Schedule at a Glance Speaker Index Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 Room 9 Room 10 Room 11 Posters Special Events
The distances to galaxies have been immensely useful in understanding and analyzing the structure of the Universe. One of the main ways of measuring distances is the Tully-Fisher method, which relates a spiral galaxy's brightness to how fast its stars are orbiting. However, the Tully-Fisher method requires precise knowledge of the inclination angle—or the tilt—of a spiral galaxy relative to the line of sight. Although some inclinations can be estimated based on the apparent ellipticity of a galaxy's image, this method is not effective in a large number of cases. The objective of this project is to use machine learning to automatically determine the inclination of spiral galaxies provided their images (ideally in both colorful and black-and-white formats). For training our models, we use a data base of inclinations measured by humans through a citizen science project. We present our predictions for the inclinations both of images of real spiral galaxies as well as of a set of simulated images of known inclinations.
Faculty Sponsor: Richard Watkins
Discipline: Physics
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells play an essential role in the human eye as a ‘garbage collector’ of the waste shed by rod and cone cells, known as photoreceptor outer segments (POS). Previous work done in the Altman lab confirmed that the molecular motor myosin VI was involved in trafficking internalized silica microspheres in RPE cells. In our project, we did experiments with photoreceptor outer segment (POS) coated silica microspheres in RPE cells to demonstrate that myosin VI plays a role in the more physiologically relevant process of POS phagocytosis.
Faculty Sponsor: David Altman
Discipline: Physics
In Chaos Theory, predictions have been impossible throughout time due to the sensitivity of initial conditions. In this project, we have used fabrication and assembly of electrical and mechanical parts to build a physical implementation of a damped driven pendulum, a system that is easy to model. That system is called the Mechanical Chaotic Oscillator. We have measured the system parameters and identified regimes where we see interesting behavior like chaos or period-doubling of the system. These parameters are the drive amplitude, frequency, force, and damping coefficient. The results of the system’s behavior will be discussed.
Faculty Sponsor: Daniel Borrero
Discipline: Physics
When an oscillating bath of liquid is given the right forcing parameter and comes into contact with a small drop, it can push that drop upwards. If forcing is maintained, the drops are able to bounce indefinitely. This interaction creates small waves on the surface, which allow them to interact with other drops, giving the possibility of complicated collective modes. We report on the similarity of surface waves that occur when a focused laser is pulsed on the oscillating surface, and the effects of changing laser parameters. The laser is shown to be a promising tool for bouncing drop systems.
Faculty Sponsor: Daniel Borrero
Discipline: Physics
Myosin VI is a motor protein that moves along actin filaments within a cell. Our goal is to determine if myosin VI plays a role in regulating the material properties of retinal pigment epithelium cells. To do this, we use active microrheology, which is an experimental method where we determine the viscoelastic properties of a retinal pigment epithelium cell line (ARPE-19) by applying sinusoidal forces to internalized microscopic beads using an optical trap. Our experiments are conducted both in unperturbed cells and cells over-expressing a non-functioning myosin VI to find if they play a role in regulating material properties.
Faculty Sponsor: David Altman
Discipline: Physics
Myosin VI is a molecular motor involved in the human retinal pigment epithelium primary cell line, ARPE 19. We explored how myosin VI functions in this process by conducting passive microrheology experiments using an optical trap. We explored the viscoelastic properties of the cell in the presence and absence of external force, as well as in the presence of dominant negative myosin VI. The goal was to understand whether myosin VI has a role in the cross-linking of the cytoskeletal network in ARPE-19 cells, and whether that role is dependent on an external force.
Faculty Sponsor: David Altman
Discipline: Physics
In this paper we analyze the democratic tensions at the Oregon State Capitol. The Capitol must balance safety and freedom, Story and history, and stability and change. To do this we investigate the security within the Capitol, the discussion of Oregon’s history, how it shapes collective memory, and how these discussions affect field trips to the Capitol. Visitors must feel safe, comfortable, and validated when they visit the space, but the Capitol must balance the validation of its visitors with telling Oregon’s whole history. We discuss shortcomings within the Capitol and propose solutions for bridging the gaps that we see.
Faculty Sponsor: David Gutterman
Discipline: Public Health Ethics, Advocacy and Leadership
Contrary to their constitutional rights, incarcerated individuals frequently receive inadequate healthcare. Inequities in their home communities and pre-incarceration trauma, magnified by the carceral environments and conditions, result in high health needs. Our team conducted research and interviews to explore policies which might address the problem of these unmet health needs in Oregon. We concluded that the most effective reform would be to implement a multifaceted trauma-informed approach to prison management. Our policy proposal for the legislature included training all staff in Oregon’s prisons and jails to understand trauma and its far-reaching implications to aid in avoiding negative health outcomes.
Faculty Sponsor: Melissa Michaux
Discipline: Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics
Libraries in Washington County, Oregon, were previously funded based on their adherence to success metrics, e.g., item checkouts. This funding model disadvantaged communities that needed library funding the most and failed to consider the full breadth of services that libraries could offer. A decrease in property taxes instigated a shift to flat percentage increases annually, which no longer disincentivizes innovation but has widened inequality in library services. A new funding model, using different metrics to evaluate funding needs and library successes, could increase equity and innovation, which would help libraries to fill a crucial role in our communities’ social infrastructure.
Faculty Sponsor: David Gutterman
Discipline: Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics
This project examines the Salem-Keizer School District. Through enforcing a range of zero tolerance policies, lacking universality throughout the district in funding, discipline, and an astonishing deficiency in the student to counselor ratio in most schools, students are being disadvantaged and put at risk for the school-to-prison pipeline. The project encourages Salem-Keizer schools to shift the training of all educational personnel in a way that can be focused on transformative justice, thus requiring the following changes and steps: update teacher training, hiring more counselors, revising zero-tolerance policies, and revising the curriculum to one that centers the values of restorative justice.
Faculty Sponsor: Melissa Michaux
Discipline: Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics