University Writing & Research Conference Program Spring 2026

University Writing & Research Conference
Thursday, February 26th &
Friday, February 27th
Online via Zoom, In-Person in Ames Hall

Spring 2026 Conference Schedule

The conference comprises 8 panels, with one session per time band. All panel sessions are ~50-60 minutes in length. Please arrive on time and plan to stay for the entire session, including the Q&A, which is an important component of the panel discussion.

Two (2) Sessions will be conducted via Zoom.

Thursday, February 26th:

• 6:00pm
• 7:30pm

All other sessions held in-person in Ames B101, Mount Vernon Campus.

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University Writing and Research Conference Sessions:

Session 1, Examining Systems of Power & A Call to Reform (Thursday, Feb 26th, 6pm)

Virtual Session, join via Zoom

Moderator: Thomas Choate, School of Business/Strategic Management & Public Policy

The Influence of TikTok Shop's Algorithm-Driven Marketing Strategies on Consumer Behavior and the Unsustainable Effects That Entail
Caitlin Liu
Professor: Richter

While TikTok and TikTok Shop are often recognized as rapidly growing e-commerce platforms, with an increasing number of users purchasing products each day, the detrimental impacts of this e-commerce giant far outweigh its benefits. The algorithmic methods TikTok uses to encourage consumer purchases are unethical and have detrimental environmental consequences. Not only does TikTok’s algorithm-driven marketing invade personal privacy through intrusive data-tracking practices, but it also psychologically manipulates consumers by exploiting their emotions, insecurities, and constant desire to stay on trend. Although there are several potential solutions to these issues, increased algorithmic transparency and user control is the most attainable and realistic option. With sufficient public attention, these companies could be mandated to implement restrictions and obligations that better protect consumer privacy.

High Seas against High Spirits: Inspiring Action in a Flooded Future Through Climate Fiction
Riley Whitlock
Professor: Svoboda

Anxiety and other negative emotions concerning climate change can result in an avoidance of climate information. In an attempt to alleviate this issue, climate fiction, or cli-fi, has been suggested as a possible method to introduce climate information without repelling audiences. This study researches four novels that explore the consequences of sea level rise as a result of climate change and analyzes reader response. How the intersection of gender, race, and personal risk affects an audience is explored by comparing the identities of the authors and characters with reader demographics collected from the book review site Goodreads. In addition, reader response is considered by assessing the general trends of and repeated sentiments within these reviews. The findings reveal no prevailing trend to support the hypothesis that certain demographics will gravitate towards authors and novels that represent their identities. However, it is notable that Black reviewers are overrepresented in the audience of the Black author’s novel, and male reviewers are underrepresented in the audience of the female authors’ novels. Reader response trends also suggest the importance of cli-fi in building empathy for victims of sea level rise, implicating its use to motivate action against sea level rise and climate change.

From Necessity to Privilege: The Monopolization of Jamaica’s Energy sector by Jamaica Public Service (JPS)
Samira Chatani
Professor: Janzen

Thousands are living in poverty, struggling to keep electricity in their homes, as the Jamaican government signs a contract allowing the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to act as the sole distributor of energy. JPS was first founded in 1882, making Jamaica one of the first countries in the world to have electric power. In 1970, JPS became a government organization and remained publicly owned until 2001, when it turned into a private firm after 80% of shares were bought by the Mirant Corporation. The majority shareholder eventually sold their shares to the Marubeni Corporation of Japan, which now holds joint ownership with Korea East West Power. The Jamaican government holds 19% of the shares, while minority shareholders hold less than 1% of shares. For years, JPS has been and is the sole transporter and distributor of electricity in the region of Jamaica, therefore creating a monopoly in the energy sector. This has limited consumers to one option, forcing them to comply with poor customer service as well as price fluctuations. Darrell Vaz, the Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister of Jamaica announced at a special press conference addressing the government contract with JPS, “Stating that the existing arrangements are “deeply flawed and in need of significant reform”, Minister Vaz reiterated that the decision by the Government is to “secure terms which better serve the people of Jamaica” (Williams 2023).

Session 2, Mind the Gap: Rethinking Access, Equity, and Empowerment (Thursday, Feb 26th, 7:30pm)

Virtual Session, join via Zoom

Moderator: Betsy Shimberg, Assistant Dean of Mount Vernon Campus

Closing the Injury Gap: A Menstrual Cycle based Approach to Safer Training for Female Athletes
Tala Chabara
Professor: Barlow

There is an increased rate of injuries in women compared to men, especially in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and stress fractures. Research suggests this disparity is due to several factors, particularly hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle. Variations in estrogen levels during the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases can affect ligament laxity, joint stability, neuromuscular control, and biomechanics, increasing injury risk. However, current training methods and injury prevention programs rarely account for these hormone fluctuations, and there is a lack of awareness regarding female physiology in sports. Because increased injury rates can sideline athletes for months, especially with ACL injuries, it is vital to address these overlooked factors. This paper examines how a menstrual cycle informed training and monitoring program can reduce injury risk for female athletes. It proposes incorporating cycle tracking through apps and wearables, adjusting training load and recovery, providing nutrition insights, and including targeted injury prevention exercises during vulnerable phases. This program would also increase education and awareness among coaches, trainers, and athletes. By implementing such a program, preventable injuries can be avoided, training consistency improved, and safer long term recovery supported, helping close gaps in women’s sports science and medicine.

Let The Weird Kid Play Too
Gryphon Smith
Professor: Daqqa

"Let The Weird Kid Play Too" is a conglomeration of several studies regarding the nature of sports, autism, and how the two intersect. The hard truth is Autism and sports mix like oil and water. This does not mean that the world of athletics shouldn't try to be more accepting. Major exceptions to this rule, including pro ballers, show that with the right environment and drive people on the spectrum can succeed. All they need is a college try.

Mum Look! Trees Have Leaves: Errors of Communication in Childhood Myopia
Helena Streib
Professor: Sauer

As the most prevalent eye condition in the world, Myopia has the potential to impact 50% of children by 2030. Yet, the search for providers, explanations, and answers is a years-long, often expensive process. As a student of Risk Communication, I chose to discover why information about childhood myopia is so hard to obtain. Throughout my research, I learned that the Cycle of Technical Communication, authored by Beverly Sauer, Ph.D., a standard in Risk Communication practice, does not apply here. Moreover, improper, minor-based communication has direct impacts on the eye care industry. The results of my research culminate in my new cycle of documentation. This new cycle is an adapted Venn diagram made of three unequal groups. In the case of childhood myopia, there is an imbalance between minors’, their parents’, and practitioners’ communication styles, leading to the lack of tangible information. I chose to highlight the case of Johns Hopkins Medicine, whose webpage on myopia left me with no further course of action or advice. My paper provides improvements to this webpage, helping dig up the roots of the childhood myopia epidemic.

Session 3, From Myth to Meal to Mystery: The Metamorphosis of Language and Symbols (Friday, Feb 27th, 10am)

B101, Ames Hall

Moderator: Sheila Dougherty, Research Services Librarian, GW Libraries

Small Latin and Less Greek: Why Shakespeare Keeps Returning to Ovid
Riley Martin
Professor: Pollack

This project examines why William Shakespeare repeatedly turned to Ovid’s Metamorphoses and how classical mythology shaped his understanding of human nature. Although Ben Jonson famously claimed that Shakespeare had “small Latin and less Greek,” this phrase is better understood as praise rather than criticism, suggesting that Shakespeare’s creative genius rivaled that of the ancient writers. By drawing on Ovid’s myths, Shakespeare explored key ideas of Renaissance humanism, including transformation, desire, and ambition, through stories familiar to his audience. Through close analysis of plays such as Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, Macbeth, The Tempest, and Titus Andronicus, this project shows how Shakespeare adapted myths like Pyramus and Thisbe, Narcissus, Icarus, and Philomela across both tragedy and comedy. These adaptations allowed him to present universal concepts in forms that Elizabethan audiences could recognize and understand. Ultimately, this essay argues that Shakespeare returned to Ovid not simply for inspiration, but because classical mythology provided a framework for exploring emotion, change, and the complexity of the human experience on the Renaissance stage.

The Disputatious History of Dumplings: Where Do They Come From, and Why Does it Matter?
Justin Tomljanovich
Professor: Quave

The word “dumpling” brings to mind various dishes from cultures across the world, from the Chinese jiaozi to the Polish pierogi. By understanding the nature of these dumplings, a clearer view of each culture and how they interact can be formed. This paper defines the dumpling, assessing various sources with disparate definitions. It explores various potential origins of the dumpling, analysing theories and their evidence about origins and change over time based on disciplines including archaeology, cultural histories, and folklore. An understanding of human nature and the flaws that commonly appear in cross-cultural and multicultural research is outlined to better understand how the history of the dumpling should be assessed.

The Fool’s (Really Long) Journey: A look into the development of Tarot Cards
Samie Park
Professor: Fletcher

There are few works of art that have had a consistent cultural significance on a near global scale as Tarot cards have. Having had several resurgences since creation, Tarot remains a strong influence on modern media due to its flexibility and unique identity. Between its gradually developing narrative and how it was received, it can be argued that its defining feature lies within its relevance after so many years by consistently adapting to the needs of the audience. Even today, the tarot of the digital age, pushes the boundaries of what tarot can portray, diversifying it further for a global audience. In my research I looked into the history and development of tarot cards, comparing the most culturally relevant examples of tarot to one another, and studied the impact they had on modern day tarot. I wanted to observe what traits within the tarots remained constant through the passage of time and pinpoint when and how certain symbols became synonymous with tarot, symbols that remain relevant today. It is because of the past movements that modern tarot is perceived the way it is, a uniquely diverse branch of art. And just like its predecessors, contemporary tarot has its unique values that apply to its similarly modern audience.

Session 4, Masks, Media, Metamorphosis: Performing Identity Under Constraint (Friday, Feb 27th, 11:30am)

B101, Ames Hall

Moderator: Kelly Grogg, Gelman Library, Director of Research and User Services

Metamorphosis of the Mind: A Psychological Case Study of Maria Sibylla Merian’s Representation of Human Nature
Tyler Lai
Professor: Pollack

Maria Sibylla Merian has recently been recognized as a pillar of early entomology and botany, serving as a key naturalist of her time who revolutionized these fields. Beginning as a child in Frankfurt, her early exploratory work of insects ultimately led to a two-year expedition in Suriname that culminated in her discovery of metamorphosis—a theory that challenged all previously known about the creation of insects. Her 1705 publication, "Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium," captures this theory and pairs it with detailed hand-engraved and hand-painted images that depict several of the encountered Surinamese species. Merian’s detailed art illustrates the deep interconnection of nature and reveals the unassuming symbiotic relationship between plants and insects—namely, that particular plants act as hosts for certain insects to spawn their next generations. Yet despite all, her name is still newly entered in the academic conversation in spite of her having been an authority on the subject for decades before her contemporaries. It is in this tenacity that her pioneering work embodies the creativity, curiosity, perseverance, and legacy that reflect the constantly developing nature of humanity. The following presentation will further explore her life and her life’s work, both for its own prowess and for its analogous representation of human nature.

Masking Desire: Queer Self Representation in Confessions of a Mask and Barakei
Liz Zishuoguo Li
Professor: Troutman

This project examines how Yukio Mishima employs the figure of the mask in Confessions of a Mask and in the photographic collaboration Barakei (Ordeal by Roses) with Eikoh Hosoe to construct a queer self-representation under Japan’s postwar heteronormative culture. Across literary and visual media, the mask works as a  device that simultaneously conceals and expresses desire, allowing Mishima to stage confession as his performance rather than immediate revelation. Situating his work between Western sexual ideals and traditional practices or values such as Nanshoku, the essay argues that Mishima transforms classical aesthetics, such as, translating Renaissance period artworks of Venus and St. Sebastian into symbols through which queer desire is articulated without direct indication. Analyses of selected photographs from Barakei demonstrate how corporeal display, fragmentation, and double exposure visualize the tensions found in the novel between purity and impurity, as well as discipline and eroticism and the discussion of masculinity. These parallel forms of confession suggest that queer identity in postwar Japan could not appear explicitly but only as a carefully constructed act. By analyzing the interaction between text and image, the essay proposes that Mishima’s mask functions not merely as repression but as a creative strategy that reclaims agency, offering a complex model of self-expression under cultural constraint and contributing to broader discussions of queer aesthetics and modernism in such geo-temporal conditions.

Be the Best or Die: An Analysis of the Blackpill and Masochism on TikTok
Michael Galin
Professor: Richter

My project analyzes the rise of Blackpill content on TikTok and what it does to the mental health of young male users. The Blackpill promotes genetic determinism and “lookism,” arguing that facial structure and height essentially decide romantic and social outcomes. I argue that TikTok helps mainstream this worldview in two ways: first, through slang and meme formats that make incel ideas easy to share; and second, through a beauty-sorting visibility system that encourages constant comparison and treats attractiveness as measurable. Using existing research on incel subcultures, stigma, and masculinity, alongside reporting on TikTok’s internal engagement and beauty norms, I show how Blackpill participation becomes a masochistic attachment cycle where suffering functions as identity and social capital (“the more you hurt, the more you belong”). This dynamic normalizes despair and can intensify depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking. I conclude with practical intervention points focused on algorithmic accountability and building alternatives to appearance-based status.

Session 5, The Politics of Belonging: Race, Community, Art, and Cultural Survival

B101, Ames Hall

Moderator:  Jeff Brand, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs and Special Programs, Associate Professor of Philosophy

Asian Enough: Monoracial Asian American Perceptions of Biracial Asian Americans
Ruth Kahn
Professor: Schell

Race-based communities are all around us, through clubs, housing, fraternities, and even the people that we choose to surround ourselves with. So, where do biracial people fit in? Do these communities accept them? What does it take to be accepted into these communities? I wanted to study the case of half-White, half-Asian biracial individuals, like myself, and how they fit into monoracial Asian communities. What does it mean for a biracial Asian individual to be considered Asian enough to be a part of an Asian community? In my pilot study, I surveyed monoracial Asian individuals to analyze whether three factors had an impact on monoracial Asian perception of biracial Asian individuals. In other words, do monoracial Asians use these three factors to decide whether they think a biracial Asian is Asian or White?

How Palestinian Textiles Can Be Used As Protest
Chris Moorshead
Professor: Hijazi

This research project examines how textiles have functioned as a means of preserving cultural identity among Palestinian refugees. Building on scholarship that explores textiles as tools of cultural protection, the study focuses on the role of Palestinian women in sustaining cultural traditions through textile creation. In particular, the research analyzes how these practices contribute to resistance efforts and serve as a method of educating younger generations about Palestinian history and cultural heritage.

A Closer Look at Nebraska and its Impact
Sam Jeamel
Professor: Grace

Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska is not just an album, it is a project that changed music forever, provided meaningful political commentary, and dove into the vulnerable personal experiences that many people struggle to open up about. My essay is a historical analysis of praise, distaste, and harsh critique published by reviewers of Nebraska over the last four decades. Each review is analyzed in the context of the era in which it was published from the early 1980s, through the turn of the century, and into the current era. My essay builds on critical articulation of the themes within Nebraska- often reaching further back in time to earlier musical tradition and politics. Additionally, this essay includes my own insights into Nebraska and a modern understanding of its significance- specifically its relation to more recent music and the modern understanding of mental illness in America.

Session 6, Racialized Governance and the Struggle for Self-Determination (Friday, Feb 27th, 2:30pm)

B101, Ames Hall

Moderator:  Rachael Stark, Associate Vice Provost & Deputy Dean of Students

Puerto Rico After Hurricane María: How Colonial Dynamics Shaped Recovery Efforts, Outward Migration, and Gentrification Trends
Gabriela Rojas-LeBron
Professor: Hijazi

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane María made landfall in Puerto Rico, causing catastrophic destruction across the island. Widespread flooding and landslides, infrastructural damage, the collapse of the power grid, the loss of communication networks, and nearly 3,000 deaths left all 3.4 million residents facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Recovery efforts in the months and years that followed were slow, uneven, and widely criticized. These failures exposed not only the island’s infrastructural vulnerabilities but also the deeper political and economic inequalities rooted in its colonial relationship with the United States. In this paper, I examine how U.S. neglect and colonial governance shaped post-María recovery efforts and their consequences for Puerto Rico’s population. I argue that these delayed and inadequate recovery responses—triggered by colonial dynamics and financial limitations—directly contributed to the mass outward migration of Puerto Ricans to the mainland United States. I further assert that this population loss accelerated gentrification across the island, as investment-driven recovery policies prioritized wealthy outside investors over local residents. By examining disaster response failures, displacement, migration, and gentrification, this paper demonstrates that Puerto Rico’s post-María recovery cannot be understood apart from its colonial status.

Threads of Oppression
Noelle Wesley
Professor: Hijazi

This essay examines the oppression inflicted upon the Uyghur people, a Muslim, Turkic speaking ethnic community from Xinjiang, China. Despite the Chinese government’s rejection of such claims, allegations of cultural genocide have been raised by international observers. These accusations stem from allegations of forced assimilation, including the presence of re-education camps, policies requiring Uyghur households to host CCP members, and the suppression and restriction of religious practices. This paper evaluates such claims by looking into the geographic, religious and physical control that the Chinese government has over the region and its population, focusing on how that affects the people as a whole. There are also two subsections about women and clothing. One subsection examines crimes and controversies that specifically target women through marriage policies, with the aim of eroding Uyghur culture at the family level. The other section focuses on clothing and cotton production, and how the usage of coerced labor is not only used as a control over the people but also an economic exploitation. The analysis highlights the tension between China’s claims of cultural preservation and reports documenting systemic injustice and repression.

The Black Influence on the Statehood Movements of the Late 1900s
Isabel Singleton
Professor: Mantler

The Black Influence on the Statehood Movement of the Late 1900s” examines the Black leaders who helped shape and became the backbone of the movement. They each helped to lay the groundwork for the statehood movements seen in the news today. The leaders influenced one another towards the dream of self-government. The Black statehood movement can even trace its roots back to the Civil Rights Movement, with many of the statehood leaders working within the movement. The statehood movement has also been linked to race since its inception, with Washington, D.C., being a Black-populist city. Though the dream has not yet been realized, the work of the Black leaders of the late 1900s is profound and serves as the foundation for today's movements.

Session 7, Resource Inequality: Power, Environment, and Survival (Friday, Feb 27th, 4pm)

B101, Ames Hall

Moderator: Bethany Kung, Associate Professor of Honors and Physics Core

The Harm of Distant Water Fishing
Sebastian Linnell-Simmons
Professor: Janzen

China’s distant water fishing (DWF) armada has become the largest driver of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This study addresses how China's fleet has affected global fish stocks, violates maritime law established by the United Nations, and undermines the local economies that rely on fishing. The analysis of data on global fish populations, Automatic Identification System (AIS) geospatial data for vessels, and financial records, shows that fish stock health is declining due to destructive fishing tactics and profit that is directly benefiting Chinese corporations instead of local economies. Despite the economic harm being hidden in the aquaculture reports, the financial loss and ecosystem destruction negatively affect all countries where distant water fishing occurs. This research helps to understand what economic impact distant water fishing has on a global scale. This paper argues that China’s DWF practices impose measurable harm on vulnerable coastal states and highlights the need for stronger international enforcement mechanisms to protect marine resources and local livelihoods.

Feudalism and Feast: Peasantry and Nobility Diets in Medieval England
Jin Valencia-Tow
Professor: Quave

Feudalism and Feast: Peasantry and Nobility Diets in Medieval England” examines how class differences are reflected in medieval English foodways. Drawing upon archaeological, historical, and artistic fields, the paper covers areas such as diets in castles, peasant foods, and rituals of preparing food such as hunting. Key themes include the significance of grain and bread as a staple in feudal England, medieval cookbooks and recipes, use of color, etc. Using this evidence, the paper traces a system in which foodways reinforce class hierarchies and illustrate medieval social order. Overall, the paper tells a story of food, class, and attempts to answer the questions: 1) How was food used during medieval England between 1000-1300 as a marker of class and social status, in particular, what key differences existed between castle dwelling nobility and lower class “peasants?” and 2) How have historians and archaeologists approached the study of medieval food differently? What kinds of evidence do they use, and where do their interpretations diverge?

Fatal Floods and FEMA Files:  An Analysis of the Risk Facing Low-Income, Rural Areas when Applying for FEMA Aid
Moriah Musick
Professor: Sauer

This project is an examination of the risks facing rural, impoverished communities when applying for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following natural disasters. The project focuses on the thousand-year flood that occurred in southeast Kentucky in July of 2022, specifically focusing on Perry County, KY. Although FEMA is tasked with providing disaster recovery, this project argues that institutional roadblocks, communication failures, and data-oriented policy devices systematically disadvantage communities in low-income areas, creating a “second-disaster” throughout the recovery process. Analyses of FEMA’s Survivors’ Road to Recovery webpage, interviews with key stakeholders and community members, along with existing studies on disaster inequality, expose critical gaps between bureaucratic expectations and stakeholder knowledge. Requirements such as proof of home occupancy, overreliance on internet access, and secretive timelines exclude rural residents at much higher rates than wealthier, urban applicants. Additionally, practices by FEMA — such as their National Risk Index — prioritize asset value over human livelihood, further marginalizing these at-risk communities. By utilizing risk communication theories, this project demonstrates how FEMA’s current strategies worsen wealth disparities and exacerbate poverty and housing insecurity within these communities. Concluding the project are recommendations for equity-focused strategies aimed at improving federal disaster recovery efforts.

The Threat of Ocean Acidification to Calcification Processes in Major Marine Taxa
Shamma Alhammadi
Professor: Barlow

Climate change is often talked about as this huge, distant crisis, but some of its most serious impacts are happening quietly, underwater, and without headlines. I wanted to look beyond the obvious issues like ocean trash and plastic pollution and focus on a hidden change that affects our everyday lives more than we realize. ocean acidification. When excess CO₂ from human activity dissolves into seawater, it lowers the ocean’s pH and reduces carbonate ions, the basic building blocks many organisms need to form shells and skeletons. My project explores how this invisible chemical shift threatens the ocean’s smallest and most overlooked calcifiers, especially plankton, alongside corals and mollusks. These tiny organisms aren’t just small, they hold up entire food webs. When their shells weaken and survival drops, the effects ripple outward, fewer healthy reefs, disrupted fisheries, and less coastal protection for human communities.

Session 8, Voices in the Public Sphere: Expression, Representation, and Democratic Participation (Friday, Feb 27th, 5:15pm)

B101, Ames Hall

Moderator: Peter Cohn, GW Libraries, Director of Research Services

The Power of Young Voices: Social Media and Activism in the Nation’s Capital
Macie Brazal
Professor: Mantler

This project explores how youth in Washington, D.C. utilize social media to transform modern activism and challenge generational skepticism. While young people have historically acted as catalysts for change, the twenty-first century has introduced digital tools that allow for nation-wide reach and mobilization. This essay analyzes three pivotal movements:  March For Our Lives, Black Lives Matter, and the fight for D.C. Statehood. These movements demonstrate how local youth use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to mobilize communities and advocate for legislative reform.  Despite criticisms of "performative activism," D.C. youth have proven their commitment through innovative digital tools, such as QR-coded memorials. These case studies reveal a significant generational divide: while older generations often view digital activism with suspicion, youth activists embrace it as an essential tool for justice. Ultimately, this research argues that D.C. youth are not merely participants in national trends but leaders who localized nation-wide movements. Their technological knowledge has not only transformed the landscape of activism but also challenged long-standing assumptions about the commitment of young people.

#Cancelled: How Social Media Culture Opens the Door for Government Censorship (An Examination of Internet Culture Under the Trump Administration)
Riley Blatz
Professor: Wolfe

This project examines the relationship between online “cancel culture” and contemporary debates about government censorship, specifically in the context of the current presidential administration. Despite typical assumptions that social media exists solely in the private sphere, this project argues that its normalization of disengagement with opposing viewpoints, as well as its use by government officials, has desensitized the populace to aspects of censorship. In doing so, the project also explores the current administration, especially the president himself, in the context of social media, outlining a complex history of intensifying the pertinence of “cancel culture” both socially and politically—a phenomenon that becomes increasingly convoluted as the president’s relationship with social media oligarchs, such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, becomes more entangled. The project’s overall findings encapsulate the dangers of “cancel culture” online as well as the anti-democratic implications of the current administration’s capitalization of such a phenomenon.

An Afro’s Impact: The Case of Angela Davis and its Appearances in the Black Power Movement
Oki Peterkin
Professor: Troutman

The afro, a predominantly African American worn hairstyle, was massively reconceptualized through the influence of Angela Davis. Davis, a Black activist and feminist, gained publicity through her accused murder trial during the Black Power Movement. In a society trapped by Eurocentric beauty standards, Davis’s afro underwent in-depth analysis through photographs from her life, trial, as well as art from the “Free Angela Davis” protest. She is collectively seen as an icon and a symbol of Black power and feminism throughout the Black community. Her image can also be compared to other political leaders, such as those within the Black Panther Party.

Examining Limited English Proficiency: Filling the Gaps in Patient-Provider Communication for Hispanic-American Individuals
Gabriel Diaz
Professor: Barlow

More likely than not, there exists at least one individual in your life who struggles with the English language. Perhaps you have had to serve as an impromptu translator on grocery store trips or doctor’s visits, leading to frustration, confusion, or shame in the individual you only intend to help. These individuals, self-identified to the American government as “Limited English proficient” (LEP), make up over nine percent of the American population, but consistently engage less in their own health management, are unhappier with their medical providers, and generally find the doctor’s office a troubling and unwelcoming place that lacks the communicatory tools necessary to serve them. This project examines the poor standardization of translating tools made available specifically to LEP Hispanic Americans in medical centers and resultant impacts on group health engagement and patient-provider communication. It further presents a policy concerning the benefits and standardization of training required for staffed in-person Spanish-English medical interpreters. Without an actionable plan to standardize language services in the medical field, over 25 million Americans will remain dissatisfied with their healthcare– a phenomenon that could have been prevented had the medical center had originally been language-accessible.