Journal of
Scholarly Endeavor
Volume Ill

2003

Symposium for Research and Scholarship

Sli pP,eryRf?ck
Urnversrty

of Pennsylvania

Journal of
Scholarly Endeavor
Volume Ill

2003
Symposium for Research and Scholarship

SlippetyRf?~.k
Universrty

of Pennsylvania

© 2003 Slippery Rock University. All rights reserved. This publication is protected by
federal copyright law. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or to be used to make a derivative work without
prior permission from the author.

Journal of the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Symposium for Research and Scholarship
Volume III, 2003
Editor: Patrick A. Burkhart, PhD
Department of Geography, Geology and the Environment

Abstracts of Inquiry and Creativity
Contents
Forward

vi

Dedication

vi

Keynote Speaker - Dr. R. Keith Raney
From Space into the Abyss

vii

Graphical User Interfaces for Sorting and Searching Algorithms
lmran Ahmed, Janaka Edirisinghe and Sunil Gurung
Impact qf Cooperative Instructional Models on Student
learning and Reactions
Pad ma G. Anand

2

Changes in Kidney Tissue of Type 2 Diabetic BBZDR/Wor Animals
Jessica Arblaster, Megan Majcher, Sarah Weinschenk,
Paul J. Birckbichler and Dennis L. Guberski

3

Writing Our Worlds: Students and Teachers Explore
Ideas and Methods in the Problem-hased Composition Classroom
Nancy Barta-Smith and Danette DiMarco

4

Behavioral Correlates of Group Size in Atlantic Coastal MigratOIJ'
Dolphins, Tu rs iops truncates
Simon Beeching and Corina Wack

5

Response q/Trans.fimned Human Cells in Culture to S'odium Butyrate
and Retinoic Acid Ana/of.;.\'
Rebecca Bosko and Paul J. Birckbichler

6

College Students' Mental Health
Jonathan W. Bowman

7

ii

On-demand Student Grades Check Over the Web
Shafraz Branudeen, Raclma Murthy and Shalinda Tennakoon

8

Extreme Learning: The Geology and Geography of Nev.foundland
Patrick A. Burkhart

9

Children's and Teachers' Views on Bullying and Preferences for
Intervention Strategies
Laura M. Crothers

10

Violence and Technology: Video Games and Simulated Training
Rebecca E. Croushore

11

Development ofSustainable Progress Indicators for
Slippery Rock University: Toward a Better Understanding
of Our Ecological Footprint
Steven J. Doherty, Joanne Hannan and Andrea Shannon

12

Defining and Analyzing Advocacy Behaviors a/School Counselors
Julaine E. Field

13

Evolution of Entrainment Mechanisms Producing the Debris Tails
Associated with Translating Supraglacial Clasts, Matanuska Glacier,
Alaska
Danielle R. Fishel, Patrick Burkhart and Staci Ensiminger

14

Effect of Heteroarotinoids on Growth and Transglutaminase Activity
in Two Human E1ythroleukemia Cell Lines
Susan Fox, Sarah Weinschenk and Paul J. Birckbichler

15

A Laboratory Methodology for the Identification
ofSelected Phenolic Substances
Ryoko Funada, Bruno Borsari and Valentine Kefeli

16

A Soil Feasibility Study for Establishing a Riparian Vegetated
Buffer Strip on the Slippery Rock University Campus
Michele L. Gauger and Bruno Borsari

17

Forest Stewardship Strategy and Biological Assessment for
Slippery Rock University Forest Properties
Michele L. Gauger, Steven J. Doherty and Frank Cetera

18

iii

Three Detectives, Three Approaches
Anita G. Gorman

l9

Open Forum on Enron
Peter Grierson, Lori Zulauf

20

Gender Differences in the Symptomatology of Ml and Time
Delay Intervals in the ED
Sharon Hoisington-Gilmore

2l

Identification of Functional Stability Limits During Reaching Tasks
Mary Ann Holbein-Jenny, Amber Stinson, Matthew Bechtel,
John Elmer, Ryan Niederklein and Traci Richardson

22

Use of Mediated and Interpersonal Channels of Communication
in Response to 9111101
Cary W. Horvath, Mary M. Step and Margaret 0. Finucane

23

Stratigraphic Correlation of Paleosols to Refine the Classifications
of Sod Tables, Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Michael Andrew Jahn, Patrick A. Burkhart, Jack Livingston,
Erin Heffron, Ashley VanDyne, Melia Anderson, Bradley Erney,
Amy Boyer and Laura Shuler

24

Risky Health Behaviors among College Students
Krissy L. Koenig

25

An Ecological Approach in Controlling Unwanted Dandelion
26
(Taraxacum officinalis, l.) Populations at Slippe1J1 Rock University
Campus
Connie Lemley, Michele Gauger, Andrew Pressman, Christina Lefevre,
Heather House, Bruno Borsari
Sod Table Delineation and Paleo.1·w:fi1ce Reconstruction in
Badland1· National Park, South Dakota
Jack Livingston, Erin Heffron and Patrick A. Burkhart

27

Class{fication of Practical Uncertainties Created by Either
Unascertained or Accurate lnjbrmation
Adnan Mahmood, Narendra Patel, Yi Lin and Ocnti Zaimi

28

Purple Martin Roosts: Does a Sustainable Future Exist?
Kate P. Maynard

29

iv
A Study of Energy Use at the Macoskey Center for Sustainable
Systems Education and Research: Social Costs,
Ecological Impacts, and Sustainable Energy Solutions
Andy McDonald and Thomas J. Reynolds

30

2+2=4 Sometimes?
Megan McKinney and Robert Buck

31

Identification and Study of Leaf Exudatesji-om Three
Selected Willow Tree Species (Salix. spp.)
Heather Mikulas, Bnmo Borsari and Valentine Kefeli

32

Emma's Closet: Creation, Preservation and Re-Creation of
33
Antique Clothing Patterns and Costumes
Rebecca R. Morrice, Rebecca Hemy, Jenny Bernson, Rebecca Trotter,
John Dropp and Lydia Giese
Markov Chains and Rental Cars
Davlyn Nauman and Robert Buck

34

Biodiesel Productionfrom Used Vegetable Oil:
Emissions and Fuel Economy Pe1formance Testing and a
Campus Feasibility Assessment
Andrew Pressman and Steven J. Doherty

35

Toxicity Determination of Sumac (Rhus typhina) and Maple
(Acer rubrwn) Leaf Water Extracts
Mahesh Pun, Bnmo Borsari and Valentine Kefeli

36

Validity and Reliability of a New Visual Rating Tool for
Assessing Body Image in Men
William J. Ryan, Jem1ifer Sanftner and Patricia Pierce

37

Comparison of Numerical Methods for Solving the
Convection-Diffusion Equation in 2D
Leah N. Shilling, Edgar Lobaton and Ubaldo Rodriguez

38

An Experimental Test of the Predictive Power of Daily Horoscopes
Mark A. Shotwell

39

v

Big Bang: Video Explorations

40

Jon R. Shumway
Does Egalitarian Marriage Exist? An Example from
Commuter Relationships

41

Esther Skirboll
Palestine Under the British: The Palestine Mandate 19 J8-1948

42

Jason M. Sokiera
Work Attitudes Among Residents in a Community
Corrections Facility

43

Linda Veronie, Leigh Sturm and JoAnne Stiffler
Java Applets for Visually Displaying Computer Data Structures

44

Bryan J. Wilson
Commencement Address

45-47

Slippery Rock University, 14 December
2002

Senator Mary Jo White
21 ' 1 District
Senate of Pennsylvania
Lessons from the ROCK

48-52

Dr. Wendy Stuhldreher
Department of Allied Health
Recipient, President's Award for Teaching Excellence
Slippery Rock University Honors Convocation, 21 April 2002
Index ofAuthors
Acknowledgements

53-54
55

vi

Foreward

The Symposium for Research and Scholarship at the Slippery Rock University of
Pennsylvania is intended to celebrate scholarly achievement by sharing the successes of
the university community. The Symposium and Journal this year include works
submitted from every College in the University, revealing meaningful collaborations
among undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff.
Please read the
acknowledgements and recognize all the contributors.
The University Forum asserted in 2000 that scholarship deserves a coordinated venue
for dissemination to enhance the academic climate of campus by encouraging intellectual
awareness and exchange. This effort also supports the University's Mission - Slippery
Rock University will excel as a caring community of lifelong learners connecting with

the world. Two aspects of the 2003 Symposium offer a strong endorsement of these
ideals. First, abstracts this year underwent peer-review that culminated with many of the
manuscripts being revised by their authors for reconsideration, with the intent that the
learning process be enriched. Second, as current world events are troubling, the ongoing
international initiatives at SRU are particularly valuable. History has repeatedly
demonstrated that during troubling times, greater global interaction - in contrast to a
rather tempting path of isolationism - favors a better tomorrow. Please note the diversity
of peoples and their interests contained in these pages. The pursuit of understanding
concerning nature, the nurturing of people, and the diverse perspectives on these subjects
can offer additional hope for the future. These efforts support our mission and we can be
proud of them.

Patrick A. Burkhmi, PhD
Dedication
Columbia, pioneer of the shuttle fleet, was lost over American skies on the bright
Saturday morning of 1 February 2003. The world mourned the demise of seven

accomplished people - payload commander Michael Anderson, flight surgeon David
Brown, India-born Kalpana Chalma, flight surgeon Laurel Clark, mission chief Rick
Husband, and the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon. These individuals formed a team
immersed in exploration, conducting experiments, and operating at once as both teachers
and students. It is fitting to commemorate the crew and the shuttle, which was named
afte.r the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe. As Kalpana Chalma noted
dunng the voyage, our beautiful planet Earth is really so very, very small. Let their plea
for stewardship not echo in vain.

Plenary Address

vii

From Space into the Abyss
R. Keith Raney, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory
12:30 PM
Friday 28 March 2003
Multi-Purpose Room, University Union

Abstract
The best and the only economically feasible way to map the ocean's bottom topography
on a global scale is to look at the sea surface from space. The talk will outline the
scientific rationale for this approach, and provide examples drawn from the current stateof-the-art. Supporting topics include highlights of the development of the Earth's plate
tectonic model, measurement of sea-surface topography by specialized space-based radar
altimeters, and application of gravity anomaly data to precision navigation. The talk will
be illustrated by visual materials in the Microsoft PowerPoint format.

R. Keith Raney, PhD
Principal Professional Staff, Ocean Remote Sensing Group

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Dr. Raney received a BS (with honors) in physics from Harvard University in
1960, a MSEE from Purdue University in 1962, and PhD in Computer Information and
Control from the University of Michigan in 1968. He contributed to the design of
NASA's Magellan Venus-mapping radar, the European Space Agency's ERS-1 synthetic
aperture radar (SAR), and the Shuttle Imaging Radar SIR-C. He holds U.S. patents on the
chirp scaling SAR processing algorithm, the Delay/Doppler radar altimeter, and an ice
sounding radar, and has a patent pending on bistatic radar altimetry. While with the
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (1976-1994) Dr. Raney was co-initiator of the
Radarsat mission. As the Radarsat Project Scientist, he was responsible for the conceptual
design of the prime-payload SAR, and he was scientific authority for the Canadian Seasat
processor, the world's first digital processor for satellite SAR data. These and other
contributions in remote sensing systems, theory, and applications are documented in
more than 300 professional publications.

viii
Dr. Raney was on the founding Board of Associate Editors for the International
Journal of Remote Sensing, serves as an Associate Editor (radar) for the IEEE
Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, and is on the editorial boards of the
Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing and the Proceedings of the IEEE. He is a past
president of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (1988 and 1989). He has
served on numerous advisory committees, including the Office of Naval Research Board
of Visitors, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences review board for space-based
imaging radar and Committee on Earth Sciences, Germany's Helmholtz Society, the
Danish Technical Research Council, and NASA's Instrnment Definition Teams for the
Europa Orbiter and the Mars '05 missions. Currently he is on the Science Council of the
NASA Institute of Advanced Concepts, and a member of the Science Advisory Group for
the European Space Agency's CryoSat radar altimeter Earth Explorer mission. He was
Project Scientist for the NOAA/APL ESSP Proposal ABYSS. He is a Life Fellow of the
IEEE, a Fellow of the Electromagnetics Academy, and an Associate Fellow of the
Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute. Dr. Raney is a recipient of the Outstanding
Achievement Award of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, Group
Achievement Awards for the Pioneer Venus and the Magellan Radar Science Teams, the
1999 Gold Medal of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society, the IEEE Geoscience and
Remote Sensing Society Transactions Prize Paper for 1998, the Millennium Medal 2000
from the IEEE, and other awards.

Selected Publications
Raney, R. K., & Jensen, J. R. (2002). An Airborne CryoSat Prototype: The D2P
Radar Altimeter, Proceedings of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing
Symposium IGARSS02. Toronto: IEEE.
Raney, R. K., Porter, D. L., & Monaldo, F. M. (2002). Bistatic WITTEX: an
Innovative Constellation of Radar Altimeter Satellites, Proceedings of the International
Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS02. Toronto: IEEE.
Raney, R. K., & Porter, D. L. (2001). WITTEX: An innovative three-satellite radar
altimeter concept. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 39(11), 23872391.
Raney, R. K. (1999). Radar Altimetry. In J. G. Webster (Ed.), Wiley Encyclopedia of
Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Vol. 17, pp. 547-560). New York: John Wiley &
Sons.
Raney, R. K. (1998). The delay Doppler radar altimeter. IEEE Transactions on
Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 36(5), 1578-1588.
Raney, R. K. (1998). Radar fundamentals: technical perspective. In F. Henderson &
A. Lewis (Eds.), Principles and Applications of Imaging Radar (3 ed., pp. 9-130). New
York: Wiley Interscience.
Raney, R. K., Runge, H., Bamler, R., Cumming, I. G., & Wong, F. G. (1994).
Precision SAR processing using chirp scaling. Transactions, IEEE Geoscience and
Remote Sensing, 32(4), 786-799.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

Graphical User Interfaces for Sorting and Searching Algorithms
AHMED, Imran (U), EDIRJSINGHE, Janaka (U), GURUNG, Sunil (U),

sxg63 84@sru.edu
Students majoring in Computer Science learn basic concepts of different sorting and
searching algorithms in different phases of the program while enriching their
programming skills. One of the major difficulties students have with algorithms is in
visualizing how they work.
The "Java" programming language was used to design and implement a visual
representation of sorting and searching algorithms. The visual components in Java were
used to accomplish this task. Geometrical shapes such as rectangles, lines, and arrows,
and user-friendly buttons and text boxes were used in the visual representation of the
algorithms. The program was implemented over fourteen weeks in the Fall of2002.
The project demonstrates sorting algorithms such as bubble, insertion, selection,
merge, shell, quick, and heap, and the linear and binary search algorithms. The programs
were implemented with maximum flexibility for the visualization and use of the
algorithms for students in introductory computer programming classes.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

2

Impact of Cooperative Instructional Models on Student Learning and
Reactions
ANAND, Padma G. (F), Counseling and Educational Psychology,
padma.anand@sru .ed u
The incorporation of active cooperative learning models to increase student learning and
motivation has become a relatively common practice in higher education. The present
paper will evaluate the instructional benefits and limitations of incorporating cooperative
learning methods. The instructor applied a modified version of Slavin's STAD
cooperative learning model in four semesters of her undergraduate educational
psychology classes. A non-equivalent post-test only control group design was used in the
study. The number of subjects varied from 14 to 40 in the various semesters. The
materials used in the study were, the Unit Achievement Tests, and Student Reactions
Survey. The variables that were examined were: the size of the group (3-5 or 5-7), the
nature of selection of the group (instructor-selected or student-selected), the difficulty
level of the learning material (high or low), and the amount of instructional support
provided by the instructor (high or low). Regardless of the variables that were studied,
all four groups received traditional instruction for a period of 30 to 45 minutes and
cooperative instructional experiences for a period of 30 to 45 minutes. The major
motivating variable was the group incentive (based on the group average) in the form of
bonus points ranging from 0 to I 0 to all the members of the group. The assumption was
that the group incentive could only be earned when all of the members learned the
material satisfactorily, and also performed satisfactorily in the unit test administered at
the end of the session.
It was hypothesized that: (a) cooperative learning settings would result in increased
student learning and more favorable reactions; & (b) there would be differential effects of
cooperative learning based on related instructional variables present in the learning
settings.
Independent t-tests were used to analyze the impact of cooperative learning on student
learning. Results did not reveal a significant difference either in student learning or
student reactions due to the use of cooperative learning methods. However, additional
analyses revealed that the effects of cooperative learning were varied, depending upon
the presence or absence of certain instructional variables. High technology-based
instructional support and low-difficulty level of the material enhanced co-operative
learn!ng effects. Teacher assignment to groups had a tendency to impact co-operative
learnmg. However, the results were not statistically significant. Based on the results of
the s~dy, the author made recommendations to maximize the effects of cooperative
Iearnmg procedures in undergraduate instruction.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

3

Changes in Kidney Tissue of Type 2 Diabetic BBZDR/Wor Animals
ARBLASTER, Jessica (U) jla3488@sru.edu, MAJCHER, Megan (U),
WEINSCHENK, Sarah (U), BIRCKBICHLER, Paul J (F), Chemistry and
Physics, GUBERSKI, Dennis L, Biomedical Research Models, Inc.,
Worcester, MA 01606

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease affecting both
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients and the incidence is increasing. Recently, a new
strain of rat was developed by genetically eliminating autoimmunity from the BBZDP
strain. Male obese BBZDR rats spontaneously develop diabetes that mimics human Type
2, on the average, at 74 days of age. Obese female BBZDR rats have impaired glucose
tolerance (IGT), while lean BBZDR rats (male and female) evidence neither diabetes nor
!GT. The focus of our studies is to document whether or not the kidney pathologies in
BBZDR/Wor animals are similar to the kidney pathologies seen in humans who develop
the disease. Demonstrating a correlation between the two species will validate these
animals as a model for human diabetes and testing preventive modalities.
The diabetic animals on average had a larger glomerulus, and an increase in interstitial
space and in the amount of fibrosis within the kidney tissue. There was a significant
difference in glomerular diameter between lean and obese males as early as 30-100 days
of age. Both lean and obese animals do have an increase in glomerulus size as the
animal's age, however, the statistical difference is still evident at ages greater than 300 d.
There is evidence of increased collagen expression in young diabetic animals. The
amount and distribution of trichrome stain (a chemical method to detect collagen) are
acceptable methods of the degree of renal sclerosis. In limited studies, over thirty percent
of the kidney areas measured in animals with duration times of diabetes in excess of 200
days were positive for collagen. The stain was concentrated in both the glomerular and
tubulointerstitial regions. Four percent of the area was positive in control animals
without diabetes, and essentially all of the stain was in the glomeruli. Most of the
collagen was found in the glomerulus of the animals with diabetes duration times less
than 200 days. Little or no collagen was observed in the tubulointerstitial area of these
animals.
Qualitative expression of tissue transglutaminase (TGase), a biomarker for kidney
sclerosis, was seen in major blood vessels, tubules, Bowman's capsule, and occasionally
within the glomerulus. TGase appeared to be expressed constitutively in tubule cells of
kidneys from non-diabetic animals. Expression within the glomerulus was generally
weak to non-existent and appeared to be associated with the endothelial cells when it was
detected. In contrast, TGase expression in kidneys from diabetic animals was observed
not only in the tubule cells, but also within the glomeruli. In the diabetic animals
examined thus far, the TGase positivity appeared to be associated with both the
mesangium and the endothelial cells within the glomeruli. There was a clear difference
between positive and negative control antibodies. In limited quantitative measurements,
increased TGase expression was evident in diabetic kidneys after 200 days of diabetes.
In summary, preliminary results demonstrated that non-diabetic animal~ h~d
essentially normal appearing kidneys, whereas the kidneys of BBZDR/Wor diabetic
animals contained many of the features described for diabetic nephropathy. In general,
the differences were more pronounced in animals with longer duration of diabetes.
Diabetic animals also had larger glomeruli than non-diabetic animals. Additional animals
must be examined to suppo11 or refute these initial observations.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

4

Writing Our Worlds: Students and Teachers Explore Ideas and Methods in
the Problem-based Composition Classroom
BARTA-SMITH, Nancy (Fl, nancy.batia-smith@sru.edu, English, and
DIMARCO, Danette (F), English
In Change, Robert B. Barr and John Tagg have highlighted a critical shift that has been
taking place in undergraduate teaching and learning in the last decade. This shift involves
seeing instruction as an end instead of a means and brings with it the possibilities of hope
and fear, excitement and confusion. Our common goal as instructors of any discipline is
student success in learning and life. Yet, as instructors facing a historical moment that
brings an important paradigm change, we may look inward and honestly admit that "none
of us has yet put all the elements of the Leaming Paradigm together in a conscious,
integrated whole" (Barr and Tagg 14). Neve1theless, it is our duty to shear the wool and
see what it means to grow new coats.
Our efforts to begin again sta1ted with a collaborative, pragmatic work that was put to
the test in the Slippery Rock University College Writing classroom. Since 1995, when
Barr and Tagg first made their claims, our work with Slippery Rock students has directly
contributed to the ultimate shaping of a co-authored composition textbook called

Exploring Worlds, Exploring Ideas, Exploring Methods: Primary and Secondary
Research in the Problem-based Composition Classroom. This book brings together a
cognitive-based approach to research, a great ideas approach to reading, a socialexpressivist approach to writing, and a problem-solving approach to critical thinking.
Such a combined approach to composition is what makes our textbook different from
others currently in the market.
During this presentation we would like to focus on student voices by having select
individuals share their successes in approaching research and writing this way. The panel
will begin with a brief introduction by the faculty members so that they may explain the
aims of the book and how those aims translate to the classroom. Then, for the remainder
(and most) of the presentation, students who are currently enrolled in College Writing II
(Spring semester) will discuss their own experiences and share their own work that has
developed out of conducting research and writing through understanding the book
project's particular objectives.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

5

Behavioral Correlates of Group Size in Atlantic Coastal Migratory
Dolphins, Tursiops truncatus
BEECHING, Simon C. (F), simon.beeching(ti)sru.edu, Biology, WACK,
Corina L. (U)
Many fundamental questions about cetacean biology remain unanswered because of
difficulty making focused, continuous observations of free-ranging whales. To begin
addressing such questions, we collected and analyzed behavioral observations of Atlantic
coastal, migratory bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as part of an ongoing, longterm study. Free-ranging groups of bottlenose dolphins were observed by boat between
1998 and 2000 in the Wallops Island-Assateague Island region of Virginia, USA. The
occurrence of stereotypical activities (e.g. jumping, sexual behavior, etc.) was recorded,
along with group size and composition, weather and ocean conditions, and several
ecological and environmental parameters. Dolphins were first found in the study area
during late spring, and increased in both absolute numbers and group size throughout the
summer. Both group size and composition affected dolphin behavior. Several activities
(tailslap, chuff, jump, and sex) occurred significantly more often in larger groups, and in
groups containing juveniles. Our research reveals the extent of migratory dolphin use of
the Wallops Island-Assateague shallows, and reveals temporal and behavioral patterns in
dolphin group dynamics. Further, these data suggest a social, communicative function for
many dolphin activities, and provide an opportunity to test hypotheses regarding the
functional significance of some dolphin behavior. For example, the hypothesis that
chuffing represents an anti-predator response may not be consistent with the observation
that small groups are significantly less likely to chuff, and thus chuff may be a more
strictly social, communicative activity.

Abstract Form for the 2003 SRU Symposium

6

Response of Transformed Human Cells in Culture to Sodium Butyrate and
Retinoic Acid Analogs
BOSKO, REBECCA (U), rxb3 l 02@sru.edu, BIRCKBICHLER, Paul J (F),

Chemistry and Physics
Chemicals are known to have various effects on cells grown in culture. One such
chemical with a known response is sodium butyrate (NaB), which stimulates transformed
cells to revert back to a more "normal" state. Cancer cells a) do not exhibit densitydependent inhibition of growth, b) contain unusual numbers of chromosomes, c)
experience growth in circumstances where nutrients are exhausted and d) retain a
changed cell surface. Hence, we hypothesize that a cell that is altered back to a "normal
state" would lack those qualities or have them in decreasingly apparent amounts. The
objective of this study is to observe the response of transformed cells to NaB, retinoic
acid (RA) and a heteroarotinoid (I-let- I). Retinoids are analogues of Vitamin A that show
promise as pharmaceuticals for cancer and other diseases, but have limitations due to
toxicity. Heteroarotinoids, retinoids with one aromatic ring and at least one heteroatom
(0, N, or S) show significant biological activitiy and are less toxic to cells than retinoids.
Tissue trnnsglutaminase (TGase) is widely used as a marker for programmed cell
death and cellular differentiation in cells in culture. The response of transglutaminase
following exposure of cells to these chemicals will attempt to elucidate the pathway(s)
activated following exposure to the chemicals.
Cells were treated with the specific chemical or vehicle alone, allowed to grow for two
to five days, and then were assessed for cell growth, viability and TGase content. No
significant cell toxicity was seen with any of the chemicals at the concentrations utilized
( 100 µM for NaB and 20 ~tM for RA and Het-1 ). Inhibition of cell growth was seen; 4060% NaB, 20-40% RA, <10% Het 1.
TGase was quantitated in the cell using a modified ELISA assay. TGase distribution
was independent of the time of exposure to the chemicals. Eighty percent of the total
TGase was found in the soluble fraction of the homogenate following centrifugation at
8000 g for I 0 min. The amount of total TGase was elevated in the NaB cytosol fraction
two to four-fold over that seen in control cells. This would suggest that the enzyme was
either activated or new enzyme molecules were synthesized. Previous results favor the
latter possibility. TGase was elevated less in RA and J-Iet-1 ·treated cells.
Exposure to the chemicals altered cell morphology. Cells became elongated in the
treated cultures compared to control cultures. The morphological changes were less
evident in the RA-treated cultures and essentially no changes in morphology were
observed in the heteroarotinoid-treated cultures.
In summary, the information collected to date is suggestive that NaB and RA both
inhibit growth of the VA 13A transformed human embryonic cell line, but may do so by
differing pathways. Additional heteroarotinoids must be examined before a definite
conclusion can be drawn concerning their effect on this cell line.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

7

College Students' Mental Health
BOWMAN, Jonathan W. (U), da sonofpj@yahoo.com
Mental health is an important aspect of college student health and major concerns include
body image and depression. The Student Health Assessment Project is an ongoing survey
administered to students (N=2, 176) enrolled in the mandatory fitness class. Body image
was assessed from responses to questions regarding perceptions of the Stunkard Body
Image Figures. Over time ( 1996-2001 ), 2/3 of women reported some degree of body
image distortion. Initially 1/3 of men had these same body image distortions; however in
2001 the prevalence rose to -50%. Students with distorted body image reported a higher
prevalence of dieting or exercising to lose weight, while using diet pills was more
prevalent only in females. Depression was assessed in 2001 using the BECK Depression
Inventory. About 25% of students reported some degree of depression with 1/3 of
depressed males having marked depression and 1/6 of females. Although depression was
not significantly associated with body image distortion, it was correlated with gambling,
smoking and difficulties with dating, family or finances. Mental health program
implementation through peer education needs to address these issues in college
campuses.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

8

On-demand Student Grades Check Over the Web
BRANUDEEN, Shafraz (U), mxb63 l 9@sru.edu, MURTHY, Rachna (U)
TENNAKOON, Shalinda (U)
The system we have developed allows students to check their performance in class ondemand on any given day in the semester. The system will display scores for all the
quizzes, examinations, projects and any other graded class activity over a web browser.
None of our presently existing online systems provide this flexibility. Currently, the
students have the capability to check their grades only at the end of the semester.
Our system provides an easy-to-use method where the faculty does not have to make
any extra effort to publish the class grades after every quiz or exam for student access.
The instructors will upd~te their scores using Access, Excel or simple flat files. Once this
update is complete, the program will automatically make the information available to the
students. The Java programming language and Java Server Pages (JSP) were used to read
from the instructor's database and update a master database with the student grades every
day and display the information. The instructor may use Excel, Access, Oracle or any
other database system that supports ODBC connectivity, or a delimited text file. As Java
is platform independent, the program can be set up and used on Windows, Linux, Unix,
OS X and any of the their popular operating systems with little effort.
The system is comprised of a client program, a server program and a web interface
for the students. The server program will run on a central server. The client program must
be installed in the instructor's computer. It has to be setup with the scheduling program of
the operating system so that it starts up once a day to update the master database with the
latest class grade information. The instructor can also manually invoke the client program
if required. The JSP web interface over a browser allows students to access their latest
grade information over the web using secure authentication methods. Once the student is
authenticated, his/her grade information is displayed on the browser.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

9

Extreme Learning: The Geology and Geography of Newfoundland
BURKHART, Patrick A. (F), patrick.burkhart@sru.edu, Geography, Geology
and the Environment
A three-week international experimental course entitled The Geology and Geography of
Newfoundland was offered during summer 2002. This course was a profoundly effective
learning experience for the students, as reported by them and their assessment products.
Significant impact arose from the poised synergy of content and pedagogy. Extensive
internal support from SRU favored this circumstance.
The Province of Newfoundland was selected on the basis of its myriad assets for
multidisciplinary inquiry. Geographically, the windswept rock of easternmost N01ih
America has historically been a po1ial for commercial, political, and cultural transfer,
with strong European undertones remaining. This influence nearly obliterated the
legacies of earlier societies, but archaeology has magnified the vestiges of Archaic,
Beothuk and Viking peoples. Since Newfoundland federated with Canada, issues
concerning politics and natural resources remain continually debated. Visits to the
Joseph Smallwood (1'1 Premier) Museum and the UNESCO World Heritage Park at
L'anse aux Meadows provided excellent historical collections. The Trinity Pageant at the
Rising Tide Theatre portrayed a captivating series of historical reenactments depicting
two centuries of settlement, with a distinctive Newfy flavour. Geologically, the students
grew to know Iapetus, the predecessor of the modern Atlantic Ocean, by examining the
tectonic evidence that helped solidify the story of colliding super-continents for the very
first time. The seascapes, fjords, and highlands of Gros Morne and Terra Nova National
Parks, and Cape Spear displayed a vast array of landforms and rock assemblages, in
sequence across a mountain belt. In addition, the rich natural history of fisheries, forests
and wildlife was explored, with moose and whales providing excitement.
Pedagogy intended to maximize discovery was pursued. A seminar offered the
preceding spring prepared students with an appreciation of the province. Localities
selected underscored the wealth of the land and took maximum advantage of available
time. Local experts, including the renowned Appalachian tectonicist Dr. Hank Williams,
bolstered the course. Assessments, including outcrop descriptions, a field notebook, and
an exam, were crafted to challenge all students - from novice to upper-level, nascent
professionals - to gain knowledge and develop skills, and then to demonstrate their
success. Favorable logistics began with trekking to Newf'oundland, a journey akin to
driving from SRU to Ireland (but eminently closer), including two ocean-liner passages.
Many parties supported this success. Dr. Patricia Campbell, Dr. Robert Hinds, and
Dr. Jan Smith contributed substantially. Funds were provided from the Department, the
CHES and International Initiatives to make the journey affordable and to enrich
collaborations between scholars from SRU and Newfoundland.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

10

Children's and Teachers' Views on Bullying and Preferences for
Intervention Strategies
CROTHERS, Laura M. (F), laura.crothers@sru.edu, Counseling and

Educational Psychology
Bullying is a significant form of school violence that should be recognized as a serious
problem by educators because of its prevalence and pernicious effects. Victims of
bullying are vulnerable to sho1i- and long-term problems such as depression, low selfesteem, anxiety, and difficulty establishing interpersonal relationships. The best practice
in addressing bullying problems in schools includes a systemic effoti of assessment,
prevention, and intervention. However, no previous study has examined students' and
teachers' preferences for intervention strategies.
Two hundred-eighty-five middle school students were surveyed through the Bullying
Intervention Survey (BIS), developed by the primary researcher to assess the incidence of
bullying, the frequency of teacher intervention, the incidence of children's requests to
teachers for assistance, children's ratings of the helpfulness of anti-bullying intervention
strategies, and children's preferences for interventions that educators could use when
students are being bullied.
Data suggested that there are significant differences based upon children's grade level
in how often students perceived teachers as being assistive when bullying occurred, how
frequently children asked for help from teachers when bullying occurred, and how
helpful students found various anti-bullying interventions. There were also significant
differences based upon sex regarding the helpfulness of anti-bullying interventions, and
significant differences based upon sex and grade level in the selection of the most popular
three intervention strategies.
Thiliy-seven middle school teachers were administered a modified version of the BIS,
and a stratified random sampling procedure was used with the entire teaching faculty to
identify teachers for the interviewing procedures. The results indicate that teachers are
more likely to perceive bullying intervention and prevention strategies as effective than
are students. There were also some differences in what strategies teachers and students
preferred.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

11

Violence and Technology: Video Games and Simulated Training
CROUSHORE, Rebecca E. (U), rec7518@sru.edu
Virtual reality technology has been one of the up and coming innovations, but not all of
its beginning stages have been in the public scene. The military had begun utilizing
virtual products, in the form of fight reproduction, mock tank expeditions, and ship
simulation. These programs help prepare our service men and women understand the
aspects of battle. The entertainment community is also expanding their use of computer
graphics to produce the most action packed movies ever anticipated, and the video game
industry has been following right behind in their footsteps, generating technologically
layered games. Today all of these advancements have impacted society some for the
better, and some have had a negative impact. Virtual technology has given us an
abundance of entertainment possibilities, and it has also helped us develop a bettertrained military. Yet is it really possible that technology can be teaching men and women
how to successfully defeat a deadly enemy, and at the same time provide entertainment
for our growing teens?
The United States Army utilizes numerous training devices that are virtual, helping
service men and women get a better understanding of their requirements for upcoming
missions. The basic underlining element each program provides is the ability to put the
user in mission situations, using various 30 pictures, self-images, and real life weapons,
so that a set task can be practiced, becoming second nature. There are hundreds of video
games created each year for people of all ages, along with new and high tech equipment
to run them. Hours upon hours of so-called entertainment are provided by these games
for people of all ages because of their realistic appeal, challenging levels, and graphic
interfacing.
After completing an in-depth look at these two areas, it is clear that they have many
similarities. Unfortunately our growing teens do not need an entertainment product that is
teaching them war tactics. Studies have shown that time spent on games of this nature
creates an elevated violent nature in adolescents. We as a society depend on the youth, so
we cannot ignore this connection. It is our responsibility as parents, friends, family, and a
society to regulate and protect the adolescents from violence.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

12

Development of Sustainable Progress Indicators for Slippe~ Rock .
University: Toward a Better Understanding of Our Ecological Footprmt

DOHERTY, Steven (F), HARMAN, Joanne (G), harmanjm@hotmail.com,
SHANNON, Andrea (G), Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education.
As part of a Campus Sustainability Initiative, a framework and database are being
developed for tracking campus activities and programs, to identify areas in need of
improvement, to facilitate recommendations, and to communicate progress to the campus
community. Research into other campus greening initiatives identifies activities, benefits
and management approaches relevant to the campus greening process at SRU. These
initiatives demonstrate that the greening of a campus requires representation and
participation from the full university community. Furthermore, they have resulted in
multiple substantial benefits, in tenns of education, economics, prestige, campus qualityof-life, and environmental protection.
A set of Sustainable Progress Indicators serves to: better track campus activities and
efforts supporting campus greening, standardize accounts and streamline monitoring,
communicate progress to the campus community, compare our efforts w/ other
universities, and facilitate recommendations and support change. Environmental audits
using various indicators are undertaken to target specific programs and infrastructure for
conservation upgrades and redesign. Data collected allow for calculations of how much
biologically productive land and water is required on a continuous basis to produce all
goods consumed and assimilate the wastes generated by the university. This is the
concept and computation of the Ecological Footprint and provides a pedagogic tool for
communicating consumption and waste habits.
Indicator categories include: energy and water use; land and resource management;
stewardship; waste production, recycle, reduction; procurement; planning, construction,
maintenance of buildings; transportation; and food consumption and dietary options.
Specific data are collected for each indicator. For example, information needed for the
energy category may include: total and per capita energy consumption, resultant C02
emissions, yearly and seasonal consumption rates, sources of energy and type/quantity of
fuel used, consumption per building, current and past use and conservation. Preliminary
water indicators are: total and per capital consumption, waste water and sewage treatment
and disposal methods, hydrological patterns of SRU land, ground and surface water
quality and pollution sources. Solid waste management data includes: total volume and
weight of solid waste generated, type of generated waste, recycling efforts (type and
quantity), and paper consumption.
The UN Global Reporting Initiative is used as standard for records and units. The
Pen_n St~te Indicators report and other campus greening reports serve as protocol. This
project ts funded by the Sustainable Energy Fund of Allegheny/West Penn Power. Here,
we report on initial. findings and data collection efforts. By first exploring internal
operations and creatmg change on campus, Slippery Rock University can become a
model for other institutions and communities in the region.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

13

Defining and Analyzing Advocacy Behaviors of School Counselors
FIELD, Julaine E. (F), julaine.field@sru.edu, Counseling and Educational
Psychology.
Advocacy is an essential component of a comprehensive, developmental school
counseling program. To further enhance the deliberateness of the counseling profession's
advocacy agenda, this study used qualitative and quantitative methods to define
advocacy, identify desirable advocacy behaviors, and explore how advocacy is
operationalized among school counselors.
Using six
Qualitative data was collected during two focus group interviews.
structured interview questions, the groups examined how nine high school counselors
currently define and operationalize advocacy. Using a constant comparative method,
themes were identified for each of the six interview questions. Many themes suggest that
school counselors actively engage in advocacy behaviors on behalf of students and
student groups; however, school counselors are unfortunately still being forced to
advocate for the viability of their unique position in an educational setting. Other themes
speak to the importance of how school counselors are trained to be advocates as well as
personal qualities of the school counselors, which foster advocacy beliefs and behaviors.
Quantitative data was collected by administering both a demographic questionnaire
and the Field Helping Behavior Scale (FHBS) (2000) to ninety-one elementary, middle,
and high school counselors in three counties. The FHBS was created by the researcher as
no instrument exists that attempts to measure advocacy behaviors of counselors.
The FHBS (2000) is a self-report instrument consisting of twenty-five advocacy
behaviors and a like1t scale with five anchors (I representing "Never" exhibiting a certain
behavior, 2 representing "Seldom", 3 representing "Occasionally", 4 representing
"Frequently", and 5 representing "Always" exhibiting a certain behavior). Therefore,
means closest to 5 represent the advocacy behaviors that are most often exhibited by
these school counselors. The mean for all participants for all twenty-five behaviors is
4.09 with a standard deviation of 0.38. Cronbach's Alpha revealed a reliability
coefficient of 0.875, which is based on the average inter-item correlation (N=91
participants, N=25 items). Counselors with more (6 or more) or less (5 or less) years of
experience were compared to examine any difference in the frequency of advocacy
behaviors based on years of work experience. School counselors with six or more years
of experience were found to demonstrate advocacy behaviors on a more frequent basis
that counselors with less (5 or less) years of experience.
Exploratory factor analysis completed with the FHBS (2000) revealed two factors.
The advocacy behaviors found suggest that counselors may hold particular advocacy
beliefs and that counselors demonstrate advocacy behaviors based on these beliefs.
In conclusion, this study provides a broader context for defining counselor advocacy
as well as understanding some of the dynamics of specific advocacy behaviors that are
used by current school counselors.

-SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

14

Evolution of Entrainment Mechanisms Producing the Debris Tails
Associated with Translating Supraglacial Clasts, Matanuska Glacier, Alaska
FISHEL, Danielle R. (U), dxf2905@sru.edu, BURKHART, Patrick (F),
Geography, Geology and the Environment, ENSIMINGER, Staci (F),
Northwest Missouri State University
This Research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation at the Matanuska
Glacier, Alaska, where two previous studies were conducted at a REU field site to
investigate translation of supraglacial clasts. While insights were developed regarding
clast rotation and translation phenomena, the development of fine to medium grained
debris tails behind translating clasts remained enigmatic. Translation of clasts across the
ice surface occurred in a southwesterly direction near the Matunuska's terminus at a rate
of 5 cm/d. The clast movement resulted from ice pedestals melting preferentially on the
sunny side (SW), tilting the pedestal, and triggering clast slippage when oversteepened
beyond the angle of repose. Translating clasts are associated with a concentrated linear
pile of sediment, referred to as debris tails, which trace past locations. Multiple working
hypotheses were designed to evaluate the source of sediment within these debris tails.
Three potential entrainment mechanisms include (1) incorporation of up-ice sediment by
sheet wash, (2) in-situ production of debris by spallation of the cobble or boulder, or (3)
debris incorporation by clast over-ride. Experimental plots were designed to test for each
proposed source. Three weeks of observations and measurements were completed,
demonstrating the genesis of debris tails by incorporation from sheet wash and clast override. Nine debris tails revealed over-ride, while three displayed entrainment by sheet
wash. No evidence for spallation was observed. The significance of this study lies in the
realization that multiple supraglacial processes contribute to the formation of debris tails
behind translating supraglacial clasts.

I

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

15

Effect of Heteroarotinoids on Growth and Transglutaminase Activity in
Two Human Erythroleukemia Cell Lines
FOX, Susan (U), smf739l@sru.edu, WEINSCHENK, Sarah (U),
BIRCKBICHLER, Paul J. (F), Chemistry and Physics
Retinoids are analogues of Vitamin A that show promise as pharmaceuticals for cancer
and other diseases, but have limitations due to toxicity. Heteroarotinoids, retinoids with
one aromatic ring and at least one heteroatom (0, N, or S) show significant biological
activity and are less toxic to cells than retinoids.
Tissue transglutaminase (TGase) is widely used as a marker for programmed cell
death and cellular differentiation in cells in culture. In previous studies, we observed that
both pathways might be operable in human embryonic lung fibroblasts after exposure to
sodium butyrate. In a separate study, we found that treating human erythroleukemia cells
with IO~tm all-trans-retinoic acid resulted in cell differentiation accompanied by a 9-fold
increase in TGase activity. However, we could demonstrate no evidence of programmed
cell death in these cells. These observations suggest the impmiance of TGase in more
than one functional pathway in cells. To further elucidate the role of TGase and the
biological activity of heteroarotinoids in erythroleukemia cells, HEL cells and K562 cells
were examined for their response to heteroarotinoids.
Cells were treated with a specific chemical (all-trans-retinoic acid or heteroarotinoid)
or vehicle alone, allowed to grow for two days, and then were assessed for growth rate,
viability and TGase. In both cell lines, all the heteroarotinoids inhibited cell growth, but
to varying degrees. Overall, HEL cells had a higher percent of control and less growth
inhibition than in K562 cells. In K562 cells, none of the heteroarotinoids demonstrated
cell toxicity greater than 9% at the concentration used in the studies (IO~tM). In the HEL
cells, a much greater toxicity was seen, up to 34%. In both cases, the toxicity was less
than growth inhibition, so we can infer that the heteroarotinoids inhibit cell growth in
both line to a greater extent than killing cells that are already present.
With but a few exceptions, the heteroarotinoids successfully increased TGase in the
cells. Previous studies on the K562 cell line showed a 2-4 fold increase in TGase activity
in cells treated with heteroarotinoids. Studies on HEL cells also showed a significant
increase after treatments. The exact meclrnnism(s) of activation of the TGase system
remains to be elucidated.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

16

A Laboratory Methodology for the Identification of Selected Phenolic
Substances
FUNADA, Ryoko (U), rxf6868@sru.edu, BORSARI, Bruno (F), Parks and
Recreation/Environmental Education, KEFELI, Valentine, Biomost Inc.,
Cranberry, PA 16066
Our work illustrates the opportunities offered by paper chromatography techniques to
isolate and to identify various groups of organic molecules from leaf-water extracts of
common tree species. The dry leaves of four different trees (maple, apple, willow and
sumac) were collected in early fall and macerated in tap water for a week. The four water
extracts were used to perform paper chromatography using Whatman #I paper, in 5%
acetic acid.
The solvent (CH 3COOH) facilitated molecule separation. The
chromatograms were initially exposed to ammonia (NH3) fumes (27%) for five minutes
and they were dried out prior to begin any fin1her investigation under UV-B light, at
320nm. Three groups of phenolic substances were clearly identified by the color stains
they developed on the chromatogram paper. These were flavonoids, oxycoumarins and
phenolic acids. The position of each colored stain was determined through the calculation
of each R.F. The second phase of our study consisted in treating the same
chromatograms with a concentrated baking soda (NaHC0 3) solution. Flavonoids are
identified on the chromatogram due to a yellow stain they develop. This became clearly
visible when the chromatogram was exposed to ammonia and to UV-B 1ight. The
exposure to soda determines a color change of the same stain to bright yellow. The R.F.
for this group of organic molecules is low (<0.3). Oxycoumarins develop a bright blue
stain when exposed to ammonia, while there is no apparent reaction due to soda
exposure. The R.F. ranges between 0.4 and 0.6. Phenolic acids develop stains of blue, or
yellow colors under UV-B light and their R.F is normally high (0.7-0.9). We conclude
that both treatments may accurately separate phenolic substances. However, being more
volatile ammonia (NH3) does not appear to posses the capability to preserve the integrity
of the paper chromatogram stains in the long-term, whereas soda (NaHC0 3 ) is efficient to
fix phenolics for longer periods of time.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

17

A Soil Feasibility Study for Establishing a Riparian Vegetated Buffer Strip
on the Slippery Rock University Campus
GAUGER, Michele L. (G), gaumich@hotmail.com, BORSARI, Bruno (F),
Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education
Environmental stewardship for today's colleges and universities involves examining
many facets of campus operations and management. Campus landscapes can be an
excellent context in which to demonstrate ecological principles and benefits of increasing
biodiversity. This research evaluated potential use of a riparian vegetated buffer strip
(VBS) to improve existing storm water drainage on campus. Earlier this fall
comprehensive soil sampling and testing was conducted surrounding the Union pond, an
area approximately 20 feet by l 0 feet to investigate feasibility of a VBS establishment.
Soil tests showed a pH level of6.4, which is in the ideal soil fertility range of6.0-7.0.
Elevated levels of sulfates, chlorides and iron were also noted, possibly due to runoff
from surrounding parking lots. Humus levels were low due to low amounts of organic
matter being added to the soil and management practices. Other macro and micronutrient
levels were acceptable for this clay soil type.
Creation of a l 0 to 20 meter wide buffer strip using native grasses, shrubs and trees
would be ideal for this area. Use of perennial, native plant communities, mulches, and
aeration techniques, as part of a comprehensive soil management plan, may fu1iher
enhance hydrologic and ecological functioning as beneficial soil builders. Grasses such as
switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), riverbank
wildrye (Elymus riparius), and eastern gammagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) are good
species for their dense rooting mats that stabilize surrounding soils. Other beneficial
species include woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus), red top (Agrostis alba), creeping bentgrass
(Agrostis stolonifera), giant bur reed (Sparganium curycarpum), green bulrush (Scirpus
atrovirens), monkey flower (Mimulus ringens), and showy tickseed sunflower (Bidens
aristosa).
Using riparian zones by planting diverse VBS can have multiple benefits for the
ecosystem. Primary objectives of the buffer strips for this system include stream bank
stabilization, improvements to soil and water quality, decreased pollutant loads, and
habitat provisions. Buffer strips planted with various native species have been shown to
help control erosion, improve water quality and above ground biodiversity, while also
aiding in nutrient cycling. All of these benefits improve overall soil characteristics in the
area and enhance system functioning and services.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

18

Forest Stewardship Strategy and Biological Assessment for
Slippery Rock University Forest Properties
GAUGER, Michele (G), gaumich@hotmail.com, DOHERTY, Steven J. (F),

Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education, CETERA, Frank (G)
In 1990, the U.S Bureau of Forestry created the Forest Stewardship Program, to focus on
private forestland owners, as stewardship forests are not only managed for their timber
value, but multiple resource use including conservation, recreation, and education.
Stewardship of university forest properties are important resources supporting increasing
demands for educational and recreational opportunities and as a potential income source.
This research focused on three university properties that have no written management
plan. Forests include a portion (approximately 33 acres) of the 83-acre homestead of the
Robert A. Macoskey Center. This area encompasses an old-field successional forest
composed mainly of black cherry (Prunus serotina) and red maple (Acer rubrum) and an
old orchard area dominated by hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and black cherry. Other
properties include 42 acres in along Wolf Creek, known as the Miller Tract, site of a past
maple sugaring operation, and approximately 60 acres of oak (Quercus spp.) woods at the
Old Stone House near the intersection of Routes 8 and 173.
Research focused on tree and seedling community inventories to evaluate current
forest health and other site evaluations that will aid in strategizing stewardship plans for
each property. Forest surveys were conducted on 55 sample plots. Tree and seedling
density and tree basal area were collected. Forest characterizations and data analysis is
completed in Excel software. Timber stand data is analyzed using a public database
software, SILVAH, available from USDA Forest Service, and adapted for Allegheny
Hardwoods, Oak management prototypes.
Results indicate that 2 tree species (black cherry and red maple) are co-dominants
ubiquitous in all woodlots irrespective of past land-use and current plant community
associations. Limited advanced regeneration (seedling types and densities) indicate poor
regrowth potential of SRU forests, leading perhaps to a dominance of poor quality and
less valuable species. Factors contributing to a low species richness and a lack of
regeneration under current canopy conditions likely include deer impact on seedling
survival, typically even-aged stands, and limited management.
These properties are part of dynamic mixed mesophytic forests in the eastern
deciduous forest system, composed of 60-100 year old trees created from past logging,
fires, and agricultural abandonment. Management plans for each forest will assess their
present condition, list recommendations based on goals of the landowners, consider
silvicultural practices, and create a multiple resource methodology. Comprehensive,
coordinated, and ecologically informed management is important today as public
resources are increasingly impacted, misused, or depleted. This project is funded by an
Environmental Mini-Grant from the Butler County Planning Commission.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

19

Three Detectives, Three Approaches
GORMAN, Anita G. (F), anita.gorman@sru.edu, Slippery Rock University
Mystery writers often create and assure their fame, if only for a short time, by creating
memorable detectives, who use either physical strength or psychological analysis or
scientific expertise or some combination of various qualities to solve crimes to the
satisfaction of the astute reader. I have had occasion to research the lives and work of
three twentieth-century American mystery writers. The first essay, on Davis Dresser, has
been published in American Hard-Boiled Crime Writers (Gale, 2000); the other essays,
on Helen McCloy and Ralph Mclnemy, are in the hands of an editor. Each of these
writers has created a famous detective. Davis Dresser, using the pseudonym of Brett
Halliday, fashioned a tough, physical, daring private investigator, Michael Shayne. Helen
McCloy created the first detective whose day job was that of psychiatrist. Ralph
Mclnemy continues to write mysteries featuring Fr. Roger Dowling, priest and accidental
detective. Dresser's goal was to provide entertainment, McCloy's to combine
ente1iainment with psychological complexity. For Mclnemy, the Fr. Dowling novels
achieve the twin classic purposes of literature: to delight and to teach, in this case to
explore moral and theological perspectives.
Michael Shayne, who first appeared in 1935, is a smart, likable private investigator
with a taste for cognac who uses his brains and physical strength more often than his gun.
He flirts with illegality to find criminals, and he does his work for the love of the hunt as
well as for payment.
Helen McCloy, Davis Dresser's second wife, created a different sort of detective in
psychiatrist Basil Willing, who uses his insights into human behavior and misbehavior to
unmask criminals; for example, "whenever you lied," he tells one culprit, "you told the
truth, for the creative imagination must always suggest the true emotional state of the
creator." In a 1955 essay, McCloy complained that suspense novels did not get the status
or critical attention they deserved. With the Basil Willing stories, McCloy tTied to raise
the level of detective fiction to a somewhat higher level than her husband had done with
his Mike Shayne novels; she believed that the mystery could be as well written as any
other novel.
Ralph Mclnemy does not seem to have any illusions about the genre of detective
fiction. All of imaginative literature, Mclnerny asserts, has to do with people making
choices that either strengthen or weaken character; we "instinctively tum to imaginative
reenactments of human action for some sense of what it all means." Detective fiction
accomplishes this goal on what Mclnerny calls "a fairly superficial level," yet Roger
Dowling, through his vocation, ponders both the mysteries oflife and its cosmic Mystery.
Basil Willing ponders human behavior; Mike Shayne ponders nothing except the puzzle
at hand.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

20

Open Forum on Enron
GRIERSON, Peter (F), Reter.grierson@sru.edu, ZULAUF, Lori (F),

lori.zulauf@sru.edu, School of Business
The recent bankruptcy of Enron provides many opportunities for learning in all business
disciplines. Beyond the obvious questions, such as "How could a company as large as
Enron fail?" and "Why did Arthur Andersen not provide adequate assurance?" lies a host
of additional equally interesting questions. Why did external financial analysts not detect
problems earlier? Could the SEC and other regulators have done more to bring problems
to light? Why was Sherron Watkins a lone voice in asking for an explanation?
Beyond the immediate Enron debacle lie additional questions. How can we detect
other companies in similar difficulty? What changes can we expect in accounting and
auditing standards? What changes have occurred or can we expect in the oversight of
businesses and auditors?
This paper will provide a timeline of Enron developments, an analysis of the above
questions, and additional discussion questions and teaching resources to foster critical
thinking in the classroom.

------~--

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SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

21

Gender Differences in the Symptomatology of MI and Time Delay Intervals
in the ED
HOISINGTON-GILMORE, Sharon (G), glgilmore@adelphia.net
Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the most common cause of death

in the United States for both men and women. Each year, I.I million Americans are
expected to have a new or recurrent cardiac event. Men and women share most risk
factors for CAD, however, the risk factors do not always affect them in the same ways.
Women also have unique factors affecting CAD such as estrogen levels and menopause.
Chest pain (CP) is the primary sign of CAD and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in
both men and women. Aside from CP, other signs and symptoms of CAD and AMI often
differ between the genders. In addition, women tend to develop CAD at a later age than
men and are reported to delay longer in seeking treatment.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not men and women
reported different symptoms when presenting with AMI and to see if there was any
difference in time delay when reporting for treatment and between time of ED arrival and
initiation of MI protocol. This study was an extension of a study done by Heasley
(200 I).
Method:

A retrospective chart review was done on 150 patients that had a discharge
diagnosis of MI. The patients were treated at a rural, community, teaching hospital in
north central Pennsylvania. A Data Collection Sheet was used to note presenting
symptoms, time from onset of symptoms to time of reporting for treatment, and time
from presentation at the ED to initiation of MI protocol.
Data Analysis: Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The chi-square was computed
for differences in symptom presentation. The t-test was used to compute differences in
delay time and MI protocol initiation. A significant difference was found between men
and women in symptom presentation. Men experienced chest pain 77% of the time
whereas women experienced chest pain and dyspnea in equal frequency at 54% of the
time. Both men and women experienced nausea about equally. Men reported more
diaphoresis and women reported left arm pain, tachycardia, and diaphoresis about
equally. In men and women who reported to the ED within 12 hours, there was no
statistically significant difference in time delay in reporting for treatment. There was,
however, a statistically significant difference in time intervals between men and women
in the initiation of MI protocol in the ED.

11

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

22

Identification of Functional Stability Limits During Reaching Tasks
HOLBEIN-JENNY, Mary Ann (F), maryann.holbein@sru.edu, STINSON,
Amber (G), BECHTEL, Matthew (G), ELMER, John (G), NIEDERKLEIN,
Ryan (G), RICHARDSON, Traci (G), School of Physical Therapy
Many physical therapy tools have been developed to identify whether an individual is at
risk for falling, but these tools do not address how to design a task to minimize that risk.
Ergonomic tools assist in designing safer tasks, but stability analyses are not typical
components of ergonomic analyses. Although a few researchers have addressed stability
issues in ergonomic evaluations, the approach has been limited to a biomechanical
implementation of the static equilibrium principle. In addition, experimental results have
not provided evidence that this approach is sufficient for stability modeling.
The Functional Stability Region (FSR) model was introduced in 1993. The FSR is
that portion of the theoretical maximum base of support within which individuals can
control their balance. Several investigations have attempted to locate the FSR under
various conditions. However, the accuracy of these results and the practicality of the
experimental conditions tested needed to be improved. The purpose of this investigation
was to more accuracy define the FSR for more realistic reaching tasks.
Forty-seven adult males and females volunteered. They stood on a 40 cm x 60 cm
force plate with feet either a comfortable width apart or spread apart length- and widthwise as far as the force plate would allow. Participants leaned as far as possible, either
forward, backward, right or left diagonally. They held either an eight-pound or an empty
bar with either one or both hands at either waist height or just overhead. The center of
pressure identified by the force plate data was used to locate their FSR. A total of 96
trials were collected for each participant for a total of 4,512 trials. Repeated measures
ANOVA and post hoc paired t-tests were used to investigate the effects of foot
placement, lean direction, load weight, height and number of hands used (a=0.05).
Preliminary analysis indicates that, as expected, previous reports of the FSR were
overestimates. Averaged over all experimental conditions, the FSR was 73%, meaning
that participants could control their balance when leaning 73% of the way to their base of
s~pport limit in any particular direction. The FSR was significantly higher when stepping
nght or left compared to feet placed a comfortable width apart (86% and 67%
respectively). The direction of the lean also significantly affected the FSRs. Leaning
right or left resulted in larger FSRs (79%) compared to leaning foiward (62%) or
backward (60%). No other experimental conditions significantly affected the FSL.
As expected, these results do not agree with previous estimates of the FSR. Other
stability modeling approaches that assume the theoretical maximum can be reached are
overestimating an individual's capabilities and possibly placing that person at risk of a
fall.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

23

Use of Mediated and Interpersonal Channels of Communication in Response
to 9/11/01
HORVATH, Cary Wecht (F), cary.horvath@sru.edu, Communication, STEP,
Mary M., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44210,

FINUCANE, Margaret 0., John Carroll University, University Hts.,
OH 44118
Although we know media dependency is heightened during a crisis situation, we know
little about how interpersonal channels of communication are used. We surveyed 251
adults within one week of September 11, 2001 to fmd out more about the use and
connection between mediated and interpersonal communication channels during a
disaster. Three major topics were studied, emotional responses to media (primarily
television) coverage, coviewing the coverage, and motives for interpersonal
communication in response to media coverage.
In assessing emotional and behavioral responses to the events, four general story
features were associated with people's emotional responses: the actual crash/collapse,
magnitude of the devastation (e.g., numbers of people killed), empathic responses (e.g.,
bravery of the rescuers), and security violation (e.g., shock that enemies would do this).
In response, most people first experienced intense levels of surprise that evolved into
interest or sadness. We also asked people what their emotions motivated them to think or
do that day. Responses included: heavy television viewing, interpersonal connection,
prayer, patriotic activities, elaboration, helping others, and cessation of normal activities.
People watch television with others for purposes such as co-constructing a shared
reality, learning, and affiliating with others. Seventy percent of our sample reported coviewing on 9/11, for five primary reasons: the person was in close proxinuty, to share the
stressful situation, to feel more secure, to reinforce the reality of the events, and for
tension release. These functions underscore the crisis experience as a shared support
situation. Pa1ticipants reported the co-viewing as an opportunity to discuss the events.
Conversations focused on reducing uncertainty, personal safety, the future, the possibility
of war, sharing emotions, and to talk about the victims of the days' events.
Descriptive statistics and content analysis revealed that 70% of the sample relied on
network television or cable for information about the event. Although 42% of the sample
could not pinpoint the exact number of hours they watched, another 40% watched
between 5 and 14 hours on 9/11/01. Use of the telephone (72.5%) and motivation to
contact fanlily (69. 7%) were dominant, whereas face-to-face communication (27 .1 % ),
email (12.7%), and motivation to contact friends (21.9%), co-workers (6.4%), or others
(2.8%) were less so. Six major motives for interpersonal contact emerged: affection
(most frequently reported), information-seeking, sharing/bonding, inclusion, informationgiving, and relaxation/tension relief. Importantly, we found that the traditional typology
of interpersonal communication motives insufficient to explain responses in this specific
crisis situation.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

24

Stratigraphic Correlation of Paleosols to Refine the Classifications of Sod
Tables, Badlands National Park, South Dakota
JAHN, Michael Andrew (U), maj4168(@,sru.edu, BURKHAR.T, Patrick,
LIVINGSTON, Jack, HEFFRON, Erin, VANDYNE, Ashley, ANDERSON,
Melia, ERNEY, Bradley, BOYER, Amy, SHULER, Laura, Geology,
Geography and the Environment, Slippery Rock University, 107 Spotts World
Culture, Slippery Rock, PA 16057
Segriff et al. (2001) suggested that difficulties in categorizing geomorphic sequences of
sod tables in the White River Badlands could be surmounted by stratigraphic techniques,
including magnetic susceptibility and radiocarbon dating of paleosols in Quaternary
colluvial-a!luvial deposits. We undertook these tasks with field work in May 2002 and
subsequent lab analyses. Magnetic susceptibility is being used for identification of
distinctive paleosols for radiocarbon dating. These paleosols can then be used as marker
beds for correlation among sod tables. Ultimately, classification of sod tables is
envisioned to be useful for paleoclimatic reconstruction for the region, as they represent a
vestige of transitions between episodes of net aggradation vs. degradation of fans.
Our research team consists of seven undergraduates and two professors from Slippery
Rock University. We described and sampled nine sod tables from three localities in the
park. Along the Old North East Road, five soil profiles were described, within which
three horizons were identified as potential correlating paleosols. Two of the conelating
paleosols were found in two separate profiles. Profile depths ranged from 45 to 122 cm.
South of Saddle Pass, three exposures were profiled, revealing three potential paleosols.
One of the potential paleosols is exposed along all three profiles, while another is present
in two profiles. Profile depths ranged from 131 to 297 cm. Along the Loop Road
entrance from Cactus Flats, one 141 cm profile contained no paleosols.
We are seeing a relationship between magnetic susceptibility signatures that are
consistent with the presence of paleosols. These results will guide the selection of
samples for radiocarbon dating. Absolute dating ofpaleosols will then begin to constrain
the timing of fan development and enhance the ability to classify and correlate the many
generations of sod tables visible within the park.

1
}

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

25

Risky Health Behaviors Among College Students
KOENIG, Krissy L. (U), krissykoenig@hotmail.com
Alcohol and tobacco use and sexual behavior remain as major campus health indicators.
The Student Health Assessment Project (SHAP) surveyed students enrolled in a
mandatory fitness course. The purpose of this report is to examine trends in these
behaviors from 1996 to 2001 with 2, 176 students surveyed. Repo1ied prevalence of
drinking remained stable, ranging from 74% - 85%. Prevalence of binge drinking
dropped slightly (75% - 63% males; 61 % - 50% females). Smoking prevalence remained
consistent (25%), however, the prevalence of "trying to quit" increased dramatically
among males (42% to 75%) and modestly among females (50%-66%). Among sexually
active students, <25% used condoms every time they had intercourse. Although drinking
was correlated to sexual activity, in 2001 fewer students than in previous years reported
regretting having sex when drinking, decreasing from 12% to 6% in females and 21 % to
12% in males. While the declines in binge drinking and increase in smokers wanting to
quit have been positive, there is a continuing need for interventions to facilitate
continuation of these trends to achieve Healthy Campus 20 I0 goals.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

26

An Ecological Approach in Controlling Unwanted Dandelion (Taraxacum
officinalis, L.) Populations at Slippery Rock University Campus
LEMLEY, Connie (G), cxl0356@sru.edu, GAUGER, Michele (G),
PRESSMAN, Andrew (G), LEFEVRE, Christina (G), HOUSE, Heather (G),
BORSARI, Bruno (F), Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education
Management of unwanted vegetation often demands the application of broad spectrum
and systemic herbicides. This approach however, may compromise environmental health
and ecological stability due to the transformation and translocation of these synthetic
molecules and their derivatives through the soil system. Alternative approaches to soil
management support the theory that unwanted plant species may often serve as indicators
of soil quality. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to measure soil nutrient levels,
organic matter and pH, in order to provide an explanation for the pattern of dandelion
growth and distribution (Taraxacum officinalis, L.) that was observed in the quad at SRU
in April 2002. Six stations were chosen at a distance of 50 meters apart, from the lowest
to the highest point in the quad. Along the same path (309 m.), 36 stations had been
considered to count dandelion inflorescences within a I meter squared frame. Soil
topography showed a 4% slope, which promotes topsoil erosion and later sedimentation
in lower zones of the quad. A correlation of soil pH and dandelion inflorescence data
indicated that the number of dandelions and soil pH were significantly related, r=-0.58,
n=6, p feasible, as monitoring soil pH and correcting it when necessary with calcium based
products could effectively control dandelion populations on lawns. Thus, management of
unwanted vegetation often demands the application of broad spectrum and systemic
herbicides, but this investigation explored a less toxic alternative.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

27

Sod Table Delineation and Paleosurface Reconstruction in Badlands
National Park, South Dakota

LIVINGSTON, Jack. (F), Geography, Geology, and Environment, HEFFRON,
Erin J. (U), exh9 l l 2@sru.edu, BURKHART, Patrick A. (F), Geography,
Geology, and Environment
A preliminary investigation as to the location and distribution of sod tables in the White
River Badlands of South Dakota will be conducted using GIS analysis. In May of 2002,
representative sod tables that appeared to be part of a sequence were identified and
described (GPS point location, major and minor axis points, and stratigraphy), and
samples of paleosols were taken. Preliminary research suggests that groups of sod tables
can be correlated using stratigraphic descriptions as well as absolute dates from the
paleosols. We will use air photographs to determine and map the present extent of the sod
tables in the Key Hole Pass area. The map will serve as the basis of a GIS database for
the research project as a whole, and will be used to further evaluate the sod tables as to
relationship and source. Our goal is to compile enough data through future fieldwork,
remotely sensed data, and GIS analysis to reconstruct the paleosurface, which is believed
to be a sequence of alluvial-colluvial fans.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

28

Classification of Practical Uncertainties Created by Either Unascertained or
Accurate Information
MAHMOOD, Adnan (U), axm5383@sru.edu, PATEL, Narendra (U), LIN, Yi
(F), Mathematics, ZAIMI, Genti (U)
In tenns of accurate forecasting, such as weather forecast or financial market prediction,
failures have been the main part of life. The reason for such dismal outcomes is due in
large part to the invalidity of the known mathematics, especially the so-called
information theory.
Our research focuses on discerning finding out the theoretical reason why the
scientific community has failed to achieve better and more timely predictions with
desired accuracy, considering the state of art of the modem science and technology. As
the first step of our effort, it has been found that the concept of information itself, which
is the backbone of all mathematical theories on predictions, is not well formulated.
Consequently, the theories and practice are not developed upon a solid foundation.
Through several years of focused research, we reformulated the concept of
information so that all known types of information and consequent uncertainties can be
rigoriously classified. These types of information and uncertainties include: gray,
stochastic, unascertained, fuzzy, and rough information and their uncertainties. Based on
our formulation and classification, it is expected that a unified information theory, which
will have a potential to produce more accurate and more timely predictions in real-life,
will be forthcoming in the near future. Also, if one considers the economic loss and
human casualties resulted from current failures of weather forecasts, and potential
economic gain and development benefited from our study, the significance of our work
will not be overlooked.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

29

Purple Martin Roosts: Does a Sustainable Future Exist?
MAYNARD, Kate P. (U), katepmaynard@hotmail.com
Purple martins are prodigious insectivores from the swallow family. Humans provide
most, if not all, of the nesting habitat for the species of purple martins common in the
eastern United States. After nesting, purple martins roost for several weeks, storing
energy for the return trip to their wintering grounds in Brazil.
According to the Purple Martin Conservation Association there are approximately
fo1ty areas in the United States that provide all of the essential roosting qualities for
purple martins. The invasive cattail islands in Presque lsle Bay of Lake Erie are one of
the largest martin roosting sites in the northern United States: over 50,000 purple martins
from a radius of250 miles roost there on a typical summer evening. The location of these
islands in the shallow headwaters of Presque Isle Bay provides three basic roosting
requirements: warm water temperatures which keep nighttime air temperatures elevated,
a veritable smorgasbord of insects upon which to feed, and a wide open area which
prevents predation.
Conservationists have concerns that any detriment to the limited number of roosting
sites could significantly dwindle martin populations. The data gathered from the Presque
Isle site, as well as information from other documented roosting locations, will be
analyzed with geographic information system applications to determfoe why these areas
are the only sites in the country used for purple martin roosting. Other United States
locations with similar attributes will be considered as possible roosting sites for purple
martins along with examination of why they are not currently being utilized.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

30

A Study of Energy Use at the Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems
Education and Research: Social Costs, Ecological Impacts, and Sustainable
Energy Solutions
McDONALD, Andy (G), REYNOLDS, Thomas J. (S),
thomas.reynolds@sru.edu, Macoskey Center
The manner in which energy is currently produced and consumed has ecological and
social consequences, ranging from acid rain and climate change to societal conflicts for
control over petroleum reserves. Approaching sustainability requires a dramatic shift in
our patterns of energy use, and the development of renewable, non-polluting sources.
This shift entails social and technological change leading to a net decrease in energy
consumption, and the further development and use of renewable energy systems.
This project focused on interpreting information relating to regional and local energy
generation and usage, the corresponding ecological impacts, and proposed solutions for
reducing and/or remediating these impacts. The Macoskey Center was used as a case
study for auditing energy usage from electricity and heating. The audit was based on 12
years of meter data from the utility provider, measurements of power consumption by
portable electricity monitor of individual devices, calculations based on manufacturer
power ratings, and best estimates of device usage based on interviews with facility users.
This data was used to produce a profile of the ecological and social costs associated with
energy use at the Macoskey Center.
Average annual electricity usage for the 12-year study period was 26839 kWh/yr,
with a total of 18,044 kWh for September 2001 through August 2002. Water heating
(4865 kWh, 27% of total), lighting (4326 kWh, 24%), and space heating (3169 kWh,
18%) were the largest users of energy. The audit highlighted that devices perceived to be
small energy users consumed large amounts of electricity due to continuous operation.
The audit showed that the masonry wood stove provides 89% (84 million BTUs) of the
active heat energy used by the Center, with the remaining 11% (10.8 million BTUs)
provided by electric baseboard heaters. The heating cost per unit of energy delivered was
$5.06/million BTUs for wood heat, and $18.52/million BTUs for electric heat. A
comparison of emissions from both heat sources revealed that wood heat combustion
creates 6.7 times less carbon equivalents of greenhouse gases and I 0.9 times less acid
equivalents per BTU than does electric heat (Houck, Tiegs, McCrillis, Keithley and
Crouch, 1998) due to electricity generation considerations.
Three strategies were identified as key to reducing the ecological impacts of energy
production and use: reducing energy consumption through energy efficiency measures,
purchasing electricity from suppliers that generate power from renewable resources, and
planting trees to sequester carbon. Average annual C0 2 emissions attributed to the Center
due to electricity generation for the 12-year study period was 27.64 tons/yr. This C0 2 can
be offset each year (American Forests) by the annual planting of3,621 new trees.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

31

2+2=4 Sometimes?
McKINNEY, Megan (U), mlm8675@sru.edu, BUCK, Robert (F), Mathematics
All practical applications of mathematics consist of computations. Rounding of a number
can lead to deceptive conclusions. Because of this impact of computations, I look at the
probability that two numbers equal what we would expect them to. The variable X can
equal 2 in many ways. In terms of real-life observations, the value of X can fall between
1.5 and 2.5. In this case, these possible numbers would be rounded to 2. For l.5 Y<2.5, I looked at the probability that X+Y=4. The first method used was to look at the
area between the lines X+Y=3.5 and X+Y=4.5. Then by assuming that X and Y were
independent normally distributed random variables, the moment generating function
technique is used to find the distribution of X+Y. The mean and variance of X and Y
were found. My study indicated that X+Y is normally distributed with a mean of 4. The
z-scores for 3.5 and 4.5 were found. Using those values, I computed the area under the
curve. Trying out arbitrary values for the variance shows that as the variance increases,
the probability that X+Y=4 decreases. Hence, the probability that 2+2==4 is never exactly
I.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

32

Identification and Study of Leaf Exudates from Three Selected Willow Tree
Species (S. spp.)
MIKULAS, Heather (G), heather mikulas@hotmail.com, BORSARI, Bruno
(F), Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education, KEFELI, Valentine,
Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition, Cranberry, PA 16066
Trees produce a plethora of foliar exudates, some of which affect seed gennination rates
and growth of established plants. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify
organic molecules related to phenolic compounds, excreted by the leaves of willows,
using paper chromatography. More sophisticated analytical methods are available to
study plant exudates. However, the scope of using paper chromatography was an
unavoidable constraint of this investigation due to the limited resources available for this
research. There is also a need to develop laboratory exercises that are feasible, easily
reproducible and not too expensive. Water extracts were prepared from the leaves of
three willow species (Salix viminalis, Salix purpurea and Salix glaucophylla) by allowing
leaf maceration for seven days, at 20' C. The chromatograms were immersed in acetic
acid (5% solution). This developed ascending columns of leaf exudates that were later
investigated under UVB light for the purpose of isolation and proper identification of the
various molecules that were separated by this procedure. The chromatograms were
examined a second time under DVB light after exposure to ammonia (NH 3) vapors for
two minutes. Results from these tests indicate that Salix glaucophylla contains almost no
flavanoid, while Salix purpurea contains a higher amount. However, Salix viminalis
contains the highest flavanoid concentration for the three plant species under study. The
two treatment methods of chromatogram preparation verify consistently flavanoid
concentrations for the selected willow trees. We conclude that a combined exposure of
the chromatograms to the two reagents (acetic acid and ammonia) permits a more
accurate identification of phenolic substances present in willow leaf exudates, thus
minimizing the possibilities of error for a correct molecular identification. Additionally,
a combination of treatment methods appears to validate paper chromatography as a
valuable analytical methodology that can be used safely, when teaching introductory
courses and laboratories in plant biology.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

33

Emma's Closet: Creation, Preservation and Re-Creation of Antique
Clothing Patterns and Costumes
MORRICE, Rebecca R. (F), rebecca.morrice@sru.edu, Theater, HENRY,
Rebecca (U), BERNSON, Jenny (U), TROTTER, Rebecca (U), DROPP, John
(U), GIESE, Lydia (U)
For decades, the Theatre Department has housed a collection of antique garments donated
by former university trustee Emma Guffey Miller. Some of these garments date as far
back as the 1850s and the collection is now known as 'Emma's Closet'. Unfortunatelv,
these garments are no longer useable in stage productions (their intended destination) d~e
to their fragility, deterioration and a significant change in human proportions.
Most academic theatre departments and museums have similar collections and
struggle with how to manage, preserve and make use of them in a productive way. Over
the last year, the authors have worked to devise a method whereby traditional clothing
patterning methods are combined with modern computer technology to create patterns to
fit modern bodies. These patterns can then be used to make reproductions for stage use.
This presentation will demonstrate how, specifically, paper patterns are first made
from the antique garments without destroying them. These patterns are then digitized into
a Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)-based program. This program is then used to
manipulate the pattern by entering a modern actor's measurements and printing a newly
scaled pattern. This pattern can be used to remake the gam1ent in any fabric and can be
manipulated innumerable times to fit any set of measurements.
The presentation will also display several examples of original garments and their
recreations, created by students and faculty through workshops, classes and independent
study.
In conclusion, this process not only allows us to accurately recreate any antique-style
garment but preserves the original for comparison, posterity and further. research.
Perfecting this system could help many theatres and museums make constructive use of
these beautiful but otherwise seldom-used historical garments.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

34

Markov Chains and Rental Cars
NAUMAN, Davlyn K. (U), dav60@steelersfan.net, BUCK, Robert (F),
Mathematics
Using theoretical math to study a real life problem, I investigate the problem of the
spread of cars for rental car companies. This project looks at the probabilities that people
rent cars in certain cities and take them to others. The question to ask is, "Will any city
run out of cars to rent?" To investigate this question, I use matrices to work with the
probabilities. I use row vectors to work with the number of cars in each city.
Multiplying a row vector to a matrix shows how many cars would be left in each city.
This approach is used for one exchange of cars. Yet, it is more useful to know what
happens with many exchanges. Thus, I take the matrices to the I 000 11t power and then
multiply a row vector times a matrix. This approach shows how many cars are left in
each city after I 000 exchanges. In this project, I simplify the rental car companies by
using four cities and 24 cars between the cities. I look at many possible cases. These
examples show that the cars spread evenly no matter the starting positions or the
probabilities for each city.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

35

Biodiesel Production from Used Vegetable Oil: Emissions and Fuel
Economy Performance Testing and a Campus Feasibility Assessment
PRESSMAN, Andrew (G), ampress@hotmail.com, DOHERTY, Steven J. (F),
Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education,
Biodiesel is a renewable diesel fuel substitute that is made by combining any natural oil
or fat with an alcohol and a catalyst. Biodiesel is non-toxic, biodegradable, and may have
substantially less harmful greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil-fuel
hydrocarbon fuels. Because biodiesel requires no engine modifications, it can be blended
with petroleum diesel. Use of biodiesel, if successfully implemented on an economic
scale, could decrease dependency on foreign oil, bring new economic development into
communities, and expand agricultural uses for feed stock sourcing.
This research investigates the production and use ofbiodiesel fuel from used cooking
oil obtained from campus cafeterias as part of the university's effort to recycle waste
materials and reduce energy-use. It is a pilot project intended to provide empirical data,
analysis, interpretation and demonstration in support of futther research and project
implementation. The project has two components: biodiesel production and performance
testing.
First, a biodiesel is produced from used vegetable oil (e.g., transesterification). This
requires a biodiesel 'processor' (lab equipment, tanks, mixer, fuel additives, etc.). Here, a
test quantity of biodiesel is prepared and analyzed to calibrate component concentrations.
Biodiesel is then blended with petroleum diesel for emission and fuel economy testing.
Biodiesel/petroleum diesel blends of 20/80%, 50150%, 80/20% along with 100%
biodiesel and 100% petroleum diesel will be combusted in a diesel engine to detennine
generated emissions and fuel economy.
Emissions inventories will be conducted using an emissions test cell that determines
concentrations of particulates and emission gases (total hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide). Emission inventories will be conducted on the
combustion of the different biodiesel/diesel fuel blends in order to determine whether the
different biodiesel fuel blends generate statistically significant differences in emissions.
Fuel economy (hours/gal or mpg) may also be determined for an operating vehicle. Data
is analyzed to determine optimum fuel blends and the research outcomes will be
extrapolated to better understand the potential and capacity of biodiesel production anr'
use at Slippery Rock University based on available vegetable oil and the demand fo
diesel.
This project is funded by a 2003 Faculty/Student Research grant from the SRU
College of Health, Environment, and Science Research Committee. Here, we report on
initial project development and research findings.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

36

Toxicity Determination of Sumac (Rims typltina) and Maple (Acer rubrum)
Leaf-Water Extracts
PUN, Mahesh (U), mxp6929@sru.edu, BORSARI, Bruno (F), Parks &
Recreation/Environmental Education, KEFELI, Valentine, Biomost Inc.,
Cranberry, PA 16066
Plant exudates may exhibit inhibitory effects upon plant growth in general (allelopathy).
The purpose of this study was to investigate the toxicity of leaf water extracts of two
common tree species (sumac and maple) through a seed germination test. Additionally,
the authors wanted to detennine whether the same leaves from the two tree species under
study would have lost their growth inhibitory capabilities when they were composted for
four months within a soil medium. Seed of common cultivated crops (wheat, clover,
mustard, lettuce) were imbibed with the leaf-water extracts of both tree species and
germinated in Petri dishes for three weeks, at a temperature of 25 'C. A sample (n = 5) of
the five tallest seedlings was measured for each plant species in order to evaluate the
toxicity level for each water extract under study. The analysis of the data indicates an
overall inhibitory effect upon seed germination ( <25%) for the four crops, caused by the
toxicity of sumac water extracts. Sumac leaf exudates were the most powerful in
inhibiting seed germination for all the four species under study. Mustard seed were the
most affected by sumac allelopathogens and for this species germination rate was the
lowest (I 7%), whereas lettuce was the least affected (45%). Maple leaf exudates had a
more attenuated effect in inhibiting seed germination. The most affected species was
mustard again (47%) and the least affected was lettuce (77%). Composting appeared to
decrease germination inhibition. In some cases (wheat and lettuce) composted sumac
leaf exudates enhanced seed gennination (114% for wheat and 125% for lettuce). Similar
results were obtained with composted maple leaf water extracts ( 110% mustard; 98%
lettuce). Similar effects were observed during seedling length. rn this case wheat was
the least affected species (M= 18mm) and mustard was the most affected (M=3mm.).
Although more attenuated, the highest inhibitory growth effects of maple leaf water
extracts were measured on mustard (M=9mm), whereas wheat was the least affected
(M=49mm). Germination rate was affected also by the toxins present in maple water
extracts for all the four species under study. Again, lettuce was the least sensitive
(germination=77%), while wheat was the least affected species when measuring seedling
length (M=49mm). When seedlings were grown on sumac, composted leaf-water
extracts, wheat and lettuce yielded the longest seedlings (M=SOmm; M=22mm). Similar
results were obtained when measuring seedling length exposed to maple, composted leafwater extracts (M=59mm for wheat; M=2 I mm for lettuce). Composting decreases
significantly the inhibitory effects of both water extracts during seed germination and
seedling growth for all the four test species. However, of the four botanical families
under study, the Poaceae (wheat) and Compositae (lettuce) are least affected by sumac
and maple leaf-water exudates. More sensitive to allelopathogens are plant species
among Leguminosae and Cruciferae families. [n conclusion, we support the idea that soil
microbial activity upon biomass is beneficial to remediate the soil system from
accumulations of plant excreta. Thus, potential, inimical consequences to the germination
and growth of economic plant species may be attenuated within the rhizosphere. This
knowledge has important implications in developing more sustainable fanning practices.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

37

Validity and Reliability of a New Visual Rating Tool for Assessing Body
Image in Men
RYAN, William J. (F), william.ryan@sru.edu, Exercise and Rehabilitative
Sciences, SANFTNER, Jennifer (F), Psychology, PIERCE, Patricia (F),
Exercise and Rehabilitative Sciences
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a serious body image disorder described as a
preoccupation with a non-existent or slight physical defect in appearance. Muscle
dysmorphia (MD) is a type of BDD, in which a person has a preoccupation with a
perceived lack of muscle size and/or definition (Olivardia et al, 2000). MD is thought to
be more common in men than women. A need exists for a tool to assess body image
disturbances, including MD, in men. The purpose of this study was to determine the
reliability and validity of a new visual rating tool (VRT) designed to evaluate body image
satisfaction in college age males. Seventy-five undergraduate male college students were
recruited and asked to answer a series of questions about their body image (see table
below) by selecting a body figure from the a series of 25 male body images covering a
wide range of body fatness and muscularity. Subjects also completed the Body
Dysmorphic Disorder Examination (BDDE), the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale
(MASS), and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ),
standard inventories which assess degree of body image satisfaction, BOD, and MD.
Subjects returned two weeks later to again answer the same questions using the VRT.
Test-retest reliability of the VRT is shown in the table below:
Question
1. Which figure do you think you look like?
2. Which figure do you feel like most of the time?
3. Which figure would you most like to look like?
4. Which figure do you think society wants you to look like?
5. Which figure do you think women find most attractive?
Measures of satisfaction with body fatness and body muscularity were computed from
the figures selected by subjects (differences between subjects' answers to question 3
(ideal image) and question I). These were correlated with total and subscale scores from
the BDDE, MASS, & MBSRQ to assess validity of the VRT. Significant (p<0.05)
correlations were found between dissatisfaction with degree of body fatness (too much)
and the BDDE total score, the MASS muscle satisfaction subscore, and the MBSRQ
appearance evaluation, body satisfaction, and overweight preoccupation subscores.
Significant correlations (p<0.05) were found between dissatisfaction. with. degree of body
muscularity (not enough) and the MASS total and muscle sat1s~act1on scores, the
MBSRQ appearance evaluation and body satisfaction subscores. This .newly deve.loped
VRT appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for ~s~essmg body ~~age
satisfaction/dissatisfaction in college aged males. Furthermore, 1t 1s easy to admm1ster
and does not require much effort or time to use.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

38

Comparison of Numerical Methods for Solving the Convection-Diffusion
Equation in 2D

SHILLING, Leah N. (U), lxs0648@sru.edu, LOBATON, Edgar (U),
RODRIGUEZ, Ubaldo (U).
A numerical analysis of the en-or generated by three deterministic particle methods
approximating the solution to the convection-diffusion equation in two dimensions is
presented. The often difficulty to solve analytically, which is why the use of numerical
methods (such as the particle methods addressed here) to approximate the solution has
increased in recent years. The convergence of the three particle methods here employed,
namely the particle strength exchage method (PSE) along with two of its variations, has
been proven and their theoretical accuracy is known. However, the methods had not yet
been used in practice, so the numerical degree of accuracy of these approximations
remained unknown. Our research centers around the error analysis of these methods with
the goal of understanding this unknown accuracy in the practical implementation of the
methods while investigating the conservation properties of each method.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

39

An Experimental Test of the Predictive Power of Daily Horoscopes
SHOTWELL, Mark A. (F), mark.shotwell@sru.edu, Biology
It is a paradox that in this age of accelerating scientific advances, belief in the paranormal
is not only widespread but growing. For example, in a recent survey of 1,574 adults, 60%
professed a belief in psychic powers and ESP, and 30% believed that UFOs carry beings
from other worlds. And fully 43% reported that they checked their horoscope in the
newspaper at least occasionally. These findings suggest a substantial proportion of
Americans are either unaware of the methods of science or are unwilling to evaluate their
beliefs in the paranormal using these methods.
This is exactly what we decided to do in the Honors section of General Biology in the
fall semester of 2002 by testing the predictive power of daily horoscopes. This has been
done many times before, but our experimental design, we believe, was novel.
On 12 days throughout the semester, each student was given three horoscopes from
the previous day. One corresponded to their zodiac sign; the other two were for the signs
immediately before and after theirs in the calendar. The three horoscopes were not
labeled and were given in a random order. Each student then chose the horoscope they
believed most closely matched the events of the previous day.
The last week of the semester the results of the exercise were compiled and analyzed.
Our hypothesis was that horoscopes have no predictive power whatsoever; we thus
expected all three horoscopes to have been chosen equally often. And that is what we
observed.
The 25 students in the class chose the "best" horoscope a total of 287 times. Of these
choices, 85 (29.6%) were of the horoscope for the sign before theirs, 95 (33.1 %) were for
the horoscope of their sign, and 107 (37.3%) were for the horoscope for the sign after
theirs. The chi-square test for goodness of fit showed no significant difference between a
random selection, i.e., each of the three possible horoscopes being chosen one-third of the
time.
By employing the scientific method, the Honors General Biology class concluded that
daily horoscopes utterly lack predictive value. We remain at a loss to explain why so
many Americans continue to consult them in their daily newspaper.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

40

Big Bang: Video Explorations
SHUMWAY, Jon R.(F),jon.shumway@sru.edu, Art
"Big Bang" is the working title for an ongoing series of video projection-based
explorations. These explorations examine issues of expansion and contraction of space as
well as the materialization and dematerialization of form.
The "Big Bang Theory" is the most widely held scientific theory of the origin of the
universe. Various models represent the universe as expanding, contracting, oscillating, or
static. Big Bang's video element most closely resembles the "oscillating universe" model.
It consists of a time-altered, cyclical walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The effects
applied to the video serve to emphasize the visually elemental qualities of black and
white, shape and line, while also emphasizing the base element of digital imagery, the
pixel. As the viewer moves towards the bridge's abutment, space and form break down.
Likewise, space and form materialize as the viewer moves away from the bridge's
abutment. The "oscillating universe" model describes the universe as continually cycling
through periods of extreme expansion and contraction. In line with this, "Big Bang"
cycles through periods of expansion and contraction in which everything emerges from
one source and everything ultimately returns to that source.
The incorporation of the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge into this work is the result
of being inspired by the experience of the bridge. The movements of people on the bridge
in relation to the abutments and the linear perspective created by the bridge's suspension
cables create an oscillating movement. These explorations have presented possibilities for
other types of architectural spaces that could be incorporated into this work and related
works. These spaces are all transitional and/or connective in nature. Bridges, tunnels,
doorways, windows, and hallways all present possibilities for future exploration.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

41

Does Egalitarian Marriage Exist? An Example from Commuter
Relationships
SKIRBOLL, Esther (F), esther.skirboll@sru.edu, Sociology, Anthropology,
and Social Work
This paper considers the meaning of egalitarian marriage, and the possible evidence for
its existence among individuals interviewed for a study on commuter relationships.
Research is based on questionnaires received from 140 individuals: 45 partner pairs and
50 single partners living in commuter relationships at the time of the study. These
couples saw each other no more frequently than once a week due to job location. The
data include both qualitative and quantitative materials designed to illuminate many
aspects of such couples' lives. Analysis of the responses revealed a very high level of
mutual respect and agreement in the couples. This outcome has stimulated the present
examination of the possibility of equality in such relationships.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

42

Palestine Under the British: The Palestine Mandate 1918-1948

SOKIERA, Jason M. (G), moffiason@aol.com
The purpose of this paper is to describe the Anglo-Jewish-Arab relations in the British
Mandate of Palestine and the eventual creation of the nation of Israel. The British
administered this turbulent territory from 1918-1948. The Palestinian administrators
contended with Jewish and Arab terrorists and attempts from both sides to establish
supremacy in the region. The Palestine region played an impmtant part in the events of
World War II and into the Cold War. Many Jewish settlers enlisted in the British Army to
fight the Axis Powers. British efforts to organize Arab enlistees were not as successful.
Great Britain, tired of constant struggle in the region, let the United Nations decide the
fate of Palestine after World War II. The experience gained by the Jewish fighters helped
them later on, as the nation of Israel came into being in 1948 and came under immediate
attack by an Arab coalition determined to destroy the new Jewish state.
This period of British history needs to be studied because of the far-reaching
implications of the state of Israel. Before Israel, the Arab nations did not work together
and were suspicious of each other. After Israel, the Arab nations banded together to
undermine the Jewish state and this has remained a primary goal in the region for over
fifty years. While most Arab countries live alongside Israel, they do not like Israel.
The primary works consulted and cited for this paper are Hope and Glory: Britain,
1900-1990 by Peter Clarke, The Zioinst Movement by Israel Cohen, The Course of
Modern Jewish History by Howard Morley Sachar, and Bible and Sword: England and
Palestine from the Bronze Age to Balfour by Barbara Tuchman. These works provided
indispensable data for completing this study on one of the most significant events of the
20th century.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

43

Work Attitudes Among Residents in a Community Corrections Facility
VERONIE, Linda (F), linda.veronie@sru.edu, Counseling and Educational

Psychology, STURM, Leigh (G), STIFFLER, JoAnne (G)
This study measured work attitude change among residents of a community corrections
association (CCA). The sample consisted of 82 adult felons of federal, state, and/or
county probation status. We expected participants to show decreases in counterproductive
work attitudes during rehabilitation. We administered the Vocational Opinion Index
(VOi) and the Employment Inventory (EI), as pre-and post-tests, to observe changes in
counterproductive work attitudes and counterproductive job behavior, respectively.
Neither measure revealed a significant increase in productive work attitudes. We discuss
several reasons for this non-significant change in attitude that resulted from exposure to
the vocational training program. Among our arguments is that most efforts to change
personality require long-term intensive introspective focus on the individual. The CCA
program was primarily designed to teach work skills and behaviors and to cultivate new
thoughts about (re)entering the world of work.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2003

44

Java Applets for Visually Displaying Computer Data Structures
WILSON, Bryan J. (U), bjw5392@sru.edu

Data structures are a systematic way of organizing and accessing data. These two
characteristics make data structures a central concept of computing. Therefore, any
student interested in Computer Science should have an understanding of data structures
and their importance.
In order to help students with learning data structures, we created a series of applets
that visually display data structures at work. There are many data structures available to
programmers and we chose to work with stack, queue, linked list, binary tree, and redblack tree. Each of these data structures is displayed within their own separate applets.
The main focus for each of the data strncture applets is simplicity. The layout for each
of the applets is very similar and easy to use. At the top of each applet is a panel of
command buttons that allow the user to manipulate the data structure. Within the center
of the applet is the graphical representation of the data structure. The bottom of the
applet contains a status field that displays instructional and informational messages to the
user.
To allow increased case in the understanding of these data structures, each of the
commands is carried out in a step-by-step process, which is controlled by user-clicks.
This process lets the student in advanced Computer Science classes, learn at their own
pace, while understanding each specific step of a data structure command. The project
was completed over a period of fou1teen weeks during the Fall semester of 2002.

Senator Mary Jo White
1
21 ' District, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University Commencement Address
14 December 2002

45

Thank you for inviting me to share this celebration of achievement with you and your
families and friends. Writing a commencement speech is a very serious endeavor. I sat
at my laptop for a long time wondering what I could say that would be helpful or even
slightly interesting. I tried to remember my own graduation and found I couldn't
remember who spoke. Of course it was a long time ago. My husband and I were law
school classmates and it was sobering to discover that neither of us could remember who
spoke at our law school graduation.
I guess that takes the pressure off. This doesn't have to be the Gettysburg Address.
Nevertheless it is an opportunity to share my thoughts and observations with a talented
group of people, many of who are embarking on their life's work. If you are very lucky,
you will be doing work you love. Slippery Rock University has prepared you for that
work, but you probably didn't get a course on life. It isn't taught in universities and I'm
not sure college professors know more than the rest of us in that regard. It seems
obvious, however, that a satisfying vocation is only part of the formula for happiness.
The intersection between life and work is an important one and how we use leisure time
is receiving increased attention from social scientists.
Some of you are probably asking what leisure time? You have been juggling many
responsibilities up to now, but graduation may.provide you with a tangible and valuable
benefit you hadn't thought about: a little more time. It is the currency of our lives and
we sometimes spend it wastefully. There are huge dividends in spending this time with
loved ones, especially children. There is also great benefit in using leisure as a means of
mental development, good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company
and stimulating conversation enrich our lives.
While you may think that commencement marks the end of your education, 1 am here
to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. I have heard that the average
person today will have seven different jobs before retirement. The person who is most
marketable in the new economy is the person who has kept his or her learning skills
sharp.
What I really love about being a commencement speaker is the opportunity to give a
lot of advice that my kids never wanted to hear. All of us who have lived a while have
acquired certain morsels of wisdom along the way which we can't resist trying to pass on
to younger folks who may find them boring and irrelevant, but here goes:

46

Number One - Recognize that you will have to set priorities. I address this
particularly to the working mothers in the audience, and particularly at this time of year.
ls it the end of the world if your Christmas cards don't get sent, or the cookies don't get
baked? One year I sent out my Christmas cards in mid-January, because that's when I
had time to write them. Of course my family accused me of buying them on sale. I
actually had time to put personal notes on them and because they arrived after the
boatloads of mail, friends actually had the time to read them and reply. I stopped baking
Christmas cookies when I realized that after the first batch, the kids lost interest and I got
stuck with the baking, the cleanup and a bad attitude. If your holiday traditions are
causing you stress and anxiety, change them. One of the best Christmas traditions my
family ever initiated was fondue for Christmas Eve dinner. I would have the butcher cut
the sirloin into cubes, I'd come up with a few sauces, make rice and a salad, and that was
it. The great part of it was that the kids loved cooking their own food in the fondue pot
and it kept everyone at the dinner table for a leisurely meal and conversation. My kids
are in their thirties and we do it to this day.
Number two - Develop a sense of humor. There used to be a Reader's Digest
mticle called Humor is the best Medicine. Recent scientific studies have found this to be
true. Humor is a great stress reliever. It can also de-fuse tense and difficult situations.
People who can laugh at themselves are survivors. I don't know whether one is born
with a sense of humor, but I hope not. I hope it is a talent that can be developed.
Number three - Do your best in your personal and professional life. You have to
get points for effott. If you've done your best no one can make you feel guilty if you
have fallen short in some respect. Finding the balance between work and personal life is
the trickiest part. It goes back to my earlier comments about priorities. Set the priorities,
do your best and the rest fall into place. I remember my early days as an attorney in
private practice with three young children at home. I constantly worried about whether I
was shortchanging my kids or my clients, until I realized that the children had to be my
priority. It wasn't the big dream job, but I learned to love it. By the time I retired as a
'.orporate vice president my kids were grown and out of college. Which leads me to my
ext point:
Number Four - Be flexible and open to new opportunities. Careers aren't
necessarily a straight line today. Doors close and doors open. In this time of downsizing
and re-structuring, it isn't unusual to find oneself unemployed through no fault of one's
own. When I had finally broken through the glass ceiling to vice president, my company
announced that they were moving to Texas. I was devastated. I had nineteen years in at
Quaker State. When I got over the shock and disappointment I realized that this could be

}
I

J

47
an opportunity. My kids were out of college and my house was almost paid for. I could
do whatever I wanted. I decided I would like to teach elementary school, but discovered
that it would take two years of additional education. I thought about becoming a nurse
practitioner but that would take even longer, and involved taking chemistry again. Then I
discovered a career that took no training whatsoever: running for office. I learned that
my state senator wasn't running again and I decided that that was something I could do. I
took my severance pay and put it into a primary. One of my sons, who is a talented
communicator, came home from Pittsburgh and we ran a campaign off our kitchen table.
We ran a very personal face-to-face, door-to-door campaign, and we didn't realize that
we didn't have a chance. I am now in my second term of a job that I wouldn't have
missed for the world.
Number five - Get involved. Use some of that leisure time to become a participant in
the life of your community. Some of you may have heard me speak of a book that made
a deep impression on me. It is called "Bowling Alone" by Robert Putnam, a Harvard
professor. The subtitle is "the loss of social capital in the U.S." The title comes from the
fact that when the author was young, bowling league membership was at an all time high
in this country. Today, bowling participation is up, but league membership is at an all
time low. Dr. Putnam uses this as a metaphor for our alienation or isolation from the
fabric of our communities. He cites the decline in membership in social and fraternal
organizations from the high in the post-WWII years. There is a decline in church-going,
in civic organizations and in voting. We have turned inward. People don't invite friends
over for cards or dinner anymore. We don't know their neighbors and we don't feel any
connection to our communities or local governments. These are national trends. I see a
somewhat more encouraging picture in western Pennsylvania. There are volunteers in
every segment of our smaller towns and cities. I run into them reading to children at
libraries, at our state parks, at hospitals, delivering meals to the homebound, tutoring at
schools, serving as township officials and volunteer firefighthers, coaching kids sports
teams and serving as scout leaders. It adds a dimension to their lives that gives a great
deal of personal satisfaction. Try it, you'll like it.
And finally, a pitch for public service. I remember the first time, after my election
when I filled out a form that asked for my occupation. I wrote in "politician".

Dr. Wendy Stuhldreher
Department of Allied Health
Recipient, President's Award for Teaching Excellence
Slippery Rock University Honors Convocation, 21 April 2002

48

Lessons from the ROCK
September 11 111 • Where were you? What were you doing? Were you scared? I was
terrified. I have a son, Lt. Tom, stationed at the Naval Yard in Washington, DC. For the
first time, I was keenly aware that he could die. That day did not seem real - airplanes into
buildings. When I heard about the Pentagon, my heart sank. Immediately upon entering my
office, I frantically tried to contact Tom. All circuits were busy - I could not get a line to
DC. I ran to the car to try the cell phone. I was struck by the presence of cell phones on
campus. It was so odd to see so many people standing on sidewalks talking on phones. This
was not real. All circuits were busy on the cell phone too. I phoned my husband - had he
heard from Tom. No. No all circuits were busy. I called my other sons, had they heard. No
all circuits were busy. Finally Tom got through to me and as I heard his voice, I broke down
and wept. I wept because I realized how many people lost loved ones that day - people they
loved as much as I loved Tom. I was a lucky one. Tom was not anywhere near the Pentagon
that day.
That day I realized how important personal connections are. I wanted to be with people.
I wanted to belong to a community. I love my country and what it stands for. The next day I
addressed this event in all my classes. It was apparent that students wanted to talk about this.
They wanted to connect as well. I noticed a transformation in students after Sept. 11th.
Discussions were more frequent. Their complaints were less vehement - even when they
had an internet assignment and the website was down for almost a week after Sept 11 111 - no
grumbling just coping. I think Sept. 11th knocked sense into us and prioritized the important
things. Don't let us lose site of that.
I realized that day too that I have a colleague and students who are willing to lay down
their lives for this country. I want to thank them.

49
ARMY ROTC and Army National Guard
Roger Clancy
Jennifer Dobberstein
Skip Elliott
Jeremy Gongola
Monica Murray
Lt. Col. Michael Kennedy, retired
NAVAL RESERVE
Coreman David Snow
AIR FORCE
Wanda Smithley, retired
All of you students present at this convocation are here because you chose to make a
difference. You are honored because of your excellence and willingness to go that extra
mile. Don't stop doing that. You are the people who will build a better nation, profession
and community. Don't forget to connect with people. Help those less fortunate, encourage
those who need help and thank those who have helped you. Lead. If you have been given
talents, develop those and use them to strengthen your community. I got this award because
people helped and encouraged me. This award honors them for they are the rocks of my
foundation. It's the little things and kindnesses that often make us. Sept I 1th made me
realize how important personal connections are. Right now, turn to your parents or whoever
has supported you if they are here and thank them. Go ahead and give them a hug.
I thought I would share some Lessons from the Rock with you for the remainder of my
talk that emphasize how important it is to connect with others and support others. l
remember clearly the first day on the job at Slippery Rock University for it was the first day
of college for my eldest son, Tom. Sending him off to a university so far away was a very
traumatic event for me. Being a mom with a freshman son was the probably one of the most
influential moments in my teaching. I remember sitting through his freshman orientation
and hearing the Vice President of Student Affairs mention the rules of the university couched
in a simple principle that touched my heart - treat all as though you see the face of our Lord
in their face.
Wow, that is a tall order. What does that mean? It means treating students with respect,
listening to them, speaking a kind word to those hurting, recognizing when they are troubled
and getting them help, pushing them to work hard to realize their potential and yes,
correcting behavior that is off-track. 1 realized how important personal connections would
be while working Freshman Orientation at SRU two years ago - the same year my youngest
son, Peter, left for college. At orientation I expected to answer academic questions, but what
most parents were interested in was the personal touch on campus. Who would care for their

50

son or daughter here? Sure there were some parents who were ready to dance in the
streets, but they were in the minority. I noticed that tearful cracking of voices in the
parents who asked questions and saw the anguish on many faces knowing that child was
about to leave the nest. That experience made me keenly aware that our students are
someone's child. And so I asked myself - how would I want my sons to be treated?
Thus, my first lesson from the ROCK was a parental event. Another parental event
also transformed my teaching. My second son, Tim, left for college in 1996. He had a
tough time. He really did not like engineering and it was so hard. Despite my repeated
advice to switch majors, he persevered. At the end of his sophomore year he answered an
e-mail from an engineering professor that changed his life. Dr. James Mason was
seeking an undergrad engineering student to assist with research on a volm1teer basis - no
pay, but perhaps grant funding would be available in the future. Tim answered the ad. It
was a life changing experience for Tim. Seeing this transformation in Tim influenced me
to mentor students through research in a similar manner here at SRU. Thus, was born
the SRU Student Health Assessment Project - a cross-sectional survey of health
behaviors and practices in the undergrad student body here that I began with Dr. Bill
Ryan, Exercise and Rehabilitative Science Department.
Keri Kitcey, class of 2000 was the first undergrad to volunteer for this research
project. She analyzed data and presented Correlates of Underage and Binge Drinking
Among College Students at the Pennsylvania Public Health Association meeting. I
remember how nervous she was for she was the only student presenting at that
conference. Her talk was awesome. She had rehearsed so much that she gave that entire
talk without notes and with a presence like she had done this 100 times. We were so
proud of her. We received a grant to present a more extensive work - Patterns of Risky
Health Behaviors Among College Students at the American College Health Association.
For Keri Kitcey and Melissa Dambaugh this was an intimidating experience to present at
a national meeting attended by hundreds of people. Again, we had rehearsed with the
students, timed their talks and they were well prepared. They actually gave the 45rninute presentation. In my summary remarks I mentioned that these students were
UNDERGRAD students and the attendees broke out in spontaneous applause and a
standing ovation. That's what teaching is all about - seeing your students shine. Those
students were so proud and rightfully so! Now Dr. Kim Forrest joined this research team
so we could mentor more Community Health Students and my husband, Dr. Tom
Stuhldreher, Clarion University has joined to investigate credit card debt. This past fall 4
undergrad students presented their work at the Pennsylvania Public Health Association
Meeting in Philadelphia. Shawna Nixon presented Factors Related to Distorted Body
Image in College Women, Mandy Hopwood presented Drug Use and Abuse among
College Students and Lori Stravers and Gretchen Piatt co-presented Correlates of
Depression in College Students. Currently Penny Bodenhorn and Mandy Hopwood are
preparing to present at the Amerjcan College Health Association meeting in Washington,
DC.

51

So, through the example of Dr. Mason's mentoring to my son Tim, I was able to do the
same for some one else's child- hopefully with the same impact as I observed in Tim.
Overall, coming to the ROCK was a good choice for me as a teacher. My first year
here Dr. Sue Hannam approached me to ask if I would go to Alvemo College for a
workshop on student assessment with her. Assessment? I was clueless. Sue has been a
wonderful colleague and mentor. Dr. Hannam, I thank you for supporting me and
encouraging me to continually improve. I want to thank Dr. Mike Cleary, Allied Health.
He too recognized the work I had done in the epidemiology course assessments and
encouraged me to publish this in an article with him. I had only been in the department a
year and here was a senior faculty member asking me to publish with him. We have
published two papers together - both at his initiation. Thanks Dr. Cleary for all your
guidance and support. Thanks also to Dr. Kim Forrest and Dr. Mike Kennedy who have
collaborated with me for my International Health course. I am truly grateful for their
collaboration and willingness to share course materials. Dr. Joseph Cali, Department
Chair in Allied Health has been supportive of me as well and has helped me become a
better teacher and advisor.
I have had wonderfully supportive Deans since I came on board here as well. Dr.
Anne Griffiths encouraged me to develop as a teacher and gave sage advice throughout
her tenure. My discipline here - Community Health has a bit of an identity crises. So to
help our students understand what CH is, I initiated a Pennsylvania Public Health
Association - Collegiate Chapter for our students. The CH faculty travels with students
to the state conferences every year. It is so rewarding to see students become energized
as they discover the many aspects of Community Health and how they will work in the
public health arena after graduation. Both Dean Griffiths and then Dean Parascenzo
supported this aspect of "informal" teaching by funding some aspect of our travel
expenses whether a bus to Philly or securing those big white SRU vans for our turnpike
driving pleasure! I am happy to say that our new Dean - Dean Fulton continues that
practice. She assisted with funding for our trip to the conference in Philadelphia at which
5 SRU students presented their research! Without this support, I would not be here. It is
that personal mentoring that takes place on those trips that is priceless. Seriously, the
Community Health students are a unique breed. The nature of the profession is a caring
one. I have been so impressed by the way students have behaved on the conference trips.
SRU CH students have an outstanding reputation among the PPHA membership.
In conclusion, the best Lessons from the ROCK have been delivered by you students.
Most days you make my job a pleasure. I have had students who are gems. You students
have taught me patience - when I tend to go too fast in class. You students have taught
me humility when I realize the heavy burdens some of you carry. You have taught me to
laugh at myself when I mess-up. You have taught me to be human.
I would say my most profound lesson from the ROCK is that my students have taught
me caring. I was nominated for this award last year and did not receive it. Several CH
seniors -

52

Tanya Quear, Jill Woods, Lashanda Guin, Gretchen Piatt, Jennifer Donlin and Lori Stravers
"broke into my office" and decorated it with streamers and balloons and a banner that said,
"You are OUR Outstanding Professor." I was speechless and by now you realize that I like
to talk! What they did for me cannot be described. Neither can I adequately express my
appreciation to the PPHA-CC cabinet, Leigh Barrick, Bill Storm, Mandy Hopwood,
Stephanie Haspel and Stacey Servidio for nominating me this year and for validating me. I
really appreciate your support. Thank you. God bless you all on your journeys.

53

Index of Authors

A

Ahmed, Imran
Anand, Padma G.
Anderson, Melia
Arblaster, Jessica

ft
Ba1ia-Smith, Nancy
Bechtel, Matthew
Beeching, Simon C.
Bernson, Jenny
Birckbichler, Paul J.
Borsari, Bmno
Bosko, Rebecca
Bowman, Jonathan W.
Boyer, Amy
Branudeen, Shafraz
Buck, Robert
Burkhart, Patrick A.

g
1
2
24
3

Gauger, Michele
Giese, Lydia
Gorman, Anita G.
Grierson, Peter
Guberski, Dem1is L.
Gun.mg, Sunil

17, 18,26
33
19
20
3
1

4
22
!!
12
Ham1an, Joanne
5
24,27
Heffron, Erin J.
33
33
3, 6, 15
Henry, Rebecca
16, 17, 26, 32, 36 Hoisington-Gilmore,
21
6
Sharon
Holbein-Jenny, Mary Ann 22
7
23
24
Horvath, Cary W.
26
8
House, Heather
31,34
9, 14,24,27
:!
24
Jahn, Michael A.

.Q
Cetera, Frank
Crothers, Laura M.
Croushore, Rebecca E.

18

~

10
11

Kefeli, Valentine
Koenig, Krissy

!!
DiMarco, Danette
Doherty, Steven J.
Dropp, John

!;;

4
12, 18, 35
33

~

Edirisinghe, J anaka
Elmer, J olm
Ensiminger, Staci
Erney, Bradley

.E
Field, Julaine E.
Finucane, Margaret 0.
Fishel, Danielle R.
Fox, Susan
Funada, Ryoko

16, 32, 36
25

1
22
14
24
13
23
14
15
16

Lefevre, Christina
Lemly, Connie
Lin, Yi
Livingston, Jack
Lobaton, Edgar

26
26
28
24,27
38

M
Mahmood, Adnan
Majcher, Megan
Maynard, Kate P.
McDonald, Andy
McKinney, Megan
Mikulas, Heather
Morrice, Rebecca R.
Murthy, Raclma

28
3
29
30
31
32
33
8

Index of Authors

54

~
Nauman, Davlyn
Niederklein, Ryan

34
22

~
Patel, Narendra
Pierce, Patricia
Pressman, Andrew
Pun, Mahesh

28
37
26,35
36

B
Reynolds, Thomas J.
Richardson, Traci
Rodriguez, Ubaldo
Ryan, William J.

.l_'- - -

Trotter, Rebecca
Tennakoon,Shalinda

33
8

y

30
22
38
37

§
Sanftner, Jennifer
Sham1011, Andrea
Shilling, Leah N.
Shotwell, Mark A.
Shuler, Laura
Shumway, Jon R.
Skirboll, Esther
Sokiera, Jason M.
Step, Mary M.
Stiffler, JoAnne
Stinson, Amber
Sturm, Leigh

I

37
12
38
39
24
40
41
42
23
43
22
43

VanDyne, Ashley
Veronie, Linda

24
43

w
Wack, Corina
W einschenk, Sarah
Wilson, Bryan J.

5
3, 15
44

~
Zaimi, Genti
Zulauf, Lori

28
20

55

Acknowledgements
The following individuals and groups contributed to this initiative. Dr.
Jane Fulton, Dean, College of Health, Environment, and Science lent
extensive support and encouragement. Ms. Mary Ann King, Mrs. Barb
Massella, and Mrs. Stacey Booth, all of the Dean's Office, managed
myriad details including finances, catering, facilities, and scheduling.
Ms. Rebecca Tarella and Mr. Steve Beck, CHES graduate assistants,
helped manage the abstracts, and prepare the journal and schedule.
Many faculty provided peer-reviews so that each manuscript was
analyzed at least twice. The noble efforts of Dr. Barb Billek-Sawhney,
Dr. Paul Birkbichler, Dr. Jerry Chmielewski, Dr. Edwin Christmann,
Dr. Jeffrey Forrest, Dr. Ahamd Khalili, Dr. Jeffrey Lehman, Dr.
Rizwan Mahmood, Ms. Nola Nolen, Dr. Joyce Penrose, Dr. Mark
Shotwell, Dr. Ester Skirboll, Dr. Carolyn Steglich, Dr. Carlis White,
and Dr. Adelle Williams all contributed in this regard. Our keynote
speaker, Dr. Keith Raney was kind enough to drive across the
Appalachians from Baltimore to share his discoveries concerning our
growing ability to study the Earth from space. Dr. Wendy Stuhldreher
and State Senator Mary Jo White graciously agreed to let their remarks
to the campus community be published. Forty-four abstracts were
submitted from seventy-five co-authors across campus. Without their
interest in sharing discovery, this initiative would crumble. Dr. Robert
M. Smith, Interim President, and Dr. William Williams, Interim
Provost, provided the resources to make the symposium a success.
Fourteenth President of Slippery Rock University, Dr. G. Warren Smith
deserves special recognition as he accepted the original proposal to
initiate the Symposium two years ago and provided continuous
endorsement thereafter.

SlipperyR~ck
University

of Pennsylvania
rock solid education
www.sru.edu
Slippery Rock University Is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution
A member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education