The payphone, once a fixture of public life, now sits at the edge of cultural memory. This poster examined what might happen if a fully functioning payphone were reintroduced into a contemporary public space and how people might reinterpret, repurpose, or ignore a once-essential communication technology. Presented at the 2025 SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art,… continue reading
Why do some neural signals increase our willingness to engage socially while others reinforce fear and avoidance? This project explores how a specific receptor, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3), may regulate the balance between social engagement and emotional inhibition by modulating communication between key brain regions involved in stress and behavior. The research was presented at… continue reading
Impairments in social behavior are a hallmark of many psychiatric disorders, yet the neural mechanisms that regulate sociability remain incompletely understood. What if activating a specific receptor in the brain could enhance social interaction by quieting fear-related circuits? This research was presented at the Graduate Poster Exhibition during the 2025 SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art,… continue reading
First-generation college students now make up more than half of undergraduate enrollees nationwide, yet they continue to graduate at lower rates than their continuing-generation peers. Financial strain, limited access to academic guidance, and reduced institutional familiarity all contribute to this gap. What happens when universities intervene early, even briefly? This research was presented at the… continue reading
Peaky Blinders, the BBC television series set in post–World War One Birmingham, follows the rise of the Shelby crime family as they navigate political unrest, organized crime, and the psychological aftermath of war. This poster examined how the series represents trauma not only as a psychological condition but as a spatial experience. Centering on protagonist… continue reading
How can residents claim a “right to the city” in places long defined by distress and persistent poverty? This research examined community well-being in Camden, New Jersey, using a mixed-method framework to explore how objective, subjective, and behavioral indicators shape quality of life in a city navigating decades of economic hardship. Presented at the Graduate… continue reading
