UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 1 Dr. Adrienne Chan, Associate Vice-President Research, Engagement, and Graduate Studies Dr. Gwen Point, UFV Chancellor Mr. John Pankratz, Chair, UFV Board of Governors Dr. Eric Davis, Provost and Vice-President Academic Dr. Mark Evered, President and Vice-Chancellor Ms. Vanessa Epp, Psychology, College of Arts Mr. Sahil Chawla, Biology, Faculty of Science Dr. Adrienne Chan, Associate Vice-President Brad Whittaker, Director, Research Services & Industry Liaison Dr. Alisa Webb, Associate Dean, College of Arts Dr. Alastair Hodges, Acting Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences Dr. Tracy Ryder-Glass, Dean, Faculty of Professional Studies Dr. Lucy Lee, Dean, Faculty of Science 2 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Tonight the University of the Fraser Valley is thrilled to present 37 students with research awards totalling over $22,000. These students were nominated by faculty for exceptional research work, either as part of the UFV work study program, as research assistants, or for an outstanding research project as part of a course. We also acknowledge the many students who received other prestigious awards from UFV, federal granting agencies, and other external organizations. Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist. Congratulations to all the students who have gone well beyond the basics to generate award-winning research projects. You vitalize us! With more than 15,000 students attending UFV this year, these awards represent only a small portion of the research and other experiential learning activities in which students are involved that enrich their UFV education. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 3 We are delighted to have two student speakers this evening selected from our Student Research Day MicroLecture presenters. I am graduating from UFV with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology Honours) degree. In September I will be starting graduate school working towards my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I just moved to Vancouver and live 2 minutes away from the seawall which is great because I love being outdoors. My two biggest career goals are 1) to open my own private practice and 2) to work in the ER doing assessment on mental health intakes. I also hope to become a certified yoga instructor. I love travelling and just returned from backpacking through Spain to celebrate my acceptance into Grad School. I am the founder and co-facilitator of "Inner Style," a summer program that aims to help young girls enhance their self-esteem, promotes self-discovery, and encourages them to live mindfully. I am a 4th year science student, majoring in biology and chemistry. I have served as the Faculty of Science rep on the Student Union Society (SUS) and as an elected student rep on the UFV Senate. My achievements include being on the Dean's List since first year. I received the SUS Volunteer of the Year award for 2016. I am the President of the UFV Circle K Club, which is a leadership organization that raises awareness for social causes and organizes fundraisers for various charities (our last major event was Daffodils Day, through which we raised $1,886). I am currently a brown belt in Shotokan Karate, a Bhangra Dancing coach, and a Team Leader at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital. In the coming years, I hope to enter the Medical field and specialize as a Neurosurgeon. 4 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 These national awards are meant to stimulate interest in research in the natural sciences and engineering. They allow students to gain valuable research experience that complements their studies by working full time for a term with a nationally recognized UFV faculty researcher. Additional funds are provided by the faculty researcher’s grant. Miranda Louwerse, Chemistry Faculty Researcher: Noham Weinberg Darryl Wilson, Chemistry Faculty Researcher: Noham Weinberg Travis Gingerich, Geography & the Environment Faculty Researcher: Olav Lian Steven Esau, Physics Faculty Researcher: Derek Harnett Japteshwar Gill, Physics Faculty Researcher: Lin Long UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 5 Each year UFV Research Services invites undergraduate student researchers to showcase their work by participating in a fast-paced 2minute MicroLecture, a poster presentation, or both. More than 90 students connected at this lively interactive event and competed for scholarship awards of $200. Engagement in research and events such as this can help students obtain scholarships, awards, and graduate school positions. It also contributes to UFV’s strategic goal of providing “the best undergraduate education in Canada.” UFV Student Research Day Awards Award: President’s Michael Gaultier - Biology Inferring bog hydrology and soil chemistry using testate amoebae in the Fraser Lowland, British Columbia Faculty Supervisor: Jonathan Hughes Award: Provost & Vice-President Academic Tessa Webb - Biology Towards Cloning and Sequence Analysis of the alkB gene from Gordonia otitidis Faculty Supervisor: Stephen Thomas Award: Associate VP Research, Engagement & Graduate Studies Sarah Speight - Geography & the Environment Evaluating Food Donation Quality in the Fraser Valley Faculty Supervisor: Michelle Rhodes Award: Vice-President, Students Kurtis Leffers - Biology Investigating Lifespan and Healthspan Effects of Canada-Grown Lonicera caerulea on C elegans Faculty Supervisor: Nathan Bialas 6 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Award: Vice-Provost & Associate VP Academic Darryl Wilson - Chemistry Molecular Dynamics Calculations of High-Pressure Vibration Spectra Faculty Supervisor: Noham Weinberg Award: Dean, College of Arts – Social Sciences Alanna Strangway - Geography & the Environment Geochemistry Report for Clayburn Creek Watershed in Abbotsford, BC Faculty Supervisor: Steven Marsh Award: Dean, College of Arts - Humanities Sarah Gabor-Martinez - Social Cultural & Media Studies The Delicate Equilibrium of Corporate and Public Art: A Visual Ethnography of Granville Island Faculty Supervisor: Nicola Mooney Award: Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences Jason Soolaman - Kinesiology and Physical Education The Cognitive and Physical Consequences of Pre-Competition Rapid Weight Loss (Weight Cutting) in Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Faculty Supervisors: Michael Gaetz & Jason Brandenburg Award: Dean, Faculty of Professional Studies Bronwen Kenyon, Kyle Sethi, Ryan Gienger - Business Sex at University Faculty Supervisor: David Dobson & Michael Maschek Award: Dean, Faculty Science Nikola Trotzuk, Dennis Schimann, Alex Vogt, Perrin Waldock – Physics/Engineering Autonomous collision avoidance on a quadcopter Faculty Supervisor: Lin Long Visit ufv.ca/research/students/research to see photos of Student Research Day and videos of the student MicroLectures (including our two student speakers)! UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 7 The objective of the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s Program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. Miranda Louwerse, Chemistry Faculty Researcher: Noham Weinberg Travis Gingerich, Geography & the Environment Faculty Researcher: Olav Lian Hakai Fellowship, ongoing support for BSc Honours Research Dr. Seuss 8 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Korina Gratton - Communications Tina Clellamin, Dominique Iuticone, Nola Mack, Jim Nelson, Dorothy Pootlass, Veronica Schooner, Katherine Scott, Bert Snow, Peter Snow - Communications Keith Greter, Jessa Leroux, Nicholas Point, Whitley Point - Business Danielle Summers - History Serena Gearey - Philosophy Chantelle Fawcett - Visual Arts Sarah Gabor-Martinez - Anthropology Buffy Sainte-Marie, singer-songwriter Jessica Jahn - Criminology & Criminal Justice Dayton Marks - Economics Elliott Hart - Geography & the Environment David Semaan - Political Science Mohit Bassi - Psychology UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 9 Yuvraj Singh - South Asian Studies Institute Yun Zhang - Sociology Jason Soolaman - Kinesiology Morgan Abery - Nursing Darcie Brown - Adult Education Chelsey Ens, Jonathan Ens – Business Kathryn Schultz – Social Work Vivienne Beard - Biology Darryl Wilson – Chemistry Dennis Schimann, Nikola Trotzuk, Alex Vogt, Perrin Waldock – Physics 10 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor: Marcella LaFever Program Head: Lynn Kirkland-Harvey Industry Partner: Chilliwack Restorative Justice & Youth Advocacy Award: $1,000 Korina: I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of General Studies with a minor in Communications and a minor in Media and Communications. My project evolved out of a conversation about a social media audit and analysis completed for another communication class, and eventually became focused on websites to provide a solid foundation for Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Advocacy Association. This project was very interesting as it had a real-world application and could benefit one or more non-profit organizations. This project examines website best practices and develops a model for usability testing of websites. The purpose of this project aimed to give the Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Advocacy Association an inexpensive and easy way to communicate and inform their community. My study compared 11 restorative justice websites against a list of 48 criteria, developed from website best practices. The large number of criteria allowed me to compare the websites without involving personal bias, using technical language, and breaking down each main component into easily communicated and understood points. Each website scored at least 50% or higher against the criteria but each one needed to improve in various small ways. This shows that even though the websites may be technically sound, they may still not be doing an effective job communicating or engaging their audience. The results are significant as they provide the Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Advocacy Association a blueprint as they update their website now and in the future. Note: Korina was also nominated for the Communications Department award for this project. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 11 Faculty Supervisor: Marcella LaFever Program Head: Lynn Kirkland-Harvey Award: $150 each Marcella notes: This Indigenous Research Award is for nine (9) students who in a group consultation and writing project completed a formal research report based in their work within their Nuxalk First Nation community in Bella Coola, BC. They wrote it also as part of the culmination of their work towards Bachelor of General Studies degrees through an agreement between the University of the Fraser Valley and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. This group of students completed the project as part of their CMNS 351 course, Formal Professional Research Report Writing. There are many more things I could say about the process the students engaged with to create their final document, including about the review and editing process that took place each day. However, what is remarkable about the report and the path taken is the obvious indigeneity of it – to work together as a whole group. The organic nature and melding of the voices is indicative of their four years together. They range in age from early twenties to nearly 60 – this gives this group a unique voice. Their ability to work together and produce such a document is distinctive and in some ways captures the importance of our university working in the community. These students, who will certainly have to write such reports in their roles as health or support workers within the Bella Coola community, go forward with a sense that “reporting” does not mean that the document needs to be bereft of their personal experiences and the colour and flavour of the land that they call home. This document and the process that they used to design it will be an example that they can carry forward and refer back to when asked for reports in the future. 12 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Yaw smatamcuks, yaw stataltmc, yaw stanapsulhuks, yaw lhikw’lcaaxta (Greetings friends, chiefs, community members (villagers, citizens), and elders (wisdom holders). We would like to extend our sincerest thank you to Nuxalk Acwsalcmlslayc Academy of Learning Society, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, and the University of the Fraser Valley for believing and supporting the students of the Bella Coola Chemical Addictions Worker program. We submit this report out of respect for what you have contributed in the past, in recognition of your ongoing support, and for the future education dreams of everyone in Nuxalk territory and beyond. In this report you will read personal stories of the students and hear highlights of their success in the program. The report also contains feedback that we hope will encourage improvements for future learners. This feedback includes suggestions for ways to further indigenize instruction and materials, with some comments on course content and delivery. Ultimately our goal is to make recommendations that will encourage planning for continuation of both on campus and in-community delivery of this and other similar programs that will both prepare future students and use the skills of those who are about to graduate. Stutwiniitulhap (Thank you) * Acwsalctimutilh (learner or student or learning; us, we, you, them) Yalctimut (to be recovering) Ksnmakaylaycilh (to be able to work) Tl’mstaliwatimutilh (living life to the fullest extent possible; includes struggle, support, learning /growing/healing, vision/future) Nuxalk (all of us - different villages - coming together) UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 13 Industry Partner: Kristin Parsons, Mission Chamber of Commerce Faculty Supervisor: David Dobson Director: Frank Ulbrich Award: $250 each Jessa: started as a Criminology student but switched to the Business program after obtaining an administration job in the special events industry. Now in her 4th year of the Business program, she hopes to use her accounting degree in the running of the company she owns and operates alongside her husband. Jessa was very excited to work with the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce, and found this experience to be beneficial in many ways, as she was part of a project that allowed her to continue her knowledge in the business world, and help out a great non-profit association and its members. Nicholas: My traditional name is Nicholas Point, and I am from Skowkale First Nation. I am fortunate to come from a family and community rich with culture and traditions. I have worked in Aboriginal Health for seven years, which inspired me to return to school to pursue my post-secondary degree in Business Administration. I am entering my fourth year of study at the University of the Fraser Valley. I realize that I have the potential to make positive impact through aspects of leadership and administration, and can reach my potential for bringing positive change and transformation through my postsecondary education. Whitley: Working with the mission chamber of commerce was an excellent experience as it allowed us to apply concepts that we have 14 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 learned throughout our degree to a real life situation. After completing my degree I would like to work in the field of compensation and benefits and move back to Burnaby. Together with the executive director of the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce (MRCC), our project was designed to discover how the Chamber could improve their members’ engagement and satisfaction. The research started by examining literature on similar research to discover how other kinds groups had successfully improved their member satisfaction and engagement, and this was used to create numerous questions used with a focus group of members from the MRCC to discover more about the association and the current opinions of members. The focus group was conducted at the MRCC’s office conference room and attendees were gathered on a volunteer basis. The information collected at the focus group was then used to create a valuable and relevant questionnaire that was sent out to all members of the Chamber to complete. We then used various statistical analysis techniques to test, compare and draw conclusions regarding many aspects of the Chamber. They were then able to make recommendations, based on the information provided from the members to the Chamber’s administration staff, regarding specific ways they could improve attendance at various Chamber events and promote various benefits offered by the Chamber. Along with making recommendations on which events and benefits to continue, promote more heavily, or consider discontinuing, they found that 90% of research respondents were extremely satisfied with the direction of the Chamber, so they were able to encourage the administration staff to continue efforts to communicate their vision with the members. The research was then presented by the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce to their board of directors. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 15 Faculty Supervisor: Robin Anderson Program Head: Chris Leach Award: $1,000 I am a fourth year Kinesiology student completing my minor in History. After completing my degree I will be applying to the TEP program and hope to become an elementary school teacher. Engaging in research on local history provided an experience to link historical information with my surrounding community, and afforded me the opportunity to study important community events which had not been examined before in any great depth. The research conducted on the Mission Soap Box Derby: 1946-1973 covers the Soap Box Derby in Mission BC from its first year of unofficial operation, until the event was discontinued in Mission in 1973. This research was translated into a website in which the common themes found comprised the pages of the site. The rise and fall in popularity of the Mission Soap Box Derby is the first theme explored. The identity of the racers and implicit and explicit limitations to who could race are explored in the second theme. The third theme covers the changes in the rules throughout the years of the event. The last theme discusses the role of females within the Mission Soap Box Derby. The overall findings of this research indicate that the Mission Soap Box Derby was an event that put the otherwise unknown logging town of Mission BC on the map. 16 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor & Program Head: Wayne Henry Award: $1,000 I am currently a fourth-year student majoring in Philosophy at UFV, and have recently decided to minor in Political Science. After graduation, I aspire to get my Masters and PhD, and am currently planning to focus primarily on human and environmental rights. I am also fascinated with German and French existentialism, particularly the works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre, and hope to continue my philosophical career utilizing a Continental style of discourse and analysis. In this paper, I detail the works of Adam Smith’s Laissez-Faire Free Market Economic theory and take the position that, although Adam Smith is often considered to be advocating this Laissez-Faire market, his deep reservations regarding deregulation, privatization, and lowered taxation, should cause us to interpret his words as a cautioning against, rather than the advocation of, the instigation of free market economies. I utilize the campaign promises of Donald Trump to elaborate on the repercussions of Smith’s concerns, and argue that Smith’s concerns are still relevant today. I believe that this analysis is noteworthy since, despite Adam Smith’s notoriety, he is often conventionally read as one of the foremost proponents of free-market economies, and the inherent problems he has found within these markets have not been as widely discussed. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 17 Faculty Supervisor: Michael Love Program Head: Shelley Stefan Award: $1,000 The University of the Fraser Valley was an obvious choice because I was given the opportunity to work closely with my instructors in a hands-on environment. UFV has provided me with various opportunities to gain invaluable experience in the gallery sector, a field I hope to pursue a career in. My research focuses on how we occupy our spaces; more specifically, I aim to provide an evaluation of our potential to transform our understandings and experiences of urban spaces and cultural value. Transient explores the relationship between people and their built environment. The hierarchy of context all but disappears with this piece referring to the vapidity and hollowness of urban culture. The ephemeral context of creating a paper cut reiterates the importance of nature while urbanization is propelling at a rapid rate. Disintegration and decay is present in the way the organic paper cut hangs. Because of human population growth, urbanization has become a necessity, along with the accompanying development of infrastructure to support it. Transient provides an evaluation of our understandings and experiences of urban spaces and cultural value. I want to communicate the extensive complexity and intricacy of urbanization and therefore the process behind paper cutting is prominent to Transient. Like the development of architecture, paper cutting is repetitive and created with the use of patterns or grids. The transparent materiality of light reflects on the use of light in architectural effect. 18 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor: Nicola Mooney & Chantelle Marlor Program Head: Martha Dow Award: $1,000 I am graduating with my BA in Sociology & Anthropology and additional minors in Visual Arts and Latin American Studies. These past five years at UFV have been a rich and incredible experience. Throughout my undergraduate degree, I have received many opportunities to further develop skills in academics and professionalism. Particularly my research initiatives with both Dr. Nicola Mooney and Dr. Chantelle Marlor. My goal is to become a visual and applied anthropologist working either with non-government organizations, community cultural programming or conducting research that will help enforce stronger policies to protect and preserve Indigenous artisans to continue their traditional art practices. As part of attaining this goal, I am enrolling in UFV Indigenous Maps, Films, Rights and Land Claims Certificate. I hope to learn more about Indigenous knowledge and land claims to apply in my future endeavours. My visual ethnography explores the delicate equilibrium between artist and corporate interests on Granville Island, focusing on readily apparent works of corporate and government sanctioned art, as well as on street art interventions that must be excavated and uncovered, in order to understand what their juxtaposition might say over the meaning and intent of art, and the role of the artist, in the urban public domain. I looked at how urban spaces have recently seen a transition in the administration, placement, and organization of public artwork. Informal curatorial processes enacted by street artists confront the formalities of corporations and government in a struggle over public space. This is apparent in Granville Island artisan centre where there is a grand mixture of the different strains of art: large sculptures and highly visible commissioned artwork is interrupted by a hidden world of street art lurking in alleys and corners. Note: Sarah was also nominated for the Indigenous Research Award for her project “Understanding the Navigation Process in Indigenous and Hispanic Young Adults.” UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 19 Faculty Supervisors: Yvon Dandurand Director: Amy Prevost Award: $1,000 Jessica Jahn recently completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Criminal Justice. As a student, she had the opportunity to undertake and assist with research on a range of topics, including access to justice, violence against women, multiculturalism, and juvenile justice. Jessica is actively engaged in her community and volunteers with a number of organizations, most notably West Coast LEAF, the Cloverdale – Langley City Constituency Youth Council, and the Human Services Career Enrichment Program. She currently works at UFV as the Sexualized Violence Prevention Training Coordinator and hopes to further her education in the near future. The basic building blocks of a just society continue to rely on the ability of all citizens to access justice pathways, including through knowledge and awareness of rights, entitlements, and the laws that surround them. Indeed, the law cannot perform its function unless there is some public awareness of its existence. Public legal education and information (PLEI) is therefore responsive to the practical need for knowledge around the relatively normal interactions between individuals and various justice mechanisms, as well as the broader need of these mechanisms themselves to generate public confidence. Increasingly, persons with a legal problem are utilizing the Internet to gain legal literacy and capability, yet there remains a gap in knowledge around user’s perceptions of usefulness and trustworthiness of online access to justice services, including PLEI websites. The present study aimed to bridge this gap by collecting quantitative data from users of the Legal Services Society’s Family Law in British Columbia website. Moreover, this study was designed as a methodological test to a forthcoming program evaluation to assist others in evaluating similar services. 20 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor: Vlad Dvoracek Program Head: Michael Maschek Award: $1,000 I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Dvoracek on option price models this semester which allowed me to explore my passion for financial economics in greater detail. I have also been accepted at the University of Toronto and will be doing a Masters in Financial Risk Management in September making this research incredibly useful to me in the future. My career goal consists of working on Bay Street as a trader, and then, in the longer term, working my way into a hedge fund. Option pricing has been a subject of keen interest since the contracts first started trading on the Chicago Board Options Exchange in 1973. I examine the performance of two option pricing models, BlackScholes (1973) and Heston (1993). I gauge the performance of these two models by determining: (a) which model, when optimally calibrated to market data, does a better job of pricing options; (b) which model functions as a better predictor of future option prices. The analysis shows that: (a) the Heston model does a better job of depicting market prices; (b) the Heston model is a better predictor of future option prices because of its ability to track the evolution of volatility. Lastly, I generate Monte-Carlo simulations of the BlackScholes model allowing for jumps in volatility around earnings announcement dates. These simulations function as open-form mathematical solutions for the actuarial price of the options. The results indicate that model prices more accurately reflect future market prices when more realistic assumptions about volatility are taken into consideration. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 21 Faculty Supervisors: Mariano Mapili Program Head: Steven Marsh Award: $1,000 Finding a career where I can immediately apply the skill set that I developed as a Geography Major at UFV is one of my immediate goals. I am grateful to the research projects that my professors exposed me to, and guided me in, for these became the human environment laboratories where I honed my analytical and GIS skills that I hope will serve me well into my future. I chose a project on the use of GIS and geospatial technologies in crime prevention based on the appeal to demonstrate the interdisciplinary breadth of my program, a means to show-case my GIS skills, and a way to begin the application of my studies to real-life solutions for real-life issues. In my research, I did not only use my GIS skills on environmental management, but expanded these to include forensic GIS and crime prevention in order to develop a simple methodology for an environmental audit of environmental cues related to Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). I evaluated the ease of use of the methodology that I developed by guiding the criminology students taking a course in Forensic GIS who participated to test the methodology. I was able to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the methodology in understanding interaction of CPTED-related environmental cues and street crime in the City of Surrey. That the methodology is now being tested with the City of Maple Ridge street crime data is a testament that the affordable methodology can be used to discover solutions when investigating potential street crime at the street level. 22 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor: Fiona MacDonald Department Head: Edward Akuffo Award: $1,000 I am pursuing a Master’s Degree at the University of Alberta in the fall. I aspire to work in some capacity, with child and family policy, with a particular focus on notions of childcare. This project, with a particular concern for non-gender conforming children, I believe is extremely valuable in the current political climate of redefining boundaries of not only gender, but child experiences of gender which shape an entire generations future experiences in adulthood. I decided to write this paper because it was a serious concern of moral justice, and is playing itself out in the center of debates around gender, children, and prejudice. This issue was particularly timely in light of several bills the federal and provincial governments have passed concerning gender equity, sexual violence and particularly Trans rights and Trans children’s rights. For example bill C-16 which is in the senatorial committee phase, is a huge leap not only for Trans rights in general, but are an acknowledgement of the formative experiences children will have around these topics, which last a lifetime. The paper draws out these issues by contrasting notions of prejudices myths and beliefs our society holds against children and social contract theory which definitively shaped our social beliefs about parental and state authority over children, and the different ways we depoliticize children in highly political spaces such as the family. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 23 Faculty Supervisor: Andrea Hughes Program Head: Sven van de Wetering Award: $1,000 I completed my BA in Psychology Honours. I am in the process of applying for, and plan to attend graduate school in applied psychology. Engaging in research at UFV has allowed me to work independently in an area of personal interest and develop a deep appreciation and understanding of the research process. My project was inspired by my interest in cultural psychology and its role on attitudes towards physician-assisted suicide in a Canadian context, in light of the recently passed legislation in June 2016. I examined differences in attitudes towards a request for physicianassisted suicide (PAS) while manipulating the culture and type of illness of a hypothetical patient in a case. Across four groups (N = 200), participants rated their attitudes towards one of four cases. We found that the culture of the patient did not shift attitudes, but there was a significant difference between illness types. Patients requesting PAS for a physical illness had a greater level of overall support for their request, compared to PAS requests for a mental illness. Additionally, we found that internal spirituality (religiosity) and political affiliation (conservatism) were both negatively associated with general attitudes towards PAS. This suggests that religiosity and political affiliation may influence one’s attitudes towards PAS. This is the first study post-PAS legislation (to our knowledge) that measures attitudes towards PAS in a culturally diverse Canadian context. Additionally, it highlights the pervasive bias against mental illness patients considering end-of-life care options. 24 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Project Supervisor: Sharanjit Sandhra Director: Satwinder Bains Award: $1,000 I completed my Bachelor of Arts Degree with honours in Economics in India. After several years of experience in marketing and conducting business analysis for Boston Pizza, I decided to pursue a Postgraduate Certificate in Management in 2016 at the University of the Fraser Valley. I look forward to completing a Diploma in Accounting starting my own consulting firm to help other businesses resolve marketing and strategic coordination. This legacy project undertakes to preserve the history of the South Asian Community by collecting, digitizing and archiving Punjabi pioneering stories narrated by the families. Consultations were held in seven different cities in BC where participants were given three different questions to ponder upon and later were requested to share their responses in the group. Many different but significant stories came up, which were later divided into many different themes. These stories highlighted the struggles that families faced in Canada. Some of the different aspects of this project allowed me to lead and facilitate a discussion group, manage the Provincial list serves and databases and create research themes from the consultations. Being a Punjabi, I was always interested in knowing the history of my culture and SASI gave me an opportunity to gain more knowledge about this history from a Canadian perspective. This knowledge and research project has helped me improve my research, writing and communication skills. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 25 Faculty Supervisor: Gabriella Pechlaner Program Head: Martha Dow Award: $1,000 I’m graduating! I will apply for grad school next year to keep my academic pursuit in Sociology. Meanwhile, I will be working very hard during my gap year - my friends and I have a start-up company and we are developing an app which helps new immigrants to gain social capital and build networks (we are currently looking for investors!) I chose this research subject because I’m interested in the multicultural society in Canada. I observe social harmony and clashes of different cultures at the same time, which is quite fascinating. I learned more than I could imagine during the research process. It is a great preparation for grad school. I observed a stratification in the Chinese community of the Lower Mainland from a previous course project and decided to investigate it further. My research concerns the reasons some recent Chinese immigrants choose to live in a non-ethnic neighbourhood rather than ethnic enclaves where Chinese immigrants traditionally reside, such as Richmond; and how the preference of settlement location relates to their identity construction process as a Canadian. The results show that the choice to live in a non-ethnic neighbourhood represents a partitioning within Chinese population of the Lower Mainland. Those who engage in it demonstrates a geographical distancing from their ethnic origins and a psychological detachment from the negatively valued aspects of their ethnic identity; they show a greater intention to assimilate and integrate into the larger society. In addition, new immigrants attempt to construct their identity as a Canadian by engaging in cultural activities that are only comprehensible in a Canadian social setting/contexts, such as recycling, snow shovelling etc. 26 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor: Michael Gaetz & Jason Brandenburg Program Head: Michael Gaetz Award: $1,000 I am graduating with a Bachelor of Kinesiology, Bachelor of Arts with a Psychology Major, and Liberal Arts Diploma. Research provided me with an opportunity to apply all the knowledge and skills I developed during my undergraduate degree toward an area of personal interest. In the last 37years over 100 documented MMA athletes’ deaths have been attributed to weight cutting; yet no research exists on the direct effects of weight cutting on MMA athletes. In addition to publishing my research, I intend to continue and expand my research throughout my masters and doctoral studies in applied exercise physiology. It is my hope that by improving the sport of MMA it will one day be recognized as an Olympic sport. This study examined the relationship between significant dehydration and pre-competition rapid weight loss (weight cutting) and the relationship between weight cutting and associated physiological and cognitive functioning effects on mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes. 60 (8 female; 52 male) active MMA amateur class athletes, licensed through the BC Athletic Commissioner Office (BCAC), participated in this study. Measurements were collected from each participant at three separate time points prior to a competition: (T1) 10-14 days, (T2) 24-hours and (T3) 1-3 hours. The following measurements were collected from participants at each time point: King-Devick test, body mass, hand grip strength, sit-to-stand heart rate, vertical jump and urine specific gravity (U.S.G.). Results: (1) change in body mass (T1-T2) and U.S.G. (T1-T2) were significantly correlated indicating that dehydration was the primary method of weight loss during weight cutting. (2) Change in body mass (T1-T2) and King-Devick test sum time (T2 & T3) were significantly correlated indicating that weight cutting may affect cognitive processing time and that these effects persist 1-3 hours prior to a competition. (3) Change in body mass (T1-T2), max heart rate (T2) and max heart rate time (T3) were significantly correlated indicating that weight cutting may affect cardiac physiology and that these effects persist 1-3 hours prior to a competition. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 27 Faculty Supervisors: Shelley Canning Director: Hannah MacDonald Award: $1,000 I am a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at UFV. This project was completed as part of my Directed Studies in Nursing course in the final year of my program and was an excellent way for me to see how many different working and educational opportunities there are out there for nurses. In the future, I would like to pursue a career in Critical Care nursing and work to complete my Master’s degree in Nursing as well. Advocacy is a central role of Registered Nurses; it is the action of actively supporting a cause and assisting individuals in speaking for themselves or speaking on behalf of those who cannot do so (CNA, 2008). Specifically, nurses working in critical care areas are challenged in advocating for patients who have limited abilities to express their own wishes. The aim of this study was to explore the role of advocacy in nursing practice focusing on critical care practice settings. The study outcomes include: a synthesis of current understandings and definitions of the advocacy role; identifying the factors that support or impede advocacy; and identifying how nurses could be better supported in advocating for their patients. The results of this study support the idea that advocacy is a complex concept involving ethical obligations to the patient as well as learned competencies and standards of care. Nurse advocacy can be understood in terms of two major themes: “Relationships” and “Competence”. The concepts of trust, holism, education, assertiveness and confidence were also found to be significant. 28 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor & Program Head: Seonaigh MacPherson Award: $1,000 I am graduating with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and will be continuing my studies at Trinity Western University where I received the Dean's Scholarship for the Masters in Counselling Psychology program. Finding ways to support families of children with special needs through the unique challenges they face is something I am interested in as two of my three children are twice exceptional. This project allowed me to examine an emerging area of research and practice, which compliments my future career goal of helping families bridge the gap from assessment and diagnosis, to intervention, therapy and daily living skills. Caregivers of children with special needs experience unique stressors. Approaching these challenges with mindfulness and selfcompassion has the potential to alleviate some of the distress caregivers experience, and to enhance their psychological well-being. My research paper examined how mindfulness and self-compassion are potentially key components for programs offered to caregivers of children with special needs. These approaches emphasize the acknowledgement and acceptance of difficult situations, and the use of compassion to cope with the negative emotions caregivers and their children experience. Mindfulness and self-compassion also have the potential to enhance caregivers' well-being by allowing for healthier functioning in their daily lives. The ability to flood the self with compassion, and to mindfully live in the present, allows caregivers to first care for themselves, which in turn helps them create a positive social and emotional environment for their children with disabilities. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 29 Faculty Supervisor: David Dobson Director: Frank Ulbrich Award: $1,000 We (Chelsey and Jonathan) are both beginning our 4th year in the bachelor of business administration program, majoring in accounting and finance. After finishing our degree we both aim to find employment in the accounting field while pursuing our CPA designation. This experience has shown us how accessible research can be to any student, and has encouraged and challenged us to look for other gaps in existing research. David Dobson’s interest in valence framing guided us to this specific topic, a relevant and important factor in today’s market. Our research explored the impact of valence framing on consumer’s purchase decision when purchasing eco-friendly seafood. Valence framing plays an important role when marketing products, particularly those which are produced at a higher standard. We measured consumers’ responses to both positively and negatively framed eco-friendly seafood labels and measured the effects of each on the purchase behaviour. From our research we concluded that environmental messages that focus on the absence of something harmful (negative framing) are more persuasive then messages that focus on the benefits of the eco-friendly seafood product (positive framing). While our research pertained only to environmentally friendly seafood, our theoretical framework can be adapted to measure the effect of valence framing in any purchase decision. 30 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisor: Lisa Moy Director: Margaret Coombes Award: $1,000 I am a Bachelor of Social Work student finishing the last year of my program. Joining in this case study with Dr. Lisa Moy has been an invaluable part of my experience at UFV. Seeing the way in which theories, concepts and contexts interact to potently affect a local family has made a strong impression on me both academically and personally. I am grateful for the opportunity to develop skills in research that I am sure will be helpful as I pursue graduate studies in clinical social work practice and social policy. This research project centers on a case study of one family’s experience of being doctorless while they are providing complex care in their home to a family member with a profound disability. Using a qualitative narrative method of analysis and post-structuralist critique, this case study draws on accounts of one family’s everyday realities as they navigate social and health systems and advocate for basic health care for their family member. Emerging themes followed the ways in which individuals with profound disabilities are ‘barriered’ from stable health care, how stigma appears and reappears in the search for primary care, and the vulnerabilities and ethical challenges inherent in the complex role of family caregiving for a family member with significant disabilities. By highlighting the innovative routes carved by those without a primary health care provider, this study sheds light to a critical area of practice overlooked in the social work field. Ultimately, this project examines how a state of ‘doctorless’ shapes and reinforces particular disability constructs and calls for a broadening of the discussion and analysis on universality in health care. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 31 Faculty Supervisor: James Bedard Program Head: Allan Arndt Award: $1,000 After completing my Bachelor of Science next year, I plan on attending medical school and embarking on a career that combines both clinical and research aspects. Conducting this project has strengthened my desire for research to be a core component of my career, as I enjoy how research enables me to apply science concepts and critical thinking skills to real-world problems. I am currently very interested in genetics and oncology, and hope to add to the growing body of knowledge in these areas. BC Cancer Agency’s Hereditary Cancer Program (HCP) currently utilizes a multi-gene panel for affected adults meeting phenotypicbased criteria for at least one hereditary cancer syndrome on the panel. Testing criteria for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (BRCA1, BRCA2) have shown variable mutation detection rates. We aimed to determine whether risk prediction models BOADICEA and Manchester outperform the current low-performing criterion of “three breast cancer cases in a family with one diagnosed at age 50 years or younger” in detecting mutations. Our findings reveal the variability within families that meet this criterion, and show how combining low-performing phenotypic criteria with minimum risk prediction scores may be a feasible way to improve mutation detection rates. This may help identify individuals who could benefit most from preventative measures, thereby enabling earlier detection and, ultimately, prevention of the development of BRCA1/2 related cancers. 32 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 Faculty Supervisors: Cory Beshara & Noham Weinberg Program Head: David Fenske Award: $1,000 I am a 4th year student who is graduating from the Bachelor of Science program with a major in Chemistry. Engaging in research at UFV provided a valuable opportunity to apply the knowledge that I had learned throughout my coursework to real world problems. I chose this project because of the unique challenge it provided and for the inherent synergy it required between synthetic and computational chemistry. My plans for the summer are to continue research with Dr. Weinberg at UFV while I decide where I would like to apply for graduate studies in chemistry. Our project is focused on creating and modelling low molecular weight cytochrome P450cam (CYP450cam) enzyme mimics. We modelled our target compounds using quantum mechanical calculations. These calculations revealed that due to the nature of our CYP450cam mimic there exists a possibility for cis- and transisomerism, and that both of these isomers have the required electronic properties to be catalytically active. This is exciting because it suggests that both a porphyrin-type ligand (as found in natural CYP450 enzymes) and the geometry it imposes in the natural enzyme may not be necessary for catalysis to take place. While we do not yet have our target compound in hand, we have successfully completed 3 of the 7 steps necessary for its completion, and are continually making progress. Ultimately, with our desired synthetic compound in hand it is our goal to use it to study the catalytic processes of natural CYP450 enzymes. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 33 Faculty Supervisors: Lin Long & Jeff Krahn Program Head: Jeff Chizma Award: $250 each Perrin: I am taking Physics honours and a Computer Science minor at UFV, having finished its Engineering Physics diploma. Building a quadcopter was a fun project that combined all of those fields of study and solidified much of the theory I learned in the classroom. Furthermore, it is great practice for when I pursue a Master’s degree in Robotics or Engineering Physics in a couple of years. Alex: I chose this project because drones have so many applications and through it I specifically was able to learn a lot about sensors. I plan on searching for a job after I finish the mechatronics program next semester. Nikola: I am currently planning to graduate from UFV in a couple years with an Engineering Physics Diploma and a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Physics Major. Being a part of the quadcopter team project was an excellent opportunity as it broadened my knowledge of the different aspects of the project’s functioning and was an overall interesting endeavor, as I take great interest in aircraft and aerospace. My goals after graduation include pursuing an Aerospace Engineering degree. Dennis: The quadcopter research project enhanced my education at UFV because it was interesting, challenging and rewarding all at once. My goal as of now is to work in the industry for a year or two to gain valuable hands on experience. In the future I would like to finish my BSc. in physics and get a Professional Engineering designation. 34 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 From The Ground Up is a research project conducted by students of UFV’s Engineering Physics Diploma Program with the objective of building a self-stabilizing remote controlled quadcopter. It required understanding of Electronic Speed Controllers, Inertial Measurement Units, Ultrasonic Sensors, Radio Frequency Communication, and much more. Throughout the duration of the project, the team used knowledge from their Microprocessors class and saw how all the different systems integrated into one and developed their ability to work and function as a team. In addition, the team of students devoted some of their efforts to developing an obstacle avoidance system, allowing the quadcopter to autonomously pilot itself away from nearby obstacles. This research project has strengthened the team’s understanding of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and allowed them to study inexpensive methods of collision avoidance on quadcopters, making them safer and cheaper. UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 35 Thank you to the family and friends who support our students with all the basics patience, encouragement, and sustenance! Special thanks to the committed faculty and staff who are dedicated to mentor our students, enabling them to build on the basics of their education and elevate their goals. Your contribution to student success is beyond measure! 36 Diana Krall, singer and pianist UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 UFV Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2017 37