Section 1 (1-2:20pm)

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Randy Tyng

I am a junior majoring in Economics with a minor in Data Analysis. I am very interested in the world of finance and the stock market, which is why my project utilized a financial dataset. I plan on taking more project-oriented courses offered by the QAC. After graduation, I plan on working in data science or finance.

Abstract: This study analyzes how financial well-being is correlated with perceptions about socioeconomic mobility and financial socialization. To understand more, this study utilized the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) National Financial Well-being survey data (n=6,394). Multiple linear regression was used to measure the effect on the financial well-being scores of adults aged 18-34 and compared them to those of adults aged 34-75+. Results indicate that all levels of PSM (higher levels of agreement linked to larger coefficients, p=0.000 for each level) and the aggregate FS score (coeff. = .1956563, p=0.004) are significantly correlated with financial well-being for both age groups. These variables remained significant after including 7 other possible confounders in the model. This study can be useful for further research into the determinants of financial well-being, as well as for use in developing financial education curriculum that can address gaps in financial understanding.

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Jillian Ansell

Jillian is from Baltimore, Maryland and is a part of the Class of 2024 at Wesleyan University. Before Wesleyan, she attended McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland. At Wesleyan, Jillian is a part of the field hockey team, Wesleyan Women in Business club, and Hope Happens Here club. She plans to major in Economics with a minor in Data Analysis.

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Abstract: The goals of the present analysis include 1) establishing the relationship between mental health and religion; 2) determining whether the relationship between mental health and religion differs for members of different religions; 3) determining whether sex or age group change the potential relationship between mental health and religion. That is, this study will investigate whether religious affiliation leads to better mental health, and if so, whether this relationship is consistent across different religious affiliations, sexes, and age groups. However, there was not a significant association found between mental health and religion. This result did not change across different religious affiliations, sexes, or age groups.

Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/96443424776

Margot Deguet Delury

Deguet Delury is a freshman at Wesleyan University who is majoring in the College of Social Studies with a potential minor in Data Analysis. When she isn’t studying in Middletown, Deguet Delury lives in Baltimore, Maryland. She hopes to eventually work in public policy.

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Abstract:

Over the course of the last forty-five years, 1,532 United States citizens have been executed as punishment for capital offenses (Death Penalty Information Center, 2020). False convictions do occur, with 185 former death-row prisoners having been exonerated of all charges in the last forty-eight years (Death Penalty Information Center, 2021). In order to avoid biased rulings, capital cases are tried by juries that are neither entirely opposed to the use of capital punishment, nor in favor of its use on all capital murder cases. Numerous studies have explored religious factors that might bias a juror, and thus disqualify them from participating in a capital case (Applegate et al., 2000; Young, 1992; Rade et al., 2016). There has been minimal literature about the influence of afterlife beliefs on death penalty beliefs, with the existing literature focusing primarily on Christian concepts of Heaven and Hell.

The objectives of the present analysis include determining whether levels of optimism about an afterlife are related to stance on the death penalty, exploring the roles of race, age, and political party affiliation in this relationship, and discussing the implications of these findings on the selection of a capital case jury.  

Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/93244028137

Jackson Bright

Jackson Bright is a freshman at Wesleyan University from Cumberland, Rhode Island. He is interested in pursuing degrees in both Economics and Spanish with a minor in Data Analysis. Jackson seeks fluency in Spanish over the next few years to broaden his understanding of Economics and market trends on a global level. His research interests include personal finances and the steps those in lower socio-economic classes must take to reach a better financial future.

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Abstract: Promises have been continuously made by universities throughout the United States that a degree will lead to financial successes in the future, however, with the price tag of this educative process being as expensive as it is today, should the average citizen risk accumulating substantial debt for an overpriced education to provide for themselves and their future children, who will rely on their parents’ financial stability? Generational wealth may be explained by education levels, which therefore could explain how some families may not need to worry about a specific price tag of a college education. Moreover, these generational trends may lead to the widely-held sentiment that parental education level contributes directly to occupational and educational success for the younger generations (Dubow et al., 2009). On the other hand, understanding the correlation between financial success and parental education level may be crucial to addressing poverty in America, as longitudinal study data has suggested that poverty levels in the US trend with the status of the economy throughout generations (Chaudry, et al., 2016). Could children of parents without a college education be at a greater disadvantage financially than children whose parents are college-educated, and can these advantages and disadvantages be explained through generational differences?

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Stevie O’Connor

Stevie is a current junior (class of 2022) at Wesleyan University from Plymouth, MA (America’s hometown). He is a Neuroscience and Behavior major and a Chemistry minor. Outside of classes, Stevie is a member of the men’s ice hockey team at Wesleyan. He is also a vice-president of SAAC, the student-athlete advisory committee, and a co-president of Wesleyan’s chapter of Hope Happens Here, a student-athlete focused mental health organization. After graduation, Stevie plans to attend medical school.

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Abstract:

Alcohol is the second most commonly abused substance in the United States behind tobacco and is believed to have a direct link to the use of other illicit substances. In addition, the rate of drug overdoses in the United States continues to rise, with the latest 12-month period (June 2019-May 2020) revealing the most drug overdoses ever recorded. Of the drugs causing overdoses, most fit the description of hard drugs, which are drugs intrinsically more hazardous to one’s health. With the above information in mind, an analysis was completed (using data from the 2002 NESARC survey) with the goal of finding a link between alcohol abuse and hard drug use, in the hopes of identifying a group of people to target in an effort to lower the rate of drug overdoses in the United States.

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Olivia Lai

Olivia is a sophomore (2023) at Wesleyan from Basking Ridge, New Jersey double majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior and Psychology and minoring in Chemistry. Prior to Wesleyan she attended the Pingry School in Basking Ridge, NJ. At Wesleyan, she is a member of the Women’s Lacrosse team and also involved with the Student Athlete Advisory Commitee (SAAC). With a strong passion for health sceinces, Olivia aspires to purse a career in denistry post graduation.

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The objective of the present analysis was to investigate the underlying mechanisms and socioeconomic factors that account for dental access disparities and inequalities among adolescents. Data from the Add Health Codebook was used to answer questions related to the association between dental examination frequency and socioeconomic status among adolescents. Socioeconomic status was defined based on an index score combining factors of income/financial stability, and the education level of an adolescent’s mother and father. The main finding of this analysis was that dental examination frequency is associated with socioeconomic status. The findings of this analysis and similar studies in the field of dentistry can inform evidence based-action and collaboration efforts among researchers, policymakers, public health practitioners, and the general public to narrow socioeconomic-related disparities and inequalities.

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Jake Lachance

Jake is a student-athlete at Wesleyan University and is in the class of 2023. He is majoring in Economics and minoring in History. Jake resides in Andover, MA and previously attended Andover High School (Class of 2018). After graduating, Jake did a postgraduate year at Berkshire School (Class of 2019), before heading off to Wesleyan in the Fall of 2019. At Wesleyan, he is on the men’s ice hockey team.

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Abstract: Alcohol abuse, alcohol misuse, alcohol dependence and other alcohol-related problems are extremely prevalent issues in the United States and in the world today. In fact, excessive alcohol use is responsible FOR about 261 deaths everyday (CDC, 2021). Addiction is an issue that is extremely widespread, as more than 20 million Americans suffer from addiction. Also, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) lists alcohol as the third most addictive drug. Heavy drinking is considered more than 15 drinks per week for males, and more than 8 drinks per week for females. More than half of alcohol-related deaths are due to health effects from drinking too much over time, including different types of cancer, liver disease, and heart disease (CDC, 2021). Furthermore, discussions regarding income inequality have really picked up over the past few years as well. In fact, low income shows the difficulty to age out of alcohol dependence (Zemore, Lui & Mulia, 2020). There are obviously many negative effects of income inequality. The aim of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between total family income and heavy drinking status.

Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/91851951402

Sophie Gilbert

Sophie Gilbert is a current sophomore as Wesleyan University pursuing majors in Government and Film and a minor in French Studies as well. Sophie is from the Bay Area in Northern California, but now calls Northern New Jersey home.

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Abstract: This study examines the relationship between political identity (both party-affiliation and placement on the ideological spectrum) and Antisemitic beliefs using the 1990 General Social Survey (GSS).This means that the study will investigate whether the political association of the participants has any associative relationship with beliefs that are known as Antisemitic dog-whistles. The survey included 1372 respondents. Political identity was measured with the question “Do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or what?” Possible responses ranged from 1 (Democratic-leaning) to 3 (Republican-leaning). Political ideology was measured with the question “Do you think of self as liberal or conservative?” Each of these questions had 9 categories of responses that were aggregated into 3 groups of possible responses: 1 (liberal-identifying) to 3 (conservative-identifying) and 1 (Democrat) to 3 (Republican). Jewish influence was measured with the question “Do Jews have too much influence?” Possible responses ranged from 1 (possessing too much influence) to 3 (possessing too little influence). Thoughts on Jews and patriotism was measured with the question Do people in this group (Jews) tend to be patriotic or do they tend to be unpatriotic?” Possible responses ranged from 1 (an affirmative association of patriotism) to 3 (a negative association of patriotism).Thoughts on Jews and wealth was measured with the question “Do you believe people in this groups (Jews) are rich or poor?” Possible responses ranged from 1 (higher amount of wealth associated) to 3 (lack of wealth associated). There is no immediate statistically significant relationship between neither Party Affiliation nor Political Ideology and the levels of the response variables that demonstrate Antisemitic beliefs. After controlling for Age, most of the relationships remain statistically insignificant except in a couple of rare cases involving those who identify as “Independent.”   

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Caroline Jenkins

Caroline is a double major in History and English in the class of 2023. She plays on the ice hockey team here at Wesleyan. Before coming to Wes, Caroline attended Fenwick High School in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating Caroline wants to pursue a career in teaching English or American history and coaching ice hockey at the prep school level.

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Abstract: There is a growing concern about mental health in today’s consciousness. Although discourse about mental health has increased in recent times, depression is still a rampant problem. Mental health problems are deeply intertwined with harmful lifestyle choices, including binge drinking. Understanding the association between alcoholic symptoms and the presence of depression is key to adjusting treatment for both depression and alcoholism. The goals of this analysis include 1) develop the relationship between depression and alcoholism and 2) understand how depression and alcoholism are related based on sex and on increasing age.

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