Michael Sanchez
On April 1, 1924, an official request to Washington was received for estimates on building an 8 foot fence along the 160 miles of international boundary between Mexico and California. However, in 1924 this request had nothing to do with either immigration or labor, but rather alcohol. With Prohibition in full-swing, Mexico posed a dual threat with Americans crossing south to drink and liquor flowing north for illegal distribution. It was these threats to Americas Prohibition era that were the catalyst for a barrier still tested and controversial almost a […]
Adriana SanchezPillot
The federal program Cruzada Nacional Contra el Hambre was launched by the new Mexican president Enrique Pea Nieto at the beginning of this year. In a very symbolic act, the program was inaugurated in the community of Las Margaritas, Chiapas, an area near the home of the Zapatistas and a milestone in the history of their struggle. Mostly based in the community of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, my research will evaluate, analyze and compare the discourse deployed by government officials and members of the local community to describe […]
Anita Satish
Research has shown that memory for medical and psychological advice hovers between 20 and 30 percent. This may be associated with adverse effects on treatment adherence and outcomes. My research employs memory-enhancing strategies through a reiterative text-message intervention for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Previous research suggests text interventions can have positive treatment outcomes. A more standardized and systematic approach to studying their effects on treatment outcomes and memory, may lead to more conclusive findings. In my study, participants will receive a two-week text-message intervention following a basic lesson in CBT, […]
Gabe Schwartzman
The project investigates how deindustrialization has been different on two areas of rural Maryland along the Potomac River, based on race and geography. During the last half century both ends of the river have lost heavy industries, yet the upper river has seen the maintenance of their population with a rise in poverty, while the lower river has seen a decrease in the original population but a decrease in poverty.
Pablo Seward
Bloodbaths by Western explorers, followed by various other forms of abuse, resulted in the reduction of the Rapa Nui of Easter Island to 115 people. Being the most isolated inhabited place on Earth, Easter Island has become a major tourist destination today, by means of the renowned landmarks left by the ancient population. Many of the five or so thousand Rapa Nui, all descendants of the surviving 115, believe, on the basis of oral history, in guardian spirits. I am currently living with one of the leaders of an organized […]
Zhengyun Sun
Astonishing development that China has achieved for the past 30 years following the Open and Reform in 1978 is unquestionable. What behind, however, is notable disparity of growth between coastal and inland regions. While previous studies focus on preferential policies, the crux of my project centers on answering the question: how geographic features and construction of transportation networks on top of policies explain economic growth of Chinese regions in the last three decades? My analysis will assess the relative importance of geographic features, transportation networks and preferential policies during each […]
Suzanne Ubick
Something happened to Homo sapiens, our species, between 75,000 and 60,000 years ago, that resulted in a very different suite of behaviors and the first population boom. I argue that modern humans underwent a biological change that, coupled with environmental changes driving dietary change, allowed humans, especially human females, to lay down large stores of body fat under normal nutritional conditions. I will draw from the archaeological record in the form of ancient artworks, the ethnographic record in the documented changes in stature of the Andaman Islanders over time, and […]
Julia Villarruel
This study examines the 2006 and 2011 social movements in Chile, two years with distinctly different levels of social media penetration. By analyzing whether of not social media is changing the experience of participants, the relationship between leaders and individuals and media coverage of protests I seek to answer questions such as: Can social media networks bring down barriers for collective action? Are social networks a formidable means of bypassing mass media? How are these tools revolutionizing modern chilean political activism?
Bhavi Vohra
I will use Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALEN) -mediated mutagenesis to determine the function of the RNA-binding protein tra2b and its role in alternative splicing during Xenopus tropicalis development. TALENs or Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases, are artificial restriction enzymes that create double stranded breaks, inducing mutations in targeted loci. They can be engineered to target any DNA sequence and cause permanent changes in the genome. Alternative splicing and pre-mRNA processing is an important target for regulation of eukaryotic gene expression, which is what I am interested in studying.
Huyen Vo
A burn accident can dramatically change a persons quality of life; survivors have not only permanent physical scars, but also mental and emotional scars. For my research, I will examine how the severity of young adult female burn survivors injuries impacts their comfort in engaging in intimate and sexual relationships. I will approach this by first studying the survivors views on their body image. Secondly, I will look at their intimate relations and sexual life. Finally, I will synthesize these two findings and look at the correlation between the populations […]