Abstract Requirements
GradCon Abstracts (circa 300 words) must include the following elements (as applicable to your field): Your abstract/artist statement must be specific to this presentation. It should be revised to reflect your most recent work on the project.
- Title: Describe your topic in language that is intelligible to a general audience.
- Purpose: State your main thesis or rationale.
- Methods: How did you carry out this project?
- Originality: What is new about this approach?
- Significance: Explain the contribution of this project to your field and/or to society.
Listed below are some examples of abstracts for each category. For more examples of abstracts, refer to the .
Sample Abstracts
Ambient Air Pollution, Geomasking and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in 猎奇重口 (STEM category)
Being one of the leading causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs), including eclampsia, preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension, are a major public health burden. Research links fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) to increased risk of HDPs, but such studies are lacking in wildfire-prone rural areas. While PM2.5 concentrations have been decreasing around most of the US in the last few decades, 猎奇重口 and other western states have experienced an increase in PM2.5 concentrations due to increasing wildfire activity.
Moreover, a growing body of research into the health effects of air pollution has grown methodologic literature to improve how such research is conducted. As these research methods advance, preserving individual confidentiality is crucial. Geomasking is a class of methods that conceals individuals’ locations while attempting to preserve the location-health outcome relationship. However, in rural areas like much of 猎奇重口, adequately concealing an individual’s location may introduce substantial error into their air pollution exposure estimate. By extension, this could introduce bias into conclusions about the true association between air pollution and the health outcome of interest.
The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine the association between PM2.5 and HDPs and (2) to use simulation to explore conditions under which geomasking may introduce bias into the results of research on the health effects of air pollution.
Using 猎奇重口 birth certificate records from 2008-2019, we used multiple logistic regression and found a 10% increase in risk of HDP associated with each 3 µg/m3 increase in mean pregnancy PM2.5 exposure and used distributed lag nonlinear models to identify two sensitive time periods of exposure: (1) the week of conception and three weeks before and after conception; and (2) gestational weeks 19 through 33.
The geomasking simulation is in progress and results will be presented.
Implicit Bias in Speech-Language Pathology: A Journey Towards Inclusive Care (Humanities/Social Sciences Category)
To gauge implicit bias in communication sciences and disorders (CSD), the proposed study aims to understand how identity as racial/ethnic or linguistic minority affects individuals’ diagnoses with speech-language disorders. In addition, we aim to see whether clinicians’ identities as black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) or non-standard language speakers affect their biases. Prior work has shown that clinicians' explicit racial biases affect patient care, matching expectations, but little work has examined bias of language variety spoken by patients or clinicians’ implicit biases. Many institutions fail to mandate cultural competency training, contributing to systemic issues. Our planned research explores and assesses current cultural competency to justify additional training on inclusivity racial disparities in CSD, improving overall patient care.
Sample Artist Statements
ManBox: A Goodbye Play
ManBox: A Goodbye Play is an original short play that explores the limitations an individualistic patriarchal society forces on members of the dominant hegemony - in this case semi-autobiographically as I am a white male who grew up in the Western United States. In it, the protagonist runs up against multiple walls as he attempts to say something meaningful to a loved one, trying to access something more significant than his rudimentary emotional vocabulary will allow. I wrote this play in response to watching my father grapple with the loss of his own father, seeing him tie himself in knots of stoicism and an insistence on a certain masculine narrative that left him cold. In this play, I combine my previous graduate work in Theatre and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies (MFA class of '21) with my current pursuit of an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to explore the manner in which individual men are failed by the very system that insulates them.
Under the Skin: Queer Trauma and the Medical Sphere
For my third major artistic project focusing on abandoned human structures, Under the Skin is an interdisciplinary exploration of loss and trauma through silver gelatin photographs and a collection of original poems. I combine images of the decommissioned Air Force hospital in St. Marie, MT and free verse poems to explore how personal, intergenerational trauma lives within my queer body, and how my body is wrapped up in the medical sphere.
With financial assistance through the Ridge Scholarship and the Greta Wrolstad Travel Award, I traveled to St. Marie and photographed stirruped beds, overgrown nurseries, operating theaters, a morgue, and a basement crawlspace with military rations a family of coyotes has been stealing since the base’s abandonment in the 1970s. These images provide the tonal background and springboard for my poetry which focuses on abuse to women in the medical field, particularly my own experiences of not being believed, fear of childbirth, queer discrimination, dysmorphia, and the language used to discuss my body. I supplemented the autobiographical element with a literature review through the Ridge Collection to access medical terminology, legal cases of abuse to female and queer bodies, and stories of trauma survivors. This additional research puts my experience in conversation with the larger scope of this abuse and manipulation within the power dynamics of medicine.
Recognizing trauma and abuse plainly through direct discussion in poetry and tonal contexts in photography of the abandoned, vandalized hospital is important to my personal journey and to others’ self-perception. So often, we don’t realize something is wrong because it’s brushed aside or normalized; Under the Skin shows not just what is in my body, but what might be in someone else’s, creating a community with empathy and verbalizing loss and trauma while also critiquing the language we use to do so.
Sample Professional Experience Statements
Internship Experience
During the summer, I completed an internship with the 猎奇重口 Historical Society in Helena, where I had the opportunity to engage in meaningful work preserving and promoting the state’s cultural and historical heritage. As a History graduate student at the 猎奇重口, this internship allowed me to apply my academic training in a professional environment. My primary responsibilities included conducting archival research, cataloging historical documents, and assisting with the curation of exhibits that showcased 猎奇重口’s complex historical narratives, including indigenous histories and settler expansion.
One of the major projects I contributed to involved the organization and preservation of a collection of 19th-century personal letters and photographs, which provided insight into the lives of 猎奇重口’s early settlers. Additionally, I developed educational materials to support the Historical Society’s public programs, including exhibits and workshops aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the state’s history. A particularly rewarding aspect of the internship was collaborating with local tribal representatives to ensure accurate and culturally sensitive representations of indigenous communities in museum displays.
This experience provided valuable insight into the practical challenges of archival work and public history. It sharpened my analytical and organizational skills while offering firsthand exposure to the ways historical institutions shape public understanding of the past. Moreover, the internship reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in public history, particularly in archival management and exhibit curation. I look forward to building on this experience in my graduate studies, as well as in future professional roles where I can continue contributing to the preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage.
Capstone Project
For my capstone project in the Parks, Tourism and Recreation Management Master of Science program at the 猎奇重口, I collaborated with Glacier National Park to develop a comprehensive visitor engagement strategy aimed at enhancing sustainable tourism practices. The project focused on addressing the growing challenges of visitor management, environmental conservation, and community involvement in one of the nation’s most iconic protected areas.
Over the course of the project, I conducted site assessments, observed visitor behaviors, and engaged with park staff and local stakeholders to identify areas for improvement in visitor services and educational programming. A significant portion of my work involved creating an interpretive guide tailored for families, which highlights the park’s natural and cultural heritage while promoting responsible recreation practices. This guide integrates engaging narratives, interactive activities, and Leave No Trace principles to inspire visitors to connect more deeply with the park while minimizing their ecological footprint. Additionally, I developed a pilot program for volunteer ambassadors, designed to provide on-site assistance to visitors while fostering a sense of stewardship within the local community. The program was well-received by park staff, and I provided a detailed implementation plan for its future expansion.
This capstone project offered invaluable hands-on experience in addressing real-world challenges within the field of tourism and recreation management. It honed my skills in project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and the practical application of sustainable tourism principles. Most importantly, it reinforced my commitment to balancing visitor enjoyment with environmental preservation. As I look ahead to a career in park management, I am inspired by the opportunity to build upon this project’s outcomes and continue contributing to the sustainable development of protected areas and tourism destinations.
Study Abroad Exchange Program
In the fall semester, I completed a semester-long study abroad exchange program at Université PSL (Paris Sciences et Lettres) in France. This immersive experience significantly enhanced my linguistic fluency, cultural understanding, and academic perspective. At Université PSL, I had the opportunity to enroll in advanced courses in French literature, linguistics, and cultural studies, allowing me to engage deeply with the intricacies of the French language and Francophone culture.
As a M.A. student in Modern Languages and Literature (French option), living in Paris provided unparalleled access to the cultural and historical landmarks that I have long studied in my academic course work. I learnt more about French sociolinguistics and 18th-century French literature, explored archival materials at local libraries, and attended public lectures by leading French academics. This exchange program also fostered my personal and professional growth. Navigating a new educational system at one of France’s most prestigious institutions improved my adaptability and intercultural communication skills. Engaging with peers and professors from diverse backgrounds deepened my appreciation for global perspectives on French studies. Returning to the 猎奇重口, I am eager to incorporate these insights into my thesis and classroom discussions, further enriching my academic community.
This transformative experience reaffirmed my commitment to promoting French language and culture. It has equipped me with the skills and global perspective necessary to excel in my future career in translation and international collaboration.