College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

The 21^st annual Posters-at-the-Capitol event will be held on Thursday (March 2) in Frankfort. Twelve research projects by 24 WKU students, including four from The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, will be presented during the showcase of research and creative scholarship from Kentucky’s public universities.

The program runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern time) with special remarks in the Capitol Rotunda at 3 p.m. (Eastern time).

Dr. Ranjit Koodali, Associate Provost for Research and Creative Activity at WKU and a member of the Posters-at-the-Capitol Organizing Committee, said: “Posters-at-the-Capitol is an impactful event showcasing the high quality and rich diversity of undergraduate research and creative scholarship being conducted in Kentucky. The event provides an excellent opportunity for students to engage, educate, and inform key decision makers the impactful work being pursued in arts, business, education, health, humanities, natural and social sciences at WKU.”

The WKU research projects include the following:

• Skillsets Associated with Effective Retrieval Strategy Use by senior Aimee Scott of Mammoth Cave, senior Amy Boateng of Nicholasville, Gatton Academy junior Suchita Tipirneni of Louisville, graduate student Alexa Naas of Omaha, Illinois, and graduate student Amia Warren of Lexington. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jenni Redifer, Department of Psychology
• Masculinity, Femininity, and Dignity: Examining the Relationship Between Gender Expression and Respect by senior Ashton Lyvers of Bardstown. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Amy Brausch, Department of Psychological Sciences
• Development of a Collaborative Robotics Platform for Undergraduate Research and Education by senior Liam Seymour of Smiths Grove. Faculty Mentors: Dr. Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Landon Owens, and Murphey Kilgore, Center for Energy Systems
• Business Across Generations: A Regulatory Focus and Generational Perspective on Small-Scale Corporate Social Responsibility by Gatton Academy senior Caden Lucas of Harned. Faculty Mentors: Dr. Whitney O. Peake and Dr. Mariah Yates, Department of Management
• College-Aged Women and Their Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Their Reproductive Health by Gatton Academy senior Maria Pfeifer of Owensboro. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachel Tinius, Department of Exercise Science
• The Leaving Ligand Structure of Platinum Compounds impacts the Survival of Human Embryonic Kidney and Melanoma Cells by senior Elijah Hayes of Gallatin, Tennessee. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Blairanne Williams, Department of Chemistry
• The Beauty of Community by senior Savannah Whitt of Lexington, senior Sam Lynch of Louisville, and senior Olivia Coffey of Waddy. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Shahnaz Aly, Department of Architectural Science
• A Commodity Flow Study to Identify the Hazardous Materials Transported through Northern Kentucky, the Human Health Risks, and Needs for Hazardous Materials Transport Emergency Preparedness in Kentucky by senior Alex Lorenzana Alvarez of Evansville, Indiana, and senior Hank Hardin of Lebanon. Faculty Mentors: Dr. Ritchie Taylor, Dr. Edrisa Sanyang, Jacqueline Basham and Dr. Gretchen Macy, Department of Public Health
• Predicting Solar Flares using Spacecraft Videos of the Sun by senior Jake Boils of Albany. Faculty Mentors: Dr. Paolo Massa and Dr. Gordon Emslie, Department of Physics & Astronomy
• Checking-in on Mom: An Examination of Paid and Unpaid Leave on Maternal Postpartum Depression by senior Elianna Yankee of Portland, Tennessee. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lauren McClain, Department of Sociology
• A Market Study Analysis of the Louisville Tourism Industry by senior Reilly Aldrich of Hendersonville, Tennessee, junior Nicole Bachman of West Chester, Ohio, junior Madison Brown of Bardstown, senior Megan Dulay of Fenton, Missouri, senior Abby Haynes of Bowling Green, and senior Julia Rice of Verona. Faculty Mentors: Jim Lindsey and Dr. Soyeon Kim, Department of Analytics and Information Systems
• Changes to Travel Plans to Mammoth Cave Due to Weather & Covid by Gatton Academy senior Kenyan Wood of Horse Cave. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jacob Byl, Department of Economics

Contact: Office of Research, (270) 745-6132

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.