Research Days Posters 2024

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  Pollutant Mitigation in the Gowanus Canal and the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers

  Maximilian Hunt

  The urban Gowanus canal in Brooklyn, NY and the semi-rural portions of the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers in Binghamton, NY are polluted commercial water systems that feed into major waterways: the river complex into the Chesapeake Bay and the Gowanus into the New York Bay. The Vestal water supply well, the Endicott Village well, and the Gowanus canal are the corresponding EPA superfund sites, complete with lists of pollutants and a corresponding American Chemical Society breakdown of the risks of the specific pollutant. The shared pollutants were sorted into one of six categories: halogenated hydrocarbons, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons (with a subcategory for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), phthalates, metals, and other persistent organic pollutants. In addition to the risk of human health, the cost of the cleanup procedure of the categories was also analyzed, with an estimated total cost of complete disposal determined as well, ultimately comparing urban and rural pollutant disposal.

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  Rambam’s Mishneh Torah and Its Survival from Hand to Hand

  Tziporah Isler

  Throughout all of history, the Jewish people have been persecuted and forced to flee from their homes, often leaving most of their belongings behind. Yet, somehow an edition of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, printed in the 16th century, survived against all odds and made it from Venice to the U.S over the course of five hundred years. Throughout this time, different individuals’ care has helped preserve the text, but the only hint to their presence are marks found in the book, for example, an odd image of a woman or a mysteriously modern looking bookplate. Looking back to Rambam’s intent in creating the text to further educate the common Jew, the centuries of care that many people have put into ensuring this book’s survival starts to become clearer. By examining these personal decorations further, the enigma of the why and how of this book’s survival will become more transparent.

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  Engagement and Outreach at the Binghamton University Art Museum

  Autumn Jacobs, Keira Atwell, Rachel Aung, Anna Kabwa, Mara Warford, and Rachel Knee

  Community outreach is an incredibly vital part of an art museum. The event planning and facilitation that we engage in allows for the public to engage with the arts and expand our reach. The Engagement Interns specialize in different tasks, from on-campus outreach to educational development and community engagement. To facilitate increased on-campus engagement, one intern has developed a survey for Binghamton students to generate feedback about potential policy changes and programming ideas that would generate greater engagement from the study body. In addition to tabling for the museum to get survey responses from students, the interns have planned events and coordinated programming with many different organizations, both on-campus and off, to create interesting programming that drives engagement. The education interns have led tours for multiple different community groups, engaging people with the artworks and art history of our exhibitions. The graphic design intern has been creating advertisements for events for organizations that associate or collaborate with the museum.

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  Empowering the Vote: Universal Basic Income’s Potential to Transform American Politics

  Spencer Jacobs

  Widespread political participation is central to the health of a functioning democracy, yet voter turnout rates in both general and midterm US elections vary considerably based on one’s financial well-being, with 2016 election data showing that lower-income adults voted 38% less than the financially well-off. Because lower income Americans often live paycheck-to-paycheck, engaging in unpaid activities such as learning about candidates, researching political issues, and getting to the polls all take a backseat to meeting essential needs. Using quantitative and analytic research methods, this research examines evidence of the connection between financial well-being and voter turnout and consider how the lower turnout of poorer Americans––who tend to favor Democrats––greatly affects the political landscape. This project then discusses how a universal basic income can be utilized to increase turnout among low-income voters and explore how this shift in voter participation might affect electoral outcomes.

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  Equity on the Whiteboard: Implications of Historical Redlining on Educational Outcomes

  Clay Jeon

  The merits of first-rate educational practices are seldom disputed; education acts as a pathway to individual prosperity, a cornerstone of community well-being, and—perhaps most importantly—a proxy for social mobility. Implications of historical redlining, however, have diminished access to educational opportunities, particularly in marginalized communities. Current literature largely uses traditional metrics, such as per pupil expenditures, to measure educational success; however, this analysis employs more holistic inquiry, leveraging survey data from the NYC Department of Education’s “School Quality Snapshot.” Through spatial analysis and regression models, this research will examine disparities in educational outcomes between redlined neighborhoods across the Bronx, exploring factors including community trust and effective school leadership. In areas historically designated as “undesirable,” this research expects fewer respondents to report favorably on these aspects of educational outcomes. These results may inform targeted interventions and policy reforms to address the root causes of educational disparities in our communities.

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  The Controversies of Specimens of Oriental Manuscripts

  Qian Jiang

  Have you ever wanted to chop up a bunch of ancient books? In 1928, George M.L. Brown cut up a bunch of rare manuscripts from Asia and published them into a book, which was just a box of folders containing scattered pages. He called this book, Specimens of Oriental Manuscripts. This research uses Brown and Specimens of Oriental Manuscripts to explore the history of “Orientalism,” examining how traces of Brown’s racist views of these specimens and their origins are left behind, both in his introductory descriptions and the treatment of the manuscripts. This project also compares Brown and this book with other instances of infamous “book breaking,” exploring the tension between making a rare book accessible to many people and the entitlement of sellers who feel they have the power to destroy Asian rare books in the name of education. Ultimately, this research hopes to provide a better understanding of the complexities of these debates and the histories behind this book.

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  Race and Ethnicity: The Impacts on Southeast Asian and Chinese Cuisines

  Erica Jin

  Amidst the diverse global fabric of our advancing world, small businesses and restaurants play a vital role in driving economic growth and opportunities. Specifically, the impact of Southeast Asian and Chinese restaurants on surrounding communities in ethnically contrasting regions reveal a disparity in cultural values. By exploring the ethnic variance between the Binghamton region and the Flushing region of New York City, I aim to understand how demographically differing areas carry different attitudes and experiences with ethnic cuisines. Through a quantitative and qualitative questionnaire, this study explores the various perceptions that students have on Southeast Asian and Chinese cuisines within their local area and the unique experiences of business owners. As students look towards different ethnic cuisines around campus as a source of comfort food, my research shines light on how our society can bridge this gap in ethnic cuisines to create fulfilling experiences regardless of demographic location.

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  On Grooming: Fostering Selective Empathy Through Language in American Conservative Media

  Alexander Jordan

  The contemporary landscape of American conservative politics is one largely marred by visceral appeals to emotion. Phrases such as “grooming” have become a staple of modern conservative media, capable of evoking strong negative emotions and falsely portraying groups such as non-LGBT individuals, white individuals, Christians, and especially children as under threat. This research seeks to explore the evolution of how this language has been utilized to create a sense of “selective empathy” in American conservatives, with particular emphasis on the cultural shift surrounding the 2016 presidential election. Through analysis of the works of multiple conservative figures, think tanks, and media outlets, this paper will provide an explorative deep-dive into the manipulative nature of how language is used to foster selective empathy in contemporary American conservative politics.

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  The Survey of London and Cultural Preservation Through Disaster

  Justin Kalbaugh

  John Stowe, a famous London historian, began writing his Survey of London in 1598: the books chronicled the history of the city as well as defining features of current London. However, if you were to read these books today, you would be reading descriptions of a London that no longer exists after the destruction of the Great Fire of London in 1666. With this specific copy, it is possible to analyze its journey as a means of post-disaster preservation. This copy of the Survey of London comes with evidence of at least two previous owners: Silvester Slater and Richard Lauler. By exploring their respective lives, more of this book’s journey throughout history will become clear. Examining the specific descriptions of early-17th century London within the Survey of London in conjunction with its specific ownership history prompts analysis of this copy as a vessel for cultural preservation.

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  An Enlarged SNAP vs. a Universal Basic Income: Estimating the Health Impacts

  Michael Kantrowitz

  Food insecurity leads to increases in chronic diseases, which have profound costs for individual health, families, and society. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has evolved since its inception in 1939 with the overarching purpose of providing food benefits to those in the most need. This benefit is currently offered to only twelve percent of the United States population, but the research suggests that an increase in the monthly allotment and or expansion of the economic qualifications would benefit health outcomes. Some have proposed that a Universal Basic Income (UBI) would be more effective than targeted food vouchers. This project assesses why a targeted SNAP program could benefit health outcomes as compared to a broad UBI. Drawing on nutritional and medical research, government statistics, professional treatment guidelines, and surveys/interviews with current healthcare professionals, I argue that a refocused and expanded SNAP program could improve health outcomes more than a UBI.

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  Food for Thought; An In-depth Look at the Subpar Quality of Campus Food and the Detrimental Effects on Students

  Isabella Karazia

  This research paper takes an in-depth analysis of Binghamton University students who utilize on-campus dining services and assesses their overall satisfaction with the options provided to them. Using a survey, students were asked a variety of questions to gain an overall understanding of whether or not they believe their nutritional needs are being met by Binghamton University. The results were that 78.4% of students said they had greater access to health-conscious food items at their home, and 94.6% of students agreed that the University is providing less than what they are capable of in terms of healthy food options. These findings indicate that the majority of students are dissatsified by the food options and their nutritional well-being is suffering because of this lack of healthy items. Through spreading awareness about the results, this increases advocacy for student well-being through providing greater access to nutritious dining options.

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  Can Empathetic Portrayals of Substance Use Combat Stigma? A Comparative Analysis

  Karly Kephart

  A lack of empathy for patients struggling with addiction has been found to lead to negative care outcomes in the healthcare system because of a professional’s prior internalized stigmas. Studies show that addiction treatment services often stigmatize those seeking help, and that media portrayals of substance use disorders may contribute to this stigma. To combat stigma and dehumanization, some scholarship has explored the possible benefits of destigmatizing representations of substance users in visual arts, music, and other media. Such representations, however, have also been criticized as exoticizing or exploiting suffering. This research presents and analyzes two longrunning representations of substance use: the “Voices of Addiction” series from the online magazine The Rumpus and a popular documentary series on YouTube by Soft White Underbelly, which interviews many substance users. This research explores how these portrayals differ depending on whether the representation is created by those affected personally by addiction or by a former commercial photographer.

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  Associations Between Nutrition, Eating Habits, and Sleep Satisfaction of College Students

  Hera Khan, Rusudan Kvrikshilli, Julia Lin, Suraj Sajnani, and Lina Begdache

  Nutrition provides heavy implications for the function and behavior of college students. This study aimed to establish a relationship between diet choices and sleep satisfaction of college students. A total of 1,356 responses were collected from participants above the age of 18. An anonymous online survey was administered through social media and scheduled lecture times. The data was analyzed through the usage of Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient in SPSS version 25.0. The results of the survey indicate a positive correlation between consumption of whole grains and sleep satisfaction (p<0.01), flaxseed or other nuts (p<0.01), fruits (p<0.01), green leafy vegetables (p<0.01), and fish oil supplements and shellfish (p<0.05). Additionally, a negative correlation between the consumption of fast foods and sleep satisfaction (p<0.01), consumption of sugary foods and caffeine (p<0.05) was found. Our study suggests that consumption of a nutrition-rich diet may increase an individual's sleep satisfaction.

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  Effects of Food Insecurity and Dietary Factors on Sleep Quality and Perceived Stress

  Rania Khan, Katerina Nagorny, Sarah Livshits, Alexis Valerius, Elliot Ifraimov, Sabrina Bubis, Gabrielle Castillo, Ushima Chowdhury, and Lina Begdache

  Diet affects sleep quality and stress, with increased effects on individuals experiencing food insecurity (FI). However, there is limited research pertaining to sleep quality and diet in relation to FI. An anonymous online survey was distributed using several social media platforms. FI was negatively correlated with sleep quality (r = -0.201, p < 0.01). Perceived stress was negatively associated with sleep satisfaction (r = -0.335, p < 0.01) and positively associated with sleeping at a later time (r = 0.088, p < 0.01). Further, sleep satisfaction (r = 0.112, p < 0.01) and wakefulness (r = 0.084, p < 0.01) were positively correlated with fruit consumption. The results indicate that those who are food insecure are more likely to be unsatisfied with their sleep and have greater perceived stress. It also suggests that those who eat a diet of better quality are more likely to be satisfied with their sleep.

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  How California Can Create a Sovereign Wealth Fund to Support a Basic Income

  Chendur Khary

  Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are state-run investment funds used to financially benefit a state and its economy. The sources of a SWF’s revenue may vary but often originate from the monetization of the natural resources of the state. While they exist worldwide, only one SWF, the Alaska Permanent Fund, is used to finance a permanent fund dividend (PFD). A PFD takes a portion of the SWF's money and distributes it equally among the state's population, which makes a PFD a form of basic income. This paper discusses how California might create its own SWF from the state's natural resources––land, oil, etc.––to fund a per capita annual payment. The Alaska Permanent Fund will serve as a model for this study, and estimates of the value of California's natural resources will be made through analysis of government and public databases.

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  Negative Income Tax: An Answer to Public Sector Inefficiency in Developing Countries

  Daniel Kovan

  Public assistance programs are increasingly prevalent in developing countries, though some are not as impactful as they might be due to program inefficiencies. These inefficiencies often stem from the high administrative costs of bureaucratic government institutions as well as from high targeting errors in directing benefits to eligible recipients. This research considers a negative income tax (NIT)––which reverses the tax flow to pay filers below a certain income threshold––as a solution to these inefficiencies that would allow governments to allocate valuable resources to those who need them most. This analysis delves into the causes of public sector inefficiency in developing countries, using Argentina as a case study. Based on Argentinian government budget data, this research estimates the funds that could be saved by transforming various in-kind public benefits into an NIT and discusses the considerable benefits, and several drawbacks, of this possible reform.

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  Mechanistic Investigations of Electron-Primed Photoredox Catalysis

  Zachary Larson, Victoria Kompanijec, and John R. Swierk

  While single-electron transfer is a crucial step in a wide range of organic syntheses, the common catalysts for this process, alkali metals, are highly hazardous, have poor chemoselectivity, and produce toxic byproducts. Electron-primed photoredox catalysis holds promise as a novel catalytic strategy to replace alkali metals with safer organic photocatalysts. This study attempts to elucidate the currently unknown mechanism of electron-primed photoredox catalysis via the most promising new candidate: reduced 2,4,5,6-tetrakis(diphenylamino)isophtalonitrile [4-DPAIPN]. The external quantum yield of the photocatalyst was established by running quantitative 1H-NMR on aliquots of the studied system after certain known amounts of light exposure. Cyclic voltammetry was run to establish certain kinetic rates of the 4-DPAIPN and the 3M3NTMB. Fluorimetry was performed to analyze the emissive properties of the photocatalyst. While the full mechanism is not yet completely understood, a more comprehensive mechanistic picture of the photocatalyst has been obtained.

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  Women at Odds & Victim Blaming: Comparing Medusa’s Mythology in 21st Century Children’s Books with Ovid’s Metamorphoses

  Alexandra Levitt

  21st-century children’s books are a medium through which we may consider the societal values and beliefs we pass onto children; but what about how we share ancient mythology that can be filled with antiquated tropes? This paper compares the origin of Medusa’s snake hair in Ovid’s Metamorphoses to two modern children’s books and analyze the similarities and differences between them. While omitting Poseidon’s rape of Medusa, both stories perpetuate the precedents of victim blaming and pitting women against each other in the form of Athena cursing Medusa as Ovid did in his poem. We must, then, consider the values our retellings of mythology normalize for our youth, but also what it reflects about our current beliefs so that harmful narratives are curbed in favor of more equitable morals.

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  Buffalo Snowfall

  Salvatore Lima

  This research project investigates the relationship between climate change and snowfall patterns in Buffalo, New York, focusing on the frequency, duration, and intensity of snowfall events. The study also explores the potential impacts of these changing weather patterns on the cultural fabric of Buffalo and its local ski industry. The research aims to address gaps in understanding how climate change is affecting snowfall dynamics and its broader implications for society and the environment. Through meteorological data analysis and literature review, it was observed that rising global temperatures are contributing to more intense and frequent snowstorms in the region. By identifying trends and impacts, this study aims to contribute valuable insights for adaptive strategies and policy decisions to address the challenges posed by climate change on regional climates and societal well-being.

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  Uterine Amulets and Gynecological Texts: The Wandering Womb and Ancient Greek Society and Culture

  Kelly Lin

  The Ancient Greeks believed in the Wandering Womb – a condition where the womb wreaks havoc on the female body when deprived of sexual stimulation. However, this belief had a significant influence on Ancient Greek society, culture, and gender roles, beyond that of a normal disease. This paper analyzes the origin of common beliefs about women present in Uterine Amulets and ancient Greek gynecological texts to determine the effect the Wandering Womb had on Ancient Greece. This research suggests that traditional Greek gender roles, expectations, and practices were directly influenced by the common belief in the Wandering Womb, and thus the mythological, societal, and cultural origins from which its ideas originate. By making these connections clear, this research contributes to further understanding on the origin of ancient Greek gender roles and to discussions regarding the link between beliefs and gender inequality in the modern age.

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  The Association Between Frequency of Alcohol Drinking and Neurobehaviors

  Wendy Lin, Ciara Bellidora, Dean Chidester, Abigail Kozikoski, and Carly Nosworthy

  Drinking culture is very prevalent in colleges across the United States. The effects of binge drinking and mindfulness habits/overall mood of students in college and their correlation have yet to be researched. An anonymous online survey was administered through GroupMe and iMessage chats. The survey included basic demographic questions of each participant and questions on their drinking, diet, resilience, exercise patterns, and overall mood. Pearson’s Correlation Analysis was utilized using SPSS version 28.0. Results suggest that there is a relationship between alcohol consumption, mental distress state, and mindfulness among college students. With college students, reducing alcohol consumption may modulate neurobehaviors.

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  The Effects of Temperature on Rapid Body Color Change in Anolis Aquaticus

  Lyra Lu, Allie Martin, and Lindsey Swierk

  Rapid body color change is well documented in animals, but the variety of environmental factors that induce this change are not fully understood. Anolis aquaticus is a tropical lizard with rapid body color changes that uses colder-than-average refugia, namely diving underwater for extended periods, to flee from predators. Using underwater refugia causes these lizards to lose several degrees of body heat. The relationship of low body temperatures on body coloration was tested. First, an observational study was conducted in the field of the correlation between body temperature and body color. Then body temperature was experimentally reduced in the laboratory to observe the effect on body color. Body color was quantified from standardized photographs, and visual modeling was used to determine lizard body coloration changes as seen by their primary predators (birds). Preliminary results that document the effect of temperature reductions on body color changes in A. aquaticus are presented.

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  Computational Study of Rhenium Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction

  Jenna Lupo

  CO2 reduction is of significant interest in environmental matters and energy conservation efforts. Computational chemistry allows us to simulate chemical systems involving CO2 and understand the reaction mechanism for research purposes. Here, we perform density functional theory calculations on rhenium electrocatalysts with the addition of nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur aromatic substrates to obtain the transition states and critical intermediates of the reactions of CO2 reduction to CO. This pathway, which involves H2O as the proton source, is a two-proton two-electron reaction. The computed Gibbs free energies will tell us if rhenium is a promising CO2 electrocatalyst.

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  9 Days in Deutschland

  Qinza Malik Khan

  9 Days in Deutschland is a documentary style memoir based on my trip to Germany where I drifted my way through 9 different cities, towns and villages. During this trip I took photos with no goal in mind and ended up with over 5,000 digital photos and 12 rolls of film. What started as a photo book quickly matured into a memoir where the writing became as important as the visuals, creating a symbiotic structure. Through this format I reflected on history, war, photography, film, sexual violence against women during war, the Holocaust, propaganda, truth, trauma, time, loss, loneliness, and modernity. These topics arose organically through my research this summer and my photos served as the backbone that held these ideas together. This project was my attempt at communicating with the past. A past that never talks back — and so these conversations felt more like a Rorschach test at times.

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  Therapy Talk on TherapyTok: Psychotherapeutic Discourse on Social Media

  Catherine Marin

  Therapy-talk is a discursive framework which subtends modern conceptions of mental healthcare. Normatively, this takes place within the spatiotemporal moment of the therapy session, a clinical environment in which the therapist occupies an authority role and administers treatment to their patient. However, the Unites States faces an ongoing mental health crisis which is magnified by racialized and class-based disparities in access to treatment. This has led to the proliferation of non-normative and often digital approaches to treatment. One such approach involves the development of mental health communities on various social media platforms. On TikTok, this community is sometimes called TherapyTok, which refers to a rapidly growing number of therapy influencers and those who consume their content. A comparative Goffmanian frame analysis reveals the ways TherapyTok transgresses the normative discursive practices of therapy-talk.