UMTC Undergraduate Research Presentations and Papers (UROP)
Persistent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11299/45101
This collection contains posters, scholarly papers, and other presentations prepared by undergraduate researchers, including presentations made at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, the McNair Scholars Symposium, and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Additional undergraduate work can be found in the Homecoming Student Scholar and Public Engagement Showcase
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Item Expanding Head for a Soft-Burrowing Robot(2025-04) Dinh, HungThe main objectives of this research are to design, build, and test a linkage-based morphing head for a tiny underground burrowing robot, inspired by the burrowing action of earthworm. The suggested design employs a four-bar linkage system in conjunction with a central slider to accomplish a two-step penetration-expansion process, taking inspiration from naturally occurring burrowing organisms. Assembling and ensuring successfully the possibility of its motion are the main goals in this Research. Besides, reducing soil resistance, improving energy efficiency, and facilitating efficient navigation through cohesive soil will be also a goal aimed at in the future. SolidWorks were used to create a comprehensive CAD model, which was then used to fabricate the prototype through 3D printing and hand machining methods. Load frames will be used in mechanical testing to measure penetration and expansion forces in representative media in the near future. Testing involved three key steps: (1) measuring the force required to open the robot head, (2) pushing the robot into gelatin with the head fully open, and (3) inserting the robot with the head fully closed, then expanding it. The outcome of the testing is expected to show superior results in terms of force reduction and energy efficiency compared to penetrating with the head fully expanded. These findings also suggest that the second-generation morphing head design offers significant performance improvements over its predecessor.Item Diagnostic Imaging in Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy - A Case Report(2025-03-15) Salama, Ryan; Shtembari, Jurgen; Mohammad, Al-AkcharNoncompaction cardiomyopathy is a rare congenital form of cardiomyopathy characterized by protruding trabeculations in the left ventricle with deep intertrabecular recesses. It has been previously associated with valvular pathologies and bradycardias. Herein, we present a case of 34-year-old female patient who was initially seen at an outside hospital for lightheadedness and dizziness associated with anxiety. An EKG was obtained, and she was found to have ventricular escape rhythm with a rate of 50 beats per minute with left bundle-branch morphology. She was subsequently transferred to our hospital for a higher level of care and further workup. After excluding common causes of bradycardia in young patients and initial echocardiography exam showing apical trabeculations, cardiac MRI was obtained to confirm the suspected diagnosis noncompaction cardiomyopathy. Cardiac MRI showed a left ventricular systolic function of 45%, increased size of the ventricular cavity and reduced LV mass. There was no late gadolinium enhancement, myocardial walls were seen and the noncompaction to compaction tissue ratio was higher than 2.3:1. Her findings were consistent with the current criteria of diagnosis of noncompaction cardiomyopathy. Noncompaction cardiomyopathy is a congenital form of cardiomyopathy that has a variable manifestation. Its prevalence is estimated between 0.014 to 1.3 percent. While the majority of the patients can be relatively asymptomatic, heart failure, atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death and thromboembolic events have been associated with this diagnosis. Different criteria have been developed to establish a diagnosis of noncompaction cardiomyopathy. They emphasize hyper-trabeculation, presence of a compacted and non-compacted layer of myocardium and color Doppler evidence of low within the intertubercular recesses. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can be used to diagnose noncompaction cardiomyopathy echocardiographic findings are inconclusive. Most CMR criteria require a trabeculated LV mass with a maximum end-diastolic non compacted to compacted myocardial thickness ratio of higher than 2.3.Item Reality Proxy: Fluid Interactions with Real-World Objects in MR via Abstract Representations(2025-04-16) Jia, DifanItem A Person-Centered Analysis of Ethnic Identity and Mental Health in Adult Women of Color in the U.S.(2025-04) Archambault, JoshItem Parent and Adolescent Pre-Treatment Outcome Expectations and Therapeutic Outcomes Among Adolescents with Depression(2025-04) vonHartitzsch, KendraPatient expectancy, particularly pre-treatment outcome expectations, is a well documented yet understudied factor influencing psychotherapy outcomes, especially in youth populations. This study examined parent and adolescents’ expectations regarding the leading treatments for adolescent depression and whether adolescents’ and parents’ baseline expectations predicted therapeutic outcomes in a clinical trial for adolescent depression. Participants included 90 adolescents receiving either usual care or interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed adolescents (IPT-A), and one parent per adolescent. Expectations were assessed for therapy, medication, and combination treatment and outcome measures included depression symptoms, parental relationships, and peer relationships. Both adolescents and parents expected grater improvement from combination treatment and therapy alone than form medication alone. However, parents generally reported higher expectations than adolescents across most treatment types, particularly for therapy and combined approaches. Additionally, parental, but not adolescent, expectations significantly predicted improvements in improvements in depressive symptoms. Expectations were not significantly related to changes in parent or peer relationships. These findings highlight the distinct role of parental expectancy in treatment response and underscore the value of addressing expectations early in the therapeutic process.Item Investigation into Rigid Band Approximation (RBA) of Na-ion Battery Materials(2025-04) Kappuzha, JerryItem “I Feel Like a Part of Me Just Died:” How Fans Describe Their (Dis)satisfaction with Shadowhunters(2025-04) Coler, ZoeRemakes have been a staple of Hollywood for decades, and yet little research has been done into the way fans respond to a source text’s second adaptation. This poster analyzes how fans express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the television show remake of 2013’s City of Bones movie, Shadowhunters, with both adaptations based on the 2007 novel Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. I also studied if having seen the film adaptation affected the way fans viewed the second incarnation of the property. I completed a qualitative analysis using NVivo of comments from articles about Shadowhunters on TMISource, a fansite for the books, as well as comments in Reddit threads on r/Shadowhunters. Fans most common complaints about Shadowhunters revolved around its lack of fidelity to the text, especially its plot and characters, and the oversexualization of female characters. Fans satisfaction was often expressed in terms of liking changes made to the book, or at least feeling like changes were necessary. Fans also tended to change their opinion, positive or negative, episode by episode, hoping it would get better along the way. I found that the movie adaptation has had two major affects on fan response to the show. First, the movie being ‘bad’ appears to have made fans more willing to accept changes to the book because they are desperate for a good adaptation. Although, secondly, it also appears to have made them more pessimistic about other pieces of the show, because they have an obvious touchstone for what a ‘bad’ adaptation of the books looks like and many appear to have spent time analyzing why the film is bad. Therefore, when fans see these same elements in the show, they already have the language to describe why they don’t like it, making it easier to criticize.Item Comparison of the Wavelength Dependence of Probe Compounds Used for the Quantification of Hydroxyl Radical Production from Sodium Nitrite(2025-04) Jeske, SarahThe principal objective of this experiment is to determine which probe compound, pCBA, benzene, or methanol, should be used when measuring the production of hydroxyl radical from sodium nitrite at various wavelengths of light. This topic is being investigated as accurate quantification of hydroxyl radical at varying spatial-temporal and climatic conditions, as modeled by the varying wavelengths of light, is important for understanding biogeochemical processes and pollutant dynamics. Three probe compounds (pCBA, benzene, and methanol) were combined with sodium nitrite, a known hydroxyl radical sensitizer, and exposed to LED light at varying wavelengths (255, 275, 295, 308, and 365 nm). The quantum yields of hydroxyl radical were determined by normalizing hydroxyl radical production by light intensity and the light absorption of sodium nitrite at the different wavelengths. The best probe at each wavelength is that which is most selective for the hydroxyl radical, measured by the smallest quantum yield. It was found that methanol is the only probe compound that is suitable for all the wavelengths studied. It was also the most selective probe compound, consistently measuring the lowest quantum yields for hydroxyl radical production.Item Polygenic Scores to Investigate Shared Genetic Etiology between Tobacco Use and Personality Constraint(2025-04) Srinivasan, ShreyaItem Openness and Positive Affect Variability(2025-04) Lehner, RachaelItem Analyzing Urban Coyote Scat through Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing(2025-04) Jansen, MarissaCoyotes (Canis latrans) are currently occupying urban areas where they were previously absent due to habitat loss and the high availability of anthropogenic food sources in cities. In the Twin Cities Metro Area, coyotes have successfully colonized the urban area. Due to the difficulty of capturing these urban coyotes, it’s beneficial to study the coyotes non-invasively, such as by analyzing their readily available scat. This study aimed to examine the bacterial communities and endoparasites present in urban coyote scat samples, and potential differences between the inner and outer sections of samples. In this study, five coyote scat samples were randomly selected from five different areas around the Twin Cities Metro Area, and the inner core and outer crust sections were analyzed separately. DNA was extracted following a modified protocol for scat samples through the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit, quantified via Qubit, and subjected to Quality Control (QC) tests at UMGC before being analyzed in CZID. Fluorometric quantification revealed variable DNA yields, with some samples failing due to low concentration. Eight samples met sequencing thresholds and were analyzed for bacterial composition in CZID. The results from sequencing indicate a mix of gut, diet-derived, and environmental bacteria, with a notable outlier being Schistosoma japonicum. The findings from this study provide insights into urban coyote microbiomes and highlight the potential for using shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyze scat for ecological and health assessments.Item Breaking Par: Hiawatha Golf Course, Diversity, and Youth Golf(2025-04) Bradley, TylerThis article examines the history of Hiawatha Golf Course in Minneapolis and builds off previous literature, three oral history interviews, newspaper articles, and magazine articles to understand the function the golf course has played for Black people, with a particular focus on youth. As the golf course has been a point of contention between the Minneapolis Park Board and grassroots groups advocating for its preservation, this paper seeks to illuminate the historical value of the course. While significant figures in the course’s history are appropriately recognized for their key contributions, the findings indicate the importance of the course for all members of the local community. Ultimately, it is argued that considerations of youth golf must be incorporated into this debate along with those of traditionally marginalized golfers.