Digital Commons Network^™

Identifiability Of Phylogenetic Models, Thomas J. Yacovone

Math and Computer Science Honors Theses

An algebraic statistical model is a parametrized family of probability distributions. Identifiability is a crucial property of a statistical model; when it holds, probability distributions in the model uniquely determine the parameters that produce them. In phylogenetics, models that are identifiable can be used to ascertain evolutionary relationships between species based on observed data, such as amino acid and DNA sequence data. However, global identifiability is a strong condition that may not always hold. A discrete parameter of a model is said to be generically identifiable if the set of probability distributions that do not uniquely determine the discrete parameter …

A Year In Syntropy: Exploring Syntropic Agriculture, Ajah Eills

College Honors Program

Syntropic agriculture is a form of sustainable agriculture that originated in Brazil around 25 years ago. Although it has since spread throughout Brazil and Australia, there has yet to be a comprehensive study of the driving scientific principles behind syntropy. For my thesis, I conducted literature research and interviews with farmers, with the goal of describing the ecological principles on which syntropy is based, including its primary goal to improve soil health. Much of my thesis contrasted syntropic agriculture with conventional agriculture as practiced in the United States today, but I also explored the differences between syntropic agriculture and other …

User Experience As A Rhetorical Medium: User At The Intersection Of Audience, Reader And Actor, Áine Doyle

English Honors Theses

The goal of this project is to demonstrate how digital interfaces are bodies of visual language that can be “close-read” and interpreted critically, just like any other traditional text; digital user interfaces, like poetry and novels, have form and content that complement and shape the meaning and interpretation of the other. It is meant to encourage academic discussions about digital interfaces to go beyond whether social media is “good” or “bad” to how digital interfaces are structured, why they are structured the way they are, and what effects these structures have on the way they communicate information and content to …

Analytic Exoplanet Transit Analysis, And Investigation Into Wasp, Kepler, And Qatar Systems, Colan Gulla

College Honors Program

In this paper we analyze exoplanet transit data. First, we discuss an analytical method of assessing the data similar to the one derived in Agol & Mandel, 2002¹. The time series photometric data for transits used in this paper was downloaded from the NASA Exoplanet Archive. Similar data was also extracted from the Exoplanet Transit Database for analysis. We use a formula for relative flux from Agol & Mandel, 2002¹ to study the specific transit systems of WASP 1b, WASP 12b, Kepler 1, Qatar 1b and TRES-1b. The formula for relative flux is fit to a set …

The Use Of A Lock-In Amplifier To Stabilize The Frequency Of A Laser Diode, Jose M. Juarez

College Honors Program

We have designed, constructed, and tested a lock-in amplifier with readily available electronic components and homebuilt analog circuits. Its performance is comparable to that of a commercial unit, but it costs significantly less and is much more compact. The various components of our lock-in amplifier are discussed and the basic principles behind the function and operation of this versatile device are explained. We have also assembled a laser system and used the output signal of our lock-in amplifier in a negative feedback loop to stabilize the frequency of our laser to an atomic reference frequency.

Riemann Surfaces: Distribution Of Weierstrass Points On Nodal Curves Of Genus 2, Kathryn A. Furio '88

Fenwick Scholar Program

No abstract provided.

Oxygen Consumption By Acrylamide Polymerization For Rapid Screening Of Chemotherapeutic Agents, Richard A. Johnson '74

Fenwick Scholar Program

This paper describes a screening process used to determine the overall effect of anti-cancer drugs on a tumor more rapidly than other established methods. This technique measures the rate of oxygen consumption by cells when a solution of acrylamide and bisacrylamide is polymerized.

Three Papers In Mathematical Logic, Henry P. Miranda '74

Fenwick Scholar Program

Three papers were written in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Fenwick Scholar Program 1973-1974:

An Algebraic Proof of the Completeness of Sentential Logic proves the completeness of sentential logic using concepts of Boolean structures.

Godel's Proof of the Incompleteness of Axiomatic Number Theory discusses Godel's Incompleteness Theorem as a landmark in the Foundations of Mathematics which has meaning for mathematicians, logicians, and philosophers alike.

The Independence of the Continuum Hypothesis discusses the nature of independence proofs and briefly describes the boolean valued logic used to obtain the independence results.