Ashland University College of Arts and Sciences to Host Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium

Ashland University’s College of Arts and Sciences is hosting an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium that will feature the works of more than 60 students from 13 departments in the College.

According to Dr. Andrew Greene, assistant professor of biology/toxicology, the April 7 symposium, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 12:45 to 7 p.m. in Myers Convocation Center. A question-and-answer segment will follow each session.

Dr. Dawn Weber, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the symposium will showcase the many and varied talents of the students in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“This event provides students in the College of Arts and Sciences the chance to present the results of independent research, exhibit their artwork, or give literary readings, musical or theatrical performances in a professional setting,” Weber said. “And we are excited that the public as well as all faculty, staff and students will be able to attend these presentations and performances.”

The sessions include:

Session I, which will run from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. in the Heritage Room, will feature Lauren Schiely, English, speaking on her short story, “Bonnie’s Bathtub”; Stacey Sadowski, history/political science, speaking on “Machiavelli’s Justice: The Necessity of Torture”; Courtney Long, communication arts, performing the art of storytelling featuring “Marley and Me” by John Grogan; Cassie Catalano, family and consumer sciences, speaking on “Information Seeking Differences Among Fashion-Opinion Leaders, Fashion-Conscious Consumers and the General Population”; and Michael Minczeski, religion, speaking on “New Wine in Old Wineskins: Neo-Monasticism and the Future of the Church in America.”

Session II, which will be held from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. in the Trustees Room, will feature The Wingnuts, made up of musicians Aaron Hill, Trent Kimball, Dan Shade, Chris Simmons and Jim Slike performing “Not That We Care”; Christina Erikson, religion, speaking on “A Study of Violent and Pacifist Resistance in Liberation Theology”; Kristin DiMarco, family and consumer sciences, speaking on “Hand Washing in Preschools”; Mark Maruschak, theatre, speaking on lighting design in his presentation, “What Is Urinetown?”; and Kevin Kearns, history/political science, speaking on “McClellan's Alma: George B. McClellan's Understanding of the Crimean War as the Key to His Peninsula Campaign and Historical Misrepresentation.”

Session III, which will be held from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. in the Heritage Room, will feature Logan Fry, English, who will perform “Felt: A Reading of Selected Poems”; Abby Kacsandi, communication arts, who will perform the art of storytelling with “A Stinky Situation”; Janna Pearson, biology/toxicology, who will discuss the “Effects of Ecotourism on the Environment: Ecuador”; and Todd Polak, mathematics/computer science, who will talk on “Smorgasbord of Primes.”

Session IV, which will be held from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. in the Trustees Room, will feature Wendy Dria, biology/toxicology, speaking on “Identification of Circadian Clock-Associated Proteins in Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus nidulans”; Hallie Wolff, history/political science, speaking on “Boycotts for Liberty: How the Non-Importation Movement Shifted Women’s Place in Colonial Society”; Phillip Wages, biology/toxicology, speaking on “Mixture Toxicity of Atrazine and Permethrin”; and Cassie Haines, theatre, speaking on “Urinetown The Music: A Directing Experience.”

Session V, which will be held from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the Heritage Room, will feature Katie Moga, chemistry/geology/physics, speaking on “Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Resorcinarene- and Calixarene-Core Star Polymers”; the vocal quartet of Bryon Black, Alison Savitsky, Jim Slike and Alyssa Slotterbeck performing “I’ll Be Seeing You”; Antoinette Kula, theatre, performing “The Song in Performance,”; and Alyssa Slotterbeck, music, performing "Adieu, notre petite table" by Jules Massenet from the Opera, “Manon,” and "The Tale of the Oyster" by Cole Porter.

Session VI, which will be held from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the Trustees Room, will feature Lyndsey Riegel, music, performing "Lookout" by Robert Dick: Solo Flute Performance; Tory Lowe, English, reading a selection from his novel “Dangerous Jezebels”; Sean McGraw, chemistry/geology/physics, presenting “Investigation of Carbon Wire X-pinch backlighting for Pulsed Power Driven Exploding Wire Experiments”; and John Bentley, Kimberly Hohl, Kameron Perry, Andrew Rowe and Matthew Schwan presenting “The Design and Implementation of Real-World Projects for Real Clients: The Westfield Group Project.”

Poster/Exhibition Session I, which will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Faculty Room, will feature Claire Kereky, art, with an exhibition, “The World Within”; John Bentley, Kimberly Hohl, Kameron Perry, Andrew Rowe and Matthew Schwan, mathematics/computer science, presenting “The Design and Implementation of Real-World Projects for Real Clients: The Home Hardware Inc. Project”; Daphne Guinn, biology/toxicology, presenting “Comparison of Mixture Toxicity for Mono-, Di-, and Tri-halogenated Acetonitrile Combinations”; Casey Snyder, art, with an exhibition titled “While There Is Time”; Nicole Genco and Zach Il'Giovine, biology/toxicology, presenting “Mixture Toxicity and Multiple Modes of Toxic Action: Direct-Acting Michael Acceptors with a Non-Polar Narcotic”; Hilary Waugh, family and consumer sciences, presenting “Factors Influencing Course Enrollment for High School Family and Consumer Science Courses”; Theresa Lattner, Jill Snowden and Julia Treska, nursing, presenting “Developing an Innovation Unit and Evaluating Outcomes”; Evangeline Garcia, Rebecca Kennard, Debra Lewis, Susan Mercer and Mary Szostakowski, nursing, presenting “Web-Based Strategies: Piloting a Simulated Public Health Clinical Experience”; Amy Drossman and Jackie Skiba, biology/toxicology, presenting “Comparison of Temperature-Sensitive Fish αA-crystallins Identifies an Amino Acid Substitution Associated with Chaperone-like Activity and Thermal Stability;” and Kelly Harrison, chemistry/geology/physics, presenting on “Greenhouse Studies of the Allelopathic Properties of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor).”

Poster/Exhibition Session II, which will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Faculty Room, will feature Joshua Risner, art, exhibiting “Holistic Development Through an Artistic Lifestyle”; Emilia Del Pino, Jeremy Mio and Thomas Valy, mathematics/computer science, presenting “iAshland - Student Life Application”; Rachel Day, biology/toxicology, presenting “Green Fluorescent Protein-Labeled Escherichia coli: An Effective Tool to Enhance Visibility of Small Daphnia When Monitoring Behavioral Responses in Tank Experiments”; Jennifer Seda and Blair Suppes, psychology, presenting “Love's Got Nothing To Do with It: the Effects of Romantic Commitment and Love on Sacrificial Behavior”; Rachel Turos, theatre, presenting “Lighting Design: Measure for Measure”; Tricia Matz, chemistry/geology/physics, presenting “Spatial Distribution and Diffusion of Root-Exuded Thiopenes from Marigold (Tagetes spp.)”; Megan Sneeringer, psychology, presenting “Coping with Anger: An Examination Using the STAXI-2”; Amy Breslin, Wendy Dria and Brandi Meyer, biology/toxicology, presenting “Enumeration and Identification of Bacterial Contaminants in Commercial and Locally Produced Honey”; Theresa Ardiri and Joseph Stupica, psychology, presenting “The Influence of Color on Memory Recall”; and Nicole Genco and Zach Il'Giovine, biology/toxicology, presenting “Combined Effects of Direct-Acting Michael Acceptor Combinations Vary Depending on Reactivity Rates and Time-Dependent Toxicity of the Agents.”

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.

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