UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL VOLUME 1, FALL 2009 STUDENT EDITORIAL BOARD Bernard Appiah Andrew Bradshaw Alexandra Bryson Evan Cherry MIAO Jingang Erin O’Brien Christina Panousieris MASTHEAD DESIGN Andrea N. Roberts PAGE LAYOUT/DESIGN Paulina Martinez
e x p l o r a t i o n s T H E T E X A S A & M U N D E R G R A D U A T E J O U R N A L
1 / Taking on the Land of Teranga: Women’s Identity in Senegalese Society Tahni Candelaria
Senegalese women construct their identity through dance, dress, literature, food preparation, and religious practices. Their role represents the beliefs and values of Senegal’s contemporary urban culture.
SENIOR MANUSCRIPT EDITOR Gabe Waggoner MANUSCRIPT EDITORS Bernard Appiah P. Shawn Ashley Marissa Doshi MIAO Jingang Naveed Saleh Roma Subramanian Emily White FACULTY/STAFF ADVISORY BOARD Sumana Datta Edward Funkhouser Barbara Gastel Lawrence Griffing Nicole Priolo Elizabeth Tebeaux Opinions expressed in Explorations are those of the author, executive editor or editor and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M administration or The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
6 / Measuring the Environmental Impact of Meteorites Andrew Muñoz
When meteorites bombard Earth, impact modelers assess their environmental impacts by using three-dimensional magnetic images. Through analytical and numerical methods, one can refine the data for these images, allowing for better analysis of subsurface geologic trends.
10 / Voter Perception in the 2008 Presidential Election David Paul Strohecker
In the heat of the 2008 election season, voters formed opinions through framing political candidates in terms of several factors, including emotion, race, party affiliation, respondent age, and views toward the media.
15 / Flame Retardants in Texas Cliff Swallows Catherine Baxter
Web-site: explorations.tamu.edu 309 Jack K. Williams Administration Bldg. 1112 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-1112, U.S.A.
Flame retardants accumulate in animals, producing biochemical changes. Cliff swallows, as model indicators of local pollution, were compared from three sites to estimate the relative geographical extent of contamination and possible effects as a result of the industrial production and use of flame retardants.
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