Hendrix
Odyssey Program
Project
Funding
February 2016
With the February 2016 funding cycle,
the Committee on Engaged Learning has awarded $3,341.025.20 in Odyssey grants
to Hendrix students and faculty since the Odyssey Program’s inception in 2005.
In this cycle, there were 42 projects that received $143,183.91. Projects from other funding sources are
listed at the conclusion of this document.
Faisal Alnahhas
Developing a Domain-Specific
Language for Animation
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
Brent Yorgey
Faisal
Alnahhas will develop a computer language for animation. He will use Haskell,
an existing language, in the creation of the new language that is specifically
tailored for making animations. The project will involve creativity and a deep
understanding of the connection between mathematics, physics, and computer
science.
Anna Claire Atkins
500 Hours of Summer: Gaining
Undergraduate Experience Working with a Local Small Animal Veterinarian
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Maureen McClung
This summer,
Anna Claire Atkins will shadow and assist a local veterinarian to gain
experience with small animal clinical care. The experience will help her decide
which specialization she will choose when she attends veterinary school-small,
large, or exotic animals.
Symone Bennett
UAMS Child Diagnostic Externship
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Sara Taylor
Symone
Bennett will have an externship in the Child Diagnostic Unit at the University
of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock. She will be learning from and
shadowing professionals in psychology, social work, nursing, occupational
therapy, and education.
Leah Bishop
U.S. Department of State Student
Internship
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Kiril Kolev
Leah Bishop
has been selected for an internship at the Consular Unit of the United States
Embassy in Lima, Peru. She will assist consular officers as foreign nationals
request immigrant and non-immigrant visas to the United States, which will give
her insight to how diplomacy and
immigration law affect poverty and suffering in Latin America.
Brandy Britton
Internship with Center for
Arkansas Legal Services
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Jay Barth
The Center
for Arkansas Legal Services provides free legal aid and consultation and
champions equal justice for all regardless of economic or social circumstances.
As an intern, Brandy Britton will have the opportunity to explore her interest
in both legal advocacy and non-profit administration.
Cordell Campbell
Neighbor to Neighbor
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Jay Barth
The Juvenile
Court Volunteer program in Faulkner County provides services that are
specifically tailored toward youthful offenders. Cordell Campbell will help
provide relational, mentoring and educational services to juvenile delinquents
to encourage positive behaviors that will help them on the path to adulthood.
Kiran Chakka
Pharmacological Interventions to
Probe the Neurochemical Basis of Injury-Related Behavioral Acceleration in the
Ant Pheidole
Dentata
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
Mario Muscedere
Injured ants
tend to take on riskier activities, such as foraging frequently away from the
nest. Kiran Chakka will investigate the underlying mechanisms that trigger this
behavior. Chakka will manipulate brain neuromodulator levels (e.g. dopamine)
with drugs and see if there are associated behavior changes.
Amy Crump
Capturing the Essence of Ansel
Adams: An Exploratory Quest of Photography and Nature
Category: AC
Sponsor:
Prof. Maxine Payne
Ansel Adams
is famous for his photography, particularly the images taken in Yosemite
National Park. This summer, Amy Crump will use Adams as her inspiration as she
learns more about his techniques, compositions, and environmental perspective;
she will be taking her own photographs in many of the same locations. Crump
will print her best images for display in the Bailey Library.
Claire De Pree
Leadership Development through
Immersive Outdoor Education
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Jennifer Dearolf
Claire De
Pree will be putting her leadership skills to the test as she participates in
the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Educator Course, offered by the National Outdoor
Leadership School. It involves a 17-day, 70-mile backpacking section followed
by a four-day climbing trip. The school offers a hands-on approach to learning
outdoor living skills, teamwork and environmental awareness.
Delaney Farris
Encountering Cheese Culture in
the Netherlands
Category: GA
Sponsor:
Stella Capek
Alkmaar in
northern Holland is known for its centuries-old market in the town square that
is devoted to cheese. There are festivals, parties, and a complex variety of
social structures around the production, distribution, and consumption of
cheese. Delaney Farris will
immerse herself in the culture associated with cheese —ranging from clothing
worn at market to tasting rituals and auctions --first-hand in the
Netherlands.
Schylar Ferguson
Methodism as a Global Church
Category: SP
Sponsor:
J.J. Whitney
Every
four years, delegates from all over the world are appointed by the United
Methodist Church to attend its General Conference. This summer, Schylar
Ferguson will attend the meeting in Portland, Ore., with the intent
of learning how delegates from diverse cultures interact with each
other and follow universal Christian principles while expressing differing
opinions of policies.
Grace Griffin
Characterization of Protease
Enzyme in Snake Venom
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
Randy Kopper
Proteases
are enzymes in snake venom that degrade proteins, resulting in extensive tissue
and muscle damage. Grace Griffin
will analyze and compare the protease enzyme activity of several different
snake species, including the locally-abundant copperhead and one or more
rattlesnake species.
Bria Guthridge
Critiquing Neoliberalism in Child
Welfare: A Social Justice Solution
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Stella Capek
An interest
in social justice and institutions that improve child welfare led Bria
Guthridge to her summer internship with the Collin County Children’s Advocacy
Center, which combines pioneering social work practice with legal advocacy. In
addition to attending trials, she will shadow interviews, in-home visits, and
family consultations.
Lillian Hammer
Research in Germany: Psychology
of Post-War Germany
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Leslie Zorwick
Lillian
Hammer will participate in social psychology research conducted at the
University of Mainz in Germany. She will focus on how lay-reactions to the Holocaust
affect attributions of its cause and perception of history in Germans, Poles
and Israeli Jews.
Caitlyn Hendrickson and Delaney
Farris
NAMI Conference: Exploring the
Culture of Mental Health
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr.
Tim Maxwell
Caitlyn
Hendrickson and Delaney Farris will attend the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) national convention in Denver, Colo., this summer. The speakers,
research presentations and workshops will help them as they bring “NAMI on
Campus” to Hendrix. The preplanned program guides colleges as they provide
assistance for students who are facing mental illness.
Carlin Howden
Land-use Impacts in the Bakken
Formation
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
Matt Moran
The Bakken
Formation is about 200,000 square miles of land rich in oil and natural gas
deposits that extends from North Dakota and Montana into Canada’s Saskatchewan
and Manitoba provinces. Carlin Howden will research the land-use impact of
fossil fuel extraction on the publicly owned natural grasslands over the
formation, comparing satellite images and other geographical information from
the past 10 years.
Melissa Kemmerly
Maya Archaeology Field School
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Stacey Schwartzkopf
Melissa
Kemmerly will dig deeply into the past as a participant in The Field School in
Maya Archeology. In Wamil, Belize, Kemmerly will learn archeological
techniques, site excavation, artifact processing, and data analysis while
contributing to ongoing research on ancient Maya culture.
Katie Larson
Living History-The Lasting
Effects of Ireland's "Troubles"
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr.
Stacey Schwartzkopf
Ireland’s
centuries of conflict with Great Britain have directly impacted the present day
culture. Katie Larson will explore museums, landmarks, and memorials as she
assesses the lasting effects in Northern Ireland, its society and its history.
Kaersti McLellan
Costa Rican Clinicals: Medical
Volunteerism and Immersion Experience
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr.
Mark Sutherland
Kaersti
McLellan will participate in a medical volunteerism program in Costa Rica
organized by International Volunteer Headquarters. She will assist in clinics
and nursing homes, gain insight into healthcare and career opportunities, and
experience the diverse culture of Costa Rica.
Allison Monroe
Smithsonian Internship
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Maureen McClung
This summer
Allison Monroe will work in the Hymenoptera (order of insects that incudes
wasps and ants) Unit of the Systematic Entomology Laboratory at the Smithsonian
National Museum of Natural History. This is the premier institution in the
world for studying insects, which will allow Monroe to experience everything
from fieldwork to imaging insects for scientific collections.
Bosco Ndemeye
A Rare Presentation of Rwanda
Category: SP
Sponsor:
Gwen Stockwell
Bosco
Ndemeye will combine his computer skills, writing and translation knowledge and
his photography hobby to create a website about his homeland, Rwanda. The site
will focus on the country’s wildlife, education system, and notable landmarks.
He will also collect myths, legends, and stories about places that comprise a
wealth of oral tradition in Rwanda.
Bonnie Nolan
How Do Pheidole Dentata Workers Compensate for Antennal Injuries
when Following Chemical Pheromone Trails; Critical Periods and Odor Sampling
Strategies
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
Mario Muscedere
The antennae
of ants normally work in unison and are vital in following pheromone trails.
Bonnie Nolan will investigate what happens when an ant experiences a single antennal
injury-does the ant compensate for the loss? Her research project will
investigate if younger injured ants are better able to overcome this situation
effectively.
Lena Pham
The Gendered Organization of
Toys: A Cross-Cultural and Creative Exploration
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr.
Rebecca Resinski
In America,
toy stores present their wares categorized specifically for boys or girls,
which may not be the norm in European countries like Sweden. Lena Pham will
analyze five stores in each country to determine the differences in
organization, either by gender or gender-neutral. At the conclusion, Pham will
design an ideal toy store that does not adhere to gender limitations; instead
the focus will be on encouraging children to play with all toys.
Payton
Rausch
Radiant
Road to Rio
Category: SW
Sponsor: Dr. Peter Gess
The 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de
Janeiro, requiring more than 50,000 volunteers to successfully coordinate the
enormous international gathering. Two years ago, Payton Rausch began the
rigorous application process and has been approved as official Olympic
Volunteers. During their volunteer experience, Rausch will learn about sports
management and public service.
Evan Rivera
Learning to Fly: Drone Operation
in Brazil
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Ann Wright
This summer,
Evan Rivera will work with 14 Pix, a data collection and analytics firm in
Montes Claros, Brazil. Rivera will use camera-equipped drones to take
photographs for a graphic imaging program, establishing a topographical layout
for a three-dimensional interactive map.
Isabelle Rupp
Contemporary Travels along an
Ancient Route: The Silk Road
Category: GA
Sponsor: Dr.
Brett Hill
The
Silk Road of Central Asia – extending from China to the Mediterranean -- is the
earliest example of an expansive trade network connecting east and west
and facilitating the circulation of materials, people, and ideas over vast,
historically linked distances. Beginning in China and travelling west
through eight countries, Isabelle Rupp will spend one month retracing the Silk
Road by exploring both its historical heritage and cultural significance.
Collin Shaddox
RECYCLE Card Game Development
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
Mark Goadrich
Collin
Shaddox will develop new software to create and analyze various aspects of card
games. He will create web systems, develop artificial intelligence and create
new card games, ultimately leading to a public domain system that can be
enjoyed by many users.
Elizabeth Shepard
Internship at the High Point
Museum
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Sasha Pfau
High Point,
North Carolina, features a museum dedicated to the local history of the area.
As an intern, Elizabeth Shepard will explore different aspects of museum work,
through curation, education and organization along with learning more about the
daily operation of a non-profit.
Spencer Taylor
An Inquiry of Heartland Virus in
Arkansas
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr.
George Harper
The
Heartland Virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of the Lone Star tick.
Although cases of the virus have occurred in states surrounding Arkansas, there
has been no research about its existence in ticks here. Spencer Taylor will
rectify that through a project that involves collecting ticks and testing them
for the presence of the virus.
Sai Techawongtham
A Service Project at the
Emergency Home for Women and Children in Thailand
Category: SW
Sponsor: Dr.
Rebecca Resinski
Sai
Techawongtham will be a volunteer at The Emergency Home, a shelter in Bangkok,
Thailand, for women and children who have faced issues such as domestic abuse
or sexual assault. She will offer informal English lessons and help with daily
activities for the residents, engaging in community service to address social
needs.
Mari Thomeczek
Intern: Safe Alternatives
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Sara Taylor
Safe
Alternatives is a nationally recognized treatment center in St. Louis for
individuals who struggle with self-injury. As an intern, Mari Thomeczek will
learn more about the diagnosis, treatment options and outcomes for clients with
self-injurious behavior in both residential and traditional outpatient
settings.
Dr. Andrea Duina
Elucidating Mechanisms of
SPT16-gene Interactions
Category: UR
Dr. Andrea
Duina will work with Michelle Huynh and Claire Turkal to explore the process of
gene expression in the budding yeast model system, focusing on how the Spt 16
protein physically interacts with genes.
Dr. Liz Gron
Ridin' Dirty with Science 2016
Category: SW
Ridin’ Dirty
with Science is a one week summer science camp designed to excite and educate
children from the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County. Hendrix students will
lead the sessions, focusing on fun and interactive chemistry, biology, and
physics experiments.
Dr. David Hales
Kinetics and Thermodynamics of
Peptide Folding: Understanding the Role of Solvent
Category: UR
Kylie
Dickerson and Annlee Glass will travel to Indiana University to collect data on
the three-dimensional shapes of peptides in various stages of folding. They
will return to Hendrix to model and interpret the data.
Dr. Joyce Hardin
Botany Lab Manual: From Draft to
Final Product
Category: SP
One student
will help develop and finalize a botany lab manual written by Dr. Joyce Hardin
and Dr. Ann Willyard. The manual will include photographs and drawings to
assist those who will use the educational piece in their lab experience.
Dr. Peter Kett
A Computational and Experimental
Study of the Structure of Model Biological Membranes
Category: UR
Supported
lipid bilayers (SLBs) are a form of model biological membrane in which a
phospholipid bilayer is supported on a surface. Dr. Peter Kett and Alexis Krone
will use a combination of experiments and simulations to investigate the
kinetics and mechanism of SLB formation, specifically looking at the role that
factors such as pH and salt concentration have on whether and how an SLB will
form.
Dr. Matt Moran
Effects of Bison Grazing on
Arthropod Communities in Tallgrass
Category: UR
Dr. Matt Moran, Zachary Nickell, and Sofia Varriano will
investigate the arthropod communities in bison wallows in tallgrass
environments, focusing on wallows that are no longer being actively used. These
re-vegetated areas may host different arthropod communities than those found in the
undisturbed prairie.
Dr. Richard Murray
Characterizing the Role of the
DIK-1 Gene in the Development of the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ
Category: UR
The mouse
vomeronasal organ contains sensory neurons that detect chemicals in the air,
such as pheromones. Dr. Rick Murray, Dylan Gilbreath,
and Alan Umfress will research the genetic regulation of the development
of these sensory neurons, focusing on the Dlk-1 gene.
Dr. Stacey Schwartzkopf
Maya Culture and History in
Guatemala
Category: GA
Dr. Stacey
Schwartzkopf and four students will travel to Guatemala to learn about Maya
culture and history. Students will
learn from Maya teachers, artists, and others as they visit cultural,
archaeological and historical sites.”
Dr. Ruthann Thomas
Exploring the Costs and Benefits
of Poor Cognitive Control in Old Age
Category: UR
Aging is
associated with a decline in cognitive control processes, meaning that older
adults are more susceptible to distraction than younger ones. Dr. Ruthann
Thomas and two students will research age-related control of attention to
distraction. In addition, they will explore how age differences in cognitive
control processes influence the ability to make connections across seemingly
unrelated topics.
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES:
Mark
Hickey
Internship-Conner
Eldridge for U.S. Senate
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr. Jay Barth
Mark Hickey will intern for Conner Eldridge as he
campaigns to represent Arkansas in the U.S. Senate. The contest will be a
crucial electoral decision in the state this fall. This project is underwritten
by the Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professorship, held by Dr. Jay Barth.
Hannah McCarthy
Summer Internship with Best
Friends Animal Society
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr.
Jenn Dearolf
Hannah
McCarthy has been accepted as the sole intern for the feline section of Best
Friends Animal Society, the nation’s largest animal shelter that is best known
for its no-kill advocacy and rescue efforts. McCarthy aspires to be a
veterinarian specializing in feline medicine for rescued animals. She will
learn about both the medical aspects of rehabilitation and the organization’s
fundraising and political efforts to reduce the number of homeless pets. This
project is underwritten by Project Pericles.
Miller Center Service Fellowships
Jasmine Watkins
Carthage Community Organization
Summer Enrichment Program
Service
Project Agency: Carthage Community Organization
Jasmine
Watkins will design and implement a summer educational program for children
10-18 years of age in her hometown of Carthage, AR. The program will address
the development of the whole child through the provision of a positive
environment, activities and outings geared to increase cultural awareness, and
project based learning focused on academic preparedness.
Annie Meek
Volunteer Internship at Navdanya
Javik Ashram Bija Vidyapeeth (Navdanya’s Biodiversity Farm and Earth
University): Learning Environmentally
Sustainable Farming and Advocacy Techniques for Social Change
Service
Project Agency: Navdanya Biodiversity Farm & Earth University
Annie Meek
will intern in Dehradun, Uttarakhand--India with Navdanya, “a women centered
movement for the protection of biological and cultural diversity.” However, in this international setting, Meek,
who is exploring a call to ministry focused on environmental public health and
human rights, hopes to learn gardening skills and techniques for education and
advocacy so they can be modified to have a positive impact on Arkansas’ hunger
crisis.
John S. Workman Summer Project
Grant
Greer Veon
Broadcast Journalism Summer
Internship
Partnering
Organization: CBS News Television
Greer Veon
has been chosen to participate in the CBS News Internship Program in New York,
NY. She will explore her calling to leadership and journalism through hands-on
experiences in a newsroom with the knowledge and guidance of some of today’s
top producers, directors, and news anchors.