Celebration of Learning 2022 Oral Presentations I
Oral Presentations I will run from 10-11:15 a.m.
Sociology and Anthropology Olin 305 (Session B)
Engraving Cross-Cultural Histories into Wood: The History and Anthropology of Woodblock Printing from China to Japan to Europe
Presented by Hope Wells; advisor Dr. Adam Kaul
Woodblock printing was invented and used in China for centuries before it was brought over to Japan, and it was the first method of printing before the printing press was invented in Europe. This presentation will address the historical background of how and why woodblock printing was invented, the differences between Chinese and Japanese techniques, how it changed Chinese and Japanese cultures, but also how ukiyo-e from Japan influenced European artists in Europe, specifically Vincent Van Gogh. All of this is done by examining a variety of sources, such as museum websites, journal articles, and news articles, along with analyzing woodblock printing through anthropological theories of acculturation, diffusionism, and globalization. The point of this presentation is to present woodblock printing as an essential cultural product of China and Japan, along with how it was able to contribute to Western culture.
Human Integrated Ecology: An Anthropological Look at the Nature/Human Divide
Presented by Madeline Young; advisor Dr. Adam Kaul
Historically, the global North has exempted human beings from its definition of nature. In more recent years, capitalism has begun to have an effect on the relationship that we as humans have with our environment. In this essay, I propose the use of a new multi-disciplinary term-Human Integrated Ecology (HIE)-to represent a significant shift in the approach environmental scholars take to ecological studies. This term combines and expands upon ideas previously used, such as Deep Ecology and Queer Ecology, and looks at the core ideology that human beings are a part of Nature. I postulate that utilizing the tenets of HIE not only benefits individuals but also the structures that they are a part of. Utilizing existing case studies, as well as my own personal field journals, I show the importance of integrating the human into Nature, both individually, and as a whole.
Drag Theatrical, Stonewall, and RuPaul: Attitudes Towards Queer Identity Throughout Drag History
Presented by Erica Amdal; advisor Dr. Adam Kaul
Though drag performances began as exotic representations of unconventional lifestyles and overt sexuality, these performances have shifted to acts of rebellion and acceptance for the queer community. Drag theater, the first drag balls, and modern drag fests all emerged in New York City. Although the focus of this analysis homes in on this specific geographic region, the social evolution being mapped is informative on the greater gender and sexuality revolution, which encompasses the entirety of America. The historical shifts in the public's attitude towards both queer expressions and sexuality can be mapped through the analysis of drag performances from the 1920s to the present. This timeline aids in understanding the commodification and exploitative representation of identities outside of the binary in modern drag performances and media. With this, mass media has provoked the commodification of transgender identities in place of validation. My analysis aims to expose the phenomenon of substituting gender equality with insincere pandering.
Olin 209 (Session C)
Computer Science
Deep Learning for Classifying Emergent Patterns in Agent-Based Model Visualizations
Presented by Dr. Forrest Stonedahl, Jordan Thompson, Duc Pham, Alvaro Martin Grande, Susa Stonedahl, Bryan Head
The specific machine learning technique known as "deep learning," which involves many-layered artificial neural networks, has proven highly effective on a wide range of pattern-oriented artificial intelligence tasks. Specifically, it has produced state-of-the-art results in image and video classification. Agent-based modeling is a popular form of computer simulation that involves specifying the rules and behaviors of individual entities (agents) and observing the aggregate-level patterns of behavior that arise from the interactions between those agents. This work examines the use of deep learning for identifying different classes of emergent behavior using captured videos of agent-based model visualizations/animations. Specifically, we explore a case study involving the "Heroes and Cowards" NetLogo model, which exhibits qualitatively distinct visual patterns that are not easily quantified. We will present results from supervised, semi-supervised, and unsupervised machine learning models.
Math, Physics
Physics of Drift Skating
Presented by Colin Hogan and Isabelle Sansom; advisor Dr. Stacey Rodman
In our study of the physics of drift-skating, we are creating a model function that represents the motion of the skates and their relation to the force applied, the direction of the wheels, and time. Our end goal with this model is to find out what variables affect the efficiency and speed of the skater's motion and how we can maximize these. We have taken into account the weight of the skater and set independent variables like the force exerted and the initial angle of the wheels, and whether the maximum value of y (the max distance of the skate from the skater's body) depends on the skater's preference or other values in the model.
Math
Distance: A Generalization Using Metrics and Epsilon Balls
Presented by Jared Reiling; advisor Dr. Jon Clauss
What is distance? What you think "distance" is a lie of omission! In this talk, we are going to generalize the idea of distance into what is called a metric. Using different metrics, we can create epsilon balls centered around various points to understand how "distance" works in different metric spaces. The distance you know and love (known as Euclidean distance) is one of uncontrollably infinitely many metrics! We'll examine the geometrical representations of these epsilon balls and their mathematical beauty.
NFTRig
Presented by Jordan Thompson, Trung Pham, Ryan Benac, Kidus Olana and Talha Hassan; advisor Dr. Andrew Sward
History Hanson 102 (Session D)
Beasts of Berlin: The Americanization of Davenport's German Population
Presented by Liam Edmund Kelly; advisors Dr. Jane Simonsen and Dr. Lendol Calder
My speech is a presentation based on my Senior Inquiry History paper. The paper and speech explore the story of Davenport, Iowa, during the first World War. Home to a significant German population, Davenport played host to many acts of ethnic discrimination during a time when being German was indistinguishable from treason.
Advertising the American Dream to Black America in the 1950s
Presented by Alondra Ochoa; advisor Dr. Lendol Calder
Panzers in the East
Presented by Luke Melton; advisor Dr. Lendol Calder
The work I did is a comparative piece looking at the German invasion of the Soviet Union in World War Two and pointing out the similarities between that and the U.S. invasion of Iraq during Desert Storm and then talking about the implications it gives to today's military.
The Americanization of Silvis' First Generation of Mexican Americans
Presented by Fatima Dominguez; advisor Dr. Lendol Calder
The Mexican Revolution brought social and economic instability to the country which forced many Mexicans to flee Mexico to the Midwest of the United States in hopes of finding work and economic stability. Silvis, Ill.,was one of the places offering employment. Today popular memory in the Silvis community holds that first-generation Mexicans remained insular and were intent on preserving their Mexican identity and culture. However, the evidence does not support the idea. Moreover, it disproves stereotypical depictions of these migrants. I define assimilation as a group of people adapting to a new environment where the popularity is different from what they are used to. Using this definition as a lens, I analyze Mexican life in the city of Silvis, with a particular emphasis on the lives of Manuel Macias and John R. Cervantes. I show that they did attempt assimilation in hopes of having a better life.
Old Main 117 (Session E)
Classics
Jean Bodin: An Enigmatic Figure's Ideas on the Nature of the Soul, Angels, Demons, and Universe
Presented by Jameshia Walls; advisor Dr. Mischa Hooker
The 16th-century Renaissance was a period of enlightenment and a renewing of interests in classical thought. Jean Bodin is often referred to as a 16th-century enigmatic figure who played a major role in the political theory and religious scene in Renaissance France. In one of his more obscure works "Universae naturae theatrum" (which has never been translated into English), Jean Bodin discusses a wide array of topics pertaining to the science of nature, or natural philosophy. One goal of this Senior Inquiry project is to reveal some of Bodin’s thoughts on the nature of the soul in particular, and to expand its connection to angels, demons, and the general nature of the universe which all have a significant history in the ancient classical past. Specifically, works by ancient figures such as Plato, Aristotle, and St. Augustine are examined in connection to Bodin’s topics from the "Theatrum."
What's Your Declension? Nonbinary Language for Ancient Latin
Presented by Ezekiel Aurelius; advisor Dr. Mischa Hooker
Imagine a language that gave you no way to refer to yourself. How would you talk about yourself to other people? Language should be a vessel that conveys information to other people, but people are struggling to express more complex identities that languages are trying to catch up with. Even a "dead" language like Latin can take steps in the world on inclusive pedagogy. This way the study is more open to queer identities in the study of the Latin language. In return, then perhaps more people may be willing to study Latin and Classical antiquity more broadly if they know that they are welcomed in the field.
Multimedia Journalism
Seeing the Unseen: A Photo Study of Invisible Disability
Presented by Anna Podborny; advisor Carolyn Yaschur
This project was a part of my MJMC Senior Inquiry. It is a set of 14 illustrative photos representing invisible disability. The project reflects both my experience with invisible disability, as well as the emotions and experiences of others who I consulted with throughout the course of the project.
Business Administration
Motivational Theory Approach to Understand the Spread of Misinformation
Presented by Dr. Hyeong-Gyu Choi
Misinformation — defined as false claims, which are made without any deliberate intention to deceive — is an emerging concern as it uses social media as a spreading carrier. Although researchers have focused on the implications of social media as a communication platform, the motivational aspects of social media users who are mainly responsible for unforeseen misinformation spread, have not reached its potential. This presentation provides explanations for the motivational theory approaches to understand the spread of misinformation.
Old Main 132 (Session G)
Asian Studies
The Difference Between Life and Death: Intellectual Appeasement and Forced Rehabilitation of Philosophers in Mao-era China
Presented by Rosalie Looijaard; advisor Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence
A Phoenix from the Ashes: Jackson Park's Japanese Garden, Cultural Exchange, and the Endurance of Japanese Sites After Pearl Harbor
Presented by Brittany Murphy; advisor Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence
May the Force Be With You in East Asia: Transpacific Star Wars
Presented by Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence