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Images of Research Competition

Editor's Notes

Images of Research (IOR) is an opportunity for current Murray State students from all disciplines to capture, share, and present the essence of their research in images. IOR showcases and preserves students' research in digital form and fosters engagement and creative endeavors. The jurors extend their thanks to the students who entered work for this semester's competition. The entries came from a wide range of disciplines including Agriscience/Agronomy, Studio Art, Wildlife & Conservation Biology, Psychology, Graphic Design, Journalism, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Graphic CommunicationsMedia, Business Administration, Electromechanical Engineering and Technology, Special Education, BIS, and Biology. The jurors' decision-making process was challenging as the submitted work was engaging, visually stimulating, and an excellent representation of Murray State student research.

Committee Members

Dana Statton Thompson, MLIS, MA, MFA, Associate Professor of University Libraries (Jury Chair)

Cintia Segovia Figueroa, MFA, Assistant Professor of Photography and New Media

Dr. Laura Sullivan-Beckers, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology

T. Michael Martin, MFA, Associate Professor of Art & Design and Director of University Galleries

Abstract

Rise in gasoline prices has always been a talking point in first world countries like the US, but my research shows its true impact in developing countries like Mexico. Some of the rural parts of these countries, to be specific, have stopped buying new vehicles and moved to more conservative, or gas efficient methods of transportation. Ranging from just walking, to motorcycles, hitchhiking, or even bicycles, etc. Not only is the price of gasoline incredibly high currently, but their high gasoline consuming trucks make it where it becomes unfunctional and unaffordable to own a vehicle with such a high gas consumption rate. Gas stations have gradually moved to only being open a couple of times a week, because of the decline in customers which makes the remaining gas powered car owners even more likely to change. The perpetual decrease in customers and rising gas prices creates an inevitable loop that will eventually force these large gas companies (like PEMDEX) and the independent gas brokers/dealers will have to pull out certain rural locations. This photo was taken on one of the days that this village’s gas station was closed, showing an older man riding a bicycle to avoid using the gas in his pickup truck. This was part of a series of three photos which showed this change in transportation happening in Mexico. The background of the photograph is the secondary school “Secundaria” or the Middle school of this small village to show that this problem will worsen in its effect on the future generations unless something changes. The promise of electric cars is currently unattainable for these remote villages.

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