Poster Abstracts

A-B-C-D-E   |   F-G-H-I-J   |   K-L-M-N-O   |   P-Q-R-S-T   |   U-V-W-X-Y-Z

ADAMS, Tanisha (WVU) Undergraduate Anthropology as White Academic Space?: Perceptions and Experiences of Minority Anthropology Students at West Virginia University. In 2011 the AAA Commission on Race and Racism in Anthropology (CRRA) conducted a survey to examine the experiences and status of minorities within the field of anthropology. The survey focused on the graduate students and those in academic positions. The results of this survey demonstrate racial and ethnic marginalization within the field of anthropology. What the CRRA study does not include is the undergraduate experience. This ethnographic study explores the experiences and status of undergraduate students in anthropology (and related fields) at West Virginia University using an interview script adapted from the CRRA survey questions. (TH-131) 

AMMONS, Samantha (UN-Omaha) Oh, the Stories We Share!: What Can the Little Free Library Database Tell Us about the Limits of Neighborhood Engagement in Omaha, NE? Front yard objects like flags and gnomes display social identities present within households (like ethnicity, social class, and religious affiliation), and signal a willingness to engage. Little Free Libraries (LFL), which allow for book exchange, take this exchange between viewer and resident into the material realm. In the LFL database, stewards may attach images or tell library creation stories, but some do not. Why might some stewards take these additional steps? How does variation occur by location, household income, and library features? What can LFL stories and images, tell us about cultural citizenship and neighborhood engagement? sammons@unomaha.edu (TH-131) 

BARONE, T. Lynne (U Nebraska), HAY, William H. (U Nebraska Med Ctr), AMMONS, Samantha K. (UN-Omaha), MCGUIRE, Joseph (U Alabama), HUGHES, Craig G., HUYNH, Bao Tram Ngoc, BROWN, Angela, ALEXANDER, Alana, THOMPSON, Breanna, GRAY, Elyssa, POWELL, Mary Ann, and IRWIN, Jay (UN-Omaha) Inside Out: Space and Hierarchy in an Interprofessional Student-Run Free Clinic. Interprofessional education (IPE) has changed health professions’ school curricula, as understanding, respecting, and utilizing health professions expertise is essential in providing the best patient care in the twenty-first century. We report on an ethnographic project evaluating interprofessional learning and interaction among medical and pharmacy students in a student-run free clinic. Analysis of tone and content reveal that interprofessional collaborative interaction manifests differently according to the formality of the space. Formal spaces conjure and reify hierarchical professional boundaries. While in informal transitory spaces, professional role expectations are muted, and a different and useful form of collaboration emerges (but may be unacknowledged). tbarone@unomaha.edu  (TH-131) 

BEHLING, Emma (NAU) GIS Analysis of Ancestral Puebloan Agricultural Strategies and Landscape Use on Black Mesa. This poster presentation sets out a proposed research project using ArcGIS spatial analytical software to develop a predictive model of Ancestral Puebloan agricultural strategies on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona. The project will develop a new spatial database drawing on the Black Mesa Archaeological Project and will also develop data from contemporary consultation. The project aims to identify potential and probable agricultural sites with respect to known Ancestral Puebloan settlements on Black Mesa. The resulting predictive model will position future researchers to more fully understand landscape use, patterns, and interactions between settlement and farming sites. elb349@nau.edu (TH-131) 

BERNARD, Miranda and GERBER, Leah (ASU) Community Engagement for Impactful Conservation in Caribbean Marine Protected Areas. Community engagement is often cited as an important tool in conservation interventions, as it promotes education and inclusion of various knowledge sources. Engagement encompasses an array of strategies and people involved. However, we do not know the impacts of different types and attributes of engagement on socio-ecological systems. Using Caribbean marine protected areas (MPAs) as a lens, we conducted content analysis on narratives in peer-reviewed literature across dimensions of engagement and associated impacts on environmental and community wellbeing. The paucity of scholarship regarding community engagement in MPAs highlights the need for more research to better inform conservation planning and policy. mlberna1@asu.edu (TH-131) 

BONAGURIO, Christine (TX State U) Experiencing Meals on Wheels Meal Delivery Program. Meals on Wheels Central Texas (MOWCTX) strives to provide a system of support for its senior clients in order to extend their independence and health as they age. Currently, funding for MOWCTX is in jeopardy; for-profit companies seek to acquire federal funds MOWCTX relies on. To preserve their funding, I assisted MOWCTX in gaining an understanding of how their model offers more than nutritional support. I conducted observations during deliveries and 20 interviews with current clients. My research found that there are additional practical benefits, including the ready-to-eat meals and face-to-face interactions with volunteers, that are unique to MOWCTX. cmb243@txstate.edu (TH-131) 

BOSTICK, Gaia (U Puget Sound) An Ethnographic Assessment of Restoration Efforts on the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef and reefs globally are rapidly changing and being threatened by different anthropogenic and natural causes. North Queensland communities are on the doorstep of the Great Barrier and its economy and people’s livelihood depend on it. This project utilizes various methods to aid restoration on the GBR and help preserve it. I used ethnographic methods, qualitative/quantitative data, and semi-structured or informal interviews, to collect my results for the project’s question. The conclusions of this project point to the value and complexities of community engagement, and the enduring importance of education and awareness in the restoration process. (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

BROPHY, Kendall, WIES, Jennifer, PLACE, Jean Marie, and PLACEK, Caitlyn (Ball State U) Perinatal Opioid Users’ Perceptions of Healthcare Providers and Their Influence on Treatment. Perinatal opioid use has been a rising issue in recent years, yet women’s interactions with healthcare providers have not received an in-depth investigation through a social-ecological lens. The current study investigates perceptions of healthcare providers’ support in Delaware County, Indiana. In-depth interviews were conducted with women attending a maternal treatment program for substance abuse. Interviews were coded iteratively using the social-ecological model to generate themes. Results indicated that women perceive healthcare providers as having significant influence on treatment decisions and staying clean. We conclude with a discussion on the effectiveness of interacting with perinatal users and provide suggestions for improvement. kebrophy@bsu.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

BUCHMAN, Talia, DILLON, Daniel D., and DONALDSON, Susanna (WVU), MORRIS, Ann M. (WVU Cancer Inst) Cultural Knowledge and Perception of Cancer and Cancer Healthcare among a College-going/College-educated Population in North Central West Virginia. West Virginians experience suboptimal health outcomes, including above average cancer rates. Previous studies suggest that cultural factors may explain this phenomenon in low-income, uneducated populations. Few studies, however, have examined cancer health literacy among college-going/college-educated populations in West Virginia or the Appalachian region. This study builds upon previous research to evaluate pile sorting as a methodology for studying the cultural knowledge and perceptions of cancer and cancer healthcare among both college-going/college-educated and rural, low-income populations in north central West Virginia. (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

BUEERMANN, Claudia (Whitman Coll) Mountaineering on Sacred Spaces in the Pacific Northwest: Finding Mutual Meaning, Use, and Value. This poster presents research on the overlap of popular mountaineering routes throughout the Pacific Northwest and areas deemed sacred by indigenous peoples of the region. Theorized is the under-appreciation by outdoor-recreation communities of the value attached to these sacred spaces. Through analytic methods such as GIS, the project has resulted in maps that combine sacred spaces and popular recreation areas to outdoor enthusiasts. Grounded in exploring relationships between thinking of landscapes as recreational playgrounds or as sacred spaces, my project aims to develop ways of mutual understanding across groups in how meaning, use, and value are attached to outdoor spaces. cbueermann@gmail.com (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

BYTH, Janice, GOEBEL, James, HAWVERMALE, Erica, GIAMARQO, Gi, SCOTT, Lauren, ALVARADO, Angela, and HENRY, Doug (UNT) Pick Two- School, Work, Social Life, Sleep: An Exploration of Undergraduates’ Sleeping Habits. Due to the need to balance academic stress, work and social life, undergraduate students’ sleep cycles can change dramatically during college. This research looks at how undergraduate students at the University of North Texas conceptualize ideal sleep, and how they perceive their own sleep habits matching up to that ideal. Participants discussed how they used assistive aids for falling asleep (melatonin, music, etc.) and staying awake (caffeine, Adderall, etc.) in order to navigate conflicting demands. This research is positioned to inform university administration how students sleep, how they learn sleep habits, and how the academic system impacts sleep hygiene. janicebyth@my.unt.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​

CACHORA, Natalia (U Arizona) Reconnecting Paiute Elders with Traditional Places. Paiute people have lost 92% of their homelands to EuroAmerican encroachment. Remaining on those lands are sacred sites, medicine plants, space travel caves, regions of refuge, and pilgrimage trails. For the past 40 years Paiute elders have returned with applied anthropologists to identify these heritage places and express concern for their preservation. (TH-131)​​​​​​​

CAPEL, Tara, REMIS, Melissa, and LINDSHIELD, Stacy (Purdue U) Ethnoprimatology: Preliminary Results of an Applied Approach to Highway Construction in Costa Rica. This project analyses how primates, including humans, use the forests of Refugio de Gandoca-Manzanillo, Jario Mora Sandoval, Costa Rica and what perceptions local people have about forest resources. Data was collected preceding highway construction. This roadway will improve travel, communication, and access to tourism for local communities, but also dissect the forest. Using transect data and semi-structured interviews, as well as working in tandem with local environmental organizations, will allow the project to develop a small baseline dataset permitting researchers to later assess how the forest, wildlife, and humans are positively and negatively impacted by construction. tcapel@purdue.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

CARRILLO, Mari and ALLISON, Kerensa (Lewis-Clark State Coll) Medical Pluralism: Shifts in Traditional Knowledge and Practice among Sobadores. Western medical systems often fail to recognize and treat culture-bound symptoms within Latino communities; therefore, an extensive network of traditional healers such as sobadores (musculoskeletal healers) persist within these communities to address the needs of cultural healing (Quandt et al 2017). This ethnographic, descriptive research will attempt to elucidate the healing framework and practice of sobadas, from the perspective of sobadores themselves, through a qualitative, phenomenological approach. It may also explain the shifts that sobadores and their practice are undergoing in relation to changing demands for integrative medicine and pluralistic medical systems in the U.S. mscarrillo@lcmail.lcsc.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

CHOWDHURY, Nusaiba (SMU) Idioms of Distress among Muslim Refugees: An Ethnographically-Informed Literature Review. Existing anthropological work suggests that health practitioners typically misunderstand what Muslim refugees are trying to communicate about mental health concerns and needs. This poster presents data from two sources. First, I review the anthropological literature about “idioms of distress,” or “adaptive responses or attempts to resolve a pathological situation in a culturally meaningful way,” (Nichter, 1981) among Muslim Iraqi, Afghan, and Syrian refugees. I also reflect on my own preliminary experiences of working with Muslim refugees in Cleveland, Ohio over five years, including six months of data collection during a project surrounding refugee needs regarding mental health care and treatment. nschowdhury@smu.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

COHN, Maxx (U Puget Sound) Masculinity through a Lens of Indoor Recreational Rock Climbing. I am conducting ethnographic research surrounding expressions of masculinity amongst rock climbers. Look specifically at how masculine expression intersects with the physical, psycho-social and emotional avenues of safety. This is a multi-gender study looking at how climbing culture, community, and lifestyle can be observed to better understand the roles in which masculine expression play towards whether all feel safe and welcomed. (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

COLLIVER, Amelia (U Puget Sound) Productivity, Competition, and Empowerment?: The Experience of Pondicherry Fisherwomen in the Context of Neoliberal Development. This study examines the impacts of neoliberal reforms on women in Tamil Nadu fishing villages. Neoliberalism is a political economic ideology that determines the viability of both individuals and governments based on economic productivity. Using ethnographic methods, I conducted a series of interviews with women in the village of Veerampattinam as well as with policy officials. The study finds that neoliberalism has caused shifts in government behavior, individual thought and action, and connection of women to traditional livelihood. However, women believe in collective responsibility, community unity, and empowerment beyond economic empowerment, which pose contradictions to neoliberal theory. acolliver@pugetsound.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

CONNELLY, Alicia and MURPHY, Arthur (UNCG), JONES, Eric C. (UTH TMC) Social Media and Political Mobilization: The ABC Day Care Fire in Hermosillo, Mexico. On June 5, 2009, a fire in the ABC daycare center in Hermosillo, Sonora, left 49 children dead and 40 hospitalized. This paper examines the crucial role social media, including Facebook and Twitter, played in initiating and executing political mobilization, organizing events, articulating feelings, placing blame, and discussing strategies to achieve justice. Several identifiable groups have emerged on social media. Through content analysis, this poster identifies the factors that distinguish the groups. These results build on our past social network analysis of how parents of injured vs. deceased parents created new webs of relations after the fire. amconnel@uncg.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

COUGHLAN, Michael (U Oregon), ABRAMS, Jesse (UGA), CRANDEL, Mindy (OR State U), and GAYER, Nicole (U Maine) Youth Aspirations amid Economic and Demographic Transition in Coos County, Oregon. We examined sociodemographic factors influencing perceptions and life course plans (aspirations) of public high school students in Coos County, Oregon. Rural communities in forested regions across the US are in the midst of a transformation driven by a complex mixture of economic, policy, and demographic dynamics. While some rural communities have flourished through these transitions, others have stagnated. In order to persist over the long term, forest-based rural communities must produce and reproduce themselves culturally and demographically. The aspirations of rural youth are key to future sociodemographic trajectories but also provide insights into community-level processes of sociocultural reproduction. mcoughla@uoregon.edu (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

CROWLEY, Sydney (TTU) Singing Discrimination: The Hidden Reality of Gender Inequality in Capoeira Songs. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that champions the celebration of diversity and advocates for inclusivity and acceptance. Its history establishes a legacy of resistance against oppression; however, based on my previous research into capoeira, I know that there is lip service paid to gender equality that does not reflect the reality of gender relations. I will use textual analysis of capoeira songs to examine overt and covert forms of gender discrimination and determine if a culture of gender inequality persists in the capoeira community today. (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

DAWSON, Kayla, O’BRIEN, Daniel, and COLLINGS, Margaret (IUP) Local Business Perceptions on Sustainability and Plastic Waste. Many large-scale corporations and organizations, due to their sheer size, are targeted to reduce their plastic waste and increase sustainability efforts. However, this leads to small scale local businesses being overlooked in the effort to create a more sustainable society. Does this mean entrepreneurs at local businesses avoid scrutiny for their sustainability efforts? Is sustainability something that local businesses are concerned about, particularly in rural areas? We draw from interviews with managers, owners, and employees of local businesses in Indiana, Pennsylvania, a small town in rural Northern Appalachia, to explore the shifting attitudes, discourses, and practices surrounding sustainability and plastic waste. dawsonkayla12@gmail.com (TH-131)​​​​​​​ 

DUNCAN, Carly and MORRISON, Penelope (Penn State U) Male Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrator’s Perspectives on Their Mental Health, Help Seeking, and IPV. Men who perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) are more likely to have a mental health issue (e.g. PTSD, general anxiety, panic disorder, etc.) than non-violent men. We conducted 34 semi-structured interviews with IPV perpetrators enrolled in a batterer intervention program in order to better understand their psychosocial health needs, including those related to mental health. Our preliminary results suggest participants report complex mental health issues, and low help-seeking behaviors, including a lack of willingness to engage in treatment. This study suggests that violence intervention programs may need to be tailored to meet the mental health needs of IPV perpetrators. (TH-131)