EMU Today

YPSILANTI –  Political memes, the effect of food insecurity on student retention and a geological look at our rapidly eroding planet.

Or how about a study on Muslim Americans in Detroit, a look at risky software vulnerabilities or the development of a non-invasive gadget for diaper moisture detection?

That’s just a sample of the 40 research projects to be undertaken by Eastern Michigan University faculty members after they were awarded individual $12,000 stipends to pursue their respective projects this summer.

The Summer Research/Creative Activity Award (SRA) at EMU is intended to encourage and support the research, creative, artistic and scholarly endeavors of full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty during the summer months (May-August) by providing financial support for outstanding proposals in lieu of summer teaching assignments.

The EMU Board of Regents approved the 2018 Summer Research Awards at its regular meeting Friday, April 20.

This summer’s awardees (listed in alphabetical order) and their research topics include the following:

• Amanda Allen, (English Language and Literature). "Noel Streatfeild's Shoes in America: Streatfeild' s Transatlantic Influence on American Girls' Fiction."

• Michael Angell, (Biology). "Field and Experimental Analysis of Viral Infection in Cyanobacteria."

• Eamonn Arble, (Psychology). "Maintaining Performance in Spatial Cognition: A Model of Resilience."

• Grigoris Argeros, (Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology). "Racial and Generational Differences in Neighborhood Outcomes among Hispanics in the U.S."

• Meriam Caboral-Stevens, (Nursing). "Estimating Risk of Error Based on Combined Scores on Pharmacology Knowledge Questionnaire and Certainty of Undergraduate Nursing Students."

• Jonathan Carter, (Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts). "Political Memes: Networked Technologies and the Changing Face of Civic Rhetorics."

• Howard Cass, (Music and Dance). "Recording, Editing, Publication, and CD Release of a Newly Composed Original Jazz Quartet Suite."

• Chong Man Chow, (Psychology). "Fat Talk and Body Image Disturbances Between Female Friends: A Dyadic Diary Study."

• D. Crystal Coles, (Social Work). "Understanding the Complexity of Food Insecurity, Academic Performance, and Student Retention."

• Brian Connolly, (Biology). "Warming Woods: Climate Change, Herbivores, and the Fate of Future Forests."

• Jamie Cornelius, (Biology). "Metal Contamination and Plumage Condition in Urban Birds across Michigan Cities."

• Michael Doan, (History and Philosophy). "Writing a Book on Epistemic Injustice and Emergency Management."

• Margaret Dobbins, (English Language and Literature). "Queer Accounts: Victorian Literature and Economic Deviance."

• Cory Emal, (Chemistry). "Analysis of the Impact of Xanthohumol Levels on Beer Flavor and Aroma."

• Ashley Falzetti, (Women's and Gender Studies). "Awikiiaawi!/Let's Write!"

• Xianghong Feng, (Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology). "Conduct Ethnographic Fieldwork for a New Research Project Entitled 'Impacts individuals’ Mobility on Family Cohesion in Rural Ethnic China'."

• Jason Ferguson, (Art and Design). "Volume Reimagined : Using CNC Milling to Create Precision Volumetric Sculptures."

• Rachel Gramer, (English Language and Literature). "Stories at Work: Phase Two of a Longitudinal Narrative Study of New Writing Teachers' Identity Learning."

• Jeromy Hopgood, (Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts). "Monumental - Creating a Multimedia Public Art Installation."

• Qin Hu, (Engineering Technology). "Molecular Dynamics Based Assessment of Shockwave­ Augmented Electroporation on Cell Membrane."

• Ashley Johnson Bavery, (History and Philosophy). "Muslim Americans in Greater Detroit."

• Andrii Kashliev, (Computer Science). "A Software Tool for Optimizing Big Data Databases."

• Tareq Khan, (Engineering Technology). "A Noninvasive Wearable Gadget for Diaper Moisture Detection, Classification, and Notification."

• Anthony Koschmann, (Marketing). "The Paycheck-to-Paycheck Consumer: Where, What, and How Much They Buy."

• Deborah Laurin-Phelan, (Teacher Education). "Caregiver-Infant/Toddler Interactions during Diapering: Indirect Effects of Involvement on the Relationship Between Use of Caregiver Affection and Encouragement on Child Well-Being."

• Jamie Lawler, (Psychology). "The Development of Self-Control in Early Childhood and Its Implications for Socioemotional Development and Mental Health."

• Laura McMahon, (History and Philosophy). "Essential Insecurity: Merleau-Ponty and the Nature of Political Life."

• Christine Neufeld, (English Language and Literature). "Inscriptions and Extraordinary Forms of Writing in Medieval Literature."

• John Oswald, (Geography and Geology). "Globalizing the Amish: Prosperity and Pitfalls of Socio-Economic Integration into the World Economy."

• John Palladino, (Special Education). ''Ethical Special Education Leadership: Responding to the 2017 Supreme Court of the United States Special Education Ruling."

• Biswajit Panja, (Computer Science). "Security in Wireless Implantable Medical Devices (IMD) using Digital Certificates."

• Eric Portenga, (Geography & Geology). "Taking a Second Look at Our Eroding Planet: Updating the Global Erosion Rate Database."

• Yaman Roumani, (Computer Information Systems). "Identifying the Riskiest Software Vulnerabilities."

• Amy Sacksteder, (Art and Design). "Eruptions and Interruptions: Querying Our Use of Public and Privately Owned Spaces via Painting, Paper Cutting and Collage."

• Elena Sanchez Vizcaino, (Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts). "'Accessible Theatre at EMU."

• Joel Schoenhals, (Music and Dance). "A Century of Chinese Piano Work."

• Hannah Seidel, (Biology). "Role of the Starter Gene in Controlling the Continuous Cell Cycle."

• Rita Shah, (Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology). '"Smart on Crime' or Policy as Usual? An Analysis of California's Shift to a Rehabilitative Department of Corrections."

• Amanda Stype, (Economics). "Veteran Household Use of Government Transfer Programs and the Impact on Financial Stability."

• Thomas Waltz, (Psychology). "Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinically Significant Change in Mental Health Outcomes Research."

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.