Session 2: Presentations
(9:45-11:00 AM) Lower Cube, OC 106 & 107
Allison Bullman
Anthrozoology
How Pigs Can Help Deer: Analysis of Urban Deer Management Techniques Concerning Contraception as a Potential Effective Method of Control
Given the increasing number of deer finding their way into urban cities, many conflicts have arisen that have caused human economic loss and an increase in concern about safety. From this, there has been a push to find methods to manage these urban deer populations, especially as they overpopulate. Upon further analysis of different sources of literature, five groups of management methods are used across the United States: (1) public management, (2) sharpshooting and managed hunts, (3) culling, (4) live capture and release, and (5) contraception; all with many different viewpoints associated with public perception, effectiveness and consistency, financial concern, and ethical analysis. These management methods will be discussed concerning the conflicts deer have caused in urban cities, specifically focusing on the urban deer population management plan of Helena, MT. Lastly, further discussion of contraception, looking specifically at experimental contraceptive Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP), as a method to managing urban deer populations creates a push towards further analysis of research on the topic to better give evidence to this potentially effective and humane method of urban deer population management that can check off all of the boxes of concern.
Lily Hoelscher
Gender Studies
The Transmutation of Woman: An Examination of Female Otherness and Gender Performance
Woman has been maligned, erased, and constructed as the “lesser sex” since the early ages of human civilization. Only in more recent years has there been any success in overturning this narrative, and the steps that have been made still leave much to be desired. Equality appears a long distance away yet, even if studies show that the male and female brain really are no different from one another, and even chromosomal sex designations exist on a varied spectrum and not a simple binary. Human beings are more alike than they are different, and as put forth by Judith Butler in Gender Trouble, gendered social presentation is simply how a person acts in public based upon how they identify, or have been told they should identify. The seventeenth-century Spanish play Valor, agravio y mujer treats the subject of gendered presentation in its overturning of roles as Leonor, the heroine, dresses as a man and in essence becomes man to exact revenge upon Don Juan, who stole her honor and abandoned her. For all intents and purposes, Leonor becomes more man than woman in her conduct and social role, effectively distancing herself from that feminine state of the “other” which has been examined in many feminist works for decades. Using the example of this piece of literature, the lenses of such authors as Butler, Simone de Beauvoir, Luce Irigaray, and others will illuminate the blurred lines of gender and the systems that so starkly isolate woman in her “otherness”.
Clare Daley
Hispanic Studies
Master and Servant, Servant and Master: Social-Class Colonialism and its Effect in the Duties of the “Sidekick” in the Spanish Golden Age Theatre
In Don Quijote de la Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza tackle imaginary evils. However, both characters represent real struggles through their dynamic of servant and master. As in Don Quijote, other hispanic art—especially theatre from El Siglo de Oro español (“the Spanish Golden Age”)— explores this connection between social classes. El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra, by Tirso de Molina, is where the infamous Don Juan first appears along with Catalinón, who’s warnings are not heeded; Valor, agravio, y muger, by Ana Caro de Mallén, has disguised Leonor seeking justice with trusty Ribete; and lastly La vida es sueño, by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, involves King Basillo locking his son away and when the people seek their heir, servant Clarín is mixed up in it all. In his The Politics of Aesthetics, Jacques Rancière states “[a]rtistic practices are ‘ways of doing and making’ that intervene in the general distribution of ways of doing and making as well as in the relationships they maintain to modes of being and forms of visibility.” Taking this idea into consideration, what do the sidekicks’ modes of being and forms of visibility symbolize in Hispanic theatre, and how do class stereotypes reveal the social dynamics between a servant and a master? I argue that the role of the “sidekick” is an analogy for people who are underestimated due to their social class, and who are the subjects of a regime of “social-class colonialism”, which is the oppression from outside forces such as colonizers with the particular bias against monetary privilege and favors the upper classes.
Kiki Bourekis
Biology
Identifying Metabolic Differences in Males and Females Affected by Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease in the body, characterized by limited mobility due to the degradation of cartilage. Age, weight, and genetic profiles have been identified as clear risk factors for OA; women are more likely to suffer from OA compared to men. While previous research indicates that postmenopausal women have an increased likelihood of developing OA due to decreasing estrogen, few studies have investigated metabolic differences between diseased males and females. This study seeks to understand the differences between the global metabolic profiles of males and females with OA. In order to investigate metabolic discrepancies, metabolites were extracted from joint-effusion-related OA synovial fluid. Global metabolomic profiling by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was then employed to identify significant metabolic differences between sexes. The results of this study suggested a distinct metabolic response to OA in males and females, most notably a significant difference between fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. This study provided a greater understanding of metabolism in OA pathogenesis and suggested opportunities for more individualized, therapeutic interventions that target sex differences. In the future, researchers should replicate this experiment with a larger sample size and employ targeted metabolomics to further elucidate the role of fatty acid metabolism in OA responses.
Maile Allzer
Nursing
The Impact of Mindfulness on Stress in Healthcare Professionals
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that within the next 5 years, 25% of practicing nurses are going to switch careers or retire. Close to 2/3 of the nurses practicing today experience burnout for a variety of different reasons, the biggest being perceived stress. Perceived stress is defined as the subjectivity of stress and how a person experiences it. The subjectivity of perceived stress can be beneficial because it provides an opportunity to impact someone’s thinking through non-invasive and easily implementable measures. A decrease in perceived stress can then translate to decreased burnout. One of the ways suggested to fight this stress and burnout in the nursing profession is through mindfulness. Mindfulness teaches that one can respond in a positive way, even to stressful situations, through self regulation and interpersonal skills. This comes from Buddhist teachings and was defined as “paying purposeful and conscious attention to the present, without judging current concepts” (Chen et. al., 2021, para 3). Researchers have found that a nurse successfully implementing mindfulness in their daily life can better manage their mood, states, well-being, attention, and consciousness. The purpose of this Evidence-Based Practice review is to evaluate the effects that mindfulness interventions have on healthcare professionals’ stress across the world.
Anna Russell
Gender Studies
Exploring the Realities of Sex and Sexuality in Women’s Prisons
The sexual lives of female inmates are impacted by strip searches, imbalanced power dynamics, violence, and isolation. This study uses existing literature as the methodological foundation. Erving Goffman's theories of contamination in total institutions and Luce Irigaray’s theories on sexuality provide the theoretical framework to make sense of women’s experiences of sex and sexuality within the prison system. The research in this study focuses on four main factors; strip searches, imbalanced power dynamics, sexual violence, and isolation from the outside world. By focusing on strip searches, power dynamics, and sexual violence, this study aims to show how women experience forced sex or expressions of sexuality in the prison system. Alternatively, the factor of isolation aims to show how women experience restricted sexual expression while having limited interaction with the outside world.
Thomas Louie
Communications
Straw Dogs: Sam Peckinpah’s Cultural Meditation on Violence and Masculinity
The removal of the Hollywood Film Production Code in 1968 spawned a new era of filmmakers that challenged many American social norms. Among these filmmakers was Sam Peckinpah, who’s revolutionary film Straw Dogs explored masculinity, clashing cultures, and gender dynamics in all its dark, violent nature. Following a mild-mannered mathematician who slowly falls into a cycle of violence, Straw Dogs captures the long held notion that to be a man requires violent rites of passage, and that love, family, and home are sacrificed in these brutal tests of manhood. Still a very controversial film to this day for its portrayal of violence, misogyny, and depravity, Straw Dogs provides a unique case study for aggression theory, and whether these masculine behaviors are intrinsic or learned. In a film that holds a mirror up to society, condemning it as crude, violent, and uncivilized, Sam Peckinpah displays the harsh nature of masculinity and violence, but leaves it up to the viewer as to how it needs to be addressed.
Ariana Collins
Philosophy
The Meaning of Suffering
In this paper I analyze the nature of suffering. Evidently wars occur, people suffer in famine, poverty, starvation, homelessness, and in the challenges of everyday life. This provoked the question, what is suffering? In what ways can a person suffer? Is there meaning in this suffering? Coming to understand suffering and the pathway to overcoming suffering can very well change our outlook when we do inevitably come to suffer. Not only this, it may change the manner in which we suffer. When we turn inwards thus becoming bitter, miserable, and vengeful it affects our ability to live the good life. In encountering the philosophy of Freidrich Nietzsche, I was enticed to look further into the effects of suffering. Especially because he views suffering as fundamental to the human condition. I engage Arthur Schopenhauer as an opposer to my thesis citing his pessimistic philosophy of suffering. Then using particular cases regarding extreme suffering such as Holocaust survivors Jean Amery and Viktor Frankl. Showing how meaning can be born of suffering. Thus, arguing that meaning is born from the suffering endured in life which aids the human person in the pursuit of the good life.
Miranda Bruhn, Rebecca Rich, Stephanie Hodges
Nursing
Telehealth is a sustainable adjunct to in-person routine medical visits
In this current age, is telehealth a lasting solution to increasing accessibility when used in replacement of office visits? During COVID-19, telehealth became well known due to its increased utilization to prevent contraction of the virus. This introduced the need to have a virtual option for patients to access health care for various reasons. These reasons include, but are not limited to: immunocompromised, socioeconomic status, elderly, disabled, limited or no transportation, rural areas, and busy work lives. Telehealth is an alternative to in-person visits because it allows patients to have an increased amount of positive health outcomes and lowered overall cost. Telehealth, also called telemedicine, is the use of virtual meetings to connect with health care staff. Whereas, in person office visits refer to appointments that take place in hospitals, clinics, or other health care locations. The purpose of this project is to highlight the indispensability of telehealth post COVID-19. Telehealth has multiple benefits that can be utilized, such as decreased cost, increased accessibility, and convenience, making it a viable option in partnership with the in-person visit.
Tristan Gallagher
Honors Scholar
The Struggle for Hope: Exploring the Human Condition Through Hobbes and Eliot
What is most necessary to improve the human condition? What are the greatest dangers to human societies? Both 17th-century political philosopher Thomas Hobbes and 20th-century poet T.S. Eliot struggle to find hope for the human condition within their respective periods. Through the theory of Hobbes and the experience of Eliot, a greater understanding of human nature can be inferred. This comparison reveals two different kinds of hope. Eliot views human nature as something inherently good and believes in the ability for regrowth and positive progression. Hobbes is pessimistic about the human condition and therefore believes there is a limit to the progress of humankind. Neither Hobbes nor Eliot have a complete understanding of the complexity of human nature, nor do they have the answers as to why society isn’t better. But they do illuminate the aspects of human nature that both cause suffering and healing, allowing for a hopeful outlook on the future of humankind. By comparing Hobbes and Eliot, human nature can be explored and the human condition illuminated, as both struggle to find hope in the contemporary human condition.
Hailey Camp, Makayla Bury, Cormac Benn
Elementary & Special Education
Quality vs. Quantity in Staffing
Is maintaining a better qualified and fairly compensated staff more effective in providing special education services than increasing the number of staff members with potentially varied levels of expertise? As debates over funding have been predominant within education-related news over the past decade, we were curious about how limited funding is best spent. We hope that through this research, we’ll better grasp how resource allocation and equity of services can impact student outcomes. Our methods involve researching various recent primary sources regarding this topic while also conducting interviews with members of the Helena School District and possibly a mental health funds director for Child and Protective Service (CPS). We believe these sources will give us a better grasp on factors within special education that are often overlooked, therefore helping answer our research question. Our results will inform us and other educators on the most effective allocation of limited resources within special education. This could potentially lead to improved student outcomes through better-targeted investments in staff qualifications.
Delaney Boyle
International Relations
Bridging the Divide: A Study on the Role of Gender Equality, Civil Society Groups, and Levels of Peace
A growing body of literature explores the relationship between gender equality and corresponding levels of peace within countries. Some scholars argue that female involvement in peace-making processes can significantly increase quality and durability. This may be because civil society groups act as ‘linkages’ between elites and the masses, which may help improve the terms of agreements or persuade a wider set of people to help sustain peace. More generally, scholars argue that civil society groups operate externally from government structures, garnering broad support for peace and providing a means for people with limited access to become involved in politics. I conducted a quantitative analysis of 32 African countries from 2019 to 2021 to test the relationship between levels of conflict and rates of female participation in civil society groups, particularly in countries where women have less formal power in parliaments. Additionally, I assessed development gaps between males and females to assess the broader relevance of gender equality. I found that female involvement in civil society groups was a strong indicator of peace, particularly where there was less official involvement in parliament. Greater gaps in development between males and females were linked to more intense conflict in the given period. These findings imply that fostering gender equality can have various positive implications for societies, particularly because it has the capability to decrease the severity and intensity of conflict.
Kaden Gardner, Caleb Hoxie
Engineering
Residential Wind Turbine Design
Utility Mapping Services (UMS, Clancy, MT) presented students in the Carroll College Senior Engineering Design Class with the opportunity to complete an engineering design for a Skystream 3.7 wind turbine. We are specifically tasked with choosing a preferred project location from seven alternatives. After a project location was selected, we are now preparing a foundation design for the wind turbine. UMS also tasked us with providing professional construction documents to give to a contractor to implement our design.
When choosing a preferred project location we took into several factors. The Skystream 3.7 wind turbine has several design requirements that the selected project location needed to meet. This included undisturbed area, available height, and a minimum wind speed. Other considerations were how close the project site is to where the wind turbine is currently being stored in Jefferson City, Montana. Using the design requirements and location consideration, 8 Kestrel Drive Jefferson City, Montana was chosen as the project location. After picking a project location we have moved forward with designing an appropriate foundation and preparing the construction documents for UMS. The foundation design will be done to meet the design requirements for keeping the wind turbine erected for the design life.
We believe that we have chosen a design location that meets the design requirements and is near the wind turbine’s current location. With this we have also produced a foundation design that is structurally sound for the duration of the wind turbine’s design life.
Natalie Bahou
History
The 1948 Palestinian Nakba: Origins and Effects on Refugees
In 1948, when the state of Israel was created, thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their homeland. Called the Nakba, which means catastrophe, this event changed around seven hundred thousand people’s lives. Some stayed in what would later become the Palestinian territories. Many fled to other countries - some neighboring Arab countries, others went to America. As the Arab-Israeli conflict deepened over the next seventy years, Palestinians would continue to be affected, for example with events in 1967.
My paper examines what happened to the refugees of the 1948 Nakba. Where did they go? How were they affected by this tragic event? How did they rebuild their lives? Psychologically, how did that impact them for the rest of their lives? Where are their descendants now? Sources include recent academic and highly-researched books and articles, as well as older articles that shine a light on what the refugees have experienced.
This research project provides future readers and my HI 241 audience a better understanding of the 1948 crisis in terms of what happened to the thousands of refugees whose lives were so totally upended. Their legacy continues - there are around six million descendants of theirs today whose lives were also impacted by what happened in 1948. Understanding the Nakba and its repercussions on ordinary Palestinians is crucial to understanding the roots of the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well as understanding how humanity has to act and adapt in such tragic circumstances. As this topic sheds so much light on human nature, this context is crucial for forming a well-informed and nuanced point of view – and one that strives to find hope in every dark place.
John Paul Robertson
Honors Scholar
De Amicitiā: Friendship in The Iliad and Consolation of Philosophy
Through an examination of Homer’s Iliad and Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, this presentation works to show that humans are intentionally created to participate and share in friendship with God, which can be emulated and brought to fruition through human friendships. The demises of their characters, the Greek Priam and Roman Boethius, can be charted alongside one another, arriving at a shared destination of discerning the source of happiness. Highlighting the contrast in Lady Philosophy's emphasis on happiness deriving from relationship with the steadfast Divine in The Consolation of Philosophy to Aristotle’s argument of happiness being of a nature that can be disposed of by pathos, perspectives surrounding the downfalls of both characters present a point where the importance and impact of friendship must be addressed. Through the reciprocity found within the friendships between humanity and the Divine and humanity and other humans, an argument is formulated that our relationships with the Divine affect and sculpt our relationships with other humans.
Henry Phillip
Nursing
Mobile Health Clinics and Diseases Surveillance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “About 46 million Americans—15% of the US population--live in rural areas.” Compared to urban populations, rural areas have a higher prevalence of heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory disease. The rates of chronic conditions in rural areas are higher because the barriers of transportation availability, expense, limited education, and absence from work or family all must be overcome for healthcare to be received. Mobile health clinics (MHC) are traveling healthcare facilities and may be a solution to the many barriers that prevent rural Americans from receiving healthcare. MHC performs disease prevalence surveillance, medical condition prevention or management education, and disease treatment. There are currently over 414 MHC in the United States, each demonstrating the viability of MHC as a potential tool to improve rural healthcare. The purpose of this evidenced-based practice literature review is to determine whether MHC in rural areas would be effective in increasing the accuracy of disease surveillance rates. Three articles were reviewed and the findings serve as evidence for nurses focused on creating a MHC network in Montana that increases healthcare access and the efficacy of community health practices. MHC provides the opportunity for student nurses to gain experience evaluating patients and expand the impact of the MHC for the staff.
Ben Mehlhaff, Cam Pruitt
Engineering
Airport Beacon Replacement in Stanford, MT
Robert Peccia & Associates presented the Carroll College Engineering Design Class an opportunity to perform the engineering design for a replacement airport beacon for Judith Basin County Airport. The project is in Stanford, Montana. We have been asked to provide engineering for replacement of the current beacon, which is supported by a traditional lattice structure with a Tip-down style beacon. The current beacon has exceeded its design life and is no longer serviceable. Our current design calls for either removing the current beacon and placing the new one in the same location or finding a new location near the airport. Currently, the State Historical Preservation Office is evaluating the historical significance of the existing beacon and, therefore, removal of the current structure may not be possible. We are proceeding with our design with the assumption that SHPO will ultimately allow removal and replacement which will allow us to complete our design within the timeline of our senior design course. We selected a tip-down beacon for its lower cost, and lower maintenance difficulty due to the airport manager being a volunteer who lives locally. The smaller profile of the Tip-Down beacon discourages birds from landing and creating nests on the beacon, the reduced waste from birds will reduce maintenance as well. Other than birds there is not much else for environmental factors within this project. It will take only 1-2 weeks of construction for this process to be completed so that part will not take long. We will have the beacon sit on a 10 foot by 10 foot concrete slab on the edge of airport property. While using our cost estimation for the project, we will contact potential subcontractors that have done projects like this before, evaluating those who will do the job for the best price as well as their capability of providing a quality product.