Animals exhibit a wide range of behaviors that can be influenced by their fitness, niche, energy costs, physiology, and general responses to environmental stimuli. This behavioral variation, commonly referred to as personality, is defined as consistent differences in behavior between individuals over time. For this study, we decided to monitor behavior using several biologging devices […]
B38: Genetic Variability and Lyme Disease Infection in the White-Footed Mouse in Northern Michigan
The lower peninsula of Michigan is inhabited by two species of closely related white-footed deer mice, Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus. Both of these species are hosts for the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis which acts as the vector for B. burgdorferi infection. However, it’s been determined that P. leucopus is the main reservoir host for […]
B37: Miami Middletown Greenhouse Pathogen Identification and Management
Houseplants improve our mental and physical well-being, productivity, and enhance the overall appearance of a space. Unfortunately foliage plants are often attacked by pests and pathogens which can negatively impact their health and appearance. As a Botany major and student worker on the Middletown campus, I began taking care of the plant maintenance in the […]
B31: Visualizing Gene Expression to Understand Ocular Development and Regeneration
The embryonic eye is composed of a number of ectoderm-derived structures that ultimately give rise to a diverse array of cell types and complex tissues. Extensive cell-cell communication and precisely coordinated molecular events are necessary to differentiate the associated cell types, including within the retina. Embryonic days 4 and 5 of chicken development encompass a […]
B30: Long term trends in suspended sediments and nutrients in Four Mile Creek Watershed
Four Mile Creek watershed is the largest sub watershed that drains into Acton Lake. This is predominantly an agricultural watershed. Seeing recent changes in farming techniques, like the switch to conservation tillage, affects the soil and waterways nearby. The Vanni Lab here at Miami University monitors the effects of non-point source pollution from agriculture in […]
B18: Investigation of a Novel Pyrolyzed PDMS/Ni Catalyst for Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM)
The release of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is an issue that continues to plague society due to high usage of fossil fuels and expanding landfills. In an effort to combat the levels of CO2 and CH4 accumulating, chemical engineers have turned to the dry reformation of methane to produce syngas (H2 and […]
B43: Spin Equilibrium of Cobalt-Salen Complexes
Spin Crossover (SCO), or spin equilibrium, is a well-studied phenomenon in some metal complexes. This phenomenon occurs when changes such as heat, light, or pressure are applied to a metal complex, which the metal center responds by changing its spin state. The spin state of a metal center is the arrangement of its valence electrons, […]
B42: Remediation of “Forever Chemicals”: Adsorption of PFOA on Novel Polymer Resin
Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances(PFAS) are a class of ubiquitous and highly-persistent fluoro-organic water contaminants within the environment that have been widely utilized since the 1960’s. They are utilized in numerous industrial applications as surfactants, and are found in products such as firefighting foams, makeup, nonstick cookware, waterproof fabrics, and plastics. The most common PFAS compound in […]
B41: Multimedia Learning with YouTube: Do Educational Chemistry Videos Cognitively Support Student Learning?
Especially in a post-pandemic context, the use of technology and multimedia content for teaching and learning chemistry has become increasingly prevalent. While YouTube videos may contain accurate chemistry content, the way in which information is presented affects the potential for learning. Based on evidence-based research and cognitive theory, we used Mayer’s Multimedia Principles (MMP) to […]
B23: Surficial Geologic Map of the Miami University Natural Areas near Oxford, Ohio
This project examined the surface geology of the primary floodplain in Harkers Run, located in Oxford, OH. The primary focus for this project was to determine and map the surface and subsurface geology of Harkers Run. For this study, a team of students in Geoenvironmental Field Methods (GLG 311VA) used topographic base maps and GPS […]