The Impact of Vision Impairment on Development and Daily Life in Young Adults & Children

Merna Mikhail, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Psychology

For my capstone project, I chose to research a topic that deeply interests me and aligns with my career goals. I aimed to combine my psychology major with my goal of becoming an optometrist by exploring vision impairment and its impact on the development and daily life in children and young adults. The objective of my research was to gain a deeper understanding of how adolescents and children with vision impairments navigate their daily lives, including the challenges and limitations they may face whether in school, social relationships, or personal development. Additionally, I wanted to explore how vision impairment influences self-esteem and confidence, which can have broader effects on various aspects of life.

During my literature review, I came across some unexpected findings. For instance, one study revealed that adolescents with severe vision impairments reported the highest sense of school belonging compared to their sighted peers and those with milder visual impairments. This was surprising because one might assume that greater vision impairment would correlate with increased struggles in social integration.

However, this study challenged that assumption, highlighting the complexity of individual experiences. One of the most significant takeaways from my research is that no two cases are the same; there is no universal standard for how vision impairment affects a person’s life. Each individual experiences and copes with their impairment differently. Some grow up in supportive environments that encourage independence, while others may not have access to the same resources or support, leading to greater feelings of limitation. Through my research, I also discovered various tools, such as assistive apps, that help individuals with vision impairments navigate daily challenges.

Pursuing a career in optometry means that I will work with a diverse range of patients, including children and adolescents with varying degrees of vision impairment. This research has provided me with valuable insight into their experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms. Additionally, it has broadened my perspective on how society can better support individuals with vision impairments.

Initially, I expected my capstone to be just another project, something to complete and move on from. However, it turned out to be a profoundly eye-opening experience that provided me with new perspectives and meaningful knowledge. One of the biggest challenges I faced was finding the right sources, as locating relevant and credible studies required extensive research. Fortunately meeting with my mentor, Professor Louis Rotondo, helped me refine my focus and identify key areas to explore.

Looking ahead, I would love to expand this research by shifting the focus to adults with vision impairments. Understanding how they manage daily life, their self-perceptions, and their coping strategies could provide even more valuable insight into the lifelong impact of vision impairment.

Ultimately, this experience has reinforced the importance of being open to learning and embracing the unexpected. I now understand that research is not just about finding answers but about uncovering new perspectives that challenge assumptions. This project has been both enlightening and rewarding, and I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in my future career.

Visualizing interactions between RAGE and S100A12 binding and signaling with YFP and CFP

Shaan Shirazi, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Biology

I was looking for research and was accepted to work in Dr. Rupal Gupta’s lab. There was definitely a learning curve for me, as the projects involved relied heavily on topics in biology and biochemistry that I hadn’t yet learned.

But from the very beginning, I was fascinated by the work being done on proteins and how the experiments conducted could help further our knowledge on the intricate systems that help our bodies function. This was a big motivating factor that kept me coming back and working in the lab. I loved how the work I did would actually help us to work towards a goal of publishing our findings on different proteins and receptors in our bodies, furthering society’s knowledge on this topic.

My capstone covers how my research aims to understand how a protein in our body named S100A12 interacts with its respective receptor called RAGE. Using a technique called fluorescent energy transfer microscopy, it uses a fluorescent protein that we attached to the receptors to visually observe and detect the interactions between S100A12 and RAGE. S100A12 is normally produced by our immune system, and is known to signal immune responses via RAGE, such as inflammation. S100A12 is observed in patients suffering inflammation from diseases such as chronic kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

I found it challenging yet fun learning how to operate different machinery such as the thermocycler to replicate DNA via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or the gel electrophoresis system to confirm the presence of DNA. I began my research with a basic knowledge on their function and purpose and came out far more experienced and learned. Experiences like that actually benefited me in my biology classes, when these techniques were discussed and tested on.

Working on this project I was very surprised at the time many procedures took, as I quickly learned that science requires a lot of time and patience to get results, and that I always have to brace myself for failure as that is much more common than success. In my capstone paper I detail in my results section the many hiccups I encountered when working towards my goal, and every time I learned to stand back and assess what went wrong and adjust my methods accordingly.

I began this project in my sophomore year, and I have since heavily expanded upon my research on this specific topic involving the S100A12 protein, testing different mutants such as S100A12E31A and S100A12E31AI47A’s ability to bind metal under different conditions. Overall in addition to the scientific knowledge I have gained working on this project, more importantly, I also learned a lot of good skills and habits such as patience, work ethic, and critical thinking.

The Influence and Impact on How Social Media Shapes Societies

Chloe Matuszewicz, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Business Management

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter have fundamentally altered how individuals, organizations, and communities connect and share information. My research aimed to explore the role of social media as a disruptive innovation and its impact on communication, education, business, and society.

Social media has improved international communication, encouraged activism, and opened up new avenues for education and promotion, but it also has drawbacks, including false information, privacy issues, overabundance of content, and the decline of authenticity. Through qualitative research, this study aimed to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of these developments, providing stakeholders such as governments, corporations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with guidance on how to deal with the opportunities and difficulties presented by social media.

The results demonstrate social media's dual character as a force that needs careful management to prevent detrimental effects on society and as a tool for innovation and advancement. Understanding how ingrained social media has become in daily life gave rise to the concept for this study. Its capacity to disrupt established systems like marketing, communication, and education stood out as a field that deserved more investigation.

I was driven by the urge to gain a deeper understanding of this two-pronged tool and to pinpoint tactics that companies, academic institutions, and legislators may employ to maximize its advantages while reducing its drawbacks. The frameworks of Clayton Christensen's Disruptive Innovation process and Everett Rogers' theory Diffusion of Innovation offered a theoretical perspective for analyzing how social media alters society dynamics.

Initially, I expected the research process to be relatively straightforward—a compilation of existing literature, followed by a clear synthesis of ideas. However, it turned out to be a far more intricate and demanding journey. Due to its wide-ranging and complex effects, social media demands an intricate equilibrium between examining its advantages and resolving its drawbacks. To draw useful findings, every area impacted by social media, including communication, education, and entertainment, needed to be investigated comprehensively. I didn't realize how much more critical thinking and further research this project would demand, and careful analysis of sources.

One of the primary challenges was working within time constraints, which limited the ability to conduct primary research. Secondary data collection and analysis became crucial, but thorough filtering was also necessary to make sure the sources were reliable and relevant. It proved to be a balancing act to focus on specific elements without simplifying them, considering the wide range of social media's influence. However, it was comparatively simple to obtain secondary data and identify reoccurring patterns due to the amount of literature on social networking as a disruptive innovation.

Theoretical frameworks, like Christensen's work on disruptive innovation, offered an organized method for examining how social media is changing different industries. The magnitude and range of social media's effect shocked me the most. I learned how profoundly it has changed not just how people communicate with one another, but also how society, business, and even educational systems are shaped. Social media's dual nature—its ability to promote constructive social change while also presenting serious risks, was especially noticeable. Social media encourages superficial participation and spreads false information even as it gives users the ability to take part in international discussions and movements.

This study experience has been enlightening and life-changing. It underlined how crucial flexibility and critical thinking are when tackling a complicated, quickly changing topic like social media. I discovered the importance of combining many points of view and striking a balance between theoretical understanding and real-world applications. Above all, this study reaffirmed how crucial it is that stakeholders use social media with consideration. For example, companies must adopt strategies that strike a balance between short-term aims, like more sales, and long-term ones, like fostering trust and brand loyalty.

To promote a better online environment, governments and politicians must concentrate on enhancing digital literacy and preventing false information. Nonprofits can utilize social media to spread their message, but they also need to be aware of the dangers of false information and content overload. Overall, this study has helped me better grasp how social media is changing how society interacts, learns, and functions.