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  (T.T) Tracking Typhoid: Is Typhoid Eradication Possible?

  Madeline Camilleri

  More than two billion individuals do not have access to basic sanitation. These people are susceptible to typhoid fever, an illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. Spread through the contamination of food and water and human-to-human contact, eleven to twenty million individuals fall ill to typhoid each year, and between one hundred and two hundred thousand individuals pass away. Recorded as early as 430 BCE, the disease is predominant in low-income countries that have insufficient medical facilities, surveillance systems, and sanitation services. These numbers are merely approximations as the countries most directly impacted by typhoid do not have the proper equipment to test, track, and report the virus. The disease remains a threat that has yet to be adequately addressed by global medical communities. Although organizations such as WHO and UNICEF work to campaign against typhoid fever, with numbers so high, it appears not enough is being done. Is it feasible to eradicate typhoid fever globally, and what more can be done? This is the question I aim to address. In my research, I examine different studies published by epidemiologists and other medical experts on typhoid trends, impacted communities, and first-hand accounts to assess past and current typhoid eradication efforts. I anticipate finding evidence supporting the low possibility of typhoid eradication. My objective is to not only educate individuals on typhoid fever but also propose possible short-term and long-term solutions to mitigate typhoid numbers.

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  Cleaning Chemicals from the Environment Utilizing Mycoremediation: The Capacity of Three Fungi Species to Intercept Perfluorooctanoic Acid

  Mary Campbell

  Anthropogenic contamination of water, soil, and air has been increasingly documented over the past few decades. One chemical of particular concern is Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), which is found in fluoropolymers present in non-stick pan coatings and stain resistant fabrics in clothing and rugs. It can also be generated from the degradation of larger perfluorinated compounds, such as Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). It is pervasive in the environment, and resists degradation which has led to its presence in low levels within human blood worldwide. Numerous human health risks have been noted from PFOA contamination and exposure, including hypertension, thyroid disorders, cancers, and more. Prior research has determined chemical means to break the larger PFAS precursor down to PFOA. However, to date no research has identified biological means for removal or degradation of PFOA from the environment. Fungi are well known for their capacity to intercept or even degrade toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls, textile dyes, heavy metals, and crude oil. Given these qualities, we tested the ability of three species of fungi (Stropharia rugosoannulata, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Agaricus campestris) to intercept environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOA from contaminated solution over 24 hours. We found both S. rugosoannulata and P. ostreatus removed significantly higher amounts of PFOA (1ppm) from contaminated solution relative to controls over 24 hours. This research suggests a future possibility of utilizing fungi as a low-impact and cost-effective capturing system to mitigate widespread PFOA contamination.

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  Examining the Relationship between ASD Knowledge and Educator Experience in a NY State Sample

  Antonia Canosa, Kelly Buchanan, Raymond Romanczyk, Jennifer Gillis Mattson, and Candace Mulcahy

  Given the increase in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence rates (CDC, 2021), educators are more likely than ever to serve autistic students across educational environments. The literature suggests that educator knowledge of ASD may be poor and impact effectiveness in working with students (Gómez-Mari, 2021). This study will examine knowledge about ASD in a large sample of educators from New York state (N=400) using data from an online survey. Autism knowledge was measured using the ASK-Q, a measure validated and designed to reliably identify gaps in ASD knowledge across cultures and professions (Harrison, 2017). Regression analyses will be used to examine the association between years of experience and other demographic variables (e.g., age, educator type) with educators’ ASD knowledge across specific domains—diagnosis and symptoms, etiology, treatment, and stigma. Implications are relevant to identifying demographic-specific training needs and developing resources for educators working with autistic students.

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  The Health Impact of Dietary Choices on Ni-Vanuatu

  Connor Celeste, Lauren Loewen, Connor Lawless, Sierra Winter, Kelsey Baer, and Kinsley Kilgore

  This study sought to determine the link between market integration based dietary choices and health among residents of Vanuatu. Surveys were collected among a cross section of the populations found on multiple islands among the archipelago. The participants came from distinct communities with various levels of development. They recalled the food they ate within a 24-hour period, which the surveyors recorded along with some photos that will be used to assess average servings. These surveys informed a list of commonly consumed foods which was enriched with nutritional minutiae collected from the USDA FoodData central database. A paper published in August of 2021 included a statistical analysis to quantify life-span impact of dietary choices (Stylianou et. al). The food from Vanuatu was then applied to the formula from Stylianou et. al. The results of this analysis confirmed our original hypothesis, that locally grown, traditional foods are beneficial, while imported, Western food is harmful to overall health. We have yet to analyze the overall health impact of differing levels of market integration however. This step will involve the analysis of different island populations within the archipelago. Higher access to ultra-processed foods is linked to all-cause mortality for much of the world’s adult population. To present this decline in health within a population as it is integrated into the market economy is our task.

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  The Russian Government, Unreliable Scholars, and Homophobic Disinformation

  Fiona Celli

  By enshrining the framework of universalization in both recent “scholarship” and the legal code, the Russian government has hardened disinformation that will harm the queer community for many years. During the AIDS and HIV crisis, the Russian government weaponized disinformation in an attempt to “eliminate” queer people through a campaign known as Operation Denver. They refused to provide information to medical professionals, as well as fostered the spread of disinformation within fearful communities of uninformed people. Because of this disinformation that the Russian government spread to its citizens as well as medical professionals, the HIV and AIDS crisis cost millions of queer lives. In 2013, the Russian government enacted a law, deemed the “Gay Propaganda Law”, that prevents children from seeing or hearing any information about queer people. Some “scholars” and influential journalists have released disinformation stating that being queer is a choice and is something that anyone can either choose or choose not to be – subscribing to the framework of universalization. From the HIV and AIDS crisis in the 1980’s, through 2013 when the “Gay Propaganda Law” was enacted, and continuing today with “scholarly” pseudo-science that claims anyone can become gay, it is clear that Russia has remained one of the most homophobic nations in the world. However, despite the Russian government’s continued targeting of queer people, LGBTQ people still exist and live in Russia. These laws and disinformation campaigns harm real people, and it is important to acknowledge and understand this in order to prevent this from happening elsewhere.

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  The Great Beach: Parallels Between Print and Paint

  Katelyn Chen

  A change in environment typically fosters a change in artistic expression. Jan Gelb, a printmaker-turned-painter, experienced this when she moved from working at Atelier 17 in New York City to living in isolation with her husband in a dune shack on the Peaked Hill Bars of, then remote, Provincetown. Prior to her relocation, Gelb had spearheaded the emergence of a group of artists, known as 14 Painter-Printmakers, that has been long associated with the avant-garde art movement in the US. However, during her time spent isolated in the dune shack, Jan Gelb radically transitioned from her life as a prominent printmaker to creating paintings of her newfound muse: her front yard. Gelb’s front yard was the beach, and to her, it was a monumental inspiration to her works. Indeed, the beach itself became integrated into her work, with specks of sand from the capricious dunes evident in her painting, The Great Beach: June Entering (CA 1960-1967). In my research, I argue that what might appear to be a radical shift from one form of art-making to another, does not, in Gelb's case amount to a complete departure from printmaking. The layered process that is integral to printmaking is reflected also in her painting. Recognition of this continuity, I show, enables us to better understand her painting, while also acknowledging the significance of the impact of her new environment on her work.

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  Mismatched Name: Exploring the Meaning When Chinese Parents Give Their Daughters Masculine Name

  Zeqi Chen

  Background: The strict logic of patrilineal inheritance and the clan system led to a patriarchal society from ancient China and a deep-rooted cultural preference for sons over daughters. Names, as figurative symbols of blood ties and hierarchical order, have become one of the main ways for parents to express their expectations for children. The inconsistency between male names and female gender is contrary to the general rule that parents express blessings in their children’s names. Research Question: This study interviewed women with male names in China to understand their interpretations of their names and the gender perceptions behind the names in contemporary Chinese society. Methods: The researcher recruited Chinese interviewees using a snowball sampling method. Interviews lasted approximately 45 minutes and were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Questions explored how interviewees understand the meaning of their names, parents’ reasons for giving their daughters male names, their parents’ son preference conception, and perceptions of their own names. Analyze transcripts converted from interviews records to identify themes related to the name and gender identity. Results: Masculine female names present opposing gender trends in contemporary China. In economically developed large cities, masculine female names reflect parents' de-gendered educational philosophy and gender-neutral tendencies; conversely, in economically backward regions, masculine female names reflect parents' patriarchal beliefs in their desire to have sons. The reasons for masculine names affect the child's acceptance of the name and gender identity. Females have a high acceptance of masculine names for gender-neutral reasons and perceive themselves as gaining masculine strength, while on the contrary, females reject masculine names given in favor of sons and express strong female gender identity.

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  Expectation Versus Reality: Perceived Differences in Cognitive Ability Between Men and Women

  Lily Chiu, Julia Smargiassi, Lauren Rothman, and Kimberly Burns

  In Western society, there is a common belief that there are clear differences between male and female brains. In our project, we hope to gain insight into the beliefs of undergraduate students regarding this very idea. We are surveying Binghamton University students about their perceptions regarding the differences in cognitive ability between cis-gender men and women. Our survey asks students if certain skills are gendered, which gender these skills are more closely associated with, and where students learned these stereotypes. These results will be compared to the current state of knowledge about cognitive differences between the sexes. We anticipate that students will overestimate the extent of brain differences between the sexes, as our culture has conditioned us to believe. Our goal is to enlighten others about the pervasiveness of neurosexism.

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  Christianity and Capitalism: An Uneasy Coexistence

  Thomas Choi

  Throughout my research over the past year, I have noticed a grave opposition between the principles of capitalism and the values of Christianity. The two have seemed irreconcilable in my mind. Thus, using exegesis of passages from the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John, Acts, and some letters of Paul, as well as various texts we have read for the class, I claim that the Christian Truth is anti-wealth, anti-accumulation, and thus firmly anti-capitalist. Furthermore, I have found that the Christian Truth is an empowerment of the poor, it is egalitarian, and it opposes private property. Moreover, I explore and define this Truth and find Scriptural evidence for its existence. Furthermore, I discuss why it is imperative to follow this Truth in order to be a truly faithful subject of Christianity. Complementing that, I also elicit the evils of late capitalism and discuss the core teachings of Jesus Christ with which capitalism is in conflict. Finally, I propose actions for the individual Christian living in capitalist society to take, namely, joining a commune and perhaps giving up eating meat. I conclude that those two actions, if undertaken by enough people, would create a strong force in direct opposition to capitalist industry and its social structure, and help to create the conditions for the emergence of a genuine Christianity and the possible end of capitalism.

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  Exclusion of Overabundant White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Results in Shifts in Soil Microbial Communities and Abiotic Soil Condition in a Northeastern Deciduous Forest

  Jonathan Chong, Brendan Enochs, and Miranda Kearney

  Past and current anthropogenic practices have resulted in dramatic alterations to ungulate population densities worldwide. When ungulate populations are overabundant, they can alter the dynamics, and function of ecosystems. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can occur at densities far greater than their historical records in parts of their native range, which includes forests in the northeastern U.S. They have been shown to alter native vegetative community structure, indirectly impact animal communities, and promote the success of invasive species. Despite much research into the effects of overabundant ungulates and deer in particular, less is known about the effects of deer on soil microbial communities. We utilized soil samples from inside and outside of six deer exclosures located in a regional second growth mixed hardwood forest on the Binghamton University campus in Vestal NY, U.S.A. A metagenomic analysis was conducted on DNA extracted from the soil to identify the microbes present. Soil characteristics including soil organic matter, soil moisture, pH, and electrical conductivity were also measured. Soil samples from inside exclosures had on average lower pH, higher soil moisture and organic matter, and higher electrical conductivity. The microbial communities across all samples were dominated by Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria. However, the structure of the microbial community appeared to differ between inside and outside samples, with outside soil more closely resembling other outside samples and inside soils showing more variability in community structure. Our results suggest that overabundant deer may have an homogenization effect on the soil abiotic environment and the soil microbial community.

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  Using Developmental Frameworks to Implement Focus Groups in School-Aged Children

  Jonathan Chong, Mitchell Zatz, Lauren Wong, Ashley Antony, and Erica Shum

  This poster describes the use of virtual focus groups with school-aged children in the development of a pediatric wellbeing picture scale to screen for mental health and wellbeing. Children's opinions, creative ideas, and insights allow acquisition of new data and knowledge, but unfortunately, are frequently overlooked. When using developmentally-based principles, focus groups have been shown to be a successful and reliable method for collecting data from this age group and a novel way to better understand the child’s interactions and experiences. Focus groups have a number of advantages, allowing for in-depth exploration of discussion by the participants. Students in Nursing 499 conducted developmentally-based focus groups with children grades 3-5 to develop the Pediatric Well Being Picture Scale. Basing focus groups on theoretical frameworks of Piaget, Erikson, and Kohlberg creates an environment conducive to open discussion and expression of children’s ideas. These focus groups give children the opportunity to connect to one another and feel more comfortable in talking about items about emotional wellbeing. This allowed the researcher to gain an understanding of the children’s perspective for the items on the wellbeing scale. Limitations noted due to the virtual environment included maintaining the child’s attention, adequacy of technology, and assuring that each child had the opportunity to equally participate. Benefits include more openness and candor due a sense of anonymity from not being in the same location.

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  Maared

  Katie Ashlyn Collins

  I have developed a creative thesis entitled Maared—a play about Dora Maar, noted surrealist photography. The piece centers on her life, art, and relationships including the love affair she had with Pablo Picasso for which she is most famous. One of the goals in this piece is to highlight female artists throughout history who are better remembered for the art they inspired rather than the art they created. This is done in part to emphasize the role of women artists throughout history and counter some of the sexism that has taken place in art scholarship when the term muse is used in place of the term artist. Another goal is to counter the effect of the male gaze on art which has led to a celebration of the female body, but not of female creativity. The final goal is to share a human story of a person learning to accept themselves and their life as they look back on everything that’s happened. In this project, I’ve been doing research on Dora Maar specifically, her work as an artist, the models she worked with, the artists she modeled for, the relationships she had in life, and how all of this shaped her as a person. This research has been wide ranging from work that focuses on Picasso, work that focuses on the surrealist movement, work that focuses on Maar specifically, and autobiographical work from different people that knew her.

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  Reversing the Trend of Study Drug Use in College Students

  Dennis Cregin, Jared Zubin, Humza Khan, and Hubert Zhou

  "Misinformation regarding the effects of illicit ADHD medication use is common among college-aged students, with about 25.5% of our survey respondents using such drugs without a prescription. There are many theoretical models that conceptualize effective methods for changing health behavior in student populations. The Health Belief Model focuses on perceived benefits and perceived barriers to changing one’s maladaptive health behavior (Champion & Skinner, 2008). Additionally, the transtheoretical model emphasizes designing interventions tailored to individuals’ current motivation level (precontemplation, contemplation, action, etc.) (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997). There are few studies that investigate possible interventions for curbing study drug use in college populations. This study has collected survey responses from 761 undergraduate students. The survey has gathered data on participants’ self-reported dietary patterns, mental and physical health, ADHD medication use, and perceptions regarding illicit study drug use. Data collection is ongoing and utilizes a Google Survey, with responses to be analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient in SPSS, Version 25.0. Thus far, our data has indicated that the most effective means by which to dissuade the use of study drugs among students include “real-life stories of lives affected by abuse of Adderall” (38.8%) and education on “negative physiological and psychological effects” (37.5%). Importantly, 74.2% of respondents indicated that they have never sought out information regarding the risk factors of ADHD medications. The results of this study can inform how information on illicit drug use can be presented to at-risk groups to increase the likelihood of positive behavior change.

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  The Effect of Exercise and Dietary Patterns on Mental Health Disorder before, during, and late COVID-19 on Males and Females

  Anseh Danesharasteh and Lina Begdache

  The Effect of Exercise and Dietary Patterns on Mental Health Disorder before, during, and late COVID-19 on Males and Females The emerging field of nutritional neuroscience has revealed the modulatory role of diet and sleep on mental health. Nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and whole grains were described as supporting brain functions, and sleep deprivation has been associated with a disruption in brain functions. Exercise is another effective modulator of mental health. The outbreak of the global pandemic Covid-19 has produced a sudden disruption in people's routines. Factors such as sickness, loss of lives and jobs, and remote working heavily impact mental health. During the Covid lockdown, the food chain supply and exercise routine were interrupted. Therefore, studying the effects of dietary and exercise patterns on the mental health of men and women pre-Covid, during Covid, and post-Covid may provide significant insight into the effect of these modulators on mental health. In this study, we performed an event-based difference-in-difference study based on exercise and dietary patterns, then computed the probability of being in moderate or severe mental health disorder states. Our results show that, in total, women's mental health was more affected by Covid-19. Also, having a sedentary lifestyle will increase the risk of having moderate or severe mental health for both males and females. Moreover, factors like increasing the frequency of consuming breakfast, sleep duration, exercise type, and consuming seafood were inversely associated with mental health disorders, while the distance to the gym, consuming fast food, caffeine intake, and HGI food were directly related to mental health disorders in men and women during weekdays and weekends.

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  Analyzing the Impact of Community Programs and Mutual Aid on Food Insecurity

  Miles Davis

  Goodman

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  Colonialist Disinformation in Apartheid South Africa

  Iris DeFino

  The rise to power of the White National Party in South Africa under president D.F. Malan marked the beginning of the apartheid era—an amalgamation of the racist and settler-colonialist sentiments that had long been rooted in their sociopolitical landscape. With white supremacist ideals at the core of the apartheid leaders’ efforts, the BIPOC communities of South Africa suffered abhorrent abuses of an oppressive regime characterized by socioeconomic and geographical segregation of races. Apartheid leaders, despite the highly evident corruption of their administration, made a valiant effort to justify their regime so as to maintain their power. In doing so, they employed numerous channels of disinformation campaigns to disseminate particular narratives about the apartheid, while also suppressing any forms of media on the contrary. This essay will take a methodological, critical approach within disinformation studies to gain insight into the disinformation architecture that served as the foundation for the decades-long apartheid era. I will then connect these themes to the broader theories of political communication and systemic oppression, which, in tandem with disinformation, plagued South Africa and enabled these systematic abuses to take hold so vigorously. My work aims to take a more nuanced and critical approach to the study of apartheid South Africa and disinformation in the context of historical racism, while also being marked by a fervent commitment to the fight for social justice and equity in the milieu of humanities research.

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  Examining Role of Impulsive Action in BXD Mice to Understand Heritability in Drug Addiction

  Lauren DeMarco, Lauren Bailey, and David Jentsch

  Drug addiction susceptibility results from many individual factors, one of which is genetic variation. Impulsivity, defined as rash or uncontrolled reward pursuit and consumption, is itself a genetically influenced trait that positively correlates with an individual’s likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. The BXD recombinant inbred mouse panel is a powerful tool that allows for assessments of genetic correlations between phenotypes and the heritability of such behaviors. Six strains of BXD mice have been selected based on low or high impulsive action in a previous reversal learning study. Male and female mice underwent reversal learning testing. Total trials to criteria (impulsive action), premature responding, trial initiation time, trial omissions, and reward retrieval time was recorded. That data showed a main effect of strain and impulsivity level for impulsive action, trial omissions, and reward retrieval time and heritability estimates were derived, while no effect of sex was observed. The different behavioral measures will have correlations conducted to understand heritable impulsive behavior in mice. This will contribute to future analysis of underlying neural influences on the behavior, including dopamine transmission within the orbitofrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, in these animals.

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  Focus Groups with School Age Children for Development of a Pediatric Wellbeing Picture Scale

  Julia DeMartino, Madison Kozlowski, Sara Bocian, Kathryn Jones, Kelly Hu, and Julia Cavalieri

  This poster addresses the use of focus groups with school age children for the development of a Pediatric Wellbeing Picture Scale. The purpose of this research was to develop a picture tool to screen for wellbeing in school-aged children. The research design utilized focus groups, however the design had to transition from face-to-face sessions to virtual. To maximize participation in the virtual environment, developmental stages of the children had to be considered. Children were asked to 1) review an existing tool and provide feedback on the images; and 2) validate the findings. Conducting focus groups with this population while using an online video platform posed many difficulties. Issues with recruitment, participation, obtaining parental consent via Qualtrics, and child assent via Zoom are discussed. Ways to assure fidelity of the project are reviewed. Practical lessons learned from performing research during a pandemic are presented.

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  The Hidden Epidemic: The Unforeseen Impacts of COVID-19 on the Treatment of Opioid Addiction

  Frank DeRosalia

  Following the outbreak of COVID-19, cases of opioid use disorder (OUD) have surged nationwide. The development of narcotic dependence often begins with the usage of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone, but in severe cases, victims eventually turn to illicit substances such as heroin or fentanyl to continue functioning. COVID-19 has exacerbated the likelihood of severe addiction developing. Recent accounts from healthcare workers shed new light on how the pandemic has restricted the availability of OUD treatment, which most of the current medical scholarship has not addressed. By quantitatively analyzing the relationship between COVID-19 and OUD case numbers along with evaluating the opinions of professionals in various medical journals, a clear depiction of the current state of the opioid crisis is revealed. In a world that remains dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, practices such as isolation and quarantine are becoming the “new normal,” pushing many towards increased substance-use as a form of coping. Furthermore, the process of receiving addiction treatment has become more complicated for those already suffering from OUD. For instance, in-person intervention and counseling groups made the required shift towards virtual environments such as telehealth, which is not always an accessible format for OUD patients. By analyzing how methods of addiction treatment have been impacted, this research aims to spread awareness of the “hidden epidemic” that is opioid addiction. While COVID-19 remains the primary concern of public health organizations worldwide, it is imperative that the opioid crisis and its millions of victims are not overshadowed by the looming pandemic.

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  Effectiveness of an Intervention Video Education Module for High School (HS) Students on Vaping and Other Nicotine Products

  Shira Ellenbogen, Samantha Cosme, Austen Hrynda, and Christopher Felice

  Background: Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), have become an area of concern in recent years. In 2020, the CDC reported that there were 3.6 million US middle and high school (HS) students ENDS users. Our previous research developed a video education module. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of our module with HS students using the Health Belief Model. Methods: Students were recruited in a small city private HS. They completed our validated pre- and post- TABS survey via Qualtrics after viewing an educational video and live demonstration/Q&A session. The data were analyzed using SPSS v17. Results: The freshmen and sophomore participants (N= 60) had an average age of 15.7 years; 59.4% were female and 37.7% male; 69.7% White, 10.5% Asian, and 9.2% Black. While 37% reported trying vaping products, the majority believed that 51-75% of their peers vaped regularly. After the intervention there was an increase in perceived severity that vaping causes heart damage (p=0.042) and knowledge of ingredients contained in vaping products, such as acrolein (p=0.001). Additionally, there was an increase in intent to quit (p=0.035). Conclusion/Implications: Our intervention appeared to have a positive impact on the health beliefs, knowledge, and self-efficacy of high school students. This topic is important to be addressed by school and pediatric primary care nurses. Further research needs to be conducted using a reformatted survey, a larger sample, and include college students.

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  The Automotive Market and its Contributions to the American Illusions

  Luke Farley

  The automobile industry is a peak of capitalism, from embodying competition to remaining penny-pinching about the most minor and integral of safety requirements to the quality of trim on a dashboard. The automotive industry is one so intrinsically tied to the capitalist economic system that, throughout the 20th century, the industry's status as a whole was parallel with the human condition. Automobiles have become so deeply entangled with identity and that it is a major phenomenon that corporations prey upon, utilizing automobiles to perpetuate the economic status quo, while also contributing to the American illusions of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness via (what is supposed to be) a simple mode of transportation. From the dawn of the popular automobile to the turn of the century, this chronological analysis, going decade by decade, the Model T to the Pontiac GTO, to the Dodge Viper, this research shows how the industry has consistently been at the forefront of advertising and production. Through indoctrination techniques and their products, manufacturers have successfully made themselves continually present in the minds of consumers, convincing people over and over again of the necessity of private automobiles at the cost of public transportation.

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  Concealing Power and Domination Through American Ideology

  Chance Fiorisi

  The focus of this research is to define the term “American Ideology” as Americanism and outline its relationship to the economic system of capitalism. The main objective of this is to further support the thesis that American ideology protects capitalism’s control and domination within American political and social culture. The issue at hand is to detail why it is difficult for those who criticize and propose ideas that are not rooted in capitalism from speaking in the political and economic mainstream. Essentially why is it that these individuals are considered irrelevant or sometimes even “fringe”? To answer this question, I engage directly with the discourse of renowned critics of ideology and capitalism, for instance, those of Herbert Marcuse and Slavoj Žižek. My primary theses show that there is a specific relationship between ideology and a given system that explains why it is so difficult for those who populate the social world to criticize the said system. Additionally, I further develop in this research the concept that ideology acts as a sort of protection for the system to which it is attached: this phenomenon shielding capitalism should be identified as Americanism. Capitalism and Americanism have a distinct relationship such that the general public cannot differentiate between reality and ideological fantasy, thus allowing for the control of capitalism to continue without any seemingly relevant threat.

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  Magnetically Geared Hydroelectric Turbine

  Ben Gaviola

  Over 900 million people lack access to electricity globally. While solar energy has become a more widespread and affordable electricity source, the cost of batteries and inverters has made solar electricity access intermittent and dependent on sunlight cycles. Small scale hydroelectric power has the potential to provide 24/7 electricity access for people who lack grid electricity. Many hydroelectric turbines rely on mechanical seals to transfer rotation across a seal. These seals are prone to wear over time and are vulnerable to silt buildup. Typical turbines also require a gearbox to increase the speed or torque of the rotation. Traditional mechanical gearboxes are expensive and require regular maintenance. Through the use of a magnetic gearbox, rotation can be transferred through an air or water gap without the need for physical contact. The ratio of magnetic poles on each rotor acts similar to how teeth act on traditional mechanical gears. By adjusting the ratio of magnetic poles, an increase of speed or torque can be achieved. This novel turbine design effectively produces power while eliminating the need for both a mechanical seal and a gearbox.

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  Analyzing the Awareness of the Resources Available to Protect Residents from Lead Exposure

  Cianna Geni

  There are many people at risk of lead-based paint exposure in Broome County, especially low-income families since they tend to live in older homes. This research project examines the question: how aware are residents in low-income areas of the resources available to ensure they are not at risk of exposure to lead-based paint? To answer this question data has been gathered from programs connected to the Broome County Health Department that provide resources to reduce environmental health issues in homes. I anticipate that the results will show that awareness of the resources available have increased over time with the increase of more response to the issue, however, awareness could be escalated even further by targeting low-income households directly. This study emphasizes the need to not only make resources available to people but also make people aware that they are there to help them. With this information, more effective results can come from these resources. The more people know about the resources available to prevent lead poisoning, the more low-income households can be protected from health issues.

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  The Psychological Theory Behind the Epistemology of Disinformation

  Sarah Gillen

  Distinguishing true from false information is both a psychological and epistemological process. Clare Wardle emphasizes the importance of identifying various types of what she refers to as information disorder referencing pollution occurring among online platforms principally news outlets. The categories of disinformation can include something as simple as clickbait or truly deceptive information that one might believe at first glance. The solutions to internet pollution are complex because it takes on many different forms. This causes fact-checking to be inefficient and time consuming, only flagging articles that are blatantly false excluding ones that are misleading. There is an intersection between psychological and epistemological theories because they involve evaluating the validity of information despite its justification of previously held beliefs. This is examined through the dual process theory separating cognition into automatic and deliberate processing. Automatic processing is when people rely on their personal knowledge to determine if information is true, failing to account for their biases. Deliberate processing requires more effort and I draw on information from several studies proving participants deliberating for longer allows them to more efficiently differentiate true from false information. I will analyze the well-documented case studies in Pomerantsev’s This is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality for examples of deliberation and the importance of understanding both psychological and epistemological processes because disinformation efforts are expanding and due to overstimulation people are failing to deliberate long enough to determine the reliability of information.