The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program’s goal is to introduce first-generation, low-income, under-represented group college students to effective strategies for succeeding in graduate programs. One way to explore program effectiveness is to ask the McNair graduates themselves. This interview study will explore McNair graduates understandings of issues they face in adjusting to graduate school and how McNair participation prepared them for addressing these issues. Typically McNair program evaluations emphasize the collection and analysis of quantitative data – e.g. academic performance and degree attainment; however, little qualitative research has been conducted on graduate’s perceptions of the impact of program participation on graduate school adjustment and success. Using Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital, along with Sociology-based ideas of role-as-resource and role mastery, this study will explore students’ perceptions of the McNair program’s effectiveness in regards to helping them understand the “graduate student” role and to use that role to succeed in graduate school. 

Quorum sensing is cell density-dependent communication that regulates many functions in bacteria. Signal synthases (I) produce acyl-homoserine lactones, which diffuse into the environment and activate signal receptors (R) when they reach a critical concentration. Synthases and receptors often form cognate pairs. The soil bacterium Burkholderia thailandensis encodes three I-R pairs. The I-R1 system controls cell-cell aggregation and activates many putative aggregation factors including the bce genes that likely encode an exopolysaccharide. The I-R2 system controls antibiotic production. The antibiotics are members of the bactobolin family and are effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Both aggregation and antibiotics are believed to promote competitiveness in the diverse soil communities where B. thailandensis is found. We have developed genetic screens to learn more about quorum-controlled antibiotics and aggregation in B. thailandensis. The first screen identified bactobolin-resistant isolates of the soil bacterium Bacillis subtilis, which is normally sensitive to bactobolin. We submitted these mutants for whole genome sequencing to investigate the mutations that confer resistance, and with our results we hope to gain insight into how bactobolin acts on target cells. The second screen was designed to isolate variants that overproduce aggregation factors. Quorum sensing mutants do not wrinkle but variants arise that produce aggregation factors by other means. We are isolating such variants and identifying the underlying mutations to understand how they compensate for the loss of quorum sensing regulation. This may reveal the elements involved in regulating aggregation. These variants will also be useful to learn about the advantages of aggregation in different contexts. Through our two screens we hope to better understand quorum-controlled aggregation and antibiotic phenotypes. Our findings will be useful in further studies of the importance of each of these in competition.

Traditionally, nonword imitations have been used as a measure of phonological awareness. In a recent study of nonword imitations by children where the targets were below the children’s vocal pitch ranges, it was surprising to find that the children matched the low vocal pitch one octave above the targets (Peter et al., 2008). This was interpreted as a covert awareness of the perceptual similarities between octave-shifted vocal pitches. It was unknown whether children and adults would match pitches directly when the target is within their vocal range. This question is addressed in my current project, which also evaluates the role of lexical stress and speech sound disorder (SSD). SSD occurs when articulation and phonological mistakes continue beyond the point when the child should have mastered the sound through normal development. In a dataset collected for a multigenerational family genetics study, men, women, and children imitated nonwords produced by men and women. Each family in the study had a history of SSD represented in several members of the family. Data analysis is complete for all participants in the study. This consisted of determining the fundamental frequency for each vowel in the non-word for two different imitation tasks (Syllable Repetition Task and Tennessee Test of Rhythm and Intonation Patterns). The participant’s fundamental frequency is compared to the fundamental frequency of the target. Results indicated that the participants showed strong evidence for direct pitch matching in these tasks. I am currently working on determining conversational pitch for each individual to show that the participant is changing his/her pitch to match that of the target voice. In addition, I am determining what effect SSD has on the direct pitch-matching task. Finally, I will also consider the role of stressed verses unstressed syllables has on the expected pitch matching.

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a proposed motor speech disorder. At present, there is no universally accepted catalogue of diagnostic criteria for CAS. Peter & Raskind described a motor-based familial speech disorder in two multigenerational families where one or more children had a diagnosis of CAS. The current study attempted a qualitative analysis of errors made by adult members of five multigenerational families (N = 22), including the two families with the previously described motor-based speech disorder subtype, on real word and nonword repetition tasks, rapid automatic naming tasks, and measures of reading. In one family, three biologically related individuals showed slowed alternating, but not repetitive, oral movements and deficits in sequencing during multisyllabic word and nonword repetition and reading, but unimpaired naming speeds. Results are consistent with a familial CAS subtype characterized by multimodal sequencing deficits, which has implications for future diagnosis and treatment of CAS.

Past studies have documented that musical tones separated by an octave interval are perceived as highly similar (“octave equivalence”). A recent study of children showed that they downshifted their fundamental frequency (F0) during a nonword imitation task to match the target, which was below their vocal ranges, at an octave above the target. This was the case for stressed syllables in all children and for unstressed syllables as well in the children without speech sound disorder (SSD). This finding was interpreted as implying that children utilize the octave equivalence effect to enhance their imitations when the target is below their vocal ranges. Here, we expand on this finding by investigating the hypothesis that octave-shifted pitch matching can also be observed in adults. Specifically, we ask whether men match a target spoken by a female adult at an octave below the target, and whether women and children match targets spoken by a male adult an octave above the target. Participants were not asked to match the pitch of the target; they were simply instructed to imitate the nonwords as they heard them. For each participant, imitation/target ratios were calculated and averaged. As in the 2008 study, the role of lexical stress and speech sound disorder (SSD) is addressed as well. Initial results show octave shifting occurred most often with the adult male participants. One woman directly pitch-matched the male target. During the remainder of this project, we will evaluate the role of lexical stress in each participant group and the role of an SSD history in the adults. We will also compare conversational F0 for each participant, drawing on the results from a companion study. Evidence of pitch matching at an octave interval implies the presence of octave based perceptual similarity in speech sounds.

 Galaxy formation theories call for all galaxies to be embedded in massive extended dark matter halos. Ideally, we would use thousands to millions of tracer particles to map the dynamical environment around galaxies to constrain the properties of dark matter. Reality limits us to using only the dynamical tracers that are luminous enough to actually be observed. The spiral galaxy NGC 4258 has numerous small galaxies surrounding it that appear to be satellite galaxies, and can therefore be used as dynamical tracers. To determine if these smaller galaxies are indeed satellites, we examine their redshifts by combining spectroscopic observations from the APO 3.5-meter telescope with SDSS spectra. Of the 33 observed objects, 22 appear to be members of the system. Using the projected line-of-sight velocities of the satellite galaxies and a Jeans equation approximation, we estimate the mass of NGC 4258 out to a radius of 260kpc to be 6x10¹² solar masses with an error of 50%. When utilizing a more rigorous set of criteria to determine which candidate galaxies are actually satellites, we are left with only 8 true satellites and derive a new mass to be 1.3x10¹² solar masses out to a radius of 230kpc. Further observations are expected to yield around 20 to 40 more satellite velocity measurements, which will improve our mass estimate and significantly reduce our error. By searching the SDSS database, we believe we can find other galaxy systems that host enough satellites to repeat this technique.

Estimation of the firing range is often critical for reconstructing gunshot fatalities, where the main measurable evidence is the gunshot residue aslo known as stippling and soot, which will be used throughout the study. In the present study, a diverse range of gunshot wounds with four different guns with their appropriate ammunition have been used to gain knowledge about the image and patterns of gunshot wounds depending on the weapon and the firing distance. There were a total of 21 target shootings, there are about 6 targets per weapon used each with varying tested distances (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 in.). By increasing the firing distance away from targets, targets demonstrated a clear decrease of soot pattern (the black powder left by the firing)  and increase of stippling (gunshot residue- burnt gunpowder) diameter. Further analysis showed a linear relationship between the diameter of stippling and the firing range. The amount of soot and stippling was highly dependent upon the gun and ammunition used. The results allowed a basis for estimating the firing range in diverse gunshot wounds, helping to determine the manner of death between suicide or homicide. The reason that the research has to be re-done various times, due to law and individual cases, but the research sets a starting point to where the detectives can initiate study.

Paleontological evidence has shown that during large scale extinction events, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) rises to abnormal levels in Earth’s atmosphere. To survive these extinction events, an organism would be required to counter-act the negative effects of H2S by evolving unique adaptations. It can be hypothesized that many of these unique adaptations still exist in present-day lineages. Modern plants, for example, may have developed a method of utilizing H2S in order to survive, and possibly thrive, in what would be considered a highly toxic atmosphere. Through experiments involving species Phaseolus vulgaris and Pisum sativum, it was discovered that applications of H2S to seedlings increased growth at rates of up to 200% within 1 week. In addition to the increases in growth, increases in plant mass and photosynthetic activity were also observed. In order to better understand the effects of H2S on P. vulgaris and P. sativum, seeds of the species were also exposed to H2S, under the same controlled conditions. The effects of the seed experiment were similar to the initial seedling tests. Time to germination decreased with exposure, and the overall rates of germination increased. Large scale implications of these findings present benefits such as greater crop yields and perhaps a more efficient method of bio-fuel production. Continuing research of H2S and its effects on plant life could someday create a powerful means to deal with our ever-expanding human population…and the ever-expanding human footprint that goes along with it.

The Sarmiento formation in the Gran Barranca region of Argentina is comprised of eolian, fluvial and volcanic sediment formed between twenty and forty million years ago. Climate change, sea level variation and tectonics driving subsidence were all important factors in the deposition of the Sarmiento Formation and research on the paleoenvironments of the region includes study of eolian and fluvial processes, paleoclimate and the evolution of grasslands. The sediment of the 33.581 million year old Vera section of the Sarmiento Formation is the focus of this study. To better understand the environments of deposition of this section, grain size and magnetic susceptibility were analyzed for over fifty sediment samples. A particle size analyzer was used to provide grain size distributions for each sample, which were then used to look for loess signatures in the sediment. Loess (wind blown sediment) is predominantly composed of fine sand and silt sized particles, and its detection can be evidence of arid, windy climates. Ongoing sedimentary analysis has revealed a predominance of silt sized particles, indicating a loess signature. Magnetic susceptibility analysis is a process that identifies iron-bearing minerals in sediment. The amount of iron present in the Vera sediment can be an indication of chemical weathering in Gran Barranca during the Eocene. Extent of weathering can also indicate past climate conditions. The results of the grain size and magnetic susceptibility analysis for each individual sample will be related to stratigraphic height and age so that a history of climate and environmental change for the Sarmiento Formation can be created.

Over the past ten years we have analyzed a variety of plants that produce volatile oils grown in our Chemical Garden on The Evergreen State College campus. These plants lend themselves well to extraction by steam or ethereal solvents and are easily analyzed through Gas-Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The plants we have focused on are garlic, St. John's Wort, hops, mints, and lavender. This poster reports on our progress towards isolating and identifying individual constituents of Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus), a local plant with a long history of use as a medicine. We have been curious as to the best time of year to harvest the plant, as there is some debate in the herbalism community on this point. The Devil's Club was distilled at different times of the year and analyzed using GC/MS. The non volatile constituents were extracted using a number of different solvents and analyzed using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). This research will provide information on the effects of harvest time on constituent levels, as well as providing knowledge of the chemical make up of this plant.

Through much of the 20th century, the ASARCO copper smelter in Tacoma released heavy metal-rich ash, contaminating local soils and sediments. However, the smelter plant is not the only source of contamination: arsenate pesticides and other heavy metal sources contributed to soil contamination. Understanding the source of contamination can lead to remediation or replacement of contaminated soil. Here we use soil magnetic properties to identify minerals associated with smelter contamination. Specifically, iron bearing minerals can uniquely identify emissions generated from the smelting process. We use magnetic susceptibility (both high and low field), coercivity and magnetic remanence to produce a “magnetic fingerprint” of minerals from smelter dust. These properties are affected by grain size and mineralogy of magnetic particles. Remanance (Mr/Ms) and susceptibility/coercivity (LF/Hc) ratios are similar in all soils regardless of degree of contamination. However, high field susceptibility does appear to be related to arsenic concentrations of smelter contamination (R2= 0.4656). Further sampling and testing are being conducted to extend that relationship to other sites. Our results suggest that magnetic properties and testing can be used to efficiently and cheaply assess smelter contamination throughout the South Puget Sound region.

The Banda Islands in Indonesia have been important cultural and trade centers for centuries. With their unique native nutmeg production, they have attracted merchants from around the world including Islamic spice traders and Dutch and British merchant companies. The site of BN1 located on Banda Neira Island may contain an important archaeological record of early contact with Islam. Following the thinking that behavioral and dietary changes soon follow religious conversions, this study looks to the presence and use of pigs as a proxy for Islamic versus Animistic religious orientation. I examine the density of pig skeletal remains through time by using tradeware ceramics as chronological markers. Additionally, I investigate the site formation processes with geochemical methods and search for chemical evidence of pig presence in the form of fecal lipid biomarkers. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of total lipid extracts from the BN1 archaeological sediments can determine with greater resolution and accuracy the presence or absence of pigs at the site based on known sterol lipid ratios derived from decomposed feces. This suite of archaeological and geochemical data will provide an insightful picture of local-level impacts of Islam in the Banda Islands.

All solid materials have a stress limit beyond which cracks and ultimately fractures will develop; we are analyzing the possibility of uneven solar heating as a process that causes cracking. Research at the Universities of New Mexico and North Carolina drew attention to patterns of near vertical cracks in desert rocks, which known weathering processes cannot sufficiently explain. To investigate, temperature and strain data as well as cracking events were recorded using an instrumented boulder. We created a 3D-Finite-Element-simulation of the boulder incorporating thermal radiation, heat conduction, and thermo-mechanical stress analysis. Simulation provides the link between insolation and stresses, allowing us to assess size and shape effects on tensile stresses. We are validating our model by comparing measured and simulated temperature and strain data. As an example, we are calculating the maximum and minimum strain for each surface collection point and validating them against provided data. We expect to find that uneven heating from the diurnal cycle of the sun creates tensile stresses sufficient to cause cracking in these rocks. Future research will include a comprehensive data analysis concerning stress distribution and orientation within spherical boulders of various sizes, and an assessment of potential crack growth rates and crack orientation.

Measurements of the rotation of galaxies indicate that visible matter cannot account for all of a galaxy's mass. The prevailing theory is that each galaxy is surrounded by a halo of dark matter. Dark matter halo mass can be determined by measuring the velocities of dwarf satellite galaxies orbiting a central galaxy. We used data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR8 and HyperLeda databases to identify massive, isolated galaxies including M94, M101, and NGC 2841 and prioritize their satellites for observation. Next we will make spectrographic observations to determine satellite velocities and use these results to infer the mass of the central galaxy. By comparing this value to the amount of visible mass in the galaxy, we will determine the mass of the dark matter halo.