2017 Symposium Schedule: Virtual Symposium

Disaster Recovery for Critical Information Systems
Jennifer Mathews Anderson

In a world where it is more when a disaster strikes than if, it is more important than ever for companies to properly develop and practice a disaster recovery plan. In this research I will address how to identify potential sources of a disaster, how to identify critical information systems that can be affected, and how disaster recovery planning will help a company get these systems back up and in action as quickly as possible. 

Faculty Mentor: Mr. Herman Martin, Information Technology & Security

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Explaining Evil: The Person-Situation Debate
Ryan Collinsworth

This presentation analyzes the prisoner abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison from the perspective of social psychology and from personality psychology. Strengths and weaknesses of each perspective are considered.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Guy Vitaglione, Psychology

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Emergency Response: Sarin Gas Attack
Courtney Cunningham

Proper planning and response is an important part of the emergency administration and response field. Briefs are meant to supply pertinent information to policy-makers for decision-making purposes. The scenario involves a sarin gas attack at the Queens Plaza subway station in New York City, New York during a morning commute. Through several briefs, information about sarin, the subway station, governmental relations, military use, occupational health hazards, and communication plans are detailed. Concise, accurate data is of the upmost importance, as timely decisions and response can have a critical impact in saving lives.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. John C. Mero, Political Science

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Violence in Virtual Reality Video Games: The Impact on Aggressive Behaviors of Adolescents
Angela Devlin

Although previous studies have examined the link between violence in video games and aggressive behavior, current research must consider advancing technology, such as the degree of realism and increased sense of control provided by virtual reality gaming. The number of adolescents who play video games is increasing, just as the popularity of virtual reality gaming. The proposed study will examine the role of virtual reality technology in the newest video games - especially violent games- and the possible effect on an adolescent’s behavior. 

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Katherine Van Allen, Psychology/Education

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Excessive Cell Phone Use Among Parents and the Repercussions Upon Child Development and Parent-Child Relationships 
Natalia Ricks

My presentation will be based on an op-ed paper that I wrote for a social psychology class. In this paper, I discuss the negative impact of parents’ excessive mobile device usage on their relationships with their children. I present evidence from experts in the field to support my thesis that excessive device use can be harmful as well as discuss the importance of a healthy parent-child relationship.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Katherine Van Allen, Psychology/Education

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