Academic Excellence Symposium

For this project, I was tasked with creating a design that addresses and fixes a design problem. The problem I chose to solve was the lack of designs made for women in the fitness industry. According to research, women want to track their fitness journey, but there aren't many products that cater to their needs, and they are often overlooked. So, I focused on creating a training log that can motivate and help women track their fitness journey. This presentation goes over the visual design aspects of a women's gym training log. This project has been created into a tangible fitness log based on research linking tangible fitness logs with increased motivation to engage in healthy activities. Through research, this log was designed for the convenience of tracking popular feminine gym-related needs. These include menstrual cycle tracking, weightlifting tracking, cardio tracking, and generalized goal tracking.

Since the 1990s there has been a rise in neurodiversity. Neurodiversity can be seen in most settings including the student body at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. The goal in my research is to help students on campus feel more included at campus events. After collecting data via Qualtrics survey I created a sensory kit to see how many students will use the items in the kit. I went to several campus events bringing the sensory kit so I could identify how many students access the tool kit items and what items were selected. After going to ten campus events, 83 items in the tools were used. The tool most selected at the events were stress balls. The event that had the most items used from the tool kit was during GB Nites at the Green Bay location. Due to the high turnout at GB Nites and people seeing the kits right next to the check in area at the event people used the items in the kits more often. Future plans for these kits would be to have more campus partners purchase their own tool kits and/or have a check out system in Student Accessibility Services for the purchased kits for this study. Good times programming on campus will be continuing the sensory kits as well.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between executive function and cheating in children. Executive function refers to the mental processes that help you with self-control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. In a previous study, elementary school children played a guessing game where they could cheat and lie (Ding et al., 2013). The cheating behavior was measured by a camera under the table watching their hands, whether they lied or not, and how often they cheated/lied. 58% of the children cheated at least once during the game, but cheating decreased with age. Additionally, children with better working memory and inhibitory control were less likely to cheat. However, among those who lied, children with higher executive function used more sophisticated cheating tactics. This study showed that executive function can inhibit children’s cheating behavior but also can promote more sophisticated cheating behaviors. In our study, we investigated the relation between executive function and cheating behavior with younger children, aged 4-9 years, in the United States and Japan. We measured their performance on the dimensional card sorting (DCCS) task, which is a widely used measure of executive function for children (Zelazo, 2006). DCCS has 3 stages. The first stage asks the child to sort the cards based on color, the second asks the child to sort based on shape, and the third asks the child to sort based on a mixed pattern. To assess their cheating behaviors, we played an animal guessing game, in which children’s behaviors were captured in a hidden camera. Data were collected from 115 participants, 61 from the United States and 54 from Japan. We examined the relationship between the child’s executive functioning and cheating behaviors using SPSS.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between creative thinking and perspective taking abilities among 3- to 12-year-old children. Perspective taking skills allow us to process information about others by imagining ourselves in their shoes. Previous research has indicated that divergent thinking, a cognitive procedure used to measure creativity by generating multiple ideas/solutions to a problem, facilitates perspective taking in adults (Yang & Hung, 2021). Among older children, social creativity, which occurs in the domain of everyday interactions, is correlated with divergent thinking tasks (Mouchiroud & Lubart, 2002). However, previous research lacks studying the relation between creative thinking and perspective taking in children. We hypothesized this correlation between creative thinking (social and divergent) and perspective taking (perceptual and affective) to be especially present among older children. In the present study, social creativity was assessed using the interpersonal problem-solving task, where children generate multiple possible solutions to try and change the outcome of the scenarios (Mouchiroud & Lubart, 2002). Divergent thinking was assessed using the alternative uses test, where children were asked to produce multiple uses possible for an object (e.g., a paper clip) (Honghong et al., 2021). Perceptual and affective perspective taking was measured using the ‘Perspective taking Test for Children’ (PTC) (Aslan & Köksal-Akyol, 2016). The perceptual task asked children to predict what the protagonist observes in the illustrations, while affective asked them to predict emotions of protagonists with facial expressions removed in the illustrations. A working memory test (WPPSI) was also implemented to control individual differences. We conducted a multiple linear regression analysis with perspective taking as the outcome variable and creative thinking as the predictor variable, controlling for age in months and working memory.

Branding for Bands is a research-based DIY styled workbook designed for independent and local musicians to solidify their visual style. This informative booklet breaks down key branding principles—logo design, typography, album art, and merchandise—into accessible steps, helping artists develop a cohesive identity without compromising creative autonomy. The workbook also serves as a bridge between musicians and visual artists, providing collaborative exercises that expand design possibilities while maintaining the artist’s vision. Through industry research, case studies, and hands-on exercises, Branding for Bands offers musicians with the tools to craft a compelling and authentic brand identity.

The Locker is a sports statistics application designed to provide a more visually engaging experience for fans. This project is based on my research into how a team’s visual identity can be modernized while preserving its historical legacy. By analyzing trends in sports branding and user experience (UI/UX) design, I created an interface that seamlessly integrates historical sports brands with contemporary aesthetics. The app presents statistics in an intuitive and interactive format, prioritizing clarity and engagement over traditional text-heavy layouts. Through strategic typography, color schemes, and graphical elements, The Locker enhances data visualization, making complex stats more accessible and enjoyable for users.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between a child’s performance on emotional and cognitive executive function tasks. Emotional executive function can be defined as one’s ability to ignore impulses to maximize the benefits of a task (Scheres et al., 2006). Cognitive executive function can be defined as one’s ability to divert their attention in a flexible way that allows them to complete a task with changing rules (Zelazo, 2006). A temporal discounting task (TD) and a probabilistic discounting task (PD) were used as a measure of emotional executive function, where the subjective value of the large reward decreased as the wait time increased, or as probability decreased. In the TD task, the large reward of 10 cents was varied in the length of the delay (0s - 30s), and the immediate small reward varied in value (0-10 cents). In the PD task, the likelihood of receiving a large reward varied between 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0, and the value of the immediate reward varied between 0 and 10 cents. Additionally, a dimensional card change sorting (DCCS) task was administered where children were asked to sort a series of cards in terms of color and shape as a measure of cognitive executive function. In the first trial, the cards were sorted strictly by color, in the second trial they were sorted by shape and in the last trial the sorting was mixed between color and shape. We measured how accurately the children were in adapting to the changing rules of the task. We have collected the data from xxx children, ages 6 to 9, we are going to be examining the correlation between the results of the two tasks.

First-generation Hispanic students often face financial struggles, cultural expectations, and academic challenges that can make college difficult to navigate. Hispanic-Serving Institutions are designed to support these students, but their effectiveness varies. This study examines how HSIs provide financial aid, academic resources, and mentorship to help first-gen Hispanic students succeed. By analyzing institutional data and case studies, this research highlights best practices and identifies areas for improvement. The goal is to understand how HSIs can better support students and improve graduation rates, ensuring more equitable access to higher education.

The Green Bay Metro faces challenges of inefficiency and underutilization. According to the 2023 Annual System Review, ridership faced a sharp decline due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with a 60% drop between 2019 and 2021 (Green Bay Metro 2023). However, even before the pandemic, ridership was lower than other similar-sized cities, such as Peoria, Illinois, which had nearly double the trips in 2018 (CityLink 2019). Additionally, the system is perceived as a waste of resources due to its low efficiency and lack of accessibility. One issue raised by a 2018 Mobility Management survey, is the limited scope and frequency of routes. This survey revealed that many residents do not use public transportation because it does not go where they need it and does not service at needed times/days (Mobility Management 2018). In response to these issues, the Green Bay Metro has made several adjustments, including microtransit services and route restructuring. However, these efforts have yet to result in substantial ridership growth for fixed route services (GBM 2023). Possible solutions to address these problems include expanding routes, expanding service times, and increasing microtransit options while potentially reducing fixed-route services. Expanding routes could enhance accessibility, particularly for underserved areas like Howard, Bellevue, and East De Pere, but the efficiency of this approach is uncertain given current ridership patterns (GBM 2023). Extending service times, especially on Sundays, has also been suggested by survey respondents (2018). However, there is little evidence that this would significantly boost ridership. A more promising solution is increasing the microtransit system, which has proven successful in reducing travel times and operating costs while improving service efficiency (GBM 2023). The evaluation of these alternatives focuses on effectiveness, efficiency, and community acceptance.

This study explores first responders’ use of mental skills, including police officers, firefighters, and EMTs/paramedics. These professions are highly stressful, leading to higher rates of depression, cardiovascular disease, and anxiety when compared to the general population (Lockie & Dawes, 2024; Land & Guan, 2022). Stress in first responders is associated with impaired judgment, higher absentee rates, decreased job satisfaction, increased risk of injury, burnout, and premature retirement (Land & Guan, 2022). With research showing that work stress negatively impacts performance in various ways (i.e., physiologically, cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally; Page et al., 2016), mental skills can reduce stress and improve the performance of law enforcement officers. The role of mental performance in enhancing psychological functioning and work performance remains underexplored. Despite clear needs, few studies have examined what mental skills first responders currently use. Raabe et al. (2021) called for more research to understand how first responders optimize mental qualities and which techniques are most effective for them. Furthermore, with the known stressors regarding work in first responders, Casanova et al. (2020, p. 11) state that “it is of the utmost importance to develop preventative programs to buffer adverse outcomes. In our study, participants were interviewed about their roles, preparation, definition of success, mental training, and self-care. The aim is to identify the mental skills used by first responders and assess their effectiveness in order to create evidence-based suggestions for future mental performance programs tailored to first responders.

"Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself," written and illustrated by Matthew Gray Gubler, is a children's book that embraces the idea that everyone is weird, and that's perfectly okay. The illustrations are skillfully blended with the text, combining whimsy and heart to express a theme of individuality and self-expression in the face of insecurity. The departure from the more typical theme found in children's literature of "everyone is beautiful" is emphasized by a dedication to the weirdness reflected in its distinctly crude illustrations and charming easter eggs hidden throughout the pages. Rumple doesn’t encourage readers to ignore their insecurities; he invites them to celebrate and embrace them. This idiomatic approach to children's literature establishes a new precedent for celebrating selfhood and accepting every part of yourself—even if you have three strands of hair, five crooked teeth, green skin, and a left foot that is eleven percent larger than your right.

It is no secret that poverty in the United States is on the rise and has been for many many years. People who work two jobs, have an education, want to have a higher education, kids growing up with a single parent, single parents themselves, generational poverty, many different circumstances and situations within people living in poverty. Why is it so hard to escape poverty in the United States? This is the question we will be looking at and the barriers that make it so hard to get out of the situation of poverty. Things like Human Capital, housing, and low wages are just a few to name and can be direct connections to ones inability to escape poverty here in the United States. With America being a first world country, one would think we could come up with better solutions for poverty.

Green Bay, Wisconsin has long been a city lacking in diversity, with a majority White population. However, it has been experiencing a transformative cultural shift over the past two decades. Since 2000, the Latino population in the Green Bay area has more than doubled and continues to grow exponentially. They have settled predominantly on the near East side of the city. From businesses to local art, the Latino influence is on display, enriching the city’s cultural tapestry. Recognizing this, the city has initiated the creation of a formal cultural district, Plaza de las Américas. This project aims to establish the district’s main plaza, guided by three goals: (1) to celebrate and authentically represent Green Bay’s Latino community and its cultural diversity, (2) to design a flexible space capable of hosting a multitude of events, and (3) to revitalize an existing structure. These objectives were achieved through collaborative efforts with residents, local business owners, and non-profits to identify community needs. The chosen site, a vacant bank building, was transformed into a pavilion structure and community center. The design integrates classical elements of a traditional plaza with artistic influences rooted in Latino heritage, creating a vibrant, flexible, and inclusive public space.

Visual attention has been widely studied in cognitive psychology, particularly in relation to emotional responses to visual stimuli, such as unpleasantness or surprise, which influence pupil dilation (Henderson et al., 2018). This study aims to investigate the relationship between visual attention and behavior in student-athletes and non-athletes. Previous research has shown that athletes demonstrate a greater cuing effect, responding more quickly to targets in cued locations compared to non-athletes (McAuliffe, 2004). Additionally, athletes have shown superior attentional control, making more frequent and longer fixations on target areas while ignoring irrelevant ones (Styrkowiec et al., 2024). However, previous studies have focused on visual attention to single targets, leaving the interaction of athletes' and non-athletes' attention to multiple objects largely unexplored. In this study, we examine visual attention and pupil dilation among student-athletes and non-athletes using an oddball task and a rhythm task requiring attention to multiple targets. We will analyze the relationship between eye-tracking data (attention and pupil dilation, collected using Tobii Pro Lab) during the oddball task and performance data (accuracy and reaction time) during the rhythm task. The study will involve 100 college students (50 student-athletes and 50 non-student-athletes). Student-athletes will be those who engage in team sports for at least 200 minutes per week, while non-athletes will include students with little or no recent athletic experience. We plan to use t-tests to compare pupil dilation and fixation areas during the oddball task, and performance measures (accuracy and reaction time) during the rhythm task. The Bonferroni method will control for family-wise error. Multiple regression will then be applied to explore the relationship between pupil dilation and behavioral performance, comparing student-athletes and non-athletes.