Title: The Use of Math Sprint in a Tutorial Program for Seventh Grade Students to Improve End of Grade Test Scores
Members: Autumn Luke, Jean Bevins, Joyce Bevins & Malcom Mcconner
Mentors: Dr. Darnell Johnson & Cedric Hall
Abstract
A "Math Sprint tutorial model" was used to improve the End of Grade (EOG) test scores on seventh grade students at Elizabeth City Middle School in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. This unique learning technique, developed at Elizabeth City State University, was used during a four-week study group composed of seventh grade students to enhance EOG test scores. The pre-test questions covered topics from the "North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study" which consisted of five competencies: number and operations, measurement, geometry, algebra, and data analysis and probability. The North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study is based on a philosophy of teaching and learning mathematics that is consistent with the current research, exemplary practices, and national standards. A diagnostic exam, corrective instruction, Math Sprints, and a post test were used to assist students with understanding of seventh grade math. The results of the pre and post exams showed student improvement in understanding seventh grade math.

Title: A Geophysical and Hydrogeological Study of a Historic Site in Northeastern U.S. for Assessment of Possible of Impact of Climate Change
Mentor: Michael Ruthier, Gopal Mulukatala
Abstract
This study reports on a project undertaken to assess the vulnerability of historic structures to the possible impacts of climate change using data collected from field geophysical survey, geospatial mapping, and a simulation to understand the hydrological conditions of the site. The study site chosen for this project is the Strawbery Banke Living History Museum, in Portsmouth, NH. Located very close to the banks of the Piscataqua River at its meeting point with the Atlantic Ocean, it consists of many buildings of historical importance dating as far back as 1690. Upstream of the river is the tidal estuary system, the Great Bay which itself is formed by a confluence of seven major rivers, making it a highly dynamic, tide-dominated body of fresh and saltwater. Strawbery Banke is representative of the type of architectural stylings, building composition, and landscapes that will likely be impacted by climate change along the northeastern Atlantic coast. Particular attention is paid to structures and archeology surrounding Puddle Dock; a tidal inlet that once provided direct river access to Strawbery Banke (and since filled around 1900) that lies at the heart of the facility. Visual inspection of the basements and foundations of the historic structures indicate that closest to the river bank suggest that there is seepage of water at regular intervals coinciding with high tides. There is a case to be made for further examination using in situ methods so as to understand the dynamics of the freshwater-saltwater exchange including examining the seasonal variation, especially during the summer. Results from the long term deployment of in-situ water level loggers in test wells, temperature and relative humidity sensors, and a ground penetration radar survey of the Puddle Dock, along with the detailed fine-scale elevation survey of the site are reported. Much of that data is input into an integrated model of the site that involves the simulation of fresh-water ground-water and the possible changes in them from increased ground water levels, and storm surge that are possible from the climate change. Preliminary results indicate that at present Puddle Dock, acts as a conduit for tidal flows, albeit in a restrained manner. This can be attributed to the very unscientific way that it was filled perhaps with garbage, and other waste. This project is in part funded by a grant from National Geographic Society's Waitt Grant program, and by NASA and The University of New Hampshire through the Research and Discover Program

Title: A Study on the Viability of Hadoop Usage on the Umfort Cluster for the Processing and Storage of CReSIS Polar Data Team Members: JerNettie Burney, Glen Koch, Jean Bevins& Cedric Hall
Mentor: Je'aime Powell
Keywords-Hadoop; NameNode; MapReduce; Hive; HBase; HDFS; Zookeeper; JobTracker
Abstract
The primary focus of this research was to explore the capabilities of Hadoop as a software package to process, store and manage CReSIS polar data in a clustered environment. The investigation involved Hadoop functionality and usage through reviewed publications. The team's research was aimed at determining if Hadoop was a viable software package to implement on the Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) Umfort computing cluster. Utilizing case studies processing, storage, management, and job distribution methods were compared. A final determination of the benefits of Hadoop for the storing and processing of data on the Umfort cluster was then made.

Title: Correspondence Between Inherent Optical Properties and Net Oxygen Production
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Salisbury
Abstract
Data was collected onboard a Lagrangian cruise in order to find correlations and relationships between a biological oxygen stock and inherent optical properties in the Gulf of Maine. A buoy drifting at 12 meters was tracked during a two and a half week process. Using a CTD (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) profiler along with an IOP (Inherent Optical Property) profiler, were able to take profiles of the Gulf of Maine according to the location of the buoy.
Upon completion of the cruise, we went into the data processing stage. We used MatLab as a platform to read the data from our profiling machines, and manipulate it to search for relationships. We wanted to integrate our variables down the euphotic zone, which is where light is equal to 1% of the surface light. The importance of the euphotic zone is that this is where oxygen production and consumption happens due to biology (Photosynthesis and Respiration). Using a MatLab formula we were able to derive integrated stocks of each of the variables and developed plots.
Our graphs consisted of concentrations, inventories, and rates of change. The IOP profiling machine produced hundreds of variables, however we only viewed a few such as absorption, attenuation and particle backscattering at different wavelengths, chlorophyll fluorescence, and a couple more. Of the variables viewed, particle backscattering at 555 nanometers gave us the best relationship to oxygen. We developed temporal differencing plots in order to see whether or not this relationship remained consistent throughout the day, and we found that as the oxygen stock changed, so did the particle backscattering stock.

Title: The Effects of Sea Surface Temperature on the Wind Speeds of Major Hurricanes of the 2005 Atlantic Region, a Reexamination of Satellite Remote Sensing Data and Research.

Team Members: Cedric Hall, Jean Bevins, Nicolas Tabron, Ashley Basnight
Team Mentor: Dr. Jinchun Yuan
Key Terms: Sea Surface Temperatue, Wind Speed

Abstract: The primary focus of this research was to study the effects of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) on the Wind Speeds of Major Hurricanes of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season. By this, reexaminations of Satellite Remote Sensing Data and previously recorded research had to be considered. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provided a precise account of Physical Oceanography Data, taken by remotely sensed instruments during Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and Depressions of the 2005 Atlantic region. The Oceanography team reviewed publications, in which similar research was conducted to empathize with the controversial debate to which scientist have argued over what actually causes Hurricane intensity. Several theoretical notions were produced from the data and research reviewed.
Thus, we conducted our own research and analysis on Sea Surface Temperature in regards to Wind Speed.We expected to either disprove or prove the ongoing contentious arguments by seeking precise results. We used Microsoft Excel to find correlations between Sea Surface Temperature and Wind Speed to accumulate our final results.

Title: Survey and analysis of Post-LGM Environment.
Team Members: Cedric Hall, Laesha Barnes
Mentors: Dr. Malcolm LeCompte and Dr. Dewayne Branch

Abstract
North America's Laurentide Ice Sheet reached its maximum extent approximately 20,000 years ago when its south-easternmost margin reached present day New Brunswick in central New Jersey. There is no evidence that successive glaciations preceding the most recent episode penetrated much further south than the Mason-Dixon demarcation in the eastern United States. However, topographical changes attributed to the harsh weather during glacial intervals are purported to remain visible far to the South. Prominent among these features are numerous elliptically shaped, shallow depressions called collectively Carolina Bays, hypothesized to have been formed by "blow outs" of loose sediment by the strong, sustained winds characteristic of glacial epochs.
Approximately13,000 years ago, the Laurentide Ice Sheet's retreat was interrupted by a return to glacial climatic conditions that persisted for over 1,000 years. The events precipitating the dramatic, millennial long climatic cooling known as the Younger Dryas remain both a mystery and the subject of debate. Some proposed mechanisms for initiating the YD hypothesize that Carolina Bay formation might be have occurred as a consequence of an extraterrestrial impact although evidence has been reported indicative of an earlier genesis.
While some research has indicated the bays were formed during prior glacial epochs, there are also indications the bays may be more recent features formed during the Younger Dryas.
If earlier, the bays would have experienced successive periods of post formation modification due to alternating cold, dry and warm, moist climatic conditions. In this event, Carolina Bays would episodically be filled with wind blown sediment or water. During the more clement periods, archeological evidence reveals the bays frequently became shallow ponds whose micro-ecosystems supported transient paleo-indian populations, camped on bay rims.
Core samples and carbon 14 dating indicates Rockyhock Carolina Bay, north of Edenton, NC is far older than YD onset. Its proximity to ECSU makes it a candidate for application of Ground penetrating RADAR to determine if its physical structure is consistent with an pre-YD formation date. Therefore, to obtain a clearer understanding of the processes that shaped the coastal topography of North Carolina during the Younger Dryas or previous glaciations will be carried out using a combination of Ground Penetrating RADAR (GPR) and coring to extract subsurface samples to probe the subsurface deposits of selected depressions.