Northern Arizona University

2005 Projects 

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND THE HUMAN BODY

This research has found that alcohol consumption indeed has negative effects on the human body organs, such as change in gene expression in the brain and increased incidence of cancer in the throat. Data from an experiment conducted by students at the Four Corners Upward Bound program showed that chicken liver (representing a human organ) incurs changes in physical appearance when interacted with alcohol.

Braxton Winterton, Brenda Begay, Tiona Billie, Deanndra Teller, Danielle Poyer, Samantha Lucero, Jennifer Yazzie, Jola Yazzie.

DIGITAL IMAGING: NEW TECHNOLOGY BETTER UNDERSTOOD THROUGH MATHEMATICS

Students learned how to take quality digital photos and process them using imaging editing software. Students learned mathematical concepts specific to digital imaging including. Students prepared images for the memory book and photo essays. Photos were retouched in Adobe Photoshop ã and the essay were submitted to the University of Washington TRIO photo essay contest.

Chelsea Edison, Lynette George, Laura Johnson, Sarah Procknow, Latanya Robinson, Amelia Sedan, Sean Wallace.

ENGINEERING DESIGN: Bungee Egg

Students competed to try and make the most cost effective, tallest, free fall thrill ride by doing an experiment. The requirements were that it needed to include bungee cords, an egg and that the egg cannot hit the floor. Students calculated both the spring force and the velocity of the egg and competed according to a decision matrix for rides.

 
Jerrick Clinton, Samantha Etsitty, Kimberly Harvey, Dan Lane, Kenton Powell, Byron Shorty, Verlena Tso, and Kevin Watson.

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Tracking an Outbreak

An experiment was performed to show how a simulated outbreak might occur. Students dipped hands into a given unknown powder with one student receiving the simulated outbreak substance. Students randomly shook hands with other students. Students pressed their palms and fingers onto blotting paper which was rinsed with developing solution to determine who was infected and how the outbreak was initiated.

Megan Baratta, Deborah Benally, Alex Cardoza, Ashlee Chischilly, Trisha Cody, Kirk Iyua, Leslie MacFarland, Ninovia Peterson.

GEOTHERMAL POTENTIAL VIA GRAVITY ANOMALIES

A primary initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy is to build more geothermal power plants in the western states. Gravity measurements were collected along with GPS coordinates every half mile in the Sugarloaf-Strawberry field site. These data were put into ArcMap software to produce a map, in which the gravity data was contoured at 20 mGals. The contours indicate that gravity is higher in the northwest region of the field site. This region is therefore predicted to be the best location for exploratory drilling for a geothermal power plant.

Annovedwin Begay, Keari Doney, Megan Harvey, Shanelle Harvey, Kerry Iyua, Allen Joe, Jr., Colter Lee, Cynthia Sam.

HYBRIDIZATION IN SENECIO

Interbreeding among plant species may be confirmed by doing morphometric analysis and AFLP-PCR reactions. Morphometric analysis is done by measuring the length and width of leaves, length of scape, fuzziness of leaves and scape, also the number of heads. According to the data analyzed, the intermediate species of the plant in question displayed a very even distribution of the phenotypic characteristics from each of assumed parental species.

HYDROGEOLOGY OF OAK CREEK, AZ

This study examined the hydrogeology of Oak Creek and its perennial water source, Sterling Spring. We performed field measurements of discharge, constructed a channel cross-section and collected two grab samples used in chemical analysis. Field data and literature search results show that the only perennial source of water at the upper level of Oak Creek is Sterling Spring.