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Transcript of The Scholar: December 2012 Edition
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
1 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
Important Dates ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Blake Conrad—The Freshmen’s First Patti’s Trip ................................................................................ 3
Andrew Warner—An Interview with Zachary Ragland .................................................................... 3
Chloe Mullis—Up ’til Dawn ........................................................................................................................... 5
Jeremiah Langley—Honors Guest Speaker, Lynne Cherry ................................................................ 6
Lacey Wilkerson—The Color of Optimism .............................................................................................. 7
Riley Rich—Summer ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Lindsay Feigl—The Legendary Teacher .................................................................................................. 8
Hunter Lindberg—Haikus............................................................................................................................. 9
Junior/Senior Projects
Charles Busby ................................................................................................................................... 10
Eric Staggs .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Chelsea Boyd ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Colton Jones....................................................................................................................................... 12
Kerry Durso ....................................................................................................................................... 13
Erika Pugh .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Chelsea Boyd ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Michael Martin ................................................................................................................................. 15
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions herein
expressed are not representative of the University Scholars
Organization as a whole
Senior Editors: Photographers:
Riley Rich Katrina Moeller
Hunter Lindberg Laura Miller
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 2
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
Important Dates
Scholar Events— Fall Semester
All-Nighter: October 19th
Talon Falls, and Patty’s: October 28th
Halloween Party: October 30th
Scholar Trivia Bowl: November 5th-6th
Patty’s & Mammoth Cave: November 10th
Thanksgiving Party: November 15th
Christmas Party: December 3rd
All-Nighter: December 7th
Academic Calendar— Fall Semester
November 12-20 Advising & Early
Registration
November 21-25 Holiday
December 7 Classes end
December 8-14 Final Exams
December 15 Commencement 11 a.m.
For more information, visit:
http://catalog.utm.edu/content.php?
catoid=5&navoid=251#Fall_Semester__2012
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
3 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
The Freshmen’s First Patti’s Trip
Blake Conrad
On Wednesday, October 16, the freshmen Scholars
class took our first trip to Patti’s in Grand Rivers, Kentucky.
This fine eating establishment is held in high regards among
fellow scholars, and after taking the trip and eating the food, I
could completely see why this was such an important and fun
trip.
We started our trip with about an hour and a half ride to
Patti’s, which seemed to take a lot longer than it really did.
Everyone was excited to finally get there and see what all the
buzz was about. When we finally arrived, we were ecstatic to
get in and enjoy some of the wonderful attractions that Patti’s
brings. We all enjoyed the scenery as we made our way to the
main entrance. But one thought was on everyone’s mind: food.
We had a short wait inside but were soon shuffled into a back
room and were given seats. Before long, appetizers and bread
were flying as people raced to fill their hungry stomachs. All
the while, people were talking and laughing, truly enjoying
being together in such a wonderful place.
After a short wait, the main course was brought out and
the feast began. The food was all that everyone had hoped for.
Patti’s had lived up to our expectations. Everything was great,
and the service was very nice. It absolutely made for a
wonderful evening of dining with friends.
Finally, we finished our
meals and made our way out of the
restaurant. We decided to walk
around to the little shops and
attractions to see what they were
like. By far, the best part of the
night was the small zoo in the
back. Most of the animals were out
and about which made it much
more enjoyable. In fact, there was
one particular animal that everyone
seemed to enjoy. Everyone found a
certain angry llama to be
particularly hilarious.
The ride back did not seem to last nearly as
long as the ride there. The trip had brought us all closer
together as a class, so there was plenty of talk amongst
everyone on the way back. Everyone’s bellies were full,
and we were all happy together. There is no doubt in
my mind that every trip we take to Patti’s, be it just our
class or with everyone else in Scholars, will be just as
fun and exciting as this one was.
“What’s Happening?” Freshmen News Reports
“Great ideas often receive violent
opposition from mediocre minds. “
-Albert Einstein
An Interview with Zachary Ragland
Andrew Warner
I chose to interview one of the sophomore scholars for
this edition of the scholar. Zachary Ragland is spending
this semester on a travel study in Alaska. Going to
Alaska is something that he has wanted to do for some
time now. Though he is still in the United States, it is a
culture shock going from the flat landscape of
Tennessee to the frigid temperatures of Arctic. He is in
the land of sub-zero temperatures, Ice Road Truckers,
and Sarah Palin. Yet, despite all of the nuisances of the
fiftieth state, he is genuinely enjoying himself. Perhaps
there will be other scholars to follow in his footsteps
and experience a semester abroad.
How does your travel study to Alaska help your
major/project?
To begin with, I want to give a disclaimer that I
have always wanted to go to Alaska, and I have only
just found a way to make it seem major related. In all
honesty this semester will probably hurt me more than
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 4
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
it will help me with my major and project. However, the life experiences that I will gain will make it more than
worth it to me. I enjoy traveling and meeting new people. It has always fascinated me how people from different
parts of the country interact with each other and view life in general.
My schedule is fairly simple; I am only taking 15 credits. My classes are Animal Physiology, Introduction
to Fisheries, Religions of the World, Communications, Rock Climbing, and Ultimate Frisbee. The fisheries class
will not transfer, but we do not have many fisheries in Tennessee, so I took it more to learn than get credit. The
religions of the world may transfer, but I’m not too sure or worried about it, as I also took it for the knowledge
value. If I was to get technical, I only have two classes that are actually major related. As for my project, I
honestly do not have a clue as to what I will be doing, so my time in Alaska may or may not be beneficial.
Who are the people that you hang out with? Are they other exchange students?
There are quite a few national and international exchange students here in
Fairbanks. University of Alaska at Fairbanks is a huge melting pot of different
cultures. I have talked to people from Japan, Norway, Germany, Sweden, England,
Canada, Native Alaskans, not to mention people from all over the "lower 48" from
Florida to Washington and everywhere in between. I know there are people from
other countries and backgrounds here, but I have not had too much communication
with them. One of the people I hang out with the most is a native Alaskan. She is
three-eighths Aleut and Athabasca. She says she is the whitest native in Alaska, and
it is true as far as I can tell, though she is far from the stereotypical native woman.
She is a commercial fisherman, catching nearly 14,000 pounds of fish last summer,
which is how she pays for school. Another friend is from Texas, but he has lived in
the "village" for most of his life and is more native than most natives. As for my
non-native friends, I hang out with a Marine, an exchange student from Minnesota,
one from England, and other random people.
What do you do for fun?
Well, for fun it is about the same as in Martin. If you want to have fun, you have to make your own fun. I
am very rarely bored. Mostly I just hang out with people. I've taken a lot of hikes around campus and Ester
Dome. Last weekend I went to see The Wizard of Oz put on by the acting group in Fairbanks, and next weekend I
am going to Chena Hot Springs. I've heard great things about it. I go contra dancing (combination of square
dancing and line dancing) every couple of weekends because a bunch of people from the Minnesota group go.
Since I do not drive, if I want to go off campus, I can either take the mac buses or catch a ride with someone. A
couple of weeks ago I spent about 8 hours over 3 different nights outside looking at the Northern lights. I cannot
describe how beautiful they are. Seeing them made this entire endeavor worth it.
Are there any particular differences between Alaska and the UT Martin area?
Interesting differences between Alaska and the South? There certainly are. The first is the sun. Back home
it starts in the east, rises, goes almost overhead, and then sets in the west. Here the sun comes up, never really
leaves the horizon, and then goes back down. The days when I first got up here were about 17 hours long, but now
they’re closer to 9 hours and are getting shorter every day. Another difference is the temperature. It is 15 degrees
outside right now. Next week the temperature isn't supposed to rise above 10 degrees for a couple days. That
sounds really cold (and it is), but it is a different kind of cold. I thought I would be in a permanent state of cold up
here, but you get used to it really quickly.
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
5 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
The people are different. The biggest and saddest difference is no one has a southern accent. I really
miss it; it's one of those things you don't notice until it's gone. The people up here are friendly to an extent.
The best way I can explain it is by making a comparison. In Martin we only have vanilla ice cream with a
little chocolate and sherbet thrown in just so we can say it isn't all vanilla. Here in UAF there is vanilla,
chocolate, rocky road, moose tracks, cosmopolitan, sherbet, banana split, blueberry, strawberry, frozen native
berry, confused berry, I-don’t-know-what-you-are berry, and a few other flavors that I can't accurately
describe. That is the best way that I can describe the people up here. It is really diverse and has expanded
my personal bubble and opened my eyes to the differences not only in culture, but everything.
What are you taking away from the trip?
The most important thing that I am taking from this trip so far is how big the world really is. In
Martin, it is easy to feel excluded and forget about the rest of the people around the world. People are so
intense about everything they do up here, it is a little contagious. It has really been a life-changing
experience, and I hope the changes that I have tried to make in myself and on this campus will be long lasting
changes. People say that Alaska can steal a person, and I have to say it is true. I love this place, and until I
get home I won't know if it is the people up here or the land itself that I love. Either way, I will be returning
to Alaska eventually. This trip for me is a chance to find out who I truly am and continue to grow physically,
mentally, and spiritually.
Zachary Ragland is a sophomore Scholar with a major in Animal Science. He aspires to become a
veterinarian. Zach will be flying back to the “lower 48” on December 16th of this year.
Up ‘til Dawn
Chloe Mullis
There are many activities and community service opportunities at UT Martin. One service
that I took part in and enjoyed was Up ‘til Dawn. This event was held on October 9th in the Student
Rec Center. Up ‘til Dawn is an event that encourages students to bring as many addresses as they can
to send letters, asking for donations to help children who are patients at St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital. At our event, we were handed a stack of letters and
envelopes to fill out, and then we sat down at a table with other
students. The students were asked to fill out the letter with their
information, sign it, and address the envelope. There were also door
prize drawings and minute-to-win-it games. The minute-to-win-it
games were short, competitive games to add a little entertainment to
addressing envelopes. There were also party jumpers in the back of
the gym for people to take a break and have some fun.
The theme for this year’s event was “Save the Day the Saint
Jude Way.” The t-shirts had a Batman symbol on them, representing
the superhero-themed motto. An incentive for people to write as many letters as possible was a neat t-
shirt for students who wrote fifty or more. This encouraged people to write more letters, bringing in
more donations, and helping St. Jude even more. Although there was an incentive, the true reason so
many people were there was the same: they wanted to come together for the cause. Personally, this
event made me feel like I was a part of something greater than myself, and I was helping children
who are struggling every day. Being selfless is an important part of life, and I am glad that UT Martin
took part in this opportunity to help the children of St. Jude.
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 6
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go
outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature
and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that
God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature. ...I
firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” - Anne Frank
Honors Guest Speaker, Lynne Cherry
Jeremiah Langley
On the night of October 2, 2012, award winning children’s book author and filmmaker Lynne
Cherry came to give a talk entitled Conservation & Inspiration: Science, Books and Films in Watkins
Auditorium at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Among the audience members were Education
majors, teachers, budding authors, and environmentalists.
As a child, Lynne Cherry was always outdoors watching nature’s creatures, birds being among
her favorites. One day, while watching her cat stalk birds, Lynne discovered that, because her cat was
still, the birds couldn’t see him. Soon, she also found that if she too “…stayed as still as a statue, I
[Lynne] would be invisible to the birds….” In being so still, she would find goldfinches and other birds
flying so close to her face that she could feel the edges of their wings flutter against her skin. This
inspired then eight-year-old Lynne to write and illustrate what would become one of her first children’s
books: Archie, Follow Me.
Having already written several successful books, Cherry decided to write a children’s book
about the history of the restoration of the Nashua River in Massachusetts.
While conducting her research about the river for her book, she said that she
“accidentally” earned her Master’s degree from Yale University. Upon
finishing her research, and earning a M.A. in history, she was able to write
her Reading Rainbow Featured Book, A River Ran Wild: An Environmental
History.
One of her most recent works (of which she was a co-author), How
We Know What We Know about Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids
Explore Global Warming, inspired many children world-wide, from Russia to
Germany to the United States, to do whatever they could to help the
environment and stop global climate change. Upon learning about what these
children had done, she made several short films all entitled Young Voices for
the Planet. With the help of the National Geographic Society, these films
will be available, along with lesson plans based on them, to educators
worldwide.
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
7 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
“Creative Outlet” Sophomore Creative Pieces
The Color of Optimism
Lacey Wilkerson
If optimism was clear like a child’s drawing of a sunny day, then I’d have nothing else to write
about. If it was a flawless, shimmering shade of gold that twinkled in a fool’s eye, then who among us
could say they possessed it? Maybe optimism is blue like a river cutting through stone or the twinkling
in a newborn’s eye. It could be green like the individual blades of grass that form the behemoth of a
meadow’s floor. Many say it’s yellow like a daffodil blooming in the early spring, but who can yield
optimism so pure? Surely not me or anyone else that goes through the trials of living.
In contrast, perhaps optimism is stained red by the loss and despondency that we optimists
overcome. Even more, optimism could be a displeasing shade of brown like the muck one wades
through before they may truly grasp said emotion. It could even be a dark and cloying shade of purple, a
bruise on the pride of those who seek optimism but are not able to find it. Yet it hardly seems just to
label a beautiful thing like optimism with such a pitiful shade. Who could possibly be optimistic if the
color of it was this dismal and discouraging?
This is what leads me to say that optimism must be
gray. Yes, gray. What is gray but a mixture of the lightest and
the darkest of colors? They need to be placed together to form
the balance required to truly perceive optimism at its finest.
Without black, white is nothing but hope without action. It is an
absence. Without white, black can not reflect anything it
encounters. Together they make a shade that can correspond
and enhance any color under the sun.
Riley Rich
Summer
I breathe in, And Out
Delaying the inevitable, desiring only to be absent
Closing my eyes, I lull myself into denial
Open, but there it is
Closed
A box, undeniable in its formality
Its dense pressure
Is there anything within? They tell me there is
But there is nothing in the box
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 8
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
Was there ever?
The vague sorrow says there was
My father, sobbing next to me, desperately desired it
Stiff with grief, my grandmother knew for certain
We three, so alike in nature
He and I, similarly bewildered
She, isolated in miserable clarity
But I? I alone am skeptical
And that is what haunts me
The Legendary Teacher
Lindsey Feigl
The bell rang signaling the start of my favorite class, Gifted. Next to me, my friend Carrie started
her daily jabbering about all the drama going on in our fifth grade class. My focus slowly drifted away
and the dull roar of the class faded. I found myself staring blankly over Carrie’s right shoulder at our
teacher. Mrs. Hilgeman was organizing some papers at her desk, finishing up the lesson for the day. My
gaze drifted toward the front of the room when something caught my attention. Big white letters streaked
across the normally blank chalkboard reading, “Welcome Mr. Cerutti!”
I turned back to Carrie and asked, “Who’s Mr. Cerutti?” cutting her off mid-sentence. She gave
me her infamous “you’ve got to be kidding me” glare. “That’s who I’ve been talking about this whole
time! Haven’t you been paying any attention? He’s the middle school Gifted teacher. My sister says he’s
the best teacher she’s ever had.”
The door squeaked open and the dull roar of the room turned
silent. A man passed through the doorway dragging his right foot
behind his left like a character from a horror film. His massive
stature, broad shoulders, and curved neck filled the room with an
anxious energy. “That’s him,” Carrie whispered. Panic swept
through me, rattling my knee caps; this immense, broken man was
going to be my teacher next year. He awkwardly made his way
across the room to the front and stood next to Mrs. Hilgeman,
dwarfing her.
“Hello Mrs. Hilgeperson,” said Mr. Cerutti in his aged yet cheerful
voice.
Although his stature was frightening, he looked around the room with eyes of wisdom. He
carefully studied every one of us not in judgment, but rather trying to learn something special about each
individual person. When his intense stare reached me, I immediately looked down at the floor, but the
image of his passionate, bright blue eyes was burned into my memory. They were eyes of intelligence and
experience. It looked as though he had conquered every obstacle any one person could face in a lifetime.
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
9 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
Haikus
Hunter Lindberg
Time happens briefly.
A bit in every moment.
Here so fast and gone.
Dazzling white snow,
The landscape like a canvas.
Brilliant perfection.
The air is thin, crisp.
Looking down upon the world,
Through stories of clouds.
Simplicity is:
Understated, beautiful.
Not the minimum.
What is our impact,
Across all of space and time?
Ripples on a lake.
Still, timeless, and dead.
Deserts on the Moon and Earth,
Are they so different?
Death feeds into life.
Ends begin us all again.
The wheel never stops.
City streets birth filth,
Crime, corruption, and litter.
Return to the past.
I looked up from my feet as I heard Mrs. Hilgeman’s familiar voice, “Everyone, this is Mr. Cerutti.
All of you are going to have the extreme honor of having him as your teacher next year. He’s here today to
tell you about what you’ll be doing next year in his Gifted class and when he’s finished you’ll be able to ask
him any questions you’d like.”
“Thank you,” Mr. Cerutti said with a crooked grin. His eyes lit up like candles in excitement, “Ok,
next year we’ll be reading three books and discussing them in class. There will also be a final test on each
book,” he paused with the class’s uniform “awe” and brushed his short grey hair back from his eyes, “We’ll
also be doing a few projects such as the architecture project, where you’ll design your own house and then
build it out of cardboard.”
An enthusiastic murmur came from my classmates and I as a smile danced at the corners of Mr.
Cerutti’s mouth. “Ok, ok,” Mr. Cerutti said throwing his hands up attempting to quiet his audience.
Suddenly, as if someone had flipped a switch, his lightheartedness turned serious; “Now, it is not my job to
give you all A’s. It is my job to give you my best efforts as a teacher and push you as best I can.” Mr.
Cerutti continued, “In return,” he paused, “I expect the same respect from you. Every day you’re in my
class, I expect you to give me your best effort in learning. Now, if I’m doing my job, you’ll want to push
yourself and you’ll want to succeed in my class, which is what I find to be true with most of my students.
But you have to take it upon yourself and go the extra mile to do well in my class.”
In that moment, I made it my personal goal to not only reach, but exceed his expectations. I wanted to be
the best student I could possibly be for Mr. Cerutti.
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 10
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
“Independent Studies” Junior & Senior Projects
Paradise unseen,
Perfection shown through nature.
Illudes us always.
Man seeks to improve
That which God has made perfect.
Folly at its height.
Below the surface,
Jesus raises up his hands.
We have drowned him there.
Calm, lush meadow, green.
A deer raises its proud head.
Inhales the sweet air.
Put on your shoes now,
It is time to face the day.
Walking to our graves.
Clouds rise from the land.
Make their journey, dissipate.
A geyser’s lament.
The master is space.
And it holds us all in place,
Moves like chess pieces.
Charles Busby
Mentor: Dr. Nathan Howard
Tradition, family, and Tommy guns–these are a few characteristics Hollywood has attributed to early
20th century organized crime, and which many have come to associate with the period. But do they give a true
picture? Anytime Hollywood influences people’s perception of history, I become anxious, which is why my
project endeavors to discern how genuinely early 20th century traditional organized crime is portrayed in modern
American popular culture and mass media. Specific areas of interest will include familial relationships, brutality
of crimes, hierarchical structures, and several other potentially distorted concepts and images of what organized
crime really entailed. I will draw from both primary and modern sources and theories describing organized crime
in early 20th century America, including, but not limited to police and FBI records, United States congressional
committee reports, journals, novels, and biographies/autobiographies. Sources for comparison from the popular
culture and mass media may include newspapers, novels, movies, and TV shows.
This semester’s primary goals are to 1) identify distinctive characteristics of traditional organized crime
as found in all/most forms of mass media 2) study both scholarly and popular depictions of traditional organized
crime to form a more complete base knowledge of the subject matter, and 3) learn how to clearly and fairly
compare scholarly and popular portrayals of gangsters. Other important objectives are discovering and delving
into primary source material, i.e. finding a germane archive to visit; gaining an idea of what the experts are still
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
11 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
Eric Staggs
Mentor: Dr. Abigail Shelton
Second Reader: Dr. Phillip Shelton
Characterization and Synthesis of Fluorescent and Phosphorescent Compounds
My research is off to a slow start, but it is quickly picking up. Dr. Shelton and I have
acquired our own lab space. We spent a few meeting times cleaning up after the last inhabitants,
organizing the chemicals and equipment we were able to obtain. We also went over the chemistry
we will be studying. We outlined how we are going to start, the map we hope to follow, and our
destination. I also learned and practiced the procedure for using a nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR) instrument. Specifically, I learned to obtain a H1NMR. We lost a few meeting times due to
the lack of availability of our desired compounds. They had to be specially ordered, and the
reaction could not proceed without them.
Once the chemicals we needed arrived, we began
work on our first reaction. We are conducting this
experiment in order to help me become more comfortable
working with these types of compounds and in teaching
me what to expect from the various reactions such as our
current reaction of potassium tetrachloroplatinate and 2-
phenyl benzothiazole.
Throughout the semester, my plan is to continue to
gain more confidence in the lab and become more efficient
in my work. As soon as I am able to obtain decent product
yields and am comfortable with the procedure and
chemistry of our experiments, we will begin the
photophysical characterization of the desired compounds.
asking about this period (historiographical research);
and catching up on some good gangster movies I’ve
not been able to watch. My biggest challenge will be
discovering firsthand accounts from gangsters and
their associates, as it is unpropitious to describe one’s
illegal exploits. My mentor and I are both very excited
to evaluate how correct or incorrect popular opinion is
in regards to the reality of traditional organized crime.
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival
value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” - C.S. Lewis
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 12
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
Chelsea Boyd
Mentor: Dr. David Carithers
My intentions for the next two years are to write a novel for my University Scholar’s project. I
intend for it to be a novel that is in the style of a murder-mystery and with a strong undercurrent of
psychology. I am currently planning for the novel to have the main character working to solve a murder
committed by someone with a psychological problem, such as schizophrenia. By having the antagonist
of the novel be afflicted with a psychological disorder, the plot will be intriguing because the main
character will have to go through much more complicated ordeals and trials to solve the murder and
bring the criminal to justice than one would have to when dealing with a mentally sound subject.
Dr. David Carithers is my mentor for my
research project. As of now, I do not have a second
reader, but I plan to have a second reader that is a
psychology professor. Dr. Carithers and I are working to
develop my skills in writing using a writer’s journal. I
am currently writing in the journal on a daily basis to
help develop the main character and story line as fully as
possible and to help keep track of possible ideas for the
plot. The purpose of my writer’s journal is to help me
develop my characters, imagery, and plot while allowing
my progress to be monitored by Dr. Carithers. At this
point in the semester, Dr. Carithers and I have been
working to make sure my main character is dynamic
enough to make the plot and storyline more realistic,
Colton Jones
Mentor: Dr. Wes Totten Plant Growth Regulators
My University Scholars project involves research on 'Tifway' Bermudagrass Growth Regulation
in Golf Course Roughs. The research is conducted on campus at the University of Tennessee at Martin
at the newly established Rhodes Golf Center behind the Dunagan Alumni Center on Farm Road. Plant
growth regulators, or PGRs, limit gibberellic acid synthesis, which in turn limits cell division and
elongation, preventing vertical growth. This project will be a joint effort with two PGA Agronomists:
Dr. Bert McCarty at Clemson University and Dr. Scott McElroy at Auburn University. The purpose of
this project is to determine the possibility of minimizing the mowing needs on 'Tifway' Bermudagrass
golf course roughs.
My mentor is Dr. Wes Totten, Professor of Plant Science, and my second reader is Dr.
Barbara Darroch, Lab Coordinator. Research began in the summer of 2012. When I returned to UT
Martin from my summer internship at the beginning of August 2012, I began spraying plant growth
regulator applications on a turf plot that is broken up into four rows of nine – 3m2 sections. This is set up
for four replications of eight different PGR applications plus a control. Three applications were made on
June 25, July 25, and August 24, and height, turf quality, turf injury, seed-head percentage, and weed
count were evaluated weekly after initial treatment (WAIT). Height was rated in centimeters (cm). Turf
quality was rated visually on a scale from one to nine, where one equates to brown turf and nine equates
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
13 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
to dark green, with less than seven being unacceptable. Turf injury
was visually assessed on a scale of 0 to 100% with less than 30%
being unacceptable. Seed-head percentage was visually assessed on
a scale of 0 to 100%. Weed count was calculated by physically
counting and identifying each weed in each plot. Although there
will be two years of research, there should be enough data to
publish and present the findings after the first year. A few of the
possible venues for presentations include the Southern Weed
Science Society in January and McCurdy's Turf Day in February.
Kerry Durso
Mentor: Dr. Julie Hill
Second Reader: Dr. Jessie Thoman
"The Marriage of Music and Literature: A Study of Compositions Based on Literature, Past and Present"
For the University Scholars Senior Project requirement, I am researching the use of literature in
musical compositions throughout history and compiling a set of criteria common to these pieces. I have
commissioned a new musical composition that employs these defined characteristics while also expanding
the body of works available for music performance world-wide involving percussion and literature. I have
contacted Dr. Michael Aukofer, the selected composer for my commission. After having sent many
informational documents and musical files to the composer, I have continued to communicate with Michael
on the progress of the composition process and how aspects of the piece highlight the literary selection, The
Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. I will describe the commission process and all interaction with the composer
within the paper as well. My witty title is drawn from my commission, which unites The Great Divorce with
a musical composition to combine two of my passions, music and literature, into a genre of performance that
will be expanded by this contribution. Here’s an excerpt of my paper thus far:
In the 1150s, the nun Hildegard von Bingen wrote the text and composed the Ordo Virtutum,
pioneering the medieval liturgical drama genre of “morality play”, a term which Oxford Music Dictionary
defines as “sung religious dialogues, ceremonies and plays in Latin”. (Stevens) Von Bingen’s was the first
morality play by more than a century and depicts a human soul that is torn between temptation and salvation.
Anima, the female soul, is persuaded by sixteen women who represent different virtues and a man playing
the devil . . . Since she wrote the text and music herself, the two parts of Hildegard’s finished work melded
into an inseparable whole. As traditional recorder player Andy Anderson described, “The music is sung
monophonic lines for female voices, plus a spoken, or perhaps more accurately shouted part for a man
playing the devil.” Using the text as dialogue between characters enforces the 82 different melodies that
create motifs and themes to mirror and recreate the text. Stringed instruments accompany the female
characters in some chants, but most of the monophonic chant is unsupported, increasing the awe-inspiring
The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization 14
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
and eerie sound of the vocalists. The chorus very rarely employs heterophony,
creating more than one musical line, but continues to move with the same rhythm.
Anima’s part is sung solely. When the virtues speak as a group, one leads with the
first line of the text, the others joining on the second. The first time instruments
play simultaneously with the singers is after the Devil speaks for the first time, to
counter the Devil’s speech. The Virtues sing over top of a unison note from the
strings, crying out to Innocence, one of the 16 virtues. This is because Innocence
has been lost from Anima, the soul,
when she realizes she is not perfect and
cannot live up to the “dress” of divinity
that she desires to wear. The Virtues
tell Innocence to mourn the loss of the
soul’s want to know God. The Devil
then destroys the serenity left behind
the women’s lines with his coarse,
shouted verse.
This piece was first notated in chant notation in an
illuminated manuscript at the monastery, shown here.
Erika Pugh
My Scholars project is on the education level and attitudes towards Biomedical Ethics. While
conducting an article search, I came across a report entitled “Bioethics: Awareness, attitudes and opinions
among University students and Faculty/Researchers.” This was the first time that I have found an article so
similar to my topic. I became even more excited when I realized the study was conducted in Pakistan. Here is
a study quite similar to my own, conducted in an entirely different culture, with different values and beliefs. In
my survey, I am presenting participants with four case studies that have different primary subjects. The
subjects include the following: full disclosure, stem cell research, the practices of pharmaceutical companies,
and informed consent. One of the survey questions assesses how important the participant feels the topic is.
After analyzing the data, I will be able to compare the values of individuals in the United States to those in
Pakistan.
The Pakistan study found that cloning, abortion, and organ
donation are considered the most important topics in bioethics. The
researchers believe that this is due to reasons of the “glamour
attached to the technology, moral connotations and the hype created
by media respectively”. The study also concluded that educated youth
generally have a more positive attitude toward science and
technology and how it affects people’s lives.
It is quite possible that my findings will be similar. My
hypothesis is that individuals possessing higher levels of education
will be more open to the direction science is taking and will be more
likely to side with the researcher/science in the presented case studies.
I hope that the government and other institutions can use the findings
of this research to develop more applicable laws based on what the public feels is important.
The Scholar December 2012 Edition
15 The University of Tennessee at Martin’s University Scholars Organization
Michael Martin
My project, which has only the vaguest of working titles at the moment, has had its share of ups and
downs. This has culminated in an entirely new project, beginning the summer before my senior year. I was
lucky enough to have Dr. Pershell sign on at the end of the Spring semester of 2012, and under her guidance
we created a lengthy to-do list for the summer. In order to fit four semesters of work into one year, it quickly
became apparent that the summer had to be utilized. The goal I set out to accomplish during the summer was
to compete roughly one and a half semesters worth of work. I accomplished roughly one semester’s worth. In
order to make up ground, we have worked to set very specific deadlines for this semester, which I have been
regularly meeting.
On a much more interesting note, I will fill you in on some details of my project. Similarly, I am sure,
to the majority of those reading this, I have been lucky to receive enough scholarships to avoid taking out stu-
dent loans. However, I have witnessed friends and acquaintances of mine take out superfluously large loans
which are then spent on leisure and luxury. Being keenly interested in personal finance, I was curious to see if
there were any loopholes or situations in which a particularly disciplined college student might be able to turn
a profit via investing said superfluously large loans. While the system has several safeguards to stop such a
scheme, there are several scenarios such that success can be ascertained. How much profit? To whom do these
methods apply? For those wonderful tidbits and more you will have to wait for the final write up of the project.
I feel that my project has two levels of significance. One level is the academic fun of abusing a little
math to theoretically earn some “free” money, the whole idea reeks of rebellious nerd fun. On the other hand,
there is the possibility that some lucky (or if we have some terrible catastrophic economic melt-down,
unlucky) freshman happens across my project in the future when it is on display in the scholar study. What if
someone trusts my math and follows my plan? While not applicable to all candidates, my project in particular
holds the potential of being utilized by future students to help them succeed financially. Rather than giving
some abstract insight into a random problem, I am trying to offer something of practical use.
“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of
imagination.” - Oscar Wilde