Arts - Buffalo State College

98
Physical Geography, Sciences, and Mathematics
quarterbacks, but also ones that had good college statistics but did
not succeed in the NFL. Using several online references, I observed
various categories such as completion percentage, touchdowns,
and interceptions. Also, I considered other factors such as combine
statistics and how they affected their respective teams positively or
negatively. Any overall team improvement would be considered a
positive impact, and the opposite would be measured as a negative
impact. I will use my findings to predict the success of some of
the big name players who are entering the draft this year such as
Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster I
Geochemical Analysis of Associated Granite
Bodies From the Eastern Sebago Pluton,
Maine
Krista Ventura, Geology
Faculty Mentors: Professor Gary Solar, Earth Sciences and Science
Education and Professor Paul Tomascak, Geochemistry (SUNY
Oswego)
As part of a large-scale, ongoing project, the research focused
on rocks in the northern Appalachians, north of Portland, Maine.
Evidence shows partial melting of rocks during their deformation,
and the emplacement of associated granite bodies of various sizes.
Study of the relations of the mineral patterns and associated granite
bodies at several scales is a means of understanding granite magma
production, travel and emplacement as granite bodies. My work
was focused on the geochemical analysis of granitic rocks from the
Eastern Sebago Pluton. Geochemistry is used to help understand
the age and composition of the rock source. Field work was done to
obtain samples from the field area near Poland, Maine. Two distinct
areas were explored for sampling, the Sebago Pluton, and an area to
the north that has rocks of similar composition to that of the Sebago
Pluton. We conducted new mapping along an E-W corridor along
the north contact of the Sebago pluton as part of our lab’s ongoing
work on understanding the relation of the pluton to its migmatitegranite
complex country rocks reported on previously by students
in our lab in the last 5 years (LaFleur, Nyitrai, Bohlen, Naschke). In
the summers of 2010 and 2011, we discovered this area of similarity
to the pluton that was separated from the pluton by the migmatitegranite
complex country rocks. Rocks in the pluton are typically
medium-grained, and homogeneous 2-mica granite, whereas
the complex outside the pluton is plastically deformed, strongly
heterogeneous migmatites, and granites with varying solid-state
fabrics. 2011 field work was required in order to both (1) check field
data against my 2010 lab results, and to (2) continue mapping in
unexplored parts of the field area near Poland, Maine. Geochemistry
was performed on selected specimens in the geochemistry laboratory
at Syracuse University. Results show positive correlations with
previous field data.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster VI
Growth and Low Temperature Optical
Studies of HoMnO 3 Thin Films
Anthony Delmont, Physics
Faculty Mentor: Professor Ram Rai, Physics
We prepared multiferroic HoMnO 3 by a conventional solid-state
method. We used high purity Ho 2O 3 and Mn 2O 3 powder samples
(and also Ho 2O 3 and MnO 2) to synthesize two different batches of
HoMnO 3. The synthesized HoMnO 3 compound was pressed into halfinch
diameter pellets using a hydraulic press, and the pellets were
used as the target material for the electron-beam system. To fabricate
high quality thin films, we deposited HoMnO 3 thin films on different
single crystal substrates, such as sapphire, quartz, YSZ, and LiNbO 3,
using the electron-beam evaporation system. We studied the growth
parameters, such as substrate temperature, oxygen partial pressure,
and evaporation rate to improve the quality of the thin films. All thin
films with thickness ranging from 100 nm to 300 nm were annealed
after each deposition. To characterize our thin film samples, we
utilized a dual beam spectrophotometer (190 – 3000 nm) equipped
with a liquid nitrogen-cooled cryostat. We also took advantage of our
department’s new spectrometer, which utilizes fiber optic cables and
is much faster, to take preliminary room temperature transmittance
and reflectance on our samples. Our transmittance data, measured
at temperatures ranging from 78 K to 490 K, show insulating
character with a weak Mn d to d electronic excitation at ~1.7 eV. We
also found that the electronic excitations of the HoMnO 3 thin films
are weaker than the corresponding excitations in the bulk samples,
possibly due to quantum size effects.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster VI
Has Cazenovia Park Impacted Cazenovia
Creek?
West Cassenti, Rafael Manenti, and Brittany Carlson,
GES 460: Environmental Field Methods and Analysis
Faculty Mentor: Professor Elisa Bergslien, Earth Sciences and
Science Education
Recent flooding and a history of industrial development in
South Buffalo, New York have potentially impacted Cazenovia
Park. This research is to determine if any contamination of the
park has taken place and in contrast if any contamination is
occurring due to Cazenovia Park on Cazenovia Creek. The fragile
balance of these adjacent entities is in question. Is Cazenovia Creek
affecting the remediation of Buffalo’s urban watershed and the
park that houses a handful of community destinations, including a
playground, bike path, pool house, casino, and a golf course. The
research will be conducted on the creek and the park composed
of water, soil and creek sediment samples in order to determine if
the park is impacting the creek, vice versa, or the possibility of both
entities simultaneously impacting the other. We will be testing for
temperature, pH levels, and heavy metals, as well as phosphates
and nitrates, which is essential in the event that any fertilizers
are entering Cazenovia Creek upstream from the park, to see if