Crafts & Conversations

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Rima Abram Interdisciplinary Genevieve Aiwonegbe Interdisciplinary Erica Kaminga Interdisciplinary Alyssa Schexnayder Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Misha Galaganov Interdisciplinary
Location: Third Floor, Table 3, Position 3, 11:30-1:30

Crafts & Conversations was established to foster community among TCU students and the residents of a local retirement facility, Trinity Terrace. During monthly meetings, students and residents share their stories while collaborating on season-themed craft activities, including murals, cross-stitching, snow globes, suncatchers, decoupage, and upcycled terrariums. TCU students who volunteer in these monthly meetings build meaningful friendships, combat stereotypes against the elderly, and improve communication and leadership skills. In addition, each event opens with a performance by TCU music students, enabling them to cultivate their craft and share their talent. Even throughout the pandemic, Crafts & Conversations nurtured memories and connections through Zoom and masked in-person meetings. With a commitment to sustainability, this project will continue to enrich the lives of residents at Trinity Terrace and Brookdale Westover Hills, providing dedicated student volunteers with opportunities to strengthen the Fort Worth community.

Exploring Educational Approaches in the Assessment of Self-Reported Empathy Scores in Emergency Medicine Residents

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Naomi Alanis Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Hao Wang Interdisciplinary
Location: Second Floor, Table 7, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

Empathy, defined as "the process of understanding a person's subjective experience by vicariously sharing that experience while maintaining an observant stance" (Zinn, 1993, p. 306) is a skill that can be challenging for many learners in post-graduate medical education. Numerous prior studies have emphasized the importance of empathy among healthcare physicians. They have shown that physician empathy scores are not only inversely correlated with physician burnout but also directly correlated with patient satisfaction (Byrd et al., 2021). Furthermore, research indicates that there exists an inverse correlational relationship between post-graduate years and empathy levels (Wolfshohl et al., 2019).

Acknowledging the significance of empathy as a crucial skill, efforts have been made to impart it to medical professionals using diverse instructional approaches. Batt-Rawden et al. (2013) conducted a systematic review of methods employed in teaching medical students, while Patel et al. (2019) examined empathy and compassion education in medical training. However, the findings from both reviews failed to conclusively identify a single, effective instructional strategy for enhancing empathy scores among graduate medical education learners. Nonetheless, they highlighted the potential for enhancing clinicians' empathy scores through specific educational methods and pinpointed five clinical behaviors as particularly influential on individual empathy scores. Moreover, they suggested that activities should adopt a "relationship-centered" approach (Batt-Rawden et al., 2013, p. 1175). In a separate study, Hojat et al. (2013) outlined a rubric delineating the three roles of a physician and their associated performance elements.

In this prospective multi-center survey study, forty-five (45) EM residents from an ACGME-sponsored three-year Emergency Medicine (EM) residency program will complete three educational sessions using team-based learning instructional strategies on empathy. The sessions will occur monthly across three consecutive months from in the spring and summer of 2024, each lasting for one hour in length during resident didactics. Empathy scores will be obtained from all participants via the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) in a pretest-posttest manner. The pre-test questionnaire will be administered before (pre-test) the educcational sessions and after the residents have completed all of the team-based learning instructional activities (post-test).

While there has been no prior application of team-based learning to enhance empathy scores, Borges et al. (2012) employed a team-based approach to instruct third-year medical students on emotional intelligence. Given that this approach also incorporates similar "relationship-centered" tasks, we posit that team-based learning could serve as a suitable instructional strategy for improving empathy scores.

References:
1. Batt-Rawden, Samantha A. MBChB; Chisolm, Margaret S. MD; Anton, Blair; Flickinger, Tabor E. MD, MPH. Teaching Empathy to Medical Students: An Updated, Systematic Review. Academic Medicine 88(8):p 1171-1177, August 2013. | DOI:10.1097/ACM.0b013e318299f3e3
2. Boisse, A., Porath, C. “Practice Empathy as a Team.” Harvard Business Review, (February 2023): https://hbr.org/2023/02/practice-empathy-as-a-team.
3. Borges, N., Kirkham, K., Deardorff, A. & Moore, J. (2012) Development of emotional intelligence in a team-based learning internal medicine clerkship, Medical Teacher, 34:10, 802-806, DOI: 10.3109/0142159X.2012.687121
4. Byrd, J., Knowles, H., Moore, S., Acker, V., Bell, S., Alanis, N., Zhou, Y., d'Etienne, J. P., Kline, J. A., & Wang, H. (2021). Synergistic effects of emergency physician empathy and burnout on patient satisfaction: a prospective observational study. Emergency medicine journal: EMJ, 38(4), 290–296. https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2019-209393
5. Hardee JT. An Overview of Empathy. Perm J. 2003 Fall;7(4):51–4. PMCID: PMC5571783.
6. Hojat, M., Mangione, S., Nasca, T. J., Cohen, M. J. M., Gonnella, J. S., Erdmann, J. B., Veloski, J., & Magee, M. (2001). The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy: Development and Preliminary Psychometric Data. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 61(2), 349–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/00131640121971158
7. Patel, S., Pelletier-Bui, A., Smith, S., Roberts, M. B., Kilgannon, H., Trzeciak, S., & Roberts, B. W. (2019). Curricula for empathy and compassion training in medical education: A systematic review. PloS one, 14(8), e0221412. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221412
8. Wolfshohl, J. A., Bradley, K., Bell, C., Bell, S., Hodges, C., Knowles, H., Chaudhari, B. R., Kirby, R., Kline, J. A., & Wang, H. (2019). Association Between Empathy and Burnout Among Emergency Medicine Physicians. Journal of clinical medicine research, 11(7), 532–538. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr3878
9. Zinn W. The empathic physician. Arch Intern Med. 1993 Feb 8;153(3):306-12. PMID: 8427535.
10. Hojat, M., Erdmann J.B. & Gonnellak, J. (2013). Personality assessments and outcomes in medical education on the practice of medicine. AMEE Guide No. 79, Medical Teacher, 35(7), 1267-1301

TCU Molding Melanin Magic Mentorship Program

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Madison Brown Interdisciplinary Hailey Williams Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Dr. Matt Chumchal Biology
Location: Basement, Table 3, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

The Molding Melanin Magic Mentorship Program is an organization seeking to empower minority female high school students at the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS) through in-depth mentorship regarding apply for college, professional school, and pursuing a career in STEM. With the guidance of TCU’s Pre-Health Institute, the program connects high school and college students with similar interests and provides an engaging curriculum of workshops and activities to bolster information received in the classroom setting. Alongside mentorship, the program’s research utilized group audio recordings which were analyzed to capture motivations and themes that emerged from the mentees and mentors during facilitations. The initiation and development of near-peer relationships were widespread and extended beyond facilitations emboldening participants to apply for college and pursue a career in STEM.

Can litter removal in urban parks improve water accessibility for bats?

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Katherine Davis Biology
Advisor(s): Victoria Bennett Environmental Sciences
Location: Third Floor, Table 7, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Despite bats providing essential ecosystem services, such as pollination, seed dissemination, and pest control, bat populations are facing a global decline due to habitat loss from human activities, including urbanization. We can, however, enhance urban areas to support bat communities by ensuring that suitable resources, such as water, are available and accessible. While availability is associated with the abundance of water sources in an area, accessibility dictates whether bats can physically get to and drink from the surface of a water source. One factor that can influence accessibility is the level of clutter. Clutter represents any physical obstruction present on the surface of the water or in the immediate surrounding area, including vegetation, exposed rock, and debris. Yet, not all forms of clutter are natural. The presence of litter can negatively hinder water accessibility. Thus, in urban areas where litter is more prevalent, a simple litter or trash clean-up scheme could potentially represent an effective restoration activity that community groups could undertake to increase water availability and accessibility for bats in their neighborhoods. To explore this concept, we assessed whether such a community-based clean-up scheme could effectively improve water resource accessibility for bats. For this, we cleared water sources in local parks and neighborhoods of trash monthly during the bat activity season, while conducting behavioral surveys using thermal cameras to determine whether bats drank from these sources. We then compared bat drinking activity recorded at ponds from 2021-2022 prior (i.e., no clean-up) with activity post-clean-up in 2023 to establish if more bats drank. From our results, we hope to inform not only local wildlife conservation programs but also efforts to improve community health.

La Clinica de Mujeres at Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Alia Hannon Biology Madisen DeVries Biology Maryann Hernandez Psychology
Advisor(s): Mikaela Stewart Biology
Location: Third Floor, Table 1, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Mercy Clinic is located in Fort Worth and it serves underrepresented minority adults who live in the 76110 and 76104 zip codes near TCU. It provides free care such as wellness visits, routine checkups, and monthly Women's Health clinics. Through collaboration with the Mercy Clinic staff and medical students at the Burnett School of Medicine, a sustainable approach was taken for the Women's Health initiative. The Women's Health Initiative aims to maintain and further the clinic's Women's Health approach and assist in education. Certain community clinics in the Fort Worth area can face disparities with inadequate funding, limiting the access and quality of patient care. Through a grant provided by the Pre-Health Professions Institute, the Experimental Projects to Impact the Community (EPIC Grant), remedial actions were able to take place for Mercy Clinic, not only improving the quality of patient satisfaction and care but also the sustainability of the clinic by reducing waste. The aid has been able to give access to reusable items such as metal speculums, lighting tools for examinations, and a more efficient way to keep up with patient check-in and management by using laminated paper sheets. This project aimed to aid Mercy Clinic's performance and quality output for the community it looks after.

TCU Tooth Fairies

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Cayla Prophater Interdisciplinary Aleah Appel Interdisciplinary Aimee Garibay Interdisciplinary Abigal Mohun Interdisciplinary Lexi Munch Interdisciplinary Kameryn Smude Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Sarah Jung Interdisciplinary
Location: Basement, Table 5, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Despite being entirely preventable, cavities remain the leading chronic childhood disease in the US. The "TCU Tooth Fairies" initiative aims to raise awareness of oral hygiene and improve access to essential oral hygiene resources. We are collaborating with the Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth and local FWISD elementary schools to make a sustainable impact. Our project involves distributing dental hygiene bags and an educational book written and published by TCU students Cayla Prophater and Chie Nguyen to local elementary schools. This has been instrumental in promoting comprehensive healthcare. Each hygiene kit includes a laminated educational card for children's bathroom mirrors, detailed oral health maintenance instructions, and recommendations from local Fort Worth dentists. The TCU Pre-Dental Club has worked with Mercy Clinic Volunteer Dr. Stewart, Fort Worth Pediatric Dentist Dr. Jerod Brazeal, and TCU Alum Dr. Courtney Favaloro, TCU Professor Dr. Virginia Hodges to ensure seamless integration of this project. Our mission is to empower our local community with comprehensive oral hygiene education, fostering lasting improvements in dental health practices and promoting overall well-being.

Chemistry Club Provides Transformative Academic Experiences for Students at Burton Hill Elementary

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Mark Sayegh Chemistry & Biochemistry Tatum Harvey Chemistry & Biochemistry Aidan Meek Psychology Madison Price Psychology Dylan Walters Chemistry & Biochemistry Emma Wilner Psychology Sunny Yusufji Chemistry & Biochemistry
Advisor(s): Kayla Green Chemistry & Biochemistry Heidi Conrad Chemistry & Biochemistry Julie Fry Chemistry & Biochemistry
Location: Second Floor, Table 9, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

TCU Chemistry Club has established a once-per-week science club at Burton Hill Elementary School in Fort Worth to provide 16-30 3rd-5th grade students the opportunity for academic and personal growth. We provide hands-on learning experiences, foster scientific curiosity, and teach them to learn to think like a scientist through engaging experiments in chemistry, physics, and biology. Beyond academics, our focus extends to providing mentorship, building confidence, and encouraging students to pursue a STEM career path. The consistent, engaging activities require the TCU Chemistry Club to effectively recruit volunteers, organize activities, and communicate throughout the project. This presentation will focus on qualitative analysis of the project by exploring the meaningful relationships developed, students' transformative experiences, and their personal growth, showcasing our commitment to impactful STEM education in 3rd-5th grade students.

“Medication Compliance Initiative” Addressing an Unseen Barrier Faced by Patients Experiencing Homelessness

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Piper Schlueter Interdisciplinary Savannah Sims Interdisciplinary Kha Hoai Boa Vu Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Dr. Stacy Grau Interdisciplinary Dr. David Capper Interdisciplinary
Location: Second Floor, Table 2, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

The Beautiful Feet Ministries Clinic & the True Worth Clinic are two nonprofit clinics that provide free, comprehensive medical and dental care for the homeless and underserved communities in the Southside area of Fort Worth. The patients served by these clinics encounter unique challenges in their medical journey, stemming from impoverished living conditions, financial instability, and restricted access to medications.

The goal of the “Medication Compliance Initiative” is to enhance patients’ ability to adhere to prescribed medication regimens. This initiative has introduced waterproof bags and cross-body fanny packs into the clinics, offering patients a secure means to store and safeguard their medications from adverse weather conditions, potential theft, and additional unforeseen circumstances. These intentional carry solutions not only ensure physical integrity of medications, but also empower patients to seamlessly incorporate their treatment plans into their daily lives, promoting better health outcomes and overall well-being for our patients.

Molding Melanin Magic Mentorship Program

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Hailey Williams Biology Madison Brown Psychology
Advisor(s): Matt Chumchal Biology
Location: Second Floor, Table 8, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

The Molding Melanin Magic mentorship program through TCU Pre-Health is geared to impact minority female student populations at the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS) in Fort Worth. The program provides small group mentorship as high school students are paired with a college student in their area of interest. Along with mentorship, workshops are utilized as a method of increasing confidence, exposure, and overall knowledge about college and STEM careers. By coupling workshops and mentorship, the Molding Melanin Magic program seeks to encourage mentees to serve as mentors along their educational journey, and apply for college and professional school to pursue a career in STEM.

Crafts & Conversations

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Rima Abram Interdisciplinary Erica Kaminga Interdisciplinary Allison Regan Interdisciplinary Mariana Zollinger Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Jessica Alvarez Interdisciplinary
Location: Third Floor, Table 7, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Crafts & Conversations was established to foster community among TCU students and the residents of a local retirement facility, Trinity Terrace. During monthly meetings, students and residents share their stories while collaborating on engaging craft activities, including murals, cross-stitching, snow globes, suncatchers, pillows, and upcycled terrariums. TCU students who volunteer in these monthly meetings build meaningful friendships, combat stereotypes against the elderly, and improve communication and leadership skills. In addition, each event opens with a performance by TCU music students, enabling them to cultivate their craft and share their talent. Even throughout the pandemic, Crafts & Conversations nurtured memories and connections through Zoom and masked in-person meetings. With a commitment to sustainability, this project will continue to enrich the lives of Trinity Terrace residents and provide dedicated student volunteers with opportunities to strengthen the Fort Worth community.

Women's Health Clinics with Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Morgan Bertrand Biology Allison Regan Biology
Advisor(s): Mikaela Stewart Biology
Location: Basement, Table 12, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth is a free health clinic that provides care to the underserved population, largely comprised of uninsured adults, in south Fort Worth. Services at Mercy Clinic include wellness checkups, sick visits, and well-woman visits, as well as some dental procedures, labs, and prescription services. TCU students of the Pre-Health Professions Institute consistently volunteer at Mercy Clinic, and TCU’s relationship with Mercy Clinic has continued to grow especially with the new addition of TCU’s Burnett School of Medicine to the Fort Worth community. A current collaboration between Mercy Clinic and the Burnett School of Medicine is aimed at providing clinics for women to get well-women exams such as pap smears and breast exams. Funds provided by the Experiential Projects to Impact the Community (EPIC) Grant were used to assist with the cost of supplies, such as speculums and drape sheets, for these women’s clinics. The goals of this community project are to serve the Fort Worth community by providing Mercy Clinic with materials and volunteers, to emphasize the importance of women’s health and knowledge about it, and to grow TCU Pre-Health’s relationship with the Burnett School of Medicine and Mercy Clinic.

Pickleball With a Purpose

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Michael Delgado Interdisciplinary Philip Dodd Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Philip Dodd Interdisciplinary
Location: Basement, Table 10, Position 1, 11:30-1:30

After-school programs can be highly beneficial to elementary school students. Pickleball With a Purpose is a weekly after-school program founded by TCU students with support from the Experiential Projects to Impact the Community (EPIC) committee. This program works with a local elementary school in Crowley Independent School District (CISD). Pickleball appeals to all ages because it can be picked up relatively quickly, regardless of skill level. As part of the program, pickleball was introduced to 4th and 5th graders at Meadowcreek Elementary by teaching a two-week clinic introducing foundational paddle skills during P.E. classes. Students in the after-school program engage in clinics, drills, and games to further develop their communication skills while fostering connections with mentors from TCU. The EPIC committee's funding and our partnership with the Selkirk Growth Program have allowed us to supply the elementary school with equipment such as nets, balls, and paddles. The purpose of the Meadowcreek Pickleball Club is to provide elementary school students with a safe environment where they can grow as individuals while learning a new sport.

Healthy Food Insecurity

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): May Nguyen Biology Thien Ly Nguyen Biology
Advisor(s): Maria Martinez Nutritional Sciences
Location: Third Floor, Table 4, Position 3, 1:45-3:45

New Smiles Drive

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Cayla Prophater Interdisciplinary Christian Cargile Interdisciplinary Aimee Garibay Interdisciplinary Emma Graham Interdisciplinary Macyn Willingham Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Heidi Conrad Interdisciplinary
Location: Second Floor, Table 1, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Even though they are completely preventable, cavities are the leading chronic childhood disease in America. The “New Smiles Drive” is a community outreach project with a mission to improve Fort Worth's oral hygiene knowledge and access to essential hygiene supplies. This project has provided dental supplies and hygiene education to the patients at the Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth. The donation of dental hygiene bags is instrumental in providing the materials necessary for quality health care. However, the donations are only half of the mission. Each donation bag includes a laminated education card containing detailed instructions on how to maintain good oral health as well as recommendations provided by Fort Worth dentists. The educational aspect of this project will leave a lasting impact on the community and teach the community essential oral hygiene care.

Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Clinics

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Quinceola Reid Biology Emily Van Dyck Biology
Advisor(s): Anthony Crowder Interdisciplinary
Location: Basement, Table 7, Position 1, 11:30-1:30

Swimming is a skill that is often assumed to be commonplace. However, in a study from 2017-2021, 411 children fatally drowned in Texas; 32 drownings were from Tarrant County (Texas Child Drowning Statistics). In 2019, 23 Tarrant County drowning deaths were among adults (Drowning in Tarrant County). Two community organizations, The Fort Worth Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Coalition (FWDPC) and the YMCA Fort Worth (YMCA FW), conduct dedicated summer programs to teach children and adults in-water and classroom-based water safety strategies. This grant project supports its community partners by advertising for/providing volunteers, which enables the accommodation of more participants per clinic. In addition, this grant project provided occupational health supplies (sunscreen and sunglasses) to their community partner to mitigate the prolonged sun exposure commonly faced by their volunteers. Through this project, TCU students have engaged with these organizations, supported their objectives, and directly improved drowning statistics within the Fort Worth community.

"TCU Jeopardy Night": Changing the Narrative of Contributions by Underrepresented Groups in STEM

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Zach Rouseau Biology Grace Bobo Chemistry & Biochemistry Jack Bonnell Chemistry & Biochemistry Precious Castillo Chemistry & Biochemistry Audrey Dolt Biology Tatum Harvey Biology Lola Kouretas Chemistry & Biochemistry Christina Mantsorov Chemistry & Biochemistry Chie Nguyen Biology Kiet Nguyen Biology
Advisor(s): Kayla Green Chemistry & Biochemistry Heidi Conrad Chemistry & Biochemistry Julie Fry Chemistry & Biochemistry
Location: Basement, Table 5, Position 1, 11:30-1:30

Throughout history, it has been perceived that significant advancements in STEM have been a result of primarily white males’ accomplishments. To help correct this misconception on our campus, TCU Chemistry Club has initiated “TCU Jeopardy Game Night”. This is an initiative where students, staff, and organizations in STEM throughout the year get exposed to and educated on the accomplishments in the history of diverse groups underrepresented in STEM with an emphasis in chemistry through an engaging and interactive mechanism. This spring term, our organization will host a Jeopardy-style game night with trivia questions over the material presented and prizes purchased with the ACS DEIR Grant. This material serves as an incentive toward the ultimate goal of educating our campus population regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect for scientists who have not been acknowledged for their exceptional work.

Bags of Joy

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Maggie Tucker Interdisciplinary Molly Koca Interdisciplinary Jacqueline Leon Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Mathew Crawford Interdisciplinary
Location: Basement, Table 4, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Project Overview:
2020 we partner with Once Upon a Room. We partnered with Cook Children's Hospital to decorate rooms for children who will have an extended stay. Due to COVID-19, we could not continue with Once Upon a Room. In the 2021-2022 we created Bags of Joy and continued to partner with Cook Childrens Hospital. We provided holiday-themed goodie bags as well as welcome hygiene bags.

Background of the Community:
The community in which we are working with those under the age of 18 with poor health.
Our community partner is Anne Stankus and Megan Hodges, Child life specialist at Cook Children

Need Statement:
Our community partners have communicated to us that there is a need for hygiene and essential items for the caregivers of a patient to receive when they are admitted to the hospital, so that they have to opportunity to stay with their child durning this time of need.
Another need that has been expressed to us has been for the hosting of events, like game nights.

Project description:
We had hoped to continue to give hygiene bags and make a switch from goodie bags to hosting a game night.
This year we were to supply 36 welcome bags for Cook, host a game night, and donate 400 easter eggs for their annual easter egg hunt.

Deliverables:
As this was our first year hosting a game night at Cook children, we struggled in the begging to find games and activities that would fit into the guidelines but in the end, we were able to make it a successful event and now we have ideas on ways to improve for next year.
We continue to have good feedback from our Cook Children's coordinator.
As two of our members are graduating we will still have one member who is an active student at TCU. Molly, our non-graduating member, will take over our EPIC grant.

"Power your school:" Working with Dallas-Fort Worth schools to identify alternative energies for their campus

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Jack Bonnell Interdisciplinary Grace Bobo Interdisciplinary Precious Castillo Interdisciplinary Traylin Cleveland Interdisciplinary Camryn Gloor Interdisciplinary Kelly Jaimes Interdisciplinary Ashlyn Laidman Interdisciplinary Christina Mantsorov Interdisciplinary Kiet Nguyen Interdisciplinary Kennedy Redmon Interdisciplinary Zach Rouseau Interdisciplinary George Weimer Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Kayla Green Chemistry & Biochemistry Jeffrey L. Coffer Chemistry & Biochemistry Heidi Conrad Chemistry & Biochemistry Julie Fry Chemistry & Biochemistry
Location: Second Floor, Table 8, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

K-12 curricula worldwide typically lack a strong emphasis on alternative energies, particularly solar and wind power. To counter this, the University of Cambridge has developed the “Power your School” initiative, a program where students learn to map their school and local area, predict where the best sites for solar panels may be on their campus, use scientific equipment accurately, record results, and make ideal recommendations based on their data. TCU Chemistry Club and the Coffer Research Lab have partnered with this initiative to help local elementary schools investigate the benefits of renewable energy, assist in calculating the financial benefits of solar panels over a span of multiple years, and most importantly - to help young students learn the basics of proper recording of scientific data. Through poster creation and its subsequent presentation, students also use design and oral communication skills to educate local officials (and beyond) into the benefits of investing in renewable energy. Methods and results of this project will be presented.

4HerHealth

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Kynnedy Brown Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Julie Fry Chemistry & Biochemistry
Location: Basement, Table 13, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

The transition from high school to college marks a significant life change and, as a result, could lead to changes in health behaviors, exercise, and stress levels. Physical activity can enhance self-confidence and collectivism, improve emotional states, decrease stress, aid in building relationships, and contributes to feelings of elation and satisfaction (Qu, 2020). Studies show lower levels of activity among college women, with Black women having greater risk of obesity than white women. (Ajibade, 2011). The effects of a lack of physical activity for college minority women pose more significant threats as they increase in age; this is especially notable with Black women, who present low activity levels compared to white and other minority women (Greaney et al., 2017).

4HerHealth aims to combat the prevalence of potential health-related risks by fostering a community that supports physical activity and wellness in minority college students’ lives. The program consists of biweekly activities that highlight various health-related activities such as TCU-instructed fitness classes, step challenges, cooking and nutrition classes, and study and stress-relieving sessions. Participants who expressed low activity levels before the program reported an increased drive to go to the gym and eat healthier. Overall, participants said the program was informative, well-rounded, and provided a safe space and community for minority women on campus.

References
Ajibade, P. B. (2011). Physical activity patterns by campus housing status among African American female college students. Journal of Black Studies, 42(4), 548–560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934710385116
Greaney, M. L., Askew, S., Wallington, S. F., Foley, P. B., Quintiliani, L. M., & Bennett, G. G. (2017). The effect of a weight gain prevention intervention on moderate-vigorous physical activity among black women: The shape program. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0596-6
Qu, X. (2020). Empirical analysis of the influence of physical exercise on psychological stress of college students. Revista Argentina de Clinica Psicologica. https://doi.org/10.24205/03276716.2020.386

Variation of Best Fit Distributions in Single Cell Virus Dynamics Models

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Madison Doty Biology Hana Dobrovolny Physics & Astronomy
Advisor(s): Hana Dobrovolny Physics & Astronomy
Location: Third Floor, Table 9, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Mathematical modeling of viral kinetics can be used to gain further insight into the viral replication cycle and virus-host interactions. However, many of the virus dynamics models do not incorporate the cell-to-cell heterogeneity of virus yield or the time-dependent factor of virus replication. A recent study of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) kinetics in single BHK cells determined that both virus production rate and yield of virus particles varies widely between individual cells of the same cell population. Here we use the results of the previously mentioned study to determine the distribution that best describes the time course of viral production within the single cells. We determined a list of eight potential distributions that are commonly used in viral kinetics models to fit to each data set by minimizing the sum of squared residuals. The model of best fit for each individual cell was determined using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AICC ). Results of this study show that the distribution that best describes viral production varies from cell to cell. This finding could have further reaching implications for incorporating time-dependent viral production into a standard model of virus kinetics in order to better reproduce the diversity of viral replication that occurs over time within a population of cells.

Meadowcreek Elementary Pickleball

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): AJ Khawaja Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Philip Dodd Interdisciplinary
Location: Second Floor, Table 8, Position 1, 11:30-1:30

After-school programs can provide a variety of opportunities for elementary school students. With support from the Experiential Projects to Impact the Community (EPIC) committee, we partnered with a local elementary school in the Crowley Independent School District (CISD) to start a pickleball program. Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. The sport combines elements from tennis, badminton, and table tennis. The sport is appealing to all ages because it is easy to play. We gauged students' interest by teaching pickleball twice a week during P.E. classes. The Meadowcreek Pickleball Club launched shortly after in January of 2022. Students meet weekly to participate in drills, games, and clinics. Funding from the EPIC grant and a partnership with the Selkirk Growth Program allowed us to supply the school with nets, balls, and paddles. The purpose of the Meadowcreek Elementary Pickleball Club is to provide a safe environment where fourth and fifth graders can build relationships, gain confidence, and learn new skills.

Junior STEM Scholars Mentoring Program (JSSMP)

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Robert Molina Biology
Advisor(s): Sophia Garcia Biology
Location: Third Floor, Table 1, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, White, Latino/a, and Black youth enter into STEM programs at their universities in virtually identical numbers. Unfortunately following the early years of admittance, this is where the previous trend takes a dramatic decline as Black and Hispanic students are more likely to switch out of this field at rates of 40% and 37%, respectively (Riegle-Crumb et al., 2019). These disparities within Black and Hispanic communities regarding retention rate in STEM can oftentimes be attributed to factors such as imposter syndrome, lack of educational resources, and a lack of guidance/mentorship during their undergraduate career– the latter being the main focal point of this study. The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact that mentoring programs have on minority high school students that are interested in pursuing a degree in the field of STEM. Pre- and Post-surveys were utilized during the 2020/2021 academic school year in order to accurately gauge the students’ confidence in the following: applying to STEM programs at their universities of interest, excelling once admitted, and the amount of support they have in doing so. Community Partners include two local high schools in the surrounding DFW metroplex where students are paired with TCU Undergraduates currently pursuing a degree in STEM. Ultimately the following research seeks to examine the effectiveness of mentoring programs in the removal of generational barriers that have historically prevented populations of first-generation, minority students from not only succeeding in institutions of higher education, but ultimately receiving a bachelor's degree within fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Crafts and Conversations

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Annemarie Thompson Interdisciplinary Rima Abram Interdisciplinary Gretel Jordan Interdisciplinary Allison Regan Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Jill Duncan Interdisciplinary
Location: Second Floor, Table 8, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Separated from their families, many older Americans in assisted living facilities struggle with loneliness and social isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this issue, for most facilities have restricted outside visitors due to safety concerns. With the help of the Experiential Projects to Impact the Community (EPIC) Grant, which provides up to $1,500 for a Pre-Health student-led project at TCU that promotes a culture of giving and serves a demonstrated need in the Fort Worth community, a monthly meeting, centered on a craft activity, entitled “Crafts and Conversations” was established at Trinity Terrace to foster community between students at TCU and the residents of a local retirement facility. Through monthly Zoom meetings during the height of the pandemic to masked in-person gatherings at Trinity Terrace, TCU undergraduate students and residents at Trinity Terrace could talk amongst each other while constructing a craft whether that be painting Halloween pumpkins or crafting a winter holiday snow globe. By volunteering in leading these crafts, TCU students have had the chance to build meaningful relationships, improve upon their communication skills in a group dynamic, and been able to address preconceived stereotypes about the elderly. Prior to each craft, each meeting opens with a musical performance that has allowed TCU undergraduate musicians to cultivate and share their craft as well. This project has helped give residents at Trinity Terrace an outlet for social connections through crafts and conversations. Through a commitment to sustainability, “Crafts and Conversations” with Trinity Terrace will endure as a lasting legacy through a crew of committed volunteers who have grown as student leaders by strengthening the Fort Worth community and enriching the lives of the residents at Trinity Terrace.

Once Upon A Room

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Maggie Tucker Interdisciplinary Molly Koca Interdisciplinary Jacqueline Leon Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Mathew Crawford Interdisciplinary
Location: Basement, Table 1, Position 1, 11:30-1:30

The Pre-Health Peer Mentor EPIC grant program initiated our Once Upon a Room project to provide individual room decorations to patients at Cook Children. Due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we pivoted our goals by creating gift bags for patients and their families. These bags included gifts to make their stay better, from holiday bags including board games, toys, and other sensory items to welcome bags with hygiene supplies for parents. We have delivered approximately 45 bags in the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters and are set to deliver approximately 36 more in coming months. The gift bags have been a success with consistent and positive feedback from family and from Cook Children's Child Life department alike.

Attendance and safe classroom access using Transfer Learning

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Kimon Vogt Mathematics
Advisor(s): Bo Mei Computer Science
Location: Zoom Room 4, 01:42 PM

This project will consist of designing an AI application. The application will use a deep learning algorithm able to take attendance of the class as students are joining the classroom. I will further expand the patent to recognize the individual students and measure their temperature. Furthermore, the system will classify different emotions during the lecture and give helpful feedback to the professors. This tool will assist with time management, as professors spend several minutes to take attendance, and it will act as an extra tool for the prevention of spreading COVID-19 and any new virus. The patent will further provide useful feedback for the improvement of lectures through emotion detection. An external camera will be used hand in hand with the Open-CV package in python that will allow us to detect the students and identify them. The students' temperature will be measured by an infrared forehead thermometer and welcome them in the class. The algorithm will be using cascade classifiers, and transfer learning. Data for the training process of the algorithm will be collected from volunteering TCU student subjects.