Category: Poster Presentation

Confirming the 3-dimensional shape of Asteroid 283 Emma from Observations at Pine Mountain Observatory

Presenter(s): Maggie Thompson—Physics

Faculty Mentor(s): Scott Fisher

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

To determine the shape of asteroid 283 Emma, we obtained time-resolved photometry of the asteroid on August 28, 2019 from 07:44:24 to 09:27:39 UTC at Pine Mountain Observatory (PMO) . The observations were carried out using the 0 .35m Robbins telescope and a large format CCD camera with a Sloan g filter . The brightness of 283 Emma was calibrated using three standard stars removing the influence of airmass . We found that the brightness changed from mag(g) = 12 .5 to 12 .8 . The light curve (time variation of the brightness) we obtained was consistent with the previous research which determined that the shape of 283 Emma is an ellipsoid . Through the process of data analysis, information on the atmospheric extinction coefficient in the Sloan g-band at the PMO was also obtained, which is useful for other observations at the observatory . The results of our observations give us confidence that we can obtain research-grade data with PMO and that this data can be analyzed by undergraduate students .

Characterizing the Structure of Twitter Network Through Socially-Aware Clustering of Users

Presenter(s): Eugene Tan—Computer Information Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Reza Rejaie

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Popular online social networks (OSN) such as Twitter form a networked system where millions of users interconnect and exchange information . Characterizing the structural properties of the resulting”relationship graph” among the OSN users is very informative but inherently challenging because of its huge size and complex connectivity patterns . This project explores a novel “socially- aware” approach to classify Twitter users and thus partition the structure of Twitter relationship graph . To this end, we consider the top 10K most-followed Twitter users, called Twitter elite, and show that these users form coherent and socially meaningful communities, called Twitter elite communities . We define a “social interest vector” for each regular (i .e . non-elite) Twitter user where each element of this vector captures the user’s relative level of interest to a specific elite community based on the fraction of her followings in that elite community . We then rely on this multi-dimensional measure of user’s social interest to cluster millions of randomly selected Twitter users . We collect profile information, list of friends and followers along with available tweets for selected Twitter users in each cluster to assess (i) whether the resulting clusters of users are socially coherent, (ii) relative degree of connectivity between different pairs of clusters, and (iii) the key social attributes of each cluster . Overall, our analysis will illustrate if elite communities can serve as “landmarks” to meaningfully classify regular Twitter users and characterize the structure of the Twitter network .

Barred Owl Survey

Presenter(s): Alan Strickland (Lane Community College Student)—Microbiology

Co-Presenter(s): Matthew Shields, Stolba Human Physiology

Faculty Mentor(s): Stacey Kiser Biology

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Previous surveys identified three species of owls around Lane Community College’s main campus . Undergraduate students conducted annual surveys from 2016 to 2019 to identify species and habitat . We conducted night surveys by broadcasting likely occupant owl calls, then listened and recorded responses . We encountered four species: Great Horned Owl (Buba Virginianus), Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii), and Barred Owl (Strix varia), with the Barred Owl detected only in 2019 . Our results indicate that there has been a shift in species on the LCC main campus due to recent land management changes (forest clearing) .

Rational Design of s-Indacene-cored Small Molecule Organic Semiconductors as a Paradigm to Tune Electronic Characteristics

Presenter(s): Eric Strand—Biology/Biochemistry

Faculty Mentor(s): Joshua Barker

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

The Haley Lab is interested in the synthesis and characterization of organic hydrocarbon scaffolds which can be used as semiconductors . The family of indenofluorene hydrocarbons exhibit unique electronic properties such as antiaromaticity and diradical character, which contribute to their allure for scientists . Specifically, our studies into indenofluorenes have shown promise in regard to the ability of these molecules to serve as potential replacements for current inorganic counterparts within devices . Continuous fundamental studies into the electronic abilities of these molecules will help to elucidate the ideal characteristics of organic semiconductors, which is imperative for the feasible implementation of these molecules into devices . Our lab has developed highly modular synthetic routes toward many analogues of this parent scaffold, which can be further optimized through subtle synthetic tuning . Fusing a variety of aryl moieties onto the parent scaffold allows for a decrease in the HOMO-LUMO energy gap and subsequent improvement in electron mobility and conductivity . Our project initially focused on proving the diradical character in an analogue of indenoindenodibenzothiopene, and has successfully shown this by reacting the molecule through a known radical degradation pathway . This project is now focused on the optimization of previous synthetic routes such that further studies into these highly interesting molecules can be carried out . Our goal is to create a library of analogues with various electronic characteristics such that we may identify the most promising candidates for device implementation .

Affiliative David’s Scores: An Analysis of Social Change over Two Years in a Semi-Free Ranging Group of Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Presenter(s): Caitlin Shreeve—Anthropology

Faculty Mentor(s): Kylen Gartland, Frances White

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Typically, dominance in primates is determined through aggressive interactions with initiation of aggression indicating higher dominance rank . David’s Score analyses using aggression are frequently used to calculate dominance hierarchies in primates . However, if fights are rare then it can be hard to identify male rank . Non-aggressive behaviors like grooming can also indicate rank based on directionality . For example, higher-ranking males are often groomed more whereas lower-ranking males will do more grooming . For this study, we were interested in: 1) whether a dominance hierarchy could be constructed from non-aggressive behaviors, and 2) whether there were significant changes in grooming directionality and intensity over time . We examined a group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) at the Oregon National Primate Research Center . We collected a total of 475 hours of behavioral data between two summer study periods in 2018 and 2019 . We collected data on 11 adult males using 15-minute focal follows with 1-minute instantaneous scans . We calculated David’s Scores for each male for 2018 and 2019 from grooming interactions and found hierarchical differences . Comparison between these scores demonstrated that the high-ranking males did not show a change in their David’s Score, indicating that their grooming effort remained constant . Lower- ranking males increased their grooming efforts directed at higher-ranking males while middle-ranking males showed only minor changes in their David’s Score . These data suggest that David’s Scores based on non-aggressive behaviors may be used to measure behavioral strategies and that the greatest increase in grooming effort is made by the low-ranking males .

Alutiiq Use of Birds at Rice Ridge (49–KOD–363), Kodiak Island

Presenter(s): Amy Shannon—Anthropology

Faculty Mentor(s): Madonna Moss

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Rice Ridge is a deeply stratified archaeological deposit on Kodiak Island . It has a well-preserved faunal assemblage, including an extensive bird bone assemblage, associated with the Ocean Bay tradition (7600-4200 BP) . One study has shown that birds are an important part of the lifeways of Ocean Bay groups, but this has not yet been investigated on Kodiak Island, where Alutiiq ancestors have been conventionally portrayed as primarily dependent on marine mammals and fish . We have studied bird bones from four of the sixteen excavation units at Rice Ridge, yielding 4,714 bone fragments identifiable to element, of which 3,734 were identified to taxon . Cormorants (Phalacrocorax spp .), ducks (primarily Melanitta spp . and Somateria spp .), geese, and murres (Uria spp .) were the most prevalent taxa . Less than 5% of all fragments were from terrestrial species, indicating a heavy exploitation of marine birds . This poster presents our analysis of modifications to the bones, such as cut marks and burning, as well as the representation of different skeletal elements . We are able to infer that birds were used not only as food sources, but to make bird skin clothing .

Investigating the Relationship between Acute Mountain Sickness, Patent Foramen Ovale, and Systemic Inflammation

Presenter(s): Karina Shah—Human Physiology

Faculty Mentor(s): Kaitlyn DiMarco, Andrew Lovering

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) occurs when individuals rapidly ascend to high altitude, but its exact cause is unknown . A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole in the heart present in one-third of the population . PFO+ subjects have greater AMS incidence, but the reasons are unknown . AMS is associated with systemic inflammation as determined by elevated cytokines and data from our lab suggests that PFO+ subjects have greater systemic inflammation . Thus, we hypothesized that the association between AMS and PFO is explained by increased inflammation . To test this, 17 PFO+ subjects (9 women) and 17 PFO- subjects (9 women) were exposed to 10 hours of hypoxia simulating 15600 feet and AMS was assessed using the Lake Louise Questionnaire . Blood samples taken before and at 10 hours of hypoxia were assayed for 13 inflammatory mediators . We found that 83% of PFO+ subjects but only 61% of PFO- subjects got AMS . AMS- subjects had significantly higher levels of IL-12p70 at 10 hours than AMS+ subjects . All other cytokines had significant time effects, and the greatest increases were in AMS- subjects . Compared to PFO- subjects, PFO+ subjects had significantly higher IL-1Î2, interferon (IFN)-α2, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-1 levels before and at 10 hours . PFO+ subjects had the greatest increases in IFN-α2, MCP-1, and IL-10 and PFO- subjects had the greatest increases in IL-1Î2 and IL-6 . These data suggest inflammation levels differ with PFO and AMS, but with separate patterns . Therefore, systemic inflammation in AMS and PFO may be more complex than previously thought .

Vacuum Airship Design With Finite Element Analysis

Presenter(s): Daniel Sellers—Physics

Faculty Mentor(s): Ben McMorran

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

The ultimate expression of Archimedes’ principle of buoyancy would be to enclose a vacuum with some structure of less mass than the air displaced by that structure . So far such a craft has never been realized in prototype due to the daunting material and engineering challenges . We propose a novel design for such an airship, using inflatable supports and an Aramid fabric shell, and examine the physical constraints and material requirements using both SolidWorks (SW) Simulation Finite Element Analysis and principles of structural statics .

We develop a dynamic simulator (in python) to approximate the shapes formed by thin fabric shell sections under unbalanced pressure loads . The resulting geometries are converted to thin shell SolidWorks models and analyzed . Attempts are made to verify the results, including mesh independence and comparison to empirical stress/strain results performed on similar materials and configurations .

Deflection of thin shell sections using material properties of Kevlar Aramid fiber are found to agree qualitatively with the theoretical results of Timeshemko, though actual deflection predicted by SW is marginally smaller than predicted by theory, which in turn only very roughly agrees with the experimental results considered . The tensile stress within the shell models is found to be well within acceptable limits for typical Aramid fibers . Some models for the inflatable support structure currently under development are presented, without results . The advantages and challenges of the Finite Element Method for novel design concepts are briefly discussed .

Assessing Typology of Pre-Mazama Corner-notched Points in the Northern Great Basin

Presenter(s): Shelby Saper—Anthropology

Faculty Mentor(s): Dennis Jenkins

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Some researchers support a “long-chronology” for corner-notched points in the Great Basin, with these points dating to as old as 8,500 cal BP . Opponents support a “short-chronology”, suggesting corner-notched points are younger than 5,000 cal BP . This debate suffers from the use of a variety of typological schemes, regional variability, and lack of buried sites . Corner-notched projectile points exhibiting atypical morphology from traditional types have been found in a well-stratified context associated with cultural features at the Connley Caves, Oregon . In this poster we apply a variety of typological schemes to these points and others found in contexts below Mount Mazama tephra (ca . 7630 cal BP) in Oregon to provide information on the typology and age of pre-Mazama corner-notched points in the northern Great Basin .

New Capabilities for Self-Driving Networks

Presenter(s): Nolan Rudolph—Computer Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Ramakrishnan Durairajan

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Granted the annual trends in increasing internet usage, the University of Oregon Networking Research Group preemptively researches the concept of Self-Driving Networks (S-DNs) to create a self-remediating, high-performance network . In efforts of accomplishing this project, the lack of S-DN compatible software compels new research to be conducted on new capabilities for a self-driving network . In this project, we accomplish a light-weight visualization framework for flow level data accompanied by a scalable flow to packet generator usable by S-DNs .