An Econometric Model of High School Graduation Rates in Oregon

This study aims to analyze potential factors causing low high school graduation rates in the state of Oregon. We developed an econometric model measuring six independent variables: violent crime rates; income per family, the percentage of the population that is Hispanic, the percentage of family households with only one parent, alcohol use in adults, and teen pregnancy. Our dependent variable was measured as the percentage of the population between 18 and 24 without a high school diploma. From our results we found two of our variables to be economically significant: family structure and alcohol. However, the coefficient for alcohol suggested that higher rates of binge drinking in adults lead to higher graduation rates, which contradicts expectations. This outcome is addressed within the paper. Overall, this study suggests that family structure has the largest and clearest impact on graduation rates in Oregon, out of the variables included in our model

Development of a Tabletop Soft Gel Encapsulation Machine

Currently, to test new formulations of gel capsules at Pfizer, they must use the large-scale machine that requires a minimum of 25 kg of gel melt and produce hundreds of capsules per run. Production at a smaller scale to enable rapid changeover for research and development is desired. The team’s goal was to achieve continuous production of sealed capsules with 80% fill capacity. Capsule sealing was the prime consideration. Preliminary trials using the existing system and heat transfer analysis indicated localized heating was necessary to promote capsule sealing. To provide localized heating, a brass wedge was designed based on the pilot scale machine. The machined wedge was integrated with a PID control system. Using pre-made gelatin ribbons, the appropriate process parameters to achieve sealed capsules were determined. The critical, coupled parameters were die roll temperature, wedge temperature, wedge height, and die roll speed. Capsule sealing efficiency was highest at a speed of 4 capsules/min. For air-filled capsules, a sealing efficiency of 100% was achieved. For PEG-400-filled capsules, a sealing efficiency of 50% was achieved. Future work will include integration with the gelatin feed system and addition of a vacuum during capsule formation to increase fill capacity.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1151/thumbnail.jp

Retrieve and Refine: Improved Sequence Generation Models For Dialogue

Sequence generation models for dialogue are known to have several problems: they tend to produce short, generic sentences that are uninformative and unengaging. Retrieval models on the other hand can surface interesting responses, but are restricted to the given retrieval set leading to erroneous replies that cannot be tuned to the specific context. In this work we develop a model that combines the two approaches to avoid both their deficiencies: first retrieve a response and then refine it -- the final sequence generator treating the retrieval as additional context. We show on the recent CONVAI2 challenge task our approach produces responses superior to both standard retrieval and generation models in human evaluations

Effects of a Geographically-Targeted Intervention and Creative Outreach to Reduce Shelter Intake in Portland, Oregon

Animal shelters focus much of their efforts towards decreasing euthanasia and one of the best ways to reduce euthanasia risk may be to prevent cats and dogs from ever entering a shelter. This study, conducted in Portland, Oregon, relied on the capabilities of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to precisely and scientifically identify an intervention area (with high shelter intake) and to identify control areas to compare the project results with community-wide trends. The intervention itself was designed and implemented in a comprehensive way by seeking numerous paths to engage pet owners and reduce shelter intake of cats and Pit Bull type dogs. This research highlighted the ability of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to significantly improve a community's capacity to identify the most appropriate locations to focus resources and to closely track and measure interventions. Portland's targeted intervention to reduce shelter intake utilized many outreach tools with varying levels of impact. The overall intervention yielded a reduction in intake of owned cats that was greater in total numbers and percentage than four control areas. Furthermore, this work identified a percentage of cat spay/neuter out of the estimated number of owned, originally intact cats within the intervention and control areas. As percentages approached or surpassed 20%, those areas realized larger intake reductions than control areas with lower percentages

Recruitment, Cost Indexes, and Management of Box-Nesting Wood Ducks in South Carolina and North Carolina

The wood duck (Aix sponsa) has experienced one of the most significant declines and recoveries among species of North American waterfowl (Anatidae). With enactment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) and installation of hundreds of thousands of artificial nest structures for this cavity-nesting species in North America, wood duck populations have recovered and remain a sustainable harvested resource. However, long-term research on box-nesting wood ducks conducted at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, has revealed uncertainty as to whether recruitment rates of yearling females from natal box-nesting populations are self-sustaining without immigration of hens from other complexes of boxes and natural cavities. North Carolina and South Carolina have intensive wood duck nest box programs on public and private lands, numbering in the tens of thousands of boxes. Therefore, I conducted a study in 2020 and 2021 at Lake Moultrie in South Carolina and in North Carolina at Mattamuskeet and Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) and Heron Bay, a private property adjoining Mattamuskeet NWR. I monitored nearly 400 boxes examining wood duck reproductive and recruitment data and evaluating strategies to deter rat snakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) and woodpeckers, both major predators of wood duck eggs at my study sites. I also calculated cost indexes of yearling female recruits over an assumed 20-year longevity of nest boxes. Box use was high at all sites and both years but was greater at Lake Moultrie (98%) than the pooled average for North Carolina sites (86%). Across all sites and years, nest success was 54.6%, and frequencies of successful and unsuccessful nests did not differ between sites in 2020 but did in 2021. The difference between years can be attributed to increased snake predation (9%) from 2020 to 2021. An average of 2.31 more ducklings exited successful nests in boxes at Lake Moultrie than from the North Carolina sites in 2020, but the 1.84 more ducklings exited North Carolina boxes in 2021. Despite the between-year differences, no difference in number of ducklings exiting boxes occurred between sites when yearly data were pooled (i.e., 11.3 ducklings/successful nest). I calculated an index of the cost of wood duck box construction and maintenance over 20 years in relation yearling female recruits, using a published recruitment rate and the average recruitment rate from Lake Moultrie from 2020–2021. The average cost per recruit was 1–4 times less than the cost of the box and its management over 20 years, suggesting cost-efficiency based on this approach. To deter rat snakes from entering nest boxes, I attached a black cotton sock containing one cup of Snake-A-Way®pellets on nest boxes above the predator guard at boxes with previously recorded or current snake predation of wood duck eggs. An empty black sock was deployed likewise as a control in this experiment. In addition, I tagged snakes with a passive integrated transponder (PIT tag) and took morphometric measurements of each rat snake captured in nest boxes. Using a Lincoln-Petersen estimator, I estimated 138 (SE = 25) rat snakes using nest boxes at Lake Moultrie, where snake depredation of eggs was greatest. I PIT tagged 106 snakes among all North Carolina sites and Lake Moultrie. Average total length of male and female snakes combined was 143.1 (SE = 2.01) cm, with captured males being larger than females at all sites. A total of 456 eggs were consumed by captured snakes, with peak snake predation occurring in April. Snake pellets were deployed 39 times across field sites where snakes were encountered; there were 14 snake encounters after pellets were deployed compared to no encounters after the other 25 pellets deployments. However, I did not detect a significant difference in the number of snakes accessing boxes treated or not treated with pellets. I deployed trail cameras in each state to determine how snakes were circumventing functional predator guards. Snakes wrap their body around the post and use predator guards to leverage their ascent upward to access the box entrance. To deter woodpeckers from entering nest boxes, I attached a Bird-B-Gone® plastic hawk decoy to boxes with previously recorded woodpecker depredations of wood duck eggs. Decoys were deployed after 12 twelve days of incubation to discourage hen abandonment of nests from the hawk effigy. Across both years and all sites, woodpeckers were responsible for 65.6% of nest depredations. A total of 26 woodpecker encounters were recorded for nest boxes with and without the hawk decoy. There was a significant difference in the number of successful nests in boxes containing the hawk decoy in 2021. My study indicated there is a need for continued recruitment data and sensitivity analysis to determine if rat snakes, woodpeckers, and other agents of nest loss are decreasing recruitment rates from boxes in my study sites, in our regional study across the Southeast, and throughout the range of North American wood ducks

Growing Abroad

For my Honors Project, I wrote a creative nonfiction essay about my study abroad trip to Le Mans, France last summer. In the essay, I broke up the narration with three sections, each highlighting a personality trait I gained from my experience: independent, overcoming fear, and adventurous. Because this is a creative work and something I may consider publishing later on down the road, I am not submitting the main essay. Following this abstract is my Critical Essay and Personal Essay

Chemical Analysis of Morris Water Pollutants via Electrochemical Detection Methods

In small towns like Morris that are surrounded by agriculture, there’s an increased likelihood of contaminants to be present in the water. These commonly include heavy metals and pesticides which, in high enough dosages or prolonged exposure, can quickly become poisonous and harmful with lasting effects for both plants and humans. Throughout our research we have been analyzing the presence, if any, of lead, copper and cadmium as well as the common pesticides atrazine and mesotrione in the water throughout Morris. We look at a variety of samples coming from melted snow (collected throughout Nov. 2022–Apr. 2023), drinking water, and the Pomme de Terre River as well as the lake that feeds it. Our methods of detection include high performance liquid chromatography and various electrochemical techniques including linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and square-wave voltammetry. We hope to then compare our data to the regulations and guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and ensure that they fall below there commended values for human consumption.https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/urs_2023/1004/thumbnail.jp

Using Online Games to Engage Students in Transition Skills

For this project, a game will be designed to assist students in transition skill-building. It will be presented at a minimum of one teacher\u27s conference, and after the conference, I will be assisting in designing custom games for conference participants if they request to have a game made. During the conference, I will be talking about my experiences with using the Breakout EDU platform to design educational games and how learning the platform went for me. It will be a very beneficial experience for me, learning how to utilize an engaging online platform that I can use in my future classroom