Student Scholarship and Creative Achievement Conference

Student Scholarship and Creative Achievement Conference

Abstracts

Presentation Abstracts
Alphabatized By Name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Title of Work:	"The Political is Personal": Breaking Gender Stereotypes in Foreign Policy Voting in the 109th Congress
Presenters, Majors:	Lisa C. Radintz, Political Science
Faculty Sponsor:	Patrick Donnay
Abstract: Men and women have been stereotyped into their political roles due to society and the influence of gender roles. As more and more women enter the political arena and become influential members of congress, relatively few people are paying attention to the effect this may have on foreign policy. Women such as Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Rodham Clinton are representing the integration of females into more powerful and much more visible positions of foreign policy. I examine the differences between male and female members of the 109th House of Representatives on foreign policy votes. In the case of the female Republican members of Congress they were in fact more conservative on foreign policy than their male counterparts. This challenges all previous research that found men more conservative in foreign policy votes than their female counterparts.

Title of Work:	Will Globalization End Torture? A Cross-National Study of the Practice of Torture
Presenters, Majors:	Ross Randall, Philosophy/Political Science
Faculty Sponsor:	Patrick Donnay
Abstract: The ease of communication and transportation has had a major role in shaping the world in which we live. In recent years, the use of torture has become a topic of serious debate, especially since the beginning of the war in Iraq. The purpose of my research is to study the effects that globalization has on different countries’ willingness to use torture. Although there has been numerous attempts to explain the role of globalization on many political phenomena, there is little consensus on the effect that globalization has on the practice of torture. Preliminary analysis has shown a strong negative correlation between indicators of globalization and the use of torture.

Title of Work:	Downtown Bemidji: Specialized Development
Presenters, Majors:	Kristen Rhode, Geography
Faculty Sponsor:	Satish Davgun
Abstract: Is the downtown of Bemidji just “too far away” to be the driving force behind future economic and social development in the city? This study uses spatial descriptive statistics to investigate the dispersal of services in Bemidji. The distribution patterns of these urban services and goods are compared between two areas of the city along with overall social, economic, and demographic patterns of Bemidji. The temporal changes of the downtown are examined by the use of ‘repeat photography.’ Bemidji’s downtown has suffered the same decline as other urban centers. However, it is still the hub for some specialized social and economic activities.

Title of Work:	Diatom Species Composition Related to Golf Course Runoff
Presenters, Majors:	Neil Rude, Aquatic Biology
Faculty Sponsor:	Donald Cloutman
Abstract: Water quality in and around golf course watersheds has become a concern in recent years. Golf courses have become associated with the use of large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides. A diatom species composition index was used to assess the effects of golf course runoff on the water quality of a surrounding stream. Diatoms were collected upstream, within and downstream of the golf course to determine how the stream’s water quality was affected by runoff. Impacts of the golf course runoff will be discussed.

* Honors Program Student
+ Graduate Student

Bemidji State University is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.