34th Undergraduate Research Conference
Friday, April 25, 2008
All presentations
will be held in the Silver
Center for Arts and Science.
Posters will be
displayed in Hemmerdinger Hall on the first floor of the Silver Center.
The Conference is
free and open to the public.
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
New York City:
Longstanding Challenges and Dynamic Change
Room 809, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Mosette Broderick,
Art History, Urban Design and Architecture Studies
Professor Betts Brown, Social
and Cultural Analysis, Metropolitan Studies
Professor Edward Lehman,
Sociology
Christopher Bush Wall
Street
Changing - The Architecture of Lower
Economics;
Urban Design & Manhattan Finance and Its Converted
Functions
Architecture
Shelanthia Griffiths Middle
Passages Legacies: The Language of African
Sociology and Shedia Smalls Americans
and Caribbean Americans in Contemporary
Sociology NYC
Raghu Kanumalla New York's Underground Beats: The Music and
Mathematics;
Music Musicians
of New York's Subway
Alexander Kauffman "Destruction,
New Construction, Again Destruction": A
Art History View
of 1960 New York
City in Jean
Tinguely’s Self-Destructing Kinetic Sculpture Homage to New York
Eliza Kenigsberg Paving Paradise; Loss of Vegetation: An Increased
Environmental Studies Threat to New York City’s Water Quality
Kari Lipschutz Returning
Home: Revisiting the Personal Tragedies of
Journalism;
Anthropology the WTC Attacks Six Years Later
Dana Perrotti Sharing
the Beat: Reggaeton and Pan-Latino Identity
Spanish in New York City
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
The Politics and Economics of Education
Room 405, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Richard Hull,
History
Professor Marc Lieberman,
Economics
Professor Pamela Newkirk,
Journalism
Allison Casey Improvisatory
Teaching Methods in the Education of
Music Twenty-First Century New York City Students
Emily Genzlinger Special
Education in Ghana
Journalism;
Dramatic Literature
Matthew Kim The
Influence of Neighborhood Poverty and School-
Economics;
Psychology Level Spending Patterns on Academic Achievement:
Evidence from New York City Public Schools
Maurice Restrepo The
Institutionalization of "Paying Dues": Jazz
Music;
Sociology Education at the College Level
Jenny Shen The
Politics of School Spending: The Effects of
Economics;
Politics Judicial Ideology on Education, Finance
Reform, and
the Distribution of Resources
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Gender Studies: A Global View
Room 408, Silver Center
Judges:
Dr. Kimberly Germain,
Scholarship Programs
Professor Brian Harper,
Social and Cultural Analysis
Professor Deborah Landau,
Creative Writing
Talia Cottrell Religion
and Modernity: A Case Study of Women's
Religious
Studies; Politics Prayer and Spirituality Within
the American Orthodox Jewish Community
Erica Dixon Too
Nice To Say No: The Impact of Investment in
Psychology Feminine
Norms on Sexual Health
Nandini Govil The
Legacy of Bharat Mata
Biochemistry;
History
Meredith Levin Masculine
Journeys Through Feminine Eyes: Grand
English and American Literature Tour
Accounts of Italy by Hester Thrale Piozzi, Anna Jameson and Mary Shelley
Tiffinie
Ma “Reduced,
with rouge, lip-salve, and pearly grey, to
Music ‘make-up’
for lost time as best she may!”
Sexuality and Allure in Gilbert & Sullivan Operettas
Darren Patrick On
Edge: Environment and Sexuality on the Westside
Metropolitan
Studies Waterfront since 1969
Annie Tang Mental
Representations of Significant Others and
Psychology Ethnic
Intergroup Bias
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Contemporary Global Conflict
Room 411, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor George Downs, Dean
of Social Sciences, Politics
Professor Karen Greenberg,
Executive Director, Center on Law & Security
Professor Marion Katz, Middle
Eastern and Islamic Studies
Benjamin Katz Building Competence and Capacity in a Nascent
Politics Democracy:
An Examination of State-Building and
Decentralization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Hanah Kim Game
Theoretic Approach to Korean Hostage Crisis
Undeclared Major
Christopher Lotz From
Pawns to Problems: American Policy in the
International
Relations Persian
Gulf
Catherine Manfre Egyptian-Israeli
Relations
Middle Eastern
and Islamic Studies
Christian Moree Military
Success: The Necessary Cause for the U.S.
International
Relations; English to Win
21st Century Conflicts
and American
Literature
Nicole Tung The
Threat of Re-emerging Militants in Kosovo
Journalism;
History
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Global Issues Past and Present
Room 208, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Nathaniel Beck,
Politics
Professor David Engel,
History
Professor Hasia Diner,
History
Savana
Kretchmar Magic and the
Rise of Christianity in the Roman
Religious Studies; Classical Empire:
The Struggle for Legitimate Power
Civilization
Hidefusa Okabe Insight
into Masculinity of the Yakuza from Linguistic
Psychology Discourse
Analysis
Andrew
Salvage The Date of
the Aztec New Fire
Anthropology
Juliana Schnur Mi Samcha? Religious Identity and the
Struggle of
Spanish;
Jewish History Jewish Leadership in America to Coordinate a Holocaust
and Civilization Rescue
Campaign
Todd Sloves A Weak Commitment:
Why the Northern League
Italian Allowed Italy’s Largest Amnesty to Date Come to Pass
Michael Stein Through
Their Own Eyes: Puritan and Indian World
History Views in 17th Century Southern New England
Sairina Tsui Chinese
Medicine at the Intersection of Western
Anthropology Biomedicine,
an Anthropological Study of Medical
Pluralism in Zhuhai,
China
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Online Exhibitions: Working with Primary Sources in
History
Room 806, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Deena Engel,
Computer Science
Ms. Paula Feid, Undergraduate
Librarian
Perri Nemiroff For
the Past, Present and Future of Alpha Epsilon Phi
Journalism; Jewish
History and
Civilization
Jeffrey Olchovy The
Mythology of Music
Anthropology
Hilary Sachar Emigration
of Lithuanian Families:
Sociology The
Elazar Sachar Family Tree Project
Elizabeth Webber Computing
in the Humanities:
Journalism;
History NYU and the Civil War
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
The International Workforce: Issues in Labor and
Economics
Room 808, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Joy Connolly,
Classics
Professor Chis Mitchell,
Politics
Professor James Ramsey,
Economics
Sharanya
Mohan Outsourcing in Eastern Europe and
Its Effect on Economics; Politics Employment
Saurabh Pant The
Effect of the Multi-Fiber Agreement on Bangladeshi
Economics;
Mathematics Garment Labour
Zachary Saltzman Profiting from Community:
A Case Study of Economic
Economics, History Life on a
New England Family Farm
Nicholas Theuerkauf The First Industrial
Revolution: The Role of Private
Economics and
Dishen Banks
Yang Economics
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Issues in Law, Justice, and Government
Room 206, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Karl Appuhn,
History
Professor Lynne Haney,
Sociology
Professor Asli Peker,
Politics
Konstantin Ash Socialism
and Populism in Latin American Elections
Politics
Tim Bockes Government on the Mississippi: Unbound Limits of
Philosophy Human Willpower
Matthew Connors The
Effects of Proportionally Representing Political
Politics Parties
in the US House of Representatives
Marisa DiLemme Implicit Responses to
Procedural Justice
Psychology
Kevin Gotkin Post-Classical
Science and the Evolving
Media, Culture
& Communication Definition of Law and Justice
Olga Itenberg Analysis
of the Need for Intellectual Property Protection
Economics;
Mathematics as an Incentive for Innovation
Derek Valles Electric Utility
Deregulation in Connecticut
Individualized Major
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Neural Science
Room 101 Jurow Hall, Silver Center
Judge:
Professor Anthony Movshon,
Neural Science
Anu Amin Amygdala
Activity Modulation via Stress Hormones
Neural Science
Elizabeth Arnold Effects
of a Novel Small Molecule Inhibitor of Cap-
Neural Science
Dependent
Translation on FMRP-Mediated Synaptic
Plasticity
Christine Constantinople A Quantitative Analysis of Neurons with Kv3 Potassium
Neural Science
Channel
Subunites Kv3.1b and Kv3.2 in the Macaque Striate Cortex
Lee
Hwang Characterization
of Spatiotemporal Analysis by Neurons Neural Science in Macaque Area
MT
Helen
Wong Neuronal
Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) Activity Is
Neural Science Regulated via
Removal of FKBP12 Inhibition of
Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR)
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Health and
Development: Science at the Crossroads
Room 207, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Carol Shoshkes Reiss, Biology
Professor Kent Kirshenbaum, Chemistry
Daniel Coppeto Sexual
Dimorphism of the Sacrum and its Relationship
Anthropology;
Psychology to
Bipedalism and Obstetrics
Rebecca Lee Enhanced
immunogenicity of Malaria CS Peptide
Chemistry Vaccines
Using a Topical Adjuvant Containing a Synthetic TLR 7 Ligand
Christen Lennon Uncovering
the Roles of XBP-1 in DNA Replication and Biochemistry Repair and Links to Cell Survival
Abhiskek Patel Characterizing
Gli-1 Expressing Follicular Stem Cells in
Biology Epidermal
Wound Healing
Kathleen Paul Comparison
of Deciduous Second Molars and
Anthropology;
Spanish Permanent
First Molars
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Social
Concerns in Health Care
Room 805, Silver
Moderator:
Professor Ignatius Tan, Biology
Professor Aditi Thapar, Economics
Ariel Fredrick Improvising
the Medical Interview: The Art of
Music Physician-Patient Communication
Ami Gokli Testing
Demand for Medical Schools
Economics
Lauren Shikowitz Greenwich Village “Gives” the New St. Vincent’s a
Metropolitan
Studies Poor Diagnosis
Kelly Tong Welfare
Costs of Government-Sponsored Health Care:
Economics Examining
Inefficiencies in Pharmaceutical Research and Development
Shaleen Vira ARV
Resistance as a Bottom Line Measure of HIV
Economics; Biology
Program Efficacy
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Molecules of Living Systems
Room 810, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor David Fitch,
Biology
Professor David Scicchitano,
Biology
Robert Keller Evolution
of the Pax Gene Family in the Wasp Nasonia
Biology vitripennis
Jonathan Lai Uncovering
the Mechanism of HP1 Recognition and
Chemistry Binding
with Methylated Lysines
Manuel Montano A
High Through-Put RNAi Screening System for
Biology Identifying
Genes that Functionally Interact with the Notch Pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans
Neel
Shah Expanding the Structural Diversity of
Chemistry BiomimeticPeptoid
Oligomers
Na-Eun Christine Yoo Evolution
of Biocid
Biology
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Interpersonal Relationships
Room 805, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Arlene Davila, Anthropology and Social Cultural
Analysis
Professor Pat Hoy, Expository Writing
Professor Yvonne Latty, Journalism
Benjamin Bloxham Between
Two Worlds: The Role of the Professional
Religious
Studies Hospital Chaplain
Tamara Gilkes African-American Friendship
Groups: How Friendship
Journalism; Sociology Networks
Develop
Emma-Marie Hansson Second
Life: Moving Beyond Virtual Reality
Individualized
Major
Rachel Laurion I Feel Better Now
Sociology
Tina Schweizer Resistance
and Susceptibility to Persuasion Across the
Psychology Ideological
Spectrum
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Literature Through the Ages
Room 207, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Patrick Deer,
English
Professor Ernest Gilman,
English
Professor Elke Siegel, German
Jennifer
Alberghini Chaucer's The Knight's Tale and the Rhetorical
English and
American Literature Technique of “Brevitas”
Ian Folkert Decline and the
Weakness of Language in Sallust
Classical Civilization
Nicholas Forster The
Long and The Short of It: Entropy and Rebirth in
Undeclared Major Children of Men
Alice Frenkel Eternal
Recurrence in Kundera's Unbearable
Lightness
Undeclared Major of Being
Diana Hamilton Borrowing
Authority: Appropriated Sciences in
Comparative
Literature Contemporary Poetries
Alice McGrath The Amanuensis and the
Narrator: Free Indirect
English and American
Literature; Discourse in the Dictated Works of Henry James
French
Jon Reitzel Reality in
Borges’ Labyrinthine World
Individualized
Major
Reena Shah From
the Page to the Stage: Performing Spoken Word
Individualized
Major Poetry
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Learning and Behavior in Mammals
Room 405, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Pamela Crabtree,
Anthropology
Professor Anthony Di Fiore,
Anthropology
Professor Laurence Maloney,
Psychology
Kandy Bahadur Face
Perception: Psychophysiological Correlates of
Psychology Attentional
Biases to Novel Ingroups and Outgroups
Neaka Balloge Fantasy
Effects on Performance Across Multiple
Psychology;
Sociology Domains
Carlos
J. Del Rio Villasenor A Comparison
of Ranging and Behavioral Data Anthropology Dispersing vs. Group-Living Male Woolly Monkeys
(Lagothrix lagotricha) in a Western
Amazonian Rain Forest
Carlos J. Del Rio Villasenor Infant Social Interaction in Wild White-Faced Capuchins
Anthropology (Cebus capucinus) at Estacion Biologica de La Suerte, Costa Rica
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Access to the Arts: Displaying, Preserving, Performing,
and Interpreting
Room 408, Silver Center
Judges:
Profesor Pepe Karmel, Art
History
Professor Joseph LeDoux,
Neural Science
Professor Jonathan Ritter,
Art History
Megan Becker Integration
vs. Segregation: Museum Access Programs
Art History for
Visitors Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Margaret Bezrutczyk, Journalism The Use of
Immunological Techniques in the
Scott Breitinger, Anthropology Identification
of Historical and Contemporary Materials:
and Matthew Van Auken Perfecting
Techniques in Determining Protein and
Biology Carbohydrate
Binders in Aged Artistic Media
Monica Castillo Shooting
a Blank Script: The Role of
English and
American Literature Improvisation in Film
Victoria Grinbaum Narrative
Strategies for Representing the Return of
Art History;
Linguistics Hephaistos
to Mount Olympos
Adina Haramati Ergotism
at Isenheim: An Artist's Representation of a
Art History Plague
Michael Waller Karlheinz
Stockhausen: speicherDENKMAL (storage
Music monument)
Sara Wojcik A
Great Leap Forward: The Beijing
National Grand
Urban Design
and Architecture Theater
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Music: Tradition Meets Innovation
Room 411, Silver Center
Judges:
Professor Elizabeth Hoffman,
Music
Professor Jairo Moreno, Music
Professor Jindrich Zezula,
French
Ethan Bassford Musical
Microcosms: Using Acoustics and
Music Psychoacoustics
to Unpack the History of Parameters
Ashley
Cooke Ritual and
Improvisation in the Catholic Sermon
Anthropology
Kathryn Hall On
the Origins of sean-nós: The Global Consequences
Music of
Traditional Singing
Claudia Maniscalchi The
Intersection of Innovation, Improvisation, and
Music Tradition
in Contemporary Bluegrass Music
Kristina Pugh A
Changing Affect: Improvisations in Social Activism
Music
Matthew Weiner Economics of Improvising
with Electronics in Brooklyn
Music
