University Honors Program Research Day Held

Graduating students from FDU’s University Honors Program presented their senior honors theses during this year’s Annual Research Day on April 21 at the Metropolitan Campus and on April 28 at the College at Florham. The University Honors Program provides an intellectually stimulating experience to FDU’s most accomplished undergraduates through honors courses and research projects completed in collaboration with faculty/staff mentors. M. Patricia Warunek, biological sciences, is the director of the University Honors Program at the Metropolitan Campus. Marilyn Rye, English/communications and associate campus provost, is the director of the University Honors Program at the College at Florham.

Metropolitan Campus

Faculty mentors, along with the presenting students and their projects, are as follows:

Eli Amdur, Petrocelli College, with Zoe Ogilvie (Peddling Poison: A Cross-cultural Study of the Politics of Cigarette Marketing)

Alice Benzecry, biological sciences, with Michael Higgins (The Relationship Between Obesity, Diabetes and Hypertension); Gerardo Nunez (Crop Normalization of Fragaris Chiloensis Strawberries by a Gibberellic Acid Treatment); and Jennifer Sabogal (Are Green Salads Really Green: Potential Microbiological Hazards)

Stanley Bielewicz, civil engineering technology and coordinator, civil engineering technology, with Jason Sadowski (Development of a Cul-de-Sac)

Janet Boyd, English composition and coordinator, Metro Writing Studio, with Carl Spence (The Student-Athlete Dilemma)

At the Metropolitan Campus, students who presented their research included, from left: First photo — Jason Sadowski, right, with Stanley Bielewicz, civil engineering technology and coordinator, civil engineering technology; Second photo — Francess Dharmamulya, right, with her mentor Robert DeFilippis, accounting and chair, accounting/tax/law (Metro/Flor); Third photo — Jesica Cavuoti, left, with her mentor Kirsten Tripodi, hospitality management; and Fourth photo — Emma Yamada, left, with her mentor John Santelli, psychology.

Katherine Bullard, history, with Jessica Taufik (Selective Analyses of U.S. Immigration Debates and Policies (1880—2006)

Robert DeFilippis, accounting and chair, accounting/tax/law (Metro/Flor), with Francess Dharmamulya (Maximizing Value and Post-integration Strategy Through Due Diligence Evaluation)

The late Duane Edwards, English, and Christopher Rasmussen, history, with Joseph Quiroz (A Reaction to War Through Postmodern Literature)

Madera Edwards, Educational Opportunity Fund (Flor), with Lupita Villalobos (Aztlan: Symbol of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement or a Plan for Annexation)

Jane Foderaro, communication, with Sarah Jones (Shields Laws: Helping or Hindering Americans’ Constitutional Rights?)

Richard Gray, criminal justice, with Christian Alfaro (Juvenile Delinquency: The Factors and Choices That Lead to Long-term Delinquency)

James Kenny, criminal justice, with Javia Jackson (The 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act: A Modern Day Example of Class Bias in Law Making)

Tina LoPonte, communication, with Dennel-Joy Avellana (The Almighty American Media’s Impact on the Idealistic Measures of Beauty Among the Female Youth) and Melinda Stumpp (Living in a Barbie World: The Barbie Doll as a Reflection of Women Through the Times)

Kerri Majors, English composition, with Lourdes Keochgerien (The Odyssey of the YA Label: From Ambiguity to Certainty)

Mutiara Mohamad, director, language, culture and professional advancement, with Nancy Morehouse (English at the Secondary Level: How Is One New Jersey School Faring?)

Christopher Rasmussen, history, with Rosanne Spagnuolo (Human Rights and Human Trafficking)

Gloria Reinish, electrical engineering, with Brett Magura (Wireless Communications)

Marilyn Rubin, allied health and associate director, allied health, with Jennifer Thai (Alternative Routes to Health Care for the Uninsured in Northern New Jersey)

John Santelli, psychology, with Emma Yamada (The Doctor-Patient Relationship in the Emergency Department: The Significance of the Initial Exam in Acute Care)

Janet Sigal, psychology and coordinator, BA/MA in general/theoretical psychology, with Katherine Solomon (Extensive Evaluation of the Literature Review and Developmental Designs Measuring College Students’ Perceptions of Body Image)

Miriam Singer, education and director, QUEST/BA–MAT, with Jonathan Thai (Differentiated Instructional Methods Teachers Can Use to Increase Student Achievement in Secondary Mathematics)

Kirsten Tripodi, hospitality management, with Jesica Cavuoti (Is Greening a Feasible and Effective Marketing Tool to Attract Students?)

College at Florham

Faculty mentors, along with the presenting students and their projects, are as follows:

Peter Burkholder, medieval/ancient history, with Jason Kobran (Psychological Factors in the Siege of Antioch: A Case Study)

Daniel Cassino, political science, with Danielle Durando (Liberal State, Conservative Woman: The Effect of Social Policies on Political Views) and Fred Wied V (The Effects of Right-wing Authoritarianism on Political Behavior in Modern-day America)

Amber Charlebois, chemistry, with Greg Pirrone (Synthesis of Stercobilin — A Potential Biomarker for Autism)

At the College at Florham, students who presented their research included, from left: First photo — Andrew Koneski, left, with Howard Libov, film/animation and assistant dean, Becton College; Second photo — Jason Kobran, right, with Peter Burkholder, medieval/ancient history; Third photo — Greg Pirrone, left, with Amber Charlebois, chemistry; and Fourth photo — Evona Mozulay, left, with James Salierno, biological/allied health sciences.

Robert DeFilippis, accounting and chair, accounting/tax/law (Metro/Flor), with Melinda Pinto (Going Global: The Widespread Effects of IFRS)

Nandita Ghosh, English, with Elizabeth Warner (Global Food Security: A Literary Approach)

Eric Iannacone, biological/allied health sciences and director, allied health sciences, with Lauren Iacono (Does Odd-paired Direct Neuroblast Specification in the Drosophila Embryo?)

Howard Libov, film/animation and assistant dean, Becton College, with Andrew Koneski (Edison: A Screenplay on Thomas Edison’s Invention of Motion Pictures)

Patricia Melloy, cell biology, with Nicole Aiello (Characterizing the Anaphase Promoting Complex Protein Interactions and the Localization of APC5P, CDC23P and CDC20P in Budding Yeast)

June Middleton, biology and chair, biological/allied health sciences, with Meha Sheth (Effect of Triclosan Concentration and Exposure Time on Specific Antibiotic Resistance in E. Coli Strains K-12 and ATCC 25922 in TSB or River Water)

Edith Myers-Arnold, biological/allied health sciences, with Bryan Danzi (The Role of Dopamine on Feeding Behaviors During C. Elegans Development)

James Salierno, biological/allied health sciences, with Melissa Lopes (The Effects of Triclosan on the Development and Behavior of Fathead Minnows [Pimephales Promelas]) and Evona Mozulay (The Detection and Presence of Triclosan in Environmental Water Samples)

Robyn Schiffman, English, with Marisol Ruiz (Bleak House: A Criticism of the Court of Chancery and Character Analysis) and Carrie Low (The Vampire Within: Gender Roles, Sexuality and Other Taboos in Bram Stoker’s Dracula)

Alice Shumate, biological/allied health sciences, with Stephanie Cruz (Predator Prey Dynamics: The Effect of Clerid Beetles on the Size and Growth Rate of the Southern Pine Beetle Population in New Jersey) and Samanta Low (Do Competition and Predation Affect Reproductive Success in Pine Bark Beetles?)

René Steinke, English, with Brandon Battersby (Fifth World: A Work of Fiction)

Richard Wagner, mathematics, with Holly Corsaro (Bridging Graph Theory to Real-life Challenges)

Lona Whitmarsh, psychology, with Angela Goydish (Education and Behavioral Interventions: Coping with the Symptoms of ADHD); Janae Sones (Is It a Sign? Investigating the Relationship Between Duchenne Smiles and College Adjustment); and Donna Zepponi (An Analysis of Treatment Plans for the Adolescent Substance-abuse Population)

Peter Woolley, political science and executive director, PublicMind™, with Kimberly Molaskey (Pura Vida? An Analysis of the Accuracy of Costa Rica’s Claim to a Culture of Peace)

Burton Zwick, finance, with Wayne Sartorio (Bailout Nation: Monetary Policy, Market Instability and the Emergence of Moral Hazard)