This document provides an overview of research conducted by scholars in Cornell University's Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program and OADI Research Scholars Program between Summer 2012 and Spring 2014. It contains abstracts summarizing the research experiences and findings. Topics studied include the effects of socio-mnemonic influences on working memory, how sense of purpose impacts perception of geographical challenges, an expressive writing intervention for adolescent girls undergoing puberty, and the relationship between default network activity and cognitive control. The document also outlines the missions of Cornell University, the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives, and the McNair Scholars Program.

1. OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES
Research Compendium
Featuring Research conducted By Cornell University Scholars in:
Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program
OADI Research Scholars Program

2. 2
OADI Research Compendium:
Edition 1 - 2015
This compendium contains the abstracts component of
undergraduate research papers that outline our scholars’
research experiences from Summer 2012 to Spring 2014 .

3. 3
Mission Statements
Cornell University
Cornell is a private, Ivy League university and is the land-grant university
for New York State. Cornell's mission is to discover, preserve, and disseminate
knowledge; produce creative work; and promote a culture of broad inquiry
throughout and beyond the Cornell community. Through public service,
Cornell also aims to enhance the lives and livelihoods of our students, the
people of New York, and others around the world.
Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI)
To ensure that the widest range of life experience, knowledge, creative
expression and original thinking is shared across the breadth of Cornell’s
students, faculty, staff, and disciplines, particularly by those with backgrounds
historically less likely to have been represented on campus. To support the
increased presence, academic success, intellectual achievement, and inclusion,
across all fields of study, of those from these under-represented backgrounds
at Cornell.
McNair Scholars Program
The McNair Scholars Program prepares qualified undergraduates for entrance
to a Ph.D. program in all fields of study. The goals of the program are to
increase the number of first-generation, low-income and/or underrepresented
students in Ph.D. programs, and ultimately, to diversify the faculty in colleges
and universities across the country. The McNair Scholars Program provides
undergraduates with opportunities to participate in academic year and summer
research activities. McNair Scholars attend courses, seminars and workshops on
topics related to graduate school preparation; complete a research project under
the guidance of a faculty mentor; and have the opportunity to present their
research at local, regional and national conferences.
OADI Research Scholars Program
The OADI Research Scholars Program provides underrepresented students
the opportunity for research-oriented academic preparation in the interpretive
social sciences, arts and humanities through coursework, mentoring, and
informative events. The program also prepares participants for successful
application to prestigious research-based scholarship programs, on campus
and beyond. Participants are also prepared for successful application to
prestigious research-based scholarship programs both on campus and in
their future careers.
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

4. 4
A.T Miller, Ph.D.

5. 5
Tremayne O. Waller, Ph.D.
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

6. 6
Risë Nelson Burrow

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Table of Contents
A Face in the Crowd: Socio-mnemonic Influences on Working Memory.................................................................................9
Leveling Mountains: Does Purpose Affect Perception of Geographical Slant?.........................................................................9
“Dear Diary”: An Expressive Writing Intervention for Adolescent Girls.................................................................................10
Goal-Congruent Default Network Activity Facilitates Cognitive Control...............................................................................10
Parental Knowledge and Experiences of Adolescent Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Trends, Reflections, and Advice.............11
Episodic Future Thinking in Second-Generation Children of Chinese Immigrant Families: A Literature Review...........12
Screening for Salinity Tolerance in Natural Accessions of Setaria viridis................................................................................12
Labor and Employment Law Program: Industrial Labor Relations New York City Conference Center.............................13
Approximating Matrices with Multiple Symmetries: An Application to Quantum Chemistry............................................13
Verifying the Uniformity of Cross-Reactive Metal-Oxide Nanowire Sensor...........................................................................14
Ligand Design for Unprecedented Chemoselective Transformations in Organic Synthesis.................................................14
DNA-Mediated Self-Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles into Hydrogels.....................................................................................15
Characterization of Flp-based DNA Technologies......................................................................................................................15
Effect of Aspirin on Microhemorrhage Size in Aged Rodent Brain..........................................................................................16
Experiences Gained Through Summer Research: Protein Isolation from a Human Placenta...............................................16
Determinants of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression in the human
placenta and its relation to fetal adiposity: Honors thesis overview......................................................................................17
Dual-Process Predictions About Latency In Free Recall: Preliminary Findings.....................................................................17
The Consequences of the Model Minority Stereotype................................................................................................................19
The Effects of Wartime on Children’s Healthcare in Afghanistan.............................................................................................19
Examining the Mediational Effect of Family Structure on Child Health Outcomes and Well-being...................................20
A Gender-Response Study of Farmer Preferences of Wheat in Nepal......................................................................................20
The Efficacy of Affirmative Action in Integrating the Upper Class of the United States of America...................................21
The Impact of Hong Kong’s Rock-and-Roll Drama “When Heaven Burns”
on the Development of Hong Kong’s Youth Social Movement...............................................................................................21
Arizona’s Banning of Mexican-American Studies: A Look Into Structural Racism in America...........................................21
Black Women at Cornell from 1960-1980: Examining the Intersectionality of Race and Gender.......................................22
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

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Featured McNair Scholars

9. 9
A Face in the Crowd: Socio-mnemonic
Influences on Working Memory
Long-term memory and working memory have long been regarded as
separate memory systems; however, emerging evidence is challenging this
dissociation model, providing evidence that these two memory systems
interact in support of goal directed cognition. To investigate the interaction
between long-term memory and working memory we have designed a novel
paradigm in which we embed salient semantic memory retrieval cues (fa-
mous faces) in a task known to tax working memory processes (n-back task).
Healthy young adults underwent functional MRI scanning while performing
a novel working memory paradigm. Participants were presented with a
series of pictures of famous and anonymous faces and asked to indicate
whether each face matched the one presented two faces earlier (i.e. a
2-back working memory task). Three trial types were presented: anonymous
faces only (baseline trials); anonymous faces separated by a famous face
(hindrance trials); and famous faces separated by an anonymous face
(facilitation trials). Behaviorally, a facilitation effect was observed. Preliminary
neuroimaging analysis isolated the working memory network during all
trial types. The fusiform face area was also localized in an independent task
run. We predict that increased activity related to long-term memory will (i)
disrupt working memory performance for anonymous faces during hindrance
trials and (ii) increase performance for famous faces during facilitation trials.
“This research experience was particularly amazing due to the fact
that I got the chance to use some really expensive equipment such
as the FESEM. I got the chance to get cleanroom training. Also the
research gave me a chance to see first-hand why going to grad school
will be important to my future aspirations.”
~ Desmond Caulley
ASSIST Summer REU
Dr. Theresa Mayer
Pennsylvania State University
(NSF funded)
Juliana Garcia
Department of
Human Development
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Nathan Spreng,
Elizabeth DuPre,
Judith Mildner,
Laboratory of Brain
and Cognition,
Department of
Human Development,
Cornell University
Dhawal Selarka Gary Turner
Department of Psychology,
York University,
Toronto, ON
Previous studies suggest that our perception of the environment is
not derived objectively, but is instead based on subjective appraisals
of the achievability of actions within that environment. The presence
of certain resources has been shown to play a role in the way these
judgments are embodied in our perception. Purpose is theorized as a
psychological resource that supports more successful management of
challenging environments. Yet, whether purpose influences the way
we perceive environments remains unexamined. An online survey
assesses how participants' reported sense of purpose correlates with
the geographical slant and effort of ascent they estimated for virtual
hills. Results support the hypotheses that appraising hills as requiring
more effort to ascend would be positively associated with greater
overestimations of geographical slant and that engaging with purpose
would attenuate this association. Purpose may play in important
role in our perception of the world by influencing the way we
appraise challenges.
Melanie Netter
Department of
Human Development
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Anthony Burrow
Department of
Human Development,
Cornell University
Rachel Sumner, M.A., Jung Yun Na
Department of
Human Development,
Cornell University
Leveling Mountains: Does Purpose
Affect Perception of Geographical Slant?
McNair Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

10. 10
“Dear Diary”: An Expressive
Writing Intervention for Adolescent Girls
The present study attempts to apply the expressive writing paradigm to
pre-adolescent girls. The purpose of the study is to administer a puberty-
based expressive writing intervention for girls who have just begun or will
soon enter puberty. Because puberty is a time of rapid change in girls’ lives,
it increases the risk of negative effects on girls’ psychological health,
especially on girls who experience early menarche. Expressive writing
may be a way of lessening these negative outcomes. By giving them the
opportunity to reflect upon and disclose personal emotions towards
several topics on puberty, girls’ transition into adolescence can be made
into a smoother and more positive experience.
“My project examined the political and social barriers to addiction
treatment during the ‘crack epidemic’ (mid-1980s through mid-1990s)
in New York City”
~Misha Inniss-Thompson
REU
Dr. Samuel Roberts
New York City
Taylor McGuire
Department of
Human Development
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Patricia Gonzalez
Department
of Psychology
Cornell University McNair Scholar
Dr. Jane Mendle
Department of
Human Development
Cornell University
Substantial neuroimaging evidence suggests that spontaneous
engagement of the default network impairs performance on tasks
requiring executive control. We investigated whether this impairment
depends on the congruence between executive control demands and
internal mentation. We hypothesized that activation of the default
network might enhance performance on an executive control task if
control processes engage long-term memory representations that are
supported by the default network. Using fMRI, we scanned 36 healthy
young adult humans on a novel two-back task requiring working
memory for famous and anonymous faces. In this task, participants
(1) matched anonymous faces interleaved with anonymous face, (2)
matched anonymous faces interleaved with a famous face, or (3)
matched a famous faces interleaved with an anonymous face. As
predicted, we observed a facilitation effect when matching famous
faces, compared with anonymous faces. We also observed greater
activation of the default network during these famous facematching
trials. The results suggest that activation of the default network can
contribute to task performance during an externally directed executive
control task. Our findings provide evidence that successful activation
of the default network in a contextually relevant manner facilitates
goal-directed cognition.
Juliana Garcia
Department of
Human Development,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Nathan Spreng,
Elizabeth DuPre,
Judith Mildner
Laboratory of Brain and Cognition,
Department of Human Development
Cornell University
Dhawal Selarka, Gary Turner
Department of Psychology,
York University
Toronto, ON
Goal-Congruent Default Network
Activity Facilitates Cognitive Control
McNair Scholar

11. 11
Parental Knowledge and Experiences of Adolescent Non-Suicidal
Self-Injury: Trends, Reflections, and Advice
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as deliberate destruction of body
tissue without suicidal intent. Much of the existing literature focuses on the
experiences of adolescents and young adults who engage in self-injury, and
analogous research focusing on parent experiences is scarce. Most of the
literature focused on parents evaluates the effects of various parenting and
communication styles, and assesses the different risk factors that can occur
within the parent-child relationship. To assess, not aspects of the parent-child
relationship that can be risk factors in the development or maintenance of
self-injury, but salient aspects of parental experience throughout a child’s
struggle with self-injury. The study further attempts to understand parental
influences on growth and recovery processes of the self-injurious child.
10 family units of self-injurious adolescents (ages 15-22, 9 females, 2 male,
Mage= 19.72, SD= 3.38) and their parents (10 females, 2 males, Mage range
= 43-50, 30%; parent’s ages were given categorically) of self-injurious
adolescents were interviewed about their experiences throughout the course
of recovery and analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Parent reports
of adolescent epidemiological characteristics of NSSI were in discordance
with adolescent-reported information, as they slightly overestimated the
average age of onset, underestimated the duration of NSSI, focused almost
entirely on one form of self-injury (cutting), and did not report the same
function of NSSI as did their adolescents. Qualitative analysis on the parental
experience of adolescent NSSI shows a trend that goes from an initial feeling
of guilt at the time of disclosure, the use of their child’s behavior as a source
of optimism for recovery, and concludes with an abdication of the guilt at the
time of the interview. The other parents left the advice of showing love and
support for the adolescent and to not give up regardless of the difficulties
and struggles that may arise. Parents go through a variety of experiences
throughout the recovery process of adolescent NSSI, and it is important to
identify these experiences in order to understand how it can impact both
parental and adolescent mental health and recovery.
“I am appreciative of the perspective I have been given on my field
of study as a whole, the relationships fostered in the graduate
student/faculty mentor setting, and the prospects available for
me to continue my education as a prospective PhD candidate.”
~Stephen Salerno
Boston University Summer Institute
for Training in Biostatistics
Boston University Framingham Heart
Study Testing Center
(NHLBI funded)
Kemar Prussien
Department of
Psychology
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Janis Whitlock
Bronfenbrenner
Center for Translational
Research
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

12. 12
Episodic future thinking is the ability to project oneself into the future and
experience an event before it has occurred. The purpose of this study is to
provide an extensive review of the literature on episodic future thinking and
intergenerational differences between Asian immigrants and their children.
Four prominent themes emerged in the literature that may contribute to
a future study of episodic future thinking in second-generation Chinese
immigrants. Based on this review, the domains of cultural differences,
parental styles, acculturation, and generational gaps may affect how
second-generation children perceive their personal future differently
from their nonimmigrant peers.
“I cultivated a new set of skills, such as catalysis, glovebox
techniques, electrolysis, and cyclic voltammetry which will help
me in graduate school.”
~ Yanqiao Chen
SROP Leadership Alliance
~ Dr. Tayhas Palmore
Head of the Center for the Capture
and Conversion of CO2
Brown University
Patricia Gonzalez
Department
of Psychology
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Qi Wang
Department of
Human Development
Salinity is a problem that has plagued agriculture for thousands of years.
It occurs when salt mixes with water in subsurface levels of the soil,
and travels with water to the surface of the soil. Over time, the salts
can accumulate at the surface of the soil and begin to affect the growth
and development of plants The effects of saline soils do not stop on the
molecular level; the effects extend to entire ecosystems, and can affect
humans as well as infrastructure. Setaria viridis is a C4 panacoid grass
which is emerging as a promising model organism for these species. S.
viridis is important for research because of its evolutionary relatedness
and morphological similarity to economically important C4 grasses.
Attributes that make it an excellent model species are its small physical
size, and short generation time, ability to self and outcross, large
number of offspring, small genome of ~510 megabases and ability to
be transformed by agrobacterium. Several other groups are using it to
understand the regulation and improve the efficiency of C4 photosynthesis.
Our project will examine the variation of salinity tolerance observed
within 84 accessions of S. viridis. The experiment will screen this Setaria
viridis germplasm collection for the salinity tolerance by assessing biomass
accumulation and elemental composition of individuals grown on soil
maintained at uniform water content with varying NaCl concentration.
Joe Nathan Lindsey
Department of
Human Development,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Maximillian
Fieldman
Elizabeth DuPre,
Judith Mildner
Laboratory of Ivan Baxter,
Donald Danforth
Plant Science Center,
Washington University
St. Louis
Screening for Salinity Tolerance in
Natural Accessions of Setaria viridis
McNair Scholar
Episodic Future Thinking in Second-Generation Children
of Chinese Immigrant Families: A literature Review

13. 13
Labor and Employment Law Program:
Industrial Labor Relations New York City Conference Center
This summer (2014) I worked as a research fellow for the Labor and
Employment Law Program in the ILR (Industrial and Labor Relations)
New York City Conference Center. I worked with the Director of the Labor
and Employment Law Program, Esta R. Bigler on the consequences of
having a criminal record in employment. Specifically I researched the
impact of a criminal record on obtaining an occupational license. This
research opportunity introduced me to a mixture of both criminal law
and labor and employment law. The research I conducted was focused on
analyzing the use of the NY Correction Law, Article 23-A (23-A) in the
decision-making process of applications for occupational licenses of the
formerly incarcerated. Throughout the course of this research, I have gained
valuable analytical, collaborative, and detail-oriented skills. Overall, this
summer research opportunity has only further encouraged me to pursue
a JD/Ph.D.
“I was able to develop many fundamental research skills that
I will definitely use later in life. This summer internship has only
reinforced my goals and intentions for doctoral study.”
~Dhruv Patel
Output Traits Discovery
Department at Dow Agrosciences
~ Dr. Cory Larsen
Cornell University
Maritza Medina
Olazaran
Industrial Labor
Relations
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Esta R. Bigler
Director of Labor and Employment
Law Program, NYC Conference Center
In many matrix applications it is possible to utilize structure for
improved computational efficiency and obtain a low-rank approximation
which preserves the original structure. A good example of such a
structure which can be utilized is centro-symmetry, or symmetry
about both the diagonal and anti-diagonal of a matrix. We seek to
translate efficient, low-rank, structure preserving properties to tensors,
or high dimensional matrices, with scientific applications ranging from
the reconstruction of pathways of a cellular system to approximation
of the quantum wave function. After unfolding a tensor into a matrix,
tensor computations turn into matrix computations. When the original
tensor is structured, the matrix unfolding is also structured. Motivated
by a problem in computational quantum chemistry, which involves
a four-level nested summation over a low-rank symmetric 4-tensor,
we obtain a structured matrix unfolding and apply StructLDL: a rank-
revealing lazy-evaluation symmetric-pivoting LDLT factorization
algorithm which preserves block symmetry, symmetric blocks, and
perfect shuffle permutation symmetry. StructLDL is implemented in
MATLAB and allows us to compute the quantum chemistry summation
in just O(rn2 +nr2) flops, which is a great improvement over the simple
O(n4) implementation.
Joseph Vokt
Department of
Computer Science,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Charles Van Loan
Department of
Computer Science,
Cornell University
Approximating Matrices with Multiple
Symmetries: An Application to Quantum Chemistry
McNair Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

14. 14
Verifying the Uniformity of
Cross-Reactive Metal-Oxide Nanowire Sensor
The objective of this research is to evaluate the uniformity of the
current-voltage (IV) curves of different types of metal oxide coated
nanowire chemiresistors such as anatase TiO2 and Rutile SnO2. A field
emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) is used to find the
sources of the variations among IV curves through length, diameter, and
contact measurements. Furthermore, this research evaluates two devices
from the TiO2 devices that had very similar IV characteristics and
alignment structure. These devices were exposed to 10% O2 and then N2.
The uniformity of response of these two devices to the gases at varying
temperatures are evaluated. The activation energy is extracted from the
varying temperature measurements.
“I have gained confidence in where my passion lies: becoming a
pediatric neurosurgeon that is able to work across various
disciplines (research and health policy) to promote global health
through the improvement of healthcare systems.”
~ Rachel Lee
Southern African Institute
of Policy and Research
Zambia, South Africa
Desmond Caulley
Department of
Electrical & Computer
Engineering,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Theresa Mayer,
Xiahua Zhong,
Perry Robinson
Pennsylvania State University
ASSIST Program
Chemoselectivity is the preferential reactivity upon a targeted
functional group in the presence of other functional groups.
However, the selective reactivity of these functional groups often
requires multi-step syntheses involving complicated and costly
protecting group schemes. Hence, in order to optimize the efficiency
of organic synthesis, our group aims to develop new methodologies
to achieve these chemoselective transformations in a single step by
using size-exclusion macrocyclic ligands.
Yanqiao Chen
Department of Chemistry,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Anthony Tierno
Chad A. Lewis
Department of Chemistry,
Cornell University
Ligand Design for Unprecedented
Chemoselective Transformations in Organic Synthesis
McNair Scholar

15. 15
NA-Mediated Self-Assembly of
Gold Nanoparticles into Hydrogels
Thiolated DNA ligands were used to coordinate gold nanoparticles
into networks, resulting in hydrogel synthesis. This approach lends to the
creation of a new class of rationally designed materials which are assembled
from nanoscale components. The gold-DNA gels described, combine the
absorptive properties of goldnanoparticles with the self-recognizing
capabilities of complementary DNA. The hydrogels have potential
applications as components of light-responsive self-healing materials or
drug delivery systems.
“My experience this summer has not only added to my repertoire of
laboratory skills and helped me develop scientific communication
skills, but has unveiled some of the mysteries behind graduate
school applications.”
~ Mariela Garcia
Summer Undergraduate
Research in Geosciences
and Engineering Program
~ Dr. Scott Fendorf
Stanford University
Jeffrey Li
Department of
Biological &
Environmental
Engineering,
McNair Scholar
Dr. Dan Luo
Department of Biological &
Environmental Engineering
Cornell University
In recent decades, many advances have been made in the field of metabolic
engineering, a process which allows cells to be modified to produce
chemicals important for a variety of pharmaceutical and commercial
applications. In this field it is important to be able to “edit” organisms by
inserting and deleting chunks of DNA from the organism’s genome. Several
technologies already exist for this purpose. One system formalized in the yeast
organism is called ReRec and allows for efficient insertion of chunks of DNA
into the yeast genome. However, it is important to be able to reverse the pro-
cess and pull ReRec-assembled DNA back out of the genome onto free-floating
plasmids within the cell. This would allow the ReRec system to apply to other
organisms, since plasmids can be compatible with other organisms which
may be more suited to a particular metabolic engineering need. The Flp-FRT
recombinase system has potential to be useful for catalyzing the ReRec and
reverse ReRec reactions within yeast. It consists of DNA sequences called FRT
sites, which mark the ends of important DNA sections, and the Flp recombi-
nase enzyme. If DNA flanked by FRT sites are present on both a plasmid and
a genomic DNA cassette, then Flp can exchange the DNA cassettes, pulling a
genomic sequence onto a plasmid. Plasmids are then easy to amplify, extract
and put into other organisms.
Jeffrey Li
Department of
Biological Engineering,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Virginia Cornish
Department of
Chemistry
Cornish Lab
Columbia University
Characterization of Flp-based
DNA Technologies
McNair Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

16. 16
Effect of Aspirin on Microhemorrhage
Size in Aged Rodent Brain
Microhemorrhages, or small bleeds, are common in the aging brain and
contribute to cognitive decline and dementia. While taking aspirin decreases
the risk of coronary artery occlusions and stroke, aspirin usage may also
increase the incidence of hemorrhage and prolong bleeding. Because larger
bleeds exacerbate damage to the surrounding tissue, we aimed to understand
the influence of aspirin usage on the size of microhemorrhages in the brain.
We used femtosecond laser ablation to rupture arterioles in the brains of
both aged (18-24 month old) and young (2-4 month old) mice dosed on
aspirin (0.4mg/mL) in their drinking water and measured the extent of
penetration of both red blood cells and blood plasma into the surrounding
tissue as compared to controls. In preliminary data, we find that aged mice
dosed on aspirin have minimal difference in microhemorrhage size as
compared to controls (diameter of red blood cell hematoma = 95 +/- 38 μm
in controls and 112 +/- 29 μm in aspirin treated mice). There was also no
difference in young animals (hematoma diameter = 110 +/- 32 μm in controls
and 98 +/- 18 μm in aspirin treated mice). These data show that aspirin
usage does not increase microhemorrhage size, thus supporting the safety
of aspirin usage.
“I learned how to write a research proposal, conduct a literature
review and form hypotheses. I also learned how to use SPSS, run
different analyses, and what each analysis meant.”
~ Trenel Francis
REU Psychology Program
~ Dr. Sarah Whitton
University of Cincinnati
Sandy Chan
Department of
Biological Sciences,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Chris B. Schaffer
Morgan Brophy,
Sanket Pattanaik,
Nozomi Nishimura
Department of
Biomedical Engineering
Cornell University
The placenta is a key regulatory organ that is responsible for
nourishing the fetus during development by establishing contact
with the maternal blood circulation. Due to a neonate’s dependence
on the placenta, the organ is of significant interest to researchers to
try to understand placental physiology. Medical complications such
as increased risk of developing cancers, autoimmune diseases or
metabolic disorders can develop during the infant’s life, while increased
risk of intrauterine growth restriction, premature delivery, low birth
weight, postpartum depression and maternal morbidity are other
factors that can develop during pregnancy due to nutrient deficiencies.
Little is known about the physiological processes through which these
complications arise and are thus the focus of many studies. The goal
of this project was to explore the many techniques and methods that
are used to investigate mechanisms at the placental level such as organ
collection and processing, Bio-Rad modified Brantford protein assay,
RNA extraction and western blot analyses.
Fredrick Blaisdell
Biological Sciences
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Kimberly O’Brien,
Division of
Nutritional Sciences
Cornell University
Experiences Gained Through Summer Research:
Protein Isolation from a Human Placenta
McNair Scholar

17. 17
Determinants of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression in the human
placenta and its relation to fetal adiposity: Honors thesis overview
The experiment currently being carried out will be an exploratory analysis
that determines whether maternal dietary intake during pregnancy contrib-
utes to fetal adiposity by increasing the expression of the glucose transporter
1 (GLUT1) in the placenta. GLUT1 is a facilitated membrane transport
protein in humans. It is a member of the solute carrier 2 (SLC2A) family
which includes fourteen different proteins specific to the tissues in which
they are expressed. Because this transporter is directly involved with glucose
transport across the placenta, the hypothesis states that GLUT1 expression
is directly affected by maternal nutritional status. Quantitative real-time
polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) will be used to determine the amount
of GLUT1 mRNA that is present in each placental tissue sample. Multivari-
ate modeling will be used to identify the determinants of GLUT1 transcript
expression in the human placenta in relation to maternal and fetal character-
istics (i.e. maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and hor-
monal/inflammatory status). A better understanding of determinants of fetal
growth and adiposity will allow for the design of interventions that promote
optimal fetal growth and birth outcomes.
“Overall, my research experience deepened my interest in marine
science for doctoral study and allowed me to develop new research
skills I can use in the future.”
~Jennifer Zhu
Rutgers University
Program
Research Internship in
Ocean Science Program
Nonyerem Acholonu
Department of Human
Biology, Health
& Society,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Kimberly
O’Brien,
Division of Nutritional Sciences,
Cornell University
In the dual-retrieval theory of recall, recollective retrieval is controlled
by a single operation (direct access), while non-recollective retrieval is
controlled by two operations (reconstruction and familiarity judgment).
The theory assumes that the former process is faster than the latter.
We tested this assumption in one experiment. Subjects received multiple
opportunities to study and to freely recall lists of 16, 30, and 60 concrete
words. A Markov chain was applied to subjects’ recall performance
across tests to measure dual-retrieval processes. The process-level
findings were compared to predicted patterns of recall latency.
Masrai Williams
Department of Human
Biology, Health
& Society,
Cornell University
McNair Scholar
Dr. Charles Brainerd,
Carlos Gomes
Department of Human Development
Cornell University
Dual-Process Predictions About
Latency In Free Recall: Preliminary Findings
McNair Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

18. 18
OADI Research Scholars

19. 19
The Consequences of the
Model Minority Stereotype
Currently, the Asian American population is seen through the lens of the
model minority stereotype, a generalizing description of what an Asian
American ought to be. If the yellow peril was once a concept used in the
nineteenth century to discriminate against Asian immigrants, the trending
model minority stereotype is used similarly—but masked in a “positive”
form. My research looks into the defining characteristics of the stereotype,
as well as the negative consequences that come from the internalization of
the stereotype. Specifically, in regards to its effect in education, the stereotype
can be broken down to many different aspects, which include mental health
issues, lumping ethnicities into one group, lack of resources, affirmative
action, and racial tension with other minority groups. My background
research revolves around analysis on the effects of the model minority
stereotype on a national level and on the Cornell student body ten years
ago, based on published literature.
“I have enjoyed my experience so far in this program and I am glad
to see the support system and resources at my disposal.”
~ Christopher Edo-Osagie
Department of Economics
Stephanie Hahm ‘17
Department of
Government,
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
Human beings are dependent on social interactions to guarantee their
survival; as individuals, they are vulnerable to their environment. For
this existential reason, beneficent social policies reflective of the moral
conscience of society are imperative to the reception of basic needs.
These needs are expressed through the social construct of human rights.
Universally accepted as a human right is the right to healthcare, as
recognized in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 2004 The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was ratified,
pledging to abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Islam.
Afghanistan is a country surrounded by controversy regarding the treatment
of one of its most vulnerable groups of citizens: children. The Constitution
of Afghanistan guaranteed in Article 52 the right to health and well-being.
The Constitution was ratified at a time of ongoing war and corruption.
It was the enactment of an ideal. It follows that the enactment be exercised.
Using data from the World Bank on total health expenditure of the state,
the infant mortality rate, the percentage of children with immunizations,
and life expectancy to the age of 5, this research analyzes the effects of
wartime on healthcare for children in 21st century Afghanistan. The unjust
exploitation of human beings violates and threatens the moral conscience
of civilization, denying the vulnerable the Kantian imperative of morality.
Janice Lopez ‘17
Department of
Human Biology,
Health and Society,
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
The Effects of Wartime on
Children’s Healthcare in Afghanistan
OADI Research Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

20. 20
Examining the Mediational Effect of Family
Structure on Child Health Outcomes and Well-being
Currently, the Asian American population is seen through the lens of the
model minority stereotype, a generalizing description of what an Asian
American ought to be. If the yellow peril was once a concept used in the
nineteenth century to discriminate against Asian immigrants, the trending
model minority stereotype is used similarly—but masked in a “positive”
form. My research looks into the defining characteristics of the stereotype,
as well as the negative consequences that come from the internalization of
the stereotype. Specifically, in regards to its effect in education, the stereotype
can be broken down to many different aspects, which include mental health
issues, lumping ethnicities into one group, lack of resources, affirmative
action, and racial tension with other minority groups. My background
research revolves around analysis on the effects of the model minority
stereotype on a national level and on the Cornell student body ten years
ago based on published literature.
“Before participating in this program, I knew nothing about
research. Since I joined, I have developed my interest in research.
I really enjoy working with my faculty adviser, graduate mentor,
and Eric, the Africana librarian. They have provided me a lot of
help regarding my research.”
~ William Wong
Department of Urban
and Regional Studies
Vanessa Rivera ‘14
Department of
Policy Analysis
and Management,
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
The versatility of wheat as a food source and its varied uses as food/
feed and in construction/industry accounts for its importance in the
global agricultural market. Due to its end-product versatility and high
nutritional value, wheat is the world’s third most produced cereal crop
after maize and rice. As Nepal’s third major food crop, wheat research
has focused on increasing yield and breeding for resistance to major
diseases; 34 varieties have been released in Nepal. However, many
of these varieties were not widely adopted due to lack of key farmer
preference criteria. As a result of Nepal’s varied ecological zones and
different ethnic groups, farmer preferences of varieties vary between
localities. These differences in farmer preference have not been studied
sufficiently for successful promotion of new varieties. As a means of
supplementing current plant breeding research, in this study I will
focus on gender differences in varietal choice of varieties in the
Nepali production system. I will be determining differences in farmer
preference of agronomic and quality traits in order to assess whether
gender influences variety and rate of adoption. The study will be aim
to evaluate preference among the following traits: cooking qualities,
seed price, resistance to rust, straw quality, timing of plant maturation,
tolerance to environmental stresses, and market desirability.
Valeria San Juan ‘16
Department of
Human Biology,
Health and Society,
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
A Gender-Response Study of Farmer
Preferences of Wheat in Nepal
OADI Research Scholar

21. 21
The Efficacy of Affirmative Action in Integrating
the Upper Class of the United States of America.
The cyclical nature of poverty and the cyclical nature of wealth both
contribute to racial and class polarization in the United States. Affirmative
Action programs, in spirit, aim to enable underrepresented minorities
climb the social ladder. This research project examines how effectively
affirmative action policies in academia influenced the integration of
African Americans into the upper class of the United States. By comparing
educational attainment due to Affirmative Action with the income of the
top 5% of African American households, it is evident that there is some
correlation between Affirmative Action policies and wage increase.
“I have enjoyed learning about different resources available at
Cornell. I am also excited about having the opportunity to do
research my first year.”
~ Janice Lopez
Department of Human Biology,
Health and Society,
Cornell University
Mahmudur
Rahman ‘17
Department of
Developmental Society,
& Department of
Biological Sciences
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
Many social science researchers have studied rock music culture and
its social impact, but they mainly concentrate on the West, not paying
enough attention to non-Western countries, such as China. This research
will contribute to this neglected but important area of study. It focuses
on how rock music culture has influenced Hong Kong, a city in China,
socially, by examining the impact of a rock-and-roll drama on the city’s
youth social movement. I chose Hong Kong since it was a British colony
for more than a century, and has been under a substantial Western
cultural influence. It is clearer to see how Western culture has shaped
a predominantly Chinese society in Hong Kong than in other Chinese
cities. I have analyzed significant episodes of the rock-and-roll drama,
read articles about social movement and rock music, and reviewed
online videos with regards to any social movements occurred during
and after the broadcast run of the drama. I have found that the ideology
of democracy in the drama has helped raise the social and political
awareness of young people in Hong Kong, and encourage young people
to fight for a fully democratic government. High- and middle-school
students have organized and participated in protests against Hong Kong
Government’s educational, media, and electoral policies. Hong Kong
‘netizens’ have also become active in commenting on local social and
political issues. This investigation into the association between social
movement and rock music culture allows people to understand the
possible impact of rock music on Chinese society, especially in Hong
Kong, in the early 21st century.
William Wong ‘17
Department of Urban
and Regional Studies,
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
The Impact of Hong Kong’s Rock-and-Roll Drama “When Heaven
Burns” on the Development of Hong Kong’s Youth Social Movement
OADI Research Scholar
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

22. 22
Arizona’s Banning of Mexican-American Studies:
A Look Into Structural Racism in America
Throughout American and global history, book censorship has played a role
in upholding the beliefs of the status quo or group in power. While one may
feel that contemporary America is dedicated to upholding citizen freedoms,
discrepancies still remain. In January 2012, the Mexican-American Studies
Program at the Tucson Unified School District was terminated on grounds
of being “un-American.” More than 83 Latino literature works were removed,
in addition to one strange outlier—The Tempest by William Shakespeare. In
this comparative literature study, I analyze the relationship between Latino/
a literature and The Tempest. Based on book and author popularity, I selected
three Latino/a works: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, The
Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, and “The Moths”
by Helena Maria Viramontes. My study reveals a common theme within all
four works: magic as a tool for hierarchal oppression and liberation. I reason
that because the The Tempest contains supernatural content (which is
typically associated with Latino/a culture), it was removed so that TUSD
students would not be able to relate to/be inspired by non-Latino strides
for social justice.
“The experience has been great. I have learned about general research
skills as well as other opportunities available in terms of research.”
~ Valeria San Juan
Department of Human
Biology, Health and Society
Sarah Proo ‘15
Department of
English and
Department of
Romance Studies
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
This research examines how race and gender identities play in under-
graduate experiences during a time of strong activism, because it will
address the larger problem of insensitivity towards the topic of race and
gender inter-sectionality. The 1960s through 1970s was known as the
Second Reconstruction Era and the Vietnam Era. With movements
like the Black Power Movement, Black students were questioning how
to define their black identity. At the same time, women on campus
were gaining rights and fighting to lose curfews at Cornell’s campus.
Examining the academic works of black feminist such as Kimberle
Crenshaw and bell hooks, I will apply their arguments to events in the
Cornell community such as the development of the Wari House, the
Willard Straight Takeover, and the women’s leadership conferences in
the 1970s. In general, this research will examine theoretical texts about
social identity development and relate it to historical archives and
published documents relating to Black undergraduate women at
Cornell University between 1960 and 1980
Shynise Stiff ‘14
Department of
Applied Economics
and Management,
Cornell University
OADI Research Scholar
Black Women at Cornell from 1960-1980:
Examining the Intersectionality of Race and Gender
McNair Scholar

23. 23
Acknowledgements
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC DIVERSITY INITIATIVES
This publication would not have been possible without the collaboration and dedication of our
staff and faculty here at Cornell University’s Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI).
This page is dedicated to the following:
• A.T. Miller
• Laura Brown
• Risë Nelson-Burrow
• Tremayne Waller
• McNair Faculty Mentors
• Ruth McCoy
• Sarah Jefferis
• Zarif Islam

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