millions of people, typically, but not limited to, athletes. This disease is one that is highly contagious and can transmit easily through direct contact or contaminated surfaces. It is a disease that is exceptionally preventable but is not well taught about. By understanding how this fungus grows in environments and taking preventative measures, we can learn how to handle this disease before it reaches the point where treatment will be required. Adopting effective actions such as proper foot hygiene, drying feet after showering to limit moisture in feet, wearing breathable footwear, and not walking barefoot in public places are just some of the ways to stop the spread of this disease. Declan McLean - “Yggdrasil: The Connections Between Religions and Myths” (Session 16) Why do both religions and mythologies overlap? From Christianity to Norse mythology, many stories share similarities. Stories of a flood swallowing the earth, the death of a world and the birth of a new one, underworlds and hells overlap. In this presentation, I’m going to explain the many similarities between the Old Testament, Buddhist scriptures, Greek mythology, Norse Mythology, and even chapters from The Book of Gilgamesh. In many myths and religions, they all have stories of where souls undeserving of paradise go to a frozen landscape filled with wicked souls and monsters. In Dante’s Inferno, the last level of hell is described as a “Frozen lake filled with traitors”, in Norse Hel is a frozen realm with soldiers who died dishonorably, and in Buddhism, a realm in Naraka is called Arbuda, where souls are trapped in ice for abandonment. In the mythological text of a great flood wiping off most of humanity. In the Old Testament, God tells Noah about this flood and tells him to save a pair of every animal. In Greek mythology, Zeus floods the first age of man, but Prometheus warns his son Deucalion about surviving this flood and later becoming king. In the book of Gilgamesh, when finding immortality, Gilgamesh finds a king blessed with immortality for surviving the flood while saving a pair of every animal. Jim McMeachin - “An Ongoing Analysis of Psychological Theory as Depicted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts” (Session 15) An analysis of psychological theory as depicted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts* The 2025 MCU film Thunderbolts* is informed strongly by psychological topics. As Mizra (2025) notes, the film’s approach is novel as it is “treating it not as a plot device or caricature but as a core driver of the characters’ humanity.” The psychological influence of these depictions are therefore interesting as it is important in understanding the characters’ actions and motivations. The ultimate conflict in this film is between a team of lesser-used Marvel anti-heroes and The Void, a persona of Bob Reynolds. Bob has previously volunteered for a medical experiment and is now an unwitting superman called The Sentry. While the visual depiction of this battle suggests a basis in Jungian “shadow work” which fits to a degree with the story arcs of the Thunderbolts* (Cinema Therapy 2025), in this presentation, we will acknowledge the Jungian influence but look for a more complete connection through one of Jung’s contemporaries, Alfred Adler by examining the characters’ story arcs and link them specifically to Adlerian concepts. Benjamin McMeekin & Carlota Davila- “Climate Change and the Economical Impact of Flooding” (Session 22) For our advocacy campaign, the problem that we have chosen is
climate change and the economic impact of flooding due to rising water levels in coastal and lowland regions. We have picked this problem as a collective topic since we think it’s becoming more of a problem as the increased flood occurrence has become a threat to the global economies. The recent flooding that occurred in California and Valencia in Spain shows us that climate change events disrupt local economic stability. It has been projected that the city of Venice in Italy will be completely flooded by 2150 due to rising water levels. In contrast to the above problem that the world has been dealing with as a result of climate change, research carried out by Islam et al. in 2025 shows that the rising water levels have displaced people and led to the destruction of agricultural land in the coastal part of Bangladesh as well. It is a particularly prevalent issue that is only going to increase in frequency Benjamin McMeekin - see Meghan Ansani, “Interactive Session: Poverty and Economic Insecurity” Gracie Metta - “How Can IEPs be More Helpful for Regular Education Teachers?” (Poster Session III) This project talks about IEPs and how they may be too complicated for regular education teachers. I will talk about some challenges they face and why they face them, and what we can do to improve the struggles between regular education teachers and special education students. I mention why it might be hard for these teachers to have these students in their classroom. Regular education teachers have limited involvement in IEPs, so I talk about how that is affecting not only the students but the teachers as well. Deborah Mhizha - “Society” (Session 18) Society is a spoken word piece that gives a voice to the world we live in, the same one that builds us up and tears us down. It dives into how we chase validation, fame, and perfection only to lose our real selves in the process. The poem takes on the persona of “society” itself, calling out the hypocrisy, ego, and pressure that define our generation. It’s raw, emotional, and honest, exploring how we judge others while trying so hard to fit in. Society basically holds up a mirror to the audience, showing that we’re all part of this cycle of approval and comparison. It’s not just a critique but a reminder that the system isn’t some distant thing, it’s us. Through rhythm and reflection, this piece challenges listeners to think, feel, and maybe see themselves a little differently. Kloee Mills - “Theranostic Application of Hyaluronic Acid- Conjugated Coordination Polymers: Combining Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Targeted Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer Management” (Poster Session I) Ovarian cancer demonstrates an annual incidence rate of approximately 7 per 100,000 women. Notably, more than 70% of diagnosed patients present with advanced-stage disease, resulting in unfavorable prognostic outcomes. During this study, the authors developed a multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform using hyaluronic acid-coated coordination polymer nanoparticles (HA@PFG NPs) composed of a cisplatin prodrug, Fe³⁺ ions, and natural polyphenol gossypol, to obtain an integrated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and synergistic chemotherapy for targeted therapy of ovarian cancer. The uptake of Fe³⁺ enhances the MRI construct and initiates ferroptosis. During the initiation, cisplatin and gossypol start to induce apoptosis. The integration of diagnostic imaging and targeted multi-modal therapy
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