The present study explores the topic of Multiracial Identity Development and how parents play an important role in the identity development of children. The role of parents becomes crucial for parents of Multiracial children as they transmit cultural values, beliefs, language, and practices. Although models of racial identity development exist,...
Scientists have long recognized that bees and other insects respond to floral color, including ultraviolet (UV) floral patterns that are invisible to the human eye. While previous research has focused on isolating and capturing these UV markings in laboratory settings, methods that could be used in natural settings needed to...
Objective: In 2018, suicide was the leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 10-24 in Oregon (OHA, 2019) and was the second leading cause of death for this age range in 2020 (OHA, 2021). In 2019, 12% of Black high school students reported a suicide attempt in...
Objective: Alcohol and cannabis use and co-use among college students is prevalent in the United States (Bravo et al., 2021). These substances have been linked to poor collegiate academic performance in past research. The present study examines varying levels of single-substance alcohol use and alcohol and cannabis co-use in their...
Giardia and Cryptosporidium protozoans are resilient, zoonotic waterborne pathogens that can bypass water treatment and kill millions of people and animals annually. Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts and oocysts, respectively, can spread through feces; poor sanitation and poverty can increase the risk for giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis diarrheal diseases. We are currently...
Nutrients play a large role in sustaining the symbiotic relationship between the algae and host sea anemone. The endosymbiotic algae provides the host with fixed nitrogen, sugars, and inorganic food sources, while the host provides the algae with shelter and nitrogenous waste. If the anemone does not receive the proper...
Estradiol (E2) plays a role in positive and negative feedback mechanisms of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in female mammals. These mechanisms are regulated by two different populations of kisspeptin (KP)-producing neurons: anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) neurons, which are stimulated by E2, and arcuate (arc) neurons, which are inhibited by E2. AVPV...
There are over two million pet rabbits in the United States. Many rabbits are obtained as adults from pet stores and humane societies. Pet rabbit owners may elect to perform ovariohysterectomy (spay) surgeries on female rabbits to prevent unwanted pregnancies as well as to eliminate the possibility of reproductive disorders...
The safety of the chemical glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide RoundUpTM, has been questioned on numerous occasions. Previous studies suggest that glyphosate-containing herbicides have deleterious effects on a variety of organisms; other studies suggest that these effects may be minor, transient, or non-existent altogether. Proper maintenance of microbial...
This report provides an overview of selected findings from the 2019 NSSE survey completed at OSU. It focuses on two particular subsets of the survey results: Engagement Indicators and High-Impact Practices. The report outlines the insights drawn from the survey to look at the undergraduate student experience at OSU.
STEM education is delivered to K12 audiences by Pre-college Programs across the nation, many of which serve underrepresented and underserved students as part of their core missions. While there is robust attention to STEM curriculum development and college connection events in such programs, few have social-cultural aspects of learning as...
STEM education is delivered to K12 audiences by Pre-college Programs across the nation, many of which serve underrepresented and underserved students as part of their core missions. While there is robust attention to STEM curriculum development and college connection events in such programs, few have social-cultural aspects of learning as...
We live in a world today where it doesn’t come as a surprise to hear about another girl being roofied at a college party, nor is it shocking to find out about how your friend was sexually harassed by an older man at work. Women are taught how to avoid...
Research poster for Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium 2019. Research was conducted with CURE funding in the Perez lab studying cellular senescence in the PS19 mouse model.
Literature-based review on designing an experimental project regarding placement and orientation of artificial nest boxes related to successful nest box adoption and chick survival in Barn owls within the Willamette Valley.
We are constantly updating our research in the growing field of Environmental Health, yet we do not always translate this information in a way which is understood by the general public. This has resulted in tools which gauge the public’s understanding of health information, such as the eHEALS tool. This...
If we are conscious beings, what ethical implications might that have? Are there inherent ethical responsibilities in consciousness? If so, what are they? Here we explore the possibility of experience within artificial general intelligence as it relates directly to the essential question of ethical responsibilities implied by human consciousness. By...
My work in the Harper Nanotoxicology Lab focuses on science communication. The Harper Lab conducts research to address data gaps regarding the toxicity of micro and nanoplastic in the environment, specifically in aquatic habitats. It is important for the public to understand what the lab does, and how they can...