Volume 4: 2023

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11868/3915

Editor's introduction:

The fourth volume of Q: Journal of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry represents the remarkable scholarly work of students at The University of Tampa. The University’s Office of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry, led by Dr. Eric Freundt, oversees a wide variety of inquiry-based, research-focused courses. Faculty members have the opportunity to nominate student work produced in these courses for publication in Q. Each nomination was carefully reviewed by advisor Dr. David Reamer and Editor in Chief Cassie Disharoon, and ten papers were selected for publication. Through this vetting process, we have brought the best student research the University has to offer to Q. Then, a team of student editors in Dr. David Reamer’s WRI 376 course readied each article for publication. This was a learning experience for everyone involved; the student authors experienced the publication process from start to finish, and the editing team gained hands-on practice with copyediting and digitally designing the publication. Q includes the best undergraduate research the University of Tampa has to offer, regardless of discipline. As such, each volume of Q includes a unique compilation of research topics. This year’s volume includes articles on a wide range of subjects. It includes analyses of a wide variety of social issues, including immigration (Gervais), city planning (Katsulos), and free speech (Giaquinto). We have selected works that cover everything from important artists (Igel) to virology research (Chacon et al.), along with papers that examine politics and history in the United States and around the world (Valentonis; Burgui; Zodkoy). This volume also includes a paper on the impacts of trauma and immigration on language acquisition (King) and another paper on how Spanish can be used in healthcare (Gething). The range of topics represented in this volume shows that there is scholarly excellence to be found in every field of study at the University of Tampa, which truly embodies the purpose of Q. We are so proud to share Volume 4 of Q and celebrate the student authors and editors who worked hard to present this year’s edition to you. We hope you enjoy.

Cassie Disharoon

Editor in Chief

Communication, Media, and Culture Major ‘24

Cover image: Ryan Dottery

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Now showing 1 - 12 of 12

Front Matter for Q: Journal of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry, Volume 4, Spring 2023
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Disharoon, Cassie, Editor in Chief; Bolivar, Madeleine, Student Editorial Staff; Brėnélus, Evana, Student Editorial Staff; Burdick, Leah, Student Editorial Staff; Conley, Krystal, Student Editorial Staff; Domenick, Madison, Student Editorial Staff; Florczak, Gregory, Student Editorial Staff; George, Sarrah, Student Editorial Staff; Harris, Myles, Student Editorial Staff; Salowe, Charlotte, Student Editorial Staff
Editor’s Introduction
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Disharoon, Cassie
An Analysis of Bafilomycin A1’s Effect on Theiler’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus in Baby Hamster Kidney Cells
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Chacon, Georgina; Bindra, Amrita; Potpora, Sydney
Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is an important picornavirus used to model the effects of multiple sclerosis in mice. The purpose of this experiment was to test the effect of the drug Bafilomycin A1 on TMEV replication in BHK cells. We conducted our study on three distinct samples, one sample was not treated with Bafilomycin A1, the next was treated with Bafilomycin A1 before infection with TMEV, and the last was treated with Bafilomycin A1 after the cells were infected with TMEV. We conducted four different tests on our samples. The first test was a Plaque Assay; the results of this assay showed fewer plaques in our pre-treatment sample, which indicated that TMEV was inhibited when treated with Bafilomycin A1 before the cells were infected. The next test was a Western Blot; the results we obtained from this test confirmed the successful infection of the cells in each sample with TMEV. We then conducted a TCID50 assay; the data validated the results we obtained in our Plaque Assay. Our last test was an immunofluorescence assay; the images confirmed and showed that Bafilomycin A1 is more effective before infection with TMEV. In the end, we concluded that Bafilomycin A1 significantly inhibited TMEV when it was used preemptively to treat cells. This paper was produced in Dr. Freundt’s BIO 315 course.
Viewing Bourgeois
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Igel, Zoë
Louise Bourgeois was a prolific multimedia artist who focused on the human form and relationships through sculpture. Bourgeois’ depictions of intimate relationships and human forms lead to a voyeur-exhibitionist relationship between the object and the viewer. The objects she has created make the audience feel as though they should not be looked at even though they are on full display, while the viewer is being reflected in the work and being exposed just as the object is. The pieces outlined in this paper are three of many works that directly reflect the viewer off the surface of the object. Bourgeois’ work demands that viewers uncover themselves and experience a profound connection between themselves and the object. The reason this is so meaningful is that when removing the implications of the artist from the objects while engaging in these voyeur-exhibitionist connections, new and personal meaning is created. This is accomplished through Reader-Response Theory. This paper was produced in Dr. Trentinella’s ART 225 course.
The Asphalt Labyrinth: An Examination of the Impact of Transit on American Cities
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Katsulos, Theo
The dominance of automotive transit in the United States cannot be denied; we drive more than any other mode of transportation, and ubiquity of automotives has spread to a cultural level. The pervasiveness of this infrastructure impacts nearly every aspect of our lives, especially for those living in urban environments. The economic burden of private transport is often overlooked, be that maintenance or opportunity cost for not owning a vehicle. Environmental costs involved in the mass usage of fossil fuels have global impacts like climate change and local impacts like reduced air quality and acid rain. The social aspect comes from the tendency to design American cities around cars, not people, eliminating necessary social spaces, reinforcing harmful aspects of American personal ideology, and exacerbating issues of classism. This paper explains these issues and describes how an increased investment in infrastructure can remedy those issues and improve citizens’ quality of life. This paper was produced in Dr. Lauro’s AWR 201 course.
How Immigration Affects Crime in Latin America
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Gervais, Emma
This paper looks at three different cases within Latin America to determine if there is a relationship between immigration and crime. This paper investigates Panama, Costa Rica, and Paraguay while controlling for many variables including total populations, gender demographics of the total population, urbanization rates, GDPs, happiness levels, poverty rates, and literacy rates within the three cases. The relationship between immigration and crime is complicated to prove because there are many factors that could interfere with the association, so there are many control variables. The three cases have variations in the independent variables, immigration rates and unemployment rates, in order to see the potential effects of these variables on crime. This study concludes that the data available on this topic is insufficient and more fieldwork needs to be conducted. This paper was produced in Dr. Rey’s PSC 450 course.
From Playing to Praying: How a Football Game Is Shining a Light on First Amendment Rights
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Giaquinto, Rachel
In 2019, the Court of Appeals 11th Circuit ruled in favor of the Florida High School Athletic Association and its decision to prevent prayer from being shared over an intercom at the state football championship game in 2015. The decision, which has been appealed by Cambridge Christian High School, highlights the distinction between private and government speech when it comes to the First Amendment. While religious speech such as prayer is a protected form of speech, this case shows what happens to such speech when it is given on government property. As of now the high school continues to await the decision of the appeal. This paper examines the legal documentation of the case and precedents set by similar cases to better analyze the decision of the appeals court and the reasons the high school filed for an appeal of their ruling. This paper was produced in Professor Foltz’s SPE 315 course.
The Effects of Trauma and Immigration on Second Language Acquisition
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) King, Ashley
Research studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between trauma and immigration to a second language learning. Though some immigrants learn a second language before immigrating, this paper will focus on the percentage that do not learn the language beforehand but learn it after moving. I present research from the last decade and conducted research by surveying four different and unrelated immigrants to gauge their thoughts on this topic. This information was used to demonstrate that the effects of trauma on an immigrant can cause delays in second language acquisition, specifically English. This paper was produced in Dr. DeMil’s SPA 499 course.
Se Habla Español, but do you Understand the Patient? Cultural Factors to Consider in Order to Maintain Quality of Care with Hispanic Patients
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Gething, Elise
Differences in culture and cultural awareness between the physician and patient may have detrimental effects on the treatment that the patient receives and their overall health (Bauer & Baum, 2022). Healthcare providers that approach non-Hispanic white patients in the same manner as Hispanic patients can risk failing to communicate the necessary information, offending the patient, and preventing the formation of a relationship between patient and provider where the patient feels safe and comfortable (Bauer & Baum, 2022). Cultural competency, or the ability to interact cross-culturally in a respectful and knowledgeable manner, is considered a “fundamental prerequisite” for successful work among people of differing cultures. This review discusses cultural factors and behaviors that should be understood and respected by healthcare professionals and suggests how to appropriately communicate with patients.
Human Rights Non-Governmental Organizations in Democratic and Authoritarian Countries: A Study on How Democratic and Authoritative Government’s Infliction of Hostility and Level of Restrictiveness Impact Human Rights NGOs and Their Ability to Reach Their Target Population
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Burgui, Isabella
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have emerged to be a paramount force in diverse fields of development, specifically human rights. An interesting domain in this field to be researched is the interactions between human rights NGOs and the country they operate in. My research study aims to explore how a government’s infliction of hostility and restrictiveness impacts an NGO’s ability to reach its target population. This study looks at two regime types: democratic and authoritarian. It will conduct a comparative case study analysis based on the levels of hostility and restrictiveness of countries exerted by each regime type. The goal of this study is to show that higher levels of hostility and restrictiveness toward NGOs are more prevalent in authoritarian countries than in democratic countries. Hence, the primary goal of this study is for it to support the hypothesis that the more hostile and restrictive a government is toward its human rights NGOs, the less likely those NGOs will be able to succeed in their designed mission of reaching its target population. This paper was produced in Dr. Rey’s PSC 450 course.
Can a Democracy Be an Empire?
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Zodkoy, Max
The goal of this paper is to analyze how the United States acted as an empire during the first half of the Cold War by influencing the political, social, and economic policies of countries under its sphere of influence. This was accomplished through an analysis of secondary sources discussing American influence in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. In addition, an analysis of primary sources was done to look at the legacy of the American Empire in other countries. The paper finds that the United States did act as an empire as its influence was far-reaching enough to change many countries’ policies to suit the United States during the first half of the Cold War. In addition, the paper finds that the reason the United States did this was to increase the quality of life for its citizens and stop the expansion of communism. This paper was produced in Dr. Lauro’s AWR 201 course.
The National Identity of Rhodesia: Colonialism and Contradiction
(Keyhole Press, The University of Tampa, 2023-04) Valentonis, Alexander S.
This paper examines the mentality and nationalism of Southern Rhodesians and the contradiction inherent in their beliefs. Southern Rhodesian nationalism was built upon contradiction and their colonial past. They formed an identity of settler nationalism that both simultaneously embraced and rejected their British heritage. Southern Rhodesian secession from the British Empire was seen by Rhodesians as if they were forced out, whereas they chose to leave fearing de-colonization. Despite declaring independence to avoid handing the country over to the native Africans, Rhodesians saw their country as being inherently just. Colonial values and mentalities were held at the core of their identity, leading to the perpetuation and enhancement of a system of oppression over the native Africans. However, mistreatment of natives was glossed over and blamed on communism, or new immigrants. There was an inherent contradiction were the Rhodesians believed themselves not to be oppressive, all the while holding all the country’s wealth and political power. It was a country that believed itself to be loved by the native Africans, despite being at war with African liberation groups within the country. This paper was produced in Dr. Palmer’s HIS 400 course.

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