental Dyslexia’S Effect On Classroom Anxiety, Susan Robinson-Cloete

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

The Celestial Standoff, Timo Nurmi

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Implanting The Future At Your Fingertips: The Epitome Of Advancements In Bio Wearables, Jungsuk Lee

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Meet The Staff

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Volcano Topographic Changes On Infrasound Amplitude: Lava Fountains At Mt. Etna In 2021, Adriana Iozzia, Leighton M. Watson, Massimo Cantarero, Emanuela De Beni, Giuseppe Di Grazia, Gaetana Ganci, Jeffrey B. Johnson, Eugenio Privitera, Cristina Proietti, Mariangela Sciotto, Andrea Cannata

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Infrasound signals are used to investigate and monitor active volcanoes during eruptive and degassing activity. Infrasound amplitude information has been used to estimate eruptive parameters such as plume height, magma discharge rate, and lava fountain height. Active volcanoes are characterized by pronounced topography and, during eruptive activity, the topography can change rapidly, affecting the observed infrasound amplitudes. While the interaction of infrasonic signals with topography has been widely investigated over the past decade, there has been limited work on the impact of changing topography on the infrasonic amplitudes. In this work, the infrasonic signals accompanying 57 lava fountain paroxysms at …

Field Guide To Big Bone Lick, Kentucky: Birthplace Of American Vertebrate Paleontology, Glenn W. Storrs, H Gregory Mcdonald, Eric Scott, Robert A. Genheimer, Stanley E. Hedeen, Cameron E. Schwalbach

Special Publication--KGS

Big Bone Lick is the birthplace of vertebrate paleontology in the Western Hemisphere and has a long and celebrated history in the exploration of the American colonial frontier and of the early United States. Notable European scientists of the 18th century such as Buffon, Cuvier, and Hunter discussed the fossils found there. Prominent Americans of the time, such as Boone, Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson are also part of the site’s history. It is the type locality for several extinct late Pleistocene megafaunal mammals, most notably the iconic American Mastodon, who were attracted to the area by salt licks dictated by …

Bioplastics In The Ci, Brenna Kusleika, Isabella Cabral, Marie Cadene

Hungry for Sustainability - Anna Bowen, Biology and Environmental Science

No abstract provided.

The Infosys Times, Vol. 9, No. 1, St. Cloud State University

The Infosys TIMES

• Paving the Future
• Cybersecurity Week
• International Student Ambassadors
• Student Highlight
• MISA Internship Procedures
• Faculty Spotlight
• Staff Farewell - Kelley Hennen
• Alumni Diaries
• InfoSys Diaries
• HBS Updates
• Undergrad Certifications
• Congrats / Farewell Graduates

Soil Succession: Short And Long-Term Impacts Of Grazing On Soil Properties In A Tropical Montane Cloud Forest, June Curtis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in South America, causing long-lasting alterations to the continent's landscape and ecology. Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) are a rare ecosystem particularly vulnerable to the effects of land conversion to pasture, a process which has implications ranging from biodiversity loss to soil degradation. Grazing is known to significantly alter soils' physical structure through processes of compaction and erosion as well as significant additions of organic matter. Silvopasture, or the integration of pasture and forest, has emerged as an alternative to traditional grazing practices with the hope of mitigating environmental and soil degradation. …

Extent Of The 2023 Coral Bleaching Event In The Nargana Region Of Guna Yala, Panama, Brydon Deanna Hollander

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Coral reefs are diverse marine ecosystems that exist in tropical ecosystems all over the world. They provide a myriad of ecological services that are vital for marine organism biodiversity and human coastal communities. A major threat to coral reefs is a rise in sea surface temperature that causes coral bleaching. The effect of a coral bleaching event in Nargana, Guna Yala will be investigated to examine how the health status of coral reef ecosystems are being impacted. To guide these efforts, the extent of coral bleaching will be measured along with whether sea surface temperature (SST), human concentration, and El …

Reef Fish Wariness Behavior: Fish Flight Initiation Distance Mediated By Territoriality And Body Size In Three Reef Sites Off The Western Coast Of Isla Colón, Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, Alina G. Irvine

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Coral reefs are highly productive and diverse underwater ecosystems, providing a variety of environmental services including sand generation, nutrient processing, fish supply, and tourism. However, coral reefs have been increasingly impacted by natural and anthropogenic disturbances, which has negatively affected fish security within their environment. A significant observation is the reduction in evasive behaviors among reef fish in marine reserves compared to those exposed to anthropogenic threats. The present research aims to investigate the factors mediating fish wariness behavior through an exploration of the roles of territoriality and body size on fish flight initiation distance (FID). FID is the distance …

The Truth Behind Avocado Expansion In The Algarve: A Synthesis Of Public, Environmental Associations, And Government Perspectives And Response, Mandy Ausman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Avocado expansion has exponentially increased in the Algarve region of southern Portugal in recent years. The surge in expansion has provoked contention and discrepancy in the media regarding how and if avocado production can persist in the water-scarce region due to worsening drought conditions related to climate change coupled with the fruit’s significant water footprint. This paper aims to synthesize the arguments and response of the public, environmental associations, and government agencies to the expansion of avocado production in the water- scarce region of the Algarve, highlight the region’s current challenges of avocado expansion and water management regulation, and analyze …

Assessing The Performance Of Agricultural Systems In The Inland And Coastal Regions Of Northern Portugal Using Indicators: Establishing The Foundation Towards Better Agricultural Practices, Genevieve Gehlken

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of agricultural systems in the distinct coastal and inland regions of Northern Portugal. Employing key indicators, including soil erosion, nitrogen surplus, irrigation practices, Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and crop yield, the analysis reveals statistically significant disparities and unique challenges in each region. The coastal areas, marked by higher agricultural GDP, exhibit distinct economic dependencies on agriculture, while the inland regions face challenges related to water scarcity, soil erosion, and rural isolation. The looming threat of climate change adds complexity to these dynamics, further highlighting the need for region-specific, sustainable agricultural practices. In the …

Washington Conservation Corps Intern, Augie D. Alexander

College of the Environment Internship Reports

My crew was based out of Mt. Vernon, WA and we spent most of our time working in Skagit county. Including me, there were 5 members of the crew and a supervisor. A typical day would involve meeting in Mt. Vernon at 7am, piling in the work truck, and heading off to wherever our sponsor for the week needed us. There were also opportunities to be a part of what was called a “spike”, either a 4 or 8 day backcountry trip that usually involves trail maintenance. Throughout the summer I got the opportunity to be on 2 different “spikes”. …

Snohomish County Freshwater Ecology Intern, Ollie Cox

College of the Environment Internship Reports

As a Freshwater Ecology intern, much of my work was part of the County’s State of Our Waters (SOW) program. The SOW program is unique because of its comprehensive and standardized approach to monitoring. SOW monitoring uses five indicators to assess stream health, including water quality, hydrology, aquatic life, habitat, and land use.

Benford’S Law And Its Applications To Accounting, Lucy Wilson

Mathematics Student Projects

In this paper, we introduce the concept of Benford’s Law, which is the mathematical observation that in many naturally occurring numerical datasets, the leading digits are not evenly distributed. We actually find that smaller leading digits appear more often than larger ones. We will explore when and why this phenomenon occurs and how we can use statistical tests to determine how well a dataset conforms to Benford’s Law. We will also see how Benford’s Law can be used by auditors in the accounting field to catch potential fraud.

The Traveling Salesman Problem At Taylor University, Jonathan Jinoo Pawley

Mathematics Student Projects

What is the shortest route to walk to every residence hall on campus, beginning and ending with the same hall? This question can be considered by applying the Traveling Salesman Problem, an easy to understand yet hard to solve problem in the realm of discrete combinatorial optimization. The Traveling Salesman Problem is useful as an introduction to optimization problems, and it also has immensely practical applications. This paper will serve as an introduction to the computational difficulty of the Traveling Salesman Problem and will also explore various approximation algorithms. We will subsequently apply our new understanding of the theory to …

By The Campfire: How Representation In Video Games Can Be Improved, Hunter Smith

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

By the Campfire is a video game designed with accurate and thorough representation in mind from the start of development. Its purpose is to showcase the ways in which the player character in a video game can accurately represent anyone who plays it, and that the non-player characters in a video game can be generated in a way that diverse groups can be represented without harmfully misrepresenting them. This project includes a document that explains the process by which this game was created and why certain choices were made when implementing the games systems. The document details a survey that …

Blood Coagulation Factor Ix: Purification, Activation, Crystallization, Juliet Mcgill

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This paper presents readers with an optimized procedure for the purification, activation, and crystallization of selected blood coagulation Factor IX double mutant (FIX_2). Through the completion of this work, we aim to enhance future biochemical and structural studies by providing an easier means for the FIX_2 production, in order to increase understanding of the protein’s function within the blood coagulation cascade. The initiation of the blood coagulation cascade is brought on by activation of inactive Factor VIII (FVIII) protein though contact with tissue factor, the FVIII protein then binds to an activated platelet surface where it must wait for its …

Impact Of Media Consumption On Automatic Associations, Davis Eddleman, Taylor Allen, Wesley Gerndt, Amilya Bryant, Ninivet Ossa

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The concept of studying media’s effects on implicit and explicit bias has been studied many times in the field of psychology. Previous research has shown exposure to media coverage containing stereotypes of minorities increased implicit bias (Arendt & Northup, 2015; Dixon & Maddox, 2005; Arendt et al., 2015) and explicit bias (Arendt et al., 2015). This pool of research has previously focused on crime stories and right-wing political advertisements that contain stereotypical tropes of out-group minorities. In these studies, generally, there has been an effect such that priming stereotypes surrounding dark-skinned individuals, may activate automatic associative stereotypes, such as the …

Catching Elusive Depression Via Facial Micro-Expression Recognition, Xiaohui Chen, Tony Tie (T.) Luo

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Depression is a common mental health disorder that can cause consequential symptoms with continuously depressed mood that leads to emotional distress. One category of depression is Concealed Depression, where patients intentionally or unintentionally hide their genuine emotions through exterior optimism, thereby complicating and delaying diagnosis and treatment and leading to unexpected suicides. In this article, we propose to diagnose concealed depression by using facial micro-expressions (FMEs) to detect and recognize underlying true emotions. However, the extremely low intensity and subtle nature of FMEs make their recognition a tough task. We propose a facial landmark-based Region-of-Interest (ROI) approach to address the …

Modulation Of Electrocatalytic Activity By Tuning Anion Electronegativity: Case Study With Copper Chalcogenides, Harish Singh, David Prendergast, Manashi Nath

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Anion-tuning in metallic chalcogenides has been shown to have a significant impact on their electrocatalytic ability for overall water splitting. In this article, copper-based chalcogenides (Cu2 X, X= O, S, Se, and Te) have been systematically studied to examine the effect of decreasing anion electronegativity and increasing covalency on the electrocatalytic performance. Among the copper chalcogenides, Cu2Te has the highest oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and can sustain high current density of 10 and 50 mA cm−2 for 12 h. The difference in intrinsic catalytic activity of these chalcogenide surfaces have been also probed through density functional theory calculations, which …

Women As A Force Multiplier For Bringing Nuclear Forensic Capabilities To The International Stage, Heather M. Dion, Caterina Fox, Kim Knight, Anne Phillip

International Journal of Nuclear Security

In 2009, the US Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Program initiated a new nuclear forensics outreach effort under its Confidence Building Measures Program. Little did they know that the timing could not have been better. This article focuses on the early years (2009–2015) of the NNSA’s international nuclear forensics outreach, specifically the efforts and experiences of the women who helped establish this program, building it from a fledgling, bilateral effort into an enduring technical capacity provider engaging with dozens of countries and multilateral organizations. At the onset of the program, nuclear forensics was an …