Social Science

Children use a range of cues in verb learning. This study follows Naigles 1990, which demonstrated that children hypothesize that intransitive verbs refer to one-participant events and transitive verbs refer to two-participant events in a process called syntactic bootstrapping that allows listeners to map meaning to incoming linguistic information. Additionally, previous work indicates that children are sensitive to the location in which an event occurs when they are learning new verbs. An initial study the Child Language Lab deployed explored 4-7-year-olds’ weighting of two different cues for verb meaning: number of syntactic arguments and event location. They found that children link transitive verbs to two-person events but are weaker overall in linking intransitive verbs to one-person events, especially when the event location is changed. The current study includes 2-3-year-olds to determine the age this transitivity bias establishes itself and is tested with no background disruptions and an eye-gaze measure. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology (BS) , Linguistics Minor

Advisor: Kate Harrigan, Linguistics

Our research project looks into the context of college preparedness, specifically, how socioeconomic status and rurality influence college attendance and institutional choice patterns. We have spent this summer gathering literature and looking into our institution's in-state enrollment. We plan to conduct a survey of students at our institution who grew up in regions of concern. These surveys will specifically look into how prepared the students felt for college, their county’s surrounding attitudes toward higher education, and any barriers to enrollment students may have experienced. We anticipate our results yield low college preparedness, poor attitudes toward higher education, and increased barriers for students from these areas. By analyzing the effects of county-specific socioeconomic status and rurality across the state, our results will aid in the determination of programming that would be most beneficial to institute in Family Resource Centers in areas of concern.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Daniella Morales, Psychology; Jules Colombo, Psychology and Neuroscience

Advisor: Danielle Dallaire, Psychology

The democratic backsliding in Georgia project identifies events over the last decade that display evidence of democratic backsliding. This project looks explicitly at events post-2012 after the Georgian Dream Party was elected into government. Georgia is economically crucial because it is the only trade route that does not transit Russia or Iran and it is geographically important because of its closeness to Russia. Georgia has steadily been distancing itself from the EU and NATO despite it not being what the Georgian citizens want.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government

Advisor: Dan Maliniak, Government

Economics is rarely explained in an entertaining or accessible way, which creates a rift between the voting public, academics, and politicians. Addressing this problem, this project has explored a rare exception to the rule: the fables of the 19th-century economist Claude-Frédéric Bastiat. In responding to the policy disputes of his day, Bastiat wrote numerous pamphlets, articles, and books for the voting public. In these, he employed educational and humorous stories to both illustrate economic principles (e.g., opportunity cost) and expose policies as non-sensical (e.g., protectionist tariffs). This project has used economic and historical methodology to understand Bastiat’s vision of a world where accessible economic ideas allow the public to vote for good economic policy. The greater extent of democracy and accessible information today makes this vision even more viable. Future research will trace his intellectual legacy and the various revivals of his ethos up to the present.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Economics and History

Advisor: Clyde Haulman, Economics

While the main indicator for a voiced sound is internal voicing, there are several other cues that differ between voiced sounds and their voiceless counterparts.  These "subphonemic" cues do not inherently change meaning of a word like internal voicing but aid in differentiation.  One of such cues for voicing of obstruents is lengthening of the preceding vowel.  Previously, 3-5-year-old children have shown the ability to differentiate words based only on pre-obstruent vowel length in a word-learning context.  However, during efforts to investigate a possible difference in ability in the pre-obstruent versus a neutral condition, they have not shown accuracy when the words are not associated with different images.  In order to observe a possible difference in the neutral condition, the current experiment reintroduces image association to emphasize vowel length as phonemic.  Due to vowel length's subphonemic properties, it is possible that children (like adults) have increased sensitivity in the pre-obstruent condition. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Linguistics

Advisor: Kate Harrigan, Linguistics

Although large video game corporations claim that gaming has evolved from its masculine roots, female players still report experiencing shockingly high levels of sexism and misogyny while playing. In a game that, while competitive, is played largely for entertainment and leisure, women reveal persistent barriers to complete enjoyment of the game, including being ignored, deliberately sabotaged, mocked, and babied. Despite this, they return to play, utilizing various strategies to defend both themselves and their in-game personas. Malise Foss will interview and observe members of the female gaming community of William & Mary to dig deeper into why these women choose to return to a community that is openly hostile and dismissive. She will attempt to reveal the depth of gender inequality in an industry often dismissed and pinpoint how the determination of a community can overcome even the harshest opposition.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Sociology and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies

Advisor: Meaghan Stiman, Sociology 

The Milk And Cookies (MAC) program seeks to support elementary school students with incarcerated parents in Richmond Public Schools. The Healthy Beginning (HB) Lab has conducted in-person questionnaires for the past three years to assess MAC’s efficacy at improving participants' emotional coping and resilience. The program has collected an intake-form from students’ families for years. The form includes a variety of family demographics as well as questions about caregivers’ coping strategies. Parental incarceration places enormous burden on the remaining family’s financial and emotional resources. By cross analyzing family intake-form data and student questionnaire responses, the author believes indicators of family financial and productive coping will correspond to increased rates of emotional coping and resilience in MAC participants. This study could reveal some of the underlying protective factors and vulnerabilities on the wellbeing of children of the incarcerated. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology Major, Film & Media Studies Minor

Advisor: Danielle Dallaire, Sociology

This project continues a past project by analyzing survey data gathered during a 2022 election in Williamsburg, VA. The survey data will be used to determine if there is a correlational relationship between racial resentment and opposition to Critical Race Theory topics being taught in public schools. Racial resentment is the idea that race is a trivial, if not insignificant, feature of a person’s life and does not influence opportunities granted to them. Due to the nature of the survey, it is not possible at the time to determine a causal relationship. However, it does allow for further research into racial resentment and how it influences political attitudes. The survey data will be analyzed using R programming and graphed. Finally, the results will be displayed using qualitative and quantitative descriptions in an academic paper. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government, Chinese

Advisor: Mackenzie Israel-Trummel, Government

This project encompasses a comprehensive analysis of Women's Health magazine articles over 14 years, focusing on weight loss and fitness motivation and the use of objectifying phrases. Three issues were analyzed each of the 14 years, and a logistic regression analysis was employed to identify trends. Overall results found some improvements: weight loss articles decreased by 80.5% after 2016, and the use of objectifying phrases decreased over time. While some evidence of thin ideal promotion (motivation to achieve a thin female body with low body fat) has decreased over time, evidence of the athletic ideal promotion (motivation to achieve a toned, sleek, fit and ideally sculpted body) remains salient. Body sculpting message frames did not change over time, and they were the most prominent in fitness articles. These findings indicate progress in reducing the thin ideal and objectification in women's health magazines, but the athletic ideal remains a threat to women’s body image and body satisfaction. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Kinesiology & Health Sciences, Psychology

Advisor: Catherine Forestell, Psychology

Drawing-to-learn (D2L) is a learning method used by students to understand complex content by using drawings.  There is a lot of evidence that D2L helps students and teachers, and there is also some evidence that using color in D2L helps students.  However, research in this area is still relatively scarce, so this research examined the reasons students may and may not use color in D2L and the relationship between the use of color and the medium used for sketches (predominantly paper and electronic devices).  The researchers analyzed homework submissions from a total of five separate days (from two of the mentor’s BIOL 302 classes and one BIOL 432 class) and looked at what medium the students used to create the sketches, whether the students used color, and if so, how many colors the students used and why the students likely used color.  The researchers found that students likely use color in sketches for a variety of cognitive reasons; meanwhile, students likely omit color from their sketches based on preferences and the costs of using color.  Furthermore, the researchers found an association between the use of color and medium: Students who use an electronic device are more likely to use color.  On the other hand, there is some evidence that suggests that students who use electronic devices and color use more color than students who use paper and color, but this evidence is mixed.  Ultimately, the researchers propose that this evidence supports two hypotheses related to D2L: Using color has cognitive benefits for students, and using color on paper has greater costs than using color on an electronic device.  The researchers recommend that instructors provide students with access to colored utensils for their sketches and instruct students on how to create sketches and use color in their sketches.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Undeclared

Advisor: Paul Heideman, Biology

The American-Bosnian Collaboration (ABC) team conducted research on the effectiveness of experiential learning activities in promoting Intercultural Communicative Competencies in its 2023 informal teaching initiative in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Teachers did this by incorporating activities that allowed for the student to engage with nature and the environment around them in a hands-on manner. At the end of the project students designed community action plans relating to one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The ABC team evaluated the use of the students' intercultural skills, attitudes and knowledge in their project developments and used this as the research metric.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Falan Kifle: International Relations with a minor in ESL/Bilingual Education; Nancy O'Gara: Government and English

Advisor: Paula Pickering, International Relations

This project will explore the diplomatic relations and friction between Iran and China, if Iran develops nuclear weapons as it appears they may. China has been extending their economic influence globally in the past decade, including to areas of the Middle East. To this end, Chinese investment is inadvertently supporting the purification of uranium in Iran, falling out of line with China's geopolitical agenda by potentially compromising their relationships with other Middle Eastern countries. At the same time, however, the economic influence of China in Iran could give the CCP the footing to project their political agenda further into this area, were they to accept the fact that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.  This research is important to the developing multipolarity of nuclear powers around the world. The similarities in China’s and Iran’s political agendas need to be examined, as their mutual interests could potentially be sealed with the threat of nuclear weapons.

Student Major(s)/Minor: International Relations

Advisor: Peyman Jafari, History, International Relations

Across North America, Indigenous women experience disproportionately high rates of violence. Government inquiries in the US, Mexico, and Canada have found that Indigenous women are anywhere from two to four times more likely to experience violence during their lifetimes than non-Indigenous women (Fotheringham, Wells, and Goulet 2018; García Del-Moral 2018). By developing a quantitative measure of autonomy needed for future econometric analysis, this study lays out a methodological groundwork to answer the question, “How does the level of tribal autonomy within Native American criminal justice systems affect domestic, sexual, and physical violence against Indigenous women?” The methods developed by this investigation can be replicated across countries and time periods, contributing to ongoing research that addresses Indigenous needs and finally places autonomy at the forefront of judicial reform in North America.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government, Economics

Advisor: Christine Nemacheck, Government

This project explores the effects of increased Chinese import competition resulting from normalization of U.S. trade relations with China on U.S. women while controlling for education and marital status. It will focus on the changes in wages and labor force participation for mothers versus women without children. The effects of such trade shocks vary across groups; the impact on workers with different education levels, or those in different sectors has been the subject of much previous investigation. Research on how trade liberalization affects female workers compared to their male counterparts is rarer. Previous research indicates that increased exposure to Chinese imports can reduce or increase gender gaps in both wages and labor force participation, depending on a woman’s education level or marital status. This is a critical part of the literature because understanding the gendered effects of trade shocks has real-life implications for women, who make up a significant proportion of the U.S. labor market. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Economics

Advisor: John Lopresti, Economics

My Summer 2023 Research Project explores the affect of undergraduate mentorship on high school student's outlook on their future and goals. I was given the pleasure to volunteer as a mentor at a S.T.E.A.M. camp at Hines Middle School, and during this three week period, I was able to interact with various high school students as they participated in a curriculum learning about drones. In the beginning of the camp, I instructed the students to write a letter to their future selves, thinking about what would be their next steps after high school graduation. Throughout the camp, I talked to the students about my college experience and what different things that I might have done differently at their age. I also made sure to praise what good things that they were doing and encouraged them to try new things (sports, clubs, hobbies, etc.). The students had ample opportunities to ask me questions about how to get to college. These questions allowed me to cover specific topics, such as the application process, scholarships, the SAT test and other standardized tests and how to improve one's high school transcript to create a higher appeal to colleges. At the end of the camp, I was able to conduct focus group interviews with a random selection of the high school students to gauge what the students gained from their mentor (myself and my colleague), as well as what may have changed about their outlook on their future path and goals post-graduation. I was able to detect themes in the students' responses, which allowed me to compose my research findings qualitatively.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Biology, Minor: Education

Advisor: Janise Parker, Education

This project was conducted in partnership with Community Health Partners (CHP), a NGO healthcare facility based in Narok, Kenya. The study focused on children’s vaccination timeliness throughout the four CHP healthcare facilities to understand trends related to missing or delayed vaccines during a child’s first year of life. 

The immunization data was first recorded by CHP workers manually in written records. Researchers then digitized the physical records in order to analyze the differences in vaccination due to variables such as facility, village, gender, and time of year. 

The percentage of patients who received vaccinations and the timeliness they received varied by clinic, season, and type of vaccine. The results show that a lower percentage of patients receive the second and third doses of certain WHO recommended vaccinations than the amount who received first doses. 

Our study offers a data driven platform to help inform policy on long-term immunization program.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Katie O'Neill: Applied Mathematics & Data Science; Evey Thompson: International Relations, Psychology

Advisor: Julius Nyerere Odhiambo, Kinesiology

This project will explore the effectiveness of an 8-session modular-based program for early careerwomen of color in school-based mental health fields (SBMH). The purpose of the program is to support women of color in SBMH and to address the current shortage of school-based mental health providers. The program intends to address identified barriers to retaining women of color in SBMH fields: the promotion of healthy psychological well-being, providing the tools for navigating workplace discrimination, strengthening their sense of efficacy, and resilience in the workplace environment. This research is inspired by the literature of early career women of color in school-based fields who have reported feelings of self-doubt, burnout from job performance, the experience of workplace discrimination, and feelings of isolation due to limited mentorship and peer support. Overall, the long-term goal is to seek federal funding for developing a sustainable model for supporting early-career women of color in SBMH fields.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology Major, Sociology Minor

Advisor: Janise Parker, Education

Due to the implication of stress in various diseases and psychopathologies, researchers are investigating ways to mitigate the intensity of the stress response in the face of various stressors. The cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis posits that prior exercise, as a physical stressor that disturbs homeostasis, could habituate the reaction to stress and dampen its intensity. This review evaluates literature on the impact of exercise – both training programs and acute exercise sessions – on the stress response. 32 articles were included, and these papers comprised 34 studies with discrete cohorts. Though the results of the various studies were mixed, exercise demonstrates significant potential as a successful stress management intervention, and should be studied under more stringent methodological guidelines.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology

Advisor: Meghan Quinn, Psychology

Parental incarceration can have a lasting effect on children’s psychological well-being. This paper examines possible risk and protective factors associated with children’s attitudes towards, and feelings of security within, the family of an incarcerated parent. Forty-six school-aged children with incarcerated parents in Richmond, Virginia drew family portraits that were used as a measure of their feelings of security within their family. These drawings were scored and analyzed alongside certain risk or protective factors such as the presence of alternate caregivers, income/employment status, parental education level, other support systems, and caregiver health issues to see if any relationship existed. This is important when developing aid programs for families of inmates to understand what puts children further at risk for alienation and insecurity within their family, and what could help protect children from this outcome.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Neuroscience Major, Hispanic Studies Minor

Advisor: Danielle Dallaire, Psychology

Previous work indicated that college students today have increased depression, anxiety, and lower overall well-being. William & Mary especially has a “stress culture” about academics where students of the institution want to succeed but thereby create anxiety in themselves and other students. This specific stressor of needing to excel in academics to feel good is called a need for academic validation. This term is synonymous with academic-contingent self-worth, and it includes elements of maladaptive perfectionism when a student is high in academic validation. Another stressor of students is anxiety they get from completing a task that would determine their abilities, such as an assessment, and is called test anxiety. This study examined a correlation between test anxiety and a need for academic validation in undergraduates and looked at gender differences in the two variables. Overall, high scores of test anxiety and a need for academic validation were found along with a positive correlation between the variables and a higher need for academic validation in women. More research is necessary on this topic to see if this correlation exists outside of William & Mary, if the variables relate to burnout, and if how women are treated in education relates to their high levels of academic validation. Some possible strategies to help decrease the need for academic validation and test anxiety, and help lower the stressful environment of higher education, include open-book assessments, teaching students effective studying strategies, and extra credit opportunities. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology, Marketing

Advisor: Harvey Langholtz, Psychology

Language is powerful, and when used in conjunction with cognitive processes, like forming schemas and stereotypes, language has the power to discriminate. It is imperative to study the influence of stereotyping on language as it can be beneficial for society. The aim of this study was to discover how stereotyping influences language. Participants were administered a questionnaire that consists of nine questions, and the last part that included the completion of a racial Implicit Association Test (IAT). It was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between the results of the questionnaires and the scores of the IAT. After the research was conducted, there was no correlation between the IAT scores and stereotyped language scores. This research provides significant information to implement in society, because, although some people make discrimination seem like a problem of the past, it continues to occur in present day 2023.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology and Linguistics

Advisor: Harvey Langholtz, Psychology

Lexington, Virginia embodies a nuanced duality, encompassing both progressive movements and remnants of lost cause propaganda. This research delves into the town's intricate tapestry, exploring economic forces, higher education institutions, and historical tourism. Through examination of primary sources including Confederate generals' letters and local histories, a pattern emerges - biased groups intertwining Lexington's identity with Confederate imagery. Media analysis highlights positive shifts as colleges distance themselves, foreseeing economic and reputational growth. By drawing comparisons with Civil War towns like Charleston, South Carolina, successful and unsuccessful integration of African American history comes to light. This abstract encapsulates a comprehensive study offering insights into navigating the complexities of shedding southern mysticism and embracing a more inclusive historical narrative. It provides a roadmap for a transformed, enlightened identity for Lexington, Virginia.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Accounting

Advisor:  Phillip Wagner, Business School - Management

Teachers learn that teaching is an art; however, they often face difficulty using these artistic skills while keeping up with the curriculum. While teachers often use their lesson plans to carefully craft some deviations from the curriculum and its associated teaching methods, they must also adapt spontaneously based on their students’ reactions to the planned lesson. This project explores how the past experiences of pre-service teachers influence their ability to adapt spontaneously during a summer school teaching experience, and how their adaptability changes throughout the experience. Additionally, this project analyzes these teachers’ metacognition while adapting, especially through the lens of adaptation in musical/theatrical improvisation. Finally, this project explores reactions to pre-service teachers adapting spontaneously and whether their teacher mentor encourages this instructional autonomy. These findings contribute to training recommendations for teachers and mentors.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Data Science major, Educational Studies minor

Advisor: Meredith Kier, Education

How does media portrayal of the Pfizer vaccine inventors differ given the nation that is presenting the news story? Using critical discourse analysis, this project will analyze the language used among German, Turkish, and English media portrayal of the Pfizer vaccine inventors. The inventors, who are ethnically Turkish, live in Germany and have made history with their cancer research turned Coronavirus vaccine. My language analysis will find how their media portrayal differs cross-culturally. I am hoping to see stylistic patterns (such as colorful and adjective-rich language) as well as how each nation portrays the couple. My methods of research are to find a variety of newspapers from each of the three countries from before vaccine discovery, during, and following. I read the articles in the original languages and dissected the diction and structure to determine the attitude towards the subject as well as the overall mood of the article. I kept data of the 'positive', 'neutral', and 'negative' descriptors and words used (based on the context of the passage). Using this data I am able to see the difference over time and compare them to the other languages studied.  

Student Major(s)/Minor: Biochemistry Major, German Studies Major

Advisor: Jennifer Gully, German Studies

This research explores how the factors unique to the lives of immigrants in America shape the narratives that form around political issues in their online spaces. Online political information, especially misinformation and disinformation, are increasingly relevant areas of study, but the experiences of non-English speakers have been overlooked. Drawing from a 2020 survey with a large immigrant sample, I examined the place of immigrant media in today’s changing digital landscape, with a focus on how the convergence of a growing immigrant population, social isolation, and social media algorithms help shape online political rhetoric. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Public Policy

Advisor: Mackenzie Israel-Trummel, Government

This project looks at Elaine Pagels’ arguments about Gnosticism and Christianity and asks how well they hold up against The Gospel of John and the Gnostic Gospels. This project illuminates areas of further research in the field of nascent Christianity, as questions about Gnosticism, its usefulness as a term, and its relations with the orthodoxy are reevaluated. The texts involved are The Gnostic Gospels, Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospels of Thomas, by Elaine Pagels, The Secret Book of John, On the Origin of the World, The Gospel of Philip, The Second Treatise of the Great Seth, the Apocryphon of James, and The Thunder, Perfect Mind, all of which can be accessed through The Other Bible, edited by Willis Barnstone. Gnostic thought permeates deep into orthodox Christian thought, farther than the Gospel of John, where I assumed most of the influence lay, which leads to a reevaluation of the sources of Christian thought—for many major Christian ideas seem to have been born after Jesus himself died.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Religious Studies/Classical Civilizations (General)

Advisor: Adam Potkay, English

This project is a preliminary examination of the relationship between parent depression and expressed emotion (EE) toward their children using the first 50 participants of the Stress, Parenting, and Toddlers' Self-Regulation Skills study. Since depression is associated with increased negativity and decreased enjoyment or pleasure, it is worth investigating the potential impact of depression on the emotional environment parents produce for their children. Parents’ expressed emotion is examined in this study through the collection of a Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) in which a parent was instructed to talk about their child and their relationship together. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The resulting samples from the FMSS are currently being rated for parental warmth and negativity exhibited by the parent, with the scores of the first 50 participants thus far available. It is expected that higher scores on the PHQ-9 will be correlated with lower scores in parental warmth and higher scores in parental negativity.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology

Advisor: Madelyn Labella, Psychology

Franklin County is used as a case study to determine availability of mental health services. The study aims to bring awareness to mental healthcare accessibility in rural areas and generate discussion for resolutions.

Franklin County was visited in person. Mental health facilities in the county were contacted for interviews about services provided and challenges experienced in delivering care.

The county is mountainous and isolated with poor broadband. Only one mental health provider responded. Other practices had no personnel when visited and referred to voicemail. Provider shortages were mentioned as the most pressing issue.

Accessing mental healthcare is difficult in Franklin County. Lack of insurance, transportation barriers, provider shortages, and poor broadband prevents residents from accessing services or utilizing telehealth. Despite few providers, there are plenty of community organizations which foster support networks. Greater awareness and community involvement can improve the availability of mental health services and mental wellbeing of residents.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Chemistry

Advisor: Iyabo Obasanjo, Kinesiology and Health Sciences

This faculty-mentored research incubator project involved collecting data from parents and children to evaluate multiple influences on toddlers’ emerging self-regulation skills. Self-regulation refers to our ability to modulate emotion, behavior, cognition, and physiology in support of long-term goals. Previous research has indicated that examining self-regulation early in life can have predictive power for future life outcomes. Additionally, parents can play a major role in the development of toddlers’ self-regulation. These findings indicate the importance of examining self-regulation early in the lifespan. The current study uses data collected over the past year and a half to evaluate a possible relationship between what parents observe about toddlers’ empathy and toddlers’ observed emotion regulation during a mildly frustrating task. We anticipate that children who show greater empathy in daily life will regulate emotions more effectively when asked to wait without toys for their parents’ attention.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Major: Psychology, Minor: English

Advisor: Madelyn Labella, Psychology

A country bordering Russia in the South Caucasus, Georgia is situated on a geologic plate boundary conducive to a unique geography with mountains serving as headwaters to high velocity rivers. These rivers foster biodiversity and power communities; at the same time, changes in climate threaten to increase glacial melt and heighten risk for natural disaster. Hydropower generates around 70-80% percent of electricity in Georgia in the summer months, and with the country’s primary supplier of oil and gas being Russia, NGOs and bilateral development agencies hope to switch away from gas towards greater hydropower generation. Functional channels and infrastructure are critical for such a transition, but there is another caveat: farmers in agricultural regions rely on the same water for irrigation. This research uses GIS to examine these conflicts of interest and how environmental NGOs play a role in the sustainable development regime, accommodating the demands of Georgian civil society, foreign bilateral agencies, and the domestic government, all within the confines of increasing government ties to Russia and a political pull from European integration.

Student Major(s)/Minor: International Relations and Environment & Sustainability, Policy Track

Advisor: Daniel Maliniak, Government

This qualitative research study will investigate how discussing racial issues or lack thereof, may contribute to the racial separation that exists within William and Mary's student body. The data for this research will be obtained through seven William and Mary students' responses during an in-depth interview. Interviews are transcribed and coded in order to generate new and realistic recommendations as to how our student body can create a campus environment that fosters more, and genuine interracial relations and reduces the racial separation present on our campus.      

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government

Advisor: Thomas Linneman, Sociology

This study aimed to understand the program facilitators’ perspectives of implementing a structured, modular-based program designed to support early career women in of color in school mental health fields. Each of the facilitators and co-facilitators conducted hour-long sessions for eight consecutive weeks with a small group of participants. Facilitators and co-facilitators were interviewed at the completion of the program through virtual focus groups using Zoom. All audio files were transcribed verbatim. The research team used a structured coding system to analyze the data. Overall, findings revealed that facilitators were passionate about providing mentorship to women of color who are early in their careers due to their own lived experiences of discrimination; and they desired to empower the next generation of school-based mental health professionals to support their long-term well-being and retention in the field. Program facilitators also detailed how the program could be improved during future iterations.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology, Ed Studies: Policy & Equity

Advisor: Janise Parker, Education

This project will examine the relationship between social media, politics, and adolescent minds. It will explore how the presence and intensity of politics on social media affects young people’s political identity. Not only are people increasingly relying on social media as a source of political current events, but non-political content online often develops political associations. This project draws from existing research on the self-reinforcing nature of social media and the offline effects of political media consumption. It incorporates literature on the different effects of political social media features to better understand these patterns— such as humor, message persistence, and algorithms. The structure of certain social media platforms creates a pathway to extremist views, and younger media consumers are particularly vulnerable to this online radicalization. Online political patterns can translate into offline political behavior and attitudes. The study will conclude with proposed changes in policy, education, or approaches to media consumption. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology, Government

Advisor: Xiaowen Xu, Psychology

I completed observational research in Newport News eviction courts. I observed eviction cases and focused on how judge discretion can impact the courtroom. I found that different judges can impact the length of cases. I also am anticipating that judge discretion aslso has some impact on the exact outcome of a case as well. Different judges can also result in different environments in the courtroom and can make the process more or less humanizing and compassionate. These findings have the implication that judge discretion is influential in civil cases, even in something as seemingly straightforward as an eviction case.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Sociology and Government

Advisor: Caroline Hanley, Sociology

Recent renaming of Confederate symbols has led to controversy. This project will answer whether Virginians tend to support changing buildings and high schools named after Confederate leaders. Additionally, individual differences in explicit racial attitudes, tolerance for racism, nationalism, and knowledge of confederate history was examined to see how they related to the participant’s attitude toward changing the names. After recruiting ~750 adults and instructing them to complete an online survey distributed by Qualtrics, we scored questionnaires, coded open-ended questions, and labeled responses in SPSS. Lastly, we ran a regression analysis, examining how individual difference variables predicted attitudes towards changing Confederate school names. This project will answer questions such as: “Do the individuals who want to keep the names the same show more explicit racial bias or have a higher tolerance for racism?” Additionally, we will know if those who claim the names should be preserved for history actually know the history.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Neuroscience, Biochemistry (same majors for both students)

Advisor: Cheryl Dickter, Psychology

This faculty-mentored research incubator project involved multi-method assessment of self-regulation as part of a larger study on stress, parenting, and toddlers’ emerging self-control skills. One relevant measure is respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), which refers to variation in heart rate that happens naturally when a person breathes (Nazarri et al. 2022). Using the data that has been collected over the last year and a half, we aim to test whether there is a difference in RSA between resting and stressful conditions for both parents and toddlers. Participants included 204 parent-child dyads with a wide range of yearly income and parental education levels. RSA data was collected throughout a series of parent-child interaction tasks, including a resting baseline (obtained while parents and children watched a child-friendly video) and a wait task designed to be mildly frustrating for toddlers. We expect to see a decrease in both the parent and child’s RSA between the resting baseline and the mildly stressful wait task.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology Major, Biology Minor

Advisor: Madelyn Labella, Psychology

This study explores the digital divide, the gap between those with and without access to digital technology, in Puerto Rico. It seeks to answer the question "What factors do residents find most contribute to this divide, and how can these insights inform strategies for digital equity?" The qualitative research utilizes in-depth interviews with residents across rural and urban municipalities, focusing on technology usage, social attitudes, and accessibility. The findings, leveraging the recent multi-million-dollar federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment in Jobs Acts (IIJA), aim to inform strategies that bridge the divide. This study is particularly important given Puerto Rico's historic marginalization and susceptibility to natural disasters. This research is expected to provide significant insights into digital equity plans, enhancing both rural and urban communities' digital access and promoting social equality.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Sociology, Data Science

Advisor: Salvatore Saporito, Sociology

This project examines the propaganda content produced by the Russian state for domestic consumption both in anticipation and during the full-scale aggression against Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has maintained broad domestic support and this project attempts to examine the linguistic elements that are employed to influence Russian domestic opinion regarding Ukraine. Firstly, the project conducts lexical and semantic analysis of the “language of aggression”: music lyrics, rally speeches, news articles, and slogans that have been circulating via government media. Secondly, the project examines the rewriting of history and weaponization of historical memory in order to legitimize the ongoing aggression against Ukraine. The answers to these questions may provide crucial insights into the Russian state as a producer of propaganda and domestic disinformation regarding Ukraine and other post-Soviet nations.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Russian & Post-Soviet Studies, Linguistics

Advisor: Elena Prokhorova, Russian Studies

With the militaristic resurgence of Vladimir Putin's Russian Federation in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the European Union (and the West, more broadly) has found it increasingly more difficult to integrate its six Eastern Partnership countries (Ukraine, the Republic of Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus) into its fold. With the French Republic playing a prominent role in the EU's international diplomacy, this research assesses the stance of the French state in conjunction with the EU on current international political affairs, focusing primarily on Russia, the war in Ukraine, and the Republic of Georgia. Through a close reading and computational analysis of dozens of articles from five French international news sources, along with a survey of recent academic literature, this project hopes to shed more light on the complexities behind the West's mediation of developments in its periphery, as well as France and the EU's roles on the international stage.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Global Studies (European Studies Concentration) and French and Francophone Studies

Advisor: Dan Maliniak, Government

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, Community Health Workers (CHW) were seen at the frontlines providing people with the necessities they needed to live life during a lockdown. Because of this, we have been able to evaluate the impact that the pandemic had on community health workers. Many articles have come out examining the importance of community health workers during the lockdown, but it is hard to find any studies that examine the impact of CHWs from the eyes of the people they helped. This study interviewed clients of CHW during the 2020 lockdown about their experiences with community health workers. This study seeks to find a pattern in who was helped by CHWs and how those who were helped viewed the work done by CHWs.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Kinesiology & Health Science

Advisor: Iyabo Obasanjo, Kinesiology and Health Science

This study tested the hypothesis that hearing a choice called “bad” would make a listener less likely to endorse that choice. Participants were faced with one of two versions of a moral dilemma that required them to say if they would kill one person to save five. Participants were then asked to imagine a friend encouraging them to change their choice. Half were told to imagine their friend telling them that their initial choice was “a really bad thing to do.” Finally, Participants reported how likely they would be to change their mind. The study found no significant main effect of survey type on the likelihood a participant changing their mind, F(1, 46)=0.22, p=.64. Further research should survey a larger sample to determine whether ascriptions of goodness and badness have small effects on moral judgments.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology

Advisor: Harvey Langholtz, Psychology

The present study aimed to better understand the underlying psychological processes of anti-vaccination attitudes and beliefs. Participants completed numerous measures assessing their attitudes toward vaccination, political ideology, religious beliefs, and demographics. This survey was distributed to the undergraduate population and data is still being collected. We will specifically analyze participants’ responses on measures assessing attitudes towards vaccination and vaccine hesitancy, different measures of political ideology, and religiosity, to determine how political and religious factors impact attitudes toward vaccination. The results of the present study can provide further insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying vaccine hesitancy, by examining just who is more or less supportive of vaccinations.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Chemistry and Psychology

Advisor: Xiaowen Xu, Psychology

This project investigates the differences in speech between a group of patients with schizophrenia and a control group without schizophrenia. Using acoustic (sound) analysis programs, the researchers measured features of the participants’ vowels and attempted to determine if there is a clear connection between schizophrenia and how different vowels are pronounced. By conducting this research on data from non-scripted speech tasks, the researchers sought to discover whether previous results about the scripted (read) speech of patients with schizophrenia also apply to their natural speech. The researchers analyzed the data of both male and female participants to draw conclusions about the correlations between schizophrenia and speech features. The results of this research could improve understanding about the effects and signs of schizophrenia.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Linguistics and Data Science

Advisor: Anya Hogoboom, Linguistics

This study is to examine how people react to racist and/or stereotypical comments during an interaction. We will be orchestrating an audio presenting acquaintances and an athletic scenario. The people will consist of two white males and a black male  interacting after a game. This will consist of a racist statement from one of the white males and the black male or the other white male response. The manipulation will take place In the type of confrontation by the white or black male. The participants in the study will be surveyed on their views on the interaction, family past, opinions of the confronter versus the initial comment, etc. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Jo'Lissa: Neuroscience, Trinity Givens: Psychology; Abena Akrong, Neuroscience

Advisor: Cheryl Dickter, Psychology

In 2022, far-right individuals were responsible for all American extremist mass shootings, causing at least twenty-one fatalities and thirty casualties. This study investigates the reasons that individuals accept American far-right ideas through analysis of self-reported radicalization stories. Seeking to provide policymakers with greater actionable insights, this research deviates from existing literature by advancing a method to quantitatively compare the importance of motivating factors.

Data was sourced from the politics discussion board on the website 4chan, a popular public discussion board for the far-right. Posts were primarily classified based on common reported causes for radicalization, including into three categories based on the degree to which the poster demonstrated extremism: “confirmed extremist”, “likely extremist”, and “unconfirmed extremist”. Results reveal startling differences between the three categories, such as that confirmed extremists are four times as likely to reference perceived actions by a minority group. Furthermore, findings suggest that existing literature disproportionately prioritizes low-importance causes for confirmed extremists, such as the involvement of close friends and humor.

Student Major(s)/Minor: International Relations and Computer Science

Advisor: Elizabeth Losh, English

This research explores the evolution of discussions on race, racism, and related themes in the Financial Times Top 50 Academic Journals from 1984 to 2024. Through a comprehensive analysis of articles containing terms like 'race,' 'racism,' or 'racist,' this study investigates how scholarly conversations surrounding these issues have transformed over the past four decades. The research design involves a systematic search and collection of relevant articles, followed by a qualitative and quantitative examination of their content, themes, methodologies, and geographic and disciplinary distribution. By mapping the changing landscape of race-related discourse, this research aims to shed light on the academic response to societal shifts and events impacting racial dynamics. Implications of the study may reveal emerging trends, persistent gaps, or paradigm shifts in academic engagement with race. Ultimately, the findings could contribute to a deeper understanding of academia's role in shaping narratives on race and racism, influencing policy, and promoting inclusivity.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Accounting and Africana Studies

Advisor: Phillip Wagner, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Mason School of Business

Over the last few election cycles, we have seen the rise of the progressive prosecutor movement. The question of the project is how effective is the progressive prosecutor platform. This question was approached in two ways. First, how successful are those who run on the platform in getting elected? Second, is the struggles seen when they get into office.

The question was approached by first understanding the movement's history: who started it, the platform itself, and where it is today. I looked into election results from across the country throughout the last few election cycles. For the second question, I review interviews and information on time in office from a select few prosecutors. I’m expecting to find that while the platform is successful at getting elected it struggles to implement the reforms promised for many reasons. A possible implication of the research is the ability to predict how the platform will continue to make changes in the criminal justice system.

Student Major(s)/Minor: English and Government

Advisor: Christine Nemacheck, Government

There is a very specific order of adjectives used by English-speaking adults, and all native speakers adhere to these rules intuitively. They most likely couldn’t enumerate them, but if the rules are broken, it just “sounds wrong.” Research suggests that English-speaking children acquiring this adjective order can consistently order adjectives in an adult-like manner throughout elementary school, improving as the grades progress. Another study shows that adults rely on perceived subjectivity of an adjective to determine how far from the noun to place it. Finally, a third study suggests that children do not have a firm grasp on word subjectivity until around nine-years old. This project uses videos to fabricate subjectivity of novel, or fake, adjectives to explore when children can begin relying on subjectivity to order adjectives. In other words, when do children become adult-like in their underlying reasons for choosing to order adjectives in a specific manner? 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology and Linguistics

Advisor: Kaitlyn Harrigan, Linguistics

This study seeks to expand the literature that connects the parent-child relationship with mental health consequences. College students go through a major transition in lifestyle, and high mental health and functioning is essential for the prevention of substance abuse or other risky behaviors in the college environment. This study tested for a correlation between parenting style of the primary caregiver in childhood and the self-esteem of college students. Data were gathered from surveys of 60 undergraduates at William & Mary. Survey data were collected through a measure of parenting styles and a measure of self-esteem. Results indicated a weak positive relationship between an authoritative parenting style of the primary caregiver and participants’ self-esteem. No statistically significant relationship was found between permissive or authoritarian parenting styles and participants’ self-esteem. More research is needed to compare the three less-favorable parenting styles (authoritarian, neglectful, and permissive) for an evaluation of which children have the highest risk of low self-esteem, which often acts as a precursor to mental illness or engagement in risky behaviors. Then, using these empirical studies, programs promoting positive and authoritative parenting can be created primarily for the highest-risk households in the hopes of nurturing successful college students who are prosocial and healthy.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology and Kinesiology 

Advisor: Harvey Langholtz, Psychology

Utilitarianism has been a guiding ethical decision-making tool for experts and leaders around the world. Several classic examples, including the trolley problem, the footbridge problem, and the surgeon's dilemma, illustrate objections to the central principle of utilitarianism, the “Maximization of Welfare''. This research project would ask participants to answer questions regarding a scenario presented in Robert Nozick’s book “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”: The Experience Machine. The Experience machine pits intuitions against another central principle of classical utilitarianism: only felt experience matters. After anonymously filling out their demographic information, respondents would give their responses to the Experience Machine Problem. The respondents will also be presented with several questions regarding advancing technologies, in order to discern whether there are any correlations between attitudes towards technologies and inclinations to plug in. This research would examine the extent to which our intuitions agree or disagree with the “felt experience” principle of utilitarianism, as well as whether technological advancements in virtual reality can change our intuitions about morality. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Public Policy

Advisor: Christopher Freiman, Philosophy

This project is a cross-cultural examination on whether college students with more autistic traits would experience more alcohol problems. We examined whether this effect would be mediated by social anxiety, emotion regulation, and drinking to cope behaviors. This project utilized data from Project CABS (2021), in which students from seven countries (USA, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, England, South Africa, and Spain) completed a series of online questionnaires. We used multi-group mediation models to test the significance between mediating constructs. For example, we examined autistic traits as statistical predictors of social anxiety, cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, drinking to cope, and alcohol consequences. In support of our hypothesis, descriptive results showed that for all three traits, higher endorsement of each autistic trait was significantly associated with lower cognitive reappraisal, higher social anxiety, higher expressive suppression, and more drinking to cope motives. All three autistic traits were associated with alcohol problems.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology major, Art minor

Advisor: Adrian Bravo, Psychology

Discourse Analysis at William & Mary (DA@W&M), led by Dr. Leslie Cochrane, is a linguistics-focused group that investigates how members of specific communities, especially those who identify as disabled, navigate their personal identities and their attitudes toward larger societal expectations and narratives. Specific projects taking place during the summer of 2023 include maintaining a database for sociolinguistic interviews, transcribing past interviews for research purposes, recruiting participants, and conducting new interviews. DA@W&M’s work in disability is important because people who identify as disabled are often overlooked and misunderstood. DA@W&M would like to amplify the voices of those who identify as disabled while contributing to existing research in linguistics and disability.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Heath Grande Staton: Linguistics, French; Camila Anderson, Linguistics, Psychology,  Rin Braxton: Undeclared

Advisor: Leslie Cochrane, English and Linguistics

Sociologists typically measure segregation of racial groups across residential areas within cities by relying upon the assumption that distances between households can be measured in a straight line. Yet, measuring segregation by assuming people travel in a straight line underestimates segregation. For example, two clusters of people from two racial groups may be in close proximity in a straight line but if a barrier such as a river divided them, they would not be accessible to each other. Thus, measuring segregation using Euclidean distance might minimize the amount of segregation since members of two groups are close to each other on a straight line but far apart when traveling over a road network. This project shows that racial segregation is greater when using travel distance rather than Euclidean distance.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Public Policy / Environment & Sustainability Program - Policy Track

Advisor: Salvatore Saporito, Sociology

The thrill of a live concert is an experience enjoyed by young and old alike. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the process of purchasing concert tickets. From long queues and website crashes to exorbitant fees and pricey resale tickets, it’s hard to even imagine what an efficient concert ticket market would look like. The conventional economic model implies that inefficiency in the traditional sense is not present when ticket prices vary from equilibrium, due to the impact of a fixed seating capacity on costs. However, the secondary market of ticket resale can cause inefficiencies affecting consumers, sellers, and performing artists. This project analyzes these sources of inefficiency. Existing policy is examined and compared with research findings, in order to develop a solution that ultimately improves efficiency in the two markets.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Economics

Advisor: Shi Qi, Economics

This study brings together white teacher educators/researchers (authors) and Black undergraduates who participated in a two-week STEM summer school enrichment program for approximately 300 middle and high students in a high-need district. We interviewed 12 undergraduate mentors of color to address the following question: What were the perceptions of STEM undergraduates by STEM undergraduates of color who served as mentors alongside inservice teachers and preservice teachers in a STEM enrichment program? These findings are critical in recognizing effective ways to counter neutrality and whiteness in STEM education. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Biology major, Kinesiology minor

Advisor: Meredith Kier, Education

This research explores existing literature on trends in U.S. refugee policy and concepts of biopower and bare life. Over time, the United States has adopted policies that make applying for asylum more difficult. An important part of these stringent policies is the deterrence paradigm. Asylum deterrence practices, such as maritime interdiction and regional agreements between nearby states to limit refugees’ movement, seek to prevent potential asylum seekers from reaching a state’s border. In order to analyze refugees’ circumstances, some scholars draw on the works of Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, and Giorgio Agamben and use the concept of biopower - the power to make live or let die. This project applies biopower more specifically to deterrence policies. The framework of biopower highlights how deterrence policies leave asylum seekers at risk of harm or death, reducing them to “bare life.” Bare life refers to a life that is allowed to die in exchange for the health or well-being of others. This research is important because it highlights policy effects that policymakers may fail to acknowledge. These effects may be especially harmful as the number of forced migrations increases around the world and the United States adopts more restrictive refugee policies. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government

Advisor: Rebekah Sterling, Government

There are a number of hurdles students experience when living in poverty that can have long-lasting effects. Utilizing a systematic review, I have chosen to analyze, synthesize, and compare existing research pertaining to Head Start, a preschool program for lower-income children, to provide clarity on the debate of whether Head Start is truly beneficial. Research concerning preschool programs and whether they are beneficial is extensive, but varies greatly. Some find that the benefits of a preschool program wear off by the time a student reaches second grade. Others find that students who participated in preschool programs grew up with higher rates of college attendance, lower rates of incarceration, and better health. While all of this research is detailed, results vary as they all have different measures of success. For my project, I compared academic and non-academic, cognitive and social/emotional, and short-term and long-term effects as measures of success to better isolate which aspects of a program are beneficial. I predict that cognitive measures will have more beneficial results in the short-term, whereas non-academic and social/emotional measures will see more benefits in the long-run. If this prediction is true, it would mean that Head Start has more benefits than disadvantages for students. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Public Policy (major), Accounting (minor)

Advisor: Chris Howard, Government

This summer, I visited my home country, Georgia, for three months and conducted research on its political, environmental, and economic conditions. Specifically, the research focused on the changes in the country before and after the war. The most noticeable impact is the increased number of Russian citizens entering the borders of Georgia. Russians now not only visit but also settle down, buy houses, and open businesses in Georgia.

Many people don't realize the significant influence this issue could have on various aspects in the future. I interviewed several Georgians from different backgrounds and professions to gain a general overview of their feelings toward the influx of Russians into Georgia. These interviews proved highly informative, as respondents shared their opinions about the war, their feelings towards Russians, and even recounted stories about their interactions with Russians.

This research raises awareness about the ongoing problem in Georgia and presents several potential solutions. All of the respondents agree on one thing that the government should take action about this problem as quickly as possible. One solution might be to make it harder for foreigners to buy houses in Georgia and open companies.

Along with interviews, I filmed the streets of Tbilisi, where the walls are adorned with Ukraine's flag and numerous supportive phrases. Street art is one of the most significant ways Georgians show their support for Ukraine and these videos best represent the viewpoint of Tbilisi and its people.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Business Analytics

Advisor: Dan Maliniak, Government

In 2022, the European Union (EU) granted candidate status to Moldova and Ukraine but denied the Republic of Georgia after all three countries applied as part of the 27-nation bloc. This was a devastating outcome for the Republic of Georgia given the country's ongoing aspiration for European integration. Euroatlantic integration is so ingrained into the country that it is included in their constitution and supported by 83 percent of the population. Despite this aspiration, the denial of EU candidate status is potentially the outcome of recent democratic backsliding after years of democratic state building. This paper analyzes speeches of current and past Georgian leaders and their sentiments towards Russia to identify evidence of democratic backsliding. I theorize that a positive shift in Russian sentiment over time is a manifestation of democratic backsliding.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government

Advisor: Dan Maliniak, Government

Ultimate Frisbee is a relatively new sport established in the late 20th century. While the sport as a profession is in its infancy, viewership for ultimate frisbee has exploded in recent years. Through anecdotal evidence from players on AUDL teams, pay is poor for most professional players. Consequently, it is interesting to research the value of a small private professional sports company and track its trajectory in comparison to other professional sports organizations. Lastly, the research will use the traditional methods of private equity research to create a research report on a company with little coverage.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Finance, Economics

Advisor: Vladimir Atanasov, Finance

Utilizing a combination of focus groups and expert interviews with colleagues from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), our team researched accessibility across various duty station cities. These cities presented a diverse set of contexts for accessibility issues and concerns, and ranged from across multiple continents in the global North and South. Our team compiled our findings into a report delivered to the UNHCR as well as presented in other formats. We identified a key set of architectural and infrastructure utilities that most impacted the lives of those living with disabilities. Maintaining a list or rubric of these findings can streamline the search for housing and transport services for individuals moving to new cities, especially ones where government services and familiarity with accessibility standards by realtors and businesses are comparatively lower.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Liam Leslie: Government; Haley Unacapher: International Relations; Jacques Worth, Government; Emma O'Horo, International Relations

Advisor: Eleanor Loiacono, Business

Since its founding in 1693, the College of William & Mary has been inextricably tied with African American history. The recounting and records of African American narratives at an institution where African Americans were enslaved, segregated, and dehumanized, have been largely uncovered or deliberately erased. Our research seeks to fill the existing gap in the annals of William & Mary’s history. We conducted investigations on three case studies of interest: Booker T. Washington’s visit to William & Mary in the early 20th century, an exploration of performance culture through Black entertainment on an all-white campus, and an analysis of integration as documented in the Colonial Echo. Our research uses primary sources with the usage of archival materials such as The Flat Hat, The Colonial Echo, and resources from Swem Special Collections. The outcomes of our summer research are intended to contribute to a larger endeavor that The Lemon Project is conducting in establishing a tour of African American History at William & Mary. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Fatoumata Sissoko, Government and Africana Studies; Shawna Alston, English and Africana Studies; Senam Amevor, Kinesiology - Public Health Track

Advisor: Jody Allen, Robyn Schroeder, Sarah Thomas, History 

This summer at NukeLab, we worked in an interdisciplinary team to research anti-satellite (ASAT) technology and its impact on international security. We produced three pieces of writing—primer, policy memo, and op-ed—to investigate how ASAT technology shapes modern warfare. Our research has a policy focus and investigates, “How do American policies and international agreements address ASAT technology, and to what extent are they effective in promoting national security?”

Today, nations are in an arms race to develop anti-satellite technology. Not only are there direct-ascent missiles, but there are also now non-kinetic weapons which do not physically damage a satellite, such as lasers, jammers, and cyberattacks. We conclude that US defense agencies must support international arms control measures, while continuing to invest in non-kinetic ASAT research. The US must also develop military contingency plans to prepare for space as a future theater for war. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Enya Xiang, History; Erin McDonald, Physics; Alejandro Schnapp, International Relations

Advisor: Jeffrey Kaplow, Government, Ryan Musto, Global Research Institute

Amid discussions about mental health, the stigma around seeking treatment in African American communities is a significant concern due to its link with high mental health challenges. Prior research has touched on factors perpetuating this stigma, including historical traumas and deep-rooted family and community structures. However, more exploration is needed. A study titled "Impact of Mental Health Stigma on Help-Seeking: A Comprehensive Review" reveals that the relationship between stigma and seeking help remains unclear, especially in the black community. The systematic review aims to bridge this gap by examining factors contributing to stigma's persistence. It explores where stigma appears in the black community, how cultural norms and help-seeking perception hinder recovery, and their impact on resource accessibility. This research strives for empathetic interventions and holistic support, fostering positive change in African American mental health. Findings indicate faith, household patterns, and trauma from the healthcare system correlate with treatment-seeking behaviors.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Kinesiology and Biochemistry

Advisor: Adrian Bravo, Psychology 

Alewife and Blueback Herring, collectively called “river herring”, have historically played an important economic, social, and cultural role for many Virginia communities. However, overharvesting and habitat degradation have drastically diminished herring populations and led to a fishing moratorium across the Chesapeake watershed. Despite decades of conservation and restoration measures, fish populations have not recovered. Many pressures threatening these populations remain unclear. Therefore, applying a socio-historical lens to the issue will allow for more understanding of past population patterns and community practices, as well as situate ongoing research within a deeply-rooted cultural landscape. In practice, this requires ethnographic and archival work that integrates local ecological knowledge into existing scientific research, enabling community voices to impact fisheries management solutions and ensuring that lived experiences are preserved.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Anthropology

Advisor: Mara Dicenta Vilker, Anthropology

Eviction is a legal process landlords can use to remove tenants. Evictions are known to prevent victims from gaining new housing, jobs, and even harm their credit score along with other harmful impacts causing instability. These and other factors created cause to wonder about evictions' impact in the Williamsburg and James City Community. In response, Kaleea and Ye created the Virginia Eviction Expungement Resource (VEER) with Dr. Caroline Hanley. VEER will be a website to provide people with previous eviction records information and resources to have their eviction records expunged(removed from public view). Furthermore, eviction data was collected for Williamsburg and James City county for the years 2019-2022 which is being analyzed and can show the current climate of eviction in our W&M community. One result of the data were landlords with unreasonable eviction rates who were investigated to show their community impacts and better understand predatory eviction practices.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Kaleea Korunka: Chemistry; Ye Xiao: Computational Mathematics

Advisor: Caroline Hanley, Sociology

The United States frequently positions itself as the leading nation in shaping the international community. However, American foreign policy is often beholden to the whims of the American public. This analysis serves to recognize the trends in American public opinion regarding isolationist foreign policy. Secondly, this analysis seeks to identify the different demographic groups supporting isolationist versus interventionist policies. Understanding trends in American public thought is crucial to understanding future foreign policy decisions. This polling analysis has the potential to reveal that isolationist attitudes remain a persistent part of American public opinion toward foreign policy. While historically, the US has played a significant role in international affairs, persistent isolationist sentiment among the US public represents a potential barrier to future American foreign intervention and a strong US role on the world stage.

Student Major(s)/Minor: International Relations

Advisor: Amy Oakes, International Relations

Utilizing a combination of focus groups and expert interviews with colleagues from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), our team researched accessibility across various duty station cities. These cities presented a diverse set of contexts for accessibility issues and concerns, and ranged from across multiple continents in the global North and South. Our team compiled our findings into a report delivered to the UNHCR as well as presented in other formats. We identified a key set of architectural and infrastructure utilities that most impacted the lives of those living with disabilities. Maintaining a list or rubric of these findings can streamline the search for housing and transport services for individuals moving to new cities, especially ones where government services and familiarity with accessibility standards by realtors and businesses are comparatively lower.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Liam Leslie: Government; Haley Unacapher: International Relations; Jacques Worth, Government; Emma O'Horo, International Relations

Advisor: Eleanor Loiacono, Business

Ghana, a country once regarded as a “darling of the West”, previously served as a model country in the continent of Africa, but is now facing a debt crisis that has left the country in severe economic distress, relying on bailout efforts from the IMF. This investigation seeks to identify to what extent corrupt governing individuals and institutions have caused and exacerbated the economic situation. This investigation considers evidence of corruption in six main sectors of the country: small-scale corruption, individual corruption, corruption in the police force, corruption in healthcare, corruption in the judicial system, and corruption in the government directly. This research finds that not only is corruption in and of itself a significant contributor to the expansion of Ghana’s debt, but it also leads to general weakness and inability to respond to challenges or threats to the country’s stability, and hence a worsening of the debt distress of the country.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government, English

Advisor: Rani Mullen, Government

Due to traditional tourism’s exploitation of developing nations, ecotourism was developed. Ecotourism involves responsible travel with the goals of preserving the environment, generating local economic benefits, and sustaining the local culture. If ecotourism is properly implemented, local communities can achieve conservation goals and sustainable development. One underdeveloped region with ecotourism potential is Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Many residents face high unemployment, low education, and food insecurity. In the province’s Collywobbles area in the Mbhashe municipality, there are discussions about expanding a vulture conservation site into an ecotourism project. In developing this project, the complex history Black South Africans have with conservation efforts due to former apartheid policies cannot be ignored. The purpose of this research is to obtain community members’ opinions of ecotourism and how it can help improve their social and economic lives. This knowledge will provide input on how ecotourism can initiate sustainable economic development. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Kinesiology and Health Science with a Public Health Concentration and/or Economics 

Advisor: Iyabo Obasanjo, Kinesiology and Health Sciences

Since its founding in 1693, the College of William & Mary has been inextricably tied with African American history. The recounting and records of African American narratives at an institution where African Americans were enslaved, segregated, and dehumanized, have been largely uncovered or deliberately erased. Our research seeks to fill the existing gap in the annals of William & Mary’s history. We conducted investigations on three case studies of interest: Booker T. Washington’s visit to William & Mary in the early 20th century, an exploration of performance culture through Black entertainment on an all-white campus, and an analysis of integration as documented in the Colonial Echo. Our research uses primary sources with the usage of archival materials such as The Flat Hat, The Colonial Echo, and resources from Swem Special Collections. The outcomes of our summer research are intended to contribute to a larger endeavor that The Lemon Project is conducting in establishing a tour of African American History at William & Mary. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Fatoumata Sissoko, Government and Africana Studies; Shawna Alston, English and Africana Studies; Senam Amevor, Kinesiology - Public Health Track

Advisor: Jody Allen, Robyn Schroeder, Sarah Thomas, History 

The purpose of this project is to understand the role of Community Health Workers and the work they do for their clients. Community Health Workers provide translation services, culturally appropriate health care education, and advocate for the community's health. Our research asks “How do Community Health Workers impact their Clients?” and we will determine this by focusing on the Social Determinants of Health which are factors that affect the different health outcomes that are present with race and ethnicity. This research consists of interviewing the clients of Community Health Workers and analyzing their impact. After the results from this research have been concluded they will be published in scientific journals. This research will advocate the work of Community health Workers because they play an essential part in reducing health disparities.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Educational Studies

Advisor: Iyabo Obasanjo, Kinesiology and Health Sciences

There is significant evidence suggesting that adverse childhood experiences (also known as ACEs) have a significant impact on the mental health challenges that university students experience. This can present itself in a variety of ways, including but not limited to using alcohol as a coping mechanism and presenting depressive/anxiety symptoms. The present study will examine the impact of adverse childhood experiences on emotional regulation and distress tolerance, both of which have a long-term impact on mental health outcomes. Specifically, we aim to examine the effectiveness of this model as it translates to the mental health of university students across the world. Measures such as the ACE-IQ model and Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS) will be analyzed to examine mental health impacts in students from a variety of backgrounds and geographic locations; findings will help inform treatment initiatives and better equip universities in supporting students’ mental health needs. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology

Advisor: Adrian Bravo, Psychology

This summer at NukeLab, we worked in an interdisciplinary team to research anti-satellite (ASAT) technology and its impact on international security. We produced three pieces of writing—primer, policy memo, and op-ed—to investigate how ASAT technology shapes modern warfare. Our research has a policy focus and investigates, “How do American policies and international agreements address ASAT technology, and to what extent are they effective in promoting national security?”

Today, nations are in an arms race to develop anti-satellite technology. Not only are there direct-ascent missiles, but there are also now non-kinetic weapons which do not physically damage a satellite, such as lasers, jammers, and cyberattacks. We conclude that US defense agencies must support international arms control measures, while continuing to invest in non-kinetic ASAT research. The US must also develop military contingency plans to prepare for space as a future theater for war. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: Enya Xiang, History; Erin McDonald, Physics; Alejandro Schnapp, International Relations

Advisor: Jeffrey Kaplow, Government, Ryan Musto, Global Research Institute