Vervet (Chloebus pygerythms) and Sykes (Cercopithecus albogulans) monkeys are both primarily arboreal monkeys living in overlapping habitats in Eastern Africa and exhibiting different patterns of social organization.  Vervet troops are comprised of multiple males and multiple females, while sykes troops have strictly one male amongst multiple females.  Species, such as sykes, which show no male cooperation and are in competition with surrounding troops benefit from having close members. Affiliative behavior increases cooperation and binds individuals to the group.  This more cohesive unit serves as a barrier against opposing troops. Monkey species, such as vervets, that have some degree of male cooperation and are less threatened by surrounding troops are able to separate in the warm climate.  We hypothesize that higher rates of affiliative behavior will be exhibited in Sykes, who show no male-male cooperation, than in vervets. While studying abroad in Kenya, we compared the affiliative behavior of Sykes and vervet females by conducting longitudinal focal animal sampling.  Females were studied because males have different roles in each species and the sex of juveniles was difficult to identify. Affiliative behavior was defined as instances of contact, embrace, groom, hold, huddle, muzzle or touch and the number of instances per hour per female was recorded.  Preliminary data indicates Sykes females display significantly higher rates of affiliative behavior per hour than vervets (two-tailed, unpaired t-test, p=.0034).  Our results support the hypothesis that affiliative behavior is more frequent in uni-male Sykes troops than multi-male vervets.  We suggest that social organization lies at the root of these behavioral differences, but more research is needed to verify these findings.

The 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens caused the bathymetry of Spirit Lake to change drastically resulting in an increase in surface area and a decrease in average depth. Subsequently, Spirit Lake is experiencing an increase in productivity. This study measures concentrations of nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus in sediments and aquatic plants in order to understand the source of the lake’s increasing productivity. Over the summer of 2010, we collected surface sediment samples and a short sediment core. The results of these analyses, together with aquatic plant data obtained by Bellarmine High School students and Portland State University, will be used to estimate the role of sediments in nutrient cycling in Spirit Lake.

The glass transition temperature is a feature of polymer systems that dictates the transition between glassy and molten-like states in amorphous solids. Glassy polymers have many advantageous properties and are highly desirable for commercial and industrial uses. However, the conditions that lead to glass formation are usually well above room temperature, making implementation of most polymer glasses unfeasible. In a recent discovery, ultra-stable poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) glasses were formed using a technique known as matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). These results showed a significant decrease in the polymer’s density, while maintaining chemical stability under normal conditions. The exciting experimental discoveries hold great promise for future technological developments. However, there is much to understand about the underling atomic scale features that arise from MAPLE deposited glassy polymer films. To help answer some of these questions, molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations were used to understand the mechanisms behind the ultra-stable polymer formation. Previous studies include observing the collapse of the polymer PMMA from an extended to a globular-like state under various solvent and temperature conditions. This poster will show how we track formation of the globular state using different order parameters (e.g., radius of gyration) and also show our generalized strategy for quickly building new polymer simulations. Understanding the fundamentals behind ultra-stable glass formation can unlock discoveries in the development and implementation of new materials.

My research examines the ways that the traditional conception of Foucault’s panopticon takes on new meaning in the music video "No Matter What You Do" by Benny Banassi. "No Matter What You Do" allows for the panopticon to be reconceptualized, as no stable locus of power can be located. This new power dynamic allows the objects of the male gaze to both reclaim power and deconstruct a seemingly stable power structure that is reified and sustained through the male gaze. I examine gendered expectations within the video and explore the ways static gender binaries and heteronormativity can be disrupted. I contend that Banassi's video shows a new power dynamic that has yet to be explored via the panopticon, as it creates several unstable loci of power. Characters denied power in the music video’s prison-like setting are able to work within the power structure to dismantle it.