2011 Student Research Symposium Booklet

4th Annual

Undergraduate Research

SYMPOSIUM April 15, 2011

uafortsmith.edu/symposium

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

Schedule/Table of Contents Greetings............................................................................................................................................................................1 Room 1 – Presentations in English - Health Sciences Room 325 2:00

Women and Nature vs. Phallic-Symbol Toting Men: Why Mother Nature Wins.......................................................2

2:30 The Good Girl & the Harlot: Deconstructing Hegemonic Femininity in Lightning

Hopkins’ Blues......................................................................................................................................................3

3:00

Jane Austen: A Wartime Comfort?.........................................................................................................................4

3:30

Deforming Victorian Literature..............................................................................................................................5

4:00

Colonization and Fanny Price’s Nest of Comforts..................................................................................................6

Room 2 – Presentations in English - Health Sciences Room 326 2:00

The Fine Line between Religion and Sacrilege in Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood................................................7

2:30

Learning in Color: Innovative Education Through the Use of Film.........................................................................8

3:00 Dirt and Destruction: The Desire to Devour and the Fear of Reversion to our

Primal Selves........................................................................................................................................................9

3:30

Through a Literary Lens: Susan Glaspell and Minnie Foster;

Feminism in Perspective.....................................................................................................................................10

4:00

Porno for Pyros: Issues of Control and Rape Fantasies in Bastard Out of Carolina.............................................11

Room 3 – Presentations in Information Technology - Health Sciences Room 222 2:00

Quick Full-Text Searches.....................................................................................................................................12

2:30

BEST Robotics Volunteer Management System ..................................................................................................13

3:00

The Smart Home vs. The Dumb Home.................................................................................................................14

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 4 – Presentations in History - Health Sciences Room 227 2:00

Captain Phillip Pennywit: A Steamboat Pioneer in Arkansas...............................................................................15

2:30 The California Gold Rush: Emigrational, Migratory, and Oceanic Routes

to the California Mines 1849-50.........................................................................................................................16

3:00 Captain Randolph B. Marcy and the 1849 Survey That Led to the

Butterfield Stage Coach Route to California through Fort Smith.........................................................................17

3:30 The Jesuit Missionaries: Their Contribution to the Christian Conversion

in Northern Mexico..............................................................................................................................................18

4:00 The Enduring Greatness of George Washington: Not Due to His

Tactical Military Ability.......................................................................................................................................19

Room 5 – Presentations in Humanities, Philosophy, and Ecology - Health Sciences Room 223 2:00 Reclaiming the Spiro Mounds Artifacts...............................................................................................................20 2:30 The Effects of Music Techniques in Films...........................................................................................................21 3:00

Effects of the Non-Traditional Use of Western Film Elements in Japanese Films ...............................................22

3:30 The Immorality of Contemporary Financial and Economic Schemes and

the Promise of Social Credit................................................................................................................................23

4:00

The Ecology and Conservation of Jaguars (Panthera onca).................................................................................24

Room 6 – Presentations in Electrical Engineering, Math, and Architecture - Health Sciences Room 321 2:00

Electric Vehicle Battery Charging System...........................................................................................................25

2:30

Electric Vehicle Microcontroller Unit....................................................................................................................26

3:00

IR Interactive Media Platform.............................................................................................................................27

3:30

On the Algebraic Properties of Pin-Wheel Graphs and their Applications............................................................28

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Room 7 – Presentations in Business – Health Sciences Room 318 2:00

The Jitterbug, LLC...............................................................................................................................................29

2:30

The Effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Businesses.........................................................................................30

3:00

Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Other Side of Performance.................................................................31

3:30

The Wrinkling Workforce: Shifts in the U.S. Labor Force......................................................................................32

Room 8 – Presentations in Education, Rhetoric, and Psychology - Health Sciences Room 124 2:00 Project Be_Cause: An Approach to Promoting Academic Achievement

through Service Learning....................................................................................................................................33

2:30 What teaching strategies contribute most effectively to English Language

Learners’ language acquisition skills in inclusion classrooms?.........................................................................34

3:00

“Rhet-o-Pop” –The Rhetoric of Pop Music..........................................................................................................35

3:30

Stuck in the Web: Utopia or Wishful Thinking?....................................................................................................36

4:00

Correlation Between Childhood Cancer and Family Functioning.........................................................................37

Undergraduate Research Symposium Poster Presentations – Health Sciences - Weidman Conference Center Table 1:

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis................................................................................................................38

Bowel Obstruction...............................................................................................................................................39

Table 2:

Pulmonary Hypertension.....................................................................................................................................40

What is the effect of honey on the treatment of wounds?...................................................................................41

Table 3:

Rethinking the Box..............................................................................................................................................42

Branding Community Non-Profit Organizations..................................................................................................43

Table 4:

Alternate Careers in Animation...........................................................................................................................44

Is It Worth Going Green?......................................................................................................................................45

Table 5:

How to Patent Your Idea......................................................................................................................................46

Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Beam Vibration for Metamaterial Analysis.........................................47

Table 6:

CADD Drafting vs. Hand Drafting........................................................................................................................48

The Future of Computer Aided Drafting and Design in Green Construction.........................................................49

Table 7:

Cost Efficient Multi-Beam Mount for the Corps of Engineers..............................................................................50

Mapping the Ozark National Forest Area.............................................................................................................51

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Table 8:

Lessons Learned from Nuclear Accidents and Implications for Safer Future

Nuclear Reactor Designs.....................................................................................................................................52

Table 9:

Network Analysis.................................................................................................................................................53

LDAP Photo Directory...........................................................................................................................................54

Table 10:

Studio Art Presentation.......................................................................................................................................55.

The Architectural History of Frank Lloyd Wright...................................................................................................56

Table 11:

Student Advising System....................................................................................................................................57

Virtual Machine Access Manager (VAM)..............................................................................................................58

Index................................................................................................................................................................................59

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Greetings!

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith proudly welcomes you to the Fourth Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Our faculty and staff are committed to fostering an environment that promotes not only learning but also enlightenment.

As you will see in today’s presentations, our students have accepted the challenge, explored unique areas of research, and synthesized their results in the form of lectures, studio art, demonstrations, posters, and performances.

These presentations represent the academic diversity of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith’s programs and the intellectual excellence of our students. On their behalf, I would like to thank you for your participation and invite you to engage the presenters in the question-and-answer sessions throughout the afternoon. Your active involvement ensures that the University of Arkansas Fort Smith remains a dynamic learning community.

Dr. Ray Wallace Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor

1

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 1

Presentations in English Health Sciences Room 325

2:00 Jennifer Martin

2:30 Jessica Weisenfels

3:00 Ashley Fujibayashi

3:30 Kimberly Allen

4:00 Jonathan Tinnin

Undergraduate Research Symposium Women and Nature vs. Phallic-Symbol Toting Men: Why Mother Nature Wins Presented by Jennifer Martin

Oppression, exploitation, and conquest are all themes of both the women’s and environmental movements. But long before going green and talking about women’s rights was hip or even formulated into concepts, Mary E. Wilkins and Sarah Orne Jewett were exploring these ideas in their short stories “Arethusa” and “A White Heron.” These stories were on the cutting edge of movements that had yet to be fully developed. The theme of eco-feminism in both stories holds resonance with ideals in our modern world as echoed in the modern Walt Disney classic film, Pocahontas. Each of the stories features a dominant female protagonist who begins a communion with nature that leads her to becoming nature’s protectoress. Through this collusion, both nature and the women are lifted from patriarchal oppression and gain strength from their symbiotic relationships. The implication is that women must stand between men and nature as a line of defense; in doing so, women can gain the empowerment that they need to overcome the oppression enforced upon them by men.

All three stories feature men wielding their mighty phallic symbols in an attempt not only to subdue and persecute nature, but to force the women into submission at the altar of men and technology. The women in each of the stories recognize the destructive oppression faced by nature at the hands of the patriarchy and rise to become her protectoress.

Jennifer Martin is an English major at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She is looking forward to pursuing a master’s degree in English literature at the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville in the fall of 2011. Her research interests include food and the impact food choices have on the health and well-being of the public, eco-feminist literature, particularly fiction written by women in the 19th century. Her focus has been on works by Kate Chopin and Sarah Orne Jewett. She also has done research work on Kent Haruf’s fiction with a focus on Plainsong and Eventide.

2

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Good Girl & the Harlot: Deconstructing Hegemonic Femininity in Lightning Hopkins’ Blues Presented by Jessica Weisenfels

Two of the most prolific stereotypes of women are the stereotypes of the girl next door and the carefree vamp. From Gilligan’s Ginger and Mary Ann to Sex & the City’s Samantha and Charlotte, these stereotypes have pervaded American airwaves for well over half a century. Typically, morality is valued over immorality; the construction of the characters predisposes the audience to favor the moral woman over the immoral woman as a reflection of the hegemonic ideals of the culture from which the woman emerges. One exception to this rule can be found in the lyrics of blues song. While the blues are certainly not free of stereotypical depictions of women, the value traditionally assigned is often opposite to that found in the literature of the hegemony. The legendary bluesman, Sam “Lightning” Hopkins, provides evidence for this phenomenon in his songs. Hopkins does not stray from stereotypical depictions of women—but he does reverse the hegemonic binary, valuing immorality over morality throughout his canon. The result is that the harlot is vastly favored over the good girl, and Hopkins continues the Blues tradition of guardedly criticizing the hegemony.

Jessica Weisenfels is a non-traditional student. She is a 2002 graduate of Alma High School. She spent her time away from school owning and operating a record store and building a family. Jessica now resides in Van Buren with her husband and two daughters. An English major with a flair for theory, it is her aspiration is to enter the professoriate.

3

Undergraduate Research Symposium Jane Austen: A Wartime Comfort?

Presented by Ashley Fujibayashi

The Napoleonic wars lasted from the end of the French Revolution, about 1799, to Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo in 1815. It was during this tumultuous time that Jane Austen penned and published her most famous novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. Although Austen is not currently associated with wartime comforts, her books have been portrayed as giving combatants of war the homey comforts they desired during battle.

In Rudyard Kipling’s story, “The Janeites,” Jane Austen and her books are seen as secret indulgences that help the men through the horrors of war. The world that Jane Austen inhabited was a world filled with the chaos war created. In her novels Austen created a world where the war could not damage the family structure as it did in real life.

Austen’s books are the antithesis of war; where war breaks up the family unit when spouses die or are split up, Austen puts the family to rights. In his book Marriage, Writing, & Romanticism: Wordsworth and Austen After the War, Eric Walker explains that “marriage is, ideally, the constitutive sign of peace—the end of war (72)”. This reaffirmation of the marital bliss may help to explain the mysterious popularity Jane Austen gains during times of war and political conflict. While still popular during peace time, Austen seems to gain a prominence during wartime that she lacks during peace. This prominence, which can be observed in the number and type of film adaptations in the recent century, seems to coincide with major world events such as the Americans entering World War II, the Bosnian and Croatian Wars, and more recently, the wars in the Middle East. Austen’s novels and the film adaptations capture an idyllic lifestyle that unconsciously helps people across the world cope with the tragedies of war.

Ashley Fujibayashi graduated from Greenwood High School and is currently pursuing an English degree that will allow her to teach. She hopes to continue her education after graduating next spring and plans on working toward a degree in library or information sciences. Her research interests include: gender studies, Southern American literature, and young adult fiction.

4

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Deforming Victorian Literature Presented by Kimberly Allen

Victorian sensation fiction is known for its ability to elicit emotions from readers. No longer were murder, adultery, bigamy, theft, and kidnapping issues of impoverished urban landscapes; rather, they became problems that could creep into the Victorian middle class home. Along with creating fear of these issues, sensation novels often utilized morally deficient or physically deformed characters that were as shocking as the melodramatic plots.

Perhaps the most adept at these unusual characters was Wilkie Collins with his development of the masculine woman.

In The Moonstone, however, Collins goes even further by placing all the traits of his masculine woman in Ezra Jennings, a physically deformed, male physician. Physical deformity of any sort implied some kind of moral deficiency to the Victorian reader; yet, when Mary Elizabeth Braddon introduced Lady Audley, these implications became blurred. Lady Audley juxtaposed the masculine woman and created the possibility that moral deficiency could also be found in those whose appearance conformed to Victorian standards.

This paper, utilizing Ezra Jennings as the masculine woman, will compare the physically deformed masculine woman with Lady Audley, a character who outwardly represents the ideal Victorian woman. Lady Audley, from Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret, at first seems the standard of Victorian beauty; yet, she is morally deformed. Ezra Jennings, rejected because of his physical appearance, must struggle to live in a world he cannot be a part of; while Lady Audley, due to her beauty, is accepted and esteemed until her true nature emerges.

Kimberly is a graduate from Ozark High School. She is currently pursuing a degree in English with a minor in history.

She aspires to attend graduate school after completion of her degree with hopes of obtaining a Ph.D in 19th Century British Literature. Her research interests include: Victorian literature, periodical studies, Romanticism, disability studies, gender studies, and history of the novel.

5

Undergraduate Research Symposium Colonization and Fanny Price’s Nest of Comforts Presented by Jonathan Tinnin

Throughout Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park there are references to imperialism and colonization. Though Edward Said claims that Fanny Price practices a form of colonization, I take the argument a bit deeper by looking at the colonization of the upper-class estate by the middle-class woman and the part that middle-class domestic spaces play in that process. Fanny Price comes from a lower middle-class background and as such is outside the privileged position of the upper-class. This positioning of the middle-class woman as an authority in the upper-class home coincides with the elevation of middle-class morality as it relates to the imperial need for stability and patriotism.

In Mansfield Park, this process is shown through Fanny’s “nest of comforts” (Austen 107). Fanny, as she grows into her position as a young woman at Mansfield Park, is given the use of the East Room. Over time Fanny makes the room her own comfortable space with the addition of her books and plants. This acquisition indeed parallels the establishment of a colony on a new continent. The establishment of this middle-class, domestic colony allows Fanny, as a colonizer, to gain a foothold in the house and allows for a type of Manifest Destiny – gaining control of the estate. While many critics have positioned colonization within the bounds of male privilege, Austen locates this position of power within the female – a type of proto-feminist empowerment.

Works Cited Austen, Jane. Mansfield Park: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism. Ed. Claudia L. Johnson. New York: W.W. Norton, 1998. Print.

Jonathan Tinnin is a graduating senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and will receive his bachelor’s degree in English in May, 2011. His research interests, which are many, include literature of the Victorian era, periodical studies, representations of insanity in literature, gender politics, and history of the novel.

6

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 2

Presentations in English Health Sciences Room 326

2:00 Jordan A. Savage

2:30 Leslie Hassel (Group Presentation)

3:00 Marcus Taylor Jeffery

3:30 Hope Vincent

4:00 Katy Dodd

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Fine Line between Religion and Sacrilege in Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood Presented by Jordan A. Savage

Flannery O’Connor spent her life a devout Catholic and many of her works examine religion in one way or another. Many of her texts involve the examination of religion in contrast to the modern day way of life and perversion of religion.

Throughout her novel Wise Blood, many of the characters find themselves in a state where they are bordering on either devout religion or sacrilege, and the difference between the two only can be found in how they truly feel about their actions and their beliefs. In the author’s note of the second edition of Wise Blood she described this novel as “a comic novel about a Christian malgre′ lui (in spite of himself), and as such, very serious, for all comic novels that are any good must be about matters of life and death.” (O’Connor.) Throughout this novel the four main characters seem at times both religious and sacrilegious. Flannery O’Connor straddles the divide with finesse and brilliance, showing through her characters how easy it is to turn religion into something disgusting and perverse.

Jordan A. Savage graduated from Charleston High School in 2008 and is currently a junior at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She is pursuing a degree in English with a minor in creative writing and plans to attend graduate school.

Her research interests include American and Southern literature studies as well as feminist issues in contemporary texts. Outside of school, she enjoys reading and writing recreationally and spending time with her family and friends.

7

Undergraduate Research Symposium Learning in Color: Innovative Education Through the Use of Film

Presented by Leslie Hassel, Daniel Fudge, and the 2010 Maymester Class, English 4903 Faulkner’s Mississippi Today, conventional teaching methods are under fire. Alternatively, the traditional lecture format can be supported with a variety of supplementary, non-traditional assessments that have the potential to showcase student learning. One approach in creating a student-centered learning environment, in conjunction with the growing use of technology, may be found through assessments where students create the text themselves, and thus gain a deeper understanding of the subject. In the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith 2010 Maymester class, English 4903 William Faulkner’s Mississippi, such a method of assessment was put in place as students created a short documentary of a trip to Rowan Oak, William Faulkner’s home, in Oxford, Mississippi. While first seeming to be a simple task, this multi-stage assignment provided contexts of learning on a variety of levels through a host of mediums. While there are similarities in constructing a film with the structure of English composition, unlike traditional writing, filmmaking allows students to explore topics in new and innovative ways. Where standard assessments such as seminar papers or exams may limit students, student documentaries provide an opportunity to communicate learning not only through text, but also through sight and sound, and consequently, a wider audience can be reached. Through the use of digital media, students have diverse opportunities to express their learning, thus gaining a deeper understanding of the subject and its meaning.

Leslie Hassel is a junior English major at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. She is a graduate of Dover High School, and she has lived in the Fort Smith area for four years. Leslie serves as the current President of Sigma Tau Delta, an International English Honors Society, and she is a writer and photographer for the Lions Chronicle, a University of Arkansas - Fort Smith online student newspaper. After completing a bachelor’s degree in English, Leslie hopes to attend graduate school in order to pursue interests in American literature and documentary film studies.

Daniel Fudge is a junior English major at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Daniel is a graduate of Van Buren High School and has lived in Fort Smith for two years. Daniel is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, an International English Honor Society, a Residential Assistant at the Lion’s Den Residence Halls, Cub Camp Director, and is also a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. After graduation, Daniel hopes to attend law school and pursue his Juris Doctorate and his master’s in business administration.

8

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Dirt and Destruction: The Desire to Devour and the Fear of Reversion to our Primal Selves Presented by Marcus Taylor Jeffery

American culture is possessed of a curiously squeamish attitude concerning dirt. Americans (and people in general) fear dirt because it represents uncleanness and possible sickness or disease. Furthermore, most of society equates the clean with morality and purity and the unclean with impurity and immorality. Therefore, those who are unclean are looked upon as spiritually and morally corrupt. Thus, people avoid those who they consider unclean in order to lower their chances of social contamination. After all, modern American culture perceives a loss of prestige or social standing as the same (or sometimes more) damning than a physical injury. This paper examines the series of events that bred this fear of social contamination and, furthermore, postulates that this underlying anxiety is most obviously evidenced in 20th and 21st century zombie movies. The zombies in these films force humanity to confront its own destructive nature, as well as the tendency of its members to cannibalize (or kill) each other. They also represent a reversion to base instincts; humans separate themselves from their former existential squalor by immersing themselves and their possessions in an environment of cleanliness. Zombies have been debased to the point of becoming no more than ravenous animals; their actions are immoral and inherently devoid of conscious thought. And so, humans, by returning to their dirt and uncleanness, revert and become somewhat closer to animals themselves.

Marcus Taylor Jeffery graduated from Mansfield High School. He aspires to someday teach English courses at the college level as a respected member of the academic community. His research interests include American literature, film analysis, and popular culture. He will be graduating in May with a B.A. in English and plans to pursue a master’s degree.

9

Undergraduate Research Symposium Through a Literary Lens: Susan Glaspell and Minnie Foster; Feminism in Perspective Presented by Hope Vincent

Traditionally, American writers address many humanitarian issues through literature. Susan Glaspell, who wrote her short play Trifles in 1916, uses her work as a forum to address equality issues between the sexes during that era. This paper will foremost analyze Trifles in a way that highlights the overt sexism of the men and the emotional and physical responses of the women. Furthermore, it will evaluate the methods that Mrs. Glaspell employs to highlight feminist issues, such as “the unseen woman.” It will also cover Susan Glaspell’s background as a reporter, playwright, and wife, and how each of these areas affects her writing in Trifles. Through Susan Glaspell’s literary lens, the feminist struggle for freedom from a turn-of-the-century patriarchal society can be contemplated. Although the fight for equal rights has been raging for decades, true equality between the sexes will not exist until stereotypes of women, and how they should behave, have been completely nullified, and the unseen battles of sexism are fought in the foreground.

Hope Vincent is an adult returning student who will graduate in fall 2011 with her bachelor’s degree in psychology. She aspires to attain a career that will combine her fascination with analyzing people’s motives with her love of writing.

She hopes to return to the University of Arkansas for her master’s in psychology after taking a short break from school to work for a while. She was a contributing writer to her former office publication, The Midtown Monthly, and has most recently been published in the Arkoma Community News. She was born in Texas, and currently resides in Oklahoma with her fiancé, her daughter, and multiple cats.

10

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Porno for Pyros: Issues of Control and Rape Fantasies in Bastard Out of Carolina Presented by Katy Dodd

In the mid-sixties, Congress passed child abuse reporting laws in every state in America. Dorothy Allison’s novel Bastard Out of Carolina is set shortly before these laws were passed, and the central conflict is based on the long-term sexual abuse of a child by her step-father. The abuse of Ruth-Ann, or “Bone,” is so defined by the class and culture in which it occurs that even if those reporting laws had existed within the novel’s setting, they would not have mattered. The abuse suffered transcends law, and the knowledge of the law, defined instead by the tight-lipped culture that surrounds it.

Silence is often the product of such a violent sector of socialization, as is the case with Allison’s novel. However, through her use of rape fantasies as a coping mechanism, Allison’s protagonist develops the ability to achieve control and absolution in her own mind. Though she manifests the same issues of control and power that plague her violator, the stark contrast between real abuse and abuse as a part of sexual fantasy helps her understand herself in a sexually relevant way. Although this is never entirely independent of the prior abuse, the newfound sexual understanding transcends all previous notions of violence, class and “normalcy” in an effort to define the individual not by circumstance, but personal fortitude.

Katy Dodd graduated from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia with distinction. After high school, she attended Kennesaw State University for three years to study English and French as a second language. She is currently a senior at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and plans to attend graduate school for English Literature in the Spring of 2011.

11

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 3

Presentations in Information Technology Health Sciences Room 222

2:00 Tim Newman

2:30 Erik McGee (Group Presentation)

3:00 Erik McGee (Individual Presentation)

Undergraduate Research Symposium Quick Full-Text Searches Presented by Tim Newman

As more publications are stored in databases, the push for full-text searches rises. Full-text searching is the process of searching a document in its entirety rather than just by a set of keywords or an abstract. Although the concept is simple and has been around for a long time, implementing it is still in its infancy. In this paper I present a new way of quickly searching through documents using two data types called Longtext and Word, along with a series of search algorithms for the four main search types: equals case sensitive, equals ignore case, contains case sensitive, and contains ignore case. A Word is used to hold a single word in a piece of text as a byte array, in addition to holding a variable that represents the total sum of all the bytes. The Longtext object holds an array of Word objects, in sequential order, along with certain metadata such as the minimum and maximum size Words. When a search is executed, the first step is to check if the search term is between or equal to the minimum and maximum Words in the Longtext object. If it is, traverse through the Longtext array and compare each Word object’s length and byte sum to that of the search term.

If these are equal, only then do you go character by character to confirm they match. Testing revealed this approach significantly lowered the execution time compared to traditional search techniques.

Tim Newman graduated from Mansfield High School. He aspires to enter the information technology/computer science field and is currently pursuing a degree in information technology with a focus on database management. His research interests primarily revolve around database systems with search techniques, engine optimization, and natural language processing as some of his most engaging topics. In the future, Tim hopes to either take a research position in the industry or continue his education in graduate school.

12

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith BEST Robotics Volunteer Management System

Presented by Joseph Gaona, Curtis Jarvis, Cody Foldvary, and Erik McGee In the fall semester of 2010, a web-based volunteer management system for the Boosting Engineering Science and Technology(BEST) Robotics Competition was started as a University of Arkansas - Fort Smith capstone project. In the spring semester of 2011, the system was upgraded to improve overall usability, provide better administrative control options, improve the appearance, and add more security features. Once the system enters a production status, BEST volunteers will be able to sign up via the internet. BEST administrators will be able to manage competitions, volunteers, and generate reports. Competition management includes adding new competitions, updating existing, competitions, as well as removing past competitions. Volunteer management automates adding new volunteers and assigning volunteers to various events. Report generation provides administration with the number of volunteers registered for a competition, the number of shirts needed for a competition, and list of available volunteer positions for the competition. This system will improve the management and coordination of volunteers for all BEST competitions.

Erik McGee graduated from Poteau High School in 1991 and came back to school ten years later. He aspires to be a web developer for a large company or a college.

Curtis Jarvis graduated from Northside High School in 1986. He received an AAS degree in Information Technology from University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in 2009. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. He is currently employed as a programmer for an international electronic publishing company.

Cody Foldvary graduated from Northside High School. He aspires to enter the IT field and is currently pursuing a degree in networking. His research interests include learning about new ideas in the IT industry and how to implement them effectively in a production environment.

Joseph Gaona graduated from Van Buren High School in 1996. He desired to expand his skill set by going back to school and getting a degree. In 2008, Joseph received an A.A.S. in Information Technology. In spring of 2011, Joseph will graduate with a B.S. in Information Technology in Database Administration. He is currently employed and plans to be promoted after graduation.

13

Undergraduate Research Symposium The Smart Home vs. The Dumb Home Presented by Erik McGee

In computer terminals, a “dumb” terminal refers to a computer terminal that is limited in its ability to function in communication or interpretation. In the same fashion, I believe that with today’s technology a good comparison would be a “dumb” house, which is a house with traditional electrical outlets, thermostats, lighting, and appliances. In contrast, a “smart” home is a home with outlets, thermostats, lighting, and some or most appliances that can all be controlled by computer or a smart phone. A regular electrician or even the weekend Do-It-Yourselfer can install regular electrical wiring for the “dumb” house, but the “smart” house would require some knowledge of networking that your average electrician and DIY weekend warrior would not be qualified to perform. In this study I wish to show the contrast between the two homes in the areas of installation and setup costs. The energy should be lower in the “smart” home because controls can be accessed and turned on or off to the minute, whereas with a standard system, you could only rely on plug-in timers and a programmable thermostat that will not allow you to adjust the temperature in your home for sudden weather changes from any location via the internet.

Erik McGee graduated from Poteau High School in 1991 and came back to college ten years later. He aspires to be a web developer for a large company or a college.

14

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 4

Presentations in History Health Sciences Room 227

2:00 Jon Derek Wright

2:30 Deborah Fields

3:00 Roy Fisher

3:30 Antonio J. Contreras

4:00 L. Joe Oleson

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Captain Phillip Pennywit: A Steamboat Pioneer in Arkansas Presented by Jon Derek Wright

Steamboat Captain Phillip Pennywit was once a well-known man in Arkansas. With his home port in Van Buren, he became close friends and business partners with Van Buren founder John Drennen and Drennen’s son-in-law, Charles Scott. After working the riverboat trade for more than 20 years, Pennywit retired to numerous business interests in the Van Buren area and became a resident of the Drennen-Scott home. Though almost unknown today outside the local history of Crawford County, Pennywit was a central figure in the economic expansion of western Arkansas. He represents the period of early western steamboating and the entrepreneurship of the frontier. Pennywit’s final resting place is in the Drennen-Scott family section of Van Buren’s Fairview Cemetery.

Captain Phillip Pennywit: A Steamboat Pioneer in Arkansas provides an overview of Phillip Pennywit in his steamboat career from 1828-1849. This essay was originally written for Arkansas History at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. The project has since expanded in partnership with the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Drennen-Scott Historic Site to examine the historic record for any trace of Pennywit which will facilitate the construction of exhibits and other interpretative material. Pennywit’s story has never been examined in a systematic academic manner. Primary records consist almost entirely of early 19th century newspaper stories, and the few short biographical sketches were simply rewritten from these accounts. The goal of the 2011 Pennywit project will be to rescue this intriguing story from the lost pages of history.

Derek Wright is originally from Alabama and moved to the Fort Smith area five years ago. He is attending University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in preparation for graduate school in public history. Derek obtained his B.A. in History in 1992 at Auburn University at Montgomery (Alabama), but pursued a career outside that field before returning recently to study interpretive history and rhetoric at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. Derek currently covers history events and music for the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Lions’ Chronicle as well as volunteers at the Fort Smith National Historic Site as a costumed interpreter and member of the cannon crew.

15

Undergraduate Research Symposium The California Gold Rush: Emigrational, Migratory, and Oceanic Routes to the California Mines 1849-50 Presented by Deborah Fields

This paper examines James Marshall’s discovery of gold in Coloma, California in January 1848 at John Sutter’s sawmill.

A myriad of people from all over the world set out to stake their claim after reading proclamations from newspapers such as the Californian and the California Star. This paper describes the various routes Argonauts chose to travel during the California Gold Rush between 1849 and 1851. Stories of men and families who ventured there, either overland or by sea, offer firsthand narratives detailing the complexities of a particular route. The narratives are found in diaries and journals of the men and women who traversed the West to get to the gold mines. The use of narratives, articles, and books detailing the geographical areas they travelled through, shed light, not only on the routes, but provide a true picture of the hardships faced by the Argonauts. This paper seeks to answer the question, which resulted in the faster, better, or safer route to get to the California gold mines by comparing the narratives of individuals who made the journeys by land and sea. The diarists researched in this paper travelled either by the overland route, the Isthmus of Panama, or Cape Horn as their stories will reveal.

Deborah Fields completed her associate degree at Rich Mountain Community College in Mena before transferring to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith to further her studies in history and English. When she graduates with her bachelor’s degree, she will seek a graduate program suited for her studies. Deborah’s primary area of research is American history with an emphasis on the American West. Her second area of research is medieval British history. Her philosophy is that one can only gain a better understanding of ourselves in our present day by understanding the choices and situations of our past. Deborah aspires to get into research where she might be able to effect change.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Captain Randolph B. Marcy and the 1849 Survey That Led to the Butterfield Stage Coach Route to California through Fort Smith Presented by Roy Fisher

The paper will demonstrate the trail blazing activities of the U.S. Army in Indian Territory after the War with Mexico. The war resulted in the acquisition of Southwest territories including California just as gold was discovered on the American River. The subsequent Gold Rush prompted many travelers to start their overland journey from Fort Smith and into largely unknown and uncharted areas west of here.

Captain Randolph Barnes Marcy and a troop of dragoons were assigned by Colonel Mathew Arbuckle to escort the 349 member Fort Smith Expedition headed to the gold fields of California. Marcy carefully charted the course of the wagon train and carefully noted grade, water, pasture, and wood resources. He exactly measured the distance from Fort Smith to Dona Ana which is north of El Paso.

Marcy returned to Fort Smith afterward only to explore the region three more times in the 1850’s. He became an author of a best seller, A Prairie Traveler, published in 1859 that had a sketch of Fort Smith as the frontispiece. He recommended that this city be the terminus for a transcontinental railroad and as an ideal departure point for all western travel.

Though Fort Smith missed out on a big opportunity of a Pacific railroad, Marcy’s Road became the route adopted by the Butterfield Stage Line in 1853.

This presentation will use primary sources from Marcy and other travelers that he influenced to survey and explore this region and will rely on the student actually replicating the route and exploring the twelve Butterfield stations along Marcy Road.

Outside of school, Roy Fisher enjoys reading anything to do with history, particularly, the American Revolution and the Civil War. He is a chef, specializing in Italian cuisine, an avid gardener and landscaper. Roy has researched historical events on the Southwest frontier and has been researching his family genealogy for over thirty years. With his B. A. degree in history and his genealogical certification, he plans to do professional speaking and research on historical topics and genealogy.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium The Jesuit Missionaries: Their Contribution to the Christian Conversion in Northern Mexico Presented by Antonio J. Contreras

This research examines the rise of Christianity in the New World and the missionaries who served as messengers of Christianity to the Indians of Mexico. It will describe the efforts the missionaries made in Mexico in the 16th century.

Although the mendicant orders believed in the same religion, they differed in the way theology was expressed, practiced, and implemented among the Indians. This research focuses on the Jesuit missionaries’ success in converting the native Indians of Northern Mexico to Christianity. I argue this success is mainly because the Jesuits extensively studied linguistic, cultural, and social norms of the natives through observation, participation, and social integration.

The research presentation for this subject was based on primary and secondary sources along with numerous articles.

The research is presented in a web-based format, giving the audience a non-linear way of reading the material. The main page of the website has hyperlinks to the main points of the research. This gives both expert and non-expert audiences choices in reading the material that is most important to them. These audiences are then able to use hyperlinks to navigate through the information, giving them more control of how they experience the text.

Antonio Contreras acquired his G.E.D from Fort Smith Adult Education in Fort Smith, AR in 2005. He is currently pursuing a degree in history at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, which he will complete at the end of the current year. His research interests include early European history (500-1000 A.D.) and Colonialism in the Americas. Antonio is interested in pursuing his education at the graduate level in history in hopes of acquiring a master’s degree to teach history at the college level.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Enduring Greatness of George Washington: Not Due to His Tactical Military Ability Presented by L. Joe Oleson

George Washington’s global recognition remains strong 212 years after his death. The current American culture has his greatness stemming from his military prowess. Recent documentaries have omitted details in their effort to streamline the story and in doing so have changed the nature of how his character is viewed. An examination of key events in his youth is made to show possible origins for qualities that endeared him to both his peers and those that served him.

Washington’s overall command prior to official French involvement is studied in detail to show his inadequacies as a military tactician. The research concludes by making the point that his character, stemming from specific events in his youth and having positive effect on subordinates despite tactical failures, made George Washington a global icon.

L. Joe Oleson is a 1993 alumnus of Westark Junior College. Having to go back to work after the 1995 school year, it would not be until 2008 before Mr. Oleson found himself once again in a position to finish College. Influenced in the early 1990s by the friendship and enthusiastic teaching of Mr. Billy Higgins, Mr. Oleson returned to his old campus and the new University of Arkansas- Fort Smith with a desire for a history degree. His historical philosophy is simply that the truth, no matter its color or leaning, should be known as well as all evidence will allow. Teaching at a junior college and writing historical copy for organizations such as NPR and PBS are Mr. Oleson’s ultimate goals.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 5

Presentations in Humanities, Philosophy, and Ecology

Health Sciences Room 223 2:00 Sarah Hubbard

2:30 Kristyn Moore

3:00 Blanca O. Macareno

3:30 Matthew J. Neoh

4:00 Matthew J. Neoh

Undergraduate Research Symposium Reclaiming the Spiro Mounds Artifacts Presented by Sarah Hubbard

Although a resident of Spiro, Oklahoma all my life, I only recently became aware of the importance of the AmericanIndian culture in that area after selecting the Spiro Mounds as a topic for a University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Humanities class with Dr. Stephen Husarik. After some limited investigation, I learned that most of the objects in the Spiro Mounds Museum are replicas and that conflicting legal reasons prevent the originals from being returned to the museum. Since objects in museums around the world could be repatriated to this collection, it is worth notifying the general public about these problematic legal issues. Perhaps they could be solved through public awareness and input.

Thus, I developed a website to inform people about the museum, the artifacts, how they have gotten lost, and how they might be brought back to the original museum site.

My website informs people about the history of the Spiro Mounds and how artifacts were looted from them in the 1930’s.

In addition, I discuss the conflicting ownership problems between tribes. By raising public awareness about these and other problems, people who own stolen artifacts may contact me through my internet web page and suggest solutions.

Working together we can bring back as many artifacts as possible to the Spiro Mounds State Park. This website is posted on several general search engines to ensure the widest possible participation and engagement. My presentation includes a discussion of Spiro Mounds history, descriptions of the artifacts known to be held in distant museums, and reactions to my website.

Sarah Sue Hubbard was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas and graduated from Arkoma High School in 1992. She attended Westark Community College from 1993-1995 and is currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in biology, with plans to enter the field of veterinary medicine after graduation. She has been married for sixteen years to Anthony Hubbard and has two sons. One reason she decided to research this subject because it involved local history and artifacts; the other reason is because she has a Native American background. It is her hope that this presentation will make people aware of the importance of the Spiro Mounds and their contents.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Effects of Music Techniques in Films Presented by Kristyn Moore

Many people enjoy watching films, but not very many realize how much the music in a film affects the viewer. This project examines how the use of music affects the film’s viewer on both a conscious and subconscious level. My main focus was how music can provide a deeper understanding of the film.

My research included textbooks, library books, and internet searches. I learned through the research that there are many different kinds of musical techniques that benefit films, whether American or not, and that these techniques lead to greater viewer involvement. I found that the use and effect of these musical types vary depending on the genre of the film. Finally, I analyzed the film Howl’s Moving Castle, to study how different techniques affect the viewer. I found that Howl’s Moving Castle developed different kinds of musical techniques, such as background music, peter-and-thewolfing, leitmotifs, traveling music, signifiers of emotion, and rhythmic patterns to involve the viewer in many different ways. These categories of music were used to enhance the understanding of the film and the emotional reaction of the viewer. The results of this research led me to acknowledge that music plays a very important role in films. My deeper understanding of how music in film works gave me more insight as to the underlying message of the overall story.

Kristyn Moore graduated from Huntsville High School. She aspires to learn multiple languages and is currently pursuing a degree in Spanish. Her research interests include writing science fiction stories, reading manga, and watching cartoons or science fiction on the weekends. She loves playing with her pet cat Diamond, and watching anime. She enjoys taking foreign language classes. She likes go home to Huntsville and see her mom. She likes to play games on the computer. She doesn’t do any fun activities until after the homework is done. She is happy when her friends travel from Russellville to see her.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Effects of the Non-Traditional Use of Western Film Elements in Japanese Films Presented by Blanca O. Macareno

The Japanese film industry has generated worldwide interest both by consistently producing quality films and by being the nation to produce the largest number of films. More importantly, the Japanese film industry has developed a unique national style which is rich in mood and atmosphere and which reflects Japanese cultural values. According to The Oxford History of World Cinema, the destruction of the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923 was the decisive catalyst to develop new kinds of Japanese films. After this, the Japanese film industry used traditional Western techniques in new ways so that their films better reflected the Japanese cultural identity. This research project examines how the Japanese have adapted the Western styles of visual design, cinematography, editing, and sound to portray the Japanese cultural identity. The study begins by examining research in textbooks, such as The Oxford History of World Cinema, Reading a Japanese Film, and The Japanese Film: Art and Industry, to determine the various Western techniques the Japanese use and how they are used in Japanese films. Then the project applies that knowledge to a variety of Japanese films and draws conclusions about how the Japanese use Western elements to create and represent their cultural identity.

Blanca Olivia Macareno is the daughter of Sael and Inocencia Macareno. Her hometown is Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, and she graduated from Fort Gibson High School. She attends Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Her hobbies include video editing and photography. She also enjoys translating for non-English speaking people. She currently does community service at Saint Edward Mercy Medical Center. She is a first-generation college student attending the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and a sophomore. She is majoring in biology with a minor in Spanish, and wants to pursue medical school to get an M.D. degree and specialize in pediatrics. She is involved in student and community organizations. Her research interests include biology, humanities, psychology and education.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Immorality of Contemporary Financial and Economic Schemes and the Promise of Social Credit Presented by Matthew J. Neoh

Many contemporary social ills including poverty, indebtedness, social unrest, and even broken families can be attributed to the failure of our current economic and financial systems. In this paper, the morality of these institutions as they stand today is evaluated from the point of view of the normative ethical theory of value ethics. It is the contention of the author that the current monetary system of fractional reserve banking is inefficient, dysfunctional, and immoral.

Indeed, it is this monetary system that keeps aggregate consumer purchasing power artificially low. While running a trade surplus or taking out a loan will temporarily correct deficient purchasing power, the current economic system is based on an insatiable need for ever increasing growth and indebtedness. In contrast, Social Credit, whose origins can be traced back to the ideas of British engineer C.H. Douglas, is an alternative economic and financial system that is designed to ameliorate these institutions. A Social Credit system involves the implementation of two mechanisms of rectifying deficient consumer purchasing power: a National Dividend and a compensated price mechanism known alternatively as the National Credit. It is the contention of the author that reforming current economic and financial systems is morally imperative and that Social Credit can assist policymakers in this endeavor. In addition to the ethical merits of a Social Credit system, the complaints of its detractors and the ways in which Social Credit should be applied to modern economics will be addressed.

Matthew J. Neoh is presently a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in biology and is the son of immigrants from Southeast Asia. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree thanks to the generosity of Myles Friedman and a SMART Grant and has lived in many places around the world including the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States. His primary research interests include practical economic policy, nuclear physics, and contemporary American history. Other areas of interest include electoral statistics and rock & roll piano. He hopes to pursue further education in the field of medicine.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium The Ecology and Conservation of Jaguars (Panthera onca) Presented by Matthew J. Neoh

The third-largest felid in the world and the subject of divine reverence in some cultures, the jaguar compels a certain prima facie mystical response when first encountered. Some of this sentiment can be attributed to how little scientists truly understand about this creature. For instance, only in the past few years has cannibalism amongst adult jaguars been scientifically documented. Furthermore, the home range of jaguars now includes once unthinkable places such as the American southwest. While these discoveries are impressive testaments to the power of experimental induction, they have also inaugurated research into an expansive and for the most part currently unchartered scientific territory.

Indeed, one of the forces driving jaguar conservation is the potential wealth of biological knowledge that can be gleaned from studying this species. In addition, it has been shown that human encroachments on jaguar habitats such as farming and infrastructure have disrupted the normal feeding habits and ecological behavior of jaguars to the point of endangering the survival of the species. Fortunately, certain conservation models implemented successfully in the past to conserve other species can be applied to modern jaguar conservation. In this paper, current research into the ecology of jaguars including home range, feeding habits, and reproductive biology will be discussed in addition to jaguar conservation efforts including the tireless and inspirational work of Dr. Alan Rabinowitz to establish the world’s first jaguar preserve.

Matthew J. Neoh is presently a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in biology and is the son of immigrants from Southeast Asia. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree thanks to the generosity of Myles Friedman and a SMART Grant and has lived in many places around the world including the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States. His primary research interests include practical economic policy, nuclear physics, and contemporary American history. Other areas of interest include electoral statistics and rock & roll piano. He hopes to pursue further education in the field of medicine.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 6

Presentations in Electrical Engineering, Math, and Architecture

Health Sciences Room 321 2:00 Chris Linam

2:30 Jerry Williams

3:00 Jerry Williams

3:30 Joshua Cloud

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Electric Vehicle Battery Charging System Presented by Chris Linam

Development of an ultra fast charging system is key to the wide-scale adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) for daily transportation without on-board, back-up power [1, 2]. Currently, commercially available charging systems average between 10 hours at 120 Vrms to 4 hours at 240 Vrms for completing a charge cycle. This provides a driving range of between 60 to 130 miles depending on battery technology and driving speed/conditions [3]. Most American garages are supplied with 120 Vrms outlets which would require 10 hours of charging time, equivalent to an overnight charge. This severely restricts travel per usual charge to about 30 miles from an approved electrical outlet.

This presentation will discuss the design, development, and construction of a battery charging system used to charge the EV at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Central to this system is a 12 V battery charger which is based on the bq2031 IC. This charger is capable of supplying 10 A of continuous current while checking for correct battery polarity, dead cells, and overheating. This presentation will also provide detailed data on efficiency, current ripple, and rapid disconnect tests.

References: [1] K.W.E Cheng, “Recent Development on Electric Vehicles”, 3rd International Conference on Power Electronics Systems and Applications, 2009.

[2] A. F. Burke, “Batteries and Ultracapacitors for Electric, Hybrid, and Fuel Cell Vehicles”, Proceeding of the IEEE, vol. 95, no. 4, April 2007.

[3] http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car Chris Linam graduated from Greenwood High School in 1988 and will be completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in May 2011. Chris has owned and operated his own automotive repair business for the past 20 years. He aspires to enter the automotive industry researching electrical vehicles.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Electric Vehicle Microcontroller Unit Presented by Jerry Williams

Modern combustion engine automobiles rely on up to 70 on-board embedded microprocessors to maintain vehicle performance and operation of desired features such as GPS and MP3 players [1]. The industry standard network used to handle these requirements is the Controller Area Network (CAN) [2]. The importance of the embedded processors and CAN is magnified when designing and building an Electric Vehicle (EV). These microprocessors and CAN must control the electric motor drive system and manage the batteries which are not necessary for combustion engine automobiles.

This presentation will give an overview of the microprocessors and CAN used in an EV designed and built at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. A more detailed description will be given for the Microcontroller Unit (MCU) designed and built for specific use in this EV. Some application examples will be given illustrating where the MCU has been implemented in the EV and performance results will be discussed.

References: [1] T. Herpel, B. Kloiber, R. German, and S. Fey, “Assessing the CAN Communication Startup Behavior of Automotive ECUs by Prototype Measurements”, International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference IEEE, pp. 928-932, 2009.

[2] W. Prodanov, M. Valle, and R. Buzas, “A Controller Area Network Bus Transceiver Behavioral Model for Network Design and Simulation”, Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 56, no. 9, pp. 3762, 2009.

Jerry Williams graduated from Southside High School in 1998 and will be completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in May 2011. Jerry has had several industrial work experiences with PRADCO and owned and operated Williams Tree Service. He aspires to enter the microcontroller industry with applications in the computer gaming or amusement park entertainment industry.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith IR Interactive Media Platform Presented by Jerry Williams

The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry with 19.66 billion dollars in annual sales in 2009.

In the recent past, integrating greater user interaction along with enhanced realism has become more popular. This can be seen with Nintendo’s Wii system and the recent introductions of PlayStation’s new Move system and Xbox’s Kinect. This project seeks to utilize currently available video game hardware, a Wii remote, and connect it to a personal computer via Bluetooth which can be used to create user interactive games and applications. In addition, in the 21st century, computers are becoming more common with 76% of American adults owning one or more personal computers.

Nevertheless, there doesn’t exist any interaction capability for personal computers as exists for the more advanced video game systems. Today’s PC users are searching for a more interactive and enjoyable experience similar to that of the current video gaming systems. This project focuses on bridging the gap between the capabilities of the current gaming systems and personal computers with a simple game, air hockey, which encompasses all aspects needed to create interactive video games. This projects main effort is to provide code necessary to link the gaming hardware (i.e. the Wii remote) to a personal computer via a Bluetooth connection.

Jerry Williams graduated from Southside High School in 1998 and will be completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering May 2011. He plans on attending graduate school in the fall while working full-time in the engineering field. Jerry has had several industrial work experiences with PRADCO and owned and operated Williams Tree Service.

He aspires to enter the microcontroller industry with applications in the computer gaming or amusement park entertainment industry.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium On the Algebraic Properties of Pin-Wheel Graphs and their Applications Presented by Joshua Cloud

In this work we study different algebraic properties of Pin-Wheel Graphs and Generalized Pin-Wheel Graphs. In particular, we calculate the determinant of both types of graphs using techniques developed by H. Rara, as well as the center and radius of the Generalized Pin-Wheel Graph. Further, the eigenvalues and eigenvectors are calculated. The center of a graph is a concept related to the closeness centrality measure in social networks, thus we make a natural step in the second half of this work to study real-life applications of the Pin-Wheel and Generalized Pin-Wheel Graphs in business and astronomy.

Joshua Cloud graduated from Cedarville High School. He aspires to be a statistical analyst and is currently pursuing a degree in mathematics. His research interests include graph theory, astronomy, and statistics.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 7

Presentations in Business Health Sciences Room 318

2:00 Ashton Peters (Group Presentation)

2:30 Cesar Casillas

3:00 Chance Weaver

3:30 Leslie Morris

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Jitterbug, LLC

Presented by Ashton Peters and Jeremy Moore Sunday, Monday, Tuesday; it didn’t matter what day it was during the 1950’s; every day was a happy day. In almost every mind anytime the 50’s are mentioned, people think of the simpler times. The mission of The Jitterbug is to provide a nostalgic casual dining experience. Everything is based from the slogan, “Returning to Happier Days.” All aspects work cooperatively to allow patrons to revisit a simpler, happy decade.

The basis of our products and services offered stretches far beyond that of a normal restaurant. Our menu is set around traditional all-American food including our signature “Blast from the Past Milkshake”. The entire atmosphere from layout and décor to the music and wait staff will all serve to reinforce the atmosphere.

The primary market for The Jitterbug will be families. We plan to position ourselves as a good quality casual dining restaurant that is fun for everyone. The use of nostalgia will be one of the driving forces in drawing customers. The appeal to both children and adults is what gives The Jitterbug the potential to be the favorite family diner in Fort Smith.

Though in the advance idea stages, the management team has already identified an ideal potential spot and is ready to move forward when the proper funding for the project has been achieved. After The Jitterbug has established itself locally as a forerunner in experiential casual dining there are plans for expansion. Extensive research has been done of the cost associated with the start-up and the potential critical risks have been identified.

Ashton Peters is a graduate of Alma High School. He is a marketing major. He is currently employeed as the Brand Coordinator at Williams-Crawford & Associates.

Jeremy Moore is a graduate of Charleston High School. He is a marketing major. He is currently employed at ABF Freight.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium The Effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Businesses Presented by Cesar Casillas

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) is an important piece of legislation passed in response to the accounting scandals that occurred at the turn of the century. This paper will describe the effects that the law has had on American businesses. One of the primary purposes of the Act was to restore investor confidence. A key concern is whether the benefits of the Act outweigh the cost to the corporations. The costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act can be tied to two parts of the Act: Section 302 related to corporate responsibility for financial reporting and Section 404 which covers management assessment of internal controls. These sections will be described in great detail since these are the parts of the law with which companies have the most difficult time complying. Another consequence that will be discussed is the delisting of public companies. Many small and mid-sized companies have considered going private because of costs associated with this Act. Lastly, the prevention and detection of financial fraud that this Act is supposed to provide will be discussed to measure the effectiveness of the Act. Although this Act is fairly new it has had a significant impact on the way businesses now operate.

Cesar Casillas graduated from Southside High School. He currently works at Graphic Packaging International and hopes to further advance his career within the company. Cesar is also a member of the 188th Fighter Wing and has participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He is currently pursuing his degree in Business Administration focusing on Marketing and plans to graduate in spring of 2012. Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree he hopes to attend the University of Arkansas’s part-time M.B.A. program. Cesar’s research interests include the Enron Scandal, Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the recording engineer process.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Other Side of Performance Presented by Chance Weaver

One type of behavior that employers embrace is organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). There are multiple types of organizational citizenship behaviors that exist within an organization. Organizational citizenship behaviors are extra roles that employees complete outside their range of typical job duties. Examples of such behaviors include altruism, courtesy, cheerleading, peacekeeping, sportsmanship, civic virtue and conscientiousness. Companies embrace OCBs because they can be very beneficial to the organizational both directly and indirectly. The occurrence of organizational citizenship behaviors, or a lack thereof, can be linked to many differentiating factors within the organization. These factors include internalizing the collective vision of the organization, defining roles very specifically within the organization, having a balance of organizational justice, and creating a specific mood in the workplace. This paper will review research examining the different types of organizational citizenship behaviors and the factors that influence these desirable behaviors.

Chance Weaver graduated from Van Buren High School in 2008. He entered college in the fall of 2008 where he studies marketing. He is very interested in sales, and ways to increase sales productivity and job satisfaction in the workplace.

His research interests include ways to increase productivity in the workplace. He enjoys college and aspires to be a business professor in the future.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium The Wrinkling Workforce: Shifts in the U.S. Labor Force Presented by Leslie Morris

This paper will examine the wrinkling of the workforce and the after-effects. The wrinkling of the workforce refers to the increasing average age of the workforce as Baby Boomers near retirement age and more and more people work beyond “normal” retirement age. This report examines the shifts in the U.S. labor force through the next ten years. It looks at the issues created by more than 1000 Baby Boomers retiring every day starting in 2011. The Baby Boomers play such a large part in companies all across the nation that losing so many in a short time span can be potentially devastating to an individual company and the labor force as a whole. Some of the issues caused by the wrinkling workforce include: lack of experienced management applicants, productivity shifts and ineffective transitioning. A smooth transition for the Baby Boomers exiting the workforce is the key. This can be achieved in three major ways: 1) changing the way we think about retirement by creating a slower exit process for the employees ready to retire including allowing them to work part- time, flexible schedules, and job sharing; 2) preparing adequately for the differing expectations of Generation X and Y; and 3) transitioning from the Baby Boomer managers to the new X and Y Generations.

Leslie Morris graduated from Southside High School in Fort Smith. She aspires to enter the graduate program at University of Arkansas and is currently pursuing a degree in marketing. Her research interests includes management in today’s business world, improving customer relationship, non-profit marketing and fundraising, and effective transitions in the business world. Leslie has served as an Event Coordinator for University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and on the Lion Community Outreach Day board for two years. She is also the current 2011 director for Lion Community Outreach Day. Her long time goals include opening a non-profit in Fort Smith educating underprivileged women of how to better every aspect of their lives.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium

Room 8

Presentations in Education, Rhetoric, and Psychology Health Sciences Room 124

2:00 Whitley Hurst

2:30 Amanda Maxwell

3:00 Dustin C. Hilliard

3:30 Jean Powell Vosper

4:00 Maureen Didion

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Project Be_Cause: An Approach to Promoting Academic Achievement through Service Learning Presented by Whitley Hurst

Service learning occurs in a wide variety of settings: schools, universities, and faith-based organizations throughout the country as a hands-on approach to education. This study focuses on improving student engagement in classroom and community activities by planning and implementing volunteer service projects in a fifth grade literacy classroom.

First, the researcher devises a plan to align this project with a literacy-based curriculum. The purpose of Project Be_Cause is to facilitate active learning experiences for young adolescents. Small teams of students tackle selfselected service projects; they identify the problem, possible solutions, and any obstacles that may surface during their project. Implementing service learning which is embedded into the curriculum increases student engagement and civil awareness. Through self-selecting projects with limited restrictions, students display ownership of their learning while using real-world situations to practice content knowledge learned in the classroom. Because the researcher was a practicum student, she was unable to be present for the small milestones throughout this experience. Instead, she collaborated with a fifth grade literacy instructor at a local intermediate school to access the information needed to complete the research and record and examine the data that indicated both intellectual and social growth in the fifth and sixth grade students. Overall, the students used this experience to enrich the lives of others as well as their own both inside and out of the classroom; they were more willing to provide assistance to citizens in the community.

In future studies, the researcher would like to lengthen the duration of the study and allow students to develop their projects over a semester.

Whitley Hurst graduated from Alma High School. She aspires to enter the education field and is currently pursuing a degree in middle level education with an emphasis in math and science. Her research interests include the importance of service learning in the classroom and the correlation between student motivation and student teacher interactions.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium What teaching strategies contribute most effectively to English Language Learners’ language acquisition skills in inclusion classrooms?

Presented by Amanda Maxwell

The No Child Left Behind Act has put extensive pressure on educators and students to perform at high standards. All students including English Language Learners (ELL) are expected to perform at grade level on standardized exams.

Teachers must be knowledgeable in English Language pedagogy to teach their ELL students through language gaps and into language proficiency. Research has shown that using confirmed teaching strategies increases English language proficiency among ELLs. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) method of instruction is one of the confirmed strategies for ELL language progression. The SIOP method involves introducing and teaching academic vocabulary. ELLs are fluent in their native language but struggle comprehending English as their second language. The use of both the native language and the secondary language inside the classroom will encourage secondary language comprehension and promote a multicultural classroom environment. Numerous studies suggest that a pattern of differentiated vocabulary instruction emerges in relation to ELLs language fluency, comprehension and acquisition.

Cooperative learning groups also increase language proficiencies and expose ELLs to academic vocabulary across the curriculum. This research will also include studies of read aloud strategies, scaffolding advanced organizers, notetaking, cultural awareness, nonlinguistic representation, parental support, and the use of Response to Intervention (RTI) among ELLs. Amanda Maxwell graduated from Van Buren High School in 2007. She is actively pursuing a degree in middle level education with an emphasis in English language arts and social studies. She was a pre-school teacher before she became a full-time student. Her educational interests include English language learners, study skills, and student motivation. She and her husband aspire to create education applications and a study skills curriculum. Amanda plans on graduating in 2013. After graduation she plans to teach in Arkansas. Her goal is to educate students to their fullest potential and to be a leader within the public schools.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith “Rhet-o-Pop” –The Rhetoric of Pop Music Presented by Dustin C. Hilliard

This project focuses on finding the rhetorical impact of pop music on modern America. It also seeks to find out what our culture understands about this powerful force of persuasion. We know that pop artists use many types of language and devices in their craft, but how deep is their impact, and what can the academic community learn from these artists?

Most research conducted for this project is from primary sources examining music, lyrics, cover art, and videos of highly popular artists like Eminem and Lady Gaga. Other artists and sources are used, but the scope of this research will be narrowed to artists and songs which have appeared on any of Billboard Magazine’s charts, with a specific focus on the last two decades. The project is an oral presentation aided by a website.

Dustin Hilliard graduated from North Lamar High School in Paris, Texas in 1999, served five years in the US Marine Corps, and worked independently as a singer/songwriter for five years before enrolling as a freshman at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in January 2010. He is currently in the second semester of his sophomore year. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school to obtain a Ph.D. in English and teach at the collegiate level. He is most interested in studying pop culture and its relationship with modern society.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Stuck in the Web: Utopia or Wishful Thinking?

Presented by Jean Powell Vosper

World Wide Web, Internet, Net, or Interwebz: whatever you choose to call it, digital communication is not merely a convenience any longer; it’s a necessity. The transmission of data, text, voice, and video in an electronic format is a burgeoning global phenomenon, and digital communication is being touted as the tool through which universal democracy will become a reality. As is the case with any form of communication, however, there are different levels of meaning, different audiences, and different purposes involved in each message. I have created a website which explores the Internet and the World Wide Web; gives a brief history about the development of each; and discusses the nature of hypertext and hypermedia. The site also addresses how Web 2.0 affects communication, explicates some of the theories which are held by leading experts about those effects, and shares some of my personal observations and experiences of how the Internet impacts interpersonal relationships.

Jean Powell Vosper is a senior at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric and writing. Her goal is to obtain a doctorate in communication studies. She grew up on a farm outside of Van Buren and has since accrued a wide range of interests including making jewelry and studying world religions. Jean and her husband Rick between them have four adult children and two grandcats, and they enjoy entertaining and playing cutthroat Scrabble™ whenever possible.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Correlation Between Childhood Cancer and Family Functioning Presented by Maureen Didion

The five year survival rate for pediatric cancer now exceeds 75%. This work hypothesizes that there is a connection between a diagnosis of childhood cancer and how a family functions. The proposed research will examine the family unit prior to the child cancer diagnosis during and after treatment. Survivors and their families face continued emotional, physical, and economic problems directly or indirectly related to diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The proposed research will provide evidence supporting the association between childhood cancer and the family functioning dynamic. I intend to supply evidence that the quality of family functioning is related to the original diagnosis of pediatric cancer.

I contend that families with a strong religious affiliation, extended family, and social network will do better long term.

Conversely, families experiencing relationship conflicts prior to diagnosis will be more adversely affected. And, there will be a more significant negative impact on low income and minority families.

This research project proposal was approved for Research Methods class. If approved in the public domain (specifically, the research will be conducted at Arkansas Children’s Hospital or similar institution) the research will be ultimately cumulated within the next six months. This will provide a broad demographic representation of Arkansas families with a child who has cancer. It will include a demographic survey, questionnaire, and a Likert scale. Results will be submitted for publication. The proposal was originally submitted as an assignment for Psychology 2613 Research Methods class.

Presentation will include the methodology, the assessment instruments, the rationale and justification for the study, and the hypothesized results.

Maureen is a non-traditional student. She is a senior, and will graduate from the University in May, 2011. In addition to her BSOL degree she has completed a minor in psychology. Her interest in research is related to her profession. She is a founding member of the We Care Foundation. Maureen has served as the Executive Director of the Foundation for five years. This Foundation provides non-medical support programs for children with cancer from birth through young adulthood at age twenty one.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium

Poster Presentations Health Sciences Weidman Conference Center

Undergraduate Research Symposium Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis

Presented by Elisa Shoate, Danielle Hopkins, and Ashley Mayfield Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two serious diseases that result in inflammatory responses of the intestines and other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. The information presented will include a pathophysiology review of both diseases. The pathophysiology review will discuss the regions in the gastrointestinal tract where Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis most often occur. This review will also compare and contrast clinical manifestations of both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Incidence and prognosis of the diseases will also be among the information provided. The statistics of the presentation will be supported by research articles published as recently as 2007. Diagnostic testing, drug therapy, nutrition, and surgical interventions will be discussed for both medical conditions. Management of health and collaborative care will be established through a nursing perspective. Because treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis includes both an alteration in daily nutritional intake and a modified activity status, it is imperative that patient education be the most important component of disease management.

Elisa Shoate graduated from Spiro High School. She aspires to enter the medical field and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Her interests include research of health prevention in minority and low socioeconomic communities, health promotion, and chronic disease prevention. Her goal is to educate and inform individuals and communities about becoming healthier and preventing chronic, life-threatening diseases.

Danielle Hopkins is a 2007 graduate of Magazine High School. She aspires to enter the medical field and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her research interests include researching new breakthroughs in the medical fields.

Ashley Mayfield graduated in 2008 from Van Buren High School. She aspires to enter the medical field as a nurse. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. Ashley feels that nursing is a calling that God has placed before her. She feels she is being drawn to labor and delivery, where she can experience the most beautiful miracle of all: birth itself. She is very committed and can’t wait to see the plans that God has in store for her future.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Bowel Obstruction

Presented by Shelley Fulton and Nata Thongsiri Bowel Obstruction is a common clinical syndrome for which effective treatment depends on a rapid and accurate diagnosis. If diagnosed late or misdiagnosed, the result can be significant morbidity or mortality. The overall incidence of intestinal obstruction with advanced cancer is approximately 3%. However, the incidence of obstruction in ovarian cancer patients is highest at 5%-24%, and the GI cancer incidence ranges from 4%-24%. Although the prognosis is poor in a patient found with bowel obstruction, the outcome can be good if there is early detection or if the obstruction is treated before the tissue damage occurs in the bowels. Teaching the patient of dietary modifications as well as supportive care can prevent the patient from future obstruction. Although the problem is sometimes treatable, the outcome is usually life changing and can cause significant psychological issues due to self-image and self-esteem concerns. Nurses have a pivotal role in educating the public of this potential life threatening issue and the ways to prevent it. Health promotion is the key.

Shelley Fulton is a Junior 2 nursing student in the B.S.N. program at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She plans to graduate in May of 2012. She aspires to pursue her Masters Degree in Nursing after working in intensive care for a couple of years. She has 3 kids; twin boys age 7 and a daughter age 11. She has been married to her loving and supportive husband for 10 years. She loves spending time with her family and helping out in the community as well as volunteering regularly at her church, Central Christian. She accomplishes every goal she sets out for herself through hard work and perseverance.

Nata Thongsiri is a Junior 2 nursing student in the B.S.N . program at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She is planning on graduating in May of 2012 and earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her goal after graduation is to gain work experience as a pediatric registered nurse, and then furthering her nursing education by pursuing a master’s degree. Nata received her high school diploma from Union Christian Academy at Fort Smith, Arkansas in May of 2008.

She strives to pursue excellence when performing any tasks and always has a desire to help anyone in need. She enjoys being outdoors, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Pulmonary Hypertension

Presented by Amber Cobb, Rachel Matthews, and Cassaundra Ellison One in every 906,666th person will get pulmonary hypertension (Cheever). Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension is defined as a blood pressure of greater than 25 mmHg at rest and 30 mmHg upon exertion. This disease leads to cor pulmonale and eventually death. The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are much the same as other respiratory pathologies. These symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, dizziness, and upon-exertion-chest pain. But these symptoms do not usually appear until pulmonary hypertension in an advanced stage. Pulmonary hypertension is diagnosed with a series of tests. There is no cure for pulmonary hypertension; the only comfort comes from treating the symptoms. This disease can be treated with drug therapy. There are also surgical options, and finally a lung transplant. However it is vitally important that steps be taken to treat pulmonary hypertension, without treatment life can end in as little as three years (Oudiz, Rubin, & Cassanova, 2009).

Amber Cobb was born and raised in Mena, AR. She is the mother of two daughters, Alexus, 8, and Markayla, 6. Amber and her children enjoy sports, traveling, beaches, movies, and many other activities. Upon graduation in 2000 she joined the United States Air Force active duty. In October 2007, she separated from active duty and joined the Air National Guard at the 188th Fighter Wing Fort Smith, AR. At that same time she decided to pursue a career in nursing.

She is currently in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and will graduate in May 2012.

Rachel Matthews attended Charleston Public Schools and graduated in 2008. She is married to Kyle Matthews of Greenwood and attends the first Baptist church of Ratcliff. She is currently a junior at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, in the B.S.N. program. She has wanted to be a nurse since she was 12 years old and hopes one day to work in a pediatric ICU. She has a special place in her heart for children and missions. This summer she will be traveling to Belize with the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith to do medical clinics for the less fortunate. Rachel is excited about the countless opportunities that a career in nursing can provide.

Cassaundra Ellison, called Cassie by her friends, grew up in the small community of Bidville. She was homeschooled by her mother from kindergarten through 12th grade. She has aspired to be a nurse since she was around seven years old. She is currently a junior at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in the B.S.N. program. She is employed at St. Edward’s Mercy Medical Center in Fort Smith. Cassie is not sure where her nursing career where lead her but is excited at the opportunities that it will provide.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith What is the effect of honey on the treatment of wounds?

Presented by Justin McFerran, Stacy Davis, Keely Hudson, and Kelley Vail

Purpose: The use of honey for healing wounds is a practice that can be traced back to ancient times. The purpose of this research was to investigate the benefits of using honey (applied topically) for the treatment of wounds.

Methods: The entire Practical Nursing class was assigned to find journal articles of interest and to give a brief overview of their article in class. One particular article of interest involved the use of medicinal honey in wound healing.

Students chose this topic to research further and to present their findings via a poster presentation. Each student (15) participated in the literature review by submitting a summary discussion of their article(s) via Blackboard. Several made personal contact with local wound specialists to discuss current use. Telephone interviews were conducted with various specialists at the Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins Hospital, The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Four students volunteered to complete the literature review and report the results.

Findings: Honey is an ancient remedy that has been used for centuries, but has recently regained recognition for its effectiveness in treating wounds when conventional medical treatment is ineffective. Honey has proven to be effective against bacteria that had become resistant to strong high powered antimicrobials. Applied topically, honey (a hyperosmolar solution) draws water from the bacteria cells which results in cell death. Honey provides a slow, constant release of hydrogen peroxide which is effective in killing bacteria. Its low pH helps alter the alkaline environment of the wound making it less desirable for the growth of bacteria. The antimicrobial properties of honey help the white blood cells fight off the bacteria, therefore leaving the wound sterile. This results in the healing of tissue. The cessation of the wound’s odor is what makes it most preferred by patients.

Conclusions: Application of honey to wounds was found to be highly effective, even when traditional modern medical management had failed. Topical application was effective in the treatment of pressure ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers and wounds infected by Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE). The use of honey for wound healing could result in a large savings to the healthcare system.

Justin McFerran is a 2004 graduate of Northside Christian Academy. After high school, he began working at St. Edward Mercy Medical Center in the Cardiology department. This experience is what sparked his interest to pursue a healthcare profession. After six years of working, Justin is now pursuing a career in nursing. He is enrolled in the LPN program at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and upon graduation plans to move forward towards obtaining his RN licensure.

Justin’s hobbies include playing music, cooking, and gardening.

Stacy Davis attended high school in 1987 at Southside High School in Batesville, Arkansas. After high school, her priorities became marriage and raising a family. After twenty two years of marriage and raising three children, her dreams of becoming a nurse are becoming a reality. She is currently enrolled in the LPN program at UA Fort Smith. Her future plans are to continue her endeavors and apply for the RN program. Hobbies include gardening, oil painting, and reading. Leisure time is spent at baseball games and camping with family and friends.

Keely Hudson is a 2007 graduate of Greenwood High School. She has worked in healthcare since she was 17 years old, and has decided to further her education in this field by enrolling in the LPN program at UA-Fort Smith. Her passion in nursing is working with the elderly. Her desire is to dedicate her career to serve and care for them. She plans to start a family with her husband of 2 years after finishing school, and would eventually like to get her BSN. Keely is involved in her local church and enjoys spending her free time with family and friends.

Kelley Vail graduated from Wasson High School in 1994. She has worked in healthcare for 10 years. Her inspiration to become a nurse came from her son who has multiple disabilities. With the love and support of her husband of seventeen years, two sons, and family, she is now enrolled in the L.P.N program. She is one step closer to realizing her dream of becoming a registered nurse. Hobbies include shopping and spending time with family. Kelley’s long-term goal is to complete the L.P.N to R.N transition program and work for Mercy Hospital as a registered nurse.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Rethinking the Box

Presented by Bobby Rogne, Aaron Moschner, David Barnett, and Erica Buneo In the competitive field of product design, packaging is one of the most important and determining factors for the marketability of a product. A series of steps have to be taken into consideration before the product is finalized and presented to the public. Two groups were given a choice to rebrand a product from the category of chocolate or bath and body. Research was done on the products that were the most appealing in their market and the ones that did not stand out against its competitors. The two groups created viable options to present in a random survey that would determine the demographic as well as the most successful product design. Once the results were gathered, a design was selected by majority rule. It was then that the groups collected background information regarding sales analysis, ingredients, pricing, patent, and all that was required and necessary before the producing and selling of the package. The final steps were mocking up the package and point of purchase materials in order to showcase to the consumer. Many sizing and compatibility options were discussed regarding the location the products would be sold. The preceding steps encompassed the many perspectives and marketing methods in rebranding a current product that would attract new consumers and maintain its current ones.

Bobby Rogne is a graphic design major. He currently works as a graphic artist at Rightmind Advertising in Fort Smith where he is diving deeper into the interactive side of design. Some of his interests outside of design include playing music, disc golf and being outdoorsy. Once he graduates, Bobby plans to further his career as a graphic artist. Bobby has been involved in several design competitions and has even won a few of them. His family is proud of him. Aaron is too.

Aaron Moschner is currently employed at Weldon, Williams & Lick, learning more in-depth printing processes for his graphic design major. Aaron believes for any one person to obtain absolute knowledge of a skill one must be immersed in the experience. Reading novels and searching for inspiration by admiring others artworks is a pastime for him.

Turning the images he imagines while reading into art is the driving force for his passion in studio arts and graphic design. He hopes to become an illustrator and accomplished designer after obtaining his degree.

David Barnett aspires to be a conceptual designer. He is currently in his senior year working toward a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. There have been ups and downs, but all things considered, he has learned very valuable skills and become more confident in his ability to “create�. In his time on this campus he has learned to focus creativity toward problem solving. He favors illustration and is inspired by graphic novels. His favorite work is logo and package design.

He has enjoyed his time at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, and is confident his newly acquired skills will help him start a satisfying career.

Erica Buneo is a native of Pennsylvania who arrived in Arkansas by way of New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.

She holds degrees in history from the University of Florida and law from Loyola University Chicago. Her B.S. in Graphic Design from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, to be awarded in May 2011, is the absolute last degree she will ever pursue. Prior to enrolling at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Erica was a freelance web designer and copyeditor, and Web Content Producer at KFSM-TV in Fort Smith. Upon graduation, she intends to look for full-time work as a graphic designer at a firm somewhere in the immediate area. In her free time, Erica enjoys reading, Tweeting, and walking with her dogs.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Branding Community Non-Profit Organizations

Presented by Adrianna Carter, Michael D’Whitney Pless, Cecilia Hurtado, Daniel Cerda, and Dena Bushnaq In January 2011, the Graphic Design II class at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith was introduced to three nonprofit organizations located in Fort Smith: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Hamilton House, and Children’s Emergency Shelter. Each of these organizations wanted to upgrade their current brand identity of their association but did not have the means to do so. An instructor at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith brought this issue to the Graphic Design department, and the class agreed to take on the project. The class was divided into two groups to help give each organization a “makeover.” The “makeover” included new logos, brochures, websites, presentation boards, newspaper ads, magazine ads, web ads, stationery suite, and “Thank You” cards. During this process, every student created their own logos they thought fit best with the organization. The associations each picked their favorite logo and the students based the rest of their designs on the chosen logos. Students were divided into groups and had to work with one another to achieve a successful brand identity. They also critiqued and constantly changed, adapted, and even merged designs with one another to create the perfect “makeover” for each organization. Once the “makeover” is complete and approved by CASA, Hamilton House, and Children’s Emergency Shelter, they will all use the designs free of charge.

Adrianna Carter graduated from Van Buren High School in 2007. At the tender age of six, she discovered a show called “Sailor Moon” and that was where her passion of art began. Twelve years later, she began attending University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in the fall of 2007. She is currently pursuing a B.S. in Graphic Design and plans to graduate in December 2011. During her course of four years, she has won two local ADDY Awards, one district ADDY Award, and a t-shirt design for Maymester 2011. After graduation, she hopes to either go into the American anime and/or manga industry.

Michael D’Whitney Pless graduated from Van Buren High School in 2005 and then in the fall started college at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She began her college career as a secondary education with an emphasis of history. After two years she was inspired to change her major to graphic design. She never looked back. During her time at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, she received two gold ADDY awards and her t-shirt design was chosen by the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Engineering department. Her interests are traveling, reading, and doodling. She hopes one day to venture to Wonderland after having one of her famous laughing attacks.

Cecilia Hurtado is the daughter of Irma and Rafael Hurtado of Danville, AR. She graduated from Danville High School in 2007. She is majoring in graphic design and plans to obtain her bachelor’s degree in December 2011. She has won ADDY awards and a Brass Ring award on her work and it has been chosen for various organizations and events in Fort Smith. She enjoys photography, logo design, and magazine layout. She plans on earning a minor in Spanish. After graduation, she intends to work as a full-time graphic designer. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, and spending time with family.

Born in Santa Monica, California, Daniel Cerda graduated from Northside High School in Fort Smith in 2006. After graduating high school, he became very interested in art and design. He subsequently enrolled at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith with a graphic design degree in mind. Now in his final year, he is hoping to graduate in the winter of 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. His goal after graduating is either finding a good design job or going to a graduate school or design school to learn more of his craft.

Dena Bushnaq graduated from Van Buren High School. She is graduating college this May and hopes to start working in the graphic design field. She would also love to get into the illustration field, but is really excited about using her creative skills in any way. Dena has always known she would grow up to be a designer, but it wasn’t until her junior year of high school that she decided to be a graphic designer. Although she is about to graduate, she feels there is still so much to learn.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Alternate Careers in Animation Presented by Joel Cloud

Often I have heard that animation software packages, such as 3D Studio Max Design, were designed for architectural firms who hire animators to aide in the visual presentation of various three dimensional projects to prospective customers. During my internship at Gerdau Macsteel, I became curious concerning various industries using animators.

Through this research project, I hope to understand more of the various roles of an animator in diverse careers and what kinds of businesses tend to hire animators for these projects.

Joel Cloud was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and graduated from Cedarville High School. He is currently attending the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith for an associate degree in digital design, and hopes to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Animation Technology. His research interests pertain mostly to animation and its various applications through diverse careers. He was employed in an internship for Gerdau Macsteel to develop a safety video for their steel mill here in Fort Smith.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Is It Worth Going Green?

Presented by William D. Hearne

This is a study of the feasibility of making your house energy efficient. It will investigate what goes into making your house green, which includes type of windows and water heater needed when installing a solar panel system. Also included will be the cost per item installed and the life span of each item. State and federal rebates that most people can qualify for when installing a solar panel system will be discussed. Listed will be the pros and cons of installing a system on your house. Being on or off the grid will also be covered in the research.

William D. Hearne was born in Riverside, California on March 7, 1973. He lived in areas of Southern California for 21 years before moving to Fort Smith, Arkansas on May 30, 1994 with his uncle. Since he was laid off from his job at Whirlpool, William is in the process of completing an AAS degree in CADD - Digital Design. When he completes the degree, William hopes to get a job in either web design or animation.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium How to Patent Your Idea Presented by Gerald Green

Patenting your idea requires detailed plans to step through each phase of the process to initiate and accomplish a successful document of your idea. Depending on the type of patent, it is important to submit the appropriate patent for your idea. Typical patents fall into one of the following types of patents: a Utility, Design or Plant. Patents require funding, graphical illustrations, content disclosure and how the patent works.

My project, “Windshield Wiper Passive Defrost System� requires a design patent. This patent idea came about to address buildup of ice on wiper blades on parked vehicles or those in motion. Usually wiper blades will become stuck to the windshield with exposure to a freezing environment or situation when parked. The other happens while driving as snow is falling and a buildup of snow on the wiper blades reduce their efficiency to clear the windshield. The driver will have to stop and remove ice buildup from the wiper blades to improve their operation. To pursue a design patent on this idea the following guidelines are presented.

To begin the patent application process a brief description is written to describe the design and operation of your idea.

Subsequent or simultaneous work to provide concept sketches or drawing with minimal details are add to context of the document. A generic description is issued to discuss materials, outcome and methods that will be considered in the overall approval or denial of your idea. Due to the large number of patents submitted, a patent search is needed and this requires a lot of time for the approval process. Approved patents can run 18 months minimum up to 60 months, so the process can tedious and overwhelming to complete. The patent idea is a living document and it can be updated or changed as new information is discovered from the time your patent was submitted.

Gerald graduated from Iberville High School. He entered Southern University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to work for several industries where he held a variety of positions and applied his engineering skills. During this time he gained the knowledge to successfully work with and interact with other engineers in many disciplines to accomplish his project work and meet goals of the organization. He married shortly after college and together raised a son. For the last twenty years, he has lived in Fort Smith, Arkansas, worked for a major company and now attends the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith to continue his desire to learn and apply his technical capabilities to other areas of interest and fields of study. He is semi-retired but aspires to move forward with the skills he has gained at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Beam Vibration for Metamaterial Analysis Presented by Casandra M. Bright

Metamaterials are specialized materials that are structurally engineered to have certain properties. Currently NASA is funding the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Engineering Department to explore the usage of metamaterials in wing design. A specialized sample of metamaterial has been constructed to reduce airfoil vibrations in flight. The goal of the overall research is to compare the vibration response of the metamaterial to a standard material. Critical in this goal is to verify the vibration equipment and the model of the material sample. The best model for the sample is that of a beam. Beam vibration has been a frequent topic of vibration analysis. Standard cantilever beam vibration analysis is very similar to the experimental setup and should serve as a good model for analysis. But initial testing has revealed that this model might not be the best model to accurately assess the fundamental frequency of the sample.

Thus, we will discuss alternative models with the goal of accurately matching the frequency response of the experiment with theory. A good model will allow us to compare the response of the metamaterial with a standard material such as aluminum. This paper will discuss several mathematical models and compare the model response with the experimental response from a shaker table.

Casandra M. Bright graduated from Alma High School in 2007. This year she returned to school to broaden her knowledge of mathematics and the applied sciences while pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Her research interests include biomechanics, mechanics and vibration, and sustainable energy. As an avid rock climber, Casandra hopes to one day work in a location where she can enjoy the outdoors and also assist in implementing methods designed to help minimize our collective environmental footprint.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium CADD Drafting vs. Hand Drafting Presented by Daniel I. Munguia

This is a research project investigating why CADD drafting is better than hand drafting or if the two are equal in terms of accuracy, speed, and productivity. Drafting and design started out just by hand drafting long ago. As technology and our world became more modern, we began to rely on computers to think for us, store, and create. It is understandable that when life gets really fast, time is what we do not have. Once computers were invented, drafting and design simply created new pathways to present ideas in a faster, more efficient way. Throughout my internship at an architecture firm, I have been exposed to great architects and designers that are simply convinced that hand drafting is faster and even more accurate than computer drafting. There are two different sides and opinions to this debate. We have those who have learned to draft and design from a computer standpoint and those who have grown up drafting by hand to the extent that it becomes second nature to them. There could also be the opinion that both CADD drafting and hand drafting are almost equal. Whether we prefer one way or another, maybe there is a way to make the drafting and design process faster, accurate and efficient. This could make things better for our world.

Daniel Munguia is a graduate of Van Buren High school. He participated in band and soccer while in high school. He met his fiancĂŠe and future wife Sarah Neal at Van Buren High School. He attends Primera Iglesia Bautista (First Baptist Church, Fort Smith Spanish Church) where he is the worship leader and teaches Sunday school. He is majoring in CADD in architecture and will be graduating in May 2011. He plans to start working full-time in his profession after graduation and possibly may return to school to further his education. His education at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith has greatly paid off.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith The Future of Computer Aided Drafting and Design in Green Construction Presented by Larry Elmore

The use of Computer Aided Drafting and Design programs here at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith have been instrumental in the development of campus planning for the present and the future. Programs like AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit Architecture, and a course like Geographic Information Systems can help to map building sites and construction techniques that are best suited for Green Construction and Design. Keeping up with LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, will constantly change as we progress into the future. As technology continues to grow so will the programs and updates that are implemented here at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. As new students arrive every semester this means that new untapped sources of ideas are waiting to be stimulated. The Green Building Rating System and Green Construction and Design will be used more and more. In the future, the demand for better programs to develop and innovate in areas like Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy and Atmosphere, Material and Resources, innovation, and the Design process will be very important. Computer Aided Drafting and Design will flourish as these programs and others like them continue to progress. With a knowledgeable faculty and staff giving instruction in new technology as programs develop in the CADD department, you can rest assured that you will be receiving the some of the best CADD programs to work with well into the future.

Larry Elmore received his G.E.D in 1980. He was employed at Jarden plastic solutions from 1977 to 2009. He attended Arkansas Valley Vo-Tec, now known as Arkansas Tech at Ozark, where he received a technical certificate in Heating and Refrigeration. Larry attended Westark Community College and received an additional technical certificate and now attends University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. He is working to earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Computer Aided Drafting and Design with an expected graduation date of fall 2011. Larry resides in Dayton, Arkansas with his wife Debbie. He has two children and one grandson. He is the Associate Pastor at Rose Garden Full Gospel Church.

Larry’s favorite sports include hunting, fishing, football, golf, and basketball.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Cost Efficient Multi-Beam Mount for the Corps of Engineers Presented by Jonathan Kiefer

This project comes in the form of a very real situation currently needing to be dealt with in Jonathan’s District Project Office at the US Army Corps of Engineers. As a Civil Engineer Technician, along with one other C.E. Tech in the Survey Team, they have been provided with a new survey boat for hydrographic surveys and river reports. However, due to changes in planning and budgets, they have been left with no current solution for transferring the current multi-beam sonar unit mount from their current boat to the new boat. Budget cuts currently make keeping and transferring their very prestigious, robotic aluminum mount out of the question for an unknown time, but possibly permanently. With a nearly $200,000 custom built boat sitting in the parking lot, unused, the idea arises of developing a new mount design for the new boat: one that is simpler, cheaper, and could be performed in-house, thus skipping the expensive second party. However, research on similar mounts is needed to develop a design that would work efficiently yet maintain high quality surveying for surveying work. Studying and researching the current setup and the differences relative to the new boat and its necessary setup will be required as well. Once information is gathered, 2D and 3D CADD drawings can be designed and drawn for a new multi-beam sonar mount that hopefully will provide a more efficient solution to a costly conversion for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Jonathan Kiefer is a student at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith attempting his AAS in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design degree, with a GIS/GPS specialty. Expecting completion of the degree program this summer, Jonathan will then continue further to obtain his Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree. Jonathan returned to University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in the Spring of 2010 where he began his CADD major, and just months later was offered a job working as a Civil Engineer Technician for the US Army Corps of Engineers in the Navigation department for the Tulsa, OK district. Since hired, he has worked and gone to school full time, often times merging projects between the two to further incorporate a real world education. Jonathan intends to continue school and eventually get his Master’s of Business Administration.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Mapping the Ozark National Forest Area Presented by Landon McClellan

The project I propose deals with CADD development in GIS/GPS Mapping. With the knowledge I have acquired in this area and with the tools that I have available to me, I plan to create a map in the Ozark National Forest in the White Rock Mountain Management area. In this map I plan to adequately show many walking, ATV, and Jeep trails. Within several of these trails, there are many neat features that a tourist new to the area who was on theses trails would enjoy. These features include overlooks, waterfalls, old train trestles, etc. In this map, this area will be marked with special symbols for each feature. This map will also include an arial overlay of the area that will help give a more accurate location of the features. I will use a Trimble GPS unit to collect my data. After I have collected all the data that I need, I will then export the information to pathfinder office to edit my data that is potentially corrupt due to atmospheric delays with the GPS satellites. Then I will export my final map to ArcMap to install a tile block and map legends. I plan to create a map that will be very clear and beneficial to anyone who looks at it with or without knowledge of the area.

Landon McClellan is a student at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. He is currently working on an associate’s degree in GIS/GPS mapping as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science. He graduated from Ozark High School in 2007 where he started attending Arkansas Tech. He earned several certifications in Welding. In 2008 he transferred to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, and in 2009 he took an interest in the CADD GIS/GPS area where he is currently finishing that degree. His hobbies include canoeing, jeep, and atv ridding in the Ozark National forest. He also enjoys playing the guitar and hiking. He has worked several years in the oil field as a mechanic and a welder. Currently he is working on managing his own business while he attends school. His main plan in life is to be successful no matter what the cost. Earning a degree will greatly help his chances in doing so.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Lessons Learned from Nuclear Accidents and Implications for Safer Future Nuclear Reactor Designs

Presented by Joshua A. Adams, Matthew J. Neoh, Katherine Garcia, Emily Proffitt, Michael Williams, and Rachel Hendrickson Since the early 1960s, atomic power has played an increasingly important role in meeting worldwide energy demand.

However, this technology does have significant risks associated with its use that must be addressed. Specifically, different reactor types each have their own advantages and disadvantages with respect to their safe operation. A study of past reactor accidents such as the 1961 SL-I accident in Idaho Falls, the 1979 Three Mile Island (TMI) accident, and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, as well as the ongoing Fukushima accident, will be used to illustrate specific problem areas in the nuclear power production process. Past and present accidents have attributes that separate them into categories such as prompt neutron induced power excursions and Loss of Cooling Accidents (LOCA), as well as common attributes such as the process of steam explosions and loss of containment. Using knowledge of basic reactor design, structure, and operating principles, reactor designs will be compared to assess the safety standards of each as well as to study the way in which shortcomings of each contributed to accidents. A review of each type of reactor accident and how it was manifested in each design will also be employed to illustrate how reactor safety standards have developed from the earliest designs and how it can potentially be further improved in the future. Finally, these improvements will be evaluated by looking at future reactor designs such as metal oxide (MOx) and thorium MOx reactors.

Joshua Robert Adams is a senior at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith majoring in chemistry thanks to the generosity of his parents, Ofelia and Victor Adams. He transferred to the university from Arkansas Tech University in 2009 and was a 2007 graduate from Southside High School. Josh aspires to pursue a career in pharmacy, and as a result has research interests in medicine, organic, and biochemistry. In his spare time he is a small scale reptile hobbyist and computer enthusiast.

Matthew J. Neoh is presently a senior at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith majoring in biology and is the son of immigrants from Southeast Asia. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree thanks to the generosity of Myles Friedman and a SMART Grant and has lived in many places around the world including the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States. His primary research interests include practical economic policy, nuclear physics, and contemporary American history. Other areas of interest include electoral statistics and rock & roll piano. He hopes to pursue further education in the field of medicine.

Katherine Garcia is currently a junior chemistry major at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She decided to come to college and declare her major as chemistry after having a challenging teacher (Mrs. Suit) who sparked her interest for the wonders of elements. Katherine aspires to attend the College of Pharmacy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science. Her research interests include the breakdown and uses of pharmaceuticals, nuclear physics, and current events. She is very active on campus as the Director of Events for Campus Activities Board, President-Elect of Student Alumni Association, Resident Assistant at the Lion’s Den and Administrative Vice President of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.

Emily Proffitt is proud to have been the last graduating Valedictorian to attend Pleasant View High School, which consolidated with another school the following year. It brought her great joy to follow in the footsteps of her grand uncle, who was the first Valedictorian of Pleasant View Schools. She now attends the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith as a junior. Her major is in chemistry and the sciences have always been a strong interest of Emily’s. She hopes to pursue a career in this field that will also allow her to fulfill her dreams of traveling and leaning more about this fascinating world that we live in.

Michael Williams graduated from Hackett High School at the top of his class. Chemistry has always been an interesting field of study for Michael, which led him to University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in hopes of graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry. At first he had no intentions of going to college out of high school, but now that he is a semester away from graduating, he realizes it was probably one of the better decisions he has made. Graduating with a 4-year degree will aid him in his future career with the military.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Network Analysis

Presented by Brent Newman, Pang Lynda Fang, Micah Parker, and Gary Ezell We live in a networked world. Have you ever wondered how that web page travels from somewhere else on earth to you?

How can it send information to a PC, a television, an iPad or any of dozens of other network devices and everything just works? Our team set out to learn more about the unseen magic of networking. To do this we had to answer several questions: How does data travel on a network? How can we capture that raw network data to study what is going on?

What is a protocol? What infrastructure does our networked world rely on? How do network devices interact to provide the amazing variety of media-rich experiences available to us? Answering those questions required researching and solving many issues. We created a laboratory to study networking contained in a private cloud network we created using virtualization technology. We also had to discover networking tools and ways to use them to expose the hidden world of TCP/IP, packets and protocols. These are the technologies that allow our networked world to seamlessly interact across immense distances and among millions of different devices. Our efforts will allow faculty and future students to build on our work to further their own study of our networked world.

Brent Newman graduated from Greenwood High School. He is currently expecting to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology - Networking in 2011. His research interests are in the networking and I.T. securities field.

Micah Parker graduated from Lithonia High School in Lithonia, Georgia. He is currently majoring in information technology, graduating in spring 2011. His interests include programming, database technology, and networking. He aspires to study computer science on the graduate level.

Gary Ezell graduated from Greenwood High School in 2002. After experiencing the workforce without a college education he decided to return to school at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in 2007. He received his A.A.S. degree in Information Technology in 2009. He now aspires to enter the computer science field and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology - Networking. His research interests include network architecture, network protocols, and various types of sent/received packets.

Pang Fang also known as Lynda from Broken Arrow Senior High is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with an emphasis on Networking. Her research interest includes architecture and support for all networks, protocols, and hardware. Lynda expects this research to help her comprehend more of how a network receives and transmits packets, the different types of protocols, and how to present a non-technical analysis to those who are not familiar with the technical terms to be able to provide better service and support in her future career.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium LDAP Photo Directory

Presented by Jeffrey Bowers, Angela Morgan, and Matt Holland Have you ever needed to identify someone and lost them in the crowd? University professors are presented with this problem every single day. There are literally hundreds of students per instructor during a semester, and it is understandably difficult to remember that many names and faces.

What if a system could be put into place using existing technology that would allow the instructor to consult their workstations and immediately put a face to a name? That is our project.

Our team, consisting of Angela Morgan, Matt Holland, Bao Nyguyen, and myself, began work on this project during the Spring Semester of 2011. We began by researching what we needed in order to accomplish our goal of putting faces to names for professors. We identified the following technology requirements:

1.) A data store of student images and names 2.) An interface and delivery system 3.) A sorting utility

Based upon our research we have designed and are prototyping a solution for University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

This system utilizes existing technologies, is easy to implement, is portable across multiple platforms, and provides a valuable service to the faculty at a small cost to the university. It helps to humanize the student population and thus support greater engagement between students and faculty.

Jeffrey Bowers graduated from Greenwood High School in 2006. He became an IT student at his father’s insistence that he learn a practical trade, and now grudgingly admits that it might have been a wise move. He hopes to graduate in the near future, and possibly move into importation/exportation of commodities.

Angela Morgan is majoring in IT-programming after being laid off from Whirlpool in 2007. She enrolled in IT during the fall of 2008 due to the high demand for IT personnel. She finds the IT field very demanding and desires to go beyond the normal scope to succeed in the field. She is not sure what career path she would like to pursue with her degree, but plans to graduate in the spring of 2012.

Matt Holland graduated from Van Buren High School. He has had a long interest in computers and technology and is currently pursuing a degree in the field. Matt hopes to graduate this year, and eventually move north with his wife.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Studio Art Presentation Presented by Courtney Kitterman

As I experienced the joys of motherhood for the first time, I expected to be filled with overwhelming love and affection towards my daughter, Abagail. I did not have time to anticipate just how much she would inspire me and push my creativity to another level. By taking photographs, drawing, and painting, I find fresh creative ways to define junctures in her life. By using different techniques and mediums, I enhance my artwork to express what I am undergoing in the moments they are validating. As well, altering pieces to create an instant sensation of nostalgia for myself is a main goal in producing art from these moments. Lately, I have been inspired by Mary Cassatt’s paintings. The studies that capture the heart and soul of a child are brought out by content and style. Cassatt portrays children with expressions and in atmospheres that enhance the beauty and innocence of their characters. The painterly application of mediums and the layering of colors are beautiful. As I find new, innovative ways of expressing my love and affection for my daughter, I also see it as creating a recorded history for her. As she grows and experiences more, the progression of her life will be recorded and remembered. This is only the beginning of her journey that I will have the honor of witnessing.

There are endless possibilities of inspiration through Abby.

Courtney Kitterman graduated from Pea Ridge High School in 2005. She attended Northwest Arkansas Community College and received an Associate of Arts degree in Photography. She is aspiring to enter in the Fine Arts field and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in studio art from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. The work she is developing is centered around her newborn daughter. She is interested in expressing her work through photography, drawings, or paintings. Courtney continues to pursue new and innovative ways to enhance her artwork. She is constantly on the lookout for what will inspire her next.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium The Architectural History of Frank Lloyd Wright Presented by Alexander Cornell

Frank Lloyd Wright is a name that we have all heard in the architectural world. I’ve heard about his houses and how amazing they are, but I’ve never actually done any research to understand the legend. The prairie-style house is the source of his fame, but who was the man behind the houses? What made him think of all of these things? There is more than just Frank Lloyd Wright, the man. He also has an architecture school that I’ve done research on in my quest to get a master’s degree in architecture. This research paper is going to give me knowledge on everything he did and hopefully inspire me in my quest to be more than just an architect.

Alexander Cornell was born in New Hartford, New York and moved to Bentonville, Arkansas about 16 years ago. He went to Bentonville High School and was in the band and on the bowling team. At Bentonville High School, Alex took his first two CADD courses. After high school he went to UCA to obtain a physical therapy degree but quickly figured out that he wasn’t enjoying what he was doing. Transferring to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in Fall 2009, he started his journey toward obtaining a B.A.S. with an emphasis on architectural drafting. After finishing his schooling at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, he would like to go to the University of Texas or Texas A&M to obtain his Master of Architecture degree.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Student Advising System

Presented by Tim Newman, Pamela Bruso, John Hollingsworth, and Charlie Sloan With each semester comes student advisement, a time dreaded by advisor and student alike. Ideally this time would be spent with an advisor counseling a student on what classes they need to graduate, why they should take it, and discussion about their progress towards their degree. However, in reality most of this time is spent picking classes, ensuring that prerequisites are met, and filling out course substitutions. Students often come unprepared for the meeting because they have no way to evaluate their degree thoroughly. As such, for our senior capstone project, we set out to develop a system that would allow students and their advisor to track their progress automatically. Our system allows for a student to very quickly compare their degree plan to their transcript to see what classes they need to take to meet the requirements. Additionally, we provide the student the ability to generate a class schedule for the next semester based on system generated information (e.g. classes they need to take) and user input (e.g. they want to take mainly evening classes.) Students aren’t the only ones to benefit from this system, so do advisors. Advisors can easily track the progress of students they advise and find potential errors quickly. Also provided is a repository of departmentwide course substitutions that allows faculty to effortlessly lookup substitutions for their department, or add a new one if needed. All together, our system is expected to make the advising process easier for both students and advisors.

Charlie Sloan graduated from Woodland High School. He is currently completing his last semester of a bachelor’s degree in IT – database management. He aspires to work in the field of information technology as a database administrator or computer programmer. Charlie lives near Mountainburg with his wife and three dogs. His hobbies are woodworking, fishing, and of course, computers.

John Hollingsworth is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in IT – programming. He graduated from Southside High School and is currently working as an intern at Data-Tronics as a systems analyst. He is currently researching new ways to design and build applications to speed up the development process and adapt to changes. He is also working on creating applications to assist in development and maintenance by building a visual map of software flow and easing the test process by automating testing.

Tim graduated from Mansfield High School. He aspires to enter the information technology/computer science field and is currently pursuing a degree in information technology with a focus on database management. His research interests primarily revolve around database systems with search techniques, engine optimization, and natural language processing as some of his most engaging topics. In the future, Tim hopes to either take a research position in the industry or continue his education in graduate school.

Pamela Bruso graduated from Northside High School. She has an associate’s degree in Programming and is currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in database management. She has worked at Sparks Health System from 1991 to 1997 and again from 1997 to current. She has been married for 19 years this May and has 3 children.

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Undergraduate Research Symposium Virtual Machine Access Manager (VAM)

Presented by Alan Barker, Brittany Gallimore, and Wesley Musgrove The Information Technology labs are used by several instructors, whose curriculum requires various operating system environments, hardware configurations, and software applications for use by the students. Installing these environments and software applications on each student’s computer is time-consuming, varies from semester to semester, and proposes product licensing issues. Virtual Machine Access Manager (VAM) is a standalone application that can be downloaded from the Internet and ran on any computer. It provides a graphical user interface for students to select from a repository of virtual machines (VMs) created by their instructors. The selected VM is then copied from a server and stored locally on the student’s hard drive, where it can be booted up inside VirtualBox, a free, robust VM client provided by Oracle. Locally stored VMs enable faster startup times for subsequent uses. If a student makes changes to the original VM, VirtualBox can save a snapshot of the changes. VAM takes these snapshots and stores them on the server so that the student can retrieve it and apply their changes to another copy of the original VM that is stored on any other computer. If that computer doesn’t have the VM stored locally yet, then the VAM copies it from the server.

This method enables the instructor to create a single virtual machine environment with all the necessary software and virtual hardware components, which can then be uploaded to the server’s VM repository, accessible to all the students in the course.

Wesley Musgrove graduated from Mansfield High School. He aspires to own an independent coffee shop/art gallery with his wife and do freelance web development and graphic design. Wesley is currently a programmer analyst at DataTronics Corp. and is pursuing his degree in information technology – database management.

Alan Barker is currently employed at Arkansas Best Corp. and will be interning as a programmer for Data-Tronics Corp. in the summer. He homeschooled through high school, earning an academic scholarship to pursue a degree in information technology - programming at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith which he will finish in fall 2011. He loves the small town atmosphere of Fort Smith and dreams of owning his own horse ranch.

Brittany Gallimore, 22, graduated from Mansfield High School. She is currently pursuing a degree in information technology – database management. She just recently got married and loves to cook. She enjoys spending time with her family.

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University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

Student Index Joshua A. Adams.............................52 Kimberly Allen...................................5 Alan Barker.....................................58 David Barnett..................................42 Jeffrey Bowers.................................54 Casandra M. Bright.........................47 Pamela Bruso..................................57 Erica Buneo.....................................42 Dena Bushnaq................................43 Adrianna Carter..............................43 Cesar J. Casillas.............................30 Daniel Cerda...................................43 Joshua Cloud...................................28 Joel Cloud........................................44 Amber Cobb....................................40 Antonio J. Contreras........................18 Alexander Cornell............................56 Stacy Davis.....................................41 Maureen Didion...............................37 Katy Dodd........................................11 Cassaundra Ellison.........................40 Larry Elmore....................................49 Gary Ezell........................................53 Pang Lynda Fang.............................53 Deborah Fields................................16 Roy Fisher.......................................17 Cody Foldvary..................................13 Daniel Fudge.....................................8 Ashley Fujibayashi............................4

Shelley Fulton..................................39 Brittany Gallimore...........................58 Joseph Gaona..................................13 Katherine Garcia.............................52 Gerald Green...................................46 Leslie Hassel.....................................8 William D. Hearne...........................45 Rachel Hendrickson........................52 Dustin C. Hilliard............................35 Matt Holland...................................54 John Hollingsworth..........................57 Danielle Hopkins.............................38 Sarah Hubbard................................20 Keely Hudson...................................41 Whitley Hurst...................................33 Cecilia Hurtado...............................43 Curtis Jarvis....................................13 Marcus Taylor Jeffery.........................9 Jonathan Kiefer...............................50 Courtney Kitterman.........................55 Chris Linam....................................25 Blanca O. Macareno........................22 Jennifer Martin..................................2 Rachel Matthews............................40 Amanda Maxwell.............................34 Ashley Mayfield...............................38 Landon McClellan...........................51 Justin McFerran...............................41 Erik McGee................................13, 14

Kristyn Moore..................................21 Jeremy Moore...................................29 Angela Morgan................................54 Leslie Morris....................................32 Aaron Moschner..............................43 Daniel I. Munguia............................48 Wesley Musgrove.............................58 Matthew J. Neoh..................23, 24, 52 Tim Newman.............................12, 57 Brent Newman................................53 L. Joe Oleson...................................19 Micah Parker...................................53 Ashton Peters..................................29 Michael D’Whitney Pless.................43 Emily Proffitt...................................52 Bobby Rogne...................................42 Jordan A. Savage...............................7 Elisa Shoate....................................38 Charlie Sloan..................................57 Nata Thongsiri................................39 Jonathan Tinnin.................................6 Kelly Vail.........................................41 Hope Vincent...................................10 Jean Powell Vosper..........................36 Chance Weaver................................31 Jessica Weisenfels.............................3 Jerry Williams............................26, 27 Michael Williams.............................52 Jon Derek Wright.............................15

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