William Perkins - “Waterfowl Hunter Demographics and Their Effects on Identification Skills at Grand Pass Conservation Area” (session 16) Waterfowl hunting in the state of Missouri, and across the nation, is a highly social and familial passtime. It is also a discipline of hunting that is heavily reliant on hunters ability to correctly identify species of birds, and adhere to state and federal regulations, to sustainably continue in a way that is beneficial to the public and to the resource. We identified various social and demographic factors that correlate with hunters proficiency in waterfowl identification. Factors evaluated include age, sex, years waterfowl hunting, days afield pursuing waterfowl, ducks harvested per year, presence of and relationship to a hunting mentor, and hunters confidence in identifying birds in the air. These factors were all recorded by the hunters themselves on an anonymous survey. Skill level was evaluated via both an in hand identification of birds harvested by the hunter on the same day of the survey, as well as through administering a ten image waterfowl identification quiz. Hunters were asked to identify the species of the birds in their possession, for themselves, even if they relied on another hunter while afield to identify birds for them. Incorrectly identified birds were recorded by the administer of the survey/quiz. The quiz was presented as a ten page packet, with one image of different species of waterfowl per page, each image containing key identifying features of the birds in question. Skill level in identifying waterfowl was found to be correlated with many factors to varying levels. Hunters having mentors were found to have greater proficiency in identifying waterfowl, and to an even greater extent when that mentor was of some sort of paternal or familial relationship. Other factors that positively correlated with higher identification scores included years spent hunting with a mentor, years duck hunting, and hunter age. Gabriel A. Pineda - Special Session: Patrol Procedures Tyler Polley - “Water Quality Assessment Using Community Composition of Darters and Benthic Macroinvertebrates” (session 14) Darters (Percidae) are a diverse group of benthic fishes that reside in cool, clear, and fast-moving water. They are typically found through the Ozark Plateau of Missouri. Several members of the genera Etheostoma and Percina have made permanent residence in the Salt Fork Creek, Saline County, MO. Darters are habitat specialists and are intolerant of poor water quality. Assessment of benthic macroinvertebrate community composition is an effective means of measuring water quality as some are more sensitive to perturbances than others. The purpose of this study was to assess water quality using benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators and to explore the relationship between darter community diversity and benthic macroinvertebrates in the Salt Fork Creek, Saline County MO.
Rubal Pradhan, Allexis Lark, Colton Campbell - “Disability Availability in Common Areas in MVC” (session 1) This project will explore the campus of Missouri Valley College and study its accommodations to the disabled or people with special needs. Our focus will cover outdoor areas like parking lots and sidewalks, and certain parts of buildings like the first and second floors of Ferguson, the first floor of the Tech Center, and lastly, the Malcom Center for Student Life. With the collected data, this group will offer suggestions that could potentially improve areas that lack the appropriate door knobs, door thresholds, and bathrooms that would otherwise help the disabled in a world (whether they realize it or not) that tends to lack these accommodations in the first place. Sawyer Reidt & Kaden Cowling - “The Challenges of Having Autism in School” (poster session) This project will explore what challenges students with this developmental disability have to face in their everyday lives in school. This can have an impact on attention span, or certain behaviors that can affect their learning. Depending on the severity of the student’s case on the spectrum, they could be enrolled into different classes or need certain accommodations so that they can have the best education possible. Lastly, having autism can affect a students social life and well being, and how they are received by other peers. Jericka Renner - “After the Storm” (Art Showcase) Figure in interior done in Painting II, instructed by Colleen Smith. The painting involves a person in a car looking out into the sunset after a rainy day. The painting presents many emotions throughout its color and meaning. Ines Rocha - see Seabra Paula Romero, Chané Higgo, Miriam Gubo - “Assessing Disability and Inclusion on the MVC Campus: Academic Buildings” (session 1) This project will examine the physical environment of the academic buildings at Missouri Valley College and the impediments it presents to those with disabilities. We aim to foster awareness and innovative solutions for creating a more accessible and inclusive environment. The project will consist of a deep analysis of the campus’ academic buildings, identifying struggles for disabled people. Our research has resulted in developing a comprehensive checklist evaluating the accessibility of the academic buildings, identifying potential barriers, and assessing their feasibility for resolution. This project will culminate in actionable recommendations and an implementation plan to address accessibility challenges effectively.
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