The Scholar: May 2012 Edition

The Scholar May 2012 Edition

1 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization

Table of Contents

Director’s Corner ................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Important Dates ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3

USO Induction Ceremony - Lindsey Feigl ..................................................................................................................... 4

Movie Nights - Hunter Lindberg ...................................................................................................................................... 4

Exo-Planets and Hubble’s Search - Jordan Jensen .................................................................................................... 5

Chicago - Laura Miller ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Death: The Unlikely Freer - Colton Jones ..................................................................................................................... 7

Crisp Air - Hannah Sexton .................................................................................................................................................. 7

An Account According an Alarming Amount of Alliteration - Paul Drinkard ................................................ 8

How Have I Survived College? - Charles Busby .......................................................................................................... 9

Junior/Senior Projects

Development and Implementation of Dynamic Isoelectric Focusing for the Separation and Isolation of Proteins– Amber Watson........................................................................................................................................ 10

Nonverbal Communication Differences in Men and Women– Allison Sprague ......................................... 10

Identification of a Transcriptional Regulator of the hemZ Gene in Rhodobacter

capsulatus - Elizabeth Stokes .................................................................................................................. 11

Examining the Effects of Habitat, Seasonal Migrations, and Temperature on

Bat Diversity at Reelfoot Lake - Christine Hassell ........................................................................................ 12

Reanalysis of the Geologic Age of the Wells Creek Structure using

Paleogeographic Evidence – Danielle Cavender ........................................................................................... 13

Gauging the E-service Quality of Online Education - Joel Flowers ................................................................. 14

The Effect of Stitch Bolts on Bolted Timber Connections - Joseph Scobey ................................................... 15

The Esoteric Gospels and A First-Time Writer’s Experience: A Commentary and

Critical Analysis on Writing the First Draft of The Esoteric Gospels - Paige Mason ........................ 15

Disclaimer: Please note that any views or

opinions herein expressed are not necessarily representative of

the University Scholars Organization as a whole.

Photographers Paige Mason Katrina Moeller

Junior Editors Mary Medling Hunter Lindburg Laura Miller

Senior Editors

Payton Mink

Charles Busby

The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 2


Director’s Corner, Spring 2012, April Edition

It has been a great year in Scholars. It would be difficult to list everything, so I’ll just go the traditional route

and …

Top Ten Things about Scholars 2011-12 (in no particular order)

Chicago Trip: thirteen people sets a record for a Spring Scholars trip

Boston Trip: seventeen people, and that’s only because we set a limit!

Induction Ceremony: the first truly serious induction

Scholar Formal: our first one ever

Movie Nights: a great tradition held almost every week

Relay for Life: a success for the second year in a row

The Scholar: continues to be a great publication for the second year in a row

Senior Projects: stay tuned for some great presentations this month

Prospect Weekend: even though it is difficult to narrow them down to fifteen

The EC: we could not have done such great things without their efforts

Of course, there are still quite a few things to go this year, including the upcoming talent/un-talent/elections

meeting in a few days and the senior project presentations. I am really looking forward to next year. We

have a great set of candidates for USO office who I know will continue the traditions and work hard to make

further improvements to an already outstanding program. Thanks to all of you who have been an active part

of USO!

Warmest Regards,

Lionel

Director’s Corner Dr. Lionel Crews

Dr. Crews being pied for good

cause during USO festivities at

UTM’s Relay for Life



Important Dates

Maymester 2012

Monday, May 14: Classes Begin

Monday, May 28: Memorial Day

Friday, June 1: **Classes End (Final Exams)

Summer Semester 2012

Monday, June 4: Classes Begin, First Half &

Full Term

Wednesday, July 4: Independence Day

Friday, July 6: Classes End (Final Exams),

First Term

Monday, July 9: Advising, Second Term

Tuesday, July 10: Classes Begin, Second Term

Friday, Aug. 10: Classes End (Final Exams),

Second & Full Term

Fall Semester 2012

Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 23-26: First-Year

Initiative

Friday, Aug. 24: Advising

Monday Aug. 27: Day and Evening Classes

Begin

Monday Sept. 3: Labor Day

Friday Oct. 12: Mid-Term Progress Reports

Due

Saturday-Tuesday Oct. 13-16: Fall Break

For more information, visit:

http://catalog.utm.edu/content.php?

catoid=5&navoid=251#Fall_Semester__2012

“There's a beauty to wisdom and experience that cannot be faked. It's impossible to be mature without having lived.”

- Amy Grant

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/amygrant180191.html



Hunter Lindberg

Movie Nights

The University Scholars is not just a group of intelligent students with

high aspirations; we are a pretty hip social group too. Once every week or so,

the USO hosts a private screening of a movie in the McCombs center. We

keep these events private because we like to watch highly intellectual films;

some of them even require an amount of reading! Popular selections come

from the genres of thriller, Kung Fu, and suspense. Usually the choices stem

from what is available to stream online and bend to the will of the majority.

Lindsey Feigl

USO Induction Ceremony

As University Scholars, one would expect our induction ceremony to be an extremely formal

and solemn event. However, the chemistry of this year’s scholars group reflected in the type of

ceremony we had. It was formal but had a little bit of humor thrown in. Overall, the ceremony was

very dignified and personal to our group. I felt honored being inducted into the University Scholar’s

Organization.

The ceremony started with the eighteen inductees lining up on the side of the Tennessee

Room. In the front the five Executive Council members stood over a table of unlit candles. Lionel

opened the ceremony with the usual “thanks for coming” speech and passed it on to Brandon and the

other council members. As each council member spoke, they lit a candle in honor of an important

characteristic of the University Scholars Organization. The last candle to be lit was the candle of

Knowledge signifying the organization’s academic excellence. Each inductee was called up

individually to light a candle from the flame of the Knowledge

candle. As we lit our candles our big sibs read a short

biography about their little sibs. The biographies clearly

exemplified the true nature of our Scholars Organization. The

stories ranged from wearing a leg brace as a child to nailing

someone in the face with a ball when mistaking kickball for

dodge ball. After the biographies we took our oath and

officially became part of the University Scholars Organization.

Because the ceremony was so personal to each of us, it

is something I will never forget. It was a group of exceptional

students with the same academic values coming together to

offer a new group of academics entrance into not only an elite

organization but into a family. I was truly honored to be inducted into the University Scholars

Organization. I am proud to be able to call myself a Scholar.

“What’s Happening?” Freshmen News Reports



Jordan Jensen

Exo-Planets and Hubble’s Search

On March 29th UT Martin was treated to a truly enlightening lecture given by Dr. Wiseman on the

subject of NASA’s ongoing search for exo-planets, planets orbiting stars outside of our own solar system. Dr.

Wiseman is currently the lead scientist working with NASA’s Hubble Telescope project, and as one can glean

from only a short presentation, she is very passionate about her work. At the present time, one of the Hubble

Telescope’s foremost missions is the location of planets and planet forming regions around other stars in the

Milky Way Galaxy.

Dr. Wiseman and her colleagues are making use of several methods for finding possible exo-planets.

One of the methods detailed by Dr. Wiseman is watching for the wobble that the gravitational pull of the exo-

planet causes in the position of a star. This method is valuable

for initially spotting and determining the approximate size of the

planet. The second, and possibly most valuable, method for

identifying and learning about the nature of exo-planets is

watching for the dimming of the brightness of a star caused by

the passage of the planet between the telescope and its star.

From this brief (relatively in terms of space) glimpse of the

planet, scientists can gain a wealth of knowledge including not

only size but also the composition of the planet’s atmosphere

based on the spectrum of light around the edges. This insight

allows speculation as to the probability of the existence of life

on other earth-like planets, which is the ultimate goal of

NASA’s exploration of these celestial bodies.

Not only is Dr. Wiseman a leader in her work, but she has also served as the Congressional Science

Fellow of the American Physical Society, working with the staff of the Science Committee of the U.S. House

of Representatives and advising the United States government on decisions affecting the various fields of

scientific study. This governmental role highlights Dr. Wiseman’s experience and leadership in her field. Dr.

Wiseman’s lecture provided an opportunity for the UT Martin community to hear a leading scientist speak on

the work of NASA’s top astronomers and physicists in their efforts to locate and study planets orbiting other

stars around our galaxy. Dr. Wiseman’s lecture was delightfully witty and wonderfully informative.

Horror movies are accompanied by small pranks played on the more skittish members of the audience,

perpetrated by the more mean-spirited. Comedies are sparse because oftentimes we prefer to laugh at

the cheesier bits of horror or action movies. A documentary has yet to be shown, but I do not think it is

too far-fetched of an assumption that we may all sit down one evening to watch how the planets were

formed or how penguins survive in the Antarctic. I think we all gain a lot of cultural experience from

watching foreign movies, which are a popular choice, even if the content consists of one dude beating

up a lot of other dudes.

More than anything, it provides me with another reason to procrastinate doing my homework. It

has nice to be able to turn your brain off for a night, especially because Scholars take on such

challenging workloads. The experience could be enhanced however by the addition of some salty,

buttery popcorn. In my opinion, the couch is the best seat in the house. It is obviously the most

comfortable furniture in the room, as long as you have a cushion at your back. It is always fun to get

together with some other Scholars and enjoy a film. Granted usually only a half dozen Scholars are in

attendance, but I think everyone has a good time relaxing and conversing with one another.



Laura Miller

Chicago

It started raining in the late afternoon, a swift downpour that drenched the area then left as

quickly as it came. We set out in two vehicles, a mini-van and a twelve passenger car. It would take us

seven hours of singing, road racing, and general merrymaking to make it to our destination. We arrived

with the city alight despite the Sun setting, and we gratefully checked in our hotel, ready to sleep, ready

for the new day. Chicago brought a beautiful, cold, and snowy day for us the next morning. We took our

first adventure: finding the super McDonald’s. After walking longer than we wanted to, we finally found

the McDonald’s, ate, and then promptly left after Eric was almost kicked out for going up the down

escalator. Our trek back was in good spirits, and we soon set out for the Chicago art museum. After

splitting up and admiring the art, some beautiful, others not so much, some naked, and others not so

much, we concluded our viewing and headed for lunch. Back into the blistering cold, our group walked

to get the best thing in Chicago: pizza. Our numbers totaled eighteen, and this created a problem for

seating, a two hour wait sort of problem. Eventually we were seated and we ate our deep-dished pizzas

with satisfaction. Our plans for the rest of the day were blown with the wait, so we headed back to the

hotel. That night, after dinner, I stayed in the room but others stayed up, making use of the night.

The line for the aquarium was well out the door, and we were not sure it was worth it. Early that

morning, we had set out to the corner of Chicago that housed the aquarium, planetarium, and field

museum. We learned the aquarium had offered free admission to Chicago residents, and it seemed the

likelihood of us making it to the door in a timely

fashion was slim. Instead, we walked to the

planetarium ready to hear Dr. Crew’s opinion of

everything astronomical. We met an alien space

traveler, played with pressures on planets, fell

asleep learning about the sun (or was that just

me?), calculated our weights on other planets, and

ate at the food court. The line to the aquarium was

seriously reduced by the time we landed back on

Earth, but not everyone wanted to watch fish

swim in circles. Riley Rick, Jonathan Hewlett, and

Zachary Ragland split from the group and headed

toward the field museum. The rest of the group

made their way to the aquarium, cutting all of the natives and even managing to get a group discount.

We watched otters, sharks, injured turtles, and lots of fish swim merrily. The other group found all sorts

of fun facts and dinosaurs, like the Rapeaurus. The next day came fast, and with it the realization we

were going home. Most of the group hit the mall and the navy pier, but a couple split up to roam the city

on their own. At four we came back together to say goodbye to the windy city. The sun set as we left,

and we smiled on the memories we made.



“Creative Outlet” Sophomore Creative Pieces

Death: The Unlikely Freer

Colton Jones

In the beginning, life is full and vibrant.

One is blessed with many gifts and talents.

No worries are given, no thoughts of pain,

Life is enjoyed, love is gained.

But as the years freely flow,

Skin tends to wrinkle and bodies grow old.

There comes a time when the mortal frame

Becomes a prison, trapping the sane.

When the mind is still capable, but talents are halted,

Staying on earth feels like being assaulted.

Until one day, when one is released

By the angel of death who makes the sufferings decrease.

Once again the soul is free

In a heavenly place, filled with family.

Don't be distraught with the thought of death,

Embrace it as freedom with your parting breath.

- Dedicated to Ms. Wacile Johnson,

A Loving Neighbor and Friend

Hannah Sexton

Crisp air, along with the mist of rain,

Pushing me farther than I’ve been.

Deeply breathing in and out,

Inhaling the morning air,

My soul is no longer bare.

Ready, calm, and patient still,

This last run has kept me healed.

Fervor restored once more



Paul Drinkard

An account according an alarming amount of alliteration and a constant continuation of constination

A breeze blew between the tall trees terracing the twisting trail traveling through the tiny town of

Thistlerun. Plenty of peasants pleasantly plowed the pasture’s plots around an aloof aristocrat’s accord. These

mindlessly meandering medieval men and women hastily heaped the hardy harvest in the humid heat of heart’s

hour, the third trimester of the twentieth farming term. As the daylight drew down toward a tiring twilight a

cloaked civilian cantered carelessly close to Count Cassiopeia’s castle called Canterlot. His pale porcelain mask

marked the man as a servant of the savior’s selected an abominate allegiance of assassins. And as the misery

making mortal made his way within the wide walls of Count Cassiopeia’s castle Canterlot, he promptly and

professionally prepared a perilous poison.

Unfortunately, unwisely, and ultimately untimely, Count Cassiopeia kind of carelessly chafed a

competing cutthroat countess called Cassandra who catered connections close to commissioned killers. Countess

Cassandra quickly called the Savior’s Selected and set several seriously sever summons demanding the dubious

death of the despicable defiler. The Savior’s Selected swiftly sent

Sir. Swain presently portrayed in the pale porcelain primp.

Sir. Swain swiftly and subtly scaled the steep scaffolding

and vicariously vaulted over the behemoth buttresses. Once within

the white walls of Count Cassiopeia’s keep called Canterlot, Sir.

Swain switched suits so as to better blend with the bourgeois

banqueting at Baron Barnet’s (Count Cassiopeia’s cousin) birthday

buffet. See, Sir. Swain slyly schemed to stash some terminal toxin

into the tantalizing tangerine treats. Truly this tricky tactic could

certainly cause Count Cassiopeia to croak.

Sauntering shrewdly Sir. Swain balefully bounced to the

bustling ballroom where Baron Barnet’s buffet was being

bequeathed. His pernicious plot to poison Count Cassiopeia’s cakes

readily rushed rightward to realization when suddenly Sir. Swain

was stopped short. The senior chef Samuel seemed slightly

suspicious as Sir Swain showed. The careless killer’s confidence

quickly cascaded as chef Samuel suddenly summoned Sir Swain.

“I do believe that I’ve never seen you attend a royal function within these walls…and I’ve been here

twelve years as senior chef, even more years before that as an apprentice. How is it that I’m only seeing you for the

first time today?”

Said the instinctually inquisitive individual.

“I don’t dare derive your decision for detouring me, but may I auspiciously ask the origin of your

astoundingly alien accent?”

“I’m just from different parts…I’m still just curious about your sudden appearance among the nobles here

in Canterlot.”

“I absolutely assure your assumption of my abnormal absence is accidental. I recently rode in from

remote regions and truly feel terrible for my untimely truancy.”

Senior Chef Samuel simply starred at the suspicious Sir Swain and then abruptly allowed access to the

astoundingly curious character to Count Cassiopeia’s cousin’s carousal.

“Your story seem a little shaky…but welcome to the party. Please be respectful to the guests and have a

good time.”

Sir Swain strutted strait to the fine festivities for Baron Barnet’s birthday ball and artfully admitted

himself happily into the cheerful caper close to Count Cassiopeia’s counter. Whilst wonderfully waltzing with a

widow named Wendy he worked his way closer and closer to Count Cassiopeia’s consul and covered the choice

cakes with the calamitous concoction, and as the marvelous meal meandered on, dessert drew dangerously near.

Happily the honored hour hastened at hand and Count Cassiopeia pleasantly partook in the poisoned

pastry. The toxic tangerine treat immediately upon ingestion entirely ended the unfortunate entity entitled Count



Cassiopeia. Of course with Count Cassiopeia’s carcass now careening across the partition, the pleasing party was

promptly put to a premature end. His kin cried out and quickly closed the conviviality. Guest gossiped as they were

guided out with their goodiebags and eventually all activity inside Canterlot ceased as morning members made

ready for the eventual entailing entombment. After the atrocious activity had accounted for the luckless life of

Count Cassiopeia, Sir. Swain saw his mission sanctioned and swiftly headed happily home.

Sir Swain sighed and slowly settled at his simple delightfully dwelling. Gratuitously his gut growled

mentioning of his missed meal. He tenaciously tore through the take-home meal his half-witted hostess had handed

him. He decisively devoured the divine delectables inside then prepared his pleasant pallet to take part in his

tentative torpor. Suddenly his slumber ceased as his sleeping quarters swiftly shifted sending him sprawling. Sir

Swain sight started slowly declining as a shooting stabbing sting seared his insides.

These simple symptoms showed sine of a single result. Sir Swain’s grievously groped for the grub he had

been given and started swiftly shifting through the treacherous takeout and took notice of a tinge of tangerine. This

malicious meal made specially by Senior Chef Samuel came with a clear decree…

“Enjoy your just desserts…”

Massive Anxiety

Three big papers Huge lack of sleep

Two tests in one day

Mountains of unread email

Printer Malfunction Ridiculous blog entries

213 pages to read for a despised class

Failures

Four cokes & five cups of coffee by 2:00 A.M.

Wanting to give up

Contemplating the future, regretting the past, and missing the beauty of the present

Struggling to discover who you are and what you want to become someday

Confronting unadulterated fear concerning your abilities compared to others

Having to provide for yourself

Failing

Lying down to rest and hoping not to wake up the next day

Disappointing professors you admire

Learning the importance of a budget and fiscal ingenuity

Parting with old friends, severing ties, and abandoning comforts

Foolish Procrastination Hard-Learned Lessons

Charles Busby

How Have I Survived College?

Her name is Paige.



“Independent Studies” Junior & Senior Projects

Amber Watson

Mentor: Dr. Robbie Montgomery

Second Reader: Dr. Kate Stumpo

Development and Implementation of Dynamic Isoelectric Focusing for the Separation and

Isolation of Proteins

Although I am a senior, I have only been working on this project for this current academic year.

Last year I was working on a Chemistry project with an organic focus, but it had to be aborted due to

circumstances beyond my control. Even though I had spent a full year working towards that project, I

tried not to be too worried about changing paces. I really have enjoyed

working on the project that I’ve worked on this year, even though it is

completely opposite from my previous project. I like to think of it as

giving me different kinds of research experience.

For my project, I have been working with proteins and a

particular way of separating them. There is a current method of

separating proteins called isoelectric focusing. I practiced focusing

bovine serum albumin using this technique. Then I began working on

mastery of the real focus of the project, dynamic isoelectric focusing.

This is a more complicated method, but the goal is to show that it is

comparable or a better method. This method has been extremely

complicated for me to get to work, however, so I switched gears a little

recently, while still trying my hand at getting the 4-electrode system of

DIEF to work. I have recently been working on something that might

get me more results, analyzing hemoglobin variants using LC-MS. So

far I have taken Myoglobin as a standard and one of the variants of

hemoglobin and reduced and alkylated it so as to be run on the LC-MS.

This is a lengthy procedure, and the first time that it was done the

results were promising, but there was a large peak of some

contamination. Currently, I am working on performing the procedure again and hoping that this time the

results will be good enough to continue on with the other three variants. I will be presenting my research

in a poster at the Area Collegiate Chemistry Meeting Saturday, April 14, in Martin.

Allison Sprague

Mentor: Dr. Chara Van Horn

Second Reader: Brian Johnson

Nonverbal Communication Differences in Men and Women

It is not difficult to believe that men and women both use and perceive nonverbal

communication differently. From a very young age, the two genders are trained to interact with others



in entirely different manners. Little boys learn to thrive on competition, playing games such as sword

fighting and foot races that require one person to win, while little girls often enjoy activities like tea

parties that focus on building relationships instead of competition. These differences continue to be

exhibited in later years, though perhaps in not quite so overt ways; however, nonverbal nuances can say

a lot. For example, men tend to take up more physical space by sitting with their legs apart and elbows

out as if to stake their territory while women often sit with legs

crossed or pulled up as if in order to not consume any room at all.

Also, women are expected to smile almost constantly, setting

themselves up as a friendly, welcoming presence and not a threat.

Men engage in no such behavior but use fewer facial expressions

causing them to appear more intimidating to both genders.

For my research, I am going to be analyzing these

behaviors and more to see how each gender adapts to interactions

with males versus those with females. As soon as I can recruit

enough volunteers, I will be asking the participants to complete

three tasks with a partner and then analyzing the nonverbal behaviors used to see if the typical male/

female traits are accentuated or downplayed in any given situation. In the end, I will hopefully have

interesting findings that shed light on how men and women communicate both as individuals and pairs.

Ideally this information could be used to lessen the amount of miscommunications that occur between

the genders, bridging the gap between Venus and Mars.

Elizabeth Stokes

Mentor: Dr. James Smart

Identification of a Transcriptional Regulator of the hemZ Gene in Rhodobacter capsulatus

In the spring of 2010 when I signed on to complete a research project with Dr. James Smart, I

assumed my project would solely entail lab work and would come to a nice neat conclusion. That has

not necessarily been the case. In September 2010, I immediately started working in the lab, and I

quickly learned that failure is just a part of research. As a

result, we changed methods and techniques several times

over the next year or so. Then in the middle of Fall 2011, we

sent our strains to the University of Tennessee Health Science

Center in Memphis for whole genome sequencing. This took

much longer to get back than we had expected, which

resulted in a lot of waiting on my part. We finally got the

genome sequences back over Christmas break, and much to

my horror, my project became very computer based. I

struggled with this for a while because I am not very

computer savvy. Then we came to the realization that my

project would not come to a definitive conclusion by the end of the semester, and I, in fact, would not

get the nice neat bow-wrapped project I had expected. After a moment of sheer panic, Dr. Smart and I

came to a compromise, and I have since completed a literature review that will be tacked onto my

project to compensate for its lack of a conclusion.



All of this goes to say that when my overly optimistic, naive self took on this project, I never

expected to hit so many roadblocks along the way. I struggled with this for a long time because I, much

like most of my fellow University Scholars, do not like not succeeding at something. Looking back,

though, I have realized that even though it did not turn out like I expected, I can say with confidence

that I have learned a lot from this project and would not take it back if given the chance even with

knowing how it will turn out.

Christine Hassell

Mentor: Dr. Nancy Buschhaus

Examining the Effects of Habitat, Seasonal Migrations, and Temperature on Bat Diversity at

Reelfoot Lake

Many studies have been done using acoustical sampling of species specific bat foraging calls

using Anabat or Sonabat technology to determine what species are

active at what time of year; however, no studies have documented

the native bat diversity in the west Tennessee area. Given that

White Nose Syndrome is having a devastating effect on bat

diversity and abundance, recording bat diversity now is more

important than ever so that any changes can be determined and

documented. My scholars project will attempt to determine the

diversity in the west Tennessee area as well as view the effects of

seasonal and temperature factors on the diversity using the

following methods.

Bat foraging calls will be recorded using a stationary MP3

sound recorder connected to a Peterson Ultrasonic Frequency bat

detector starting one hour before dark and continue for a total of

three hours. We will sample 4 nights per week, once at each location per week. Each week, we will

prioritize the sampling on those nights that are most conducive to recording bat calls (warm nights with

little wind and no precipitation). However, we will collect data on at least four nights per week

regardless of weather conditions for 10 weeks. Data collection will begin the first week of June 2012

and will end in early August 2012. The temperature and general weather conditions will be recorded

each night using a HOBO temperature recorder and a written description in my notebook. We will

randomly alternate collecting recordings at the “tree-cluttered” sites and the “open air” sites each week.

After each data collection night, the MP3 recordings will be transferred to a computer and analyzed

through the SonaBat computer program that identifies the species of bat based on the pattern and

frequency of each of the recorded calls. The number of occurrences of each species will be recorded.

Another collection of data will be preformed in the same way from October 2012 to December 2012 to

evaluate the seasonal effects on diversity.

We will use Shannon’s Diversity Index (H) and Simpson’s Diversity Index (D) to analyze the

diversity of the bat populations sampled at each site and at the Reelfoot Lake watershed system as a

whole. We will calculate overlap and similarity of each of the sampling sites using an appropriate



Danielle Cavender

Mentor: Michael Gibson

Second Reader: Stan Dunagan

Reanalysis of the Geologic Age of the Wells Creek Structure using Paleogeographic Evidence

As a geology major intent on graduate school, I wanted to focus my project on something

exciting and with educational value. As some of you may or may not know, Tennessee is home to a few

impact craters, the largest of which is located on the Houston and Stewart County border in Cumberland

City. This crater, known as the Wells Creek Structure, is universally

known to anyone studying impact craters, and it provides some of the

best samples of shatter cones in the world. In fact, the Smithsonian

Museum displays specimens retrieved directly from the center of the

crater. However, other than a few obscure references, the crater has

been left unstudied since the 1960s. Many uncertainties still remain

about the crater. For one, it has a geologic date of 200 million years

plus or minus 100 million years. This is an extremely huge error

range—one of the largest in the Earth Impact Database—and

provides little certainty about the impact date or environment.

The aim of my research is to improve the constrainment of

the impact age. You may wonder why no one has tried this before.

The problem with dating the Wells Creek Crater is where it impacted.

The impact occurred in sedimentary rock, which is a poor source for

radiometric isotopes used in dating. Some isotopic systems may be present but they are nowhere near as

precise or reliable as the systems usually found in igneous or metamorphic rocks. As a result, the

original researchers of the crater used stratigraphic methods to determine the age. The issue with this is

that the stratigraphy of the impact site has a huge gap in its geologic record. For about 200 million

years, Tennessee was above sea level and during such terrestrial intervals erosion carried away sediment

instead of depositing it to make more sedimentary rocks. In such a case, geologists have little clues

about the environment.

So that is the issue of dating Wells Creek. Thankfully, since the 1960s, geologists better

understand how craters form in different environments and what microscopic clues can help to

determine a crater's age. My research so far focuses on a lot of scientific literature, but eventually I

hope to find a modern analog to compare to Wells Creek. Also, if and once I have money, I hope to test

the crater breccia for enrichments that would indicate the environment in which it formed. For now, I

have no definitive results, but the shape of the crater and the lack of ejecta indicates this crater likely

formed in a terrestrial environment. I am currently attempting to make thin sections of samples taken

from the site, and hopefully they can show me something new and promising.

Otherwise, my project has mostly been a learning experience. I have learned how to use

department equipment we never use in class, and I have gotten a head start on how to apply my

knowledge in the field. The techniques you learn and the mistakes you learn from are probably the most

important things a Scholar can take from the research experience. Even if all fails, and you have to

change your direction or in the worse case, your entire project, there is always something that can be

taken from the experience that will be very helpful in graduate school or the workforce.

similarity index (either Jaccard’s Index or a non-parametric estimator depending upon the distribution of

the data collected). Finally, we will use an ANOVA (or appropriate non-parametric test) to determine

the average number of each species of bats sampled per night in each of the four sampling sites.



Joel Flowers

Gauging the E-service Quality of Online Education

As a graduating senior my time at the University of Tennessee at Martin has been defined by

academic performance. All of my classes have required me to be physically present in the classroom at

least two to three days out of the week. This has been enforced by attendance polices which typically

include a stipulation regarding absences and automatic failure of the class. Personally, it is hard for me

to imagine learning something in any other way than sitting at a desk for an hour, staring towards the

front of the room and listening to a professor speak on a subject. This approach to education has been

ingrained in most students since childhood. But what if that trend was changing in higher education?

What if it was not what you heard from a teacher’s mouth but

rather what you read on a computer screen that became your

learning method? What may be surprising to some is that

online higher education is a growing service in ever

increasing demand by students. The University of Tennessee

at Martin has realized this need for this virtual service and

has accommodated that demand with UT Online. UT Online

is not the first, nor will it be the last, iteration of online

learning for higher education. It is following a trend that is

washing over a majority of the universities, colleges, and

educational institutions in this country.

The online world has grown due to global expansion

of knowledge catalyzed by the founding of the Internet.

Education has gone beyond its previous boundaries due to

the sharing of knowledge via electronic communities and the reduced geographic and temporal

restraints. Other positives include allowing students the opportunity to learn at their own pace and style.

Variables such as time, effort, and money are saved by not having to physically attend class. Online

education also works as a supplement to enhance the education profile of traditional students. For

universities and colleges, this version of distance learning provides learning to students who desire an

education that would not normally have access to traditional facilities. As online education grows, there

will be additional demands placed on the technological systems while there is virtually no demand for

the increased physical space. This new realm of global education has virtually eliminated the

geographical monopolies in higher education.

What is the goal of gauging the e-service quality of online education? It should be to foster

positive changes that enhance the University of Tennessee at Martin’s educational outreach via UT

Online. By formulating a survey that was distributed to UT Online students gauging e-service quality,

perceived value, and loyalty, results will help to improve the online education experience for students.

This will only increase student retention rates and increase positive student referrals to prospective

students looking to enroll at UTM via UT Online.



Joseph Scobey

Mentor: Dr. Ray Witmer

Second Reader: Dr. Richard Helgeson

The Effect of Stitch Bolts on Bolted Timber Connections

My research involves looking at bolted timber connections that are loaded in tension when they

are pulled apart. The bolts want to split the wood at their joints. I am looking at the effects of adding a

bolt designed to resist this splitting. While doing background readings to learn more about timber

connections in general, I found very little research that involves stitch bolts. All the research on stitch

bolts is a subset of other research, never the primary investigation.

Dr. Witmer, Dr. Helgeson, and I built and tested four

preliminary test specimens to practice our data collection

methods and hopefully get data to support our prediction.

Unfortunately, the data was not as conclusive as we had hoped.

We decided that the major source of error in these tests was the

material. Wood naturally is very inconsistent, so by running

experiments with a single sample we get a relatively large

probable error. We are combating this by increasing the number

of specimens in each test and applying several statistical

distributions to analyze the results. Currently, we are fabricating

several specimens for our large scale testing. We spent a large amount of time going through different

configurations to divide our lumber. We finally decided on an arrangement that minimizes the amount

of wood we need for testing. This arrangement calls for a series of our minor tests to be run on the

entire board, as opposed to each test specimen. This not only gives us an average for the minor tests

across the board, but also reduces the amount of wood we need from 180 linear feet down to a little less

than 110 linear feet. Once fabrication is complete, we will begin testing. After that, there will be

mountains of data to sift through, and if everything goes according to plan, a paper to write and submit

for publication to the National Design Specification board.

Paige Mason

Mentor: Dr. John Glass

Second Reader: Dr. Christopher Brown

The Esoteric Gospels and A First-Time Writer’s Experience: A Commentary and Critical

Analysis on Writing the First Draft of The Esoteric Gospels

My project has changed immensely from when it was conceptualized. I was always interested in

approaching the topic of a religious apocalypse and the different ways the world could come to an end,

but when I first brainstormed for the novel, I wanted to not only fictionalize the apocalypse, but also

provide a subtle comparison between Islam and Christianity and highlight the common threads between

the two religions. However, as I became more involved with Catholic-Christian ideology in relation to

the rapture and traditional examples of allegory, the story transformed to focus on a fictionalized

account of the book of Revelation with personified vices and virtues as my main characters.

My first year and a half was spent researching allegory and religious philosophy and writing



“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”

- Mark Twain

three-hundred pages of the novel’s first completed draft. For the research aspect, I read selections of

literature including Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, C.S. Lewis’ science-fiction trilogy and several Chronicles

of Narnia books, and I revisited older, classical allegory

including Pilgrim’s Progress, The Faerie Queene, and the

original morality plays from 15th and 16th century Europe. The

writing process was the most difficult part, especially when

having to maintain strict deadlines. However, I believe it was

through the writing process and my reflections that I learned the

most about my writing style as well as the means through which

I express my thoughts.

The final semester of this two-year process has been

devoted to reflection and analysis of my writing, the novel

itself, and allegory as a genre reliant on symbolism and

metaphor. A First-Time Writer’s Experience: A Commentary

and Critical Analysis on Writing the First Draft of The Esoteric

Gospels is the supplementary author’s note, complete with my

personal reactions and reflections on the process of writing the

novel’s first draft, on what I have learned about myself as a

writer and a person from writing, as well as a more formalized

critical analysis of the first draft’s effectiveness as a piece of

literature. Part of the semester has also been devoted to brainstorming further ideas of improvement as I

go into the rewriting and editing process to prepare the novel for potential publication.

As for the future, this senior project through University Scholars has provided me a firm

foundation in writing experience in order to seek eventual publication both for this novel and other

writing projects. I plan on spending one more year independently editing and rewriting The Esoteric

Gospels, and then I will begin submitting it to publishers. Although I have one and a half more years

here at UTM, I would like to apply to Vanderbilt’s English graduate program once my undergraduate

course work is complete. My ultimate dream would be to be able to return to UTM as an English

professor and be a published author in various genres both in fiction and formal writing.

The Scholar: May 2012 Edition

Documents

Transcript of The Scholar: May 2012 Edition