Readership Map
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About the Collection
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) provides students with the opportunity to present their research at three annual undergraduate research symposia. This collection contains student posters.
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The Impact of Food Insecurity on the Physical and Mental Health of Food Service Workers and Their Households
Pedro Andrade
11-21-2025Food insecurity in the United States continues to be a persistent problem, as this household stressor has worsened in the past decade. The prevalence of food insecurity varies by demographic; however, income is a key factor when discussing food security status. One group experiencing food insecurity, but often overlooked when talking about solutions, is food service workers. This research sought to understand the impact of food insecurity on food service workers and their households. A literature review was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the associations between food insecurity and physical health, mental health, household health, and occupational and economic stability. To further understand these associations, 22 studies were selected and analyzed. While there is a lack of research specifically on this group in the United States, some studies focusing on groups like food service workers from Brazil, Finland, and Italy were included. Much like other demographics who experience food insecurity, food service workers face consequences related to both mental and physical health. Food service workers and their families experience an increased risk of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and chronic health risks. While additional research addressing this specific group is needed, effectively reducing the prevalence of food insecurity requires immediate reactive and long-term preventive solutions. Food assistance programs, food pantries, and free school meals are short-term solutions, and an increase in minimum wage, affordable housing, transportation support, and employment reforms will help decrease food insecurity in the long term.
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Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of Uneven Terrain Gait Training in Lower Limb Prosthesis Users
Gabriel Bacani, Dawn Ruby, Sara Hazen, and Katie Bricarell
11-21-2025Lower limb prosthesis users (LLPUs) often feel less confident walking in their day-to-day lives. Even with rehabilitation, some individuals do not develop the skills and confidence needed to walk across different terrains. Walking practice on varied terrains may be a method for increasing skill and confidence. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of implementing an uneven terrain training program for LLPUs. Three LLPUs completed a series of 12 training sessions on an uneven terrain treadmill. Participants walked for up to 12 trials per session with each bout lasting up to 2 minutes. The terrain increased in difficulty every three sessions by deepening the contours (8mm, 16mm, 24mm, 32mm, and 40mm). For safety, participants wore a harness and had bilateral handrails. Outcome measures administered before and after the training included the L-Test, Four-Square Step Test, Two-Minute Walk Test, and Single Leg Stance Test. Acceptability was assessed via participant feedback after the training. All participants attended all 12 training sessions and completed 10-12 walking bouts per session. Post-training, participants showed no change in outcome measures, however, participants expressed that they would recommend this training to other LLPUs, and participating in this study was a positive experience. Factors such as motivation, confidence, and time commitment potentially influence efficacy and feasibility. These preliminary results suggest that training on uneven terrain is feasible and acceptable for LLPUs. Data collection is still ongoing in order to better understand the impact of this type of training on walking skills and confidence for LLPUs.
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Supplement Use and ED Self-Assessment Accuracy
Darin Beasley-Williams
11-21-2025The widespread availability of dietary supplements has contributed to their increased use, with over half of U.S. adults reporting regular consumption. Prior research suggests that supplement use is associated with better overall health, and regulatory legislation has been implemented to mitigate potential adverse effects. One motivation for supplement use may be self-diagnosed health issues; however, incorrect self-diagnoses could lead to inappropriate supplement consumption and potentially contribute to disordered eating patterns. This study examined whether regular supplement users are more accurate in self-identifying an eating disorder. A sample of 511 undergraduate students completed a self-report questionnaire assessing supplement use and eating disorder symptoms. Analyses indicated that supplement use did not significantly influence the accuracy of eating disorder self-perception. These findings suggest that regular supplement consumption is not associated with greater insight into one’s own eating disorder status.
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Enhancing Student Success Prediction with Multimodal Machine Learning Models
Senay Berhe
11-21-2025This project explores how multimodal, fairness-aware machine learning models can enhance early prediction of student success while promoting equity in higher education. Traditional prediction models often rely on static academic or demographic data, which can unintentionally reinforce bias and overlook the complex, behavioral aspects of learning. Our approach integrates engagement metrics from learning management systems, academic performance data, and motivational survey responses to capture a more holistic view of student learning. The predictive framework emphasizes behavioral and psychological features that are both actionable and ethically sound, supporting real-time intervention through the iTOOLS platform. By focusing on engagement consistency and motivational indicators, the model enables advisors to identify and support at-risk students earlier in the semester. The long-term vision extends beyond prediction toward creating proactive, data-informed advising systems that improve retention, promote fairness, and strengthen institutional decision-making. This work contributes to UNLV’s broader effort to build transparent and responsible AI systems that empower educators and advance student success across diverse learning contexts.
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The Fitness Cost of Rifampicin-resistant rpoB Mutations on Mfd-Mediated Processes in Stationary Phase Bacillus Subtilis
Amber Callaway and Jessica Grifaldo
11-21-2025Rifampicin is a potent antibiotic that tightly binds to the ꞵ-subunit of RNA polymerase and blocks initiation of transcription. Bacillus subtilis cells that acquire rpoB mutations that confer resistance to rifampicin also exhibit decreases in transcription and fitness. Mutation frequency decline (Mfd) is a global transcription regulator that interacts with the ꞵ-subunit of RNA polymerase, and our RNA-seq showed that it had profound effects on the expression of motility genes. We hypothesize that the rifampicin-resistant rpoB: I681T mutation alters Mfd-mediated gene regulation of motility in Bacillus subtilis. Therefore, we will construct mfd- rpoB: I681T double mutants via natural competence and conduct motility assays to measure the fitness cost on swimming in comparison to the wt YB955, as well as the individual Δmfd and rpoB: I681T strains. The motility assay will be conducted in parallel to microscopy examination of flagella and gene expression of motility genes via RT-qPCR. Understanding fitness costs allows for smarter antibiotic therapies–alternating drugs to exploit the costs and suppress resistance.
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Structural Equation Modeling of Educational Factors Associated With Racial Trauma: Belonging, Efficacy, and Persistence Among BIPOC College Students
Miguel Castano and Richard Chang
11-21-2025Racial trauma refers to post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms from repeated exposure to racism and racial discrimination, generally expressed as hypervigilance and lack of safety, negative cognitions causing bleak perceptions of oneself and the world, and difficulty coping through reduced ability to manage distress. Literature shows that BIPOC students encounter racism on university campuses more frequently than non-BIPOC students, suggesting they are more vulnerable to racial trauma. Racial trauma has been linked to negative mental health outcomes; however, little is known about its impact on educational outcomes. Academic belonging, self-efficacy, and persistence are key educational factors tied to academic performance and retention. This study examined whether components of racial trauma–lack of safety, negative cognitions, and difficulty coping–predict these educational factors among BIPOC students. Structural equation modeling was used to test direct and indirect pathways between the racial trauma components and educational factors, with perceived stress being investigated as a mediator in the relationship. Findings suggest that negative cognitions and difficulty coping are significant predictors of increased stress. Stress significantly predicted decreased academic belonging and self-efficacy, excluding persistence. No direct association between lack of safety and stress was found, and no significant indirect effects were found between lack of safety and educational factors. Interpreted through Stress and Coping Theory and Minority Stress Theory, these findings suggest that by overburdening students’ ability to cope through persistent race-based stressors, racial trauma hinders belonging and efficacy. In response, higher-education institutions should implement interventions addressing racial trauma to tackle poorer educational outcomes due to overwhelming stress.
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The East LA Walkouts of 1968: How a Community Came Together for the Fight of Chicano Educational Rights
Cynthia Castro
5-2-2025The Walkouts of 1968 occurred from March 1st to March 8th when thousands of Chicano students from 5 East LA high schools marched to have their voices heard by the school board and people across the United States of America
Issues:
Chicano youth and student movement was determined to find a new identity and radical forms of political power that were different from past generations (Munoz Jr., 75)
Chicano students were major contributors to the Chicano movement • The Walkouts were a foundation point for other educational movements in the Chicano community
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Women’s Lived Experiences with Harassment in Gaming
Angelo Cordero, Alejandra Santos, and Claudia Q. Luu
11-21-2025Background and objectives: Women in gaming communities face discrimination due to their gender; however, gaps exist in the literature in understanding how allyship helps mitigate harassment’s harmful effects. To address this, we conducted a qualitative study exploring women’s lived experiences of sexual harassment in gaming and how women perceive allyship in gaming communities. Methods and approach: We used an inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns in participants’ experiences. Our sample (N = 165) included adult women who identified as gamers, recruited from a university and various Discord gaming communities. Results: We uncovered six main themes regarding women’s harassment experiences in gaming: lack of experience, sexualization, threatening behavior, general harassment, disrespectful behavior, and psychological effects. For women’s allyship experience in gaming, we discovered two themes: lack of intervention or support, and presence of support. Our findings showed that a vast majority of women reported experiencing harassment, with many comments questioning their competence or worthiness in gaming, which may perpetuate a toxic and exclusionary gaming environment for women. Allyship played a crucial role in lessening the effects of harassment on women. However, participants noted that supportive actions were often lacking, with few bystanders stepping in to help. Conclusions & broader implications: Despite men dominating gaming communities, most interventions during sexual harassment incidents came from other women. Although women frequently support each other, greater male engagement as active bystanders is crucial. By promoting allyship awareness, encouraging proactive intervention, and placing structural interventions, we can foster a safer and inclusive gaming environment for women."
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School Shooting Drills Across Grade Levels: What We Know and Don't Know About Student and Teacher Experiences
Katherine Cutié
11-21-2025School shooting drills have become a standard component of school safety procedures in U.S. K–12 education, yet their psychological effects remain under-researched. This literature review synthesizes findings from 39 studies published between 1999 and 2025 to describe patterns in how students and teachers experience these drills across grade levels and drill types. Across the literature, anxiety and fear were the most frequently examined student outcomes, while teachers commonly reported stress, concerns about developmental appropriateness, and increased emotional labor during drills. Lockdown procedures were most frequently examined in the reviewed studies, with less research addressing ALICE, Run–Hide–Fight, and simulation drills. Few studies examined long-term psychological outcomes or the effects of drill realism, leaving important gaps in understanding the psychological impact of school shooting drills on students and teachers. Overall, the literature demonstrates considerable variability in research methods, reporting, and how drills are implemented across schools. The review underscores the need for future studies to use consistent measures, examine developmental differences, and contribute to the development of trauma-sensitive practices in schools.
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The Mathematics of Motion: Applying Derivatives to Fluid Systems
Sayla Daily
11-21-2025Mathematical modeling through differential equations provides a basis for understanding change in physical and engineering systems. My project explores the transition from single-variable derivatives to multivariable partial derivatives and their applications in describing engineering applications. Beginning with the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, derivatives are introduced as measures of change, quantifying relationships such as velocity and acceleration. The study then extends to partial derivatives, which represents systems influenced by multiple variables, including spatial and temporal factors. These principles are applied to model fluid motion, and pressure gradients, including the Navier–Stokes equations governing fluid dynamics. By linking mathematics with engineering applications, this project highlights how derivatives form the foundation for analyzing changes in modern scientific and engineering systems.
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Examining the Relationship Between the Initial Level of Learning and the Rate of Forgetting
Lex de Asis, Justin Mykovich, and Rhiannon N. Soriano Smith
11-21-2025It has been widely contested whether the rate of forgetting is connected to the initial degree of learning. While recent studies suggest that forgetting occurs at a consistent rate regardless of how well material was initially learned, other studies argue that this conclusion depends heavily on the analytical approach and the operational definition supplied. Additionally, emerging frameworks, such as the Representation Theory of Forgetting (Sadeh et al., 2014, 2016), propose that different brain regions support distinct types of memory representations, with each governed by separate forgetting mechanisms. This study seeks to examine how the degree of learning affects the rate of forgetting for recognition accuracy (da) and memory processes (recollection and familiarity) over time using Wickelgren’s (1974) model of forgetting. Levels of processing will be manipulated at study, and participants will complete memory tests after five delay intervals across two days. Participants will study material under deep and shallow levels of processing and complete memory tests across five delay intervals. It is predicted that forgetting will have a higher rate when items are encoded shallowly, pointing to the conclusion that forgetting is dependent on initial learning. These findings aim to provide empirical clarity on the long-standing initial learning debate and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how forgetting operates across memory systems.
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Live Entertainment Tax
Khalea DeMesma
5-2-2025The Live Entertainment Taxis a 9% tax that is exclusively for casinos, nightclubs, and venues that have a minimum occupancy of 200. The Live Entertainment Tax is managed by both the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which oversees events that are held at gaming establishments, and the department of Taxation, which handles events held at all other venues. Clark County is home to the Las Vegas Strip, which is where the majority of the revenue from this tax is collected.
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Exploring the Stability of Misophonia and Other Auditory Affective Experiences Throughout Development
Erika Foregard, Rose De Kock, and David Vollweiler
11-21-2025Sounds can give rise to powerful affective experiences, both positive and negative. Misophonia is an intensely negative response to sounds such as chewing, whereas autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and musical chills result are experiences as positive and pleasant. Anecdotally, all of these experiences occur as early as childhood, but we know relatively little about how they develop. We investigated this question longitudinally.
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Digital Twin of the UNLV Campus for Safe Autonomous Vehicle Simulation
Carlos Funes
11-21-2025With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, self-driving cars are becoming increasingly prevalent on our roads. By utilizing these technologies, we can reduce the number of accidents caused by distracted driving. Before implementing these systems in vehicles, however, it is essential to conduct numerous tests. Traditional evaluation of driverless cars on real-world roads can be both expensive and hazardous. To address this, creating a digital twin of an actual road minimizes unexpected hazards, allowing researchers to safely and efficiently test self-driving car programs in high-risk scenarios using computer simulations. This research outlines the process of generating a digital map of the UNLV campus by gathering LiDAR elevation measurements and 3D models of buildings taken from Google Earth for the open-source CARLA car simulator, a platform used to train algorithms in autonomous vehicles. Employing this strategy enables faster and more efficient calibration of driverless cars.
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Diving Video Analysis Using Multitask Learning Action Quality Assessment (MTL-AQA)
Taylor Gauthier
11-21-2025In many sports, videos are being used to assist in judging. For example, they are being used to review quick actions or confirm the actions being performed. For diving specifically, the videos of a dive can be at most 3 seconds long, and divers can perform a range of somersaults and twists within that time frame, all of which affect the score, classification, and dive number. Using these videos, a Multitask Learning Action Quality Assessment (ML-AQA) program, based on machine learning, from a vast dataset, is able to produce an Action Quality Score out of 100, Factorized Action Recognition (classifications), and AQA-oriented generated captions. In this research, we developed a Python program to process a short diving video and generate the AQA score, classification results, dive number, and corresponding caption. This format makes it easier to understand and eliminates the need for users to convert the video into a specific format. This also outputs the information a person would want to know in a more readable format. The MTL-AQA analysis, as shown in other papers, demonstrated better performance compared to Single-task Learning Action Quality Assessment (STL-AQA) on the same dataset. This program can be used by divers in training to obtain scores and classifications, allowing them to improve their diving skills. Additionally, this program could be trained to work for another sport with discernible actions, such as figure skating or gymnastics.
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Perception of Emotions in Autism With Controlled Elicitation
Austin Gillespie and Rachel DeWald
5-2-2025Recognizing emotions play a crucial role in effective communication.(1)
Previous research has rated autistic expression as awkward.(2)
These studies captured unnaturally elicited emotions by having participants imitate emotions from scripted prompts and pictures
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Developing a Trial Unique Sequencing Task for Mice
Yader Gomez, Lilly Hagos, Gage Pompa, Ariana Mitic, Orlando Montiel, and Talha Soluoku
5-2-2025The hippocampus and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) play distinct yet complimentary roles in the performance of cognitively demanding tasks.
While rodent models cannot truly capture human cognition, there is a serious need to develop more cognitively demanding rodent tasks to better understand human cognition to develop new tools to fight neurodegeneration.
Sequencing tasks are some of the most difficult for rodents to perform and are notoriously difficult to train.
Cutting edge interactive touch screen technology allows us to test an endless array of sequences, in a sound-controlled enclosure featuring a simple behavioral response for the mice.
Study Aim: To create a standardized protocol that can be used to effectively assess cognitive performance during sequence memory tasks in mice.We used the ABET II software to devise a program coupled with the Second Generation Bussey-Saksida Touch Screen Chamber.
This setup will allow us to test new sequences each day and is readily adaptable for recording electrophysiological signals from the ACC and hippocampus.
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Hawaiian Drosophila Host Plant Preferences
Kyrus Huang and Rodomir Stark
11-21-2025Understanding how host plant availability influences behavior in Drosophila species provides valuable insight into ecological specialization and speciation. This study examines the effects of different host plants on the reproductive and oviposition behavior of Drosophila silvestris and Drosophila grimshawi. The primary objective of this project is to determine whether females exhibit host-plant preferences during egg-laying. A secondary aim is to assess whether sex and mating status influence host plant preference, specifically comparing male, unmated female, and mated female behavior with two host plants. To test these hypotheses, newly emerged flies were divided into three treatment groups: male-only, female-only, and mixed male-female groups expected to mate. After three weeks of housing these flies, each group was introduced into an observation chamber containing two food vials: one spiked with Clermontia extract and the other with Akia extract. In the mated group, males were removed after mating to isolate mated females for oviposition observations. Each day, fly positions were recorded as either on Clermontia, Akia, or not associated with either (NA). Weekly egg counts were also recorded from the vials of mated females under a microscope. The results are expected to reveal species-specific and sex-dependent host plant preferences that may correspond to ecological divergence and reproductive isolation mechanisms within Hawaiian Drosophila. By combining controlled behavioral assays with quantitative observation, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how host plant choice shapes reproductive behavior and drives evolutionary diversification. These findings will also provide broader implications for understanding the mechanisms of adaptive radiation.
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Spatiotemporal Feature Extraction from Vertical GRF Signals for Parkinson’s Disease Severity Assessment Using PhysioNet and GAITPD
Nitya Jadeja
11-21-2025Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impairs motor coordination, often resulting in measurable gait disturbances. Vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) signals provide a quantitative means of capturing these abnormalities and monitoring disease progression. This study focuses on the extraction and analysis of spatiotemporal gait features such as stride variability, stance duration, and force imbalance, from the PhysioNet Gait dataset to better understand their correlation with PD severity. Using gait analysis and machine learning techniques, recent computational models are reviewed and evaluated for their ability to assess PD progression through VGRF data. The analysis compares data-driven approaches with established clinical scales, including the Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) system, emphasizing both interpretability and predictive performance. Preliminary findings reveal consistent associations between VGRF-derived gait features and PD severity levels reported in clinical studies. Key limitations include inconsistent preprocessing pipelines and limited generalizability across datasets. Collectively, the reviewed research highlights promising directions for developing non-invasive, data-driven tools that enable earlier detection and more precise monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease progression.
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Designing AI-Driven Dining: A UX Approach to Enhancing the Self-Service Experience
Kaylin Joung, Yuki Hayashi, and Dailuaine Esguerra
5-2-2025Artificial intelligence has transformed many industries, yet its integration into self-dining experiences is still emerging. This research explores how AI can enhance self-dining by introducing technology like interactive kiosks and robot servers to improve efficiency, personalization, and customer convenience. By addressing current gaps, we aim to create a more seamless and engaging dining experience.
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Stress and Glucose Regulation in Adults at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Secondary Analysis From a Randomized Controlled Trial
Sophia Lysne, Regina Dispa, Brenna Way, Bea Francene Pilnade, Donya Shahamati, Romina Ballesteros, Christopher Acosta, Keren Morales, Esther Adaji, and Ohis Egbaidomeh
5-2-2025Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health concern, significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Additionally, prediabetes is a critical precursor, as it elevates the risk of developing both T2DM and CVDs. (2)
Recent literature reveals among individuals with severe perceived stress, there is a higher likelihood of HbA1c% levels meeting the criteria for prediabetes (5.7– 6.4%) as compared to those with lower perceived stress. (3)
Studies show that psychological stress has hyperglycemic effects in individuals with T2DM, suggesting that stress is associated with poorer blood glucose control. (4)
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Rail Anomalies Dataset for Semantic Segmentation Analysis
Saarah Majid, Arian Izadi, and Paul Stanik
11-21-2025Rail maintenance is a core necessity of upkeep, maintenance, deterioration, and safety implications of large rail systems. Doing so in an orderly and uniform way, however, has proven difficult with the thousands of miles that railways span. Use of computer vision on locomotives during normal operation can allow for a more streamlined process that would eliminate the need for costly specialized equipment and disruptions of normal operations. This project aims to efficiently detect vegetation overgrowth, mud-pumping, and standing water on railways. With the use of machine learning algorithms and dataset curation, models can be trained, allowing them to gain a better ability to detect when maintenance is due. Through training of these models, improvements in rail anomaly detection have been made, detectable through a comparison of other datasets and models. This work is the first to explore the ability of modern segmentation algorithms to accurately detect anomalies through the creation of a new Rail Anomalies Dataset.
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Controls on Speleothem Carbon Isotopes
Paloma Marcos
11-21-2025The Sistema Huautla cave system is the deepest known in the Western Hemisphere. It is located in the Sierra Mazateca Mountain Ranges near Jiménez de Huautla, Oaxaca. There are over 29 separately discovered entrances into this karst environment making it the 28th longest cave system in the world. It can be considered by some as one of the most complex vertical drainage systems on Earth. This extensive study site has been an area of interest among cavers and scientific researchers for nearly 6 decades. Speleothem samples from the study sites have been found to be over 433,000 years old. The samples retrieved from Huautla are considered to be in pristine condition compared to most other tropical stalagmites used for U-Th dating. Similar to δ¹⁸O isotopic values, speleothem δ¹³C isotopic values can reveal key aspects about past climatic and environmental conditions. In addition to climate, local processes influence speleothem δ¹³C values in various ways, which is why confident and detailed interpretations of this proxy are often a challenge to determine. The initial hypothesis for this data set was to understand if the contributions of either C3 or C4 vegetation could strongly influence the carbon isotopic signals that could determine changes in vegetation as an paleoecological proxy for this region.
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Leukemia and Thyroid Cancer in Relation to RECA Boundaries
Cora Marinos
5-2-2025A total of 1,054 test were conducted by the United States between 1945 and 1992. This is more Atomic tests than all other countries combined. Of those tests 928 were conducted at the Nevada Test Site located 65 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada.
These tests spread nuclear fallout throughout the United States causing the people in nearby communities to become sick. The public outcry spurred the passing of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act in 1990 (RECA) It’s scope of coverage was broaded in 2000. Despite many groups fighting for further expansion, the Act expired in June of 2024.
Of the different diseases caused by radiation exposure I have chosen Thyroid Cancer and Leukemia to study. They are both covered under RECA and manifest very differently. Thyroid cancer can take years even decades after initial exposure to manifest. Leukemia on the other hand can be used as an early warning sign of radiation exposure because children are more susceptible to radiation through contaminated milk.
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Simulation of Fluid Flow Based on Navier Stokes Equations
Ricardo Marquez and Javier Perez
11-21-2025This work presents a computational study of incompressible flow based on the Navier-Stokes equations using finite element method. The Crank-Nicolson approximation is used for discretizing the time derivative. The study consists of investigating the effect of the choice of finite elements and the size of the time step in obtaining the numerical velocity and pressure. This is illustrated with FreeFEM++ simulations of the von Karman benchmark flow problem. Profiles of drag, lift and pressure drop will be presented in time.