2007

Anderson, Ben .....................3

Baker, Debby ..................... 4

Bate, Amanda .................. 10

Batteiger, Emily ................ 10

Beachler, Leslie .................. 4

Beck, Ryan ..........................1

Bender, Andrew ................. 5

Borys, Teri ........................ 7

Boschert, Carl .................... 5

Braun, Jonathan .................. 7

Brown, Kendall ................. 19

Brown, Valerie ................... 6

Burden, Camill .................... 6

Carlson, Rachel .....................1

Colar, Laura ....................... 7

Cottrell, Sarah ................. 4, 7

Coulter, Ashley ................... 8

Cox, Paige ......................... 8

Cullar, Emily .........................1

Dukich, Luka .................... 29

Edwards, April ......................1

Erickson, Jared ................. 24

Erikson, Kelly .......................1

Fraaza, Karissa ................. 16

Francis, Cory ........................1

Friedhoff, Jared .................. 9

Frith, Stacey ....................... 5

Fuller, Jaclyn ...................... 9

Galgani, Paul ...................... 6

Gargas, Lindsey .................. 5

Garvin, Joe ......................... 4

Gerhardt, Jessica .............. 10

Gordon, Katherine .............. 7

Grutz, Kayla ..................... 10

Hall, Audrey ..................... 11

Halstead, Chris ................. 28

Hassink, Bethany ................ 4

Hassler, Zachary .............. 11

Hillmer, Ansel ................... 12

Hoffman, Megan .............. 12

Hoover, Alex .................... 14

Hosmer, Kerry ................... 8

Humpris, Steven ............... 30

Israel, Kendre ................... 13

Johnson, Jenny ......................1

Joll, Gayle……. ................ 11

Jones, Abby ....................... 4

Joyce, Steven ................... 10

Kardas, Kristen ................ 11

Keifer, Molly .................... 15

Kellams, Joshua ................ 13

Keller, Zachery ................. 14

Kelter, Ann ........................ 4

Kirkwood, Rachel ............. 13

Klingensmith, Amie ........... 12

Kooyers, Nic .................... 14

Kwon, Hannah ................. 15

Kunnath, Christine ................1

Lary, David ........................ 5

Lentz, Chris ..........................1

Letkewicz, Casey ............. 15

Levar, Alison .................... 16

Lueck, Erin ....................... 16

Lukas, Jacqueline ............... 4

Macke, Jeff ..........................1

Malan, Joe ........................ 12

Maloney, Erin ................... 17

Mar, Sara ......................... 22

Mary, Michaelle ....................1

Massura, Jeffrey ............... 17

Matusiak, Jamie ................ 18

McDonough, Brian ............ 30

McElwee, Erin .................. 18

McGinnis, Sean ................. 28

Mefferd, Ashley ............... 19

Meyer, Brett ..................... 25

Michael, Rezene ................ .4

Miller, Elise ...................... 19

Mohnen, Debra .................. 8

Moore, Melissa ................. 20

Murray, Erin ..................... 24

Mutka, Andrew ................ 14

Nosie, Amanda ................. 26

Oestmann, Timothy ........... 20

Painting, Kristen ............... 21

Porter, Abby ...................... 6

Preuss, Lindsay ..................12

Rausch, Jana .................... 21

Rehkop, Becky ................... 4

Rifai, Hadie………….. ..... 22

Rossi, Michelle ................. 22

Russell, Alison ...................... 1

Saunders, Jessica .............. 26

Saylor, Pamela .................. 18

Schmeltz, Shelly .................. 8

Schmid, Paul ..................... 23

Schon, Mackenna ............. 23

Schuster, Ted ................... 24

Sedlak, Matt ..................... 24

Selvy, Lawrence ............... 25

Shull, Adam ...................... 24

Spagna, Kelly ..................... 4

Spalding, Alex .......................1

Spier, Cassie ..................... 21

Speen, Fred ...................... 25

Steele, Callista .................. 26

Stefanich, Amie ................ 28

Steffen, Deborah .............. 26

Steffen, Michael ............... 27

Strains, Jason .................... 27

Stypka, Carolyn ................ 18

Thomas, Jackie ................. 20

Thompson, Robert ............. 30

Tkaczyk, Emily ................. 28

Turchyn, Jim .........................1

Velasco, Judy ................... 28

Vredevoogd, Joshua .......... 29

Wagner, Chris .................. 30

Wagner, Kevin .....................1

Washburn, Ryan ..................1

Whitcraft, Annie ............... 29

Wicks, Kendra .................. 13

Wielgos, Erik .................... 10

Will, Megan ...................... 11

Wisz, Lisa .......................... 4

Wolfe, Ben ...........................1

Wong, Sarah ..................... 30

Wolthusen, Meghan ............ 4

Yamanoi, Shawn ............... 23

Zuellig, Josh ...................... 30

Valpo CORE Reader features some of the best writing done from the previous year, highlights models of the kinds of writing students will be doing in the current year, and perhaps most importantly, invites additional ways of thinking about our texts.

The idea of research is closely related to one of the best aspects of a portfolio writing course--its emphasis on revision. Revision, like research, implies work over time, and most of time, "seeing again" and "searching again" takes place through dialogues with others. One of the larger papers which involves both re-searching and re-visioning is the "worker profile," an ambitious paper in the second semester involving interviews and contextual framing.

You might notice that many of these essays address the idea of vocation or calling in the lives of the authors or their subjects. It is intentional. We have been given permission to devote some serious thinking about the spiritual world of vocation and how first-year students think about their place in that world. We are grateful to participate in the Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship.

Ryan Beck, Rachel Carlson, Emily Cullar, April Edwards, Kelly Erikson, Cory Francis, Jenny Johnson, Christine Kunnath, Chris Lentz, Jeff Macke, Michaelle Mary, Alison L. Russell,

An Analytic and Approximate Calculation of the Atomic Polarizability of Hydrogen

The only atom for which analytic wave functions exist is the hydrogen atom, thus it is the only atom which we can find the atomic polarizability analytically. My research uses several methods for finding the atomic polarizability from first order time independent perturbation theory, to a direct solution of the Dirac equation. I use several computational methods for solving the complicated integrals involved and currently have a range of 3-5.34a^3, which is close to the exact solution of 4.5a^3. A more rigorous treatment with relativistic quantum mechanics is currently in progress.

Ben is a physics, theology, math major with plans to go to graduate school for Atomic physics. His current project is in preparation for honors work senior year dealing with the frequency dependence of the Verdet constant.

Evidence for the Prevention of Surgical Wound Site Infections in the Hospital

The aim of this evidence-based nursing project was to answer the research question: What interventions best reduce the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) that occur in hospitals? Six Valparaiso senior nursing students searched the following databases: CINHAL, Pub Med, and Cochrane Library. Group members used the following key terms in their search: “surgical site infections,” “preventions of surgical site infections,” and “nosocomial infections.” Using a team approach, the following criteria were used when critiquing articles: significance of the data, proposed interventions, and effectiveness of the intervention. In addition to research studies in journal articles (n=8), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for the prevention of SSIs were also utilized. Study samples included elderly subjects admitted for surgical procedures. Variables included observations of surgical sites, glucose testing, types of dressing applied, and antibiotic use. The overall findings supported that the universal standard of care of SSI preventions include: strict adherence to aseptic technique, maintenance of glucose control, use of antibiotics and proper wound cleansing. The CDC guidelines provide a list of fourteen interventions that were included in their protocol for best practices. A plan for educating the staff and implementing the policy is proposed.

Six senior nursing students dedicated to improving patient outcomes through the use of evidence worked on this project. They valued the team approach in achieving excellence during this project. They were enthusiastic upon receipt of their topic of surgical site infections. As they begin their nursing careers they look forward to implementing protocols and educating others in the health care field.

What is Best Practice When Providing Culturally Sensitive, Physical Care for Hispanic Adults at the End of Life?

Leslie Beachler, Sarah Cottrell, Bethany Hassink, Ann Kelter, Jacqueline Lukas, Rezene Michael, Lisa Wisz

The patient population is changing. Hispanics are the fastest growing demographic group, requiring knowledgeable and culturally sensitive care. The projects purpose is to answer: What is best practice when providing culturally sensitive, physical care for Hispanic adults at the end of life? After searching CINAHL, nine research articles met inclusion criteria. Qualitative research designs were used in many of the studies to compare the attitudes of Hispanics verses other ethnic groups toward end-of-life care. Focus groups, chart reviews, chart audits, surveys, and methodology were types of studies utilized. Overall finding included the repeated themes of family involvement and emphasis on spirituality. After reviewing data on end-of-life care for Hispanics, the research group decided to implement a holistic approach to nursing care. This would include three principles: Consulting family in plan of care, incorporating specific spiritual needs, and rooming-in. The policy focuses on holistic end-of-life care for the Hispanic clients. Family involvement and spiritual needs of the clients are addressed within the policy. Staff and family interactions will be encouraged to promote family-centered patient care. Spiritual counselors’ availability for individual and family needs will be discussed upon admission and rooming-in will be encouraged and supported.

Six senior nursing students and one accelerated nursing student slaved over this evidence-based nursing research project.

Mapping quasi-conserved atmospheric constituents, such as lower stratospheric ozone, into potential vorticity (PV) - potential temperature (Theta) coordinates is a common technique used to analyze sparse data sets. Ozone transformed into a flow-following dynamical coordinate system is insensitive to meteorological variability. Therefore data from a wide range of times and locations can be compared, so long as the measurements were taken in the same air mass, as defined by the PV. The mapping approach assumes a high correlation between the ozone and PV fields. In this study, we use the comparatively high resolution of the MLS data to test the correlation between ozone and PV in the lower stratosphere. We evaluate the ability of the PV mapping technique to reproduce the MLS profile data by comparing reconstructed data to the original data as a function of latitude, altitude, and season. We use dynamical data from the NCEP assimilation to represent the PV and Potential Temperature (Theta) fields.

Andrew Bender is a VU Computer Science and Economics student with interests in the physical sciences. He assisted Professor Gary Morris with atmospheric research at NASA Goddard Space Flight center in Greenbelt, MD, the summer of 2006. Stacey Frith and David Lary are two of the Goddard researchers who assisted with this project.

The Search for China's Destiny: The Chinese Civil War and the Communist Revolution

The Communist-Nationalist Civil War was a turning point in the history of modern China. In 1945, Japan's surrender ended its brutal occupation of China which had cost millions of Chinese lives. The Chinese then hoped that they would be able to establish a lasting peace after the brutal seven year war. During the later stage of the war, however, the stage was being set for the final battle between the Communists under Mao Zedong and the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek. Although the United States tried to broker a peace deal between the two sides, both sides could not agree with the other and soon took up arms in a final showdown.

The reason why the Nationalists lost China and the Communists gained control are numerous. Nevertheless, the main problems facing the Nationalist government were corruption, economic troubles, and bad morale. In contrast, the Communist armies had few of these problems and in fact were able to exploit them to their advantage. Whereas the Nationalists earned the hatred of the common Chinese people, the Communists won their support and used this to launch a "people's war" which ended with their victory in 1949.

Carl Boschert is a senior majoring in Chinese studies and history. Carl has maintained an interest in China throughout college, and has studied Chinese all four years at VU. In 2005, Carl studied in China for eight months, greatly improving his language skills. In the summer of 2006, Carl was a member of a VU research team which studied how Chinese people view the United States. Carl is also an active member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. After graduation, he plans to either conduct Fulbright research in China or attend a graduate program at Johns Hopkins University.

The fields of marketing, advertising, and public relations are constantly competing against one another for resources, control, and prestige. This results in the lack of a true working relationship, which constantly affects communication campaigns everyday. The solution to this problem-Integrated Communications is the union of these disciplines and to recognize the potential of the fields. In two prior surveys of PR and business students, definitions of their respective fields were very accurate. However, the perceptions and attitudes towards the students’ other field was not examined. This time, the study was replicated to reflect attitudes as well as information knowledge. The solutions clarify a need for a better informational understanding of how each practice operates. Such an understanding allows for a better cooperative effort, making for better cooperation in communication campaigns.

Lindsey Gargas is a junior art history and public relations double major. She is a member of PRSSA, Spark PR, a student-run PR agency, Delta Delta Delta sorority, and Lambda Pi Eta Honors Fraternity. Lindsey has curated three art exhibitions at Valpo and is a "Star of Art History." After Valpo, Lindsey plans on attending graduate school for arts administration. Ideally, she would love to be the curator of contemporary art at the Art Institute in Chicago.

Valerie Brown is a junior marketing and public relations double major. She is a member of PRSSA, Spark PR, Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, and is an Ambassador in Admission. Valerie was recently selected as the recipient of the Daniel Edelman/PRSSA Award for the Outstanding PR Student and will intern with Edelman at the Chicago headquarters this summer. She ultimately wants to pursue a career in a PR agency like Edelman, specializing in consumer health.

Many investigations have demonstrated differential learning outcomes after spaced or massed practice trials. Normally, spaced learning trials produce better memory. The current study used rat subjects to determine whether pre-exposure to learning conditions would influence the spacing effect. Specifically, researchers tested the rats’ ability to generalize between different flavors of milk. A conditioned taste aversion paradigm was used to train subjects to differentiate between flavors of milk. One of these flavors, the target flavor, was paired with an illness-inducing drug. Some subjects were pre-exposed to non-target milk flavors. Pre-exposure occurred in either a spaced (six total pre-exposures, one per day) or a massed (six total pre-exposures, two per day) fashion. Researchers predicted that those rats pre-exposed in a massed fashion would exhibit decreased performance. Namely, after massed pre-exposure, rats would show less differentiation between the flavors (greater generalization between target and non-target flavors). Findings support this prediction.

Camill Burden is a freshman sociology/criminology and psychology major. Paul Galgani is a freshman biology and chemistry major. Abby Porter is a junior creative writing major and biology minor.

Internal public relations is a major career choice for professionals. Higher education is the second highest employer of public relations professionals after the health profession. The role of the public relations office in relating to the student is crucial in these formative years. The relationship of the students with the public relations office is examined through the communication process, both the messages and the channels of communication.

Our study assessed the attitudes of students in regard to their experience at the university toward their administration, what makes them feel the way they do, what do they view as positive things that have occurred and what do they see as negatives, as well as what ways in which they feel universities can improve the college experience for students around the nation.

We feel that students believe the key to improving relations is more open communication. Students must feel that they are a part of a school, not that they simply attend it. They must be included in decision-making processes and be given roles of leadership that cause them to interact with members of the administration, making them an accessible entity.

We surveyed multiple students ranging from alumni, graduates, and undergraduates of all grade levels. Our finding is that the universities believe they are enacting specific measures for the betterment of their campus and their students, but they need to be asking how plans (before they are executed) could potentially be received. Students would like to be consulted, even after graduation. This way they feel like even after they have left, they became part of something for four years and that has not changed (this feeling would also assist in monetary support being continued).

Jonathan Braun is a senior sports marketing major with double minors in public relations and business administration. Laura Colar is a graduating senior with a major in public relations and a minor in news media journalism.

An ongoing study assessing smoking patterns and supporting smoking cessation of underserved pregnant women was implemented using questionnaires to determine smoking history and preference to stop smoking during prenatal visits at a community health center in Northwest Indiana. Using the Transtheoretical Model, interventions for smoking cessation were designed to support the movement along the stages of change. Using a longitudinal design, a convenience sample of 25 underserved pregnant women was recruited.

Subjects ranged in age from 18 to 39 (M=23.78); educational level ranged from 10 to 16 years (M=12). The majority of the subjects were white (48%); the remaining subjects were African American (24%), Hispanic (20%) and Biracial (8%). Fifty percent had household incomes less than $20,000 per year. Nine (36%) of 25 subjects indicated current smoke exposure at home, and eight (32%) indicated working in an environment with smoke exposure. All subjects received information on the effects of second-hand smoke. Of the 25 women surveyed, 18 (72%) had a history of smoking and five (28%) continued to smoke during pregnancy (mean number of cigarettes smoked daily was 8.2). Four (80%) women smoking attempted to quit on at least two previous occasions.

Using the Transtheoretical Model, two (40%) women identified that they were in the precontemplation stage, two (40%) were in the contemplation stage, and one (20%) was in the preparation stage. Once willingness to quit smoking was identified, smoking cessation kits were given to subjects. For subjects not contemplating smoking cessation, information about the harmful effects of smoking was distributed. Current smokers will be followed over a total of 18 months to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. Additional subjects will be recruited until a sample size of N = 100 is achieved.

Sarah Cottrell is a senior nursing major. Katherine Gordon is a junior nursing major at Valparaiso. Teri Borys is a sophomore nursing major at Valparaiso.

This project, along with extended examination of historical data, provided a more comprehensive view of how the watershed has been affected by local land uses. This information is critical knowledge for further city planning. The historical data in comparison with that collected in 2005 and 2006 gives insight as to how the watershed’s health has changed, especially when viewing the change in nutrients and in conductivity values. Nutrients can speed the process of eutrophication which is an aging process. Conductivity is sensitive to the salinity of the water, which, in excess, is unhealthy to freshwater plants and animals. Whether construction work disrupts the soil, or steel plants emitting heavy metals into the air that fall into the lake, or people using fertilizer and pesticide on their lawns, or road crews putting salt on the roads during the winter, local land use plays a significant role in the quality of water in the watershed. Therefore, increased monitoring to gauge the watersheds health is important.

Shelly Schmeltz is a senior chemistry and geography double major. She became interested in this project by listening to a presentation given in the fall of 2005 and started working on it in the summer of 2006. Through working on this project, she has been given the opportunity to travel to China to do water quality research after she graduates in May 2007. After her travel abroad, she wishes to pursue a career in environmental chemistry.

Ashley Coulter is a senior chemistry major with an environmental studies minor. She became interested in the project two years ago and has worked to help maintain watershed health since then by working with a number of organizations.

The purpose for this research is to isolate the genes that control plant reproduction. Determining which genes are responsible for fertilization is important because after isolation, they can be manipulated to increase crop yields which would help feed undernourished individuals.

The purpose of this project is to study the components that make up a plant’s cell wall. These components, called pectins, may aid in the reproduction of a plant’s pollen. Our lab has obtained pectin mutants and is observing how the plant’s pollen reproduction corresponds to the wild type plant’s reproduction. For my procedure, I will grow mutant pectin plants and compare their reproductive rates with the wild type. My hypothesis is that plants with disrupted pectin genes will show disrupted pollen reproduction.

If my hypothesis that pectin genes are responsible for plant reproduction is supported by data, the information will provide the plant biology scientific world with an answer to a much sought after question. It will also initiate genetic research that will, over time, be able to increase crop production and yields in agriculture.

Our lab has been collaborating with Debra Mohnen, an associate professor at the University of Georgia, and her graduate student, Kerry Hosmer. Professor Mohnen has been studying genes involved in the biosynthesis of pectin. Her lab has supplied our lab with the mutant plants that are defective in making pectin. These plants will be used to test whether pectin is necessary for plant reproduction. After results have been collected from the laboratory testing, information will be sent to Prof. Mohnen for further analysis and for a possible paper to be published on our findings.

Density Functional Study of Propane Oxidative Dehydrogenation by VO4H3 and V2O7H4 Molecules: Gas Phase and Supported on TiO2

We present a B3LYP/6-31G(*) density functional study of propane oxidative dehydrogenation catalyzed by VO4H3 and V2O7H4 molecules, both in the gas phase and supported on (001) anatase TiO2. The mechanism involves propane adsorption at a vanadyl oxygen, followed by desorption of H2O and adsorption of O2 to fill the oxygen vacancy. The singlet potential energy surface has a 78 kcal/mol activation energy for gas phase VO4H3, but this is lowered by 15 kcal/mol by considering the possibility of a triplet state. For VO4H3 supported on anatase, the activation energy is reduced by an additional 20 kcal/mol, while for supported V2O7H4 it is another 10 kcal/mol lower. Since the rate-limiting step involves formation of a propyl radical, the TiO2 support appears to lower the activation energy, in part by reducing the singlet-triplet excitation energy of the catalyst. Our results are consistent with the experiment and help explain the catalyst-support effect.

Jared is currently a junior physics and chemistry double major at Valparaiso University. He is currently searching for research that combines these fields in ways that are new and interesting. Jared became interested in this topic when applying for research within the department and noticing the topic on which Prof. Stan Zygmunt earned his Ph.D. at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Comparison of Public Relations in the United States and Germany; Is it Really International?

German Public Relations is not something I would think about on an everyday basis. When I decided to study in Reutlingen, Germany, for the Spring 2006 semester it became an interesting concept. Until then, I had never thought about public relations practices in other countries.

Through my travels, I discovered that public relations in Germany is similar to US practices, but also different. To conduct my research I interviewed various individuals, as well as surveyed, and surfed the Web to find the answers to my questions. The basis of my research addressed two questions: What is public relations in Germany and how do people perceive it? To find the answers I surveyed 50 German students that lived in my dorm, interviewed 10 individuals in Berlin, and researched the work of Dr. Gunther Bentele. I found that the public relations field in Germany is a growing field. While the initial feeling toward the practice of PR is negative in Germany, it has not had the time to build itself up as the US has been able. In the future German public relations may very well be as successful as the United States.

Jaclyn is a junior public relations major, originally from Canton, Ohio, and she has just recently completed her second semester abroad. Since January, Jaclyn has been an intern in the Office of Public Affairs in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. At Valparaiso she is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, PRSSA and Spark PR.

The international organization, VISA, felt the goal to increase American student involvement in the World Banquet was important. Thus the Public Relations Student Society of America’s student agency, SPARK, was invited to create a campaign to attract more participants from the student body.

The banquet is an opportunity for students, staff, and faculty to experience ethnic foods and cultural arts. The two objectives established early in the campaign included: 1) an invite that indicated the celebration was inclusive and not just for international students and 2) an approach that focused both on electronic and traditional promotions with a strong pre- and post-evaluation component. In previous years, the World Banquet was heavily attended by community members with few students attending. Although ticket sales were always good, as was the food and entertainment, VISA wanted more student involvement.

The public relations team coordinated plans with VISA members, faculty advisors, and students around the campus. The research focused on past evaluations, information from other students, and valuable history from dining services, the VISA office, and the international student association. The results from the evaluations and review of the two-day event strongly supported the objectives of the campaign. The fact that the experience surpassed expectations was very satisfying.

Erik Wielgos is a senior public relations major from Bartlett, IL. Erik concentrates his interests on the non- profit and agency sectors. He will be graduating in May. Amanda Bate is a junior public relations major who has an interest in VISA because she enjoys learning about new cultures and religions. She has PR experience working for Chordcraft Music Company, as well as Greater Media Detroit Radio, doing promotion. Jessica Gerhardt is a junior public relations major who is interested in campaign work and communications research. She likes traveling and learning about new cultures.

One of the impairments characterizing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a deficit in social functioning. Children with autism typically do not spontaneously engage others in social exchanges. Eye contact, gestural greetings and social speech may be delayed, awkward, or absent altogether.

The current study examines the prevalence of verbal and nonverbal social greeting responses (hello, goodbye) among ASD diagnosed children in a special learning program. Performance of these children was compared with that of typically developing preschoolers in an area early-education facility. Furthermore, ASD participants were examined to determine the influence of social training on the prevalence of social responses in beginning and advanced learners.

Researchers hypothesized that social responding deficits would be apparent in ASD participants when compared to control participants. Moreover, it was expected that ASD children with advanced verbal training would perform more social responses than children who were just beginning verbal instruction.

Kayla Grutz is a junior psychology major. She plans to attend graduate school and study child psychology. Steven Joyce is a senior natural sciences major. He plans to attend medical school and specialize in emergency medicine. Emily Batteiger is a junior psychology major. She plans to attend graduate school and study forensic psychology.

This study attempts to determine whether there is a difference in knowledge levels concerning STD's among Valparaiso students based on grade level, gender, and type of high school attended, whether private or public.

Public Relations: Campaign Affects Smoking Behavior in Youth: A US Case Analysis.

Anti-smoking campaigns are having a major impact on youth smoking behavior across the country. The most effective campaign is the “Truth” campaign which doesn’t use overbearing messages about the dangers of smoking to prevent kids from smoking, but graphic images such as body bags on the steps of big tobacco corporate offices to convey their message. In 1998 a nationwide tobacco settlement called for Big Tobacco to endorse the “Truth” campaign. The American Legacy Foundation runs and models the campaign after the Florida “Truth” campaign, (1998-2000) which targeted Hispanic youth. What exactly is making the “Truth” campaign so successful? Is the “Truth” as effective now as it was when the campaign began? How is the youth market being targeted, and what strategies are being implemented? The theoretical foundation is a grassroots effort. It effectively exposes manipulative marketing techniques used by the tobacco companies to addict youth. By analyzing reports, and data from the “Truth” campaign itself and outside research, we found that awareness in 2007 is similar to the highs of 2000-2002. Despite fears of decreased funding, due to Big Tobacco possibly losing enough market share to stop supporting the campaign, the campaign is still highly effective among America’s youth.

Zach Hassler is a junior geosciences major, and PR minor and a brother of Phi Mu Alpha. Mostly he concentrates his studies in GIS and environmental conservation and restoration. This stems from a life-long interest in the outdoors and the environment. He hopes that a public relations minor will help him in his endeavors to inform the public on the dire situation our natural world is in. Megan Will is a senior public relations and English double major with a psychology minor. She is presently subsumed by the job search and is endeavoring to work in health PR post graduation. She is interested in special public health campaigns and hopes to be a part of their making one day.

This project outlines the scientific background of proto-planetary nebulae, then continuing with an outline of the techniques used for data collection, reduction, and analysis. The Periodicity of each of ten PPNe is then discussed, with ample charts, graphs, and phase plots to provide visual evidence supporting the findings. Ultimately, one distinct and one faint but feasible period are found, with one PPN lacking periodicity and being only cyclical in nature. The findings on the last two PPNe are indecisive; the data is not accurate enough and there is not enough of it to formulate a firm conclusion of the object.

Anse1 Hillmer is a physics/mathematics double major and a member of the VU swim team. Joe Malan is a creative writing major with a minor in physics and writes for The Torch.

Role of Humor on Recall of Captions and Keywords for Within-Groups and Between-Groups Designs

Commercials use humor to increase sales by aiding memory of the product. It has been shown that humor can be used to increase memory of certain information. This phenomenon is called the humor effect, which occurs when humorous material is recalled more than non-humorous material. The present study duplicated this phenomenon in a controlled setting through the use of non-humorous and humorous posters. Previous research found the humor effect in within-groups designs. The purpose of the present study is to find the humor effect in a between-groups design. Participants viewed posters with a caption and keyword. After several math questions, they were asked to recall the above. Captions were analyzed via two different criteria: gist and lenient. Participants recalled the gist if they wrote the general meaning of the caption. Lenient recall involved memory of at least one word from the caption. Factorial ANOVAs will be run to compare recall of humorous and non-humorous captions and keywords. It is expected that a between-group effect will be found for all three dependent variables. Data has not been analyzed but will be at the conference. If our hypothesis is correct, our results can solidify the value of humor in commercials.

This project is a continuation of one that was began in the lab component of Professor Carlson’s Human Cognition class. After the completion of that class the authors joined his research team to gain more insight into the research process. All three authors are junior psychology majors.

INDEX OF AUTHORS