Posters - 2026

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  Texas Rangers & the Porvenir Massacre

  Flavia Delgado

  On January 28, 1918, in West Texas, the small village of Porvenir - now a ghost town - was the site of a deadly and unjustified act of violence. In the early morning hours, a group of Texas Rangers an U.S Army soliders killed 15 Mexican American men and boys. Prior to their deaths, the victims were disarmed and detained without legal justification and were executed without due process or the opportunity to defend themselves against unsubstantiated accusations.

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  Using AI to predict Energy Expenditure in Lower Limb Prosthesis Users

  Nelly Diaz and Siem Hadish

  • Computer vision has evolved from simple image classification and object detection to analyzing human motion and biomechanics (1). • CNN’s are usually focused on image classification, but, in this case, we are not asking the model if a person is walking. • Many real-world problems require regression: Predicting a continuous number like energy expenditure of walking is a complex task. • It is essential for Prosthetists to understand energy expenditure of their prosthetic patients (2). • An amputee may use 20-30% more energy to walk. • In this project, we developed an AI model to analyze human motion and predict energy expenditure to improve prosthetic design.

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  Synapse

  Nicolas Diaz, Alexander Murphy, Sonia Cerrillo, Naomi Ramirez, and Jesse Kemmer

  People tend to accumulate a great deal of notes throughout their lives with no coherent way to organize them. Even with the built-in notes app, the notes eventually accumulate until it becomes borderline impossible to find what is needed. Our proposed solution is Synapse, an LLM powered notes app with a tagging system that allows notes to be sorted by topic. The LLM will be able to read the user's notes and recommend tags

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  Who still goes to the mall? Genz vs. Millennials

  Layla Dickerson

  • Shopping malls are declining in popularity, especially among younger consumers

  • Online shopping and changing preferences are reshaping retail habits

  • Malls were once key social and shopping spaces

  • Generational differences influence how people use malls today

  • This study compares Gen Z and Millennials’ mall visitation behavior to understand the decline

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  Fallen Light

  Joshua Do

  Lucifer is often portrayed in popular media as purely evil; however, this interpretation overlooks the more complex idea of gradual moral corruption through deception and pride. The purpose of Fallen Light is to explore how doubt, pride, and subtle deception can lead even a highly exalted being away from God over time.. The game emphasizes the internal struggle between obedience and self-exaltation rather than immediate rebellion, and the problems with Being overly prideful.

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  From Stacks to Scholarship: A Legacy of the Academic Library (1968-2000)

  Diane Duesterhoeft and Janet Ojinnaka

  In 2027, St. Mary's University will celebrate the Dodransbicentennial (175th) anniversary of its founding.
  
  In 2025, the Louis J. Blume Library celebrated the 25th anniversary of its renaming from the Academic Library. Here, we highlight some milestones from the library's history.

  More information is available here: https://lib.stmarytx.edu/tour/timeline

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  The Impact of Stress on Dream Content

  Tessa Duncan and Mason Trevino

  • This research investigated how daily stress levels influence the intensity of dreams. The study aimed to clarify the relationship between stress and dream intensity, enhancing understanding of stress’s broader effects on mental health. • Building on Rush’s concept of a “goldilocks zone” in the stress scale, where moderate stress benefits well-being while too little or too much stress can cause harm (2024). The current study used the hallucination model of dreaming from Gillespie and Trakas (2024), which views dreams as vivid, perception-like experiences that can amplify emotions. Drawing on Gessert’s methods for measuring stress and nightmare frequency, stress is defined as the psychological and physiological reactions to uncontrollable events, and dreams as hallucination-like reflections of waking emotions (2023).

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  Konglish

  Abigail Echeverria, Maurissio Gonzalez, and Vanessa Vasquez Zavala

  Konglish is a language variety resulting from contact between Korean and English

  1.“Konglish is a blend of Korean and English found throughout South Korea, and often suffers or lack of prestige amongst Koreans” (McPhail, 2018)

  2. “A creative, dynamic contact vernacular mixing English and Korean, including morphology, syntax, semantics, pronunciation, and discourse, but not a full language” (Lawrence, 2012)

  3. Konglish should not be understood as a distinct language variety; rather, it is a cultural practice through which Koreans draw on available linguistic resources to engage in communication and to interpret their position within the globalized world. (Park, 2021)

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  The Effects of Low Stimulating Music vs. High Stimulating Music on Visual and Auditory Reflexes in Young Adults

  Monabelle Elbayeh, Vania Galindo, Ria Modi, and Gianna Montelongo

  This study investigates the effects of high-stimulating versus low-stimulating music exposure on human reflexes, specifically examining how different levels of auditory stimulation influence reaction time. Music is known to impact cognitive and motor performance, but its direct effect on reflex responses remains less understood. In this experiment, participants are exposed to high-stimulating music and low-stimulating music in separate trials, with reflexes measured before and after each condition using visual and auditory tests in the LabScribe program. It is hypothesized that after listening to high-stimulating music for five minutes, individuals will demonstrate shorter reaction times compared to after listening to low-stimulating music. This is because high-stimulating music is expected to increase attentiveness to stimuli, whereas low-stimulating music may promote relaxation and slower responsiveness. By comparing these conditions under controlled laboratory settings, this study aims to provide insight into how auditory stimulation affects reflexes and overall cognitive and motor performance.

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  Saved from the brink of collapse: Evaluating the success of the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project

  Keagan Farrell, Kelly Swyers, and Adan Vasquez

  Kelp forests are vital to ocean health, they provide habitat, food, and nursery grounds for a variety of marine species. These forests support fisheries, improve water quality, and help to protect coastlines (Eger et al. 2024). The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project is a marine conservation effort aimed at restoring their kelp forests along the Sussex coastline in southern England. This area lost up to 96% of its forests mainly due to the fishing practice trawling. Trawling is used to gather large amounts of fish, while dragging a net at the seafloor (Our history 2026). The main goal of the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project is to restore the kelp forest, and seeks to understand the ecological, social, and economic values of kelp. While ensuring long term benefits for marine biodiversity and coastal communities (Progress & Impact Report 2023).

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  Effects of Tubulin-Binding Medications on Microplastic Uptake and Cyotoskeletal Functionality across Diverse Cell Types

  Alejandra D. Favela Santos

  • Microtubules are composed of of a- and b- tubulin heterodimers, vital for cell structure, shape, and intracellular transport • Microtubules are also useful as they separate chromosomes during cell division • Microplastics (< 5 mm) are considered a health threat and have been found throughout the whole body (1) o In several studies, microplastics have been correlated to higher rates cardiorespiratory issues, endocrine disruption, and cancer (1) • Tubulin-binding medications are widely used as chemotherapeutic agents as they are known for disrupting cell division and targeting tubulin (2,3) o In this study, these medications were used to determine whether microtubules play a role in microplastic uptake § Colchicine typically binds to tubulins and arrests polymerization and growth § Nocodazole disrupts polymerization and prevents spindle formation § Vinblastine inhibits microtubule assembly and disruptions miotic spindle formation.

  • The purpose of this study was to determine if different concentrations of tubulin-binding medications affect microplastic uptake o C2C12, RAW 264.7, and MOVAS cell lines were used to evaluate whether these changes are cell type specific
  
  If microtubule dynamics are disrupted, microplastic uptake can be affect in a concentration-dependent and cell type- specific manner.

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  Does Habitat Predict Head Shape? A Comparative Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Eurycea spp.

  Sarah Flores-Garza, Alexa Miner, and Gianna Montelongo

  Subterranean environments impose strong selective pressures, including complete darkness and reliance on non-visual sensory systems. In Eurycea salamanders, these conditions are associated with traits such as reduced eyes and expanded head regions that improve sensory detection (Tovar et al., 2025). Subterranean species are often expected to share similar head shapes due to convergent evolution. However, not all species experience these pressures equally. Eurycea latitans is a polymorphic species that inhabits both surface and cave environments. Eurycea sp._NB is an obligate subterranean species, while Eurcyea sosorum is a surface species. This study tests whether habitat predicts head shape in Eurycea, or whether differences in the degree of subterranean specialization better explain variation in morphology by comparing a surface species (E. sos), a polymorphic species (E. lat), and an obligate subterranean species (E. sp._NB).

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  Mapping Sensory Landscapes: Distribution and Arrangement of the Anterior Lateral Line System in Texas Catfish

  Tatiana K. Flores and Ruben Tovar

  Fish have a system of sensory organs known as the lateral line system. This system contains numerous mechanoreceptive neuromasts and electroreceptive ampullary organs (Northcutt et al, 2000). Neuromasts are small, hair-like structures located within canals in the lateral line system just under the fish’s skin and are open to the environment through small pores visible on its skin (Parker, 2025). Water flows into these canals through the pores which stimulates the sensitive hair cells, resulting in electrical signals sent to the fish’s brain. The brain interprets these signals and creates “images” of the fish’s surroundings, helping it to see even in total darkness. Other sensory organs that work in conjunction with the lateral line system are the barbels. Barbels are the whisker -like appendages that gave catfish their name and are chemoreceptors used to locate food (Parker, 2025). The Mexican blind catfish (P. phreatophila) is a rare subterranean species found only in caves and wells in the Edwards – Trinity aquifer which stretches beneath the Rio Grande Basin in Texas and Coahuila, Mexico (Mexican blindcat, ND). Due to its reduced eye function, the Mexican blind catfish uses other sensory organs such as olfactory or mechanosensory organs to be able to “see” and find food in its environment. The description and quantification of these characteristics have yet to be explored in prietella. For this study, we harnessed microCT scans to describe and analyze neuromast pores and cranial/facial morphology between 5 species of catfish including the subterraneun adapted prietella. The species studied were: Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), Mexican blind catfish (Prietella phreatofila), Black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), Yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), and Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus). The purpose of this study was to determine potential differences in cranial size/shape between subterranean and surface species. Because the Mexican blind catfish uses other sensory organs to survive in its environment, these sensory organs may have thicker tissue, resulting in a larger head shape/size compared to the surface species.

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  Bound by brotherhood: Social networks predict job satisfaction and trust among frefighters

  Ashley Frost

  The primary purpose of this study was to better understand the correlation between the social support networks among firefighters, also known as “brotherhood”, and their job satisfaction. The secondary goal was to explore potential indicators of what traditions entailed within the fire department and their significance in fostering brotherhood. Former research has articulated the bonds within the fire service and how team comradery and job satisfaction influence brotherhood, however; limited research has investigated how traditions within the fire service influence brotherhood. It was expected that brotherhood would have a positive correlation with job satisfaction (H1), that there would be a positive correlation between traditions within the fire service and brotherhood (H2), and that the more time that firefighters spent with their team training the higher their trust levels (H3). The survey consisted of thirty-one questions developed by the researcher, in which twelve questions were adapted from the Social Support Inventory and the Inventory of Socially Supported Behaviors. Questions explored firefighters’ perceptions of their support networks and identified the qualification and demographics of the participants. Results showed a positive correlation between brotherhood and job satisfaction (H1), a positive correlation between brotherhood and traditions within the fire service (H2), and a positive correlation between the time teams spent training together and trust levels. Findings suggest that when engaging in team building exercises to strengthen their brotherhood, firefighters become more satisfied with their work. Future research should assess the best methods to facilitate teamwork cohesion exercises as it was positively correlated with brotherhood.

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  Polylactic Acid (PLA) Microplastic toxicity in C. elegans

  Maria Gamez, Dana Farley, Chiara Maldonado, and David Mares

  • Microplastics (MPs, > 5 mm1) are an environmental pollutant that pose health risks to humans. • Primary MPs are created for direct use or plastic stocks, and secondary MPs are created when plastics in the environment break down over time. • Microplastic exposure can cause oxidative stress, metabolic disorders, immune responses, neurotoxicity, and reproductive issues2-3. • Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a biodegradable plastic used in everyday items, such as food packaging, and as a polymer in 3D printing. • PLA exposure to fish causes organ damage5 and C. elegans exposure to primary PLA MPs and UV-aged MPs reduced reproduction6-7 . • We use C. elegans to investigate the effect of cryo-milled PLA-MP exposure on fertility, development, and lifespan.

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  The Integration of Spanglish Throughout Texas

  Alexa Garcia, Renata Taboada, Dariela Galindo, and Julianne Pena

  Code switching is the combination of two or more languages spoken due to the proximity of communities (Zentella, 1997). Code switching is very common in areas with a majority Hispanic community (Devan et al., 2024). Although Spanglish is highly controversial, it is widely used through multiple parts of Texas (Stavans, 2008) Spanish in San Antonio is very different than Mexico Spanish according to Mexican-Americans (Gillespie-Duelos, 1975)

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  The Power of a label:Examining name brand purchase behavior

  Kaley Garcia

  • Consumers are constantly comparing name brands and generic products.

  • Brand names are often associated with quality, trust, and status.

  • However, not all products are viewed the same when it comes to brand importance.

  • Some people care more about price and function, especially for everyday items.

  • This study looks at whether brand name actually influences buying decisions.

  • It also explores if brand matters more for certain types of products.

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  A Research Proposal: Gender Differences in the Experience and Impact of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

  Valeria Garcia and Yesenia De Leon

  Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is the anxiety individuals feel when they believe others are having rewarding experiences without them, a feeling that has increased with the rise of social media. Constant exposure to others' curated lives can lead to social comparison, increased social media use, and negative outcomes such as decreased academic focus and poorer mental health. Research suggests that FoMO may be experienced differently across genders due to differences in social expectations and online behaviors. For example, women may be more likely to engage in social comparison and seek validation, while men may use social media for different social or instrumental purposes. This study examines gender differences in the experience and impact of FoMO among college students using a quantitative approach, with the goal of understanding how FoMO influences behavior and well-being.

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  FoxBuddy

  Luis Eduardo Garza Jr.

  Emergency preparedness remains a significant challenge for individuals due to disorganized resource management and lack of accessible guidance. Additionally, cybersecurity risks during emergencies are often overlooked, leaving individuals vulnerable to digital threats such as phishing, scams, and data exposure. FoxBuddy provides a centralized, user-friendly platform that enhances both physical preparedness and cybersecurity awareness.

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  Development of a dendritic cell model to unravel the secrets of CARDS toxin

  Lizbeth Gomez

  Dendritic cells (DCs) are derived from hematopoietic stem cells of the bone marrow. They are the most efficient antigen presenting cell, presenting antigens to T cells to initiate clonal expansion and differentiation of the T cells into memory and effector cells. Thus, activating the effector functions of T cells in cell-mediated and humoral immune responses (2). Community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin is produced by Mycoplasma pneumoniae that causes acute and chronic lung infections (4). Dendritic cells play a key role in the immune response to respiratory mycoplasmas (3). However, the mechanism underlying in DC and CARDS toxin interactions are unknown. By developing an effective DC model that expresses mature cell surface markers (1), it can be used to evaluate the relationship between DCs and CARDS toxin. We hypothesize that the DC model will express surface markers CD80, CD86, and CD83 indicating a mature DC.

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  Exploring Base Excision Repair Using Gene Knockout

  Gregory Guantos, Cailyn Brock, Kamiily Visser, and Dylan Vargas

  • Base Excision Repair (BER) fixes damaged 3DNA bases throughout the cell cycle by removing damaged bases and replacing either one nucleotide in short-patch BER or a short stretch of nucleotides in long-patch BER. (Hindi, 2021, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences:CMLS)

  • 4G-quadruplexes (G4s) are 4 stranded secondary DNA structures formed in guanine rich areas of DNA and RNA. (Rhodes, 2015, Nucleic Acids Research)

  The URA3 plasmid was used as a PCR template to make a gene deletion construct, then yeast were transformed so APN1 was replaced by URA3. 2APN1 encodes a major DNA repair enzyme in yeast, and strains lacking APN1 are hypersensitive to oxidative and alkylating DNA-damaging agents. (Ramotar, 1991, Molecular and Cellular Biology)

  • Ampicillin, an antibacterial, and uracil absent plates were used to select for transformed E. coli and yeast cells respectively.

  • Previous experiments involving 1single knockout lines have shown it is possible to transform yeast using centromeric plasmids.(Persson, 2022, Genes|Genomes|Genetics),

  Hypothesis: The DNA repair pathway Base Excision Repair, will remove G4s from DNA efficiently.

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  An investigation in the physiological effect of microplastic and chemical mixtures in the body length of C. elegans

  Gregory Guantos, David M. Mares, and Jennifer C. Harr PhD

  • Microplastics (MP) are pieces of plastic less than 5 micrometers (mm). Microplastics are found in our environment and have even been found in the food humans consume, including in drinks from plastic bottles (Hu 2020).

  • Di-butyl Phthalate (DBP) is a chemical known as a plasticizer commonly used in PVC applications, ink, fragrances, and adhesives

  • Di-butyl Phthalate has been found to have negative effects on the physiological length of C. elegans (Xiyan 2018)

  • Microplastics have similarly been found to decrease the physiological length of C. elegans (Schöpfer 2020)

  • The combined effects of MPs and DBP include reduced fertility and lifespan, and the induction of a stress response (Maldonado et al., 2025).

  • Research on the effects of microplastics and chemical mixtures on physiological length are limited.

  • We use C. elegans as a model organism to ask about combined MP and DBP exposure

  • C. elegans is an established model system for toxicological studies to shed light on toxic effects in humans. They can be used to investigate & understand the physiological effects involved when organisms are exposed to both microplastics and DBP

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  Armed Conflict: Addressing Violations Against Children's Human Rights

  Noelia Torres Guillen

  • Research question: How has armed conflict violated children's human rights, and how have international legal frameworks been effective in addressing these violations?

  • The CRC sets the standard international definition, which defines a child as every human being below the age of eighteen years

  • There are six grave violations: Killing and maiming of children, the recruitment or use of children as soldiers, sexual violence, abduction, attacks against schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access for children.

  • Argument (thesis): Although there are several legal instruments implemented to protect children's human rights during armed conflict, children are still being subjected to the six grave violations.

  • Armed conflict violates children’s fundamental rights. We have a moral and ethical obligation to protect our most vulnerable populations.

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  Research proposal: What did we lose when we stayed home? Digital culture and the erosion of social interaction

  Anzio Hall

  Third spaces serve as casual social environments such as libraries and movie theaters acting as "anchors" for community and social connection. (Melissa et.,al 2024). Nonetheless with the rise of streaming services and personalized experiences, these spaces are increasingly disappearing from everyday life (Fowler, 2026; Van De Vijer, 2017). For Gen Z, a generation that had grown up with technology at their fingertips, raising questions about how they interacting with other and experience relationships (Fisu et al, 2024). This study aims to explore: How does Gen Z describe the experience of third spaces as they connect with others?

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  Take a Hit? Take a Hit: Quantifying Cell Death in E-Cigarette Exposed Bronchial Epithelial Cells following CARDS Toxin Treatment

  Truman Havrda, Hannah Jiron, and Sierra Trevino

  The rapid rise of e-cigarette use among young adults has created a significant public health challenge, as the popularity of "vaping" has grown faster than our understanding of its long term cellular consequences. Current research indicates that e-cigarette vapor (ECV) induce high levels of oxidative stress and impair the lungs' ability to clear bacterial pathogens. Furthermore, ECV exposure upregulates specific receptors on the surface of airway cells, essentially making it easier for bacteria to adhere to and infect the lungs. While we know that both e-liquids and vapor trigger inflammatory responses and cytotoxicity, there is limited data on how these "pre-damaged" cells react when faced with a secondary biological threat. Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Community Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin, which is known to target the mitochondria and cause significant cell death and vacuolization. This study seeks to quantify how ECV exposure predisposes human bronchial epithelial cells to increased damage when treated with the CARDS toxin. By measuring cell death, we aim to provide our peers with concrete, empirical evidence of how vaping compromises the fundamental defenses of the respiratory system.