Category: Honors College

Blue Dog Bark: “God Talk” and Religious Cues by Centrist Democrats

Author(s): Drew Kolber

Mentor(s): Antti Pentikäinen, Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, Carter School

Abstract

The use of religious language by moderate Democratic politicians remains understudied despite extensive research on “God talk” among conservative Republicans. This gap is particularly significant for members of the Blue Dog Coalition, who represent constituencies with many “split ticket” voters; those who elected Democrats locally while voting Republican in the national election. Previous research has focused on coded religious cues in conservative political communication, primarily relying on media appearances and campaign rhetoric, while largely leaving House floor speeches unexamined. This study aims to analyze all 2,059 congressional floor speeches offered by the ten current Blue Dog Coalition members from the 116th through the 119th Congresses (2019-2025). It employs comparative content analysis alongside thematic analysis to capture both the frequency of religious language and the contexts in which it appears. Preliminary findings reveal that Blue Dog Democrats explicitly appeal to faith during commemorations of retiring or deceased constituents and colleagues, as well as when honoring mass casualty events. “God talk” – implicit, coded religious language – was found in references to community stewardship, heritage, and the value of “neighbors” in civic life. Blue Dog Democrats primarily deploy religious rhetoric during moments of change and loss, rather than in policy debates, suggesting a “Blue Dog Bark” focused on the virtue of associational life rather than partisan identity.

Audio Transcript

Hi there. My name is Drew Kolber, and today I’m so excited to share my research: Blue Dog bark: God Talk and Religious Cues by centrist Democrats. So what is God talk, and who are the Blue Dogs? So in the 1994 midterms, Republicans gained 54 seats in the house and eight seats in the Senate. It was the first GOP House Majority since 1952 and democratic moderates responded. Founding members of this caucus viewed the results of this election as a rejection of the Democratic Party moving too far left. And so in 1995 the coalition formed with 23 members and advocated fiscal responsibility, centrist values like pragmatism and really a dedication to the financial stability and national security of the country. Today, there’s 10 members of the Blue Dog caucus with a real local turn. There’s been a shift back to an emphasis on the specific values and needs the constituencies that these representatives represent. They focus on values like the right to repair, not taking money from corporate PACs and sometimes break party lines while holding to their espoused values, focusing on a place based politics, as opposed to a national one. What’s God talk? God talk is implicit, coded religious cues embedded in political communication, coded, particularly historically, for evangelical voters, without alerting out group members, is built on GOP operative David quo’s investigation in the 1980s into this strategy by conservative politicians to imbue subtle biblical references and hymn phrases and value statements which appeared innocuous to general audiences but really resonated with religious voters. And so this coded language relied on the receiver to infer political attachments. And as I shared, the predominant focus has been on the GOP and this evangelical constituency, but I feel that it’s obscured an important research gap, which is, how do Democratic politicians employ similar strategies? So these members of the Buddha coalition represent constituencies with many split ticket voters, people who elected Democrats locally while voting Republican in the national election, and this previous research was focusing on conservative political communication, and it didn’t look at the way that Democratic politicians were speaking. And so my study aims to analyze all the congressional floor speeches offered by the 10 current Blue Dog coalition members from the 116 to the 119th Congress is essentially the last five years, and employs comparative content analysis and thematic analysis to capture both the frequency of religious language and the context in which it appears, and I’ll share some of my preliminary findings later. So why is this question important? Church and State didn’t end their dialog at the establishment clause in the early years of our nation, the separation provided a mutual protection of each institution in which they weren’t held accountable for the failures or successes of each other, and provided distinct support systems for our country. And there’s a long lineage of thinkers and philosophers observing this rich tradition of associational life and religion in many different sects in the US, looking at Alexa de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and the way that the Federalist Papers discuss the role of religion in the new nation, looking to more modern thinkers, Robert Putnam shared in 2000 that there’s a noticeable decline in social trust and associational Life. He talked about the Bowling Alone and people moving from bowling leagues to individual pursuits. And while I noticed this trend too, I also saw a prevalence in the collective social imaginary, this remaining presence of religion and religious language in politics. And I have my own experience with civil society and religion, as someone active in Jewish student life and Jewish community, and I was curious, how are politicians talking about religion? So to look at this question, I first had to determine my corpus. There’s a lot of different ways to look at political communication. You can look at tweets and newsletters. I wanted a really standardized way, and so I looked to ProQuest congressional and looked at the house floor speeches offered by this set of members of this Congressional Caucus. I also did some preliminary sense making using Max QDA, particularly content analysis, which tracked the frequency and context of key terms like biblical references and expressions of civil society and associational life, as well as thematic coding, identifying and interpreting patterns and then organizing around these themes, which is a prominent method of meaning making in conflict, analysis and resolution. So what did I find? The following are the word clouds of the most frequent terminology expressed by professor. Yes, by Representative Marie bus and camperez, Representative Jerry golden, Representative Lou Korea and Representative Adam gray. Each of these are current members of the House Blue Dogs and a really good start to my understanding of the Caucus’s way of speaking and their appeal to faith, because they really have this local turn this, this focus on the constituencies that they represent and their specific values, as opposed to a nationalized politics. And you can see community pops out even in the broader word cloud, representing the primary frequencies of the whole data set, there’s an appeal to associational life when it comes to service and honor and community and neighbors. These are terms that these representatives are using another way to visualize. This is their top most frequent words in this way. So what does this mean? Though, thematically, I noticed that the Blue Dogs appealed to faith when they were honoring retired or deceased colleagues or community leaders. I noticed that they appealed to faith in the response of mass violence or tragedy in their communities when they were expressing the value of religious freedom or honoring American culture. They also really appeal to faith when discussing military service and the notion of the ultimate sacrifice for those who died while in the service, and also, there was a prevalence of biblical imagery invoked in response to a perceived moral failing of their leadership. The following are some pulled quotes representing these various themes. Jared golden in remembering victims of a shooting in Maine in 2023 offered this daily devotional. Lou Correa and remembering the community member offered a prayer, may his memory serve as an example for all seeking to lead a happy and joyful life, may his spirit rest in peace. Marie Lucent kept Perez in honoring the survivors of a horrific fire in her district, talked about the strength of unity and community and neighbors. This term neighbors is a key term that I see over and over. Additionally, in referencing the impeachment of President Trump, Lou Correa talked about this idea of a shining city upon a hill, key biblical imagery and a call to
a greater America.
And these are, this is interesting. This is not how we might think moderate Democrats would speak. Then. This is pretty explicit, and yet, there’s also some of that coded God talk too. So there’s a combination of thematics and finds a really rich starting place to try to understand why did these politicians speak that way? And that’s what’s next, in order to understand why, we first had to understand how, how are they speaking? And that was the main object of this project. And I would be grateful to continue my research, to start to understand why, when it comes to the galvanization of voter constituencies when it appeals to faith are present or not,
and the ways in which these representatives speak.
So I’m so grateful to URSP, Oscar and Dr Karen Lee, my mentor, Antti, Professor Thomas Flores for his initial shepherding of my project. Professor Djupe for his guidance and language, and also Professor John Farina for his framing about the founders and their perception of faith in politics.
Thank you so so much.

Cells, Individuals, and Community College of Humanities and Social Science College of Science Honors College OSCAR Winners

Women’s Perception of Safety as Demonstrated in Tiktok Trend Man Vs Bear

Author(s): Devyn Wilson

Mentor(s): Collin Hawley, Honors College

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Abstract

Stemming from the 2024 TikTok trend asking women if they would rather be stuck in a forest with a man or bear, this study seeks to answer what the internal discourse of women is when choosing a man over a bear, in order to assess their values and perceptions of safety. Early research on this subject focused on crime statistics and victimization rates. As feminist theory developed, researchers began to explore broader contexts, including public spaces, urban design, and societal norms that influence women’s feelings of safety. This transition showcased that women’s safety perceptions are often shaped by societal norms, cultural narratives, and lived experiences. However, this proposed research question explores how women assess and investigate the intersection of physical, emotional, and social aspects of safety. To explore the decision-making process of women, mixed methods including, Critical Technocultural Discourse analysis of social media posts (Brock, 2016), bear attack statistics, crime analysis, and survey analysis of women in the DMV area will be used. Critical Technocultural discourse analysis used to analyze social media discourse to find what women are saying regarding their perceived safety in either scenario, a man or a bear appearing. Bear attack analysis and crime analysis can compare the relative risk of damage if a bear or man appears. Surveys of women in the DMV area allow for a conversational component in which women will be able to express safety in their setting. The findings contribute to broader conversations around safety, risk assessment, trust, and gender in contemporary society.

Audio Transcript

Imagine walking on a trail much like this one. While walking you hear leaves rustling, would you whether the rustling be due to a man or a bear. This question was presented to TikTok users in 2024. What was supposed to be a quick, simple, easy-to-flow trend turned into discussions about women’s safety and how they perceived the world around them. It has been a little over a year since this question first appeared, allowing many people to answer it. But what does this question demonstrate about women’s perceptions of safety? What does this question demonstrate about the perceptions of safety of women. What kind of improvement and conclusions can we draw from this trend to make women feel safer. Furthermore, the project wanted to explore the intersections of social media and outlook on safety.

Academic conversations have yet to cover these discussions. Early research on women’s perception of safety focused on crime statistics and victimization rights. As feminist theory developed, researchers began to explore broader contexts, including public spaces, urban design, and societal norms that influence women’s feelings of safety. Furthermore, safety is grouped into other discussions including MeToo, Not all men, LGBTQ+, and family disputes, among others. While these papers provide context to safety, they fail to capture the true fears and realities of women, in their everyday life. The shift from victimization rates to broader contexts marked the understanding that women’s safety perceptions are shaped by societal norms, cultural narratives, and lived experiences. Despite this shift, academic papers have yet to capture the nuanced discourse of women in everyday life. This disconnect raises important questions about whose experiences are prioritized in academic discourse — and why moments like the “man or bear” debate remain outside scholarly engagement. This project seeks to highlight the internal dialogue of women set upon by this trend Man Vs Bear, exploring how women assess and investigate the intersection of physical, emotional, and social aspects of safety.

This semester primarily focused on IRB approval and gathering survey responses.

Before examining the responses, it’s important to note the inclusion criteria. Respondents had to be women or nonbinary, between 18 and 25 years old, and currently attending a university or college in the DMV area. A total of 70 participants met this criteria.

When asked whether they would rather be in a forest with a man or a bear, responses were as shown in the graph:

Most participants felt confident in their choice. Those who were uncertain said they wanted more context—such as the type of bear, the exact setting, or the man’s behavior—because these factors would meaningfully shape their decision.

Since the purpose of the study was to understand why participants made this choice, the explanations are central to the findings. Common themes included:

Fear of men: This appeared on both sides. Many respondents felt they could more easily predict a bear’s behavior compared to a man’s intentions. Participants mentioned strategies for avoiding bear attacks or managing the situation, while expressing concern about men having hidden motives or personal gains. Several respondents noted that some potential outcomes with men—such as assault, or not being believed afterward—felt “worse than death.”

Some pointed out that they see men every day and have survived those encounters, implying that men may not be as dangerous as perceived. Others emphasized that bear attacks are statistically less common than violent crimes committed by men.

Later questions provided broader context for these choices: 93% of respondents felt that women are conditioned to be more alert or afraid in public spaces than men. No one said “no.” 80% reported they have pretended to talk on the phone, changed direction, or taken defensive actions when encountering an unknown man in a quiet area. These behaviors highlight the role of social conditioning and hypervigilance in shaping perceived safety.

Across responses, control emerged as a major influence. Participants expressed more fear of threats whose motives could be hidden—such as a man who appears helpful but becomes dangerous.

Many respondents also said they would trust their instincts over statistics, suggesting that cultural narratives and personal experience strongly shape safety judgments. For some, choosing the bear aligns with worst-case-scenario thinking, especially for those who stated that certain outcomes with men would be worse than death.

Respondents tended to classify their fear of bears as primarily rational—based on a known, identifiable physical threat.

Fear of men, however, was described as both rational and emotional, rooted not only in real statistics but also in lived experience, cultural conditioning, and emotional memory.

indicating that fear is shaped by:

lived experience,

repeated warnings,

cultural narratives, and

observed stories of harm.

The data shows that young women and nonbinary students interpret safety through a blend of emotion, lived experience, social conditioning, and perceived controllability. The surprising preference for being with a bear over a man is not about the bear itself—it is a reflection of deep concerns about male unpredictability, cultural warnings, and threats to autonomy.

The bear becomes a stand-in for a danger they feel they can understand, while men represent dangers they feel they cannot read or control.

Looking into the coming months, Critical Technocultural Discourse analysis, bear attack statistics, and crime analysis will be put into conversation with the survey results. Together, they will uncover more about perceptions of safety and where gaps can be filled through societal shifts. Ultimately, my work contributes to a broader conversation: how gender, safety, and culture shape the way we move through the world.
The “man or bear” question may sound simple — even silly — but it reminds us that women’s fears are not irrational. They are reflections of real, lived experiences in a world that too often asks them to be cautious — even in the forest.

Cells, Individuals, and Community College of Public Health Honors College OSCAR Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) - OSCAR

Rest and Results: The Relationship Between Sleep, Stress, and Grade Point Average (GPA) in Undergraduates

Author(s): Michael Kaleem

Mentor(s): Ali Weinstein, College of Public Health

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Abstract

Michael Kaleem
URSP Abstract

Title
Rest and Results: The Relationship Between Sleep, Stress, and Grade Point Average (GPA) in Undergraduates

Authors: MK and AW

Background
Sleep plays an important role in college students’ cognitive functioning and overall academic success, making it a crucial area of study. However, the specific relationship between parameters of sleep and academic performance has not been well studied. In addition, college students have also reported increasing levels of stress over the past few years, and stress can affect both sleep and academic success. Therefore, the current investigation examined the associations between duration of sleep, sleep quality, and stress with academic success.

Methods
Data were collected by surveys completed by undergraduate students at a large, public university. Sleep duration and sleep quality were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale. Academic success was operationalized as a self-reported GPA. Pearson correlations determined association between the variables of interest with p<0.05 set as the level of statistical significance. Results
There were 196 undergraduate students that participated (70.1% female, 36% white/non-Hispanic, 27.6% Asian/Pacific Islander, age: 18.1±0.5). Both sleep duration and sleep quality were statistically significantly related to GPA (r=0.17, p=0.02, r=-0.13; p=0.001, respectively). Therefore, as the number of hours of sleep increased and as sleep quality increased (lower number on PSQI is indicative of better sleep), GPA increased. Elevated stress levels were related to both sleep duration (r=-0.14; p=0.01) and sleep quality (r=0.40; p<0.001) but not significantly correlated to GPA (r=-0.01; p=0.92). Conclusion
This study found that sleep duration and sleep quality were positively associated with academic success. Although stress was not directly related to academic success, it was associated with both sleep duration and quality, suggesting that stress may influence academic success indirectly through its effects on sleep. Future research should explore how demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors influence sleep patterns and academic success to better inform strategies that support student success.

Audio Transcript

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? And do you think it affects your GPA? Sleep is something most college students sacrifice, yet it’s essential for memory, learning, and mental functioning. My name is Michael Kaleem, and our research explored the relationship between sleep, stress, and academic performance in undergraduates. We wanted to know: Could better sleep actually lead to better grades—and how does stress fit into the picture?

Sleep is more than just rest. During sleep, the brain strengthens memories, organizes information, and supports attention and problem-solving. So, in theory, students who sleep longer and sleep better should perform better academically. But college life is complex—so real data is needed to understand what’s actually happening.

Stress is one of the biggest disruptors of sleep. High stress can shorten sleep duration, worsen sleep quality, and impact mood and focus. Because stress influences both sleep and academic functioning, we wanted to understand whether stress plays a direct role in GPA—or whether its effects occur indirectly through sleep.
We surveyed 196 undergraduate students at a large public university. Sleep duration and sleep quality were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, and students self-reported their GPA. We used Pearson correlations to examine how these variables were related, with significance set at p < 0.05.
We found that both sleep duration and sleep quality were significantly related to GPA. Students who slept more hours tended to have higher GPAs. And students with better sleep quality—which means fewer sleep problems—also had higher GPAs. So in this sample, sleep really did matter for academic success.
Stress told a different story. Stress levels were not directly related to GPA. However, stress was strongly connected to both sleep duration and sleep quality. Students with higher stress slept fewer hours and had worse sleep quality. This suggests that stress may influence academic performance indirectly—by affecting the amount and quality of sleep students get.
Our findings show that sleep duration and sleep quality are important predictors of academic success. Even though stress didn’t directly affect GPA, it played a major role in disrupting sleep. This highlights a powerful message: helping students improve sleep habits and manage stress can support academic performance, cognitive functioning, and overall well-being.
Future research should explore how demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors influence sleep and academic outcomes. Understanding these differences can help universities design more effective programs to support healthier sleep, reduce stress, and improve student success across diverse populations.

College of Engineering and Computing College of Humanities and Social Science Honors College Making and Creating OSCAR Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) - OSCAR Winners

A Robotic Cat for Examining Camera Clarity and Privacy in Human–Robot Interaction

Author(s): Alexia De Costa

Mentor(s): Eileen Roesler, Department of Psychology

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Abstract

This project presents the Bioinspired Automated Robotic Cat (BARC), a functional companion robot designed to support research in human–robot interaction and privacy-aware design. BARC features camera-based facial detection, expressive gaze behaviors, audio responses, and various soft and rigid materials to mimic a household cat. Because camera systems can enhance interaction while raising privacy concerns, the ongoing study compares peoples’ responses under two conditions: a clear, high-quality camera filter and a blurred, low-clarity camera filter. Using surveys and observation of touch behavior, the study examines how camera clarity shapes engagement and perceived privacy, informing the design of social robots that are effective while respecting user comfort.

Audio Transcript

Have you ever wondered what a robot actually sees when it looks at you?
Today, social and service robots are becoming increasingly common, and many rely on cameras for facial recognition and user engagement. But as useful as cameras are, they also raise important questions: Do they make people feel watched? Can a robot feel friendly while still respecting privacy?

These questions lie at a key intersection in human–robot interaction, that robots need perception to understand us, yet high-resolution sensing can make people uncomfortable. So I wanted to explore a central challenge: can we reduce privacy concerns without making interactions less enjoyable? And does being transparent about what a robot sees change how people feel?

To investigate this, I designed and built a robot cat from scratch called BARC, the Bioinspired Automated Robotic Cat. BARC is part engineering platform and part research tool. It can switch between two controlled camera conditions: a clear, high-quality camera filter and a blurred, low-clarity filter that still allows for partial facial detection. These interchangeable physical filters let me directly compare how different levels of sensing clarity influence interaction.

BARC is also designed to feel expressive and lifelike. It uses camera-based facial detection for gaze behavior, animated OLED eyes, a speaker for cat-like sounds, and soft and rigid materials that mimic the look and feel of a household cat. Through surveys and observations of touch behavior, my ongoing study explores how these two camera conditions shape user engagement and perceived privacy.

To create BARC, I began with feline anatomical references, studying limb placement, joint spacing, and overall proportions, to inspire the CAD model for the chassis. I laser-cut the acrylic components and assembled them using screws and tab-and-slot joints for a sturdy, lightweight frame.

At the heart of the robot is a Raspberry Pi 4, which handles perception and behavioral control.

A camera provides the main sensory input for facial detection.

Two OLED displays animate expressive eyes that track the user once a face is detected, giving the illusion of attention and social presence.

A speaker and amplifier generate a range of cat sounds, from meows to purrs to alarmed yowls.

An accelerometer-gyroscope detects movement, such as being picked up or shaken, so BARC can respond appropriately.

Servos are controlled by a PCA9685 driver, animate the limbs, jaw, head, and tail.

All behaviors are programmed in Python and organized in a state machine with modes such as Idle, Seeking Attention, Interacting, and Startled. BARC transitions between these states based on sensory input and probability, helping interactions feel natural rather than scripted.

To examine how camera clarity influences engagement and privacy perceptions, BARC serves as a fully capable research platform. Seventy-two participants are currently part of a single-blind study with two groups:

Group 1: interacts with BARC using a clear camera filter

Group 2: interacts with BARC using a blurred, privacy-preserving filter

The physical filter is noticeable, so using filters in both groups keeps the robot visually consistent. That way, any differences we see are truly due to what the robot can or can’t perceive.

Participants interact with BARC, complete a survey measuring constructs such as Perceived Sociability and Perceived Enjoyment, and then are shown a live camera feed so they can see the actual resolution of the robot’s vision. Afterward, they complete a second survey measuring perceived privacy, perceived surveillance, disturbance, and attitudes about robots.

The hypotheses are:
1: No difference in sociability, enjoyment, or touch behavior.
2: The filtered-camera group will report higher perceived privacy.
3: The clear-camera group will report higher perceived surveillance.

This interdisciplinary project connects mechanical engineering, psychology, and human-robot interaction to better understand how people perceive robotic sensing. BARC’s expressiveness, biological inspiration, and controlled camera conditions make it a powerful research platform.

By comparing clear versus filtered camera views, this research explores whether privacy concerns come from what the robot actually sees, or what users believe it sees. Ultimately, the goal is to guide the design of future social robots that remain engaging and respectful of user’s privacy

Special thanks to Dr. Eileen Roesler (Psychology) and Dr. Daigo Shishika (Mechanical Engineering) for their invaluable mentorship. Thank you to Katya Schafer for assistance with data collection, and to Dr. Karen Lee and OSCAR for their support and funding, which made this project possible.

Thank you!

College of Visual and Performing Arts Honors College Making and Creating Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) - OSCAR

Senior Thesis Short Film – Misafir

Author(s): Selma Veli

Mentor(s): Amanda Kraus, Collage of Virtual and Performing Arts

Abstract

This short film, Misafir, which translates to The Guest in English, is a mix of fantasy and drama set inside a Turkish household. The main character, Deren, invites her grandfather to her birthday celebration, unaware of the years of conflict between him and her mother. As Deren tries to uncover the truth behind their silence, an uninvited, mysterious guest appears. Her name is Kat, a cat-human who knows the family as if she holds it in the palm of her hand. And her presence stirs the tension in unsettling ways.
Misafir explores how, in uncommunicative families, the younger generation often feels displaced and even responsible for being the bridge or to pick a side. Many families carry silences and unresolved conflicts across generations, and this story shows how one small act of communication can open the door to healing.

Audio Transcript

Hi, my name is Selma Veli and I’m a film and video studies major concentrating in directing. For my senior thesis, I created a 10-minute short film supported by the Oscar research funds. With this support, I assembled a 25 person crew from George Mason University and cast seven Turkish speaking actors from New York. This short film, Misafir, which translates to “the guest” from Turkish to English, is a mix of fantasy and drama that takes place in a Turkish household. My main character, Deren, invites her grandfather to her birthday party, unaware of the conflict between him and her mother. As Deren tries to uncover the truth behind their silence, a mysterious guest appears. Her name is Kat, a cat humanlike creature that walks in the house and acts like she knows the family, but no one knows who she is or what she is and who even invited her. Misafir explores how in incommunicating families, younger generations often feel like they have to be the bridge between older generations or that they have to pick a side. And this story shows how one small act of communication can start the process of healing. One of the biggest challenges we faced was casting as it was really hard to find Turkish speaking actors, especially in the DMV area. My story was always in Turkish, but I was flexible to make it in English, but I knew it wasn’t going to be a true representation. We looked around in the DMV area. I asked friends and families, but one, no one really wanted to be in it. Second, they didn’t have the skills to be acting. So after receiving the funds, I was able to search beyond the DMV area and I found a bunch of beautiful actors in New York. But since this was a student film and I couldn’t offer payment, accommodation, their travel and stay was essential. So the funds really played a big role on helping me cover those. I also was able to achieve the look that I really wanted for the film. A lot of the props in the house or production design costume was also covered by the fund. The character cat had special props that she required. For example, her wig, her nails, her makeup, and her eye contact were some of the ways I was benefited by the Oscar found. On the production day, I’m 100% sure that our hospitality really satisfied our actors and bringed out the best performance out of them. Some of them were professional actors in the industry and they even came up to us and told us how professional and organized we were even though we’re just a student crew. Overall, the Oscar founding really made this film be a very professional, authentic, and pretty film that I’m very satisfied with. So, thank you for everyone who supported us and thank you Oscar for funding me.

College of Science Honors College

Automation in Detecting and Localizing Diseased Kidneys in MRI Scans using Deep Learning

Author(s): Rushil Johal

Mentor(s): Suraj D. Serai, Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), a rare genetic disorder affecting 1 in 20,000 children, leads to kidney failure by age 15 due to abnormal renal tubules forming fluid-filled cysts. Diagnosing ARPKD in adolescents prematurely is challenging, as they are in the early stages of kidney development. IMPAKT, a current IT database, helps clinicians identify and manage ARPKD patients early. Traditionally, MRI scans are manually analyzed to collect clinical data, a process prone to errors and inconsistencies. This study introduces a deep learning approach using digital image filtering and artificial neural networks to automate ARPKD detection in DICOMs (digital communication standard for MRI scans). The method accurately localizes cysts by applying spatial high-pass filtering and edge detection, overcoming previous manual detection limitations. This technique can integrate with existing medical records software to predict the likelihood of ARPKD and other genetic diseases at its early stages for risk patients, enabling earlier treatment.

Hello! This is a presentation on the Automation in Localizing and Detecting Disease Kidneys in MRI Scans using Deep Learning. My name is Rushil Johal and with the assistance of the University of Pennsylvania Health System or UPenMed and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Opening the successfully filed USPTO patent application was a tangible symbol of my biggest dreams. My journey began with sleepless nights, manually tracing and scanning MRI silhouettes of inflamed kidneys to gather vital biological data, such as water volume and iron content. This required drawing 10 outlines per MRI scan layer and each kidney having 40 layers. It’s a cumbersome process for physicians conducting genetic disease testing. I pondered: There must be a more efficient way.

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is a rare genetic disorder affecting 1 in 20,000 children. It’s caused by fluid-filled cysts in renal tubules, leading to decreased kidney function and eventual failure by mid-40s. Deep Learning (DL) can revolutionize early ARPKD diagnosis and transform the healthcare industry by collecting and analyzing data from MRI scans for various diseases, potentially saving thousands of lives.

I am studying Computational Data Science and have versatile programming experience in R, Java, MATLAB, and Python. Thus, I apply these hands-on skills in scientific research, specifically interning in MRI Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Summer 2022.

There, I evaluated how an image filtering, DL algorithm is controlled to detect and localize early telltale signs of ARPKD in adolescent patients by examining MRI scans, known as DICOMs.

We‘ll cover the current problems with diagnosing ARPKD and its data collection process, how this DL algorithm functions and its limitations, and the algorithm‘s implications and extensions throughout the medical industry.

To first understand why ARPKD is challenging to detect early and its problematic data collection process, we’ll cover its relevance with DL.

Dr. Anwar Padhani, spokesman for the 2016 International Conference on Radiation Medicine, describes DL branching from ML by utilizing neural networks, like a brain neuron, with many interconnected layers to automatically extract patterns from data, enabling high-level abstraction and complex tasks like image recognition.
ARPKD is difficult to diagnose early due to having no cure, no symptoms nor pain, and delayed development of cysts by the time the risk patient typically reaches 12-14 years old, where tissue trauma has already occurred. Furthermore, the symptoms of excess water retention simulate a steep exponential growth between the patient’s age and kidney size, almost indistinguishable from a healthy, linear-size kidney growth as the patient matures.

Current data collection begins by extruding DICOMS from another picture archiving and communications system, PACs, to be mapped into a standard coordinate system. We collect data by free-hand drawing regions of interest (ROIs) as silhouettes of specific tumors within the kidney. According to nephrologist Dr. Charlotte Gimpel’s 2019 PubMed publication, this tedious methodology is time-consuming, susceptible to human error, unable to localize cysts in DICOMs with blurry qualities, and inconsistent among varying DICOM series.

Understanding DL’s relevancy in streamlining ARPKD’s data, we’ll focus on the algorithm’s operation and limitations.

Digital image filtering and artificial neural networks of multiple input and output automate localizing ARPKD in DICOMs. This steerable algorithm applies high radio frequency and edge detection of image pixels to detect abnormal cysts compared to the rest of the kidney structure. The same approach is applied for Snapchat filters detecting your facial features based on lighting. Once multiple DICOMs of the same patient study and date have been uploaded, the algorithm leverages prior pixel data to improve performance for the same repeated set of tasks.

However, the algorithm may initially experience difficulty differentiating ARPKD’s appearance from a healthy kidney in a DICOM or not generalize to different genetic variations of ARPKD. This can lead to misdiagnosis by false positives or negatives for ARPKD. However, Dr. Kouta Ito’s 2021 publication in the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s findings reveals this algorithm can replace the manual method by decreasing medical uncertainty and random error by 18% with an accurate detection success rate of 93%.

After comprehending the algorithm’s method, let’s focus on its implications and extensions in other fields within healthcare.

This algorithm can be implemented in various medical records software, such as Epic Systems, and includes Multi-Modal Fusion, combining information from multiple imaging modalities, such as CT and ultrasound, to improve localization accuracy. Lastly, the method may detect early patient liver and bile duct cancer risks.

For implications: the algorithm minimizes the time required for diagnosis and treatment planning. It also provides quantitative measurements of cyst size, distribution, and progression over time, helping track disease progression and evaluating treatment efficacy in real-time, not possible prior. Thus, we can tailor personalized treatment plans based on each patient’s severity or unique ARPKD characters. However, legal issues can be a barrier, such as using huge amounts of confidential patient data or a risky financial investment, inaccessible to many underfunded healthcare systems nationwide.

Overall, this image filtering, DL method can change the healthcare industry by diagnosing unaware patients at risk, not just in ARPKD, but any disease studied via MRI DICOMS, even if a cure does not yet exist.

We have covered DL‘s importance in solving ARPKD diagnosis and addressing ARPKD‘s concerns, the new methodology and its constraints, and its impact on healthcare.

Evaluate how you may incorporate DL into your everyday life. Allow an algorithm to teach itself and do the complicated, repetitive tasks for you better after each try. After all, ML is just a baby learning how to walk, but sooner than you realize, will drive a car.

Thank you so much for your undivided attention!

College of Visual and Performing Arts Honors College OSCAR

Fuyumi: An Exploration of a Modern Take on Japanese Classics Through the Lens of Humanity

Author(s): An Tran, Brian Vu, Kevin Vu

Mentor(s): Robert Gillam, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Storytelling has existed since the dawn of human civilization. Across cultures, oral tradition was perhaps the most prominent practice in passing down tales. Especially in Japanese literature, oral traditions and storytelling through songs were best exemplified in traveling musicians and theater art, such as Kabuki and Noh through the utilization of ethnic instruments like the koto and biwa.
Storytelling since then has evolved and transitioned through many structures of methodology, techniques, and mediums. With today‘s popular media, Japanese storytelling can best be seen through cultural exports and online presentation of anime and manga. Yet, oral traditions of the past still have a historical significance and cultural impact on the Japanese world. Hence, with the modern development of Japanese storytelling and the existing art of oral tradition, a question arises on how these historic stories can be transformed and contextualized in a fashion such that Japanese oral traditional styles can be interpreted and cultivated in a modern perspective.
I aim to address that with the written work of Fuyumi and the musical and theatrical adaptation of the literature. The adaptation‘s goal is to develop insights and understanding into the traditional Japanese mediums of storytelling through a modern narrative inspired and based on those settings. Not only that, but the adaptation’s overarching goal is to offer a perspective of humanity through the connections that we make. Fuyumi‘s narrative is meant to be a reflection of the human experience. Oftentimes, there may be an invisible barrier in place between us and our ancestors, however, there may be more in common than we may first expect. Like a massive web of connections through interpersonal relationships, people are intertwined in a prevailing fact. To be human is to live.

“In the land of spirits and souls, it is the human realm that foretells histories and stories within fragmented visions and material pieces.
Though rivers retain the rush of flowing water and mountains harden in the midst of rock and soil, there remains a story of those without shape.
The wind, though important, saw no worth or control within itself.”
-Brian Vu

Hello everyone! My name is An Tran, I am a student of the Dewberry School of Music concentrating in Music Technology with a Minor in Audio Production. This semester, I am currently working on a music composition and stage play titled “Fuyumi”, roughly localized to “Wayward Wind”. The name and composition has been inspired by works from Joe Hisaishi and Hayao Miyazaki in their art of conveying stories. My goal with this project overall will be to produce a fully-realized stage play of a modernized take of Japanese Classics through multiple mediums.

Folklore and oral traditions have existed in human history for as long as we‘ve been around. Epics such as Heike Monogatari were orally passed down through generations of biwa performers. Hence, music has been intrinsically tied in the process of storytelling, creating traditions of folk tunes and dances that can be traced through lineages. Of the many differences that set humanity apart, stories and music reminds us of the shared human experience we all have.
Japanese storytelling has had its evolution throughout Japan‘s history. Whether it‘s through the form of Noh and Kabuki, or today‘s modern medium of Japanese Animations, stories are essential to how we can capture the perspective of humanity. The form of storytelling has come so far from what it has been in the past. The question is: How do we continue this “oral tradition” for our future generations?

Throughout this semester, my focus has been on the musical composition of Fuyumi. With the help of Dr. Gillam and Professor Dunayer, they guided me through the process of interpreting the original text provided for Fuyumi as well as what is thematically important. I researched and documented traditional Japanese folk tunes, including the music theory behind their melodies, rhythms, and usage. A big consideration that I accounted for was that I viewed much of these resources from a western lens of music. Inherently, Japanese traditional music is taught and notated differently than Western practices, in which I would need to carefully consider its adaptation. To gain experience in this, I joined a local taiko ensemble to further understand how music traditions would be taught in Japan. Finishing this semester, I was able to compose a short motif theme for Fuyumi using the experience that I have gained.

Fuyumi is a story meant to reflect the human experience. Throughout our lives, we have the chance to connect with many people, each with their own unique stories and struggles. Like a massive web that weaves and pulls, we as people are instinctively intertwined. To answer what it means to be human, is to live.

College of Humanities and Social Science Honors College OSCAR

How Reactions to Feedback Impact Burnout

Author(s): Elene Lipartiani

Mentor(s): Lauren Kuykendall, Psychology

Burnout is a prevalent and pervasive issue present among educators. In the context of the Job Demands-Resources Theory (JDR), burnout can be mitigated through job-resources. Traditionally, literature regarding feedback in the education setting focuses on how educators can provide feedback to students, as well as how educator‘s reactions to feedback influence their feedback acceptability and utilization. The present study is valuable since it expands upon the feedback literature by studying how reactions to student evaluation feedback influenced burnout in secondary and post-secondary educators. The study hypothesized that the relationship between job demands and burnout is moderated by feedback acceptability, such that the positive relationship is weaker when”¦
1A) “¦the confidence in the quality of the feedback is higher.
1B) “¦the source credibility is higher.
1C) “¦when organizational justice measures are lower.
Additionally, the study hypothesized that 2A) Self-esteem would be positively correlated with feedback acceptability and 2B) Self-efficacy would also be positively correlated with feedback acceptability. An online survey was distributed through the Prolific Survey software to recruit full-time, part-time or adjunct faculty who had taught for at least a year and had received student evaluations within the past semester. Multiple regression analysis was conducted through R (n=23) to find that of the job demands, only work-home conflict was a statistically significant predictor of burnout (p=.01), with no other interaction effects showing statistical significance. This may be do the limited sample size and lack of demographic representation in the current study’s sample and implies future studies may expand upon these limitations to make a more conclusive determination of the impact of different feedback acceptability components on the relationship between job demands and burnout.

Hello everyone, my name is Elene Lipartiani and my project looks at how reaction to feedback impact burnout. Burnout is the prolonged psychological exhaustion due to work-related stressors AKA job demands, of which there are many different kinds and I will run through the ones that were selected for this specific study at a slightly later time. Now certain occupations, um, are more susceptible to higher rates of burnout, specifically those involved in people work such as healthcare workers and teachers. Now, while there is some research already present about how burnout impacts research, there’s limited research on how the role of feedback impacts this dynamic and the available literature about feedback in education, tends to be student achievement centered or it looks at teacher feedback reactions to school inspection feedback. So the purpose of the study is expanding on this body of literature by looking at how high-school and college teachers react to their student evaluation feedback, and how their perception of this feedback influences their burnout, as well as how their perception of this feedback influences their self-esteem and self-efficacy influences this dynamic. And here I’ve provided a conceptual model to help illustrate that. You’ll notice in Job Demands there are three different kinds I specifically looked at which was Work Overload, where the responsibilities you’re assigned at work feel like they outweigh your ability to deal with them. Work Home conflict where your work and home responsibilities conflict with each other. For example if you had a baby at home to deal with on top of your work. And role conflict where you have multiple different roles or responsibilities you need to take on at work and they begin to feel overwhelming. All of these can lead to burnout. Now feedback acceptability is what we’re calling our reactions to feedback and the way that I measured that was Source credibility, in this case the students, are they considered credible and experts in the kind of feedback they’re providing, organizational justice measures aka the procedures involved in receiving those evaluations and the confidence in feedback quality. Meaning do teachers believe that the feedback that they are receiving is actually beneficial to them and of quality or not. The specific hypotheses of my study are listed here and the study itself was conducted through an online Qualtrics survey distributed through the prolific survey software, and of these there were 100 participants who were screened, and 23 met the eligibility criteria, which you can see listed here. These are the specific measures that I used for each of my variables and I conducted data analysis through Multiple Regression analysis through R. Now, my research actually showed that work home conflict was the only job demand who was a statistically significant predictor of burnout, which contradicts other studies that have found both work overload and role conflict are prevalent predictors of burnout and teachers, though this is possibly due to the limited sample size. Additionally if you look at the adjusted r squared value here, you’ll find that while the model I used was a relatively moderate predictor of these different interaction effects in the relationship that I was looking at, it wasn’t the best model due to the high standard error value that you can see. Furthermore, if look at the component + residual plots here, you’ll notice that some of them are nonlinear, suggesting there may be problems of heteroskedasticity, meaning this model may not be the most accurate for capturing the complex relationships of the influence of these job demands on burnout. And here I’ve also shown a table of the other different interaction effects that I had looked at , none of which unfortunately ended up being statistically significant. So to conclude, of the job demands, only work-home conflict was a statistically significant predictor of burnout in my study, none of the moderating variables had significant interactions which implies that the model might fail to capture the nonlinear relationship of feedback mechanisms on burnout rates, and other studies found different results with respect to the influence of these different constructs. However they were with a mixed methods design and they involved school inspection feedback. The limitations of my study were the limited sample size due to time constants and the eligibility requirements, the fact the study was not demographically representative since the majority of respondents were white males, as well as the presence of self-report bias when it came to the feelings about the student evaluations. In the future, I would repeat this study with a larger, more representative sample through stratified sampling or oversampling, a mixed methods approach to incorporate qualitative feedback from the teachers and explore influences of other job demands on burnout in this relationship. Thank you.

College of Engineering and Computing Honors College OSCAR

Privacy Concerns vs Product Desires: Unpacking Big Tech and the User Dilemma

Author(s): Mercy Wolverton

Mentor(s): Collin Hawley, Honors College

Data privacy scholarship follows a historical trajectory mirroring the evolution of digital technologies. As technology became ubiquitous in households, studies explored the relationship between its integration into daily life and users‘ data privacy behavior. Researchers found that there was a “Privacy Paradox” where users understand risks associated with their behavior yet continue to behave in an unsafe way (Aivazpour 5).

Studies such as Heinrich and Gerhart‘s found that “while students express concern for their privacy when using mobile devices and express an intent to use additional privacy-enhancing technology, their behavior using mobile device protections does not change, even after an educational intervention” (1). Aivazpour‘s study found that “both the Big Five variables and the impulsivity variables are significant predictors of information disclosure independent of each other” (1). Additionally, research pursues social theories such as the “lemming effect”, investigating how social and peer pressures shaped individuals’ conformity to data-protection norms (Synman et al 1).

However, Synman‘s research has only taken place in Australia (1). Furthermore, the “lemming effect” is not the exclusive social theory to possibly explain the influence of a group on an individual and future research should also be done regarding other social theories (Synman et al 1). My research is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of data privacy behaviors within the broader societal context. Employing a quantitative approach, I utilized a modified Likert scale-type questionnaire, drawing from the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q), to gather insights from random GMU students. Through surveys and data analysis, I seek to uncover patterns and predictors of data privacy behaviors, with a particular focus on understanding the enduring ‘Privacy Paradox.’ Preliminary findings suggest a significant disparity between users’ stated concerns about privacy and their actual behaviors, highlighting the need for further exploration into the factors driving this phenomenon.

Have you ever stopped to think about the sheer volume of personal data generated by your online interactions? Think about it. Every search query, every post, every click contributes to a treasure trove of personal information. From our preferences and habits to our locations and interests our digital footprint tells a detailed story about who we are. But who’s collecting all this data? Big tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are constantly harvesting our information to tailor advertisements, improve user experiences, and even influence our behaviors. In fact, Big Tech enjoys the benefits of network effects, where each additional user improves the value of the product. With this phenomenon, users aren’t paying in monetary values instead users attention funds Big Tech fueling the expansion of their data empires. However amidst this data driven landscape there’s a glaring lack of regulations in place to protect users with current regulations like the FTC Section 5 focusing primarily on antitrust indirectly and unreliably managing the implications of big data and data privacy. This leaves the role of protecting personal data in the hands of the user. Yet amidst growing concerns about data privacy there’s a fascinating paradox at play. While many express apprehensions about the extent of data collection, our actual behaviors often contradict these sentiments. This phenomenon, known as the Privacy Paradox, highlights the complex contradiction between our knowledge and actions in the digital sphere. The question now is why? Research suggests that our peers can play a significant role in shaping our actions. So whether it’s through social norms or direct influence could the choices of those around us impact our own decisions regarding data privacy? Through surveys and data analysis my research this spring at George Mason University delves deep into the Dynamics of data privacy. Utilizing a quantitative approach I designed a modified Five Point Likert scale questionnaire based off the human aspects of information security questionnaire. The questionnaire focuses on key areas such as password management, email use, internet use, social media use, and mobile devices. Data was gathered from a diverse sample of GMU undergraduate students with particular attention to possible social influences from their peers data privacy behaviors. Upon conducting quick analysis of survey responses intriguing disparities emerge. For instance when asked about accessing dubious or suspicious sites 98% of respondents correctly identified the associated risks. However when presented with scenarios related to peer Behavior the disparity between knowledge and actual behavior became evident. For instance when asked about visiting questionable websites for free resources given that their peers do a significant portion of respondents indicated agreement despite potential concerns about safety and legitimacy. These findings underscore the complex interplay between individual knowledge, peer influence and actual behaviors when it comes to data privacy. But an unexpected complexity also introduced itself when looking at the data safe behaviors related to internet use compared to that of mobile devices there were greatly varying extents of the Privacy Paradox effect. While the majority of respondents would contradict their knowledge when it comes to internet use, considerably less would do so when it comes to mobile device security. By unpacking these nuances my research while just in the beginning stages aims to provide information so that we can better understand how to mitigate the risks posed by the ever evolving landscape of data privacy. Moving forward I will continue to analyze survey data conduct further tests to further explore these dynamics specifically pursuing the influence of peer behavior as well as other possible subtopic specific influences. By identifying patterns and trends we can develop targeted interventions to bridge the gap between awareness and action in the realm of data privacy. Ultimately my goal is to contribute to a more privacy conscious society where individuals are empowered to protect their digital identities and navigate the digital landscape with confidence.

College of Humanities and Social Science Honors College OSCAR

RISE-ing to new heights

Author(s): Ayman Habib

Mentor(s): Michelle Dromgold-Sermen, Institute for Immigration Research

This research examines a part of the SOAR Initiative, a holistic model for small business development specifically tailored to individuals belonging to underserved communities. The specific program that it is focused on is the RISE program. Refugee and Immigrant Success through Entrepreneurship (RISE) program is focused on training, mentoring, and providing access to networking opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs from refugee and immigrant backgrounds. The program aims to facilitate the transformation of individuals, families, and local economies to enable them to move from a survival-focused lifestyle to thriving at all levels.

This research will highlight the practical and research best practices, opportunities, and challenges of establishing, evaluating, and sustaining an incubator-style program based on experiences and research findings from the first cohort of refugees participating. The research will contextualize how entrepreneurship”“ along with other alternative career pathways ““ offers a unique opportunity and an important alternative model for workforce development for this group to address income and social inequality for refugees resettled to the United States. Moreover, entrepreneurial investment in refugees and immigrants, such as through incubator models, offers a unique means of expanding both individual integration pathways and the visibility of opportunities for immigrant communities.

Hello everyone my name is Ayman Habib and I’m a sophomore majoring in Global Affairs. I have had the privilege of working as a research assistant at the IIR, the Institute for immigration research this school year, and today I will be going over the research that I’m working on. The research is called RISE-ing to new heights and it examines the Rise program initiated by the Costello College of Business. A little bit more about the Rise program it is focused on training mentoring and providing access to networking opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs from refugee and immigrant backgrounds. You can learn more about the initiative by visiting the website on this slide. When it comes to the research aspect of things there were several research questions that we had to refine. In the end, I ended up focusing on the question that was bolded on the slide: “How do refugees come to be involved in entrepreneurship following resettlement in the United States.” As for the literature review, there was a clear gap in the research on Refugee entrepreneurship and resettlement contexts. Some of the studies were on immigrant entrepreneurship but I still chose to review them since there’s a lot of parallels with immigrant and refugee entrepreneurship. Some of the studies shed light on the challenges faced by refugee entrepreneurs and other studies focused on the integration aspect of refugee entrepreneurship and how it can facilitate the process.

As mentioned earlier Duncan was one of the studies that focused on challenges. This slide details the challenges of starting a new business for refugees. Khademi et. al divided integration and concluded that entrepreneurship can help the integration of refugees in several ways such as increased awareness of the host country, improved language proficiency, and the expansion of social capital, and more. The methodology that I used for this research is divided into three parts. I started off with the administrative data analysis and the next step was the interviews. These include both entrepreneurs and mentors. These interviews will be semi-structured and will include questions about the subject’s entrepreneurial motivations the last data collection is from Qualtrics surveys. These will entail a baseline and a follow-up survey for both the mentors and the entrepreneurs. The interview questions were divided into five sections. The first one was entrepreneurial motivation where questions about their background education and interests were asked. The second section is questioning them about their entrepreneurial experiences and the challenges that they have faced. The third section is about the impact of their social networks on their business and this section also goes into mentorship. The fourth one is taking a deeper look into the details of their business and the last one evaluates the Rise program that they participated in. The next steps of the research are starting the interview phase once the IRB gets reapproved with the edits that we have made and secondly working on the grants for the project. Then sending out surveys. Then analyzing data and drafting research with the findings and finally publishing the research. Thank you for listening and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

College of Humanities and Social Science Honors College OSCAR

Role of Place Attachment in Adapting to Climate Change Through Insurance

Author(s): Jordan Bertaux

Mentor(s): Ted Hsuan Yun Chen, Environmental Science and Policy

Insurance uptake for natural disasters is decreasing even in the face of severe weather events due to climate change. The Hampton Roads Region of Virginia is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters due to climate change. Therefore, migration sometimes becomes a threat to people if they do not have insurance to protect themselves against climate change induced events. Conveying to people that purchasing natural disaster insurance is important is necessary which is why looking at reasons why people do or not purchase it must be evaluated. Looking at how place attachment can make people more aware and more interested in different types of insurance mechanisms that are offered in other parts of the world or also in the United States will be necessary to show what people want. Also looking at how place attachment affects the uptake of natural disaster insurance will be important in order to effectively communicate to people why natural disaster insurance is a viable option to adapt to climate change. Therefore, we will be able to see if strong place attachment will correlate into stronger adaptation choices like choosing insurance, even different types of insurance. In order to find this out, surveys will be administered to residents of Hampton Roads, Virginia. This will get results about how people feel about their residence and natural disaster insurance. With this information, more knowledge about people‘s preferences and desires can be used to try and change the role of insurance in adaptation to climate change.

Hello my name is Jordan and for my project I will be talking about place attachment and its role in insurance for natural disasters due to climate change. I would like to thank my mentor Professor Ted Chen from the Environmental Science and Policy Department for his help throughout this project and I would also like to thank the Oscar office for this opportunity to complete this research.

First we are going to look at some definitions to put some things for this project into context. Climate adaptation is the adjustments that can be made by any individual in an effort to prepare for the expected damages that may occur from an event related to climate change. Place attachment is going to be an emotional bond that a person develops with their setting. So in the context of this project, it is going to be the person‘s home. Insurance mechanisms are going to be different ways with which to receive coverage if a natural disaster were to occur. So these are going to be types of insurance for natural disasters that are either not offered in the United States, or they are offered in the United States, they are just not as popular, or they are newer.

Previous research has shown us that people with high place attachment will have a harder time moving away from their home. It also shows us that individuals with high place attachment want to build the resilience of their communities more and this can be through various adaptation measures. Place attachment can affect the adaptation decisions of an individual which can include insurance and other ways of adapting to climate change. It is also known that people do not want to purchase conventional natural disaster insurance due to resources or financial constraints.

The research questions for this project are going to be: does place attachment have an effect on insurance as an adaptation option? So how does place attachment play a role in the decision of whether to buy or not buy insurance for natural disasters. Next is going to be: does place attachment, purchasing insurance, and migration create a feedback loop? So does place attachment create a desire to invest in natural disaster insurance and then does that create an incentive to stay and not migrate from your home and then does place attachment create a desire not to move away and does that create an incentive to purchase natural disaster insurance? Finally, how does place attachment create variances across different insurance mechanisms? So the different insurance mechanisms that are going to be looked at that differ from conventional natural disaster insurance offered in the United States how does place attachment of an individual affect their choices about those different insurance mechanisms?

This is necessary to learn because it will show us whether there are instances where there is more incentive to buy insurance or not and instances whether to migrate or not. We will also be able to learn about the choices that people make and why they do so. With this information, it can show what needs to be changed about the current system. It will show us how barriers that are created by conventional natural disaster insurance like financial constraints can be erased. It will also give way to show people that there are different ways to adapt to climate change such as insurance. All of this will show us how we can help people to adapt more to climate change especially through insurance and how current policies should be changed so that more people are able to and want to purchase natural disaster insurance.

The process of this project is going to be a survey-based project. The survey will be administered to people of the Hamptons Roads Region of Virginia because this area is extremely vulnerable to severe weather events exacerbated by climate change. In the surveys, people will be asked questions about their personal demographics and then they will be asked questions in certain categories like place attachment and natural disaster insurance. This will give us the direct answers that we need from people to learn more about what people are currently doing compared to what they actually want to do if they had the options. From there, we can see if there are any correlations between place attachment and the insurance that people will choose for natural disasters due to climate change.

Finally, here is a list of my references used for this presentation. Thank you for listening.

College of Visual and Performing Arts Honors College

Closing the Gender Gap in Music Technology at the Undergraduate Level

Author(s): Theo Cobb

Mentor(s): Jesse Guessford, Music Technology

The world of music technology is constantly changing and adapting. However when it comes to gender equality, the world of music technology is far behind. Men have dominated the industry of music tech since its dawn until today. There are many obstacles that keep women and nonbinary people from being successful in music technology. A part of the problem is just how staggering the numbers are, some statistics estimate that 98% of producers are men. However, too much focus on the numbers only further cements how out of place women are in music tech. Now that there is widespread knowledge of the issue, attention must be shifted towards how to solve this problem. Martial changes can be made, and many have already been proven to dramatically help the issue. In this presentation I will be addressing how we can help solve problems women face in music tech at an undergraduate level. I have drawn my research from previous efforts to diversify various STEM fields, and from efforts already made within the field of Music Tech itself. I will be making suggestions for changes that undergraduate programs can make to help combat the problems that keep women out of tech. The three issues I will be focusing on are the pipeline problem, a lack of mentorship, and a lack of education geared towards women‘s specific needs.

Women are vastly underrepresented in the field of music and technology. In this presentation I’ll be addressing how we can help solve the problems that women face in music tech at an undergraduate level. My research will be drawn from previous efforts to diversify fields in stem and previous efforts in the field of music and Technology itself. I’ll be making suggestions for changes that undergraduate programs can make to help combat the problems that keep women out of tech. The three issues that I’ll be focusing on are the pipeline problem a lack of mentorship and a lack of Education geared towards women’s specific needs. Where we currently stand is a pretty bad spot. As of 2022 only 2% of producers aren’t men and only 12.9% of songwriters aren’t men. No woman has ever won producer of the earth Grammys and no woman was nominated this year either. The first issue that women in music technology face starts at a really young age, it’s called the pipeline problem. It stems from run-of-the-mill sexism that convinces women that their place is not in stem Fields, especially technology. Most music tech programs focus on the technological aspect when advertising their courses and programs instead of the aesthetic aspects of Music Technology. This steers women away from enrolling in these courses and programs. Here at GMU a way that we can help this is by offering Outreach programs for high schoolers and middle schoolers. The College of science here alone has four different outreach programs for underrepresented groups. These have proven to be incredibly successful. The University of Michigan was able to raise their incoming freshman class in the College of per Performing Arts Technology (PAT) from 20% female to 40% female after offering a summer outreach program called girls in music and Technology. Our next issue is lack of mentorship most college professors are CIS white men and the field of Music Tech is no different. An excuse often given for why there are no female instructors is a lack of qualified candidates and while this is true it speaks to the bigger issue at hand and should not be the end of the conversation but the beginning of one. In the meantime a way to give women role models at the educational level is by bringing in guest speakers and peer mentorship programs. Peer mentorship programs have proven very successful. There is a peer mentorship program at Berkeley called she knows Tech in which five graduate students agreed to Mentor four undergraduate students each for a total of seven mentoring sessions. A year later almost half were in Tech related Majors. My final Focus will be on how we can change the education itself that is offered to help combat issues that women specifically face. A thing that I found particularly compelling was how much the language around how we advertise courses affects women’s enrollment in them. I like to think of it as purpose versus tool language. Women are more likely to be interested in courses that emphasize the purpose of what they are learning rather than the literal tool itself. A computer science program saw a massive uptick in female enrollment when they changed the course title from intro to HTML to building socially responsible websites. This could be implemented in music and Technology by instead of naming courses things like “introduction to Protools” naming them “independently record and edit a song.” Another positive change would be doing away with weed out courses. Women are already taught that they do not belong in music and technology and they do not need to be met first thing with courses that are specifically designed to push people away. Another thing that has been proven successful in stem field is by having introductory courses split up by different experience levels. This could be particularly effective in music tech considering the wide range of experience that students come in with. While all of the statistics can be disheartening they should not be the focus. We know that women are underrepresented in music and Technology but focusing on how wildly large the gender gap is only reinforces the idea at the end of the day that women do not belong in Tech. These are real problems with real solutions, however diversity does not happen by accident but instead through real concerted efforts. If institutions are serious about making changes they should make their efforts known and public. there are many resources to find out about successful women in music technology such as Sound Girls and the Women’s Audio Mission. They provide databases of vetted and experienced female audio Engineers so no one has the excuse anymore that they just don’t know any women audio Engineers. Undergraduate programs are in a unique position to affect the industry as a whole because they are the final stop for many of us before we enter our professional careers. The values that students learn in undergrad they will take with them for the rest of their careers. If these programs show that they do not value women neither will the engineers that leave them.