Scholars’ Day Schedule
April 20, 2022

Poster Session
4:00-5:00 PM
Friends Hall

Oral Presentations
5:00-6:30 PM
Friends Hall

Reception
6:45-8:30 PM
Student Center Alumni Lounges

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, and Friends,

I am thrilled that, after adopting a virtual format for the past two years, this year’s Scholars’ Day will be held on campus. I hope you feel as excited as I do to be able to hear the presentations, talk with students and their faculty mentors, and meet family and friends at this in-person event, and I look forward to seeing you there.

Scholars’ Day was established ten years ago at Ramapo College to bring together students and faculty from across the Schools to recognize and celebrate our students’ creative work and scholarly research. Scholars’ Day embodies Ramapo’s mission of interdisciplinarity and experiential learning and provides our students with the unique experience of participating in a juried academic event. I encourage everyone in our campus community to attend Scholars’ Day in order to observe the impressive, varied research and projects our amazing students have completed under the mentorship of our wonderful, dedicated faculty.

I want to thank the Scholars’ Day Organizing Committee – Professors Eric Daffron, Satarupa Dasgupta, Williams Jones, Carrie Miller, and Dolly Sacristan – and all of the faculty mentors whose hard work contributed to this event and to the completion of our talented students’ scholarship and projects. Thank you, as well, to all the friends and family members who will celebrate with us. I hope you enjoy what our students have produced!

Finally, thank you to all the Ramapo students who submitted an abstract, and congratulations to those whose work was accepted for this year’s Scholars’ Day. What a wonderful academic achievement! I applaud you for your persistence and dedication and wish you much success in your future years.

Best,
Dr. Susan Gaulden
Interim Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Oral Presentations
5:00-6:30 PM
Friends Hall

Anisfield School of Business

China: How a Nation’s Culture Can Dictate Business Operations and Economic Policy

Student Presenter: Christian De Luca
Faculty Mentor: Tammi Redd

School of Contemporary Arts

Social Media’s Effect on College Students’ Perceptions of the Pandemic

Student Presenter: Sophia A. Doyle
Faculty Mentor: Ruma Sen

School of Humanities and Global Studies

El objecto femenino en Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada
(The Female Object in Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair)

Student Presenter: Emily Brackenbury
Faculty Mentor: Paula Straile-Costa

School of Social Science and Human Services

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Psychological Wellbeing of Children, and the Therapeutic Benefits of Play in Addressing Related Challenges

Student Presenter: Courtney J. Ober
Faculty Mentor: Colleen Martinez

School of Theoretical and Applied Science

Computational Modeling and Experimental Analysis of DuraPETase, A Thermostable Variant of PETase Plastic Degrading Enzyme

Student Presenters: James Martinez and Michael Sooy
Faculty Mentor: Ashley Stuart

Poster Presentations
4:00-5:00 PM
Friends Hall

Anisfield School of Business

China: How a Nation’s Culture Can Dictate Business Operations and Economic Policy

Student Presenter: Christian De Luca
Faculty Mentor: Tammi Redd

View Poster

School of Contemporary Arts

Raising awareness about the opioid crisis in New York

Student Presenter: Gabriella Fonseca
Faculty Mentor: Satarupa Dasgupta

View Poster

It’s Okay to be Okay Campaign

Student Presenter: Hailey Drake
Faculty Mentor: Satarupa Dasgupta

View Poster

Social Media’s Effect on College Students’ Perceptions of the Pandemic

Student Presenter: Sophia A. Doyle
Faculty Mentor: Ruma Sen

View Poster

American Consumption of South Korean Pop Culture

Student Presenter: Erika Starost
Faculty Mentor: Ruma Sen

View Poster

School of Humanities and Global Studies

Eating Easy: How Convenience Food Became a Part of the American Identity

Student Presenter: Elly Raisch
Faculty Mentor: Susan Hangen

View Poster

Mahwah Museum Veterans Project

Student Presenter: Michelle Kukan
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Rice

View Poster

El objecto femenino en Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada
(The Female Object in Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair)

Student Presenter: Emily Brackenbury
Faculty Mentor: Paula Straile-Costa

View Poster

School of Social Science and Human Services

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Psychological Wellbeing of Children, and the Therapeutic Benefits of Play in Addressing Related Challenges

Student Presenter: Courtney J. Ober
Faculty Mentor: Colleen Martinez

View Poster

Understanding Discrimination Towards Students of Asian Descent at Ramapo

Student Presenter: Trisha Mehta
Faculty Mentors: Leah Warner and Tae Kwak

View Poster

In-Library Social Work

Student Presenter: Jessica Bleyhl
Faculty Mentor: Kathleen Ray

View Poster

Developing A Multi-Modal Approach to Pain Management

Student Presenter: Jessica Westwood
Faculty Mentor: Dolly Sacristan

View Poster

Legal Implications of Modern Discourse on Social Media

Student Presenter: Anjali Patel
Faculty Mentor: Jeffrey Ellsworth

View Poster

Using Mental Imagery as an Effective Coping Mechanism During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Student Presenter: Rianna Di Jesus
Faculty Mentor: Lysandra Perez-Strumolo

View Poster

Effectiveness of Psychosocial Treatments for Children with PTSD

Student Presenter: Taylor Michelle Disanno
Faculty Mentor: Colleen Martinez

View Poster

Dissociative Identity Disorder: An Empirical Analysis

Student Presenter: Valerie Vengerov
Faculty Mentor: James Morley

View Poster

Characteristics of the Visual and Auditory P300 ERP in Individuals with High and Low Self-Reported Deficits of Attention

Student Presenters: Autumn Laird and Danielle Rosengrant
Faculty Mentor: Naseem Choudhury

View Poster

School of Theoretical and Applied Science

Deep Neural Networks for Time Series Classification in Human Activity Recognition

Student Presenter: Shreehar Joshi
Faculty Mentor: Eman Abdelfattah

View Poster

Foraging preferences for different tree species by downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and red-bellied woodpeckers in a floodplain forest (Ramapo Valley County Reservation, NJ)

Student Presenters: Karyssa Cendaña and Nathan LaDuke
Faculty Mentor: Eric Wiener

View Poster

Isolation, Identification and Assessment of the Antimicrobial Activities of a Thermophilic Actinomycetes Strain Extracted from the Soil

Student Presenters: Juhi Desai, Suvekshya Shrestha, and Mariam Tinawi
Faculty Mentor: Kokila Kota

View Poster

Characterizing the Growth Rates of Brewing Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) under Varying Alcohol Conditions

Student Presenters: Grace Byrne and Misha Matthai
Faculty Mentor: Joost Monen

View Poster

Computational Modeling and Experimental Analysis of DuraPETase, A Thermostable Variant of PETase Plastic Degrading Enzyme

Student Presenters: James Martinez and Michael Sooy
Faculty Mentor: Ashley Stuart

View Poster

Cloning, Expression and Purification of His-tagged Firefly Luciferase

Student Presenters: Sameer Jafri, Holly Blumenberg, Valery Bognar, and Lachezara Rangelova
Faculty Mentor: Suma Somasekharan

View Poster

The Genetics of Brewing: Characterizing Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Genes that Influence Flavor and Aroma

Student Presenters: Gabriela Tactuk and Avantika Thakur
Faculty Mentor: Joost Monen

View Poster

The Effects of Ge-doping on Electronic and Lattice Vibrational Properties of FeGa₃

Student Presenters: Tenzin Sherpa, Prithivi Rana, and Aashish Poudel
Faculty Mentors: Catalin Martin and Ihor Sydoryk

View Poster

Polarized Infrared Spectroscopy of FeTe₂ Single Crystals

Student Presenter: Prithivi Rana
Faculty Mentor: Catalin Martin

View Poster

Novel table top method to measure small magnetic moments

Student Presenters: Megan Knight and Miguel Rosales Morales
Faculty Mentor: Catalin Martin

View Poster

Poverty Classification using the Supplemental Poverty Measure Dataset

Student Presenters: Narayan Pokhrel, Ayush Mainali, and Peter Colombo
Faculty Mentor: Eman Abdelfattah

View Poster

Effects of Topological Structures in Ribbons of Magnetic Amorphous Alloys

Student Presenter: Narayan Pokhrel
Faculty Mentors: Catalin Martin and Ihor Sydoryk

View Poster

Anisfield School of Business

Student Presenter: Christian De Luca
Major: Master of Business Administration
Faculty Mentor: Tammi Redd
Discipline: Business Administration
School: Anisfield School of Business
Project Title: China: How a Nation’s Culture Can Dictate Business Operations and Economic Policy

Abstract: China as a civilization has enjoyed a very long history when compared to other nations and is becoming a leader in innovation while maintaining its strong cultural identity. This cultural identity is often reflected in politics as well as in the way business is conducted. While there are many prominent theories, researchers in the past have commonly cited Confucianism as the driving factor for China’s cultural economics. This research explores the concept of cultural economics and identifies the qualities and attributes China has preserved and still exhibits today. Historical texts, modern fiscal policy, and insights from Hofstede and a survey conducted to assess American attitudes on China are used to analyze today’s Chinese business environment, spot in geopolitics, and role in the overarching world economy.

School of Contemporary Arts

Student Presenter: Gabriella Fonseca
Major: Communication Arts: Global Communication and Media
Faculty Mentor: Satarupa Dasgupta
Discipline: Communication Arts
School: Contemporary Arts
Project Title: Raising awareness about the opioid crisis in New York

Abstract: My research is focused on the opioid crisis affecting Rockland County New York and New York as a state. The spike of opioid use in the United States started in the early 90’s but it increased again during the early years of 2010 and so on. (CDC, 2021) The issue has been seeping into the smaller cities and towns in New York state, like Rockland County. From 1999 to 2018 the deaths related to opioid overdose have risen exponentially. However, some people believe there is not a problem that needs to be addressed.

The purpose of this topic is to raise awareness about this issue that seemingly gets swept under the rug. I wanted to choose a topic that can create change in the hearts of people I know. I know a few people who have lost someone to addiction. Due to these reasons I have grown very passionate about this topic and wanted to take this opportunity to further my knowledge. It has become more easily accessible to obtain opioids, especially for younger children. The effects of what can happen are not spoken about enough, many kids do not realize what they are getting themselves into. By giving myself the resources to learn more about the topic myself I can help bring awareness to the issue. It can be effective in helping others around me to learn the severity of the addiction and death linked to it. This research can also help us look for signs of addiction and how to help others with it. With there being more knowledge on the topic, it can help make grander changes.

Student Presenter: Hailey Drake
Major: Communication Arts: Global Communication and Media
Faculty Mentor: Satarupa Dasgupta
Discipline: Communication Arts
School: Contemporary Arts
Title: It’s Okay to be Okay Campaign

Abstract: Today’s society has opened up the conversation about mental health more than ever before. There is a constant stream of messages aimed toward people who need help. However, where does that lead the people who do not? We see that when only these conversations are had, it leads people who do not need this type of help to believe that they do. This campaign examines the importance of acknowledging your mental health when you are genuinely just doing okay. We see how it can be harmful to only be exposed to one type of messages for people struggling with their mental health, and show what we would do to highlight our message of “It’s okay to be okay”. Every step of our campaign is geared towards starting a conversation within communities to get people more comfortable with the idea of just being okay. The campaign is meant to be a reminder to us or even a beacon of hope to some.

Student Presenter: Sophia A. Doyle
Major: Communication Arts: Global Communication and Media
Faculty Mentor: Ruma Sen
Discipline: Communication Arts
School: Contemporary Arts
Project Title: Social Media’s Effect on College Students’ Perceptions of the Pandemic

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world as we know it. During lockdown Americans turned to the internet for information about the pandemic, mainly social media. And while important information from reputable sources was spread through social media, misinformation was also prevalent. Such misinformation was spread by journalists, actors, and musicians through their social media accounts about virus, supposed cures, and the vaccine. Misinformation is often hard to identify and may inadvertently affect a viewer’s perceptions of what is valid. This paper will examine the misinformation spread through social media and if such misinformation has affected college student’s view of the pandemic.

Student Presenter: Erika Starost
Major: Communication Arts: Global Communication and Media
Faculty Mentor: Ruma Sen
Discipline: Communication Arts
School: Contemporary Arts
Project Title: American Consumption of South Korean Pop Culture

Abstract: South Korea’s pop culture spread has been rapidly moving to countries all over the world for several years. Coined with the term “Hallyu”, the Korean Wave has impacted cultural trends and has created a substantial influence among youth outside of Korea. The power these current pop culture trends have on countries, especially the United States, has the influence to transform diasporic Korean identities as well as how other parts of the world perceive them and their culture. This paper uses narrative and content analysis to focus on the Korean music, films and TV shows that have been consumed by American youth ages 18 to 28. The popularity that Korean popular culture media has on national consumers may reshape the way American media is output as well. This paper aims to explore how transnational technologies used can impact young American consumers.

School of Humanities and Global Studies

Student Presenter: Elly Raisch
Major: International Studies
Faculty Mentor: Susan Hangen
Discipline: International Studies
School: Humanities and Global Studies
Project Title: Eating Easy: How Convenience Food Became a Part of the American Identity

Abstract: This essay looks at convenience food not only through the lens of history, but as a way of understanding the American identity. By examining how this foodway became integral to the American diet, one can understand how access to its consumption became a determining factor in who is considered “truly” American. Convenience food is best described by its three fundamental qualities: minimal preparation, ease of consumption, and affordability; with primary examples including pre-packaged groceries, fast food, and takeout. With origins in the innovative foodways of working class immigrants in the late 19th century, convenience food evolved rapidly alongside industrialization into the products we recognize today. But what implications does convenience food have for American society as a whole? Exploring this question allows one to come to a better understanding of America’s relationship with culture, class, health, and sustainability; and how this relationship offers a roadmap for the nation’s future. In this essay I argue that convenience food was born out of necessity for the working class and evolved through commercialization into a cultural product synonymous with American culture.

Beyond the details of convenience food’s history in America, this essay explores how Judaism’s kashrut laws led to the implementation of kosher certification systems in order for devout followers to better integrate into consumer society during the early 1900s, setting a precedent for other niche markets like vegans and fair trade advocates in making convenience food more accessible. Additionally, it looks at how the industrialization of convenience food has led to long term health risks due to food quality and packaging methods (particularly for low income individuals) and environmental hazards due to exponential waste generation. Ultimately, this essay offers an explanation for modern day convenience culture by looking at how it has become both a necessity and a hindrance in American foodways.

Student Presenter: Michelle Kukan
Major: History
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Rice
Discipline: History
School: Humanities and Global Studies
Project Title: Mahwah Museum Veterans Project

Abstract: Many communities find unity in honoring their veterans. The Mahwah Museum’s Veterans Project was created to honor the many veterans from Mahwah who served. The project compiles information on veterans who served as far back as the American Revolution to present-day conflicts and in peacetime. The goal of the Mahwah Museum’s Veterans Project is to create a publicly accessible resource about honoring the lives of Mahwah’s veterans. Through genealogy resources, newspaper resources, and contact with families of veterans, the profiles are created. For this process, I use Ancestry Library for public resources like birth records, death records, addresses, and military information such as enlistment records. I also use Newspapers.com, a website that provides access to newspapers that have previously been published. Contact with families as well as veterans themselves also provides a multitude of information. When interviewed, families often provide military and personal information. The family members include children of veterans, siblings, and great-nephews. I conduct these interviews by phone calls or through online correspondence. Veterans are also able to complete and mail a questionnaire. These interviews give insight as to who these veterans were as people. Contacting families also expands the database as they request family members that were not previously included. These resources give access to images, information, and stories that are compiled in a profile. Profiles contain biographical information such as when and where they were born, their occupation, and their family. It also provides military information such as the start and end date of their service, their serial number, and unit. The compiled research is supported by a bibliography. As a result, the citizens of Mahwah as well as other people who have an interest in history can learn more about Mahwah and the people who have lived in the city and served their country.

Student Presenter: Emily Brackenbury
Major: Literature
Faculty Mentor: Paula Straile-Costa
Discipline: Spanish Language Studies
School: Humanities and Global Studies
Project Title: El objecto femenino en Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada
(The Female Object in Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair)

Abstract: In his poetry collection, Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (1924), Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, approaches various moments and emotions tied to the romantic relationship between two lovers. The narrator details love’s phases and the stages of a relationship, including separation, and their emotional consequences. This collection, one of his most notable works, is frequently praised for its highly descriptive language and sexual imagery. However, there are elements woven into Neruda’s poetry that should be examined further considering the context of the patriarchal society in which it was written and the male-dominated contained within the collection.

This study, originally conducted and written in Spanish, explores the ways Neruda’s poems reflect a dynamic of heterosexual relations influenced by patriarchal society characterized by a de-personification and objectification of women, as well as the tendency of men to use women as a means to fulfill their own desires. Readers can observe Neruda’s frequent metaphors that depict the female lover as an object or an image of nature, and through these figures and language choices, Neruda deconstructs the humanity of the woman and reconstruct her not as an individual with a distinct personality, but as a malleable thing that the male narrator wants to possess and dominate. The female figure becomes something upon which the narrator imposes his own idealized and misguided thoughts and desires. The heartbreak at the end of the collection does not in fact stem out of a loss of love, therefore, but rather the loss of the narrator’s constructed image of his partner: the male gaze that deludes him into seeing his lover as anything but an authentic human individual.

School of Social Science and Human Services

Student Presenter: Courtney J. Ober
Major: Social Work
Faculty Mentor: Colleen Martinez
Discipline: Social Work
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Psychological Wellbeing of Children, and the Therapeutic Benefits of Play in Addressing Related Challenges

Abstract: This poster presentation will examine the timely matter of the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological wellbeing of children, and the role that play and play therapy has in aiding these mental health challenges. It can be assumed that a sociohistorical event of this nature would have a negative impact on children’s wellbeing, and recent research has confirmed that hypothesis. Not only has the COVID-19 lockdown limited children’s access to academic and mental health services, but it has also disrupted their behavior, increased levels of anxiety and stress, and has led to social isolation, depression, and worsened physical health. Implications suggest that children would benefit from increased socialization (following COVID-19 social distancing protocol), mental health services, consistent routine, academic support, and greater access to physical activity. These mental health risks have both short-term and long-term consequences, as seen when measured longitudinally. Protective factors for children during this time include caregiver/parental support as well as the adoption of secondary coping-mechanisms, such as cognitive restructuring and distraction, which can help to alleviate the negative impacts of COVID-19 restrictions. Play, children’s main form of self-expression, can provide great therapeutic benefits, and play therapy is a developmentally appropriate tool to help children with a myriad of mental health needs, including acting out, being withdrawn, experiencing trauma, and being on the Autism Spectrum. A variety of play therapy modalities exist, but all revolve around empowering the child and encouraging self-regulation, providing a safe space, finding tools to cope with life’s challenges, and helping them to feel valued, capable, and in control. These findings suggest a vital need for greater access to resources that can stabilize and improve mental health issues among children, and play-based interventions have great promise in addressing these issues in developmentally appropriate ways.

Student Presenter: Trisha Mehta
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentors: Leah Warner and Tae Kwak
Discipline: Psychology
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Understanding Discrimination Towards Students of Asian Descent at Ramapo

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the amount and types of racial discrimination occurring at Ramapo College towards students who are Asian American or International students of Asian descent. This will be determined by interviewing students currently attending the college and those who have recently graduated. Participant reports will be used to better understand student experiences, find common themes amongst what they have reported, and further explore these themes in order to increase awareness and educate students and staff to prevent further discrimination. The research conducted will be used to explore questions such as “Are microaggressions the most prevalent form of racism on campus today?” “Why haven’t more students of Asian descent on campus spoken up when resources are available?” “If I find that students do experience discrimination, what practices at the college lead this discrimination to persist?” and “What kinds of changes do the students facing these discriminations wish to see take place?” Answers to these questions will allow a better understanding of the racially influenced struggles faced by Asian and Asian American students at Ramapo today and will help provide a better guideline for identifying and addressing the overall issue of racial discrimination at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Student Presenter: Jessica Bleyhl
Major: Master of Social Work
Faculty Mentor: Kathleen Ray
Discipline: Social Work
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: In-Library Social Work

Abstract: Traditionally, people visited public libraries to check out books, access information, and, more recently, use the free internet. Over the last decade, libraries have become an essential resource as the community’s needs shifted to include information about and access to social services. Patrons with limited incomes and educations regularly access the public computers in the library to apply for jobs, obtain health information and connect to government services and benefits. Patrons are often comfortable at their local library and bring their questions about their social services needs directly to librarians and staff. Others say little, but their needs may be apparent to the library staff, who cannot support these patrons in the capacity they require. Social workers have not traditionally been part of the library staff, but trends include full-time, part-time social workers and many social work interns. In 2009, the San Francisco Public Library became the first to hire a full-time social worker; more than forty other libraries have hired social workers over the next ten years. Social Workers are trained to assess and intervene with mental health, substance use, basic needs, and poverty-related needs. This project examines the needs of the patrons in three libraries in Sussex County, New Jersey. The unemployment rate in Sussex County is 4.7%, and 5.4% live below the poverty line. The COVID 19 Pandemic closed most local government agencies in Sussex County for in-person support, causing an immense backlog in obtaining services and assistance via phone. As the library branches reopened, they became a resource where patrons could speak to someone in person. Although the librarians and staff offer a wealth of information about life skills, books and reading, job training, educational goals, and personal interests, they are not trained in providing social services. This project will summarize the needs of the patrons in the libraries and suggest program development to meet the requirements.

Student Presenter: Jessica Westwood
Major: Master of Social Work
Faculty Mentor: Dolly Sacristan
Discipline: Social Work
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Developing A Multi-Modal Approach to Pain Management

Abstract: Pain management has become taboo in the United States. With the repercussions of increased opiate prescribing and the subsequent opioid epidemic still fresh, the topic of pain management has become prevalent in healthcare communities across the country. Traditionally managed with opiate medications, pain management has been the root problem for many struggling with addiction, leading a nationwide focus on reducing these medications. In targeting this reduction, a gap has emerged, filled with those experiencing chronic and acute pain that cannot access their medications. This population has encountered new barriers to adequately treating their pain, while facing the stigma associated with addiction. This study seeks to close these gaps, in creating a system-wide approach to pain management.

Beginning with the first phase of research, known as Opioid Reduction Options (ORO), the Institute for Prevention and Recovery sought to implement new order sets for the treatment of pain, reflecting best practice. The five presenting problems focused on, were those most commonly resulting in the prescribing of opioid medications. These order sets were implemented across the system, providing both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, with the goal of reducing opioid prescriptions. Each hospital saw a decrease of opioid prescribing by more than the targeted 10% reduction. In its current phase, ED-ALT has targeted patients in one emergency room, presenting with one of the five complaints. The pain managing philosophy has transformed from reduction to a more patient-centered approach, realistically reducing pain. To establish functional pain, the patient navigator completes two pain scales with the patient while in the emergency room. The navigators provide continued assistance in seeking community referrals at discharge and execute pain scales with the patient at the completion of 30 days. Preliminary results have found barriers to health in the community, encouraging a need for a multi-modal approach to pain management.

Student Presenter: Anjali Patel
Major: Law and Society
Faculty Mentor: Jeffrey Ellsworth
Discipline: Law and Society
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Legal Implications of Modern Discourse on Social Media

Abstract: With the rise in popularity of social media platforms and digital spaces such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit, there is more discussion of the nature of content that is being shared online. Users are able to express their views online through photos, videos, and text, but the federal government, corporations, and oversight boards play a role in monitoring what content follows regulations or not. Because these practices are consistently developing, there are no concrete separate jurisdictions of the user, the corporation, and the government, fogging what content is allowed to be posted and what can not. This raises the question of if the government and corporations should take more authoritative approaches in social media content regulation, if there is already sufficient government and corporation oversight of social media content, or if the user should be able to exercise more control over their content in line with their First Amendment freedoms. Drawing upon academic literature pertaining to entertainment and media law and specifically on social media, this research assesses the best approach to address the freedom of speech struggle between the government and corporations versus the user, and why it represents the most beneficial reforms. Current literature briefly describes implications but does not go as far as to contextualize nor define a solid answer and solution in the modern day. This thesis will explain how weaknesses of government and company censorship and oversight of social media suggest that there should be stronger mechanisms employed because of political polarization, spreading misinformation, promoting violence, a lack of standardized guidelines, and the blurring of private and professional life. This is significant for setting precedents for the growing presence of artificial intelligence and innovations like the Metaverse, which have the potential to bring speech regulation to the 4-D realm.

Student Presenter: Rianna Di Jesus
Major: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Lysandra Perez-Strumolo
Discipline: Psychology
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Using Mental Imagery as an Effective Coping Mechanism During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract: Given the current status of mental health in America due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems clear that many people are in need of adequate coping mechanisms to relieve their stress, anxiety, and general sense of unease. In this study, the researcher aimed to test whether or not mental imagery can be used as a no-cost, self-care technique that individuals can utilize to temporarily relieve some of their negative cognitions and emotions. Additionally, the study aimed to assess which imagery content (social, relaxation, or prosocial) is best suited to solve people’s individual problems, which may include stress, negative affect, social disconnectedness, and/or poor overall well-being. The researcher conducted an online study on Qualtrics with N = 52 students at Ramapo College of New Jersey. The results show that mental imagery can help to decrease stress and increase perceived social connectedness (PSC). Social daydreaming produced the greatest increases in PSC. There is also evidence of an interaction between mental imagery content and gender.

Student Presenter: Taylor Michelle Disanno
Major: Master of Social Work
Faculty Mentor: Colleen Martinez
Discipline: Social Work
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Effectiveness of Psychosocial Treatments for Children with PTSD

Abstract: This study will review the literature on treatments for children with PTSD, and the general research of children with PTSD. In this study, we will be examining the effectiveness of three treatments on PTSD symptoms in children who have been traumatized: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT), and standard care. During EMDR therapy, the therapist helps the client access and process traumatic memories using directed lateral eye movements in order to help them recover from their trauma. On the other hand, TF-CBT is a psychotherapy that helps children address their trauma and also focuses on managing unhelpful thoughts by learning coping skills. This study will review the literature on treatments for children with PTSD, and the general research of children with PTSD. In this study, we will be examining the effectiveness of three treatments on PTSD symptoms in children who have been traumatized: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT), and standard care. We believe that results will show that trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy will improve overall symptoms in children with PTSD to a greater extent than eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. However, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy will improve overall symptoms to a greater extent than standard treatment care. Results from this study will add to our existing knowledge about effective treatments for children with PTSD which will positively affect the wellbeing of these patients. This abstract is for a research proposal, data will not actually be collected and measured.

Student Presenter: Valerie Vengerov
Major: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: James Morley
Discipline: Psychology
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Dissociative Identity Disorder: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract: This work explores the development of dissociative identity disorder, specifically in response to severe childhood trauma. Childhood trauma will be discussed in the form of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse. Certain aspects of child abuse will be emphasized, particularly the aspects that evolve into an individual developing DID. Childhood adaptation is at the core of dissociative identity disorder, as it is created by a fragmentation of one’s psyche. As an individual experiences repeated or chronic trauma, additional fragmentations are likely to occur, thus resulting in multiple personalities. DID is a difficult mental deficit to diagnose, as oftentimes the individual suffering is unaware of their own affliction. The presentation will include various aspects to how an individual can receive the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder, with a focus on a multitude of etiologies. The multipath model will highlight how the disorder can come about in terms of biology, psychology, sociocognitive, and sociocultural factors. Based on the various etiologies of the multipath model, a clear distinction between the general public and those suffering from the mental disease is applied. The distinction is seen in alterations of brain development, body chemistry, and a multitude of new and abnormal behaviors ascribed to the individual. Treatments regarding the mental deficit are limited, however interesting cases of alters suffering from depression and bipolar disorder have reported being successfully treated of their symptoms. Trauma will also relate to the healing process, a key part in treatment. As an individual is unable to be ‘cured’ from dissociative identity disorder, an alleviation of symptoms and an awareness of alters is currently the most that is able to be accomplished.

Student Presenters: Autumn Laird and Danielle Rosengrant
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Naseem Choudhury
Discipline: Neuroscience
School: Social Science and Human Services
Project Title: Characteristics of the Visual and Auditory P300 ERP in Individuals with High and Low Self-Reported Deficits of Attention

Abstract: Attention-related disorders are one of the most prevalent forms of developmental learning disorders affecting school children and persisting through adulthood in some cases. Successful deployment of attentional processes is required for everyday adaptive functioning, and numerous studies have shown that difficulties in attentional control at the behavioral level are related to atypical activation of neuronal networks (Kulke, Atkinson & Braddick, 2016). EEG/ERP paradigms are particularly well-situated to assess attentional processes at both the sensory and cognitive levels.

In addition to EEG/ERP studies, the potential influence of genetics on attention-related disorders has been studied. The DRD4 gene is one that has been widely studied in relation to ADHD populations. This gene codes for the D4 dopamine receptor which has a role in neuronal signaling. While the DRD4 gene has been studied in relation to clinical diagnosis of ADHD, the potential correlation between certain VNTR repeats within the gene and endogenous potentials in neural processing has not been fully understood. The goal of this study is to incorporate previous research utilizing high-density EEG/ERPs assessing attentional processing and include an auditory component to assess auditory processing, and a genetic analysis component to analyze the VNTR allelic variants within the DRD4 gene in participants. The overall goal of the study is to determine if there is a correlation between the presence of certain alleles in the DRD4 gene and the amplitude and latency characteristics of endogenous P300 potentials in visual and auditory sensory processing.

School of Theoretical and Applied Science

Student Presenter: Shreehar Joshi
Major: Computer Science and Data Science
Faculty Mentor: Eman Abdelfattah
Discipline: Computer Science/Data Science
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Deep Neural Networks for Time Series Classification in Human Activity Recognition

Abstract: The field of Human Activity Recognition has been one of the most highly sought domains among professionals from academia and industry alike due to the rise in usage of mobile technologies and wearable motion-sensors in daily life. Due to its application in different fields such as healthcare, biometrics, and human-machine interaction, a plethora of research works proposing different neural networks have been conducted in the past with a majority of them focusing towards mobile sensor-based recognition due to significant advantages it holds over fixed sensor-based recognition. In this research, four neural network architectures – Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), ConvLSTM, and CNN-LSTM – were trained and tested on the WISDM Dataset independent of the subject for classifying different classes of human activities. The CNN-LSTM architecture was observed to have the highest efficiency among different models used in the research for classifying different types of hand-oriented and non-hand-oriented activities. It was also found that all the aforementioned models performed better in data from the accelerometer than the same from the gyroscope. Moreover, the difference in the efficiencies of the models in the two sensors was much more significant in watches than in the phones. Furthermore, in general, patterns in sensor data from watches were found to be more distinct from one another and thus could be captured more efficiently compared to the data from phones’ sensors.

Student Presenters: Karyssa Cendaña and Nathan LaDuke
Major: Environmental Science
Faculty Mentor: Eric Wiener
Discipline: Environmental Science
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Foraging preferences for different tree species by downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and red-bellied woodpeckers in a floodplain forest (Ramapo Valley County Reservation, NJ)

Abstract: Studies suggest that woodpeckers often forage more heavily on tree species that are experiencing wood-boring insect outbreaks. The objective of this study was to better understand downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus), and red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) foraging preferences for different tree species in a temperate floodplain forest during an invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) outbreak. On 18 study days, woodpeckers encountered were followed and the species and gender of each bird, the tree species that were selected, and how much time was spent foraging on each tree were recorded. Results revealed that most foraging by all three woodpecker species focused on four of the most common tree species at the site – white ash (Fraxinus americana), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), red maple (Acer rubrum) and pin oak (Quercus palustris). For all three bird species, the relative density of tree selections was highly predictive of the time spent foraging in each tree species. However, the foraging preferences varied among the woodpecker species. Hairy woodpeckers and red-bellied woodpeckers tended to spend more time foraging on pin oaks, while avoiding red maple and silver maple more than expected based on the relative basal area of these tree species. The only non-random pattern for downy woodpeckers was that they tended to spend more time on silver maples than expected. Surprisingly, despite the emerald ash borer outbreak on white ash trees, hairy woodpeckers were the only species that tended to spend more time than expected foraging on white ash. Further research should examine the role of tree size in woodpecker foraging behavior and future studies should incorporate multiple forest stands where ash trees are being impacted by emerald ash borers.

Student Presenters: Juhi Desai, Suvekshya Shrestha, and Mariam Tinawi
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Kokila Kota
Discipline: Biology
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Isolation, Identification and Assessment of the Antimicrobial Activities of a Thermophilic Actinomycetes Strain Extracted from the Soil

Abstract: Biofilms are a hallmark feature of various opportunistic pathogenic bacteria that allow them to communicate with each other. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterium that results in serious infections in health-care settings, associating with over 70% of all clinical infections. Pseudomonas growing in biofilms exhibit adaptive resistance to essentially all antibiotics and there is an urgent need to work on new methods to supplement our current antibiotics. Therefore, the long-term goal of our research aims to develop anti-biofilm agents targeting poly-microbial communities rather than the planktonic bacteria.

An important group of soil bacteria, recognized as a source of commercially important enzymes and antimicrobials, is the largely underestimated, Actinomycetes. Considering the potential of discovering Actinomycetes that can produce enzymes and antimicrobials, this study is aimed to isolate Actinomycetes samples collected from sites across Ramapo College campus soils and test the antimicrobials with industrial and medical applications. Several strains were isolated and screened using standard Microbiology and Biochemical diagnostic tests. One strain was identified as a thermophile and based on the colony morphology, gram staining and the diagnostic tests had identified it to be a gram-positive bacterium belonging to the genus Actinomycetes.

The isolated strain of Actinomycetes was further tested and the extracellular crude extract from the supernatant exhibited anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity assessed by agar disk diffusion and agar well diffusion methods. It also exhibited anti-biofilm activity against the Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm. We are currently optimizing the protocols for purification of the antimicrobial peptides from the supernatant using standard techniques like ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography. Our research addresses if pre-treatment of the bacterial biofilms with the purified supernatant increases their antibiotic susceptibility. A combined treatment of antibiotics with anti-biofilm peptides may offer a very potent treatment of both biofilm and planktonic infections resulting in novel adjuvant therapies.

Student Presenters: Grace Byrne¹ and Misha Matthai²
Major: ¹Sociology and ²Biology
Faculty Mentor: Joost Monen
Discipline: Biology
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Characterizing the Growth Rates of Brewing Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) under Varying Alcohol Conditions

Abstract: The brewing industry has more than doubled over the past decade as craft breweries emerge, seeking new and exciting flavors while steadily increasing the alcohol content of the average beer. One of the four main ingredients, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), is responsible for producing the alcohol while also adding to the overall flavor. The health of the yeast is critical to producing a consistent and delicious beverage as any brewer can tell you that unhappy yeast will produce all sorts of off flavors, making the beer undrinkable. In this study, we examined the health of twelve of the most commonly used brewing yeast strains by analyzing their growth rates under varying alcohol conditions up to 15%. The average log phase growth rate for the strains analyzed ranged from 1.5-2.8 mOD/min under non-alcohol conditions, indicating healthy yeast growth. As alcohol levels increased, the growth rates decreased with some strains able to tolerate higher levels of alcohol. These data highlight the importance of selecting the right strain depending on the intended alcohol levels of the finished product.

Student Presenters: James Martinez¹ and Michael Sooy²
Major: ¹Bioinformatics and ²Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Ashley Stuart
Discipline: Bioinformatics and Biochemistry
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Computational Modeling and Experimental Analysis of DuraPETase, A Thermostable Variant of PETase Plastic Degrading Enzyme

Abstract: Waste created by fossil-fuel-based single-use plastics grows tremendously each year. Global statistics show production has reached 367 million metric tonnes as of 2020. The effects of the global pandemic, including facial masks, testing kits, packaging etc., have caused the production of single-use plastic items to skyrocket. While necessity has initiated the creation of new companies for plastic production technologies, it is noted that the creation of recycling/degradation technologies to deal with the aftermath of used plastics has not advanced as quickly. This can be seen with plastic ending up either in landfills or seeping into nature because plastic pollution is outpacing the capacity that exists to control it. While recycling may provide a solution to reuse some plastics, a solution to eliminate this environmental pollutant is microbial biodegradation. Through microbial biodegradation, plastics are degraded into simple monomers by microbes so that they may be naturally utilized by such organisms and be reincorporated into nature’s carbon cycle. Studying the most commonly used plastics and microbial degraders, it is noted that Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used most commonly in water bottles, can be degraded by the PETase enzyme from bacteria, Ideonella sakaiensis. Mutagenesis studies have produced a thermostable PETase called DuraPETase, which offers optimized degradation potential into organisms that produce it. Our project attempts to understand DuraPETase’s properties through bioinformatics tools and through wet-lab techniques of expressing the DuraPETase gene in a pET expression vector, isolating and purifying the enzyme, and testing its ability to degrade PET and other common plastics. Research into this field is vital to discover new mitigation methods of plastic pollution.

Student Presenters: Sameer Jafri¹, Holly Blumenberg², Valery Bognar,¹ and  Lachezara Rangelova²
Major: ¹Biology and ²Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Suma Somasekharan
Discipline: Biochemistry
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Cloning, Expression and Purification of His-tagged Firefly Luciferase

Abstract: Luciferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the ATP dependent-oxidation of luciferin resulting in the generation of light. We are interested in affinity purification of the Firefly luciferase using a bacterial overexpression system. We have generated a recombinant DNA construct of a His-tagged luciferase gene in a pET expression vector. We used PCR to obtain the luciferase gene fragment with restriction sites for Bam H1 and Sac1 flanking the gene. The gene was then ligated into the pET 30a vector. After successful cloning we are working on overexpressing the Luciferase protein in a bacterial expression system. We are using BL21 DE3 E. coli cells to overexpress the protein. We will subsequently use Nickel NTA-agarose columns for affinity purification of the His -tagged protein. As a proof of concept, we will also simultaneously perform affinity purification of a His-tagged Green Fluorescent protein.

Student Presenters: Gabriela Tactuk and Avantika Thakur
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Joost Monen
Discipline: Biology
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: The Genetics of Brewing: Characterizing Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Genes that Influence Flavor and Aroma

Abstract: The craft beer industry (projected to be worth $190 billion by 2027) has become a booming, competitive, and lucrative business due to the global demand for new and exciting flavors. Brewers, motivated by this worldwide pressure, have made huge innovations in their recipes by selecting for the right combination of hops, grains and water attributes needed to produce quality beer. The last and most critical ingredient is the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which will determine the overall flavor and aroma profile of the finished product. Yeast, not only make alcohol during fermentation, but also produce a variety of desirable (and undesirable) aromatic compounds via secondary metabolic pathways. Because every beer style seeks to have a different flavor and aroma profile, brewers have artificially selected for yeast strains that will impart the attributes they desire. As a result, hundreds of strains exist, but their genetic backgrounds are largely uncharacterized. By understanding the role that yeast genetics play in imparting flavor and aroma during fermentation, brewers can begin to refine their craft even further. In order to investigate the role that genetics play during fermentation, we compared 12 of the most popular yeast strains in the industry by sequencing three genes (ATF1, ATF2, and IAH1) known to be involved in pathways producing ethyl acetate (fruity) and isoamyl acetate (banana), which are desirable in some beers and undesirable in others. We identified a number of mutations that existed in all of the strains characterized. While all of the mutations identified in the ATF1 genes between the strains were silent, there were a number of missense mutations seen in both the ATF2 and IAH1 genes that could play a role in the enzymatic activity of their respective gene products. Notably however, there were no frameshift or nonsense mutations in any of the strains for any of the genes sequenced, indicating that the genes must play an important metabolic role, despite the different levels of aromatic compounds generated by different strains.

Student Presenters: Tenzin Sherpa, Prithivi Rana, and Aashish Poudel
Major: Engineering Physics
Faculty Mentors: Catalin Martin and Ihor Sydoryk
Discipline: Engineering Physics
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: The Effects of Ge-doping on Electronic and Lattice Vibrational Properties of FeGa₃

Abstract: Thermoelectric devices today are highly inefficient with very low thermoelectric coefficients. These devices, if improved, can bring unanticipated benefits for technology dealing with waste heat recovery, space probes, thermoelectric generators, etc. Popular materials for research in this field are doped intermetallic narrow-gap semiconductors. FeGa3 is one such material that exhibits unusual magnetic, electronic properties and is often investigated for its large thermopower coefficient. It is a diamagnetic semiconductor with a small bandgap of 0.5eV. With Ge-doping, the material undergoes a ground state crossover from an insulator to a paramagnetic and then to a ferromagnetic metal. We use optical spectroscopy to study the underlying electronic and lattice vibrational properties of FeGa3−xGex single crystals for x=0 (undoped) and x=0.16 (heavily-doped). We present optical reflectance and conductivity measurements for a frequency range of 40 cm-1 to 50000 cm-1, for temperatures from 300K to 5K. The large thermopower of FeGa3 has been speculated to be caused by strong electronic correlations or the electron-phonon drag effect. However, our observations show that the electron-phonon drag effect has a much greater contribution to this property. Understanding the mechanism behind its peculiarly high thermopower factors can open new avenues for developing more efficient thermoelectric devices.

Student Presenters: Prithivi Rana
Major: Engineering Physics
Faculty Mentor: Catalin Martin
Discipline: Engineering Physics
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Polarized Infrared Spectroscopy of FeTe₂ Single Crystals

Abstract: There is renewed interest in transition metal dichalcogenides (MX2) like FeTe2, FeS2, FeSe2 for their thermoelectric performances and their rich physical properties. Since they are narrow gap semiconductors with large electron mobility and strong absorption in visible/ultraviolet spectral regions, they have been investigated for their potential in applications like spintronics, batteries, and photodetectors.

With the goal of addressing some of the open questions regarding their electronic properties, we performed measurements of polarized infrared reflectance on single crystals of FeTe2, which has been characterized as a magnetic semiconductor of interest. Imperfections can tune properties of semiconductors, so we focused, in particular, on samples with iron vacancy defects which were found to suppress long-range magnetic order. Here, we discuss the in-plane anisotropy of optical conductivity and optical band gap, as well as additional optical transitions observed at low energies, below the gap. We show that our data is in good agreement with recent band structure calculations, indicating spin-splitting of the eg and tg orbitals of the Fe-3d shell. FeTe2, which can form in a highly defective marcasite structures, can be exploited for optoelectronic and thermoelectronic applications.

Student Presenters: Megan Knight and Miguel Rosales Morales
Major: Engineering Physics
Faculty Mentor: Catalin Martin
Discipline: Engineering Physics
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Novel table top method to measure small magnetic moments

Abstract: Measuring small magnetic fields, like a 1 ppm of the earth magnetic field has many technological or biological applications. Current devices (magnetometers) capable of such performance are either of large size, or require special conditions, like cryogenic temperatures, ultra-high isolations from earth field, motion of sample, etc. Here we present a novel potential table top, static, and room-temperature operated magnetometer, with promising sensitivity, and much more versatile. We present our measurements on standard magnetic samples, discuss the current performances, and offer future direction for improvements.

Student Presenters: Narayan Pokhrel¹, Ayush Mainali², and Peter Colombo³
Major: ¹Engineering Physics, ²Data Science and ³Computer Science
Faculty Mentor: Eman Abdelfattah
Discipline: Computer Science
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Poverty Classification using the Supplemental Poverty Measure Dataset

Abstract: Measuring poverty can vary greatly depending on various factors such as marital status, home ownership, and ethnicity. This research attempts to show which style of measurement is the most accurate overall, and which to be used under specific circumstances. The purpose of this research is to help guide poverty alleviation institutions so that they might better understand and use their information and data. A dataset provided by the US supplemental poverty measure (SPM) was analyzed for the year 2019 and results were visualized using pandas, and matplotlib libraries in python This data will portray poverty measurements based on sex, marital status, ethnicity, location, home ownership, income, and expenses.

Student Presenter: Narayan Pokhrel
Major: Engineering Physics
Faculty Mentor: Catalin Martin and Ihor Sydoryk
Discipline: Engineering Physics
School: Theoretical and Applied Science
Project Title: Effects of Topological Structures in Ribbons of Magnetic Amorphous Alloys

Abstract: The strong magnetoelastic (ME) coupling in magnetic amorphous alloys (MAA) have been exploited for measuring a variety of physical parameters, such as mass, density, viscosity, humidity, or temperature. When a longitudinal magnetic field is applied, a ribbon of MAA also changes its length. If the magnetic field is then oscillated with variable frequency, a strong induced electromagnetic response (emf) can be detected in a pick-up coil when the oscillating frequency matches the mechanical resonance of the ribbon. In this talk, we will demonstrate how MAA ribbons can provide an elegant, yet relatively simple platform for studying the effects associated with topological structures in mechanical systems. We present experimental measurements of the effects of various hole structures on the vibrational modes of MAA ribbons and compare them with COMSOL numerical calculations.