We examine Spanish proficiency levels in young children under the age of 10 in a Spanish Heritage Language Saturday school, En Nuestra Lengua. We observe the effects on proficiency level depending on the number of Spanish-speaking parents in the household and the parental motivations to pass on the language to their children. Sending children to these heritage language schools boosts their performance and builds community, but this focus on Spanish sometimes hurts these children when it comes to going to their English school, as they fall behind on their English proficiency (Yilmaz 2016). Our study explores the motivations of Latino parents (N=40) of whether to socialize their children as Spanish-speakers and part of the Latino community or not. 20 of the parents will have children in the En Nuestra Lengua program, and the other 20 will be community members of the Ann Arbor area. We use Spanish survey responses as our data collection method because of their efficiency and anonymity. We also measure the Spanish proficiency of these children to see the effects of those motivations, as well as if having one Hispanic parent versus two affect this proficiency. The questionnaires for the parents also include questions to collect information about other resources the parents use to keep the culture alive. We hypothesize that the most effective strategy for preserving culture is an emphasis on the Spanish-speaking and culturally engaged Latino community. Additionally, this study aims to identify optimal strategies for transmitting language and cultural traditions to Latino children, providing guidance for future parents with limited resources.

Yuliana Garcia

Undergraduate Student

UROP | Mechanical Engineering 

yulianag@umich.edu 

Title: ARC-LIGHT: Algorithm for Robust Characterization of Lunar Surface Imaging for Ground Hazards and Trajectoryspani 

Co-Presenter: Naila Garcia

Safe and reliable lunar landings are crucial for future exploration of the Moon. The regolith ejected by a lander’s rocket exhaust plume represents a significant obstacle in achieving this goal. It prevents spacecraft from reliably utilizing their navigation sensors to monitor their trajectory and spot emerging surface hazards as they near the surface. As part of NASA’s 2024 Human Lander Challenge (HuLC), the University of Michigan team developed an innovative concept to help mitigate this issue. We proposed to develop and implement a machine learning-based sensor fusion system, ARC-LIGHT, that integrates sensor data from the cameras, lidars, or radars that landers already carry but disable during the final landing phase. Using these data streams, ARC-LIGHT will remove erroneous signals and recover a useful detection of the surface features, to then be used by the spacecraft to correct its descent profile. It also offers a layer of redundancy for other key sensors, like inertial measurement units. The feasibility of this technology was validated through development of a prototype algorithm, which was trained on data from a purpose-built lunar testbed. Based on these findings, a development timeline and risk analysis for ARC-LIGHT to be deployed on a lunar landing was created.

Christian Loza

Undergraduate Student | Psychology 

cloza@umich.edu 

Title: Critical Consciousness and the Complexities of Multiracial Identity

Multiracial individuals, including multiracial Latino individuals and other combinations, represent the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021). From childhood, multiracial youth navigate racialized systems designed for individuals with singular ethnic-racial identities (ERI), defined as youths' understanding of their racial and ethnic backgrounds (Rivas-Drake & Umaña-Taylor, 2019). This positioning often leads to the simultaneous development of racial identity and awareness of systemic racism within a monoracist society, fostering a unique motivation to challenge oppressive structures. Despite this, limited research examines how multiracial youth develop their ERI and critical consciousness (CC)—the capacity to reflect on systemic oppression and take action against it (Diemer et al., 2020). To address this gap, a measure of critical multiracial ethnic-racial identity (CMERI) is being developed, grounded in critical multiracial theory (MultiCrit; Harris, 2016). MultiCrit challenges dominant monoracial paradigms by centering the experiences of multiracial individuals, including those with Latino heritage, to uncover systemic inequities and promote social justice. The CMERI scale will assess multiracial identity development and its relationship to CC. The scale development process follows best practices, incorporating qualitative methods such as focus groups to identify relevant themes and cognitive interviews to refine survey items. The CMERI scale addresses the limitations of existing ERI measures, which fail to account for the complexities of multiracial identities. By capturing the fluid and dynamic nature of multiracial identity, this measure enhances visibility for multiracial individuals in research and provides a reliable tool to understand how their identity development relates to critical consciousness and social change.

Chloe Hong

Undergraduate Student | En Nuestra Lengua Lab

chlohong@umich.edu  

Title: Palabras de Poder: Improving Heritage Language Students’ Language Ability in Spanish on Expressive and Receptive Image Tasks through Paired Book Program 

A U.S. heritage language learner (HLL) is raised in a non-English-speaking home and is considered bilingual in the heritage language (HL) and English (Valdés, 2000). HLLs utilize expressive and receptive language, the abilities to produce and understand language, respectively, in both languages; however, there is a tendency for U.S. HL Spanish-speaking children to lose Spanish skills (Anderson, 2012). While previous picture-naming studies have compared expressive and receptive language in Spanish and English (Leacox et al., 2016; Jia et al., 2006; Kohnert et al., 1999), this study focuses solely on young HLLs’ Spanish. It is valuable to study HL development in isolation, as it is at high risk of being lost. The current study examines the effects of an ongoing Spanish HL shared reading intervention adapted from Proyecto WORLD (Pollard-Durodola et al., 2017). Proyecto WORLD was designed specifically for the Saturday Spanish HL program, En Nuestra Lengua, as a means to boost HL vocabulary acquisition. Vocabulary is a foundation for reading comprehension and is associated with important linguistic skills such as fluency and other aspects of speech production. This approach has proven effective in enhancing preschool and kindergarten HL students’ expressive and receptive language (Ortiz-Villalobos et al., submitted), and we ask if ‘older’ students may also benefit. First-grade HL students in the current intervention (N=23, mean age 6.5) receive guided reading presentations on Saturdays, with two books per unit–one non-fiction and one fiction book –centered on a science theme and 3-6 vocabulary words (“palabras de poder”) per unit; students are tested on both expressive and receptive vocabulary based on a researcher-designed version of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-IV) (Dunn & Dunn, 2007). Students’ scores from previous years of participation in Proyecto WORLD will be compared to their current outcomes. We expect a statistically significant increase in the mean scores from the vocabulary test this year as opposed to last year (that is, a prediction of raw data scores with a 30% improvement). Positive outcomes will demonstrate shared reading’s cumulative effectiveness in improving students’ expressive and receptive language ability in the HL Spanish. These results are a first pass for informing methods that improve HLLs’ vocabulary and linguistic development.

Despite many allegations regarding his sexuality, Juan Gabriel never openly identified as gay. Following his death in 2016, I ask: how do we publicly remember him as an artist outside the confines of heteronormativity? Although Juan Gabriel never “came out” what is his significance to queer Latinx audiences? 

This project uses a photo elicitation based artist interview with cultural worker Jorge Valdivia to look at an altar he created for Mexican superstar Juan Gabriel as part of Chicago’s National Museum of Mexican Art’s annual day of the dead exhibit titled #30 Dia de los Muertos: Journey of the Soul 2016. I identify what I call a “cloak of queerness” that creates an air of intergenerational solidarity between queer Latinx youth and their mothers. Reflecting on our relationship with our mothers, Juan Gabriel’s music, and our own celebration of self-affirmed queerness, Valdivia and I explore an archisme that helps inform the cloak of queerness that we nestle underneath as fans of Juan Gabriel and his unspoken queer legacy.

Looking at the aesthetics of Juan Gabriel provides a cloak for discussing queerness beyond the confines of queer terminology and challenges the notion that one needs to be “out” to be seen and respected as a queer person and in Juan Gabriel’s case, a queer icon.

Although research on the impostor phenomenon (i.e., feeling like an intellectual fraud despite being successful, Clance and Imes, 1978) among students of color has increased over the last decade, studies rarely focus on practical methods to combat the harmful effects of the impostor phenomenon. Using survey data from two hundred and ninety-six racially and ethnically diverse college students (i.e., Asian American, Black/African American, and Latinx/Hispanic), this study examined the mediating role of protective strategies, such as self-compassion and academic self-efficacy, on the relationship between impostor phenomenon and psychological distress (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms). Results from mediation analyses suggest that both self-compassion and academic self-efficacy partially mediate the relationship between impostor feelings and psychological distress. Additionally, a one-way ANOVA revealed significant racial/ethnic mean differences among self-compassion and academic self-efficacy. The findings highlight the positive influence of protective strategies to combat the adverse effects of impostor feelings. Suggestions for future research, including the need for a longitudinal analysis of the impostor phenomenon, are discussed.

Using first-row metal catalysts, such as nickel and copper has been found to functionalize inert C–H bonds in aminoquinoline-directed systems. Here we aim to understand nickel and copper complexes that are C–H functionalization intermediates; these can include high-valent nickel or copper intermediates. In this work, we describe the effect of diverse ligands and oxidants in carbon-heteroatom bond forming reaction from discrete complexes. Specific implications for future mechanistic studies will be discussed.

Atrial remodeling is clinically significant as it forms a pathophysiological connection with subsequent cardiac conditions. Previous studies suggest that a persistent high pressure and strain within the left atrium may set the stage for atrial fibrillation (Afib). Afib is the most common type of serious heart arrhythmia, affecting over 33 million individuals globally. AFib triggers serious complications, such as increased risk of stroke, heart failure and increased mortality. Despite its importance, the current assessment of atrial cardiomyopathies is challenging and non-standardized. Among the non-invasive imaging tools, cardiac magnetic resonance (cMR), which is a non-ionizing imaging modality, highlights due to its superior tissue contrast. Given the need of high spatial resolution for atrial imaging, the scan duration for clinical assessment is long, then atrial cMR is not usually performed. We propose an ECG-triggered high-resolution 3D imaging sequence using balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) combined with an efficient spiral trajectory. To reach the steady state, we applied ten linear ramp-up pulses before the acquisition of the 72 spiral readouts (1.2; 1.2 3mm3, FA 50 TR/TE 6/1.8ms). The accelerated acquisition was performed during a single breath-hold. To achieve the fast imaging, we used parallel imaging in the form of Generalized Autocalibration Partially Parallel Acquisition (GRAPPA). Acquisition of the 3D MRI data was performed as a stack of spirals accelerated in-plane and through partition. The autocalibration signal was acquired during a non-gated free-breathing scan for weight estimation of the GRAPPA method. Experiments were performed in phantom and in vivo at 1.5 T.

Polyamides (PA), such as nylon-6 and nylon-6,6, are significant components of various industries due to their versatile properties, resulting in annual production rates of three to four million tons. These petroleum-derived thermoplastics are commonly found in textiles, fishing nets, packaging, and medical devices, contributing to substantial environmental impact through waste accumulation. Chemical recycling utilizing enzymes offers a promising strategy for sustainable plastic waste management. This research focuses on engineering enzymes capable of efficiently cleaving amide bonds by leveraging Nylonase C (NylC) and the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). NylC is known for its ability to hydrolyze synthetic nylon oligomers, while Mpro is a cysteine protease involved in viral replication and capable of cleaving amide bonds, with both enzymes sharing catalytic similarities. The objective is to enhance NylC’s substrate binding affinity, catalytic efficiency, and thermal stability while redesigning Mpro to degrade nylon. Our approach employs Protein Design and GALigandDock protocol within the Rosetta software, involving structure prediction, refinement, design and molecular docking to guide novel enzyme variants. In future work, ProteinMPNN will be used to generate additional enzyme variants, enabling a comparative analysis with Rosetta-generated results. The anticipated outcomes include several mutant variants of NylC and Mpro, which will undergo experimental validation to assess their efficacy in nylon degradation. Ultimately, successful enzyme engineering could provide an innovative solution to the persistent problem of polyamide waste, promoting a more sustainable approach to plastic recycling and environmental conservation.

Latinx youth are at high risk of health and health care disparities. They are particularly vulnerable tomental health challenges due to the interplay of racism, health, and health care, which can be overwhelming for Latinx youth and their families to navigate. In this article, we provide an overview of the socio-demographics of Latinx youth living in the United States. Next, drawing on Borrell’s framework for the effect of self-racial categorization, we review health disparities commonly experienced by Latinx youth with a more detailed description of mental health. We also explore the impact of racism and colorism on Latinx youth mental health and health care. Finally, we propose multiple strategies across levels to reduce the aforementioned disparities.

In an era marked by escalating conflict and forced displacement, the educational integration of refugee children and youth has become an urgent global concern. Despite being essential for learning, personal development, and social mobility, half of the world’s refugee children are out of school (UNHCR, 2023). Moreover, those who do access education often face challenges due to the educational system's lack of preparedness and resources to support a holistic approach to integration for students with migratory backgrounds (Morrice et al., 2020; Pinson and Arnot, 2010; Cerna, 2019). Using comparative case study methods (Bartlett & Vavrus, 2017), this paper explores the complexities of educational integration, contrasting the experiences of Venezuelan youth across two schools in Cúcuta, Colombia. It examines the role of national education policies, school-level initiatives, and mobility trajectories in shaping these experiences. Drawing on interviews with 10th-grade students, this presentation focuses on how Venezuelan students—both pendular and settled immigrants—navigate their educational journeys in exile. It also investigates how their perceptions of identity are shaped by “boundary making/breaking” and the systemic and interpersonal dynamics that contribute to a sense of belonging within the school community. The study highlights how these experiences intersect with broader contextual uncertainties and shape students' future aspirations. Ultimately, the research aims to enhance systemic preparedness for integrating forcibly displaced populations, emphasizing education as a critical pathway for children and youth to belong and thrive in their new communities despite the challenges of human mobility.

Order of Events 

5:00 PM: Dinner is served

5:30 PM: Welcome Programming Begins

6:00 PM: LRW Awards

7:15 PM: Loteria Game & Raffle

7:30PM: Closing Remarks

Dinner Menu

Pollo a La Brasa

Seco a la Norteña

Arroz con Pollo

Maduros Fritos

Click on the dates below to see the detailed event program for Latine Research Week 2025