Abstract: In my independent study, I examined the question: to what extent and in what areas is the position of Student Body President at Valparaiso University similar to or different from the President of the United States? To do so, I divided several topics of interest and ways to evaluate the position of the Presidency into two categories, static and dynamic. Static elements examining the position of President pertain to process and structure, while dynamic elements of the presidential position encompass changing, fluid areas, such as issues, agendas, and the ability to attain and hold, and the capacity of power. One element, coalitions, falls under both categories. It is collectively addressed as such, though it is placed under Static Elements, as they are a form of hidden or unspoken structure that always exists, though their exact alignments vary based on the issues or Dynamic Elements. This proposal through the Political Science Department served to apply lessons learned from larger governmental structures and issues, and translated them to see how they operate on a similar or different basis on the campus level at Valparaiso University. This independent study demonstrates how activities outside the classroom related to Political Science enrich class experiences.
Faculty Sponsor: Professor Zhimin Lin
Abstract: Many are familiar with Night, Elie Wiesel’s powerful account of his experiences as a teenager in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Lesser known, however, is the story of Wiesel’s life before and after Night. Wiesel’s experiences in the ten years after his liberation from Buchenwald until he began to write greatly influenced his work as an author, and more importantly, as a witness to faith. The evolution of Wiesel’s questions and responses to the horrors of the Holocaust can be traced through his novels in relation to the events of his life. This presentation examines the relationship between Elie Wiesel’s life and thought: what moved him to write, the development of his understanding of God, and his witness through words and actions.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mel Piehl
Abstract: Atmospheric turbulence introduces uncertainty into the modeling of weather systems. The Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research in Turbulence (MURT) team hopes to quantify atmospheric turbulence by combining the present laboratory and atmospheric scale understandings of turbulence. The team is comparing readings of turbulent wind speeds taken on field studies in Texas near the Gulf of Mexico and near Lake Michigan to those measured in the laboratory wind and water tunnels in order to validate using the same model for both large and small scale turbulent boundary layers. Of particular interest is the turbulent length scale, which indicates the size of turbulent eddies within the flow. The largest length scale should reflect the overall depth of the turbulent boundary layer, and we will use this characteristic to determine which laboratory processes for calculating length scales are applicable for the atmosphere. The coupling of meteorological and engineering methodologies will help us to better understand how and where turbulent flows are significant, thereby decreasing uncertainty in atmospheric models.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Barrett
Abstract: Public relations needs trained personnel who can meet the challenges new technologies offer. How companies use technology and what skills are needed in entry-level employees needs to be addressed before students enter the workforce. Shel Holtz, in Public Relations on the Net stresses information overload and access-driven communications. In this study, these concepts are used to examine perceptions about technology affecting the workplace. To assess the preparedness of the VU public relations students in the area of technology, a survey of current majors was conducted. Because public relations often works in a business environment, students in the school of business were given the same survey as a comparison population. Questions focused on: How do you define public relations? What percentage of your time do you spend working within the following? (examples~face to face, email, Internet, power-point presentations, etc.) In a second part of research, respondents were asked what area of technology should they be trained in to be competitive in the workplace. The final analysis stresses the students degree of interest in technology, their degree of experience, and their perceptions toward their future needs of technology in the workplace.
Faculty Sponsor: Bonita Neff
Abstract: Communities are becoming increasingly more complex as a result of the diversity of backgrounds emerging in our country, thus bringing increasing change especially felt by academic institutions. As a result of this fast-growing movement toward community diversity, it is important to assess individuals' attitudes toward evolving cultures. This research establishes a framework for noting the degree to which students enter into multicultural situations and their degree of adaptation.
The review of literature provided the criteria for developing the instrument used in gathering data from 100 college students. Three areas of assessment were established to measure students' multicultural activity. These are: (1) awareness of multicultural activities, (2) contact initiated by students, and (3) adaptation to multicultural situations. The results provide data for better preparing students to experience multicultural situations. Finally, these findings will illustrate particular needs not being met in the academic arena as well as provide some guidance for these new professionals entering the workforce.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bonita Neff
Abstract: Interannual variability of precipitation and its relationship to El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is investigated using the 20-year experimental version of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) data set. Global and regional analyses using partitioning of data into El Nino and La Nina years support previous research strongly linking precipitation in the Maritime Continent of Indonesia and the Central Pacific with ENSO. The ENSO-precipitation linkages for Eastern Equatorial Africa and far Southern India differ with previous published results. In addition, the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, which had not been an identified region relating to ENSO in the previous research, is demonstrated to have a positive correlation between ENSO and precipitation. These new results are examined in the context of observational biases and atmospheric flow changes.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Knox
Abstract: Surveys administered to first-year students have proven to be instrumental in evaluating the first year student experience. Valparaiso University recently created such a survey which yielded results of first-year student satisfaction in nearly every area of academic, campus, and student life. The process of developing this survey and of analyzing the results from it has allowed a closer look at precisely how students feel, how attitudes are different between various groups of students, and eventually, what sorts of trends emerge.
Data was collected by surveying all first-year undergraduate students in all the colleges at VU and entered into SPSS Data Analysis System. Data used for this presentation is from the 1999 survey, while data from the 2000 survey is in the process of being entered and analyzed.
The consistent use of a survey instrument to measure student satisfaction of the first year experience could ultimately lead to a reevaluation of and modifications to various aspects of academic and campus life.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lissa Yogan
Abstract: The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) feeds on the sap of certain trees by drilling holes through the bark and lapping up the sap that flows out. Previous research on sapsucker feeding has focused mainly on angiosperms. Last year VU students Gary Glowacki and Erik Dersch conducted research on Sapsucker feeding in gymnosperms, which we have continued this year. This research examines the Sapsucker’s feeding preferences among native and non-native pine trees in Northwest Indiana. Holes per square meter were calculated for three different pine species: black pine (Pinus nigra), which is a non-native species, and red pine (Pinus resinosa), and white pine (Pinus strobus), which are native species. There were significantly more holes in the black pine than in all other species. None of the white pines had holes and one red pine had one hole. A significant difference was found between Sapsucker feeding in the top and bottom of black pine trees, with the top being preferred. Bark thickness was compared among the tree species, with the bark of black pines being significantly thicker than any other species. The overall health was found to have no correlation to tree preference. Other possible reasons for the preference of black pines include nutrient levels, sap flow rates, tannin levels (a subject of current research), or turpene levels. Further research is needed.
Faculty Sponsor: Laurie Eberhardt
Abstract: The music of Franz Liszt (1811-1886) offers a wonderful example of how the general rules of Music Theory do not always apply to compositions. His piano work Il Pensieroso provides such an opportunity. While aspects of this piece can certainly implement the traditional Roman Numeral analysis, Liszt frequently steps outside the normal realm of traditional harmonic progressions to create an excellent example of middle-to-late nineteenth century harmony. Throughout my paper, I explore specific aspects of this piece to uncover some hidden secrets necessary for analyzing music of this era. Though this piece initially is difficult to comprehend, if students and professors exhibit patience and intelligent analysis, they too will see the genius of this composer.
Faculty Sponsor: Prof. John Bernthal
Abstract: I. PURPOSE: To develop an affordable power wheelchair with stair climbing capabilities in order to increase the maneuverability and independence of persons with a disability. II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES: Research, design, fabricate, and test an automated wheelchair that will give users the freedom to ascend and descend stairways, without sacrificing and possibly improving the maneuvering capabilities of a standard wheelchair. The results of this project will then be posted on a web page and efforts will be made to market the design to possible manufacturers. III. RESEARCH SIGNIFIGANCE: This design will present an affordable alternative to wheelchairs with stair climbing capability currently available on the market. It will also increase the maneuverability and independence of persons with a disability by allowing them to access facilities that are not currently wheelchair compliant. The impact of this design will increase the overall standards of independent living for individuals with a disability. IV RESULTS TO DATE: The research and design of our wheelchair is nearing completion. We are beginning to order the main components of the design such as motors, electronic controls, batteries , and framing material. Detailed CAD drawings of the design should be finished by spring break. We have already received some of the main drive train components. We hope to begin assembly right after break and test the prototype by May.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Malicky
Abstract: Cellular automata is basically a small world composed of many simple cells, each with its own discrete state, position in global geometry, and affective neighborhood. Once defined, a cellular automata is carried out for several time steps, and at each step, each cell changes based on its current neighborhood and the universal set of rules. Essentially, we are creating our own universes from the most fundamental level, searching for emergent 'life' in the form of recurring or reproducing patterns. Such patterns are identified when depicted visually using computer graphic tools to represent the universe; patterns often appear as, for example, symmetric shapes, fractal patterns, oscillating patterns, and self-propagating entities. Quantitative and statistical methods have been applied to the output of these worlds for further analysis, in an attempt to predict when a certain rule set would produce something interesting.
Faculty Sponsor: David Johnson
Abstract: Heralded as the mother of modern feminism, Mary Wollstonecraft was known for her extensive writing advocating the rationality of women and denouncing the emotional chains that kept them from rising. Despite Wollstonecraft's considerable writing on the subject of education for women, her life was a constant struggle to reconcile her desire to act rationally with her own emotions. In order to understand Mary Wollstonecraft's writings, and the reaction of her audience, her personal life must be carefully studied. It is within the context of her experiences that readers can begin to understand the complexity that surrounds this significant figure in feminist history. Mary Wollstonecraft's personal experiences lead the reader through the emotional battle that she fought in an effort to liberate her sex from the oppressive restraints placed on them by society; restraints that later caused her name to be vilified and her work to be banished for the next century.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Chuck Schaefer
Abstract: The War of the Triple Alliance- which pitted a doomed, but persistent Paraguay against her three neighbors Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay- ranks as one of the worst wartime, demographic disasters in the Western Hemisphere. By the time allied soldiers, consisting mainly of Brazilian troops, finally doused the waning flames of Paraguayan guerilla resistance in the nothern frontier of the country, Paraguay was a decimated nation. Recent scholarship by Paraguayan historians Thomas Whigham and Barbara Potthast has uncovered that Paraguay lost over sixty percent of its population to either death or displacement over the course of the five and half year conflict. The basis for such a loss of life is that the Paraguayans demonstrated an incredible willingness to literally fight almost down to its last man. This tenacicty in combat also gains significant documentation in the contemporary accounts of the war. My research attempts to explain such a devotion of cause by the Paraguayans. I suggest that the Paraguayans carried a strongly realised sense of nationalism that was cultivated immediately after the country's independence in 1811 to up and through the war years. Yet this nationalism carried various unique characteristics: a tradition of national security paranoia, racial distinction, and devotion to the nation's leaders. These elements poured the foundation for a horrific loss of life.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Racine
Abstract: On 10 November 1998, a cyclone deepened rapidly as
it passed through the Upper Midwest, bringing with it damaging winds of near hurricane force and record-setting low pressures. An examination of satellite imagery over the Upper Midwest during the height of the storm shows an area of dry air curving cyclonically behind the cold front. This dry intrusion forks into two distinct paths near the low pressure center, with the lowest tropopause heights (~ 600 mb) near the southern fork of the dry intrusion. Pilot reports indicated an area of significant clear air turbulence existed within this dry intrusion. The main finding of this work is that the surface reports of damaging winds are very closely linked in time and space to the location of the southern fork of the dry intrusion, thereby creating the possibility of improved nowcasting of extreme winds using satellite imagery. The satellite signatures of this storm are discussed in relation to other damaging windstorm events, such as the 1975 Edmund Fitzgerald cyclone and the 1979 Fastnet yacht race cyclone.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Knox
Abstract: The magnetic structure of TbCu2Ge2 is determined by means of x-ray resonant exchange scattering (XRES). Previous magnetic structure studies on this antiferromagnetic compound were performed on a powder sample using neutron scattering techniques at two temperatures, 293 K and 4.2K. However, magnetization measurements reveal that there may be more than one magnetic structure transition occuring below the Neel temperature (TN=12.38 K). This has been seen in similar compounds including TbNi2Ge2 which has an amplitude-modulated incommensurate structure at the Neel temperature, but undergoes a transition to an equal-moment commensurate structure at a lower temperature. Using XRES on a single crystal sample, we are able to determine the magnetic structure with greater precision than can be obtained using neutron scattering and can learn more detail about how the magnetic structure varies with temperature.
Faculty Sponsor: Stan Zygmunt
Abstract: One year ago, the objective of the project was determined: produce a book-length collection of publishable quality poems. Subsequently, the theme was selected: travels linked with an exploration of psychological issues. Previous travel experiences through four continents aided in fleshing out the theme. Many books by prominent award-winning poets who address a similar theme were utilized (e.g., Carolyn Forché's The Country Between Us, Mark Strand's Selected Poems, etc.) to provide a foundation for this creative undertaking. Intense and lengthy work with Professor Byrne, a publishing poet on campus, assisted in the revision process of the poems. In-depth use of materials relating to contemporary American poetry (e.g., Poets & Writers, www.poems.com, etc.) contributed to and enhanced involvement in the scope of poetry. Lastly, readings of poetry criticism advanced knowledge as well as facilitated the written objective of my project.
Faculty Sponsor: Professor Edward Byrne
Abstract: The vertebrate embryo's first organ is the notochord: a long stiffening rod running from head through tail. Although eventually replaced by the backbone, the notochord is important because it causes the formation of the adjacent nervous system. The notochord itself forms from a broad patch of chordamesoderm cells which must rearrange to form a narrow rod. A prominent theory insists that chordamesoderm cells from left and right sides of the embryo have "marching orders" to converge on the midline, interdigitate and extend anteriorly. This expansion is also said to propel the notochord through the blastopore and into the embryo's interior. Furthermore, notochord elongation is said to drag neighboring somite mesoderm from its exterior location to the inside where it will form the muscles and bones of the axial skeleton. When this theory was tested by blocking midline interdigitation of chordamesoderm with a cellophane implant (in embryos of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis), notochord elongation still occurred, but it was redirected away from the blastopore. Moreover, somite mesoderm still migrated through the blastopore and into the interior, despite the fact that the cellophane implant had redirected the notochord's elongation in the opposite direction.
Faculty Sponsor: Grayson Davis
Abstract: To measure gerrymandering, political scientists calculate the ratio of the area of a voting district to the area of the circle having as its diameter the maximal distance between two points in a region. As the circle is not necessarily a circumcircle of the voting district, other maximal shapes may fit the district better. We investigate the maximal elements of the set of all planar sets satisfying two conditions: 1) fixed points P and Q are in the set; and 2) the distance between any two points in the set is at most the distance from P to Q. This paper provides an algorithm for constructing these maximal elements, investigates the areas of these elements, and conjectures that the algorithm produces all of the maximal elements.
Faculty Sponsor: Professor Rick Gillman
Abstract: Bem's research on psychological androgyny suggests that androgynous individuals are the most common and well adjusted in our scey, venmreso than traditionally labeled men and women. However, most sociologists feel that while gender is a social construction, it is too strongly ingrained to permit anyone to challenge it without being ridiculed by society. 59 college students were administered the Bem Sex Role Inventory and then asked to directly assess their masculinity and femininity. Most individuals who exhibit androgynous personalities were unwilling or unable to acknowledge that they do so. However, androgynous men were more willing to indicate that they were aware of their femininity than androgynous women of their masculinity, a surprising finding since most sociologists would suggest that it is more acceptable for women to be masculine than men to be feminine.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lissa Yogan
Abstract: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian author who was deemed anti-Soviet in behavior by both Joseph Stalin and Leonid Brezhnev, used his novels and his non-fiction works to expose the horrors of the Stalinist regime of the Soviet Union. His novels are not entirely fictitious; they instead are derived from Solzhenitysn's own experience in the Stalinist labor camp system. His works, fiction and non-fiction alike, are completely focused on truth. It is truth that compelled this author to write. This preoccupation with truth developed into two phases of writing--the democratic novels and the more politically-minded non-fiction works. I propose, therefore, to produce a biography of Solzhenitsyn's life, with particular emphasis on his constant struggle to expose the truth through his writing. To do this, I have read all of his major novels and many of his non-fiction works and have researched his personal history. In reading these books, I have determined that the idea of truth rests behind the very existence of this man.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Charles Schaefer
Abstract: From 9-11 November 1998, a very intense, rapidly deepening cyclone passed through the Upper Midwest bringing with it extremely low, record-breaking pressures. Using the absolute vorticity (atmospheric spin in the vertical)local tendency equation to investigate the vorticity over the Upper Midwest and Upper Great Lakes at the storm's peak revealed an interesting relationship between the strength of the storm and the absolute vorticity observed in the storm. This work also uses the local tendency equation in conjunction with the geopotential height analysis from the storm to investigate unofficial and controversial pressure reports from the Coast Guard indicating extreme pressures below 950 mb. The influence of Lake Superior on the strength of the cyclone is discussed. The main finding of this research to date is that the storm intensifies as the absolute vorticity local tendency equation suggested it should, while the observed absolute vorticity associated with the storm decreases.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Knox
Abstract: Conventional wisdom suggests that the more information one receives about a subject, the more prepared he or she will be to make objective judgements about it. My study is an attempt to examine a source by which people are informed, in this case the New York Times, and analyze this newspaper's portrayal of the People's Republic of China over a four-year period. This includes all articles written about China during this period (April 1, 1995 - March 31, 1999). Articles were analyzed under strict conditions to minimize subjectivity. I have utilized a theory which I have drawn from several sources, called "Enemy Construction Theory," and attempted to determine if the portrayal of China by the Times matches the conditions necessary for Enemy Construction to take place. Our findings have indicated that this phenomenon is occuring both deliberately and subconsciously by reporters in the Times, and I will offer the results of the aforementioned research as evidence of this phenomenon.
Faculty Sponsor: Zhimin Lin
Abstract: According to Bruce Perry, abused males do not become aggressive/violent beings. However, other researchers and authors argue that abused males are in fact more prone to aggression/violence. A quantitative research study of Valparaiso University students was conducted to examine the behavior of abused individuals, males in particular. A total of 50 students (25 male and 25 female) were given questionnaires which measured their past experiences of abuse and their psychological instability. Throughout the questionnaire, behavioral descriptions were used to which definitions like "sexual abuse," "physical abuse," and "emotional abuse" could be applied. In addition to these questionnaires, two adult professionals were interviewed in an attempt to grasp the truth about excessive male aggression/violence and how it is interrelated with childhood abuse. The responses of both abused and non-abused males and females were compared. The study found that abused men overall are not more prone to aggressive/violent behavior than non-abused men. In addition, the study revealed that emotionally abused men are least likely to label themselves as aggressive/violent individuals.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lissa Yogan
Abstract: Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is an applied architecture involving the quantum mechanical behaviors of electronic devices. Its use in computing at the macromolecular level holds the promise of overall smaller electronic devices, running at faster speeds than current devices based on the conventional solid-state architectures. Previous research has shown the viability of fundamental quantum-dot cellular automata structures such as binary wires, coplanar wire crossings, inverters, and programmable AND/OR gates. Combining these and other logic devices, we have designed and simulated a regular array of QCA "macrocells," with each macrocell housing an irregular array of strategically aligned, identical arrangements of individual QCA cells. In the functional arrays presented, the outputs of successive columns of macrocells converge to a one-dimensional centroid of the initial region of binary inputs. With this precursor to fully-developed cellular automata (CA) using QCA architecture, potential applications are destined in computer vision, robotics, and pattern recognition. A 10x10 regular array of macrocells is ultimately simulated, displaying the desired "centroidal convergence" behavior. At 31,400 individual cells, it is the largest QCA device ever to be designed and simulated.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Douglas Tougaw
Abstract: A common stereotype that males are more inexpressive than females in our society was examined and researched. A survey was then created which addressed different aspects of expressiveness in real-life scenarios. Participants chose one of two or three answers to show their expressiveness in different situations. The survey was given to 25 females and 25 males on a private university campus. Two college instructors were interviewed on the subject as well to provide another perspective on the issue. Survey findings generally supported the hypothesis that males are more inexpressive than females verbally as well as in writing. Some of the interview results did not fully support the hypothesis.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lissa Yogan
Abstract: Purpose/Problem: Underserved clients often do not apply preventive health care measures but instead seek services for immediate concerns. In order to enhance the client's focus on health promotion, it is essential to understand client's health concerns and the learning styles most appropriate to them. Methods: Data were collected from 75 clients at a nurse managed center. A screening tool, Hilltop Health Center Questionnaire, was developed and used to assess health concerns and identify the most effective teaching methods. Outcomes/Evaluation: Clients ranged in age from 19 to 63 (M=38). The majority were white (83%), female (79%), and English (96%) was their primary language. Eductional levels ranged from 4 to 16 years of education completed (M=11.7). Primary reasons for seeking health care were hypertension, medication refills, upper respiratory infections, women's health concerns, and lower back pain. The preferred learning methods reported by the clients included: hands-on instruction (85%), reading (65%), and listening (61%). When asked about the use of health videos as a learning method, 86% of the clients expressed an interest in using videos and had access to a VCR. Teaching modules using the client's preferred learning style were developed and implemented.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Cynthia Russell
Abstract: The Interactive Data Language (IDL) is a general purpose scientific computing package that was developed to provide a number of new features to scientists. IDL is especially useful for mathematical analysis and visualization of scientific data. Using code originally created by Research Systems, Inc. to visualize and observe trends in the United States population, I developed an IDL program that allows the operator to visualize the number and location of tornadic events in the United States over a forty-year span. Using the benefits and features of IDL, the user of the program is able to watch an animated display of U.S. tornadoes from 1950 to 1995, as well as choose any individual year and see the number of tornadoes in any particular state in that year. Furthermore, trends in the data, including large annual increases or decreases, can also be visualized. A clear increase in the number of reported tornadoes can be observed, which is attributable to a number of causes. Some of these factors include the urbanization of areas that were previously rural, an increase in the availability of weather information, and better storm spotting and warning by the public.
Faculty Sponsor: Prof. John Knox
Abstract: Context of learning has been shown to be an effective cue for recovery of memory. Typically, memory is enhanced when recall occurs in the same context as learning (Spear, 1973). The present study investigated the effect of context changes on memory for a learned flavor discrimination. Thirty-three Adult Wistar rats were assigned to three experimental groups: aversion control group, 11 day delay group, and 22 day delay group. All subjects received six preexposures (one per day) to flavored solutions (vanilla milk [A] or strawberry milk [B]) in an alternating fashion. Flavor A was always presented in context 1 while flavor B was always presented in context 2. One or eleven days after preexposure subjects were presented with a third flavor (chocolate milk [C]). After consumption, subjects were injected with an emetic (illness producing drug). This conditioning episode occured in context 1. One or eleven days after conditioning subjects were given a consumption test in Context 1 to measure intake of Flavor A, Flavor B, or Flavor C. Statistical analysis indicated that change of context (preexposure in context 2, testing in context 2) had minimal effect at a short delay (11 day experimental group). However, context change did alter performance in the long delay condition (22 day experimental group). That is, no generalized aversion occured after a shorter delay, but it appeared after a 22 day delay. Overall, switches in context allow better discrimination after short delays than after long delays.
Faculty Sponsor: Angela Vernon
Abstract:The Vietnam conflict was and still is a very controversial time for the world. We researched this time period on a more local level, particularly at Valparaiso University. The student movement first started in the early 1960's but we found that at VU, the student movement was the strongest in the years 1969-1970. Following the Kent State Massacre on May 4th, 1970, there was a student strike and the burning of Kinsey Hall, an administration building on campus. Proposals were accepted that allowed student the options of completing their course work, creating classes of their own, or going home. Our website (www.valpo.edu/home/student/jrichar2) documents the reflections of students during the movement at VU, articles from the University newspaper, The Torch, and pictures and text from various sources, including the yearbooks during the time. We hope to present a microcosm of history during a climactic time for our country and also provide insight of what it was like to be a student at Valparaiso during such a revolutionary time.
Faculty Sponsor: Stephanie Yuhl
Abstract: When secondary amines react with asymmetrical ketones, such as 2-methylcyclohexanone, two enamine products form, the tri- and tetra-substituted isomers. Each combination of amine and ketone will produce a unique, but reproducible enamine distribution between the two isomers, dependent on their particular steric and electronic properties. The enamines of several different secondary amines with 2-methylcyclohexanone were examined to determine the effect each has on the isomer distribution of its enamine. After synthesizing the nine enamines, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gas chromatography were used to determine the percentages of tri- and tetra-substituted isomers. Ab initio calculations on these molecules indicate that those enamines with a lower percentage of s character on the nitrogen lone pair of electrons tend to have higher percentages of the tri-substituted isomer. Current efforts involve fully understanding the trend observed between the degree of s character of the electrons on the enamine nitrogen and the percentage of tri-substituted isomer, and the other various steric and electronic effects that influence the isomer distribution of enamines. Future research will be directed toward the ultimate ability to correctly predict the isomer distribution of a new enamine based solely on the known properties of the starting amine and ketone.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. A. Gilbert Cook
Abstract: In his work with the partition function, Ramanujan observed several congruences of the form m|p(An+B). We adapt this form to several congruences of the distinct partition function, p2(n). We show that one can determine all ordered pairs of intergers (A,B) for which 2|p2(An+B) and show families of congruences modulo 4. Finally, we offer a proof of a congruence modulo 5 satisfied by the distinct partition function.
Faculty Sponsor: Kimberly Pearson
Abstract: The motivation behind this paper lies in the desire to bring about a more sympathetic interpretation of who Marc Antony really was. In the search for the truth behind the life of Antony many things must be considered. First, the underlying motivations of the sources and how they impact the writers' view of Antony needs to be evaluated. Prior to the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BC, an effort to bring popular support to the side of Octavian began a trend of harsh propaganda that continued through the rule of Rome's first emperor. His impact on pro-autocratic writers secured his fame and promised Antony his tarnished reputation. Second, the occurrence of numerous discrepancies also gives reason for further investigation. In some instances there are clear statements ferociously blaming Antony and his motives, while defending Octavian. In either case the life of Marc Antony is heavily tainted from these spiteful tracts. In order to gain a greater understanding of who this powerful Roman really was it is necessary to dissect the ancient sources and their interpretations.
Faculty Sponsor: Professor Chuck Schaefer