...and ultimately, dare to know.
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Session One
10:00am-11:00pm
Panel A
Kerwin 103
To Enhance or Substitute Human Labor: The Future of AI In the Workplace
Ashkon Mogharei
Political Science
This capstone analyzes the recent fervent investment into AI technology by major companies. From the surface the rapid interest in AI technology by large and mid-sized companies seems aimless and sporadic, but underneath that passionate zeal lies a calculated decision to dramatically alter the work place and the nature of labor in the economy. My project looks at the reasons why managers would want to introduce AI into their companies and in what manner do they go about integrating the technology. It also draws connections between AI technology and the introduction of the personal computer and internet which had a transformative effect on the workplace which AI will likely invoke as well.
Capstone Consulting Project: Smithsonian Folkways
Katherine Wurst
BS Business Administration (Marketing); BA Film & Media Arts
My capstone proposes a strategic partnership between Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and the Washington, DC chapter of the Recording Academy to address fundraising, industry shifts, and brand awareness challenges. Leveraging the Recording Academy’s expertise and network, my team and I aim to enhance Folkways’ fundraising efforts, navigate industry changes, and boost brand visibility. Through detailed analysis and strategic planning, our recommendations offer a pathway for Folkways to thrive in the evolving music landscape while preserving cultural heritage.
Panel B
Kerwin 104
Adversarial Modeling for Simulating Aviation Security
Collin Coil
Data Science & Mathematics
The Adversarial Modeling and Simulation for Aviation Security (AMSAS) program is a novel approach to security checkpoint optimization. AMSAS employs two interacting RL programs to simulate attacker and defender actions within a Markov Decision Process (MDP) framework. This eliminates the need for historical data, a common hurdle in traditional security assessments.
I present research focused on enhancing the adaptability of the AMSAS prototype for a wider range of clients. Our contributions include upgrading the underlying RL libraries to streamline dependencies and broaden hardware compatibility. Additionally, I implemented a user-modifiable reward function, enabling prioritization of specific security objectives based on client needs. Furthermore, I generalized program language to encompass various checkpoint operations beyond the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Finally, the user interface (UI) was refined to reflect the broader language and enhance user experience.
This research demonstrates the successful expansion of AMSAS capabilities and the potential of RL for real-world security optimization. My work highlights the importance of user-centric design and adaptability in such machine learning applications.
Discrete Dynamical Systems
Lia Dolive
Mathematics
Discrete dynamical systems are used to study the behaviors of biological networks. In recent work by Dr. Chifman, she found that cyclic attractors provide insights into discrete dynamical systems and derived several analytical results that make contributions to both biological networks and discrete applied mathematics. Her work raised questions about distance functions specific to nonexpanding networks and how they influence the definition and properties of networks. Originally, nonexpanding networks were defined using maximum distance, however, questions about other distances remained. Here we analyzed Euclidean distance and concluded that the definition of nonexpanding networks depends on the metric chosen, though with some similar properties.
Weyl's Equidistribution Theorem and Space Filling Irrationals
Sy Hargis
Mathematics and Economics
Weyl’s Equidistribution Theorem allows us to see that. We contrast two numbers — the Liouville constant L, and the golden ratio Phi. Weyl’s Theorem tells us that if we repeatedly rotate a given point around the unit circle by an angle which is irrational with respect to Pi, then the points fill in the circle. Using Python, we take a unit circle and do exactly that, repeatedly moving a point around it. We find that Liouville’s constant mimics something very similar to a rational number while being outside the bounds of rationality. Without large levels of zoom, it is impossible to see its irrationality, while the golden ratio acts just as the Wyles theorem predicts. This has implications for how we can use the difference between rational and irrational numbers to untangle wavelengths and clear background noises in audio, digital images, and data science, and points out the challenges of modeling high-level mathematical theory with computers.
Panel C
Kerwin 105
Justification & Proposal of H.R.4182 - Men’s Health Awareness and Improvement Act
Caroline Arnette
Public Health (BS)
The men’s health crisis in the United States has been critically overlooked for far too long. In an effort to remedy this, a proposed bill, H.R.4182 (Men’s Health Awareness and Improvement Act), that has been introduced to Congress. The primary function of the bill is to create a federal Office of Men’s Health in order to improve men’s health across the nation.
This research project synthesizes information regarding why men’s health requires increased legislative attention, how elected officials and constituents can support the bill, answers to frequently asked questions, and additional literature on health disparities facing male Americans.
Operation Connect: A Public Health Program Proposal to Reduce Loneliness and Isolation Among Older Adults in Washington, D.C.
Scarlett Wedergren
Public Health and Business Administration
Approximately 25% of older adults in Washington, D.C. are experiencing social isolation and loneliness. This reality has been exacerbated by the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with 30% of older adults reporting mental health issues such as depression and anxiety since 2020. Social isolation and loneliness carry an increased risk of dementia and can worsen chronic conditions. This project develops a plan to address this issue. The proposal, called Operation Connect, is an ambassador and transportation accessibility program that increases awareness and attendance of older adult programs in D.C. communities. Operation Connect would utilize the skills of volunteers by connecting older adults to existing programs that match the individual’s interests, abilities, and demographics. The project includes a timeline and rollout plan, a financial budget, goal setting metrics, an evaluation plan, and public health behavior change theories. With a vision where age is not a limiting factor to social thriving, Operation Connect has the potential to transform how the city prioritizes its older adults.
Panel D
Kerwin 107
Closing the Floodgates: Why Vermont’s rural mobile home parks face greater flood risk
Lia Chien
Journalism/Education Studies
Vermont is a state of small villages, towns, and deeply knit communities. Long known to be a safe haven against the threats of climate change, floodwaters ravaged the state in July 2023, battering homes, businesses, and town centers. But mobile home park residents were some of the worst-hit communities. A crucial form of affordable housing in a state that lacks so much, these parks are often built in low-lying floodplains, making them a higher risk for damage and destruction when disaster hits. But why are communities with little financial means to rebuild or relocate after a flood more likely to live in these areas? Why is anyone living there at all? This story aims to address these questions and find out how affordable housing can be made safer in Vermont, and how different players around the state are working to solve this critical intersection between housing and climate.
Silenced Winds: The Sami Struggle Against Norway's Turbulent Green Development
Katie Hausman
International Relations with minors in Environmental Science and German Language
Despite environmentally damaging oil wealth, Norway prides itself on its progressive clean energy efforts and recognition of indigenous rights. However, the Sami people have experienced human rights violations due to green energy projects that disturb their cultural practices. In the creation of Fosen Vind, one of the largest wind farms in Europe, the Sami people’s pleas against construction were ignored and their reindeer herding practice exponentially decreased. The Sami parliament, established by the Norwegian government in 1989, has successfully voiced concerns about the Sami language and other cultural nuances to the Norwegian government in the past, however voicing opinion over land rights continues to be bulldozed. Having adopted a legal framework protecting indigenous rights from the UN and enshrining it into their constitution, the Norwegian government still disregarded the Sami parliament, even when it should be consulted on all matters concerning the Sami people. I hypothesize that the Sami parliament provides the Sami people with the illusion of national representation, however when the interest of the Sami people interfere with the national interest of the Norwegian government, their voices are ignored.
Worth the Energy? An analysis of the Chicago Transit Authority’s bus electrification program
Elliott Parrish
CLEG
The logistics of using electric passenger buses for mass transit are challenging.
The Chicago Transit Agency is a pioneer on this front, traveling down a road none of its peer agencies have gone down before. The lessons CTA officials learn throughout the implementation process of their transit electrification program could help other cities around the country pursue the same goals. This presentation will discuss the goals, process and challenges of making the mechanical near-impossibility of electric bus use by public transit a reality. It will examine CTA program goals and analyze its process from several perspectives: financial, governmental and logistical. It will outline the benefits of transit electrification, meaningfully address many critiques of the CTA’s plan and respond to those critiques with possible solutions. Finally, its thesis will propose a policy recommendation for the agency to consider.
Session Two
11:00am-12:00pm
Panel E
Kerwin 103
Intimate Justice, a Theory Based on Care
Emma Altrichter
Political Science - Political Theory
This research evaluates Shatema Threadcraft’s theory of “intimate justice,” which addresses the deficiencies in existing social justice theories concerning African American women in impoverished inner-city communities. Drawing from Joan Tronto’s care ethics, the paper scrutinizes Threadcraft’s critiques of current theories and examines her proposed solutions within the framework of care. While acknowledging the importance of Threadcraft’s contributions, the essay also highlights potential limitations and ambiguities in her approach. Overall, it underscores the significance of integrating care-based perspectives in theories of justice to comprehensively address intimate forms of injustice.
Forward Ever, Backward Never: Reparations in the Caribbean
Yasmine Jaffier
Major: CLEG, Minor: AFAM, Credential: Digital Technology
In order to answer the research question of “how has institutional systems such as slavery and colonialism informed the case of reparations for the Caribbean and how should reparations be advocated for in the Caribbean region?”, research needs to occur. The methods used to investigate the research question were found through primary and secondary data. Most of the data included were qualitative, including direct quotes, but there were quantitative aspects, especially for the economic side of the data. The reason this method was chosen for this research paper is due to the scholarship readily available. For the research process, American University’s library was used to find peer reviewed and credible sources available from scholars from the field. An imperative piece to finding research from scholars was looking in their background to ensure that they were in the field of study to address the question. Additionally, research was utilized to find the background on the authors and writers, to ensure that they were credible sources to receive information from for the research paper. The background of the scholar is also imperative to ensuring that there is an accurate portrayal of the research topic at hand. For example, Stanley L. Engerman wrote “The Importance of Slavery and the Slave Trade to Industrializing Britain,” and from his background he is a well known and respectable economist in America. He is known for his scholarship on the slave trade and has won many accolades for his research. With this in mind, it was imperative for this research paper to find credible sources to determine an answer for the research question.
As it pertains to the primary research, there were direct quotes and economic data on the economic benefits for Britain and the economic disenfranchisement for Caribbean countries ensuring slavery times and now. This method was utilized because otherwise, the impact of slavery would not be understood for the paper. Then as it relates to the media’s side of the research conducted, interviews and popular sources were used to find information about the viewpoint people are taking on reparations in the present day. Lastly, a good amount of scholarship was found on websites for Caribbean nations advocating for reparations, as they made a commission to conduct research on the legacy of slavery and how it impacted them. In all, the methods utilized were imperative to write this paper and answer the question, as they allowed the paper to obtain the historical, economic, and political context to the situation surrounding reparations for Caribbean people. One of the limitations in the research is that there was not enough data found about the feelings Caribbean people had about the case of reparations. I could not conduct interviews or find quantitative data on the opinions and viewpoints of the everyday Caribbean people this impacted. Additionally, a limitation is that the specific amount of money extracted from the Caribbean was not included due to limited resources on that part.
A Study on Qualified Immunity: Issues, Impacts, and Improvements
Lily London
Major in Interdisciplinary Studies: Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government with a Minor in History
Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that balances the liability of government workers with the need to keep them accountable. With the prominence of police brutality in the news, qualified immunity, when it comes to law enforcement, has become a recent political debate. Based on the literature there are 4 key issues that most individuals have with qualified immunity. This study elaborates on those issues and analyzes the impacts of the qualified immunity doctrine on the community and law enforcement officials. It uses states as case studies for ways to reform qualified immunity through legal means. The analysis finishes with policy recommendations based on the issues found, current impacts of the doctrine, and what work individual states have been doing.
Panel F
Kerwin 104
Safeguarding Financial Fairness: Reasserting the Independence of the CFPB in the Face of Persistent Legal Challenges
Benjamin Carme
Finance (BS)/ CLEG (BA)
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), established under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, is tasked with shielding consumers from financial exploitation. However, its funding structure has come under scrutiny, culminating in a pivotal Supreme Court case, CFPB v. Community Financial Services Association of America. This case challenges the agency’s autonomy, potentially curtailing its regulatory powers and raising concerns about regulatory capture. The threat of regulatory capture underscores the agency’s vulnerability and its crucial role in preserving financial fairness. Questions about the future of consumer protection arise, particularly regarding enforcement actions and the possibility of a void in consumer safeguarding. This highlights the urgency for legislative reinforcement of the CFPB’s authority rather than reliance on judicial intervention. To comprehend the CFPB’s significance, an exploration of its historical context and the political dynamics surrounding its inception is imperative. Additionally, analysis of potential post-CFPB scenarios is crucial for envisioning regulatory shifts and identifying policy avenues to uphold consumer interests in the financial landscape.
Germany's 'Climate Foreign Policy Strategy' and Making the High Politics of Climate Ambition
Thomas Goldstein
International Studies, minor is German
Germany’s ‘Climate Foreign Policy Strategy,’ released in December 2023, is the first of its kind anywhere. Akin to a National Security Strategy, the document elevates a set of climate objectives to the highest level of Germany’s foreign policy, including a shared carbon price among the G7 and a climate club dedicated to harmonizing green industrial policies. However, while Germany has presented itself as an ambitious climate actor for years, it remains puzzling as to why it has chosen to redefine its foreign policy identity now or establish the interdepartmental approach that the Strategy underpins. What explains the institutional development of Germany’s ‘Climate Foreign Policy Strategy’ since 2008? This project treats Germany as a single intensive case study to control for how a consistently ambitious climate actor may shift its policy preferences over time. The project interplays two potential explanations that account for the strategy’s policy content: how a ‘green’ political constituency articulates and implements preferred policy when in government, external pressure from and feedback with international climate institutions, or a rationalist push to insulate trade vulnerability. To take stock of climate policy possibilities over time, I trace climate policy preference shifts in party manifestos, governing coalition agreements, and public polling data. By contributing insight into Germany’s preference (re)formation towards a ‘strategic’ climate approach, this project contributes to the issue structure of climate policymaking and considers how states can assert themselves in a post-Paris regime complex of interconnecting climate initiatives.
Identifying data sources linking American licit and illicit firearm exports to crime in key western hemisphere countries
Emily Kuzel
International Studies and German Studies
This report presents a detailed analysis of the arms trafficking crisis across selected Latin American countries, leveraging the most current data to map out the severity and specifics of the issue. By providing country-specific analysis, we contextualize the security environment, prevalent forms of organized crime, and major types of crimes. At the same time, the research explores the theoretical background of the arms trafficking crisis, examining the underlying causal mechanisms that facilitate trafficking and the proliferation of organized crime. This includes the roles of drug and human trafficking, the impact of weakened state institutions, and the proliferation of weapons through both licit and illicit channels.
By combining this detailed data-driven approach with theoretical insights, the report aims not only to present a comprehensive overview of the arms trafficking landscape but also to guide strategic planning to address this issue effectively. Through this analysis, we aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of the arms trafficking crisis and support efforts toward more secure and stable communities across Latin America. This project was completed in collaboration with Chloe Moss, Jesica Bakas, Emma Olson, Julia Craig, Jack Tapay-Cueva, and Julien Hector.
Panel G
Kerwin 105
Evaluating Online Radicalization Through White Nationalist Content on YouTube
David Bailey Hobbs
Political Science and Music
YouTube has come under scrutiny from journalists and scholars after they uncovered a thriving community of white nationalists disseminating propaganda on the site. In response, YouTube implemented a series of policy changes between 2017-2019 intended to purge explicitly hateful content, promote trusted sources, and incentivize the creation of less radical content. These changes make YouTube an interesting case study for radicalization research; it shows how extremists operate online and allows researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of content moderation strategies. Given this I ask: to what extent does YouTube facilitate radicalization in relation to white nationalist ideologies and how effective is YouTube’s content moderation system at limiting the spread of white nationalism on the site? To answer this, I will conduct an analysis of YouTube and its white nationalist content based on models of radicalization from social science literature. I will also compare the presence of white nationalism on YouTube before and after its policy revisions to measure their effectiveness. I conclude that white nationalist content hosted on YouTube does reflect three radicalization pathways identified in the literature. However, my research also found that the changes to YouTube have meaningfully reduced the likelihood of a user radicalizing into extreme beliefs.
Crime Junkies: The Investment in True Crime through Short-Form Media
Krissy Oliver-Mays
(Major) Literature (Minor) African American and African Diaspora Studies
According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons (NamUS) database, more than 600,000 people go missing annually. Just as the living, all missing and murdered people are not treated equally. Race and gender have a large impact on how much media coverage someone will receive and even how their case is treated by the police. Missing Black and Indigenous women are disregarded exponentially compared to their white female counterparts. However, with the expansion of technology and the ability for anyone to reach a large audience there has been a shift away from whiteness being the majority of representation. I aim to show that representation through short form video content such as Tiktok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have more impact on solving cases and bringing justice to these women than traditional media formats. My objective is to critique traditional forms of representation of missing persons cases as large media conglomerates producing content are no longer as effective as individual producers who have more claim to communities and are personally invested in these cases. While there are many arguments that can be made for the necessity of newspaper and television media formats as it does bring media attention to the general public; there is also forced censorship due to networks’ aim to avoid controversial content in order to maintain viewership of their ideal audience. Independent creators are able to bypass the regulations and tell a more authentic story that resonates with their established audience more than generalized mass media to create more impact on solving cases.
Life in a Post-Dobbs Landscape: How We Got Here and Where We’re Headed
Ava Reisman
CLEG Major, Spanish Minor
My paper is about the political, legal, and communications strategies employed by the pro-life and pro-choice movements that have influenced the development of the American reproductive rights landscape. The paper first analyzes the evolution of both sides’ strategies in the years following Roe v. Wade and then discusses reproductive rights strategies in a post-Dobbs landscape.
Panel H
Kerwin 107
Creating a Safer and More Inclusive Healthcare Sector for Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender Diverse People
Skye Bluestein
Political Science (BA)/Public Administration (MPA)
This project takes the form of a digital text module designed for people working in the healthcare sector (whether that is working as a healthcare provider, in insurance, or in medical research) to help them develop a better understanding of trans people and make the healthcare sector safer for trans people. The goal is to compile useful information for healthcare sector workers into one place to make it easier to learn how to make healthcare more inclusive. This module primarily has a social and interpersonal focus, rather than taking an in-depth medical approach. This is designed for people with varying levels of prior knowledge and includes the basics like language and pronouns but also more complex issues, such as the limitations of the binary gender markers currently used throughout the healthcare system. This module builds from my experience and from preexisting research about the healthcare system, as well as data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. The information provided in the module was improved by gathering feedback from other trans and nonbinary people and from people who work in the healthcare sector. This module is now ready to be distributed to healthcare professionals so please feel free to pass it on! tinyurl.com/TransHealthcareModule
Pharmakon Journal of Philosophy and Religion
Alexandra Kallaher
Religious Studies/ International Studies
Pharmakon is the student journal of the Department of Philosophy & Religion. Organized by a student editorial board, with faculty oversight, Pharmakon is dedicated to publishing exceptional and insightful work in philosophy and religious studies. The journal has been on hiatus for several years, and the student editorial board is undertaking the essential project of reviving this outlet for students in the humanities during a period of global tension, prejudice, and strife. Encouragement to engage in critical analysis, consider bold concepts and ideas, and challenge assumptions will prove invaluable in motivating student commitment to humanistic study. The editorial board is building a new website for digital publication, announcing a CFP, and will review and select submissions by the end of March. We will recruit 30 student volunteer reviewers, who will participate in pre and post-review surveys and focus groups. We hypothesize that participation in this project will increase student engagement and build community among students in humanities majors.
Dueling Minds: Indications of Molecular Sexual Dimorphism in the Zebra Finch Hippocampus
Jo Spurgeon
Neuroscience Major; Biology Minor
In the songbird brain, aromatase, the enzyme that synthesizes estradiol, can be found in either soma or synaptic boutons in various brain areas. In the hippocampus, aromatase is exclusively localized in synaptic boutons and is more abundant in males than females. Differences in synaptic aromatization can modulate neuronal function and sex-specific behavior, though the specific downstream effects of these mechanisms remain unknown. Our aim was to determine differential gene expression and gene ontology between sex and estradiol manipulation in the songbird hippocampus. Samples from three treatment groups were used: Silastic implant (n=8), Aromatase inhibitor 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD) (n=8), and ATD with Estradiol (E2) supplemented (n=8). All three treatment groups were split evenly by sex (n=12 per sex). From the RNA-seq count data normalized for sequencing depth, we used DESeq2 to determine differential gene expression between treatment groups and sex. A likelihood ratio test was done to determine if there were effects of either treatment for single-sex cohorts or of sex regardless of treatment. Finally, gene ontology (GO) analysis was done for biological process (BP), molecular function (MF), and cellular compartment (CC). At least one novel gene was found in every treatment and sex comparison group, indicating a gap in the literature regarding potential steroid-mediated signaling. In addition, for every treatment group analyzed, unique sets of upregulated genes were identified for male and female birds. Enrichment for cytoskeletal reorganization genes was found in female ATD-treated birds but not males. Further, autophagy-linked genes were enriched in ATD+E2-treated males but not females. Overall, these data suggest findings of a novel molecular sexual dimorphism present in the zebra finch hippocampus.
Session Three: Posters
12:00-1:00pm
Kerwin First Floor
Building a Facial Recognition Attendance System Web Application
Nancy Ching
Computer Science w/ Minor in Graphic Design
For my capstone, I built a personal web application that allows event coordinators or instructors to track event/class attendance through facial recognition AI. The web application allows instructor/attendee account services, and storing event records and calendar data. The application is fully functional where users can make an account, and add their image into the facial recognition system. Event coordinators/instructors can then open attendance for a particular event allowing for real–time detection of attendees as they pass by a computer’s front facing camera. The purpose of this capstone is to explore the usability of AI in everyday tasks, and how we can save time and increase efficiency through this intersection.
Analyzing the Interaction between Gender and Ethnicity of Name in the Hiring Process
Maddy deVega
Major: Psychology; Minor: Education
The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between gender of a Black candidate and the ethnicity of the candidate’s name, specifically investigating the impact of intersectional identities on hireability. The hypotheses were as follows: there would be a main effect of gender, such that female candidates would score lower on scales of hireability than male candidates. Additionally, there would be a main effect of ethnicity of name, such that candidates with traditionally Black names would score lower on scales of hireability than candidates with traditionally white names. Finally, there would be an interaction between gender of a candidate and ethnicity of a candidate, such that female candidates with traditionally Black names would score lower than all other subgroups. The participants rated candidates on eight characteristics of hireability, as well as overall hireability. The results showed no significant findings for any of the three hypotheses but did seem to trend toward an interaction.
Abortion Policies in Republican-dominated States
Kaniya Harris
Majors: justice, law, & criminology and sociology minor: business & entertainment
Dobbs versus Jackson Women’s Health Organization allowed red states to enact more restrictive abortion policies limiting access. My research analyzed religious references in abortion debates across three Republican-dominated states: Texas, Ohio, and Florida to determine the reasoning behind why some Republican-dominated states have more and less abortion access. For my research, I calculated the frequency and contextual usage of religious language through Senate Bills, the findings reveal nuanced patterns. In the Texas debate, where time was limited, over 62.5% of legislators referenced religion, surpassing Ohio (41.1%) and Florida (59%). Democrats consistently referenced religion more, framing it in support of abortion policies. My abstract highlights the multifaceted relationship between time allocation, political affiliation, and contextual nuances in the use of religion within abortion debates, providing insights into the complex interplay of faith and legislative discourse.
The politics of Solar Geo-Engineering
Maxwell Keiles
Major: Political Science. Minor: Cinema Studies
This research project focused on the politics, ethics, and feasibility of solar Geo-Engineering. With Global Warming becoming a major concern, some scientists have looked to drastic measures to stop and reverse the impeding catastrophe. One such method is to seed the atmosphere with Sulfur to reflect the sun’s UV rays back into the atmosphere. This project shows the pros and cons of this method through the lense of Geo-politics.
“How Long Have You Been Dead?”: Deconstructing Necropolitics and Racial Hierarchy in Vampires
Tylette Martinez
Literature and History
Since their first appearance in Western literature, vampires have represented the “othered” in society, those who have not fit into the white heteronormative standards but were still very much white and able to conform in some way. These depictions started to change as the vampire began to transition to film, starting in 1922 with Nosferatu. It wasn’t until 1972 that the first Black vampire, Blacula, appeared on screen, disrupting the narrative of whiteness. From there, numerous other adaptations of Black vampires have been seen, with one being the most recent remake of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. The AMC-produced TV series captured attention due to its explicitly queer portrayal of vampires, as well as making two of the main characters, Louis and Claudia, Black. The series, spanning decades starting with 1910, explores the lives of the vampires, with Claudia’s experiences as a young Black woman highlighted. I argue that by including Blackness in vampirism, the perspective of vampires shifts, creating a confrontation of what “otherness” means, and how it affects vampires of color. Strengthening this interpretation of vampirism, I am using Black feminist texts to highlight society’s disposal of Black women, as exemplified by Claudia and her treatment in the show. Using works that discuss the “social death” of Black women shows the necessary role that Claudia plays, being mistreated but crucial to the lives of those around her.
Managing Organ Donations in 2024
Connor Reed
Data Sciences for Political Science
With over 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list and 17 pending recipients dying every day in absence of one, finding solutions to address this demand expeditiously is of great importance to the social welfare. Addressing shortfalls in both the number of donors and the amount of confidence in financial stability associated with becoming a living donor are two avenues towards greater efficiency and accountability in this field. The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) serves to streamline the donation process in the United States and will play a pivotal role in the success of these missions.
Chinese Adaptation of Korean Idol Survival Shows
Jordan Scoggin
Chinese Studies
This Mandarin research paper will explore the reasons idol survival shows are appreciated by both Chinese and Korean audiences. It will discuss the political and economical reasoning behind China’s decision to adapt their own version of popular Korean idol survival shows for Chinese audiences.
Overruling Chevron: The Supreme Court and the Biden Administration's Climate Legacy
Brady Tavernier
CLEG: Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government
Brady examined the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to revisit the Chevron framework. He particularly analyzed how a ruling limiting the authority of federal agencies could affect the implementation of President Biden’s climate agenda.
Black Fathers N' Dey Kids: Performing Fatherhood as an act of Freedom
Johneé Rendia Wilson
SIS / AFAM
The goal of this essay is to explore the ideas equating an absent god with the nature of Black fatherhood within the context of enslavement, reproductive labor, and family. This work will examine the literary works of several scholars, including Vincent Lloyd, a professor at Villanova University, who focuses on the politics of theology. One may understand through his exploration of Divine Motherhood how God may or may not be synonymous to a “father” or a “mother.” In other words, if the precedent for Black fatherhood in America is enslavement, this essay may question whether a Black man stripped from his role as father could also have a godless existence because of the robbery of captivity, oppression, and enslavement. Yet, a Black mother may perform the role of mother and father, simultaneously fortifying her with the strength of God. When Black fatherhood is given an atmosphere to exist and be active, could this be a reclamation of spirituality in a systemic, capitalist structure in which the Black mother is more favorable, and the Black man was not intended to experience self-realization–parenthood, purpose, full humanity, and survival?
CAIDP's Initiative: Empowering Global AI Regulation Efforts
Isabelle Wittmann
SIS
In an era characterized by rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the need for effective regulation to navigate its transformative impact on society has become increasingly evident. The Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP) emerges as a crucial player in this landscape, bridging the gap between the burgeoning AI industry and the absence of comprehensive international and national regulations. This project delves into the vital role of CAIDP in shaping global AI regulation efforts. This project underscores the interdisciplinary collaboration required to address these complex issues. Through partnerships with researchers, scholars, legal experts, and industry professionals, CAIDP fosters innovative approaches to AI regulation, guided by principles of fairness, justice, and accountability. This project will analyze the culture of the center, its innovation diffusion, environment, ability to change, scaling potential, and impact of the CAIDP to convey the unique approach this organization takes. By empowering global AI regulation efforts, CAIDP stands at the forefront of shaping a more equitable and accountable AI landscape, ensuring that technological innovation aligns with societal values and democratic principles.
Session Four
1:00-2:00pm
Panel A
Kerwin 103
The Vice "Problem": Intersectional Identities and Negative Public Opinion of Vice President Kamala Harris
Vishwa Bhatt
Major: Data Sciences for Political Science; Minor: Computer Science
This research paper explores how Vice President Harris’ intersectional identities, as a woman and more specifically a Black and South Asian woman, shape public opinion of her handling of the vice presidency, aside from her policies and political work. The paper examines the roles that each of these identities plays in public reception of Harris both individually and interconnectedly, and ultimately determines in which ways institutions of racism and misogyny contribute to her public image.
Instagram’s Algorithmic Gender Bias as a Pathway to Radicalization
Madyson Brown
Political Science
The emergence of online information poses numerous risks, especially for youth. With the evolving online landscape, AI-driven algorithms, responsible for recommending content on social media platforms, are increasingly revealing biases. While extensive research has explored the influence of specific social media platforms on youth, notably leading to extremist tendencies, there remains a gap in understanding the impact of Instagram, where a significant portion of users are under 24 years old. Notably, in the United States, the alt-right is leveraging Instagram to disseminate information and recruit youth, leading to radicalization through exposure to misinformation and “alternative facts.” This phenomenon carries profound implications for national and global politics. With my research I hope to answer the following question; how does the rapid spread of information through targeted algorithms contribute to alt-right radicalization among the youth of the United States on Instagram? To achieve this, my project created multiple Instagram accounts to actively measure whether or not there was a gender bias in the social media algorithm recommendations.
An Animal Model of Bias: A Behavioral-Economic Analysis
Emma Pilz
Psychology
Previous research has indicated that rats prefer to socialize with their own strain (phenotypically similar) compared to rats of another strain (phenotypically dissimilar), possibly due to social familiarity and innate preference. The present experiment aims to further investigate this phenomenon by using a rat social reinforcement paradigm to determine if rats find socializing with their own strain more reinforcing than with a different strain. The study will employ an operant chamber where a subject rat can press a lever to open a door and interact with a participant rat of the same or different strain. The reinforcing value of socialization with the same/different strain rat will be determined through behavioral-economic analysis, specifically by assessing the breakpoint and essential value of the social reinforcement. The results of this experiment are pending and will provide valuable insights into the social preferences of rats and the reinforcing nature of social interactions based on strain similarity.
Panel B
Kerwin 104
Voices of Survival: Victim Testimony and Rape in the Bosnian and Rwandan Genocides
Isabella Brooke
Major: History Minor: International Studies
This paper answers the question: in what ways has victim testimony supported the acknowledgment of rape as an act of genocide by the United Nations (UN) in the late 20th century, specifically in the cases of the Bosnias and Rwandan genocide? As rape is not explicitly included in the UN Genocide Convention, victim testimony mentioning its presence during the Bosnian and Rwandan genocide is crucial to acknowledge rape as an act of genocide. This paper analyzes transcripts and witness testimony from both the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) that mention the use of rape during the Bosnian and Rwandan genocide. By combining the definition of genocide from the Genocide Convention and the Social Death Theory and applying these frameworks to victim testimony, it is abundantly clear that rape is an act of genocide as it divides up communities via sexual and cultural humiliation, inflicts feelings of personal annihilation, and causes serious bodily harm, mass violence, and acts as a means of murder.
Fundraising Initiatives for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Lovette Ogie
Business Administration/Business Analytics (spec.)/Information Systems &Technology(spec.)
As transformative technologies redefine the music landscape, businesses face the imperative to adapt from ownership to accessibility. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (SFR), celebrated for its extensive archive of specialized and historically significant music, confronts these contemporary challenges head-on. This project probes into the shifting dynamics of the music industry, with a keen focus on the rise of streaming platforms and their impact on traditional paradigms. Moreover, this project assesses potential strategies for Smithsonian Folkways, including forging partnerships with music festivals, licensing its rich catalog, and introducing bundled memberships with other Smithsonian institutions. Each avenue presents unique opportunities and obstacles, all geared towards ensuring Smithsonian Folkways’ sustained success in the fiercely competitive recording domain.
What About the Women? An Exploration of the Erasure of Female Jazz Instrumentalists
Cassie Rodrique
Political Science and Sustainability
How many jazz instrumentalists can you name off the top of your head? How many of them are women? The truth is that the jazz “greats” that we remember today (excluding vocalists) are overwhelmingly male. This project seeks to uncover the roots of sexism that persist in a genre defined by freedom. Through auto-ethnographic and scholarly research, Cassie finds that there are three main reasons for this vast disparity: sexism and misogynoir, the genderization of instruments, and the lack of female jazz role models and agency. The presentation concludes by highlighting several female jazz instrumentalists from the 1920s-2020s and encouraging the audience to listen to female jazz instrumentalists in the industry today.
Panel C
Kerwin 105
Taxing a Transition: Kenya’s Digital Services Taxes, Development, and the Path Forward
Diana Gertsenshteyn
SIS / Economics
The digital economy and the traditional economy are now inseparably intertwined, opening up difficult questions about equitable, credible, and reliable taxation mechanisms. The existence of intangible assets make it easier to evade tax laws and take advantage of developing markets. Countries such as Kenya have responded by imposing digital services taxes to force large firms to pay their fair share. However, the taxes burden local startups and citizens, hindering digital development. This policy brief seeks to analyze the economic and social benefits and drawbacks to the Kenyan Digital Services Tax and propose solutions for simultaneously balancing the need for autonomous revenue collection and maintenance of a liberal online business environment to support digital services trade.
Case Study: The International Women's Media Foundation
Lori Rampani
Major: International Studies, Minor: Spanish Language
For my SIS capstone I developed a case study on the International Women’s Media Foundation. My project examines the impact of IWMF initiatives on the protection and empowerment of female and nonbinary journalists across the globe. According to UNESCO, female journalists and media workers are increasingly subject to offline and online attacks. Under these circumstances, the IWMF conducts identity-centric training programs that teach journalists practical tactics to improve their situational awareness, self-defense and first aid skills. Moreover, the IWMF recognizes that global news media reflects broader societal and economic inequalities. Through reporting fellowships and grants, the IWMF, in collaboration with other organizations, works to build more diverse newsrooms.
To measure IWMF’s impact on the community, I used investigative tools from the field of Social Innovation, such as Kellogg’s Theory of Change and Dee’s & Andersen Scaling Analysis. I concluded my investigation with a list of recommendations that could potentially broaden and strengthen the impact of IWMF initiatives. Some suggestions include stronger partnerships with universities and other academic institutions and promoting more programs in the American continent.
Measuring Equity in Diplomatic Engagements
Annika Rennaker
International Studies/Creative Writing
This project was completed as a part of the State Department’s Diplomacy Lab program and was a part of a larger group research project. In light of the newly released Equity Action Plan, the State Department aims to adjust their diplomatic engagements abroad to better measure advancements in their Equity projects. Through an analysis of M&E (measuring and evaluation) frameworks across several global organizations covering a broad number of inequity issue areas, as well as interviews with M&E specialists, this project makes recommendations to the Department of State as to what specific Equity indicators would be best at holistically tracking the success of diplomatic engagements at achieving Equity abroad. The requested indicator set was to be outcome focused, acknowledge intersectionality, and ideally be transferrable to all equity interest areas. Ultimately, my group came up with a set of indicator suggestions to be presented at the State Department in early May.
Panel D
Kerwin 107
Reality Check: Exploring Cultural Identities in Reality Dating Television
Isa Iiams
International Studies (Justice, Ethics, & Human Rights)
In today’s media-centric world, understanding the messages in what we watch is crucial—because, by nature of being produced and consumed, media tells us something about the world. Cultural diplomacy now extends beyond governments, with media playing a significant role in fostering global awareness. Reality dating shows, increasingly prominent in popular culture, contribute to cross-cultural communication, prompting scrutiny of their portrayal of identities. While scholars debate the role of popular media in constructing and reflecting national values, and others attempt to create cultural comparison frameworks, the application of these frameworks to unscripted media remains underexplored in academia. Thus, this research posits: How do reality dating shows exemplify different cultural identities, and do these representations align with Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension predictions? Using interpretive discourse analysis, the paper researches popular dating shows from Brazil, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Findings suggest alignment with Hofstede’s predictions for some cultural dimensions, but discrepancies in certain dimensions exist due to factors explored in the findings, such as an interest in spectacle, globalization, and the question of cultural stickiness. Understanding these nuances enhances our comprehension of media’s role in shaping the societal perceptions of and representations of culture.
Disability Justice in Pandemic Fiction
Izzy Scholes-Young
Literature BA and Spanish Studies BA
Many of us found ourselves reaching for fictional pandemic narratives to cope with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, hoping to find both escapism and guidance for navigating a shared sense of vulnerability. I argue that linear outbreak narratives that move from infection to cure enforce a binary between dead or disabled victims and survivors who successfully outrun infection. This “victim/survivor binary,” which also draws on victim/survivor discourse within sexual violence studies, parallels the artificial binary between able-bodied and disabled people, a binary which forecloses solidarity and reinforces abled identity in opposition to disability. Ling Ma’s 2018 novel Severance and Karen Thompson Walker’s 2019 novel The Dreamers are both works of pandemic fiction that disrupt the victim/survivor binary by challenging the imagined distance between victims and survivors. Both authors create space in their narratives to imagine a “spectrum of survivorhood,” one which refuses to value survivors over victims and honors the intrinsic value of disabled experiences. Normalizing a spectrum of survivorhood has important implications for our ongoing healing from the COVID-19 pandemic and denaturalizing narratives of linear healing.
Black Fathers N' Dey Kids: Performing Fatherhood as an act of Freedom
Johneé Rendia Wilson
SIS / AFAM
The goal of this essay is to explore the ideas equating an absent god with the nature of Black fatherhood within the context of enslavement, reproductive labor, and family. This work will examine the literary works of several scholars, including Vincent Lloyd, a professor at Villanova University, who focuses on the politics of theology. One may understand through his exploration of Divine Motherhood how God may or may not be synonymous to a “father” or a “mother.” In other words, if the precedent for Black fatherhood in America is enslavement, this essay may question whether a Black man stripped from his role as father could also have a godless existence because of the robbery of captivity, oppression, and enslavement. Yet, a Black mother may perform the role of mother and father, simultaneously fortifying her with the strength of God. When Black fatherhood is given an atmosphere to exist and be active, could this be a reclamation of spirituality in a systemic, capitalist structure in which the Black mother is more favorable, and the Black man was not intended to experience self-realization–parenthood, purpose, full humanity, and survival?
Session Five
2:00-3:00pm
Panel A
Kerwin 103
Assessing Venezuela's Encroachment: Posturing or Preparadness?
Trevor Anderson
Majors: Econ, CLEG
I authored an intelligence dossier scrutinizing Venezuela’s recent border advancements into Guyana and their potential implications for regional stability and U.S. strategic interests. Delving into the historical backdrop, I illuminated the longstanding dispute over the Essequibo region, a contested territory within present-day Guyana, claimed by Venezuela. My analysis projected the likely trajectory over the coming year, employing Intelligence Community Directives and nuanced estimative language to outline a spectrum of exclusive hypotheses.
With a focus on events unfolding from December 2023 onwards, I meticulously evaluated Venezuela’s motivations, opportunities, and capabilities for potential direct actions within the subsequent twelve months. Concluding that Venezuela’s recent maneuvers are unsustainable in the long run, I posited that they may be emblematic of a nationalist posturing aimed at shoring up support for the Maduro administration, particularly in light of an impending contentious election this summer.
Drawing on historical analogies, I paralleled Venezuela’s actions to Argentina’s failed attempt to seize the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas), underscoring Venezuela’s probable recognition of the impracticality of further escalation. Instead, I anticipate a regression over the next twelve months as Venezuela recalibrates its approach.
Negotiating Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Matthew Colucci
International Studies
Negotiating Israeli-Palestinian peace is a relatively alternative style of Capstone. Unlike many Capstones, I was not tasked with writing a paper or political brief wherein I suggest how peace in the Levant may be achieved. Instead, I was provided with a nuanced and comprehensive history of Israel-Palestine. While it is impossible to gain true expertise on this topic in just a few months, it is imperative that one has a general idea of the historical context that has led to this modern conflict. After two months of historical lectures, our professor randomly divided the class into three “teams:” Israel, Palestine, and the USA with the task of negotiating a well-founded and realistic peace negotiation. In my presentation, I will discuss the results of these talks while providing my personal insights, contributions, reflections, as well as how I believe these mock negotiations exist within the wider scope of global conflict resolution.
Coptic Identity Amid Post-Revolution Egypt
Samir Matin
Legal Studies (BA) & Economics (BA)
This paper explores the dilemmas surrounding transitional justice (TJ) mechanisms, particularly after a revolution disposing of an authoritarian regime. To analyze this prompt more closely, the paper will use Egypt’s 2011 revolution as a case study and, subsequently, the treatment of Coptic Christians (Copts) after the revolution as a metric for analyzing pre versus post-human rights violations by an authoritarian regime unto marginalized groups. The paper seeks to answer the questions: Why is it challenging to apply transitional justice mechanisms effectively under an authoritarian regime? And how do authoritarian regimes manipulate transitional justice, primarily through the use of political ideology? The paper will call upon contemporary literature and leading transitional justice scholars within North Africa and the Middle East to answer these questions. The paper will argue that Egypt’s complex historical strifes, which have mainly been fueled by religious-political ideology, have stratified violence, which allows human rights violations to be undermined. Thus, the paper will look into Egypt’s central religious-political ideology to understand how transitional justice mechanisms failed to provide meaningful change for marginalized groups, as in the case of Copts, due to State corruption being solidified by ideology. The paper by no means seeks to be a polemical work against Egypt and its complex history. Yet, it attempts to reconcile Egypt and its current dilemmas with contemporaneous academic insight from scholars familiar with the region, its complexities, and transitional justice.
Panel B
Kerwin 104
USMCA Renaissance: How US-Mexican Trade is Defying Trump Policy
Walter Ankner
Economics
Four years after the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed into law, US-Mexico trade and investment are at an all-time high. This was not the reality that President Trump envisioned when he swore to re-shore jobs that were ‘taken’ by Mexico through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This policy brief will examine the ways that Trump tried to re-shore US manufacturing jobs from Mexico and how his policies failed to do so. We will first explore the current US trade policy and how it came to be. We will then establish the ways in which Trump tried to generate uncertainty though his brash rhetoric and by renegotiating NAFTA into the USMCA in an effort to re-shore US manufacturing jobs. We will then look for evidence for how this policy failed in the election of President Biden, the realignment of trade after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the US-China trade tensions. Last, we will look towards to future to see what might be next for US-Mexico trade ties as we inch closer to the 2026 review.
Friendly Foes: Analyzing the Complex Relationship Between American and Chinese Businesses
Valeria Gonzalez
Major in International Studies (SIS); Minor in Communication
In a world that’s become increasingly interconnected, international business has become more important than ever before. Every day, multinational companies and U.S businesses are searching for the next “market” or consumer base they can tap into. In this sense, China seems like the perfect fit; it’s the world’s second largest economy and has a population of around 1.14 billion people. However, various factors can inhibit the successful development of U.S-China business relationships. The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the challenges facing American businesses when trying to establish themselves in China (and vice versa), and to provide suggestions on how these challenges can be overcome. This project will be using a qualitative research approach to analyze the barriers preventing fruitful U.S-China business partnerships.
Crafting Persuasion: A Study on the Art and Science of Speech Writing
Kevin Morales
Political Science
Speech is the ultimate form of communication. We use it in our day to day, we’re held captive by it, we listen to it. Despite the abundance of speech, there are a select few who have mastered it. Those who can not just speak in a captivating way, but write the speech behind it. That’s exactly what this project explores. What does it take to write a “good” speech? Barack Obama’s 2006 DNC speech is known as the speech that made him president, why? Beyond that, what would it take for someone like me, with no writing experience, to write a meaningful speech. Crafting Persuasion: A Study on the Art and Science of Speech Writing explores the intricacies in speech writing and the components that go into a speech. Composed of six speeches, the project follows my development and understanding of speech writing and what components are used in speech.
Panel C
Kerwin 105
Examining the Impact of Independent Redistricting Commissions on Minority Representation in the United States House of Representatives
Ryan Cervinka
Political Science and Economics
One of the most important aspects of a representative democracy is protecting the political power of minority groups. This can come in the form of increased descriptive representation of minority groups in the U.S. House of Representatives. Building on other research that thoroughly has explored redistricting and independent redistricting commissions (IRCs), this paper examines whether independent redistricting commissions lead to increased minority representation at the federal level. Through an analysis of data from the 2022 elections, I find a small positive but statistically insignificant relationship between independent redistricting commissions and the percentage of minority representatives elected by a state to the U.S. House of Representatives.
How Extremism Impacts Voter Turnout
Chandler Eby
Political Science
With the 2024 elections approaching fast, it is crucial to understand how party loyalty and ideological extremism play a part in determining who turns out to vote. Midterm elections frequently receive significantly less turnout than Presidential elections. As such, it is important to understand what exactly motivates Americans to turn out, and whether those motivations may be different or not depending on the type of election being held. My research question asks how political and ideological extremism affect voter turnout. The outcome I am most interested in is whether one voted or not in an election. Political and ideological extremism play a major role in motivating Americans to turn out to vote. When more extreme voters turnout, they tend to vote for more extreme candidates, who may end up winning and becoming extremist office holders. If the voting electorate is more extreme than the country as a whole, and the political fringes play a bigger part in determining our representatives than they statistically should, is our representation truly representative? The link between extremism and turnout signals potential dangers for who wins elections and how that affects the rest of the more moderate country.
Comparing Democracy in Hawai'i
Kawika Pegram
CLEG/JLC-CJ
This project explores a brief history of Hawai‘i and its related regimes in the late 19th century to early 20th century. The project then utilizes the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index to measure the democratic quality of these regimes. For the purposes of this project, three Hawaiian regimes were analyzed:
– Constitutional monarchy in Hawai‘i under the rule of King Kalakaua prior to the Bayonet Constitution of 1887. Essentially, a majority of this analysis will be performed on the 1864 Constitution, which was in place until the BC.
– Republic of Hawai‘i under President Sanford Dole from 1984 – 1989.
Panel D
Kerwin 107
Writing A Novel: My Experience In Piecing Together The World of The Last Shadows
Chrisraine Gilpin
FDDS
Fantasy is a genre dominated by European-based culture and mythology, so I wanted to write a novel based on African Culture and Mythology. Here’s a brief description of my novel: The African-inspired fantasy The Last Shadows follows two sisters, Sela and Soso, who suddenly have to flee from their village after it’s revealed that they are not fully human. Rather, they are part shadow: dark, shapeshifting creatures who can take the form of animals. Brutally hunted down and despised by almost everyone on the continent for their supernatural lineage and abilities, the sisters decide that their only hope of survival is to try and make it to a distant continent where the last of the magical races and creatures reside. Joining forces with a runaway prince and a bounty hunter, the sisters vow to make it to the other continent…or die trying.
I Am The Gun: A Longform Novel
John Madore
Literature/Studio Art
I Am The Gun is a long form noir novel about a Colt Chambers, a boy with guns for hands. Physically and rhetorically tied to a symbol of violence, Colt tries his best to peacefully navigate a world determined to drag him into war. The story takes place between two alternating periods of time, his youth as his peers and parents force him into vigilantism, and his adulthood where he tries to live a peaceful existence as a liberal arts college student. I Am The Gun is about coping with disability, abuse, and learning to grow beyond a traumatic past.
Anesthetics and Agency: Exploring Heteropessimism in the works of Pedro Almodóvar
Emily M. Shapcott
Literature (Transcultural Studies), Spanish Minor
Is heterosexuality doomed? A term coined in 2019 by Ana Seresin in her timely essay “On Heteropessimism”, heteropessimism captures the prominent sentiment present across mainstream media and social networking sites that heterosexuality is an irredeemable and failing institution. Although heteropessimism presents in many forms, I will focus on complaint as a key mode of expression, which Seresin characterizes as an “anesthetic” that prevents feminist action against sexist oppression in the romantic sphere. In particular, I turn to the colorful and complex Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) and What Have I Done to Deserve This (1984), as vehicles to demonstrate how world renowned Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar portrays heteropessimist complaint as a key tool for women contesting and transforming the conditions of love under cisheteropatriarchy, rather than an anesthetizing or de-radicalizing force.
Session Six
3:00-4:00pm
Panel E
Kerwin 103
How to Measure Effective Border Security: A Focus on Metrics and Recommendations for Addressing Illicit Arms and Technology Transfers
Minta Caune
International Studies
Border security and management are complex issues at the center of many political debates around the world. Many lessons can be shared to reduce the illicit transfer of arms and technologies across borders. This paper has been this paper written by a research team composed of six AU seniors at the request of the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program, within the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation in the U.S. Department of State. It identifies strategies for the reduction of illicit trade of weapons and technologies, from small arms and light weapons (SALW) to weapons of mass destruction (WMD), between formal border points of entry (POE) across “green” and “blue” borders. These strategies can be used to improve border security in EXBS partner countries. The paper finds that countries face four main challenges related to geography, range of threats, implementation and governance, and barriers to cooperation. This paper considers many different solutions including layered cross-border collaboration, high-tech equipment procurement, database sharing, external training and assistance provider coordination. To effectively manage these best practices, it is imperative for countries to establish a comprehensive Countering Illicit Arms Transfers National Action Plan (NAP) that includes specific guidelines and measures for ensuring success.
Unpacking Identification
Emma K. Grubb
Major in International Studies (SIS), Minor in Anthropology (CAS)
The term Digital Identity, which refers to the conversion of human identities into machine-readable digital data, has captured the attention of many, including scholars, market actors, and government authorities. This research uses Digital Identity as an entry point to denaturalize and examine the origins of identification-practices by Nation-States since their early inception, and the ways in which the meaning, use, and nature of identification has evolved in contemporary times. Through this analysis, key legacies, tensions, and modern developments regarding identification and its functions are uncovered which serve to enrich scholarship on this topic and advise future research endeavors.
Malicious Cyberattacks on U.S. Critical Infrastructure
Joyce Lee
International Studies & Economics
Cybersecurity has proven to be crucial in safeguarding U.S. Critical Infrastructure from malicious actors, yet the constantly evolving threat landscape requires equally advancing policies and innovative protection methods. My team’s work was in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Diplomatic Security Office of Rewards for Justice (RFJ), an office dedicated to compensating individuals with information regarding national security. Our work investigates the four most significant nation-state actors – Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran – deploying threats across the 16 U.S. Critical Infrastructure sectors. After identifying and dissecting each sector’s cyber vulnerabilities, cyberattacks, and common attack types, my team presented comprehensive policy recommendations to RFJ mitigating foreign-directed malicious cyber activities against the United States.
Panel F
Kerwin 104
Polluted water flows through Anacostia River during development and cleanup
Neal Franklin
Foreign Language and Communication Media
Although improvement projects on the Anacostia River are ongoing, residents are still limited by pollution in the river and have long been waiting for significant progress.
The Anacostia River is not designated for fish consumption or swimming, according to a 2020 Environmental Protection Agency report on a section of the river in Ward 8. The consumption of fish is listed as impaired because of the levels of arsenic, PCB chemicals and other contaminants. Trash is also listed as an impaired aspect of the river.
Residents and people facing impaired river conditions have difficulty using the waterway for fishing and boating to certain extents. Efforts to clean the river started in 2014, and plan to make the river fishable and swimmable by 2032.
This project interviews residents, community members, scientists and project managers to evaluate the speed of these efforts and the reason they are necessary now.
Not Submitted
Maya Tobin
MAJOR
Abstract not submitted
Panel G
Kerwin 105
AI in Stock Investments
Xavier Johnson
Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholar
This is an overview of AI within the financial industry but will mostly pertain to stock investments. This overview will go over key concepts of AI and some of its history first before going into some of the big Fintech players and where the industry is looking to include AI in their operations followed by some challenges that prevent this implementation. I do want to mention that it isn’t in-depth about the technology itself, so I won’t be going over things like the math and coding required to create these AI but it is an outlook on how the industry sees and plans for these technologies.
WorkMindfully - Enhance your focus through emotional awareness
Ian Whitehouse
Major: Computer Science, Minor: Mathematics
In the modern, fast-paced world, students and employees struggle to keep up with their increasing workloads. WorkMindfully aims to provide a holistic solution to this challenge. Through state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, WorkMindfully monitors the user’s emotions, encouraging focus through self-awareness and stress management. As users complete their assignments, WorkMindfully runs seamlessly in the background, providing helpful tips and stimuli to encourage focus. After the user completes their assignment, WorkMindfully helps them understand their workload through a dashboard that shows what the user was working on when they experienced emotional shifts. Through this, WorkMindfully empowers users to be mindful of their stress levels and distractions, encouraging them to work towards better work-life balance. WorkMindfully processes all of the user’s data on their device without the need for expensive hardware, making it accessible and secure for everyone. This project was completed in collaboration with Jeffery Williams.