“Painting with Words: An Ekphrastic Poetry Reading”

Description: This proposal is for an ekphrastic poetry reading by writers, Jannath Aurfan, Maria Bitar, Emma Boucher, Alexander Comer, Asha George, Michelle Gomez-Angeles, Isabella Goolsby, Mariam Homayed, and Giovanni Romero, inspired by visual art. Each poet has selected a different painting or image as a catalyst for their work, using poetry to interpret, reimagine, and engage with emotions, narratives, and themes within the artwork. The presenters will explore how poetry can bridge visual and literary expression, offering new perspectives on familiar and unfamiliar works of art.

Statement of Value: This presentation displays the power of ekphrastic poetry to deepen artistic interpretation and foster creative dialogue. By engaging with visual art through poetry, the presenters highlight how language can breathe new life into images, uncover narratives, and evoke emotional responses beyond the canvas. Each poem reflects a unique perspective, demonstrating how art and poetry intersect to offer new ways of seeing and understanding. This reading emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary creativity, providing that poetry is not only a form of personal expression but also a bridge between different artistic mediums, enriching both the writer's and the audience’s experience of visual art.

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This presentation reflects on a Titan Innovation Fund project devoted to remodeling the Gardella Honors House. Professors Stephen Pasqualina and Thomas Provost will offer an overview of the project, including its original conception, its execution thus far, and the work ahead, which is scheduled to be completed by September 2025. The talk will communicate the vision behind the project; the process of involving students in its conception, planning, and completion; and the practical steps taken, from purchasing and building furniture to interfacing with the Honors community. 

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Our past experiences and trauma shape multiple aspects of our lives, including our future outlooks. This paper explores representations of trauma in the film Censor, which is set during the “video nasties” controversies in England in the 1980s. Enid, the film’s protagonist, screens and suggests cuts or edits in films deemed too graphic, and in doing so memories of her sister’s disappearance are resurfaced.

We witness her attempting to process these feelings as they emerge, leading her to her feeling both emotionally numb at times and extremely emotional at others, which can be different trauma responses.

Repetition is used throughout the film to depict Enid’s trauma resurfacing from her childhood. This project focuses on the repetition of her childhood trauma and the rape scene in Censor. From a psychological perspective, I will discuss topics such as exposure therapy and how trauma affects the way people can see their life and life experiences. This all comes together through specific artistic choices made by the director, choices that make Censora powerful interrogation of the consequences of untreated trauma.

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Atrazine is a pesticide of the triazine class and is one of the most used pesticides in North America. The effects of atrazine exposure on crayfish are of interest because crayfish are keystone species. Atrazine has many negative health effects such as disrupting regular hormone function, birth defects, and DNA damage in the hepatopancreas. Furthermore, atrazine can cause metabolic changes that diminish the ability for crayfish to localize an odor source, which can lead to difficulty finding food and finding a mate. Exposure to atrazine also affects the expression and activity of the detoxification enzymes cytochrome P450 and glutathione-S-transferase. To further explore the effects of atrazine exposure, crayfish (Faxonius virilis) were exposed to atrazine for four days. The morphology of the hepatopancreas of atrazine-exposed crayfish was examined; lobules lumens were dilated, and tubule tissue was degenerated and contained an increase in vacuoles. It is of interest to compare observed behavioral and physiological effects of atrazine exposure with the concentration of atrazine to which the crayfish are exposed. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to standardize the atrazine solutions to which crayfish were exposed. We aim to quantitate the amount of atrazine and its metabolites, desethylatrazine and desisopropylatrazine, that accumulate in crayfish hepatopancreatic tissue after exposure to atrazine. We developed and validated an extraction and LC-MS analysis method for quantitation of atrazine in the hepatopancreas tissue by performing a recovery test that yielded average percent recoveries of at least of 90% for all analytes. The validated method was used to measure atrazine in the hepatopancreas; preliminary results will be presented.

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This presentation will investigate the way blackness and counterculture are intertwined. Examining texts from disciplines like sociology and anthropology, in addition to primary sources. I will make an argument that Moral panic in the United States related to countercultural social movements and subcultures inherently belongs to a spirit of colonialism and anti-blackness

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This presentation will be exploring topics from Pyc 3500 and making claims about countercultures and themes of dying. Specifically, this presentation will delve into the emo subculture and themes of death and dying with in, while also speculating about the rhetorical function of these themes.

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This presentation will be an elaboration of a research paper for black modernisms. This presentation will explore the ways Zora neale Hurston embodies the spirit of contemporary movements like punk, anticipating these values before its formation as a cohesive social movement. This presentation will argue about the intertwinedness of blackness, punk, and queerness.

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For this presentation, I will be reading a  piece that I worked on in intermediate creative writing 

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As creative writing students of varied backgrounds, Andrew Bosah, Hannah Burdinie, and Melissa Converse approach the past, present and future through common human experiences. This proposal is for a reading of “Sursum Corda” (Bosah), “October Sun” (Burdinie), and “Survive” (Converse) that feels through multi-leveled fear, hope both realized and not, and the realities of social injustices. Through sharing of these fictional stories, these authors hope to encourage the imagination and bravery in others to find themselves in written expression. 

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Putative 2-methylcitrate dehydratase (PDH1) is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial protein that participates in propionate metabolism. The PDH1 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is orthologous to the human gene aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1), which recent reports suggest is a regulator of immunometabolism in inflammation and infection. However, the metabolic consequences of PDH1 deletion have not yet been fully characterized.  To further explore the molecular functions of PDH1, we performed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics to compare PDH1 deletion mutant yeast to BY4741 wild-type yeast. Both intracellular and extracellular metabolite extractions were performed on yeast cultures harvested at mid-log growth phase.  The yeast extracts were analyzed by reversed-phase chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer operated in positive ionization mode. Following untargeted feature detection and alignment, univariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed to detect differential features between the yeast strains. Preliminary results, which suggest the mutation has multiple potential metabolic effects, will be described.

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Over the past few decades the United States has experienced a growing crisis of substance abuse and addiction that has dominated headlines, taking on epidemic proportions. While opioids have played a major role in this crisis, the problem runs much deeper than narcotics and substances of abuse themselves.

Overdose related deaths have risen to hundreds of thousands of people lost each year to substances which include alcohol, over-the-counter medications, narcotics and prescription drugs.

Opioid overdoses result in loss of breathing followed by death which may be avoided if there is intervention, which could possibly save a life.

Substance use and overdose prevention programs often only focus on some of these issues. However, interventions that address multiple issues are more likely to be successful in preventing drug use.

One such intervention is early education about substances that may be abused with emphasis on socioeconomic factors, health inequalities, mental health and the stigma and criminalization which may be a deterrent in an individual seeking the help they need.

Addiction is sometimes seen as a moral failing, rather than a complex medical condition. This thought process keeps people from speaking up and asking for help when they need it. It can also cause people to hide their substance use which can be dangerous.

By addressing prevention, education, treatment, and support, we can strive toward a future where individuals find hope, healing and recovery.

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Non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NPRSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs) are specialized natural product systems that can be doctored to produce and discover new drugs and chemicals. These systems use specialized domains to build molecules. One these being docking domains (DDs), which are short regions of amino acids at the end of the N- and C-termini of modules. DDs are found as complementary pairs that control module-module interactions and maintain pathway fidelity. DDs can be used to expand PKS and NRPS assembly lines and create new chemical scaffolds through protein engineering. The vatiamide pathway from the cyanobacterium Moorena producens ASI, contains a unique three-way branchpoint situated at the VatM CP. This allows VatM to continue the pathway through VatN, Q, and S. This is possible through a docking domain duplication, resulting in three copies of Vat DDNQS.

We used the selectivity of DDs to create potential chemical scaffolds by grafting the Vat DDNQS onto different modules to assess the interaction between natural and engineered domains. We analyzed the interactions between engineered and wild-type docking domain combinations and carrier proteins of the vatiamide pathway to assess its biochemical engineering capabilities using bio-layer interferometry (BLI). Engineered combinations include miscognate and noncognate modules. Data show protein-protein interactions with high affinity that suggest promising engineerability, leading to increased chemodiversity.

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Clearly written literature has often involved a subterfuge of masking, specifically, by the female author – a form of double consciousness. This is not to say that female authors fail to identify themselves through their writing. They choose to often not identify their personhood (i.e. gender, sexuality, age, economical status, race, political leaning, etc.) so as not to provoke opinions of themselves from their desired audience in order for the spotlight to fully envelope the subject or theme they are writing on. It is in the opaque – the masked – where we find the freedom to explore meaning. Some of the most notable female authors in literary history are the craftiest of maskers. This discussion will explore the reasons behind female writer masking and how clarity plays within the shadows, looking specifically at Emily Dickinson and Harriett Ann Jacobs. Masking is a tool of rebellion and commitment that emboldens the confidence of the female pen being wielded.  

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Crisis management has become an increasingly significant area of research, particularly in light of global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, mass shootings, inflation, and climate crises. These crises profoundly affect individuals and businesses, heightening the demand for well-trained professionals in crisis response. 

Human service professionals—including social workers, first responders, counselors, psychologists, and other healthcare workers—often find themselves in situations where they must act as crisis counselors, regardless of their formal training in crisis intervention. Their ability to navigate these situations effectively is influenced by crisis self-efficacy, which refers to their confidence in managing crisis situations (Peters et al., 2017). Given this, our research team conducted a preliminary review on crisis self-efficacy among human health professionals. This presentation will summarize the preliminary review, highlight future research directions, and provide an update on our ongoing project currently in the data collection phase. This presentation will summarize the preliminary review, highlight future research directions, and provide an update on our ongoing project currently in the data collection phase. 

Peters, M., Sawyer, C., & Peters, J. W. (2017) Counselor's Crisis Self-Efficacy Scale: A Validation Study. American Counseling Association VISTAS Online. https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas/by-subject2/vistas-crisis/docs/default-source/vistas/article_4070ce2bf16116603abcacff0000bee5e7 

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A few poems by the presenter/author will be presented in the form of a poetry slam.

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                Since the first colonization of Black folks, the battleground for racial healing is a dynamic task filled with various discourse. In literary spaces, the re-appropriation of the literary canon forBlack subject formation shifts the interpretation of texts toward the interests of Black identity. No ideological apparatus has been as pervasive in generating Black subjectivity as the National Pan-Hellenic Council. For NPHC, a probate is a public display of the neophytes ‘comprehension of the Legacy and values of their greek organization.“ “Invictus” (1888) by William Ernest Henely is one of the poems often performed for a probate. In mind and body, this performance becomes a site for interpreting Black subjectivity in white systems. Analyzing the consequences of this act forms a debate between Afro-Pessimism, anti-afro-pessimism, and post-structuralism. My analysis of “Invictus” is informed by Louis Althusser’s “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses,” Kevin Quashie’s Black Aliveness, and Frank Wilderson’s accounts of Afro-Pessimism. I will analyze “Invictus” as a microcosm of Black subject formation in white systems and examine how Black post-structuralism works against current institutional dynamics of racialization and colonialism. “Invictus” and the circumstances for its performance highlights the unique relationship between a Black person’s “subjectivity” and their ownership of themselves.

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This proposal is for a fiction reading by writers Asha George, Giulia Vitale, and Devin Mangru, focused on writing as a form of self-expression. The authors will each read work from their Creative Writing classes with Professor Stacy Gnall entitled: “Trauma Ties,” “Louise Francoise,” and “The Hobbyist.” Each piece highlights a different purpose of fiction, from entertainment to thoughtful societal commentary. The presenters are experimenting with their writing in order to better understand how to create compelling fiction for their target audiences. Through sharing these short stories, these authors present various methods by which they navigate storytelling within the confines of their experiences.

This presentation centers around proving that fiction can both be used as a tool to entertain as well as a tool to facilitate societal change and reflection. “Trauma Ties” by Asha George explores the societal stigmas associated with survivors of sexual assault, and how to overcome them. “Louise Francoise” by Giulia Vitale shows the human tendency to idealize places or concepts and then demonstrates what happens when people actually face the reality behind them. “The Hobbyist” by Devin Mangru explores how the promise of money can lead people into horrific circumstances.

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Emily Dickinson is most known for her works of poetry and fiction. However, one of the most prolific examples of her writing is her correspondence with her sister-in-law, Susan Gilbert. The two wrote letters to one another for years, which are a suggestion of a romantic relationship. This can be inferred even though Gilbert’s half of the correspondence is missing. Arguably, this is what makes this theory stronger. This presentation contends that the absence of full context does not equal the absence of a complete narrative. Even though there is only half of their story on paper, Dickinson is such a strong writer there is enough clues throughout the letters to fill in the rest. The presentation will analyze Dickinson’s letters as well as hypothesizing how Gilbert could have responded, thus creating a fuller narrative of their relationship and demonstrating there is as much to learn about the two from what was written, as what wasn’t.

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Secondary and Vicarious trauma is a phenomenon that practitioners who work within the mental health field have a potential to experience. (Leung et. al., 2023) While secondary trauma is the trauma that clinicians experience suddenly due to immediate exposure to a client’s traumatic encounters; vicarious trauma happens in response to prolonged exposure and can potentially have effects on clinicians that not only impact their quality of life but the efficacy of their professional lives and treatments as well. (Bell et. al., 2003) This presentation will examine evidence based interventions for Secondary and Vicarious Trauma in an effort to enhance practicing clinicians’ quality of life and their patient’s quality of care.

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Early Childhood Caries (ECC), in which primary teeth are affected by caries, is a significant public health problem. ECC is highly correlated with the presence of the cariogenic bacterium, Streptococcus mutans. Bacteriophage therapy to prevent or reduce disease associated with S. mutans has drawn recent interest. However, increasing evidence of widespread resistance to bacteriophage within S. mutans complicates its potential utilization. Therefore, we aimed to identify bacteriophage resistance mechanisms employed by S. mutans using bacterial strains isolated from saliva and the S. mutans bacteriophage, ΦAPCM01. As one potential resistance mechanism, we tested ΦAPCM01-resistant S. mutans strains for growth arrest signatures that may indicate the presence of abortive infection (Abi) systems. For this, early-log phase S. mutans were mixed with ΦAPCM01 at various multiplicities of infection and growth was observed for 18 hours. If an Abi system was activated in resistant strains, growth curves would abruptly plateau while in the presence of phage. We observed that phage-resistant strains maintained normal growth in the presence and absence of phage, indicating these strains of S. mutans do not employ an Abi system. While our work did not identify signatures of Abi systems in phage-resistant strains, these techniques do not fully eliminate their possible presence. For example, alternate phage resistance mechanisms may be triggered prior to Abi systems, as they are generally considered the last lines of defense. Therefore, our next steps will focus on discovering other if other phage-resistant mechanisms play a role in resisting phage infection and the point at which the phage replication cycle becomes blocked.

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This qualitative study explores the interrelatedness of trauma and substance use and examines the social determinants of health that influence this relationship. The research focused on 12 trauma-exposed Black women diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUDs) who were in recovery. In-depth interviews were conducted to understand participants' trauma and substance use histories, as well as their experiences with SUD treatment and recovery. Key findings highlight early substance exposure, adverse childhood experiences, and complex trauma as significant factors. Additionally, the study found that socially devalued identities had minimal impact, while support systems played a crucial role in recovery. The study's findings have important implications for future research and the development of culturally sensitive SUD treatment approaches for trauma-exposed Black women.

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In the United States, interdisciplinary collaboration for substance use disorders (SUDs) remains essential yet underutilized, with evidence-based integrated healthcare (IHC) models not fully implemented despite the need for comprehensive care. This presentation proposes a Holistic Integrated Healthcare (HIHC-SUD) model specifically designed to enhance SUD treatment by addressing both opportunities and barriers inherent in current fragmented healthcare models. The HIHC-SUD model emphasizes practical applications, such as co-locating healthcare providers, targeting multiple IHC domains concurrently, credentialing providers for SUD treatment, considering cultural factors, and advocating for policy amendments. Additionally, this presentation will showcase the practical application of the HIHC-SUD model within an interdisciplinary team through a specific case example, demonstrating its potential to improve SUD treatment outcomes.

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Purpose: The study’s purpose was to assess students’ perceptions towards impact of mindfulness interventions implemented during their class sessions.

Study design: Descriptive study

Methods: A total of 96 students from the second-degree option and BSN programs in the host institution participated in a mindfulness intervention prior to course activities. The four mindfulness interventions utilized in this study included: music, meditation, guided breathing, and positive affirmation.  The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics on post intervention surveys. 

Findings: The mindfulness intervention was overwhelmingly received by the students as reflected in the result of the confidential post surveys. At the completion of the post mindfulness interventions, majority of the students (85%, n = 82) either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that they felt “at ease and majority (80%, n = 77) either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that they felt more comfortable to take course requirements.

Conclusion: The mindfulness intervention can promote students’ feelings of “at ease” and confidence prior to a nursing course activity.

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This lab Manual will prepare students in health professions and related fields with fundamental but practical anatomical information, equipping them with a strong basis for a better understanding of the structural organization of the human body. This book, organized into sixteen chapters, covers all human organ systems. Each chapter follows a unique pattern of “Information-Label Diagrams-Case StudiesPractice Quizzes,” which meets the needs of students at various levels. Each chapter will guide the instructor in preparing for each lab session. Practice Quizzes are parts of students’ Lab reports that include microscopic or macroscopic drawings of anatomical structures. 

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Rates of eating disorders have sharply risen since the COVID-19 pandemic (Daly & Costigan, 2022), and the majority of those with eating disorder symptoms don't seek treatment (Hart et al., 2011). Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses (Arcelus et al., 2011). The study of eating disorders is especially relevant for university campuses, as fewer than 1 in 5 college students who screen positive for an eating disorder actually receive treatment (Fitzsimmons‐Craft et al., 2019). This research presentation provides an overview of both the internal and external psychosocial barriers and facilitators for seeking eating disorder treatment that have emerged from recent literature, offering implications for future research and mental health professionals who work with young adults at risk for eating disorders. 

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Juvenile literature has a long history of troping adoption and orphanhood. The use of adverse childhood experiences as a primary device in establishing the psychological predicament of characters within fictional narratives has desensitized audiences to the rather relevant issues of child welfare today. Rather than look at these literary depictions as grounded in the current realities of displaced children, we as an audience are trained to look through it; regarding this element of identity as merely a vessel to move the story further. The pattern of exploiting the identity of individuals within the realm of the adoption triad at the cost of inducing otherization, fails to take into account the impact of simplifying representation, particularly in the category of juvenile literature. This project analyzes the innumerable adoption narratives in literature that continue to serve as a reminder of the historical ambivalence towards the “unnatural” family, and the negative impact that harmful literary tropes have on the current cultural perception of the adoption triad. Only by actually looking at the representations of adoptee narratives, both real and fictional, can we begin to acknowledge the constellation of perspectives and stories that are sidelined or dramatized for the sake of entertainment. In looking at adoption narratives and their influence, we can pursue an understanding of what adoption literature is or what it can be.

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This presentation is an examination of Layli Long Soldier’s poetry collection WHEREAS (specifically the “Whereas Statements” section) as it relates to the Congressional document that inspired it. Issued as a rider in 2009, the “Apology to Native Peoples of the United States” (officially “111th Congress 1st Session S. J. RES. 14”) garnered press for its inconspicuous placement in an unrelated defense spending bill. Long Soldier, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, was one of many Indigenous Americans who saw the “Apology” — both its wording and its rider-status — as insincere and insufficient. WHEREAS is Long Soldier’s response, and in “Whereas Statements,” she mimics the resolution’s legalistic format to emphasize how the “Apology” expresses a meaning but not a sentiment. I argue that Long Soldier also uses the word “whereas” and its manifold definitions to simultaneously personify her complicated feelings about language, citizenship, the “Apology,” and the government that passed it. After a brief introduction to the history of the “Apology” and WHEREAS, my presentation will demonstrate how Long Soldier’s choices regarding wording and structure prove effective and affective both poetically and rhetorically.

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If accepted, I would read two of my poems ("Solid" and "Self-Portrait as a Son").
The former addresses a (hyperbolic) ideal of human love, and the latter reflects on the perfection of God's love.

• "Solid" is a poem about a marriage so strong it persists even in death.
• "Self-Portrait as a Son" is a Catholic poem, exploring Jesus and the Eucharist through the images of food and parenting. 

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Cisplatin and other platinum drugs are an essential part of combination chemotherapy to treat cancer. The compounds bind to and crosslink DNA, thus initiating apoptotic pathways in cancer cells. While many patients exhibit high initial responsiveness to treatment, numerous side effects lessen the therapeutic value of these metallodrugs.

When cancer cells grow at a high rate, they have an increased energy demand compared to non-cancerous cells; with that they need to facilitate an increased cellular uptake of energy sources, mainly glucose and fructose. Accordingly, many cancer cells overexpress hexose transporters, integral membrane proteins responsible for the transport of hexoses across cellular membranes. To focus the uptake of platinum drugs on fast-growing cells and by that to reduce deleterious side effects due to the interaction of the drugs with biomolecules other than DNA in cancer cells, hexose platinum conjugates that are potential substrates of hexose transporters are being synthesized. The conjugates consist of three domains, namely a transporter substrate, a spacer, and a pharmacophore. A convergent synthetic approach allows to independently vary these domains and to systematically study substrate-transporter and drug-DNA interactions.

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Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera responds to
environmental conditions in series of transcription activation steps that results in co-
activation of the toxT promoter by two membrane-anchored transcription factors, ToxR
and TcpP. Once toxT is activated, the ToxT protein activates a number of virulence genes
including cholera toxin and the toxin co-regulated pilus. The requirement for both ToxR
and TcpP for toxT activation is well described with TcpP serving as the direct activator and
ToxR assisting TcpP with activation. However, how exactly the molecules engage DNA
and subsequently stimulate transcription is unclear. Using Cryo-EM, we were able to
solve the structure of a toxT transcription complex including ToxR, TcpP, RNA polymerase
(RNAP) and the toxT promoter. The positions of binding largely confirm prior genetic
studies, but also indicated key contacts between each molecule in the complex. Using
site-directed mutagenesis of TcpP, we confirmed TcpP-Q80 as a key DNA binding residue
in the DNA-recognition helix, required for toxT activation, due to it having multiple contacts
with nucleotide bases at positions -38 and -39, relative to the transcription start site. In
addition, TcpP-K101 is a critical residue in the wing domain that engages the minor grove
in winged-helix-turn-helix transcription factors. Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the
Cryo-Em structure was the indication that TcpP-F72 makes critical contacts with the -
CTD of RNAP to initiate transcription. Mutation of TcpP-F72 to alanine or serine resulted
in an 85% or 95% reduction in toxT activation, respectively. Finally, alteration of two
residues (TcpP-P32 and TcpP-I41) in an N-terminal hydrophobic patch predicted to affect
TcpP/ToxR interactions, reduced toxT activation by 40-90% depending on the
substitution. Thus, we have demonstrated the promoter architecture of the active toxT
promoter complex at the atomic levels and verified predicted critical molecular
interactions for initiating toxT activation required for the disease cholera. Future studies
will be aimed at disrupting these critical interactions in a search for effective therapeutics
for a disease with millions of cases each year worldwide.

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Over the past two years, there have been thousands of Ukrainian citizens fleeing from their homes in Ukraine and seeking sanctuary in numerous host countries. War and global conflict cannot only impact an individual's environment but can impact their accessibility to health care. This highlights the potential lack of accessibility and effective knowledge about the importance of vaccines. The purpose of this scoping review is to acknowledge the lack of research on vaccination resistance and hesitancy for Ukrainian refugees. By searching for the 4 different databases, we hoped to discover a lack of literature reviews focusing on Ukrainian refugees who are resistant and hesitant towards receiving the COVID-19 and HPV vaccines. The databases used to search this population and this global healthcare concern were; ERIC, Proquest Psychology, CINHAL, and PubMed. After a search, was conducted there was a total of 148 literature reviews in the past ten years addressed, “ Vaccination or Immunization and Refugee or Ayslumn and hesitancy and resistance.”  (  7 in PubMed, 129 in Proquest Psychology, 0 ERIC, and 12 in CINHAL). 

• Rationale. The reason for conducting a scoping review is to address vaccination rate concerns for Ukrainian refugees coming into host countries that are in need of medical care. The number of reviewed articles reveals there to be limited studies or attention focusing on Vaccination rates for Ukrainian refugees and highlights the need for future studies to take place. 
• Some of the many potential barriers that reveal the low vaccination rates among Ukrainian refugees include a lack of vaccines available during the Russian and Ukrainian war, misconceptions about the use of vaccines (HPV and COVID-19), and feeling uneasy with the potential long-term effects of recently mandated vaccines like COVID. 

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This research will explore Exhaled Breath Analysis in Collegiate Athletes to determine the optimal exhaled breath profile for peak performance. Collaborating with Cannabix Technologies, the study employs advanced breath monitoring technology to analyze key Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in athletes' breath, aiming to understand the composition's impact on performance. The study's objectives include identifying and quantifying Methane, Hydrogen, Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC), CO2, and Acetone in athletes' breath, analyzing VOC variations among different sports disciplines, and establishing a baseline breath profile for optimal performance. The methodology involves recruiting a diverse group of male and female student-athletes from various sports, obtaining informed consent for breath analysis, and using exhaled breath sensors for VOC analysis. Through statistical analysis of the data, the study seeks to identify correlations between VOC levels and athletic performance, ultimately aiming to enhance understanding of how exhaled breath composition influences athletic excellence. This innovative approach paves the way for new strategies in optimizing training and performance in collegiate athletes.

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The AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) sets forth an innovative framework for incorporating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into the curriculum marking a pivotal advancement in educational technology integration. Recognizing the transformative potential of GenAI, the AIAS categorizes five levels of GenAI engagement, from none to full collaboration, empowering educators to tailor GenAI use to specific educational outcomes. This structured approach not only aligns with academic goals but also navigates the complexities of academic integrity, skill development, and student engagement with GenAI.

A key aspiration of the AIAS is to strike a delicate balance between the pedagogical benefits of GenAI and the ethical standards essential to educational fairness and transparency. By establishing clear guidelines for GenAI utilization in assessments, the AIAS aims to provide a coherent, equitable framework that accommodates the dynamic nature of GenAI technology while safeguarding educational values.

This research has been duly approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), ensuring adherence to ethical research standards and the protection of participant welfare. Additionally, it has garnered support through a Faculty Research Award, underscoring the project's significance and the academic community's recognition of its potential to shape future educational assessment practices. Funded and ethically sanctioned, the AIAS research promises to offer insights into optimizing GenAI's role in education, fostering an environment that prepares students for a technologically advanced future while upholding the integrity of the learning process.

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As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape education, its integration into university curricula presents new opportunities for enhancing student learning and instructional design. This research project at the University of Detroit Mercy, in collaboration with the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) and the Center for Augmenting Intelligence, explores the impact of StudyAI’d, an AI-powered academic platform, on curriculum innovation and student engagement.

Funded through Faculty Research Awards 2024 and IRB-approved, this study examines how AI tools can support faculty in designing adaptive course materials, developing assessments, and enhancing instructional strategies while providing students with AI-driven study aids, writing support, research tools, and multimedia learning experiences.

This presentation will highlight preliminary work on integrating  AI into the curriculumn and discuss challenges and best practices for ethical and responsible AI adoption in higher education.

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Alienation is an intensely horrifying and uniquely human experience. It challenges the very notion of existence and transforms it into the inspiration of a terrible dread. The post-WWII Japanese novel (1948) No Longer Human, by Osamu Dazai, articulates the experience of alienation, through the narrator’s interrogation of what it means to be human being. There is remarkably little English-Language scholarship on the novel itself. This paper addresses the gap in scholarship, examining how the novel defines the category of the “human” through its participation in the socio-cultural sphere. No Longer Human explores this definition by highlighting the experiences of an individual who is unable to identify or participate in the social realm. I will analyze the novel through comparison with other contemporaneous works which focus on alienation, and by borrowing from works of existentialist philosophy, as well as theory on social dynamics and human inter-relatedness. If the human is indeed a “social animal” as Marx wrote, Yozo’s total alienation from self and others invites us to interrogate what happens to the category of the human in the face of total social disintegration.

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This presentation will discuss the themes of existentialist philosophy in connection with Richard Wright’s posthumously published novel, The Man Who Lived Underground. By comparing the novel to other works of existentialist literature, such as a Nausea and The Stranger, I will show how The Man Who Lived Underground not only explores racism and white supremacy as themselves absurd, but also how the notion of these structures as absurd itself has profound political implications in the American context which both confronts and threatens the status quo of White Supremacy in and by its very expression.

I argue that The Man Who Lived Underground approaches the existential question posed by death through the confrontation of structures of racism and white supremacy through an embrace of Camus’ notion of the absurd and an affirmation of life as such. By embracing life as absurd, Fred Daniels confronts the “political deployment of the threat of death” at the heart of American politics and society, and in so doing, becomes a threat to its existence.The Man Who Lived Underground explores the human condition by inverting the problem of death, exploring it not as a biologically determined reality but as a political project propped up by American society.

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In 2013, the city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) being responsible for one third of the city’s debt. As a result of the DWSD’s debt, Detroit started shutting off residential water supplies in response to unpaid water bills, depriving people of a basic human necessity. For over a decade, Detroit residents have been confronted by inadequate access to water. Between 2013 and 2020 alone, over 140,000 homes in Detroit experienced having their water supply shut off because of unaffordable water bills. This presentation will focus on the financial disparities of the disadvantaged and declining population of Detroit. It will also discuss some of the financial struggles of the city and its residents, and the decisions made by the city before and after declaring bankruptcy which have caused unnecessary hardship and led to residential water shutoffs.

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Abstract: A good physician-patient relationship is essential for the delivery of quality health care and is associated with better health outcomes. This study explored the association between patients' object relations and the physician-patient relationship. Primary care patients (n = 72) and physicians (n = 21) participated in the study. Patients' early memories were obtained prior to their medical visit and were coded with the Social Cognition and Object Relations–Global Method (SCORS-G). Patients and physicians independently rated the quality of the physician-patient encounter. Results indicated that object relations (SCORS-G Cognitive-structural and Self factors) incrementally predicted physician-patient relationship ratings, as rated by the patient, above and beyond psychological distress, somatization, and level of physician training. Patient education, psychological distress, and level of physician training predicted physician ratings of the medical encounter. The authors discuss the discrepancy between physician and patient ratings as they relate to patients' object relations.

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American theorist and essayist Ellen Willis's critique of feminist artists who shifted from seeking male validation to seeking approval from other women highlights a broader issue: Can genuine artistic expression thrive if it is always tailored to meet the expectations of an audience? This question goes beyond feminism, encompassing social movements, literature, and identity politics. While building solidarity within a community can deepen understanding, focusing on a specific audience can influence expression in ways that can jeopardize authenticity. This presentation explores the conflict between self-definition and the desire for external validation, examining how movements that begin as liberating can eventually become limiting. By engaging with Willis’ perspectives, contemporary feminist thought, and the concept of creative autonomy, I argue that true expression lies not in merely rejecting one set of constraints for another, but in embracing complexity, individuality, and intellectual independence.

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This presentation examines the systemic misrepresentation of Muslim women in Western media, tracing its roots to post-9/11 political narratives and cultural bias. Drawing from personal experience, interviews with Muslim and Christian voices, and scholarly research, I reveal how media sensationalism reduces Muslim women to stereotypes of oppression—ignoring their agency, faith, and diversity. Key findings include the hijab’s role as a symbol of choice and dignity (contrary to its portrayal as a tool of control) and the media’s profit-driven focus on fear over nuance. This work challenges audiences to confront harmful narratives and engage directly with Muslim communities to foster interfaith understanding

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This paper contends that several factors, such as a nearly 18-year-long blockade
restricting the movement of materials, trades, water, assistance, and travel (even for
life-threatening scenarios), economic instability, and constant bombardment, contribute to the
deterioration of mental stability among youth in Gaza. To be alive in Gaza today, as someone
born in the 2000s, you must have survived over 6 wars. Around half of Gaza’s population of 2.1
million are children, and 41% are aged 14 or under, which means hundreds of thousands of young individuals
have known only life under the dire conditions of the Israeli blockade. Due to such unfavorable
conditions, many studies have shared the same results. For youth ages 6-19, well over half suffer
from PTSD alone (2020). In addition to post-traumatic stress disorder, youth in Gaza have
alarmingly high rates of depression and anxiety. This paper aims to highlight the dense
population of the Gaza Strip, and how this plays a vital role in justifying the claim that any
bombardment of Gaza is collective punishment. This research aims to recognize multiple contributing
factors resulting in psychological disorders faced by youth in Gaza, the world’s only current open-air
concentration camp.

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This abstract explores the intricate relationship between the emotion of fear and the consumption of film, particularly through the lens of the horror genre. Drawing upon Prano Bailey-Bond's film "Censor," the essay delves into the multifaceted nature of fear as both an emotion and a motivator. Through an analysis of protagonist Enid's immersion in the world of horror films as a censor, the essay examines how fear influences her actions and perceptions. Enid's obsession with the genre is revealed to stem from a deeper fear rooted in personal trauma, notably the disappearance of her sister. As the narrative unfolds, Enid's desperate attempts to confront her fears lead to a poignant exploration of self-censorship and the blurred lines between reality and fiction. Through compelling visual storytelling and thematic depth, "Censor" ultimately serves as a provocative exploration of fear's power to both propel individuals forward and compel them to confront uncomfortable truths.

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In many societies today, disabilities are often viewed as non-normative. Consequently, disabilities are seen as exceptions that must be compensated for with “reasonable” accommodations that “fix” the “problems” disabled people have with interacting in society. How to accommodate students and to what extent, however, continues to be highly debated within educational institutions. Through an analysis of Adam Gianelli’s poems “How to Hear a Stutter,” “Stutterfied,” and “Stutter,” this paper critiques the view of disability as non-normative. The paper draws from a wide range of theory both within and beyond disability studies, such as Saussurean semiotics, Toni Morrison’s “Unspeakable Things Unspoken,” and Margaret Price’s Mad at School. Together, these works will help me articulate the ways disability underscores flaws within how schooling systems operate that should not remain normalized. By voiding the “one size fits all” approach used with many standardized exams, schools can provide students the opportunity to truly strive for academic excellence and a bright future by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge without unrealistic expectations and restrictions that hinder their ability to do so. The paper concludes with recommendations for reconsidering the structure of standardized tests and other modes of educational standardization.

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This capstone project was conducted by Master of Community Development graduate student Cicely Turner, who partnered with organization Northwest Goldberg Cares, to complete her two-semester action-based research project. This study engaged various stakeholders - including longtime residents and business owners - in the historic Northwest Goldberg Community, located adjacent Henry Ford Hospital's main campus in Detroit, Michigan. The community revitalization plan consists of an analysis of the community, its residents, current land use and housing conditions, economic development, challenges, opportunities, needs assessment, and recommendations. Highlighted in this presentation are neighborhood assets, plans and challenges to corridor activation, top proposed project ideas, and an action plan and implementation strategy of this community, of which the student is a generational resident.

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Bank customer churn refers to the termination of all business with the bank by the customer, leading to account closure. However, in actual operations, for specific business departments, bank customer churn can be defined as the termination of specific business activities.

Commercial banks’ churn is serious, The churn rate is 20%. The cost of acquiring customers is 5 times the cost of maintaining customers. So we can mine customer transaction data for information that affects churn, it is particularly important to establish an efficient customer churn early warning system. The main goals of this project are as follows:

- Identify and visualize factors that lead to customer churn.

- Establish a prediction model to predict whether classified customers will churn, and select an optimal model based on the performance of the model.

Predict the loss of current customers based on the identified reasons and historical data of customer loss, making it easier for the relevant departments of the bank to solve problems, provide different maintenance methods for different customers, and reduce the customer churn rate.

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