Westminster Student Showcase Schedule
8:45–9:00 a.m. | Welcome Message by President Beth Dobkin
Vieve Gore Concert Hall, Jewett Center for the Performing Arts
9:00 a.m. | Breakfast and Reception
Richer Alcove, Jewett Center
9:40–10:40 a.m. | Panel Session I
(Meldrum 110)
- Moderator: Dr. John Watkins
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Zach Moss, “The Bilateral Nexus Between Underperformance in American STEM Education and Rent Seeking Behavior, And Their Implications on American Geoeconomics”
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Victoria Crittenden, “The Rise of Cryptocurrency”
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Ted Scott, “The Gravity Theory of International Trade”
(Meldrum 120)
- Moderator: Dr. Kristjane Nordmeyer
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Angelina Mayar, “The Experiences of Transracial Adoptees, White Adoptive Parents, and Black Parents with Black Children, Through the Lens of the Black Lives Matter Movement”
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Negineh Asef, Bacha Bazi: “A Critical Look at The Practice of Dancing Boys in Afghanistan”
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Kylie Palmer, “Tourism, Collective Memory, and National Identity in Vietnam’s Sites of Remembrance: A Case Study of the War Remnants Museum”
(Meldrum 160)
- Moderator: Dr. Connie Etter
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Brynlie Green, “Where to Empower Change: An Autoethnographic Exploration of the Gaps that Student Leaders and Activists Face in Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education”
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Kayley Thurston, “Is Correction in The Juvenile Justice System Possible Without a Model of Rehabilitation?”
- Lucy Gray, “Social Media and Collective Action: An Organizational Effort for Mobilization”
(Meldrum 170)
- Moderator: Dr. Chris LeCluyse
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Jackie McNamara, "Reading Queerness in the Failure of Language as Means of Recognition in Frankenstein,"
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Maria Comp, “Gender, Motherhood, and Marriage in The Book of Margery Kempe”
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Saydi Anderson, “Imperialist Nostalgia in Inés del alma mía”
(Meldrum Atrium)
- Shelby Volosin, “'Beautiful Creatures': An Analysis of Mental Health Portrayal in The Virgin Suicides (1999)”
- Courtney McAlindon, “Oral Health Disparities in Rural Alaska”
- Lily McKay, "American Eugenics Influences in Nazi Germany"
- Timothy McGuire, “Nuclear Power and the Media”
- JP Wilson, “Fantastic Fundamental Forces: An Introduction”
- Zachary Stanton, “Chlorophyll Concentration as a Representation of Phytoplankton Abundance”
- Sarah Walker, “The Chemistry Behind Snowflakes and Avalanches”
- Flore Elliott, “Water Quality Research of Silver Lake”
- Wyatt Rollins, “Spatial and Temporal Analysis of a Single Post-Wildfire Debris Flow from August 2021 in the Southern Wasatch Mountains”
- Morgan Withers, “Protocol Optimization for Organoid Culture”
- Kelsey Smith, “A Divergence in Human Rights: Inequities Among Afghan and Ukrainian Refugees”
- Grace von Mettenheim, “Intersectional Existence”
- Lexa Erskine, “Radical Environmentalist”
- Alexa Leith, “Methods for Producing Biocomplete Compost Using Urban Waste Materials”
- Claire Mischel, “How We Move: A Dance-Based Approach to Developmental Movement Patterns”
- Maxfield Bingman, “The Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Drug Repurposing”
- Katelyn Cook, “Chemistry in the Kitchen: Root Beer Making Kit” (Meldrum 150)
10:50–11:50 a.m. | Panel Session II
(Meldrum 110)
- Moderator: Dr. Michael Mamo
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Katie Lohr, “Why Do People Vote Conservative?”
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Joshua Garbett, “Purchasing Power: A Market Theory of Congressional Action”
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Olivia Beckstead, “The Problem with Growth: A Historical Evaluation of GDP as an Economic Indicator and the Argument for Alternative Indicators Towards Sustainable Development”
(Meldrum 120)
- Moderator: Dr. Jeff Nichols
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Mitsue Farnsworth, “Death Practices and Funerary Art of the Pioneer Era Saints”
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Kylie Palmer, “How Photography Defined an Era of History: A Case Study of Three Iconic Photos that Changed the Vietnam War”
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Cailin Call, “Constructing a Genderqueer Identity in Virginia Woolf’s ‘Orlando’”
(Meldrum 160)
- Moderator: Dr. Christy Clay
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Dylan Kingston, Grace von Mettenheim, Shellby Carvalho, Zinnia Collins, “Planting the Seed”
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Marianna Buckel and Mariah Trujillo, “Damn the Dam: Visualizing a Restored Glen Canyon”
(Meldrum 170)
- Moderator: Dr. Kelly Asao
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Adisen Goodart, “It’s Just a Daydream: The Association Between Homicidal Fantasies and Narcissism”
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Yovie Saiz Rodriguez, “‘Ni de Aqui, Ni de Alla’: Parental Influence in Acculturation and Belonging for Multilingual Latinx Young Adults”
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Amley Kerr, “Rising Anxiety Rates in Children: What is Contributing to That?”
(Meldrum Atrium)
- Lily Verson, Leah Murphy, and Maimuna Barrow, “A Prospective Evaluation of Protective Factors that Promote Sexual Violence Resilience from Survivors and Providers”
- Halle Parkin, “Underreporting of Child Abuse in Healthcare Settings”
- Naomi Guerrero Reyes and Cris Mora Rubio, “Evaluating Awareness and Knowledge of Skin Cancer Among Construction Workers with an Emphasis in the Hispanic Community”
- Madison Schmidt, “Overall Wellness in the Female Student Athlete”
- Liv Tourangeau, “Hormone Influence on Inflammation in the Lung”
- Jackie McNamara, “Inside Video Games and Evolving Definitions of Horror”
- William Weinberger, “Perfect Snake: Creating a Perfect Artificial Intelligent Agent for the Game Snake”
- Emma Smith, “Bluetooth: How Does It Work?”
- Henry Cecil, “High Power Rocketry”
- Negineh Asef, “Bacha Bazi: A Critical Look at The Practice of Dancing Boys in Afghanistan”
- Tyler Lovejoy, “Rheologic Effects of Ash in Post Wildfire Debris Flows”
- Zach Moss, “Grads of Gore”
- Joachim Mjelde, “Ski Type Prediction Using the Fourier Transform”
- Reese Gorey, “The Effects of the Phthalates DEHP and DBP on Daphnia Magna”
- Conor Craig, “5HT2A and MAOA implicated in Psychoplastogens: A Novel View of Neurobiological Aggression”
- Briar Woodie, “Costume, Hair, and Makeup Design for Frankenstein”
12–1:00 p.m. | Panel Session III
(Meldrum 110)
- Moderator: Dr. Rick Haskell
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Tyler Andersen, “The Homeless Crisis in Salt Lake City”
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Sarah Alicandro, “The Cost of Disposable Food: Examining the Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts of Food Waste"
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Kennedy McNeel, “Integrating Westminster Business Curriculum into the South Salt Lake Community”
(Meldrum 120)
- Moderator: Dr. Han Kim
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Olivia Gregg, Michael Riley McCarter, and Kathleen Sulva, “Body Image Perceptions Among Westminster College Students”
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Greta Walser and Jess Whitticar, “Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study on the Impact of the Dobbs v. Jackson
Women’s Health Organization 2022 U.S. Supreme Court Decision on the Mental Health, Contraceptive Use, Sexual Behavior and Political Engagement of Higher Education Institution Students”
(Meldrum 160)
- Moderator: Dr. Brent Olson
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Cora Rasmuson, “Brine Flies of Great Salt Lake”
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Alliy Hansen, Lexi Crotty, Grace Carico, “HEAL Utah - Urban Heat Island”
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Mya Kirke, Bridget Dopp, and Ella Hundere Dahlgren, “Needs Assessment of New Urban Farmers in the Salt Lake Valley”
(Meldrum 170)
- Moderator: Dr. Ranjan Adiga
- Jake Kirkwood, “Dunnage” (Screenplay)
- Brooke Scudder, Nerium (Short Story)
- Claire McKay, “Sacrificial Goat” (Short Story)
- Irma Hrkovic, “Daddy Longlegs” (Short Story)
(Meldrum Atrium)
- Annie Arnold, “Progressive Culture In Children's Shows: Gender Roles for the Next Generation”
- Christina Pippas, “Body Neutrality: A Psychosocial and Feminist Analysis of Body Image Perception in the Modern Era”
- Adisen Goodart, “A Donkey and an Elephant in a Boxing Ring: The Association Between Moral Foundations, Affective Polarization, And Religious Faith”
- Paulina Martinez Koury, “Preservation of Biosignatures in Gypsum as a Model for Mars Sample Return”
- Caitlin Christensen, “Euhalothece: The Story of a Primary Producer and the Great Salt Lake Benthic Food Chain”
- Amanda Lee and Tea Kazitova, “Great Salt Lake PELI (Partnership for Education and Longitudinal Investigation of American White Pelicans) Project Revival”
- Harbor Larsen, "Valuing Ecosystems and Their Services: Investigating Eco-Engineering as a Sustainability Tool in an Urbanizing World"
- Sara Grace Wamsley, “The Importance of Botulinum Toxin in Aesthetic and Medical Applications”
- McGuire Conley, “A Review Comparing Current Data on the Use of Corticosteroid Injections vs Janus Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata”
- Jonathan Butcher, “How Do We Fight Education Inequity?”
- Taylor Falk, “Mechanisms of Probiotics”
- Ann Day, “The Movement to De-Professionalize Teachers: A Feminist Inquiry into Teachers’ Professional Realities”
- Audrea Neibaur, “An Exploration of the Process of Implementing Change in Schools”
- Garrick Williams, “Community Detection Through Spectral Graph Theory”
- Adia Estes, “Salt Lake City Sidewalks: Obstacles to Walkability” (Meldrum 150)
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Communication Portfolio Showcase
(Gillmor Foyer)
- Kaelee Byrne
- Keely Carolan
- Isaac Cortes
- Vanessa Eveleth
- Dustin Hardebeck
- Tommy Howells
- Rylee Llanes
- Devin Logan
- Gabriel Oliveira
- Zola Oyer
- Elyse Swensen
- Quinn Winter
12:30–2:00 p.m. | Lunch
Richer Commons
2–3:00 p.m. | ellipsis... Debut
2–3:00 p.m. | Senior Art Exhibition
2:30 p.m. | Musical Performance
3–5:00 p.m. | Graduate Student Showcase + Reception
Jewett Center for the Performing Arts
- Jo Walker, “‘This Student's Need is not Learning’: PBIS in Utah Classrooms”
- Ashlee Cook, “Through the Looking Glass: Women's Perspectives on Alternatives to Incarceration”
- Sendys Estevez, “¿Y Ahora Quién Podrá Ayudarme?: Truinfos y Desafios of First Generation Latinx College Students Navigating their First Year in Higher Education and the Expectations of their Immigrant Parents”
- Whitney Fenech, “‘Nice Girls Haze’: Authenticity, Morality, and Hazing in Panhellenic Sororities”
- Josh Fisher, “Deliberation for Transformation: Facilitating Critical and Transformative Learning in the Deliberative Forum”
- Lizzie Hallabrin, “‘The Status Quo Isn’t Working’: A Narrative Inquiry about Familial Education Experiences”
- Joey Harris, “Without A Net: How Colleges and Universities Can Support Their Students”
- Aimee Kurfurst, “Exploring Trauma's Effect on Students: An Ethnographic Study on How School Culture Impacts the Use of Trauma-informed Practices”
- Wil Lastre, “How I Got to Where I Am: How Religion, Race, and Gender Impacts Women and Leadership in Utah”
- Ian D. Napper, “The Trauma Healing Journey and Spiritual Influences”
- Aly Dane Paradise, “‘There is Nothing Innately Inauthentic About That’: Exploratory Spaces and Their Role in Supporting Trans and Nonbinary Gender Journeys”
- Elliot Parkin, “Storytelling Mosaic of Art-based Research and Community Building: Tools for Artstorming, Narrative Power Analysis, and Mosaic Mapping”
- Hollie Saatkamp, "Food Insecurity and Mental Health: Understanding their Interrelated Relationship in Adults in Salt Lake County"
- Riley Smith, “Ending Hunger in a SNAP: Understanding and Improving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs in Utah”
- Brooke Stencil, “‘Hey, Is This Vegan?’: Exploring Vegan and Vegetarian Youth Experiences in Life and at School”
- Eric Stone, “Learning for Learning's Sake: A Phenomenological Study of Middle Schoolers' Motivations for Learning and Attitudes Toward School”
- Kelton N. Whittaker, “In A Pickle: Eliciting Stories of Food System Adaptation and Readaptation”
- Taylor Avei, Colin Gibbs, and Austin Stevens, “MBATC 660 Technology Commercialization & Implementation”
- Julia Edwards, “Group Therapy Toolkit Design for Ski Patrol and Mountain Rescue Professionals with Subclinical PTSD”
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Aimee Klein, “Take Care Utah Program Evaluation”
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Lucy Mulligan, “Identifying the Relationship between Food-Animal Contact and Resistant Salmonella Infections in Utah and Evaluating the Data Collection of Antimicrobial Use in Animal Agriculture in the United States”
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Shannon Robinson and Lesley Hernandez, “The Mental Health Impact and Long-Term Health Outcomes of Sex Trafficking Among Women in Utah”
- Hailey Robinson and Sarah Abu Al-Foul, “The Association Between Recidivism Rates with Access to Mental Health Resources Among Priorly Incarcerated People in the State of Utah”
- Taylor MacDonald, Kimi Smith, and Michelle Steinmann, “Adolescent Contraception and Sexual Health Education: Encouraging Utah Policy Change”
- Brittany Call, Erika Klenk, and Isabella Ramos Miller, “Bridging the Gap of Treatment-Resistant Depression”
- Ellen Kahn, Alisia Motuapuaka, Chau Quach, and Louisa Tali, “Improving Access to Medication Assisted Treatment for Persons with Opioid Use Disorder”
- Sisi Chen, Nicko Paraso, and Katy Richards, “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicide in Adolescents”
- Justin Illum, Morgan Saad, and Karlee Taylor, “Adolescent Health Care Confidentiality: A Focus on Parental Consent and the Impact on Adolescent Sexual Health”
- Becky Brady, Lauren Munson, Stephanie Greer and Tanner Hutchins, “The Effect of Particulate Matter on Cardiovascular Health”
Pre-Recorded Presentations
Most projects can be experienced in person, but some pre-recorded presentations are also available.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank faculty, staff, and community partners who encourage and mentor
our students. Special thanks to Wells Fargo for its sponsorship and support.