like anger and aggression may influence motivation and performance, while unregulated aggression can negatively affect the sport. It is also important to keep in mind outside influences like coaching styles. Overall this study focuses on how anger and aggression influences motivation and performance to advocate for the mental and emotional health of college student athletes. Sydnei Cummings, “Misfit” (session 16) This creative work “Misfit” is a contemporary, free-verse poem that explores intersectionality of being both Black and a woman in America with its current and blatant acts of racism occurring. Using symbolism, imagery and a narrative voice, this creative work captures racial and gendered stereotyping and discrimination, showing how you cannot separate the two identities. The tone provides feelings of anger that can often be misinterpreted as “The mad, Black women” when in reality it seeks out to reflect on themes present in the narrator’s life. Throughout this creative work we see the narrator expressing themes of invisibility, erasure, and negative self image as a result of systematic racism and current political policies aimed at both the Black Americans and women. It also discusses cultural appropriation from other cultures to replicate the Black woman. Through this poem “Misfit” critiques society expectations as to what “fits in” and what “stands out”. Logan Cunningham - “A Temporal Analysis of Changes in Riparian Condition encompassing the Salt Fork Creek and the Influence on Community Diversity of Fishes” (session 12) A riparian zone is a buffer of vegetation between a body of water and terrestrial land. These occur along rivers, creeks, and streams and serve as a critical part of freshwater ecosystems. A healthy riparian zone consists of a variety of flora and trees, which stabilize river and stream banks, minimizing bank erosion and sedimentation of benthic habitats. Four sites along the Salt Fork Creek were repeatedly sampled for fishes between Jan. 2021- April 2026. In addition, a temporal analysis of changes in the riparian zone encompassing the four sample sites along the salt fork was conducted using satellite imagery. The data were then compared with temporal changes in community diversity of fishes in the Salt Fork Creek. The purpose of this research was to determine if a decrease in riparian vegetation through time has influenced a decrease in the community diversity of fishes in the Salt Fork Creek. Naomi Curry & Ty Billingsley - “Better” (session 16) The piece is about a woman who has life thrown at her and instead of becoming bitter she finds God and in finding God life gets better and there is light at the end of this dark season she is going through. This piece is very emotional and with Naomi and Ty’s past with praise dancing and our journeys with our religion and relationship with God this piece really resonated with both of us and seasons we have been through. This piece helps watchers understand that life can get hard and you have the choice to be bitter about how your life will get but finding who you are and taking the journey of life without being bitter your life will get better. And yes it takes time but time heals. Kalyani Das - “Iron-Driven Oxidative Cell Death in Livestock Neurological Disorders” (poster session I) Heat stress has been identified as a major concern in livestock, particularly in dairy cows, where mammary gland function can be severely affected. It has been shown that elevated temperatures disrupt cellular homeostasis in mammary epithelial cells, leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species
and oxidative stress. This imbalance results in damage to cellular components and reduced milk synthesis and udder health. The objective of this study was to examine the role of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death characterized by lipid peroxidation, under heat stress conditions. It was found that disruption of iron homeostasis contributes to cellular damage and loss of membrane integrity. Additionally, methionine was identified as a potential protective factor, as it supports antioxidant activity and helps regulate intracellular iron levels. Overall, methionine may reduce oxidative damage and improve cellular resilience during heat stress. Kalyani Das - “The Organic Chemistry of Sunscreen Molecules and UV Degradation” (poster session I) Organic UV filters such as homosalate, octyl salicylate, and octyl methoxycinnamate are widely used in sunscreens to absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation and prevent skin damage. Although, their effectiveness depends on photostability and degradation behavior. This study will examine the photochemical properties of these compounds using spectroscopic analysis and computational methods. The deprotonated homosalate and octyl salicylate exhibit broad UV absorption, with electron detachment occurring more readily than molecular fragmentation, indicating limited energy dissipation. In contrast, octyl methoxycinnamate undergoes solvent-dependent isomerization with minimal degradation in dilute solutions, but irreversible photodegradation occurs in aggregated or aqueous environments, producing reactive photoproducts. Overall, photochemical behavior was shown to depend strongly on molecular structure and environmental conditions, influencing stability and potential reactive species formation in sunscreen formulations. Kalyani Das, “A Seasonal Comparison of the Community Diversity of Fishes in the Salt Fork Creek, Saline Co” (session 3) The community structure of fishes in Salt Fork Creek was assessed to examine if community diversity differs between spring and fall seasons and how these changes may influence overall ecosystem stability. Fishes were sampled at three sites along the Salt Fork Creek across spring and fall seasons; a community diversity index was calculated for each site along with species richness and evenness. Seasonal variation in environmental factors such as temperature and agricultural use of land that surrounds the creek may influence species distribution and abundance. This study specifically addresses whether fish shift habitats in response to these seasonal changes and whether such movement results in stable or fluctuating community diversity. Understanding how seasonal dynamics affect fish communities in Salt Fork Creek provides insight into ecosystem resilience and the adaptability of species to changing environmental conditions. Filippo De Bonis - “The Evolution of Policing from the 1960s to the 1990s” (poster session II) This study analyzes the changes of policing procedures that include policies, training and public perception of the police officer. Scholars have found that these aspects of policing have changed in response to crime changes. The thing on which I’m going to focus is why these traits have been changing the most and the reason for it. This project shows that these changes have been related to the weaknesses found in the U.S. policing system. Understanding these changes is fundamental to policing because it helps to find solutions to improve society and crime prevention.
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