2007 Brackenridge Fellow Presentations
Unless Otherwise Noted, All Presentations Take Place in 104 Thaw Hall beginning at 12:00 PM
May 17, 2007
Tim Adamo
Mathematics
"Richardson Reciprocity"
Faculty Sponsor: G. Bard Ermentrout, Department of Mathematics, School of Arts and Sciences
Dorothy Yang
Communication and Speech Disorders
"Investigating Comprehension Differences Between Active and Passive Sentence Constructions"
Faculty Sponsor: Malcolm R. McNeil, Department of Communication and Speech Disorders, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Bradley Morneweck
Bioengineering
"The Many Escapades of Caveolin-3 and the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor"
Faculty Sponsor: Ferruccio Galbiati, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine
May 24, 2007
Ryan Suskey
French & Italian Languages & Literatures and Religious Studies
"Returning to Exile: Re-Emergence of the Diaspora Sentiment in French Holocaust Narratives"
Faculty Sponsor: Lina Insana, Department of French and Italian Languages and Literatures, School of Arts and Sciences
Antonio Sudina
Anthropology
"The Utilitarian Characteristics of Iroquois Poetry"
Faculty Sponsor: Kathleen Allen, Department of Anthropology, School of Arts and Sciences
Patrick Moroney
Politics and Philosophy
"An Analysis of the Shift in Death Penalty Rhetoric"
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Goodhart, Department of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences
May 31, 2007
Marc Schutzbank
Politics and Philosophy and Finance
"Genocide: Finding a Way to Protect Innocent"
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Goodhart, Department of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences
Pete Kotowski
History and Political Science
"Jefferson David as Secretary of War"
Faculty Sponsor: Van Beck Hall, Department of History, School of Arts and Sciences
Kathryn Coia
English Literature
"A Dispute/Argument Between Birds/Bards"
Faculty Sponsor: Stephen Carr, Department of English, School of Arts and Sciences
June 7, 2007
Amanda Nowotny
Politics and Philosophy and Music
"'Hang onto Yourself': Cautionary Tales of Celebrity in 1970s Concept Albums"
Faculty Sponsor: Andrew Weintraub, Department of Music, School of Arts and Sciences
Eric Stacy
Environmental Studies and Anthropology
"Stable Isotope Analysis of Equid Teeth, Expanding and Extending on Existing Database"
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Rosenmeier, Department of Geology and Planetary Science, School of Arts and Sciences
Nicole Muise-Kielkucki
Politics and Philosophy
Gregg Sinn
Anthropology
"Graffiti as Public Art in Pittsburgh"
Faculty Sponsor: Henry Sanabria, Department of Anthropology, School of Arts and Sciences
June 14, 2007
Yvonne Saadi
Psychology, Germanic Languages and Literatures, and Philosophy
"Policy & Prevention: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Government Intervention in the Adoption of Preventative Cancer Screening Behavior"
Faculty Sponsor: William Klein, Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences
Eric Conlon
Math and Computer Science
"Optimizing Routes in Stochastic Networks"
Faculty Sponsor: Milos Hauskrecht, Department of Computer Science, School of Arts and Sciences
Gabriel Henschel
Politics and Philosophy and Urban Studies
"Gambling on the Future: Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods and the North Side Casino"
Faculty Sponsor: Morton Coleman, Department of Social Work Academic Programs, School of Social Work
June 21, 2007
Rebecca Stern
Philosophy and Physics
"Personal Identity and the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics"
Faculty Sponsor: Cian Dorr, Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences
Melissa Masnovi
Neuroscience
"Neuroprotective Effects of Exercise"
Faculty Sponsor: Judy Cameron, Department of Psychiatry, School of Arts and Sciences
Kevin Kelly
Politics and Philosophy and Economics
"Gideon v. Wainwright in Allegheny County"
Faculty Sponsor: Chris Bonneau, Department of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences
June 28, 2007
Jennifer Kirk
History
"From Inauguration to Dedication: A Rhetorical Analysis of Presidential Library Dedication Speeches"
Faculty Sponsor: Gordon Mitchell, Department of Communication, School of Arts and Sciences
Kelly Coburn
Communication and Speech Disorders
"Implications of Email and Instant Messenger Use for Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders"
Faculty Sponsor: Cheryl Messick, Department of Communcation and Speech Disorders, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Caitlin Cater
Philosophy and History
"In Search of America: Identity and Conformity in American Trancendentalism and the Beat Poets"
Faculty Sponsor: Paul Kameen, Department of English, School of Arts and Sciences
July 5, 2007
Brett Postal
Chemistry and Philosophy
"Evaluation of Secondary Injury and Hormone Levels Following Brain Injury"
Faculty Sponsor: Amy Wagner, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine
Kristi Fertal
Ecology & Evolution
"Effects of Endosulfan on Four Species of Amphibians"
Faculty Sponsor: Rick Relyea, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences
Nick Maradin
History of Art & Architecture and Communication
"Expressions of Fultural Influences and Differences Demonstrated in Japanese and American Fictional Mechanical Design"
Faculty Sponsor: H. Anne Weis, Department of History of Art & Architecture, School of Arts and Sciences
July 9, 2007 (at Johnstown Campus)
Mandy Collier
Psychology
"Decision Making and Motion Coherence"
Faculty Sponsor: Mark Wheeler, Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences
Erin Snook
Enviornmental Studies and Political Science
"European Union Emissions Trading System"
Faculty Sponsor: Martin Staniland, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
John Tronsor
Studio Arts and Philosophy
"'The Spell of Personality': The Relationship Between the Art Object and the Viewer"
Faculty Sponsor: Delanie Jenkins, Department of Studio Arts, School of Arts and Sciences
July 10, 2007 (at Johnstown Campus)
Megan Sharretts
Studio Arts and Environmental Studies
"Intersection of Art and the Environment"
Faculty Sponsor: Delanie Jenkins, Department of Studio Arts, School of Arts and Sciences
Christopher Taylor
History
"Civil Rights Activism of Pittsburgh's African-American Community in the 1940s"
Faculty Sponsor: Maurine Greenwald, Department of History, School of Arts and Sciences
Cole Harvey
Politics and Philosophy
"A Comparative Institutional Analysis of Russia and France"
Faculty Sponsor: Jonathan Harris, Department of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences
Joseph Dragovich
History and Classics
"Comparison of Roman and Han Chinese Barbarian Relations"
Faculty Sponsor: Anthony Barbieri-Low, Department of History, School of Arts and Sciences
Joseph Stauffer
Economics
"What is the Value of a Good Education?"
Faculty Sponsor: Mark Hoekstra, Department of Economics, School of Arts and Sciences
Damian Clossin
Neuroscience
"Functional Restoration of Dopamine Machinery After Traumatic Brain Injury"
Faculty Sponsor: Amy Wagner, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine
July 11, 2007 (at Johnstown Campus)
Victoria Prescott
Psychology, Communication, and Philosophy
"Courtship Presistence and Unreciprocated Love"
Faculty Sponsor: Irene Frieze, Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences
Brenden Gallagher
Film Studies, English Writing, and Theatre Arts
"'If You and I...': An Examination of Cliche in Film"
Faculty Sponsor: Kathleen George, Department of Theatre Arts, School of Arts and Sciences
Robin Farabee-Siers
Religious Studies
"Islamic Contraception Perceptions and the Spread of HIV/AIDS"
Faculty Sponsor: Rebecca Denova, Department of Religious Studies, School of Arts and Sciences
Eliza Dreier
History, Philosophy, and English Writing
"Varieties in Existentialism"
Faculty Sponsor: Leslie Hammond, Department of History, School of Arts and Sciences
Stephanie Schuessler
Hispanic Languages and Literatures
"A Look at the Experiences of US Marines During Periods of Foreign Occupation"
Faculty Sponsor: Reid Andrews, Department of History, School of Arts and Sciences
Heather Manfredo
Neuroscience
"Effect of Early Life Experiences on Responses to Stress"
Faculty Sponsor: Linda Rinaman, Department of Neuroscience, School of Arts and Sciences
July 12, 2007 (at Johnstown Campus)
Lissa Geiger
Political Science and Philosophy
"Women in Genocide"
Faculty Sponsor: Macrina Lelei, University Center for International Studies
Rose Gardner
English Writing and French & Italian Languages & Literatures
"The Multi-Form Subject: Simone de Beauvoir and Monique Wittig "
Faculty Sponsor: Philip Watts, Department of French & Italian Languages & Literatures, School of Arts and Sciences
Jessica Kocian
Molecular Biology and History and Philosophy of Science
"Influences of Culture on Health Education in Honduras"
Faculty Sponsor: Carol Stockman, Department of Health Policy and Management, Graduate School of Public Health
July 19, 2007
Reem Hanna
Molecular Biology
"The Religious Dynamics of Singapore"
Faculty Sponsor: Clark Chilson, Department of Religious Studies, School of Arts and Sciences
Brandon Mills
Chemistry
"In Silico Characterization of a Novel Molecular Switch Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations"
Faculty Sponsor: Lillian Chong, Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences
Bridget Bailey
Social Work
"Developing, Evaluating, and Learning Treatments for Mood Disorders "
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Frank, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine
July 26, 2007
Beth Oczypok
Biology
"Regulation of Muscle Protein Degradation by Attachment"
Faculty Sponsor: Nathaniel Szewczyk, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences
Kate Maccord
Anthropology
"A Global View of Skeletal Growth"
Faculty Sponsor: Jeffrey Schwartz, Department of Anthropology, School of Arts and Sciences
Rhajiv Ratnatunga
Politics and Philosophy
"Rawlsian Analysis of Corruption"
Faculty Sponsor: Ray Jones, College of Business Administration
August 2, 2007
Siarhei Tsymbalau
Microbiology
"Integrating Positive Interactions in Ecological Theory"
Faculty Sponsor: Walter Carson, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences
Sondra Petri
English Literature, English Writing, and Philosophy
"An Aesthetic in Crisis: Twentieth Century German Literature"
Faculty Sponsor: John Twyning, Department of English, School of Arts and Sciences
Stanley Steers
Physics
"Karman Vortex Streets and 2d Turbulence"
Faculty Sponsor: Walter Goldburg, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences
August 9, 2007
Lauren Stoner
English Literature, Political Science, and Urban Studies
"Suicide and Heterotopic Spaces as Resistance by the Female Protagonist"
Faculty Sponsor: Susan Harris Smith, Department of English, School of Arts and Sciences
Courtney Boyd
Politics and Philosophy
"Welfare Intake System Analysis"
Faculty Sponsor: Lisa Brush, Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences
Christopher Cox
Biological Sciences
"Inbreeding Avoidance Behavior from an Evolutionary Perspective"
Faculty Sponsor: Rick Relyea, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences