Tag: Poster Presentation

Borna Vaezi^{1, 2}
Faculty Mentor: Djeto Assane, Ph.D.^2
1Lee Business School, Department of Economics
²Lee Business School, Department of Finance

ABSTRACT
To submit a research paper that shows how a well-functioning public-option healthcare plan can increase economic output, raise GDP, and increase the life expectancy of the average American. A thorough review will be done looking at economic & social factors that a functioning, non-price gouging, and non-profit health insurance plan that is open to all American citizens can have deep positive effects on total productivity, wages, capital expenditures on meaningful investments by both firms & people, as well as juxtaposing the current system with one that is possible to achieve.

Michal Newhouse-Van Vlerin^{1, 2}
Demi Kourtesi¹
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Benning, Ph.D.^1
1College of Liberal Arts, Department of Psychology
²College of Fine Arts, Department of Theatre

ABSTRACT
Documented increases of problematic symptomatology following exposure to social exclusion contexts may be suggestive of increases in antisocial cognition and pro-criminal attitudes among prisoners. An exacerbation in behavioral indicators of criminality in correctional populations including aggressive behavior, reduced cooperation, and deficits in impulse control may suggest that restrictive and exclusionary correctional practices can aggravate criminogenic thoughts, feelings, or beliefs. Existing literature indicates that an endorsement of pro-criminal attitudes is one of the greatest predictors of future criminal behavior.
The study will recruit 400 randomly selected female adult inmates from Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Facility of Las Vegas, Nevada. A hard copy of self-report survey will be given to the participants and is expected to take 1 hour to complete. After informed consent, participants will be asked to complete a survey regarding their demographics, confinement, and pro-criminal attitudes. Participants will be surveyed at the beginning of the study, and approximately 1 week after they are released from segregation. At least one participant from the initial sample who approximately matches the demographics of the participant who is exiting segregation will also be surveyed at the same time as part of a control group.
The primary goal of this study is to demonstrate the negative effects of solitary confinement. The secondary goal is to impact policy in correctional institutions. This study aims to understand whether being placed in solitary confinement can affect pro-criminal attitudes. This research will become a strong premise to the argument of abolishing solitary confinement.

Betsua Garcia-Trujillo^{1, 2}
Faculty Mentor: Rochelle Hines, Ph.D.^2
1College of Liberal Arts, Department of Psychology
²College of Sciences, School of Life Sciences

ABSTRACT
Developmental epilepsy is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that is mainly characterized by the onset of different types of seizures, developmental delays, and electroencephalogram (EEG) changes at a young age. Because it can describe a variety of syndromes, symptoms and specific causes may vary between affected individuals. Previous research has examined sex differences within affected adult populations but research examining sex differences for developmental epilepsy is lacking.

The objective of this research is to determine the frequency of each sex within a population of mice that died prematurely from developmental epilepsy due to mutations of the GABAA receptor α2 subunit.

To determine the frequency of each sex, we extracted DNA from the tails of pups that died prematurely. We determined their sex by running PCR to amplify the sex-determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY). PCR products were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Males are identified by the presence of two bands of 300 and 350 base pairs (bp) while females are identified by one single band of 350 bp.

Current research provides evidence that males are at higher risk for sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The current study aims to examine whether males are at higher risk in our model of developmental epilepsy. Future research can provide additional insight into the mechanisms that lead to differences in SUDEP risk.

Alexia Brown¹
Faculty Mentor: Iesha Jackson, Ph.D.^2
1College of Liberal Arts, Department of Psychology
²College of Education, Department of Teaching and Learning

ABSTRACT
Social suffering impacts students’ who are from underprivileged backgrounds. The traumas associated with students who are experiencing struggles at home are very prevalent in society, but many educators aren’t prepared to understand and address these students’ issues. Due to this, it is commonplace that schools can potentially inflict additional traumas in their students’ educational experience. Further research and proper implementation of trauma-informed practices can best assist both students and instructors, as well as the institutions that create these environments on how to address social suffering in and because of schools.

This research was funded by UNLV’s TRIO McNair Scholars Institute, which is housed within UNLV’s Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach and funded under the TRIO Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program by a grant (P217A170069) from the U.S. Department of Education. 

Kelvin Leon¹
Tavis Perna²
Neha Shah²
Qianwen Zhou²
Faculty Mentor: Kimberly Nehls, Ph.D.^3
1Lee Business School, Department of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology
²Lee Business School, Department of Accounting
³Lee Business School, Department of Marketing and International Business

ABSTRACT
India is the second-most populated country in the world. Its imports and exports reach far across the globe and influence many countries. Last year, India was struck by COVID-19 and suffered greatly in several of the country’s leading international aspects. We believe that in order to grasp the impact of COVID-19 on a large population, we need to take a deeper look into India as one of the most densely populated nations in the world. Specifically, we want to research India’s population fluctuations, trade patterns, financial resources, and societal effects on the people. Our research came from peer-reviewed sources, credible media sources, and direct publications from the Indian government. With our research, we understood the impacts of COVID-19 on India and how the most heavily populated nation in the world changed after the global pandemic. This research significantly impacts recovering nations as we describe how a nation in the top 10% in the world suffered and how permanent changes can be drawn from this research to develop a strategy that minimizes further damages from COVID-19.

Sofia Jimenez^{1, 2}
Katie McCaslin³
D’nasia Thompson³
Faculty Mentor: Kimberly Nehls, Ph.D.^1
1Lee Business School, Department of Marketing and International Business
²College of Liberal Arts, Department of Psychology
³Lee Business School, Department of Accounting

ABSTRACT
With a world full of inescapable garbage, how much is the emerging country of China producing and should the globe be concerned? As the most populous country in the world, China accounted for over 15% of the earth’s waste volume in 2020. China has the biggest share of waste in the world, but is it enough for other countries to intervene?

Higher levels of greenhouse gas in the earth’s atmosphere change its climate and some of these gases are linked to solid waste. These changes can result in more frequent, dangerous natural disasters (floods, hurricanes, mass species extinction, disease, etc.) and could damage communities all over.