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Opening Session

Coulter Science Center, 203 Lecture Hall  

Livestream

Welcome

Dr. Ingrid Ilinca
Provost and Chief Academic Officer 

Opening Remarks

President Don Lofe
President of the College and Chief Transformation Officer

Introduction of  Keynote Speaker

Dr. Dawn Holliday
Associate Professor of Biology

Keynote Speaker
Dr. Beth Ehrhardt, '16

When the Plan Changes: Finding Direction in the Unexpected

What happens when your original plan no longer fits? This talk shares a personal journey from undergraduate to child and adolescent psychiatry residency and fellowship. It will highlight the moments where things didn't go as expected—and the opportunities that followed. By reflecting on uncertainty, setbacks, and course corrections, the speaker will discuss how embracing change can lead to growth, resilience, and a clearer sense of purpose. Attendees will be encouraged to remain open to evolving goals and to see pivots not as failures, but as essential steps forward.

Introduction of Student Speaker

Dr. Gabe McNett
Professor of Biology

Student Speaker
Viridian Lowe, '27

Feathered but Flightless: Avian Trait Distribution in Oviraptorosaurian Dinosaurs
Oviraptorosauria represents a group of flightless dinosaurs hypothesized to have evolved from flighted ancestors. This study assesses the distribution of flight-related characteristics across Oviraptorosaurian families, and whether that distribution can inform hypotheses of avian flight origin.

Academic Awards

Dr. Abby Coats
Professor of Psychology

Presentations

RULE OF LAW

Moderator: Dr. Tobias Gibson
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Vi Lowe, Annabelle Bryan, Tayler Helchowski, and Isaac Thomas

“Rule of Law”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tobias Gibson
This panel is a collection of papers from an Honors Rule of Law class. Each paper explores a different aspect of this complex idea; collectively, this panel will inform the audience and provide context for the importance of the rule of law.

BUSINESS, ECONOMICS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

Moderator: Dr. Sonia Manzoor
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Levi Brandt

“The Impact of the Transportation Industry on the United States during Western Expansion”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sonia Manzoor
This paper explains the impact of the transportation industry on two cities, St. Joseph, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois, from 1800 to 1900, with mentions of the meat industry to contextualize the level of impact.

Grady Humbert

“Is there an AI bubble in the stock market?”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sonia Manzoor
An examination of the current surge in the stock market driven by Artificial Intelligence has many comparisons to the late 1990s Dot Com boom. Using metrics like valuations, market concentration, and investor sentiment, this paper looks to see if there are more similarities than differences in these two points in time.

Taylor Engelmeyer

“Toxic Legacy: Radioactive Waste, Public Health, and Government Accountability in North St. Louis County”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sonia Manzoor and Dr. Achyut Kulkarni
This paper examines the long-term public health and environmental consequences of radioactive waste from the Manhattan Project in North St. Louis County, focusing on Coldwater Creek, elevated cancer rates, community activism, and delayed government response and accountability.

Cameron Dorth ★ Honors

“Connecting a Lifetime of Data to Global Climate Trends”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maryssa Loehr
Using Excel to tidy, group, visualize, and analyze data, this presentation applies data science concepts, knowledge of global climate change to a local dataset, and connects climate concepts to quantitative measurements.

PSYCHOLOGY STUDIES

Moderator: Dr. Ryan Brunner
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Isabella Shelden, Joseph Otero, and Kendall Chigas

“Human vs. AI Support: Attachment Style, Belongingness, and Emotional Effects of Chatbot Interaction”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Abby Coats
Do AI chatbots improve mood? This study compares human to chatbot interaction and evaluates the attachment, belongingness, and mood of students to determine if AI is a sufficient replacement for human interaction. Results are discussed based on mental health outcomes.

Emelia Hilse ★ Honors

“Gender Stereotypes About Personality: The Role of Stereotypes in Peer Mentor Selection”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Jones
This study surveyed Westminster faculty and collected data to assess five hypotheses related to perceived gender personality differences in leadership.

Noah Fuller and Lucas Brown

“Pressure on Cognitive Performance and Reaction Time”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ryan Brunner
This project uses cup stacking and a mini reaction time game to measure performance. It aims to see if being exposed to media and certain videos before performing the task will have an effect on one’s performance. Specifically, it examines if watching a negative video creates a negative outcome.

HISTORY, WAR, AND CULTURES

Moderator: Dr. Mark Boulton
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Dillon Gerard

“The Perseus Problem: Spies in Fiction During and After the Cold War”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
Spies have been part of American pop culture since the Cold War, in our movies, games, and books, but they haven’t always been heroic icons. This paper examines fictional spies, particularly a Soviet-created spy, and their impacts, real and fictional.

Alex Hood

“They Walk Amongst Us: Exploring Vampire Subculture Around the World”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
From New Orleans to Japan, vampires walk amongst us. This paper explores how vampires in media have influenced modern subcultures and how these subcultures have given a voice to those without one. These subcultures include vampire communities across the globe.

Cooper Thompson ★ Honors

“A Different Homecoming: The Gulf War and the Vietnam Syndrome”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This paper looks at how American troops were welcomed home after the 1991 Gulf War compared with Vietnam. The different reactions show a shift in public attitudes to soldiers and the military, suggesting Americans were beginning to feel comfortable supporting military action again after Vietnam.

Presentations

COMPARATIVE POLITICS: PROBLEMS AND POLICY SOLUTIONS

Moderator: Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
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Madison VanDyke, Tayler Helchowski, Kearra Steinlage, and Bella Shelden

“Comparative Politics: Problems and Policy Solutions”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
These presentations will examine global social and political problems—such as child marriage, genocide, gender parity, and economic and environmental policies—through a comparative politics lens. Each analysis will include an overview of attempted policy solutions and present options for future improvement.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Moderator: Dr. Mark Boulton
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Mikita Dzianisovich

“The First European Constitution (Polish Constitution of 1791)—The First Document of the Enlightenment?”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This paper explores the foundation of Poland’s May 3rd Constitution of 1791 and scrutinizes its connection to Enlightenment ideas. It also traces the influence of the Polish legal tradition on the Constitution and the political circumstances from which it arose.

Paul Campoverde

“Cultural Competency in Translation and Intercultural Communication: Implications for Career Placement”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Enrique Salas-Durazo
This presentation will explain the role of cultural knowledge in translation, how language shapes intercultural communication, and the professional advantages of bilingualism, while highlighting Westminster’s Spanish language learning opportunities.

Phyllis Beck

“Victorian Mourning Culture and Its Effects on Women and Society”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nichol Allen
This presentation explores the era of Victorian Mourning, its culture, and its effects on women and society during the period. Topics include the origins of Victorian Mourning, mourning attire, codes, and much more.

Poster Session

BIOCHEMISTRY PROJECT POSTERS

Moderator: Dr. Johanna Morrow
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William Morris, Jackson Hughes, Kyla Gentry, and Mae Dunsworth

“Bromelain Isolation from Pineapple”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Johanna Morrow
This project isolates bromelain from both the crown and fruit of a pineapple plant. This enzyme is a proteolytic enzyme that targets peptide bonds. The team plans to isolate this enzyme using a variety of methods and characterize it using an Azocasein protease assay.

Isaac Boone Gawronski, Afton Morrison, Collin Siebel-Spath, and Connor Siebel-Spath

“Isolation and Characterization of the Enzyme Bromelain”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Johanna Morrow
This project will extract and purify the enzyme bromelain from pineapple crown, core, peel, and flesh. Quantity, temperature, and pH range of functional bromelain will be compared between the various parts of the fruit.

Alyson Bullock, Kolton Garner, Olivia Goeke, and Jamie Peffer

“Isolation and Characterization of Beta-Galactosidase”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Johanna Morrow
This project purifies beta-galactosidase (an enzyme) from tomatoes. Beta-galactosidase breaks down lactose to galactose and glucose, which releases energy and carbon sources. It can also be a key component in making dairy-free products for those who are lactose intolerant.

Haylie Schnake, Jada Barlow, Kristen Doak, and Natalie Stewart

“Beta-Galactosidase Isolation from Lettuce”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Johanna Morrow
This project aims to extract and purify the enzyme beta-galactosidase from lettuce leaves, as well as understand the function and kinetic properties within the leaf cells of the lettuce plant.

TEXT SETS PROMOTING READING, WRITING AND THINKING IN THE CONTENT AREA

Moderator: Dr. Casey Echelmeier
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Darvin Fowler, Ivy Hays, Nicholas Kardasz, Keigan Vaughn, Shelby Ward, and Anna Wekenborg

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Casey Echelmeier
Students will share a unit incorporating reading, writing, and thinking across multiple content areas, highlighting a variety of texts supporting a topic they will teach in their future classrooms. Rationales for each text and learning activity will be included.

NATURAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES POSTERS

Moderator: Dr. Maryssa Loehr
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Sadie Brandt

“Can You Believe This Weather We’re Having?”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maryssa Loehr
This poster will showcase various photographs taken by ENV 327 students of weather features around Mid-Missouri. It includes scientific explanations of the fundamental processes leading to such phenomena and creative works by students inspired by them.

Viridian Lowe

“An Evaluation of Flight Origin Using Phylogenetic Mapping in Oviraptorosaurian Families”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gabe McNett
Oviraptorosauria represents a group of flightless dinosaurs hypothesized to have evolved from flighted ancestors. This study assesses the distribution of flight-related characteristics across Oviraptorosaurian families, and whether that distribution can inform hypotheses of avian flight origin.

Kaitlyn Halamicek

“Importance of Data Cleaning: Psychology & Math Data Science”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mulubrhan Haile
This presentation highlights a semester-long internship experience in the Mizzou Family and Child Development Lab, investigating the overlap between psychology and mathematical data science.

HUMANITIES POSTERS

Moderator: Dr. Heather McRae
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Isaac Thomas ★ Honors

“From Spas to Shorelines: How Hot Springs Tourism Drifted Southward from 1967–1982”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Heather McRae
From 1967 to 1980, Hot Springs, Arkansas experienced a dramatic reordering of its tourist geography, as visitors, investment, policy changes, and infrastructure shifted away from the historic downtown core toward the southern corridor of the city and Lake Hamilton.

Allison Stroud

“Remley Women and Gender Center—Organizational History and Practice”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
The Remley Women and Gender Center has been a part of Westminster for decades. This presentation will examine its history, evolution, and changes in practice while reflecting on the challenges of peer advocacy and the future direction of its work.

Eve Massman

“Where Museums Begin: Ennigaldi-Nanna”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nichol Allen
This project explores Ennigaldi-Nanna, her lasting mark on the museum world, and the artifacts she collected, curated, and preserved, highlighting her influence on early museum practices and the ways material culture shapes historical understanding.

SECURITY STUDIES AND GLOBAL & TRANSNATIONAL STUDIES CAPSTONE PROJECTS

Moderator: Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
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Tyler Ballew, Noah Herbst, Carter Murray, and Bella Shelden

“Security Studies and Global & Transnational Studies Capstone Projects”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
This panel will include senior capstone projects in Security Studies and Global and Transnational Studies. Presentations will examine legal protections for prisoners of war, sportswashing, genocide studies, and Cold War leadership.

PHILOSOPHY, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION

Moderator: Dr. Rich Geenen
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Adam Abuzaid

“Creating an Ironman for the Brain”
Faculty Sponsor: Professor Roy Manfedi
This capstone project involved the creation of an escape room game that specifically targets one’s brain motor skills. The game incorporates aspects of hand-to-eye coordination, reaction timing, quick processing, and many more.

Andrew Pemberton

“Exploring the Nanotechnology of Graphene Quantum Dots”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Stumpe
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are nanoscale materials made from carbon that have many applications and properties. In particular, because they emit light, they can be used in biosensing and imaging for biomedical uses. In this study, GQDs were constructed and analyzed to find materials with optimal light emission.

Mae Dunsworth

“A World with Genome Therapy”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rich Geenen
This paper follows a dialogue between science, religion, and philosophy, addressing concerns and limitations of genome therapy. It attempts to define the line between genetic enhancement and therapeutic usage, and is a direct reflection of Ian Barbour’s conversation model.

Cohen Begnaud

“More than Just a Pretty Face: Analyzing the Aesthetic and Epistemic Nature of Mathematical Beauty”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rich Geenen
This presentation analyzes mathematical beauty—a phenomenon seen in the fields of physics and mathematics in which mathematicians create theories by employing aesthetic principles rather than formal hypothesis.

HISTORICAL CASE STUDIES

Moderator: Dr. Heather McRae
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Keely Garman

“The Spiritual Power Within Women: The Intersection of Women’s Liberation and the Modern Pagan Movement in the 1970s and 1980s”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Heather McRae
This paper examines the intersection of second wave feminism and the modern Pagan movement in the 1970s and 1980s, exploring the history of women’s liberation, the theological status of women within Paganism, and Pagan responses to these feminist traditions.

Jill Koetting

“Portland, Missouri 1831–Present: A History of a Small Town through the Lens of Trade”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Heather McRae
Portland, Missouri in Callaway County is an example of a town that was founded as a river port, thrived as such, then continued success with railroads, and finally declined as automobiles and highways became the main form of commerce.

Victor Guevara

“‘Power is My Mistress’: Napoleon’s Rise in Revolutionary Paris”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Heather McRae
The French Revolution brought forth an unprecedented change in European history. Due to its economic, political, and cultural effects, it set the stage for someone like Napoleon Bonaparte to take control and implement his own view of authority on France.

Ashley Wedge

“‘I Live Again and Again’: Egyptian Funerary Architecture Revivals in the West”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Heather McRae
This presentation analyzes ancient Egyptian architecture and the Egyptian revival, including their influences on the societies who constructed them in three separate revival eras.

PSYCHOLOGY & HEALTH

Moderator: Dr. David Jones
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Kaitlyn Halamicek

“Emotionally Regulated Leaders: Outcomes in the Workplace”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Jones
The purpose of this senior thesis project is to investigate the positive outcomes emotion regulation can have on the workplace.

Jada Barlow

“Too Far to Heal: Healthcare Boundaries in the Mountains of Honduras”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Amanda Gowin
This presentation explores how geographic isolation and economic limitations restrict healthcare access in rural areas, specifically mountainous regions of Honduras. It combines research and field observations to examine how distance, transportation, and cost affect access to care.

Cierra Graves

“Sleep Quality at ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Jones
This thesis study examines sleep quality in ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥ students. The project looks at two groups utilizing different tools to help improve their own sleep quality.

Poster Session

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR POSTERS

Moderator: Dr. Gabe McNett
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Angela McQuarrie, Morgan Rusley, and Lauryn Schwierjohn

“Love in the Limelight: Effect of Light on Ramshorn Snail (Family Planorbidae) Reproduction”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gabe McNett
Ramshorn snails (family Planorbidae) are a widespread group of nocturnal mollusks that prefer to forage and reproduce in dark conditions. As urban environments experience increasing light levels (light pollution), this study assessed whether additional light exposure affected the snails’ reproductive rate.

Abby Russell and Alex Regulus

“Roommate from Hell: Competitive Effects on Web-Building Behavior in Cellar Spiders (Family Pholcidae)”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gabe McNett
Classic ecological theory predicts two species cannot occupy the same niche. In this study, the researchers tested whether cellar spiders (family Pholcidae) alter their web coverage after detecting stimuli indicating the presence of a competitor species with a similar niche.

Aidan Bryowsky, Adam Rosh, and Colby Whiteman

“The Effect of Temperature on Foraging Rate in Red Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex barbatus)”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gabe McNett
The objective of this study is to understand the effect of temperature on foraging rate in red harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex barbatus). The researchers hypothesize that temperature will positively affect foraging rate, but only below a critical threshold.

Max Diener, David Murillo-Martinez, and Nathan Naumann

“Predator Presence and Its Effects on Bird Feeding Behavior”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gabe McNett
This experiment assesses whether perceived predation threat affects feeding behavior in local bird species. A realistic predator decoy will be placed near one site, and foraging behavior and visitation frequency will be quantified across repeated observation periods.

Ena Claxton and Evelyn Valero

“Classical Conditioning in Hermit Crabs’ Defensive Behavior”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gabe McNett
This project researches associative behavior in hermit crabs through classical conditioning, attempting to condition an auditory stimulus with defensive behavior.

PHYSIOLOGY POSTERS

Moderator: Dr. Dawn Holliday
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Kenna Bixler, Blake Althuisius, and Kaden Olson

“Get a Grip”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Holliday
With exercise, muscles begin to fatigue, resulting in reduced muscle strength. This study measured the grip strength of ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥ Bluejay baseball players before, in the middle, and after a double header, hypothesizing that grip strength will decrease by the end of the game.

William Crabtree, Dominic Nordmann, and Aden Pecka

“Grip it and Rip It: A Study of Shoulder and Arm Muscle Usage with Different Pitch Types”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Holliday
Pitchers use different muscles while throwing different pitches. This study measured EMG muscle activity in various pitchers’ forearms and shoulders when pitching, expecting fastballs to show higher shoulder muscle activity and breaking pitches to show higher forearm muscle activity.

Abby Russell, Jada Barlow, and Haylie Schnake

“Fueled vs. Fasted”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Holliday
Caffeine consumption affects cardiovascular activity and reaction time, and these effects can be altered with food consumption. This study measures participants’ blood pressure, heart rate, and reaction time after caffeine ingestion with and without food.

Jack Hughes, Braedon Cairer, and Will Morris

“Beet It: Cardiovascular Effects of Beet Root Juice”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Holliday
Beet root juice is a vasodilator because of its nitrate content. This study compared VO2 max using the Bruce Protocol, heart rate, and blood pressure in athletes after consumption of beet root juice or a placebo.

Hannah Luetkemeyer, Olivia Goeke, Kelsey Cochran, and Geoffrey Hudson

“Cherry on Top”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Holliday
Exercise can cause inflammation. Participants will consume one of two fluids and have muscle activity measured post-exercise. The researchers expect that the condition with tart cherry juice will reduce inflammation, decrease perceived soreness, and increase muscle activity.

A READING ASSESSMENT, INTERVENTION AND DATA CASE STUDY

Moderator: Dr. Casey Echelmeier
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Lakyn Breesawitz, Ivy Hays, Madeline Homfeldt, Laney McCaleb, Abigail Ridgel, Paige Rowland, Shelby Ward, and Anna Wekenborg

“A Reading Assessment, Intervention and Data Case Study”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Casey Echelmeier
Future elementary teachers will share research gathered and analyzed from their case study. Each preservice teacher will detail support for improving reading skills of elementary students, as well as their own insights into reading assessment overall.

HISTORICAL INVESTIGATIONS—POSTERS

Moderator: Dr. Mark Boulton
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Owen Tarry

“Lessons from SpongeBob’s Home: What Cold War Mishaps Taught Us about Radiation”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This project examines how Cold War mishaps led to increased knowledge of radiation in our society. It will examine specific radiation incidents and show how we gained knowledge from these catastrophes.

Logan Shelton

“The Knight Templar”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This poster explores what motivated the Knights Templar to participate in the Crusades and how these motivations were reflected in their actions and attitudes on the battlefield.

Kayley Craghead

“Horror in the Name of Science: Josef Mengele’s Medical Experiments on Children and Nazi Racial Hierarchy”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
For Nazi doctors, especially Josef Mengele, children were vital for enforcing their strict racial hierarchy. Through sterilization, eugenics, and medical experiments, they justified their violence while also aiming to prevent future reproduction in order to create, in their eyes, a pure society.

James Sorrell

“The Soldiers that Never Existed: Allied Military Deception During World War II”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
Military deception was used throughout history, especially in World War II. Operation Bertram, The Ghost Army, and Operation Mincemeat are three notable examples that helped the Allies find victory in World War II.

Joshua Jackson

“The Eagle and The Quetzal: CIA Actions During the Overthrow of Arbenz’s Guatemala, 1954”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This poster covers the CIA’s covert operations in Guatemala during the Cold War from 1952 to 1954, and how both countries were affected by this event—including how future U.S. interventionism would be practiced and how the Guatemalan Civil War would occur shortly after.

Alec Gorman

“U.S. Interventions in Grenada and Panama, and Lessons Learned for a Post-Intervention Venezuela”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This poster compares the historic U.S. interventions in both Grenada and Panama to the 2026 U.S. intervention in Venezuela, analyzing the circumstances of these interventions as well as the domestic outcomes for these countries.

Eliva Flowers

“Machu Picchu in Popular Culture Today vs. Its Purpose in Incan Culture”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
Machu Picchu is known as a major site for the understanding of Incan culture and has been popularized as a tourist destination today. This presentation addresses what Machu Picchu was originally used for in Incan society.

Joshua Wood

“The Force Beyond the Wall: The Day-to-Day Siege of Constantinople in 1453”
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Boulton
This project aims to explore the lives of the civilians, soldiers, Byzantines, and Ottomans during the Siege of Constantinople. It also examines the events that led up to the siege and how the presenter plans to implement them into a video game currently in development.