Georgia Gwinnett College Research Articles

The Prisoner’s Dilemma game as a tool to investigate cooperation and undergraduate education in evolution

Evolutionary theory is based on the conflict that arises when certain heritable variants out-compete others. Given this foundational conflict, a central question for evolutionary biologists concerns the presence of cooperation found throughout all levels of biological organization; from biochemical pathways to complex animal societies. Human behavior is often distinguished from other animal behavior by the presence of acts of cooperative behavior called altruism. Altruism is a cooperative act that penalizes the actor for actions that benefit the recipient. Any other form of cooperation, one that does not penalize the actor, is formally not considered altruistic. How can costly altruistic behavior evolve? This question was the basis for development of a web application tool incorporating a game theory model to investigate conditions affecting cooperative behavior. The game theory model described as Prisoner’s Dilemma incorporates acts of cooperation and non-cooperation (defection). Computer simulations of Prisoner’s Dilemma were developed and online applications were administered for five semesters at Georgia Gwinnett College, using two simulation environments referred to as Random and Non-random. Data collected from simulation runs were used to evaluate the effect of environment on student cooperative behavior and actively engage students in concepts associated with the evolution of cooperation and game theory. Results from student game play suggest group simulation environment played a significant role in the likelihood of observing cooperative behavior. Educational content and attitudinal surveys suggested that PD game play in the undergraduate evolution class at Georgia Gwinnett College improved student knowledge and self-confidence.

Incorporating Virtual Problem-Based Learning in Instrumental Chemistry during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented substantial challenges to higher education, leading to economic loss and disruptions in STEM courses. This study addresses these issues through the successful implementation of a problem-based learning research project within the Instrumental Chemistry course at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). Focused on instrumental chemistry, the project spans various categories, requiring students to propose solutions to real-case scenarios using specific analytical instruments. Despite the shift to a hybrid teaching modality, students exhibited commendable preparation and investigation skills, as demonstrated by their projects. Assessment data, including a student survey and written report evaluations, underscore significant skill improvements in literature survey, instrument selection, experimental design, and data analysis. This problem-based learning approach not only mitigated the disruptions caused by the pandemic but also fostered enhanced capabilities and motivation among students. The study’s findings contribute insights into the adaptability and effectiveness of problem-based learning in analytical chemistry education within a hybrid teaching framework, offering valuable considerations for future educational strategies in STEM disciplines and beyond.

Fe in Vitamins

This is an improvement over a similar lab published in Harris’ Analytical Chemistry text. Instead of using organics to form reddish solutions, the catechins or polyphenolic compounds in green tea form colored complexes with iron. UV-Vis spectroscopy in conjunction with Beer’s law can then be used to determine the concentration of Fe in vitamin tablets. Other authors: Davis Winn (Georgia Gwinnett College)

Registration open and poster abstracts invited for Herty Medalist Undergraduate Research Symposium

The American Chemical Society Georgia Section will hold the 18th Herty Medalist Undergraduate Research Symposium (HMURS) Friday, Sept. 22, from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. (EDT) at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia. HMURS was established in 2006 to showcase undergraduate research in chemistry. The 2023 Charles H. Herty Medalist, C. David Sherrill from the Georgia Institute of Technology, will be talking at this year’s symposium alongside other eminent scientists. A poster session for undergraduate students will follow the presentations. Registration and poster abstract submission are free and can be completed at commons.ggc.edu/hmurs/registration. The deadline for submitting poster abstracts is Sept. 1. The two best poster presenters will receive a $600 travel award to attend an ACS spring or fall meeting and 1 year of ACS membership. If you have any questions, please contact Ajay Mallia at amallia@ggc.edu.

Dossier Introduction: Contemporary Horror Cinema

The five essays compiled in this dossier address issues of representation in classic and contemporary horror cinema. Students from the Film program at Georgia Gwinnett College (Lawrenceville, Georgia) consider films by Alfred Hitchcock, Jordan Peele, Wes Craven, Pedro Almodovar, and others. In this brief introduction, the three faculty editors of the dossier discuss the theoretical and cultural stakes of the essays to follow.

Physical Activity And Dietary Behavior Patterns During The Covid-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE: This research investigated physical activity and dietary patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pandemic-related closures, restrictions and individual isolation may influence these important public health behaviors. METHODS: The Georgia Gwinnett College Institutional Review Board approved this research. Research participants included 169 women (121) and men (48) with an average age of 43.5 ± 19.7 years, height of 169.0 ± 10.1 cm, and weight of 75.1 ± 16.1 kg. Participants completed an anonymous electronic survey during October 2020. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Dietary behavior was measured using the Short Diet Behavior Questionnaire for Lockdowns (SDBQ-L). Participants retrospectively self-reported physical activity and dietary behavior for Pre-Pandemic (PP) defined as February 2020, Lockdown (LD) defined as April 2020, and the current week of survey completion (C) during October 2020. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA was applied to detect main effects for each independent variable between time points and post hoc tests using Bonferroni correction compared pairwise. A main effect by time was detected (p < .0001) for IPAQ-SF MET-min/wk. Mean LD MET-min/wk (3288.72 ± 337.83) was significantly lower (p < .002) than both PP MET-min/wk (4855.76 ± 403.35) and C MET-min/wk (4491.01 ± 337.83). The pairwise difference between PP and C MET-min/wk was not statistically significant (p = .608). Mean sitting hours-per-day were significantly different overall and for each pairwise comparison by time (p < .0001): 5.96 ± 0.14(PP), 7.48 ± 0.30(LD) and 6.51 ± 0.26(C). Mean SDBQ-L total dietary scores (higher score is worse dietary behavior such as food choice, eating out of control and snacking between meals) were significantly different overall and for each pairwise comparison by time (p < .0001): 5.89 ± 0.14(PP), 6.60 ± 0.18(LD) and 6.01 ± 0.16(C). CONCLUSION: Based on this investigation, sitting increased and dietary behavior worsened from PP to LD and had not yet returned to PP levels as of October 2020. Physical activity decreased from PP to LD, but was back near baseline by October. Understanding and quantifying Pandemic-related physical-activity and dietary behavior patterns may improve targeted public-health improvement efforts.

Adapting to the COVID-19 Online Transition: Reflections in a General Chemistry Sequence Taught by Multiple Instructors with Diverse Pedagogies

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is an open-access, four-year, public liberal arts college that emphasizes excellent instruction through active learning and small class sizes. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to GGC general chemistry instructors as they sought to actively engage students in a new online setting. We reflect on the challenges faced by our college during this pandemic by analyzing student surveys, instructor reflections, and grade distributions across 20 sections of general chemistry 1 and 2 taught by 15 different instructors. We consider the most important challenges faced by students and the technology rapidly adopted by instructors. We then present three main themes found in the instructor reflections and consider the implications for going forward.

Transitioning an Upper-Level, Integrated Laboratory Course to Remote and Online Instruction During the COVID-19 Pandemic

While the suspension of face-to-face instruction disrupted laboratory components of most chemistry-based classes at the college level, it was notably disruptive to upper-level chemistry courses based solely on laboratory experiences. This communication describes the logistical and pedagogical efforts made in an integrated, upper-level, laboratory-based chemistry course at Georgia Gwinnett College to engage students and to develop a relevant and meaningful assignment during the COVID-19 suspension of face-to-face classes. Instructor descriptions and reflections, examples of assignments, student feedback, and revisions for future iterations of this course are presented within.

Insights and Initiatives While Teaching Organic Chemistry I and II with Laboratory Courses in the Time of COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic posed a great deal of challenge to the higher education community, the curricula for online instruction had to be developed in a very short time period. Adaptations for Organic Chemistry I and II with Laboratory courses have been made for the online transition in response to the pandemic, and the insights gained through individual and collaborative efforts are presented by Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) Organic Chemistry faculty. Herein, course specific information with a distinction between lecture and lab and the analysis of student assessment and withdrawal provide insights into the virtual instruction. The initiative of instructors played a crucial role during the transition and for maintaining student engagement, and the insights will add valuable resources for further virtual or hybrid instruction.

The Impact of a Semester-Long, Cell Culture and Fluorescence Microscopy CURE on Learning and Attitudes in an Underrepresented STEM Student Population.

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is an access institution with a diverse student body, located in metro Atlanta. To strengthen research skills, teach employer-valued cell biology laboratory techniques, and increase student engagement, a semester-long, inquiry-based CURE was developed and implemented in Cell Biology with Laboratory (BIOL3400K), a sophomore-level course, which serves as a “gateway” to all upper-level biology courses. This CURE centers on the investigation of a student-chosen experimental factor on the viability of cultured, mammalian cells. Through participation in this CURE, students gain experience in cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, and viability assays, and strengthen important research skills, such as literature searches, graphing, and data analyses. The impact of this CURE on student learning gains and attitudes was assessed using pre-/post-content exams and the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS). Our data show that all students made significant content gains. Female students made larger learning gains than male students. Additionally, minority students performed better than majority students in some content areas. Student attitudes did not change, or in some cases were slightly more negative after the CURE. Overall, this CURE had a positive impact on students by engaging them in an inquiry-based laboratory experience.

Diurnal Influence On The Modified Test Of Sensory Integration And Balance (mCTSIB)

PURPOSE: The mCTSIB evaluates sensory integration and balance, which have been shown to degrade due to brain injury and neurological disease. Time-of-day affects sensory integration and balance. The purpose of this research was to investigate diurnal effects on the mCTSIB diagnostic protocol. METHODS: The Georgia Gwinnett College Institutional Review Board approved this research protocol. The research participants were 21 healthy women (12) and men (9) with an average age of 22.4 (±3.5) years, height of 165.9 (±15) cm, and weight of 69.3 (±8.2) kg. Participants completed morning mCTSIB trials between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM and evening trials between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Treatment order was randomized and balanced. Participants were instructed to get a normal night’s sleep prior to testing and refrain from caffeine use on the day of testing. Participant sleep, physical activity, and concussion history were recorded by survey. RESULTS: No statistically significant mCTSIB differences were detected between time-of-day conditions. See chart below for a summary of average postural sway velocities by balance condition and time of day.CONCLUSION: Based on this investigation, there appears to be no difference in morning compared to afternoon tests of sensory integration and balance among healthy young adults. This is an important finding; possibly informing clinicians that time-of-day is not an important factor to consider when conducting mCTSIB repeated measures or normative comparisons.

Time-of-day influence on the stability Evaluation Test in college-age women

Postural control is impaired following a concussion and is 1 diagnostic method used by medical professionals for return-to-play decisions in potentially concussed athletes. Circadian rhythm (time-of-day) affects human function, including postural control. This research investigated time-of-day influence on 1 postural control diagnostic protocol, the Stability Evaluation Test (SET) on a Neurocom Balance Master. The Georgia Gwinnett College Institutional Review Board approved this research protocol. The research participants were 9 healthy women with an average age of 20.4 years, height of 165.8 cm, and weight of 65.3 kg. The participants completed the SET in the morning (between 7:00 am and 10:00 am) for 1 treatment and in the evening (between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm) for the other treatment. A SET familiarization session was completed, and treatment order was randomized and balanced to attempt to account for order effects. Average postural sway velocity for each of the 6 SET conditions were compared between times of day. There was less postural sway during the morning testing for all conditions, reaching statistical significance (p &lt; 0.05) for 2 of the more challenging balance conditions (Foam Double Leg and Foam Tandem) as well as for the overall SET composite score. While greater sample size, age and gender range are needed, these results may begin to inform practitioners as to the importance of controlling time-of-day between baseline and post-injury testing which may enable more accurate and reliable return-to-play decisions.

Book Review: Religion and Politics in America: An Encyclopedia of Church and State in American Life

Religion and Politics in America: An Encyclopedia of Church and State in American Life provides an overview of the relationship between politics and religion in the United States. Smith, president of Tyndale International University, history instructor at Georgia Gwinnett College, and Presbyterian minister, with his collaborators, has created a resource that spans the history of the United States from the colonial era to the present day. The 360 entries in the encyclopedia are arranged alphabetically by topic and are signed by the contributor, and each article includes references for further reading. Cross-references, a chronological time line, and a comprehensive index help to identify particular topics and to facilitate further reading.

Follow best practices to successfully launch, expand or revamp your athletics program

When Darin Wilson, Ph.D., became Georgia Gwinnett College's first athletics director almost five years ago, he faced an exciting but challenging opportunity — building the school's first athletics program from the ground up.

Benefits of Using a Problem-Solving Scaffold for Teaching and Learning Synthesis in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry I

A problem-solving scaffold approach to synthesis was developed and implemented in two intervention sections of Chemistry 2211K (Organic Chemistry I) at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). A third section of Chemistry 2211K at GGC served as the control group for the experiment. Synthesis problems for chapter quizzes and the final examination were designed and administered to all sections participating in the experiment. Student solutions were graded according to a rubric designed to determine student use of the scaffold when solving synthesis problems. Analyses of the quiz results and the synthesis component of the final examination were conducted and intervention section students who employed the Synthesis Scaffold Approach were found to have higher mean scores on related graded events as compared to students who were not exposed to the Synthesis Scaffold Approach.

Re“modeling” College Algebra: An Active Learning Approach

In this paper, we discuss active learning in College Algebra at Georgia Gwinnett College. This approach has been used in more than 20 sections of College Algebra taught by the authors in the past four semesters. Students work in small, structured groups on guided inquiry activities after watching 15–20 minutes of videos before class. We discuss a portion of an in-class activity and a writing project used in the course. The results after one semester are that the students in this model did marginally better than students in the traditional lecture sections on common final exam questions.

New York at War: Four Centuries of Combat, Fear, and Intrigue in Gotham by Steven H. Jaffe

130 ■ NEW YORK HISTORY New York at War: Four Centuries of Combat, Fear, and Intrigue in Gotham. By Steven H. Jaffe. New York: Basic Books, 2012, 404 pages, $29.99 Cloth. Reviewed by Michael G. Gunther, Georgia Gwinnett College What did David De Vries, Fernando Wood, and A. Philip Randolph share in common? Or, conversely, what can one learn from the careers of Peter Stuyvesant, George Washington, and Fiorello La Guardia? As inane as these questions may seem at first glance, the answers become startlingly clear and relevant upon reading New York at War, an exciting book seeking to “restore a military dimension to New York’s history—a dimension that has been largely erased from the city’s historical narrative and public memory” (xvi-xvii). Historian Steven Jaffe’s experiences working for the South Street Seaport and the New-York Historical Society prepared him well for the daunting task of researching and writing this comprehensive, yet exhilarating analysis of New York City’s military history. On the one hand, Jaffe draws on and engages relatively recent, highly-regarded scholarly works by historians such as Donna Merwick, Jill Lepore, and Craig S. Wilder. Yet his personal connections to the city, and working knowledge of how to present complex ideas to a general audience, shine through in New York at War. Adroitly avoiding the encyclopedic urge, Jaffe has done well in identifying and contextualizing important themes in New York City’s military history. One theme is certainly the virtual omnipresence of military sites, relics, and ruins around the five boroughs and tri-state area. The reader learns about Battery Park, Jamaica Pass, Sandy Hook, Governors Island, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and, better yet, derives a sense of why the locations mattered at different times in New York’s past. A related theme is the vulnerability of New York City to enemy attacks and the importance of military defense in the origin and subsequent development of municipal and state political institutions. One expects to read the oft-told story of the British invasion of 1776, and of the Cold War emphasis on missile defense, but, in between, Confederate and German plots serve as grimly useful lessons (sometimes, with a dose of “comic opera”) for our time (195). Book Reviews 131 Another significant set of themes involves the openness of New York City to immigrants and the shifting waves of social divisions that, in times of war, spawned repression and sometimes violent conflict. One poignant example of Jaffe’s thematic complexity involves Fraunces Tavern, where, in 1783, General George Washington bade farewell to his officers. In 1975, the reconstructed historic landmark and restaurant was the site of a bombing —causing four fatalities—by radical Puerto Rican revolutionaries in the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional (FALN). The Tavern bombing prompts Jaffe to meditate on the contested meaning of historic sites and, more importantly for his argument, on the complicated nature of divisions between and within ethnic and religious communities. He concludes this section by restating “an old paradox . . . newcomers to the city found in New York a home, but also a political and economic order some blamed for their homeland’s troubles” (327). At first glance, the audience for New York at War may seem limited to northeastern scholars and aficionados who share an abiding interest in the history of the “Empire City.” However, it has also drawn attention from American military historians, and may serve as an instructive local case study in upper-level courses on military, urban, and New York history. In dealing with such weighty issues as the “slave conspiracy” of 1741, the draft riot of 1863, and the antiwar movement of 1917-1918, Jaffe marries scholarly engagement with moving personal anecdotes from well-chosen primary sources. For example, in his chapter on the Civil War, Jaffe makes use of the diary of Maria Lydig Daly to spotlight criticisms of President Lincoln and of abolitionists—especially within the Irish community—as context for the draft riot, but also to touch on wartime opportunities for women, such as those embraced by Daly’s friend, Harriet Whetten, a nurse. Deeper within chapters, he holds attention with brief, touching scenes such as...

Design of a Food Chemistry-Themed Course for Nonscience Majors

The physical science curriculum design at Georgia Gwinnett College requires a theme-based course (lecture and group work, and laboratory) for nonscience majors. Increased student engagement is anticipated when science topics are taught in the context of a topic of which students can select during course registration. This paper presents the course curriculum design, highlights laboratory experiments (designed and adapted) and field trips for a one-semester food chemistry course for nonscience majors. Student feedback on select assignments and laboratory activities is also presented.

Developing Creative Laboratory Skills through Student Self-Developed Activities

At Georgia Gwinnett College, the majority of students taking Introductory Physics courses are undergraduates in Biology majors. Creative skills and technical writing abilities are critical in holistic student development and student preparedness for the challenges in Biology related fields in the 21st century. However, training in developing those skills is not typically available to students until graduate school. In this courses-imbedded research project, students were exposed to a semester long series of realistic problems related to acceleration, force, torque and energy. Students are required to self-develop activities for formulating protocols of collecting data, analyzing, and making conclusions about these problems. The purpose to use this new method of student laboratory engagement is to train students in being able to be creative, critical, and trouble shoot simple problems during experimentation. Additionally, technical writing is emphasized as this is important for students to be successful as graduates in biology major in today's world. Throughout the semester students learn how to present scientific results. Instructors organize the discussion on the validation of experimental plan, grade reports and provide detailed one-on-one feedback to students. At the end of semester students are required to write a comprehensive report summarizing all their experimental procedures, data collection approaches, and presentation of results. Students' performance are assessed by carefully developed rubrics based on accepted standards used in conducting scientific research and reporting, a point-based scale is used to track student's skills of critical thinking, quantitative data analysis, and their technical communication. Additionally, students' feedback through pre-and post-survey questions is assessed to determine effective of this new lab format in their learning process.

19-Fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift variability in trifluoroacetyl species

19-Fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift variability in trifluoroacetyl species Joseph C SloopSchool of Science and Technology, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA, USAAbstract: This review examines the variability of chemical shifts observed in 19-fluorine (19F) nuclear magnetic resonance spectra for the trifluoroacetyl (TFA) functional group. The range of 19F chemical shifts reported spectra for the TFA group varies generally from &minus;85 to &minus;67 ppm relative to CFCl3. The literature revealed several factors that impact chemical shifts of the TFA moiety - substrate topology, electronic environment, solvent polarity, and concentration effects. Often these effects conspire to cause deshielding of the TFA group by up to 15 ppm. These factors will be examined for a series of TFA-functionalized acyclic, cyclic, aromatic, and heterocyclic molecules.Keywords: 19F NMR, chemical shift, shielding, trifluoroacetyl group, fluorinated diketones, triketones