SURF Symposium 2018

SURF SYMPOSIUM

Special Thanks We would like to extend special thanks to the following for their unwavering support of and contributions to SURF ’18:

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD Provost Michael Wick Katie Gantz, associate dean of faculty Christine Wooley, associate dean of curriculum Katie Guy and Frances Titus, fiscal administrators Pamela Mann, librarian Mitch Vicieux, Office of Student Support Services, SURF ’17 fellow Adam Malisch, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Lee Capristo, Office of Marketing and Communications

With Co-Directors Kevin Emerson, associate professor of biology Mark Rhoda, visiting associate professor of theater, film & media studies Glendening Annex July 6, 2018

Symposium Schedule of Presentations 9:15 a.m.: Opening Remarks (Kevin Emerson) 9:30 a.m.: Elizabeth (Izzy) Peterson

Major: Studio Art

Minor: Film/Media Studies

Influence: Subverting Propaganda Films with Experimental Animation

Mentor: Barry Muchnick, asst. prof. of environmental studies 10:00 a.m.: Lily Pohlenz

Major: Biology

Minor: Philosophy

What’s the Buzz on Somatic Wolbachia Infection? Using Drosophila

Melanogaster as a Model Organism to Understand the Control of Disease

Transmission in Mosquitoes

Mentor: Kevin Emerson, assoc. prof. of biology 10:30 a.m.: Andy Turszick

Major: Theater Studies

Minors: Film/Media Studies, Religious Studies

Power Over Bodies: Scenographic Designs for Shakespeare’s

“Titus Andronicus”

Mentor: Mark Rhoda, visiting assoc. prof. of theater, film & media studies 11:00 a.m.: Stephanie Schoch

Majors: Computer Science, Psychology

Visualizing Refugee Health Data: Investigating the Use of Legends Presence, Placement, and Proximity

Mentor: Amanda VerMeulen, asst. librarian 11:30 a.m.: Justyce Bennett

Majors: Anthropology, Art History

Minors: Museum Studies, African and African Diaspora Studies

Visual and Material Cultures of Slavery: The View from Art History

Mentor: Emily Casey, asst. prof. of art history 12:00 p.m.: Lunch Break 1:00 p.m.: Kelly Healy

Majors: Biology, Biochemistry

Minor: Music

Mapping a Protein: Locating Metal-Binding Sites in Metallothionein-1

Mentor: Shanen Sherrer, asst. prof. of biochemistry

1:30 p.m.: Nicholas D’Antona

Major: Chemistry

Minors: Applied Math, Physics

Printing Perovskite Solar Cells: a Low-Cost Production Method for

Renewable Energy

Mentor: Troy Townsend, asst. prof. of chemistry 2:00 p.m.: Bethany Laffan

Major: English

Minor: History

Literary Rockstar: A Reception Study of Haruki Murakami’s Popularity in Japan and the United States

Mentor: Jeffrey Coleman, prof. of English 2:30 p.m.: James Judlick

Major: Psychology

Minor: Sociology

Queer Eye for the Employer: A Résumé Audit Study for LGBTQ Individuals

Mentor: Ayse Ikizler, asst. prof. of psychology 3:00 p.m.: Closing Remarks (Mark Rhoda)

SURF (St. Mary’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship) SURF is a selective eight-week annual summer program at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where students from intentionally varied disciplines engage in directed research or creative work. While working full-time on their projects, students also participate in workshops and group meetings to sharpen their professional skills.

SURF is made possible by support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in addition to a number of internal funding sources. A portion of the funds goes toward a stipend for the students, as well as room and board for the eight weeks.