RCAC 2025 Posters

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  Save Our Streets

  Jacob Symmes, Suzanna Cox, Jake Fitzgerald, Diana Karaj, Kristina Russo, and Jacob Symmes

  Throughout this semester we have been working with the organization, Save R Streets, located in Boston. The organization works to build community and utilize resources for those underprivileged. Our efforts with this organization have been focused on outreach, and social media to widen the scope to which the organization can operate. We have created a template for a weekly send out that can be updated with important events, drives, and details to be sent out on multiple platforms to reach the widest community audience we can. This allows the organization to connect with more clients, sponsors, and other organizations in an easy and adjustable way. Setting them up with another tool they can use for long term projects should show increasing benchmarks of progress.

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  Cultivating a New Era of Leadership: Establishing Effective College Leadership Training

  Julia Tardugno

  Many higher education institutions are struggling to regenerate meaningful learning experiences for student leaders in a post-pandemic world. Despite the illusion that most universities have college leadership development programs, many campuses considered themselves as being in the early stages of building critical mass, or working to enhance quality (Owens, 2012). While this problem may seem daunting, implementing educational leadership development programs is essential to ensure students gain a sense of purpose, pride, and passion in themselves and their communities. To address this problem, I have created a four-part leadership training program that aims to cultivate a new era of leadership in college students. Through participation in this project, students will develop enduring leadership skills, explore opportunities for personal and interpersonal growth, and cultivate a campus culture of belonging, inclusivity, care, and collaboration.

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  Perception of School Counseling Services: English Learner Students’ Utilization and Awareness

  Hailey Tatterfield

  This study explores English Learner's perceptions and utilization of school counseling services. 180 students enrolled in the English Learner program at a regional vocational high school in a suburban town in Massachusetts responded to a 15 question survey based off of the BEATS: Barriers, Experiences, and Attitudes Toward School Counseling Survey (Auger et al., 2018). The findings identify the most and least utilized services and students' perceptions of their effectiveness. Additionally, the results can help school personnel address gaps in counseling support and potential barriers to access.

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  The Circadian Advantage: Time Zone Effects on NBA Team Performance

  Connor Thornell

  This project aims to explore the influence of circadian rhythm changes on NBA team performance. We will examine how time zone differences affect team stats such as points scored, rebounds secured, fouls committed and most importantly wins and losses. Using the HoopR package in R, data was gathered for every team box score from 2005-2023 excluding the 2020 season. This data was cleaned, wrangled and processed before exploring patterns and themes. Each team box score was separated into 7 groups where each group represents the time zone difference from where their home timezone is to the timezone in which the game was played. For example, a team with EST timezone traveling to a team with PST timezone will have a timezone difference of -3. A dataset of 43,482 game data will be used to compare team performance by timezone difference using 28 different team statistics. Statistical methods such as two-sample tests, ANOVA and regression analysis will be used to assess the relationship between timezone difference and team success. Data visualizations will be used to illustrate significant trends and patterns within the data. These findings can be used for basketball teams to strategize in ways that may combat disadvantages related to circadian rhythm changes. It can also help schedule makers prioritize more fair competition by adjusting travel logistics and game times.

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  Support Starts Here: Faculty Training for Student Mental Health Awareness

  Emma Trainor

  Student mental health issues are on the rise (Wiest & Treacy, 2019). Faculty are key supporters of students; those who do not understand student mental health contribute to a lack of student success and may negatively impact student-faculty relationships. Failure to address these issues leads to an increase in stigma around mental health and seeking treatment. In my project, I will develop a faculty training program to strengthen student-faculty relationships by enhancing faculty awareness of students' mental health and available resources. Following participation in the training, faculty will be able to understand different mental health issues, know how to refer students to mental health campus resources are on campus, and learn how to navigate conversations about mental health with students.

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  Connections Between Home Environmental Factors and Risk-Taking Behavior in Preschool-Age Children

  Jillian Trudeau

  Risk-taking behavior is defined as making a decision to engage in an activity when the outcome is unknown. This study explores the influence that critical home factors (caregiver marital status, socioeconomic status, and children in the home) have on risk-taking behavior in preschool-age children. During the study, 54 preschool participants (aged 4-5) completed the BELT to gauge their successful risk-taking. Caregivers' Health and Demographic information were collected as a measure of home environmental factors. The results of this study revealed no significant difference between risk-taking behavior across all familial and home factors. Despite the null findings, the results suggest that participant similarities, such as family income and structure, may have contributed to the null results, and provide the opportunity for future studies to address these limitations. This study contributes to the previous literature on early childhood risk-taking.

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  Waldo or Wal-don't: A Study in Attention and Multitasking

  Jillian Trudeau, Annie Delaney, Emily Brouder, and Marissa Meddock

  This study explores how focused attention is affected by multitasking using a modified Where’s Waldo? visual search task. In Experiment 1, participants searched for Waldo in cluttered images while simultaneously monitoring a second screen for the appearance of a blue fish. Both tasks required visual attention, allowing us to examine performance under within-modality interference. Reaction time for Waldo detection and accuracy in identifying the fish were recorded to assess attentional demands. In Experiment 2, the secondary task was changed to a verbal modality: participants were asked to answer general knowledge trivia questiosn while completing the same visual search task. This cross-modal condition allowed us to investigate whether interference is reduced when attention is split across different sensory systems. By comparing performance across single-task, dual-visual, and visual-verbal conditions, we aim to understand how attentional resources are allocated and how task interference differs by modality. Results will provide insight into the cognitive limits of attention and have practical implications for multitasking in everyday situations.

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  Biomechanical Force-Sensing Glove Design and Development

  Kelsey true

  Massage therapy, physical therapy, and athletic training are healthcare practices used to prevent or relieve pain and improve mobility in patients. Much research has been conducted on best practices to enhance patient treatment. However, limited research has analyzed the frequently reported injury to and fatigue of the clinicians performing the treatment. Here, a dynamic force-sensing glove is developed to measure changes in the interaction force between a clinician’s hand and massage therapy tool during treatment. The glove actively records changes in force across the hand, and changes in force during the duration of treatment. The forces recorded by the glove are quantified to develop custom ergonomic physical therapy tools.

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  Mechatronic Model of Phytoremediation using Tomato Plants

  Skye Tucker

  For this project, I have worked under the direct supervision of Dr Caldwell and the indirect supervision of Dr Noori. The goal of the project was to produce an interactive museum display of the silver nanoparticle detection and accumulation in tomato plants. Over the last two semesters, I have successfully developed 3D scans of the plant, created and edited 3D mesh designs, and printed complete prints of the plant. I have been able to produce a working prototype for a tomato plant. The project is still ongoing but currently I am working on the next stage of the project which is displaying the movement and accumulation of the nanoparticles on the model. Due to it being on-going, this part is constantly changing right now. There will be more details closer to the RCAC.

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  Do No Harm: The Impact of Abortion Bans on The Ability of Obstetrician-Gynecologists to Sufficiently Perform Their Duties

  Autumn Vance

  This paper examines the law surrounding abortion and how these laws disproportionately impact minority communities, the scenarios in which an abortion is indicated at any point within a pregnancy, the path to becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist and abortion training within these programs, and how the aforementioned laws are impacting the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Each of these factors are brought together to explain how the current laws in place are negatively impacting the ability for these medical professionals to sufficiently perform their duties.

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  RiSC: Risk-taking, Sleep, and Cortisol

  Autumn Vance, Brenda da Silva, Abigail Dunn, and Klea Pocoli

  During adolescence, there is a chronotypic shift, biologically driving individuals into being more evening-types as opposed to morning-types. This shift towards being more productive and awake during the evenings often lasts through young adulthood. Given that high school students need to wake up early for school, they are often at high risk of sleep deprivation, with less than 3% of adolescents getting the recommended amount of sleep every night. Given the importance of sleep for emotion regulation and cognitive functions, we investigated whether nocturnal sleep quality, stress, and decision making were related in both adolescents (15-17 years) and young adults (18-35 years). To measure sleep, a sleep profiler headband is used in order to collect sleep staging from three frontal electrodes. To test for cortisol levels, a hormone associated with both sleep behavior and stress responses, 4 saliva samples are taken via a passing drooling method to assess the morning cortisol awakening response. Risk-taking behavior is recorded using the Balloon Emotional Learning Task (BELT), in which participants are asked to gain points by blowing up balloons of varying material as large as possible without popping. Based on the material of each balloon, some balloons are more risky to inflate. The overall objective of the RiSC study is to find if risk-taking behavior is impacted by sleep and if the cortisol awakening response plays a role in risk-taking behavior.

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  Beyond Academics: Implementing Social Emotional Learning in Higher Education

  Olivia Vandoros

  Students' social and emotional well-being is important to their overall success in higher education. The transition from high school to higher education can create stress and anxiety for students (Stocker, 2018), fostering an environment where the whole student is supported, which eases that transition. Students who received Social and Emotional Learning skills in a K-12 setting dissipate over time. Therefore, it is important for students to consistently receive these supports (Mahoney, 2018). To address this challenge, I will instruct staff in guiding students through social emotional learning skills through a workshop series. Through participation in this workshop staff will be able to articulate social emotional learning skills and engage students in strengthening their social emotional learning skills.

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  Force Profiling for Smarter Training: Identifying Unilateral vs Bilateral Indicators

  Christopher Vitullo

  This project explores how bilateral deficit (BLD) and bilateral facilitation (BLF) influence athletic performance and training prescription. Using a calculated Bilateral Index (BI%), athletes are categorized into four profiles: Bilateral Deficit Dominant, Well-Rounded, Bilateral Facilitation Dominant, or Low Force Producer. Each classification provides insight into how athletes produce and manage force, informing more precise training decisions.

  A screening protocol was developed combining strength and plyometric assessments, including IMTP, trap bar deadlifts, countermovement jumps, and drop jumps. A decision-making flowchart was created to guide load prescriptions and plyometric progressions based on the athlete’s force profile.

  Training interventions were then tailored to each category. Bilateral deficit dominant athletes emphasized bilateral strength and coordination; well-rounded athletes received a balanced mix; and bilateral facilitation dominant athletes focused on unilateral strength and control. This system enhances training precision, reduces injury risk, and supports individualized return-to-play strategies.

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  Optimizing Performance and Injury Prevention: A Mobility-Based Assessment and Training Guide for Athletes

  Nico Wilbur

  Mobility plays a critical role in athletic performance, injury risk, and overall movement efficiency. However, both restricted mobility and excessive joint hypermobility can contribute to biomechanical inefficiencies and heightened susceptibility to injury. This capstone project introduces a comprehensive Mobility Scoring Index to classify athletes into restricted, average, and hyper mobile categories based on joint assessments and movement screening.

  By evaluating mobility patterns across different athletic populations, this study aims to identify the impact of mobility discrepancies on performance, strength, and injury rates. A key focus is to develop a structured framework for assessing mobility and implementing individualized training strategies that enhance movement efficiency while mitigating injury risks. The project will also analyze the effectiveness of current screening methods and propose evidence-based modifications to improve assessment accuracy. Using biomechanics analysis, injury data, and practical strength and conditioning interventions, this research will provide a training guide tailored to each mobility classification. This guide will outline targeted exercises, mobility drills, and stability-focused programming to optimize movement quality and athletic performance. Ultimately, this capstone seeks to bridge the gap between research and practical application by equipping coaches and strength and conditioning professionals with an adaptable, mobility-based approach to training. Through individualized mobility programming, athletes can enhance performance longevity, reduce injury risk, and maximize their physical potential in sport.

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  RISE: Promoting Resilience, Independence, and Self-Empowerment

  Faith Williamson

  In recent years, higher education institutions have struggled with their response to shifting attitudes towards student autonomy and its role in development. Many students who enter college come from environments where they have been highly supported and guided, known commonly as having “helicopter parents” (Bradley-Geist & Olson-Buchanan, 2014). When these students arrive to institutions, they often struggle with independence, self-reliance, and resilience (McConville, 2020). The increasing trend of coddling in higher education, where students are given excessive support, compromises their ability to navigate challenges and develop the skills needed to succeed post-college (Koganzon, 2024). To address this issue, I have created a program that will encourage the development of autonomous self-reliance in first-year college students by creating a course that utilizes evidence-based workshops that promote student growth. Students will leave the course feeling more confident in their own decision making, more capable of facing adversity, and more ownership over their college and future experiences and successes.

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  Neurocognitive-Parasympathetic-Active (NPA) Recovery System for Collegiate Athletes

  Alexander Zapata

  Collegiate athletes face demanding schedules that challenge both their physical and cognitive capacities. While traditional recovery strategies emphasize physical rest, hydration, and mobility work, they often neglect mental fatigue and autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation—key factors in athletic performance and injury prevention. This project explores a comprehensive recovery approach that integrates Neurocognitive Training, Parasympathetic Reset, and Cognitive-Based Active Recovery to enhance athlete performance and well-being.

  The research examines how cognitive fatigue impairs reaction time, decision-making, and neuromuscular coordination, increasing injury risk. Additionally, chronic stress and travel disrupt ANS balance, delaying recovery by prolonging the body's fight-or-flight response. Strategies such as visual reset training, breathwork, and cognitive-motor dual-task exercises have shown promise in mitigating these effects. Breathwork, for instance, improves heart rate variability (HRV) and accelerates parasympathetic recovery, while cognitive-motor drills enhance reaction time and coordination.

  This project will review current research and develop two structured recovery programs: one designed for weight room sessions and another tailored for travel. These programs will be designed for seamless integration into collegiate training environments without increasing workload. By addressing gaps in traditional recovery models, this capstone aims to provide a practical, research-backed framework that enhances athlete recovery, performance, and injury resilience. Findings will contribute to the growing field of cognitive and autonomic recovery strategies in sports, offering strength and conditioning coaches innovative tools to support their athletes effectively.